text:
I just released strucjure, a clojure library and DSL for parsing and pattern matching based on Ometa.
The readme on github has detailed descriptions of the syntax etc which I won't repeat here. What I do want to do is run through a realistic example.
The readme has a large number of examples and I want to be sure that these are all correct and up to date. As part of the test-suite for strucjure I parse the readme source, pull out all the examples and make sure that they all run correctly and return the expected output.
jamie@alien:~/strucjure$ lein test strucjure.test WARNING: newline already refers to: #'clojure.core/newline in namespace: strucjure.test, being replaced by: #'strucjure.test/newline lein test strucjure.test Ran 1 tests containing 166 assertions. 0 failures, 0 errors.
The readme parser is pretty simple. Since I control both the parser and the readme source so it doesn't need to be bullet-proof, just the simplest thing that will get the job done. Strucjure is very bare-bones at the moment though so we have to create a lot of simple views that really belong in a library somewhere.
(defview space \space %) (defview newline \newline %) (defview not-newline (not \newline) %) (defview line (and (not []) ; have to consume at least one char (prefix & ((zero-or-more not-newline) ?line) & ((optional newline) ?end))) line) (defview indented-line (prefix & ((one-or-more space) _) & (line ?line)) line)
We want a tokeniser for various parts of the readme. We could write it like this:
(defnview tokenise [sep] ;; empty input [] '(()) ;; throw away separator, start a new token [& (sep _) & ((tokenise sep) ?results)] (cons () results) ;; add the current char to the first token [?char & ((tokenise sep) [?result & ?results])] (cons (cons char result) results))
Unfortunately in the current implementation of strucjure that recursive call goes on the stack, so this view will blow up on large inputs. For now we just have to implement this view by hand to get access to recur.
(defn tokenise [sep] (view/->Raw (fn [input opts] (when-let [elems (seq input)] (loop [elems elems token-acc nil tokens-acc nil] (if-let [[remaining _] (view/run sep elems opts)] (recur remaining nil (cons (reverse token-acc) tokens-acc)) (if-let [[elem & elems] elems] (recur elems (cons elem token-acc) tokens-acc) [nil (reverse (cons (reverse token-acc) tokens-acc))])))))))
The rest of the parser makes more sense reading in reverse order. We start by splitting up the readme by code delimiters (triple backticks). This gives us chunks of alternating text and code, so we parse every other chunk as a block of code.
(defview code-delim (prefix \` \` \`) :code-delim) (defview readme ((tokenise code-delim) ?chunks) (apply concat (map (partial run code-block) (take-nth 2 (rest chunks)))))
We only want to look at code blocks that are marked as clojure code.
(defview code-block [\c \l \o \j \u \r \e \newline & (code-block-inner ?result)] result)
A few of the code blocks don't contain examples - we can detect these because they don't start with a "user> " prompt. All the other blocks contain a list of examples separated by prompts.
(defview prompt (prefix \u \s \e \r \> \space) :prompt) (defview code-block-inner (and (prompt _) ((tokenise prompt) ?chunks)) (map (partial run example) (filter #(not (empty? %)) chunks)) _ ;; not a block of examples nil)
An example consists of an input, which may be on multiple lines, zero or more lines of printed output and finally a result.
(defview example [& (line ?input-first) & ((zero-or-more-prefix indented-line) ?input-rest) & ((one-or-more-prefix line) ?output-lines)] {:input (with-out-str (doseq [line (cons input-first input-rest)] (print (apply str line) \space))) :prints (with-out-str (doseq [line (butlast output-lines)] (println (apply str line)))) :result (run result (last output-lines))})
The result is either a return value or an exception.
;; #"[a-zA-Z\.]" (defview exception-chars (or \. #(<= (int \a) (int %) (int \z)) #(<= (int \A) (int %) (int \Z))) %) (defview result [\E \x \c \e \p \t \i \o \n \I \n \f \o \space \t \h \r \o \w \+ \: \space \# & ((one-or-more exception-chars) ?exception) & _] [:throws (apply str exception)] ?data [:returns (apply str data)])
That's it - parsing done.
Now we just have to turn the results into unit tests. We have to be careful about comparing the results of the examples because they might contain closures, which look different every time.
(defn replace-fun [unread-form] (.replaceAll unread-form "#<[^>]*>" "#<fun>")) (defn prints-as [string form] (= (replace-fun string) (replace-fun (with-out-str (pr form)))))
Running the examples is a little tricky because some of them create bindings or classes that are used by later examples. We end up needing to eval the code at runtime.
(defn example-test [input prints result] (match result [:returns ?value] (do (is (prints-as value (input))) (is (= prints (with-out-str (input))))) [:throws ?exception] (do (is (try+ (input) nil (catch java.lang.Object thrown (prints-as exception (class thrown))))) (is (= prints (with-out-str (try+ (input) (catch java.lang.Object _ nil)))))))) (defmacro insert-example-test [{:keys [input prints result]}] `(example-test (fn [] (eval '(do (use '~'strucjure) ~(read-string input)))) ~prints '~result)) (defmacro insert-readme-test [file] `(do ~@(for [example (run readme (seq (slurp (eval file))))] `(insert-example-test ~example)))) (deftest readme-test (insert-readme-test "README.md"))
This is fun. Not only does strucjure parse its own syntax, it reads its own documentation!
Parts of this were a little painful. The next version of strucjure will definitely have improved string matching. I'm also looking at optimising/compiling views, as well as memoisation. Previous versions of strucjure supported both but were hard to maintain. For now I'm going to be moving on to using strucjure to build other useful DSLs.


text:
GURPS Discworld
Discworld Roleplaying Game rulebook cover, art by Paul Kidby
|Phil Masters
|Steve Jackson Games
|Publication date
|1998 (GURPS Discworld)
2002 (Discworld Role-Playing Game)
|Comedic Fantasy
|GURPS Lite
GURPS Discworld and the related supplements are role-playing game sourcebooks set in Terry Pratchett's Discworld fantasy universe using the GURPS role-playing game system. It was published in 1998.
The game included a lot of detail about Discworld, appealing to both roleplaying and Discworld fans.[2] It has also been attributed to introducing roleplayers to the series of Discworld books.[3][4][5]
Publication history[edit]
GURPS Discworld was written by Phil Masters and Terry Pratchett. Cover and illustrations were done by Paul Kidby. It was published by Steve Jackson Games in 1998.[6] GURPS Discworld was the first book to include GURPS Lite in it.[7] The GURPS Lite rules were included as an appendix, meaning it was not necessary to purchase GURPS Basic in order to play.[8]
In March 2001, Steve Jackson Games published a sequel under the title GURPS Discworld Also.[9] It was written by Phil Masters, again with the assistance of Terry Pratchett. Cover and illustrations were done by Sean Murray.[10] The supplement covered recent events in the book series,[11] including details about the Unseen University.[12] Among the scenarios included is EckEckEcksEcksian Cart Wars, based on the Mad Max parody segments of The Last Continent and Steve Jackson Games' own Car Wars and GURPS Autoduel setting.[11] It also included the first detailed rules for mechanical semaphore telegraphy, based on the "clacks" network in the books.[13]
The original book was republished in 2002 by Steve Jackson Games with the GURPS Lite rules integrated throughout the text. The title was changed from GURPS Discworld to Discworld Roleplaying Game to reinforce its stand-alone capabilities.[14] Illustrations were once again done by Paul Kidby.[14] Later publications, including the second edition of Discworld, were labelled "Powered by GURPS" without including "GURPS" in the book title, primarily to make it easier for fans to find the books at mass-market retailers.[7]
A fourth edition adaptation of the Discworld was written, playtested, and laid out, but had trouble getting to market according to Steve Jackson Games' 2014 Stakeholder's Report.[15] It was finally released in December 2016.[16]
- GURPS Discworld (1998), Steve Jackson Games
- GURPS Discworld Also (2001), Steve Jackson Games
- Discworld Role-Playing Game (2002), Steve Jackson Games
- Discworld Roleplaying Game (2016), Steve Jackson Games
See also[edit]
- ^ http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=150623
- ^ Higgins, Dave (1974). Ramtop to Rimfall. Discworld Newsletter.
- ^ Hite, Kenneth (1998-09-11). Review of GURPS Discworld. MANIA Magazine.
- ^ Weiss, Phillip. "What people are saying about GURPS Discworld". Retrieved 2007-09-15.
- ^ Lindsay-Levine, Sam. "RPGnet review of GURPS Discworld". RPGnet. Archived from the original on January 4, 2004. Retrieved 2007-09-15.
- ^ Masters, Phil; Pratchett, Terry (1998). GURPS Discworld. Steve Jackson Games.
- ^ a b Shannon Appelcline (2011). Designers & Dragons. Mongoose Publishing. p. 111. ISBN 978-1-907702-58-7.
- ^ Review of GURPS Discworld. InQuest Gamer (February 1999).
- ^ "GURPS Discworld Also (Steve Jackson Games)". Warehouse 23. Retrieved 2007-09-15.
- ^ Masters, Paul; Pratchett, Terry (2001). GURPS Discworld Also. Steve Jackson Games. ISBN 1-55634-447-3.
- ^ a b Robert A. Rodger (2001-07-05). "GURPS Discworld Also". RPGnet. Retrieved 2007-09-15.
- ^ "Discworld Also". Steve Jackson Games. Retrieved 2007-09-15.
- ^ Phil Masters (2001-12-15). "GURPS Discworld Also". RPGnet. Retrieved 2007-09-15.
- ^ a b Masters, Paul; Pratchett, Terry (2002). Discworld Roleplaying Game. Steve Jackson Games. ISBN 1-55634-687-5.
- ^ "GURPS Discworld 4th Edition Adaptation (Steve Jackson Games)".Stakeholder's Report
- ^ "Discworld Roleplaying Game".

