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After a decade of painful declines in readership and ad sales during the media market's transition to a digital-first model, magazine publishing has finally seen signs of opportunity and a potential rebirth. The sharp increase in tablet units being sold and the concurrent growth of magazine subscriptions optimized for these devices point to a potential revitalization of this stagnant segment of the media ecosystem.
Some magazines have boasted digital editions since the late 1990's, yet they represented a small, nascent subset of the market. Why is the opportunity different with tablets? The answer is quite simple. Magazines were always about high engagement between a reader and a content brand. The ultimate "lean-back" media consumption experience, magazines were the pinnacle of deep, rich content entertainment.
This was never going to be replicated on the computer. The computer (desktop or laptop) was a "lean-forward" user controlled experience from the start. The form factor and UI of the computer was never going to replicate the high engagement nature of magazines, and it never did.
With the introduction of the iPad in 2010, the market had its first electronic device that could replicate and even enhance (with features like video) the curated, tactile experience of a magazine. For the first time, true digital subscription growth against digital editions is accelerating. Tablet unit consumption in the US grew from 34 million in 2011 to 70 million in 2012 and the growth is expected to continue. Recent circulation numbers from the Alliance of Audited Media indicate we are now approaching around 2.4 percent of magazine issues being delivered electronically with the real growth coming to the tablet optimized versions.
Publishers have done well to optimize their products to take advantage of the unique functionality that tablets provide, and have made great strides in extending their brand promise in new, exciting ways. Hearst's march to 1 million paid digital subscriptions has been well documented, and although they are not entirely there, it shows a market exists for magazines to thrive in this new device universe.
The device–and the audiences' appetite to consume magazine content on it–opens the door, but to really take advantage, publishers must do more. While the content products have been optimized, very little thought has been given to the advertising opportunity within tablet magazine editions. Most digital magazines carry PDF's of the ads that ran in print versions (a byproduct of a long-standing rule that lets digital circulation count towards print rate base fulfillment), and offer very little in the way of data or analytics on the audience's engagement with advertising.
Advertisers need to be able to deliver tablet optimized advertising creative, at scale, with real reporting on advertising delivery and performance. Tablet magazine advertising needs to be planned, bought and measured as its own segment within the magazine ecosystem. If the happens, the interest and demand among advertisers will be there.
As the scale of tablet devices and magazine readers continues to expand, the opportunity is very real and immediate. Magazine publishers must get out of the way of their old models and embrace the new ones that can transform this game changing opportunity into the rebirth of an industry.


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The Syracuse Jewish Federation will host the fourth annual "Live Generously Mitzvah Day," a communitywide day of service by volunteers from the Jewish community from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday.
Volunteers are scheduled to work at Veterans Administration Medical Center, Menorah Park, Ronald McDonald House, Temple Concord Food Pantry, Rescue Mission Thrift Store, Catholic Charities' Dorothy Day House, Samaritan Center, and The Salvation Army.
People may sign up for volunteer projects at noon Menorah Park, 4101 E. Genesee St.
Alliance Bank is sponsoring the event. Last year more than 200 volunteers participated.
Mitzvah is a Hebrew word loosely defined as a "good deed."
"Volunteering on Mitzvah Day is a way to make a difference in the lives of many within our community. It's a way of giving of yourself that doesn't cost dollars. The people that you help will truly benefit from your act of "tikkun olam" - the repairing of the world," Rich Friedman, executive vice president of the Syracuse Jewish Federation, said in a news release.

subset: commoncrawl


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With a contemporary feel, the Avebury Cotton range complements both modern and traditional bedroom settings. Avebury is a practical and stylish range, perfect for more compact spaces where versatility and stunning design is paramount.
Credit is available subject to status to UK residents aged 18 or over. Steinhoff UK Retail Limited trading as Bensons For Beds acts as a credit broker and not as a lender: their registered office is Festival House, Jessop Avenue, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3SH. Credit is provided by Creation Consumer Finance Ltd (Chadwick House, Blenheim Court, Solihull B91 2AA), is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority


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10 search results for DGC
20th anniversary edition of Nirvana's 'Nevermind' includes 4 discs
Type: Post | Date: Wednesday, Jun 22, 2011September set will include previously unreleased material
Counting Crows fly the Geffen coup
Type: Post | Date: Thursday, Mar 19, 2009Band and label part ways after 18 years
Listen: Weezer covers Monkees' classic 'I'm a Believer' for new 'Shrek'
Type: Article | Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2010Can we retire the tune along with the monster franchise?
Linkin Park squeaks by Trey Songz to come in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200
Type: Post | Date: Wednesday, Sep 22, 2010Who sees the biggest sales gain from MTV's Video Music Awards?
Foo Fighters, Paul Simon, TV on the Radio lead April 12 new albums
Type: Post | Date: Tuesday, Apr 12, 2011Also check out Jessie J, Alison Krauss and Low
Rise Against, New York Dolls, Miranda Cosgrove lead March 15 releases
Type: Post | Date: Monday, Mar 14, 2011J Mascis helms first solo record, Oh Land! arrives on our shores
Album Review: Trail of Dead's 'Tao of the Dead'
Type: Post | Date: Monday, Feb 7, 2011Hey Foo Fighters, are you listening?
3Oh!3, Scissor Sisters, The-Dream lead new music release week
Type: Post | Date: Monday, Jun 28, 2010Can any of them challenge Drake or Eminem?
Miley Cyrus disqualified for movie Grammy, Karen O moves in
Type: Article | Date: Thursday, Dec 10, 2009'The Climb' may have been hawked elsewhere before it came to 'Hannah'
Lil Wayne, Eric Clapton, Kenny Chesney, and Jimmy Eat World lead Sept. 28 releases
Type: Post | Date: Monday, Sep 27, 2010Weezy's digital-only release streets on his birthday


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DETROIT -- Could Rick Porcello be transforming into the pitcher Detroit Tigers fans have been waiting for him to be?
If he is, it will be because of his sudden success against left-handed hitters.
"He's got a nasty sinker," said Victor Martinez, who hit a solo home run in the win. "I think it's got to be one of the best in the game right now. But I think the most important thing for him today was that he was able to work ahead (in the count)."
Porcello is off to a very good start this season. His record (5-1) and his ERA (3.49) are solid, but his WHIP is extremely impressive.
Porcello entered the game Wednesday night with a 1.376 career WHIP. He had a career-high 1.531 WHIP in 2012, then a career-low 1.282 WHIP in 2013. His WHIP so far this season is 1.060, which puts him among the top 10 pitchers in the American League.
The reason for the lowered ERA and WHIP isn't hard to find. Despite having an off night against left-handed hitters Wednesday night, Porcello has had success against left-handers this season like never before.
Here is how left-handed batters have fared against Porcello (2014 numbers prior to Wednesday's game):
- 2009: .281 average, .753 OPS
- 2010: .303 average, .784 OPS
- 2011: .321 average, .857 OPS
- 2012: .325 average, .883 OPS
- 2013: .300 average, .806 OPS
- 2014: .270 average, .723 OPS
"I think in the long run the ability to get left-handed hitters out, for any sinkerballer, is the most important thing," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.
Alex Avila said "being able to locate the curveball and throwing inside" has been the key to Porcello's success against left-handed hitters this season. He said Porcello had to ad-lib his way through the game a bit Wednesday night.
"Today, just because he didn't have a very good feel with his sinker, a lot of balls were up," Avila said. "He was basically battling that most of the game. Sometimes we just had to figure out a way to try to get the guys out than we had planned on doing."
A lot has been expected of Porcello, a highly touted pick by the Tigers in the 2007 draft. On the one hand, Porcello has 66 career victories with about 25 starts remaining in the current season and won't turn 26 until December. On the other hand, he had an ERA under 4.32 just once in his first five seasons and a WHIP that grew every year before he cut it way back in 2013.
If Porcello keeps pitching the way he is, the Tigers might look to try to reach an agreement on a contract extension later this season or in the offseason. Porcello will make more than $10 million in 2015 in his final season as an arbitration-eligible player. He will be expensive to sign long term. But if Max Scherzer leaves town as a free agent this offseason, Porcello, who has averaged about 12 wins, 30 starts and 175 innings per season, might suddenly seem like a valuable commodity worth keeping around.
Porcello will not get a contract offer worth $144 million, as Max Scherzer reportedly did this spring. But Porcello will hit free agency at a still young 27 years old. He has no injury history. He doesn't try to blow the doors off the radar gun. The way he pitches is conducive to a long career. He eats innings. What will Porcello be worth on the open market, with two more years of baseball salary inflation, if he can manage to pitch 180-plus innings with an ERA below 4.00 this season and next?
Yes, pitching victories can be a fluky stat when taken on an individual basis, but there aren't many bad pitchers who pile up victories over the course of a long career. If Porcello has, say, 75 wins before his 26th birthday, how many will he get before he retires? Two hundred certainly isn't out of the question. If he stays healthy and on a winning team, 225 wins, a feat just 64 pitchers have accomplished to this point, isn't out of the realm of possibility.
If he wins nine more games this season and averages 12.5 victories a year over the next 12 seasons -- almost exactly the pace he's set so far -- that's exactly how many he would have.
Whether Porcello pitches in Detroit or somewhere else over the long haul, his current catcher has confidence in Porcello and his future.
"He's going to win a hell of a lot of ballgames once his career is finished," Avila said. "He's going to have a lot of wins under his belt. That's going to be extremely impressive."
-- Download the Detroit Tigers on MLive app for iPhone and Android.
-- Like MLive's Detroit Tigers Facebook page.


