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Wednesday, November 22. 2006
Two Letters From Alaska
Your comments on the letters are welcome
Posted by Mark at 12:48 | Comments (32)
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Having now read both letters, it is clear to me what the truth of the matter is.
The Jacob's letter doesn't even purport to have knowledge of the incident in question. Rather, it is a hymn of praise to Bishop Nikolai that would make a hagiographer blush. Not to mention the fact that the writer is hardly a disinterested observor. At least she variously attacks Syosset, this website and any lay person with the termerity to question her boss.
In contrast, the Dauenhauer letter directly addresses the sordid affair at the seminary and sheds a brillant light on the character of Bishop Nikolai. It is not a pretty picture. Sadly it brings to mind, yet again, the shade of Bishop Tikhon who, come to think of it, is Bishop Nikolai's mentor and cohort.
Poor Alaska! Raped and pillaged by one and all. If this continues unabated even Russia won't want it back--whatever its name.
#1 Kenneth R. Tobin on 2006-11-22 18:30
Dear Mark,
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to read these further letters from Alaska. Dr. Dauenhauer's was particularly enlightening for me. It was good to know from Ms. Jacobs that Bishop NIKOLAI is busily doing his job, as well.
I wonder what goes through the mind of a bishop when addressed as "Your grace", and why certain bishops go through the effort of reminding people how they are to be addressed.
Bishop NIKOLAI's quote "'In case you haven't noticed, there are two kinds of people in church: the clergy and the laity. Those are my prayers, not yours" reminds me of the Publican and the Pharisee.
I hope God will hear all prayers offered during the Divine Liturgy, but I know the humble laity say "Lord, have mercy" over and over again for a reason. Since when did the clergy have a monopoly on "Amen! Amen! Amen!"?
Lord, have mercy!
A reader in neither Alaska nor the West.
#2 Anonymous on 2006-11-22 20:54
A number of our bishops and clergy live in a medieval fantasy world of rank, status, privilege and autocracy. Somewhere along the way it appears that our theologians stopped asking the tough questions and began providing pseudo-theological underpinnings for this behavior instead. Once reinforced, these pseudo-theological arguments then creeped into everyday behavior. These fantasies are foundations built on shifting sand. Pomposity is distasteful in any culture, but especially distasteful in 21st century America.
#3 Anon. on 2006-11-22 20:57
Perhaps Bishop Nicolai should be reminded that were he the only one in church on a particular day, he couldn't serve Divine Liturgy. Then again, he probably doesn't care.
#4 Michael Strelka on 2006-11-24 08:08
St. Herman Seminary opened the 2006-7 academic year with just under 20 students and the unanimous approval of the seminary's board of trustees to move forward with plans to build additional married student housing.
All was proceeding as usual on this small campus in Kodiak, Alaska,
until the week before last when the student body was suddenly
reduced by one. Sources state that a first-year student, from St.
George Island in the Pribilofs, angered Bishop Nikolai while serving
and was told to apologize. The seminarian refused to do this on the
grounds that he had done nothing wrong. The result: immediate
dismissal. Described as a positive and mature individual, the
married, 50-year old subdeacon had spent his adult life in service
to the Church before entering seminary this fall.
Undoubtedly, there's a great sense of loss among the members of this close-knit community. Although all are silent on the subject, one wonders if their enthusiasm and desire to serve the Church have been dampened by this experience. Will this even lead some to question their reasons for being in the seminary? This is not the first (nor even the second) time they have witnessed extremely abusive behavior
by their bishop. What will their lives be like once they are
ordained and totally under his control? At that point they have
much more to lose than simply leaving the seminary. The policy of
going along to get along is disastrous for everyone except the one
who is abusing his power.
In light of recent reports in OCANews.org concerning the wonton
destruction of historical records and religious articles at the
behest of +Nikolai and, now, the expulsion of a seminarian, the
Church's past may not only be in jeopardy but its future as well.
--Nick Woloszansky
#5 Reposted From the Orthodox Forum on 2006-11-24 09:43
A former student of Dr. Lydia Black describes an encounter with
Bishop Nikolai. She emphasizes that she did not mention to the
bishop her relationship to Dr. Black ( she is a former student) when she introduced herself to
him. Patricia
"I am not Orthodox but am writing to you since Bishop Nikolai is the
representative of the Church in Alaska. The name of the village is
omitted here because this community did not ask for me to contact
the Bishop and I have shared this story about my interactions with
him, not theirs.
In January 2003, I had the pleasure of spending "Russian Christmas"
in an Athabascan village in interior Alaska. During this three day
feast, several issues were discussed among members of this very
devout community. At the time, I believe the priest who serves this
community was Father Trefon. Apparently, people from the village had
been told through Father Trefon, that the Bishop said there would be
no artificial flowers in church at Christmas and that only the
bishop and Moses could use canes or staffs in church. The church was
being remodeled and part of this remodeling included taking
the "old" icons from the front of the church and buying new ones
that residents said were very expensive. They had to replace the
icons because the "old" ones were "wrong" according to the Bishop.
This was a major cost for a community that relies heavily on
subsistence harvests.
Needless to say, people were very upset about these changes,
especially about the canes since some of the elders use them. The
prohibition of plastic flowers was almost laughable in a place that
endures forty degree below zero temperatures for months at a time.
Approximately a year later, I crossed paths with Bishop Nikolai in
the Kodiak airport. We had never met. We were stuck in the airport
due to a weather delay. I introduced myself to the Bishop and told
him I wanted to pass on information about what I was sure was
I felt there may have been miscommunication because the reader in
this village was hearing impaired and the information was third
hand. He immediately said he did not have the time or inclination to
talk with me. I said that what I had to tell him was important to a
devout group of Orthodox people who do not have access to him. And,
that I was sure that once he knew about the possibility of a message
that may have been misinterpreted he might want to write a short
note to correct it and to ease the minds of the affected people.
When I told him of the people in the village who were sad because
they couldn't put flowers in the church "like their mother had" and
the elders who missed Christmas liturgies because they had to use
canes he said, "that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard". I
said, "I thought you would think that, it would be so nice if you
would write them a note and tell them there was a misunderstanding."
He responded to me as if I had kicked him in the shin, he was
hateful and vindictive. He proceeded to rail at me that if he
responded to every stupid thing that was attributed to him it would
never end. He said he had no intention of correcting people and
their ignorance. He said it would be a waste of time to write a
letter to the village and it was
a waste of his time for me to bother him with what I had said.
I was shocked and disappointed. These were very important issues to
the residents of the village and only a few minutes of his time
would have eased their minds. Only a few times in my life have I
ever felt the presence of evil and hate. This was one of those
times, I felt evil and hate from this alleged man of the church. I
was horrified and still can't quite believe it or understand why he
would react this way. He continued on and accused me of being drunk.
All of this because I wanted him to let people in the village know
that elders with canes were welcome in the church.
The Orthodox Church in Alaska is extremely important to many people
in Alaska, especially Alaska Natives in some parts of the state. I
hope they are soon relieved of Bishop Nikolai and he is replaced by
a man of God.
Liz Williams
Anchorage, Alaska"
#6 Reposted From the Orthodox Forum on 2006-11-24 09:46
On a side note on the Alaska deal...Bishop Nicolai has defied the whole synod of bishops. If you go to their web site and look at the pictures of latest event (I believe it St. Mike's in Sitka) you will notice that Fr. Isidore was given the Mitra to wear. Now I know for a fact that all the bishops signed and notorized a rule that does not allow any OCA priest the rite to wear a mitra unless they are a candidate to be a bishop. I know Fr. is not a candidate and he has only been a priest for 2 to 3 years...I am sure if you do your research or even ask Arch. Job he will agree that this rule was set by the bishops of the OCA and now it has been defied by this Alaskan bishop who thinks he is the Metropolitian. This is ridiculous especially since we have so many good priest who have been priest for years long before Fr. Isidore was even born and they have no mitra and had to wait 20 or so years to recieve their jewled crosses...something is not right with this picture? Please do not use my name on this, but certainly look into this. Thank you.
#7 please withhold on 2006-11-24 10:11
I would like to present, here, an exerpt from an excellent paper by Fr. Jonathan Tobias, entitled "The Nexus of Moral Discernment in the Church" (I hope he doesn't object to my doing so).
"The Fathers of that early age were careful to locate the primary place of moral discernment firmly in the office of the episcopacy. To be sure, every Christian is called upon to test the spirits, and to judge for himself what is right. But in the dogma of the Church, the episcopacy is expected to be the keenest witness of Holy Tradition to the present generation.
"St. Dionysios the Areopagite made this expectation clear, and for a particular reason. He stated, without apology or reservation, that the episcopacy should have attained the highest levels of morality and spirituality. Having attained this, the episcopacy is able then--and only then--to apprehend the mystical truth of theology.
"St. Dionysios draws an arresting correspondence between the 3 ranks of clergy with the three stages of spiritual growth. The first stage is that of "purification." In this stage, the Christian is aware of the forces in his own life, and in society around him, that contend against the Spirit. This stage corresponds with the diaconate.
"The second stage is that of "illumination," and it corresponds to the priesthood. In this stage, the Christian is able to recognize truth and meaning in reality. He is able to discern the "logos," the divinely-ordained design and destiny of that which is created. He, in turn, is able to guide others to illumination.
"The third stage is that of mystical union with Christ, and it corresponds to the episcopacy. The Christian is here inspired by the Holy Spirit, and he experiences "theoria," or the "vision of theology." Accordingly, he is given a profound awareness of the contemporaneous voice of apostolic tradition. Indeed, this is why we recognize the episcopacy as the vessel of the unbroken, continued presence of apodosis, or the apostolic witness of Holy Tradition.
"Of course, it should be said that this schema of St. Dionysios does not discount the fact that there are many Christians who have been purified, illumined, or given the grace of theoria. Neither does it discount the tragic possibility that some bishops, priests and deacons may not have attained their corresponding stages."
Without making any comment, I would only ask, "Is this descriptive of what we read about various bishops and priests in the OCA? Are they manifesting purification, illumination and theoria?"
#8 Name withheld on 2006-11-24 11:59
I was happy to read the response of the bishop's assistant, Ms. Jacobs. In my mind the most pertinent sentence in the whole song and dance was the following: "I don't know that what His Grace has mortgaged in Alaska is anyone's business."
It entirely fits with the clericalism evident in his reply to Mr. Dauenhauer and with the rumors of scandalous rudeness and high-handedness coming from people who have witnessed his behavior in Alaska.
Bishop Nikolai (sorry, I refuse to use all caps) may be quite adept in matters of business, and his real estate deals may have been wise stewardship for the diocese. But those lands belong to the diocese; they are not the personal fiefdom of the bishop.
It's his imperial view of himself and his power that makes people sing "Eis polla eti, Despota" to the tune of "The Imperial March" from Star Wars.
Just a couple thoughts:
As were many, I was there and aware of the conflict between Bishop NICHOLAI and Dr. Black at the pilgrimmage. Interesting to hear it come up again, though I wouldn't presume to have any reasonable knowledge of the affair beyond "he said, she said."
It does seem that the opinions that come out of Alasaka are varied and split. It is reasonable to assume that strong leaders often and unintentionally polarize the interpretations of those around them. (This is certainly true of many of the highly visible and respected leaders elsewhere in the Church.)
That said, on a broader note, I have heard of many accounts, and have experienced some, too, of clergy -- bishops and priests -- who clearly abuse their authority in church life, and -- of all places! -- within the context of the Liturgy.
This is, to my mind, unacceptable. The whole spectre of religious abuse -- the negative patronizing, child-parent, coercive, guilt-oriented style of management and behavior toward people who are dependant upon clergy for spiritual guidance and sacramental life -- must be addressed by our communities.
