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October 2, 2013
TIME IS RUNNING OUT: Plan Now to Attend 'Information Operations in the Pacific,' October 22-24 in Honolulu
This symposium examines the contested and congested information environment across the Pacific Region and discusses how multinational information operations can help shape conditions for continued stability and peace within the region. The conference will provide a venue for increased awareness of Asia-Pacific issues and an opportunity for networking, a multinational exchange of ideas and partnership building within the region.
Lt. Gen. Terry G. Robling
, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific
Maj. Gen. (AUS) Richard Burr
, Deputy Commanding General, USARPAC
Current Agenda (PDF)
Register Now
– Register Now for the 50th Annual AOC International Symposium and Convention
For 49 consecutive years, the AOC International Symposium and Convention has been the leading annual event for Electronic Warfare (EW), Information Operations (IO) and Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO) professionals from around the world. This legacy is self-evident as we approach the 50th anniversary of the AOC Symposium and the AOC as a whole. The theme for this year's event is "Proud Legacy, Strong Future." The strength, passion and vision of the Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) Warfare community are strong today, and swiftly propelling the AOC into its next 50 years.
In today's fiscal environment, it is imperative to consider all avenues for professional development, and this Symposium promotes the Spectrum Warfare community in a dynamic environment available nowhere else. This year features more than 27 hours of focused discussions and passionate practitioner perspectives from the leading military and industry experts.
It's the best financial investment you can make in yourself this year.
Register Today
Full Symposium Details
DON'T MISS TOMORROW'S WEBINAR: STRATCOM's Perspective on: The Future of Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Control
Thursday, October 3, 1400-1445 EDT
Freedom of maneuver in the Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) is inherently critical to conduct operations in and across all domains and joint functions. Our ability to prioritize, integrate and de-conflict EMS operations must adapt to meet the demands of an increasingly contested and congested EMS. Therefore, the warfighter needs to be agile and dynamic in the planning and execution of operations in this evolving environment. The power of the EMS is being unleashed globally and joint-force access to the EMS is increasingly threatened as a result. Col. Stephen T. Ling, director, Joint Electronic Warfare Center (JEWC), Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, will discuss USSTRATCOM's efforts to move the joint force towards sustainable Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (JEMSO) now and in the future.
Register Now
REGISTER FOR NEXT WEEK'S AOC WEBINAR: Overview of EW Modeling and Simulation, October 10
Thursday, October 10, 2 p.m.-2:45 p.m. EDT
This is an overview discussion of Electronic Warfare Modeling and Simulation. It explains the purposes of Modeling and Simulation and the basic approaches. It also discusses the steps in developing a model and the required fidelity for two simulation missions: training and test & evaluation (T&E). Among the concepts covered are the roles of spherical trigonometry, propagation models, the gaming area and dynamic scenarios. This webinar is complimentary.
Register Now
REGISTRATION CLOSES OCTOBER 10 for the AOC's Capitol Hill Awareness Day, October 31
Please join the Association of Old Crows (AOC) for Capitol Hill Awareness Day (CHAD) 2013. CHAD is an important opportunity for U.S. AOC members to visit the nation's capital, experience first hand how Congress works, and represent the AOC and Electronic Warfare (EW) in meetings with congressional representatives and senators. The event is free, but you must be a U.S. resident to attend.
RSVP for CHAD by downloading this
registration form
. (
Registration deadline is October 10
.) Email the completed form to
Brock Sheets
or fax it to (703) 549-2589. Once we receive your registration, we will place you in a small team and work to schedule meetings with your congressional representative and senators based upon the information you provide. Upon check-in, you can pick up your participant information packet and view your team's meeting schedule. Check-in is available during AOC Central hours at the 50th Annual AOC International Symposium and Convention and prior to the Advocacy Training Seminar.
On Monday, October 28, 3 p.m.-4 p.m., at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C., there will be an Advocacy Training Seminar. CHAD registrants are strongly encouraged to attend. At the training seminar, AOC staff will provide you helpful information on:
An Introduction to the AOC Advocacy Program
The AOC Advocacy Message to Congress
How to Communicate Effectively to Congress
Roles and Responsibilities for Team Meetings
Congressional Meeting Do's and Don'ts
On Thursday, October 31, 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m., CHAD participants will congregate on Capitol Hill (location TBD) for a brief organizational breakfast meeting. Members and staff from the congressional EW Working Group (EWWG) will be invited to attend.
At 9:30 a.m., CHAD teams will disperse for scheduled meetings. Teams will also be asked to drop off AOC material to select congressional offices that do not have meetings with the AOC. Upon completion of team meetings, participants are welcome to meet at the Longworth House Office Building Cafeteria for a no-host lunch.
Registration Deadline is October 10.
Learn More...
GET THE MOST FROM CONVENTION: Register Now to Take Advantage of Great Courses On-Site at the Marriott!
October 22-25
Electronic Warfare Update
Dave Adamy
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Course Details
October 26
PRI Analysis and Deinterleaving Course
Richard G. Wiley, Ph.D.
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Course Details
October 26-27
Survey of Electronic Warfare Battle Management (EWBM) Concepts
Lynn Berg
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Course Details
October 27
Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) Radar and What to do About it
Richard G. Wiley, Ph.D.
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Course Details
October 31-November 1
Survey of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) EW Applications and Payloads
Lynn Berg
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Course Details
October 31-November 1
Using Technical CONOPS to Save (Even GROW) Your Project/Program During Declining Budgets
Mack McKinney
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Course Details
November 12-15
ELINT and Modern Signals Course
Richard G. Wiley, Ph.D.
AOC Headquarters, Alexandria, VA
Course Details
December 3-6
Essentials of 21st Century Electronic Warfare
Lynn Berg
AOC Headquarters, Alexandria, VA
Course Details
JOIN US THIS DECEMBER for the AOC 2013 Land EW Conference: Innovation and Demonstration, December 10-11
Due to protracted acquisitions and traditional doctrinal warfare solutions, there is a lack of exposure or appreciation for the cutting-edge innovation and technological development, resulting in missed opportunities to provide warfighters the most up-to-date spectrum and information-related capabilities.
The 2013 Land EW Conference: Innovation and Demonstration will be held December 10-11 in Quantico, VA, to provide a forum for government and commercial attendees to both appreciate the latest innovations and/or witness how these tactics may be implemented.
Registration Form
Full Conference Details
CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS! 43rd Collaborative EW Conference, January 2014 in Pt. Mugu
The 43rd Annual Pt. Mugu Electronic Warfare Symposium will facilitate the exchange of enabling concepts and provide a venue to disseminate current research in the fields of collaborative electronic warfare (EW). Prominent leaders, contributors and representatives from the military, government, academia and industry will come together to address current electronic warfare gaps and emerging technologies in collaborative electronic warfare required to address these gaps. The symposium will be a three-day Classified SECRET event held at Naval Base Ventura County Pt. Mugu Station Theater, January 38-30, 2014.
Call for Presentations
As EW warfighting requirements continue to evolve in their complexity and interdependency, it is clear that future EW systems must work collaboratively with other air, ground, surface and space systems, such as cyber, intel, kinetic and spectrum management. The 43rd Annual Point Mugu Electronic Warfare Symposium will facilitate the exchange of enabling concepts and provide a venue to disseminate current research in the fields of collaborative electronic warfare. Prominent leaders, contributors and representatives from the military, government, academia and industry will come together to address current electronic warfare gaps and emerging technologies in collaborative electronic warfare required to address these gaps.
Papers are due December 4.
Learn More
This conference is tentatively planned and subject to approval. Confirmation will be announced by the AOC sometime in the future.
REVERSING SEQUESTRATION REMAINS CRITICAL: Tell Your Representatives About the Impacts and Urge Them to Take Action Today!
Because of the White House and Congress's inability to reach a deal to reverse mandatory across-the-board sequestration budget cuts, the initial round of multibillion-dollar cuts to defense and non-defense federal agencies has begun. Unless reversed, sequestration will cut defense and non-defense programs by $1 trillion over nine years. Sequestration will put at risk more than a million American jobs, including hundreds of thousands of small business jobs, and threatens to stall the economic recovery.
The public is now waking up to the consequences of sequestration. You can make a difference. Write your elected officials and urge them to reverse this bad policy.
The AOC remains committed to stopping sequestration!
Take Action HERE!
AOC Members: Please Take the AOC Membership Survey
In an effort to evaluate member satisfaction and identify future needs, the AOC would like your input. This information will be used to determine how well we are meeting the needs of our members, as well as how we can improve the types of services we provide.
Your participation in this survey is very important to us. We understand your busy schedule, so we appreciate you taking the time to give us your feedback.
