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This post is going to be especially heavy on massive blocks of quotes. Sorry – I'm mostly using this blog to organize notes. Though this touches on charity in the East generally, it focuses on Buddhism. And while Hinduism and Buddhism both have extensive 'charity' extended towards holy men and the monastic community, that is not my interest here, and instead am more interested in charity towards the poor, sick, orphaned, etc. However, it seems that in the East there was never such a focus on the lowliest of the low as in Christianity – and often exhortations towards good works involve such public-minded things as road building, bridge building, as well as helping the poor. So I will often consider them together.
From Buddhist commons and the question of a third sector in Asia:
"One of the most fascinating aspects of Buddhist charitable practice (in comparison with Judeo-Christian charity) is the ethically subordinate position which alms and acts of charity to the poor and needy assume relative to donations to the sangha. In the Buddhist heirarchy of giving, gifts to the sangha clearly bring the greatest merit: supporting a monk or building a pagoda, for example. To donate to a poverty-stricken widow or to build a school is meritorious, of course, but inferior (or less meritorious) dana. Although there may be other variations between Burmese and Japanese Buddhism, this priority order applies in the case of Japanese Buddhism also."
Though this post is more specifically about Buddhist charity, than comparing it with Christian charity, I thought I would start off in this way. And it seems likely to me that a large part of the reason for this difference is in the nature of what is holy. People, clearly, want to give to holy people. In India the generosity to holy men is similar to that of the generosity of Buddhist laymen to the monastics. The point is it is very clear to them who is holy and who is not. And you are benefited by gaining a share in holiness. But Jesus, when he said that "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" made the poor like himself, or the church, in holiness.
From Theories of the gift in South Asia: Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Reflections on Dana:
What about the poor? It is crucial to note that a clear distinction is drawn between the religious dependant and the ordinary poor person, with the latter not typically regarded as the worthiest recipient. The emphasis on giving to the worthy encourages a keen eye for the moral qualities of the recipient. Charitable gifts made out of altruism and pity rather than esteem are generally not regarded as meritorious as giving to the religious, though they are not prohibited.
Nevertheless, and despite the quotes above, Mahayana seems to have in a way made a similar step to Christianity, which is perhaps why there is more indication of organized charity in connection to Mahayana Buddhism than with Therevadan Buddhism, or Hinduism, or etc. That step being the breaking down of barriers between monastics and laymen, and the focus on the salvation of all rather than salvation of oneself, and the identity of all beings.
I've found no evidence of charity pre-existing Buddhism in India. No doubt there was charity of the universal kind, but the lack of evidence is hardly surprising, as ancient Greece, Rome, China (before Buddhism), similarly lack any real traditions of charity (in the sense I'm interested in, mentioned before), though of course philanthropy did exist, as would have many individual acts of charity (I will discuss Middle Eastern and Greco-Roman charity/philanthropy in another post).
The Beginnings
'Field of Merit' is an important concept in Mahayana charity, and is to be understood as the benefit that a Bodhisattva brings to those around them, like useful field yields crops. This concept exists in pre-Mahayana texts:
"…the concept of the field of merit appears in pre-Mahayanist texts of the third to second centuries B.C. The Mahsaghika Laws (Mohesengzhilu) explain that those who dig wells at the side of roads, plant trees and give away their fruits, as well as those who build bridges and provide shade for travelers will earn enough merit to be reborn as a heavenly being (tennin). Also, when Mahayana Buddhism became popular in China and Japan, field of merit became an ideal of the bodhisattva."
– From: Buddhist Hagiography in Early Japan: Images of Compassion in the Gyoki Tradition
Ashoka (3rd century BC), of the Mauryan dynasty, has often been credited with setting up hospitals and dispensaries, but this is likely misleading.
During the period of Buddhism's strength in India, and it's early growth we get some glimpses of charitable works, and a concern with medicine.
Leprosy and the Buddhist Tradition:
"Indeed, monastics were required to study medicine (intended for self-help and care of fellow monastics), medicine being one of the 'five sciences,' including also language, arts and mathematics, logic, and Buddhist philosophy. Not surprisingly, monks and nuns gained popularity among the laity for their medical knowledge… as Buddhism spread from India throughout Southeast Asia, Buddhist abbots encouraged their disciples to study medicine as an excellent conversion tool; Buddhist temples established early ÒhospitalsÓ and related charitable institutions for monastics and also for laypeople."
"In the Indian Buddhist canon, there are many accounts of Buddhist monks and nuns who worked among lepers, attending to their physical illness as well as preaching to them the Dharma. These hagiographic accounts detail how the monastics cared for and encouraged the leprosy patients, changing their bandages, draining their sores, feeding and bathing them."
Tibetan Buddhist medicine and psychiatry: the diamond healing:
A number of Western scholars have noted the positive influence of Buddhism on Ayurveda, and, in fact, the high period or golden age of Ayurveda corresponds with the period of Buddhism's ephemeral glory in India (from approximately the middle of the fourth century B.C. to the middle of the eighth century A.D.), also the period when India's and Buddhism's influence spread abroad.
From A short history of medical ethics:
"The rigorious laws of ritual purity, however, made it difficult for [Hindu] physicians to demonstrate universal concern. As one author remarks after praising the spirituality and high moral standards of Hindu life, 'Doubtless, Hinduism lacks something of that spirit of charity which abounds in Buddhism… In his concern for purity, the Hindu tends rather to keep aloof than to give himself…
Buddhist medicine presents a striking contrast to the caste discrimination of Hindu medicine…
Medicine was part of Buddhist life from its earliest days. Although all life is suffering, compassion for the sufferer is Buddhism's highest virtue… This teaching, which encouraged a life of compassionate benevolence toward others rather than a hermetic removal from society, counted care for the sick as a prime value. It is told that Gautama once encountered a dying monk who had been ignored by his brethren, who were intent on their own salvation. The Buddha himself nursed the sick monk and admonished them, 'You, O monks, have neither a mother nor a father who could nurse you. If, O monks, you do not nurse one another, who will nurse you? Whoever, O monks, would nurse me, he should nurse the sick.'8 The same scripture describes the duties of those who care for the sick, instructing them to assuage their brother's pain by attendance, motivated by kindly thoughts rather than greed, willingness to undertake even disgusting tasks, recitation of prayers, and cheering the sick one in his final hours. In accord with this teaching, the monastic community established a regimen for the care of sick monks and welcomed all in need of medical aid.
Interestingly that quote from the Buddha, though very similar to that of Jesus, is referring the the monastic community, as opposed to Jesus' 'the least of these' – see discussion on this difference above.
There is further evidence of charity in India during the flourishing of Buddhism, though no doubt it is not exclusive to Buddhism:
An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics:
"One text says that, when people once realized the karmic fruitfulness of even a small gift, giving became widespread to 'renunciant and brahmin, to tramp, wayfarer and destitute; they provided drinking water in their courtyards, they placed seats in their gateways' (Vv. 1). Public works, such as the sinking of wells and the planting of medicinal plants, are also encouraged in Buddhist texts (S. 1.33), with the Chinese monk Puan Yinsu (1115-69) affirming that 'building bridges is a Buddha act that brings peace to men and causes heaven to rejoice' (Faure, 1991: 128). Tales of great givers of the Buddha's day, such as Anathapindika, ÔFeeder of the Poor', or the lady Visakha, are also popular. The Mahayana Upasaka-sõa Sutra, which has been and remains very influential on Chinese lay Buddhism (Chappell, 1995: 2), says that a lay disciple should always stop to look after a sick stranger on the road and find a place for him to stay (Uss. 83). As part of the virtue of dana, lay Bodhisattvas should engage in such social welfare activities as:
'learning medicine, building hospitals, road repair, building guest houses, digging wells,planting fruit trees, building bridges, maintaining canals, protecting animals, massaging tired travellers, making shade with umbrellas, providing people with ear picks, consoling the grieving, etc. (Chappell, 1995:8)'"
Hospitals in Ancient India:
"Fa-hien (CE 405-411), a Chinese traveller who visited India during the times of Candragupta, provides us details about the charitable dispensaries in Pataliputra. According to Fa-hien the nobles and householders of this country founded hospitals within the city to which the desititute of all countries, the poor, the crippled and the diseased may come. Here, these people were treated freely and provided with every kind of help. After inspecting their diseases the physicians treated them with all their efforts and when cured, they depart at their convenience.
Hiuen Tsang (CE 629-645), another Chinese traveller contemporary to the emperor Harsha, also provides a description about the hospitals of that time. According to him in all the highways of the towns and the villages throughout India there were 'hospices' (punya-salas). These hospices were provided with food and drink as well as physicians with medicines that provide medical facilities to the travellers and poor people. These institutions that helped the poor and the needy people were also known by several other names such as punyasthanas, punasalas, dharmasalas, viharas and maths. These were the Indian counterparts of the western almshouses, monasteries and infirmaries of those times.
There are some epigraphical records that show the existence of dispensaries in the Deccan during the Pallava period between CE 574 and 879. Epigraphical records of the Chola period tell us about the allowances given to the physicians, village dispensaries as well as town hospitals… There were a large number of dispensaries in the village, most of which were maintained by a local physician of hereditary nature…."
Charity in Theravadan Buddhism
As far as I can tell, charity in Theravada (Hinayana) seems to be more like forms of Hindu charity, in that the merit gained is relative to the holiness of the recipient, so that people are ready to, and do, give much to holy men, the samgha, etc, but little to poverty, or as a side-thought. I've also read that the Hinayana precepts explicitly proscribe carrying medicine for anything but personal use.
But of course it was present to some degree, as we see in Sri Lanka:
From "Theravāda Buddhism and the British encounter: religious, missionary and colonial experience in nineteenth-century Sri Lanka" we get the view of an early 19th century European in Sri Lanka:
"Buddhism corrects 'the inveterate prejudices of caste; and has even produced institutions of benevolence and mercy in different parts of the island' (Harvard 1823:lxi)."
and from "An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics":
In Sri Lanka, people also look back to medieval kings as presiding over a period of agricultural abundance based on extensive irrigation works, religious flourishing and charity. In the Culavamsa chronicle of Sri Lanka… it is said of King Upatissa I that 'For cripples, women in travail, for the blind and sick he erected great nursing shelters and alms-halls'. Of King Mahinda II, it is said: 'The poor who were ashamed to beg he supported in secret, and there were none on the Island who were not supported by him according to their deserts' . Mahinda IV is said to have built an alms hall …and gave to beggars alms and couches. In all the hospitals he distributed medicine and beds, and he had food given regularly to criminals in prison. To apes, the wild boar, the gazelles and to dogs he, a fount of pity, had rice and cakes distributed as much as they would. In the four viharas [monasteries] the king had raw rice laid down in heaps with the injunction that the poor should take of it as much as they wanted.
As well, it's monastaries have often served as orphanages, and refuges:
"Even today in Southeast Asia, many monasteries serve as free accommodations, retirement homes and homes for the homeless or chronically ill. Poor families frequently use it as a hostel. The monasteries frequently serve as the village library and news and information center and the surplus money is used to make schools." (source)
"The Pilgrimage of Buddhism and a Buddhist Pilgrimage":
"… Buddhist monasteries are the orphan asylums of the land; in all Buddhist countries the care of orphans seems to have been, since earliest times, one of the chief forms of Buddhist activity. Many of the novitiates, naturally, are drawn from the orphan boys who have been brought up in the monastery."
