text:
WASHINGTON — Rep. Paul Ryan, the GOP's 2012 vice presidential candidate, voted for the "fiscal cliff" compromise that raised taxes on the wealthiest Americans. Republican Sens. Marco Rubio and Rand Paul voted against it. And Vice President Joe Biden helped broker the deal with GOP leaders in the Senate.
As Congress closed out its term this week, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie accused fellow Republicans of showing "callous indifference to the suffering of the people of my state" by not holding a vote on Superstorm Sandy aid. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo joined him in the rebuke.
And Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton drew headlines for a different reason after being hospitalized for a blood clot in her head, an illness that raised questions about the Democrat's political future.
While the next presidential primary voting is still three years away, the political implications of the actions and whereabouts of the potential field of 2016 candidates hung over extraordinary year-end Washington drama.
The fiscal cliff vote forced those in Congress who are eyeing presidential runs to stake out early positions which signal how they may be aligning themselves — and which could come back to haunt them should they move forward.
The intense legislative debate also gave would-be candidates involved in them an opportunity to command the spotlight while rivals were on the sidelines. And the weeks of gridlock over the looming fiscal cliff of big tax increases and spending cuts provided governors weighing bids a chance to cast themselves as outsiders and, perhaps, start building a case for taming Washington paralysis.
For Republican White House hopefuls in Congress, the votes on the compromise that raised taxes on the wealthiest Americans could help frame future presidential primary debates over the debt ceiling, tax code reforms and how to fund government and entitlement programs. The party has rejected tax increases for more than two decades but now finds itself trying to regroup after President Barack Obama's re-election and dealing with a struggle between Republicans who want to take a more pragmatic tax approach and tea party loyalists advocating a firm anti-tax position.
"The American people chose divided government. As elected officials, we have a duty to apply our principles to the realities of governing," Ryan said after joining with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, in support of the bill, putting him in the minority of the GOP caucus and against the tea party.
Ryan may be spared some political fallout from the right, given that Republican activist Grover Norquist, who for years has pushed GOP lawmakers to pledge not to raise taxes, and several other conservative heavyweights supported the bill, including Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn and Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, the former head of the anti-tax Club for Growth.
Two other potential 2016 presidential candidates drew praise from conservative opponents of the measure for voting to refuse tax increases.
Rubio, a prominent Hispanic lawmaker in a party trying to connect with Latino voters, called the legislation an impediment to "rapid economic growth and job creation." The Florida senator also said it failed to control runaway debt. Paul, the son of GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul, opposed the bill because of the combination of spending and tax increases. The Kentucky senator said: "We're going to raise taxes and we're going to raise spending. Tell me what's good about that?"
On the Democratic side, Biden played a major role in the deal-making, with his late-night talks with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell leading to the compromise plan. It was a reminder of the former Delaware senator's legislative skills, which could either impress Democratic primary voters or anger liberals who may view the deal as too much of a compromise with Republicans.
As the vice president helped broker a deal, it was hard for Democrats to overlook where Clinton, the party's formidable potential contender, was: She revealed she was being treated in a New York hospital for a blood clot in her head that formed after she suffered a concussion during a fainting spell in early December. She was released from the hospital Wednesday and doctors said they were confident she would make a full recovery. But the extended illness made it more likely that Clinton, 65, would face scrutiny over her health should she run.
Beyond Washington, two prominent Northeast governors weighed in on Congress' year-end wrangling, and wasted little time assailing the House GOP leadership over hurricane relief.
Christie said his state had been betrayed by his fellow Republicans in the House, who refused to bring a Superstorm Sandy aid package to a vote, adding, "America deserves better than just another example of a government that has forgotten who they are there to serve and why."
Cuomo, a Democrat long considered by party insiders to be a possible White House candidate, issued a joint statement with Christie condemning the "inaction and indifference" by the House. "The people of our states can no longer afford to wait while politicians in Washington play games," they said. House Republicans said after Christie's blistering news conference that they would hold a vote Friday for $9 billion for the national flood insurance program and another on Jan. 15 for a remaining $51 billion in the relief package.
It's impossible to say whether this week's votes and comments will become 2016 campaign fodder. But they certainly give hints about how possible candidates are testing the waters — and how their positions are faring with certain parts of the electorate.
"It strikes me that Ryan is thinking he wants to be the establishment candidate," said Doug Gross, an Iowa Republican who chaired Mitt Romney's 2008 campaign in the state. Conservatives may agree — and not look kindly on that. As Erick Erickson, a conservative commentator and the editor of RedState.com, put it on Twitter, "Thus ends the Paul Ryan 2016 Presidential Exploratory Committee."
Still, some Republicans dismissed any fallout from their candidates' votes.
"I don't ultimately think this one vote will hurt any of them," said Sara Taylor Fagen, a Republican strategist. "But to some degree it probably forecasts their voting patterns for the future."


text:
Out of It.
on 30/04/2017
at 12:00 am
Chapter: Center Lane
Characters: Kyle Stiles, Stacy
Location: David's and Kyle's Apartment, Stacy's Apartment
Fine time for you to get sick, David!
Center Lane #1 and #2 are now available for sale online at IndyPlanet.
We do have a Facebook page, believe it or not, and now even on Google+, and announcements also appear on Twitter.
Can't wait for the next update? View the next update before it's posted here with a vote on Top Webcomics.
And if you wish to help us financially, we do have a Patreon campaign underway, which includes a potential for sneak peeks and previews at various scripts and writing.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Find a Faux Finisher in Fountaintown, Indiana
Give us a few details and we'll match you with the right pro.
Top 10 Faux Finisher Professionals near
Faux Finishes // Indiana // FountaintownWe couldn't find any matches for this location.
It seems like there's nothing to display in this area. Please try searching in a different location or using alternative search terms to find what you're looking for. If you need assistance, feel free to reach out to our support team for help!


text:
Symbian freeware Hack Proof Password Manager | Pocket PC freeware � Palm freeware � BlackBerry Download |
� Free Symbian software apps! More than 2000 free Symbian s60 3rd and 5th edition freeware games, themes and apps for your Nokia phone. Enhance your Nokia phone with wireless tools, mobile email, themes and skins plus hundreds of mobile games, utilities and GPS software for Symbian S60 smartphones. Load free apps on your Nokia n97, X6, XpressMusic 5800, Satio and Vivaz Pro phone! |


text:
ID | Description | Episode |
9 | A past, present and future version of the Enterprise-D come together to repair a time/anti time anomaly accidentally created by Picard. Two of the ships are destroyed sealing the time rift - it's not clear if the third one is destroyed just as it finishes the job, or if it actually survives the process. In any case Q undoes all the damage afterwards. | All Good Things |
10 | After a quantum duplicate of Voyager is created, the duplicate ship is destroyed by its captain. | Deadlock |
18 | After an accident, O'Brien finds himself jumping periodically into the future. In one of the futures that he visits, Deep Space Nine is destroyed by a Romulan Warbird. Fortunately he is able to warn his stationmates in the past and the destruction is avoided. | Visionary |
12 | Another spectacular death for Voyager as the ship crashes into a planet after testing an advanced Slipstream drive, killing all aboard. Harry and Chakotay, aboard the Delta Flyer at the time, eventually manage to alter the past to allow the Starship to survive. | Timeless |
11 | In an alternate timeline created by the Krenim, Voyager struggles through a year of disastrous battles. Janeway finally faces the Krenim timeship and rams it in one of the most spectacular Starship destructions we have ever seen. The resulting temporal incursion restores the original timeline. | Year of Hell, Part 2 |
19 | In an alternate timeline the Xindi attack the NX-01, inflicting massive damage on the ship. As Xindi troops beam aboard, Archer, T'Pol and Phlox overload the engines to destroy the ship. This kills temporal parasites infecting Archer, which restores the timeline to normal. | Twilight |
5 | In an alternate timeline, the battleship Enterprise-D is part of a Federation war with the Klingons. Although we don't quite see the ship destroyed, it's pretty clear that it is about to fall to the Klingons. | Yesterday's Enterprise |
4 | In the log of a shuttle thrown back in time from a few hours in the future, the Enterprise-D is seen being destroyed. This is avoided when Picard takes some unorthodox action during the subsequent emergency. | Time Squared |
6 | In the mother of all ship-destroying episodes, we see the Enterprise-D destroyed no less than four times in a repeating time loop. The crew's building sense of deja-vu eventually enables them to send a message to the next loop warning themselves of the coming destruction and so breaking the pattern. | Cause and Effect |
8 | In this episode a quantum rupture creates a fleet of thousands of Enterprise-D's from parallel universes. One ship tries to stop the rupture being repaired so it can avoid its own Borg-dominated universe. The ship is fired upon by another Enterprise-D, and is so weakened from fighting the Borg that it is destroyed. | Parallels |
2 | Kirk destroys the original Enterprise using the auto destruct system. This one is for real folks, and still brings a tear to my eye when I watch it. | Star Trek III : The Search for Spock |
17 | The Defiant is paralysed by the Breen energy dampening weapon, and subsequently takes a huge pounding. In another all too real death scene the ship is blown apart by a salvo of torpedoes. | The Changing Face of Evil |
16 | The Defiant penetrates an energy field surrounding a planet, only to discover that on leaving it will be thrown into the past and crashland back on the planet. Although Sisko decides to proceed with the crash in order to preserve the timeline and keep the descendants of the crash in existence, Odo sabotages the ship in order to avoid the accident and so save Kira's life. | Children of Time |
7 | The E-D is found frozen in time with a warp core breach underway. The ship is destroyed when time resumes, then un-destroyed as time is run backwards again to just before the accident. Picard, Data and Troi manage to prevent the breach this time around. | Timescape |
3 | The Enterprise-D star drive section is vapourised by a core breach. The saucer crashes on Viridian III and is considered unsalvageable. Another permanent end to a ship that gave us some of the greatest adventures ever. | Star Trek : Generations |
13 | The replica crew created from metallic Deuterium in "Demon" apparently created a copy of Voyager also. But a modified warp drive causes the Deuterium to destabilise, and eventually Voyager is destroyed with all hands. | Course: Oblivion |
20 | The Tholians encase the Mirror NX-01 in a web, then batter her until she explodes. | In A Mirror, Darkly |
15 | This is a tricky one - although Bashir's meddling in the past prevents the formation of the Federation as so ensures that "Deep Space Nine" would never exist, it's quite possible that Terok Nor would continue to exist. This alteration would also presumably wipe out all the Enterprises, Voyager, etc. | Past Tense, Part 1 |
14 | Voyager is destroyed by a temporal weapon planted by a future timecop, Braxton. Another version of Braxton recruits Seven of Nine to meddle in history and save the ship. | Relativity |
1 | When Dr. McCoy alters Earth's past, the Federation is wiped from history along with the Enterprise. Technically this would wipe out the Enterprise-D and Voyager as well. | The City on the Edge of Forever |
Canon source | Backstage source | Novel source | DITL speculation |
© Graham & Ian Kennedy | Page views : 243,804 | Last updated : 22 Apr 2024 |


