text:
by Archbishop Basil Krivoshein, Archbishop of Brussels and Belgium
A report given at the Liturgical Conference at the St. Sergius Theological Institute, Paris, on July 2, 1975
The aim of this report is not to examine in detail the historical evolution of the forms of Divine services, the origin of specific differences between Greeks and Russians, the significance of the different Typikons in this process, nor their mutual influences, etc.
I am not a liturgist and will not be doing this systematically. I will limit myself to several remarks and observations, more of a personal nature, about how the Liturgy and other services are celebrated in Greek churches on the one hand, and in Russian churches on the other. In speaking of churches that use Greek I am not forgetting that Athos did not adopt the 1838 reforms of Constantinople and remained faithful to the more ancient Typikons.
In this report, I am interested not only in one or another textual variant or a difference in the rubrics, but first of all in the significance and meaning, which the same words or the same liturgical actions might have in the consciousness of the faithful, how it can be reflected in their religious conduct, even if such differences are frequently based on misunderstandings. These "liturgical variations" can be found interesting for understanding and evaluation of these peculiarities of popular piety.
We will begin with some more or less ordinary observations in the differences in celebrating the Divine Liturgy. It must be noted that the biggest differences between the Greeks and the Russians in their celebrations are somewhat indirectly related to our topic since they occur in the so-called "secret" prayers, which are not discernable to the majority of the laity and thus have no direct influence upon their conduct. Nonetheless we will speak about them since these prayers constitute the more important part of the Liturgy and the clergy who pronounce them likewise make up a part of the People of God. Setting aside for the moment what precedes the Liturgy itself (Great Doxology for the Greeks, the Hours for the Russians, as well as the Proskomide), we will make note of a more substantial and characteristic difference in the Liturgy of the Catechumens.
Following the 1838 reform, the Greeks (except the Athonite monks who kept the old order) replaced Psalms 102/103 ("Bless the Lord, O my soul") and 145/146 ("Praise the Lord, O my soul") as well as the Beatitudes, which follow, by antiphons, i.e. brief appeals to the Theotokos or to Christ, Who is risen and is praised in His saints. The Russians continue to sing, each Sunday, the two noted psalms and the Beatitudes. They are replaced by antiphons only at great feasts or on weekdays. The dropping of the psalms and the Beatitudes has the advantage (if it can actually be considered the advantage) of shortening the Divine Liturgy. However, it pays to regretfully note that the Liturgy of the Catechumens thus loses its didactic and Biblical character, both Old and New Testamentary, which must be a part of it. The same can be said about the 1838 reform's deletion of the prayers for the catechumens. It becomes unclear why the first part of the Liturgy continues to be called "Liturgy of the Catechumens." We will note that the Athonite Greek monks continue to pray for the catechumens during Liturgy throughout the whole year.
Another feature, which we will note, occurs during the Liturgy of the Faithful, during the Cherubic Hymn. Here the differences in behavior become noticeable immediately. When the hymn begins, the Greeks have the habit of sitting down while the Russians love to kneel. Then, when the Great Entrance with the Holy Gifts begins, the Greeks stand and remain standing, bowing their heads, while the Russians rise from their knees and stand straight (but not all, some make a full prostration. These are those who think that the Holy Gifts have already been sanctified — a heresy condemned in Moscow in the 17th century). It can be said that for the Greeks, the entrance itself and the commemorations are more important while for the Russians it is the Cherubic Hymn.
Nothing in this practice, of course, is prescribed by the Russian Church. On the contrary, a lot has been done, especially in recent times, to explain to the faithful that it is not proper to kneel during the Cherubic Hymn, especially on Sundays, inasmuch as the Gifts have not been sanctified. Nonetheless all these efforts had little effect, so entrenched is the dangerous spiritual tradition, expressed by this practice, of making something "mystical" out of the Cherubic Hymn, the "profound center" of the Divine Liturgy, to the detriment of the Eucharistic Canon and the changing of the Holy Gifts. As for the Greeks, their practice may have an historical explanation since the Cherubic Hymn was introduced into the Liturgy very late, only in the 6th century, in Constantinople. Its primary intended purpose was to fill the silence resulting from the commemoration of the living and the dead at the table of oblation just prior to the Great Entrance. (Incidentally, the introduction of the Cherubic Hymn was subject to contemporary criticism as a strange innovation.) Thus, since the Cherubic Hymn is simply a "filler," it is understandable that the Greeks listen to it while sitting, as is customary during similar moments.
The same can be said about one of the first phrases of the Eucharistic Canon. It is read differently, at least in our time, by the Greeks and the Russians: 'Elaion eirhnhz, Qusian ainesewz, which means "Oil of peace, sacrifice of praise" (in Greek) and "Mercy of peace, sacrifice of praise" (in Russian). It is obvious that this is the result of orthographic confusion that occurred in Greek manuscripts between the two words, which in Byzantine Greek, although written differently, were pronounced identically (although with different endings: elaion – oil and eleos – mercy). Similar confusions, called "iotacisms," occur very frequently. It is almost a certainty that the form elaion (oil) is the original and primary one, while eleos (mercy) is erroneous or more likely, a willful new introduction by a copyist who wanted to "enhance" the text. Here we see a classical example of the evolution of a literal Biblical text into a symbolic and a spiritualized one. This is the most unlikely case of a "reversed" evolution — from a simple to a complex. Russian copyists and liturgists preferred the spiritualized form (mercy and not oil) and adapted it to the Slavonic Liturgy. However, it would be a mistake to think that it is precisely the Slavonic copyists to whom the "honor" of such "enhancement" belongs. This first occurred among the Greeks, and the witness to this is that Nicholas Cabasilas is well aware of this in his "A Commentary on the Divine Liturgy" (14th century). Although he does not literally cite this passage but paraphrases it, his paraphrase shows that he reads it as "mercy" and not "oil." This becomes more evident in the following passage:
"We offer mercy," Cabasilas says, "to Him Who said: I will have mercy and not sacrifice… We also offer the sacrifice of praise" (P.G. 150, 396 AB).
It is important to note that among the Greeks, this "spiritualized" variant did not last; they remained faithful to the Biblical text while for Russians, the "mercy of peace" variant became one of the high points of the Liturgy for many people, and many great composers wrote settings for it, which increased its appeal for people who come to church to hear beautiful singing.
Another example of an expansion of a brief text, but in this case a purely theological one, was likewise motivated by the need to give the priest more time to read the first secret prayer of the Anaphora. The brief exclamation (by the cantor among the Greeks) "It is meet and right" (in response to the priest's"Let us give thanks to the Lord") is replaced in the Russian Liturgy by a longer phrase sung by the choir: "It is meet and right to worship the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit: the Trinity, one in essence, and undivided." (As in the case of "mercy of peace," the Russians adopted a variant already found in Greek manuscripts but not preserved in the liturgical tradition). The shortcoming of this theological dissemination can be seen in its lack of continuity since the choir's response does not accurately follow the words of the celebrant ("Let us give thanks to the Lord" – "It is meet and right") but is replaced by an instruction for venerating the Holy Trinity. But on the other hand, since there is no time for the celebrant to read the first Eucharistic Prayer during the brief response by the cantor, an outrageous practice arose among today's Greeks. During a concelebration, the second priest interrupts the first celebrant (even if he is the bishop) who is unable to complete the secret prayer during the response of the cantor, with a loud exclamation: "Singing the triumphant hymn, shouting, proclaiming, and sayingþ" (All this to prevent pauses, which the Orthodox dislike.) Fortunately, the faithful who remain outside of the altar are unaware of any of this since the Eucharistic Prayers are read quietly.
The same can be said about all of the Eucharistic Prayers, but we will only speak of it briefly here. These are things, which are well known.
A uniqueness in the Eucharistic Canon of St. John Chrysostom among the Russians is in the insertion into the Epiklesis of the troparion to the Holy Spirit, taken from the Third Hour, which is relatively ancient, and which is supplemented by verses from the Psalm 50/51. It needs to be noted again that the authors of this interpolation were not Russians, since it can be found in some of the Greek liturgical manuscripts of the 11th century. However, it spread widely among the Russians and, in the minds of many celebrants, is perceived to be the Epiklesis. (Many priests when speaking of the Epiklesis, have in mind precisely this interpolation. Its significance is enhanced by the dramatic rendition of these words, often accompanied by raised hands and arms, while the deacon, reciting the verses from the Psalm 50/51, lowers himself on one knee.) There is nothing that corresponds to this in the Greek Liturgy. Without a doubt, this interpolation (which could be called "the Epiklesis within the Epiklesis") adds a certain degree of individualism and piety to the priest's spirituality, while it interrupts the sequence of the Eucharistic Canon. However, during the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, this is not done crudely, since the interpolation is placed between two phrases and not in the middle of one. It is entirely a different and a more serious problem in the Russian Church when we come to the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. Here there is not just one but two different interpolations.
