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Recent Incidents of Persecution in India
9/17/08 India (Compass Direct News) Karnataka – A mob of about 300 people attacked and torched a Christian prayer hall on Sept. 7 in Bada village, Davangere district just after prayers concluded at about 9 a.m., according to the The Hindu. The assailants broke the asbestos ceiling and windows and set fire to material inside, including Bibles, a cross and a pulpit, the daily reported. A pastor identified only as Lukas E., who was at the site of the attack, described the attackers as "locals" but refused to name them. Police have registered a case, though the pastor said he did not wish to file charges against anyone because they were his "own people." Villagers who accused the pastor of "converting the locals" by luring them with gifts and by "demeaning Hindu gods and religious customs" told the newspaper that the attack was "spontaneous." A police official told Compass that 10 persons have been taken into custody. The incident occurred even as prohibitory orders were in force for an area within a 200-meter radius of three other prayer halls in Davangere town, which have been under attack since mid-August. The Hindu nationalist Hindu Jagarana Vedike had threatened to forcibly close down these "unauthorized places" if the district administration did not do so by Sept. 6, stated the daily.
Karnataka – Police on Sept. 6 arrested a pastor in Terekere, Chikmagalur district. Dr. Sajan K. George, national president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) said that on Aug. 31 nearly 40 Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) extremists had disrupted Sunday worship of Emmanuel Church and threatened pastor C.S. John, warning him to hold no further Christian worship. On Sept. 6 nearly 25 intolerant Hindus came to Emmanuel Church, shouting anti-Christian slogans and making false conversions allegations against Pastor John. A GCIC representative told Compass that the Hindu extremists forced Pastor John to a local police station and filed a false complaint against him for "malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings," and insulting a class of people's religion or religious beliefs. With GCIC intervention, the pastor was released on bail on Sept. 8.
Karnataka – Hindu extremists on Aug. 31 stormed Sharon Church in Holalkere block of Chitradurga district, Karnataka beat the pastor, dragged believers out of Sunday worship and forcibly applied Kumkum red circles on their foreheads. As is customary in India, police were mute spectators. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that as pastor N. Kumar had finished preaching, nearly 25 intolerant Hindus led by area extremists identified only as Srinivas, Hanumantha and Basavaraj barged into the church shouting "Jai Bajrangi [Hail Lord Hanuman]." Armed with wooden clubs and saffron flags, the extremists slapped Pastor Kumar and made false accusations of forcible conversions. According to GCIC, the extremists threatened the assembly of around 35 believers that they had to convert to Hinduism or else be smacked with clubs. Grabbing him by his collar, the extremists dragged the pastor outside the church, other frightened believers were made to follow, and kumkum was applied to their foreheads. The believers were warned that they would be tonsured if they worshipped in Sharon Church again. The watching policemen then took Pastor Kumar to Hollakera police station. The GCIC brokered a compromise between the Hindu extremists and the church: Pastor Kumar did not file a complaint, and the extremists agreed not to harass the believers. Kumar was given first aid at Hollakera government hospital for a bleeding ear.
Karnataka – Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) extremists on Aug. 31 stormed Full Gospel Church at Sharavati Nagar, Old Hubli, beating a pastor and others and making false allegations of forced conversions. Dr. Sajan K. George, national president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), reported that as worship was going on a group of nearly 30 extremists led by D. Kabadi, Jagadish Katti Satish and another person barged in shouting Hindu devotional chants, walked up to the dais and slapped and punched the Rev. David Perumal. When pastor Thankaraj Dhansingh rushed to the aid of Perumal, he too was repeatedly hit on his head and back. The Hindu extremists cursed congregants and chased them away. Police arrived and took Rev. Dhansingh and Perumal to the police station, with the intolerant Hindus following shouting anti-Christian slogans. With the GCIC's intervention, a First Information Report was filed against the extremists, George said. Perumal was admitted to a medical clinic for treatment. At press time no arrests had been made.
Karnataka – About 30 Hindu extremists belonging to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) on Aug. 24 handed over a pastor and 10 others to the Frazer town police station for preaching the gospel and pressured police to file a case against them in Bangalore. The Global Council of Indian Christians reported that the pastor, identified only as Nelson, and the 10 others were preaching and distributing gospel tracts in Doddigunta when the extremists began threatening them and took them to a police station, where they were arrested for "hurting religious sentiments," statements conducive to public mischief and unlawful assembly. The Christians were released on bail after two days.
Karnataka – Hindu extremists on Aug. 27 disrupted a prayer convention, accused a pastor of forced conversions and beat him in Kala Bhavan, Gadag. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that Hindu extremists from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) disrupted the two day-prayer meeting held with prior police permission, brutally beat a pastor identified only as Santosh and dragged him to the police station. The extremists forced the pastor to give a written statement saying he would not conduct future prayer meetings or share the gospel with anyone. He was released after he was forced to submit a written statement to police. Again on Aug. 28, the intolerant Hindus threatened the pastor at his house, saying that they would burn him and his family if they did not leave the area within 24 hours. The pastor filed a police complaint. GCIC told Compass that a First Information Report was not filed, and that the two parties reached a compromise.
Karnataka – Police on Aug. 27 arrested a pastor on charges of hurting religious sentiments and "uttering words with intent to insult the religion of any class" after Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) extremists filed a false complaint of forcible conversion against him in Arasikere, Hobli, Davangere. Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) said that nearly 100 extremists belonging to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bajrang Dal came by van to the Full Gospel Assembly Church. Pastor K.P. Rajshekar was not at the church building, and the Hindu extremists angrily asked four Christians identified only as Nagappa, Umesh, Yogaraju and Mallesha Naik, about allurements they supposedly received to convert to Christianity. Asha Devi, a GCIC representative, told Compass that the extremists also forced the four believers to the Yellamma Temple, smeared vermillion on their foreheads and made them bow to Hindu idols. "However, they have not renounced Jesus Christ," Devi told Compass. As is customary in India, police jailed the victims of Hindu extremist aggression. At press time, the GCIC was seeking their release on bail. The extremists had also demanded that the four Christians provide details about the pastor and other families who worshiped there and subsequently went to Pastor Rajshekar's house, dragged him out and shoved him into the van along with his wife Anapoorna and daughter Geetha. They took them to a police station and filed bogus charges of fraudulent conversion against the pastor and his family.
Karnataka – Police on Aug. 24 detained a pastor after Hindu extremists stormed an evangelistic meeting, attacking the pastor and bringing forth false witnesses to testify against him in Ramalingeshwara Camp, Koppal district. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that Pastor Jeeva Prakash of the Bethesda Prayer House was preaching at a gospel meeting in Ramalingeshwara Camp, where nearly 100 believers had congregated, when a mob led by two local extremists identified only as Virupakshappa and Giri of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh barged into the assembly shouting curses. They slapped Prakash and attempted to make him chant "Jai Sri Ram [Hail Lord Rama]." In spite of repeated hitting and punching on his stomach and head, Pastor Praskash staunchly refused to give in, at which point the extremists dragged the pastor and a few others to a police station, the report stated. GCIC regional coordinator Laxminarayan Gowda told Compass, "The extremists brought two persons identified only as Chinnappa and Lakshmamma, who falsely testified that Prakash had promised them money to attend the meeting." With GCIC intervention, the pastor and believers were released at around 10:45 p.m. without being charged.
Orissa – Evangelist Prem Dan Khora was arrested on Aug. 22 after Hindu extremists belonging to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council or VHP) filed false complaints of "forcible" conversion and destruction of idols against him in Dasamantapur, Koraput district. According to the Global Council of Indian Christians, Khora was distributing gospel tracts in the area when Hindu extremists from the VHP were demonstrating against a commission set up to probe the December 2007 anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal district. The extremists snatched the tracts and thrashed him for nearly an hour, leaving him barely conscious. They dragged him to the police station, where he was arrested for "hurting religious sentiments" and trespassing. GCIC told Compass that the whereabouts of the evangelist remained unknown at press time.
Maharashtra – Kashinath Kadale, a tribal Christian laborer, was allegedly beaten and hanged to death by seven anti-Christian assailants from Jamblipada village in Thane district on Aug. 21, the national daily Times of India reported. At midnight the attackers barged into the house and thrashed the couple, with Kadale's wife Tai escaping and returning hours later only to find her husband hanging from the roof. She filed a complaint with Jawahar police, saying they were sleeping in the house when they were attacked by seven unknown men. The Rev. Sanjiv Andrap, the village pastor, was quoted by Times of India as stating that the reason for the attack was that the villagers opposed Christian families and wanted them to leave the village. Over the last three years, on five occasions villagers had tried to evict the Christian families from the village, the daily reported. But the report stated that Inspector Rajendra Naik of the Jawahar police station said that the allegation made by the deceased's wife was untrue, that the couple was drunk and "abused" the seven people who were going past their house. According to the police investigation, the seven people had an argument with the couple and later left. Abraham Mathai, vice-chairman of the minority commission told Compass that tribal peoples in the Thane area are constantly vulnerable to attacks from the local Hindu extremists.
Karnataka – Hindu extremists in Chikka Savananoor village, Gadag district on Aug. 20 beat an evangelist, made false accusations of forced conversion, dragged him to the village temple and tied him to a pillar to mock him. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that Nagaraj Yellappa Limbuji, a private tutor who worships in Shalom Prayer Hall, was en route to work when a group of nearly 20 intolerant Hindus stopped him on the road and made false allegations of forcible conversions. The extremists slapped Limbuji before taking him to the village temple and tying him to one of the temple pillars. The GCIC's Sajan K. George told Compass that the extremists kept him tied to the pillar for nearly one and a half hours, continuously mocking and cursing him. "One of the believers in the village informed the police, who arrived and set him free," George said. "Limbuji has refused to register a complaint as he has forgiven the extremists."
Andhra Pradesh – Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) extremists belonging to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Aug. 17 demolished the half-built Jesus Prayer House Church building in Uppal hills, Hyderabad. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that nearly 20 extremists led by Shekar Reddy marched towards the church structure under construction and, armed with iron rods, began harassing pastor David Raj, who was supervising construction. They made false accusations of forced conversion. Reddy also claimed that the land belonged to Hindus and that Christians had no right to worship or construct a church in the area. The intolerant Hindus shoved Raj to the ground and began demolishing the church building. Lion Francis, regional GCIC coordinator, told Compass that Pastor Raj filed a complaint at Uppal police station, but at press time no arrests had been made.
Uttarakhand – Six Christian workers and a Bible college student were beaten by a group of Hindu fanatics on India's Independence day, Aug. 15, reports The Persecution Times. The mob became enraged after they saw Bible college student Rasul Sarvak passing out gospel literature with a team of other students from the college. When the mob attacked, the other students were able to escape, but Sarvak, the youngest in the team, was captured and beaten as the intolerant Hindus tried without success to force him to deny his faith in Jesus. "You are trying to make our country a Christian nation," they yelled at him. They dragged Sarvak to the police station, where officers placed him in custody to protect him from the furious mob. Four Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers arrived at the police station for Sarvak's release, but the fanatics stopped them outside and beat them at length in the presence of police. Two more GFA workers drove up to the police station and were also brutally attacked, with one of them suffering a severe eye injury. The mob vandalized the GFA vehicle and threw it in a ditch. They then turned to the vehicle used by the first group of GFA workers and tried to burn it, but police at last stopped them. The Hindu extremists left, and police transported Sarvak and the six GFA workers to another station to keep them safe. There, some local Christians came and filed paperwork, and the group was released.


