text:
I wish someone would stampede in, overturn your tables and drive the homophobic madness from your pulpit. Exorcise you.
Do you not see the damage you're doing?
Can you not hear the broken hearts falling to the floor all around you?
What you're doing is not Christian. It never will be. Packs of wolves are more compassionate than this.
"The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God," reads Corinthians, which then provides a list of the unrighteous: the immoral, idolaters, adulterers.
And homosexuals.
With that very verse, (while ignoring thousands of others that instruct you quite differently) you crushed the heart of a family that has been part of your church for generations.
For more than 60 years, Linda Cooper and her family have been attending Ridgedale Church of Christ. Linda's daughter, Detective Kat Cooper, is gay, and a pioneer and hero. Thanks to her, the city of Collegedale became the first city in Tennessee to offer same-sex benefits to employees.
But you knew that. She started going to your church when she was knee-high to her grandfather, who used to clean the church pews with little Kat nearby.
No longer.
What did Kat's mother do that was so criminal?
So sinful?
She loved her daughter. Her gay daughter.
Because of that, some of your church leaders (not the congregation, mind you, which I hear is big-hearted in many ways) handed down to Kat's family a spiritual Sophie's Choice: repent publicly or leave the church altogether.
"Last Sunday, they were told that because they supported me and they unconditionally loved me even though I was gay, that either they could stop and not support my lifestyle and ask for forgiveness in front of the entire congregation or they could leave," Kat told reporter Kevin Hardy.
Kat's family wasn't rainbow-flag marching through church property or cross-dressing in Sunday School. All her mother did was sit beside her, publicly, while the city leaders deliberated about same- sex benefits.
Some newspapers and TV stations published pictures of this, along with a brief interview.
That was all it took.
(Why not just stone her for it?)
God tells -- and tells and tells -- me to be slow to anger and quick to forgive, and I'm not doing a good job of that here.
Because I am so stinking tired of the love of God -- so large it makes the five oceans look like a teaspoon -- being turned into a monstrous distortion, suffocating like an iron maiden and punitive like a parole board.
You're not the only ones doing it. Kat's wife has also been spiritually blacklisted and shamed, all in the name of God.
One day, I wish you'd take the time to survey the landscape of wreckage. Search high and low for a bucket large enough to hold all the tears shed. Put your hands on all the wounds. Count and keep counting until you reach a number high enough to document the line of gay Americans (and those that love them) whose hearts and faith have been crushed by Christian homophobia.
One author said it like this: You've stolen Jesus.
"The real Jesus ... was not about asserting power, judging, or destroying. He was about love," writes Bruce Bawer in "Stealing Jesus: How Fundamentalism Betrays Christianity".
Those verses? Plenty of Biblical scholars interpret them different from you. St. Paul, they say, was talking about lust, Roman sexual aggression and male rape.
But the Bible can be read in many ways, with scholars ready at each turn to support multiple interpretations. So what do we do?
Bawer reminds us of Huck Finn, the Twain protagonist who once sat wrestling with his demons. He'd just helped his friend Jim -- a slave -- find freedom, and was suddenly haunted by the voices of the preachers and lawmen who said he had done the wrong thing.
In his conscience, Huck was then terrified: Did he help save Jim at the cost of his eternal soul?
After all, preachers and lawmen used plenty of Bible verses to uphold and promote slavery. After all, Huck was breaking the law and violating church doctrine.
But Huck's rebellious heart won out. He stayed loyal to Jim, even if it cost him his soul in the process.
"All right, then, I'll go to hell," he famously said.
Like Huck, we have to walk away from the false idol of strict literalism, and instead trust-fall into a God that doesn't know how to do anything but love.
You want a good example of what that looks like?
Go find the Coopers, the ones you just kicked out of church.
Contact David Cook at email@example.com or 423-757-6329. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter at DavidCookTFP.
David Cook is the award-winning city columnist for the Times Free Press, working in the same building where he began his post-college career as a sportswriter for the Chattanooga Free Press. Cook, who graduated from Red Bank High, holds a master's degree in Peace and Justice Studies from Prescott College and an English degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. For 12 years, he was a teacher at the middle, high school and university ...
Jesus, save me from your followers. They are so unlike you.
What an answer to prayer, what a gift!
It is going to be an exciting day exposing Liberal efforts to "change" (this is what Liberals try to do, you can look it up in many dictionaries) the truth of Scripture, the word of God, into a lie.
nucanuck said...
unChristians are not unCommon and most can't see their unChristianness.
You do not see your condition nucanuck. If you would start reading a Bible, I would suggest begin with the Gospels, you would at least see the fruitlessness of your earth worship.
Bravo David...I love your writing, and I am a huge fan!! I am certain this story will be on the Daily Show or the Colbert Report, and once again show our area of Tennessee to be the bigoted, judgemental, racist area that it is. I feel badly for the Coopers, but this "minister" ( ha ha ) did you a huge favor. You are now free to join a loving, caring, kind, compassionate church that follows the Real Teachings of Jesus.....LOVE...keep it up David...
Cookie, you write with all the grace of a hysterical high school girl. You are so inebriated by the exuberance of your own verbosity that what you say makes as much sense as a mail order master's degree in peace and justice studies. The pope of the Roman Catholic church recently asked who was he to judge gay priests, yet you somehow set yourself up to judge the Ridgedale Church of Christ. Please! Their church, their rules. They apparently do not swing to the first book of Cookie. Please explain how Kat Cooper is a pioneer and hero because she is a lesbian. That seems pretty banal. Your jibber-jabber about those who do not buy the gay groups' party line being "homophobic," is hackneyed and incorrect. Perhaps you can do better for the paying customers?
While we are at it perhaps we can follow Leviticus 25:44-46 NLT and acquire a few slaves too. Mathew 7: Judge not, that you be not judged. Some people need to read the entire book and not just passages they feel support their presumed superior position. What happened to love thy neighbor and acts of kindness?
Great column, keep up the good work. Thank You
While initially upsetting to the Cooper family, it's a great opportunity to leave Christian fundamentalism altogether and see the hypocrisy of fundamentalism for what it is.
It's not life affirming; it's life denying. It's dogmatic slavery. It's not about peace and love; it's about control. It's not about release to prosper; it's about authoritative structure.
Congratulations Coopers. You are now on the road to freedom and have left the mental aberrations of Christian fundamentalism. Your journey can now go forward leaving the baggage of bigotry and authoritative hate behind.
While I am an atheist, you should know that there are other Christian churches that will welcome you and love you as you are.
I applaud your decision to love your daughter first. That's greater than any fellowship with any church.
Cook Said - "I wish someone would stampede in, overturn your tables and drive the homophobic madness from your pulpit. Exorcise you."
If someone takes Cook up on this and commits an act of violence at this church, will Cook be charged with hate crimes? We now think its OK to drop bombs on American citizens in foreign lands for "inspiring" terrorism. Can Cook not be considered as doing the same if one someone interprets his words in such a way and takes action?
The church cannot "steal" Jesus when it does not condone sin. Even in this flesh, the church must strive diligently to accurately profess what God's Word teaches.
Many violators and that is precisely what all of us are, we are all violators, sinners in need of God's grace, are ignorant. When we know something is sin, according to God's Word, and only according to God's Word, are we allowed to continue in that sin? No, of course not! When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." (John 8:10-11)
Jesus did not condemn the harlot, but he told her, "Go and sin no more." The Apostle Paul said, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:1-4)
What does Paul mean? Wait, before we answer that; what did Jesus mean? What did John the Baptist preach before Jesus started His ministry? The answer is REPENT! If we continue in any sin, willfully, without sorrow, are we truly repentant? If our heart has turned to stone, we are no longer able to feel the Holy Spirit's convictions.
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:26-32)
This is what all churches must do! If a church allows any sin to be practiced, that church will be guilty of guiding sinners into hell, rather than into the loving, saving arms of Jesus Christ.
David, you can twist the words all you want; Kat Cooper's family should always love their daughter, but neither they nor any Christian can agree and condone the sin which she is living in.
Does anyone find it ironic that a man that holds a Master's Degree in Peace and Justice Studies is advocating taking up violence because the church takes a position it has held for many centuries against homosexuality. Did you sleep thru class David.
Somone please answer - What if some unstable, liberal loon who cannot control his anger like Cook says about himself "...I'm not doing a good job of that here." takes action? Should all of you in the "amen section" be considered accomplices?
The Bible also clearly states that you may sell your daughter as a sex slave and buy her back if she doesn't work out. (Exodus: 21:7-11). And even though Jesus explicitly recommends cutting off your genitals (Matthew 19:12), the old testament is saying you can't make into heaven with even so much as a crushed testicle. (Deuteronomy 23:2). So, let's all follow that to the letter?
The Bible is a fascinating, contradictory historical document and not a how-to guide for injecting fascism into our society. Seeking followers by preaching a message of hate is intolerable behavior, and Mr. Cook is right to point that out.
The poor Christian fools! In their zeal to condemn they forget the story of Jeus overturning tables in the temple.
Sin is a religious construct.
Benburke wrote: "Many violators and that is precisely what all of us are, we are all violators, sinners in need of God's grace, are ignorant. " Yes, Benburke, you are ignorant. Don't include me in your small-mindedness and religious excretions.
That's the problem with taking a book of myths and attempting to make it literal. You get fundamentalist idiots arguing over jots and tittles of imaginary characters. Like whether Bugs Bunny preferred his carrots long and thin or short and fat.
Fortunately religious fundamentalism is rapidly declining. The sooner it is replaced with reason, the better for the world.
As to the question what reception would Mary Magdalene, a prostitute, receive if she visited a fundamentalist church today?
A lot of her customers running out the back door.
OUTSTANDING article! My heart is racing just reading it, and I'll be using this statement in some form or fashion for years to come:
"Like Huck, we have to walk away from the false idol of strict literalism, and instead trust-fall into a God that doesn't know how to do anything but love."
First of all as a Christian let me just say, you are right it is not our place to judge upon this earth. (Stop judging, that you may not be judged. 2 For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.3 Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove that splinter from your eye,' while the wooden beam is in your eye? 5 You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye. (Mathew 7:1-5) It is not however; our place to accept the sin of this world either. This church is only standing on it moral beliefs that homosexuality is a sin. It is not our place to demand repentance for sins, but it is our place to stand our ground. The part that you have incorrect sir is the fact that you stated God is not an angry GOD. In fact the very story you started with when Jesus entered the temple and over turned tables he in fact was VERY angry. He was angry that the temple had become a shrine no more common than the market place. Also if you will remember (or have studied) During Noah's time it rained for 40 days and 40 nights to flood the earth and rid it of all the sinner (unbelievers). And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Genesis 6:5,) He again was angry at the state of the world at that time. Also if you will remember Sodom and Gomorrah how the city was destroyed because of GOD's ANGER at their life styles. If you don't think God gets angry lets just keep on keeping on the way we are and see what else can happen to earth! Maybe a little more fact and a little less of your own interpretation would do well.
One way to spot Liberals when they talk/write about Christianity and church related issues is see what they write/talk about sin and the consequences of sin and what Jesus said about sin and judgment and so forth.
They DON'T!
If they talk/write about sin it is only to mention a Christian admonishing society about sin or others about the consequences of sin, the duty of all Christians.
Instead, Liberals criticize those who really show the love of Jesus when they do their Christian duty of warning others. It makes me want to gag sometimes.
Mr. Cook never opposes sin only those who warn others.
When the church casts out members of the congregation for eating pork or shellfish or having tattoos or working on the Sabbath or for parent's failure to kill their kids whenever they have disobeyed or dishonored them, then I will believe that it truly is concerned about living in accordance with what the Bible says. The God of your holy book considers those things sins too, so why is the church so unconcerned about those particular sins that it never even brings them up? The last time I checked, God considered breaking the Sabbath so important that he made it one of his Ten Commandments, but hardly any Christians today honor that commandment. Why is the church not turning them out for so defiantly living in sin, continuously breaking the Sabbath, when God has so specifically commanded against it?