To be sure, there must be authority, real authority, in the Church, and it must be assumed and responsibly carried out. Church members have a responsibility for good order and for the cultivation of our salvation to humbly accept this authority.
Individually, we are encouraged to bear wrongs. But as a community, these wrongs and abusive relationships and behaviors must not be allowed to continue unchallenged and unattended. In the 21st century, remarkable work has been done in the science of leadership and person-to-person interaction. There is no excuse in the Church -- of all places! -- for haphazard, reactionary, whimsical, unpredictable, abusive leadership. Not when we have faithful, well-trained and well-educated people who can help cultivate sound leadership/management skills that respect people's dignity and psychological life within the Tradition of Hierarchical authority that has been entrusted to the Church.
"Not lording it over the flock" is a key stricture, and not a gloss. As a Choir Director and a coordinating Reader, I have to watch out for my own self concerning these things, and I look to the Parish Council and my Priest for examples of servant leadership, who in turn look to the bishop and synod for the same.
These are issues which touch people personally, and really do attend upon our journey toward Christ.
Love in Christ,
Rdr. John
Portland, OR
#10 Rdr. John Edson on 2006-11-24 12:52
The occasional arrogance demonstrated by some Orthodox and Catholic bishops should be seen as human frailty and not as an ecclesiatical attribute. While our faith holds that bishops are direct successors to the original disciples of Christ in a unbroken line of more than two thousand years, no bishop is able to identify exactly which disciples were pompous asses. On the contrary, the early Church believed the Second Coming of Christ was imminent and I am convinced that they took the lessons of the Sermon on the Mount to heart.
As Christianity gained more and more temporal power, it seemed to lose the distinction between God and Caesar that Christ expressed so clearly when questioned by those who thought they could trick him into treason. We would be better served by those who follow the example of Jesus Christ than by those who follow Donald Trump.
#11 Also Anonymous on 2006-11-24 13:26
In response to a comment in another section, and in response to that part of Ms. Jacob's letter where she states "I don't know that what His Grace has mortgaged in Alaska is anyone's business," I offer the following, from the Statute of the Orthdox Church in America, Article VII Sec. 3:
The Diocesan Assembly:
...Discusses financial means to fulfill these aims and approves the budget and other related financial questions;
Authorizes the Diocesan Council to acquire, encumber, or otherwise dispose of diocesan properties; ...
The Diocesan Bishop, on the other hand, is given neither of these powers (see Article VI, Sec. 4). So it would appear to me that in buying, selling and encumbering diocesan properties, Bishop Nicolai has acted illegally.
#12 Michael Strelka, CPA on 2006-11-24 15:55
I have tried to stay out of the Alaska issues, and for the most part I intend to... I consider this scope creep, for the most part.
I can see why Mark is bringing this subject matter into the forum here. Here are my comments.
To the matter of Ms. Black. Use the courts, they work. Teaching this Bishop a lesson might be needed. You don't kick a peasant out on the street if he can't pay his rent without going through the courts and giving fair notice, so why would you kick your servant out without doing the same. I don't believe you can and Ms. Black would probably be due some monetary relief in the courts for pain and suffering. To the matter of the documents, again I say, use the courts. They work.
To the matter of the flowers in the church. Christ would probably tell all of us to give the money to the poor and use no flowers, or that what we find in the field. That might be a lesson for all of us, including Bishop Nikolai.
To the matter of the canes. No Bishop would dare strip my aging parent of a cane while in church. Or, he would summarily get clocked while in front of the Ambo or the Altar, there would be few questions asked after I did it, and I'll take my chances that Christ would forgive my action for the lesson taught to the member of his lineage that went awry.
It would be a good thing if Bishop Nikolai showed some humility, Christ would expect it.
All of us, too, should show some humility and expect a Bishop to be imperfect.
Reporting their bad behavior publicly is good.
#13 Daniel E. Fall on 2006-11-24 21:49
Reading these accounts of abusive, brutish behavior of certain priests and hierarchs, and observing the concomitantly subservient behavior of the great multitude of laity during the course of this scandal, yours truly (of non-Russian background) wonders something...
We read this morning of the assassination of former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko, a strenuous critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to a signed statement shortly before his death, Litvinenko believes he was poisoned at the command of Putin himself... and we thought such brutal Cold War tactics were a thing of the past.
Could we in the OCA be seeing our form of this same abusive, brutish behavior in some of our "leaders" and the concomitant screaming silence among those who knew, or refused to ask? Could this behavior be just more fruit of the same abusiveness that was a tragic byproduct of 90 years of communist rule? Were our OCA "leaders" just doing things that came all too naturally to the generations raised (or indirectly associated through lineage) under the totalitarian yoke? I am certainly not suggesting that anyone has ordered assassinations, but short of that, Putin's heavy-handedness sounds familiar. How much of that same behavior is mimicked in the Orthodox Church? Have these abusive behaviors from Russia crept to the USA given the OCA's close association with the Moscow Patriarchate and Slavic cultures in general? The accounts from these Alaskan letters sound all too familiar to this student of the communist era.
This is a painful issue, but we in the OCA need to get to the bottom of the endemic dysfunction being revealed by this scandal. For sure, each society and culture on this planet has its shortcomings. It is not my intention in raising this issue to point fingers, but we must heal if we have any hope of surviving and thriving. This truth probably hurts badly, but for those of us who have lived around those of Eastern European heritage our whole lives, yours truly suggests, in love, that it may now be time to open this Pandora's box so that healing can be sought. Maybe the OCA has not yet emerged phsychologically, spiritually and morally from the abusive communist era?
#14 Name withheld on 2006-11-25 07:46
How are we to comprehend the two well written letters by competent and qualified writers who seemingly are at opposite extemes regarding the situation in Alaska--one from a Diocesan employee extremely favorable to the bishop and the other from a well respected college professor, not an employee, but who has had significant personal contact with the bishop?
First of all, let me say up front that I am highly suspicious of letters written by subordinates while they are still on the payroll where the subject of the highly complimentary remarks has a documented reputation for acting precipitously towards employees, seminarians, clergy, parishioners etc. As an Alaskan correspondant said..."Clearly, the most unforgiveable sin is to have Bishop Nikolai angry at you".
Let me comment on a few things in Ms. Jacobs letter. She says..."Given the alleged corruption and mismanagement in the central administration, one can only speculate how much Alaskan church land would have been sold to cover deficits in the OCA budget had his Grace Bishop Nikolai not claimed diocesan jurisdiction over the land. This statement strongly sugggests that Bishop Nikolai claimed ownership of the land in order to protect it from the corrupt and greedy central administration. I wonder if Ms. Jacobs can point to some evidence that the bishop publicly complained about the financial shenanigans of the central administration prior to the time the land ownership dispute arose? As I remember it, he was chancellor of the Diocese of the West with his mentor during some of this time and I don't remember either commenting on OCA finances at the time. Also, he was a part of the Synod of Bishops that was saying that everything was under control and audits weren't necessary. I take no position at this time as to who the land actually was was transerred to at the time of the Alaskan purchase in 1867. I'm not convinced that it doesn't belong to the people---not the diocese or the central administration.
Ms. Jacobs says..."The lands question in Alaska is merely a disagreement over jurisdiction". There are some who will disagree with this simplified statement of the overall problem in Alaska, as discussed below.
Further, my experience (based on old age) is that when someone can't answer allegations and facts, the first defense offered is that it is "gossip". Ms. Jacobs' response is true to form. Regardless of the plethora of evidence submitted, it still ends up being all "gossip".
Ms. Jacobs says that the Dr.Black controversy..."was not a mismatched encounter of strong personalities". What was it then? Since Ms. Jacobs admits that she has no personal knowledge of the Black eviction, her entire description of the encounter can only be considered as "gossip".
Instead of answering Dr.Black's allegations of abusive treatment, Ms. Jacobs takes the comfortable route and shifts the discussion to whether Dr.Black sought reconciliation. My impression has always been that when Party A commits an injustice against Party B, Party A is the one that should seek reconciliation--not the other way around regardless of whether either of the parties is a bishop, emperor, king, or dictator. Furthermore, see Dr. Dauenhauer's letter where he says..."Perhaps greater than a single problem many of us have with Bishop Nikolai is the IMPOSSIBILITY (caps mine) of discussing that problem openly and honestly and thereby ideally resolving it in the spirit of reconciliation". So much for Ms Jacobs' comment regarding reconciliation.
Ms. Jacobs further states ..."His Grace has been quite adamant that any objects belonging to Dr. Black should be returned immediately. When did he become adamant and say that all of Dr.Black's objects and materials should be returned to her immediately? Have all of Dr. Black's objects and materials been returned to her? Certainly not immediately since the eviction incident occurred on August 7, 2001 and here it is over five years later in November 2006 and we are still discussing why the objects have not been returned.
Ms. Jacobs said that some..."objects of Dr. Black's which were unknowingly packed when the museum collection was shipped to Anchorage". It is my understanding that Dr. Black requested her objects and material soon after the 2001 eviction. When was the museum collection shipped to Anchorage?
I suppose the most egregious statement in Ms.Jacobs' letter is...."I don't know that what His Grace has mortgaged in Alaska is anyone's business". I think Ms. Jacobs needs to take a basic course in Orthodoxy and if nothing else realize that Orthodox bishops do not enjoy papal powers. The Alaska land and assets are not the personal assets of the bishop. It is is the business of every one of us what happens to church property. Are we to believe that the fund raising activities of the bishop throughout the entire OCA is for the personal benefit of the bishop?
Finally, Ms. Jacobs says..."Bishop Nikolai guides us by the Grace of God with confidence HUMILITY (caps mine), and through it maintains a sense of humor ". Humility??? You've got to be kidding. This concept is completely absent in any of the letters surfacing from Alaskan writers who have been treated harshly and unfairly. Does Ms. Jacobs really believe that the bishop exhibits humility? There are numerous accounts reported on the Internet that the bishop publicly humiliated a number of women (mostly eldlerly) including...stopping liturgy to chastise an elderly woman who was asking the starosta the time because she had an appointment she had to meet; stopping his sermon and humiliating a woman on Graduation Day 2005 who was in the rear of the church translating the bishop's sermon to her hearing impaired brother; stopping the liturgy to criticize the female choir director for singing the Lord's Prayer in English .(The lady was later removed from her position as choir director). In addition to humiliating/verbally abusing elderly women, he has also issued a directive that the St.Herman Cross (awarded for service to the Church) was not to be worn in the church lest the wearer of the cross be confused as clergy. Aw, come on. Get real.
Another credible report says that the bishop admonished a visiting priest from the lower 48 who was there as a tourist. He said something like...." I don't want to see you again without your clerical collar"; this despite the fact that the priest was not under the bishop's omophorion and in fact was pastor of a church thousands of miles from Alaska. Do we interpret this to mean that the bishop thinks he has authority over everyone who visits Alaska , over all Orthodox or all priests?
Hardly the actions of a humble man.
Who wrote the letter for you, Ms. Jacobs?
I was going to comment on Dr. Dauenhauer's letter but my letter is too long as it is and Dr. Dauenhauer's letter speaks for itself based on his personal knowledge of interactions between the bishop and himself. The e-mail correspondence between the bishop and Dr.Dauenhauer is enough to invalidate much, if not most, of what Ms. Jacobs wrote. The bishop said it would not be appropriate to discuss the Dr.Black eviction with Dr. Dauenhauer because..."it wouldn't be appropritate at your level". At your level???Is the Church now relegated to a caste system whereby we have levels of the faithful wherein one level can speak to another in the other level only with permission? Is this what Christ taught?
Does this one sentence tell you anything about the humility of the person?
#15 Niicholas Skovran on 2006-11-25 10:13
