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Gucci Rush For Women by Gucci Body Fragrance Oil (W) TYPE* ScentaRomaOils Scent Version MAH001
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subset: commoncrawl


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Friday, December 17, 2010
Did St. Joseph suspect the Blessed Virgin Mary of sin?
50 comments:
- Bender said...
I think that that is very close, but I would refine it just a bit.
Joseph did suspect. Suspicion would be entirely the reasonable reaction.
After all, all of the evidence pointed toward Mary being unfaithful -- she was pregnant, he had not been with her, she didn't have a prior husband, she didn't claim to have been accosted, and that story that she was with child through the Holy Spirit lacked all credibility.
But Joseph also knew that such infidelity and lying were totally against Mary's character, which he knew to be good (but certainly he could not know exactly how good and holy), and he knew that he loved Mary.
So, he had a quandry. He was conflicted. His head told him one thing, but his heart wanted to tell him something else. This is not unlike people today who are accused of wrongdoing, but who protest their innocence -- their loved ones want to believe them, but the evidence is against them.
And when the angel visited him, Joseph could have very easily disbelieved it as merely an act of his subconscious during a dream. It is true that one in Mary's position could also have easily dismissed the visit from the angel at the Annunciation as an overactive imagination (even though being full of grace), but the message to her was soon confirmed by her pregnancy and the fact that Mary knew that she had not been with a man. However, Joseph had nothing of this world to confirm her claim. He had no proof, no evidence. Joseph had only Mary's word for it, and the word of what easily could have been his imagination in a dream.
Nevertheless, Joseph was a "just" man, a "righteous" man. And so, in this state of conflict, even though he had good reason for doubt, even though all worldly evidence pointed toward Mary's infidelity, Joseph instead placed his trust in Mary and his faith in God. He reasoned with his heart, rather than his head. Instead of demanding proof, instead of putting God to the test, Joseph acted on faith. Joseph acted on love.
It was not until the shepherds showed up at the stable after the birth of Jesus, claiming that an angel had appeared to them announcing the good news of the birth, that Joseph finally had any tangible confirmation that he was right to believe in Mary – he was right to act on love and have faith in God.
It was a supreme act of faith for Joseph to act as he did. - December 17, 2010 at 8:14 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
Bender, Thank you for pointing out the fact that Joseph showed great faith by believing in the dream.
It is true: Many will later begin doubt the mystical experiences that they have received, it seems almost too good to be true.
But Joseph and Mary were willing to "set out into the deep", to trust God, and to offer their very lives in the service of the Savior.
St. Joseph, Just Man, Pray for us! - December 17, 2010 at 8:40 PM
Perhaps it is more simple to explain than that. Just as David was afraid to take the Ark into Jerusalem because it was so holy no one could touch it, Joseph was afraid to take Mary into his home because she was so holy no one could touch her. Imagine living intimately with someone who could make you drop dead because you reach out a hand to catch them when they stumble? God had to reassure Joseph that he was safe, that's all.
- December 17, 2010 at 11:49 PM
Saint Joseph knew the Law and he believed that Mary could sin, so it is entirely possible - and within the context of the divorce, which was permitted by the Law in the case of adultery - he wished to divorce Mary for adultery. No need to jump through hoops, the Scriptures is pretty clear about what Saint Joseph thought.
- December 18, 2010 at 2:23 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@Nick, Certainly, the opinion you express is a possible option. But I don't think you can/should say that every opinion other than your own is "jumping through hoops" -- you are dismissing many of the greatest Fathers of the Church in a very childish manner.
@Anonymous (8:49am), You seem to be in agreement with the second option I wrote about -- held by Origen, Basil, Bernard, Bridget, et al.
Certainly an option; I myself think it unlikely -- it is not clear that Joseph already knew that the Child was the Son of God. But who knows for sure? - December 18, 2010 at 7:16 AM
- Fernando said...
Reginaldus: why are you so affraid off the contributions made bie the «modernist biblical "scholars" of our day»?;
and who are they?
are you sure they habe less piety than other theologians, Fathers of the Church or not, in the past?
how do you measure piety?
don't you think thate intelectual honesty in front off the biblical text is an expresion off a deap piety?
thanks in advance for your time and good Christmas... - December 18, 2010 at 8:30 AM
- EditorCT said...
I've just skimmed this article and will read it properly later, but it is important to point out that "betrothal" was not the same as an engagement. The comment at the outset of this article - that all this happened "before the marriage ceremony" is misleading. The Jewish wedding ritual was in two parts. Technically, Mary and Joseph were married. They simply had not moved to the second part of the ritual, where the husband and wife begin to live together as husband and wife.
It is of some concern that this error keeps appearing in Catholic articles - either giving the impression or stating outright, that "betrothal" was the same thing as a modern "engagement." Is is quite a serious error. Mary and Joseph were technically married. No question about it. - December 18, 2010 at 10:25 AM
Couples who were betrothed were truly married..the wedding ceremony was the betrothal, and each went and lived in their separate homes, for up to a year. Check the bible parables telling us of the groom coming for his bride. They are based on this.. The co-habitating was the second part of the ceremony. So Mary was never an unwed Mother. Would God ever break His own Laws? No..
H Koczur - December 18, 2010 at 10:50 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@Editor CT and h koczur,
Thank you both for the clarification regarding Jewish marriage and betrothal rites.
I am well aware of this, though I did not take the time to explain it in detail in the article.
In fact, I do not think that anything I have written is contrary to what you two have said...
EditorCT, I agree that it is a shame that this error keeps coming up in Catholic articles...I do not think that I have made the error here -- I simply chose not to address the issue, as it was not really the point in question.
In any case, thank you both for the clarifications. - December 18, 2010 at 12:33 PM
"From this it is clear that both Joseph and Mary had agreed to live in a state of perpetual continence and virginity; having a true marriage, but only as of a brother and a sister."
The above was written by someone trying to decipher the relationship between St. Joseph and Mary.I personally consider the two who are so highly placeed by God, will not take a decision that is contrary to God's intention of creating man and woman as contained in the Book of Genesis. Such teaching could be misleading too.If St. Joseph and Mary could decide so, then the human race will diminish.People attempting such a life may end up adulterers. Such are not fit for God's Kingdom
I do not subscibe to it at all. It is a mystery for us. Let God be God.
DECLAN - December 18, 2010 at 12:45 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@Fernando, Believe me, nothing about the modernist biblical scholars of our day makes me to be "afraid"! :-)
I think that modern scholarship does have something to offer, but this is almost entirely related to language and cultural studies -- very rarely for theology.
How do I know that most modern scholars are less pious? They routinely deny the possibility of miracles, they interpret the Scriptures outside of (or even in direct contradiction to) the Catholic Tradition, they adopt a hermeneutic of suspicion, they dismiss the 2000 year tradition of Catholic biblical scholarship and spiritual reflection.
You asked: "Don't you think that intellectual honesty in front of the biblical text is an expression of deep piety?"
I answer: Yes, most certainly it is. However, we must remember that the Scriptures involve Divine Revelation which is above human reason (though never against reason); thus, intellectual humility is also needed -- any "scholar" who is willing to dismiss the miracles or read the text as though it is principally a work of human literature has lost the proper piety which is required of a Scripture scholar.
I hope that this gives some clarity. I am not against a "scientific" study of the Scriptures -- St. Thomas himself was at the beginning of a real renewal in Scripture study which was highly scientific and which came to full bloom in the 17th and 18th centuries. I do not advocate a naive return to the allegories of the Fathers (though they do have their place); rather, I want a true, scientific, scholarly, and pious exegesis of the literal sense of the text.
Rather than naming the bad scholars, let me name a couple of good ones:
St. Thomas Aquinas, Hugo of St. Cher, Cornelius a' Lapide, St. Lawrence of Brindisi.
Of our own day, I might point to the Navarre Bible Commentary.
Blessings to you! - December 18, 2010 at 12:45 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@Declan (anonymous 9:45pm),
It is quite humorous that you say, "It is a mystery for us. Let God be God."
I find it funny, because you don't seem to treat the relationship of Joseph and Mary as much of a mystery at all. You are quite certain of your own interpretation of Genesis and how this must necessarily bare on the Holy Family, you make a Kantian moral dilemma out of a private vow (as though one virgin will cause the downfall all humanity!), you insist that everyone who wants to be celibate will end up an adulterer.
Where is your humility before the mystery?
I have only offered a possible interpretation, you are making dogmatic pronouncements.
In any case, you are far removed from the Christian Tradition on this point (being so impious as to claim that Joseph and Mary engaged in sexual relations) -- As you say, "Such [presumptuous claims] are not fit for God's Kingdom." - December 18, 2010 at 12:52 PM
- A pilgrim said...
Blessings to all! Great subject. Here's my 2 cents:
There was no vow of virginity prior to Betrothal. Betrothal = Marriage (else why the need for divorce). It would be unjust for a vowed virgin to enter into marriage unless her prospective spouse agreed to this state. But, why would Joseph enter a marriage under these circumstances? Mary did not tell Joseph about the Annunciation. If Mary had told Joseph he would have believed her (and divorce would not not have been an issue). The controvery over the term "suspected of sin" is mysterious and likely one of semantics. What exactly is meant by "suspected"?.... Is it possible that the reality and possibility of sin never even entered into his consciousness?.... Not even for a split second? At this point, we are way over our heads. Bottom line (for me): Joseph did not know what to think... and "deeply troubled" is putting it mildly! - December 18, 2010 at 1:22 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@A pilgrim,
I think that we are in complete agreement.
Regarding the vow of virginity, Do you think (as I do) that Joseph and Mary made a vow after the Betrothal?
Peace to you in Christ. - December 18, 2010 at 1:25 PM
- A pilgrim said...
