text:
Luciano Pitronello
The abyss does not stop us
The abyss does not stop us. Communique at one year after the Bombing that almost cost me my life
First days of June, 2012
To the conscious rebels; to my companions scattered across the world:
A little more than a month has passed since everything changed for me that cold predawn of June 1st last year, and I believe that to not declare myself about it would be to play along with the game that has me here prisoner in the hospital of the Santiago 1 prison, and it would be a dishonour to myself, but above all to you my dear compañerxs who worry about me.
I should say: I wanted to make a balance one year from when all this happened, but did not manifest it publicly for two reasons: the first is because that text was too compromising, and the second and more important in my opinion is because nothing was really analysed in it, it was only a compilation of frustration, resentment and hatred that raged against everyone, cursing those who ran off, but now I want to do it, I feel the lucidity to be able to deliver some words that I am sure are so deserved.
But before beginning, I want to advise you of the reasons for my delay. The days have not been easy, the permanent confinement has begun to do its work, and my mood has been terrible, which is why my first draft of this communique ended up being a compendium of rage and ire; arrogance, aggressiveness and haughtiness began to flourish in my attitudes, and faced with some situations I simply did not recognize myself, but I fight, I fight to continue forward and not betray myself, trying to fight my own self in daily life, reminding myself and not forgetting who I am and why I am here.
Well here I go…
As concerns my wounds and healing it has gone very well, the daily exercises and practice in the manual labour of life have been done, I say this with a great smile, that I have surpassed the disability of knowing myself semi-mutilated; as for my vision it has improved greatly, but I should continue with the ocular treatment for a good time; as for the burns, apart from being all healed many have evolved positively, even so, I should keep using the special compression suit for the burns and the rose hip oil. At least for me, this chapter that has to do with my physical state is closed, happily the bomb did not kill me.
My emotional state has been weakening over the past days, but this is due to the permanent confinement, I know that all prisoners have our highs and lows, so I am optimistic about this situation, after all, the confinement cannot be forever, and if it was then they would only have my flesh, because my mind and spirit will carry on in the street next to each combatant, smiling and conspiring, and I say this not as a poetic slogan I affirm it as a reality that is reflected in the projection of insurgent dreaming where the authoritarian values of domination are crushed in various ways.
Prison is hard, I will not deny it, but it is possible to confront it, and we are witnesses of that, myself and each and every one of my companions who have in different ways embraced me to make me know that I am not alone. The exemplary punishment that power boasts so much about is nothing of the sort, at least in my case, since my comrades as well as myself do not have a clue why their media-spectacle is realized successfully, and what's more, the only example we follow here is the one we give ourselves, wielding our best weapon: solidarity.
Self-critiques I make many, above all in this episode that is called prison, where I have taken out the worst of myself, for which I humbly beg the pardon of each and every one of the comrades who I have shown my teeth to in one way or another, those I have attacked only for the desire to unload my anger, those I did not want to see/write due to the rage and envy that my condition created in me, and above all, I beg the pardon of everyone who has had to swallow bad faces, disagreeable times and my poor character for the sole fact of wanting to be in solidarity with me. So as I ought to confess I have not been at the height of the circumstances, of your solidarity which is enormous, but here we are ready to move forward, to fall and to get back up again, to learn from the errors — this is the idea, right?
If I am to make a constructive criticism it would be only that perhaps there is a lack of first-hand information about what it is to live the consequences of choosing a rebel life, what it means to live in prison and isolation, what this brings with it, understanding more closely the stigma of being considered a terrorist and what goes on with our lives when this happens, familiarizing ourselves more with subjects like clandestinity and exile that are recurrent places in the struggle for freedom in a way that is more real and less imaginary, and finally starting to speak more about torture, the methods the enemy applies, crime as base value for a State-police, mutilation as a possibility in the war against authority, pain and agony as part of the life of warriors, and thus each and every one of these difficult possibilities that one can face, beyond speculation and charlatanry.
If I am to share my scant, but no less intense, experience in this sense, I would say that the work of prison and isolation have to do more than anything with a moral demotivation, the others start not to matter a bit, likewise what is happening outside, you adhere yourself to the prison reality, this is your world now, what do you get from knowing about what is happening outside if you are inside? You start to worry always less about yourself, you do not care about anything, you become contemptuous of others and the environment, you begin to value others' efforts to get a smile out of you less and less, because they are not living your nightmare, it follows that you lose the fear of anything because you know that you have lost everything and you are at the bottom of the abyss, you have fucked life, you turn hostile and aggressive, seeking in this way to end everything soon, that the jailers crush you with their batons for the insults you hurl at them every day, and that, if you are lucky, they'll give you a hand and you'll end up dead, to finally rest from the psychosis you are carrying or, in the worst case, that other prisoners do this task to show you who has the most balls. When the psychosis of confinement advances, gestures of solidarity begin to matter little, you put to yourself emotional traps like "Why see importance in a gesture of solidarity if I remain prisoner?" or even worse, you articulate phrases like,"They are not suffering the consequences like I am," and you curse your luck; but some hard loving and caring slaps are needed to warn us of the toxicity of these thoughts, that is to say, it is really stupid to believe that only we live the consequences of confinement, and it is not that one wants for everyone to live these consequences, but the sense of not being alone and helpless makes us strong, therefore, when a comrade falls prisoner it doesn't just have to do with their confinement/punishment, there are many noble hearts who decide to accompany the comrade in this new situation, acting in solidarity with him/her, being present, writing, spreading news of their situation, vindicating them in the street, with flyers, pamphlets, posters, shouting their name in the demonstration, breaking the symbols of power in their honour, etc. Prison and isolation do their work, you start to dig your own grave and alone you go deeper into it, until you end up hearing phrases so absurd as that you are alone, and the worst of this self-imposed trap is that we ourselves take care of driving off the tools that can help us to not decline, and then, sickly, we complain and get depressed from the forgetfulness we have buried ourselves in, because by now no one remembers us, no one is in solidarity with us, the desperation eats us up inside, and what we think would be our greatest weapon to confront adversity was crushed by the walls of silence, our will shattered, and so your projects become of little relevance, you get discouraged easily, the future becomes uncertain, you start to lose interest in life, and one anguishing night you end up hanging yourself in your cell.
So in order to not fall into these kinds of dynamics it is important to observe oneself constantly and to be evaluating ourselves, clinging to the things/people/circumstances that make us well, and distancing ourselves from the harmful (as much as possible), because certainly to reach a state of carceral psychosis is not a matter of one day or another, it is a monster that goes on growing in of our minds and hearts with the passing of times, and it is effectively a gradual process that we can become aware of and combat before it is too late.
I should say that nobody ever told me what permanent confinement meant (much less how to confront it), my most real encounters were the anecdotes of one book or another, and the rest was experienced through my imagination, with this, I am never saying that today I was not ready to assume the costs of the postures I had chosen in life, but it definitely would have been a great help to me. Fine, but at least in my case I have tried to face this arming myself with projects to contribute to, even from my condition, it is important to find sense in your days, they can be simple things, reading a book and giving your opinion, writing with others who are imprisoned or not, creating music/poetry, learning to draw, exercising your body, etc; but here I make an note, our most important projects, at least in permanent confinement, should be those that are needed only from our readiness and will, and therefore, I do not foreclose on the possibility of contributing in projects that are beyond our physical limitations, but one must keep in consideration that these can bring oceans of frustrations with them: someone doesn't come to visit, does not write me back, forgets to bring this or that, that we organize ourselves around certain themes, and if our senses of life are limited in turn to just projects in the street, with a few trip-ups of this kind we will be taken down in terms of morale more or less quickly; therefore I believe that one must maintain two kinds of projects, one that makes us maintain contact with the other side of the wall, and the other that must do more than anything with an individual labour, that can generate itself even in conditions of maximum confinement, something that happens in unfortunate cases, be it loss of communication with the outside, or the seizure only of the material we use for our individual projects, so we do not decline in morale. It is important to create support networks for oneself in order to not crumble along the way, to be observant and analyse what the prison reality offers you and to take from it what you deem convenient, which is to say that if the prison keeps you in total isolation you can take advantage of the silence of this situation to read, write or reflect, alternatively if it offers you the courtyard you can take advantage of it to exercise or talk with other prisoners (one can always learn something useful), and thus in a substantial way the possibility of elaborating an escape plan or a mutiny always exists independently of the regimen they submit us to.
