text:
Modern-Day Miracles, Tongue-Speaking, and Holy Spirit Baptism: A Refutation
[EDITOR'S NOTE: The printed version of this article in this month's issue of Reason & Revelation is the abbreviated form of a much more comprehensive study of this topic. To view the extended version, click here.]
Numerous religious groups commonly claim the assistance of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Famed religious television personalities boldly announce the active influence of the Holy Spirit even as they speak. Supposedly, the Holy Spirit talks to them personally, heals viewers instantaneously, and enables them to babble uncontrollably in an "unknown tongue." All of this, then, is claimed to be "proof positive" of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Do miracles still happen? Can people speak in tongues today? Does God, in the twenty-first century, supernaturally countermand the laws of nature and heal people miraculously?
"Come now, and let us reason together," Isaiah said (1:18). It is absolutely imperative that we examine Scripture—not our feelings, not what someone else says happened to them, and not our own experience. The only sure and certain approach is to ask: What does the Bible teach? The reader must ask: "Do I honestly believe the Bible to be the Word of God?" One must be honest, and willing to go where the evidence takes him. If you had to choose between what you genuinely think you have experienced or seen firsthand, and what the Bible actually says, which would you choose? You must ask yourself: "Will I honestly accept God's written Word on the matter of miracles?" If you will, I invite you to join me in an examination of what the Bible teaches pertaining to miracles.
First of all, what exactly is a "miracle"? How does the Bible use the word? The three central terms used in the Bible to designate a supernatural (as contrasted with a natural) manifestation are: (1) "miracle" (dunamis); (2) "sign" (semeion); and (3) "wonder" (teras). All three terms occur together in Acts 2:22, Hebrews 2:4, and 2 Corinthians 12:12. Related terms include "work" (ergon) and "mighty deed" (kratos). The occurrence of a miracle in the Bible meant that God worked outside the laws of nature. W.E. Vine, whose Greek scholarship, according to F.F. Bruce, was "wide, accurate and up-to-date" (Vine, 1952, Foreword), stated that the word "miracle" (dunamis) is used in the New Testament of "works of a supernatural origin and character, such as could not be produced by natural agents and means" (1952, p. 75, emp. added). Otfried Hofius noted that a "sign" (semeion) "contradicts the natural course of things" (1976, 2:626, emp. added) and, similarly, "wonder" (teras) was used to refer to events that "contradict the ordered unity of nature" (2:633, emp. added).
Thus, a miracle in the Bible was not just an event that was astonishing, incredible, extraordinary, or unusual (e.g., the birth of a baby or the narrow avoidance of an accident). A miracle in the Bible was a supernatural act. It was an event that was contrary to the usual course of nature (Arndt and Gingrich, 1957, p. 755). The miraculous must not to be confused with the providential, where God operates in harmony with the usual course of nature.
Second, it is absolutely imperative that one recognizes the purpose of the miraculous. Miracles in the New Testament served the singular function of confirmation. When an inspired speaker stepped forward to declare God's Word, God validated or endorsed the speaker's remarks by empowering the speaker to perform a miracle. Many New Testament passages articulate this fact quite plainly. For example, the apostles "went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed" (Mark 16:20, emp. added). The writer of Hebrews asked:
[H]ow shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation; which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard; God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 2:3-4, emp. added).
Referring to the initial offering of the Gospel to the Samaritan people, Luke stated: "[A]nd the multitudes gave heed with one accord unto the things that were spoken by Philip when they heard and saw the signs which he did" (Acts 8:6, emp. added).
These passages, and many others (e.g., Acts 4:29-30; 13:12; 14:3; 15:12; Romans 15:18-19; 1 Corinthians 2:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; cf. Exodus 4:30), show that the purpose of miracles was to authenticate the oral/spoken word as God's Word. Miracles legitimized and verified the teachings of God's messengers, as over against the many false teachers (like Simon in Acts 8:9, or Pharaoh's magicians in Exodus 7:11) who attempted to mislead the people. Greek lexicographer Joseph Thayer noted that "sign" (semeion) was used in the New Testament "of miracles and wonders by which God authenticates the men sent by him, or by which men prove that the cause they are pleading is God's" (1901, p. 573). Even the miracles that Jesus performed were designed to back up His claim (i.e., spoken words) to be deity (John 3:2; 14:10-11)—a pattern that is repeated in the New Testament many times over (e.g., John 2:23; 5:36; 6:14; 7:31; 10:37-38,41-42; 20:30-31; Acts 2:22). In other words, Jesus performed signs and miracles to prove His divine identity and thereby authenticate His message. His message, in turn, generated faith in those who chose to believe His teachings (cf. Romans 10:17). Here is the consistent sequence presented in Scripture: Signs → Word → Faith. (1) Signs confirmed the Word; (2) the Word was presented to hearers; and (3) faith was created (by the Word) in those who received it.
An excellent demonstration of this process was provided by Luke in his report of the conversion of the Roman proconsul, Sergius Paulus. Elymas the sorcerer tried to thwart Paul's effort to teach Sergius the Gospel. So Paul performed a miracle and struck Elymas blind. Luke next recorded: "Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord" (Acts 13:12, emp. added). One might well expect the text to have said that Sergius was astonished at the miracle that Paul performed. But Luke was careful to report the situation with precision. The miracle that Paul performed captured Sergius' attention, causing him to recognize the divine origin of Paul's Gospel message. The Gospel message, in turn, generated faith in the proconsul—in harmony with Paul's later affirmation to Christians in Rome that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Over and over again in the New Testament, a close correlation is seen between the performance of miracles and the preaching of the Word of God (cf. Mark 6:12-13; Luke 9:2,6).
But some maintain that there are other reasons for instances of divine healing and tongue-speaking. Tongue-speaking is said to be a sign that the tongue-speaker is super-spiritual. Others say that miraculous healing serves the purpose of making the believer well—a simple act of mercy to relieve his pain and suffering. They say God does not want us to suffer, and so He will heal us just to ease our pain in this life because we are His children.
Regarding the first claim, Paul insisted that the person who possessed the ability to speak in tongues was not spiritually superior to the one who had no such ability (1 Corinthians 14:6,9,12,19). Tongue-speaking was simply one miraculous capability among many bestowed by God without regard to a member's spiritual status, let alone his spiritual superiority over another member (1 Corinthians 12:7-11,28-30).
Regarding the second claim, certainly, the compassion of God was evident when people received miraculous healing in New Testament times. And, surely, relief from suffering would have been a side effect of being healed. But the Bible teaches that relieving suffering was not the purpose of miracles. Such a purpose would contradict—even thwart—the divine intent of this created Earth as a place where hardship exists to prepare us for eternity (see Warren, 1972). Death and sin entered the world due to human choice. God allows the circumstances caused by human decisions to take their course. He does not interfere with the natural order of things to show partiality to some over others. The Christian is subject to the same diseases, tragedies, and physical death that befall non-Christians: "…for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Genesis 3:19). Christians can expect all sorts of hardship and suffering (e.g., 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 4:12-17). Commenting on the purpose of miracles, J.W. McGarvey wrote:
[T]o say that they were wrought for the single purpose of showing divine compassion toward the sick, and those oppressed by the devil, would be to ignore a purpose which is easily discerned, which is openly avowed by Christ himself, and which is of much greater importance (1910, p. 354).
That purpose was "to support his proclamation…a necessary proof of the claim of Jesus" (pp. 355-356).
If God's intention was to exempt individual Christians from sickness and disease, He certainly has fallen down on the job, since the vast majority of Christians throughout the last 2,000 years have experienced the exact same afflictions suffered by unbelievers. If miracles in the first century had as their object the improvement of the health of the recipient, then Jesus and the apostles were dismal failures, because they left untouched a lot of sick folk! Jesus healed a minority of the sick people of Palestine, and healed none outside of that tiny geographical region (an exception being the Canaanite woman's daughter). In fact, one would be forced to conclude that God's compassion did not extend to everybody. But the Bible affirms that God loves the entire world of humanity (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). Hence, miracles did not have as their central purpose to show God's compassion, nor to ease pain and suffering. McGarvey noted:
[U]nlike these modern advocates of "divine healing," the apostles were never known to go about exhorting people to come forward for the healing of the body. They effected miraculous cures in a few instances, "as a sign to the unbelievers," but they never proclaimed, either to saints or sinners, that the healing of all diseases was a part of the gospel which they were sent to preach. These so-called faith-cure churches, therefore, and the preachers who officiate in them as "divine healers," or what not, are not modeled after the apostolic type, but are misleading the people by humbuggery (p. 351).
The usual rebuttal to these observations is that the reason some people do not receive a miracle is because "they do not have sufficient faith." But this objection is likewise unscriptural. It is true that some individuals in the New Testament were commended for the faith that they possessed prior to being the recipient of a miracle (e.g., Mark 5:34). It does not automatically follow, however, that faith was a necessary prerequisite to miraculous reception. Many people were not required to have faith. For example, all individuals who were raised from the dead obviously were not in a position to "have faith" (e.g., John 11:44). Nor did those possessed by demons, since they were not in their right mind (e.g., Luke 9:42; 11:14). The man who was blind from birth actually showed uncertainty regarding the identity of Jesus (John 9:11-12,17,25,35-36). The man who was healed by Jesus as he laid beside a pool of water, in fact, did not even know who healed him (John 5:13). On one occasion, Jesus healed a paralytic after observing, not his faith, but the faith of his companions (Mark 2:5). Additional texts indicate that many who received the benefits of miracles were not required to have faith (Luke 13:12; 14:4; Acts 3:1-10).
The opposite was true as well. There were individuals who possessed faith, and yet were not healed of their ailments. Timothy was a faithful and effective servant of the Lord. He had "frequent illnesses" and stomach trouble of such severity as to warrant Paul referring to it by inspiration. But rather than simply healing him, or telling him to "pray for healing," Paul told him to use "a little wine" as a tonic (1 Timothy 5:23).
Actually, John settled this question for the unbiased inquirer when he wrote that "many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in His name" (John 20:30-31, emp. added). John said that belief occurs after the miracle—not before, in order to receive a miracle! The New Testament teaches the very opposite of those who claim that miracles occur today. They say a person must have faith before he or she can receive a miracle. The New Testament teaches that miracles were performed to authenticate the divine origin of the speaker's message and/or identity. The message, in turn, generated faith in the hearer (cf. Romans 10:17). Hence, miracles preceded faith.
These observations bring us to a third extremely critical realization: once God revealed the entirety of the information that He wished to make available to mankind (later contained in what we call the New Testament), the need for miraculous confirmation of the oral Word came to an end. Now, people can sit down with a New Testament and, with honest and diligent study, conclude that it is God's Word. Since the purpose of miracles has once and forever been achieved, the miracles, themselves, have ceased. I repeat: the Bible teaches that miracles are no longer necessary. Spiritual maturity is now within the grasp of every single individual who chooses to access the means to maturity—the written Word of God.
In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul argued that love is a more excellent attribute than miraculous gifts. After all, miraculous gifts (i.e., prophecy, tongue-speaking, supernatural knowledge, etc.) were going to fail, vanish, cease, and be done away (13:8). These gifts are identified in the text with the expression "in part" (13:9-10). The "in part," or miraculous, would cease when the "perfect" had come. But to what does the "perfect" refer?
The Greek word translated "perfect" is teleios. The term does not refer to "perfect" in the sense typically understood by the modern English reader, i.e., to be sinless. Following this faulty notion, some have concluded that the "perfect" refers to Jesus—since He has been the only perfect person. Other interpretations apply "perfect" to heaven (the only perfect place), or Christian maturity and perfect love (the perfect condition or quality). But, in context, Paul was not contrasting qualities or places. He was contrasting quantities, i.e., those things that were incomplete and partial (miraculous gifts) with that which would be total and complete (the fully revealed Word of God). The inaccuracy of these interpretations is seen further in the Greek definition of teleios. The word refers to totality, that which is whole, brought to its end, finished, and lacking nothing necessary to completeness (Delling, 1972, 8:73; Arndt and Gingrich, 1957, p. 816; Thayer, 1901, p. 618). Used in its neuter form, Paul was referring to a thing—not a person—something that, when completed or finished, would replace the incomplete or partial, i.e., the miraculous gifts—which had only temporary significance. Commenting on the abolition of the miraculous gifts of prophecy and supernatural knowledge (mentioned in vss. 8 and 9), W.R. Nicoll correctly observed that "these charisms are partial in scope, and therefore temporary: the fragmentary gives place to the complete" (1900, 2:900, emp. added). Kenneth Wuest agreed: "In I Corinthians 13:10, the word means 'complete,' and is contrasted to that which is incomplete" (1943, pp. 117-118). The exegete is forced to conclude that Paul's use of "perfect" referred to the completed revelation or totally revealed New Testament Scriptures. The revelation of God's will was completed in its entirety when the final book of the New Testament, Revelation, was written by John prior to A.D. 100.
Paul offered a useful illustration to clarify his point. When the church possessed only small bits and pieces of God's will, as revealed through scattered miraculous gifts and the gradual production, between approximately A.D. 57 and A.D. 95, of the written documents from the inspired writers of the New Testament, it could not achieve full spiritual maturity. It therefore was like a child (13:11). It lacked the necessary elements to reach spiritual adulthood. However, when the totality of God's will, which became the New Testament, had been revealed, the church then had the means available to become "a man" (13:11). Once the church had access to all of God's written Word, the means by which the Word was given (i.e., miraculous gifts) would be obsolete, useless, and therefore "put away" (13:11). Notice that Paul likened miracles to "childish things" (13:11). In other words, miracles were the spiritual equivalents of pacifiers that were necessary while the church was in a state of infancy. Since we now have access to "all truth" (John 16:13), the use of tongue-speaking and other miraculous enhancements in the church today would be comparable to an adult man or woman who continued to use a pacifier!
Paul then explained his point by comparing the initial necessity of miracles to reveal and confirm God's Word, with the idea of looking through a clouded mirror (see Workman, 1983, p. 8). Once the entire contents of the New Testament had been revealed, the miraculous gifts no longer would be necessary. Having all of God's revealed Word would enable one to be face to face with that Word, rather than "looking through a clouded mirror," i.e., having partial access. Paul wrote (13:11):
Now I know in part [i.e., my knowledge of God's revelation is incomplete and partial due to limited access via the miraculous element—DM], but then [i.e., when all of God's Word is finally revealed—DM] shall I know fully, even as also I was fully known [i.e., I shall be made to know or taught thoroughly (which is the figure of speech known as heterosis of the verb in which the intransitive is put for the transitive—see Bullinger, 1898, p. 512)—DM].
Paul made the same point to the Ephesians. Miracles—the "gifts" given by Christ (Ephesians 4:8)—were to last "till the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God" (Ephesians 4:13, emp. added). Two significant observations emerge from this latter verse. First, the word translated "till" (Middle English for "until") is mechri, and was used as a conjunction to indicate the terminus ad quem [finishing point] of the miraculous offices (mentioned in vs. 11) bestowed as gifts by Christ. [For treatments of the use of mechri in this verse, see Thayer, 1977, p. 408; Arndt and Gingrich, 1957, p. 517; Moulton and Milligan, 1982, p. 407; Blass, et al., 1961, pp. 193-194; Robertson, 1934, pp. 974-975; Dana and Mantey, 1927, p. 281; see also the use of the term in Mark 13:30 and Galatians 4:19]. Nicoll observed:
The statement of the great object of Christ's gifts and the provision made by Him for its fulfillment is now followed by a statement of the time this provision and the consequent service are to last (1900, 3:332, emp. in orig.).
Paul was "[s]pecifying the time up to which this ministry and impartation of gifts are to last" (Vincent, 1890, p. 390, emp. added).
Second, the phrase "the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God" often is misunderstood to refer to the eventual unifying of all believers in Christ. But this conclusion cannot be correct. Both Scripture and common sense dispel such a notion. Complete unity within Christendom will never occur. Those who profess affiliation with Christianity are in a hopeless state of disunity. Catholicism and Protestant denominationalism are fractured into a plethora of factions and splinter groups—literally thousands of divisions and disagreements. Nor will unity ever be achieved even within churches of Christ. Even first-century congregations did not attain complete internal unity.
In contrast with this interpretation, notice the use of the articles in the phrases: "the faith" and "the knowledge." Contextually, Paul was referring to the system of faith alluded to so often in the New Testament. Jude urged his readers to "contend earnestly for the faith" (Jude 3). Paul referred to himself when he quoted others as saying, "He that once persecuted us now preacheth the faith of which he once made havoc" (Galatians 1:23). Luke reported that "a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7). Elymas the sorcerer sought to "turn aside the proconsul from the faith" (Acts 13:8). The early disciples were exhorted to "continue in the faith" (Acts 14:22). As a result of Paul's repeat visits to Lycaonia, "the churches were strengthened in the faith" (Acts 16:5).
So "the faith" and "the knowledge" refer to the completed body of information that constitutes the Christian religion. Indeed, eight verses earlier (Ephesians 4:5), Paul already had referred to "the faith" as the summation and totality of Christian doctrine—now situated in the repository of the New Testament. An honest exegete is driven to conclude that once the precepts of New Testament Christianity had been revealed on Earth, the miraculous element no longer was necessary. Miracles lasted until "the faith" was completely revealed. They had served their purpose, in the same way that scaffolding is useful while a building is under construction. However, once construction is complete, the scaffolding is removed and discarded as unnecessary and superfluous paraphernalia.
Fourth, the actual exercise of miraculous gifts by Christians is addressed in 1 Corinthians 14. In this context, Paul used the term "gifts" (charismata, from charisma) in a technical sense (like pneumatika) to refer to miraculous abilities, designated by Thayer "extraordinary powers…by the Holy Spirit" (1901, p. 667, emp. added; cf. Arndt and Gingrich, 1957, p. 887). Hans Conzelmann stated that the term indicated that "[t]he operations are supernatural" and of "supernatural potency" (1974, 9:405, emp. added). [The word is so used in the Pauline corpus in ten of its sixteen occurrences (Romans 1:11; 12:6; 1 Corinthians 1:7; 12:4,9,28,30-31; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6). The only other occurrence of the word in the New Testament was Peter's comparable use, i.e., to refer to supernatural ability (1 Peter 4:10)—see Moulton, et al., 1978, p. 1005]. Several relevant points occur in regard to the gift of tongue-speaking that help one to understand both the temporary nature of miracles, as well as their irrelevance to a contemporary pursuit and practice of New Testament Christianity.
First, the term "unknown" (in regard to tongues) is italicized in the KJV because it does not appear in the original Greek text (14:2,4,13-14,19,27). By inserting this word into their translation, the translators were attempting to aid the English reader. They undoubtedly were hoping to convey the idea that the languages to which Paul referred were unknown to the speaker, i.e., the speaker had no prior training by which to learn or know the language. He spoke the language strictly by God's miraculous empowerment. "Unknown" certainly was not intended to convey the thought that the tongues were unknown to all humans and, as such, were non-earthly languages.
