text:
7. Beliefs Leading to Christlikeness—The Spiritual Life
IA. Theological Synthesis of the Spiritual Life: Growth in Christlikeness/Holiness14
In chapters one through three we learned what a disciple is, the theological context for discipleship (i.e., God's plan to bless the world), as well as the importance of understanding the relational context of discipleship. In short, we said that a disciplemaker is a committed follower of Jesus Christ who loves other people by bringing God's truth and blessing to them; he/she, by the power of Spirit, models Christ and helps others to do the same in their own lives, contexts, and relationships.
In chapters four and five we outlined a basic, Biblical worldview that can be used to evaluate your discipleship relationships, goals, and strategies. In chapters six and seven we are going to deepen our understanding of the theology of the spiritual life; we are going to focus on the area of sanctification. What we said by way of brief introduction in chapter five, we are now going to flesh out somewhat. There is perhaps no more confusion in any area of the Christian experience than our thinking about how a person grows spiritually once they become a Christian. There are many voices, but no consensus.
We hope to bring together several strands of Biblical teaching and put them together in a coherent whole that is biblically accurate, realistic, and hopeful. It is crucial that we understand this doctrine from the beginning: (1) so that we can live it out; and (2) so that we pass on a Biblical model in this area. We do people a great deal of disservice when we pass on either an unrealistic or watered down version of the Bible's teaching concerning sanctification. A great deal of time in your discipling relationships will be spent on this issue. Your disciples need to understand God's truth here, and you need to teach them. So let's dig in.
1B. The Ground and Goal of the Spiritual Life
The Spiritual life has to be seen within the larger context of God's work in creation and redemption. We have been created in God's image and salvation is designed to recreate that image; it is designed by God to conform us to the image of Christ (Rom 8:28-29). Therefore, our election, calling, justification, regeneration, spiritual growth, and glorification are all preplanned to move us in that direction. Thus the unshakeable ground upon which the spiritual life is built is the unconditional election, calling and justification of God. We have been permanently adopted into his family and now he moves in us, initiating, prodding, strengthening, and carrying on his work of making us look like a real family member, i.e., like His Son. We have been called to Christlikeness and that's the same thing as saying that we have been chosen, called, and destined for holiness. Any teaching on the spiritual life that does not have this as the focus is errant for it is not in keeping with our election, calling, the work of the Spirit, and our glorification. To the degree that any strategy for discipleship does not place this at the center, is to that degree quenching the Spirit of God.
2B. The Nature of Holiness: Personal Transformation through Consecration
The nature of holiness is spiritual and moral transformation that comes from dedication or consecration to God. He has sanctified us, made us acceptable to him and set us apart for his use. We, for our part, sanctify ourselves through confession and a Spirit-inspired determination to trust and obey Him.
1C. Positional Sanctification
1 Corinthians 6:11 Some of you once lived this way. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
2C. Determined Effort and the Initiating Work of God
Philippians 2:12-13 So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, 2:13 for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort—for the sake of his good pleasure—is God. See my commentary on this passage on the website (www.bible.org )
3C. The Result: Sanctification
Romans 6:22 But now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your benefit leading to sanctification, and the end is eternal life.
2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Romans 12:1 Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God—which is your reasonable service. 12:2 Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.
3B. The Context of Holiness: Justification
The context of sanctification is justification—the forgiveness of sin and the imputation of Christ's righteousness. Through faith in Christ we have been legally declared righteous. We are not working for grace, but from grace. We are not striving to attain standing before the Judge of all the earth; He has already granted us both a full pardon and perfect standing with the law. The call to take up arms to holiness (e.g., Rom 6:12-14), then, must be seen in this context, lest it denigrate into a work's righteousness laden with guilt, shame, and failure (Rom 3:25).
Romans 4:3 For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 4:4 Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited due to grace but due to obligation. 4:5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in the one who declares the ungodly righteous, his faith is credited as righteousness.
4B. The Root of Holiness: Co-crucifixion and Co-Resurrection with Christ
The root of holiness, that is, the wellspring from which it flows is our union with Christ in his death and resurrection. We were co-crucified with Christ in order that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, to be completely eradicated after death (only). We have been co-resurrected with him that we might live in newness of life, i.e., resurrection life.
6:4 Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in new life. 6:5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection. 6:6 We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
5B. The Agent of Holiness Is The Holy Spirit
The One who produces holiness in us is the Holy Spirit of God and he works at both the level of motivation and impulse, as well as at the level of the will and actual living. His desire is to reproduce the life of Christ in us. In fact, his primary ministry centers on mediating the presence of Christ to us. It is in the context of making Christ and our sonship known to the heart, i.e., a relational context, that the Spirit uses several means, i.e., the Bible, prayer, Christian community (e.g., godly counsel, sermons), the sacraments, etc., to transform our mind, emotions, and will into Christlikeness. The way in which he builds these things into our lives is through habits of holiness and over time he works his transformation in us. Thus discipleship is fundamentally a call to become, through the work of the Spirit, an example of Christ-like holiness.
John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but will speak whatever he hears, and will tell you what is to come. 16:14 He will glorify me, because he will receive from me what is mine and will tell it to you. 16:15 Everything that the Father has is mine; that is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what is mine and will tell it to you.
2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Phil 2:12 So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, 2:13 for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort—for the sake of his good pleasure—is God.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 5:23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
6B. The Experience of Holiness Is One of Conflict
There are many errors that people fall into regarding the NT truth that our experience of holiness is one of conflict and struggle. Some say that there is a higher life for the totally surrendered such that they can rise above the conflict. In short, not every Christian, they claim, has to go through this turmoil, but only those who as of yet, for whatever reason, have not hit that "place" of total surrender. In keeping with this idea, these believers generally have a pacifistic approach to holiness: "just let go and let God" is often their motto. The problem with this view is that it appears to go far beyond what Scripture promises in this life (cf. Rom 7:14-25; 8:23).
Still others suggest that the Christian life is simply one of inner turmoil and conflict all our days, with virtually little or no hope of any real experience of peace, growth, and transformation. For many thoughtful Bible readers, however, this model seems to stop far short of their experience, let alone what the Bible/Spirit seems to clearly teach; Scripture encourages us to rejoice, put sin to death, and celebrate God's goodness.
All sides undoubtedly capture an element of the truth, but taken in themselves—as complete ways of viewing sanctification—they represent serious errors. We need to carefully explain this area of discipleship to our disciples. Untold harm is done if we do not keep in the circle of truth in this area. Let me explain the balance found in the Bible.
The substructure of New Testament thought regarding our present and future experience of salvation (i.e., our sanctification) has been categorized as a "now/not-yet" reality. We possess the Spirit now, but we still live in mortal, fallen bodies (i.e., they are "not-yet" glorified). We will someday, however, be completely glorified with no "remainders" whatsoever of indwelling sin: we have been saved, are being saved and will someday be completely saved from the penalty, power, and even presence of sin.
Those who think that this life, if lived with so-called complete surrender, will result in unmitigated inner peace, are misinformed about what the New Testament promises in the "now time" and therefore they are misinterpreting their own experience. They have brought too much of the future into their thinking about the present. The longing for such a peaceful existence is, in itself, good, but we must remember that the reality awaits God's timing and glorification. Struggles from without and within, hand designed by God himself, have been divinely woven into the fabric of our present experience of salvation. Paul makes this clear in Romans 5:1-5.15
On the other hand, those who suggest that a Christian can expect little growth and change, do a great disservice to the gospel's power and the present, liberating ministry of the Spirit. Many of us can testify to having tasted that the Lord is good and the peace that passes understanding (Phil 4:6-7). The balance then lies in the middle. This life is filled with conflict and peace, comfort and struggle, growth and periods of apparent stagnation. The key is twofold: (1) trust Christ to sanctify us, and (2) pursue holy obedience with zeal, not letting struggles stop us, but rather allowing them to confirm (if we're following His commands) that we're on the right track. Have a look at the following texts.
Romans 7:20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer me doing it but sin that lives in me.
1 Corinthians 9:23 Do you not know that all the runners in a stadium compete, but only one receives the prize? So run to win. 9:25 Each competitor must exercise self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. 9:26 So I do not run uncertainly or box like one who hits only air. 9:27 Instead I subdue my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness (ἐπιτελοῦντες ἁγιωσύνην) out of reverence for God.
Galatians 5:17 For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition (ἀντίκειται) to each other, so that you cannot do what you want.
Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows, 6:8 because the person who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.
Philippians 3:13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: forgetting the things that behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, 3:14 with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
7B. The Personal and Community Standard of Holiness Is the Law of Christ
The standard of holiness for the Christian is expressed in "the Law of Christ." The Law of Christ is the moral Law as found in the Old Testament, preached by the prophets, and interpreted, lived, and applied by our Lord and His apostles—only now in a new covenant context. Like everything in the New Testament, the law too comes through Christ and is therefore, in a post "first-coming" setting, often referred to as the Law of Christ. The term "law" here refers to the commandments Jesus and His apostles give us and which constitute a holy life, pleasing to God and beneficial to men and women. The Law of Christ is the standard for the Christian and Christian community, not our feelings or uninformed ideas. It calls us to a righteous and holy life. Holiness has particular reference to our relationship with God and righteousness involves the living out of that relationship with those in the world.