text:
- Habiru
- Sumerian term for refugees of various races scattered round the Fertile Crescent from about 2900 to 1200 BCE. The Tell el-Amarna letters found in 1887 at a town on the River Nile, were sent to the Pharaohs in the 15–14th cents. BCE from Egyptian governors in Palestine; they mention hostile incursions of the Habiru, whom some archaeologists identified as the Hebrews of the Exodus [[➝ Exodus, the]]. But the hypothesis has the difficulty that Jerusalem, from which one of the letters was sent, was not taken by the Hebrews until its capture by David in c.1000 BCE.The term is now thought to be a description of a social rather than an ethnic group.
Dictionary of the Bible.


text:
With AirPort Time Capsule, you get a super-fast Wi-Fi base station and an easy-to-use backup device all in one. And backing up your data couldn't be simpler. Just set it up once and AirPort Time Capsule does the rest. It works with Time Machine in OS X to back up your Mac automatically and wirelessly, so you never have to worry about losing anything important again. Every photo. Every file. Every song. Even your apps and OS X settings are saved. AirPort Time Capsule stores it all — up to 2TB or 3TB of data.1
We've built a faster time machine.
AirPort Time Capsule is designed to partner seamlessly with Time Machine in OS X Leopard or later to protect your data. They work together smartly so that after the initial backup, only the files you've changed are backed up — automatically, wirelessly, and in the background. Since Time Machine continuously makes a copy of everything on your Mac — and saves multiple versions — you can easily access and restore previous versions of a single file, a folder, or even your entire Mac. And with an all-new design and ultra-fast 802.11ac Wi-Fi, backing up to AirPort Time Capsule is up to 50 per cent faster than before.2
A backup plan for your Mac.
Actually, all your Macs.
Have multiple Mac computers in your home or office? AirPort Time Capsule can back up and store files for each Mac on your wireless network. No longer do you have to attach an external drive to each Mac every time you want to back up. AirPort Time Capsule spares you the work. Your computers are always backed up — automatically and wirelessly.
More than enough space to go round.
AirPort Time Capsule is your one place for backing up everything. Its massive 2TB or 3TB hard drive gives you all the capacity and safety you need. So whether you have 250 songs or 250,000 songs to back up, room is the last thing you'll run out of.
802.11ac. The new definition of fast.
More than just a wireless hard drive, AirPort Time Capsule is also a fully featured Wi-Fi base station with the latest three-stream 802.11ac technology. Now you can reach data rates of up to 1.3 Gbps3 — triple the previous 802.11n standard. Which means up to three times faster Wi-Fi.4 You also get double the channel bandwidth, with 80MHz-wide channels providing more room for more data to flow faster than ever. And if you have 802.11a/b/g/n devices, AirPort Time Capsule maximises that connection as well. What you do with all that extra speed is up to you.
Simultaneous dual-band support.
AirPort Time Capsule features simultaneous dual-band 802.11ac Wi‑Fi. That means it transmits at both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies at the same time. So no matter which band your wireless devices use, they'll automatically connect to the best available band for the fastest possible performance.
Beamforming puts the focus on your device.
With 802.11ac technology comes the intelligent, powerful beamforming antenna array. Most base station antennas emit an equal and constant Wi-Fi signal in all directions. But the beamforming antenna array is smarter — it knows where an 802.11ac device is on the network. Then AirPort Time Capsule targets its signal to that device. So your Wi-Fi signal is stronger, clearer and faster.
- 98mm
- 168mm
A top-down approach to design.
For the all-new design of AirPort Time Capsule, we took an approach that centred on performance. We made it taller and put the antennas at the top, creating a higher platform for dispersing the signal. We also increased the number of antennas. There are now six of them — three for the 2.4GHz band and three for the 5GHz band. Together with 802.11ac wireless technology, they let you connect faster, farther, and with more power than ever before. The bar for Wi-Fi base stations has been raised. In every way.
Smaller footprint. More desk space.
The new vertical design not only improves Wi-Fi performance, it also saves you valuable desk space. At less than 10 centimetres square, the footprint of AirPort Time Capsule is 75 per cent smaller than its predecessor. And to keep everything tidy, even the power supply is built in. Which means AirPort Time Capsule takes up no more space than it should.
With AirPort Time Capsule, getting your new Wi-Fi network up and running takes less time — and less effort — than making a cup of tea. That's because a setup assistant is built into iOS and into AirPort Utility for OS X. As soon as you plug in your AirPort Time Capsule and connect it to your DSL or cable modem, you can follow the simple instructions on your Mac or iOS device. There are no complicated steps to follow and no obscure terminology to learn. The setup assistant does all the work, so you don't have to.
Manage your Wi-Fi network from your
iOS device or Mac.
Once your network is set up, AirPort Utility for iOS and OS X lets you manage and monitor it from your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch or Mac. Your AirPort Time Capsule — along with other AirPort base stations you have connected — appears graphically onscreen, so you can see your settings at a glance, make changes, apply updates and more.
Get online safely and securely.
AirPort Time Capsule includes a built-in firewall that creates a barrier between your network and the Internet, protecting your data from malicious attacks. When you set up AirPort Time Capsule, the firewall is automatically turned on, so you don't have to do a thing. Except enjoy the web with peace of mind.
Put out the Wi-Fi welcome mat for guests.
With the guest networking feature, you can set up a separate Wi-Fi network just for guests. Use a different password or no password at all. A guest network allows access only to the Internet, so your primary network — including any external hard drive, printer or other LAN-attached device — remains secure.
Connect to Wi-Fi from any device.
Mac. PC. iPhone. iPad. Apple TV. Really, any Wi-Fi-enabled device you have will work with AirPort Time Capsule. That's because it's compatible with devices using the 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n and 802.11ac specifications.
Go the wired route if you want.
AirPort Time Capsule includes three Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports for fast wired connectivity with a desktop computer, network drive, DVR or other device.
Meet the entire AirPort family.
AirPort Express makes it easy to set up or extend a wireless
network anywhere. Need more speed? AirPort Extreme gives you up to 3x
faster Wi-Fi. And for automatic wireless backup of up to 3TB of data,
choose AirPort Time Capsule.


text:
- Sign-in
Your PointsSign-in
Your Points
Everybody requires comfortable dress pants in their wardrobe, but it can be hard for taller guys to find something relaxing and fashionable at an affordable price. Fortunately, Kmart has all sorts of trendy big and tall pants that fit your body and budget. We carry a wide variety of big and tall dress pants from top brands like Timber Creek, Basic Editions and Farah suited for almost any situation.
Whether you're enjoying a date at a five-star restaurant or giving a major presentation at the office, big and tall pants always come in handy. Kmart has a large selection of comfy plus size dress pants available in pleated or flat front styles. Looking for something a bit more casual? Match a pair of khaki pants shorts with a nice polo or button-up shirt.
A pair of big and tall pants or jeans should not only be comfortable, but it should also suit your taste. From pleated to flat fronts, choose from the designs that fit your style. Consider regular and flex waist pants in darker colors like black, gray or navy blue to create a classy look.
It's essential that your new pair of pants look stylish and provide the right kind of comfort. Kmart has a large collection of high-quality big and tall pants for any closet. Whether it's outerwear or shirts, we have you covered when shopping for all types of big and tall clothing.


text:
In our modern society, people aren't given enough time to grieve their losses. The pressures of work and financial concerns both can bring the bereaved back into the workplace far too soon.
Having a permanent place - in a cemetery, mausoleum, or cremation garden - that can be visited regularly by family and friends is an essential part of the time following a death. Such a location is a focal point of memorialization. It provides a consistent place to go to remember your loved one, and to commemorate important occasions. It can help to make a birthday or anniversary less painful.
A permanent place to reflect on your loved one becomes a way of connecting to a family's past. Visiting the resting place of grandparents or great-grandparents can anchor children to their personal history.
You are welcome to call us any time of the day, any day of the week, for immediate assistance. Or, visit our funeral home in person at your convenience.


