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What Chris Christie Can Learn From Rick Perry's Latest Travails
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie doesn't have to look far for a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of jumping into the presidential contest late, with great expectations, but little vetting beyond the relatively comfortable confines of one's home state.
As Christie continues to deliberate about entering the Republican presidential nomination fray, he has no doubt followed the supremely lousy weeks Texas Gov. Rick Perry has had since he got in, relatively late, with great fanfare, and largely untested on a national stage.
As Republican pollster Whit Ayres says: "It's windy at the top."
Perry's latest buffeting came at the hands of The Washington Post, which reported that a rock at the entrance to a hunting camp Perry has used was once painted with a name that incorporated the N-word. And the Associated Press, which detailed Perry's courting of subprime lenders that cost Texas taxpayers more than $35 million and a wave of foreclosures.
On their own, neither story is lethal to Perry's stumbling campaign, say Republican strategists like Ron Bonjean. But they have kept Perry off his message, and unable to rewrite the developing narrative — fed by his poor debate performances — that he's not ready for prime time.
"He's supposed to be driving the message that he's the frontrunner, and instead has had to play defense on immigration, and state issues like the rock and the subprime stuff," Bonjean says.
What about the hunting camp rock story?
"A tempest in a teapot," says Ayres, who is advising GOP presidential candidate Jon Huntsman, Utah's former governor. "That being said, it is part and parcel of running for president."
Ayres recalled a story from 1995, when GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, running for president, gave his opponents an opening when he was unable to answer a reporter's question in New Hampshire about the cost of a gallon of milk and a carton of eggs. (Alexander was later overheard asking an aide to get the information.)
That's not quite the same as the controversies Perry's wrestling with now. But as Alexander — himself a former governor — told ABC News recently: "Going from governor to presidential primaries is like going from eighth grade basketball to the NBA finals and you have to be careful. People expect something of a president."
Even before this past weekend, Perry's star appeared to be falling among top Republican political activists polled by the Huffington Post's Pollster.com. Since he entered the race in August, Perry has led previous frontrunner Mitt Romney in 17 polls.
But last week, Pollster.com's "GOP Power Outsiders" survey of 160 Republican activists in the early caucus and primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina showed a rapid turn away from Perry. Fifty-seven percent said their impression of Perry had "grown less favorable" in the previous three weeks, during which Perry participated in his first two presidential debates and sustained attacks from opponents on issues ranging from his support of the HPV vaccine for Texas schoolgirls, to allowing children of illegal immigrants to qualify for in-state college tuition.
During that same period, 47 percent of those activists surveyed said they viewed Romney more favorably than before.
"To be clear, our survey does not measure voter preference," said Pollster.com's Mark Blumenthal. "We try to get a hook into the invisible campaign, the folks who focus on electability."
"They already had concerns about Perry's performance in the debates, and some of his issue positions," Blumenthal said.
That's good news and bad news for Christie who, if he gets in, would face enormous pressures to raise money and to get a national campaign together before the front-loaded caucus-and-primary season begin three months - or less.
Good news in that Perry has failed to capture the imagination of the base, and bad news that the intense scrutiny of a presidential campaign can unnerve even a confident campaigner who was wooed to enter.
John Stineman, a GOP strategist in Iowa, says he's watched the Michele Bachmann surge there become the Perry surge and now the surge of excitement for a Christie run, all tinged with desperation for a white knight. It's a narrative, Stineman says, where the characters matter less than the plot, which wraps up with President Obama's defeat next fall.
Though the Perry campaign has lost its footing for now, Christie, if he gets in, should not expect his fellow Republican governor to be gone anytime soon. Perry is spending money in the early states, and has staff. He has to have a good debate next week in New Hampshire; some ready answers for questions about the hunting club rock, the subprime lenders; and a fundraising quarter that shows he still is mustering support.
And Perry may very well welcome Christie to the race as the next great thing.
He's seen how well that scenario has worked out, so far, for Romney.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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"Chapter 29: Alma 30–31," Book of Mormon Student Manual (2009), 213–21
"Chapter 29," Book of Mormon Student Manual, 213–21
Chapter 29
Alma 30–31
Chapters 30–31 of Alma identify people and ideas that oppose Jesus Christ. President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) said:
"The Book of Mormon brings men to Christ through two basic means. First, it tells in a plain manner of Christ and his gospel. …
"Second, the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. (See 2 Ne. 3:12.) It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1975, 94–95; or Ensign, May 1975, 64).
By studying how Korihor sought to destroy the faith of the Nephites, you will better recognize those same destructive arguments in our day. By studying Alma's response to Korihor, you will be better prepared to defend yourself and others from those who would destroy your faith.
Alma 30. Modern-day Korihors
Elder Gerald N. Lund, formerly of the Seventy, explained that Korihor has many modern-day equivalents:
"Today, the world is permeated with philosophies similar to those taught by Korihor. We read them in books, see them championed in the movies and on television, and hear them taught in classrooms and sometimes in the churches of our time. …
"… We see clear evidence of Mormon's inspiration to give us a full account of Korihor and his teachings. Korihor's teachings are old doctrine, and yet they are ideas as modern as today's high-speed printing presses and satellite dishes" ("Countering Korihor's Philosophy," Ensign, July 1992, 20).
Alma 30:6. Anti-Christs
The Bible Dictionary states that an anti-Christ is "anyone or anything that counterfeits the true gospel or plan of salvation and that openly or secretly is set up in opposition to Christ. The great antichrist is Lucifer, but he has many assistants both as spirit beings and as mortals" ("Antichrist," 609).
Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles further taught: "An antichrist is an opponent of Christ; he is one who is in opposition to the true gospel, the true Church, and the true plan of salvation. (1 John 2:19; 4:4–6.) He is one who offers salvation to men on some other terms than those laid down by Christ. Sherem (Jac. 7:1–23), Nehor (Alma 1:2–16), and Korihor (Alma 30:6–60) were antichrists who spread their delusions among the Nephites" (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 39–40).
Alma 30:7, 11. "No Law against a Man's Belief"
If there was "no law against a man's belief," some people might ask why Korihor was arrested. King Mosiah had issued a proclamation declaring that it was against Nephite law for any "unbeliever [to] persecute any of those who belonged to the church of God" (Mosiah 27:2).
Clearly, Korihor was entitled to his beliefs, but when he sought to destroy the Church, he broke King Mosiah's proclamation. It is interesting to note that whereas many in Zarahemla embraced Korihor and his teachings, the people of Ammon, who had lived most of their lives following Korihor-like beliefs, "caused that he should be carried out of the land" (Alma 30:21; see also verses 18–20). They understood the danger of Korihor's teachings.
Alma 30:12–18. Strategies of Korihor
One gospel scholar explained how closely Korihor's philosophy aligns with many modern philosophies: "Korihor insisted on a strictly rational and scientific approach to all problems, anything else being but 'the effect of a frenzied mind' (Alma 30:13–16); he crusaded against the tyranny of ancient traditions and primitive superstitions, which led people to believe things which just 'are not so' (Alma 30:16), calling for an emancipation from 'the silly traditions of their fathers' (Alma 30:31). He called for a new morality with the shedding of old inhibitions (Alma 30:17–18, 25). He called for economic liberation from priestly exploitation (Alma 30:27), demanding that all be free to 'make use of that which is their own' (Alma 30:28). He preached a strict no-nonsense naturalism: 'When a man was dead, that was the end thereof' (Alma 30:18), and its corollary, which was a strict materialism: 'Every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature' (Alma 30:17). From this followed a clear-cut philosophy of laissez-faire: 'Therefore every man prospereth according to his genius, and … every man conquered according to his strength,' with right and wrong measured only by nature's iron rule of success and failure: 'And whatsoever a man did was no crime' (Alma 30:17). It was survival of the fittest applied to human behavior, and the removal of old moral and sentimental restraints was good news to many people, 'causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness, yea, leading many away … to commit whoredoms' (Alma 30:18). Along with his attitude of emancipation Korihor cultivated a crusading zeal and intolerance of any opposition, which has been thoroughly characteristic of his school of thought in modern times, calling all opposition 'foolish' (Alma 30:13–14), 'silly' (Alma 30:31), and the evidence of frenzied and deranged minds (Alma 30:16). And while for Alma a free society was one in which anybody could think and say whatever he chose (Alma 30:7–12), for Korihor the only free society was one in which everyone thought exactly as he thought (Alma 30:24)" (Hugh W. Nibley, Since Cumorah, 2nd ed. [1988], 379–80).
Alma 30:15–16. Korihor's False Teaching
Korihor's teaching that "ye cannot know of things which ye do not see" is the philosophy that all ideas and knowledge are derived from and can be tested by experience and that we can only know those things we experience through our senses: sight, smell, touch, hearing, or taste. Since spiritual experiences involving revelation from God rarely pass through the senses of sight, smell, touch, hearing, or taste, those who hold to Korihor's philosophy count them as meaningless.
President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, described an experience he had that illustrated the fact that spiritual matters do not typically include the common five senses:
"I will tell you of an experience I had before I was a General Authority which affected me profoundly. I sat on a plane next to a professed atheist who pressed his disbelief in God so urgently that I bore my testimony to him. 'You are wrong,' I said, 'there is a God. I know He lives!'
"He protested, 'You don't know. Nobody knows that! You can't know it!' When I would not yield, the atheist, who was an attorney, asked perhaps the ultimate question on the subject of testimony. 'All right,' he said in a sneering, condescending way, 'you say you know. Tell me how you know.'
"When I attempted to answer, even though I held advanced academic degrees, I was helpless to communicate.