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Note: This photo has not won the contest.
The deadline to enter your original Wild Things photos in this contest is Tuesday, May 21, 2012 at 11:59 p.m.
Enter photos of the wild things in your life, be they animal, vegetable or mineral, for a chance to win a family pack of four (4) IMAX movie tickets at The MOST's Bristol IMAX Omnitheater and a $75.00 gift certificate to Phoebe's Restaurant in Syracuse, NY.
Upload your Wild Things photos to syracuse.com in the gallery: Photo Contest - Wild Things.
Make sure you follow the steps in order to be entered into the contest. The steps include logging into syracuse.com, uploading your photo to syracuse.com, and adding your photo to Gallery: Photo Contest - Wild Things.
There's no purchase necessary in order to enter the photo contest. Before you enter, please read the complete photo contest rules. Get complete Wild Things Photo Contest details.
Check out all the great Wild Things photos uploaded to syracuse.com so far.
After a team of judges pick the finalists, we'll put it in the hands of you, the syracuse.com users, and you will have a chance to vote for your favorite photo. We will announce the winner around the beginning of June!


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March 04, 2013 13:35The Portland Police Bureau, in cooperation with Crime Stoppers of Oregon, is asking for your help in locating a wanted felon. Crime Stoppers originally asked for the public's help on this case in March 2010.
45-year-old Paul Evans Winklebleck is wanted on felony warrants for kidnapping, criminal impersonation, assault, attempted rape and robbery. He is also wanted for child sex abuse and failing to register as a child sex offender.
On Thursday, March 4, 2010, at approximately 11:45 p.m., two women left the Roseland Theatre in Downtown Portland when they were approached by Winklebleck who fabricated a story informing the them that he was working for the Portland Police Bureau as a spotter and was willing to assist them in getting home because they might be intoxicated.
Believing his story, the two women agreed to let Winklebleck drive them home in their car because he said he worked for the police and it was his job to get them home. Once in their car Winklebleck displayed a knife, drove south on I-5 and took the Detroit Lake exit, stopping on a gravel road off the freeway. Once stopped the women were able to escape Winklebleck and run to a near by home where a resident called 9-1-1. Winklebleck fled the area and remains at large.
Winklebleck is a white male, approximately 5'11" tall, and has a stocky build. He has reddish brown hair that is short and thick and also a thick goatee and mustache. He was last seen wearing a camouflage or hunting type of shirt or jacket and a matching hat. He also has a tattoo on his upper back "Combative for God."
Two photos are being released of Winklebleck: His Oregon drivers license photo (March 2009) and one taken the night of the kidnapping.
Winklebleck was featured on the Lifetime television newtwork show "America's Most Wanted" in January 2012.
Winklebleck may have changed his appearance and could be living under an assumed name.
Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information, reported to Crime Stoppers, that leads to an arrest in this case, or any unsolved felony, and you can remain anonymous.
Leave a Crime Stoppers tip online at www.crimestoppersoforegon.com, text CRIMES (274637) and in the subject line put 823HELP, followed by your tip, or call 503-823-HELP (4357) and leave your tip information.
Visit http://www.tipsoft.com to download the Crime Stoppers App for the iPhone or Droid.
Attachment: VIEW FILES
Media Relations:
Sgt. Pete Simpson
Desk: 503-823-0830
Pager: 503-790-1779
Portland Police Bureau
1111 SW 2nd Ave, Suite 1526
Portland, Oregon 97204


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Breyer® Stablemates Deluxe Animal Hospital Playset
About this product
About this product
Product features
Product features
When animals need care, there's only one place to take them… Breyer's® Stablemates Deluxe Animal Hospital! This state-of-the-art healing centre includes everything your aspiring veterinarian needs to keep animals – both large and small – healthy and happy! The perfect addition to any Stablemates Collection.
- Inspire your little one's imagination and encourage nurturing play with this animal-themed playset
- Includes a small animal emergency clinic, a large animal care centre with exam rooms, and even a grooming centre for routine preventative care to keep animals at their peak!
- Sliding doors and lots of windows let in plenty of fresh air and sunlight – perfect for keeping Stablemates animals healthy and happy!
- Includes a grey Stablemates Quarter Horse with her black foal, an adorable Sicilian donkey, a cute pygmy goat, a border collie, and the hospital's resident cat!
- Accessories include a horse blanket, operating table, and a bandage box, for hours of role-playing fun
- Dimensions: 11.25" X 10.75" X 8"
- Made from durable plastic to 1:32 scale
- Assembly required
- Recommended for ages 4 years and up. Contains small pieces which can pose a choking hazard; not suitable for children under 3 years
- Breyer® item # 59204
You may also like
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Specifications & warranty
Specifications & warranty
Product depth (in.)
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Product weight (lb.)
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Ratings & reviews
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Questions & answers


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Be a part of a unique online community that connects post production professionals and film academics worldwide.
You'll have access to personalize your news feed, access to Live Post Talks and much more. Contribute to the community by posting interesting post production content.
January 8, 2013, 7:53 pm
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL PRICING FOR NEW CONFERENCE Register today for Early Bird pricing to Createasphere's inaugural TransVergence Summit, March 19-20 at the W Hollywood. Here, you'll explore new avenues of communication and engagement using transmedia and cross platform strategies. You'll get an exclusive look at the latest trends in the rapidly merging worlds of technology...
October 23, 2016, 1:22 pm
Editors Retreat is a five day, interactive event created for experienced TV, film and video editors. The event, taking place from January 18-22, 2017 in exciting Nashville, Tennessee, brings together industry visionaries to discuss and share the latest technologies, techniques, platforms, and workflows you should be applying to generate leading-edge work. Editors Retreat invites you […] The post Attend the 11th Annual Editors Retreat with LAPPG Discount appeared first on lappg.
September 24, 2016, 8:09 am
Do you have the next great TV series or film idea? Our friends at CINE want you to learn how to pitch it at CINE PitchFest presented by A&E: Be Original on November 2, 2016 at The LA Film School. Five independent producers will pitch their dream ideas to a panel of A&E execs, network […] The post LAPPG Discount for CINE PitchFest November 2nd appeared first on lappg.
September 22, 2016, 5:42 am
The post Thank You to Our Fabulous September Presenters! appeared first on lappg.
August 28, 2016, 3:59 pm
The LAPPG jumped into the world of production this month with a vibrant panel of Cinematographers moderated by Michael Valinsky. DP's Dan Kneece, Colt Seman and Rainer Lipski shared their experiences, techniques and advice for working as a DP in Hollywood. The post July 2016 Photos appeared first on lappg.
August 6, 2016, 10:14 am
The post Thank You To Our August 2016 Presenters appeared first on lappg.
May 23, 2016, 3:35 pm
New plug-in keeps producers on trend, providing transformative vocal effects in classic and new styles Cambridge, MA (May 18, 2016) – Inspired by decades of iconic vocal effects, from Peter Frampton to Beastie Boys to Daft Punk, iZotope, Inc. today announced the release of VocalSynth, a new creative plug-in for music producers and sound designers […] The post iZotope Launches VocalSynth for 'Outside the Vox' Vocal Experiences appeared first on lappg.
May 3, 2016, 5:09 am
For all LAPPG members on the East Coast, head to Sight, Sound & Story on June 11th, 2016 and receive $30 off with the code LAPPG16 or following the direct link: http://bit.ly/21r0EVQ. The post Sight, Sound & Story Discount appeared first on lappg.
April 13, 2016, 4:16 am
Cine Gear Expo 2016 is the premier annual event for professionals engaged in the technology, entertainment and media industry. The show lasts four days in Los Angeles this June in Hollywood, California. Cine Gear features more than 300+ exhibits, new product and service introductions, 30+ complimentary seminars led by industry leaders, master classes, film competition, […] The post Cine Gear Expo: Los Angeles 2016 appeared first on lappg.
March 21, 2016, 5:46 am
Join the Apple Business Team on Saturday, March 26 from 12-3pm for a Final Cut Pro X Masters Workshop in the Briefing Room at the Apple Store Third Street Promenade. Brian Zwiener will lead this discussion about refined post-production workflow using FCP X. He is going to be covering the following topics: Setting up […] The post Final Cut Pro Masters Workshop appeared first on lappg.
February 23, 2016, 6:43 am
Our February meeting was all a buzz with current and new technology. First we had Jen Herter, Director of Sorenson Squeeze Sales who enlightened about Squeeze Desktop, Squeeze Stream and Squeeze Server. After our networking break LAPPG member Jason Bowdach of Cinetic Studios shared his knowledge and research on Virtual Reality talking about some of […] The post February 2016 Photos appeared first on lappg.
Gordon sits down with Zack Arnold, founder of FitnessinPost.com, about his new project, Optimize Yourself. This new program i ...
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Gordon sits down with Federico Brusilovsky to discuss the editing of commercials and rebuilding older brands. He cuts in LA f ...
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All Blog Posts Tagged 'pastor' - Atheist Nexus 2016-10-26T23:30:48Z http://atheistnexus.org/profiles/blog/feed?tag=pastor&xn_auth=no Divorcing The Church tag:atheistnexus.org,2014-10-31:2182797:BlogPost:2499987 2014-10-31T15:22:26.000Z Former Pastor http://atheistnexus.org/profile/FormerPastor
I am now almost 50 years-old, but around 26 I got a divorce. I know, not the most shocking statement to start the blog with right? Well tell that to the Baptist churches I sent my resume to when I was in the early stages of becoming a pastor. Around the age of 32 I was in seminary and looking to become a "man of the cloth."

Being raised Baptist I knew I had to let every church I applied with know that I had been divorced. Some were nice about it while others treated me as if I…

I am now almost 50 years-old, but around 26 I got a divorce. I know, not the most shocking statement to start the blog with right? Well tell that to the Baptist churches I sent my resume to when I was in the early stages of becoming a pastor. Around the age of 32 I was in seminary and looking to become a "man of the cloth."

Being raised Baptist I knew I had to let every church I applied with know that I had been divorced. Some were nice about it while others treated me as if I had been a serial killer. Well actually, one church said I couldn't serve on their staff, but I could be a volunteer or intern. I then asked, "So because I have been divorced I can't serve on your staff, BUT if I had murdered someone and asked God for forgiveness I could possibly serve on your staff, but because I've been divorced I can't?" The pastor paused and realized how ridiculous he was going to sound when he answered with a "yes'. It was clear to him that the Bible said a divorce disqualified me from ever becoming a pastor. Why that didn't seem to be a red flag that I was simply moving in the wrong direction in life is beyond me!