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Monday, May 4, 2009
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Framing Today's Issues for Contemporary Biblical Christians
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Pastor Joe Fuiten
Danille Turissini, publicist
Should we
Dear Friends,
Over the past week
I have been in communication with Christian leaders from around the state as to the strategy of running a Referendum on the "everything but marriage" Domestic Partnership bill.
I want to share with you what is being said by others and how I view that approach.
I sent an email to leaders with Positive Christian Agenda with whom I have worked over the last 15 years on this and related topics. I will share both my initial comments and their responses to me.
Please take a few minutes to prayerfully consider
all the information
so you can come to your own conclusions.
Here is what I initially sent to the leaders:
Within a few days
the Governor will sign the massive expansion of benefits for homosexuals in domestic partnerships
. A lot of effort went into trying to block this but we just did not have the votes after the last election. I appreciate our faithful friends in the legislature who stuck with us. We just didn't have enough of them.
Now the question is,
should be try to run a referendum to overturn it?
I would like to put that question to each of you who are leaders of organizations and a part of Positive Christian Agenda.
Within the next day or so, would you please email me back your response
? I will let you know how the response turns out and what other Christian leaders are thinking.
I would hope that we all could come to a decision that we all could support.
I would like to tell you what I am thinking and ask if you think this is correct or whether we should take some other approach
. I have made this referendum question a matter of prayer and thought and here is what I am offering for your response. There are both reasons to make the effort and reasons not to.
In my view, there are
three main
reasons to run
a referendum
there is always the hope that we might win.
making the effort could succeed in raising money and people for the organizations that make the effort
. It would create the perception that something was being done and draw like-minded people to that organization.
even in a failed effort we would be making a statement of belief
. Witness has value.
These reasons have to take into consideration the other side. Here are the
reasons why we should not run
a referendum
the rule of thumb about referendum and initiative efforts is that you should be ahead by 10% at the starting point if you hope to succeed.
I have done two statewide polls on this topic and other polls have been done by news organizations. In the polls that I did, I put the questions to the public in the light most favorable to our side. Both the polls that I have done plus what others have done consistently show us behind to a considerable degree. The rule of thumb would suggest we are a long ways from being able to succeed.
the number of signatures required this year is quite a bit higher than what we needed in our failed attempt in 2006.
The number is based on how many people voted in the last election. The strong turnout in 2008 adds 20,000 more to the number needed. With a less favorable atmosphere than 2006, the extra signatures become an even more formidable challenge.
the public seems to be focused primarily on economic issues.
It is hard to remember that you are there to drain the swamp when you are up to your armpits in alligators. We would have to fight hard to get people's attention and to retain the focus. It would take millions of dollars to get people's attention when they are distracted by things like a job and mortgage problems.
, there is another side to the economic issue as well.
The economic downturn has impacted a number of people who have been very supportive of this type of effort in the past
. The amount of money needed to convince enough of the general public to come over to our side would be very difficult to raise. Without the money committed to TV advertising, it seems unlikely that we could compete with an unfavorable media.
if we make a referendum effort and fail, the other side will conclude the public is with them on this issue.
That will embolden the other side to take the final step of marriage in the next session. I think we can win on the marriage issue but if we deplete our capital of money and goodwill in a failed referendum, we will not have the strength to win the marriage battle.
My belief is that it would be a mistake to run a referendum.
I know that some will say that I just lack faith. It might be. I don't have any interest in being another General Custer. I also know that
when Israel decided to enter the Promised Land without God's blessing they were soundly defeated.
If I felt that God was telling us to go ahead, I would do it in a heartbeat
. I don't feel the Lord has said not to, but I cannot get any peace about making this effort.
I am telling you exactly how I feel about this and am
asking the leaders of the Christian community to share with me what you are thinking.
I would hope we could make a collective decision about what to do.
It is probably too early to discuss alternative strategies, but
I am thinking that
some kind of effort in 2010 using an initiative process might allow us to make the case on our terms
rather than as a knee-jerk reaction to someone else's action
Please let me know what you are thinking within the next day or two. Even a one or two sentence response would be helpful.
Pastor Joe Fuiten
Christian Leaders Respond
Not everyone agreed with each point of my analysis
but, even with some disagreement, I did appreciate the sincere disagreement so amiably expressed. I have only had one personally negative contact among many dozens of emails and conversations.
We clearly have unity in our long term goal of restoring biblical values to our state and country.
We have common goals and values even if not everyone agrees to a particular strategy
I have had conversations with
heads of denominations, pastors, members of the House and Senate, political consultants, attorneys who have represented us on these issues in the past, lobbyists, Republican party leaders and staff, leaders of political organizations, leaders of pro-life organizations, educators, current and former candidates for various offices, Catholics and Protestants, funders, a conservative talk show host, activists, and citizens
I have tried to cast a wide net to get a sense for the attitude of the people who would need to make the Referendum happen.
From that a pretty consistent message has emerged.
I would point out that
the comments below represent conversations and emails of a personal nature
. I am sure that had people known others might read this, they would have formed thoughts more precisely and with all the nuances that normally accompany public speech.
Out of that group,
people have said, yes
, we should definitely run a Referendum,
people offered conditional support
, and
over 25 people
"DO NOT RUN a REFERENDUM
People ...
a Referendum
The one Pastor who has contacted me and thinks we should go ahead with a Referendum is
Pastor Peter Kulakevich
, one of our
speaking pastors. Of all groups, the Ukrainian and Russian speakers have been most vigorous in opposing the homosexual agenda. They put a lot of action behind their words. He said:
"Dear pastor Fuiten, We believe we have to use this opportunity to run the referendum. This subject is very vital in minds and concerns of many people now. We should not let people to carry the sense of defeat while there is strength to arise. The biggest loss is loss of freedom and people realize that more and more. So Let us pray and act."
The strongest supporters of a Referendum effort were Larry Stickney and
one other who does not wish to be named
Larry Stickney
recently formed an organization called
Washington Values Alliance
. He is a long-time friend and has been a member of the church I Pastor. He said:
"Hello Pastor Joe. Thank you for the opportunity to provide 'Ten Good Reasons to Run a Referendum Now to Save Marriage in Washington!' (
) "If we lose marriage, we will lose our culture." (Senator Sam Brownback, R-KS) (
) By running a Referendum, we are required to gather only half the signatures needed for that of an Initiative. (
) A Referendum to roll back SB 5688 (which grants full spousal rights for homosexual couples in everything but the name) will keep the law from going into effect and put the measure in front of the voters in November. If we wait, the new law goes into effect in June and the Defense of Marriage Act will be challenged in the courts and likely overturned this same time next year. We have no time to waste, we have no other recourse, they are inside the wire. (
) Hate crimes laws were enacted within months of the passage of same-sex marriage in Canada. The federal "Hate Crimes Bill" passed the U.S. House on Thursday of this week. We may be running out of time to address this issue without fear of jail time. I believe it would be foolish to wait another 10 months to two years to run an initiative under the current circumstances. (
) A Referendum to the people to roll back Senate Bill 5688 would force our opponents to get the "YES" vote, which is always more difficult. People tend to vote "NO" if confused about an issue. I am told that the advantage for the "NO" side can be as high as 9 - 13%. (
) From a fiscal standpoint, raising money for our side is always a challenge and we expect it will be this year. However, waiting until next year to run an Initiative would be even more difficult in that we would have to compete with important legislative and congressional races. The economic downturn plays no favorites and has hit our opponents as well. The leading homosexual rights group here in Washington has been forced to trim staff. (
) By running the referendum now, we will not be taking something away from someone. Instead, we are bringing a controversial proposed law to the people of Washington State for ratification or denial. (
) By running a referendum now, we can carry on the momentum we gathered during this year's session when hundreds packed out the hearing rooms and thousands came to the Stand Up for Marriage Rally on the capitol steps. We do not know what the political climate will be like next year. Right now, this issue is HOT and front and center with the people of Washington. Your legislators and the folks at the legislative hotline will attest to this. (
) I believe that Christians are paying more attention to the issues at hand during these rough economic times (because of a new found reliance on the Lord) and are more willing to get involved in political matters than they were during the good times. Our best volunteer this year had time to help our organization because he was unemployed for many weeks. It may be that others temporarily out of work will be able to provide a wealth of volunteer time and labor to the referendum campaign. (
) Faith and Freedom Network has up to date polling data by Elway that asked one simple question: "In your opinion, should homosexuals be allowed to legally marry?" A majority said NO. Conclusion: This is a winnable issue for our side and not a fight we should run from."
Larry can be reached at
Heidi Lestelle
is a long-time friend and co-worker.
She wrote as a part of a longer email:
"I have listened to both sides of the argument, and I see validity on both sides. However, I tend to come down on the side of the referendum. We don't know what is going to happen in the next year, but I presume that the homosexual lobby is only going to get stronger and bolder -- throughout the country. The courts under Obama are only going to become more liberal ... With every passing day, we lose more young people to the post-modern philosophy (no absolutes) and older people (with the Judeo-Christian value) to death. Time is not on our side. With fear and trembling, I will join the referendum team and seek to point them to the Lord at every turn. I may not have a lot of influence, but I can pray."
Pat Burgess
Concerned Citizens of Pierce Count
y wrote:
"Of course, we should push ahead with all our strength."
I have worked with
Floyd Brown
on projects for 20+ years.
He was in my youth group when he was a child and we have been life-long friends
. He also has been a
member of my church in Bothell
. He thinks we should run a Referendum even though he thinks it will likely lose. He said:
"Pastor Joe. In my experience your Fifth reason not to run is not necessarily correct. Campaign abilities build over time. The more battles you have, the more campaign ability you develop. It is like exercising a muscle. Go to the gym it grows. Stay away and it shrinks. Donors for the next effort may be different than the ones that gave last time. I agree totally with your political analysis. I think we will likely lose, but the names we gather and the organization built will prepare us for when they go for marriage. They are going to push for marriage whether we lose the referendum or not.
For me the most compelling argument you make is that we have to be light in the darkness. I don't like this issue, I don't want to fight on this issue, but still I think we may need to fight and raise the banner as a witness. I know you don't lack faith. I deeply respect that you have stood strong for our beliefs over the years when other Pastors have been weak. We have deep problems in the American church with sin and teaching on sin. I see greater difficulties ahead and we may all be called upon to make great sacrifices. But we will all be closer to HIM in that sacrifice. We can never match HIS willingness to give. I pray for you every day. Warm regards, Floyd Brown"
As a personal aside,
I would like to point out that almost everyone who has disagreed with aspects of my analysis is a life-long friend
. I hope that anyone can see that you can disagree with me and still be my friend. I do not hold my views as the extension of my person. I don't know how all this will shake out. I do know that friendship is not dependent upon agreeing with me.
People ...
Support a Referendum
A couple of people offered conditional support if certain financial or other thresholds could be met.
Ray Garza
has been active in our causes for year
s. He wrote:
"I don't think we have the support do it. If we could get several hundred pastors on board maybe, but otherwise I don't think we have the support."
Attorney John Johnson
, who has been a stalwart on many issues, has asked if my recommendation would be any different if there were a substantial amount of money available to tell our side of the story. In his usual fashion, he has also offered to help make the right things happen. He said:
"Thanks Joe. I agree that it would be ideal to have everyone united on our approach to this issue and see if any differences can be at least temporarily set aside. It may be helpful to identify a few core principles leaders could agree to: First, the money raised will only be used for strategic campaign. Second, we will build a united coalition with everyone who supports traditional marriage. Third, we will be proactive now and have a plan to let the voters of this state express their will at the right time and in the right way. Fourth, we will trust God to provide the necessary resources and pledge our own sacrificial support to take an effective stand on behalf of our families and our community. Fifth, we will have a council of like-minded people to make consensus decisions and submit our personal opinions to the majority trusting the Holy Spirit to guide the council as a whole."
Mary Emanuel, of
Silent No More Awareness Campaign
: said:
"Hi Joe. Thanks for all the good things you do for life and family. My opinion, I think we should fight now with a referendum. However, how we fight it will determine whether or not we win at some later date. We must be united with a strong and simple message, and it must be faithful to the Gospel. If we start using language that is supposed to appeal to 'moderates' or 'independents' we will surely lose and make winning at a later date that much harder. Hope to see you soon under more cheerful circumstances."
When you read the following comments, I think it will be clear to you as it is to me that a
significant consensus exists among Christian leaders in Washington State that we should
do a Referendum.
People ...
a Referendum
Attorney Steven T. O'Ban
who successfully argued the Defense of Marriage Act before the state Supreme Court
I concur with Joe's analysis. I would add to his fifth "no" point that a loss would almost surely be the political cover the many same sex marriage proponents in the House and Senate need to get the votes for a SSM bill. Here is how it would work. Though our opponents would use the canard in the campaign that we oppose gays having basic rights, e.g. the right to visit their partners in the hospital, we would argue domestic partners is all about bringing in SSM through the judicial backdoor. After we lost, our opponents and the media would say the campaign was indeed about SSM so the voters of WA must want SSM. A loss would also help gays in the courts for the same reason.
Dan Kennedy
, the long time director of
Human Life of Washington
I agree that a referendum at this time would be not only be a mistake, but would actually set us back in a number of ways. Given the public's current apathy toward this issue, and the money necessary to gain their attention, a loss at the ballot box would accelerate public perception that it's not an important issue. Further, if we are to make the most of the 2010 election - where I feel we will have a real opportunity at both the state and national level - candidates will need money and volunteers. Once we regain some leverage in the state and nation, then we can reevaluate what course of action to take regarding this issue.
Larry Sundquist
, who was the
largest funder of our Referendum efforts in 2006
, agreed with my analysis.
Political consultan
Tom Henry
Now is not the time. Too much else on peoples' minds and not enough in the way of available financial resources to either get on the ballot, never mind to win. I think our folks are just shell shocked by the speed of all that is happening and running around like perpetual chickens with our heads cut off. I have seen nothing approaching religious and/or other opposition that amounts to a hill of beans.
Philip Irwin
, the courageous and dedicated
Seattle City Light employee
, wrote:
I'm more of a follower than a leader on questions like this and so I tend to agree with Pastor Fuiten. It is a gut wrenching conclusion but I think you are right.
Political Science Professor and debate coach
Gary Gillespie
"My belief is that it would be a mistake to run a referendum." Pro-lifers tried to run two referendums without much hope of success (lack of funding, manpower) and losing only entrenched the opposition. They used the loss against us over and over. We need the funding for a campaign ready first.
One of our longtime Vancouver leaders and activists
Josephine Wentzel
, wrote as part of a longer email:
Voters are immune or desensitize to the word "gay marriage" right now. Besides, they think we hate them. There isn't a fertile ground to plant seeds because we don't have their attention. People are worried about their jobs, and the economy. They are still licking their wounds from losing an election to a maniac leader that is running amuck. I cannot see the conservative voters coming together to gather 150,000 signatures in TWO MONTHS time. It would take almost two years to pry most of them from their own despair!
Cindy Zapotock
has been a very strong and consistent supporter of biblical values in the public square
. She wrote:
I chatted with two people yesterday whose opinions I value about this matter ... both of whom have long experience in these kinds of political actions. One friend felt that a referendum would be an uphill battle, and we should wait for the push for same-sex marriage to take the fight to the streets.The other friend did not diss the idea, but he pointed out some interesting technical issues I hadn't thought of. First, he thinks the entire original bill was carefully crafted to make it very difficult to counter....it is very long, overturning over 100 statutes. He said he doesn't even know how you could get it on one page, and even if an addendum page were allowed to be "attached" to petitions, it would add manual difficulties and increased costs for printing. Secondly, he says titling the bill would most probably work against us. It could not help but say "repeal of rights" which would put us in the position of being labeled "active discriminators" against gay people and seniors. He agrees with me. He said if you don't hire paid signature gatherers, you would need a hugely intense group of Christian foot soldiers to do the job--is there that commitment yet from Evangelicals? (I do not believe Catholics will participate. Have Catholic Bishops weighed in yet?) Aside from costs of printing petitions, you would have to have a sizeable budget for marketing to counter the barrage of PR that the other side would put out. (he noted "The Stranger" newspaper in Seattle is already savaging (name removed by editor.) We all know how well funded they are! Prop 8 in California was sizably funded by the Mormon Church (they are now under huge attack for it). Are they "onboard"? He noted to me a scene from the newest movie version of "The Alamo", that Sam Houston is marching his army all over the place with Santa Ana in pursuit. Houston is asked "Why don't we turn and pursue them?" Houston answers, "Because I'm waiting for the ground that will give ME the advantage." He cautioned me...this battle will require a huge amount of patience and self-discipline to win. We need to be careful not to dissipate our resources until the timing is right. (Prayer coverage would also have to be well organized.) I send you my prayers for wisdom, Cindy Z.
