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I'm thinking about using the basic mechanics behind the D20 system royalty-free, however, I'm unsure if the OGL allows that. Any thoughts appreciated. And if I can't use the D20 system royalty-free, then any suggestions on other well tested systems appreciated as well.
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From what I understand this means the software itself does not need to be open, but the methods/data it uses that are OGL need to be available and must be the same data the program uses.
That explains that interactive games may be made using the OGL, but the d20 System is very different.
More information can be found in the Software FAQ for the d20 system.
I also am not a lawyer but I think you're heading into trouble here.
MOST of the D20 system is covered by the OGL but they deliberately omitted some critical bits so you couldn't make a complete system. There's also the issue that the OGL prohibits computer games--they are licensed separately.
I believe you are OK to do that, but I am not a lawyer. You should be able to contact the WotC and get clarification directly from them, which it what I would recommend in this particular case.
Personally, I wouldn't bother. Assuming you already know the d20 rules pretty well yourself, you shouldn't have too much trouble coming up with your own set of rules that work "like" the d20 system, but is independent of the d20 system.
Only a die-hard D&D fan would ever notice that your rules are actually different, and you completely avoid any problems you might run into with WotC.
You absolutely can. You need to have all software based on the d20 SRD follow the license such as clearly marking what is and is not Open Game Content and PI.
Here is software that is actively using the OGL : http://www.dundjinni.com/eula.htm


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PTT301: Welding (2013-2014)
CURRICULUM PROGRAM: Career and Technical Education
COURSE TITLE: Welding - 1 hr
COURSE LENGTH: 36 weeks
About the Program:
Welding prepares students for careers in the Transportation, Distribution and Logistics industry. The course sequence focuses on duties and tasks performed by professionals in Facility and Mobile Equipment Maintenance as well as pre-employment and employment skills.
Major Concepts/Content: The welding course is designed to teach current welding practices with emphasis given to hands-on experience rather than to formal classroom theory. Exercises allow students to achieve proficiency in the basic welding methods of arc welding, oxyacetylene welding, and cutting. Students learn the basic equipment, welding positions, and joint design. The content includes, but is not limited to, the study of the following: the integration of skills, attitudes, and knowledge necessary to fulfill the qualifications for an industrial related job in industry or in education; the application of safety and health procedures.
Major Instructional Activities: Instructional activities used in a laboratory setting will provide hands-on experience with welding equipment and materials related to the course content. Students will complete welding activities, investigate content-related occupations, present ideas and information orally and in writing. Emphasis will be placed on self-concepts, values, decision-making skills and work skills.
Major Evaluative Techniques: Students will be required to pass laboratory safety tests as well as content-and process-related tests. Welding activities/projects will be evaluated for completeness and accuracy. Written and oral reports will be evaluated for content and form. Class participation will be evaluated using criteria such as working cautiously on a project, using materials properly, conscientiously assisting others, working independently, offering solutions to problems, and completing projects.
PTT301 Welding Course Description
PTT301 Welding Student Competency Record

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text: Special Olympics Reach ReportThe 2014 Special Olympics Reach Report provides a summary of key programmatic results that were achieved within the Special Olympics Movement during the course of the year. What is The Reach Report?The Report. The 2014 Reach Report is available as a PDF for online viewing or download. The 2014 Special Olympics Reach Report is our annual review of key metrics compiled across our Movement to reflect the scale and status of our sports, education, health and community-building programs. We've drawn on data from our annual census, health database, sport surveys and other new data sources. This report shows the profound impact of our work and is a progress report on our goals.The report shows continuing growth in the Special Olympics movement in participating athletes, competitions, volunteers and revenues. HighlightsSteady Growth. To give a snapshot of growth in a variety of Special Olympics efforts, we've created a 2014 Reach Report Infographic. In 2014, Special Olympics served 4,532,339 athletes worldwide, an increase of more than 105,170 athletes from 2013.In the past year, the global Movement achieved a 2.4 percent athlete growth rate, and all seven of our world Regions reported positive athlete growth.Our athletes are involved in an incredible number of competitions, from local team games up to country-level, regional and world competitions. There were 94,339 competitions worldwide in 2014, which averages out to an amazing 11 competitions per hour.The report is full of interesting facts and information. If you are not already familiar with our international efforts, prepare to be amazed.MoreIn addition to the one-page infographic highlighted above, there's a four-page version that describes many aspects of our 2014 programmatic results broken out according to our seven world regions. See the four-page infographic PDF.And here's a fascinating way to see the data, through a Prezi, which is an animated and interactive reporting format. See the 2014 Reach Report Prezi.


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I always do so because to me it feels nicer; it implies an action will happen on click. Especially for radio/checkbox labels, where the
for attribute is correctly used.
I always do so because to me it feels nicer; it implies an action will happen on click. Especially for radio/checkbox labels, where the
The pointer cursor is simply an indicator of "clickability" (affordance). There are numerous ways of indicating to the user that an element can be clicked on, and the pointer is just one of them.
The pointer is especially useful when the element being clicked on doesn't change on mouse over. Default link styles in a web-browser don't change when the mouse is hovered over them, so the pointer is necessary to indicate to the user that the element can be clicked on.
I'm currently using Windows 7, and the icons on the desktop don't cause the pointer to change when hovered, instead the icon changes to indicate that it can be clicked on:
If you feel that additional cues would be helpful to inform the user of a possible interaction, there is no harm in changing the cursor to the appropriate type. For example, the "help" cursor is often used on
Just today I thought about the same thing, and to me it just feels right to use pointer on checkboxes. "Nigel NormalUser" who isn't so into using software, doesn't see it obvious, that you can select the checkbox with the label. And having the pointer there when hovering could maybe make it more known for the common user. So I would say yes, it should. For usability and clearance to those who don't know that you can select by clicking on the label.


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Is there some criterion for whether a space has the homotopy type of a closed manifold (smooth or topological)? Poincare duality is an obvious necessary condition, but it's almost certainly not sufficient. Are there any other special homotopical properties of manifolds?
In surgery theory (which is basically a whole field of mathematics which tries to answer questions as the above), the next obstruction to the existence of a manifold in the homotopy type is that every finite complex with Poincaré duality is the base space of a certain distinguished fibration (Spivak normal fibration) whose fibre is homotopy equivalent to a sphere. (In order to get a unique such fibration, identify two fibrations if they are fiber homotopy equivalent or if one is obtained from the other by fiberwise suspension.)
For manifolds, this fibration is the spherization of the normal bundle, so the Spivak normal fibration comes from a vector bundle. This is invariant under homotopy equivalence. Thus the next obstruction is: the Spivak normal fibration must come from a vector bundle.
If I remember right, then it was Novikov who first proved that for simply-connected spaces of odd dimension at least 5, this is the only further obstruction.
In general, there is a further obstruction with values in a group $L_n(\pi_1,w)$ which depends on the fundamental group, first Stiefel-Whitney class and the dimension. See Lück's notes on surgery theory at http://wwwmath.uni-muenster.de/u/lueck/publ/lueck/ictp.pdf.
The main result of the Browder-Novikov-Sullivan-Wall surgery theory (1962-1969) is that for n>4 a space X is homotopy equivalent to a compact n-dimensional topological (resp. differentiable) manifold if and only if X is homotopy equivalent to a finite CW complex M with n-dimensional Poincaré duality, and there is a topological (resp. vector) bundle over M for which the corresponding normal map (f,b):N--> M from an n-dimensional manifold N has zero surgery obstruction in the Wall L-group of quadratic forms over Z[π1(X)]. Thus there are two obstructions, a primary topological K-theory obstruction to the existence of a bundle, and (depending on the vanishing of the primary one, and a choice of reason) a secondary obstruction in algebraic L-theory. The original theory was for differentiable manifolds: the extension to topological manifolds due to Kirby and Siebenmann (1970) remains a major success of surgery theory. All this is explained (at some length) in Wall's own book Surgery on compact manifolds (1970/1998) and also in my own books Algebraic L-theory and topological manifolds (1992) and Algebraic and geometric surgery (2002), as well as many other references (such as Wolfgang Lück's notes listed in a previous post). I have made available a large number of surgery-related resources on my website.
Sean: this gives Poincare space which is not homotopy equivalent to a closed manifold. the idea is that the Spivak fibration of the 5 dimensional Poincare space doesn't lift to a stable vector bundle. One can prove this as follows: let X^5 be as in Madsen and Milgram. Then X fibers over S^3 with fiber S^2. Call this fibration xi, and let the projection X -> S^3 be p. Note that p has a section, call it s.
It's not hard to prove that the Spivak fibration of X in this case is just p*\xi. One then needs to verify that p*\xi doesn't lift to a stable vector bundle. But if it did, then so would xi = (p o s)*\xi = s*p* \xi. But it's very easy to see that xi doesn't lift (xi is given by the nontrivial element of pi_2(F) = Z_2, where F classifies spherical fibrations with section, whereas pi_2(O) is trivial).
Jacob Lurie gave a talk last week at Peter May's birthday conference on noncommutative Poincare duality. The idea is to take an n-manifold M and a (n-1)-connected space X. Then, he showed that the compact mapping space Map_c(M,X) is isomorphic to a certain homotopy colimit over a certain category of open subsets of M. This is equivalent to the usual commutative Poincare duality. However, it is not clear (to me) what the natural generalization of the statement is to non-manifolds. So, I am not sure how to use it as a test. However, if you could use it as a test of being a manifold, it seems feasible that if the noncommutative statement held for your test space M and all (n-1)-connected spaces X for some X, then it would seem reasonable ask whether your test space is the homotopy type of an n-manifold.
The category of open sets over which Lurie takes the colimit is the category of disjoint balls (homeomorphic to R^n) in M. Thus, a guess might be something like: if M is a space, and if U is a category of open sets of M that cover M, and if Map_c(M,X) is equivalent to the homotopy colimit of Map_c(U_i,X) for all U_i in U for all (n-1)-connected X for some n, then M has the homotopy type of an n-manifold.
I have no idea if this is true, and even if it is true, it is not clear if it would be useful.
I'm relying on memory here. A good example, which is discussed in Madsen and Milgram's book on surgery and classifying spaces for topological, PL and smooth manifolds is the set of 1-connected Poincare duality spaces of dimension 5 with 4-skeleton h. e. to the 4-skeleton of (S^2) x (S^3), which is (S^2) v (S^3).
::::: sorry, M. O. won't let me use image tags :( ::::::::
a, (S^2) x (S^3), which is obviously a manifold
b. a manifold homeomorphic to SU(3)/SO(3) (though this fact isn't mentioned in Madsen & Milgram).
c. a Poincare duality space whose Spivak fibration cannot be reduced to a smooth vector bundle. This is proved using secondary cohomology operations based on Steenrod squares. This was first proven by Gitler and Spivak(?).
Sure, lots of necessary conditions. For example, there are relations between Steenrod operations and those place some restrictions on the cohomology of a smooth manifold.