If I am to speak about another one of the possible consequences of this war that some fill their mouths with so much, it would be to say that to be recognized as an enemy of authority is not easy, less so when you are labelled as a terrorist in the media, your social environment is affected almost unanimously, family members, friends and comrades take off running, turn their backs on you and often deny they ever knew you, few are the brave who dare to remain with you, the public opinion does its work and through all the possible methods the system tries to isolate you, they don't have to get their hands dirty with the death penalty anymore, these days the methods are more sophisticated and democratic, they make your life cease to have meaning because they distance you from everything that you are a part of, and they don't just do this physically by getting you in a cage, but also psychologically to reduce your convictions, they demonize you collectively, they erase the memory of what you once were and they transform you into a television case, in a failed explosive attack, in a bank robbery with a policeman killed, or into a member of a phantasmic terrorist organization, you are that, you are your letter of presentation, to such an extent that if you don't become aware that you are much more than what the press says, you end up believing it; and the best example can be given by Mauri–why is he known for an unsuccessful May 22 and has anyone ever heard of the times when he helped some elderly people in his neighbourhood with their heavy shopping bags? We ourselves are responsible for reducing him to a date on the calendar. Society strikes you psychically, your days no longer have the sense they did before, you are worth nothing and you have ruining the lives of everyone around you — Why keep existing? Why cause more pain? They no longer need to stain their hands with your blood; please, we are civilized people, instead they incite you to finish yourself off, because they have reduced you to a mere episode, you are that, a terrorist who only knows how to create pain around him, and so the best thing you can do is to do your loved ones a favour, that is if you still have anything of a heart left, and end your life. This is the hidden discourse that reproduces our shiny Chilean democracy, there are no longer any revolutionaries, now they minimize us as mere terrorists, because clearly a revolutionary is someone with feelings, with ideas, love of freedom and a companion of the oppressed, that is, someone worth imitating, instead the terrorist is a shadow with impunity who has no heart and is obsessed with the use of violence due to past childhood traumas — so how to face this situation?
For my part I have learned to keep public opinion at bay, which is usually the opinion of the bourgeois press, with the simple act of analysing their role one manages to halt much of their discourse, although I will not deny that many times in their work they have hurt me deeply, above all when you become aware of these opinions coming from the mouths of people you love, when they are the ones who put you between the spade and the wall: either kill yourself or keep hurting us, wow, how difficult, how intense, then it is your turn to decide, you or they, you or those you love most, and if you choose yourself what sense will life have without them? Will you choose yourself? Do you love them so little? You? Them? The instinct of survival or your love? Which is stronger? Apparently neither is the correct alternative, but I choose my life, if I do not love myself, it is impossible for me to love others. And I end up expelling various persons from my life and from my heart for always, I keep going, alone and wounded like that predawn, confused, with death stalking me and red in flames of ire, life hit me again, but it is only another chapter and I get up again, this time with the help of what was never missing: solidarity. Now I reflect on it, one year after the bombing that almost cost me my life, and I do not repent these decisions, the pain was better, like the bomb, it was momentary, but life continued and the suffering of these episodes went diffused with the passing of time, life continues, struggle continues, and what is insurmountable today will tomorrow be nothing more than a story, another chapter in this existence of combat.
At this point I have spoken of two possible consequences in revolutionary struggle, prison and being recognized as an enemy of society, but I have not spoken of the consequence that is most noted in my case, the mutilation of our bodies and how we can keep fighting in spite of this. If I am to speak of healing and how the mutilation of our bodies becomes like a cross that one must carry for life, I believe that it is important to point out that each case is particular, having its windows and own difficulties. But I suppose that in the final count there are enough similarities. At first you are discouraged, it is like a cataclysm that dusted your life away and all beautiful feelings find themselves under the rubble of mutilation, desires that what happened to you had only been a bad dream that you will soon wake up from, you become obstinate toward the obvious, this could not have happened to you, there must be an explanation, but the only explanation is the one the mirror gives you, the days pass, you get depressed, you think that you will never get past it, you need to ask for help for some basic tasks and this causes you an uncomfortable humiliation, you become hateful and this new situation frustrates you, the people who try to encourage you notice your resignation, life like this does not make sense, but they apply themselves to support you in spite of your mood, you are irritated, you don't want to do exercises or rehabilitate yourself, you want to send everything to the shit, take your life away, this seems to be an option, but you are afraid that in the attempt you will end up worse off, you are confused, you cry in the nights of solitude and you make yourself like a wild beast in front of others, you are wounded you know, but you have to heal your heart to be able to start to recover. If you manage to make it this far, you have taken a step forward in the path toward victory, your victory, because this is a battle, now you should arm yourself with patience, frustration is just around the corner, one, two, three, one hundred falls, nobody said it would be easy, but look at yourself, you don't do it very well, but you do it, and alone, without help, a pat on the back, the rest is practice they tell you, if you could do it once, you can do it again, you look around you, physically you are alone, and you accomplish it: you smile. How long has it been since you smiled? You don't need to show it to anyone, you have shown it to yourself, you are a warrior giving one of your best fights, you resign yourself not to die, this is for the brave, a few more stumbles, ridicule from the usual suspects, reality takes care of putting you on the uphill, you lay it on yourself, it is difficult, but you already did not renounce yourself, that is a fact, you look back, you've come a long way to collapse here, now you have reasons to continue, you cannot fail all of them, the who you love and who want to see you happy, but above all, you cannot fail yourself, you told yourself this once when things were difficult, you are a warrior for life, and you clench your teeth against the shame, sometimes you say horrible things, you are implacable in front of yourself, other times you feel the proudest in the world, you did not fall in spite of everything, the days move forward, you start to take in the ritual of all this, you no longer turn sour before your reflection, you begin to accept it, you learn things that are new for this context, but not so new for life itself, you relearn to learn, things now are seen in a different nuance and one afternoon with the sun still as company you set the ultimatum, if I do not remake my life by this date then I will not go on with this madness…
Finally you persist, you manage to get past it, that date arrives when you have to make the evaluation of your performance and the smile on your face reveals that you have passed the text with success and excellence, then you do not feel disabled nor incapacitated, nor anything, you are another warrior, ready to face anything.
As for what concerns my case in particular, I suppose that what happened to me was what happens in the majority of serious accidents, I wanted to seek a rapid and simple solution (death), but some provoked me, some very rudely, at least they tried to, and so, clinging to solidarity I kept on until the recovery began to give its first results, now with this background I got it into my head that I could get myself up out of this fall, I remember that the stubbornness and obstinacy played much in my favour, since there were people who did not give a shit about my recovery (including medical specialists), but in the end I would make the best judgement myself, it would only a question of time, I also remember that I went through many embarrassments that I would prefer not to disclose hahaha, and these happened because I went against time in my recovery, I tried to do/practice everything, even without having rehearsed things, and I say that I went against time because I wanted to go into the prison as recovered as possible, I did not want to even think of a prison guard assisting me, I luckily that never happened. After going into the prison on November 22 with a tight stomach and high morale, I prepared to take advantage of this new situation of total confinement to finish with rehabilitating completely, and there was no lack of times when they ridiculed me for my physical condition, but in the face of these situations I bit my tongue and thought that sooner or later they would regret their jokes, because I knew better than anyone that they were spitting at the sky, soon I would be totally recovered and they would not dare to speak to me that way; the time passed, I took my time, I went as slow as a turtle, I exercised every day without a break, whether it was cold or hot, I was disciplined with myself, and it was a question of practice, patience and perseverance (the 3 "P"s like I told you) to find myself totally recovered, and well, here I am, look at me one year after the bombing that almost killed me. Who said that I would bite the mud of humiliation forever? Who said that I would be defeated for the rest of my life? Who said that the struggle does not make us great? If my ideas can bring me to lose my life, they can also bring me to recover it, that was always my gamble, and so I have thrown myself with all my strength into the fight, because I recognize in it the greatness to break the chains, and it is a matter of observing me in the everyday to confirm this assertion, if with telling you that I can even thread a needle, like this, as I am, with 8 of the 10 fingers of my hands, I can tie my shoelaces, cook, wash, make nice origami cubes and if it pleases me I can even carry out all the tasks that I did before, clearly, the only small difference is that it takes me a little longer, but that is such a small detail, so insignificant if you compare with how close I was to death, with what passed over, because after everything I always knew it, for revolutionaries impossibilities do not exist, and my splendid recovery is proof of that.
What matters is to never lose the spirit of struggle, not ever, it does not matter how terrible things look, but while your mind and your heart do not betray you the rest becomes mere detail, our bodies can weaken, it is true, but what makes us great has nothing to do with flesh and bones, what turns us into giants are our convictions, our spirit of knowing that we do what is correct.
Now, I write these lines not only to warn of the awful consequences that revolutionary struggle can bring with it, I also do it to contribute in the creation of new and not so new methods for confronting the difficult journeys that we can carry our decisions along. And And it is that on this occasion I can contribute with some examples, through which I encourage other comrades to share their experiences, since the possibilities of struggle are infinite, madness, rape, exile, mutilation, victory, torture, clandestinity, laughter, imprisonment, pain, betrayal, amnesia, dependency, beatings, humiliation, death, all of these, none, others, and so many more, and how many of the warriors in the street today who fight against power and its designs know this? That is, how prepared are we to assume the costs of the social war if we do not know these kinds of things? Can we speak of not repenting without having all this in consideration? Do we understand the significance of prison? What it brings with it? Or do we comprehend what it carries when a comrade is mad? How far do we understand the consequences of declaring ourselves enemies of the State/Capital?
In a struggle against the system in its totality, we have everything to lose, and do we accept these conditions before we embark on the search for our dreams? I am of the idea of knowing what one is involved in, so as to also know to abide by the consequences, assuming them and coming out gracefully through them, because otherwise what happens is what a dear and close compañera warned of: we turn ourselves into the worst propaganda of struggle.