First, I need to say that I am Lydia Black's daughter so that it is not a surprise to anyone at any point. I will not comment on the interpretive judgments at this time, but I did feel compelled to correct an indisputable factual error. Ms. Jacobs states, Incidentally, it was research initiated by His Grace into the Martyr Juvenaly's death which revealed that it was a Native companion who perished with him. This is patently untrue. In 1987, Father Michael Oleksa, who is on Alaskas Diocesan Council, presented his paper The Death of Hieromonk Juvenaly, a published edition of which can be found in Russia in North America/Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Russian America/Sitka, Alaska/August 19-22, 1987, ed. Richard Pierce, The Limestone Press, 1990. At the time, according to the OCA Web site biography of Nikolai, Nikolai was a year or so away from receiving the canonical release . . . [and being] received into the ranks of clergy of the Orthodox Church in America. A reference to an Indian companion is also found in Russian America/A Biographical Dictionary, Richard A. Pierce, The Limestone Press, 1990 (when Bishop Nikolai was officiating at St. Paul the Apostle Mission).
#16 Zoe Pierson on 2006-11-25 18:16
Its very difficult for an outsider to decide which letter represents an accurate portrayal of Bishop Nikolai of Alaska. Both are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Jacobs could be construed as biased because she is in the employ of the bishop; Dauenhauers appears to be more accurate given that he is in a more objective position than Jacob. But, over the past three years I have heard second hand anecdotal information from several sources, all clergy, that support Dauenhauer. Still, one is not sure what to believe and yet, there are facts about Nikolai that are disturbing and create questions and doubts in ones mind: Nikolai is known to be a self-selected bishop, i.e. he sought the episcopate outside the OCA for several years unsuccessfully until he was tapped by Kondratick, not just for the diocese of Alaska, but with a more visionary future as the one to succeed our present metropolitan. When Nikolai was rejected for the episcopate for the Serbian Church, his temper tantrum was such that people present remember it well to this day.
And then there is the matter of Fr. Isidore, who was made deacon how long ago? And priested just a short time ago, and now mitred! (only the Holy Synod has the right to grant a mitre; during the lifetimes of the blessed Fr. John Meyendorff and Fr. Alexander Schmemann, these two luminaries argued that the mitre for priests was out of place in modern America). The good priest Isidore is on a fast track to somewhere. Fr. Isidore has already been put forward to the Synod as a candidate for bishop the same Isidore who went to Alaska with Bishop Nikolai, was made deacon, and then penned an article in the North Star on the proper etiquette of bowing before an Orthodox bishop! Does Nikolai expect to be the next metropolitan? Has Nikolai been allowed to think he will succeed Metropolitan Herman?
All of which leads me to another observation regarding one OCA statute. The statute governing the election of the primate only allows one vote in the All American Council before an indecisive vote is thrown into the Synod of Bishops. That needs to be changed to allow ideally subsequent ballots by the entire AAC on the two men receiving the highest number of votes thereby avoiding managed elections with a predetermined outcome. All such elections heretofore have been managed towards a particular outcome and those in the OCA are managed so there is rarely a decisive first ballot, but rather fractured enough to send it into the Synod of Bishops thus allowing the bishops to elect the next primate all the while appearing, through the statute, to empower the delegates to the AAC and leave the peasants with the impression of their own importance.
#17 Terry C. Peet on 2006-11-26 12:01
I've had the chance to read both letters submitted. I'm quite thankful for Ms. Jacobs perspective. As a parishioner of the Diocese of Alaska, she is very much correct that Bishop Nicolai is working hard to improve the welfare of this formerly unhealthy diocese-great things do very much come at an expense however; even if it is at the criticism of professionals such as Dr. Black or anyone else who's had their feelings hurt or humbled by the direction of those such as His grace-Bishop Nicolai. I also agree that redirecting your readers attention to the activities of the Diocese of Alaska seems rather unimportant to mission of this site-there seems to be a somewhat tabloid mentality infiltrating this site.
As far as the comment left by Mr. Tobin, its tasteless to lead those of us that take the time to read these comments, to believe that our Hierarchy is "raping and pillaging" our state or diocesan resources-because thats what he's in fact implying-right? -that our blessed hierarch, Bishop Nicolai is raping and pillaging? To me, thats a terrible metaphore-disgusting even.
I beg Mr. Tobin-please, in addition to praying for our embattled OCA, Mr. Stokoe, His grace Bishop Nicolai and myself, that he spend extra consideration on asking for forgiveness and intercession for his perverse and ugly accusations.
#18 Brad Angasan on 2006-11-26 17:17
I think the anonymous comments to this site to be very telling ... who would'nt ... most of them are fair minded ... and at least from my experience they are perfectly justifyed ... the clergy (in general) if they really believe in Christ have to get over their heirirchical schtick and let the laity fully participate in the OCA .... hey! ... as a start lets start calling it the Orthodox Church OF America not in America!!!!!!!! Let the OCA start being a truly autocephalous church ! ... that would be an inspiring start to this problem ... thankfully it seems that is just what is happening this site is proof of it ...
#19 john morariu on 2006-11-26 21:50
I read with interest the post by person who witnessed Russian Christmas in rural Alaska...
she got it right...
I saw the exact same thing in our parish, verbatim -exactly!
This only stops when outsiders are being courted for their money...
this chatter about the Diocese loving this creature... no way...
I took the time to speak with several Bishops who are members of the Synod (they said Isidore was being considered for the epsicopacy) they asked how people perceived nickolai and Isidore... I told them, as did others here. I mentioned the arrogance and lack of humility, the berating of elders and others, a women of lifelong service to our parish being kicked out of the church - being made a spectacle in public to humiliate. I walked out of church and have not returned since!
Elders have stated "... just wait a while, he will be gone and we'll have our church back"
It was told to me years ago, as a small child, that the evil one does his best work in churches and in so called men of God.
A true russian monastic told me [years ago] that someday - soon... the time would come when "Bozhinka" would no longer be in the church or behind the priests cross, that the only place where the true church would be is in your heart, like babushka taught you, pray hard boy... pray hard! it will be hard to be pravslavnie!
could he have known of my life today?
#20 multi-generational cradle orthodox, lifelong alaskan on 2006-11-26 22:04
I think these two letters and some of the comments show that Bishop Nikolai needs to speak candidly and publicly for himself on these matters, and meet with his accusers to seek to resolve any problems that do exist. I'm sure he doesn't like the idea of speaking publicly, but as this is now a public issue, that is the only way to resolve it. Otherwise, these stories, both true and false, will continue to spread and do damage.
#21 Stephen Ullstrom on 2006-11-27 05:18
Mr Angasan,
The phrase "rape and pillage" is generally used metaphorically to describe a situation resuting in plunder, despoilage, etc. I might have alternatively said "rack and ruin." So I regret if I offended you, but I really wasn't accusing anyone of rape in a literal sense--yet. Furthermore, I was directing this barb not just at Bishop Nikolai, but at Syssot as well. Using the Diocese of Alaska as a piggy bank either by its bishop or Syssot , and offending and neglecting its Orthodox souls, qualifies as "rape and pillage" in my book.
Heretofore, I have refrained from commenting on the situation in Alsaka, but the revelations concerning Bishop Nikolai's pastoral skills cry out for condemnation and correction. I don't care how good an administrator he might be if he isn't a good pastor and shepard of his flock. Surely, you don't disagree? The resume of Donald Trump is not one I would use in filling vacancies in the episcopate!
#22 Kenneth R. Tobin on 2006-11-27 07:05
A definitely insighful post!
An interesting idea it is that a co-dependent relationship exits between autocratic rule and its enabler 'sychophantic behavior' in the slavic soul, engrained even in its religious manifestation. Is this not in the spirit of promoting family and/ot national tribalism which is antithetical to 1 Cor. 12:13?
I hope some psychologists will look into how this has affected Christ's idea of authority as *servant leadership*.
#23 Name withheld on 2006-11-27 09:52
Translations please for "Bozhinka" and "pravslavnie"? Thanks.`
(Editor's note: a Russian diminutive for "God", and "Orthodox", respectively. )
#24 Monolinguist on 2006-11-27 14:02
Mr. Tobin, thank you for your response as I do appreciate your input. In regard to the pastoral abilities of His grace, I'd be lying if I've never questioned them based on the manner to which he's implemented corrective action and discipline to our diocese-but again I stress, great things come at a sometimes great expense.
One has to experience the dysfunction this diocese faced during the years prior to Bishop Nicolai's arrival, in order to grasp or understand our affection for Bishop Nicolai-he has taken the task of righting the wrongs that we were faced with and has nurtured the seed of Christianity to grow in Alaska. This isn't an easy goal to accomplish I assure you this.
Our diocese of Alaska thrives, we are once again "becoming" and all the while we are grateful for Bishop Nicolai's compassion and dedication to our flock.
Mr. Tobin, unless you are not a parent-then you understand that love is not always without discipline. Discipline is not always without consequence. Consequence is not always without self induced humility...
At any regard Mr. Tobin, I hope this accounts for something to you coming from a member of this diocese. Please realize I wish no ill fated feelings or emotions-I feel I have the responsibility to defend our Diocese however when faced with this sort of criticism-and it's not just from you either.
#25 Brad Angasan on 2006-11-27 16:13
There is only One True Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ and that is the Orthodox Church (or Orthodox Catholic Church) which exists in various places. There is the Orthodox Church in Russia, the Orthodox Church in Greece, and so forth. Changing the "in" to "of" actually changes the concept of what the church is and its ecumenical dimension and reduces it to an ethnic jurisdiction. We are the church in America for we belong to God first and America second.
Terry C. Peet
#26 Terry C. Peet on 2006-11-27 17:26
...the above may seem like a trivial point; there is the Russian , Greek, Romanian ect. Orthodox churchs , calling it the Orthodox Church "in" America always seemed wierdly appolegetic to me so here I offer a self -correction: AOC; American Orthodox Church would be better since the Church is of XC and not America ... thanks JM
#27 john Morariu on 2006-11-28 20:28
Minor corrections and comments.
My wife, a certified Russian/English translator who reluctantly, but thankfully, consented to marry me fourteen wonderful years ago, would translate the term "Bozhinka" as "Dear God", and the term "Pravoslavnie" - as it was transliterated - as "Orthodox People."
Her husband would note that the Russian term "Pravoslavna" doesn't mean "Orthodox" at all, but instead means "True Glory." He would humbly add that, to his knowledge, it is only in the former religious dominions of the Catholics and the other Western Christians that the Truly Glorious Church calls itself "Orthodox", a term he does not believe it is calls itself in any of its homelands; and he would invite your comments.
#28 Mark Warns on 2006-11-29 00:18
Thanks for that translation Mr Warns, it is as I remember....
Bozhinka; God as a term of endearment as in dearly beloved, Pravoslavnie as in "true way" of believing.
That day was in the summer of 1966, that monastic was Fr. Gerasim Schmaltz - who baptized me in the Russian Orthodox Church, not OCA
In those days Monks Lagoon on Spruce Island was never locked, we always believed that God and St Herman would protect it from anyone with an "unclean heart" with bad intentions,
The OCA them came in - took it and locked it up - stating that it had to be protected - from who?
This by so called Bishops who by virtue should have uncommon faith in God not in metal hasps and padlocks!
Today they still call us wrong, saying we do not know what we are doing...
May God be merciful to them on Judgement Day.
#29 multi-generational cradle orthodox, lifelong alaskan on 2006-11-29 08:08
Orthodoxia is Greek for the English word orthodox and is generally thought to mean correct belief, but also it has a deeper meaning of right or correct or true glory.
Pravoslavie is a Church Slavonic word formed by 2 words: prav', meaning correct and slava, meaning glory; so as much as we
claim rightfully that it means true faith, it has asserted through linguistic translation the deeper meaning of true glory.
#30 Karen Jermyn on 2006-11-29 13:12
Re: Eviction from St. Herman's seminary of Dr. Lydia Black by Bishop Nikolai the day before the St. Herman Pilgrimage, something no one has brought to attention.
Here in Alaska, because of the severe weather at times, a five month notice of eviction is required to the tenant before said eviction can take place.
The laws may have changed in the short time since I read that law, but that's what it has been for years.
All of Kodiak was up in arms over this happening.
#31 Rosabel Morrison Baldwin on 2006-11-30 16:08
So, may our Lord help us build a church worthy of its name.
#32 Mark Warns on 2006-12-01 17:39
The author does not allow comments to this entry


