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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Persecution Complex?
My Grandfather was a member of the American Communist Party. Yep, he was a Red. In the fifties. I am not sure how many of you out there know the depth of the Red Scare, but it was a vicious bit of Fascism by our government on it's own citizens. The FBI opened their mail and put it back in the wrong envelopes (Gas bill from aunt Florence or College transcripts from a bulk mailer etc.).
My grandfather, who taught at Cornell, was fired and the Dean gave him a job as a Janitor to keep my Grandfather around for conversations. My grandfather had a farm of 86 acres and built the rear half of the family farmhouse. He was a scholar and a hands on kind of intelligence.
My mother found out, years later, when she ran into an old elementary schoolmate that "government men" came to the school when the Cooks (my maternal family) were out and advised the children not to play with the Cooks because my grandfather would steal them away to Russia. Not only did my Grandfather not want to steal children to Russia but he felt that the Bolsheviks had bastardized the Communist ideals of egalitarianism, and equality.
My mother was involved in the anti war movement and a founding member of the Western New York Peace Center, she protested Nukes, whale killers, racist cops, and the like. Because of that my household had (on and off) been subject to the COINTELPRO program and it's successors of the seventies and eighties, where the government investigated leftist groups illegally(look it up).
This gave me the impression that they could turn on you and it would be all over. Paranoid? Well, a little. Keep in mind I am also a Jew and had great aunts and uncles who were fine upstanding citizens in the most culturally advanced nation on in Europe before the Nazis came to power. Then they were tortured and killed for their race. So, no, I do not think my concern is totally unreasonable.
I have always kept my mouth shut when I meet new people. Since I keep quiet and people like me I get to hear what they think. People always assume that people they like share their beliefs. So I got to hear a lot of insider stuff about "the blacks", "the Jews", liberals and, of course, atheists. A lot of people who wear their beliefs on their sleeve do not get the inside info. I got enough of it to scare the hell out of me. The disdain they have when talking about atheists is shocking and discomforting. Many of the most religious of people seem to get all Old Testament on atheism. It is like something out of that movie Hostel. They want to torture and kill us. Not just anonymously on a message board or a webpage, but in person to each other. I am not saying that all religious people are blood hungry monsters, I know quite a few who are not, perhaps a majority. But they all look the same. Walk into a room and it could be time for some tough questions and debate or fear of violence. Me, I am cautious.
I am not suggesting that we keep our beliefs secret and try to 'pass' but I am offering up some of my history to show people what can, has and may happen.
I have become a lot better at seeing people. I am a better judge of the inner demons people have than I used to be. This explains my recent very flagrant atheism. I have had few weird or unpleasant experiences with the religious in recent years. I do, though, still keep my mouth shut until I get a lay of the land and until I feel people will be more inclined to try and understand how I am misguided rather than suggest that it is the devil speaking through me.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
ALS and Dr. Chi
ALS is a degenerative neuro-muscular disease which is terminal by all accounts. There is no cure and there is very little known about the disease. My mother came to terms with this but participated in a study of an experimental drug which might slow down the inevitable. Allow her to use her hands or legs a little longer. The thing she felt the study would be most beneficial for was to accumulate data on this terrible ailment. She felt that if she was gonna die she would do some good in the process.
She did the best intelligent thing she could do for herself and for anybody who followed her. She also spent some time visiting Europe before she died and tried to call my father (her estranged husband) to say good by. She looked at the evidence and did the most reasonable thing she could do. I applaud the rationality of that.
My mother had four brothers and one of them is into New Age pseudoscience and lives in NYC. During a visit to New York he scheduled her for an appointment with Doctor Chi. I am not making that name up. I have no idea what his qualifications ad "Doctor" are but he had a title. My mother was 63 at the time. Doctor Chi looked at her eyes, her tongue and her palms and diagnosed her as having evidence of :
High Blood Pressure
Heart Disease
Memory Loss
Acid Reflux
general feminine problems
None of which she suffered from. He also failed to diagnose ALS or some neuro-muscular disease in general. What he did is called "fishing". If you look at that list you will see the statistically most likely candidates that a woman of her age would suffer from. If one of those had been right she might have forgotten the others and remembered that he knew what her illness was by looking at her. He then "prescribed" a regimen of 75 pills per day of "natural supplements" to be taken daily. All of which he sold. By coincidence, I assume.
When I heard about this I laughed and mocked but also felt a little disgusted. This guy was offering medical advice to people in the hopes of solving their medical problems. He was selling snake oil.
My mother declined to mega-dose vitamins and herbs. She took caffeine and ginseng and the drugs prescribed by her doctors. The first two to relieve the fatigue and the latter because it was the best medical advice available to her.
We will fast forward a couple months. My Uncle sent my mother a months supply of all these supplements. They were in bottles without names. Seriously. She did not take them. When he came to visit her the following month she told him she did not take them. He was annoyed because he felt these herbs could cure a disease that is supposedly incurable. He had also spent (we found out then) a thousand dollars on those unlabeled pills. $1,000.00!!!!!!!!!! Holy crap!
By this point my mother had the excuse that she could no longer swallow pills. Unfazed, my uncle took out what looked like a tiny fishnet bag. He proceeded to put the 75 pills in it and tied it to her ankle. He explained that the "energy signature" from the pills would permeate her body through the skin. Not kidding! I am really not!
I guess that is not that far fetched if one accept the principles of Homeopathy that things leave an "energy signature" in the water they are dissolved in even after the point that they have been diluted and re-diluted to the point that there is no trace of the substance in the solution. Just water with an "energy signature".
That is my story. If you have one like it please drop me a line. I would love to hear it.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Freewill (faith redux)
God has offered you a choice between eternal damnation, and everlasting peace. In order to reach salvation, one must accept God into his or her heart willingly, knowingly, and, freely.
Since God is omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent, he already knows your choice. He built you as the programmed machine that will one day be confronted with this ultimate choice. In the tombs and books of the mind of the omniscient, your deeds, choices, and, decisions are laid out, plain as day, carved in stone, unerring, unmovable.
And you are free. You are free because of faith. You are free because God allows you to make this choice of your own accord. If God came down and lit the earth with glorious wonder, stood on top of Everest and let his light permeate the world, then our very will would be subjugated by the fact that, with absolute knowledge of the existence of God, we would choose our salvation not out of love, but out of fear of the clear reprisal that comes with disavowing your king.
So, the argument goes, you must have faith, because proof of God's existence would eliminate your ability to choose. Knowledge would pollute your choice.
I don't have a problem with this. I am a huge proponent of the 'double-blind' study. Experimenters do their best not to interfere, or allow their own biases to influence the outcome of the experiment. If there is an experiment being performed where rats are compelled to run a maze, and some of these rats have been given a new drug which may allow them to process visual-spatial data more acutely, and it is my job to monitor and record how the rats perform, it is clearly better that I don't know which rats have received the medication.
I understand this concept of 'knowledge modifying the result." That is not my problem at all. A God in your face, with his hand upon your shoulder pointing you in the direction of salvation would limit your ability to choose. I accept that.
I have a few questions:
1. If knowledge of the miraculous would limit our ability to choose, then why did Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead?
2. If we cannot know God's plan, then why did he give us various instruction manuals in the form of the Bible, the Koran, the Torah?
3. If knowledge of the hereafter would limit our will, then why is the virgin Mary crying out of statues, and appearing in grilled cheese sandwiches?
4. If we are to be allowed freewill, then what is this supposed 'evidence?' By the argument, there should be no evidence whatsoever, as evidence would limit our will.
Faith is supposed to answer all of the questions we may have about God's plan. We are supposed to accept that we cannot know the mind of God, and that he has a plan for us.
And we have provided with texts that state that it is improper to eat shellfish, work on the sabbath, represent Mohammad in any fashion, take the lord's name in vain, lust after a women, worship 'false' idols, allow your enemies to live.
These texts are considered by many to be evidence of God's majesty.
So, the argument that God chooses not to reveal himself to us in order to allow for free will is a bit suspect. According to theists, there is plenty of evidence that God exists, and has affected the world. I suppose the part that we are supposed to take on faith is the part where the evidence is crappy.
If Jesus were to come to earth today, book a spot on 'Good Morning, America,' and raise a person from the dead, this would violate our free will in choosing to accept him as our personal savior...but if he raised Lazarus from the dead, and it was recorded in the Gospels, that does not.
And Romans 11:33-36 illustrates the point most clearly: God is too complicated for us to understand. We can't understand God's plan. but he, according to Romans 3:19, 6:23, and 9:19-21, he is going to hold us responsible anyway. God knows the future, according to Matthew 6:8, and has total, complete, and absolute control over all things per Collossians 1:16-17, Yet will punish us with eternal torment according to Matthew 5:22.
Just so I have this straight: God controls 100% of my actions and thoughts, knows the future, has an existence that is miles outside of our brain's ability to even understand, and will hold me accountable for my (or, since he has 100% control, HIS,) actions? Furthermore, he cannot offer substantive proof that he even exists, because that would make it too easy for us to accept him. He can, however, perform cheap carnival tricks, and we can read the stories of him turning water into wine, being frugal with fish, etc., so long as there is no corroborating evidence that might allow for verifiable proof of his existence which, again, would make it too easy.
And you laugh because you think that what the Scientologists believe is somehow more ridiculous.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Are theists less moral than Atheists
I am often confronted with the question about where I get my morals. Without God, can't I just do whatever I want? Can't I rape, murder, extort, cheat or whatever? Well, yeah. If the Christian belief of free will is valid I can ask the same question. We can do whatever we are physically able. The real question should be "why do people chose not to terrible things?"
The Christian perspective: There is an all powerful, all knowing being who has mapped out what is good and what is bad (and the exceptions) and shall judge us for violating these rules. We are punished for our bad behavior at the end of our materal existence and the result will be eternal damnation or eternal paradise (unless you are a Catholic where there are incremental forms of punishment). We can avoid damnation even if our crimes are unspeakable if we are genuinely sorry and seek true repentance in the arms of Jesus. Theists do not commit terrible acts because they fear punishment by an all powerful deity.
The Atheist perspective: There are ways to behave and there are ways not to. Most are inherited but some are figured out by the individual. My upbringing gave me some general and some specific parameters to live by. I have tweaked those based upon experience and contemplation. I think this is the case for most Atheists. We are raised a certain way and figure out the rest. We use a lot of common sense and critical thinking. We do not commit terrible acts because that is a messed up thing to do. But we do it for us. Not to avoid punishment.
Thus far, this is a pretty standard argument. Atheists are better because we chose not to rape morally and theists do it out of fear of punishment. It provides us with any number of witty retorts to theists but I do not think it actually shows the real picture.
In debates I often ask why the Christian marters themselves for one one section of the Bible and ignores another. Wearing fabrics of different varieties and not stoning women who help their husbands in fights as the bible commands. Why they think swearing is sinful when it is not a sin in the Bible. The Lords name in vain seems to be so forgotten as a sin but shit is damnation worthy. How is this sort of thing justified? How do they decide which sections of the bible are really really serious and which parts are based upon the culture of the time? Slavery, owning ones wife, and Idolatry are just a couple of examples.
They use common sense and critical thinking. They read a passage and decide if it is applicable to life today. As a culture we have decided that slave owning is bad; therefor the bible does not really really condone it, while you may not like you really can suffer a witch to live. Things of the like. To make that determination they use the same tools we atheists and non-religious do. They use common sense and critical thinking.
Based upon the above I would argue that the Bible does little to aid them in their journey to morality. Seems they use the Bible to gain higher moral ground and look down on the rest of us for making the same decision without a prop. Why the prop makes you a better person I cannot say. Hundreds of years of PR perhaps.
Now we can finally get to the area where theists may be less moral than atheists; justified hate. If I hate the gays or the Jews or the Mormons or whoever I need to justify that with my personal standard. I have rules which work. "Do not burn people at the stake" I am stuck justifying any exceptions I may choose to make. I need to justify with logic, reason and create an argument that supports my exception.
Religious based morality can have any number of exceptions. There are plenty of them in the Bible. God says thou shall not kill except your son if you are Abraham or in a just war according to Tom Aquinuas or to save the holy land from the heathens or kill an abortion doctor. It is easy to make exceptions to the rules when you can believe that the creator of the rules wants you to.
In fact, any rule can be overruled by those who think God wants it overruled. Those of us who need to justify and hold internal consistency cannot do this. We are bound by rules we accept. We are the arbiters of our morality. We cannot claim that a higher authority has allowed us to commit horrible acts. We need to stick with those rules we have built for ourselves and hold the responsibility for all we do on our shoulders.
If I commit a murder, I do not have the option of saying it was God's will. I am stuck taking full responsibility for everything I do.
I am not saying that Atheists do not do terrible things. Just that they have chosen that path and cannot hide behind a higher morality. Stuck with the real world. And I am not saying that the Christian is more likely to commit terrible acts. Just that they have a nice divine shield to hide culpability behind.
This post has gotten away from me. I intended to compare some information I found on the internet. I have attached a couple of amusing webpages. One showing the religious affiliation of persons in prison and another talking about how atheists are more likely to swear in public. Which of these shows better what is and what is not a moral person.
Federal Data of Prison population this is self reported data based upon prison entry forms.
Self reported survey taken from http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/16-teensnext-gen/25-young-adults-and-liberals-struggle-with-morality
Survey talks about the difference between Evangelicals and Atheists in things like lying. Keep in mind this is self report so consider how many people may have lied about lying. Makes me smile.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
The God of Peace and Love
In my youth, I attended Catechism. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, Catechism involves the indoctrination of children presented as 'religion class.' For me, religion class was after school, at the house of a member of the church. This church member typically had their own child in the parish, and certainly had no formal education or training in the instruction of youth.
That didn't matter, though....there was a book. A guide on how to bring children into the loving embrace of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ. The cover of this book typically had a picture of a cloud, with a ray of sunlight breaking through. God's love illuminating the world, no doubt.
A large part of being Catholic, I learned, was to accept the teachings of God through the prophets of the old testament, as well as the new. It was important to really know and understand that long before Jesus walked on water, Jonah had lived in the belly of a whale. Long before Saint Peter spread the good news, Moses had the Israelites wander around the desert for 40 years. Long before the holy spirit put upon The Christ all of the sins of man so that he may die and give us peace, God was gambling with the devil over how much he could beat the shit out of Job and still be loved by him. (That's called Stockholm Syndrome, Job.)
So I learned about the temples of Jerusalem, and how the temples built on this particular spot in the Middle East were the place where God touched this earth, the place where God chooses to sleep. There is no closer connection to God than these stone buildings that were destroyed, these Temples of Solomon and Herod.
I learned of Solomon's Temple, and how it was burned at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar II. I learned of the Jewish exile, and the return to build the second temple, Herod's Temple. I learned that this new holy site was destroyed by the Romans.
I learned of the belief that one day the temple will be built a third time, and this will signal the beginning of the end times. How a final battle must take place between God's chosen people...and God's chosen people. Hmm, problematic.
The Temple Mount is currently occupied by a Mosque referred to as 'The Dome of the Rock.' Apparently, During one of the times when the temple was on hiatus, Mohammad went to a rock standing in the middle of where the temple once stood, and ascended to heaven. It was there that Mohammad had a conference with Jesus Christ, Moses, and Abraham. Upon returning to earth, and stepping off of this rock, Mohammad began his Ministry on earth.
So, as a twelve year old, I was confused. I was taught that the Jews, Muslims, and Christians were all worshiping the same God. God is good, no matter what you call him. I was taught that they have their way of following faith, and we have ours, but we are all following the same guy.
My confusion was fostered by the idea that this spot in Jerusalem was clearly very very holy, and everyone seemed to agree. If we were all worshiping the same God, and God had deemed that particular spot 'good,' then we all should recognize it as good. I certainly could not make any sense of the fighting that was constantly occurring over this plot of land. Mohammad had lunch with Jesus, Moses, and Abraham, for christ's sake, why couldn't we humans do the same?
The answer I received when asking this question was "It's more complicated than that."
I'm sure it is, but my basic question has persisted for 22 years without a sufficient answer. the Advocates of every religion on earth are espousing that 'God is Great.' They purport that their God is a God of love, and that one only needs to allow him into his or her heart to know true peace and joy. They state in absolute terms that god is the only arbiter of an absolute morality. Every single major religion states that killing is wrong.
It seems to me that there are complicated questions, that maybe even God would struggle with. Stem cells, abortion, euthanasia, who can say? But this one seems easy. All the books say 'do not kill.' All the books say 'keep holy that which is holy.'
If God is unable to stop the fighting that occurs over a wall and a rock, and that fighting is a direct result of said wall and rock being an influence of peace and love on earth, then God's almighty power and majesty is certainly suspect.
The basic tenants of peace and love are bullshit. You don't believe in it, theists, you never have. You state it in public circles, and then go behind closed doors and calculate how you can further your agenda. You need to stop pretending that your God can be 'good' and 'right' at the same time.
With the genesis of all of the world's dominant religions has come death, destruction, suffering, and torment. Think about that the next time you want to claim the higher ground of moral superiority.
-Paul Wittmeyer
Monday, August 15, 2011
