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Heavyweight, non-woven wallcovering created from sections of Lindsay Cowles's abstract expressionist paintings.Lightly textured surface with matte finish. Similar to watercolor paper.Class A fire rated based on ASTM-E84 standard test. Suitable for residential and low-traffic commercial locations.Made from sustainable and renewable resources. Complies with REACH requirements.
**8 yard minimum**Available for sale by the full yard. Sold in continuous bolts up to 50 yards in length.PATTERN REPEAT: Horizontal: 27" Vertical: 27"Half-Drop RepeatUntrimmed (30" wide untrimmed. 27" wide after trimming.)SAMPLE SIZES: Standard- 8"x9" Large- 27"x27"Lead time 4-6 weeks.Wipeable. Not scrubbable.Rush production available. Please contact firstname.lastname@example.com for details.Need a custom color or custom scale or type II? Contact email@example.com to inquire about custom papers!


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Finding a builder who can build in Australian Capital Territory can be very difficult, therefore we have set up a simple directory which lists all builders who are available in Australian Capital Territory.
This Australian Capital Territory builders directory will help you find a builder who can take on any task whether it be renovating an existing property or building a new home from scratch.
There are many new home builders in Australian Capital Territory, our aim is to help you make the right choice, for the right budget and match up your needs with the right builder.

subset: commoncrawl


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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:10:57 — 87.7MB)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS
Recorded: 19 November 2016
Hosts: Joel, Barry & Michael
Podcaster's Anonymous BooZe—Review
- Michael – Copper Harbor pressed Apple Cider and pure Cranberry Juice.
- Barry – Jiminy Zero
- Joel – Iced Tea just Iced tea
Days of our Lives
- Michael – This is the night of Bob's funeral. A community gathers together.
- Joel – The first nine shots are done now let's wait and see what happens, and oh by the way yes it sucks!
- Barry – The Procedure
- Michael – Work finally starts on Studio V today, but wait, what's this?
- Michael – Let's do the wave! (Wicked storm arrived. Can you say genny test?) And the road to Saskatchewan is now white.
- Joel – New IPV D3 vape mod is here and almost completely off cigarette's.
Broken News
- The Elections are over!
- Trump and Pence…won btw
Geek Corner
- Barry – New MacBook pro released
- Barry – New Microsoft surface Studio
- Michael – New SCBA masks at FD for RIT team
- Barry – Still liking the Galaxy S7 Edge
- Joel – Dumped my Galaxy S5 for an iphone SE
- Michael – Michael get's iPhone 7 (256 GB), Chris and Mark get iPhone 7+ (128 GB) – reviews to follow
- Barry – Verizon Message+ App
- Barry – Android Auto App
- Barry – Outlook is the best email app on the Galaxy S7 Edge
- Michael – Chris reaches 1 TB storage on her old Mac. Really should set up a NAS
Bottom Gear
- Barry – Prius fuel door spring broke
- Joel – Goldfinger—- Is a STUD once again!
- Barry – Prius has also been winterized
- Michael – Black Jeep Down! Black Jeep Down!
- Michael – Tractor project – major progress update
- Barry – JD winter conversion complete
- Michael – Chris's (family truckster) has gone topless, but has new taillight assemblies and new headlights.
Entertainment Last Month
- Barry – GT (The Grand Tour)
- Michael – Netflix pick, Space Race
- Barry – Dirk Gently Holistic Detective Agency
- Joel – Penny Dreadful (a showtime channel show) watch on Netflix
- Barry – Designated Survivor
- Barry – Star Trek Beyond
- Barry – Boston WHDH Channel 7 says goodbye to NBC on January 1
Musical Guest: T'pau with 'Heart and Soul'
Theme Song: Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band "Hit the Ground Running"


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Wheee~ I'm free from H1N1 virus =D
MY MARIMITE DVDs ARE HERE~! =D
Along with Bakuretsu Tenshi Manga #2, #3 [END], Venus Versus Virus #6, Suzunari #2, Hayate x Blade #2, #3 and Tetragrammaton Labryinth #5. I love July lol. I have another parcel from Amazon Japan =O which will come coming perhaps next week? \O/
July is Durian Season!
I've yet to eat one though lol.
Taken from the durian tree at my place xD. Oh yeah, I just remembered the purpose of this post lol, here's the MF download link for the Doropanda Tours scans as requested =D. I've asked Kai and Kite in Tranquil Spring to translate and edit the one-shot page for me [Scans 1 - Left] I'll post up the translated page soon. The rest are author's comments and stuff, well if you're interested in translating it, feel free.
Edit: It's up, thanks to Kai, Kite and Monkey =D
They are all just one page specials or brochures, there ain't anymore so don't ask for moar lol.
Random rants;
My Seagate of 3 years died on me ;_; I was being whiny on Skype and all lol but today I managed to pull all of my anime folders out along with my Stefanie Sun clips I've dutifully collected for 9 years =D out.
Oh how did I revived my 'dead hdd'? I froze it. Yes, I sealed the HDD in a plastic bag, placed it in the freezer and waited for 2-3 hours. At first, it wasn't working well and I was getting really pissed. So I left it to 'dry' [After several attempts to get it to work] and then I put it in the freezer for 2 hours and it worked! [I even dreamed that I was clicking and dragging my files out lol] Well it worked for a mere 10 minutes before it died again. So I let it out to dry again [Condensation] and then shoved it in the freezer for another 3-4 hours. It was then that I managed to copy all my anime folders out [I saved my Stefanie Sun clips first lol], half of my movie folders, manga and live-action drama clips. I think it lasted around 2 hours [The HDD was getting hot as well, it clicked loudly a few times in between] before the light went out. It was good though =D A whooping 300GB+ worth of data out lol.
Anyways, got me a new HDD, 1TB this time muahahaha and it's only S$159~~~ This will last me for a few more years.
Moral of the story? BACK UP YOUR GOD DAMN FILES lol.
[Signing off @ 1:49 AM]


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Planning A Future For Your Child
While some families are planning for college, first cars or wedding expenses, the parents of children with severe developmental challenges are worrying about providing for their child's future after they are gone.
While the realization your child will never be able to live independently is devastating, a solid financial plan and guardianship directive can offer some peace of mind.
The first step, according to Linda M. Anderson, a member of the Special Needs Alliance and Certified Elder Law Attorney, is to contact an attorney to create a 'safety net.' "The traditional elements of an estate plan, a Will, Financial Power of Attorney, Healthcare Power of Attorney and Living Will become all the more important when planning for a special needs child." These documents will ensure that your wishes for your child's future are honored.
A carefully constructed trust, a Supplemental Special Needs Trust, can help your child today and in the future. A Supplemental SNT allows your child to receive funds without jeopardizing his or her essential government benefits, such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income.
For extended family or friends, it's a way to help provide care. It allows grandparents to offer the same monetary gifts to all of their grandchildren with no fears of showing 'favorites.' Aunts and uncles contributing to a sibling's educational fund could offer equal contributions to the Trust.
Families struggling financially often delay creating a trust, thinking 'If there's no money to contribute now, why bother?' An SNT can be made the beneficiary of your life insurance policy and your estate, making sure those assets don't get passed directly to your child when you die, rending him ineligible for federal benefits such as SSI. While the Special Needs Fairness Act allows your child or a guardian to establish a trust after the fact, but it takes time, adds expense and can result in interrupted benefits.
Financial and estate planning is not inexpensive and you'll want an attorney experienced in Special Need Trusts and Disability Exempt Trusts. The Special Needs Alliance
( https://www.specialneedsalliance.org/ ) can help with referrals in your area. Your local bar association can also make recommendations. Don't forget, your local autism service provider may offer workshops and referrals, too.
Lora Lewis is a multi-platform content creator who covers a wide variety of topics and loves the art of conversation.


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Yesterday afternoon, some #StopRush/#FlushRush folks got a fund raising drive going to help out Richard C. Myer's family, who were threatened with eviction after his tragically sudden passing last month from a massive heart attack. I asked my Twitter stream to get on board with the effort. The goal was $1200, so they'd have enough money to pay two months and keep the nasty landlord at bay until Richard's death benefits arrived. The response was just fantastic.
From Cowoman's update:
So far we have raised $3125.84; I am so happy I could cry. I want to thank you all for giving me the opportunity to do something small that made my year start off with such fulfillment and joy. Seeing Candy's face when I hand her your generous gifts will be more reward than I can express.
From Richard's wife to #Stoprush volunteers
To Stoprush:
You all wonderful people. Thank you from the bottom of me and Randy's hearts. I would love to join you all and keep Richard's web sites going. I want to keep Richard's dreams alive. If you all need any help at all please contact me. I have a facebook page.Thank you all for saving me and my son's home. Richard was more then an activist. He was a wonderful husband, a great father, and my bestfriend. I will never in my life meet such a special man like him again, so please help me keep the the very thing he loved in life: the people he helped and loved—and his activist's work.
Thank you all so much. I will never forget such heros who saved me and my son's life.
Much love,
Candy myers
To all of you who responded, thank you so much for your generosity. Richard was a gift. He will be missed by so many.