Hello Reginaldus.
As a believer in sacred Tradition as well as sacred Scripture, I believe both Mary and Joseph were and are perpetual virgins. As they were, living in the reality of the knowlege of the Annunciation, whether virginity was formally vowed or simply a new, profound intuitive reality for them.... who's to say. - December 18, 2010 at 1:42 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@ A pilgrim,
You bring out a good point: Virginity for the sake of the Kingdom is something (almost) entirely unique to the New Testament -- hence, it is possible that it was more of an intuition than a formal vow for Mary (and, perhaps, Joseph), the first consecrated virgin of Christianity.
Blessings! - December 18, 2010 at 8:35 PM
Dear Reginaldus,
"Betrothed" could mean that all customary and native laws of marriage had been observed, "taking her" could mean wedding as we have it today. A man and a woman do not need to come together to observe celibacy.I do not know what makes you think that your interpretation of co-habitation must be accepted.
Declan - December 18, 2010 at 9:21 PM
- Fernando said...
Dera Reginaldus... you saide: «They routinely deny the possibility of miracles, they interpret the Scriptures outside of (or even in direct contradiction to) the Catholic Tradition, they adopt a hermeneutic of suspicion, they dismiss the 2000 year tradition of Catholic biblical scholarship and spiritual reflection»
Generalizations are not a good example off intelectual honesty... it's as speaking of the "fathers off the Church" in general... in these we can find everything, eben whate you call modernists lack off piety... more: whate is wrong iff someone does not follow 2000 years tradition in those aspects thate one is clearly wrong because, for example, it was following a translation (the "Vulgate") thate is wrong in some points?...
iff whate you "call" miracles was neber intended, nor by God, neither by the biblical authors, to be interpreted the way you do, why shoulde someone still understand them thate way? Obviously Scriptures are obove reason, butt it also reasoneable and not using our reason in its deapth it is offending God...
Your example off the Navarre Bible Commentary is a clear example off what I precisely call a "offence to God": twistting the texts' message in order to accomodate not only thate Tradition thate is clearly wrong in some aspects (do you wantt examplles of a 1960 years Tradition thate was latter revocated?), butt also in accomodatting Bellager's tetric texts...
I guess one day we all understand thate piety withoute incorporating reason in its deapth is a lack off respect to God...
May Jesu bless you all... - December 19, 2010 at 1:17 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
I have no idea what you are talking about... What do you mean by my "interpretation of co-habitation"? If you are referring to my insistence that Mary is perpetually a virgin and that she never had relations with any man, I must say that it is not simply "my interpretation" -- it is the Tradition of the Church.
We are Catholics here at this blog, I am writing for Catholics to help Catholics better understand their faith.
I cannot figure out where you are coming from or where you are trying to go.
In any case, it is clear that Mary had chosen to be a virgin, since she said to the angel "I know not man" -- if she was planning on having a natural marriage with Joseph, she would have presumed that the child to be conceived would be Joseph's son. Instead, because she was already a consecrated virgin, Mary knew that the Child would not be the son of a human father. - December 19, 2010 at 6:47 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
You've got to go grind your axe somewhere else...
What I have said is very moderate: The past 100 years should not completely outweigh and neglect the previous 1900 years...
You continue to make vague innuendos and avoid making any real claims.
If you hate the Navarre Bible Commentary, you are not going to like many of my articles. I recommend you find another blog to read, you are looking for something much more liberal than I am going to offer... - December 19, 2010 at 6:52 AM
You say that it would be "unjust" for an avowed virgin to enter a marriage. But, you're still thinking "20th" Century. Believe it or not, virginal marriages were actually quite common in ancient times, the much older "husband" actually being a guardian of the virginity of a much younger girl who was usually a servant in the temple, in an effort to keep her "undefiled and pure" so that she may consecrate herself to God. There are a lot of other variables to consider as well... if Mary was consecrated to the Temple by her parents, and Joseph was responsible to protect her virginity, and now she was found to be with child, what kind of position does that suddenly put him in? Not one I would ever want to face, that's for sure. Some food for thought: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0847.htm
- December 19, 2010 at 7:44 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@Anonymous (4:44am),
Thanks for the info!
I still think that Joseph and Mary had intended to have a natural marriage -- since it seems to be necessary for their betrothal to constitute a true marriage. Certainly, there is room for diversity of opinion in this matter.
Nevertheless, you do bring up a good point -- Joseph was chosen to be the guardian of the virginity of Mary.
An additional point: The Eastern Church favors the opinion that Joseph was older at the time of the marriage. But the Western Church generally assumes that Joseph was as young as Mary (perhaps only in his late teens). - December 19, 2010 at 9:25 PM
- Paddy said...
Anonymous (who posted at December 20, 2010 4:44 AM):
perhaps you could expand further on your comment that 'virginal marriages were actually quite common in ancient times'? It's not an idea I had come across before & I would appreciate some more on it. Thanks. - December 20, 2010 at 5:16 AM
- helgothjb said...
I have read the article and the comments and the part that is missing is that Joseph was a just man and would follow the law. If did expect that Mary had sinned in the conception of Jesus he would have followed the law and had her stoned! How had you say that he was just and then chose not to follow the law? That does not seem to be a faithful interpretation.
- December 20, 2010 at 6:11 AM
The Sacred Page has a good post on this also. I do feel more inclined to believe that Joseph somewhat knew of Mary's virginal birth and was afraid to expose her to the public disgrace by those that did not know. The visitation from the angel was simply telling him not to be afraid and move forward with the marriage. I think that "divorce" is a bad translation and that "put away" is a more loyal interpretation.
Michael - December 20, 2010 at 9:02 AM
- Paddy said...
That would depend on what you mean by 'just.' Is a just man one who insists on the letter of the law on all occasions; or is a just man one who tempers justice with mercy? Your post pre-supposes that the only kind of Jewish man who could be considered just is the former. I do not think that this is true. There is much in the Old Testament that would suggest mercy as being a virtue.
In any event, Matthew is a New Testament text and it is in the NT context whether we must consider whether St Joseph's actions are compatible with his being a just man if he suspected the BVM of sin. The word in Greek at Matthew 2.19 that is often translated as just is δικαιος, which also can be translated as righteous, holy (or even innocent). We are told is that as a man who was just/holy/righteous, his decision was to divorce her quietly and not expose her to public disgrace. If he did suspect her of sin, the text nonetheless regards his actions as δικαιος. If the interpretation is that St Joseph was being merciful and did not wish a young woman to be disgraced for her sin, it is not surprising that a Christian text would see this as an action that was δικαιος in character.
However, v2.18 says that the BVM had been found to with child by the Holy Spirit and in was in those circumstances that St Joseph decided to divorce her. The text does not state he suspected her of sin; but clearly if he had made a public display of divorcing her, the world at large might well have suspected her of sin and therefore he wished to divorce her quietly. A man who wished to avoid bringing scandal on the head of one he believes to be innocent of wrongdoing is also clearly a man who is δικαιος.
That would only leave the question of why, if he believed her to be innocent of sin, would he wish to divorce her? In v2.20 we hear he was told 'not to be afraid to take Mary' as his wife. Why should he be afraid? That some will know that the child is not his does not seem plausible, otherwise it would be pointless for him to attempt to spare her public disgrace. Equally, a man who is δικαιος would not be afraid of the whispers of gossips. The only thing left for him to afraid of then is the situation itself: that his bride is with child by the Holy Spirit. Any man who is truly δικαιος must feel himself unworthy to be husband to a woman who has been so honoured by God.
Therefore, with no disrespect intended to the Church Fathers who take a different view, I believe the Scriptures best support the following interpretation: St Joseph knew and belived that the BVM was with child by the Holy Spirit; he never suspected her of sin, but rather felt himself unworthy of the honour of being husband to such a woman; however, obedient to the message of his vision, he changed his plans and humbly submitted himself to God's will, and thereby proved himself a 'just' man and a worthy spouse of Our Lady. - December 20, 2010 at 9:04 AM
- Paddy said...
That would depend on what you mean by 'just.' Is a just man one who insists on the letter of the law on all occasions; or is a just man one who tempers justice with mercy? Your post pre-supposes that the only kind of Jewish man who could be considered just is the former. I do not think that this is true. There is much in the Old Testament that would suggest mercy as being a virtue.
In any event, Matthew is a New Testament text and it is in the NT context whether we must consider whether St Joseph's actions are compatible with his being a just man if he suspected the BVM of sin. The word in Greek at Matthew 2.19 that is often translated as just is δικαιος, which also can be translated as righteous, holy (or even innocent). We are told is that as a man who was just/holy/righteous, his decision was to divorce her quietly and not expose her to public disgrace. If he did suspect her of sin, the text nonetheless regards his actions as δικαιος. If the interpretation is that St Joseph was being merciful and did not wish a young woman to be disgraced for her sin, it is not surprising that a Christian text would see this as an action that was δικαιος in character.
However, v2.18 says that the BVM had been found to with child by the Holy Spirit and in was in those circumstances that St Joseph decided to divorce her. The text does not state he suspected her of sin; but clearly if he had made a public display of divorcing her, the world at large might well have suspected her of sin and therefore he wished to divorce her quietly. A man who wished to avoid bringing scandal on the head of one he believes to be innocent of wrongdoing is also clearly a man who is δικαιος.
That would only leave the question of why, if he believed her to be innocent of sin, would he wish to divorce her? In v2.20 we hear he was told 'not to be afraid to take Mary' as his wife. Why should he be afraid? That some will know that the child is not his does not seem plausible, otherwise it would be pointless for him to attempt to spare her public disgrace. Equally, a man who is δικαιος would not be afraid of the whispers of gossips. The only thing left for him to afraid of then is the situation itself: that his bride is with child by the Holy Spirit. Any man who is truly δικαιος must feel himself unworthy to be husband to a woman who has been so honoured by God.