What about the orphan girls? I'm not familiar with many Buddhist nunneries in the history of the Theravadan world.
Mahayana Buddhism
Moving into Mahayana lands, we find the place with the most well documented history of Buddhist charity: China. Japan has a spottier record, and Tibet even more so.
Again on Mahayana "Buddhist Hagiography in Early Japan: Images of Compassion in the Gyoki Tradition":
"…when Mahayana Buddhism became popular in China and Japan, field of merit became an ideal of the bodhisattva…Although the earliest sutras viewed a holy person as a field of merit, Mahayana texts seemed to have perceived charitable activities to be the most basic kind of field of merit. The Sutra on the Fields of Merit (Shudefutian jing) specifically lists seven kinds of fields-of-merit activities in which faithful believers should participate. They include (1) erecting pagodas, cloisters, and chapels; (2) constructing gardens and ponds and planting trees; (3) providing medicine for the sick; (4) building boats nd helping the masses to cross to the shore of enlightenment; (5) constructing bridges for the old and weak; (6) widening the roads and digging wells for thirsty travelers; and (7) building latrines and getting rid of the stench. Other sutras, such as the Brahma-net Sutra (Fanwang jing), list eight fields of merit, but most overlap with the Sutra on the Fields of Merit… The Mahayana bodhisattva ethic taught that performing various austerities for the salvation of the self was necessary, but leading other sentient beings to salvation was even more important."
Charity in Tibet
There seems to be little written on charity in Tibet, whether it existed or not, so I'll just give you this interesting passage from "An Account of Tibet: The Travels of Ippolito Desideri of Pistoia, S.J., 1712-1727" – written by a Capuchin monk on a mission to convert Tibetans in the 18th century:
"Besides being fond of work the Thibettans are by nature kindly, virtuous and devout. This is demonstrated in various ways.To begin with they are not only well grounded in their belief; but they speak about it often. with great affection and conscientiousness. Secondly, they have the greatest esteem , veneration and respect for their Lamas and monks; would to God that the Christian Catholics showed one hundredth part of such sentiments to the Prelates, Ecclesiastics and Religious of our holy Catholic Church! Thirdly they are most diligent in learning long prayers by heart, and never neglect to pray in the morning when they rise, or at night when they go to bed. Fourthly they are much given to reading and listening to religious and moral books. Fifthly they are most attentive… [in] making pilgrimages to holy places, and are most respectful and devout in their behaviour when they visit the temples. Sixthly they often tell their beads, even when engaged in business, or out walking, or on journeys. Seventhly and finally (not to be prolix) they show it in the liberal alms they give to the monks, the poor, and even to animals in the street if they think they are starving and in the care they take to bestow the first handful of their harvests on the poor, or to make offerings to their idols ere they eat or drink themselves."
Charity in China
I can find no evidence of charity previous to the arrival of Buddhism in China, but it arrives in a big way at that point. I suspect due to a combination of Buddhist compassion and the general syncretism with the more pragmatic Chinese way of thinking.
"An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics":
"In China, monks have followed both the full monastic precepts and a supplementary 'Mahayana' code consisting of the 'three pure precepts'… and a set of Bodhisattva-precepts outlined in the Brahmajala Sutra… These consist of the 'ten great precepts'… and forty-eight minor ones, which positively require such things as vegetarianism, preaching, caring for the sick and exhorting others to give up immoral behaviour."
The height of Buddhist charity came during the Tang dynasty, which, not surprisingly, was also period in which Buddhism was at its most popular and wealthy. As we read in Critical moments in religious history:
"The financial power of Buddhist monasteries and temples, many of them tax-exempt, came largely from imperial and official grants of land and money. This wealth, amplified by land rental, moneylending, and slaveholding, made possible a wide range of social services. Throughout China, Buddhist monks established schools, hospitals and orphanages; they lectured in local communities, sponsored feasts, and observed a number of public festivals. The almost universal acceptance of Buddhism in China by the sixth century CE was assuredly a function not only of its successful adaptation to the Chinese cultural environment, but also its valuable social role."
But even before that, charity was widespread: "…their are many examples [before the end of the sixth century] of charitable monks who cared for the sick or distributed help to the victims of famines. And the institutions of the samgha households, at the end of the fifth century, served in principle a charitable purpose." (Buddhism in Chinese Society: An Economic History)
Lepers were ministered to – From Leprosy and the Buddhist Tradition):
"In medieval China (5th to 9th Centuries AD) the official dynastic histories which date from these periods describe how Buddhist monastics cared for lepers, such as visiting pre-existing leper communities (in the countryside, or mountain areas, for instance) or within cities (in a special district of Nanjing, for example) and preaching the Dharma, giving emotional support, washing their clothing, even suck the pus clean from the lepers' lesions (the last to show the depth of their compassionate commitment to healing the lepers). Some Buddhist temples maintained sanctuaries for leper patients, with separate dormitories for male and female patients: some were physically cured and some not.
The Abbot Dao-chi in seventh-century China opened his temple to many lepers. He lived and ate with them, dressed their sores and helped bathe them. Some of his disciples tried to avoid all contact with the lepers and wondered why the Abbot did not fear becoming infected himself? The Abbot explained, 'What we call clean or dirty is the result of our discriminating mind. If we do not have any dislikes in our minds, how can aversions arise? When our mind is pure, everything and everywhere is pure. If a monk like myself cannot even let go of this bit of delusion and let compassion arise in its place, I should be ashamed of myself for not living in accordance with the Dharma.'"
From Chinese Buddhist and Christian Charities: A Comparative History:
"In medieval times, Buddhists in China and Christians in Europe observed an almost identical set of 'coporal works of mercy': feeding, clothing, hospitality, visiting the sick and the imprisoned, and burying the dead…
Although as early as the Western Chin a sutra had listed the dispensing of medicine as the third of seven merit fields the sangha should cultivate (Michibara 1957, 384), it is the Brahma Net Sutra that make 'tending to the sick' the first of eight merit fields (Michibara 1957, 385). This work appeared in the South around 500 C.E., when the Asoka Sutra, noting how Asoka had built the first hospitals, was also catching the eyes of kings. This coincidence of several inspirations could explain the appearance of hospitals in the South at the time…
To summarize Buddhist charity in the Tang – An Introduction to Buddhism: teachings, history, and practices:
"…in T'ang China (618-907), where Buddhist monasteries, and lay religious societies set up by monks, ran hospitals, dispensaries, orphanages, homes for the elderly and rest-houses for pilgrims; they fed beggars, did famine relief work, built roads and bridges roads and bridges and sank wells. In the lands of Southern Buddhism, charitable works other than running orphanages have usually been left in the hands of wealthy laymen or rulers." Monasteries have, however, informally carried out a number of welfare roles."
From Buddhism in Chinese Society: An Economic History:
"In the twenty-second year of the K'ai-yuan period, Emperor Hsuan-tsung forbade begging within the walls of the capital and created hospitals where the beggers were to be fed. The commentary of Hu San-hsing adds that "the establishment at that time of Hospitals within the monasteries where the sick were supported thanks to the 'field of compassion' is of Buddhist origin…"
In any case, the situation changed after the major 845 AD persecution of Buddhism, the state closing down large numbers of monasteries and nunneries, sending back hundreds of thousands of monks and nuns back into lay life, and taking over operation of charities. The state run charities lasted into the Sung dynasty. Buddhism remained from that time on largely disdained by the Confucian elite. From "Chinese Buddhist and Christian Charities: A Comparative History":
"Without necessarily intending it, the state charities competed with and undercut the Buddhist charities. The state also went after temple land. Aligned with the state was the rising gentry class, which was supporting a Confucian revival that campaigned against this 'barbaric' faith. In the end, the sangha lost out to the sate, on the one hand, and suffered a loss of patronage by the propertied class, on the other.
On paper, the state-run system of welfare under the Sung was impressive… It offered various types of relief from natural disasters and provided, during normal times, winter relief, free wet-nurses, free schools, and free burials, funded with rents collected from state land or granaries. Of hospital wards under the care of state doctors, there were two in the capital; then, during a severe winter, the number grew to four. Such services were provided nationwide, although the focus was on cities more than on the villages. They were run out of the central and the provincial offices, with state funding as well as private donations from the officials… A dichotomy between public and private charity would not have occured to anyone at the time. Such a thought would have damaged the substantial unity of charity that characterized the Sung efforrts. The dichotomy came later.
The name 'field of compassion' had also been changed to 'field of merit' – possibly as early as 845 under the Tang. This new, generic name diluted the meaning and the design of the original. The name underwent further sinicization when the wards housing the sick were called 'wards to comfort and to aid,' while those housing the singled and widowed were called 'wards to house and to feed'. They could well be Confucian or Taoist wards; the uniquely Buddhist stamp was gone.
Orphans were provided with wet nurses and youngsters maids, and those under seven could draw half the adult stipend. Private philanthropy under the Ming several centuries later extended that generosity further.
From From Daily Life in China on the Eve of the Mongol Invasions: 1250 – 1275, some interesting secular examples of governmental and individual beneficence during the last days of the Southern Sung dynasty, one noted in fact by Marco Polo:
The frequency of such crises made it necessary to take precautionary measures. The court and the prefecture decided to make distributions of rice and cash at times when there was heavy snow or extreme cold, or following upon big fires, summer floods and autumn droughts. Thus, after the excessive rains in the Hangchow region in 1223, there was a famine in the town in the 3rd moon of the following year (about April), and the government had to distribute aid.
The great official ceremonies and the great annual festivals were also made the occasion for distributions to the poor: 'At times when prayers for fine weather or for rain are offered by the Emperor and his ministers, when snow falls or when there are lucky omens, on the occasion of the birth of a prince or on the Emperor's birthday, when there is an eclipse of the sun, or excessive rains, or intense cold, when the townspeople are in want or when the grand rites of the Sacred Palace are celebrated or ceremonies of congratulations offered to the Emperor are performed – at all these times , an imperial notice is published announcing the gift of 200,000 strings in paper money for the army and the same for the common people.'
Those in want could also look to private charity. To enhance their prestige, officials on being newly appointed or promoted would distribute cash to the poor. And we have seen how the rich shipowners who lived on Phoenix Hill in the south side of the town devoted a part of their immense fortunes to works of charity. But that was not all. Buddhism had, from the fifth century, introduced and developed in China various charitable institutions (hospitals, alms-houses, dispensaries, centres for the distribution of aid to the poor) which were supported by the income derived from the land with which they had been endowed. Following upon the widespread confiscation of property belonging to Buddhist communities in 845, the alms-houses and hospitals had been taken over by the public authorities. On moving to Hangchow, the court had established there a big dispensary which distributed drugs through seventy branch dispensaries scattered all about the urban area, and we have seen how the medicaments, which were supposed to be sold at a third of their price to the people of the town, were actually misappropriated by the employees and officials serving in these dispensaries. But other charitable institutions were run with greater honesty: hospitals for the aged and the penniless, orphanages for foundlings, free funerals and public cemetaries for the poor, homes for the infirm. This last institution still existed at the beginning of the Mongol invasion, if Marco Polo is to be believed: '… if in the daytime', he says 'they find any poor cripple unable to work for his livelihood, they take him to one of the hospitals, of which there are many, founded by the ancient kings, and endowed with great revenues. Or if he be capable of work they oblige him to take up some trade.'
