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A number of fellow Catholics over the years have asked me for advice and encouragement about going to Confession. Few things make me more glad than to share my love and appreciation for this very special Sacrament, and I pray very hard that all Catholics may be drawn to it. At the same time, I also understand that it's not an easy thing to do. So, especially now that we are in Lent, I would like to offer some encouragement for my brothers and sister who might be having difficulty approaching the Sacrament. (The following is from a letter I wrote to one dear person this evening; but I think it might be applicable and helpful to many people.)
I understand how much trepidation we can experience about going to Confession. It never completely goes away; I still struggle with it occasionally, and I'm sure everybody does. The reason is that the devil wants to prevent us all from going and receiving the tremendous grace, nourishment, and healing of the Sacrament. He will throw every lie and every negative feeling at us in order to stop us, to make us afraid, to make us distrustful and doubtful.
To withstand these difficult things takes God's grace. Nobody can do it alone. And so, what you should do now and very often is simply ask the Lord for His peace and for the grace to go to Confession. It may be helpful to pray this Act of Contrition–and note especially the part I've emphasized:
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest my sins because of Thy just punishment, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
Pray that at least once a day, and it won't be long until you start to feel much more at ease and even eager to go to Confession.
Trust that there are good reasons that Christ instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation and made human priests ministers of His mercy. The Sacrament itself provides not only sanctifying grace, but a very special, particular sacramental grace–that of stronger resistance to sin. The priest, as a fellow sinner and fellow penitent, can provide valuable help and guidance. As a fellow human, he can speak those wonderful words of absolution in a voice we can hear.
You certainly have nothing to fear from a confessor. You may think that he will be judgmental or perhaps even outraged at your sins. But he won't. I've heard many priests say that sin is just sin–it's boring, it's dull, it's unimaginative, it's completely unremarkable. What they find truly remarkable is the courage and humility and faith of the penitents who come to them. And they feel privileged to be able to help and heal and minister to them.
I will just add here what I have told myself and others many times: In the whole universe, there is only one person who benefits from our not going to Confession–and that's Satan. Don't give him that benefit!
Also, I welcome anybody to contact me to ask further questions about Confession. I don't ever get tired of talking about it!
It was just about a year ago that I moved to my new home, a house I share with my mother. It's a lovely house, in a suburb. There's really nothing to dislike about it. But it's been a pretty big adjustment for me, having lived in the city center for a number of years. I have a much longer commute to work and to the Dominican priory. I had to find, and join, a different parish. I feel out of place as an unmarried women living among young families. Even when I've found activities and events that interest me and that are close to home, I haven't been able to get out and do things because I get home late in the evening. Or, in many cases, the activities of interest occur during the work week, during work hours.
For many months, I've been sort of drifting along, going through motions, without ever having the slightest sense that I belong where I am, that it is really my home. I've given in sometimes to discouragement, discontent, loneliness, frustration, anxiety–most of which I've tried to cure by just closing myself up in my room with a video game or television show. Naturally, this only increased my isolation, so that I fell into a downward spiral of depression. In trying to numb or distract myself, I also stopped putting God at the center of my life. I became lax in my prayer and religious obligations.
Fortunately, I did have the sense to go to Confession and dust myself off to try again. And fortunately, I also had Lent approaching quickly, and a new focus and purpose to put myself to. Of course, God and His grace are what have seen me through most of all.
So I started praying every day, several times a day:
Lord, please just help me settle down and be more at home here. Help me find ways to become part of this new community and my new parish. Help me find ways to contribute and form new relationships. I trust that you have planted me here for a reason. Whether or not that reason becomes clear to me, please help me to accept my new place and to flourish.
I can't say that I've had any remarkable epiphanies. I can't say anything has progressed. I definitely can't say that I've discovered the reason for my being where I am. But at least I have my faith and am clinging closer to God's side once more–and that always makes life so much richer. As part of my Lenten discipline, I am going to keep praying that prayer, along with all my other prayers and observances, and I'm not going to let myself give in to impatience or distrust. I know that the feelings will come, and the temptation to entertain them will be strong. But I'm not going to give in.
So, yesterday morning, as I was going about my business of getting ready for work, I turned one of the music channels on to help get my blood pumping. And this song came on: "Home" by Phillip Phillips. A song I'd heard before but never paid too much attention to. But this time, for whatever reason, I found myself really listening to the lyrics:
Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble—it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found
Just know you're not alone
'Cause I'm gonna make this place your home
It was one of those amazing, unexpected moments when words strike you and move you and seem to have been meant just for you. And you wonder: how did I not hear this before? I know that many people would just shrug it off as a coincidence, nothing important. But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that there's no such thing as a coincidence–not in the sense of something unimportant and accidental. So, my spirit has been very uplifted! And I feel sure that my prayer to be more at home has been heard and will be answered.
But, you know, feel free to add your own prayers for me! :)
A blessed Ash Wednesday to everybody! I find the prayer for today to be a really stirring send-off into the great season of Lent:
Grant, O Lord, that we may begin with holy fasting
this campaign of Christian service,
so that, as we take up battle against spiritual evils,
we may be armed with weapons of self-restraint.
With its images of campaign, battle, and weapons, this prayer is an explicit and vivid call to spiritual warfare. And it tells us exactly what we need in order to wage–and win–the battle: fasting, service, and self-restraint. This echoes and expands upon the traditional trio of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, each of which is so important, not only for spiritual warfare but for life in general.
Is it not a tremendous blessing that each year brings this season of Lent in which we can focus on deepening and growing and maturing in our spiritual lives? Is it not an exciting time? A kind of adventure? The word Lent means "Springtime," and that is a perfect name for this season of new opportunities for flourishing.
For a long time, I always thought of Lent as a dreary season of drudgery, with nothing uplifting or exciting or adventurous at all. I didn't see it as the wonderful opportunity that it is. I didn't realize or appreciate any of the rewards it can bring. I looked at Lent through the lens of the secular world and culture: just another way the Church crushed happiness and imposed pain upon its benighted and masochistic adherents. I much preferred the popular modern worldview that equates happiness with pleasure and goodness with feeling good. But that worldview leads nowhere. Follow it long enough and you may easily find yourself in the nothingness, the hopelessness, the extreme and all-consuming poverty of Hell. Those fortunate enough (as I was), will experience a taste of Hell before it is too late and becomes an eternal dwelling.
I don't deny that the season of Lent and the entirety of Christian life can sometimes be difficult, uncomfortable, and uncertain. But the rewards–especially the ultimate, eternal reward of Heaven–far outshine any of the difficult spots. And they really are just little spots when you pause to look back over where you've come. Little spots amidst oceans of joy, of love, of peace, and above all, of grace. Lent is a powerful means of unleashing those oceans!
So, let us all dare to leave behind some of our comfort and security and complacence–which make it all too easy to be self-centered–and have a successful Lent!
Dear friends, heartfelt apologies for my long absence. A lot has been going on, both in the world and in my own little life–the two are interconnected of course. Watching and reading the news has often gotten the better of me in the last few months. So much, so much wrong and evil and indignity in the world. However, it has helped me view my own life in a constructive way and come to some rather large decisions about how I want to live my life right now, in my current state of life, which happens to be singlehood.
1. No more mourning my singlehood. And I have been mourning, mostly because I've been coming to terms with the difficult truth: I may be single for the rest of my life. That's all there is to it. And all the good-intentioned folks who say, "Oh no, there's still time for you. Why my so-and-so didn't marry until they were well into their forties!" can't deny the fact that such things don't happen for everybody. They just don't, and the likelihood gets slimmer and slimmer every day. This is especially true the stricter one's morals are regarding sex, marriage, and family. Which brings me to:
2. No more resenting Catholicism for my singlehood. It's been the single biggest, baddest temptation I've had. "If only I weren't Catholic, things would be so much easier, and I'd have so many more options!" It must be Satan's favorite trick, using broken hearts to drive people from the Church. It may be one of his most successful, too, though I hope not. By God's grace, I've tended to see it for what it is, and have realized how far below me it would be and how utterly miserable I would be if I gave into it. That doesn't mean I haven't struggled with it, though. I still feel it niggling at me sometimes–in fact even this very moment. But it's just not an option. I'm putting my foot down!
3. No more feeling powerless to change the world and create a better future. I'm so tired of it! So what if I'm just one person? So what if my way of seeing things and doing things is unpopular? History has borne witness to it time and time again: one person can make a difference. They may never see it or know about it in this lifetime, but again, so what? If I didn't believe this, my faith as a Catholic would ring hollow. If I really gave a flying fig about being popular, there's no way I'd be a Catholic. But I do know this: a Catholic is not a powerless person. This is because a Catholic is never just one person, but a person in communion. A person backed up by their family in heaven and on earth.
4. Vive la Revolution! Down with the stale, sterile, hedonistic, dehumanizing sexual revolution of the last century! It's time for the bold, daring, heroic, 21st-century revolution: purity, chastity, self-giving, and self-control. I truly believe this on its own can–and will–undo many ills. It's made a world of difference in my own life and self. I know it's done the same for other individuals. Every wide societal change begins with individuals! I cannot over-emphasize the importance of purity. Purity purges sin and disorder and allows every other virtue to take root and flourish. It heals, makes whole, and makes new.
Basically, what it comes down to is getting over and beyond myself, rejecting falsehoods, being brave enough to be counter-cultural, being faithful to what matters most, refusing to degrade myself in order to win approval or get by more easily, and refusing to feel in any way less valuable a person just because of a particular state in life.
Don't get me wrong, this is not a renunciation of marriage. If I were to someday be blessed to meet a wonderful man who's right and good for me and enter with him into Holy Matrimony, I would fall to my knees in gratitude! It's just now, if that never happens–I'm still going to fall to my knees in gratitude! On good days and bad days–every day!
It's been a bit of a tough road to make peace with all of this, but it truly has been liberating and edifying. I guess I just wanted to offer this as encouragement to anybody who's in a similar situation. You will find peace that this world cannot give, and the most glorious freedom and joy!
PS–I want to give special thanks to my local Lay Dominican family, because I have been so inspired and encouraged by their preaching and teaching on the topic of purity in recent months. It came at just the right time in my life to really get me moving forward and taking positive steps!
Valentine's Day is difficult when you are single. I know that all too well, and I keep all single people in my thoughts and prayers on this day when love and romance are celebrated and loneliness and yearning are cast in darker, sharper shadow.
I'm not going to tell anybody not to feel sad or lonely or broken-hearted. It is only human to feel these things. Remember, however, that such things are only part of the ephemeral world, which is passing so quickly. They are not part of the eternal life that God wishes to share with us even, to some degree, while we are here in the world. As such, we should never let ourselves become fixated on them. Feel them, yes–and then offer them up. Today is Friday, right? Make it part of your Friday penance and your remembrance of the Lord's Passion. Take those feelings and lay them at the foot of the Cross. Lift up your broken heart to the Crucified Lord and ask Him to make it whole. He will do it.
Instead of dwelling on what you lack, take some time to remember all of the many great blessings and wonders God has filled your life with. Remember that no person loves you and cherishes you more than God does. Let your heart be full of love and gratitude for Him. Also let your heart be full of love and gratitude for the people who are in your life: family members, friends, colleagues, teachers and mentors. The love we share with these people may not be as thrilling as romantic love, but it is generally more constant and loyal, every day of the year. There are also many, many people out in the world who are even more lonely and hurting and unloved than we are–even if they may not appear to be so. Look kindly on every person you meet. You never know how much good a smile or a hello might do for them–and for you too.
Know that you are not truly alone. I know that sometimes it feels like you are the only single person in the whole world on Valentine's Day. You're not. Your bonds with others who are in the same situation may span time and space–but they are there. This is especially true for Christians. We are never alone. No matter how isolated and alienated we might feel, the Church never fails to include us in her loving, universal embrace. We have people in Heaven, in Purgatory, and on Earth who share the familial bonds of the Church. None of them are ignorant of what we are going through and how we are feeling.
Have a happy and blessed day!
Yes, my Patron Saint for 2014 is none other than St. Peter!
