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On the "Who is Reformed?" Question: Choosing a "What" Over a "Who"
With the growth of Reformed ideas comes a jockeying to define what "Reformed" is and is not; or more frequently, who is and who is not. One hot topic has been whether Baptists have a right to plant their flag on Reformed turf. Those who answer in the negative are typically under the mistaken impression that they own the title and deed to the bulk of Reformed real estate. Many well-known authors and speakers have fallen into the hands of self-appointed Reformed gatekeepers who frequently give a thumbs up or thumbs down on others' Reformed status.
Counting myself squarely in the "Reformed" camp, I have wrestled with how to sort out this question of who is and isn't Reformed, and I've recently realized that, in one sense, it's kind of a stupid question. People in generally Reformed circles have a complex set of overlapping, intersecting, and systemically complex beliefs, so asking them to stand single file in one of only two lines does not reflect that complexity.
Instead of placing someone in the Reformed bin or in the non-Reformed bin after a clunky evaluation process, we better serve the person and his or her nuances by evaluating specific beliefs. That method of evaluation should involve a comparison of beliefs to Reformed confessions and creeds, as well as those works that have endured within the Reformed tradition. And for a reminder, all those Reformed confessions and books are only as true as the biblical passages and principles from which they are derived. Pondering whether someone is Reformed is like asking whether someone is "biblical."
Consider a few benefits to evaluating (when necessary) the beliefs of a person rather than that person in his or her entirety:
- Accuracy. The label "Reformed" is not able to bear the burden of accurately encompassing a person whose set of beliefs may include both Reformed beliefs and non-Reformed beliefs. Having to choose one label for such a set of beliefs sacrifices the accuracy of that label to some degree.
- Anti-aristocracy. Conversations surrounding this topic often implicitly devolve into who gets placed within the inner circle and who has to look in from the outside; who receives admission to the club and who gets bounced. Speaking of Reformed beliefs rather than Reformed people eliminates a measure of elitism.
- Accessibility. Because people often do not express every belief they hold, limiting the "Reformed" label to beliefs rather than people focuses the discussion on that which is public. If Chuck has expressed his appreciation for the practical benefits of predestination within his prayer life but hasn't said much on the covenants, or baptism, or Old Testament typology, or complementarianism, is Chuck Reformed? Not a great question. Is Chuck's belief about God's sovereignty Reformed? That's better.
I hold this general principle loosely, and at a basic level I'm simply seeking to make a linguistic, terminological point rather than a doctrinal one. I certainly call myself Reformed in ordinary language. I have said things like "B.B. Warfield is Reformed," "many Reformed theologians…" and other obviously appropriate statements. I subscribe to the Westminster Standards. But when we observe significant swaths of churchgoers who are on their way to a more robust Reformed theology, a complexity that accompanies the current theological flux within Reformed circles should be reflected in our use of the "Reformed" label.
24 Responses
Brotha Jared,
As a "reformed Baptist" I salute you! Furthermore, I have benifited immensely from all you guys at reformed forum especially Christ the Center, which is the hottest show next to the moritification of spin. Thanks for the love
Grace and peace from Lost Angeles.
Ps. I await Dr. Scott Clark's response.
"One hot topic has been whether Baptists have a right to plant their flag on Reformed turf. Those who answer in the negative are typically under the mistaken impression that they own the title and deed to the bulk of Reformed real estate."
I love and respect my "Reformed Baptist" brethren and mean no disrespect toward them, but it seems to me that the label is clearly problematic. The issue is not about trying to be elitist or "aristocratic" or to look down one's nose at brethren with whom we differ; the issue is about using theological terms with historical and theological accuracy. For example, if a Baptist came to embrace a Lutheran understanding of the Lord's Supper, would it be accurate or helpful to describe him as a "Lutheran Baptist"? If a Presbyterian came to embrace an Mennonite view of pacifism, would it be helpful or accurate to describe him as a "Mennonite Presbyterian"? The point is that, contrary to mushy postmodern thinking, words can and should have objective meaning, especially words that are historically and theologically significant.
As you know, being "Reformed" means a lot more than simply embracing the doctrines of sovereign grace (i.e., the five points of Calvinism), as vitally important as the TULIP doctrines are. Historically the "Reformed" label also encompasses a particular understanding of covenant theology (which included infant baptism), ecclesiology, worship, sacraments, etc. It's not a label that can be accurately used to describe the selective, pick-and-choose, cafeteria-style approach to doctrine of many evangelical brethren who want to wear the "Reformed" label. Personally speaking, I think it would probably be more accurate to describe our RB brethren as "Sovereign Grace Baptists" instead of "Reformed Baptists."
Grow your churches by births, because ritual baptism regenerates. You can be in the Covenant of Grace, and not in the Covenant of Grace at the same time, this is sound doctrine. Repeat to yourselves: this is sound doctrine. Classical Covenant Theology is the servant of infant baptism. Infant baptism is the hinge upon which swings all of biblical doctrine. Regeneration by the word and the Spirit is mystical hoo-hah. Repeat to yourselves: mystical hoo-hah.
(1) Confessional Reformed churches do not deny the great commission or teach an automatic, head-for-head baptismal regeneration.
(2) Even Baptist churches may include those who are are formal members in good standing ("in the church" outwardly) but who may not be genuinely regenerate (not "of the church" inwardly). The ideal of a perfectly regenerate church membership in this present age is a pipe dream.
(3) Contrary to your caricature of our position, the Reformed do not teach that infant baptism is the hinge upon which swings all biblical doctrine.
(4) The Reformed teach regeneration by the Word and Spirit, so the idea that we think it is "mystical hoo-hah" is an ignorant, uncharitable caricature.
My advice: Try to actually understand what your Reformed brethren really believe and strive to represent your theological opponents accurately before building straw men of their views and thus exposing your ignorance.
Obviously I was writing not what you say you believe, but what you actually by default believe, whether you consciously admit it to yourselves or not.
And the fact that unregenerate individuals may be sitting in a church is not the same as saying one can be *in* the Covenant of Grace and *not in* the Covenant of Grace at the same time. That is ad hoc nonsense that bad doctrine propagates and needs to prop itself up.
"Obviously I was writing not what you say you believe, but what you actually by default believe, whether you consciously admit it to yourselves or not."
GW: So, you have the powers to read our minds and hearts, and to "know" what we "really" believe? Instead of interacting with our actual, confessional views, you psychoanalyze us.
"And the fact that unregenerate individuals may be sitting in a church is not the same as saying one can be *in* the Covenant of Grace and *not in* the Covenant of Grace at the same time."
GW: This is a straw man, and misrepresents our view as if it violated the law of noncontradiction. It is possible to be "in" the covenant of grace in one sense (with respect to its external administration) and not "in" the covenant of grace in a different sense (with respect to its spiritual essence). This is not "ad hoc," but rather a grappling with various biblical data. You may disagree, but don't misrepresent our views.
It's a grappling with nonexistent biblical data. And it's what enables false doctrine such as Federal Visionism to constantly crop up and cause mischief in your churches and in your seminaries.
Would Reformed paedo-baptists even bother to counter Federal Vision doctrine if Reformed Baptists weren't around like pit bulls at the wall of orthodox doctrine? If RBs weren't around forcing you to at least affect a high valuation for sound doctrine you'd all be 7/8 of the way to Rome by now rather than merely half way.
Reformed paedo-baptists are weak (if not contemptuous) of the biblical doctrine and reality of monergistic regeneration effected by the word and the Spirit.
Baptismal regeneration:
Romanists bring it in through the front door in broad daylight.
Lutherans bring it in through the back door in broad daylight.
Reformed paedo-baptists bring it in through the back door in the dark of night.
You see, there *is* a difference there, but the end is the same.
ctrace wrote: "It's a grappling with nonexistent biblical data."
GW: I'd encourage you to read Calvin on the sacraments. You may disagree with his use of the biblical data, but it is certainly not "nonexistent."
ctrace wrote: "Would Reformed paedo-baptists even bother to counter Federal Vision doctrine if Reformed Baptists weren't around like pit bulls at the wall of orthodox doctrine?"
GW: I certainly appreciate my RB brethren who have stood firm against the Federal Vision (which I also oppose). But there are plenty of Reformed Paedo-baptists who likewise oppose the FV, and the idea that they are only doing so in imitation of their RB brethren is questionable at best.
Finally, I noticed you did not even bother to respond to my comments on pscyoanalyzing what we paedobaptists "really" believe, and my comments on the different sense in which one can be "in" the covenant of grace. Instead, you change the subject and focus on FV and baptismal regeneration. If you want to interact about this, it would help if you would at least grant me the courtesy of interacting with the content of my comments. Thanks.
"Reformed paedo-baptists are weak (if not contemptuous) of the biblical doctrine and reality of monergistic regeneration effected by the word and the Spirit."
GW: Genuinely, confessionally Reformed paedobaptists most certainly do affirm and confess the reality of monergistic regeneration effected by the Word and Spirit, and we would deny your charge as utterly baseless and possibly quite uncharitable. Dear brother/sister in Christ, if you are going to show up here to throw around these kinds of blanket statements, broad-brush generalizations and serious accusations against your Reformed paedobaptist brethren, then you will need to back it up with specific, documented examples. (Quoting from proponents of the Federal Vision would not count, since most of us confessional Reformed paedobaptists regard the FV as a "deformed," deviant version of historic Reformed theology.)
Care to offer some quotes (with documented references) by recognized, orthodox Reformed paedobaptist theologians (Calvin, Turretin, Bavinck, Vos, Hodge, Dabney, Warfield, Machen, etc.) which clearly demonstrate that they are "weak" and even "contemptuous" of monergistic regeneration?
I admire that you didn't go the usual route of ignore, delete, ban. Usually when one of us comes charging straight on like this on these subjects it's immediate lights out. You didn't do that, nor did Camden and company do that (assuming they've read this thread), and I admire that.
I've always stated that if paedo-baptists just don't accept baptismal regeneration to any degree then baptizing infants is harmless, with one caveat… If you don't then downgrade valuation for the living, quickening word of God. Because it is the word of God that the Holy Spirit usually (usually but isn't constrained to) uses when regenerating God's elect. The word of God is the wild card in the process. It is the environment where regeneration potentially happens, when it happens. I don't see the first, second, third generation reformers downgrading Scripture in this sense, but later on down the line? The very fact that you've got modern Reformed Christians mocking and ridiculing Christians who hold to the Received Text/Traditional Text is a give away. And it's not that they have no problem with Critical Text constructed Bibles, but that they they actually feel a desire or need to mock and ridicule Christians who hold to the manuscripts and translation(s) of the Reformation era. This is what follows when you downgrade the doctrine of monergistic regeneration by the word and the Spirit. If ritual and man can do it, no need for the word and the Spirit.
