text:
- -
Meet a Michigan Member
Name: Eric C. Sanders.
Where I live: Macomb County, Mich.
Where and when I was born: Detroit, Jan. 19, 1950.
Education: Two semesters at Wayne State University; the full course at Electronic Computer Programming Institute, Detroit (1971); variety of trade courses from McCormack & Dodge and IBM, along with lots of on-the-job training.
Occupation: First I was a kitchen boy at a Girl Scout camp, then everything from short-order cook and pizza delivery boy to mainframe computer operations, to 20 years' mainframe computer programming to cabbing, and now retail service in a gun shop.
How I got where I am today: Luck. My bum knee got me out of the Army on a medical discharge after being drafted in spite of a doctor's note, but my discharge was a week too early to qualify for G.I. benefits. As a result, I never finished a degree and lost a house. While a student at computer school, though, I met a fellow who wound up recommending me for progressively better jobs in information technology.
Finally, my job was eliminated, and I was invited to go someplace where my lack of a degree would not be important. Then an acquaintance was fired from the job I now hold. That's only half of the story. I know no one up there likes me.
Where I'm headed: Short term? I'm going to find out whether my investment choices, along with Social Security and what earnings I can garner, will support me the rest of my life. Long term? Recycling, obviously.
Persons I admire: Anyone who can stay cool while his tectonic plate heads hellward — haven't known that many such people, certainly not admirable ones.
Not personally known? Writers Bob Heinlein and Louis L'Amour, Medal of Honor winners Audie Murphy and Rodger Young, cartoon creators R. Crumb and Michael Maltese, and singers Eddie Van Halen and Janis Ian. Plus the person who first thought up writing and reading -— greatest invention in history.
A quotation I like: There are a bunch. Ecclesiastes 9:11. 1 Corinthians 13:2. Matthew 25:40. Henry James on the three things important in human life (all end in "be kind").
"People said there was one law for the rich and one law for the poor, but it wasn't true. There was no law for those who made the law, and no law for the incorrigibly lawless. All the laws and rules were for those people stupid enough to think like Cockbill Street people." (Terry Pratchett)
And lastly, Abraham Maslow: "He that is good with a hammer tends to think everything is a nail."
These are a few of my favorite things: A companion who listens. Foley that means it [accurate sound effects]. Tenderloin (skillet fried). Meatloaf that's meatloaf. Snacks unconcerned with nutrition. Beautiful women who love to eat and drink. A book, or a movie, that is its own story. Any pistol with inverse rails. Folks who carry concealed, unconcerned with fashion. Manual transmissions. Air conditioning (thank Willis Carrier)!
These are not: Wal-Mart. Nutritious "snacks." Religious people who do not know God, let alone Her shoe size. Teachers who don't. Cooks more concerned with presentation than with comfort. Parents who shouldn't. Governments.
My doubts about religion started: My childhood researches into the art and science of shoplifting led to me being sentenced to read the Revised Standard Version from cover to cover. The content was my first real brush with formal English literature, but it did not persuade me that its writers knew anything that I didn't. It was just too inferior to really imaginative fiction, such as the works of Heinlein or Conan Doyle.
What I wished for as a child: Real proof that I was important to someone else — important for a reason unique to me.
Ways I promote freethought: Speaking and writing to anyone and everyone, always the truth as closely as I can discover it.
FFRF's Barker debates bible school dean
Florida freethought
From left at the Tallahassee debate were Gary Whittenberger, Dan Barker, Bryan O'Neal, Mark Hohmeister and a representative of Ratio Christi.
A question long discussed around campfires, in caves, dorm halls, churches, classrooms, coffee shops and various other settings throughout history is "does God exist?" And so it was on Sept. 10 at the Challenger Learning Center in downtown Tallahassee, Fla.
Arguing for the affirmative position was Bryan O'Neal, professor of theology and dean of faculty at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Taking the negative position was Dan Barker, an evangelist turned atheist and co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation in Madison, Wis. Debate moderator was Mark Hohmeister, associate editor of the Tallahassee Democrat.
The event was hosted by the Center for Inquiry-Tallahassee. Co-sponsors included Ratio Christi, Freethinkers' Forum, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee, Tallahassee Atheists, First Coast Freethought Society, Humanists of Florida Association, Joan Patterson, Neil Mooney and Richard and Elaine Hull.
For more than two hours, the debaters vigorously defended their positions before an audience of 175 and afterward answered audience questions and engaged in informal discussions and book signings.
Seventy-eight percent of the audience completed an opinion survey consisting of one question posed before the debate and two questions posed after the debate. They were asked to answer the question "Does God exist?" (pre- and post-debate), choosing among five options: "definitely yes, probably yes, can't decide, probably no, and definitely no."
The definition of "God" used in the survey was one commonly held among believers in the "Abrahamic faiths" and one which the debaters had agreed to use prior to the debate. "God" was defined as "a being, intelligent agent, or person who is all-knowing, all-powerful, and perfectly good, who created the cosmos and is the supreme moral authority."
Audience members were also asked near the conclusion "Who won the debate?"
Before the debate, 21.3% of those who completed the survey answered they were theists or believers in God, 5.1% said they were agnostics or undecided, and 71.3% identified as atheists or nonbelievers. Overall, 11.8% thought O'Neal won the debate, 69.9% thought Barker won and 11% thought it was a tie. Given the composition of the audience, this result was not too surprising.
Minds were changed
Although most people (82.4%) didn't change their opinions about the existence of God from before the debate to afterward, 24 persons (17.6%) did. Of these individuals who had a change of mind, 16 (66.7%) changed in the direction of diminished belief in God, four (16.7%) changed in the direction of increased belief, and for four others (16.7%), the direction of change was ambiguous.
For those who began the debate as atheists, 3.1% thought O'Neal won, 84.5% thought Barker and 8.2% thought it was a tie. For the agnostics (who marked "can't decide"), 14.3% favored O'Neal, 57.1% favored Barker and none thought it was a tie.
The most surprising result came from the theists, among which 37.9% thought O'Neal won, 31% thought Barker won and 24.1% thought it was a tie. Almost as many believers perceived Barker as the winner as thought O'Neal won.
For those who changed their belief about the existence of God, changes were in small increments, as might be expected in a 150-minute debate. Twenty of 24 (83.3%) who changed their minds did so by only one level. For example, the most common change to "Does God exist?" was from "probably no" to "definitely no."
One surprising and rather disappointing fact was that before the debate, the religious community of Tallahassee did not come forward to support O'Neal even though he is an articulate apologist and a Presbyterian. Of five local Presbyterian churches which were invited to be debate co-sponsors, two declined and three never responded. Of approximately seven other religious groups invited to be co-sponsors, only one (Ratio Christi) agreed to support O'Neal and the debate's goals.
This general lack of support seems inconsistent with a well-known bible verse (1 Peter 3:15): "But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence."
These survey results are consistent with a general U.S. trend toward secularization. On religious issues, most people are not changing their minds but some are, and among those who are, most are becoming less religious.
FFRF member Gary Whittenberger is a retired psychologist and current secretary of the Center for Inquiry–Tallahassee.
Religious well-wishers' healing wishes unwelcome
By Joan Reisman-Brill
On June 30, at the very end of a lovely vacation in Spain, I was struck by a Barcelona city bus, which came to a stop on my feet (crunch), then backed off (double crunch). I was bleeding from the head, scraped on one side, bruised on the other, and my feet were throbbing.
Although I never completely lost consciousness (and accurately told the emergency medics my name, where I was and that I thought my feet were broken), for a while I literally didn't know what hit me.
After a round of medical imaging, it was determined that my brains and ribs were intact, but I had fractured multiple bones in both feet and had a very nasty "road burn" on one ankle near the bone. I was told that if it became infected, I could lose that foot. After a week back in the U.S., it did become infected and I was hospitalized for four days of IV antibiotics, followed by skin graft surgery.
Although my husband practices Judaism and we have friends who are devout Christians, I'm an atheist — something I don't hide, but I also don't constantly advertise. Despite doing all we could to head it off, we were inundated with religious friends and acquaintances (even people I thought disliked me because of my atheism) avidly praying for me in synagogues and churches and sending cards, flowers, gifts and platitudes.
It's not that we have that many friends or are particularly beloved, it just seems to be what religious people are conditioned to do. People told me how I should thank God that I wasn't killed, that I sustained no additional damage, that my injuries would heal "all in good time."
When I said I wasn't thankful to any god who would throw me under a bus, but that I was thankful for the excellent care my husband and I had pulled together, the worshippers didn't seem to hear.
I abandoned my wheelchair and crutches after 10 weeks and started walking without as much as a cane. I am now going up and down stairs and hills with increasing ease and decreasing discomfort, and I expect to be fully recovered soon, with just a couple of scars as reminders.
Weeks after I was out of the hospital and "out of the woods" in terms of serious health risks, I received an email from the family rabbi, who had just heard what happened. She (yes, she!) apologized for not being aware sooner and asked if there was anything I needed. I said no thanks, we're doing fine. And that, I thought, was that.
But last weekend my husband was in the synagogue and mentioned my accident to a woman who is aware of my godless views. She asked him if this experience had changed my tune, and he reported, "Not at all." (I'm told I'm hard-headed, in more ways than one.)
Then we got a call from a synagogue committee lady we've never met. She had just been told (by that woman) about my injuries. The committee wanted to send food and social services and visitors — strangers! — to pray over me immediately. I did my best to convince the nice lady that I'm literally back on my feet already.
Minutes later, we got a call from another woman, who basically runs the synagogue. She wanted to double-check with us because the committee lady was arranging to unleash all that stuff upon us, despite the fact that we had firmly declined.
This time my husband succeeded in calling off the dogs. But he also assured everyone that the rabbi had personally been in touch with me, so no one could accuse her of being remiss in her duties. We'd hate to get anyone in trouble because I didn't want an avalanche of well-meaning but unwelcome outpourings.