"Sometimes in your youth, you young missionaries are embarrassed when the cynic, the skeptic, treat you with contempt because you do not have ready answers for everything. Before such ridicule, some turn away in shame. (Remember the iron rod, the spacious building, and the mocking? See 1 Ne. 8:28.)
"When I used the words Spirit and witness, the atheist responded, 'I don't know what you are talking about.' The words prayer, discernment, and faith, were equally meaningless to him. 'You see,' he said, 'you don't really know. If you did, you would be able to tell me how you know.'
"I felt, perhaps, that I had borne my testimony to him unwisely and was at a loss as to what to do. Then came the experience! Something came into my mind. And I mention here a statement of the Prophet Joseph Smith: 'A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas … and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus.' (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1977, p. 151.)
"Such an idea came into my mind and I said to the atheist, 'Let me ask if you know what salt tastes like.'
"'Of course I do,' was his reply.
"'When did you taste salt last?'
"'I just had dinner on the plane.'
"'You just think you know what salt tastes like,' I said.
"He insisted, 'I know what salt tastes like as well as I know anything.'
"'If I gave you a cup of salt and a cup of sugar and let you taste them both, could you tell the salt from the sugar?'
"'Now you are getting juvenile,' was his reply. 'Of course I could tell the difference. I know what salt tastes like. It is an everyday experience—I know it as well as I know anything.'
"'Then,' I said, 'assuming that I have never tasted salt, explain to me just what it tastes like.'
"After some thought, he ventured, 'Well-I-uh, it is not sweet and it is not sour.'
"'You've told me what it isn't, not what it is.'
"After several attempts, of course, he could not do it. He could not convey, in words alone, so ordinary an experience as tasting salt. I bore testimony to him once again and said, 'I know there is a God. You ridiculed that testimony and said that if I did know, I would be able to tell you exactly how I know. My friend, spiritually speaking, I have tasted salt. I am no more able to convey to you in words how this knowledge has come than you are to tell me what salt tastes like. But I say to you again, there is a God! He does live! And just because you don't know, don't try to tell me that I don't know, for I do!'
"As we parted, I heard him mutter, 'I don't need your religion for a crutch! I don't need it.'
"From that experience forward, I have never been embarrassed or ashamed that I could not explain in words alone everything I know spiritually" ("The Candle of the Lord," Ensign, Jan. 1983, 51–52).
Alma 30:17. Korihor Taught That "Whatsoever a Man Did" Was Not Sin
Despite what some people in the world believe, the gospel teaches that there is no such thing as a relative value system. Some cultures seem to allow or even encourage this value-free approach to life, encouraging subtle forms of dishonesty in government, business, and personal relations. The Book of Mormon teaches us, however, that there is a right and wrong and gives us the key by which to judge (see Moroni 7:16–17).
Korihor's philosophy that a person prospers "according to his genius, and that every man conquered according to his strength" precludes the necessity of God in our life. His philosophy that "whatsoever a man did was no crime" would create a self-centered and relative value system in man.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles exposed the selfishness in Korihor's teachings:
"Some of the selfish wrongly believe that there is no divine law anyway, so there is no sin (see 2 Nephi 2:13). Situational ethics are thus made to order for the selfish. So in the management of self, one can conquer by his genius and strength, because there really is no crime whatsoever (see Alma 30:17).
"Unsurprisingly, therefore, selfishness leads to terrible perceptual and behavioral blunders. For instance, Cain, corrupted by his seeking of power, said after slaying Abel, 'I am free' (Moses 5:33; see also Moses 6:15).
"One of the worst consequences of severe selfishness, therefore, is this profound loss of proportionality, like straining at gnats while swallowing camels (see Matthew 23:24; see also Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 23:21, footnote 24a). Today there are, for example, those who strain over various gnats but swallow the practice of partial-birth abortions. Small wonder, therefore, that selfishness magnifies a mess of pottage into a banquet and makes 30 pieces of silver look like a treasure trove" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1999, 29; or Ensign, May 1999, 24).
Alma 30:20–23. The Teachings of Ecclesiastical Leaders
The high priest Giddonah confronted Korihor and asked him why he spoke against the prophets and against the reality of Jesus Christ. Korihor evaded the question and mounted a verbal attack against the believers and their leaders. He sought to make it appear foolish for anyone to follow their ecclesiastic leaders. President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency taught to the contrary:
"Korihor was arguing, as men and women have falsely argued from the beginning of time, that to take counsel from the servants of God is to surrender God-given rights of independence. But the argument is false because it misrepresents reality. When we reject the counsel which comes from God, we do not choose to be independent of outside influence. We choose another influence. We reject the protection of a perfectly loving, all-powerful, all-knowing Father in Heaven, whose whole purpose, as that of His Beloved Son, is to give us eternal life, to give us all that He has, and to bring us home again in families to the arms of His love. In rejecting His counsel, we choose the influence of another power, whose purpose is to make us miserable and whose motive is hatred. We have moral agency as a gift of God. Rather than the right to choose to be free of influence, it is the inalienable right to submit ourselves to whichever of those powers we choose.
"Another fallacy is to believe that the choice to accept or not accept the counsel of prophets is no more than deciding whether to accept good advice and gain its benefits or to stay where we are. But the choice not to take prophetic counsel changes the very ground upon which we stand. It becomes more dangerous. The failure to take prophetic counsel lessens our power to take inspired counsel in the future. The best time to have decided to help Noah build the ark was the first time he asked. Each time he asked after that, each failure to respond would have lessened sensitivity to the Spirit. And so each time his request would have seemed more foolish, until the rain came. And then it was too late" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1997, 33; or Ensign, May 1997, 25).
Alma 30:25. Anti-Christs Often Use Half Truths
A common tactic used by those who are trying to destroy faith is called a "straw man" argument. This is done by setting up a false image—a straw man—of the truth and then attacking the false image in order to convince others the true image is false. A simple example of this is a child accusing parents who won't let him play until he gets his work done of not wanting him to have any fun. This is faulty reasoning, but it is often used to deceive others.
Sometimes others claim that Latter-day Saints believe something that we don't believe. They claim that the false belief is false and then show that it is false. It has nothing to do with what we really believe but is an attempt to make us seem to be in error. Korihor did this to Giddonah: "This argument is called a straw man. That is, he attributed to Giddonah something that Giddonah does not believe—the idea that children inherit guilt through Adam's transgression. Korihor knows that he cannot fight truth fairly and come off victorious, so he attributes bad doctrine to Giddonah, a straw man to which he can give a good verbal licking" (Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, Sustaining and Defending the Faith [1985], 90).
Alma 30:29. Avoid Arguments and Contention
The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–44) taught that we should avoid contention: "Let the Elders be exceedingly careful about unnecessarily disturbing and harrowing up the feelings of the people. Remember that your business is to preach the Gospel in all humility and meekness, and warn sinners to repent and come to Christ. Avoid contentions and vain disputes with men of corrupt minds, who do not desire to know the truth. Remember that 'it is a day of warning, and not a day of many words.' If they receive not your testimony in one place, flee to another, remembering to cast no reflections, nor throw out any bitter sayings. If you do your duty, it will be just as well with you, as though all men embraced the Gospel" (History of the Church, 1:468).
Alma 30:39. The Power of Personal Testimony
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained one way to respond to an anti-Christ:
"Korihor ridiculed the 'foolish … [and] silly traditions' of believing in a Christ who should come.
"Korihor's arguments sound very contemporary to the modern reader, but Alma used a timeless and ultimately undeniable weapon in response—the power of personal testimony. Angry that Korihor and his like were essentially against happiness, [Giddonah, the high priest] asked, 'Why do you teach this people that there shall be no Christ, to interrupt their rejoicings?' [Alma 30:22] 'I know there is a God'" (Christ and the New Covenant [1997], 121).
Alma 30:40. "What Evidence Have Ye That There Is No God"
Elder Gerald N. Lund explained the impossibility of proving that there is no God:
"When questioned, Korihor categorically denies that he believes there is a God. Alma then asks, 'What evidence have ye that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only.' (Alma 30:40.)
"It is an inspired insight on Alma's part. Korihor is not consistent in his own thinking. If we truly can know only those things for which we have empirical evidence, then we cannot teach there is no God unless we have evidence for that belief. And Korihor has no evidence.
"Korihor will consider only evidence that can be gathered through the senses. In such a system, it is much easier to prove there is a God than to prove there is not a God. To prove there is a God, all it takes is for one person to see, hear, or otherwise have an experience with God, and thereafter the existence of God cannot be disproved. But here is what it would take to prove there is no God: Since God is not confined to this earth, we would have to search throughout the universe for him. We assume God is able to move about, so it would not be enough to start at point A in the universe and search through to point Z. What if after we leave point A, God moves there and stays there for the rest of the search?
"In other words, for Korihor to say that there is no God, based on the very criteria he himself has established, he would have to perceive every cubic meter of the universe simultaneously. This creates a paradox: In order for Korihor to prove there is no God, he would have to be a god himself! Therefore, in declaring there is no God, he is acting on 'faith,' the very thing for which he so sharply derides the religious leaders!" ("Countering Korihor's Philosophy," Ensign, July 1992, 21).
Alma 30:41. "I Have All Things as a Testimony That These Things Are True"
President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) spoke of the power of God's creations to strengthen testimony when he said:
"Can any man who has walked beneath the stars at night, can anyone who has seen the touch of spring upon the land doubt the hand of divinity in creation? So observing the beauties of the earth, one is wont to speak as did the Psalmist: 'The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.' (Ps. 19:1–2.)
"All of beauty in the earth bears the fingerprint of the Master Creator" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1978, 90; or Ensign, May 1978, 59).
