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"Simon Peter said to them, "Make Mary* leave us, for females are not worthy of life.'
Jesus said, 'I myself will lead her in order to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every female who makes herself male will enter the kingdom of Heaven.' "
- The Gospel of Thomas.
* Here Simon Peter is talking about Mary Magdalene, the beloved companion, and as hinted from the gnostic gospel to be the most wise disciple of Jesus Christ (blessed be his soul).
Now i would like you to give your insight and thoughts on this particular text where Jesus says, for every female who makes herself male will enter the kingdom of Heaven. I find it very significant when see the details description of the Heaven found in The Final Revelation, the Quran are mostly talking about male. i just wonder, is there a grand mystical secret itside it which Jesus gave hint here, when Peter asked Jesus to reject Mary from the group?! What did Jesus really meant by saing, 'make her male'?
Quoting the text (pg. 145) from the Book titled, Jesus : the Unauthorised Version (ancient accounts of the unknown Christ), edited and introduced by Mian Ridge (2006). publisher: profilebooks
check the comments section of this post for some facinating views. hopefully soon i will compile them in a separte post. also pls don't forget to add up your thoughts in the comment.
Tag: Secret, Gnostic, Male and Female, Gospel, Jesus


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2/28/11: John brought his sister to bring us up to a total of 5. The players had quite a time getting through the forest without their cart tipping over..!
Artemis - Half-elf Swordmage
Hirbe - Eladrin Mage
Merric - Halfling Thief
Rys - Elf Rogue
Tornam - Dwarf Cleric
The adventurers had the necroshard, a gem that animated the dead from miles around at night. They sped in a horse-drawn cart through the night to get to a temple where they could drain it of its' power for good. They brought along Artemis, a swordmage recommended by Elessan, and a guard whose job was to fire flaming arrows at any zombies that popped out of the woods.
Hirbe had the necroshard and drove the cart. The two horses had special spiked barding. The horses raced throught the darkness lit partially by the lanterns on the cart. After about twenty minutes, the zombie of a lizardman shambled out into the road ahead of them.
Tornam pulled out his sling and struck the zombie in the head. It fell over, inanimate one more. The horses seemed abou to panic, confused as to whether to run the zombie over or to veer to side, possibly toppling the cart. The heroes soothed the horses and drove over the corpse. There was a jarring bump. Artemis used her strngth to steady the cart, but almost fell off in the process.
A few minutes passed... and from the skies came zombie bats!The bats swooped down and slashed at Hirbe, trying to get at the necroshard. They cut down the wizard in short order.
Merric jumped onto one of the horses, to calm it. Tornam healed Hirbe with a spell, and grabbed the necroshard, making himself the new target. Hirbe cast a fire shroud spell from the prone position, setting the bats ablaze.
The guard took aim at a bat, and put a flaming arrow through its' face, destroying it (these zombies were auto-killed on a natural 20 - this guard rolled quite a few of those tonight).
The bats swarmed Tornam and bloodied him. Rys ran along the wooden edge of the art and fired a flaming arrow into a bat menacing Hirbe. Hirbe leaned out of the cart an cast burning hands, scorching two bats. Rys even tried a moonsault on a bat, but ended up missing, landing on his feet and dodging a blow.
The one bat was still up front slashing at Hirbe. He looked at it and said "You're in my seat." Hirbe then killed it with a phantasmal assault spell, kicked it off the cart and stood where it was.
He turned to Rys and said "He was in my seat."
A bat swooped down and knocked Artemis down, and nearly off the cart. Merric leaned on the horse and flung a dagger into a bat, killing it. Tornam destroyed anothe rin his aspect of wrath. Rys killed the last of the zombie bats while backflipping and firing a flaming bolt from his crossbow.
The cart raced on as the heroes frantically bandaged their wounds, wary of further zombie menaces attracted to the necroshard.
A while later, a new menace lurched from the forest in the road ahead - a zombie bear. Hirbe climbed onto one of the horses and cast beguiling strands. Usig the spell he tosses the bear off the road and out of the way of the cart. As the cart passed it, Merric flung a dagger into it.
Soon after, some familiar faces emerged from the chaos scar - zombie goblins riding zombie wolves! They were the allies of Warduke who the heroes had stepped on with their zombie dinosaur just the day before! The crushed goblins now had only one aim - to take the necroshard from Tornam's oft-greasy fingers.
The riders raced alongside the cart and flung javelins. Tornam cast a daunting light spell, blowing a hole in one rider. Another rider Pulled close and tried to climb onto the cart. Merric stabbed it right in the head, destroying it instantly (with a natural 20). Another zombie goblin climbed onto the back.
Hirbe looked at the goblin on the cart and said "He's on my cart!" He jumped from the seat onto the back and struck the goblin with his staff, sending it hurtling off the cart and colliding with its' zombie wolf mount. Both tumbled and were left in the dust.
Hirbe looked at his allies and said "He was on my cart."
The other riders kept their distance and tossed javelins, trying to strike and kill Tornam. The keep had given the heroes extra daggers. Artemis grabbed one and decided to give it a try. She'd never thrown a dagger before. She flung it at a rider. The dagger soared through the air and landed right in the zombie's temple, cracking open its' skull, destroying it (yes another natural 20!).
The final rider pulled up next to the cart. Tornam grabbed it and threw it under the wheel of the cart, which tore the zombie in half. Victorious, the heroes rode on.
They rode over a hill, and could see the church in the distance! They were almost there. But a new threat lumbered into the roadway - a zombie giant! It was holding a boulder over its' head, hoping to crush Tornam with it...
Merric and Rys plunged arrows into it, causing it to stagger back. Artemis threw her sword into its' neck. It stepped back, reeling. The sword removed itself and flew back to Artemis' hand. Hirbe cast beguiling strands, sliding the giant off the road and tripped over rocks! The giant fell, and the boulder it was holding landed on its' chest, pinning it to the ground.
The cart rode by, and the guard took aim. He fired a flaming arrow... (natural... 20...) right into its' head, killing it! Rys had asked the keep for their best archer, and the heroes were pretty sure they had gotten him.
With that victory, the heroes made it to the temple. They rushed in, leaving the cart and the guard by the hole that the dinosaur created. Hirbe grabbed books and scrolls from the shelves (many included details on obyriths, the demons that predated the current tan'nari demons). Rys used some supplies on the art to begin repairing the walls. The heroes also headed into the basement to get body parts of Doran and his daggers, in the hopes of raising them from the dead.
The heroes then set about re-consecrating the altar. It had been recently used for horrible rites devoted to Obox-Ob, an ancient demon lord. Hirbe set about re-devoting it to Clarissa, infusing it with her radiance. The huge statue of Obox-Ob loomed over the altar. Some of the heroes thought they saw its' eyes flash.
Once that was complete, he placed the necroshard on the altar. He offered up a prayer to Clarissa. Suddenly, the statue of Obox-Ob moved! Beams shot from its' eyes, summoning two massive, horrible Sibriex Flesh Crafters! They were floating brains with skull faces that dripped slime. Their limbs were chains ending in horrible blades. They hovered above the ground, and telepathically commanded the heroes to join them...
Rys fired a flaming bolt into one of them and ducked behind rubble. Merric joined him. The crafters wrapped their chains around Artemis and Tornam, immobilizing and slashing them. Hirbe cast fountain of flame, scorching the abominations with fire. The area remained ablaze for the rest of the battle.
Tornam was bloodied from the chains. He slipped free of the chains and quickly patched up his wound. Artemis slied into one,causing blue blood to seep from the wound. Rys crept over to the bookcases to aim his shot.
The flesh crafters let out psychic pulses that wracked the heroes' brains and began to transform their bodies! Hirbe watched in horror as his hands and forearms were covered in black scales. Each finger ended in long, white talons. He cast a fire shroud spell, scorching the crafter. Merric's skin turned grey - he began to resemble an imp of Zev!
Tornam healed Merric and then charged his axe with lightning and hacked into a crafter with thundering steel. Merric flanked, his dagger charged with lightning. He plunged it into the badly-hurt crafter, nearly killing it. Artemis slipped out of the chains and charged it. She plunged her blade into it. It fell to the ground, and became a pile of blue goo that dissipated in mere moments.
Rys stood in the flames created by Hirbe and fired his crossbow at the remaining crafter. It let out another psychic wave (the power recharges on a 5 or 6.. I kept rolling sixes, heh heh). Tornam was hit, and saw that his belly had become a demon's maw with sharp teeth and a long, hideous tongue. Merric was transformed further - he was now identical to an imp of Zev, save for the wings. And he was still as tall as a halfling.
Tornam hacked into it, and the crafter bled. The crafter telepathically urged: "Join us!". Merric sliced it, but then the creature let out another wave! Artemis was transformed, gaining horns, fangs, and flaming hooves for feet!
The heroes sliced and pelted it, whittling it down. The thing finally succumbed to Tornam's radiant aura, plopping to the ground. It beame a blue mess, which faded away quickly...
Tornam knew right away that the adventurers had a new problem. They'd been infected by a demonic disease - one that might transform them into demons utterly subservient to Obox-Ob! There was not much time before the disease spread. They had to return to the keep at once!


