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Ayat of the Day
|Hadith of the Day:
|Miracles of the Qur'an:
At the beginning of 1990, press-releases in the well-known newspapers of the world declared "Fabled Lost Arabian city found," "Arabian city of Legend found" and "The Atlantis of the Sands, Ubar." What rendered this archaeological find particularly intriguing was the fact that this city is mentioned in the Qur'an. Many people had previously suggested 'Ad was a legend or that the location in question could never be found. Such people could not conceal their astonishment at this phenomenal discovery.
It was Nicholas Clapp, a noted documentary filmmaker and a lecturer on archaeology, who found this legendary city mentioned in the Qur'an. Being an Arabophile and a winning documentary film maker, Clapp had come across a very interesting book during his research on Arabian history. This book was Arabia Felix, written by the English researcher Bertram Thomas in 1932. Arabia Felix was the Roman designation for the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula which today includes Yemen and much of Oman. The Greeks called this area "Eudaimon Arabia" and medieval Arab scholars called it "Al-Yaman as-Sa`eed." All of these names mean "Happy Yemen," because the people living in that region used to serve as middlemen in the lucrative spice trade between India and places north of the Arabian Peninsula. In addition, the people living in this region produced and distributed "frankincense," an aromatic resin from rare trees.
The English researcher Thomas described these tribes at length and claimed that he found the traces of an ancient city founded by one of these tribes. This was the city known as "Ubar" by the Bedouins. In one of the trips he made to the region, the Bedouins living in the desert had shown him well-worn tracks and stated that these tracks led toward the ancient city of Ubar. Thomas, who showed great interest in the subject, died before being able to complete his research.
Clapp, who examined what the English researcher Thomas wrote, was convinced of the existence of the lost city described in the book. He quickly started his research, attempting to carry on from where Thomas had left the project. Clapp took two different approaches in his mission to prove the existence of Ubar. First, he found the tracks which the Bedouins said existed and in order to aid his work, he applied to NASA to provide the satellite images of the area. After a long struggle, he succeeded in persuading the authorities to take the pictures of the region he so craved.
Clapp went on to study the ancient manuscripts and maps in the Huntington library in California. Here, he quickly found a map covering the region he was studying so intensely. He found a map drawn by the Greek-Egyptian geographer Ptolemy in 200, which showed the location of an old city found in the region and the paths which actually led up to this city.
Meanwhile, his research received a further boost when he received the news that satellite photographs had been taken by members of NASA. In the pictures, caravan trails, which were virtually invisible to the naked eye, caught Clapp's attention. They could only be seen as a whole from the sky. Comparing these pictures with the old map he had in hand, Clapp immediately realized that the trails in the old map corresponded with the trails in the pictures taken from the satellite. The final destination of these trails was a broad site understood to have once been a city.
Finally, thanks to the work of Clapp and Thomas before him-along with a helping hand from NASA researchers-the location of this legendary city, which had been subject of the stories told orally by the Bedouins, was discovered. After a short while, excavations began and remains of an old city were brought to light. This lost city was dubbed "Ubar, the Atlantis of the Sands."
But let us ask: What was it that proved this to be the city of the people of 'Ad mentioned in the Qur'an?
From the very beginning of the study of the site, it was understood that this ruined city belonged to 'Ad. Researchers discovered Iram's pillars, which were specifically mentioned in the Qur'an, in the form of towers in the land of the people of 'Ad. Dr. Juris Zarins, a member of the research team leading the excavation, said that since the towers were alleged to be the distinctive feature of Ubar and since Iram was mentioned as having towers or pillars, this then was the strongest proof so far that the site they had unearthed was Iram, the city of 'Ad described in the Qur'an:
As seen, that the information provided by the Qur'an about the events of the past is in total agreement with historical information is another evidence of the fact that the Qur'an is the word of Allah. (See Harun Yahya, Perished Nations, Ta-Ha Publishers, UK, 2001; Global Publishing, Istanbul, 2002)
|Wonders of Creation:
|Lives of the Prophets:
Magicians came to Pharaoh from all parts of the land of Egypt to perform their magic against Musa (as). Pharaoh was certain of his ultimate victory. Following a successful confrontation, the authority of Pharaoh and his inner circle would have been assured. The magicians, on the other hand, were curious as to the reward they would receive in return for defeating Musa (as):
Pharaoh was taking advantage of the situation to consolidate his authority, while the magicians thought that by being honored with being "close" to Pharaoh, they would gain certain benefits. The most able magicians of Egypt were brought against Musa (as) and Harun (as). Musa (as) was asked to decide who should start:
When the magicians performed their magic, their ropes and staffs appeared to slither. As the verse informs us, all were deceived into seeing ropes and staffs as moving by themselves.
A certain point deserves attention here: in the above verse, we encounter the expression "appear to be slithering about." This wording indicates that there was not an actual movement, but only one perceived by the spectators. In another verse, the illusory nature of this incident is explained as follows:
With their illusions, the magicians of Pharaoh won the public over. They exalted his regime by the spells they performed, which they did "by the might of Pharaoh." Pharaoh, in return, provided them financial benefits. In brief, their relationship was mutually beneficial.
In their confrontation with Musa (as), the magicians were completely aware that Pharaoh was not in possession of any kind of divine power. However, purely out of a desire to be brought "close" to enjoy the resulting benefits, they threw their staffs. They did so, quite sure of their superiority over Musa (as), which they expressed thus:
Although deceitful, the magicians' show impressed the crowd. As we read in the Qur'an, the people were terrified. Musa (as) too was impressed; his heart was filled with fear since the magicians' ropes and staffs appeared to him also as slithering about. Nonetheless, Allah reminded Musa (as) not to be frightened:
Bolstered by this reminder from Allah, Musa (as) immediately turned to the magicians, telling them that their performance was mere sorcery which would be rendered void by the will of Allah:
Then Musa (as) threw down his staff. The result was terrifying for the magicians. Musa's (as) staff swallowed the sorcery of Pharaoh's magicians:
Unlike the illusory tricks of magicians, Musa (as) worked a real miracle by his staff. The magicians had plotted against Musa (as). However, Allah, the best of plotters, aided Musa (as) with a plan which rendered their tricks utterly worthless. Thus, the plots of the magicians only worked against them. Provided with supernatural properties by Allah, the staff effected a true miracle.
Consequently, contrary to expected, Musa (as) defeated the magicians. So, everybody witnessed that Allah's promise was true. Allah did not leave Musa (as) alone and, through this miracle, made him victorious over one of the most powerful systems of his time.
|Evolution Deceit:
In yesterday's article, we mentioned that chance can by no means produce a single living cell. But since evolutionists believe in this impossibility, then let them take a suitable amount of mud and wait for it to construct palaces, produce the latest model Jaguar, or build bridges. Let them wait for that mud to produce, spontaneously, first a single cell, then amoeba, fish, lizards, horses, apes and finally human beings. Then let them watch those human beings design cars, make discoveries and found civilizations. In fact, even the most dyed in the wool evolutionist knows this can never happen, but they imagine that by making this claim together with Latin terms and a weighty style it somehow becomes credible.
To believe that all the living things we see on Earth, the flowers with their matchless beauty, fruits, flavors, butterflies, gazelles, rabbits, panthers, birds, and billions of human beings with their different appearances, the cities built by these human beings, the buildings they construct, and bridges all came about by chance from a collection of mud, means taking leave of one's senses. The fact that large numbers of people believe in such nonsense in no way legitimizes it; on the contrary, it shows that we are looking at a miracle. A miracle took place 150 years ago, when an old man with an amateur interest in biology began to bring a huge mass of people under his influence with the senseless ideas he produced from his imagination during a sea voyage. The fact that so many people were taken in by these nonsensical claims like a spell is a great miracle of Allah. In the Qur'an Allah reveals that some people will believe in the impossible and be taken in by nonsense, though they will be unaware of the fact.
The Theory of Evolution Is a Deception of Satan, and Satan's Deception Is Weak
Allah reveals in the Qur'an that Satan has vowed to turn people away from the true path, to deceive them, to make them believe in nonsense and perversions, and set snares for them:
When we read that in past civilizations some people worshipped fire or idols made of stone, and took the Sun or Moon as their deities, we are astounded that people could have believed in such things. These people, as revealed in the verses, are taken in by unbelievable nonsense at the prompting of Satan and imagine, as if laboring under a spell, that the most irrational and illogical things are really true. Satan, by Allah's leave and with the means He gave him of course, has assumed the task of deceiving those who do not believe in Allah, making them do insane things, making them believe in false things instead of Allah and portraying, by means of deception, these things as reasonable and legitimate. The theory of evolution is just such a vehicle that Satan has been employing for the last 150 years. In addition he has turned this vehicle into a most potent weapon by concealing it under the name of something that people have the greatest confidence in – science. Those who are taken in by Satan's deceptions, albeit unawares, even professors, rectors, teachers and doctors, come to believe the most incredible things that even children would not.
However, that weapon of Satan is only effective against weak people, those with no faith. Sincere, devout individuals are never affected by it, and perceive Satan's deception in all clarity. In the verse, "Satan's scheming is always feeble" (Surat an-Nisa': 76), Allah has revealed that Satan's deceptions are weak. In another verse Allah reveals that Satan says he will never be able to mislead His sincere servants (Surat al-Hijr: 39-40).
As is revealed in the verses, by Allah's leave, Satan's deceptions are powerless against sincere servants. In the same way that the faithful are unaffected by Satan's snares, they also foil him by revealing his deceptions.
It is easy to free oneself from Satan's snares. All one has to do is to think honestly. Anyone who thinks honestly will see that the claims of the theory of evolution are untrue. Evolutionists, too, would see this manifest truth if they could free themselves from the effect of their own circles, their concerns to the effect that "If I say I do not believe in evolution what will my colleagues think of me?" and will cease to believe in such an impossible scenario as evolution. In one verse Allah reveals:
|Quick Grasp of Faith:
Those who are sure of Allah's existence and the Hereafter desire that other people grasp the truth and live by the Qur'an's morals, which is the most suitable way of living for human beings. Knowing that each unbeliever will meet with Hell's infinite punishment, the believers put forth their best efforts to lead the unbelievers to belief. But while each believer is responsible for conveying the message and for calling people to the truth, only Allah can guide people to the truth. Even if the believers convey the message all day and night, express themselves in the most impressive ways and give the most convincing examples, the people being addressed may not believe if Allah does not guide them. If Allah wills, He guides anyone He selects at any time. This is only by His will, and Allah is the best of judges because whatever He determines and decides is the best for humanity. For that reason, those people who refuse to believe despite the best efforts of the believers should not be a cause of sorrow. Knowing that submitting to His will is the right conduct, believers place their trust in Allah.
|Book Review:
|Site of the Day:
The Universe and its elements : all the galaxies, stars, planets, asteroids, the Milky Way, the Sun, the Earth, the Moon and billions of other immense bodies are rotating and revolving in excellent harmony. If scrutinized in terms of cosmic, physical, mathematical and bio-chemical aspects, from micro level to macro level, the Universe proves to be supplied with the most suitable design for human life.
From the expansional rate of the Universe to the location of Earth in the Solar System, from percengates of athmospheric gases to properties of sunlight, innumerous equilibriums are sustained each second and each hour. Not even one of these arrangements may occur by chance. All obey the infallible wisdom of Allah exhibiting His might and art. This web site displays the evidence for the creation of the Universe and it reveals the eternal might and wisdom of Allah, who created this great universe from nothingness.


