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Bible Contradictions
What is the explanation of the seeming contradiction between the Verses of ACTS 9:7 and ACTS 22:9?
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Gordon on 5/10/13
Helpful Blog Vote (2)
Cliff, you give too much glory to Satan. He is a beaten foe whose power, in comparison to God's is but a flickering ember.
In reality, though I am reasonably logical, I am a product of faith. It is faith that saves, not logic. Logic is at best the product of fallen man's brain.
No the Bible is not an idol to me but the only Truth that exists, it is my light.
on 5/17/13
Thanks, Jasheradan, that was an awesome breath of fresh air.
on 5/17/13
barb, you have no clue what I'm saying and what the Bible is talking about. You say Jesus in Revelation tells the Churches to overcome. You read it and still do not understand it. "The churches" not individuals. The churches as a whole were corrupt. When He knock, He knock on the door of the Church. if there was one who could hear He would come in.
Those who are saved are overcomers.
"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world --Our faith. And who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God"
(1 John 5:4,5).
Second, Jesus is the Word of God, the Bible is the Word of God testifying about God and His creation.
on 5/17/13
"The word Christian was used as a derogatory term in those days." - Jasheradan
I don't know what sect you are speaking for or about. But the Holy Bible is very specific, whether you see it as an instruction or a command, it matter night. This is what we are told in Acts 11:26,
"And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called CHRISTIANS first in Antioch."
Take it how you will, but there's a reason why the Spirit of God chose to write this particular verse. And isn't Christian mean one is a follower of Christ? CHRIST-ian? So what do you call yourself then?
on 5/17/13
barb, the problem you have with Revelation 12:17, 14:12 & 22:14 is you think
"keeping the commandments"
is implying your obedience to the law which will get you into heaven. To say that
"Jesus give John all that wrong information"
is totally erroneous on your part.
This is what Romans 10:4 declares,
"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."
, meaning because Christ fulfilled the law on behalf of His people, by faith in Him is the Christian deemed to have
"kept the commandments of God"
I'm sure you're taught that you can lose your salvation if you do not keep the law, right?
on 5/17/13
Of course not everyone is seeking God but those who do so with all of their heart will find Him.
Sometimes we have to put our preconceived ideas aside so that we can hear the Truth.
---barb on 5/16/13
You're my fav on this thread Barb.
As per your verse above some seek him with all their logic...which is not their heart. So they cannot "see".
These preconceived ideas for many are the crumbling foundations laid by men who started doctrines that have an appearance of a building but lack mortar of witnesses. A skeptic, cynical doubter and believer is found in John 20:25.
I'm skeptical of all self anointed, chant & rant preachers found unscriptural by their own witness.
You seek/find girl....
on 5/17/13
"I'm a follower of Jesus and do not call myself a Christian." barb
How on earth does that even make sense? How does one follow Christ and is not known as a Christian? What hypocrisy!
--- Christan
The word Christian was used as a derogatory term in those days. Studying a little history might help you understand the scriptures a little better. There are no instructions for being a "Christian" in the word of God. However there is a vast amount of instruction on how to be a disciple of Christ or follower of Christ.
Generally people who are followers of Christ have a much clearer understanding of scripture since they arent constantly grieving /quenching the Holy Spirit within them.
on 5/16/13
Mark V, the Word of God is Jesus Christ, not the bible, Rev. 19:13, John 1:14. Yes, you are right I don't have a clue what you are talking about because I am using the Words of Jesus and you are using the words of Paul and never the twain shall meet.
Have you read Rev 2 and 3? What is Jesus talking about when He tells the seven churches that they must overcome? Overcome what? Is overcoming not a work? What does Jesus mean in Rev. 2:16 when He tells the church at Pergamos to repent or He will fight against them with the sword in His mouth? Aren't they made righteous thru faith? Why does Jesus say that He will spit the Laodiceans out of His mouth? Why doesn't faith thru grace save them? What is the meaning of Rev 22:12?
on 5/16/13
Christian, if what you say is true and Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, then why in the world did Jesus give John all that wrong information in Rev. 12:17, Rev. 14:12 and Rev. 22:14? Can you explain those verses to me cause I really don't have a clue?
on 5/16/13
barb, you are obviously unawares and untaught that there are two kinds of "righteousness". One is the man's righteousness outside of faith and the other Christ's (who's God) righteousness.
The man's righteousness is explicitly declared in Isaiah 64:6 as
"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
As for Noah and the saints, the "righteousness" declared by God is because of Noah's faith in God, not earned through works. Similarly Paul wrote,
"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."
on 5/16/13
Warwick, You give the WTBTS too much credit for my skepticism. I learned more since I left than I did with them! I am a product of logic! Satan has not yet been bound! "Walks about like a roaring lion" bible says! There's not one shred of evidence that God has prevented him from "tampering" You are simply surmising! Is the bible an idol to you? (even translators tamper,.. right?)
Do you actually believe there are NO spurious verses?
If so, which translation would that be?
on 5/16/13
Cliff, having been mauled by the WTS you have had reason to be sceptical-once bitten, twice shy. This has left you a BiblioSceptic which will not allow you to have the simple acceptance Jesus desires. As Jesus said "anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it" Mark 10:15.
Do you imagine God has not thwarted Satan, and cannot do it again, and again, if necessary?
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God, as Scripture says. How much time do you spend reading through His word?
on 5/16/13
ROMANS 5:19 - For by ones man's disobedience many were made sinners, So by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
ROMANS 2:29 - But he is a jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not of men, and not in the letter ,but of God.
EZEKIEL 36:26 - A new heart also I will give you, and a new spirit will I put in you , I will take away the stoney heart out of your flesh, I will give you an heart of flesh.
PROVERBS 20:9 - Who can say I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin ?
{ God does the Work - God first has to change there heart and soul }
on 5/16/13
barb, you have no clue what I am talking about. You can string many words together and none of it is true, and what you say is not in the Word of God (the Bible). Paul wrote 13 books which are found in the New Testament. Your books I didn't find any.
You say Noah and Enoch were righteous, of course they were righteous, because they were saved by grace through Faith. Only those who are saved are righteous, and justified before God. I was speaking of the lost and
"no one lost seeks after God."