Because Reformed systematic theologies are the gold standard for systematic theologies I'm familiar with the internal, external modes of being in the Covenant of Grace; it's just that the latter mode is a bit empty when one is facing death and hardly worth mentioning in any connection with the Covenant of Grace.
There are more than a few modern heretics and false teachers that tend to emerge (and even teach for decades) from Reformed seminaries, and I'm sure they are at the same time sitting in Reformed churches. I don't know what them being 'externally' connected with the Covenant of Grace does for them, or anybody else.
Entrance into the Covenant of Grace is by regeneration. You can't be sort of pregnant.
ctrace: Thank you for your reply. By the way, I can't ban you from this site because this is not "my" site; I just visit it from time to time.
By the way, I apologize if I seemed snippy or sharp in any of my comments. It just bothers me when I feel the position I hold is misrepresented.
About the Word of God: The magisterial Reformers (like the Reformers) and their followers would agree that regeneration (in the sense we are speaking of) is by the Word of God. The Scriptures are the written Word of God, but the "Word" (especially in the sense of gospel) also comes to us in the form of preaching and sacraments. It is primarily through the preaching of God's Word that the elect are brought to saving faith in Christ (Rom. 10:17). The sacraments as the visible "word" proclaim Christ (1 Cor. 11:26); they externally seal and confirm the faith of believers (as circumcision did in the case of believing Abraham – Rom. 4:11). They are not "good works" or merits we offer to God, but God's gifts given to us in grace. The bottom line seems to be this: For our Baptist brethren, the sacraments are about what we do for God (baptism being viewed as primarily a symbolic profession of our faith in Christ, and the Lord's Supper being viewed as our remembrance of what Christ has done for us). For us paedobaptists, the sacraments are primarily about what God graciously does for us in Christ (baptism being primarily a sign of God washing and renewing us through the blood and Spirit of Christ, and the Lord's Supper being a sign of Christ feeding us with the benefits of His Body and Blood). The Baptist view is ultimately man-centered, and thus caters much better to synergism and Arminianism, whereas the Reformed view is God-centered and thus supports Divine monergism and consistent Calvinism.
"Because Reformed systematic theologies are the gold standard for systematic theologies I'm familiar with the internal, external modes of being in the Covenant of Grace; it's just that the latter mode is a bit empty when one is facing death and hardly worth mentioning in any connection with the Covenant of Grace."
GW: You yourself acknowledge that God uses external means (namely, the Word) to communicate His grace to us; so you too acknowledge (at least to some degree) this internal/external mode. God ordinarily chooses to work internally through external means. I agree that the external means of grace in themselves cannot bring comfort to a sinner on his deathbed; but when faithfully administered and blessed by the Spirit of God, they can be of great comfort for they focus the sinner's attention upon Christ and His all-sufficiency. On the other hand, I can think of few things that would strip a convicted, terrified sinner on his deathbed of hope than telling him to look within himself to see if he has the marks of regeneration and is thus "really" connected to the covenant. What he needs to hear is the external Word of the gospel, pointing him outside of himself and his "fruits" to the Lord Jesus Christ and His saving fruits.
Regarding your comments about the Received/Traditional Text, I'm not quite sure what that has to do with the discussion on this thread about whether or not "Reformed Baptists" may properly be described as "Reformed." Reformed paedobaptists hold a range of views on the issue of textual criticism and textus receptus vs. eclectic or critical text.
I appreciate your response, but I have to be honest and state that I never find you paedo-baptist guys to be on-the-mark in your responses and arguments.
To be honest the only way I can see wisdom in the *total* Westminster Standards approach (i.e. including sacramentology) is if one goes into the deep mysteries of time and possible recurrence of time and lives of unbelievers (I know that probably sounds like an electric guitar in the middle of the slow movement of Beethoven's 9th, totally out-of-place here). That idea posits that the intermediate state for unbelievers is Hades (not hell or the lake of fire) and there is recurrence in and out of it until the end of all time or the consummation. Not reincarnation, the same life, the same birth, the same death (not numerous deaths, one death), i.e. living time, yet being dead in your time, dead in sin. Only regeneration by the word and the Spirit gets you out of it. The first resurrection is after a regenerated person dies and goes to be with God in heaven. That would be the intermediate state for believers.
Anyway, I know that sounded crazy, but that is the only way I can see a usefulness for doctrine such as being in and not-in the Covenant of Grace, or of baptizing infants yet supposedly not believing that ritual effects regeneration, etc.
I know regeneration because I've experienced it. I don't and have never been through any of the hand-wringing one hears and reads of where people wonder if they are regenerate or not. And I *have* experienced what is called spiritual desertion, but that is God talking to you, giving you a message, making things a little uncomfortable for you for whatever reason, and I've never associated it with "am I regenerated or not".
My remark about the Received Text was about valuation for the word of God (I stopped capitalizing 'word' in that phrase because someone told me when you capitalize it it should refer to Jesus solely, to each his own discernment on that). I suspect when one disassociates in a real way, just even by small degree, regeneration from the living words of the Old and New Testament then you move towards the Romanist territory where cleric and ritual are exalted above the living words of the Bible and the Holy Spirit Himself. And I see easy acceptance of what I consider to be very shabby manuscripts – Sinaiticus and Vanticanus – as such a downgrade in valuation of the living words of the Old and New Testaments. That was my point there.
I'm not sure you're being fair to Baptists, especially obviously Reformed Baptists, in saying they are man-centered regarding the two sacraments. This notion, too, of the sacraments being what God does for us I believe is a recent epiphany in the Reformed world. I think Michael Horton hits on the point all the time, but in a way where it's like it's just been something that has recently come to consciousness. So it might be unfair to cast Baptists in an opposite light historically in that context as well. I'm with early Zwingli on the sacraments: they are there for people who need the visual. (He was more insulting in the way he put it.)
ctrace wrote: "I know regeneration because I've experienced it. I don't and have never been through any of the hand-wringing one hears and reads of where people wonder if they are regenerate or not."
GW: Thank you for your response. You can be grateful that you've never been through the "hand-wringing" of wondering whether or not you are, in fact, regenerate. As one who has experienced Puritan-induced doubts and terrors of the soul through an over-emphasis on looking to one's personal experience and "fruits," I can assure you it is not pleasant. It was only as God through His Word and sacraments directed my faith outside of myself and to Christ alone that I found (and continue to find) relief and peace of conscience. While I don't deny believers have a personal "experience" of regeneration, such an experience varies according to the different personalities of different believers. (Not all believers have a crisis conversion experience where they can pinpoint the exact time and date of their new birth.) Furthermore, such an experience of regeneration can be counterfeited by the devil, or by self-deception; so looking to find ultimate assurance of regeneration to one's personal experience or in the fruits of regeneration can be dangerously misleading. The Spirit assures us of our adoption through the objective Word (read, preached, and signified in the sacraments). As I believe Calvin once said, we can only discern our election as we look outside ourselves to Jesus Christ alone. The Word and sacraments direct our faith to Him; not to the act of hearing the Word itself or to the sacramental rituals as such.
This is where I have to part company with you. When I hear such a thing from a Pastor it reminds me why there are so many of us street Calvinists who stay away from the physical churches. First of all, when you write 'crisis experience' as if that is the supposed norm you are mocking the very notion of regeneration by the word and the Spirit. You might just as well taken a cue from somebody like Westminster California's R. Scott Clark and said 'burning in the bosom.' You don't want your position to be close to deism. Yes, people have different experiences of regeneration; and people who grow up going to a church will be different by default; but anybody can look back over their life and see a clear before and after. Do you pray? That alone shows a new nature. Prior to regeneration your fallen nature refuses to recognize anything higher than it. Prayer by default recognizes something higher than ourselves, God Himself. What created us is higher than us. Do you value the Bible as something more than just any other book? Do you read it? Complete. Dedicated readings? Do you find that you have a love for other Christians when before you mocked them? These are all very easy to discern signs of regeneration. The Faith is not a hall of mirrors.
ctrace writes: "This is where I have to part company with you. When I hear such a thing from a Pastor it reminds me why there are so many of us street Calvinists who stay away from the physical churches. First of all, when you write 'crisis experience' as if that is the supposed norm you are mocking the very notion of regeneration by the word and the Spirit."
GW: Be assured that I was not trying "mock" you or "the very notion of regeneration by the word and the Spirit," and I apologize that you got that impression. Please do try to read my comments more carefully, and in context, and be willing to give me the benefit of the doubt before assuming the worst spin on my words.
From your comments above I think we actually have much more in common than you realize. I agree with you that a desire to pray, a high esteem of the Scriptures as God's Word, etc., are marks of regeneration. And, yes, to answer your questions, I do pray, I read the Word, and I love God's Word and God's people. At the same time, I have to confess (with sadness in my heart and shame) that my prayers are often cold, my reading of the Word is sometimes rote, and I wrestle at times with uncharitable thoughts toward my brethren. Furthermore, even before I heard the clear gospel and was converted I was very "religious" and prayed quite a bit. Even read my Bible with a degree of intellectual interest, and even felt some degree of conviction for my sins. My point is that the "fruits of regeneration" are not always so obvious as you suggest, even among the truly regenerate; likewise, fleshly counterfeits to such fruits exist among the unregenerate. I am not saying this to "mock" regeneration, but to point out that discerning the fruits of regeneration are not always as "easy" as your comments seem to suggest. (Which accounts for why even truly regenerate believers may sometimes wrestle with doubts about their salvation and may be lacking in a fully robust assurance of salvation. And which is also why I stress the primacy of the outward, ordinary, objective means of grace in helping us to gain a fuller assurance of our regenerate condition.)