Chicken soup helps whom?
Just as I have a need to do community service as much as the community needs my service, I'm sure these lovely people require unfortunate souls to whom they can bring chicken soup and prayers for their own fulfillment. Imagine how disappointing it would be for a prayer group to rush over and find me up and about. I'd have to drag the wheelchair out of the closet and sit in it with a pained smile to make them feel good about themselves. Then after the prayers, I'd leap up and declare myself miraculously healed. Hallelujah!
Although I hardly think the "caring community" component is sufficient cause to convert anyone, the kind of services typical of religious organizations could be extremely beneficial to nonbelievers in times of adversity (as well as good times, such as weddings and births), if they could simply dispense with all the god talk and focus on what would truly be helpful.
Like doing only things that would lighten the load rather than add to it. My husband and I expended a lot of energy fielding phone calls and politely fending off or entertaining prayerful visitors when what we both really needed was rest and time to take care of ourselves.
It would be great if nonreligious people could, like our religious counterparts, instantly hook up with helping hands — without anyone blathering about God's mysterious ways and how we should be thankful that things aren't worse. We would have been glad to accept "productive" support that didn't come with invisible (but audible) strings attached.
Many people told me my accident is a clear sign that I was saved for a higher purpose. I agree. That purpose is to reaffirm my atheism, to serve as an example that with excellent medical care, wonderful family and friends and taking responsibility for ourselves, we can survive and thrive after traumatic episodes — without resorting to piety in moments of weakness.
I want to spread the good news: People who rally around injured associates can help them get back on their feet faster if they skip the prayers and focus on things that really help. I would also remind people to always be super careful crossing the street, no matter what the light says.
That's my mission, and I choose to accept it. It's not impossible.
New York FFRF member Joan Reisman-Brill writes a humanist column titled "The Ethical Dilemma."
Savage's 'perfect Catholic family' fell apart fast
Acclaimed author, gay rights advocate and nationally syndicated columnist Dan Savage graciously accepted FFRF's Emperor Has No Clothes Award at the 36th national convention in September in Madison, Wis., where he gave these remarks (edited for print).
By Dan Savage
In the early 1980s, the Catholic cable channel in Chicago did a special on my family because we were the "perfect Catholic family." My dad was an ordained deacon and my mom was a lay minister. They ran Catholic marriage encounter sessions in Illinois and Wisconsin and Indiana. All four of their children had been confirmed in the church. I was in the seminary. I was going to be a priest.
My dad was also a Chicago homicide detective. So, sort of a "gun in the pulpit" perfect Catholic family special. Two years later, sitting around the kitchen table with my mom and my siblings, we laughed at the idea of the television program returning and doing a "Where are they now?" special. My father had left and divorced my mother and had been defrocked as a deacon. I'd come out of the closet. My brother Billy, my oldest sibling, had gotten a preemptive vasectomy. We had birth control in the house. There had been abortion. My mother was sleeping with a married man.
By that time, when I was 17 or 18, I was a hardcore agnostic because I had a lot of questions. It was my sexuality that brought me into conflict with my faith. I was inquisitive and, ironically, my parents encouraged their kids to question authority. From a very early age, I had been asking the inappropriate or awkward questions.
In some ways I'm so grateful for being gay despite the chaos that that caused when I was 15, 16, 17 years old. If I hadn't been gay, I sometimes wonder if I would've questioned my faith.
But my sexuality was the thread that — once I began to pull on it — ultimately unraveled the garment of faith and irrational belief. Not all gay people do that. Some gay people, after realizing their faith is in conflict with their sexuality, move on to some new faith that isn't in quite as much conflict.
But for me, faith fell apart because I figured that if the church was this wrong about me — well, it stood to reason that the church was wrong about other stuff. The church, this human institution, was pretending to know things that no human being could possibily know.
And it's generally a bad idea to trust people who pretend to know the unknowable, to take things — hugely consequential things — on faith alone. Better to acknowledge the unknowable, embrace ambiguity and think for ourselves — and date boys.
I call myself agnostic or an atheist, but sometimes I have to admit to being an agnosti-theist because, well, I do cross myself on airplanes. I flew here today and crossed myself. I have a superstitious hangover.
Remember Ann Landers? I'm sure all of you do. I was talking to somebody in their 20s just yesterday, and I mentioned Ann Landers and she said "Who?" Sometimes, people in their 20s make me feel as old as I am, which is 49, and also make me feel like slapping them.
Anyway, about 10 years ago, I went to an auction of Ann Landers' effects. Her daughter, Margo Howard, had packed up her mother's big condo on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago after she died. I read about the upcoming auction in the paper. Included was the desk on which Landers had written her advice column — for 40 years. And I thought, I want to have that desk.
I had just gotten a book deal that paid a stupid amount of money, so I called Margo. We'd been on the radio together after Ann died. A producer put us on together to pit us against each other. They thought Margo would talk about how great her mother was and how important and meaningful her column was. And me, being the author of the rudest and dirtiest sex advice column in the world, would dump all over Ann Landers and say that she sucked.
I can be an asshole, but I'm not going to go on a radio program with someone's grieving daughter and talk about how horrible her mother was.
Also complicating the producer's scheme was the fact that I loved Ann Landers and her column. I didn't always agree with her, but who always agrees with anybody? I don't always agree with myself! Sometimes I read columns I wrote 10 years ago and I think, "What was I smoking? Or thinking? Or smoking and thinking?"
I wanted Margo's "permission" to go to the auction because I knew it would get written about as somehow disrespectful. I'm really embarrassed to say this, but I took $10,000 in cash to the auction. I took that much because I thought I'd be bidding against the Smithsonian for her desk, on which so much had been written about the culture, sexual mores and relationships over the decades.
So I took all this money, thinking, "Oh, it's going to be me versus the Smithsonian because they're going to want to put her desk next to Archie Bunker's chair in the museum, but I'm going to get it and take it home."
I bought Ann Landers' desk for $197. I know, right? No one was there from the Smithsonian bidding against me.
Then they began to auction off all of Ann Landers' many awards and honorary degrees, from the American Cancer Society, the American Leukemia Foundation, General Motors, Illinoisan of the Year, Chicagoan of the Year, medallions, plaques, tchotchkes. One award had been given to her by the pope when he visited Chicago in the 1960s, which now sits on my mantel. There is something in my house that a pope has touched, and it's not a 10-year-old boy. Imagine that.
When people ask me during my college speaking gigs — often I get a card, especially when I speak in the South — "Do you believe in God?," it's a game for me to just read that question and say "Nope" and go right on to the next question. Because it's the people who do believe in God who have some explaining to do, not those of us who do not.
I will take a photo of my Emperor award sitting next to the award from the pope on my mantel and post it on Instagram. Thank you all very much for this, it's very meaningful. I can't express it enough.
I was told to not run my mouth too long because they wanted some time for Q&A, which is my preferred format in everything. So I'm happy to answer any questions.
Q&A with Dan Savage
Q. Would you take $500 for the desk?
A. No! I have to write my column on it for four more decades so that there is a hundred or 80 years of sex column-ing and advice columning at this desk. Then maybe the Smithsonian will want it.
Q. How much cash did you have left after the auction?
A. About $9,200. So I took my mother to lunch.
Q. Was it weird having that much in cash?
A. That felt stupid, carrying that much money around. I felt very "First World and starving orphans" at that moment. But what can you do? You give a gay dude a lot of money and he's going to spend it on stupid stuff. Like this jacket!
Q. Will you tell us more about the It Gets Better project? What motivated you?
A. The story behind why I started it is a downer. A 15-year-old kid named Billy Lucas killed himself in Greensburg, Ind. He'd been very brutally bullied in middle school and high school because he was perceived to be gay. He'd never come out to anyone as gay, so he may not have been gay. Not all victims of anti-LGBT violence and bullying are gay, but he likely was gay.
"Gaydar" is strong with middle schoolers and high schoolers. "Good" Christian kids said because he was sick and sinful, God hated him. They said he was going to hell and might as well get it over with. [Billy was found hanging from the rafters in his grandmother's barn.] I wrote about it from a place of real rage.
I get really weepy when I try to talk about this. His parents created a Facebook memorial page for him, and the same kids who had been bullying him went to the Facebook page to celebrate his death, to call him a faggot again and to say in front of his grieving parents that they were glad he was dead. I wrote about that from a place of white hot rage.
I was reading the comments on a blog post I'd written, which drew similar outrage and fury. A woman whose handle is Despicable Me cut through everyone's anger by writing, "I wish I had known you, Billy, and had been able to tell you that things get better. Rest in peace."
That "things get better" kind of gutted me, along with that desire to have had a chance to speak to him, because things do get better. And they have gotten better — at a macro level for LGBT people and at a micro level personally for so many of us in our lives after escaping high school.
Vicious 'family' values
When I came out to my parents in the early 1980s, I was not just telling my mom and my dad. I was not just burning them with mental images that took them years to stop seeing. They could look at my sister's boyfriend without seeing his dick in her mouth, but they couldn't look at mine, couldn't make the same leap with my boyfriend for a while.
But telling my very traditional parents I was gay in the early 1980s meant telling them that I would never marry, never have kids. I would have a marginal career if I had any career at all, and that I could never be a Marine.
And here we are in just the course of my adult life, since age 18, and I am married to the same guy for 20 years. We have a 15-year-old son that we raised from birth together. Now I can be a Marine. I don't want to be a Marine, much to the relief of the United States Marine Corps. But the kind of gay people who could be Marines and would like to be Marines and would be good Marines can now be Marines and serve openly.
I need to talk to the next Billy Lucas before he harms himself, but I would never get an invitation to a high school to speak to that kid, the queer kid, who most desperately needs to hear from LGBT adults. Kids who are queer are at four times greater risk for suicide. That doubles if their parents are openly hostile.