Homosexuality is not even listed in the Ten Commandments (adultery, yes, but not homosexuality specifically). It gets only the briefest of mention in a couple of verses in the Old Testament. Yet you Bible thumpers magnify it and focus all of your attention on it as if it were akin to murder.
The truth is, you holy rolling pricks just have a bee in your undies about homosexuals and that particular sin is distasteful to YOU. Your cherry-picking is shameful and obvious. Effin' hypocrites, every one of you.
Conservative ejaculated:"Instead, Liberals criticize those who really show the love of Jesus when they do their Christian duty of warning others."
History is replete with those who really loved Jesus: The Spanish Inquisition, Salem witch trials, murder of indiginous natives, massacre of Jews by Christians during the Crusades, concentration camps staffed and guarded by Catholics and Protestants, torture and murder by the Catholic Church throughout its long criminal career, the Mountain Meadow Massacre of settlers by Mormons, molestation of children by priests and preachers, Christian slavery of blacks, Klu Kluxers and other good Christians lynching blacks — all perpetrated by Christian voices singing, "Oh! How I Love Jesus."
Willing executioners for their brand of Jesus' love. This is Conservative's Jesus. Conservative is gleefully ready and willing to slaughter in God's name.
Conservative is the man your parents warned you about. A slack-jawed, bible-thumping creeper, peeping into windows under the guise of religion but ready with his paddles and whips to perform S&M for Jesus.
Don't stand close to him as his homophobic ecstasy erupts.
Mr. Cook begins with outrage over "homophobic madness from your pulpit."
God will judge Homosexuals and the judgment will be everlasting hell!
Therefore, the inescapable conclusion is God is homophobic in the eyes of Mr. Cook.
Either Mr. Cook is right or God is right!
Benburke, sagoyewatha, AVD et al, your version of the Son of God as an angry, vengeful, punishing God seems to describe some other religion than Christianity.
You would do well to read up on some scholarship about what Paul was saying in your favorite passage. I believe you will find Paul opposed every preoccupation that gets in the way of following Jesus because he said nothing is bad in itself. Things become evil when they damage or blind the love of the heart, for example, by holding onto an obsessive preoccupation with homosexual behavior that causes you to judge, condemn (rather than leaving it up to God) and oust parents from your Christian congregation because they love their daughter and were demonstrating one of the greater commandments. That certainly is a real sin, right?
Do you ostracize others of your members for sins such as cursing, sipping a beer, watching an R or X-rated movie, speaking ill of another person, verbally abusing their spouse, beating their children, hypocrisy, being stingy and not helping the poor,..?
I am not sure I see where you have received the warrant to judge and condemn someone to the "fires of Hell" and I encourage you to look for a little compassion in your heart as you pray to become a force that uplifts your Christian members rather than become stumbling blocks that keep them from your worship.
Peace be with you...
Inquiring mind...what are you sipping or huffing today? Can you not read, understand or remember? I said nothing about an angry god. I would not know which of the more that 300 million persons,places or things that have been touted as "god" to talk about. I have better ways of wasting time, like trying to keep cookie on the ball and now getting you to do some research on that 300 million figure.
Then Mr. Cook mentions part of this passage, one which I have coincidentally (?) mentioned often lately:
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.NAS
And follows with this statement:
"With that very verse, (while ignoring thousands of others that instruct you quite differently)"
Well, there are not "thousands of others that instruct you quite differently," in fact there is NOT even one!
He didn't cite even one and he can't cite even one.
Mr Cooke,
"With that very verse, (while ignoring thousands of others that instruct you quite differently) you crushed the heart of a family that has been part of your church for generations."
I am sure that this is an intentional exaggeration on the part of the author. However I think that it would be helpful for the discussion if the author would provide some of these proof texts and maybe some commentaries on how they have been interpreted throughout history by various of the major Christian institutions so that we can get a fair assessment of what the minister in question is arguing for.
In the peace of Christ, J.
Mr. Cook wrote:
"Because I am so stinking tired of the love of God... being turned into a monstrous distortion"
Yea, me too. I am sick and tired of Mr. Cook and other Liberals distorting God's love by refusing to connect it to why He first loved us when He gave up His son to die on the cross for our sins.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.John 3:16
Look at the word "perish." That "perish" is everlasting hell for those who do not repent of their sins and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
But all Mr. Cook and other Liberals want to discuss is God's love apart from the reason why Jesus died for our sins.
No, don't tell Homosexuals that the love of God was to keep us from hell. No, don't tell the whole story just distort and pervert the story to sexual perverts.
Nothing say love like roasting human flesh unless it's Conservative's continual Christian love of homosexuals.
Mr. Cook tells us that that Kat and her family were asked to leave the church because they loved their daughter.
Oh really? Why did Mr. Cook omit these quotes from Free Press writer Kevin Hardy? -
"Hunt Cooper said his family rejects the notion that being gay is a lifestyle choice. And his wife, along with her brother and sister, believed repentance would be hypocritical. So the decision to leave, devastating as it was, was a simple one"
"There's no sin to repent for," he said. "And she's not going to turn her back on her daughter."
You can't expect membership in a Christian church when you reject Christian doctrine, and Christian teaching based on God's word.
But that doesn't seem to register with Liberals who always seek to "change" (key word in Liberal definitions, you can look it up) God's word to accept their sins.
Ever notice how many fundamentalists are concerned with sex? Conservative in particular seems so preoccupied with gay sex, I bet he has tons of research material at his house. Conservative can't get enough gay sex. He thinks about, talks about, shouts about gay sex every waking hour.
Imagine - Conservative's a gay sex "research" machine. Want to know about gay sex? Conservative's your man.
Who was on package patrol at tonight's services at the Church of Christ? Deuteronomy 23:1 states: "He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD." I can only assume, having not been to church in years, that for the sake of purity all men are having their meat and two bits thoroughly inspected before being allowed to join the congregation. It's right there in the bible, now whip it out.
As long as I'm asking around, who keeps the women folk in their place at these churches. Like how they are to stay silent(I Timothy 2:12) and in accordance with I Timothy 2:9, make sure the women of the church maintain "shamefacedness" and are not adorned in any "costly array." That means no gold or pearls ladies, and most certainly none of that pearl necklace business that ZZ Top sang about.
I hope that when this family left they took a big chunk of the church, especially the good tithers with them. They need to head to "The Rock Metropolitan Community Church" in Chattanooga. The pastor there said he was looking for them but did not know how to get in touch.
You notice that it was the church "leaders" not the congregation that kicked them out. Seems like there was an itinerant preacher a couple thousand years ago who was also kicked out of the church. In fact, the church leaders found him so dangerous that they asked the government to kill him.
Mr. Cook writes:
"One author said it like this: You've stolen Jesus."
"The real Jesus ... was not about asserting power, judging, or destroying. He was about love," writes Bruce Bawer in "Stealing Jesus: How Fundamentalism Betrays Christianity".
Now, more of what Mr. Cook does NOT say:
1.Mr. Cook does not tell you that Bruce Bawer IS a Liberal practicing Homosexual.
2.Mr. Cook does not tell you that Bruce Bawer has written a number of books advocating the Homosexual lifestyle and agenda. One was titled "A Place at the Table: The Gay Individual in American Society."
3.Mr. Cook does not tell you that Bruce Bawer left America to live in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands for it's "its tolerance, its secularism."
Now, who would imagine a Liberal God rejecting practicing Homosexual writing a book entitled "Stealing Jesus: How Fundamentalism Betrays Christianity?"
sagoyewatha, I think you might have stirred my comment on judging and obsession. In actuality, every Christian represents a part of God some just don't reflect that content very well, in fact all of us at one time or another don't reflect it very well. I imagine there are at least 300 million Christians so you may be right (at least about that part, but not in the way you intended)... peace brother,
I will never understand why liberals need a "church" to attend to help them affirm their unbelief? How are liberals applying logic and reason better than fundamentalists when organizing around something they KNOW to be a fairy tale? Aren't fundamentalists more logical by organizing into congregations on the basis that they ACTUALLY BELIEVE there is a deity that they can appeal to and worship?
Atheism has not led us into an enlightened world of bliss and universal brotherhood anymore than religion. The Soviet Union was the very first nation to be founded on the doctrines of atheism and materialism and it only took 50 short years for them to murder 60 million of its own citizens. Read all 1800 pages of the Gulag Archipelago or at least the abridged version which is about 500 pages. I'm sorry; atheists just have to make a stronger case to me that we are an improving, evolving race. I think it is leading us into another dark age.
"Those verses? Plenty of Biblical scholars interpret them different from you. St. Paul, they say, was talking about lust, Roman sexual aggression and male rape"
Well, here are those verses:
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.1Corinthians 6:9-10
First,The verses are very plain and clear in their meaning and easy to understand, even for a Liberal.
Second, Mr. Cook does not tell you (a habit of his) that those scholars he refers to are Liberal. They are Liberal. Liberals always seek to "change" the truth of God into a lie.
A point about the word scholar. Scholar does NOT mean expert although one could be, but someone who has spent a lot of time on a subject. Liberals like to throw that word around in hopes the uniformed will think a particular issue is settled. Liberal scholars are paid to find fault and errors in God's word, always without success.
Penn & Teller destroy an inerrant Bible, imaginary gods, and religious fundamentalism in a few minutes. It's more fun than Conservative in a Gay Pride March.
(Not safe for fundies as their heads may explode!)
Where are the great atheist Universities? Where are the great atheist hospitals? Where are the great atheist relief organizations? Where are the great atheist scientific discoveries since the "consensus" seems to be that atheism is a pre-requisite for being a scientist? Many like Isaac Newton claimed strong Christian beliefs, and I know of none who had such a low respect for the Bible as I hear on these posts. No one on here is going to claim that they have a better understanding of the physical universe than Newton, are they? All I am saying is that there is no way it can be said that Christian belief gets in the way of scientific advancement.
I assume most people who post here are angry old white men and that your ancient ancestors were very nasty, superstitious, uncivilized persons running around the forests of Germany and Scotland worshipping trees and animals. When the Bible came to Europe, did it help, hurt or have little effect? In our age, The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in general had way more scientifically trained people than we do and they are also solidly atheist. If they had all the pieces, then why are they so backwards?
Even if you believe homosexual and lesbian activity are sins, what's the point of punishing a loving parent (and aunt and uncle) for not rejecting their lesbian child? What this church did is such a perversion of the teachings of the Jesus I know. Proof-text all day long, but you'll never convince people like me that Jesus stood for hatred. One more reason to stay in Maryland and not move home to Chattanooga.
"Many like Isaac Newton claimed strong Christian beliefs," --TheCommander
Congratulations commandant, you just cleared up one of history's mysteries. Newton lived in a time when any hint of heresy could result in being burned at the stake. When the church and crown exerted a kind of authority that leaves only two options, agree with what we say or die a painful death, it had a way of swaying most of the great minds of the time to declare agreement with the church.
Newton was no doubt a theologian and a stated believer in God, but his views on the Trinity would indicate that his status as a true and pure Christian was shaky at best. Newton did outline why he believed altered bible verses placed the concept of Trinity on an unstable foundation. He resigned from Trinity College shortly after. They kill heretics don't they?
The issue of Newton's religious beliefs has been debated for many years now. Was he a heretic? Was he an Arian? A deist perhaps? Nope, just a good Christian like the folks over at Ridgedale Church of Christ. Well, that's settled...What's for supper?
"Where are the great atheist Universities?"
Most great centers of learning no longer subscribe to religious fundamentalism as valid science or history. While some were established by some type of religion, they have left strict fundamentalism behind. Just as the ancient civilizations of Persia, Greece, and Rome had their institutions of education and arts dedicated to their gods, you certainly don't find many people who believe in a real Zeus, Apollo, or Athena. Neither is fundamentalism necessary for education. Most centers of learning consider fundamentalism to be a throwback to a Dark Age. I certainly do.
"Where are the great atheist hospitals?"
Same as centers of learning. Hospitals do not teach that disease is born from devils, demons, and witches, or by angry gods. Nor do hospitals teach doctors to pray over broken bones, mangled bodies, breech births, and burn victims as the cure. Science, not merely prayers and shouting Jesus, heals.
"Where are the great atheist relief organizations?"