So now here I am 15 years later still married to the same amazing woman, but I have divorced the church. According to the Bible a man or woman has the right to get divorced if their spouse is abusive or unfaithful so I figure that gives me the right to divorce them.
 Coming out as an Atheist to my mom. tag:atheistnexus.org,2013-02-20:2182797:BlogPost:2167770 2013-02-20T11:56:16.000Z Ronni http://atheistnexus.org/profile/Ronni
Greetings fellow non-theists!

First thing you gotta understand about this coming out story is that BOTH of my parents are ordained Christian ministers. Second you gotta realize that I already came out to her as a bisexual, a bit before I was ready, but at least I'm out now, even though it felt wrong, because I feel more .... homosexual than bisexual, but that's beside the point.

I am friends with my mom on facebook, since she lives in a different state. And we…

Greetings fellow non-theists!

First thing you gotta understand about this coming out story is that BOTH of my parents are ordained Christian ministers. Second you gotta realize that I already came out to her as a bisexual, a bit before I was ready, but at least I'm out now, even though it felt wrong, because I feel more .... homosexual than bisexual, but that's beside the point.

I am friends with my mom on facebook, since she lives in a different state. And we caught each other online so I seized the opportunity to tell her my most recent revelation that I was currently revelling in. So, I told her and she asked why. I told her that it was because, I had been or a while and just hadn't embraced it, or broadcasted it. She asked what caused this change of faith. I told her learning and reading, that it was sort of like a pandora's box, you tumble down the rabbit hole you don't come out the same. Even mentioned the quote that I still don't know the source of, but the quote is " a mind once stretched cannot return to its original dimensions." and she didn't seem to understand that I could walk around with this 'hole in my heart' where a creator could fill me up, instead of filling that 'hole' if there was one and go on a ...continue a quest for truth and knowledge and such.

In the end, she told me why she believed and that she would pray that I would find my way. Whatever that means. I think she took it rather well. But when it comes to the Reverend. My dad, who wishes he was born Jewish instead of grafted in, probably, he would probably take my copy of the God Delusion away, along with my Humanist Bible and say that I've been corrupted by one of my online friends or someone I work with and not to associate with them any more, quoting that bible verse, 'bad company corrupts good morals' or whatever. That could just be my paranoia talking, but the fact remains, I'm not going to tell him until I am not living with him and moved out on my own or with my fiance and such.

But I took a step and told one of my parents, and my coworkers know, I told my sister who is a deep christian and a biology major at a university. And yeah. Woo, just wanted to share that. It feels so right saying ' I'm an atheist' no uncertainty or anything of the sort that lingers when I say I'm bisexual, which just means I have found my spiritual label but not quite my sexual one...

Well, this blog has come to an end.

Until ...

Ronni over and out.

 The ****, Bad, and the Ugly tag:atheistnexus.org,2011-07-22:2182797:BlogPost:1449992 2011-07-22T01:58:59.000Z Donald R Barbera http://atheistnexus.org/profile/drbarbera Picking a starting point when writing about so many despicable characters is difficult and maybe impossible, especially when the subjects normally rank among the good guys--preachers. For years preachers, ministers and pastors ranked among the most trusted individuals in the United States, but the scandal in the Catholic Church with priestly pedophiles changed much of that perception.

 During that time, Protestant churches avoided that kind of unrelenting scrutiny and for a variety of reason,… Picking a starting point when writing about so many despicable characters is difficult and maybe impossible, especially when the subjects normally rank among the good guys--preachers. For years preachers, ministers and pastors ranked among the most trusted individuals in the United States, but the scandal in the Catholic Church with priestly pedophiles changed much of that perception.

 During that time, Protestant churches avoided that kind of unrelenting scrutiny and for a variety of reason, the absence or minimal role of a central organization like the vey visible Vatican and the Pope. Despite the low amount of publicity received by Protestantism, the Catholic Church may be only the tip of the iceberg when if comes to aberrant behavior.

 Aside from matching the pedophilia of the Catholic Church, it appears Protestant preachers break new ground when it comes to deviant behavior, money lust and technology abuse. Since the number of preacher perpetrators uncovered in research ran into the thousands, this piece only covers the strangest or most egregious behavior.

 The sickness in the American ministry is typified by the evangelist preacher that called for the assassination of a foreign leader or the now deceased Atlanta megachurch pastor whose nephew turned out to be his son after he impregnated his brother's wife.

 Recently, a preacher in Alabama was sentenced to prison after police found his dead wife stuffed in a freezer. Another preacher pled guilty to ordering a hit on a blind man to collect on several insurance policies. In San Antonio, a youth pastor was convicted of choking and stabbing his pregnant girlfriend to death.

 On the other hand, there is the music minister in Fort Wayne that pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct with a minor and then asked the judge not to send him to prison because the "F" word by other prisoners would offended him. Or, the Tennessee preacher arrested wearing a miniskirt after offering to have sex with the arresting officers.

 One of the most bizarre cases involves a pastor breaking into a home and stealing a sex toy. The grand theft dildo even brought sympathy from the victim who said, "I'm sorry for the pastor and his family. The crime seems almost laughable until considering no one was in the house.

 Another Tennessee case saw a Baptist Preacher and his sentenced to 179 years for the rape and torture of their adopted daughter. Esther Combs testified that Rev. Joe Combs and his wife, Evangeline Combs, beat, hanged, and cut her. According to court records the abuse continued for 19 years. In Georgia, Jim Creason, a minister on hard times was charged with armed robbery. The minister told the arresting officers that he was financially desperate.

 The death of a child is always tragic, but it turns criminal when it could have been avoided. Rev. Hobart Freeman, a preacher whose followers refuse medical aid was indicted on charges that his teachings led to the death of a teenage disciple with chronic kidney disease.

 Believing half of what you see and none of what you hear is old advice, but good strategy in today's world after an anti-gay preacher ended trapped in a homosexual sting. The Rev. Lonnie w. Latham a former member of the executive committee of the Southern Baptist Convention preached against marriage and even promoted a resolution calling on gays to abandon their sinful lifestyles. Ironically, the charges against Latham were dropped, but the damage had been done.

 Obviously, the range of chicanery and perversion among Protestant preacher clearly rivals and exceeds that of priests in the Catholic Church where the main issues are pedophilia, embezzlement and sexual misconduct between consenting adults, but the range of Protestant perversions has just scratched the surface.

 Once hidden in the shadows male dominance, domestic violence moved onto the front pages in the last 30 years and the clergy find themselves there along with commonest of humanity. Even the daughter of world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham found herself in that unwanted position of being arrested for allegedly choking her husband. Just a state away a senior Baptist minister faced charges of domestic violence after allegedly threatening his wife with a shotgun. Jeff D. Wit her was arrested at his home where he allegedly kept his wife from dialing 911.

 The call of the wild can produced strange results. A New York pastor, Craig Rhodenizer, was the subject of an FBI and New York State Police missing person search after he disappeared after taking his computer for repairs. The pastor was found four days later at the K. C. Lounge, a strip club in Ohio. Keeping the FBI busy, former minister Troy Cecil Snowden was indicted on gun charges, as well as, possession of child pornography, wire fraud and transporting a child for illegal purposes. In Yakima, Washington, youth pastor Jim Cannelloni received a six-year sentence for child pornography and must register as a sex-offender upon release from the penitentiary.

 Baltimore deacon, Gerald H. White, was charged with taking sexually suggestive photographs of young girls. Robert Kevin Carlino, youth minister, was charged under a federal complaint with downloading 134 images of child pornography to his personal computer.

 Sexual abuse of any kind is a despicable crime, but it can be worse. A Shelbyville, KY pastor charged with sexual abuse also has AIDS. James Howard Bell was charged with sexual abuse, sodomy and wanton endangerment. Bell confessed that he "knowingly" withheld information from the juvenile that he was HIV positive. An Indiana pastor received a six-year sentence after sexually abusing a teenage boy. Mark Allen Johnson was convicted of four felony sex charges.

 Preachers stealing money is nothing new and today's Protestant ministers definitely rank as criminal professionals. A Perris, California pastor was convicted of bilking more than 500 people out of nearly $32 million in a fraudulent investment scheme. Rev. Robert Jennings and another man were convicted on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud and securities fraud facing up to 200 years in prison. Not quite as high on the hog is the pastor convicted of embezzlement who sold a church to purchase a BMW. Randall Radic was charged with forging ownership documents to obtain loans on his home owned by the church.

 A Culpepper pastor received 310 years in prison for insurance fraud. Rev. Charles Shifflett filed fraudulent Workman's Compensation claims. He pled guilty to 20 felony charges. Victor Whitworth, a Waterbury, Connecticut pastor was charged with forging his name on a check for $16,245 to participate in an e- mail scam that cost victims millions of dollars. In another car deal, pastor Larry Davis pled guilty to stealing more than $700,000 to support his gambling addiction. He also used a portion of the money to purchase a 911 Porsche. He faces a 30 year sentence and possible $1 million fine.

 A Texas and Kansas City minister pled guilty to security fraud charges after a $7.2 million scheme brought federal attention. The Rev. Edward D. Halliburton of Kansas City, KS and Joseph Harrell of Waco, TX waived their rights to a Gran Jury investigation and pled guilty.

 Purloining preachers know no limit to larceny as a New York pastor was charged with stealing thousands of dollars to pay for prescription drugs, plastic surgery and Botox injections. The rev. William Blasingame is facing up to 15-years in prison on grand larceny charges. Car theft isn't a usual larcenous desire for any preacher, but in North Little Rock, Arkansas, pastor sped away with $11,000 in church money and a Mercedes-Benz after working there only 9-months. Robert David Keith is charged under a federal warrant with grand larceny and auto theft.

 There is no scheme that goes unexploited among unscrupulous clergy including illegal immigration like that thought up by Edgar Lopez Bertrand, a televangelist who pleaded guilty of faking a passport for a girl he claimed to be his daughter. Some even work in teams, as father and son pastors in Yorba Linda, CA, were sentenced to two years in prison for stealing $3.1 million to buy luxury cars, time shares and golf club memberships. In Florida a Jensen Beach pastor and his wife were convicted and sentenced to more than years in prison for mortgage fraud.