The first one, just as in the Chrysostom Liturgy (troparion to the Holy Spirit), but with a greater difference, since it interrupts the first phrase of the Canon in the middle, following the verb in infinitive form, the aorist of anadeixai — "to show." Thus, after this lengthy interpolation, the celebrant is almost forced to turn back, if he wants to continue the train of thought. The artificiality of this interpolation is much more evident here than in the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, from which, incidentally, it was taken. (It has no substantiation in any of the Greek manuscripts of the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.)
But of greater importance is the second interpolation, metabalwn tw Pheumati sou tw 'Agiw —
"making the change by Thy Holy Spirit,"
which was inserted into the Slavonic text of the St. Basil's Liturgy under the influence of the St. John Chrysostom text.
The least that can be said here, is the following:
1) This interpolation is an inadmissible grammatical error since the participle metabalon, in Greek, cannot follow the indefinite mood of anadeixai. In the Chrysostom Liturgy, it follows the imperative mood of metabalein ("make"). It would be proper to use another indefinite mood of metabalein ("and change"), but the interpolator preferred to slavishly follow the text that he copied.
2) This interpolation is redundant since St. Basil's Anaphora already expressed the changing action of the Holy Spirit (calling upon Him) while in the Chrysostom Liturgy the petition is for His descent upon the Gifts, thus "changing" is added.
3) It creates a liturgical monstrosity of four blessings of the Eucharistic Gifts. In order to avoid this, contrary to all tradition, the third blessing is diminished (accompanied by the words "shed for the life of the world").
All these distortions in the Russian celebration of St. Basil's Liturgy rightfully generated criticism by Russian theologians.
Thus the noted church historian, Vasilii Bolotov [1854-1900], even wrote that one of the first tasks of a future council of the Russian Church would be to remove all these interpolations from St. Basil's Liturgy, and first of all, the words
"changing them by Thy Holy Spirit."
There have been several councils since that time, but unfortunately, nothing has been done. The reason appears to be clear: the fear of the Old Ritualists who would not hesitate to accuse the "Nikonian" Church of "innovations." Another reason that can be added is the fear of the Russian Church of any liturgical changes, even those, which are perfectly justified. This is the conservative reflex on the part of the believers. Bearing in mind the unsuccessful liturgical reforms, which the Renovationists attempted to introduce into Russian Orthodoxy after the revolution, the least significant change in the services brings on the suspicion of a return to Renovationism. It can be said that the Renovationists with their revolutionary liturgical reforms have seriously impeded any attempted improvements in Russian Divine services for many decades. The pre-revolutionary order of Divine services became the sacrosanct ideal for the people.
Nonetheless, by the action of the Holy Spirit (which I firmly believe), two important new practices came into being in the liturgical life of the believers: a considerably more frequent reception of the Holy Gifts (when before the revolution people would normally receive Communion once a year) and congregational singing (and not by the choir alone as in the past) of the major parts of the Liturgy and other Divine services, particularly the Creed and the Our Father.
As for the Greeks, the Creed and the Our Father are read in various ways (but never sung) following an unquestionably more ancient tradition, when these were read by the non-celebrating bishops or priests or by respected older laymen. This commendable practice is often replaced in our time by another one, especially among Greeks living in the West. These prayers are read not by the oldest individuals present but by a boy or a girl, or are read together by the congregation (but are never sung). This practice has come from the West and is characteristic for ecumenical gatherings, but it is foreign in Orthodox Divine services.
Two differences could be noted in the Communion of the faithful among Greeks and Russians.
1) When the deacon comes through the Royal Doors with the chalice and calls the faithful to "draw near" — "in the fear of God and with faith," today's Greeks add "and love." This is a beautiful addition, but it does not represent the ancient liturgical tradition, which, correctly reflecting the sacramental spiritual life of the Chrysostom liturgy, stresses the feeling of awe before the "great Mystery." It can be noted with some certainty that the words "and love" were introduced in the 18th century on Athos by the advocates of frequent Communion, the representatives of the "Kollyvady" movement with the Venerable Nicodemus the Hagiorite at its head, and later accepted by the Constantinople Typikon of 1838. However, these words did not penetrate into Russia.
2) On the other hand, the Russian Church's practice of having the laity kiss the Holy Cup after receiving Communion was not taken up by Greek popular piety. It views this as allowing the laity to do something that belongs exclusively to the clergy, namely, touching the sacred vessels.
We will note another innovation recently found among the Greeks under the influence of the "Zoe" movement: the clergy read the Anaphora prayers and consecrate the Holy Gifts while kneeling. This liturgical practice was subjected to sharp criticism by a number of theologians (among whom was Archpriest Georges Florovsky) for its anti-traditional character. On our part, we will limit ourselves to two comments:
1) The reading of the Anaphora while kneeling is contrary to the canons of the First Ecumenical Council, which categorically prohibits kneeling on Sundays, as well as between Easter and Pentecost and on other major feasts.
2) Celebrating the Anaphora while kneeling is physically difficult and inconvenient.
If the altar table is high, it is difficult to make the sign of the cross over the Holy Gifts, and there is a danger in spilling the chalice. If it is low, then it is difficult to perform other parts of the Liturgy while standing. However, the fact that this is inconvenient and difficult contradicts the real spirit of the Divine service wherein everything is harmonious. Likewise, the attempt to outdo the piety of the Fathers is pretentious. They did not feel that it was necessary or pleasing to God to celebrate the Eucharist while kneeling.
From a theological and catechetical point of view, however, the most serious departure in the liturgical practices of Greeks and Russians is not to be found in the Eucharist but in its preparatory part, the Proskomide. I will set aside the question of the number of prosphori to use, be it one, five or even seven as with the Old Ritualists. This is not a substantial question. What is more important is that the Greeks, among the nine ranks of saints commemorated while removing particles from the prosphora, place the commemoration of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel and all the bodiless heavenly powers that is, the angels, before that of St. John the Forerunner. The Russians, however, do not commemorate the angels at the Proskomide at all and begin immediately with St. John the Forerunner.
There is a serious theological problem behind these two differences in the liturgical practice: is the Redemption, the salvation through the Blood of Christ, His sacrifice on the Cross, related only to humanity, or does it include the angels, and does it have a cosmic significance? Is the Mystery of Christ's Body and Blood, the Holy Eucharist, likewise intended for the angels who are bodiless? Finally, has the Fall of the human race been carried over to the angels, making them in need of redemption? These are the questions that arise from the commemoration of the angelic hosts. Some Russian theologians categorized this practice as heretical, but officially this question has not been touched upon by any of the Orthodox Churches. Historically, the list and the order of saints commemorated at the Liturgy have been established little by little. In some Greek manuscripts of the Byzantine era, the names of angels are included; in others they are not.
However, in contrast to what is noted above, it is the Greeks who adopted the expanded form that includes the angels while the Russians excluded them from their liturgical practice, perhaps on the basis of the teachings of faith. Having no aim to decide this problem here, from the theological point of view, I would nonetheless say that the Russian practice expresses a more anthropocentric understanding of salvation while the Greeks place an emphasis on its cosmic dimension. Here one can show a parallel in the difference which occurs in the Slavonic and Greek texts of the celebrant's exclamation at Matins before the "Praises": "For all the powers of heaven praise Thee and to Thee they send up gloryþ" as in the Greek text, while the Russians read "…and to Thee we send up glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages."[1] As can be seen, the Slavonic text is more anthropocentric: it is not "the powers of heaven" but "we" who send up glory to the Holy Trinity.
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More could be said about the liturgical differences in other services (Vespers, Matins, Hours, etc.) between the Greeks and Russians but, in order not to expand our presentation too much, we will note that at least in parish practice the main difference is that the Greeks celebrate Vespers in the evening, on the eve of Sundays and feasts, and begin the next day with Matins and go into the Liturgy immediately following the Great Doxology, thus omitting the Hours. The Russians, however, celebrate what they call "The All-night Vigil," i.e. Vespers and Matins combined, which is not a service that lasts all night. On the following day, the Liturgy is preceded by the Hours.
It must be said that either of these liturgical practices have their advantages and disadvantages. The Greek one is more natural and is closer to the Typikon, since evening services are performed in the evening and the morning ones in the morning and not the other way around as with the Russians. But because Vespers is relatively brief, very few people come to church in Greek-speaking parishes, on the basis of the Orthodox mindset: there is no sense to come to church for a brief service. The longer the service the more reason there is to attend it.
The Russian Vigil became a well-attended service even at the expense of the Liturgy, which is a matter of regret. The reason is a sentimental one: people like to pray in semidarkness, with the flickering of vigil lamps and candles. The Liturgy somehow tires people out with its spiritual intensiveness. It should be noted, however, that in recent times a reverse had taken place among the Russians living in the West. Under the influence of the heterodox environment, in which they live, and that false spirituality, which centers all piety to the Eucharist alone, they very rarely attend the Vigil and in this way deprive themselves of the spiritual and theological treasures that can be found in its hymnography.