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Stocks edged lower on Wall Street; Best Buy drops
Major stock indexes turned lower Friday after a drop in U.S. consumer prices and a strong survey of Chinese manufacturing failed to excite investors.
The Dow Jones industrial average was down eight points at 13,162 as of 12:13 p.m. EST.
The Standard & Poor's 500 index edged down three points to 1,416 while the Nasdaq composite dipped 11 points to 2,981.
Adobe jumped 6 percent after the maker of Photoshop editing software and other applications reported results that beat analysts' expectations. More subscribers for its online Creative Cloud online service helped drive revenue and earnings up. Adobe's stock gained $2 to $37.53.
Of the 10 industries in the S&P 500 index, technology and energy stocks are down the most.
The Labor Department said a steep fall in gas prices pushed down a measure of consumer prices last month. The consumer price index edged down 0.3 percent in November from October. Gas prices sank 7.4 percent, the biggest drop in nearly four years. Consumer prices have risen 1.8 percent over the past year.
The report helped nudge up prices for U.S. government debt, pushing yields down. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note slipped to 1.70 percent, down from 1.73 percent late Thursday. When inflation is weak, it suggests that interest rates are unlikely to jump, and bond prices unlikely to drop, anytime soon.
Asian markets rose earlier Friday, when HSBC said manufacturing activity in China is picking up. Its index for December rose to 50.9, a slight increase from the previous month. Anything above 50 is a sign of growth.
Among other stocks making big moves:
- Best Buy sank 15 percent, losing $2.20 to $11.91. The struggling electronics retailer and one of its founders, Richard Schulze, agreed to give Schulze more time to assemble a bid for the company. That erased most of the gains made Thursday when Best Buy's stock jumped 16 percent following a report that said Schulze would make a bid by the end of the week.
- Silver Bay Realty Trust fell 10 cents to $18.40 in its first day of trading. Silver Bay raised $245.1 million in its initial public offering Thursday. It plans on using the money to buy thousands of single-family homes and rent them out, as the U.S. housing market slowly heals.

subset: commoncrawl


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Pronunciation: dox IL a meen
Brand: Unisom
Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.
Doxylamine is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose. Antihistamines can cause drowsiness and are sometimes used a sleep aids.
Doxylamine is used to treat sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, hives, skin rash, itching, and other cold or allergy symptoms.
Doxylamine is also used as a short-term treatment for sleep problems (insomnia).
Doxylamine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
You should not use doxylamine if you are allergic to it.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take this medicine if you have other medical conditions, especially:
- glaucoma;
- an enlarged prostate;
- problems with urination; or
- asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, or other chronic lung disease.
Older adults may be more sensitive to the effects of this medicine.
Doxylamine is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctor's advice if you are pregnant.
Doxylamine may pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Antihistamines may also slow breast milk production. Do not use this medicine without a doctor's advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Use exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. This medicine is usually taken only for a short time until your symptoms clear up.
Do not use doxylamine to treat insomnia in a child younger than 12 years old. Ask a doctor before using this medicine to treat cold or allergy symptoms in a child younger than 6 years old. Always ask a doctor before giving a cold or allergy medicine to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of these medicines in very young children.
Take this medicine with food or milk if it upsets your stomach.
To treat insomnia, it is best to take doxylamine only when you can devote several hours to sleep. Follow your doctor's instructions.
Call your doctor if your cold or allergy symptoms do not improve after 7 days of treatment, or if your sleep problems do not improve after 2 weeks of treatment.
This medication can cause you to have unusual results with allergy skin tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are taking an antihistamine.
Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
When treating insomnia, if it is almost your normal waking hour, skip the missed dose and wait until you are ready for bed again.
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
Overdose symptoms may include severe forms of some of the side effects listed in this medication guide.
This medicine may cause blurred vision and may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert and able to see clearly.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, cough, allergy, or sleep medicine. Many combination medicines contain antihistamines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much of this medicine.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, cough, allergy, or sleep medicine. Antihistamines are contained in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much of a certain drug. Check the label to see if a medicine contains an antihistamine.
Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of doxylamine.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Doxylamine can decrease sweating and you may be more prone to heat stroke.
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- confusion, hallucinations;
- severe dizziness or drowsiness; or
- little or no urinating.
Common side effects may include:
- blurred vision;
- dry mouth, nose, or throat;
- constipation; or
- mild dizziness or drowsiness.
Side effects such as dry mouth, constipation, and confusion may be more likely in older adults.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine if you are also using any other drugs, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Some medicines can cause unwanted or dangerous effects when used together. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.
Taking this medicine with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing can worsen these effects. Ask your doctor before taking doxylamine with a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety, depression, or seizures.
Your pharmacist can provide more information about doxylamine.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2020 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 3.03. Revision date: 1/11/2016.