It is important at this point to take note of two problems. First, there are those who suggest that there is absolutely no Law in the New Testament. Any mention of Law in a post-cross setting is not Biblical to them; again, Law was only for the Old Testament, or so they protest. But Romans 13:8-10 reveals the inadequacy of such a position. So then, there is "moral" Law in the New Testament as well, and it is spelled out in the imperative, i.e., commands that are to be followed. It is, however, to be understood and applied according to Jesus' teaching and life; he was the perfect example of Law incarnate. We understand what the command "to love" looks like by looking at him. After all, it's into his image that we are being transformed.
Second, there are those who claim that bringing Law into a sanctification context leads inextricably to legalism. This is no more true of the New Testament saint than it was of the Old. We are not to obey His commands in order to secure a relationship with God (Pharisaism), but rather as a way of living rightly in our relationship with Him—a relationship he initiated (election, calling), sustains, and will carry on forever, by grace. And, all obedience to his commands springs from humility and personal trust, or it is of no value; the very nature of God's holy commands requires that we trust him as we seek to obey. On the other hand, legalism is the attempt of a darkened heart, through doing "good works" or demanding a certain lifestyle from others, to merit favor with God, either for salvation or Christian growth. Legalism is ugly and springs from a heart unacquainted with God's marvelous presence and grace. It is proud that it has accomplished so much "growth" for God, but is ignorant of the cross. Those who abide in Christ by obeying his commands, however, know the difference.
John 14:21 The person who has my commandments and obeys them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him."
Ephesians 4:22 You were taught with reference to your former life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires, 4:23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 4:24 and to put on the new man who has been created in God's image—in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.
1 Corinthians 9:21 To those free from the law I became like one free from the law (though I am not free from God's law but under the law of Christ) to gain those free from the law.
Romans 7:12-14 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.
8B. The Heart of Holiness Is Love
Jesus is the one and only example of a man who kept the Law perfectly. He lived a life of holy love. He is Law incarnate. Therefore, there is no room in the Bible for a brand of holiness that stands aloof from people and their needs or is condemning, self-congratulating, arrogant, or stern and inflexible in relationships. We need to be careful in our discipling others, that as we grow in holiness, we are actually loving people more not less. We must learn to hate sin and love the sinner and therefore we must be patient with others in their spiritual journey. The heart of holiness is love; love for God and love for people.
Romans 13:10 Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 13:9 For the commandments, "do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet," (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, "Love your neighbor as yourself." 13:10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Galatians 6:2 Carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
IIA. Summary
It is important that we get our disciples off on the right foot in this area of the spiritual life. We have outlined eight basic ideas for understanding the spiritual life and which form the foundation for the development of the virtues and habits of a disciple of Christ. They are to be "seen" together, each one balancing the others. Our people must learn to reflect on these truths long and hard so that the Spirit of God, like a master builder, might grab each truth and drive it home in the construction of a fit house for his dwelling.
IIIA. Questions for Thought
1. What do you think it means to be personally transformed into the image of Christ?
2. What areas of your life, right now, do you think God wants to transform, according to the Christlikeness? What areas of your disciples' lives? Are you praying for both them and yourself? Have you shared your concern for your spiritual growth with them and others?
3. Why is it important to understand and to help our disciples understand justification?
4. How is the Holy Spirit the agent of holiness in our lives? What is his primary role and how does that relate to sanctification?
5. What does Paul mean by the "flesh"? (See also Galatians 5:16-26)
6. Does inner struggle necessarily indicate that we have done something wrong or that God is displeased with us? How do you view the war that goes on within you sometimes (1 Peter 2:11-12)? Do you think that someday, before you're glorification, the "war" will suddenly come to an end? How do these passages relate to this idea? On the other hand, do you often feel yourself wondering whether you'll ever have victory over some besetting sin? Do people you are discipling struggle with certain sins? How does Paul's advice in Galatians 6:1-2 relate to this?
7. How important is it to clearly understand that the heart of holiness is love? What are some versions of holiness that fail the test in light of the criterion of love?
14 The outline for this material and a large measure of its substance is indebted to J. I. Packer, Keeping in Step with Spirit (Fleming H. Revell, 1984), 94-120. I also owe a great debt to Sinclair B. Ferguson, "The Reformed View," in Christian Spirituality: Five View of Sanctification, ed. Donald L. Alexander (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1988), 47-76 and John Owen, Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers, and The Nature, Power, Deceit, and Prevalency of the Remainders of Indwelling Sin in Believers (see The Works of John Owen, ed. William H. Goold [Avon: Banner of Truth, 1967: VI]). See our website at www.bible.org for an outline and exposition of Owen's Mortification.
15 See our website for my article on this passage: "Romans 5:1-5: Our Relationship with God—Experiencing the Future Now." (http://www.bible.org/docs/nt/books/rom/rom5.htm )
Related Topics: Christology, Spiritual Life, Discipleship


text:
Next Episode of Breakfast with Frost is
not planed. TV Show was canceled.
Breakfast with Frost was a current affairs talk show hosted by David Frost. Each week David would be joined by guests from the world of politics and show business.
Looks like something went completely wrong!
But don't worry - it can happen to the best of us,
- and it just happened to you.
Please try again later or contact us.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Secret Beyond Matter
He has selected you and not placed any constraint upon you in the religion – the religion of your forefather Abraham. (Surat al-Hajj,78)
Make things easy for the people, and do not make it difficult for them. Make them calm (with glad tidings), and do not repulse (them)" (Sahih Bukhari)
Muslims place their trust in Allah. They know that everything is created for the best. Muslims do not weep and wail. And there is nothing to weep about.Weeping is a rebellion against Allah. Allah creates all things for the best. We do not weep over our martyrs, we rejoice for them. Weeping; people who do not believe in Allah think that they have lost something, that it no longer exists. They lose their money and weep, they lose their home and weep, they lose a relative and weep. There is no weeping in Islam. There is no reason for a Muslim to weep. Allah gives, and Allah takes away. Why weep? (A9 TV, February 28, 2012)
The Easiness Of Islam Is A Blessing From Allah
Believers constantly live their lives according to what the All-Merciful and Most Merciful has revealed in the Qur'an. No matter where they are, they display a moral character that pleases Allah and avoid any behavior that displeases Him. In His mercy, Allah gave Islam to humanity, a religion that is easy to follow and results in a good and contented way of life. From the Qur'an, we can see that Islam's requirements are extremely easy, because "Allah desires ease for you; He does not desire difficulty for you" (Surat al-Baqara, 185).
Due to His compassion and mercy, all true religions contain rules that are very easy to obey. The various attempts made throughout history to deviate from the essence of religion and to prevent people from living according to it have added several enforced practices and myths to it. When such distortions become firmly established and self-generating traditions, people, either with or without their knowledge, become far removed from the religious morality. One of the most dangerous of these distorted beliefs is that it is hard to live according to the religious morality. However, both Allah and our Prophet (saas) state that it is very easy for believers to follow this morality.
As with everything else that exists, Allah has created human beings from nothing. With full knowledge of them, as well as being closer to them than their jugular veins, He created religion in such a way that it fully corresponds with each person's inherent human nature:
So set your face firmly toward the Religion, as a pure natural believer, Allah's natural pattern on which He made humanity. There is no changing Allah's creation. That is the true Religion – but most people do not know it.(Surat ar-Rum, 30)
The Qur'an is a clear teaching that anyone, regardless of age and culture, can understand. The oft-heard assertion that this is not true is based mainly on people's ignorance of Islam's essence. Today, many people are unaware of the truths revealed in the Qur'an, the existence of the Afterlife, the pangs of Hell, the incomparable blessings of Paradise, and of what He has revealed concerning various matters. However, the Qur'an was sent down so that people could read it, know its wisdom, and learn the purpose of life.
A Muslim's greatest responsibility is to read the Qur'an and live according to It. But only those whom Allah guides to the straight path can apply Its morality to their lives. Allah promises to guide everyone who turns to Him in complete sincerity. Those who assert that the Qur'an is hard to understand seek to prevent others from reading it, turning toward Allah, and living according to its moral teachings. However, Allah says in many verses that the Qur'an is clear and understandable:
We have sent down Clear Signs to you, and no one rejects them except the deviators.(Surat al-Baqara, 99)
Allah has been pleased to choose the religion of Islam for humanity; moreover, the rules and practice of the Qur'an are very simple. In its verses, Allah says of the Qur'an:
We did not send down the Qur'an to you to make you miserable, but only as a reminder for those who fear [and respect Allah]. (Surah Ta Ha, 2-3)
In His endless mercy and compassion, Allah has detailed in the Qur'an the kind of life that will ensure our happiness and contentment. Allah states this in the Qur'an as follows:
But as for him [or her] who believes and acts rightly, he [or she] will receive the best of rewards, and We will issue a command, making things easy for him [or her].(Surat al-Kahf, 88)
It is important for every Muslim to show that religion, in its essence, is easy in order to kindle the people's hearts with the Qur'an and Islamic morality, teach them the Qur'an and our Prophet's (saas) Sunnah as the only guides for their lives. Many people are unaware of this truth and think that their lives will be more comfortable if they disregard the Qur'an's morality out of concern that it will restrict their enjoyment of life's pleasures. However, such great errors and deceptions obscure the fact that such morality is easy to follow, for Allah, Who created humanity, is fully aware of what system of morality is best for His creation. Actually, what is difficult is to live in a society composed of individuals who do not know the boundaries that Allah has set.