We can also note with regret that today, except in the Mount Athos monasteries, the Psalter is read so infrequently. Thus, the reading and singing of Psalm 1 ("Blessed is the man…"), which makes up one of the solemn moments in the Russian Vigil, has been completely eliminated from the Greek Vespers in spite of it being called for in the ancient Typikons. The same can be said for the dropping of the Hours in Greek parishes except for Great Lent.
Great Lent occupies the same central place in the liturgical year both among Greeks and Russians. However, those moments, which express popular piety, or, as can be said, a spiritual emphasis, at times are expressed very differently in the two traditions. If we take the first six weeks of Lent (we will speak of Passion Week later), we can say that among the Russians, one of the more characteristic and vibrant expressions of spiritual life is the prayer
"O Lord and Master of my life…"
Every Russian, even the infrequent churchgoer, is familiar with this prayer. For him, it marks off the beginning and end of the Lenten period. It specifically singles out the services of Great Lent from the others throughout the liturgical year. Its great popularity and profound influence upon spiritual life can be seen from Pushkin's poem
"Fathers of the desert and undefiled mothers…"[2]
This was the poet's favorite prayer. He was deeply moved hearing the prayer being read by the priest in church. And yet Pushkin was not a particularly religious person. Thus, the Russian believer will be seriously surprised and perhaps even incredulous when he learns that the prayer is factually unknown to the majority of the Greek Church people and that it is not heard in Greek churches during Lent.
I must explain something to avert some misunderstanding. In fact this prayer exists in Greek service books just as in Russian ones. It is not omitted. It is well known to the clergy, but since, according to the ancient Typikons, it is to be read quietly, "secretly," the laity have completely forgotten it except for the prostrations that accompany it, which are characteristic for Great Lent. The Greek practice of reading the prayer "secretly" is undoubtedly more ancient. All Typikons, including the Russian ones, prescribe this (see for example the existing Russian Typikon's direction for the beginning of Great Lent: "We do this interiorly" or in other places, "mentally," or "secretly," the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian "O Lord and Master").
The Russian practice of reading this prayer aloud is an innovation, introduced in the 15th or 16th centuries. Nonetheless, it remains in the people's religious consciousness as one of the more beautiful Orthodox prayers, which, without this practice, could have become forgotten inasmuch as the "secret" or "mental" recitation of certain prayers could be spiritually profitable in monasteries, where the monks are well familiar with the Divine services, but in parishes, especially large ones, such a practice could lead to ignorance and to spiritual impoverishment.
Nothing like that could be said about the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete. It is very popular among the Russians, being one of those moments, which bring about an attitude of repentance during Great Lent. It passes by almost without notice with the Greeks. For them, a more popular and cherished and well-attended Lenten service (excluding Passion Week) is the Akathist to the Theotokos. The Greeks are not satisfied to have it only at Matins of the Fifth week, as all the ancient Typikons prescribe, but they have it more often, dividing it into four parts, during Compline of the first four weeks of Lent. Here one could find a more intense veneration of the Theotokos during the Lenten cycle had there not been other contradictory factors of which we will speak later. Paradoxically, prayers for Catechumens become a characteristic mark of Great Lent since, except for the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the Greeks do not hear them during other times of the year.
It would seem that the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts would have one and the same meaning both for the Greeks and Russians. The people like that service and many do attend it, especially if it is celebrated in the evening, as it should be, although this "daring novelty" still meets up with strong objections and is not widely practiced, except among the Orthodox in the West. But even if there are no observable differences in the celebration of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, which could impact upon the spiritual experience of the people, still there are some serious theological differences, although not officially formulated, which underline the actions and words of the celebrants behind the iconostas.
Here (to the great surprise of many lay people and even the clergy that do not even suspect it) arises the question: does the wine in the chalice, during the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, change into the Lord's Precious Blood, as it does during the Liturgies of John Chrysostom and Basil the Great, or does it remain what it was, except that it was blessed and sanctified? The Russian Liturgy, since the time of Peter Mogila in any case, answers in the negative: the wine is not changed. This understanding is demonstrated by the fact that the celebrant partaking of the presanctified Body of Christ, which was intinctured with the Precious Blood sanctified at the Liturgy of Chrysostom or Basil the Great, drinks from the chalice without pronouncing those words, which he would when partaking during a "full" Liturgy. Furthermore, if he is celebrating without a deacon and would later consume the remaining Gifts by himself, he does not drink from the chalice. The deacon that would consume the remaining Gifts at the end of the Liturgy never drinks from the chalice even when he receives Communion. To drink from the chalice is viewed as an impediment towards consuming the remaining Gifts, as is explained in the
"Notes concerning certain procedures for the celebration of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts,"
which go back to the time of Peter Mogila:
"If the priest is celebrating alone . . . he does not drink from the chalice until the end of the Liturgy."
Even though the wine is sanctified by the placing of the particles (of the sacred Body), it is not transubstantiated into the Divine Blood, since the words of institution were not pronounced over it as occurs during the Liturgies of Ss. John Chrysostom and Basil the Great." This same opinion is expressed in the Russian Church's practice of not admitting infants to communion during the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts since, because of their age, they are unable to swallow a particle of the Body of Christ and the wine is not considered to have been changed into the Precious Blood.
The Greek practice, as indicated in the service books, although not too clearly, presumes what appears to be completely different theological beliefs. Concerning the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts it briefly states:
"The priest partakes . . . of the Sacred Gifts just as during the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom."
Meaning that, as he drinks from the chalice he says:
"The precious and sacred Blood of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ is given to me…"
Thus, what is in the chalice is considered to be Christ's Blood. This is supported by the practice of drinking from the chalice three times, just as at the Liturgies of Chrysostom and Basil the Great, which would not have been of much significance if this was said just about wine and not the Sacred Blood. After all this the celebrant consumes the Sacred Gifts as during the usual Liturgies.
As for the theological explanations, we can find these in the Byzantine liturgists beginning with the 11th century: during the placement of the particle of the Body of Christ into the chalice the wine changes into the Precious Blood of the Lord through contact with His Body.
I will not express myself concerning this serious theological question. To form a decision about this difference (if indeed it exists, since one cannot make firm conclusions on the basis of different practices what concerns differences in belief) is beyond my competence since the Church, neither in Byzantium nor in Russia, adopted any conciliar decision on this account. I will only note that the explanation for the change of the wine into the Blood of Christ through contact with a particle of the Body appears strange to me and is unknown to the ancient Fathers. As for Peter Mogila's "Note," it is obviously inapplicable because of its Scholastic terminology ("transubstantiation") and its non-Orthodox theology according to which, the Epiklesis is replaced by the words of institution during the sanctification of the Eucharistic Gifts.
The publishers of liturgical books in Russia understood this well: although they include Peter Mogila's "Note" in the text, its more shocking segment, which we cited above in part, is shown in brackets. On the other hand, the theory of the change through contact carries with it a similar defect: it leaves no place for the Epiklesis. As for the Russian practice, it appears to be more correct but is contradictory in that it prescribes that the celebrant drink from the chalice three times (does it have any particular meaning if this is not the Blood of Christ?) And yet it is excessive in that it forbids him to drink if he is the sole celebrant.
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Holy Week, along with Pascha, is undoubtedly the summit of the whole liturgical year but both among the Russians and the Greeks, it has its own more impressionable moments in popular piety although these are not always the same ones.
Among the Greeks, the people especially like two services that attract large crowds of people: this is the Hymn of Cassia ("Lord, the woman having fallen into a multitude of sins…") on the one hand and the solemn procession with the Burial Shroud in the evening of Holy Friday on the other. It can be said that for the ordinary Greek, these two services constitute the more important moments of the whole Passion Week. The hymn of the sinful woman is especially loved, and many lay people know it by memory and like to sing it. Newspapers write about it when describing the services of Passion Week. More or less the same can be said about the procession with the Shroud. It is not merely carried around the temple but the procession goes on for miles, escorted by thousands of the faithful holding lighted candles and singing the burial hymns.
Among the Russians this is done somewhat differently, not so much in the meaning of the services and hymns, which are almost identical, but in relation to their place in popular piety. Thus Cassia's hymn, which among the Greeks occupies a central place, is likewise sung by the Russians but does not attract the same degree of attention on the part of the faithful, many of whom are even not familiar with it. It is simply one of the hymns of Passion Week, all of which are splendid. However, among the Russians, the Vigil of Great Friday (actually in the evening of Great Thursday) attains especially great significance. The so-called "Twelve Gospels" is one of the most beloved and best attended Passion Week services. The service of the "Twelve Gospels" is also very important for the Greeks but less so than for the Russians. But strange as it may seem, the pious attention of the faithful Greeks during it has as its focal point the bringing out of the cross with the singing of "Today He hangs on the wood of the crossþ" The Russians do not bring out the cross (this is considered a late innovation) and the text
"Today He hangs on the wood of the cross"
is sung but without placing any special emphasis on it in the course of the service. For the great majority of the Russian faithful the most cherished moment is the singing of the Hymn of Light, "The wise thief…" during which operatic soloists do not hesitate to take the opportunity to show off their voices. This is one of the examples of how a musical rendition can have an effect on the significance of a moment in the Divine service upon popular piety.
