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As we know, Cross stitch is a form of counted thread embroidery that has been around for ages, and it is one of the easiest forms of hand embroidery to learn. Cross stitch is comprised of X-shaped stitches done on fabric with an even and open weave like Aida or linen. Designs can be traditional or modern or anywhere in between.
Our store provide Cross stitch projects sold as kits, which brings convenience to customers. You don't need to purchase fabric and thread separately, also there are many different patterns to choose from. On sale cross stitch kits have two types, one is Stamped Printed Cross Stitch (canvas with printing, suitable for beginners and interested users), and the other is Counted Cross Stitch (no printed canvas, suitable for a certain degree of familiarity with cross stitch)
Feature:1. A guide graphic composed of different numbers and symbols, tells you where to draw the grid and which color line should be used. All you have to do is follow the symbols on the paper. Learn how to get started.2. The natural ecological cotton used is soft, colorful and durable, making your Cross Stitch silky, vivid and long lasting.3. The cross-stitched artwork will bring you a pleasant time and a sense of accomplishment when completing. It can be used as a home decoration, or as a unique, meaningful and irreplaceable gift for your loved ones.Specification:Material: cottonCanvas size: as shown(Product Title/Image)White border size: 4cm/1.57inCross stitch cloth type:
9CT Stamped:9CT Stamped 4 strands (canvas with printing)
11CT Stamped:11CT Stamped 3 strands (canvas with printing)
11CT Counted:11CT Counted 3 strands (no printed canvas)
14CT Stamped:14CT Stamped 2 strands (canvas with printing)
14CT Counted:14CT Counted 2 strands (no printed canvas)
16CT Stamped:16CT Stamped 2 strands (canvas with printing)
18CT Stamped:18CT Stamped 2 strands (canvas with printing)Note: The product does not contain frame.The color block in the drawing does not represent the color of the embroidery thread. Please carefully identify the symbol or the serial number corresponding to the color block, and select the thread number according to the serial number requirements.Due to the different monitor and light effect, the actual color of the item might be slightly different from the color showed on the pictures. Thank you!Please allow 1-3mm measuring deviation due to manual measurement.1 x Embroidered Cloth2 x Embroidery Needles1 x Embroidery Thread Set1 x Manual
A cross stitch chart tells you everything you need to know about where to stitch and what color to use. The grid on a cross stitch chart corresponds to the grid created by the weave of the fabric, and each colored square on the chart represents a cross stitch.
A combination of colors and symbols in the squares (or symbols only if the chart is black-and-white) tell you which color of floss to use. Use the chart legend to map the symbols to the floss colors.
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Ted Glynn & Janice Wearmouth & Mere Berryman (2005) Supporting students with literacy difficulties: A responsive approach (summary). Open University Press
This book by Ted Glynn, Janice Wearmouth, and Mere Berryman examines ways in which teachers and other adults, at school and at home, have created effective, responsive, social contexts for literacy learning. Chapter 1 and summary available online.
Russell Bishop & Ted Glynn (1999) Culture Counts: Changing Power Relations in Education (preview). Dunmore Press Limited
Bishop,R., & Glynn, T (1999). This book traces the development of patterns of cultural dominance and subordination, its origins and impacts. It then explores an alternative model of relationships, including in the education context. Dunmore Press Limited.

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Clean Pro Gutter Cleaning Middleton
Do the really smart thing — Let a Pro deal with those stopped up gutters!
Our primary objective is to make certain your guttering is working the right way and to try to save you money simultaneously. We make clearing your gutters easy. Online scheduling, quotes and bill payment are all possible.
Middleton is a city in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States, and a suburb of the state capital, Madison. Middleton's motto is "The Good Neighbor City." The population was 21,827 at the 2020 census. In 2007, Middleton was chosen as the best place to live by CNN Money magazine. CNN Money magazine praised Middleton's "small-town charm, booming economy, extensive parks and bike trails." In 2009, Middleton was placed 4th, and 8th in 2011, on CNN Money magazine's list of best small towns to live in the United States. In 2021, Middleton was chosen as the "Best Suburbs to Raise a Family in Dane County" by ranking and review website Niche.
Allied Community, Amherst, Arbor Hills, Ashton Corners, Badger Rock Neighborhood Center, Bay Creek, Berkeley Oaks, Bishops Bay, Bram's Addition, Brentwood Village, Burke Heights, Burr Oaks, Capitol View Heights, Carpenter-Ridgeway, Cherokee Park


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Stanford Scientist Criticizes Fox Distortion Of His Climate Study
Written by Fae Jencks
With what must be one of their more obtuse headlines, Fox Nation misrepresented a recent study on the impact of climate change on the world's crops, proclaiming that it showed "No Global Warming In North America":
Got that? The globe is not warming in North America -- just like the United States doesn't have an unemployment problem in North Dakota.
What's more is that the study Fox Nation refers to doesn't actually contend that there have been no global warming effects in North America. Here, Fox is echoing an Ottawa Citizen headline which stated: "Climate change hardly visible in North America: Canada U.S. buck trend, scientists say." This too is a misrepresentation of the research.
In fact, the study examined only crop-producing regions and only during the growing seasons of corn, rice, maize, and wheat.The research indicated that those specific regions in the U.S. have not seen the same warming trend evident in global average temperatures over the past 30 years. (Indeed, no climate scientist would say the planet is expected to warm uniformly).
Stanford's David Lobell, one of the authors of the study, explained in an email that he was "disappointed" in both the Fox Nation and Ottawa Citizen coverage, which "do not accurately portray our findings." He added:
The study was only focusing on one aspect of climate change (impacts on agriculture) and looked only in the parts of the countries where and times of year when certain crops are grown. for example, if one looks at winter temperatures in these regions, it would paint a different picture. also, the lack of trend in any one region has very little bearing on whether global warming is happening.
Moreover, responding to an inquiry submitted to the Climate Science Rapid Response Team, Dr. Jacqueline Mohan of the University of Georgia's Odum School of Ecology explained in an email that "modern crops and the vast majority of natural ecosystems are fundamentally different." She explains that annual crops used in agriculture "do not "track" climate as closely as perennial plants which have much longer lifespans" and are more vulnerable to changes in climate. Mohan also points to recent research on ecosystems in North America that "has shown profound responses to changing climate."
Of course, Fox Nation is notorious for finding bogus evidence in an attempt to disprove the fact that the Earth is warming. In this case, the site is pushing the notion that if global warming isn't happening in America, it's not happening anywhere. Unfortunately, it's just not the case that climate change isn't happening here and around the world.
In fact, both the U.S. and Canada have seen rising average temperatures in recent decades, with Northern Canada undergoing particularly dramatic changes.
Presumably, Fox Nation paid little attention to a report that actually does examine the impact of climate change on the U.S. as a whole. That report, commissioned by the Bush administration and released in 2009, serves as "the most complete federal look yet at the effects of a changing climate," according to USA Today. It features a compilation of both federal and independent research and includes "analysis of impacts on various sectors such as energy, water, and transportation" at both a national and regional levels. Among its key findings are that "Climate changes are underway in the United States and are projected to grow" and that "Widespread climate-related impacts are occurring now and are expected to increase."
Indeed, regions all over the world are observing trends that foretell a changing environment. According to University of Minnesota scientist Peter Reich, also contacted through CSRRT, Fox Nation is completely missing the important point of Lobell's study, saying via email that "if there is evidence that on average, around the world, agricultural output was already impacted by climate change, that is important, and a 'canary in the coal mine' kind of signal."
Indeed, Lobell's study concludes that communities across the globe are encountering the very real consequences of climate change on the production of vital crops. The very research that Fox Nation uses to sow doubt about global warming found that "Climate trends were large enough in some countries to offset a significant portion of the increases in average yields that arose from technology, CO2 fertilization, and other factors."
Additionally, while there is significant evidence that climate change is occurring right here in the U.S., many other studies have shown that the geographies of other regions make them even more vulnerable to the negative effects of a changing climate. An analysis by World Bank economist David Wheeler projects a median loss of agricultural productivity in Central Africa of 19.8% by 2050. He also forecasts that 14 other regions, including significant portions of South America and Asia will see decreases of 10% or more, whereas North America's median losses are around 1.65%. British firm Maplecroft, which specializes in risk analysis, rated the United States as a "medium risk" country, less vulnerable than 128 other countries in the world.


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News Archive
Tuesday, October 28 2008
Iowa State researcher develops new treatment method for canine eye diseases
Sinisa Grozdanic, an assistant professor of veterinary clinical sciences at ISU's College of Veterinary Medicine, is working to develop a method of implanting medicine into the tissue surrounding a dog's eyes.
Iowa State's Hira leads national study on age differences in investment behavior
Tahira Hira, a professor of personal finance and consumer economics in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Iowa State, is the lead author of a national study of 909 investors that compared investment behavior across three age groups.
Former Canadian minister of foreign affairs to give Manatt-Phelps Lecture Oct. 30
Lloyd Axworthy, president and vice chancellor of The University of Winnipeg and former Canadian minister of foreign affairs, will present the seventh annual Manatt-Phelps Lecture in Political Science at Iowa State on Thursday, Oct. 30 Axworthy will present a lecture, titled "A Canadian Conversation with the New U.S. President," which will begin at 8 p.m. in the Sun Room, Memorial Union.
Disaster relief veterinarians honored by Iowa Veterinary Medical Association
ISU faculty and staff who took part in the effort to care for animals during this summer's floods and tornado in northern Iowa were part of the group honored by the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association.
Reiman Gardens named 'Attraction of the Year'
ISU's Reiman Gardens received the "Attraction of the Year" award and Ames was honored as "Community of the Year" (population more than 10,000) at the 2008 Iowa Tourism Conference. Additionally, ISU alumnus, entrepreneur and university benefactor Roy Reiman was honored as the "Media Friend" of tourism for "Our Iowa" magazine.
