text:
Protecting Europe or Irregular Migrants? The (Mis)use of Force in the Mediterranean
The plan of the EU to get Security Council backing for the use of force against smugglers' vessels in the Mediterranean is unlikely to keep irregular migrants out of harm's way and thus hardly suitable to counter a threat to international peace.
On Monday 11 May Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, officially briefed the UN Security Council on the current crisis in Europe. The crisis relates to the sharp increase of fatalities of individuals trying to cross the Mediterranean in order to reach European shores. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports 1.800 deaths since the beginning of 2015, more than 800 of them during a single incident in April. Deaths in the Mediterranean are an annually recurring tragedy triggering public outcry in spring that dwindles down as less individuals attempt the journey due to the harsher conditions at sea during the colder months. However, 2015 is likely to become the deadliest year. According to Peter Sutherland, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for International Migration, these numbers represent a 20-fold increase over the same period last year. The surge in fatalities is largely attributed to the discontinuation of the search and rescue operation Mare Nostrum by the Italian navy and its replacement by the smaller scale operation Triton. The latter is coordinated by the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (Frontex) and focuses on border control and surveillance rather than search and rescue (see also here).
To be sure, this demands action. An 'exceptional and coordinated response' is required to deal with the 'unprecedented situation', Ms Mogherini told the Security Council. On 23 April the European leaders came together for an emergency summit to devise a plan of action to respond to the tragedy. The action plan, presented to the Security Council on Monday, promises a strengthened European presence at sea, announces increased efforts to prevent irregular migration and declares the fight against human traffickers a priority. To crack down on human traffickers Europe pledges to undertake systematic efforts to identify, capture and destroy vessels before they are used by traffickers. This course of action is not without obstacles. The vessels in question, prior to their use, are mostly situated in Libya, but surely outside Europe. Quite inconspicuous at first sight, Europe's proposal therefore requires using military force on the territory of another state and touches upon a bedrock rule of international law: the prohibition of the use of force.
The prohibition of the use of force has been considered a central achievement of the UN. So much so that, as Tilmann Altwicker and Oliver Diggelmann (in EJIL Volume 25:2) point out, the common distinction between 'classical' and 'modern' international law 'divides the history of international law into the periods "before" and "after" the rise of the partial ban on the use of force' (abstract). Ever since Ms Mogherini was tasked with devising a more detailed plan to thwart human smugglers, emphasis has been put on the requirement of conformity with international law. Obtaining consent of Libya, considering the dispersed 'hubs' of control and related questions of political representation, is not only challenging in theory but also in practice. As reported by the BBC, Ibrahim Dabbashi, Libya's ambassador to the UN, has already indicated he is neither pleased with how Europe bypassed him nor with the plan itself. Absent Libya's consent to military operations on its territory, European states can either invoke their right to self-defence or ask for authorisation by the Security Council.
Since migration flows hardly qualify as an armed attack and therefore do not trigger a right to self-defence, the path chosen is to seek approval by the Security Council. The detailed content of a resolution that is currently being drafted has not been made public yet. According to the Guardian, the United Kingdom is in charge of drafting a proposal that is believed to call for 'the use of all means to destroy the business model of the traffickers'. Since approval requires at least nine affirmative votes, the four European members of the Security Council – currently Spain and Lithuania as well as the permanent members the United Kingdom and France – need to get at least five others on board. Efforts are therefore under way to persuade the remaining three permanent members: the United States, China and Russia. Russia seems the hardest nut to crack since it reportedly is still unconvinced of the necessity of the military operation proposed.
Despite the extensive powers of the Security Council in deciding whether to authorise the use of force, it must bring forward strong reasons for doing so. In the words of Article 39 UN Charter, these are the existence of an act of aggression, a breach of or at least a threat to international peace and security. A tweet by the EU Delegation to the UN of 28 April 2015 suggests that a threat to international peace and security is believed to exist:
'Human trafficking is threat for security & stability for all countries & EU will work with all partners @FedericaMog'.
Indeed, the Security Council has in the past (for example in Resolution 688 of 5 April 1991) defined massive transborder flows of refugees as a threat to international peace and security. However, even where such a threat exists, Article 42 only allows authorisation of force if and to the extent it is necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security. If transborder migration or human traffickers in the Mediterranean pose a threat to international peace it is because of the tremendous human suffering it involves. While it is conceivable that the threat relates to the disruptive effects in receiving states, Europe still seems to be capable to handle those (in particular with a new 'burden-sharing' model) and has not explicitly relied on that as the reason for intervention. Either way, only measures aimed at the root causes of the threat, humanitarian assistance or otherwise protection of the individuals at risk, can in this context be considered suitable to maintain international peace. For example, Resolution 688 (1991) authorised humanitarian relief efforts in order to protect Iraqi civilians, in particular Kurdish, from repression by their government. On that basis, international forces were deployed to Kurdish areas to create a safety zone within Iraq. In this vein, if Europe wants to counter the threat posed by migration flows or human traffickers, the measures need to be aimed at protecting migrants and refugees. This was pointed out by Mr Sutherland when briefing the Security Council on Monday. Since the Mediterranean represents, according to Sutherland, first and foremost a security crisis for the hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants in harm's way, an effective strategy to address the crisis, including in the context of a Security Council resolution, has to focus on the immediate need to save lives.
The important question therefore is whether stopping or shooting smugglers' boats protects migrants and refugees. The idea originally featured in a 10 Point Action Plan on Migration adopted on 20 April during a Joint Foreign and Home Affairs Council. It suggested that the positive results obtained with operation Atalanta could inspire similar operations against smugglers in the Mediterranean. Atalanta is a counter-piracy operation by EU naval forces aimed at protecting vessels around the Somalian coast from pirates. Whereas it can be argued that stopping pirates makes the journey for their potential target vessels safer, this is not the case with respect to human smugglers. In the absence of legal means of immigration to Europe destroying smugglers' boats in Libya may not deter individuals from trying to reach Europe but more likely push them to use alternative routes, potentially longer and even riskier. As the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, was quoted to have said in the European Parliament: 'if we close the door to all, people will come in through the windows'. Even if the proposed military operation terminated the journey for those making use of smugglers' boats, currently often including Eritrean or Syrian refugees, it not necessarily keeps them out of harm's way. Libya is not only swept by instability and violence, but is also quite infamous with respect to its commitment to migrants' and refugees' rights (see the most recent report of Amnesty International on the situation of migrants and refugees in Libya). Contrary to protecting the individuals at risk, 'trapping' migrants and refugees in Libya probably exacerbates or prolongs their perils.
Measures of protection could for example entail safe methods for individuals to seek asylum in the EU without having to rely on the smugglers' networks. Far from containing language reflecting such efforts, the tone of the action plan pledging to target smugglers' boats creates the impression Europe is mobilising all means to protect itself. This resonates with the more general direction of European migration and asylum policies. If targeting smugglers' vessels, however, does not protect migrants and refugees, it likely cannot be considered suitable, even less necessary, to counter the threat to international peace emanating from migration flows or human traffickers. To the contrary, it may perpetuate a situation that endangers international peace and security. This concern was also implied in Mr Sutherland's briefing of the Security Council. In his view, if the response does not focus on saving lives, it represents 'a moral failure of the first order, one that would undermine international law and security.' Even if Europe nonetheless squares the circle of making a case for the necessity of military strikes against smugglers' boats, it does not seem that the system of collective security under the UN Charter is designed to serve such cause.
It appears that the planning for the military operation is already well under way. The mandate, as Ms Mogherini informed the Security Council, is currently being elaborated with the EU member states in Brussels and will be discussed in the framework of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 18 May. These discussions hopefully also include consideration of potential international responsibility. Not for a breach of the use of force, supposing the Security Council supports the cause, but for human rights violations which may result from the military action. Considering that many of the tragedies take place on overloaded fishing boats, it may be extremely difficult to distinguish, before they embark on their journey, between ordinary fishing boats and those used for smuggling individuals. Even when the target vessels are correctly identified, it needs to be ensured that no individuals are caught in the crossfire or sent back in violation of the prohibition of refoulement when intercepted. In any case, the EU's (military) engagement in human rights sensitive areas once again shows the need for (external) accountability mechanisms for potential human rights violations. This rests quite uneasy with the recent rejection of the draft agreement on the accession of the EU to the European Convention of Human Rights by the Court of Justice of the European Union in Opinion 2/13.