As for Great Friday, for the Russians, the most important service for that day is not the Burial of Christ (in the afternoon) as among the Greeks, although it is very moving and attracts many people (there are no lengthy processions), but the procession with the Burial Shroud in the evening. This attracts a great number of faithful and it has a greater meaning for the spiritual content of Passion Week.
The Liturgy of St Basil the Great on Great Saturday with the reading of fifteen Paremii — lessons from the Old Testament (reduced to three by the Greeks, except in Athos, in accordance with the 1838 Typikon) is not too well attended notwithstanding its theological riches and depth. The Russians introduced a liturgical novelty, which could be considered brilliant, truly one of the best that they introduced into the liturgical sphere and which gives an unforgettable dramatic moment during the Liturgy of Passion Saturday. In the course of the Liturgy, between the readings of the Epistle and the Gospel (both of which are already dedicated to the Resurrection), the dark vestments are changed into white while the choir is singing
"Arise, O God, Judge the earth: for to Thee belong all the nations!" [Psalm 82]
There is no doubt that this is not an ancient practice. Changing the vestments during the Great Saturday Liturgy is unknown among the Greeks who kept the old order according to which the clergy wear white vestments from the very beginning of the Liturgy. The reason for this is simple: in ancient times Great Saturday was the day of mass baptisms. These were done during the reading of the Paremii, and custom demanded that the celebrant be in white vestments while celebrating this Sacrament. Slavonic manuscripts of the 14th century show that in those times the Russians confirmed to the older practice and wore white vestments from the very beginning of the Great Saturday Liturgy. Apparently in the 15th or 16th century someone had a fortuitous idea: make the change of the vestments during the readings about the Resurrection. Everyone is aware of this dramatic moment during Great Saturday. It is very impressive even though it is often accompanied by great fuss and disorder. The Russian theologians embellished this act and saw in it the symbol of Christ's descent into Hades, a prelude to the Resurrection, or a hint of the cosmic Resurrection. This change of vestments has become so ingrained into Russian liturgical life that the Russian believer would be very surprised and even shocked to learn that this practice is not at all ancient and does not exist in Greek churches.
It is also necessary and important to speak about the liturgical particulars among the Greeks and the Russians during the feast of Pascha. What is most striking is the reading of the Gospel in several languages during the Paschal night Liturgy by Russians (Prologue of St. John) while the Greeks do this at Vespers on the day of Pascha (Christ's appearance to the apostles in the absence of Thomas).
However, in order not to lengthen my comments on this, I will move to the exposition of my theme from another point of view: the place of the veneration of the Theotokos in the noted variations. Here one needs to take note of a novelty recently introduced by the Zoe Brotherhood under obvious Protestant influences, which is quite common in the parishes of major Greek cities but not found in Athos.
This is the traditional Orthodox expression
"Most Holy Theotokos, save us"
being replaced by
"Most Holy Theotokos, pray for us,"
which diminishes the veneration of the Theotokos. This latter form "pray for us" is in no way heretical. It is found in many prayers to the Mother of God. But when it is used to replace "save us," it gains the appearance of an anti-Theotokian coloration.
An earlier parallel trend can be found in the 1838 Typikon's direction. The feast of the Annunciation, in the light of its significance in the work of our salvation — "the beginning of our salvation" and its context, can never be moved to another date even if it coincided with Great Friday, Great Saturday or Pascha itself. Changing the ancient practice, The 1838 Typikon, reasoning that such a coincidence would result in liturgical difficulties taxing the abilities of the rural clergy to cope with them, directs that in such cases the feast of the Annunciation be moved to the second day of Bright Week. This innovation, accepted in Greece, was rejected by the Athonite monks who found that this diminishes the feast of the Annunciation and thus diminishes the role of the Theotokos in our salvation.
The Russian Church preserved the old order of not changing the date of the Annunciation. It must be noted that the adoption of the new calendar for fixed feasts while maintaining the old reckoning for Pascha (which constitutes a liturgical monstrosity) solved the problem for the Greeks since, for them, the Annunciation cannot any longer coincide with Holy Week or Pascha. However, following these tendencies of the 1838 Typikon (if they indeed exist) it can be shown that the feast of the Annunciation[3] itself is observed with greater solemnity among the Greeks than among the Russians. When it occurs during Great Lent (except for the last three days of Holy Week) all Lenten services with prostrations are set aside during the feast whereas the Russians continue to make the prostrations and read the penitential prayer "O Lord and Master of my life…" even on the day of the great feast itself (which likewise is a liturgical monstrosity). In addition, as we already noted, the service of the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos during Lent has a greater meaning among the Greeks than the Russians.
I will mention a few more differences between the Russian and Greek liturgical particulars both in liturgical and para-liturgical services and in the people's attitude toward them. Thus, prior to the Great Entrance, a Greek bishop bows to the people from the Royal Doors, asking for their forgiveness, and then blesses them. This practice is very meaningful spiritually but it was lost with the Russians. Their bishops do not ask the people to forgive them prior to the Great Entrance nor do they bless them. It is felt that to ask forgiveness at that moment is the business of the priests. But on the other hand the Greek bishops do not bless the people outside liturgical services and limit themselves to proffer their hand to be kissed. A blessing is considered to be a liturgical act, inappropriate outside the temple.
For the Russian Orthodox pious people receiving the bishop's blessing at the end of the Liturgy is almost as important as the service itself. This can be seen in today's Russia where masses of people gather at the entrance to the church and ask for the bishop's blessing. This could be explained by the Greek practice of the bishop personally distributing the Antidoron at which time people kiss his hand, which replaces the blessing, while the Russians pick up the Antidoron themselves.
Finally a serious difference in the liturgical consciousness between the Greeks and the Russians is expressed in that the Greeks (I have in mind pious Greeks) always come to the Divine Liturgy having fasted, whether they will receive Communion or not, whereas the Russians feel that this needs to be done only before receiving Communion. Otherwise one needs to have breakfast before going to the Liturgy to maintain strength. This does not keep them from taking the Antithoron, which is considered to be impious by the Athonite monks.
I would like to make some observations on what was discussed. I must say that this is not easy.
The liturgical particulars, which we examined, are complicated and at times contradictory. At times this simply involves practices without any particular meaning and are expressions of nothing more than a trait of national character (such as "honoring the bishop" among the Russians). Other facts express tendencies of a spiritual character (such as, for example, the important place of the Great Canon of Andrew of Crete among the Russians), or even of a theological character (the well-known anthropocentrism among the Russians in contrast to the more cosmological world-view of the Greeks, their "hieratism"). But these things usually involve undefined tendencies rather than differences in theological teaching or contradictions. The only important theological disagreement could be found in the liturgical practice of the commemoration of the angelic powers at the Proskomide and thus including them in the work of redemption.
Likewise, there is the question about the change of wine into the Precious Blood of our Lord at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. These problems demand clarification. But it is not necessary to jump to conclusions on the basis of certain differences. On the one hand, we must also take into account the differences between the relatively recent fruits of liturgical development characteristic of the Russians and the Greeks, which are distinguished by great beauty and theological profundity (long processions with the Burial Shroud among the Greeks; audible recitations of the prayer
"O Lord and Master of my life,";
the change of vestments during the Liturgy of Great Saturday; and the congregational singing of the Creed and the Lord's Prayer among the Russians).
On the other — the senseless interpolations into the Anaphora of Basil the Great made by the Russians. Here the matter is not about creativity but about distortion, which should as quickly as possible be corrected. (We should point out however that although this interpolation is redundant in the Liturgy of Basil the Great, of itself it is neither false nor heretical.)
It can be said that these liturgical particulars, — whether ancient or recent, successful or unsuccessful, and furthermore, of little significance when contrasted with the great unity of Orthodox liturgical practice as a whole, — are seen as valuable theological and spiritual treasures in their particular places and notwithstanding a few differences, they witness to the unity of the faith of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. However, the Church, while having no desire to enforce a liturgical uniformity, which would be both impossible and undesirable, must still determine whether these local particulars do not encroach upon her conciliar consciousness.
[1]This difference does not appear in the several Greek and Antiochian translations into English which were consulted. Translator
[2] 1836. See "Pure Men, and Women Too" in Modern Library "The Poems, Prose and Plays of Alexander Pushkin", Avraham Yarmolinsky, Random House, 1936 [Translator]
[3] Which coincides with the Greek Independence Day [Translator]


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Iridescent is a vibrant design with various integrated elements to provide a seamless and versatile template environment. A full page RokSprocket slideshow provides a rich interface to impress, complemented by other layout options, to expand beyond its core base.