One comment you make that I will take some strong exception to is your comment about "street Calvinists" who stay away from "physical churches." If, by this comment, you are saying that it is OK for believers who are "street Calvinists" (not sure exactly what that's suppose to mean) to forsake the local, public assembly of the visible church, then we defintely part company on that one. Unless one is providentially hindered from attending a local, visible expression of the Body of Christ (i.e., a "physical church") by circumstances beyond his control (for example, if one is imprisoned or lives in an area where he has no access to a true visible church), then one is morally obligated by God's Word not to forsake the public assembly of the church (Heb. 10:25), and to submit to the leadership of the church (Heb. 13:17; a command that implies that one is a member of the church, and thus subject to the godly leadership of that church). A professing believer who refuses to be involved in the "physical church" is not showing the fruit of regeneration at that point, for one of the fruits of regeneration is love for the Christian brotherhood, which implies a desire and willingness to be a vital, living part of that brotherhood. Lone ranger "Christians" who refuse to attend and join a local expression of the visible church are living in open defiance against the Lordship of Christ, and in open disobedience to the requirements of God's Word; all of which gives us the right to question their claim to be regenerate.
On your last paragraph: do you attend a Roman Catholic Church? No? Why not?
Apply that to churches today, and to your very attitude in your last paragraph.
Street Calvinists are not lone rangers, we are many. And we tend to communicate one way or another. It's natural. It just happens.
Prophets, priests, and kings, on the battlefield, congregating, trading notes, inspiring by each others' very presence and effort on the Way. In a gathering of kings no one lords it over on anyone else. And no one expects 'respect' as a 'teacher.' (You're ordained? Ordained by what?) You either have something to offer that others recognize as valuable or you don't.
We also have the accumulated wisdom of Christians that have gone before us, their works vetted by time. We tend to be inwardly motivated to learn. We actively learn.
Physical churches are not protection from the Kingdom of Satan, nor are they places of learning. They tend to be as worldly as the world. Look at the 'family time environment' they've become for Reformed types. That's not the faith. The full armor of God is protection from the Kingdom of Satan, and an active desire to learn from the word of God itself and from the most on-the-mark school of theology (apostolic biblical doctrine recovered during the Reformation era) and most on-the-mark sources in that school is how one learns. Getting to the practical level requires further effort and using what the Holy Spirit Himself gives us: discernment for truth and a desire to find that truth.
The Bible is not clear on issues of sacramentology and ecclesiology. And when the Bible is not clear on something it is *intentionally* not clear. (When a John Owen, a John Bunyan, and a John Calvin can all disagree you know what I'm saying.) It is because different eras of God's plan of redemption call for different things in those areas. House church? cathedral? Elijah alone in a cave? big difference. The shallow will resort to man and ritual over the word and the Spirit every time. It's also what the Devil wants. (See Roman Catholic Church.) God's elect know the so-called 'sacraments' have deeper meaning, deeper application. Coming up with a new theory that "It's not about you!!!" (Michael Horton's new mantra to stave off the charges of deism he and his colleagues have been receiving) is not going to work.
I notice the new catechism the Anglican church has put out, the one edited by J. I. Packer, as a part where it acknowledges the deeper mysteries of the faith, and mentions it in the context of one's further understanding as one develops and matures in the faith. God doesn't want you stunted. He also doesn't want you in shallow environments. He wants you in the full armor of God, on the battlefield, awake, with gratitude over resentment for everything, all the time. In that I can discern all the so-called 'means of grace.' Yet as they are at the practical, real level.
ctrace wrote: "On your last paragraph: do you attend a Roman Catholic Church? No? Why not?"
GW: Because the RC Church does not manifest the marks of a true visible church: namely, the faithful preaching of God's Word, especially the pure gospel of sola fide; the right administration of the sacraments; and the exercise of loving biblical church discipline (though even in the Roman communion there are vestiges of the ministry of word and sacrament).
A question for you: Hebrews 13:17 says, "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you." (ESV) In the context of this passage this is speaking of spiritual leaders in the church (such as pastors and elders). Are you obeying this command of Scripture? How so? Who are your "leaders" if you do not belong in responsible membership to a true visible local church?
If you are not a member of a true visible church (one that bears the marks of the church mentioned above) in submission to godly leadership, and there are such churches in your area, then you are disobeying this clear command from the mouth of the Almighty (and related commands). If you are regenerate then the Holy Spirit will (sooner or later) convict you for your disobedience, and you will repent and desire to seek responsible, loyal membership in a local expression of the Body of Christ. If you are unregenerate, you will rage and fume and resist this command of God's Word and make excuses for your disobedience.
ctrace wrote: "The Bible is not clear on issues of sacramentology and ecclesiology. And when the Bible is not clear on something it is *intentionally* not clear. (When a John Owen, a John Bunyan, and a John Calvin can all disagree you know what I'm saying.)"
GW: Granted, Bible-believing Christians have differences on some of the details of these matters. But the Bible IS clear that Christ has ordained a visible order and government for His church. Look at the pattern in the Book of Acts: The gospel is preached, converts are made and baptized, organized churches are established, and eventually local elders are appointed. Consider the proceedings of the Council of Jerusalem, as recorded in Acts 15 (and whose conclusions were regarded as binding on all of the churches, showing a connectionalism that runs contrary to notions of independency and anti-churchism). Consider also the Pastoral Epistles (First & Second Timothy, Titus), which gives instructions in how things are to be run in the church of God and which lays down qualifications for church office bearers (bishops/presbyters, deacons).
ctrace wrote: "The shallow will resort to man and ritual over the word and the Spirit every time."
GW: Setting the Word and Spirit over against the means of grace that Christ has entrusted to His visible church (i.e., the ministry of the Word and sacraments) is a false dichotomy. No faithful visible church exalts ritual and man above the Word of God. Rather, it faithfully administers the Word through preaching, teaching, church discipline and sacraments. It is not "shallow" to diligently use the means of grace in the fellowship of the visible church; on the contrary, those who would reject the ordinary means of grace and visible church membership are the ones who manifest spiritual shallowness and immaturity.
ctrace wrote: "Physical churches are not protection from the Kingdom of Satan, nor are they places of learning. They tend to be as worldly as the world."
GW: It is true that, in the words of the Westminster Confession, "The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated, as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan." (25.5) (Christians in liberal or apostate communions should "come out and be separate" from those communions, and align themselves with faithful churches.) But it is also true that, "Nevertheless, there shall be always a church on earth, to worship God according to his will."
Regarding "physical churches" not being a "protection from the Kingdom of Satan," that is not the case if we are talking about local manifestations of the true visible church. When the Apostle Paul ordered the excommunication of the man who was guilty of incest, such church discipline would have the effect of delivering the sinning man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh (although in the hopes that this discipline would lead to his repentance and thus his ultimate salvation — 1 Cor. 5:3-5). To be cut off by discipline, or to refuse through one's own choice connection with, the visible church, is to live in the realm of Satan. And while Christ alone saves, and not the church, nevertheless as the Westminster Confession of Faith (and all historically Reformed believers) affirms, outside of the church "there is no ordinary possibility of salvation" (WCF 25.2). To attack or denigrate the visible church is to despise our spiritual "mother." Under ordinary providential circumstances, he who does not have the church as his "mother" does not have God as his Father.
See my blog article "No salvation outside the church?" for further explanation of this: http://lakeopc.net/2013/no-salvation-outside-the-church/
Every Romanist e-pologist quotes Heb. 13:17. As a Protestant I direct them to Heb. 13:7 for the reason *why* they would have authority. Because they have the word of God. Back then, not everybody had a nice Cambridge, leather-bound Bible with complete New Testament. Today we do. If one finds authority in anything *other than* the word of God then we are back in the Roman Beast communion.
Priesthood of all believers, the most hated – recovered – doctrine of the Reformation era.
You're a Christian? Then you are a prophet, priest, and king. Jesus Christ says He doesn't want anybody lording it over anybody else in His Church of which He is King.
As for no salvation outside a church building, listen to Louis Berkhof: "The Essence of the Church. There is quite a difference of opinion between Roman Catholics and Protestants as to the essential nature of the Church. The former find its essence in the Church as an external and visible organization. And this organization, strictly speaking, does not consist of the whole body of the faithful that constitute their Church, but of the hierarchy, consisting of the priests together with the higher orders of bishops, archbishops, cardinals, and the Pope. They distinguish this body as the "teaching church" from the common body of believers as the "learning" or "hearing church." This hierarchical body shares directly in the glorious attributes of the Church, such as its unity, holiness, catholicity, and apostolicity, while the general body of believers is adorned with these only indirectly. Theoretically Roman Catholics still hold to the principle that there is no salvation outside of their external organization, though the facts often constrain them to modify it in various ways. The Reformation reacted against this external conception of the Church and sought the essence of the Church in the invisible and spiritual communion of the saints. This Church includes the believers of all ages and no one else, and outside of it there is no salvation. It is the spiritual body of Jesus Christ, destined to reflect the glory of God as this is manifested in the work of redemption."
Berkhof, Louis (2009-10-15). Manual of Christian Doctrine (pp. 280-281). Eerdmans Publishing Co – A. Kindle Edition.
Listen to Warfield: "Previously, men had looked to the Church for all the trustworthy knowledge of God obtainable, and as well for all the communications of grace accessible. Calvin taught them that neither function has been committed to the Church, but God the Holy Spirit has retained both in His own hands and confers both knowledge of God and communion with God on whom He will."
I used to have a quote from John Bunyan where he set an Anglican judge straight who, with furious authority, was demanding to know why Bunyan hadn't joined himself to a local church. Bunyan said he didn't see it commanded in Scripture. The incensed judge was part of the ecclesiastical structure of authority who had sentenced Bunyan to prison for many years for preaching in the open air and other grievous 'anti-Christian' crimes.