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Niki Lauda movie, 'Rush,' is ode to rivalry
Maybe, just maybe, Ron Howard and screenwriter Peter Morgan are perfect opposites: one a swinging playboy, the other a cold calculator.
They have twice now collaborated on what you might call coin-flip films: movies about dueling, diametrically opposed forces. Their latest, the Formula One thriller "Rush," is a lot like their "Frost/Nixon," only on wheels.
Chris Hemsworth plays the English bounder James Hunt, a dashing head of blond hair whose daring-do and high-class accent turn women into mush. Daniel Bruhl plays Niki Lauda, an analytical Austrian with pointy front teeth and a complete dearth of what you might call people skills.
Whereas Hunt is a classic, carousing, big-ego racer, Lauda is a methodical tactician. The film, based on the lives of the two famous racers, captures the climax of their collision in the 1976 world championship that came down to the final race and that also featured a crash that left Lauda's face terribly burned.
Just as "Frost/Nixon" marveled at the contrast of flashy TV newsman David Frost and the curmudgeonly Richard Nixon, "Rush" (also set in the '70s) toggles between Hunt and Lauda. Howard's film is propelled by the clash of styles that repels them from one another, even as their mutual dedication draws them closer.
Racing films often speed inevitably toward clichés of fast-paced living catching up to the men behind the wheel. "Rush" has plenty of that — the adrenaline-fueled death dance required for the checkered flag. (Hunt describes his car as "a little coffin, really, surrounded by high-octane fuel.") But it veers away toward something much sweeter: a simple ode to rivalry.
"Rush" makes for a terrific double feature with the superb 2010 documentary "Senna," about Brazilian Formula One racer Ayrton Senna, which Howard has said he studied in making "Rush." Formula One, which engenders far more passion in Europe than in the NASCAR-favored U.S., has otherwise seldom turned up in the movies. Most notably, there was the handsomely photographed "Grand Prix" (1966).
While "Rush" has plenty of exciting, highly saturated racing scenes as it makes pit stops through famous Formula One courses, Howard (whose directorial debut, 1977's "Grand Theft Auto," was a far less accomplished tale of car chases) is more concerned with the personality conflict, played out at high speed.
Without Thor's hammer in tow, Hemsworth looks particularly unburdened in a role perfectly suited to his talents and natural bravado. Bruhl, though, is even more compelling. The German-born actor (who also makes a strong impression in the upcoming WikiLeaks drama "The Fifth Estate"), makes Lauda, with a clipped Austrian accent, endearing in his obsessive pursuit.
Howard, with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, frames both actors in close-up, letting the ping pong of their competition fill the movie. There are other good supporting performances (Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara as the drivers' wives), but the film belongs to Hemsworth and Bruhl as they weave through a tumultuous racing season.
It's not only one of the better racing films, it's one of Howard's best. For Morgan, who also penned another distinct sports film, 2009's "The Damned United," it's yet another example of his great talent for taking seemingly minor true stories and expanding them operatically.
Whatever the nature of Howard and Morgan's collaboration, it seems to be pushing them — like Hunt and Lauda — to greater heights.
"Rush," a Universal Pictures release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for sexual content, nudity, language, some disturbing images and brief drug use. Running time: 123 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.
MPAA definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

subset: commoncrawl


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Clayton Kershaw (15-5, 2.60) vs. Kyle Lohse (11-7, 3.33).
Boy, the Cardinals must be ticked. They need to gain ground on the Brewers, and who else comes rolling into down but the slow, fat Dodgers? Easy pickins. But Tony La Russa brings in about three relievers too many and the Dodgers escape with a 2-1 victory. And today they start Cy Young candidate Clayton Kershaw. Are the Dodgers in danger of winning a series in St. Louis?
photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images


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Children Print
$5.00 & Shipping
4 in stock (can be backordered)
Free tracked shipping on orders over $99 CDN
- Fully Customizable
- Designed & Printed in Shop
- Secure Payments
Children Print
Uniquec's Tubie Tapes are designed in house and printed in sheets of approximately 10x15cm allowing you to cut into strips to suit your individual needs. Whether it's for your use, or for a warrior you love, they are a fun way to make medical tape look less medical!
Uniquec's Tubie Tapes are non-sterile adhesive strips made from adhesive non-woven fabric.
NOTE: Darker prints may leave a tint on tubes. This is harmless and does not affect skin
NOTE: Colour may vary from images due to differences in computer and other device screens.
Uniquec's Tubie Tapes are custom made using Hypafix medical retention adhesive tape and are fun designs making them appear less clinical and medical while still performing the same durability we rely on in our tubie tapes.
They can be used to secure oxygen and feeding tubes, and other taping needs.
Due to the nature of this product we are unable to accept returns. If your item arrives damaged, please send me a message with photos of the damage for refund to be considered.
All orders are shipped within 48 hours, however I aim to ship within 24 hours.,
When this item is shipped for FREE it is shipped via LETTERMAIL and CAN NOT be tracked. I assume no responsibility due to items that are lost in letter mail. selected option is on top of our turnaround time and that once orders have been dispatched, the postal time is beyond my control.
If YOU WANT TRACKING and the protection that goes with it, be sure to upgrade to paid shipping.
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The Battery for Cameron Nuflo MC, MC-III Plus Flow Analyzers and others is designed to replace the models of meter as described below
Chemistry | Lithium |
Voltage | 3.6V |
Capacity | 17000MaH |
Warranty | 1 Year |
Model Number | LS33600-CN1 |
Manufacturers | Replaces Saft |
The warranty covers any Manufacture defect. The warranty does not cover damages due to misuse of the battery nor diminishing run time due to normal wear and tear.
This replacement battery is rated at 3.6V, 17000MaH. It is designed specifically for your Test equipment. It is manufacturered to a very high standard to enhance the performance of your device. The batteries are designed with high quality components by our ISO 9001 certified factory.
The Products that this battery will fit are shown below.
- Models that this battery are known to support:-
Cameron Nuflo MC, MC-III Plus Flow Analyzers
- Battery codes that this product is known to replace:-
- Manufacturers that this product will replace:-
Battery Selection
Please make sure before purchasing this battery that the device manufacturer, Model number and device are all listed in our product description. If you need to verify the fitment please send an email to. [email protected] and we can make the choice for you.
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Please note that some extended batteries are supplied with an extended rear cover. This enables your device to carry a larger battery and thus have a much greater capacity. Be aware that this may affect fitment into any cases or holders that you may have.
- Our Part Number


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Product Description
This is a DOWNLOAD product.
Who among us doesn't dream of a new life, a fresh start? But, what happens when dreaming turns to scheming?
The Whistler walks by night, stalking those who no longer walk the straight and narrow - the men and women, their backs against the wall, who step in to the shadows and take matters (and the lives of those who stand in their way) into their own hands.
What follows from one ill-timed impulse is the suspenseful subject of the 20 digitally restored and remastered episodes in this collection. Boy meets girl, ambition meets violence, deception meets double-cross. It doesn't take much to seal one's fate in these tales of one wrong move, one too many spouses - one of which has a surprisingly happy ending.
Includes a Program Guide by William Nadel.
Episodes Include: Safety in Numbers 02-10-47, Comeback 01-07-48, Twelve Portraits of Marcia 01-21-48, Night Final 01-28-48, Undertow 02-04-48, Money Is the Root of All Evil 02-11-48, Quiet Suicide 02-18-48, Boiling Point 03-03-48, Return Engagement 03-10-48, The Human Catalyst 03-17-48, The Dark Room 03-24-48, Bird of Prey 03-31-48, Till Death Do Us Part 04-14-48, Silent City 04-21-48, Chain Reaction 05-12-48, Stranger in the House 06-02-48, Farewell Party 07-21-48, Lady From the Sea 07-28-48, Question of Murder 08-04-48, Impulse 01-23-49.
Item: D45012
Download Collection: 20 Episodes
Running Time: Approx. 10 Hours