I think I can imagine why he might have chosen me as his charge. I think he and I have one major character trait in common: an impetuosity that can be a good thing and a bad thing, a strength and a weakness. It can be bold and brave. It can also be reckless and imprudent. It can grow like an oak from devotion, determination, and steadfastness. It can also serve as a coverup for weakness, doubt, and cowardice. It can be zealous, and sometimes over-zealous. It can be firm and steady as bedrock.
For all of St. Peter's faults, Christ saw his good qualities and encouraged them. His grace helped St. Peter to become the Church's first pope. It also helped him become a martyr in the end.
I pray that I may grow in the good qualities of that impetuosity and that I may be open to Christ's grace. I pray to understand that Christ loves me and sees so much good in me, and that He will lead me to become the best person I can be if I will just follow Him and His will. I need to grow in faith and in hope–I am constantly in need of that!
Dear St. Peter, thank you for making yourself my patron for this year. Please pray for me!
A very merry and blessed Christmas to one and all!
What a marvelous, joyous, and wonderful season begins today on this feast of the Nativity of the Lord. How fortunate we are if we know anything of the meaning and power of this holy day.
The name Christmas–assuming it is used at all and not displaced by the vague and generic "holidays"–has largely been stripped of that meaning and power. What our society commonly refers to as "Christmas" has become a season which now begins even before Halloween and mostly involves spending money and decorating things. Many people in our society will be giving one last Christmas hurrah tomorrow with bargain-hunting in the stores; many others will be eagerly taking down the decorations, having begun to grow tired of them after a couple of months. At best, Christmas is a sentimental time, a holiday for children and family and feasting.
But today is the Nativity of the Lord. Think on that name for a moment: the Nativity of the Lord!
Today is when God was born into human history, human nature, human experience. He who created us and the entire universe from nothing, He who exists beyond all time and space in what we call Eternity, He who is revered by all the choirs of holy angels–it is His nativity on earth that we celebrate! He did not come down in all His great glory, attended by legions of the Heavenly Host. He did not appear as a mighty super-man. If He had, we certainly would not refer to this day as His nativity. No, He was born as creatures are born: as an infant. Small, helpless, thoroughly dependent on others for survival.
Never had such a thing ever happened or even been dreamed of before. Nor shall such a thing ever happen again in time and space. It was a singular event, the Nativity of the Lord. That alone should earn our respect and our amazement. But like a drop of water impacting a still body of water, His Nativity changed everything–changes everything–and forever will change everything! The mingling of the material and the divine, of history and eternity, of the finite and the infinite could not fail to change everything. The birth of God in the world gave new birth to everything. It elevated humanity and all creation to a previously unimagined dignity, while revealing in the almighty God a profound and previously unimagined humility.
Modern man may imagine that after more than two millennia, he is no longer affected by nor subject to that event. He rationalizes away the holy season of Christmas as nothing more than a modern-day Saturnalia or Yuletide. And so it has become! While that is not entirely a bad thing, that isn't the depth or breadth or truth of it. While many modern men will be content to leave it at that and rush off toward the next big festival, the Christian can never be content with such a thing.
Instead, let us allow ourselves to dive deeply into the tremendous wonder of this holy season and be carried, transported, and transformed by it. Let us appreciate and give thanks for the incredible thing our Lord did for us in His Nativity. And let us not do so only today, but for the entire Christmas season: the Twelve Days of Christmas, the Epiphany, and up until the Baptism of the Lord–to my knowledge, this is what Catholics observe as the Christmas season. While the rest of the world gets back to business as usual, let us persevere in the joy and wonder of Christ's birth.
I'm blessed to share my home with two adorable furry housemates: Sabrina and Alvis. In addition to companionship, comfort, and fun, they've also given me occasion to ponder my relationship with God, how I see Him, and how He perhaps sees me. Granted, the analogy isn't perfect; God sees me as His own daughter, not as a pet, and at the same time, He is far more superior to me than I am to my cats. But it's been helpful nevertheless.
No matter how unpleasant your situation is, no matter how little sense it makes to you, keep trusting!
To my cats, getting locked up in a carrier, being taken to a strange place to be poked and prodded by strange people, then coming home only to be force-fed pills or vile liquids–sometimes with the added indignity of being wrapped up in a towel like a cat burrito–is nothing but a series of meaningless trauma. They don't understand that these things are happening in order to make, or keep, them healthy and feeling well. And it is surely mystifying that the same person who was cuddling and feeding and playing with them just a short time ago should now turn so cruel and cold, ignoring their cries and their squirming. So it is sometimes with me and God. Sometimes life seems to take a cruel turn for no apparent reason, and sometimes God seems like a completely different Person, seemingly ignoring my pleas.
But just as I know that taking my cats to the vet and treating any ill condition is for their good, so does God know what good may come from times of testing, purification, building and re-building, fortifying my weak spots, strengthening me where I need it, and chiseling away ugly spots or sharp edges. And if my will toward my cats is so good, then surely God's will toward me is far better still! And well, at least He hasn't given me the burrito-wrap treatment… yet.
At the same time, be prepared to accept and to marvel that God is a complete mystery.
Each and every morning, my cats witness an astonishing ritual. Each and every morning they see me close myself up in a small, cramped torture chamber that–horror of horrors!–sprays water all over me. Water! All over me! And I submit myself to this insanity willingly, even with delight! What sort of messed up masochist does that?! And that's just one example of the apparent insanity that possesses me.
Likewise, there are things I just can't understand about God–things no mortal human can understand. Like the Trinity. Like the Passion and Crucifixion. Like the Resurrection. Like what exactly He sees in me that is so special that He created me out of nothing and holds me lovingly in existence, a little speck afloat in the unspeakable vastness of the universe–not only that but that He loves me! These mysteries–both majestic and intensely intimate to my little life–always surround God, as He surrounds me with His marvelous deeds, His tremendous power, His unwavering attention, and His boundless love. And how He must smile when we gaze toward Him wide-eyed and bewildered, just as I smile at my cat sitting nervously outside my shower!
How many people prefer to dismiss Him today as something impossible and foolish to believe in! How many people are eager to dismiss all things that are mysterious and marvelous just because they cannot be examined by human eyes or neatly defined by human definitions! What a magnificent relationship they are missing!
You're always your best when you are simply yourself, flaws and all–there's no need to fear rejection!
My cats sometimes make me crack up with laughter (see: Sabrina being silly at left). They do it without any shame whatsoever. They are free spirits who do whatever comes naturally in the moment. Sometimes, they make me shake my head because they don't realize how incredibly comfy and easy their lives are–but I wouldn't ever want it any other way! Sometimes they're a real handful–like when I'm trying to give them medicine and they just won't be still, and I have to resort to the burrito-wrap. But I understand and just do my best to make it as quick and painless as possible (knowing full well that they would beg to differ). And sometimes they are so incredibly sensitive and insightful and tender toward me when I am sad or sick or in any kind of pain that it's like God is acting through them. They may never know what it means to me that they are just who and what they are, and that I love them for it.
I think God regards us the same way, whether we make Him laugh or shake His head or even when we squirm and kick and scratch and protest and do our darnedest to shove Him away. He knows when we are trying to lie or hide or BS Him. He sees straight through us. He knows how we are made. He knows our limitations. He knows our individual personalities. He knows them–He loves them–He even died for them. And no matter how much we may reject Him–for He made us free to do so if we truly wish it–He never wills nor wishes to reject us. That's pretty amazing, isn't it? Sometimes, it's a bit difficulty and even frightening to believe! We are so fearful of the rejection we sometimes suffer from our fellow man. We may instinctively try to throw up walls between ourselves and God.
But what liberty, what joy, what lightness of being and peace of mind can be ours if we will venture to just be ourselves before God! I could never reject my cats just for being the cats they are. And God would never reject me for just being the human being I am. Nor would he reject any one of us for being who and what we are.
As good as we are to our pets, those little creatures we share our lives and homes with, God is far better–infinitely better!–to us. And as much as we enjoy our pets, God rejoices so much more in us, His own children. And as much as we would love to spend our whole lives with our beloved pets, so much more does God desire to spend all eternity with us. So never doubt, never fear, never dismiss Him! Curl up in his arms with all the confidence and security that your pets curl up next to you with!
Alvis says "Relax!"
Blithely browsing my Facebook feed, I came across astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson's 8 books every intelligent person should read. I'm always interested to read these kinds of lists. I always presume knowledge and expertise, as well as good will, on the part of the book selector. Boy did I bomb out on this one.
Here is the first item on the list:
1.) The Bible (eBook) – "to learn that it's easier to be told by others what to think and believe than it is to think for yourself."
Seriously? That's the only reason to read the Bible? Any book list that begins with such a potshot at the Bible is an automatic and complete FAIL. It's such an ignorant, dishonest, and arrogant statement that I can not possibly let it slide.
First of all, if the Bible's adherents were so eager to be told what to think and believe, then why did they resist the Romans (and other powers before them) to the point of enduring torture, death, and all out genocide? They could have easily saved their skins and their way of life by just offering incense to the State Gods to appease their oppressors. They didn't. Why is that?
Secondly, the Bible didn't just fall out of the sky saying "Here, this is how you have to think and act and believe. Do it or die." Rather, the Bible–not one book, but a diverse collection of books–came about over centuries and centuries, growing up from the thoughts, insights, religious beliefs, life experiences, and aspirations of a people. The Bible was a result, not a dictator.
It's a full, rich body of literature, comprising everything from historical chronicles to songs, apocalyptic literature to erotic poetry. It's full of profound wisdom, brutal honesty, a magnificent comprehension of human nature, and glorious artistry. And if the human writers, and we who have followed, have believed that their inspirations came from God, then fine–respect it and assume that they and we are sincere in that belief, even if you personally don't believe it.
But whatever you do, if you care about being regarded as intelligent, don't hold up a book you obviously don't know or understand and misrepresent it to make yourself look superior.
Any true striving for knowledge requires humility and liberal-mindedness–they are required, not optional. Tyson betrays his lack of both, right from the beginning. And I bet there are lots of people who will gladly take his word for it. Hopefully there are also people who will take his recommendation and find out for themselves the true value of reading the Bible, be they a detached scholar or a religious believer.
Tyson concludes by saying: "If you read all of the above works you will glean profound insight into most of what has driven the history of the western world."
Come now, sir, for that to be true, the list should have included at least one classic work from the Greeks, Romans, or Medievals. Machiavelli and Sun Tsu are the best you can offer? Western Civilization is neither impressed nor amused, Mr. Tyson.
Today we celebrate a great and extremely interesting Saint, Mary Magdalene.
A woman of considerable mystery and controversy, her exact identity is not clear. Is she the same as Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus? Is she the unnamed sinner who anointed Christ's feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair? Was she a prostitute?
Her name brings to mind repentance, conversion, and liberation from evil. One of the few clear statements about her in scripture says that she was exorcised of seven demons, and after that she followed Christ on His journeys.
We also know with certainty that she was present at the Crucifixion and that she was the first person to receive and announce the Good News of Christ's Resurrection. Dominicans regard her as a patroness of our Order, for she was the preacher to the preachers and the apostle to the apostles.
Even with such scarce evidence, we can conclude that St. Mary Magdalene had a remarkable and dramatic spiritual journey, a profound conversion.
While some might take umbrage with identifying her as a great sinner, the mention of her possession by seven demons suggests that for some period of time her life was far from saintly. As a woman who has in the past has lived dangerously close to the demonic, I have long identified closely with St. Mary Magdalene. When talking about my experiences with fellow Catholics, I have occasionally been met with appalled and scandalized responses, a very un-Catholic recoiling from my past as if it were still my present and my future, as if there were no such thing as repentance, conversion, and salvation of sinners. And I have to admit that I am sometimes the most appalled of all, nearly tempted to doubt my own salvation.
But just as St. Mary Magdalene cannot be defined by her past errors, neither can I be, nor can anybody who turns their face to Christ and opens their heart to His saving grace! The only sense in which we are defined by our past is that the great darkness which is behind us makes the transforming light of Christ gleam all the more radiantly! Where sin abounded, grace abounds all the more, as St. Paul said. And as St. Augustine said, every Saint has a past, and ever sinner has a future. (Sts. Paul and Augustine should know very well, for they too are well-known as repentant and converted sinners.)
What greater grace could there be than to encounter the resurrected Christ in person? And what greater future for a sinner than to announce that Good News for the first time in human history? Those are the reasons we honor the great Saint, Mary Magdalene, and because she who was once Satan's possession became Christ's, preacher to the preachers, apostle to the apostles, and a glorious model of hope, repentance, and conversion for all of us sinners.
St. Mary Magdalene, pray for us!