Alma 30:48. Sign Seekers
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, "Whenever you see a man seeking after a sign, you may set it down that he is an adulterous man" (History of the Church, 3:385).
Later, the Prophet noted: "When I was preaching in Philadelphia, a Quaker called out for a sign. I told him to be still. After the sermon, he again asked for a sign. I told the congregation the man was an adulterer; that a wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and that the Lord had said to me in a revelation, that any man who wanted a sign was an adulterous person. 'It is true,' cried one, 'for I caught him in the very act,' which the man afterwards confessed, when he was baptized" (History of the Church, 5:268).
President Joseph F. Smith (1838–1918) further explained the dangers of depending on miracles for our faith: "Show me Latter-day Saints who have to feed upon miracles, signs and visions in order to keep them steadfast in the Church, and I will show you members of the Church who are not in good standing before God, and who are walking in slippery paths" (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [1939], 7).
Alma 30:52. Lies and Lying
To better understand the evils of lying, Robert J. Matthews, a former dean of religion at BYU, explained that "the seriousness of lying is not measured only in injury or pain inflicted on the one deceived. Lying has a devastating effect also on the perpetrator. It robs the liar of self-respect, and deadens his ability to recognize the difference between truth and error. When a lie is told often enough, even the one who knowingly spread it may begin to believe it. This was the case with the antichrist Korihor in the Book of Mormon (see Alma 30:52–53)" ("Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness," Ensign, Oct. 1994, 56).
The Prophet Joseph Smith spoke of the tragedy of individuals like Korihor: "Nothing is a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit when they think they have the Spirit of God" (History of the Church, 4:573).
Alma 30:53. The Devil's Deception and the Carnal Mind
To be carnally minded is to focus on physical pleasures or material things rather than on the things of the Spirit. It is hard for carnally-minded people to experience the things of the Spirit. Elder Neal A. Maxwell noted that they are "'past feeling,' having been sedated by pleasing the carnal mind" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1999, 29; or Ensign, May 1999, 24).
Alma 31:3, 8–29. The Zoramites' False Theology
Even though the Zoramites killed Korihor, they seem to have adopted a similar belief system. Note the following phrases from Alma 31 that describe the Zoramite beliefs:
"They had fallen into great errors" (verse 9).
They had rejected traditions that they felt were "handed down … by the childishness of their fathers" (verse 16).
They did not want to "be led away after the foolish traditions of [their] brethren, which doth bind them down to a belief of Christ" (verse 17).
They refused "to believe in things to come, which they knew nothing about" (verse 22).
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland commented about Korihor's influence on the Zoramites' false teachings:
"[Korihor's] brand of teaching inevitably had its influence among some of the less faithful who, like the neighboring Zoramites, were already given to 'perverting the ways of the Lord.'
"Zoram and his followers are one of the most memorable apostate groups mentioned in the Book of Mormon primarily because they considered themselves so unusually righteous. … Once a week they stood atop a prayer tower called a Rameumptom and, using always 'the selfsame prayer,' thanked God that they were better than everyone else, 'a chosen and a holy' people 'elected' by God to be saved while all around them were equally 'elected' to be cast down to hell. In the reassuring safety of all this, they were also spared any belief in such 'foolish traditions' (evidence of Korihor's legacy emerging here) as a belief in a Savior, for it had been 'made known' to them there should be no Christ. …
"Alma lost little time in countering such unholy prayer and its equally unholy theology with his own prayer for divine assistance against this form of self-serving iniquity that made him literally sick at heart" (Christ and the New Covenant, 121–22).
Alma 31:5. The Power of the Word
The virtue or power of the word of God is in part explained by the fact that it is attended by the witness of the Spirit. The Lord said that when His words are conveyed by His Spirit they are His voice (see D&C 18:34–36). Alma considered resorting to preaching the word to the apostate Zoramites even though they had already heard and rejected it (see Alma 31:8–9).
President Boyd K. Packer explained one reason why we must learn the doctrines of the kingdom:
"True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior.
"The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior. … That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel" (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 20; or Ensign, Nov. 1986, 17).
President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) spoke of the power of scriptures to help us draw nearer to God: "I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures, the distance narrows and the spirituality returns. I find myself loving more intensely those whom I must love with all my heart and mind and strength, and loving them more. I find it easier to abide their counsel" ("What I Hope You Will Teach My Grandchildren and All Others of the Youth of Zion" [address to Church Educational System religious educators, July 11, 1966], 4).
President Ezra Taft Benson explained how the scriptures can be a powerful way to bless us and answer the difficult questions of life: "Often we spend great effort in trying to increase the activity levels in our stakes. We work diligently to raise the percentages of those attending sacrament meetings. We labor to get a higher percentage of our young men on missions. We strive to improve the numbers of those marrying in the temple. All of these are commendable efforts and important to the growth of the kingdom. But when individual members and families immerse themselves in the scriptures regularly and consistently, these other areas of activity will automatically come. Testimonies will increase. Commitment will be strengthened. Families will be fortified. Personal revelation will flow" ("The Power of the Word," Ensign, May 1986, 81).
Alma 31:9–11. Avoiding the Causes of Apostasy
In Antionum, the missionary force of Alma and his companions came across a group of Nephite dissenters known as the Zoramites. Mormon not only recorded that the Zoramites had previously had the word of God preached unto them, but he further identified the cause of their apostasy: they would not keep the commandments, they no longer petitioned the Lord daily in prayer, they perverted the ways of the Lord, and what prayers they did offer to the Lord were vain and meaningless. They ignored the basics, such as having a daily habit of meaningful prayer and scripture study.
Elder Donald L. Staheli of the Seventy emphasized the importance of daily consistency in the basics of the gospel:
"Daily fervent prayers seeking forgiveness and special help and direction are essential to our lives and the nourishment of our testimonies. When we become hurried, repetitive, casual, or forgetful in our prayers, we tend to lose the closeness of the Spirit, which is so essential in the continual direction we need to successfully manage the challenges of our everyday lives. Family prayer every morning and night adds additional blessings and power to our individual prayers and to our testimonies.
"Personal, sincere involvement in the scriptures produces faith, hope, and solutions to our daily challenges. Frequently reading, pondering, and applying the lessons of the scriptures, combined with prayer, become an irreplaceable part of gaining and sustaining a strong, vibrant testimony" (in Conference Report, Oct. 2004, 40; or Ensign, Nov. 2004, 39).
Alma 31:6–38. Apostate Zoramites
Alma 30:59 indicates that the Zoramites had dissented from the Nephites under the leadership of a man named Zoram. The following is a summary of what we know about their apostate beliefs and practices:
They did not observe the law of Moses (see Alma 31:9).
They had forsaken daily prayer (see verse 10).
They perverted the ways of the Lord (see verse 11).
They built synagogues for the purpose of worshipping one day a week (see verse 12).
Today there are those who have also fallen into similar false practices. Unless we are careful to guard against it, we too could fall into some of the same traps of routine prayers, worshipping only weekly during the three-hour block and not thinking of God again during the week, only praying in a set place, or becoming materialistic and prideful.
Alma 31:26–35. Alma's Prayer in Behalf of the Zoramites
Alma recognized that the souls of the apostate Zoramites were precious to God. Thus, Alma prayed for the power and wisdom to bring them back to the Lord. Alma's prayer exemplifies the attitude all members and missionaries must develop. All people are of great worth, and through the power of God they can be brought back to Him.
While serving as a member of the Seventy, Elder Carlos E. Asay (1926–99) taught that all people are precious to God and should be to us:
"The souls of our brothers and sisters who may seem to be more feeble and less honorable are precious. The Church has need of them. We should make every attempt to know them and to help them claim the full blessings and joys of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our prayers should be as Alma's: 'Give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.' (See Alma 31:35.)
"We must remember that our salvation is intertwined with the salvation of others. We must care more for those who seem to care less for their faith" ("Nurturing the Less Active," Ensign, Oct. 1986, 15).
Alma 31:31–33. Comfort in Afflictions
President Lorenzo Snow (1814–1901) spoke of the blessings that come through tribulation:
"I suppose I am talking to some who have had worry and trouble and heart burnings and persecution, and have at times been caused to think that they never expected to endure quite so much. But for everything you have suffered, for everything that has occurred to you which you thought an evil at that time, you will receive fourfold, and that suffering will have had a tendency to make you better and stronger and to feel that you have been blessed. When you look back over your experiences you will then see that you have advanced far ahead and have gone up several rounds of the ladder toward exaltation and glory. …
"Take it individually or take it collectively, we have suffered and we shall have to suffer again; and why? Because the Lord requires it at our hands for our sanctification" (The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, comp. Clyde J. Williams [1984], 117–18).
Points to Ponder
Why would Korihor's teachings seem attractive to certain individuals? What are some examples of such teachings today?
Alma seemed to be motivated to reclaim the Zoramites out of love of God and love of the Zoramites. How can we develop this same kind of love?
How was Alma's prayer different from the Zoramites' prayer? In what ways might our prayers be similar to the Zoramites' prayers? (see Alma 31:15–18). How might they be similar to Alma's prayers? (see Alma 31:30–35).
Suggested Assignments
What were some of the false teachings of Korihor? Explain to a friend why such arguments ultimately fail (see Alma 30:13–18).
When Korihor asked for a sign of God's existence, what signs did Alma put forth as evidence that God lives? (see Alma 30:44). How have these evidences helped strengthen your faith? Write a paragraph that briefly explains how the design and order in the universe is evidence of God's existence.