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My god, one thing is certain.......I will always hate the taste of Ale!!!!!. How in the name of god do you people drink that stuff!!!!.
2: Spending company money, to buy things......in order to blow them up. The joy of 'R and D'.
3: Using Buddhist philosophy to excuse the fact that I keep blowing things up.
4: Learning to ride motorbikes..........so I can blow stuff up while communting to work.
5: Learning to cook really spicy foods........which if I'm clever will explode on command.
6: Learning that 'talking about blowing things up and being Irish' is not a good combination.........in England.
If I haven't shaved that day then.... 'Jesus, that guy looks like a Bosnian war criminal....he must be dangerous'........
I'm pretty selective on books, not a big fan of fiction (watching it yes....reading it ....no). 'Autobiography of a Yogi', 'Tibetan Book of Living and Dying' are excellent books. I would love to see 'The Phantom of the Opera' or 'Swan Lake'.
2: Spiritual 'Q and A'.
3: My PC.
4: The believe that 'things need to make sense.....at some level'.
5: My sister nagging me for a loan because shes useless at saving...
6: The belief that everybody, no matter what they say, or how they appear....'Just really wants to be wanted'.
I spent too much time educating myself......OR......out with friends who are slagging me for filling out boxes on dating websites.

subset: commoncrawl


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Breakfast Flake Bits – The Dark Knight Rises
In case you have been under a rock for the last several months, the highly anticipated Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises" is to be released on Friday July 20th. Anticipation is very high, and everyone is very excited for it to finally be released. Well, almost everybody….
Tune in to Cat Country (KCTR) 102.9FM every weekday morning from 5:00am – 10:00am.
Don't forget you can always stream them directly from your computer for Free!
"The Dark Knight Rises" is opening in theaters everywhere on July 20th, 2012.


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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/10/2012 (1770 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Growing up, Cathy Holmes wasn't very athletic -- now she volunteer coaches some of the best athletes in the world.
Back in January 2009, the busy mother of three -- Nicole, 22, Sara, 16, and Stephanie, 16 -- was shuttling back and forth between her hometown of Portage la Prairie and Winnipeg every week for her two youngest daughters, both adopted and living with special needs -- Down syndrome -- to participate in swimming classes.
She decided to contact Special Olympics Manitoba, an organization that provides quality sport training programs and competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities, to see if there were sports activities for her two children closer to home. That's when the organization suggested to Holmes that with their help, she could start a team in Portage.
"At first, I thought, there's no way, I'm not athletic," Holmes says with a laugh. "But then my husband said to me, 'You can do it, Cathy. Do it for your kids.' "
So Holmes started the Portage Stampeders, a multi-sport team that includes snowshoeing, basketball and track and field. Its athletes have accomplished great things since its inception. Two athletes, one of them Cathy's daughter Stephanie, won gold medals for snowshoeing at this year's nationals. One athlete, Barret Wallis, 20, will participate in the Special Olympics World Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in early 2013.
"It's just amazing to see how the athletes have grown and matured since we began the Portage Stampeders," Holmes says.
She's seen the athletes' confidence grow over the years, she says.
They take pride in their sports, rigorously training and watching what they eat.
"Athletes come to training, they have fun, they practise, there's never any complaining, and when I see such great enthusiasm from the athletes, it definitely makes it worth it."
The Portage Stampeders team consists of 15 athletes ranging from 13 to 22 years old.
To become a volunteer coach, Holmes -- who works during the day for the Southern Regional Health Authority, while her husband is a farmer -- had to attend clinics and workshops put on by Special Olympics Manitoba on how to coach certain sports and prepare for the Special Olympics, as well as take online training to learn more about respect in sports and ethics.
The Portage Stampeders wouldn't be where they are today if it weren't for the volunteers who have helped her over the years, including parents of the athletes and community members who have come forward to lend a hand, she says.
"Volunteers like Cathy are the backbone of Special Olympics Manitoba," says Steven Dreger, manager of communications and media relations for Special Olympics Manitoba. "Without them, we would not be able to provide quality sport opportunities for our athletes."
Holmes says volunteering makes her feel good inside.
"It gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling," she says with another laugh. "It's been a really positive experience. I am so happy that my life has taken this route."
On Oct. 26, Special Olympics Manitoba will hold its 18th annual Special Olympics Festival Gala at the Delta Winnipeg. For more information on the gala or if you are interested in volunteering or supporting Special Olympics Manitoba, their website is at www.specialolympics.mb.ca .
If you know a special volunteer who strives to make his or her community a better place to live, please contact Carolyn Shimmin at email@example.com .