Only believers seek after God because they have faith in Him. Jesus said, only His sheep hear His voice and they follow Him. Unbelievers are not His sheep. If you had faith in the Word of God you would know that.
on 5/16/13
Mark V, Paul has strung a bunch of old testament verses together and tried to prove a point. Any of us could do the same. No one righteous? What about Noah? Gen 7:1 "for thee I have seen righteous before me in this generation." What about Enoch who was called blameless and perfect?
God does promise that those who seek Him with all their heart and soul will find Him. Duet 4:29. Jer 29:13 "And you shall seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart".
Of course not everyone is seeking God but those who do so with all of their heart will find Him. Sometimes we have to put our preconceived ideas aside so that we can hear the Truth. John 8:12, John 14:6.
on 5/16/13
Warwick, Cynical I'm not,suspicious I am, because we're in a battle of the mind! The enemy has bequilled the masses,as Hitler is reputed to have said "the bigger the lie, the more people believe it"
You imagine satan is not clever enough to plant a "mole" ? In the military we learned never underestimate the enemy!
Spiritual warfare is no different.
If you don't question what is written, you are putty in his hands!
on 5/15/13
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1st Cliff, can you hear yourself talking? You claim to be a Christian? Wow, what hypocrisy and lie you lead. If satan has anyone by the "palm of his hands", it's one who does not believe the Holy Bible is the written word of God, which is what you are proclaiming. If you don't believe the Holy Bible is from God, woe be to you is all that I can say.
Imagine calling yourself a Christian and having the audacity to then say,
"It's obvious that satan considers people like you "a piece of cake. You'll believe anything if it's written on holy paper!"
And you're a believer? Believer of what? Yourself? Is there even such a thing as
"holy paper"
? That's how void you are of faith from God.
on 5/16/13
barb, you say
"He enlightens the ignorant who seek Him with all their heart and soul."
I know you do not believe this but God does not choose anyone because of anything they do, for we are not save by any of our works of righteous deeds. Seeking God is not a part of those who are lost.
"As it is written:
There is none righteous, no, not one"
There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks after God,"
They have all turned aside,
They have together become unprofitable,
There is none who does good, no, not one,"
(Rom. 3:10-12). quotations from the Old Testament.
on 5/16/13
Cliff, gullible beats cynical every day.
I trust all God's word, but as a Christian I did not always, being of a sceptical, cynical nature. However after being antiChristian I made a commitment to Jesus, asking for forgiveness. A weight was immediately lifted from my shoulders. The memory is there but the hurt and guilt is gone. I began with little faith which has grown greatly from constant study of all His word-Romans 10:17. I am astounded at His word's accuracy and integrity.
Similarly I have come to know and absolutely trust my wife of many decades. I would happily put my life in her hands any day.
Both of these are a result of intimacy. Love does not grow in an attitude of cynicism, and scepticism.
on 5/15/13
Christian, It's obvious that satan considers people like you "a piece of cake". You'll believe anything if it's written on holy paper!
So gullible!
on 5/15/13
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Scott1, I have to agree with Barb in that Genesis is quoted from or alluded to, by Jesus and the apostles, all throughout the NT. In fact they quote from Genesis no less than 200 times, and always as sober historical fact.
on 5/15/13
1stCliff, the conversion of Paul from a persecutor of Christ to a Christian was a one time event to simply tell us that Paul was
"a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel"
, confirming the doctrine of Sovereign Election which is unconditional. So you can forget it happening to a Muslim or Hindu.
"You believe God picked him because "he said so"????"
You may think you are questioning Paul's account of his conversion but in actual fact, you are calling the account in the Word of God a big fat lie. Good for you.
on 5/15/13
Mark V, why do you think Jesus used sheep to identify His followers? Are sheep known for their intelligence? No, but they are known to flee from the enemy. God does not choose "smart" people, He enlightens the ignorant who seek Him with all their heart and soul.
On the other hand, goats are known to be stubborn and to butt their heads against the wall.
on 5/15/13
OK Mark, Supposing a Muslim or Hindu fell off his camel and said he talked to Jesus,would you believe him, especially if he still hung on to his beliefs?
Paul said "I AM" a Pharisee, son of a Pharisee (not used to be, or once was)Acts 23.6.
You believe God picked him because "he said so"????
So did Muhammad !
So did Joseph Smith
So did Ellen G White
So did Mary Baker Eddy
etc. etc....
on 5/14/13
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barb, when you were lost in your sins, you say,
"God did not pick me, I chose to follow Him thru the instructions He left which can be found in John 3, John 10, John 15 and all thru the writings of His eyewitness disciples."
You say God did not bring you to salvation. You, out of your own free will, and out of the goodness of your heart, you decided one day to have saving faith, and allow Jesus to save you. That makes you smarter then those who are not saved. Why do you think God made the other stupid? Because you are smarter. Wasn't it God who made you that way? And when you are on your knees, do you ask God to save your family members? Or do you just leave them to save themselves?
on 5/15/13
Scott, I don't have a problem with Genesis because Jesus spoke of Abraham, Noah and others mentioned in the book. Jesus also referred to Moses' writings in John 5:46 and he spoke of the Law and the Prophets many times so I trust the Pentateuch.
As for Judges, Chronicles, Ruth, Samuel, etc., I believe they are more histories than lessons. They do not, at least to me, affect salvation.
on 5/14/13
Mark V, I have never seen anyone here who thinks that Satan is equal to or has more power than God. Jesus tells us very plainly who Satan is in John 14:30 "Hereafter, I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world is coming and has NOTHING in me". Satan does not have the power of God but he is the prince of this world. God allows Satan to deceive because He does not want a bunch of robots who have no choice but to love and worship Him.
God did not pick me, I chose to follow Him thru the instructions He left which can be found in John 3, John 10, John 15 and all thru the writings of His eyewitness disciples.
I am not hand picked or predestined like you. No, I am a lowly sheep following my Shepherd.
on 5/14/13
Nikki, Christan was responding to barb, not you. I have also made that mistake myself when I answer someone for a long time, and answer somone else, I also forget I am not answering someone else.--Mark_V. on 5/14/13
Take it easy.
I myself had to apologize to someone for mixing him up with someone else.
That's why I was teasing him when told him he had me on his mind.
I knew he made a mistake.
I AM SORRY CHRISTAN, if you didn't get my tease.
I didn't mean anything of your honest mistake.
on 5/14/13
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//no trouble embracing Saul of Tarsus//
---1st_cliff on 5/14/13
What about Nicodemus in John CH 3 starting to become a "christian" a "follower" by CH 19:39, he was a chief pharisee also history tells that the rich young ruler was a pharisee and became a follower in the early church.