Wayne Lawson
As president of a small group called the Spokane American Family Association, I am concerned that to make a successful attempt at a referendum or initiative gathering project, there should be enough finances to begin with, to pay signature gatherers. In the past I have participated in three statewide initiatives to help protect children from the harmful effects of pornography. We worked very hard for three different years trying to get this initiative on the ballot, but very few people were willing to go door to door or stand at stores to get signatures. I have become convinced that unless some successful business persons, etc. became interested enough to fund a social issue like this, to the extent of providing money to pay signature gatherers, the effort probably would be futile. Then there would be the need for finances to compete with the influx of a seemingly endless supply of pro-homosexual money from in state and out of state, to finance their advertising blitz to defeat the referendum or initiative, if it did get on the ballot. I am concerned as to whether most Christians are really concerned enough about public policy social issues to really get out and work that hard on making it succeed. Homosexual activists seem to have the money, and the pursuit of homosexual marriage is their religion. I appreciate your concern about this very serious issue.
Dave Griffin
Thank you Pastor Joe for talking the time to evaluate the marriage issue, I really hope we as a community of believers will stand for the Kingdom. The points you make are important, but I'd like to approach this from another direction. Momentum seems to be riding with the gay activist. They moved for partial rights last year and succeeded, in a politically difficult environment. This year, legislation was started early, and moved ahead of other priorities. Momentum is beginning to build for fiscal restraint at federal and state levels. Tea parties have been focused on the fiscal side, not the moral values side of Reagan's three legged stool of conservative thinking. Many of the main stream Republicans I've talked to, think that the Republican message should focus on fiscal restraint, and that we Christians just don't understand that 'gay marriage' is just 'fair' and that Christians need to get over it. So there is strength in fiscal restraint, but marriage is not an important priority - and the presentation could be considered divisive to moderates the mainstreamers feel they need to court.
The other issue is who will be voting this year and where, turnout in other words. State wide there is initiative 1033 which will draw out some turn out. What concerns me is the elections in King County, where the executive seat will be drawing voter turn out, additionally five council seats (nonpartisan, but 3 R's and 2 D'd). We don't want, in my opinion, to be competing with a weak state wide vote in an off election year, when King County D's will have reason to turnout. Susan Hutchison is a wonderful candidate, but doesn't have funding support. I wish Christians voted like members of the NRA, but they don't. If the political wind picks up in our favor during the months leading up to the 2010 election cycle, we very well could pass a state wide vote favoring marriage. I think many state Legislature seats could be won by Christians who will step up and stand up for our values. I think this would be the time to run an initiative. Framing the issue is vital. Personally my view is that the US Constitution is an inspired document with God's hand every where. The problems we have had occur when we try to put people in boxes. Blacks only partial voting rights, land owners voting rights, Japanese internment, and women's suffrage are all attempts to classify people and have caused difficult problems. Traditional marriage has served our county well and built strong family and community ties, what strong compelling reason do we have to change that which has served us so well? Why do a few gay activist want to destroy an institution that Shinto, Jews, Muslims, and Christians hold as an important foundation, why is it so important to attack these people and their institutions? A strong county and state are founded on a foundation of bedrock. Families are part of that bedrock, marriage between God, man, and woman. Families budget and flourish when fiscal responsibility is practiced at all levels. Defense and protection of county and state depends on health functioning family support systems backing up those serving. Real hope and change come from supporting institutions that made our county great, God's hope we will accept His offer, leading to changed lives for God's Kingdom.
Maureen Richardson
State Director of Concerned Women for America
While I originally told Larry that I would back any efforts to put forth a referendum on 5688, I have since had other thoughts. I too believe that it is absolutely vital that we stand on the battlefield with the Lord's principles and for the witness. While we will not win all the battles, we know that God will win the war and He asks us to stand in the gap for the culture. However, the wall has been under attack by the government and the media for so long that it is no longer protecting the culture. I do not want to lose on this issue twice. I believe that we have to mount an education campaign before we can even hope that the general public will support a referendum against the expansion of what too many consider "fairness" and "equal rights for everyone". The complexity of explaining the significance of marriage and the traditional family to our culture in a fashion that the majority of people will understand is something we have to fine tune and stay on point with (all of us--a difficult task!). Right now, as you said, the media has re-defined family and the whole issue has been compromised and confused to such a degree that most do not understand the danger to genuine marriage from so-called domestic partnerships.
God created them male and female--somehow we have to get that point across to a non-Bible-based society, using terms they will accept. Also that marriage and traditional family are the bedrock foundation of all healthy societies, despite the fact that we humans have messed up so terribly. We have plenty of real statistics to prove that last point (e.g. Scandinavia). The financial issues you have addressed are also very pertinent to any action, unfortunately. So, I agree with you. Let the legislature go for marriage in 2010 and we have a very clear issue. With even a small advantage in those polls and very clear language and a bit of luck with the media and a whole lot of prayer (not the quick kind, but on-you-knees corporate prayer), we can win on the marriage question. Perhaps our next meeting should be a prayer session only. We desperately need God's guidance in this.
Steve Hall
has led the prayer movement very faithfully for several decades
. He wrote:
"Hi Joe. I agree with your conclusion. We both know that with God nothing is impossible, but I think you are discerning His direction at this time. My personal belief is that if God's people will commit to massive, submitted prayer and obedience to do whatever He directs (how we vote, what we initiate, what we sign, etc.), that His will will be done.
At the National Day of Prayer breakfast that we have in Bellevue this coming Thursday, we're going to pray that every person, place and thing in Bellevue will be under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, as well as Washington State and this nation. In the process, we will be praying Hab. 2:14. If the knowledge of who Christ truly is will permeate every fiber of His people, I believe will unite in honoring and obeying Him.
Thanks for your diligent efforts. They are making a difference. CHRIST IS ALL.
Seventh Day Adventist Pastor
Eastern Washington
wrote me expressing his view that we should not move forward with a Referendum. He wrote:
"There has been a "perfect storm" for liberalism, and I personally don't think now is the time to beat the conservative drum, especially in politics. I think we can do more good bringing people to the Jesus of the Bible, and also pray for our nation's soul."
Pastor from Moses Lake
expressed a view that is held by many Pastors.
Here is what
Jon Bartlett
Pastor Joe, I don't think we should do the referendum. To me the question is not whether our government gives benefits to homosexuals. The issue is whether as Christians we can be effective in leading homosexuals to Jesus so that he can begin to transform their lives. I am certainly with you in my belief that a homosexual lifestyle is not the lifestyle Jesus wants anyone to be living. But using political processes to "win" puts us into an adversarial relationship with homosexuals. I don't believe that "making a statement of belief" or presenting a "witness" in this way always has value. It could end up further alienating people from Christ because it looks like an effort to control. In their eyes, we're flexing our political muscle as a first step toward enforcing our values upon others, even if that's not what we're doing. Now like I said, I would be delighted to see every homosexual come out of that lifestyle through the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit in their lives. The question is HOW do we go about helping that happen. I'm fairly convinced that political processes are ineffective. We could use our time, money and talents in a lot more creative and loving ways and make a much bigger impact. Wouldn't it be better if the law allowed for benefits to homosexual partnerships, but there just weren't that many of them? In my mind that would be a much bigger "win" than having the benefits restricted but a large, and entrenched homosexual community that is nearly impossible to reach with the gospel. And I'm not advocating total abstinence from politics. I vote my conscience and try to stay informed and would always encourage Christians to run for office or get involved in some way. It's just that I've come to separate success for a Christian agenda within American politics from success in the Kingdom of God. The two aren't always the same. Thank you for your thoughtful letter. Keep praying and listening, and I will do the same.
One of our politically active and
key lay leaders in Kingston
"I believe that this is not the time to run a referendum, but will the door be open at a later date? My reasons are that it would take a massive grass roots effort to gather signatures in the time required and the $ necessary to combat the bias in the media and the well funded opposition.
Lisa Flores
Director of Life Choices SHARE Program
I don't feel that a referendum would be a good idea at this time. I think once we begin to see the ramifications of this bill, people will be more open to changing it.
Pastor Jerry Beebe
Executive Presbyter for the Assemblies of God
I do not see any point in running a referendum on this issue.
There are a
great many in the position that Pastor Jay Timm
in Addy, Washington expressed. They just want to be in the battle and follow the right plan. He said:
"Personally, I think the Christian community should respond and possibly sooner would be better than later. But whatever those leading the charge, like yourself, consider wise could be the direction the Lord is leading. I will pray that the Christian community will be unified in whatever effort is deemed necessary."
Wayne Taylor
Pastor of Calvary Fellowship in Seattle
, and
one of the leaders of May Day for Marriage
"Joe, I appreciate and frankly often rely on your political instincts. This is one of those times. I agreed with all your thoughts, especially the downside of doing the referendum. And I agree with your conclusion of "not now".
This was echoed by
Pastor Gary Vanderhoff
and other Pastors who wrote.
Steve Beren
is a t
wo-time candidate for Congress in Seattle which shows he is fearless
. Here is what he said:
Pastor Joe, I would like to add a few other observations. We are talking about a tactical decision to be made by people who are in agreement in support of traditional marriage, and who are in opposition to the incremental efforts being made by the liberals regarding "domestic partnerships" and "civil unions," which are only intended to chip away and eventually destroy the traditional definition of marriage. I am willing to assume good will on behalf of all the major organizations and individual leaders involved in this effort. If someone favors a tactical course calling for an immediate referendum, let's assume it is not for selfish reasons (such as publicity or money for that organization). An early effort may be rushed, shortsighted, ineffective, or even counter-productive - but that judgment has to be made on its merits. Likewise, those who favor more upfront planning and greater upfront coalition effort should also be given the presumption of good will. If someone favors more upfront effort for a delayed but more successful campaign, let's assume it is not for improper reasons (such as lack of commitment to traditional marriage; undue moderation; undue political expediency; or fear of pushing a controversial issue). A delayed effort may be mistaken and misguided - but that tactical judgment has to be made on its merits. I would like to see a meeting of the major organizations and individual leaders involved in this effort. Such a meeting should be an honest and candid discussion among people and groups that recognize each other as sincerely committed to traditional marriage, and sincerely committed to defeating the liberal anti-marriage agenda. Such a meeting should not exclude any substantial "stakeholder" group or leader - and should be held in good faith. In particular, it should include some of the courageous legislators who voted with us in the most recent vote in Olympia. Obviously, it would be best if we could reach consensus and work in unison. If that is not the case, however, those that go ahead should not blast the others as "less committed," and those that think delayed action would be more effective should not blast the others as "reckless." My own view is that it would be best if a referendum were held on the same day as the November 2010 elections. This would allow more upfornt education and upfront coalition building, along with endorsements from candidates - whether challengers or incumbents. Also, such a strategic and tacticial delay would perhaps be more effective for another reason - the current economic situation in the region, state, and nation. The additional time for such a pro-marriage campaign would allow us to have meetings, teach-ins, rallies, and other events across the state, and would allow us more time to get media coverage, especially on friendly radio shows. I believe that conditions are ripe for conservative candidates to gain seats in the 2010 Olympia elections, in large part because of the disastrous Obama/Gregoire economic policies. Turnout for candidates who favor tax cuts, spending cuts, fiscal responsibility, and government reform will be high in November 2010. And most of these candidates will also tend to support traditional marriage - particularly if we raise the issue in a parallel campaign, conducted simultaneously, and culminating on the same election day. I would certainly sign a petition, and I would certainly vote to uphold traditional marriage, even if I thought the effort was not well planned or well prepared. I strongly believe that a strong, united, coalition effort is needed to maximize the chance of victory. I believe even a rushed effort might result in victory, but I quite strongly believe a November 2010 vote would have even a better chance of success.
Bob Higley
has done
lobbying for Biblical Values in Olympia longer than anybody
. He has represented WERG, and Positive Christian Agenda for a long time. He wrote:
I see more doubt than encouragement. I agree with your reservations. In addition to what you have observed, remember that last fall 74% of the public voted yes to DR. Assisted Suicide. This is an issue dear to the hearts of the other side. The only organized opposition that I knew of came from a local Catholic Church in Bothell, and the entire Catholic church failed to mount any real opposition that I knew of. I did not know of much of an Evangelical movement on it either. You hit it on the nail when you talked about the money to print the forms and mount an advertising campaign. Both the abortion issue of the early 90's and the recent same sex marriage issue were weakly funded.
Dr. John Vasko
is another great champion in our causes
. He has believed in biblical values and has supported the cause for decades.
He thought the lower numbers needed for a Referendum compared to an Initiative suggest a move now. On the other hand he expressed concern that "pietists" don't care and mainliners support the wrong side. He doubts there will be the commitment to raise the money needed to make it happen in large part because there is very little "buzz" about all this in the churches.
Kirby Wilbur
, the
famous conservative talk show host in Seattle
, told me
he felt the time was not right for a referendum. If you ask him on the radio his opinion, he can give you the full shot there but he makes a compelling case for not going forward with it.
Judy Jennings
is the
Director for Washington Federation of Independent Schools
and works regularly in Olympia. She wrote:
Joe, I agree with your assessment of the issue. The economic dust needs to settle before we move ahead. I think 2010 will tend more conservatively on a host of fronts.
Heidi Borton
is a long time leader and activist
. She wrote to me:
"I am with you. I don't think this is a good time to try to put forth a referendum on this. We are "up to the armpits in alligators" as you so aptly state. In fact, some of us think we are at the beginning of those pangs that will lead to the Lord's return. It seems that disasters are multiplying exponentially. On the other hand, should the Lord tarry, and God give you the green light, we can go ahead when the time is right and financial resources (or political backlash to this flood of liberalism) give us momentum for such a battle.
In addition to these I have quoted, I talked to many others including
denominational leaders
, and
political representatives of denominational leaders
. I have talked to
Republican Party leaders
and to
Mainstream Republican leaders
. I have asked leaders for their opinions and they have given them.
Personally, I join you in your commitment to biblical values lived out in public. That being said,
I think the overwhelming sentiment is that we should not do a referendum on domestic partnerships.
I would be very disappointed to be dragged into an effort that is unlikely to succeed and very likely to ultimately be counterproductive.
We have not sufficiently counted the cost or built the grassroots organization to make it happen. I respect those who think differently about how to accomplish our common goal. We are united as to goals. I appreciate that my friends are willing to express their disagreement with me. I think that is what friends do.
I do not accept the notion that we have to run a Referendum just because we have to do something.
Doing the strategically wrong thing, even in a good cause, is not wisdom
. I am willing to die on the hill but I am not willing to die on every hill. I don't think we are settled on what to do but
I am settled that a Referendum is not the thing for the moment.
Several have called for concerted prayer and organizing. We need God's help in Washington State in more ways than one.
None of us is happy to see our culture presently sliding so far from God.
Spiritual tide ebbs and flows. We remain certain of the final outcome. People of the Christian faith have taken the lead in building a great country based upon God and his Word. It has provided unparalleled freedom for all. It would appear that we are bound and determined to try building a country without God and upon a different foundation. It will take time for the consequences to be felt by the general public.
When that times comes we want to be available to point in the Lord's direction.
In the meantime,
let us be faithful to God and create illustrations of Godliness.
Pastor Joe Fuiten
P.S. My thanks to Danille Turissini who handles my public work for me. She is an intelligent and hard working friend who blesses me with her efforts.
Dr. Joseph B. Fuiten
is the senior pastor of
Cedar Park Church
in Bothell, Washington, and he is the former president of Positive Christian Agenda. Currently, Pastor Fuiten serves on the Board of Directors for the
Family Policy Institute of Washington
, an associate organization of
Focus on the Family