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Better Call Saul! Vince Gilligan moving "full speed ahead" with Breaking Bad spinoff
The charismatic lawyer is one step closer to getting his own show
Saul Goodman, the slimy yet charismatic lawyer from the hit series Breaking Bad, is one step closer to getting his own series, showrunner Vince Gilligan has revealed.
Gilligan first brought up the possibility of various spin-offs last year and revealed he has been working with writer Peter Gould on letting the crime attorney, played by Bob Odenkirk, take centre stage in his own series.
Now the pair are close to pitching the story to Sony, the studio behind AMC's Breaking Bad.
"It's not a done deal yet, but it's definitely something we're full speed ahead on trying to get going," Gilligan told The Wrap. "We are plugging away coming up with a pitch and a take on it for the network and studio, and hopefully everyone will agree that there's a really fun show to be had here."
The creator, who has spoke in the past about there being more than one potential spinoff, revealed that the Saul Goodman idea is the only post-Breaking Bad project he is currently working on.
The good news for fans is that Gilligan is careful to point out that the news doesn't necessarily spoil tension about whether Saul survives the series finale unscathed.
"I have to be coy as to whether it even could be a sequel," Gilligan said. "You never know, when the dust settles at the end of our final eight episodes, where everybody's going be and who's going be left standing. I can't even say for sure that it could be a sequel. It may be, it may not."
Giancarlo Esposito, who played drug kingpin Gus Fring, has already expressed interest in the unconfirmed project.
"Any chance I get to work with Giancarlo again, I would jump at the opportunity," Gilligan said.
Until the season ends and a potential spinoff is confirmed, Gilligan seems to have a way with keeping his fans guessing at his next moves.
If only Saul were able to strike up some covert arrangement, this probably would have already been a done deal.
Breaking Bad comes to an end this autumn when the final eight episodes air in the US on AMC on August 11 and later this autumn on UK Netflix.


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Egyptian security officials say 17 people have been detained following the 31 October attack, which killed 224 people.
Only two are suspected of providing direct assistance to those who planted a bomb aboard the Russian airliner, which crashed in the Sinai Peninsula.
The arrests come after the Federal Security Service (FSB) confirmed it was treating the crash as a terror strike targeting Russian nationals.
US and British intelligence have long suggested the crash was caused by an act of terror, with a member of an investigation team saying they were "90% sure" that a noise heard on the black box was a bomb.
Russia has offered a $50m (£33m) reward for information which leads to the arrest of those responsible.
Russia has also boosted its attacks on IS positions in Syria, with a US official saying Moscow is conducting strikes using sea-launched cruise missiles and long-range bombers.
France has launched a wave of airstrikes on the IS stronghold of Raqqa after French President Francois Hollande said the nation is at war with the Islamist extremists.
Alexander Bortnikov, the head of the FSB, spoke to President Vladimir Putin to reveal details of the Russian investigation into the crash.
"We have carried out investigations of the plane fragments and the luggage. We could find traces of a foreign-made explosive device, an improvised explosive device," he said.
"(An) equivalent of up to one 1.5kg of TNT went off during the flight. As a result the plane disintegrated in mid-air, which explains widely scattered fuselage pieces.
"I can therefore unequivocally say that this was an act of terrorism."
Mr Putin described the downing of the plane as a "barbarian" terror attack and "one of the bloodiest crimes" perpetrated on Russian citizens.
"The killing of our people in the Sinai Peninsula is one of the bloodiest crimes," he said.
"We are not going to wipe tears from our souls and our hearts. This will remain with us forever.
"But this will not prevent us from finding and punishing the criminals. We should be looking for them, no matter how much time passes.
"We need to know them by their names. We will find them, wherever they are, and we will punish them."
The Metrojet airliner crashed shortly after taking off from Egypt's Sharm el Sheikh International Airport. All 224 people aboard the Airbus A321 died.
Thousands of Britons were stuck in the popular holiday resort in the wake of the attack as the UK and several other countries suspended flights over security concerns.


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Milestones of the day from the Glasgow Commonwealth Games:
FINED - A$730. Laith Samardali, brother of Australian boxer Jordan, was slapped with the court-ordered penalty after hitting a seven-year-old boy with a plastic bottle at the Commonwealth Games. Meanwhile, weightlifter Francois Etoundi was also fined the same amount for breaking his Welsh weightlifter Gareth Evans' nose with a headbutt.
SACKED - Three security guards from duties at the Commonwealth Games after reports they took "selfie" photographs with sprint superstar Usain Bolt.
COMPELLED - Pole vaulter Steve Hooker to forgo his duties as commentator for host Commonwealth Games broadcaster Network Ten, after receiving word his athlete wife Katya Kostetskaya would be rubbed out of running for two years because of a drugs infringement.
BOOTED - Suspended athletics coach Eric Hollingsworth out of the athletes' village, after he made negative comments about track star Sally Pearson. His accreditation has been revoked and the Australian Commonwealth Games Association is sending him home.
DISGRUNTLED - Some of the police working longer shifts because of the Glasgow Games. The Scottish Police Federation says it has been contacted by "disgruntled" members unhappy about long and changing shift patterns during the event.


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Nucleus Clinic Board of Directors hosts the annual fall wine, salad and chocolate open house and benefit Thursday, October 25, 5 to 8 p.m., at the clinic's 1323 Coon Rapids Blvd., Coon Rapids location.
Serving the northern metro and surrounding community since 1971, Nucleus is the only non-profit community clinic providing reproductive health care in Anoka County.
This event is a thank you to the community, a celebration and a benefit for the clinic, according to Executive Director Becky Fink.
"For each person who values and respects access to affordable reproductive health care for women and men alike, this is the day, the place and the time to show our support for local and affordable reproductive health care services," Fink said.
"Our services are made possible with community support and pay forward in so many ways and many, many times."
In addition to a casual evening of salads, chocolate and wine, guests will be offered complimentary private chair massages, door prizes and a silent auction.
To comply with the directives and mandates of the Health Care Reform Act, Nucleus Clinic will need to get to where all mainstream clinics have been for years – effectively using an electronic health record.
"This year we are celebrating a true milestone in our patient care," said Fink. "Due to an outstanding partnership with Normandale Community College, a nationally recognized leader in health information technology (HIT), Nucleus was able to provide a valuable internship for a student who graduated from its first class."
Federal stimulus funding provided qualified IT and health care professionals this career training option for just $500, she said.
Normandale HIT intern Patti Hanson of Coon Rapids had many years of experience at Unisys and during a career change, had the opportunity to take those years of experience and learn to apply her skills to this new field, Fink said.
"This is an amazing and winning opportunity for our community, our clinic, Normandale and Patti," she said. "We look forward to her now working with us as our paid consultant as we implement this practice changing technology."
At the open house, Sunny Ainly, the director of health and wellness programs in Normandale's Center for Applied Learning, will offer remarks.
According to Fink, nurse practitioners at the clinic will soon be using the EHR to guide and document the care they provide with annual exams, pap smears, testing for sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy tests and confirmation examinations, and other health care relating to reproductive and sexual health.
Care is provided with sliding fee and no fee, based on income and family size, Fink said.
"Over 1,000 patients have received care with at least one visit, for over 1700 visits over the last year with an average cost of $200 per patient." she said.
"It is a small miracle that in these times, when non-profits fail as often as not, this clinic with the support of the community and the sheer will of its leaders, have provided these sometimes life saving and life giving services for over 40 years."
Nucleus Clinic, primarily staffed with volunteers, has a total 2012 budget of just over $230,000. Sliding fees are very low and at no cost for eligible patients, particularly those eligible for the Minnesota Family Planning Program, which is an abbreviated version of Medical Assistance.
Eligible female and male patients are assisted in applying on site for a Minnesota Health Care Program, Minnesota Family Planning (MFPP) to help cover the costs of their services.
The goal of the program is to provide birth control and reproductive health care to prevent expensive unintended pregnancy, Fink said.
Nucleus provides easy and convenient onsite MFPP enrollment with same day coverage for eligible patients, she said.
Certain services also have fees waived based on income and family size according the guidelines for the Anoka County Maternal Child Health Care Program, Fink said.
With October being recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness month, Nucleus is also a provider of SAGE breast health services for women who are uninsured or underinsured funded through the Minnesota Department of Health.
"Income eligible women over 40, or who have had problem breast exams and who are in need of annual mammograms and pap smears and who have eligible incomes, have available through public health care dollars, both paps smears and mammograms," Fink said.
"Nucleus enrolls patients onsite and provide the annual exam then coordinates referral for mammograms. We are very pleased to be a community partner with the Minnesota Department of Health."
Nucleus staff is also available in cooperation with Unity and Mercy hospitals to provide ongoing medical exams and treatments necessary after a women has survived a sexual assault.
For further information contact Fink at 763-755-5300.


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Welcome! You are browsing as a guestWould you like to see 4 projects made from this yarn and much more? create a free account What am I missing?
yarns Kathee Nelson Art Yarn Ritz Lace
© Kathee Nelson
by knelson315 Flickr
70/20/10 Alpaca/Silk/Cashmere
Appx 100 gms/1300 yds
Hand wash; dry flat
Ritz Lace is simply lace perfection! RS is a luscious blend of 70% Baby Alpaca, 20% Silk, and 10% Cashmere. The silky drape of this lace will make those long hours of lace knitting a joy.
For a bit more info on this yarn check out my blog post.