Also Barb and 1stCliff if you do not like 2nd hand stories you also need to get rid of Gensis written by Moses after the fact, Judges written by Samuel, 2nd Samuel not written by Samuel, 1 and 2 Chronicles written by Ezra, Ruth takes place during time of Judges written by Samuel during David's time, Deuteronomy was not in the writing style of Moses, it is a speech.
on 5/14/13
Since evangelical fundamentalists have no trouble embracing Saul of Tarsus then they will support a Muslim as a next great Christian leader (who still believes the Qoran???)
See the parallel?---1st_cliff on 5/14/13
No, can you tell me more.
You have my interest.
on 5/14/13
Nikki, Christan was responding to barb, not you. I have also made that mistake myself when I answer someone for a long time, and answer somone else, I also forget I am not answering someone else.
People here seem to think that satan has more power or equal power with God Almighty. They forget that God uses evil to bring good. Satan does not convert anyone to his family, all descendants of Adam are born into his family. It takes for a supernatural miracle by God to convert them to the family of God, by drawing them to Himself and turning them over to Christ.
1Cliff is shocked that God would pick a Pharisee like Paul to do His work, yet they forget God picked them when they were sinners themselves.
on 5/14/13
Since evangelical fundamentalists have no trouble embracing Saul of Tarsus then they will support a Muslim as a next great Christian leader (who still believes the Qoran???)
See the parallel?
on 5/14/13
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Nikki, and satan planting the tares among the wheat makes him more powerful then God? Seriously? Have you not read what God declared about evil?---christan on 5/13/13
Have me on your mind, huh?
I am lost.
on 5/13/13
Christian, don't blame Nikki, I wrote that piece about the wheat and the tares and I am not a Roman Catholic.
Satan's sowing of the tares was within the will and purpose of God or it would never have happened. How else would we know the truth if there were no lies to compare it to? Just as God allowed the serpent into the Garden of Eden, He allowed the tares to grow right along with the wheat. The difference is not even noticed until Harvest time which is at the end of the age.
1st Cliff, me and many others can see the difference so the Harvest must be getting close. Did you even take the time to read the parable that Jesus told and explained in detail to His followers?
on 5/13/13
James, You need to wear your glasses when responding to blogs..I said immortality of the "soul" not spirit. Is the wind, air breath (pneuma-spirit) immortal???
on 5/13/13
Nikki, and satan planting the tares among the wheat makes him more powerful then God? Seriously? Have you not read what God declared about evil?
"The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil."
Proverbs 16:4,
"...the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass, I have purposed it, I will also do it."
Isaiah 46:11
And you seriously think that satan planting the tares among the wheat happened outside of the will and purpose of God? Good for you. That's typical of the RC teachings, fear satan rather than
"fear God"
on 5/13/13
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James L, no there is no indictation that Isaiah's face shone, neither is there any indictation that he was struck blind.
Ezekiel 3:26 "I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellius house." God did not want Ezekiel to rebuke them until He opened his mouth and put His words into Ezekiel`s mouth, verse 27.
What is the reason for Paul`s blindness? What explanation did the light give Paul for blinding him?
on 5/13/13
Christian, you ask if God would allow Satan to coruupt His truth? Have you ever read the parable of the wheat and tares? Who planted the wheat (truth) and who planted the tares (lies)? Matt 13:37-43. Verse 39, "the enemy that sowed them is the devil".
Who scatters the sheep? John 10:12, Matt 7:15.
on 5/13/13
1stCliff, you give satan too much credit. Have you not read what Peter wrote?
"And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence,
even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
1 Peter 2:8
Reprobates are created and predestined for a purpose, and that's to be disobedient to the Word of God, which is acted out in unbelief which leads to eternal death. You forget, satan's main purpose of existence is to "deceive" the world and for you to believe that satan is more powerful then God Almighty, you've already been deceived.
Think carefully, would God "allow" satan to corrupt His Truth?
on 5/13/13
Did Paul's face shine?
John 12:41
These things Isaiah said because he saw His (Christ's) glory, and he spoke of Him.
The reference is to Isaiah 6, where Isaiah said:
Woe is me, for I am ruined!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips
For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
Isaiah saw the glory of Christ, too. Is there any indication that his face shone like Moses' ?
\\Didn't Jesus heal the blind? Did He ever blind anyone else?\\
---barb on 5/12/13
Ezekiel was made mute when He saw the glory of God (Ezek 3:22-27). Didn't Jesus heal a mute man too? - (Matt 9:32-33)
Why the need to make Ezekiel mute?
on 5/12/13
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\\Jesus denounced Phariseeism, Then turns around and picks one??\\
---1st_cliff on 5/12/13
You mean Pharis
ism ??
I think Cluny once said to someone that if you can't spell it right, you probably don't know enough about it to be a trusted source
Nevertheless, Jesus warned against the leaven of the Pharisees, their teachings (Matt 16:6 & 12)
Did He ever elaborate ?? YES
Matt 23:13-33 EIGHT woes. HOW MANY concerning the immortality of the spirit ?? ZERO
Woe to you, Russellites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
on 5/13/13
barb, you say to Christan,
" So, why are there so many denominations in the world if we all following the same Shepherd. John 10:1-5."
One reason why there is so many denominations is because of people that think like you do. You will not except parts of the Bible. Only what was spoken by Jesus and not what was written by other writers of Scripture.
Other people do the same. Or they change one small non-essential of the Christian faith. Every denomination has a reason. God does not care about denominations, He is only interested in the individuals. Denominations are not making it to heaven, only individuals saved by the grace of God.
on 5/13/13
Christian, You're like the blind leading the blind and totally naive if you think for one second that satan could not corrupt any bible writings!
on 5/12/13
"...Jesus denounced Phariseeism, then...picks one?? All pharisees believed in the soul immortality (in the body, out of the body, etc). That's not supported in Scripture! Secondly a non Jew,[?] non Apostle [?] wrote all this down as 2nd hand info.,Inspired??? It's like the non existing "plates" of Joseph Smith!"
---1st_cliff on 5/12/13
Really?! Based on what you said you don't believe all Scripture, as relates to Paul, is inspired of GOD.