text:
LOS ANGELES — For Participant Media, a nine-year-old Hollywood company with a fondness for films about social issues, the political minefield is comfortable terrain. In the recent past, the company plunged "Lincoln" into the fracas over partisanship, used "The Help" to highlight the plight of domestic workers and made "Promised Land" as a call for environmental action.
But this time is different.
Participant and its partners are getting ready to offer a Latino hero in their still-unfinished movie "Chavez," about Cesar Chavez and his struggle to unionize farmworkers. But they are largely avoiding the overriding Latino issue of the moment — immigration reform.
Mr. Chavez, perhaps the best-known Mexican-American activist, fought for better wages and conditions for workers but held complex and evolving views on the status of unauthorized immigrants, some of which would be at odds with the changes many Hispanics and others are seeking today.
That has created a challenge for Participant, which is usually eager to have its films become talking points in a national debate.
That debate has intensified this week as the Senate has begun a three-week push toward immigration reform, which might include offering a path to citizenship for millions of immigrants living and working in the United States and expanding legal entry to the country for some workers. Some of the proposals could soon become law, or be swept into the maelstrom of midterm Congressional elections next year.
Either way, Participant and its partners, including Pantelion Pictures, a joint venture between the Lionsgate entertainment company and the Mexican media giant Televisa, are mostly staying outside the fray. At a meeting two weeks ago, the film's backers began laying plans to sell the movie as a tale of American values and social justice, without much reference to the thorny issues now in the spotlight.
"It's an American story, and that's the way we're treating it," said Paul Presburger, Pantelion's chief executive.
While no release date has been set, the movie is expected to open next year around March 31, Mr. Chavez's birthday, which several states, including California, will observe — and when backers hope the possible declaration of national holiday in his honor will give the film a point of entry.
The producers' aim, Mr. Presburger said, is to make the country's large and vibrant Hispanic audience — which accounts for about 26 percent of domestic ticket sales, outstripping the 17 percent Hispanic share of the North American population — the core support for a more broadly based hit.
Immigration issues, noted Jonathan King, a Participant executive who is closely involved with "Chavez," do not directly figure in the film, which instead focuses on Mr. Chavez's leadership of a strike and grape boycott that began in 1965 and lasted five years.
"That's apart from this story," Mr. King said of the immigration issues. "This story is about the boycott."
Born 86 years ago in Yuma, Ariz., Mr. Chavez fiercely opposed the Bracero Program, which until the mid-1960s allowed growers to import cheap seasonal labor. This practice undercut efforts by the National Farm Workers Association (later the United Farm Workers union), which Mr. Chavez co-founded, to improve wages and working conditions.
Under Mr. Chavez, the union, in its fight against strikebreakers, sometimes reported undocumented immigrants to officials, and only in the early 1970s, according to a spokesman for the Cesar Chavez Foundation, dropped its support for legal sanctions against employers who hired workers without legal status in the United States. In 1986, however, Mr. Chavez became a backer of the Reagan-era immigration reform, including its amnesty provisions.
Mr. Chavez's changing posture toward unauthorized immigrants has led to a contemporary debate over whether he would have approved current reform proposals.
Ruben Navarrette Jr., a columnist who has publicly argued that Mr. Chavez would have opposed contemporary reform proposals, reiterated that belief in a recent e-mail. "The deal breaker would be the guest worker program, where maybe another 200,000 guest workers would be imported and not allowed to join the union or not able to join in any practical way because they'd be temporary," Mr. Navarrette wrote.
Arturo S. Rodriguez, the U.F.W.'s president, and a son-in-law of Mr. Chavez, has spoken in favor of comprehensive immigration reform, and helped advise lawmakers in shaping legislative proposals. He argues that Mr. Chavez, who died in 1993, would do the same, though in his day a much smaller percentage of field workers came from abroad.
"We have no doubt Cesar would have enthusiastically supported immigration reform today because he did so before," Mr. Rodriguez said in an e-mail. Advocates of the new reform measure invoked Mr. Chavez, at least indirectly, when a version of the measure was approved by the Senate judiciary committee last month. "¡Sí se puede!" they chanted in the committee hearing room, echoing a slogan — roughly, "Yes, we can!" — that was a signature phrase of Mr. Chavez's union movement.
Still, "Chavez," the movie, according to several of those involved, mostly focuses on the confrontation between workers and bosses. Michael Peña plays the lead and John Malkovich is cast as a grower challenged by the rising union. A call for nonviolent activism is a prominent theme, said Lawrence Meli, a producer who joined the writer, Keir Pearson in initiating the project.
"It's a film about struggle, and basic human rights," added Pablo Cruz, another producer, whose Mexico City-based Canana Films was among the movie's principal backers.
In an e-mail, Mr. Chavez's son Paul, who is president of the Cesar Chavez Foundation, said he had seen a version of the film, with which the foundation and Chavez family cooperated by providing various rights. "It shows my dad as thoroughly human and ordinary in many ways, but driven by a passion for change," Mr. Chavez said.
"Chavez" is also about identity, its director, Diego Luna, said in a telephone interview late last month, following a Participant-Pantelion strategy session.
Mr. Luna, a Mexican, said he was still finishing the film. But, Mr. Luna said, he decided to direct "Chavez" after his own son was born in the United States. "I realized, there's a Mexican-American in my family now," he said. "This is a film about America."