Second, the events reported at the very beginning of the Christian religion (Acts 2) set the precedent for understanding that tongue-speaking entailed no more than the ability to speak a foreign human language (which the speaker had not studied) to people from a variety of geographical locales (e.g., Parthians, Medes, Arabians—Acts 2:9-11). The unbiased Bible student must conclude that what is described in some detail in Acts 2 is the same phenomenon alluded to in 1 Corinthians 14. All tongue-speaking in the Bible consisted of known human languages (ideally, known to the very audience being addressed) that were unknown (i.e., unstudied, unlearned) by the one who was speaking the language.
Third, there is simply no such thing as an "ecstatic utterance" in the New Testament. The tongue-speaking of 1 Corinthians 14 entailed human language—not incoherent gibberish. A simple reading of the chapter demonstrates that known human languages are under consideration. For example, Paul paralleled tongue-speaking with the use of the trumpet in warfare. If a bugler sounded meaningless noise, the military would be thrown into confusion. It was imperative for the bugler to blow the proper notes and tones, i.e., meaningful musical "language," so that the army would understand clearly what was being communicated (whether to charge, engage, or retreat). "Sound without sense" fails to achieve the very purpose of tongue-speaking. Paul stated:
So likewise ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without signification. If then I know not the meaning of the language, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto me (1 Corinthians 14:9-11, emp. added).
Obviously, Paul was referring to human languages—those that exist "in the world." He envisioned a scenario where two individuals, who spoke different languages, are attempting to communicate with each other. If one speaks in Spanish and the other in German, as they attempt to speak to one another, each would be a "foreigner" to the other. Neither would be able to understand what the other was attempting to say. Hence the need for tongue-speaking, i.e., the ability to speak human language unknown to the speaker but known to the recipient. Again, an examination of 1 Corinthians 14 yields the result that no contextual justification exists for drawing the conclusion that the Bible refers to, let alone endorses, the notion of "ecstatic" speech.
Fourth, Paul clearly stated that tongue-speaking was a sign to unbelievers—not to believers (14:22). Tongue-speaking was to be done in their presence, to convince them of the truth being spoken, i.e., to confirm the Word. The tongue-speaking being practiced today is done in the presence of those who already believe that tongue-speaking is occurring and, when an unbeliever, who is skeptical of the genuineness of the activity, makes an appearance in such an assembly, the claim often is made that tongue-speaking cannot occur because of the presence of unbelief. Once again, the New Testament teaches the very opposite of those who claim the ability to speak in tongues today.
Fifth, the recipient of a miraculous gift in the New Testament could control himself (14:32). He was not overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit so that he began to babble or flail about. Tongue-speaking today is frequently practiced in a setting where the individuals who claim to be exercising the gift are speaking uncontrollably at the very time that others are either doing the same thing or engaging in some other activity. This overlapping activity is in direct violation of three of Paul's commands: (1) that each individual take their turn one at a time; (2) that no more than three tongue-speakers speak per service; and (3) that tongue-speakers remain silent if no interpreter is present (14:27-28).
The claim by many today to be able to speak in tongues is simply out of harmony with New Testament teaching. Anyone can babble, make up sounds, and claim that he or she is speaking in tongues. But such conduct is no sign today. It is precisely the same phenomenon that various pagan religions have practiced throughout the centuries. During New Testament times, however, no one questioned the authenticity of tongue-speaking. Why? The speaker was speaking a known human language that could be understood by those present who knew that language and knew that the speaker did not know that language beforehand. As McGarvey observed about Acts 2:
Not only did the apostles speak in foreign languages that were understood by the hearers, some understanding one and some another, but the fact that this was done by Galileans, who knew only their mother tongue, was the one significant fact that gave to Peter's speech which followed all of its power over the multitude (1910, p. 318).
If and when self-proclaimed tongue-speakers today demonstrate that genuine New Testament gift, their message could be accepted as being from God. But no one today has demonstrated that genuine New Testament gift.
Holy Spirit Baptism
Where, then, does the baptism of the Holy Spirit fit into this discussion? Today's alleged practitioners typically associate the expression "Holy Spirit baptism" with the phenomenon that enables the believer to speak in tongues, heal someone, or work other miracles. In other words, Holy Spirit baptism is simply a generic reference to miraculous empowerment. Anyone who can speak in a tongue or perform any other miraculous action is said to have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. He is said to be "Spirit filled." However, it might surprise the reader to learn that the Bible alludes to Holy Spirit baptism in a very narrow, specialized, even technical sense. Just because a person could speak in tongues or work miracles did not necessarily mean he had been baptized in the Holy Spirit.
The very first allusion to Holy Spirit baptism in the New Testament is John's statement: "I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me…will baptize you in the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 3:11, emp. added). From this statement alone, one might assume that Christians in general would be baptized in the Holy Spirit. But this assumption would be a premature conclusion. John was not addressing a Christian audience. He was speaking to Jews. Nothing in the context allows the reader to distinguish John's intended recipients of the promise of Holy Spirit baptism—whether all humans, all Jews, all Christians, or merely some of those in one or more of these categories. The specific recipients of this promise are clarified in later passages.
Just before His ascension, Jesus told the apostles to wait in Jerusalem until they were "clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49). In John chapters 14-16, He made several specific promises to the apostles concerning the coming of the Spirit—the "Comforter/Helper" (parakletos)—upon them, to empower them to do the peculiar work of an apostle (i.e., to recall the words Jesus had spoken to them, to speak and write by inspiration, and to launch the Christian religion). If these verses apply to all Christians, then all Christians ought to have been personally guided "into all truth" (John 16:13), and thus would have absolutely no need of written Scripture (John 14:26). However, in context, these verses clearly refer to the apostolic office.
Jesus further clarified the application of Holy Spirit baptism when He told the apostles that the earlier statement made in Luke 24:49 applied to them, and, in fact, would come to pass "not many days hence" (Acts 1:4-5). Jesus also stated that the "power" that they would receive would be from the Holy Spirit, which would enable them to witness to the world what they had experienced by being with Christ (Acts 1:8). Notice carefully that on this occasion, Jesus made an explicit reference to the very statement that John had uttered previously in Matthew 3: "For John indeed baptized with water; but ye [apostles—DM] shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence" (Acts 1:5, emp. added). Jesus explicitly stated that the Holy Spirit baptism He would administer (in keeping with John's prediction) would occur within a few days, and would be confined to the apostles.
All one need do is turn the page to see the promise of Holy Spirit baptism achieve climactic fulfillment in Acts 2 as the Spirit was poured out only upon the apostles. The antecedent of "they" in Acts 2:4 is "the apostles" in Acts 1:26. The apostles were the ones who spoke in tongues and taught the people. They were the recipients of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as is evident from the following contextual indicators: (1) "are not all these that speak Galileans?" (2:7); (2) "Peter, standing up with the eleven" (2:14); (3) "they…said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles" (2:37); (4) Peter quoted Joel 2:28-32, and applied it to that occasion as proof that the apostles were not intoxicated; and (5) the text even states explicitly that the signs and wonders were "done through the apostles" (2:43). This pattern continues in the book of Acts: "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people" (5:12); "the Lord, who bare witness unto the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands" (14:3); "what signs and wonders God had wrought…through them" (15:12).
The next direct reference to Holy Spirit baptism consisted of Peter describing the experience of the Gentiles in Acts 10. Referring to their empowerment to speak in tongues, Peter explicitly identified it as being comparable to the experience of the apostles in Acts 2. Note his explanation:
And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us [apostles—DM] at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit. If then God gave unto them the like gift as he did also unto us [apostles—DM]… (Acts 11:15-17, emp. added).
Peter unmistakably linked the baptism of the Holy Spirit predicted by John in Matthew 3:11, and applied by Jesus to the apostles in Acts 1:5, with the unique and exclusive bestowal of the same on the first Gentile candidates of salvation. If the baptism of the Holy Spirit had occurred between Acts 2 and Acts 10, why did Peter compare the Gentiles' experience with the experience of the apostles—rather than comparing it with many other Christians who allegedly would have received it at some point during the intervening years? The answer lies in the fact that the baptism of the Holy Spirit did not occur during those intervening years. Baptism of the Holy Spirit was a unique and infrequent occurrence that came directly from Deity.
This understanding harmonizes with additional facts. The great prophecy of the Old Testament, which made special reference to the coming New Testament era as the dispensation of the Spirit, incorporated a most noteworthy expression. God had declared: "I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh" (Joel 2:28, emp. added). Peter repeated it on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:17). "All flesh" was a technical expression used by the Jewish writers of the Bible, who frequently divided humanity into only two racial groupings, i.e., Jew and non-Jew (Gentile). The reader is urged to study carefully Isaiah 40:5 (cf. Luke 3:6) and Isaiah 66:23 as well as Paul's use of "we" vs. "they" and "both," "all," "none," and "no flesh" (Romans 3:9-20). "No flesh" and "all flesh" were technical allusions to the two categories of human flesh, i.e., Jew and non-Jew.
Observe, then, that the very first recipients of Holy Spirit baptism were the Jewish apostles on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. The second recipients of Holy Spirit baptism were Gentiles who were members of the household of Cornelius (Acts 10). The occurrence of that event convinced Jewish Christians that Gentiles were fit prospects for the reception of the Gospel, and thus were valid candidates for entrance into the kingdom (Acts 10:34-35,45; 11:18). Thus, Joel's remark, that God would pour out His Spirit on "all flesh," applied to the outpouring on Jews in Acts 2 and Gentiles in Acts 10. The only other conceivable occurrence of Holy Spirit baptism would have been Paul, who would have received direct miraculous ability from God as well. His reception obviously was unique because (1) he was not an apostle when the Twelve received the Spirit, and (2) he was "one born out of due time" (1 Corinthians 15:8). Holy Spirit baptism, then, filled two unique and exclusive purposes: (1) to prepare the apostles for their apostolic (not Christian) roles, and (2) to provide divine demonstration that Gentiles could become Christians.
Laying on of Hands
If Acts 2 and 10 are the only instances of Holy Spirit baptism in the New Testament, how, then, do we account for the fact that numerous others in the New Testament performed miracles or were able to speak in tongues? If they, too, were not recipients of Holy Spirit baptism, how did they receive the ability to do what they did? The New Testament dictates only one other way that one could obtain a miraculous capability: through the laying on of the apostles' hands. Only the apostles possessed the ability to transfer miraculous capabilities to others—a phenomenon that was described succinctly by Luke:
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, "Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit." But Peter said unto him, "Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter" (Acts 8:17-21, emp. added).
This description establishes two important facts: (1) only the apostles were able to impart to others the ability to perform miracles; and (2) those other than the apostles who could perform miracles received their ability indirectly through the apostles—not directly from God via Holy Spirit baptism.
This fascinating feature of the miraculous in the first century makes it possible to understand how other individuals received their supernatural powers. For example, Philip possessed the ability to perform miracles (Acts 8:6,13). Since he was not an apostle, and since he did not receive direct ability from God via baptism of the Holy Spirit, where, then, did he derive his ability? Philip previously had received the laying on of the apostles' hands (Acts 6:5-6). Likewise, the first Christians in Ephesus were enabled to speak in tongues—when the apostle Paul laid his hands on them (Acts 19:6). Even Timothy received his gift from the laying on of Paul's hands (2 Timothy 1:6).
Some have challenged the exclusivity of the role of the apostles in their unique ability to impart the miraculous element by drawing attention to the admonition given by Paul to Timothy: "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery" (1 Timothy 4:14, emp. added). How does one explain the fact that Paul stated that Timothy's gift had come through the presbytery (i.e., the eldership) as well? Once again, the grammar of the text provides the definitive answer. In 2 Timothy 1:6, where Paul claimed sole credit for imparting the gift to Timothy, he employed the Greek preposition dia with the genitive, which means "through" or "by means of " (Machen, 1923, p. 41; Dana and Mantey, 1927, p. 101). However, in 1 Timothy 4:14, where Paul included the eldership in the action of impartation, he employed a completely different Greek preposition—meta. The root meaning of meta is "in the midst of " (Dana and Mantey, p. 107). It refers to the attendant circumstances of an event that takes place—the accompanying phenomena (Arndt and Gingrich, 1957, pp. 510-511). It means "in association with" or "accompanied by" (Moule, 1959, p. 61; Thayer, 1901, p. 404; cf. Robertson, 1934, p. 611). In other words, Paul—as an apostle—imparted the miraculous gift to Timothy. It came from God through Paul. However, on that occasion, the local eldership of the church was present and participated with Paul in the event, lending their simultaneous support and accompanying commendation. After examining the grammatical data on the matter, Nicoll concluded: "[I]t was the imposition of hands by St. Paul that was the instrument used by God in the communication of the charisma to Timothy" (1900, 4:127; cf. Jamieson, et al., n.d., 2:414; Williams 1960, p. 956). Consequently, 1 Timothy 4:14 offers no proof that miraculous capability could be received through other means in addition to apostolic imposition of hands and/or the two clear instances of Holy Spirit baptism.
In light of the biblical data set forth in this study, certain conclusions become quite evident. Since there are no apostles living today, and since Holy Spirit baptism was unique to the apostles (Acts 2) and the first Gentile converts (Acts 10), there is no Holy Spirit baptism today, there is no miraculous healing today, and there can be no tongue-speaking. The miraculous element in the Christian religion was terminated by God near the close of the first century. Once the last apostle died, the means by which miraculous capabilities were made available was dissolved. With the completion of God's revelation to humanity (now available in the Bible), people living today have all that is needed to be complete and to enjoy the fullness of Christian existence (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3).
The alleged miracles and tongue-speaking of today simply do not measure up to the Bible's description of the miraculous. They are unverifiable, ambiguous, and counterfeit. Today's "divine healing" consists of vague, unseen, non-quantifiable aches and pains like arthritis, headaches, and the like. In the New Testament, however, people were raised from the dead—even days after death (e.g., John 11:17). Severed body parts were restored instantaneously (e.g., Luke 22:50-51). People who had been born blind had their sight restored (e.g., John 9:1). Those lame from birth were empowered to walk (Acts 3:2). First-century miracles were not limited only to certain ailments and psychosomatic illnesses that could be cured through natural means, or by "mental adjustments" on the part of the infirm. Jesus healed "all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease" (Matthew 4:23, emp. added). No disease or sickness was exempt in the New Testament (cf. Acts 28:8-9). Where are these types of occurrences today? When has anyone restored a severed limb lost in an accident? When has a self-proclaimed "faith-healer" raised anyone from the dead? Where are the miracle workers who are healing the blind, the crippled, and those whose infirmities have been documented as having existed for many years (John 5:3,5)? Where are the televangelists who will go into children's hospitals and rectify birth defects, cancer, and childhood diseases? Where are the modern-day miracle workers who have ingested poison or been bitten by a venomous snake—yet remained unharmed (Mark 16:18; Acts 28:3-5)? An honest searcher for the truth is inevitably forced to conclude that the miraculous age has passed.
Human beings always are looking for something new, exciting, and flashy. They want something that makes them feel religious and secure—without having to face up to personal responsibilities. Hence, there will always be those who will simply disengage their minds, their spiritual sense, and their intention to assess "the words of truth and reason" (Acts 26:25).
Genuine Christianity today consists of simply taking the written Word of God, and studying it carefully in order to learn what God expects of us—no brass band, no circus theatrics, no flash of light, no dream or vision, no sudden rush attributable to the Holy Spirit. There simply are no short cuts to spirituality. The miraculous is no answer.
[NOTE: To listen to an audio sermon on this topic, click here.]
Arndt, William and F.W. Gingrich (1957), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press).
Blass, F., A. Debrunner, and Robert Funk (1961), A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press).
Bullinger, E.W. (1898), Figures of Speech Used in the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1968 reprint).
Conzelmann, Hans (1974), "charismata," Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. G. Kittel and G. Friedrich (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
Dana, H.E. and Julius Mantey (1927), A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament (Toronto, Canada: Macmillan).
Delling, Gerhard (1972), Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Gerhard Friedrich (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
Hofius, Otfried (1976), "Miracle," The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, ed. Colin Brown (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).
Jamieson, R., A.R. Fausset, and D. Brown (no date), A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).
Machen, J. Gresham (1923), New Testament Greek for Beginners (Toronto, Canada: Macmillan).
McGarvey, J.W. (1910), Biblical Criticism (Cincinnati, OH: Standard).
Moule, C.F.D. (1959), An Idiom-Book of New Testament Greek (Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1977 reprint).
Moulton, W.F., A.S. Geden, and H.K. Moulton (1978), A Concordance to the Greek Testament (Edinburgh: T.&T. Clark), fifth edition.
Moulton, James and George Milligan (1982 reprint), Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament Illustrated from the Papyri and Other Non-literary Sources (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
Nicoll, W. Robertson, ed. (1900), The Expositor's Greek Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdms).
Robertson, A.T. (1934), A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press).
Thayer, J.H. (1901), Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1977 reprint).
Vincent, M.R. (1890), Word Studies in the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1946 reprint).
Vine, W.E. (1952), An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words (Old Tappan, NJ: Revell).
Warren, Thomas B. (1972), Have Atheists Proved There Is No God (Jonesboro, AR: National Christian Press).
Williams, George (1960), The Student's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel), sixth edition.
Workman, Gary (1983), "That Which Is Perfect," The Restorer, 3[9]:6-9, September.
Wuest, Kenneth (1943), Treasures from the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
[EDITOR'S NOTE: The printed version of this article in this month's issue of Reason & Revelation is the abbreviated form of a much more comprehensive study of this topic. To view the unedited version, click here.]
REPRODUCTION & DISCLAIMERS: We are happy to grant permission for this article to be reproduced in part or in its entirety, as long as our stipulations are observed.


