text:
Originally published in Journal of Creation 13, no 2 (November 1999): 44-51.
Anti-Christian sceptics often denounce the Bible as teaching a faulty cosmology.
Anti-Christian sceptics often denounce the Bible as teaching a faulty cosmology. One example is the assertion that the Hebrew word raqiya', or 'firmament' in the KJV, denotes a solid dome over the earth, so that the Bible is guilty of scientific error. Such enemies of the Gospel have an ally in the professing evangelical Paul H. Seely, who maintains that both the social background data and the text of the Bible itself support this conclusion.
Seely's conclusion is both presumptuous and untenable, and he fails to recognize that the description of the raqiya' is so equivocal and lacking in detail that one can only read a solid sky into the text by assuming that it is there in the first place. One can, however, justifiably understand Genesis to be in harmony with what we presently know about the nature of the heavens.
It is common for sceptics to attack the Bible for teaching a primitive cosmology, including a flat earth and geocentrism. They use these arguments to claim that the Bible cannot be the word of God, rightly pointing out that God would not make errors in his Word. Neither would Jesus, if he were truly God in the flesh, endorse erroneous teaching. However, such sceptical arguments against the Bible's cosmology have been repeatedly refuted by conservative Christians.1
More recently, the enemies of Christ have acquired an ally in the professing evangelical Paul H. Seely, who has also claimed that the Bible makes scientific errors. In giving ammunition to sceptics and others who want to destroy the Bible, thus feeding into the world system and giving it comfort, in some ways Seely is more dangerous to Christians than atheists. Although his papers are not cited in any Bible commentary I could find at the Reformed Theological Seminary at Orlando, Florida, his views seem to be beloved of Christians who desire to compromise the plain teachings of Scripture with the man-made theories of evolution and billions of years. Therefore this article is justified as pulling out this tree of misinformation by its roots.
In particular, Seely has published two papers in the Westminster Theological Journal claiming that the Bible teaches that there is a solid dome above the earth. He announces near the very start of his 1991 article:
'The basic historical fact that defines the meaning of raqiya'—the Hebrew word in Genesis 1 which the King James Bible reads as 'firmament,' but many modern translations render 'expanse'—'is simply this: all peoples in the ancient world thought of the sky as solid.' 2
Following this statement is an impressive and informative list of citations that goes on to prove just that point: from American Indians to the neighbors of the Hebrews in the ancient East; from ancient times until the time of the Renaissance, there were almost no recorded dissenters, leading Seely to the resolution, 'When the original readers of Genesis 1 read the word raqiya' they thought of a solid sky.'2 Then, after an analysis of relevant Biblical texts, Seely concludes:
'… (T)he language of Genesis 1 suggests solidity … and no usage of raqiya' anywhere states or even implies that it was not a solid object … The historical-grammatical meaning of raqiya' in Gen. 1:6-8 is very clearly a literally solid firmament. '2
We will have much to say regarding the specific Old Testament citations that Seely uses in defence of his thesis, but for the present, I perceive some rather gaping holes in Seely's general logic. In terms of the meaning of raqiya' and the composition of Genesis, there are three basic possibilities:
First, it is possible that what Seely says is correct. The terms given in Genesis had only one possible meaning and no other, and Genesis was written, even under inspiration as Seely professes to believe, with this basic error in thought preserved.
Second, it is possible that the Genesis account was written before any of the erroneous cosmological theories of solid skies that Seely lists. It is not an uncommon suggestion that Gen. 1–11 was founded in sources prior to Moses — some would say the story derives from Abraham; we may even suppose that it derived from the experiences of Adam. If this is so, and if we can show that the descriptions in Gen. 1 are compatible with our present-day observations of the natural world, then Seely's entire argument collapses. All he has shown is that the Hebrews and all of those following misinterpreted the meaning of raqiya' according to their own perceptions and derived from Genesis the idea of a solid sky. We may regard this solution as satisfactory, but a question mark remains in that we have no exact idea of the original composition date of Genesis 1.
Finally, there is a third option. Truly enough, one can indeed read Genesis 1 and say that a solid sky is in mind. But one can also, with as much justification, read Genesis 1 and say rather that it comports exactly with what we know today of the atmosphere and the solar system, with or without adjustments made for phenomenological language, and this is because of the utterly equivocal nature of the language used in Genesis 1.
Certainly Seely is correct to quote Warfield's dictum that it was not the purpose of the writer of Genesis3 to describe the nature of the sky; Seely is also correct (if a bit chauvinistic in tone) to say that 'there is no reason to believe the Hebrews were any less scientifically naive than their neighbors.'4
Where the line must be drawn is before the implication that inerrancy is not compromised by reading a solid sky into Genesis 1, and allowing no other interpretation. It does not do to say that 'God has sometimes allowed his inspired penman to advert to the scientific concepts of their own day.' 5 Seely confuses adaptation to human finitude with accommodation to human error — the former does not entail the latter.6
As I know all too well, having spent several years confronting critics of the Bible,7 such 'allowances' as Seely asserts easily open the door to ridicule of the inspired Word, and the critics are correct to see such rationalizations as Seely's as totally invalid.
It also opens the door to those who claim that the Bible writers' teaching on morality was also a reflection of 'the scientific concepts of their own day'. For example, was their teaching against adultery and homosexual acts in ignorance of the modern scientific 'fact' that such behaviour is 'in the genes', programmed by evolution? This is hardly a caricature, since some liberals already use such arguments,8 showing that Seely's attitude is the top of a perilous slippery slope. (Of course, it is fallacious to claim that behaviour is completely controlled by genes,9 and the 'gay gene' finding has been strongly questioned.10)
Rather than wave the white flag over inerrancy with this compromise over raqiya', it is better served, under this third option, to realize that the inspired author of Genesis was allowed to use the only terms available to him in his language to describe natural phenomena, but was not allowed to offer anything more than the vaguest, most minimal descriptions of those phenomena, thereby leaving nearly everything unsaid about their exact nature. Genesis 1 was perfectly designed to allow that interpretation which accorded with actual fact, for it 'says nothing more than that God created the sky or its constituent elements' while remaining 'completely silent' about what those elements were.11 It only depended upon where one started: if one starts with the presumption of a solid sky, one will read into the text a solid sky. If one starts with a modern conception, the text, as we shall see, permits that as well.
Put another way: if today we say 'the sky is blue' to a person who is a member of a 'primitive' society, and they happen to define the 'sky' as 'the solid expanse over our head', this does not make our original statement, 'the sky is blue,' in error. Their thought-concept is indeed in error, but our original statement is not—even if we both happen to use the same word, 'sky', to describe different concepts. So it is that God, using an inspired penman under the constraints of human language, did not err in Genesis. The cosmology has been kept so basic and equivocal that one must force certain meanings into the text and analyze what the writer 'must have been thinking' (as well as pay no attention to the fact that God, not man, is the ultimate author of the text) in order to find error.
Sailhamer12 warns us that:
' … we must be careful to let neither our own view of the structure of the universe nor what we think to have been the view of ancient people to control our understanding of the biblical author's description'
of the raqiya'; rather, we must come to the text itself and ask what it says. After beginning his case by spending several pages delineating 'the views of ancient people', Seely finally follows Sailhamer's dictum and asks whether there is anything in the OT itself that 'clearly states or implies that the raqiya' is not solid'.13 He first submits:
'The fact that [the raqiya'] was named "heaven(s)" in Gen. 1:8 and birds fly in the heaven(s) (Deut. 4:17) seems to imply that the raqiya' was not solid. But the word shamayim (heaven[s]) is broader in meaning than raqiya'. It encompasses not only the raqiya' (v. 8, Ps. 19:6; 148:4) but also the space above the raqiya' (Ps. 2:4; 11:4; 139:8) as well as the space below (Ps. 8:8; 79:2). Hence birds fly in the heavens, but never in the raqiya'. Rather, birds fly upon the face or in front of the raqiya' (Gen. 1:20).13
This phrase upon the face (surface) of the raqiya' is important in that it implies that the raqiya' was neither space nor atmosphere. For birds do not fly upon the surface or in front of space or air, but rather in space or air.
This distinction is illustrated in the case of fish, which no one would say swim upon the surface of or in front of the water (Gen. 7:18), but rather in the water (cf. Exodus 7:18, 21).' 13
The problem with this argument is that the claim that shamayim is 'broader in meaning' than raqiya' in Genesis14 is simply groundless—the result of circular reasoning. In Genesis 1:8, the implication is that the raqiya' has the name shamayim in an exact one-to-one correspondence, just as is the case for the 'Earth' and the 'Seas' when they are named (v. 10). There is no reason to see a broader meaning of shamayim than an exact equation with raqiya'.