The İnvalidity Of The Famous Darwinist Claim That ''Useful Mutations Do Exist.''
The false idea that useful mutations exist is a classic Darwinist claim. Although the whole scientific world knows, with absolute scientific evidence, that mutations have a destructive or fatal effect, this claim is still persistently made, out of a fear of humiliation. Because Darwinism is a theory that depends totally on mutations. All Darwinists know that if the destructive effect were to be mentioned just once, that would spell the end of Darwinism. It is for that reason they try to give the impression, citing invalid and utterly pitiful examples, that mutations can be beneficial. But this is a complete deception.
· As we have set out many times before, mutations have a net harmful effect, with only 1% being neutral, though the latest scientific research has shown that even these can produce long-term damage in the organism.[1] The net harmful effect of mutations is not a psychological defense mechanism, but an explicit truth revealed by science.
· If Darwinists object to this, then they are directly flying in the face of science. Because this is not a matter of opinion, but an absolute scientific fact.
· It is impossible for mutations to bestow any useful characteristic. Under normal conditions, everything in a living body exhibits complete regularity, order and symmetry. In addition, these systems co-exist with the most delicate balances and exhibit a glorious complexity right down to the finest detail. Mutations are random interventions, such as with radiation, and mean breakages, impairments and dislocations. They INEVITABLY DAMAGE these extraordinarily complex systems, with their regularity, symmetry and order. It is illogical and a violation of science to maintain anything else.
· The results at Chernobyl, Nagasaki and Hiroshima were all the results of mutations. Under the effect of mutations, organisms with regular structures either died or suffered severe damage, and this harmful effect even manifested itself in subsequent generations.
· Darwinists generally cite various examples of immunity in order to try to corroborate their claims that "beneficial mutations do exist." But these examples all consist of a variation or impairment in bacteria or immune cells.
· Sometimes, a dislocation in a single DNA nucleotide, or base, can bestow immunity to an antibiotic on a micro-organism. But although this may be useful to the micro-organism, IT IS NOT A BENEFICIAL MUTATION. Because the mutation in question has actually harmed the micro-organism. The ribosome sequence belonging to the micro-organism has been impaired, and it prevents the antibiotic binding to the organism by damaging the lock and key harmony. In other words, rather than there being any novelty in the micro-organism, we are looking at a loss of information.
· Mutations are literally like firing at a regular structure with a machine gun. Opening fire on a healthy structure will entirely do away with that structure. The fact that one bullet has no effect or destroys an existing infection in the body changes nothing. The organism will already have been killed by the other 99 bullets hitting it.
· The example that Darwinists cite with such examples is like a bullet healing the body by destroying a single infection. The organism is devastated by mutations, but Darwinists concentrate on the one that heals this infection.
· Since the subject of mutations constitutes one of the most damaging points for Darwinists they engage in demagoguery by depicting minor instances of variation or the effects examined above as major evidence. The fact is, however, that the adherents of evolution, who maintain that all living things acquired their present symmetrical and complex structures by way of evolution, have to be able to cite examples of mutations that take place one after the other and are all beneficial, and that also bestow new information on the organism.
· What is more, Darwinists also have to provide evidence for the scenario of one living thing's physiology turning into that of another life form through mutation at the macro level. BUT THEY CANNOT EVEN CONTEMPLATE PRODUCING SUCH EVIDENCE. Because as they know full well, mutations destroy and ruin and occasionally entirely destroy the organism concerned.
· It addition, we need to make the following point very clear: mutations can never bestow any new data on an organism that is not already in its genome. That is impossible. The examples alleged to have "added new information" are all misleading. No new genetic information is ever added. All that happens is that information already existing in a living thing's genes starts to be used by becoming more visible as a result of variations.
· Breaks and dislocations in the bases that make up DNA CAN NEVER PRODUCE NEW INFORMATION. They do not equate to information that did not already exist being bestowed on a living thing. Darwinists are without doubt well aware of this. But they insist on depicting dislocations in genetic bases as new data. This is an example of Darwinist demagoguery.
You can read our statement about mutations here:
For evolutionist admissions that mutations have no evolutionary force, see:
For detailed information on how sickle cell anemia is not evidence for evolution, see:http://www.harunyahya.com/books/science/blood_heart/blood_heart_04.php
Hazrat Mahdi (as) Is Descended From The Line Of The Prophet (saas)
Narrated by Ali (ra), the Messenger of Allah (saas) said:
Even if there remains only one day for the world, Allah, the Exalted, will send a man from the Ahl al-Bayt (People of the House). (Sunan Abu Dawud, 5:92)
Days and nights will not end until one [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] from my Ahl al-Bayt rules the entire world. (Al-Uqayli, An-Najmu's-saqib fi Bayan Anna'l Mahdi min Awladi Ali b. Abu Talib Ale't-Tamam wa al-Qamal)
Hazrat Mahdi (as) is from the line of my daughter Fatima. (Sunan Ibn Majah, 10:348)
Hear the glad tidings of Hazrat Mahdi (as). He is one from the Quraysh and from my Ahl al-Bayt. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 13)
Hazrat Mahdi (as) is one of my children. His face is like a star shining in the sky. (Ali Ibn Sultan Muhammad al-Qaari al-Harawi al-Hanafi, Risalat Mashrab al Vardi fi Mazhabi 'l Mahdi)
All prophets are related to one another. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will also be of that line. These descendants are popularly known as sayyid. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will also be sayyid.
Allah refers in the Qur'an to messengers all related to one another. These verses indicate that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will share that same line of descent.
2012-07-08 21:08:58


text:
Ready to end the suspense over his future, and prepared to step aside for at least one season, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher will announce at a Friday news conference that he is retiring after 15 seasons with the team.
Operating on a timeline established during a Tuesday morning meeting with Steelers ownership, Cowher was originally set to return to Pittsburgh next Monday to reveal his plans. But after driving to his new home in Raleigh, N.C., on Tuesday, and spending several days with his family there, Cowher apparently decided there was no need to delay a decision that has been one of the NFL's worst kept secrets in recent weeks.
Cowher apprised Steelers owner Dan Rooney on Thursday afternoon that he had made up his mind and saw no sense in delaying an announcement until next week. The Steelers on Thursday night announced the Friday news conference, which is set for 1 p.m. ET. Although the team did not announce a decision, word of Cowher's resignation was delivered to his assistant coaches.
The consensus among high-ranking team officials, and sources around the NFL for several weeks, was that Cowher, 49, would retire to spend more time with his family. In fact, it would have been stunning if Cowher had returned from his North Carolina hiatus and announced he was coming back to the team to fulfill the final year of his current contract.
There has been rampant speculation since last May, when it was revealed that Cowher and his wife had purchased a home in Raleigh that 2006 would be his last season with the team. That speculation was fueled when contract discussions between the Steelers and Cowher's representative failed to produce an extension to his deal.
It's believed the Steelers offered Cowher a two- or three-year extension that would have raised his salary into the $6 million range at the back end of the deal. Cowher is believed to earn about $4 million per year under his existing contract and some feel he will return after a year away from the game, and having recharged his batteries, and sign a more lucrative contract elsewhere.
He has been purposely cryptic about his plans but, in a late-season conference call with Carolina-area media, Cowher acknowledged he would resolve his status for the future shortly after the season ended.
Cowher huddled early Tuesday morning with Dan Rooney and team president Art Rooney II before driving to Raleigh to join his wife and the couple's youngest daughter, who lived there all season. During the Tuesday meeting, Steelers ownership did not attempt to press Cowher for a more expeditious decision on his future, and agreed that he should take some time to deliberate.
What altered the timetable, which called for a decision next week, is unknown. A source on Thursday night said the Steelers did not force Cowher to accelerate his decision-making process for fear the team might lose some of its own potential in-house candidates to other teams.
Within the Steelers' inner circle, it had been widely accepted that a decision would come early next week, and that Cowher would likely walk away from the NFL for at least a year. One organizational source said that he felt Cowher "had one foot out the door" as early as last spring. Cowher has conceded that, after the team's Super Bowl XL victory 11 months ago, he considered retirement.
Once his existing contract with the Steelers expires following the 2007 season, he would be free to seek employment elsewhere. If Cowher exits the game now, many believe he will explore jobs in broadcasting for the 2007 season.