If we think carefully, it should not surprise us that many comrades of before have chosen self-exile as a response to some of these consequences, and it really very difficult to continue the fight in an area where through the media and socially the system cries for your annihilation, in the end how can one confront the system when it is obsessed with confronting you, having you individualized, located and pointed out? Now, I believe that if it is indeed true that the exile of before served to hide behind the comfort of a normal life, far from the criminalization of revolutionary ideas, today, and with the validity of the proposal of the comrades of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire, of arming an International Revolutionary Front, it remains clear that it does not matter whether we find ourselves prisoners, exiles in another region, or clandestine on another continent, the struggle is only one and it surpasses the barriers of nations and borders, because independently of the language we speak or the idiosyncrasies that differentiate us, the struggle continues to be against structures of power, against the values of authority and against the logic of exploitation and domination, bonding us in this way with each and every one of the warriors who fight for the same objective as ourselves: freedom. I recognize myself in the internationalist struggle, since I know first-hand its excellent results, which is why I take advantage of this instance to unite myself to the proposal of the comrades in Greece, embracing the initiative of the FAI/FRI as a project that appeals to the same criteria as I, hoping that this communique can be a true and real contribution, above all for the comrades who live in situations similar to mine and/or to those who in an unwanted future will have to pass through this.
If I am to make a balance of all this, one year after the bombing that almost cost me my life, my result is positive, very positive, and I will not deny that things were difficult, because there were days dark as the depths of the sea, when everything was crumbling around me, my life as I had constructed it went to shit, but this helped me, with the pain caused, to learn that all this I had built I had not made sufficiently solidly as to endure the praxis of my discourse, if family, friends, comrades and lovers took off flying away from my side, to speak much more profoundly than just physically, to see myself in this situation where many thought that it would be better for me to just sink alone before I would take more people down with me, since they believe that I would never get back up from this, if all these people underestimated me because in their smallness they thought that they themselves wouldn't be able to stand such a fall as mine, today they are not at my side, it is only for their mediocrity, because know this: I do not lack the affection to forgive them, after everything, not one of us was prepared for this. But for all the rudeness of my words and life, there was no lack of gestures of love and absolute dedication, making me know that in spite of everything they were with me, in the good and in the bad, until the end, reaffirming bonds already forged, perhaps only with incredulous gazes of companionship, with one or another conversation walking around the block, sharing a snack or fraternally criticizing each other on the bench of a plaza.
Power wanted me out of the fight, they wanted to suspend me eternally in June 1st 2011, and they even try to do it today, it is something to observe why I am known and where I find myself, but for me none of this is over, I will continue, I will get up, I will show my claws again and I will keep fighting, confronting the enemy constantly, as in my best times, because I am not a warrior who must be remembered with longing, I am another companion, another one of the pack, only in the bowels of the prison beast, all that differentiates me from the companions in the street is the situation that we face, but if you are able to risk your freedom and even life in the struggle that bonds us, why should it be different for me? One year after the failed attack on the Santander bank branch, I have raised myself with ferocity, I won, even though I sit on the bench of the accused, because I knew to take the reigns of my life with my own hands, I triumphed in the face of the life of commerce that they want to impose on us and in the face of death as the only exit, but this victory is not only mine, what arrogance it would be on my part to believe so, because if it were not for the bold comrades who dared to send me their encouragement and care, know this for certain that today I would not be writing these lines, and so, we, the combatants of the new urban guerrilla, are their defeat.
To all those beautiful people who understand that the social war is much more than bombs, bullets and benzine, and who know that solidarity is much more than a hobby to invest your free time in, to all those who cannot pacify their dreaming while they know that one of their own is suffering, to those who if they did not have the free time kept looking for it, skipping work or class because they know that it depended on them to raise a comrade's morale, to all those who took on the fun and exciting adventure of conquering freedom, to the comrades of the FAI/FRI, to my dear friend Reyhard Rumbayan (Eat), who with his noble gestures has brought me strength when I was weak, to all those absolved of the bombs case frame-up, whose freedom meant a smile for me when it seemed it would be a torment, to the comrades of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire, who with their dignity motivate me to continue fighting, to Gabriel Pombo da Silva, Marco Camenisch, and to all the comrades investigated and arrested in the repressive raid against the anarchist movement in Italy, to Mauri who taught me that a wolf clenches his jaw even after death, to the autonomous collectives who attack with decisiveness, to the companions who are clandestine, exiled or hostage, to the brave solidarians, to the conscious rebels, to all of you I dedicate these lines, I send you a warm embrace and I owe you the determination of keeping me alive, because you have to know, you were oxygen when there was none.
Because when you shouted "strength compañero" I felt stronger than ever! Because neither prison nor agony nor death will detain us! Long live the International Revolutionary Front! Long live the Informal Anarchist Federation! Death to the State! The struggle continues! Toward victory, always!
Luciano Pitronello Sch. Insurrectionalist Political Prisoner.


text:
By the Holy Hieromartyr Anastasios II,
Patriarch of Antioch (599-610)
The grace of the Holy Spirit always urges us, throughout Holy Writ, to fulfill the Divine commandments. This is especially true of the admonitions of the Prophet David that are chanted daily in our psalmody. For, the Book of Psalms instructs us in piety, sets forth ordinances concerning faith, teaches temperance, leads us to the fear of God, and speaks about punishment, compunction, continence, repentance, compassion, the love of God, the patience of God, chastity, long-suffering, fasting, and beneficence. Now, assiduity and attentiveness in prayer and in reading the Divine Scriptures are the mother of all the virtues. It is by prayer that we obtain every request and gift from God; as Scripture says: "Praise god in the congregations" (Psalm 67:26, LXX), and "in the midst of the church will I sing praise to thee" (Psalm 21:22, LXX). Hence, the Prophet, in the person of God, quite naturally suggests that we practice unceasing assiduity and attentiveness towards God, saying: "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 45:11, LXX). Thus, without great attentiveness and diligence in prayer and the reading of Divine Scripture it is impossible either to receive what one requests from God or truly to know God.
For, if it often happens that one who spends a sufficient number of years in secular schools is scarcely able to learn this or that skill, how much more must one who wishes to attain to knowledge of God and to please Him devote his time to God and fervently and ardently elevate his soul to Him as it were on wings until the end of his life? Do you not see how those who assume temporal and transitory power, whenever they grasp some opportunity, are driven and impelled by their own thoughts as if by fire, and every one of them says: "As long as I find the opportunity, as long as I am in power, as long as I am able to give orders and demand obedience, as long as life's affairs turn out well for me, I will acquire riches, build, plant, plunder, prosper, and seize the initiative before there is a change in circumstances! I will not wait, I will not be negligent, for I do not know what the next day will bring!" The majority of men are urged on by these and similar thoughts, as if driven and impelled by demons; they are suffocated by the temptations and cares of this life, and without any profit. None of them gives any thought to the soul, death, punishment, or judgment. We practically ignore ourselves and deceive ourselves. And if this were all, it would not be so bad; but we hate and slander one another, we plot against each other, and we envy, calumniate, and mock one another. None of us pays any attention to his own sins, no one is concerned about his own load; but we examine the sins of our neighbors with precision and are filled with mud up to our necks, and yet, we are not at all bothered about this. We worry about other people's affairs until old age, and not even in old age do we examine our own vices. We see the small faults of our brothers, but we do not see the beam in our own eye. We are weighed down by the burden of our sins, and yet, we busy ourselves with the flaws of others. Not even then do we feel shame; we spare no one and respect no one, but bite everyone. We devour everyone, the small, the great, the guilty, the innocent, Priests, our teachers, those who lead us, those who admonish us, and those who correct us. And for this reason, the wrath of God is coming upon us. It is because of the blindness that grips us that we are being chastised and delivered up to many afflictions and calamities.
Great is our blindness, great is our indolence, great is our negligence. We have no compunction, no fear of God, no amendment, no repentance; our mind is directed entirely towards wickedness, wantonness, and drunkenness. It often happens that, throughout the day, when we occupy ourselves in theatres, shameful conversations, and the other works of the devil, we do not become bored, and we even despise food, our homes, and life's other necessities on account of these pursuits. But in the Church of God, we do not want to stand for even one hour before God in prayer and reading; rather, we hasten to depart from His Church as if from a fire. As for the Holy Gospel, if a longer passage is read, we get angry and stand there listlessly; if the Priest who is reciting the prayers prolongs them just a little, we be come sullen and inattentive. If the one who offers the bloodless Sacrifice proceeds too slowly, we become bored and morose, we yawn, and we hasten to withdraw from prayer as swiftly as we would from a court of law. And yet, we are incited by the devil to go and engage in idle and prodigal activities. Great is our wretchedness, my beloved. Although we ought to be ardent and zealous in all prayer and supplication, and especially in the Divine Liturgy of the Immaculate Mysteries, and although we are obligated to attend with fear and trembling before the Master at such a gathering, yet we do not make even this offering to Him with a sincere conscience in a spirit of contrition and humility; rather, we carry out our legal transactions and deal with our many vain concerns at the Holy Eucharist.