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Baku-APA. Syrian rebels knocked down army defenses and moved in on the country's second largest airport Wednesday, reportedly killing more than 40 soldiers and bringing them closer to what could be their biggest conquest since the beginning of the civil war, APA reports quoting Associated Press.
Control of Aleppo international airport and a military air base next to it would be a huge strategic shift for Syria's northeastern region, giving the opposition a potential air hub enabling aid and other flights.
Still, activists said it could be days before the rebels would be able to push their way into the airport, 7 kilometers (4 miles) from the contested city center, and even then, it was unclear whether they would be able to retain control of the sprawling facility for long.
The country's air space is firmly controlled by the government, which uses its warplanes indiscriminately to bomb rebel strongholds.
The advance on the airport, which stopped handling any flights weeks ago because of the fighting, comes on the heels of other strategic gains. Rebels this week captured the nation's largest dam and a military base near Aleppo. They have also brought the fight closer to Damascus, seat of President Bashar Assad's regime, moving to within a few miles from the heart of the city.
"There has been some extremely significant advances by the rebels in the past few days. There is real fear and flagging morale among regime forces in the region," said Muhieddine Lathkani, a London-based member of the Syrian National Council opposition group.
The government tried to reverse the gains with a series of airstrikes in several locations across the country Wednesday. In Jobar, a rebel stronghold in northeastern Damascus, 13 people were killed in government shelling, according to the Observatory. Fighter jets also carried out airstrikes on rebel positions in the central province of Homs, it said.
The rebels have been pushing their way into the capital since last week. The foray marks the opposition's second significant attempt to storm Damascus since July, when the rebels captured several neighborhoods before being swept out by a swift government counteroffensive.
Since then, the regime has buckled down in Damascus, setting up checkpoints and controlling movement in and out of the city. The heavily defended city so far has been spared the kind of violence that has devastated whole neighborhoods in other major cities such as Aleppo and the central city of Homs.
The rebels have had the most success in northern Syria, and have captured large parts of Aleppo, Idlib and Raqqa provinces since the Syrian conflict began in March 2011.
Rebels have been attacking the civilian airport in the city of Aleppo for weeks, and on Tuesday overran large parts of the "Brigade 80" base that protects the facility.
By Wednesday, the Observatory said the rebels were "almost fully in control" of the base. Rami Abdul-Rahman, the group's director, said more than 40 government troops were killed in the fighting, including two brigadier generals, a colonel and two lieutenant colonels. He also said an unknown number of rebels died. The report could not be independently confirmed.
The base is about 2 kilometers (a mile) from the civilian airport and the adjacent air base known as Nairab. Both have their own defenses in addition to the protection provided by Brigade 80.
Lathkani said it would be one of the opposition's most significant gains of the civil war if the rebels capture Aleppo airport, which according to its website is capable of handling 2.5 million passengers a year.
He said rebels were aiming to declare northern Syria a "liberated area" from which they would one day announce a transitional government.
"Aleppo airport would then be used for flying in aid, delegations and diplomats. It would serve as a hub for a self-administered area," he said, though he acknowledged concerns that the regime would just bomb the runway to disable it.
Also Wednesday, Syria's former Foreign Ministry spokesman made his first comments since disappearing in December, saying he left the country because "of the polarization and violence that left no place for moderation and diplomacy."
Jihad Makdissi, who was known for defending Assad's regime in fluent English, said in a statement sent to the Abu-Dhabi-based Sky News Arabia that he did not go to Europe or the U.S. after leaving Syria. He did not say where he currently is, adding that "I have no secrets that anyone would want."
Makdissi said the uprising has "legitimate demands" but left unclear whether he considers his departure a defection.
The 23-month-old conflict in Syria has defied all international attempts to calm the bloodshed.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said Wednesday that Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem will travel to Moscow at the end of the month, the state RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Bogdanov also said that Mouaz al-Khatib, the leader of the Syrian National Coalition umbrella opposition group, is expected in Moscow "in the next two to three weeks."
It was unclear whether the meetings were related to al-Khatib's recent offer to hold talks with officials from Assad's regime. Al-Khatib has said he would be willing to meet outside the country or in "liberated areas" in northern Syria.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry issued a statement stressing that Moallem's visit to Moscow has nothing to do with the coming trips by opposition groups to Russia, reasserting that any dialogue "must be on Syrian territory."
Russia had been one of Assad's closes allies since the beginning of the uprising, shielding the regime in Damascus from tougher sanctions by the U.N. The United States and its European allies have backed the opposition.
In Moscow, the head of Russia's state arms trader said Wednesday that it will continue supplying weapons to Assad's government despite the escalating civil war.
Anatoly Isaikin, the director of Rosoboronexport, said that Russia sees no need to stop arms trade with Syria as it isn't prohibited by the United Nations. Isaikin dismissed Western criticism of Russian arms sales to Damascus, saying that his company has delivered only defensive weapons.
"In the absence of sanctions, we are continuing to fulfill our contract obligations," Isaikin told reporters. "But these aren't offensive weapons. We are mostly shipping air defense systems and repair equipment intended for various branches of the military.


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June 20-23, 2013
Des Moines, IA
The USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships return to Track Central USA for 2013. Following the Olympic year in London, the 2013 Championships will serve as the selection event for the coveted spots to represent Team USA at the IAAF World Championships August 10 – August 18 in Moscow, Russia. The USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships are also the final stop of the 2013 Outdoor USATF Championship Series, following stops at the Drake Relays and Penn Relays in April, the adidas Grand Prix in May and the Prefontaine Classic in June.
Hosted by Greater Des Moines and Drake University, Iowa looks to continue long and storied legacy as a track and field destination. Drake Stadium has once before played host to the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 2010, three times the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2008, 2011, and 2012, and 104 editions of the Drake Relays.
From: http://www.usatf.org/Events—Calendar/2013/USATFCS/Events/USA-Outdoor-Track—Field-Championships.aspx


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PUSH POWER / PROTECT / PROTECTOR is flashing in the display of the home audio device.
Note: If model-specific information is needed to complete any of these steps, refer to the instruction manual with the product.
If the words PROTECT / PROTECTOR and PUSH POWER appear in alternating sequence on the display of your home audio device, or if the words PROTECT or PROTECTOR appear, there may be an external speaker issue or connection issue that is triggering the protection circuit. Try following these steps to resolve this issue:
Note: Because each of these steps represents a possible solution to this issue, check the A/V receiver status after completing each step.
- If there has been an electrical surge or power outage, then the internal surge protection inside the home audio device may have been triggered to protect the device from the surge. This is normal. To reset the internal surge protection circuit unplug the AC power cord from the wall for at least 30 minutes.
- Ensure the top of the home audio device has proper ventilation to keep it from overheating. Running the home audio device in a poorly ventilated cabinet can trigger the protection circuit.
- Reduce the volume level. If the impedance of any of the speakers is below the rated impedance range indicated on the rear of the home audio device next to the speaker connections, the home audio device may enter the PROTECT mode. Raising the volume with a low impedance speaker will trigger the protection circuit.
- Replace low impedance (outside of specifications) speakers with the correct impedance to prevent this from occurring.
- If you continue to use the low impedance (outside of specifications) speakers and you ran the Auto Calibration, check your SPEAKER SETUP and individual speaker LEVEL to reduce any speaker LEVEL with a positive gain to 0.0dB or less.
- To isolate the problem, do the following:
- Turn off the home audio device, and remove all speaker wires from the back. Then turn the device back on and check if the issue is resolved. If it is still having the same issue, turn off the device again and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before turning it on again.
- Inspect the speaker cords. If a cord is frayed or in contact with another terminal, an error will occur. Fix the connection to prevent a short circuit.
- Make sure the speaker impedance is within the recommended range. If the impedance is not correct, sound will not come out properly and the speaker may be damaged. If speakers that are within the recommended impedance range, check the connections. If the speakers being used is within the suitable range and is still not working, there may be a malfunction or some other flaw within the speakers. Test by using a different set of speakers if available.
Refer to the video below for how to remove "Protect Error" on a Sony receiver (English Only).
Tip: Learn how to turn captions on or off when watching Internet videos from YouTube
If the issue is still unresolved, service may be required.


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We're going to stay in the Middle East, turning out attention now to Syria, where the main opposition coalition has a new leader. During meetings in Istanbul, opposition leaders elected Ahmad al-Jarba, who has close ties to Saudi Arabia. The change comes as civilians in Syria's central city of Homs are facing a fierce government assault. NPR's Peter Kenyon has more.
PETER KENYON, BYLINE: After another two-day Syrian Coalition meeting had spilled over into a third day with more to come, spokesman Khaled Saleh had some news.
KHALED SALEH: The new president of the Syrian Coalition is Mr. Ahmed al-Asi al-Jarba.
KENYON: Ahmad al-Jarba was once jailed for challenging the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, and he's considered an ally of Saudi Arabia. In the end, this election was seen as a proxy contest between the Saudis and another main backer of the Syrian rebels, Qatar. Qatar's man finished second. Coalition members say Jarba's victory signals more Saudi influence over upcoming decisions, but they weren't prepared to predict what decisions this group might be able to agree on. The coalition desperately needs to shore up its credentials within Syria, where it's frequently criticized as a group of outsiders too busy fighting for power to be effective in bringing assistance to the under-armed rebel fighters doing battle with president Bashar al-Assad's military. Cognizant of that, spokesman Saleh spent more time talking about the Syrian military assault on the Homs neighborhood of Khalidiya than about the election results.
SALEH: They are set on entering al-Khalidiya. We have confirmed reports of using chemical weapons against innocent civilians. We have more than 25 casualties.
KENYON: The claims of chemical weapons were not independently confirmed. The coalition also elected three vice presidents, including a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. Another vice president, Salem al-Muslat, says the horrific conditions facing both civilians and rebel fighters inside Syria have to be the coalition's top priority.
VICE PRESIDENT SALEM AL-MUSLAT: Syria needs a lot, the revolution needs a lot. You know, we're just a few days away from Ramadan, and our people, they need a lot of help, you know, they need relief, forces. They need support, and you know what kind of support they need.
KENYON: The Free Syrian Army says it's desperately short of weapons and needs a no-fly zone. But as online videos appear to show more fierce fighting in Homs and other cities, activists say international help remains deeply inadequate. Peter Kenyon, NPR News, Istanbul.
MARTIN: You're listening to NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Interested in getting a small business loan in Dothan, AL?
Midsouth Bank is a leading provider of SBA loans in Dothan. Here's a list of loans they've made in recent years.
If you are interested in getting a small business loan, you may want to learn more about the loans listed above. Just click on a loan to find out more information about the borrower, the lender and how much of the loan was guaranteed by the SBA.