Let's remember that's we're not Romanists. There is salvation outside buildings. We have a Father in heaven, the invisible Church of which Christ is King is not our 'mother.' Romanists have a 'mother church', Protestants are born of the word and the Spirit.
ctrace wrote: "Priesthood of all believers, the most hated – recovered – doctrine of the Reformation era.
"You're a Christian? Then you are a prophet, priest, and king. Jesus Christ says He doesn't want anybody lording it over anybody else in His Church of which He is King."
GW: Yes, I agree with the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, and believe that in Chirst I am a prophet, priest and king. And I agree with the substance of the quotes from Berkhof and Warfield regarding the essence of the church being internal and spiritual. At the same time, the Reformers never understood this doctrine as something that undermined the visible organized church, its ordinary ministry of word and sacraments, or its government by pastor/bishops and elders. Calvin wrote (in Institutes Book IV.I.4 in the section "The visible church as mother of believers"): "For there is no other way to enter into life unless this mother (he is speaking of the visible – NOT the invisible – church – GLW) conceive us in her womb, give us birth, nourish us at her breast, and lastly, unless she keep us under her care and guidance until, putting off mortal flesh, we become like the angels [Matt. 22:30]…Furthermore, away from her bosom one cannot hope for any forgiveness of sins or any salvation…(Calvin quotes various Scriptures to support his argument – GLW)…By these words God's fatherly favor and the especial witness of spiritual life are limited to his flock, so that it is always disastrous to leave the church." (p. 1016, Volume 2, Edited by John T. McNeill, The Westminster Press)
ctrace wrote: "Let's remember that's we're not Romanists. There is salvation outside buildings. We have a Father in heaven, the invisible Church of which Christ is King is not our 'mother.' Romanists have a 'mother church', Protestants are born of the word and the Spirit."
GW: You twist my words. I have never defended "no salvation outside of church buildings." The visible church is not a building, and to suggest that that is what I was saying is to demonstrate that you are either not really reading my comments carefully and in context, or you are not really interested in considering what I have to say.
What I do affirm is that there is no "ordinary" possibility of salvation outside of the fellowship of the visible church, which is a gathering of God's professing people where the Word is preached, sacraments are administered, public prayer is offered, and discipline & order are maintained. Such a visible church can meet in a cathedral, in a home, or in the catacombs. The meeting facility is irrelevant.
The "invisible church" is simply the church as God sees it; but it comes to visible manifestation in this present age in visible organized churches (churches that we can see, with real flesh and blood people who assemble together to observe the ordinances of God). Most of the New Testament Epistles were written to visible churches with actual addresses (the church in Corinth, the church in Rome, the churches of Galatia, etc.), not to some disembodied "invisible church" that can only be infallibly known to God.
So, back to my questions based on Heb. 13:17 – Who are YOUR spiritual "leaders"? How are YOU obeying this commandment? Which local visible church of Jesus Christ do YOU belong to? And if you don't belong to a local biblical church, why not? Are you too good, too "spiritual" for the visible church? Are you too high and holy to be involved with ordinary, flawed sinners like us regular church members? It's easy to criticize the visible church today (which I concede is rife with many problems, weaknesses and flaws) from a comfortable distance. But if you think the visible church today is so flawed, then why not get connected with a local body and seek to contribute your spiritual gifts to the body so you can be part of the solution?
You're a selective quoter of what I write. Let's talk of your notion of authority. By your reading of Heb. 13:17 you put authority in man. As demonstrated (referencing Heb. 13:7) I put authority in the very word of God. So does the entire biblical witness.
You give lip service to this that and the other, but then u-turn and come back to the demands we have heard emanating out of the dark recesses of that condemned building in Rome.
Again, issues of ecclesiology and sacramentology will tend to be all over the board because the Bible is simply not clear on them (and intentionally so, as explained above), and also because the reformers 1) had difficultly scraping all the fat and grease off their plates after exiting the Roman Catholic domain; and 2) considered the various 'anabapstist' confusions to be as evil if not more evil than Rome. A questionable conclusion, but it influenced their scatter shot statements on sacraments and church polity.
Having said the above the reason I admire Calvin is because he understood regeneration by the word and the Spirit. Foundationally he had it right, even if politically he was a bit overwrought. Then you find Calvin in less known works sounding a bit more early-Zwinglian on the subject of sacraments: "In popery, baptism is like a charm, because they think there is no salvation, except by the water. [Y]et it is a diabolical opinion that baptism is able of itself to save us." John Calvin's Sermons on Ephesians, Banner of Truth, pg. 580. In fact his 40th Sermon on Ephesians is a bit of an embarrassment for any who would state Calvin was more like that Anglican judge I described above than like John Bunyan when all is said and done. There's a difference when you're in a war to the death, and a two-front war at that, than when you are free to be less political and base your statements less on the real and dangerous contingencies of war.
I've never felt moved of the Spirit to join a church. I have felt moved of the Spirit to read the Bible and to get an understanding of God's plan of redemption, parts in relation to the whole. Once regenerated I found myself in the Church of which Christ is King. And, as stated, regenerate Christians find each other, even when we aren't trying. We talk, we inspire each other, we commune. When Jesus said wherever two or more meet in my name He meant it. I have felt moved of the Spirit to learn spiritual battle, and to find sources that teach me of such battle and of the battlefield itself. This is part of the Spirit's work inside a Christian. The body of Christ is described just as that, with some being the hand, the arms, the eyes, etc.
There is much to the model of church you hold to that is not biblical but merely of tradition. Sermons, for one, are an impractical way to learn or teach anything. One man talking to a passive group in itself can hardly be found to be in the biblical framework. The making of church a family thing is remarkably unbiblical (and I'm not talking about having families present, but defining your environment as a family environment, etc.). Jesus Himself would be suspect in such church environments. The notion of 'lay' people, language used by just about every Protestant cleric I've come across. It is wholly unbiblical. The keeping of people at a nursery level. Taking the metaphor of sheep literally. The Bible tells us we are kings. Kings aren't sheep. And in that metaphor Jesus is the Shepherd. And the only 'vicar' of Christ on earth is the Holy Spirit. No man. The whole notion of minsters 'mediating' the faith between
God and 'sheep' is as unbiblical as it gets. There is one Mediator between God and man, and that is Jesus Christ.
I assume now you will carefully cut and paste little portions of what I've written, and it will go on and on, but I think it's clear where we stand.
Dear ctrace: I have appreciated our dialogue, but I am sorry that we are having so much trouble communicating with each other. Given this difficulty, this will probably be my last communication with you in this context (I'll let you have the last word).
I notice once again that you dismiss my appeal to Heb. 13:17 and accuse me of being a "selective quoter." But I did not merely cite this verse in my overall argumentation; I also referred you to the pattern in the Book of Acts and to the Pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus), which clearly refer to a leadership structure in the New Testament church (elders/bishops and deacons), ordinances for public worship (for example, 1 Tim. 2 requires intercessory prayer in the church, and prohibits women from exercising official teaching authority), and so forth. I mentioned the Council in Jerusalem (Acts 15). You respond, not by actually interacting carefully with these Scriptural considerations, but by ignoring them, claiming (wrongly) that I have Romanist leanings, and talk about "lording it over the flock." (By the way, I believe that leaders in the church should be "servant leaders," not prelates or popes who demand that their subjects bow and kiss their rings. Faithful church officers will seek to lead by example and to lay down their life for the "sheep" entrusted to their care – 1 Pet. 5:1-2.) It's a bit frustrating to try to have a dialogue with someone who simply refuses to interact with one's actual arguments, and who instead constantly constructs straw men of his opponent's arguments.
The early church in Jerusalem (made up of converts won to Christ by Peter's Pentecost sermon) sets the authoritative pattern for what the church does when it gathers for worship: "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." (Acts 2:42) "The apostles' teaching" involved the preaching and teaching of the Word. (Listening to the faithful preaching of the Word is not merely a "passive" activity, as you suggest. It is an active, reverent, worshipful listening to God's Word.) "Fellowship" may involve acts of religious worship, or perhaps the collection of alms. In this context "the breaking of bread" is probably referring to the Lord's Supper. And the definite article in "the prayers" likely indicates corporate, liturgical-style praying (which is what these Jewish converts to Christ were used to in their synagogues). Basically a Word and sacrament ministry under the oversight of special officers (in these circumstances, the apostles). Sounds like the basic elements of a church worship service to me.
ctrace wrote: "I've never felt moved of the Spirit to join a church. I have felt moved of the Spirit to read the Bible and to get an understanding of God's plan of redemption, parts in relation to the whole. Once regenerated I found myself in the Church of which Christ is King."
GW: My friend, here's the problem: The Spirit "moves" us by the Word, and the Word commands us to obey our spiritual leaders (real, servant leaders who lead by the Word of God, not false shepherds who lead by the words of men). Such obedience implies some kind of leadership structure in the church and special church officers (like pastors, elders and deacons, which the New Testament mentions on numerous occasions). The Holy Spirit will not "move" you to disobey the very Word He inspired (2 Tim. 3:16-17). God is a God of order, and the Spirit brings order out of chaos; so the Holy Spirit is not opposed to order and structure in His visible church. And it is not the Holy Spirit who "moves" you to feel spiritually superior to church members in faithful churches by judging them to be unworthy of your association and fellowship. The Spirit of God does not inspire or cater to such mystical elitism. I am not God and cannot pronounce judgment on your soul, but if you have no desire to obey God's Word in its clear requirement to be connected to an expression of the visible church, then you can have no genuine, biblical right to feel assurance that you belong to Christ's invisible body, and the credibility of your profession of faith is suspect. "By their fruits ye shall know them." I would urge you, dear sinner, to repent of your unteachable attitude and hardness of heart, and to seek out a faithful biblical fellowship in your area where you can be spiritually shepherded by faithful servant leaders who will watch out for your soul as faithful undershepherds of Christ.
I would also encourage you to read "Why We Love The Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion" by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2009). You can order it here: http://www.amazon.com/Why-Love-Church-Institutions-Organized/dp/0802458378
Thank you again for this interaction. I wish you all the best.
In the service of King Jesus,
Geoff Willour