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I've tried to use Eclipse on linux in the past several times but often found it would crash, randomly disappear etc..
More recently I've started using it on windows - specifically the Helios PDT version as I'm a php developer.
Generally it's fine, but when I use RSE for editing 'directly' on FTP sites I find I get null pointer errors and all sorts when I try to save files and it'll often fail. I know FTP is pretty lame but it's all I have access to in a lot of cases where clients are running their own servers.
So really this is two questions: 1. Is there an obvious way to run eclipse in a stable manner? Perhaps some settings I should provide to the JVM? etc.. I made sure I didn't download any beta or pre-release versions. 2. I get the impression Eclipse is terribly buggy. Is there anything like it? I'm an emacs user so whatever the alternative - it'll need emacs key binding capabilities.


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Bring your family and friends to enjoy Killeen's FREE movie in the park series! All movies start at dusk at the Killeen Amphitheater, 2201 E. Veterans Memorial Blvd. Concessions will be available or bring your own. Please, no alcoholic beverages or glass containers. July 19 - The Dark Knight Rises ...
Now Open! ...
City of Killeen utility customers must now use a new number to pay bills by phone . Payments are now made by calling 254-220-4183. ... Read More
Killeen's 2016 Hot Summer Nights Movies in the Park film series continues Friday with a free screening of Zootopia and Saturday with a free screening of Minions. Both movies start at 8 p.m. and are outdoors at the Killeen Amphitheater, 2201 E. Veterans Memorial Boulevard. ... Read More
The City of Killeen is now accepting applications for the third Killeen Citizens Academy and the 39th Citizens Police Academy. ... Read More
The eastbound right lane of Lowes Boulevard is closed at the intersection of Walmart Boulevard. The closure extends about 1000 feet and closes two business entrances through October. ... Read More
The area bounded by 10th Street east to 24th Street and Rancier Avenue south to Avenue E will experience intermittent lane closures through January. ... Read More
The Mayor and City Council will be making appointments to various boards and commissions, and residents are encouraged to apply now. ... Read More


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Dakota Wesleyan University announces its holiday hours for Thanksgiving week for campus and the McGovern Library.
Thanksgiving break for students officially begins at 10 p.m., Friday, Nov. 22. Classes will resume at 8 a.m., Monday, Dec. 2. DWU offices will be open Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 25-26, and close Wednesday, Nov. 27, through Friday, Nov. 29.
The McGovern Library will be closed Saturday through Sunday, Nov. 23-24. The library will be open from 8 to 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 25-26, and close for Thanksgiving Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 27-30. Library hours on Sunday, Dec. 1, are 3 p.m. to midnight. Java City, within the library, will close at 3 p.m., Friday, Nov. 22, and open at regular hours on Monday, Dec. 2.


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- Saturday 09/04/10 at 7:00 PM
- Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View, CA
Doors are at 6pm. Show at 7pm.
On sale Saturday, June 19th at 10am: HERE
Voting has concluded for BroadwayWorld's 2010 Theatre Fans' Choice Awards, and with hundreds of thousands of votes cast, we've had another record year further solidifying the Theatre Fans' Choice Awards place as the largest, and most popular online Broadway polling event of its kind! AMERICAN IDIOT Leads with Record 10 Wins!
Best Choreography
Steven Hoggett - American Idiot
Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Mayer - American Idiot
Best Featured Actor in a Musical
Tony Vincent - American Idiot
Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Rebecca Naomi Jones - American Idiot
Sunday night at 5pm PST (8pm EST) - Weekly Idiot Club Chat
This week discuss the band's performance on the Tony Awards! Login to the Idiot Club Chat Room: HERE.
Green Day Want To 'Keep Adding' Earlier Songs To 'Rock Band'
'It would be great to see songs from 39/Smooth and Kerplunk,' frontman Billie Joe Armstrong says of new game's track list.
When you've got a discography that stretches all the way back to 1989, cramming all of it into one video game is sort of tough. That was exactly the problem facing Green Day when they partnered with the publishers of the "Rock Band" franchise — there was just too much music.
So while the just-released "Green Day: Rock Band" features 47 tracks spanning the band's entire career, it opens to their breakout
Look for a Green Day interview on the CBS Early Show tomorrow morning followed by a performance by the cast of American Idiot!


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CHARLESTON - Wheeling Central coach Penn Kurtz knew coming into his team's first-round matchup with Charleston Catholic in the girls' basketball state tournament that Irish freshman Vida Imani had a wide shooting range.
The 5-foot-9 post player proved it as she knocked down a 3-pointer from the right corner to put the Irish ahead by five, 43-38, with 90 seconds remaining.
It was that bucket - the only 3-pointer the Irish connected on - that proved to be the difference as Charleston Catholic eliminated Maroon Knights, 49-44.
''She's done that all year for them,'' Kurtz said. ''Last time we played them she made three 3-pointers. I thought Mackenzie Michaels did a great job on her all game. She did sneak away for that one 3-pointer.''
Prior to that, Imani was 0-for-4 from behind the arc.
''That was a huge shot,'' Irish coach Zach Bogan said. ''She was getting knocked around in there a bit, but was able to stay in and hit that 3. Big-time effort. That came at the perfect time.
''She's taken that shot all year. There's no point changing it. It was an open look, it wasn't forced. It was a good shot.''
Junior Regan Blaha, who finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds, answered on the other end with a short jumper and fellow junior Cate Calissie knocked down a 3 of her own to make it a one-point game at 44-43, but the Irish (20-6) were able to connect on five of their six free throws in the final 40 seconds to escape with a victory, and a date today with five-time defending West Virginia Class A champion St. Joe.
''We knew coming it in was going to be a dog fight for us and it was,'' Bogan said. ''We almost gave it away there at the end, but we were able to make plays and get stops to win the game.''
At halftime, the Irish looked like they would run away as they held Central (14-11) to three second-quarter points and took a 20-13 lead into the locker room.
The distinctly shorter Irish players were able to knock the Knights out of their offensive rhythm right from the start with their high-pressure defense, which forced 17 Central turnovers. Charleston Catholic was able to turn those turnovers into points as it scored 22 points off takeaways.
''They do a great job of what they have,'' Kurtz said. ''They're short and they're quick and they use that quickness to their advantage. Every time we tried to get it inside, they'd double up on the post or deflect the pass away. That caused us some frustration. We were able to get some second-chance baskets in the second half, but, again, I have to give them credit. They played hard and they used what they had to their advantage.''
Free throws were another factor as Central hit for only 11 of its 21, while the Irish were 12 of 16.
''It could be nerves, it could be a little bit of fatigue,'' Kurtz said of the 10 missed foul shots. ''We haven't played for a week. Sometimes it's a little hard to come out after you sat around all day. You just have to make those shots.''
Charleston Catholic also essentially took Central sophomore Lindsey Baker out of the game as she finished with only seven points on 1 of 10 shooting.
''That was huge,'' Bogan said. ''We knew she was going to be aggressive. She likes to get to the rim. We did a really did a good job of moving our feet and staying in front so any shot she did have it was going to contested.''
Vida finished with a game-high 17 points to go along with seven rebounds and three blocks, while seniors Anna Whelan, who scored her 1,000th career point at the 4:15 mark of the third, and Hanna Gallian finished with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Central senior Ashton Cross ended her prep career with eight points, four rebounds and three assists, while fellow senior MacKenize Michaels finished with seven points and four steals.
''I give Charleston Catholic a lot of credit,'' Kurtz said. ''They did what they had to do to win this game.''


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Consider three random variables: $T \in [0,1] $, $S\in \{ l,h \}$, and $K\in [0,1]$.
We know that (i) $K$ is independent of $T$ and $S$; (ii) $T \sim U[0,1]$; and (iii) $\Pr[S=h \mid T=t]=\pi(t)$ with $\pi'(\cdot)>0$.
In this context, I came across the following statement (where $I$ is the indicator function):
$$\begin{align} &E[T \times I(T>a,K<b) \mid S=h]\\[8pt] &=E[T \times I(T>a \mid S=h)]\cdot\Pr[K<b)]\\[8pt] &=\left(\frac{\int^1_a t\pi(t) dt}{\int^1_0 \pi(u) du}\right)\Pr[K<b]\end{align}$$
I want to know if the first step makes sense and if there is an abuse of notation. I understand from the last equality that $E[T \times I(T>a \mid S=h)]$ refers to the expectation of a random variable with the distribution of $T\mid S\!=\!s$ truncated at $T>a$, (and multiplied by the probability of truncation).