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The Instigator
Pro (for)
0 Points
The Contender
Con (against)
7 Points
You can not get a girl purely on being Kind to them. NO TO TIP#2!
Post Voting Period
The voting period for this debate has ended.
after 2 votes the winner is...
|Voting Style:
|Point System:
|7 Point
|6 years ago
|Post Voting Period
|3,402 times
|Debate No:
Debate Rounds (4)
Comments (13)
Votes (2)
bring it on, Thadeus!
Clarification for terms of debate. By purely being nice to them, we mean as a strategy - all other things being held ceteris paribus.
This means that though one is purely being nice, one doesn't cease to eat or drink or breath just because these activities do not fall into the category of nice, nor does one's personality change except by this one criteria we are holding as the variable; being nice.
Therefore, someone who is a confident person, employing this strategy, is still considered to be a confident person.
"You" in relation to the debate shall be considered to mean anyone, not the user known as Thaddeus specifically, unless cheesedingo wants to argue that the user known as Thaddeus can't get a girl by being nice.
Therefore, Cheesedingo's burden of proof is to show that no-one can get a girl by being nice as a strategy. Get in this case means to have a relationship with them
Anything else?
Oh yes, no trolling, semantics and DANCE MAGIC DANCE
Sorry for the delay, I had 6 other debates to do over the past two days.
Anyway, I am here negate Tip #2, stating that you can get a girl by purely being nice to them. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNTRUE.
This debate is mainly from the forum page I provided in my first argument. My sources are the many posts provided on this forum. If you are unsure that that's where I got them, check it out for yourself.
Anyway, I will plan out a scinereo. You are walking along, side by side with a friend youve had a crush on for several months, and, then, she turns to you. She looks into your eyes. Your heart starts beating rapidly. She grabs your hand. You start sweating. You can tell your face is turning red. She then utters 5 words no man should hear: "You are a great FRIEND". BOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
Don't you see? If you are really nice to someone, you will be what some call "friendzoned".
Many of you Im sure have experienced this. Quoting Yourfavoritemartian, "Friend zone is like the mafia, youll NEVER GET OUT". These words could never be truer. IF you are purely nice to someone, without doing anything else (which is the strategy, thad), you will never get the girl. From past expereince, when you become friends with someone, and then your always there for her, always nice to her, she will not want to go out with you because she see's only a friend in you.
They won't think of you as a boyfriend or someone they will go out with, but someone who they can look to in a time of distress.
Its almost like....... They treat you like...... THAT GAY BEST FRIEND.
Im not saying any of you that are stuck in this scenario are gay, but women who friendzone you think of you as someone they wouldn't go out with. That means you will forever be thier friend, and you will never get the girl and ride off into the sunset.
Im sorry, I have to rush to a meeting at my job, so this is all I will get to today. I will have a more in depth argument next round.
Thank you.
Whilst I completely conceed that in general "being nice" is not a particularly potent strategy, I will argue that it is possible for one to get a girl by being purely nice. I shall therefore provide various scenarios where solely implementing the strategy of being nice would allow someone to get any girl (non-specific)
Reasons why;
1) If you are really good looking, famous or rich or all three
There are plently of shallow girls out there. A chap with these qualities could get a girl no matter what strategy he employed. Therefore, being nice might even be considered a bonus!
2) Girls are as varied as the moles on my bottom
Though there are some generalisations that can be made for getting girls, they are only looking at the middle section of the bell curve. There are as many outliers as gays in Brighton. If you are trying to maximise performance with girls in general one can make statements like "the nice strategy is unfavourable", but cannot claim it is impossible to get a girl by employing the nice strategy. Some girls actually dig that sort of thing. Some girls also like men who dress up as pokemon. The point is there are a lot of girls out there, and making any absolute generalisation is obviously going to be false.
3) Being purely nice as a strategy does not preclude the most important criteria for getting girls; confidence
It is perfectly possible to be nice and confident. Confidence is the key attribute required to getting girls. It is not a strategy, but a character trait, so it can be employed in addition to being nice. (We assumed someone employing the strategy was to be held ceteris paribus - therefore his character traits won't have changed)
To finish; I call the friendzone the challenge zone. Rise to the challenge and beat it to death. With bees!
I thank Thaddeus for his rebutle. But, RESISTANCE IS FUTILE! TIP #2 IS WRONG!!!!!!!
Attacks on Thaddeus' case:
1) My opponent is agreeing with me. You can get a girl many other ways, and you don't have to be nice to get the girl. You can me rich, good looking, and/or famous, and be a total douche, and STILL get the girl.
2) You must not have many moles, because most girls fall into only a couple categories.
Category 1) Rich B!tch. Up-tight, mean, only in it for the money, and doesn't give a crap if your nice.
C2) Insecure. They think they're not worth anyone, so they will hook up with anyone so that they will have more self esteem. Hell, they'll probably date someone because they're a jerk, and they think that it will make them popular. So being nice won't matter.
C3) TAKEN. Those perfect chicks that are nice to everyone, but they have a BF. So, being really really nice would only creep them out.
Now, back to his arguments.
3) Yes, confidence does help, but as I said, as stated in the resolution, you cannot get a girl PURELY on being nice to them. sorry.
And the friendzone isn't a challenge zone. It's a hell zone. It's like being stuck in a pit of superglue. It's impossible to get out. Bees would only enrageth the female sex and further dig you deeper into the friendzone, or the freakzone, cause you threw bees at them.
So, if you want to get a girl, as stated by my opponent,
Thank you.
It seems my opponent didn't read the terms laid out for him. The strategy was being nice - your character and various qualities one might have are being held ceteris paribus, whatever they maybe - they may be rich and confident.
He fails to refute arguments 1 and 3 on this basis. For the record, I've beaten the friendzone a few times.
Also his refutation of 2 is obviously false. To the women reading this; think of yourself and your friends; Are you a rich bitch, insecure or taken? Are these the sole ways you can define yourself? Men, ask the same questions of your friends and sisters. The answers are very likely to be no. There are a great deal of types of women. It seems my opponents main issue may be that he has not had very much contact with women, considering his opinions of their variety.
So to conclude, he drops my arguments about how some people can employ the nice strategy sucessful, because of their other attributes (note differentiation from strategy and attributes). This concedes the argument. It is possible for some people, by being just nice, not using any tricks or games or the like, to get a girl.
His refuation to point 2 was laughably weak and simplistic.
The resolution is negated. Thank-you.
I would like to start off by thanking my opponent for his arguments. But, sadly, He too hasn't read the terms laid out for him. As stated in the argument, one cant get a girl PURELY by being nice to them. It is defined by Merriam-Webster online dictionary (http://www.merriam-webster.com...) as "to a full extent : totally". My opponent says that people keep their prior traits and being kind is a strategy used. But we are PURELY focusing on the "Nice" aspect to this argument. Therefore, my points on 1 and 3 are still strong, and I assume he agrees with the rest of argument one and two that don't have to do with having prior traits in my first argument.
As for his argument on my second argument, I guess I failed to mention the 4th category: Misunderstood.
This is to all the ladies out there.
Ladies, do you fall into any of the 3 categories that I provided? Be honest. Try to see yourself from someone elses shoes. I'm not saying your a rich b!tch. You could be insecure or already have that special someone. But, if you don't, you probably fit into one of the 4th category of misunderstood. You try to get that special someone, but they only see you as a frien and don't see your potential. They don't see you as someone who they would go out with. I'm not saying your any less than any other girl in any way, shape, or form. The reason this is relevant, is because men will not try to get you to like them, because they do not like you. They will not try the "being nice" strategy to begin with.
If you don't fall into any of these categories, then you are God's gift to men, so call me! ;D
In conclusion, my opponent has failed to attack a lot of my argument and has only said things like how my arguments are "laughably weak and simplistic." My argument is still strong.
Nontheless, I had a great debate with Thaddeus, and I look forward to more debates with him in the future. I thank all of the voters for reading these arguments, and a very special thank you to all the ladies for reading our arguments (mostly mine).
I would like to begin by refering my opponent to the clarifications for the terms of debate:
"Clarification for terms of debate. By purely being nice to them, we mean as a strategy - all other things being held ceteris paribus.
This means that though one is purely being nice, one doesn't cease to eat or drink or breath just because these activities do not fall into the category of nice, nor does one's personality change except by this one criteria we are holding as the variable; being nice.
Therefore, someone who is a confident person, employing this strategy, is still considered to be a confident person.
"You" in relation to the debate shall be considered to mean anyone, not the user known as Thaddeus specifically, unless cheesedingo wants to argue that the user known as Thaddeus can't get a girl by being nice.
Therefore, Cheesedingo's burden of proof is to show that no-one can get a girl by being nice as a strategy. Get in this case means to have a relationship with them"
These conditions were agreed upon prior to the beginning of the debate (see comments).
Therefore my contentions about arguments 1 & 3 stand. I can neither confirm nor deny agreeing with the rest of his arguments relating to my arguments 1 & 3, as he made no others.
Whilst I did make little attack on your assertions regarding argument 2, this is because it was unnecessary to. YOu made some obviously false assertions (girls fall into one of three catagories - more or less self-evidently false unless you have only met 3 girls and that none of the girls who fall into these catagories will be interested in a "nice guy"). I merely had to refer the readers to their own experience to disprove such assertions.
To summarize:
1) Being purely nice does not preclude having other desirable attributes aside from your strategy: being wealthy or good looking.
My opponent claimed that these attributes were part of a strategy - this claim goes against the terms laid out at the beginning of the debate which he explicitly agreed to (see comments)
2) Girls are very varied. Whilst there may be relatively few girls only looking for a nice girl, they certainly exist, due to the sheer number of girls.
My opponent made the assertion that girls aren't varied. My counter source is the readers intelligence and ability to look outside. It is more or less self evident that exist some very different people. There may also be several norms and stereotypes, but people who do not meet these criteria can easily be found. I assert that as surely as there is a girl somewhere out there who digs guys who speak solely in Haikus, there is a girl out there who only cares about how nice you are.
3) Confidence is an characteristic as opposed to a strategy and is the most crucial element in "getting" a girl. One can be "purely nice" whilst still being confident and self assured.
I concede that this is a fairly similar argument to 1. However, it is the most crucial aspect of getting a girl. As being nice and confident are not mutually exclusive, one can assume that someone who is naturally confident and also employs the strategy of being purely nice has a fairly good chance of getting a girl.
My opponent has utterly failed to refute any of these assertions and meet his burden of proof (to prove the impossibility of getting a girl by solely employing the strategy of being nice) sothe only choice is to vote for Con.
13 comments have been posted on this debate. Showing 1 through 10 records.
Posted by Koopin 6 years ago
Posted by cheesedingo1 6 years ago
Posted by royalpaladin 6 years ago
Posted by cheesedingo1 6 years ago
Posted by royalpaladin 6 years ago
Posted by imabench 6 years ago
2 votes have been placed for this debate. Showing 1 through 2 records.
Vote Placed by royalpaladin 6 years ago
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Reasons for voting decision: Con wins based on the "varied" analysis. Girls cannot be stereotyped into categories and told what they like. Con correctly notes that there are girls who specifically examine "niceness" when they are determining if they should be in a relationship with someone. Pro's case amounts to a few assertions; he has no actual evidence that it is not possible for a single girl in existence to fall for nice guys. Easy Con win.
Vote Placed by Ixaax 6 years ago
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Reasons for voting decision: FF? Utter failure on Pro's behalf otherwise. Easy win to Con.
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Come Fly With Us!Posted Sep 14, 2008 | Category: Flying Carpet Club
This information was originally posted on September 14, 2008. Please note that the article refers to events from a previous school year.
The PTO's Flying Carpet Club is getting ready for take-off: Come aboard as a volunteer!
Toting carpets into Central School classrooms during the winter months, we take small groups of children in grades 1-5 on literary adventures around the globe. We aim to inspire young club members to thoughtfully consider and discuss the significance of world-class grade-level appropriate literature collected in Junior Great Books™ anthologies… and to make it fun!
In its debut last year, the Flying Carpet Club attracted 105 student members. Its reputation for intrigue and excitement spread quickly, leading us to anticipate an increase in membership applications this year. As each Flying Carpet Club is limited in size to 5-8 children, our ability to offer this unique program to children is directly proportional to the number of volunteers willing to facilitate individual clubs.
Please consider becoming a Flying Carpet Club leader (10 sessions) or co-leader (5 sessions) with another volunteer. Flying Carpet Clubs meet once per week on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday (your choice) during the lunch/recess period from the week of January 12 through and including the week of March 16, 2009.
We are inviting prospective leaders and co-leaders to come aboard now, as student enrollment and volunteer leadership training begin soon. If you would like to learn more about the Flying Carpet Club and/or explore leadership opportunities in greater detail, please contact Aberdeen Ozga at firstname.lastname@example.com or see school directory for phone number. We're a friendly bunch – come fly with us!