 Drugs certainly seem outside of the criminal purview of even the most larcenous preacher because of the stigma involved, but a bet against that speculation will be a loser. In Saginaw, assistant pastor Robert B. Conner Jr. Was fined $1,000 for possession of marijuana. John T. Nelson, a volunteer minister in Chicago was arrested and charged after 7.3 grams of cocaine were allegedly found during a traffic stop. In York, Pennsylvania, Craig Mable was arrested on a federal drug warrant for allegedly delivering 50 grams of crack cocaine. In Oklahoma another pastor was charged with selling prescription pain killers and Xanax. Pastor Erik Johansson was arrested for growing marijuana in his church in West Warwick, RI. He was indicted on federal conspiracy charges of cultivation more than 180 marijuana plants in his church. Rounding out the drug parade a Louisiana pastor and his daughter were arrested and allegedly found I. Possession of several pounds of marijuana and crack cocaine. Pastor Martin Denesse and his daughter were stopped trying to avoid a police roadblock.

 There seems no limit to the depravity of some preachers. In Fredricksburg, VA, the Rev. John Edward Johnson was charged with felony embezzlement after allegedly stealing a $14,000 lottery prize from a homeless dementia patient.

 From here the list goes on and includes crimes such as kidnapping, brandishing a weapon in public, arrests for back child support, indecent exposure, child cruelty, on-line soliciting, voyeurism, failure to register as a sex offender, DUI, Sexting, prostitution, soliciting prostitution, bootlegging, arson, child neglect, identity theft, tax evasion, stock manipulation, stalking, selling fake diplomas and even hiding a corpse.

 None of the crimes listed above are one-off types, meaning they are representative of crimes committed with some degree of regularity. Although the emphasis focuses on cases that appear unusual there is nothing humorous or even unbelievable about them. Rather, they are just some of the problems confronting America's Protestant clergy.

 Despite the number of property crimes listed such as theft, embezzlement and fraud, the list of sex crimes by far surpass those crimes by as much as ten times. The list of sex crimes including rape, molestation, improper touching, on-line solicitation of sex from a minor, pornography, voyeurism and more. The writers personal research encompasses more than 2,000 sexual cases in the last five years in which perpetrators were convicted and sentenced to prison.

 Not listed in this free-for-all of pastorally perversion is homosexuality, which is not a crime, but that does not mean there was nothing to report as a snow storm of anti-gay rights and anti-gay marriage activists found themselves busted soliciting gay sex, including several national figures, which will be covered in a separate story that focuses solely on those holy men that regularly castigate gay men and women when in reality they are gay themselves.

 With the constant bantering in politics about family values and morality, it seems the Protestant leadership is missing the message. Chapter Two: ASSURANCE OF SALVATION? part four tag:atheistnexus.org,2010-12-18:2182797:BlogPost:1058275 2010-12-18T19:27:26.000Z Thomas True http://atheistnexus.org/profile/ThomasTrue

To this statement, [Assurance of Salvation] I can already hear the devout and the faithful saying that I must not have been truly saved or filled with the spirit. First, one cannot say that according their own belief system. They cannot know my sincerity and willingness to know more of God. Also, I was one of the most devout and on fire believers that one would come across. But it will be said, never the less.

One of the main reasons that I went through the process of covering…

To this statement, [Assurance of Salvation] I can already hear the devout and the faithful saying that I must not have been truly saved or filled with the spirit. First, one cannot say that according their own belief system. They cannot know my sincerity and willingness to know more of God. Also, I was one of the most devout and on fire believers that one would come across. But it will be said, never the less.
One of the main reasons that I went through the process of covering my background was to answer what many believers say to me, "If you only really experienced the Power of God you would know He is real. Just open up your heart and let God speak to you."

Assurance of Salvation cont:
 Pastor Maury Davis quick to condemn others considering violent past tag:atheistnexus.org,2010-08-20:2182797:BlogPost:950792 2010-08-20T05:08:03.000Z God is Pretend http://atheistnexus.org/profile/GodisPretend
 Senior Pastor Maury Davis of Cornerstone Church, a megachurch in Madison, today condemned President Obama on his Twitter feed for being "pro-Islam." He went on to say that he "can't imagine Christ saying one good thing about any other faith."

Without pointing out the most glaring things that are wrong with this man's statements, it should be noted that Pastor Davis was convicted of first-degree…

Senior Pastor Maury Davis of Cornerstone Church, a megachurch in Madison, today condemned President Obama on his Twitter feed for being "pro-Islam." He went on to say that he "can't imagine Christ saying one good thing about any other faith."

Without pointing out the most glaring things that are wrong with this man's statements, it should be noted that Pastor Davis was convicted of first-degree murder at age eighteen, a fact he openly admits in the bio on his church's website. What was that one line Christ said about casting the first stone?

Read more about this murderer-turned-pastor

 Love never fails [A post in memory of my mom] tag:atheistnexus.org,2010-08-09:2182797:BlogPost:939223 2010-08-09T19:30:00.000Z IAmTheBlog http://atheistnexus.org/profile/IAmTheBlog

A universal sentiment for atheists and believers alike.

My mother died suddenly and unexpectedly last month. She died from what appears to have been a massive stroke. She had just seen a doctor, and while she had a few relatively minor health issues (as many 50-somethings do), she had just seen a doctor…

A universal sentiment for atheists and believers alike.

My mother died suddenly and unexpectedly last month. She died from what appears to have been a massive stroke. She had just seen a doctor, and while she had a few relatively minor health issues (as many 50-somethings do), she had just seen a doctor a few days prior to her death. There was nothing to indicate to her doctor or to any of her friends and family that she would suddenly be gone.

 I simply could not believe the devastating news at first; this was nearly everyone's reaction upon hearing about her death. It just didn't make sense. From what my stepfather told me, my mom had a very fun night the previous night and had gone to bed happy. He goes to work early in the morning, so as was often the case he didn't wake her up when he left and just let her sleep.

 When he arrived home, she was already dead and had apparently never gotten out of bed. I mention this because it means she very likely died in her sleep and either did not suffer at all or suffered only very briefly. As I've mentioned before on my blog, my father died just a little over a decade ago after several years of painfully battling cancer. The suffering he went through made me question the existence of an all-powerful, loving God. My mother at least was hopefully not a victim of lengthy, unbearable, meaningless pain before she died. Although it is always difficult to lose a loved one, knowing they went as quickly and painlessly as possible is some comfort.

 As you might expect, her death brought up a whole swirl of religious thoughts among her grieving family and friends, myself included. (I will go into these more in detail shortly, including the pastor who nearly ruined my mother's funeral.) Not being religious at all anymore, and feeling certain that my mother isn't in a "better place," brought both comforting and distressing feelings in me. I know that dying is a natural part of life, and that helped me to some extent. A number of people said it didn't seem or feel "fair" that my mother died so young.

 I will admit that a part of me felt, and still feels, that way. Logically, however, I know that there is no cosmic fairness that determines when and how someone dies. Death is just a part of life, and we all will eventually die. Somewhat coincidentally, I had just become acquainted with George Hrab's song "Everything Alive Will Die Someday," which helped comfort and remind me of death being a natural part of life.

 But the other side of atheism is knowing that my mother isn't in some magical place looking down on us, either finally at peace or having fun in paradise. I knew that other people (including family) saw the wake and funeral as a chance to see loved ones and celebrate her life on Earth -- and for many if not most gathered there, what they believe to be her new life in heaven. A couple people have said they don't know exactly where she is, but hope that she's somewhere.

 I don't feel this way, however: I know with about as much certainty as possible that my mother, as much as I love her, simply doesn't exist anymore. I'm sure most people who knew her don't share my views on this, though. What was at least a somewhat comforting occasion to most was downright depressing to me. The wake and funeral felt to me overall as a sort of meaningless death ritual taking place around the rotting corpse of my mother. That was very difficult for me. I did what I felt was right though and played along for the most part, talking to loved ones and recounting memories of my mom.

 Memories of her and her life will live on as long as we let them, but my mother herself is no more. On good days, I take time to remember and even laugh about fond memories of my mom, although there is still a great deal of sadness that I'm sure, if my experience after my dad's death was any indication, , will take quite some time to subside.

 I was surprised actually at the wake and funeral, how few people actually said she was "in a better place." Maybe it's become too cliché now to say. Most people either said that they were very saddened and sorry for our loss, and/or their thoughts or prayers were with us. Their sentiments were appreciated. While the wake, conversations, and sympathy cards did include some "God" talk, there was only one thing that very much upset me, and it turned out that it upset some other people as well.

 My mother had become more religious in recent years, but still was not a bible-thumping, church-every-Sunday sort of person. There was some basic Christian imagery and words chosen for the wake, but also some more general themes (peace, love). I think this reflected her well and I'm sure is what most of the family wanted. The chapter that was chosen to be read at her funeral was one that I thought was appropriate for a group of family and friends who are nearly all Christians, but also as a general message, too: 1 Corinthians 13.

 As many believers and nonbelievers alike will recognize, this is the famous chapter that includes the lines "Love is patient, love is kind [...] Love never fails" and ends with "Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." Of all of the Bible verses that could be used, I was happy this one was chosen since it includes one of the most universal (as opposed to dogmatically-Christian) sentiments in the Bible, at least as it is widely taken by many people. The power and importance of love is a warm way to remember a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, and so many other roles she filled for the people she loved and who loved her so much.

 But the pastor officiating the service did not leave the verse at this. In his message, he told my stepfather, me, and the rest of assembled grieving loved ones that my mother's love did fail, and that our love for her also failed. He paused after each of these pronouncements, I presume to allow the full effect of his words to sink in. He then continued, saying that human love always fails, and that it is only Christ's love that saves us.