The survey consists of 11 questions and should not take longer than 5-10 minutes to complete.
Take the Survey
DIXIE CROW ICON John Wayne Carter Passes
Long-time Dixie Crow member John Wayne Carter passed away in September. John was a member of the Association of Old Crows for many years during his Air Force career and a member of the Dixie Crows since he moved to Warner Robins from Omaha, NE, in 1980. John Wayne was considered our president emeritus, having held almost every office in the Dixie Crows from president on down. John Wayne, for many years was the chair of the Dixie Crow Social Committee until resigning a few years ago due to his health. John Wayne always noted that if "having fun" was involved, then he was in charge!
Learn More...
Swedish Old Crow Bjorn Fjallstam Passes
AOC is mourning Bjorn M. Fjallstam, Swedish-born engineer and Crow who passed away in September. Bjorn may be most famous for his architectural design contributions to the development of the DV Mk III, the first RWR processor to be based on the use of Large Scale Integration technology for the microprocessor-based miniaturized signal analysis computer that was to become the basis for the AN/APR-39A Radar Warning System, arguably the largest and longest production run in the history of the art.
Learn More...
Aardvark Roost Third Biennal EW Conference A Great Success
The Aardvark Roost held its 3rd biennial EW Conference in Pretoria, South Africa, on September 4-5, 2013. More than 130 delegates were in attendance for the 19 presentations that were given during the two days.
The Day 1 keynote address was given by Rear Admiral Wiesner, Director Maritime Warfare, South African Navy, and the Day 2 keynote presentation was given by Bob Andrews, International 1 Region Director.
Meet New AOC Industry Member: Intelligent RF Solutions
Intelligent RF Solutions (iRF) of Sparks, MD, has joined the AOC as a group member. iRF offers Microwave Receiver System Design, Open Architecture Solutions, embedded controllers with custom digital/FPGA designs, PC/Workstation control and display (GUI) application software and more.
Learn More...
UK Electronic Warfare Symposium 2013: The Electromagnetic Environment – An Operational Manoeuvre Space, December 4-5
This year's EW Symposium is jointly sponsored by the Association of Old Crows, the AOC UK Chapter, Cranfield Defence and Security and the Defence Academy College of Management and Technology at Shrivenham. This event, which is in its ninth year, is organized and run by Symposia at Shrivenham and will follow a well-proven format of presentations and discussions in a relaxed atmosphere within secure surroundings with lunches and refreshments included. An inclusive formal Symposium Dinner will be held in the award-winning STEAM museum in Swindon.
Learn More...
INDUSTRY NEWS: DoD to Award Contracts Throughout Shutdown, But Won't Announce Them
The Pentagon will continue to award hundreds of millions of dollars in acquisition, services and other types of contracts despite a government-wide shutdown, but don't expect to hear about them. The U.S. Defense Department will not publicly announce contracts during the shutdown, Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a Pentagon spokesman, wrote in an email.
(Defense News)
Learn More...
INDUSTRY NEWS: Chiefs Outline Sequestration Winners and Losers
With across-the-board U.S. budget cuts becoming the new norm, and as the largest equipment category inside the Pentagon's budget, entire types of aircraft now are being weighed for their military value faster than in living memory. (Subscription required)
(Aviation Week)
Learn More...
INDUSTRY NEWS: TPS Students Test Injection-Jamming Software on F-16
When it comes to timing, navigation, targeting and weapons systems, GPS has become an integral part of the daily operations of the U.S. Air Force. But what happens when GPS becomes denied, degraded or unavailable? It's an important question, and increasingly relevant as dependence on GPS grows.
(Edwards Air Force Base)
Learn More...
INDUSTRY NEWS: Cascade Laser Countermeasures Complete Flight Safety Tests
Northrop Grumman's latest infrared countermeasures system prototype, based on quantum cascade laser (QCL) sources developed by Daylight Solutions, has completed flight safety testing with the U.S. Army.
Learn More...
INDUSTRY NEWS: Saab Secures Orders on Self-Protection System for the Indian Advanced Light Helicopter
Defence and security company Saab has received two orders from Hindustan Aeronautic Limited (HAL), India, for serial production of an integrated electronic warfare self-protection system for installation on the Indian Army's and Air force's Advanced Light Helicopter.
(Hispanic Business)
Learn More...
INDUSTRY NEWS: CPI acquires Radant Technologies Inc.
Communications & Power Industries LLC acquired Radant Technologies Inc., adding composite radomes and reflector antennas to its product portfolio. The terms of the cash transaction Tuesday were not disclosed.
Learn More...
INDUSTRY NEWS: UK Seeks Full Cyber Warfare Capability, Experts
Britain will recruit hundreds of computer experts to defend its vital networks against cyber attacks and launch high-tech assaults of its own, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said on Sunday.
Learn More...
INDUSTRY NEWS: South Korea Setback Shows Pressure on Boeing Warplane Orders
South Korea's decision to reopen bidding for a fighter-jet contract rather than accept Boeing Co's (BA.N) F-15 Silent Eagle signals a wider problem for the aerospace giant: revenue from its most profitable but aging military aircraft is winding down.
Learn More...
INDUSTRY NEWS: 'Preserving the Madness' in IDF Intelligence
New initiative in Israeli military's secretive Unit 8200 draws lessons from Microsoft, Google and Facebook on how to constantly foster creativity and fend off complacency.
Learn More...
• October 3:
AOC Virtual Series: STRATCOM's Perspective on: The Future of Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Contro
• October 10:
AOC Virtual Series: Overview of EW Modeling and Simulation
• October 22-24:
Information Operations in the Pacific Theater
• October 27-30:
50th Annual AOC International Symposium & Convention
AOC Headquarters
1000 North Payne Street, Suite 200 | Alexandria, Virginia 22314-1652
Phone: 703-549-1600 | Fax: 703-549-2589
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GOING UP According to a spokesman for TFC Construction out of La Joya, the construction of the new Grant County Fair Barn, below, will be completed before fair time this year. Above, working on the structure is Mike Gutierrez, a local resident contracting with the company. The Cliff-Gila Grant County Fair will start Wednesday, Sept. 25, and run through Sunday, Sept. 29. It is the 65th year of the fair at Cliff, and Silver and Cliff FFA students have been working on pens in order to house the 4-H and FFA animals. (Press Staff Photos)
GOING UP According to a spokesman for TFC Construction out of La Joya…Written by on August 20, 2013
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subset: commoncrawl


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Almost every home, big or small, has a shortage of storage space. Just take a look at a usual garage full with garden tools, trash cans, home repair tools, sports equipment, extra car tires and boxes filled with all those things you have no other place to put.
Spring cleaning can give you some space and a sense of organization. It quickly it all goes to waste though, and clutter returns like it never went away.
Storage Sheds
To get that extra space you need, you can build a gardening shed in your backyard. It may sound daunting to create storage sheds, occupying your entire summer holiday and beyond. Yet, trust me when I say it will not take too much out of your time nor money out of your wallet. You will be pleased with end results for sure.
When it comes to cost, it really depends on the country you are in, so the price can be anything from $500-$2000. Don't forget to take your plan to your local building department to get a building permit.
Once your design is ready and you know how you want your shed to look like and you made all the necessary measures, it is time for foundation.
Picking the spot of your shed is very important. It should be built on a levelled, well-drained ground. Even if your location is not perfectly flat, there are easy ways to make the necessary adjustments to level the ground.
To avoid the need for floor beams, you will need a deck block at each of the shed corners with two more blocks along the sides and one positioned in the centre. Make solid concrete blocks as the foundation for the shed and make sure they are levelled and straight.
In case you are planning to store heavier objects in the shed, make sure to make a stronger foundation. Next, choose the materials you want the rest of the shed to be made off.
Wooden garden storage sheds are the most popular ones because of the versatility and accessibility of the material. The durability and appearance of T-11 plywood make it the most desirable. With regular maintenance and care, it will have a long life.
The price of wood storage sheds is mostly less than the metal ones, making it more popular.
Metal storage sheds have an advantage in terms of security and longevity. They are low maintenance but almost all of them have the same problem of condensation. Usually, metal storage sheds are more airtight than their wooden rivals. This is not such a good thing as the hot air is trapped inside and the natural occurrence of condensation makes your belongings inside weather faster.
Depending on the purpose of the shed, the items inside and your budget these are the two most common choices.
There are 2 ways you can approach this task depending on how much time and skill you have.
The simpler and more traditional one is the stud wall approach:
- Make each wall independently.
- Put them together.
Even with this simple approach, make sure to measure twice and cut once.