subset: commoncrawl


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Wind was the primary contributor to an overall rise in electricity production from renewables of 15%, though biomass and energy from waste also increased 9%, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (see report below).
This means that electricity from renewable sources rose to 6.8% of the total, compared with 6.7% in 2009 and 5.5% in 2008. The UK needs to produce 30% of its electricity from renewables to meet its 2020 target.
The growth in electricity generation from wind in 2010 is lower than previously. In 2009, offshore wind rose by 61% and onshore by 24%. In 2008, offshore increased by 49% and onshore by 38%.
Meanwhile, electricity produced from nuclear decreased from 18% in 2009 to 16% in 2010. This is a reversion to the long-term decline of nuclear generation in the UK, which hit a low of 13% in 2008.


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Completing an award at ANU is a significant academic achievement and is rightly celebrated at the University's prestigious Conferring of Awards ceremonies. Conferring of Awards ceremonies are happy, inspiring events that have both formal and symbolic significance.
Each ceremony runs for approximately two hours and is followed by a reception. All ceremonies are live streamed, with the details found closer to date.
Past events
12 Dec 2017, 12am – 15 Dec 2017, 11.55.59pm


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The sky is a crowded attic
An interview with novelist Andrew Sean Greer
Novelist Andrew Sean Greer is the author of The Story of a Marriage, The Confessions of Max Tivoli, The Path of Minor Planets, and the short story collection How It Was For Me. Among other honors, Greer has won the PEN/O'Henry Prize for Short Fiction and the California Book Award. He was born in Washington, D.C., has lived in several places in the West, and now resides in San Francisco.
Both The Confessions of Max Tivoli and The Story of a Marriage take a historical San Francisco as their setting. For Max Tivoli, the city's 1906 earthquake mirrors his own oft-broken heart. For Pearlie Cook, protagonist of The Story of a Marriage, life as the lone African-American housewife in the 1953 Sunset district grows harder when she suddenly doubts how well she knows her husband, a veteran of World War II.
High Country News correspondent Jeremy N. Smith talked with Greer about the importance of setting in his fiction. This interview has been condensed and edited for readability.
High Country News There's a wonderful quote by the Livingston, Mont.-based novelist and critic Walter Kirn. "Setting is key," he says. "We believe in places in a way we don't believe in people." Your novels and stories often contain historical backdrops and fantastic elements -- for example, Max Tivoli describes a man aging backwards -- made utterly realistic by lyrically described settings.
Andrew Sean Greer When I first came to Montana in 1994 -- and I moved there from New York City -- I was perplexed about what everyone was talking about when they mentioned a sense of place. When you live in East Coast cities, it's not what you think about. New Yorkers don't look up at buildings. They look at each other. (Laughs) Coming out West, I realized for the first time how much you have to work with, and how rich setting can be in terms of metaphor.
HCN I think of the early scene in The Story of a Marriage when Pearlie re-encounters her first love and future husband, Holland, in San Francisco after World War II. "The wind stopped, as if, like Holland, it did not recognize me," you write. "We stayed for a moment in the oyster-colored air." That description of wind and fog paints the entire scene in sepia.
Greer I moved to San Francisco in 1998, and fog is something you notice every day. It goes from warm and sunny to a film noir movie within minutes. It's nice that fog is particular to San Francisco. As a descriptor, it can be joyous or depressing or quiet. For The Story of A Marriage, I needed Pearlie to have very few choices in her life. Fog was ideal to make her world quiet and isolated. Later I take her out to Marin County, where it's golden and sunny, and the reader, I think, experiences with her a kind of joy and relief.
HCN Pearlie is born in Kentucky, then moves West. "On the bus ride to California, I studied the mountains' ascent into a line of clouds and saw where, as if set upon those clouds, even higher mountains loomed," you write. "I had never seen a sight like that in all my life. It was as if the world had been enchanted all along and no one told me."
Greer That paragraph is precisely my reaction when I first came to Missoula in 1994. I had no idea what Montana would be like. This is embarrassing, but I remember standing on the Higgins Avenue bridge and looking at the sunset and kind of being terrified at what I saw. This is a very New Yorker response, but it was way too beautiful. I had never felt before that bond with nature. For the first time, I really confronted place description. I had to figure out how to be specific to these settings and not just make a list of weed varietals.
HCN Do you remember when you started setting stories in the West rather than the East?
Greer It was when I lived in Seattle right after grad school. It started with the first sentence of the first story in my short story collection, How It Was For Me.
HCN "The sky is a crowded attic."
Greer There you go. The sky! That's a description that would never work in New York. There the sky is all one thing. It's uniform. I had never seen that thing you see from the Higgins Avenue bridge, where you have three different sunsets going on at once: tiny little clouds here and then enormous cumulous clouds there and then, over there, it's raining. There's so much more in Western settings to lean on. In Saul Bellow, that great Chicago writer, you get Chicago, but through personality and going through a lot of office doors, not through place description. Out West, you can lean on the environment. You can describe the sky and it comes off.
HCN Now that you've lived here 15 years, do you consider yourself a Western writer?
Greer I do in that there is a history in the West of people moving west until they find a place that suits them. So each of these people is some kind of pioneer. They settle to their own level. Those are the people I'm interested in. It's the best landscape for visions.


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Boeing delays 787 delivery on Rolls engine setback
Boeing Co
The U.S. planemaker now expects to deliver the carbon-composite plane, already delayed by more than two years, to launch customer Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) <9202.T> by the middle of the first quarter of 2011.
Boeing previously said the first delivery would be made a few weeks into 2011.
The delay comes four weeks after the Rolls' engine, a Trent 1000, blew up at a test site in Derby, central England, forcing the company to temporarily close the facility.
The delivery date revision follows an assessment of the availability of an engine needed for the final phases of flight test this fall, Boeing said. Flight testing across the test fleet continues as planned.
Boeing added it was working with the British engine maker to ensure engines were made available as soon as possible but that the delay would not affect its financial outlook.
A Rolls-Royce spokesman said it was working closely with Boeing to expedite delivery in support of their programme schedule.
Rolls added its engine supply issues were unrelated to the test bed event which occurred earlier this month and that none of its engine test programmes had suffered any delays.
It is probable that some modification will be required to the Trent 1000's already on the 787 test certification programme, said BGC Partners analyst Howard Wheeldon.
Although clearly a setback to the programme we do not see the additional Rolls engineering that is likely required being a major obstacle for the 787.
Shares in Rolls-Royce were 1.2 percent down at 552.50 pence by 12:35 p.m. British time, having earlier hit a seven-week low on the news.
Investec analyst Andrew Gollan said he expected the delay to have a negative reaction on Rolls-Royce shares but there would be no material cost impact to Rolls.
Boeing shares closed 0.5 percent higher at $61.33 on Thursday in the United States.
Boeing had aimed to deliver the first Dreamliner to All Nippon Airways by the end of 2010, but last month pushed the delivery date back to a few weeks into 2011, citing technical issues.
ANA called the delay regrettable and said it was keen to know when Boeing would be able to deliver its second 787.
ANA has ordered 55 of Boeing's latest jetliner, eight of which the planemaker has promised to deliver by April 2011.
Deliveries of the long-range passenger jet to ANA have been delayed by more than two years due to production problems.
The Japanese carrier said it did not include revenue from the 787 in its business plan this year so there would be no change to its profit outlook for the year ending March 31.
The Dreamliner promises greater fuel efficiency and its lightweight materials and innovative design have captured the imagination of the industry.
Yet flight testing has been going more slowly than expected since the twin-engined passenger plane made an inaugural flight last December.
A spokesman for Australia's Qantas Airways
In July, Qantas brought forward its 787 delivery schedule, saying it would receive the first 50 of the aircraft it has on order in mid-2012.
(Additional reporting by Sakthi Prasad in Bangalore; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman, Tim Kelly, Mark Potter and Karen Foster)
Major Asteroid Sample Brought To Earth In NASA First
Singapore Ends Hong Kong's 53-Year Reign As World's Freest Economy
Red Sea Corals Threatened By Mystery Sea Urchin Deaths
'Are We Safe?' Mixed Emotions For Venezuelan Migrants Reaching The US
Taiwan Should Aspire To Make Itself 'Indigestible' To China, Says Expert
Hi, Robot: Machines Take Over At China's Asian Games
Central Banks In No Rush To Cut Interest Rates
Israeli Forces Kill 2 Palestinians In West Bank Raid: Ministry
The US Sanctions Squeezing Iran Leaders, Oil And Trade
Climate Protesters Throng New York, Demand End To Fossil Fuels
Poland, Hungary, Slovakia Defy End Of EU Ukraine Grain Import Ban


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Many of you may know about my trips with these special friends. I have blogged about these yearly trips quite a bit in past. The four of us grew up together and when we graduated from high school, we all went our separate ways..
In 1992, when we all turned 50, we decided to get together for a few days to 'catch up'... That turned out to be a fabulous reunion ---so we decided to continue doing it most every year until a few years ago. We lost one of us (Susan) in 2011 to Breast Cancer. Since she died, the three of us just haven't been able to get together anymore. I hope that we do someday. I miss our 'get-togethers'---and I miss Susan TERRIBLY. If you want to see some of my other blog posts of my time with these wonderful friends, click HERE.
Even though the pictures were taken from an OLD camera in 2005, some of them are worthy for the blog I think.... The picture above is one of the sunrises we saw every morning from our cabin on that mountain. I love this photo showing the fog in the valley below...
Be sure to click on the pictures for enlargements.
UPDATE: Please say a prayer for friend, Reida... She has MS --and has been in the hospital recently.
Have a great day ---and take time to HUG those people whom you love.
HUGS to you,