text:
360Penguin 5.7K, 4K Video, 24 Mega-Pixel Photos, 360 Live Streaming Made Fun and Easy!
Everyone of all ages can now create stunning high quality 5.7K, 4K 360 video, 24M 360 photos, easily edit, live stream to Facebook and YouTube and share everything that's "All Around You™!"
The 360Rize technology developed inside the Penguin handles all the 360-video work flow to produce stunning 6K 360 video, 24-megapixel photos and last over an hour in filming on one charge.
Live stream, 360 videos to Facebook or YouTube and if 1 hour isn't long enough then direct access via the USB-C port for unlimited power to film endlessly.
You can also remote control the camera via WIFI and your smart phone, either on IOS or Android. Once connected you again access to many other power features like 24 mega pixel time lapses, view live 360 from the camera, so you can look around, zoom in and out without ever having to move the camera. You can even take one 360 photo and frame them into multiple traditional photos, so you never miss cutting something out of the picture again.
Quick Access to our users guide: 360Rize 360Penguin Specifications Document 20180904
Ages 9-99, designed and intended for the whole family to use! We leave no one out of the 360 fun, from the beginner to the professional we are here to help!
Either IOS or Android phones can be connected via WIFI to remote control the camera and gain access to many other powerful sharing and live streaming features. On the mobile device you can see everything happening in real-time.
Yes, from the one button interface you can take 6K 360 video and 24 mega-pixel photos. Just need to understand how the lights on the Penguin tells you whats happening.
Yes, its designed to be used by to used by all ages no matter how old or young you are. The simple one button control makes it easy to run without a mobile device and even easier once connected to see all the fancy ways to share and live stream 360 content.
Why Our Consumer 360 Video Gear Rocks!
Over 20 years experience we have figured out how to make 360 easy for all ages. We worked with all age groups and valued their input.
We understand changing technology is expensive however it doesn't have to be if you build your products taking the future into consideration,
Ease of use is the key to opening up the 360 market to everyone. Years of experience tells us how we can help everyone to get involved.
For the professionals You can now do 8K 360 Video at 240fps
Now supporting 8K 360 Video at 240fps
Advanced HD 360 Video at 240fps at 8K HEVC (H.265) 360 Video as 8,192 x 4,096 pixels using the 360Rize Pro10 with GoPro Hero6 Cameras
360 Video Gear for
Models 3-4-5-6-7-8
YI Technology
Models 4 and 4K Plus
Black Magic
2K and 4K Cinema

subset: commoncrawl


text:
For more photos, please visit Magnolia on Facebook.
Magnolia Editions will close for the holidays between December 21st, 2015 and January 1st, 2016. The studio will reopen in the new year beginning January 4th, 2016.
In the meantime, we encourage you to visit the Art Museum of Sonoma County in Santa Rosa, CA for "Magnolia Editions: Innovation and Collaboration," curated by Randy Rosenberg.
The museum is located at 425 7th St, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 (click for directions). "Magnolia Editions: Innovation and Collaboration" includes work from the last three decades by artists such as Robert Arneson, Squeak Carnwath, Don Ed Hardy, Enrique Chagoya, Chuck Close, Guy Diehl, Aziz + Cucher, Mildred Howard, William T. Wiley, Mary Hull Webster, Hung Liu, Richard Wagener, Doug Hall, Faisal Abdu'Allah, Kiki Smith, Donald and Era Farnsworth, and more.
The show runs through February 7, 2016; the museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. For more photos from the opening, please visit Magnolia on Facebook.


text:
In 1953, Shane changed Western films forever. It is based on a novel by Jack Schaefer. I have not read it the book, so it will not factor into this classic film review. The Western is directed by George Stevens and stars Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin,Brandon deWilde, Jack Palance, Emile Meyer, Elisha Cook, Jr., Ben Johnson, and others. It was nominated for six Oscars at the 1954 Academy Awards, but only brought in one: Best Cinematography. It was the first film shot in a widescreen format. At the time, its wide panoramic view was the first of its kind to moviegoers of the day.
Shane is a gunfighter with a mysterious past. He rides into an isolated part of Wyoming and onto the property of homesteader Joe Starrett, his wife Marian, and their son Little Joe. After being given some water, he witnesses the Starretts being harassed by land baron Rufus Ryker. He wants the Starretts and the other homesteaders off the land so he can use it for cattle. Shane stares them off, but Ryker promises to return.
Mr. Starrett convinces Shane to stay on and work for him. Little Joe becomes enamored with Shane and tries to pester him for answers about his past, but he only provides bits and pieces. Meanwhile, the homesteaders continue to make a stand courageously. Ryker hires a gunfighter of his own to challenge them. As Shane and the Starretts grow closer, the mysterious gunfighter realizes that even though "his kind" is fading, he can use his skill to find for the Starretts and their friends.
Shane is the first film of its kind. It has spawned several clones and copies including the superior Pale Rider (starring Clint Eastwood) and the not so superior B-Action film Missionary Man (starring Dolph Lundgren).
I did find the film unique and unlike other Westerns films like Big Jake (for instance) which focuses on the prime of the gunfighter, Shane instead focuses on the decline. Shane is a man lost in the world as it develops and changes from the Old West to the modern world. His world is changing, but can he change with it? I found that premise rather stimulating instead of the same old post-Civil War drama that Western movie often give us.
I want to praise Alan Ladd. He was fantastic in the role and very was engaging and interesting. He was fine in the role and the supporting cast melded well with him. The film won other awards and has since received several honors as a classic.
FAVORITE QUOTE: A gun is a tool, Marian; no better or no worse than any other tool: an axe, a shovel or anything. A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that.
PARENTAL CONCERN: Violence


text:
#MixxVids: @ScottyATL – Lying In My Ear
By @RahThePrez | 0 Comments
With the buzzing Atlanta artist Scotty ATL's single #CloudIX currently in rotation on the radio in the ATL he drops off a new visual for "Lying In My Ear" which is #6 on his recent mixtape with Dj Greg Street, #TrafficJamz. The song is produced from 8 Track whom is also in Atlanta, and the visual was shot by Stack Moses from Dallas. The video concept was created by Scotty ATL & Stack Moses
Related ItemsLying In My Earnew videoscotty atl


text:
12 Baby Pink Roses
In Stock
Settle for this beautiful arrangement of pink roses on special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, New Year, thanksgiving, etc. This floral arrangement is exclusively brought to you by wishbygift to make your special celebrations turned out to be a great success. You can consider this beauty to send on a random day to the one you adore to make their day filled with love and happiness.
Additional information
|Flowers Type
Pink Roses
There are no reviews yet.


text:
I Believe in...
sculpted facial features
SKIN's Nose-Shaping Program
As one of the most prominent features of our face, our nose is a major aspect of well-balanced features. SKIN MediSpa's Nose Shaping Program can help to adjust a disproportionate nose by straightening the nose, disguising bumps, and improving the shape and position of the nasal tip.
The first step is a complimentary one-on-one consultation with our medical director who has over 20 years of experience in creating beautiful aesthetic outcomes. During your consultation, concerns related to the appearance of your nose will be discussed and the appropriate steps for enhancement will be determined. It is important to note that not all nasal concerns are able to be targeted with injectable fillers. For example, injectable fillers cannot reduce the size of the nose, or eliminate bumps.
Due to the safe and compatible materials used in the Injectable Fillers at SKIN MediSpa, no pre-testing is required. The injectable products remain soft and take on the characteristics of the surrounding tissue.
During your nose shaping procedure a mild localized anesthetic can be used to minimize any discomfort. The numbing effects will wear off in 15 minutes to as long as a couple of hours depending on the anesthetic used.
Following Your Nose-Shaping Procedure:
Clients experience minor swelling from the treatment as a result of the expansion of the tissue. While this typically resolves within 24 hours , some cases may last as long as 48 hours.. Bruising is minimal, and most patients resume normal activities only a few hours after receiving treatment. Application of ice intermittently for a short period of time can help to reduce swelling. During the first 24 hours following treatment, you should sleep with your head elevated. For two weeks following your treatment you should avoid pushing, applying pressure, or massaging your nose, as this may impact the placement of the injectable fillers. Results are immediate and long lasting. The duration of the result is dependent on the type of injectable filler chosen.


