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10 Unique Musical Instruments You'll Want to Hear
10 Ungilded Realities of Life in the Gilded Age
Top 10 Best Drumming Performances of All Time
10 Creepy Old Mysteries We Will Probably Never Solve
10 Movie Scenes That Really Happened without the Help of CGI
10 Wacky Comics Who Made a Mark as Musicians
10 Women Who Broke Down Barriers to Break the News
10 Tales about Historical Figures and Their Living Descendants
10 Totally Normal Foods That Were Once Considered Aphrodisiacs
10 Stories That Prove Animals Are True Masters of Mischief
10 Unique Musical Instruments You'll Want to Hear
10 Ungilded Realities of Life in the Gilded Age
Who's Behind Listverse?
Jamie Frater
Head Editor
Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author.
More About UsTop 10 Best Drumming Performances of All Time
10 Creepy Old Mysteries We Will Probably Never Solve
10 Movie Scenes That Really Happened without the Help of CGI
10 Wacky Comics Who Made a Mark as Musicians
10 Women Who Broke Down Barriers to Break the News
10 Tales about Historical Figures and Their Living Descendants
10 Totally Normal Foods That Were Once Considered Aphrodisiacs
Top 10 Greatest Inventions
This is one of those subjective lists that many people will agree with and many will not. I have chosen what I think are the greatest modern inventions and listed them from least to most important. Feel free to use the comments to add to the list or to debate my choices.
10. Modern Plumbing
The ability to remove sewage from and bring clean water into places of dense human habitation makes the modern city possible. Without it, we'd still have cities, but not like the ones we know. A high-rise building would be impossible, really, without toilets and plumbing. Remove apartment buildings, office towers, and dense downtown cores from your picture of the world and you have to change the whole rest of your picture too, because the implications keep rippling.
There are all kinds of devices that have forever changed how we do things. Buy 1001 Inventions That Changed the World at Amazon.com!
9. Printing Press
The printing press was the first one of many communication mediums, changing how information was collected, stored, retrieved, criticized, discovered, and promoted. It has been implicated in the Reformation, the Renaissance and the Scientific Revolution. Johannes Gutenberg is credited with inventing the first printing press in the Western civilizations of Europe. Screw presses for olives and wine had been known in Europe since Roman times; presses for the binding of manuscript books were also in use. Gutenberg was the first to convert the concept for printing uses. Gutenberg's use of mechanical presses along with other innovations made printing a proto-industrial process with a far greater output compared to manuscripts made by copyists.
8. Automobile
In 1769, the very first self-propelled road vehicle was invented by French mechanic, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot. However, it was a steam-powered model. In 1885, Karl Benz designed and built the world's first practical automobile to be powered by an internal-combustion engine. In 1885, Gottlieb Daimler took the internal combustion engine a step further and patented what is generally recognized as the prototype of the modern gas engine and later built the world's first four-wheeled motor vehicle.
7. Pesticides
Since before 2500 BC, humans have used pesticides to prevent damage to their crops. The first known pesticide was elemental sulfur dusting used in Sumeria about 4,500 years ago. By the 15th century, toxic chemicals such as arsenic, mercury and lead were being applied to crops to kill pests. In 1939, Paul Müller discovered that DDT was a very effective insecticide. It quickly became the most widely-used pesticide in the world. However, in the 1960s, it was discovered that DDT was preventing many fish-eating birds from reproducing which was a huge threat to biodiversity. Pesticide use has increased 50-fold since 1950, and 2.5 million tons of industrial pesticides are now used each year.
6. Steam Engine
Thomas Savery was an English military engineer and inventor who in 1698, patented the first crude steam engine. Thomas Newcomen invented the atmospheric steam engine in 1712. James Watt's incarnation of the steam engine ushered in the Industrial Revolution. His centrifugal governor kept the engine running at the desired rate, and is a modification so simple and elegant that it may be one of the best ideas of all time.
Want to have your own idea that could ultimately change the world? Read The Eureka Method: How to Think Like an Inventor at Amazon.com!
5. Computers
In 1837, Charles Babbage was the first to conceptualize and design a fully programmable mechanical computer that he called "The Analytical Engine". Due to limited finance, and an inability to resist tinkering with the design, Babbage never actually built his Analytical Engine. Large-scale automated data processing of punched cards was performed for the U.S. Census in 1890 by tabulating machines designed by Herman Hollerith and manufactured by the Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation, which later became IBM.
4. Transistors
The transistor is the fundamental building block of the circuitry that governs the operation of computers, cellular phones, and all other modern electronics. On 16 December 1947 William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain succeeded in building the first practical point-contact transistor at Bell Labs. This work followed from their war-time efforts to produce extremely pure germanium "crystal" mixer diodes, used in radar units as a frequency mixer element in microwave radar receivers.
3. Plastic
Plastic is composed of organic condensation or addition polymers and may contain other substances to improve performance or economics. There are few natural polymers generally considered to be "plastics". The first plastic based on a synthetic polymer was made from phenol and formaldehyde, with the first viable and cheap synthesis methods invented by Leo Hendrik Baekeland in 1909, the product being known as Bakelite. Subsequently poly(vinyl chloride), polystyrene, polyethylene (polyethene), polypropylene (polypropene), polyamides (nylons), polyesters, acrylics, silicones, polyurethanes were amongst the many varieties of plastics developed and have great commercial success.
2. Harnessed Electricity
Electricity existed all along, but the system of devices needed to generate this force and distribute it to individual buildings was an invention, launched initially by Edison: He effectively turned electricity into a salable commodity and his Pearl Street station was the world's first electric power station. Nikola Tesla's invention of alternating current (AC) technology then made it possible to transmit electricity over long distances, leading to the nationwide grid we know today. Now, anyone in the West and throughout most of the world can tap into the grid to power everything from light bulbs to computers.
1. Immunization / Antibiotics
Three centuries ago, almost everyone died of infectious diseases. When the plague broke out in 1347, it killed nearly half of Europe–in about two years. When diseases such as smallpox reached North America, they reduced the indigenous population by about 90 percent within a century. As late as 1800, the leading cause of death in the West was tuberculosis. Hardly anyone died of old age back then, one reason why elders were revered. Today, elders are a dime a dozen: nothing unusual about surviving past 70. In the United States, 73 percent of people die of heart failure, cancer, and stroke.
Notable others: Laser, Radio, Clock
Sources: Encarta, Wikipedia, AskMen
Technorati Tags: inventions


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It seems that the iPhone 2g and 3g are the newest phones to get Android 2.2, codenamed Froyo. The process for installing Froyo if you have a jailbroken device seems to get even easier every time, with this revision being as simple as adding a repository, downloading Froyo, and pressing go. Follow the link for a wonderful step by step guide, complete with screenshots to take out all of the guess work. Android on iPhone sure has come a long way since the first time we covered it.
[via reddit]

subset: commoncrawl


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The following is a General Dynamics press release.
As light as commercial handheld GPS devices, the Android™-based GD300 enables warfighters to pinpoint their location, refer to pre-loaded mission plans and access secure tactical networks.
SUNRISE, Fla., — Aug. 3 — Combining commercial global positioning and communications technology with battlefield-rugged computing, General Dynamics Itronix is introducing the GD300 fully rugged arm- or chest-worn computer. Weighing less than 8 ounces, the Android™-based GD300 operates like an ultra-sensitive commercial GPS unit or, with the click of a cable, interfaces with tactical radios like the Rifleman Radio (AN/PRC-154) for secure access to the tactical network. The GD300 uses a quadra-helix antenna for real-time global positioning that defies interference even when the user is positioned in mountainous regions or urban environments.
"The GD300 is a game-changing computer that will save lives," said Mike DiBiase, vice president of Computing Technologies for General Dynamics C4 Systems. "We expect the GD300 will become the most important 8 ounces of tactical communications and situational awareness equipment that a warfighter can carry."
The GD300 hosts the open architecture, Android™-based operating system to easily accommodate current and emerging applications for warfighters at all command levels. Operating in two distinct modes, the GD300 serves as a stand-alone GPS device or, when connected to a tactical radio, performs as a tactical mission computer. The GD300 supports commercially available standalone applications or military "apps" like the Tactical Ground Reporting (TIGR) System which is currently in use by the military.
When connected to a tactical radio, the lightweight GD300 enables warfighters to securely communicate, share information and collaborate while on the move. Delivering up to eight hours of continuous operation, the lightweight GD300 is powered by standard lithium-ion batteries.
Reginald Daniels, an engineer for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory responsible for testing military wearable computers, said, "Given that the dismounted warfighter's job is not a computer operator, it is imperative that wearable computers be unobtrusive, intuitive to operate and provide compute-on-the-go functions."
The GD300's sleek ergonomic design was the result of input and feedback from wearable-computer users from the military, government and emergency first responders. The GD300 includes a sunlight readable display and functional control buttons typically found on any Android-based device. The 3.5-inch touch-screen display lets warfighters move information around, zoom in or out or place digital 'markers' on tactical maps with the touch of a gloved finger. Comfortably fitting in an adult's hand, the computer fully meets MIL-STD 810G specifications for ruggedness.
General Dynamics Itronix is a leading developer of wireless, rugged computing solutions for mobile workers, offering a full range of field computing systems including laptops, ultra mobile notebook PCs and tablet PCs. The company is part of General Dynamics C4 Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).
General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 91,200 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.gd.com.