text:
Feb 20, 2011
We are pleased to announce the release of Tornado 1.2, available from
Backwards compatibility notes:
* This release includes the backwards-incompatible security change from
version 1.1.1. Users upgrading from 1.1 or earlier should read the
release notes from that release:
* StackContexts that do something other than catch exceptions may need to
be modified to be reentrant.
* When XSRF tokens are used, the token must also be present on PUT and
DELETE requests (anything but GET and HEAD)
New features:
* A new HTTP client implementation is available in the module
tornado.simple_httpclient. This HTTP client does not depend on pycurl.
It has not yet been tested extensively in production, but is intended
to eventually replace the pycurl-based HTTP client in a future release of
Tornado. To transparently replace tornado.httpclient.AsyncHTTPClient with
this new implementation, you can set the environment variable
USE_SIMPLE_HTTPCLIENT=1 (note that the next release of Tornado will
likely include a different way to select HTTP client implementations)
* Request logging is now done by the Application rather than the
RequestHandler. Logging behavior may be customized by either overriding
Application.log_request in a subclass or by passing log_function
as an Application setting
* Application.listen(port): Convenience method as an alternative to
explicitly creating an HTTPServer
* tornado.escape.linkify(): Wrap urls in <a> tags
* RequestHandler.create_signed_value(): Create signatures like the
secure_cookie methods without setting cookies.
* tornado.testing.get_unused_port(): Returns a port selected in the same
way as inAsyncHTTPTestCase
* AsyncHTTPTestCase.fetch(): Convenience method for synchronous fetches
* IOLoop.set_blocking_signal_threshold(): Set a callback to be run when
the IOLoop is blocked.
* IOStream.connect(): Asynchronously connect a client socket
* AsyncHTTPClient.handle_callback_exception(): May be overridden
in subclass for custom error handling
* httpclient.HTTPRequest has two new keyword arguments, validate_cert and
ca_certs. Setting validate_cert=False will disable all certificate checks
when fetching https urls. ca_certs may be set to a filename containing
trusted certificate authorities (defaults will be used if this is
* HTTPRequest.get_ssl_certificate(): Returns the client's SSL certificate
(if client certificates were requested in the server's ssl_options
* StaticFileHandler can be configured to return a default file (e.g.
index.html) when a directory is requested
* Template directives of the form "{% from x import y %}" are now
supported (in addition to the existing support for "{% import x
* FacebookGraphMixin.get_authenticated_user now accepts a new
parameter 'extra_fields' which may be used to request additional
information about the user
Bug fixes:
* auth: Fixed KeyError with Facebook offline_access
* auth: Uses request.uri instead of request.path as the default redirect
so that parameters are preserved.
* escape: xhtml_escape() now returns a unicode string, not
utf8-encoded bytes
* ioloop: Callbacks added with add_callback are now run in the order they
were added
* ioloop: PeriodicCallback.stop can now be called from inside the callback.
* iostream: Fixed several bugs in SSLIOStream
* iostream: Detect when the other side has closed the connection even with
the select()-based IOLoop
* iostream: read_bytes(0) now works as expected
* iostream: Fixed bug when writing large amounts of data on windows
* iostream: Fixed infinite loop that could occur with unhandled exceptions
* httpclient: Fix bugs when some requests use proxies and others don't
* httpserver: HTTPRequest.protocol is now set correctly when using the
built-in SSL support
* httpserver: When using multiple processes, the standard library's
random number generator is re-seeded in each child process
* httpserver: With xheaders enabled, X-Forwarded-Proto is supported as an
alternative to X-Scheme
* httpserver: Fixed bugs in multipart/form-data parsing
* locale: format_date() now behaves sanely with dates in the future
* locale: Updates to the language list
* stack_context: Fixed bug with contexts leaking through reused IOStreams
* stack_context: Simplified semantics and improved performance
* web: The order of css_files from UIModules is now preserved
* web: Fixed error with default_host redirect
* web: StaticFileHandler works when os.path.sep != '/' (i.e. on Windows)
* web: Fixed a caching-related bug in StaticFileHandler when a file's
timestamp has changed but its contents have not.
* web: Fixed bugs with HEAD requests and e.g. Etag headers
* web: Fix bugs when different handlers have different static_paths
* web: @removeslash will no longer cause a redirect loop when applied to the
root path
* websocket: Now works over SSL
* websocket: Improved compatibility with proxies
Many thanks to everyone who contributed patches, bug reports, and feedback
that went into this release!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hey, hey!
I've been wanting to share this news with you for a while, but couldn't. Today s finally the day that I can shout it out ... I'm on The Greeting Farm 2016 DT. Woohoo!!!
They have tons of adorable rubber and digi stamps (as well as paper pads, dies etc.) so be sure to check out their store.
Our first challenge of 2016 starts on January 1 and I hope many of you will participate in it. See you on the first day of new year! :)