text:
Venue and Travel - Accommodation
Welcome to Romania!
Romania is situated in the South-Eastern part of Central Europe and shares borders with Hungary to the North-West, Serbia to the South-West, Bulgaria to the South, the Black Sea to the South-East, Ukraine to the East and North and the Republic of Moldova to the East.
BUCHAREST, ROMANIA - Europe
Organizers: The Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science & Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences , University of Bucharest
Location of Conference: BUCHAREST, The Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
Address: Str. Academiei nr. 14, sector 1, C.P. 010014,
BUCHAREST - ROMANIA (Physical Map)
General Information, Location: Southern Romania, County: BUCHAREST
Tournament ICVL and CNIV: Future vs. Vision
BUCHAREST, ROMANIA - Europe
BUCHAREST, Romania's largest city and capital,is today a bustling metropolis (which in the 1900s earned its nickname of "Little Paris") .
Bucharest - ROMANIA (Physical Map) - General Information, Location: Central Romania, County: Bucharest (3D Map of Bucharest - http://www.harta3d.ro/)
The University of Bucharest is an influential player within the community of Romanian higher education and research. It plays its part in a global intellectual community working towards protecting and reinforcing academic values, as well as towards promoting diversity and international collaboration. Being one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Romania, it bears both the responsibility and the obligation to be a pioneer and a model. In its 150 years of existence, the University of Bucharest has gained solid national and international prestige, being the first Romanian academic institution in the top 600 universities in the world. The main objective of the University of Bucharest is offering higher-quality educational services and research activities, maintaining competitive standards at an international level, and manifesting a continuous concerning for ensuring quality,contributing to the development of the Romanian Society and its European integration. Mission of University of Bucharest
The University of Bucharest offers numerous study programs, from BA to PhD, as well as lifelong learning programs. At the same time, it constantly collaborates with more than 100 prestigious universities from 40 different countries. All programs are accredited or authorized. The degrees granted by the University of Bucharest are recognized in most countries of the world. The University of Bucharest is a comprehensive university, oriented towards natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. The number of faculties is almost equal on each of these domains.
The strategy of the University of Bucharest emphasizes international co-operation as an essential part of the University's core activities.
Revolution Square (Piata Revolutiei)-"The square gained worldwide notoriety when TV stations around the globe broadcasted Nicolae Ceausescu's final moments in power on December 21, 1989. It was here, at the balcony of the former Communist Party Headquarters, that Ceausescu stared in disbelief as the people gathered in the square below turned on him. He fled the angry crowd in his white helicopter, only to be captured outside of the city a few hours later. The square's importance stretches back long before the dramatic events of the 1989 Revolution. On the far side of the square stands the former Royal Palace, now home to the National Art Museum, the stunning Romanian Athenaeum and the historic Athenee Palace Hotel. At the south end of the square, you can visit the small, but beautiful, Kretzulescu Church." Source: http://www.romaniatourism.com
By plane to Bucharest
0) By plane to Bucharest. The international airport is Henri Coanda Otopeni International Airport, in Bucharest. It offers daily connections with every major city of Europe ( http://www.otp-airport.ro/)
1) From airport to Bucharest. There are two ways to reach those from the airport:
a) Firstly by bus EXPRES 783 (the station is in front of the arrivals terminal) till Piata Universitatii or Piata Victoriei station.
b) By cabs, Fly Taxi, the official airport taxi carrier. The duration is between 30 and 50 minutes (depending on traffic).
Have a good travel!
TRANSPORTATION By TRAIN
For the list of international trains with service to/from Romania please visit:
Getting to Romania by Train
Traveling by train from other European countries to Romania takes from 6 hours (Budapest to Timisoara) to about 46 hours (London to Bucharest). Most train tickets allow several stopovers en route so train travel can be an affordable and relaxing way to include Romania in a European trip.
Hotels in BUCHAREST
- Athenee Palace Hilton Hotel (*****), Str. Episcopiei nr. 1-3; Bucharest
- Ambasador Hotel (***), Bd. Gral. Gheorghe Magheru nr. 8-10; Bucharest
- Central Hotel (***), Str. Brezoianu nr. 13; Bucharest
- CISMIGIU Hotel, 4 stars - Bd. Regina Elisabeta nr. 38, Bucharest
- OPERA Hotel , 3 stars - Str. Brezoianu nr. 37, Bucharest
- VENETZIA Hotel, 3 stars - Piata Mihail Kogalniceanu, Bucharest
About CNIV and ICVL: Strong scientific events create and promote values
CNIV and ICVL are scientific events promoting innovative technologies and methodologies in education, research and lifelong improvement, both in the pre-university and university milieu, and in the economic sector, too. Structured and organized by European principles and International standards, the two projects promote implementation of modern ideas in the initial education and continuous training, encourage and promote teamwork and collaborative activities, scientific methods and experiments, creative thinking and intuition, arguing, and proving.


text:
I read this amazing passage from Henri Nouwen's terrific book, The Inner Voice of Love.
"There is within you a lamb and a lion. Spiritual maturity is the ability to let lamb and lion lie down together. Your lion is your adult, aggressive self. It is your initiative-taking and decision-making self. But there is also your fearful, vulnerable lamb, the part of you that needs affection, support, affirmation, and nurturing.
When you heed only your lion, you will find yourself overextended and exhausted. When you take notice of only your lamb, you will easily become a victim of your need for other people's attention.
The art of spiritual living is to fully claim both your lion and your lamb. Then you can act assertively without desiring your own needs. And you can ask for affection and care without betraying your talent to offer leadership.
Developing your identity as a child of God in no way means giving up your responsibilities. Likewise, claiming your adult self in no way means that you cannot become increasingly a child of God. In fact, the opposite is true. The more you can feel safe as a child of God, the freer you will be to claim your mission in the world as a responsible human being. And the more you claim you have a unique task to fulfill for God, the more open you will be to letting your deepest need be met.
The Kingdom of peace that Jesus came to establish begins when your lion and your lamb can freely and fearlessly lie down together."
That'll keep me reflecting for a year.


text:
People are always asking Ozra Jabbari, owner of Infinite Edge Learning Center in Tampa Palms, when their child should begin preparing for their college entrance exams.
"If you wait until junior year, it's too late," she replies, saying a full test preparation program at Infinite Edge takes several months. Cramming all that information in a few weeks won't yield the same results. "A student needs to have a good foundation," Ozra says, "and start preparing sooner rather than later."
She says students should begin SAT/ACT test preparation when they are taking Algebra II in school, because that's the level of math covered on the tests.
Ozra knows what it takes to do well on these tests.
Infinite Edge Learning Center is known as the "home of the perfect SAT and ACT," thanks to a tradition of coaching students into remarkable – even perfect – scores on these exams. The center has been family owned and operated since it first opened more than a decade ago.
"My two sons both got perfect scores on the ACT," says one mom. "I definitely attribute it to Infinite Edge."
She says both of her boys got a full ride scholarship to Duke, where one is currently attending and the other plans to attend next fall, after high school graduation. Both were accepted into several colleges, including Ivy Leagues.
For many students, the investment they make in studying with Infinite Edge pays off.
Ozra says in this year's high school senior class, more than 70 Infinite Edge Learning Center students have been offered full ride scholarships to college.
"We have four students who got full scholarships to Duke University," says Ozra. "We have other students who got academic scholarships to Washington University, Berkley, Rice, UCLA, and NYU, and many, many students who got full scholarships to USF, UF and UCF."
She says, in some cases, these scholarships are worth $50,000 per year.
SAT and ACT test preparation is offered in one-on-one sessions, and also group sessions, which have just two or three students.
"Training for the SAT also helps students prepare for other exams they may need to take later, such as the GRE," says Ozra. "They learn test taking strategies and skills that will help them be successful on all kinds of assessments."
Soaring through school
Besides test prep, Infinite Edge Learning Center specializes in customized, one-on-one lessons for all subjects for students in grades kindergarten through 12, and some college.
The center has an experienced staff of about 18 educators to ensure that every student who comes in gets the individual attention they require to get ahead in any specific subject.
Ozra and her team determine each student's academic strengths and challenges via assessment. They establish a grade equivalency and standardized score to pinpoint areas that require special attention and improvement, and then design a completely individualized, student-based learning intervention strategy or curriculum of instruction.
"Each lesson is a private, one-on-one session with a teacher, which lasts a full 60 minutes," says Ozra. "We focus on any specific area of need, and also continuously assess the student's progress to maximize achievement, as well as retention and comprehension of academic knowledge."
For a student, getting personalized attention they don't get in a crowded classroom can make a huge difference in their grades.
"All of our tutors work here part-time, because the majority are professional teachers or college professors," Ozra explains. "Our staff is matched with specific students who need help catching up or want to push ahead in any and all subjects."
Renee Ware shares how the approach worked for her daughter, who is now a junior at Duke University, with a full academic scholarship. "Kennedy made so much progress in math because Infinite Edge dedicated her time and preparation to where she needed the most help," Renee explains. "The encouragement she received from her tutors developed her confidence in an area that was okay, but became a lot better."
The tutors at Infinite Edge can also help students prepare for the Florida Standards Assessment.
"FSA is coming in the spring for students in third through tenth grade," Ozra says, emphasizing that some tests must be passed to move on to the next grade level, or for graduation. "We tutor students to be sure they are fully prepared."
Homework help, too
Infinite Edge offers an after-school program for elementary students, helping them to complete and understand their homework, while being cared for in a safe environment.
"It's great for families," says Ozra. "We help the students get their homework done while Mom and Dad are still at work."
A mom whose daughter attends the after-school program agrees. "My daughter is 10 and goes to Chiles," she explains. "At Infinite Edge, she gets more of a personalized touch that she would at other after school programs. It's nice that her homework is done early, before she gets tired, and we have the opportunity to have some quality time together in the evening."
For homeschoolers
Infinite Edge offers flexible scheduling for homeschool students, athletes, musicians, and other students who need it.
"We are here as a resource for homeschooling students who would benefit from additional support," Ozra explains. "For an additional challenge, or to get help beyond your typical daily routine, contact us to design a completely customized study program for your homeschooled student."
About Infinite Edge
Infinite Edge Learning Center was established by Ozra and her late husband, Sobhi, in 2007. It continues to be a premier provider of customized tutoring, serving New Tampa. Ozra, the staff and students continue to achieve superior results, making Sobhi's legacy a proud one.
Ozra often hears from her students what a difference their experience at Infinite Edge makes. "I am very proud of my students," she says. "When it comes to the end of the year and they're getting good grades and high test scores, it brings me happiness. It is also very gratifying to hear them say 'thank you' for all we've done for them."
Infinite Edge Learning Center is located at 17419 Bridge Hill Ct., in the Tampa Palms Professional Center near Freedom High School. To learn more about how Infinite Edge can help your child, call 813-971-6500 or visit InfiniteEdgeLearningCenter.com.