Typical of Pittsburgh management, the Steelers will allow the situation to play out, and will then react accordingly. Even though the Steelers slumped to 8-8 in 2006, the roster remains a talented one, and the club is capable of a quick rebound.
For those reasons, and the stability and support of ownership, the Pittsburgh vacancy will be regarded as the plum job of all the current openings. Steelers management is confident it will find a suitable successor.
In-house candidates almost certainly would include assistant head coach Russ Grimm and offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, both of whom are candidates for other current openings around the league as well.
By making his decision known Friday, Cowher gives the Steelers the ability to talk to some of the assistant coaches currently in the playoffs. The NFL gives teams looking for head coaches until Sunday night to set up and conduct interviews with coaches currently in the playoffs. That could put the Steelers in position to talk to Cam Cameron of the Chargers and Ron Rivera of the Bears among other assistants.
In his 15 seasons, Cowher has compiled a 161-99-1, including playoff games. Under his stewardship, the Steelers have won eight division titles, earned 10 playoff berths, advanced to the conference championship game six times, appeared in two Super Bowl games and won one.
Information from ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton and The Associated Press was used in this report.


text:
I don't know who C Spire wireless is but they seem to be doing something right as they're getting some decent phones it seems. First this little company gets the iPhone 4S, now they're getting a rather heavyweight Android phone from Motorola called the Milestone X2. The X2 features a dual core 1ghz CPU along with an 8mp camera, a 4.3" screen and it's running Android 2.3. C Spire customers can get the phone for only $99.99 after $50 mail-in rebate, but you'll have to sign up for a new 2yr agreement.
The fast and powerful second-generation touchscreen smartphone features a dual-core 1 GHz processor for lightning-fast mobile web surfing and Adobe ® Flash® Player for rich online content consumption. The large, 4.3-inch scratch-resistant and anti-reflective HD screen offers a sharp, clear display for sending and receiving emails, watching video and movies or playing games. The 8-megapixel camera with continuous autofocus delivers stunning photos and HD 720 p quality video capture and a new Gallery app allows users to view, tag and post photos on sites like Flickr® and Facebook®, all from one place.
Additional Features
- Support for Google™ Mobile Services, including Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Talk™, Google Search™, and Google Maps™ and access to thousands of apps available to download from Android Market™
- 8 GB internal memory
- Mobile hotspot capability, allowing users to share their high-speed broadband connection with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices
- Virtual QWERTY keyboard featuring SWYPE technology for quick and easy typing of messages and emails
- Powered by Android 2.3 mobile operating system
- One-click Mirror Mode enables users to view and share photos, videos and downloaded movies on a flat screen monitor via HDMI output
- Enterprise-ready with security and IT-grade policies
Pricing and Availability
The Motorola X2 is available online at www.cspire.com, in all C Spire Wireless retail stores and through the company's telesales group at 1-855-277-4734 or its Assist for Business Support Center at 1-855-277-4732 for $99.99 after a $50 reward card and a new two-year customer agreement with data services.


text:
In this tutorial I'll show you how to create a striking cover as well as creative page layouts for a children's book (in this case a modernized version of 'Alice in Wonderland'!). Using Adobe InDesign, we'll explore how thinking outside of the box with typography and images can make classically typeset pages more exciting. This tutorial looks at techniques you can use for layout and design—lessons you can apply when putting together your own print book or eBook.
Many thanks to Mary Winkler for contributing her fantastic illustrations for the layouts. You can learn how to create your own Alice in Wonderland illustrations from her tutorial posted earlier in the week.
1. Set Up the Layout of the Cover
Step 1
Open InDesign and select File > New Document. In the New Document window, set the Intent to Print and set the No. of Pages to 1. Deselect Facing Pages. Under Page Size, select Custom... from the drop-down menu to open the Custom Page Size window. Under name, type 'Alice in Wonderland_Cover' and set Width to 277 mm and Height to 216 mm.
This allows for an interior page size of 135 mm by 216 mm, which is an industry standard for paperback books. In my version of InDesign, Millimetre units are automatically translated into Picas, but throughout this tutorial I will list all units in Millimetres. Click Add, and then OK.
Set the top, right and left margins to 20 mm and the bottom margin to 25 mm. Set the Bleed on all sides to 3 mm. Click OK.
Step 2
Drag a vertical guideline from the left-hand ruler (go to View > Show Rulers, if not already visible) to 135 mm. Drag a second guideline to the centre point, at 138.5 mm. Drag a third guideline to 142 mm. This sets up the outer edges and centre point of a 7 mm width spine.
Step 3
From the left-hand ruler, drag a guideline to 115 mm (the page width of 135 mm minus the 20 mm margin width) to set up the margins of the back cover. Repeat for the front cover by dragging a guideline to 162 mm.
The basic proportions of your cover are now set up—you can begin to add content.
2. Design the Front Cover
Step 1
Use the Rectangle Frame Tool (F) to create a frame 95 mm in width. The height can vary depending on the image you choose to place. Sit the frame against the bottom margin and File > Place. Select your chosen image (ideally an EPS image with a transparent background if using a vector illustration) and Open.
With the image frame selected, click the Fill Frame Proportionally option from the top control panel.
Step 2
Select the Type Tool (T) and create a frame 95 mm Width and 30 mm Height. Type 'ALICE IN (paragraph break) WONDERLAND' and select Align Center from the top control panel.
Now you can select a couple of fonts to give your cover a dynamic look. In this example, I went for a classic-looking Serif font, EB Garamond, and a contrasting modernist Sans Serif font, BonvenoCF. This combination will work really well for this modernised take on Alice in Wonderland.
Return to the text frame you've created and highlight the text. Set the Font to BonvenoCF Light. Highlight just 'ALICE IN' alone and set the Font Size to 55 pt, Leading to 66 pt, and Tracking to 30. Highlight 'WONDERLAND', and set the Font Size to 33 pt, Leading to 39 pt, and Tracking to 30.
Step 3
Go to Window > Stroke to open the Stroke panel. Select the Line Tool (\) and hold Shift to drag a horizontal line 90 mm in Width. In the Stroke panel, set the Weight to 0.35 mm, and maintain the line as Solid. Place the line centered beneath the heading.
Step 4
Create a second text frame 95 mm in Width using the Type Tool (T). Insert a sub-heading, in this case, 'Lewis Carroll's Traditional Tale Revisited', Align Center, and set the Font to EB Garamond Regular. Set the Font Size to 16 pt.
Your simple and striking front cover is done! Now for the back cover of the book.
3. Design the Back Cover
Using the Type Tool (T), create a text frame 95 mm in Width and rest the top of the frame against the top margin on the back cover. The frame should sit centrally on the back cover.
You can insert your book's blurb here, or go to Type > Fill with Placeholder Text for now.
Extend the frame down to just over half of the back cover and split the text into two paragraphs. Highlight all the text and select Justify with Last Line Aligned Left from the top control panel. Set the Font Size to 12 pt and Leading to 14.4 pt. Go to Window > Type & Tables > Story to open the Story panel. With your cursor sitting amongst the text, check Optical Margin Alignment.
Highlight the first paragraph and set the Drop Cap Number of Lines in the top control panel to 4. Set the Font to Regular.
Highlight the bottom paragraph and set the Font to Italic and the Drop Cap Number of Lines to 2. This is a great place to insert a quote, review, or author biography.
You can also insert a logo, website, and/or barcode at the bottom of the back cover if relevant.
4. Format the Spine
Step 1
Use the Type Tool (T) to create a new text frame 3 mm in Height, 25 mm in Width. Insert 'Author Name'. Set the Font as EB Garamond SC (or use the All Caps option in the Character control panel to imitate this) and the Font Size to 11 pt. Select the frame, Control-click (Mac) or right-click (PC) and Transform > Rotate 90 degrees Clockwise. Rest the top of the frame against the top margin, centered down the spine.
Step 2
Edit > Copy > Paste this text frame and extend the Width to 57 mm and the Height to 3.5 mm. Edit the text to read the book's title (e.g. 'ALICE IN WONDERLAND') and set the Font to Bonveno CF Light. Adjust the Tracking to 30. Position this text frame about halfway down the center of the spine.
You can also insert a logo or small illustration at the bottom of the spine against the lower margin—this can add a special touch to the overall cover.
Well done—your book cover is done! Now for the inside pages.
5. Set Up the Layout of the Interior Pages
Step 1
Go to File > New Document. In the New Document window, set the Intent to Print and set the No. of Pages to 3. Keep Facing Pages selected. Under Page Size, select Custom... from the drop-down menu to open the Custom Page Size window. Under name, type 'Alice in Wonderland_Pages' and set Width to 135 mm and Height to 216 mm. Click Add, and then OK.
Set the top and inside margins to 20 mm, outside margin to 15 mm, and the bottom margin to 25 mm. Set the Bleed to 3 mm, but leave the Inside value at 0 mm. Click OK.
Step 2
We can create two Masters—one for the opening page of a chapter or section, and a second for the main pages.