Therefore, with no disrespect intended to the Church Fathers who take a different view, I believe the Scriptures best support the following interpretation: St Joseph knew and belived that the BVM was with child by the Holy Spirit; he never suspected her of sin, but rather felt himself unworthy of the honour of being husband to such a woman; however, obedient to the message of his vision, he changed his plans and humbly submitted himself to God's will, and thereby proved himself a 'just' man and a worthy spouse of Our Lady. - December 20, 2010 at 9:05 AM
- Paddy said...
apologies - that last comment should only have appeared once - not sure what happend.
- December 20, 2010 at 9:07 AM
I accidentally put "virginal birth". At this point in the account, that did not happen. I meant to say that Joseph somewhat knew of the miraculous conception.
Michael - December 20, 2010 at 9:07 AM
- John, an unlikely pastor said...
thanks for this post.
It's most intriguing to look ahead to Christmas and think of the long string of miracles, among which Joseph's vision and change of heart ought to be counted.
I sense that there's some ambiguity in the story that we can't take out. We don't know what Joseph suspected of Mary, nor do any other the fathers, beyond conjecture. so live with the ambiguity - December 20, 2010 at 12:56 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@Fr. Levi,
Thank you for the commentary.
Certainly, you bring up many valid points. I would agree with you regarding the justice of St. Joseph.
I think you have adequately responded to the concerns of helgothjb.
Regarding whether St. Joseph knew that Mary was the Mother of God, I am not sure... Obviously, the opinion you espouse is held by numerous Fathers and Doctors (and even Cornelius a' Lapide seems to lean in that direction a bit, while remaining somewhat sceptical). Moreover, St. Bridget received the same message in her Revelations...so that has some weight too!
Obviously, diversity is legitimate in this matter.
I want to take a slightly more moderate view -- Joseph was very confused and didn't really think either one way or the other (though he was certain that Mary would not have sinned).
But I am open to your opinion.
What is very hard for me to accept is the view (taken by Augustine) that Joseph actually suspected that Mary was an adulteress. If it wasn't for the fact that Augustine said this, I would dismiss it as impious! But, I suppose it must be a valid option, if so many of the great fathers held the opinion...
It's great to have you at the NTM blog, please feel free to comment on future posts as well! - December 20, 2010 at 4:12 PM
- A pilgrim said...
Hmmm.... Gee, I'm not sure exactly what to think now. I'm looking more closely at Reginaldus's original point regarding Mary's response to the angel ("...I do not know man") and that it seems a reasonable interpretation and implication that she had already vowed virginity. Also, Fr. Levi's point about the text, (v2.20) where we hear Joseph was told 'not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife'... making me wonder if in fact Mary had told Joseph... and if/how much did she divulge...
Thank God! It is a mystery and we are still at peace in the mystery. But, this is good stuff!
Thank you! Merry Christmas!! - December 20, 2010 at 4:17 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@MichaelP, Thanks for the link to the Sacred Page blog. Also, I agree that "divorce" is a poor translation -- it should be "put away", as you say.
Your interpretation is very much in line with the second option (held by Basil, Bernard, and Bridget).
I think you are correct. This is a matter of speculation and we cannot be too sure of our conclusions; we tread on holy ground. Nevertheless, I am certain that it is good to pray with the scene and, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, to attempt to pierce the mystery. - December 20, 2010 at 4:20 PM
- Jenni said...
Fr. Levi,
I would agree that "just" in this instance does not mean a strict observer of the law. However, I would disagree that it means that he was being merciful. Instead, what if Joseph already knew about the Incarnation and St. Matthew is telling us that he is 'just' in the sense that Joseph is 'just before God' and had a total respect for God's will. He did not want to meddle with the mystery that God was working in Mary, so he wanted to remove himself from it. After all, she had become the new Ark of the Covenant, as one commenter pointed out. That is what St. Thomas Aquinas seems to be saying, he wanted to part from her out of respect for her sanctity. For more, Ignance de la Potterrie, SJ has an excellent exegesis of the Annunciation to Joseph pericope. - December 20, 2010 at 6:41 PM
As often the case, we get caught up in the discussion of what the meaning of 'is' is. The Gospel relates actions within context of a life of Judaic practices that are hardly well understood today.
The real points are: Mary acquiesed to the awesome task God bestowed on her: to be Christ's mother; Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit; Joseph, despite his qualms (I think the intent here is to show him fully human but capable of accepting God's plan) accepts the charge God gives to him. The other stuff is just so much speculation and doesn't really add to our understanding and belief. The real question isn't whether Joseph though Mary was in sin, the real question is did he do God's will? Questions like the original fracture the faith into little grains of sand to be highlighted under a microscope. Sermons in church this weekend were preached over and again trying to explain whether Joseph though Mary a sinner. That really isn't the point!!! The point is the two people accepted God's roles for them!
I also take exception to the statement, even if some of the Fathers of the Church conclude such, that Mary and Joseph lived like brother and sister. There are marriages of all stripes, consummated in many ways both spiritual and physical where sex isn't possible due to bodily impairments. Do we then relegate all these people to living monastic lives? Another conclusion that really can't be defended. The beauty of God's work is that he uses the clay he created and our belief is in the fact that Mary and Joseph were people like us. I can scarcely believe that in the highly scrutinized society of Jewish law that Mary and Joseph could comport themselves as brother and sister and that defies what God intends in marriage. Sex isn't necessarily the consummation of marriage, but there are forms of intimacy of spirit and soul that bind husband and wife that brothers and sisters can't hope to share. How can we hope to emulate the concept of the example of the Holy Family if we postulate that Jesus was raised by an older brother ahd sister? Most of what is on this blog is pretty good but sometimes you all get carried away with some weird perspectives. By the way, my patron saint is Joseph, and he and I have some very good understandings of life's challenges. - December 20, 2010 at 9:31 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@Timothy Joseph,
I think that we are misunderstanding each other here...
When I say that Joseph and Mary lived as "brother and sister", I am using the phrase according to the common euphemism to mean simply that their marriage was not consummated by sexual intercourse.
Of course, I do not literally mean that Joseph and Mary acted as a "big brother and sister" for Jesus!
Of course their marriage was a true marriage, one of great love...but their was no sexual/genital relation between Joseph and Mary [I would not use such blunt language, but you seem not to understand the common more polite ways of speaking of such things].
Regarding your statement: That thinking about such matters (as what Joseph was really thinking when he intended to "put Mary away secretly") will "fracture the faith into little grains of sand to be highlighted under a microscope."
I must say that I heartily disagree with you. How can you possibly make a meditation with the text unless you speak with Joseph and ask him what was in his heart? Sure, it is speculation, but I am convinced that an important part of the Christian life is trying to pierce into the mysteries...even if that means that we lack the certainty we normally want to have.
Moreover, the Fathers and Doctors of the Church ask this question. St. Thomas Aquinas asks this question. The great theologians and scholars ask this question. I would say that there is something wrong with a person who would dismiss the tradition so easily...
Regarding the sermons given in most churches this weekend -- I am sure that many foolish things were said by impious priests, that however should not make us run away from the meditation; we only need to be firmly grounded in the Tradition and in the Scriptures, and in the life of prayer.
I hope you can see why I wrote this article.
...btw, any "weird perspective" you find in this article has been defended by various Fathers of the Church (as I cited in the article itself); we need to have a bit more humility when we approach the commentaries written by the Fathers on these difficult passages of the Bible, we ought not call the commentaries "weird" or accuse them of "dissecting" the faith... - December 20, 2010 at 11:06 PM
- Fernando said...
Dear Reginaldus... as a matter off fact I'll read anie blogg I want, any time I want and I'll comment your "articles" anytime I want eben when you follow Opus Day [thate organization founded by someone who changed is name because his baptistic name was nott noble enough]'s Commentary... sure you can ignore my comments and eben block them, butt thate will say a lot aboutte your Christian heart...
butt place a mirror in frontt off you before you lett the axx follow on person likke me...you saide to me «[you] make vague innuendos and avoid making any real claims»...
1) it's you thate generalized when talked aboutt "modernist theologians" withoutt giving any example off your claimms;
2) it's you thate are always speaking off "The Fathers off the Church" and the "Doctors off the Church" as these are an homogenious reallity and not, as they are, a contrasting reallity... more: you eben do nott presente any proff thate these agree withe you...
so: the previous 1800 years should be neglected always when those 1800 years are againstte the previous 100 [the time I reccon the NT was written]... butt it seams you do never incorpore the last 100 years in your thoughts and texts... so: it's you thate are making a separation in the Tradition as this one comes into our days and did not stop in the year 1900... just see the names you presented for good schollars... they do not overcome the year 1700...
may you habe a good Christmas and may the incomming God heal your soul and hoppen your heart to the truth wherever it is eben iff it is in ourdays ""modern schoolars" thate deny some aspects off the Tradition thate shoold neber habe apperaed... - December 21, 2010 at 2:13 AM
- Fernando said...
By the way... you, dear Reginaldus, saide: «It is clear that Mary and Joseph had together vowed virginity, since Mary says to the angel, "How can this be, since I know not man?"»...
really? really? is this as clear as you think? the text only sais thate Mary did not habe sexuall intercorses untill thate time... nothing more, nothing less... in order to see in the text something else one must habe an enourmous imagination... don't you think so? - December 21, 2010 at 2:20 AM
- CM7 said...
I would also like to add that the OT Ark could not be touched without one losing his life. Could this somewhat shed light on what Joseph may have been afraid of? Or would this not come into play if he already vowed to not have marital relations with Mary?
Michael - December 21, 2010 at 12:40 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
Fernando, Your comments prove your character.