The people in Hangchow who made the biggest fortunes, the merchants who had made money in the maritime and river trade, had a great propensity for works of charity. Charity for them was one way of making up for being excessively wealthy, a kind of tax paid to the gods. It is worth quoting what a contemporary tells us about this, if only because at the same time it reveals the extreme poverty of a large part of the population.
'Among these people,' he says, 'there are some who like to acquire merit by being extremely charitable to the poor, the orphaned and the aged. Every time they see some unfortunate sitting sadly in front of his unsold merchandise, they take notice of him and give him a few coins. When a poor person dies and the family has nothing with which to pay the funeral expenses, they supply the coffin or contribute to the cost of cremation. When, after heavy falls of snow have blocked the streets, adults and children go about groaning, half naked, frozen and starving, these rich men go round from door to door to find out which families are worst off, take note of their distress, and, when night falls, push through the cracks in the doors some scrap gold or silver, or else cash coins or notes. So that when the people open their doors in the morning, they find these presents which seem to them to have dropped from heaven. Or again, our rich men may distribute quilts or clothing lined with floss silk. By all their acts of charity they gain the eternal gratitude of poor families."
Buddhist charity in China eventually split up into various traditions. On the one hand, though Buddhism underwent a steady decline in prestige and wealth, it continued to be a charitable institution. But there was also the interesting development of secular, Confucian, charities. The previously mentioned imperial charity did not outlast the Sung, and in the Ming period, imperial neglect and a desire to make a name for themselves, drove the gentry to create the 'benevolent society' – which in some ways could be seen as a predecessor to the 19th century European 'societies for the […]'. Again from Chinese Buddhist and Christian Charities: A Comparative History:
"In some remote sense, that stress on a general good or shan performed with other might be Buddhist. Buddhistm taught, 'Do good, avoid evil,' and, 'Rejoice in the joy of another.' But in the spirit of this new philanthropy, one should not even worry about which school – Confucian, Buddhist or Taoist – deserved the credit. That no longer mattered. What mattered was that all people do good – not the 'where from' but the 'how.' That is not unlike the Christian agape being now diffused into our general humanism…
The institution that emerged out of that sentiment was the t'ung-shan hui, associations to do good together, benevolence associations. Its hallmark was the shan-t'ang, the ubiquitous benevolence hall in any major city in China…
Fearing a popular rebellion of heterodox gropus, the Ch'ing ruler banned chieh-she activities in 1666. Fearing guilt by association, the early benevolence associations disappeared. Once the Sacred Edict of 1724 permitted and encouraged such types of charities, the associations reappeared, this time under the auspices of local officials and modeling their charities after the expressed concerns of the edict itself… Run cooperatively by the local elite, the notables, and the new mercantile rich, they organized poor reliefs, orphanages, and hospitals… In this second flowering, governors and local officials were always invited to give talks or to sit on board of directors…. Of the charities the societies hosted, the well-organized hospitals were the most impressive…
We ca see that both Buddhist and secular charity were co-existing and driven by different reasons as well. From Benevolent Societies: The Reshaping of Charity During the Late Ming and Early Ch'ing:
Both Ch'en and Lu Shih-i recognized that Buddhist charitable traditions were as alive as lineage organizations. In fact, benevolent societies and other secular organizations often used Buddhist temples as their base for charitable activities. Before its own hall was constructed in 1641, Ch'en's benevolent society met in a temple and engaged monks to prepare tea for its meetings… And Lu Shih-i argued that grain should be stored in monasteries and monks should be employed to manage the granaries… Because Ch'en and Lu chose to sponsor secular activities rather than contribute to Buddhist charity, their benevolent societies must be understood as alternatives to available Buddhist institutions.
Ch'en explained his commitment to the alternative by distinguishing secular relief homes for the poor… from the Buddhist monasteries on several grounds. He argued that the relief homes took in only those who were verified to be genuinely needy, while the monasteries harbored vagrants who were unwilling to work, and that the relief homes gave out just enough aid to prevent the poor from dying, while the monasteries gave aid prodigally. In short, Ch'en concluded, the relief homes took in only the truly old and sick, while the monasteries failed to follow any procedures… Clearly, Buddhist facilities for the poor were available. But rather than improve upon or regulate them, Ch'en dismissed them as disreputable and chose to take over the responsibility for the poor."
More on Buddhism as the root of Confucian charity, from Praying for power: Buddhism and the formation of gentry society in late-Ming:
"…historians have identified the movement to form lay assocations among the gentry as important to the development of Ming Buddhism. Indeed it was. Yet prior scholarship has tended to highlight the Buddhist undertaking of these associations at the expense of noting their social projects, with the result that other scholars who study the charitable activities of the late-Ming gentry have tended to overlook the religious origins of gentry charity…. Little or no recognition has gone to their derivation from lay Buddhist practices several decades before…. The cloak of Donglin self-righteousness that Confucians have thrown over late-Ming philanthropy has obscured the implicit intent of statecraft activists to create an alternative to the Buddhist charitable activities popular with the gentry. Although some activists were successful in organizing such Neo-Confucian groups, they appear to have been few, and were in any case much outnumbered by the Buddhist societies on which they were quietly modeled."
Finally, even in the 19th century these charitable activities, though perhaps not as strong as had once been the case, were hardly non-existent. From The Art of Doing Good: Charity in Late Ming China:
"Discouraging Western scholars from taking a good look at Chinese charitable traditions was the legacy of nineteenth-century Christian missionaries, who, though copiously documenting Chinese charity, marshaled their findings to spotlight deficiencies in Chinese practices, thereby to pave the way for their own, presumably worthier activies. When the direst famine of the Qing dynasty stuck North China from 1876 to 1879, Chinese at many levels of society valiantly sought to aid the starving. The emperor contributed funds; the governor of Shandong had grain imported for sale at reduced prices; local residents erected soup kitchens and orphanages; benevolent associations aided the needy and buried the dead; and gentry of other provinces, moved by the plight of victims in Shangdon, reached across administrative boundaries to help. Yet missionaries, who were then enjoying the strengths of a prosperous, progressive industrialized West, found fault in these efforts. The assistance from the imperial coffers was 'a mere pittance,' they claimed, observing that the careless distribution of grain had provoked food riots and invited false claims on resources.
Charity in Japan
Japan's tradition of charity seems to be less somewhat less robust. The charitable history is patchy it seems, and when monks did, say, minister to lepers, it was rather against the tradition, which demaned priestly purity, at least for official priests. "Periodic revivals of enthusiasm for charity appear to have characterized Japanese Buddhism from the days of the Prince Shotoku until the Meiji Restoration…" (The Buddhist Charitable Commons in Japan and Asia).
Our record of charitable institutions in Japan is connected to the importation of Buddhism. from Children of the Japanese state: the changing role of child protection:
"Shotoku…is the man widely credited with bringing Buddhism to Japan, and Buddhism is seen to have been the driving force behind most of the early welfare activities in Japan, including the establishment of the first welfare activities in Japan, Shika-no-In, in the compound of Shitennoji Temple in Naniwa… [It] included four different types of welfare and medical institution, including a home (Hidenin) which catered to the poor and the needy. Most commentators describe Hidenin as the first precursor of today's welfare institutions for both the elderly and the young… mainly children under 16 without fathers, and elderly people over 60 without children. This principle, it is said, became formalized in the Taiho Code of AD 702 (Japan's first public assistance programme), which stressed that the welfare of the needy was first the responsibility of the immediate family, then of relatives, then of the community, and, only in the last resort, of the state."
The bright period of Japanese period also seems to be the early part. From The nonprofit sector in Japan:
"By the eight century (Nara period), although Buddhism's main goal was to promote a peaceful nation, Buddhist monks appeared who combined proselytizing with charity for the masses. Gyoki was the most representative of these monks. In addition to promoting such community-oriented services as building bridges and irrigation systems, he energetically led such relief and charitable works as building almshouses for starving or ill travelers. It seems that funds for the building of these almshouses and the provision of food supplies came from donations by the aristocracy. In addition to performing these public services, Gyoki was also said to have educated those who gathered around him.
As mentioned, there were monks who cared for lepers: "Japanese Buddhism is also filled with hagiographies of monks, such as Eizon 1201-1290, active in charitable works including concern with the welfare of lepers" (Leprosy and the Buddhist Tradition). However "Official monks were limited in their ability to work and save women and the sick (especially lepers)… because they were required to keep their distance from ritual impurities" (What is Kamakura New Buddhism? Official Monks and Reclusive Monks).
Children of the Japanese state: the changing role of child protection:
"During the late Kamakura and Muromachi periods, Japan split into a series of small, non-unified fiefdoms. The welfare of the needy was placed in the hands of local feudal lords, some of whom are recorded as having provided at least a minimal level of support to those most in need. In general, though, welfare activity in most commentaries is still associated during Japan's Middle Ages with the actions of Buddhist priests such as Chogen (1128-1206), Eison (1201-90), and Ninsho (1217-1303), the last of whom is credited with the refounding of the Hidenin welfare facility for the poor and needy, including orphaned children…"
The Buddhist Charitable Commons in Japan and Asia:
"During the Tokugawa period… numerous urban relief organizations began to appear, including poor houses, charity hospitals and clinics. In fact, many Buddhist charitable efforts and activities actually slowed down during the Tokugawa regime, and at the Restoration those philanthropic organizations headed by Buddhist clergy were taken over by the imperial government together with the operation of all the Buddhist temples in Japan. After this move, Buddhist philanthropic zeal remained at low levesl until after the arrival of Christian missionaries with their orphanages and other charities. However health care for the poor continued to be one area in which local authorities were especially active. In 1870, the city of Nagoya established a charitable hospital and Fukui provided free medical care for the poor. In addition, many communites provided food and housing for the poor."
On the lack of orphanages – Children of the Japanese state: the changing role of child protection:
"Some daimyo during the Tokugawa period attempted periodically to introduce legislation to try and control practices of child murder and abandoment in their domains, either by making them punishable, or by offering money to help parents bring up their children… Significantly, however, no welfare facilities specifically for the care and protection of children were built during this entire period… there was, as Collick (1988:205) puts it, a 'long-standing conviction, based on traditional Confucian moral teachings, that the family and the local community were the proper organs for the relief of distress."
And finally, "The work of Christian missionaries was drastically curtailed by the anti-Christian edicts of 1613…Nevertheless, they had in this time introduced the concept of Christian welfare work which they could refer back to when Japan was reopened to the outside world… Since that time, Christian groups have been one of the main providers of private personal social services until today, despite the fact that the actual number of Christians in Japan has never exceeded 1 percent of the total population." (Children of the Japanese state: the changing role of child protection)
All those sources have much more detail if you're interested.