That is why I say that Tony Perkins [of the Family Research Council] sits on a pile of dead gay children every day when he goes to work. He encourages parents to do what he damn well knows doubles the already quadrupled risk of suicide for their queer kids. Then he points to the suicide rate that he's helping to drive up as proof that the gay "lifestyle" is unhealthy and dangerous.
I would never be able to get permission from that parent who's following Tony Perkins' lead to speak to their kid, to tell them that things get better. Then it occurred to me on the train to JFK that I'm in the YouTube/Facebook/Twitter era and no longer needed permission to speak to queer kids.
I could record a video, use my column and my podcast to encourage other adults to make videos, upload them to YouTube and encourage kids to watch them. And bring the LGBT youth support group to that kid whose parents would never allow them to attend one. And it worked.
A girl in Texas
The letter that most sticks with me was from a 15-year-old lesbian kid in Texas. I usually don't say the name of the state, so don't remember that. Growing up in a shitty state with a shitty governor. (See, I could have said Wisconsin, which is a wonderful state with a shitty governor!)
She came out to her parents because she was being bullied and needed their support. She was perceived to be a lesbian, which she is. She went to her parents and came out to them, and they did what Tony Perkins tells parents to do.
They threatened to disown her, throw her out of the house, cut off all her contact with her siblings and not pay for her education if she didn't go into counseling at their megachurch. They said she had to take it back — not be a lesbian.
So she did what so many queers before her have done. She lied to her parents under duress and told them that she was mistaken, that she was not a lesbian, that she was confused. She went home from her counseling session and put up a poster of Justin Bieber, because that's as close to lesbianism as she could get for a while. (I'm not making fun of effeminate boys. Anyone who's ever met anybody I've ever dated knows that effeminate boys are my favorite.)
She wrote me at [my column] Savage Love to tell me that she was watching It Gets Better videos on her phone, in her bed, in her bedroom, under the covers in her parent's house in the middle of the night. That was what we wanted to do. We kicked down her parents' front door, marched into their daughter's bedroom and climbed into bed with her. We brought the queer youth support group to her, the one her parents wouldn't let her attend.
She said that it was helping. She was seeing families of gay people, bi people, and trans people, whose families had the same reaction as hers, coming around. She was seeing lesbians with families of their own and wives and children and colleagues who respected them and friends who loved them for who they really were.
It was giving her hope for her future, and it was getting her through this time when she was being pushed toward suicide by her parents.
'Game over'
You can't stop us anymore by accusing us of "recruiting" or being pedophiles. You can't! The culture has to stop pretending that there is no such thing as queer kids. Because there are. We don't jump fully formed out of the backs of gay bars at age 21, pride beads around our necks.
So I kept saying on TV, "game over." We're going to talk to your queer kids whether you want us to or not. And I would say we're going to talk to your queer kids whether preachers, teacher or parents like it or not. And she wrote, this Texas kid, that not only were the videos giving her hope for her future, they were giving her hope for her parents. Because she was seeing people whose parents were like hers and had came around. She was seeing parents like my parents, who came around. Right?
What she said at the end of her letter, which changed the way I talk about the It Gets Better project on television, was just so shattering.
She said, "Every day I get up and go downstairs and I look at my mother and my father and I love them for who they're going to be in 10 years."
Terry and I made one out of 150,000 "It Gets Better" videos. We made one, but because so many other people made them and shared their stories, we convinced her that that was possible, even for her family. And one day, her parents are going to thank us for what we did for their daughter.
She is the success story of It Gets Better. That we reached that kid, at that moment and gave her what she needed to get through it but also gave her the insight that allows her to love her parents at a time when they are failing her. And incapable of loving her.
Thank you very much!
Crabb ruling 'sends shockwaves through religious community'
What would taxpayers save if FFRF ultimately wins its challenge of the parsonage exemption and the housing allowance tax benefit for ministers is abolished?
The congressional Joint Committee on Taxation reports that the exemption amounts to $700 million a year in lost revenue. The committee doesn't break down in-kind housing, provided for in §107(1), which the decision doesn't affect, and §107(2), which the decision declared unconstitutional.
"Church-owned parsonages have gone out of favor in the last several decades, so I would put a fair estimate of the effect of this decision at about half a billion per year," said Forbes contributor Peter J. Reilly.
Religious News Service calculated it could reduce the take-home pay of some pastors by up to 10%. RNS erroneously reported only 44,000 clergy would be affected. Christianity Today found that 84% of senior pastors get a housing allowance of $20,000 to $38,000 in added (but not reported) compensation to their average base salary. The base salary of a full-time senior pastor in 2012-13 ranges from $33,000 to $70,000, according to Christianity Today.
ABC-TV reporter Stuart Watson has been investigating the impact of the parish exemption on megachurch pastors such as Steve Furtick, a Charlotte, N.C., pastor who's building a $1.6 million residence.
William Thornton, a Georgia pastor and blogger, told Forbes, "No reasonable, thinking Southern Baptist minister can avoid one conclusion in all of this: The manner in which our housing allowance has been used borders on clergy malpractice. A growing subset of ministers who are very highly paid and who live in multimillion dollar mansions are able to exclude hundreds of thousands of dollars from income taxation.
"Do we really think it fair to shift taxes from wealthy clergy living in mansions to the less highly compensated? Surely not. Add to that the practice of churches ordaining ministry associates in administrative or peripheral church jobs solely so that they can be qualified for the housing allowance."
Sampling of reaction
FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie said, "The reaction of the religious press to our court victory reveals how deeply the idea of clergy prerogative and privilege runs. They truly believe clergy should not have to pay their fair share of taxes."
Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability: The decision is "sending shockwaves through the religious community.
"This ruling in effect would force clergy of nearly every religion across America to pay additional taxes, regardless of faith or creed. This will either force congregations to increase clergy compensation to offset these taxes or require pastors to dig deep to see if they are able to absorb these taxes."
Southern Baptist Convention: "The clergy housing allowance isn't a government establishment of religion, but just the reverse," claimed Russell Moore, president of the SBC's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. "The allowance is neutral to all religions. Without it, clergy in small congregations of all sorts would be penalized and harmed."
GuideStone Financial Resources: GFS, a financial division of the Southern Baptist Convention, called the housing allowance "the most important tax benefit available to ministers." President O.S. Hawkins said GuideStone would join a legal brief supporting the allowance when the case is appealed.
"This decision, while not unanticipated, is sadly symptomatic of our culture today," Hawkins said. "We count it a privilege to be an advocate for those who have given their lives to ministry, and we will not forsake our mission to undergird those who so faithfully serve our churches and ministries."
Family Research Council: "We have seen many courts over the years attempt to banish God in various ways from the public square, but this case in particular reveals a level of supreme arrogance," said President Tony Perkins in a statement. "Once again, Judge Crabb has neglected to consult the Constitution that she has sworn to uphold."
The Rabbinical Assembly: "[Disallowing the exemption would put many rabbis] at risk of losing their homes," said Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, executive vice president of the international group of Conservative rabbis. "Owing to dramatic increases in housing costs across America, many of our synagogues are located in areas where the cost of a home in walking distance of the synagogue is out of reach of any rabbis' salary or the synagogues' resources to pay them. Homes were purchased taking into account the exemption to make the budget work."
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism: "[The Reform movement is] confident in the end that we will be able to protect the financial well-being of our clergy and our synagogues," said Rabbi David Saperstein, director.
Jewish Federations of North America: "The parsonage allowance has a long-standing history in the United States, as a demonstration of the great importance our nation places on the role of clergy in American civil life," said William Daroff, the group's chief Washington lobbyist.
"Congress quickly and virtually unanimously came to the defense of the parsonage allowance when it was subject to attack over a decade ago, and we are certain that it would, with our support, again protect this provision that has been part of the fabric of our tax law and civil society for almost 100 years,"
Georgia chief pushing religion
Police Chief Gary Jones in Harlem, Ga., has apparently been using the Department of Public Resources Facebook page not only to proselytize but to promote his church and even the corporal punishment of children in the name of Jesus.
FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel sent a letter on Nov. 21 to David Sward, director of the Harlem Department of Public Safety, about Jones' egregious conduct.
Jones' Facebook posts include remarks such as, "No, it is not reasonable to strike a child with a bat or some other object, but you can use a belt and strike their rear-ends. Parents be nosy, check behind your kids and never assume that they will always be truthful. Doing these very things just may save the life of your child. Fathers you are the head of the home and God will hold you accountable."
In another post, Jones said, "I am certainly not trying to turn this into a so-called religious site. However since my last posting about 30 minutes ago, my wife called and said our 5 year old daughter was eating breakfast this morning and plainly told her mother that she wanted to accept Jesus as her Savior and ask him into her heart. Her mother prayed with her and afterwards she said this means I am going to heaven now."
Seidel's letter said if Jones wishes to disseminate such sentiments, he must do so on his own Facebook page. "He cannot use the machinery of the government, or even his own title, to push people to live in accordance with his religion or go to church."
Jones wasn't apologetic about advertising the church he attends. "I will continue to post and most of the people in Harlem are of Christian belief and I've gotten a lot more support than the people that don't support it."
"The solution is simple," wrote Seidel. "Jones must stop using a government office to promote his personal religion."
FFRF has about 380 Georgia members.
Catholic bishops sued over care denial
The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Michigan have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on behalf of Tamesha Means, a pregnant woman who miscarried and was denied appropriate care by a Mercy Health Partners hospital in Muskegon.
According to a Dec. 2 ACLU press release, Means rushed to Mercy Health when her water broke after 18 weeks of pregnancy. "Based on the bishops' religious directives, the hospital sent her home twice even though Tamesha was in excruciating pain; there was virtually no chance that her pregnancy could survive, and continuing the pregnancy posed significant risks to her health.