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MOSCOW -- A Russian rocket on Tuesday successfully launched an Iranian satellite into orbit.
The Soyuz rocket lifted off as scheduled at 8:52 a.m. Moscow time (0552 GMT) Tuesday from the Russia-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan.
About nine minutes after the launch, it placed the Iranian satellite called Khayyam into orbit. It's named after Omar Khayyam, a Persian scientist who lived in the 11th and 12th centuries.
Iran has said the satellite fitted with high-resolution camera will be used for environmental monitoring and will remain fully under its control.
Tehran said no other country will have access to information it gathers and it would be used for civilian purposes only, but there have been allegations that Russia may use it for surveillance of Ukraine amid its military action there.
If it operates successfully, the satellite would give Iran the ability to monitor its archenemy Israel and other countries in the Middle East.
Yuri Borisov, head of Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos, hailed the launch as an "important landmark" in cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.
Iranian state television aired footage of the launch live, noting that the country's telecommunications minister attended the liftoff in Kazakhstan. Tehran said the satellite will help improve productivity in the agriculture sector, survey water resources, manage natural disasters, confront deforestation and monitor border areas.
Citing Iran's civilian space agency, state television said the satellite would provide high-resolution surveillance images with a one-meter-per-pixel definition. Western civilian satellites offer around half-a-meter per pixel, while U.S. spy satellites are believed to have even-greater definition.
Iran has both a civilian and military space program, which the U.S. fears could be used to advance its ballistic missile program. However, Iran has seen a series of mishaps and failed satellite launches over recent years.
Quelle: abcNews


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The federal prevailing wage law is the Davis-Bacon Act of 1931, which applies to government construction projects involving more than $2,000 of federal funds. The act, which has served as a model for many subsequent state prevailing wage laws, requires that construction workers receive "wages that will be determined by the U.S. secretary of labor to be prevailing for the corresponding classes of laborers and mechanics employed on projects of a character similar to the contract work in the city, town, village, or other civil subdivision of the state in which the work is to be performed. ..."[16] The Davis-Bacon Act does not call for the exclusive use of union wages, nor does it provide guidance as to how a prevailing wage is to be determined out of the many rates that might be found, although the Department of Labor's practices often result in union wages being applied.
Federal prevailing wages are based on a U.S. Department of Labor survey of employers and unions in a locality.[17] Prior to 1985, if a majority of workers in the area received the same pay rate, that rate was deemed to be the prevailing wage. If there was no majority wage, the wage paid to at least 30 percent of workers would be considered to prevail. If a prevailing wage could not be found under the first two criteria, the Department of Labor took the weighted average of all the rates that had been submitted, accounting for number of workers covered and hours worked.[18]
This rule meant that union scale applied quite frequently, especially in areas with a union presence strong enough to trigger the 30 percent rule. The Reagan administration changed the rules considerably in 1985, in particular dropping the 30 percent rule, so that unless a union provided a majority of the workers in a particular craft, it was not guaranteed to set the prevailing wage, and an average wage would be calculated instead.[19] Professor Armand Thieblot, formerly of George Washington University, has presented evidence that the Department of Labor has been prone to manipulate survey results to create the appearance of a union majority wage where none actually exists.[20] Nonetheless, the federal law does not mandate the use of union wage rates, and in those counties where union membership is low, the rate set by the federal government will be closer to the market average.


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The Rumor Mill News Reading Room
E-Mail Error!
Sorry, but there's been an error in processing your e-mail message. Either the message or profile to which you're trying to respond doesn't actually exist, or no e-mail address has been provided by its owner. If you have any questions, please send a note to firstname.lastname@example.com.
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take you back to the message index page.


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According to the website CNN.com, some of the criticism of first lady Michelle Obama is driven by partisan politics. However, "others say the attacks are rooted in white resentment of the 'uppity Negro.'" Two things quickly come to mind. The first is that no one other than Harry Reid uses the word "Negro" anymore. Second, that it is the 21st century and yet there are those who continue to talk about race as if it were 1955.
Last February, in a speech to honor Black History Month, Attorney General Eric Holder remarked that Americans of all colors should stop avoiding an honest discussion of race in America. Said Holder: "Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and I believe continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards."
I disagreed with Holder at the time and still do. Americans are not cowards when it comes to discussions of race, neither are they dishonest. Rather, I believe Americans are simply bone-tired.
The American conversation on race began more than two centuries ago and frankly, we have talked of little else. The topic permeated the discussions during the drafting of both our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution and continues today, with a black man sitting in the White House.
Not cowards, just exhausted and so very, very eager to move on!
This was the great "hope" for Barack Obama. The great tide that swept Barack Obama into the White House was not the hope of a hard-left social and economic agenda. Americans were eager to move on to a new and more uplifting conversation about their nation and their lives as citizens. And one of the things they wanted to change was the conversation on race.
In fairness, changing America's racial conversation may have been a bit too much to ask of one man. Although for a man who promised that his nomination as a candidate for president would be remembered as the moment the planet would heal and the oceans would calm, such expectations were perhaps not so outrageous. Nevertheless — his ability or inability to calm the tides notwithstanding — he is only human.
And early on, there were signs that it was all too good to be true.
There was the revelation of his 20-year association with the reverend Jeremiah Wright, pastor of the universal church of "get back whitey." This eye-opener was followed by several editorials introducing voters to the new "racial code." We discovered, for instance, that talking about Obama's elitism was code for saying he was "uppity" and to point out his inexperience was to call him a "boy." Alas, this was all a harbinger of what was to come.
This administration has attempted to marginalize its opponents by labeling them as racists; movements have been slandered with charges of racism, and principled disagreement is suddenly seen as evidence of bigotry. It all seems a bit surreal. As a nation, we seem to be talking about race now, more than we have in a very long time. As far as leading this nation into a post-racial era, the election of Barack Obama can only be seen as a bust.
But perhaps I have misread the tea leaves. It may be that what we are witnessing is race- as-we-have-come-to-know-it in its death throes. We might also be seeing first-hand the birth of a new paradigm of race in America — one that will carry us into the next generation.
This past March, in a deliberate attempt to provoke a racial incident, members of the Congressional Black Caucus marched through a large crowd of angry, mostly white, ObamaCare protestors. But the trick failed. The fire hoses didn't appear; neither did the attack dogs, or the white racists shouting the N-word. Sure, the left claimed it happened — that these noble black heroes were spat upon and called ugly names as in days gone by — but the lie failed to gain traction.
Representatives Charles Rangel and Maxine Waters have claimed that race is behind investigations into their behavior, as opposed to the possibility that they have been unethical and dishonest. There was a time when such charges would have been greeted with seriousness as opposed to the snickering these recent protests have garnered.
The new left media is hard at work attempting to prove racial animus. Increasingly, however, their charges seem to read like a laundry-list of falsehoods and rather mundane annoyance: scrutiny of the first lady, for instance.
It would be difficult for Americans to witness the cynical, dishonest, and hollow way in which race has been at issue over the last two years and not sense that something is afoot. Indeed, it may be that this nation is moving in a new direction on race. Sure, there will continue to be those who cling to the outdated view of black-white relationships, but increasingly they must be seen as out-of-step with the times. If true, it is both reason to celebrate and reason to shake Mr. Obama's hand.
Joseph is perhaps best known for the role of Lt. Martin Kendall, Lisa Bonet's husband, on the hit series The Cosby Show. He was also a three time NAACP Image Award Nominee for his portrayal of Attorney Justus Ward on the Daytime Drama General Hospital. For two seasons he appeared as Mayor Morgan Douglas on the CBS series The District, recurred as Marcus Johnson on the hit CBS series Without A Trace and most recently appeared as JT Morse on the Fox Series, Vanished. Mr. Phillips is also a syndicated columnist. His column "The Way I see It" appears weekly in more than 30 publications across the country