Please cease to use such hate-speech regarding canonized saints (namely St. Josemaria Escriva)...
In the future, I will block any comments in which you defame saints of the Church.
For the present, I will leave your comments as a testimony to the readers of NTM -- all can see what sort of person hates Opus Dei, and what sort of "theologian" prefers the modernist movement to the sound doctrine established by the Church's 2000 year Tradition (which is a continuous unity, even if there is a great deal of room for diversity)... - December 21, 2010 at 6:55 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
I think you could certainly be correct -- there is no question that St. Luke writes in a way to make a connection between the Ark of the Covenant and the Blessed Virgin Mary; uniting the Visitation with the Uzzah story (in which the man dies for having touched the Ark, in 1 Chronicles 13ff)...
The interpretation you bring up is certainly a valid option (following Origen, Basil, Bernard etc)...I, personally, do not think that this was what made Joseph "afraid" at first, but I am sure he was comforted to know that he was chosen by God and so it would not be out of place for him to serve as the guardian and care-taker of the Virgin and Child.
Thanks for the addition! - December 21, 2010 at 7:02 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@Fernando, While I do not think that your comment is deserving of a reply, I will nevertheless address one point.
You say that I present the Church Fathers and Doctors as an "homogenious reality", criticizing me for glossing over the diversity.
I suspect you are intending to claim that the first 100 years of the Church are in contradiction with the next 1800 years and that, only after the "Modernism" movement in the late 1800's, did the Church come back to the Truth in 1960's or so. [this is obviously not a position which is open to Catholics]
I would only make this one comment: I have most certainly not presented the Fathers and Doctors as though they all spoke with one united voice. I have very clearly stated (in many articles and also in this article) that there is great diversity of opinion. If you take the time to re-read the article, you will see that I have clearly given three very different interpretations of the text -- all of which have been supported by different Fathers and Doctors. Certainly, there is great room for diversity in this matter; I am in no way trying to come down with an iron fist.
One thing is not at all acceptable, however -- that is, to dismiss the Tradition and to adopt instead a hermeneutic of rupture, rejecting the doctrine of the Church for the modern "insights" of (mostly) non-catholic (and often non-Christian) scholars. - December 21, 2010 at 7:09 PM
- Bernardus said...
Dear Fr. Reginaldus,
@Reginaldus Dec. 21, 2010 8:06AM
You make a very important point in this discussion. In understanding the mystery of the the birth of Jesus, we need to meditate on the Gospel message especially one Holy Church selects for us. And, in this Gospel, we do need to pray to St. Joseph and ask him what was on his heart. I feel certain he is not going to text me or IM me out of the blue with a one on one, but I never know what deepening of faith I will be allowed. And I believe St. Joseph will offer wise and learned insight if asked.
And to have the Church Fathers offer instruction allows a grace filled enlightenment I would never be able to do alone.
I want to thank you for references I was unaware of (Navarre Bible and Fr. Cornelius a'Lapide).
I wish you a very Blessed and Holy Christmas. I continue to keep you in my prayers. Please pray for me especially that I may be graced with a Holy Spiritual Director. - December 21, 2010 at 7:27 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@Bernard, Blessings to you! I am glad to hear that this post has helped in some small way with the life of prayer.
I am certain that, if only you persevere, God will provide you with the Spiritual Direction you are looking for.
I will keep you in my prayers! Thank you for your prayers as well. - December 21, 2010 at 8:36 PM
- James Zahler said...
I like these sorts of posts, especially when you are clear about saying that this isn't doctrine, but speculation. They are very useful for meditation. It raises our minds above our usual sinfulness to imagine life as the saint perceives it. Thinking in these idealized ways helps us make ideal, virtuous choices in our own circumstance. As a young man discerning marriage, meditating on this particular event in this manner will be meritorious.
- December 22, 2010 at 1:42 PM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
James, God bless you in your discernment! Yes, indeed, we have much to learn about family life from the Holy Family. Also, St. Joseph is a great model of true Christian manhood and fatherhood. Blessings to you and a merry Christmas!
- December 22, 2010 at 2:01 PM
- Paddy said...
Having said that I do not believe Joseph suspected Mary (based on a close reading of the text), I nonetheless realise it is not a matter of doctrine - and indeed the 'lens' of doubt and Joseph's example in overcoming it can be very powerful. For example, I found this trailer for a BBC program portraying Joseph's doubts in this matter to be very moving http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgERc0uJaJ0&feature=player_embedded. If you can't open the link, I've posted it on my blog also.
- December 23, 2010 at 4:55 AM
- John, an unlikely pastor said...
I'd like to ask readers for prayers for my marriage today and for all who are married. Guide us God to follow in your ways and not in the ways that seem right to us. Enliven us to angels word to Joseph, "Fear not".
AMEN - December 23, 2010 at 8:37 AM
- Father Ryan Erlenbush said...
@Unlikely, My prayers are with you this day!
Also, I am very glad that you feel comfortable reading and commenting on this blog (though you come from a different faith tradition). Christmas blessings to you! - December 23, 2010 at 9:08 AM
- John, an unlikely pastor said...
thanks for the prayers.
I don't think our traditions are as different at the core as we might like to think. We still rise and fall on the wonders of what God has done coming for us to live: teach and heal, to die, and to rise.
John - December 23, 2010 at 10:48 AM
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text:
There's a lot of searching on Capitol Hill but no discovery yet of a way to avoid a federal government shutdown at the start of next month.
Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor are searching for enough House GOP votes for a spending bill that could pass in the Democratic-controlled Senate and keep the government open past Sept. 30.
Tea Party-affiliated lawmakers are searching for a way to repeal the Affordable Care Act with the help of the Democratic-controlled Senate and President Obama.
Democrats are searching for a way to end the sequester budget cuts, or failing that, to pass a spending bill for the new fiscal year starting Oct. 1 that funds the government at a higher level than Republicans want.
The only thing found Thursday seemed to be more time for negotiations and vote-wrangling. Republican leaders recall how their party was blamed for the shutdowns of the mid-1990s and earnestly want to avoid a repeat, especially heading into a midterm election year.
Cantor alerted members Thursday that during the last week of September, when they are supposed to be on recess, they will now most likely find themselves in Washington voting on a continuing resolution to fund the government into October.
It looks like lawmakers will need every hour of that additional time. While talking to reporters Thursday, Boehner strongly suggested that House Republicans weren't exactly coalescing around any one legislative strategy.
"There are a lot of discussions going on about how — about how to deal with the [continuing resolution] and the issue of 'Obamacare,' and so we're continuing to work with our members," Boehner said. "There are a million options that are being discussed by a lot of people. When we have something to report, we'll let you know."
The options would be alternatives to legislation House leaders pulled from a planned vote Wednesday. The problem with the measure? It wouldn't have forced the Senate to vote on a bill that inextricably bound funding the government beyond September to defunding Obamacare.
House GOP leaders had hoped another symbolic anti-Obamacare vote — like the 41 others the House has already taken — would be acceptable with enough House Republicans. But it wasn't.
One alternative under discussion in the Republican conference would delay by a year the Oct. 1 date when individuals and families can start enrolling for health insurance.
While Republicans are divided on the way forward, Democrats are united on a number of key points, one of them being their wish that the opposition give up on trying to kill the health law.
"What's interesting to note is the proposals the Republicans are putting forward are not proposals — continuing resolutions to keep government open," California Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, told reporters. "They are proposals to shut down government. They know that. They know that what they're proposing is not going to pass the Senate or be signed by the president. So why don't we just save time, be constructive?"
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Map Shows Which States Have Great Taste in Music, Which Don't
A new map put together by Music Machinery details the most popular music in each of America's 50 states. And it not only serves as a gauge of what poor taste in music some of our countrymen have (really, West Virginia?), it also reveals there's a handful of them listening to s--- we never heard of.
Once you get past all of the "no duh" findings here (New Jersey likes Bruce Springsteen, Phish are huge in Vermont), there are a few surprises. Like, who knew that Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros had such a big following in Pennsylvania? And could anyone have guessed that any state in 2014 still cares about Linkin Park? Arizona still does.
Music Machinery goes way into detail at how these artists got paired to the states, but this relatively simple explanation about sums it up: "I sampled the listening preferences of about a quarter-million listeners that have a zip code associated with their account. I aggregated these listeners into regions. To compare regions, I look at the top-N most popular artists in each region and look for artists that have a substantial change in rank between the two regions. These artists are the artists that define the taste for the region."
That's the wonky stuff. The fun begins when you start browsing the map (or if you totally suck at geography, like we do, the artists and bands are listed alphabetically in Music Machinery's article). And there are plenty of surprises here: Maine loves them some R.E.M., Rush are big in Delaware and the Dakotas are way into heavy bro-rock from the '00s (Hinder dominates South Dakota, Stone Sour takes North Dakota).
But most surprising are the number of smallish, cultish and mostly unknown bands that made the list: Ginger Kwan (Arkansas), Bonobo (California), J Boog (Hawaii), August Alsina (MIssissippi) and Hillsong United (South Carolina).
The list is a great time killer and offers plenty of opportunities for finger-pointing at states that aren't fortunate enough to have a legend like Springsteen or Neil Young represent them. Plus, it gives us another reason to be thankful we don't live in West Virginia.
UPDATE: The author of the map has clarified and updated his findings. You can find the new info here.


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Ryan Lucas
Ryan Lucas covers the Justice Department for NPR.
He focuses on the national security side of the Justice beat, including counterterrorism and counterintelligence. Lucas also covers a host of other justice issues, including the Trump administration's "tough-on-crime" agenda and anti-trust enforcement.