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A PHARMACIST has failed in his second bid to extend his shop's opening hours and now faces visits from council officials to ensure he plays by the rules.
Councillors in Blackburn rejected a plea from Riaz Hinglotwala to allow him to open his Shear Brow shop for 100 hours a week, including late nights and Sundays, because of the noise and disturbance it would cause neighbours.
They were told he had been opening for the longer hours without permission for the past year.
Councillors were promised borough enforcement officers would visit Riaz Pharmacy on Randal Street to ensure the shop closed at 8pm on Mondays to Saturdays and did not open on the Sabbath.
Mr Hinglotwala had wanted permission to open until 11pm on weekdays and from 11am to 9pm on Sundays.
Tory spokesman Alan Cottam led the calls for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council's planning committee to overturn the officers' recommendation to approve the extra hours.
A similar request from Mr Hinglotwala in June was turned down because approval would 'fail to protect the amenity of the neighbouring residents'.
Coun Cottam said: "This is not just about the noise and disturbance to neighbours. It is about him persistently breaking the conditions on his opening hours."
Farooq Rafig, on behalf of Mr Hinglotwala, said the pharmacy caused no disturbance and the only objections came from other chemist shops.
Ilyas Thagia, on behalf of Shifa Healthcare of Preston Old Road and Whalley Range, said: "This should not be allowed. Riaz Pharmacy has not been observing the rules."
Planning department development manager Gavin Prescott told committee chairman Dave Smith his enforcement officers would now visit Mr Hinglotwala to ensure he observed the permitted open hours.


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How to Pick a Lightning Protection System
How to Pick a Lightning Protection System
June 3, 2013
How to Pick a Lightning Protection System
Lightning can be a dangerous hazard to your home with a single bolt carrying as much as 30 million volts of electricity. Fortunately there are lightning protection systems available to keep your home safe. Find out how to choose the right system from the right professionals to protect yourself from disaster.
Copy the following code and paste it in your HTML...
<object width="480" height="385"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nK5b2C9yihw&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nK5b2C9yihw&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed> </object>


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Photo Flash: First Look at Rebecca Henderson, Phyllis Somerville and More in Roundabout's TOO MUCH, TOO MUCH, TOO MANY
Roundabout Theatre Company's Underground production of Too Much, Too Much, Too Many, a new play by Meghan Kennedy, began previews on Friday, October 25th and officially opens on Wednesday, November 20, 2013 at Roundabout's Black Box Theatre, at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre (111 West 46th Street, NYC, NY, 10036). This is a limited engagement through January 5, 2014. The cast of Too Much, Too Much, Too Many includes Rebecca Henderson, Luke Kirby, James Rebhorn, and Phyllis Somerville, directed by Sheryl Kaller. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!
The creative team includes Wilson Chin (Set Design), Jess Goldstein (Costume Design), Zach Blane(Lighting Design) and Broken Chord(Original Music & Sound).
Following the death of her husband (Rebhorn), Rose (Somerville) locks herself in her bedroom for the better part of a year, leaving her daughter Emma (Henderson) to care for her through the closed door. When the church sends a pastor (Kirby) to help coax Rose out of her room, he soon finds that Rose is not the only one using barriers to hide her true feelings.
Bittersweet, poignant and touchingly funny, Too Much, Too Much, Too Many, a compelling new drama by Meghan Kennedy, is about the walls we build to protect our hearts--and deciding when it's time to break them down.
Too Much, Too Much, Too Many launches the seventh season of Roundabout Underground, an initiative to showcase new plays that will either allow an experienced director to go back to his/her creative roots or give a debut production to an emerging writer or director. Prior productions include the acclaimed world premieres of Stephen Karam's Speech & Debate (2007), Steven Levenson's The Language of Trees (2008), Adam Gwon's Ordinary Days (2009), Kim Rosenstock's Tigers Be Still (2010), David West Read's The Dream of the Burning Boy(2011), Andrew Hinderaker's Suicide, Incorporated (2011), Joshua Harmon's Bad Jews (2012).
Tickets are available by calling Roundabout Audience Services at (212)719-1300, online at www.roundabouttheatre.org or at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre box office (111 West 46 Street). The ticket price is $20.00 for all seats. All tickets for Too Much, Too Much, Too Many are General Admission and seating is first-come, first-served.
Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
Luke Kirby and Phyllis Somerville
Luke Kirby and Rebecca Henderson
Rebecca Henderson and Phyllis Somerville
Luke Kirby and Phyllis Somerville
James Rebhorn and Rebecca Henderson
James Rebhorn and Rebecca Henderson


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You Cannot Chase Two Antelopes at the Same Time will teach your child(ren) the invaluable lesson of determination and focus. This heartwarming story about the courage and determination of a little boy and his sister who set out to chase two antelopes unsuccessfully, extracts the important character traits of determination and focus. The little boy and girl set out to accomplish an impossible task and try different approaches, but to no avail. They finally figured out that in life some pursuits are too delicate to focus on multiple things at the same time. The story will thrill, entertain and motivate your children.
©2013 Jasmine Renner (P)2013 Jasmine Renner
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Ask The Man Panel: "Beetlejuice" Couture
This bright, stripey outfit is from the much-lauded Jil Sander spring 2011 ready-to-wear collection. With the combination of a billowy candy cane skirt and exposed side boob, I couldn't wait to see what the Man Panel had to say about this one. Read their candid reactions after the jump!Alec, 25: Are they fumigating her lower half?
Damien, 33: At first I thought it was odd that she was wearing half of MC Hammer's pants and then I noticed the boob stripes. Boob stripes automatically make every outfit awesome.
Henry, 27: I bet those straps are load-bearing.
Nick, 24: I saw street clowns in Mexico wearing that same outfit.
Kyle, 22: It looks like she is trying to win the world's worst "Where's Waldo?" costume contest.
Devin, 21: It's refreshing to see that the "Beetlejuice" wardrobe department recycles.


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This product is no longer available.
You can try these similar gifts instead.
Hamsa Bracelet in Blue Opal
Israel Blessing
She looks good in the color blue, and she deserves to be protected by all the world's good spirits, all the world's forces of luck. That's why this is the ideal gift for a wonderfully stylish girl.


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Created in France in the 1960s by Andre Cornu, the 470 is a small, fast boat, its name deriving from its length.
It is a highly technical class, with the ability to 'plane' (skim the waves like a powerboat) in a high wind. It is sailed by two people and has three sails (mainsail, jib and spinnaker) as well as a trapeze, which allows the crew to lean out of the craft.
The 470, first recognised as an Olympic class in 1976, was also the first women's class, accepted into the Olympic Games in 1988 in Seoul.
Length: 4.7m (15ft 5in)
Breadth: 1.68m (5ft 6in)
Weight: 120kg (265lb)
Type: Dinghy
Crew: 2
Designer: Andre Cornu
Year: 1963
Beijing 2008 Olympic Results
Gold: Elise Rechichi / Tessa Parkinson - Australia
Silver: Marcelien De Koning / Lobke Berkhout - Holland
Bronze: Fernanda Oliveira / Isabel Swan - Brazil
Gold: Nathan Wilmot / Malcolm Page - Australia
Silver: Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield – Great Britain
Bronze: Nicolas Charbonnier / Olivier Bausset - France
Athens 2004 Olympic Results
Gold: Sofia Bekatorou / Emilia Tsoulfa - Greece
Silver: Natalia Via-Dufresne / Sandra Azon - Spain
Bronze: Therese Torgersson / Vendela Zachrisson - Sweden
Gold: Paul Foerster / Kevin Burnham - USA
Silver: Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield – Great Britain
Bronze: Kazuto Seki and Kenjiro Todoroki - Japan


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- Calories 102
- Fat 5.7g
- Satfat 1.6g
- Monofat 3.2g
- Polyfat 0.3g
- Protein 4.5g
- Carbohydrate 7.7g
- Fiber 0.6g
- Cholesterol 17mg
- Iron 0.7mg
- Sodium 139mg
- Calcium 6mg
Haitian Chicken Pâté Puffs
How to Make It
Cut habanero in half. Seed one half of pepper, and leave seeds in other half. Mince both pepper halves. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add minced habanero, onion, and garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add carrot; cook 2 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add lime juice and vinegar, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add green onions and next 6 ingredients (through nutmeg); stir well. Remove from heat; cool mixture to room temperature.
Place cooled chicken mixture in a food processor; process until almost smooth (mixture will begin to clump).
Preheat oven to 400°.
Roll puff pastry into a 15 x 12–inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Cut puff pastry into 20 (3-inch) squares. Combine egg and water, stirring with a whisk. Brush egg mixture along edges of pastry squares; spoon about 1 scant tablespoon filling in center of each pastry square. Fold each pastry square in half; press edges closed with tines of a fork. Brush top with egg wash; arrange 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.


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We Sing Superstar Quiz
Welcome to the We Sing Superstar Quiz!Test your musical knowledge with over 2000 questions from a variety of genres, including 80's, 90's, 00's, Dance, R&B/Urban, Rock, Pop, Albums, Pop Luck, and the special We Sing Bonus Round. The We Sing Bonus Round questions relate to songs or artists that feature in the We Sing series of karaoke games exclusively on Wii!The aim of the game… get as many fans as you can, and become a true We Sing Superstar! But be warned… the questions get harder the further you go!The game includes 3 single player modes: We Sing Superstar Quiz – answer questions fast and correctly to earn more fans. Once you fill the Mic you qualify for the next round. Use the We Sing Bonus rounds to get extra lifelines. Classic Mode – three lives, get as far as you can! Sudden Death – one wrong answer and you're OUT!There is also a multiplayer mode for 2 players called Play and Pass, where you can go head-to-head with your musical arch enemy!All game modes include three lifelines: 50/50, Reveal and Pause… so use them wisely!When you have completed your game, send your best score to the Game Center, and compete with other We Sing Superstars from around the world.You can also send your score to your Twitter or Facebook page and challenge your friends to beat your score.With awards ranging from Rotten Tomato to Diamond, this is the ultimate music quiz!Oh, and if you are happy with what you see, why not go to www.facebook.com/wesinggame and register your "Like".Join the We Sing family and try to become a We Sing Superstar!---------------------iPhone/iPod Touch Users please note, We Sing Superstar Quiz works on iOS 3.2 upwards.---------------------