text:
Qods Day Speech (Jerusalem Day)
Chairman of Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani
December 14, 2001, Friday
Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran, in Persian 1130 gmt 14 Dec 01
Translated by BBC Worldwide Monitoring
Chairman of Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani warned the USA not to get the wrong idea from Taleban's swift defeat and try using force to get rid of other governments it dislikes. He spoke at the Qods Day (Jerusalem Day) rallies that are held on the last Friday of Ramadan, which in 2001 fell on 14 December. Delivering Tehran Friday prayers sermons at Tehran University on 14 December, Rafsanjani added: "But, such calculations about Afghanistan cannot work in other places." The following is an excerpt from a recording of the first sermon of the prayers, broadcast by Iranian radio on the same day; subheadings inserted editorially:
In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate... In response to your demands I will dedicate the first sermon to the Palestinian issue and the events in the world of Islam. I will use the second sermon to deal with other matters.
First, I have to thank all the good people who have made an effort to participate in the Quds rallies. In many streets I saw their ranks moving towards the university. This reflects the vigilance, the awareness, the faith and the dependable character of our good people. I hope similar support for the Palestinians is being expressed throughout the world.
Palestinian issue
The Palestinian issue, and the formation of the state of Israel, is among the worst periods of our contemporary history. I don't know of any similar tragedy. In the fifty years that this pseudo state has been formed, and in the several decades before it, when fighting was going on, hundreds of thousands of holy people shed their blood, millions of people lost their homes, millions of people were injured, tragedies resulting from these events constitute the greatest encyclopedia of crime committed by the World Arrogance. History will not forget these things. In my sermon I would like to discuss some 30 points about the history of these events. I think it may be possible to speak about them in a single discourse and I would like to refer to the important points of this history.
First, this is the most misfortunate, tragic and bitter colonial event. Secondly colonialism, lead by Britain and then America, and supported by the United Nations and other sections of the World Arrogance are responsible for these crimes. If in the future an international court is formed - and this is my third point: a court will be formed sooner or later - and if those responsible for these crimes are put on trial many bitter truths will become known in the court. We should follow up this idea and we should ask just and knowledgeable judges to look into these crimes.
The fourth point is that the engine for this disaster is international Zionism. Zionism is a political party which was created some 100 years ago. It is named after the devotees of Zion, a hilltop in Bayt al-Maqdis. This party is not purely Jewish and not all Jews are Zionist. There are many Jews who don't believe in Zionism. There are many Jewish scholars in America who have been active against the these events. They are also present in other parts of the world. Not all the members of the party are Jewish. There are distinguished Western politicians who were Zionist, such as Churchill, Eisenhower, Kennedy, etc. Of course, I am not an expert in this field and I don't want to put any names in this list but those who are interested can find out the names of the well known Zionists. This party is still very active around the world and it is the engine for important events connected to Israel, and the Arab and Islamic world. This was my fourth point.
The fifth point is that the loss suffered by the formation of the pseudo state of Israel went beyond Palestine. The Jewish people themselves suffered. This is so because the Jewish people were settled in many countries. In our country, Iran, they were getting on with their life. They were engaged in business. They were rich. They enjoyed influence and a good life. This Zionist movement provoked many Jews, on the basis of their devotion to a religious state of their own, to take a wrong posture. They were put under pressure. There was an exodus and many of them became homeless. Now they have to live in those territories. I will discuss the living conditions in this country if I have the time. But they now have to wait for a possible reverse exodus because finally one day, this tumour in the body of the Islamic world will be removed and then millions of Jews who have moved there will be homeless again. When will this happen? We have to discuss this point on another occasion.
Formation of Israel
This formation of Israel was also to the loss of the region. The region suffered a great loss. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been spent on armament and war. This is beside the acts of injustice committed against the people of Palestine. So who has benefited from the situation? This is my sixth point: The root of the problem is colonial. As traditional form of colonialism came to an end the colonialists sought new instruments of influence . One of these was to impose lackey governments in the previous colonies. The other was to create many military bases across the world, in the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and other sensitive regions of the world. Costly military colonial posts on land and sea. But the most important objective was to create governments which were totally dependent on colonialism and the best case was that of the Jews - the Zionist government in the Palestinian land. This base was to serve several objectives.
Firstly, it was aimed at getting rid of Zionism in the West, which had become a real nuisance to governments and great powers. It was causing trouble. They threw them out and brought them to Palestine. Secondly, they made Zionism and the Israeli government dependent on themselves to make sure that they would be a tool in their hands. However, the opposite is true as well. They have lobbies which take advantage of colonialism to ensure their own survival. However, colonialism is the main factor. Later on, it was transformed into imperialism because colonialism did not officially exist any more. That was how it manifested itself.
Thirdly, they did that to cause insecurity and threaten other governments and force them to become dependent on imperialism. Then they could sell them arms and do other military things as well. This deeply affected the lives of the people and government of the region and Muslims because they needed particular Western and imperialist products.
There was constant warfare and regional countries became insecure and there was an attempt to prevent their economic and technological growth. We can see this happening and one does not need to explain it in detail. You can see all these things. Therefore, that is the important point. Please do not forget that point until the end of our discussion. Then we can see how much we can count on that when we are analysing the situation or when we are making predictions about the future. The Israeli government was established to act as a guardian, protector and gendarme that defends the interests of imperialism. I have already mentioned several points with regard to that issue.
The Israeli government itself, be it when it was in its embryonic stage or in its present shape, has been hanging from the umbilical cord of colonialism. It has been feeding off it. If the imperialists stop supporting it, it will be in trouble. Thus there is no independent government in Israel in the true sense of the word. It is totally dependent. Now, the Americans are officially contributing 4bn dollars a year to it. There is also the unofficial contributions made by Jewish communities and others. It is a lot.
US-British support for Israel
It is also supported politically in the United Nations and many other places. They also contain Islamic and Arab governments. Israel needs all of those things and the Americans and Britain are meeting its needs. Therefore, we should consider it to be an outgrowth of colonialism and a multi-purpose colonial base. That is where we should start discussing the next point. So the survival of Israel depends on the interests of imperialists and colonialists. So they go together.
The colonialists will keep this base as long as they need it. Now, whether they can do so or not is a separate issue and this is my next point. Any time they find a replacement for that particular instrument, they will take it up and this will come to an end. This will open a new chapter. Because colonialism and imperialism will not easily leave the people of the world alone. Therefore, you can see that they have arranged it in a way that the balance of power favours Israel. Well, from a numerical point of view, it cannot have as many troops as Muslims and Arabs do. So they have improved the quality of what they have. Classical weaponry has its own limitations. They have limited use. They have a limited range as well. They have supplied vast quantities of weapons of mass destruction and unconventional weapons to Israel. They have permitted it to have them and they have shut their eyes to what is going on. They have nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and long-range missiles and suchlike.
If one day ... Of course, that is very important. If one day, the Islamic world is also equipped with weapons like those that Israel possesses now, then the imperialists' strategy will reach a standstill because the use of even one nuclear bomb inside Israel will destroy everything. However, it will only harm the Islamic world. It is not irrational to contemplate such an eventuality. Of course, you can see that the Americans have kept their eyes peeled and they are carefully looking for even the slightest hint that technological advances are being made by an independent Islamic country. If an independent Islamic country is thinking about acquiring other kinds of weaponry, then they will do their utmost to prevent it from acquiring them. Well, that is something that almost the entire world is discussing right now.
Now, even if that does not happen, they can still inflict greater costs on the imperialists. That is possible as well. Developments over the last few months really frightened the Americans. That is a cost in itself. Under special circumstances, such costs may be inflicted on the imperialists by people who are fighting for their rights or by Muslims. Then they will compare them to see how they could advance their interests better or what they can do. However, we cannot engage in such debates for too long. We cannot encourage that sort of thing either. I am only talking about the natural course of developments. The natural course of developments is such that such things may happen.
Those who are desperate, but who are also faithful and idealistic, see that this is in their best interests. Then no-one will be able to control them. That is when they become disappointed with such ordinary deceptive methods. Therefore, in the future, the interests of colonialism and imperialism dictate whether Israel will survive or not. Moreover, it is the resistance put up by Muslims and Iraq and the Palestinians themselves that matters. They should besiege imperialists and make them think about whether it serves their interests or not. They should also think about whether maintaining the current balance of power, which favours Israel, is affordable or not. Both of those things may change in the future.
Iran's policy
Well, what kind of policy should the Islamic Republic pursue? That is a different issue, which is our eighth or ninth point. As I said, the supreme leader of the revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamene'i has repeatedly said what our policy is. He explicitly said that during the Friday-prayer sermons which he delivered recently. He has enunciated our policy. Whatever we say is an analysis of those policies. The government, the Majlis and all the Iranian institutions and our friends abroad all pursue the same policy.
Well, during all those stages, the Palestinian jihad was proceeding as well. To be honest, the Palestinians never remained completely silent. They had their ups and downs. However, they never became silent. For a while, armed struggle intensified. However, they had to intervene. Their intervention took place through the pressure that was exerted on those who were involved in the armed struggle. It raised the issue of Camp David through puppet governments. It took up 20 years of the Palestinians' time.
It is not the case that the jihad has completely subsided. However, there have also created false hopes along with the people's rather quiet jihad. In the end, it resulted in the formation of the so-called national authority. They made false promises which included only 6,000 km of the 28,000 km of the Palestinian territory. In this way, they could form a small and insignificant government here. However, it seems that that era is coming to an end.
At this stage the Palestinians waited. They fell silent and waited. They formed political parties. Some of them took up arms but they were not strong. The final stage of compromise was held at Camp David II, in New York or Washington in America. At that stage Arafat who had been optimistic about the efforts of the American brokers lost hope. When he came to Iran he said President Clinton's comments at the meeting was a bomb which destroyed the negotiations, the statements of the American president - expressed after several days of intense negotiations - was merely a different version of the Israeli demands, and the meeting broke up. Arafat had written it all down. He read them for me from his notebook.
In the meantime the intifadah began and found a new climax. The Palestinians came to the conclusion that negotiations, be they in Madrid, Camp David, Oslo or any other place, will succeed, only if it is accompanied by their own efforts, selflessness and revolutionary actions. This was the background to the second Intifadah. It began when the Lebanese, with their spirited actions, forced the Israelis, for the first time, to flee in disgrace. This was a good and inspiring lesson. The Palestinian struggle lives on and the Intifadah, the current climax of the Palestinian struggle, is the result of the misleading and dishonest actions of the Western powers. We are witnessing this in the world today. The situation has deep roots. This is the tenth point that I wanted to make.
Now is the Palestinian revolution, the current Intifadah, going to weaken in the future? Some people may think that the Palestinians are going to get tired, that a small community is not going to be able to stand against all this power, that the feebleness and incapability of the Islamic world and its governments will undermine their resolve. But this judgement is wrong.
Palestinian intifadah
For one thing the Palestinian jihad has been the source of inspiration to many other Islamic movements throughout the world. It was a source of inspiration to us in Iran. It has been a source of inspiration to Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Central Asia, Chechnya, African countries, Sudan. They feel obliged to support this jihad. Furthermore, their own advancement has similar positive effects on the Palestinian movement . These countries are not going to forget their source of inspiration. They will keeping an eye on the situation. The Palestinian movement will survive. There may be ups and downs. There many be small ups and downs in view of the global situation. But this is not going to die because it is rooted in the homelessness of five million people, in the innocence of eight million people, in the innocent blood of hundreds of thousands of martyrs whose call is still being heard, in the fallen weapons that call to be taken up, in the feelings of innocence and justice, and more than anything, in the path of martyrdom and happiness and the path of the Almighty. Therefore, you cannot say that the Palestinian movement will die. There may be ups or downs but it will survive. And it will undoubtedly end with the liberation of Palestine.