Isn't it true God looks on & knows the hearts of men? Can't He choose who He wants to fulfill His will & purposes? Afterall He, not we, is GOD!
Your rejection of Paul goes much deeper than what you've said, but that's between you & GOD. Peace! :)
on 5/12/13
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Leon, You are very perceptive!
Jesus denounced Phariseeism, Then turns around and picks one?? All pharisees believed in the immortality of the soul (in the body, out of the body etc) that is not supported in scripture!
Secondly a non Jew, non Apostle wrote all this down as 2nd hand information.,Inspired??? it's like the non existing "plates" of Joseph Smith!
on 5/12/13
"I'm a follower of Jesus and do not call myself a Christian." barb
How on earth does that even make sense? How does one follow Christ and is not known as a Christian? What hypocrisy!
"And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."
Acts 11:26
"**when the bible declares..** The bible doesn't declare anything, the ones who wrote in it did the declaring." 1stCliff
Who spoke through the prophets? Was it not God through His Spirit? Was it then not God declaring what He needed to say? You're really above the pile compared to barb - a hypocrite and blasphemer.
on 5/12/13
I have some more questions. Why wasn't Moses blind when He came down from the mountain? His face shone but he still had his sight. Did Paul's face shine? Didn't Jesus heal the blind? Did He ever blind anyone else? Why didn't He heal Paul instead of sending him to someone else for healing? How come the men with Paul who saw the light weren't blinded?
on 5/12/13
I'm not trying to make the story say anything at all. Instead, I look for chronology from the commonality:
I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?......But get up and stand on your feet (ch 26)
This is the crux of the story in all 3 accounts.
In ch 26, they all fell down because of the light - BEFORE Jesus spoke
In ch 9, it is AFTER Jesus told Saul to get up that the others stood speechless, then Saul got up.
Jesus and Saul spoke back and forth for a few mintues. The other men (after they got up) stood speechless, probably because Saul was talking to this undiscernable sound
on 5/12/13
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James L, replying to your explanation of the falling down or standing men, I would have to say that I am going by the facts stated and not trying to make the story say what I want it to say. I wonder how Paul would know that the men fell down and then stood up if he was blinded.
on 5/12/13
Just wondering:
- It appears Saul was the only one who fell to the ground. Was he ahead of, behind or in the midst of the men when the light shined around him?
Maybe the other men distanced themselves from him because they thought he'd been struck by lightning!
- How close in proximity was Saul to the other men when Jesus engaged him in conversation?
Distance from speakers can obviously impede the hearing of others, especially if there are trees & other obstructions that block or deflect sound waves. The aforementioned conditions can also significantly impact what one can see.
- What was their mode of transportation? Were they
on the backs of horses/donkeys?
on 5/12/13
Christian, I'm a follower of Jesus and do not call myself a Christian. As a follower of Jesus, I have to question the events in the bible when they do not agree with the Law and the Prophets and the Words of Jesus as given to us by the eyewitness disciples.
Yes, Jesus promised His disciples (followers) that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth. Jesus prayed for His present and future followers (us) in John 17:20 and He also prays for His Father to sanctify us in Truth, John 17:17. He goes on to pray that we will all be one and have unity in Him. So, why are there so many denominations in the world if we all following the same Shepherd. John 10:1-5.
on 5/12/13
"And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, HEARING A VOICE, but seeing no man" Acts 9:7
"And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid, but they HEARD NOT THE VOICE OF HIM THAT SPAKE TO ME." Acts 22:9
In 9:7 they heard "A" voice, but it does not say whos voice they heard or thought they heard, or even if they heard words as opposed to other vocal sounds.
And 22:9 is specific, the voice of HIM that spoke to me (Christ).
Whatever they heard, it seems to simply mean that they did not recognize Christ, indicated by the voice of HIM THAT SPOKE to me
on 5/12/13
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Christian **when the bible declares..**
The bible doesn't declare anything, the ones who wrote in it did the declaring.
An attempt at sanctimony!
on 5/12/13
"However, if someone is reading the flawed King James Version the details do look different and conflicted." JamesL
Now the Holy Bible of the KJV is flawed? So which version to you think is not flawed or is there any version other then your RC version?
Seriously, if there's anything that's flawed in this world is mankind after the fall or do you also not believe this? The only thing that's truthful and accurate is the Holy Bible which we are told is God breathed and inspired by His Holy Spirit.
And if that you cannot believe when told by the Holy Bible, you're deserving the wrath of God.
on 5/12/13
"If no one saw who Paul was talking to and no one heard the conversation, Why should anyone believe him??
500 witnesses were reputed to have seen the burning cross in the sky and the words In Hoc Vinces with Constantine....but turns out he was the only one who actually saw it !!!!"
---1st_cliff on 5/11/13
I'm reasonably sure you didn't know Paul personally, so I can only conclude that he has said something(s) in his writings that significantly goes against your grain (your core beliefs), thereby seriously offending you Cliff. What is it?!
on 5/12/13
\\your advise to people is to "take it with a grain of salt"?\\
---christan on 5/11/13
What I agreed with is
if the details are different
we should take them with a grain of salt
I had explained that the details AREN'T different, they just aren't all included in every account. That's why I asked if every detail needs to be recounted every time he tells the story.
However, if someone is reading the flawed King James Version the details do look different and conflicted
on 5/12/13
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Bro. Christan, I agree with your statement very much. How can a Christian believer, ever believe in the Word of God if they have no faith in the Word of God? How can they live their lives walking with Christ, when they don't know how to walk? God speaks to the believer through His Word, and they don't have faith in His Word. How can they argue Scripture if they don't believe in Scripture?
I can understand 1Cliff and athiest arguing, they always speak from the flesh, what they see themselves with their own eyes, But with faith,
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen"
(Heb. 11:1). What many need is a sign so they can believe.
on 5/12/13
barb & JamesL - so, when the Bible declares,
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
, your advise to people is to
"take it with a grain of salt"
Or even when the Bible declares,
"and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins."
, your advise to people is to
"take it with a grain of salt"
You both make light at the Word of God, to which Christ declared,
"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."