ISU journalism head named editor, advisor to NewsTrust.net
Director of the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication, Michael Bugeja joined an accomplished national group of journalists and academic leaders as a NewsTrust.net advisor, editor and reviewer.
Sustainable Food Conference will feature Will Tuttle, Oct. 27 and 28
Will Tuttle, a Zen Buddhist monk and author of the book, "World Peace Diet," will speak and lead panel discussions at Iowa State's Sustainable Food Conference, "A New Paradigm for a Peaceful Planet," Oct. 27 - 28. The sessions will address the effects of animal agriculture on world hunger and the environment, and the cultural and health benefits of a vegan diet.
Consumers using more media, new and old, according to ISU professor's four-year study
A four-year study led by Jay Newell, an ISU mass media professor, found large gains in the use of new media (like the Internet and e-mail), but also a slight increase in the use of traditional media (newspapers, magazines, radio and television). The results are summarized in a paper that will be published in an upcoming issue of the International Journal on Media Management.
ISU psychologist assists in study finding babies distinguish between happy, sad music
ISU Assistant Professor of Psychology Douglas Gentile was one of the researchers on a study of 96 infants finding that babies as young as 5 months old can distinguish an upbeat song from among gloomier compositions. Their paper "Infants; discrimination of happy and sad music," will be published in the upcoming issue of the academic journal Infant Behavior and Development.
Robert C. Brown: biofuels are best option to harness solar energy
Robert C. Brown, who studies the conversion of biomass to biofuels, will deliver this fall's Presidential University Lecture at 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27, in the Sun Room of Iowa State's Memorial Union. He'll discuss, "Why are We Producing Biofuels?" The lecture is free and open to the public.
Iowa State University researcher developed forerunner of Nobel research in 1986
This year's Nobel Prize for chemistry was given to researchers for their work on illuminating living cells. An Iowa State University professor developed something similar more than 20 years ago.


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- Home
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Human Resources Division
The primary mission of the Human Resources Division is to develop a staff and workforce philosophy that embodies the City Council's mission, vision, and core values in its daily decision making.
In partnership with the other city departments, Human Resources Division is responsible for recruiting, hiring, and retaining talented and qualified employees. It is also the division's responsibility to implement the City Council's compensation philosophy, both salary and benefits, to ensure access and compliance with various leave policies and other administrative policies and practices.
Citrus Heights as an Employer
As an employer, Citrus Heights strives to provide a working environment that is innovative and flexible.
The city recognizes dedication and hard work, but also encourages employees to retain a work / life balance. The city prides itself on cultivating a family-friendly environment. One example of this is the Alternative Work Schedule program. A majority of employees participate in various schedules which are considered a highly valued benefit by the organization.
With approximately 220 city employees, the city maintains a lean, efficient, and talented workforce to implement numerous programs and administer key contracts. City employees are hard-working and dedicated to providing a very high level of customer service, internally and externally.
Core Values
The City Council has approved the following core values. The city is looking for people that believe in the following core values:
- Diversity - A commitment to engage, respect, and give equal treatment to all in our organization and community.
- Innovation - Demonstrating a civic entrepreneurial spirit by generating new ideas and better ways of doing things and engaging in reasonable risk.
- Integrity - Actions are based on honor to create ethical character and a positive reputation.
- Teamwork - A process built upon common focus, flexibility, cooperation, communication, and the sharing of risk, responsibility and reward.
- Respect - The obligation to treat all with civility by listening, comprehending, empathizing, and valuing opinions and perspectives.
- Responsive Customer Service - Meeting needs in a timely, proactive, courteous, and responsive manner by delivering on promises and commitments beyond expectations.
- Trust - Actions, information and communication are accurate, consistent, open and honest to maintain credibility.


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Membership questions? Log in issues? Email email@example.com
So what are everyone's thoughts on this model? CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) seems to be going strong after a decade or two run up. Farmers running CSA's make a heck of a lot closer to a living wage than those working for the wholesale market. They face a lot less risk each year as well already having much of their income pledged or even delivered regardless of actual yield.Of course a lot of breweries can retail their product easily anyway but they still face the risk of opening the doors to the crickets and sitting on barrels of good beer as it goes bad (although from comments on another thread that may not be a problem right now). Also, many of the CSBs I have seen so far offer a set volume of product for your membership so the brewer does not gain the protection against major product losses that the farmer gets either.So for the small start up brewer does the CSB model provide any of the benefits that the CSA model does for a small farm? If you could pre-sell memberships could this not provide a big boost over the first major barrier to entry into the business? Namely the cost of facilities/equipment.I can also see how potential investors, seeing a pre-sold customer base might be more willing to risk their money with a new brewery.But what about as beer drinkers/lovers. Would you pay up front for a years worth of beer? I imagine a lot of folks would at first at least to support a new brewery, a local brewery, a friend/relative, whatever. But, assuming the beer was good enough, would you re-up at the end of the initial term? What considerations might make you more or less likely to re-up?It's an interesting business model especially in this age of the 'local' and 'slow' food movements.
Burlington Beer Company is one I am watching. Going to stop by there if they are open next time I'm home. Of course, when I say a 'years worth of beer' I mean some beer each month through out the year. a 'Years worth' can mean a lot of different things to different people.
Black Star Co-op in Austin Texas is a successful brewpub that follows this path, waitstaff gets paid a living wage, they don't accept tips and utilize self-directed work teams. Oh, and they make some pretty good beer as well....
Kickstarter will not allow you to sell beer through their program in exchange for funding. Is this similar to breweries that do membership programs where you receive a certain number of beers plus first dibs on other releases? Or is it a commitment to receive a large portion of beers from the brewery? I joined the Bruery's membership program for next year. I think it guarantees us nine beers plus first rights to buy several other releases plus discounts on all purchases at the brewery. My wife travels out to California for business almost every week so she can mule it back to Texas for us. It's worth it to get some rare beers but I'm not sure I'd commit to prepaying for a case of a standard release every month, especially since I homebrew.
I think it is mixed bag. Beer is luxury item for non luxury price. Ask yourself if you would pay let say $500 a year for this. I think this is way above the beer price point and you would have to do a lot of education. Check this brewery. http://houseofbrewsmadison.com/csb-info/He is in Madison WI. This is very educated and liberal city of about 200,000. Last I heard he had 9 subscribers.
Quote from: Thirsty_Monk on December 06, 2013, 09:21:29 pmI think it is mixed bag. Beer is luxury item for non luxury price. Ask yourself if you would pay let say $500 a year for this. I think this is way above the beer price point and you would have to do a lot of education. Check this brewery. http://houseofbrewsmadison.com/csb-info/He is in Madison WI. This is very educated and liberal city of about 200,000. Last I heard he had 9 subscribers.I actually contacted him about his project and he was fairly terse and dismissive in his email so I let it go. I'm sure it's a hard stressful thing to be starting a new business and I didn't want to push it. But if he is not getting the support he was looking for I can see how that would be even more stressful.


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Following up from my previous question, which I'd raised because I have concerns that my non-stick wok will need replacing very soon (again), and was having a think about "standard" pans.
I'm not currently interested in differences in care/cleaning/etc, I think those are quite well covered in other questions.
So, I'm wondering what's the difference in the required technique when using them to cook food?


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HTS Theological Studies
On-line version ISSN 2072-8050
Print version ISSN 0259-9422
Herv. teol. stud. vol.66 n.1 Pretoria Jan. 2010
Review article: the mountain motif in the plot of Matthew
Gert J. Volschenk
Department of Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics, University of Pretoria, South Africa
This article reviewed T.L. Donaldson's book, Jesus on the mountain: A study in Matthean theology, published in 1985 by JSOT Press, Sheffield, and focused on the mountain motif in the structure and plot of the Gospel of Matthew, in addition to the work of Donaldson on the mountain motif as a literary motif and as theological symbol. The mountain is a primary theological setting for Jesus' ministry and thus is an important setting, serving as one of the literary devices by which Matthew structured and progressed his narrative. The Zion theological and eschatological significance and Second Temple Judaism serve as the historical and theological background for the mountain motif. The last mountain setting (Mt 28:16-20) is the culmination of the three theological themes in the plot of Matthew, namely Christology, ecclesiology and salvation history.
Keywords: faith; Matthew; mountain motif; plot; Second Temple Judaism
The purpose of this article is to focus the attention of researchers, theologians and pastors once more on the importance of the mountain motif in the Gospel of Matthew's theology, structure and plot. Donaldson's (1985) research is a thorough and groundbreaking work in this regard, deserving the attention and focus that it received in my dissertation (Volschenk 2001) and in this review article. Donaldson focused our attention on the importance of the mountain motif in Matthew as a literary motif, as well as a theological symbol. Mountains appear frequently in Matthew as sites for events in the life and ministry of Jesus. This is a deliberate and intentional feature of the Matthean redaction. There are six important mountain passages in Matthew (Mt 4:8; 5:1//8:1; 15:29; 17:1-9; 24:3; 28:16), where a mountain serves as the setting for a significant event in the ministry of Jesus. The mountain is thus an important setting and serves as one of the devices by which Matthew structured and progressed his narrative. Donaldson (1985:4) concludes that the three Matthean mountain scenes (Mt 4:23-5:1; 15:29-39; 28:16-20) present a generally positive picture of the person of Jesus and of his ministry with the disciples and crowds. Opposition and unbelief are generally foreign to Matthew's presentation of Jesus on the mountain. It is at this point where scholars have moved beyond Donaldson in their investigation of the interrelationship and connectedness of mountain and other theological themes such as faith. Narratological research has, in the past, emphasised the unity of the Gospel as a whole, as well as the importance of the plot of the narrative.
My aim in this paper is to climb the Matthean mountain and discover the geographical, structural and theological significance of this explorative journey or expedition.