The half lap joint approach is more time consuming but provides additional strength:
- Basically, with this, you are reducing two workpieces by half of their thickness on the spot where they touch.
- You can then combine them with wood glue.
- Use the clamp to secure the tight grip of the glue.
- Start making the roof by installing the end trusses first.
- Make sure that plywood siding is securely nailed before raising it.
- Install the rest of the trusses.
- To assemble the trusses you should make a template.
- Start by laying out truss parts one by one and aligning the bottom chord with the plywood floor edge.
- Cut 4 pieces in desired dimensions and lay 2 along each side of the floor and screw them tight.
- Next, you can use the short boards as stop blocks for assembling each truss that you can.
- Fasten with nailing and gluing plywood gussets on each side of those trusses.
- Cover your roof with sheets made of plastic or vinyl.
- Leave holes in the sheets for fasteners to reduce the risk of damaging the material.
Gardening Shed Siding
- Ensure your shed is protected and steady, and your walls have some extra support, by applying T1-11 siding to the outside of your gardening shed.
- If you can't cover all 4 sides, add the siding on each corner and ends to get the most stability out of it.
- To keep it from weathering, paint the siding into a lighter colour since darker shades tend to absorb more heat during the summertime, making the shed a place that is hard to work in.
Finishing Touches
Once you've assembled the shed, it's time for finishing touches. Adding a door, windows and paint is the logical next step. Inside, you can make an area to store your smaller repairing tools for example. You can also make space for storing gardening tools such as lawn mower, hose cart, chainsaws, rakes, wheelbarrow, pitchforks or anything else you don't want to crowd your garage space.
Decorating around your gardening shed is a must. Bend it in with the surroundings to make it truly a part of nature.
Place some rocks to create a path leading up to the shed. Leave spaces to plant colourful flowers or any other plants you like that will provide a nice contrast to the rocks. The trick of mixing your soil with sand will let your flowers and plants breathe more as it provides extra drainage.
If you have any trees that need maintenance, get a reliable service to get it taken care of.
The Gist of it
Gardening storage sheds are very useful to have. They are by no means difficult to build contrary to popular belief. You can easily make it as a DIY project without having to spend a lot of money on professional workers. Ultimately it will make your gardening life easier and more organized.
P.S. If you enjoyed this post, sign up to my newsletter to get the latest advice, tips, and giveaways right into your inbox!


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[Chorus: x3]
You should know I do it for you
[Verse 1:]
My little cousin heard my song on the radio
Now he think I'm a rap star
I laughed and told him I wouldn't go that far
Ok but when u are can I borrow your black card?
Sure. But for now I'm on a mission
And I don't get the recognition til the seconqd listen
Still I'll take a bullet for this bullshit,
Just not in the head
Maybe the arm, maybe the leg... mmm... I don't know
But what I do know is I work hard, play hard
No you can't skip over that first part
This is for the extras in my video
The pay's shitty but they came lookin pretty tho
They don't want money they jus wanna see they city blow
And blow it shall
Things have been put into motion now
U can't slow it down
Shaun boothe, entering on cue
They say there's no money in music so
You should know I do iit for u
[Chorus: x4]
You should know I do it for you
[Verse 2:]
This for my niggas sip sippin on some sizzurp
Or on the block pitch pitchin on the cizzurb
Either I'm trip trip trippin of the izzurb
Or this flow is beserk, yeah,
I'm a wizard with with the wizzerds
So gimme what I deserve, damn
I rock from the hood to the bizzurbs
Where they don't say nigga they say nigger
Still I got love - that's where I sell my shizzirts
Yeah, that's good promo
And everywhere I go I represent like a logo
Bout to shake up the world like a snow globe
And I do it for who?
Ugh, I get lifted like a crying baby
But don't try and change me
Nobody raised me wrong my mother is a fine lady
But it so happens that that smoke provoke
So you should know I do it for you
[Chorus: x5]


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6142 Overhill Dr, Louisville, KY 40229 - Sold!
We sold 6142 Overhill Dr, Louisville, KY 40229 this past weekend. Only 3 days on the market! Listing price was $200,000. Contact us about selling your home!
Search More Louisville Homes For Sale
Nice 3 bed/3 full bath home on a large lot with many mid-century details. The unique entry way leads to the living room/Formal dining room combo with vaulted ceiling, wood beams, stone fireplace, built-in bookcase, lots of natural light & hardwood floors in dining room area. Dining room is open to the kitchen with built-in oven & microwave & separate range top which leads to large patio deck over the carport. 1st floor also includes master bedroom with large closet & an attached full bath, 2 additional bedrooms & another full bath. The walkout basement has a great room including a rec area, wet bar & lounge area with fireplace. Basement also includes full bath, laundry, storage area & bonus room perfect for a 4th bedroom. Large backyard with many trees & beautiful view. Lots of potential!


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Sticky Toffee Bread Pudding
We've taken classic bread pudding and given it a mini makeover. Dates bring natural sweetness to the party and, thanks to the pudding mix, there's a ton of luscious, caramel goodness in there, too. Your Muffin Makers are a great tool for perfectly portioning desserts; not to mention, they're made with microwave-safe silicone, saving you a whopping 10 minutes of cooking time in the microwave.
Toppings (optional): caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream
- Tear dates in half and place in a bowl. Cover with water. Microwave 30 sec; set aside to hydrate.
- Place milk and butter in Multipurpose Steamer. Cover and microwave on high 3 min, or until butter is melted and mixture is hot.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk eggs and pudding mix until well combined.
- Stir bread cubes into hot butter mixture.
- Drain water from dates. Fold dates and egg mixture into soaked bread.
- Lightly brush Muffin Makers with oil. Divide mixture between wells so they are about 3⁄4 full. In two batches, microwave on high for 2.5 min. Or, bake in preheated 350° F oven for 15 min. Let cool in pan 5 min before unmolding.
- Top with caramel sauce and ice cream, if desired.
Nutritional Information
Per serving: Calories 110, Fat 3.5 g (Saturated 2 g, Trans 0.1 g), Cholesterol 40 mg, Sodium 80 mg, Carbohydrate 17 g (Fiber 1 g, Sugars 10 g), Protein 3 g.


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Archive for October 2019
How we continue forming faith into adulthood
Translated by Lizzette Hernandez One of the ways we are working in faith formation at Iglesia Enciende una Luz and at Iglesia Shalom is through discipleship in small groups. In those groups, a closer relationship is developed among believers and new members of both congregations. This allows a space where people can reflect on their…Read More
Taking our faith seriously with formation ministries
In September, my wife Eunice and I traveled to Pennsylvania to celebrate our forty-fifth class reunion. We were classmates at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School. I attended from fall 1970 through spring 1974. (VMC members Willis Hunsberger, Knoxville, Tenn., Barbara Weirich, Ted and Sue Swartz, and Rosemary Landis, all of Harrisonburg, Va., are also members…Read More


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Erawan National Park in Western Thailand was founded in 1975 and was the Country's 12th National Park. It is 550 square kilometres with the highlight undoubtedly Erawan Falls. In Hindu mythology the erawan is the three headed elephant. The Falls have seven tiers and many see the resemblance between the falls and the creature from mythology.
This is Kanchanaburi Province and the Tenasserim Hills. Over 80% of the Park is forested with limestone hills up to 1,000 metres high.The natural environment of Thailand is stunning and this Thailand travel guide certainly recommends the Erawan Falls for inclusion.
How to get there
Bangkok is just two hours away by bus with thoseon Thailand travel packages having everything arranged for them.It means the Park and the Falls are readily accessible for a day trip. There is a rail station in Kanchanaburi as well. The capital of the Province has good transport connections with the whole of Thailand so those on Thailand tour packages need not be coming from Bangkok in order to reach Erawan.
Best time to visit
The monsoon rains are May to October though the protection of the hills means the region does not get as much rainfall as other parts of Thailand. Temperatures will average around 30C. The Park is open 12 months a year which is indicative of the demand from those on holiday in Thailand throughout the year.
Things to see and do
The emerald pools around the waterfalls are full of fish and stunning. The waterfall stretches 1.5 kilometres over seven tiers. The first six are accessed by trails and bridges but the last one needs a bit of a scramble which not everyone will be able to do. However seeing the six tiers close up is a real experience anyway. Lower down there are picnic areas but no food can be taken above the second tier.
There are limited trails so the changes of seeing a great deal of wildlife in the immediate vicinity are limited. The Park as a whole however has plenty of animals and birds.
Macaques are everywhere, and often water monitors but it is only in the deep forest that some of the animals will be seen: elephants, wild boar, sambar and muntjac.