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Octavia Butler
Kindred, will always be one of my favorite books, because it so vividly illustrated the link between myself and those who have come before me, making me question who I am and who I would have been had I been born at another time and in another place.
Still sad over her passing...
I couldn't believe it when I heard Ms. Butler died. She had been my favorite author since i was 9 and barely understood what i was reading. As i grew older, her books became so much more important as my understanding deepened. She is missed and there will never be another author like her.
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text:
Enemies of Society
5.5″x8.5″, 400 pages
This book tells the story of the most neglected tendency in anarchist thought; egoism. The story of anarchism is usually told as a story of great bearded men who had beautiful ideas and a series of beautiful failures, culminating in the most beautiful failure of them all in the Spanish Civil War. A noble history of failed ideas and practice. Egoism, and individualist anarchism, suffers a different kind of fate. It is not a great history and glorious failure but an obscure series of stories of winning. Victory defined by the only terms that matter, those who lived life to their fullest and whose struggle against the existing order defined them. This struggle was not one of abstractions, of Big Ideas, but of people attempting to claim an authentic stake in their own life. Inspired by the writings of Stirner's "The Ego and His Own" the assertion these people make it not of the composition of a better world (for everyone) but of how the machinations of society, especially one of abstractions and Big Ideas, have shaped the individual members of that society. How everything that we know and believe has been shaped by structure and intent into a conformed, denatured shadow of what we could be. Individualists anarchists have always argued that anarchism should not be a version of heaven on earth but a "plurality of possibilities". This has relegated their activity to the actions that people make in their lives rather than participating in political bodies and formations that shape, and participate in, society. Egoists have gone to war with this world, robbed banks, practiced free love, and won everything except those things worth nothing: history, politics, & acceptance by society. People like you have been denounced as "enemies of society". No doubt you would indignantly deny being such and claim that you are trying to save society from the vampire of the State. You delude yourselves. Insofar as "society" means an organized collectivity having one basic norm of behavior that must be accepted by all (and that includes your libertarian communist utopia) and insofar as the norm is a product of the average, the crowd, the mediocre, then anarchists are always enemies of society. There is no reason to suppose that the interests of the free individual and the interests of the social machine will ever harmonize, nor is it desirable that they should. Permanent conflict between the two is the only perspective that makes any sense to me. But I expect that you will not see this, that you will continue to hope that if you repeat "the free society is possible" enough times then it will become so.
NOTICE:These are small press/anarchist made books and may have flaws or other marks of DIY imperfection.
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text:
Though some say that the New Testament was written 100-300 years after Christ died, the truth is that it was written before the close of the first century by those who either knew Christ personally, had encountered him, or were under the direction of those who were His disciples.1
In the article When were the gospels written and by whom?, I demonstrated that Matthew, Mark, and Luke were all written before 70 A.D. Basically, the book of Acts was written by Luke. But Luke fails to mention the destruction of Jerusalem in 70. A.D., nor does he mention the deaths of James (A.D. 62), Paul (A.D. 64), and Peter (A.D. 65). Since Acts is a historical document dealing with the church, we would naturally expect such important events to be recorded if Acts was written after the fact. Since Acts 1:1-2 mentions that it is the second writing of Luke, the gospel of Luke was written even earlier. Also, Jesus prophesied the destruction of the temple in the gospels: "As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down," (Luke 21:6, see also Matt. 24:1; Mark 13:1). Undoubtedly, if Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written after the destruction of the Temple, they would have included the fulfillment of Christ's prophecy in them. Since they don't, it is a very strong indication that they were written before 70 A.D.
The gospel of John is supposed to have been written by John the apostle. It is written from the perspective of a first hand witness of the events of Christ's life. The John Rylands papyrus fragment 52 of John's gospel dated from 117-138 A.D. contains portions of John 18:31-33, 37-38. This fragment was found in Egypt and a considerable amount of time is needed for the circulation of the gospel before it reached Egypt. It is the last of the gospels and appears to have been written in the 80's to 90's.
Of important note is the lack of mention of the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 A.D. But this is understandable since John does not mention Jesus' prophecy of the destruction of the Temple. He was not focusing only on historical events. Instead, he focused also on the theological aspect of the person of Christ and listed His miracles and words that affirmed Christ's deity. This makes perfect sense since he already knew of the previously written gospels.
Furthermore, 1, 2, and 3 John all contain the same writing style as the gospel of John and the book of Revelation which is supposed to have been written in the late 80's or early 90's.
Paul's Writings:
Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians,
1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
Paul the Apostle was a convert to Christianity. The book of Acts speaks of his conversion in Acts 9. Since Acts was written before 70 A.D. and Paul wrote the Pauline Epistles and we know that Paul died in 64 A.D., the Pauline Epistles were all written before that date. Furthermore, in 1 Cor. 15:3-4 is an early creed of the Christian church where Paul mentions that Jesus had died and risen. "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures," (1 Cor. 15:3-4). Notice that he says he received this information. From whom did he receive it? Most probably the apostles since he had a lot of interaction with them (see Galatians 1-2). This means that Paul received the gospel account from the eyewitnesses. They were, of course contemporaries and since they all died before the turn of the century. Therefore, their writings were completed within the lifetime of the apostles of Jesus.
It is not known for sure who wrote the book of Hebrews. Authorship has been proposed for Paul, Barnabas (Acts 4:36), Apollos (Acts 18:24), etc. The only geographical area mentioned is Italy (Heb. 13:24). The latest possible date for the writing of Hebrews is A.D. 95 but could have been written as early as A.D. 67. The book of Hebrews speaks of the sacrifice by the High Priest in the present tense (Heb. 5:1-3; Heb. 7:27) possibly signifying that the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 A.D. had not yet happened.
This epistle claims to have been written by James, "James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad, greetings," (James 1:1). The question is, "Which James?" Is it James, the son of Zebedee (Matt. 10:2-3); James, the son of Alphaeus (Matt. 10:2-3), or the most commonly and accepted James who was the brother of Jesus? "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56And His sisters, are they not all with us?" (Matt. 13:55-56). Notice the context of the verses suggests immediate family since it mentions Jesus' Mother, brothers, and sisters. Also, see Gal. 1:18-19 which says "Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. 19But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord's brother." It is probable that James didn't believe in Jesus as the Messiah until Jesus appeared to him after His resurrection as is mentioned in 1 Cor. 15:7, "then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles."
James was martyred by the order of the high priest Ananus after the death of the "procurator Festus in A.D. 61 (Josephus, Ant. 20. 9)." Therefore, the epistle of James was written before A.D. 61.2
1 and 2 Peter
Both epistles clearly state that they were authored by Peter, an eyewitness of Jesus' life and post resurrection appearances. Though there has been some who have doubted the authorship of these two epistles, the clear opening statements of each epistle tell us Peter was the author. "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus...", (1 Pet. 1:1) and "Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours..." (2 Pet. 1:1). It certainly seems most logical that Peter is indeed the author of the letters that bear his name.
Peter died at Rome during Nero's persecution of Christians around 64 AD so the epistles were obviously written before that time.
1, 2, 3 John
The writer of 1 John does not identify himself in the letter. The writer of 2 and 3 John refers to himself as "the elder," (2 John 1; 3 John 1). Regarding the first epistle, authorship can reasonably be determined to be that of John the Apostle. The opening of John is written from the perspective of someone who was there with Jesus (John 1:1-4). Also, "Eusebius (Ecclesiastical History, 3.39) says of Papias, a hearer of John, and a friend of Polycarp, 'He used testimonies from the First Epistle of John. Irenaeus, according to Eusebius (Ecclesiastical History, 5.8), often quoted this Epistle. So in his work Against Heresies (3.15; 5, 8) he quotes from John by name, 1 John 2:18...Clement of Alexandria (Miscellanies, 2.66, p. 464) refers to 1 Jn 5:16, as in John's larger Epistle.'"3 "In the earliest canonical lists, dating from the end of the second century, 1 John already appears. Indeed, 1 John is quoted as authoritative by Bishop Polycarp of Smyrna [a disciple of John the apostle] before the middle of the second century. The attestation of 2 John is almost as good. There is no second-century reference to 3 John, but that is not surprising, since it deals with a specific, local issue."4
Furthermore, the style of the three epistles is very similar to that of the gospel of John. 1 John mentions the "word of life" (1 John 1:1) as does the gospel of John 1:1, etc. It appears that the epistles were written after the Gospel of John since the epistles seem to assume a knowledge of the gospel facts.
Date of writing varies from A.D. 60 to the early 90's.5
Jude identifies himself as the brother of James (Jude 1). It is most likely that Jude, in true Christian humility, does not want to equate himself as the brother of Jesus as he is traditionally held to be and seems to be supported by scripture: "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?" (Matt. 13:55).18that they were saying to you, "In the last time there shall be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts." Compare this to 2 Pet. 3:3, "Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts." If this is a quote, it would place the epistle after the writing of 2 Peter.7
The author of the Book of Revelation is John. "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must shortly take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John," (Rev. 1:1). "Justin Martyr (Dialogue with Trypho, p. 308) (A.D.. 139–161) quotes from the Apocalypse, as John the apostle's work."8
Revelation was probably written at the end of John the Apostle's life. Some hold to the 90's and it is the last book written in the New Testament.
Though this information is basic, it supplies enough evidence to support the apostolic authorship of the New Testament documents. The debate on the dating of the books may never be absolutely settled, but as scholarship and archaeology advance, confirmation of early authorship of the New Testament continues to be validated.
- 1. In fact, the vast majority of even non-Christian skeptical New Testament scholars today hold to the fact that all four of the Gospels were written in the first century.
- 2. The New Bible Dictionary, Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1962.
- 3. Jamieson, Robert, A.R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1998.
- 4. Achtemeier, Paul J., Harper's Bible Dictionary, San Francisco: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1985.
- 5. Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Wheaton, IL: Scripture Press Publications, 1983, 1985.
- 6. This is not Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus - "Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us, and not to the world?" (John 14:22). Also, Clement of Alexandria [Adumbrations, in Epistle of Jude, p. 1007] says, "Jude, through reverential awe, did not call himself brother, but servant, of Jesus Christ, and brother of James" (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, 1998).
- 7. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, 1998.
- 8. Ibid.