Preliminary remarks
Donaldson's research is a groundbreaking endeavour. He refers to some of the results of earlier scholars that are either preliminary, off the mark or superficial. Some of the lasting results are that there are recurring Christological and ecclesiological themes that appear in Matthew's mountain passages. Donaldson (1985:15) draws attention to the absence of opposition and to the emphasis on the relationship between Jesus and those who have gathered around him on the mountain as the creation of an eschatological community bound to a teacher. One of the primary results is that mountains function as places of Christological manifestation. Several scholars attempt to discover the literary role of the motif in the structure of the Gospel as a whole. They suggest that each of Matthew's mountain scenes is linked in one way or another to the final scene in the sequence.
There is consensus that Matthew 28:16-28:20 serves as a summary and climax of many of Matthew's key themes and there is a possibility that this passage has the same functioning for the mountain motif. There is a gap in the research with regards to the possibility that the mountain in Matthew functions as a theological symbol. Volschenk (2001), however, showed that the mountain, as part of the space in Matthew's narrative, has a definite theological significance. The primary result is that the mountain is the setting which Jesus characteristically chose for his ministry.
Redaction-critical methodology
Donaldson (1985:18-21) briefly described the redaction-critical method that he would use as a tool in his investigation of the mountain motif in Matthew's Gospel:
This discipline assumes that the evangelists were authors and theologians in their own right, who, living in the midst of concrete and (at least potentially) identifiable church situations, shaped the Gospel traditions as they received them in order to address particular issues and needs which were present in those church situations. In this approach the Gospels are seen not as shapeless collections of units of tradition, but as carefully-crafted theological statements; the evangelists, by the same token, are not merely tridents but competent exegetes; the community not only transmits the Gospel tradition, but provides the setting in which and for which the tradition is shaped and interpreted.
(Donaldson 1985:18)
Donaldson has a clear understanding of the assumptions of the redaction-critical or historical-critical method and the shortcomings thereof. According to Donaldson (1985:18), the redaction-critical task is twofold:
The task is, on the one hand, aimed at horizontal analysis, to uncover and examine the various theological and practical motives which governed the evangelist in his work. The Gospel is compared with its sources in order to discover significant patterns in the way in which the evangelist has altered, deleted, rearranged or recast the material as he received it.
On the other hand, vertical analysis looks at the overall composition of the Gospel to discover its themes and the structures on which it is built. The results of the current study are used to illuminate the setting in which this work was done.
Donaldson's redaction-critical study gives us a comprehensive picture of the background of the mountain motif in Second Temple Judaism, and of the mountain as a theological symbol. The main criticism of his work is on the second level, having to do with vertical analysis. Donaldson did not explore the overall composition or structure of Matthew as a narrative in more depth, which would have allowed him to investigate the interrelationship between the mountain and related themes within the plot of the Gospel of Matthew (see the section headed 'The plot of the Matthean narrative' below).
Assumptions about the background investigation
Donaldson (1985:13) focuses his research on the significance of Matthew's mountain theme against the background of Second Temple Judaism. His primary attention is, thus, the religious tradition that had influenced early Christianity in general and Matthew in particular. His second assumption is that the church for which Matthew was written was Jewish-Christian in orientation, and therefore dependant for its world of ideas largely on the traditions of Second Temple Judaism. The difficulty is caused by the two tendencies in the Gospel that coexist in tension to some extent. Such tension is that of Jewish-Christian particularism, on the one hand, and the universalistic interest in Gentile mission, on the other. Donaldson (1985) is well aware of the difficulties of, and criticisms levelled against, the above assumption:
[I]t is argued that the Gospel was written for a Greek-speaking but largely Jewish-Christian church which was in the process of consolidating its own life and self-understanding in a context in which, as a result of increasing Pharisaic opposition, it was being pushed in a greater or lesser degree to the margins of Jewish life. This church was open to the Gentile mission, but valued its Jewish heritage and wanted to give a greater place in Christian practice to a re-interpreted Torah, in order to counter the antinomianism which it feared was endemic in that mission. If Matthew wrote in and for such a church, then it can be safely assumed that both he and his readers were thoroughly conversant not only with the OT but also with the developed exegetical traditions of Second-Temple Judaism.
(Donaldson 1985:14)
Donaldson (1985) states his position on the Sitz im Leben of Matthew's Gospel as follows:
Matthew's Gospel was written in the period after the war but before the Birkhat ha-Minim declaration was fully in force, for a Hellenistic Jewish-Christian community which, while open to a properly-conceived Gentile mission even if it held on to its Jewish heritage, was being forced to re-examine its own identity as the Pharisees of Jamnia carried out their reconstruction of a more narrowly defined Judaism.
(Donaldson 1985:16)
It is necessary to emphasise the critique against the redactional-critical methodology in establishing the Matthean community. The question is whether it is in any way possible to reconstruct the Matthean community. Stanton (1992; see also Volschenk 2001:99) criticised the history of the reconstruction of the Matthean community as follows:
The paragraphs which follow will confirm that redaction critics have often drawn over-hasty conclusions about the circumstances and the development of Matthean communities. Any attempt to reconstruct their history must inevitably look beyond the meagre evidence of Matthew itself and draw heavily on other considerations concerning the origins of earliest Christianity.
(Stanton 1992:47)
Kingsbury (1991) also criticises the methodology of the redaction-critical approach:
To move from text to social situation by simply invoking the principle of transparency is, owing to the high degree of subjectivity involved and the paucity of independent evidence for corroborating one's findings, hazardous indeed. On this score, witness the shipwreck so many redaction-critical hypotheses regarding the community of Matthew have suffered. Similarly, to move from text to social situation by means of a model or typology brought to the text from the outside runs the risk of forcing the text into a procrustean bed. In what direction, then, lies progress in coming to grips with this problem of moving from text to social situation? Generally speaking, one must wonder whether biblical social historians, in trying to solve this problem, might not do well to throw in their lot with biblical literary critics.
(Kingsbury 1991:262)
Beyond the redaction-critical exegesis
Literary critics or narratology moved a step forward in the exegesis process. After first trying to identify the genre of the Matthean Gospel, they studied the literary structure of the Gospel text as a whole. They then distinguished between the surface structure and the deep structure of the text. Such an approach is also called the text-immanent or holistic approach to text interpretation. Van Aarde (1994; see also Volschenk 2001:102) describes the distinction as follows:
Under the surface lie the interrelationships and interweaving of linguistic structures which, semantically, denote the true meaning of the text. This is the level known as the 'depth structure'. French Structuralism makes a distinction between the levels on which the depth structure is situated. Apart from the fact that below the current narrative there is a linguistic depth structure ... below this linguistic depth structure there is also a 'narrative surface structure' and a 'narrative depth structure'. The plot of the narrative is generated in the 'narrative depth structure', embodied in the 'narrative surface structure' and finally manifested in the 'linguistic surface structure' in current linguistic forms - such as words, combinations of words, sentences, combinations of sentences, pericopes and so forth. These linguistic signs serve as the language symbols of the various 'actants' encountered on the level of manifestation. An 'actant' is generally a character in the narrative, but it can also be an interest group, an object, an institution, a predicate, and so on.
(Van Aarde 1994:27-28)
Van Aarde (1994:30) concluded that the genre of the Gospels is a narrative, which is the interaction between the plot and characters within a specific period of time and space. The plot is the logical sequence of the events and actions in the episodes from the beginning, through the middle, and to the end, or conclusion. In the section headed 'The plot of the Matthean narrative', I will briefly describe the plot of the Matthean narrative, as well as the interaction between certain aspects of the plot of the narrative.
The objective of this review is to provide an overview of Donaldson's (1985) perspective of the place and function of the mountain motif in the structure of Matthew. Details of the results of the redaction-critical research will only be provided where doing so is deemed necessary. Donaldson's (1985) work is uniquely structured, in that it starts with the sacred mountain motif as it was used in those cultures, such as the Canaanite culture, surrounding Israel, thereby emphasising the wider context of the mountain motif. Donaldson then focuses in on the nub of the issue, namely that of Old Testament mountain theology, generally in terms of the Old Testament, and specifically in terms of Second Temple Judaism. He then discusses the mountain motif in the Gospel of Matthew, placing his redaction at the centre of his research.
Sacred mountain motif in a wider context
Sacred mountains and mountain symbolism were common features in the landscape of Israel's religious life from the earliest times up to the end of the Second Temple period and beyond. The redaction-critical study of the sacred mountains focuses our attention on Israel's mountain theology and provides a context within which the Jewish phenomena can be examined.
Sinai and Zion are the most significant mountain sites and symbols in the Old Testament. The Old Testament mentions a few mountains, though such mountains have little religious significance.
Sinai/Horeb: The mountain of the Law
Sinai is the prominent mountain setting for the giving of the Law (Pentateuch). The Sinai theology is relatively scarce outside the Pentateuch. The Sinai event is the basic presupposition for the rest of the Old Testament, for it was at Sinai that Yahweh bound Israel to himself as his people. Sinai is unquestionably foundational to Israel's theological self-understanding and, as such, has a twofold theological significance:
Firstly, the encounter between God and his people on the mountain takes place in the form of a theophany, which is described in terms of storm, cloud and fire imagery. Yahweh freely comes to the mountain, with it becoming sacred due to his presence.
Secondly, the theophany is part of a large covenant-making ceremony. Yahweh's relationship with his people is covenantal in nature and, therefore, endowed with theological significance. Sinai is the mountain associated with Israel's constitution as a people.
Mount Zion
Donaldson indicates the significance of Mount Zion, which is the site of the Temple at the heart of Jerusalem. The mountain is also at the centre of some of the lofty theological conceptions and elevated religious language in the Old Testament. Mount Zion found its Sitz im Leben as a sacred mountain in the political and cultic circles of Jerusalem, as well as in the prophetic movements which grew up around them. The importance of Zion theology in the Old Testament can be summarised as follows:
In terms of the concept of election, Mount Zion has been chosen by Yahweh as the place of his abode.