text:
|Let Connie Carrot capture your child's heart
1. Lead by example
It's human nature to want what other people have - and this rule applies ten-fold to kids! If you visibly enjoy a plate of veggies they are bound to be curious and want to try your meal. The upside of seeing you enjoy fresh fruit and veg with your meals and as snacks, means you are consciously being healthy too! You can even try some reverse psychology and tell them it's probably a bit 'grown up' and too special for them...
2. Teach them all about healthy food choices
|It's important your kids
know why plants are powerful!
3. Take a back seat
As hard as it is, never fall into the trap of making meal times a battle ground. Forcing kids to eat foods they don't like - or creating table time stress - should be avoided at all costs as it can lead to emotional problems with food and eating. Ignore the negative - and praise the positive. A middle ground solution is to agree with your child that they will take one bite of a new food item (or one they are not keen on), and then if they really don't like it they needn't finish it. Think of it as playing the long con, you'll need the patience of a saint, but forming long-term healthy eating patterns is your goal. Head to the NutriKids site for certificates to print out when your child deserves a healthy-eating accolade!
|Introduce healthy eating in a way your kids will love
4. Experiment
Variety is the spice of life - and serving a wide and colourful array of fruit and veg could peak your kids interest. Unusual colours and textures - or even less well-know varieties of a common item (like black tomatoes and yellow beetroot) can stimulate interest. Also try to use veg and fruit in unexpected ways - popping spinach into chocolate muffins or dried cranberries into bread for example.
5. Let them help
As well as keeping them out of trouble and away from screens while you're cooking, letting kids help with food prep, basic cooking and dishing up can further encourage them to be more open to new tastes. You can also involve them by planting seeds together, caring for and watching their food grow. tomatoes and potatoes can be very rewarding - and spinach plants are particularly hard to kill! Try including them as you meal plan too (allow them to flick through recipe books) and take them shopping with you so they can touch and choose their fruit and veg.