text:
I can't believe I finally made this cake! The recipe had been in my kitchen forever. I was about to rename it "Fight Club cake"- I have tried to watch that movie hundreds of times but never got around to do it. I've rented it over and over again, but for a number of reasons I always had to take it back before getting to the end. I've tried watching it on cable, too, with no success. And the funny thing is that I absolutely love the director – one of the few guys that can make Brad Pitt play someone else other than himself – and Edward Norton is one of my true favorites. What's wrong with me?? :)
It's a pity that the cake is long gone. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll try watching "Fight Club" again. For the 8th time. :)
Banana almond cake
65g unsalted butter, room temperature
60g sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 ½ tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon rum
100g almond meal
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon (packed) corn flour
2-3 large bananas
1 tablespoon lemon juice
juice of ½ lemon
1 tablespoon rum
½ tablespoons honey
confectioners' sugar, to serve
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF.
Butter a 10x23cm* loaf pan and flour the insides, tapping out the excess.
Sift the almond meal and flour together three times. Set aside.
With an electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat well. Add the eggs, gradually. Add the cream and rum. Beat to incorporate.
Fold in the sifted ingredients with a rubber spatula. Pour into prepared pan.
Peel and cut the bananas into 3-4 pieces each; "stick" them into the cake batter, keeping the pieces standing – there should be half an inch of banana out of the cake batter, or so.
Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean.
Mix well all the ingredients for the syrup.
Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes; unmold and drizzle with the syrup.
Dust with confectioners' sugar when serving.
* I used a 10x26cm pan
Serves 6


text:
In this post, we'll take a look at what an electric smoker is, how it differs from traditional models, and the benefits and drawbacks of using one.What is a BBQ Electric Smoker? https://drelectricsmoker.com/best-electric-smoker-under-500/
Review: Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray player
Key Features |
$499 oppodigital.com |
• 3D-capable • Plays SACD/DVD-Audio discs • Outputs DSD over HDMI • Decodes FLAC • Streams Netflix and Blockbuster Video on Demand • DLNA certified/streams audio, video, photos from networked computers • Wi-Fi-ready (comes with wireless adapter) • Subtitle shift feature for 2.35:1 projection screens • Connections: (2) HDMI; component- and composite-video; optical and coaxial digital and 7.1-channel analog audio; (2) USB, e-SATA, and LAN ports; RS-232C port and IR input • 16 x 12.2 x 3.1 in / 10.8 lb |
With A/V streaming gaining ground on packaged media, those shiny plastic discs that arrive regularly in your mailbox might soon become a thing of the past. Physical formats like Blu-ray and CD are likely to stick around for at least a few years; even so, it's probably time to put some thought into what machine you'll use to play your disc collection in the future. Instead of maintaining multiple players, doesn't it make sense to own just one that can handle any media you throw at it? Also, since we're talking about the long haul here, shouldn't you buy a sturdy model that's unlikely to break down after a few short years of service?
Oppo's new 3D-compatible BDP-93 fits the bill on both counts. Its rugged metal case and brushed aluminum faceplate distinguish it from the bulk of other new Blu-ray players, most of which are comparatively flimsy. And along with Blu-ray and DVD, its long list of compatible disc types includes CD, SACD, and DVD-Audio. The only other thing you could ask for would be region-free DVD playback — a capability (as long as you knew the remote-code hack) of some previous Oppo players that the BDP-93 lacks.
In addition to playing discs, the Oppo is set to play FLAC, WAV, MP3, and AAC music files, and AVCHD, MPEG-4, DivX, and MKV video ones stored on a connected USB or e-SATA drive. It can also pull them over your wired or wireless home network from computers running UPnP software like Windows Media player or Twonky Media Server. Supported streaming services include Netflix and Blockbuster Video on Demand — a limited selection compared with other BD players, although those two combined should meet the video-streaming needs of most users.
Another thing that the BDP-93 has going for it is a set of dual HDMI ports on its back panel. These will come in handy if you have an older A/V receiver that lacks HDMI 1.4 connections (required to pass Blu-ray 3D signals): Just run a direct HDMI hookup to a 3D TV along with a second connection to your receiver to feed it lossless Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks. Other useful connections include a 7.1-channel analog audio output and an RS-232C port for a home control system.
A rugged player should have a rugged remote, and the Oppo's met my expectations. Its button count is high, but the keypad is fully backlit and the controls are large and logically arranged. Highlights include a dedicated key to change video output resolution and a Pure Audio key that switches off most video circuits when you're listening to music.
Oppo gets props for its well written, informative, and printed owner's manual — an increasing rarity with CE products. I also appreciated the black carrying bag and accessory storage box that came packaged with the player, not to mention the free HDMI cable.


text:
Federal budget cuts began Friday evening with President Barack Obama ordering $85 billion in federal spending reductions.
WASHINGTON — Gridlocked once more, President Barack Obama and Republican congressional leaders refused to budge in their budget standoff Friday as $85 billion in across-the-board spending cuts bore down on individual Americans and the nation's still-recovering economy. "None of this is necessary," said the president after a sterile White House meeting that portended a long standoff.
Obama formally enacted the reductions a few hours before the midnight deadline required by law. Yet their impact had been felt thousands of miles away well before then. In Seattle, the King County Housing Authority announced it had stopped issuing housing vouchers under a federal program that benefits "elderly or disabled households, veterans, and families with children."
The president met with top lawmakers for less than an hour at the White House, then sought repeatedly to fix the blame on Republicans for the broad spending reductions and any damage that they inflict. "They've allowed these cuts to happen because they refuse to budge on closing a single wasteful loophole to help reduce the deficit," he said, renewing his demand for a comprehensive deficit-cutting deal that includes higher taxes.
Republicans said they wanted deficit cuts, too, but not tax increases. "The president got his tax hikes on Jan. 1," House Speaker John Boehner told reporters, a reference to a $600 billion increase on higher wage earners that cleared Congress on the first day of the year. Now, he said after the meeting, it is time take on "the spending problem here in Washington."
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was equally emphatic. "I will not be part of any back-room deal, and I will absolutely not agree to increase taxes," he vowed in a written statement.
At the same time that they clashed, Obama and Republicans appeared determined to contain their disagreement.
Boehner said the House will pass legislation next week to extend routine funding for government agencies beyond the current March 27 expiration. "I'm hopeful that we won't have to deal with the threat of a government shutdown while we're dealing with the sequester at the same time," he said, referring to the new cuts by their Washington-speak name.
Obama said he, too, wanted to keep the two issues separate.
The Pentagon will absorb half of the $85 billion required to be sliced between now and the end of the budget year on Sept. 30, exposing civilian workers to furloughs and defense contractors to possible cancellations. Said Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, only a few days on the job, "We will continue to ensure America's security" despite the challenge posed by an "unnecessary budget crisis."
The administration also has warned of long lines at airports as security personnel are furloughed, of teacher layoffs in some classrooms and adverse impacts on maintenance at the nation's parks.
The announcement by the housing agency in Seattle was an early indication of what is likely to be hit as the cuts take effect. the agency said it was taking the action "to cope with the impending reduction in federal funding," adding that it normally issues 45 to 50 housing vouchers per month.
After days of dire warnings by administration officials, the president told reporters the effects of the cuts would be felt only gradually.
"The longer these cuts remain in place, the greater the damage to our economy — a slow grind that will intensify with each passing day," he said. Much of the budget savings will come through unpaid furloughs for government workers, and those won't begin taking effect until next month.
Obama declined to say if he bore any of the responsibility for the coming cuts, and expressed bemusement at any suggestion he had the ability to force Republicans to agree with him.
"I am not a dictator. I'm the president," he said. "So, ultimately, if Mitch McConnell or John Boehner say we need to go to catch a plane, I can't have Secret Service block the doorway, right?" He also declared he couldn't perform a "Jedi mind meld" to sway opponents, mixing "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" as he reached for a science-fiction metaphor.
Neither the president nor Republicans claimed to like what was about to happen. Obama called the cuts "dumb," and GOP lawmakers have long said they were his idea in the first place.
Ironically, the cuts derive from a budget dispute they were supposed to help resolve back in the fall of 2011. At the time, a congressional supercommittee was charged with identifying at least $1.2 trillion in deficit savings over a decade as part of an attempt to avoid a first-ever government default. The president and Republicans agreed to create a fallback of that much in across-the-board cuts, designed to be so unpalatable that it would virtually assure the panel struck a deal.
The supercommittee dissolved in disagreement, though. And while Obama and Republicans agreed to a two-month delay last January, there was no bipartisan negotiation in recent days to prevent the first installment of the cuts from taking effect.
It isn't clear how long they will last.
Of particular concern to lawmakers in both parties is a lack of flexibility in the allocation of cuts due to take effect over the next few months. That problem will ease beginning with the new budget year on Oct. 1, when Congress and the White House will be able to negotiate changes in the way the reductions are made.
For his part, Obama suggested he was content to leave the cuts in place until Republicans change their minds about raising taxes by closing loopholes.
"If Congress comes to its senses a week from now, a month from now, three months from now, then there's a lot of open running room there for us to grow our economy much more quickly and to advance the agenda of the American people dramatically," he said.
"So this is a temporary stop on what I believe is the long-term, outstanding prospect for American growth and greatness."
But Republicans say they are on solid political ground. At a retreat in January in Williamsburg, Va., GOP House members reversed course and decided to approve a debt limit increase without demanding cuts. They also agreed not to provoke a government shutdown, another traditional pressure point, as leverage to force Obama and Democrats to accept savings in benefit programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
Obama has said repeatedly he's willing to include benefit programs in deficit-cutting legislation — as long as more tax revenue is part of the deal.
"I am prepared to do hard things and to push my Democratic friends to do hard things," he said at the White House on Friday.
Republicans speak dismissively of such pledges, saying that in earlier negotiations, the president has never been willing to close a deal with the type of changes he often says he will accept.
Associated Press writers Robert Burns, Andrew Taylor, Jim Kuhnhenn and Darlene Superville in Washington and Manuel Valdes in Seattle contributed to this story.