The election of Zion is related to the wider covenantal concept of the possession of the land.
Zion (or Jerusalem) is also had a dual political-religious role in Israel, especially in terms of the enthronement of the Davidic king. The inviolable Zion is, therefore, the centre of Yahweh's worldwide rule.
Zion, as the holy mountain, is the central core of God's presence with his people, to which the latter responded with praise and worship. Such an understanding lies at the heart of Zion theology.
Donaldson (1985) concludes his discussion of the importance of Mount Zion to God's people as follows:
Mount Sinai was almost forgotten as Mount Zion gathered to itself many of the threads of Israel's religious tradition. Here on his holy mountain Yahweh is present with his people; here his king rules; here stands his sanctuary. If Sinai was the mountain of Israel's constitution, Zion, the holy mountain of God, became the living center of Israel's political and religious existence - the site and sign of God's continuing presence with his people.
(Donaldson 1985:41)
As a form of physical localisation of the relationship between Yahweh and his people, the sacred mountains of the Old Testament can most accurately be described as mountains of the Covenant. They are absolutely central to the theological self-understanding of Israel.
The sacred mountain in Second Temple Judaism
In Chapter 5 of his work, Donaldson gives an overview of the religious and political reality of Israel or Judaism during the period 200 BCE - 100 CE. The period was one in which external forces threatened to annihilate Judaism and internal tensions seemed ready to bring about its disintegration. However, Zion was the ideal, along with the Torah, which together provided the ideology that enabled Judaism to survive the onslaught of its enemies. The mountain symbolism and theology of Second Temple Judaism probably set the context or milieu in which the Gospel of Matthew was written (Donaldson 1985:81). The following conclusions can be drawn with regard to Second Temple Judaism:
Mountain as the symbol and site of theological significance
According to Donaldson (1985), there was common and widespread interest in the mountain as a symbol or site of religious and theological significance. Therefore, it is unlikely that the readers of Matthew would have taken the highly stylised and structurally prominent mountain settings of the First Gospel as merely casual geographical references. Mount Zion played a prominent role in catalysing significant developments in Zion theology, such as those of Zion as a cosmic centre and as the focal point of Heilsgeschichte (salvation history). Zion also played a significant role in the eschatological and apocalyptic literature in which cosmic and eschatological elements became fused in a new way. The Zionist tradition was more prominent in the literary and religious imagination of the period, than was Sinai, due to the continued existence of the Jerusalem temple.
Four main types of religiously significant mountains
The four main types of religiously significant mountains are the following:
Covenant mountains: 'The sacred mountains of the OT are best viewed as covenant mountains, i.e. sacred sites at which the covenant relationship between Yahweh and his people was established and maintained' (Donaldson 1985). The mountain played a significant role in every key event in the Heilsgeschichte.
Cosmic mountains: With the Hellenistic influence that was present in Palestine providing a bridge for the inflow of foreign ideas, an influx of cosmic concepts about Mount Zion, as well as about mountains in general, occurred into Jewish thinking. In terms of such thinking, mountains became the point of entry into the heavenly sphere. Jewish apocalypticism fused cosmic elements with eschatological ones.
Mountains of revelation (Jewish apocalypticism):
Mountains of revelation were generally of two kinds:
With the one kind, the revelation is in the form of divinely-given information, which often concerns those events leading up to the End.
With the other kind, which is more characteristically cosmic, the mountain provides a point of entry into the heavenly sphere, where the secrets of both Heaven and Earth are revealed.
Eschatological mountains: During the period under discussion, the focus was both on Mount Zion as an eschatological site, as well as on other mountains in general. Mountains were treated as sites which carried with them both the potential and the promise of eschatological activity. The eschatological mountain is, according to Donaldson (1985:83), 'a special form of covenant mountain: it is the mountain where covenant promises are consummated'. In conclusion, the First Gospel was written at a time when an interest in mountains as eschatological and Messianic sites had reached its high water mark.
Donaldson's main contribution in Matthean research is his focus on the significance of the mountain motif in the First Gospel (see Chapters 6-13 of Donaldson's work). I shall briefly review the main results of his research, concluding with a critique of his methodology and results. I shall also suggest issues for future research. Donaldson (1985) discusses six prominent mountain passages in Matthew, namely those dealing with the following types of mountains:
the mountain of temptation (Mt 4:8)
the mountain of teaching (Mt 4:23-8:1)
the mountain of feeding (Mt 15:21-39)
the mountain of transfiguration (Mt 17:1-9)
the Mount of Olives and the Olivet discourse (Mt 21:1; 24-25)
the mountain of commissioning (Mt 28:16-20).
The mountain of temptation
Donaldson (1985:93) concludes that Psalms 2:6-2:8 provides the background for the holy mountain of God (Ps 2:6) or the mountain of temptation. The holy mountain is the place of the enthronement of the Son - and therefore, in terms of the Messianic interpretation of Psalm 2, as against a background of eschatological Zion, the place where the world throne would be established. The primary significance of the three settings - those of wilderness, temple and mountain - was that each of the settings was a place where eschatological events were expected to occur. As Donaldson (1985) asserts:
The point of the passage is rather that it is only by the humble obedience of the Son to the Father that fulfillment will take place. Because the desert, temple and mountain were the three main places at which eschatological fulfillment was expected, they were entirely appropriate settings for the testing of the Son and his vocation.
(Donaldson 1985:96)
Donaldson (1985:97) also highlights that the sequence of the settings - firstly the wilderness, secondly the temple, lastly the mountain - ties in with the sequence of expected eschatological events, according to Ezekiel (Mt 11:23; 10:4, 18; 43:2).
Despite the similarities with the Moses typology, such an aspect is secondary to the primary significance of the mountain motif, which is that of the larger pattern of Son-Christology. The dominant theme of the temptation narrative is the Sonship of Jesus, as a form of humble obedience to the Father (Donaldson 1985:99). The climax of the entire introduction to Matthew's Gospel (Mt 1:1-4:16) occurs when the baptismal voice from heaven proclaims Jesus' Messianic calling as God's Son. According to Donaldson (1985),
Matthew's point is clear: in the Temptation Jesus began to move along a path of humble obedience to the Father which, if continued, would lead inexorably to the Cross. Yet this is only half of what Matthew wants to say about Jesus as Son of God. For Matthew, the path of Sonship does not end with crucifixion but goes on to vindication. The glory rejected by the obedient Son at the beginning of the Gospel is fully bestowed at the end.
(Donaldson 1985:100)
Donaldson (1985:100-104) asserts the link between the three mountain scenes in Matthew: the mountain of temptation (Mt 4:8), the mountain of transfiguration (Mt 17:5) and the mountain of commissioning (Mt 28:16-20). The proleptic vindication or foreshadowing that occurs between the three mountain scenes is described as follows:
The Baptism and Temptation serve to introduce the concept that Sonship must be characterized by humble obedience leading to the Cross. And this Matthean theme is taken up into another: that the path of obedient Sonship receives divine vindication, proleptically on the Mountain of Transfiguration and finally on the Mountain of Commissioning. As part of the Temptation Narrative, the mountain setting helps to define the path of true Sonship; as a link with the later mountains of Transfiguration and Commissioning, it foreshadows the vindication of the Son.
(Donaldson 1985:104)
Such an interrelationship can be described as can be seen in Figure 1.
The mountain of teaching
Though the second mountain scene overtly begins at Matthew 5:1 and ends at Matthew 8:1, there is general consensus that the Sermon on the Mount should be studied within the broader literary framework, or narrative context, in which it is placed (Mt 4:23-9:35). Once more, in this regard, Donaldson (1985:111-115) denies any Moses typology, despite the numerous Deuteronomistic similarities.
The Sermon on the Mount is part of an event of eschatological fulfilment. The passage in question (Mt 4:23-25) describes the dawning of the eschatological light in Galilee. Jesus' ministry in Galilee culminates in the delivery of his discourse from a mountaintop, which is an event of eschatological fulfilment. His ministry to the assembled crowds is described in terms that are related to teaching, preaching and healing. Matthew considered Jesus' ministry as a sign of his Messianic vocation (Mt 11:2-6) and of his breaking in of the kingdom (Donaldson 1985:114; Mt 11:11-14). The crowds played an important role as a separate group within the eschatological community. According to Donaldson (1985):
Matthew has placed the Sermon in the context of a great gathering of the people of Israel to Jesus, whose ministry among them is a sign that the age of fulfilment has dawned. Such presence of the crowds with Jesus on the mountain is one of the distinctive features of Matthew's mountain scenes.
(Donaldson 1985:114)
Jesus himself is the gathering point for the people of God. Matthew 4:23-5:1 shows a widespread conformity to the pattern of Zion eschatology. The connection between the mountain and the law that is found in Matthew's sermon suggests a Zion background (Donaldson 1985:117). The allusion to the city on the mountain (Mt 5:13-16), which is described as a city that cannot be hidden, is a clear indication of Zion eschatology. The allusion in question refers to the new Jerusalem, which is established on the highest of all mountains, so that it may form an appropriate centre for the restored people of God. The eschatological Jerusalem is the pivotal light for the entire world.
Donaldson (1985:120-121) ends his chapter on the mountain of teaching with a reference to the dialectical relationship between Jewish particularism and Gentile universalism. Such a dialectical relationship forms a link between the mountain of teaching (Mt 5-7) and the mountain of commissioning (Mt 28:16-20) (see Figure 2).