You are correct in that atheist organizations are behind the curve there, but most liberal religious organizations do not proselytize while rendering aid. Even many fundamentalists groups do not preach during disasters unless they are Southern Baptist or Pentecostals. The shame is many these proselytizing fundamentalists insist on singing religious songs and saying prayers before feeding, clothing, and helping people.
Then again, most atheists do not belong to organized groups. However, atheists do contribute time and money to their charitable causes that do render aid. They just do not feel the need to brag about it and claim it is for the glory of Charles Darwin or Carl Sagan.
"Where are the great atheist scientific discoveries since the "consensus" seems to be that atheism is a pre-requisite for being a scientist?"
You have to be kidding. Open-mindedness is required for science; not a pre-conceived finding that "God did it" and that is the solution. Agnostics, atheists, and liberal religious and non-traditionalists make up over 95% of scientists. Of course, there are Creationists and Intelligent Designers who ignore science to promote Christian fundamentalism. To call these persons scientists is a bit of stretch, as every scientist knows that what makes science is that science is falsifiable, not rigid dogma. Science moves forward, religious fundamentalism is static.
"Many like Isaac Newton claimed strong Christian beliefs, and I know of none who had such a low respect for the Bible as I hear on these posts. No one on here is going to claim that they have a better understanding of the physical universe than Newton, are they?"
There is no doubt that Newton was a great scientist in his day and many of his discoveries set the world anew. However, Newton was not a traditionalist in fundamentalism. He did not believe in the Trinity, predicted the world would not end until at least 2060, was an alchemist, and spent years looking for a Bible code. He also went slightly batty during his religious searches. However, to say that Newton was the greatest scientist and that his work proves that God exists is incorrect. Newton was great for the intellectual and religious climate of his times, but he also worked with limited knowledge. Many fundamentalists considered Newton, like Galileo, heretics.
Three hundred years have passed and greater knowledge has been discovered about the universe. I don't think you would let Galen, the great physician of Rome in the second century, operate on you today for cancer. That does not take away from Galen and his lessons; it merely means that much has been learned since Galen. Same for Isaac Newton. There are much better scientists today than Newton for that reason alone.
Being great in one field does not make you great in another field. Linus Pauling, twice Nobel Prize winner, is an excellent modern-day example. One Nobel prize was for chemistry and the other for his peace activism. However, Pauling completely flopped in his promotion of Vitamin C as a cure for nearly everything.
Will Rodgers said, "There is nothing so stupid as the educated man if you get him off the thing he was educated in." This is applicable to Newton, Pauling, and most people including religious types.
"All I am saying is that there is no way it can be said that Christian belief gets in the way of scientific advancement."
It depends on the Christian belief of which there are at least three thousand different sects. If the Christian belief is to "do unto others as you would have done to you" there's no problem. That phrase was around long before Christians - there is nothing original about that. That's a good moral teaching.
If the Christian belief is that the Bible is scientifically correct, historically accurate, that the laws of nature are subject to superstitions and magic, then there's a problem. I know of no scientists that speak in tongues, writhe on the floor, accept transubstantiation as genuine and lay hands on patients and expect and actually get miracles attributable to deities. That's not science.
"I assume most people who post here are angry old white men and that your ancient ancestors were very nasty, superstitious, uncivilized persons running around the forests of Germany and Scotland worshipping trees and animals."
I am white, but not angry. Neil Degrasse Tyson is black and an atheist. My ancestors were from Ireland where they did go around worshipping trees (supposed bits from the cross), believed crackers and wine became flesh and blood, thought black cats became witches, and serpents and donkeys talked because the Catholic Church told them so.
"When the Bible came to Europe, did it help, hurt or have little effect?"
Martin Luther did help people see that the Catholic Church was corrupt, that men could read the Bible and decided for themselves, and that the Popes were just power-hungry, wealth-seeking men (sounds like Christian television). In that respect, Martin Luther did bring light. Nevertheless, the real hero of Europe was Gutenberg and movable type where discourse beside religious texts promoted a new age of Enlightenment, away from the Biblical myths into realms of science. We also must pay homage to the great Muslim thinkers who preserved much of the ancient texts, developed higher math, and many other accomplishments while Europe was wallowing in its own filth under the Catholic Church and feudalism. Christianity has rarely acknowledged Arab and Muslim contributions to civilization.
"In our age, The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in general had way more scientifically trained people than we do and they are also solidly atheist."
Wrong. The Communist system was dictated by the State, not freedom to explore. In addition, the Soviet Union, while outwardly promoting the State as god, allowed many citizens to practice the Russian Orthodox religion. No wonder the Bolsheviks overthrew the Czar. Between the suppression by the Czars and the rule of the Orthodox Church, which supported the Czars, the great masses of Russians were tyrannically exploited and their education suppressed except what the Church told them they could learn. It was rule by keeping people ignorant and impoverished. Considering that, it's little wonder that many rejected Orthodox slavery and looked elsewhere.
"If they had all the pieces, then why are they so backwards?"
Soviet Russia did not have all the pieces. A slave of the State is as much a slave as a slave of religious orthodoxy (fundamentalism). That is the reason for American separation of church and state that the Founding Fathers wanted.
This is the reason for decline in religious fundamentalism today - a stagnant dogma that favors ignorance, belief in magical thinking and superstitions, and attempts to keep people paying dues to a backwards, sectarian cult.
Perhaps, Commander, you should ask about secular rather than atheist. The church in the western world is powerful, awash in money and concerned about the poor and the sick, which is why they build hospitals. But few impose their beliefs on their patients. Universities owned by churches pursue valid science that understands the definition of the scientific method is materialistic. Only a few religious universities oppose this, and they are fundamentalist. (Liberty University for example)
Mr. Cook plays the drama queen over the "wreckage" and "tears" and "wounds" of sexual perverts "whose hearts and faith have been crushed by Christian homophobia."
Faith in what? Faith that you can be a practicing homosexual and inherit the kingdom of God? That faith is both foreign and contrary to Scripture.
A practicing Homosexual will not inherit the kingdom of God - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.
Notice that Mr. Cook blames "Christian homophobia" as the cause of their troubles.
Mr. Cook, the word "Christians" means followers of Jesus Christ, and so Christians are to be of the same mind of Jesus Christ about the gross sin of Homosexuality.
Conservative, can't quit talking about homosexuals? Does Mrs. Conservative know about your predilication for gay talk?
Conservative - a stagnant dogmatic that favors ignorance, belief in magical thinking and superstitions, and attempts to keep people paying dues to a backwards, sectarian cult.
Also, as perverted a Christian creep as Ted Haggard, Jimmy Swaggert, and Jim Bakker. Still in his sanctified closet. Does his gaydar go off when he looks in the mirror?
The Book of Saint Jude (excerpt): The Holy Bible.
"I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."
"keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."
Dayton, you gave me a lot but I will answer what I can.
Universities: How is Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown,etc... doing today cranking out the answers to the problems of our world now that they have turned secular and humanist? Not so good. Sure they produce an occasional Bush, Clinton, Obama or Kerry and a bunch of hedge fund managers but apart from those standouts, not much (some great doctors - I will give them that). I walked the campus of the oldest technical university in the western world. When I walked, it struck me; Do you know what those builders thought to put right in the middle of campus? You guessed it - a giant church. What do you think those men were trying to say that was most important? What was the center of that non-religious Technical university? That school has gone in the same direction now just like the others I listed above. I think those men who built it knew about what was to come in our day. No matter how our moderns try to cover the past by converting the use of that building, it will always be obvious that a church was put there to honor Christ. The placement and size of the building cannot be denied. Apart from tearing it down, there is nothing that can be done. And they were theistic period. They held the Bible in honor and a as a source of truth and authority. And that university was built for PHYSICAL SCIENCE by men who believed the Bible. Those universities are now dead dry bones of a once glorious past.
Hospitals: Thank one of the nun administrators who run Memorial if you ever need heart surgery. Remember: you must ask them for a stent instead just sprinkling you with holy water to be cured; They may not know to do that unless you tell them
Where's the science credentials you promised to produce Orr? You said you had them eighteen months ago and would produce them. Still waiting.
I've never seen two guys as obsessed with homosexuals as you and Conservative. Fighting your urges again? Or is this your chance to fantasize? Are you suffering with the Ted Haggard Syndrome?
On Issac Newton: I was taught in a university class on the history of mathematics that the "consensus" opinion was that Newton was one of the three most brilliant people to ever walk the earth; Archimedes, Newton and Gauss. Maybe you know more but that always stuck with me. But he was theistic PERIOD; I do not know his exact theology and neither do any of these other writers on the subject you cite. I do not know his exact views on the trinity and they are not important to my argument. The man who discovered gravity did not believe that a god or a spook hit him in the head with an apple out of punishment. His religion did not drive him to vain superstition. He put his incredible mind to the questions of nature and discovered the natural law of gravity and put it to a formula that holds today and will forever I believe. Newton searched the Bible because it had authority in his mind. Why else would he wrestle with it? That is undeniable. I know there are ignorant, anti-science fanatics out there and we largely agree on Lee University among others of the like. But it is not axiomatic that Fundamental Christianity curbs scientific progress. Just the opposite is true with the stated exceptions we agree on. However I do believe that atheism if embraced as a whole will ABSOLUTELY lead to a dark age that is anti-science, anti-reason and anti-intellectual. Awfulness in religion certainly has a track record of doing the same. Atheism is new on the stage of history with former communist nations as my only evidence to justify my fears.
Relief: The next time there is a tornado outbreak, make sure you turn away anyone who comes to help you from a church and say you are waiting for a liberal group or an atheist to rescue you. I bet when the rubber meets the road those receiving aid don't get bothered as much as you do about hearing a little preaching. I do not believe there are ANY liberal groups doing any substantive work with the poor or needy unless it is with public money. Please name them so I can apologize.
Church corruption: Largely right on Catholic and certainly Popes, Right on Orthodox (my evangelical friend in E. Europe suffers at their hands), right on Lee University, etc... People suck, don't they? Religious people can be the meanest and most arrogant there are BECAUSE their religion leads them to becoming pious and closed minded. I think we agree. When they get in power, they can certainly take down a whole nation. The late dynastic period in ancient Egypt is an example. But some of the very best of the best are among those in fundamentalist churches as well. They are genuine and they are loving. They minister powerfully in complete anonymity and you know it to be true; fanatics do not do the work that these people do. I bet some of them are members of the very church that everyone is attacking on this thread. It is possible.
Soviet Union: Atheism is a big 0 for 1... wait, China 0 for 2, Cambodia 0 for 3. Vietnam 0 for 4, N Korea 0 for 5, Cuba? Michael Moore thinks it's great! A slave of the state? Didn't Marx and tell us the state would dissolve? So much for Dialectic materialism. About 100 million dead and counting. Solzhenitsyn tells us that those Russians of the 20's would have died to go back to the days of the Czars knowing what communism brought them. It was awful all the way around, but you are certainly not suggesting that Russians had it better in Stalin's Russia than under the reign of Nicolas II, are you? Atheism brought Russia far lower than Russian Orthodox tyranny ever dreamed of.
"...great Muslim thinkers who preserved much of the ancient texts, developed higher math...": The Ottoman Turks preserved knowledge, really? BTW, did you see what happened to that 4th century church in Sohag, Egypt TODAY? Is that one of your examples of preserving knowledge? It went the way of the ancient library of Alexandria. That statement of your says to me that your hatred is against Christ alone and not against religion in general as you claim. Please forgive me for being Euro-centric but name this great Muslim mathematician you speak of? You studying your Common Core math book again? Stay out of that stuff; it's bad for you. Again, name him/her and I will apologize.
And finally...your anger: You old, white and probably very drunk Irishman! You better be angry: that is when you are your funniest. I mean that. I told you that before. When you comment on the corruption and lunacy in Cleveland, I am like one of your biggest groupies. Let's not stop meeting around what we agree on!