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The American Kennel Club (AKC) does not recognize the teacup or mini Boston Terrier as a separate breed. International standards for the breed require a height of 15 to 17 inches and a weight of no more than 25 pounds.
The AKC classifies the Boston terrier as a small breed, not a toy breed. Like many purebred dog breeds, Boston terriers can sometimes be overbred. One result of this overbreeding is smaller dogs, which some breeders try to sell as teacup examples of the breed in order to sell dogs that are not eligible to be registered with the AKC. Smaller individuals may be prone to greater health problems.

subset: commoncrawl


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Week 101, 'Father's Day!'
June 20, 2016
Online! Doing great! Have a happy 50th birthday Mama! Ur excitement is good, I'm gunnu give you an anaconda squeeze back haha.
All the missionaries that are going home this transfer had a Family Home Evening at the Maluenda's house yesterday! The song I sent you is me and Elder Ivey doing a rap version of "Para Simpre Dios Este Con Vos" (God Be With You Till We Meet Again). I forgot most of the words cuz we wrote it like a month ago. 😀
Gracias Padre! Happy Father's Day! I hope it was a good one. Ur the bestest dad in the world, fur realz! I'm seriously so grateful that I get to have you as my dad. You have taught me so much, both through ur words and ur actions. Ur example of selfless service, trusting in the Lord, and laughing and loving life has molded me so much! I hope I can be as good of a father and husband as you are! Your work ethic is incredible, your attitude is awesome, and your humility is so so amazing. Especially because you are so smart and successful, it's incredible that that never gets to your head and you always depend on the Lord and put Him and your family above everything else. Thank you so much for teaching me to find happiness through living the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to be a Fearless son of God. Thank you so much for loving my mama with all ur heart and for loving us kids and giving up everything for us. I can't express enough how incredible I think you are and how much I really do love you. I love you so much dad. I'll see you soon.
Tu hijo 😀
I gotta go. I love you mi familia! Que tengan una buena semana!
Below: Mark being spoiled on Father's Day by his daughters @ home. 🙂