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Healthcare Business Intelligence Software
ImagineIntelligence™ is a comprehensive data-mining and analytics system. It features cube-driven reporting, web and mobile publishing and direct email integration. Multiple disparate data sources can be integrated into the application to allow for true enterprise reporting.
Make informed decisions with true insight into your organization's financial health with Imagine's Healthcare business intelligence software.Keep your finger on the pulse of your practice with a full BI and analytics solution that will help your business improve patient, service, and billing outcomes. With roll-up reporting and constant system monitoring, evaluate key performance indicators to predict future trends based on revenue and billing costs. Learn More about ImagineIntelligence™


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- Children's Clothing Sets[5]
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- Decorative Flowers & Wreaths[6]
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- Other Holiday Supplies[6]
- Party Masks[6]
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- Eyeglasses Frames[6]
Contact Us
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- Address : Zhejiang,Panan,No.12,Shenze village,Shenze street,Panan county
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Waiting for your inquiry, hope you could send us your own unique designs, then we could make the C.S. for you. About the sample fee and freight cost should be paid by our clients. But when place an order, we could resend the sample fee.
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I am Haydn Andrews from Melbourne Australia.
I spent 7 years in the Australian Army's Signal Corp as a Systems Administrator and Network Administrator. I had the privilege of being deployed to Timor-Leste as part of Operation Astute in the role of team leader of a infrastructure team.
Following my discharge from the Army I worked for NEC Australia as a Network Engineer on the Northern Territory Government's network. This network was both wired and wireless to approx 2000 sites both within metropolitan, regional and remote outback Australia.
Following my role with NEC, after nearly 10 years of being away from family and friends it was time to return to Melbourne. Here I took up a role as a Network Engineer with one of Australia's largest electrical retailers.
I had always supporting wireless networks alongside the wired side, I was offered a contract to become a full time Wireless Engineer with one of Australia's leading Universities.
I have achieved the following certifications:
CCNP – Wireless
CCNP – Route and Switch
CCNA – Voice
ITIL – Foundations version 3
I am currently Studying to achieve the CWNE and then after a well earned break I think I would like to have an attempt at achieving my CCIE Wireless.
If you wish to get in contact with me please email firstname.lastname@example.com