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Conditions Worsen for Roma Women in Albania
Nicole Itano
The Roma in Albania have always faced poverty and discrimination, but since the fall of communism in 1991, the situation for Roma women has worsened. Marriage ages have dropped and an increasing number of girl children never attend school at all.
TIRANA, Albania (WOMENSENEWS)--The trendy cafes of this colorful and resurgent city are a long way from Breju Lumi, a slum of muddy, rutted roads and metal shacks, where Nexhmije Daljani lives.
Once Europe's poorest and most isolated country, today Albania's economy is growing fast as the country makes the transition from communism to democracy and free market capitalism.
But in Breju Lumi--whose name means "river side" even though the only nearby water is a dry stream bed cluttered with rubbish--most houses lack running water, sanitation or electricity, and children race through the streets at midday when they should be in school.
The poorest families here, like the Daljanis, belong to the Roma, the term that members of the community prefer to the more derogatory "Gypsies."
"The two small ones and I go and beg," says Daljani, who at 22 has three small children and no husband or job. "It's the only way we can eat."
Daljani had her first child at 17. By 21, when her husband left her, she had three. Now she lives in a borrowed one-room metal shack and relies on begging--the only source of income for many Roma women--to keep her three small children fed and clothed.
The oldest child, who is mentally disabled, goes to a day-care center run a local nongovernmental organization called Children of the World.
Life Got Harder
For many Roma, especially women, life has gotten harder since the end of communism. Girls are marrying and having children younger, poverty and unemployment are rampant and access to health care and education has declined dramatically.
During communist times, Roma--like all other citizens--were given jobs and houses and forced to go to school. In those days, all Albanians were poor, but the Roma were not necessarily any poorer than other groups.
As social services have collapsed, though, the disparities over wealth and living standards between the Roma and other Albanians have increased. A recent study by the United Nations Development Fund found that the average income of Roma was less than half that of non-Roma living in the same communities.
"The quality of services has decreased," says Dr. Arlinda Ymeraj, a social policy officer with UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, in Albania. "There's more disparity in access to services than in the past and certain groups have suffered from this."
Today, 57 percent of Roma women in Albania--compared to 48 percent of Roma men--have never been to school, a decline from the communist era, according to data from the World Bank.
Since the end of communism, the average age of marriage for Roma women has fallen to levels that worry development experts.
Ages of Marriage, Childbirth Drop
In Albania, the average age of marriage for Roma women is now around 15, compared to an average of 23 across the country and 18 for Roma men. The average age of Roma women at the time of birth for a first child has fallen too. Before 1990, it was almost 19; today it is under 17. For Roma men it's 21.
The young age of marriage and childbirth among Roma women puts them at high risk for abuse and trafficking, limits their access to education and can lead to higher rates of maternal and infant mortality, the United Nations says.
Between 7 and 9 million Roma live in Central and Eastern Europe; Albania's Roma number around 95,000. As a group, they remain one of the poorest and most discriminated against groups on the continent and often live on the fringes of society. Over 70 percent of Roma families in the country are considered very poor and many, like Daljani and her children, live in slum-like conditions.
The causes of this social exclusion are in dispute. Many Roma blame discrimination, but others say they refuse to integrate into mainstream society. The Roma--traditionally nomadic, but now largely settled or semi-nomadic--are a distinct ethnic group with their own language and belief systems.
"The Roma families have a very different culture," said Marinela Cani, a social worker who works with families in Breju Lumi. "They don't think about tomorrow."
Jalldyz Ymeri, a 42-year-old grandmother who lives in a two-room house with eight family members and begs for a living, says life has gotten much harder since the fall of communism.
Fewer Years in School
She went to high school, but her daughters haven't. According to the World Bank, before the end of communism, Roma women had an average of 6.2 years of education. Today, they average less than four.
Roma women in Albania also say their access to health care has deteriorated. They say more Roma children are being born at home and many women have no prenatal care. Albania has no reliable statistics about maternal and infant mortality, but many experts believe that rates among Roma are much higher than the national average.
Public health care in Albania is supposed to be free, but many doctors demand bribes.
"They treat us this way because we are Roma. If we can't pay, they send us away," says Ymeri, whose 3-year-old grandson recently nearly died because she did not have enough money.
Conditions are so bad in Albania that many Roma have left the country and gone to neighboring Greece, which is part of the European Union. Although they face discrimination--as well as the risk of deportation--many say life there is better because it is easier to find odd jobs or to make money by begging or playing music for tourists. Ymeri and her family spent several years in Greece and say they regret returning to Albania.
But even in Greece--a promised land for many Albanian Roma--life is hard.
In a Roma settlement called Grthaios, in an industrial area of Athens, families live in wooden huts surrounded by piles of rubbish. The one-room house of Elena Zerollari, a 39-year-old mother of five, is neat and tidy. Magazine advertisements plaster the walls and the family's belongings are neatly stored away. Zerollari, who is originally from Albania, says many things are better in Greece: the doctors treat them better and jobs are easier to find. The children she has given birth to since moving to Greece were all born in hospitals.
But Zerollari says she'd like a house with running water and for her children to go to school. The schools accept Roma children, she says, but many drop out because they are teased for their ragged clothes and lack of shoes.
"Roma shouldn't live like this forever," she says. "We want to be like you."
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Depressing? A bit. Surprising? Not at all.
Free Speech Apparently Less Important Than US Attorney & Courts Silencing 'Annoying' Woman
from the free-speech-ain't-free dept
In November, we wrote about the bizarre and troubling case of a court sealing an amicus brief from the Reason Foundation and the Institute for Justice, which raised important First Amendment questions about a federal grand jury subpoena that seemed designed solely to stifle the speech of a woman, Siobhan Reynolds, who was protesting federal prosecutions of some doctors, whom she felt were wrongly accused. It seemed bizarre that a court would seal an amicus brief about free speech — and a reporter, who was allowed to see the brief and the court's order to seal it, says that one of the reasons for sealing the brief was that it would help get attention to the cause in question. Yes, the court felt the brief (which was entirely based on public info) should be sealed because it might call attention to public information.
Unfortunately, since then, things only got worse. Radley Balko has the full details on what the case was all about, and it seems like a clear case of the government abusing its powers to stifle the speech of someone they found to be annoying. And, unfortunately, it's worked. The Supreme Court refused to hear the case and so the harassment succeeded. You should read the full details, but the short version is that Reynolds was a very vocal activist on the issue of pain relief. When Assistant US Attorney Tanya Treadway indicted a doctor and his wife, supposedly for over-prescribing painkillers, Reynolds organized protests which apparently succeeded in getting a fair amount of attention. Treadway's response was to do whatever possible to silence Reynolds:
The savvy and unusual countercampaign didn't sit well with Treadway. She first tried to get a gag order preventing Reynolds from talking about the case in public. Judge Belot said no. Several of Schneider's patients say they were then visited by federal agents, who forced their way into their homes and took documents (including a letter Schneider had sent one of them from prison). Treadway next asked the judge to move the case out of town, arguing that Reynolds' advocacy had tainted the jury pool (never mind Treadway's own press conference). Belot denied the change of venue request, too.
Treadway then launched a grand jury investigation of Reynolds, presumably for obstruction of justice, though she told Reynolds' attorney that she would neither confirm nor deny that an investigation was under way. She issued Reynolds a sweeping subpoena demanding all of her records for every case in which she has ever advocated on behalf of a doctor or patient–every e-mail, letter, and phone record, as well as Facebook wall posts and status updates. Complying cost Reynolds tens of thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of labor. With help from the ACLU, Reynolds sued to have the subpoena quashed. She lost. A second judge, Julie A. Robinson, hit her with a $200 fine for contempt each day she didn't comply. Robinson also declined Reynolds' request to make the subpoena and related proceedings public, effectively imposing a seal on the subpoena, Reynolds' challenge to it, and any materials related to either.
In the meantime, the Schneiders were convicted in federal court of drug trafficking. During their sentencing, Federal District Court judge Monti Belot called Reynolds "stupid" and "deranged," and referred to the Pain Relief Network as a "Bozo the Clown outfit."
Now, the thing is, no matter what you think of Reynolds or her actions, she does have free speech rights — or, at least, she's supposed to. She appealed both the subpoena and the sealing, which the appeals court rejected — and now the Supreme Court has rejected hearing the case as well, meaning that the subpoena, which seems only designed to bully, stands and all the details are sealed (though, you can find some things — such as the "sealed" Reason/IJI subpoena on Scribd if you look hard enough).
What's scary about this is that it appears US officials are abusing the grand jury process, the court system, and the ability to seal details of a case for the purpose of silencing someone they find annoying, in large part because she was successful in getting people to protest some US government actions. This is the type of stuff our government isn't supposed to do and it's really depressing to hear of such an abuse of power by the US government.
Filed Under: free speech, grand juries, siobhan reynolds, tanya treadway, us attorney


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Equipment Overview
Doosan's new 11,000 lb capacity pneumatic tire lift truck
Common Applications: Manufacturing, Pipe, Lumber, Brick, Block, Recycling, Steel, and Aluminum.
Highly efficient and reliable forklifts with productivity enhanced features.
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That's what Doosan has put into the design, development, and production of the D50C-5 to provide customers with optimized operator comfort and safety, proven and durable components, high powered and fuel-efficient diesel engines for high performance including low emissions and minimal vibration, enhanced maintenance and serviceability, virtually maintenance-free oil-cooled disc brakes, 2 speed auto-shift transmission, lift and tilt locking hydraulic control valve, OSS (operator sensing system), and a variety of operator-friendly features.
Operator Comfort and Driver Efficiency is One of Doosan's Top Priorities
Doosan forklifts are designed to keep your operation and operators running at peak efficiency. Enhanced comfort features ensure operators do not experience fatigue or strain during everyday operation. Designed to be simple, and easily adjusted, this operator compartment will make your driver feel right at home.
Minimized Maintenance, Easy Serviceability.
Doosan's Goal is to Make Your Material Handling Organization as Efficient and Reliable as Possible, by Minimizing Down Time to Reduce Overall Maintenance Cost.