text:
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Ought we to pray for young children who have died?
47 comments:
I think that the area here which is difficult is not the theology, but the individual. Certainly, a child of one or two years who has been validly baptized and has died is in Heaven. The difficulty is how we set the age of reason. The age of seven is our benchmark, but difficulties arise when one has a particularly precocious child or one who seems to develop more quickly. This is becoming more of an issue as children develop faster, too. You don't have to look too far to see that children of today are physically more developed at an earlier age than children of a century ago. I am pretty ignorant of medicine, but I presume that this affects the mind, too.
I am interested to read what you would say to the parents of a child of six years who had not yet made their first Confession but seemed very capable of sin. While we would use white vestments for the funeral, would you still counsel parents against praying for their child? I know ho I would answer this question, but I am curious about how you would answer it.
Kind regards,
Father S. - November 23, 2011 at 7:28 AM
- Marko Ivančičević said...
What about aborted children? Can we consider them some sort of martyrs?
Also, what about if parents wanted to baptize the child? Could it be counted as baptism of desire since all children are baptized on behalf of their parent's faith? - November 23, 2011 at 7:43 AM
Thank you, Father, for discussing this and the related topics (i.e. Limbo) in such a coherently orthodox way. Though not dogmatic, it seems to me that so much of our traditional theology can be seen, in a microcosm of sorts, to hinge on this subject.
I've read the 2006 ITC paper and various modern apologia for the rejection of the limbus puerorum and find them all patently unconvincing, precisely because they have so very little support in the theological tradition of the Church.
Basically, at least from what I've read, the rejection of Limbo boils down to nouvelle theologie fuzzy theology (which should itself be anathematized and cast into the outer darkness, but I digress...) and plain old emotionalism.
Again, thank you Father for taking this issue on. - November 23, 2011 at 10:42 AM
- CM7 said...
Fr. Ryan,
If, for instance, a child is aborted before birth with no sacramental baptism, what would be the victory for Satan if the child attained Heaven, or even limbo? It seems like abortion is prevalent because of evil, so if this heinous act did not result in the spiritual death of the child, then Satan would gain nothing by actively pushing it into our societies. Can you comment a little on this?
Pax Christi - November 23, 2011 at 12:51 PM
- Kuba said...
Would it then make sense to baptise children in the womb to ensure they go straight to heaven in case of miscarriage or still birth?
What about those that are miscarried in a very early stages of pregnancy before the mother even realises she conceived? - November 23, 2011 at 12:55 PM
- Mick Jagger Gathers No Mosque said...
Excellent, Father. That cleared-up a dilemma for me when I, wrongly, wrote to another that I would pray for his young one who died before being Baptised.
I was so moved when I read his story that seemed a natural response; which is why Holy Mother Church is so vital and necessary - because our natural reason/emotions often need correction by Catholic Doctrine.
Your explanation is so clear that it is a real act of compassion towards your readers.
P.S. Why hasn't the Magisterium appointed you to be on the CDF? - November 23, 2011 at 1:52 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@Father S,
Yes, the question of "age of reason" is very difficult -- personally, I prefer to speak of child who have not yet "attained to the use of reason"; rather than of children "under the age of reason"; so as to avoid the tendency of thinking of 7 years as "magical".
I do agree with you that, for many children, reason comes before the age of 7 -- perhaps often around 6 or (rarely) even 5.
Still, I have had a number of first confessions (for kids about 7 years old) wherein it was not entirely clear that they had yet attained to the use of reason -- at least not sufficiently enough to sin and be contrite.
Regarding your particular example ... I am thinking that I would indeed use white vestments, and celebrate the Funeral of a baptized child (rather than that of an adult).
I probably would recommend praying for the child as well ... since, it seems at least reasonably possible that he may have committed some sin (since he may indeed have already attained to the use of reason).
In case of a real doubt, better to presume purgatory and offer prayers. (What do you think?)
Peace to you! + - November 23, 2011 at 2:44 PM
There is an interesting article in the November 2011 Homiletic & Pastoral Review by Professor Stephen Hildebrand at Steubenville, entitled "An Argument for hope: On the Salvation of Children who Die without Baptism".
Some of his key points which argue for hope for unbaptized infants are these:
Two premises:
-- God offers salvation to unbaptized infants, a direct implication of God's universal salvific will; and
-- The Church has the ability to desire on behalf of an infant.
-- The key question in the salvation of unbaptized infants is whether or not God offers them salvation. If we are confident that he does, then we can be confident of our ability to accept the offer on behalf of the child. In infant baptism, God offers salvation and the Church accepts it on their behalf....If God wants every single human person to be saved (1 Tim 2:4), then it stands to reason that he would offer salvation to every single human person. In the case of the unbaptized child, the Church can supply the acceptance.
"When Christian parents pray for the gift of baptism for their child, born or unborn, they are giving voice in themselves both to their faith in God's love of their child, and to the Church's desire for a saving baptism for her. They pray to him who commanded, 'let the children come to me' that he will let their child come to him."
Thanks, Fr Michael - November 23, 2011 at 2:46 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
It is possible that the children who die without sacramental baptism do go to heaven ... The great Thomist, Cardinal Cajetan held that they received a baptism of desire by virtue of their parents' desire.
Personally, I think that the case for a parent who wants to have their child baptized is stronger than the case of children who die from abortion -- but it is an open question.
On the whole, I lean toward the idea of limbo.
Still, the real point here is that these children cannot be in purgatory (one way or the other) ... hence, we do not pray for them.
Hope that is clearer.
Peace to you! + - November 23, 2011 at 2:47 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
I agree with your assessment of the current situation of theology.
Let us pray for a renewal! + - November 23, 2011 at 2:47 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
Some did once advocate baptisms in the womb ... but the Church does not favor of this practice.
St. Thomas was against it: (ST III, q.68, a.11) http://www.newadvent.org/summa/4068.htm#article11
His basic answer is that they are not yet "in the world" so as to be subjects of the sacraments ... however, I'm not so sure that I am comfortable with that reasoning (especially given the tendency of modern society to deny the humanity of the unborn).
Regarding miscarried children ... I would say that they are in the same situation as others who die before baptism.
Perhaps the parents have a "habitual" desire to baptize which could suffice for a baptism of desire. I, however, am not convinced and would tend to think that limbo is more likely.
Still, what I want to emphasize is that these children are perfectly happy for all eternity (either in heaven or in limbo [with perfect natural happiness]) ... they cannot be in purgatory, and do not need our prayers.
Great question! I hope that the article from St. Thomas is clear enough. + - November 23, 2011 at 2:54 PM
- Chatto said...
Another excellent post Father.
Regarding the sainthood of the deceased baptised child, I'm wondering whether this means they can be honoured as a saint? I suppose what I'm imagining would be a small 'saintly' image in the iconographic style, and the bereaved family invoking their blessed family member after a family Rosary or something. I'm not talking about churches being dedicated to them!
I only ask because I've never heard of this being done, but it seems reasonable enough to me, at least in the domestic sketch above. What do you think? - November 23, 2011 at 3:12 PM
- Tammy said...
I am a nurse who specialized in Perinatal Death (death just before or after birth) and I am also a practicing Catholic, so I have a very practical interest in this topic.
I have baptized more babies than I can remember and of those, the number who survived is zero. In the hospital, it is considered bad form to even bring up baptism unless a death is imminent (it is feared parents will thing we gave up on their child). Please know that baptisms by MDs & RNs are RARE in secular hospitals and I've seen plenty of Hospital Chaplains leave it fully unmentioned. Im a bit of an oddball in that I bring up baptism and am willing to do it.
Catholic parents need to keep in mind that they may be their child's ONLY advocate in getting baptized and we need to properly teach adults to baptize in cases of imminent death. Every year 25,000 babies born alive will die, most in the first 28 days of life, so this is not a wild rare event. My Church has started including content on emergency baptism in Marriage prep.
One wonderful Priest in our Diocese teaches about this topic every year at the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord. He even uses a doll to demonstrate I would LOVE to see more Priests do that!. He told me once he was thinking of stopping this practice and I begged him not to stop.
I have known of Catholic babies who died unbaptized because the Catholic grandma was waiting for the Priest to arrive...we need to know our faith well enough to know not to wait.
Satan won a skirmish when he tricked so many people into believing that infant baptism is not necessary because "they didnt hurt anybody". While I think that is a nice idea, as you well describe, it doesnt hold theological water. Even though I know those babies dont go to Hell, Im sure that baptized babies that die are blessed by our obedience to do as we were told.
As for Baptism of desire, I believe that an ardent sincere intention to baptize prevented only by death before birth or logistics is blessed & acknowledged by God.
I would love to give classes to Priests/Seminarians / Deacons in my diocese, Ive got years and years of experience in this area and their flock will be very needy. So far my attempts to communicate to Diocesean Educators have been ignored. - November 23, 2011 at 7:40 PM
I believe God is not bound by our sacraments. If a baby is born and the parents plan to get him baptized, but he dies suddenly, I don't believe God would not allow that baby into heaven because of some technicality. And what a horrible thing to tell the parents!
- November 23, 2011 at 9:25 PM
Hi Fr.,
Your main assertion is that infants cannot be in purgatory because purgatory is only to purify from actual sins. Is there a reason theological or biblical to preclude the notion that purgatory exists primarily to purify, and that therefore it could also be a purpose of purgatory to cleanse souls of original sin? If that could be established, it would seem that unbaptized infants could go to purgatory.
yan - November 23, 2011 at 10:29 PM
Satan doesn't love abortion because the babies go to Hell. Satan loves abortion because it turns mothers into murderers, and doctors into assassins.
- November 23, 2011 at 11:45 PM
- Marko Ivančičević said...
Thank you Father.
Much clearer now.
+ - November 24, 2011 at 12:28 AM
My 3.5 year old son died tragically 6/8/2007 in a sail boating accident followed by 15 days it took to find him and recover him from the bottom of the lake where he and I were sailing.
(the absence of a childs love I believe is very similar to the absence of Gods love, or what we call hell).
My wife was 5 months pregnant with Thomas J. Dorchak at the time of Joshua's death.
Joshua was found the instant my Priest Fr. Robert Morey blessed the waters of lake Jocassee. It was a miracale as they were to give up looking that morning.
The Mass of the Angels was said for my Joshua. The first fully Latin Mass of the Angels said in 40years in SC. There were actually 4 Masses of the Angels said. I hear there is no limit.
My then Bishop Robert Baker (now in Birmingham AL.) and no less then 6 Priests told me that since Joshua was baptized and innocent, that he is considered by The Church an INSTANT Saint, in heaven sitting beside Christ's right hand.
I know Joshua is in Heaven,(the Church has told me unerringly that he is in heaven) so therefore I ask for him to pray for us! Especially for those little babys who were aborted, and for lost children and their parents.
God gave me Joshua as a gift. God took Joshua from me as a gift. It is not for me to know or wonder why, just to have faith that Jesus knows what is best for me and you. I think God knows what he is doing.
Saint Joshua pray for us!
To you an your families: Happy thanks giving. We all have much for which to be thankful
Jim Dorchak
Boiling Springs South Carolina - November 24, 2011 at 6:52 AM
- Jay said...
This is a very thought-provoking post, especially since I wrote on the subject myself recently - thank you. I think I will read and think some more about this issue...
- November 24, 2011 at 8:05 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
I've wondered about this myself ... we are theologically certain that they are in heaven, after all.
Well, I can see one reason, at least, why we do not canonize baptized children who have died: They did not (were not able to) live lives of heroic virtue, and hence are not really examples for us.
Further, it would seem that they would not have a strong intercessory power for the Church militant generally, since they did not (could not) merit any increase in grace or glory, and would therefore not be one of the great intercessors in heaven - though, I believe, they can certainly intercede for their immediate family at least.
Peace! + - November 24, 2011 at 8:29 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
Praise be to God for your work!
Don't be discouraged if others (even if they be priests or bishops) are not overtly supportive ... you are doing the right thing, and God will bless you abundantly! +
ps. If you were in my diocese, I would want to have you come and talk at my parish. :-) - November 24, 2011 at 8:31 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@A mom,
just a point to think about: What happens then if the baby is born to a muslim family and then dies young without baptism? The parents didn't "plan to get him baptized" -- why are you more comfortable saying that that baby goes to hell?
(at least, the example you used could apply only to "christian" parents ... if the sacrament of baptism is only a "technicality", surely christianity would only be a "technicality" as well ... no?)
In any case, I understand your sensitivity. I too have grieved at the death of young children (both with and without baptism) ... it is a very sad thing. + - November 24, 2011 at 8:34 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
You do ask a good question.
The answer is that original sin is more like mortal sin than venial sin ... if any die with original sin alone on their soul, they are condemned to hell (i.e. limbo) -- this is the official teaching of the Church [you can look at my other articles on limbo for further explanation].
The soul in original sin lacks the theological virtue of charity ... and this means that it cannot go to heaven (or even purgatory).
Thus, those in purgatory have neither original sin, nor mortal sin, but rather venial sin (which no baby could possibly have).
Hope that his clearer now. Excellent question. + - November 24, 2011 at 8:37 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
Agreed. - November 24, 2011 at 8:37 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@Fr. Michael,
I too saw the article ... I'm not at all convinced.
However, the point here isn't really about whether there is a limbo ... the point is whether these children could possibly be in purgatory (since only those in purgatory need or have use of our prayers).
Now, there is no way that these children are in purgatory -- therefore, we ought not to pray for them.
Thank you for your priestly ministry! + - November 24, 2011 at 8:41 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@I am not Spartacus,
Thank you for your kind comment, please do keep me in prayer that I may always remain faithful to the tradition of faith! + - November 24, 2011 at 8:42 AM
Anyone who performs an abortion or procures one commits a grave sin and distances his/herself from God. Additionally, the child is deprived from a life where he/she could love and serve the Lord. Is that not bad enough that you must also condemn the child, the VICTIM, to hell (as opposed to limbo)? Does the child have a choice to whether he's born, miscarried, or aborted? Then why should the aborted child be punished for the sins of others? That's the same logic that causes people to promote the abortion of children conceived in rape...punishing the child for the sin of the father. - November 24, 2011 at 8:42 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
While I agree with Bridget below -- that abortion need not necessarily lead to the spiritual death of the child -- I do see something of your point.
I will add, however, that Satan does bring about the martyrdom of the saints, which leads to their glory -- he does this because he hates them, even though it ultimately hurts himself.
Still, I do believe that the denial of baptism to these children is the worst part of abortion.
When it happens by miscarriage, there is no sin (obviously). But when a child dies unbaptized either because of the laziness of the parents or because of the sin of abortion - then we have a very serious sin.
Now, it is possible that these children would be in heaven - but I am one who believes more in limbo (which is technically part of hell).
Still, in abortion counseling (for a woman who is sorry), I would emphasize most of all that the parents gave their child the most fundamental gift: Existence. That this existence will continue forever. That the child is in perfect (natural) happiness, for all eternity. That, on the last day, the child will receive his body risen from the dead (though probably not glorified) and will live for all eternity (a natural life, in limbo).
Thus, I emphasize the good side of limbo -- and I generally don't mention the bad side (which is that it is part of hell, supernatural death, and a complete loss of the glory of heaven).
It is such a sensitive issue ... and we must be very careful.
Thank you for your comment, it was very insightful! + - November 24, 2011 at 8:51 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
I think the main point of confusion here is that MichaelP was using very technical (and accurate) language ... which may surprise people at first.
Limbo is part of hell, it is supernatural death.
However, I would emphasize more the positive side of limbo -- eternal natural happiness, perfect natural joy, love and knowledge of God as the Creator and even Father who loves us, resuscitation of the body, etc.
Certainly, the child is not "punished" for the abortion [though there is a sense in which he is "punished" for original sin, but this is not subjectively considered punishment at all (by the child)]
In any case, it is possible that the child could be in heaven even (though I think it doubtful).
But, even limbo - properly understood - should be pretty consoling to families (at least, this has been my experience) ... but we must present it very carefully and with great gentleness.
So, really, you and MichaelP are not so much in disagreement ... at least, not as I see it. You are just speaking in different ways, and emphasizing different points.
Peace to you! + - November 24, 2011 at 8:57 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@Dr. Boyd,
Actually, I read that article on your blog!
While, as you can see, I did not agree with the conclusion ... I don't think that we are necessarily so far off.
Would you agree with me that these children cannot be in purgatory? (whether or not there is limbo, they at least are not in purgatory)
Therefore, would you agree that we do not "pray for them" in the ordinary sense of praying for the dead?
To other readers ... consider checking out "Philothea on Phire", Jay Boyd's blog (I found it through Stacy Trasancos, so it has to be good!) ... http://philotheaonphire.blogspot.com/ - November 24, 2011 at 9:01 AM
- CM7 said...
I would like to make clear that I do not advocate one position over another. I hope, pray, petition or beg, (whatever one want's to call it) that all unborn children do not go to hell (real hell; not limbo) since being unbaptized. One of the comments mentioned "Baptism of Desire" and I see no reason why this would not apply to unborn children. This may actually be the answer that I was searching for when there is a miscarriage.
However, if a "Christian" father or mother aborts their child, I doubt they had the intention of baptizing the same child before aborting him or her. In this case Baptism of Desire goes out the window.
My question was asked because there seems to be a very BIG reason why Satan wants to have our children aborted and I personally don't think that it is simply to get us to commit murder when he can garnish the same end results if he can get us to watch pornography, commit adultery or even deliberately and knowingly miss Sunday Mass.
Again, there just seems to be more to it then just an act of murder (mortal sin) on the part of the participants.
God bless. - November 24, 2011 at 5:39 PM
- Jay said...
Fr. Erlenbush,
Thank you so much for your kind comments about my blog.
Yes, I agree with you that these children cannot be in purgatory, and so your conclusion that we do not pray for them in the same way that we pray for the dead makes perfect sense. I hadn't thought about it that way. Your post is very clear and coherent and logical. I have been thinking about it all day! I am starting to write a follow-up post now, but it may take me a day or two!
You also point out the sensitivity of the issue, and how carefully it must be handled with grieving parents and mothers who are remorseful about having procured abortions. This is the hardest part, I think!
At any rate, I will be posting about it again soon. I very much appreciate your post and your blog! - November 24, 2011 at 5:41 PM
Hi Fr.,
Thanks as always for your response. You say:
"... if any die with original sin alone on their soul, they are condemned to hell (i.e. limbo) -- this is the official teaching of the Church."
Is that really correct? I thought that was the point of contention, at least in regard to infants. If there is no special recourse of God's grace for infants unbaptized, then certainly this discussion is cut and dried, and unbaptized infants must go to limbo, i.e. hell.
Second point: if your analysis is correct, then is the justice of God in refusing unbaptized infants the opportunity to enjoy eternal beatitude best characterized as an instance of the lesson that God does not owe eternal beatitude to anyone?
yan - November 25, 2011 at 4:39 PM
- Captain Peabody said...
I wonder if perhaps we might pray for the souls of unbaptized infants in this sense: namely, given that God is in fact able (given the Immaculate Conception, the sanctification of John the Baptist, and many other instances and authorities) to give the gift of sanctifying grace to an infant in the womb, by whatever means or agency, and that this gift would be an unmerited grace, and not something given to every person, we could pray that God would have given this grace to the infant in question, thus allowing them to come to heaven. This would be analogous to the way in which we might pray for the soul of a man about whom we had no sure knowledge of the state of their soul at death, praying that they would have repented of their sin and been in a state of sanctifying grace at their death. Obviously, this is not at all the same way we would pray for the soul of someone in Purgatory, but it is still prayer for them, just of a very different sort.
Of course, this is all predicated on the assumption that our prayers after the fact can affect the action of God in the past, a proposition which, although I have seen it defended and employed by Catholics, I am not sure of the Scriptural or Traditional grounding of; but given God's divine providence and perfect knowledge of the future, this seems to me to be a very reasonable proposition. I would be curious to see what you think of the matter.
In any event, I suppose we might at the least pray for the souls of the babies currently in the womb whom we suspect will die or whom we know will be aborted or miscarried, that God might give to them the grace of baptismal regeneration and salvation. Do you think this type of prayer would be useful or viable, and in accord with Scripture and Tradition? All of this is rather speculative, and I would very much appreciate your judgment on the matter.
I very much appreciate this post and your blog, Father. Even when I disagree with your opinions, I always find myself edified and challenged by the Scripture and Tradition you present. Thank you. - November 25, 2011 at 9:49 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
If they were to die with original sin, the Church teaches that they would be condemned to hell (i.e. limbo) - because the soul in original sin lacks supernatural charity, is not in the state of grace.
This is the very wording of the Ecumenical Council of Florence.
Those who want to argue that the children are saved must argue that they are forgiven original sin extra-sacramentally (hence, they invoke baptism of desire and of blood).
It is theoretically possible (though I don't see how) that the children could be forgiven original sin ... and then they would not go to limbo, but to heaven.
But they certainly cannot be in heaven with original sin.
Hope that is clearer now! + - November 26, 2011 at 8:26 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
The general tradition is that we ought not to suppose that any have received such special graces (as given to our Lady, John the Baptist, and Jeremiah), hence I'm not convinced that we can pray for the children in this way.
However, perhaps we could pray for a "baptism of desire" ... though that really doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to me -- either there is such a thing or there isn't.
This is what I don't think we can do: Pray that God created the sacramental order in a way other than that in which he did create it ... hence, there is some difference between asking for a death-bed conversion for an adult and asking for a baptism of desire for an infant (the one we know is possible, the other is really beyond our [and the child's] scope).
Peace to you! + - November 26, 2011 at 8:32 AM
- Tammy said...
I lept at reading this blog as well as the one it was based on because this topic is not often-enough discussed in our society.
I am honestly a bit befuddles that with all that has been written about Baptism of Desire in the entire history of the Church that you guys dont seem to have a consensus. I have had Priests visit my families and get all wound up not sure what to say and when I mention the Baptism of Desire, they respond something to the effect of "Oh well then, there is that".
If the baby had been born pink and screaming, it isnt as if the baby would have been consulted prior to their Baptism, it would have been the intent and actions of the parents who would have made steps to securing the Sacrament for their child or not.
I actually do agree with the original premise that praying for them is pointless...they are either in heaven or they are not.
I hope that this exchange has been for readers more than an academic exercise because it isnt an academic exercise for the 6000 Catholic families who will suffer stillbirth each year (24% of the 25,000 stillbirths).
While I respect the prerogative of theologians in ivory towers to bat this around like a wiffleball until the cows come home, if someone is a Parish Priest who has pastoral responsibility for his flock and gets called for deaths and crisis, you dont really have the luxury of not being able to have a cogent pastoral discussion on this topic. - November 26, 2011 at 1:49 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
To be clear, there really isn't much confusion on this topic when we consider the tradition ... it is virtually unanimous: Children who die without baptism go to limbo (which is the edge of hell).
However, in the past 40 years it has become popular for theologians to challenge the 2000 + year tradition (since its roots are in Judaism).
Finally, if you think that this discussion is for me nothing more than an "academic exercise" you are quite wrong -- even just this morning I was discussing this issue with a person who is struggling with a related problem.
There is great danger when so many priests and lay people completely ignore the tradition and just say "Well the children HAVE to be in heaven" -- that is simply not the case, they could very well be in hell (limbo).
I'm not saying one or the other is certain, but the Church doesn't have the "luxury" of allowing emotions to drive her theology -- hence, a pastoral approach must be rooted in the teaching of Christ (who said baptism is necessary for salvation), in the tradition of the Church (where we read that all children who die in original sin are sent to hell [limbo]), and in the work of theologians.
As I said above in one of the comments: If sacramental baptism is a mere "technicality", then Christianity is only a technicality as well -- if sacramental baptism doesn't really make a difference, then neither does Christ's death make a difference.
Still, I'm not coming down on one side or the other of the limbo-issue; I am saying that you ought not dismiss the whole discussion as playing with "wiffleballs". - November 26, 2011 at 2:38 PM
- Tammy said...
Im sorry, I didn't mean to be disrespectful.
I am very sensitive to this issue as I know if my patients heard of their babies being at the edge of hell, they would have their guts ripped out through their hearts. THey wanted baptism and thier own bodies prevented access to the baby to perform it.
I am not one of those people who assumes that every deceased person is in heaven because a nice God wouldn't damn people..I understand that hell has to exist for people who choose to turn their backs on God.
If you asked me is the fate of a baptized infant who dies different than an unbaptized one, I would tell you yes, but if truth be known, maybe Im too much of a coward to even consider that they could be at the edge of hell.
And yet for Catholic families who suffer stillbirth, it still seems to me (in practice) that the capacity for pastoral discussions on the topic of baptism by desire is awkward and uncertain. Could we come up with a workable consensus on this particular topic? - November 26, 2011 at 5:17 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
I understand your frustration ... indeed, there is so much confusion.
Also, I hope that my previous comment was not too forceful ... I just want to be clear that theological discussion is important and not simply a game in the clouds -- I'm sure that you agree! :-)
As far as a practical pastoral solution, for a family who has just lost a child -- I emphasize that the child enjoys perfect happiness for all eternity, and that he will receive his body on the last day.
I do not explain that this happiness is only natural happiness, or that the body is not glorified. I most certainly do not explain that limbo is part of hell ... I don't believe that I even mention the word "limbo".
I stress that they gave their child the most fundamental gift: existence. I do not explain that the greatest gift (eternal life) is in question.
When speaking with people outside of the context of greiving the loss of a child, I emphasize that limbo is not a bad place subjectively (though, I do tell them it is not heaven and, objectively, lacks supernatural life).
I emphasize that the worst case scenario is perfect natural happiness for all eternity -- I say, "It's not heaven, but I don't think we could accuse God of not loving them either - even the worst case scenario is as good as we can possibly imagine (using human reason alone)!"
This should be consoling ... even the worst case is very good (subjectively especially). God most certainly does love these children - even if they are in limbo rather than heaven.
(and they could well be in heaven, though I think this is highly unlikely)
Finally, I do not get into the idea of "baptism of desire", because that is really not very applicable to such cases -- further, it obscures what baptism of desire really is, which is when a person (even implicitly) makes an act of faith in Christ while yet unable to receive baptism before death.
[hence, it is not really "baptism of desire" when we think of the desire of parents -- the desire (traditionally understood) is the wish of the individual]
Hope all is more clear now! Peace and blessings to you for a holy Advent. + - November 26, 2011 at 9:31 PM
Hi Fr.,
Blessed Advent to you.
I did not mean to assert that unbaptized infants could go to heaven with original sin. 'No sin in heaven' seems to me to be an unassailable assumption.
I did mean to question the scope of purgatory however, if to do so would not destroy the hierarchy of afterlife possibilities.
Basically, since we know so little about purgatory, and since purgatory is a place which cleanses souls from actual venial sin for certain, and since it does this [if I understand correctly] by virtue of the merits of the passion of Christ, I was wondering if there were an absolutely definitive theological or biblical reason why we might not extend the scope of purgatory to the case of purging unbaptized infants from original sin [since that also occurs by virtue of the merits of the passion of Christ, but through baptism ordinarily], or if there was some wiggle room to speculate that purgatory might be able to purge unbaptized infants of original sin [something it would not do in the case of unbaptized adults who also have mortal or even venial sins without some kind of baptism of desire being extant.]
Just asking if it would be ok to speculate about the limits of the scope of purgatory, in a nutshell. NOT asking if any sinner, of any kind, can get to heaven without antecedent purification.
Thanks again Fr. for your time.
Yan - November 27, 2011 at 11:59 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
Ok, now I see the question ... the answer is no, infants cannot be cleansed from original sin in purgatory -- the reason for this is because one who dies in original sin dies without grace, and without being in the state of grace there is no purification which will suffice (because the state of grace is not even present at all).
Hence, the council of Florence defines that all those who die in original sin alone are condemned straightaway to hell [by which we mean limbo].
However, the "hope" for salvation for these children is that they are somehow forgiven original sin before death; so that they die in the state of grace ... and then they would have no need of purgatory either (since they have no actual sin).
Hope it is clearer now ... peace to you! + - November 27, 2011 at 12:17 PM
Hi Fr.,
Thanks again. I believe the matter is now clear to me.
Since that is the way things stand, I think it would be right to assert that unbaptized infants do go to heaven by a special act of grace, since otherwise, the general will of God that all men be saved would be thwarted. You have made it clear in previous posts that God gives sufficient grace for all men to be saved, and that the only thing that prevents salvation is our lack of co-operation. Since infants do not have actual sins, that would seem to imply that they cannot NOT co-operate with the actual grace of God, by which He gives the ability for all men to be saved. Otherwise, they would be sinning by rejecting the actual grace of God, which is impossible given the present definition and understanding of sin as applied to infants.
The urgency of baptism in regard to unbaptized infants ought therefore to be developed and thought about in light of this understanding.
It seems to me that the only way to argue against this position would be to argue that infants do indeed have an ability to reject the actual grace of God. Perhaps they do. Many people have observed that infants can act in apparently selfish ways. But this would seem to require a new nuance in our understanding of sin in the context of human cooperation with grace. In any event, such an argument would seem to be a slender reed on which to rest a conclusion that unbaptized infants go to limbo. Considering the universal salvific will of God, the greater likelihood is that they go to heaven. In fact, in view of that Will, this seems a theological necessity.
Or am I missing something? Does the administration of actual graces only apply to the baptized? I thought it applied to all. Thanks as always for your thoughts.
Yan - November 27, 2011 at 2:00 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
I just don't have time to explain the whole thing about limbo and the universal salvific will.
I will simply say that (very nearly) the entire tradition has affirmed limbo -- it was considered a near theological certainty that these children could not be in heaven.
Certainly, they cannot possibly co-operate with grace, since they lack the ability to exercise free will (not yet having use of reason).
God offers grace to all ... these children cannot benefit from it through their co-operation ... perhaps there is some other (mystical) way that they can benefit from these graces, but nearly everyone in the tradition says no ... thus, on the supposition of limbo, God gives them grace, but they cannot make use of it (because they are conceived in original sin and they lack the use of reason); thus they are sent to limbo.
Now, I'm only explaining the theory of limbo ... I'm not saying we have to believe it ... I AM SAYING that you cannot say it is impossible, because the Church herself still says it is a possibility (and nearly the whole tradition affirms it as an obvious fact).
In any case, if there is no limbo, then who was the Council of Florence speaking about when it said that those who die "in original sin alone" are sent to hell (i.e. limbo)?
Well ... it is a complicated issue, so there is no surprise that we (all of us) have difficulty understanding it!
If yo type "limbo" in the search engine on the left side-bar of NTM, you will find numerous articles where I talk about this subject.
With this comment, I will have to let my part in the discussion come to a close.
Thank you for the good discussion! :-)
Happy Advent! + - November 27, 2011 at 2:38 PM
Hi Fr.,
Thanks for enlightening me. If unbaptized infants cannot co-operate with actual grace, then my previous post is mistaken. However, because of my experience as a father, I find the assertion that infants do not have free will to be passing strange. Perhaps you can address what the church means by free will in some more detail at some other time.
Thanks again!
Yan - November 27, 2011 at 3:17 PM
Hi Fr.,
I hope this observation does not unnecessarily belabor the issue:
If God's offer of grace cannot be accepted, what kind of offer is it really? Doesn't the lack of a real offer contradict the universal salvific will, unless some other means of salvation [mystical, as you say] is available?
Yan - November 27, 2011 at 8:11 PM
- De Liliis said...
RE: the idea that: "God offers salvation to unbaptized infants, a direct implication of God's universal salvific will"
I have heard this expressed before, but there is no weight for it from history and tradition. A person who heard it once said I think, quite soundly, if it were offered then it could be rejected too and so then to the proper Hell itself.
Every potential parent should be properly instructed on how to perform an emergency baptism in the case of miscarriage.
One can pray for God's special intervention, but one's duty is to do what one can do as a parent sacramentally first. - December 6, 2011 at 5:55 PM
Post a Comment
When commenting, please leave a name or pseudonym at the end of your comment so as to facilitate communication and responses.
Comments must be approved by the moderator before being published.