 I was shocked and infuriated that he would use those verses to deliver a message so dark and drenched in dogma at my mother's funeral. My mother, despite any faults she may have had (who doesn't have faults?), was perhaps the most loving person I have ever known. She very well may have believed some sort of afterlife, or specifically in heaven, or even in Christ's saving love for her. But there isn't anyone in that room who knew my mother who would actually think she would have approved of a pastor telling her husband and children that her love had failed us, and that our love had failed her. It felt like a hijacking of her funeral.

 Fortunately, immediately after the service, when the funeral director was giving directions to the cemetery, he added a few much more positive words to end on a more upbeat and compassionate note. It was still a Christian message, but focused on life and death in nature, and love and memories. A few family members mentioned afterwards that they thought the pastor's words were overly dark and "depressing." So even some devout believers felt that message was just too much and inappropriate, although they didn't put it in those words. My wife also agreed with this and we talked about it briefly. It gave me some comfort to know that I have loved ones who are not totally blinded by what was surely a valid, though cruelly heartless and insensitive, interpretation of their religion at my mother's funeral.

 But here's what's most important: I don't feel the pastor, despite his best efforts to evangelize instead of comfort, ruined the commemoration and celebration of my mother's life and love. In spite of the pastor's words, and how difficult her sudden death has been on me and on my family, how much she'll miss, how much we'll miss her, there is something that comforts me. Not religion, but love. My mother is dead. But my mom loved me, and as long as I live, I will love her. Life ends, but love never fails. ANOTHER SINNING PASTOR tag:atheistnexus.org,2009-03-22:2182797:BlogPost:260377 2009-03-22T02:00:00.000Z Rosemary LYNDALL WEMM http://atheistnexus.org/profile/RosemaryLYNDALLWEMM49 When a Christian decided to go soul fishing on the Unreasonable Faith site recently, his ignorance of the reality of non-belief and non-believers tripped him up.

 Most Religionists are incredibly ignorant of what it means to be a non-believer. Fundamentalists of any brand are among the most naive in this respect. The gross inadequacy of their primary assumptions about the causes and characteristics of atheism is one of the reasons why attempts to reconvert the disillusioned faithful meets with… When a Christian decided to go soul fishing on the Unreasonable Faith site recently, his ignorance of the reality of non-belief and non-believers tripped him up.

 Most Religionists are incredibly ignorant of what it means to be a non-believer. Fundamentalists of any brand are among the most naive in this respect. The gross inadequacy of their primary assumptions about the causes and characteristics of atheism is one of the reasons why attempts to reconvert the disillusioned faithful meets with abject failure.

 We have heard it all before. The false picture of the atheist painted by the theist is that s/he has no moral grounding and either hates god or rejected god in order to live a life free of moral restraint. The atheist is believed to be a bitter and humorless person whose life is empty of warmth, happiness, meaning and purpose. Those who have not deliberately rejected god have never heard the true message, experienced the joy of the fellowship of the truly faithful or been in real communion with the true god.

 As could be expected, given such a fallacious belief set, the soul-hungry evangelist got nowhere when he represented himself as a Christian. Frustrated, he decided to "deceive for Jesus". He logged himself in under multiple pseudonyms and put out viral hooks while pretending to be an atheist. His ignorance of reality soon tripped him up. Trolls with a straw man view of atheists are relatively easy to spot.

 Three people, including Daniel Florian the blogger, detected the fraud. Some judicious detective work unraveled the troll's multiple posting history and a little cross checking resulted in the surprising information that the poster was the Rev. Chris Fox, the Pastor of Kendalls Baptist Church in New London, NC.

 Naturally, Florian and his readers were incensed by the deception and the possible ramifications. The implications were ugly. One reader went so far as to suggest that the Pastor's intent might have been to incite hate crimes by planting false evidence of atheist "immorality" on the site and then, armed with this "proof", goad his congregation into performing bigoted and inhumane acts against non-believers.

 You can read the original story here:

 http://unreasonablefaith.com/2009/03/20/pastor-gets-caught-lying-for-jesus/

 When faced with his unmasking the Pastor did not see the need to apologize for his actions. He argued that they had been perfectly godly. According to him, he was merely trying to circumvent what he called a "censorship of ideas". This is not a reasonable assertion since the site, unlike many Christian sites, does not routinely censure material unless it is blatantly hateful or crude.

 If you would like to make a formal complaint to this man or inform his parishioners of his behavior here is the URL of his church. http://www.kendallsbaptistchurch.org/staff.cfm
 Please be sure to explain in detail why his behavior is both immoral and unacceptable by secular and community standards, even if it could be argued as acceptable to the god defined in the church's holy book. In fact, you might like to explain that the Pastor's actions lend further support to recent polls suggesting that the average atheist has higher moral standards and less of a tendency to be convicted of a crime than the average Christian.

 Here is a list of the spin-off blogs about this story.

 http://zeekeekee.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/pastor-gets-caught-blog-trolling-for-jesus/

 http://thebeattitude.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/pastor-caught-impersonating-an-atheist/

 http://brentpeak.comoj.com/wordpress/?p=497

 http://shamelesslyatheist.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/reverse-poe-exposed-baptist-pastor-no-less/ The Bible vs. Love tag:atheistnexus.org,2008-07-27:2182797:BlogPost:57853 2008-07-27T00:00:00.000Z NH Baritone http://atheistnexus.org/profile/NHBaritone

 Moral dilemmas are our gadflies, the weak spots of any philosophy, and by extension, of any religion. When one highly esteemed virtue battles with another of equal merit, reflective people the world over turn to their philosophy or faith to make peace between the two. But how would your favorite life-enhancing ethic deal with the following:

Does your duty to "crown & country" outweigh your duty to…

 Moral dilemmas are our gadflies, the weak spots of any philosophy, and by extension, of any religion. When one highly esteemed virtue battles with another of equal merit, reflective people the world over turn to their philosophy or faith to make peace between the two. But how would your favorite life-enhancing ethic deal with the following:

Does your duty to "crown & country" outweigh your duty to "hearth & home"?

Is it better to teach your child that "patriotism" or "human rights" represent the higher standard?

How do you determine the value of a human life?

Under the weight of these and similar dilemmas, any philosophy or faith can eventually buckle, and thereby (a) yield up deplorably inadequate advice, (b) cloud the issue with so much ambiguity that it could justify any action (or non-action) whatsoever, or (c) for most, simply leave us to follow our ephemeral emotional reaction unencumbered by genuine adult thinking.

Over the past 2 weeks, I have played both witness and provocateur for such a moral dilemma. If you like, you can follow my online conversation with my counterpart, a Midwest Evangelical minister named Scott. He has appeared on the "A Christian and an Atheist" podcast. Scott is not a biblical literalist, although I think it is fair to say that he still strongly reveres the Bible. He has said that the Bible contains the message that "God wants us to know." So I was a bit surprised when, taking a moment to discuss his attitudes toward homosexuality on the most recent podcast, he hinted at a personal moral dilemma. See if you notice it:

There are all kinds of behaviors that are listed in the Bible as sinful, and you know what? I engage in a lot of them. But the core of the teaching of Jesus is that I have no right to stand in judgment over somebody, even if they are practicing a sin. ... I could point at a homosexual and say, "You're practicing homosexuality, [which] the Bible calls a sin, but you know what? I practice 10 other things that the Bible calls a sin. How can we talk about this?" I think there is room at the table for people who are struggling with all kinds of different behaviors.

Here's his dilemma: Scott wants to build and maintain a relationship. At the same time, Scott has to deal with homosexuals whose behavior is condemned in the Bible, and Scott reveres the Bible. He is really stuck, because as he later said, he thinks the only Christian response to gay people is to love them, but at the same time, the Bible insists that he hold their relationships in second class status, at best.

Now to be honest, Scott wavered between positions. Sometimes his training in conservative Christianity would shine through his posts, such as his response when I asked what was different about sex between a monogamous gay couple and his own relationships with his wife:

In terms of human sexuality, the same argument could be used to justify just about ANY kind of sexual activity...

 - How can you say homosexuality is wrong? The only difference is the gender of the people involved.
 - How can you say pedophilia is wrong? The only difference is the age of the people involved.
 - How can you say necrophilia is wrong? The only difference is the biological status of the people involved.
 - How can you say bestiality is wrong? The only difference is the species involved.

 Now, I do NOT mean to equate a monogamous homosexual relationship with pedophilia, and I hope I didn't come across as that insensitive, but I did want to make the point that (for me at least) the morality of homosexuality is not based on how similar or different homosexuality is from heterosexuality. It is based on how closely the practice of homosexuality aligns with the teaching of the Bible.

Then at other times he almost sounded like he was ready to sign on for gay marriage:

This leaves us a handful (and by "handful" I mean "two"---one in 1 Corinthians 6 the other in Romans 1) of passages in the NT. Both of these passages are similar in that they were written by Paul, do not explicitly state a moral imperative ("Thou shalt not..."), and use homosexuality as examples for a larger argument (in other words, the point of the passage is NOT to prohibit homosexuality but to give a broader moral or theological teaching).

 The difficulty with Paul is that he often interjects his own opinion into the teaching, and sometimes blatantly distinguishes his own opinion from the moral teaching (1 Corinthians 7). He also has a penchant for overly harsh and hyperbolic language, like when he says that he wishes a certain group of people would castrate themselves (Galatians 5). These observations cause me to ask the questions, "Was Paul teaching homosexuality was prohibited, and thus making a statement which is morally binding for Christians today? Or, was he citing his own feelings about homosexuality in order to make a point about something else, and thus making a statement which is NOT morally binding for Christians today." To be honest, I fluctuate back and forth on this point.

But the dilemma is never resolved; he inevitably returned to the need to maintain a relationship with (to love) the gay person, but still embrace his bible by denying the Christian gay person equality within his church.

As I have said in other places, I refuse to pick up the anxiety that belong to other people, particularly around issues like that (even though in our culture it is almost a social expectation that people will say, "Oh, that's alright. At least you've come this far"). So I violated some fairly standard social rules by holding up a mirror to Scott's moral dilemma. I'm not certain I won any friends in doing so.