text:
2012 is shaping up to be a very tough year for the global economy. All over the world there are signs that economic activity is significantly slowing down. Many of these signs are detailed later on in this article. But most people don't understand what is happening because they don't put all of the pieces together. If you just look at one or two pieces of data, it may not seem that impressive. But when you examine all of the pieces of evidence that we are on the verge of a devastating global recession all at once, it paints a very frightening picture. Asia is slowing down, Europe is slowing down and there are lots of trouble signs for the U.S. economy. It has gotten to a point where the global debt crisis is almost ready to boil over, and nobody is quite sure what is going to happen next. The last global recession was absolutely nightmarish, and we should all hope that we don't see another one like that any time soon. Unfortunately, things do not look good at this point.
The following are 22 signs that we are on the verge of a devastating global recession….
#1 On Thursday it was announced that U.S. jobless claims had soared to a six-week high.
#2 Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread, has filed for bankruptcy protection.
#3 Sears recently announced that somewhere between 100 and 120 Sears and Kmart stores will be closing, and Sears stock has fallen nearly 60% in just the past year.
#4 Over the past 12 months, dozens of prominent retailers have closed stores all over America, and one consulting firm is projecting that there will be more than 5,000 more store closings in 2012.
#5 Richard Bove, an analyst at Rochdale Securities, is projecting that the global financial industry will lose approximately 150,000 jobs over the next 12 to 18 months.
#6 Investors are pulling money out of the stock market at a rapid pace right now. In fact, as an article posted on CNBC recently noted, investors pulled more money out of mutual funds than they put into mutual funds for 9 weeks in a row. Are there some people out there that are quietly repositioning their money for tough times ahead?….
Investors yanked money out of U.S. equity mutual funds for a ninth-consecutive week despite a bullish 2012 outlook from Wall Street and a December rally that's carried over into the New Year.
#7 There are signs that the Chinese economy is seriously slowing down. The following comes from a recent article in the Guardian….
Growth had slowed to an annual rate of 1.5% in the second and third quarters of 2011, below the "stall speed" that historically led to recession.
#8 The Bank of Japan says that the economic recovery in that country "has paused".
#9 Manufacturing activity in the euro zone has fallen for five months in a row.
#10 Germany's economy actually contracted during the 4th quarter of 2011. At this point many economists believe that Germany is already experiencing a recession.
#11 According to a recent article by Bloomberg, it is being projected that the French economy is heading into a recession….
The French economy will shrink this quarter and next, suggesting the nation is in a recession as investment and consumer spending stagnate, national statistics office Insee said.
#12 There are a multitude of statistics that indicate that the UK economy is definitely slowing down.
#13 The credit ratings of Italy, Spain, Portugal, France and Austria all just got downgraded.
#14 It is being reported that the Spanish economy contracted during the 4th quarter of 2011.
#15 Bad loans in Spain recently hit a 17-year high and the unemployment rate is at a 15-year high.
#16 According to a recent article in the Telegraph, the Italian government is forecasting that there will be a recession for the Italian economy in 2012….
The Italian government predicts GDP will contract 0.4pc next year, but many economists fear the figure is optimistic.
"We can say without mincing words that we have already slipped into recession," said Intesa Sanpaolo analyst Paolo Mameli. "We expect GDP to keep contracting for the next 3-4 quarters."
#17 Italy's youth unemployment rate has hit the highest level ever.
#18 The unemployment rate in Greece for those under the age of 24 is now at 39 percent.
#19 Greece is already experiencing a full-blown economic depression. About a third of the country is now living in poverty and extreme medicine shortages are being reported. Things have gotten so bad that entire families are being ripped apart. According to the Daily Mail, hundreds of Greek children are being abandoned because the economy has gotten so bad that their parents simply cannot afford to take care of them anymore. The note that one mother left with her child was absolutely heartbreaking….
One mother, it said, ran away after handing over her two-year-old daughter Natasha.
Four-year-old Anna was found by a teacher clutching a note that read: 'I will not be coming to pick up Anna today because I cannot afford to look after her. Please take good care of her. Sorry.'
#20 In Greece, large numbers of people are simply giving up on life. Sadly, the number of suicides in Greece has increased by 40 percent in just the past year.
#21 In many European countries, the money supply continues to contract rapidly. The following comes from a recent article in the Telegraph….
Simon Ward from Henderson Global Investors said "narrow" M1 money – which includes cash and overnight deposits, and signals short-term spending plans – shows an alarming split between North and South.
While real M1 deposits are still holding up in the German bloc, the rate of fall over the last six months (annualised) has been 20.7pc in Greece, 16.3pc in Portugal, 11.8pc in Ireland, and 8.1pc in Spain, and 6.7pc in Italy. The pace of decline in Italy has been accelerating, partly due to capital flight. "This rate of contraction is greater than in early 2008 and implies an even deeper recession, both for Italy and the whole periphery," said Mr Ward.
#22 The major industrialized nations of the world must roll over trillions upon trillions of dollars in debt during 2012. At a time when credit is becoming much tighter, this is going to be quite a challenge. The following list compiled by Bloomberg shows the amount of debt that some large nations must roll over in 2012….
Japan: 3,000 billion
U.S.: 2,783 billion
Italy: 428 billion
France: 367 billion
Germany: 285 billion
Canada: 221 billion
Brazil: 169 billion
U.K.: 165 billion
China: 121 billion
India: 57 billion
Russia: 13 billion
Keep in mind that those numbers do not include any new borrowing. Those are just old debts that must be refinanced.
As I mentioned at the top of this article, things do not look good.
The last thing that we need is another devastating global recession.
As I wrote about yesterday, the U.S. economy is in the midst of a nightmarish long-term decline. The last major global recession helped to significantly accelerate that decline.
So what will happen if this next global recession is worse than the last one?
Sadly, the people that will get hurt the most by another recession will not be the wealthy.
The people that will get hurt the most will be the poor and the middle class.
So what should all of us be doing about this?
We should use the time during this "calm before the storm" to prepare for the hard times that are coming.
As always, let us hope for the best and let us prepare for the worst.
But things certainly do not look promising for the global economy in 2012.