There is a huge variety of birds including crested serpent eagle, black crested bulbul, kalii pheasant and blue winged leafbird.
There are four caves to explore:
• Miwith five chambers is a 7 km trek away in the south through Ban Thap Sila village.
• Rua is fairly near to Mi and 50 metres deep.It contains some coffins as well as the usual stalagmites and stalactites.
• Wang Bahdan accessible from Chaiyaphruek Village is a limestone cave with a narrow entrance and a stream flowing through its final chamber.
• Phartat is in a limestone hill 12 km from the Park HQ to the north-west.
There are bungalows to rent and a campsite in the north east of the Park. In addition there are plenty of alternatives in Kanchanaburi from guesthouses to hotels.


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World Cup winner Djibril Sidibe has joined Everton on loan from Monaco for the 2019/20 season.
The Blues have an option to buy the explosive right-back, who was part of France's triumphant squad at last summer's World Cup, at the end of the campaign.
Sidibe becomes the Blues' sixth signing of the summer after keeper Jonas Lössl, midfielders Andre Gomes, Fabian Delph and Jean-Philippe Gbamin, and striker Moise Kean.
Sidibe was an integral component of Monaco's Ligue 1 title-winning team in 2016/17 following his move from domestic rivals Lille.
The 27-year-old joins Everton after contributing directly to 27 goals – scoring six – in 114 games in all competitions for Monaco.
He told evertontv: "I was very happy to hear a historic and big club like Everton was thinking of signing me.
"It was very easy for me. I did not have to reflect for too long before making my decision to come here.
"Everton are recruiting with the intent to win trophies and play on the biggest stage.I am 100 per cent motivated and ready to help the Club achieve its goals and to achieve my own individual goals."
👋 | Happy deadline day eve... #EFC pic.twitter.com/Y7qgBqygFR— Everton (@Everton) August 7, 2019
Sidibe represented France at youth level before being given his senior debut against Italy in September 2016. He has been on the winning side in 11 of his 18 France appearances, losing only twice, and scored his one international goal in a 3-2 friendly win over England in June 2017.
Everton manager Marco Silva added: "Djibril has fantastic experience, winning titles and playing many matches in a competitive league. He is a World Cup winner and he has the hunger to achieve much more in his career.
"It is important to have different options in each position and with Djibril and Seamus [Coleman] we now have two high-quality right-backs.
"Djibril has also shown to me he has a real desire to play for Everton and be part of the big things we are trying to create."
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Hi! Everybody,
Mohammed Fahad
I am Mohammed Fahad, an Engineering graduate(2010) in Electronics & Instrumentation (JNTU-Hyderebad, India).
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Mohammed Fahad


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Rabbi Abraham Ariyas (Arias) was a poet and musician in nineteenth-century Izmir (Smyrna). He was a contemporary of the Jewish composer Shem Ṭov Shikar, and a colleague of Rabbi Abraham Pallache (1809–1899). According to early-twentieth-century historians of the Sephardic world, he wrote eighty pizmonim (hymns) and piyyuṭim (paraliturgical religious poems), including sections of the mafṭirim tradition of Ottoman Turkey. Abraham Ariyas, not to be confused with his relative Behor Arias, chief rabbi of Izmir in 1915, was admired not only by Jews but by music-minded…
Ariyas, Abraham(331 words)
Cite this pagePamela Dorn Sezgin, "Ariyas, Abraham", in: Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World, Executive Editor Norman A. Stillman. Consulted online on 28 November 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1878-9781_ejiw_SIM_0002260>
First published online: 2010
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History of Philosophy in Islam, by T.J. de Boer [1904], at sacred-texts.com
1. In the tenth century the Logicians or Metaphysicians are distinguished from the Natural-Philosophers. The former follow a more rigorous method than the Dialecticians, and treat of other subjects than those which are dealt with by the Physical school. They have repudiated Pythagoras, to entrust themselves to the guidance of Aristotle, of course in Neo-Platonic guise.
We have here to do with two directions of scientific interest. The Natural-Philosophers are more or less concerned with the plenitude of the concrete phenomena of Nature, as in Geography and Ethnology. They investigate in all directions the effects of things, and think the essential nature of these is only to be discerned in such effect or working. When they do ascend beyond Nature, Soul and Spirit, to the Divine Essence, then the definition of it to which they confine themselves, or which they adopt by preference, is--'the First Cause', or,--'the wise Creator', whose goodness and wisdom appear from his works.
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The Logicians proceed in a very different way. The occurrence of the Particular has only a subordinate value in their eyes,--the value, merely, of an illustration of its deducibility from the Universal. While the Physicists start from effects or operations, the Logicians seek to comprehend things from principles. Everywhere they enquire after the Idea or Essence of things, up to the highest. For them,--to make the contrast more intelligible by an example--, God is not, first of all, 'the wise Creator', but first of all 'the necessarily existing Being'.
In the order of time the Logicians come after the Physical school, just as the Mutazilite Dialectic on its part (v. II, 3 §§ 4 and 5) brought within the scope of its consideration first God's Working, and then his Being.
We have already come to recognize Razi as the most important representative of the philosophical direction taken by the Physicists; and as for the Logical and Metaphysical efforts,--for which Kindi and others had prepared the way,--they culminate with Razi's younger contemporary Abu Nasr ibn Mohammed ibn Tarkhan ibn Uzlag al-Farabi.
2. We cannot say much with certainty about the course of Farabi's outward life and training. He was a quiet man, devoted to a life of philosophy and contemplation, sheltered by the powerful, and assuming at last the dress of a Sufi. His father is said to have been a Persian general, and he himself was born at Wasidj, a small fortified place in the district of Farab in Turkish Transoxiana. It was in Bagdad, and partly at the hands of a Christian preceptor Yohanna ibn Hailan, that he received his education. This embraced both literary and mathematical subjects, forming the equivalent of the 'Trivium' and 'Quadrivium' of mediæval
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[paragraph continues] Christendom. One or two of his writings, particularly on Music, give evidence still of his mathematical training. Legend credits him with ability to speak in all the languages of the world, seventy in number. That he understood Turkish and Persian,--an a priori probability,--is manifest from his works. Arabic he writes clearly, and with a certain grace, although now and then his fondness for synonyms and parallel clauses interferes with the precision of philosophical expression.
The philosophy in which Farabi was initiated sprung from the school of Merv; and perhaps its members had given greater attention to metaphysical questions than the men of Harran and Basra with their marked leaning to Natural Philosophy.
From Bagdad, where he had long lived and worked, he went to Haleb (Aleppo), in consequence doubtless of political disturbances, and there he settled at the brilliant court of Saif-addaula; but he must have spent his closing years not at court but in retirement. He died at Damascus, while on a journey, in December, 960; and it is reported that his prince, attired as a Sufi, pronounced over him his funeral oration. We are told that he was eighty years of age, and it is otherwise probable that he was a very old man. His contemporary, and partner in study, Abu Bishr Matta died ten years before him, and his pupil Abu Zakariya. Yakhya ibn Adi in the year 971, at the age of eighty-one.
3. The chronological order of the works of Farabi has not been determined. Shorter treatises in which he comes into touch with the Dialecticians and Natural-Philosophers, if these are at all genuine in the form handed down to us, may have been popular or juvenile productions of his;
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but his mature powers were applied to the study of Aristotle's writings, for which reason the name given him by the East was 'the Second Teacher', that is, 'the Second Aristotle'.
Since his day the number and order of the works composed by Aristotle or at least attributed to him, which have been paraphrased and commented on after Farabi's example, remain upon the whole fixed. First come the eight Logical treatises, viz., the Categories; the Hermeneutics; the First Analytics; the Second Analytics; the Topics; the Sophistics; Rhetoric; and the Poetics: It is to these that the Isagoge of Porphyry is the introduction. Then follow the eight treatises which deal with Physical subjects, viz., .Auscultatio Physica; De Coelo et Mundo; De Generatione et Corruptione; the Meteorology; the Psychology; De Sensu et Sensato; the Book of Plants; and the Book of Animals. Lastly come the Metaphysics, the Ethics, the Politics and so on.
The so-called "Theology of Aristotle" was still considered by Farabi to be a genuine work. In Neo-Platonic fashion, and with some attempt at adaptation to the Muslim faith, he seeks to demonstrate that Plato and Aristotle harmonize with one another. The need which he experiences is not for a discriminating criticism, but for a conclusive and comprehensive view of the world; and the satisfaction of this need,--which is rather a religious than a scientific one,--induces him to overlook philosophic differences, Plato and Aristotle must differ from each other only in method, in phraseology, and in relation to practical life: their doctrine of wisdom is the same. They are the 'Imāms' or 'highest authorities' in philosophy; and seeing that they were two, independent, original minds, the authority which is constituted
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by their agreement has more validity in the eyes of Farabi than the faith of the whole Muslim community, who with blind confidence follow the guidance of one.