text:
Successful formulation of therapeutic proteins and peptides that ensures adequate stability, manufacturability, and usability
is essential for the biopharmaceutical manufacturer. Excipients are commonly used within the industry to reduce protein degradation,
which can occur through physical or chemical pathways.
In this study, a recombinant albumin was seen to function as an effective multifunctional excipient to protect proteins against
aggregation, especially amyloid-like fibril products, act as an antioxidant in preventing protein oxidation, and as a blocking
agent to prevent nonspecific adsorption to surfaces. rAlbumin has the potential to reduce the total number of excipients required,
especially for difficult to formulate molecules, simplifying the formulation strategy and accelerating development time in
achieving the desired properties for the finished drug product.
1. Crowley, P.J. and L.G. Martini, Chemistry Today
28 (5), 7–13 (2010).
2. F.G. Vogt and A.S. Kord, J. Pharm. Sci.
100 (3). 797–892 (2011).
3. S.S. Bharate, S.B. Bharate, and A.N. Bajaj, J. Excipients and Food Chemicals,
1 (3), 3–26 (2010).
4. ICH, Q1A(R2) Stability Testing of New Drug Substances and Products (2003).
5. J.R. Fransson, J. Pharm. Sci.
86 (9), 1046–1050 (1997).
6. M.E. Cromwell, M. E. Hilario, and F. Jacobson, The AAPS Journal
8 (3), 572–579 (2006).
7. W. Wang et al., J. Pharm. Sci.
96 (1), 1–6 (2007).
8. L.A. Kueltzo et al., J. Pharm. Sci.
97 (5), 1801–1812 (2008).
9. L. Perrone et al., ChemBioChem
11 (1), 110–118 (2010).
10. Y. Jeyachandran et al., Langmuir
25 (19), 11614–11620 (2009).