There are some who are not concerned about the cleansing and repentance with which they should approach the Holy Table, but about the kind of clothing with which they are to adorn themselves. Others come, but do not see fit to remain in attendance until the service is over; they ask other people what is going on at the Eucharist and whether it is time for communion. Then they burst in hurriedly, like dogs, snatch the Mystical Bread, and depart. Others who are present in the Church of God do not keep silent even for one hour, chattering with one another, intent on babble rather than on prayer. Others relinquish the Mystagogy of the Divine Liturgy and give themselves over to carnal pleasures. Others pay no heed or attention to their consciences, for they do not cleanse themselves of the filth of sin through self-examination, but add to the burden of their sins by contemplating the beautiful figures of women, making the Church of God into a brothel through their irrational concupiscence. Others make business and property deals, turning the Church, at that most awesome hour, into a stock exchange and a marketplace. Others engage in mutual backbiting, and even against the very Priests who are offering the Eucharistic Sacrifice.
Certain women are not exempt from these criticisms, and, in particular, all those who are slaves to the devil and do not attend the Church of God so much for the sake of prayer as to be seen and to lead many of the more naïve men astray. Therefore, since my exhortation concerns the two sexes, both men and women, I shall return to the original purpose of my discourse, expressing and deploring the kinds of woes that our own indolence and contempt have wrought for us who suppose ourselves to be Christians. What could be more dreadful than such behavior, when, being replete with rapine, wickedness, and multitudes of sins, washing our hands with a little water, and being thus unclean and defiled, we take into ourselves that Holy Body and the Divine Blood which was shed for the salvation of the world?
Do you not see how Judas, after partaking of the Body of the Master unworthily and treacherously, was immediately condemned and gave more room to the Evil One? For, Scripture says: "And when he had taken the sop, Satan at once entered into him" (John 13:27); not because the devil disdained that Bread, but so as to convict the partaker of communing to his own condemnation. For with what con science, tell me, do you approach the Mysteries? In what state of soul, with what thoughts, having your conscience within you as your accuser? Tell me, if you were carrying dung in your hands, would you dare to touch the king's robes? And why am I saying this? You would not touch even your own clothes with dirty hands, but you would first wash them and dry them, and then you would touch your clothing. Why, therefore, do you not render to God the honor that you accord to mere clothing? And tell me, what forgiveness will you enjoy? For, it is not entering into the Church of God and venerating the sacred figures on the Holy Icons and the Precious Cross that is pleasing to God; nor is it washing one's hands in water that constitutes cleansing, but, rather, avoiding and washing away the filth of sins both by confession and by tears, and purging away the stains of sins by means of a humbled soul. Only thus may we approach the Immaculate Mysteries.
But perhaps someone will say: "It is not pleasant for me to weep and lament over myself." And why is this? It is because you do not toil, you lack understanding, and you do not take into account the fearful Day of Judgment. However, if you cannot weep, at least groan heavily, look sad, and restrain laughter; at least cast away elation and stand before the Master with fear, inclining your eyes to the ground and confessing to Him with a downcast spirit. Do you not see how those who stand before an earthly king–and oftentimes even an un godly one–stand before him with all reverence, gazing at him with trembling, not saying anything or moving, and without agitation, but stand before him in silence and awe? But we stand in the Church of God as if we were in a theatre or a bathhouse, laughing, babbling, and chattering. Thus, we deceive ourselves, failing to keep in mind that we are standing in church.
Do you not know that the Church of God is a surgery and a harbor? Now, if you remain in a surgery ailing and unhealed, when, henceforth, will you be cured? And if you are tempest-tossed in a harbor, where, hereafter, will you find rest? Stand with reverence, I implore you. Stand with awe at the fearful hour of the Anaphora; for with whatever attitude and thoughts each of you attends at that hour, such also is the frame of mind in which he offers worship to the Master. The oblation is called the Anaphora because it is offered up to God. Therefore, stand before God in silence and compunction. Con fess your sins to God through the Priests. Condemn your actions and do not be ashamed; for, "there is a shame that bringeth sin, and there is a shame which is glory and grace" (Ecclesiasticus 4:2 1). Condemn yourself before men, so that the Judge may justify you before Angels and the whole world. Seek mercy, seek forgiveness, seek remission of past sins and deliverance from future sins, so that you may approach the Mysteries worthily, so that you may partake of the Body and Blood with a pure conscience, and so that it may be for you unto purification and not unto condemnation. Hear what the Divine Paul says: "Let each man examine himself, and so let him eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's Body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep" (I Corinthians 11:27-30). Do you notice that illness and death result, for the most part, from approaching the Divine Mysteries unworthily?
But perhaps you will say: "And who is worthy?" I, too, am aware of this. However, you will become worthy, if only you desire it. Recognize that you are a sinner. Cut yourself off from sin. Desist from sin, wickedness, and anger. Display the works of repentance; endue your self with prudence, meekness, and forbearance. Show compassion from the fruits of righteousness for those in need, and you will have become worthy. Beseech God with a contrite heart, and He will fulfill your petitions; for, if you do not do this, you will be wasting the time that you spend in church. These are not my words, but the voice of the Master: "And why say ye, Lord, Lord, and do not My will?" (cf Matthew 7:21; Luke 6:46); for, "faith without works is dead" (James 2:20). "And why," someone will object, "because I have evil deeds, should I not pray? Why should I not spend time in the Church of God?" This is not what I am saying, nor do I even countenance it. But I beseech you to pray as you ought, so that when we draw near to God in our prayers, we may stand before Him in a way that befits Him, lest Christ say to us as He did to the Jews: "My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves" (Matthew 21:13). For, if those who sold and bought in the Judaic temple were beaten by the Lord and expelled, what kind of punishment and Gehenna is in store for those who slander each other and remember wrongs? What suffering will be inflicted on us who swear allegiance to God, but are subject to the devil?
For, since the Priest is a mediator between God and man and propitiates God for the remission of the sins of the multitude, consider how he fortifies everyone in advance and bears witness, as if saying words such as these to the people: "Since you have established me, O my people, as a mediator before God on your behalf at this mystical Table, I implore you, be as zealous as I am. Refrain from all worldly thoughts. Forsake every bodily care. It is time for fervent prayer, not for idle pursuits. Hear what the Deacon exclaims to you, when he says: 'Let us stand well, let us stand with fear.' Let us be attentive to the holy Oblation, let us incline our necks, let us restrain our minds, let us hold our tongues, let us give wings to our minds, and let us ascend to Heaven. Let us lift up our minds and hearts, let us raise the eye of our soul up to God, let us traverse Heaven, let us go past the Angels, let us go past the Cherubim, and let us run to the very Throne of the Master, let us grasp Christ's immaculate feet themselves, let us weep, let us, as it were, compel Him to be compassionate, and let us give thanks in the holy, heavenly, and ethereal Sanctuary."
The Priest affirms these things to us when he says: "Let us lift up our hearts." What do we then say in response to these words? "We lift them up unto the Lord." What are you saying? What are you doing? Our minds are distracted by corruptible and transient things, and they devote themselves to vanities, possessions, pleasures, and court cases. And you say: "I lift it [my heart] up unto the Lord"? Make sure, I beseech you, that you have your heart elevated to the Lord, and not lowered to the devil. What are you doing, O man? The Priest is offering the bloodless Sacrifice to the Master for your sake, and you view it with disdain? The Priest is struggling for your sake. Standing before the Altar as if before a dread tribunal, he implores and urges that the Grace of the Holy Spirit might come down to you from on high, and you take no thought for your own salvation? Do not carry on like this, I beg you. Abandon this evil and vain habit. Cry out with the Priest who is struggling for you, toil with him who prays for you. Offer yourself for your salvation: "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16). It will be effectual if you struggle together with the Priest and manifest the fruits of repentance; for, "when one buildeth and another pulleth down, what profit have they except labors?" (Ecclesiasticus 31:23). What is not terrible about this destruction, when you not only lie to Christ at that dread hour of the Divine Eucharist, but also feel rancor towards your own brothers, although you say in the Lord's Prayer, "and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12)?
What are you saying, O man? Why do you display such audacious insolence towards God? You remember wrongs which you brother has done to you, while you sharpen a knife to use against him, devise mischief against him, and bear malicious poison in your heart, and yet you cry out to God: "Forgive me my debts, even as I, too, have for given my debtor"? Have you come to pray in God's Church or to lie? To receive Grace, or to draw down His wrath upon yourself? To gain forgiveness of sins, or to add to your sins? To obtain salvation or punishment? Do you not see that we give each other the kiss of peace at that fearful hour precisely in order that, having rejected every "bond of iniquity" (Isaiah 58:6) and hard-heartedness, we might draw near to the Master with a pure heart?
What are you doing, O man? While the six-winged Angels are ministering and covering the mystical Table, the Cherubim are standing around and exclaiming the Thrice-Holy Hymn with clear voices, the Seraphim are bowing their heads with reverence, the Hierarch is propitiating God on your behalf–all of them concentrating on the proceedings with fear and trembling–, the Lamb of God is being sacrificed, the Holy Spirit is descending from on high, the Angels are running about all the people unseen as they note down and register the souls of the Faithful, do you not shudder at the disdain that you show and at the kiss of Judas that you give to your brother, concealing in your heart the recollection of wrongs committed many years ago and the pernicious venom of the serpent against your brother? How can you not shudder and fall down when you say to Him Who knows the secrets of the heart: "Forgive me, even as I, too, have forgiven my brother"? In what way does such a prayer differ from a curse? Why, in saying this, you contradict yourself: "If I pardon, pardon me; if I forgive, forgive me; if I show sympathy, show sympathy to me; if I harbor a grudge against my fellow-servant, harbor one against me; if I am angry, be angry with me; with what measure I measure, let it be measured to me; if I forgive with hypocrisy, may I be shown mercy with hypocrisy. I shall pronounce the verdict against myself, O Master. For I have heard Thy fearful voice, which says: 'For with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again' (Matthew 7:2); and: 'If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you' (Matthew 6:15). Convinced by the assertion of these unerring words of Thine, I have pardoned and forgiven those who have sinned against me. Therefore, O Master, pardon me, just as I, too, have pardoned my fellow-servants."