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At 24 Frames, our must-read sister blog, Steven Zeitchik wonders if the great arthouse experiment is losing steam in superhero cinema.
When Christopher Nolan's "Batman" movies became a massive critical and commercial success a few years ago, it touched off one of the more unexpected mini-trends in modern filmmaking. Suddenly quirky directors were being handed the reins to big-budget men-in-tights tentpoles, as studios looked to replicate the formula that had the director of "Memento" scoring with splashy movies about a caped crime-fighter.
It was an arrangement that seemed to give everyone what they wanted. Studios gained credibility and the potential for a massive hit, while the auteurs got to play with a bigger budget and on a bigger stage without (they hoped) giving up much artistic freedom. Plus they got to make a greenlighted movie, which in this climate may be the biggest selling point of all.
But these experiments have hardly yielded magnificence and wondrousness. This week's news that Darren Aronofsky wouldn't direct "The Wolverine" is the latest example; most reports had Aronofsky leaving the project for family reasons, but it nonetheless marked another pairing that didn't work out as planned.
Two years ago, Gavin Hood, the foreign-language Oscar-winner, didn't hit it out of the park with "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." "Superman" director Richard Donner was brought onto Hood's set and may have even served as a helmer for part of the film, leaving Hood to defend his relationship with Fox executives in promotional interviews. The movie went on to perform only decently at the box office and underwhelmed a fair number of critics and fans. The attempt by "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" auteur Michel Gondry to give new life to "The Green Hornet" stumbled, too…
— Steven Zeitchik
McAvoy: "First Class" is a…Butch and Sundance love story?
"First Class": Singer dishes on Havok and Azazel
"First Class": Report from stressed-out set
Patrick Stewart: My biggest "X-Men" regret
Vaughn: Hollywood is killing the hero genre
After "Inception," Vaughn axes "Class" scene


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Wartime bomb discovered at airport
Part of Amsterdam's Schiphol airport has been evacuated after workers unearthed a suspected Second World War bomb near its main terminal building.
Pier C at the airport was shut down for both arriving and departing flights, while military bomb disposal experts checked the suspected explosive and decided what to do with it.
The pier's closure could lead to delays and cancellations of flights, the airport said.
Workers digging near the pier, which houses many of Schiphol's departure and arrival gates, uncovered the suspected bomb.
Schiphol, just outside Amsterdam, is one of Europe's busiest aviation hubs.