Nonetheless, I was reminded today of the movie, Sophie's Choice, and it brought to mind Scott's responses to my questions and the subsequent dialogue. I began to wonder to myself if Scott is in the midst of a "Sophie's choice"-style moral dilemma.

Just a summary of the movie: A Nazi concentration camp guard told Sophie Zawistowski that she would have to choose which of her two children would be sent to the gas chamber. If she didn't choose, they would both die. It was a horrible position to be put in, and it turned her love of both of them into torture for her. The choosing altered her perception of herself and of her life for its duration.

Perhaps Scott feels a similar tug here. Sophie loved both of her children. Scott cherishes the messages within the Bible and yet strongly values interpersonal love and building relationships. And in a way that strongly suggests doubts, I keep asking him, how does he imagine a way that he can have both his beloved relationships and his beloved bible? How is it possible for him to genuinely love gay couples when he cannot accept them as equally Christian alongside him?

Perhaps if this metaphor has any validity, in Scott's mind I may have acted like the concentration camp guard, forcing him to choose between two cherished elements of his faith. But I don't think so. All I have done is ask the question. Since other Christians who cherish their Bible just as much as he does have reached different conclusions, I think it is his church, its traditions, and his Bible interpretation that has placed him in this difficult position. It is up to Scott to decide if he can still cling to his Bible interpretations while simultaneously loving those who practice the "love that dare not speak its name." And whatever choice he makes, I dare say it might change the way he sees himself and his life ... perhaps for its duration.


text:
Under pressure to make a decision about safe levels of exposure to a fluoride-based pesticide, EPA and other agencies have taken action to address the risks of a mineral that has long been promoted as a necessity in good dental hygiene but which critics fear poses high risks of bone disease, neurological condition and lowered IQ's. Late last year, lawyers for the Fluoride Action Network, Beyond Pesticides, and Environmental Working Group threatened legal action if the EPA did not lower its ceiling on fluoride levels in water and yesterday, after the six-year campaign by the health advocates, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed that water utilities sharply reduce the amount of fluoride added to community drinking water.
In a Nov. 15 letter, the organizations stated that they will sue if the EPA does not act within 30 days on their years-long request to stay a rule setting safety tolerances for residues of two fluorinated pesticides, sulfuryl fluoride and fluoride anion, on food. "Based on this unfortunate history, my clients' patience has come to an end . . . EPA's failure to make . . . a decision will result in our seeking relief in federal court," the letter says. The EPA has responded to avoid the lawsuit and the department has taken action and announced it will be setting new guidelines to lower the cap on its standard for level of safe use citing scientific research on health risks associated with excess fluoride, among them dental fluorosis (mottling and pitting of tooth enamel), bone fractures and skeletal fluorosis, a painful and sometimes crippling condition.
Federal officials also acknowledged that, as EWG and its allied have long argued, millions of children are being overexposed to fluoride. According to a fact sheet posted on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website, new data assessing population-wide exposure to fluoride showed it was "likely that some children are exposed to too much fluoride at least occasionally." Glad that their recognizing it publicly now, but the dangers are something the EPA has been aware of for a long time. http://www.healthfreedoms.org/2011/01/08/epa-scientists-oppose-fluoridation/
The new guidelines are slated to become final sometime in the spring and would advise local water utilities to reduce the amount of fluoride in tap water to 0.7 milligrams per liter of water, down from the current voluntary HHS guidance — 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams per liter. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency imposes a legally-binding cap on fluoride in tap water of 4 milligrams per liter – nearly six times the upper limit favored by HHS.
There are numerous independent studies point to a link between fluoride exposure and osteosarcoma (bone cancer), neurotoxicity and disruption of thyroid function. You have seen stories regarding the harmful effects of water fouoridation on our site in the past years that highlight the harmful effects and the purpose that is underlying the guise of fluoridation being the way to keep the teeth of the country cavity resistance.
"Scientific evidence over the past 50 plus years has shown that sodium fluoride shortens our life span, promotes various cancers and mental disturbances, and most importantly, makes humans stupid, docile, and subservient, all in one neat little package." http://www.healthfreedoms.org/2010/10/29/fluoridated-water-the-ultimate-evil/
This movement by our government is certainly a step in a better direction and a triumph for those whose pressure on the EPA have finally brought about some change!
~Health Freedoms
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a reduction in allowable fluoride levels in U.S. drinking water:
HHS' proposed recommendation of 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water replaces the current recommended range of 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams. This updated recommendation is based on recent EPA and HHS scientific assessments to balance the benefits of preventing tooth decay while limiting any unwanted health effects.
As AP notes:
A scientific report five years ago said that people who consume a lifetime of too much fluoride — an amount over EPA's limit of 4 milligrams — can lead to crippling bone abnormalities and brittleness.
That and other research issued Friday by the EPA about health effects of fluoride are sure to re-energize groups that still oppose adding it to water supplies.
In March, 2006, the National Academy of Sciences released a report recommending that the EPA lower its maximum standard for fluoride in drinking water to below 4 milligrams. The report warned severe fluorosis could occur at 2 milligrams. Also, a majority of the report's authors said a lifetime of drinking water with fluoride at 4 milligrams or higher could raise the risk of broken bones.
Late last year, lawyers for the Fluoride Action Network, Beyond Pesticides, and Environmental Working Group threatened legal action if the EPA did not lower its ceiling on fluoride.
In Europe, fluoride is rarely added to water supplies. In Britain, only about 10 percent of the population has fluoridated water. It's been a controversial issue there, with critics arguing people shouldn't be forced to have "medical treatment" forced on them.
Some scientists also have found that fluoride can damage childrens' liver and kidneys. The report reviews scientific studies which find that fluoride affects intelligence.
Since then, studies from around the world have continued to find that exposure to fluoride – especially in the very young – lowers IQ.
Dr. Vyvyan Howard – a PhD fetal pathologist, who is a professor of developmental toxico-pathology at the University of Liverpool and University of Ulster, president of the International Society of Doctors for the Environment and former president of the Royal Microscopical Society and the International Society for Stereology, and general editor of the Journal of Microscopy – said in a 2008 Canadian television interview (short, worthwhile video at the link) that studies done in several countries show that children's IQ are likely to be lower in high natural water fluoride areas.
He said that these studies are plausible because fluoride is known to affect the thyroid hormone which affects intelligence and fluoride is also a known neurotoxicant. Such studies have not been conducted in countries that artificially fluoridate the water such as the US, UK and Canada, but should be, he said.
And as the International Business Times noted last month on the newest Chinese study on fluoride:
Exposure to fluoride may lower children's intelligence, says a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives, a publication of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Fluoride is added to 70 percent of U.S. public drinking water supplies.
About 28 percent of the children in the low-fluoride area scored as bright, normal or higher intelligence compared to only 8 percent in the "high" fluoride area of Wamaio.
In the high-fluoride city, 15 percent had scores indicating mental retardation and only 6 percent in the low-fluoride city. The authors of the study eliminated both lead exposure and iodine deficiency as possible causes for the lowered IQs.
One scientist alleges that fluoride accumulates in the brain (specifically, in the structure of the pineal gland) more than it accumulates in our bones. In other words, she claims that fluoride accumulates more in the brain than in the teeth, doing more harm than good. (She previously wrote about this extensively in her PhD dissertation.)
Indeed, the whole fluoride fad might have been started for reasons a tad different from concern about cavities. As I wrote last August:
The government allegedly ordered Manhattan Project scientists to whitewash the toxicity of flouride (flouride is a byproduct in the production of weapons-grade plutonium and uranium). As Project Censored noted in 1999:
Recently declassified government documents have shed new light on the decades-old debate over the fluoridation of drinking water, and have added to a growing body of scientific evidence concerning the health effects of fluoride. Much of the original evidence about fluoride, which suggested it was safe for human consumption in low doses, was actually generated by "Manhattan Project" scientists in the 1940s. As it turns out, these officials were ordered by government powers to provide information that would be "useful in litigation" and that would obfuscate its improper handling and disposal. The once top-secret documents, say the authors, reveal that vast quantities of fluoride, one of the most toxic substances known, were required for the production of weapons-grade plutonium and uranium. As a result, fluoride soon became the leading health hazard to bomb program workers and surrounding communities.
Studies commissioned after chemical mishaps by the medical division of the "Manhattan Project" document highly controversial findings. For instance, toxic accidents in the vicinity of fluoride-producing facilities like the one near Lower Penns Neck, New Jersey, left crops poisoned or blighted, and humans and livestock sick. Symptoms noted in the findings included extreme joint stiffness, uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea, severe headaches, and death. These and other facts from the secret documents directly contradict the findings concurrently published in scientific journals which praised the positive effects of fluoride.
Regional environmental fluoride releases in the northeast United States also resulted in several legal suits against the government by farmers after the end of World War II, according to Griffiths and Bryson. Military and public health officials feared legal victories would snowball, opening the door to further suits which might have kept the bomb program from continuing to use fluoride. With the Cold War underway, the New Jersey lawsuits proved to be a roadblock to America's already full-scale production of atomic weapons. Officials were subsequently ordered to protect the interests of the government.
After the war, … the dissemination of misinformation continued.
Washinton's Blog