Ensure the Pages panel is open by going to Window > Pages. You will see that an A-Master consisting of two pages combined as a spread has been automatically added in InDesign. In this book, all our chapters will start on a right-hand page, so click on the left-hand page of the A-Master and drag it to the trash icon at the bottom right-hand corner of the Pages panel.
Double-click the A-Master page to bring it up on screen. Drag a vertical guideline from the left-hand ruler to 69 mm and drag a second to 73 mm to mark out the edges of two columns for text.
Select the Type Tool (T) from the tools control panel and drag to create a small text frame 5 mm in Width and 4 mm in Height. Position this centrally between the column guidelines (at around Y position 201 mm) and go to Type > Insert Special Character > Markers > Current Page Number. Set the text to Align Center, Font to EB Garamond SC, and Font Size to 9 pt.
Step 3
Go to the Pages Menu > New Master... to create a new two-page B-Master spread.
You can copy the guidelines and page number text frame and duplicate them in the relevant positions on this second spread.
You can also add some page headers at the top of each page to give your book a unified and professional look. Create a text frame using the Type Tool about 3.5 mm in Height and 100 mm in Width. Position this centrally above the top margin on the right-hand page of the B-Master. Type the book title in uppercase letters and set the text to Align Center, Font to Bonveno CF Light, Font Size to 7 pt, and Tracking to 30.
Use the Line Tool (\) and hold Shift to create a line about 37 mm in length. Keep the line thin (I went for 0.088 mm) and position this just below the header text to give it a nice frame.
Edit > Copy > Paste the header text frame and line, and manoeuvre them into the matching position on the left-hand page of the B-Master.
You can apply this Master to Pages 2 and 3 here, plus any other pages that are not opening chapter pages in your book.
6. Create a Dynamic Opening Chapter Page
Step 1
Apply the A-Master to Page 1 by clicking and dragging the A-Master page icon to the Page 1 icon. Double-click Page 1 to bring it up on screen.
Select the Type Tool (T) and drag to create a text frame 47 mm in Width and 5 mm in Height. Position this frame at the top of the left-hand column, with the top of the frame resting against the top margin.
Type the Chapter Number or Section Title and set the Font to Bonveno CF Light, Size to 15 pt, and Tracking to 30. Select All Caps from the top control panel.
Use the Line Tool (\) to create a line slightly shorter than the text frame, around 46 mm. Set the Weight to around 0.3 mm and position it centered, just beneath the text frame.
Step 2
We can apply a dramatic Drop Cap to the first letter of the chapter text to create interest. To do this, however, we need to extend the Height of the text frame beyond the limits of the column margins. This may involve a bit of trial and error, but it's a great typographical effect to use.
Use the Type Tool (T) to create a text frame 47 mm in Width and 196 mm in Height. You may need to zoom out a little to see its full Height. Position this frame within the right-hand column space, resting the bottom of the frame on the bottom margin.
You can insert the text for your chapter and set the Font to EB Garamond Regular. For now, it will be more manageable to just work with the first five or so lines (or the first complete sentence) of your chapter. We can add the rest later.
Select Justify with Last Line Aligned Left. Set the Font Size to 12 pt and Leading to 15 pt. Now highlight the first letter of the text and go to Drop Cap Number of Lines in the top Control Panel. Set the value to 9. Your first letter has been blown up to the width of the right-hand column.
Step 3
To make the typography really special on this page, you can play around with the sizing, tracking, and leading of lines to give a dynamic look to the type, and pull out the first line of the chapter for a dramatic effect. This can work really well for children's books in particular, where text may be less lengthy and the size of type generally needs to be larger.
In this example, I highlighted 'here was a' and increased the Font Size to 34 pt and the Leading to 43 pt. I pulled out the next short group of words and increased the Font Size to 44 pt. Continue through the text, experimenting with size (you may encounter your own challenges with any long or hyphenated words). This will start to push down the text to the bottom of the page, and you can play around with the position of the frame until you are happy.
Awesome—it's looking good!
7. Design a Spread With Creative Typography
Step 1
Bring up Pages 2 and 3 on screen by scrolling down. Create two text frames using the Type Tool (T) and adjust the size of these to fit within the two columns on Page 2. You can insert the remaining text of your chapter into the first frame. Click the small white box at the bottom right of the frame and click into the second frame to link the frames and flow the text into the second frame.
Set the text to Justify with Last Line Aligned Left. Set the Font to EB Garamond Regular, Font Size to 12 pt, and Leading to 15 pt.
Highlight the first letter of the first paragraph of text and set the Drop Cap Number of Lines value to 4. You may need to adjust the height of the text frames a little to allow the last line of text to sit perfectly on the bottom margin. Ensure Optical Margin Alignment is not checked to allow the first paragraph to 'tuck' into the column.
Step 2
The second page of your chapter looks classic and traditional. We can contrast this against a quirky opposite page.
We can achieve this by using Illustrator to create a vector shape that we can fill with text. Pairing this with a relevant image makes an exciting combination.
Use the Rectangle Frame Tool (F) to create a small frame and position this in the bottom right of the page. File > Place and select an image (preferably in black and white or grayscale, with a white or transparent background, to maintain the illusion of an old-fashioned novel); click Open. Use Fill Frame Proportionally to resize the image.
Step 3
Open Illustrator and File > New... to create a new document. Now you have to exercise some imagination. What shape would work well with your chosen image? Can you make it wide enough to accommodate enough text?
In this example, I created a simple 'steam' shape using the Arc Tool and gave it a Fill (you don't need to give it a Stroke). Select the shape and go to Edit > Copy.
Step 4
Return to InDesign and go to Edit > Paste. The Illustrator shape is dropped into your InDesign Document. You can set the Fill to None by going to the top control panel.
Step 5
Using the Selection Tool (V, Escape), adjust the size of the shape to fit nicely onto Page 3. You can hold Shift to maintain the proportions of the shape. Select the Type Tool (T) and hover the cursor over the top of the shape. The cursor will change to a type cursor; click once and the shape is turned into a text frame.
Link the second text frame on Page 2 to the shape on Page 3 by clicking the lower right-hand white box in the second column and clicking again in the shape. The text will flow into the shape.
You may need to make some adjustments to the shape's dimensions once the text has been included. Do your best to make sure there are no large gaps between lines of text and that there are no straggler words.
Step 6
That's the first three pages of your chapter done—it's looking great!
You can repeat the principles in Steps 1-5 above to create more beautiful interior layouts for your book. The results will be dependent on your content, your images, and your imagination. Here's another example to get your creative juices flowing.
In this example, I created a spiral shape in Illustrator using the Spiral Tool and, as before, copied and pasted the shape into InDesign and used the Type on a Path Tool (Shift-T) to flow the text onto the spiral.
It's a great way of visualising Alice's descent down the rabbit hole!
8. Prepare Your Book for Print or Digital
The aim of this tutorial has been to show you some ways of creating dynamic and quirky layouts for a children's book. You can use the ideas presented here to create your own beautiful cover and layouts.
Once you have put together your whole book, you may want to export this as an Interactive PDF for sharing online (go to File > Export and select Adobe PDF (Interactive) from the Format drop-down menu; and check Spreads from the subsequent menu).
Alternatively, you can create a print book by going to File > Export > and selecting Adobe PDF (Print) from the drop-down menu. Select Press Quality from the Adobe PDF Preset drop-down menu, and check All Printer's Marks from the Marks and Bleeds menu.
Awesome Work, You're Now Done!
I hope you have found this tutorial useful and has inspired you to have a go at creating your own children's book.


text:
Promise Of A 'Clean Coal' Future Far From Reality
By Hal Bernton, The Seattle Times
MEREDOSIA, Ill. — In 2003, President George W. Bush unveiled plans for the world's first zero-emissions coal plant, a project that would serve as a global showcase of America's ability to reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuels.
This FutureGen plant would be "one of the boldest steps our nation takes toward a pollution-free future," declared Spencer Abraham, Bush's energy secretary, in 2003. The knowledge we gain from the plant " … will help turn coal from an environmentally challenging energy resource into an environmentally benign one."
More than a decade later, there has yet to be a groundbreaking for FutureGen 2.0.
The project calls for overhauling an aging coal plant on the outskirts of this sleepy river town so that its carbon emissions can be captured and stored some 4,300 feet underground. But the effort has been beset by political infighting, design changes, and escalating costs that helped trigger a rebellion by the state's largest utility.
FutureGen' s tortured birthing process reflects broader problems in the global effort to spur development of "clean coal" plants and carbon-capture technology — considered key steps in the battle to slow climate change.
Even the Energy Department now has doubts about whether FutureGen will succeed. Last year the department designated the FutureGen alliance charged with building the project as a "high-risk" grant recipient that might not be able to meet a September 2015 deadline for spending $1 billion in federal stimulus dollars, according to a document reviewed by The Seattle Times.
The International Energy Agency has tagged carbon capture as a key part of the struggle to head off the most extreme impacts of climate change, and hopes it will be in wide use by midcentury or earlier.
But so far, no country has hammered hard enough with regulations, or created strong enough financial incentives to spur widespread conversions to the costly and still evolving technology.