Let us say these things. Let us pray them every day when we are present at the time of the awesome and dread Eucharist. In recognition of this, the Priest, after the consecration of that bloodless Sacrifice, elevates the Bread of Life and shows it to everyone. The Deacon then exclaims, "Let us attend," that is, "Be attentive to yourselves, brethren. Behold, shortly before this you agreed when you said: 'We lift our hearts up unto the Lord.' And again, confessing your purity of heart and freedom from rancor, you said: 'Forgive us, as we forgive our debtors.' For this reason, you gave one another the kiss of peace. But since I, too, am a man and do not know your thoughts, I refrain from passing judgment on them; for I do not know who is worthy or unworthy to partake of these Mysteries, and this is why I tell you to be attentive to yourselves and to be aware of the One before Whom you stand."
The Priest then immediately adds: "The Holy Things are for the Holy." Now, what is he saying? "Be careful, brothers, how you draw near to partake of the Divine Mysteries, lest any of you, when approaching to commune, should hear: 'Do not touch Me, depart from Me, you who remember wrongs and work iniquity. Go far away from Me, you who do not forgive your brother. And then come and offer your gift, and you will be counted worthy to commune (cf Matthew 5:23-24). Cast off from yourself all the filth of evil, and then come and receive the coal that purifies.' Say to Him: 'I know, O Master, that I am a debtor with many sins and offenses, but because of Thy commandment, I have forgiven my brothers, so that I, too, may be vouchsafed forgiveness from Thee, O Master." These things and the like are suggested to us by the Priest through that small exclamation.
So, let us who desire to "walk worthily of the vocation wherewith we have been called" (Ephesians 4:1) forgive our brothers and cast off all evil and wickedness from ourselves. Do not say, "I have forgiven my brother many times and he has sinned against me again," because you, too, will hear the same words from the Master. Do not say, "So-and-so has greatly offended me, he has designs on my house, he has appropriated my land, he has killed my son, he has caused me many woes, he has thrown me into prison, he has handed me over to death, and this I cannot forgive." No, my beloved, do not talk this way, I beg you. As much as you pardon your brother, so much and much more will the Master pardon you. Imitate Stephen, the first among the Martyrs. Now, what did he say while he was being pelted with stones? "O Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts 7:59).
Imitate James, the Brother of God, of whom ancient historians [see Eusebios, Church History, Book II, ch. 23 (Patrologia Graeca, Vol. XX, col. 201A)–Trans.] relate that he prayed for those who were about to kill him and said: "O Lord, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (cf Luke 23:34). Imitate the Master Himself, Who accepted death for the sake of your salvation, and, if your brother wants to hang you on a tree, cry out with the Master and say: "Father, forgive them this sin" (cf Luke 23:34). Consider the man who owed ten thousand talents to his master. When you hear "ten thousand talents," understand by this the burden of sins. After this man had fallen down before his master, pleaded with him, and implored him, he was forgiven the entire amount. But because he harbored a grudge and did not forgive his fellow-servant, he forfeited the pardon that he had obtained and was delivered to eternal Hell. His rancor alone was sufficient to destroy him, over and above all of those grave sins that amounted to ten thousand talents (Matthew 18:23-35).
So, I beseech you, let us flee from this wicked and unforgivable sin. And, if you want to learn that the darkness of rancor is worse than any other sin, listen to me. Every other sin is committed for a short time and is quickly accomplished. For example, one fornicates, and after this he realizes the magnitude of the sin, and recognizes his guilt. But remembrance of wrongs is an unceasing and festering passion. For, whether he stands up, lies down, prays, or travels, one who is gripped by this passion retains the poison of it in his heart unceasingly and unremittingly, with the result that, being thus enslaved, he neither enjoys the Grace of God nor obtains the forgiveness of his sins. Where rancor puts down its roots, nothing is of any avail: neither fasting, nor prayer, nor tears, nor confession, nor supplication, nor virginity, nor almsgiving, nor any other good deed. Rancor towards one's brother destroys everything.
Let us also take careful note of the following point. Christ did not say, "If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thou hast ought against thy brother," but "if thou rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift" (Matthew 5:23-24). If, therefore, we ought to heal the evil and wickedness of a brother, what forgiveness do we have, not only if we fail to do this, but also if we remember wrongs that our brothers have done to us and conceal with in ourselves the pernicious venom of the serpent? I often hear many people saying: "Alas, how can I be saved? I do not have the strength to fast, I do not know how to keep vigil, I cannot practice virginity, I cannot bear to withdraw from the world–how, then, can I be saved?" How? I will tell you. Forgive, and you will be forgiven (cf. Luke 6:37). Behold, a single short path to salvation. I will show you a second way, too. And what is this? "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged" (Luke 6:37). Behold, another way, one that does not involve fasting, vigil, or effort.
Therefore, do not judge your brother, even if you see him sinning with your own eyes. For, there is one Judge and Master, Who will render to each man according to his deeds, and one Day of Judgment, on which we shall stand, laid bare according to our actions and receiving the mercy of God. "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son" (John 5:22). He, therefore, who judges before the Second Coming of Christ is an Antichrist, for he usurps the office of Christ. Let us not judge our brothers, I implore you, so that we might be vouchsafed forgiveness. Well, perhaps you see him sinning; but you do not know what kind of ending his life will have. That thief who was crucified with Jesus had committed homicide, whereas Judas was an Apostle and Disciple of Jesus and one of His genuine Disciples. And yet, within a short span of time an exchange took place: the thief entered the Kingdom, while the Disciple went to perdition. Now, granted your brother is a sinner, how do you know about his other deeds? For, many who have sinned frequently and openly have secretly brought forth great repentance. We see them sinning, but we have no knowledge of their repentance and conversion. By us they are judged to be sinners, but they are justified by God.
Hence, I beseech you, let us not remember wrongs or judge any man until the coming of the just Judge, "Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts" (I Corinthians 4:5). Above all, do not judge any Priest of God regarding secret and uncertain things that you have heard about him. Do not say: "He who offers the Eucharist is a sinner, he is condemned, he is unworthy, and the Grace of the All-Holy Spirit does not descend." Do not think anything of the kind. There is Another Who knows and examines what lies hidden. Know this about yourself, that everyone is superior to you, and leave the judgment to the just Judge. As long as a Priest is not in error about the dogmas that pertain to God, it is not for you to judge the rest–if, indeed, you have not taken leave of your senses, but are aware of your limitations and know your place. "Well then," someone will say, "is a Priest not subject to spiritual court and ecclesiastical Canons?" Yes, of course. However, he will not be judged by you, but by God, or in many cases by a Hierarch. Why do you, being a sheep, judge the shepherd? Why do you Pharisaically usurp the judgment of God and a sacred office which has not even been entrusted to you by God?
For this reason, I implore you, do not judge anyone, and especially not a Priest of God, but approach the Divine Mysteries with faith, efficacious repentance, and a pure heart, and you will attain to complete sanctification. For, even if an Angel of God offers the bloodless Sacrifice, and you approach unworthily, in no way will the Angel cleanse you of your sins. That what I am saying is true is attested by Judas himself. In his case, after receiving the Divine Bread from the immaculate hands of the very Master, because he received It unworthily, Satan immediately entered into him.
And if you would like to hear a story to the effect that not judging frees one from sins, and conversely, that judging places a seal on one's sins, then listen. As Christ the Master is my witness, those who beheld this event are still alive and in the flesh. A certain monk, who had passed his life in complete negligence and sloth, became sick unto death. When he had reached his last breath, he was not at all afraid of death, but began to depart from his body with the utmost gratitude and eagerness. One of the God-loving Fathers sitting beside him asked him: "Brother, believe me, looking at you, we used to reckon that you had spent your life in total idleness and negligence, and so we do not know how you can be so free from anxiety at this time." To this, the brother replied: "Truly, reverend Fathers, truly I have passed my life in complete slothfulness, and now the Angels of God have brought the record of my sins to me at this very hour. After reading aloud the sins which I had committed since the time I renounced the world, they said to me: 'Do you recognize these sins?' And I responded: 'Yes, I certainly do; nevertheless, ever since I renounced the world and became a monk, I have neither judged any man nor remembered any wrongs.
And I beg you to observe in my case what Christ said: 'Judge not, and ye shall not be judged,' and: 'forgive, and ye shall be forgiven' (Luke 6:37). When I had said this to the Angels, they immediately tore up the record of my sins, and behold, I am going to Christ full of joy and free from anxiety." After relating this story to the Fathers, the brother surrendered his spirit to the Lord in peace, giving a very beneficial and edifying example to those present. May we be deemed worthy of this benefit and edification, and of the portion of those who preserve themselves invulnerable to all condemnation and rancor, by the Grace and love for mankind of our All-Holy and merciful God, for to Him are due all glory, honor, and worship, together with His Only Begotten Son and His All-Holy and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
From Patrologia Graeca, Vol. LXXXIX, cols. 825A-849C. Translated and published by Orthodox Tradition, Vol. XIX, No. 3 & 4 (2002), pp. 12-21.