In fact, Seely's only reason for saying that shamayim and raqiya' are not equal seems to be that it would result (because of verses like Deuteronomy 4:17, and other like Psalm 11:4) in the absurd conclusion that the birds fly or God sits enthroned 'inside' a solid structure! In other words, Seely has done precisely what Sailhamer has warned against: he has started with the idea of the solid sky, based on the views of ancient people, and forced onto the text divisions in the shamayim that are simply not specified, and in the case of Genesis 1, not even permitted, by the text.
We therefore argue that raqiya' is intended rather to refer to that which serves to 'separate the earth from all that is beyond it',15 (that is, what we call the atmosphere, and interstellar space) and that because no differentiation is made otherwise, there is no reason why Genesis can not be read to permit a description of the heavens and the natural order as we know it.
What of the other verses cited? Psalm 19:6 says, 'It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat' (NIV). This occurs after one of only two uses of raqiya' in the Psalms, in verse 1: 'The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork' (KJV).16 The poetic parallel of verse 1 strongly suggests that raqiya' and shamayim are meant to be equal in some sense, and in that case this verse would be contrary to Seely's argument. But without any specific definitions from the author of this Psalm, any argument is simply speculative. Psalm 19:6 offers support for neither Seely's position nor my own.
Psalm 148:4 says: 'Praise Him, highest heavens, And the waters that are above the heavens!' (NASB) No comparison is made to the raqiya' at all, and we can hardly assume without any definition or comparison from the writer of this Psalm that the two were or were not in exact correspondence; much less can it be assumed that there is embedded in this passage all of the given assumptions about what the shamayim consists of. At the same time, that the Psalmist refers in this poetic genre to multiple heavens no more means a division in types of heavens than his reference to the 'most High God' (78:56) and a 'lowest hell' (86:13) means that he knew of a God lower than the highest one or of a hell higher than the lowest one! Like the previous verse from the Psalms, this verse supports no specific interpretation.
Psalms 2:4, 11:4, and 139:8 all refer to God's 'location' in heaven. It is difficult to see (especially since no explanation is offered) how these prove that there is some portion of shamayim that is 'above' the raqiya'. Not one of these verses speaks of the shamayim in reference to the raqiya'; nor do they make any kind of distinction between them.
Psalms 8:8 and 79:2 both refer to 'birds of the shamayim', again, with no reference to the raqiya'. Moreover, the 'birds of the shamayim' are referred to in Gen. 1:26, a verse that Seely bypasses without comment! There is nothing in either of these verses, especially in light of Gen. 1:8 and 26, that in any way indicates that the two words refer to anything different within their contexts. Seely appears to make the differentiation only because to do otherwise would lead to an absurd conclusion.
That leaves Gen. 1:20. Many commentators regard this verse as phenomenological.17,18 But what of Seely's 'fish in the sea' distinction? The analogy is in fact completely inappropriate. Water presents a definitively visible and tactile barrier to the human observer; the heavens do not. We know where the water starts, but where does the sky start? How high must something be to be 'in the sky'? 2 Samuel 18:9 describes Absalom caught in a tree by his hair as hanging 'between heaven and earth'. Is heaven very low, or is this a very tall tree, and was Absalom riding tall in the saddle? Ezekiel (8:3) was 'lifted up between the earth and the heaven' in his vision. No altimeter accompanied him, but it is difficult to see why any great height needs to be implied. 1 Chr. 21:16 refers to 'the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth' (NIV). So does one have to be at least as tall as Jerusalem to be considered 'between' heaven and earth?' (If I were Absalom or Ezekiel, or the woman called 'wickedness' [Zech. 5:9], I'd consider flight insurance.)
Genesis 1:7, read with wooden literalism, would suggest that the raqiya' began at the very surface of the waters! I don't think that even Seely would read a solid raqiya' into that one—this is a reductio ad absurdum of Seely's position.
The point is that whereas water presents a tangible and identifiable starting point, the 'sky' does not, and it is to the credit of the OT writers (as well as evidence of their inspiration, and perhaps of the equivocal language they were inspired to use) that they do not say where the shamayim/raqiya' 'begins' and 'ends. The only verse that Seely can offer that comes close to such an estimation is Gen. 1:20, which does not say precisely where the shamayim starts in relation to the ground (for there is no indication that birds flying higher are considered to be any closer to the raqiya' than those flying low to the ground); nor for that matter does it say or even imply what this raqiya' is made of. Even so, the parallel in Gen. 1:26 strongly suggests that birds live in the shamayim just as fish live in the sea—and thereby points to the words of Gen. 1:20 as purely phenomenological, said from the point of view of a writer on earth. Now Seely is aware of the phenomenological interpretation, for he notes:
'Gen. 1:17 also testifies that the raqiya' is not air or atmosphere for it says that God placed the stars (and probably the sun and moon) 'in the raqiya' of the heavens.' But the stars are not located in the air or atmosphere. Rather (as anyone can tell on a clear night away from city lights) they look like they are embedded in a solid vault which is exactly why scientifically naïve peoples believe in a solid vault, and why 1:17, in accordance with that belief, says God placed the stars in the raqiya'.'19
I am not sure what Seely means when he says that the sun and moon were 'probably' placed in the raqiya' - the text clearly enough indicates that they were (vv. 14–15). As to whether the stars were placed in the raqiya', that is an open question. Commentators have often noted that the creation of the stars is added on to verse 16 as something of a parenthetical note.20 Whether they actually are or are not 'in' the raqiya'/shamayim is left unsaid. 21 If they are not, but the sun and moon are, then raqiya' may be meant to indicate our solar system only.22 If the kowkabim (stars) are intended to be within the bounds of the raqiya', then Young's definition noted above, that the raqiya' indicates only that which separates the earth from what is beyond it, may hold true; or else, there is no reason, despite Seely, why the phenomenological approach cannot be used: that the luminaries are created for the express purpose of being 'signs, and for seasons' shows a thoroughly earth-bound phenomenological perspective.23 It is shocking that all that Seely offers contrary to this is a vague assertion that 'anyone can tell' that from the perspective of earth, the stars look like they are 'embedded in a solid vault'. I have never gotten such an impression at all about the stars. Nor, it seems, did at least one biblical writer, perhaps the earliest of them, think that the expanse was solid. The natural implication of Job 26:7 is that the writer understood that the stars, like the earth, were hung upon nothing. Nowhere does Genesis even use words like 'embedded' to describe the relationship.24
A keystone to one of my own arguments is that the inspired authors, working under the constraints of human language, simply had no words to use that would adequately describe the creation of the raqiya' as 'open air', and so were made to leave the descriptive details of the matter unsaid. Seely does try to offer some alternatives, however:
'...(W)hen God divided the light from the darkness nothing was made. But in order to divide the tangible upper ocean (the "waters above the raqiya'"—JPH) from the lower ocean the raqiya' was made ('asah). The combination of dividing two tangibles (as opposed to intangibles) with something that was made ('asah), a verb which often means 'manufacture,' implies a tangible, i.e., a solid divider. It would be unnatural to use ('asah) to say that God made space. Nor is it a particularly apt word for saying God made air.'25
There is a flaw in this line of reasoning as well. Seely has asserted that the 'air' or 'space' which surrounds us is 'intangible,' and this is correct from a strictly phenomenal point of view. But in actuality, the 'air' and 'space' around and above us is not strictly 'intangible' at all. It is rather composed of gas molecules (oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc.) that are too small for us to feel or otherwise perceive unaided, and further out into space there is a wide variety of material such as spaceborne dust, gases, and so on. There is no reason why 'made' should be an inappropriate verb for the creation of such things, unless Seely can show elsewhere that creation of something similar required a different verb—and that he certainly cannot do, unless he has some hidden passages in the Old Testament up his sleeve. This is indeed a key problem for Seely's thesis: he has no way of proving that raqiya' would not also be used for the creation of something made of gas, dust, or liquid because he has no comparison points within the text of the Old Testament to offer.
Now I am by no means asserting that the human writer of Genesis 1 had some knowledge of terrestrial gases or extraterrestrial objects; that is not the point. That author (and later readers) could very well have understood the raqiya' as Seely supposes; but in being inspired to say that a raqiya' was 'made', without saying anything about its nature, the word permits us today to recognize the raqiya' for what it most likely is: An 'expanse' of terrestrial gases—or perhaps also extraterrestrial matter within our solar system or throughout space.
Now an obvious question is, if Seely has decided (in spite of having no comparison point to say so) that these words are not 'apt' for the creation of air and space, then what words would he have used that were available in Hebrew? Claiming that raqiya' was a 'particularly unfortunate' choice (thus denying the plenary verbal inspiration, putting him outside the evangelical camp), since it derives from a root that is used of hammering out metal into thin plates, he makes these suggestions for replacements:
'It could have been said that God put room or space (revach) as in Genesis 32:16 (17) or space (rachowq) as in Josh. 3:4, between the two bodies of water. If air (a word never appearing in the OT) had been in mind as the divider, ruwach ('wind') could have been used, as in Exod. 14:21, or neshamah ('breath') as in Gen. 2:7; Ps. 150:6.'26