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25 Dec 2012 9:01 PM #1
CityBars Example: Yelp creating problem
I have just followed step by step guide to create my first mobile app using sencha:
But every time i go for registering on "https://www.yelp.com" for getting "Yelp key".It comes up with "oops! Yelp is overworked right now."
I am form India and this is not available on yelp registration page.Is that the problem?
Request few moments of yours to help us resolve this.
26 Dec 2012 1:09 PM #2
You might want to contact Yelp support or search their developer forum threads for service problems and/or international registration issues.
Hope that helps,


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Oracle IT Architecture Certification Program
By Thanos Terentes Printzios-Oracle on Mar 13, 2014
Years of experience in implementing the world's most complex business and technology projects have provided Oracle the expertise to meet any strategic goal. Helping you evaluate products is just one step and Oracle has provided industry-leading documentation for product functionality.
With the IT Strategies from Oracle series, Oracle augmented this documentation with guidance on how to deliver business solutions using information technology. The primary audience for the series is architects chartered with the technical evaluation and implementation of business solutions based on information technologies within their organization.
Oracle enterprise architects approach new implementations on a holistic level, rather than on a project-by-project basis. They offer a deep understanding of how technology—including Oracle's vast product portfolio—impacts enterprisewide alignment, governance, and business processes.
[Read More]


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Why is the dropped in "I go to school by bus"? Why isn't it "I go to the school by the bus" if both school and bus are countable? Does the rule that a countable noun must have an article have an exception here?
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There are a number of cases where nouns are not preceded by any article ('the zero article'). They include meals and places as institutions, times of the day, days, months and seasons and, as here, means of transport and communication. We speak of going by air, car, horse or rail and sending by mail, post or e-mail.
School without an article means the school as an educational system. It's sort of like an abstract noun, I think.
A/the school places more importance on the physical aspect of school. (Not necessarily the case for "the".)
The first answer is ok but let me add something. When we talk about the primary purpose of the institute or building where we go for our job or work, we do not use the article a or the. If one visits the place or institute other than the primary purpose, and article is used.
For example: A doctor goes to clinic. However, if his friend comes to see him there, the sentence would be: The doctor's friend visited him in the clinic, or, My father goes to the school to see my teachers, etc.
I'll try to answer only the part about by bus. Adjunct prepositional phrases beginning with by, when they have the function of indicating manner/means, seem to require mass nouns, or derived nouns which behave like mass nouns in not needing an article.
I can think of three major categories of nouns appearing in the manner/means by-prepositional phrase. The first is gerundive verb phrases. Gerundive verb phrases can have two variants, one with no article, and an unmarked object, and another with an article, and the object "demoted" to an of-prepositional phrase. Note that only the article-less version is grammatical.
The second category is deverbal nouns formed with the sundry latinate nominalizing suffixes:
The third category is underived mass nouns:
I think phrases like by bus and by foot would fall into this latter category. Though these nouns might not seem like mass nouns when you reflect on their referents, they are acting as mass nouns grammatically, because this particular construction only works with article-less noun phrases. To see that by bus contains a mass noun, compare it with the following odd-sounding sentence.
(MARTA: = metropolitan atlanta rapid transit authority)
The noun MARTA is just too specific to fit into the "grinder", but more general-sounding nouns like bus, horse, foot, car, etc., can do it.
Why, is because it is not necessary to use the word the, when talking in a general sense. It is the same reason why people don't normally use it when talking about other situations, like going to university, going to hospital (although Americans make an exception for going to hospitals, so it is worth also seeing my answer here Is there a reason the British omit the article when they "go to hospital"?) or going to work. Use of the word 'the', means that the sentence is in a particular sense. A reference to one, particular example. "I go to the school by the bus" will mean going to one, particular school and travelling on one, particular bus.
If what you mean is attending a school in the general sense, without a particular need to say which one; then saying "I go to school", will be sufficient. If you also mean that you travel there on a bus or buses, but do not have a particular need to say which bus or buses; then saying "by bus", will be sufficient.
Saying "I go to the school" will mean going to one, particular school. Saying "I go to the school by the bus" will mean going on one, particular bus.
Saying "I go to the school by the bus" would only make sense if you have already said which, particular school and bus, you are talking about.
Basically, the word the is not used when talking in the general sense, because it gives the wrong impression, which is that you are talking in the particular sense. Using it would therefore be unnecessary and make your exact meaning, unclear.
It is not a case of the word 'the' being dropped. It is a case of it being unnecessary and giving a different meaning from what you intended.


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Staples 15% off items that fit in the bag plus get the bag Free
Valid thru 12/29
1. Print this out the coupon (link) and bring it to your local Staples®
2. Grab your free eco bag located at the Customer Service desk
3. Fill it up with ink, paper, supplies and so much more
4. Bring your bag filled with products and coupon to the register
5. Get 15% off and a Free Re-usable Bag
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Wish I had seen this yesterday. Had to pick up a few things. Ah well. Good deal for those who can use it.
How big is this bag? Will a Nexus 7 fit inside?
Not valid on desktop or laptop computers, tablets,
netbooks, Amazon Kindle®, NOOK®, Beats Audio™ and Monster Audio products, Soul by Ludacris Audio products, Epson ink and toner,
Keurig® coffee brewers, printers, fax and copier machines, business machines, laminators, storage, case paper, cases of water, all Copy &
Print Center orders, Staples® EasyTech(sm) professional-grade and on-site services, extended service plans, depot repair and parts, gift
cards, mobile phones and mobile phone services, phone cards or postage stamps.
I guess I could get a pencil...?
@bombkid: I would think that if you could manage to fit a copier into the bag, you'd at least deserve 15% off.
Surprised Monster cables are excluded though, with their typical 5000%+ markup. I suppose they keep most of that gouging for themselves and offer little to the retailers though.
@ciabelle: Some items retailers can't discount, that is why you'll often see a gift card with purchase of an apple idevice.
@bombkid: So essentially it's 15% off of office products. I guess you can get a decent UPS, that should fit in that bag. Or even a projector, that should fit too. Can I take the item out of the ox to make it fit? ;)
I actually used this yesterday on a chair. Everybody was dumbfounded when the coupon I showed them said that the 15% off includes furniture items. Even the manager at first was saying, "well it doesn't fit in the bag so you can't get 15% off". Of course the fine print said it was good on furniture AND clearance items, so I got my 15% off. So it could be extra useful to anybody looking for some of the good Staples clearance deals that come up every so often...
sodastream might fit in there... hmmm....


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Actors take the stage to present 5 of O. Henry's short stories. It's a 90 minute play by Joe Hoesl filled with laughs, lessons, and surprises. Vintage American music adds a crowd pleasing touch. This year's playbill features The Sphinx Apple, A Retrieved Reformation, Christmas by Injunction, The Ransom of Mack, and one of O. Henry's most popular tales, The Ransom of Red Chief. The performances are Thursday and Friday, Sept. 5, 6, 12 & 13 at 7:30; Sat., Sept. 7 &14 at 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sun., Sept. 8 & 15 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in the Greensboro Historical Museum Shop or over the phone (336.373.2949). General Admission $16; Seniors and Students $14; Museum Member $13. With thanks to Presenting Sponsor WellSpring and Production Sponsor O. Henry Hotel.
5 by O. Henry
Event date
Full Address
130 Summit Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27401
Greensboro Historical Museum
Contact Phone Number


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For $r<1$ define $F(r)=\sum_{n\in\mathbb N}(-1)^nr^{2^n}$. Does $F$ have a limit as $r\nearrow 1$?
Note that $$ F(r)=r-F(r^2)\tag{1} $$ Thus, if $a=\lim\limits_{r\to1^-}F(r)$ exists, then $$ a=\lim_{r\to1^-}F(r)=\lim_{r\to1^-}r-\lim_{r\to1^-}F(r^2)=1-a\tag{2} $$ Therefore, if the limit exists then it is $a=\frac{1}{2}$.
Applying equation $(1)$ twice, we get $$ F(r)=r-r^2+F(r^4)\tag{3} $$ As $r\to1$, $(3)$ indicates $F$ tends toward being periodic in $-\log(-\log(r))$ with period $\log(4)$. Note that as $r\to1^-$, $-\log(-\log(r))\to\infty$. $F(r)$ is the sum of the lengths of the intervals in the following animation
The value of the sum oscillates between $0.49728$ and $0.50272$ over each period. Therefore, $\lim\limits_{r\to1^-}F(r)$ does not exist.
My question was connected with this one. Namely, consider the sequence $(1, -1, -1, 1, 1, 1, 1, -1, \dots)$, where $(-1)^{k}$ stands for indices from $2^{k-1}$ to $2^k-1$. The Cesaro means can easily be calculated and they don't have a limit. The function $F$ here corresponds to the Abel means, and the equivalence of these summation methods for the bounded sequence implies that the Abel means diverge, too.