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Getting the ire of the media and the big corporate houses with respect to the judgment on the 2G scam, wherein the Supreme Court has been told that they have over reached the powers that are granted to them.
Then there is the Maria Susairaj case where again the judicial system was condemned, for releasing that girl for being an accomplice to the murder.
Then, there is the ever impending matter about Ajmal Kasab being the guest of the country.
The latest in the list being the reduction of a sentence of a low class laborer who sodomized a 10 month old girl. I came across the controversy on Bikrams' Blog.
I read the article in the Indian Express and finally, through my own research found the judgment that was pronounced by the Mumbai High Court.
This blog post specifically answers certain averments that have been put on the lawyer (s) who fought the case for the accused, and some of the general gyaan that the general junta should know about how the criminal justice works in our country.
The Judgment, the text of which you can read online, simply states, that they have upheld the conviction of the Accused. The only thing being that, they have reduced the sentence from 10 years to 7 years, RI. RI meaning rigorous imprisonment.
And, just so that you all know, a judgment, unless there is no settled law or previous judgment do not give in to the bald arguments of a lawyer.
If you see the judgment, there is a previous judgment that is relied upon by the court to lower the sentence. Further, the reason was because of the 'perversity and deprivation' of the mind, and not because he was 'lonely' as alleged by the newspaper.
There is a difference between a submission that is recorded in the judgment and what the judgment really states. I am appalled that newspapers misquote like anything.
Further, it is imperative to note that the judgment records the fact that, the trial court was aware that the accused had a family back in Uttar Pradesh and that by no means it meant that it should have been the reason for a lenient sentence. But, it was important that a proper perspective be given while passing any judgments/ orders.
And he agreed with the position of law as explained in the case that was cited.
There is no where, where he has said that, what the accused did was right. Just because he set off the sentence with the amount of punishment that the accused had already under gone does not make this judgment wrong.
Of course, if the family is not happy, they can always go in appeal. But just so that you know, that poor baby was 10 months when this happened to her. She would now reasonably be almost 7 years. Through the entire proceedings, she must have been traumatised, considering she wouldn't have really remembered what happened to her then. So just remember you are not fighting for a 10 month old baby.
Here is the thing about our Criminal Judicial system:
1. It is largely based on the principles of Natural Justice, wherein, a Criminal is not considered is always considered to be a non criminal till proven otherwise.
2. The reason why the laws are so strict about the criminal justice system are, so that, an innocent is not put behind bars *YES, there are n number of cases wherein, an innocent is behind the bars*
3. And, there is the reformative aspect of the criminal justice system that we have adopted in India, wherein, if it is the first offence, the punishment should be such that it does not end up hardening the criminal, but instead makes him realise that he has done wrong and that he has to reform. *I hope you all remember that Tihar is one of the major models for this system*
And lastly, whenever we are wronged in any way, we cry ourselves hoarse preaching about the fundamental rights.
The same fundamental rights guarantee that, each and every accused has the right to be represented through a lawyer. And in case he cannot afford a lawyer or doesn't know of any, then it is the duty of the State to provide a lawyer for that person to ensure a fair trial.
To answer you, Bikram, if you read the judgment from the top, you will see that the lawyer for the appellant was appointed.
And, when we get ourselves enrolled as Lawyers, we are governed by the 'Advocates Act' wherein it is our duty to do any and every case that comes to us. We are NOT allowed to say NO to it unless there is a conflict of interest. *By conflict of interest it means that, if you have appeared for the other side before, you can't appear against them.*
Just like it is the duty of the doctor to save lives, irrespective of the fact that the person on his table is a serial killer, similarly, a lawyer irrespective of the moral turpitude that may go inside him, he has to do his duty. And mind you, we cannot sabotage the case of our Clients. That goes against our ethics.
Believe it or not, all lawyers in their lives defend criminals and fight against them too. You cannot take a case based on your emotional assessment, it has to be assessed based on the facts of the case. Whether, morally you approve of it or not.
We lawyers are called by various names, including being called as crooks, but just like everyone else, who sit on their desks and type codes, attend meetings.. we do our duty bound by more rules and regulations than what you can imagine.
We ADVOCATE, we put forth what a person has to say based on the laws of the land.
And as far as a judge is concerned.. they are highly educated and people with more experience in the field of law than what you cant even imagine. They too cannot go beyond the certain jurisdictional restrictions and above all the restrictions placed on them by the laws itself.
The Courts of our Country our bound to serve the society, but there are the laws of the land that have to be followed, because no one in our country is above law, not even the PM. And, these courts are also the custodians and protectors of the Constitution, that helps running the Country. It is the bible on which the laws are made, and a place to look when you require interpretation on ANY law.
Saying what I have said, that does not mean that I endorse what the accused has done. I think that the quantum of punishment for such offenders should be very severe, but that does not mean that a trial be done with biased heads and punishment be awarded without weighing the pros and cons and putting the entire thing in perspective.
It is even more appalling, that, we Indians, have no faith in any system. At least have faith in the Judicial System of our Country, wherein the Courts, ONLY think about the benefit of the society at large.
And you know, why this judicial system is clogged, because, of certain strata of the society who keep appealing every order that comes against them.
Justice never only means punishing the accused. There is a lot more involved in it.
In the end, I would like to iterate what I have said before, that, if the parents are not happy with the order of the Mumbai High Court, then they can go for a appeal to a larger bench and then to the Supreme Court. And, you all should remember that, that 10 month old baby is a 7 year old girl, and thanks to all the hue and cry, even if she is over the incident considering that she is was just an infant then, she will be forced to live through a hell that she never knew.


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This walkthrough reveals all Sheriff's badges, Stolen items, Inventory tools and their useage, and also all the objects hidden in locations. Golden Trails: The New western Rush has 5 different sets of objects to find. In this walkthrough you will find only the main or FIRST SET OF ITEMS. The rest 4 sets would be an additional challenge.
- Items to find are highlighted in WHITE.
- Areas where evidence or tools are hidden are highlighted in YELLOW.
- You may need to find inventory tools in other locations before you can use them in the current location. Below screenshots show what tools can be used and where.
- Sheriff's badges are represented with stars.
- Stolen items are shown bigger than their actual size in the game.
Bandit Camp
Mine Yard
Mini-Game 1
Mini-Game 2


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Kitchen remodels are the most popular project among homeowners. Who hasn't dreamed of the perfect kitchen? Most of us, however, don't have the budget to hand the entire design off to a professional and choose the fixtures, appliances, and extras ourselves. As a result, we don't always end up with the chef's kitchen we imagine.
Here are a few dos and don'ts from the experts.
Do Add Dark Accents - Your kitchen does not need to be monochromatic. Adding dark accents or doors provides a pop of color to the space and makes it appear larger.
Don't Ruin the Island – A kitchen island can add usable workspace and visual appeal. However, an island placed in the wrong spot can ruin the appearance and availability. Designers suggest placing the island 2 1⁄2 - 3 feet from the counters. This allows for easy movement between the two. In a small kitchen, skip the island altogether.
Do Splurge on the Lighting – Proper lighting in the kitchen sets the mood. The kitchen has become a place to entertain, so the space needs to merge brighter light for cooking with softer, ambient light for relaxing.
Don't Skip Proper Prep Work – It may be tempting to rush or skimp on prep work and materials; Afterall it's not going to show when completed. The fact is that substandard prep work can cause damage to the final product, causing more money and time in the end.
A beautiful kitchen is the centerpiece of the home. Whether your remodel is a complete do over or weekend DIY project, follow these tips for the perfect result you want.


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Launching their manifesto this morning, UKIP leader Lord Pearson of Rannoch has announced that not only is his party making a conscious decision not to stand in a handful of seats held by what he defined as "committed eurosceptics" in the last Parliament, but that UKIP will "actively campaign" for them.
One Labour MP seeking re-election will get this help:
- David Drew - Stroud
And sixfive Conservative candidates will be given the same treatment, with Lord Pearson identifying the following at his press conference (I will seek the identity of the others) along with two others:
- Dougla Carswell - Clacton
- Philip Davies - Shipley
- Philip Hollobone - Kettering
- Janice Small - Batley and Spen
- Alex Story - Wakefield
Lord Pearson said that none had asked for UKIP's help - although I suggested in February that David Drew's attendance at a UKIP dinner meant that an electoral pact was on the cards.
7.15pm update:
David Campbell-Bannerman MEP, UKIP 's deputy leader, has just been interviewed by Sky News' Adam Boulton and seemed somewhat confused about his party's position in Great Grimsby, where Austin Mitchell has been Labour MP since 1977. Boulton suggested that Mitchell was a eurosceptic whom UKIP should not oppose, to which Campbell-Bannerman replied that Mitchell was indeed "a good man" whom UKIP would not have opposed, but that sadly Mitchell was standing down at the election.
FACT: Austin Mitchell is standing for re-election.
Are UKIP's leader and deputy leader singing from the same hymnsheet?
Jonathan Isaby


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Leonard Susskind is the Felix Bloch Professor of theoretical physics at Stanford University. Regarded as one of the fathers of string theory, Professor Susskind has also made seminal contributions to particle physics, black hole theory, and cosmology. His current research centres upon questions in theoretical particle physics, gravitational physics and quantum cosmology. Dr. Susskind has been an Associate Member of PI. He has also taken part in two PI Public Lectures, The Black Hole Wars and The Physics of Information.
Past PI Talks:
• "Beyond the Standard (cosmological ) Model": http://pirsa.org/09090030/
• "Negative Curvature": http://pirsa.org/07060077/
• "Fast Scrambling": http://pirsa.org/08030070/
• "The Physics of Information: From Entanglement to Black Holes" (PI Public Lecture) http://pirsa.org/07120048/
• "Black Holes and Holography Mini-course": http://pirsa.org/C07003
• All of Prof. Susskind's past PI talks may be viewed here.