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"You talk too much"
"Is there a point to this story?"
"Oh you want to hear a story? Kirsten tells the best stories"
I have thought for DAYS about how I could tell you about the Awesome that was LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER and in some of those stories spinning in my mind , I was funny just like my Adorable and FREAKIN Incredible friend Una whose recap was so funny I almost wet my pants laughing, thankfully my other friend Ilana of Mommy Shorts didn't pee her pants, instead her story of how mommyhood changed her life got so many laughs that other people almost did.
Then there was (my girl crush, yep I said it) Deborah who told us about how 2 moms are not always better than 1, after the show she introduced me to her partner Gabriella and honestly, I fell in love all over again. One of my cast mates, the beautiful Abby Sher said in her piece that she'd make a lousy lesbian since she "falls in love with women easily and without thought". (Ummm, right there with you Abby. 😉 because I left that space on Sunday in love with every single one of those LADIES (and Howard too).
See I've adored Patty and Kate's stories since they read them to us at the first rehearsal and so seeing both of them all dressed up and telling those stories was overload for an emotional girl like me. I truly just want to be best friends with all of them…Eve(captivating with words) , Jonny (sweet & Funny), Estelle (such a beautiful soul),Cynthia (new and quite simply; amazing friend), Alysia (so pretty it hurts to look at her) and Kathy (pretty, comfortable and read one of my favorite pieces) . Plus there was Howard, our only non-vagina, who gave Motherhood not only a voice, but a new NAME. (Charlene) and I adore him for it.
Should I talk about Rene (Squeeee!!) who was more friend than emcee (and who has friggin FANTASTIC hair!!!)? How we girl talked backstage while we applied makeup, made helmets of our hair with spray and peed (there it is again, the peeing) every few minutes in nervous anticipation? *Do not mess with a woman and her bladder on "SHOW DAY".*
or how Amy, our DIVA Director, made me cry and laugh in the space of two minutes as we all held hands and wished each other luck as we glanced around our circle? (Amy=AWESOME). She passed out these beautiful necklaces with the word "LISTEN" on them and a handwritten note that is going to be one of my cherished mementos.
Speaking of Holding Hands, that was the name of my friend (OMG, she's MY FRIEND and she was in the NYT) Varda's piece. She was also the PERFECT PRODUCER. Everything about this experience has been better because of Varda. She is lovely and funny, fierce and gives the BEST hugs.
Holly, our AMAZING ASSOCIATE producer, who has become like a soul sister to me, had a smile plastered on her face all day. She should have, she worked her butt off to bring a beautiful, emotional, moving show to every person sitting in those seats. My gratitude is only upstaged by my DEVOTION to that woman.
Then the unbelievable, Ann Imig and her mom,( both lovely, wonderful, warm women) stepped into the theatre and we erupted, here she was the Mother of "Listen to Your Mother" in NYC to see us read. I was star struck and then she hugged me and told me she recognized me from my blog pictures. (I died a happy death inside). I also hugged Deb Rox, just sayin.
Then the brilliant and beautiful (she is all that and more I assure you) Jennifer Lee, took my picture.
(Go ahead, be jealous)
So, yes, I could talk about all that…but the most amazing part of Sunday was having my family (JOHN and Mom, George, Dana!) and my best friend(s) (Lisa and Tara) in the audience.
It was being able to tell the world about Giovanni & Jacob and the way I live my life as the mom of twins.
On Sunday, I spoke for all the things I love:
Family, Infertility, Cupcakes.
For Moms who Work, Love Stiletto Heels & Are the Cheerleaders in Everyone's Life.
Women who dream BIG and reach out to chase them.
Ladies who laugh, hug, cry and share their stories.
Writers and Readers, Listeners and Speakers.
I got to be BOTH.
photo credit for Jennifer Lee Photography
To my cast of NYC LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER…you have changed EVERYTHING about my life by welcoming me into yours and sharing your story with me. I can never, ever THANK YOU enough for that privilege.
the other shoe signed by the CAST
and now for those of you aren't sick of seeing these pictures on Facebook
here I am trying to look um, 'pretty enough"
The Flowers my Sister in law and family sent because they couldn't be with me:
why yes, those are pink flowers in a High heeled shoe. *squeeeee*
My brother and sister in law made me the only Trophy I'll ever receive for performing on stage:
Videos!!!! and GOOD LUCK texts from Carrie, Angie, Kimsley, Karen & Elena and Tonya. ( I love every single one of you.)
Every tweet which lifted me up, every voicemail that brought you there with me, well you know what it meant don't you???
and then there was the picture that says it all, that does my speaking for me…..
me and the ONLY reasons that matter.
And it seemed, for one GLORIOUS day, everyone wanted to hear my story.
My incredible friends, Galit and Nicole, have a meme link about who you speak for, please join them as we add our voices to the CHORUS.


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The Mott Community College softball team won a pair of mercy-rule shortened, six-inning games over Henry Ford Community College, 10-1 and 11-1, Tuesday.
Suzie Jerisk had a combined four hits and five RBI.
Brooke Zimmerman won the first game, striking out eight, and allowing six hits and no walks in six innings.
Rachael Brown went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a home run. Brianna Donnelly had two hits and two RBI. Jessica Marino added a two-run double.
Beth Rockman (6-0) won the second game, striking out six, allowing six hits and no walks in three innings. Sydney Rawlings had three strikeouts in the finals two innings.
Bridget Miller went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Before the doubleheader, Mott played one inning to complete a 9-1 win over Henry Ford. The six-inning game was rain delayed April 3. Kayla Mitchell and Brooke Zimmerman each had three RBI.
Mott (12-9 overall, 11-1 Michigan Community College Athletic Association) will host a doubleheader against Macomb Community College at 3 p.m. Thursday at Whaley Park.


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HOUGHTON - "Sara knew me as a super-hero dad, but she didn't know I had a big piece of kryptonite in my pocket."
That's a line from "Heavy: Finding Meaning After Terminal Diagnosis." It's written by Todd Neva, a local author and dad, and refers to the challenge of parenting while living with terminal amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - sometimes known as Lou Gehrig's disease - a disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness that usually eventually ends in death.
Neva, along with wife and co-author Kristin Neva, read passages from the book, which follows their first year of living with the diagnosis, Tuesday at the Portage Lake District Library. They also discussed living positively despite the disease, and raising children under the shadow of the terminal diagnosis.
Article Photos
Dan Roblee/Daily Mining Gazette
Kristin Neva signs a copy of "Heavy" for Pat Archambeau at a Portage Lake District Library book talk Tuesday. Kristin's husband and co-author Todd Neva sits behind her.
Todd remembered his first discovery of the disease, when he tried to lift his then-4-year-old daughter out of her car seat, and his arm wouldn't work.
Diagnosis quickly followed, which included being told the disease would be terminal, with an average life expectancy of three to five years.
Todd said Kristin's initial reaction was calm, but she admitted to falling apart soon afterward.
"How will we cope?" she remembers thinking, adding that she couldn't sleep and operated on adrenaline to take care of Sara and her son Isaac, then one year old.
"I don't want to face life without Todd," she wrote. "My kids need their daddy."
Kristin turned to the Bible, and while it didn't always offer direct answers to her questions, it did help her accept her emotions and then move toward a more positive attitude.
"I don't want to stay in this angry place forever," she wrote. "I keep crying out to God, sometimes in anger, sometimes in pain... but I worry less as I realize how much of our life is out of our control."
Debbie Hill attended the talk having already read "Heavy," and said she'd found the book's message inspirational. She summed that message up as "accepting your life the way it is, one day at a time, and finding joy every day, along with the sadness."
Kristin said one key strategy for families living with a terminal diagnosis is to continue doing things, rather than simply sitting and grieving.
"A friend had a kid who felt better after shoveling snow. Exercise can help," she said. "Sara said to me sometimes she just wanted to sit in her room and cry. I said it's OK to feel that way, but you have to do something. I feel better when I write."
"It saddens me when some people with ALS just give up," Todd added. "There can be so much purpose in a disabled life."
He said he finds that purpose in leading a men's ministry at Houghton's Evangel Baptist church, in serving as editor-in-chief for Kristin's latest writing endeavor, a novel, and in helping to home-school Sara, now eight years old.
Mostly, he focuses on trying to teach Sara and Isaac, 4, the life lessons he may not be there to help with later, recording his thoughts in video or writing on topics they aren't yet old enough to understand.
"I have time, time to make sure my son knows me... if not in person, he can read my thoughts," Todd said. "My children will see a person that lived to his last breath."
Heavy is available on Amazon.com, or locally at Book World in Houghton, and at This Little Light in Hancock. To learn more, go to NevaStory.com.


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Congratulations to all of our players who made their ODP ( Olympic Developement Program ) State teams:
Girls: Tara Costello 95', Rachael Thornton 96', Meghan Fludgate 97' (alternate ), Jessica Preedom 98', Emmalee McCarter 99', McKenna Gulley 00'
Boys : Quadarius Grate 96', Marquel Bellamy 96', Cole Gulledge 97', Austin Bolton 97', Kha Doe Crosby 97', Zach Hudson 97', Bryce Simpson 98', Connor Sloan 98', Chris Young 98', Matt Staub 98' ( alternate ), Billy Brittelli 99', Killian Bucci 99', Cian Gormley 99', Brandon Trio 2000/2001, Jarvin Ramirez 2000/2001
The South Carolina Olympic Development Program or ODP, is the start of the identification process for the National and Olympic Teams. The South Carolina Youth Soccer Association conducts the program for US Soccer under the jurisdiction of the US Olympic Committee. The purpose of this prestigious program is to identify players on the basis of open tryouts and develop them to represent their state, region, and the United States in soccer competition.
At the state combine the players who will make up the South Carolina ODP State teams are selected. Those teams, made up of 18 players, then go and participate in the Region III ODP camp, which includes trainings and a tournament of the state teams. From this camp players can be selected as Regional Pool Players and are provided with the opportunities to represent the region in international (overseas trips) and National events. At the National events players are seen by National staff coaches and are eligible for National team selection.