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Wife sharing is a brilliant way to keep a marriage fresh and interesting and Indian Swingers show us how to have that kind of fun in these hot videos. Watch husbands and wives meet new people and swap partners in a foursome or go to a wild house party where anyone is fair game as they get naked, split off, and fuck like there's no tomorrow. The beauty of the relationship is that they always go back to each other having been sexually satisfied and with no complaints.
Homemade porn with Indian swingers is common as couples that swap can't help but record the action for future viewing. After dinner and a drink or two they all adjourn to the bedroom, strip their clothes off, and fuck in the same bed as they explore new positions, new cocks, and new pussies until orgasms overtake them. Sometimes they swap back and forth because what feels good is the only thing that really matters. Husbands at the parties will sometimes watch their wives fuck other people and get off on that alone without even having to bang someone new.


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The Top Selling Luxury Cars in America
The top 12 luxury brands accounted for only 10.8% of total U.S. car sales through the first 11 months of this year. But these lines are important to the companies that own them because the profits on luxury cars tend to be higher than for other models. U.S. car companies ruled the domestic luxury market for decades. Mercedes-Benz USA was not formed until 1965, while Toyota Motor Corp.'s (NYSE: TM) Lexus brand was not launched until 1989. However, it did not take long for foreign manufacturers, many of which now have U.S. factories, to overwhelm the sales of American luxury car brands - which are down to General Motors Co.'s (NYSE: GM) Cadillac and Ford Motor Co.'s (NYSE: F) Lincoln. Neither is a major player in a segment that is dominated by Lexus, Mercedes, BMW and Acura - two of which are German and two of which are Japanese.
The growth of the luxury car market grew steadily over the first 11 months of this year. All of the top 10 manufacturers saw gains in unit sales, with the exception of Cadillac and Lincoln. Lexus, Acura and Infiniti had sales gains of over 20% for the same period.
Over the next several years, luxury car analysts will be looking to see if American companies can gain back any of the luster they lost to foreign brands.
Methodology: Based on Edmunds data for first 11 months of 2012, with all prior years measuring a full 12 months. Covers brands that sold more than 60,000 car and light truck units in the first 11 months of the year.
These are the 24/7 Wall St. "Top Selling Luxury Cars"
Filed under: 24/7 Wall St. Wire, Autos Tagged: F, featured, GM, HMC, TM


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Transits are said to be felt the most when an outer planet-Saturn, Uranus, Neptune or Pluto touches a personal planet Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, or Mars. Every transit affects someone differently. When Saturn was on my moon I longed to be with someone I couldn't have. (Saturn a man with responsibilities & moon ruling feelings). Someone else I know has Saturn restriction on his moon (the mother, the past & roots) he is having issues with his mother. In astrology the moon symbolizes all of these things; feelings, the past, the mother & the home. Saturn's transit to my sun was the worst but someone else I know that sees the world perpetually through rosé colored glasses didn't even blink during this transit!
Most astrologers would say that you cannot feel the effects of an outer planet on an outer planet because everyone in your generation will experience that. For instance Uranus was in Scorpio from September 1975 – November 1981, so everyone born during that period will have Uranus in Scorpio & will experience present day Saturn in Scorpio conjoining their natal Uranus.
The outer planets change or pass through the zodiac slowly since they move at very slow speed unlike the moon which can change signs daily or the sun which changes every month or so.
Right now Saturn is conjunct my Uranus and I feel as though I'm suffocating. Look at any planets in 5-8 degrees of the fixed signs to see where you are affected. (Fixed signs are: Taurus, Scorpio, Aquarius & Leo). I'm an Aquarius rising so Uranus is my chart ruler I've thought perhaps that's why I'm feeling this or maybe it is due in part that it is occurring in my natal 8th house an intuitive receptive house. All I know is I would like to tell everyone in my life I'm out of order for 30 days figure shit out yourself. Don't call me with questions, don't tell me your problems, I'm crumbling. I feel like I'm in a pressure cooker, I have exploded on several people I love dearly & I have to say I may regret the way I said it but not what was said.
I confess this happens to me periodically maybe every 2 years or so I become burnt out, I require a time out. Perhaps it's my cardinal t-square the doing the going perpetually in overdrive & I feel like the people in my life have no respect for the amount of shit I do in a single day. Or maybe they don't get it that I have an inability to relax. I also have Capricorn on the 12 the house cusp, father died young the feeling like I must do everything myself blah so I'm working I'm going, I'm planning & then I'm done. Burnt, fizzled out, short circuit. Stick a fork in me!
People at work laugh because I have called my boss & say I need some time off & he'll say like a day & I'm like "no the week I'll see you next Monday".
I have Saturn in the 6th house so I'm that person at work that people call when they need something, I love them & 300 days of the year I don't mind but when days get like this; I feel like in suffocating. I feel like I'm my Sun in 5th house most days funny, joking laughing but respect the fact that I can't be that way everyday. And while I have Saturn in the 6th & take my job somewhat seriously there are days perhaps I need an extra break!
Uranus is the ruler of rebellion the avant-garde the eccentric where you go against the grain. Saturn is restriction, responsibilities, things you have to do, he is Father Time. Astrologer's state when Saturn conjuncts Uranus you feel your expression is restricted, you have a lot of responsibilities to tend too. I cried on the way to work today wondering where is the fun & why have I given up all if the things that are "bad" for me but do not feel any release. Responsibilities feel like burdens, I want to write and create. There is also this becoming very in tuned to the eccentric side of my personality & having to face a harsh reality of the things I'm not, seeing all of the practical things I suck at. Saturn is nothing if not practical like laundry & going to the supermarket. Ugh! I broke down the other day over Christmas tree ornaments Aqua or teal? I don't know I'm fucking color blind! They could've been chartreuse for all I know. Its weird realizing there are things in this life you don't do very well & these things feel like chores. I cried while throwing out a huge box the other day, it sat in my living room for days I had to throw it out & did so in tears. My coworker said aww don't cry you are independent. Really I didn't sign up for this shit or maybe I have Aquarius & Uranus as a chart ruler is nothing if not an independent free spirit.
I would love to hear from those born between September 1975 – November 1981 so you can share with me your experience of Saturn on Uranus.
This is Saturn's last hurrah for awhile I've spent the last 3 years with him in my 8th house this is one of the hardest transits he squared my sun, mercury conjoined my north node and Pluto & now he is on my ruling planet.
See Pic Below
On October 2013 he will officially enter my 9th house I think I'm going to plan a bon voyage party! I just have to try to abide by the rules for the time being though I feel like a war is going on inside me a fight for independence vs. the fight for practicality. Which side will win is anyone's guess.


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I asked why and the answer wasn't surprising. "Economics."
After 14 years on Carson Street. I bought a James Beard Cooking Lessons volume to read while I waited for a friend. The fiction section was already boxed up and packed. A lot of books to move. A loss for the South Side scene for sure.
Dormont is fortunate. 3233 West Liberty Avenue will be their new digs.
I Love Bookstores
Losing two bookstores in the city.
Just this week.
Borders with the new books-not open lomg
barely two years
and now Eljay's Used Books on South Side,
Signs of the times.


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Woodpeckers Premium Router Table Packages - PRP-1
Woodpeckers Premium Router Table Package includes everything a woodworker needs for making virtually any woodworking project. (Router motor not included). This package is complete with our 36" Single Offset Super Fence, 24" x 32" Premium MDF Router Table, Adjustable Steel Router Table Stand, Wheel Kit and our newest, top-of-the-line V2 Precision Router Lift.
Woodpeckers Premium Router Table Package - PRP1
The V2 Precision Router Lift represents almost ten years of lift building experience and includes the best patented features from all our other router lifts. Some of the most noteworthy features include a Quick Lift mechanism which makes raising the router to any coarse position or to bit changing height lighting fast with no cranking. Fine adjustments are just as fast with a built in micro adjust thumb wheel. No more crank handle. Each lift includes three Twist Lock rings, spring loaded lift wrench, spanner wrench and a steel starting pin. The 36" long Single Offset Super Fence features a 4" tall extruded aluminum, variable throat, offset adjustable front face.
The Super Fence has a very unique built in self squaring out feed fence that makes it easy to micro-adjust the front face alignment while staying perfectly parallel. Feather boards attach to any of the three front t-slots and can even straddle a sacrificial wooden fence through the use of the feather board track which adjusts to a variety of board thicknesses. The universal 2-1/4 and 2-1/2 dust port fits most shop vacuums and dust collection systems. The Super Fence mounts directly to our commercial grade 24" x 32" x 1-3/8" router table. The embedded T-tracks allow for simple adjustability. No edge clamping necessary.
The table also features an embedded combination miter and T-track. The 3/8 x 3/4 miter channel is compatible with miter gauges, cross cut tools, feather boards and coping sleds. The 9 ¼ " x 11 ¾ " x 3/8" table opening fits most standard router plates and lifts. This package also includes our powder coated 14 gauge steel Router Table Stand which supports the table with six braces and is vertically adjustable from 36" to 42". The Wheel Kit allows for easy mobility with a simple push of a foot pedal.
|Country of Manufacture
|United States
|9.25" x 11.75" Plate Size. Fits Woodpeckers Router Tables. Fits 3.5" diameter router motors. Bosch 1617, 1618, Craftsman 17542, 17540,- 28190, Dewalt 618, Porter Cable 690, 890
|9.25" x 11.75" Plate Size. Fits Woodpeckers Router Tables. Fits 4.14" diameter router motors. Milwaukee 5625-20
|9.25" x 11.75" Plate Size. Fits Woodpeckers Router Tables. Fits 4.20" diameter router motors. Porter Cable 7518, Portamate PM-P254