Android is a trademark of Google Inc. Use of this trademark is subject to Google permissions.
SOURCE: General Dynamics
For more information, please contact:
Company Contacts:
Fran Jacques
General Dynamics C4 Systems Public Affairs
Cell: 480-586-1886
Inquiries News queries: 480-441-2885
Customer service: 1-877-449-0600
Main number: 480-441-3033


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NOTE: An updated version of this recipe appears in my cookbook, The Ancestral Table.
While meatballs have been around forever, the first written documentation of meatballs in Sweden appeared in the 18th century. Meatballs were likely an uncommon food in Sweden until the widespread use of meat-grinders; they later became standard Smörgåsbord (the original buffet!) fare. Scandinavian immigrants brought their meatballs to the United States, particularly the Midwest, during the 1920s. Swedish meatballs are unique in that they are pretty small and often served with a cream-based gravy.
Most Swedish meatballs are made using breadcrumbs (even IKEA's!) so I set off to make a gluten-free version of the classic dish. It was surprisingly easy, with almond meal, cream, and egg yolk making a pretty hefty binder. I also found that in making the gravy, regular white rice flour (not sweet rice flour) created the best consistency.
You'll Need:
For the meatballs –
1/2 lb each ground beef and ground pork
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 onion, blended
1 egg yolk
1 dash each ground nutmeg, all spice, salt, and pepper
2 tbsp butter
For the sauce –
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp white rice flour (not to be confused with Mochiko, or sweet rice flour)
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 tbsp honey
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup heavy cream
Measure out your meatball ingredients and set them aside.
In a sauté pan, melt 1 tbsp butter on medium heat, then add the blended onion. Sauté for about 2 minutes. This process is called "sweating", which will reduce the overwhelmingly onion taste in the meatballs. Scoop the onions into a mixing bowl to cool, spreading them around to speed up the cooling process. Should take a few minutes.
After the onions have cooled, add the remaining meatball ingredients and mix thoroughly with your hands.
Roll the meat into 1″ balls. It's pretty fun.
In a skillet, warm another 1 tbsp of butter on medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add half of the meatballs and sauté until cooked through, turning every few minutes.
It should take about 8-10 minutes to cook the meatballs.
Once the first batch is done, place them in a bowl and put them in the oven at 170 degrees while you cook the other half of the meatballs. Add more butter for the second batch if needed. When the second batch is ready, add them to the bowl with the first batch to keep warm as you prepare the sauce.
Melt 1 tbsp of butter in the skillet, then add the white rice flour and stir together. Toast the rice flour for a minute or two, until it starts to turn a little golden.
Stir in the beef broth, honey, and bay leaf, and simmer for a few minutes. Scrape up any remaining gunk from when you were cooking the meatballs and mix it into the sauce, which will start to thicken as it simmers. Finally, add the cream and simmer for another couple of minutes, then remove from heat. Stir the meatballs into the sauce, until they are well-coated.
That's it! Serve immediately with traditional Swedish sides like boiled potatoes, pickles, and lingonberry jam.
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The Chosen Originators
Jesus Christ endowed His Church with Himself and His divine Message. He handed it down to His disciples, who constituted His Church. Jesus Christ selected from among them Twelve Apostles to carry on with authority His Gospel, and He sent them to preach it and to baptize converts all over the world:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world"
Matt. 28: 19-20.
The Apostles kept their mission with integrity and faithfulness. They dedicated their lives to it; they injected the new faith in the' true God into society to heal its infirmities.
The Apostles organized the converts into groups called Churches. To these Churches the Apostles handed down the treasure of the new Gospel, their eyewitness account of the Word as they actually saw it take place, preserving it forever through the Church. This is the Gospel - the Tradition in the broad sense of the word - which we cherish today. Taking the Truth from the Apostles, the Orthodox Church is an "Apostolic" Church; it has its roots in the apostolic ministry and succession, the apostolic faith and creed, and the apostolic word and scriptures by which the Apostles and their immediate successors defended the Orthodox Faith and kept it undefiled against heresies and persecutions.
But who are these blessed Apostles who were chosen to hand down the new Gospel and establish the Church to which we belong today? Who empowered them to preach the Gospel and disregard all the threats which endangered and, in the end, took their lives? Who are these mighty personalities who were the instrumental figures behind the worldwide movement which has changed the pace of life of men thereafter?
Sometimes the voice of the past is the clearest and most vivid guide for the minds and hearts of men of today, taking them out of the confused values of this life. Sometimes the lives and deeds of men of the past are unforgettable and stand as lightposts to illuminate the road for a future achievement. They stand as unshakable rocks on which the waves of disappointment of life lose their force and disappear. The Apostles of Christ are both the rocks and the lightposts for our life. To them, our ancestors in the Christian heritage and faith, this pamphlet is humbly dedicated, that both the writer and the reader might imitate their devotion and work and appreciate their convictions in Christ, "in Whom they lived and moved and had their being" (Acts 17: 28).
Origin and Definition
The only sources on the subject of the Twelve Apostles are the four Gospels and the first chapter of the Acts, describing the relationship between Jesus and His Apostles duringHisministry on earth. Although the Apostles are the ultimate authors of the Gospels they do not appear prominently in them; they are never magnified in them. The Gospels refer to them only because Jesus Himself was occupied with them, teaching and training them to understand His origin and mission, in order to transmit to others correctly His personality, His Gospel and His deeds.
Whenever they appeared later in their ministry, they spoke with authority and determination on behalf of the Lord Who sent them to present His Gospel to the world. They never usurp or appropriate for themselves the new teachings. It is true that the Gospel took some human aspects of their individual personalities. But these aspects were such that they showed their understanding and limitation of the words and deeds of their Lord; a reflection of the good news in their own simple and humble life. The Apostles are both the preachers and the examples of the New Creation.
The Greek word "apostle" conveys to us the meaning of messenger, delegate, envoy or collector of tribute paid to the temple service. In the Gospels the Twelve were simply to be Christ's envoys. As Jesus was sent by His Father, so the Apostles were sent by Jesus. Jesus Christ used contemporary terms for "apostle" and gave it His own content and interpretation stressing the idea of being "sent," which means that an Apostle is a man with a mission throughout his entire life.
Jesus Christ Himself gave the title "Apostle" to the Twelve in Luke 6:13 and Mark 3:14, "whom he also named apostles." The term "apostle" ("apostolos" in Greek; a derivative from "apostellein", meaning "to send") signifies a special mission. An apostle is the commissioner of the person who sent him. Therefore, the term apostle is more definite than the term messenger (in Greek "angelos"). The apostle does not merely transmit a message, but he works to put it into practice among the recipients, both to let them understand it aright and to apply its contents in their faith and life.
Jesus "Called" His Apostles
The First Approach
Some of the Twelve Apostles were disciples of the Forerunner of Christ, John the Baptist. They were acquainted with the Scripture and the expectations of their master. When John the Baptist was "looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said, 'Behold the Lamb of God"' (John 1:36). Andrew, one of John's disciples, with another, "heard him speak, and they followed Jesus" (v. 37). They followed him without asking!
Thus the Apostolic Church began. The took of their own to find out-to discover the truth for themselves. They persisted, and "came and saw where he (Jesus) dwelt, and abode with him that day" (v. 39).
They had a long audience with Jesus. What did they discuss? We do not know. What we do know is that they came out of this sanctuary with, a definite faith in Him. He was the One they were expecting. Andrew felt the impulse to express his belief to others. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah", which means Christ, and "he brought him to Jesus" (v. 42). St. Andrew's act stands as an example for every disciple and apostle thereafter. First, the pure desire to seek the Truth; second, acquaintance with revelation and obedience to it; third, acceptance and conviction of the Truth, and then a full confession and proclamation of the faith. These acts make the Church a growing and moving entity.
After Andrew and Peter and John, "one of the two", Jesus found Phillip in Galilee, and called him to His crew; Phillip not only followed Him, but stated his conviction to Nathanial, we have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote ... come and see" (John 1:45, 46), and Nathanial saw Him and believed in Him: "You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel," he exclaimed in words to be echoed by millions in the generations to come.
One day passed and five promising people were His devoted companions. Christ was no longer alone - except at His agony, and on the Cross.
Demand and Dedication
After the acquaintance of Jesus with His first disciples both in Judea and in Galilee, a recess took place. The center of His ministry had to be selected. After the imprisonment of John the Baptist, Jesus stated in Galilee that the city of Capernaum would be the center of His expedient strategy. The inhabitants of that city were Jewish people, and its position was more suitable to command Galilee.
Walking along the shore of the "sea of Galilee", which actually is a lake, Jesus met again the two brothers, Simon and Andrew, who were casting their nets. He commanded them now to follow Him and become fishers of men. At the same time and place Jesus found James and his brother John, fishers at the shore of the sea of Galilee. He called them to follow Him. All obeyed instantly (Mark 1:16-20). Jesus called Matthew, Levi, in the same way (Mark 2:16; Matt. 9:9) in Capernaum. He was a collector of taxes, probably of the customhouse of this city. Matthew left this position, bade farewell to his fellow officials and followed the Lord. What a challenge for us today - for the merchants and the white collar workers! They left work and home, pleasures and habits; they discarded the dreams of their youth and on the ruins built firmly a new fortress of defense and appeal. They demonstrated that an immutable conviction in the living God can move mountains.