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spoiler:I was playing Dark side and a Wookie was supposed to meet me. I got it ok but then, in the next stage of the plot, where Atton has to fight alone, he died and I had to reload. When I reloaded, the wookie never appeared. I got Mira instead.
spoiler: talking to Vrook at the end of the level. I fought him after the conversation and died. I reloaded and Vrook never appeared. Luckily, I am keeping more than one saved game.
spoiler:One of my glitches was at the beginning, when you're using the gun turret to kill the Sith. If a Sith gets on your ship, then when you're done and Atton goes to start up the ship, he freezes there, continually making the motions, and it doesn't go anywhere.
My brother killed that squid guy on Nar Shaada because he got the little girl released. But then later, the squid guy was alive again and he had to re-kill him (the trap in the private room in that poison cantina), and so he got the wookie. Neither of us got Mira yet o_o;
If you go to the jedi council without Kreia, the game freezes as it pans over the empty grass in their old room. If you take her, it continues fine.
I can't remember my other glitches, but I know there were like, two others.
spoiler:ya i had the same problem with the squid guy...
aslo after mira was in my party i had her equipted and on nar shadaar she was standing next to the ebon hawk wihile i had her equiped that means there were 2 miras it was weird


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Sea Lions And Streaks« Back to Stories
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SAN DIEGO, Calif.-- The Azusa Pacific women's tennis team opened its 2013 season with a 6-3 win over Point Loma on Friday afternoon. The Cougars' singles lineup featured three newcomers, but was led by a familiar force as junior captain Emily Harris extended her winning streak to 15 matches dating back to last season.
Harris, ranked #17 in NCAA Division II (ITA), closed her sophomore season on a 14-match winning spree, and opened her junior campaign with a convincing 6-1, 6-3 victory in her fourth-ever match at No. 1. Harris has now won 24 of her last 25 decisions dating back to her freshman year.
And while Harris' streak is impressive, it still sits at No. 2 on her own team in terms of length as junior Kim Koetterheinrich extended her winning ways in doubles action to 19 consecutive victories. Koetterheinrich, who went unbeaten in doubles in 2012 (18-0), registered a narrow 8-7 (7-5) defeat of Wileen Chiu and Kiersten Steinhauer with new teammate Lindsey Yeom to help Azusa Pacific sweep doubles play.
"It's always good to open the season like that. Emily hasn't really talked about the streak, but it's obviously really good for her to open the year with a win at No. 1. I know Kim was excited about the season, and she's been so good in doubles that I thought she'd have a good chance to keep it going. I was also impressed with Lindsey getting two wins in her first college match," said head coach Mark Bohren.
The ITA's 10th ranked Division II doubles team of Harris and Danae Ingwaldson got past Hope Penner and Preethika Venugopal 8-3 at No. 1, while Division I transfers Brejohn McCrary and Samantha Kaneta recorded an 8-5 victory against Maika Adair and Sharon Reibstein at No. 2.
Azusa Pacific split singles play with, winning at the No. 1, 3, and 5 spots. McCrary, a transfer from Cal State Northridge, recorded a 6-3, 6-4 defeat of Venugopal at No. 3, and Yeom posted a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Christy Mountain in the 5-slot.
Sophomore Bethany Duval lost to Reibstein 6-1, 6-4 at No. 6, while Kaneta fell in a close match at No. 4. The Depaul transfer dropped the first set 6-2, but responded with a 6-4 win in the second to force a third, where she fell 10-7 to Chiu. Ingwaldson, playing at No. 2 in just her second season, dropped a 7-5, 6-1 match to Penner. The Cougars will return to the courts tomorrow when they face UCSD at 10 a.m.


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- Sand off tops of "popcorn bumps" with rotary sander or multi tool (like bosch multi-x).
- Spray with vinegar and water.
- Use elbow grease and a scraper.
If the popcorn finish is fairly even throughout, and you can afford to lose just a bit of headroom, one method is to skim over it with thin wallboard (3/8 is generally available and 1/4 can be special ordered). This is put up in sheets and screwed to the underlying structure (which needs to be located with a stud finder or the poke-with-an-awl method). Then taping, mudding (filling the joints), sanding the joints and painting. Sounds like a big job, but usually less time consuming than taking down the popcorn surface.
A friend of mine removed the popcorn from the ceilings and it was quite the project / mess.
Water if it soaks through to the drywall can damage the paper on the drywall. If that happens, you'll need to cut out the damaged paper, prime, patch with a joint compound (finish the surface) then prime and paint
I would probably just try using a putty knife or drywall knife - 6 inches maybe? And scrape it off.
If you were gonna drywall over it like bib said, remove the old drywall first. Why leave it up there? Cut the corners, pull down the drywall / screws and re-drywall properly. Cost difference between 1/2 inch drywall and 3/8 or 1/4 is negligible and in the process, may allow you to run electrical for new lighting, ceiling speakers, etc...
I agree with Mario on the hesitation to use any liquids on drywall. If you don't want to replace the drywall (which is a good suggestion), then this would be my process:
After knocking off the loose popcorn with a drywall knife, I'd make a pass or two with a screen sander on a pole, and then one final pass with a wide drywall knife to knock off any high spots. Then clean the surface of dust and apply a layer of premixed joint compound over the entire surface to cover all the blemishes. Keep the layers thin and you may consider adding a little water and dish soap to the mix to make it apply smoother (tip from Shirlock). Use a wide drywall knife and do your best to avoid any ridges. Lightly sand the result with the same screen sander on a pole, fix any small blemishes with a sponge sander, cleanup the dust, and paint.
Realize that popcorn is frequently used to hide blemishes and a poor quality drywall installation. So before applying the joint compound, I'd shine a light at a sharp angle to see your problem areas.
just NO to pretty much every answer given here. remove your popcorn in half an hour


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February 15, 2013
Facebook Feedback Friday: what is the most eco-friendly place in Cape Town?
Seeing as it's Responsible Tourism Week, yesterday we asked all the people who like the I ♥ Cape Town Facebook page: "What is the most eco-friendly place in Cape Town?"
In the lead for eco-awareness and consciousness was Table Mountain, and in second place was the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. The rest of the comments varied from solar-powered vineyards to a house made of hemp. But, in the end, it should be said that any place can be eco-friendly, as long as we consciously keep it clean and green.
Below, according to our Facebook fans, are some of the places in Cape Town that are mindful of Mother Nature:
James Boyce: Hemp house in Noordhoek, built by the Hemporium.
Ken Bridgens: Kirstenbosch Gardens. No question. One of the best botanical gardens in the World.
Tamara Mittelstadt: Constantia as they have the recycling facilities lol
Mari Viljoen: Two Oceans Aquarium
Carish Kruger: All about eco-friendliness, eco awareness, healthy living = The Holistic Eco & Lifestyle Fair (Gardens, Cape Town)
Phethang Mabeba: The Lynedoch Eco Village
Marijke Cloete: Spier for promoting farm to table dining and much more.
Fran Meyer: Table Mountain. Easy.


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Plan Toys Wooden Garlic (1 piece)
Product Description
Plan Toys Wooden Garlic (1 piece) is simply realistic. The Plan Toys fruits and vegetables look realistic and children will have fun learning about healthy foods. This wooden play food is ready for lots of pretend play, an important children activity to develop their imagination and explore their surroundings.
Collect all the Plan Toys fruits and veggies.
The Camden Rose Cherry Wood Bowl and Spoon is sold separately.
Benefits of pretend play abound: promoting language, creative and social skills. Play sets, like the Plan Toys Wooden Garlic, become tools to safely and creatively imitate real life situations. Also, pretend play gives kids opportunities to try out dialogue they've heard (mom and dad talking in the kitchen while preparing dinner), which help develop their vocabulary and linguistic skills. It also helps children see things or people from another perspective and gain better understanding. By taking part in these creative activities, they are stimulated intellectually.
|Phthalates (0%)
|Lead (0%)
|Play Facts
|Toxic Colors (0%)
* Based on age appropriate play. Specific benefits may be higher or lower depending on toy, child & adult engagement.
INGREDIENTS: Sustainable chemical-free rubberwood; Third-party certified non-toxic, water-based dyes; Formaldehyde-free glue
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The educational merits of Plan Toys are recognized by some of the most prestigious awards in the toy industry such as the Parents' Choice Award and the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award.
CAUTION: Play immediately after opening. No batteries required. Will stimulate gray matter between your child's ears.
Note: 0% means none or no detectable levels. Label is for illustration purposes only and is not exhaustive. Individual product certification available upon request.
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Team C125 64GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive for $28.99 + free shipping
coupon code: EMCXNVR68
Use promo code EMCXNVR68 to make them $28.99. A buck cheaper than they've been previously.
3 Comments add a comment
Damn these are getting cheap!
I bought my 128GB for $59 (after rebate)
I'm guessing using this as a bottle opener is not advisable...


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The 2010 Compilation of Funeral Service Insider is bursting with hard-hitting analysis and profit-building strategies to improve business operations. The reference book is almost 400 pages long and indexed so you can easily pinpoint the topics you want to find.The book includes:
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expert advice MORE
Learning Too Much Too Fast?
Q: Our daughter has just started kindergarten and her teacher took her class through the entire alphabet in two weeks. Now she is expected to learn letter sounds and site words. This teacher used to teach first grade. We feel the teacher is going too fast and now our child has begun to call out letters, words, and numbers in her sleep. We have scheduled an appointment with the teacher -- how can we voice our concerns without making the teacher feel bad?
A: Be honest with the teacher when you meet with him. Explain what letters, sounds, and sight words your daughter knew when she started kindergarten and remind the teacher how quickly the class has been covering the material. (Many kindergarten teachers spend at least the first semester teaching letter sounds and the entire year on sight words.)
Tell the teacher what you have observed about your daughter's learning style and that you think your daughter would feel more comfortable if the class was not rushing quite so much. Explain also that you believe your daughter may be showing signs of stress (talking in her sleep) since she began school.
Before you meet with the teacher, talk with the school counselor. Explain the situation and ask the counselor to be present at the conference to address the issue of stress in young children. The counselor can speak for the other children in the class as well while you speak for your daughter. The counselor can also address what is covered in the kindergarten curriculum and discuss what is being taught in the other kindergarten classes.
More on: Expert Advice
Barbara Potts has worked as an elementary school counselor for many years. She has a BA in psychology from Wake Forest University, and an M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.


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Speakers Bureau is a fee-for-service resource, with discounted rates for Catalyst members. To engage a Catalyst speaker, contact us. View our calendar of upcoming Speakers Bureau presentations.