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TORONTO – Canadian health advocates are decrying a recent announcement by the federal conservative government to stop funding the Health Council of Canada.
The Registered Nurses Association of Ontario and the Canadian Medical Association are leading the chorus of Canadian health authorities who are criticizing Tuesday's announcement to defund the Health Council of Canada.
In 2004 a national body was established under Prime Minister Paul Martin to monitor the 10-year health accord agreed to by the federal government and the provinces and territories. The Health Council will now lose its federal funding a year before the $41 billion health accord expires in 2014.
"This is another terrible cut the Prime Minister is doing and it's politically motivated," Dr. Doris Grinspun, CEO of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, told Global News. "This is a council that monitors healthcare in our country and they have done quite substantive work. It's not just bad for Canadians health but it's bad for taxpayers too."
Dr. Grinspun said that part of the Health Council of Canada's role is to monitor efficiency of the Canadian healthcare system. Without the council healthcare costs will become more expensive.
"This goes hand in hand with him not wanting to sign a health accord. [The Prime Minister] is chipping away at every cornerstone of Medicare," said Dr. Grinspun.
Steve Outhouse, a spokesman for federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq told the Globe and Mail it will invest more in the Canadian National Institute for Health Information, which also collects health statistics and reports on the health care system. Cuts to the Health Council are expected to save the federal government $6 million annually.
In a letter sent to the provincial health ministers, Minister Aglukkaq said any future funding for the health council would have to come from the province.
"I should emphasize that this is a decision about federal funding for the council, and that formal decisions about its future as an entity will need to be made collectively by us, the council's corporate members," Aglukkaq wrote.
The Canadian Medical Association has also voiced its concern over Ottawa's decision to stop federally funding the council.
"The recent decision by the Government of Canada to cut funding to the Council is a failure of its responsibility to protect and strengthen Canada's health care system," Dr. Anna Reid, president of the Canadian Medical Association said in a statement.
In 2002 the CMA released a study on the future of Medicare in Canada calling for permanent body to monitor Canada's health care system and the "health status of the population."
"Ten years later, Canada's health care system needs all the information it can get, but instead we are about to lose one of the few bodies responsible for monitoring and measuring progress," said Dr. Reid, in a statement.
"The council we'll be funded up until the end of this fiscal year and into the spring of 2014," John Abbott, CEO for the Health Council of Canada, told Global News. "Unless someone steps up to the plate, the provinces or territories, staff will then have to go their separate ways."
Abbott said the Health Council will continue to work on upcoming reports including the annual progress report on healthcare and a report on senior aboriginal healthcare. Abbott said the work the health council does is different than the Canadian Health Institute for Information.
"The difference between [CIHI] and [The Health Council] is they collect health data and then report the numbers. Where as we would collect the data and then compare it to ongoing health care trends in the country and come to a conclusion," said Abbott. "They are more data analysis where we are more policy analysis."
The federal government unveiled a new health care funding agreement in 2011 which would see a six per cent increase in federal funding until 2016-17. Funding would then be tied to GDP growth, with a minimum of three per cent funding.
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Dates of Publication in the Sun Sentinel
Palm Beach County
Pompano Beach
You Can Microwave Pork Chops
By NANCY BYAL, Better Homes and Gardens
Collegians Find Cooking A Requirement
By CHARLOTTE V. BALCOMB, The Orlando Sentinel
Touring Socialites Keeping Pace In Sneakers
By GEORGINA CRUZ
Students` Recipes Make The Grade
By CHARLOTTE V. BALCOMB, The Orlando Sentinel
Australian Wines Making A Name In This Country
By Clyde F. Kohn
Emmys A Reflection Of Medium`s Changes
By ED SIEGEL, The Boston Globe
Orange Cauliflower
By Lynne Helm, Staff Writer
Enjoy Easy-to-make Exotic Feast
By ELIZABETH RAHE, Special to the News/Sun-Sentinel
Guess Who Has Been Doing What Recently
By MARTHA GROSS, Society Editor
Why The Phis Got Teed Off At Tourney
By GEORGINA CRUZ
Revolutionary Tries His Hand At Ribs
By MARIAN BURROS, New York Times News Service
No-labor Picnic This Simple, But Elegant Picnic Will Feed Six Without Spoiling Your Leisure Time This Holiday Weekend.
By SUSAN PUCKETT, Food Editor
Now It`s Time To Let `60s Die With Dignity
By RAY RECCHI, Lifestyle Columnist
Crisp-coated Fish From The Microwave
By NANCY BYAL, Better Homes and Gardens
Roots Of Fame Ever Since She Discovered The Probable Cause Of Baldness, This University Of Miami Researcher`s Life Has Been Harried.
By MARLA WILLIAMS, Staff Writer
Shades Of Peppers
By SUSAN PUCKETT, Food Editor
New Navy League Members Get Nautical At Morikami
By GEORGINA CRUZ
Rosh Hashana Honey Of A Holiday
By LESLYE MICHLIN BORDEN, Special to the News/Sun-Sentinel
Low Ratings Prompt Ch. 12 Anchor Change
By BILL KELLEY, Television Writer
Exhibit A Portrait Of China
By ROGER HURLBURT, Art Writer
Planning A Trip? Lsd Library Might Be A Must
By ANNE TAYLOR FLEMING, New York Times News Service
Director`s Depiction Of Jesus Ultimately Hopeful
By CANDICE RUSSELL, Film Writer
A Soccer Home Away From Home Cbr Gives South Africans An Outlet For Their Skills.
By SHARON ROBB, Staff Writer
Watching Big Brother Fsu`s Haggins Is Baby Of Family, But Biggest Of Bunch.
By CRAIG BARNES, Staff Writer
No Poll-ish Solidarity, But Fsu Tops Most Lists
By JIM SARNI, On College Football
Ellis Wants To Show He`s As Good As Anyone
By RANDALL MELL, Staff Writer
Um Can`t Overlook The Run Fsu Defense Stopped `canes Cold Last Year
By RANDALL MELL, Staff Writer
Players Planning To Leave Council, Form New Circuit
By JIM SARNI, Staff Writer
Cardamone, Poehler Team For Bass Win
By STEVE BRYANT, Special to the Sun-Sentinel
Breeders` Action May Hurt Proposed Off-track Betting
By DAVE JOSEPH, Racing Writer
Miami Sweeps West Palm Beach
Special to the Sun-Sentinel
Swinson Move Could Haunt Forest Hill Baseball
By CHRIS LAZZARINO, On High Schools
Punting Situation Is Still Up In The Air
By CRAIG BARNES, Staff Writer
8 Not Enough For 2 Champs Mcenroe, Navratilova Advance
By JIM SARNI, Staff Writer
Dolphins Go Claimless, But Lose Beals To Eagles
By BOB HILL, Staff Writer
Nova`s New Coach Sees Bright Future
By STEVEN R. BILLER, Special to the Sun-Sentinel
Fsu`s Longest Distance Is Between Two Points
By STEVE HUMMER, Staff Columnist
Guard Shaw Cut From U.s. Basketball Team
Montana State Will Gain Money, But That`s About All
By JEFF BROWNE, Staff Writer
Reinman Wins 2nd Kneeboard Title In A Row
Here`s The Good News -- Boggs On 200-hit Pace Again
By DAN SHAUGHNESSY, The Boston Globe
Offseason Buildup Should Make Snook Easy Prey For 4 Months
By DON ZERN, Outdoors Writer
Robbie: Lemon Was Wrong
By CHRIS LAZZARINO, Staff Writer
Watching Big Brother Rod Carter Questionable For Saturday
By RANDALL MELL, Staff Writer
Playing In Miami: The Young And The Rest Of Us
By BOB HILL, Staff Writer
Bengals, Bulldogs Suffer Losses -- Before Season
By RAY BOETEL, On High Schools
Joint Force Cracks Enormous Drug Ring `Empire` Trafficked In Delray, Agents Say
By AMY STROMBERG, Staff Writer
Watch, Quarters Stolen
Staff reports
Lottery Tickets, Cigarettes Taken
Staff reports
Parental `Address Game` Hurts Schools
By ARDEN MOORE, Education Writer
Pickup`s Camper Top Taken
Staff reports
1984 Toyota Stolen
Staff reports
Light Sparks Fire
Pension Plan Debate Nears End
By FRED LOWERY, Staff Writer
Car Stolen
Staff reports
City Hall Proposal Ok`d
By SANDRA JACOBS, Staff Writer
Ex-sheridan House Teen Returns As Counselor
By PAT CURRY
Car Burglarized
Staff reports
Rodstrom Plans To Split Departments Interim Sunrise Mayor Cites Conflict Of Interest
By CHUCK CLARK, Staff Writer
Miramar, Robbie At Odds Owner Has Reneged On Promise, City Says
By AMY DePAUL, Staff Writer
Plantation Budget, 1-cent Tax Increase Hitting Few Snags
By DAVID WALLACE, Staff Writer
Thieves Get Jewels, Tools
Staff reports
Sunrise Tries To Cool Tempers Heated By Construction Blasting
By CHUCK CLARK, Staff Writer
Boat Parts Taken
Staff reports
Grand Prix Whining Its Way Out Of A Debt
By ROBIN BRANCH, Staff Columnist
Pipe Missing From Construction Site
Staff reports
Robber Says He Has Gun, Takes $60
Staff reports
County Delays Using Fees To Build Roads
By GARY ENOS, Staff Writer
Jury Clears Man Accused Of Threatening Judge
By KURT GREENBAUM, Staff Writer
Amplifier, Camera Stolen
Staff reports
Owner Watches Thief Drive Off In His Car
Staff reports
School Lunches Stolen
Staff reports
What Applies To One Applies To The Other
Staff Writers Elaine A. Ellis, Fred Lowery and Joseph C. Nunes contributed to this column
Planners Rush To Make Rail Service Enticing To Public
By GARY ENOS, Staff Writer
No Complaints Filed As Open Burning Resumes
By AMY DePAUL, Staff Writer
Postal Worker Assaulted
Staff reports
Residents Try To Block Building Of Shopping Center
By AMY DePAUL, Staff Writer
Jewelry, Stereo Stolen
Staff reports
Coral Reef Damage Termed `Sporadic` After Experts Dive
By ELAINE A. ELLIS, Staff Writer
$1,000 In Golfing Equipment Stolen
Staff reports
Lbs Commissioners Seek To Lengthen Terms To 4 Years
By STEPHEN d`OLIVEIRA, Staff Writer
Bicycle Stolen
Staff reports
3 Cars Collide On I-95
Staff Reports
Construction Site Burglarized
Staff reports
Bank Vp Finds Dream In Chamber Presidency
By PAT CURRY
$1,600 Worth Of Construction Tools Stolen
Staff reports
Steaks Taken From Restaurant
Staff reports
Hospital To Honor Teen-agers
Car Vandalized By Man
Staff reports
New Board To Aid Davie Open-space Plan
By MICHAEL TIGHE, Staff Writer
Park Contract Ok`d
Staff reports
Resource Center Opening Planned Supporters To Be Honored
By JOE KOLLIN, Staff Writer
Davie Recreation Board Awaits Ok
By MICHAEL TIGHE, Staff Writer
Broward Turns Down Land Change
By BOB FRENCH, Staff Writer
2 Conservatives Battle It Out
By LINDA KLEINDIENST and KEN CUMMINS, Staff Writers
Man Accosted Outside Bank
Staff reports
Vcr Taken During Home Break-in
Staff reports
Developer Proposes Deal To Drop Lawsuit
By ALAN CHERRY, Staff Writer
Jewlery, Savings Bonds Taken
Staff reports
Wit Gets A Workout As Traffic Amendment Gets A Name
By GARY ENOS, Staff Writer
Two Attackers Steal Bicycle
Staff reports
Tools Stolen
Staff reports
Salesman Has 1-in-7 Shot At A Million Bucks Daydreams Start As Instant-winner Drawing Nears
By PAMELA ADKINS-RAMEY, Staff Writer
Hoffman Attorney Criticizes `Leak`
By LARRY KELLER, Staff Writer
Hunt For Gun Ends Divers Fail To Find The Pistol Used To Kill A Police Officer.
By LISA OCKER, Staff Writer
Dania Approves Tax Increase
By KAREN SAMPLES, Staff Writer
Pop, Jazz Concert To Close Deerfield Series
Airport Terminal To Open On Time, Officials Say
By GARY ENOS, Staff Writer
`Rock Farm` Safety Record Baffles Police Chief
By STEPHEN d`OLIVEIRA, Staff Writer
Pump Stolen From Construction Site
Staff reports
West Palm Beach
Cable Tv Box Taken From Home
Staff reports
Parkland Criticizes Airport Plan Noise, Development Concern Residents
By MEG WALKER, Staff Writer
Custom-made Cover Stolen From Boat
Staff reports
Air Show Rules Must Be Tightened
Douglass Leads Palm Beach Fifties To U.s. Softball Title
Coin Laundries Are Theft Targets
Staff reports
Man Charged With Breaking And Entering
Staff reports
Ceramic Dwarf Stolen
Staff reports
Margate Ready For Final Look At Public Safety Plan
By RICCI GRAHAM, Staff Writer
Amplifier, Radio Stolen From Car
Staff reports
Boca Council Groping Toward Clogged Roads, Polluted Air And Concrete Canyons
By JAMES G. DRISCOLL, Editorial Writer
Official Urges Air Force Not To Stop Storm Flights
By MARK J. PRENDERGAST, Senior Correspondent
Franco Undertakes New Challenge: School
By GARY STEIN, Staff Columnist
Man Shot In Delray
Staff reports
Rock Around The Block Neighborhood Puts On Party To Help Children Say No To Crime, Drugs.
By DOROTHY-ANNE FLOR, Staff Writer
Cadillac`s Chrome Grill Stolen
Staff reports
Arts Center Architects Request Fee Hike
By JACK ZINK, Cultural Affairs Writer
Greenacres City Officials Plan Annexation Future
By PAMELA ADKINS-RAMEY, Staff Writer
Asian-american Group Seeks More Jobs From County
By JON MARCUS, Staff Writer
Pump Fails
By TREVOR JENSEN, Staff Writer
Shopping Bag Snatched, Returned
Staff reports
3 Cars Collide On I-95
Woman Robbed Of $450
Staff reports
Gate, Lounge Chairs Stolen From Pool Area
Staff reports
10 Hurt Aboard Lauderdale-bound Jet
By TOM LASSITER, Miami Bureau
Courthouse Groundbreaking Set Today
By MICHAEL SAUNDERS, Staff Writer
Democrats Fight For Identity In South Florida Scramble
By JOHN KENNEDY, Politics Writer
Cooper City Loses Development Bid County Swayed By Petitions, Video Of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas
By BOB FRENCH, Staff Writer
Rodstrom Plans To Split Departments
By CHUCK CLARK, Staff Writer
Tripp Overcomes Early Falls To Make Impressive Debut
By FRANKLIN McNEIL, Staff Writer
4 Yonkers Officials Ask High Court To Stay Fines
The New York Times
Prisoners` Van Struck
Canino`s Secret: Speak Softly, Carry A Big Kick
By DARLENE H. GARDNER, Staff Writer
Man Arrested After Car Chase
By SALLIE JAMES, Staff Writer
Tuned Into Young People Dj Uses Experience To Offer Her Counsel.
By PAUL HEIDELBERG, Staff Writer
Boy, Bogus Bill Caught
Staff reports
Need Time Off Work To Vote? Ask Your Boss
British Debate Answer To Deadly Ira Attacks
By TIMOTHY HARPER, Special to the Sun-Sentinel
District 5 Race`s 7 Hopefuls Vie For Commission
By JEAN DUBAIL, Staff Writer
Tv, Films To Launch Effort Against Alcoholic Drivers
The New York Times
Airliner Lovers At Labor 3 Faithfully Fix Historic Airplane
By JIM Di PAOLA, Staff Writer
Delray Leaders Ask For Quality Education
By ARDEN MOORE, Education Writer
Tamarac Plans To Replace Noisy Pump Station
By TREVOR JENSEN, Staff Writer
Sanford B. Roberts, Banker, Real-estate Broker
By RAY LYNCH, Staff Writer
Fisherman Wants Access To Daytime Surf
By BOB FRENCH, Staff Writer
Chilean Junta Nominates Pinochet
By TULIO ASTUDILLO, Special to the Sun-Sentinel
$200 Vcr Taken From Home
Staff reports
6 Hopefuls Vie For Powerful Insurance Post
By DIANE HIRTH, Tallahassee Bureau
California`s Smog Patrol Tries To Clean Up Dirty Air
The New York Times
Joyride Results In Vandalism
Staff reports
Lauderdale Recoups Cash Lost To Broken Meters
By TOULA VLAHOU, Staff Writer
A Tool For School Computers Take Role In Teaching Math, Science, English
By LORI CROUCH, Education Writer
Teachers, Parents Let Pops Pep Them Up
By LISA STEMLE, Special to the Sun-Sentinel
Gunter Faces Investigation Of Allegations
By KEN CUMMINS, Washington Bureau
Epstein, Dubois Sisters Stand Out In (taller) Crowd
By DAVE HEEREN, Staff Writer
Broward To Double Jail Cells
By JON MARCUS, Staff Writer
Coral Reef Damage Called Sporadic, But Extreme Sensitive Area Off Boca Was Damaged During Beach Project
By ELAINE A. ELLIS, Staff Writer
L. Sisk, Springs Contractor
By RAY LYNCH, Staff Writer
Senate Hopefuls Are Locked In Tug Of War
By KEN CUMMINS, Washington Bureau
Bicycle Stolen From Screened-in Patio
Staff reports
A Career Of Caring Director Cuts Through Red Tape, Comes To Rescue.
By DOROTHY-ANNE FLOR, Staff Writer
S. Koreans Arrest, Expel 9 Foreigners
By PETER LEYDEN and DAVID BANK, Special to the Sun-Sentinel
Investigators Think Engine Failed Before Crash
By ANDREW MARTIN, Staff Writer
Elect Oftedal, Gersten And Sosa In Circuit, County Judicial Races
Adventures In Norway Two West Palm Beach Girl Scouts Have Their World Shaken Up A Bit By Overseas Camping Trip.
By BETSY HUTTON, Special to the Sun-Sentinel
Elect Musselman, Fogan, Zack In Circuit, County Judicial Races
Pick Six? Thousands Picked 1-2-3-4-5-6
By DAVID UHLER, Staff Writer
Trailer Park Owner Fighting Deerfield Over Vehicle Storage
By MARILYN WEEKS, Staff Writer
Dominant Issue In Sheriff`s Race Is The Sheriff
By STEPHEN WISSINK, Staff Writer
Radio Guests Anger Police Chief Discussion On Lauderdale Jail May Lead To Charges
By KEVIN DAVIS, Staff Writer
Pompano To Get Grant To Renovate Apartments
By BOB LaMENDOLA, Staff Writer
Ad Slogan Evokes Warmth, Deja Vu
By SCOTT A. ZAMOST, Staff Writer
Victim Had Planned To Quit Gang
By SALLIE JAMES, Staff Writer
The Gift Of Speech Oral School`s Programs Help Children Overcome Speech And Hearing Problems.
By DEBORAH WOOD, Staff Writer
Campus Is Calm, Cautious School Takes Steps To Counter Violence
By ARDY FRIEDBERG, Staff Writer
Desillers Gets $8,200 For Burial Site
By DAVID UHLER, Staff Writer
Agents Crack `Empire` Pompano Grocery Linked To Drug Ring
By AMY STROMBERG, Staff Writer
Gunter Remains Focal Issue In Senate Race
By JOHN KENNEDY, Politics Writer Tallahassee Bureau Chief Linda Kleindienst and Washington Correspondent Ken Cummins contributed to this report
Judge Oks Flight Cuts At Eastern
By TOM STIEGHORST, Business Writer
Pay Raise Changes Merit Some Attention
By JOHN CUNNIFF, Business Mirror
Sweet Image Surprises Cane Industry
By MARCIA H. POUNDS, Business Writer
Pan Am To Get Help With Talks
By TOM STIEGHORST, Business Writer
Coldwell Banker Buys Real Estate Firm
By TRACY KOLODY, Business Writer
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Lincoln's Beard, interview with NPG historian David C. Ward
Abraham Lincoln grew beard before he was inaugurated as president, in 1861. David C. Ward, historian at the National Portrait Gallery, discusses the reasons that Lincoln changed his appearance. Interview by Warren Perry, recorded March 3, 2011. Part of our ongoing series commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. To view the entire series see: http://ow.ly/9q25n.
Length: 04:49