text:
Wsparcie / Support
Nana was born deep in a magic forest, and as a rare cat elf, she was naturally endowed with powerful but hard to control magic abilities. Periodic rages of magic outburst nearly took out half of her forest home, until one day the journeying moon elf Miya restrained Nana and taught this young cat elf the secrets to controlling her magic abilities. The clever Nana quickly mastered these techniques, becoming a powerful cat elf mage. She decided to accompany Miya on her way to the land of dawn, in search of a new king together.


text:
15 Aug NY Times Weighs In on BAPCPA
Thanks to Sheryl Shelin of the South Carolina Bankruptcy and Consumer Blog, I read this editorial from the New York Times. The editorial notes both that the 2005 change in the bankruptcy law (known as BAPCPA) has discouraged homeowners' use of bankruptcy to protect their homes, and other problems inherent in the law:
The new law's expensive and cumbersome requirements have already discouraged some hard-pressed homeowners from seeking bankruptcy-court protection, even in the face of dire circumstances such as spiking monthly payments coupled with job loss or medical expenses. Of the debtors who do enter bankruptcy proceedings, many are required to restructure their debts — negotiating with lenders to lower loan balances and stretch out repayments — rather than being allowed to liquidate them.
But here's the trap: The restructuring process, known as Chapter 13, prohibits the bankruptcy court from modifying the repayment terms of most mortgages on a primary home. So even under a restructuring plan, bankrupt homeowners must still repay their mortgages in full or lose their homes.
(Snip)The 2005 bankruptcy reform should have recognized the riskiness of today's mortgages by eliminating the outdated lender protection. But during the reform effort, fairness took a back seat to a baser aim — simply, to make it more difficult for consumers to gain a fresh start through bankruptcy. The result is that lenders who abandoned caution during the housing boom are protected while the law gives no aid to borrowers who were enticed, and at times deceived, into risky mortgages.
Like Sheryl, I am leery of the "no protection" theme, which may again discourage those who could benefit from bankruptcy from seeking the help that might allow them to save their homes. At the same time, it's nice to see a call to action from the Times.
I agree with Sheryl (as usual):
Bankruptcy Law Network (BLN)
Latest posts by Bankruptcy Law Network (BLN) (see all)
- What Happens to My Inheritance in Bankruptcy? - December 2, 2016
- What To Do If You Are a Creditor In a Bankruptcy? - March 24, 2015
- Your House Is In Foreclosure: What Should You Do? Part Two - April 4, 2014
- Your House is in Foreclosure: What Should You Do? - February 3, 2014
- Why Is My Bankruptcy Taking So Long? - December 3, 2013


text:
Dutch CasinosThere are currently 14 casinos operating in the Netherland, located in some of the country's major cities, including, cosmopolitan Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Eindhoven and Nijmegen. All Dutch casinos are owned by "Holland Casinos", a state owned company that holds a monopoly on all gambling in the country.
All Holland Casinos venues offer a wide variety of gambling opportunities, from the classic casino games of Roulette, Blackjack, Punto Banco / Baccarat and Poker, to the more exotic Rocker 7, Sic Bo and Wheel of Fortune.Holland casinos offer visitors the opportunity to win the Mega Jackpot by playing one of the 140 slot machines, spread over all but the Schiphol branches of Holland Casinso, connected in a network to give a progressive, mega millions jackpot.
The casinos' opening hours are early afternoon, to 03:00. You have to be at least 18 to be admitted to the casino and will be asked to verify your age by presenting a valid ID. The dress code is relaxed.
Choose from the list below for a complete guide to all casinos in the Netherlands:
- Casino Amsterdam
- Casino Breda (Holland Casino Breda)
- Casino Eindhoven (Holland Casino Eindhoven)
- Casino Enschede (Holland Casino Enschede)
- Casino Groningen (Holland Casino Groningen)
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- Casino Rotterdam (Holland Casino Rotterdam)
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- Casino Utrecht (Holland Casino Utrecht)
- Casino Valkenburg (Holland Casino Valkenburg)
- Casino Venlo (Holland Casino Venlo)
- Casino Zandvoort (Holland Casino Zandvoort)


text:
The release of new Department of Justice documents obtained by the ACLU reveal that federal law enforcement agencies are increasingly monitoring Americans' electronic communications, and doing so without warrants, sufficient oversight, or meaningful accountability.
Though there is a long history of legal (and not so legal) surveillance by federal and local authorities, the new documents—released by the DOJ following Freedom of Information Act requests by the ACLU and presented in this report—show that under the Obama administration, the rate of surveillance has risen "exponentially" in many key areas, including information gathered from telephone, email, and other Internet communications.
Electronic Surveillance Is Sharply on the Rise
The DOJ documents reveal an enormous increase in the Justice Department's use of pen register and trap and trace surveillance.
'Pen register and trap and trace devices' allow agencies to collect incoming and outgoing data from personal networks like phone lines or email exchanges. Twenty years ago performing this kind of surveillance required physical devices that attached to telephone lines in order to covertly record the incoming and outgoing numbers dialed. But today, as the ACLU explains with concern, such operations require no special equipment on the part of law enforcement agencies because "interception capabilities are built into phone companies' call-routing hardware."
As the chart below shows, between 2009 and 2011 the combined number of original orders for pen registers and trap and trace devices used to spy on phones increased by 60%, from 23,535 in 2009 to 37,616 in 2011.
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During that same time period, the number of people whose telephones were the subject of pen register and trap and trace surveillance more than tripled. In fact, more people were subjected to pen register and trap and trace surveillance in the past two years than in the entire previous decade.
During the past two years, there has also been an increase in the number of pen register and trap and trace orders targeting email and network communications data. While this type of Internet surveillance tool remains relatively rare, its use is increasing exponentially. The number of authorizations the Justice Department received to use these devices on individuals' email and network data increased 361% between 2009 and 2011.
The sharp increases are the latest example of the skyrocketing spying on Americans' electronic communications, says the ACLU. Earlier this year, the New York Times reported that cellphone carriers received 1.3 million demands for subscriber information in 2011 alone. And an ACLU public records project revealed that large and small police departments around the country are engaging in cell phone location tracking.
Though the report contains valuable and useful information for the public, the ACLU acknowledged that there is still much they don't know about the level and manner of the government's growing surveillance operations.
"Because the existing reporting requirements apply only to surveillance performed by the Department of Justice," said the ACLU, "we have no idea of how or to what extent these surveillance powers are being used by other law enforcement agencies, such as the Secret Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or state and local police. As a result, the reports likely reveal only a small portion of the use of this surveillance power."
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I am heading to Arizona tomorrow, so I wanted to pick a fun color that will look good poolside. I chose a great Tangerine shade that looks appropriate now and will be great going into summer.
The lovely Kimberly at Beauty Brands on the County Club Plaza did a FANTASTIC job. She is incredibly detail oriented and you will not leave the salon until your nails are perfect. Even though it took an hour it was well worth the time. At the end of the manicure your nails are perfectly dried and you don't have to worry about messing them up on the drive home. For any lady on the go, this is the best invention.
It's been almost a week since my Shellac manicure and I don't have any chipping or peeling. And for me, this is miraculous. I am so hard on my hands! I am always doing some craft project, I wash my hands constantly and I obviously am typing on my computer quite frequently which can take a toll on your nails.
I am not sure I will ever do a regular manicure ever again. Even though they run you about $35, it is a much better investment to have a long lasting, chip free manicure. What do you all think? Do you love Shellac too?