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I have seen on some Linux, that
grep is configured to highlight the match, and print the matching file.
How can I configure
grep to highlight matches?
Also one of my favorites:
will list all pids of processes that match the name of some-hanging-process which you can use in following situation:
I've found that the best way to pimp grep is to use ack, which is essentially recursive grep with an intelligent ignore list (e.g., doesn't search .svn directories, ignores backup files, etc.), colour highlighting of results and perl regexps. It's what you want grep to do 98.6% of the time.
I set this in my .bashrc , instead of redefining grep using an alias:
For me, this works on Linux, MacOSX & FreeBSD.
I'd recommend avoiding the environment variable GREP_OPTIONS, it will affect every invocation of grep, even those embedded within other tools. If those tools expect grep to behave one way, and you change that behaviour, it will and does break those tools.
Instead, you can create an alias, which works well. This will only affect calls to grep from your interactive shell (i.e. that you type yourself).
The final option, that I like most of all, is to create a wrapper script that invokes grep. I prefer this over an alias, because I can invoke this wrapper from other programs. E.g. in vim by setting vimgrep, so that my searches from within vim behave identically to searches at the command-line.
Invoke this using:
will search for instances of 'pattern' in all text files in the current dir and subdirs.
Notice that I call my script 'grp', rather than shadowing 'grep', so that I'm always aware of whether I'm invoking grep with my customised defaults or not.
By default I include:
I think everyone would want to skip source control dirs: .hg .git .bzr .svn
Skipping 'build' and 'dist' are Python-isms, and probably don't apply to most people. No doubt you'll develop your own idiosyncrasies as you work.
'tags' is the output of ctags, that I use for 'go to function definition' and the like in tools like vim. As such it contains at least one copy of every word and symbol from my source code, so it's worth skipping from your search results.
"$*" at the end is the bash syntax for "and all the other params from the command-line", so you can pass in the pattern and dir to search as normal, and override any other command line flags you'd like.
The color should be encoded using ANSI color codes, for reference
Since I didn't see any examples of actually setting colors, here is a simple setup for GNU grep:
Be careful about


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SURAJ SHARMA: 'Life of Pi' star's amazing journey
With VIDEO
By REBECCA KEEGAN Los Angeles Times
Not a subscriber? You can purchase a single-day subscription for only $0.75 to read this and access all of our content and our E-Edition. CLICK HERE purchase a single day subscription.
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The 6 Most Incredible Real World Beast Masters
#3. Jim's Indoor Pet Buffalo
A buffalo and a farmer walk into a bar. That's it. There's no punchline. That's just what happens every now and then in Spruce Grove, Canada, where Jim Sautner and his 1,600-pound pet buffalo "Bailey D. Buffalo Jr." hit the pub for the sauce. Most cars can't accommodate this walking Flintstones joke, but Sautner fixed his sedan up right good:
Toronto Sun
Here's a video of Bailey hopping into the bison-wagon like he's people.
And it's not like Sautner saunters over to the field to pick up his buffalo on the way out the door ... the beast lives with him and his wife. He's a pet. The largest domesticated pet in the world, unless someone's holding back on their orca bowl.
Weird Planet
Not pictured: All the poop.
And this isn't even Sautner's first pet buffalo. His first one (Bailey Sr.) died in a freak farm machine accident, and Sautner adopted orphaned Bailey Jr. (no relation) as his bison rebound. So you can kind of think of the two as Annie and Daddy Warbucks, if Annie weighed as much as a car and Daddy Warbucks' first kid got eaten by a combine.
#2. The Hyena Masters
For most of us, a nightly routine is just about brushing our teeth, putting on our jam-jams and checking for lumps before hitting the hay. For Youseff Mume Saleh, his nightly routine is all of those things, plus one more: Feeding a pack of wild hyenas, sometimes by dangling meat from his teeth. Here's Scar and his minions right before they killed Mufasa:
Ethio Quest News
"I can see no way for this plan to backfire."
So, what would possess an otherwise sane person to risk his life in service to the wildest, meanest cat-dogs in the world? It turns out Saleh's town in Ethiopia has a long history with hyenas, beginning two hundred years ago when the villagers began feeding porridge to the animals to keep them from people-eating. And in the 1960s, a Harar farmer began feeding the local hyenas scraps of meat in an attempt to stop the packs from murdering his livestock, and the first "Hyena Man" was born.
The arrangement works so well that in Harar, there are actually two hyena men, each one feeding a different pack at a different location. We can only hope the two don't meet in the town square to settle their rivalry "Beat It" style.
Or, more realistically, Weird Al's "Eat It" style.
Our favorite hyena man (Saleh) is so confident of his relationship with the animals that he'll shoo some of the more aggressive hyenas away so the shyer members of the pack can get their fair share. He's become somewhat famous for it (even before we wrote about him) and, hell, people have gotten famous for less:
#1. Tonie Joubert and Jessica the Hippo
Cracked has already spent plenty of words, space and sweat warning the masses of the dangers of hippos. So we almost feel like we're being especially reckless on this next entry. OH WELL.
Forget everything we've ever told you about hippos and go buy one right now, is what we're saying.
People who actually live around hippos are frightfully aware of how dangerous they are. But when South African game warden Tonie Joubert found an orphaned, day-old hippo-cute-omus still attached to its umbilical cord, he did what any reasonable person would do: He nursed her to health, adopted her and named her "Jessica."
Hub Pages, Annalene
Because "Susan" would have just been ridiculous.
Eventually, Jessica reached a size where keeping her in the house became about as problematic as keeping an adult hippo in your house, especially since she had already broken three beds, and the family moved their baby to the front porch. At this point, the Jouberts have earned the distinction of having raised the only known domesticated hippopotamus in history. We can't say we're proud of them, though, since they're raising their fat daughter on a diet of coffee, sweet potatoes and a Veruca Salt level of indulgence.
Wait, is that beer? She sure as hell better not be driving later.
Check out Monte's blog here or catch Monte and Ross duking it out on the Craption contest.
For animals you shouldn't try to domesticate, check out 6 Animals That Just Don't Give A F#@k and 5 Lovable Animals You Didn't Know Are Secretly Terrifying.
And stop by LinkSTORM to see how Swaim's doing with his pet gorilla.
And don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get sexy, sexy jokes sent straight to your news feed.
Do you have an idea in mind that would make a great article? Then sign up for our writers workshop! Do you possess expert skills in image creation and manipulation? Mediocre? Even rudimentary? Are you frightened by MS Paint and simply have a funny idea? You can create an infograpic and you could be on the front page of Cracked.com tomorrow!


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12 Oct 2011 9:31 AM #1
Android problem - the whole window moves left and leaves a gap on the right
For example, open the Sencha Touch O'Reilly example either in the Android web browser, and drag the bottom tab-bar to the left before the first card has finished loading (while the spinner is still showing); it will move the whole viewport and leave a very obvious white gap on the top toolbar and on the right of the fifth tab-bar icon. It is possible to drag the whole viewport back again but only when something is still trying to load. I get this problem quite often in standard use.
I have tried <body style="overflow: hidden"> and <meta name="viewport" content="width=320; user-scalable=no" /> but the problem still happens.
This is only on Android, not iPhone.
12 Oct 2011 9:50 AM #2
More info on this...
this also happens if you drag any part of the window, not just the tab-bar. I am using HTC Desire S Android v2.3 with Sencha 1.1.0. This is a problem both in the web browser and also with phonegap v1.


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Mountain Setting


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How fast do you need to be going to get an effective slipstream on a bike?
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It depends. I don't know of any scientific research to support an actual speed.
It is not necessarily how fast you go, but how closely you are following the person cycling in front of you. The closer you follow, the more likely you are to trail in the wind they have helped part for you. The effects of this feel greater the faster you and the other person is traveling. The effectiveness of the slipstream is relative to the speed and distance you follow.
Even runners use the slipstream, and they run at a max of 12mph, but I have enjoyed drafting at considerably slower running speeds. It also depends on the strength of the headwind.
And, as Teddy pointed out, the distance you are from the rider in front is important. This is why runners can draft at relatively slower speeds, although for a skilled cyclist (e.g. one that rides rollers all winter) you can ride just about as close as you could run next to someone.
Furthermore, unless you have a direct headwind, you should ride off to the leeward side. For example, if the wind is coming from the right(left), your right(left) hand / shoulder / arm should be as close to the left(right) butt/thigh of the rider in front as you feel comfortable. Put your head down and enjoy. That is the place where you can hang on when the going gets tough.
But remember a golden rule - whoever's front hub is in the lead has the right of way (e.g. if you are drafting, you must yield).