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Some surgery must be performed immediately, usually because an emergency has required it.
But the majority of surgeries are elective surgeries—they are planned, non-emergency procedures. They may be medically necessary (eg, cataract surgery) or optional (eg, breast augmentation). If your doctor recommends you have an elective surgery, you should carefully weigh the risks and benefits of the procedure and make sure it is right for you.
Finding the Right Doctor and Hospital
It is important to feel comfortable with the doctor who will be performing your surgery. You can work with your primary care provider and/or healthcare plan to find a doctor who has the training, experience, and professional manner to meet your needs.
One factor you may want to consider in choosing a surgeon is where she practices. Look for a hospital that has a lot of experience and success in treating your condition. Ideally, the hospital should be accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and be rated highly by government and consumer organizations devoted to evaluating quality of care.
Even after you have found a doctor you are comfortable with, you may want to get a second opinion. Your doctor or health plan provider can help you find someone to provide a second opinion. Friends and coworkers may also know of doctors they can recommend. Before you go for a second opinion, check with your insurance company to see if it will pay for the consultation. And be sure to bring your records from your first doctor.
Asking the Right Questions
Once you find the right surgeon for you, the following list of questions may be helpful to ask when deciding whether to have an elective surgery:
Why Should I Have This Surgery?
Will it help relieve pain or other symptoms you are having? Will it fix your medical problem? Can it save your life? Make sure you understand why the surgery is going to be performed and how it can help treat your condition or problem. Ask your surgeon to detail what you will gain by having the surgery. Do not expect your surgeon to promise a favorable outcome. Although he may be optimistic about your prospects for recovery, there are no guarantees for success.
Are There Any Alternative Treatments to the Surgery?
Surgery is not always the only treatment for a medical problem. In fact, it's often saved as the last resort. Alternative treatments, such as changing your diet, exercising, quitting smoking, or taking medications, can be just as effective—or even more effective—than surgery with fewer risks. It is essential that your surgeon carefully reviews all your available options with you before proceeding with surgery.
What Are the Risks of Having This Surgery?
All surgeries have risks—some more than others. Discuss with your surgeon what complications are linked to the surgery you are going to have (eg, infection, bleeding, reaction to anesthesia). What is the likelihood of experiencing these complications? What are the side effects associated with the surgery? What will be done to help prevent or relieve them?
What Will Happen If I Do Not Have This Surgery?
Will you have more pain? Will your symptoms get worse? Could the condition improve on its own?
What Does the Surgery Involve?
You should have a good understanding of the basic steps of your surgery. Find out if there is more than one way to do the procedure. For example, some surgeries can be performed through several small incisions rather than one large incision. This is called a laparoscopic procedure and is may be preferable since it is generally safer and permits a more rapid recovery.
Where Will the Surgery Be Performed?
Most surgeries are performed at a hospital, but some can be done in your doctor's office. Find out where your surgery will be performed and what resources will be available if complications arise.
What Kind of Anesthesia Will I Need During the Surgery?
Anesthesia is used to prevent or reduce pain during the operation. In local and regional anesthesia, a part of your body is numbed for a period of time, but you will remain awake. In general anesthesia, you will be asleep for the duration of the operation. An anesthesiologist can explain the risks and benefits of the type of anesthesia you will be receiving.
What Will Recovery Involve?
Will you be able to go home the day of your surgery? Or will you need to remain in the hospital overnight or longer? After you get home, what will you be able to do—or not do—in the days, weeks, and months after surgery? What equipment and/or help will you need as you recover? How long will it be before you can go back to work or start exercising again?
How Much Will the Surgery Cost? Is It Covered by the Insurance Plan?
Surgery is extremely expensive. Few people can afford to pay for all the services typically involved in even a simple, routine operation. If you are uninsured and your surgery is essential, talk to your doctor and hospital to find out about ways to offset the costs.
If you have health insurance, you may still have to pay for some expenses out-of-pocket. Some insurers will only pay for surgery they deem necessary. Be sure to contact your insurance company and find out how much they will cover and what portion of the bill will be your responsibility. This will avoid any unpleasant surprises after surgery.
Making an Informed Decision
Once these and any other questions have been answered to your satisfaction, you should feel comfortable making an informed decision regarding your surgery. Do not hesitate to ask if there is something you do not completely understand. It is the responsibility of your surgeon, the staff at your hospital, and your insurer to make sure you are fully informed.
Weigh the benefits and risks of the procedure carefully to decide if the surgery is best for you. If the risks of the surgery are relatively low and the benefits are high, you may appropriately decide to proceed. But if you are worried about the procedure's risks and learn about an effective alternative treatment, you may reasonably decide against the surgery. The decision is ultimately yours.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality http://www.ahrq.gov/
American College of Surgeons http://www.facs.org/
Healthy U http://www.healthyalberta.com/
Insurance-Canada.ca http://www.insurance-canada.ca/index.php/
Choosing quality health care. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website. Available at: http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/guidetoq/guidetoq8.htm . Accessed June 6, 2006.
Choosing treatments. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website. Available at: http://www.ahrq.gov/CONSUMER/qnt/qnttreat.htm . Accessed June 6, 2006.
Giving your informed consent. American College of Surgeons website. Available at: http://www.facs.org/public%5Finfo/operation/consent.html . Accessed August 27, 2008.
Having surgery? What you need to know. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website. Available at: http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/surgery/surgery.htm . Accessed August 27, 2008.
Hospitals—fast track. Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations website. Available at: http://www.jointcommission.org/AccreditationPrograms/Hospitals/ . Accessed August 27, 2008.
Types of surgery. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website. Available at: http://www.chop.edu/consumer/your%5Fchild/condition%5Fsection%5Findex.jsp . Accessed August 27, 2008.


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Social Bookmarking
Social bookmarking is a method for Internet users to organize, store, manage and search for bookmarks of resources online. Unlike file sharing, the resources themselves aren't shared, merely bookmarks that reference them. Social bookmarking tools can include annotations and tags to assist in locating resources again and in sharing with others. These tools can foster collaboration and sharing of collections of online content. Reviewing collections made by others can be a valuable source of new resources.
Within the broad category of social bookmarking are similar activities including social citation and social reference management. These latter activities are generally more oriented toward academic research.
Social Bookmarking Services
- Delicious Provides a bookmarklet that allows the user to create "themed stacks" which can be shared and viewed by others. The focus of Delicious has changed somewhat over time- it started as primarily a social bookmarking site and is more about curation since it was acquired by Yahoo! in 2011.
- Diigo A research tool and information sharing tool, Diigo allows users to highlight or add sticky notes to webpages, which persist when the user returns to that particular page. Within Diigo, users can create lists, groups, search tags, and identify other users with similar interests.
- CiteULike A tool to facilitate storage, organization, and sharing of scholarly papers. CiteULike includes tagging, formation of groups, and can identify others with an interest in similar academic resources as a user.
- Connotea Allows researchers to save, organize and share reference links.
- Mendeley A reference management tool that allows researchers to collaborate, form groups, identify academic research papers. Users can store papers, organize them, and generate bibliographies.
- StumbleUpon
- Clipboard
Further Info on Social Bookmarking
- Common Craft. "Social Bookmarking in Plain English." 6 August 2007. Retrieved 7 April 2008.
- Hammond, Tony, Timo Hannay, Ben Lund, and Joanna Scott. "Social Bookmarking Tools (I): A General Review." D-Lib 11.4 (2005). Retrived 8 April 2008.
- Educause Learning Initiative. "7 Things You Should Know About Social Bookmarking" May 2005. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
- Iowa State University. "Social Bookmarking" 1 October 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
- Wikipedia. "Social bookmarking" Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- "Social bookmarking, citation and reference management" Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- Secker, Jane. Review of social citation tools March 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- Barnes, Laura L. Social Bookmarking Sites: A Review October 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
Uses in Libraries
- Collect and share a list of links to key sources in a topic area- a library subject guide
- Collect and share resources around an event or local happening
- Collect and share resources for staff professional development
- Illustrate the use of a valuable resource to patrons who are learning research skills
- Provide a mechanism by which library patrons can contribute resources to a topic area as well as tag (label) the content areas
Sharing Set of Links
- Assumption College for Sisters Library: bookmarks on delicious
- Bibliothèques de l'Université Paris-Sorbonne (Paris-IV): bookmarks on delicious
- Chelmsford Public Library: bookmarks on delicious
- Dublin City Public Libraries: bookmarks on deliciousstack on delicious
- Seldovia Library: bookmarks on delicious
- La Grange Park Library: bookmarks on delicious
- Marathon County Public Library (MCPL): bookmarks for children on delicious
- McMurry University Library: bookmarks on delicious
- Nebraska Library Commission: NLC_Reference's bookmarks on delicious
- Sandhills Branch Library: bookmarks on delicious
- Springfield Technical Community College Library: bookmarks on delicious
- Witkin State Law Library of California: bookmarks on delicious
- UC Berkeley Library bookmarks on delicious
- ALA delicious stack around theme of book donations
Republishing Link Lists on Library Web Sites
A number of libraries use social bookmarking tools to maintain a set of links to key resources.
- Holdrege Public Library uses delicious tag clouds on their "Links we Love", Kid's Zone and TeenSpace.
- MIT Libraries Virtual Reference Collection
- Uses delicious to maintain links and to publish list on library web pages. Details on the MIT Libraries Betas site.
- Rapid City Public Library: Links from library page to lists of collected resources on diigo
- Haverhill Public Library: Links to various social media resources including Delicious
Other Uses
- Duke University Libraries: Connotea
- Library web page explains to students/faculty at Duke University how to connect to licensed resources that are bookmarked in Connotea.
Further Information on Social Bookmarking and Libraries
- Rethlefsen, Melissa L. Tags Help Make Libraries Del.icio.us 15 September 2007. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
- Delicious Retrieved 16 July 2012
- Herzog, Brian. Pinterest is the new black March 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012. Reviews a number of library sites using Pinterest along with other resources for libraries considering using Pinterest.