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Ever noticed how certain things in Naruto can go unquestioned because we don't really take heed to that part of the anime?... for example....
When going to rescue Gaara, Team Gai along with Kakashi, had radio transmitters when they tried to breach the seal on the entrance of the Akatsuki hideout. You'd think that there could atleast be satellite as well for allied countries to communicate instead of sending bald eagles or frogs or any kind of summoned animal to relay a message... especially in times of emergency.
But then again, the makers seem to make it as though it's natural, and not out of place. There's a good balance between the modern-ness of the setting along with some good old- fashion ninja background.
Just a comment... Ciao

subset: commoncrawl


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Glee's Fifth Season Opener To Feature Beatles TunesAugust 30, 2013
Glee's Fifth Season Opener To Feature Beatles Tunes
Here's the Spoilers For Glee Posted by TV Scoop Team at E! Online on August 29th, 2013.
Kate: Keep the Glee spoilers rolling! I need them to survive until the premiere!
A source revealed to us that two of the Beatles songs in the season-five opener are "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Yesterday." Speculate away on who will be singing what and to whom. Also, Glee is currently looking for a new high school star that will be a major recurring role. As always, this new man will be an excellent singer and dancer and most likely super cute. New glee club member on the way?
Glee returns with episode 5×01 on Thursday Sep. 26th, 2013 9/8c on FOX.
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Townsend wrote:Should have had an Axeman.
GoodProphets wrote:Brilliant!
I have nightmares about forgetting about ashes and going down to see that,
and that is exactly how I would think that it would look like.
To have a tenant take care of ashes, make em sign a form that says $50 less month rent each month
that it is emptied.
And all costs to fix/repair/replace if they forget.
Maybe an alarm clock could help in this situation?
Time to make the donuts...errr change the ash bin. haha
Townsend wrote:The Axeman ash tray would not have done that. Well Mike, looks like the Axeman has one up on your beloved EFM.The Axeman would still likely be there. Looks like one less EFM for sure though. Must be killing you inside!!!
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Get an overview of this hotelFamily-friendly guesthouse with full-service spa and free breakfast
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Special Offer: Book by 2 August 2017 and collect double Nectar points!
Simply enter your Nectar card number when you check out. Your points will be credited 35 days after you return from your trip.
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Popular property highlights
Set in Marrakech, this family-friendly guesthouse is within 9 mi (15 km) of Museum Palmeraie, Le Jardin Secret, and Jamaa el Fna. Agdal Gardens and Dar Si Said Museum are also within 9 mi (15 km).
Property Features
Along with a full-service spa, this smoke-free guesthouse has a restaurant and an indoor pool. Free WiFi in public areas, free self parking, and a free airport shuttle are also provided. Other amenities include an outdoor pool, a fitness center, and a coffee shop/café.
Room Amenities
All 10 rooms feature thoughtful touches like bathrobes and slippers, along with conveniences such as sitting areas and refrigerators. Patios and 24-hour room service are standard, as are flat-screen TVs with cable channels.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
L Mansion Guest Palace
Guest House Amenities
Guest House Amenities
In addition to a full-service spa, L Mansion Guest Palace features an outdoor tennis court and an indoor pool. The guesthouse offers a restaurant and a coffee shop/café. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast. Public areas are equipped with complimentary wireless Internet access.
This luxury guesthouse also offers an outdoor pool, a spa tub, and a fitness center. Onsite self parking is complimentary.
L Mansion Guest Palace is a smoke-free property.
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Free airport transportation
- Barbecue grill(s)
- Coffee shop or café
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Express check-in
- Express check-out
- Fitness facilities
- Full-service spa
- Turkish bath/Hammam
- Hair salon
- Free WiFi
- Total number of rooms - 10
- Laundry facilities
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Number of floors - 2
- Multilingual staff
- Restaurant
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Free self parking
- Tennis on site
- Outdoor tennis court
- Sauna
- Smoke-free property
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Spa tub
- Steam room
- Supervised childcare/activities
- Indoor pool
- Outdoor pool
- Television in common areas
- Wedding services
- Free breakfast
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Indoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Outdoor tennis court
- Laundry facilities
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Refrigerator
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
- DVD player
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Premium TV channels
- DVD player
- Premium bedding
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- Separate sitting area
- Patio
- Access via exterior corridors
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Free local calls
- Refrigerator
- Minibar
- Coffee/tea maker
- Free bottled water
- Daily housekeeping
- Turndown service
- Private bathroom
- Designer toiletries
- Bidet
- In-room massage available
- Slippers
- Shower/tub combination
- Bathrobes
- Hair dryer
- In-room safe
- Cable TV service
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Flat-panel TV
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Room service (24 hours)
Where to Eat
A complimentary breakfast is offered.
The Moroccan - This poolside restaurant specializes in Moroccan cuisine. Guests can enjoy alfresco dining (weather permitting).
Late night fare is available from 24-hour room service.
Nearby Things to Do
An indoor pool, an outdoor pool, and a spa tub are on site. Other recreational amenities include an outdoor tennis court, a sauna, and a fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Golfing nearby
- Snowboarding nearby
- Kayaking nearby
- Mountain biking nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Bicycle rentals nearby
- Scooter/moped rentals nearby
- Parasailing nearby
- Golf lessons available nearby
Spa Services
Guests can indulge in a pampering treatment at the guesthouse's full-service spa. Services include massages, facials, body scrubs, and body treatments. The spa is equipped with a sauna and Turkish bath/hammam. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including aromatherapy.
- Sauna in spa
- Massages
- Body scrubs
- Aromatherapy treatments
- Body treatments
- Facial treatments
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
Guest House Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- Pets allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Guest house Name
- L Mansion Guest Palace
- L Mansion Guest Palace House
- L Mansion Guest Palace House Marrakech
- L Mansion Guest Palace Marrakech
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


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April 4, Enmore Theatre
Stuff that fancy electronic music, forget about the flashing lights and explosions. Take it back to the sweaty, gritty, Australian pub.
Hunters and Collectors easily sold out two nights at the Enmore Theatre but the legendary Australian band belongs nowhere better than the local.
It's hard to compete these days, when the music world reinvents itself every five minutes. (Even the Hunnas themselves have been reinvented through the recently released album Crucible, a collection of the band's best songs performed by the likes of the Living End, Birds of Tokyo, Neil Finn and Paul Kelly.)
Many fans would argue it's not even a competition - what could beat good, old-fashioned rock music? But on stage in front of a packed Enmore Theatre, it was difficult for the pub routine to cut it.
Seven band members, including the three-piece horn section, pumped out hit after hit with the same volume, the same intensity and the same emotion. There was the obligatory ballad (What's a Few Men?), the sing-alongs (Holy Grail and Throw Your Arms Around Me) and the popular nods to both the mid-'80s peak (Stuck on You and Say Goodbye) and the end (True Believers from their last album in 1998).
Mark Seymour, dressed in black, was thrashing around, the band was getting sweaty and it was all good fun. The guitars drove hard in Blind Eye, Seymour's voice pierced loudly over This Morning and the crowd lapped up Dog, as the hard-workin' classic mushroomed into an all-out extended rock-a-thon.
But there was something that stopped them from ever tearing the roof down. The show never quite left safe ground - but perhaps that was the aim. Forget that modern-day greed for bigger, better and newer each time. Does a live show need to be anything more than a great night out with a great band? If only we were in the pub.