Pedophilia and Priests
What is the matter with the priesthood? Why is it a cesspool of pedophilia? What is it about the priesthood which draws or influences men toward this sort of behavior?
I do not want to be misleading here, I do not think all priests are child molesters. My issue is not even with the cover ups, though they are despicable and revolting. My issue is with the seemingly disproportionate number of cases where priests have molested children. Either there is a larger number of pedophiles in the priesthood or there are undiscovered pedophiles in all manor of industry who need to be rooted out. I agree with the former.
Here is where, I think, the practical world has screwed with the church. Lets say there is a Catholic boy growing up and suffers from pedophilic tendencies and acknowledges they are bad. He seeks guidance and help from the bible and the church. He devotes his life to trying to subdue this urge. I would commend him for this. He chooses a life of celibacy to avoid the whole situation and the priesthood gives one a paycheck and an excuse for not consorting with women. Problem solved, right? Well, this guy has sought no real counseling or psychological treatment, he has just tried to hide the feelings from himself and others.
Now our priest is given authority over people and especially children. He is seen as pious and above reproach. As we all know power is very hard to control when you want something you should not want. Once the word gets out to his higher ups he is moved to a new parish. I am sure he feels he could seek guidance from God and start anew. He also has suffered very little real world punishment and received no psychological help. Now he is back in power over small children. This can go on and on as long as the church tries to avoid public scrutiny.
I am not claiming that the vow of celibacy makes priests celibate, I am just asking if you had a clearly deviant sexual desire and really believed in the healing power of God wouldn't the priesthood be a place you could end up? This would cause the disproportionate number of pedofiles in the priesthood and the church's desire to hide the problem does not allow the evolutionary nature of groups to weed out, over time, those unfit by way of perversion.
This post is a bit of a thought exercise for me so please send me some feedback if you like, I would love to hear it.
Notes on clerical celibacy:
The priestly vows are inherently sexual. They ask humans to deny a basic biological function as a sign of devotion to the almighty. Why? Pope Gregory VII decreed that no married man could be a member of the priesthood in 1075. More than half the history of Catholicism priests have had the option of marriage. In 1123 the First Lateran Counsel adopted two interesting Cannons.
Cannon 3: We absolutely forbid priests, deacons, and subdeacons to associate with concubines and women, or to live with women other than such as the Nicene Counsel for reasons of necessity permitted, namely, the mother, sister, or aunt, or any such person concerning whom no suspicion could arise.
Cannon 21: We absolutely forbid priests, deacons, subdeacons, and monks to have concubines or to contract marriage. We decree in accordance with the definitions of the sacred cannons, that marriages already contracted by such persons must be dissolved, and that the persons be condemned to do penance.
Sixteen years later, in 1139, the Second Lateran Counsel enacted the following cannons:
Cannon 6: We also decree that those who in the subdiaconate and higher orders have contracted marriage or have concubines, be deprived of their office and ecclesiastical benefice. For since they should be and be called the temple of God, vessel of the Lord, the abode of the Holy Spirit, it is unbecoming that they indulge in marriage and in impurities.
Cannon 7: Following in the footsteps of our predecessors, the Roman pontiffs Gregory VII, Urban, and Paschal, we command that no one attend the masses of those who are known to have wives or concubines. But that the law of continence and purity, so pleasing to God, may become more general among persons constituted in sacred orders, we decree that bishops, priests, deacons, subdeacons, cannons regular, monks and professed clerics (conversi) who, transgressing the holy precept, have dared to contract marriage, shall be separated. For a union of this kind which has been contracted in violation of the ecclesiastical law, we do not regard as matrimony. Those who have been separated from each other, shall do penance commensurate with such excesses.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
REASON part 1: The cosmological argument
We have tried, so many times, to put forth a logical and rational explaination for our belief in the supernatural. The arguments for the existence of God are myriad, and have been presented over the centuries by our greatest thinkers.
Every single argument for the existence of God begins with a pre-supposition: God exists. Sure, some are more veiled than others, but in the end, the apologetics practiced therein, by necessity, begin with this premise. My purpose in presenting these arguments is NOT to refute them. These arguments fall under the category of PRATT - previously refuted a thousand times. My purpose here is to show how we use language, hidden premises, and the bastardization of logic to substantiate our positions.
That being said...The cosmological argument.
The cosmological argument is more commonly referred to as 'the first cause' argument. Essentially, it states that 'something' must have caused the universe to exist, and that 'something,' is, by necessity, God. In a causal universe, every action is caused by a previous action. I strike a cue ball, and it in turn stikes a number of different billiard balls, as is the cause of their action. The argument is extrapolated to state that, in fact, our existence is a pool table full of moving billiard balls acted upon by the events that led to the collisions put into motion by the 'prime mover.' That prime mover is the person holding the pool cue, that prime mover is God.
There are a couple of problems with this.
First off: Ok, fine...but God, in this argument, is just a name given to the guy holding the pool cue. I prefer to call him Steve. So, let's take a look at Steve's beliefs: Now, I'm fairly certain that Steve believes he is playing pool, but I cannot even be certain of that. He may think that he is golfing. That is the firmest ground I can find, because Steve's beliefs on whether or not I should pray to Mecca five times a day, not eat meat on Friday, or whether I should strap a bomb to myself to blow up the damn eight ball, are unclear. The logical leap of 'Steve is God, the God I believe in, who sent his only begotten son...' is problematic because we have no information about Steve other than the fact that he is holding a pool cue.
Unfortunately for theists, that is not the greatest problem with the cosmological argument.
The greatest problem is infinite regression. To state this another way: Who made Steve? Who made whoever made Steve? The cosmological argument has a big, huge, glaring logical fallacy, and that is the fallacy of special pleading. To restate the argument: everything requires a cause...EXCEPT FOR STEVE!
The argument hinges on the presumption that everything we can see, touch, taste, hear, and smell is the product of a series of events leading to the moment we experience those sensations. Special pleading is an informal logical fallacy that removes Steve from the constrants of the premise that the entire argument is based on. So, why doesn't Steve require a cause? Because Steve is God.
This sort of thinking can only come from a mind that has decided, before formulating the argument, that Steve is God, and as such, deserves special consideration.
The logical arguments for the existence of God are myriad, and put forth by theists as a way to support the conclusions they have come to by other means. In my experience, the greatest question to ask when presented with a logical proof for the existence of God:
Is that why you believe in God?
The answers will be, invariably, no...and the answers will be infinitely entertaining. At least they are to me.
-Paul Wittmeyer
Friday, August 5, 2011
My scars remind me that the past is real
I was never religious, never had any faith whatsoever. Possibly due to my mother's desire not to lie to me. She never told me in the affirmative that Santa existed. She did not deny it but she never affirmed it. She did not want to lie and wanted me to make up my own mind on how to weigh incoming data.
When I was nine, my sister died of Myasthenia gravis. I was, as expected, devastated. People universally told me that "she was in a better place", "it was all for the best" or that it was "God's will." This provided me no modicum of comfort. I thought there was something wrong with me. I became sad that I could not feel the love of a God, the comfort that people felt in time of grief.
I began a religious journey. I read, talked and attended services of every religion that I could find. I began with Christianity, the most accessible. I looked into Catholicism, Baptism, Methodism, Pentecostal, and whatever I could find. I grew up in a neighborhood where there were lots of Baptist churches and my great aunt, great uncle were Methodist ministers and Catholic churches are everywhere. The others were not as easy but I got them. I am Jewish by birth but had never really practiced so they were next on my list. None were fulfilling.
I moved on to the eastern beliefs. I looked into Hinduism, Taoism, Sikhism, and Confucianism but spent the most time on Buddhism. They all had the same fatal flaw, faith. They could not give me the product they offered without me giving up my sense of reality. I had to accept ridiculous claims, Karma, metaphysical law, rebirth or Heaven. None of these has any support. I felt like they were holding their miracle cure until I made an offering of reason. Give up a part of what makes me what I am to get this sense of peace which they offered.
I came to realize that many of the people seeking comfort from these religious systems were like me. They got comfort from the other people but had to pretend that the system itself offered them comfort. They confessed to me that they had to feign faith to avoid losing their community. When, it is the community which helped them. The more I heard this the angrier I became. Angry that this blackmail was going on and angry that I could not bow to the pressure. Why did I have to question and examine empty statements? Why could I not just bow my head and do my taxes in my head while the leader prayed. I found more and more people were doing just that.
My inability to play the game had screwed me out of the caring community which might have helped me in my time of need.
The thought of prayer has never occurred to me. Time of trouble or grief has never pushed me into supernaturalism. I remember when my mother died the Hospice people (great folks by the way) offered a minister who my mother had spoken to could come to the house. My mother had just died and was laying there. I recalled that she had a vague faith of some nondenominational sort and if she had talked to this fellow maybe she would have like some kind of last rite or something. I said they could bring the guy. I do not care if I agree with your beliefs; I will do my damndest to support them when you cannot. When the guy got there he tried talking to me. I was so confused by this. I kept telling him that my mother was back there in the bedroom. He kept trying to be spiritual and such. Eventually I realized that he thought he was there for me. Talk about egg on your face. I felt bad for making him come all the way down there for nothing so I got the old mother-in-law and put them together. He could counsel her and she liked all that stuff.
The thing I remember was that it never occurred to me that he would come for me. I assumed it was part of my mother's wishes and wanted to honor that. It took me a few minutes to realize that people would think that superstition would comfort me. It was such a bazaar and foreign idea. I felt so bad for the guy, wasting his time.
That is my journey. I looked for faith. I found empty promises and blackmail. I found communities which asked me to turn off my mind. Deliberately make myself blind in one area. I tried to do it. I tried so hard. I failed. I am a failure at the game of religion.
Meet some people who are going to hell
If you have not already heard of Hege Dalen and Toril Hansen, then let me introduce you:
"Hege Dalen and Toril Hansen have rightly become national heroes in Norway after they rescued 40 fleeing teens from the massacre on Utoya Island. Using their boat, they made multiple trips into the waters around Utoya where Anders Breivik was murdering 69 people and ferried as many as they could to safety. Bullet holes later discovered in their boat indicate Breivik fired upon them."
- Gavon Laessig
Oh, and by the way, they are a lesbian married couple.
So, let me tell this story as best I can. Hege Dalen and Toril Hansen were having a picnic on an island near Utoya Island, when they heard sounds indicating something was amiss. To quote Dalen:
"We were eating. Then shooting and then the awful screaming. We saw how the young people ran in panic into the lake."
What this couple did next is beyond anything I can explain or understand. They took a row boat, and rowed in the direction of the gunfire. They rowed to the island where a massacre was taking place, and filled that rowboat with as many human beings as they could possibly hold, and rowed back to safety.
Would you like to know what they did next? They unloaded the rowboat, and went back to save more human beings. They did this a total of four times. By the end, the rowboat was riddled with bullet holes. They shuttled a total of 40 human lives to safety.
Four times, they put themselves in harm's way for strangers. Four times, they thought of the suffering of their fellow human beings, and made the choice to put themselves directly in the line of fire way to help others find a way out of it..
We talk of heroes. We talk of the firefighters who ran into the World Trade Center, we talk of the soldiers who ran in the direction of Fallujah. I think we talk about these things, and refer to the participants as heroes, because we would like to hope that we would be brave enough to do the same as they did. We would like to hope that in our finest hour, we would sacrifice ourselves for our fellow human beings. We call these men and women heroes because we hope that we would, and we fear that we could not.
The truth is...we probably could. In times of crisis, we react. Maybe we all would have rowed that boat across the isle because we knew that people were in harm's way, and we knew we had the ability to help them. Maybe we would because that's what you are supposed to do...because that's the way to be a person.
...And that's what the fellow in the video above perhaps forgets. He forgets that those who is damning to eternal torment are human beings, people he may meet at the grocery store. People who may hold differing and staunch beliefs about which sports team is better...people who may sacrifice their bodies and minds to do the right thing when the chips are down. People who would help you in spite of the fact that you were wishing them eternal torment and suffering.
I want this shit to stop. I want an edict from the pope. I want an acknowledgment that these two human beings were doing the right thing. I want a facebook page, a website, I want it known to the world. I want it declared by his holiness, the Pontiff of Rome, declared by every religious leader on the planet, that Hege Dalen and Toril Hanse SHALL NOT burn in hell for all eternity. I want Hege Dalen and Toril Hanse to be celebrated as the heroes that they are.
Anders Breivik perpetrated the wholesale slaughter of as many human beings as he possibly could, and he did so to support his xenophobic worldview, which includes support for varying degrees of cultural conservatism, right-wing populism, ultranationalism, crusades, Islamophobia, far-right Zionism and Serbian para-militarism, and to preserve a Christian Europe. He did so because he hated the 'other.'
Hege Dalen and Toril Hanse did not see the 'other,' they saw people in need. They acted like any brave, and strong human being would in that situation. They represent the best of what we can be, and that is how they should be judged. That is how we all should be judged...by OUR actions, not YOUR beliefs.
-Paul Wittmeyer
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Holy Hell
My problem with the Hell concept is that Eternity is a long time. A very long time. Since the system has only two possibilities, Heaven for eternity or Hell for eternity, I must assume that Hell is full of really fun people. There are also probably a few people who simply used the Lord's name in vain. Goddamnit! There you go, I spend eternity in torment. It is like the state giving the death penalty for every crime. Jaywalking? Death. Speeding? Death. Murder? Death. Arson? Death. Forget to report those taxes from the horse race? Death. Remember "Ignorance of the Law is no excuse." That is even more so with an Omniscient Judge. And don't forget the thought crimes of Christianity. The coveting. Hell would be full. Full! But this is not really the point of this post.
I assume Hell would be bad. For the first couple thousand years. After that I would have to assume that one would get used to being in excruciating pain all the time. Rats chewing off extremities forever is bad but I could see, after a couple thousand years, getting used to it.
Once you are used to Hell, it becomes like earth except no possible divine punishment. I assume that it would be nothing but sex and poker. Crazy weird sex you have never thought of. Different gambling games and a lot of rough housing. They say that lifers in prison get used to it and simply exist with that as their reality. Just become accustomed. I assume Hell would be worse than prison but eternity is a long time.
So, here's me asking to go to Hell and be tormented for a couple thousand years so that I can commit whatever crime I could imagine with no fear of punishment. Plus, remember all the people there are basically immortal in Hell, so they will always be as ok as they were before. No lasting damage, no guilt. My only problem is that I never had much of an inkling to harm others. But, after a few thousand years of torment I might develop a mean streak.
In closing here is my scenario: I say "Jesus" as an exclamation. I die and go to Hell. I am tormented for thousands of years and eventually become a real jackass. I become hateful toward the world and God. Then I commit terrible acts out of boredom (idle hands and all).
When that gets boring I spend the next million years lying, gambling and womanizing. Hell would be full of liars, gamblers and prostitutes.
That seems to be God's plan. Omniscience kicks ass. I am in no place to question God's plan.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Big lizard in my backyard
Catholic Charities of Buffalo, every year, appeals to the community for funding, and this year, in these economic times, they had reached their goal by July 20th.
This year's goal: 10.5 million dollars. To date, Catholic Charities of Buffalo has collected $10,601,157.94 from the 8 counties that compose Western New York. To put this in perspective, Western new York contains roughly 2.5 million people.
Catholic Charities is the largest non-governmental 'humanitarian' organization in the country. It was founded in 1910, and is headquartered in Alexandria, Virgina. Their annual revenue is $3.83 billion.
This year's 'appeal' slogan is, to quote the Diocese of Buffalo: ""Whoever. Wherever. Whenever." because Catholic Charities is always there, providing help for people of all faiths and walks of life when they need it most."
Now, two things: 1) When you quote a sentence that begins with a quote, it looks really stupid, and, 2) 10.6 million dollars??? From people in Western New York? Who are these people? What do they do?
Well, I did some research.
Stated plain as day on Catholic Charities USA's website is the following:
Vision of Catholic CharitiesBelieving in the presence of God in our midst, we proclaim the sanctity of human life and the dignity of the person by sharing in the mission of Jesus given to the Church. To this end, Catholic Charities works with individuals, families and communities to help them meet their needs, address their issues, eliminate oppression, and build a just and compassionate society.
Ok, fine, a very nice mission statement. As you may have guessed, I have some concerns. Before the pichforks emerge, please let me state that my concerns are not that they share in the mission of the zombie from Nazareth. As I have stated many times, believe what you want to believe. My problems are a bit more...pragmatic.
In 2006, Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley and leaders of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston announced that the agency would terminate its adoption work, rather than comply with state law which would force it to place children under the guardianship of same-sex couples, which conflicts with the moral teaching of the Church.
In 2009, the Washington, D.C. chapter of Catholic Charities was confronted with legislation that would compel them to offer family health insurance plans for their same sex employees equivalent to the packages provided to heterosexual couples. Catholic Charities, USA's response? They stopped providing health care for ALL employees. Of course, there is a provision that allows any employee who received health insurance previous to this policy shift to be 'grandfathered' in.
None of this would be concerning to me if Catholic Charities wasn't the leading non-governmental adoption program in the United States. None of this would be concerning to me if Catholic Charities didn't employ 304,932 people. But, they do.
While we are filing lawsuits, and protesting memorials, An organization with a clear theological perspective has collected 3.83 billion dollars from the country to further their agenda. They have collected 10 million dollars from your neighbors in the last six months. They are the second largest social service provider in the United States, surpassed only by the federal government. They offer counseling, mental health treatment, disaster relief, and assistance for impoverished neighborhoods.
My real problem is not what they are doing. My problem is: What are we doing?
-Paul Wittmeyer