4. Farabi is counted among the physicians, but he seems not to have been in actual practice. He was entirely devoted to the spiritual healing art. Purity of Soul he denominated the condition and fruit of all philosophizing, and he demanded love of truth even though it should oppose Aristotle. Then the judgment has to be trained by means of Geometry and Logic for the study of physical and mental science. Farabi, however, pays but little heed to the separate branches of study: his powers are concentrated on Logic, Metaphysics, and the principles of Physics. Philosophy for hire is the science of all Being as such, in the acquisition of which science we come to resemble the Godhead. It is the one, all-embracing science, which pictures the world to us as a Universe. Farabi's charge against the Dialecticians is, that they employ as a basis for their demonstrations the deliverances of ordinary consciousness without testing them; and the Natural-Philosophers he blames for continually occupying themselves merely with the effect of things, and thus never getting beyond the contrasts of worldly phenomena by attaining to a unified conception of the All. He would confront the former by setting Thought on a proper foundation; and in opposition to the latter he would thoroughly investigate the subject of the One First Cause of all that exists. Consequently we shall be taking the best way to do justice to his historical and dogmatic position, if we endeavour to give some account, first of his Logic, next of his Metaphysics, and finally of his Physics and Practical Philosophy.
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5. The Logic of Farabi is not a mere analysis of scientific thinking: it contains in addition many remarks on grammar, and discussions on the theory of knowledge. While grammar is limited to the language of one people, Logic, on the other hand, has to regulate the expression in language of the aggregate intelligence of mankind. From the simplest elements of speech it must advance to the most complex forms,--from the word to the sentence, and on to discourse.
Logic falls into two divisions, according as its subjects stand related to actuality; the first of these comprising the doctrine of Ideas and Definitions (tasawwur), and the second, the doctrine of Judgments, Inferences, and Proofs (tasdiq). Ideas,--with which are classed Definitions, though in a mere loose, outward juxtaposition,--have in themselves no relation to actuality, that is to say, they are neither true nor false. Among 'Ideas' Farabi recognizes here the simplest psychological forms, that is, both the representations of individual objects arising from Sense-Perception, and those ideas which have been stamped upon the mind from the first, such as the Necessary, the Actual, the Possible. Such representations and ideas are immediately certain. A man's mind may be directed to these, and his soul made observant of them, but they cannot be demonstrated to him, nor can they be explained by deriving them from what is known, seeing that they are already clear in themselves, and that too with the highest degree of certitude.
By combining representations or ideas, judgments result, and these may be either true or false. To obtain a foundation for these judgments we have to go back through the processes of Inference and of Proof to certain propositions
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originally conveyed to the understanding, immediately obvious, and admitting of no farther confirmation. Such propositions,--the fundamental propositions or Axioms of all Science,--there must be for Mathematics, Metaphysics, and Ethics.
The doctrine of Proof, by which, starting from what is known and well-established, we arrive at a knowledge of something formerly unknown, is, according to Farabi, Logic properly so called. Acquaintance with the leading Concepts (the Categories), and with their synthesis in Judgment (Hermeneutics) and in Inference (First Analytics) furnishes only the introduction thereto. And in the Proof-doctrine the chief point is to ascertain the Norms or principles of a universally valid and necessary Science, which Philosophy has to be. Here the Law of Contradiction is looked upon as the highest of these principles, by which law the truth or necessity of a proposition, and at the same time the untruth or impossibility of the contrary, become known in one single cognitive act. From this point of view the Platonic Dichotomy is to be preferred, as a scientific method, to the Aristotelian Polytomy. And Farabi is not content with the formal side of the doctrine of proof. That doctrine has to be more than a methodology which points out the right way to the truth: it must itself point out the truth; it must generate science. It not only deals with judgments as material for the syllogism, but it enquires also into the truth which they contain, with reference to the particular sciences concerned. It is not a mere implement; it is rather a constituent part of philosophy.
As we have seen, the theory of proof terminates in necessary knowledge, corresponding to necessary existence. But
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besides this there is the great province of the Possible, from which we can gain only a probable knowledge: The different degrees then of probability, or the modes in which we attain to a knowledge of the Possible, are discussed in the Topics, and with them are associated Sophistic, Rhetoric and Poetics. In other connections these last three subjects are mainly concerned with practical aims, but in Farabi's hands they are combined with the Topics into a Dialectic of the Seeming. He proceeds to say that true science can be built up only on the necessary propositions of the Second Analytics, but that Probability shades off into the mere phantom of truth, from the topical or dialectic judgments down to the poetical. Thus Poetry stands at the very bottom of the scale, being in Farabi's opinion a lying and immoral absurdity.
In the addendum to the Isagoge of Porphyry, our philosopher has also given expression to his views on the question of 'Universals'. He finds the Particular not only in things and in sense-perception but also in thought. In like manner the Universal exists not merely as an 'accident' in individual things, but also as a 'substance' in mind. The mind of man abstracts the Universal from things, but it had an existence of its own before these. Virtually therefore the triple distinction of the 'ante rem', 'in re' and 'post rem' already occurs in Farabi.
Does mere 'being' also belong to the Universals? Is existence, in effect, a predicate? This question which caused so much mischief in philosophy was fully and correctly answered by Farabi. According to him, existence is a grammatical or logical relation, but not a category of actuality which makes any assertion about things. The existence of a thing is nothing but the thing itself.
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6. The trend of thought found in the Logic asserts itself also in the Metaphysics. Instead of the Changeable and the Everlasting, there emerge the ideas of the Possible and the Necessary.
Everything in fact that exists, is, in Farabi's view, either a necessary or a possible thing; there is no third kind of Being. Now since all which is possible presupposes for its realisation a Cause, while yet the chain of causes cannot be traced back without end, we see ourselves compelled to assume that there is a Being, existing of necessity, uncaused, possessing the highest degree of perfection and an eternal plenitude of reality, self-sufficing, without any change, who as absolute Mind and pure goodness and thinking,--being the thinking and the thought in one nature,--loves the all-transcending goodness and beauty of that nature, which is his own. This Being cannot be proved to exist, because he himself is the proof and first cause of all things, in whom truth and reality coincide. And it is involved in the very idea of such a Being, that he should be one, and one only, for if there were two first and absolute Beings, they would have to be partly alike and partly different,--in which case, however, the simplicity of each would be destroyed. A Being who is the most perfect of all, must be one alone.
This first Existence, one alone, and of a verity real, we call God; and since in him all things are one, without even difference in kind, no definition of his Being can be supplied. Yet man bestows upon him the noblest names, expressive of all that is most honoured and esteemed in life, because in the mystic impulse thereto, words lose their usual significance, transcending all discrepancy. Some
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names refer to his essential nature, others to his relation to the world, without prejudicing, however, the unity of his essence; but they are all to be understood metaphorically, and we can interpret them only according to feeble analogy. Of God, as the most perfect Being, we ought properly to have also the most complete idea. At least our mathematical notions are more perfect than our notions of physics, because the former refer to the more perfect objects. But with the most perfect object of all we fare as with the most brilliant light: by reason of the weakness of our eyes we cannot bear it. Thus the imperfections inherent in Matter cling to our understanding.
7. We are able to see God better in the regular gradation of Beings which proceed from him than in himself. From him, the One alone, comes the All, for his knowledge is the highest power: In his cognizance of himself the world comes into being: The cause of all things is not the will of an almighty Creator, but the knowledge of the Necessary. From eternity the Forms or Types of things are in God, and from him eternally proceeds also his own image, termed 'the Second All' or 'the first created Spirit', which moves the outermost celestial Sphere. In succession to this Spirit, come, one out of the other, the eight Spirits of the Spheres, all of which are unique in their several kinds and perfect, and these are the creators of the celestial bodies. These nine Spirits, called 'Celestial Angels', together form the second grade of Being. In the third grade stands the Reason, active in Humanity, which is also termed the Holy Spirit and which unites heaven and earth. The Soul is in the fourth grade. These two, the Reason and the Soul, do not remain by themselves in their strict original
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[paragraph continues] One-ness, but multiply in accordance with the great number of human beings. Lastly appear Form and Matter, as Beings of the fifth and sixth orders; and with them the series of Spiritual existences is closed. The first three grades, God, the Spirits of the Spheres, and the Active Reason, remain Spirit per se; but the three which follow,--Soul, Form and Matter, although incorporeal, yet enter into relation with Body.