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SCOTT RALL COLUMN: Where have all the roosters gone?
WORTHINGTON -- I was hoping to make it 'til the New Year without any snow.
No snow at all would have been better.
A few inches of rain in March needs no shoveling.
But the snow is here and that is to be expected. And with the snow comes the winding down of the season's hunting opportunities, with the pheasant hunting season closing Jan. 1.
I wait all year and, in the blink, of an eye my favorite 10 weeks evaporates. I get asked all the time if pheasant hunting hurts pheasant populations. The answer is found in pheasant biology. The harvesting of roosters in all but the most extreme cases has little to no effect on overall pheasant populations.
I will explain why this is.
In the land of pheasant roosters and pheasants, in general, the life expectancy -- including mortality from all causes -- is only a little more than 12 months. Many pheasants die of predation or weather before they make it to seven days old. With these early losses, even if a few birds make it to their second or third birthday, it is a very, very small percentage.
A rooster pheasant spends his spring days crowing and displaying his colors to attract a girlfriend. The fact is he is really looking for a dozen or more girlfriends and will mate with all of the hens in his vicinity. Roosters fight over this right and, from all the research, there are no hens that fail to be bred as they enter the nesting and egg-laying seasons. If, in the spring, there was one rooster for each hen or one rooster for 20 hens, the pheasant population will be the same in October.
As long as all of the hens are bred, the result the following fall will be the highest population possible from the surviving hens present in the spring. There are many factors that affect pheasant populations and they have nothing to do as a result of hunting.
Weather conditions in the spring have a great impact on nesting success and chick survival. A cold, soaking rain at the wrong time can kill off a great percentage of the chicks that are in the early stages of their life.
I read in a report some years ago that it takes the following rooster-to-hen ratios to achieve the following results. You need one rooster per 42 hens to sustain a population and two roosters per 42 hens to grow a population. This report went on to say that in many areas of the pheasant range, the ratio, after the conclusion of the hunting season in most areas, is one rooster per 14 hens and in Minnesota there is usually one rooster per four hens after the season closes.
What this says to me is that even if many more roosters were harvested by hunters in Minnesota, there would be far more than enough to bring off a successful hatch the following spring.
It is an undisputed fact that the No. 1 thing that affects overall populations for pheasants is habitat. The No. 1 limiting factor for pheasant success and population expansion in most areas is undisturbed grassland habitat. Birds need grassland habitat that is big enough and of high enough quality to be able to reproduce successfully.
Road ditches have many acres of grass, if you add them all up. The problem for a hen-nesting in these areas is that they are narrow and easy for a predator to locate and kill the hen, eat the eggs or dine on the chicks. Large blocks of habitat have the best nesting success for pheasants and all other ground nesting birds.
The issue at hand today is that in most areas of southwest Minnesota there is very little undisturbed grassland. In most areas, less that 4 percent of all land acres are in some form of grass. The grassland that exists is smaller parcels of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and other federal farm program acres. These acres are going under the plow at an astonishing rate.
Grassland CRP farm payments can in no way keep up with the profit margin of corn and beans. The future of pheasants and other wildlife populations are facing their own kind of fiscal cliff.
Many people armed with the accurate information come to the same conclusion as me.
Hunting does not hurt pheasant populations. But for those who choose to ignore the science and instead concentrate on the emotion-only side of the equation, those who think there would be 100 times more pheasants, if they were not hunted, I always end my conversation with this thought: Who spends more time, money and effort on the behalf of pheasants and other wildlife than the hunter who pursues them?
Do the non-hunting or anti-hunting members of the state spend money for the benefit of pheasants or other wildlife? The answer for 95 percent of them is just plain NO. I am very proud to say that locally, our Pheasants Forever Chapter has many loyal supporters who do not hunt and still support pheasants and their habitat. They are well-informed and we are very fortunate to have them.
Toward the end of the season, I see fewer roosters and this year is no different. Part of the reason is there are fewer roosters on the land due to hunter harvest.
I think the main reason I see fewer roosters in the last month of the season is because they are just plain smarter than me. The hens will sit and be flushed and the roosters have covered a half-mile on foot before I even step into the spot.
The daily limit on roosters is two for the first part of the season and switches to three in December. From my experience, they could make the limit 10 in December and for most years it would make no difference. If most hunters can't even get one or two how could they ever get 10? I am in no way saying the limit should be 10, but from a harvest point of view, most years it would not matter.
What pheasants need most is more well-informed, dedicated hunters and non-hunters who care enough to help ensure they have enough of the undisturbed grasslands required to thrive.
You can help in this effort by buying your favorite someone a membership to Pheasants Forever. Call my office at Rall Financial Services and I will help you get this hooked up. Have a great Christmas and spend some time outdoors in the tall grass.
Scott Rall is The Daily Globe's outdoor columnist. His column can also be read weekly at www.dglobe.com


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Tag: Robert Clark
President, Provost, and Medical Center CEO statement on immigration orders
Statement from President Joel Seligman, Provost and Senior Vice President for Research Robert L. Clark, and CEO of the Medical Center and UR Medicine, and Senior Vice President for Health Sciences Mark Taubman.
A provost and his banjo
"I don't play music for a living; I play music to live," says University Provost and former dean of the Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Rob Clark, who will perform during Meliora Weekend.
The future of photonics
"We work on optical bio sensors," said Dr. Ben Miller, a researcher at the University of Rochester Medical Center. He's creating a sensor that can detect the presence of hundreds of viruses from a single blood sample, in real time.
Robert Clark named 10th University provost
Robert Clark (center) has been appointed provost, succeeding Provost Peter Lennie (left), who will step down in June 2016. University President and CEO Joel Seligman (right) announced the appointment today, adding that Clark will serve in the dual role of provost and senior vice president for research, and will step down from his current role as dean of the Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Photonics: What? Why? How?
"We're not going to tell people they must perform manufacturing here," says University of Rochester President Joel Seligman. "We're going to make it irresistible for those interested in pursuing manufacturing not to be here."
Connections: Science Roundtable tackles photonics
The monthly science roundtable returns, and this month we have a timely subject: the science and application of photonics.
Rob Clark comments on bipartisan 'Manufacturing Universities' bill
The Manufacturing Universities Act of 2015 would establish a program within the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) charged with designating 25 schools as "Manufacturing Universities."
Statement from Rob Clark, Sr. VP for Research, on the value of scientific peer review
"The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is currently conducting a review on grants issued by the agency for some 60 merit-reviewed projects, including one from the University of Rochester. Scientific research awarded through peer-review process should not be subject to political or ideological interference."
Rochester to compete for $200M in photonics funding
The Obama administration announced Friday that it would establish an Institute for Manufacturing Innovation on photonics, or the science of using light in everything from advanced manufacturing to transmitting data. The industry and related fields such as optics and imaging already account for an estimated 17,000 jobs in this region.
Robert Clark stresses need for federal research support at National Press Club
Universities can help drive regional economic development and strengthen American competitiveness — but only if the federal government continues to partner with institutions and commits to provide the sustained research funding that is required to, first, discover a good idea, then "translate" it into products and services that benefit society.


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When completing the bankruptcy forms, you must provide the value of each item of your personal property, such as cars, furniture, jewelry, and the like. You will list these values on Schedule A/B of the bankruptcy forms, as well as a few other forms.
The standard you use in valuing your personal property is the retail replacement value. Read on to learn what retail replacement value means, and the various methods you can use to get this value for each of your personal belongings.
The bankruptcy laws require that you value your personal property at retail replacement value. This is the price a retail merchant would charge for property of that kind considering the age and condition of the property at the time the value is determined. It is not the cost of replacing your items with new items. The value should represent the amount you would have to pay, on the date you file for bankruptcy, to replace each item with a used item of similar age and in similar condition.
The best method for determining the replacement value for your property will depend on the type of property.
The age and condition of the vehicle may impact how you choose to value a car or truck.
Trade Publications. If the vehicle is only a few years old or there is still a high balance owed on the auto loan leaving little or no equity in the vehicle, looking up the retail value in a trade publication or its online version may be all you need to do. You will need to know the mileage, the particular make and model, the year and the vehicle's general condition to come up with an accurate value of the vehicle. Some of the online versions also request information on the area of the country where you are located. There are different trade publications and their values may vary. You might want to look at more than one.
Comparable Sale Prices. If you have an older vehicle, the trade publications may be less helpful. You could check the newspaper advertisements or online sites to see what people in your area are selling similar vehicles for or check local used car dealerships to look for prices on comparable vehicles.
Appraisals. You could also have your car appraised. There are some car dealerships that will provide an appraisal but you need to be careful that they are not providing you with a trade-in value that is dependent on your buying a new vehicle from them. The appraisal should represent the amount you would need to pay to replace your vehicle. Another option would be to pay a professional appraiser to assess the value of your vehicle. Your mechanic may be helpful in providing a value but the bankruptcy trustee or the court may be a little suspicious if you receive an appraisal from someone with whom you have had a long time relationship. Information from your mechanic on any necessary repairs or problems with your vehicle may help the appraiser make a more accurate valuation.
To learn more about your options for dealing with your car and auto loan, see Nolo's section on Your Car in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy.
You can use different methods for valuing your household goods, including furnishings, clothing and electronics, depending on what best fits your situation.
Appraisals. Although often unnecessary, you can always use an appraisal to value your household goods, electronics, and clothing. For example, it might be a good idea to get an appraisal of your furnishings if the value of your household goods is disproportionately low when compared to the value of your house (which might happen if a flood damages your furniture, but not your home). A trustee or the court may be suspicious if you live in a million dollar house and value your personal property at $3,000.
Comparable Sale Prices. Another way to value your household goods would be to visit various thrift stores, such as Goodwill, or local flea markets, or garage sales to see what comparable goods are selling for. Keep a record of the dates and locations you visit to support your valuation. You can also check online sales or auction sites. Wherever you find your values, make sure to list the age and condition of the property to give the trustee a better idea of what you are valuing.
Jewelry, furs, and collectibles will almost always need an appraisal. Make clear to the appraiser that you are looking for a current sale value appraisal and not an appraisal for insurance. The valuations may be different. Pawn shops may give you the lowest appraisal value but they have a general reputation for undervaluing property and may not be the best source. A reputable dealer in estate property may be the best source for appraisals on these items.