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"That was never what I said or anything. I don't know who said that, but it wasn't me. My thoughts were I was waiting to see what happened with Rashad [Evans] and Phil Davis. That was the only thing I was going to wait for… I don't know what the plan is, but I'd fight whoever it is they think would be a good match-up. The problem is there's really nobody right now who fits the bill for a title contention fight, that would make sense to fight me. I don't know. Maybe I'd fight at a different weight class. I don't know if they see anybody at heavyweight that would make sense? But I would prefer to fight someone in April or May… Who do the fans want me to fight at heavyweight? I'd have to think about that. I don't know who at heavyweight would even make sense. The heavyweights that are in title contention right now wouldn't want to fight me. I don't know who is out there, but I did let the UFC know I'd be open to that as well."
MMA legend, Dan Henderson tells ESPN that he does not want to wait for a title shot. He would rather take on a heavyweight or top 205 contender while Rashad Evans vs. Jon Jones plays out.
This contradicts earlier statements from Dana White saying that Dan wants to wait for the Evans vs. Jones winner.
Read More: Dan Henderson (News), UFC (News), UFC 145: Jones vs. EvansTags: featured, MMA NEWS, Strikeforce, strikeforce news, ufc news


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You have 9 different subjects, and each of them consists of 9 images.
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If you love this week's Pantone star African Violet, and are looking for a flawless way to incorporate it into your wedding day, look no further. Cakes and desserts are a beautiful place to play up your wedding colors, and we cannot get enough of the purple pops in this confection from Sylvia Weinstock Cakes in New York. Isn't it lovely?
December 18


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Chen CD, Podvin S, Gillespie E, Leeman SE, Abraham CR. Insulin stimulates the cleavage and release of the extracellular domain of Klotho by ADAM10 and ADAM17. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Dec 11;104(50):19796-801. PubMed.
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A Market With No Memory
After two days of very bearish action the market reverted to the behavior the bulls have enjoyed most of the year. To start the day it totally ignored a huge drop in Japan. It opened down just slightly and then slowly ramped up and gained momentum all day. To cap things off, the Fed's mouthpiece at the Wall Street Journal posted an article late in the day that the Fed will likely to try to convince the market not to worry about tapering the bond-buying program.
Technically, volume wasn't very impressive but it returned to Wednesday's highs and there was solid support at the 50-day simple moving average. As long as it stays above that level, the bears are going to have a tough time....1094 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
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Area receives $61K in drilling impact fees
Another round of state drilling-impact fees means more than $61,000 will come to Penn-Trafford School District communities in early July.
Collectively, the municipalities are getting 6.6 percent more than last year's allotment based on a formula that accounts for drilling within and near a community's borders.
This is the third year of funding from the state Public Utility Commission following the creation of the fee in 2012 by state lawmakers.
Statewide, the fee generated $225.8 million in 2013, up 11.4 percent from 2012.
Locally, Penn Township leads the way with $49,340, followed by Manor, $7,269; Trafford, $3,269; and Penn Borough, $1,289.
Penn Township already has budgeted the money for its $1.36-million summer road-paving project, finance director Linda Iams said. Last year, the township used some of its funding for the installation of a prefabricated temporary bridge on Saunders Station Road.
After reserving $14,114 from the two previous rounds of funding in a separate account, Manor Council spent the first $4,576 in May for two Motorola radios for the borough's emergency operations center. Manager Joe Lapia said council hasn't yet discussed how to spend the remaining money, but officials anticipated discussing road-paving options at their meeting on Wednesday night before deadline for this issue.
Trafford's practice has been to pledge the impact fees and other revenues from gas wells in the borough to the recreation account, Manager Jeff McLaughlin said.
Chris Foreman is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-856-7400, ext. 8671, or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Fashion Designer FRANK SORBIER, date of creation: 1990 Colleagues, journalists, professionals, buyers, all agree on the perfect technique of Franck Sorbier"s collections, particularly on his choice of fabrics, the clean cut quality of his workmanship and above all his refined details. Franck Sorbier"s main aim is to fulfill with his realizations the feminity of the woman he dresses. His consummate taste was mastered while working on different collections (woman, man, accessories) for Le Printemps, Mafia, Nelli Rodi, Li Edelkoort and couturiers such as Thierry Mugler and Chantal Thomas.
He now realizes all his models at his premises. The showroom becomes a boutique on Saturdays only where private clients can order custom made dresses for special occasions. Inspired and guided by everyday"s life, always with a touch of humor or a glimpse of tenderness, Franck Sorbier creates feminity.
Jackets, columm or mermaid dresses, pants, skirts, coats, umbrellas and scarves, emphasize the many beautiful facets of a woman. Though adaptable to whoever wears them, the models of Franck Sorbier bear a recognizable, strong and insolent style. His prints, embroideries, hand painted fabrics, ornamental diversions allow him to further exalt the eternal woman.
For Fall 2012 designers are inspired by a wide range of influences, from the elaborate details of brocade and metallic gold embellishments to the dynamic mix of military chic and power pantsuits. Colo
By Courtney Lynne
I am an analyst by profession and researching is my passion. I also love to share my knowledge. Contact me on Google + and Twitter. Find us on Google+


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Toshiba is about to say farewell to HD DVD after a long hard battle. HD DVD was originally developed and designed to be the successor to regular DVDs, and they officially launched in the United States back on April 18, 2006. Their biggest problem all along has been Sony's Blu-ray, their direct competitor which launched a few months after they did. The battle between the two has been a fierce one and both had their allies for quite some time. It seems as though the biggest shift came in January right before CES and then it quickly went downhill from there.
Toshiba hasn't officially announced their decision to end HD DVD, but sources inside the company say it's coming. Reuters reports that someone at Toshiba told them anonymously that they have "entered the final stage of planning to make our exit from the next generation DVD business." The formal announcement is expected next week. This news has some people celebrating because finally, the format war (which has been compared to the Betamax-VHS battle of the 80s) is over. Others aren't too happy because they invested money in HD DVD players as well as movies and at this point, those players will be about useless.
Over the last several months, there has been a lot in the news regarding the battle. At different points, it looked like HD DVD was on top. At other times, Blu-ray looked like it was the winner. Let's take a look:
- Blockbuster lends support to Blu-ray (6-18-2007)
- Five Free Blu-ray Movies with Blu-ray Player Purchase (6-29-2007)
- Five Free Movies with Xbox HD DVD Player (7-26-2007)
- Paramount Chooses HD DVD Over Blu-ray (8-21-2007)
- Warner Brothers Says Adios to HD DVD (1-7-2008)
- Blu-ray Destined to be the HD Winner? (1-10-2008)
- Netflix Dumping HD DVD too? (2-11-2008)
- HD DVD… Another One Bites the Dust (2-15-2008)
It's nice that there's finally a clear winner, but we don't believe Blu-ray is set to take-off like crazy. DVDs are still the preferred choice by the majority of people because they are more affordable. Blu-ray players are much more expensive, not to mention the Blu-ray discs themselves are pricier than regular DVDs. It'll definitely take some time before Blu-ray is able to convince the masses to spend the money upgrading to a new player and new movies.
Rest in peace HD DVD.


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In Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, what is revealed about the dystopian element of censorship in chapter 12?
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It isn't until after Bernard's party flops in chapter 12 that Huxley shows the element of censorship. The Controller, Mustafa Mond, reads an essay entitled "A New Theory of Biology" that is written by someone else in the society. Mond is actually impressed with the work, but does not authorize its publication due to the fact that it is "heretical and, so far as the present social order is concerned, dangerous and potentially subversive" (211). It is then clarified to the reader that Mond's reasons for not authorizing the document pivot on the fact that the document presents a sense of purpose to be explored. Mond's society doesn't want people to find a sense of purpose for living because then that would create curiosity in other aspects of life rather than the mere goal to live in a state of pleasure. Hence, censorship is one of the main ways to control the populace in a dystopian society. By controlling what they read, the Controller can then control what they think.