Donaldson (1985) writes:
There is thus a 'Bogen', or over-arching connection, between these two mountain scenes as well. The mountain on which Jesus teaches points ahead to the mountain on which he commands his disciples to propagate his teaching. The one looms over the other, with the result that the teaching of Mt 5-7 is funnelled through 28:16-20 to become the standard of Christian existence for the ongoing community - both Jewish and Gentile - of Matthew's own day.
(Donaldson 1985:120-121, emphasis added)
Mountain of feeding
Jesus gathers people to himself in eschatological fellowship, with the mountain serving as the site of an event of eschatological fulfilment. One indication of the mountain serving as such a site is the graphic depiction of Jesus' healing ministry, which is understood by Matthew as a sign of his Messianic identity and of the age of fulfilment.
The miraculous provision of food must also be seen as an eschatological event. During the Second Temple period, there was widespread expectation that the Messiah would invite the faithful to participate in a Messianic banquet. Accordingly, Jesus invited the Jewish crowds to share a meal with him, so that his ministry of healing and feeding could serve as a sign that the age of fulfilment had dawned. Donaldson (1985:128) concludes that, just as a mountain is a place of gathering, healing and feeding, it also functions as an eschatological site. Matthew took a mountain, or other geographical site, and used it as a setting that symbolised the eschatological ministry of Jesus, thereby imbuing it with theological significance.
Donaldson (1985:129) indicates that Matthew linked the mountain motif clearly with patterns of Zion eschatology. The researcher gave the following three reasons for making such an observation:
Healing, which is portrayed in Isaiah 35:5, forms part of the final pilgrimage of Israel to Mount Zion.
The feeding of the crowd on the mountain is related to the banquet that was to be the culmination of the gathering on Mount Zion (Is 25:6-10a).
The gathering of the scattered sheep is also an indication of Zion eschatology (Es 34:14; Jr 31:10-12). The scattered flock will be gathered to the mountain of God, where it will be fed in abundance.
According to Donaldson (1985:129-130), this last point is very important because it links the previous mountain setting (Mt 4:23; 9:35-36) with the summary statement relating to the mountain setting (Mt 15:21-31). Such a linkage can be seen in Figure 3.
Donaldson (1985) describes the similarities between the above-mentioned two passages and Matthew's combination of all the elements to form a pattern of Zion eschatology as follows:
So the crowds who gather to Jesus on the mountain are the lost sheep of Israel, harassed and helpless like a leaderless flock, and Jesus, who is depicted by Matthew as the promised Davidic shepherd of Israel (2:6), heals their afflictions and provides them with food in abundance. And this being so, Matthew's careful creation of a mountain setting here is clearly understandable in Zion terms ... But when all these features are taken together, the cumulative evidence is impressive. All the elements in this passage - the gathering of the crowds; the healing of the lame, maimed, blind and dumb; the allusion to Is 35:5f.; the feast of plenty; echoes of the pastoral metaphor; eschatological activity of the 'God of Israel' and, above all, the mountain setting - are part of the Zion complex of ideas.
(Donaldson 1985:130)
The careful construction of Matthew 15:21-15:31 serves to highlight its theological significance within the structure of the Gospel. The event is not only eschatological in nature, but Donaldson (1985:131) also describes Matthew seeing it as the 'christological fulfillment of the expectations of Zion eschatology'.
Donaldson (1985:132-135) explains how Matthew tries to resolve the tension between Jewish particularism and Gentile universalism. Such resolution takes the form of the proleptic foreshadowing of the relationship between the two mountain scenes (see Figure 4).
The scene on the mountain (Mt 15:29-31) anticipates another mountain scene (Mt 28:16-20) at the end of the Gospel. In the latter scene the resurrected Lord stands on the mountain in Galilee at the focal point of a mission that is intended to gather all nations into the community of disciples. There is, therefore, an implicit 'connection' between the two mountain scenes, which Donaldson (1985) discusses in the following terms:
This passage standing at the end of Jesus' ministry with the crowds in Galilee points ahead to another passage, standing at the end of Jesus' ministry on the Cross in Jerusalem, in which the tension is resolved. The mountain fellowship from which the Gentiles are excluded in 15:29-39 is offered to them in 28:16-20. The banquet on the mountain is a sign to the Gentiles that the time of their inclusion is near.
(Donaldson 1985:135)
The mountain of transfiguration
The significance of the mountain scene pertaining to transfiguration is apparent in the interpretation thereof, in terms of the structure of the narrative. The emphasis of such a scene is determined by our interest in mountains. We will, therefore, focus on the place and function of the scene in the narrative as a whole. No single interpretive background exists for the transfiguration narrative, due to the multiplicity of its features. Due to the variety and polyvalence of the symbolic elements in the account, several prototypes within Jewish thought are evoked, as can be seen in Donaldson's (1985) conclusion:
So we conclude that though there is apocalyptic colouring in the whole account, the basic shape of the narrative arises from the movement from Moses typology to Son-Christology. Because of its variety of associations, the mountain functions at three levels. Taking on characteristics of an apocalyptic mountain of revelation, it serves both as a reminder of Moses typology and as the place of the exaltation of the Son - the place where Mosaic categories are transcended.
(Donaldson 1985:148)
The mountain of transfiguration plays an important role in the outworking of Matthew's theological themes, particularly in his 'Son of God' Christology. Donaldson (1985:152) links the mountain of transfiguration retrospectively with the mountain of temptation and prospectively with the mountain of commissioning (see Figure 5), the transfiguration, as we argued, plays the role in Matthew of a proleptic vindication, confirming the rightness of the path chosen by Jesus in the temptation and providing a foretaste of the glory to be bestowed on the risen Lord.
There is a correspondence between the transfiguration narrative and the closing commissioning scene in Matthew. The enthronement of the Son and the vindication of the path of the Sonship, which are proleptically announced on the mountain of transfiguration, are fully declared on the mountain of commissioning. The correspondence between the two mountains can be stretched even further, as Donaldson (1985) makes clear:
On these three mountains Matthew has depicted for us in bold but economical fashion the whole pattern of the path of obedient Sonship and its outcome. On the Mountain of Temptation, which stands at the end of a section where Jesus' Sonship is declared and then tested (3.13-4.11), Jesus chooses obedience to the Father rather than the Lordship due to him as Son. On the Mountain of Transfiguration, after making clear to his disciples that the path of obedient Sonship must lead to the Cross, the disciples receive a foretaste of the vindicatory enthronement that will be his. And on the Mountain of Commissioning, the path of obedience having been followed to its end, Jesus appears as the fully enthroned Lord of heaven and earth.
(Donaldson 1985:155-156)
The Mount of Olives (Mt 21:1)
According to Matthew, there are three mountain settings in the final ministry of Jesus in Jerusalem: the Mount of Olives (Mt 21:1), the Olivet discourse (Mt 24:3) and the logion on the scattered flock (Mt 26:30-32). The difference between this mountain scene and the previous mountain settings is that the mountain in question has a particular geographical reference. The Mount of Olives is seen as Jesus' chosen place of retreat and the centre of his activities during his final days in Jerusalem. The passages of concern here describe the last days, focusing on the function of the Church during such times. The interim period is characterised by three phenomena (Mt 24-25), according to Donaldson (1985):
(1) [T]ribulation from without, as the Church faces suffering and persecution at the hands of the nation (24.9, 21-22); (2) apostasy and faithlessness within, as the Church is threatened by false prophets, lawlessness, and love grown cold (24.10-12, 23-26); and (3) the mission to the nations, which must be carried out before the End can come (24.14). This whole period lies under the shadow of an imminent 'parousia' , which will bring a time not only of judgment for the nations (24.30; 25.31-46), but also of judgmental separation within the Church (24.40-42, 48-51; 25.11-13, 26-30). Consequently, Matthew urges the Church to be watchful, so that when the Lord returns he will find them faithfully observing his commands (24.37-25.30).
(Donaldson 1985:165-166; emphasis added)
Donaldson (1985:161-169) focuses on the importance of the literary function of the Mount of Olives in the Gospel as a whole. Definite progress takes place in the story line or plot of the Matthean narrative between the account of the Mount of Olives and the Olivet discourse (Mt 21:1; 24:3; 26:30-32), and the account of the mountain of commissioning, which is given at the end of the Gospel (Mt 28:16-20).
The similarities between the different mountain scenes can be seen in Figure 6.
According to Donaldson (1985:167), the two passages mentioned above are more striking in their differences than in terms of their similarities (see Table 1).
The presence of the risen Lord with his church changed the whole outlook of the interim period. Many of the benefits, which, before the Resurrection, were associated only with the parousia, have in this interim period become proleptically operative for the Church. Donaldson (1985:167) describes the advance in the Matthean story line that culminates in Matthew 28:16 to 28:20 as follows:
[I]t represents a new understanding of the relationship of the Church to her Lord in the period leading up to the End. Mt 24-25, therefore, is not the evangelist's last word on this period. By linking these chapters with the closing scene of the Gospel, Matthew points the reader ahead to that passage in which the existence of the Church during 'all the days until the end of times' is most completely and finally described.
(Donaldson 1985:167)
According to Donaldson (1985:168), the allusions to the Mount of Olives and the Olivet discourse are primarily included in Matthew's narrative as comprising a mountain setting, and have a definite literary function within the structure of Matthew. The mountain is, therefore, a literary symbol in Matthew, with a definite theological significance.
The mountain of commissioning
The final mountain in the Matthean chain is the mountain on which the Resurrected One meets with his disciples and commands them to undertake a universal discipling mission. Matthew 28:16-28:20 is a summary and climax of the evangelist's theological interests in Christology, ecclesiology and salvation history. Matthew concludes his narrative with a description of the purpose of the mountain in terms of commissioning. The mountain plays an important literary role, as well as a variety of typological and theological roles, especially in Matthew 28:16. As literary symbol, the reference to the mountain of commissioning binds each of the other mountain scenes (and the themes developed in them) to one another. Matthew 28:16-28:20 can, therefore, be seen as a consummation of all the themes (Donaldson 1985:175).