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SALISBURY, N.C. – With four players reaching double figures, the Anderson men's basketball team opened the New Year by rolling past Catawba, 78-55, Saturday afternoon at Goodman Gymnasium.
Anderson (9-3, 4-2 SAC) won its second straight contest and improved to 5-1 on the road this season with its third straight road win. The Trojans have won eight straight past Catawba (2-8, 2-4 SAC), which dropped its second consecutive decision and has lost four of its last five.
The Trojans were out-rebounded 36-35, with Catawba recording 20 offensive boards. AU shot 51 percent (26-of-51) from the field and connected on 10-of-14 (71.4 percent) from beyond the arc, which equaled its season-high in treys. The long-range accuracy ranks sixth in NCAA Division II this season and marked the highest 3-point accuracy since the Trojans connected on 11-of-16 (68.8 percent) versus the Indians last February.
Senior guard CJ Gleaton, who has reached double figures in three of the last four games, led all scorers with 16 points, including nine in the second half. The 6-foot-3 guard also recorded a season-high four steals. Senior guard Chandler Hash added 15 points, while junior guard Myson Jones nearly garnered his first double-double of the season by tallying 12 points and a career-high eight assists. Redshirt junior Chris Ross chipped in 10 points and five rebounds, with forward Kyle Sledge pulling down a team-best seven rebounds.
Catawba forward Tyrece Little led three Indians in double figures with 15 points, while forward Kijuan Arrington recorded a game-high eight rebounds.
"We had not shot the ball that well all season," said Anderson head coach Jason Taylor. "The biggest difference in the halves was that we took care of the ball in the second half. I do not feel good about our rebounding. We need to get sharper and we will. Tony [Dargan] gave a boost off the bench and Alani [Adekambi] played well."
With both teams coming off a 13-day layoff, the two squads combined for just two baskets through the first 3:33 of action, with the Trojans using a 6-0 outburst to take the largest lead of the half, at 8-2, with 15:33 left in the opening frame.
But Catawba chipped away at the AU lead with an 11-2 run, eventually knotting the score at 10 apiece on sophomore Julian Sampah's layup at the 10:36 mark and took its first lead,13-10, less than two minutes later on sophomore guard Elon Edwards' first 3-pointer of the contest.
AU countered with a 7-2 surge to regain a 17-15 edge, as Gleaton sparked the rally with five consecutive points and Ross capped it with a basket in the paint. The two-point edge proved to be a lead the Trojans would not relinquish, as AU carried a 27-24 edge into halftime.
The Trojans opened the second stanza by scoring the first four points to build a 31-24 lead less than two minutes into the half and capitalized on back-to-back 3-pointers from Jones and Gleaton to push out to a 42-33 advantage. Anderson pushed out to its first double-digit lead, 44-33 lead on a layup by Gleaton with 13:24 remaining in the game.
Leading by seven two minutes later, Anderson erupted on a 16-3 run over a three-minute span to take a 20-point lead with just more than eight minutes on the clock. The Trojans were a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc during the outburst, with Hash and freshman Tony Dargan each draining a pair of treys.
The Indians countered with six straight points to trim AU's lead to 60-46, but Catawba would get no closer over the final five minutes.
The Trojans return to the friendly confines of the Abney Athletic Center to open a two-game SAC homestand on Wednesday, as they square off against 18th-ranked Lincoln Memorial for the second time this season. Tip-off versus the Railsplitters is slated for 8 p.m.