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AIS-BN: An Adaptive Importance Sampling Algorithm for Evidential Reasoning in Large Bayesian Networks
Stochastic sampling algorithms, while an attractive alternative to exact algorithms in very large Bayesian network models, have been observed to perform poorly in evidential reasoning with extremely unlikely evidence. To address this problem, we propose an adaptive importance sampling algorithm, AIS-BN, that shows promising convergence rates even under extreme conditions and seems to outperform the existing sampling algorithms consistently. Three sources of this performance improvement are (1) two heuristics for initialization of the importance function that are based on the theoretical properties of importance sampling in finite-dimensional integrals and the structural advantages of Bayesian networks, (2) a smooth learning method for the importance function, and (3) a dynamic weighting function for combining samples from different stages of the algorithm. We tested the performance of the AIS-BN algorithm along with two state of the art general purpose sampling algorithms, likelihood weighting (Fung and Chang, 1989; Shachter and Peot, 1989) and self-importance sampling (Shachter and Peot, 1989). We used in our tests three large real Bayesian network models available to the scientific community: the CPCS network (Pradhan et al., 1994), the PathFinder network (Heckerman, Horvitz, and Nathwani, 1990), and the ANDES network (Conati, Gertner, VanLehn, and Druzdzel, 1997), with evidence as unlikely as 10^-41. While the AIS-BN algorithm always performed better than the other two algorithms, in the majority of the test cases it achieved orders of magnitude improvement in precision of the results. Improvement in speed given a desired precision is even more dramatic, although we are unable to report numerical results here, as the other algorithms almost never achieved the precision reached even by the first few iterations of the AIS-BN algorithm.


text: This is a buildable minifigure. A majority of the "100" minifigures resemble horror characters.107SKU: MF107$5.00PriceQuantityAdd to CartBuy NowProduct InfoThis is minifigure number "107" from the 100s case that you see at the conventions. Return and Refund PolicyIf you are unsatisfied with your product or something is broken, email email@example.com. We will work with you to issue a refund and return. Shipping InfoShipping is calculated after you have completed adding items to your cart, and you are ready to checkout. Shipping is calculated by UPS, and there is a small default percentage increase, to account for non accurate shipping prices, and for the items needed for shipping and handling.


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Gloria Copeland
Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
Matthew 15:6
Cancer. Heart disease. Multiple sclerosis. When we think of killer diseases, those are the names that come to mind. But the truth is, there's a far more deadly killer on the loose in the Church today. And it's destroyed more lives than any of us can imagine. It's called tradition. Traditions rob believers of their healing. They steal the power from the promises of God. Here are three you should beware of:
1. The tradition that says it's not always God's will to heal you. It is God's will to heal you! It says so in His Word. If you don't believe that it is, then you can't pray in faith believing you'll receive. You're like the farmer who sits on his porch and says, "I believe in crops, but I'm not going to plant any seed this year. I'll just believe, and if it's God's will, my crop will come up." That farmer will never see his crop. Faith is the seed of healing—if you don't plant it, it won't grow. A prayer that includes the words "if it be thy will" won't produce a healing harvest. You must know without a doubt that healing is always God's will for you.
2. Another tradition we hear is that healing has passed away. That there are no miracles today. But the Word of God proves that's not true. In Exodus 15:26, God says, "…I am the Lord that healeth thee." He also tells us that He does not change (Malachi 3:6). He has never changed since the beginning of time. For healing to pass away, God would have to pass away...and He is not about to do that!
3. The third dangerous tradition is this one: "God gets glory from Christians being sick." That tradition totally violates the Word of God. The Bible says that people gave glory to God when they saw the lame walk and the blind see. God receives glory from your healing—not your pain!
The world is looking for a way out of sickness and disease, not a way into it. Let's break down those traditions and deliver a hurting world from the most dangerous killer of all.
Scripture Reading:
Mark 2:1-12


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The Pilgrims Didn't Wear All Black and White Clothing with Buckled Top Hats
Myth: Pilgrims wore black and white clothing with buckled top hats.
The myth that they dressed like this stems from the popular clothing style of the day in England in the late 17th century, which carried over to 18th and 19th century depictions. Artist depictions, at that time, depicted Pilgrims having worn the same style clothing that had become the fashion in England. These depictions of the Pilgrims' clothing then endured to this day.
In fact, historical records of Pilgrims' clothing, such as the passenger list of the Mayflower, wills, which included descriptions of clothing, and other such records, paint a very different picture than the late 17th century artists depicted. For starters, the Pilgrims didn't wear buckled hats. They also didn't wear buckles on their shoes or waists. Buckles were expensive and not in fashion at the time. They simply wore the much cheaper leather laces to tie up their shoes and hold up their pants. Buckles later became very popular in England for their expense and as a fashion statement. Those who were too poor to afford buckles wore laces, similar to the Pilgrims.
They also didn't only wear black and white. Their common garb was very colorful, as was the fashion at the time. They only wore predominately black and gray clothing on Sundays. The rest of the time, they wore heavily dyed clothing in many different colors; basically all the colors that could be achieved with natural dyes. For one example, a Pilgrim by the name of Brewster left his clothing in his will to someone, which was described as such: "one blew clothe suit, green drawers, a vilolete clothe coat, black silk stockings, skyblew garters, red grograin suit, red waistcoat, tawny colored suit with silver buttons."
If you liked this article, you might also enjoy our new popular podcast, The BrainFood Show (iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Music, Feed), as well as:
- Why Turkeys are Called Turkeys
- 10 Interesting Thanksgiving Facts
- 10 Thanksgiving Myths Dispelled
- The Author of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" was Largely Responsible for the Establishment of Thanksgiving and the Traditions Associated With It
- The Origin of Black Friday
Bonus Facts:
- Another myth surrounding the Pilgrims is that they would have probably died the first winter had the Native Americans not taught them various agricultural tips and tricks. In fact, the Pilgrims didn't come so unprepared. They had a contract with various merchants who would come regularly to bring them supplies of food, clothing, etc for a term no less than seven years, while they established their colony. They were also well versed in hunting and farming techniques from Europe. When the Pilgrims left, they were quite well aware of the colonies that had tried to settle in America and failed; thus, they took appropriate steps to avoid that happening to them.
- The first record of the term "pilgrim" applying to the Mayflower passengers, and those of their group that followed later, appeared in William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation. In it, he used biblical imagery to describe the Pilgrim's departure from Leiden in 1620: "So they lefte goodly & pleasante citie, which had been ther resting place, here 12 years; but they knew they were pilgrimes, & looked not much on these things; but lift up their eyes to ye heavens, their dearest cuntrie, and quieted their spirits."
- The next two instances of them being called Pilgrims came when Nathaniel Morton and Cotton Mather in 1669 and 1702, respectively, both paraphrased Bradford's words. The next reference was in 1793 by Rev. Chandler Robbins who recited Bradford's words at a Plymouth Forefathers' Day observance. From here, the term caught on and it became popular to toast to the "Pilgrims of Leyden" on this observance day. By 1820, Daniel Webster referred to this group as the "Pilgrims" at the Plymouth's bicentennial, which is hugely responsible for the term being picked up popularly as the name of this group.
- Yet another myth surrounding the Pilgrims and Thanksgiving is that they were taught by the Indians to make Popcorn and served it at the "first" Thanksgiving (note: the Pilgrims weren't the first settlers to celebrate an annual Thanksgiving feast in America). In fact, while there is little evidence of what they actually ate at their first Thanksgiving, it is very unlikely that they ate popcorn, due to the fact that all they had available was flint corn, at the time. This type of corn doesn't pop when heated, rather just expands slightly. Thus, it wasn't very palatable in this form, so they tended to boil it, preparing it as hominy.
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Statement Of Faith
Our Statement of Faith is the revised New Hampshire Confession of Faith from 1853. It is a historical document that continues to serve as a faithful summary of the doctrines we believe
We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter; that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.
We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, whose name is YAHWEH, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
We believe that Man was created in holiness, under the law of his Maker; but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state; in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but choice; being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil; and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse.
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God; who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon him our nature, yet without sin; honored the divine law by his personal obedience, and by his death made a full atonement for our sins; that having risen from the dead he is now enthroned in heaven; and uniting in his wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections, he is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior.
We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification; that Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the promise of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood; by virtue of which faith His perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us of God; that it brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God, and secures every other blessing needful for time and eternity.
We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a genuine repentance and obedient faith; and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth, but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel; which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.
We believe that, in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again; that regeneration consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind; that it is effected in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit, in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, and faith, and newness of life.
We believe that Repentance and Faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with genuine repentance, confession, and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest and King, and relying on Him alone as the only and all sufficient Savior.
We believe that Election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which He graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners; that being perfectly consistent with the free agency of man, it comprehends all the means in connection with the end; that it is a most glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, being infinitely free, wise, holy and unchangeable; that it utterly excludes boasting, and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in God, and active imitation of his free mercy; that it encourages the use of means in the highest degree; that it may be ascertained by its effects in all who truly believe the Gospel; that it is the foundation of Christian assurance; and that to ascertain it with regard to ourselves demands and deserves the utmost diligence.
We believe that Sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of his holiness; that it is a progressive work; that it is begun in regeneration; and that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Sealer and Comforter, in the continual use of the appointed means, – especially, the word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness and prayer.
We believe that such only are real believers as endure unto the end; that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a special Providence watches over their welfare; and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
We believe that the Law of God is the eternal and unchangeable rule of His moral government; that it is holy, just, and good; and that the inability which the Scriptures ascribe to fallen men to fulfill its precepts, arises entirely from their love of sin: to deliver them from which, and to restore them through a Mediator to unfeigned obedience to the holy Law, is one great end of the Gospel, and of the Means of Grace connected with the establishment of the visible church.
We believe that a visible church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His word; that its only scriptural officers are Bishops or Pastors, and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus.
We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost; to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its effect, in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is pre-requisite to the privileges of a church relation; and to the Lord's Supper, in which the members of the church by the sacred use of bread and wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination.
We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord's Day, or Christian Sabbath; and is to be kept sacred to religious purposes by the devout observance of all the means of grace, both private and public; and by preparation for that rest that remains for the people of God.
We believe that Civil Government is of Divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of the kings of the earth.
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death.
We believe that the end of the world is approaching; that at the last day Christ will descend from heaven, and raise the dead from the grave to final retribution; that a solemn separation will then take place; that the wicked will be adjudged to endless punishment, and the righteous to endless joy; and that this judgment will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell, on principles of righteousness.