A closer look at each of these word choices reveals them to be inadequate. The first word (revach) appears only twice in the OT, in Genesis 32 and in Esther 4:14, and in both cases carries the sense of an enlargement of a previous space or thing. In Esther it refers to the 'space' and deliverance given to the Jewish population! In Genesis it refers to the increasing of space between two droves of herd animals. One can readily see someone like Seely arguing that the use of this word would imply a space between a solid dome and the surface of the earth! It would not by itself serve for a space that reaches upward to an indefinite or infinite place, and at the very least has not been shown to be a better choice than raqiya'.
The same criticism could be levelled against the second word, rachowq, which in Joshua 3:4 does not describe space between two bodies of water, but the space needed between the people and the Ark of the Covenant. It is used in the OT in the sense of describing distance in time, space, and even value, but even so is made in reference to the distance between two specific points, and therefore does not serve at all for an infinite or indefinite upward reach, and again, at the very least has not been shown to be a better choice than raqiya'.
Ruwach (wind) is the word that is actually used in reference to two bodies of water: it is the force that divided the Red Sea. It is used throughout the OT to describe the meteorological force of wind, breath (inhaling or exhaling), and also a 'spirit'. This word would hardly serve to describe an infinite/indefinite expanse above the earth. Its main focus seems to be movement: note that when the two words ruwach and shamayim are used in tandem in 'meteorological' contexts, the indication is that ruwach is a phenomenon of the shamayim (1 Kings 18:45; Jer. 49:36; Dan. 8:8; Zech. 2:6). There is clearly a distinction in the words that would make ruwach an inappropriate choice to describe the heavens themselves.
The last word (neshamah) is Seely's most absurd selection. It is used in the OT in the sense of one's life-breath, spirit or soul. If the raqiya' could have been called a soul or a spirit, or a life-breath, then whom does it enliven, and who breathed it out? This term might have been useful under the rubric of a New Age 'Gaia' theology, but it would not make a great deal of sense in the context of Genesis!
We are left with the assertion that raqiya' and 'asah are the most suitable choices available to the Hebrew, and Seely has failed to show otherwise. The Hebrew language had no holding place at this time for the concept of terrestrial gases or space-borne particles, nor for the concept of an infinite or immeasurable upward space, and the combination of words that was used in Genesis offered the only choice.27
As a final effort to argue that the raqiya' should be understood as solid, Seely appeals to the use of the word in the book of Ezekiel, where it appears five times describing something that is clearly some sort of solid, crystalline canopy. As he puts it:
'…(I)n Ezekiel 1 the nature of a firmament is described … It was a divider of some kind over the heads of four cherubim (vv. 22–25), and on top of it was a throne with a man on it (v. 26). As to the composition of the firmament, it looked like "terrible crystal or ice."
Inasmuch as the throne mentioned was apparently sitting on the firmament (cf. Exod. 24:10) and the firmament looked like crystal or ice, it is apparent that the firmament is solid and is certainly not mere atmosphere or space or simply phenomenal language … Having then this clear definition of raqiya' as a solid divider, one is hermeneutically bound to interpret the raqiya' in Genesis as solid unless there is some clear reason to differentiate the one from the other.'28
There are plenty of 'clear reasons' to make the differentiation, the most obvious being that there is no indication at all that Ezekiel considered this raqiya' to be identical with the one in Genesis—or perhaps, there was no faulty inspiration given to him which identified one with the other. It is not described as the raqiya' of shamayim, merely as a raqiya', and there is no indication that a raqiya' can only be made of something solid (as opposed to perhaps a gas or liquid—would Ezekiel have regarded this covering as a raqiya' if it had been a soap bubble?). But the clinching reason to not equate the two is that to do so would also imply that cherubim were literally the sort of amalgamated zoo that Ezekiel describes—or that God had a solid, humanlike form and sat on a literal, physical throne! Surely Seely does not wish to imply that the visions granted to Ezekiel and to the elders of Israel depicted some sort of actual reality in the same way that our own world is a reality? Theologians are certainly correct to say that our own consciousness is unable to truly, fully comprehend what these creatures are like and what these visions represented; all of these things were rather conversions into forms that could be perceived by human senses. By God's standard, they were crude and thoroughly inadequate constructs, but they served as the most that the minds of men could endure.
It is therefore hazardous to suppose that the raqiya' of Ezekiel and that implied in Exodus (24:10) may be used to interpret the raqiya' of Genesis 1 as a solid dome. In fact, this even applies if they are meant to be understood in correspondence. Theoretically, angelic and spiritual beings, which are 'intangible' to us, might regard what we consider to be 'intangible' as 'liquid' or 'solid'. As long as we are uninformed as to these matters (and we will certainly remain so for quite some time!) it is foolish to judge these texts by our own perceptions and experiences and apply them to our own reality.
In a second article, Seely goes a step further and attempts to show that the Genesis account teaches the existence of 'a veritable sea located above' the solid raqiya'.29 Now to begin this section, here is an analogy regarding the first of the Ten Plagues that will prove useful. We have a descriptive indication that the waters of the Nile were turned to 'blood', but we need not automatically believe that it was 'blood' in the sense of having erythrocytes, platelets, plasma, etc.30 By the same token, when Genesis speaks of 'waters' above the raqiya', we are hardly to suppose that it was a substance universally composed of two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen. Nor for that matter can we suppose the distribution of these 'waters' was uniform above the raqiya', although we do not doubt that some ancient peoples, including the Hebrews, reached that conclusion of their own accord.
What, then, are these 'waters'? We agree with Seely, against a number of commentators, that these are not clouds. 31 Rather, it is our suggestion that these 'waters' were the originally-created, basic building blocks of matter that the earth was made from, and otherwise became all that was created outside of our atmosphere and/or our solar system. 32 We would hardly expect the author of Genesis to make distinctions between things like stellar matter, methane gas, asteroids, comets, etc. A simple elemental term, 'waters,' would be sufficient, especially in light of the fact that these same waters were made into 'Seas' below the raqiya', and even so after the primordial 'waters' had been coalesced into different forms. The term 'waters' would serve in the minds of the pre-scientific just as 'blood' stood for whatever actual substance the Nile became.
We are not told what becomes of these 'waters' above the raqiya' in Genesis. This is not surprising, and in fact accords with the biblical record, for as Seely rightly observes, citing Steck:
'…(B)y not naming the waters above the firmament as he named the waters below (Gen. 1:9-10) God signified that he excluded them from the world made for man.' 33
This clue is more significant than Seely realizes. No further revelation is given about the nature of these waters; nor is it said what has happened to them. As far as the inspired writers knew, these waters were still 'up there,' and if they started with the conception of an ocean, they would continue with that conception. At the same time, as long as they referred only to the 'waters' without any further description, they were not inspired to error. The 'waters' were still there, but God had made further use of them in His creation, and the terminology was hardly available to say that things were any different. (Hence, it is appropriate that Psalms 148:4 only refers to these 'waters' and says nothing else about them.)
With that, we are only left with some figurative language associated with the Flood account. Seely reports:
'In Genesis 7:11–12 water above the firmament is allowed to fall as rain by opening the floodgates of the firmament; and in 8:2 the water is restrained from falling by closing those same floodgates.'34
This works well as long as it is assumed proven that raqiya' and shamayim are not equal in the mind of the Genesis writer, but as we have shown, this is not proven at all. This water that came from above could have come from any point in the expanse. It is not my place here to offer any speculations on the mechanisms of the Flood, but it is worth noting that this term 'floodgates of heaven' is used elsewhere in the OT in the context of heavy rain (2 Kings 7:2, 19; Mal. 3:10). Perhaps the ancient readers of this text did envision a solid dome with an ocean above it, but if so, they read things into the inspired and equivocal language of the text every bit as much as Seely or I have.
Theologians of a liberal persuasion have often claimed that the idea of special or propositional revelation is 'nonsense' because human language is inadequate to the task of communicating divine truths. This argument is deeply flawed, but it does contain a kernel of truth. Concepts of which human beings are thoroughly ignorant, and would require several steps of scientific exploration to understand, are merely simple matters in the mind of God. To the Hebrews and other 'scientifically naive' peoples, basic cosmology was still in this realm. But it was not beyond God's ability to present the truth without any mix of error. Equivocal language, terms left precisely undefined, served until such time as our own understanding was sufficient to comprehend the wonders of God's creation. It is singularly unfortunate that men of ancient times and even up unto the present day have imposed their own concepts of what is true upon the Word of God.
Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.