Before joining NPR, Lucas worked for a decade as a foreign correspondent for The Associated Press based in Poland, Egypt and Lebanon. In Poland, he covered the fallout from the revelations about secret CIA prisons in Eastern Europe. In the Middle East, he reported on the ouster of Hosni Mubarak in 2011 and the turmoil that followed. He also covered the Libyan civil war, the Syrian conflict and the rise of the Islamic State. He reported from Iraq during the U.S. occupation and later during the Islamic State takeover of Mosul in 2014.
He also covered intelligence and national security for Congressional Quarterly.
Lucas earned a bachelor's degree from The College of William and Mary, and a master's degree from Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland.


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Mr. President, on August 8, Nicolae Gheorghe, one of the leading figures of the Romani civil rights movement, passed away. He was devoted to improving the situation of Roma, ultimately playing a pivotal role on the international stage and especially within the OSCE. Gheorghe lived an extraordinary life and will be long remembered for his singular contribution to the advancement of human rights.
Nicolae Gheorghe was born in 1946 in Romania during the aftermath of the fascist regime led by Marshall Ion Antonescu. His mother had narrowly escaped the mass deportations of 25,000 Roma planned and implemented by the Antonescu regime.
Members of the Helsinki Commission first met Nicolae Gheorghe when Senator Dennis DeConcini and Representative Steny Hoyer, then-Chairman and Cochairman, led a delegation to Romania in April 1990. At that time, Gheorghe was emerging as one of the clearest and most compelling voices sounding the alarm about the deplorable situation of Roma. Although the fall of communism in Central Europe ushered in an era of democratization, it also gave free rein to old bigotry against Roma. In fact, only a few months after that visit, police efforts to remove demonstrators from Bucharest degenerated into brutal attacks on the offices of opposition papers, opposition leaders' homes, and members of the Romani minority.
At almost the same time, the OSCE participating States were meeting in Copenhagen negotiating what would become one of the most ambitious agreements of the Helsinki process: the seminal 1990 Copenhagen Document. I was part of a delegation Representative Hoyer led to that historic meeting where we raised our concerns about religious and ethnic minorities directly with the delegation from Romania.
It was also in Copenhagen where Nicolae Gheorghe pressed–successfully–for the adoption of the first reference in any international human rights agreement to the specific problems faced by Roma. The U.S. delegation to that meeting, headed by the late Ambassador Max Kamplemen, helped secure the inclusion of that text in the final document.
But in the context of post-Communist economic and political transition, Roma became targets of ethnically motivated attacks. In Romania, dozens of pogroms against Roma were carried out between 1990 and 1997, prompting Gheorghe and others to found Romani CRISS in 1993. The name is a Romanian acronym for Center for Social Intervention and Studies but also a play on the Romani word "kris," which is a kind of council of elders. In the 1990s, he worked with the New Jersey-based Project on Ethnic Relations and served on the board of the European Roma Rights Center.
He also brought his concerns to the United States. In 1994, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Security, International Organizations, and Human Rights, chaired by Representative Tom Lantos, convened the first hearing before Congress on the situation of Roma. Gheorghe, joined by Romani activists Ian Hancock, Andrzej Mirga, and Klara Orgovanova, testified, along with Livia Plaks of the Project on Ethnic Relations.
Gheorghe argued that anti-Roma attitudes and behaviors could serve as a barometer to gauge the success of countries building democratic institutions, the rule of law, and "the consolidation of civil movements and associations and societies and states deeply distorted by the decades of pro-fascist, authoritarian and communist totalitarian regimes."
He presciently surveyed the scope and implications of anti-Roma manifestations including in Bosnia, Germany, the Czech and Slovak Republics, and Romania. "[T]he most important assistance which can be brought to or sent to our region is the rule of law, the breeding of democratic institutions, and careful implementation of individual human rights." Gheorghe testified at Helsinki Commission briefings and hearings in 2002 and 2006.
Nicolae Gheorghe also became a fixture at OSCE human rights meetings–first in his capacity as an NGO, then as the first senior adviser on Romani issues for the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. In whatever capacity he worked, he was a relentless advocate for the human rights of Romani people.
His appointment coincided with the deterioration of the situation in Kosovo, the NATO air campaign against Milosevic's Serbia, and the subsequent deployment of a large OSCE mission to Kosovo. As a consequence of developments in the Balkans, he became immediately engaged on issues relating to the displacement of Kosovo Roma to Macedonia and elsewhere. Throughout his tenure with the OSCE, which lasted through 2006, his work was driven by the need for crisis management stemming from acts of violence and other extreme manifestations of prejudice against Roma–not only in the Balkans but elsewhere in the OSCE region as well.
In his 2006 testimony before the Helsinki Commission, he observed that international organizations had largely focused on the situation of Roma in Central Europe, neglecting Western countries such as Greece, France, Spain, and Italy. "I don't think that Europe for the time being realizes the depth of the racism and racist attitudes in its structures, [in] Europe as a whole." The mass fingerprinting of Roma in Italy in 2008 and the expulsions of Roma from France in 2010 would illustrate that Gheorghe had spoken with typical insight.
I wish that I could say Nicolae Gheorghe's work to advance the human rights of Roma was complete. Clearly, it is not. Each day, it must be carried on by the many people he encouraged and a new generation of activists. Toward that end, our load is lighter because of the burdens he carried, our goals are nearer because of the distance he traveled, and we are inspired by his legacy.


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Good morning. As we start Day 8 of the London Olympics, big news is already happening. We posted earlier about Oscar Pistorius's historic run in the men's 400 meters, for instance. If you'd like to catch up on yesterday's events, check out our Day in Photos gallery. Here's what's been happening today:
- A 20-year gold medal drought was broken by U.S. shooter Jamie Lynn Gray Saturday, when she
won gold in the 50-meter rifle three-position event. Gray's final shot is what we amateurs would call a bullseye. The scorers called it a 10.8, and Gray calls it a key to her new world record score of 691.9 points. Her husband is Staff Sgt. Henry Gray, who serves on the Army Marksmanship Unit based at Ft. Benning, Ga.
- The women's triathlon came down to a photo finish, after nearly two hours of swimming, cycling and running. But officials say that the Swiss Nicola Spirig barely edged Lisa Norden of Sweden, who was sprinting to the line after catching up with Spirig. After their 1500m swim, 26.7-mile bike ride and 10k run, the two top finishers fell to the ground with an identical time of 1:59.48. America's Sarah Groff finished fourth, after running down the lead group in the final kilometers.
- Sprinter Kim Collins carried the flag of St. Kitts and Nevis during last week's opening ceremony at Olympic Stadium. But the former world champion will not run a race there, after an apparent disagreement with his team for visiting his wife. The team has said it didn't know where Collins, 36, had been for the past three days.
- And in badminton news, the Russian doubles team of Valeria Sorokina and Nina Vislova saw their medal hopes rise, Phoenix-like, from the ashes earlier this week, when four teams were bounced from the Olympics for losing on purpose. Now they've won a bronze medal.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Magic Strings
By Mike Johnson.
Digitised Editions of this Text in Our Collection
Mentioned in
- Sport 25: Spring 2000
For several reasons, including lack of resource and inherent ambiguity, not all names in the NZETC are marked-up. This means that finding all references to a topic often involves searching. Search for Magic Strings as: "Magic Strings". Additional references are often found by searching for just the main name of the topic (the surname in the case of people).
Other Collections
The following collections may have holdings relevant to "Magic Strings":
- Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, which has entries for many prominent New Zealanders.
- Archives New Zealand, which has collections of maps, plans and posters; immigration passenger lists; and probate records.
- National Library of New Zealand, which has extensive collections of published material.
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, which has extensive holdings on the Auckland region and New Zealand military history.
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, which has strong holdings in Tāonga Māori, biological holotypes and New Zealand art.
- nzhistory.net.nz, from the History Group of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.


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Friday, February 27, 2009
Let's Talk About John Mayer For a Moment...
Anyhoo, there have been some recent rumors and reports that Grammy winning musician John Mayer spent $10,000,000 on a new house in Woodland Hills, CA. Anyone who knows Woodland Hills knows there just aren't $10,000,000 houses in Woodland Hills, so the reports seemed a bit fishy to Your Mama. As we often do when puzzled and perplexed, we checked with Lucy Spillerguts and Our Fairy Godmother in the San Fernando Valley and with their assistance and input have come up with a somewhat different story about Mister Mayer's real estate whereabouts.
According to our savvy sources, Mister Mayer–who already owns a house in Pacific Palisades and an apartment on Lafayette Street in New York City–did not purchase a new house in Woodland Hills, or any any other place for that matter. It is our understanding that Mister Mayer is spending big bucks to lease a big house behind the guarded gates of the high priced horsey community of Hidden Hills, CA. According to records on file with the county of Los Angeles, Mister Mayer's temporary digs measure more than 11,000 square feet of pure, unadulterated faux-Mediterranean mcmansion.
Although we do wish Mister Mayer a happy home in Hidden Hills, Your Mama can't help but think his on again/off again ladee-pal Jennifer Aniston must be all kinds of put off and pissed about this development. After spending bazillions on renovations to her sprawling (and we hear) spectacular new house on N. Hillcrest Road in Beverly Hills, we just can't conjure the image of the romantic comedy queen schlepping out to the suburban wilds of Hidden Hills in her Range Rover so that she can hang out with Mister Mayer in a the sort of high end Home Despot lavishness Saddam Hussein would have wanted had he lived in Hidden Hills. But then again, maybe Ms. Aniston is so smitten with Mister Mayer that she'd go all the way to the porn mecca of Chatsworth for a little bowm-chicka-bow-bow.
27 comments:
possibly leasing the house to record new album.
- February 27, 2009 at 3:11 PM
- February 27, 2009 at 3:16 PM
euh, yeah, it's spelled Mayer. mama's spelling of it this way must be intentional, deliberate and a joke (like using the spelling 'ack-tress'). no other explanation. although, if it is a joke, it's a strange one.