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We started American Made Matters in 2009 after experiencing the heart-wrenching and painful downsizing of our American employees who lost their jobs through no fault of theirs.
They worked hard and made great products, but China and other nations were provided unlimited access to the United States market which was the largest and most affluent in the world and their selling prices were less than our cost to make it with American labor. Many middle-class jobs were lost because our government did not protect these jobs and thought that US businesses would just invent stuff and leave the dirty work of making it to other countries. Some blamed greedy retailers or manufacturers who wanted more money. Well, American Made Matters was founded by manufacturers in 2009 who were willing to sacrifice their money and retirement funds to stay true to their heritage and their co-workers. We made shirts and ties and pants and hats in the USA and wanted to keep these jobs here. In 2009 and since, businessman Donald Trump's apparel lines have been produced in Asian and Mexican factories. Trump the businessman claimed that he could not find these products made in America.
Today we salute the words of President Donald J. Trump during his Inauguration Speech and hope that he will do what businessman Trump did not do, "BUY AMERICAN AND HIRE AMERICANS." Let's give our new president all of the support he needs to bring jobs back. He also said that "WHEN AMERICA IS UNITED, AMERICA IS UNSTOPPABLE." American Made Matters today as it did when we launched in 2009 and together we will build a better future!
-Founder Don Rongione


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Searching For A List
Marketer lists are a great way to find vetted Creators and invite them to your Campaigns in one click.
1. Log into your account and select the Lists button from the left navigation bar.
2. Once on the Lists page, you will notice all of the available Creator Lists. Each list has been vetted for quality and is separated out by platform (Blogs, Instagram, Twitter, etc.). In the center column, you can find the total number of members for each list, the list's overall star ranking and the total reach for that list.
3. To view a list, simply click on either View or the List Name itself.
4. You can search for a particular list by searching for a key term of your choosing. For example: "Female lifestyle". If you would like to refine your search, even more, you can filter your results. To do this click on the drop-down arrow next to Filter. You can then select how you would like to refine your search by selecting one of the filter options provided:
- Members- this is the total numbers of Creators currently added to a list.
- Reach- the total reach for your list. This is the sum of the reach of all of the Creators on a list.
- Quality- the average quality of the Creators on a list. This number is calculated by averaging all of the star ratings* for the Creators on your list and then dividing this number by the total members on your list.
- Created By- the user that created the list. There are only two options to choose from; You or Exchange. The Exchange option is a list that has been manually created and vetted by the platform.
- Platform- the type of connection this list specifically pertains to in the system. For example, this could be a Facebook-only list.
5. You can select more than one filter option by clicking the next drop-down arrow next to Add a Filter.
6. If you would like to remove a filter simply click on the next to the filter option.
7. Once you have selected all of your filter options click Apply Filter. This will then bring up all of the lists that match your filtering criteria.


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443PD - Pharmacodynamic (PD) - pharmacokinetic (PK) study of ficlatuzumab(F), a monoclonal antibody (MAB) directed to the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), in...
|30 September 2012
|ESMO Congress 2012
|Developmental therapeutics
| Drug Development
|Elena Elez
E. Elez1, J. Tabernero2, L. Prudkin3, S. Agarwal4, M. Han4, M. Credi4, W. Yin4, N. Kuriyama4, J. Baselga5
F is a humanized IgG1 mAb directed to HGF that inhibits activation of the c-Met receptor, with potential anti-tumor activity. This study was to define the optimal dose using PD and PK assessments.Methods
Pts with solid tumors and liver mets, with phospho (p)-Met expression were sequentially enrolled into 2, 10, or 20 mg/kg (RP2D, defined in a previous study), of F given IV every 2 wks and were evaluated every 8 wks for response using RECIST 1.1. Target pathway modulation was assessed by measuring the following PD markers by IHC in biopsies of liver mets: p-Met, p-Akt, p-ERK, p-S6K, HGF, and c-Met; Ki67 and cleaved caspase-3; and CD31. PD-evaluable pts had measurable p-Met at Cycle 1 Day 1 pre-dose and at least one post-dose timepoint. Serum was collected to measure F, anti-drug antibody (ADA), s-Met, HGF, and HGF/F complex levels by ELISA.Results
Nineteen pts received F: 15 male/4 female; median age 60 years; ECOG PS 0/1 (8/11 pts). The most frequent TEAEs, mostly Grade 1 to 3, were asthenia, edema, hepatic pain (32% each), cough (26%). There were no DLTs or ADA. Serum albumin decreased to below normal for most pts at EOT and recovered at the follow up visit. Best overall response was SD (5/18 pts) and disease progression (13/18 pts), and median duration of treatment was 6 wks (range 2-59). PK analysis revealed dose-proportional drug exposure with a low systemic clearance leading to a terminal half-life of 7.4 to 10.0 days, and a low volume of distribution approximating the plasma volume. F treatment increased the total serum HGF and HGF/F complex levels. Increasing dose of F resulted in progressive decreases in p-Met and p-AKT. At RP2D, the majority of pts experienced ≥ 25% decrease from baseline in p-Met, p-ERK, p-Akt, Ki67 and CD31.Conclusions
Ficlatuzumab(F) is well tolerated in this population. The PK of F in this study was consistent with that reported previously. Increase in post-dose serum HGF and HGF/F complex levels indicates target engagement. At RP2D, a majority of pts experienced decreases in key cell signaling PD markers. This study supports the selection of 20 mg/kg F dose as RP2D.Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.


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Hang a little art in the kitchen with this brightly hued floral watercolor towel. Made of 100 percent cotton.To buy: $28, brika.com.Get Daily Finds via e-mail


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Marine Le Pen – "The Anglo-Saxons are Awake! The Continent Is Next!"
Here's a wonderfully fiery speech by French politician Marine Le Pen of the Front National, speaking to a gathering of anti-EU populist parties in Koblenz, Germany a few days ago. And yes, The Donald gets a couple of mentions, as she cites President Trump and the UK's Theresa May as [Read More]


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Leonardo Glauso
Italian fashion photographer Leonardo Glauso has captured these natural beauties, specifically for himself. A cross between a nude fashion shoot and private snapshots. Beautiful, sexy – simply erotic. Glauso's photography sways far from moral norms, his models stand for freedom of sexual expression. In short: stylishly independent, erotic, unbelievably beautiful, loaded with sensuality.
Pages: 128
Photos: 120 Photos
Bookshelf size: 5.5" x 8.5" / 14,5 x 21,5 cm
Languages: EN - DE - FR - ES - IT
Cover: Hardcover
Prices incl. VAT plus shipping costs