What was the intention for calling these disciples? They were to capture men instead of fish, once they had passed through a period of training. He did not send them immediately on a special mission. The disciples were to take intensive training in divine attitudes, in the new interpretation of the Scriptures and in obedience to the Lord. They were invited to meet the new standards of moral life and to grow in courage to spread the Gospel and nourish its growth in mankind. The loyal Eleven have proven themselves worthy of the Mission. They have changed the orbit of the world in the name of Jesus.
The Choice and Installation
Jesus attracted many disciples. He knew them all, but He also knew that not all would be capable of being fishers of men. He had determined to make a formal selection of a definite number from the body of His disciples (Mk. 3:13; Lk. 6:13). It was one of the crucial moments for the destiny of His mission. Even for human activities the founders of a organization look carefully for co-workers of integrity and the capability to promote their ideals. The farsightedness of leadership is in being able to select capable men to accomplish the mission, rather than attempting the work alone, regardless of the wonders one man may be capable of. A good leader is not afraid of co-workers, but is very careful I selecting them. Jesus Christ spent one night praying to His Father for the right choice (Lk. 6:12). He sought specific guidance in this critical hour of His life. His choice would affect the future mission, and the world.
For this reason:
"He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called unto Him His disciples. And of them He chose twelve, whom also He named apostles: Simon (whom he also named Peter) and Andrew, his brother; James and John, Phillip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon called Zelotes, Judas the brother of James and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor"
Lk. 6:12-16.
In the New Testament there are four lists of the Apostles, in Matt. 10:2-4; Mk. 3:16-19; Lk. 6:14-16 and in Acts 1:13. The arrangement of names in these lists are made in three steps, with changes occurring in each step. Peter appears first and Judas last. There is no primacy of Peter in the sense of jurisdiction or authority over his fellow Apostles. Such an authority Peter never received and never exercised. "His position is that of the foremost among equals; a position due not to any formal or official appointment, but to the ardor and force of his nature." (Hastings)
What was our Lord's aim in selecting His special group? St. Mark states that the purpose was that they might be with Him so He might send them forth to proclaim the approach of the Kingdom of God, and so He could endow them with the power to heal and to exercise. St. Mark (3:14,15) records:
"He ordained twelve that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach and to have power to heal sickness and to cast out devils."
But the Lord's aim was more than that. It is described by Him on the eve of His death. He expected them to be His envoys on earth. Their supreme duty was to bear witness to Him; to teach the world how He lived, what He said, what He wrought. Jesus prayed for them: "As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world" (John 1 7, 18).
Apostles' Training
The Apostles were God-fearing people. Only a religious tie bound them to Jesus. Their integrity, justice and mercy cannot be denied. They were diligent, honest and pious people, and above all dedicated to the Lord and to His command. They were not men of high education, but neither were they illiterate. Most of them spoke Aramaic and Greek. They were educated in the knowledge of. God in synagogues, and they managed a discipline of high standards.
Four of them were fishermen, one was a collector of taxes and the rest belonged to the general working classes. They were not of rank or distinction. They worked to sustain themselves. The Gospels do not present them as men of genius, or original thinkers. All of them were young men about the same age as our Lord or younger. They were men of different background, temperament and habits. They had in common their devotion to Jesus and their pious life. They came together under the same roof to learn and to obey.
The Apostles accompanied the Lord from place to place. They heard all His preaching and admonition, His private advice to the people and His ambitions. They witnessed the healing of people and learned the causes of sickness and the power of the evil spirits. They learned not only in the clinic of preaching and pastoral work. The Twelve formed a Jesus Christ was the head. They had a common purse and one was appointed treasurer. The sources of their supplies came from their own property and gifts, especially the generosity of several women who accompanied them on some of their journeys (Lk. 8:2-3).
They were together for living and training. First of all they were training in the personality of Jesus. His presence was an education in itself. His acts and words in everyday life, in dealing with the depressed and humble, meeting the sinners, protecting the underprivileged and encouraging people of the rank an file - all these things were an education to them. They saw Him preaching and praying, healing infirmities and restoring broken hearts. Again they were aware of the Master's acts against dry customs and aware of the Sabbath, circumcision, foods and times of prayer. They learned much from the Sermon on the Mount, from the parables and statements such as, "God is spirit - and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).
A second phase of their Apostle's training involved the miracles performed by Jesus. The Messiah was expected to work miracles, but the actual performance of the miracles kept the Apostles astounded. The nature of these works was beyond explanation then and still is today. The Apostles bore witness to many miracles - the catch of fish (Lk. 3:1-7), the stilling of the storm (Mk. 4:39), walking on the sea (John 6:16) and many others. They learned, too, that the miracles were made nor only for the sake of the miracles, but also as a sign of conviction and faith, and a lesson of moral uprightness, as in the case of the fig tree.
Finally, the Apostles were trained in Jesus' teaching. For them He was the Teacher. He spoke with confidence.
Christ "Sent" His Apostles
The Apostles spent less than three years with their Master. He called them "that they might be with Him" (Mk. 3:14) to be trained and educated, and then "that He might send them forth to preach" the Gospel and minister unto the people. Their work between these two stages is in agreement. It has been changed only in the stages of advancement. But what a change! From pupils they became teachers; from followers of Christ, they became leaders, bringing people to Christ. They started as disciples and in three years advanced as Apostles. Their visible Guide, their Lord, became the Invisible One, "The Spirit of Jesus" (Acts 1:6, 7), always present as He was before.
Jesus Christ selected them after devoting one night in prayer for their ministry. After their training, Jesus prayed for them and their future, even up to a few moments before His arrest. The prayer was recorded by one of His Apostles. He empowered them with the Holy Spirit on the day of the Pentecost The mighty Spirit as "tongues of fire" descended on the Apostles and transfigured their doubts and fears and attitudes in such a marvelous way that they became heralds of the new mission.
Their chief duty was to bear witness to the Savior Jesus Christ, His life, teaching, and atoning work, and especially to bear witness to Christ's resurrection, "a witness to his resurrection", "proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead." "And with great power the Apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 1:22; 4:2,33).
The influence of their witness and testimony was enormous. They simply stated what they knew. There was no doubt in their minds as to the certainty of their knowledge. St. John, in finishing his Gospel, sealed it thus: "This is the disciple who bears witness to these things" (21:24); and in starting his first Epistle he states firmly:
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled, of the Word of life ... That which we have seen and heard we declare unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ"
1 John 1:1-3.
The ministry of the Apostles was guided and blessed, and they were aware of this. They felt the presence of Christ and the companionship of the Holy Spirit in every step and turn of their work. Also, they were aware of their appointment. They were not presenting themselves, but were representing the Lord as Prophet, Priest and King, with authority and effectiveness. They appointed their successors and thus established the special priesthood of the Church. In the Orthodox Church there is no ordination of deacon, priest and bishop without referring to the Apostles through the lists of names of predecessors. Thus, the Apostolic succession is very important not only for the teaching of the Church, but also for its sanctification. It is accepted in the Orthodox Church that the bishops of the Church are the successors to the Apostles.
The Orthodox Church upholds the Creed in which, for centuries, the beliefs of the Orthodox Faith have been stated. In the ninth article of the Creed the Church is defined as "one, holy, catholic and apostolic." One for its unique Lord; holy for its sanctification; catholic as preserving for all ("katholou") the whole truth, and apostolic through its establishment by the Apostles, whereby Scripture and Tradition refers to the Apostles and, through them, to Christ. The Church is the bulwark of the Truth because the Apostles who established the Church trained and appointed its "Proestos" (religious leaders) and bequeathed to it the oral and written teachings. The Apostles exercised in worship and prayer, in preaching and pastoral work, the New Testament of the Lord. By them and through them the believers of the Church, in the past and the present, rejoice in learning the atoning truth and will of the living God.
The personal life of the Apostles is not very well known. For some of them we know nothing except names. But their work remains for generations to come. It was their intention to carry on the Lord's work and will, rather than their own. From the fruits of their work we visualize their character and intentions.
Following is a biographical note in brief on each of the Apostles. The names are taken from the list according to St. Luke 6:12f.
Short Biographies of the Twelve
Simon, Peter
Born in Bethsaida in Galilee, be was a fisherman and was named by Jesus Christ "Cephas" (in Greek, Peter), and called to be a fisher of men, an Apostle. In all lists of the Twelve he is named first, and belonged to the inner group of Apostles. He was present at the Transfiguration and at the Agony of Christ. When he professed his belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Lord promised that "Thou art Peter and on this rock will I build My Church", meaning on the rock of faith in the Savior. Peter's confession of faith was soon followed by a sharp rebuke, from the Lord. Peter said that he would never leave his Lord, and was answered by the prediction of his triple denial, which later took place. Later, Peter made reparation for his triple denial by a triple protestation of love.
After the Ascension, Peter took the leadership of the Apostles. He spoke on the day of Pentecost and was the first to perform a miracle in the name of Jesus. He accepted Cornelius for baptism and thus opened the Church to the Gentiles. His authority is evident at the Apostles' Council at Jerusalem, although Paul rebuked him for giving in to the demands of the Jewish Christians to disassociate himself from the Gentiles.
Peter is the founder of the Church in Antioch. He probably went to Rome and was crucified head downward during the reign of Nero (54-68).