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Multi-Layer TIFF editing with GIMP
Hugin, and its associated stitcher nona can output multi-layer TIFF files, in which all remapped images are arranged in layers with appropriate offsets. These compact TIFF files are useful for visualizing and editing alpha masks, for instance to exclude moving objects or troublesome stitch areas, prior to passing to enblend for final blending. Gimp can read, but not write these multi-layer TIFF files, and enblend cannot read them. Another compact output option is a Cropped TIFF, which enblend can read. Multi-layer TIFFs are simply a collection of cropped TIFFs in a single file. tiffsplit (a TIFF Tools program) can split a multi-layer file into separate cropped TIFF images, prior to running enblend.
Unfortunately, no editors (except Cinepaint) preserve the offset information in Cropped TIFFs, which means enblend cannot use them after any editing (it will stack them all on top of each other). An option for making use of multi-layer TIFFs is available with the Gimp script save-layers-tiff. This script saves all layers, applying any alpha masks, to full size (non-cropped) images, which enblend can accept. To install, simply drop in ~/.gimp-2.2/scripts/ (or whatever version of Gimp you are running).
The recommended workflow is then:
- Output to multi-layer TIFF using Hugin.
- Open the resulting multi-layer TIFF in the Gimp, version 2 or later.
- Edit the alpha channel by erasing undesired areas (disabling view of all but 2 layers, and reducing the opacity of the upper layer can be useful here). You can also transfer the alpha channel to a layer mask for more fine-tuned editing.
- After all masks are edited, choose Script-Fu->Utils->Save Layers as Individual TIFFs. The files will be saved as file000.tif, etc., for an input file file.tif. Note that any layer masks will be applied (converted back into alpha channels), and the layers themselves will be expanded to the full image size.
- Run enblend, like enblend -wzo file.tif file[0-9]*.tif.
- (Optionally) remove the fileXXX.tif files, and save the multi-layer TIFF in a format which can preserve your edits, e.g. Gimp's native format, file.xcf. You can then safely delete the multi-layer TIFF.
Note that if no alpha mask editing is needed, it will be faster to use tiffsplit to split the multi-layer tiff into individual cropped TIFFs, and pass those to enblend.


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- Cuban artist Tania Bruguera's idea for a
arts festival was an open mike, a red curtain backdrop, one minute per speaker, and two attendants dressed in fatigues behind the podium to place a white dove on speakers' shoulders. This exercise in freedom of expression yielded calls for greater freedom of expression, from bloggers and others. Coverage (with video) at Penultimos Dias and Encuentro, and in English in today's Herald. Havana
- More on Cuba policy from Vice President Biden, via AFP: "Over in the next decade and sooner there is likely to be – and needs to be – changes in the relationship between Cuba and the United States, and the United States and Cuba, as well as with the hemisphere…President Obama and I campaigned on a platform that said we are willing to reach out, and I think you will see us reach out."
- El Nuevo Herald reports on the House and Senate bills to end
travel restrictions. The Senate bill will be presented in a press conference today; the House bill has 121 cosponsors. U.S.


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Catalyst::Authentication::Realm - Base class for realm objects.
By default this class is used by Catalyst::Plugin::Authentication for all realms. The class parameter allows you to choose a different class to use for this realm. Creating a new Realm class can allow for authentication methods that fall outside the normal credential/store methodology.
Set this to true if you wish this realm to auto-create user accounts when the user doesn't exist (most useful for remote authentication schemes).
Set this to true if you wish this realm to auto-update user accounts after authentication (most useful for remote authentication schemes).
Sets session usage for this particular realm - overriding the global use_sesion setting.
Instantiantes this realm, plus the specified store and credential classes.
Returns an instance of the store object for this realm.
Returns an instance of the credential object for this realm.
Retrieves the user given the authentication information provided. This is most often called from the credential. The default realm class simply delegates this call the store object. If enabled, auto-creation and auto-updating of users is also handled here.
Performs the authentication process for the current realm. The default realm class simply delegates this to the credential and sets the authenticated user on success. Returns the authenticated user object;
The Realm class allows complete control over the persistance of users between requests. By default the realm attempts to use the Catalyst session system to accomplish this. By overriding the methods below in a custom Realm class, however, you can handle user persistance in any way you see fit.
persist_user is the entry point for saving user information between requests in most cases this will utilize the session. By default this uses the catalyst session system to store the user by calling for_session on the active store. The user object must be a subclass of Catalyst::Authentication::User. If you have updated the user object, you must call persist_user again to ensure that the persisted user object reflects your updates.
Removes any persisted user data. By default, removes the user from the session.
Returns whether there is a persisted user that may be restored. Returns a token used to restore the user. With the default session persistance it returns the raw frozen user information.
Restores the user from the given frozen_user parameter, or if not provided, using the response from $self->user_is_restorable(); Uses $self->from_session() to decode the frozen user.
If there is a session to restore, but the restore fails for any reason then this method is called. This method supplied just removes the persisted user, but can be overridden if required to have more complex logic (e.g. finding a the user by their 'old' username).
Decodes the frozenuser information provided and returns an instantiated user object. By default, this call is delegated to $store->from_session().
DEPRECATED. Use persist_user instead. (this simply calls persist_user)
To install Catalyst::Plugin::Authentication, copy and paste the appropriate command in to your terminal.
cpanm Catalyst::Plugin::Authentication
CPAN shell
perl -MCPAN -e shell
install Catalyst::Plugin::Authentication
For more information on module installation, please visit the detailed CPAN module installation guide.


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Teaching at a top-ranked high school in SF
He has been a teacher at Lo High School - a top-ranked high school in San Francisco - for over 20 years.
To unlock all 5,300 videos, start your free trial.
Teaching at a top-ranked high school in SF
He has been a teacher at Lo High School - a top-ranked high school in San Francisco - for over 20 years.
I've got this problem with an unwarranted charge on my cable bill. But I'm thinking, no problem, I'll just call up customer service, we'll get it resolved. Before I can speak, I'm listening to a recorded message, supposed to be 10 minutes, but the cue turns out to be 20 minutes. I finally get to talk to somebody on the phone and she says, "I can't help you with this problem, you're going to have to talk to our service manager." Well, you know what's going to happen from here. I wait for the service manager, I'm put on hold and then I get cut off. God, I hate the bureaucracy. That ever happened to you?
Welcome back to chapter 11. We'll take a look at the federal bureaucracy in this chapter. And we'll look at the departments, agencies and commissions that are responsible for carrying out the policy of congress and the executives. First, we'll talk about the nuts and bolts and we'll refresh your memory of what the bureaucracy looks like. Second, we'll do a brief overview of public policy. And then finally, we're going to take on and try a few examples of some Iron Triangles and an issue network or two, before we finish the unit.
Let's get started. Of the three branches of government, the executive branch is by far the largest. Actually, it is about four million people who work in the executive branch of the government. Most of them work in the bureaucracy. Of those four million, two-thirds of those people are working in civilian jobs. The remainder works in the military. Let's start with the fifteen cabinet branches.
When George Bush took office in 2001, there were only fourteen cabinet branches. And now there's 15 and you probably know the 15th is the Homeland Security. Homeland Security has been elevated to a cabinet position. For each of the cabinet positions, there is an infrastructure which exists under it. For example, in Homeland Security, you'll find immigration. You'll find the IRS, and many other agencies that used to be independent and now have been folded into Homeland Security. Also, as part of the bureaucracy, along with the 15cabinet positions, there are a number of regulatory agencies and commissions.
Let's take a quick look at some of the most important. You probably recognize that all of these have something in common. They have three letter acronyms. So we'll call the Security and Exchange Commission the SEC. The SEC is mostly concerned with things like insider trader and stock fraud. You might want to ask Martha Stewart if she has a good feeling about the SEC, they're the ones who brought her down, charged her, got her sent to prison.
The FTC, the Federal Trade Commission. If there's fraud involved in business, in trade, in particular something like price fixing, you're going to see the FTC involved here.
The FCC, the Federal Communications Commission. They're involved in broadcasting frequencies and licensing and determining what it is that is decent for the radio. You probably remember that Super Bowl a few years back when Janet Jackson had a wardrobe malfunction, well the FCC had CBS fined about a half million dollars for that.
We have the FDA. From your history class you'll remember the Jungle with Upton Sinclair, and that more soldiers died from eating tainted meat in the Spanish American war than they actually did from Spanish Bullets? Well in the early part of the 20th century the FDA came into existence. And along with that, the USDA. And they inspect food and they try to keep the food chain clean.
The Environmental Protection Agency, or the EPA, got its power and its force in the early 1970s with the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1970. In 1990, the Clean Air Act was amended, because now people became aware that ozone gases were disturbing our way of life. Finally the EPA is also involved with clean ups and super fans and things like the Endangered Species Act. They're the ones who create the ecological balance.
I want to give you a warning right here, in terms of the fact that all of these agencies by law are supposed to be independent agencies. But in fact, in the last seven years there has been more intervention from the West Wing of the White House, than there ever has in recent time. For example, when our Energy Policy was made, Vice President Cheney held meetings with those groups. When federal judges were up to be reviewed, the Attorney General of the United States fired several of those judges on the recommendation apparently, from insiders in the White House. This is not allowed by law, and you may see, by the time you see this video there may have actually been some prosecutions in this matter. So, independent agencies they are, but not always in the real world. Same is true for example, with the EPA. Language from the Environmental Protection Agency, vetted through the White House in order to be cleaned up.
Let's just spend a few minutes on iron triangles and issue networks. An Iron Triangle is something that you have three groups working together in order to achieve a specific goal. The goal usually starts with a public interest group. It can be private, a corporation that's trying to make money. It can be public. It can be a group that's trying to achieve a particular course. But in order to get legislation, and in order to get the policy enacted by the executive branch of government, all three need to work together in an iron triangle.
Let's try few examples of that. I live in California. And California has more defense contracting than any other state, if the defense contractor get work, it's good for the economy and the people are happy. Well, what happens if the defense contractor is up for a big, big contract and they want to make sure that the federal government is going to participate? Maybe it's Homeland Security and let's say they have x-ray cameras that they can produce and put into American Airports.
Well in order to get that legislation passed, that's going to favor them and their bid, they're going to make contact with a group in congress. Think back to what you know about Congress. The house has 24 standing committees. The senate has 19.
They're going to know where it is that that committee is going to be heard, and they're going to find the people in that committee that they can do business with. So the lobbyists are going to go to Capital Hill, they're definitely going to make use of their connections in Congress. But now, they're also going to have to work with the executive branch of government. Back to the 15 cabinets. How about the Defense Department here? Maybe it could have even been Homeland Security instead of them. The three of them working together may craft a policy that emphasizes security at airports. We need cameras and who produces them, well it's the contractor from California. That's an example of an iron triangle.
Let's say that energy producers are very interested in getting specific contracts to maybe offshore oil drilling, or to renew our interest in nuclear power or coal production. Those are typical and examples of things that have happened in the last few years. What do they do? Well, same processes is in home. They're going to send their lobbyist to Washington DC, thousands and thousands of lobbyists remember. And they're going to get involved by fining people in congress that they can work with. Go down your list. There's an energy committee in the house, there's an energy committee in the senate, we're going to make contact here. We're going to try to create a piece of legislation that works. Now we're going to be producing more coal, now we're going to be able to have offshore oil drilling, that sort of thing.
They're also going to work with the department of energy. And sometimes when they're involved in this process, government actually lets people who are the energy producers, craft their own legislation. And so, you've got these three groups working together again, if possible to produce an energy policy which is going to lead to more profits for the energy producers. That's an iron triangle as well. I'll see you in just a minute.
We're back. And we're going to wrap this up by talking a little bit about issue networks. An issue network is basically an iron triangle with a few more dimensions. Sometimes, it's not as simple as one, two, three, sometimes there is actually other parties involved. Maybe for example, it's an environmental group that's going to sue because they think that industry is abusing the environment. Or maybe it's the other way around. Maybe it's industry that feels that there's too much regulation.
In any case, you're now bringing additional groups in because state and local governments are going to be affected. They're going to have to respond. They may lose tax revenues in particular. So think of an issue network as an iron triangle with a few more dimensions. It's not always cookie cut or one, two, three.
Now we know a little bit about public policy. We know a little bit about the structures of the bureaucracy, you know a little bit about the independent agencies. Quickly review your congressional committees, so that you'll know where to touch base, and it's as easy as connecting those lines. You'll be able to answer the advance placement questions. So we've got that whole thing done. Now if I can just get my cable company on the phone.