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Humidity 72%
Winds 9.2mph
Humidity 72%
Winds 9.2mph
Feb 26, 2013 3:22 PM
Police in Whitley County said an elderly Florida man was flown to a Tennessee hospital Tuesday morning following a single-vehicle accident on I-75.
The accident happened at about 7:30 a.m. near mile marker 1. Upon arrival, police determined that Nathan Stone, 76, of Wildwood, Florida had lost control of his 2001 Chevy Truck and small trailer hit a guardrail and then hit the bridge before coming to a final rest over an embankment.
Stone was flown from the scene to University of Tennessee Hospital. His condition was not released.
16 minutes ago


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Cornwall driver accused of DUI-4March 21,2013Traffic stop results
in a DUI-4 charge
CORNWALL A local resident has been charged with drunken driving for the fourth time following a traffic stop Monday night.
Police said Traci G. Payne, 42, of Cornwall, was driving on Swamp Road when police stopped the vehicle for defective equipment. Police said the driver was under the influence of alcohol and took Payne into custody.
Payne is scheduled to appear April 8 in Addison criminal court.MORE IN This Just InSki area operators in Vermont and across northern New England were giddy Wednesday at the... Full StoryCounty-wide storm Full StoryA New York woman is facing an arson charge for setting a scarecrow on fire. Full Story
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November 28, 2014
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Business advocates are promoting an 11-point plan to create more jobs in the state.
A statewide coalition of chambers of commerce released their jobs plan Wednesday. It focuses on issues that the state's business community will pursue during the 2013 legislative session to stimulate economic growth in Oklahoma. Organizations that developed the jobs plan include the State Chamber of Oklahoma, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber and the Tulsa Regional Chamber.
The agenda focuses on changing the state's workers' compensation system, fully funding state education programs and health care issues.
State Chamber President Fred Morgan says the state is fortunate to have leaders who focus on jobs and improving the economy. Morgan says the state should maintain that momentum and do more to make Oklahoma a good place to do business.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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My game notes from Sunday's Divisional Playoffs. Matt Bowen
Click here for my notes from Saturday's matchups in the Divisional Playoffs.
With the Falcons and Patriots now advancing to Championship weekend, here are my quick game notes from Sunday's Divisional matchups. Five things that stood out from my perspective…
US PRESSWIREBrady threw three TD passes as the Patriots advanced to the AFC Championship.
1. Patriots win with tempo, matchups: Look at the consistent matchups Tom Brady and the New England offense created today. Even without Rob Gronkowski (expected to miss the rest of the playoffs with an injury according to a PFT report), the Patriots used multiple personnel groupings and alignments to win on the edge and between the numbers. Hernandez, Welker, Vereen. Houston couldn't play with the speed and tempo of this offense and was exposed when Brady (344-yards, 3 TDs) targeted the middle of the field or worked the boundary in the vertical game. The way I see it, you almost need a couple of built in checks (think base defensive schemes) to compete with the pace of the Patriots. There were times when the Texans couldn't get lined up in the red zone—and you don't get those snaps back.
2. Ryan, Falcons' 2-Minute offense: Seattle challenged the Falcons' QB in the final thirty seconds of the game by using five-man zone pressure schemes (3-deep, 3-under in the secondary). How did Ryan respond? The QB hit Harry Douglas on the deep out and then targeted Tony Gonzalez on the inside curl (excellent blitz pickup by RB Jacquizz Rodgers) to set up the game winning FG. No matter what your opinion was of the QB throughout the game (or after the pick he threw to Earl Thomas), give Ryan (24-35-250-3TDs-2INT) the credit for making the throws in a crucial situation to put his team in a position to win the ball game and advance to the NFC Championship.
3. Russell Wilson: The QB's ability to throw the deep outside cuts to the sidelines (3-level schemes) and extend plays in the pocket continues to impress me. Sure, Seattle did show some Read Option looks, but this playbook was productive today because of Wilson and the passing game. The rookie plays with the poise of an experienced vet and he doesn't panic vs. pressure. Work the pocket, keep the eyes down the field and make plays. That's what Wilson (24-36-385-2TDs-1INT) did as he brought Seattle back from a 20-0 hole at the half. Excited to see him play next year as he continues to develop as a pro.
4. Pressuring Schaub: When the Patriots had the Texans' QB in 3rd down and 7-plus, they went with pressure (both zone and man). In man-pressure schemes, align your DBs off the ball, drive the 3-step reads, make the tackle and get off the field. Don't' make it complicated when you know the ball is going to come out. And going back to Schaub's INT, the Patriots again brought pressure (off the edge) with LB Rob Ninkovich dropping as a "middle hook" defender to make the play vs. the inside sight adjust. That's smart football from a defensive perspective.
5. Seattle's missed opportunities: Start with the 4th and 1 call in the second quarter. That's a situation where you use the boot action with Wilson or let Marshawn Lynch run off tackle (Power O, Lead, etc.). However, running the base FB belly (dive) isn't going to get it done. I have no issue playing for the sticks there (over taking the FG), but you have to put the ball in the hands of one of your playmakers. And then there was the end of the half with the lack of execution and the clock issues that took points off the board. Can't come up empty in those situations on the road in the playoffs.
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ASFA is the peak industry body representing all superannuation fund sectors, service providers and fund members.
ASFA's policy and research teams between them bring over 250 years experience in superannuation, policy-making, investment, financial services, SMSFs, taxation and regulation.
ASFA Events provides invaluable learning experiences and networking opportunities for Australia's whole superannuation industry.
The 2015 National Conference and Super Expo will be held on 25 - 27 November. The venue will be revealed on the final day of ASFA 2014.
ASFA is a registered training organisation (RTO) offering formal learning and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for the superannuation and financial services industries.
ASFA is available for comment on a range of issues relating to superannuation and retirement incomes adequacy.
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Download: Superannuation Statistics
In the October 2014 issue of Superfunds magazine information on fund investment returns over various periods to 30 June 2014 was published. This information is included in the most recent update of the Superannuation Statistics.
The data indicate that five year superannuation fund investment returns have bounced back after the Global Financial Crisis, reaching an average 12.8 per cent return in 2013-14. The average annual return over the five years to 30 June 2014 was 9.7 per cent. Over a 20 year period the average annual return was 7.4 per cent, well above the average increase in the CPI of 4.6 per cent over that period.
Another good quarter, with positive investment earnings and contributions well up on the quarter a year earlier (and well up on the March quarter as June quarter end of financial year contributions are traditionally strong). Benefit payments are up as well reflecting a maturing system.
Net rollovers from APRA funds (basically to SMSFs) continue at a level somewhat lower than in the past few years.
More details follow:
Superannuation assets totalled $1.85 trillion at the end of the June 2014 quarter.
Over the 12 months to June 2014 there was a 15.3 per cent increase in total superannuation assets.
Over the June 2014 quarter, total superannuation assets increased by 2.6 per cent.
Entities with at least $50 million in assets
The analysis and comments below are based on superannuation entities with more than four members and with at least $50 million in assets as at the end of their previous year of income.
Contributions, rollovers and benefit payments
There were $27.6 billion of contributions in the June 2014 quarter, up 5.9 per cent from the June 2013 quarter ($26.1 billion). Total contributions for the year ending June 2014 were $95.0 billion.
Outward rollovers exceeded inward rollovers by $531 million in the June quarter. Rollovers to SMSFs in 2013-14 were $2.3 billion, well down on the $7.4 billion the previous year.
There were $14.7 billion in total benefit payments in the June 2014 quarter, an increase of 8.3 per cent from the June 2013 quarter ($13.6 billion). Total benefit payments for the year ending June 2014 were $55.3 billion.
The annual industry-wide rate of return (ROR) derived by APRA for entities with over $50 million in assets for the year ending 30 June 2014 was 11.6 per cent. This derived figure is a shade lower than what rating agencies have indicated was the result for balanced funds in the financial year 2013-14.