text:
Calling all Cooks – Recipe submissions for H.U.R.T. Cookbook
HURT ohana! Do you have a favorite
recipe? Do you make one or two dishes
that receive rave reviews every time you take them to a potluck? If so, then please consider contributing them
to the very first H.U.R.T. cookbook.
and I are finally going to put together a cookbook with some of our recipes and
would like to ask everyone to pitch
in with their most ono recipes for food, drink, snacks, whateva.
process to submit is easy. Just send me
an email (mnyasuda@hawaiiDOTrrDOTcom) to let me know that you would like to
submit. I will email the instructions
and link to the site where you may submit the recipes. There is a limit of 5 recipes per
person. We are asking that all recipes
be submitted by October31. Thank you so much for helping!
Aloha, Marian

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Korea won its first ever Asian Games silver medal in Uzbekistan's traditional martial art, Kurash.
Kim Min-gyu (41) won the silver medal after losing to Sadegh Ajaran (Iran) in the final of the Kurash men's under-90kg division at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games held at the Xiaoshan Linfu Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China on the 2nd.
He is a former member of the national judo team and played a key role in leading the Korean team to the team gold medal at the 2005 Judo World Championships. He also won silver medals at the 2007 and 2009 Summer Universiades.
Kim Min-gyu, who retired from judo in 2014 and transformed into a Kurash athlete, achieved the feat of winning a silver medal at the Asian Games after finishing third at the 2018 World Championships.
Min-gyu Kim, who defeated Ajmal Ishaq Zai (Afghanistan) in the quarterfinals, defeated Khaknazar Nazarov (Tajikistan) in the semifinals and advanced to the finals. He lost in the final against Agrang and had to be content with a silver medal.
Korea Kurash had two players compete five years ago, but failed to produce a winner. In this competition, Kwon Jae-deok in the men's under-66 kg category and Jeong Jun-yong in the men's over 90 kg category achieved the result of winning three medals, including bronze medals.
Kurashi is a traditional martial art from Uzbekistan and is widely enjoyed in Central Asia and the Middle East. You wear a gi similar to judo, and you earn points by knocking down your opponent. The biggest difference from Judo is that lower body attacks are prohibited. In Central Asia, it is common for judo athletes to perform in parallel with Kurash.
It has been held as an official event in the Asian Games since the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games. While athletes from Central Asia and the Middle East swept gold medals, Korea also proudly produced medalists.
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Emotional and behavioral supports
School counselor
Address academic achievement, personal/social development and career development of all students, not just those in need, by collaborating with students, parents, school staff and the community to ensure today's students become the productive, well-adjusted adults of tomorrow. School counselors are available at district middle and high schools
School nurse
Provide physical and mental health care, perform screenings and coordinate referrals to healthcare providers. They are qualified to administer psychotropic or psychiatric medications and provide mental health services. School nurses are often first identify the subtle signs that have been associated with emotional and behavioral concerns in children.
School psychologist
Support students through administering, interpreting and integrating psychological and educational assessments to determine needs related to learning. Provide mental health, counseling and crisis management services that address needs at school and home to help students succeed academically, emotionally and socially. Collaborate with all stakeholders.
School social worker
Provide evidence-based social-emotional-behavioral interventions and mental health services to students and consultation to staff and administration. Bridge connections between home, school, and community to support students' success at school. Support students and families experiencing homelessness and out-of-home placements.
School-based mental health therapist
Work with families by addressing emotional, behavioral or social issues that may be interfering in a student's ability to be successful in school, at home or in the community. Therapists meet with families to assess an appropriate level of intervention. A diagnostic assessment or treatment plan may be completed.