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By matthew ritter
From: West Campton, New Hampshire
May 16, 2012
|ooh look at Fall from Grace...
By Jerry Handren
May 16, 2012
Fall from Grace
More than likely the nicest pure arete climb in New Hampshire. An extravaganza of desperate slapping, at the top end of the grade (12b). The bolting was a little sporty because there just weren't many clipping stances.
FA Jerry Handren, Chris Gill. June 1988.
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" Prehistoric monument near Avebury in Wiltshire. "
The landscape around Avebury in Wiltshire is one of extremes and excess; longer, higher, larger, most numerous and most concentrated are all terms that can be easily applied to the abundance of ancient sites that crowd into a relatively small area between Marlborough and Calne. Silbury Hill occupies a unique place even in this special setting - as well as being the largest surviving prehistoric man-made structure anywhere in Europe (indeed, nothing higher than it was made in Britain until the middle ages), it could creditably lay claim to being the most puzzling of them all. There it sits next to the A4, towering over passing traffic and the rolling hills of the surrounding countryside like a giant upturned pudding bowl. It is an outlandish sight, even in a landscape liberally peppered with the results of ancient activity, the purposes of which have been lost in the mists of time.
The hill is in fact over 4,000 years old, with building having begun on it around 2,400BC. This time was an age of short (by our standards) life-spans and of great effort needing to be expended just to keep alive - yet people were also motivated to take on tasks which, given the resources available to them, must have seemed barely achievable when they started. Silbury Hill is a prime example of this. The mound is 37m (121 feet) in height, 30m (98 feet) wide across its flat top, and 500m (1640 feet) in circumference around the base; these are staggering proportions for something built not just without modern technology, but without metal of any kind.
== Why Build It? ==
Even living in a time where large man-made structures are nothing new, Silbury Hill is still a wonderful thing to see for yourself. It can't help but invite wonder as to what it may have been used for - why would the builders of it have put so much time and effort into constructing something without an obvious use? Past theories have ranged for the downright barmy to the halfway plausible. There is a story that the devil built it to hide a gold statue while on the way to Devizes, another that it was the burial chamber for a legendary warrior, others still that it is connected to Arthurian legend. One more practical theory suggested that the hill might have been built as a giant water cleaner, designed to filter rain water through its chalk and create a ditch of drinking water around it that was safer that drinking other water in the valley that could easily become contaminated by sheep waste. You start to think that this one could have been a good idea until you realise that the hill took anything between 100 and 400 years to complete; nobody needs a giant water filter that badly.
My own thought upon seeing the hill for the first time was that it may have been a site used for sky burials. Nearby barrows - mounds of earth raised over the dead - suggest that bodies were not complete when they were interred. This may indicate that the bodies were first laid in one place to allow natural processes to remove the flesh, before the bones were collected and put in special burial places. A mound like Silbury Hill might well have lent itself well to such a process, bringing the dead closer to the sky until they were ready for burial, with the height of the hill and the flat top providing ideal conditions.
My idea may well have been trumped by English Heritage, who manages the site, however. Back in 2000, great panic was caused by a collapse at the hill - caused, ironically, by previous archaeological excavations at the site. Back in 1776, the pioneering Duke of Northumberland, assuming the mound to be a giant barrow, thought to hire some miners and dig a shaft vertically down from the summit of the hill to see what on earth it had been built over (nothing, it transpired). A second tunnel was dug by a team in 1849, who chose instead to dig horizontally to the core of the hill, hoping again to find out why it was built (they didn't). Further, more scientific, excavations took place over the 20th century, revealing how the mound was built and an abundance of environmental data. Unfortunately, each dig structurally weakened the mound and all it took was some heavy rains for one of the old tunnels to collapse in.
Work to reconstruct and stabilise the site took a long time, but the data from this work seems to show that the mound was originally a complete dome - so no space for sky burials to be held. How do they know this? Well, remains of medieval building work on top of the hill suggest that later residents of this area may have lopped off the top of the dome, flattening it and putting up structures that look decidedly defensive. Finds of Viking age arrows heads support the idea of a military use, and indicate that the mound wasn't simply abandoned after its original purpose was finished with: it was used afterwards, quite possibly in an entirely different way. This doesn't explain why Neolithic and Bronze People wanted such a thing to start with, but it certainly makes you think about the monument tin a whole new light.
== Visiting Silbury Hill ==
While there is a car park and viewing area close to the hill, there is no public access to the mound itself; given that I have just told you about the recent collapse of the hill, this is hardly surprising. Fences around Silbury Hill bar (legal) access to site, helping to prevent further erosion, collapse and other damage to the site. It is an impressive monument close up, but I found it could be better appreciated from a short distance away. If you take the B-road just east of the hill and head towards Avebury, there is a small parking area next to the West Kennett Avenue that seemed a lot quieter that the one intended for visitors to the mound itself. A short walk up the hill next to the avenue will give you a spectacular view over the valley and an excellent perspective on Silbury Hill in the surrounding landscape.
You need a bit of thought and background knowledge to get the best out of a visit to Silbury Hill, but it is something I would certainly recommend to anyone with an interest in the past. If you want any further information than is provided at the site, a five minute drive or short walk will take you into Avebury, where you can buy comprehensive guidebooks (the one produced by the National Trust is only £4 and is very clearly written) or visit the Alexander Keiller Museum (see http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-avebury.htm for details of opening times and cost), both of which provide interesting discussion about the site.
Recommended - but remember to bring your imagination when you visit!
== Practical Details ==
Opening hours: English Heritage say "during reasonable daylight hours", but warn that things may change around the summer solstice (20th - 22nd June)
Cost: Free
Public transport access: The Stagecoach 49 bus service between Swindon and Devizes stops in Avebury, which is ¾ mile walk from Silbury Hill. See www.stagecoachbus.com for timetable.
Road directions: Follow the A4 between Marlborough and Beckhampton - Silbury Hill is right next to the road.
Nearest visitor facilities: Refreshments, public toilets and more parking are available in nearby Avebury.


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Oru Indian Pranayakadha, which is all set to get released, has bagged a clean U certificate from the censor board. The film is getting released on December 20, along with another major release Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal.
Fahad Fazil and Amala Paul play lead roles in Oru Indian Pranayakadha, which is directed by Satyan Anthikkad. The movie has Fahad Fazil playing the role of Ayemanam Siddharthan, an ardent politician, who aspires to become at least an MLA. Uthup Vallikkadan is his political guru, who introduces him to Irin, his relative.
Irin has come from Australia to do a research in Kerala and Uthup asks Siddharthan to assist her in completing her work. But, in between the talks, Siddharthan comes to know that Irin has some other motive too, he decides to help in that too. Meanwhile, both of them develops feelings for each other, but hesitate to express. The rest forms the story. Amala plays the role of Irin, while the role of Uthup Vallikkadan is essayed by Innocent.
Oru Indian Pranayakadha has its music composed by Vidyasagar and lyrics is penned by Rafeeq Ahamed. This is the first movie where Fahad and Amala are sharing the screen space together. For the first time, we will see the female lead in a glamorous role in a Sathyan Anthikkad movie. It has been reported that Amala Paul has done a sizzling dance performance in the movie.


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The Labour MP is worried that poorer children will miss out on free school meals despite them being made available for all infant pupils from next month.
In his letter to the education secretary Nicky Morgan, Mr Field warns that some schools will be providing free school meals on a 'first come, first served basis' because they do not have the capacity to cook meals for all their pupils. This could mean that large numbers of poor children go hungry.
He also raises a concern that schools will no longer register pupils as disadvantaged when infant meals are universally free, which could have an adverse impact on support for these children through the loss of Pupil Premium funding.
Mr Field refers to findings from the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Hunger and Food Poverty, which he co-chairs, that revealed currently up to 38 per cent of disadvantaged children eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) across the country are missing out because they have not been registered.
He asks the education secretary whether every local authority will be encouraged to follow the lead taken by Sunderland City Council, which automatically registers all eligible children for FSM without the need for parents to fill out an application form.
The Labour MP goes on to say he is also worried that schools will be less able to provide free school meals for eligible older pupils because they will have to divert their limited resources into providing meals for all four- to seven-year-olds.
Mr Field concludes by asking the education secretary for assurances that poorer children will not go hungry as a result of the 'botched' introduction of Universal Infant Free School Meals.
A Department for Education spokesperson said, 'Schools have a statutory duty to provide free school meals to eligible pupils. There is no evidence to suggest extending this to all infant pupils will negatively impact on those children.
'In fact the independent evaluation of the universal free school meal pilots reported increased rates of take-up among all pupils, including those who had previously been eligible for a free meal but had not taken one.
'We have provided significant financial support to schools to help them deliver the policy, including over £1 billion over the next two years to pay for the costs of providing the meals. Schools and local authorities have also received additional money to help upgrade facilities and councils can decide whether they should top this up from their general maintenance budgets.'


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(KMOV) -- An Illinois woman is facing charges for allegedly lying about having cancer to swindle her husband.
According to police, Jennifer Pauley, 34, is charged with identity theft and forgery after opening up lines of credit and stealing checks.
Authorities say she also faked medical records, tricking her husband out of $10,000.


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If you haven't realized it already, 2007 is almost at an end. It's the perfect time to start thinking about planners and calendars for the upcoming year! Custom Day Planners are a great way to help your team stay on top of meetings and events. They also make great holiday gifts for your top clients! Promotional Calendar Magnets make a great choice for direct mailings this holiday season.
Try enclosing one with your holiday cards and get ready for 2008 with InkHead!