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Tassimo- Great Fathers Day Gift Idea !!!
Over the course of a few month or so, our family has had the opportunity to use the Tassimo Single Serve Coffee Maker by Bosch. In my home coffee is a must in the morning ! My husband gets up before I do and makes a pot of coffee before work. He likes his coffee very strong, way to strong for me. I add water to my cup to help but it is still not like I like it ! With a single serve coffee maker both my husband and myself can have a great tasting cup of coffee just the way we like it !
What makes the Tassimo diffrent:
Tassimo is not just another coffee maker. It's a whole new way to prepare a variety of delicious hot drinks perfectly, in the comfort of your own home. And it's so simple.
With the Tassimo system and the Tassimo Discs (T DISCs) you can make the hot drink you want, when you want it. Tassimo lets you enjoy a cup of exactly what you want, right now. Simply insert your choice of T DISC, select the right cup for your drink and press the button. In about a minute you'll savor an exquisite cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate. You can brew your next delicious cup right away, knowing it will be as fresh and delightful as the one before it. No mess, no grounds and no waiting. Just pure pleasure, one cup at a time.
So are you wondering what a T Disc is? The T Discs are the little container that the coffee/tea is in and each T-Disc contains a bar code. The Tassimo is designed with a microprocessor that reads the bar code printed on each T Disc label to automatically calculate the correct water amount, temperature and brewing time for every beverage. It is different depending on the beverage you are making.
My favorite right now is the Starbucks® Cappuccino Primo (which is very BOLD) it has a two step process... a disc for the bold espresso and a disc for the foamy milk creamer....Yummy !!!!
- Adjustable cup stand accommodates most cup sizes.
- Easy to clean: most of the movable parts are dishwasher safe
- Capable of customizing the strength of each beverage to your taste by using the manual function.
- Extra large removable 61oz water tank including LCD filter monitor
- MAVEA MAXTRA Water filter
- Removable water tank with LCD
From the Tassimo Site:
The home brewer above is priced at $129, There are two other options, the Tassimo Suprema in Red or Silver/Black or the LCD Premium.