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Xbox 360 Wireless Controller Gaming Receiver PC Brand new & high quality.
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An Interactive Syrian defection: It visualisation tracks senior military officials, members of parliament and diplomats who quit Assad's regime.
Interactive Tracking of Syria's defection
August 2, 2012
An Interactive Syrian defection: It visualisation tracks senior military officials, members of parliament and diplomats who quit Assad's regime.
Interactive Tracking of Syria's defection
July 31, 2012
Syria decides to down a Turkish fighter jet which may or may not have been on in Syrian airspace and no warning were given. However In September 2007, Israeli fighter jets destroyed a mysterious complex in the Syrian desert and what did the Syrians do? Yeah you guessed it. Bugger all. Go figure. I thought Syria was at war with Israel?
February 7, 2012
Response by Yemeni Nobel Peace prize winner in 2011 Tawakkul Karman* when asked about her Hijab By Journalists and how it is not proportionate with her level of intellect and education, she replied:
"Man in The early times was almost naked, and as his intellect evolved he started wearing clothes. What I am today and what I'm wearing represents the highest level of thought and civilization that man has achieved, and is not regressive. It's the removal of clothes again that is regressive back to ancient TIMES"****
Noble Laurette from Yemen, Tawakul Karman.
December 29, 2010
Surrounded by examples of decadent wealth, Abu Dhabi is probably the only place where an $11m Christmas tree might not seem a little over the top.
Dubbed one of the 'most expensive Christmas trees ever', the glitzy Emirates Palace hotel has unveiled the 40ft evergreen in its gold-leaf bedecked atrium.
Decorated with traditional silver and gold bows, baubles and white lights, the tree is also decked out in necklaces, earrings and other jewellery giving it its record value.
It holds a total of 181 diamonds, pearls, emeralds, sapphires and other precious stones according to Khalifa Khouri, owner of Style Gallery which provided the jewellery.
Hans Olbertz, general manager of the hotel, said: 'The tree itself is about $10,000. The jewellery has a value of over $11million – I think 11.4m, 11.5m.'
He added that the hotel would apply to the Guinness Book of World Records to find out if its tree is the most expensive ever.
Asked if the tree might offend religious sensibilities in the United Arab Emirates, where the vast majority of the population is Muslim, Mr Olbertz said: 'It's a very liberal country.'
The above is dedicated to all the 'Muslim Haters' out there. Although I would rather see the money spent on worth while causes. They could at least start by paying their unseen, unheard, modren day slaves that are building their new vision of the UAE.
Charity starts at home first.
December 27, 2010
Steven Green, a former American solider serving 5 life terms for raping a 14 year old Iraqi girl and killing her parents and sister admits that he thought iraqi civilians were not human. All this because of what he says crimes fuelled by experiences in iraq's violent 'Triangle of Death' where two of his sergeants were gunned down.
Green said those deaths 'messed me up real bad.' 'There's not a word that would describe how much I hated these people,' Green said. 'I wasn't thinking these people were humans.'
Green after the killing of his sergeants, talked frequently of wanting to kill Iraqis.
The following is an extract taken from the Daily Mail newspaper. 'At the Iraqi home, Barker and Cortez pulled Abeer into one room, while Green held the mother, father and youngest daughter in another.
Pfc. Jesse V. Spielman, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, stood guard in the hall. As Barker and Cortez raped the teen, Green shot the three family members, killing them.
He then went into the next room and raped Abeer, before shooting her in the head. The soldiers lit her remains on fire before leaving. Another soldier stood watch a few miles away at the checkpoint.'
You can read the full article here.
If this is the trauma and after shock that a trained solider can feel; can you imagine how the ordinary Iraqi civilian must feel. How they have to live each day watching the foreign occupiers, raping their land of resources and whatever they can.
The war in Iraq, is an illegal occupation that has no standing in international law. The war must end now; the foreign troops must evacuate and allow the Iraqi's to decide their own future.
November 28, 2010
Sam Richards – A Radical Experiment in Empathy
April 3, 2010


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SkyRise Miami
- SkyRise Miami is a projected 1000-foot Vertical Entertainment Center / observatory tower located at the epicenter of Downtown Miami. They are seeking a naming rights and secondary sponsors for the Tower.
- Position this development as a one-of-a-kind venue and through marketing activations, create additional value for the naming rights sponsor.
- Developed investor packages and material for sophisticated, high-net-worth investors in the US, Latin America and China.
- Conceptualization and design of engaging marketing activations for sponsors and consumers.
- Helped with project budgeting
- Designed and created all marketing materials for
sponsorship sales pitches (presentations, books, videos, websites in multiple languages, etc.)
- Currently in final negotiations with a lead and secondary sponsor.


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<img src="http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp143/BradleyForever_2008/mattsnew.png" alt="Matts new banner" style="border: 0px;" /
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Those of you new balance 247 looking to get your pair of St. Alfred x Asics Gel Lyte III s were probably not too thrilled to see that demand for the shoe crashed the website. Well the good news is that the shoe will still release to all of the worldwide retailers listed below and the list is pretty lengthy. Just incase you don t know what all the hype is about the photo set above can explain it a bit better than we can and we d like to wish St. Alfred s site a speedy recovery! They ll be ready for you guys in a few days.
Asics has teamed up with Chicago-based sneaker shops Saint Alfred, and the end result is this pair of Asics Gel Lyte III. The low-top features an upper built primarily from a grey-colored suede, all the while being contrasted with teal accents towards the back end. Anchoring the look is a birch-colored midsole and gum rubber outsole. While no release date has been announced, we do know that upon the shoe s arrival at dealers, Boston-based Concepts will begin stocking it. The new balance 373 classic 1993 era runner turns twenty this year, and to celebrate, Asics will release a number of colorways in the sneaker. Here we re seeing the shoe blend suede, mesh, and neoprene, all the while sporting grey, black, purple, and blue. There s no word yet as to the shoe s availability, but stay tuned in for more information.
With it new balance 373 mens s growing popularity, ASICS has been dropping dope collaborations almost monthly. Amongst those is this pack releasing exclusively at Foot Locker, dubbed the Colors that Run Collection. The pack includes new iterations of the GEL-NIMBUS®15, GEL-KAYANO®19 and GEL-NOOSA®.The 2013 Colors that Run campaign is the second of it s kind, this time featuring NFL stars Patrick Willis and Danny Amendola. Featuring national spots on TNT, ESPN and other major TV networks, the ASICS Colors that Run Pack is a unique collection of kicks that will definitely break necks.
Ronnie Fieg s Asics Gel Lyte III ECP Pack may be ready to set the internet ablaze but Asics is also prepared to heat up the winter with a inline releases. Five colorful Asics Gel Lyte new balance 373 womens III colorways that boast suede, mesh and slight leather trim are going to make their way to shelves at some point this year and we can t wait until they touch down. Stay tuned for more images of each individual colorway.Ronnie Fieg has teamed up with a selection of labels (East Coast Project) to craft this collection of Asics Gel Lyte III inspired by the cities of New York and Miami. Today we re seeing more images of both designs.
The popular Asics Gel Lyte III gets itself ready for this Spring / Summer season with a new New York Knicks colorway. The she shoe builds combines its usual suede and mesh together while combining a navy base with orange accents. The shoe s new NY look adds itself to a long line of great colorways for Asics. If you re lucky there may be a pair sitting in your size over at Kith. If you can t have any luck there, head to the overseas retailers to find a pair.The Ronnie Fieg New York City ASICS Gel Lyte III blends a perforated pigskintoebox and quarter panel with a soft nubuck quarter and heel counter. Wovenmesh, a light grey midsole, 3M stripes and eyes on the toe, plus an instantlyrecognizable duo of blue and orange is a perfectly executed combination.
LeBron James signature shoe continues to serve as the canvas for many a custom. Today we re seeing a pair of Nike LeBron 10 customs created by Sab-1, which utilizes a Nike Zoom KD 4 Weatherman theme. The shoe features doppler radar designs on the back panels, new balance 410 while the rest of the shoe is dressed in green. Adding to the look are special insoles, which include a footprint created with heat sensor styling. Hit up Sab-1 for any inquiries.The Asics Gel Saga II borrows a bit from Tarrantino s Kill Bill franchise to come up with this killer new silhouette. Made to mimic the sneakers that Uma Thurman s character wore the sneakers feature a yellow suede and mesh upper trimmed in black. Slight red accents and a gum outsole finish the look well and if you are interested select [img]http://www.2regtra.co.uk/images/shoes/new balance-678oyy.jpg[/img] Asics retailers like Sneaker Politics have them in stock now.