The Corporeal, which is held to originate in the imagination of the Spirit, has also its six grades: Celestial Bodies, Human Bodies, Bodies of Lower Animals, Bodies of Plants, Minerals, and Elementary Bodies.
The influence of Farabi's Christian preceptor is probably still to be seen in these speculations, following as they do the number Three. That number had the same significance in them that the number Four had with the Natural-Philosophers. The terminology also bears out this idea.
That, however, is merely external: It is Neo-Platonism that contributes the contents. Here the Creation, or Emanation of the world, appears as an eternal, intellectual process. By the first created Spirit thinking of its Author, the second Sphere-spirit comes into being; while, by the same Spirit thinking of itself and thus realizing itself, there proceeds from it the first Body, or the uppermost celestial Sphere. And so the process goes on in necessary succession, down to the lowest Sphere, that of the Moon, in entire accordance with the Ptolemaic Sphere-system,--as it is known to every well-educated person at least from Dante's "Commedia",--and in the Neo-Platonic manner of derivation. The Spheres together form an unbroken order, for all that exists is a Unity. The creation and preservation of the
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world are one and the same. And not only is the unity of the Divine Being portrayed in the world, but the Divine righteousness is also expressed in the beautiful order which there prevails. The logical order of the world is at the same time a moral order.
8. The sublunary world of this earth is, of course, wholly dependent on the world of the celestial spheres. Yet the influence from above bears in the first place, as we know a priori, upon the necessary order of the whole, although in the second place the individual thing also is made to happen, but only according to natural reciprocal action, and therefore by rules which experience teaches us. Astrology, which attributes everything that is contingent or extraordinary to the stars and their conjunctions, is combated by Farabi. There is no certain knowledge of the Contingent; and,--as Aristotle also has taught,--much of what happens on this earth possesses in a high degree the character of the Contingent or the Possible. The celestial world, on the other hand, has another and a more perfect nature, which operates according to necessary laws. It can bestow upon this earthly world only that which is good; and therefore it is a complete mistake to maintain that some stars bring good luck, and others ill luck. The nature of the heavens is one, and it is uniformly good. The conclusion then at which Farabi arrives, by these reflections is this: Knowledge, capable of demonstration, and perfectly certain, is afforded by Mathematical Astronomy alone; the physical study of the heavens yields a probable knowledge; but the tenets and vaticinations of Astrology merit an exceedingly hesitating belief.
Overagainst the simplicity of the celestial world we have
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the sublunary kingdom of the four natures,--the kingdom of contrasts and of change. Even in this realm, in the midst of its plurality, we meet with the unity of an ascending series, from the Elements up to Man. Farabi is unable to advance much that is original on this subject. True to his logical standpoint, he gives himself very little concern about the Natural Sciences, among which, in reliance upon the original unity of matter, he seems without any hesitation to have counted Alchemy. We turn at once to his Doctrine of Man or of the Human Soul, which presents a measure of interest.
9. The powers or divisions of the Human Soul are, in Farabi's opinion, not of co-ordinate rank, but constitute an ascending series. The lower faculty is Material for the higher; and this again is the Form for the first, while the highest power of all, viz. Thinking, is non-material, and is Form for all the Forms which precede. The life of the, Soul is raised from things of sense to thought, by means of the power of Representation; but in all the faculties there is involved Effort or Will. Every theory has its obverse side in practice; and Inclination and Disinclination are inseparable from the perceptions furnished by the senses. To the representations of these the soul takes up an attitude of assent or dissent, by affirming or denying. Finally, Thought passes judgment on Good and Bad, gives to the Will its motives, and constructs Art and Science. All Perception, Representation or Thought is attended with a certain effort to reach the necessary consequence, just as warmth radiates from the substance of fire.
The Soul is that which gives completeness (Entelechia) to the existence of the body; but that which gives completeness
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to the existence of the Soul is the Mind, or the Spirit ('aql). The Spirit only is the real Man.
10. Accordingly the discussion turns mainly on the Mind or Spirit. In the human Spirit everything earthly is raised to a higher mode of existence, which is lifted out of the categories of the Corporeal. Now as a capability or potentiality, Mind or Spirit is present in the Soul of the Child; and it becomes actual Spirit in the course of its apprehension of bodily forms in experience by means of the Senses and the representative faculty. But this transition from possibility to actuality, the realisation thus of experience,--is not Man's own act, but is brought about by the Superhuman Spirit, which has sprung from the last Sphere-Spirit, that of the Moon. In this way Man's knowledge is represented as being a contribution from above, and not a knowledge which has been acquired in mental struggle. In the light of the Spirit which stands above us, our understanding descries the Forms of the Corporeal; and thereby experience is amplified into rational knowledge. Experience, in fact, takes in only the Forms which have been abstracted from the world of Matter. But there are in existence also,--before and above material things,--Forms and general entities, in the pure Spirits of the Spheres. Man now receives information from these 'detached Forms': it is only by means of their influence that his actual experience becomes explicable to him. From God down to the Spirit of Mankind, the higher Form affects only that which immediately succeeds it. Every intermediate Form stands in a relation of 'receptive' activity to what is above it, and of 'conferring' activity to what is below it. In its relation to the Human Spirit, which is influenced from above ('aql mustafad),
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the Superhuman Spirit, produced from the last Sphere-Spirit, is to be called 'active' or 'creative' ('aql fa''âl). Yet it is not continually active, because its effectiveness is restrained by its material. But God is the completely-real, eternally-active Spirit.
The Spirit in Man is threefold: according as it is (1) Possible, (2) Actual, and (3) Influenced from above. Now in the sense of Farabi, this means--that (1) the spiritual potentiality in Man is, by means of (2) realizing the knowledge which is gained by experience, (3) led to the knowledge of the Supersensible, which precedes all experience, and itself induces the experience.
The grades of Spirit and its knowledge correspond to the grades of existence. The lower strives wistfully to reach the higher, and the higher lifts the lower up to its own level. The Spirit which stands above us, and which has lent to all earthly things their Forms, seeks to bring these scattered Forms together that they may become one in love. First of all he collects them in Man. And indeed the possibility and truth of human knowledge depend on the fact that the same Spirit who bestowed upon the Corporeal its figure, also gives Idea to Man. The scattered Forms of the earthly are found again in the Human Spirit, and thereby it comes to resemble the last of the Celestial Spirits. Unity with that Celestial Spirit,--and in this an approach to God,--is the aim and the blessedness of the Spirit of Man.
Now the question whether such a. union is possible before Man's death is, in Farabi's opinion, either a doubtful one, or one which should be answered in the direct negative,-The highest thing that can be attained in this life, is
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rational knowledge. But separation from the body gives to the rational soul the complete freedom which belongs to spirit. But does it then continue to exist as an individual soul? Or is it merely a Moment of the higher World-Intelligence? On this point Farabi expresses himself ambiguously, and with a lack of consistency, in his various writings. Men,--so the expression runs,--disappear in death; one generation follows another; and like is joined to like, each in its own class. And forasmuch as rational souls are not bound to space, they multiply without end, just as thought is added to thought, and power to power. Every soul reflects on itself and all others that are like to it; and the more it so reflects, the more intense is its joy (Cf. infra, § 13).
11. We come now to Farabi's practical philosophy. In his Ethics and Politics we are brought into a somewhat closer relation to the life and belief of the Muslims. One or two general points of view may be brought forward.
Just as Logic has to give an account of the principles of knowledge, so Ethics have to deal with the fundamental rules of conduct, although, in the latter, somewhat more value is attached to practice and experience than in the theory of knowledge. In the treatment of this subject Farabi agrees sometimes with Plato, and sometimes with Aristotle; but occasionally, in a mystic and ascetic fashion, he goes farther than either of them. In opposition to the Theologians, who recognize, no doubt, a knowledge gained by Reason, but not rules of conduct taught by Reason, Farabi frequently affirms with emphasis that Reason decides whether a thing is good or evil. Why should not that Reason, which has been imparted to us from above, decide upon conduct,
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seeing that the highest virtue certainly consists in knowing? In vigorously accentuated terms Farabi declares that if one man knew everything that stands in the writings of Aristotle, but did not act in accordance with his knowledge, while another man shaped his conduct in accordance with Aristotle's teaching, without being acquainted with it, the preference would have to be assigned to the former. Knowledge takes a higher position than the moral act; otherwise it could not decide upon the act.
By its very nature the Soul desires. In so far as it perceives and represents, it has a will, just like the lower animals. But man alone possesses freedom of choice, seeing that this rests upon rational consideration. Pure thought is the sphere of freedom. Thus it is a freedom which depends upon motives furnished by thinking,--a freedom which is at the same time necessity, inasmuch as in the last resort it is determined by the rational nature of God. In this sense Farabi is a Determinist.