"When Tamesha returned to the hospital a third time in extreme distress and with an infection, the hospital once again prepared to send her home. While staff prepared her discharge paperwork, she began to deliver. Only then did the hospital begin tending to Tamesha's miscarriage."
The directives prohibit "pre-viability" pregnancy termination, even when there's little or no chance that the fetus will survive, and the life or health of a pregnant woman is at risk.
City turns down atheists' $3K check
Friendly Atheist blogger Hemant Mehta's charitable check for $3,000 was returned, not for insufficient funds, but because of political cowardice that shows the divisiveness of religion.
Mehta, 30, Naperville, Ill., a public school math teacher (and FFRF member), sent the check to the Morton Grove Park District after a local American Legion post dropped its $2,600 annual subsidy because a park board member refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. In October, Commissioner Dan Ashta took a public stand against the pledge, saying no one should have to pledge allegiance to any government, adding that people with religious objections shouldn't have to feel isolated for not standing.
In an email to Mehta, Park District Executive Director Tracey Anderson said the board "has no intention of becoming embroiled in a First Amendment dispute."
Ashta is a lawyer specializing in constitutional law, according to the Chicago Tribune. Mehta said his fundraising effort was in appreciation of Ashta's stance.
"I know everyone who gave money wanted to help the Park District make up for that injustice that happened," he said. "Unfortunately, the Park District would rather lose money than take the charity of atheists and their supporters."
Ad company refuses skeptical billboards
Billboard ads planned to be placed in Vancover by the Centre for Inquiry Canada were rejected by the advertising agency Pattison Outdoor. The ads showed a woman and the words "Jenn 13:1 Praying won't help. Doing will. Without God. We're all good."
Pattison Outdoor didn't respond to a request for comment from the Vancouver Sun. Pat O'Brien, a CFI Canada board member, said CFI may file a complaint with the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal.
In October, LifeSiteNews.com reported that Pattison designed a billboard called "Signs for Life." The ad showed the head of a fetus and the words "Abortion: Aren't we forgetting someone?"
"If they don't like controversial ads," O'Brien said, "they certainly ran anti-abortion ads in Halifax."
Pattison is the third-largest privately held company in Canada. According to Funding Universe, comedian Bob Hope once called British Columbia a suburb of Jim Pattison [who gives millions of dollars to Christian schools and other Christian entities].
Christian student body head is atheist
Eric Fromm, student body president at Northwest Christian University in Eugene, Ore., "came out" as an atheist in an article in the school's online newspaper, said a Nov. 7 story in the Eugene Register-Guard. "I don't have to hide anymore," said Fromm, 21. "I know that people accept me for who I am."
In the Beacon Bolt story, communications major Fromm, baptized Lutheran and raised Methodist, wrote, "I couldn't force myself to believe in God."
Student reaction has been mixed, he said. Some peers have stopped talking to him, others have ridiculed him, but a surprising number have been supportive.
Michael Fuller, NCU vice president for enrollment and student development, called Fromm "a man of very high character and respect. He's a great advocate for our student body, which is exactly what he's supposed to be and do.
"If we all had our wishes, we wish Eric would be a strong Christian man," Fuller added. "We're an open and welcome community, and we meet students exactly where they're at."
Fromm said he still attends chapel meetings almost every week. "I use it as my own personal time, to gather my thoughts."
Breyer's cryptic remark fuels speculation
Is Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer a closet atheist? A comment by Breyer, who is Jewish, during Nov. 6 oral arguments in Town of Greece v. Galloway, a government prayer case, fueled speculation he may be.
Breyer's remark came after Catholic Justice Antonin Scalia asked a lawyer for the town, "What is the equivalent of prayer for somebody who is not religious?" The lawyer, Thomas Hungar, had trouble formulating an answer, according to the Huffington Post.
Breyer then appeared to suggest that Scalia's question may have been directed at him. "Perhaps he's asking me that question and I can answer it later," Breyer said.
The story said, "Nonbelievers have responded with excitement to the possibility that Breyer may not have a religious faith at all."
Breyer's daughter is an Episcopal priest.
Kansas City atheists' help not wanted
The Kansas City Atheist Coalition was told by the Kansas City Rescue Mission that nonbelievers couldn't help deliver Thanksgiving food to the poor and elderly.
"We are an unapologetically Christian organization, and we always have been," said Julie Larocco, development officer. Larocco told the Kansas City Star, "We want to share the message with the people we serve that 'God loves you, and you are not alone.' It seemed to us that this group probably would not want to deliver those meals."
Atheist Coalition President Josh Hyde posted on the group's website that the mission told the coalition it "would not be a good fit" for its charitable work.
Larocco confirmed that each meal and food box contained a religious message.
State/Church Bulletin
Religious music flap brings hate mail
Kathleen Williams, superintendent of the Wausau School District in Wisconsin, was subjected to a spate of threatening, mostly anonymous, phone calls and emails after the district limited the amount of religious music that holiday programs could have.
Some were full of invective and obscenities, Williams told the Daily Herald. One person called her at home and said she had a lot of trees in her yard and "wouldn't I [Williams] look good hanging from one."
Williams added, "The classic irony to me, is that all this ugly email, hoping I'm hurt, all is in the name of Christ."
A motion at the Nov. 11 school board meeting to require Williams to write a letter of apology to the community failed 7-2.
She said the intent of the music review procedure was not to quash Christmas but to ensure all students felt comfortable in participating in music programs, whether they are Christian or not.
FFRF Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott sent a letter Oct. 10 to explain to the board why religious music in public schools is problematic. FFRF also sent an action alert urging area members to tell the board that the music curriculum shouldn't make religion its primary focus.
Mass. taxes paying for church rehabs
Ten residents of Oak Bluffs, Mass., suing to block the town from using taxpayer money to restore stained glass windows at Trinity Methodist Church, were thwarted by Superior Court Associate Justice Richard Moses.
Moses ruled against the motion for a preliminary injunction, saying "there has been an insufficient showing of a likelihood of success on the merits." Notice of the decision was mailed Nov. 25, reported the [Martha's] Vineyard Gazette.
Oak Bluffs voters approved the $32,000 outlay at the April 2013 town meeting. The funds will come from the Community Preservation Act,
The town opposed the injunction, claiming the practice is common statewide: "The Massachusetts Historical Commission has funded at least 12 rehabilitation and restoration projects of historic churches since 2002."
Religious 'Friends' back discrimination
Oregon gay marriage opponents announced Nov. 21 they've filed a proposed ballot measure to let businesses refuse to provide services at gay ceremonies that violate owners' religious beliefs.
"We are deeply concerned that even Oregon elected officials are becoming hostile toward religious freedom," Teresa Harke of Friends of Religious Freedom told The Oregonian. Harke is also communications director for the Oregon Family Council, a group opposing the proposed initiative to legalize same-sex marriage.
Jeana Frazzini, executive director of Basic Rights Oregon, said in a statement that "while we are all entitled to our religious beliefs, those beliefs don't entitle any of us to discriminate against others, or disobey laws that are already in place to ensure that everyone is treated equally."
Rachel Cryer and Laurel Bowman of Portland filed a complaint with the labor commissioner in August against Sweet Cakes by Melissa. Bakery owners Aaron and Melissa Klein have said they don't want to provide services for same-sex weddings because of their religious beliefs.
In November, Hawaii and Illinois became the 15th and 16th states to legalize same-sex marriages. Twenty-nine states still have constitutional amendments banning them, and ballot challenges for 2014 and 2016 are being readied in Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Nevada and Ohio.
UCoR sues Pittsburgh for ad rejection
The United Coalition of Reason filed a lawsuit Nov. 26 against the Port Authority of Allegheny County, Pa., for initially accepting and then refusing to run $5,700 worth of bus ads in the Pittsburgh area that would have said, "Don't believe in God? You are not alone." The ads were scheduled to run from Dec. 12, 2011, to Jan. 11, 2012.
"We tried to support the Port Authority by buying ads," said Nicole Currivan of Pittsburgh CoR. "I take the bus to work every day in my personal effort to support them. But we also want to be treated with the same fairness, dignity and respect as other groups. We just want the Port Authority to run our ads. We want nonbelievers to know they're not alone."
Judge won't block church graduations
U.S. District Judge Ross Anderson Jr. denied a motion Dec. 3 for a preliminary injunction to block Greenville County schools in South Carolina from holding events in places of worship and allowing student-led prayer. Anderson said the American Humanist Association's allegations made "a mountain out of a mole hill."
According to the Greenville News, the judge also told an AHA attorney that "with all due respect and apologies," he'd never heard of the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit founded in 1941.
The suit was filed Sept. 4 on behalf of John and Jane Doe and their minor child after Mountain View Elementary in Taylors held graduation in the chapel of North Greenville University, a Christian school. Two student speakers were asked to write a prayer for the ceremony, according to the suit.
Will Satanists get Capitol monument?
The New York-based Satanic Temple has asked state officials in Oklahoma to be allowed to submit designs for a monument to honor "the historic/literary Satan" to be placed near the Ten Commandments display at the Oklahoma City Capitol, The Associated Press reported Dec. 8.
Temple spokesman Lucien Greaves said one design involves a pentagram and another would be an interactive display for children. He estimated the cost at about $20,000.
A privately funded, $10,000 Ten Commandments marker was placed at the Capitol in 2012. The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma is suing to get it removed.
Brady Henderson, ACLU-Oklahoma legal director, said the best solution would be to ban all religious displays. "But if the Ten Commandments, with its overtly Christian message, is allowed to stay at the Capitol, the Satanic Temple's proposed monument cannot be rejected because of its different religious viewpoint."
Cake OK for dog marriage, not gays
Judge Robert Spencer of the Colorado Office of Administrative Courts ruled Dec. 6 that Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood unlawfully discriminated against David Mullins and Charlie Craig by refusing to sell them a wedding cake.