text:
Ditsy Floral Slit Paperbag Waist Wide Leg Pants | KIKI COUTURE
- Pattern: Ditsy floral
- Features: Slits, paperbag waist, wide legs
- Stretch: No stretch
- Product measurements:
S: waist 25-38 in, hip 41 in, length 39 in
M: waist 27-40 in, hip 43 in, length 40 in
L: waist 29-42 in, hip 45 in, length 40 in
XL: waist 31-44 in, hip 48 in, length 41 in
2XL: waist 34-47 in, hip 50 in, length 42 in
- Material composition: 100% viscose
- Care: Machine wash cold. Tumble dry low.
The Official KIKI COUTURE women's clothing brand
boutique is inspired by the same timeless allure and captivating essence that you'll find in only the best fashion brands. At KIKI COUTURE, we believe that every woman deserves to feel confident and beautiful in her own skin, and that's why we curate a stunning collection of apparel that complements diverse tastes and preferences.
Sizing can vary with styles, some run smaller, some run larger. Unless otherwise shown in ITEM DETAILS or thumbnails, please reference below for sizing measurements. If you have any concern of sizing, please contact us to inquire (Using ASK A QUESTION tab) before ordering.
Shipping Rates
- We Pay Your Shipping for U.S. Continental 48 orders over $99 (sub-total).
- U.S. Orders under $99, You Pay Standard Flat Rate $6.95
- Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico $8.95
- All other locations Flat Rate per order $12.95
Estimated Delivery Time
Most items ship from our warehouses in California, New York, or Texas within 2-5 business days.
KIKI COUTURE is committed to provide the fastest possible fulfillment for all orders. We partner with nationwide fulfillment centers in New York, California, and Texas. We also partner with international fulfillment centers in Canada, Europe and Asia. The location from which your order ships will be determined by our system to get you the order in the quickest way possible.
Normal order delivery will be within 2-3 weeks or less (often 7-10 days) for the Continental USA and up to 4-6 weeks or less in other locations; which includes normal processing time of 2-5 business days plus shipping time, depending on your shipping location. To keep up with demand and provide the fastest processing times during our busiest seasons, we may use different manufacturing & fulfillment centers. Your items will always be shipped as quickly as possible. Orders with more than one item may be produced and shipped in different facilities and may ship in multiple packages. You will receive email and/or text notifications with updates and tracking on orders.
Return Policy
U.S. Return Policy
We wish every customer experience was nothing short of extraordinary, but we understand that returns may be necessary. KIKI COUTURE happily accepts returns of unworn, unwashed, undamaged, unaltered, or defective merchandise purchased online that shipped to a U.S. address for a store credit (KIKI COUTURE E-Gift Card) within 30 days from the date your order shipped. Any request to return your order MUST be submitted in writing in email to Customer Care at firstname.lastname@example.com within 3 CALENDAR DAYS of date of delivery (as verified by your Shipment Tracking Number). Shipping will be deducted from the store credit e-card value of refund.
Why store credit? We want to provide you with value for the dollar you pay for your clothing at KIKI COUTURE. The quality we strive to provide with the affordable pricing gives us very little room for loss due to returns. We ask that you please understand the costs involved in processing a return by refund and help us by graciously accepting store credit to apply to something else that you WILL love. We will continue to work to maintain your trust in serving you and providing value with excellent customer service.
Items damaged or defective (not involving fault of carrier) may be returned for replacement or store credit by contacting Customer Care firstname.lastname@example.com within 3 CALENDAR DAYS of date of delivery.
Please be aware that due to hygiene concerns there are laws beyond our control that govern the return of intimate apparel and that includes lingerie and swimwear. Please wear undergarment while trying on. If item shows any sign of being worn, it will not be eligible for a return or store credit.
Final Sale items cannot be returned. BOGO, anything discounted 30% or more is considered Final Sale. See complete list of Final Sale items, here.
No returns or refunds for gifts, gift cards, or shopping passes.
Review our entire refund & return policy, here.
- Ships From Los Angeles, CA & New York, NY