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Video & Lesson Transcript
When the elements are joined, the atoms lose their particular person properties and have different properties from the elements they're composed of. Electrons spin so fast across the nucleus, scientists can by no means be one hundred{9174920fe6761dcca8af5c78dfabcc70f111f8f97305a3ed292156e2e75818d3} positive the place they are positioned, however scientists can make estimates of where electrons needs to be. If there are the identical variety of electrons and protons in an atom, then the atom is said to have a impartial cost. It's not a whole idea, however: we nonetheless have an unlimited amount to learn about atoms and the bits and pieces lurking inside them! Using a set of 50 atom fashions representing sixteen different parts, you can assemble your own molecular fashions.
No podem dir gaire cosa de què farem, de si haurem de formar un govern a l'exili si posarem uns becaris a gestionar l'autonomia que potser ens tornen potser no. Qualsevol cosa que diguem en campanya podrà ser utilitzada en contra nostra davant d'un tribunal. All true solids have a crystalline construction in which the atoms are arranged in a daily sample referred to as the lattice.
So, Thomson proposed that the atom was a mass of constructive cost with destructive electrons positioned into it like raisins in a pudding, and dubbed it the Plum Pudding model. The results of the newest medical article demonstrates the long-time period safety and efficacy of ATOMS within the therapy of incontinence in men, following invasive prostate therapy.
In a normal (neutral) atom the variety of protons and the variety of electrons are equal. A lot of atoms favor to affix up with different atoms as a result of they're more steady that way. There can also be a maximum energy that each electron can have and still be a part of its atom. Atoms join to kind molecules, when molecules are arranged in a selected method we see matter. The number of protons in an atom determines the form of atom, or element, it is. An factor is a substance consisting of 1 sort of atom. It presents in-depth details about one hundred fifty molecules and normal details about the remaining.
Each proton in the nucleus of an atom has a tiny optimistic charge ( electrical energy that stays in a single place). Atoms which have 5, 6 or 7 electrons in their outer levels will tend to gain electrons from atoms with 1, 2 or 3 electrons of their outer ranges. An component is a substance which can't be split into simpler substances, while an atom is the smallest portion of a component which might participate in a chemical change. Strange matter is made up of up, down, and strange quarks and quark-antiquark pairs.


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State Department of Energy may enter contracts for loan issuance
- • financing of loans
- • consent of utility
(1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, the State Department of Energy may enter into contracts for the issuance of energy efficiency and sustainable technology loans. Except as provided in ORS 470.700 (Use of loan offset grant moneys), the department shall finance the loans using moneys from the Small Scale Local Energy Project Loan Fund, the Energy Project Supplemental Fund or the Energy Project Bond Loan Fund, or from a combination of those funds.
(2) The sustainable energy project manager may enter into agreements with trade associations and other public and private entities for the promotion or marketing of the energy efficiency and sustainable technology loan program.
(3) The department must obtain the consent of the utility before operating an energy efficiency and sustainable technology loan program within the service territory of:
(a) An investor-owned electric utility that serves fewer than 20,000 customers; or
(b) An investor-owned gas utility that is actively administering an energy conservation program established:
(A) On or before January 1, 2009; and
(B) Without assistance from a nongovernmental entity that receives public purpose charge moneys under ORS 757.612 (Requirements for public purpose expenditures). [2009 c.753 §3]
3 OregonLaws.org assembles these lists by analyzing references between Sections. Each listed item refers back to the current Section in its own text. The result reveals relationships in the code that may not have otherwise been apparent.


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ADRIAN, Mich.--The Adrian College American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 1 men's hockey squad pushed its current winning streak to nine games this past weekend with convincing wins of 12-0 and 8-1 over Eastern Michigan University. The Bulldogs' record is now 23-1, with their only loss coming at Stony Brook back on Nov. 18.
The series began on Thursday at Arrington Ice Arena on Fraternity Night, as the Adrian College fraternities provide a festive atmosphere while competing in a series of competitions for the "Fraternity Cup", which was won by Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
On the ice, the Bulldogs treated the fans to an outstanding offensive show, scoring 12 unanswered goals before the Eagles got on the scoreboard. The Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead into the locker room after the first period, but then exploded for six goals in the second period to put the game away.
Brad Kobryn scored the game's first marker on his way to lead the Bulldogs with a hat trick, while Mark Fratercangeli added the second goal of the first period.
Kobryn scored twice in the second period, followed goals by Joe Costello, Kyle Perkowski, Rainer Glimple and Domenic Moore.
Adrian kept the pressure on in the third, on goals by Jordan Oshowy, and a second of the night by Perkowski, before Chris Donaldson and Marcus Rose ended the Bulldog scoring. Austyn Roudebush earned the win on the night for Adrian, making 12 saves, while holding the Eagles off the scoreboard for two periods before giving way to Michael Barrett, who surrendered the Eagles only goal with 3:24 left in game while making 10 saves.
On Friday, the series moved to The Cube in Ann Arbor and the Bulldogs got off to a fast start again, jumping to a 3-1 first period advantage on goals by Mike Finger, Donaldson and power play goal by Moore before the Eagles countered with a power play goal of their own.
The second period was relatively quiet with Perkowski scoring the only goal of the period to put the Bulldogs up 4-1. But Adrian put the game away with four goals in the third as Cooper McClean, Donaldson and Joe Costello scored twice to make the final score 8-1.
Adrian will be in action again on Thursday, when they host the Calvin Knights at 7:15 p.m. at Arrington Ice Arena in the first of a two game home-and-home series.
#AdrianBulldogs #GoDawgs #GDTBAB
--David VanGeison, Special to AdrianBulldogs.com


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What would happen...
- If you became unable to look after your own financial affairs?
- If you became unable to make decisions about your personal welfare?
- If someone close to you became unable to deal with these routine matters?
Did you know that some assets that are not held in joint names cannot be accessed by your partner or loved ones unless you have appointed that person as your attorney?
Few of us remain physically and mentally able throughout life. One of the worries of growing older is that incapacity becomes more likely – and of course illness or accidents can occur at any age.
If you make a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) you can choose an attorney you trust to make important decisions on your behalf, such as health care, treatment, where you should live and other important day-to-day decisions, should it become necessary.
You can make clear who can make decisions, in what situations they can make them, and how they should go about it.
With an LPA you can even write a statement of preferences/wishes, to set out to your attorney what decisions you would like to be made on your behalf.


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Hello, everyone, I hope spring has finally arrived at your doorstep - we are still waiting. And waiting… But it cannot be long now :)
Here are a few pictures of my further sewing experiments.
Tried to make a CosPlay costume, for the anime character called Shirayuki Mizore. This was an assignment for the university course. The course is not only about textiles but also about the pedagogy of teaching textile crafts and I like it a lot. We had to choose a topic that would be interesting for our students, so that´s how I ended up with the anime. I myself didn´t know anything about it before.
Anyway, this is what I came up with. The colours are not really good, I was working after a picture from the net, and only found a description of her clothes with all the colours when it was too late.
I sewed the pleated skirt (again, not perfect but perhaps not too bad), and I also made a very simple A-line mini-skirt. We had to think about our students, and I believe the pleated skirt, even the Simplicity skirt with the plaid fabric (see my previous post) would be too difficult. The jumper I made following a simple hoodie pattern, just made a little change at the neck.
Oh, and we practiced fashion sketches, it was really cool. :)
I am in Umeå right now, at the university. We are going to learn pattern making this time, which I really look forward to.
And now, cross stitch. I have created a spring bird cross stitch pattern for you. And for myself, actually - I don´t always stitch my patterns, or rather, haven´t yet, but I am going to do this one as soon as I get home. Just can´t decide which version. I think they would make lovely decoration on an easter basket or pillow…
Hope you will have fun stitching the bird, let me know if you do.
Happy stitching
Welcome to my blog. You can read about my adventures in different types of needlework, and I also offer some free cross stitch patterns. Please, come back often. :)
Spring bird freebie - and some more sewing progress.
Bookmark for St. Patrick's Day
Hello there,
I have another St. Patrick's Day pattern for you. There is still enough time to stitch it if you want to make a statement or a gift. I hope you like it.
If you are interested in St. Patrick's Day patterns, why not take a look at my other freebies here, here and here?
If you want to see what I have been up to lately, here are some pictures.
I have been sewing for my university assignment. First a simple skirt, (Simplicity 2655) that I made more complicated for myself by having to match the checked fabric. Did not turn out to be perfect but not too bad either, I think.
I also started a pleated version but haven't finished it yet, still need to do the waistband and add a zipper.
And I finally found a way to use my bird appliqué pieces that I made a while ago. They have become the centre for two free patchwork pieces. I am turning them into covers for some old and battered ring binders. One is finished with some hand quilting, the other is waiting for me trying my hand in free motion quilting.
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I have a Debian Linux server, recent install. It has this cron job:
7 1 * * * /do/something/important.sh
As I read that, it should run at 1:07am. Instead, it runs at 5:07pm.
So, wrong timezone, right? No...I'm in US/Pacific and:
# ls -l /etc/localtime
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 30 Mar 5 20:29 /etc/localtime -> /usr/share/zoneinfo/US/Pacific
# date
Fri Mar 9 16:54:52 PST 2012
That is the right time as I post this.
Now, cron did run for a couple days with the wrong timezone (default was MST). I fixed that by changing /etc/localtime. I also restarted cron (/etc/init.d/cron restart). I've local-gen'd, too.
That job is running at 17:07 Pacific time consistently...something else I missed?