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Dove Grey | Jolie Paint
Jolie Paint in DOVE GREY is as delicate as a dove's feather. It is a very light, warm grey that has hints of beige undertones depending on how the light hits the painted surface. This neutral color works with all other colors in any style or interior. It is truly universal hue.
COVERAGE: One quart (946ml) covers approximately 150 square feet (13.9 square meters). One Pint (473ml) covers approximately 75 square feet (6.97 square meters). One 4oz (118ml) sample covers approximately 18.8 square feet (1.7 square meters). Actual coverage may vary depending on surface and application.


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New Delhi, October 23: Indie music label Velvet Vibes presents" Ishq", a passionate ballad sung by Jazim Sharma, featuring Ruma Sharma, a song that perfectly portrays the extent to which one can go for their partner. In this masterpiece, the eminent singer Jazim Sharma crooned melodiously to give a new definition to love. The teaser of the song has already been applauded by the listeners for the fresh yet tranquil sound that undoubtedly sets it apart from other songs.
Talking about the song Miket Kanakia the CEO of Velvet Vibes, said," Ishq is a very soothing track with incredible lyrics! I am sure the listeners will be singing the song for days because, along with being a very passionate love song, it's also very catchy. I am positive that people will love and enjoy this song as much as I have!"
The collaboration of Velvet Vibes with Jazim Sharma on Ishq aims to make the listeners fall head over heels with the tune and feel the love in the air. This track is like an amorous letter, a passionate declaration by anyone who has been struck by cupid's arrow to their significant other. This song is a celebration of love. In addition, the Music Video features an endearing love story that is sure to take you on a journey that will resonate with anyone who has experienced pure and unbridled joy in seeing their partner. Share the love with your paramour with ISHQ, and make it a truly wholesome experience.
"ISHQ, A cool love song with a funky vibe, this peppy tune is a romantic journey. Penned by Janak Sharmila Ji in a Sufi style. Feel the passion, share your feelings with someone special! Love is in the air! "says singer Jazim Sharma
Talking about the collaboration with Velvet Vibes, Ruma Sharma says," I had great fun working with Miket and his team. I didn't feel like I was shooting for the first time with the team. It was so much fun! Looking forward to more of such experiences with Velvet Vibes.
"Ishq is a very beautiful song, and the reality is that anyone would do anything when it comes to love and through this track, everyone will relate to it!" she further adds.
Ishq is composed by Jazim Sharma himself, penned by Janak Sharmila, and produced by Ketan Kanakia. ISHQ is now available on Velvet Vibes Music's Official YouTube channel and all streaming platforms!
Here is the link:


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Made in America: A Social History of American Culture and Character, by Claude S. Fischer, University of Chicago Press, 511 pages, $35.00
A half-century ago, writing in the crucible of the early Cold War, American historians were convinced that something ran deep among U.S. citizens linking them to one another -- a national personality or fundamental essence that made Americans American. "By some alchemy," as Henry Steele Commager put it, "out of the blending of inheritance, environment, and experience, there came a distinctive American character." Louis Hartz and Daniel Boorstin suggested that its core was a deep-seated liberalism. David Potter argued that from the beginning, Americans were a "people of plenty," their history defined by material abundance. But whatever the particular interpretation, the "consensus historians," as they came to be known, viewed American character as distinct, coherent, and exceptional.
The very concept of national character went out of fashion in the 1960s when political and cultural events (not to mention challenges from New Left historians) made it harder to think of America in singular terms. There seemed to be too much conflict and diversity to locate a core. Social historians turned away from sweeping claims about all Americans in favor of detailed local studies of specific groups: slaves, pioneers, farmers, mill hands, shopkeepers, and immigrants. Suspicious of attempts to plot a unitary tradition, they disavowed not just previous definitions of American character but the notion of defining one at all.
This is partly what makes Claude S. Fischer's new history of American culture, Made in America, so intriguing. Fischer, a distinguished sociologist at the University of California, Berkeley, places the concept of national character right in the center of his analysis -- indeed, in his title -- and proudly claims the mantle of Commager and others in the consensus tradition. Even his argument is reminiscent of Potter's: "Centuries of material and social expansion enabled more people to become more characteristically 'American,'" Fischer writes.
What makes Fischer's task more challenging, however, is that he must contend with the voluminous findings that social historians have produced over the last four decades, often in an effort to dismantle consensus history. Fortunately, he is a master of synthesis, sifting through hundreds of studies of local communities and the lives of ordinary men and women (his footnotes make up a book in themselves) to arrive at what he sees as the defining arcs of American culture from the colonial period to the present. Fischer himself calls this an "outrageously vast and absurdly ambitious goal." Writing a history like his has a built-in tension, requiring sensitivity to the experiences of disparate Americans but also comfort with broad generalizations.
Fischer filters a mass of material through five themes that span American history: security, goods, groups, public spaces, and "mentality." That he reaches insightful conclusions about each illustrates the value of the long cultural view. Fischer holds, for example, that on balance, Americans gained physical and economic security over the centuries as diets improved, disease and violence diminished, and the economy grew. The federal government fostered this stability, yet paradoxically, increased security "may have reinforced Americans' confidence and sense of independence" so much that they could rail against the state as if they owed nothing to it.
Turning to trends in spending, debt, advertising, and working hours, Fischer discounts those who believe that a culture of consumption brought about a profound psychological shift. Americans in the early 21st century, he contends, are no more materialistic or "consumerist" than their predecessors but simply the beneficiaries of democratized luxury.
Fischer also weighs in on the ongoing debate about the fate of community and associational life, disagreeing with Robert Putnam and others who have seen only decline in civic engagement in the second half of the 20th century. According to Fischer, despite greater claims on their time, Americans remained enthusiastic "joiners" and were perhaps more deeply invested in informal book clubs and mutual support circles than were previous generations in formal clubs and lodges. Fischer views Americans' attitudes toward "the public" as more fickle. He sketches a zigzagging path, whereby the isolation of early American life opened up to an embrace of public spaces, political activity, and free mixing with strangers in the 19th century -- -followed by Americans' more recent retreat into private and "parochial" spaces where the chance of interaction with unknown others was limited.
Finally, Fischer traces the long tradition of self-improvement, expounded by citizens from Ben Franklin to Rick Warren, which he claims made Americans "better equipped to cope" with and control their lives.
Not surprisingly, given the breadth of his account, Fischer barely pauses to entertain debates that have preoccupied scholars for decades -- over whether modern advertisers created or responded to consumers' desires, for example, or whether parents became more attached to their offspring as child mortality decreased. But in digesting and analyzing a vast literature, he brings to a wider audience several generations worth of hard-won discoveries about American social life. Throughout, Fischer vividly evokes the past. "In the nineteenth century, migrants crossed the Appalachians with a few worldly goods slung on their backs," he writes. In 2000, by contrast, "families moving across state lines with the Mayflower company crammed, on average, over three tons of possessions into eighteen-wheelers." Lively accounts of religious revivals are accompanied by statistics -- such as the estimate that the sum total of Boston's churches in 1867 could accommodate only a quarter of the city's residents -- that help make sense of the bigger picture. And fascinating details pepper the narrative: Free home postal service, he notes, resulted from mid-19th-century worries about women in public.
But Made in America is not simply an entertaining narrative history. It is also an argument, or rather a set of arguments, about character and culture. The first is that "modernity" entailed less wrenching and negative change than most today believe. In the realm of culture and society, continuity -- or the intensification of already apparent patterns -- was the rule. Fischer writes, for example, that his is "not one more account of how American character was corrupted by rising individualism, egoism or selfishness." Instead, Americans "remained by Western standards remarkably committed to family, church, community, job and nation." Second, like Potter, Fischer sees abundance as the engine of American history: not simply economic wealth, in his telling, but an ever-increasing stock of security, health, social opportunities, political freedoms, and self-mastery. Third and most significant, he declares a Tocquevillian "voluntarism" -- a highly socialized individualism that led Americans to join groups and build communities -- to be the substrate of national character, the key trait that binds Americans together.
The concept of voluntarism carries a lot of weight for Fischer. Better health and longer life spans allowed more Americans to gain "that control and sense of capacity that is part of voluntarism," he writes at one juncture. Similarly, "the multiplication of goods" extended "the culture of American voluntarism" because "more Americans could more fully participate as Americans" in buying and expressing themselves through material objects. Even American friendships were "distinctly voluntary." Although the concept is useful in charting developments such as the liberalization of the family and religious affiliation, Fischer strains at times to squeeze each of his themes under the voluntarist umbrella.
All these arguments, moreover, depend on the premise that the whole of American culture, even something as amorphous as its emotional climate, moved in the same direction. It's an assumption that enables Fischer to describe Americans as sharing a character type -- "insistently independent but still sociable, striving, and sentimental" -- and to ask whether they became "more or less happy," confident, rational, or anxious over time. But treating an entire population as being of one mind can obscure more than it reveals. It leads to a portrayal of a culture without serious conflict or even great diversity, a culture, in short, of consensus.
Is this an America most of us would recognize? Fischer, a scholar who in the past has written extensively about the divides of class and race, finesses those questions by focusing on "average Americans' lives," a focus that entails, he says, devoting "less attention to those whose experiences diverged from the average." Leaving aside the difficulty of locating the mainstream in the first place, what this means, as Fischer readily admits, is equating middle-class culture, an "emerging bourgeois way of life," or even the "social character" of "Northeastern Protestants" with American culture. This he does out of a belief that now, as in the past, "the American middle class lives and promulgates the distinctive and dominant character of the society."
Although there is much that is illuminating in this approach, Fischer is open to the same line of criticism as were the consensus historians of the post-World War II era who enshrined uniformity and harmony as the keynotes of American life. His contention that individual Americans became "more American" over time as they joined the "expanding circle" of the middle class flattens and simplifies cultural history. It asserts rather than demonstrates that the middle class is the leading edge of cultural change, skirts class as well as ethnic and racial conflict, and doesn't in a serious way allow for the collision and commingling of various parties in the formation and evolution of national culture.
Concerned as it is with the contours of American character as well as culture, it is hard to read Fischer's book as other than an argument for consensus history. If Made in America is a reminder of the perils of that tradition, it also brings to mind what is compelling about it: clear storylines with the power to shape what Commager might have called the national imagination. There is an audience for such work and thus an opportunity for it to enter into public conversation and understanding. It is on this score that Fischer's accessible book is most valuable, upending much conventional wisdom about American history, from the religiosity of the founding generation to the lack of community spirit in our own.