Matthew 5:13
on 5/11/13
\\most of the details....take it with a grain of salt.\\
---barb on 5/11/13
I agree. That's the point I was trying to make. Consider that there are three contexts:
1) ch 9 - Luke records it for Christian readers, with all the details of the weight of the incident
2) ch 22 - Paul's defense in front of Jews. Details would possibly sway some. This was more than likely building to a long discourse, but he was cut off before he finished his entire defense (22:22)
3) ch 26 - Paul's defense in front of Agrippa. A much shorter account because he was only defending himself in a court, not defending his message and apostleship
As for the men with him, standing or falling - your response to my earlier explanation?
on 5/11/13
"Why can't Paul keep his story straight?" barb
It's truly amazing that one dare call herself a Christian and question the accounts written in the Holy Bible to be confusing and contradicting. Is that how
"true faith"
from God acts out in unbelief of the Word that He has so graciously given to His people?
Is the Holy Spirit even present in you? Have you ever question yourself before you decided to even question the Word? Didn't Christ promise,
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth"
on 5/11/13
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there are no contradictions in God's Word. both the verses is paul is on his way to Damascus and God got his attention. you can have 6 people at one event and they will all have their account. none will be exactly the same. acts 9:7 the men heard God but saw nothing. in acts 22:9, some who traveled with paul saw a light and heard no voice but some heard a voice but saw no man. you have 2 accounts of the same thing but the the men traveling with paul saw it in a different way.
on 5/11/13
If no one saw who Paul was talking to and no one heard the conversation, Why should anyone believe him??
500 witnesses were reputed to have seen the burning cross in the sky and the words In Hoc Vinces with Constantine....but turns out he was the only one who actually saw it !!!!
on 5/11/13
This is what happened to Paul & those with him on the Damascus road: The men with him heard the Lord's voice, but they couldn't understand what He was saying. However, Paul both heard & understood Jesus!
The entire New Testament was originally written in Greek. The word
is used in both Acts 9:7 & 22:9. Like many other words it has different meanings that vary depending on the context in which it is used.
It can mean to both
and to
As Francis has correctly stated, "The men did hear something, but did not understand the conversation. They did not know what Paul & Jesus spoke about." Therefore, no contradiction exists.
on 5/11/13
barb, you now say,
"Why can't Paul keep his story straight? Should we blame Luke who wrote Acts or did Luke just write down the facts as Paul told them?"
Barb, the writers of scripture were inspired to write what the Spirit directed them to write. Sometimes they were led to write what they witnessed, others times they were led to write what a certain person said at the time. I believe you are looking to find fault against Paul anyway you can. You are not looking for the Truth of God's Word and miss the revealed inspired word of God.
on 5/11/13
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Why are we so quick to assume their are contradictions in the Bible just because WE don't understand something?
1. We were not there at the time.
2. Languages are not the same as centuries ago.
3. We are not God.
Just saying "I don't understand" is so hard for so many.
on 5/11/13
James L, yes, most of the details should be the same. If I tell you a story and you hear me repeat it two more times and each time I tell it the details are different I hope you would take it with a grain of salt.
on 5/11/13
no contradictions
Acts 9:7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
Acts 22:9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
The men did hear something, but did not understand the conversation. they did not know what Paul and Jesus spoke about
on 5/11/13
\\Acts 26 where the whole story is different...\\
---barb on 5/11/13
...leading him by the hand...into Damascus...there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias...
..."Get up and go into Damascus"...but since I could not see, I was led by the hand...into Damascus. A certain Ananias...who lived there...
Acts 26:19-20
So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the Heavenly vision, but kept declaring both
Does every detail need to be recounted every time he tells the story?
on 5/11/13
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Christian, I'm not talking about Acts 9 or Acts 22. Read Acts 26 where the whole story is different and the spirit gives Paul instructions right there on the road to Damascus without blinding him or sending him to Anaias and then Paul goes out preaching.
We are indeed told that the men who stood speechless in Acts 9 fall down in Acts 26. They must have remained speechless because they never ever came to Paul's defense, not even the ones who supposedly heard the voice and understood.
on 5/11/13
\\What about Acts 26:14-18? Here the men with Paul all fall down while in Acts 9 they stand speechless.\\
---barb on 5/10/13
If you look carefully, they all fell down because of the light, not the voice.
AFTER the all fell down, Jesus told Paul
in the Hebrew dialect
to get up (26:14 - for Peter 9556)
They more than likely all stood up and began dusting themselves off after hitting the dirt.
I would surmise that the other men heard rumblings and thunderous sounds and stood speechless, wondering what was it was
while Paul heard and understood the voice of Christ
on 5/11/13
First and foremost, Scripture NEVER contradict Scripture, period. If there's a contradiction, it's you who's confused.
Acts 9:7, it was only Saul who was
"hearing a voice, but seeing no man"
whereas those around him
"stood speechless"
when Saul was struck down by the Lord.
And Acts 22:9, completes and confirms Acts 9:7,
"And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me."
See? No contradiction. It's your understanding that's erroneous that leads to contradiction.
on 5/10/13
Richard C and Gordon: Please remember that what you read is in English, while the 'approved' scripture is in Greek, while we have NO idea in what language in what language God spoke to Saul - it might have been Hebrew, or Aramaic, but Greek seems not so likely.
So we have two translations, and so the absolute identical 'wording' may be slightly changed - but not the meaning
on 5/10/13
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Gordon, there is no contradiction in the Bible. Acts 22:9 does not contradict Acts 9:7 since Jesus spoke only to Paul, only he understood the Lord's words. His companions heard the sound, but could not make out the words see an example in (John 12:29).
In Acts 9:7 the writer, which we believe to be Luke, is giving testimony as to what happen to Paul, in Acts 22:9 Paul himself is speaking, and the writer of Acts is quoting what he was saying.
on 5/11/13
RICHARDC and willie_c, So, the others heard the "sound" of the Voice, but, they did not understand what the Voice said, nor did they know Who it was that made the Sound. That would explain it. For, the Scriptures do not really ever contradict themselves. But, when I noticed the two appearing differences, it threw me at the first. It's also like JOHN 12:28-29, when the Father's Voice spoke from Heaven to His Son and the surrounding hearers thought it had merely thundered, not recognizing the Voice of Father God. Thanks for the input!
on 5/10/13
What about Acts 26:14-18? Here the men with Paul all fall down while in Acts 9 they stand speechless. And in Acts 26 there is no mention of blindness or Ananias instead Paul goes immediately out to preach repentance.
Why can't Paul keep his story straight? Should we blame Luke who wrote Acts or did Luke just write down the facts as Paul told them?