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IWA Mid-South - The Early Years Volume 2 DVD-R 10 Disc Set
by Highspots UK
Original price
Original price
Original price
Current price
IWA Mid South: The Early Years
Volume 2
10 Disc Set
IWA Mid-South - May 1, 1997 - Louisville, KY "Derby Madness 97"
- Rollin Hard vs Chris Kidd
- American Kickboxer vs JC Ice (Jamie Dundee)
- Ox Harley vs Tower of Doom
- Tyren vs Tarek the Great
- Mad Man Pondo vs Doug Gilbert w/ Jamie Dundee
- The Headbangers vs Bull Pain & Tracy Smothers
IWA Mid-South - May 8, 1997 "Irreparable Damage" - Louisville, KY
- Danny Dee vs. Tarek the Great
- The War Machines vs. Tower of Doom & Chris Kidd
- Blaze vs. Gator McCallister
- Rollin' Hard Interview
- Rick Wild vs. American Kickboxer
- Wolfie D vs. Ricky Morton
- Bull Pain vs. Ian Rotten
- Jamie Dundee & Doug Gilbert vs. Mad Man Pondo & Ox Harley
IWA Mid-South July 19, 1997 "Extreme Heaven" - Louisville, KY (2 Disc Set)
- Dennis Coraluzzo Interview
- Billy Reil Vs. American Kickboxer
- Tyrin Vs. Tarek the Great Vs. American Kickboxer
- Tower of Doom Vs. Derek Domino
- Debbie Combs Vs. Robbie Rage
- Phoenix Vs. Rollin' Hard
- Salvatore Sincere Vs. Blaze
- Twiggy Ramirez Vs. Lost Boy Wolf
- Tom Burton Vs. Security Guard Mike (Cash Flo)
- Marty Jannetty Vs. Harley Lewis
- Lady Vendetta Vs. Candi Devine - Thumbtack Death Match
- The War Machines Vs. Mad Man Pondo & Ox Harley
- Buddy Landel Vs. Tommy Gilbert
- Ian Rotten Vs. Bull Pain - Barbed Wire Cage Match
IWA Mid-South October 21, 1997 "King of the Death Matches"
- Rollin Hard v. Bull Pain (Thumbtack Bat Barbed Wire Board Match)
- Ian Rotten v. Cash Flow (Thumbtack Bat Barbed Wire Board Match)
- Balls Mahoney v. War Machine (Barbed Wire Board Bat Match)
- Doug Gilbert v. Ox Harley (Barbed Wire Bat Board Match)
- Axl Rotten v. War Machine (4 Corners of Pain)
- Mad Man Pondo v. Tower of Doom (4 Corners of Pain)
- Ian Rotten v. Rollin Hard (spider net death match)
- Axl Rotten v. Balls Mahoney
- Doug Gilbert v. Mad Man Pondo (Spider Net Death Match)
- Ian Rotten v. Axl Rotten (Electrified Lightbulb Death Match)
IWA Mid-South February 21, 1998 "Eddie Gilbert Memorial 1998" - Louisville, KY (2 Disc Set)
- Phoenix vs. Shark Boy
- Billy Black vs. Flash Flanagan
- American Kickboxer vs. Suicide Kid vs. Tarek the Great - No countouts & NO DQ featuring tables and ladders
- Buddy Landel vs. Tommy Gilbert
- Corporal Robinson & Cash Flo vs. Ian Rotten & Rollin' Hard
- Chip Fairway vs. Bull Pain
- Kip Morris vs. Rip Rogers
- Doug Gilbert & Dutch Mantel vs. "The Beast" Dan Severn & Terry Gordy - Guest Referee is Buddy Landel
IWA Mid-South "Hardcore Hell in a Cell 99" Scottsburg, IN (2 Disc Set)
- GQ Masters vs. Shark Boy
- Corporal Robinson vs. Suicide Kid
- Tables Match - American Kickboxer vs. Harry Palmer
- Tarek the Great vs. "Wildchild" Rick Wild
- Bull Pain vs. Cash Flo
- "Hardcore Hell in a Cell" - Ian Rotten vs. Ox Harley
Bonus Disc - IWA Mid-South All Our Bloody Best Volume 1
- Mad Man Pondo vs. Corporal Robinson vs Psycho Sam Cody - No Rope Barbed Wire, Carribean Spider Web Glass Death Match
- Ian Rotten vs. Ox Harley - Taipei Death Match - Fire is used and Ian gets caught on FIRE!!
- Bull Pain vs Todd Morton - Steel Cage Match
- Rollin Hard vs. Ian Rotten - 4 Corners of Pain including a small swimming pool filled with barbed wire and rubbing alcohol
- Mad Man Pondo vs. Mean Mitch Page - VERY SICK!! This is the match where the side of Mitch's head is almost cut off and he needed hundreds of stitches
- Bull Pain vs. Vampire Warrior (Gangrel) w/ Luna
- Mad Man Pondo vs. Ian Rotten


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Imagine If There Was No Such Thing As Life Insurance
Imagine If There Was No Such Thing As Life Insurance
What if life insurance didn't exist? What if there was no such thing, and you couldn't acquire it? If it wouldn't impact you, it would certainly affect millions of families across the globe.
Life Insurance to Cover Final Expenses
Life insurance was initially developed as a way families could afford a decent burial for the insured. In the 1800s, for example, as funerals moved from homes to commercial funeral parlors with embalming, increasing burial regulations and more elaborate ceremonies, funerals began to exceed affordability for many. Insurance companies developed life insurance policies that could be paid for by a nickle or less weekly to help cover final expenses. Today, with average funerals costing in excess of $8,000, final expenses would still be a burden if not for life insurance.
Providing for Your Family
If there was no life insurance, mortgages may not be able to be paid and family homes lost. The lifestyle and quality of life could change dramatically for a spouse and children left behind.
College May Remain a Dream
Without life insurance, college educations for young children left behind may not be realized. Higher education is a challenge to afford today under any circumstances. Should there be a death of a breadwinner, it could be unachievable.
For some, getting life insurance is impossible or unaffordable. It could be due to their age, lifestyle, employment or health, but not everyone can acquire it, especially in the amounts they may prefer.
If you are in good health, now is the time to consider your life insurance status. Do you have a sufficient amount to cover your needs or reach your goals?
Life insurance is often much more affordable than people realize. They may put off even getting a quote because they may have other priorities. But what if life insurance became unavailable for you?
There is no harm in getting a no cost, no obligation life insurance quote from one of our life insurance agents. If the quote seems too high, they can seek other alternatives. Don't put it off. Contact us today to get started.