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British fugitive kidnapped by men posing as police washes up on Spanish beach in bin bag
THE body of a missing British fugitive who was kidnapped by men posing as police officers has washed up on a Spanish beach in a bin bag.
The decomposed corpse of Francis Brennan was found in the Costa Blanca and it is believed the 25-year-old was tortured before he was killed.
A concrete block was reportedly placed inside the industrial size bin bag to make the body sink to the sea floor but it became dislodged.
The decomposed body of Brennan was found with a severe head injury last Saturday and Spanish police are examining the bin bags to trace his killers.
Brennan, from Liverpool, ran away from the UK last September ahead of a sentencing date for stabbing someone at a Swedish House Mafia concert.
His girlfriend Sophie Staunton had travelled to Spain last December in a failed attempt to persuade him to come home.
"Francis's parents have been informed of his death and a family liaison officer from Merseyside Police is providing them with support and advice at this difficult time"A Merseyside Police spokesman
One month later he vanished in Spain after being stopped by three men posing as members of the Spanish Civil Guard officers.
Brennan was driving away from a gym with a friend when he was handcuffed and bundled into a car by a group of men wearing police baseball caps.
Friends and family thought he had been arrested but Merseyside Police later launched an appeal after it became clear he had disappeared.
His parents Janet and Carl Brennan said in February they had pleaded with him not to leave Britain.
Before his body was found they appealed for him to return home, and said: "As time goes by we are worrying even more on a daily basis.
"Francis comes from a very loving and caring background and we all want him home safe and well."
A Merseyside Police spokesman confirmed the body found was Brennan's and that an investigation with Spanish authorities was ongoing.
He said: "We can confirm that a body found on a beach in the La Zenia area of Alicante on Saturday was last night formally identified by the Spanish authorities as Francis Brennan.
"Francis's parents have been informed of his death and a family liaison officer from Merseyside Police is providing them with support and advice at this difficult time.
Aged 18, Brennan was convicted of affray after a gang of youths caused trouble outside the home of Liverpool grandfather Jim Barrett, who died of a heart attack.
Brennan's parents said he tried to turn a corner upon his release from a young offenders' institute but began to re-offend after losing his job at the age of 21.
Merseyside Police said their Spanish counterparts were leading the investigation into his apparent murder and that support was being offered to the Brennan family.


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California is bursting with flowers
Winter showers are bringing March superblooms to Southern California. An uncharacteristically wet winter has led to an explosion of wildflowers in places like Diamond Valley Lake and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Live Science reports. Fortunately, some of the nature lovers venturing out to see the blooms are talented photographers, meaning you can take a peek at some of these impressive blossoms, even if you're far from the Golden State.


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Michelangelo's First Painting: "The Torment of Saint Anthony"
Michelangelo's first known painting, The Torment of Saint Anthony, went on view among the permanent collection of the Kimbell Art Museum on September 26, 2009. The Kimbell Art Museum acquired the painting in May 2009. Described by Michelangelo's earliest biographers, this remarkably fresh and well-preserved gem is believed to have been painted in 1487–88, when Michelangelo was 12 or 13 years old. The work is executed in egg tempera and oil on a wooden panel and is one of only four known easel paintings generally believed to come from his hand. The others are the Doni Tondo in Florence's Uffizi Gallery and two unfinished paintings, The Manchester Madonna and The Entombment, both housed in the National Gallery, London.
The Kimbell's acquisition was the first painting by Michelangelo to enter an American collection.
Born in 1475 near Florence, Michelangelo is universally acknowledged as one of the towering geniuses of the Renaissance. Already by his teenage years, he had proven himself a superlative sculptor and painter. Best known for his mature works such as the ceiling frescoes in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, he evolved a forceful, muscular style that gripped the imaginations of artists for decades to come. First and foremost, Michelangelo thought himself a sculptor, and many of his works in marble are icons of Western art: his Vatican Pietà, his vigorous David in Florence, and his tragic, unfinished Rondanini Pietà in Milan. As a painter, Michelangelo was equally influential. As The Torment of Saint Anthony proves, he was drawn to painting at an early age, and by the time of his later masterpiece, The Last Judgment, also in the Sistine Chapel, he had presided over a vast revolution in Italian painting.
The Torment of Saint Anthony was offered at Sotheby's in 2008 as "workshop of Domenico Ghirlandaio." The Sotheby's entry noted that Everett Fahy, curator emeritus of European paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, who had known the work since 1960, believed it to be by Michelangelo. Purchased by Adam Williams Fine Art, New York, the panel was brought to the Metropolitan, where it underwent conservation and technical research.
The cleaning of Michelangelo's Torment of Saint Anthony at the Metropolitan revealed the quality of the small panel. Michael Gallagher, conservator in charge of paintings conservation, removed the layers of yellowed varnish and clumsy, discolored overpaint that obscured the artist's distinctive palette and compromised the illusion of depth and sculptural form. The technical study accompanying the cleaning has provided evidence of artist's changes, signifying that the painting is an original work of art and not a copy after another painting.
Giorgio Vasari, in his Lives of the Artists (1550, second edition 1568), and Ascanio Condivi—Michelangelo's former student whose information for his biography of the artist (1553) came directly from the master—both recount how the young Michelangelo painted a copy of the engraving Saint Anthony Tormented by Demons by the 15th-century German master Martin Schongauer. In an effort to try his hand at painting, Michelangelo reportedly took Schongauer's print and produced a mesmerizing rendition of it on a wooden panel that earned him great repute and fame.
Caption: Michelangelo Buonarroti, The Torment of Saint Anthony (detail), c. 1487–88, tempera and oil on panel. Kimbell Art Museum