A disciple of John the Baptist, Andrew heard him refer to Jesus as the Lamb of God. Andrew asked for an audience and saw Jesus for a day, then proclaimed, "We have found the Messiah," in itself a creed and confession for the Christian faith. He brought his brother, Simon-Peter, to Christ. Although not one of the inner circle, he played the first role in several events which are recorded. Eusebius in his Church History states that Andrew later went to Scythia. According to tradition he was martyred at Patras, Greece, crucified on an X-shaped cross, which since has become known as St. Andrew's Cross. He is regarded as being connected with the writing of St. John's Gospel. According to tradition, he is the founder of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
James (The Greater)
He was the son of Zebedee. He, with his elder brother John and with Peter, constituted the privileged group - the inner circle of the disciples. James was present at the Transfiguration and the Agony in Gethsemane. His zeal was ardent and he and his brother were named by the Lord "Boanerges", which means "sons of thunder". James was beheaded by Herod Agrippa I in A. D. 44, the first of the Twelve to suffer martyrdom. A theory that he preached in Spain is counter to the tradition of the Church and the Epistle to the Romans, 15:20 and 24, which concur that he did not leave Jerusalem. According to an old Spanish tradition, the body of St. James was transferred to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, where St. James was one of the most revered Spanish saints during the Middle Ages.
He was one of the inner circle with Peter and James. The son of Zebedee, he and his brother James were named the "sons of thunder". John is the author of the fourth Gospel, the Book of Revelation and three Catholic Epistles. He was imprisoned with Peter and later appeared in the Sanhedrin. John also was sent with Peter to Samaria, where they prayed that the converts might receive the Holy Spirit. In Jerusalem, he was present at the Council of the Apostles. John was "one of the two" with Andrew who first had an audience with the Lord, He was the one "whom Jesus loved" and who reclined on his bosom at the Mystic Supper.
Jesus from His cross entrusted His mother to John at the foot of the cross. He was the one who ran with Peter to the tomb on the morning of the resurrection, and who recognized the Risen Lord at the Sea of Tiberius, where our Lord spoke to him the words that he would not die (John 21:7).
According to tradition, he went to Asia Minor and settled in Ephesus. Later he was exiled to Patmos, an island.
He is the Apostle from Bethsaida who obeyed the call of Jesus and led Nathaneal to Christ. At the feeding of the 5,000 people, Jesus said to Phillip to buy bread, and Phillip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." Phillip on another occasion asked Jesus, "Lord, show us the Father" and Jesus retorted, "Yet you do not know me Phillip?" Phillip the Apostle should not be confused with Phillip, one of the seven Deacons. The Apostle Phillip preached the Gospel in Asia and suffered crucifixion, according to tradition.
His name is patronymic, meaning "son of Tolmai". Sometimes he is identified with Nathaneal whom Phillip led to Christ. According to the historian Eusebius, when Pantainus of Alexandria visited India between 150 and 200 A. D., he found there the Gospel according to Matthew left behind by Bartholomew one of the Apostles. According to tradition, Bartholomew was flayed to death at Albanapolis in Armenia.
He was the evangelist who was a Jew and a tax-collector referred to as Levi before he was called by Christ, Whom be followed. He is the author of the First Gospel. In his genealogy of Jesus Christ, he emphasizes the Lord's human nature and origin. Therefore, in Christian symbolism, Matthew has been represented by the figure of man (cf Rev 4:7). The icon of Matthew in the Orthodox Church is to be found in one of the four triangles which are formed by the arches connected to the dome of the Church.
He was called the Twin. On the way to Bethany He offered to die with Jesus. He interrupted the last discourse of Jesus with the question "We know not whither thou goest; how know we the way?". Thomas doubted the resurrection of Christ unless he were to touch the wounds of the Risen Lord, but later confessed his faith in Him: "My Lord and My God" - the first to confess so explicitly the Lord's divinity.
According to tradition, Thomas evangelized the Parthians. The Syrian Christians of Malabar called themselves "Christians of St. Thomas" and claimed they were evangelized by the Apostle Thomas, who was martyred and buried at Mylapore near Madras.
James (The Lesser)
He was the son of Alphaeus. Was he the Lord's relative? This is doubted. Was he James the younger (or the "lesser", Mark. 15:40)? There are insufficient reasons to establish this either. Nothing is known of him.
He was called Cananaean and Zealot, two terms of the same Hebrew word. According to the Apocryphal "Passion of Simon and Jude", both of them preached and underwent martyrdom in Persia. In the New Testament, Simon, one of the brethren of the Lord, was identified with Simon the Apostle. There were many others bearing the same name in the New Testament.
He is the Apostle referred to in the Gospel as "Judas of James", "Judas not the Iscariot". He also is known as Thaddaeus or Lebbacus. Jude was the brother of James (or the son of James RV), the "brethren of the Lord" - the Lord's relative. Jude is the author of the Epistle of Jude. The Apocryphal "Passion of Simon and Jude" depicted them in Persia where they preached and underwent martyrdom.
Judas Iscariot
A selected Apostle, one of the Twelve, he betrayed Christ to the Jewish Sanhedrin - the supreme council and highest court of justice in Jerusalem - and kissed the Lord at the time of the arrest. He later committed suicide. The title "Iscariot", meaning in the Hebrew "man of Kerioth", a place in South Palestine, implies that Judas was from Judea. He was the only one from there, whereas the other Apostles were from Galilee. After his suicide the Apostles elected Matthias to replace him as one of the Twelve Apostles.
New Covenant Apostles Handed Down
The Church of Jesus Christ started in Bethlehem with His birth in the manger it was sanctioned in His presence with angels and shepherds worshipping Him. The Church was developed and enriched through Christ's efforts in Palestine, and was established with His Cross on Golgotha. Finally, after the resurrection of its Lord, the Church flourished in the upper room in Jerusalem with "tongues of fire" of the Holy Spirit guiding the Apostles in triumph. Thus Jesus Christ, the Founder and Lord of the new sacred society, bequeathed his precious endowment to His Church and made it the treasurer of salvation and eternal freedom. The Church of Christ, to which saints and sinners belong, constitutes His Sacred Body forever. It is, indeed, the realm of His Covenant, which the Apostles received from Christ and handed down to us. What is this Covenant? The Lord's new will of life was wrought by Himself and handed down to all generations for all time. It contains the long-awaited reconciliation between God and man. It is the new covenant through the mercies of God, and empowered by His Son-the incarnate Logos. What is the content Of this covenant, and who is the warrantor who secures its riches to its heirs? Christ and His Gospel are the answer to both questions. In Him man is destined to live anew, crossing again into Eden, the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the New Covenant which the Apostles received and handed down.
The new covenant is "good news of a great joy". Its title was given by the angel proclaiming in Luke 2:10,11 that "to you is born ... a Savior ... Christ the Lord," in Bethlehem at the incarnation of the Logos. The contents of this covenant were endorsed in Christ's baptism with His Father's statement, "Thou art my beloved Son" (3:22). Indeed, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). John the Baptist bore witness to Him, and in his admiration for Him proclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God."
The signature on this covenant was placed by Christ's new order of Love at His mystic supper - the new testament - and ratified by His Cross and His last words, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Lastly, the eternal seal was placed on this covenant by His triumphal resurrection, assuring the victory and joy of life.
This covenant was heralded by the First-called Apostle Andrew in his conviction and exclamation that "we have found the Messiah," and his brother Peter's confession, "Thou art the Christ." His believers and devoted followers are destined to cover the globe in all centuries. His reign is everlasting.
This mighty covenant of reconciliation - the New Testament and Will - was handed down to the Church and entrusted to the hands of the eyewitnesses, the Apostles of Christ. They proclaimed the Orthodox faith in the True God and organized the new divine society in local Churches for men to believe and worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, One living Triune God. The Apostles are the first golden links in our inherited Faith, which we today so dearly proclaim. The Lord sent them and the faithful accepted and honor them.


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The United States said today it would increase security at overseas airports with non-stop flights to the country and US officials cited concerns al-Qaeda operatives in Syria and Yemen were developing bombs that could be smuggled onto planes.
The new security measures would be required at airports in Europe, Africa and the Middle East that have direct flights, the US officials said on condition of anonymity.
The Department of Homeland Security said "enhanced security measures" would be implemented in the next few days at "certain overseas airports with direct flights into the United States."
It did not specify which airports or what countries would be affected, nor did it say what triggered the extra precautions.
"We are sharing recent and relevant information with our foreign allies and are consulting the aviation industry," DHS secretary Jeh Johnson said in a statement.
Mr Johnson said he directed the Transportation Security Administration to implement the measures in the coming days.
The move comes during the summer travel season and days before the July 4th holiday.
A US official said some of the new measures would involve additional inspections of passengers' shoes and property.
The official said Washington had legal authority to enforce new security requirements on foreign governments or airports because the flights go directly to the United States.
Earlier, law enforcement and security officials said the United States and European authorities were discussing measures that could include installation of additional bomb-detection machines.
Bombmakers from the Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, and Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, are believed to be working together to try to develop explosives that could avoid detection by current airport screening systems, US national security sources said.
The main concern is that militant groups could try to blow up US- or Europe-bound planes by concealing bombs on foreign fighters carrying Western passports who spent time with Islamist rebel factions in the region, the sources said.
'Stealth explosives'
AQAP has a track record of plotting such attacks.
It was behind a 2009 attempt by a militant with a bomb hidden in his underwear to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner.
There was no immediate indication US intelligence had detected a specific plot or time frame for carrying out an attack.