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Voyage towards your own patch of paradise aboard the M/Y Harmony V
With this ship, you'll be forgiven for thinking you've stepped aboard a private yacht of the rich and famous. The Harmony V is a 55-metre (180-foot) Mega Yacht with a sleek, high-tech design. The ship was launched in 2009 and complies strictly with Euro Solas safety regulations. Powerful engines provide a cruising speed of 11 knots, while state-of-the-art stabilisers ensure a safe and comfortable voyage. There's no need for a swimming pool, as the swimming platform off the stern provides easy access to the ocean wherever we drop anchor. The sundeck and large windows throughout the ship ensure you'll never have to worry about missing the gorgeous ocean views.
Classification | Yacht |
Total number of passengers | 49 |
Total number of crew | 18 |
Passenger to crew ratio | 2:1 |
Regions | Middle East |
Swimming platform (weather permitting) |
Sun deck dinning area |
Indoor dining room with panoramic windows |
Spacious lounge |
American bar |
Half Board meal plan (breakfast plus one other meal daily while on board) |
Service of one or two local tour leaders (depending on passenger number) |
Turn down service twice a day |
Mini library |
Board games |
Central music |
Use of kayaks and snorkelling equipment |
Towels for swimming |
Fully equipped laundry service |
CD and DVD player |
Audio-visual equipment in lounge |
Hairdryer |
Mini-fridge |
Satellite television |
Power plugs |
Internal phone |
Safe box to keep your valuables |
Length | 55-metre (180-foot) |
Cruise speed | 11 knots |
Located on the upper deck with large windows |
A choice between double or twin beds |
Located on the main deck with large windows |
A choice between double or twin beds |
Located on the main deck with large windows |
A double bed |
Located on the upper deck |
These are the largest cabins with large windows |
A sofa |
A choice between twin or double beds. Cabin can be requested for triple share subject to availability. |


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Hanukkah and Thanksgiving overlap this year…and then almost never again
This year, the first day of Hanukkah coincides with Thanksgiving Day. Amazingly, this is the first second time it's happened since President Lincoln established Thanksgiving in 1863 and it is also the last time it'll happen until the year 79,811. I'll say that again: after this year, Hanukkah and Thanksgiving Day won't overlap for another 77,798 years.
The reason is because the Jewish calendar is very slowly getting out of sync with the solar calendar, at a rate of 4 days per 1000 years (not bad for a many centuries old calendar!) This means that while presently Hanukkah can be as early as 11/28, over the years the calendar will drift forward, such that the earliest Hanukkah can be is 11/29. The last time Hanukkah falls on 11/28 is 2146 (which happens to be a Monday).
(via @hchamp)
Update: As noted above, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah overlapped once before, in 1888, because Thanksgiving used to fall on the last Thursday in November and not the fourth Thursday.


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James MacGregor of EcoPlannet Supports Candidate from Seychelles
Victoria (Seychelles) – April 24, 2017 (travelindex.com) – James MacGregor, of eco-plannet, the known and highly respected Sustainable Tourism planner, educator and author has decided to throw his support behind Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Candidate for the coming United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) elections for Secretary General (SG).
In a letter this week James MacGregor wrote to Alain St.Ange as support for his appointment as Secretary General to the UNWTO. James MacGregor writes:- "It is a pleasure and an honour for me to give my unequivocal support for your selection as Secretary-General to the UNWTO.
You have had a spectacular career in terms of positioning the Seychelles as a prominent island tourism destination however it has been your leadership on the world stage that has been so inspiring.
In particular I have admired your relentless encouragement for a more environmentally responsible and sustainable tourism development approach at all levels of the supply chain.
As well you have put these sustainable principals into practice in the Seychelles and have been able to bring practical examples and solutions you to your colleagues around the world.
Given the unfortunate continued degradation of our natural tourism environment while still faced with substantial annual tourism growth rates across the planet, the need for the implementation of sustainable tourism practices is more urgent than ever.
Your career has demonstrated a consistent and committed approach to protecting these resources for future generations of tourists and tourism suppliers.
You unquestionably bring practical sustainability skills and professional understanding of these serious conditions to ensure that the UNWTO will continue to seriously advance sustainable tourism development well beyond 2017.
It is in this context that it is a pleasure to offer my support for your appointment as the new Secretary General to the UNWTO".
For Alain St.Ange, this latest endorsement arrives barely three weeks before the elections for the SG of the UNWTO. "Sustainable Tourism and the protection of what we have been blessed with is one of the key mission statements we have echoed for action at UNWTO. We need as a world to be seen as good custodians of what we have been blessed with. This will ensure long term tourism which will help alleviate poverty in so many countries" said Alain St.Ange who has amassed a large number of endorsements from the world of tourism, marginalised groups, politicians, press among others.


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Today is July 4th which means WPBeginner is officially 11 years old. We've come a long way
Like every year, I want to take a few minutes and do a quick recap of all the major things happening in business as well as my personal life.
Bonus: I'm also doing a Website Toolkit giveaway which includes a Macbook Air, Free domain + Hosting, and my favorite premium WordPress plugins.
Since this is a long article, you can easily skip to the section you're most interested in:
WPBeginner Story
I started using WordPress when I was 16 years old and started WPBeginner at age 19 with a single mission: make WordPress easy for beginners.
Since then WPBeginner has become the largest free WordPress resource site for beginners.
For those of you who're new, you can read the full WPBeginner story on our about page and use the Start Here page to get the most out of WPBeginner.
Personal Updates
My son, Solomon, is now 3.5 years old. He's growing up fast, and he now even suggests keywords that I should mention in my email newsletters to WPBeginner audience.
Since the last WPBeginner anniversary post, we travelled to Turkey, Germany, Austria, Bahamas, Pakistan, Mexico, and several places in US.
Of course all of our travels came to a stop in February due to COVID-19. We've been staying home and spending a lot of family time.
I've also been working a lot during this lockdown – focusing on creating more content as well as revamping various product features.
If you didn't get a chance to read my 2019 recap, I highly recommend checking it out on my personal blog where I share lessons learned from last year.
WPBeginner Updates
Thanks to our awesome community, WPBeginner has continued to grow in double-digit (year over year). Aside from tons of amazing WordPress tutorials on our blog, there have been several notable updates from last year, that I'd like to highlight.
1. We launched Three New Free Business Tools
Since last year, we have launched 3 new free business tools to help you do more with WordPress.
The first is a smart business name generator to help you find brandable company name ideas with available domains, so you can start your online business idea.
The second is a WordPress theme detector that helps you find out what WordPress theme your competitor's website is using. Simply put, if you have ever wondered what WordPress theme a website is using, this tool can help you find that.
Last but not least, we launched a free WordPress Call Button plugin to help you easily add a click to call button on your website.
2. WPBeginner Engage Facebook Group is now Over 48,000 Members
To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we launched the WPBeginner Engage Facebook group to offer WordPress help for non-techy users.
This was something that a lot of you had been asking for, and I'm extremely pleased with the progress thus far. We now have over 48,000+ members in our Facebook group, and I believe it's now the largest WordPress user group on Facebook.
For those of you who're not members yet, the goal of this group is to share and learn WordPress tips while getting to know other motivated website owners like yourself.
Aside from peer-to-peer support and knowledge sharing, we also do monthly giveaways, have exclusive video content from myself, and our WPBeginner experts are also there answering questions (for free).
What are you waiting for? Go ahead and join the WPBeginner Facebook Group. I look forward to connecting with you
3. WPBeginner YouTube Channel Now Has 191,000+ subscribers
Our WPBeginner YouTube channel passed 191,000+ subscribers, and I believe we will pass 200k goal by end of this year.
We have hundreds of free WordPress video tutorials, and we have also been creating a lot of YouTube exclusive content.
For example, you can watch our playlists to learn how to Make Money Online, learn WordPress SEO, and more.
We are also doing monthly State of WPBeginner videos where we share what's happening in the WordPress ecosystem, summary of Awesome Motive products, and more.
Also I'm personally making more appearances on the channel in the interview style videos.
If you've not subscribed to our YouTube channel yet, it'd mean the world to me if you can subscribe and hit the bell button, so we can pass the 200,000 goal.
4. We switched our WordPress hosting to SiteGround (Google Cloud)
Last year, I was extremely excited about our private cloud hosting platform that we built, but it led to many complexities.
That's why earlier this year, we switched WPBeginner hosting to SiteGround Enterprise (which is powered by Google Cloud).
I wrote about 6 reasons why we switched to SiteGround.
If you're looking to switch hosts, I highly recommend SiteGround – their customer service and new tech platform is really robust.
5. New Acquisitions & Investments (All in One SEO, Smash Balloon, & more)
As you know, two years ago I created the WPBeginner growth fund to invest in WordPress focused companies.
This past year, I'm proud to welcome the following companies to our family of products:
All in One SEO Pack is the original WordPress SEO plugin used by over 2 million websites. In January, we acquired AIOSEO to bring it under the Awesome Motive umbrella, and I'm working with the team to build tons of amazing SEO features to help you rank higher.
If you're looking for a SEO plugin, try AIOSEO – there's a free version available here as well.
Smash Balloon offers the most popular social media feeds plugin for WordPress. Over 1.3 million websites use Smash Balloon plugins to display their social media content.
If you're looking to create and display custom Instagram photo feeds, Facebook feeds, Twitter feeds, and YouTube feeds, then there's no better plugin that Smash Balloon. There's a free version for all four plugins that you can try.
I also invested in Rymera Web, the parent company behind Wholesale Suite and Advanced Coupons for WooCommerce. These are extremely useful plugins for WooCommerce store owners.
Product Updates
One of the questions that I often get asked via our contact form is what is WPBeginner's income, and how does WPBeginner make money by giving away all WordPress tutorials for free.
Well, we make money indirectly through our suite of premium WordPress plugins that are now running on over 15 million websites.
WPForms is our drag & drop WordPress form builder plugin that's now being used by over 3 million websites.
Since last July, WPForms has launched numerous exciting features including integrations for Authorize.net (payment forms), ActiveCampaign (CRM), WPML (translations), smart access controls (security), and improved Entry management.
Aside from that, they also added many powerful form fields like multiple file uploads, number slider, text limits, improved reCAPTCHA, etc.
You can download the free version of WPForms or get WPForms Pro to unlock even more powerful features.
MonsterInsights is the most popular WordPress analytics plugin. Over 2 million website owners use MonsterInsights to see the stats that matter right inside the WordPress dashboard.
Since last July, MonsterInsights has added smart analytics features such as Email Summaries, PDF export for reports, smart date range, multi-site network wizard, improved Pretty Links integration, and more.
You can download the free version of MonsterInsights or get MonsterInsights Pro to unlock more powerful features.
WP Mail SMTP
WP Mail SMTP is the most popular SMTP plugin for WordPress. Now over 1 million website owners use this plugin to fix the WordPress not sending email issue.
It's a must have plugin on all our websites. Simply put, this plugin fixes WordPress email deliverability issues by letting you send emails using Amazon SES, MailGun, G Suite, and other more reliable email platforms.
We launched the premium version last year to add smart features like Email Logs, Email Control, Pro integrations, and a White Glove Setup for business owners.
You can download the free version of WP Mail SMTP or get WP Mail SMTP Pro to unlock more powerful features.
OptinMonster is the best WordPress plugin to convert website visitors into subscribers and customers.
Simply put, it helps you get more email subscribers.
This year we added several exciting features into OptinMonster including: new personalization workflow, A/B testing for campaign types, mobile exit-intent, new integrations for email providers, and more.
OptinMonster truly is the #1 most powerful conversion optimization toolkit in the world. It will help you instantly boost leads and grow revenue by converting and monetizing your existing website traffic.
This is my not-so secret website tool that I use on all our websites because it just works!
RafflePress is the best WordPress giveaway and contest plugin. It's a new product that we launched last year to unlock viral growth on our sites.
We've been using it on WPBeginner and our products to grow our email list, increase engagement, and generate more sales.
RafflePress helps you turn your visitors into brand ambassadors. As a result, you get more website traffic, email
subscribers, and social media engagement FASTER without buying any paid ads!
You can download the free version of RafflePress or get RafflePress Pro to unlock more powerful features.
WPBeginner Birthday Giveaway
To celebrate the 11th birthday of WPBeginner, we are offering an Ultimate Website Toolkit to one lucky reader.
The prize includes a Macbook Air, free domain + 1 year GoGeek hosting from SiteGround, 1 hour Zoom call with Syed (me), and pro licenses to all our premium WordPress plugins: WPForms, OptinMonster, MonsterInsights, WP Mail SMTP, SeedProd, RafflePress, TrustPulse, All in One SEO, Smash Balloon, MemberPress, Affiliate Royale, Thirsty Affiliates, Pretty Links, Formidable Forms, Wholesale Suite, and Advanced Coupons for WooCommerce.
Winner will be chosen randomly using a random generator script.
EDIT: The winner has been chosen, congratulations Sarthak Agarwal
All you have to do is enter the giveaway using the widget below:
* No purchase is required to enter this giveaway.
Giving Back (Opportunity)
As you know that WPBeginner is a 100% free resource, and I don't really ask for much in return. Your kindness and generosity in supporting our premium WordPress plugins make this business sustainable for us.
A big priority for Amanda and I is to help others, and we do a ton through our Balkhi Foundation.
Since it's our family foundation, we don't ask for donations there. However if you've ever found WPBeginner to be helpful and want to give back, then I would appreciate you supporting some of my favorite charities below:
- Animal Welfare Institute
- Cancer Research Institute
- Environment: The Conservation Fund or National Park Foundation
- Hunger: Action Against Hunger or No Kid Hungry
Thank You Everyone
I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported us in this journey. I really do appreciate all of your retweets, personal emails, content suggestions, and the in-person hugs / interactions at the events.
You all are AMAZING and without you, there is no WPBeginner.
I look forward to another solid year ahead of us.
Syed Balkhi
Founder of WPBeginner
P.S. We're hiring for several roles as our company grows. If you or someone you know would be interested in being part of our fast-growing team, then please apply here.