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Limbo in limbo?
CNS reported a short snip about the Church's latest look at what it calls the "theory" of Limbo, the place of perfect natural happiness where unbaptized infants go.
According to the International Theological Commission this week, there is "serious theological and liturgical grounds for the hope that unbaptized infants who die will be saved and brought into eternal happiness even though there is not an explicit teaching on this question found in revelation."
An AP report also said Pope Benedict and his predecessor, John Paul II, had encouraged the study because of ' "the pressing pastoral needs" ' sparked by the increase in abortion and the growing number of children who die without being baptized."
The history of Limbo is an interesting one (though I confess most theological issues just make my head hurt). The Catholic Encyclopedia suggests that up until the time of Abelard (1079-1142), most theologians agreed with St. Augustine, that unbaptized infants went to Hell with the unrepentant, unbaptized sinners.
Abelard suggested that perhaps unbaptized infants suffered the punishment of loss for original sin, but were exempt from the torments of Hell. While some of Abelard's ideas were slapped down, the Scholastic theologians picked up Abelard's notion, and eventually Limbo was envisioned as a place where infants could live happily in the love of God, without actually being in Heaven.
The theological debate over Limbo has cropped up several times in the intervening centuries.
Practically speaking, I don't know what long-time Catholics (as opposed to us relative newcomer converts) believe about Limbo. But despite the Church's ambivalence about the fate of unbaptized babies, we might take comfort from one of the prayers in a special rite for the blessing of parents who have suffered miscarriage, a rite that is perhaps not offered enough:
Lord, God of all creation, we bless and thank you for your tender care. Receive this life you created in love, and comfort your faithful people in their time of loss with the assurance of your unfailing mercy. Amen
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Don't trust the Catholic Encyclopedia. Most theologians from the Eastern Church were free of the baneful influence of Augustine on the topic of original sin. Apparently Photius suggested that it was heretical. You might want to consult John Meyendorff, Byzantine Theology, pp. 143-149. The idea that sin can be inherited derives from a mistaken Latin translation of Romans 5:12. Not that the Reformers, who read the New Testament in Greek, understood the text any better that Augustine did.The idea that pressing pastoral needs have suddenly emerged seem rather bizarre to me. Miscarriages are hardly a new phenomenon. Infanticide as well as the exposure of unwanted infants, which must often have resulted in death, are hardly novelties. Why not just admit that "we" have been (without formal definition, but widely) propagating a doubtful doctrine for some time.
A text prepared for the Second Vatican Council would have repeated the teaching about limbo. But when it was brought before the Central Commission whose task it was to review the prepared texts and recommend which should be approved by Pope John XXIII for discussion at the Council, the majority of members were opposed to the text and favored simply reserving to the mercy of God the fate of children who die without baptism.
With the passing of limbo (I hope), one wonders how long it will take for other changes to occur?Probably not in my lifetime (unfortunately.)
"...sparked by the increase in abortion and the growing number of children who die without being baptized."Strange, no mention was made of the millions of zygotes lost spontaneously.
Everyone, thanks for those perspectives. But I'm a bit confused about Bob's reference to "the passing of Limbo."It's my understanding that the statement by the commission merely comes down on the side of what Fr. Komonchak described as "reserving to the mercy of God the fate of children who die without baptism," adding to that "serious theological ... grounds for hope" that unbaptized infants are with God.This neither confirms nor denies the existence of Limbo, merely seems to lead people away from the notion of Limbo.Moreover, the commission's statement only talked about theological and liturgical grounds, not Scriptural ones, about the fate of those chldren. So it cannot, really, say anything definitively about Limbo either way, can it? (And now my head hurts.)I read the statement as a move toward squaring the fate of unbaptized children with the Church's emphasis on respect for life. I know no Catholic who has ever claimed that aborted babies are frying in hell because they didn't get to be baptized. But I know some outsiders think we think that.
Sorry, Jean -guess I took too seriously the Reuters lead that, after centuries, the church had effectively buried limbo.On the other hand, saying "I don't know" seems to to deny any affirmation of a state of limbo.Also strikes me that it's ever so haaaaaaaard for an admission of change to be made
Hello Jean (and all),I'm afraid I must confess I was outraged when I first learned a while back that the last pope had ordered a new commission to revisit the theory of limbo. With so many pressing problems facing the church, I asked myself how it could make sense to spend the millions of dollars it would cost to run a commission devoted to an idea that has never been a doctrine of the church and that no longer serves much purpose.I recall another moment of outrage when as an eight year old when my CCD teacher presented the limbo theory to our class. I was appalled, and for reasons similar to those expressed by others who have commented on this thread. To calm me down, my CCD teacher told the class that Catholics are not obliged to believe the limbo theory, even though many do. Much later as an adult I realized how such an idea could have spread. If one thinks that the only alternative is to believe that all the unbaptized, born and unborn, are bound to suffer hell, then one might quite naturally find the limbo theory appealing.But this is not the only alternative. While I am no theologian, I have read a number of sources that state that a Catholic may remain within the boundaries of orthodoxy and believe that all people will be saved. (I'd appreciate being corrected on this if I am wrong by the theologians who contribute here.) The documents of the Second Vatican Council explicitly state that it may be possible for atheists to be saved, which plainly implies that unbaptized people could be saved. So why do we still need to consider the limbo theory? The only reason I can think of is that limbo might be a comforting idea to those who are more at ease with the ideas presented on EWTN than those I have just stated. Is this a good enough reason? (I can't cite statistics because I don't even know if there are any, but I do not personally know any other Catholics who believe in limbo, and I think it's fair to say that belief in this idea dropped dramatically after the Second Vatican Council. I suspect many people drew the same conclusion I, and perhaps some others here, drew.)I'm not trying to be provocative here, or to suggest that baptism is unimportant. And I also don't mean to mock people who like EWTN. The two questions I raised in the last paragraph are honest questions.
Try this. One objection to Limbo conceived of as a state of perfect natural happiness is that it may be--I think it is--impossible to conceive of a state of perfect natural happiness. A person in that hypothetical state would certainly have the full and unimpeded use of her intellectual faculties. She would therefore see that someting was missing in her life, namely the cause of her being, which is what we call God, and eveything else that goes with natural theology. In other words, I do not think the question of God can be ruled out but in a purely natural state one cannot get very far, certainly not far enough, with it. One would never have what Dante, I think, calls il ben del intelletto. (Fr. Imbelli may help here.) The result would be a defective happiness at any level for an intellectual creature. So Limbo in the sense of the "Limbo of infants" would be logically impossible, and so could not exist.
In the Pre-Vatican 2 period the notion of a limbo of infants was commonly taught, although it was said, as far as I can remember, that it nad never been formally defined. But it was commonly believed. I have a sister, Helen, who died before I was born, but was baptized, and I remember that this seemed to be considered as very important.
Let me try to spackle together Joseph and Peter's comments, because it seems to me that any discussion of Limbo, as antiquated and medieval as everyone seems to feel it is, always leads to uncomfortable questions about other church teachings.If Limbo is not needed to warehouse unbaptised souls in perfect natural happiness without God (which Joseph aptly points out is logic that turns back on itself), and if they do not go to Hell (which does not tally with our notion of a loving God who creates life in the first place), then they must go to Heaven.And if they go to Heaven, then why does Baptism matter for infants and children. Let's say under the age of 7, which has traditionally been the age of reason, when a child can discern right and wrong, and when they go to First Confession and Communion.And if Baptism doesn't matter for anybody under 7, then why do we Baptise infants and small children?Now my head REALLY hurts, and I'm sure somebody can explain this all, and I will shut up until that occurs.
Just to reassure Peter: the commission that studied this was the International Theological Commission. I'm not aware that it was the Pope who asked them to study this particular question, which is one of several under study; and I can assure you that nowhere near a million dollars, and probably not a twentieth of that, was spent on the meetings during which it was discussed. So on that ground, you can calm down.
Jean, you have no idea what a headache is. Some of us had to study this stuff. Check out the Catholic Encyclpedia on line and you will find that there are many contradictions. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02258b.htmI am amazed how hierarchs quote the words of Jesus so absolutely on some nebulous things while ignoring the clear things that he defined. Like who is our neighbor. But of course we can ignore this since this is only for saints or whatever.You are right, I believe, in questioning infant baptism. What it does is add to one's army by virtue of birth without any true committment which is usually lacking from the parents also.Baptism, as I see it, is a commitment to the royal priesthood of Jesus Christ in which we unite with Jesus in offering to God all that we are. Water is a suitable symbol since life in the Spirit is involved.Too much of the literature is concerned with disputes and indeed stresses dogma over the life in Christ and the church. To place things in perspective we have to understand how things operate in Rome where there are many wanabees in and around the Vatican and the Curia who manage to get things in the news which are not that important. But since they come from the Vatican the significance is overkilled.John Cornwell, before he wrote "Hitler's Pope" and "The Pontiff in Winter" was commissioned by John Paul II to investigate John Paul I's death. (They wanted an objective voice to declare that he was not murdered)The book "A Thief in the Night" , while clearing the Vatican, gives detailed information about life in the Vatican. http://www.amazon.com/Thief-Night-Life-Death-Vatican/dp/0141001836We have to take things coming out of there with the proverbial grain of salt.When Ratzinger was elected, Joe K repeated a couple of times that "the pope is not the church." If we bear that it mind we will have less headaches.
Bill, quick before Mass: I DID lookit the Catholic Encyclopedia (refer'd in my jpost), so whence my headache.In AnglicanLand, I came to the conclusion that baptism is largely for the parents and godparents--a sacrament that shows THEIR intention to raise the child a Christian and to symbolize the washing away of sin, because I have a hard time wrapping my head around what sin needs to be washed from a baby.Confirmation is the informed commitment of the child to the Church later on.I know this is really not "kosher" by Catholic beliefs, but that's how I think of it.A practical reason to baptize infants before they get to be ambulatory:A friend's kid was baptized when she converted. He was 4, it was the Holy Vigil, he was bone tired, and when the priest put the oil on his head, he pulled out his shirt tail and wiped hi head off with a loud "yuck."
From the beginning, the idea of limbo has represented a movement toward hope. It was first suggested to avoid portraying God as punishing the innocent. The current ITC report should probably be read as another step in that direction, toward faith in a merciful and loving God.The whole question of how this fits in systematically with other beliefs is probaly not r"ipe" yet. We need another couple of thousand years, where parents are told their dead children are with God rather than consigned to eternal isolation,, before we get a good grasp on the question.Or maybe we only need a few minutes.Jim M
Hello Fr. Komonchak (and all),Thank you for the helpful information. While I am sure you are right, the costs to which I was referring are principally the costs of preparing for the meetings, not the costs of the meetings themselves. You have better information than I, so perhaps you also have some idea of how much the research the International Theological Commission needed to complete prior to the meetings cost.Parallel examples occur in many other institutions. For example, in my former university academic departments were reviewed every three years by a panel of twelve external individuals, including university trustees, professors from other institutions and members of the local business community. These reviews occurred over a period of only one and a half days, and each officially cost less than $20,000 to cover the travel and lodging of the reviewers and room rentals, meals and other direct costs of hosting the meetings. However, each time my former department was externally reviewed, the true cost of each of these external reviews was well over $300,000 because the fifteen faculty and five staff each had to spend at least the equivalent of a dedicated month preparing for the day and a half meeting of fewer than thirty participants (the reviewers and faculty). The preparatory labor costs, which were hidden, were at least fifteen times the costs of the meetings themselves. Perhaps wrongly, months ago I concluded that the preparatory costs of these International Theological Commission meetings would run into millions because the participants need to meet over a much more extended period of time and I presume do a lot more than a month's worth of research apiece for each day they must meet.
In brief, Jean, I think we baptize infants because we believe they receive some grace thereby and not merely to affirm that they are along with us part of God's people. The Orthodox confer "confirmation"--they call it chrismation--right after baptism. This seems to consistent with what appears in Acts. Confirmation complements baptism and social amentities do not seem to be grounds for separating them. As for unbaptized infants or fetuses, it seems clear to me that Jesus has saved everyone who does not positively refuse to be saved. It seems equally clear that infants who die unbaptized have not had an opportunity to say no. How they get to say yes to God is necessarily speculative--as are many other things--but surely God provides.
Let me try again, Jean. Baptism is a "new birth" which we receive as a gift from God. God can give this gift without human help or consent. However it would be presumptuous to delay it for an infant until the age of seven, say, when we are in a position of responsibiity for that infant. God allows us to be partners. It would be wrong to refuse to cooperate.
Jim, beautifully said. Some of us know what the Church is still hesitant to say. While I agree that Limbo began as a movement toward the notion of infant salvation, I think it is now an obstacle to that idea. And apparently the Church has something of the same notion or it wouldn't be trying to play it down. Joseph, I don't think we're at odds here. Good point about the child receiving grace. Your statement that it would be "presumptuous to delay it ... when we are in a position of responsibility" underscores my belief that the sacrament is as much for the parents as it is for the infant. And for everybody there witnessing and repeating their baptismal vows.In my parish, there are a lot of elderly people worried about their grandchildren. The parents are lapsed Catholics and have never had the kids baptized. I think the grandparents' worries are misplaced.Peter, I can see your point about expense, especially if you think the whole idea of Limbo is a dead horse anyway. This is what happens, though, when legalistic thinking takes over--a whole other conversation. I recall a piece several years ago by Joe Bob Briggs, the funny writer, "reporting" about the Southern Baptist Convention's debate about whether Elvis was in Hell (he was, but he could get hisself out'n Hell if his Gospel record went platinum). This debate didn't really take place, of course, but illustrates how stupid these debates look to outsiders.