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20 dead as bombs target Sunday Mass in Philippine cathedral
Troops in armored carriers sealed off the main road leading to the church while vehicles transported the dead and wounded to the town hospital. Some casualties were evacuated by air to nearby Zamboanga city.
Two bombs minutes apart tore through a Roman Catholic cathedral on a southern Philippine island where Muslim militants are active, killing at least 20 people and wounding 111 others during a Sunday Mass, officials said.
Witnesses said the first blast inside the Jolo cathedral in the provincial capital sent churchgoers, some of them wounded, to stampede out of the main door. Army troops and police posted outside were rushing in when the second bomb went off about one minute later near the main entrance, causing more deaths and injuries. The military was checking a report that the second explosive device may have been attached to a parked motorcycle.
The initial explosion scattered the wooden pews inside the main hall and blasted window glass panels, and the second bomb hurled human remains and debris across a town square fronting the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, witnesses said. Cellphone signal was cut off in the first hours after the attack. The witnesses who spoke to The Associated Press refused to give their names or were busy at the scene of the blasts.
Police said at least 20 people died and 111 were wounded, correcting an earlier toll due to double counting. The fatalities included 15 civilians and five troops. Among the wounded were 17 troops, two police, two coast guard and 90 civilians.
Troops in armored carriers sealed off the main road leading to the church while vehicles transported the dead and wounded to the town hospital. Some casualties were evacuated by air to nearby Zamboanga city.
"I have directed our troops to heighten their alert level, secure all places of worships and public places at once, and initiate pro-active security measures to thwart hostile plans," said Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in a statement.
"We will pursue to the ends of the earth the ruthless perpetrators behind this dastardly crime until every killer is brought to justice and put behind bars. The law will give them no mercy," the office of President Rodrigo Duterte said in Manila.
It said that "the enemies of the state boldly challenged the government's capability to secure the safety of citizens in that region. The (Armed Forces of the Philippines) will rise to the challenge and crush these godless criminals."
Jolo island has long been troubled by the presence of Abu Sayyaf militants, who are blacklisted by the United States and the Philippines as a terrorist organization because of years of bombings, kidnappings and beheadings. A Catholic bishop, Benjamin de Jesus, was gunned down by suspected militants outside the cathedral in 1997.
No one has immediately claimed responsibility for the latest attack.
It came nearly a week after minority Muslims in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation endorsed a new autonomous region in the southern Philippines in hopes of ending nearly five decades of a separatist rebellion that has left 150,000 people dead. Although most of the Muslim areas approved the autonomy deal, voters in Sulu province, where Jolo is located, rejected it. The province is home to a rival rebel faction that's opposed to the deal as well as smaller militant cells that not part of any peace process.
Western governments have welcomed the autonomy pact. They worry that small numbers of Islamic State-linked militants from the Middle East and Southeast Asia could forge an alliance with Filipino insurgents and turn the south into a breeding ground for extremists.
"This bomb attack was done in a place of peace and worship, and it comes at a time when we are preparing for another stage of the peace process in Mindanao," said Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. "Human lives are irreplaceable," he added, calling on Jolo residents to cooperate with authorities to find the perpetrators of this "atrocity."
Security officials were looking "at different threat groups and they still can't say if this has something to do with the just concluded plebiscite," Oscar Albayalde, the national police chief, told ABS-CBN TV network. Hermogenes Esperon, the national security adviser, said that the new autonomous region, called Bangsamoro, "signifies the end of war for secession. It stands for peace in Mindanao."
Aside from the small but brutal Abu Sayyaf group, other militant groups in Sulu include a small band of young jihadis aligned with the Islamic State group, which has also carried out assaults, including ransom kidnappings and beheadings.
Abu Sayyaf militants are still holding at least five hostages — a Dutch national, two Malaysians, an Indonesian and a Filipino — in their jungle bases mostly near Sulu's Patikul town, not far from Jolo.
Government forces have pressed on sporadic offensives to crush the militants, including those in Jolo, a poverty-wracked island of more than 700,000 people. A few thousand Catholics live mostly in the capital of Jolo.
There have been speculations that the bombings may be a diversionary move by Muslim militants after troops recently carried out an offensive that killed a number of IS-linked extremists in an encampment in the hinterlands of Lanao del Sur province, also in the south. The area is near Marawi, a Muslim city that was besieged for five months by hundreds of IS-aligned militants, including foreign fighters, in 2017. Troops quelled the insurrection, which left more 1,100 mostly militants dead and the heartland of the mosque-studded city in ruins.
Duterte declared martial law in the entire southern third of the country to deal with the Marawi siege, his worst security crisis. His martial law declaration has been extended to allow troops to finish off radical Muslim groups and other insurgents but bombings and other attacks have continued.
Associated Press writer Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, contributed to this report.
- Topics
- Sunday Mass
- Bomb
- Philippines
- Mindanao


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There's been plenty of argument over proposed federal regulations requiring employers to offer health plans covering contraception for women. But few people bring up the basic question: Why is it considered normal for your boss to determine your healthcare options in the first place?
Relying on employers for healthcare means the company has more leverage over the worker. If you're out of work then you might be out of luck when it comes to your health. And if the boss decides what kind of healthcare the employee can get — at issue in the current discussion of religiously-affiliated institutions and contraception — this can mean an extension of the boss's control outside of work hours.
How did we get to where it's typical to rely on employers for healthcare?
As Roderick Long describes in his article "Medical Insurance that Worked — Until Government 'Fixed' It," it was once common for workers to join a friendly society or fraternal society. These were essentially mutual aid organizations where monthly fees created a pool of resources that participants could draw on in time of need. They often negotiated contracts with doctors to serve members for a reasonable expense paid by the organization. Regulation and government programs prevented these organizations from continuing to serve the public.
Certainly, there are more advanced and expensive medical techniques today than in the fraternal societies' heyday of the 19th and early 20th centuries. But without government interference, consensual organizations could certainly have grown and adapted to the needs of a wealthier, more sophisticated membership.
New technology could make such organizations more dynamic and responsive, with improved ability to network and access and evaluate information. Not only could consensual organizations offer more security for the worker who today has an employer health plan, they could also make healthcare more accessible for the worker who does not, reducing incentives to take an otherwise less desirable job for the benefits.
Today, however, the tax structure incentivizes employer health coverage while an economy oriented toward business elites and political privilege raises barriers to alternatives.
Healthcare, taken out of the people's hands, then becomes a political issue. Politicians aren't good at addressing problems of economic stratification and stagnation — they're typically part of the elite that is struggling to stay on top. What they are good at is making stands in culture war issues, and this is where they want to get attention, regardless of how many backs they stand on behind the podium. When federal funding can be given out or taken away based on which demagogue holds power, personal health becomes a campaign issue.
A free society would allow more personal autonomy and choice. Taking power away from politicians involves determining how to rely less on the boss economy and invest more in personal autonomy. The surest way to keep bosses from determining your access to healthcare is to get rid of the need for bosses altogether.
When you rely on bosses for healthcare your body becomes a campaign issue.