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|Home > Greta
♀ Greta
What does Greta mean?
Greta [gre-ta]▲ as a girls' name is pronounced GREH-tah. It is of German and Greek origin, and the meaning of Greta is "pearl". Short form of Margaret. Made famous by actress Greta Garbo. Marathon runner Greta Waitz.
ASSOCIATED WITH greek
VARIANTS Greeta, Gretal, Gretchen▼, Grete, Gretel, Gretha, Grethe, Grethel, Gretna, Gretta, Grette, Grietje, Gryta
RELATED FORMS VIA MARGARET Gretl, Marketa, Meta▼, Meyta, Rita▼CREATIVE FORMS
(female) Grede, Gweta, ..
(male) Gregar, Greva, .. MIDDLE NAME PAIRINGS
Greta Karter (G.K.), ..
How popular is Greta?
Greta is a very prominent first name for women (#728 out of 4276, Top 17%) but an uncommon surname for both adults and children. (2000 U.S. DEMOGRAPHICS)
Greta reached its apex rank of #383 in the U.S. in the 1930s, and is at #573 currently. (2015 U.S. SSA RECORDS)
Which version is better?with its variant forms and related girl names. Gretchen (#1431 FROM RECENT DATA), Gretta, Margaret (#154), Meta and Rita (#1282) are the prominent related forms of Greta (#573) listed in the Top 2000. Other variants, like Meyta, are seldom used. These relations of Greta were at the peak of their popularity in the 1890s (USAGE OF 4.5%) and are now significantly less widespread (USAGE 0.2%, 96% LESS), with versions such as Rita becoming less in vogue. Greta is the most trendy name for newborns in this list.
Similar Names
Greta▲ is alike in pronunciation to Grata. Other recommended names are Aleta, Aneta, Areta, Aretta, Arleta, Beta, Bretta, Brieta, Brita, Cleta, Gaea, Geela, Geena, Geeta, Gena▼, Gerta, Ghita, Gita, Gitta, Gratia, Greer, Grenata, Gusta, Irita, Iveta, Leeta, Leta▼, Loreta, Neta, Oleta▼, Oreta, Oretta, Peta, Queta, Reeta, Reta▼, Rheta, Rieta, Teeta, Theta, Veeta, Veta, Zeeta and Zeta. These names tend to be less frequently used than Greta.See names in meaning and etymology.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Wildlife Research Center Big Game Lures - Active-Scrape
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text:
800 University WaySpartanburg, SC 293031-864-503-5000
The institution is in compliance with its program responsibilities under Title IV of the 1998 Higher Education Amendments. (In reviewing the institution's compliance with these programs responsibilities, the Commission relies on documentation forwarded to it by the U.S. Department of Education.) (Title IV program responsibilities)
Judgement: Compliant
The University of South Carolina Upstate (USC Upstate) Office of Financial Aid is responsible for administering federal, state, institutional, and private funding to financially assist students with their education costs. USC Upstate is in good standing in accordance with the Program Participation Agreement (PPA). The Eligibility and Certification Approval Report (ECAR) signed with the U.S. Department of Education authorizesthe University to participate in Title IV financial aid programs. Reauthorization was completed in 2006, and the Institution's PPA is effective until 2012. The Office of Financial Aid is compliant with all annual audit and review requirements for the administration of Title IV student aid funds in accordance with federal regulations. The Fiscal Operations Report, Application to Participate (FISAP) and the required A-133 Audit Reports are completed and electronically submitted to the U. S. Department of Education on a timely basis in accordance with federal regulations. USC Upstate adheres to all federal regulations as set forth under the Title IV student financial aid program regulations. Financial aid policies and procedures are in compliance with all Title IV regulations. Student eligibility is verified according to federal regulations. Verification rules are reviewed each year and the financial aid system is modified to comply with the new rules and regulations. All required consumer information concerning federal aid is provided to students by the Office of Financial Aid and can be found on the Financial Aid website. There are no outstanding issues between the Department of Education and USC Upstate with regard to the administration of Title IV programs and no known complaints have been filed with the Department of Education regarding the administration of Title IV programs. USC Upstate submits the FISAP report to the Department of Education in a timely manner, and, therefore, has not been placed on cost-reimbursement method of payment. The Institution has not been required to obtain a letter of credit in favor of the Department of Education. There are no significant unpaid dollar amounts due back to the Department of Education and USC Upstate is not aware of any infractions which would jeopardize Title IV funding. USC Upstate's most recent default rate calculation for the Federal Family Education Loan program is 5.1 % for fiscal year 2007.
Support Documents:
Contact Us
USC Upstate800 University WaySpartanburg, SC 29303Toll-free: 800-277-8727Phone: 864-503-5000E-mail Us
Faculty/Staff Directory
The University of South Carolina Upstate is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate and masters degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia, 30033 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of USC Upstate. Comments or Complaints?