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I will be speaking on Mental Illness and the Church on Sunday, October 1, from 3-5 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church in Fairview Heights, Illinois. Here is a link to the Facebook Event for it:
I hope to see some of you there!
Pastor Peperkorn
I will be speaking on Mental Illness and the Church on Sunday, October 1, from 3-5 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church in Fairview Heights, Illinois. Here is a link to the Facebook Event for it:
I hope to see some of you there!
Pastor Peperkorn
There is something about this season that has a weightiness to it. I don't mean a seriousness. We work very, very hard never to be serious in our world today. No, I mean a weightiness, that we are weighed down by many cares and worries.
In my own congregation we are weighed down with death. The deaths may be recent, they may be more distant, but it seems as though death is in the air right now. Who will not be at the altar this Christmas? Who is no longer among us that has been here for it seems as long as there has been a church? The list is longer than usual.
Seven years ago yesterday my wife and I lost a child in the womb. His name is Emmanuel. Four years before that, we lost a child named Nadia. While the grief of these losses is distant, their cry seems to echo through the years, and I hear them even now.
But it isn't just death that weighs us down, it is the effects of death. It is what the ancients would call corruption. There is distance in families that shouldn't be there. Love that grows cold. Hearts that harden at the sorrows of the day. There is an uncertainty, a hesitation about the future. What will happen tomorrow? How will I survive? Must I brace myself for another onslaught of grief and heartache? Is there no end to what we must face in this world?
That is the weight of December. That is why the days are so long, and the nights even longer. And no among of sugar, caffeine, or alcohol can make it all go away.
But there is One who will lift the weight. Jesus Christ is the one who comes into our flesh and blood. Christmas is about how our Lord takes on the frailty of human flesh so that we can take on the hope of the divine life. It is a strange exchange, that is for sure. But it is very real. Christ our Lord raises our humanity up by taking it into Himself. This is why we pray on Advent IV:
Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come and help us by Your might, that the sins which weigh us down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
As you pray, and wait, and fret, and worry, and scurry through this holy season, be of good cheer! Your suffering will come to an end. There is a resurrection for you and me, and for all those who are in Christ. The future is bright, because it is in Christ.
Greetings, friends!
It has now been almost eight years since my book, I Trust When Dark My Road: A Lutheran View of Depression, was published by the now-defunct LCMS World Relief and Human Care. It went through two printings, and continues to be downloaded as a PDF on a daily basis. I also continue to receive requests for it on a regular basis.
If there is anything like it in Lutheranism that can be recommended to others, I have yet to find it.
Since my attempts at getting it reprinted through traditional means (CPH, NPH, etc.) has not borne fruit, I would like to make it available either through a small publisher or through a self-publishing venture like lulu.com.
I'm not trying to make money on this. I would simply like to make it happen, but I do not have the time or resources to shepherd this project through at this time.
If you have any wisdom on how this might be done, and would like to be of service to the Church in making this happen, please contact me either through the "contact me" page on this web site, through FaceBook or through Twitter.
Thanks for your help, and I pray that we can work together for the good of the Church and all those who suffer from this dreadful disease.
In Christ,
Todd Peperkorn, Author
I Trust When Dark My Road: A Lutheran View of Depression
Woman Dealing With Depression, Anorexia Euthanized When Doctors Decide She Can't be Cured
The above article, found on lifenews.com, demonstrates the dangerous intersection of a self-willed society and a terrible disregard for human life.
Kyrie Eleison!
Ten years ago, on Good Friday in 2006, my life took a profound turn for the worse and for the better. I was on partial disability for clinical depression, and I was barely hanging on. Trying to "do" disability, be a pastor, and a father to two girls and a newborn only weeks old, it was all getting the best of me. I was barely holding on, only I didn't know it at the time.
When I got back from my morning constitutional (nine holes of golf), I received a phone call from my insurance company. They told me matter-of-factly that they had determined I was no longer ill, and that my disability had been canceled/revoked as of two weeks previous. I hung up the phone. It was the last straw, the end. I could not hold all of this together anymore. I was (so my disease was telling me) not worth anything to anyone, and it was time to give up. I resolved to end my life.
Well, after church, of course. I was a pastor, after all.
So the day continued. I didn't tell my wife anything. She was quite used to me wandering around the house as a zombie. By that time it would have been strange if I did anything else.
I went to our noon service, a joint Good Friday Tre Ore that we held with our sister congregation in town. I was preaching. Right before we went in I told my pastor (my colleague and friend), that I was going to kill myself after the service. It probably didn't come out sounding that dramatic. I have no idea what I actually said, anymore than I have any idea what I said in the sermon. But I will say that it is a, well, unique experience to preaching on the death of God for the salvation of the world while you are planning your own death.
But I didn't die.
My pastor wouldn't let me out of his sight after the service. We eventually went to Panera and stared at each other over a cup of coffee for an hour or two (six? Half an hour? I have no idea). Eventually I came out of the fog enough to call my counselor. Somehow we/they developed a plan to get through the weekend, appeal the determination of the insurance company, get me to someone's home where I could stay without responsibilities for some weeks, and slowly, slowly, rebuild my life.
Now, I've written about this many times. You can find some of them HERE, HERE, and HERE, for example. But after ten years, it strikes me that it might be useful to highlight a few things I've learned after ten years of a life that was saved:
First, my story is not unusual. While it may seem strange or unusual because I'm a pastor, there are many, many people with stories much like mine. Sometimes they are darker, sometimes brighter, but in almost every case there are commonalities. A sickness that no one fully understands. A low point that no one could see coming. Friends and family, or even a stranger stepping in so that life may go on. At the time it felt like no one could possibly understand what I was going through. Today I am more amazed that someone doesn't understand, at least a little bit. We all have darkness in our lives. It is either our own darkness or someone else's. But it is there. I have come to recognize that as a part of our common humanity.
Second, one can never be too grateful for the people around you. Family, friends, pastors, doctors, counselors, all of these and more are God's instruments to bring you life, to hold you together, and to give you a glimpse into God's mercy when the darkness surrounds you. The kindness that has been shown to me and to my family just never seems to end, and I am constantly amazed at the people that God continues to place into our lives so that we might be cared for and loved.
Third, recognizing our common humanity can serve as the beginning of healing. C.S. Lewis once wrote, "Friendship … is born at the moment when one man says to another "What! You too? I thought that no one but myself . . ." (The Four Loves). If this is true of friendship, how much more is this true of our weaknesses, our diseases, and our need for mercy! Speaking with others who suffer, giving them permission to say "this stinks!" (or something more colorful), it is a liberating thing. While it is sometimes hard, very often I benefit more from the conversations that those who have reached out. We are never alone.
Fourth, healing never really stops. The last years have had plenty of ups and downs, health wise. I've tried going off medication (not a good idea for me). I've tried and transitioned through different counselors, and doctors, and even pastors. Each of these have held their challenge, but they have all pointed to the simple fact that while life is fragile, things do change. And that is okay.
Finally, it is the Lord's Supper that continues to give life. I know, the pastor had to get one "pastor" answer in to this. But it is true. No matter how I feel, Christ is present delivering His gives to me. My mood or health don't keep Him away. My confusion or hurt doesn't deter Him. He gives Himself in the Eucharist, and in doing so, is with me to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20). That rock, that certainty beyond all doubt, is what sustains me when everything else seems to go dark.
If you are suffering with depression, bipolar disorder, or the myriad over other mental illnesses that seem to afflict us day by day, know this: you are not alone. Christ has suffered for us, and we in turn suffer with each other.
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Psalms 73:26 ESV)
Pastor Todd Peperkorn
I was interview recently on Higher Things Radio. It is on suicide and depression. I thought the interview went really well, and answered some questions I haven't talked about before. Episode 287. Enjoy!
I will be writing more on this in the days to come, but in the meantime, here is an interview I just did on Issues, Etc.. The topic is suicide and mental illness.
Peace be with you all! I'll post more later.
a.k.a. Rev. Todd A. Peperkorn
"How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart, you begin to understand, there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep…that have taken hold." ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."" (Revelation 21:4 ESV)
It is these two realities that I struggle with today. Today is the ninth anniversary of the death of my mother, Susan Peperkorn (nee Troy). There is nothing really new or different about this year. We are in California now, enjoying the gifts that God has given to us at this stage in our lives. My children are happy. My wife is, as usual, moving about three times faster than I am. It is sunny outside and warm. I have a wonderful, supportive congregation and staff. But I cannot get the feeling of stuckness out of my head, the overwhelming blanket of death which infects us all to one degree or another.
In the quotation from Tolkien above, Frodo is remembering the knife wound from the witch-king at Weathertop. It was an evil blade, and the would bothered him all the days of his life. Even though he was physically healed, the wound would remind him evert year that he was not whole, that in his journey there had been loss, and that time does not heal all wounds.
This is how it is for me and death. I feel sometimes that I could go from anniversary to anniversary. From death to death to death, and that Satan would drag me down until there is nothing left. Mom, Bruce, Nadia, Emmanuel, Grandpaw & Grandma,Uncle Bill, Grandma Ardis, Grandpa Wilbur. I can remember them all and more. And this does not include all those whom I have buried over the decades as a pastor. Signe and Margaret. Blackey and Ed. Anastasia and Gabriel. Sometimes it seems as though life is one big funeral, and that we simply go from one to the next without any break or even time to recover.
Time does not heal all wounds, but Jesus does. I do not mean this in a pious, syrupy way. What I mean is that Jesus heals all wounds in His resurrection. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. And in HIs death, all of our loved ones near and far were covered. They were covered with His blood, so that now as they arise in the waters of Baptism, their earthly deaths will have an end.
Only Jesus can heal the wounds of a broken soul. Only Jesus can heal the wounds of death which envelop us all. This side of the grave there are wounds that can never fully heal. But this side of the grave is not the end. Jesus breaks the bonds of death itself, so that there will come a time when there are no more tears, no more sorrow, no more morning. Indeed, there comes a time when death itself will be no more.
I, for one, cannot wait. My sadness will pass. The darkness will give rise to the dawn. I rest in Christ, just as all those who died in the faith rest in Him even now.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And take us to Heaven to live with Thee there.
[Originally posted on Lutheran Logomaniac]
I often wonder why I get so, uh, curmudgeonly during Christmas time. It is one of the two highest feast days of the Christian Church. The music and Scripture readings for the season are sublime. In every measurable way, it is a time of great joy and happiness. Family gather together. There is festiveness in the air. All in all, it is a good time.
But then I remember.
Nadia. Emmanuel. Mom. The many people whom I have buried over the years who are no longer with their families. The families who now are at a loss of what to do because of this emptiness.
To quote the hymn, "In the midst of earthly life, death has us surrounded." Or to quote St. Paul, "the wages of sin is death." Death has a way of messing up and just bringing down everything around us. Some years or season are greater reminders than this of others, but the sad reality is always there, always present, always trying so very hard to draw us into the pit of self-pity and despair.
That is why I get curmudgeonly.
But that is also why I don't stay curmudgeonly.
Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, to defeat death by taking it into Himself, and to wipe away the tears of grief which wet our faces year after year.
One hymn, perhaps more than any other for me, encapsulates this reality. I hope it brings you joy this season.
Oh, rejoice, ye Christians, loudly,
For your joy hath now begun;
Wondrous things our God hath done.
Tell abroad His goodness proudly,
Who our race hath honored thus
That He deigns to dwell with us.
Joy, O joy, beyond all gladness,
Christ hath done away with sadness!
Hence, all sorrow and repining,
For the Son of Grace is shining!
See, my soul, thy Savior chooses
Weakness here and poverty,
In such love He comes to thee
Nor the hardest couch refuses;
All He suffers for thy good,
To redeem thee by His blood.
Lord, how shall I thank Thee rightly?
I acknowledge that from Thee
Every blessing flows to me..
Let me not forget it lightly
But to Thee through all things cleave
So shall heart and mind receive:
Jesus, guard and guide Thy members,
Fill Thy brethren with Thy grace,
Hear their prayers in every place.
Quicken now life's faintest embers,
Grant all Christians, far and near,
Holy peace, a glad new Year!
God's richest peace to you this season. Merry Christmas in Jesus' Name.
Pastor Todd Peperkorn
Recently I was asked to respond to a question on one of my favorite sites on the theology of the cross, He Remembers the Barren. Go check out the site and how I answered the question of when to talk to someone about depression. You may find it HERE.