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To round out their squadron of flying boats and UFO project, an estimated 3,500 Iranian women are training in Japanese ninjutsu, according to a state-run news station.
It's official — the Iranian government is in cahoots with COBRA from G.I. Joe.
The Iranian channel Press TV has produced the above 6.5-minute segment about these shinobis-in-training. The women in the video show off their fighting stances, defensive gymnastics, and stealth techniques, all set to a pulse-pounding techno-orchestral soundtrack.
As much as this report seems ripped straight from a 1980s straight-to-VHS release by the Cannon Group, it's more likely fodder for a Touchstone Pictures beating-the-odds flick a few decades hence.
Ninja training allows Iranian women to demonstrate their martial prowess in a society that marginalizes them with governmental and religious sanctions. As The Atlantic notes:
In 2007, when Iranian women began qualifying for the Olympics, an official publicly warned, "severe punishment will be meted out to those who do not follow Islamic rules during sporting competitions." Only three made it to Beijing; Sara Khoshjamal Fekri, the first-ever Iranian women to qualify in taekwondo, rose to the quarter-finals. International women's competitions in wushu, a Chinese form of exhibition martial arts, routinely see Iranian champions.
Of course, such a state-sponsored news report also sends the less gladdening message, "Hey world, we're knee-deep in bō-wielding Amazons, so keep Chuck Norris the fuck out of our borders."
[The Atlantic via Global Post]


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The Association for Contextual Behavioral Science – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy will host its ACBS Annual World Conference 2012 in Washington, DC on July 22-25, 2012.
The World Conference brings together clinicians and researchers to present cutting-edge research in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, RFT, and Contextual Behavioral Science, as well as experienced trainers to lead experiential workshops so that you can learn how to better serve your clients.
Invited Speakers include Tara Brach, Michelle Craske, Louise McHugh, Robert Whitaker, Paul Gilbert.
ACT Pre-Conference Workshops include:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Participate in experiential and didactic workshops to learn this empirically supported therapy
Relational Frame Theory (RFT): Apply this modern perspective on cognition and language to your own research or practice
Contextual Behavioral Science (CBS): Explore the foundations of ACT and RFT, and start your own line of CBS research
Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP): Supercharge your therapy practice with FAP's relationship-enhancing approach
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT): Engage compassionate emotions within your clients in order to target shame and self-criticism
ACT from The Bottom Up: How learning principles of human behavior can enhance your ACT skills – Dahl, Smith, Törneke – (Clinical, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)
Acceptance, Compassion and Vitality: Building Skills in ACT Beyond the Basics – Walser – (Clinical, Advanced)
Becoming an RFT researcher – Stewart, M. Villatte, McHugh – (Research, Advanced)
Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy – McKay, Ona – (Clinical, Beginner, Intermediate)
Introduction to Compassion Focused Therapy for Shame and Self-Critical Difficulties – Gilbert, Tirch – (Clinical, Beginner, Intermediate)
Listening with ACT Ears, Seeing with ACT Eyes: Experiential Case Conceptualization – Wilson – (Clinical, Research, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)
Strategies and Tactics of Contextual Behavioral Science Research: What is It, How to Do It, and How to Fund It – S. Hayes, D. Barnes-Holmes, Kashdan, Ciarrochi – (Research, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)
The Compassionate Use of Exposure Strategies in ACT – Forsyth – (Clinical, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)
Using Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) to Maximize the Power of Your Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Interventions – Kanter, Schoendorff – (Clinical, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)
Using RFT to Supercharge ACT Interventions with Youth and Parents – Cairns, Coyne – (Clinical, Research, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)
For registration and more information: http://contextualpsychology.org/wc10