Many renewable energy advocates don't see carbon capture as a viable strategy to fight climate change. They are convinced solar, wind, hydroelectric, and perhaps nuclear power can be the mainstay of 21st-century global energy.
Supporters of carbon capture say such predictions drastically overstate how swiftly and broadly the world can shift away from the use of coal, oil, and natural gas. They forecast that carbon capture — even with construction and operating costs some 30 to 70 percent higher than traditional coal plants — will be a cheaper option than paying the costs associated with extremes of climate changes.
"If you want to continue to rely on fossil fuels, and reduce carbon emissions — not by a little, but by a lot — then this is the only game in town," said Edward Rubin, a lead author of a carbon-capture report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
In North America, the project furthest along is in Canada, where SaskPower later this year is scheduled to start up a 110-megawatt unit that will capture more than 1 million tons of carbon a year.
In the United States, Congress has appropriated some $6 billion since 2008 for research and other efforts to spur development of carbon capture. One Texas project, scheduled to kick off this year, plans to turn a profit by pumping carbon emissions from a coal plant into an aging oil field, where the injection is forecast to dramatically boost production.
But utilities and regulators often balk at carbon-capture costs. Some projects have been canceled. And concerns have been heightened by a carbon-capture plant under construction in Mississippi that is running $3 billion over budget.
The $1.65 billion FutureGen project in Meredosia is designed to be the first commercial-scale demonstration of a technology, known as oxy-combustion, that can capture and store more than 90 percent of a 168-megwatt plant's carbon emissions.
About 40 percent of the cost is privately financed with the rest of the money coming from the federal grant.
"FutureGen is a prototype plant. … It's not surprising its cost of electricity is higher. It's just like the first solar plant ever built was a heck of a lot higher," said Ken Humphreys, chief executive officer of FutureGen.
The coal companies that control FutureGen say carbon-capture technology holds promise for the future, but appear skeptical that it can be put into place anytime soon.
They are fighting an Environmental Protection Agency rule proposed last year that would require partial carbon capture in any new coal plant, as well as another proposed rule that calls for emission reductions in states with existing fossil fuel plants.
Carbon-capture technology "is simply not commercially available and not able to satisfy Americans' need for low-cost energy," declared Peabody Energy, a key member of the FutureGen Alliance, in a statement released last September.
"The way I look at carbon capture, it is sort of an orphan," said John Thompson, of the Clean Air Task Force, a nonprofit that promotes the technology. "It doesn't have a strong political constituency in Washington."
At the turn of the new century, clean coal looked like an idea whose time had come.
In his 2000 presidential campaign, Republican candidate Bush declared that he would require power plants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions "within a reasonable period of time," and place an overall cap on U.S. carbon emissions.
Three years later, the Bush administration launched FutureGen as a 10-year effort to build a carbon-capture plant.
But Bush cooled on tackling global warming and abandoned his call for capping emissions. Administration officials rewrote government reports to downplay concerns about climate change.
Support for FutureGen also ebbed, as Abraham's successor, Samuel Bodman, scrapped the idea of building a new plant in favor of a series of smaller projects.
Some insiders at DOE protested, saying Bodman was undermining one of Bush's signature programs, and that abandoning the original project could set back carbon-capture development by a decade or more, according to internal department emails.
Michael Mudd, then chief executive of FutureGen, said the alliance of coal companies was blindsided by the turnaround.
In December 2007, the FutureGen Alliance announced Mattoon, Ill., as the site of the new carbon-capture coal plant. Hours later, the Energy Department disclosed that the project would be restructured "due to escalating costs," and Mattoon would not get its plant.
In 2009, the White House got a new occupant, a junior senator from Illinois who had been a loyal backer of a FutureGen project in his home state and whose campaign platform had called for federal assistance to build four commercial-scale carbon capture plants.
During his first few months in office, President Barack Obama worked with the state's congressional delegation to get FutureGen back on track with a $1 billion earmark from Congress.
With new money came new design ideas.
Instead of a new plant in Mattoon, the plan called for the Meredosia plant owned by Ameren Energy Resources to be retrofitted with a specialized oxygen-rich boiler. This system concentrates carbon emissions so they can be readily captured once combustion has occurred.
The converted plant is expected to use about 20 percent more coal than traditional combustion technology, according to officials at Babcock & Wilcox, developers of the oxy-combustion system.
Despite that hurdle, the Energy Department was bullish when it announced FutureGen 2.0. in 2010.
The investment will "position the country as a leader in an important part of the global clean energy economy," said then-Energy Secretary Steven Chu as he announced the siting.
Yet the revamped project soon suffered a major defection. In summer 2011, Ameren concluded that the conversion to carbon capture would cost $363 million more than initially forecast and decided to withdraw its participation, according to Energy Department documents.
The frayed FutureGen Alliance dwindled to five members and has scrambled to come up with the $650 million of private money to finance the project.
Most of that money will be borrowed, with the debt paid off through a 20-year power sale approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission that was more than five times the price of the state's spot market prices in 2013.
The high cost of that electricity soured Exelon, parent company of the state's largest utility, on the project.
In a 2013 letter, Exelon's president, Christopher Crane, declared that "customers should not be forced to pay enormous above-market changes for electricity," which he estimated at an extra $150 million annually, a figure that FutureGen disputes.
Exelon's utility — Commonwealth Edison — then joined with state electricity suppliers to challenge the contract terms in a lawsuit.
The Illinois appellate court decided in favor of FutureGen last month, but one of the plaintiffs plans to appeal to the state Supreme Court.
While the case dragged on, FutureGen could not close a deal for private financing, according to Humphreys. Without that private money in hand, Energy Department officials would not release the federal grant funds required for construction.
Photo: vxla via Flickr
Interested in national news? Sign up for our daily email newsletter!


text:
Doorhangers - Door Hangers -2 sided
DoorhangersGreet your potential customers right at their front door! Door hangers are a great way to ensure that they see your advertising message.
Product SpecsSizes: 3.5" x 8.5", 4.25" x 11",
Colour: Full colour on 2 sides (front and back) 4/4
Paper: Thick 14pt (C2S)
Finishing: Die cut and 1.25" hole
Quantities: Ranges from 100 to 25,000
Coating Options: Matte finish, Glossy UV, AQ, 13pt Enviro (uncoated)
Bundling Options: No bundling, Single band - 25s, Single band - 50s, Single band - 100s, Cross band - 25s, Cross band - 50s, Cross band - 100s, Shrink wrap - 25s, Shrink wrap - 50s
Turnaround: 4-5 business days for production. Shipping time depends on shipping method and location.
Price Calculator


text:
Valparaíso is a messy port city in central Chile, just an hour and a half bus ride from Santiago
Home to seven universities, at first glance Valparaiso looks like a color Latin American town
But its hills house one of the most intriguing collections of street art in the world
Street art is visible from nearly everywhere, and takes on as many styles as there are artists
Valparaíso is also famous for its annual downhill urban mountain bike race. Search for it on YouTube: it's crazy. This food delivery pedaler earned his tip.
Homage to the mountain bike race
Perhaps this best captures the insanity of the race
What really sets Valparaiso apart is the quantity (and quality) of commissioned street art
Stores often hire artists to decorate and advertise their offerings, using the same materials and techniques as graffiti artists
The result is an exuberant and colorful mishmash of decorated walls and sidewalks
I'll leave it up to you to soak in an appreciate the few examples I've captured here
Khiem Do © 2023


text:
The court of honor was a big part of Utah's annual Stadium of Fire, one of the country's largest Fourth of July celebrations each year. More than 50,000 people filled BYU's LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo for the event.
In all, 260 boys were presented with their Eagle Scout badge, which "set a record for the most to receive the award at the same time, with
recipients coming from 10 states and 14 Boy Scout councils to
participate," the Deseret News reported.
It's the latest example of Scouting taking the national spotlight during its 100th Anniversary celebration.
"For those who wonder if Scouting is still around, this is a great way
to say, 'We sure are,'" Chief Scout Executive Bob Mazzuca told the Deseret News. "This is sort of a
reaffirmation to the American people of the value that Scouting adds."
In addition to Mazzuca, other noteworthy people were in attendance. Country superstar Carrie Underwood sang the National Anthem, and Provo resident Leonard "Woody" Woodland was recognized. At 98, Woodland is considered the oldest-living Eagle Scout.
Thousands of Eagle Scouts in the audience held up Eagle Scout emblems to create what producers called the largest "Eagle's Nest" ever formed.
Stadium of Fire was formed in 1980 and has since included appearances by the Osmonds, the Beach Boys, Bob Hope, Toby Keith, the Blue Man Group, and many more.


text:
|The Water Buffalo: New Prospects For An Underutilized Animal (1984)
source ref: b21wae.htm
The water buffalo offers promise as a major source of meat, and the production of buffaloes solely for meat is now expanding.