text:
The Cat's Pajamas searched the globe for the perfect knit fabric for their pajamas. They started with hand-pulled Peruvian Pima cotton, which is known for its silky luster and unbelievably soft hand. They combined this Pima cotton with Modal to get the perfect drape and added Elastane to give it stretch and recovery so they look and feel great with every wear.
This pajama set has a snugger fit than The Cat's Pajamas woven PJs. But the stretch gives it the perfect fit every time.


text:
Storyline 360: Using the Size and Position Window
The Size and Position window lets you control an object's height, width, rotation, scale, crop, and location. You can also add alternate text and closed captions.
- Accessing the Size and Position Window
- Sizing, Rotating, and Cropping Objects
- Positioning Objects
- Adding Alternate Text to Objects
- Adding Closed Captions to Narration and Videos
Accessing the Size and Position Window
Select the object you want to customize, then use any of the following methods to open the Size and Position window.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter on your keyboard.
- Go to the Format tab on the ribbon and click the arrow in the lower right corner of the Size group.
- Right-click the object and choose Size and Position.
When the Size and Position window appears, click the tabs along the left edge to set your options. See below for details.
Sizing, Rotating, and Cropping Objects
Height Width |
Enter the height and width in pixels. If the Lock aspect ratio box is marked, the width will automatically adjust when you change the height—and vice versa—to maintain the object's proportions. (Another way to quickly change an object's size is to go to the Format tab on the ribbon, then enter values in the Height and Width fields.) |
Rotation |
Enter a rotation value in degrees. A positive number rotates the object clockwise; a negative number rotates it counterclockwise. (Another way to rotate an object is to drag its rotation handle.) |
Scale Height Scale Width |
Use these fields to adjust the size of the object using percentages (of the original size). If the Lock aspect ratio box is marked, the scale width will automatically adjust when you change the scale height—and vice versa—to maintain the object's proportions. |
Lock aspect ratio |
Mark this box to maintain the object's proportions when resizing. It's enabled by default for pictures, screenshots, characters, and videos. |
Crop from |
Use these fields to crop the object by a specific number of pixels. The cropping options are only available for pictures, screenshots, and characters. (Another way to crop an object is to go to the Format tab on the ribbon, click Crop, then drag the black cropping handles that appear on the edges of the object.) |
Reset |
Click this button to reset the object to its original size. This option is only available for pictures, screenshots, characters, and videos. |
Positioning Objects
Although it's easy to move an object on your slide just by dragging it, sometimes you need more control over its exact position.
Select the Position tab on the left edge of the window, then enter pixel values in the Horizontal and Vertical location fields. Use the From selectors to choose a relative location.
Adding Alternate Text to Objects
Use the Accessibility tab on the left edge of the window to set accessibility options for screen readers and keyboard navigation.
By default, screen readers announce each object on the slide according to its name in the timeline panel. Here are two ways to modify this behavior:
- Object is visible to accessibility tools: This box is marked for all objects by default. Uncheck it if you don't want the selected object to be detected by screen readers or part of the keyboard navigation. For example, if you have objects on the slide that don't contribute to the meaning of the content, such as aesthetic elements (rectangles, lines, etc.), it's a good idea to uncheck this box for those objects.
- Alternate text: If you'd like screen readers to use a description that's different from what appears in the timeline panel, enter that alternate text here.
Another way to add or edit alternate text is to use the Focus Order window.
Adding Closed Captions to Narration and Videos
Also on the Accessibility tab, you can create, edit, import, delete, and export closed captions for audio tracks and videos. Just click the icons to the right of Captions.
To learn more about working with closed captions, see these user guides:


text:
Regular price £255.00 Sale
This pendant lamp was made from a modified clutch basket by The Rag & Bone Man celebrates undiscovered industrial shapes found amongst Britains grease shops and scrapyards and repurposed to create unique lighting designs. In collaboration with a British foundry, automotive parts were restored to create this hand polished sandcast pendant. Available in a highly polished finish, this unusual upcycled design combines industrial function and luxury design.
5cm x 23cm
We are delighted to be able to offer complimentary delivery to mainland UK addresses on all lighting orders over £50


text:
Listen to Today's Program
Mahmoud Zahar, a Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, says the Jews of Israel, Palestine as he referred to the Jewish nation, will be soon expelled from the land the same way they were expelled out of France, Russia, and Germany in the past. Zahar said that the only nation that received the Jews after they were expelled from the European nations was the Islamic nation which protected them.
Zahar claimed that the Jews were expelled in the past because they betrayed, stole, and corrupted the countries and that the Palestinians with their blood can liberate their lands and holy sites in all of Palestine.
Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News
The declaration by a Hamas terrorist leader that the Jews will soon be expelled from their nation of Israel is an echo of the prophetic scenario that's found in Bible prophecy for the last days.
Mahmoud Zahar, a Hamas terrorist leader has in the past called for the Jews to be expelled from their land and nation of Israel. Now the Islamic terrorist leader says that in the near future the Jews will indeed be put out of the land that they claim as a Jewish state. Zahar has called for all Palestinian factions to unite and if need be shed their blood to liberate what they call Palestine which they say is all of Israel and then they can go to al Aksa Mosque in Jerusalem to pray.
This report is evidence that the end of times prophetic scenario found in the Bible is very close to fulfillment. The ancient Jewish prophets Ezekiel, Malachi, and Obadiah all prewrote history on this matter and foretold of the Edomites, the descendants of Esau, the Palestinians of today trying to rid the world of the Jewish people, the descendants of Jacob, twin brother of Esau. Malachi wrote that the Edomites, the Palestinians, would return to rebuild (Malachi 1). Ezekiel wrote that these people, the Palestinians, would kill the Jews and take their land (Ezekiel 35). Obadiah revealed that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would only be resolved when the Messiah Jesus Christ returns to the earth (Obadiah 15-18). Bible prophecy will be fulfilled.
Jimmy DeYoung's daily report on current events as they set the stage for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled.


text:
Previous Lesson
Complete and Continue
Adventures In Wholesaling Virtual Academy
Module 1 - Legal Disclaimer
Legal Disclaimer
Module 2 - Welcome to Adventures In Wholesaling Street Academy
Welcome to Adventures In Wholesaling Street Academy (3:40)
What do you get?
How do I communicate with Shaun
Module 3 - Mindset and your WHY
Mindset and your "WHY" (10:14)
Module 4 - Introduction to Wholesaling/Concepts/Terms
Introduction to Wholesaling/Concepts/Terms (3:13)
Wholesaling is Simple But its not EASY
Choosing a Market
Hiring your Virtual Assistant or VA
Where to find LEADS
Where to Find Comps
Cash Offer Comps Calculator
Join NEW Private Facebook Group
Module 5 - Setting up Tools needed for Success
Setting up tools needed for success!
What is a CRM?
Relationships you NEED to have
Online Document Signing Tool
Module 6 - Script Practice
Script Practice (8:07)
Module 7- Documents (Agreements etc)
Have your agreements Reviewed by an Attorney
Standard Purchase And Sell Agreement A-B
Assignment Agreement B-C
Module 8- Gut Check Moment/Where and how to Find Motivated Sellers/Discounted Properties
Module 8 - Gut Check Moment/Where and how to Find Motivated Sellers/Discounted Properties (1:22)
Where and how to Find Motivated Sellers & Discounted Properties
Module 9 - Talking to Sellers/Making Offers (MAO)
The FOUR Pillars of Pre Qualification
Putting it ALL together
Talking to Sellers/Making Offers (MAO) (5:16)
The Profit Factor = How Much Money Should You Make
Your Purchase Price Offer
Tips to remember when negotiating the price
Get Funding for your DEALS/Proof Of Funds Letters
Module 10- Strategies to Find Motivated Sellers (Cold Calling, Text Blasting, Direct Mail, Bandit Signs, Driving for Dollars etc)
Strategies to find sellers (Cold Calling, Text Blasting, Direct mail, Bandit Signs, Driving for Dollars) (6:41)
Analyzing The Deal
How to get someone to take pictures/video of the property
Got Your 1st Deal Under Contract!
Module 11 - Where to Find Buyers/The Importance of Building a Buyers List
How to find cash buyers and how much each cash buyer is worth to you
Build your own list of qualified buyers
Finding Real Estate Investors
Places to find investors and start building your network list
Now That You Have A Cash Buyer Now What
5000 Nationwide Cash Buyer List
Should I build My Buyers list first?
Module 12 - Finding a Closing Attorney or Title Company
Using a Closing Attorney or Title company
Nationwide Closing Attorney/Title Companies
Using a Mobile Notary
Module 13 - Closing the Deal/Additional Resources
Closing The Deal (4:02)
Suggested Timeframe To Get An LLC
Company That Will Setup Your LLC
Get your copy of my Book
Rinse Recycle Repeat!
Teach online with
Get Funding for your DEALS/Proof Of Funds Letters
Lesson content locked
If you're already enrolled,
you'll need to login
Enroll in Course to Unlock


text:
Reimbursement Requests
Requests for reimbursement should be submitted to disbursements on a check request form, with original cash register receipts attached. Photocopies of receipts are not acceptable.
If payment was made by personal check, a copy (front and back) of the canceled check is required.
If payment was made by personal credit card, a detailed receipt is required. Credit card statements are not acceptable, as they do not provide detail regarding the items purchased.
Please be advised that the University procurement card is available to employees who frequently travel or make purchases for University use. Use of the procurement card should eliminate the need for reimbursement in most cases.


text:
Twelve-year-old Koichi lives with his mother and retired grandparents in Kagoshima, in the southern region of Kyushu, Japan. His younger brother Ryunosuke lives with their father in Hakata, northern Kyushu. The brothers have been separated by their parents' divorce and Koichi's only wish is for his family to be reunited. When he learns that a new bullet train line will soon open, linking the two towns, he starts to believe that a miracle will take place the moment these new trains first pass each other at top speed. With help from the adults around him, Koichi sets out on a journey with a group of friends, each hoping to witness a miracle that will improve their difficult lives.(Magnolia Pictures)
Watch Trailer


text: 2018 Catalogs Now Online Until now, European O gauge hobbyists have often had to choose between models that look realistic and models that run well. Now M.T.H. introduces accurate, highly detailed scale models that run superbly, have more features than any previous O gauge trains, and are offered at attractive prices. M.T.H. locomotives feature on-board DCC, full compatibility with all 2-rail and 3-rail AC and DC operating systems, scale detailing, vivid sounds, synchronized puffing smoke in steam engines, steady speeds down to 3 scale miles per hour, and a choice of 4 coupling systems. Learn more by clicking on the 2018 catalog links below.