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Comment Ofcom will do anything to avoid seeing the 4G auctions scheduled for next year mired in legal battles - but deciding to whom it would surrender will be tough.
The regulator has told the FT it stands ready to fight for its proposed 4G mega-auction, in the face of operators who seem keen to resort to legal action, but not at the cost of the auction schedule:
"We would of course stand ready to defend robustly our final decisions. But we consider that it is in the best interests of citizens, consumers and the companies operating in the sector that we move on, without additional delays, so that the frequencies can be put to good use," the regulator said*.
O2 and BT have both made it clear they consider that Ofcom's proposed mega-auction, which is scheduled for next year, constitutes illegal state aid to their competitors, and O2's response only just stops short of threatening legal action if the action goes ahead as currently proposed.
The idea of BT (former state monopoly) and O2 (handed spectrum for nothing, over which it now runs 3G services) complaining about state aid might seem laughable, but Ofcom's problem is that if it concedes to one operator then it's only going to upset the others - probably enough to launch court action of their own.
The disputes over spectrum allocations go way back: O2 and Vodafone got lovely spectrum at 900MHz for nothing, while Orange and T-Mobile were gifted slightly unlovelier 1800MHz bands, which they've now combined into a holding so large they'll have to sell some of it off.
That sale presents the interesting spectacle of the German and French governments (who still hold shares in Orange and T-Mobile, and thus EE) selling off something that they were given by the UK government for nothing: but we digress.
Three, meanwhile, feels slighted as the only network operator not to have received 2G spectrum, especially as that spectrum can now carry 3G and 4G services. Three claims to be entirely in favour of rapid 4G auctions, but no one is prepared to rule out legal action if they feel their grievances aren't being addressed.
As we've said before, the operators have nothing to gain by an early 4G auction. They'll have to stump up for spectrum and build infrastructure, so a delaying action based on legal challenges is very attractive.
Ofcom might signal that it's ready to negotiate, but successful negotiation needs shared motivation, and that's far from proven in this case. ®
* Ofcom has been in touch to clarify that this quote refers to the final proposals, which won't be published until later this year - so we don't yet know whom they will offend, though we can guess.


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COVER- PR emergency: UVA Med Center struggles with probation
When Christopher Reeve broke his neck in a 1995 riding accident in Culpeper, UVA Medical Center basked in international acclaim as the hospital that saved Superman. More than a decade later, however, the lauded institution may be facing the hospital version of Kryptonite.
In April, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education– the national body that certifies all American teaching hospitals– placed UVA on probation for violations in the operation of its medical residency program. The designation could threaten the Center's ability to attract top applicants and, perhaps, to retain some of the world renowned experts who teach them.
The stinging blow to the Medical Center, which has publicly boasted "Top 100" hospital status for seven of the past eight years on a banner hanging from a pedestrian bridge over JPA, comes at the same time that the hospital's rankings in U.S. News and World Report's list of "America's Best Hospitals" have slipped. In 2004, the hospital received top rankings in 10 departments. In 2005, that number fell to seven. And in the 2006 report, released this month, only five departments made the grade.
The probation and slipping ratings combined, says one senior surgeon who requests anonymity, "doesn't paint a pretty picture."
Another senior physician uses harsher terms when asked about the Council's August 1 site visit that may determine the Medical Center's future.
"If we don't get off probation," he says, "we've gone to Armageddon for the hospital."
Hard knock life
It's no secret that medical residents work long hours– TV shows like ER and Grey's Anatomy portray their protagonists as bleary eyed and almost too exhausted to sleep... with their colleagues. But the reality of life during the three or more years of medical residency– a period when doctors learn their specialties under the watchful eyes of experienced physicians– may be far more brutal than even TV suggests. And it's no easier at UVA.
"I have worked many 100-plus hour weeks," says one UVA resident who spoke with the Hook on condition of anonymity. The resident says the probation didn't come as a surprise to him or his fellow residents.
The Accrediting Council enacted complicated rules in 2003 limiting the hours a resident could work to 80 per week averaged over four weeks, and limiting the number of hours between shifts as well as the maximum time a resident can be "on call." But the resident says violations of those limits are routine. In addition, he reports that understaffing at a number of levels has led to other problems: delays receiving test results, particularly overnight when radiologists and lab technicians are off duty.
Other policies– such as a relatively recent decree that patients well enough to go home should be discharged by noon– put pressure on residents to complete non-medical tasks such as lining up transportation or scheduling follow-up appointments that the resident says could have more easily been completed by support staff. But the support staff, he says, is inadequate.
The hospital's top administrator, Medical Center CEO Ed Howell, confirms that many of the resident's complaints are included in the Council's probationary finding. Other problems Howell identifies: that security on "call room" doors (rooms where residents can sleep) was inadequate, and that the Medical Center hadn't properly scheduled an interim site visit with the Council between its official five-year inspections.
Howell points out that the Accreditation Council has long issued "departmental" accreditation to teaching hospitals, including to each of UVA's 63 specialties. And it's no secret that many other schools have experienced problems with that type of accreditation, including Johns Hopkins, whose prestigious internal medicine program was placed on probation in 2004 over resident work-hour violations.
However, accreditation for the "sponsoring institution" is a new policy, begun just last July, and while UVA is the only school now on institutional probation, it's also among the first schools to undergo such a review. Forty-nine medical centers (of approximately 430) were reviewed during the first round in October, says Council spokesperson John Nylen. Of those, UVA and three others were "considered" for probation, Nylen adds. Each was given an opportunity to appeal probation before a final determination was made. The appeals succeeded for three, but UVA's appeal failed, and the probation was made final in April.
While Howell admits UVA needed to remedy the identified problems, he wonders whether other top teaching hospitals might be facing a similiar situation in coming months as more hospitals undergo the accreditation review for the first time.
"We may be the canary in the coal mine," he says.
Ironically, Howell may have even more reason to be frustrated by the rebuke than the physicians who work under him: he served on the board of the Accreditation Council for eight years until he left his post in 2003, a year after arriving at UVA– and the same year the Council enacted the new rules that Howell, as chairman of the board, helped to write.
While he now expresses optimism that the problems are being addressed, he acknowledges the gravity of the situation.
"I take this very seriously," he says. "I'm determined to resolve the problem."
Howell he does it
In the few years leading up to Howell's 2001 hire, national attention focused on improving the financial performance of teaching hospitals around the country, says UVA spokesperson Carol Wood. UVA's Medical Center was no different.
Howell, she explains, was brought in "to help put the health system on solid footing."
Some academic communities discussed "separating the hospitals from their academic institutions or closing them down completely," Wood says. UVA decided "the health system was too important to the community and the University, and that instead of abandoning it, we should find ways to make it stronger."
Howell, she says, "has done that."
In fact, based on the hospital's Top 100 ranking by the hospital auditing firm Solucient– the source of the much-ballyhooed banner on JPA– the hospital has been a top financial performer since at least 1998. While the proclamation "Top 100" does measure certain elements of care– fewer-than-average patient complications and deaths, for example– the award is primarily financially driven, using data regarding wider profit margins, faster patient discharge, and increased patient volume.
As the senior physician puts it, "These are the hospitals that provide the most care for the least amount of money."
So it's not the same as an award just for outstanding service, but is a healthy profit margin a bad thing?
Howell points out that since the Medical Center is non-profit, excess income doesn't go to shareholders; it's plowed back into the hospital in the form of new programs and equipment, staff incentives, and capital projects such as building renovation and expansion.
Since he began, Howell says, 11 new clinical programs have been implemented, including neuro-oncology and robotic surgery. In addition, he says, he has worked to strengthen the ties between the hospital and the schools of medicine and nursing and has overseen the renovation of an aging hospital building into a state-of-the-art cardiac care center.
"The end goal is patient care," says Howell, who started his career as a high school teacher and who defends himself against charges that his main focus is the bottom line.
"All of my values are of an educator," he says, pointing out that he still teaches several graduate-level courses.
The senior physician who spoke to the Hook says he doesn't agree with many of Howell's business decisions, but he also comes to Howell's defense.
"He's a bright and interesting guy," he says, adding that he believes that upon his hire, "Howell was given a mandate, in all fairness to him, to make a profit that was completely unrealistic for a teaching hospital."
That profit, Howell confirms, is in excess of five percent, up from the two-to-four percent the hospital had been making before his arrival.
As an example, Howell says that last year the Medical Center's "operating margin" was $42 million. He says the Center was able to purchase $63 million in equipment for the hospital by utilizing funds, depreciation, and interest earnings.
The physician agrees that having extra money to invest is a good thing; but the problem is that, "The people know these profits are made on their backs." The Medical Center has put pressure on the doctors, nurses, and residents, the physician says, "by asking them to cut corners, overworking them, stretching them in a way they don't feel comfortable."
What of morale?
"The reason we're in academic medicine is primarily to train residents, so it follows that the residency program is vital to our personal objectives," says the surgeon. "The fact that the institution is on probation is an enormous embarrassment and a black eye for the whole university."
That embarrassment could be part of the reason why trying to find on-the-record sources inside UVA Medical Center is a bit like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Numerous chiefs of departments did not return the Hook's calls. But there's another possibility for their reticence: fear.
"I could lose my job," says the physician, while the surgeon also stresses the fear he feels that the administration could visit retribution on those who speak out. The real story, the surgeon says, is "how concerned people are that they'll be fired for speaking frankly."
Both the surgeon and the physician say they have received specific emailed instruction from the University directing that they not mention their UVA affiliation when talking to the press unless they have prior permission from the administration.
The feeling that their opinions don't matter and are not permitted to be voiced contributes to what the surgeon calls "a horrendous morale problem."
Wood denies knowledge of such an email, and Howell denies he has ever instructed Medical Center staff to remain mum with the press. He adds that he's unaware of any acts of administrative retribution during his tenure. "I don't try to be intimidating," he says. What he has tried to do, he explains, is to create an environment in which staff are free to approach the administration. To that end, he has commenced a series of open meetings to address any concerns about the probation or other issues at the hospital.
But despite these efforts, one prominent local businessman with an insider's view of the Medical Center says he also remains concerned about morale. As a member of both UVA's Board of Visitors and the Medical Center Operating Board until spring 2005, Bill Crutchfield says he is aware of a "perception that the culture of UVA's Health System has gone astray."
Crutchfield defends the Board of Visitors against charges he has heard that it is "singularly focused on achieving a high operating margin." While he doesn't believe that is the case, he admits that "the organizational culture of the institution may now be rooted in this erroneous premise."
The solution, Crutchfield believes, may be found by implementing strategies he says he uses in his eponymous electronics company headquartered in Charlottesville.
"UVA Health System should define, inculcate, and manage a rich organizational culture that obsessively focuses on its patients, employees, and partners," he says. If it does so, "Strong operating margins will follow," he says. "But more importantly, it will become an even finer institution and an even greater asset to our community."
The physician agrees with Crutchfield's assessment. "We have to break even and make some profit to reinvest in our infrastructure," he says, "but we don't have to do it at the expense of killing the quality and the compassionate nature of the work."
What's next?
As the next site visit looms, Howell says the Medical Center is actively working to fix problems and strengthen its residency program.
Among the improvements: new locks have been installed on the call room doors, all documentation in the Office of Graduate Medical Education has been updated, and new staff has been hired– support staff to assist residents with the discharge process as well as additional ultrasonographers so that ultrasounds may be read more quickly, slow readings being one of the resident's complaints. Also, chiefs of departments must crack down on resident work hours, something the physician believes wasn't happening in some departments before the probation.
When it learned of the probation in April, Howell says, the Medical Center also made changes in its Office of Graduate Medical Education. A renovation of the actual office space is under way, the residents' fitness facility is expanding, and a new head of the Graduate Medical Education office, endocrinologist Susan Kirk, was brought in to guide the program back to full accreditation.
"We've been soliciting the residents' input," says Kirk, "both directly and confidentially."
The resident who spoke with the Hook says he believes Kirk is working hard to address the issues.
Kirk praises Howell's "very strong commitment to the residents and the hospital," and, like Howell, she is optimistic that the probation will be lifted sometime after the August 1 site visit.
Howell agrees it's "absolutely" critical for the Medical Center to succeed in that mission to fulfill the institution's two most important goals: making UVA "the most sought-after place to pursue a clinical career, and the most sought-after place to complete a residency."
"We're going to do anything and everything," he says, "to do what's required."
Armageddon just might be riding on it.
UVA Vice President and Medical Center CEO Ed Howell
New banners hanging in the main hospital entrance tout staff as "Everyday heroes." It's a way, says Medical Center CEO Ed Howell, for the hospital to show appreciation.