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This is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Ursodeoxycholic Acid market and Ursodeoxycholic Acid Manufacturer.
The report provides a basic overview of the Ursodeoxycholic Acid industry including definitions, classifications, applications, industry chain structure and Ursodeoxycholic Acid Manufacturer. Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.
The report then analyzes the global Ursodeoxycholic Acid market size (volume and value), and the sales segment market is also discussed by product type, applications and region.
The major Ursodeoxycholic Acid Manufacturer (including North America, Europe, China, Asia (Ex China), etc.) is analyzed, data including: market size, import and export, sale segment market by product type and applications. Then we forecast the 2016-2021 market size of Ursodeoxycholic Acid.
The report focuses on global major leading companies providing information such as company profiles, sales, sales revenue, market share and contact information.Finally the marketing, feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.
With 159 tables and figures the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.
Address:A3 Building, Dongli Aviation Business District,No.8,Pingying Road, Dongli District, Tianjin, P.R.China, 300300 Tel:+86-022-58602231 Fax:+86-022-58602232 Email:firstname.lastname@example.com
Copyright © Tianjin NWS Biotechnology and Medicine Co. Ltd.


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I've been having a lot of fun lately! Maybe it's the break of spring and the wonderful warm weather we've been having. I just feel a lightness in all my activities, tasks and chores and my ideas are running freely again. I just wish I could find out how to make time double up for me to have enough of it to realize and try making them all come true. So, instead I am making sure to have fun with those activities and tasks I have decided to focus on and give priority to.
See, I am driven by my dreams and ideas, and I have the choice of making them come true. I am not afraid of failure – no – I am more afraid of not trying or having a go at these ideas and dreams. After all they are made of my hopes, of opportunities and provide many possibilities and not aspiring to reach these goals means I have failed. If an idea is unsuccessful or a dream has floundered – well I have to try again – after all not everything works the first time.
"The Perfect Day … Going to Bed with a Dream and Waking up with a Purpose!"
The past week I saw 3 rainbows. Rainbows are said to be lucky and auspicious, maybe my cosmos is telling me that I am on the right road. I hope so … whatever road I am currently travelling on I am having fun while on it because I am trying to make a purpose out of a dream.
We are having a lot of fun in my kitchen too. It seems to be the one place I am most often in at the moment. Cooking with girlfriends, baking with Soeren, preparing for photo shoots, recipe testing for an upcoming project – the kitchen is my kingdom! I do love it and thank heavens for the inventor of the dishwasher!
One of the enjoyable afternoons I spent with Soeren in the kitchen was while baking a cake I was testing for a client. I had a lot of the batter left over and we decided to make-up a "Happy" kind of cake. This is what became of our idea – The Sunny-Side Up Cake. It's easy to whip up and we both agree that it would be a charming addition to the Easter coffee table.
Printable version of recipe here
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Makes: 20 pieces from a baking sheet
- 650g apricot, halved, pitted and skins removed
- 200g butter, at room temperature
- 200g + 100g sugar
- 4 eggs
- 300g flour
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Pinch of salt
- 1 packet of vanilla pudding
- 500ml + 125ml milk
- 400g quark or sour cream
- Preheat oven to 180C and line a baking sheet with some baking paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together 200g sugar and butter until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time and making sure that each egg is incorporated well before adding the next one.
- In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter-sugar mixture in 3 portions alternating with 125ml milk, then mix in the lemon zest. Beat until the batter is smooth then pour into the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for approx. 20 minutes until the top is golden and spring-y to the touch. Remove and allow to cool completely.
- In the meantime make the topping for the cake by mixing the vanilla pudding powder with 100g sugar and 6 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Place the remaining milk (from the 500ml) into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Take off the heat and vigorously whisk in the pudding powder and sugar mixture. Put the saucepan back on the heat, whisking all the while and allow the cream to thicken into a custard consistency - 1-2 minutes. Allow the vanilla pudding to cool completely, then whisk in the quark or sour cream until smooth.
- Spread the topping over the cooled cake with a metal spatula. Place the apricot halves on the cake to resemble a sunny-side up egg. Cool in the fridge then cut into squares and serve
You can also make individual cakes by pouring the batter in single tart forms. Reduce baking time to 15 minutes.
Place some vanilla pods in a spice grinder and grind some of the vanilla over the apricot. This looks like freshly cracked pepper on an egg. ;o)
Alternative you could sieve some cocoa powder over the cake slices.
The cake resembles a fried egg and will bring smiles to those at the table. Enjoy this with friends over espresso and make the kids some hot chocolate. It's a basic sponge cake mixture pepped up with an easy frosting of vanilla pudding and sour cream making it a tangy, not too sweet topping pairing well with the sweetness of the apricot.
In this section of the post I share bits and pieces, finds and interesting things I come across as I surf the web. It might be a quote, a picture a moving post, interesting news and announcements, whatever makes me connect with you. This week I am looking for fun and inspiring recipes and posts for you and your Easter festivities.
- Here is something I'd love you all to join. Asha from Fork Spoon Knife and I have started a challenge. A short while ago @ashafsk posted an image and mentioned that she often forgets to cook for herself. That stuck with me as I love cooking for myself. It's a different kind of cooking ... almost like therapy. I got talking with Asha and we decided to start a series called #cookingfor1 as we are sure there are many out there on the run with busy schedules forgetting to feed themselves. We are going to be posting the meals that we cook for ourselves. We hope you will join us and share your #cookingfor1 images and be inspired by others who join. Invite, tag and share with your friends and followers. Here is my first dish - Spicy Indian style scrambled eggs with caramelised onions in cumin and turmeric, peas, tomatoes and coriander leaves. Served with a papaya orange chutney and a hot masala tea.
- Sweet Pea & Pearl Onion Pesto Smothered Zucchini Noodles by the lovely sisters Julie and Yvonne of The Alkaline Sisters, whom I had the pleasure of meeting a few years back in London. Their dream "is to inspire and energize you for life. We hope to set you on a journey to better health and a clear understanding of how food affects our bodies, through delicious recipes"
- Feta-Crusted Rack Of Lamb With Mint Sauce by the lovely Anne Faber. In my opinion a magnificent English Easter menu!
- Marta Potoczek takes us on a sensual and visual trip to Portobello Road in London. Join her and enjoy the lovely images!
- Oven dried tomatoes by the charming Aparna who is lucky to get fresh tomatoes all year round. Our season will be starting and I plan to grow them again this year. A great way to use them!
- Shulie of Food Wanderings is tempting me with this Masala Chai Ice Cream that I plan to make this weekend with my favorite blend of masala chai.
- Tuesday are taco days over at Chez Us and I love these Slow Cooker Barbacoa Style Lamb Tacos
- Have you heard? Now it's seven a day! Here are 7 simple ways to get those seven a day by the Guardian
I am very thrilled to announce that HarperCollins 360 will be sponsoring the upcoming workshops in VENICE & BERLIN with a copy of donna hay's gorgeous cookbook "Fresh and Light" for each of the participants AND we will be holding a special competition with a fantastic prize. Stay tuned for more details. In the meantime checkout my Instagram video showing more of this gorgeous book!
2-day workshop in the trendy capital
Berlin, Germany
4th - 5th July 2014
Workshop programme
Register for the Berlin here!
2-day workshop in Finland's dynamic capital
Helsinki, Finland
7th - 8th June 2014
Workshop programme
Register for Helsinki here!
2-day workshop in the Prosecco region
Venice, Italy
1st - 3rd May 2014
Workshop programme
Register for Venice here!
More details for all upcoming workshops and e-courses
You might like these fun recipe ideas for Easter from What's for lunch, honey?
Egg-straordinary: Light Mousse au Chocolat with Baileys Crème Caramel | Buttery Saffron Brioche | Muscovado Sugar Orange and Cardamom Easter Wreath |
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2013 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First


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Developed by athletes for athletes, 2XU creates products which advance human performance.
2XU (pronounced "two-times-you") engineers products with the single-minded goal of best equipping the athletes, so that they are better prepared, always race ready and more capable than their competition.
Designed and tested by leading industry experts, 2XU garments employ intelligent design with cutting edge performance fabrics and construction to multiply human performance.
Along with a full Triathlon, Run and Cycle line, 2XU leads the industry in Athletic Performance Compression Garments to help you train smarter, perform stronger and recover faster by providing the following benefits:
2XU Compression & Apparel can be used for all general training & sports, running, triathlon, cycling and snow sports.