Masterpiece owner Jack Phillips allegedly told the couple that selling them a cake would be against his religious beliefs.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado said the decision noted evidence that Phillips was willing to take a cake order for the "marriage" of two dogs but not for the commitment ceremony of two women, and that he would not make a cake for a same-sex couple's wedding celebration "just as he would not be willing to make a pedophile cake."
Sara Neel, ACLU staff attorney, said, "Masterpiece Cakeshop has willfully and repeatedly considered itself above the law when it comes to discriminating against customers, and the state has rightly determined otherwise,"
Religious assemblies stopped in Miss.
The American Humanist Association and the Rankin County [Miss.] School District have settled a lawsuit filed in April over allegations that high school students were forced to attend a religious assembly. In a court filing Nov. 22 in U.S. District Court in Jackson, the school district agreed to comply with its Religion in Public Schools Policy adopted in July.
The suit was brought on behalf of a 16-year-old Northwest Rankin junior. A video provided to The Associated Press purportedly of the assembly showed a student talking about the role Jesus has played in his life. The suit described assembly presenters as representatives of Pinelake Church, the largest Southern Baptist church in Mississippi. The church denied taking part in the assembly.
FFRF sponsors 'non-sacramental' Sacramento billboard blitz
What do nonbelievers do during the month of December in Sacramento, Calif.? They "come out of the closet" very publicly.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation and its new Sacramento chapter unveiled the largest freethought billboard campaign ever launched in one area: 55 affirmative billboards placed throughout California's capital city and suburbs. The personalized billboards each feature the smiling face and unapologetically forthright view of an area nonbeliever.
The motto of the campaign is "Many faces make Enlightenment work." More than 55 participants are actually involved, since some of the messages feature couples, friends or families.
Newlywed Judy Saint, chapter director, is featured with her wife, Kathy Johnson, saying: "Reason. Equality. Doing Good. — All without gods." (See their billboard on opposite page.) They're one of six featured couples.
Making the world better is a common theme. Other themes are believing in and trusting oneself and humanity (rather than a god), embracing healthy skepticism, promoting science and living, loving, being moral and doing good without god. As Sacramento teacher Liz Shoemaker, put it, "I believe in people, not gods."
Other messages are simply plain-spoken: "Reasonable faith is a contradiction in terms," says aerospace engineer Bryson Sullivan.
Some turn religious testimonials on their head, such as 20-year-old Reace Niles' message of "I'm an atheist, and I've never been happier," and Sacramento student Noel Navarro, who has a message for Oprah Winfrey: "I'm not a believer, and life is still awesome!"
Quilters and friends Karla Sprandel and Susan Myers, Sacramento secular humanists, show off their quilts and their philosophy: "No gods, no devils, no worries." Other playful messages include Rancho Cordova homemaker Maggie Johns' quip: "I don't believe in Odin, either."
While most participants self-identify as atheists, some prefer the description of agnostic, humanist or secular humanist. There's even one "Pastafarian," Sacramento tech support worker Elizabeth Porter, a devotee of the whimsical Flying Spaghetti Monster.
The 55 billboards became national news in late November, even before they went up. Nearly all reporters turned to religious leaders for comment. Sacramento Catholic Bishop Jaime Soto of the Cathredral of the Blessed Sacrament told Fox affiliate KTXL that the billboards were "propaganda." One local imam called the affirmative messages an "attack" on his faith.
"We're proud of our Sacramento chapter and its comfident membership," said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "We had to lease more boards from a second outdoor company just to keep up with the demand."
Sacramento is the sixth city to which FFRF has taken its "out of the closet" public relations campaign. Previous cities include Madison, Wis. (where FFRF is based), Tulsa, Raleigh, Columbus, Phoenix and Spokane. A similar campaign also went up last year in Portland, Ore., featuring local freethinkers saying "I'm secular and I vote" and "This is what an atheist looks like."
The campaign's objective is to reveal to communities the diversity of nonbelievers within their ranks. "Many people have met, do business with and are friends with atheists — but don't realize it," Gaylor added.
It's also a chance for freethinkers to openly express themselves. In December, Gaylor noted, the views of non-Christians, especially nonbelievers, are often suppressed. "Those of us who are free from religion, who work to keep dogma out of government, science, medicine and education, have a lot to offer society."
FFRF, with nearly 20,000 members, has about 3,000 in California.
FFRF sends "awed thanks" to professional photographer Matt Martin, who volunteered his services, and is pictured on a board with his wife, Kimberley, who is also an atheist. Their message: "Integrity and compassion require no gods."
FFRF also warmly thanks Judy Saint for superb coordination and energy, and all participants for making freethought history!
FFRF Legal Victories
Be on the lookout for Lookadoo lookalikes
Critical thinking won a solid victory recently when faith-based speaker Justin Lookadoo was publicly berated for a presentation described as sexist that was given at Richardson High School in Richardson, Texas.
Students used social media to express their disapproval, adopting the hashtag #lookadouche when making statements about the misogynistic views portrayed in Lookadoo's presentation. Subsequent to Lookadoo's performance at Richardson, FFRF had sent open records requests to George West Independent School District and Canadian Independent School District, where Lookadoo was scheduled to perform on Nov. 19 and Dec. 11, respectively.
Both districts responded with information that Lookadoo's performances had been canceled. Whether the districts will be refunded the money they paid (over $3,000 in the case of George West) remains to be seen. Until shortly after the Richardson fiasco, Lookadoo's website also advertised performances early next year at Eagle Mountain Independent School District, Saginaw, Texas; Tonawanda Middle and High Schools, Tonawanda, N.Y.; various schools in Scottsboro, Ala.; and a student council conference at Lufkin High School in Lufkin, Texas.
"The chilling reality is that Lookadoo's strategy of masquerading as an expert in order to disseminate his religious ideology to public school students is not unique," noted Sam Grover, FFRF constitutional consultant. FFRF has received complaints about many "Lookadoo lookalikes" (no, Guy Fieri, we don't mean you).
A number of religious groups go into schools under the guise of offering sex education, anti-drug and other secular programming. Once in the schools, these noncredentialed performers routinely insert a religious message into their talks or exploit the opportunity to speak before a captive audience to invite all students to a proselytizing evening program, usually held at a church.
FFRF has written letters about public school performances by the Christian ministry group You Can Run But You Cannot Hide (and the band Junkyard Prophet), Team Xtreme (part of Youth With A Mission), Team Impact (which also performed at Richardson ISD), The Power Team, Go Tell Ministries (with BMX biker Rick Gage), Christian hip hop musician Kryst Lyke, B-SHOC, Sons of Thunder, magician/motivational speaker Jason Alvarez (sponsored by Faith Assembly), and Youth Alive-7 Project (with Brian Pruitt Motivational), to name a few.
"It's important that school districts remember their constitutional obligation to remain neutral toward religion and to properly research any performer before inviting them to speak before a captive student audience," advised Grover.
Too often it falls to students to report violations and to be vocal in expressing their disagreement with messages being conveyed.
"FFRF has a homework assignment for school administrators: Perform due diligence when bringing speakers to public schools. A little homework can go a long way toward preventing Lookadoo-like disasters," added FFRF Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott.
FFRF ends school's 'daily devotions'
Until October, Hokes Bluff High School in Etowah County, Ala., started mornings with student-led recitations of bible passages over the intercom, a practice approved by school administration. A concerned student reported the practice to FFRF, and Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel sent a letter Sept. 24 to Superintendent Alan Cosby.
"Nothing in the law prevents students, teachers or school employees from freely exercising their religion on their own time and in their own way," wrote Seidel. "But a public school itself must not broadcast a decidedly religious message to a captive student audience, thereby isolating and excluding those students who are non-Christian or nonreligious." FFRF has not received a reply directly from the district regarding the illegal readings, but the complainant informed us, "As of now they have not been doing 'daily devotions.' "
No more 'blessings' at school meetings
FFRF successfully ended prayers during annual in-service meetings for transportation employees at the Berkeley County School District in South Carolina.
The complainant informed FFRF Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott that formal prayer had become a part of the mandatory event in the current and preceding years. Elliott addressed the unconstitutionality of the practice in an Oct. 24 letter to Superintendent Rodney Thompson: "The prayer at district in-service meetings appears to a reasonable observer to be an endorsement of religion, particularly Christianity. This is exactly the type of government endorsement that is prohibited by our Constitution's Establishment Clause, and could also be perceived as workplace harassment."
An attorney representing the district responded Nov. 19: "While there was no blessing or prayer offered as part of a program or included as a formal part of the in-service, an employee did offer a blessing for the food before the employees ate the meal. There was certainly no intent to offend any employees. Further, in order to avoid any misunderstandings in the future, the district will not offer a blessing before the meal."
Chain stops discount for church bulletins
Luna's Friendswood, a Mexican restaurant with six different locations in Texas, has stopped offering a 10% discount to dine-in customers who presented a current church bulletin on Sundays.
FFRF Staff Attorney Liz Cavell and constitutional consultant Sam Grover sent a letter Oct. 10 to the owner, explaining that under the federal Civil Rights Act, places of public accommodation are not allowed to discriminate on grounds such as race, color, religion or national origin.
"Your restaurants' restrictive promotional practices favor religious customers, and deny both customers who do not attend church as well as nonbelievers the right to 'full and equal' enjoyment of Luna's Friendswood," FFRF's letter said.
On Nov. 8, Luna's responded, stating, "As of Nov. 4, this 'discount' has been eliminated."
Ohio school strikes prayer after letter
FFRF advised the administration of Western Brown High School in Mount Orab, Ohio, to stop including prayers at school events after a concerned parent informed Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel that prayer was part of the National Honor Society induction ceremony earlier this year.