text:
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Wine Wednesday Winners – Holiday Edition, Seasonal Spirits: Fever-Tree Natural Mixers Gift Pack, A Hot Product for Cool Cocktails
By Stef Schwalb
Join Barbour SoHo and budding mixologist Jim Meehan for irresistible cocktails Wed, Dec 19 from 6PM-8PM at 123 Wooster Street.
What's on Their Wish List This Holiday Season?
We asked some of our Favorite Go-To Girls, and They Told Us!
By Candice Sabatini
Enjoy a Journey of Taste: Ring in "The Hobbit" with Broken Shed Vodka from New Zealand
By Stef Schwalb
Wine Wednesday Winners – Holiday Edition, Seasonal Spirits: Forget the House! Instead Construct a Cocktail with Kahlua Gingerbread
By Stef Schwalb
The Niu Noodle House. This extraordinary west village eatery merits numerous visits to taste everything on the menu.


text: The larger displacement gives more torque and horse power earlier/lower in the RPM range. One of the complaints, from the non-driving enthusiast crowd, about the 2.0 motor was that you had to get the RPMs up in order to get into a little torque. I have an '06 WRX Wagon (2.5L) and have driven an '05 . I found myself shifting the '05 a lot more. Where I could leave my '06 in 4th or 5th gear to gently/easily pull around (pass) someone, in the '05, I had to drop to third to get the turbo spinning. It just took a little more horsing around to get it going. It got going just fine when you asked it to, but, there was just a little more work involved. One might wonder if the '06 is less fun to drive because you're not keeping up in the higher RPMs. I don't find that to be a problem, when I want higher RPMs, I just go get 'em. Sometimes you want to do a fly by when passing. Other times, the family's in the car, and you just want a comfortable pass with a minimum of fuss. The '06 will do that more relaxed pass a little more easily.Originally Posted by subinubi