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Link Ink: Alec Longstreth's 'Basewood' Beard-a-Thon, Batman's Salty Logo and Grey Ghostbusting Morality
Beards: Alec Longstreth's two-years-and-running vow not to shave until he completes his graphic novel Basewood, has yielded wonderfully furry dividends – and he's still got a little more than a fourth of the project left to go! [The Beat]
Movies: Cowboys and Aliens has a new poster demonstrating its Old West-meets-Extraterrestrial aesthetic. Aliens dig honkin' Timex watches, apparently. Or they did. Who knows what they're wearing these days? Probably Swatches. Friggin' design snobs. [MTV Splash Page]
Gaming: Marvel Pinball for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 looks like a hoot, even though it lacks the tactile experience of bumping the sides of the machine with Tommy dance moves. [Joystiq]
Finales: Dynamite's Lone Ranger series will conclude with issue #25 in January. [CBR]
Returns: As much as it pains me to admit it, none of my insane assertions about DC's "Doomsday Will Reign" teaser were correct. Instead of slaying the hip hop charts, he'll just be fighting Steel in January. Kinda disappointed. [The Source]
Video: Ever notice how there were only bad ghosts in Ghostbusters? A new Funny or Die short asks, "What about the good ones?" Eh, I say bust 'em all and ask questions later! [Topless Robot]
Gaming: Transformers: War For Cybertron is getting a sequel in 2012. I hope the new game features an energon eating contest mini-game. [MTV Multiplayer]


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Ventral Nerve Root
- Spinal Anatomy
- Discogenic
- Discogenic Pain
- Discogenic Disease
- Articles
- Vertebral Column
- The Spine
- Vertebrae
- Intervertebral Disc
- Spinal Cord
- Central Nervous System
A ventral root is a type of nerve root that branches off the spinal cord, exits the spinal column and continues on its path to specific areas of the body.
At each level of the spinal cord, two nerve roots branch out, one to the left and one to the right. At the innermost base of each spinal nerve there are two roots, the ventral root (also called anterior root), and the dorsal root (also called the posterior root). The ventral root is an efferent root, meaning it carries neural signals away from the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) and toward the limbs and organs. The dorsal root is an afferent root, meaning it carries neural signals from the limbs and organs back to the spinal cord and brain.
The dorsal root contains sensory fibers that control information like pain and temperature sensations, while the ventral root is made up of motor fibers that send electrochemical signals to the body's muscles and glands. These impulses control the following:
- Muscular contractions
- Hormone synthesis
- Gland secretion
There are several conditions that can lead to damage or constriction of a ventral root as it exits the spinal column. One example is foraminal stenosis, where the foramen (empty space between each vertebrae through which spinal nerves travel on their way to other parts of the body) begin to constrict or narrow. This constriction then puts undue stress on nerves passing through them, causing pain, numbness, tingling or, in acute cases, loss of some muscle functionality. Conditions that could cause foraminal stenosis include osteoarthirits, bone spurs, herniated discs or bulging discs.
If your physician has diagnosed you with a condition involving constriction of the ventral root, he or she may recommend physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, anti-inflammatory medication or steroidal injections. If these temporary treatments do not prove effective, contact Laser Spine Institute about our minimally invasive procedures that can help you find relief from pain. Laser Spine Institute will be happy to discuss your spinal condition.


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In Stores Now
Us Rating: *** 1/2
World War II aficionados Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg helped produce this carefully created miniseries depicting the 1st Marine Division's tragedies and victories in the Pacific theater -- blood-soaked battle of Iwo Jima included. The Emmy-winning production is heartfelt and undeniably stirring, with stellar performances (Jon Seda deserves special mention as an ill-fated hero). One note: Viewers may find the 10-parter too reverential. (HBO, $80)


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Hey guys,
I had a perfectly working 3GS at 3.1.3 a week ago, which was jailbroken using Spirit. (old bootrom).
I upgraded to iOS 4.0 and noticed that my option for tethering is missing (im on Vodafone UK and it was definitely there before).
I have now upgraded to a 32GB iPhone4 (obviously also running iOS 4.0). I activated this using iTunes at work, before getting home and restoring it using a backup of my 3GS.
BEFORE the restore, i noticed that i had the Facetime option, under Settings > Phone > Facetime, and i also had the option for tethering. I also noticed that under Settings > General > Network i had options called Mobile Data and Mobile Data Network.
I proceeded with the restore, and all seemed well, until i noticed that my Facetime option AND the tethering option was missing (like it was on my 3GS at 4.0) and the Mobile Data and Mobile Data Network options had been renamed CELLULAR Data and CELLULAR Data Network.
Any idea what has happened here guys? I think i will need to restore and set up as a new iPhone, but i will lose all my app data and SMS, and i dont want to do that obviously!
Thanks for any help!


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NDP Leadership
March 25, 2012 by staff
NDP Leadership, Canada's New Democrats have chosen Thomas Mulcair to lead their party at a critical time in its history. The Montreal MP, who has promised to protect the NDP's year-old political beachhead in Quebec, now has the responsibility of leading the party to further success as it tries to replace the governing Tories in the next election.
Mulcair, 57, won the leadership battle over six rivals Saturday after an unpredictable finish that went to four ballots.
By the time the final votes were cast, Mulcair had captured 57.2 per cent of the total – beating his closest rival, former party president Brian Topp, who finished with 42.8 per cent on the last ballot.
In a speech to New Democrats after his victory was announced, Mulcair promised to carry on the legacy of his predecessor, the late Jack Layton, and also encourage more Canadians to support the party.
"As Jack Layton said, our greatest accomplishment wasn't winning seats in Parliament," he said.
Instead, it was "giving people a reason to believe, that you can vote for change."
Mulcair promised to put that into action.
"Democracy can't just mean the right to vote. Democracy must also mean the knowledge that your vote matters."
Mulcair also was highly critical of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government, which he said operates by appealing to peoples' fears and "seeking out division."
Please feel free to send if you have any questions regarding this post , you can contact on
Disclaimer: The views expressed on this site are that of the authors and not necessarily that of U.S.S.POST.


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The "investigation" (the Vatican has called it a "visitation") of U.S. Religious women was formally announced Nov. 22, 2008, in a decree from the Congregation for Institutes of Conse-crated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, then headed by a 74-year-old Slovenian Cardinal, Franc Rodé.
Tom Fox, editor of the National Catholic Reporter, passes on the "heaviest suspicion" that U.S. cardinals residing in Rome were behind the launching of the investigation (see his NCR column of Jan. 14).
American cardinals who reside in Rome include William Wakefield Baum, now 84 and long retired as head of the Major Penitentiary; John P. Foley, 75 years old and Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre; Bernard F. Law, age 79, who was forced to resign as Archbishop of Boston and is now archpriest of Santa Maria Maggiore; William J. Levada, 74, who succeeded Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) as head of the Congrega-tion for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF); James Francis Stafford, 78, retired as head of the Major Penitentiary in 2009; and Edmund C. Szoka, 83, president emeritus of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State.
If the suspicion lies anywhere, the likeliest suspects are Cardinals Law, Levada, and possibly Stafford.
But that is neither here nor there. Who influenced the decision is only a matter of speculation. What is important is that the investigation of U.S. Religious women was launched and it has wasted the valuable time and energy of American sisters that could have been invested much more profitably in their many works of ministry.
I did not expect the investigation to go anywhere, but it was easy for me to think that as a male and a non-Religious (see my column from July 2009 in which I predicted that the investigation would come up "more or less empty-handed as did the Vatican's earlier study of U.S. seminaries and theologates").
We say: Charlottesville reveals the weeping wound of racism. What do we, the American Catholic faith community, do next? Read the editorial.
On Feb 20, 2009, just three months after the original decree authorizing the "visitation," the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith launched an investigation of its own -- a "doctrinal assessment" of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), which is an associa-tion of the leaders of congregations of women Religious in the United States, with more than 1,500 members representing about 95 percent of the 59,000 U.S. women Religious.
Recent developments have tended to confirm my initial prediction. Cardinal Rodé has retired and been replaced by a 63-year-old Brazilian archbishop, João Bráz de Aviz, who has been interviewed by John Allen of NCR and described by him as a "moderate-to-conservative." Church sources in Brazil, according to Allen, generally categorize the archbishop as a centrist.
Significantly, he is not a member of a religious order or congregation, but he is close to one of the so-called "new movements," Focolare, which is itself moderately conservative. In any case, he should be an improvement over the ultra-conservative Cardinal Rodé.
Last August the Vatican appointed an American priest, Fr. Joseph Tobin, a former superior in the Redemptorists, to the Congregation's number two post. According to Tom Fox, now-Archbishop Tobin has already opened "heartening" conversations with some U.S. women Religious leaders.
As Tom Fox wrote last month, "It's still too early to know the full content of the final act of this drama. What is clear is that all spirits involved appear tired and wishing it could come to a quick end. Short of this, some editing of the script could help, like recasting the women as authors of their own lives."
On the same day a "Viewpoint" column by a Sister of Loreto, Mary Ann Cunningham, appeared on-line in NCR. Its title discloses its content and tone: "Woman religious finds Vatican-sent Visitators warm, friendly."
Cunningham wrote: "The four women who visited us" at the motherhouse in Kentucky, "were, well, sisters. I don't know what I expected, but I liked them. Warm, friendly, receptive–though two wore habits, we had so much more in common with them than surface differences would suggest."
These and other recent developments bode well for the future of the "visitation," but again it's easy for a male and non-Religious to say.
Now if only the CDF would come to its senses and terminate its "doctrinal assessment" of the LCWR. Vatican officials surely have more important things to do.
The women Religious in the United States, including the leaders of LCWR, certainly do.
[© 2011 Richard P. McBrien. All rights reserved. Fr. McBrien is the Crowley-O'Brien Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame.]
Editor's Note: We can send you an e-mail alert every time Fr. McBrien's column, "Essays in Theology," is posted to NCRonline.org. Go to this page and follow the directions: E-mail alert sign-up. If you already receive e-mail alerts from us, click on the "update my profile" button to add "Essays in Theology" to your list.
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