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Anyone out there going to the Feb. 8 LA premiere of Valentine's Day?? I am going, but I really don't know what time I should go. I have school in the morning so I will have to leave early and try to get to Hollywood in time to get a good spot. So PLEASE let me know if you are!!!!
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When & how did you first introduce your child to brushing their teeth? **UPDATED WITH VIDEO**
They say it's never too early to introduce good habits to your children. That also holds true for introducing your little one to taking care of their teeth.
We gave 100 moms the chance to try Oral-B Stages toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss with their little children. We asked the moms to introduce the Oral-B Stages products to their kids and share their thoughts and experiences.
Some of those moms also received a video camera to record trying out Oral-B Stages with their kids - check it out!
When & how did you first introduce your child to brushing their teeth?
Check out what moms had to say about Oral-B Stages:
For my child to say anything is a big deal, for him to say NUM NUM NUM MMM while using the Oral-B Stages toothbrush and toothpaste was his a-ha moment! - aidensmomma508
The Tigger toothbrush was very cute and the perfect size for little hands! - MamaBear2cubs
I really love the flossers, and even better is the fact that HE loves them. - celestegood
Well I started my little girl when she started getting her first few teeth. I wanted her to get use to the feeling of brushing her teeth and she has loved it ever since. I think she was about 3 months if i am not mistaken. Now she is 3 years old with 20 teeth that are health (so the dentist says) lol
I started with both kids when they were about a year. They had a few teeth and I would brush for them. DS has been brushing his own since he was about 5 or so. I still help DD with her's. she is 4.
Thank you so much Cafe Mom and Oral B for allowing me the chance to try Oral B Stages with my kids!!!! I will be back to review when my package arrives!!!!
I got my package yesterday! Already my kids are excited to use their new Oral B stages products!
We recieved 2 winnie the pooh toothbrushes - one is for age 1-2 (perfect for my daughter who is 17 months old) and the other is for 2-4 year olds... my 2 1/2 year old claimed that one right away! LOL. And we also got a Princess one that is for 5-7 years old.
We also got toothpaste & flossers. I used one of the flossers for myself this morning... hey, I wanted to try them out too! And I love it. it's very easy to use!
i'll check back in & post how my kids like their new toothbruses after we use them.
Thanks CM & Oral-B!
Thanks so much CM and Oral-B!! My son was so excited to get the toy story toothpaste, brush, and floss :)
I started teaching my kids when they got their first tooth to brush everyday. They love brushing their teeth. lol I always let them brush first, and then I would "check" their teeth, by brushing them again.
My son and daughter both LOVE the flossers. They don't really like it when I floss their teeth with regular floss, but these are great!
They both LOVED the flavor of the toothpaste as well. So of course I had to try it. lol
My daughter said that it feels like she just went to the dentist. lol
I first started to wipe my son's gums when he was a baby and I was giving him a bath. Now I try to get him to help me brush his teeth. He is 18 months old and when he first got his first tooth I would give him a brush and use one myself and brush his teeth. He fights and hates it, but has gotten a little better. He much rather comb his hair with his toothbrush! I will continue to help him and brush his teeth until I feel that he is getting them clean by himself, which will probably be awhile!
To add on I couldn't use the toothpaste that I received because he is too little.
I got my package two days ago. So exciting! I'll start off with what I can now and will update later on after we have used the products for a while
- Tell us a little bit about yourself and your child/children that fall in the 4 month-7 year old age range.
I have 2 children. a 27 month old boy with some delays, health issues, and a sensory disorder. I also have a 5 month old little girl
- Did you know there was a line of oral healthcare products like this out there for young children? yes, we have gone through quite a few products to find something my son will allow us to use with him
- Have you used Oral-B Stages with your child before? yes i have used the 4-24 month stage 1 toothbrushes with my son but none of the other products
- What methods have you used to teach your little one how to brush and take care of their teeth? we tried to start young, let them watch us cleaning our teeth, teach him to brush stuffed animal teeth and allow him to carry his toothbrush and play with it to get him more comfortable.
- Do you have any tips for other moms to help get their little ones to brush? my son is very hard to do with his sensory disorder. right now it takes two people to pin him to the floor and fight for 15 minutes to do a half way job. hopefully my daughter is better so i have no real tips except keep at it
- How great was your little one at brushing (and flossing, if applicable) before receiving this package? My son was terrible at it
- What do you hope to get out of this experience? I hope he learns that its not as bad as he thinks and by watching us do his sister now he will be more calm and allow us to help him
Teaching your little one to use the Oral-B Stages products
- Tell us how you introduced the Oral-B Stages products to your little one. I will just start using them on the 5 month old and do her first with big brother watching so he knows what is happening. I will then give ds his new toothbrush at his party on sunday and allow him to use the new tooth paste he got. he is to young for the floss but we will hang on to it
-I will get back to the group with the rest of the questions after we have used them for the 2 weeks. Thanks so much for letting us test!!


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34 search results for cruel summer
Skrillex and Kanye West collaborate for first track on 'new album'
Type: Article | Date: Friday, Aug 10, 2012'Cruel Summer' or a an unannounced sixth solo set from Yeezy?
Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music compilation 'Cruel Summer' previewed on iTunes
Type: Article | Date: Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012Album features Jay-Z, R. Key, 2 Chainz, Kid Cudi and more
Listen: Kanye West and R. Kelly on 'To The World' from 'Cruel Summer'
Type: Post | Date: Thursday, Sep 13, 2012Full album comes out Sept. 18
Kanye West and Jay-Z reunite again for 'Clique,' 'Cruel Summer' tracklist revealed
Type: Post | Date: Friday, Sep 7, 2012New G.O.O.D. Music cut has Watch the Throne back in fine form with Big Sean
Kanye and Co. confirm September arrival of G.O.O.D. Music's 'Cruel Summer'
Type: Post | Date: Monday, Jul 23, 20122 Chainz clarifies label position; Kanye still on media moratorium
Watch: Lana Del Rey's cruel summer in new video 'Summertime Sadness'
Type: Post | Date: Friday, Jul 20, 2012There's no cure for her summertime blues
Azealia Banks sparks Lady Gaga, Kanye West collab rumors on Twitter
Type: Article | Date: Wednesday, Aug 22, 2012Upstart rapper is making some very influential friends
Kanye West launches 'Cruel Summer' at Cannes, Kim Kardashian on hand
Type: Article | Date: Thursday, May 24, 2012Seven-screen experience is a love story set in the Middle East
Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music album release pushed back by two weeks
Type: Article | Date: Monday, Aug 13, 2012'Cruel Summer' arrives a little longer after the summer, Mos Def to guest
Kanye West may release new solo album later this year
Type: Article | Date: Thursday, Jul 5, 2012Rapper's latest LP to follow on the heels of G.O.O.D. collab album 'Cruel Summer'


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Noting that while he "cannot speak to any issue relating to the city's current proposal" to put a waste-to-energy plant at Fresh Kills, Federal Judge Eric Vitaliano told the Advance in an e-mail response to a request for comment: "As for what I did in 1996, as Staten Island's Assemblyman, Chapter 107, the Marchi/Vitaliano law, was written with the intent and belief that it would make unlawful the use of any real property ever within the footprint of the Fresh Kills landfill for the purpose of receiving or processing garbage after the year 2001."
Vitaliano, a Dongan Hills Democrat and former Mid-Island Assembly member who is now a judge in the U.S. Eastern District Court, inked the law with the late state Sen. John Marchi, a Ward Hill Republican.
Marchi's former counsel, Kate Rooney, who helped draft the law, also weighed in yesterday, saying: "The memorandum in support of the Marchi/Vitaliano bill (Chapter 107, Laws of 1996) makes the intent of this law clear -- prohibiting forever garbage 'acceptance' and 'disposal' on any part of the entire site known as the Fresh Kills landfill, which encompasses more than 3,000 acres."
The contention from Mayor Michael Bloomberg that a waste-to-energy plan would not be a violation of state law came in response to a letter Assemblyman Michael Cusick (D-Mid-Island) sent to Bloomberg earlier this week, stating that the law "did not just permanently stop landfill operations at Fresh Kills, it closed the site to all garbage forever."
Cusick said siting any type of "garbage disposal technology" there would not be legal.
But mayoral spokesman Marc LaVorgna maintained: "A clean energy facility would be permitted there under current law, and the proposal specifically bars the use of incinerators or mass burn technology."
Retorted Cusick yesterday: "The issue is one of disposal. Whatever technology we are talking about today, that did not exist 16 years ago, this is about the disposal of garbage. The law states that it is not permissible and there is no getting around it."
"We are moving forward with this argument," added Cusick. "We will pursue it. We are prepared for everything they throw at us. This is a team effort."
Council members James Oddo (R-Mid-Island/Brooklyn) and Vincent Ignizio (R-South Shore) are organizing a rally Monday at 1 p.m. at the front gate of the shuttered landfill to coincide with the arrival of a busload of prospective contractors being transported to the Island by the Bloomberg administration.
The Bloomberg administration issued an RFP (Request for Proposal) last month seeking interested parties to build a waste-to-energy plant within the five boroughs or an 80-mile radius of New York City. But the RFP specifically mentioned Fresh Kills with a notation that a bus would be available to bring them to Staten Island.
Cusick and Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore) say they will attend the rally, which has been designed by Oddo and Ignizio to show the contractors "they are not welcome here."
Oddo and Ignizio are also hosting a town hall meeting April 26 at 7 p.m. in Rocco Laurie Intermediate School, New Springville. Local elected officials have been invited -- as well as outer-borough politicians seeking citywide elective office next year in an effort to gauge their positions on the issue.
In the recent past, Fresh Kills has been touted by the Bloomberg administration as the future site of a world-class park.


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Product Highlights
You Pay: $369.95
Questions? Ask our experts:
800.606.6969 Live Chat
The Tiffen 105mm Coarse Thread Soft/FX 1 Filter diffuses strong light entering the lens and produces a glowing effect. While the resulting image appears softer and ethereal, there is little loss of clarity or detail. This filter works by diffusing the light entering the lens with small aberrations; by spreading the light more evenly, a soft glow is created rather than the sharp, well-defined image when shooting without a filter. The 1 density provides more softening than the 1/2, but less than the 2.
Tiffen filters are made using ColorCore technology, a process that involves laminating the filter substrate between 2 pieces of optical glass, grinding flat to a tolerance of 1/10,000th of an inch, and then mounting to precision metal rings.
|105 mm (coarse threads)
|1 density
|Diffuses light entering the lens, creating a glowing effect
|ColorCore technology
|Front Filter Thread Size
|105 mm (coarse threads)
|Front Lens Cap Size
|105 mm
|Packaging Info
|Package Weight
|0.4 lb
|Box Dimensions (LxWxH)
|6.0 x 5.0 x 1.0"