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Singer Skales, has made it known that he has never been under pressure from Wizkid and unlike many think, can actually create an even bigger brand with his talent.
Speaking with Sunday Scoop, the Temper crooner opened up about his time at EME record, ex-home to singer Wizkid, saying contrary to what many thought, he was never pressurized by Wizkid.
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Childhood can bring a lot of phobias and anxiety — fear of the dark, or thunder, or monsters, or going to the doctor, or the potty, or school, or the dentist... Eek! So here's a list of great children's books to help kids cure their inner worrywart and rest easy. Looking for more? Use our Book Finder tool to search for new books for kids of all ages!
More: The Best Books About Anxiety For Kids: An Age-by-Age Guide
Are you looking for more book ideas? Check out our author interviews from Candlewick Press!
The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone
Whenever something scary lurks, reach for this classic fear-busting Little Golden Book "starring loveable, furry old Grover." The blue Sesame Street star begs and begs readers not to turn the page because, you know, there's a monster at the end of it. "Oh, I am so embarrassed," Grover says on the last page because — you guessed it — he is the monster at the end of the book!
Recommended age: 2 and up
Can't You Sleep, Little Bear? by Martin Waddell
It's another sleepless night for Little Bear in his dark cave. Big Bear lovingly brings brighter and brighter lanterns to help ease the cub's fears. When those don't help, there's only one thing left to do: show Little Bear the warm, ever-shining glow of the stars and moon. This soothing story ranks up there with our other favorite bedtime stories like Good Night, Moon.
Recommended age: 3 and up
The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson
Poor little Plop! Being an owl who hates the dark is extra-tricky, you see, because owls hunt for food at night. Fortunately, his mommy shows him all the magical things that only happen at night: fireworks, star-gazing, visits from Father Christmas, and more. Maybe the dark isn't so bad after all.
Recommended age: 3 and up
What a Bad Dream by Mercer Mayer
Nightmares happen to everyone, including Little Critter. One night, one of his dreams starts out great, with him skipping baths, eating fudge pops for breakfast, and getting a gorilla as a pet. But it quickly turns into a nightmare when he realizes his family is nowhere to be found, so he has no one to read to him, tuck him in, and give him a hug. Everything is better when he wakes up to his mom and dad comforting him.
Recommended age: 3 and up
Say "Ahhh!" Dora Goes to the Doctor by Phoebe Beinstein
Dora is due for a checkup, and you know what that means: strange equipment and some poking and prodding. This simple book takes tots through the steps of a typical doctor visit, such as getting weighed and measured, and having your heartbeat, eyes, ears, and throat checked. It's really not so bad!
Recommended age: 2 and up
Curious George Goes to the Hospital by H.A. Rey
Uh-oh! Curious George has eaten a puzzle piece, so he needs to go to the hospital for an operation. He needs X-rays and shots and a few days of rest while his tummy recovers. Whether your child is ever a hospital patient or visitor, or he just wants to read this for fun, it's a must-read in the beloved Curious George series.
Recommended age: 3 and up
The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Open wide! Sister Bear has a loose tooth, and Brother Bear has a small cavity, so it's time to go to the dentist. This cheerful book shows kids what it's like to climb up in the dentist's chair and see all the funny tools the dentist uses. After reading it, your child might actually love going to the dentist.
Recommended age: 3 and up
The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Another great Berenstain Bears book addresses not only stranger safety but also the fear of strangers — making it perfect for kids who are confused by the rule "don't talk to strangers." When Sister Bear begins to think of all strangers as evil, Mama Bear explains some common-sense concepts. The book concludes with a list of "Bears' rules for safe conduct among strangers," including a rule about the privacy of a bear's body.
Recommended age: 3 and up
Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco
Boom! Thunder rumbles and crashes so loud, it's no wonder many children are scared of it. In this story, when a storm rolls in, a wise grandmother consoles her frightened granddaughter by showing her that dark clouds and rumbles in the distance are nothing more than the ingredients for a "thunder cake." Bonus: a recipe for a yummy Thunder Cake is included at the end.
Recommended age: 4 and up
It Hurts When I Poop! by Howard J. Bennett
Like many little kids, Ryan fears going potty. He's afraid that going poop will hurt, so he refuses to go. Sound familiar? Ryan's "poop program" helps him overcome his fears and confidently use the potty. Parent reviews rave about how this book helped solve their child's toilet troubles.
Recommended age: 3 and up
The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
Whether your child is dealing with separation anxiety or grief, or is generally afraid of being alone, she'll take comfort in learning about the invisible string. As twins Jeremy and Liza learn from their mom, there's "an invisible string made of love" that connects people's hearts even when they're not in the same place. It's a sweet message that resonates with kids.
Recommended age: 3 and up
First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
Sarah Jane's first day at a new school looms on the calendar, and when it finally arrives, all she wants to do is hide under the covers. "I don't know anybody, and it will be hard and... I just hate it, that's all." All the reasons to be anxious build and build before the author finally reveals that (surprise!) Sarah Jane is a teacher, not a student — proving that even adults get first-day jitters when they face something new. Check out these other back-to-school books to get kids excited!
Recommended age: 5 and up
Badger's Parting Gifts by Susan Varley
Many children are afraid of — or at least curious about — death. This heartwarming book tenderly addresses this tough subject. It explains how the memories we make with loved ones live on long after they're gone. It reminds kids that love is the kind of gift that you can't see, but that you feel in your heart, giving you hope and comfort when you miss someone.
Recommended age: 4 and up
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda D. Williams
Any child who is afraid of Halloween — or creepy, dark nights in general — should meet the fearless little old lady who stars in this book. When the signs of a ghost — shoes, pants, and a pumpkin head — appear one by one and chase the old lady, she assures the floating figures "I am not afraid of you!" Kids will love the "CLOMP CLOMP" and "WIGGLE WIGGLE" refrain as the objects move, and are sure to become just as brave as the little old lady. (Check out these other cute Halloween books.)
Recommended age: 4 and up
Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
The world outside Scaredy Squirrel's tree can be scary — with germs, and insects, and sharks, not to mention green Martians — so he never leaves. But one day, when his nightmare comes true and he finds himself out of his tree, he leaps into the unknown and discovers some very cool, quite un-scary things. It's a cute story for kids dealing with all different forms of anxiety.
Recommended ages: 4 and up


text: Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson (www.bradartson.com) holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean's Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles. Rabbi Artson has long been a passionate advocate for social justice, human dignity, diversity and inclusion. He wrote a book on Jewish teachings on war, peace and nuclear annihilation in the late 80s, became a leading voice advocating for GLBT marriage and ordination in the 90s, and has published and spoken widely on environmental ethics, special needs inclusion, racial and economic justice, cultural and religious dialogue and cooperation, and working for a just and secure peace for Israel and the Middle East. A Professor of Philosophy, he is particularly interested in theology, ethics, and the integration of science and religion. He supervises the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program and mentors Camp Ramah in California (Ojai) and Camp Ramah of Northern California (Monterey Bay). He is also dean of the Zacharias Frankel College in Potsdam, Germany, ordaining Conservative rabbis for Europe. A frequent contributor for the Huffington Post and for the Times of Israel, and a public figure Facebook page with over 33,000 likes, he is the author of 12 books and over 250 articles, most recently Renewing the Process of Creation: A Jewish Integration of Science and Spirit (Jewish Lights). Married to Elana Artson, they are the proud parents of twins, Jacob and Shira.


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09 Jul 2021
Restrictions on certain activities and non-essential visitors – applies to schools outside of Greater Sydney (including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour).
All students are expected to be at school unless they have even the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms.
Under the current health orders, there is nothing to restrict students and staff who must attend school from moving between two areas with different levels of restrictions. Students and staff should reduce traveling to geographical areas with higher levels of COVID-19 restrictions in place.
A reminder for all families
Students should not attend school if unwell, even with mild symptoms of COVID-19. Any person with any COVID-19 symptoms should be sent home and should not return until they have received a negative test result and are symptom-free. In circumstances where children have other medical reasons for recurrent symptoms a letter from their GP is sufficient to negate the requirement for a negative test.
Anyone who is unwell with COVID-19 symptoms is strongly encouraged to get tested and self-isolate until a negative result is received. Find your local testing clinics.
Latest advice
Refer to Advice for families for more information.


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Top 12 Eclipse Songs
Solar eclipses don't happen often, and it seems that it's even rarer that there are songs written about them. So our list of Eclipse Songs largely takes into into account tunes that use the absence of sunlight as a metaphor. And while that means this isn't the happiest list you'll ever read, there are nonetheless a few moments of lightness, much like the sun's corona during an eclipse. But at least you won't go blind reading it.
"Black Hole Sun" (1994)
SoundgardenArguably Soundgarden's most famous song, "Black Hole Sun" was written by Chris Cornell and its title came about by accident. "I had misheard a news anchor, and I thought he said 'black hole sun,'" Cornell said. "But he said something else. ... [A]fter that I thought, 'Well, he didn't say it, but I heard it,' and it created this image in my brain and I thought it would be an amazing song title. It was a thought-provoking phrase, and it became that song."