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The Nordic Table: Norm Architects at Host in Copenhagen
Every now and then I stumble upon some interiors that totally get me excited - giving me ideas for how I'd like my home to be one day. Some of them are a bit extreme, but the ideas embedded in them stick and I find myself daydreaming in this direction for weeks. When I saw these pic of Host Restaurant in Copenhagen I fell in love.
These Nordic Chic shots, with raw, repurposed wood and timbers, smooth white plastered walls and creamy, neutral cups, bowls and plates - DON'T FORGET THE FUR! - speak to some deep bone in my body. I can feel the roaring fire that makes these cool interiors warm and the smell of a hot cooked meal wafting in from the other room.
Designed by Norm Architects, these interiors are of Host with a new line of dinnerware for Menu also by Norm. You can trawl around and see it all here:
• Norm Architecture
• New Norm at Host
• Emmas Blogg Post on it
• Like the vintage lamps? They're from here
One of my favorite bloggers, Emma Fexeus, was called in to style this photo shoot (shot by photographer Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen) which ensures their spot-on beauty. And after all that, there's nothing much more to say, just enjoy the pics!


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2017 Porsche Boxter Review, Design, Specs, Price, Release Date – Porsche Boxster was initially released in 1996. The mid-engined roadster is now in its third era. The German car maker has introduced a selection of models of the car, each with its own name. Some noteworthy names involve 550 Spyder, 986, 987 and 981. The automaker is intending to release a completely new model, 2017 Porsche Boxster, that will even be regarded as 718. The new car can get an superb design, showcasing impressive body elements and state-of-the-art technological features.
2017 Porsche Boxter Exterior Design
The new 2017 Porsche Boxster will borrow some features from the outgoing models as well as from Cayman GT4. Most of its body parts will be built of aluminum. The car will therefore be mild, something that may significantly make improvements to its speed and fuel effectiveness. The body will probably be streamlined, and may have some modern strains manufactured to give the car a sporty glance.
Entrance fascia of 2017 Porsche Boxster will feature a redesigned grille, larger air inlets plus a new bumper. Rear aspect will feature an apron consisting of two diffuser. There will even be a larger spoiler and LEDinfused tail lights during this facet of the car. Other exterior features incorporate: aluminum doorways, manually operated roof and light-weight 20-inch wheels. 2017 Porsche Boxster should have a roomier cabin than other cars in its class.
2017 Porsche Boxter Interior Design
The interior of 2017 Porsche Boxster will also come with sophisticated technological features. Dashboard will feature a 7.0-inch contact display plus a myriad of control buttons. Connectivity features as well as a more strong audio system are predicted in the new roadster. There will be plenty of space for the driver and the passenger as well as their small-sized possessions. The entire cabin will be glazed by leather-based and other top quality components. Made by Recarro, the seats will probably be elegant and cozy. With spacious cockpit and comfortable seats, the new Porsche two-seat car will offer you an incredible driving expertise.
Also, the car can get all basic safety features. Some advanced safety features like cruise control and park assist may additionally be current.
2017 Porsche Boxter Engine and Performance
At the very least 3 engine options might be available for the new Porsche roadster. The key engine is going to be a 3.8-liter flat-6, able of generating 370 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. It will be paired that has a 6-speed handbook transmission. The car will be able to speed up from 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds and attain a top speed of 180 mph with this engine.
One more engine will probably be a 3.4 liter flat-6, that has a capacity of 311 horsepower and 266 lb-ft. The last choice will likely be a 2.7-liter flat-6, capable of manufacturing 261 horsepower and 310 lb-ft. The two engines might be paired with a 6-speed handbook transmission, 7-speed PDK or 7-speed PDK Sport Chrono. The automaker may decide to switch these engines with a 4-cylinder one. All the engines can have enhanced fuel efficiency and performance. They are going to also give out lesser emissions than other engines of the same category. Fuel consumption will probably be around 22 mpg in the cities and 32 mpg on the highways.
2017 Porsche Boxter Price and Release Date
Beginning price is going to be about $53.000. There'll be at least 9 configurations, and each will feature its very own price. Spyder are going to be the highly refurbished model and will charge $83.000. Introduced date is envisioned at the end of 2016. The new 2017 Porsche Boxster is going to be available in other marketplaces exterior Europe by the next half of 2017.


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There was an agreement, one could almost call it a concordat, in Washington this week, between the White House and Congress which cleared the way for a lot of possible international business important to others. It came in the form of an agreement on the terms of the military budget for 1988. The United States Congress will provide funds only for such nuclear-weapons research and testing as will keep the US inside the traditional interpretation of the 1972 Antiballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty.
Thus, there is to be no breaching of the stricter interpretations of the treaty for another year. This smooths the path of the pending treaty that would ban medium-range nuclear missiles from Europe. That, in turn, clears the way for Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's visit to Washington in early December.
It further clears the way for, or removes one block to, talks on a cut in the long-range intercontinental nuclear weapons.
It was one of three changes in Washington which made the ides of November more than usually interesting. The changes are to some extent connected.
Alongside the informal concordat on nuclear weapons was a White House retreat on tax increases in the next budget. That was the price the President had to pay to get his military budget through Congress, and to get Congress to cut back to some degree on social-entitlement programs.
There will be new federal revenue (the amount not settled at this writing) in the new budget.
Add that there was also during this same almost momentous week in Washington an itemized concordat between Secretary of State George Shultz and Jim Wright, Speaker of the House.
The language was imprecise. But behind ambiguous wording was acquiescence by the Reagan administration to the Central American peace plan. There will be no new military appropriations for the Nicaraguan contra rebels while the peace plan is being tried and tested.
In effect, President Reagan has retreated on taxes (they will go up), on Nicaragua (the contras will remain a force, but will have no guarantee of more weapons after supplies now in the pipeline are delivered), and on ``star wars'' (research and ground testing will continue, but nothing will be allowed that breaches the traditional interpretation of the treaty or would block the way toward an ultimate strategic arms limitation treaty).
He has fallen back from these positions so far - to the chagrin of the far right in his constitutency - that it now seems inevitable Mr. Gorbachev will come to Washington in December, sign the treaty on intermediate nuclear forces, and possibly lay the groundwork with Mr. Reagan for a subsequent treaty cutting back on long-range strategic missiles. And it now seems more likely than not that Nicaragua's war will some day end in a compromise that leaves Daniel Ortega Saavedra on top.
Will, that is, unless Mr. Gorbachev in Moscow is in more trouble than Western observers yet think he is. That he is in new trouble became apparent this past week when the Communist Party daily Pravda printed some remarkably critical things about his policies.
It seems reasonably clear that Mr. Gorbachev had been carrying glasnost (openness) too far. He has had to accept the demotion of one of his strongest and most reformist supporters in the Politburo. And he has had to read a half-page article in Pravda asserting that ``playing into democracy may result in catastrophe.''
At least Mr. Reagan and Mr. Gorbachev can mutually commiserate about their respective domestic difficulties when they meet.
But Mr. Reagan could expect little sympathy from his old friend, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in London. Mrs. Thatcher made a speech this week. In the speech was a lecture unmistakably pointed toward Mr. Reagan. She was preaching ``prudent finance and living within your means.'' She has practiced those ancient virtues.
Mrs. Thatcher is sitting on top of a balanced budget and a balanced trade account - a solvent nation. She really had only one serious concern this week. Her treasury holds about $20 billion in such things as US Treasury notes. She has seen their value plummet of late with the fall of the dollar.
Mrs. Thatcher can wish that Mr. Reagan would balance his budget, both by curbing spending and by always taxing enough to cover the spending that can't be cut. This week she did not hesitate to preach to Mr. Reagan what she has practiced so successfully at home.