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It was a little over a year ago when I announced the Bollywood Cooking series on my blog. I chose the name candidly because it fitted perfectly with everything I wanted to do with this series. Bring out Indian food with a bit of glamour and simply spread it across the blog world for many of you who love the food but are intimidated to cook it.
Hec, I'm Indian and sometimes I used to get intimidated too!
What I would never have imagined at that time was that the name of my Indian cooking series would bring to my mailbox a lovely email from a gorgeous cookbook writer.
It was a few weeks after I completed my first post on Indian spices that Bulbul Mankani wrote to me to tell me she enjoyed the post and found me and my blog while Googling for The Bollywood Cookbook. She told me a bit about her book and soon I had my hands on a copy.
As soon as I opened the book I was dazzled by the glamour and glitter of the pictures. Gorgeous, colorful and glossy pictures not only of the delectable dishes that are immaculately presented but also of some India's hottest, famous and popular movie stars.
This book goes beyond than being a cookbook it is almost like several biographies, highlighting the careers of all movie stars. However, the real stars in this book are the scrumptious recipes and I just love the idea behind each of the recipes. See, each movie star has shared a few of their favorite recipes with Bulbul. So, now I know for example Hrithik Roshan's (pronunciation: /rɪt̪ɪk roːʃən/) favorite dish is Palak Paneer and he shares his recipe in this cookbook.
Indian movie buffs will worship this book almost as I do. This cookbook has been my star in the kitchen over the past year. I have not only cooked several dishes from it for the several dinner parties I have had, but I have proudly displayed this book to everyone who comes over. My German friends love Indian food and ever since Indian movies are regularly shown on TV here (dubbed in German), they are crazy about the movies and the Bollywood stars too.
Shah Rukh Khan shares his recipe for Tandoori chicken, the legendary Bachans reveal a scrumptious recipe for Aachari Aloo (potatoes in mango pickle) or the ever stunning Shabana Azmi shows us how to make a traditional Hyderabadi Biryani. These are just a few of the recipes from over 80 in this book. Each one will make your mouth water.
Bulbul writes a lovely essay "Inside Bollywood" in the book and touches the quintessence of what Bollywood means to India and Indians around the world.
To understand India one needs to understand the essence Bollywood. Indian films evoke a kind of super-reality with the large and glorious villas, perfect weather, heroes with supernatural powers and heroines that are loyal and as beautiful as goddesses. All these ingredients takes us away on a magical journey to a fantasy-land filled with romance, songs and colorful emotions for a few hours. The costumes are grand, the paradisiacal locations and each song and dance perfectly choreographed - all in a huge effort to evoke a palette of emotions for the viewer.
An Indian film will take you on a roller-coaster of emotions, that's for certain. You will laugh, love and cry, experience horror, tragedy, comedy and suspense all in approximately 180 minutes.
Bollywood has created a genre and a niche for itself, of which the viewers are a total entity. In this super-reality there is one simple rule: all rationality can be bent and distorted so that in the end love always wins. Coincidence and destiny are willing aids. Lost brothers find each other again, parents make-up with their children, mothers are devoted, the maid or the gardener are hilarious and the bad villains create chaos throughout the film.
To give you a sneak peak of one of the recipes from this book I made a fantastic vegetarian dish using one of my favorite vegetables - the Okra. Unfortunately, I do not often find fresh Okras here in Germany, but whenever I do I enjoy preparing it in a simple yet flavorful way, highlighting the vegetable. I adapted the recipe by adding a bit of fresh tomato for color and to complement the okra with it's fruity aroma. I also reduced the amount of chilies from 6 to 3, finely chopping them instead of keeping them whole! This recipe comes from Saif Ali Khan's cook and happens to be Saif's favorite vegetable dish too. Well Saif - you hunk - I loved every bite of it.
One pot + many ingredients = one-dish dinner! That's you challenge this month. I am looking for innovative and creative one-dish meals. These can be casseroles, cooked in a crockpot, in a pressure cooker or in a baking dish. Whatever you are using you need to stick to the one cooking dish. So, come on over to February's mingle with your favorite One-Dish Dinners.
You'll find all the necessary details to this month's Monthly Mingle here.
Deadline: March 10th, 2008
Don't forget to send me your links to your fresh, crispy, juicy winter produce. Eat Fresh is a seasonal event, which attempts to bring people to share their weekly fresh produce with each other. So, all you need to do is take a picture of your weekly fresh vegetables and fruit, post it on your blogs, send email to firstname.lastname@example.com and you will get an invitation to join our growing Eat Fresh list.
Deadline: March 31st, 2008
In Barcelona, Núria of Spanish Recipes visits her weekly street market to buy seasonal fruit and vegetables like fresh oranges from the Valencia region (Oh Núria I envy you so much!), strawberries, artichokes, spinach and more. See her colorful bounty.
You can view the complete list of all our Eat Fresh entries here.
Printable version of recipe here.
750g Okras - washed and ends cut off
3-4 tomatoes - roughly chopped
3 tablespoon peanut oil
5 red onions - sliced
5 cm piece of ginger - cut into thin strips
1 teaspoons carom seeds
1 teaspoons black cumin seeds
3 fresh green chilies - finely chopped
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder
Heat the oil and sauté onions, ginger carom and cumin seeds in a large pan. Sauté until the onions are transparent and the spices are fragrant. Stir in chopped tomatoes and cook until softened and the juices have slightly evaporated.
Add the chilies and okras - sauté for 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring regularly. The okras should just begin to soften but still have a good bite to them.
Now add the coriander, turmeric and chili powder. Incorporate well and lastly, salt to taste.
Serve hot with Indian rotis or naans and pickles.
At first I thought Tom and Soeren would not like okras prepared in this way. For Soeren I had prepared an extra portion with hardly any chili. Okra generally is a vegetable you love or you hate, so I was expecting plenty of leftovers for me. But fat chance on that! Both my boys simple relished this dish. Top loved it because the okras were not limp and oozy as he usually got to know them. They were crispy and spicy. For Soeren, he loved the sweetness the onions and tomatoes gave.
It's an awesome dish, prepared within minutes and so full of aroma from the spices that you simply need to make double the amount.
You might enjoy these spicy Indian dishes too:
Spicy Chickpeas | |
Spicy Potatoes and Bell Peppers | |
Spicy Paneer with Onion | |
A spicy Indian breakfast |
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2008 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First


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Promises, promises: Obama and climate change
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By DINA CAPPIELLO
Associated Press
The issue:
Slowing the buildup of greenhouse gases responsible for warming the planet is one of the biggest challenges the United States and President Barack Obama face. The effects of rising global temperatures are widespread and costly: more severe storms, rising seas, species extinctions, and changes in weather patterns that will alter food production and the spread of disease. Politically, the stakes are huge. Any policy to reduce heat-trapping pollution will inevitably target the main sources of Americans' energy: the coal burned by power plants for electricity and the oil that is refined to run automobiles. Those industries have powerful protectors in both parties in Congress who will fight any additional regulations handed down by the administration that could contribute to Americans paying more for electricity and gas at the pump. There's also the lingering question of how much the U.S. can do to solve the problem alone, without other countries taking aggressive steps to curb their own pollution.
The promise:
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"My plan will continue to reduce the carbon pollution that is heating our planet, because climate change is not a hoax. More droughts and floods and wildfires are not a joke." -- Obama at the Democratic National Convention, Sept. 6, 2012.
"I urge this Congress to pursue a bipartisan, market-based solution to climate change. ... But if Congress won't act soon to protect future generations, I will. I will direct my Cabinet to come up with executive actions we can take, now and in the future, to reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change, and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy." _ Obama in his State of the Union speech, Feb. 12, 2013.
The prospects:
Obama has shown he doesn't need Congress to take action against climate change.
In his first term, he struck a deal with automakers to double fuel economy standards. After failing to pass a climate bill through a Democratic-controlled Congress, he proposed rules to control heat-trapping pollution from future power plants.
The president's chances of going through Congress are no better the second time around.
While some liberal Democrats have proposed legislation to tax emissions of carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas, Republicans controlling the House have pledged to block any and all efforts to price carbon pollution. Democrats from states with coal and oil probably will be stumbling blocks.
Obama has more tools he can tap to deal with the problem. The big question is how aggressive he will be and how he will balance expanding domestic energy production with his climate goals.
On the one hand, he says he supports an "all of the above" energy plan that uses all of the nation's energy resources. But should he proceed with regulations to control pollution from existing coal-fired power plants, the single largest source of carbon pollution, those regulations probably will contribute to shuttering facilities already struggling to compete with cheap natural gas.
Also looming is a decision whether to grant a permit to the Keystone XL oil pipeline, which would transport carbon-laden tar sands oil from Canada to Texas.
While the pipeline project is a better alternative from a carbon pollution standpoint than shipping the oil by rail, the emissions created by harvesting tar sands, processing them into oil and eventually burning it in automobiles in the U.S. and abroad will contribute to global warming.
Obama also supports the natural gas drilling boom brought about by hydraulic fracturing, but that boom is also responsible for releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
Bottom line:
Obama is likely to take more steps to reduce the pollution blamed for climate change. But those actions probably will not be of the scale needed to help much in slowing the heating of the planet.