Donaldson (1985:179-188) presents a lengthy argument in support of the cohesiveness, the theological and typological background and the significance of Matthew 28:16-28:20. We can summarise his argument as follows:
The mountain setting of Matthew 28:16 provides the clue to the connective thread running through the various elements of the passage and binding them tightly together.
The passage, as a whole, forms an integral part of the profound unity provided by Matthew's Christological reinterpretation of Zion eschatology: the exalted Jesus is the gathering point for the eschatological people of God and the locus of God's presence with his people.
The mountain setting functions as the vehicle by which such Zion expectations are transferred to Christ, in whom they find their fulfilment.
In conclusion, Matthew 28:16-8:20 is the culmination point of all the mountain scenes in the Gospel of Matthew. There are three major themes or strands that run throughout the Matthean mountain scenes and which culminate in Matthew's final passage, namely Christology, ecclesiology and salvation history. Such thematic concurrency can be seen in Figure 7.
Donaldson (1985) concisely describes the interrelationship of the mountain settings with the three theological strands as follows:
The 'christological theme' of the nature of true Sonship and the path of obedience that the Son must follow to receive sovereignty is set out principally in the Temptation and Transfiguration Narratives and brought to culmination in the closing scene - though the authority of Jesus is also in view in the Sermon on the Mount (cf. Mt 7.28f.). The 'ecclesiological theme' of the gathering of the eschatological community and its constitution as the Church is developed in the Sermon, in the second feeding miracle, and ultimately in the final commissioning passage - though the community is also in view in the command to 'hear him' in Mt 17.5. These two themes together form the basis for Matthew's development of 'salvation history', in that the vindication of the Son ushers in an age of fulfillment in which the Church finds its existence. It is into this theme of salvation history that the Ecclesiological Discourse has been incorporated.
(Donaldson 1985:196)
According to Donaldson (1985:196), the different mountain settings form a discernable pattern in Matthew, and the mountain serves as a literary motif, through which Matthew develops several of his distinctive theological themes. Just as the geographical settings in Matthew have a definite theological significance, the mountain settings form part of a literary pattern in the same Gospel. The diversity in the six passages that have been identified in the current article is discernable not only through the terminology with which the mountain in question is designated, but also in the nature and content of the particular scenes themselves. As Donaldson (1985) states:
This diversity, however, has been brought into a unity by means of the closing mountain scene. By means of a series of linguistic and structural details, Matthew has linked each of the first five mountain occurrences to the Mountain of Commissioning. Each mountain scene anticipates in some way or other the concluding scene, and each deals with themes that are brought to culmination there.
(Donaldson 1985:193-194)
The mountain also functions as a theological symbol in Matthew. According to Donaldson (1985:197), a theological symbol is a term with theological significance. The mountain is a literary device that aids Matthew's development of key theological themes. The mountain motif carries with it theological connotations from the religious and exegetical traditions of Second Temple Judaism. Matthew incorporated the theological ideas about the mountain into his narrative to form a cohesive and interrelated plot.
The primary significance of the mountain as a theological symbol lies in its emphasis on the Son-Christology theme. The mountain in Matthew is the place not only of the enthronement of the Son, but also of the establishment of the end-time community, as well as of the inauguration of the new age. The mountain of commissioning (Mt 28:16-20) is portrayed as the culmination of the consistent and undergirding Christological reinterpretation of Zion eschatology by Matthew. In terms of such a reinterpretation, the fulfilment of Old Testament hopes and of God's dealings with his people lies in Jesus, rather than in Zion. The mountain motif is a device used by the evangelist to make such a Christological statement. According to Donaldson (1985:199-200),
[h]e is the promised messianic Son whose enthronement to universal sovereignty had long been anticipated. He was the one to whom the people gathered for healing, feeding, teaching and eschatological fellowship.
(Donaldson 1985:199-200)
The conclusion that can be drawn in this respect is, therefore, that, in Matthew, the mountain has theological significance only because that is where Jesus is present.
The plot of a narrative refers to the specific structure of time and space that is organised in a chronological cause and response sequence. Such a plot entails the interaction of the different characters with one another, as well as the development of the relationship between the different episodes that serves to move the plot to a climax. Van Aarde (1994) describes the interaction between the plot and characters in a narrative as follows:
The beginning of the plot introduces the action and creates expectations; in the middle the initial action is developed, and a denouement is anticipated, which is worked out in the conclusion. As the plot develops, and expectations are aroused in the reader, there is a suggestion of reader-association with the narrated characters - that is, sympathy or antipathy.
(Van Aarde 1994:106)
The plot, therefore, forms a well-structured, linear sequence from the beginning to the middle of the narrative, ending in the conclusion or climax.
It is my conviction that an intimate relationship exists between mountain and faith in the Matthean narrative, forming part of the development of the plot. Though the mountain, as a geographical entity, stands out in the landscape of the Matthean community and narrative, there is a deeper interrelationship between the mountain setting and such other theological themes as faith. Table 2 illustrates such an interrelationship.
Following on from the excerpts from the verses provided in Table 2, the following preliminary remarks can be made:
The Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7) is presented as an important aspect of Jesus' ministry in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus, who taught the theory of faith to his disciples on a mountain, did so without using either the word 'faith' or 'belief'.
The theme of faith is closely interwoven with the healing acts that Jesus performed, as related in Matthew 8-9. By such intimate interweaving of faith and healing, Jesus demonstrated what faith is in practice.
The glorification of Jesus (Mt 17) on the mountain is closely related to the mountain as a theological framework for faith (Mt 21). In Matthew 17:21 and 21:21, mountain and faith are specifically used together, thus emphasising the power of our faith.
We need a holistic, interdisciplinary approach toward unravelling the hermeneutical process of the text. The exegesis process of the text should move beyond the historical critical approach to a holistic, text immanent, narratological approach (Volschenk 2001:108). A paradigm shift in the interpretation of the Biblical text has indeed occured. Vorster (1988) describes the shift as follows:
The relation between theory and interpretation is now used positively to interpret the New Testament within a particular framework of understanding. On the ontological as well as the epistemological levels such an approach has far-reaching consequences. Because of the widening of the scope of the reality which can be studied, greater value should be put on the validity of statements, that is on their epistemological status. Perhaps this is one of the biggest shifts which are taking place in New Testament scholarship. Related to this aspect is the social dimension of New Testament science.
(Vorster 1988:42)
Donaldson's book focused the research community's attention on the mountain motif in Matthew's Gospel. The motif is a literary device which is used to emphasise theological significance and the Christological fulfilment, or the Old Testament hopes of the people of God in the imminent coming of Jesus Christ. The primary focus or theological centre of Matthew is the Son-Christology, which reaches its culmination in the ultimate mountain, that of commissioning (Mt 28:16-20). Donaldson highlighted the six primary mountain scenes, in which the three theological themes of Christology, ecclesiology and salvation history also reached their culmination in the mountain of commissioning. The last mountain scene is, consequently, the culmination of all the mountain scenes in Matthew.
The main criticism that can be levelled against Donaldson is that he does not take his research a step further by engaging in a narratological study of Matthew. Consequently, he falls short of identifying the place and function of the mountain motif, with its related theological themes, such as faith, healing and teaching, in the plot and structure of the Matthean narrative as a whole. We have indicated the interrelatedness of the mountain motif in Matthew with the expression of faith or unbelief as a reaction to the presence of Jesus, the Son of God. Despite the above critique, Donaldson's research provides a comprehensive demonstration of the application of redaction-critical research to the New Testament and his work is recommended to all whom it might concern.
Donaldson, T.L., 1985, Jesus on the mountain: A study in Matthean theology, JSOT Press, Sheffield. [ Links ]
Kingsbury, J.D., 1991, 'Conclusions' in D.L. Balch (ed.), Social history of the Matthean community: Cross-disciplinary approaches, pp. 259-269, Fortress Press, Minneapolis. [ Links ]
Stanton, G.N., 1992, A gospel for a new people: Studies in Matthew, T & T Clark,Edinburgh. [ Links ]
Van Aarde, A.G., 1994, God-with-us: The dominant perspective in Matthew's story, HTS suppl. 5, Gutenberg, Pretoria. [ Links ]
Volschenk, G.J.,2001, 'Eksegeties-metodologiese vooronderstellings van die ondersoek na die ekonomie in die leefwêreld van Matteus: Toegepas op land, grondbesit en die jubilee [Exegetic-methodological presuppositions of the inquiry into the economy of the world of Matthew: Application to land, land ownership and the jubilee]', DD dissertation, Department of New Testament Studies, University of Pretoria. [ Links ]
Vorster, W.S., 1988, 'Towards a post-critical paradigm: Progress in New Testament scholarship', in J. Mouton, A.G. Van Aarde & W.S. Vorster (eds.), Paradigms and progress in theology, pp. 31-48, HRSC Studies in Research Methodology No. 5, HRSC, Pretoria. [ Links ]
Correspondence to:
Gert Volschenk
Postal address: Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria
Hatfield 0083, Pretoria
South Africa
email: email@example.com
Received: 30 July 2009
Accepted: 22 Dec. 2009
Published: 03 Sept. 2010
This article is available at: http://www.hts.org.za
Note: Dr G.J. Volschenk is participating as a research associate of Prof. Dr Johan Buitendag, who is the Dean of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.


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Current as of January 01, 2020 | Updated by FindLaw Staff
(a) In conducting the reappraisals of property mandated by the West Virginia Constitution and required by this article, the tax commissioner shall appraise all property so as to ascertain the value thereof for assessment purposes, relating such reappraisal to a specified base year in a manner which is uniform for all classes of property and all counties.