text:
Google is "downgrading the search result ranking of the company's own Web browser, Google Chrome, for 60 days," as PC World reports, because some bloggers ending up being paid to mention Chrome during a recent ad campaign.
Doing that violates Google's "own rules governing paid promotions," Bloomberg News notes, which aim to prohibit the gaming of search results.
So what happened?
According to PC World:
"Google reportedly bought online video ads from a digital media agency called Essence Digital. Essence then reportedly hired another company called Unruly to carry out Google's video ad campaign, according to Search Engine Land. The end result was that a number of blogs wrote positive posts (with the video embedded) about Google Chrome for compensation--the reward was apparently Amazon gift cards, SEL said in a separate report."
Google says it only agreed to buy ads, not to pay any bloggers to mention Chrome.
"The punishment imposed on Chrome will significantly lower the results ranking of the main download page for the browser. Google regularly punishes sites who violate the company's quality guidelines in order to get a favorable treatment from their search analysis algorithm, PageRank. The practice of gaming the rankings is often referred to as Black Hat SEO, and it's something Google has publicly worked hard to combat."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
Sean Carberry
Sean Carberry is NPR's international correspondent based in Kabul. His work can be heard on all of NPR's award-winning programs, including Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition.
Prior to moving into his current role, he was responsible for producing for NPR's foreign correspondents in the Middle East and "fill-in" reporting. Carberry travels extensively across the Middle East to cover a range of stories such as the impact of electricity shortages on the economy in Afghanistan and the experiences of Syrian refugees in Turkish camps.
Carberry has reported from more than two-dozen countries including Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, and Iceland. In 2010, Carberry won the Gabriel Award Certificate of Merit for America Abroad's "The First Freedom," and in 2011 was awarded the Sigma Delta Chi Award as lead producer and correspondent for America Abroad's series, "The Arab World's Demographic Dilemma."
Since joining NPR, Carberry worked with Lourdes Garcia-Navarro in Tripoli for NPR's coverage of the fall of the Libyan capital. He also covered the post-US withdrawal political crisis in Baghdad in December 2011, and recently completed a two month fill-in reporting assignment in Kabul that led to his current role.
Before coming to NPR in 2011, Carberry worked at America Abroad Media where he served as technical director and senior producer in addition to traveling internationally to report and produce radio and multimedia content for America Abroad's monthly radio news documentaries and website. He also worked at NPR Member Station WBUR in Boston as a field and political producer, associate producer/technical director, and reporter, contributing to NPR, newscasts, and WBUR's Here and Now.
In addition to his journalistic accolades, Carberry is a well-rounded individual who has also been an assistant professor of music production and engineering at Berklee College of Music in Boston, received a Gold Record as Recording Engineer for Susan Tedeschi's Grammy-Nominated album "Just Won't Burn," engineered music for the television program "Sex in the City," is a certified SCUBA diver, and is a graduate of the Skip Barber School of Auto Racing.
Carberry earned a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Lehigh University and a Masters of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School, with a focus in Politics, National Security, and International Affairs.
U.S. and other NATO troops are spending less time fighting the Taliban and more time making local Afghan governments self-sufficient. It's a slow process.
For nearly three years, the Afghan parliament has tried to pass a law banning violence against women. Supporters say they've made concessions to address conservatives' concerns. But critics say the proposal still violates Islamic law.