text:
Pink will perform at the Grammys later this month, Access Hollywood has exclusively learned.
Pink will join the likes of Beyonce, the Black Eyed Peas, Maxwell and Taylor Swift, who have already been announced as performers at the show.
Lady Antebellum will also perform.
Beyonce heads into the big show with 10 nominations, including record of the year for "Halo," song of the year for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it)" and album of the year for "I Am… Sasha Fierce."
The 52nd Grammy Awards will take place January 31 from Los Angeles.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: 2009 Grammy Nominations Concert
PLAY IT NOW: Music Video: Pink - 'I Don't Believe You'
PLAY IT NOW: On The Download: Pink's High-Flying 'Funhouse' Tour
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Pink - Music - Grammy Awards


text:
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Mariscos Ruben: Gourmet Sonoran Seafood From a Truck?Tijuana,BC
Sonora is well-known for its famous steaks and typical northern Mexican cuisine, but it also lies on the Sea of Cortez, making it possibly the greatest surf n' turf state in Mexico.Its seafood is often overshadowed by Sinaloa to its southern frontier, but try telling that to Ruben and Mirta Rodriguez.For the past 20 years they've been parked on the corner of 8th St. and Quintana Roo,where downtown meets the Zona Rio in Tijuana.
Sonorans make up the second largest migrant group in Tijuana and there steakhouses are all over town.There aren't many Sonoran seafood places in Tijuana, but Mariscos Ruben can pretty much hold down the fort on their own. Their truck is a mobile gastronomic unit.
The menu looks similar to most seafood stands and restaurants, but don't be fooled by the simply titled dishes. They serves seafood cocktails, botanas(snacks),tacos,tostadas, and soups that will truly engage all of your senses.
Customers squeeze in and look for a place to dine in a small tented area in between the parked truck and a permanent shed that houses a storage area and grill where they cook several plates over mesquite.
Mirta is a cocktailer, cook, and supervisor a staff of about 3-4 others in the truck.It's a family operation and some of their preparations are sourced from home cooks in their family.Her husband Ruben, not pictured here, takes orders, mans the grill some times,brings out drinks, and keeps everything running smooth. This kitchen didn't even get slammed today when I brought a group of 13. They were full of customers when we arrived and still the dishes came out faster than we could photograph and eat them.I've been stopping here for more than a year, but only in the last 5 months did I realize how deep is the cooking in this truck.
The salsas like this chiltepin, typical of the state of Sonora,are an indication of what's in store for you. They are rich, creamy,gourmet concoctions, the kind you rarely come across even in Mexico. Similar in texture and complexity to the great salsas of La Guerrerense in Ensenada.
The salsas line the back wall of the tent, with mole-like richness, some thickened with generous amounts of oil.
This smoky salsa of dried chiles has a dark,nutty deliciousness that has to be enjoyed by itself, but I can think of a few things you can do with it,like dollop some onto Sonoran crab claws.
I had manitas de jaiba(crab claws), the first time I went to Mariscos Ruben, and always ask about this dish when I visit. They only get fresh crab here, and when it's not available it's not on the menu.Ruben doesn't like to talk about his recipes, so, let's just talk about how amazing this tastes. The crab is lightly sweet and delicate, seasoned by magic hands, and served in a savory, citrus blend that is masterful. Her style of seafood style shows a command of saucier technique, but that which comes naturally, not from any formal institution.
They also do an aguachile(fire water)of crab claws served in a molcajete(earthen mortar and pestle).The volcanic rock molacajete gives this aguachile a suggestive quality that is primordial.You may only want to eat seafood out of a molcajete from now on.
The taco of camaron enchilado(chilied shrimp) is another dish that shows Mirta's art in blending and balancing rich flavors. They use a house salsa to cover the shrimp and then fry them in butter. The shot of cream on top pushes the loaded taco into narcotic status.
Perhaps the taquito de marlin, so innocent sounding, is the best dish on the menu. There never has been a better marlin taco or taquito than this, period. The mesquite charred shell, reminiscent of a firm, yet giving flatbread,doesn't just deliver the freshly pink,smoked marlin, but is an integral component. Two secret sauces made by a family member top the taquito along with clean cabbage.
Not a morsel shall be spared, nor a single drop of voluptuous sauce. One is a homemade Thousand Island, the other.......well, just enjoy, no one's going to tell you a thing.
Another fine crab offering is the crab tostada accented by purple onion and other vegetables whose sole purpose is to let this delicious crab hit its mark.
The callo de hacha(scallops)used for raw preparations are of the finest quality and taste.Mirta showed these off proudly like a favorite grandchild.
Cahuamanta is a soup that is unique to the state of Sonora. It was made with turtle in the past, but when turtle meat ended up on the endangered species list, manta ray took its place. The name of this dish is a combination of the old and new.Mirta makes a heavenly soup, amply flavored with natural seafood flavors.As a bonus, the caguamanta comes with aleta(tuna fin), gelatinous and buttery bits thrown in for textural enhancement.Their flavor is mild.
The outdoor grill housed in the storage shed really gives this truck's kitchen an edge.When Mirta suggested I try her clam au gratin, I thought, ok, maybe another time.I was a little full and wanted to save some space for later.She gave me her pitch and that look that says,"you don't know what your missing if you walk away now." Just when you think you've mastered this menu.......
Pismo clams are shucked, repacked with the clam meat, shrimp and octopus, cheese, and Maggi seasoning, and then sealed shut with foil.Cooked and flavored by mesquite, these clams add another dimension to this humble seafood truck.
One of Mirta's cooks carefully opens the still hot clams and carefully splays it open prior to serving.
One side cups the dipping sauce and the other smoky clam, cheese, octopus, and shrimp.
There's no end to the gourmet selections at Mariscos Ruben. All dishes have a commonality of richness, freshness of ingredient, and balance.Sonoran tradition, expert cooking, and the power of umami mexicano.
There are Sonoran specialties like caguamanta, and dishes that are common in other parts of this region of Mexico, but Mariscos is pure Sonoran "sabor" and style.Seafood cuisine that is traditional home cooking, but with a command of various culinary disciplines that makes you scratch your head in a state of disorientation. How could food this special be found in a truck parked near a noisy strip of sidewalk surrounded by traffic?This place could be cutting edge in Manhattan or Downtown LA.
During the Expo Tequila 2009, 13 of us descended upon Mariscos Ruben for a taste of Sonora and all were blown away by this place. Make this a stop on your next trip to Tijuana and discover the wondrous pleasures of Sonora.
Mariscos Ruben
Parked on the corner of 8th and Quintana Roo
7 days a week
7 comments:
- MyLastBite said...
No infamous Sonoran hot dogs?? : )
Kidding. This looks awesome! - October 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM
- glutster said...
even faster than the machine!
comprehensive as always, hasta la proxima man. - October 19, 2009 at 9:17 PM
- streetgourmetla said...
Hey JO,we couldn't fit the Sonoran dogs in, literally!!
- October 19, 2009 at 11:18 PM
- streetgourmetla said...
Hey Javier, we have so much to explore. Es impresionante......el sonido.......es algo magico!!!!!
- October 19, 2009 at 11:20 PM
I see that I missed some extraordinary food. That makes my experience today all the sadder. A friend and I went to East L.A. and ate at a well known tamale place. The tamales were so bad I couldn't eat them.
- October 20, 2009 at 3:41 PM
- Food GPS said...
Mariscos Ruben was phenomenal. It was easily one of my best West Coast seafood experiences. The clams au gratin, crab claws and caguamanta were all impressive. Thanks for sharing this find with the group.
- October 20, 2009 at 10:35 PM
unbelievable the best!!! first time I went to this stand and its the best served seafood, you just have to try them!!!
- January 15, 2011 at 6:25 PM


text:
Fabric: Imported shimmer Lycra Length: 32 Padded
Hurry up! Buy 3 Get 1 Sale Ends in:
dayshoursminssecsWe promise our patrons one of the best experiences of online shopping that is hassle free and reliable. We take care of all parameters that ensure your delivery reaches you in a sound state.
Once the order is shipped from the warehouse, it cannot be canceled. When the shipment is delivered and if the customer receives a faulty product then he or she can raise the return request.
The tentative delivery period varies from 3-5 days. However, the actual delivery time may vary due to unexpected circumstances.
We provide free shipping on all prepaid orders. If you choose COD payment method, we levy a Rs. 50 COD charge for every product you order. For example, if your order includes three products, you will be levied a COD charge of Rs.150