text:
Hispanics feel harassed under Alabama's immigration law
There are 13 comments on the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune story from Jul 21, 2012, titled Hispanics feel harassed under Alabama's immigration law. In it, Wisconsin Rapids Tribune reports that:
Alabama Capitol Police handcuff immigration law protesters May 16 outside of the senate chamber at the Statehouse in Montgomery.
Join the discussion below, or Read more at Wisconsin Rapids Tribune.
Since: Apr 10
#1 Jul 21, 2012
"Ron Tyler, the police chief in Florence, Ala., said the small Hispanic community in his city of 39,000 people has "gone underground," refusing to report crimes out of fear that officers will arrest them or their family on immigration charges."
"Gonzalez has seen that fear of police playing out each day.
She said many people from her community have left the state, and those who remain have adopted habits that reduce their exposure to police. She said that's a huge change from life before the law, when the Hispanic community had a good relationship with police.
"The police were always very nice. They didn't bother (us); they didn't care if we were legal or illegal," she said. "But after the law, I don't know if they're forced or what, but they've been going after Latinos."
We don't care, if you are a illegal alien you need to be deported. Don't get mad because law enforcement is now coming into play. It's not going to get any better for illegal aliens.
Since: Apr 08
Location hidden
#2 Jul 21, 2012
When Bentley signed that law, illegals were bailing out of Alabama like rats deserting a sinking ship. I saw a half dozen businesses in Enterprise suddenly close up, including Mexican restaurants and the Guatemalan Outreach center.
In the first quarter after the law was signed, Alabama's unemployment rate dropped significantly. Citizens taking those jobs American won't do, apparenlty......
Since: Dec 06
United States of America
#3 Jul 22, 2012
If they or their family members were not in this country illegally, they would have no reason to hide or to fear the law unless they have committed further crimes.
#4 Jul 22, 2012
And I'm sure no one there is suffering their absence, right? and less chance of getting runned over by an uninsured driver, too. If our states don't get adament and determined to continue to get these laws passed every time judges throw out the laws as unconstitutional [WE ARE ALL GOING TO SINK]. It is ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT {NOT TO GIVE UP} BUT FURROCIOUSLY KEEP THROWING BACK THOSE LAWS UNTIL SIGNED!!!! Sooner or later THEY WILL GET SIGNED, out of frustration maybe modified but we will still benefit.
#6 Jul 22, 2012
"The police were always very nice. They didn't bother (us); they didn't care if we were legal or illegal," she said. "But after the law, I don't know if they're forced or what, but they've been going after Latinos."
Did you read the part about how they won't report crimes and go back into the shadows and not help police because of this?
Another smoke screen! Illegal aliens from third world countries NEVER(!) report crime unless it is to their clear advantage to do so!!! Reporting crime to police IS NOT part of their culcha!!! Thus the reason for the rampant crime from whence they came!
#8 Jul 22, 2012
to all ILLEGAL the party is over,theres no more food or drink,by now you should have billions of american dollars,to live on in mexico,the money you have sent home
Since: Apr 09
small town
#9 Jul 22, 2012
When will the madness Stop! We need to Protect these illegal immigrants and their children! SO let make ICE do their JOB and DEPORT all these poor illegal immigrants and their children back to whatever country they came FROM. CONFISCATE ALL their WORLDLY POSSESSIONS and Sale their Possessions at Public Auction and use the Money to Help Pay for Social sevices for Legal Immigrants and United States Citizens. Deport more of these poor illegal immigrants Back to their Homeland Broke. That way it will discourage them to Stay at their Homeland, People not to come to United States without PROPER PAPERS. Illegal immigrants and their children ARE costing United States Taxpayers BILLIONS of Dollars. People who support illegal immigrants and their chidren Need to support these people in their own Homeland.
#10 Jul 22, 2012
Only criminals fear contact with the police so of course illegal aliens are afraid and "feeling harassed" then get the F back home and come back legally. Oh, but if you immigrate legally then the government knows who you are and there is expectation of paying taxes, paying hospital and other bills and so on.
#11 Jul 22, 2012
excelent post.
#12 Jul 22, 2012
Hispanics will simply sue the crap out of that welfare state until Alabama gets the message.
#13 Jul 22, 2012
But you're not a racist.
Since: Apr 08
Location hidden
#14 Jul 22, 2012
Like so many other liberals, you confuse racism / profiling with statistics.
More than half of Californias adult male population is Latino or nonwhite (55%), but three of every four men in prison are Latino or nonwhite: 41% are Latino, 29% are African American, and 6% are of another race. Among adult men in 2010, African Americans were incarcerated at a rate of 5,525 per 100,000, compared to 1,146 for Latinos, 671 for non-Latino whites, and 43 for Asians. Among women, African Americans were incarcerated at a rate of 342 per 100,000, compared to 57 for Latinas, 66 for non-Latina whites, and 5 for Asians.
Is that racism? Is it profiling? No, it is statistics. Facts are that one of the most liberal states in the country has a prison population that is 76% nonwhite.
That ought to tell even you something.
#16 Jul 26, 2012
This article contradicts itself in several places. In addition, its slant is one of feeling sorry for the plight of people who have been flying under the radar and are unhappy that their life is getting tougher because the citizens want them gone.
Well, if illegal aliens feel singled out, it's because the law is working! It's intended to make your life rougher, so you'll seek opportunity elsewhere. You might want to take the hint and fade away.
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Starring: Sarah Megan Thomas. James Van Der Beek, Glenn Morshower, Margaret Colin, Wynn Everett, Alexandra Metz, Meredith Apfelbaum, David Alan Basche, Ellis Walding, Alysia Reiner, Brea Bee.
Director: Ben Hickernell
Rating: PG (for some mild language.)
Running Time: 89 Minutes
Release Date: September 21, 2012
Home Video Release Date: TBD
North American Box Office: $61 Thousand
13th Night Productions and Required Viewing/Dada Films.
Written by: Sarah Megan Thomas.
★★1/2 (out of 5 stars)
Backwards takes a formulaic story concept and tries to present it in a different light. A woman, training most of her life for a spot on the Woman's Olympic rowing team, struggles to reset her life at the age of 30, after being rejected a second time for the squad. In addition to the emotional distress this rejection causes for her, part of the reconfiguring and reevaluation of her life has to deal with a previous boyfriend who has resurfaced. The implementation of this love story is where Backwards goes sideways and loses its heart and uniqueness, becoming nothing more than the most annoying type of romantic film – the one where the woman sacrifices her dreams and opportunities because the love of a man is just too irresistible to pass up.
I am conflicted in condemning Backwards because it is a passion project for Sarah Megan Thomas, who draws on her past experiences to write, produce, and star in this film. My sense is that she could not get the story made, so she worked really hard to bring this to the screen. In that way, Backwards is a success and Thomas' unrelenting efforts to make her film should be heralded. Director Ben Hickernell 's third feature also looks good, employing some wonderful cinematography and decent pacing. Sadly though, Hickernell and Thomas fail to restrain themselves from so many elements that make this a really hard tryer, but ultimately a disappointment. Frankly, a little like Thomas' character herself.
Thomas stars as Abi Brooks, who at 30, has just been denied that second opportunity to row for her country. With some tough love from her coach (Glenn Morshower) and no other options, Abi packs up and returns home where she is immediately under the microscope of her overbearing, if not well-intentioned mother (Margaret Colins). Also on the horizon is Geoff (James Van Der Beek), Abi's long-distant first love of her life, who she was together with for years, until things fell apart. Dismissive of the notion of still being in love with Geoff, Abi nonetheless is smitten with him once again and accepts his offer to mentor and coach to young rowing hopefuls (Alexandra Metz, Meredith Apfelbaum). The young girls are Geoff's best students and Abi finds that they may have U.S. National Team potential, but as she works with them, retaining a resurgent connection to Geoff as well, opportunities may arrive which leave Abi having to ponder her life's direction.
Overall, Backwards is about on par with a cable movie, with a slightly crisper look and bigger budget. Ben Hickernell's command of the story is fine and all the performances are good, even Thomas, who has an unpolished, raw but real feel about her. She strikes good chemistry with Van Der Beek, and while he is forced to do the heavy lifting in a lot of their scenes together, Van Der Beek remains likable and coasts comfortably through the film.
All of the issues pertain to Sarah Megan Thomas' screenplay, which is a bit thin to begin with. However, when she implements her love story vis a vis the journey of the rowers she is mentoring, you can see everything coming from a mile away. It is a shame because sometimes formulaic films can find some goodwill along the way to slide through the cliches and contrived moments that derail lesser films. Unfortunately, Backwards falters mightily when Abi gets an opportunity that may jeopardize her relationship with the rowers and Geoff and makes disappointing decision after disappointing decision in trying to complete its journey.
Sad to say, Backwards cannot finish the race. When the film moves to the end, the thin story and one-note characters stand out. As someone who initially agreed with Abi's choice, then disagreed strongly with the ultimate course the film takes, there was just too much I could not get past to recommend the film. Backwards will appeal to viewers of films and shows found on stations like ABC Family, Disney, Nickelodeon, and maybe even Lifetime, as the film stays family friendly throughout. With a frustrating message that calls into question some of the major traits and characteristics that made Abi unique and had us rooting for her, Backwards gives up and essentially embraces the annoying elements of the films that undoubtedly gave Thomas some of the inspiration to tell her story. In doing so, Thomas makes an unfortunate decision, much like her character ultimately does as well.
- Works fine as a family film, a light romantic sports-infused drama with a few scatological words tossed around.
- It is easy to like Sarah Megan Thomas and see her hard work and persistence punctuate every frame and moment of the film.
- The film looks terrific and sequences involving rowing and training work quite well.
- Why, why, WHY does Sarah Megan Thomas' screenplay take the cheapest and mist unsatisfying route and derail much of the goodwill generated within the first 70 minutes or so?
- This is akin to the quality of film you would found on the ABC Family network – geared towards tweens and teenagers, innocuous enough for the whole family to watch. Some of the dialogue and situations feel like a TV-movie, which kills some of the credibility.
- Although I am not a rower, competitively or otherwise, much of this just feels implausible.