If God has protected everything in the holy inspired bible when did He stop doing so? Why does He allow mistranslated or contradictory versions now? Jer 8:8-9.
on 5/10/13
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Adaptogenic Golden Milk Hot Chocolate
Since I love you guys, I'm going to share one of the recipes from today's "A Very Golden New Year" online Facebook event right here on the blog.
Today's recipe is an adaptogenic Golden Milk Hot Chocolate featuring one of the hottest ingredients in the wellness world right now, ashwagandha. What is an adaptogen you ask? Basically, adaptogens are things that help your body achieve optimum homeostasis for prime health and wellness.
Ashwagandha is an ancient Ayurvedic herb that can lower blood sugar levels, reduce cortisol, boost brain function, give you better sleep AND help fight symptoms of anxiety and depression. Combined with the Superfood raw cacao+my Golden Milk Powder, its a delicious way of achieving that #WellnessWarrior status. The easy recipe is below.
- 1/2 tsp Ashwagandha Powder
- 1/2 tsp Golden Milk Superfood Powder
- 1.5 tsp raw cacao
- 1 cup soy milk (or any vegan milk)
- 2 Tbs agave (adjust to taste)
- Combine all ingredients in a pot.
- Use a milk frother or whisk to combine.
- Heat until warm, but not to boiling
- Pour into a mug and enjoy!
*Makes one serving
©2018 Cazoshay Marie. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cazoshay Marie with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
*D.I.D. with Cazoshay and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All material is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health related program.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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This toy is a great addition to your play kitchen or blender
Add them to pretend cooking classes or give them to your little gardeners.
This eco-friendly wool felt toys seem to delight both children and adults.
Encouraging open-ended play, role play and fostering imagination in our little ones.
Papoose Toys are unique and original, safe for children and engaging minds and fingers for hours of fun play and learning. Whilst sourcing natural materials we keep in mind the impact on the planet and the communities that make our products for us.
We source Fair Trade makers where possible and trade fairly with our many artisans: usually small family businesses.


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What we do
We provide asset managers with world-class distribution management solutions. Our client data platform enables you to more effectively drive sales growth by targeting the right person and to more intelligently manage your business.
Learn more
Interested in learning more about what we do and how we can help you? Check out our:


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Why Drink Water (or Why Drink More Water)
As human beings, we need water and food in order to survive (doh! first answer to the question Why Drink Water) . How much and what we eat, how much and what we drink, this depends on each one of us and we can feel better or … Read more


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Doors open at 7:00 PM for Noble Silence (private meditation practice). At 7:30 PM we will have our group meditation for 20 minutes. This is followed by a Dharma topic offering with Marc - "The Third Noble Truth"
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: October 8Sunday Sitting
Later Event: October 15Sunday Sitting


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A while ago I nominated my homegirl Nancy for an Agape Foundation Peacemaker prize, which they won for their life-changing (and saving) work in the Mission (SF) with Latino/a youth, taking their love for their set/block/hood and turning it into love for the people, our struggle and freedom. When nominating her, I asked Nancy, "you wanna be nominated? Or the organization?" she snapped "You ain't shit wit'out your Homies!" H.O.M.E.Y. stands for Homeys Organizing the Mission to Empower Youth. They were a part of a recent shutdown of the I.C.E. (Immigration Control [ha] and Enforcement) who has been unjustly deporting and detaining mission residents who are the life blood of the city on some homeland paranoia/prison industry bullshit. Here are some photos.
These are a few of my Homies that I ain't shit without...
MATTHEW AFRICA is my ace. He busts the dope moves on mix tapes and up in the club. He and DJ Eleven collaborated the definitive "DIRTY RAPS... the Best of Too $hort" mix last year, and he is still driving the ladies (of age of course) wild with the double disc "Dirty R&B... the Best of R. Kelly." He and I make party every Saturday up at Kitty's in Emeryville at a night called Crazy From The Heat! Matthew is like my personal library of dope music. He's always hella generous and willing to talk music over some dranks. His latest and greatest is "HARD AS FUCK VOL. 4" on Beer and Rap which will have you stompin' the shit out of somebody in no time!
DJ ELEVEN of (((LOCAL1200))) fame is the tallest DJ on record and we go back so far I hooked him with his name. He laces the ladies, gents, boys and girls with the get sweaty heavy heavy monster sound at The Rub in Brooklyn every first Saturday with the dudes Cosmo and Ayers. Like B-Legit said the dude is "so international" and i would agree. He rep'd the Town on the Best of Too $hort with Matthew Africa and has made like A BIZILLION other DOPE mix projects that stay in rotation round the world. He and The Rub homies kicked the shit out of a huge undertaking unlike any other in their take on the "HISTORY OF HIP HOP" series that plays all the platters that matter from 1979 to today! Hot damn!
SAKE ONE my (((LOCAL1200))) crewfam makes sure the Bay's soundtrack to the struggle for freedom, justice, and equality always has its proper dose of dynomite soul! My man is the Bay's foremost record slayer and holds down the best weekly nights in Fog Town. PACIFIC STANDARD TIME (tuesday) and COLORS (thursdays). Sake stands tall amongst us freedom fighting party mongers who put it where our hearts are and still makes the ladies say "Owwwwwww." For real doe, my man is a Legacy in this line of work and makes good like the champ he is! Here is a live mix he rocked at Colors (early set), at the behest of his moms I think.
I could go on and on! Fuck it, think I'll go weekly with it... HOMIE LOVE. Word!
In Struggle,
p.s. Big up Fred Savage of SUCKA FREEZE!


text:
MINNEAPOLIS (CBSNewYork/AP) — Yankees slugger Aaron Judge took on-field batting practice Monday for the first time since breaking his right wrist July 26.
The five-round session included home runs to all fields by the 2017 AL Rookie of the Year.
"It went really well. Another big step for him to get out on the field," said manager Aaron Boone, who called the performance "putting on a show."
MORE: Sanchez Leads Barrage As Yankees Blast Twins
Judge is second on the team with 26 home runs and has 61 RBIs while hitting .285 in 99 games. He's also struck out 137 times in 372 at-bats.
Judge took indoor batting practice the last two days in Seattle and said Sunday the wrist still hurts. He did not speak to media before Monday's game in Minnesota.
Assuming Judge feels good Tuesday, Boone said he anticipates Judge taking more swings, potentially during group batting practice.