In his Oct. 3 letter to Superintendent Peggy McKinney, Seidel noted that prayer at any event endorsed by the school, regardless of whether it takes place before or after school, is illegal. "Federal courts consistently strike down school-sponsored prayer in public schools because it constitutes a government endorsement of religion, which violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and interferes with the personal conscience of students."
There were also allegations that the administration had discriminated against the Secular Student Alliance by delaying approval of an SSA chapter for more than six months and complaints that the Christian club received preferential treatment.
"As you are no doubt aware, the Equal Access Act requires schools to treat all noncurricular clubs equally," warned Seidel.
While the administration denied any wrongdoing, legal counsel informed FFRF on Oct. 22 that the school has dropped prayers from the ceremony "in the interest of not having misleading programs or confusion in the future."
The school claimed the delay in SSA approval was due to a "coincidental change" in administration and logistical inconvenience.
Just say 'Aloha' to football prayers
Prayers are dropped from pregame routine in Oregon high school (October 29, 2013)
The Aloha [Ore.] High School football team will no longer include prayers in its pregame routine, thanks to a concerned student who reported the practice to FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel.
Seidel sent a letter of complaint Oct. 25 to Superintendent Jeff Rose. "As a general matter, it is illegal for a public school to organize, sponsor, or lead religious messages at school athletic events," noted Seidel.
The principal informed FFRF on Oct. 29 that the team has eliminated prayers and any faith-based rituals before games. The school is part of the Beaverton School District.
Thanks to intern Yuna Choi for help compiling victories.


text:
On The Top 10 List: The Santa Fe Farmers' Market
My family celebrated National Farmers' Market Week (August 6-12) by visiting the Santa Fe Farmers' Market. The explosion of organic produce and the slow food movement have spurred the growth of farmers' market everywhere. According the USDA, the number of … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Abiquiu, Alt House, cheese curds, Creative Design, dahlias, elephant heart plums, Estancia, Eve's Farm, La Cienega, National Farmers' Market Week, new mexico, Old Windmill Dairy, Red Mountain Farms, roasted green chile, Romero Farms, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Farmers' Market, Santa Fe Railyard, shushito peppers, statice flowers, strawberries, t, Talon de Gato, tomatoes, Velarde, yellow peaches Leave a comment

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Baseball diamonds are a girl's best friend
SALISBURY — No matter how you look at it, Diane Harrington and Buddy Poole's baseball-themed wedding was full of diamonds.
You might remember that Poole, owner of the WSAT Memories 1280 radio station, proposed to Harrington during a Yankees-Red Sox baseball game at Yankee Stadium the night of May 31.
In the middle of the fifth inning of the game, Buddy's marriage proposal was displayed on the center-field scoreboard's giant screen, to the delight of a capacity crowd.
Harrington accepted, and it led to Saturday's wedding at the Harold B. Jarrett American Legion Post in Salisbury.
Throughout Saturday's ceremony and reception, baseball was in the air, as Poole invited past American Legion and Catawba College baseball players (and football players) to the wedding.
The couple ended the ceremony by passing under a canopy of baseball bats held by former stars. Poole and his radio station cover Catawba College sports and American Legion baseball games.
The new Mrs. Buddy Poole works as human resources director for Otto Environmental Systems in Charlotte. It is the second marriage for both.


text:
Over 60 Students Waiting for Mentors
Futures for Children has launched a dedicated mentorship campaign called "Build a Future ~ Mentor a Child" through the power of mentorship to spread the word about the benefits of mentorship for both mentor and student. Many students are hoping for a mentor who will guide and encourage them in their education and career pursuits. The Friendship/Mentorship program connects American Indian youth throughout New Mexico, Arizona, and Oklahoma with caring mentors from around the world. These relationships often become lifelong friendships. Enrich your life by applying for mentorship today. Click the photo above to begin.Read More
FFC Receives Generous Donation from First Financial Credit Union
Futures for Children (FFC) expresses their appreciation to First Financial Credit Union of New Mexico for their recent donation of 325 gift cards worth $40 each to the Futures for Children Mentorship/Friendship Program. These cards will be distributed to mentored students throughout program sites in Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma as their annual education incentive to be used for the purchase of academic materials. The goal of the Friendship/Mentorship Program is to encourage students to focus on their academic studies in order to build a better future for themselves and their communities. The relationships created through the Friendship/Mentorship Program are integral in positively affecting and changing lives. (article continues next column)Read More
Representatives from First Financial Credit Union (shown in gray t-shirts) visited Futures for Children to present the gift cards to FFC employees. First Financial Credit Union's donation will be instrumental in furthering the success of the FFC mentorship program. In keeping with their "people helping people" principle, company employees actively give their time and creative fundraising talents to non-profit organizations throughout their service area, along with involvement in local community programs that make a positive difference. A special thank you goes to Paul Apodaca, VP of Finance at First Financial and former Finance Director at FFC, for his efforts in arranging this contribution. To learn more about Futures for Children's mentoring program, click on the photo above.


text:
"I've taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and of this state," he said Thursday. "Nowhere that I can read in the Constitution does it deny the right for the Second Amendment for a citizen to bear arms unless they're a convicted felon ... . I will do everything in my power to see that no one — no one — messes with Bartow County's right to bear arms."
Beginning his fourth term, Millsap believes his career path comes from a higher calling.
"When I was a kid, it was my dream — always, I guess, my destiny. If you believe when you're born God has a plan for your life, God's plan for Clark Millsap was to be sheriff of Bartow County," he said.
The father of three comes from a family in public service — his father, Carlos; brother, Carey; and sister, Beverly, are in law enforcement. Millsap's brother, Craig, serves as Bartow County fire chief.
Beginning his law enforcement career in 1984, Millsap spent five years as a patrol deputy and investigator with the Bartow County Sheriff's Office and 11 years with Cartersville Police Department with patrol and investigations.
Elected to his first term as sheriff in 2000, Millsap is a member of the National Sheriff's Association, the Georgia Sheriff's Association and the Georgia Jail Association.
Having said he would run until the citizens wouldn't elect him anymore, Millsap said in July he plans to retire in 2020 should he win a fifth term in 2016.
"I don't feel like I'm done giving back. I don't feel like I've given back enough of what [the public has] given to me."
Name: Clark Millsap
Age: 50
City of Residence: Cartersville
Occupation: Bartow County sheriff
Family: Wife, Lori; three sons, David, Zach and Logan
Education: 1980 Cass High School, 1984 Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from University of West Georgia, which was called West Georgia College at the time.
Why law enforcement? What led you to be sheriff?
A: When I was a kid, it was my dream — always, I guess, my destiny. If you believe when you're born God has a plan for your life, God's plan for Clark Millsap was to be sheriff of Bartow County. It took me a while to get there, but ... anytime when your kids are playing cowboys and Indians, I always wanted to be the good guy. I grew up watching Westerns; I grew up watching John Wayne — he was always the good guy.
When I went to college, I played sports all my life, baseball, football, everything. Then I got to college and I had to decide what to major in, and that's when it clicked, you know, criminal justice. It's what I wanted to do — I wanted to be some type of law enforcement officer. They had a career day down in college and the FBI said you had to get some local experience.
When I graduated, my dad was on the sheriff's posse then and he was in uniform, and he was working with the sheriff's office when he wasn't at his other full-time job. I've always been intrigued with law enforcement. I went and applied at the sheriff's office, and Don Thurman gave me my first job back in 1984.
When I walked in his office the first day, I knew he was sitting in my chair. I didn't have the guts to tell him my first day, but I knew that I was going to spend my career to work up to the dream of being the sheriff of this county. I worked hard for 16 years, and the opportunity arose that he was retiring and, with the proper backing and a lot of prayers and family support and the support of this community, here I am.
If you believe in dreams and you believe in setting yourself goals, I have reached the pinnacle of what my career is.
What is the biggest obstacle facing law enforcement and your department?
A: The biggest obstacle we have right now is manpower. As population increases as far as citizen-wise — and we've got LakePoint coming, we've got Bass Pro Shops coming, we've got all these developments coming to Bartow County — you have to keep a balance of, you've got over 103,000 people in this county now. You've got a sheriff's office that's got 260 employees. Manpower is a huge issue. We've got deputies who go on duty and don't stop until it's time to go home and another shift can replace them because they're answering call after call.
Manpower is our largest problem right now.
Is there a situation you would have handled differently? Any regrets?
A: I never look back and try to second-guess myself. I've always been that way. Is there some things in my career or as the sheriff? Either?
That's a tough one. I wasn't expecting that question. I don't really have any regrets. There's probably some things that I could have handled differently in some situations. There might be some things that I was doing back when I worked investigations that I should have went maybe an extra step.
There are a couple of cases that haunt me from years gone [by]. One was a child abuse case where the guy didn't get the sentence he should have gotten, and I used to blame myself because, I mean, I had him nailed. When I finally realized I had done the best I can do as far as bring the charges and then you've got an attorney who takes it in front a jury and the jury only convicts him on this and they threw a couple of other out ... that used to really bother me. I wouldn't get what I thought, after I did the work and had the case prepared, it used to bother me they wouldn't get the sentence I thought they should get. Anybody that abuses a child, or anybody that molests a child, is just …
There's just some things in some cases that I used to second-guess myself about — "Should I have went an extra step to get them sent to prison for life?" or something like that.
Gun control has made headlines, with several sheriffs across the country speaking out against proposed legislation. What is your stance on gun control?
A: See, my problem is, I don't work for the federal government. I've taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and of this state, the state of Georgia. Nowhere that I can read in the Constitution does it deny the right for the Second Amendment for a citizen to bear arms unless they're a convicted felon or some other conviction. I am one who believes in the Second Amendment, and anybody who is a law-abiding citizen has the right to protect himself and his family and his property. I will do everything in my power to see that no one — no one — messes with Bartow County's right to bear arms.