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Friday, 29 April 2011 00:00
There's a new garden in town. If you're in the vicinity of the East Village Green, check out the southwest corner of the park near the Jerusalem Avenue pool. The Levittown Community installed the garden as a community service and part of its 5th Annual Earth Day event. The beautification included clean up and replacement of dead bushes with grasses near the pool entrance
Ricky Sculco of Distinctive Land Design provided labor and know-how. He also donated all of the soil needed to fill the new planter box. Al DeBatto and Justin Bristoll of Big Al's Landscaping, and Gene Judd of Island Greenery donated the plants.
The event, as well as the clean ups that took place in the afternoon, were chaired by Levittown Community Council directors Pat Patane and Tom Kohlman, who arranged for the donations and Town of Hempstead approval of the project and prepared the itinerary for the day.
In addition to the chairs, volunteers at the garden planting included Don Patane, Mauro and Louise Cassano, Lowell and Mary Wolf.


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This is the Way the Series Ends, Not With a Bang But a Whimper
By Matthew Hildreth, Contributing Writer and Loyal Lakers Fan
Game, set, match.
It's all over. No more Los Angeles Lakers until Fall. No more of Kobe Bryant's fist pump. No more of Pau Gasol's scream. No more of Mike Brown's clueless facial expressions on the bench.
We're going to have to sit through and attempt to enjoy the rest of these NBA playoffs. Without the Lakers.
Very few expected LA to actually come in and beat the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road, not to mention in a close out Game 5.
OKC was going to come in fired up and give it their all. LA was going to leave it all out on the court. No way will Kobe tolerate less than 110% effort from his teammates in Game 5.
For the most part, effort was there. Results? Nope.
The Thunder crushes the hearts of Laker Land, closing out the semi-finals series by winning 106-90.
(RELATED: Heading to Game 1 of the Conference Finals in San Antonio? Check out Fanzooloo's Spurs page)
Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden: these three combined for a whopping 70 points Monday night. Westbrook lead the Thunder in scoring with 28. Durant had 25 points and 10 rebounds. And Harden chipped in 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists off the bench.
They were just too much for LA, especially in the fourth quarter. The Lakers' worst enemy this entire series has been the final quarter.
Heading into the fourth, OKC had an 83-77 lead over LA. Sure, things weren't looking superb for the Lakers. But they were still in the game. They still had the opportunity to come out victorious. I continued to watch once the third quarter came to a close. I said to myself, "Kobe's got this. No one's stopping him."
Number 24 finished with 8 points in the final quarter. Not too shabby. The Lakers as a whole? Had 13 points. That's, umm…..shabby. That's pretty appalling, actually. Unacceptable.
Where is the help? Andrew Bynum – 10 points, 4 rebounds on 4-10 shooting. Are you kidding me?! If your shots not falling, at least don't get outrebounded by your starting point guard.
Speaking of LA's starting point guard…
Ramon Sessions. What a mid-season acquisition. Perhaps one of the worst players for the Lakers in these 2012 playoffs. Tonight's stat line? 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 6 turnovers, 5 fouls, 16% FG. Yikes.
"Finally, a point guard!" This is what many Laker fans rejoiced once they saw Sessions average 12.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, and 6.2 apg on 47.9% shooting for the remaining 23 games of the season.
There is obviously a valid reason, however, why Sessions has been bounced around the league so much in his young NBA career. He reeks of inconsistency. And he wasn't ready to battle in the playoffs. He has holes in his game. But he's already 26 years old. You wonder how much he can really improve. You wonder if he's actually a starting caliber point guard on a playoff team.
Just some things Laker management will have to ponder over. As well as many other aspects about this team.
We know Kobe will be in purple and gold next season. But the rest of the players and coaching staff? It's up in the air. Who leaves? Who gets traded? Who stays?
Let's find out this summer.


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Singapore to grow games talent
Summary: Government to tackle the first key issue in establishing the island-state as a digital media and games hub, which is to develop a talent pool big enough to attract venture dollars.
SINGAPORE--The Singapore government plans to develop the island-state into a knowledge hub for games and digital media business, and the first step is to ensure that a pool of local and foreign talent is readily available.
Speaking to reporters at the Games Convention Asia 2007 show held here Thursday, Singapore's Second Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA) Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, said the first priority is to develop local expertise, as well as attract foreign talent, "to create productive teams from day one".
Building Singapore's talent pool is important, because "venture capitalists (VCs) basically go to where talent is", the minister explained. "Once they (VCs) see that you've got good people [with] good ideas which are commercially viable, smart money will come."
The government announced in July 2006 that S$500 million (US$325.7 million) would be allocated over the next five years, to fund Singapore's research and development (R&D) activities in interactive and digital media (IDM).
According to Dr Balakrishnan, the program aims to generate a market worth of S$10 billion (U$6.54 billion), as well as to create some 10,000 new jobs in Singapore by 2015.
A key initiative under the R&D program is Media Development Authority's (MDA) collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), to develop the Singapore-MIT International Game Lab (SMIGL), also known as GAMBIT (gamers, aesthetics, mechanics, business, innovation and technology) game lab, based in the United States.
Through this partnership, students and researchers from Singapore have been able to work alongside MIT professors and game professionals on research projects. ZDNet Asia understands that Singapore's GAMBIT game lab is expected to be established in the republic later this year.
In addition, the government kick-started a new program--dubbed INVIGORATE--in December last year, to help local talent make their mark in global mobile games development. The objective of the scheme was to provide aspiring mobile game developers in the island-state with funding of up to S$25,000 (US$16,250) for each project.
Building an ecosystem
To facilitate business collaboration among it members, the Games Exchange Alliance today signed a memorandum of intent (MOI) with several Asia-Pacific game associations.
Through the GXA network, alliance members such as games service providers, publishers, content developers and solutions providers are provided market access to more than 13 key countries in the region, including China, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and Australia, said Dr Balakrishnan.
GXA, a Singapore Inc. network of companies, is an initiative by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) to help local game companies in channel distribution.
Heeding the Singapore government's call to develop the games industry in the island-state, PC gaming peripherals maker Razer announced Thursday plans to increase its research and development (R&D) capabilities in the island-state by investing US$12.64 million over the next three years.
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text:
Betsey Johnson ready to bow out after next season
Word on the blogosphere is that Betsey Johnson is eyeing up retirement after next September's show.
The designer told NY Mag that she wants to go travelling, and that she and her business partner, Chantal Bacon, are working on a succession plan which will allow her to hand over the reins and become a "megaconsultant" instead.
"I should be retired. I'm basically screwing up because I'm not retired. I'd like to go in four days a month, something like that," she said. "My partner and I, we both want to know what would it be like to get up in the morning and go, 'What do I do today?'"
As for who she would like to fill her shoes, Betsey reckons Eric Sartori, who has designed for Herve Leger and Azzedine Alaïa, will take the top job.
"He is the one. He's much better than I am. He just has to Betsey-fy himself."