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Wolverine print. Created using pen and ink. This'll make a perfect gift for somebody in the holiday season or anytime.
Available as Art Print, Photographic Print and Poster via Redbubble.com
Art Print:
- Gallery-grade prints on high-quality paper, this is the real deal
- Lightly textured 100% cotton paper
- Custom sizes, based on artwork dimensions. Check size chart if self-framing
- Dimensions include a 1 – 2 inch (2.5 – 5.0cm) white border to assist in framing
- Large prints shipped in tubes, small & medium prints in protective flat mailers
Photographic Print:
- Absolutely stunning photo reproductions, but don't take our word for it, check the reviews
- Superior quality silver halide prints
- Archival quality paper
- Choose your finish: luster for a fine grain pebble texture, or metallic for a glossy finish and exceptional visual interest and depth
- Blank walls suck, so bring some life to your dorm, bedroom, office, studio, wherever
- Printed on 185gsm semi gloss poster paper
- Custom cut – refer to size chart for finished measurements
- Includes a 3/16 inch (5mm) white border to assist in framing


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America spends $3.8 trillion on health care annually, more than any other country. Yet when it comes to creating a more equitable public health system, it could learn a thing or two from some of the world's poorest nations, says Katie Bollbach, executive director of Partners in Health-U.S.
Partners in Health is best known for providing health care in some of the most under-resourced places on Earth. The charity has responded to epidemics like HIV in Haiti and Ebola in West Africa. But when the coronavirus pandemic struck, the nonprofit saw that its expertise was also desperately needed in one of the world's richest countries.
Early on in the pandemic, PIH began working with partners in various U.S. communities, includingNewark, N.J., Fulton County, Ga., the Navajo Nation and the state of Massachusetts, to train contact tracers and set up other public health interventions for America's most vulnerable. Low-income communities of color have been disproportionately hard hit throughout the pandemic — and that's made long-standing racial and ethnic health disparities glaringly obvious.
Those disparities aren't going away anytime soon. This fall, PIH stated that it would make its U.S. operations permanent. In November, the charity announced it had won $11.1 million in federal funding to help community-based outreach workers in hard-hit communities get people vaccinated. We spoke with Bollbach about what the U.S. public health system can learn from best practices in low-income countries, and the different — sometimes tougher — challenges of doing this work in America. Here are some of the points we discussed.
In the U.S., public health systems aren't always good about talking to each other. And that's a problem.
In the U.S., Bollbach says, public health systems are fragmented and don't necessarily speak to each other or coordinate even in the best of times. Each state operates its own public health system — and even systems within a single state can operate independently from each other. For example, "in a place like Massachusetts, we've got 351 local boards of health in one state, versus one statewide health department or ministry of health," she says.
By contrast, building partnerships is at the heart of Partners in Health's approach to public health — hence, the group's name.
Part of PIH's work in the U.S. has focused on helping public health departments and other agencies deepen their collaborations with each other and with community groups, similar to the work they do in low-income countries. In Chicago during the pandemic, for instance, PIH-U.S. helped grow a coalition of 160 grassroots organizations, philanthropists, public health experts and government officials. The coalition worked with trusted local organizations, including social services agencies, food pantries and groups that address youth violence, to spread the word about vaccines, transport people to get their shots and train community members on vaccine outreach. Now, says Bollbach, that coalition is looking beyond the pandemic, working on a project with the Chicago Department of Public Health to improve health equity neighborhood by neighborhood.
The culture wars are making everyone's job harder.
One challenge that makes the situation in the U.S. unique is the ferocity of the country's misinformation problem, says Bollbach. While there's misinformation and vaccine resistance everywhere to some extent, "the kind of culture war that has developed around basic public health guidance in the U.S. — the fierceness of that — has taken me by surprise, maybe naively," says Bollbach. "We have protesters outside of [the homes of] directors of departments of health — that has been a real distinguishing factor of some of the challenges here. The politicization of really basic public health interventions like masking in schools or vaccine mandates — that does stand out here as unique."
Money, money, money. From Sierra Leone to New Jersey, no one has enough.
Even though the U.S. health system overall is rich in resources, that money isn't necessarily reaching public health departments, Bollbach says. "We've found some exceptional leaders with deep commitments to their communities and to health equity who have just been operating in systems that have been systematically under-resourced or disinvested in over many decades." As a result, she says, they "are fighting with two hands tied behind their backs, in some cases even pre-COVID, in terms of keeping essential functions running." That experience of visionary leaders without the resources they need to do their work "feels fairly shared between the Directorate of Primary Care in Sierra Leone as it does in the department of health in Essex County, New Jersey, in some ways."
The demonization of poverty in the U.S. isn't helping anyone.
In America, there's a cultural perception that everyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps. That can lead discussions about poverty to take on darker dimensions, she says. It can also help fuel resistance to cash assistance programs that give money directly to individuals. "It's a battle we didn't know we would have to fight quite so vigorously," she says.
Bollbach says that attitude stems from the racism built into U.S. systems. While other countries also have a history of colonialism and racism, she says here in the U.S., it's led to a "demonization of poverty as a sort of individual or household problem rather than a societal and policy problem."
PIH's partners in other countries have long embraced a more generous definition of public health interventions, she says. In the early days in Haiti, for instance, tuberculosis patients would get prescribed medications, "but also we'd have doctors write prescriptions for a new roof or shoes or whatever a patient needed to stay healthy."
The pandemic has helped move the needle somewhat in the U.S. In Florida, for example, PIH-US teamed up with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a local community health center and a local faith-based group to give cash assistance to migrant farm workers so they could stay home and isolate themselves when infected with COVID-19 — without worrying where their next meal was coming from. And other U.S. communities have also been experimenting with cash assistance to improve health outcomes.
If there's one big takeaway from other nations, it's the importance of community health workers.
"One lesson that has stood out from day one is how essential it is to bring care and services to people where they are," says Bollbach. A key piece of that is community health workers — a workforce made up of people from the community who are trained to connect people to services and help them navigate access to health care.
"Health workers are the foundation and the heart of health systems in most of the places we work, from Haiti to Rwanda to Peru," she says — and they've been essential to the success of PIH's public health interventions over the last three decades. That's true in emergency situations, such as the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, when community health workers went door to door screening people, delivering groceries to those in isolation and even "helping to literally walk side by side or get an ambulance or a bike or whatever was needed to get that person to a clinic," she says.
But this same workforce also helps promote health longer term — for example, by making sure someone living with HIV takes their medications regularly and goes for routine checkups.
Part of PIH's work in the U.S. has focused on building out the community health workforce here. (Currently there are about 60,000 community health workers.)
Early on in the pandemic, these community health workers were trained not only to do contact tracing but also to steer people to resources that would be helpful in this current crisis, including sources of rent assistance and grocery deliveries to help them isolate better.
PIH hopes America's newfound interest in community health workers will last beyond immediate pandemic needs. In North Carolina, for example, PIH-US has partnered with the state department of health and human services to expand an existing community health worker program to all 100 counties statewide.
"I think this is a real inflection point for us as a country to really double down on this commitment to community health workers in a different, more transformational way," Bollbach says.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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At the center of Riaciina village in Kenya lies a semi-permanent house, traditionally constructed. The walls of the house are made of mud and smoothly smeared with cow dung. The roof is thatched with iron sheets. There is a big gap between the mud and iron sheets. Mosquitoes penetrate freely day and night.
This is the home of Amina, a toddler enrolled in the local Child Survival Program (CSP). At the back of the homestead lies waste from the nearby kitchen. On the other side of the home are thick bushes of indigenous trees.
As the CSP specialist visited the mother, mosquito bites could be noted on the face of the child. Throughout the session, the TEEEE! TEEEE! sound of mosquitoes could be heard.
In some countries, mosquitoes are just nuisance, but in Riaciina, mosquitoes pose a deadly threat. Mosquito-borne malaria is the major killer disease in the area.
Riaciina village lies in the semi-arid part of Kenya on the extreme southern slopes of the largest mountain in Kenya, Mount Kirinyaga. The occupants are mainly the Ambeere and the Akaamba people whose primary work is farming and fishing.
On the lower side of the community lies the River Tana, the longest river in Kenya. The areas surrounding the river are dumpy and bushy — a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The infestation of the parasites is especially heavy along the riverbanks during rainy season.
Community members cannot escape the mosquitoes, as this is their only water source. Poor sanitation and disposal of kitchen wastes has also increased the mosquito breeding areas. The area has high maternal and infant mortality rates due to malaria-related complications.
According to a report from a nearby dispensary, an estimated 11 percent of mothers die before childbirth, while about 20 percent of children die before 5 years of age due to severe malaria. Lack of adequate food due to poverty, especially during the dry season, and malnutrition have led to low immunity. A survey by the local health officials shows that there has been an increase in the number of malaria cases and deaths reported in the previous year.
The living standard of the community members is low. Many children rarely attend school and the majority of adults are illiterate. Over 70 percent of the entire adult population is jobless. Those who find casual jobs bring home an average of $1.25 per day. This amount of money cannot provide for a large family's daily meal.
An average mosquito net, which can greatly reduce cases of malaria, costs $3.25. The caregivers cannot afford to buy mosquito nets for all their children.
AIDS is also on the rise in the community. The pandemic has left many children either homeless or under the care of their aged grandparents. These children are exposed to malaria infection since the poor caregivers either cannot afford or have no knowledge of the importance of using insecticide treated mosquito nets (ITNS). Due to their illiteracy, the caregivers have no basic knowledge on malaria preventive measures either.
More than 50 percent of the malaria-associated deaths in the region are the result of less effective antimalarial drugs, poor management and improper diagnosis, and lack of knowledge by the primary caregivers on the importance of early disease interventions.
Some villagers use indigenous plants to create herbal remedies for the treatment of malaria. The herbs and leaves are boiled to form a colored liquor. They have no knowledge on actual dosages; therefore, most of those using the drug are referred to main hospitals with complicated severe malaria. Those who cannot afford transport to main hospitals die as a result.
In 2008, little Amina was admitted to the hospital twice with severe malaria. As a Compassion-assisted child, she was able to receive much-needed treatment and her medical bills were covered by the program. Through malaria education, provision of mosquito nets and removal of the nearby bushes, the child is now healthy and free from malaria.
Tragically, Amina's sister was not so fortunate.
In 2007, Amina's elder sister Joyce was 3 years old when she contracted malaria. Joyce had been running a fever and was very weak. Her mother, Agnes, took her to a nearby dispensary. The child was unconscious; her body temperature was high and she had severe febrile convulsions.
According to Agnes, Joyce's initial treatment was a traditionally prepared herbal remedy that lacked exact doses. Agnes collected herbs and administered them to her daughter without knowing that it would be the last time little Joyce would ever drink the herbal medicine.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO)'s guidelines for the integrated management of childhood illnesses, the child had severe malaria and therefore required urgent referral to a hospital. The family could not afford transport to the far distant hospital. The nearby Kenyan dispensary lacked facilities, so the helpless child died in the hands of her heartbroken mother.
This is one of the many stories in which children die of a disease that could otherwise have been prevented. Despite the tragic loss of her older daughter Joyce, Agnes is grateful that Amina is growing strong and no longer attacked by malaria.
The difference in Amina's case was the presence of Compassion.
Our CSP staff members work tirelessly, in line with the local health officials, to ensure that the mosquito-breeding places are eradicated. Compassion strives towards this goal so that no other mothers suffer the loss of a child, as Agnes did.
The education by CSP staff on the importance of clearing the nearby bushes, use of treated mosquito nets (ITNS), use of insecticides and early interventions has made progress in reducing malaria in the region. In addition to families enrolled in the Child Survival Program, this information has also been passed to other community members.
During the CSP home-based trainings, the visiting neighbors are never left out. The use of compost pits as advocated by CSP has ensured proper disposal of kitchen waste, minimizing the number of mosquito breeding areas.
The CSP training on malaria is also extended to the pregnant mothers. Malaria is a deadly disease that has severe effects on the growing fetus. Mothers severely hit by the disease have low birth weight babies or even stillbirths as associated with plasmodia in the placenta.
Since malaria has become resistant to most of the common drugs, the government has introduced other strong antimalarial drugs. The drugs are quite efficient in the control of the disease, but are rarely affordable. The use of a sulfur drug (fansidar) during pregnancy has reduced the number of malaria cases among the CSP pregnant mothers.
Our Child Survival Program has changed the lifestyles of many families in Riaciina. A survey by the CSP staff at the end of 2009 showed that:
- More than 90 percent of the community members had compost pits where kitchen wastes are deposited and burned.
- The training on modern methods of farming has led to proper utilization of the available land; most of the bushes where mosquitoes once thrived are now cleared.
- The malaria morbidity and mortality rate among children under 5 years old is now going down progressively.
Malaria has plagued humankind since ancient times and is still a significant threat to half of the world's population; 3.3 billion people living in 109 countries are at risk of contracting the disease. Estimates suggest that malaria afflicts between 350 and 500 million people every year. In addition, as many as 30,000 visitors to tropical countries are infected annually.
April 25 is a day of unified commemoration of the global effort to provide effective control of malaria around the world. This year's World Malaria Day marks a critical moment in time. The international malaria community has less than a year to meet the 2010 targets of delivering effective and affordable protection and treatment to all people at risk of malaria, as called for by the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon.
(Excerpt from rollbackmalaria.org)


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Grandmother, Nanna, Grandma, Granny, Nanny - Choose Design - WishStrings Wish Bracelets on Gift Card | Thoughtful Gift under 5 pound
Grandmother, Nanna, Grandma, Granny, Nanny - Choose Design - WishStrings Wish Bracelets on Gift Card | Thoughtful Gift under 5 pound
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Copyright ©2024 WishStrings. All rights reserved. || WishStrings® is a registered Trademark