(b) It shall be the duty of the tax commissioner to see that the laws concerning the periodic statewide appraisal of property are faithfully enforced. He shall prepare all proper forms and books for the use and guidance of appraisers and assessors, and shall perform all such other duties as may be required by law. He shall from time to time visit the several counties and shall inspect the work of the appraisers and the several assessors and shall confer with them respecting such work for the future. In such conference, or by writing or otherwise, he may inquire into the proceedings of any such officer, make to him such suggestions respecting the discharge of his duty as may seem proper, and give such information and require such action as will cause all property subject to ad valorem property taxation to be appraised at its market value.
(c) The tax commissioner may appoint competent persons to appraise property values, and may employ experts to examine and report upon the different kinds and classes of property in the State, with a view to ascertaining the value thereof for appraisal and assessment purposes, to the end that he may furnish to county assessors, county commissions and the State board of public works more accurate information, and more effectively aid and supervise the assessors and the county commissions in their work of assessment and valuation of property for purposes of taxation.
(d) Upon the application of any officer concerned with the assessment or collection of taxes, the tax commissioner shall, as to any matter specified by such officer, make like suggestions and give like information. In case of the failure of any appraiser or assessing officer in the discharge of any duty imposed upon him by law, the said commissioner shall, after due notice to any such assessor or collecting officer, proceed to enforce such penalty as may be provided by law, including, in any proper case, the removal of such officer, and to that end the commissioner is authorized to appear before any court or tribunal having jurisdiction. In any proceeding to enforce a penalty, if a hearing for an assessor or collecting officer is not otherwise provided by law, then such assessor or collecting officer shall be afforded a hearing by the tax commissioner in accord with the provisions of article five, chapter twenty-nine-a of this Code. The commissioner may cause the violation of any law respecting the appraisal of property subject to ad valorem property taxation to be prosecuted. He may also be heard before any court, council or tribunal, in any proceeding in which an abatement of taxes is sought. The commissioner shall, inter alia, have the power to accept bids, award contracts, requisition funds appropriated for his expenditure, and require the cooperation of other state and local officials. In awarding such contracts the tax commissioner shall require that provision be made for such indemnity, bond or contract of insurance as will be sufficient, in the tax commissioner's judgment, to hold the State harmless.
(e) For the efficient administration of the powers vested in the tax commissioner by this section, the commissioner shall have the power to issue subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum, and compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, papers, records, documents and testimony at the time and place specified. Every such subpoena and subpoena duces tecum shall be served at least fifteen days before the return date thereof by personal service made by any person over eighteen years of age. Service of subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum shall be the responsibility of the commissioner. Any persons, except a person in the employ of the State tax department, who serves any such subpoena or subpoena duces tecum shall be entitled to the same fee as sheriffs who serve witness subpoenas for the circuit courts of this State. Upon motion made promptly, and in any event before the time specified in a subpoena or subpoena duces tecum for compliance therewith, the circuit court of the county in which the person upon whom any such subpoena or subpoena duces tecum was served resides, has his or its principal place of business or is employed, or the circuit court of the county in which any such subpoena or subpoena duces tecum was served, or the judge of any such circuit court in vacation, may grant any relief with respect to any such subpoena or subpoena duces tecum which any such circuit court, under the "West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure for Trial Courts of Record," could grant, and for any of the same reasons, with respect to any such subpoena or subpoena duces tecum issued from any such circuit court. In case of disobedience or neglect of any subpoena or subpoena duces tecum served on any person, or the refusal of any witness to testify to any matter regarding which he may be lawfully interrogated, the circuit court of Kanawha County or of the county in which such person resides, has his or its principal place of business or is employed, or the judge thereof in vacation, upon application by the commissioner shall compel obedience by attachment proceedings for contempt as in the case of disobedience of the requirements of a subpoena or subpoena duces tecum issued from circuit court or a refusal to testify therein. Witnesses subpoenaed under this subsection shall testify under oath or affirmation.
(f) The tax commissioner may prescribe all necessary forms and promulgate such rules and regulations as he believes necessary to carry out and enforce the provisions of this article. Such rules and regulations shall be subject to the provisions and requirements of the State Administrative Procedures Act in chapter twenty-nine-a of this Code: Provided, That all rules and regulations of the tax commissioner regarding ad valorem property taxes presently in effect on the effective date of this article shall remain in full force and effect until amended or repealed by the commissioner in the manner prescribed by law, or abrogated by the enactment of this article or other statutory provisions of this Code.
(g) The tax commissioner is hereby directed to cooperate with the joint committee on government and finance of the legislature in its review, examination and study of the implementation of the property tax limitation and homestead exemption amendment of one thousand nine hundred eighty-two, section one-b, article ten of the Constitution of West Virginia, and any other similar studies which may arise under the authority granted to the joint committee on government and finance under the provisions of section three-b, article three, chapter four of this Code. The tax commissioner shall continuously monitor and enforce the requirements of this article relating to the employment qualifications of employees of the state and its designated agents, and at least quarterly shall ascertain whether such requirements are being met and report thereon to the joint committee on government and finance. Not less than monthly, the tax commissioner shall report to the joint committee on government and finance or its designated subcommittee on any matters considered or action taken by the West Virginia appraisal control and review commission, or any matters relating to the reappraisal otherwise pertinent or of interest to the joint committee on government and finance. On or before the fifteenth day of January, one thousand nine hundred eighty-four, the tax commissioner shall report to the joint committee on government and finance on the benefits, desirability and disadvantages, as well as the alternative methods available, for the possible implementation of section fifty-three, article VI of the Constitution of West Virginia, the forestry amendment.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - West Virginia Code Chapter 11. Taxation § 11-1A-1. Tax commissioner to appraise property to ascertain value; relating reappraisal to specified base year; powers and duties of tax commissioner regarding statewide reappraisals - last updated January 01, 2020 | https://codes.findlaw.com/wv/chapter-11-taxation/wv-code-sect-11-1a-1/
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Promises, promises, promises. The $200 Eee PC is supposedly coming in 2009, according to chairman Johnny Shih. No word on whether it will be a 10 inch screen, but it seems possible as they have stated they are phasing out the smaller models. Other interesting facts were divulged, such as 70% of them are now loaded with Windows XP and hard drives.
[via Engadget]


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I'll be flying Aeroflot from Germany to Vladivostok with layover in Moscow SVO.
Aeroflot hotline told me that the check-in opens 150min and closes 45min pre-flight, but could not tell me about immigration formalities.
Vladivostok Airport homepage tells me I have to fill in the immigration card at VVO before leaving through customs.
This is my first non-EU flight. I already obtained the visa. Do I have take into account additional time for visa / passport / luggage checks at departure or layover airport?


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A Mini-Exhibit at the Oriental Institute Museum, August 11- October 30, 2011
Commerce and Coins in the Ancient Near East, a mini-exhibit at the Oriental Institute Museum, looks at commerce and trade from 3000 BC to the 4th century BC. The exhibit is presented in conjunction with the American Numismatic Association's World's Fair of Money being held in Chicago August 16 - 20th, 2011. The exhibit will be on view from August 11 to October 30 (extended from original time period).
Commerce, trade, and early forms of currency can be documented for thousands of years before the first coins were minted in southwestern Turkey in the 7th century BC. Exchanges of goods and services before that time were tracked by detailed receipts and notations that took many forms. Among the earliest are represented in the show by clay balls that contain small tokens that represented numbers and commodities. Once the delivery was made, the ball was broken open to verify that the amount of goods matched the tokens in the ball. Among the other receipts in the show is one for salt written in ancient Egyptian on a flake of pottery, and another for the delivery of a dead sheep written in wedge-shaped cuneiform script on a clay tablet. A third tablet, dating to about 2000 BC, is a request for money to purchase a female slave.
Egyptian and Mesopotamian weights and measures document the standardization of trade in early barter economies. In Mesopotamia, the adoption of a silver standard that equated measures of barley with a set amount of silver is illustrated by a rare example of a spiral coil of silver, lengths of which were snipped off to pay debts. Among the early coins is a silver stater probably of king Croesus (570-547 BC) of Lydia (southwestern Turkey) that was excavated by the Oriental Institute at Persepolis in southwest Iran. Other examples of very early coins from Egypt include a gold stater of Ptolemy I (305 BC), and coin molds that show how Roman coins were made — and forged.
The Oriental Institute is an interdisciplinary institute at the University of Chicago, focused on the study of the languages, history, archaeology and cultures of the ancient Near East. The Museum of the Oriental Institute has galleries devoted to Mesopotamia, Assyria, Anatolia, Palestine/Israel, Egypt, Nubia and Persia. "Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization" is on view through December 31.
The Museum is open Tuesday, Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m. The museum is closed on Mondays and major holidays. Admission is free, although a donation of $7 for adults, $4 for children is appreciated.
The Oriental Institute Museum is located on the campus of the University of Chicago, approximately 20 minutes south of the Loop at 1155 East 58th Street.
For further information, on the web: oi.uchicago.edu, or call 773 702 9514.


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Favorite 'Story Songs'
Based on an idea I threw out on Twitter, I present you with a short list of my favorite "story songs". These are the songs that, for me at least, drew me in and told a compelling story. So often we take for granted the effect good lyrics can have on a song's success. This post is dedicated to those artists who go beyond repeating the same chorus over and over and instead give us memorable classics. After you've read my list, don't forget to swing by the sites of all the bloggers who agreed to join me. Hopefully you'll discover some tunes that just might become new favorites.
• • •
Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)
Looking Glass
Released in 1972 by Looking Glass, Brandy tells the tale of a barmaid living in a port town. She serves "whiskey and wine" to the admiration of many sailors, one of whom she falls in love with. In tragic fashion, the sailor isn't willing to give up his true love, the sea. Despite this, Brandy continues to love the man and wears a braided silver chain with a locket that bears his name. I'm not exactly sure what it is about this song that gets me, but it always conjures up images of Brandy on an ocean dock with the sun setting behind her. I can picture her in my head, clear as day, clinging to her necklace as she pines for her man somewhere on the sea. Brilliant stuff!