Boone cannot put a timetable on when Judge could be back in the lineup.
"We're not at that point to where we're going to throw him in the games yet or something," he said. "We just want to get through these next couple days where he starts ramping up the amount of swings out on the field and continues to build that momentum."
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)


text:
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text:
(for spoken version read aloud by the author, click here)
It's the cry of despair I've heard far too many times from across the table. Where once upon a time, in the heat of some savage moment, somebody made an outrageously terrible mistake. One that would irrevocably alter the next 5…7…15…25 years of their life. 5…7…15…25 seconds of pure reckless abandon that would haunt their every waking moment from that time forth; that would stain their orange prison jumpsuit with sweat from the nightmares that grieved them in their sleep.
And now, here they sit with me. Their earth-weary eyes, so ragged and sad, are welling up with bitter tears. At a loss for true words, I look away as if to search for them, and whenever I reestablish eye contact, there is a melancholy on their face that can be felt.
People like "Jay," who was arrested ten years ago for breaking and entering a house he burgled to feed his heroin addiction. Or like "Ricky," who once assaulted a police officer after committing a heinous crime. Or, like "Maria," whose facial tattoos etched from her jail cell were as grisly as the aftermath the crystal meth had inflicted upon her frame.
"They wouldn't love me," "Jay" gently laments to me with this erratic cadence.
"I was so happy to be there," he elaborates. "Couldn't wait to get there. I did my time. I learned from my mistakes. I came out a changed man, all brand new! But they wouldn't accept me. It was like no one cared about me. Until three of the biggest men there came up to me and told me that I wasn't welcomed and that it was time to go."
Where this becomes heartbreaking and in other ways, downright infuriating, is that this kind of thing didn't happen to them at a bar, at the public library or at a job interview. It happened to them in churches. By people who wear the name of Jesus Christ.
It wasn't the facial tattoos, though they were certainly a factor. It wasn't that they smelled differently than everyone else, though it played a role in it . What brought about the rejection and the ostracizing more than anything else was that somebody had the dirt on them.
"It was the mug shots," "Ricky" says. "When someone is arrested, they put it up there for all the world to see."
"One of them took my name down and googled me and they found all my mug shots on the internet from way back when. I told them exactly what happened with each one. I came clean and told them that I was guilty of those things. And then I shared the story of the pastor who told me about Jesus, and about the day he baptized me and how I came out of that jail a child of God. I pointed at those mug shots and told them, 'That's not who I am anymore! I know that some people break the law again after getting out. But I'm walking with Jesus now. I'm your brother in Christ."
And that was when they told him it was time to go and appointed three bouncers to send him right back into the street he had come in from.
And it was then as I sat there, having once again heard the cry of despair from yet another rejuvenated human being, in a different place, with similar details but with the identical, sick outcome, that it fiercely registered in my mind.
In the eyes of the law of our land? They very well may have been the only ones in the room with the mug shots. But in the eyes of God throughout our lives? They're not the only ones with the mug shots.
We all have blood on our hands. We all have an excruciating past. Every single one of us have skeletons in our closets. And in the attic. And in our basement. And in the trunk of our car. And buried six feet deep in our backyard. We all have stepped into the darkness and made the demons gush with glee. We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
And no matter how hard we may try to excuse our carnality away, making ourselves to be harmless misdemeanor sinners, while looking at the "Ricky's" and the "Maria's" and the "Jay's" of the world as the felony sinners, we've all committed outrageously terrible heinously savage sin crimes against our Creator. Every last one of us has a rap sheet.
I have never been arrested for anything in my life. I've never been to jail. In the eyes of the government databases, I have an immaculate criminal record.
But, I had a spiritual rap sheet. I had so many mug shots from my crimes against the kingdom of God, that it froze the screen and shortcircuited the computers.
Imagine it – an embarrassing, disheveled mug shot for every single time that we have ever sinned.
I know sometimes we like to think that serial killers and rapists and pedophiles and people who commit bestiality are running around committing the real sins; the big sins. But the crimes of lying, of worry, of selfishness, of cowardice once had us in the same pin as the Charles Manson's and the Ted Bundy's of the earth. It doesn't matter what sin one commits – the very first sin we ever committed made us a bunch of Jeffrey Dahmer's. One sin made us lawbreakers and necessitated the Lamb of God to offer Himself as the sacrifice.
But it's also what makes me the happiest. The one person in Scripture who reminds me the most of myself isn't Abraham or Moses or Paul. It's Barabbas.
Barabbas was the notorious thieving-insurrectionist-killer who was inexplicably exonerated when he should have been executed. What set him free was Jesus being crucified in his place and becoming sin itself so that He might make Barabbas and us and the entire human family the antithesis of what we were – the righteousness of the Divine.
There we sat in our jail cells. Haunted night and day. Guilty of every disturbing detail our rap sheet had documented. But now, thanks to the grace of heaven, such a one that reaches even me and even you, our chains have been unshackled, our prison cells are swinging open in the night and the criminal record listing all our felonies has been erased and replaced with our names being added into the registry of heaven.
We can look at those mug shots and know – "That's not who I am anymore."
Until then, the "Jay's," the "Maria's" and the "Ricky's of our broken world continue to search for someone who will love them. Someone who will acknowledge their transformation. And someone to celebrate life in Christ with.
What a sadness it is – that everyone else in the circle gets to be forgiven and to be defined no longer by their worst day. But certain people's must forever be ostracized and defined by those 5…7…15…25 seconds of their life, because of what happened in '83.
Perhaps the way we will learn to destroy this practice is to view the grace of God as something that's even more blessed to give than it is to receive. Then, as it is in any real family, "me" becomes "us;" "mine" becomes "ours," and suddenly, now we're sharing Jesus and we're sharing redemption instead of trying to hoard Him all to ourselves.
"Jay" found that belonging at long last sometime later when he discovered not all churches are like the one he experienced. "I'm back!" he exclaimed to me with the smiling exuberance of a first grader.
I'll never know if "Maria" or "Ricky" ever did.
What I do know is, whenever we encounter the "Maria's" and "Ricky's" of our future, we need to address and own up to the elephant in the room: that their mug shots and crimes are no less hellish than ours were.
And then, if we do, when we look into their faces, we will see who we used to be, looking back at us.
"When Paul (*the one who called himself the chief of all the sinners) came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus."