The huge wave of Islamic jihad of Palestine subsided with the start of the compromise negotiations. Then, when the talks reached a deadlock, the Palestinian intifadah intensified once again, and today, we face a new situation. The important issue today is very important and deserves a mention.
This is my 11th point. It seems that global arrogance has planned four different moves to stop and quell the present intifadah, or at least rid itself of its grave consequences. The first one concerns propaganda. You can see the great propaganda campaign which is in progress in the world today with the aim of introducing them the Palestinians as terrorists, and Israel as the side that is defending itself. You need someone as foolhardy as Molla Nasreddin legendary witty folk figure to believe this. Otherwise, who can believe that Israel, with all its helicopters, F-16 aircraft, tanks and rockets - which it uses to assassinate people - is the side that it is engaged in self-defence, but a selfless and devoted human being, who sees no other option but to attach a bomb to himself and blow himself to pieces in some place, is the terrorist element? If one day, the world reaches such a conclusion and offers such a judgment, then we must consider humanity as dead and buried, and we must start to believe that humans are the same as, or even worse than, animals. Of course, already there are people who act in such a way, but at the same time, claim to champion the cause of human rights.
In my opinion, such a belief is not going to find any place among the righteous-seeking and struggling people. Yet, this kind of propaganda exists in the world today.
The second method they have chosen is violence. You can see how it Israel is perpetrating violence. When one person is killed inside the Israeli territory, a squadron of helicopters begin to fire indiscriminately at the people. You can see for yourselves how far violence has gone. Is this kind of violence a proportionate and appropriate response? Of course, it must be acknowledged that both these methods - that is to say propaganda and violence - have had some effect, but in general, they just aggravate an already bad situation. The people who have no choice but to resort to martyrdom-seeking operations are not going to frightened of this violence. After all, they have nothing to lose. How is a person going to lose anything when he believes that by blowing himself up, one minute he is on this material world and the next moment he is going to be transferred to the divine paradise on the wings of divine angels, and once there, he will sit next to the Prophet and the disciples of God, in a reception given in the honour of divine martyrs?
This is really like a duck trying to threaten the river, or the sea. There is no way that a fish can live without the water of the sea.
As I said earlier, the conditions in Palestine are creating this type of people. These acts of violence by Israel may silence some uncertain or opportunist elements, but as a rule, they will strengthen the resolve of others. It is because of this that I want to tell global arrogance to be on guard. It is here that the cost of exerting pressure on the people of Palestine and lending support to Israel can be very high for global arrogance. If one day, these tired, faithful and martyrdom-loving people decide to deliver blows to the vital interests of arrogance no matter where they are, then they can do this. They the Americans may be able to stop half of these operations, or even two-thirds of them, but some will still be carried out, and when they do, the costs will be huge. The events in New York can be a lesson for the Americans, particularly today, when, due to their aggressive moves and their mistakes, they have paved the way and made it possible for some groups to be armed with non-conventional weapons.
Therefore, as a person who has good knowledge of history, particularly the history of popular movements, I would like to admonish the Westerners not allow to matters to go this far. They should not feel happy about events such as attacks by helicopters, or other acts of violence by Israel . This is very dangerous, and we really do not want to see the world security to be disrupted, and we do not want to see the present insecurity - which has cost the world more than 1,000bn dollars and has paralysed the world in many areas, including in Israel itself. The West should not allow the world to suffer from such conditions. They should not allow a situation of confrontation and antagonism between the devoted, martyrdom-seeking forces, and the centres of arrogant power, in the form of the Third World War. This is the worst possible scenario, if arrogance continues with its present ways.
The other path that they have chosen is the path of deceit and false promises. America announces that it supports an independent Palestinian state, with Bayt al-Maqdis as its capital. However, we see that things are different in practice. Europe says the same thing, and Mitchell puts forward a plan. Naturally, such plans have short-term effects for a month or two. Nonetheless, after a while, it seems the people who made these promises start to regret their statements, while, at the same time, those who had believed these promises also start to regret their decision. These plans are not going to produce much. Their last plan involves the use of the so-called Palestinian self-rule authority. This is very bitter indeed. They provide the self-rule authority with a list of names, and ask them to arrest and hand over to Israel for example 200 people on the list. God forbid if the leaders of the self-rule authority fall for this, although they already have done to some extent. They the Israelis are not going to be happy with just an arrest. They are after more.
The worst things that can happen is division and fighting among themselves. All those who have been engaged in jihad for the past 50 years will destroy all their background with one wrong action. We do not want this bitter incident to occur in the history of the Palestinian struggle. However, it is possible for such a thing to happen. I think a few days ago, the Israelis announced that they had complete confidence in Arafat and his intention to establish security. You have witnessed that Israel and America emphasize that there should be complete calm for one week before serious negotiations can begin. They think that this one week is enough and after that it will be difficult to revitalize it the intifadah . During this week other decisions will be made. The self-rule government should not give in to this and think that it will achieve its objectives in this way. In America, he Arafat saw and heard the final words of Mr Clinton and he noted them in his old note book. He knows what can happen. As a result, God willing, the leaders of the self-rule government will not be deceived by this big trickery.
Another solution that they are hopeful about, is to tire the mojahedin and to propagate, what they used to always say to us in Iran, that there is no use in these actions, and they are like trying to achieve the impossible; they said why should these valuable human beings be destroyed like this. These are not in line with Islamic and Koranic logic. These who are in the arena are Muslims.
The Koran says that it is not such that your enemy should not be harmed... In a serious and true jihad, if you suffer, your enemy will also suffer. It addition, it says: you have some hopes that are far beyond their reach. With this suffering, you will reach absolute prosperity and with their suffering, they will plunge into hell; these are not equal. You rely on justice and God, and they are on the edge of an abyss of fire preceding sentence in Arabic and these two are not the same.
You, who believe yourselves to be intelligent people and diplomats, shouldn't say that why are these Palestinian children are being lost like this. These blows are very fatal. You are destroying the enemy from within. A nation which does not have atomic and chemical weapons and F-16s, has discovered something stronger than F-16s which it has pursued. You have left them no option. You have shut off everywhere to them . You have placed them there through your extermination methods . As a result, it seems that these methods which the imperialists are using, will lead to no where. These were some eight or nine points which I have made and not kept count of . You yourself should count them.
Self defence or terrorism
See what arrogance Israel is demonstrating in this regard. The conference of the Islamic countries' foreign ministers in Qatar was on the basis of an invitation by Arafat and everyone was Arafat's guest. Israel arrogantly said that Arafat has no right to leave Palestine and even went further and said he shouldn't leave Ramallah. Today, they are saying he has no right to leave his home. Well, this is a self-rule government. He is a weak designated against elected mayor without any authority. What government and establishment is this? What have you pinned your hopes on? Why have you wasted the Palestinian nations' time for 20 years. Today some advise the youth and the women who have recently joined the masses of martyrdom-seeking individuals, to protect and preserve themselves for some other time. I want to mention two other important issues in another part of my speech .
Now that the situation has become a bit desperate, the Europeans, who during the past few months pursued a different approach to that of America and Israel and had made the Islamic world a little hopeful, have changed their stance.
They are openly saying that Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Palestine are terrorist organizations. They are so shameless that they ask Islamic countries to treat these groups as if they were terrorists, to close down their accounts, to close their offices, to put their members on trial. To be so obedient is a source of shame for European governments which see themselves as being equal to America. How can they explain this injustice to their own nations and freedom-loving people? Is this fair judgement? There are five million Palestinian refugees, their families live on UN handouts in camps and shanty towns. Their groves, homes, farms and workshops inside Palestinian territories are being taken over by rich Zionists. They are only defending themselves and you call them terrorists. It is shameful. You have to be truly shameless. What sort of people pronounce these things and vote for these things in their countries? Let the world see the truth. Let the freedom-loving people of the world see the truth. Let them see that those who call themselves the leaders of the free world and who claim to be defending human rights are, in fact, opposed to human rights. They are weak and inferior. There is no rationale for their actions . Their helicopters openly terrorize people on the streets. They, and not the Palestinian Authority, control the airspace. The helicopters come down and target taxi passengers after identifying them. This is what terrorists do. Are they defending helpless people? If this is their rationale then the actions of ordinary terrorists are truly more honourable than this form of freedom seeking encouraged by the West ? One day the world will judge.
Warns USA
The second issue concerns America itself. In Afghanistan, the Americans - according to their own thinking, according to their own analysis - achieved a swift victory through the power of bombardment. Of course, it seems to be the case, but they attach very little value to the main principle and they think that the role played by the Afghan nation, the United Front and the mojahed forces. That is at least what they pretend. That is what they are displaying to the world, even if they do not truly think so. They are trying to exhibit to the world that America has found a way for fighting its opponents. The bombings, on the one hand, and the use of domestic Afghan forces, as far as they do whatever America tells them. But, such calculations about Afghanistan cannot work in other places. You know that the forces which forced the Taleban to withdraw were also involved fighting, their problem was that wherever they were about to advance, Pakistani aircraft would hit their positions in support of the Taleban. And, wherever the Taleban had any shortcoming, the systematic army of Pakistan would intervene voluntarily. Now, the reverse is happening. Now, America is attacking the Taleban instead of the United Front which Pakistan was attacking . America also tied the hands of Pakistan so that it does not interfere from the other side. Yes, that role was indeed played by America, we accept that much. But, if America intends to compare this with other situations and use this process as a model and tested method for its future policies - which seems quite likely at the moment, because such assumptions exist in the While House and the American parliament - that would create another tragedy for mankind and world security, and it will very soon draw the attention of the Americans to the fact that they have made a strategic mistake. That is not a simple task.
The people of Afghanistan were in fact long tired of war, of clashes and of the selfishness of their domestic leaders and many other things. The way was already paved. Even if it was not America, any other powerful country, if it had become involved, could have done this and could have organized such a task. Of course, the future of this is very difficult to predict , because neither America has the capacity, acceptability or popularity among the people, nor there is any trust for it America . Others will not accept this either. We should all work together for the future of Afghanistan so that the people of Afghanistan do not fall into the trap of war, and so that their security, work and reconstruction of their country could get under way. And, if America wishes to show good will, it could also support and help. They the Americans should not think of turning that place Afghanistan into a military base, because the consequences of that can already be envisaged. It will result in dealing blows and receiving blows, it will have ups and downs; but, ultimately, nations cannot accept captivity.
You see that despite this massive deployment of forces the Jews in Palestine are faced with such circumstances. Fifty years have passed and it will be the same in 100 years. The Crusades lasted nearly 200 years and they ended like that. It's the same now. At the end, nations will rise and resist. Amidst this, some will secure their immediate interests, and many will experience the loss.
On the whole, it seems today, the world situation and our region, is in need, on the one hand, of the alertness of nations and governments, and on the other, the realism and fairness of the arrogant powers who want to revitalize the colonial era by deploying troops, and occupying the previously abandoned military bases and securing a presence in the region. There is the hope that, God willing, this trend will secure the interest of justice and righteousness...
|Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list