subset: commoncrawl


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In a recent blog I wrote about how yet another pair of the relatively expensive Jaybird X2 Bluetooth earbuds died on me. That's a total of five failures of the high-end "sweatproof" Jaybird earbuds in less than one year. On the recommendation of JSF member Derwinator, I recently picked up a pair of extremely inexpensive (I paid $20, but as of this writing they are selling on Amazon for less than 14 bucks!) Aukey Bluetooth… [Read more]
Added Wednesday, April 13, 2016 by John Stone
Mechanical question: 10-speed cassette on an 11-speed?
I've not had any legitimate offers on my mostly brand new 2014 Madone (see My 2013 Madone is gone; Brand new 2014 Madone–for sale?). If I don't hear anything by the end of the day I think I'm just going to keep it. I've got way too much else going on right now to worry about it. It's a great bike, and will serve me well. I have one misgiving about keeping the Madone, and… [Read more]
Added Tuesday, April 12, 2016 by John Stone
Vegan pulled "pork" BBQ sandwiches
A few weeks ago I saw a recipe that uses Jackfruit to create an amazing vegan representation of pulled pork BBQ. Intrigued, I did some research, and found quite a few different recipes for Jackfruit-based BBQ sandwiches. The texture of Jackfruit, when prepared a certain way, is amazingly close to pulled pork. Last night Lisa and I decided to cook together, and try out these amazing looking sandwiches! Lisa tackled the homemade potato chips (potatoes,… [Read more]
Added Monday, April 11, 2016 by John Stone
Spring 2016 cut progress report: Week #4
Week #4 of my spring 2016 cut is complete, and it's time for my weekly progress report. METHODOLOGY: A few words about my body fat test, scale weight and soft tape measurements My body fat, tape measurements and scale weight are all performed while fasted (first thing in the morning before eating or drinking). All measurements are taken "cold" (no pump), and flexed. A 7-point or 9-point body fat caliper pinch test is the most… [Read more]
Added Sunday, April 10, 2016 by John Stone
Another excellent vegan dinner, courtesy of Lisa!
Last night Lisa prepared another amazing meal for us: Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl. This dish is 100% vegan (no animal products at all), and it was absolutely incredible! The simple tahini sauce (tahini, maple syrup and lemon) provides a surprisingly perfect sweet counter to the savory vegetables and crispy chickpeas. And what a fantastic array of veggies! The recipe calls for red onion, sweet potato, broccolini, and kale, and Lisa added spinach, cauliflower and… [Read more]
Added Saturday, April 9, 2016 by John Stone
My 2013 Madone is gone; Brand new 2014 Madone–for sale?
I have not got around to mentioning this in my blog, but my 2013 Trek Madone road bike is no more. A few months ago I began to have some bottom bracket issues, and my Trek rep offered to replace the entire frameset (frame & fork) under warranty. He extended this offer based purely on my emailed reports. I have a great relationship with my Trek rep, but I was rather surprised that Trek was… [Read more]
Added Friday, April 8, 2016 by John Stone
Bulk is happening; First splurge meal of the cut yesterday.
I didn't expect anywhere near the amount of feedback I received in response to yesterday's blog. Posts to the blog, on Facebook, the forums and in my email box all boiled down to one overriding directive: DO IT. You guys sure got me fired up! Okay–I'll do it! 🙂 It's going to be a few months down the road, though. Once I finish this cut up I want to give myself some time to transition… [Read more]
Added Thursday, April 7, 2016 by John Stone
Strongly considering a bulk…
For past few weeks I've been putting some serious thought into the possibility of doing another bulk. That was not a typo. That last bulk I did was back in late 2008/early 2009 (video). Not too long after that, I found cycling and became slightly obsessed. 🙂 In an effort to become as light as possible, I cut weight–a lot of weight. I didn't want to become light at the expense of power, so most… [Read more]
Added Wednesday, April 6, 2016 by John Stone
Lisa's been cooking up a storm this week!
Lisa is really excited (as am I!) that we're both going to be switching to a vegetarian diet shortly after I complete my current cut. She's off from work this week, and has been spending a fair bit of her downtime scouring the web for all kinds of new vegetarian dishes. Even better, she's been cooking some of them! 🙂 As busy as I've been, it's been wonderful to not have to worry about cooking… [Read more]
Added Tuesday, April 5, 2016 by John Stone
Forum launch went smoothly; Gave myself yesterday morning off!
After several weeks of work, I was able to launch the completely revamped JSF Forums on Saturday. The new JSF community software is not just a mere forum upgrade, it is a completely new system, running on a newly installed O/S. Pretty much everything had to be reworked from the bottom up. It was a huge job. I'm very happy to report that everything is running exceptionally well! All the existing data is there, right… [Read more]


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Only EnchantingBook - 2014
From the critics
Community Activity
CommentAdd a Comment
It took me a while to get into, but once I was there, it was another lovely story in the Survivors Club series, of romance and healing from trauma.
I really liked this story, mainly due to the development of the romance between Flavian & Agnes. I only found two negative aspects: the first was his mother's expectation that he would automatically take back the woman who had jilted him (and she even created a public scene - even though she knew more than anybody else about the whole story of their betrothal). The other was the fact that Agnes blamed only her mother for the facts of her parents' breakup and Agnes' subsequent problems. For example, it was her father who selfishly spent the girls' dowries on a divorce that he didn't really need - although he did remarry years later, he already had three children, including a son, as many men want.
Actually, this is one of my very favourite stories, as the above two problems are sort of asides to the main storyline.
Oh! This was such a beautiful story. There are two things that I love in an HR: sibling love and love after marriage and Only Enchanting had both of those with so much heart felt affection that I ended up tearing up a bit a couple of times.
I would've loved to read about a confession coming from his mom regarding Daniel's death though, particularly because it seemed that Flave's entire family was all too glad of Daniel's death and I would've thought he would've held more resentment towards them because of it.
Mary Balogh is one of my favorite authors and I have enjoyed her Survivors' Club series so far. Only Enchanting really surprised me. I did not expect to like Flavian's story so much. There is a wonderful balance between heartache, romance, and the inevitable happy ending.
Flavian and Agnes are two of Balogh's most appealing characters. They each have had overwhelming difficulties in their lives. Flavian's, of course, is related to injuries he sustained at the Battle of Waterloo.
I'm being very careful not to say so much I spoil the surprises in the story. When they are revealed in due time the reader will completely understand why his disability displayed itself the way it did. I highly recommend this story.
QuotesAdd a Quote
"He hated them more than the headaches -- that feeling of dragging self-pity and the fear that nothing was worth anything. It was the one shared mood the Survivors' Club had all fought against most fiercely during those years they had spent together at Penderris. Bodies could be mended and made to work again, at least well enough to enable the person inside them to live on. Minds could be mended to the degree that they worked efficiently again for the one who inhabited them. And souls could be soothed and fed from an inner well of inspiration and from an outer sharing of experience and friendship and love. / But one never quite reached the point at which one could relax and know that one had made it through to the other side of suffering and could now be simply content, even happy, inside a balanced mix of body, mind, and spirit. / Well, of course one did not." (p. 66)
"...Flavian discovered that Penderris was not the lunatic asylum he was expecting but a hospital with other patients -- other veterans of the war -- as badly messed up as he. / And he had loved George with a passionate attachment ever since. A funny thing, love. It was not always, or even mostly, a sexual thing." (p. 97)
Age SuitabilityAdd Age Suitability
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Home > JOURNALS > ILJ > Vol. 13 > Iss. 2 (1937)
Volume 13, Issue 2 (1937)
Aviation and Life Insurance
Robert A. Adams
Wilful and Wanton Conduct in Automobile Guest Cases
John A. Appleman
Politics and Judicial Administration
Maurice E. Crites
Taxation-Jurisdiction to Tax Trust Property-The Trust Device as an Instrumentality for Avoiding Taxation
Book Review
The Professional Thief, by Edwin H. Suterhland
Harvey J. Locke


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We are officially releasing TWO libraries under the Creative Commons licensing scheme!
Tell your web developer friends about it :)
Solve your PHP SMTP mail sending headaches with the mMail PHP Class by VirtualThinking! Our super simple to use class supports:
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Query by Dawn: How do I get audio for Windows Film Maker?
I am trying to make A slide display correct . . Anywho I have LimeWire && how do I get tunes off of LimeWire . . . . I know you click import music or audio . . But how can I get the audio off of there ?
Very best response:
Response by Large B
tunes from Limewire is saved in the "Shared" file underneath your Paperwork and Options.
Know much better? Leave your personal response in the remarks!


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Have questions? We have answers.
Berger Health System offers a competitive benefit package for their employees. Key benefits are highlighted below with the complete offering under the Benefits tab.


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fitness advice
Gymnastics And Why You Should Start Training Like A Gymnast
Gymnastics seems to be a form of movement that many people are afraid to venture into. I mean, it is a little intimidating seeing people doing crazy flips and tricks. However, the principles used to train you up into a gymnast should be used in your daily training routine. More importantly,


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801 - Operate digital camera and accessories.
802 - Compose a photograph through the lens.
803 - Demonstrate use of lighting.
804 - Demonstrate ability to physically stabilize camera.
Watch this video:
This week, I'd like to see those of you new to our class research and create your own Zentangle. The topic is totally up to you. Here are some samples from past years' students.


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Website: Batič Winery
Country Location: Slovenia
With an immense respect for nature, viewing themselves more as expert gatherers rather than heavy-handed winemakers, and paying special attention to local varieties and winemaking traditions, the Batič family makes wines that honestly reflect the land and vintage.
The people. Founded in 1592, Ivan Batič and his son Miha make wine based on over 400 of years of experience. This history supercedes what's currently fashionable, and Miha was even forbidden from attending oenological school because his father feared it would cloud his brain. Not surprisingly, there is an undeniable faith in the supernatural and a keen sense of their relationship to it. Although they choose techniques like extended maceration at uncontrolled temperatures, indigenous yeast fermentation, and fermenting and aging in local Slovenian oak - nature and the heavens are the ones truly in charge.
The appellation. Slovenia is wedged between Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia with a tiny 40km stretch touching the Adriatic Sea in the southwest corner. Slovenia had its fair share of occupation, annexation and cultural influence ranging from the Roman Empire, Austro- Hungarian Empire, Germany, Italy, Croatia, and most recently, Yugoslavia. Slovenia became in independent country 1991.
The Vipavska Dolina (Vipava Valley) lies within the Primorje wine growing region of Western Slovenia right along the Italian border. The land enjoys both a Mediterranean and Alpine microclimate coupled with marl, clay, flysch and sandstone rich soil. Warm nurturing air flows in from the Adriatic and over the Friuli-Venezia Giulia plains while cool air rushes down from the Alps helping retain acidity and aromatics. Overall, the region is characterized by powerful mineral driven reds like Refošk, Bordeaux varieties like Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (as is also common in neighboring Fruili), and a host of fascinating white varieties like Pinela, Pinot Gris, Zelen, Klarnica, Vitovska and Rebula.
In the vineyards. The Batič family owns 19 hectares of vineyards in three villages (Šempas, Vogrsko, and Vitovlje) ranging from 60 meters up to 1495 meters above sea level - all Western facing. Despite this diversity, four dominant things characterize each parcel: vine density, wind, altitude, and soil heat.
The average vine density is roughly 12,0000 vines per hectare which forces roots to dig up to 15 meters straight down in order to reach nutrients and water. In addition to imparting a distinct mineral character, these deep roots also ensure consistent yields both in rainy and dry weather. Grapes are also trained to ripen at an average height of 0.5 meters. They are so close to the ground that ripening is not just the result of direct sun, but in large part due to soil heat. Only the Cabernet Franc is pergola trained because after generations and generations of experimenting, it just works.
Equally important, the Vipavska Dolina has a famed reputation for creating powerful thermal conditions ideal for parachuting due to the convergence of Alpine and Adriatic influences. The valley has been the host to the World as well as the European Parachuting Championships for years.
These thermal conditions (up to 10 meters/second) basically eliminate the presence of rot and a host of other vine diseases. In the higher altitude vineyards (1,300+ feet) no chemicals of any kind have ever been sprayed. In other locations where conditions would otherwise demands chemical application, Batič is instead the first winery in Europe to harness the power of fire and air with PCS (Physics-based Cropping System). Rather than attacking vine disease and pests with pesticides and herbicides, PCS blows air at 150 km/ h and at a temperature of 75 degrees among the vines. Pollination, natural funghi and a resilient canopy result leaving the vines with a strengthened natural immunity. Rather than fighting nature, they are mimicking what they already know nature does best.
In the cellar. The signature methodology of the Batič estate is knowing when and how to do nothing. Highly selective hand harvesting, extended maceration (particularly native white grape varieties), fermenting in open topped Slovenian wooden vats without temperature control, and only using indigenous yeast are the major means to this end.
While the rosé is made in stainless steal, all of the other wines see only Slovenian oak from primary through malolactic. All wines are bottled un-fined, often unfiltered, and in some cases bottled without additional sulfur (SO2). Lunar cycles and seasons are strictly observed and determine releases and bottling dates. If it's too cloudy for example, wines will not be bottled because there is too much interference between the wine and the heavens.
Batič News:
Border(less) Regions are Great for WineTake a good dose of nationalism, a slightly larger dollop of history, and fuse it with taking the best from what's around you and creating...
Continue ➞