text:
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- 25255 Pleasant Valley Road Chantilly, VA 20152
- (703) 327-9035
Welcome to Davey Tree's Commercial Landscape Services Alexandria, VA office. We provide commercial tree care and ground maintenance services for some of Virginia's most prestigious properties.
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text:
There's an EM Forster story in which the hero (a young boy sprouting a fresh, adolescent moustache - where do you get your inspiration, Edward?) makes the point that technology has dehumanised meaning. "Near", he points out, is a place that one can get to quickly on one's feet, not somewhere one can get to quickly in a fast vehicle. It's an interesting notion, and one that brings us nicely to the Devo wind-up digital radio - and, whether or not you like it, I'm going to tell you why.
Tiresome facts: the Devo has quite a meaty sound for its size - plus sockets so you could connect external speakers. It also comes with an AC adaptor in case (I'll get to you people in a minute) you'd prefer to run it, or charge its battery, from the mains. Here's the thing, though: a (vigorous) 60-second wind will give you an hour of FM radio, or three minutes of digital. That, it seems, is how much more electricity DAB consumes. With other radios, you just flick a switch: completely divorced from the extra power being used. The Devo connects you to the true cost - and time is paid for not by power stations, but by your pecs. Now, I'm inclined to think that digital radio is the least exciting thing to happen in the past 20 years, but if you do get a DAB unit, then, if you buy any one except the Devo, your hands drip scarlet with the planet's blood, you evil monster. There, I said it.
· Devo DAB, £96, from ecodigital.co.uk (0845 004 5330). Mil Millington's latest novel, Love And Other Near Death Experiences, is published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, priced £10.


text:
2 tonnes of expired medicines torched
2 tonnes of expired medicines torched
ASADABAD (PAN): Two tonnes of expired medicine and substandard beverages were burnt in the eastern province of Kunar, officials said on Thursday.
The drugs and beverages had been seized from clinics and stores across the province over the past six months by a joint commission, the director of public health said.
Dr. Asadullah Fazli told Pajhwok Afghan News the commission was comprised of public health department, municipality, National Directorate of Security (NDS), police and Attorney General Office representatives.
The drugs were set afire in front of the commission and members of the general public. He warned if poor-quality medicine was recovered from a store, the owner would be dragged to court.
Owner of a private medical store in Asadabad, Malik Shinki, welcomed the action, saying they would they were willing to cooperate with the commission.
Pharmacies selling substandard medicine caused people a variety of health hazards, complained a resident of Asadabad, Fazlullah, who urged the authorities to continue the crackdown.
Related Article
Download "Pajhwok" mobile App, on your smartphone to read and access latest news, features, interviews, videos and photos about Afghanistan.


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Cadillac STS Forum - 2005 through 2012 Discussion, 2003 sts v8- no heat in Past Cadillac Vehicle Discussion; Ok my HEAT, defrost A/C is on but no air blows from the vent. I was told to "bang"under the ...
- 12-26-13 08:28 AM #1Cadillac Owners Member
- Automobile(s): 2003 Seville
- Join Date
- Dec 2013
- Posts
- 1
2003 sts v8- no heat
Ok my HEAT, defrost A/C is on but no air blows from the vent. I was told to "bang"under the glove box which worked for the last several weeks. Now that doesn't even work HELP!!!!!
I checked coolant it was low....damn near none.
Could it be the blower? Is this something I can do myself?
B4 I take it to a $$$mechanic and they charge me for a right arm
and my 1st born, I would like to have a clear idea of what my options are.
- 12-26-13 09:35 AM #2Originally Posted by CTgirl22
You have a SEVILLE STS not a STS. Wrong forum
Without coolant you will have no heat. If your blower motor wasn't working you wouldn't have any air blowing out of any of the vents at all. Hitting the dash would only work if you had a sticky blend door.
Re: 2003 sts v8- no heat
Find out where the coolant is going, that's your first task. Like said above, with no coolant comes no heat. I would get two things, 1) a coolant system pressure kit, this will aid in determining where the leak is, hopefully it's external. 2) A block test kit, you'll use this to determine if there are exhaust gases in the coolant system, this will rule out a HG leak if it doesn't come back as positive.
Re: 2003 sts v8- no heat
Curt has the right approach. Until you KNOW the source of that coolant leak, a blend door issue is the least of your worries. By 2003, the Seville's HG issues were largely corrected (we has a '98). They were very nice cars with great lines & performance (for a FWD).
Do check out the Seville forum. Members there will be able to guide you on the tasks you can do yourself, save some buck at an independent shop or need the specialized knowledge or tools of a dealer.


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I have a JJ Lares A-2 for sale or trade. The call is almost brand new. I bought it for my dad for x-mas 2 years ago and he can't blow it so he told me to keep it since he doesn't hunt ducks that much anymore and if he does he just goes with me and I do all the calling. I don't use it because I have my own so it probably has been on 2 hunts total. I am asking $100 or trade for a Basin Abomination Speck II call. If interested let me know and I can send you some pictures of it.....Thanks....cahuntr
P.S. If interested e-mail me at email@example.com


text: I've been doing a lot of shopping around for a pistol that I can use for concealed carry. So far, i've narrowed my choices down between the Glock 19 and the Smith and Wesson M&P 9. Although I have heard from many different people that the Glock is a good pistol and the same with the M&P 9. If I had the money, believe me I would purchase both. So my question to all those who own Glocks, M&P 9's or both, which would be a better fit for concealed carry??? Any advice would help. Thanks.


text:
Playwright: William Shakespeare
Director: Jon Tracy
Playwright: William ShakespeareDirector: Jon TracyComedy$8-$307/9-8/24
Local instigator Jon Tracy takes a seductive and fresh approach to this Shakespeare classic. In work boots and chiffon, lit by barn lights and coffee cans, a shockingly vibrant group of young provocateurs grapple with the vital stuff of life. They've got all night to work it out, and you're invited to the party.
7/17/2017Individual Services Committee Meeting, July 2017
7/19/2017Theatre Services Committee Meeting, Jul 2017
10/26/2016Hello, Terry Boero.
9/28/2016Featured Member: Megan Briggs