- February 27, 2009 at 3:26 PM
- Your Mama said...
no babies, just a mistake. it's all fixed now.
- February 27, 2009 at 3:35 PM
Come on, Hidden Hills isn't so bad! Why would Jennifer Aniston hate it? 3 gates to come in and out of to keep the paparazzi off her tail. No one bothers celebrities here. They can walk and exercise in peace and quiet without cars following them around. There is nothing wrong with sleepy, and it's only 30 minutes to Nobu in Malibu!
- February 27, 2009 at 4:04 PM
30 minutes?? Might as well be driving to Chino.
- February 27, 2009 at 4:10 PM
Jennifer Aniston NEEDS to get married ASAP.
Her middle name is "Desperate", and it soon will be "Old Maid".
Nothing scarier than a rich, crazy, 40 something women trying to control her imagine, by hunting down a spouse.
Honey, you should have had kids with Brad, before the Tomb Raider chick got her hooks in him. But you wanted to wait! Wait for what?
Live and learn I say. - February 27, 2009 at 5:46 PM
4:04, I believe Mama's point is that John is apparently settling into a home which creates a commute for either him or Jennifer to get to each other, nothing against Hidden Hills per se.
Mama, I think I know the feeling you're talking about. One of the queasy inducing characteristics that bothers me about him is the strange contortions his lips make into the microphone when singing his songs. It makes me uncomfortable to watch him perform. And overall, I don't quite get what women see in him, but that's just me. - February 27, 2009 at 6:03 PM
Is Hollywood completely immune to the deepening depression in the country? Are these things still living with millions and millions in their bank accounts to spend on excessive housing? Is Hollywood completely depression resistant? I fear so.
- February 27, 2009 at 7:15 PM
Woodland Hills is Podunk. Ewww, it's too far.
Anything not on the westside (specifically BH, Holmby Hills, Bel Air) is a DUMP. - February 27, 2009 at 9:06 PM
Whoever said is Hollywood immune?
Why should you just save your $ if you have it to spend? And you live in your house. - February 27, 2009 at 9:11 PM
- sean said...
Yo Mama, What about Mayer's SoHo apartment? No one has written up on that pad yet..is it leased or does he own it?????
BTW John Mayer is recording his album at the home @ Hidden Hills..he's using it as his live-in studio. You can check out inside the home as he posts photos on:
http://tryjm.blogspot.com - February 28, 2009 at 2:10 AM
Interesting slams on the neighborhoods. This attitude seems a little out of touch. I think we're all learning it's most important to live within our means vs. worrying that other people are going to call our neighborhood a dump. Best post Mama ever did was on Neil Patrick Harris, he's living very comfortably and modestly, and really doesn't appear to care what anyone else thinks about it......
- February 28, 2009 at 3:05 AM
True ... but Jennifer Aniston is living within her means, even though her house cost a fortune it's still fairly modest compared to the usual LA McMansions ... seriously, if only i could have Anistons annual residuals for friends & u know that show is going to run & run & run forever more ...
Mama, as if she schleps to him ... He goes to her! - February 28, 2009 at 5:55 AM
It seems the tabloids have been predicting a pregnancy for Jennifer Aniston pre Y2K. Maybe she doesn't want kids, or can't have them. Let me predict, another "Fresh start for Jen!" or "It's Baby Time!" tabloid headline is on the way. Or now that she's past 40, we can look forward to "Jen's Adoption Plans Enrage Brad!" Who the hell cares?
- February 28, 2009 at 10:06 AM
Isn't Hidden Hills where the alledged murderer, Robert Blake, lives?
- February 28, 2009 at 1:09 PM
- Ivy Lane said...
Blech..who cares!!??!!
- February 28, 2009 at 5:01 PM
3:05 - Agree that the neighborhood slamming is tiresome. Everyone has different needs, values, & lifestyles. A lot of celebrities choose areas that aren't overrun by "star tours" just so they are able to live a semblance of a normal life.
- February 28, 2009 at 10:35 PM
Hey Mama, While on the subject of Mayer-Aniston. I saw a listing in the LAT yesterday being touted as one of Aniston's former homes. A contemporary somewhere in the hills.
- March 1, 2009 at 7:33 AM
Woodside (Near Atherton) - some of the highest cost per sq ft in the country; even in this tight time...
- March 1, 2009 at 3:50 PM
Ahem. And what's wrong with 40?
- March 1, 2009 at 6:59 PM
i need a damn nerve pill!
- March 2, 2009 at 7:21 AM
Okay now!!
We've talked about a one Mr. Mayer for a moment, and what a moment it was. However, can't we move on and get another post yet? - March 2, 2009 at 8:07 AM
Oh Mama
How could I live without you to voice those strange feelings that sometimes surface, i.e "icky feeling" about Mr. John Mayer. - March 3, 2009 at 8:32 AM
This place is nasty. Just found out about the site. Love it. Stop by www.liquidmarket.wordpress.com
- March 4, 2009 at 12:43 PM
Mayer and Aniston were NEVER a couple....the whole thing was created by CAA, their mutual agency and it was so Jen could appear with someone during Marley and Me. That is why it started as soon as Marley started and ended after Marley finished. It was the same contract with Vaughn. It is a sad empty game for money. They never slept together and appeared as a couple ONLY for photographers..... WAIT AND SEE. She had plans all along.
- March 23, 2009 at 6:07 AM
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- December 28, 2012 at 5:51 AM


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Camp Nazareth
Camp Nazareth is the official Youth Camp, Retreat and Conference Center for the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A., located, in Mercer, PA. It was established in 1977 By His Grace, Bishop John and has been expanded and improved under the leadership of Metropolitan Nicholas and Metropolitan Gregory.
Camp Nazareth is a popular gathering place for the youth of the Diocese. Its 289 acres of rolling hills and open fields is the perfect setting for the annual Summer Camping program. Featuring comfortable accommodations, manicured sports courts, a Junior Olympic Swimming Pool, and a beautiful Carpathian styled wooden Church, Camp Nazareth is truly the place to be!
As a veteran camper Jenna Goetz of Bridgeport, CT writes:
"Coming to camp, personally, has the feeling of coming home, and being here is like achieving the closest parallel to heaven on earth."
If you have never visited Camp Nazareth, you do not know what you are missing! Come discover your home away from home. Come to Camp Nazareth!!!!
For more information please contact Fr. Stephen Loposky, The Director of Camp Nazareth at:
Diocesan Youth Camp, Retreat & Conference Center
339 Pew Road Mercer, PA 16137
Phone/Fax: 724-662-4840
E-Mail: email@example.com
Website: www.campnazareth.org


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In the Name of God بسم الله
Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'circumcision'.
Bismillah ar-Rahman ir-Raheem Assalaam Alaikum, My question is regarding male circumcision and performing tawaf around the Kaaba. I found no basis for it in al-Quran and numerous marjas have ruled circumcision is required of a man for his tawaf around Kaaba to be accepted yet don't explain why. Why is it wajib for a man to be circumcised to circumambulate the Kaaba? If answers could be provided with references to authentic ahadith it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
- 3 replies
- circumcision
- tawaf
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Salam aleykum to all Im plan to do a circumicision, but honestly im really scared. Some people say circumcision is bad because of this and this and other one say is good for this and this etc. So everyone tell me something different so its really confusing me. Atleast I know its a duty and I also want to enter in a majid and in Mekka. But I really want to pass the pain and I would like to know if someone convert or borned could tell me how was his experience and if there are any painful times? In the internet non muslims telling me things which are not helpful. BTW im a convert, not that im confusing others here if they ask why i was not circumcised^^. Wa Salam
"Circumcision pluses outweigh risks: Pediatricians" CHICAGO (AP) — The nation's most influential pediatricians group says the health benefits of circumcision in newborn boys outweigh any risks and insurance companies should pay for it. In its latest policy statement on circumcision, a procedure that has been declining nationwide, the American Academy of Pediatrics moves closer to an endorsement but says the decision should be up to parents. "It's not a verdict from on high," said policy co-author Dr. Andrew Freedman. "There's not a one-size-fits-all-answer." But from a medical standpoint, circumcision's benefits in reducing risk of disease outweigh its small risks, said Freedman, a pediatric urologist in Los Angeles. Recent research bolstering evidence that circumcision reduces chances of infection with HIV and other sexually spread diseases, urinary tract infections and penis cancer influenced the academy to update their 13-year-old policy. Their old stance said potential medical benefits were not sufficient to warrant recommending routinely circumcising newborn boys. The new one says, "The benefits of newborn male circumcision justify access to this procedure for those families who choose it." The academy also says pain relief stronger than a sugar-coated pacifier is essential, usually an injection to numb the area. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Convention has estimated circumcision costs range from about $200 to $600 nationwide. Coverage varies among insurers and several states have stopped Medicaid funding for circumcisions. The new policy was published online Monday in Pediatrics. It comes amid ongoing debate over whether circumcision is medically necessary or a cosmetic procedure that critics say amounts to genital mutilation. Activists favoring a circumcision ban made headway in putting it to a vote last year in San Francisco but a judge later knocked the measure off the city ballot, ruling that regulating medical procedures is up to the state, not city officials. In Germany, Jewish and Muslim leaders have protested a regional court ruling in June that said circumcision amounts to bodily harm. Meantime, a recent study projected that declining U.S. circumcision rates could add more than $4 billion in health care costs in coming years because of increased illness and infections. Circumcision involves removing foreskin at the tip of the penis. The procedure can reduce germs that can grow underneath the foreskin, and complications, including bleeding and infection, are rare, the academy says. Despite the U.S. decline, about half of baby boys nationwide still undergo circumcision, or roughly 1 million each year. The country's overall rate is much higher than in other developed nations, but U.S. rates vary by region and are higher in areas where it is a cultural or religious tradition, including among Jews and Muslims. Psychologist Ronald Goldman, director of an anti-circumcision group, the Circumcision Resource Center, said studies show circumcision causes loss of sexual satisfaction — a claim the academy said is not supported by the research it reviewed — and can be psychologically harming. Goldman contends medical studies showing benefits are flawed and that the academy's new position is "out of step" with medical groups in other developed countries. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists took part in the research review that led to the new policy and has endorsed it. Circumcisions in hospitals are typically performed by obstetricians or pediatricians. The CDC also participated in the review, and will consider the academy's updated policy in preparing its own recommendations, a CDC spokesman said. The agency has a fact sheet summarizing circumcision's potential health benefits and risks but no formal guidelines. The American Medical Association and American Academy of Family Physicians have neutral policies similar to the pediatrics academy's previous position. Philadelphia social worker Shannon Coyne examined medical research on circumcision before her son was born last September and had a tough time making a decision. She learned that a relative's boy needed reconstructive surgery after a botched circumcision, and that another's son who wasn't circumcised developed urinary infections. Coyne said she and her husband ultimately decided against circumcision, because she didn't want her baby to have what she considers cosmetic surgery without being able to consent. Her advice to other parents is "just make an informed decision. Do your research, be open-minded." Some 18 states have eliminated Medicaid coverage for circumcision, a trend that could contribute to rising health care costs to treat infections if circumcision rates continue to decline, according to a study published Aug. 20 in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Dr. Aaron Tobian, a Johns Hopkins University assistant professor who co-authored the study, said the academy's updated policy "is a very good step." ___ Online: American Academy of Pediatrics: http://www.aap.org CDC: http://1.usa.gov/hJiQj ___ http://health.yahoo.net/news/s/ap/circumcision-pluses-outweigh-risks-pediatricians
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I'm not sure what these things are supposed to be, but they've been popping up at bakeries all across the U.S. lately. Could the carrot jockeys have some competition on their hands?