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No. 924
Jim Davidson -- NEWSPAPER COLUMN
Early one morning a few weeks after my wife passed away, I was all alone sitting in my easy chair and got to thinking about the future and the days that lie ahead. All of a sudden the emotion came over me of being so grateful for all the good things I had going for me. First, I was grateful for the extra months the Lord gave me with Viola before He called her home and the joy of taking care of her, as I am sure she would have done for me. In case you may not know, she had Parkinson's for almost 20 years and passed away May 13, 2013.
Then I was, and still am, grateful for so many personal friends, my children, church family, members of my Lions Club that I have served with for so many years, my great friends who read my column and listen to my daily radio program, and relatively speaking for good health. I am also grateful that I am a positive person and have a real vision and hope for the future. In spite of our nation's many challenges, I just believe our best days are ahead and there are millions of Americans who feel the same way. Our freedom was not won by cowards, but by millions of our citizens whose blood, sweat and tears made us the land of the free and the home of the brave.
For the past several years my passion has been literacy, and specifically the Bookcase for Every Child project I was privileged to be a part of that was started here in Conway in 2005. I don't know of a cause where there is a greater need, where I could spend the rest of my life, than trying to help children being reared in low-income families have a brighter future. My wife Viola was also a big part of this, as she supported and inspired me in so many ways that it would be impossible to list them all. One thing most of my readers have never heard is that she recorded radio commercials for more than a hundred of our "How to Plan Your Life" radio sponsors.
Sometime back I saw the results of a survey that revealed that woman mature at a much earlier age than men. The age for most women is around 32 years of age, while for most men it's around 43 years of age. I personally know this is true. While only a few months separated our chronological age, in the early days of our marriage she was much more mature than I was. She also possessed outstanding character, and there were many times when she pulled my bacon out of the fire by providing insights and counsel that money could not buy.
The more I thought about this, the more I came to realize what a fitting tribute it would be to dedicate to her memory the bookcase project that I founded. When I die, my daily radio program and syndicated column will basically be over, but this is not the case with the Bookcase for Every Child project. Literacy is a generational thing, and to teach a young child to read who would not otherwise achieve fluent literacy may impact his own family and even generations yet unborn. Therefore, I am appealing to every American to help spread this literacy project to every hamlet, city and town that we can possibly reach.
With God's help, your help, and the help of thousands of others, I would like to see at least one Bookcase for Every Child project developed in every state in the nation. Thanks to a wonderful feature article in the American Profile magazine back in August 2011, we are now in five states. Except for in the case of local efforts, Viola's condition created a delay in spreading the project. Taking care of her was my number one priority and I know you understand this. However, I am excited about the future and I hope you are as well. Thank you for allowing me to share this with you.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Jim Davidson is a public speaker and syndicated columnist. You may contact him at 2 Bentley Drive, Conway, AR 72034. To begin a bookcase literacy project visit www.bookcaseforeverychild.com. You won't go wrong helping a needy child.)


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Tavern Table
The Tavern Table has a smooth top and rounded corners. This table is stained in carbon black and finished with a durable and easy to clean polyurethane finish.
A simple, rustic design, this table is 100% solid wood.
- Handcrafted in the heartland.
- Hand-applied multi-step durable satin polyurethane finish.
- Adjustable stay-level padded felt feet for added stability on uneven floors.
- Each piece is one of a kind.
- Simple assembly.
Our standard tables measure 30" tall and 34" wide. We can build you a custom size. Just ask!
Matching benches available:Tavern Bench
(For a bench that nests between the table legs, order a bench that is 12" shorter)
Matching chairs also available by request
Our products generally ship within 1-14 business days. We pre-assemble each table to ensure that everything fits perfectly, then disassemble it and ship your table flat. This reduces your cost as well as protects the table during shipping. We provide easy to follow instructions and tools for assembly, a very simple job. Items shipped to Alaska, Hawaii, US Territories, and internationally will take longer and may have an additional fee.
Have a question about this item? Contact us at (646) 481-3295 or email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Grain / Color NOTICE:
Because our furniture is crafted from solid real wood there will be variation in color and grain pattern. Products in the images have been crafted from the same species of wood and stained with the exact same stain color as the product you will receive. However, because wood is a natural product, no two pieces are the same. Depending on an individual piece of wood and grain pattern, the stain may take more or less resulting in the color variation. While every effort has been made to supply you with the most accurate photographic representation, you should expect some variation in your product.
We Also Recommend


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We are experienced software professionals who can help you craft a superb web and mobile experience.
Since 2009, we've been helping people achieve their goals with software. We've worked with universities, startups, and even the occasional rock star.
We specialize in Django, the web framework for perfectionists with deadlines that powers Instagram, Pinterest, Rdio and many other high-profile sites. But, like any serious craftsman, we pick the right tool for the job: we have experience in the full complement of web and mobile technologies, from Python to iOS to AngularJS to Google Glass - and just about everything in between.
Open Source: we created and maintain PyAvaTax, a set of Python and Django bindings for Avalara's sales tax web service; and LogHog, a general purpose log storage/management system. Of course, we also contribute patches to other projects.
Tell us about your project and we'll help you pick the right tool for the job.
Depending on where you are with your project, we can help you plan it or build it (or both!)
We can work on a project basis, or augment and support your in-house team (to help you level up in Django, or just get more done).
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Drop us a line at email@example.com. No recruiters please (really).
We love our clients - and they love us! See what they've had to say:
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We have been working with Active Frequency for over four years now. Kevin and his team have become trusted advisors to us over the years. Not only have they shown a great ability to program and problem solve but they have become experts in understanding our unique business and challenges. As our business has grown and become more complex, Active Frequency has always been able to provide us with solutions that are able to propel us into the next phase of our growth. In short, we wouldn't be able to expand and make our business more efficient without the expertise and deep understanding that Active Frequency provides.
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We have been a client of Active Frequency for five+ years. When the principals discussed our experiences with Active Frequency and its lead, Kevin Grinberg, we had ALL Superlatives: Learns the client's business · Integrates into the customer team · Strong customer orientation · Highly responsive · Always on time · High value for money invested · Intense and imaginative professionals · Really nice and competent team · Always attentive to client's needs · Provides sound guidance and expertise · Uses and Creates state of the art technology · Formulate innovative approaches to problem solving
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I cannot say enough about the entire Active Frequency team. Since we began working with them in 2012, our site has dramatically improved in quality, speed, and reliability, in large part thanks to Active Frequency's help and guidance. A joy to work with, the Active Frequency Team has taken a genuine interest in our work and has helped us both expedite projects and avoid errors that could have set us months back. As a newspaper that sometimes faces crises in the wee hours of the morning, it is incredibly comforting to know that we can count on them at any time of day. All of us at The Crimson feel incredibly lucky to have found Active Frequency.
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The team at Active Frequency really took the time to understand our business, our creative needs and helped us identify a clean, elegant way to create a lasting impression with our customers. From a UI and general "flow" perspective, they were super patient in walking us through best practices and was strategic in giving opinions, suggesting really key components that we hadn't considered. They brought great work to the table.


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Employee Monitoring Made Simple - Record, Review, Alert and Block User Activity
InterGuard employee monitoring software is a complete internal threat solution downloaded to the endpoint, with four modules including Employee Monitoring, Web Filtering, Data Loss Prevention, and Laptop Anti-Theft Recovery.
By recording & blocking all PC activity, InterGuard protects you from Internal Threats and keeps you in compliance. Worse than an actual data breach is not knowing the "who, what, where and when". Because InterGuard acts like a surveillance camera inside your PCs, you will always be able to rewind and watch the slow motion replay.
What Computer Activities Can You Monitor with InterGuard Software?
You don't have to be an IT pro to set up and start monitoring employee internet usage with InterGuard's Computer Monitoring software. Just install the software on the PC or Mac desktop or laptop that you want to monitor and InterGuard starts capturing important details about employee computer activities immediately.
Get the control and oversight that's right for you.
Which use case best describes your goals?
InterGuard Employee Monitoring software lets you record and track all your employee's productivity – so you'll know if they are working hard or hardly working.
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Watch as work unfolds in real time with desktop screenshots & video playback.
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Get reports and alerts about how employees use their time, app and website usage.
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Knowing who is accessing sensitive files or participating in risky activities, is good but it's not enough. Preemptively block unwanted behaviors, and react in real-time to alerts.
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Restrict access to high-risk programs, websites, USB storage, and email attachments.
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Get alerted to suspicious activities whether triggered by keywords, policy violation attempt or anomalous behaviors.
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Whether proving regulatory compliance, conducting HR investigations or tracking down a suspected internal data breach, InterGuard presents user activity data in a clear, easy-to-understand format.
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If you need to comply with regulations (e.g. HIPAA, PCI, CIPA), InterGuard collects the raw data you need, then lets you create detailed, meaningful reports.
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Get the context you need by viewing the screenshots of suspicious activities carried out on the employee's desktop
Make sure your employees maintain a safe and proper balance between work-related online activities and time-wasting web surfing.
Advanced Reporting & Blocking
Get detailed web and search activity. Advanced website blocking functionality includes blocking by whitelist, blacklist and category.
Control from the Cloud
No appliance needed. InterGuard Web Filtering Software is an agent-based solution that gives you cloud-based control over your employee's endpoint – even when they work from home.
User & Group Based Policies
Create tailored role-based web access policies to ensure each employee has access to the sites they need to accomplish their tasks
The Best Employee Monitoring Software
Makes Insight Easy.
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Know what your employees are doing by recording all user activity on the endpoint – even when not connected to the network. All user activity is logged, analyzed and indexed for alerts, playback, audit trails and behavioral benchmarking.
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DLP Policy Control
Granular control over which users and applications may access confidential data and files, where they can send it and by which channels it can be sent. InterGuard scans data in motion and data at rest to detect DLP policy violations, then alerts and/or blocks DLP violations automatically.
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Policy control
Secure your network and enhance employee productivity with enhanced internet content filtering. Our unique agent-based endpoint solution allows you to record and filter web activity, on or off network. Block porn, gambling, videos, social networks, shopping sites and other inappropriate content or applications.
Incident Response
Interact with and take control of a user's PC or laptop in a potential breach situation. Remotely delete or retrieve files, geo-locate lost or stolen laptops, and even lockdown the laptop or the endpoint if necessary.
Employee Monitoring Software that Gives You More
InterGuard is the easiest and fastest way for you to monitor,
control and respond to what employees do on their computers and phones
Employee Monitoring
Know what your employees are doing by recording all user activity on the endpoint – even when not connected to the network. All user activity is logged, analyzed and indexed for alerts, playback, audit trails and behavioral benchmarking.