text:
55% OFF Bedworks Discount Codes April 2024
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Bedworks
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Bedworks
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Bedworks
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Bedworks
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Bedworks
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Bedworks
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Bedworks
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Bedworks
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Bedworks
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Bedworks
Similars Offers
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Bedzy
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Newentor Australia
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Nice Town
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Finnmark Sauna
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By EarHub
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Emma
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Chic Home
- Terms and conditions may apply!
Added By Buy Insulation Online
Get a Glimpse of What We Have to Offer Today
Email me the latest discount deals and offers
Unsubscribe from all updates
User interaction data is mandatory for providing a better experience to all Couponado fans
Tested & Working Bedworks Coupon Codes April 2024
$20 Off Sitewide (Verified Code) | 18-August-2023 | ******* |
Up To 55% Off on Mattress Sale | 22-August-2022 | ******* |
$20 Off on Order | 22-August-2022 | ******* |
Up To 30% Off on Luxury Bed Frams | 22-August-2022 | ******* |
More about Bedworks Discount Codes
Have you ever heard about the latest Bedworks discount codes, which give you the greatest savings? These discounts and coupon codes are the perfect partner for every shopaholic. Understandably, it is obvious that everyone wants to obtain special discounts on their shopping. Couponado has brought special deals and offers for this ecommerce store on our platform for your ease.
As we all know, everybody chooses to shop online in this fast-moving sphere. Most shopaholics want to shop for their desired merchandise online instead of in-store shopping. The main reason is it is a money and time-saving method. Thus, go for our latest Bedworks coupon codes and enjoy incredible discounts on every purchase.
Here, you can explore several of your favourite products at this store. Our platform is for you if you want to shop from this store and achieve unbelievable discounts. Grab multiple deals and discounts and get tremendous savings.
More Savings with Less Spending at Couponado
If you want to purchase top-quality products at discounted rates, you are at the right place. Couponado is the best for all those shopping lovers who love to shop from e-stores. You can hold on to all the Bedworks promo codes to offer attractive discounts.
Now, you don't have to think twice about choosing a coupon platform. Our platform is no less than any other. Get your favourite products from this store and use our coupon codes. You will be able to get the chance to save your pockets from the heavy expenditure.
Do you want to save more on your shopping through our webpage? If yes, use our wonderful Home & Garden discount codes. These will be your perfect shopping partner if you utilise them during checkout. Consequently, shop now and get the greatest savings on your every purchase.
Get Entertain with First Purchase Discounts
We don't miss any chance to lend outstanding discounts to our customers. That is why we always offer special deals and discounts to get you great discounts. Likewise, we treat our new customers best to retain them so they stay on our page. So, if you are new to our website, there is a great chance to earn incredible discounts on your first order. You can shop with our exciting Bedworks discount codes, and you will get your savings.
Therefore, don't ever miss this golden opportunity this '2024'. Use these latest coupon codes before placing your order and enjoy your money-saving journey with us.
How to Save Money with Bedworks Discount Codes?
Every shopaholic wants to obtain endless discounts on their shopping. And when it comes to their favourite store and admired products, no one wants to let go of the wonderful chance to save more. For your ease, there are multiple important points which every individual can adapt to and get significant savings like never before. Here are the amazing tips to save on this store;
- You should frequently check the website of Couponado to learn more about ongoing and the latest deals and offers.
- Aside from that, you can visit the webpage of this store and get in touch with all the interesting coupon codes.
- A newsletter subscription will provide daily updates on your email about all the news, offers, discount codes, sales, and promotions.
- By following its not social media network, you will get the newest updates on impressive sales and offers.
Other Heartening Offers and Bedworks Coupon Codes
Most folks seek the easiest and smoothest ways to shop for their desired products with countless discounts. Our platform is a great solution for all those people. You can easily shop and save more from our website using our impressive Bedworks coupon codes. You will find many other ways to attain substantial discounts this '2024' hassle-free. We have countless incredible offers that everyone looks for but can't effortlessly discover elsewhere.
- Buy 1 Get 1 offer
- Newsletter Discount
- Free Shipping Deals
- New Customer-Exclusive Offer
Thrilling Discounts with Seasonal Offers at Couponado
Seasonal offers have always been the best source of fun and pleasure. The main reason behind these deals is the implausible discounts you can attain during these offers. Many people wait a year for these seasonal offers to earn substantial discounts. You can easily entertain with these money-saving offers of this store by using our promo codes. Accordingly, grab these stunning discounts during these seasons;
- Black Friday
- Cyber Monday
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
- Easter
- Labor Day
- Winter Sale
- Summer Sale
- Spring Sale
- End of the Season Sale
- Mother's Day
- Father's Day
- Halloween and many others!
Furthermore, our website offers special discounts during these seasonal sales. We bring the best coupon codes to make your holidays and festivals extraordinary. You can find every local or famous store or brand on our platform and easily get discounts for their products. Here, you will find deals and discounts on every major or minor event. Thus, shop for your favourite products now from our platform and get special discounts on every purchase.
Along with all these offers, you can subscribe to our newsletter so that we can refer you to daily updates on your email about our latest and upcoming promotions, offers, and deals. Also, you can contact us through our social media platforms to learn about all the exclusive deals and offers.
How can I get the most authentic Bedworks discount codes?
Visit the site of Couponado and explore a variety of discount codes for this store.
Is there any Black Friday sale available at this store?
Yes, you can save a huge at this store during the season of Black Friday.
Where can I use discount codes for this merchant?
You can apply these coupon codes before placing your order at checkout in the given option.