These laws that're coming down — I'm not going to say if they ever are going to come to fruition — I'm not going to say I disagree with a couple of them. I mean, I agree with the background checks. You should have to go through a complete background check before you're allowed to have a carry permit or you're allowed to go buy a gun. I don't have a problem with a couple of those. But if you have passed your background check and you want to buy you an AR-15 or you want to buy you a semiautomatic assault rifle, then you got the right to do that.
I do not agree with everybody having to send someone to somebody's house to say, "OK, I need to see your guns." No. That's private property. If I don't have a reason to be there on an emergency or some type of law enforcement call, I'm not going to go to your house [and say], "Let me see your guns." You've got a gun carry permit, you're a United States citizen, you've never been convicted of a felony, then you can have whatever gun you want as along as it meets the requirements, legally.
Now you can't have automatic weapons unless you've got a federal firearms permit. You can't have silencers or anything like that. If you're obeying the law and you're doing what you're supposed to do, then you can have whatever gun you can have, and I'm all for that.
If you weren't sheriff, what else would you do? What is your dream job?
A: I don't really know. God put me on this earth to be sheriff of this county. That's my testimony. But he also put me on this earth to be in law enforcement. I've thought about, "Well, what are you going to do when you retire? Or, if you were to lose an election, what would you do?" I don't really know what I would do. I've never wanted to do anything else. I'm here.
What makes Bartow special?
A: It's my home. … I've lived here all my life. I grew up here. I grew up with these people around here. I went to school here. This is where my roots are. … I've never lived anywhere else. I wouldn't want to go nowhere else. It's just the greatest county in the world to live in. I just love this place. I don't want to go nowhere else.
When my wife and I first got married, she was a nurse and she worked at St. Joseph's Hospital down in Atlanta. ... She wanted to move closer to work, and I said, "I can't move." She said, "Why?" I said, "Because I'm going to be sheriff of this county one day." This is my home.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
A: That I'm a good cook. I love to cook. I mean, I love to eat my own cooking. Can't you tell? It's a relaxing thing for me.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
A: Treat people how you want to be treated until they won't let you treat them that way.
What is your favorite meal?
A: My favorite meal has to be chicken wings. My chicken wings.
Who would play Clark Millsap in the movie?
A: Oh my Lord. Somebody 5-8 and bald. No, I'm kidding. Who would play Clark Millsap in the movie? Maybe Kevin Spacey.


text:
Teacup Johnny, WWW.AFFORDABLEPUP.COM
• Male • $495
Gabriel / Morkie
• Male • $750
Teacup Samson, WWW.AFFORDABLEPUP.COM
Morkie boys!
• Male • $699
Morkie / Yorktese Puppy
Receive an email alert when additional Morkie / Yorktese puppies are added. It's easy and free!
BREED: Morkie / Yorktese Puppy
INCLUDES: Upgrade now for complete access
Puppies come with FREE Pet Insurance when adopted from NextDayPets.com! *Please ensure your breeder participates
Kay's Pets
Member Since: November 2005
Location: Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas


text:
Presentazioni e Articoli Tecnici
COMSOL Implementation of a Multiphase Fluid Flow Model in Porous Media
M. Diaz-Viera, D. Lopez-Falcon, A. Moctezuma-Berthier, and A. Ortiz-Tapia
Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, México D.F., Mexico
The aim of the present work is to implement in COMSOL Multiphysics a multiphase fluid flow model in porous media, also known in the oil reservoir engineering literature as a black oil model, using a standard finite element approach. In particular, we are interested to apply this model coupled with a multiphase, multicomponent transport model to study Enhanced Oil Recovery processes at laboratory ...
Modeling two-phase flow in strongly heterogeneous porous media
Z. Huang
China University of Petroleum, Research Center for Oil & Gas Flow in Reservoir, Qingdao City, China
Modeling Two-phase flow through strongly heterogeneous porous media is of importance in many disciplines including petroleum industry, hydrology etc. There are, however, still some challenges in numerical simulation of such flow problems especially the flows in fractured porous media and fractured vuggy porous media. The aim of this report is to implement in COMSOL Multiphysics a two-phase fluid ...
Analysis of Hydrodynamic Plain Journal Bearing
Ravindra Mane[1], Sandeep soni[1]
[1]Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat, Gujarat, India
This paper presents the 3D model of hydrodynamic plain journal bearing using COMSOL Multiphysics®. Using 3D Model, pressure distribution in plain journal bearing is obtained by steady state analysis of plain journal bearing. Generalized Reynolds equation is used for analyzing hydrodynamic journal bearing by COMSOL Multiphysics® as well as by analytical method by applying Sommerfeld boundary ...
Coupled PDEs with Initial Solution from Data in COMSOL Multiphysics®
M. K. Gobbert[1], X. Huang[1], S. Khuvis[1], S. Askarian[1], B. E. Peercy[1]
[1]University of Maryland - Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
This paper presents information on techniques needed in COMSOL Multiphysics® to enable computational studies of coupled systems of PDEs for time-dependent non-linear problems. Furthermore, we demonstrate how to use data files as input for initial conditions. To illustrate the techniques, we consider a system of two time-dependent non-linear PDEs from mathematical biology that couples an ...
Numerical Computation of Two-Phase Flow in Porous Media
D. Droste[1], F. Lindner[1], C. Mundt[1], M. Pfitzner[1]
[1]Universität der Bundeswehr, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
In this study we investigate the heat and mass transfer in a porous media with phase change. The liquid fluid is injected from one side and heated from the other side, where it leaves the porous material in a gaseous state. Dominant forces are capillary interactions and two-phase heat conduction. To model the process we use a two-phase mixture model on a macroscopic scale. This model is ...
Dynamics of Rotors on Hydrodynamic Bearings
R. Eling[1]
[1]Mitsubishi Turbocharger & Engine Europe, Almere, The Netherlands
This study presents a rotordynamic analysis of a rotor on hydrodynamic bearings using COMSOL Multiphysics®. In this paper, the complexity of the model is gradually increased. Starting point of the analysis is the modal analysis of the rotor in free-free conditions. A Reynolds model is set up to predict the film pressure distribution under shaft loading. Due to the cross coupling terms of the ...
Air Damping of Oscillating MEMS Structures: Modeling and Comparison with Experiment
S. Gorelick[1], M. Leivo[1], U. Kantojärvi[1]
[1]VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espoo, Finland
Excessive air damping can be detrimental to the performance of oscillating MEMS components. Complex systems, such as structures in pre-etched cavities or angular comb-drive scanning mirrors, typically require simulations to reliably evaluate the air damping. The simulated and experimental performance of the following systems was evaluated and compared: two types of out-of-plane cantilevers, ...
Numerical Study of Navier-Stokes Equations in Supersonic Flow over a Double Wedge Airfoil using Adaptive Grids
V. Gopal[1], R. Kolluru[1]
[1]BMS College of Engineering, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
Numerical study of aerodynamic characteristics in steady laminar supersonic flow over a double wedge airfoil is carried out using commercially available finite element based CFD tool COMSOL Multiphysics. The aerodynamic characteristics of double wedge airfoil like lift and drag are analyzed by solving Navier-Stokes equations in the flow field for various thickness to chord ratios (t_c) and angle ...
Solid-Liquid Phase Change Simulation Applied to a Cylindrical Latent Heat Energy Storage System
D. Groulx[1], and W. Ogoh[1]
[1]Mechanical Engineering Department, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
One way of storing thermal energy is through the use of latent heat energy storage systems. One such system, composed of a cylindrical container filled with paraffin wax, through which a copper pipe carrying hot water is inserted, is presented in this paper. It is shown that the physical processes encountered in the flow of water, the heat transfer by conduction and convection, and the phase ...
Design of Small-Scaled de Laval Nozzle for IGLIS Experiment
E. Mogilevskiy[1], R. Ferrer[1], L. Gaffney[1], C. Granados[1], M. Huyse[1], Yu. Kudryavtsev[1], S. Raeder[1], P. Van Duppen[1]
[1]KU Leuven, Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica, Leuven, Belgium
De Laval nozzles are used in supersonic aerodynamical tubes and engines. They are also employed for the production of cold gas jets to be used in chemical reactions studies. Recently, cold gas jets have been proposed of In-Gas Laser ionization Spectroscopy (IGLIS) The nozzle has a converging and a diverging part with a throat between them. High gas pressure and temperature, and low velocity are ...