"How to Disappear Completely" (2000)
RadioheadThom Yorke wrote the lyrics to "How to Disappear Completely," one of the standout tracks on Radiohead's Kid A, after a conversation with R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe about the demands of touring. Stipe told him to keep saying to himself, "I'm not here, this isn't happening." Yorke took the advice and used it in the chorus, whose title was inspired by Doug Richmond's book about faking your own death, How to Disappear Completely and Never be Found.
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" (1983)
Bonnie TylerThe idea of blocking out the sun as a symbol for an ended relationship has rarely been as fully realized as on Bonnie Tyler's career-defining hit. "Total Eclipse" was written by Jim Steinman, who composed similar epics like the entirety of Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album and Air Supply's "Making Love Out of Nothing at All."
"You Left Me in the Dark" (2003)
Elvis CostelloNorth was a lush, ballad-filled song cycle about the ending of one relationship and the beginning of another. "You Left Me in the Dark" begins the record on a note of despair, with Elvis Costello waking up to a rainy day and no one next to him. "You left me standing alone although / I thought that we could not be parted / But if I'd only known / That this would be the last loving remark / You left me in the dark."
"No Sunlight" (2008)
Death Cab for CutieOn "No Sunlight," the third single from their 2008 album Narrow Stairs, Death Cab for Cutie singer Ben Gibbard uses the sun as a metaphor for his idealism. As a youngster, he "felt so safe in a warming bath / Of sunlight." But as he got older, it waned, and "The optimist died inside of me / No sunlight."
"Steal My Sunshine" (1999)
LenToronto's Len scored a Top 10 hit with the bounciest track on our list of Eclipse Songs. Built off a sample from the Andrea True Connection's disco classic "More, More, More," the brother-and-sister duo of vocalists Marc and Sharon Costanzo trade off on lines that were written while Marc was at a rave. "I just got caught up in the night," he told Stereogum. "The song is about how I felt, and then it was exaggerated by the fact that I'm sitting in the middle of a field looking at the stars, about 1,000 feet away from the stage, watching everybody dancing at 3AM."
"Why Does the Sun Really Shine" (1993)
They Might Be GiantsIn 1993, They Might Be Giants covered "Why Does the Sun Shine? (The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas)," a ditty from 1959 that first appeared on Tom Glazer's Space Songs, a collection of tunes about science that were written for children. However, they eventually realized that there were a handful of mistakes in the lyrics, and wrote a new tune with the same name in which they poke fun at their earlier error. "The sun is a miasma / Of incandescent plasma / The sun's not simply made out of gas," they sing, concluding with "Forget that song / They got it wrong / That thesis has been rendered invalid."
"Stumbling Through the Dark" (2003)
The JayhawksOn "Stumbling Through the Dark," the jangly opening track from the Jayhawks' Rainy Day Music, Gary Louris comforts a woman saddened by the events in the world. "The men who proceeded us here / Left only questions and fears / The vanity formed by beauty lies / You know it's a crime," he sings, in a song co-written with Matthew Sweet.
"Staring at the Sun" (2004)
TV on the RadioLooking directly at the sun during a solar eclipse without the appropriate protection can seriously damage your eyes. However, the world's eyes were opened to TV on the Radio via their 2004 debut single, "Staring at the Sun." Its cryptic lyrics hint at danger, as Babatunde Adebimpe sings, "You're staring at the sun / You're standing in the sea / Your mouth is open wide / You're trying hard to breathe."
"Black Sun" (2015)
Death Cab for CutieThe lead single from Death Cab's Kintsugi, "Black Sun" rides a hypnotic guitar-riff-and-groove instrumental track for a little more than three minutes before giving way to an angular, distorted guitar solo. The tension is amplified by the confusion in Ben Gibbard's chorus: "How could something so fair / Be so cruel / When this black sun revolved / Around you."
"Dark Night" (2012)
Green River OrdinanceA driving track that opens up 2012's Under Fire, "Dark Night" features singer Josh Jenkins looking for light in the world in the form of a loved one. "Even in the dark night, I can feel it come over me / No way we're going to part this sea if I can't find you," he sings.


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Ancestry.com announced today additional details regarding the World Archives Project, their volunteer indexing initiative, including incentives for project participants.
I never know whether to cringe or be amused when people let irrational dislike for Ancestry.com lead them to irrational conclusions. One of my most thoughtful readers and active commenters once left this doozy.
[Ancestry.com indexers] pay to be subscribers and then work for them for free. Congrats to Ancestry for finding so many suckers.
Note my comment mainly has to do with indexing for Ancestry instead of for Family Search. At least FS will have a class of indexers who get access to images in return for their work. What do Ancestry indexers get? That's right. A pat on the back and next year's subscription bill with no discount.
Ancestry.com clarified today that
- "All indexes will remain free to the public on Ancestry.com.
- Ancestry.com will donate copies of record indexes and images from the project to partnering government archives and genealogy societies.
- Images and indexes from the project will be available for free to patrons at thousands of subscribing libraries across the U.S.
- Ancestry.com will provide free advertising to partnering genealogy societies. "
Further, active program contributors will receive the following benefits:
- Vote on which records to index in the future.
- Have free access to original images in the project's databases.
- Receive a 10% discount off an annual U.S. Deluxe subscription renewal or
- Receive a 15% discount off an annual World Deluxe subscription renewal.
To be classified as an active contributor one must index a minimum of 900 records per quarter. As the term record is somewhat ambiguous, I'm not certain if this means 900 record batches, 900 names or something else.
[Also see the follow up to this article.]
The full text of the press release follows:
Philadelphia – Sept. 4, 2008 – Ancestry.com, the world's largest online family history resource, today launched the World Archives Project, a global public indexing initiative designed to give individuals everywhere the opportunity to help preserve historical records. The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) is the first organization to partner with Ancestry.com during this beta phase of this new venture, enlisting genealogists and family history enthusiasts to help test the software and prepare it for a more public release.
Now in public beta, the World Archives Project allows individuals to transcribe information from images of original historical records and to create indexes that will remain accessible for free on Ancestry.com and on Ancestry's localized sites in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Sweden, and Italy. Active contributors* will soon be able to access all original images that are part of the World Archives Project. Organizations can also partner with the World Archives Project and sponsor indexing projects. Ancestry.com will donate a digital copy of the sponsored index and images back to partnering organizations.
"As a global society, we are falling further and further behind when it comes to digitizing historical records," said Tim Sullivan, president and CEO of The Generations Network, parent company of Ancestry.com. "The World Archives Project allows us to work collectively as a community to preserve and to digitize records that will otherwise surely be lost to the wear and tear of time. By providing free access to these indexes on the world's most popular family history website, we will provide millions of people with access to records that might help them unlock new clues about their ancestors."
Already, several thousand individuals have joined the World Archives Project private beta, indexing Wisconsin Mortality Schedules and Nebraska State Censuses. Participants provided feedback and recommendations for this public beta release.
"We are thrilled to be a part of this cause and to help spread the world about this new initiative," said Wendy Elliott-Scheinberg, president of FGS. "The World Archives Project is a great way for enthusiasts and genealogical societies to directly impact and further family history research."
"FGS has been enormously helpful in the development of our vision for the World Archives Project," said Sullivan. "The 500+ genealogy societies that FGS represents are absolutely critical to the continued health and growth of genealogical research. We've been searching for years for the right way to partner with genealogy societies, and we think this project will allow us to help them attract new members by leveraging the popularity of Ancestry.com. We appreciate the encouragement and support FGS provides and look forward to continuing our relationship as this project marches forward."
For more information about the World Archives Project or to get involved, visit www.ancestry.com/worldarchivesproject.
*Specific guidelines must be met to be considered an active contributor. For more information, visit http://landing.ancestry.com/wap/learnmore.aspx.
About Ancestry.com
With 26,000 searchable databases and titles and nearly 3 million active users, Ancestry.com is the No. 1 online source for family history information. Since its launch in 1997, Ancestry.com has been the premier resource for family history, simplifying genealogical research for millions of people by providing them with many easy-to-use tools and resources to build their own unique family trees. Ancestry.com is part of The Generations Network, Inc., a leading network of family-focused interactive properties, including http://www.myfamily.com/, http://www.rootsweb.com/, http://www.genealogy.com/ and Family Tree Maker. In total, The Generations Network properties receive nearly 7.5 million unique visitors worldwide (© comScore Media Metrix, July 2008). To easily begin researching your family history, visit http://www.ancestry.com/.
About FGS
The Federation of Genealogical Societies links the genealogical community by serving the needs of its member societies, providing products and services needed by member societies, and marshaling the resources of its member organizations. FGS was founded in 1976 and represents the members of more than 500 genealogical societies. FGS links the genealogical community by helping genealogical societies strengthen and grow. To do this, FGS publishes FORUM magazine, filled with articles pertaining to society management and genealogical news. FGS also publishes an extensive series of Society Strategy Papers, covering topics about effectively operating a genealogical society.


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I'm often struck at the stark difference between salespeople and advisors, how oblivious some people seem to be to the difference and the lengths some salespeople will go to present themselves as advisors.