Because buffaloes have been used as draft animals for centuries, they have evolved with exceptional muscular development, some weigh 1,000 kg or more. Until recently, however, little thought was given to using them exclusively for meat production. Most buffalo meat was, and still is, derived from old animals slaughtered at the end of their productive life as work or milk animals. As a result, much of the buffalo meat sold is of poor quality. But when buffaloes are properly reared and fed, their meat is tender and palatable.
Water buffaloes are exported for slaughter from India and Pakistan to the Middle East and from Thailand and Australia to Hong Kong. Demand for meat is so great that Thailand's buffalo population has dropped from 7 million to 5.7 million head in the last 20 years, a period in which the human population has more than doubled.
Carcass Characteristics
All buffalo breeds-even the milking ones-produce heavy animals whose carcass characteristics are similar to those of cattle.
Despite heavier hide and head, the amount of useful meat (dressing percentage) from buffaloes is almost the same as in cattle. Mediterranean type buffalo and Zebu cattle steers in Brazil yielded dressing percentages of 55.5 and 56.6 percent respectively. Swamp buffalo dressing percentages have been measured in Australia at 53 percent.
Buffaloes are lean animals. Although a layer of subcutaneous fat covers the carcass, it is usually thinner than that on comparably fed cattle. Even animals that appear to be fat prove to be largely muscle. Australian research on Swamp buffaloes reveals that buffaloes with more than 25 percent fat are difficult to produce, whereas average choice-grade beef carcasses may contain
In general, the buffalo carcass has rounder ribs, a higher proportion of muscle, and a lower proportion of bone and fat than beef has.
Buffalo hide is so thick that it can be sliced into two or three layers before tanning into leather.
Meat Quality
Buffalo meat and beef are basically similar. The muscle pH (5.4), shrinkage on chilling (2 percent), moisture (76.6 percent), protein (19 percent), and ash (1 percent) are all about the same in buffalo meat and beef. Buffalo fat, however, is always white and buffalo meat is darker in color than beef because of more pigmentation or less intramuscular fat (2-3 percent "marbling," compared with the 3-4 percent in beef).
Eating Quality
Taste-panel tests and tenderness measurements conducted by research teams in a number of countries have shown that the meat of the water buffalo is as acceptable as that of cattle. Buffalo steaks have rated higher than beefsteaks in some taste tests in Australia, Malaysia, Venezuela, and Trinidad.
In taste-panel studies in Trinidad, cooked joints from three carcasses Trinidad buffalo, a crossbred steer (Jamaica-Red/Sahiwal), and an imported carcass of a top-grade European beef steer-were served. The 28 diners all had experience in beef production, butchery, or catering and were not told the sources of the various joints. All the carcasses were held in cold storage for one week before cooking. The buffalo meat was rated highest by 14 judges; 7 chose the European beef; 5 thought the crossbred beef the best; and 2 said that the buffalo and crossbred were equal to or better than the European beef. The buffalo meat received most points for color (both meat and fat), taste, and general acceptability. There was little difference noted in texture.( Information supplied by P. N. Wilson.)
Buffalo veal is considered a delicacy. Calves are usually slaughtered for veal between 3 and 4 weeks of age; dressed weight is 59-66 percent of live weight.
There is some evidence that buffaloes may retain meat tenderness to a more advanced age than cattle because the connective tissue hardens at a later age or because the diameter of muscle fibers in the buffalo increases more slowly than in cattle(Joksimonc, 1979) In one test the tenderness (measured by shearing force) of muscle samples from carcasses of buffalo steers 16-30 months old was the same as that from feedlot Angus, Hereford, and Friesian steers 12-18 months old. This gives farmers more flexibility in meeting fluctuating markets while still providing tender meat.
Selected Readings
Anonymous. 1976. Livestock Production in Asian Context of Agricultural Diversification. Asian Productivity Organization, Tokyo, Japan.
Arganosa, F. C., Sanchez, P. C., Ibarra, P. I., Gerpacio, A. L., Castillo, L. S., and Arganosa, V. G. 1973. Evaluation of carabeef as a potential substitute for beef. Philippine Journal of Nutrition 26(2).
Arganosa, F. C., Arganosa, V. G., and Ibarra, P. I. 1975. Carcass evaluation and utilization of carabeef. In: The Asiatic Water Buffalo. Proceedings of an International Symposium held at Khon Kaen, Thailand, March 31-April 6, 1975. Food and Fertilizer Technology Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
Bennett, S. P. 1973. The "buffalypso"-an evaluation of a beef type of water buffalo in Trinidad, West Indies. Paper presented at the Third World Conference on Animal Production, Melbourne, Australia.
Borghese, A., Gigli, S., Romita, A., Di Giacomo, A., and Mormile, M. 1978. Fatty acid composition of fat in water buffalo calves and bovine calves slaughtered at 20, 28, and 36 weeks of age. In: Patterns of Growth and Development in Cattle: A Seminar in the EEC Programme of Coordination of Research on Beef Production, held at Ghent, October 11-13,1977. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, Netherlands.
Charles, D. D., and Johnson, E. R. 1972. Carcass composition of the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Australian Journal of Agriculture Research 23:905-911.
Charles, D. D., and Johnson, E. R. 1975. Live weight gains and carcass composition of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) steers on four feeding regimes. Australian Journal of Agriculture Research 26:407-413.
Cockrill, W. R. 1975. Alternative livestock: with particular reference to the wafer buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). In: Meat. Proceedings of the 21st Easter School in Agricultural Science, University of Nottingham, edited by D. J. A. Cole and R. A. Lawrie. Butterworth, London, England.
El-Ashry, M. A., Mogawer, H. H., and Kishin, S. S. 1972. Comparative study of meat production from cattle and buffalo male calves. Egyptian Journal of Animal Production 12:99-107.
El-Koussy, H. A., Afifi, Y. A., Dessouki, T. A., and El-Ashry, M. A. 1977. Some chemical and physical changes of buffalo meat after slaughter. Agriculture Research Review 55:1-7.
Johnson, E. R., and Charles, D. D. 1975. Comparison of live weight gain and changes in carcass composition between buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and Bos taurus steers. Australian Journal of Agriculture Research 26:415- 422.
Joksimovic, J. 1979. Physical, chemical and structural characteristics of buffalo meat. Arhiv za Polloprivredne Nauke 22:110.
Joksimovic, J., and Ognjanovic, A. 1977. A comparison of carcass yield, carcass composition, and quality characteristics of buffalo meat and beef Meat Science 1:105 -110.
Mai, S. C., and Wu, T. H. 1974. TSC's intensive feed-lot system for cow-calf and beef production program. Taiwan Sugar 21(6):198-211.
Matassino, D., Romita, A., Cosentino, E., Girolami, A., and Cloatruglio, P. 1978. Myorheological, ohemical, and colour characteristics of meat in water buffalo and bovine calves slaughtered at 20, 28 and 36 weeks. In: Patterns of Growth and Development in Cattle: A Seminar in the EEC Programme of Coordination of Research on Beef Production, held at Chent, October 11-13, 1977. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, Netherlands.
Mogawer, H. H., El-Ashry, M. A., and Mahmoud, S. A. 1976. Comparative study of meat production from cattle and buffalo male calves. II. Effect of different roughage concentrate ratios in ration on carcass traits. Journal of Agriculture Research {Tanta University) 2:6-12.
Ognjanovic, A. 1974. Meat and meat production. In: The Husbandry and Health of the Domestic Buffalo, edited by W. R. CockrilL Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy.
Rastogi, R., Youssef, F. G., and Gonzalez, F. D. 1978. Beef type water buffalo of Trinidad-Beefalypso. World Review of Animal Production 14(2) :49 -56.
Romita, A., Borghese, A., Gigli, S., and Di Giacomo, A. 1978. Growth rate and carcass composition of water buffalo calves and bovine calves slaughtered at 20, 28 and 36 weeks. In: Patterns of Growth and Development in Cattle: A Seminar in the EEC Programme of Coordination of Research on Beef Production, Held at Chent, October 11-13, 1977. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, Netherlands.
Wilson, P. N. 1961. Palatability of water buffalo meat. Journal of the Agricultural Society of Trinidad 61:457, 459-460.


text:
Zanzibar! (2017)
I used to collect stamps - and Zanzibar was that stamp with the dhow at sunset, on the last page of my stamp album. What a thrill to be able to spend four days in Stone Town, Zanzibar after our wonderful wildlife week in the Masai Mara.Read More


text:
A once-in-a-decade typhoon threatened Japan on Tuesday forcing the cancellation of flights and trains and disrupting oil shipments as it made its way across the Pacific directly towards the capital, Tokyo.
Typhoon Wipha is expected to make landfall right around the morning rush hour on Wednesday, bringing hurricane-force winds to the metropolitan area of 30 million people.
The centre of the storm was 860 km (535 miles) southwest of Tokyo at 0800 GMT, the Japan Meteorological Agency said on its website. It was moving north-northeast at 35 kph (22 mph).
The storm had weakened as it headed north over the sea but was still packing sustained winds of about 140 kph (87 mph) with gusts as high as 194 kph (120 mph), the agency said.