text: AudioControl 2XS 2-way electronic crossover (Gray) Zoom Gray System Diagram: OEM integration (factory amp), bass restoration and 2-channel crossover Photos Videos My vehicle's homepage We don't check this item for fit or compatibility. Item #: 1612XSG Review Summary 4 people say Low Stock $103.99 Was: -$10.40 : Outlet Savings Free Crutchfield lifetime tech support Free Shipping Open Box Price Loading... $93.59 Available options: Gray-$93.59 White-$98.79 Add to cart + Add to wishlist Email me alerts for this product $103.99 New Stock $88.39 Scratch & Dent Buy this item and earn up to 94 Rewards points See more offers and ways to save Special Financing Available x By buying this product you'll earn up to 94 Rewards points. When you sign up for a Crutchfield account, you'll be enrolled in Crutchfield Rewards. You'll earn one point for every dollar you spend on gear from us. You can turn your points into Rewards Cards that you can use toward future purchases. You can sign up for an account now, or after you complete your purchase (you'll get credit for the points either way). Sign up for a Crutchfield account Overview Details Customer Reviews Q&A Articles & Videos Accessories Our take on the AudioControl 2XS by Charlie Pastorfield Feed your amps the right signal Don't let your crossover be the weak link in your car audio chain. AudioControl's 2XS 2-way crossover uses a steep 18 dB per octave slope to separate your high and low frequencies, along with a built-in line driver that'll beef up the signal from an anemic receiver. High- and low-pass filters The 2-way crossover features one set of inputs and two sets of outputs: high-pass and low-pass. You can change the preset 90 Hz crossover point by installing another AudioControl module, or by modifying the module installed in your 2XS. A built-in filter removes subsonics from your signal so your amps and subs will play louder and cleaner. Easy connection and setup Once connected, the 2XS makes it easy adjust the output knobs until the light indicates 1-volt or 3-volt output, and you're all set. Balanced inputs reject noise caused by your vehicle's electrical system, but internal switching gives you other options for dealing with ground loops. Information provided by AudioControl See more info on this item Highlights:2-way electronic crossover (90 Hz at 18 dB/octave)gray steel chassis with gold-plated RCA jacksline driver with adjustable output (up to 9 volts)top-mounted controls for easy adjustmentbalanced inputs eliminate noisefrequency response: 15 to 20,000 Hzsignal-to-noise ratio: 115 dBmaximum output level: 9.5 voltsfuse rating: 1 ampsize: 5-1/2"H x 4-11/16"W x 1-3/16"Dweight: 2 poundswarranty: 5 yearsOur 60-day money-back guarantee Hands-on research from the Crutchfield Labs (what are the Labs?) What's in the box? | In-depth notes Product Research What's in the box? Download owner's manual 2-Way active crossover Owner's manual QC checklist Product registration card Our Product Research Team At Crutchfield, you'll get detailed, accurate information that's hard to find elsewhere. That's because we have our own in-house Product Research team — they open the box, verify contents, check the owner's manual, and record dimensions, features and specs. We stay on top of new products and technologies to help people make informed choices. Features Crossover: The crossover point between the high-pass and low-pass outputs is 90 Hz and the crossover slope is 18 dB/octave. The crossover point is governed by a replaceable chip, so it can be modified. Subsonic Filter: The subsonic filter crossover point is 33 Hz and the crossover slope is 18 dB/octave. The crossover point is governed by a replaceable chip, so it can be modified. Line Driver: The adjustable output levels allow you to increase the head unit's line voltage to the top of your amp's input range; up to 9.5 volts RMS/13 volts peak. The output voltage is proportional to the input voltage; approximately 5.6 volt RMS input is required to drive 9.5 volts RMS output. Balanced Inputs: Using the balanced differential input circuit cancels noise picked up in the transmission line between the 2XS and the source unit. Ground Isolation: The power supply ground is switchable, in case of ground loop noise. The factory position is fully isolated (typically the best choice), but can be changed to Ground or 200Ω. Terminal Blocks: The power/ground/remote terminal is removable; the wiring is attached to the terminal block, then the block is plugged into the 2XS. The terminal block will accommodate wire up to 12 gauge. Inputs and Outputs: Line Input: stereo RCA, balanced High-Pass Output: stereo RCA, frequencies above 90 Hz Low-Pass Output: stereo RCA, frequencies below 90 Hz Power Input: removable terminal block Specifications: Maximum Output: 9.5 volts RMS/13 volts peak Frequency response: 15 Hz-20 kHz; ±1 dB THD: 0.005% S/N Ratio: 115dB Review this product Submit a review and then enter to win a $500 rewards card AudioControl 2XS Reviews Average Customer Review: 4 people say: Review this product: Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences about this product. Please be sure to focus your comments on the product itself. Read our Review Guidelines for more information. Review title * Email Your email won't be visible. Please use the email address that is associated with your order. Display name (e.g., JohnD) Your review will be signed using the display name and location * Your location (e.g., Charlottesville, VA) * Your rating Click on a star to rate the overall product on a scale of 1-5 1500 characters left * Your review Attach a YouTube Review Crutchfield Video Review Guidelines Only submit videos that you made or are authorized to use. Do not submit videos that contain music, video or visuals that are copyrighted and belong to someone else. Please see our Review Guidelines for more information. Submit the URL of your YouTube™ video review or product demonstration. e.g., "http://www.youtube.com/v/o79TWHh598U" 500 characters left Pros 500 characters left Cons * Agree to Terms By checking this box you agree your review becomes the property of Crutchfield, that you are over 18 years of age, that you own or have owned this product, and that you are located within the United States or its territories. Please see our Review Guidelines for more information. We reserve the right (but are not obligated to) review all submissions and edit or remove any review in any manner which we deem necessary. Your review should be posted within seven days. Filter by rating: 5 Star: (0) 4 Star: (0) 3 Star: (0) 2 Star: (0) 1 Star: (0) 5 out of 5 AUDIOCONTROL 2XS CROSSOVER Written By DENNIS C., BLYTHEVILLE AR. on Friday, July 05, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I love it! It sounds great & does not take up a lot of space. Much better than the kicker front row crossover. Pros: Sounds great! Very small . AudioControl makes great stuff! Cons: NONE Was this review helpful? Yes | No 5 out of 5 Great X-over Written By AOei, Pacific Palisades, CA on Sunday, May 05, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) This is my second 2XS purchase for yet another car. Works just fine and as advertised by the manufacturer. Biggest positive is the configurable X-over point. Really simple to do if you get a 14pin DIP socket... no need to solder the resistors... just cut the leads shorter, bend, and insert into the socket holes; the resistors aren't going anywhere... no matter how much the 2XS shakes! Pros: Quality of construction and configurability. Cons: None except maybe the cost... but sometimes you just have to pay to play! Was this review helpful? Yes | No 5 out of 5 Great for home audio too. Written By Dan R, Minneapolis, MN on Wednesday, February 27, 2013 I use a resistor module to change the crossover frequency from 90 hertz to 130. Homemade sealed sub cabinets with Rockford 15 inch Punch subs make a great sounding home system. Power the 2XS with a 12V wall plug in transformer, and you're good to go. AudioControl products are made near Seattle, and are really well constructed. Pros: You can control both low pass and high pass outputs to perfectly balance the sub(s) and speakers. By not having a variable crossover design, the sound is as pure as can be. 3rd order, or 18 dB/octave, takes out low frequency signals from the speakers sharply below the crossover point, and lets you play music at fairly loud levels without distortion from speakers that can't handle much below 70 hertz - basically all bookshelf speakers. This is especially important at 90 hertz. Cons: Absolutely none! Was this review helpful? Yes | No 5 out of 5 AUDIOCONTROL 2XS-grey Written By Jerred, Lovell, WY. on Saturday, September 18, 2010 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Audiocontrol is a great product!! Easy setup!!! 2XS has made a huge difference in my car stereo!!!! 1 out of 4 people found this helpful Was this review helpful? Yes | No Add accessories for the AudioControl 2XS Add Accessories Using quality patch cables to connect from this processor to your amplifier(s) will ensure that your system sounds great. See all categories & accessories Using quality patch cables to connect from this processor to your amplifier(s) will ensure that your system sounds great. RCA Patch Cables & Adapters If you are connecting a factory radio you will need speaker wire to bring the music into this processor. It's priced per foot, so enter the number of feet you need on the Cart page. Speaker Wire Save money by doing the installation yourself. The right tools will help. Tools Connectors T-Spec 2-Channel RCA Patch Cables Available in 7 different lengths (20-foot) Options 1.5-foot-$9.99 3-foot-$10.99 6-foot-$12.99 10-foot-$14.99 14-foot-$17.99 17-foot-$19.99 20-foot-$20.99 Available in 7 different lengths (1.5-foot) Available in 7 different lengths (3-foot) Available in 7 different lengths (6-foot) Available in 7 different lengths (10-foot) Available in 7 different lengths (14-foot) Available in 7 different lengths (17-foot) Available in 7 different lengths (20-foot) 25 people say Your Price: $20.99 Add to Cart EFX 17-foot RCA Patch Cable 54 people say Your Price: $7.99After $2.00 Outlet Savings Add to Cart T-Spec 12-gauge Speaker Wire Black/white jacket priced per foot 29 people say Your Price: $1.99 Add to Cart S&G Wire Cutter/Stripper Tool Cuts and strips 12- to 22-gauge wire 15 people say Your Price: $19.99 Add to Cart Pro.Fit Wire Worm Installation tool helps route wiring through tight spaces 31 people say Your Price: $12.99 Add to Cart Posi-Products Wire Connectors 6 tap connectors for 10- to 22-gauge wires tap into wires without cutting or stripping 22 people say Your Price: $8.99 Add to Cart Why choose SquareTrade? The #1-Rated Protection Plan Thousands of people have reviewed SquareTrade Protection Plans — and made us #1. 5-Day Service Guarantee & Free Shipping We'll repair or replace your item in five business days or less after we've received it, or your plan is free. And, as always, we pay for all shipping. Protection from Normal, Everyday Use Repairing your average mechanical or electrical failure can cost as much as buying a new device. With SquareTrade, you're covered — including parts and labor. For a more in-depth review and enhanced detailed information on the AudioControl 2XS, please visit the Crutchfield website product page (/ISEO-rccbcspd/p_1612XSG/AudioControl-2XS-Gray.html ). × Gray System Diagram: OEM integration (factory amp), bass restoration and 2-channel crossover


text:
Shop Top Picks
Rocky Top
Bloomsdale Longstanding
Boston Pickling
Texas Bluebonnet
Chocolate Morning Glory
Pink Senorita
Large Northern Collection
Lemon Basil
Heirloom Life Gardener
The perfect way to a secure food supply. Most of the seeds in this package will last 4-10 years, if kept cool and dry. This is a great way to try many of our best varieties. Included are most of the following types of seeds: corn, beans, peas, cowpeas, carrots, beets, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, melons, watermelons, cucumbers, lettuce, greens, okra, winter squash, summer squash, radishes, turnips, huckleberries, sunflowers, leeks, amaranth, broccoli, ground cherries & kohlrabi, etc. Selections based on availability.
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
America's Top Source for Pure Heirloom Seeds