It's a spectrum, and the differences can be a little fuzzy, but if we think of a benevolent family doctor / general practitioner on the advisor end, and a stereotypically sleazy used car salesmen on the other I think there's some worthwhile thoughts that can be had. The doctor has an ethical code, a standard of behaviour, and a legal duty to her patients. The car salesmen learns techniques from his manager for overcoming objections and convincing customers to buy something they didn't plan to.
Obviously (although maybe not SO obvious since this seems to be what every comment we get from real estate agents boils down to), I'm not saying ALL car salesmen are bad or ALL doctors are good. I don't think I'm even saying one is "good" and the other is "bad". They're just different, and it's important to keep the difference in mind when dealing with salespeople or advisors.
Some salespeople will claim that they're the "good guys" because they follow a "problem solving" sales approach: they sell customers solutions to their problem. This is fine for what it is, but I went to the doctor a while back to get a wart burned off, and the first thing she did was offer me other solutions (leave it alone and it will eventually go away or use over-the-counter wart patches). Finally, she said, she could burn it off but would have to charge me $30 (and didn't push this option at all, if anything she seemed to be encouraging me to go with the patches). How many "problem solving" salesmen would suggest a free solution or a competitor's product?
Again, there's nothing wrong with salespeople. When I go into a clothing store, I understand the salesperson is there to sell clothes: I'm not expecting an honest style consultation. When I eat at a burger joint or a hot dog stand, I don't expect the vendor to warn me the food is bad for me. I don't expect a mortgage broker to talk me out of home ownership.
Fiduciary Duty
For some relationships (such as parents, teachers, doctors or lawyers) there is an explicit legal requirement that extreme loyalty is required. This is enshrined in law, and when this loyalty is lacking, the fiduciary risks getting in big trouble. This is probably the best indication of someone who will act in your best interest: have you heard well publicized cases of fiduciaries who didn't live up to their obligations being severely punished? I've heard of parents, doctors, lawyers, priests and teachers all getting into serious trouble when they haven't lived up to their obligations. I've heard stories from many unhappy customers of real estate agents, bank employees, and financial planners, but have rarely heard about these salespeople getting into any trouble until it gets to the scale of Bernie Madoff.
Why the Confusion?
One question might be, if they aren't proper fiduciaries (with real consequences if they fail in their duty), WHY do some salespeople try to present themselves as such? Clearly, it's a lot easier to sell to people who trust you. A large number of real estate agents have suggested that if you don't trust your agent, go find one you do trust. I don't understand why I need to "trust" an agent I work with. Can't I just hear their recommendations and decide whether or not to follow them? There's a range of services they provide, MUST I turn off my brain and blindly follow their every recommendation in order to work with them? Even medical doctors don't expect that…
As an aside, often real estate agents come up as an example in our posts just because we have a history of posts on the topic. I'm not claiming that real estate agents are worse (or better) then any of the other quasi-professionals who are desperate to call themselves professionals.
To further muddy the waters, some positions have flexibility about whether to operating as a salesperson OR advisor. Financial planners are probably the best example of this. When they work on commission they're usually salespeople. When they're fee only they're usually advisors. Some enterprising individuals call themselves "fee based" hoping to ride the goodwill generated by fee-only advisors, but instead collect a commission ON TOP OF the fees they charge.
Limits of Advisors
Even when there is a legally protected relationship, there are limits. For example, although legal guidelines dictate how they go about it, a psychologist, lawyer or other professional can usually terminate a client relationship for non-payment of fees.
As well, obviously they can only advise on their area of expertise (my dentist gives lousy asset allocation tips and my optometrist is shockingly ignorant on the history of programming languages). John T. Reed has an excellent article where he discuss the "team of advisors" recommended by many get-rich-quick-gurus. One of the more interesting comments he makes is that there will be times when advisors recommend different paths forward, based on their areas of expertise. What makes sense from a legal perspective, might not from a tax perspective.
People need to know enough about the areas they're being advised on both to resolve these conflicts and to identify whether someone actually IS an advisor (or if they're just a salesperson).


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Ingredients Inside :Clorox Commercial Solutions® Clorox® Bleach-Free Hand Sanitizer Refill 44600302430
Product Name and UPC: Clorox Commercial Solutions® Clorox® Bleach-Free Hand Sanitizer Refill 44600302430
Brand: Clorox
Country: United States
Product Name and UPC: Clorox Commercial Solutions® Clorox® Bleach-Free Hand Sanitizer Refill 44600302430
Product Ingredients
- Ethanol
- Ethyl alcohol (or ethanol) is a solvent that dissolves other cleaning product additives, such as fragrances. It is also used as an antimicrobial additive in some hard surface cleaners to kill or inhibit growth of disease- and odor-causing microbes.
- Water
- Water, also sometimes listed on product labels as aqua, is the most widely used of all solvents. It is a colorless, odorless and flavorless liquid and serves as the base of many cleaning products.
- Isopropanol
- Isopropyl alcohol, also known as isopropanol, is used as a solvent in glass and all-purpose cleaning products. Its antimicrobial properties make it useful in disinfecting products as well.
- Glycerin
- Glycerin is used in soaps, lotions and creams to add moisturizing qualities. It is a neutral, colorless liquid made during soap production.
- Glycerol Monolaurate
- Glycerol monolaurate is a surfactant used as a food additive, as well as in other products.
Clorox lists all fragrance components identified as potential allergens by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, an advisory board to the European Union, when they are present at a concentration of more than 0.01 percent or greater in the product and provides a separate list of all the fragrance ingredients used in our household and professional cleaning, disinfecting and laundry products.
Product ingredients are listed based on the most current information available; please check back periodically for formulation updates. If you have questions regarding a product or the ingredient listing for a product, please contact us for additional information.


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Wheel Arch Angels
Wheel Arch Angels is an automobile customization shop in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas that specializes in tuners. It has one location, in the Ocean Flats district of San Fierro.
The shop is available after completing "Zeroing In" in the Wang Cars asset mission strand in San Fierro.
All available modifications at Wheel Arch Angels center around street racing: the front and rear bumpers, roof, exhausts, spoilers, and side skirts are all replaced. These parts have two fictional names: Alien and X-Flow. Available paint jobs depend on the tuner being modified, and are reminiscent of street racing decals. However, (done on the PC version) when heavily modded cars from this garage are stored in a player's garage, the custom paint job may disappear completely, and when a player tries to repaint the car with the same paint scheme, the game claims that the color scheme is already on the vehicle.
- Paint Jobs (3 paint jobs)
- Colors
- Exhausts (Alien and X-Flow)
- Front Bumper (Alien and X-Flow)
- Rear Bumper (Alien and X-Flow)
- Roof (Alien and X-Flow)
- Spoilers (Alien and X-Flow)
- Side Skirts (Alien and X-Flow)
- Wheels
- Car Stereo
- Hydraulics
- Nitro (x2, x5, x10)
Supported vehicles
Examples of modifications
See also


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Some examples of what you can make with leaves)
Lets' start with a book called Leaves from old fellow International Children's Digital Library. It's about every possible animals made of dry leaves.
On Amazon, there is similar book called Look What I Did With a Leaf!
And some more examples for inspiration)
And of course you can use the leaves as paper for drawings)
For another thing, straight during the stroll you can make attractive patterns and even the entire art objects!
Or a mask.
It's even easier with double-sided sсotch tape.
And from a leaf we also got a wonderful sail for our boat.
Leaves can be sticked on the real pumkins and the dry rattle pumpkins using decoupage technique.
Stick them also on piñata!
Another fun thing is the prints on polymer clay (can be found in hobby shops — Fimo, Kato polyclay etc.)
Using these medals, you can learn different trees. Moreover, if you print 2 identic leaves, you can play memo and the little ones can pick pairs.
And not only fabrics)


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Last week, in Connecticut Fine Wine and Spirits LLC v. Seagull, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed a lower court's motion to dismiss a lawsuit from Total Wine & More challenging parts of Connecticut's Liquor Control Act and related regulations. Though the decision represents a victory for state alcohol regulatory regimes, the Second Circuit's ruling was decided on the basis of established antitrust law and did not raise or rely on state regulatory authority under the 21st Amendment. Nonetheless, state alcoholic beverages regulators will embrace the court's ruling.
In Connecticut Fine Wine, Total Wine challenged three sets of provisions in Connecticut's alcohol laws. First, Total Wine challenged "post-and-hold" provisions. Under the post-and-hold provisions, state-licensed wholesalers are required to post a "bottle price" and "case price" each month with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Those prices are then made available to industry participants. During the four days after prices are posted, wholesalers may "amend" their posted prices to match—but not drop below—lower prices offered by competitors. Wholesalers are then obligated to "hold" their prices for a month.
Second, Total Wine challenged the state's minimum-retail-price provisions. The minimum-retail-price provisions require retailers to sell alcohol beverages to customers at or above a statutorily defined "cost," which is determined by adding the posted bottle price and a markup for shipping and delivery. Combined with the post-and-hold provisions, the minimum-retail-price provisions bind retailer prices to wholesaler prices.
Third, Total Wine challenged the state's price discrimination and volume discount provisions. The price discrimination/volume discount provisions preclude wholesalers from offering a given product to different retailers at different prices and from offering discounts to retailers who are high-volume purchasers. (more…)
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