text:
#1 - There Are Heroisms All Round Us
Lost World (version 2)
Genre (s)
Author (s)
Imagine a strange, tropical place that is almost inaccessible. Time appears to have stood still there. Species of animal and plant life not seen elsewhere on Earth, except in the fossil record, inhabit the place. The lakes heave with the shapes of huge grey bulks moving under the surface. The woods are places where chittering cries move about above your head, as powerful apes move swiftly in the canopy of leaves. Then, a tree splinters nearby, and a dinosaur steps out from his hiding place... and he's eyeing YOU.
Jurassic Park? Not quite. The Lost World was an inspiration for Jurassic Park; in fact, a character in J.P. has the same name as one of the chief characters in The Lost World. It also inspired King Kong. But this is the original! Four adventurers go off to find the place shown in a dead man's sketch book - they find a war between apes and Indians, prowling dinosaurs, a sparkly treasure hidden in the blue clay - they find the Lost World. And because of the treachery of a native guide, their means of escape is destroyed!
Dont forget to share if you like it.


text:
Latest news: FPC-Session-Letter-September-2019
Letter from FPC Session – July 11, 2019
Our last all-day gathering for this season's Gracious Family Dialogues was April 27th, 2019. Scroll down to read summaries of the large group gatherings and reflections from the small group studies, as well as Frequently Asked Questions.
See FAQs specific to FPC Polity around this topic:
Our church is passionate about learning how to best Love God, Love Others, and Help Others Love God. We are committed to digging into God's Word together as well as not shying away from important issues in our culture that invite us to ask the question, "What is the good God is working here?"
We are entering into a season of asking important questions around sexuality and Christian faithfulness – recognizing in our church the topic has been pressed to the sidelines but can't stay there much longer. We need to talk, and in today's culture we especially need to cultivate the tools necessary to seek understanding from one another around issues that are often divisive.
Our hope is always to refine our witness to the world as Christ's messengers of the good news of the Gospel, so our desire is to move forward together in unity, addressing conflict head on by listening to each other with gentleness and respect, allowing ourselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit.
You are invited to FPC's
Gracious Family Dialogues:
LGBTQ and Our Church
As we live in discipleship together, we invite you to join with all of FPC to
Gracious Family Dialogues: LGBTQ and Our Church on:
Sunday, October 14th 1-5:30pm*
Saturday, November 10th 1-6pm*
Saturday, April 27th, 1-6pm*
Small Groups meeting January-April
At these gatherings,
We will not:
• Abandon the authority of scripture
• Judge each other for personal understandings
• Force others to change opinions
We will:
• Listen to each other with gentleness and respect
• Honor each other's opinions
• Commit to the unity that we have in Christ with mutual forbearance
• Enter this process without a preconceived agenda,
seeking to discover God's path for us
• Give this the time needed to proceed carefully, thoughtfully,
and prayerfully as the Spirit leads us
We embrace the words of Jesus,
"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have
loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that
you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35
Everyone is welcome!
*Parental discretion is advised. There will be childcare for ages 0-10 by reservation.
Contact Megan at firstname.lastname@example.com or (360) 734-5510
See letters from our Session leading up to these dialogues:
Get the invitation to these Gracious Family Dialogues in PDF form:
Gracious Family Dialogues invite
Back to Top
Click topics below to open and read more information.
How we spent our time:
"We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us—we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete." 1 John 1:1-4 (NRSV)
"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
We were given some time to reflect personally on the passage, then shared with a person near us about what God was bringing to our attention. We then passed the peace with those around us, acknowledging one another as beloved children of God, with whom God is delighted.
Then we moved on to revisit the RESPECT communication guidelines, as they are the model we commit to using for the entirety of our dialogues.
We had a short review of what we learned from the first gathering, and then gave space to the first of three interviews for the day. Each interview was meant to offer a variety of experience, exposure and perspective on the topic of LGBTQ. Each was also centered around two questions:
- How does your Christian faith inform your understanding of LGBTQ?
- How is this topic personal for you?
Our first interview was with Dave and Jan Dougherty. In order to best respect the stories shared at our special gathering on Saturday, we will not recount the details given in the interviews. If you are interested in learning more, we encourage you to pursue some time to have a conversation with those who were interviewed.
Our next piece was for Joan to give a presentation on current understandings regarding Gender and Sexual Diversity. We were first asked to fill in the chart in the packet assessing our understanding and knowledge regarding gender and sexual orientation. Joan then proceeded to share information utilizing the handout titled 'the genderbread person' (Sam Killermann). We were invited to pair with the person next to us and share some thoughts around the presentation.
After a short break, we gathered back together again for our second interview, with Jeff Steensland. Following Jeff's sharing, we moved into a teaching time brought by Doug and Becca exploring scripture texts which pertain to the topic of homosexuality. Many of the evaluations coming out of the first dialogue as well as feedback we've heard related to wanting to know more about what the Bible has to say on the topic specifically. To try and help shape our time, the space was focused around a main question exploring whether a same sex covenantal marriage is sexual immorality – this was done given the understanding that orientation is not a choice, and a Christian sexual ethic is of high value (which recognizes promiscuity as sinful in itself regardless of orientation).
The presentation focused on answering this question along the guidelines we, as Presbyterians, often approach any topic:
Looking to Jesus, looking to scripture, and looking to tradition (our confessions).
Here is a brief synopsis of what Doug and Becca shared – all of which we encourage every individual to spend time with God in, seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and be in conversation with one another about:
Looking to Jesus:
Jesus is practically silent on this topic. The only time Jesus' words may be taken into account on this topic is during a conversation on divorce as Jesus talks to the Pharisees (Mark 10, Matthew 19). While Jesus quotes Genesis regarding a man leaving his parents to cleave to his wife, it is a rough call to say this was a direct statement from Jesus on the topic of same sex orientation in a covenant (marital) relationship. There is a ton that Jesus does and says that still has impact on this discussion:
~~Jesus speaks clearly about welcoming and loving others
~~He spent time with sinners and said he came for sinners
~~He also speaks clearly about not engaging in sinful behavior
~~Jesus commands us not to judge
An argument based on silence is not helpful. Christ's example is what we all strive towards in faithfulness. So we continue on to where else in scripture we ought to look.
Looking to scripture:
Many in our congregation have asked the question – what does the Bible SAY about this topic? So Doug and Becca prepared to teach from scripture (in 30min!!) what the Bible has to say. There are only seven verses that explicitly address homosexual behavior in the Bible, and Doug and Becca proceeded to teach on the six that are the most controversial. The study of these texts was presented in the way that we engage any scripture:
~~What was the context of the passage?
~~How was it intended for the cultural reality of the time in which it was written?
~~What was the intention of the author given the context and culture of the time?
~~Given the context, cultural reality, and intention of the author, how does it apply today?
The texts are:
Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; 1 Cor 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:8-11; and Romans 1:26-27.
If you are interested in discussing the Biblical studies of these passages further, please contact either Becca or Doug who are more than willing to take a look at these passages together.
Of course scripture ought not be only bits and pieces taken in isolation, but read in context of each book as well as the full story of the Bible. We did not delve into the larger narratives at work as much as we would have like to.
In conclusion of the study presentation, we discussed acknowledging the lenses that each one of us often see this topic through. This is more or less a lens of tradition.
These lenses were discussed in terms of traditional and progressive. Such labels aren't meant to make a judgment statement but merely clarify terms. Traditional would mean that people with this lens are not affirming of same sex marriages. Progressive would mean people that are affirming of same sex marriages. These lenses are often a mixture of how we understand Jesus, how we read scripture, and what our culture and traditions have taught us to engage with the world around us.
Traditional/Non-affirming individuals hold to these statements in their lens:
~~Same sex marriage is not the way Creation works. God created heterosexual marriage in that unions work with the equipment we are built with, as well it results in children. God's intention for creation ought to be respected and maintained to whatever degree possible (after the Genesis 3, we strive for God's best).
~~Marriage is used in the Bible to symbolize the union of Christ and the church, we ought to approach our own marriages with the same level of sacrifice and goals of holiness.
~~Passages of scripture which address homosexual behavior are clear and are never affirming.
~~The way forward for someone who experiences same sex attraction is a life of celibacy.
A great concern of someone who is non-affirming:
~~To affirm someone's same sex pursuit of relationship seems to condone their recognition of their sexual orientation as the most important part of their identity which is dangerous and idolatrous. Participating in any kind of same sex sexual activity is a sin as outlined in scripture. Affirming same-sex marriage does not invite them to the sacrificial life God calls all of us into so that we may live fully into what God has in store if we were to put him first.
A challenge for people who are non-affirming is then:
~~People who experience homosexual orientation are just as valuable in the church as anyone else, and have experienced a devastating rejection of their worth in the religious community. If we as the church are saying the only way forward is celibacy for a Christ centered same sex attracted individual, how are we supporting their decision towards celibacy, and offering relationship as well as leadership opportunity on the same level as anyone else in our church who exhibits a vibrant faith?
Progressive/affirming individuals would hold to these statements in their lens:
~~Marriage is celebrated but it is not about sexual differentiation – it is about covenant fidelity.
~~In the New Testament, procreation is not the only reason to get married in the Bible – they would see a same-sex covenantal marriage as being a perfectly good symbol of the union of Christ and the church. It is about covenant and not being male and female.
~~The passages of scripture discussing homosexual behavior deal with egregious intentions in a very different culture which cannot be compared to Christ centered individuals of today who desire a covenantal marriage with someone of the same sex.
A great concern of someone who is affirming:
~~The church has long persecuted individuals for a reality of their lives they have no choice over. If we don't recognize they are people and not an 'issue' we are limiting our understanding of God by not including them to the fullest within the church, and we don't give show a sense of trust that their faith matters (or that conviction comes from God alone).
A challenge for people who are affirming is then:
~~Respecting and honoring the convictions of our faith community and the reality that the passages of scripture exist as well as the narrative of male & female balance in God's order. In addition, supporting those who identify as LGBTQ but are committed to a life of celibacy because of their faith convictions.
We must exercise our ability to recognize the lenses we see through, as well as the lenses others see through, and ultimately leave it up to the conviction we each receive from the Holy Spirit. That being said, we are challenged with the task of considering whether this lands not within the area of 'essential matters' but instead 'disputable matters' as referenced by the Apostle Paul in Romans.
Our third interview of the day was with Andrea Day. Becca then discussed an insight into using Romans as a guide when it comes to divisive matters within the church. The Church of Rome was divided between Gentile converts to Christianity and Jewish converts to Christianity who could not agree on what was important to include in practices of the faith. We were then invited into a short study on Romans 14:1-9; 12-13:
"Accept those whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person's faith allows them to eat everything, but another person, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted that person. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To their own master they stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. Some consider one day more sacred than another; others consider every day alike. Everyone should be fully convinced in their own mind. Those who regard one day as special do so to the Lord. Those who eat meat do so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and those who abstain do so to the Lord and give thanks to God. For we do not live to ourselves alone and we do not die to ourselves alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. . . . So then, we will all give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister."
Groups were then dismissed to discuss the passage, and end together in prayer.
As we gathered back together, we addressed the invitation to have small groups in Jan-Mar for 6-7 individuals gathered together at someone's house, all studying the same content. Invitations to the congregation will be finalized by early January and sent out for people to sign up. The final gathering will then be in April to assess where our congregation is a body, and offer insight to Session on what happens next.
Many people chose to participate in small groups that met weekly or bi-weekly for six meetings. The groups were mixed across generations and provided the opportunity to pray and study and discuss together in a smaller setting. FPC provided a study guide with themes, scripture, and discussion questions to explore, accompanied by three potential outside resources – each group chose which track they wanted to follow.
This provided a rich time to be in prayer and conversation with one another, as we seek God's guidance together about what it means to be the church. At each of our large group gatherings in the fall, the small group time far and away was the favorite element of our time together, so these small groups extended the opportunity for building community and listening to each other around this topic.
The three tracks included:
1. Reading "Washed and Waiting" by Wesley Hill, an individual who understands himself to be gay as well as Christian, and feels convicted to live a celibate lifestyle. It is an invitation and challenge to the church to be encouraging to those who are single as well as faithful regardless of orientation.
2. Reading "Torn" by Justin Lee, an individual who understands himself to be gay as well as Christian, and finds convincing arguments for both celibacy as well as covenantal marriage to be Biblically founded. He offers an invitation and challenge to the church regarding what it means to be united as a body even if we are divided on the topic of marriage.
3. Utilizing a variety of resources – podcasts, articles, videos, etc. One per week pertaining to the focus of the week's content.
See the small group study booklet here: GFDEbook
See reflection statements created by small groups after they met, reflecting on their exploration of this topic: Gracious-Family-Dialogues—Small-Group-Statements—LGBTQ
Our final Gracious Family Dialogue focusing on the topic of LGBTQ and our church happened Saturday, April 27th from 1-6pm. See the discussion handouts from this meeting here. We reflected on the year, alternating between large and small group format, asking a guiding question to shape our time: "What does it mean to bring Glory to God in all of this?"
Gathering back into the large group, we heard from Becca some summary views and ideas from what the six-week small groups had to say (click to read their reflections here). She then invited Kerrie, Harrison, and Fred forward to share how the topic of LGBTQ and our church impacts the ministry they do (Children, Middle School/High School, and College/Young Adults respectively), to speak on behalf of the younger generations not present in our discussion. She framed the space as a time to listen, and hold the ideas that they share – and to see what they share as an invitation of what it means to lean into our focus of "Sharing a Living Faith Across Generations" – recognizing there are hurdles and communication barriers in our midst, but that God is on the move.
Kerrie, Harrison, and Fred each shared from their hearts around what it means for the younger generations to not just hear our theology but to see and experience the love of Christ through each of us, in our welcome and in our walking alongside. We want every child to be welcomed in our church as beloved children of God. We must know that as they grow up, they will encounter others around them who identify as LGBTQ or may experience this in themselves, and we want them be anchored in the love of Christ and the power of the gospel as they interact with their community. We were challenged to shift from thinking about "what" we believe to thinking about "how" we believe what we believe, and encouraged to move from talking at people to listening to them.
Doug ended the large-group sharing time recognizing how culture at large has approached people who understand themselves to be LGBTQ over the past century in negative and oppressive ways, and that talking about this topic across generations is often like cross-cultural communication because of how culture has shifted in the past few decades. This does not mean we are called to bend to culture, but we are invited to find a way to communicate the truth and love of God in a way that we can actually understand one another.
Noting that we had just heard from representatives of the younger generations, Doug introduced a way for us to hear from generations before ours; namely, he illuminated a portion of text from the PCUSA Book of Order (our instructions in Polity) which helps govern our church, and which comes from past generations. We read a portion on Mutual Forbearance – in which we understand that people of good and sincere faith in Christ may disagree, and that we are not called to move away from each other but actually towards one another in it. We then broke into our small groups to discuss Mutual Forbearance and pray together what we hope to be and do as we share a living faith across generations.
We came together as a large group for some final reflection time, recognizing that Session is burdened with discerning the particularities of this topic in our policy, and we gathered around the members of Session and prayed over them for God's guidance and blessing. We moved downstairs for dinner, starting our meal together with communion as a recognition of the overwhelming love Christ has shown to each and every one of us.
If you were not gathered with us that day, we are thankful for your prayers because it was a beautiful day of learning the joy and difficulty of believing and living together in Christ. Please continue to pray for our Session and staff as they prepare for the Session and Pastoral staff retreat on May 11th which will have more space to discern whether or not something needs to change in our policy. Whatever the outcome, we are a deeper and richer congregation relationally and spiritually than we were 9 months ago.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about this series of dialogues:
Why are we talking about this?
We feel over many years, this conversation has been happening in certain pockets, but not as a whole community. We also don't feel this topic is meant to be the focus of Sunday worship or the mission of our church, but rather discerned as a community together in a separate space. This season has been initiated by Session and staff as an act of discipleship – leaning into where God is leading us with open hands. Session had the opportunity in spring 2018 to experience a time set aside to talk with one another about this topic, and wanted to recreate it for the entire congregation because it was so meaningful, and truly challenges us to consider what it means to love as Christ does. Their dialogue time did not try to change minds, but to simply listen better to each other.
Our current culture also reflects an inability to dialogue around things about which we may disagree. We feel it is important to hone skills and learn how to talk with one another, learn from one another, and understand each other better. We may or may not change our views on things, but we will come away with a better understanding of how to walk together. We are also talking about it now since the topic affects many people within our congregation (mostly regarding family members and friends) who have felt there hasn't been a space to adequately address and discuss the topic as a church body centered on scripture, theology and God's guidance. Refer to the April 2018 Session letter – see link above to see our current stance.
Won't this just rip our church apart?
Honestly, we don't know. That's up to each of us. We hope that all who call FPC their church home will commit to staying together – walking this road of discernment together not knowing where it may lead, but trusting God first and foremost in the process. We want to study scripture together, in the open where we can discuss what troubles our hearts and how Christ meets us there. There has been underlying tension in our church for years regarding this particular issue in the faith community, and we feel it's important to explore scripture with our church family in order to better understand our way forward. It does feel risky, but we feel it is the faithful path of discipleship.
What is our "end goal" after all of these conversations?
There is no predetermined agenda or outcome, other than learning how to talk about difficult issues. Our purpose is to gather for deep discussion, to better understand God's leading as well as our own convictions. There is a reality that session may revisit our stance as a church regarding weddings and ordination standards (Deacons, Elders & Pastoral Staff) to reaffirm what it says, or possibly edit it accordingly as to how God guides us in these dialogues – see the Session Letter from 2018 for reference of current standards. We don't go into this year expecting everything or anything to change on paper, but recognize we must hold our hands open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that we can truly be God's witnesses as the church. We also don't expect that everyone will land in the same place, but hope we can come to a consensus about how to operate as a church. At the end of the year, our governing body (Session) will listen to those who have participated in these dialogues, and will discuss and discern our way forward as a church. Another lasting benefit of entering this process is that we will have a way of discussing difficult topics within our church family in the future.
Is this an open forum for anyone in Bellingham to attend and hear these issues debated?
This is not intended to be a public debate, it is specifically a family dialogue. We intend these dialogues to serve as a safe, intentional gathering of those who attend and are committed to FPC, to help our Session hear and understand the positions of our congregation members so that we can move forward together in whatever direction God takes us.