"Soon, your race of sugar-craving giant sloths shall be OURS. Thaaat's right, we're cute, aren't we? You want to take us hooome, and show us all your financial staaaatements."
These guys are going less for "cute" and more for "mortal terror":
We're Popped-Eyes, the sailor blobs,
You won't want to finish,
'Cuz we taste like spinach,
We're Popped-Eyes the sailor blobs!"
(Now we get to find out which of you were around in the 60s. Let the age-determining comments begin!)
UPDATE: The general consensus seems to be these are "frog cakes". More info here.
UPDATE UPDATE: No, they're not supposed to be Bob from Monsters vs Aliens. What, you think I would miss a kids' movie tie-in? Give me a little credit, eh?


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Innovative Objects of Design: Museum Proposals for Columbus, Indiana
Innovative Objects of Design: Museum Proposals for Columbus, Indiana
As part of their central design studio course, 75 Iowa State University seniors in the architecture program visited the Figge for an extensive and comprehensive tour and were then challenged to design their own museum-albeit an imaginary one for the architecturally celebrated town of Columbus, Indiana. After their visit, students tried to retrace the range of critical design decisions they had just experienced to determine how David Chipperfield made something so complicated look easy.
The project, Innovative Objects of Design, challenged the students go beyond designing a 40,000 square-foot museum for things other than traditional 2D and 3D art—and to think about its role in the fabric of a city that is literally a living museum. Only two months after their initial visit to the Figge, the students presented a series of models, drawings, 3D renderings and material mock-up details as comprehensive proposals for their final ideas. Of the 75 proposals, 10 are on view at the Figge in the Mary Waterman Gildehaus Community Gallery. Iowa Sate University Department of Architecture lecturer Rob Whitehead, AIA, LEED AP, worked with the student and the Figge staff to make this exhibition possible.
Sponsored by Iowa State University, College of Design and Department of Architecture students.
Mary Waterman Gildehaus Community Gallery exhibitions sponsored by the Brand Boeshaar Foundation Fund.
This exhibition will be at the Figge through October 23, 2011.


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The functions of this module sort terms on files, merge already sorted files, and check files for sortedness. Chunks containing binary terms are read from a sequence of files, sorted internally in memory and written on temporary files, which are merged producing one sorted file as output. Merging is provided as an optimization; it is faster when the files are already sorted, but it always works to sort instead of merge.
On a file, a term is represented by a header and a binary. Two options define the format of terms on files:
- {header, HeaderLength}. HeaderLength determines the number of bytes preceding each binary and containing the length of the binary in bytes. Default is 4. The order of the header bytes is defined as follows: if B is a binary containing a header only, the size Size of the binary is calculated as <<Size:HeaderLength/unit:8>> = B.
- {format, Format}. The format determines the function that is applied to binaries in order to create the terms that will be sorted. The default value is binary_term, which is equivalent to fun binary_to_term/1. The value binary is equivalent to fun(X) -> X end, which means that the binaries will be sorted as they are. This is the fastest format. If Format is term, io:read/2 is called to read terms. In that case only the default value of the header option is allowed. The format option also determines what is written to the sorted output file: if Format is term then io:format/3 is called to write each term, otherwise the binary prefixed by a header is written. Note that the binary written is the same binary that was read; the results of applying the Format function are thrown away as soon as the terms have been sorted. Reading and writing terms using the io module is very much slower than reading and writing binaries.
Other options are:
- {order, Order}. The default is to sort terms in ascending order, but that can be changed by the value descending or by giving an ordering function Fun. An ordering function is antisymmetric, transitive and total. Fun(A, B) should return true if A comes before B in the ordering, false otherwise. An example of a typical ordering function is less than or equal to, =</2. Using an ordering function will slow down the sort considerably. The keysort, keymerge and keycheck functions do not accept ordering functions.
- {unique, boolean()}. When sorting or merging files, only the first of a sequence of terms that compare equal (==) is output if this option is set to true. The default value is false which implies that all terms that compare equal are output. When checking files for sortedness, a check that no pair of consecutive terms compares equal is done if this option is set to true.
- {tmpdir, TempDirectory}. The directory where temporary files are put can be chosen explicitly. The default, implied by the value "", is to put temporary files on the same directory as the sorted output file. If output is a function (see below), the directory returned by file:get_cwd() is used instead. The names of temporary files are derived from the Erlang nodename (node()), the process identifier of the current Erlang emulator (os:getpid()), and a unique integer (erlang:unique_integer([positive])); a typical name would be fs_mynode@myhost_1763_4711.17, where 17 is a sequence number. Existing files will be overwritten. Temporary files are deleted unless some uncaught EXIT signal occurs.
- {compressed, boolean()}. Temporary files and the output file may be compressed. The default value false implies that written files are not compressed. Regardless of the value of the compressed option, compressed files can always be read. Note that reading and writing compressed files is significantly slower than reading and writing uncompressed files.
- {size, Size}. By default approximately 512*1024 bytes read from files are sorted internally. This option should rarely be needed.
- {no_files, NoFiles}. By default 16 files are merged at a time. This option should rarely be needed.
As an alternative to sorting files, a function of one argument can be given as input. When called with the argument read the function is assumed to return end_of_input or {end_of_input, Value}} when there is no more input (Value is explained below), or {Objects, Fun}, where Objects is a list of binaries or terms depending on the format and Fun is a new input function. Any other value is immediately returned as value of the current call to sort or keysort. Each input function will be called exactly once, and should an error occur, the last function is called with the argument close, the reply of which is ignored.
A function of one argument can be given as output. The results of sorting or merging the input is collected in a non-empty sequence of variable length lists of binaries or terms depending on the format. The output function is called with one list at a time, and is assumed to return a new output function. Any other return value is immediately returned as value of the current call to the sort or merge function. Each output function is called exactly once. When some output function has been applied to all of the results or an error occurs, the last function is called with the argument close, and the reply is returned as value of the current call to the sort or merge function. If a function is given as input and the last input function returns {end_of_input, Value}, the function given as output will be called with the argument {value, Value}. This makes it easy to initiate the sequence of output functions with a value calculated by the input functions.
As an example, consider sorting the terms on a disk log file. A function that reads chunks from the disk log and returns a list of binaries is used as input. The results are collected in a list of terms.
sort(Log) -> {ok, _} = disk_log:open([{name,Log}, {mode,read_only}]), Input = input(Log, start), Output = output([]), Reply = file_sorter:sort(Input, Output, {format,term}), ok = disk_log:close(Log), Reply. input(Log, Cont) -> fun(close) -> ok; (read) -> case disk_log:chunk(Log, Cont) of {error, Reason} -> {error, Reason}; {Cont2, Terms} -> {Terms, input(Log, Cont2)}; {Cont2, Terms, _Badbytes} -> {Terms, input(Log, Cont2)}; eof -> end_of_input end end. output(L) -> fun(close) -> lists:append(lists:reverse(L)); (Terms) -> output([Terms | L]) end.
Further examples of functions as input and output can be found at the end of the file_sorter module; the term format is implemented with functions.
The possible values of Reason returned when an error occurs are:
bad_object, {bad_object, FileName}. Applying the format function failed for some binary, or the key(s) could not be extracted from some term.
{bad_term, FileName}. io:read/2 failed to read some term.
{file_error, FileName, file:posix()}. See file(3) for an explanation of file:posix().