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According to what the founders said,
the end is now near.
has destroyed America.
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"Without virtue there can be no liberty."
– Benjamin Rush
"Perfect freedom consists in obeying the dictates of right reason . . . where licentiousness begins, liberty ends."
– Samuel West
"History fails to record a single precedent in which nations subject to moral decay have not passed into political and economic decline. There has been either a spiritual awakening to overcome the moral lapse, or a progressive deterioration leading to ultimate national disaster."
– Douglas MacArthur
"While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but once they lose their virtue, they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader."
– Samuel Adams
* * *
From: free2pray.info…
Quotes of the Founding Fathers
The Importance of a Moral Society
John Adams in a speech to the military in 1798 warned his fellow countrymen stating, "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion . . . Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."…
Benjamin Rush, Signer of the Declaration of Independence said. "[T]he only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be aid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments. Without religion, I believe that learning does real mischief to the morals and principles of mankind."
Noah Webster, author of the first American Speller and the first Dictionary said, "[T]he Christian religion, in its purity, is the basis, or rather the source of all genuine freedom in government. . . . and I am persuaded that no civil government of a republican form can exist and be durable in which the principles of that religion have not a controlling influence."
Gouverneur Morris, Penman and Signer of the Constitution. "[F]or avoiding the extremes of despotism or anarchy . . . the only ground of hope must be on the morals of the people. I believe that religion is the only solid base of morals and that morals are the only possible support of free governments. [T]herefore education should teach the precepts of religion and the duties of man towards God."
Fisher Ames author of the final wording for the First Amendment wrote, "[Why] should not the Bible regain the place it once held as a school book? Its morals are pure, its examples captivating and noble. The reverence for the Sacred Book that is thus early impressed lasts long; and probably if not impressed in infancy, never takes firm hold of the mind."
John Jay, Original Chief-Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court , "The Bible is the best of all books, for it is the word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue therefore to read it and to regulate your life by its precepts."
James Wilson, Signer of the Constitution; U. S. Supreme Court Justice, "Human law must rest its authority ultimately upon the authority of that law which is divine. . . . Far from being rivals or enemies, religion and law are twin sisters, friends, and mutual assistants. Indeed, these two sciences run into each other."
Noah Webster, author of the first American Speller and the first Dictionary stated, "The moral principles and precepts contained in the scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. . . All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible."
Robert Winthrop, Speaker of the U. S. House, "Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled either by a power within them or by a power without them; either by the Word of God or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible or by the bayonet."
George Washington, General of the Revolutionary Army, president of the Constitutional Convention, First President of the United States of America, Father of our nation, "Religion and morality are the essential pillars of civil society."
Benjamin Franklin, Signer of the Declaration of Independence "[O]nly a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters."
"Whereas true religion and good morals are the only solid foundations of public liberty and happiness . . . it is hereby earnestly recommended to the several States to take the most effectual measures for the encouragement thereof." Continental Congress, 1778
* * *
Note that the above quotes are but a small sample of hundreds of quotes the Founding Fathers made in regards to the importance of a religious and moral people in a successful Republican Democracy.
In our young nation, the Bible was used as a text book for the purpose of teaching children moral principles to live by. As time went on, the Bible was gradually replaced by other text books such as Noah Webster's Primer. Webster's Primer taught children to spell but was also filled with moral Bible verses. In the front of his Primer was his picture with the inscription, "Who taught millions to read but not one to sin."
This is the exact opposite of the school curriculum today. The courts in this country have revised the First Amendment, thus erecting a wall of atheism around every public school in America, where in God is not allowed to be mentioned. This is not the same wall that Thomas Jefferson envisioned.
Has the School Prayer issue affected other Freedoms?
* Quotes on this page are from David Bartons videos and books, which are on sale at www.wallbuilders.com.
* * *
From: liberty1.org/virtue.htm
Compiled and Edited by J. David Gowdy, President
The Washington, Jefferson & Madison Institute
lib-er-ty\ 'lib-er-te` \ n [ME, fr. MF liberte', fr. L libertat, libertas, fr. liber free]
vir-tue\ 'ver-(,)chu: \ n [ME virtu, fr. OF, L virtut-, virtus strength, virtue]
"[V]irtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government."
George Washington
"Can it be that Providence has not connected the permanent felicity of a nation with its virtue? "
George Washington
"[T]here is no truth more thoroughly established, than that there exists . . . an indissoluble union between virtue and happiness."
George Washington
"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim tribute to patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness — these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. . . . reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principles."
George Washington
"The aggregate happiness of the society, which is best promoted by the practice of a virtuous policy, is, or ought to be, the end of all government . . . ."
George Washington
"Human rights can only be assured among a virtuous people. The general government . . . can never be in danger of degenerating into a monarchy, an oligarchy, an aristocracy, or any despotic or oppressive form so long as there is any virtue in the body of the people."
George Washington
"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters."
Benjamin Franklin
"Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor Liberty to purchase power."
Benjamin Franklin
"A nation as a society forms a moral person, and every member of it is personally responsible for his society."
Thomas Jefferson
"No government can continue good but under the control of the people; and . . . . their minds are to be informed by education what is right and what wrong; to be encouraged in habits of virtue and to be deterred from those of vice . . . . These are the inculcations necessary to render the people a sure basis for the structure and order of government."
Thomas Jefferson
"It is in the manners and spirit of a people which preserve a republic in vigour. . . . degeneracy in these is a canker which soon eats into the heart of its laws and constitution."
Thomas Jefferson
"[In a republic, according to Montesquieu in Spirit of the Laws, IV,ch.5,] 'virtue may be defined as the love of the laws and of our country. As such love requires a constant preference of public to private interest, it is the source of all private virtue; for they are nothing more than this very preference itself… Now a government is like everything else: to preserve it we must love it . . . Everything, therefore, depends on establishing this love in a republic; and to inspire it ought to be the principal business of education; but the surest way of instilling it into children is for parents to set them an example.'"
Thomas Jefferson: copied into his Commonplace Book.
"When virtue is banished, ambition invades the minds of those who are disposed to receive it, and avarice possesses the whole community."
Montesquieu (written by Thomas Jefferson in his Common Place Book).
"Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition."
Thomas Jefferson
"Liberty . . . is the great parent of science and of virtue; and . . . a nation will be great in both always in proportion as it is free."
Thomas Jefferson
"The order of nature [is] that individual happiness shall be inseparable from the practice of virtue."
Thomas Jefferson
"Without virtue, happiness cannot be."
Thomas Jefferson
"The institution of delegated power implies that there is a portion of virtue and honor among mankind which may be a reasonable foundation of confidence."
Alexander Hamilton
"To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea."
James Madison
"The aim of every political Constitution, is or ought to be first to obtain for rulers men who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of society; and in the next place, to take the most effectual precautions for keeping them virtuous whilst they continue to hold their public trust."
James Madison
". . . Virtue, morality, and religion. This is the armor, my friend, and this alone that renders us invincible. These are the tactics we should study. If we lose these, we are conquered, fallen indeed . . . so long as our manners and principles remain sound, there is no danger."
Patrick Henry
"Bad men cannot make good citizens. It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains. A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, is incompatible with freedom. No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue; and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles."
Patrick Henry …
"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our constitution as a whale goes through a net."
John Adams
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
John Adams
"Liberty can no more exist without virtue and independence than the body can live and move without a soul."
John Adams
"Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private, and public virtue is the only foundation of republics."
John Adams
"[I]t is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue."
John Adams
"The laws of man may bind him in chains or may put him to death, but they never can make him wise, virtuous, or happy."
John Adams
"Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone, which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People in a greater Measure than they have it now, they may change their rulers and the forms of government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty."
John Adams
"Honor is truly sacred, but holds a lower rank in the scale of moral excellence than virtue. Indeed the former is part of the latter, and consequently has not equal pretensions to support a frame of government productive of human happiness."
John Adams
"Human nature itself is evermore an advocate for liberty. There is also in human nature a resentment of injury, and indignation against wrong. A love of truth and a veneration of virtue. These amiable passions, are the "latent spark"… If the people are capable of understanding, seeing and feeling the differences between true and false, right and wrong, virtue and vice, to what better principle can the friends of mankind apply than to the sense of this difference?"
John Adams
"Our liberty depends on our education, our laws, and habits . . . it is founded on morals and religion, whose authority reigns in the heart, and on the influence all these produce on public opinion before that opinion governs rulers."
Fisher Ames
"It is certainly true that a popular government cannot flourish without virtue in the people."
Richard Henry Lee
"Whenever we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary."
Thomas Paine
"[N]either the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is the truest friend of the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue, and who, so far as his power and influence extend, will not suffer a man to be chosen onto any office of power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man."
Samuel Adams