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May 28, 2014 - By Steven R. PeckThe historic cemetery grounds are worth taking care of in the public sphere
Something was missing from Riverton's Memorial Day ceremonies Monday.
It's now been a couple of years since the colorful, unique observance at the Odd Fellows Cemetery on Riverview Road took place. Its absence leaves a void.
For decades the cemetery languished in neglect, deteriorating more each day, eventually becoming an eyesore.
More than that, it was an embarrassment. The property has great historic significance for Riverton. It was the city's first cemetery.
So a local group of veterans decided to do something about it. They cleaned the place up. They made plans and raised money. They laid out a good-looking grid of military crosses as the focal point of the cemetery. They spruced up the grave sites and learned more about who was buried there.
They volunteered hundreds of hours. They made the cemetery their own. They took pride in their project, and they shared their work with the public in an annual Memorial Day ceremony separate and distinct from the annual rites at Mountain View Cemetery. It was a fine piece of civic service, much needed and much appreciated.
But there was a problem. Many of the veterans who started the renovation of Odd Fellows Cemetery were World War II vintage. Many of them have passed from this life. Those who remain no longer have the energy, the desire and the manpower to keep doing what they were doing.
They came to the City of Riverton and the Mountain View Cemetery District with a suggestion. How about adding the Odd Fellows Cemetery grounds to the cemetery district, which now takes care of Mountain View Cemetery with an annul tax levy to pay the way. The cemetery district could take on the responsibility of maintaining Odd Fellows Cemetery from the physical standpoint, leaving the veterans to coordinate the annual ceremonies for Memorial Day and perhaps other occasions from time to time.
The city and cemetery district said no at the time. Now that the historic old site has started going to seed again, perhaps the issue could be revisited.
Odd Fellows Cemetery is a much smaller piece of property than Mountain View. It will never need to acquire more space for expansion, as Mountain View Cemetery regularly, and necessarily, does.
The cemetery district has an annual funding source and an elected board of directors to ensure public accountability. The district does an outstanding job of upkeep at beautiful Mountain View Cemetery. Appreciators of the Odd Fellows Cemetery would rest assured that it would be well taken care of and would continue to exist as a valued piece of property and local history.
Years ago, the Odd Fellows Cemetery got a priceless rebirth from its volunteer team. Now it needs a permanent home. We hope the cemetery powers that be can give this another look.
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Luxury 2 bedroom beachfront apartment for sale in picturesque village of Pervolia. Located in just 10 minutes drive from Larnaca International Airport, and 15 minutes to Larnaca city center. Specifications: spacious roof garden 70 sq. m., communal swimming pool, jacuzzi on the roof garden, covered parking space, modern design, smart home technology, heating and cooling units, Italian kitchen, beautiful flooring.
Apartment – Perivolia, Larnaca, Cyprus
583,000 €
5,948 € /m²
Total area: 98 m² 2 bedrooms
- 2 floor
- Swimming pool
- Garden
- Car parks


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That greasy feeling...
View Single Post
October 6th, 2008, 12:26 PM
Redneck Poser
Join Date: 11-07-05
Location: West Branch, MI
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Originally Posted by
I think it's a great idea for alternative fuel. It's just another thing to add on the to do list though, and it's difficult to have the room to handle all of the equipment.
I would go with the simplest system with everything else. I'm assuming a siphon pump would be simpler than a centrifugal system. I would use the most cost effective filter, because obviously a better filter will cost more money.
I'd use plastic drum, then you won't have to worry about rust. Not sure about the tank wrap.
Depending on how you refine it you may actually have to still use diesel fuel to start the engine, and then switch to the biodiesel, and make sure you switch back before shutting off. This may be with straight veggie oil only, but something to check though.
Now, why are your panties in such a fucking bunch?
You've been here how long and are now starting to complain about people being dicks in serious threads? Lighten up.
Originally Posted by
Well obviously you wouldn't want to go cheap on filters, but I don't think you wanting to be spending huge amounts of money on the absolute best filter out there.
I thought it was the WVO that needed to be warmed and couldn't be used when the engine was started. Biodiesel does not need this correct?
Correct, but read what you wrote above. You are talking about Biodiesel like it is WVO. Outside of a few questions on why he doesn't consider bio as an alternative, Skoots appears to have no interest in doing Bio at this time.
Skoots will be rolling around smelling of french fries and pickin up the chubby girls now
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The Road Less Traveled
This week on Hammered! we queue up portions of Frederic Rzewski's epic musical novel The Road -- in addition to a few driving playlists of our own -- and provide five discrete soundtracks built for summer travel. Tune in all week at 10 AM
Frederic Rzewski on his multi-part mega-opus, The Road:
"I decided that I wanted to write about the idea of the road. When you turn onto a road, it's usually already there, and when you turn off it to go where you want to go, the road keeps going somewhere else. So the piece has to be long enough to virtually guarantee that nobody (except of few nuts) will listen to the whole thing...things happen for no reason at all, they're just there, like a Burma-Shave sign, or a wrecked car that appears for a moment."
For all its ingenious spontaneity, this sprawling work is rigorously structured. Each movement is termed a "mile", so "Turns," for example, consists of miles 1-8, "Tracks" miles 9-16 and so on. Every part is also inspired by a popular song, which gets deconstructed and reinterpreted during that part. There are nuclear protest songs, variations on the railroad song "900 Miles," U.S. army songs, and even a meditative reading -- by the pianist -- of Gogol's story "The Nose."
Tune in for a one-part-a-day hearing of this traveler's masterpiece starting Tuesday -- not to be missed!
Supplementing those movements from The Road are road trip playlists in turn chugging, meditative and fleeting. You'll hear music of Florent Ghys, Aaron Jay Kernis, Elliott Carter and James Tenney, along with a specially curated set of perpetual motion etudes on Wednesday consisting of studies by Ryan Anthony Francis, Gyorgy Ligeti, Sergei Prokofiev and, um, Frederic Chopin?
What's on your road trip playlist?


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Would you like to save as your currency permanently or for this visit only?
The Maids Head Hotel
Top Luxury Hotel
Tombland, Norwich, NR3 1LB
0.6 km from
Rp 1,362,237+
The helpfulness of your staff was certainly appreciated and available when needed. Also a pleasant bathroom. Our bedroom could have been more comfortable and a large stain on the carpet on entering did not give a good first impression. The duvet was most comfortable but softer pillows would have been nice.
Good position in town;friendly/helpful staff; nice room;convenient car parking Not very excited by dinner menu
proximity to city centre
Hotel is very conveniently located. Has own car park. Rooms are clean and comfortable and well equiped.
In the centre of Norwich - right by the cathedral and excellent choice of pubs and restaurants etc. Near good shops and The Forum A minor point was that the foyer internet access did not work. The room was cold at night due to a problem radiator but they supplied a room heater
The Paston room was excellent, but the key fob did not have the room name on it, just the number which confusingly was 412 even though the room is on the second floor.
A comfortable recently modernised hotel in a delightful inner city location with a free car park, Also the restaurant is excellent and the staff generally helpful and courteous. Nothing! It ticked all our boxes.
The position was very good We were at the back of the hotel and the extractor unit was a little noisy
The staff is friendly and the onsite restaurant was fantastic! Rooms are modernized and spacious. Location is excellent. Couldn't have asked for anything more!
the cleaner looked nice the room was really hot even tho the heating was off, not a huge problem tho
Excellent location lots of original feature Leaving
Location Lack of attention to detail - this hotel could be so much better as it is in a perfect location for Norwich city centre, something much needed in Norwich. Some examples of very many shortcomings that I would expect without question in a hotel of this standard - only one bath robe (probably unwashed as there was a tissue in the pocket), toiletries not replenished on two night stay, bin not emptied despite having a discarded sandwich in it, we were not made to feel particularly welcome after a long and tiring drive, rear entrance to hotel from car park gives bad impression as not very well kept etc etc etc... Our room looked tired and in need of some maintenance. Door handle, toilet roll holder falling off, grubby marks on carpets/furniture etc.Staff don't appear well trained - we were not even asked on departure whether everything was ok and of we had had a good stay. Surely this wouldn't be too much trouble?
The location was very good for our visit. The staff extremely helpful. Lack of a trouser press in the rooms
Very comfortable bed! It was divine! Lovely big bathroom and very, very clean. Breakfast was great. We were there for our friends wedding and the whole weekend went off very well. Nothing was too much trouble and the staff were very helpful.
Central city location, convenient for Norwich nightlife. Mould around the shower enclosure and fittings, not expected in a hotel of this standard.
room was comfortable and location was excellent reception was small and not obvious
The location,and ambiance and artdeco style On arrival having booked two rooms,told they only had one emphasis on my arrangement not their administration/management.Taking one hour to serve meal from ordering with no apology.Cleaning trolley outside room with toillet roll on floor and linen when going down for breakfast
Wonderful staff that go the extra mile.
The decor no
The bathroom
We liked the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff, the style of the hotel and decor. We liked the small details that were different from so many large chain hotels, ie the furniture, the provision of a 'real' long leaf tea (not tea bags) real coffee etc. in the room...food in the restaurant was excellent. The room could do with a small table, tray etc and a longer lead on the kettle so we didn't have to put the kettle on the floor to reach a socket and didn't have to put the tea/coffee pot on their furniture with the risk of leaving water marks etc. ....small points really.