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- You are here:
- Photos >
- seat ibe concept 2
Paris 2010: Seat Ibe concept, the zero-emissions sports coupe of the future
by Eric Loveday (RSS feed) on Sep 30th, 2010 at 3:34PM
By unveiling the Ibe all-electric sports coupe concept at the Paris Motor Show, automaker Seat showed that it's about ready to go toe-to-toe with some of the big dogs in the world of dreamy battery-powered machines. The low-slung four-seater oozes with style befitting a proper sports coupe and, in red, it's oh so delicious to look at. In concept form, the Ibe lacks the necessary go power that's needed to convince the performance-oriented buyer that it's a real contender in the sports coupe category, but what the Ibe gives up in grunt, it more than makes up for in style. On to the goods... Read More


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2006 OPEN FORUM Abstracts
P.D. Hoberty, EdD, RRT, Respiratory Therapy Division,
School of Allied Medical Professions, The Ohio State University, Columbus,
Background: Little is known about the quality assurance methods used in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. Also, little is known about to what extent the service domain is evaluated and what methods are employed. Knowledge of what is being done in these regards may facilitate programs effectively and efficiently measuring these parameters.
Methods: A written questionnaire was mailed to 1/3 of the programs (approximately 400) in both cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation listed in the AACVPR Program Guide 2004. The survey included questions that would add to the knowledge of the extent of practice and methods. 12 components of quality assurance were listed and 14 components of patient satisfaction were assessed as to frequency of use. It was pilot tested and revised.
Results: The usable return rate was 48%. Program directors of both types of programs claimed daily formal assessment of most of the 12 areas listed for quality assurance. The three highest being the assessment of adverse events, safety and patient satisfaction. The lowest use was in the areas of efficiency, timeliness and continuity of care. The service domain was assessed at a rate comparable to the other three: health, clinical and behavioral domains. Patient satisfaction was the most commonly assessed component of the service domain with more than 90% of both types of programs measuring program effectiveness, overall program quality and friendliness of staff. Managers most commonly sighted the acquisition of new equipment as an end result of patient satisfaction assessment.
Conclusions: There was surprising similarity to the results from programs in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation.Quality assurance is very frequently assessed in both. Concern for adverse events, safety and patient satisfaction predominate.


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Humidity 65%
Winds 3.5mph
Humidity 65%
Winds 3.5mph
Humidity 53%
Winds 11.5mph
Dec 30, 2013 5:54 PM by Matt Prichard
The tide is turning in Colorado as recreational pot hits shelves this Wednesday.
"It's been a long life dream of mine that people could have their choice. Whether to drink alcohol, or to smoke weed," said Marisol Therapeutics Owner, Michael Stetler.
That dream comes true New Year's Day. But there's something to bear in mind if you're hoping to buy.
"They need to bring the proper ID, and they've got to be over 21 and that's about it," said Stetler.
"That could be a driver's license, a passport, it just has to show that they're over 21-years-old," said Marisol Therapeutics employee, Bobbi Wolfe.
Recreational buyers can also expect to pay hefty taxes as well.
"Yes they're going to pay an extra state tax and county tax totalling somewhere around 30 to 35 percent," said Stetler.
And for medical marijuana users they can still come to the counter without those extra taxes to worry about.
"My patients, the medical side still stays the same. It won't be taxed as much as the retail side is," said Stetler.
Marisol Therapeutics will open its doors at 8:00 A.M. on Wednesday and Stetler says he's expecting a huge crowd for day one.
Below is a map of dispensaries licensed to sell recreational marijuana. Not all of these locations will be operating on January 1, 2014.
1 hour ago


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1 lb. mixed soup beans (soak overnight in cold water or bring to a simmer and let rest for 1 hour. Drain and rinse gently.)
2 poblano peppers (roast, peel and dice)
2 jalapeno peppers (seed, remove large membranes an mince)
2 red bell peppers (seed and dice)
1 1/2 cups onion (cut into a very small dice)
1 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 Tbsp. Mole spice blend
1 lb. turkey breast, trimmed into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups salsa verde (medium to hot, based on preference)
2 cups corn kernels (fresh cut from the cob is best)
3 cans (11 oz) tomatillos drained and pureed
1 qt. vegetable or chicken stock
2-3 Tbsp. Masa Harina


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The Definitive Facebook Lockdown Guide - Securing your profile page (Sept. 2011)
Summary: (Sept. 2011) This gallery guide will walk you through the settings and features of your profile page.
1 of 12Image
This guide will guide you through your profile content settings, which have changed significantly since the last Lockdown guide. The account settings has control over who posts on your Wall, who can see your private contact information and other very personal information. This guide will help you limit certain features whilst protecting your privacy from beyond your friends list.
This is gallery 2 of 5. To see more gallery guides, from profile settings to privacy settings, visit the Definitive Facebook Lockdown Guide (Sept. 2011) for all the resources you need.
To begin, go to the top-right of the page and select Profile from the blue bar, then click Edit profile just underneath the blue bar.
- - -
This is where your new privacy settings are used. If you have already created a list, you can set this to Custom to include a limited profile list of friends, if you wish.
1. Recommended setting for Birthday is to set it to Show only day and month in my profile which takes out the year of birth; hiding your age, but also limiting information that could be used to gain access to other personal information.
Recommended setting for Interested in should be Friends or Only me.
2. Recommended setting for Current location is Friends. There is no reason why the general public should
3. Recommended setting for Languages can be set to Friends.
Recommended setting for About me is Friends, as this field can be populated with any amount of text you wish, to describe yourself or say anything else for that matter.
Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.


text:
Today's Star Phoenix
New light on cystic fibrosis
University of Saskatchewan researchers have discovered a previously unknown immune...
Latest News
Bomb squad called in
Suspicious device found at bus depot
Charles Hamilton, The StarPhoenixPublished: Monday, November 05, 2012
Police are investigating after a suspicious-looking device discovered at the bus depot prompted the evacuation of two buildings in downtown Saskatoon.
The bomb squad was called in Sunday morning after staff discovered a pipe with wires coming out of it in the shipping area of the depot.
The Saskatchewan Transportation Company bus depot and the adjacent building, which houses Stantec Consulting and Canada Post, were evacuated and the police's bomb unit and bomb robot were sent in to investigate.
A member of the Saskatoon Police Service explosives disposal unit removes a suspicious package from the STC bus depot on 23 Street East in downtown Saskatoon on Sunday.
Greg Pender, The StarPhoenix
The remote-controlled robot has a high-resolution camera that allows police to observe the device from a safe distance.
"We've looked at it from all angles and we are not certain what it is," said Insp. Rick Penny, who was on the scene most of the afternoon Sunday.
"No one knows where this thing came from or how it got on the trolley at the bus depot. We have no indication. It just appeared," he said. "That's what makes it suspicious."
Police took serious precautions. Pedestrians and vehicles were cleared from the area and firefighters and emergency medical personnel were on the scene.
The roads around the depot were shut down for several hours Sunday.
A member of the explosives unit wearing a blast suit was eventually sent in to retrieve the device. The device was put in a reinforced metal container and covered with a Kevlar blanket before being transferred to the police shooting range where it was "rendered safe," according to a news release issued Sunday evening.
Explosive disposal unit members do not believe the article was an improvised explosive device, the release said, but the investigation is ongoing.
Penny said police would study photographs taken by the robot to determine if a full-scale investigation is needed.
firstname.lastname@example.com Twitter.com/_chamilton


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years of training, his unique style of Western and Eastern massage techniques are designed to relieve muscle injuries, back pain, headaches, stressed tension and soreness.
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Updated: July 19, 2013 3:26PM
In the last column, we heard some of the pros in the debate about same sex marriage. Today, Darren and Liz offer some of the cons.
DARREN: You are afraid to address how children will be affected by being raised by gay partners who are not related to them. That is the fundamental question, but it has barely been addressed by objective science.
That is why government has no legitimate, recognizable, natural or constitutional authority to make gay marriage legal.
The rights of inchoate human beings, not yet conceived, much less born, must be recognized and sorted out within any legitimate governmental scheme.
LIZ: As an evangelical Christian, I believe the Bible is the inerrant and inspired word of God; consequently, I do not support same-sex "marriage."
But religious beliefs aside, there are many reasons to support traditional marriage between one man and one woman. I'd like to offer a few.
To paraphrase Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, "Marriage is not the invention of the state or government, and they lack the authority to change the nature of marriage."
Marriage is the bedrock of society. Anytime we stray from traditional marriage, there are social problems. We know for a fact that the first indicator of poverty in America is a home with a single mother, and we know what difficulties children from single parent homes have. We have no idea what kind of effect a gay "marriage" would have on children.
There is no such thing as a "right" to marry. The state can and does put limits on who can marry.
Relatives cannot marry. Underage children cannot marry.
There is no such thing as a "civil right" to marry. As a black person, I am offended when gays try to hijack our civil rights movement to apply it to their experience.
I can hide neither my race or my gender. My ancestors were enslaved, killed and beaten down for hundreds of years in this country. Gays can choose to hide their behavior at will as it suits them.
Gays don't really want marriage as much as they want to legislate full acceptance of their lifestyle. In Scandinavia, where gays can "marry," it was found that the actual percentage of "marriages" among gays was not that high. After they got the right to "marry," they seemed not to actually want to do so.
One of the saddest things I ever read was a letter on the Internet written by a man who was raised by gay men. My heart broke for this man who delineated his difficulties in life and in interpersonal relationships because of his upbringing.
He vacillated between homosexual and heterosexual encounters. He had difficulty in social situations with even the simplest conversations having to do with gender because he had never been exposed to the many nuances of experiences and cultural references having to do with males and females. He was unable to establish any lasting satisfying emotional attachment to anyone and was alone.
We play with God-ordained traditional marriage to our great peril. My fervent hope is that the Supreme Court and other states will realize that marriage is so much more than two people in love. It is the basis on which human civilization has flourished for a millennia. It should not be tampered with.
Are you the child of same sex parents? Send your tale, along with your questions, problems and rants to email@example.com. And check out my new website askcheryl.net.