The agency issued warnings for Tokyo of heavy rain, flooding and gales, and advised people to be prepared to leave their homes quickly and to avoid unnecessary travel.
A spokesman for the agency said the storm was a "once in a decade event" and the strongest cyclone to approach eastern Japan since October 2004.
That cyclone triggered floods and landslides that killed almost 100 people, forced thousands to evacuate their homes and caused billions of dollars in damage.
Four Japanese oil refining companies said they suspended marine berth shipments in eastern Japan as the typhoon approached but there was no impact on refining operations.
The affected facilities are Idemitsu Kosan Co's Chiba and Aichi refineries, JX Holdings Inc's Negishi, Kashima and Sendai refineries, Fuji Oil Co's Sodegaura refinery and Cosmo Oil Co's Chiba refinery.
Japan Airlines Co cancelled 183 domestic flights on Tuesday and Wednesday, mostly from Tokyo's Haneda airport. Rival ANA Holdings Inc halted 210 flights in Japan with three international flights also cancelled. The combined cancellations will affect 60,850 passengers, the airlines said.
East Japan Railway Co said it had cancelled 31 bullet trains going north and west from Tokyo.
Nissan Motor Co said it was cancelling the Wednesday morning shift at its Oppama and Yokohama plants south of Tokyo. Oppama makes the all-electric Leaf and other models.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.


text:
The unmanned Shenzhou 8 craft made contact with the Tiangong-1 space lab at 1729 GMT
China has joined two space vehicles together in orbit for the first time.
The unmanned Shenzhou 8 craft, launched earlier this week, made contact with the Tiangong-1 space lab at 1729 GMT. The union occurred over China itself.
Being able to dock two space vehicles together is a necessary capability for China if it wants to start building a space station towards the decade's end.
Although no astronauts were in the Shenzhou craft this time, future missions will carry people.
Tuesday's procedure (Beijing time 0029, Thursday) took place at an altitude of about 340km. It was automated but overseen on the ground at the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Centre.
The vehicles used radar and optical sensors to compute their proximity to each other and guide their final approach and contact. A video feed from orbit showed the final moments of the vehicles coming together.
Shenzhou 8 was the active craft in the docking. It fired its thrusters to push its front end towards the docking port of Tiangong-1. Once the vehicles' docking rings had made a good capture, 12 hooks were deployed to fix the craft in place. Protruding pins made electrical connections.
From first contact to confirmation of a seal took about 10 minutes.
Shenzhou 8 and Tiangong-1 will spend two weeks circling the globe together before Shenzhou 8 heads back to Earth.
"After a joint flight of about 12 days, they will separate," explained Prof Yang Yuguang from the China Aerospace, Science and Industry Corporation.
"Then the Shenzhou 8 will draw back to about 140m. After that they will perform a second docking. Then they will have a flight of two days. Then they will be separated to about 5km; this will be a safe distance for both vehicles. Then the re-entry procedure will be performed by the Shenzhou 8 spaceship," he told state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV).
The return capsule will land by parachute to allow experiments carried into orbit to be recovered for analysis. The German space agency (DLR) has supplied an experimental box containing fish, plants, worms, bacteria and even human cancer cells for a series of biological studies.
"This is a great moment for Chinese space activities," observed DLR chairman Prof Jan Woerner.
"This co-operation between China and Germany is called the Simbox; and it's a box in which we have small apparatus to investigate the cells of plants and animals, to see their behaviour under zero gravity conditions.
"It's a really sophisticated experiment and I hope that the results will help also on Earth to learn more about the behaviour of cells in cancer and the immune system."
- Tiangong-1 was launched in September on a Long March 2F rocket
- The unmanned laboratory unit was first put in a 350km-high orbit
- Shenzhou 8 was sent up to rendezvous and dock with Tiangong-1
- The project is testing key technologies such as life-support systems
- China aims to start building a 60-tonne space station by about 2020
Assuming the current flight of Shenzhou 8 goes according to plan, two manned missions (Shenzhou 9 and 10) are likely to try to make similar dockings in 2012.
Chinese astronauts – yuhangyuans – are expected to live aboard the conjoined vehicles for up to two weeks. There is speculation in the Chinese media that one of these missions could also include the country's first female yuhangyuan.
Beijing sees the Tiangong and Shenzhou dockings as the next phase in its step-by-step approach to acquiring the skills of human spaceflight operations.
It is a learning curve China hopes will eventually lead to the construction of a space station. This could start taking shape before 2020.
At about 60 tonnes in mass, this future station would be considerably smaller than the 400-tonne international platform operated by the US, Russia, Europe, Canada and Japan, but its mere presence in the sky would nonetheless represent a remarkable achievement.
Concept drawings describe a core module weighing some 20-22 tonnes, flanked by two slightly smaller laboratory vessels.
Officials say it would be supplied by freighters in exactly the same way that robotic cargo ships keep the International Space Station (ISS) today stocked with fuel, food, water, air, and spare parts.
China is investing billions of dollars in its space programme. It has a strong space science effort under way, with two orbiting satellites having already been launched to the Moon and a third mission expected to put a rover on the lunar surface.
Next week should see its first Mars orbiter – Yinghuo-1 – begin its journey to the Red Planet.
There has been talk – from the Europeans, at least – of asking China to join the ISS project, but this is unlikely to happen given current relations between Beijing and Washington. The US has concerns over China's intentions in space, particularly in the military realm.
Space analyst Prof John Logsdon from George Washington University said the two nations needed to learn to trust each other first, perhaps in the field of robotic space science, before there could be wider co-operation.
"Human spaceflight, both in the United States and in China, is a very visible, very politically charged activity," he told CCTV. "[We need] to learn to work with one another, get comfortable, develop mutual trust, hopefully solve our political problems, and then maybe at the end of this decade or in the next one start working together in human spaceflight."


text:
Ruling planet: Jupiter
Zodiac sign: Sagittarius and Pieces
Yellow Sapphire (Pukhraj) is also known as Topaz. This astrological gem is ruled by planet Jupiter. Jupiter is the planet of prosperity, abundance, education, happiness and success, also the benefactor of children and divinity. Wearing topaz bring wealth as well as success in marriage and good children. People born with Jupiter enhanced in their personal horoscope have in-depth knowledge of the ancient texts, scriptures and are firm believers in God. They make good teachers, scholars and are balanced in their approach. They are impartial and love to visit holy places. Yellow sapphire is also a unique and exquisite gem piece.Yellow sapphire protects the wearer from enemies and also gives the wearer beauty and splendor. Golden topaz also helps the wearer to attain health, wealth and happiness.
Note: The image represents actual product though color of the image and product may slightly differ.
Get your personalised horoscope based on your sign.


text:
According to sources that talked with The Verge, Verizon is planning on offering faster internet services for its FIOS customers, but the new tiers are going to cost a pretty penny.
Verizon will be upgrading many of its FIOS internet speeds, and the changes are set to go into effect on June 17th. The base 15/5Mbps (download/upload) plan will cost $10 more than the current price of $54.99 at $64.99 a month. The current 25/25Mbps will be upgraded to 50/25 and will not see a price increase–it will continue to cost $74.99. The current 50/20Mbps plan will see a significant speed bump to 150/65Mbps, and it will cost $94.99 a month (no price increase). A new 75/35 speed plan will become available and it will cost $84.99 a month. Finally, the service that readers will be drooling over–the 300Mbps plan–will feature speeds of 300Mbps downloads and 65Mbps uploads. It will cost a hefty $204.99 a month, a price that The Verge notes is a mere $5 more than the 150/35 speed tier that it replaces.
In typical
Comcast telco fashion, Verizon has managed to tack on up to three fees including a $5 per month fee for those without a contract, a $5 fee for those that do not subscribe to FIOS phone service, and a $100 fee to install equipment for those that want the upper two speed tiers. Fortunately (sort of…), users can avoid the $100 fee if they are new customers or already subscribe to the company's 150Mbps tier. Also on the less-than-stellar news front, Verizon will not be upgrading plans for those on VDSL plans (in buildings where Verizon delivers fiber to the premises and uses copper from there to homes–think older apartment buildings). Even worse, VDSL customers will still be subject to the increased pricing although they cannot take advantage of the upgraded speeds.
|Single Family Home
|2 Year Contract
|Month-to-Month Rate
|3/1 Mbps
|3/1 Mbps
|3/1 Mbps
|15/5 Mbps
|10/2 Mbps
|15/5 Mbps
|50/25 Mbps
|20/5 Mbps
|20/10 Mbps
|75/35 Mbps
|30/5 Mbps
|50/10 Mbps
(Source: The Verge. The 150/65 plan doesn't seem like a bad deal actually, if only I had FIOS in my area!)
So this fiber internet upgrade announcement seems great at first does have a dark side. Some customers will be getting a great deal while others will be getting the short end of the stick. Here's hoping that you are one of the lucky customers on the middle tiers who have FTTH that get a free speed upgrade! More information on the specifics of this upgrade should be coming later this month.