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citrus champagne bundt cake
A light and lovely citrus champagne bundt cake!
I hope your Christmas celebration was merry and bright! As we look ahead to 2018, I can't think of a more delicious way to close out the year than with a sparkling citrus champagne bundt cake. With a light and lovely golden crumb and the perfume of winter citrus (I used a blend of tangerine and Meyer lemon zest), this bundt is reminiscent of the best pound cake.
Dust with snowy powdered sugar or serve with creamy scoops of Meyer lemon ice cream (and a glass of bubbly, of course!). Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!
Citrus Champagne Bundt Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 44 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 4 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
This light and lovely citrus champagne bundt cake is perfumed with winter citrus and the perfect celebratory bundt cake!
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 Tbsp fresh citrus zest
- 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup champagne or prosecco
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed citrus juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- powdered sugar, for dusting
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 10-cup bundt pan generously with nonstick spray. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Combine sugar and citrus zest in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute; combine with butter in a large mixer bowl and beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time. Mix in flour mixture on low speed until almost incorporated. Add champagne, citrus juice, and vanilla; mix on low speed just until combined.
- Spoon batter into prepared bundt pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles. Bake for 40 to 44 minutes, until cake is golden, springs back to the touch, and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes; carefully invert onto rack and cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Baking pan: I used this 10-cup Heritage Bundt Pan
Keywords: Citrus, Champagne, Bundt Cake
More citrus recipes you'll love:
Citrus Vanilla Sheet Cake
Vanilla Citrus Sandwich Cookies
Citrus Curd Linzer Cookiespag


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Ultra low emission zone protecting children in London
8 April 2019
The Mayor of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone has now come into force. RCPCH welcomes the move, but says we also need to see employers and schools encouraging and facilitating better use of public transport and active travel options.
Membership benefit for spring - volunteering opportunities
2 April 2019
Developing new skills, meeting new people, networking with like-minded colleagues, carrying out a sense of purpose... The benefits often outweigh the time given, which may be why more than 1,100 of you volunteer for the College. Whether it's representing your region or specialty on a committee, work...
"UK is lagging behind" – RCPCH responds to Nuffield Trust report
20 February 2019
The Nuffield Trust and the Association for Young People's Health have today published the first ever international comparison of young people's health measures over time, comparing the UK to 18 other high-income countries. Professor Russell Viner, President of the RCPCH, responds.
Scoring change in 2019
25 January 2019
Its only 25 days into the New Year (happy new year by the way) and it feels like 25 months have passed. We've seen the launch of the NHS Long Term Plan (England), launched our own screen time guidance and hosted a roundtable with three CMOs on social media use, launched our State of Child Health 201...
RCPCH members asked for their views on air pollution
12 December 2018
Around one in three children are growing up in areas of the UK with unsafe levels of air pollution. This is not only damaging for their health, but a fundamental threat to their right to grow up in a clean, healthy environment.
RCPCH responds to latest Health Survey for England
4 December 2018
For the first time, The Health Survey looks at links between parent and child obesity. RCPCH responds saying it is a "cycle of life that can have terrible consequences to the health of entire families for generations".
RCPCH responds to ASH 'smokefree generation' report
20 November 2018
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has today launched a new report calling for action to address smoking closer to where people live. Dr Max Davie responds.
"Generation-defining decisions": two party conferences and a Long-Term Plan
23 October 2018
In his latest blog, Russell reflects on this year's party conferences and the fight to prioritise child health.
A real life Peter Pan: what I love about my job
18 October 2018
Sebastian Gray, a consultant in Salisbury, explains why working in child health is like being part of a big family, and how to spot the paediatricians in your hospital (hint: they may not drive the fanciest car).
RCPCH responds to Unicef air pollution research
18 September 2018
UK children are exposed to more than 60% of their daily air pollution intake during the school run and while at school, new research has shown today.


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Should We Worry About Generational Inequality?
This week, we're joined by the IEA's Head of Education Dr Steve Davies, and News Editor Kate Andrews, to discuss generational inequality - one of the most pressing issues in politics today.
Young adults in Britain are finding it harder and harder to get onto the property ladder. This, coupled with numerous other concerns, including rising university fees and cost of living, has left many with a strong sense of grievance about the spread of intergenerational wealth.
On our podcast this week, Kate and Steve examine just how serious this divide is. They discuss some of the radical policy changes which must take place to redress the balance - and why mainstream politicians have been avoiding them.
If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to our podcast channel, IEA Conversations.
SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel
FOLLOW US on Twitter
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Here is my pumpkin portal invention. It's great for halloween.
Applications for the pumpkin portal are more therapeutic and theoretical in nature, but I also invent less abstract things.
My parents back in indiana waited around 3 hours to vote last week. I thought this invention could help out. All we need are 20-30 batman-suited voting attendants utilizing this device:


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There is an oft told, though not particularly amusing story about an old bull and his son who stood atop a hill glancing down at a herd of attractive heifers. Exercising his fatherly duties, the newly divorced elder bull cautioned the youngster about charging down the steep slope to, let's politely say, curry favor with the cows that grazed below.
"Com'on, Dad. Let's go get 'em."
"Easy there, boy," the father cautioned, "it's not always good to move too far too fast. Just ask the hare that lives in that hole next door to the barn."
"I guess you're right," the son responded. "Slow seems to win an awful lot."
"Slow is not the same thing as deliberate. Deliberate is what I'm after." "But what about the Roadrunner, Pops?" the young stud inquired, "That darn bird seems to win every time and he looks like he's havin' an awful lot of fun racing around."
"You may have a point there, kid," came the response as the father looked below, a smile forming on his lip, a twinkle brightening his dark brown eyes. "Let's deliberately run down there and have a good old time. Don't know what I was worried about."
Setting aside his discipline and years of experience, the old bull was drawn in by visions of what could be if all went right. He galloped down the hill, pausing ever so briefly to enjoy himself along the way. But all good things eventually come to an end and often the easier it seems in the beginning morphs into greater difficulties at the end. Well, it didn't end well that day for the elder bull who would eventually keel over, ending up as a set of loafers and matching billfold. In the interim, though, he sure had fun.
As with the bovines portrayed above, it's been a quick and happy romp for the Wall Street bulls, of which I have been one. However, I have no intention of keeling over while hanging on for one more conquest. To some, the bull market is showing signs of tiring while to others, the indices will continue to move higher. Me – well, I have ratcheted down my exposure to a slight positive bias to the market – short global growth, long defensive. I am positioned this way because I see the cows at the bottom of the hill looking decidedly less attractive in the second half of the year when the slowdown in Europe and China become much more evident. That will be when the austerity measures come full measure and the realization hits that Germany alone can't drive the EU economy but, rather, is itself dependent upon an increasingly inward looking and slowing China as well as its EU brethren who were the direct beneficiaries of Deutschland's indirect largess via the troika. It is also when we will revisit Greece, if not sooner, and possibly Portugal. So without EU governments being able to stimulate their own economies through major public works projects; without their banks, despite the LTRO, having enough balance sheet to lend (or choosing instead to make easier money through the risk-less carry trade); without the ECB actually being able to print money; and with China's property bubble gushing air instead of hissing, the headwinds will likely cause a downdraft in the averages.
China lowering their GDP target doesn't bother me that much for a few reasons. First of all, it wasn't a surprise – in fact, I mentioned it last week. No great vision on my part since it was the consensus estimate. Even more supportive of my fortune telling acumen, the government had leaked major portions of the statement. The bears fear not though for China has always outperformed their targets and is perhaps setting the bar low for the new comrades coming into office. And doesn't it matter that 7.5% growth, which may in fact turn out to be 8% if history is a guide, will equate to just slightly less than the same amount of growth as in 2011 owing to a larger base from which to measure the change? (I actually find it somewhat amusing that much of what I read from the Street believes that China will continue to grow at 9-10% despite a clear trend lower.) But the action will turn inward as China grows the domestic economy through consumption rather than exports. This, to me, means less fueling of the global economy. And, of course, slower growth is, at the end of the day, slower growth. I am still not convinced China will have a soft landing – far from it. The property bubble is continuing to deflate and the central government still has little interest, it appears, in bailing out the Rolex wearing, Ferrari driving, developers. This has been made extremely clear in the beating back of measures enacted by local governments, including Wuhu and Shanghai, to foster a recovery in property prices through employing mechanisms such as relaxing credit or allowing the purchase of a second home. Not least of all, let's not forget that some important economic indicators in China are showing contraction or multi-year weakness. There is the school of thought, of which I am not a student, that believes we shouldn't worry about China and Europe since U.S. GDP is not overly reliant upon either Europe, 2% of total U.S. GDP, or China, 0.6% of GDP, but given that our economic revival is not particularly robust, any potential hit to growth has to be regarded seriously. And it is the strengthening domestic economy, abetted by perhaps misplaced optimism on the global economy that overshadows the current weakness abroad.
Not a lot has changed in my favorite longs and shorts with the exception of initiating a short position in U.S. bonds but I will leave that story for another note. I still prefer domestic focused companies that provide downside protection through yield or have branded franchises with a strong IP advantage or value proposition: VZ, QCOM, WLP, HK and CSC, a very interesting value name with a new CEO, low valuation and strong prospects for a turnaround. JPM is very attractive, as is WFC. They will pick up significant share from the moribund European banks, a taste of which was in WFC's recent moves including announcing an expansion in Europe and buying BNP Paribas energy business. Strong foreign banks such as UBS will also benefit. This is an incredible opportunity for domestic banks to replace the earnings they lost from Dodd-Frank. Coal remains a core short, despite the decline in the price of the shares. Aside from WLT, which derives almost its entire earnings from met coal, virtually every other coal company generates 70-80% of revenues and earnings from steam coal. This is true of even two of the world's largest met coal producers, ACI and BTU. Reportedly, ACI's acquisition of Massey is not going well, an asset they clearly overpaid for, and Moody's put them on negative watch. Additionally, as part of China's 5 year plan, they intend to increase coal production by only 3.7%. This is despite the fact that reportedly, 40% of power generators in China that use coal lost money in 2010. Imbedded in the 4% inflation target in the 2012 plan are higher utility prices which is intended to provide relief while lowering usage. Domestically, the warm weather has resulted in stockpiles that utilities will take a long time to work off and the conversion to natural gas from coal at these plants is continuing, arguably picking up momentum. This is occasioned not just by price, but more so by environmental mandates. As to bituminous or met coal, my view on steel remains that as Europe falls into broad recession, China cools and construction continues to weaken, steel prices will continue to weaken. This will lead to more exports from Europe into the U.S. and, of course, China keeps adding to steel mill capacity. I am also short JCP, purely an issue of timing on the turnaround and what is already reflected in the stock price, and KSS. Both troll for customers in a very tough space. On the other side, I am long M.
To bottom line it, the market is in a consolidation phase and faces the likelihood of a minor correction near term while remaining highly dependent upon data in the U.S. and continued optimism about the European and Chinese economies. This Friday's jobs number could untrack the indices either way but watch out for the second half when the can hits the wall.


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It is every couple's dream to find a honeymoon destination offering luxury accommodation and services. After all the stress and turmoil that surrounds a wedding, newlyweds simply need to spend some time alone, preferably at one of the luxury getaways advertised in glamorous magazines, popular travel websites, and eye-catching TV commercials.
While many honeymoon destinations seem inviting, they are not suitable for all couples. To find the luxury accommodations that both partners will enjoy, keep the following suggestions in mind.
Find a spot that both of you will enjoy. If one partner does not like long hikes in the mountains, maybe a beach resort would be better. Couples that like to explore foreign cultures can always make reservations at, for instance, a Balinese retreat. The point is that you will have to go where you both will have a good time.
Stay within your budget. While you may have received plenty of cash donations at the wedding, do not spend it all on your honeymoon. Think about the future, especially if you still need some furnishings for your new home, or if you plan to have children in the near future. If you are constantly worried about your expenses, you will not enjoy your honeymoon, no matter how exquisite these luxury getaways are.
If you want to be pampered during your honeymoon, select a romantic destination with lots of amenities. This could include exotic lounges, resort-style bathrooms, specious bedrooms with a king sized opium bed and a waterfall view, exquisite cuisine and private lagoons. Some resorts even offer private massages, and spa treatments.
Couples with little spare time on their hands should not spend it on airplanes, in airports and chasing taxis. Instead, they should visit the unique retreats located in their backyard. Many of these resorts are so tailored to the comfort of their guest; it is hard to believe that you are only a few hours away from home. Some of these local, luxury getaways are even dedicated to far-away cultures. By staying at these resorts, you will not only enjoy quality time together, but you will also learn more about foreign customs and traditions. They typically also offer foods served at their country of origin, as well as some of the meals you are accustomed to.
To help narrow your choices down from the many luxury accommodation Victoria honeymoon destinations, read the online reviews other couples have posted. You can also talk to couples who recently returned from their honeymoon. Learn from their experiences, so you can avoid places that may be less appealing to you. Checking reviews alone is not enough. Try to find pictures either in travel brochures, or on tourist websites. If they post video clips watch them. To actually see the cities, landscapes, and hotels will give you a better idea if this destination is truly right for you.
Unless you have unlimited financial resources that allow you to keep travelling until you find the perfect luxury getaways that will make you both happy, plan your honeymoon well. You only have one chance to do it right