US officials believe Nusra and AQAP operatives have carried out operational testing of new bomb designs in Syria, where Nusra is one of the main Islamist groups fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, a national security source said.
The "stealth" explosives the bombmakers are trying to design include non-metallic bombs, ABC News reported.
But officials are especially worried that the recent battlefield successes of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, or known as Isis, an al-Qaeda splinter group, have drawn a growing number of militants from America and Europe to the jihadist cause and they would have easy access to flights headed for American cities.


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Pocket pistols are all the rage these days for people concerned with concealed carry. This trend got started with the revival of the .380ACP as a popular carry cartridge and it didn't take long for manufacturers to realize they could make a 9mm in a similarly small and popular platform. This is a good thing for defensive shooters because there are more pistols to choose from than ever before and the competition to sell these small pistols means the quality and reliability keeps right on improving. In the not-too-distant past if you wanted a small, concealable semi-auto pistol there were few choices, many of them poor, as the quality of some of the available pistols was pretty bad.
This brings us to the Sig Sauer P290, a 9mm sub-compact pistol entirely suitable for concealed carry. The 290 is offered in six variations, to include different finishes on the stainless steel slides, but all of the pistols share the same polymer frame and double action only (DAO) trigger. The 290s come with SIGLITE night sights and can be equipped with a laser module that attaches by a clever arrangement to the dust cover portion of the frame that eliminates the bulk associated with a rail attachment system. The pistol ships in a lockable carrying case and includes a 6 round magazine with a small pinkie rest, a replaceable flat magazine base pad, an extended 7 round magazine and a Sig marked plastic holster made by Fobus. Other than ammunition, you have everything you need for concealed carry.
Weight is an important consideration with carry pistols. To test whether a pistol is too heavy, drop it in your wife's purse and see what she has to say about toting it around. Generally, lighter is better but we can reach a point of diminishing returns. Again, using the Domestic Goddess (DG) as an example, hand her a 13 ounce .357 Magnum snubbie to shoot and get back to me if you survive the experience. The Sig P290 comes in a few ounces heavier than several of the newer 9mm sub-compacts. I like to weigh pistols loaded – because that's the weight we're going to experience when carrying them – rather than relying on the unloaded weights generally listed in the catalogs. According to my scale, the P290 weighs 23.6 ounces with a loaded 6 round magazine and a round in the chamber. Comparing this to a few other popular sub-compact nines, the Kahr PM9 comes in at 19.3 ounces, the Kimber Solo at 20.3 ounces and the Ruger LC9 (with Crimson Trace Laserguard) at 20.3 ounces.
Field Stripping
When writing up a gun test this is the point where I would normally say the P290 is field stripped by following the four simple steps on page 36 of the instruction manual. Reassembly is, of course, in reverse order. The trouble is, if you follow the instructions in the manual you may not get the 290 apart. After struggling with the little pistol for half an hour of sweating and cursing as per the instructions I retreated from the shop and took my sore hands inside for a beer. Fortunately, the Internet is your friend and a search of You Tube quickly produced a short video showing an easy way to field strip the 290:
After making sure the pistol is unloaded, lock the slide to the rear. Next, grasp the pistol as shown in the picture, unlock the slide stop by pushing it down with a free finger from the other hand and use a punch or pen tip to push the slide stop out. With the slide stop removed the slide can be moved forward off the frame. Note that the pistol uses non-captive dual recoil springs over a guide rod that is removed, along with the barrel, in the conventional manner. Getting the pistol back together is easy; put the barrel and recoil springs back in the slide, guide the slide back onto the frame and align the window in the frame with the cutout in the slide to re-install the slide stop.
I spoke with Tim Butler, Sig Sauer pistol product manager, and he endorses this disassembly method. He also said he will be re-writing the instructions in the manual and explained the manual is a little behind development of the P290 because the pistol has been modified from the original design several times this year. This is a good thing, as it shows Sig is committed to product improvement. Speaking of continuing improvement, Tim told me Sig will soon be offering thicker replaceable grip panels for the P290 to help shooters with big hands get a grip on the little pistol.
At The Range
As I have come to expect with Sig Sauer products, the little 290 functioned flawlessly during a morning range session. I have a "junk" bag of 9mm ammunition that consists of odds and ends of a variety of ball and hollowpoint ammo and all of it ran through the 290 as I randomly loaded it into both the standard and extended magazine. In addition, Remington and Federal defensive ammunition loaded with 115 and 124 grain bullets, as well as some +P+ 9mm, fired without a hitch. The sights offered an excellent sight picture and seemed well regulated back to 15 yards. At reasonable defensive distances for a pocket pistol I had no trouble coming out of the holster quickly and firing pairs, hammers and failure drills (two shots to center mass followed by a head shot).
The double action trigger recorded an average of 8.5 pounds on my Lyman electronic trigger pull gizmo but it feels lighter than that. The trigger has a long way to go and I found that working it quickly to the rear worked out better for me than taking it back slowly or trying to stage it. Just line up the sights with a firm grip on the pistol and stroke the trigger to the rear. The trigger also has a long way to go when moving forward to reset. Having recently tested the Sig P226 with the Short Reset Trigger (SRT) I think it would be great if the little P290 had the SRT as well. The P290 fires from a hammer, not a striker like many little pistols, and has a second strike capability, meaning if the pistol doesn't fire you can try pulling the trigger again, much like a revolver. Far better, in my opinion, to perform an immediate action drill than to keep pulling the trigger if the pistol doesn't fire, but that's another topic for another time.
Overall, the Sig Sauer P290 is pleasant to shoot. Having shot a bunch of the really lightweight .380ACP and 9mm sub-compact pistols in the past couple of years, I can tell you that shooting some of them is unpleasant. Being the sensitive guy that I am I appreciate the fact that the P290 is a bit heavier than some of the breed and this translates into shooting comfort. Keep this in mind when buying a carry pistol for the DG if you expect her to practice with it.
About the Author:
Ed Head is a regular on Shooting Gallery and Down Range TV. He has worked for almost 30 years in law enforcement, first in the United States Air Force and then with the United States Border Patrol, retiring as a Field Operations Supervisor. During his Border Patrol career, Ed worked in a variety of patrol, investigative and training capacities. Ed has an extensive background as a firearms instructor, having trained thousands, ranging from beginners to police, military and special operations personnel. Having taught at Gunsite for 20 years, Ed first trained there under the world famous shooting school's founder, Jeff Cooper, then later ran the school as the operations manager for more than five years. Ed lives in Chino Valley, Arizona, where he continues to teach and write.


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Belmont Meat Products is recalling its Kirkland Signature brand Harvest Burger - Gourmet Blend - Veggie Burgers due to the possible presence of pieces of metal in the products.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the burgers were sold in Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia and possibly other provinces.
READ MORE: Canada Food Guide makes groceries too expensive: poll
The recalled products came in 1.7 kg packages with a best before date of Apr. 23, 2019.
The CFIA says there have been reported injuries associated with the consumption of the burgers, however, it didn't provide any further information.
Anyone who purchased the burgers is advised to either throw them out or return them to the place of purchase.
The CFIA says it's making sure the recalled product is being removed from stores.
The Canadian Press
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The case of an Ohio man who set loose his collection of wild bears, lions, tigers and other beasts before apparently killing himself has animal-welfare organizations renewing their call for a clampdown on ownership of exotic animals.
"Exotic, dangerous animals simply do not belong in private hands. It's not worth the risk," said Adam Roberts, executive vice president of Born Free USA.
Authorities believe Terry Thompson, owner of a 73-acre exotic-animal farm near rural Zanesville, Ohio, opened the cages to free his collection of animals before shooting himself Tuesday. Muskingum County sheriff's deputies frantically raced to track down the 50-plus animals that escaped before they could harm anyone.
Deputies fatally shot 49 of the animals — including 18 rare Bengal tigers. Six were recaptured.
The last missing animal, a monkey thought to be carrying a herpes virus, was found to have been eaten by one of the large cats, the sheriff said late Wednesday.
Thompson, 62, had a criminal record. He was released from federal prison just last month, after serving a one-year term for weapons violations stemming from the discovery of more than 100 guns on his property in 2008, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
He was also convicted in municipal court in 2005 of cruelty to animals, having an animal at large and two counts of rendering animal waste without a license, according to the Dispatch. His preserve was home to a menagerie of lions, tigers, bears, wolves, giraffes, monkeys and other animals, many bought at auctions.
Animal-welfare groups say Ohio is notoriously lax when it comes to wild-animal ownership. It's one of fewer than 10 states that have no rules regulating the sale and ownership of exotic animals.
Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, said Thompson would have been barred from owning exotic animals had a state emergency rule on keeping dangerous exotics animals been in effect.
An executive order issued by former Gov. Ted Strickland just days before he left office in January prohibited people convicted of animal cruelty from owning exotic animals. The administration of current Gov. John Kasich allowed the order to expire in April, noting concerns about its enforceability and its impact on small businesses.
Kasich has convened a stakeholder group to develop standards, but Pacelle said immediate action is needed until the Ohio Department of Natural Resources or the Legislature can adopt a permanent legal solution.
"Every month brings a new, bizarre, almost surreal incident involving privately held dangerous wild animals," Pacelle said in a statement. "In recent years, Ohioans have died and suffered injuries because the state hasn't stopped private citizens from keeping dangerous wild animals as pets or as roadside attractions. Owners of large, exotic animals are a menace to society, and it's time for the delaying on the rulemaking to end."