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As a Strategist at Egg I take numbers and data and transform them into interesting insights that companies can actually use to attract consumers and turn them into loyal customers. Even though we are each unique and think in our own ways, through the numbers we can see where similarities lie and can then determine how companies can be successful by appealing to these similarities.
I recently graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with Bachelor's degrees in Marketing and Economics, both with an international emphasis. I am fascinated with how consumers around the world make purchase decisions ranging from the simplest purchases, like toothpaste, to the most complex, like private jets.
When I'm not at work I love traveling and continuously exploring both close-to-home in the beautiful Rocky Mountains and faraway exotic places.


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Enterprise Linux Info Centers
SearchEnterpriseLinux.com Info Centers
Unix to Linux Migrationsponsored by: Cisco
Each month our team of expert editors addresses the changing role of IT by helping savvy technology professionals navigate both the technical and cultural challenges wrought by vendor-hype, user-demands, and technology requirements.DOWNLOAD THIS MONTH'S E-ZINE ISSUE NOW!
Open source databases, Open source Web and application servers, Enterprise applications for Linux
Linux administration tools, Linux management and configuration, Linux interoperability, Linux licensing and support, Linux monitoring and troubleshooting, Introduction to Linux system administration
Cloud computing on Linux, Linux high-performance computing and supercomputing, Linux server hardware, Linux virtualization, Linux backup and storage, Linux network administration, Open source projects in the cloud
Unix-to-Linux migration, Windows-to-Linux migration, Linux to Linux migration
Linux security risks and threats, Linux system security best practices, Linux security tools
Linux news and updates, Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Ubuntu Server, Noncommercial Linux distributions, Oracle Enterprise Linux
Old ways of securing physical networks are giving way to logical techniques. The change in traffic to an East-West, data-center-centric, software-defined-network model necessitates a new security plan.
Enterprise IT shops have new choices: Converged systems simplify management and scaling, while commercial off-the-shelf servers tailor resources without vendor lock-in.
A survey reveals businesses are jumping off the fence and into big data's yard. But while more are investing, some remain skeptical of the benefits.
The Virtual Machine Connection tool lets users copy files and redirect local resources to a VM without a network connection.
Proper VM cost assessment is a critical element of meaningful showback and chargeback practices in a virtual data center.
Attaching real costs to computing may reduce VM sprawl and yield cost savings for businesses, but can be unpopular among business units.
Google Autoscaling gives IaaS customers better control and more use cases as the public cloud vendor inches toward product parity with the competition.
Microsoft's slow response to the recent Azure outage left some users wondering if they should entrust critical business data to the cloud environment.
In this Q&A, Docker CEO Ben Golub discusses integration with AWS and future development of the hugely popular container technology.
Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 is good for mobile users and runs enterprise-grade apps, but its light weight and processor capacity pose some limits.
Tools such as Synaptic Package Manager provide a GUI for installing and maintaining the many Linux programs suitable for enterprise use.
Tools are now available to IT for a remote wipe of user-owned laptops. But set clear BYOD security policies and inform users.


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Эта страница не доступна на русском языке.
|Key findings (%, weighted)
|Average Transition region
|Average Western Europe
|Satisfied with life
|Trust in others
|Perceive less corruption than four years ago
|Concerned about climate change
|Support both market economy and democracy
|Households affected by the crisis
As in other countries largely insulated from world economic trends, the global economic crisis has not had a significant impact on livelihoods in Belarus. Only about one-quarter of respondents report that their house-holds have been adversely affected (which is well below the average for the transition region as a whole). The impact of the crisis has been stronger among the lower-income and middle-aged sections of the population.
While the level of life satisfaction has dropped significantly (by almost 15 points to about 50 per cent), it re-mains above the transition average. Life satisfaction has dropped almost uniformly across age and income brackets, but more so among young and middle-aged people. It is highest among the upper-income sections of the population.
About three-fifths of respondents believe that future generations will have a better life than themselves, which represents a drop of around 10 percentage points since 2006. Despite this decline, optimism in a better future remains well above the average for the transition region as a whole. Levels of optimism have especially fallen among the younger and lower-income groups.
Almost 40 per cent of respondents prefer a combination of democracy and a market economy, a much higher proportion than those who register indifference to the system under which they live (about 15 per cent) or those who prefer any other combination of economic and political regime. Respondents would also exchange some political liberties to live in a country with high economic growth. More than one-half think that their country is characterised both by limited political rights and weak growth.
Despite the high level of trust in their institutions, many respondents think that some basic democratic institutions are missing. Most believe that there is peace and stability in their country, as well as freedom to travel abroad. However, relatively few think that a strong opposition, a free and independent media or the right to free speech are present in the country.
The level of trust in people has changed little since 2006.
42 per cent of respondents think that people can generally be trusted, an increase of only two percentage points since 2006. The middle- and lower-income sections of the population registered hardly any change in their trust levels. However, only around 15 per cent of Belarusians believe that if they were to lose their wallet in their neighbourhood it is likely to be returned. This is a rather low level of real-life trust compared to other transition countries with a similar level of generalised trust and trust in neighbours.
Roughly one-half of respondents think that public institutions can be trusted. The armed forces, police, presidency and courts are the most trusted public institutions. The level trust in the parliament, despite falling mildly, remains one of the highest in the transition region. In addition, about one-half of respondents trust banks and the financial institutions, which is a much higher percentage compared to the western European comparator countries. This probably reflects the milder impact of the global economic crisis on Belarus and the relative insulation of its banking and financial system.
Perceived corruption has increased since 2006. The percentage of respondents who think that the incidence of irregular payments across the public sector has risen, particularly in respect of the traffic police and public education. Corruption in the public health system is perceived as endemic. Only 16 per cent of respondents think that government officials exacting payment when exercising their duties is acceptable.
More than 40 per cent of respondents think that additional expenditure on health care should be the first prior-ity (slightly higher than the average for the western European comparator countries). A significant proportion would also prefer additional spending on education and housing. Belarusians are also quite egalitarian – about 30 per cent think that incomes should be more equitable.
The Life in Transition Survey provides vivid evidence of precisely how lives have been affected by the global economic crisis and its aftermath.
Discuss draft country strategies
Reporting fraud and corruption
About our Public Information Policy
View all EBRD strategies and policies
Regional economic prospects
Transition Report
Life in Transition survey
Special report on climate change


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Today's Windsor Star
How to foil the thieves
After having four bicycles stolen from him in the past two years, Larry Leeder is...
Latest News
Canada Revenue charges tax preparers
Many local investors face financial ruin
Claire Brownell, The Windsor StarPublished: Monday, February 25, 2013
According to a public document filed with the courts spelling out the CRA's reasons for requesting the search warrant, the CRA also asked for permission to raid the Woodbridge office of DSC Lifestyle Services, the Windsor-linked organization that has put the life savings, mortgages and financial security of investors across the region and the country in jeopardy.
Watts is scheduled to make his next court appearance in Newmarket on Friday, Rasool is scheduled to appear in court in Toronto on Thursday and Branch has not yet appeared in court.
Alex Di Mauro, an associate of the Fiscal Arbitrators who has allegedly given Windsor clients advice on dealing with their CRA reassessments, said "no comment" and hung up when reached by phone late last week. Bruce Blair, and DSC Lifestyle co-directors Roger Blair and Jeff Eshun did not respond to requests for comment.
The Windsor Star has written about the plight of former DSC regional director Michael Laforet, who said his retirement savings are tied up in investments that the company has failed to return to him despite his demands, and other DSC clients across the region who are facing penalties so steep after filing their taxes through Watts and his associates that they might be driven to bankruptcy if they are unable to fight them in court. The response to two stories published in The Star has been overwhelming, with 33 families getting in touch to share stories of lost savings and shattered financial security.
According to a document produced by the Fiscal Arbitrators and sent to clients, which was obtained by The Star, the theory behind their tax preparation method is that because the Income Tax Act defines a business as an "undertaking of any kind whatever," all Canadian taxpayers are technically business owners. The Fiscal Arbitrators took that as justification for claiming personal expenses as business losses to trigger refunds and even recommended clients argue this interpretation of the act in court if challenged by the CRA, according to emails and documents obtained by The Star.
"The [Income Tax Act] is extremely vague and definitely open to interpretation," the Fiscal Arbitrators' explanatory document reads. "It has always been acceptable practice for a taxpayer to arrange their affairs in such a manner as to reduce or eliminate the taxes otherwise payable as long as it is lawful and complies."
The CRA begs to differ. Investigator John Di Rito was assigned to probe the Fiscal Arbitrators in 2011 and compiled a document outlining his case against them in November of that year in order to obtain a search warrant. The 46-page document, which later became publicly available when it was filed in court, reveals that DSC Lifestyle Services and Eshun have been scrutinized by the CRA for their role in promoting the tax preparation service.


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