{premature_eof, FileName}. End-of-file was encountered inside some binary term.
i_command() = read | close
i_reply() =
end_of_input |
{end_of_input, value()} |
{[object()], infun()} |
infun() = fun((i_command()) -> i_reply())
input() = file_names() | infun()
input_reply() = term()
o_command() = {value, value()} | [object()] | close
o_reply() = outfun() | output_reply()
object() = term() | binary()
outfun() = fun((o_command()) -> o_reply())
output() = file_name() | outfun()
output_reply() = term()
value() = term()
options() = [option()] | option()
option() =
{compressed, boolean()} |
{header, header_length()} |
{format, format()} |
{no_files, no_files()} |
{order, order()} |
{size, size()} |
{tmpdir, tmp_directory()} |
{unique, boolean()}
format() = binary_term | term | binary | format_fun()
format_fun() = fun((binary()) -> term())
header_length() = integer() >= 1
key_pos() = integer() >= 1 | [integer() >= 1]
no_files() = integer() >= 1
order() = ascending | descending | order_fun()
order_fun() = fun((term(), term()) -> boolean())
size() = integer() >= 0
tmp_directory() = [] | file:name()
reason() =
bad_object |
{bad_object, file_name()} |
{bad_term, file_name()} |
file:posix() | badarg | system_limit} |
{premature_eof, file_name()}
Sorts terms on files. sort(FileName) is equivalent to sort([FileName], FileName).
sort(Input, Output) -> Reply
sort(Input, Output, Options) -> Reply
Sorts terms on files. sort(Input, Output) is equivalent to sort(Input, Output, []).
keysort(KeyPos, FileName) -> Reply
Sorts tuples on files. keysort(N, FileName) is equivalent to keysort(N, [FileName], FileName).
keysort(KeyPos, Input, Output) -> Reply
keysort(KeyPos, Input, Output, Options) -> Reply
Sorts tuples on files. The sort is performed on the element(s) mentioned in KeyPos. If two tuples compare equal (==) on one element, next element according to KeyPos is compared. The sort is stable.
keysort(N, Input, Output) is equivalent to keysort(N, Input, Output, []).
merge(FileNames, Output) -> Reply
merge(FileNames, Output, Options) -> Reply
Merges terms on files. Each input file is assumed to be sorted.
merge(FileNames, Output) is equivalent to merge(FileNames, Output, []).
keymerge(KeyPos, FileNames, Output) -> Reply
keymerge(KeyPos, FileNames, Output, Options) -> Reply
Merges tuples on files. Each input file is assumed to be sorted on key(s).
keymerge(KeyPos, FileNames, Output) is equivalent to keymerge(KeyPos, FileNames, Output, []).
check(FileName) -> Reply
check(FileNames, Options) -> Reply
Checks files for sortedness. If a file is not sorted, the first out-of-order element is returned. The first term on a file has position 1.
check(FileName) is equivalent to check([FileName], []).
keycheck(KeyPos, FileName) -> Reply
keycheck(KeyPos, FileNames, Options) -> Reply
Checks files for sortedness. If a file is not sorted, the first out-of-order element is returned. The first term on a file has position 1.
keycheck(KeyPos, FileName) is equivalent to keycheck(KeyPos, [FileName], []).


text:
They're tacky and gaudy and kitschy and not unlike teen Japanese magazines, and that's the point, and I love it. And she's wearing Rodarte, which sounds so out of context, but makes so much sense visually. Apparently they got Murakami first, and he had this idea of a Japanese schoolgirl vibe, so they then contacted Spears as a result of that. She really is perfect, not only for her young face and blonde hair, but because of her place in pop culture. Using her turned the idea into a real story, and I don't think many other fashion magazines could pull that off.
Unless you've lived in a cave your entire life, and unless you ever wanted to or not, you know The Britney Chronicles pretty well, and one of the most fascinating sides to her product is as a prime example of the ways in which culture builds up celebrities only to tear them down. One commenter on The Fashion Spot compared this to the sacrificing of virgins (and that's before we even get into her virginal-but-sexy image as a teen pop star,) and then linked it to how young, pure, and bride-like she looks in the covers. She's wearing a veil, and bright pink lipstick, and giving that innocent, plastic smile. The cartoons and backpack alone give it all away. It is, in many ways, imitating the way she was sold and perceived when she herself was a teenage girl, but something is different now. Maybe that she's 28 years old.
Many people have noted how much she looks like Courtney Love here, who popularized the Kinderwhore style in the early 90's, dressing in babydoll dresses and Mary-Janes with smeared makeup, messy hair, and baby barrettes. A grown woman following all the requirements of the "female ideal" as dictated by American culture is shocking and disturbing when she ends up bearing a striking resemblance to a little girl. The irony, whether intentional or not, says a lot about how our culture fetishizes young girls, and 20 years later the concept still has its place. Think about how many fashion magazines persist with images of 15 year-old waifs as a point of aspiration for women. And how creepy is it that the American public demands to be so informed on Miley Cyrus's sex life? And yet, it is the public itself that could be to blame for her recent "slutty" behavior -- girls are surrounded with images that tell them their bodies and sexuality are the only factors in their self-worth, so when it comes to trying to establish their identity as a woman, that's what they turn to. It is pretty much written in the How To Grow Up: Teen Girl Pop Star Edition handbook for Cyrus-types to do the same, and Britney Spears is the perfect example.
Maybe I'm reading too much into things that may not even be there, but I tend to overanalyze anyway. This is kind of a rare happening, though. It's not often that fashion magazines offer up a cover that elicits such questions, or could take aspects of society we try to pass off as "the way things are" and shine a light on how creepy it all really is.
Edit: This article includes more analogies between the covers and the notorious Matsuyama work and might be of interest to you if you too are so intrigued by the ideas here. I highly doubt Britney Spears was "bamboozled" into this, though -- like I said, she's older now, and probably knows what she's doing.
Photos: Pop covers, RS cover, RS bedroom.


text:
HydraPak - Seeker 2 L Water Storage Bag - 42 mm Thread - Sutro Green - A822S
Check availability in the stationary store
HydraPak - Seeker 2 L Water Storage Bag - 42 mm Thread - Sutro Green - A822SDurable 2-liter retractable water bag, foldable to fit the size of a clenched fist, with a neck that is compatible with 42 mm water filters.
Features:- Low-profile, coated carry handle
- Tight 42 mm nut
- Compatible with 42 mm threaded water filters (Backcountry, Katadyn BeFree)
- Large 42 mm opening for easy filling
- Two handles for easy transport
- Made of durable TPU and RF seams
- Can be frozen or filled with hot water (up to 60°C)
- 100% BPA and PVC free
Technical Data | |
Capacity | 2 L |
Thread | 42 mm |
Dimensions | 32 x 13 cm |
Material | TPU, PP, Coated Nylon |
Warranty | Lifetime |
Weight | 76 g |
Color | Sutro Green |
How can I contact with shop customer service?
The best solution is to send an e-mail to infospecshop.pl It is also possible to contact us by phone from Mon. to Fri. 9.00a.m. - 5.00p.m. The number +48 533 372 997 combines the contact to shop customer service and service.
What payment methods do you support?
In the case of a stationary store, of course, by card or cash, while online orders can be paid by BLIK, credit card, online transfer and PayU installments, PayPal, traditional transfer or PayPo deferred payment.
How many days do I have to return the product?
The statutory period for returning online orders is 14 days, however for your comfort we have extended this period to 30 days from the day of purchase.
Is overseas delivery possible?
Yes, we offer delivery throughout the European Union, we use UPS and GLS, costs as per the price list.
For shipping to Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Netherlands free delivery is available for purchases over €99 and for other selected countries over €199*.
Why the difference in order processing times?
We use several warehouses, including external ones, so in order to complete an order we sometimes need a few days to bring some products.
What do order statuses mean?
Pending Delivery: At least one of the products you ordered needs to be moved from an outside warehouse. This generally extends the lead time by 1-5 days.
Pending payment: Your order is pending payment. Once your payment has been posted, we will begin processing it immediately.
Packed: Your order is being assembled in our warehouse. It will be forwarded for shipment shortly.
Ready to ship: Your order has been packed and is awaiting pickup by courier.
Stopped: Your order is being held up. This may be due to the goods you have ordered not being in stock. Please contact our Customer Service team.


text:
Shipping & Returns
Most purchases are shipped from our warehouse by UPS or USPS, to arrive to you within 4-10 business days of order receipt. If you need your order by a specific date, please mention the day in the comments box during checkout.
Ships via UPS / USPS / Heavy Goods Shipping (LTL)
Delivery Estimates Provide your city, state, and zip code on the shopping cart page for shipping estimates.
Local: Ship it or In-Store Pickup Local delivery is available to a limited geographic area within Northeast Ohio with a minimum of $150.00 order.
Or come and visit us and we will have your order ready when you arrive. Check out the driving directions so you don't lose your way :)
For further assistance, please call our customer service department at 1-844-343-3382 or send us an email at firstname.lastname@example.com
Online Only Items labeled as "Online Only" cannot be found in our retail store. They will be shipped directly to you.
Same-day Shipping While we do our best to ship orders as fast as they come in, we do ask for 1-2 business days for handling time. If your order is needed by a specific date, we ask that you please mention that in the order notes during checkout.
Shipping Policy 30-Day Return Policy


text:
The station was being renovated at the time of the photo.
This item is by Mitchell Sandler
Information, downloads, photographs and other media are displayed for reference purposes only - they remain the copyright of their respective authors and no attempt has been made to supercede such rights.
Page visited 1389 times


text:
The Urban Harvest Farmers Markets bring the bounty of the garden to Houstonians several times a week year round, rain or shine. Growers offer locally produced vegetables, fruits, farm products, dairy products, prepared foods, cut flowers and plants. Our colorful markets support a number of family farms and boost the income of small growers from the area. Even school groups, community gardeners and backyard gardeners have the opportunity to sell their products and learn about market gardening with the Houston Regional Market Growers Co-op.
Season: Year Round
Market Hours:
Saturdays, 8am - 12pm
Location: St. John's School, 2752 Buffalo Speedway