The Humane Society says it has documented 22 "incidents" with dangerous exotic animals in Ohio since 2003, including the widely reported killing last year in Lorain County of a 24-year-old man, Brent Kendra, by a captive black bear he reportedly was feeding.
Animal-welfare activists wanted the bear's owner, Sam Mazzola, charged with reckless homicide, but Kendra's death was ruled a workplace accident. The bear was later euthanized.
Mazzola was found dead in July, face-down on a water bed and restrained with handcuffs and chains, in his Columbia Station home. Authorities said he apparently choked on a sex toy.
Born Free says it has tracked more than 1,598 reported attacks and incidents since 1990 across the United States, including 86 in Ohio. The most recent incident prior to this week was on Sept. 22, when an 80-year-old man was injured after reportedly being attacked by his 6-foot-tall, 200-pound kangaroo at an exotic animal farm near Green Camp.
Laura Jones, director of comminations for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said a stakeholders group hopes to have a wild-animal proposal completed by the end of the year for the state Legislature to consider early next year.
"We've been working aggressively on having this proposal in place. I'm sure yesterday's situation will be uppermost in their (lawmakers') minds as they consider this legislation," Jones told msnbc.com.
Roberts said the mass-escape of wild animals from Thompson's compound is particularly troubling because animal-welfare groups have been trying for years to get Ohio to strengthen its exotic-animal laws. Thompson had been warned about animals wandering off his property.
"The bottom line is, because Ohio like many other states didn't have necessary laws in place to prevent this kind of exotic animal ownership, it really sets the stage for a potential catastrophic incident," Roberts told msnbc.com.
According to Born Free, Ohio is one of eight states that have no or extremely lax regulations on exotic-animal ownership. Twenty-one states ban private ownership, eight have partial bans and 13 have permitting or licensing regulations, the animal-welfare group says.
"The biggest lesson is, when groups like Born Free and others advocate against keeping of exotic animals as pets and the general reaction is we're nothing more than Chicken Little going around saying the sky is falling, that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," Roberts said.


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Monday, May 31, 2010
forget the black origins of "memorial day"
Thousands of freed slaves gathered to honor fallen soldiers for the first time at the end of the U.S. Civil War, in 1865. Several American towns have since claimed to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, but they each trace their claims back to a later date, 1866.
Historian David Blight tells the story:
After a long siege, a prolonged bombardment for months from all around the harbor, and numerous fires, the beautiful port city of Charleston, South Carolina, where the war had begun in April, 1861, lay in ruin by the spring of 1865. The city was largely abandoned by white residents by late February. Among the first troops to enter and march up Meeting Street singing liberation songs was the Twenty First U. S. Colored Infantry; their commander accepted the formal surrender of the city.
Thousands of black Charlestonians, most former slaves, remained in the city and conducted a series of commemorations to declare their sense of the meaning of the war. The largest of these events, and unknown until some extraordinary luck in my recent research, took place on May 1, 1865. During the final year of the war, the Confederates had converted the planters' horse track, the Washington Race Course and Jockey Club, into an outdoor prison. Union soldiers were kept in horrible conditions in the interior of the track; at least 257 died of exposure and disease and were hastily buried in a mass grave behind the grandstand. Some twenty-eight black workmen went to the site, re-buried the Union dead properly, and built a high fence around the cemetery. They whitewashed the fence and built an archway over an entrance on which they inscribed the words, "Martyrs of the Race Course."
Then, black Charlestonians in cooperation with white missionaries and teachers, staged an unforgettable [sic] parade of 10,000 people on the slaveholders' race course. The symbolic power of the low-country planter aristocracy's horse track (where they had displayed their wealth, leisure, and influence) was not lost on the freedpeople. A New York Tribune correspondent witnessed the event, describing "a procession of friends and mourners as South Carolina and the United States never saw before."
At 9 am on May 1, the procession stepped off led by three thousand black schoolchildren carrying arm loads of roses and singing "John Brown's Body." The children were followed by several hundred black women with baskets of flowers, wreaths and crosses. Then came black men marching in cadence, followed by contingents of Union infantry and other black and white citizens. As many as possible gathered in the cemetery enclosure; a childrens' choir sang "We'll Rally around the Flag," the "Star-Spangled Banner," and several spirituals before several black ministers read from scripture. . . .
Following the solemn dedication the crowd dispersed into the infield and did what many of us do on Memorial Day: they enjoyed picnics, listened to speeches, and watched soldiers drill. Among the full brigade of Union infantry participating was the famous 54th Massachusetts and the 34th and 104th U.S. Colored Troops, who performed a special double-columned march around the gravesite. The war was over, and Decoration Day had been founded by African Americans in a ritual of remembrance and consecration. The war, they had boldly announced, had been all about the triumph of their emancipation over a slaveholders' republic, and not about state rights, defense of home, nor merely soldiers' valor and sacrifice.
According to a reminiscence written long after the fact, "several slight disturbances" occurred during the ceremonies on this first Decoration Day, as well as "much harsh talk about the event locally afterward." But a measure of how white Charlestonians suppressed from memory this founding in favor of their own creation of the practice later came fifty-one years afterward, when the president of the Ladies Memorial Association of Charleston received an inquiry about the May 1, 1865 parade. A United Daughters of the Confederacy official from New Orleans wanted to know if it was true that blacks had engaged in such a burial rite. Mrs. S. C. Beckwith responded tersely: "I regret that I was unable to gather any official information in answer to this." In the struggle over memory and meaning in any society, some stories just get lost while others attain mainstream dominance. . . .
Over time several American towns, north and south, claimed to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. But all of them commemorate cemetery decoration events from 1866. Pride of place as the first large scale ritual of Decoration Day, therefore, goes to African Americans in Charleston. By their labor, their words, their songs, and their solemn parade of flowers and marching feet on their former owners' race course, they created for themselves, and for us, the Independence Day of the Second American Revolution. . . .
The rest of David Blight's article appears here.
Blight also describes "Decoration Day" in greater detail in his book Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory, as well as the name-change to Memorial Day, and the contested and changing meanings of this national remembrance. You can listen to "John Brown's Body," the song sung by thousands of freed slaves on that day, here (that page also explains why it sounds so much like another well-known American tune).
David W. Blight teaches American History at Yale University, where he is the director of the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition. He's also the author of the award-winning book A Slave No More: Two Men Who Escaped to Freedom, Including Their Narratives of Emancipation.
31 comments:
There is a documentary titled For The Love of Liberty The Story of America's Black Patriots that give historical facts about the men and women who have served in defense of this nation. I have heard nothing but positive things about this film. There is also a website that provides historical information.
I have family that have served and are currently serving in the Armed Forces of The United States. Their story deserves to be included in the national story.
People need to realize that there are many people of color who have fought for this nation. Even when they were not fully recognized as citizens.
Good looking out on this post.- FauxthoreauMay 31, 2010 at 8:51 PM
Great story, thanks for putting it up.
First heard about this in one of Blight's lectures on the Civil War posted up on the Academic Earth website. The entire course is actually online there free of charge for those who have the time--it's a nuanced yet accessible treatment and I can't recommend it highly enough.
I also know that Ta-Nehisi Coates over at The Atlantic is a Civil War junkie and often focuses on the experiences of black soldiers, slaves and former slaves, for anybody interested in exploring more stories commonly erased by white mainstream history. - MephistoMay 31, 2010 at 11:04 PM
I was so HOPING you'd make a post about this Macon! It gets somewhat annoying when people forget/re-write the origins of certain holidays.
ReplyDelete I think maybe this would be better titled "IGNORE the Black origins of memorial day" since I do not believe that too many people have ever HEARD the true story behind the holiday. The whole system of white supremacy is intentionally "leaving things out" when it comes to educating people about the contributions of POC. Forgetting is less innocuous then ignoring, because it can be chalked up to "a mistake". IGNORING is purposeful, and since most of the people leaving comments here have never even been taught this information in the school system, it is more accurate. IMHO.
ReplyDeleteThis was something about my History that I did not know. I am a soldier and I did not even bother to research the history of memorial day. I just assumed it was started after WWII or some other "big" war. I never knew it could be traced back to the Civil War. Thank-you for this and for making me realize that even though I know some things about my history in these Divided States of America, there is still a lot I don't know.
ReplyDelete- AnonymousJune 2, 2010 at 8:23 AM
Yes, thank you; I, too, had not read about this before.
Not to diminish your post on this topic, I also wonder, though, how many know the origins of Veteran's Day. Before it was Veteran's Day, it was Armistice Day--a day set aside to celebrate peace. Armistice means the cessation of hostilities, and Armistice Day recognized the end of World War I. At the time, there was widespread belief there would be no more wars (hence "The War to End all Wars" name also applied to WWI).
Now that we're in the business of constantly waging war, it's easy to see why we no longer celebrate Armistice Day, isn't it? - WillowJune 2, 2010 at 9:19 AM
>> "At the time, there was widespread belief there would be no more wars (hence "The War to End all Wars" name also applied to WWI)."
I have always thought this was either really arrogant or really delusional. In 1918 more than half the world was still under imperial control. Were the U.S. and Western Europe really just expecting the other countries to be happy and chill with that forever? I mean, how did the U.S. shake off *our* imperial overlord, huh? Not to mention internal revolts when the peasants aren't fed--was Europe (and the U.S!) forgetting its own 19th century history? (My point is not that those uprisings should be considered "wars", but that, if similar conditions sparked a revolt in a colonized area, it probably *would* be considered a war. At least, it would if the revolt succeeded. Important point, I guess. They weren't expecting any revolts to be successful). - AugustJune 2, 2010 at 5:00 PM
Like many others here, this is the first I'd heard about Memorial Day's true origins. It even inspired a blog post from me!