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What a great year it was for Samsung, and that success was just recognized. GSMA, organizers of the Mobile World Congress event, have just announced that Samsung was named "Manufacturer of the year" and that the Samsung Galaxy S II was named "Smartphone of the year" at the organization's annual GSMA Awards. According to sources close to the scene, the Samsung Reps were ecstatic when the news came in.
Congratulations Samsung on a great handset, and a phenomenal year!
Source: GSMA
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B2 Audio was founded with one major principle. We know that it can be done better, and that's what we set out to do. Our goal was simple, not to be the cheapest, but ain for the best!
A group of audiophiles and industry enthusiasts from Denmark had been doing their homework for numerous years prior to founding what would be known as B2 audio.
We officialy stepped on the the playing court in 2008, and have been setting standards and questioning the status quo ever since. Never settling for just good enough, but pushing the envelope of available design and technology to present the best possible products to the industry, with enthusiasm and a what ever it takes attitude. Doing things differently makes us niche & unique, just like the sound and visual preferences of every single person, and honestly? Who wants to be the same as everyone else, eating the same piece of pie and drinking from the same cup?
We give you the "Sweet like Danish" approach, something different & unique, for the ones who prefer it a tad sweeter than the rest. Our products end up in the hands of not only industry professionals, but also to the average user who finds out that what they have is not meeting the need of what they want. B2 Audio has a bit of everything for everyone and we're more than happy to have you along for this ride!
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Our Instagram feed shows worldwide news, installs & the lifestyle of B2 audio customers. No build is too small, just tag us in the content posted online and we will do our best to use it in our socials.


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Fortuna ships with plenty of customizable interface elements ready to add to your page.
Fortuna will blow your mind with its virtually unlimited customization options it offers.
What Our team provided
Fully customized Visual Composer
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Tuesday, October 8, 2013 at 8:28pm and last updated
Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at 3:43pm.
Hack+Help Session (Cancelled in favor of Winter Coder Social)
Access Notes
Check in at the security desk to get access to the 27th floor. This usually isn't required for official events and meetups.
Come on up to the 28th floor. The building will be open around 6:00pm for anyone arriving early. Feel free to bring your dinner or snacks and hang out until we get started! If you run into any problems, just call Erica @ 503-432-1718 or Chuck @ 503-367-6226
NOTE: Cancelled in favor of the awesome Winter Code Social. Please go there! It's amazing! http://calagator.org/events/1250465234
Bring your projects and your desire to learn!
This is the place to get help from a mentor, join a peer study group, find an awesome learning project, and to level-up!
We started out in Ruby, but we've been working with JS and Python groups and it's been so awesome, we decided to broaden the field.
All languages welcome - check in for updates about featured mentors in different specializations each week we meet.


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Book Draft, Missie, The Poodle Person, undated
File — Box: 24, Folder: 11
Scope and Contents
From the Series:
Located in box 23, folders 38-41, and boxes 24, 25 and 26, this series includes correspondence with publisher and illustrator, manuscripts, published materials, and illustrations. Oversized material is located in designated boxes.
- undated
- From the Collection: Starr, Martha Jane Phillips (November 27, 1906-November 14, 2011) (Person)
From the Collection: 47 Linear Feet (LaBudde: 89 Containers, 26 Scrapbooks, 360+ Photographs plus others throughout scrapbooks.)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Repository Details
Part of the University of Missouri-Kansas City Special Collections and Archives Repository


text:
Parad mala 9 mm sized beads in diamond cutting , Superb quality
Parad Mala / Parad Rosary / Mercury Beads / Parad Gutika Mala / Padrasam Beads / Rasamani mala Description : Complete with 8 Sanskaars (8 stage of Purifications done as per Parad Samhita and removal of Saptakanchuki (100 % medicated and hygienic); the Siddha Parad (Mercury mouth closed with Aghor Vidhya) is formed to m...Read more
Parad Mala / Parad Rosary / Mercury Beads / Parad Gutika Mala / Padrasam Beads / Rasamani mala
Description :
Complete with 8 Sanskaars (8 stage of Purifications done as per Parad Samhita and removal of Saptakanchuki (100 % medicated and hygienic); the Siddha Parad (Mercury mouth closed with Aghor Vidhya) is formed to make Murthi-Badhha / Agnibadha (sustain the heat) Shiva lingam. As per Parad Samhita the Extract from this Rosary gives 24 Ras and 5 Tatva which removes all diseases in the body.
Design : 9 mm sized parad beads in diamond cutting shaped, are made in tight thread which having knot after each beads .
No . Of Beads : 54 +1
Weight of mala : 240 grams (Approx.)
This mala won't leave any black marks anywhere on body. This is the most purified form of Parad.
Purpose :
** Worship on Parad Rosary is capable of giving instant Luck, wealth, position, name and fame.
** The presence of Mercury beads around the neck is itself a complete life. At home it blesses with unity and harmony in the family and guides its devotees to spiritual path.
** It is also written in various purana's that by worship on Parad Mala regularly , Goddess Laxmi remains always in the house .
Benefits by Worshipping Pardeshwar Rosary :
Wherever Parad is established disease and illness have no place there.
If Pardeshwar is established in the Ishan corner, the Vaastu of that building becomes proper, because if the Ishan corner of any building is defective the people of that building suffer from disease or mental tension all the time. If the Ishan corner is okay such flaws remit by themselves.
** If one does the Pooja of Pardeshwar with the chant of Aghori mantra and offers Bilva patra then it destroys the possibility of sudden death and any kind of poverty.
** If the Pooja of Pardeshwar is done with the chant of Rudragayatri then the house is always peaceful and family happiness is always present.
** If Parad Mala is covered with layer of white sandal and karpur (Camphor) and then worn , then all the anishta and unfavorable grah doshas go away and the person stays mentally healthy.
** Both Yajurveda and Atharveda glorify the auspicious nature of parad. India is known to have produce famous scientist like Chandrasen, Mandavya, Rattankosh and Nagarjuna. They are were said to have even produced gold from mercury.
** It had been explained in the ancient garanths (book) like Ras Ratnakar, Ras Chandasu,Parad Samhita, Rasendara Chudamani ect. that by the very touch of such Parad Shivlinga a person gets the benifit of Shiv pooja in all the three lokas (cosmic worlds).
**By the wearing or counting of Parad beads even the henious sin of Bramhin-hatya, Gau-hatya, Bal-hatya (dosha due to killing of a priest, cow or child in previous births) can be totally washed off.
** It is said in the Bramha-puranas that he who wear or japa the Parad Rosary devotedly,wheather one is a male, female, bramhin, kshatriya, vaishya or shurdra, gets full worldly pleasures and at last attains supreme destination (moksha) .
** Parad has a special significance in Ayurveda too. Wherever the Parad mala is wear disease and illness does not stay there. It helps in controlling various disease like, high blood pressure, asthama and heart problems and help to increase your will power.
** There will never be shortage of food, wealth, money or clothing and will bring prosperity to your house or office.It will bring peace to the premises and maintain harmony among the people of the family.
** It brings knowledge by evoking godess Saraswati and enlightens your children with knowledge and sharpens their mind.
** Immerse the Parad rosary in the Ganges water and sprinkle it on a person or in the premises. Malefic planetery effect and black magic evils will dissappear.Worship the Parad mala every monday by offering Bilvapatra/Belpatra and chanting the mantra of 'Om Namah Shivay' a hundred and one times. It will give fruitful results reguarding your vastudosha, grahapeeda, courtmatters, karyasiddhi, bussiness & trade, sevice, jobs,promotions, success in studies, health, wealth, money, name, fame, property, peace and harmony.
** The four goals in human life-religion, health, desire, and salvation, can be fullfilled by worshipping on 'Parad Mala '.
Significance Of Parad Rosary in Tantra
** All the metals and sub-metals found in the world send out waves. Mercury is also a metal and sends out its waves likewise. As mercury(parad) is considered the most unstable among all the metals, similarly a persons mind is also very unstable and wavering. Both are closely related. If mercury is stabilized by destroing its unsteadiness, its waves will also be stable and steady. This will cause a good effect on a persons mind. If one meditates on a Parad Mala , the mind naturally gets concentrated. Therefore a compact from of mercury (Parad) is of great significance because it is extremely helpful in concentrating the mind.
** Mercury has a property of liquidity which, in itself involves the diffcult process of solidification.
It is belived that, to have a rosary made by mercury (Parad) one must be blessed through good karmic deeds of the previous birth, but by the grace and compassion of Lord Shiva, we have achieved it and made it for the benifit of people of the world for peace and prosperity.
** Mercury (Parad) is a very pious and sacred metal. Therefore it should not be immersed in any kind of hot or boiling liquid, eg...milk & water etc. By doing such may cause mercury (parad) to become unstable therby damaging the beads.


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Dubai police say a major fire broke out in a high rise building under construction near the world's tallest skyscraper, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.
The blaze Saturday sent a column of gray smoke over the cluster of towers surrounding the landmark Burj Khalifa spire.