text:
12 Nights | Europe
About Civitavecchia, Italy
You will visit the following 10 places:
Dubrovnik is a gorgeous Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist resorts of the Mediterranean and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. The city is nicknamed "Pearl of the Adriatic". The success of Dubrovnik's tourist industry has brought a certain degree of complacency and self-satisfaction. Certain aspects of the city's appeal remain immune to tourist numbers, however, most notably the uniquely stunning setting and the unjaded straightforwardness of the Dubrovčani themselves.
Venice is a city in northeastern Italy sited on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges. The city is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture, and its artwork. The city in its entirety is listed as a World Heritage Site, along with its lagoon. Venice has been known as the La Dominante, Serenissima, Queen of the Adriatic, City of Water, City of Masks, City of Bridges, The Floating City, and City of Canals. It has also been described as being one of Europe's most romantic cities. It is truly an amazing, stunning and interesting city for the adventurous to explore!
Corfu, an island off Greece's northwest coast in the Ionian Sea, is defined by rugged mountains and a resort-studded shoreline. Nicknamed ''the island of the Phaeacians'', Corfu is home to the Ionian University. Known also as Kerkyra, is the northernmost of the Ionian Islands in Greece. Located off of the far northwest coast of the country, Corfu lies in the Adriatic sea, east of Italy and southwest of Albania. Historically Corfu has been controlled by many foreign powers, notably the Venetians, French, and British.
Naples is a city in Italy; it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. Known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music, and gastronomy, Naples has played an important role in the Italian peninsula and beyond for much of its existence, which began more than 2,800 years ago. Situated on the west coast of Italy by the Gulf of Naples, the city is located halfway between two volcanic areas, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields. Naples has the fourth-largest urban economy in Italy, after Milan, Rome and Turin. It is the world's 103rd-richest city by purchasing power, with an estimated 2011 GDP of US$83.6 billion. The port of Naples is one of the most important in Europe, and has the world's second-highest level of passenger flow, after the port of Hong Kong. The city has long been a major cultural centre with a global sphere of influence, particularly during the Renaissance and Enlightenment eras. In the immediate vicinity of Naples are numerous culturally and historically significant sites, including the Palace of Caserta and the Roman ruins ofPompeii and Herculaneum. Culinarily, it is synonymous with pizza, which originated in the city.
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbour on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence. Toulon is an important centre for naval construction, fishing, wine making, and the manufacture of aeronautical equipment, armaments, maps, paper, tobacco, printing, shoes, and electronic equipment. $$https://vimeo.com/5280139$$
Barcelona – Spain's enchanting capital, second largest and most populous city. It is a huge city that vibrates with life, and there's certainly not another city in the country to touch it for its sheer style, looks or energy. It is one of the world's leading tourist, economic, trade fair and cultural centers, and its influence in commerce, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities. Barcelona is home to masterpieces of many great architects – the most famous of which is Antoni Gaudí.
Livorno is an Italian port city on the Ligurian Sea, on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. Traditionally been known in English as Leghorn, it's known for its seafood, Renaissance-era fortifications and modern harbor with a cruise ship port.
Kotor is a coastal town in Montenegro with a population of about 13,500. It is well-known for its World heritage medieval structures (including churches and fortifications) and its stunning natural setting at the very edge of the mountain-rimmed Kotor Bay. It is situated in a most secluded tip of Boka Kotorska bay, in the northern part of the Montenegro coast on the Adriatic Sea. Kotor has developed around Stari Grad (local language for "old town"), the city's old town and best known landmark, which is listed with UNESCO World heritage sites. Kotor Bay is the deepest natural fjord-like bay in the Mediterranean Sea, and the scenery around it (including the steep mountains which come almost straight down to the waters edge) is spectacular.
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo, officially refers to an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Monaco has four traditional quarters - from west to east they are: Fontvieille (the newest), Monaco-Ville (the oldest), La Condamine, and Monte Carlo. Monte Carlo (literally "Mount Charles") is situated on a prominent escarpment at the base of the Maritime Alps along the French Riviera. Near the western end of the quarter is the world-famous Place du Casino, the gambling center which has made Monte Carlo "an international byword for the extravagant display and reckless dispersal of wealth". It is also the location of the Hôtel de Paris, the Café de Paris, and the Salle Garnier (the casino theatre which is the home of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo).
Civitavecchia is a town and comune of the Metropolitan City of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, the name ''Civitavecchia'' means "ancient town". The modern city was built over a pre-existing Etruscan settlement. The massive Forte Michelangelo was first commissioned from Donato Bramante by Pope Julius II, to defend the port of Rome. The upper part of the "maschio" tower, however, was designed by Michelangelo, whose name is generally applied to the fortress. North of the city at Ficoncella are the Terme Taurine baths frequented by Romans and still popular with the Civitavecchiesi. The modern name stems from the common fig plants among the various pools. And also next to the town is the location of the cruise ship docks. All major cruise lines start and end their cruises at this location, and others stop for shore excursion days that allow guests to see Rome and Vatican sights, which are ninety minutes away.