text:
Locksmith Hargrave
Hargrave Residential Locksmiths Can Get You Back Into Your Property
Our residential locksmiths in Hargrave are experts who specialise in providing services related to locks and security systems for homes and apartments. Their services aim to ensure the safety and security of the home's residents. Some common services that residential locksmiths offer include lock repair or replacement, key duplication, installation of new locks, re-keying existing locks, and the installation of security systems such as alarm systems and cameras.
Our residential locksmiths also provide emergency lockout services, particularly important in case you find yourself locked out of your home or apartment. In these cases, they will quickly and efficiently get you back into your home without damaging your locks or doors. Apart from providing security services and locks, residential locksmiths also offer expert advice regarding the best security technology and methods. They will assess your home and then recommend the appropriate security measures for your family. It is crucial to have a professional locksmith handle the security of your home, as DIY attempts can result in damage to locks and doors and even make the situation worse. A qualified residential locksmith has the expertise and experience to carry out work to the highest standards, ensuring the safety and security of your home.
Repairing a lock by a residential locksmith involves thoroughly examining the lock to determine the source of the problem. Depending on the lock type and the problem's nature, the locksmith may choose to repair or replace the lock. In the case of a broken lock, the locksmith will first remove the lock from the door and disassemble it to identify the cause of the problem. This could be due to worn-out or damaged internal components such as springs, pins, or tumblers. Our Hargrave locksmiths will then repair or replace the necessary parts and reassemble the lock to restore its proper functioning.
Our Hargrave locksmith might need to adjust the lock to make it work properly if it isn't working due to alignment or another issue. The locksmith may also oil the lock to keep it running smoothly. One of our most common services is key duplication. This is where the locksmith will make duplicate keys that match the original in size, form, and function. First, the locksmith will create a duplicate lock by taking an impression of your original key. This is done either for one or multiple keys depending upon our customer's requirements. Both lock repair and key duplication are crucial services for ensuring the safety and security of your home. By working with a professional residential locksmith, you can be sure that your locks and keys are functioning correctly and that you have access to backup keys in case of an emergency.
Home Alarm Systems Can Be An Effective Deterrent Against Burglars
Our Hargrave residential locksmiths play a crucial role in the security of a home. They are trained professionals specialising in all aspects of lock and key systems for homes and residential buildings. One of the key services that a residential locksmith provides is installing home alarm systems. Setting up your alarm system at your home involves these steps:
- Assessment of the property: Our residential locksmith will first assess your house to decide the location of alarm sensors and controls. This will allow the alarm system to provide maximum coverage.
- Designing the alarm system: The assessment will be used to help us design an alarm system. We'll take into consideration the area, number of windows and doors, as well other aspects. The system will be tailored to meet each property's and its inhabitants' needs.
- Installation of the control panel and sensors: Once the design is finalised, our domestic locksmith will install the control panel and sensors. This includes placing the sensors on doors, windows, and other entry points and connecting them to the control panel.
- Programming the system: Our locksmith will then program the alarm system, setting the codes for arming and disarming the system and programming the alarm signals and alerts. This will ensure that the system is fully operational and ready to use.
- Testing the system: The locksmith will inspect the home alarm system before leaving your property to make sure it works properly.
Installing a home security system by our qualified residential locksmith is crucial for your home's safety. Properly designed systems can prevent burglaries and other intruders, and homeowners will have peace of mind.
Security systems for homes are essential in protecting the home and residents from criminals. These systems act as deterrents, signalling potential thieves that your home is secure and there are no risks of a break-in. Modern home security systems can also detect an intrusion and alert the homeowner as well as the authorities. A home security system's ability to respond quickly and provide 24/7 monitoring is one of its most valuable features. The system detects potential intrusions and can alert homeowners or authorities immediately so that they can respond swiftly and effectively. Motion sensors, door and window sensors, and other devices strategically placed around your home can make this possible. Home security systems can offer additional protection beyond the real-time monitoring. Smart locks are a type of system that allows homeowners to lock and unlock their doors remotely. Some systems have cameras that provide additional protection and surveillance by visual inspection of the house and surroundings.
Our Hargrave Locksmiths Can Fix Your UPVC Doors In No Time
UPVC doors have a long history of being a preferred choice among homeowners because they are durable, energy efficient, and low-maintenance. They can have issues like any door and should be repaired by a professional locksmith. Some common UPVC door issues include:
- Jamming or sticking: This can be caused by weather changes, warping or misalignment of the door. A locksmith can adjust the hinges or realign the door to fix this issue.
- Faulty locking mechanism: Our locksmiths in Hargrave can repair or replace a lock if it isn't working correctly. If you have difficulty locking your doors or unlocking them, this is particularly important.
- Snapped or broken keys: Keys can become worn or damaged over time, making them difficult to use. In some cases, the key may even snap off in the lock, requiring extraction and replacement by a locksmith.
- Misaligned or damaged hinges: Hinges can become misaligned over time, which can lead to the door becoming challenging to open or close. Our locksmiths in Hargrave can repair or replace the hinges to restore the proper function of the door.
- Broken or damaged locks: Locks can become damaged due to wear and tear corrosion or accidental damage. A locksmith can repair or replace the lock to restore the door's security.
UPVC door issues can pose a security risk to your home, so it's important to address them promptly. By seeking the assistance of a professional locksmith, you can ensure that your UPVC doors are functioning correctly and that your home is secure.
Huxley Duddon Tattenhall Waverton Saighton Tarvin Tiverton Stamford Bridge Great Barrow Beeston Christleton Tarporley Harthill Coddington Aldford Kelsall Broxton Eaton Clotton Eccleston Spurstow Bunbury Mickle Trafford Cote Brook Kelsall Hill Mouldsworth Ashton Delamere Farndon Calveley Holt Dunham on the Hill Pulford Dodleston Little Budworth Wervin Alvanley Rossett Baddiley Stoke Shocklach Overton Thornton le Moors Backford Helsby Tilston Bickley Bickley Moss Elton Malpas Kingsley Broughton Cuddington Gresford Ince Sealand Saughall Mollington Over Whitegate Sandycroft Frodsham Threapwood Ellesmere Port Worthenbury Acton Capenhurst Winsford Hawarden Wrenbury Marbury Wharton Worleston Sutton Weaverham Church Minshull Hartford Shotwick Ledsham Queensferry


text: The Malta shade is one about 100 different types of lamp shades produced by The Pairpoint Company. We currently do not have a picture of the Malta shade on our site. However, if you need help identifying or valuing your shade, just send us an email with pictures of your Pairpoint lamp. We will respond back quickly with our opinion and offer.


text:
The Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee reduced its key short-term interest rate range one-quarter percent to 1.75 to 2.00 percent during it's September meeting. While FOMC members had mixed opinions on reducing the benchmark rate range for short term loans, the post-meeting statement suggested that reducing the federal funds rate was a hedge against inflation. The federal funds rate impacts short-term consumer loan rates for autos and adjustable rate mortgages, but does not impact fixed mortgage rates. FOMC monetary policy decisions are governed by the Federal Reserve's dual mandate of maintaining price stability and an inflation rate of 2.00 percent.
FOMC Members Facing Conflicted Opinions On Rate Cuts
Policymakers consider a variety of influences and news when cutting or raising the federal funds rate range. In addition to its dual mandate, FOMC members consider domestic and global impacts on the economy. Uncertainty over effects of international trade disputes and Great Britain's looming exit from the European Union balanced strengths in the U.S. economy.
According to the post-meeting statement, seven FOMC members voted in favor of the rate cut to 1.75 to 2.00 percent; one member voted for a rate cut to 1.50 to 1.75 percent and two members voted against changing the target federal funds rate range.
Fed Chair: U.S. Economy Expected To Stay Strong
Fed Chair Jerome Powell said in a post-meeting press conference that while U.S. economy expanded for its 11th consecutive year, global economic outlook was less certain particularly in Europe and China. The U.S. economy expanded 2.50 percent in the first half of 2019; factors driving growth included rising consumer confidence, wages and strong job markets. Business investment and exports were lower due to uncertainties over trade. Job growth slowed, but this was expected based on 2018's fast pace of job growth. Work force participation grew; the Fed expects the national unemployment rate to remain below four percent for the next few years.
Chair Powell said that maintaining strong economic conditions was particularly important for low to middle income consumers left behind during the Great Recession. While current inflation stands at 1.40 percent, the Fed projects that it will grow to 1.90 percent in 2020 and achieve the target goal of 2.00 percent in 2021. Chair Powell said that inflation pressures are muted and at the lower end of historical ranges.
Chair Powell echoed the FOMC statement in saying that the Fed would continue to monitor economic developments abroad and would adjust monetary policy according to economic developments prompted by trade disputes and emerging economic developments.


text:
Blind Side tackles top spot at movie box offices
Football film The Blind Side tackled the top spot at North American box offices with $20.4 million in ticket sales for a rare climb up the charts in its third week, according to studio estimates on Sunday.
Vampire romance The Twilight Saga: New Moon dropped one place from last weekend to No. 2 with $15.7 million in ticket sales, and new release Brothers, about soldiers returning home from war, landed in third place with $9.7 million.
The rise of The Blind Side bucks the accepted Hollywood wisdom that a new film will claim the No. 1 spot in its first week, then drop down the charts in subsequent weeks.
But Blind Side, starring Sandra Bullock in the feel-good movie based on a real-life story about a woman who takes a homeless boy and helps turn him into a football star, opened at No. 2 three weeks ago. Its cumulative ticket sales now stand at $129 million in the United States and Canada.
Blind Side was released by Time Warner studio Warner Bros. and made by privately held Alcon Entertainment.
New Moon pushed its North America ticket sales total to just over $255 million, and worldwide the movie has now raked in $570 million, according to tracker Hollywood.com Box Office. It was distributed by independent Summit Entertainment.
Disney's A Christmas Carol also rose up the charts one notch, landing at No. 4 and adding $7.5 million to its coffers. Its gross domestic ticket sales now stand at $115 million.
After five weeks in theaters A Christmas Carol swapped places over the weekend with another Walt Disney Co movie, comedy Old Dogs, which fell one place to No. 5 with $6.9 million in ticket sales.
Along with Brothers, only two other new releases made the top 10. Action flick Armored tied for No. 6 spot with $6.6 million, and Everybody's Fine, starring Robert De Niro and Drew Barrymore, was No. 10 showing $4 million in ticket sales.
Disaster movie 2012 also took in $6.6 million, and after four weeks in theaters has now collected $149 million in domestic theaters and $517 million internationally for a worldwide total of $666 million, its distributor said.
Martial arts flick Ninja Assassin and animated comedy Planet 51, took in $5.0 and $4.3 million, respectively, to land in the No. 8 and No. 9 spots and round out the top 10.
Elsewhere, George Clooney movie Up In the Air, about a man who fires people for a living, opened in 15 U.S. theaters this past weekend after being named the year's best film by the U.S.-based National Board of Review earlier this week.
It took in nearly $1.2 million for a per screen average of roughly $79,000, according to distributor Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc.. It will expand broadly around the U.S. in coming weeks.
Brothers was released by Lionsgate Entertainment. Armored, 2012 and Planet 51 were released by divisions of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a unit of Sony Corp.. Everybody's Fine was released by Disney's Miramax Films, and Ninja Assassin was distributed by Warner Bros.