text:
Believers have frequently attacked atheism on the grounds that it must be mistaken because so many intelligent people accept the claim that God is real. Then a list follows. The implication, if there's an argument here at all, is that by not believing, the atheist asserts that all of these brilliant people are crazy, or at least mistaken. But surely, so many people who are so smart couldn't be so wrong. Or something to that effect.
The fallacious appeal to authority is clearly a problem in these arguments. There's also a great deal of confirmation bias going on. We can find lots of smart people, like Ptolemy, who believed that the Sun orbits the Earth, or like Aristotle who believed that the four basic elements of matter are earth, air, fire, and water. So specific appeals to individuals and their beliefs won't tell us much about what's reasonable.
But if we were to take a broader view of what smart people think on the whole, could that give us some leverage on the question of what is most reasonable to believe? It won't settle the matter of course. Belief trends among smart people can be just as mistaken as Aristotle's earth/air/fire/water scheme. But one would be foolish to disregard what the most educated, intelligent, and thoughtful people in the human race thought was true. If there are significant trends in what they take to be true, that should count as substantial justification for all of us. That's a large part of what justifies the rest of us in believing that smoking causes cancer, or that oxygen is real, afterall. Which views are justified are, in part, a function of the social-epistemic context. One's standards of justification and background information are tied, in part, to what the people around you think. Aristotle wasn't irrational, just mistaken.
In a recent meta study in Intelligence ("Average Intelligence Predicts Atheism Rates Across 137 Nations"), Richard Lynn, John Harvey, and Helmuth Nyborg identified some telling conclusions:
1) Worldwide, there is a substantial negative correlation between intelligence and religious belief. That is, as intelligence goes up, religious belief goes down.
2) Furthermore, there is a significant decline of religious belief with age among children.
3) In the 20th century, as the intelligence of the population has gone up, religious belief has gone down.
In their discussion, the authors cite several familiar explanations from the previous surveys for why the correlation exists:
Frazer, in The Golden Bough, concludes that "the keener minds came to reject the religious theory of nature as inadequate. . . religion, regarded as an explanation of nature, is replaced by science."
Kuhlen and Arnold argue that "greater intellectual maturity might be expected to increase scepticism in matters of religion."
Inglehart and Welzel assert that people in the pre-industrial world have little control over nature, so "they seek to compensate their lack of physical control by appealing to the metaphysical powers that seem to contrl the world: worship is seen as a way to influence one's fate, and it is easier to accept one's helplessness if one knows the outcome is in the hands of an omnipotent being whose benevolence can be won by following rigid and predictable rules of contact. . . one reason for the decline in traditional religious beliefs in industrial societies is that an increasing sense of technological control over nature diminishes the need for reliance on supernatural powers."
The authors also note that the United States is anomalous "in having an unusually low percentage of its population disbelieving in God (10.5%) for a high IQ country."
It is no accident that disbelieving God comes with increased information and increased IQ. The correlations are too robust for that. And the explanations for the correlation here are at least plausible. So data shifts a burden of proof onto the shoulders of the believer, particularly the one who would cite a list of smart believers to defend their position.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Intelligence is Inversely Related to Religiousness
28 comments:
Something came from nothing.
Brilliant! - December 19, 2008 at 8:49 PM
- Jon said...
To steve martin:
Not all atheists believe that something came from nothing, many believe that "something" aka "the universe" always existed, while some hold an open mind about that, while some think that it does. For my part I believe that the universe always existed rather than came from nothing. But, that's a different debate. It's not best to assume or generalize a metaphysical viewpoint without giving credence to alternate views. - December 20, 2008 at 5:22 PM
- Teleprompter said...
To steve martin:
Well, sometimes it's best to say "I don't know". Because I don't know how the universe originated.
But on the other hand, to presume that the universe was created from nothing by a deity for which we have no evidence of existence, is beyond credibility.
I believe that we don't have all the details of the universe ironed out yet. Theists believe that someone or something created "something from nothing" through supernatural means. Now which view makes more sense to you now? - December 20, 2008 at 7:47 PM
- Jon said...
At the same time :::Player Piano::: - I do agree with you in many respects, however, also we have to judge the view that some theists believe that the universe was not created by a "supernatural means", for via the universe 'was and always will be' due to the view that the "God" is natural and so hence that the universe is and always has been via "it" in a strange naturalistic theistic sense, but I admit that I am not sure how that follows metaphysically/physically (just assuming the two are the same in a Spinozian sense). I do not agree with that for other reasons - so I am on your side on that, just not the exact meta-physical reasons.
So, in part I must agree with you, but at the same time a strange naturalistic theist may maintain that there is no difference between nature and "super-nature", and that it is all the same process (which I do not agree with in specifics). It is like asking "what is nature?" and "what is super-nature?" --Or, that the the universe was "created" by a deity, but NOT from nothing.--
For it was created by something: namely "a part of a
God from itself". Which admittedly I do not agree with for other reasons, but that is another avenue for the theist which we must give reason to discount.
And, the universe could not have been "created from nothing" period. Because Any Form of "created from nothing" is metaphysically/physically 'problematic' whether theist or atheist."
But I am open to rebuttal - and am about to crash out after working 24 in 32 hours, thanks all. - Jon - December 21, 2008 at 2:08 PM
- Teleprompter said...
Hmmm...so you are saying that some might believe that the universe is entirely natural because it is part of "God" that is natural, or because the universe is an expression of a divine nature or natures? Then why make any special differentiation if your "God" is simply nature? Or am I missing something?
Also, I agree that it's nothing but problematic to say that anything "came from nothing". - December 21, 2008 at 10:51 PM
- Jon said...
I'm just saying that some theists will argue for god in a way that is consistent with naturalism. But, I disagree with that for other reasons.
- December 21, 2008 at 11:03 PM
I wouldn't expect you guys to believe.
Hey, at heart, I am a non-believer.
I'm only a believer because He makes me one...day after day, and each time I slip into unbelief...He brings me back home (the Good Shepherd).
When Christ showed up in this self-obsessed, idolatrous world, 2000 years ago...they hated Him and put Him to death.
We still hate Him. If He showed His face again, we would want to kill Him again.
But He actaully loves His enemies (unlike us) and gave His life for us that we might live again.
Now that's love.
And it's also that no man can prove, nor does he have to. But when this love and forgiveness finally grabs a hold of you...there is no going back to the same old life.
No, we don't want to believe in Him or love Him...but He wants us.
Thanks all! - December 22, 2008 at 1:04 AM
- Eric Sotnak said...
steve martin wrote:
"We still hate Him. If He showed His face again, we would want to kill Him again."
Why? Because of the ideology he taught? Are believers or non-believers more likely to kill people over differences in ideology?
If Jesus came back and preached an ideology of which I disapproved, I don't think I'd want to kill him. If he came back and molested my kids, or flew an airplane into a building full of people, maybe then I'd want to kill him. - December 22, 2008 at 5:54 AM
I didn't mean to do the actually killing, but to contribute to the attitude that gets Him killed.
Whenever real goodness comes forth in the world it is attacked by those who feel threatened or shown up or exposed by that goodness. The presence of God exposes our selfishness.
That is why we would kill Him, and also because He is of God and we hate God. - December 22, 2008 at 6:59 AM
- Eric Sotnak said...
steve martin wrote:
"Whenever real goodness comes forth in the world it is attacked by those who feel threatened or shown up or exposed by that goodness."
I disagree. So far as I know, no one has attacked this example of real goodness, for example:
"...we hate God."
Who does? I don't hate God. I don't think anyone posting on this blog hates God.... Unless you do -- if so, why? - December 22, 2008 at 8:28 AM
- Matt McCormick said...
I posted this comment to Steve Martin a while back. It got ignored. Now, after lots more theo-babble, it seems even more relevant:
Here's a challenge for you: can you give a description of God and some of these metaphysical claims about him that does not employ any of the jargon, or insider cliches, or boiler-plated poetic theology? That is, can you say any of this stuff without presuming so much background and acceptance in your audience that it's true or even makes sense? I think that would be useful for you and the people who are trying to understand you because otherwise, you just sound like a cult member whose consciousness has been completely co-opted. Then, if you can make these claims without all the theo-babble, can you offer some non-circular, non-question begging grounds for the rest of us to think the claims are true? That is, do you have any grounds for believing the doctrine besides appealing to the doctrine itself? It's not a unreasonable request--your audience wants to know why you believe, not just hear empty platitudes. And you should satisfy yourself that there are some reasons to accept this stuff and dedicate your life to it that are independent of the doctrine itself.
Think of it this way: imagine a non-believer, in response to legitimate questions from you, just kept saying things like:
"The vast nothingness IS WHAT IT IS, and nothing else."
"The non-existence of God has revealed itself in the righteous, perfect, impersonal absence of God."
"The nothing manifests itself in the hearts and minds of humans, not in arguments or reasons."
"The Non-God is the Non-God, glory be to its absence!!"
Do you see what I mean? From an outside perspective, this sort of talk just sounds insane.
None of this will convince you, I suppose. But I think for your own sake it would be really helpful if you could see that when you say stuff like, "I'm only a believer because He makes me one...day after day, and each time I slip into unbelief...He brings me back home (the Good Shepherd).
When Christ showed up in this self-obsessed, idolatrous world, 2000 years ago...they hated Him and put Him to death."
you sound like your mind has been taken over by a cult. That's the kind of mindless obsession and dedication that leads people to strap on bombs. You put the rest of us in danger by promoting this kind of nuttery.
MM - December 22, 2008 at 8:55 AM
That's was a great story, very heart warming...and good.