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December 10, 2016
Fine & Decorative Arts
Period and Quality Reproduction Furniture; Decorative Arts including Clocks, Chinese Export Porcelain, Bronze Sculptures, Herend Porcelain, Lalique & Other Glass; Books; Paintings & Prints; Fine Oriental RugsView Auction Items Bid Now
◃ Lot 1162 / Rare Chinese gilt-metal automaton clock with jewel work decoration, mechanical spinning dial and trees, and simulated waterfall, 35 in. H., 15 in. W., 11 in. D.
Preview Date & TimeTuesday, December 6th - Friday, December 9th
Checkout Date & TimeMonday, December 12 through Friday, December 16,
9am - 5pm; Saturday, December 17, 9am - 1pm
LocationAuction to be held in our gallery
908 York Road, Towson, MD 21204


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A Sampling of Universal Remote Controls
Universal remote controls work with any electronics device in your home theater by way of onboard code databases. Universal remote controls can have touch screens, backlit buttons, color screens, voice commands, and so on. These remotes vary in price from about $20 on up. The more you spend on your entertainment system, the more you'll probably spend on your remote control.
Here are examples of some of the neater remotes you can get:
Universal RF-10: This remote includes both IR (infrared) and RF (radio frequency) technologies in a single inexpensive universal and programmable remote. While it lacks some of the fancy features (such as elaborate macros and PC or Mac programming) of more expensive remotes, it's about the cheapest remote you can buy that can support RF. To get the RF working, you need Universal's MRF-100B PowerBlaster RF Base Station, which provides RF-to-IR capability supporting up to six devices with included IR emitters.
You don't need to utilize the RF to get the most out of the RF-10, but it's a good bit of future-proofing in case you'd ever like to move your home theater around and need an RF remote.
One For All Universal Remotes: This is a brand with a remote for everyone, ranging from inexpensive remotes for simple systems (code-based universal remotes such as the 8-DEVICE Learning Universal Remote) up to the still inexpensive URC-9960 Kamelon remote, which uses special backlighting to show only the keys you need for the task you're doing at the time.
Monster Home Theater Controller 100: The folks who bring you the famous (and expensive) Monster Cable audio cables offer a lineup of very fancy universal programmable remote controls.
The entry-level model in this lineup, the Home Theater Controller 100, has a beautiful color screen, easy computer-based programming, and the ability to control everything in your home theater. Like many remotes in this price range, it includes lithium ion rechargeable batteries and a cradle to hold and recharge your remote.
The Home Theater Controller 300 includes RF capabilities and Omnilink (Monster's brand name for Z-Wave wireless home lighting and automation controls). With that remote you can control anything in your home theater and just about anything electrical in your entire house.
Philips Prestigo Remotes: Philips has a solid line of remote controls that have defined the leading edge of home theater remotes in a lot of ways. The fully programmable and learning Prestigo SRU-8015 is the entry level to the Prestigo range, but it has a lot of features, including a big (but not color) touch screen, 4MB of memory, a scroll wheel, and the ability to program your remote using your PC. It even has a library of over 400 TV channel icons, so you can see on the remote exactly what channel you're tuned in to.
Many more remotes are available. A great site to check out remote control options is Remote Central. It has great reviews and tracks the newest remotes on the market.


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Processing American Chicken In China
#11 status - Chicken Plucker
Posted 23 March 2018 - 03:57 PM
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Posted 23 March 2018 - 03:59 PM
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Posted 25 March 2018 - 11:08 AM
China's Solar Power Dominance and Trump's Trade Tariffs
What are the consequences of the Trump administration's tariffs on foreign-made solar cells?
History of Solar Trade Tariffs
Import tariffs levied against Chinese solar products are nothing new. Based on an investigation in 2012, the International Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) determined that Chinese manufacturers received imbalanced subsidies from the Chinese government, and that U.S. manufacturers were subsequently harmed by the Chinese products being dumped on the U.S. market. The DOC accordingly set duties averaging 31 percent on solar products imported from China.
However, using a loophole in the final ruling, Chinese manufacturers circumvented the duties by importing cells manufactured in other countries, primarily Taiwan, and then assembling the modules in China. Following another petition and investigation, the loophole was closed with another round of import duties in 2014.
To continue expanding on this success, the government introduced a feed-in tariff (FIT) for solar PV for the first time in 2011, which remains the primary tool for encouraging domestic PV installations. The FIT legally established a set price at which renewable energy must be purchased from producers. The price is set higher than that of coal to encourage development. The implementation of the FIT has coincided with unprecedented domestic PV growth in China. When implemented in 2011, cumulative solar PV installations in China totaled 3.3 gigawatts (GW); by the end of 2016, China's installation total stood at 76.5 GW. The next year, China redefined the pace of PV deployment, installing 52.83 GW of solar PV in 2017 alone, accounting for over half of all solar installed worldwide that year.
Why the New Tariffs?
Interestingly enough, the two businesses that initially filed the petition for tariffs, Suniva and SolarWorld America, are foreign-owned companies, but have manufacturing operations in the United States. At the same time, the American company SunPower manufactures modules overseas, which are now subject to import tariffs. Due to the tariffs, SunPower announced plans to halt $20 million in planned American investments.
In terms of jobs, as of 2016, the U.S. solar industry employed just over 260,000 people. Well over half of these jobs are in the installation sector. With the manufacturing processes increasingly automated, the United States is home to just 2,000 solar cell and panel manufacturing jobs, yet the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) estimates that the new tariffs will cost the American solar industry 23,000 jobs.
What past experience tells us about the impact of new American solar tariffs
Solar tariffs are actually not new for the United States. In 2012, the Department of Commerce's International Trade Commission (ITC) issued a duty on solar cells from China. Later, in 2015, the ITC imposed another penalty on solar cells imported from Taiwan. The ITC claimed in both cases that an industry in the U.S. was being materially injured by imports of solar cells and modules from these countries. American manufacturers were hurt by falling prices of solar products as a result of a flood of Chinese solar products. Since 2011, numerous manufacturers including Solyndra, Helios USA, and BP Solar closed their U.S. production facilities.
Yet the tariffs imposed did not really save U.S. solar cell and module manufacturing from international market pressures. At this point, there are only 14 solar cell/module manufacturers in the U.S. A majority of solar cell and modules are now produced in Asia, with China as the leading (and most cost competitive) producer worldwide. The impact of American tariffs was insignificant partially because Chinese manufacturers could simply move their production to other Asian countries to avoid the tariffs. The tariffs on Taiwanese cells attempted to close this loophole, but the manufacturers still had many other options (such as Vietnam).
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, the average solar module price in China was 0.43 cents per watt in 2016, while it was 0.61 cents per watt in California, which was one of the highest averages among major markets. Therefore, despite its other flaws, the new tariff may simply be too low to drive existing U.S. manufacturers to greatly expand their capacity and thus to protect jobs. Second, although some foreign manufacturers have responded positively, the four-year duration of the tariff may limit its ability to attract significant investments of foreign manufacturers to build plants in the U.S.
In recent years, U.S. solar installation has grown rapidly, driven by the dramatically falling cost of solar products. In 2016, solar installation reached approximately 17 times of the installation in 2010. The new tariff would slow this rise. According to GTM Research, the tariff would result in a net reduction of 11 percent in U.S. solar installations from 2018 to 2022—reducing installations from an estimated 68.9 gigawatts to 61.3 gigawatts over the next five years.
This slower growth of low-carbon energy in one of the largest emitter countries is a critical concern, as it both reduces job growth and creates obstacles to the rapid pace of clean energy deployment needed to address climate and clean air challenges. Although Trump argues that this is designed to protect solar manufacturing jobs, the tariff is likely to help spur jobs in competing industries, like coal, whose economic viability has been threatened by the advent of rapidly declining costs for natural gas and solar energy.
A solar tariff is about not only domestic solar manufacturing, but also the entire solar industry, a low-carbon economy, and the global solar market. From this perspective, building a robust, competitive, and innovative business environment for the solar industry can pay more dividends than protecting a small part of the industry.
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If a person died while trying to save someone's life by an act of good citizenship or as a result of doing so, compensation may be granted to the deceased's dependants.
In Addition, funeral expenses may be reimbursed to the payer.
RescuerA person who, having reasonable cause to believe that the life of a person is in danger or that a person is in danger of bodily harm, benevolently comes to his or her assistance.
Depending on the age of the rescuer:
The Act to promote good citizenship has been in force since December 1977.