A statement by Dubai police says a short circuit apparently touched off what it called a "huge fire." The police say more than 20 workers were evacuated and the flames were brought under control.
In November, a fire forced the evacuation of a 34-story residential tower in Dubai.


text:
"Our illustrious Webmaster feels strongly that we should leave baby birds alone. I agree. Attempting to hand feed baby birds is an extremely demanding task somewhat more complicated and troublesome than raising a human baby.
"It's also something much easier to get into than get out of. The job does not end when the baby is fledged and capable of feeding itself.
"Turning it loose at that point would probably only ensure a good meal for the next passing raptor or neighbourhood cat.
"The rehabilitation of hand-raised birds and their return to the wild is a subject worthy of a chapter in itself.
"However, sometimes we get stuck, and have no alternative except to rescue fledglings. Those without bird-keeping experience then wonder what to do.
"So, when there is no alternative, you can try some techniques commonly used in aviculture to raise very young birds without their parents. The methods described in this article can be used to raise the following types of birds until they are able to fend for themselves.
"All starlings and mynahs; all bulbuls; barbets; leaf birds and fairy bluebirds; orioles; all parrots, parakeets, lories and lorikeets; finches, munias and sparrows; pigeons and doves; and crows and magpies.
"Thrushes, shamas, robins, herons, owls and hornbills are also frequently hand-raised, but using different techniques. And methods employed for the husbandry of ducks, geese, pheasants, rails, quail and jungle-fowl are also different. I will just skim over the details of those species at the end of this article, but if required, will be glad to provide information through the administrator of this website.
Here goes – with Handfeeding 101
"The bird used to illustrate this article is a Yellow-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier ventris) named Angry Bird. He has a grudge against the world – and for good reason.
"There he was, about a week old, minding his own business in the nest, when a cat brought everything down and ate his sibling. After finishing the snack, the cat ate his mother, who was fluttering nearby. It would have started on him too, except that I intervened.
"And I was stuck with the task of raising an Angry Bird with a bad attitude.
"Based on my own experience in keeping and breeding aviary birds I can say that in recent years there have been many advances in aviculture. A range of commercial products are available to simplify the care of most of the omnivorous and seed-eating species listed at the beginning of this article.
"When starting off with a very young baby bird you will need are a container, a heat source, food and syringes.
The container and heat source.
"The best container is an incubator. Some of the better-stocked bird shops sell small, table-top incubators for aviculture. But if you are not prepared to go to the expense, a box and a lamp can do the job.
"I don't like to use plastic fish tanks, even though it is common in bird shops to display fledglings for sale in these. While good for business, leaving them constantly visible from all sides can cause stress. Generally, fledglings do better with some darkness and privacy because many species of birds construct either cup-shaped or covered nests.
"A cardboard box with a lid holds fledglings very well. Cut a small hole in the lid, line the bottom with kitchen towels, and put the fledgling in. Change the towels every time they are soiled, which will be often.
"Please remember that birds which have not yet grown feathers also have very poor control over their body temperatures. Many will die if allowed to be chilled overnight.
"I use a light bulb as a simple heat source. I shine the bulb at one of the sides of the box and put it close enough so that the cardboard feels slightly warm.
"Don't put the light so close that the box may accidentally catch fire.
"As far as possible, have a box long enough to allow a temperature gradient – that is, with the heat source only at one end so that one side is cooler than the other. In this way, the bird can move to the section where it feels most comfortable.
Food and syringes
"Gone are the days when aviculturalists had to mix their own formulae for hand feeding. Now, there are very good mixes from leading American and German manufacturers. A standard parrot hand-feeding formula will suffice for all the birds listed at the beginning of this article. A full package is probably far more than you will need for raising even a few fledglings. Luckily, Goodwill Bird Trading at Block 154 next to the community centre at Serangoon North Avenue 2 will sell small servings of hand-feeding formula.
"A seven-dollar packet saw Angry Bird through from the day he arrived until he started eating on his own. Handfeeding formula is highly perishable. Keep it in the refrigerator.
"Mix the powdered formula with lukewarm, not hot water. Hot water reacts with the starches in it to form gum, which the baby birds will not eat. The desired constituency should be a paste, but not runny, just liquid enough to be sucked up in a syringe.
"Some people use spoons, others use coffee stirrers, but I still prefer to feed baby birds with syringes. I find these most convenient. I use the smallest syringes, with a total capacity of 1 cc. Please understand that baby birds are very small. For a bulbul, 1.5 to 1.8 cc in total is the maximum amount for one feeding. For a munia, probably a third of that will do. A long, small-diameter syringe also allows better control over the amount that you put into a bird at any one time.
"Most very young baby birds will gape when you approach them. If they do not, waving a hand just above their heads so as to cast a shadow, like a parent bird approaching the nest, will often trigger the gape reaction. Once the bird gapes, it is easy to feed.
Feeding with a syringe
"From above, inject a dose of food into the gaping mouth. The syringe makes precision feeding easy. To prevent injury to the bird, do not insert the syringe down the throat. And never push the syringe against the bird, as that can rupture the gullet. Baby birds are very delicate.
"Four to five squirts should suffice. The skin on the neck of fledglings is translucent. You can easily see how full their crops are. When you see the swelling on the neck, or when the bird stops gaping, it has had enough.
"I digress here to discuss gavage, a despicable practice used in commercial aviculture and duck farming to quickly raise large numbers of young birds as well as produce foie gras for ethically insensitive diners.
"It is said that birds have no gag reaction and it is possible to ram a whole lot of food into the crop at one go. Some people inject the ration for an entire meal this way. When you are raising a whole lot of birds on a commercial farm, I can understand that this saves time.
"In my opinion, birds raised this way do not interact well with people or with other birds. Very often, they will not even gape. The feeder holds their beaks open and injects the food. Anecdotally, I have been told that parrots raised this way do not make good parents.
"As an ornithologist, I assume that you want the fledglings you rescue to grow up and continue the next generation. For that, they should develop as many natural reactions as possible. Therefore, they should gape and approach the syringe as they would the beak of their parents.
"I can probably put a full syringe into a bird at one go. But I always prefer to feed in stages, so that the baby bird interacts with me, at least four to five times, during each feeding session.
"Now comes the difficult part. Baby birds require to be fed at two-hour intervals. Yes, there are bird shops that sell fledglings and tell you that they only need to be fed thrice per day. That is simply not true.
"As a senior citizen considered well past use-by date according to most employers, I had the idle time to diligently feed Angry Bird at intervals of less than two hours, every day for three weeks. The first meal was at dawn. He always had a full crop when put to bed at dusk each evening.
"By the second week or so, baby birds will get adventurous. They will want to leave the box. This is when you will need a bird cage.
"Try to get a cage with a very large door, or, better still, one in which the entire front opens. This feature makes for convenience when feeding and cleaning. If it is the only bird cage that you intend to have, one of this type is the best when the time comes to prepare the bird for release.
"The problem with cages is that they are exposed, and baby birds will flutter against the bars, breaking their feathers.
"Very often they will break so many feathers that they will eventually not be able to fly properly. You might then have to take care of them for another six months until they moult a new set.
"When the baby bird is transferred to a cage, keep it away from drafts, especially at night. I always cover cages with a towel at night, and ensure that no drafts from my airconditioner can get under the towel.
"Angry Bird grew quickly. In three weeks he was ready to be weaned.
In true Singaporean fashion, baby birds prefer to be dependent. Given a choice, they want you to continue hand feeding. Mynahs and parrots have been known to insist on being hand fed even up to nine months old. Some aviculturalists oblige because they want very tame pets. On the other hand, birds that are forced to wean too early tend to be underweight.
"I would consider a bird due for weaning when the corners of the beak are no longer fleshy, and when the beak itself becomes narrow and takes on the proportions of that of an adult bird.
"To start weaning, I add a little softbill food into the feeding mix. The solid granules will not pass through a syringe, so at this stage I switch to using a coffee stirrer taken from a fast-food restaurant. If it is too large to fit into the beak, trim the plastic with scissors, making sure that you do not leave any sharp edges.
"There are many mixes sold by bird shops for feeding softbilled birds. No doubt some of the local mixes are good, but others are suspect. Some do not contain sufficient nourishment, whereas others are boosted with too much glucose and other stimulants. These are used by people who enter birds in singing competitions. The fortified mixes give boosts of energy, but are not good for long-term health.
"I have used pre-packed mixes from the German manufacturer P. Sluis and the American Purina Corporation with good effect. Purina Pretty Bird Softbill Pellets seem to be acceptable to most birds. For young birds, it may be necessary to soak and soften the pellets, though these can be served dry to adult birds.
"After getting the baby birds to eat the pellets when spoonfed, the next problem is to get them to pick up the pellets themselves. Birds when hungry will start to peck at food. If they are kept very hungry, they will wean faster.
"Though some people do this out of convenience, I don't like to force the birds to wean. I have seen too many hand-raised baby birds that were force-weaned and undersized. Once a bird has been malnourished in its development stage, it will probably not catch up to full size, however well it is treated in later life.