Have you heard of the later fanboy freakout over the fact that Donald Glover, a black actor, has considered auditioning for the role of Spiderman in the next flick? SWPD: insist on staying true to the source when it means a nonwhite may play a lead role. Willow wrote: "I have always thought this was either really arrogant or really delusional. In 1918 more than half the world was still under imperial control. Were the U.S. and Western Europe really just expecting the other countries to be happy and chill with that forever?"
Well, at least from my reading, the sense that there would be no more war came more from the people than the regimes. Poets, soldiers and citizens experienced a horror and a loss in a new way--warfare had become mechanized and the public knew of it in a way they hadn't before. The regimes may have been arrogant, but the people weren't delusional so much as duped, perhaps--by later wars and supposed reasons for fighting them. At the time, there appeared to be sincere belief, at the grassroots, in peace. Sadly, we all know how that turned out.- WillowJune 2, 2010 at 8:03 PM
I'm not talking about a leaders/people distinction--I mean a colonizer/colonized. I don't know, it's probably the benefit of a century of distance, but it just seems like to assume that people in colonized areas would prefer the subjugation and brutality of Empire to a war is a little...arrogant. (And I am meaning "subjugation and brutality" in the sense of grand sweeping ideals of Independence and Freedom, not so much the actual reality, since we are mostly talking about the works of poets, am I correct? My understanding is that the view that WWI was a waste doesn't really start gaining traction until the mid/late 1920s.) - AnonymousJune 3, 2010 at 12:25 AM
Am i glad to hear the TRUE version of it....& am going STALK your blog! *grinning*...feel am at home....really,why still racism in this AGE?....i don't understand!
ReplyDelete @willow
Perhaps people believed something short of war would bring justice, because war was simply too horrifying.
The consciousness that WWI was too horrific to repeat is present before the 1920s--in letters, newspaper articles and poetry written during the war by those engaged in and affected by it. The poetry became more prominent after the 1920s, while the horror of war faded in people's memories.
Poet and soldier Wildfred Owen wrote, "We laughed, — knowing that better men would come,/And greater wars: when each proud fighter brags/He wars on Death, for lives; not men, for flags." Owen was gunned down 7 days before the Armistice was signed in 1918.
I think it's maybe beyond comprehension that 20,000 soldiers were killed in one day in 1916 (or that 800,000 Rwandans were butchered in a single month in 1994). So we just don't think about it too much. I think that's at the root of forgetting that Veterans Day was originally Armistice Day. And if we're content to forget that we once celebrated peace above all else, how can we ever hope to achieve it?- WillowJune 3, 2010 at 6:54 AM
Didn't Armistice Day become Veterans' Day so as to incorporate more wars? ("Armistices Day" does not roll off the tongue)
WWI is not my era of expertise and I defer to anyone with actual knowledge, but Todman's book on how the idea that the war was a total waste is created by later historiography is worth a read...um...The Great War: Myth and Memory, maybe? @willow and tls
I believe that tls is right in saying that "veterans day" was created to include more veterans of foreign wars than just WWI.
However, there were a lot of poets, not just Wilfred Owen (dulce et decorum est pro patria mori) but also Siegfried Sassoon and others who criticized the war during the war and were widely read. This had little to do with colonialism awareness, though.
Even among Europeans less than a decade after the war however, there came grumbling and a belief that WWI was not at all a war to end all wars but a harbinger of worse things still to come. The existentialists are the ultimate example of this (Sartre and Camus and the WWII and after existentialists built their popularity on a long already existing sentiment and corpus of literature).
Even among people who weren't academics or well read on historiography, and well before WWII, there was an enormous cultural pessimism, much of it preoccupied with the belief that England and France's possession of colonies would eventually come to violence.
Though, yes, I think that willow is right to say that there was an outright naievity in some writers' minds about the "pacifiability" of some colonial peoples, even well after WWII! Not just in hindsight, but even in Camus' time, many, especially Sartre, thought it absurd that Camus seriously believed France and Algeria could just go on being "joined." Even today, it's astounding to read about how this nobel Prize winning author wrote books that took place in Algeria when there were few or no Arabs in his stories, unless used as plot devices to spur on the white characters' narrative.
Sorry to go off on a tangent too long, but in my experiences in France, I found that I, the foreigner, was not the only one who thought it absurd that "Armistice Day" (still celebrated as exactly that in several European countries) is treated as a holiday, when all the world admits today that the terms of the Allied/Central treaty after WWI were one of the greatest causes of WWII (and for that matter, the Bolshevik experiment, and more causes of mass death, etc.)Sorry to belabor the point, but I would go on to say that the attitude that "the natives" of third world countries can be cowed into submission continues to this day. There's an interesting racial component and a failure to take seriously the cultural beliefs of those "natives" on the part of voters and citizens of first world countries, not just writers and rulers.
Google Fareed Zakaria, or watch episodes of his show. There's a debate over how much the Taliban can be incorporated into the Afghani government, as well as just how much the US military can do to keep the peace there without winning over hearts in minds (ie. doing more than blowing shit, and people, up and building schools) or perhaps just getting out. Many Americans, both in the public and the military, seriously believe that any attempt to reconcile with the Taliban equates to accepting Al Quida.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that if America acts as though no Taliban members should never be treated as anything but terrorists, Americans will go out of Afghanistan with the legacy of many deaths but not the peaceful coalition of Afghanis they'd like to have, perhaps reducing all to naught.
Likewise, the drone attacks in Pakistan are creating terrorists at the same time that they're killing them, because they're also killing civilians and violating Pakistani sovoreignty.
Americans believe that "winning" in Afghanistan, Iraq, and in the Pakistani mountains is so much easier than it actually is, that I would say it's just as naive as the attitude of the French vis-a-vis Algeria and Vietnam, and for that matter the US vis-a-vis Vietnam as well. On that note, I'd note that everyone forgets that the war in Vietnam resulted from the Vietnamese attempt to kick out colonial powers long before communism became the primary issue.
The attitude that "won't those silly third world natives just accept that first world powers are doing what's in our and their interests alike without making such a mess" is not dead and I don't think it will die anytime soon.Thanks, MIke and Willow. It may be a bit off the blog topic, but I'm glad to read what you've written.
I think you're right, Mike, that celebrating Armistice Day as if peace reigns throughout the world is hypocrisy. And if setting aside a day to focus on Peace is used by colonialist/imperialist regimes to further violent, aggressive goals, then it is an Orwellian travesty. (By the way, the Armistice preceded the treaty that ended WWI--the former is simply a cessation of hostilities; the latter a messy political document that Mike describes well.)
And perhaps I am idealistic (not naive--who could be in the face of world events?), but isn't it better to have peace as a goal than to never even mention it any more? Saying we will never have peace because we never have had peace is a statement without hope.@tls
Sorry about the lack of specifity between the armistice and the treaty of Versailles - It was early for me when I was writing (I also should note that WWI, not the treaty, was what caused the Bolshevik revolution, which doesn't really come out in the way I phrased it above).
On the matter of peace and hope, I must respectfully disagree. Consequences of diplomacy and war matter more than statements of intent on the part of nations at war. I think the celebration of Armistice Day is not unlike Bush's declaration of "Mission Accomplished." Yeah, the war against the central powers was over, and in the latter the regime was changed, but who gives a #@$% if you're not yet sure that the conditions of peace that'll follow haven't warded off a potentially more calamitous future (see> power vacuum and sectarian conflict).
There are some forms of "peace" that are less preferable than conflict. The history of colonialism and the subsequent revolts are good proof of this. Maybe we're just arguing semantics though, because I don't think you can really have "peace" in the sense of comfortable lives lived in self-determination without making conflict against nations that want other nations or peoples to keel over and accept exploitation. I guess if there were no exploitation, there would be no need for conflict, but I don't see that happening either. I just mean to say that being opposed to "pitched battles" or traditional "big armies running at each other" wars is meaningless if one is not also opposed to the creation of conditions that make some peoples feel the need to make even tiny, seemingly futile skirmishes.
A neat quote from Sartre (though he was indeed in other respects a Stalinist apologetic asshole prototype of some leftist modern hipster/suburbanite white persons) that I think is actually quite relevant to SWPD (I'm paraphrasing 'cause I don't remember it verbatim):
"When a colonized person kills a colonizer he is killing two people at once - the oppressor and the oppressed." He meant the killing of the oppressed mind in a metaphorical way and with a positive meaning.
Colonialism can kill souls and hope but realizing that one can actually stand up for oneself, even if it means the non-metaphorical kind of killing, can bring hope of a better peace, even if it means war in the interim to get there.Mike,
Is this it?
[To] shoot down a European is to kill two birds with one stone, to destroy an oppressor and the man he oppresses at the same time: there remain a dead man, and a free man . . .
(from Sartre's discussion of rebellion by the colonized in his preface to Frantz Fanon's Wretched of the Earth)Mike--
Maybe we ARE just at semantic odds here, but it sounds like you're saying the only way to resolve conflicts of oppression is through war/violence. And that until all such conflicts are resolved, it is hypocritical to celebrate peace.