On account of the opposition offered by matter, the freedom of man, as thus conceived, can only imperfectly vindicate its lordship over the Sensible. It does not become perfect till the rational soul has been enfranchised from the bonds of matter and the wrappings of error,--in the life of the Spirit. But that is the highest blessedness which is striven after for its own sake, and consequently it is plainly the Good. Such good the Human Soul is seeking, when it turns to the Spirit above it, just as the Spirits of the heavens do, when they draw near to the Highest.
12. Even in the Ethics little regard is had to actual moral conditions; but in his Politics Farabi withdraws still farther from real life. In his oriental way of looking
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at things, the ideal Republic of Plato merges into 'the Philosopher as Ruler'. Men, having been brought together by a natural want, submit themselves to the will of a single person, in whom the State, be it good or bad, is, so to speak, embodied. A State therefore is bad, if the head of it is, as regards the principles of the Good, either ignorant or in error, or quite depraved. On the other hand the good or excellent State has only one type, that namely in which the philosopher is ruler. And Farabi endows his 'Prince' with all the virtues of humanity and philosophy: he is Plato in the mantle of the Prophet Mohammed.
In the description of rulers representative of the ideal Prince,--for there may be more than one existing together, and Prince and minister may divide governing-virtue and wisdom between them,--we come nearer the Muslim political theory of that day. But the expressions are wrapped in obscurity: the lineage, for example, which is proper for a Prince, and his duty of taking the lead in the holy war,--are not clearly signified. All indeed is left floating in philosophic mist.
13. Morality reaches perfection only in a State which at the same time forms a religious community. Not only does the condition of the State determine the temporal lot of its citizens, but also their future destiny. The souls of citizens in an "ignorant" State are devoid of reason, and return to the elements as sensible Forms, in order to be united anew with other beings,--men or lower animals. In States which are "in error", and in those which are "depraved", the leader alone is responsible, and punishment awaits him in the world beyond; but the souls which have been led into error share the fate of the ignorant. On the
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other hand, if the good and 'knowing' souls only maintain their ground, they enter the world of pure Spirit; and the higher the stage of knowledge to which they have attained in this life, the higher will their position be after death, in the order of the All, and the more intense their blessed delight.
In all likelihood expressions of this kind are only the outer wrapping of a mystico-philosophical belief in the absorption of the Human Spirit into the World-Spirit and finally into God. For,--as Farabi teaches,--although the world, deductively considered (i.e. logically and metaphysically), is something different from God, yet inductively the present world is regarded by the soul as being identical with the next, because in everything, even in his Unity, God is himself the All.
14. If we now take a general survey of Farabi's system, it exhibits itself as a fairly consistent Spiritualism, or,--to be more precise,--Intellectualism. The Corporeal,--that which appeals to the Senses,--as it originates in the imagination of the Spirit, might be designated "a confused presentation". The only true existence is Spirit, although it assumes various degrees. God alone is entirely unmixed and pure Spirit, while those Spirits, which eternally proceed from him, already have in them the element of plurality. The number of primary Spirits has been determined by the Ptolemaic cosmology, and corresponds to the celestial hierarchy.. The farther any one of them is removed from the first, so much the less part has it in the Being of the pure Spirit. From the last World-Spirit Man receives his essential nature, that is--Reason. There is no gap in all the system; the Universe is a beautiful and well-ordered
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whole. The Evil and the Bad are the necessary consequence of finiteness in individual things; but the Good which characterizes the Universe is set thereby in bolder relief.
Can this fair order of the Universe, from all eternity emanating from God, ever be destroyed, or can it even flow back to God? A sustained streaming-back to the Godhead, there doubtless is. The longing of the Soul is directed to what is above; and advancing knowledge purifies it and leads it upwards. But how far? Neither philosophers nor prophets have been able to return a clear answer to this question. And the wisdom of both of these,--both philosophy and prophecy,--Farabi derives from the creative World-Spirit above us. Now and again he speaks of prophecy as if it represented the highest stage of human knowledge and action. But that cannot be his real view;--at least it is not the logical consequence of his theoretical philosophy. According to it everything prophetic,--in dream, vision, revelation and so on,--belongs to the sphere of the Imagination or Representation, and thus takes an intermediate position between Sense-Perception and pure Rational Knowledge. Although, in his Ethics and Politics, he attaches a high educational importance to religion, it is always regarded as inferior in absolute worth to knowledge acquired through pure reason.
Farabi lived perpetually in the world of the Intellect. A king in the mental realm, a beggar in worldly possessions, he felt happy with his books, and with the birds and flowers of his garden. To his people,--the Muslim community,--he could be only very little. In his political and ethical teaching there was no proper place for worldly matters or for the 'holy war'. His philosophy did not
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satisfy any need appertaining to the senses, while it spoke against the life of imagination belonging both to the senses and the intellect, as that life gives special expression to itself in the creations of Art and in religious fancies. He was lost in the abstractions of pure Spirit. As a pious, holy man, he was an object of wonder to his contemporaries, and by a few disciples he was honoured as the personification of wisdom; but by the genuine scholars of Islam he was always decried as a heretic. There was, of course, ground enough for this: just as Natural Philosophy easily led to Naturalism and Atheism, the Monotheism of the Logicians imperceptibly conducted to Pantheism.
15. Farabi had no great following of disciples: Abu Zakariya Yakhya ibn Adi, a Jacobite Christian, became known as a translator of Aristotelian works; but a pupil of Zakariya's came to be more spoken of, called Abu Sulaiman Mohammed ibn Tahir ibn Bahram al-Sidjistani, who gathered about him in Bagdad, in the second half of the tenth century, the learned men of his time. The conversational discussions which they conducted, and the philosophical instructions which were imparted by the master, have been to some extent preserved, and we can clearly see the outcome of the school. Just as Natural Philosophy drifted into a secret lore, and the school of Kindi abandoned Philosophy for the separate branches of Mathematical and Physical Science, so the logical tendency of Farabi passed into a philosophy of words. Distinctions and definitions form the subject of these conferences. Individual points in the history of philosophy and in the several sciences are discussed also, without any systematic connection; but almost never does any positive interest in these subjects
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appear. The Human Soul occupies the foreground entirely, just as in the case of the Faithful Brethren, except that these last dealt rather with the marvellous operations of the Soul, while the Logicians pondered over its rational essence and its elevation to the Supra-rational. The Sidjistani Society trifled with words and concepts, instead of with numbers and letters after the fashion of the Brethren; but the end in both cases was--a mystical Sufism.
It is therefore no matter of astonishment that in the learned meetings of Abu Sulaiman, as reported by his pupil Tauhidi († 1009), Empedocles, Socrates, Plato and others are oftener mentioned than Aristotle. A very miscellaneous society came together in those meetings. No question was asked as to the country from which any one came, or the religion to which he adhered. They lived in the conviction,--derived from Plato, that every opinion contained a measure of truth, just as all things shared in a common existence, and all sciences in an actual knowledge which was one and the same. On that assumption alone could they have conceived that every one might start with maintaining that his own opinion was the true one, and that the science which he cultivated was the science most to be preferred. And for that very reason there is no conflict between Religion and Philosophy, however vehement the assertions may be on these two sides. On the contrary Philosophy confirms the doctrines of Religion, just as the latter brings the results of Philosophy to perfection. If Philosophical Knowledge is the essence and end of the Soul of man, Religious Belief is its life, or the way to that end; and as Reason is God's vicegerent on earth, it is impossible for Reason and Revelation to contradict each other.
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It is not worth while to accentuate particular points in these conversational discussions, the tenor of which we have given. The appearance of Sidjistani and his circle is important in the history of culture; but it has no significance as regards the development of Philosophy in Islam. What was to Farabi the very life of his Spirit, becomes in this Society a subject merely of clever conversation.


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Chris Dodd joked today during an impromptu press conference that Ted Kennedy had "the burden of serving with me and my father" in the Senate. There's so much talk, rightly, about what happens now that Kennedy is gone: who can replace him, literally and spiritually; the bitter irony of him not being around to negotiate the final language for and vote upon President Obama's health care package.