"The diminution of public virtue is usually attended with that of public happiness, and the public liberty will not long survive the total extinction of morals."
Samuel Adams
"[M]en will be free no longer then while they remain virtuous."
Samuel Adams
"No people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffused and Virtue is preserved. On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant, and debauched in their Manners, they will sink under their own weight without the Aid of foreign Invaders."
Samuel Adams
"A general dissolution of the principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy…. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but once they lose their virtue, they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader…. If virtue and knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslaved. This will be their great security."
Samuel Adams
"No people can be great who have ceased to be virtuous."
Samuel Johnson
"No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people, but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality and virtue, and by frequent recurrence to fundamental principles."
George Mason
"[A] free government . . . cannot be supported without Virtue."
Samuel Williams
"In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the particular sect or denomination of the candidate — look at his character. It is alleged by men of loose principles, or defective views of the subject, that religion and morality are not necessary or important qualifications for political stations. But the scriptures teach a different doctrine. They direct that rulers should be men who rule in the fear of God, men of truth, hating covetousness. It is to the neglect of this rule that we must ascribe the multiplied frauds, breaches of trust, speculations and embezzlements of public property which astonish even ourselves; which tarnish the character of our country and which disgrace our government. When a citizen gives his vote to a man of known immorality, he abuses his civic responsibility; he not only sacrifices his own responsibility; he sacrifices not only his own interest, but that of his neighbor; he betrays the interest of his country."
Noah Webster
"…if the citizens neglect their Duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the Laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded."
Noah Webster
"Let a man's zeal, profession, or even principles as to political measures be what they will, if he is without personal integrity and private virtue, as a man he is not to be trusted."
John Witherspoon
"… the manners of the people in general are of the utmost moment to the stability of any civil society. When the body of a people are altogether corrupt in their manners, the government is ripe for dissolution."
John Witherspoon
"So true is this, that civil liberty cannot be long preserved without virtue."
John Witherspoon
"… but a republic once equally poised, must either preserve its virtue or lose its liberty, and by some tumultuous revolution, either return to its first principles, or assume a more unhappy form."
John Witherspoon
"A country cannot subsist well without liberty, nor liberty without virtue."
Jean Jacques Rousseau
"Machiavel, discoursing on these matters, finds virtue to be so essentially necessary to the establishment and preservation of liberty, that he thinks it impossible for a corrupted people to set up a good government, or for a tyranny to be introduced if they be virtuous; and makes this conclusion, 'That where the matter (that is, the body of the people) is not corrupted, tumults and disorders do not hurt; and where it is corrupted, good laws do no good:' which being confirmed by reason and experience, I think no wise man has ever contradicted him."
Algernon Sidney
"[L]iberty cannot be preserved, if the manners of the people are corrupted . . ."
Algernon Sidney
"[A]ll popular and well-mixed governments [republics] . . . are ever established by wise and good men, and can never be upheld otherwise than by virtue: The worst men always conspiring against them, they must fall, if the best have not power to preserve them. . . . [and] unless they be preserved in a great measure free from vices . . . ."
Algernon Sidney
"Fruits are always of the same nature with the seeds and roots from which they come, and trees are known by the fruits they bear: as a man begets a man, and a beast a beast, that society of men which constitutes a government upon the foundation of justice, virtue, and the common good, will always have men to promote those ends; and that which intends the advancement of one man's desire and vanity, will abound in those that will foment them."
Algernon Sidney
"[I]f vice and corruption prevail, liberty cannot subsist; but if virtue have the advantage, arbitrary power cannot be established."
Algernon Sidney
"If the public safety be provided, liberty and propriety secured, justice administered, virtue encouraged, vice suppressed, and the true interest of the nation advanced, the ends of government are accomplished . . ."
Algernon Sidney
"[L]iberty without virtue would be no blessing to us."
Benjamin Rush
"Without virtue there can be no liberty."
Benjamin Rush
"The only foundation for… a republic is to be laid in Religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments."
Benjamin Rush
"No free government can stand without virtue in the people, and a lofty spirit of partiotism."
Andrew Jackson
"Lastly, our ancestors established their system of government on morality and religious sentiment. Moral habits, they believed, cannot safely be on any other foundation than religious principle, nor any government be secure which is not supported by moral habits."
Daniel Webster
"[I]f we and our posterity reject religious instruction and authority, violate the rules of eternal justice, trifle with the injunctions of morality, and recklessly destroy the political constitution which holds us together, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us, that shall bury all our glory in profound obscurity."
Daniel Webster
"Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith."
Horace Greely
"What is liberty without wisdom and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint."
Edmund Burke
"Among a people generally corrupt liberty cannot long exist."
Edmund Burke
"Manners are of more importance than laws. Upon them in great measure the laws depend. The law touches us but here and there, and now and then. Manners are what vex and smooth, corrupt or purify, exalt or debase, barbarize or refine us, by a constant, steady, uniform, insensible operation, like that of the air we breathe in. They give their whole form and color to our lives. According to their quality, they aid morals, they support them, or they totally destroy them."
Edmund Burke
"It is better to cherish virtue and humanity, by leaving much to free will, even with some loss of the object , than to attempt to make men mere machines and instruments of political benevolence. The world on the whole will gain by a liberty, without which virtue cannot exist."
Edmund Burke
"Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their appetites; in proportion as their love of justice is above their rapacity; in proportion as their soundness and sobriety of understanding is above their vanity and presumption; in proportion as they are more disposed to listen to the counsel of the wise and good, in preference to the flattery of knaves. Society cannot exist unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere, and the less of it there is within, the more there must be without. It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things, that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters."
Edmund Burke
"Among a people generally corrupt liberty cannot long exist."
Edmund Burke
"[T]he very best forms of government are vain without public virtue . . . ."
William A. Cocke
"No polity can be devised which shall perpetuate freedom among a people that are dead to honor and integrity. Liberty and virtue are twin sisters, and the best fabric in the world . . . ."
James H. Thornwell
"[P]erfect freedom consists in obeying the dictates of right reason, and submitting to natural law. When a man goes beyond or contrary to the law of nature and reason, he . . . introduces confusion and disorder into society . . . [thus] where licentiousness begins, liberty ends."
Samuel West
"When was public virtue to be found when private was not?"
William Cowper
"The laws by which the Divine Ruler of the universe has decreed an indissoluble connection between public happiness and private virtue, whatever apparent exceptions may delude our short-sighted judgments, never fail to vindicate their supremacy and immutability."
William Cabell Rives
"Unless virtue guide us our choice must be wrong."
William Penn
"If men be good, government cannot be bad."
William Penn
"The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful and virtuous."
Frederick Douglas
"[R]eligion, morality and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall be forever encouraged."
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
"I consider the domestic virtue of the Americans as the principle source of all their other qualities. It acts as a promoter of industry, as a stimulus to enterprise and as the most powerful restraint of public vice. . . . No government could be established on the same principle as that of the United States with a different code of morals."
Francis Grund
"The American Constitution is remarkable for its simplicity; but it can only suffice a people habitually correct in their actions, and would be utterly inadequate to the wants of a different nation. Change the domestic habits of the Americans, their religious devotion, and their high respect for morality, and it will not be necessary to change a single letter in the Constitution in order to vary the whole form of their government."
Francis Grund
"History fails to record a single precedent in which nations subject to moral decay have not passed into political and economic decline. There has been either a spiritual awakening to overcome the moral lapse, or a progressive deterioration leading to ultimate national disaster."
Douglas MacArthur
"[Liberty] considers religion as the safeguard of morality, and morality as the best security of law and the surest pledge of the duration of freedom."
Alexis de Tocqueville
"I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her comodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies; and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast commerce, and it was not there. Not until I visited the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."
An old adage attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville
"Somehow strangely the vice of men gets well represented and protected but their virtue has none to plead its cause — nor any charter of immunities and rights."
Henry David Thoreau
"To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society."
Theodore Roosevelt
"We have never stopped sin by passing laws; and in the same way, we are not going to take a great moral ideal and achieve it merely by law."
Dwight D. Eisenhower
"No government at any level, or at any price, can afford, on the crime side, the police necessary to assure our safety unless the overwhelming majority of us are guided by an inner, personal code of morality. And you will not get that inner, personal code of morality unless children are brought up in a family — a family that gives them the affection they seek, that makes them feel they belong, that guides them to the future, and that will build continuity in future generations. . . . the greatest inequality today is not inequality of wealth or income. It is the inequality between the child brought up in a loving, supportive family and one who has been denied that birthright."
Lady Margaret Thatcher
"A state is nothing more than a reflection of its citizens; the more decent the citizens, the more decent the state."
Ronald Reagan
"Today it would be progress if everyone would stop talking about values. Instead, let us talk, as the Founders did, about virtues."
George Will
"The ultimate success of this government and the stability of its institutions, its progress in all that can make a nation honored, depend upon its adherence to the principles of truth and righteousness."
John Lord
"Righteousness exalteth a nation."
Proverbs 14:34
[FreedomQuote] Erin Gruwell: "Evil prevails when good people do nothing."