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This is the home of the TiVoX Control Station and the files needed to use it to its fullest potential. I'm still working on getting this stuff set up the way I want it, but this provides a pretty slick (not to mention pretty seamless) interface between TiVo and Xbox.
I think the TiVoX Control Station author is a frequent poster here, but I thought I'd give appropriate props by making this app the first to be posted in this sticky.


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Welcome to Friendship Friday – a week-long opportunity to:
- Foster friendships with other bloggers!
- Share what's unique about yourself and your blog!
- Grow your blog and social media networks!
Question Of The Week
This week, Americans will be celebrating
One of their most cherished holidays of all –
Independence Day –
Also known as the 4th of July!
Many other countries also celebrate
Their own version of this holiday.
Please share how you and your family
Celebrate Independence Day,
Wherever you live, and
What freedom means to you!
From My Red White & Blue Pinterest Board
My Answer – Independence Day
In our family, it is customary to celebrate
Independence Day by hosting a BBQ,
Spending the day with family and friends,
And counting down to nightfall
Where we round out the evening
By watching the fireworks with our community!
Throughout the day, I think about how blessed
I am to live in the land of the free
And how proud I am of all of the men and women
Who serve our country so bravely.
Many in my family have served and I am lucky
That they have returned home.
I know that other families are not so lucky.
As I watch the fireworks in the evening
I always hear the words to
The Star Spangled Banner
Our National Anthem
In my head.
To us who have not experienced war firsthand
They are a beautiful sight.
To others they are a fright to behold.
Freedom is a gift we must never take for granted.
Freedom is a gift that others have paid for
With their lives.
Have a safe and blessed Independence Day!
Friend Of The Week
Brenda Youngerman – Ponderings Of An Author
This week's Featured Friend is
Brenda from Ponderings Of An Author!
Brenda is an author who writes fiction with a purpose.
Her goal is to write one book a year that addresses
The social issues of the day.
She aims to make her stories so real,
That her readers will wonder if her stories are really true!
Last week, Brenda wrote a great Friendship Friday post
Sharing her Top 10 Blogging Tips!
Be sure to visit Brenda this week.
You'll not only make a wonderful new friend,
You'll also learn how to become a better blogger!
Friendship Friday #25 – Week Of June 29, 2012
Are you ready to make some new friends? Then, come join the fun! Please follow these friendly guidelines:
1) Each week, I'll post a question that's designed to help you get to know one another a little better. To participate, simply create a Friendship Friday post that includes the Friendship Friday blog hop button and/or a link back to this post – then add your permalink to the party!
You can also participate by adding the Friendship Friday button to your sidebar and answering the Question of the Week in the comments!
2) Please follow Create With Joy and leave a sweet comment so I'll know you stopped by! If you're a new follower, let me know how you are following so that I can reciprocate! You can follow Create With Joy on:
- Google Plus
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3) Visit your fellow participants and get to know them – building friendships is what this community is about! Support the bloggers you connect with by leaving a comment and following their blogs through one of the available subscription methods on their blogs!
The party will be open all week so that you have plenty of time to post, link and mingle! Have fun making friends and be sure to join me for Inspire Me Monday and Wordless Wednesday!