This makes me think of how the preponderance of words spoken by Haile Selassie at the UN in 1963 related to peace, diplomacy and the bloodless resolution of conflict, but what we remember about it is the song "War" by Bob Marley.
One of the phrases I like in Selassie's speech is this: "Peace is not an 'is', it is a 'becoming.' "I almost let this go, but my curiosity got the better of me. It seems that the claim "Over time several American towns, north and south, claimed to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. But all of them commemorate cemetery decoration events from 1866", may not be all that accurate.
According to Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 35 (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2001.05.0293%3Achapter%3D1.73), there were Decoration Day celebrations 5 years earlier - June 3, 1861.
Apparently, the first Memorial Day depends on where you happen to come from.


text: On Thu, Jul 17, 2008 at 11:47:16AM -0400, Gus Correa wrote: > How much memory per core/processor is right for a Beowulf cluster node? It really depends on your apps. Some people spend more than 50% of their $$ on ram, others only need a few hundred megabytes per node. A few years ago, it was the case that 1 GB/core was a number that many clusters used, but I suspect it's crept up since them. > In any case, at this point it seems to me that > "get as much RAM as your money can buy and your motherboard can fit" may > not be a wise choice. > Is there anybody out there using 64 or 128GB per node? Sure, because their problems call for it. For example, many CFD computations are just trying to find steady-state airflow around an object. These computations don't run for very many timesteps, with a very big grid, and huge messages. Now in your case it sounds like you know how much RAM to buy, given your experience on your existing machine. You can project to your new cluster: "I have $X. If I bought P cores, 1 GB/core, that gives me an N*N*L grid, it will take H hours to finish a 1000 year run. OK, that finished too quickly. So I'll buy fewer cores and more memory, run a bigger grid, that takes longer..." Iterate until done. BTW, you said it was N**4: isn't the vertical direction treated very differently from lat/lon? -- greg


text:
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Open House: Southwest Portland Projects
Apr 18, 2014 at 3:55 PM 0 Comments
There's a lot happening in southwest Portland's watersheds! Many infrastructure and restoration projects are in design or soon to be in construction, including:
- Roadside drainage improvements
- Replacement of the culvert at Boones Ferry Road and Tryon Creek
- Sewer upgrades
- Rain gardens to treat stormwater runoff from I-5 and city streets
- Natural area restoration
Please join staff from the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) to learn about upcoming projects in southwest Portland.
Wednesday, April 23
5:30 - 7:30 pm
Multnomah Arts Center, Room 29, 7688 SW Capitol Hwy
Stop by on your way home for refreshments and information, and check out the new stormwater swales in the parking lot!
More information is on the SWNI website.
Can't make the open house? Check out this pdf for a summary of current projects and learn more at www.portlandoreon.gov/bes/watersheds.
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After long time here I am writing about me. Today I will write about my college life. If I ask you which life you have enjoyed (or you are enjoying) at most school or life what would be your answer? I know it's a tricky one and the result would be an even steven one.
But for me school is the winner with so many reasons behind it. Well my college life was a strange one. In one way I can say it was my biggest learning curve so far and in other way I can say it was a very dull period of my life. I was the same guy from first year to third year. In first year I was having mighty home-sickness. From fourth year onwards I have started to change in a big way. Mainly I have enjoyed my last year because I took a decision at the end of third year, which was not an easy one for me. In first three years I hardly made a good friend as I have seldom talked with anyone except my mess mates. Actually they also found me strange enough. In my college few know me because our team won the robbo soccer championship in college fest.They took me as a self-centered guy who hardly takes any side. That time I used to miss my school friends to share my problems. Yes I was weak that time but not weak enough to effect my carrier or others peace. Actually it was that sort of situation when you are in a hole and you cannot come up neither you can go deep. That time I was reluctant to make new friends and share my problems. I used to fight with myself .But trust me or not I still love those day, I learnt a lot from those days. I am what I am only because of that period.
At last at the end of third year I got the strength to come out. From fourth year onwards I am that school boy-Aritra who was always cheerful, who may not have the greatest sense of humor but with not a bad one, who loves to spend time with friends.
Now I am enjoying life at its peak but we tend to miss that pain which made you strong.


text:
Via Mail Online:
Up to 60,000 patients die on the Liverpool Care Pathway each year without giving their consent, shocking figures revealed yesterday.
A third of families are also kept in the dark when doctors withdraw lifesaving treatment from loved ones.
Despite the revelations, Jeremy Hunt last night claimed the pathway was a 'fantastic step forward'.
In comments that appeared to prejudge an official inquiry into the LCP, the Health Secretary said 'one or two' mistakes should not be allowed to discredit the entire end-of-life system.
But Elspeth Chowdharay-Best of Alert, an anti-euthanasia group, said: 'The Pathway is designed to finish people off double quick. It is a lethal pathway.


text:
I was going to write about the new Richard Simmons Telus spot. You must have seen it - it's hilarious - , guy complains about annoying activation fees, and suggests they're even worse than his new roommate. He then opens his apartment door only to see Richard Simmons in full dance party mode, ironing a pair of his famously indecent short-shorts amidst criss-crossing clotheslines swamping the shared unit. Richard loudly exclaims diva-style "Hello Roomy! You're out of detergent!!!! Perfect.
Photo: Contributed
Or maybe I could have touched on the fairly recent storefront marriage of Orange Julius and Dairy Queen. Apparently Warren Buffet and Co. concluded that the smoothie crowd needs to sit down with the burger/ice cream gang and really get to know each other. Personally, I'm all in favor of seeing Orange Julius show up somewhere with a drive-thru 'cause I was never able to convince my mom to spring for one back when I was being dragged around the mall. I'm betting I can snow the wife into thinking they're actually "good" for me, alongside a giant heat-rolled, foot-long, hot dog to boot.
Lastly, I was really tempted to go off on a couple of American political ads that hit my radar. One featured a dangerously young looking gal explaining how voting for Obama was like having sex for the first time while the other was a typically crude Michael Moore and Moveon.org ad showcasing a group of rowdy seniors waxing profane about all-things Romney and then threatening to c#@k punch him (very NSFW, btw). For the record, it seems c#@k-punching is now "a thing." Now I didn't realize c#@k punching was a thing, but thanks to Moore et al I have now exponentially expanded my knowledge. Thank you cool kids! But in the end I didn't choose either of those ones either.
Back in 2004, when AdFool first started up I never actually thought I'd make it last eight years and 400 plus columns. That seems (and, well, kinda is…) crazy. So with more than 350,000 or so words spent thus far I think it's high time to call it. But before I do, I did want to quickly revisit why I even started this in the first place.
I never got a degree in marketing and I certainly didn't work for any ad agency. I was never an ad professional of any kind. Then, just as now, my only claim to this mantle of AdFool was my own personal acceptance of an earthly station in life that tagged me a life-long target for all things commercial. Basically, I'm a person who buys stuff, just like you.
I have always been that target (and always will be) but I've never been pissed off about it like some folks are. I think that's because in my heart of hearts I sincerely appreciate all the good things commerce and capitalism has sent my way. Consider. There is no logical reason for Batman, ketchup chips, consumer-grade pressure washers or even the Star Wars movies to exist, but they do. They exist because someone wanted to sell something – nay, HAD to sell something to feed his kids, or heat his pool, or buy a car or feed a drug habit or whatever. And thanks to that, these insane little bits of manna fluttered down onto everyone's larger world. Some of them suck, and lots may be a waste of time but TADAHHHH, they keep coming up with all new stuff just in case. No centralized, nanny-stated, government-directed economy is ever going to do that for you. It's like having the best girlfriend ever! She just keeps trying to please you anyway she possibly can.
Now, let's be clear. I like businesses and the entrepreneurs that build them. I won't carry a cup of water for any slick CEO that views his or her business as little more than a series of statements and balance sheets. Those neck-tied, seat fillers spend far too little time actually running their businesses and way too much effort negotiating no-lose stock options, swish exit packages (for when they've plundered the place) and messing around with whatever trendy method of social engineering is currently hot at the country club. These mooks are basically bureaucrats masquerading as entrepreneurs, and they can kiss it, in my not so humble opinion.
Advertising itself though has always been communication, and communication is a good thing. People communicate, that's how we interact. Is all communication good, or well-rendered, or even always that well-intentioned? Obviously not, but should we crimp, stifle or ever seek to make such things harder or more difficult to do? Never.
I simply could not live in a world of one, overriding monolithic message declaring what I needed to think, eat, say and do. That's a government that has leapt the rails of its mandate and headed off into quasi-dictator-land, usually at its peoples own sad and lazy-ass request. I want capitalism (which I will admit is still messy as hell) but even at its worst still offers the sort of freedom in which I prefer to live. And I think you do too.
Anyway, I'm done with AdFool for now but I will still be writing. More pieces, more subjects, more fun stuff. I just don't know what or where exactly yet. If you care to, drop me an email or visit www.littlebluetruck.com from time to time and I'll try to keep you in the loop. Buy a book and I'll even feel obligated far beyond what I probably should. If not, then rejoice. Your internet page just became a whole lot less cluttered. So, thanks to one and all for the attention and whatnot thus far but as things currently stand I've gotta be moving on.
Editor's Note: All of us here at Castanet are sad to see our AdFool moving on. We are grateful for the many funny, enlightening articles submitted over the years. We sincerely wish Jarrod the very best in his future endeavours!
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.