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FELICITY ASHBEE (1867–1956), They Face Famine in Spain: Send Medical Supplies, 1937, Off-set lithograph on paper, published by the National Joint Committee for Spanish Relief Courtesy of the People's History Museum
The Spanish Civil War was fought from July 1936 to April 1939 between Republican factions loyal to the democratically elected Popular Front Government of the Spanish Republic, and the Nationalists, a right wing group led by General Francisco Franco whose military rebels had led a coup which ignited the conflict. The question of British political involvement in Spain was the subject of heated debate in parliament and in the media. In August 1936 Britain had signed a non-Intervention Agreement, together with 24 other nations. Due to a Franco-British arms embargo the Spanish Republic could only purchase arms from the Soviet Union, yet large amounts of weapons, supplies and troops were supplied to the Nationalists by Nazi Germany and fascist Italy, escalating the situation from a civil war to a conflict with an international dimension. The cause of Republican Spain thus attracted widespread international support, as it provided an opportunity for people and organisations from a wide political spectrum to show solidarity against fascism.
Many British artists became passionately involved in the political and social issues raised by the Civil War. This ranged from designing posters for non-partisan campaigns for medical aid and supplies such as the National Joint Committee for Spanish Relief, to travelling to Spain and, in the case of artists such as Clive Branson, joining the International Brigades to fight alongside their Spanish comrades. Over 2500 recruits from Britain and Ireland joined 35,000 volunteers from 53 countries, of whom 526 were killed and many more injured.
By 1936 the left-wing Artists' International Association (AIA) had over 600 members and since its formation in 1933, had evolved into a 'United Front against Fascism and War.' The AIA organised many exhibitions and fundraising campaigns including 'Artists Help Spain', 'Portraits for Spain' and an exhibition of drawings by Felicia Browne - the first British person killed in action in the conflict. These events united artists from across the spectrum of artistic styles, ranging from abstract artists to members of the Bloomsbury Group, such as Vanessa Bell (whose son Julian was killed in Spain in July 1937), the British Surrealists and realist painters such as James Boswell.


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Shape Consumer Preferences
Here's another infographic from Google on using the digital landscape to shape your consumer's preference for your products. I think the most surprising statistic from this infographic is that 51% have discovered a new product or company while searching on their phones.
What are you doing to attract these consumers to your product or brand?