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In the past there were many types of betrayal. Mostly it happen during the ages of conflict between two powers to take over. What was the most memorable and greatest betrayal that change history. It could also be your favorite.
The greatest betrayal in my opinion would be Ieyasu betraying his friend Hideyoshi and took over Japan and establish the Tokugawa Dynasty.
So what is yours?


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Australia's Indigenous cultures converge and flourish in Tropical North Queensland. You'll find both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures thriving throughout the region and in remote and rural communities in Tropical North Queensland.
With the Daintree Rainforest, Great Barrier Reef and other gorgeous landscapes as your backdrop, gain a new perspective and learn about the traditional techniques and cultural stories held by the Indigenous people of Tropical North Queensland.
Learn to spear hunt in the mangroves of Cape Tribulation and gather the freshest seafood grub. Or, listen to the stories behind the Indigenous art found in the region's National Parks from an interpretive guide.
You can go walkabout on extended tours of the culturally significant Indigenous sites, where you can find and prepare bush tucker and learn traditional skills.
You can also join in celebrations across the region to celebrate Indigenous culture. Head to the annual Cairns Indigenous Art Fair every August and the biennial Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival or Winds of Zenadth Festival.


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Welcome to Clare Building 087-0556154
Clare Building (T/A Western Properties) provides the full range of maintenance and building services to Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway and the surrounding regions.
We are based in Clonlara, Co. Clare, but will carry out building work anywhere in Ireland.
We carry out a range of building services including renovations, extensions, new bathrooms, kitchens etc and offer building maintenance services to the residential and commercial sectors.
Builder in Clare
We specialise in new builds, conversions and renovations as well as commercial facilities managment. We have a highly skilled team of professional tradesmen with a great track record.
The recovery in the Irish building industry is gathering pace with employment in the industry increasing and more work coming on stream. Now is a good time to plan and book your building project before we get too busy!
Services Offered
Call John Galvin
Clients include domestic, commercial, local authorities, government bodies, Insurance and Loss Adjusters, Surveyors.
Looking for a builder in Clare? Why us?
Need a reliable builder in Clare or Limerick?
Contact us today for a free quotation on 087-0556154
Experienced builders in Clare
Areas serviced: Limerick, Clare, Galway, Tipperary and North Cork and Dublin
We offer a full package of flood renovation services including insurance claims assessment and advice.
Clients include: Applegreen, OPW, Frontline Energy Services, Tremlett & Turner Shopfitting Specialist.


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The VW Golf Mk3 Cabriolet - Typ 1E in all versions including the facelift version, so called Golf Mk3.5 Cabrio.
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Order threads in...
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.
Forum Rules


text:
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. Learn more about this disease by taking the following quiz. It's based on information from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
Other suggestions from the Arthritis Foundation:
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To learn more about our Massachusetts health plans, please visit our Plans & Products page, where you can compare Massachusetts health insurance plans, buy health plans online, and get Mass health insurance quotes.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts also offers insurance, pharmacy coverage, and Medicare Plans for seniors; life and disability insurance through Indigo Insurance Services (a wholly owned subsidiary); and insurance for individuals aged 18-26 years. Learn more about our other insurance plans and Medicare plans, or contact a sales representative today.