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Does anybody actually train mma/bjj/no gi/etc for self defence?
I kind of think that most people train because they enjoy the relevant activity, and there is an additional bonus of being a bit better equipped to cope with a self defence scenario (although I think these scenarios are extremely rare unless you deliberately put yourself into confrontational situations)
The first line of self defence is to walk round looking confident (and maybe a bit muscular). Judo certainly helps with that, as do most grappling styles. I think Judo has a special advantage for self defense though, and that is that a good Judoka has a really good base while in a natural standing stance. Many incidents start with a shove or a grab. In my experience grabbing a Judoka (of higher level than me) is a bit like trying to unbalance an oak tree, you can tell you are in trouble the moment you touch them, and sometimes before you touch them. Judo can potentially save your life before you even realise that it was in danger.
Judo is fantastic for self defence. A close second to BJJ
The best form of self defence is to attack first ; )
To be honest I think training any martial art with the belief that it will teach you moves to fend off multiple attackers is just stupid. If enough people come at you at once you are fucked no matter what. I do however believe that training in any full contact martial art as well as competing give you the best possible advantage in such a situation as you learn to handle fight or flight reflex, adrenaline dumps etc. It just helps you read situations better and think clearer in such a situation.


text: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137747404213871049.post3942236163138568618..comments2017-04-05T02:36:56.131-05:00Comments on Tandem Thoughts: Wreaths at Fort LeavenworthJami email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-137747404213871049.post-3514511852596977412011-12-13T11:31:48.161-06:002011-12-13T11:31:48.161-06:00Glad you enjoyed your visit to Fort Leavenworth. T...Glad you enjoyed your visit to Fort Leavenworth. There's also a post museum and a driving tour of the Fort if you're ever interested. http://garrison.leavenworth.army.mil/Visitors/Museum/Frontier_Army_Museum.asp<br />Post security does vehicle checks, but usually as long as you've got your required licenses/insurance ready everything should be fine. We do have a lot of delivery trucks, so I would recommend truckers plan extra time ahead if they're planning to attend an event.Melissa Bowerhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com


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Dear Family Child Care Provider,
How can you provide parents searching for child care with updated information on your program, provide the State with information needed to compare current child care prices and current maximum subsidy rates in the child care assistance program (CCAP) and influence Minnesota's child care policies, trainings and program supports? Please complete the form below, and click "Submit" at the end of the survey.
The information you provide via this Update is public and will be shared directly with the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Some of this information will also be posted on the Parent Aware website at www.parentaware.org, and may be provided to parents who contact Child Care Aware seeking information about their child care options. Public information about your licensed child care business will appear on the Parent Aware website regardless of whether you complete this Update.
Mailing Address (if different than above)
NEW INFORMATION: Child Care Aware will use the contact information on file for your business with DHS Licensing. This information can be found at http://licensinglookup.dhs.state.mn.us/. If this information is out-of-date, please contact your licensor to have it updated.
You are not required to complete this form. To indicate that you do not wish to particpate, please complete the contact information above and check the box marked "I decline to particpate in the Provider Business Form" . You may also call or e-mail the Child Care Aware office and indicate that you do not wish to complete the Business Form. If you reach voice mail, please leave your name and address so that the Child Care Aware staff can identify your program.
To connect to your local Child Care Aware agency: 888-291-9811
Coordinating Office: 651-290-9704
© 2013 - 2017, Child Care Aware of Minnesota


text:
The Sheriff's Office is attempting to locate two persons involved in a domestic violence assault that occurred this morning at approximately 5:52 AM at 7158 Highway 126 N #7 in the Midway area.
A third party caller told the Sheriff's Office that a man, identified as 29 year old ROBERT E. FINCH, had kicked in the front door of the residence, struck his wife, 26 year old DELORES FINCH, in the head with a crow bar, then forced her into a vehicle against her will and left.
When Sheriff's deputies arrived at the residence, they found evidence that an act of violence had occurred there. ROBERT and DELORES FINCH are believed to be traveling in a 1996 Mercury Marquis, white, bearing Arkansas disabled license plate no. 248226. ROBERT FINCH was believed to be wearing blue jeans and a grey dress shirt. DELORES FINCH was believed to be wearing a blue tank top and grey sweat pants. A photograph of her is not available at this time.
Deputies and officers from surrounding agencies are searching the area and following up on leads as to their whereabouts. DELORES FINCH is believed to have been injured. They have had several previous addresses in Baxter County, and they also have ties to the Wright County, Missouri area.
Anyone having information as to their current whereabouts are asked to contact the Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division at 870-425-7000.
Baxter County Sheriff's Office
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Project Life Saver | Reserves | Sex Offenders | Sign Up for Alerts | Support Services | Warrants | Contact Us


text: Riddersholm Design's challenges going on through December 23rd. I am working away on the next challenge, but wanted to make sure that you take a peek now to get your projects going. Head on over today to check it out! Also, make sure to check out my giveaway below open until Tuesday!


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Botox Q&A
Youthful + Botox
What Has Cher Done to Look So Youthful? (photo)
I wonder what has Cher done to her face, neck , chest and hands to look so fresh and young at the age of 67? How could someone achieve to look like... READ MORE
Reasonable to Take a Picture of Myself in my 20's and Ask to Look Like That Again? (photo)
When I get older 35-40 or even 45, Instead of bringing a celebrity picture to a surgeon is it reasonable to take in my own picture from my prime? I am... READ MORE
Facial fillers, Botox and lip injections. What type of Doctor is the best to go to for the these?
I am interested in getting my face injected with fillers to add a more youthful look. Botox to stop wrinkles. Lip injections to get a more sexy, pouty... READ MORE
What treatment would you recommend for my face to appear more youthful and lively? (photos)
Would you reccommend fillers, botox, combination of multiple treatments? I am 38 years old and feel like I look sad all the time when I'm not. READ MORE
What did you think I would need to get to look more youthful: Botox, fillers or both? What's the cost in Metairie, LA? (Photo)
How can I restore volume to the forehead area for a more youthfull look?
So after moving to the middle east I naively didnt use san block when venturing out into 50 degree weather. I've noitced rapidly a change to my skin... READ MORE
Any facial plastic surgeons familiar w/medical Botox in SF? I hope these docs can help me; my face stiffens up uncontrollably.
I stiffen my face uncontrollably. It makes me look MUCH worse/older/meaner than I am. It's been debilitating; people reject/mistreat me. I can only... READ MORE


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Models: Missy Sweet Kiki Daire
Mothers and daughters are always best friends and are trying to help each other. Moreover, they can both suck cocks in the same time an fully please that lucky fellow. Watch and enjoy
Today's Special Price $19.95 $24.98 / one month
Savings of: $5.03
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($20% Off)


text:
Dr. David Evans, Chatham, Ontario
NOT ALL DOCTORS listed on this website may be accepting new patients. Although we do our best to maintain a current database, contact information and their ability to accept new patients changes rapidly. If you detect an error in any contact information, or have information for any of the blank fields, please click here to let us know.
Doctor David Evans 2 Doctor Ratings (Avg Rating: ) Add Rating
Chatham Walk In Clinic
719 St Clair Street
Phone: (519) 351-2273
Fax: (519) 351-8773
Gender: Male
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[Date Index]
[Thread Index]
[Author Index]
Re: Notebook that auto-executes when opened?
AES wrote:
> Is it possible to set an option for a notebook such that it automatically
> begins executing when opened? -- that is, when the nb icon is dbl-clicked?
and Jens-Peer Kuska <kuska at informatik.uni-leipzig.de> replied:
> no, it would be the first Mathematica written virus
> My favorite command would be
> DeleteFile/@ FileNames["*.*", {"C:\\"}, 4]
Interesting point, and one I'd certainly not thought of -- although I
was asking about creating this capability in notebooks that I'd write
myself, for myself, not ones to be distributed to others.
And in any case, if you were malevolent in this fashion, could you not
fairly easily hide your favorite command within a closed but still
executable cell within some large and apparently benevolent nb, which
you might then make available to other people for them to use in doing
some apparently useful task?
Or perhaps bury it in a Mathematica package, or demonstration, or ???
that was then called and executed by this benevolent program? (I'm not
skilled enough in the complexities of Mathematica to know just what can
and can't be included in structures other than notebooks.)
Related thought: Should Mathematica perhaps have an option or
preference (which is normally set to ON by default) under which your
favorite command, and others like it, would always trigger an "_Are you
sure_ you want to do this?" dialog before executing? Seems to me many
of the other apps I use have some capability like this, for protection
against accident as much as malevolence.


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Beautiful Top
By Diamonelle Lover
from BC
Beautiful top - ordered all three colors. Unfortunately, I fall between sizes and one size was too snug and the other size was too loose. So, I ended up with none. I would definitely recommend this flattering top to others, though!
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
By boomer
from Vancouver
I got this top in the mail today and am thrilled with the quality. The fit is perfect and the teal colour very nice. I sometimes have trouble with draped necklines but this is tailored with little darts...it's great. The fabric is good too. Now I know what I can wear to the Christmas events.
Pretty In Purple!
By B.A.
from ALLISTON
Lovely top; nice feel on the skin; easy to wear. Purple colour is beautiful. Cowl neck falls nicely. Great top.
( 2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)
By Brigitte22
from Chambly, Québec
Bought this top in black in 2x (true to size) and I am so glad I did. Fit is great, hides the tummy and can be paired with jeans or a more stylish pair of pants. Another Nina Leonard winner, thanks Lennie.
( 1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)
Lovely vibrant colour in purple
By H.E.
from Penticton, B.C.
A very pretty top but for me I felt that I looked rather hippy so sent it back. I felt that with ample hips and somewhat of a "tummy" I could not afford to add any more to the waistline area. Perhaps with a litle less flounce it may have been more suitable for me. A lovely top nonetheless.
Very nice top
By Laurie
from Toronto
This top was a lovely colour and very cute, the only problem was it was too short on me! The peplum hit too high and was really not flattering on me.I am unfortunately sending it back.It is too bad, it is sutch a cute top, just not on me!


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One of the reasons to love Kellie Pickler
Kellie Pickler is making good on her promise to auction off a piece of jewelry for charity.
The country star has put the Pandora charm bracelets she wore at the 49th annual Academy of Country Music Awards up for bid at CharityBuzz.com. The bracelets are valued at $2,000.
Money raised through the online auction will go to the Academy's charity, ACM Lifting Lives. Pickler announced her intentions on the red carpet heading into Sunday's ceremony. The auction closes on April 21st at 2:00 p.m. Eastern.
Photo Credit Getty Images
Read more: http://www.kssn.com/articles/entertainment-news-104651/kellie-pickler-auctioning-off-acm-bracelet-12236283/#ixzz2yPHam9yx