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Friday, February 18, 2011
This Was Asbury Park, NJ
Summer of Yueming
Tenuous Yet Strange Cleveland-Lusitania Connection
Friday, May 7th, 1915: the R.M.S. Lusitania (above) was, torpedoed by a German submarine off the coast of Ireland.
This disaster -- a war crime debated over by historians until the present day -- affected people across Britain, Ireland, the U.S.A. and around the world.
Saturday, 8 May 1915: the Plain Dealer newspaper sought to represent just how big the ocean liner was, with a graphic:
The graphic showed the Lusitania against the Great Pyramid of Cheops, a veritable ship of the desert. Superimposed on the pyramid for scale is Cleveland's Williamson Building, an early Cleveland skyscraper which once loomed over Public Square. The Williamson (below)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Fascinating Fascists
Shocking and Grotesque -- Take Your Pick
This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force.That is precisely how I feel about the flabbering, blathering, mumming, gawping and maudlin mess that is Ireland Central. Three choice items came prattling into my Inbox today...
1) Irish nun badly beaten in Florida -- see video! Amazing close-ups of the baseball bat hitting her forehead! Cheer as she goes down for the third time!
2) Irishman man forced to eat his own ear by thugs? Are you sure that "thugs" is the word to describe people who force you to eat your own ear, sorry, "WHO FORCE YOU TO EAT YOUR OWN EAR"? Are you sure that people would care more (or less) to know the ethnic origins of a victim of such misfortune and cruelty, that someone forced him to eat his own ear? Do Irish Central readers not mind the gangs of forced ear-eating thugs, so long as they don't attack anyone Irish?
3) Despite the enduring myth that Ireland is the land of Saints and Scholars, and despite an unending supply of writers, poets, dramatists, scribblers, basic grammar and spelling is as poor in Ireland as basic arithmetic (exampla gratia: any Irish government of the last ten years), as can be seen by the just plain wrongness of the third headline, above. I'm betting you has spotted it two. What, by the way, (see 2), is an "Irishman man"? (Thanks, Dominic).
Soon To Be Spring: Scenes From Snow
Ice crystals, spotted near the shore of Lake Erie.
"Snow fell, undated..." Snow coverage in the Midwest, by my observation, ranges from the above, pristine, with a slight undulation...
...to cratered, ravaged, filthy, cavernous... Perhaps it's not even correct to call the above 'snow,' it's more like 'icy conditions...'
Vegetation and snow interwoven in infinite variety, is nature painting a world with subdued, muted colors.
Man-made objects also provide odd shapes and perspectives...
Taking a crazy, curving path towards the sky, this looks like pussy willow.
Everywhere, it seems the snow is finally in retreat.
And the grass is reappearing.
As are the boots of the intrepid... Just a few more photos...
If at close range, the snows are retreating, from a distance, Lake Erie looks like it is permanently encased in ice.
Wouldn't you just hate to be a bird in winter? Especially the kind that is always parading and squawking around on the shore!
From a few inches to the farthest shore... a sliver of Lake Erie in the distance... And I'm really and truly done with these photographs and done with winter!
A final burst of Philip Larkin:
"First Sight"
Lambs that learn to walk in snow
When their bleating clouds the air
Meet a vast unwelcome, know
Nothing but a sunless glare.
Newly stumbling to and fro
All they find, outside the fold,
Is a wretched width of cold.
As they wait beside the ewe,
Her fleeces wetly caked, there lies
Hidden round them, waiting too,
Earth's immeasureable surprise.
They could not grasp it if they knew,
What so soon will wake and grow
Utterly unlike the snow.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Turf Times
2007... Myself seen here precariously balanced on a turf bank in an Irish bog. The turf has been machine-cut, hence the steeply-raked bank.
Turf: does anyone NOT know what turf is, in an Irish context? I will explain before I move on to describing what lignite is.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Dialled the Moscow area code followed by the serial number on his gun...
Cupid and Psyche (Jacques Louis David, 1748-1825)
It's Valentine's Day.
The following unusual tale of love comes from a television guy, who once helped produce a TV show out of the Moscow Airport terminal that was destroyed by a suicide bomber in January. The ad hoc show was called Hello Goodbye. Every week, the producers pulled on viewers' heart strings by pulling stories out of the throng of real people meeting and greeting and parting and weeping at the terminal. This producer told the following story:
One young couple we interviewed were parting for at least six months.
'Why so long?'
'There's war on where I work. I'm a soldier. I serve in Chechnya. She can't go there.'
This is how they met. He was alone and bored at his post, a little brick hut high in the Caucasus. It was night and he was drunk. He wanted to find a girl away from the front. He looked down at the serial number on his gun. Just for the hell of it he took out his phone and dialed the Moscow area code followed by the serial number. A sleepy girl answered.
'Who is this?'
He told her. She slammed down the phone.
'I just liked her voice,' he said. 'So I kept on phoning.'
He called every day. Slowly she caved in. They sent each other photos of themselves on their mobiles. Two weeks before our shoot he had some leave and came to visit her. She was from a traditional family from the Caucasus, and he asked her father's permission to marry her. He agreed. Now they both wore rings. The wedding was planned for when he returned from the Chechen front in six months time.
'This is my last tour of duty. I'm done with the army. In six months I come back and that's it, no more war.'
'Do you still have the gun with her number?'
'The gun? I'll always keep that gun.'
He blew kisses and she cried as he went through passport control. After that, I've no idea what happened to them.Awww. How... slightly crazy, yet touchingly romantic. People will do the weirdest things when they are really keen, or desperate, to reach out and contact complete strangers. (Remind me to tell you my story from three years ago, of the late winter night in Hackensack, New Jersey, a crisp, cold winter night, when, all alone, I strode up Main Street, minding my own business, enjoying the stroll, when I passed a pay phone, which started ringing...)
One hopes for the sake of the young woman with her soldier boy, that he is never issued with a new gun! She should also try to keep him away from bar codes, the financial pages of newspapers, mathematicians with Tourette syndrome.
If it's fidelity you're after on today, Valentine's Day, then you might actually want to let your eyes wander, right in front of your beloved. This, according to the Boston Globe:
People in romantic relationships are often tempted to block their partners from seeing attractive alternatives, but a new study suggests that this strategy may backfire. Psychologists at the University of Kentucky and Florida State University conducted several experiments with students who reported being in a relationship. The students were given a computer task that simultaneously presented them with photos of attractive and average-looking individuals of the opposite sex. Some of the students were prompted to focus their attention almost exclusively on the average-looking individual.
After this task, the students whose attention had been directed towards the average-looking individual reported being less satisfied and committed — and more accepting of infidelity — with regard to their relationships. They were also subsequently more likely to remember the attractive faces from the task and pay attention to new attractive faces.To those in love around the great, wide world... kisses.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Cheers, All!
Oh, Mary, this London's a wonderful sight
The Irish newspaper, the Tribune, reports the following horrendous news:
Hundreds of impoverished Irish people with no known family are buried in unmarked mass graves in London every year by their local councils.
In a case recently highlighted by the Irish Chaplaincy in Britain, working under the auspices of the Irish Bishops Council, Galway native Patrick Duggan would have been buried in a 'pauper's grave' by Southwark council, had not outreach workers from the chaplaincy been able to trace Duggan's family.I took the title of this post from the old song, "The Mountains of Mourne":
The Irish Elder Persons project, based in the Camden Irish Centre and run by the Irish Chaplaincy in Britain, tracked Duggan's relatives and his remains are to be returned for burial in Ireland.
Oh, Mary, this London's a wonderful sight,And the above photo I took in 2007, while in Ireland. My eldest brother lives a few miles from this beach, with the Mourne Mountains in the distance.
With people all working by day and by night.
Sure they don't sow potatoes, nor barley, nor wheat,
But there's gangs of them digging for gold in the street.
At least when I asked them that's what I was told,
So I just took a hand at this digging for gold,
But for all that I found there I might as well be
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.
Research into migration has uncovered quite different patterns from various ethnic groups. Young Italian men would often arrive in the U.S. in the 19th century, single, then work for a few years before going back to their home village to find a bride to marry. They would then re-emigrate with their new wife, back to the U.S.
The Irish pattern shows single Irish immigrants, perhaps the eldest son or daughter, moving to the U.S. or U.K., where they worked hard and long hours, sending money back home to support a large family. The family became more familiar with the weekly or monthly money check, than with the person sending it, who often remained single, solitary, isolated. Though younger siblings might follow as immigrants, just as often the family might move on, change, disperse, older relatives die, and in a far-flung corner of the U.S. or Australiz, or New Zealand or Canada, or not so far away, in England, these single immigrants might endure but not assimilate: the focus was always working hard to provide for the family.
So it goes.
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From funny widgets we pass to more serious games. The first one is a simple but nice puzzle for kids. And not only for kids, we're play it ourselves sometimes.
In the game you should find a correct place for small square cutted out from a big picture. If you'll find it quickly you'll get higher score. At the first level squares are big enough to place it in just a few seconds. But at the 30th level it will be a complicated problem!
In the full version you'll find fifteen pictures and a scoretable with twenty lines and in the lite version - three pictures and scoretable with five lines.
Try it and you'll like it!


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Making Democracy Work
The LWV California has positions adopted after study by League members throughout the state.
Natural Resources positions include: Agriculture; Air Quality; Energy; Hazardous Materials; Land Use; Solid Waste; Transportation; and Water.
Social Policy positions include: Child Care; Community College System; Education, Pre-Kindergarten through 12; Housing; Juvenile Justice/Dependency; Legal Aid; and Mental Health Care.
See Action Policies and Positions for all the current LWVC positions or check the LWVC website.


text: Mambotango. What a swinging name. Our fun colours and comfortable designs are sure to get you in the mood for some dancing. Mambotango is all about trendy, high-quality, affordable basic unisex kidswear and underwear. And long-lasting too. Sisters and brothers can enjoy it for years to come. And no matter how often you wash our clothes, the colours will remain as fabulous as ever.