text:
Count of all reads with MAPQ = 0 across all samples (MQ0)
Category Variant Annotations
Count of all reads with MAPQ = 0 across all samplesThis anotation gives you the count of all reads that have MAPQ = 0 across all samples. The count of reads with MAPQ0 can be used for quality control; high counts typically indicate regions where it is difficult to make confident calls.
It is not useful to apply this annotation with HaplotypeCaller because HC filters out all reads with MQ0 upfront, so the annotation will always return a value of 0.
Related annotations
- MappingQualityZeroBySample gives the count of reads with MAPQ=0 for each individual sample.
- LowMQ gives the proportion of reads with low mapping quality (MAPQ below 10, including 0).
GATK version 22.214.171.124 built at Sat, 23 Nov 2019 16:20:54 -0500.


text:
Over the weekend I posted a brief review of the film To End All Wars and indicated that, while it was quite a good movie, I would hesitate to recommend it because of the amount of swearing it contains. That comment led to some discussion over at Boars Head Tavern and another blog or two. Joe Carter also wrote a lengthy article entitled "What the @*&#…? A Christian Critique of Swearing" in which he discussed my position among others. As I read critiques of my Puritanical outlook on swearing I realized that I have an underdeveloped "theology of profanity" – I know what I believe about the issue, but not why I beleve it. And so, as I usually do, I began to research and write. This article and one which I hope will follow tomorrow will be the fruits of my effort.
Judging by what I have read on this topic it seems to be a prerequisite that the person writing affirm his ability to swear. So let me assure you that I can swear as well (or as poorly, depending on your perspective) as anyone. Being raised in a Christian home and attending a Christian school, though certainly great blessings, did not negate the desire to learn and use the rich, vulgar vocabulary so prevelant in society. One does not have to be a Marine or a member of the Air Force to swear. So while I am perfectly capable of doing so, like most Christians, I have found that as I have grown in holiness, my swearing has slowed accordingly. Or, as Joe Carter said, "that the further along I tread on the path to sanctification the less I feel the need to use such language myself."
Too many people, when discussing this issue, approach from what I feel is the wrong perspective. When we examine any issue of morality, ethics or Christian living we should not approach from the perspective of "what can I get away with?" but of "how Christ-like can I be." So let's approach from that perspective, not seeking license but seeking absolute purity and conformity to God's perfect standards.
A common argument against limiting vocabulary is that God did not include in the Bible a list of forbidden words. This, of course, would not have been possible as words, along with their meanings, change from culture-to-culture and from language-to-language. My purpose is not to provide a list of words that a Christian can say with a clear conscience and another that, when uttered, will require repentance and forgiveness. That would be satisfyingly legalistic, but would also be both unrealistic and unbiblical.
We should also note that words are deemed profane not on the basis of something intrinsic to a combination of letters or sounds but on the basis of their cultural understanding. You have probably heard, as I have, of people with names that, in one society would be considered profane while in others they have an entirely different meaning (by way of example, "Fuk" is, I believe, an acceptable Korean name). Words, then, have a meaning that is extrinsic to their combination of letters or sounds. Meaning is assigned within a language and even within a society. That the letter combination s-h-i-t spells a word that is considered profane while the letters p-o-o-p do not, is societal convention. We may be tempted to decide that this is ludicrous and declare emancipation from such societal silliness, but the fact is that words carry with them meaning, in both denotation and connotation. We cannot seperate these two. While words have only extrinsic meaning, it cannot be denied that they do have meaning and they are used to communicate ideas or sentiments. Thus the extrinisic meaning is what determines whether a word is acceptable or profane.
Before we begin, I feel it is important that we realize that the tongue is not an isolated instrument in the body. The tongue or the mouth speaks for the heart. Said otherwise, what proceeds from the mouth is a sure indication of what is in the heart. If a mouth pours forth filth, it is a sure indication that there is also a filthy heart. If a tongue spews forth rebellion, there is rebellion in the heart. If the tongue pours out praise, there is godly joy in the heart. We see this most clearly in the books of Proverbs and James. "The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth" (Proverbs 10:20). Note the parallel between the tongue and the heart. " So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!" (James 3:5). So while in this brief article we may be examining words, the issue strikes deeper – as deep as the heart.
We will not discuss swearing at another person, nor will we discuss using blasphemous words, for those are both clearly forbidden in the greatest and the second greatest commandments. Using a profane word to describe another person is wrong on a deeper level than merely the words used for it shows that there is anger and hatred towards that person. Thus these words are merely a sympton of a far deeper problem. The same is true of blasphemous words uttered against God. What we will discuss, then, is the idle or flippant use of words that society has deemed to be profane. These are the words you might use to describe defecatory activities or the words you might scream when you stub your toe. We all know them far too well.
As with all matters of morality we must begin with the Bible, since, as Protestants, we believe it to be our only infallible guide for matters of life and faith. We need to look at this from two angles: from the angle of what is forbidden in Scripture and from the angle of what is commanded. We will turn to that discussion in our next article.