I see no problem in eleiminating limbo and having infant baptism as an initiation rite - the celebration of this rite at our Cathedral with baies raised high at Mass after immersion with shouts of Alleluia from a congregation of folks from all over the countrty is a beautiful statement of truth of the total Church community.Limbo belongs in the past in so many ways , for the babies who die so young, for the literalistic reading of Genesis and original sin, and as some of my confreres here sem to think ,for a needed moving away from medieval cosmology. May limbo rest in peace and may more openness to change grow.
Peter:Having served on one international commission involving the Vatican's Secretariat for Christian Unity, I can assure you that no such astronomical sums enter into typical projects undertaken by scholars. The scholars, of course, receive no compensation; the staff in Rome get sub-minimal wages; everybody stays in clerical residences or their equivalents. The biggest expense is probably travel and food, but you'd have to go some, even in Rome, to approach a million dollars!
Hello All,First, I'm sorry for clouding the discussion by bringing in the cost issue. I shouldn't have assumed that the monetary labor costs for commissions such as the International Theological Commission are comparable to those of conferences in the corporate world and in academia. (Though it sounds like the labor is quite considerable.)But I have a substantive worry I have not seen raised on this thread. At the risk of giving Jean more head pain. . . Could one be in heaven with the knowledge that a loved one is in limbo? My nieces and nephew won't be baptized till they are much older, being raised in evangelical churches. If, God forbid, something were to happen to my nephew or one of my nieces now while they are still very small, and they were in limbo, then I cannot see how I or any of the rest of my family could ever be in heaven. I'm surprised this question does not seem to get raised a lot more in CCD or other contexts - maybe people are too embarrassed to raise such an obvious problem. But at least for me, my inability to answer "Yes." to this question is one more reason I'm skeptical about the very idea of limbo.
Obviously, Augustine got to a lot of people because the fear everywhere was that it is wrong not to baptize infants as soon as possible. Many would not let their children out of the house until they were baptized. Certainly limbo was thought of, but no one was willing to take the chance. With that kind of thinking one wonders why baptism did not take place the first week.
Peter, Your proposal about relatives or for that matter, people dear to us, is based more on wishes than reality, perhaps. On the other hand the reality is that whatever we receive from God is a gift. Further, there are those who do not believe in hell. Whether, hell exists or not, certainly those who are cruel to others will receive due punishment. Finally, Prof. Richard McBrien writes that by discarding Limbo Ratziner confines to the dustbin the concept of original sin. Now there's another headache for you, Jean.
It's interesting that Augustine's argument was from the universal practice of infant baptism to the theology of original sin. If baptism is for the remission of sins, he argued against the Pelagians,then children must have a sin that needs remission.
This question does come up in RCIA. The answer generally runs something like this--and I think someone else covered this earier--is that in Heaven our happiness is perfect, and if our happiness could not be perfect without our children then ... draw conclusion here.I note as a point of interest that this is the same answer I have heard given to children who are disconsolate about losing a pet and want to know if it is in Heaven.I have always viewed original sin to mean that being born means you're going to sin eventually, inevitably, and in some ways that only God can forgive. But whether that means we are automatically in a state of sin when we are conceived--or simply bring that sin on our own heads through our imperfect natures later on is a matter of debate, no? What strikes me as wholly illogical about Limbo is that most of the time, those children, however short their lives, made us mothers better people, made us value life more, and to fear death less. In that regard, aren't those children instruments of grace? And if so, why would God separate us from them in Heaven?
My understanding is the same as Joseph K.'s And I always thought that the nature of "original" sin was defined by, in fact, the word "origin," that is, we all have our origin in sin therefore we aren't sinless even at the moment of birth. I think this is an illogical leap, conferring as it does responsibility on a third party for the sins of others, but I've always thought it was straightforward. I could of course be wrong about these things.
OK my head hurts again. I thought Fr. K was saying that infant baptism was the custom, and Augustine argued that the custom indicated infants were born with sin.In other words, Augustine was saying, well, we've always done this, so there must be a reason, and the reason is that the infants have the stain of original sin. And if that's so, they must go to hell if they're not baptized.Barbara, pardon my being dense, but I don't understand what you mean: "I think this is an illogical leap, conferring as it does responsibility on a third party for the sins of others, but I've always thought it was straightforward." Care to explain further?
For those of you who enjoy the experience of contrast, you may want to check out the thread on Limbo over at Amy Welborn's blog. There, one can find references to the Council of Trent, the Council of Florence and the Second Counicl of Lyons, among other pieces of timely note.The issue that really has most of them vexed is Richard McBrien saying that the recent document on Limbo shows that all children are born in a "state of grace." For some on the thread, this shows that McBrien has gone even beyond Pelagianism (I think one of the Lutheran participants noted this). Above all, McBrien has produced a conclusion that if true would render the sacrifce of Jesus on the Cross "meaningless."Happily (to my mind), there are some voices of dissent in the thread. My favorite is this:"Are educated people really discussing the idea that dunking a baby in water may or may not have an impact on infinity and eternity?"Now, some readers of this thread may find this a bit too flip. I, however, find it entirely on point. Christianity is alone among the three great Western theistic traditions in its hyper sensitivity to the status of the human soul. Judaism and Islam both are concerned about judgment before God, but they are also both far less willing to presume what exactly it is that God will consider in the judgment of a person. Importantly, they also make the community of believers, and even the wider human community, the primary unit of salvation, with the individual's salvation being understood as a component of the community.
My understanding is that Augustine theorized the doctrine of original sin to explain and more important, to validate, the practice of infant baptism. We cannot create ourselves, therefore, we cannot be the author of our own origin. Our origin is the result of actions of others. Original sin ascribes the sins of our creators to us as a result of an act we could not possibly have authored, and is, therefore, illogical and at odds with our understanding of personal responsibility for sin in any other setting. That's how I see it.
Joe notes: The issue that really has most of them vexed is Richard McBrien saying that the recent document on Limbo shows that all children are born in a "state of grace." For some on the thread, this shows that McBrien has gone even beyond Pelagianism (I think one of the Lutheran participants noted this). Above all, McBrien has produced a conclusion that if true would render the sacrifce of Jesus on the Cross "meaningless."Jean says: The statement on Limbo says nothing like what McBrien is saying, assuming McBrien is being quoted accurately.The statement simply says there are theological and liturgical reasons to hope infants are in Heaven. As far as I could see from the original statement, the commission went no further than that, and did not extrapolate from its "hope" that anything about the teaching of original sin or infant baptism ought to change. As far as I can see, the official church line is now (and really always has been) that we just don't know, we have nothing in Scripture to go on. The only thing that's new is that the church now feels that perhaps there are some problems with the whole Limbo idea.Barbara, thanks for clarifiying your point. I just wasn't following the dots to your conclusion.Question: Can unbaptized babies be buried in the church and in consecrated ground? Seems like the answer to that indicates the practical attitude on this matter.
Jean:I know that your last question seeks to explore "the practical attitude" regarding the Limbo discussion. However, I could not help but see it as indicative of a different kind of practical issue; namely, to what extent do certain doctrines and practices 1) provide a self-serving rationale for the church, creating pastoral problems rather than responding to them; and 2) use fear (in this case a fear that burial in unconsecrated ground imperils the salvation of one's soul, or of a family member's soul) as a tool for buidling membership? These two questions seem especially relevant when the doctrinal issues and practices are difficult to defend on non-mysterious grounds (e.g. Barbara's discussion of the ethical incoherence of the doctrine of original sin).Let me be clear that I am not suggesting that you are doing either 1 or 2. I find your original post on this thread and much of the subsequent discussion to quite moving and searching. However, I think the history of Christianity is loaded with both 1 and 2, and the discussion of Limbo and your closing question provide an opportunity to address these issues. Perhaps, however, some other thread would be a better place to address them.
To be clear: the notion of "sin" as used in regard to original sin is only analogous to the notion used with regard to sins personally committed by a responsible individual. We are not to imagine infants as personally guilty of original sin.For Thomas Aquinas, original sin referred primarily to a lack, the lack of the righteousness that ought to be part of our human heritage: we are not what God created us to be, and the fault lies with us and not with God. It is an etiology of evil, and it was set in contrast to those religious or philosophical views that posited some divine origin of evil--e.g., in Gnostic views of a Demiurge who created this evil world of matter and of a salvation that consists in our being liberated from evil matter. .All of this has to be re-imagined in our day and age, I think.
Joe Petit, some of my questions are precipitated by a discussion about the nature of salvation I had with a Jewish student. So your items 1 and 2 are in the back of my mind.But I will desist, as you suggest.Thanks, Fr. Komonchak, for the explanation above.
Jean,The Eastern Church has never really accepted Augustine's reasoning. and it is incoherent to speak of forgiving a sin which an infant has not committed. So I think we can forget about that.However I don't think that baptism is really for the parents I think our action there is efficacious in a secondary way although God is the primary agent. I don't think we are in a position to say how God handles the cases of people who for no fault of their own have never been baptised. What we can say, I think, is that his ways may not be our ways but surely he is not vindictive or legalistic.I wonder why Fr. McBrien says children are born in a state of grace, if that is what he actually said. I am sure he is a wise man but has he not considered those who are miscarried?
"...the fault lies with us and not with God."I assume the 'fault that lies with us' in this sense must mean an inherited ontological deficiency rather than a culpability. According to this doctrine, the human being that comes into existence at the instant of creation is therefore inherently unworthy of the beatific vision.The thought of a God, that rejects most of human creation because of defects in its very nature is not a comforting one.
No, I don't think it's an "ontological deficiency" or a defect in our very nature, but the absence of a righteousness and participation in God's life that we ought to possess but don't.
Please excuse the following rather lengthy quote from the online Catholic Encyclopedia::"[A]ccording to Catholic theology man has not lost his natural faculties: by the sin of Adam he has been deprived only of the Divine gifts to which his nature had no strict right, the complete mastery of his passions... sanctifying grace, the vision of God in the next life. The Creator, whose gifts were not due to the human race, had the right to bestow them on such conditions as He wished and to make their conservation depend on the fidelity of the head of the family. A prince can confer a hereditary dignity on condition that the recipient remains loyal, and that, in case of his rebelling, this dignity shall be taken from him and, in consequence, from his descendants."Is this settled doctrine? To me, it seems to suggest a 'voluntarist' God rather than Benedict's God of reason.If Aquinas were alive in this age, I wonder if he'd be comfortable with a doctrine that denies the majority of humanity any hope of the beatific vision.
Joseph Komonchak writes, "No, I don't think it's an "ontological deficiency" or a defect in our very nature, but the absence of a righteousness and participation in God's life that we ought to possess but don't."I confess that when reading this I had an experience similar to those that I often have when reading someone like Jean Luc Marion; just when I think I get it, I realize I have no idea what is being said.What is the cause of the absence of righteousness and participation in God's life that we should have but do not? Is it our finitude? My hunch is that Joseph's answer would be "No." Instead, it sounds a bit more like an imperfection, implying some possibility of perfection that we lack. Yet, if ought implies can, and we cannot be perfect in our earthly lives, in what sense should we speak of a righteousness that we "ought" to have? If we cannot, shouldn't we conclude that we ought not believe we should?To switch gears a little, how does thinking about this issue of original sin work from within a framework that accepts most of what cosmologists and biologists tell us about how we got to be the humans that we are (both cosmologists and biologists are still pretty lousy on final causes)? If Adam never existed, then Adam cannot be a cause of anything, however, he could be symbolic of a state of affairs. Yet, what caused that state of affairs? If death is a natural biological process, how can we speak of it as the consequence of original sin?Here is a parting thought thinking this thread to the Latin Mass discussion above. I wonder if increased use of the Latin Mass would provide a kind of intellectual cloister where one could dwell in the various "mysteries" that seem to be required to accept some of the foundational claims of Christian doctrine. That is, instead of confronting very difficult questions head on, one could simply reply, "No, thank you. Now, please excuse me, but I must go to Mass."
The classical theology spoke of supernatural and preternatural gifts to Adam and Eve, which were not owed to them in virtue of their human nature. For them and for their descendants not to possess them is not, then, a defect in their nature, but a loss of something in their condition. And yes, what's being discussed is not reducible to finitude. I agree entirely that this whole issue needs to be rethought and re-imagined in the light of modern scientific thought. I must say I don't agree with the link between the Latin Mass and a closed "intellectual cloister." There was great varieyt, and various degrees of openness, when we were all celebrating Mass in Latin. I think too many links are being made too rapidly between a desire for greater access to the Tridentine Mass and various nefarious movements afoot. There would be nothing illogical for a theological liberal to prefer the Tridentine Mass.... And impatience with banal post-conciliar liturgies is no predictor of one's position on the theological spectrum.
I don't mean to belabor the point, but, apart from the issues of science and technology, it seems to me that Aquinas's approach to doctrine was also shaped by the contigencies of his time, including the feudal order. Foe example, although Aquinas is rightly revered, he did hold slavery to be morally justifiable. Science and technology are only parlty responsible for the fact that we consider it otherwise.


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