"This may not be a critical factor in a pet. But a bird that is to be released back into the wild has to be as fit, strong and large as possible to cope with the challenges and predators out there.
"Therefore, I continue spoon feeding baby birds until it is blatantly obvious that they can pick up food on their own.
"Young birds are wasteful and messy when being weaned. This is unavoidable. They do not recognise food in cups. I slice bananas or papayas lengthwise and spread the softbill pellets on the cut surfaces.
"The fruit juices soften the pellets, making them easier to eat. The young birds will investigate and peck at the fruit slices, inadvertently ingesting some of the pellets as well.
"After a while, I no longer serve pellets on fruit slices, but give a mixture of diced fruits and pellets. Finally, when I find the birds taking pellets readily, the pellets and fruits are served separately. And at some meals, fruit is not served.
Insect protein
"In nature, insect protein comprises an important part of the diet of baby birds, even of the vegetarian species. Modern hand-feeding formulae have sufficient protein to compensate for the lack of insects in the food, but during weaning, and after the birds are weaned, the addition of insect protein does improve the condition of almost all birds.
"The easiest but not the best insects to feed to birds are mealworms and superworms. Mealworms are about 1 cm in length while superworms are about four times as large. These are the larvae of different types of beetles that are commercially bred, and are sold in most pet shops and aquarium shops. All experienced bird keepers warn that these creatures can be dangerous to young birds. The larvae have hard shells and sharp, strong jaws. They do not die immediately when ingested, and have been known to cause fatal injuries by biting the gullets of young birds.
"I always cut these worms into several pieces before feeding them to birds, and discard the heads. The jaws can continue biting even after the worms have been cut into pieces and swallowed. Mealworms and superworms are full of starch and fat, and do not make for a balanced diet. I serve them only as treats for omnivorous birds. Insectivorous birds are a separate matter.
After weaning
"You can very often end up with a bird that is difficult to get rid of. Some, like mynahs, pigeons and doves, become ridiculously tame and trusting. Others do not recognise danger and don't know how to get out of the way of cars or children. Some species of birds are valuable, and will be poached if you simply turned them loose.
"Re-introduction into the wild takes time, and can only be done in an appropriate place. Opening a cage door in the middle of a Housing Board Estate guarantees a dead bird. What would you do if you were suddenly dumped in the middle of Moscow and told to fend for yourself?
"I have been fortunate to have lived in rural or suburban areas most of my life. The release of hand-raised birds is a process that stretches into weeks.
"The first step is to ensure that the birds can really fly. Angry Bird spent so much time fluttering against the cage bars that most of his flight feathers got broken. I will have to wait until he moults and grows another full set before starting on his release.
"In the past, and now for the sake of Angry Bird, I have assembled flight cages with full-opening front door. I used to breed parakeets, lorikeets and doves in such flight cages, which measure about 1 meter in length and half that in width and height. They are spacious enough that birds should not break feathers fluttering against the sides, and are made of lightweight wire and cost about $30 apiece.
"Birds meant for release were transferred to the flight cages hung in the shed behind my old house. In my present house, the flight cage for Angry Bird is in the back porch, which faces a large expanse of greenery.
"Once in the flight cages, the birds were fed with minimal human interaction. The objective was that they should not be tame, and should not like to approach people.
"Once they had settled in for several weeks, I would observe the wild birds in the area. For common species such as the Yellow-Vented Bulbul or the Javan Mynah, there would usually be resident pairs in most areas. The males of these pairs would come up to the bars and challenge the birds in the cages.
"I had to make sure that the birds in the cages were sufficiently self-confident and well-established so that they would not be driven away in panic once the territory-holding male confronted them. I assisted the process by shooing away the territory-holding birds whenever they challenged the birds in the cages.
"Finally, when I thought that the birds in the cages were ready for release, I would tie open the main doors, but still leave food and water inside the cages.
"It is very common for hand-raised birds to return to the cages, which they treat as home base, for days, or even weeks after the doors are opened. Right now, I have one Spotted Dove that has been coming back every morning for over six months.
"The cages also serve as the core of their territories. If the wild, territory-holding bird in an area attacks your recently-released bird, it may rush back to the cage for security. And if you have been shooing away the other birds in the area, they might not dare to pursue your bird back into its cage.
"After this stage, it is all touch-and-go, hit-or-miss. There is no guarantee that the original territory-holder in any place will co-exist peacefully with your bird, or that your bird can succeed in displacing the other bird. And, despite your efforts not to make your bird too tame before release, there is also no guarantee that it will not be too trusting and come to grief.
"Our web-master is right. Hand-raising baby birds is a thankless and often futile task if you plan to release them. But sometimes, there is no alternative, and I just have to be prepared to have an additional mouth to feed that I really do not want, but who might be with me for a long time.
"No wonder he is an Angry Bird.
Raising other types of birds
"Besides omnivorous softbills and seed eaters, I have also hand-raised insectivorous thrushes (shamas, magpie robins and pittas) gallinules (quail) herons, bitterns and owls. Some of my friends have raised raptors and sunbirds. These are the things you would do differently for these other types of birds.
Insect eaters
"The processes are the same as those for raising a bulbul, but the diet is different. The base diet should be an insectivorous mix, which can be bought from reliable bird shops. Try to get the German or American mixes rather than the local formulae, which are not consistent. The formulated diet has to be mixed with water for baby birds, and must be supplemented with fresh insects.
"Live crickets, mealworms and superworms are sold at most bird shops. When bought, the insects or larvae are often starved and not nutritious. Gut-loading is necessary. This involves feeding the feeder insects well, and ensuring that they are fat and have full stomachs, before they go into your birds. Many insectivorous birds, especially when they are young, require vegetables and fruits in their diet, but will not eat these items on their own. You have to feed insects full of fruits and greens, and then feed the insects to the birds. Mealworms readily take apple peelings. Crickets do well with a mixture of chicken feed and slices of orange.
"The gruesome part is snipping them up with scissors into bite-sized pieces for the baby birds.
"Flying termites, when they appear, are really appreciated by the birds. They are not too difficult to catch.
"I have found that pittas like a diet with a large proportion of earthworms. Feed with soil still adhering to the worms.
"The biggest problem with insect-eating songbirds is that they are aggressive and usually very valuable. If released close to human habitation, it will not be long before someone attracts them with a decoy and traps them for sale.
"The processes are the same as for raising a bulbul, except that a nectar-based diet is used. I used to keep and breed lorikeets, nectar-feeding parrots, and know that very reliable American-made nectar-based diets are available.
"A mixture of nectar-based diet and insectivorous bird diet is used for weaning sunbirds.
"Remember that sunbirds are very small. The portions served at each feeding must be adjusted accordingly.
"After being weaned, sunbirds will eat insects and some soft fruit in addition to the nectar, which makes up the staple diet.
"Pheasants, jungle fowl and quail are the easiest baby birds to raise. They can feed themselves from a very young age. Many quail also never become really tame, but remain skittish around people. Releasing them into the right environment is no problem.
Herons, bitterns and egrets
"These are easy, but very smelly to raise. Herons and bitterns eat fish. Simply buy small fish from the market and slip these down their throats. I have found that the Chestnut Bittern and the Little Green Heron do not gape. You have to hold the bird, open the beak and slip the small fish down the throat. They are hardy, and grow strongly. But their droppings stink.
"I have not raised Cattle Egrets myself, but know people who have. They seem to be all right on a diet with some fish, meat, crickets and superworms.
"I used to live near the Serangoon River, and simply left the cage doors open for the herons and bitterns. I assume that they eventually found their way to the river banks.
Owls and raptors
"Roughage is an important component in the diet of these birds. When I had baby Collared Scops Owls, there were still chicken hatcheries in most villages. As I had a number of other exotic pets at that time (long before Singapore enforced any regulations on keeping wildlife) I was a regular customer for the discards, malformed chicks that did not hatch properly. These, freshly dead, would be fed, feathers, bones and all, to the baby owls, which flourished.
"I don't know where to get suitable meat or poultry with the feathers and bones still attached any more, but have read that mixing cotton wool (natural fibre, not synthetic) into minced chicken can produce a workable substitute.
"The trouble with owls is that they become ridiculously tame and attached to people, and refuse to leave.
"I have never raised raptors, but know friends who have. They have not been able to release their birds because these huge and impressive birds attract attention. Being hand-raised, the tame raptors do not know how to avoid attempts to capture them.
Lee Chiu San
3rd September 2012


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Being a good landlord requires time, effort and money, but it's worth it to find and keep good tenants for longer who will help to pay your mortgage and put money in your pocket. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused some uncertainty in the property market and changing regulations can be difficult to keep up with, so it's important to understand what your responsibilites are.
For those seeking the best practices for letting a property, we delve into our top tips for how to be a good landlord.