But the kind of goodness of which I speak is not the kind where we act, but rather the goodness where One would lay down their life for an enemy.
The only totally selfless act done for the sake of those that would kill Him.
When Jesus was approached and asked, "good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus replied, "Why do you call me good? There is no one good but God."
We can always find some good here, but it is good on a different level. I thank God for it...people are helped when people show compassion and kindness.
True goodness, the type of which Christ showed on the cross...can only come from God. - December 22, 2008 at 9:01 AM
- Jon said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- December 22, 2008 at 9:58 AM
- Jon said...
To Steve: A problem comes up when people believe that they know what a God thinks in the specific written doctrines. I don't believe in God, but assume that I do for a sec, I would believe that a God would not only be selfless as you say (unless you view God in an Aristotle way - but we won't go there) but also obviously the three omni features.
So, how does that fit the Biblical version? It does not if you read with an open mind. How to account for some of the apparently evil things that Jesus says and purports to believe? That would be strange to go against the literalism to the point of anti-reason. Jesus states that all of the old pharisees and prophets are speaking the truth. So how does one account of Moses giving legitimacy to slavery for one small example? That is contradictory, don't you think. Unless your not a literalist of course. But, then if you are not a literalist then your arguments become not as solid or straight forward due to the nebulous form on non-literalism. Think about what a Muslim thinks when they read the Koran - they might have the same exact enthusiasm that you have - or a non-theist religious person for that matter (some random Shaman for example that has no belief in an omni-God. Anyway, why not ponder that? - December 22, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Excellent points.
I am not a literalist/fundamentalist with respect to Holy Scripture (the Bible), but I do believe that the message of the Bible is infallible.
I believe the bible to be like Jesus Himself, a product of man and of God.
I don't know where Jesus said things that were evil.
He did say a lot of things that people didn't like.
Here's my take:
We are stuck in our selfishness (sin)
God cannot have sin in His realm, but nevertheless wants the creature, which He made in His own image, to be with Him and live with him for eternity.
So He became incarnate as a man, Jesus, and was killed to pay the price for our selfishness and to forgive us.
To the non-believer it is just a story. To the believer it is a story that they are now included in and is more real than reality.
I appreciate the opportunity to give you my take on it.
Like I've said before, I do not jump all over people for not believeing, since that is what I am, at heart. It is only by His grace that I believe, and that I continue to believe, against all evidence to the contrary. - December 22, 2008 at 10:17 AM
- Jon said...
Thanks for your reply Steve, but you know I cannot agree with you. And obviously I can give plenty of rebuttals back (and so may you),but you have not rebutted my points concerning how non-literalism is the most reasonable option or how it is that a person can choose from fundamentally differing interpretations. Maybe you avoid that topic? But hey, the conversation is sometimes stimulating even if I do not get the good rebuttal that I wish to seek which can enlighten me more.
- December 22, 2008 at 1:21 PM
Sorry about not explaining my stance on Biblical inerrancy and interpretation.
I've been running around with work, chores, you know...life.
That people have such different takes on the bible is quite normal. Since the bible is a product of God and man, the trouble of course, comes from the man end of the equation.
Often people fail to do theology and take literal, wooden, understandings that may be in opposition to an understanding with a proper theological understanding.
While I do not believe that every jot and tittle of Holy Scripture fell from Heaven wrapped up with a bow, I do believe that the overarching message is infallible and the Living Word of God.
This response will require a lot of explaining.
Headed to bed now, but I'll try and give more details tomorrow.
Thanks for allowing me the delay.
And I actually love talking about this subject. - December 22, 2008 at 9:21 PM
I do not think that there is an increased intelligence with skepticism. I used to think this when I was an atheist no doubt. But it dawned on me that my skepticism was so easily construed. I learned in theory of knowledge that global skepticism can be impossible to beat. That is, playing the role of the skeptic allows for raising of the bar of evidence. I believe that atheist do this with the topic of God. However, theist may also do this with claims of other god(s) contrary to their belief. For this reason I believe that skeptics may be perceived as more intelligent. But lets shit the topic and the athiest becomes ordinary. No doubt theist have a lot of work to do to defend their position. But this exhausting defense is not evidence for a lower IQ.
That being said, I believe that atheism is too simplistic. It relies on prima facie criticism that stems from a kind of global skepticism. But I think things in life are not so easily explained and skepticism in general may be an attractive safety position.
The quote below I believe addressing the simplicity of skepticism.
A little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion.
Francis Bacon - December 24, 2008 at 3:45 PM
Oops I meant to say "shift the topic" LOL
- December 24, 2008 at 3:46 PM
I think creating something from nothing is completely logical given the powers of a God.
- December 24, 2008 at 3:49 PM
- M. Tully said...
You wrote, "The quote below I believe addressing the simplicity of skepticism.
'A little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion.'
Francis Bacon"
Well, here's a quote right back at you:
A little critical thinking inclineth man's mind to attempt to find the mind of God, but depth in bringeth men's minds to conclude he doesn't exist.
Apparently Bacon may well have agreed with me. He wrote that one of the causes of atheism was, "...learned times, specially with peace and prosperity..."
I believe he also commented on how atheistic societies tended to be more civil.
Bacon was certainly a man of his times, but at heart he was an empiricist and pragmatist. - December 24, 2008 at 5:52 PM
Hi Tully. I guess I could just modus tollens your view as you did mine and somehow prove a point? I wasn't interested in Sir Francis Bacon's view but rather the possibility of atheist skepticism lacking depth of analysis.
Also. I am not sure there is any reason to think atheist societies are more civil. History says Stalin's atheist society was pretty brutal. But such talk seems quite superficial i.e. atheist society vs theist society or theist colleges vs secular (atheist?) colleges. If this is the kind of evidence that atheist need to rely on to make their case for superiority than I think my point of atheism simplicity has some weight.
That being said, I was an atheist throughout my undergraduate schooling and after reviewing my previous criticisms I have concluded that my skepticism was superficial. The more I studied philosophy the more I realized how tenuous it is to deny metaphysical claims on the basis of proof and/or physical evidence. In the end we only have arguments to determine what constitutes reality - what constitutes evidence etc. - December 24, 2008 at 10:10 PM
"In a recent meta study in Intelligence ("Average Intelligence Predicts Atheism Rates Across 137 Nations"), Richard Lynn, John Harvey, and Helmuth Nyborg identified some telling conclusions:"
Helmuth Nyborg
Nyborg is a controversial figure among the Danish public for his research on topics such as the inheritance of intelligence and the relationship between sex and intelligence. His article in Personality and Individual Differences, in which he reports a 5-point average IQ difference in favour of men,[2] has led to strong reactions in the Danish public and academia, for example in an editorial by the Danish newspaper Politiken.[3]
Nyborg has also made controversial statements regarding religious beliefs and ethnicity in relation to intelligence. He has concluded, through research, that white people tend to be more intelligent than blacks and that atheists tend to be more intelligent than religious people
Richard Lynn (born 1930) is a British Professor Emeritus of Psychology[1][2] who is known for his views on racial and ethnic differences and who is also well known among Neo-Nazis and hate groups.[3] Lynn says that there are race and sex differences in intelligence
SORRY ATHEIST BUT YOUR STUDY IS NAZI BULLSHIT. - December 25, 2008 at 1:16 AM
Religiosity and perceived emotional intelligence among Christians
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V9F-4JWMT04-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=701e4cbc9965aafb89de7b15e9554f04 - December 25, 2008 at 2:10 AM
- M. Tully said...
Hey Carlo,
The first part of comment, as you concluded, was that can pick and chose what to quote from Bacon to support different theological positions. Not so much so when looking into his thoughts on epistemology.
I find your conclusion on the utility of empiricism in metaphysics interesting (I myself am not what anyone would call philosophically inclined so you may need to simplify things for me). So let me pose this hypothetical to you. Through careful study and argument you have come to the ontological position that phenomenon 'A' does not, and indeed cannot exist. Then later phenomenon is demonstrated in the laboratory. Subsequently, others repeat the processes and confirm the existence of the phenomenon.
How do you reconcile this ontological dilemma? - December 26, 2008 at 3:36 PM
- Teleprompter said...
What exactly is an "analist"?
Animist? Atheist? I'm not even going to consider the other possibilities...
By the way, criticizing what you perceive to be a dubious study only to reference what I consider to be a dubious study is a strange tactic indeed. One would think that you'd have learned the lesson of your own critiques, no? - December 26, 2008 at 10:15 PM
- Brigitte said...
I find this argument from other people having lower IQ very disturbing. To me it represents a kind of demagoguery and a very low form of ad hominen attack, unworthy of the "reason" that is supposedly reigning here.
Why not round them up and gas them all and improve the gene pool. - December 27, 2008 at 1:07 PM
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- January 13, 2009 at 3:37 AM


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text:
There hadn't been any doubt about it for several weeks, but with his win Tuesday in the Texas primary Mitt Romney has "clinched the Republican presidential nomination," according to The Associated Press.
As NPR's S.V. Dáte explains on It's All Politics, though, Romney is still the "presumptive" nominee because if you go by the book he now has 907 "bound" delegates to the GOP convention — delegates who are required to vote for him on the first ballot. It takes 1,144 votes to be the nominee.
The AP, though, says he's "clinched" the nomination if you add in delegates that haven't yet been officially awarded, but that he almost surely won during the primary campaign.
Update at 12:05 p.m. ET. Obama Congratulates Romney.
According to the White House press office:
"At approximately 11:30 AM ET this morning, the president called Gov. Romney to congratulate him on securing the Republican nomination. President Obama said that he looked forward to an important and healthy debate about America's future, and wished Gov. Romney and his family well throughout the upcoming campaign."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.