But Dodd's quip got me to thinking about what the Senate looked like when Ted Kennedy arrived. Though Kennedy took office by special election in late 1962, his first full Congress was the 88th, seated soon thereafter in January 1963. Here's a short list of some of the tall Senate names from that Congress:
Alabama's John Sparkman; Arizona's Barry Goldwater and Carl Hayden; Arkansas' J. William Fulbright; Connecticut's Abe Ribicoff and Thomas Dodd; Georgia's Richard Russell; Idaho's Frank F. Church; Illinois' Everett Dirksen; Indiana's Birch Bayh; Louisiana's Russell Long; Maine's Edmund Muskie and Margaret Chase Smith; Minnesota's Hubert Humphrey and Eugene McCarthy (and later, Walter Mondale, who filled Humphrey's seat at the end of that Congress); Mississippi's John Stennis; Montana's Michael J. Mansfield; Nebraska's Roman Hruska; New York's Jacob Javits; North Carolina's Sam Ervin; Rhode Island's Claiborne Pell; South Carolina's Strom Thurmond; South Dakota's George McGovern; Tennessee's Al Gore Sr. and Estes Kefauver; Texas' Ralph Yarborough and John Tower; Virginia's Harry Byrd; Washington's Scoop Jackson; West Virginia's Robert Byrd; and Wisconsin's William Proxmire.
Not all are lions, but thate's a safari's worth of talent right there. The abbreviated list above includes titanic and long-serving senators (R. Byrd), including the man who has served in Congress longer than anyone else (Hayden); past and future presidential nominees and vice presidential nominees (Sparkman, Goldwater, Humphrey, McGovern, Thurmond, H. Byrd); leaders of key, historical congressional committees or commissions (Church, Ervin, Kefauver); memorable party leaders of the chamber (Mansfield); the first woman to ever serve in both the House and Senate (Chase Smith); not only Dodd's father, but a southern civil rights pioneer who fathered a certain vice president who later won the national popular vote in 2000 (Gore); and two senators whose surnames are synonymous with landmark education law (Fulbright, Pell).
Heck, two of the three Senate office buildings on Capitol Hill—Dirksen and Russell—are named for senators who were part of that 88th Congress. And this is just a rough sketch of what these senators accomplished. Surely I'm forgetting or am simply unaware of so much else.
Last night Ted Kennedy left the Senate for good as its liberal lion. But his point of arrival tells us a lot about him, too, for he was trained by, learned from and found great company among a group of pretty amazing senators in Washington when he arrived as a young cub on the scene almost 47 years ago.


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Each person's vocation is unique, and discerning your vocation is an important time to discover the beautiful, individual plan God has written for you from eternity. As we enter into our vocation, we can see ever more clearly the special way God calls us to love Him and be loved by Him.
Go to confession regularly (at least once a month). Prepare yourself ahead of time and receive Christ in the Eucharist at least at Sunday Mass. Participating in Mass daily is wonderful if you can do it.
While we discern our vocation, we encounter so many voices telling us what we should or should not do with our lives. But which one is God? If you want to recognize His voice and trust His call, you're going to have to get to know Him. You get to know Him by spending time with Him in prayer. Go to Eucharistic Adoration if you can. And ask Him what He wants you to do.
Another way to help yourself during your discernment is to live as the Lord calls you in the present moment. Focus on becoming a faithful woman of God, here and now, and be the best daughter, sister, etc. to others that you can be.
Read and meditate on the Scriptures, spiritual classics, and the lives of the saints.
The Christian journey is not meant to be traveled alone. Talk to your confessor, spiritual director, a vocation director, a priest or religious, a person who is a friend of God….
Above all, remember: The Lord loves you and wants you to be happy. He made you and knows what will make you happy better than you do. He loves your loved ones more than you do and wants their happiness as well. He is all-powerful and all-knowing; His plans for you are not only for your good but also for the good of everyone else. Trust Him!
Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes;
and I will keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, that I may keep thy
law and observe it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of thy commandments,
for I delight in it.
Incline my heart to thy testimonies,
and not to gain!
Turn my eyes from looking at vanities;
and give me life in thy ways.
Confirm to thy servant thy promise,
which is for those who fear thee.
Turn away the reproach which I dread;
for thy ordinances are good.
Behold, I long for thy precepts;
in thy righteousness give me life!
(Psalm 119: 33 - 40 RSVCE)


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Nine years after she made headlines for surviving three days trapped in her car after it flipped off a highway some 45 feet into a swamp, the legend of Tillie Tooter only grows. Spry and straight-talking at 93, she still drives herself around, revels in the joys of being a new great-grandmother, and is a hit on the speaking circuit in Florida retirement communities.
The nonagenarian proved as plucky as ever when she appeared on TODAY Wednesday as part of a weeklong "Buzziest Stories of the Decade" feature. Sitting with her daughter, Linda Simms, Tooter recounted to Meredith Vieira the events that made her a nationwide celebrity.
Tooter told Vieira she still suffers from the physical effects of her vehicular drama — but she's far from seeking sympathy.
"I have a torn rotator cuff, I have a ruptured disc in my neck, I have back problems," she said. "But I don't dwell on those things. We live today, and I'm happy to be here."
Survival mode
That Tooter is around to tell her story at all is a happy miracle in itself. On Aug. 12, 2000, she was driving her Toyota Tercel to the Fort Lauderdale airport to pick up her granddaughter Lori when a car rear-ended her.
Tooter's car flipped several times before coming to rest in a mangrove swamp infested with alligators, snakes and bugs. She honked her horn for help, but her battery died before anyone heard her.
Tooter prayed — but she also went into survival mode. Her food rations consisted of a piece of peppermint candy, a stick of gum and a cough drop. She used a pair of golf socks to absorb rainwater, then sucked the moisture out of them. Using a trick she learned from an old John Wayne movie, she dislodged a button from her shirt and sucked on it to keep her mouth moist.
Her ordeal finally ended when a teenager, whom Tooter calls "my angel," spotted Tooter's car as he walked along the highway and called for help. By that time, Tooter had been trapped in her car for three days, and admitted to Vieira she was prepared to meet her maker.
"I made my peace with God," Tooter recalled. "I felt repentant for anything I may have done to hurt anybody, and glad for the things that I did that were good."
Tough life, tough ladyWithin days of being rescued, tough-as-nails Tooter gave a press conference, announcing, "I'm itchy all over, I'm black and blue, but I don't care. I'm here."
Daughter Linda said she believes the hard row her mother hoed her whole life led to her being able to survive her ordeal. Raised in Brooklyn, Tooter began working at 13 as her family struggled through the Great Depression. She raised Linda on her own after losing her soldier husband in the D-Day invasion in 1944.
When Vieira expressed amazement that she was able to survive her entrapment in the swamp, Tooter responded: "It was just instinctive. The will to live is very strong, and I had a lot to live for."
Still, Tooter says her ordeal still visits her dreams.
"Not as often as the beginning, but they're just as strong," she said. "They're fleeting; they don't last too long, thankfully."
'One of a kind'While Tooter may never forget her life-or-death experience, neither have her friends and admirers. She's regularly embraced by strangers, still gets the occasional fan letter, and travels around to retirement communities to give unscripted talks. Tooter said the main message she delivers is "never give up hope."It may seem unlikely that Tooter still gets attention nearly 10 years after her accident, but a card-playing pal of Tooter's told NBC News it's no surprise to the people who know the great-granny with the outsize personality.
"Let me ask you something: How many Tillie Tooters have come along in the last nine years?" one friend said. "She's terrific; she's one of a kind."
Tooter's daughter Linda Simms agrees, telling Vieira her mother "has always been my best friend" as she clutched her mom's hands on the TODAY couch. And even after her ordeal, Tillie is the same mother she's always known and loved.
"She's a very strong woman, and she's very self-sufficient," Simms told Vieira. "She really hasn't changed from the experience."
While Tooter obviously revels in the attention she continues to receive, she also has moments when she wonders what all the fuss is about.
"Me, an ordinary, everyday hausfrau!" she told NBC News. "I'm just an ordinary person."
Many would disagree.


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Bell Helicopter , a Textron Inc. company, (NYSE: TXT), announced it has signed a letter of intent with Reignwood Investment, Ltd., (Reignwood) for 50 Bell 505 Jet Ranger X aircraft. The announcement was made as part of a formal signing ceremony at the Bell Helicopter display at Airshow China in Zhuhai. "This agreement demonstrates the […]Continue Reading... Comments Off on Bell Helicopter's Bell 505 Jet Ranger X Captures China's Attention
Bell Helicopter , a Textron Inc. company (NYSE: TXT), announced today the sale of two Bell 407GXs to two North American sheriff aviation departments. One of the aircraft was purchased by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office in Arizona, and the other by the Contra Costa County Sheriff's department in California. The two sheriff departments will use […]Continue Reading... Comments Off on CA & AZ Sheriffs Expand Fleet with the Purchase of Bell 407GXs
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