text:
I'm a support worker with the Trust as of 2018 January, 26 years old with epilepsy, before this when I graduated university I spent 11 months job hunting feeling like my epilepsy was a dead weight restricting my options for work in South Wales (not driving a car can be somewhat of a deal breaker for most employers.)
Naturally me and my family move from South Wales to Cumbria looking for work and I hear about the Glenmore Trust at a local church and after applying I end up in an interview far sooner than I thought and the meeting itself could not have gone better if I had planned it. I felt like I was just having a conversation between people who were clearly passionate about the same thing: providing care for people with learning disabilities. (Consult the picture below for a reason as to why I feel this way towards adults with learning disabilities.)
The training I went on was thorough with a clear emphasis on enabling people rather than just doing everything for people with learning disabilities and conditions in the support work we do. I walk into my first shift at a house where I'm helping to support three people one of them challenges me to a game of bowling on her games console. I think to myself "okay let's just take it easy on her" and after she scores three strikes I got the sense that she was far better at this than me. That was my most memorable moment from my first shift and I have far too many more since then that I don't have the time to share on here. But now six months into the job the things that were overwhelming at first are now second nature: personal care, using a wheelchair, operating electronic hoists, giving medication etc.
In short, I'm glad I ended up working at the Glenmore doing what I do with the people (both staff and service users) that I work with. I help provide the level of support and quality of care I hope my brother will one day have access to and it feels good to work in an organisation that takes my own chronic condition seriously.