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High-Octane Leadership in Times of Uncertainty
For this issue, we have PerSPEctives from Carole Nakhle and John MacArthur. In her article, Nakhle discusses attracting talent to the oil industry to ensure that future human resource requirements are met. In addition to improving the image of the oil and gas industry among students, part of the equation is to ensure that women are equally drawn into the industry. MacArthur shares his thoughts on leadership. Recognizing that young leaders will be key to the survival of the industry, he presents a model of high-octane leadership that provides several tips on becoming a good leader. Remember that building leadership skills is crucially important in your career, so you should start early. So read on!
Léon Beugelsdijk, TWA PerSPEctive Editor
Humanity has always faced tough challenges. These challenges remain daunting. According to Jessica Williams' book 50 Facts That Should Change the World, one in five people in the world live on less than U.S. $1 per day and about the same proportion, some 800 million people, go hungry daily. Williams explains that in recent years, a third of the world's population has been at war, with a quarter of all armed conflicts involving a struggle for natural resources such as oil, minerals, metals, water, timber, and drug crops. The good news is that our industry can help tackle these problems; a secure supply of energy is critical to peaceful economic growth and a stable development environment.
Global energy demand grew by more than 4% last year, exceeding 10 billion tons of oil equivalent (approximately 73 billion bbl) for the first time, and according to Intl. Energy Agency (IEA) projections, this could increase by more than half over the next quarter century. We will still rely on hydrocarbons, with 60% of demand to be met by oil and gas by 2030.
IEA believes that this projected growth in energy demand will require massive investment—more than U.S. $16 trillion by 2030, to unlock supplies and build energy infrastructure. A recent industry survey showed E&P capital investment rising to nearly U.S. $200 billion in 2005, with more than half of those surveyed expecting their spending to increase by a further 10% in 2006. To put these sums into context, consider the depressing comparison that the world's trade in illegal drugs is estimated to be worth around $400 billion, which, ironically, is the same as the world's legal pharmaceutical industry, and also around the amount that the United States will spend on its military this year. If we instead find ways to invest more in a secure energy supply and new resources, we will be investing in economic prosperity for more people around the world, reducing global poverty and war.
Young Professionals Leading the Way
Meeting the world's energy needs in the coming years will require today's younger generation of E&P professionals to develop a combination of leadership skills, together with the ability to roll up their sleeves to get things done, inspiring people to achieve a common goal, and acting as good followers when necessary. Future leaders will need outstanding leadership skills to navigate through jungles of uncertainty. Stephen Covey accurately describes the role of the leader in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He explains, "A leader is the one who climbs the tallest tree, surveys the entire situation, and yells, 'Wrong jungle!'" Managers perform a vital role working with systems, processes, and tasks. Managers move into the realm of leadership when they work with people and their emotions. Strong leadership will be particularly important in uncertain times when change will be dramatic and major strategic shifts may be required. People will have to be persuaded to follow a new path.
Young professionals should not wait until they are running their organizations to act as leaders. A common misunderstanding is that leadership is positional or hierarchy-based. Command is not leadership, because some commanders may be unfit to lead. However, many commanders are also good leaders, and, while it is important to be able to challenge poor decisions from unfit commanders for the greater good of the organization, we must aim to not disrupt the chain of command without good reason. Too many organizational command structures focus on conserving existing enterprise momentum rather than determining if a new direction is needed. Young leaders will play an important role in challenging the status quo where it is constraining opportunity, and in exploring new directions. They will also have a duty to be good followers, learners, and listeners, and to support other leaders in delivering organizational goals.
Everyone Has Leadership Potential
Another misunderstanding is that leaders need to be charismatic, or the biggest, or the fastest, or born with some natural gift. Each of us has leadership potential, albeit in varying degrees. We cannot all be Mao Zedong or Mahatma Gandhi. But Napoleon Bonaparte maintained, "Every French soldier carries a marshal's baton in his knapsack." History has shown that many leaders were made by circumstance, not by birth or genetics.
Youth need not be a barrier. John D. Rockefeller was only 26 years old when he took control of Standard Oil in 1865. Alexander the Great led the Macedonians against Darius III, King of Persia, when he was only 22 years old. As King of Macedon, Alexander's position gave him authority, but his excellence in leadership is legendary. His army followed him from Greece to India, founding 18 new cities, and creating a vast empire of more than two million square miles.
Alexander courageously led from the front at Issus against a foe four times the size of his own army, even after he was wounded. After the battle, and despite his own wounds, Alexander went round all the other wounded and thanked them; he had a word of congratulation for each of those who had fought bravely, and honored them with gifts. In his book Alexander the Great, Robin Lane Fox concludes, "This is the way to lead one's men."
So if leadership is not about status, innate genius, or age, what is it about? Leadership is ultimately about influence. It is about having the qualities that cause people to follow you, and the ability to inspire those people to do more than they thought they were capable of doing. Alexander certainly inspired his men. In our industry, we can draw learning from a rich reservoir of leadership history, from buccaneering industry leaders like John D. Rockefeller, Marcus Samuel, Henri Deterding, and Calouste Gulbenkian, to visionary political leaders like King Ibn Saud and Juan Pablo Pérez Alfonzo. Recommended reading for those who wish to explore our industry's history is Daniel Yergin's The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power.
High-Octane Leadership
The chemists among you will know that octane is structurally C8H18, and that the octane rating is a scale for premature detonation or antiknocking in spark-ignition internal-combustion engines. Higher octane ratings correlate to higher activation energies and more-powerful engines. To help frame thoughts on leadership, I have compiled my own "high-octane leadership C8." These eight Cs are: Challenge, Confidence, Coaching, Competence, Connection, Character, Consistency, and Courage. Each element describes an aspect of leadership and also serves as a guide to being a good follower as well as a good leader. I was once told by a senior industry figure that in his early career he learned first to be a good follower and that through this he developed the understanding of leadership skills he needed later in his career.
The first three Cs describe how a leader inspires and interacts with people. They are: Challenge, Confidence, and Coaching and are derived from Paul Thornton's leadership model, introduced in his book Be the Leader, Make the Difference.
1. A leader must challenge people to achieve beyond their expectations and assumptions by setting targets and using external benchmarks as a continuous driver to improve.
2. Although leaders may inspire their followers to accept the challenge, they must also instill confidence in their people that the results can be achieved. Leaders must drive out fear, expand people's self-image, recognize and reward accomplishments, and express faith in people by delegating responsibility and authority.
3. A leader must coach people to facilitate their success. This can be through setting a personal example, describing best practices, dialogue to refine understanding, and constant two-way feedback to improve relationships.
Balancing these three elements is of critical importance to a good leader or follower. Leaders must work to make sure people have sufficient confidence and coaching to face the challenges that are set. Followers can help leaders by seeking challenges and asking for feedback and coaching.
The remaining 5 Cs are qualities of effective leaders, which young professionals can also display in their role as followers.
4. Character makes trust possible, and trust is essential for leadership. The character of a leader is who they are, the inner person. PepsiCo Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Craig Weatherup advises, "People will tolerate honest mistakes, but if you violate their trust you will find it very difficult to ever regain their confidence." Weatherup continues, "You don't build trust by talking about it. You build it by achieving results, always with integrity and in a manner that shows real personal regard for the people with whom you work." True leaders will put what is best for their followers and organization ahead of their own needs.
5. Consistency is fundamental to leadership and is another foundation for trust. Consistency of character and behavior sets the expectation for followers. A leader must be clear on what his/her values are, live them out every day, and keep his/her promises.
6. Connection is finding common ground for cooperation. A curious characteristic of effective leaders is that they know how to get along with people, even with those who should be "enemies." In the event of conflict, good leaders will have an intuitive sense of a compromise solution that will provide benefits for both parties.
7. Competence is essential to establishing credibility. A leader's credibility depends on his/her record of making the right decisions. Leaders should share stories and past experiences that demonstrate competence and successful decision making.
8. Courage underpins all other leadership qualities. Winston Churchill said, "Demonstrate courage, the first of human qualities, and that which guarantees all others." Leaders must demonstrate courage by admitting making mistakes, having tough conversations, dealing with ambiguity, and taking accountability and responsibility for getting things done.
For further reading on the qualities of leaders, I recommend John C. Maxwell's books on leadership, including The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.
Leaders challenge, coach, and build confidence. They have strength of character and are trustworthy. They consistently place the needs of the enterprise and its people above their own needs. Effective leaders connect with people, demonstrate competence, engender trust, and cooperate with others. Finally, leaders demonstrate courage and embrace responsibility and accountability.
These are admirable traits we should all try to develop and, in doing so, discover our own latent leadership potential. Unleashing this potential will not only make us true leaders, but can also contribute to helping others to realize their potential.
Almost as important as leadership ability is the ability to know when not to lead and to be a good follower. A true leader also knows when challenge is inappropriate, and more often than not, speaks last, not first.
We do not need to be Alexander the Great, or even John D. Rockefeller, and we can all find opportunities to lead or help others to lead. It is through good leadership that we will find ways to secure more energy supplies over the coming years, and hence make our contribution to creating a more prosperous world for everyone.
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02 December 2019
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Instruments and tools
Scientists and technicians use a huge variety of instruments and tools in their work ranging from the small, simple and cheap to the large, complex and extremely expensive nuclear research reactor or satellite that requires a large team to build and operate it. Instruments allow scientists to measure and observe things they cannot directly see for themselves such as the atomic structure of materials or the flow of air over an aircraft wing at transonic speed. Learning to use new instruments was an important part of training to be a scientist and getting good results often relied heavily on a willingness to spend many hours first perfecting these skills and then using them to collect data. Some instruments were bought from commercial suppliers, but often scientists doing new kinds ofresearch needed to use their own ingenuity and expertise to design specialist equipment or adapt existing instruments to a new purpose. Computers have become the single most important tool for scientists and engineers across the range of disciplines and revolutionised their ability to analyse and process data as well as to use that data for practical purposes.
Related Audio Clips
The following clips are short extracts from an in-depth interview.
To listen to the full interview visit http://sounds.bl.uk
Related Video Clips
Joseph Farman: using the Dobson (ozone) spectrometer
Joseph Farman describes how instruments called Dobson spectrophotometers (abbreviated by Farman here to Dobson spectrometers), used by his own team to discover the 'ozone hole' in the mid 1980s, are able to measure ozone concentrations in the high atmosphere.


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Open Enrollment Year 5 (OE5) will start on Wednesday, November 1. The dates for open enrollment this year are different than they were in prior years as OE5 will end on December 15, 2017. These dates apply for marketplaces on the federally facilitated exchange (healthcare.gov). Some states who are running their own state-based marketplace will […] Read More »
AAHD to Support Community Catalyst Outreach Project
AAHD is happy to announce that we are joining with Community Catalyst in a new outreach project for Open Enrollment Year 5 (OE5). Community Catalyst, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is serving as the national coordinating organization for an effort to spread awareness about the upcoming open enrollment period starting November 1st […] Read More »
AAHD Joins CACH Project with CBPP
The American Association on Health and Disability (the lead partner for the NDNRC) is happy to announce that we are joining a new project which is being launched by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The project, called the Consumer Assistance Coordination Hub (CACH), will support individuals […] Read More »
Graham-Cassidy Bill Introduced
Today, Senators Graham (R-SC) and Cassidy (R-LA) introduced their bill to repeal and the replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Graham-Cassidy would essentially take all the money the federal government spends on Medicaid, premium tax credits, etc. and give that money to the states in the form of a block grant which states could then […] Read More »
What the Senate's BCRA Would Mean for People with Disabilities
Today, Senate Republicans released their version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), or as the Senate is calling it, the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BCRA). The AHCA was passed in the House in May as a replacement plan for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). We previously posted about what the original and final versions of […] Read More »
What the AHCA Would Mean for People with Disabilities (Updated)
In March, we posted a blog on what the American Health Care Act (AHCA) would mean for people with disabilities comparing it with the eight principles we outlined in the statement we put out after the November 2016 election ("Preserve the Protections Provided by the Affordable Care Act"). Since the AHCA was introduced in March, […] Read More »
CMS Provides Guidance on New SEP Rules and Enrolling a Newborn with Special Health Care Needs
Last week, CMS finalized the market stabilization regulations. One of the main areas addressed in the rules is the process for Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs). Beginning in June, consumers attempting to enroll through a SEP will be required to provide documentation to verify they are entitled to the SEP. Additionally, consumers enrolling through a SEP […] Read More »
What the AHCA Would Mean for People with Disabilities
Note: the AHCA has undergone several amendments since this blog. For the updated analysis, check our our new blog post on the AHCA. This week, the Republicans released their long-awaited replacement plan for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as the American Health Care Act (AHCA) was introduced in the House. After last year's election, we […] Read More »
Reviewing the ACA Replacement Proposals
The Kaiser Family Foundation has prepared synopses for some of the proposals to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Their summaries can be found below and are also available on their website here. Summary of the ACA The American Health Care Act, introduced in the House on March 6, 2017 Summary of plan released by […] Read More »
AAHD Calls on Congress to Address Health Care Reform in a Responsible Way
The American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD), which funds and operates the NDNRC, has released a statement calling on Congress to address health care reform in a responsible way. To download a copy of the statement, click here. The AAHD statement also incorporates the eight key protections outlined by the NDNRC that we believe […] Read More »
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