• • •
What Am I Doin' Hanging Round?
The Monkees
Far from one of The Monkees' big hits, What Am I Doin' Hanging 'Round? is really a simple song about a man who travels to Mexico and falls in love with a local woman. Although he longs to be with her, the whistle of the train calls to him and he decides to return home. This turns out to be a decision which haunts him and he ends the song by telling us he "wants to go back again". Who among us can't identify with the prospects of lost love that this song sings? Music like What Am I Doin' taps into experiences that almost all of us share as listeners and gives them a special place in our hearts. I also love how Nesmith changes the meaning of the chorus in the beginning of the song to that of the end, even though the words are the same. Definitely one of their sleeper hits.
• • •
Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Rupert Holmes
"If you like Piña Coladas, and getting caught in the rain…" is the chorus from one of the most famous story songs of all time – Escape by Rupert Holmes. The catchy earworm tells the tale of a man who has grown tired of his relationship with his lover and spies an ad in the local paper from a woman seeking a man. He decides to meet the woman at "a bar named O'Malley's" only to ironically find that the woman is his own lover. The song thankfully concludes with the two discovering new things about each other and falling in love all over again.
Besides for having one of the most infectious melodies I can recall, the song also does a great job of telling the story of the two bored lovers. The twist at the end is the cherry on top (sorry) of one of the most iconic songs of the 70's and 80's. Holmes was forced to append the song's name because people didn't know its real title, Escape, and just kept calling it the "Piña Colada Song". The tune has caused him a bit of grief over the years, and Holmes once even joked, "No matter what else I do, my tombstone will be a giant pineapple."
• • •
Hotel California
The Eagles
The mammoth 1978 hit from the Eagles from the record of the same name is my second favorite story song of all time. The song quickly reached critical and popular success thanks in part to the quirky tale told by the narrator as well as the dark under-themes from Don Henley and Glenn Frey. On the surface, Hotel California tells the tale of a weary traveler who decides to break from his long drive and check into a mysterious hotel deep in the desert. The hotel is marked by all manner of dark characters, strange acts and a mysterious woman who seems to seal the narrator's fate. When the narrator attempts to leave, the night man informs him that "you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."
When it was first released, many people theorized that Hotel California was really an allegory for a mental hospital, with the guests playing the parts of inmates. The Eagles have said that the story is a metaphor for the self-destruction of the Southern California music industry of the late 1970s. Whatever the subtext, the song stands on its own as one of the best story songs ever written.
• • •
Ode To Billy Joe
Bobby Gentry
My favorite story song has to be Ode to Billy Joe by Bobby Gentry. I've been fascinated by this song as long as I can remember and it seems that I'm not the only one. When it was released in late July of 1967, it touched off a cultural sensation with its gothic tale of mystery and southern culture. The song begins with the narrator and her brother returning, after morning chores, to the family house for dinner. Over dinner she learns that "Billie Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge," apparently to his death. The family doesn't take notice of the narrator's grave reaction and continues with dinner as if nothing is really wrong. Mama goes on to say Brother Taylor (the local preacher) visited earlier and he mentioned that he had seen Billie Joe and a girl who looked very much like the narrator herself, "throwin' somethin' off the Tallahatchie Bridge."
From the moment it was released, fans everywhere tried to piece together the puzzle the song told. What did the boy and the girl throw off the bridge? Why did Billy Joe jump to his death? Many popular theories have been flown including a forbidden affair between the narrator (a white girl) and Billy Joe (a possibly black boy) throwing their still-born baby into the muddy waters. Gentry has never revealed the true reason for Billy Joe's suicide, which only served to heighten the song's mythos. Ode was reportedly one of Frank Sinatra's all-time favorites, who even had jazz great Ella Fitzgerald sing a few verses for his TV special. So next time this song comes on the radio, listen closely and see if you can decipher the clues and solve the mystery of Ode to Billy Joe. And if you figure it out, be sure to let me know!
• • •
Check out these other "Story Song" bloggers:
David Miller (@davegobe)
Living in the NowDavid Schultz (@dvsjr)
The (mis)adventures of a macintosh administratorMike Schramm (@mikeschramm)
MikeSchramm.comDave Caolo (@panache)
Hardcore GeekVon Glitschka (@vonster)
Glitschka StudiosAndy Rudkin (@mizaru)
mizaru.me.ukChristina Warren (@film_girl)
ChristinaWarren.comAustin Heller (@austinheller)
AustinHeller.comMason Sklar (@zargap)
masonsklar.comAllen Emory
A. EmoryAlain Edouard (@alainedouard)
alainedouard.co.ccMark Goody (@marramgrass)
marramgrassJamie Parkins
The Sound of Silence


text: As we enter the final months of 2011, the thoughts of tech watchers like me are turning to what we can expect in 2012. Voice recognition in all our devices? Touch control replacing the mouse and keyboard? The death of the wallet as mobile payments become mainstream? Maybe. But what I'm most excited about is something far more audacious: flexible screens. Expecting this much-anticipated technology to become widely available in 2012 is optimistic but not unthinkable. Last week, Nokia demoed a mindblowing prototype handheld device that lets you bend and twist the screen to complete actions like scrolling and zooming. Meanwhile, Samsung said on an earnings call last week that it expected to debut phones with flexible displays in 2012 and that flexible tablets would follow. The advantages of flexible displays are obvious: They're more durable, and they pave the way for new input methods, such as bending the display to zoom. But where will this new tech take us? I think this technology will lead to the biggest breakthrough in mobile devices since the touchscreen. In fact, the next innovation in screen technologies may be an even bigger leap forward than touch displays. Think not of a bendable display but of a foldable one. You see, the biggest limitation of any device these days is screen size. There's a constant tension at play: You can have a small screen that fits in your pocket (your phone) or a big screen for home use (a tablet computer). But you can't have both. Or can you? The ultimate dream for these flexible displays is that they could roll up: Imagine a phone-sized device that could unfurl to be the size of a tablet. Perhaps it would be like an ancient scroll, a tube that unrolls to create a full 10-inch screen. Or perhaps a phone display could expand in two directions, making it useable both when collapsed and when unfurled. Ah, but why stop with our current form factors? Wouldn't it be wonderful if these devices could take forms more like the paper they replaced? While the transition from newspapers, magazines and books to digital devices has led to a few compromises – those tactile forms are all reduced to a rectangular square of glass – flexible screens can mimic the paper they replace. E-book readers might simply become single sheets of digital paper. Magazines and newspapers could be made up of multiple sheets that update their content wirelessly on a daily or even hourly basis. Where flexible screens might have the biggest impact, however, is in their ubiquity. The iPad remains an expensive device, but that hasn't stopped it popping up in unexpected locations. Some hotels let guests check in on an iPad installed with a custom app or even borrow one for the duration of their stay. Upscale restaurants are using iPads instead of menus. One auto enthusiast installed one as his in-car entertainment system. Another put one in his kitchen cupboard, calling it a "kitchen entertainment system." What will happen when screens are millimeters thick and virtually unbreakable? Simply put: The cheaper, thinner, more portable and more durable screens become, the more uses we'll find for them. And what could be thinner or more durable than a flexible display? Any surface could – and will – become a screen. Microsoft released a video this past week imagining what will happen when every surface is a digital display. It too is mindblowing. It's an exciting future and one that's rapidly approaching: If the device makers can pull it off, next year could see the launch of the first "bendable" phone. Let's hope so.


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U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that the Department of Energy will provide up to $30 billion in loan guarantees, depending on the applications and market conditions, for renewable energy projects. Another $750 million will support several billion dollars more in loan guarantees for projects that increase the reliability, efficiency and security of the nation's transmission system. The two new loan guarantee solicitations announced today are being funded partly through the Recovery Act and partly through 2009 appropriations.
"These investments will be used to create jobs, spur the development of innovative clean energy technologies, and help ensure a smart, strong and secure grid that will deliver renewable power more effectively and reliably," said Secretary Chu. "This administration has set a goal of doubling renewable electricity generation over the next three years. To achieve that goal, we need to accelerate renewable project development by ensuring access to capital for advanced technology projects. We also need a grid that can move clean energy from the places it can be produced to the places where it can be used and that can integrate variable sources of power, like wind and solar."
The lending authority includes:
- Up to $8.5 billion in lending authority supported by 2009 annual appropriations for renewable energy.
- Up to $2 billion in subsidy costs, provided by the Recovery Act, to support billions in loans for renewable energy and electric power transmission projects.
- Up to $500 million in subsidy costs to support loans for cutting edge biofuel projects funded by the Recovery Act.
- Up to $750 million in subsidy costs, provided by the Recovery Act, to support loans for large transmission infrastructure projects in the U.S. that use commercial technologies and begin construction by September 30, 2011.
The two solicitations issued today mark the sixth and seventh rounds of solicitations by the Department's Loan Guarantee Program, which encourages the commercial use of new or improved energy technologies to help foster clean energy projects. Applications will be accepted over the next 45 days. The Department has streamlined its processes to accelerate these new loan solicitations. By investing in both renewable energy technology for generating electricity and technologies to modernize the country's transmission system, the Recovery Act targets the full integration of renewable energy sources onto the electric grid.


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If one reads a lot of children's books, it is obvious that X is a real thorn in the side for those authors looking to have each letter of the alphabet represented in their books. Most of them either cop out with X-ray, or they make up fake words.
My copy of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary has only 3 pages devoted to X and with the possible of exception of xeric¹ and X-ray, none of the words would be recognized as common.
Why are there so few common words in English that begin with the letter X?
¹ xeric may not actually be that common since it is not recognized by the spellchecker in my browser