text:
Understanding the Basics of Political Globalization
The United Nations, the European Union and the Paris Climate Accord are all examples of international political collaboration that goes beyond mere economics or military action. That collaboration is what political globalization is all about.
There are many examples of political globalization, including the European and African Unions. In these examples, political integration joins multiple nations together to make decisions and establish policies. Because the nations of the world have become much more connected, there is a growing prevalence of intergovernmental agencies, like the International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization and the United Nations. Political activity has become much more interactive on a global scale as a result. National governments interact with each other beyond diplomacy and militarized hostility in a politically globalized world.
The Private Side of Political Globalization Not all elements of political globalization are carried out through official government channels. Some political movements arise among individual citizens who seek policy victories in their own countries but work as part of a global effort toward a single cause. Same-sex marriage rights and other human rights issues are a good example of political globalization. International norms are starting to influence the way nations think about governance and make laws. Shared human values can create a domino effect of international policy change through the global communication of ideals. Technology and the ease of international communication help make this possible as does the ease of international transportation.
Political globalization is one facet of the general trend toward globalization, which is a historical phenomenon that has seen the nations of the world become increasingly interactive in terms of not only politics but also economics and culture. Whether this phenomenon is a good or a bad thing largely depends upon the subjective interpretation of facts and one's political goals. Individuals who tend to be more nationalistic and less tolerant of diversity may see globalization as a bad thing as they'd rather not interact with people who are not members of their own race or culture. There are other arguments against globalization as well, including economic and political arguments that are not based on nationalistic ideology. There are plenty of arguments in favor of globalization as well, with some people being of the mindset that increased human interaction results in cultural and intellectual enrichment.
Cooperation Among Nations Human history reflects a general trend toward international cooperation and interaction, but globalization is a relatively new phenomenon. The United Nations, which was formed in the aftermath of World War II, was one of the first major steps toward formal political globalization. Prior to the advent of the UN, nations would often cooperate with each other through trade, military allyship or through the signing of diplomatic or military treaties, but this is not exactly the same thing as political globalization as the nations would maintain a sense of sovereignty from each other in spite of the collaboration. Political globalization is more of a movement toward multilateralism characterized by collaboration rather than unilateralism with occasional cooperation. Nations actively working together toward a single political cause, such as agreeing to measures designed to fight global climate change or international terrorism are a sign of how interconnected politics has become on an international scale.