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Boeing delivered more planes last year than even the high end of its forecasts. Aerospace analyst Yair Reiner says a big reason is that the company managed to speed up production of its 787 Dreamliners. That comes after years of stumbles and delays on the fuel-efficient twin-aisle plane.
"But in 2012 it appears to have finally begun to hit its stride in terms of delivery and it finished the year actually delivering more of these planes than it expected to," Reiner says.
Boeing shipped 46 Dreamliners and a total of 601 planes last year. That means Boeing likely displaced Airbus as the top airplane maker for the first time in about 10 years.
Airbus releases its final 2012 deliveries two weeks from now.
Copyright 2013 KPLU


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Hi there,
I was wondering if someone could help me with this.
I've got a phpBB forum running on my site with a few customizations and one of the core php files has code in it that checks for a referrer ID from a cookie.
The code that checks for the cookie is as follows...
if (isset($_COOKIE['referredby'])... {
$referrer = $_COOKIE['referredby'];
$referrer = 'paul';
Could someone please tell me how I would use a similar piece of code that would let me display the referrer ID on the pages themselves? Just using something similar to the above, but with the referring ID printed on the page and if no referring ID then the "else" part should be displayed instead?
I do have eXtreme installed, but I don't know very much about php code unfortunately.
Many thanks,


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Tucson Electric Power Co. parent UNS Energy Corp. beat analysts' third-quarter earnings expectations thanks in part to a recent rate increase, but the company handily missed Wall Street's revenue forecast.
The company said it expects earnings to increase in 2013 and keep rising in 2014 and 2015 as a recent TEP rate increase boosts revenues.
On Wednesday, UNS reported third-quarter 2013 net income of $68 million, or $1.62 per share, compared with net income of $50.7 million, or $1.21 per share in the same period last year and analysts' average estimate of $1.60 per share.
Operating revenue totaled $437 million, up 0.7 percent from third-quarter 2012, but analysts polled by Thomson Financial Network had expected revenue of $490.5 million.
The company's shares closed Wednesday at $49.25, down 16 cents, in trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
TEP's retail power sales volume increased by 1.1 percent in the third quarter, due in part to an 8.9 percent increase in cooling degree days — a temperature-based measure of energy needed to cool a home or business — compared with the third quarter of 2012.
Higher base rates that went into effect in July and higher sales helped boost TEP's third-quarter revenue 2.6 percent compared with 2012, the company said.
Including subsidiary UNS Electric, which serves Mohave and Santa Cruz counties, UNS Energy's revenue from retail power sales rose 2.5 percent in the third quarter, but revenue from wholesale power sales and other revenues fell.
UNS Electric's third-quarter net income dropped 17 percent from last year, to $5.3 million due partly to the loss of an industrial customer. UNS Gas reported a net loss of $1.3 million in the third quarter of 2013, due in part to higher operating and maintenance expenses.
UNS Energy estimated its 2013 earnings at between $2.95 and $3.10 per share, and 2014 earnings at $3.15 to $3.45 per share. The company also said it expects that 2015 earnings will be above 2014 levels.
UNS had not provided earnings forecasts since last year because of the uncertainty of the rate case.
The third-quarter results were in line with the company's expectations under TEP's new rate structure, UNS Energy Chairman and CEO Paul Bonavia said in a news release.
UNS Energy forecast that its earnings for 2013 will be $2.95 to $3.10 per share, and $3.15 to $3.45 per diluted share for 2014. The company said it expects that 2015 earnings will be above 2014 levels.
The outlook reflects a full year of TEP's rate increase, a reduction in TEP's capital-lease expense, flat retail sales and potentially higher operating expenses due to a heavy generating plant outage schedule, Bonavia said.
Efforts to diversify TEP's generating resources should boost 2015 earnings above 2014 levels, he added.
TEP said last month it would cut the amount of coal-generated power it gets from the Springerville Generating Station by 2015 and anticipates the partial retirement of the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station in 2017.
TEP also announced it is in exclusive negotiations to purchase a 550-megawatt gas-fired generating unit at the Gila River Generating Station in Gila Bend by late 2014. That deal is still subject to final financial agreements and regulatory approvals.
If TEP's plans come to fruition, the utility's use of coal will drop by 15 percent by 2015 and, with the proposed shutdown of the San Juan units, another 10 percent by 2018, the company says.


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Law Enforcement Exploring Physical Fitness Proficiency Award Ribbon Bar$1.89The Law Enforcement Exploring Physical Fitness Proficiency Award ribbon bar is composed of five equal segments representing the five Olympic colors: Blue, Yellow, Black, Green and Red. The dimensions of the award bar are approx. 1/4" x 3/8". An Explorer may wear the Fitness Award ribbon bar upon earning a minimum score for their age group in the physical assessment component and achieving a minimum score on the cognitive assessment component. Learn More
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Weaver set for rare City start
By Andrew Scurr
Last Updated: 01/01/70 1:00am
Nicky Weaver could be set for a rare start in a Manchester City shirt this weekend.
Nicky Weaver could be set for a rare start in a Manchester City shirt this weekend against Fulham.
The 27-year-old has not started a game for City since August 2003 having being ravaged by injuries over the last three seasons.
However, with first-choice goalkeeper David James struggling with a stiff back, Weaver could be called into action for Stuart Pearce's men.
The Englishman spent time on loan at Championship side Sheffield Wednesday earlier this season before undergoing revolutionary knee cartilage transplant surgery in the United States.
Manager Stuart Pearce has already offered Weaver a new deal at Eastlands, which should be signed in the very near future, and the goalkeeper will be hoping that he can start afresh when Chris Coleman's men travel north without a win all season outside Craven Cottage.


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Today in History
Updated 2:59 pm, Friday, March 1, 2013
1836: The Republic of Texas formally declared its independence from Mexico.
1877: Republican Rutherford B. Hayes was declared the winner of the 1876 presidential election over Democrat Samuel J. Tilden, even though Tilden had won the popular vote.
1917: Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. citizenship as President Woodrow Wilson signed the Jones-Shafroth Act.
1933: The motion picture "King Kong" had its world premiere at New York's Radio City Music Hall and the Roxy.
1962: Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a game against the New York Knicks, an NBA record that still stands. (Philadelphia won, 169-147.)
Lifestyle Channel
1972: The United States launched the Pioneer 10 space probe, which flew past Jupiter in late 1973, sending back images and scientific data.
Associated Press


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Indybay FeatureRelated Categories: East Bay | Police State and Prisons | Racial Justice
Town Hall Invites and Questions BART Cops, Oakland, 3/14/09: photos and audio
BART Board Director Bob Franklin and five BART police officers were invited to speak at this week's Town Hall. The visit was described by Bob Franklin as BART's attempt to open lines of communication and begin to repair relations with the community, especially Oakland's African American community. They took questions from attendees for about an hour and forty minutes.
The BART police largely defended the Police Bill of Rights, as well as their existence as the police agency for the transit system and their use of weapons, but they did concede that some form of civilian oversight was appropriate as well as increased training for officers.
Pastor Deon was the first to speak and led into the reasons the BART police and BART Director of the Board Bob Franklin were invited to the Town Hall, namely to speak to the Police Officers Bill of Rights in California and to take questions, as long as they all committed to following through and returning for future Town Halls.
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Approximately first half of Pastor Deon's talk is missing here. All apologies.
The organizers of the Town Halls for justice were not ready to proceed with their Recall Orloff campaign this week.
March 7th Town Hall coverage: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/03/12/18576681.php
Town Hall Meetings
Every Saturday 4pm - 6pm
Olivet Institutional Missionary Baptist Church
807 27th Ave, Oakland
Bob Franklin (far right) made a statement, then introduced BART police Commander Gibson (to his right), President of BART Police Manager's Association Gregg Savage, member of BART Police Manager's Association Frank Lucerelli, President of the BART Police Officer's Association Jesse Sekhon, and officer Mark Brookes.
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After handing out blue, pocket-sized, abridged versions of the Police Bill of Rights, and full-length print-out copies, the BART police offered their justifications for why such extraordinary protections exist for police officers in the state of California.
In the question and answer period, which dominated this week's meeting, many issues with BART and BART police were brought to the surface, from the historic disruption of Oakland's African American neighborhoods with the initial construction of the BART system to the two previous murders of unarmed passengers by the BART police (see http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/02/17/18571372.php). They were asked about BART Police Chief Gary Gee's memo directing officer support to Johannes Mehserle when Mehserle was temporarily in custody for the murder of Oscar Grant and if they themselves had donated to or visited Johannes Mehserle while he was in jail. They said that while testing was done for other drugs, there is currently no testing of BART police officers for steroids.
The Police Bill of Rights, Copley, and Where We Are Today in CA with Police Accountability: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/02/25/18573293.php
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If you have a preschool or little one at home I thought you might be interested in learning about a new original series debuting on Hulu today (April 25, 2014). Doozers is a CGI animated preschool series comes from The Jim Henson Company (Dinosaur Train, Sid the Science Kid) and DHX Media (Yo Gabba Gabba, SuperWHY!).
The animated preschool series DOOZERS focuses on four Doozers kids, a team of best friends who live in Doozer Creek, a fantastical, modern, and eco-friendly community. Dubbed "the Pod Squad," Spike, Molly Bolt, Flex, and Daisy Wheel bounce from one fabulous kid adventure to the next, engaging in exciting projects and having a blast playing together.
The Pod Squad loves to DESIGN, CREATE, and INNOVATE. These Doozers are DOERS – they put their ideas into action! If that sounds like work, think again! What kid wouldn't want to design their very own Doozer Derby racing car, fly in a jetpack (or better yet…fly with a kaleidoscope of butterflies!), or build a giant life-sized gingerbread house?! Whatever they are doing, the Pod Squad always manages to have a fantastic time!
Check out the trailer.
How adorable! I like the characters. They are cute.
I also love that they are creative and have wonderful imaginations and can bring their creations to life. I hope they inspire little ones to be creative and inventive too.
If you would like to learn more you can visit the official website as well as Hulu Kids. In addition you can like/follow Hulu on the various social media outlets – Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram. The official hashtag is #Doozers.
You can Doozers on Hulu at http://hulu.tv/i7M.
I have a special giveaway in honor of the premiere of this fun new series. One lucky reader will win a 3-month subscription to Hulu Plus, compliments of Hulu. The Hulu Plus gift subscription has no expiration date. New, existing and canceled users can redeem. No credit card is required for sign-up. Thanks Hulu!
This giveaway is open to U.S residents only and will end on May 3, 2014 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply or a new winner will be chosen in their place.
To enter please comment on this post and tell me why you would like to win the subscription to Hulu Plus.
For extra entries you can use the Rafflecopter widget below but you must complete the initial entry requirement (I do check) or the additional entries don't qualify. Extra entries are optional.
*I will be receiving a complimentary three month subscription to Hulu Plus in exchange for my participation. There is no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.