1. Be clear in the tenancy agreement
Write up a fair tenancy agreement, clearly outlining who has responsibility for the maintenance of the property. This is known as the Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST), which can be written up with the help of a solicitor or a Guild letting agent.
To make life easier, be sure to include specific details, such as, allowing pets, having guests for certain periods and how the deposit may potentially be deducted once the tenancy ends, so it is clearly understood and recorded officially on paper.
2. Don't visit unannounced
Tenants have the right to be informed 24-hours prior to any visits to the property. Inspections are important to ensure the tenancy agreement is being properly upheld, however, you should give your tenant plenty of notice and all the details of any visit to the property. It is especially important to ensure you are following COVID-19 safety rules and regulations and that your tenants feel safe. A little communication will go a long way to keep your tenants happy.
3. Treat your letting like a business
Your property letting is a form of income, so why would you not run it like a business?
Make sure to:
● keep your tenants well-informed of repairs, visits and alternative contacts for while you are away
● have plans in place for void periods, unexpected costs and late payments
● deliver good customer service: introduce yourself, be approachable and be responsive, or hire a good agency to do this if you don't have time
4. Take prompt and effective action
Ensure a prompt response to any reports from tenants of any issues or necessary repairs. Never overlook the issues and keep the tenant informed with your progress on dealing with it. Properties need maintaining so issues and repairs are certain to arise. Have contacts of tradesmen on-hand for any potential issues that you can't solve on your own and don't skimp on quality repairs to prevent botched jobs that create further damage long-term or repairs that don't last.
5. Follow rules and regulations
It is important for a landlord and a tenant to follow ever-changing regulations that are set in place to ensure reasonable living conditions for tenants and to outline the responsibilities of a landlord.
Some of the basic rules and regulations are to:
● Meet safety standards
● Possess an Energy Performance Certificate
● Give reasonable notice when visiting the property
● Be responsible for repairs to the structure and basic equipment of the property
● Meet HMO standards
● Protect your tenants' deposit
COVID-19 rules and regulations
The pandemic has meant we have had to quickly adapt to ever-changing rules and regulations to ensure everyone's safety. Here are a few COVID-19 safety procedures to be aware of:
● Ensure social distancing is maintained when visiting the property
● Routine maintenance to the property can be carried out in accordance with the latest public health advice and the relevant coronavirus (COVID-19) legislation
● Landlords should respect tenants wishing to exercise caution with their safety
● Find more Government guidance for landlords here
Contact us
For further advice or to start letting your property, find a Guild Member here.


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Starting on May 3, 2010 I have written posts concerning the notable divergence that has occurred between the S&P500 and Chinese (Shanghai Composite) stock markets.
The chart below illustrates this divergence; it shows the S&P500 vs. the Shanghai Composite on a daily basis, since 2006:
(click on chart to enlarge image)(chart courtesy of StockCharts.com; chart creation and annotation by the author)
It is notable that the Shanghai Composite led the SPX (S&P500) significantly in late '08 – early '09, yet it has been (gradually) declining since that time.
I continue to find this divergence between the S&P500 and Shanghai Composite to be notable and disconcerting, on an "all things considered" basis.
The Special Note summarizes my overall thoughts about our economic situation
SPX at 1385.61 as this post is written


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I'm sorry if what I'm doing is somehow wrong...
So I was searching my closet for something and found one like this (http://xboxaddict.com/faceplate-prof...le-Launch.html)
In the need of cash I have searched all over the web if this is worth anything, and ended up in here. I got it from finnish gaming expo. Good trip and a lot of good memories, so I would not want to sell it for cheap.
So, I told my some people about it, and got some offers.
It would be awesome if you could tell what these things could go for, say on ebay, but I also understand why you would not want to discuss this.
Mine is 71/100 and it is on original box and bag.


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A federal judge in Florida partially blocked a law championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis designed to limit the discussion of racism and privilege in schools and workplace training.
In a 139-page order issued Thursday, Tallahassee U.S. District Judge Mark Walker excoriated the Republican-led bill and blocked it from taking effect in the state's public universities.
"The State of Florida's decision to choose which viewpoints are worthy of illumination and which must remain in the shadows has implications for us all," Walker wrote. "But the First Amendment does not permit the State of Florida to muzzle its university professors, impose its own orthodoxy of viewpoints, and cast us all into the dark."
The legislation, previously called the Stop W.O.K.E. Act – the acronym standing for "Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees" – is now known as the Individual Freedom Act. DeSantis signed the bill into law this spring; it initially took effect in July.
The bill prohibits schools and workplaces from any instruction that suggests that any individual, by virtue of their race, color, sex or national origin, "bears responsibility for and must feel guilt, anguish or other forms of psychological distress" on account of historical acts of racism. The bill also forbids education or training that says individuals are "privileged or oppressed" due to their race or sex.
Critics say the bill is designed to prevent schools and workplaces from discussing racism. In August, a group of eight Florida professors sued representatives of the state higher education system over the bill, calling the legislation "racially motivated censorship" aimed at stifling "widespread demands to discuss, study and address systemic inequalities."
Critical race theory is a decades-old academic framework that examines how racism helped to shape institutions and traditions that exist today.
The idea was once confined to law school seminars. But over the past two years, the term has become a catch-all shorthand for a variety of conservative bugaboos: workplace diversity trainings, protests over police brutality and high school history lessons.
DeSantis began pushing for the bill last December. "In Florida we are taking a stand against the state-sanctioned racism that is critical race theory," he said in a press release announcing the proposal. "We won't allow Florida tax dollars to be spent teaching kids to hate our country or to hate each other."
The bill is one of the most strident state legislature entries in the conservative culture wars over schools. Florida lawmakers passed it alongside the Parental Rights in Education Act, called the "Don't Say Gay" bill by critics, which bans classroom instruction involving sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.
In his order, Judge Walker, an Obama appointee, opened by reciting the first sentence of 1984, George Orwell's novel about life under a futuristic totalitarian government.
"'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen,' and the powers in charge of Florida's public university system have declared the State has unfettered authority to muzzle its professors in the name of 'freedom,'" the judge wrote. "This is positively dystopian."
Thursday's ruling is the second legal setback for the law. An August ruling, also by Walker, blocked another part of the bill that targeted workplace diversity practices. The law faces another challenge by K-12 teachers.
DeSantis' office is expected to appeal the decision.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Product Description 2013 Byerly System Boot: The Byerly team is excited to announce the addition of a revolutionary new System boot to the line. Partnering with Hyperlite, the Byerly team has designed a new boot tailored to the specific needs of their athletes. The Byerly boot features a slightly lower cuff for maximum mobility but added reinforcement provides a supportive lateral feel. The traditional lacing system makes it easy to get the perfect fit for your riding style. The Byerly boot features a fully heat moldable Hyper-liner for the ultimate in customized comfort. The Ultron insoles utilize an exclusive material that allow for maximum impact protection. Top all of this off with the EVA-lite outsole construction and you have a durable lightweight boot perfect for the freestyle rider.
Product Features:


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A year after Ben & Jerry's said it would no longer sell its ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, its corporate owner, Unilever, has found a new way to keep sales going. It's selling its Israeli Ben & Jerry's operation to the local company that's been distributing it all along. NPR's Daniel Estrin reports.
DANIEL ESTRIN, BYLINE: Ben & Jerry's Israeli manufacturer makes kosher Chunky Monkey, Cherry Garcia and even made a special flavor for Passover. Their ice cream is also sold in the occupied West Bank, including Israeli settlements. In the U.S., Ben & Jerry's faced a campaign from pro-Palestinian activists last year and decided to pull out of the West Bank in protest of what its founders called an occupation that violates the human rights of Palestinians. That led to a dispute with Avi Zinger, the owner of Ben & Jerry's Israeli manufacturer, and it prompted anger from Israeli officials.
YAIR LAPID: (Speaking Hebrew).
ESTRIN: Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, called it a disgraceful surrender to anti-Semitism, which the Jewish ice cream company's founders denied. Several U.S. states divested their pension funds from Ben & Jerry's parent company, Unilever. Today, Unilever announced a workaround to keep the ice cream in the West Bank.
LIOR HAIAT: I think this is a huge victory for Israel over the boycott organization.
ESTRIN: Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat. Unilever sold its business interests to the Israeli manufacturer. The details are convoluted, and it's part of a larger debate about the complexities of putting economic pressure on Israel.
Omar Shakir works for Human Rights Watch and advised Ben & Jerry's on its position against sales in the West Bank. He sees something positive in the deal.
OMAR SHAKIR: Unilever has tried to undermine the Ben & Jerry's decision by selling that business to an Israeli distributor or supplier. But that, you know, does not change the reality that Ben & Jerry's isn't operating, isn't doing business, you know, in settlements.
ESTRIN: Ben & Jerry's flavors and brand name will stay the same, just won't appear in English. Ben & Jerry's in the U.S. will get to say it's not selling in the West Bank, an Israeli company is. And Israelis in the West Bank will get to still have their Ben & Jerry's ice cream and eat it, too. Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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