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Monday, January 7, 2013
MiM Mail: Surgeon versus family
I've been so torn between having a family and becoming a surgeon. All my life, I've wanted to become a surgeon, and I've never imagined myself doing anything else. However, family is super important to me and nothing would make me happier than being able to pass on my knowledge to a child or two. Given my career goals, I probably would only be able to have one child. But I'm still so confused about whether or not I should even have children. I love children but am too young to really gauge whether or not I want one of my own.
I plan on taking a few gap years between undergrad and med school, however even after two years out of undergrad, I'll only be 23 -- I don't know if this will be enough time for me to even find love, let alone a supportive husband and potential father of my children! I don't know if I want to extend my gap from two years to five so I can start a family. I don't know if I should wait until I'm out of residency. I just don't know. And I've found it so hard to seek guidance. Your website helps so much.
It's crazy how much my passion will impact my ability to have a family. But I'm learning so much just going through the blogs, and I'm looking forward to hearing more from you all. I'm so glad I'm not alone.
By the way, I'm 19 and a sophomore in college.
19 comments:
Congrats on your ambitious plans.ReplyDelete
At 19, it's time to focus on yourself and your education. If you find a partner you love and want to have children with, great. If not, you'll have yourself and an education, and probably more time.
A bit of bad news: you can't pass knowledge on to your kids. You can love and care for them, but knowledge they have to learn themselves, and sometimes they do that by rebelling against their parents.
I read this and went away thinking "God, at 19, I wanted to be a cardiothoracic surgeon and get married to someone who didn't want kids. No kids ever. No other speciality ever." This has pretty much been my mantra since I was 10. Fast forward, a dozen or so years and I am married to a guy I met 6 months after my 19th birthday, who wanted kids. I worked for a year under a CT surgeon and hated his life and his job but got exposed to other fields of medicine. I am now an Emergency physician (which I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE) with my 2nd kid on the way.ReplyDelete
My moral: Life changes. You change. And thank god, we do and it does. Who wants a bunch of 19 year olds running things?
It's great that you know what your career plans are already - not too many people your age have that! I'm a third year medical student and have one kid. I got married in my early 20s and had my son a few years afterwards, and I'm really glad that I did - it makes med school so much harder (not that it's easy to begin with), but I have a grounded life that is totally unrelated to medicine, which is very rewarding. It's also true that there's never a good time to have kids . So, my advice, is to go for it when you think you're ready. You might find your path in life taking directions that you didn't anticipate (I certainly have, and I'm not that much older than you!), but it's important to make the most of whatever life hands you. Good luck!ReplyDelete
Umm... I could be misinterpreting this post, but are you saying you want to take several gap years so that you can find a husband and have children? I'm an interviewer for medical school and residency and this reason for several gap years would never be acceptable. Gap years are for doing research, international relief work, training for the Olympics--stuff that you want to accomplish before starting medical school. Unintentional gap years are also okay, such as, I didn't get into med school right out of college, but I worked as an EMT while studying to retake the MCAT, and now my application is improved. And it's not necessary to take a gap year either. Please read Sheryl Sandberg's Barnard commencement speech--do not limit yourself before you even have a husband or kids.ReplyDelete
Dont limit yourself by something you dont even have yet; work towards your surgeon goal and who knows what will happen in the mean time!ReplyDelete
My advice is to save this post, because it will sound adorable to yourself when you read it six years from now :) For now, you should focus on getting to med school, then worry about your specialty. When I was your age, I didn't even know the specialty I'm in existed.ReplyDelete
You are not alone in this dilemma. This post touched a nerve for me. I am further along the med school road than you are, but I'm in the process of making a similar decision. I'm a third med student in my mid to late twenties, single and without any children, and am weighing whether to do surgery (which I love) or not. At the moment, I am almost certain I will go into general surgery but honestly it is still a choice that really scares me. It's not the long hours or the "surgical culture" that turn me off, it's the fear that somehow going into a surgical residency at my peak childbearing years will diminish my chances of meeting the right person and having children.ReplyDelete
I know this fear isn't entirely rational (maybe there is some truth to it) and I know I have no idea where the future will take me, but for months I have felt bogged down by these ruminations on family and the future. I have felt this glass ceiling of fear holding me back and it's really frustrating, especially since I have already devoted so many years to pursuing medicine. A lot of my female med school friends are also going through this dilemma as well and it is disheartening to see women who would make talented surgeons turn it down because of similar fears. Yet, if I were a guy, I wouldn't be having this internal debate about surgery. I'd probably just go for it.
My advice is to not give up on being a surgeon. Keep chugging along down that path and see where you end up. Fears about family vs. career will likely still be something mulling over in the years to come. Just don't let them hold you back from doing something that you love. Best of luck and thanks for posting.
FYI - here is a link to Sheryl Sandberg's Barnard speech. It is fabulous and well worth a watch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdvXCKFNqTY
I finished high school at 16 and college at 20 (about like you, sounds like). I wanted to be a psychologist but couldn't get a good enough score on the GRE (twice, I winged it both times) so went to med school by default after 2.5 years of post college pre-med courses and got in early decision. Then I wanted to be a psychiatrist, then an ophthalmologist, but despite the nerdy vibe dove into pathology because I could tell I was a natural and I loved it. I met the med student, married him, had the house, the girl, and the boy, and now I am a single mom of two and am happier than I have ever been.ReplyDelete
As those said above, try not to plan. I was/am a planner, too. Got a little too stuck in my plan without looking out for my own happiness. Go with the flow and have fun. Life's going to happen no matter how hard you try to plan it - I'm finding that out at 39! Good luck to you. Go for your passion.
Good for you for having ambitious goals!ReplyDelete
I share your love of surgery; I still love doing it more than 11 years into my neurosurgical practice. However, you need to temper the passion with some practicality.
First, remember that any gaps in your career will have to be explained in detail for the rest of your life. That means med school and residency applications as well as applications for hospital privileges. Also, even if you take a five year gap, there is no guarantee you will meet your future husband during that time. (I met mine in my class in med school.) If you take a year or more off, do something interesting and relevant with the time.
It is possible to be a surgeon and have a family. But it is HARD! Don't abandon your career passion and settle for less, but be prepared for lots of difficulties. When you meet Mr. Right, make SURE he knows what he's getting into marrying a surgeon and make SURE he's OK with that. If he's not OK with that, he's not Mr. Right.
I agree with what others have said about life happening and rolling with the flow. There are so many things you can't predict or control that will happen in your life. And you probably won't recognize yourself 10-15 years from now, you'll have changed so much. Have your long term plan, but be flexible and keep an open mind. You might fall in love with pathology or PM&R or who knows what other awesome field down the road.
Best of luck, and I hope you find happiness on your journey!Replies
Wow. You are managing to balance neurosurgery, a physician spouse, and children? Good for you. What an amazing role model you are.Delete
I am in the exact same position that you are. I too am a college sophomore, and I've been thinking the same thing! I think I'm going to see if having a child would fit between MS2 and MS3. From what I've read, there is a natural break between these two years and it is possible to take some time off. Depending on my situation, I would also debate having a child earlier before med school, but I would work in a research lab or something to further my education/career during this time.ReplyDelete
Good luck to both of us!! I'm glad to know I'm not the only person worried about this!Replies
I had no plan as a sophomore- was still debating med school as a reality- but always knew that I wanted to take a year off to travel, before starting medical school (or any future plans). I ended up meeting my now-husband junior year, graduated a semester early, and took a year and half off before med school. During that time, I lived abroad (my husband is not American and was finishing school overseas), took the MCAT, worked in various international hospitals (volunteering, clinical research), applied to med school, and had my daughter 3 months before starting school. (Interviewing pregnant is another story) That was totally NOT my plan, but I could not have wished for better.Delete
I hate that only women *have* to think about it. 19 year old men who want to become surgeons and husbands don't think these things, ever. They just assume it'll happen when (not if) it does.ReplyDelete
When I was in college, I thought I was going to meet the perfect guy, get married, then go to med school. Well, Mr. Right didn't come along until I was 33 and already established as a family physician. We now have an almost 2 year old and we're having baby #2 next week. I'm 37 now. Don't put your career on hold to find Mr. Right because maybe he is somewhere that you aren't even going to look at this point. As someone else said, you might think you want to be a surgeon now, but things can change there, too. Plus, if you wait you will be even older when you are done with residency. If your future husband is out there, you will find him eventually! There is absolutely no rush!ReplyDelete
Do not take a gap year to find Mr. Right! You will be miserable. Have fun, travel, see the world. Date many people, find out whose company you enjoy.ReplyDelete
Medicine will be there when you return, and you can't force the timing of marriage,etc.
- AnonymousJanuary 12, 2013 at 9:08 PM
I commend you for thinking far in advance about what your priorities are and what your priorities may be in the future and how to balance your passions and your priorities. I will echo some of the other folks here by saying: thinking about these things is important, but planning life 5, 10, 15, or 20 years into the future is impossible. There are some things you can plan in life but passion is not one of them and this applies to both career and love. When I was your age, I thought I was going to be a poet. I landed a great job in publishing but something was missing. I answered a mass email about studying to become a childbirth coach and, long story short, now I'm a pediatrics intern with a one-year-old (took five years "off", never hurt me in a single interview). The wonderful person I was with when I graduated college is now a close friend and I am married to someone else who fits me in ways I never would have predicted in college. All you can do in life is go where your current passion takes you and be open to surprises. Be prepared to be flexible because you will surprise yourself and life will surprise you! This probably sounds like hippy-dippy advice, but it is meant to be practical -- you don't want to miss your true calling because you are otherwise occupied.ReplyDelete
As far as taking time off to find love, consider that you want to find someone who will fit with your life in the future. If you want to be a doctor who is also a parent, that means finding someone who will share in household and child-rearing work and who will not be threatened by a strong and successful partner. Your chances of finding such a person may be higher once you are engaged in your own education and career building. Many people meet their partners during medical training and many people end up marrying fellow physicians. There is just no predicting love so it is important to focus on your own growth and development.
As far as balancing parenting and career goes, it takes a lot of planning and self sacrifice, but I have seen it done successfully by people across the medical specialties, including surgery. I have also seen burned out, bitter, angry people in every specialty who have not found a good formula for keeping themselves happy. Rather than focusing on which specialty is more family friendly, consider interviewing people you meet along the way who seem to have found a way to make their lives work for them and collect tips. If you are strong and know what is important to you (and you have a good partner who is willing to share the work!) you can be a wonderful parent in any field.
Best of luck!
I'm a little late to the conversation, but wanted to chime in because this post reminded me of myself (as many of you have said!). I remember being a senior in college, about to start a post-bac premed program (I studied anthropology as an undergrad), and having a serious days-long freak-out about how to balance everything I wanted out of life. The career I was just beginning to learn about, the kids I knew I wanted some day, the relationship/marriage with someone I had not even met yet. The best advice I can give is that the world (even in medicine) is more flexible than you can ever imagine.ReplyDelete
I ended up meeting an amazing guy in my post-bac program, but we did not get into med school in the same place (or even the same year). We survived long-distance, I took a year out of med school to do research and we got married, and we are now both in the process of matching, him in EM, me in surgery. We have both wanted kids since forever but will need to wait a few more years until my research years in residency. I have friends in med school who had kids before starting, and during fourth year. I have others who are also waiting until gaps in residency or afterwards. One of the things I struggle with daily (especially right now as the Match process forces us to voice all our plans for the future aloud to each other!) is how much weight to put on the needs of as-yet-unborn children. Should we do residency near family so that they can help us three years down the road? Etc. etc.
As others have said, focus on getting into med school first. That is the first, and a huge, barrier. Once there, many schools will be flexible even to the point of letting you take a year off for research, which can also be used as a maternity leave. But get there first. You never know when or how you will meet your partner.
(That being said, I am a HUGE advocate of taking 1-2 years off before medical school so long as you are doing something interesting that will help you in the long run professionally!)