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Kryo 65 Burr Coffee Grinder w/ Doser by Rancilio
Transform your coffee experience with a burr coffee grinder that allows you to add an extra level of finesse to the grinding process. Rancilio's Kryo 65 Burr Coffee Grinder is designed to give you extra control over your grind so you can get the most out of your coffee.
This semiautomatic burr coffee grinder features aluminum fins and a low-positioned motor built to distribute heat and prevent over heating during long, large grinding periods. Rancilio's Kryo 65 Burr Coffee Grinder is also designed with the steel burrs made with "ThermoSteel" heat treatment for extra durability.
Great for espressos, simply fill the hopper with up to 2.9 lbs of your favorite coffee bean, set the grind size with the adjustable knob, and watch as your new burr coffee grinder grinds up to 15-20 lbs of coffee per hour. The adjustable doser allows you to measure between 0.19 and 0.35 ounces according to your need while the built-in tray is designed to catch stray coffee grinds to save you time and prevent messes.
Made with a patented revolutionary system for ideal flavor and aroma extraction, this coffee grinder is made to help you get the most out of your coffee. Take control of your grind and make coffee just the way you want it with Rancilio's Kryo 65 Burr Coffee Grinder.
- Semiautomatic
- Ideal for espressos
- Patented revolutionary system for flavor and aroma extraction
- Low position of motor prevents overheating
- Die-cast aluminum fins for heat regulation
- Steel burrs with "ThermoSteel" heat treatment for durability
- Burr diameter 2.52"
- Tray catches stray coffee grounds
- Shock-resistant hopper
- Food-grade polycarbonate hopper
- Easily remove hopper for filling
- Flat base hopper stands upright when removed
- Hopper capacity: 2.9 lb
- Grind adjustment knob with micrometric adjustments of grind size
- Lock prevents adjustment knob from spinning
- Produces 15-20 lb/hr
- Adjustable doses: 0.19-0.35 oz
- Dimensions: 8.7" x 15.1" x 22.6"
- 450 W Motor
- Weight: 28.7 lbs
Additional Information
|Description Author
|Lindsey P
|Rancilio Kryo 65 Burr Coffee Grinder w/ Doser
|Burr Grinders
|Conical Burr Grinders
|Home or Commercial
|Steel & Aluminum
|2.9 pounds
|Drink type
|Coffee and Espresso
|Hybrid (Manual + Electric)
|Programmable or Non
|Non Programmable
|Voltage (volts)
|Wattage Range
|250 - 499
|Weight (in Lbs)
Customer Questions
Customer Reviews


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Oxlade-Chamberlain relishing dual role for club and country
London, Oct 10 (IANS) England international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is enjoying playing in a central midfield role for the national football team despite being a winger for his club side Arsenal.
"Given the opportunity, I do enjoy playing in central midfield and last week in training with England I was playing more centrally. I really enjoyed that," he was quoted as saying by the Evening Standard on Monday,
"There have been players over time who have been asked to play in a position and maybe they don't want to play there but, with me, I'm honestly happy to do it. If I get told to play on the wing, there is nothing in me that is annoyed I'm not playing midfield. I know I have got qualities that suit the wing and I'm happy to express myself there," he added.
The 23-year-old pointed out that the presence of several quality midfielders in the Arsenal squad means that manager Arsene Wenger has no option but to employ him on the wings.
"At the moment, the general dynamic at Arsenal is that we have got a lot of central midfielders who are more specialists in that position and out of that group of players, if you were going to put me in there, I'd be the one who stood out as someone who could play on the wing.
"I see myself more as a winger for Arsenal as a result. Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla, Francis Coquelin, Granit Xhaka, who has just come in, Jack Wilshere, when he's back, Mohamed Elneny and Aaron Ramsey, when he's fit," Oxlade-Chamberlain said.
"They are all big players for us and out-and-out central midfielders, so I am more focused on playing wide and adding what I can out there for now."
Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has scored five goals in 24 matches for England, insisted that playing in multiple positions has helped him grow as a player.
"Because I've been playing on the wing, I've focused more on my runs off the ball in behind. That's because I'm more naturally like a midfielder so I come towards the ball to receive it. That's something I've had to work on to become more of a winger," the former Southampton player said.
"If I play in midfield, I'm still going to get the ball, look to go past people and drive forward with it. I don't think it stunts my development because there is no negative feeling on my behalf."


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B. William Carradine, c.1896, Garden City, Louisiana, USA, d. c.1958, Natchez, Mississippi, USA. A folklorist's mishearing of his surname resulted in the evocative billing given to this singer and guitarist's ...
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Copyright © 2018
by Fred McMillin
The Knight, the Moullah, and...
The Discovery of Wine
"Wine was first discovered by a woman."
Gods, Men, and Wine by William Younger, 1966
The Rest of the Story
A bold statement. What was the basis? There was a footnote referring to Sir John Malcolm's The History of Persia...out of print for about 175 vears! I'd have to omit it from my S.F. State History of Wine course. Rats!
I learned that Sir John had served as India's minister to Persia two centuries ago. The San Francisco City Library staff searched the dusty archives for me, and voila! They came up with the fragile Volume One, and even loaned it to me for the class.
The story was on page 16. It was not written by Col. Malcolm, but was quoted from a manuscript by one Moullah Ackber. It dealt with the legendary Persian king named Jemsheed, as follows.
Jemsheed was the first who discovered wine. He was immoderately fond of grapes, and desired to preserve some, which were placed in a large vessel and lodged in a vault for future use. When the vessel was opened, the grapes had fermented: their juice, in this state, was so acid, that the king believed it must be poisonous: he had some vessels filled with it, and poison written upon each: these were placed in his room. It happened that one of his favorite ladies was affected with nervous headachs [sic]: the pain distracted her so much, that she desired death: observing a vessel with poison written on it, she took it and swallowed its contents. The wine, for such it had become, overpowered the lady, who fell down into a sound sleep and awoke much refreshed. Delighted with the remedy, she repeated the doses so often, that the monarch's poison was all drank. He soon discovered this, and forced the lady to confess what she had done. A quantity of wine was made: and Jemsheed, and all his court, drank of the new beverage, which, from the circumstance that led to its discovery, is to this day known in Persia by the name of zeher-e-khoosh, or the delightful poison.—Moullah Ackber's MMS.
1) The April 6, 2000 WineDay reported another version of this tale that I unearthed in Tehran, that was attributed to Aristotle. In this case, the "poison" is used in an unsuccessful effort to execute a "guilty" (a male criminal).
2) I don't like to read a wine article that contains no wine recommendations...the Syrah is Persia's greatest grape, and here are those that have scored the highest in my recent tastings.
Six Super Syrahs (Alias Shiraz)
6th—Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, Australia (Winesellers), '98, $13 (Shiraz)
Postscript —Jemsheed's Good Deeds
The charming ancient legend of King Jemsheed includes more than discovering wine. For example, he introduced the idea of the year, and the celebration of New Year's Day. 'Way to go, King!
WineDay Annex
WineDay Archive
This page created May 2000


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Reiki Herbal Votive Candle Astral Journey (box of 18)
These Reiki charged votive candles are made in the USA using food grade, pure waxes and natural cotton and paper wicks. Each candle is scented with pure essential oils, imparting natural fragrance with various healing properties. Each has been designed with specific properties to help the user focus on a specific intention or theme.
This Astral journey candle is used to enhance intuition and provide protection when doing astral projection or past life regressions. It is scented with Rosemary, Frankincense, Myrrh, Citronella and Cypress oils.
- Made in the USA
- Natural, high-quality ingredients
- Height: 2 inches Diameter: 1.75 inches
- Box of 18
Code: 81521
Shipping Weight: 2.50 pounds
0 available for immediate delivery
Quantity in Basket: None
Red items are required
Price: $29.95


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Kylie Minogue caused quite the "lo"commotion the other week, by taking legal steps to prevent Kylie Jenner monopolising the name KYLIE.
Kylie Jenner (who appears in reality TV show Keeping Up with the Kardashians) applied to trade mark KYLIE in the US, as her make up and clothing lines increase in popularity.
However, Minogue filed an opposition to Jenner's trade mark application on the grounds that it would cause confusion amongst fans and dilute Minogue's own KYLIE brand.
Minogue's lawyers argue that she has been in the entertainment industry since 1979, and launched her first album, titled Kylie, in 1988. She has sold 80m records worldwide, and is noted for her "high-publicity humanitarian efforts." The lawyers assert that "Ms Jenner is a secondary reality-television personality, who appeared on the television series Keeping Up With the Kardashians as a supporting character, to Ms Jenner's half-sisters, Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian."
Minogue is also opposing Jenner's trade mark application on the grounds of prior right as she already owns trade marks for "Kylie" when it comes to recordings, perfumes, body lotion, moisturiser, jewellery, printed matter and "plastic character toys."
We shall keep you posted as the opposition process continues – we wonder which Kylie shall be so lucky?!