– Acts 9:26-27


text:
Humans are pack animals. Sure, there are always those who live in solitude, interacting little with the outside world, but most of humanity seeks community, conversation and connectivity. Sports teams are a great example of this. For instance, coaches work to instill a deep sense of unity...
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I'm ambitious.
I want what I want and I'm not afraid to bust my a** to get there.
So what's my plan?
1. Continue Growing My Freelance Writing Career
2. Continue Growing My Blog Following
3. Continue Helping A Private Client Grow Their Online Business
How am I going to reach them?
1. I'm going to cut out a block of time to send proposals to potential new freelance clients on Upwork.
2. I'm going to continue to create helpful content for my followers so that they can stay inspired, find the resources they need to succeed, and continue expanding their minds so they can be happy every single day.
3. I'm going to do all the necessary backend work to improve traffic to the clients website as well as continue our fluid plan to always be adding and subtracting with what is working and not working with our particular niche.
You see what I did there?
This is something that us as entrepreneurs, passionate individuals, and people with a lot on our plates need to do consistently.
Creating a list of what you want and then creating a coinciding list of how you're going to accomplish those things will keep you on track and productive. When something is written down you can't forget to do it or procrastinate it without being very aware that you are procrastinating.
Keep them realistic. If you want make two lists. A list of your goals this week and how you're going to reach them and then another list of your life goals and how you're going to reach those.
Get creative and find what works for you. This is all fluid so tweak it to make it serve you.
Don't forget to enjoy the hustle!


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Expert picks best cars for LIers to driveBy Ted Starkey
Between long commutes, harsh weather and some of the worst traffic in the country, Long Islanders have a long list of must-haves when it comes to driving in Nassau and Suffolk.
Newsday asked Jennifer Stockburger, director of operations for Consumer Reports' auto test center in Connecticut, about which vehicles would be the best fit for Long Islanders based on the many obstacles residents face on a daily and yearly basis.
Check out some of her picks below:
Toyota Corolla
Small sedans with their typically better-than-average fuel economy are a good fit for Long Islanders who face long commutes, Stockburger said. One of her picks is the Toyota Corolla, which she said offers reliability, owner satisfaction and standard auto emergency braking. A new 2018 Corolla retails from $18,600 to $22,780.
Mazda 3
Another small sedan that Stockburger recommended for Long Islanders is the Mazda 3, which offers 32 miles per gallon, reliability, owner satisfaction, good handling and transmission, as well as high-end options and standard automatic emergency braking, Stockburger said. The 2018 Mazda 3 starts at $18,095.
Subaru Forester
For those who want a slightly bigger vehicle that can handle the snow on Long Island, as well as haul around your stuff, small and midsized SUVs offer all-wheel drive and provide good visibility. The 2018 Subaru Forester costs between $22,795 and $36,090, offers 26 miles per gallon, excellent reliability, braking and a roomy interior and controls, Stockburger said.
Toyota Highlander
Another SUV Stockburger recommended for Long Islanders is the Toyota Highlander, which retails for between $31,030 and $48,280, and offers 25 miles per gallon for the hybrid version, and 21 mpg for the standard version. The Highlander offers reliability, is quiet and roomy, has three rows, and is versatile, as well as offers infotainment and standard automatic emergency braking, according to Stockburger.
For those in the market for a luxury SUV to handle Long Island winters, the BMW X3 offers 24 miles per gallon, with very good reliability and owner satisfaction, and very good handling, Stockburger said. The X3 costs from $42,650 to $54,500.
Audi Q7
Another luxury SUV model is the Audi Q7, which costs from $49,900 to $56,400. It gets 20 miles to the gallon, has very good reliability, excellent owner satisfaction and powertrain, is quiet, and offers towing, three rows of seating, standard AEB, according to Stockburger.
Ford F-150
For those who want a pick-up trucks and a big vehicle to pick up mulch and other landscaping materials, or for towing their boat or trailer in the summer, one of those recommended by Stockburger is the Ford F-150, which offers good reliability, 19 miles per gallon, a quiet cabin, good acceleration and towing and payload capacities. A 2018 F-150 can range quite a bit in price, starting at $27,705 and going up to $64,275.
Toyota Tundra
Another good pickup truck option for Long Islanders is the Toyota Tundra, Stockburger said, which costs between $31,120 and 50,130. It offers reliability, 15 miles per gallon, as well as a good powertrain, towing capacity, a low-effort tailgate, and standard automatic emergency braking.
BMW 2 series
There's no better way to enjoy a drive to the beach in the summer time than feeling the breeze in a convertible. For those looking for a more luxury driving experience on Long Island, Stockburger suggested the BMW 2 series, which includes a convertible option and costs between $34,950 and $54,500. The 2 series has good reliability and owner satisfaction, acceleration and handling. The 2018 BMW M2 model offers 25 miles per gallon.
Audi TT
Another sporty model on Stockburger's list is the Audi TT, which is offered in a convertible as well. The TT offers 26 miles per gallon, has good reliability and owner satisfaction, agility, comfort, and costs $43,950 to $64,900.
Toyota Prius Three
For those looking for a more environmentally friendly vehicle with improved gas mileage, as well as eligible for the Clean Pass program to use the HOV lane on the Long Island Expressway, the Toyota Prius Three fits the bill, Stockburger said. This hybrid offers 52 miles per gallon, good reliability and owner satisfaction, and is a versatile hatchback with standard automatic emergency braking, Stockburger said. The Prius Three costs between $23,475 and $30,565.


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Emphasizes importance of the role of small business in securing Canada's economic recovery
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Jan. 25, 2011) - Today, the Harper Government recognized 2011 as the Year of the Entrepreneur, highlighting the essential role that small and medium-sized businesses will play in securing Canada's ongoing economic recovery. The announcement was made by the Honourable Rob Moore, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), and the Honourable Ted Menzies, Minister of State (Finance).
"Our government's top priority is the economy," said Minister of State Moore. "As we move into the next phase of Canada's Economic Action Plan, Canada's outstanding entrepreneurs and the small and medium-sized business community will play even greater roles in securing our fragile economic recovery. Designating 2011 as the Year of the Entrepreneur marks the symbolic beginning of the new phase of that recovery."
The Year of the Entrepreneur designation also recognizes the enormous contribution of our entrepreneurs to Canada's current economic success, and the resilience and innovation Canadian entrepreneurs demonstrated during the most challenging days of the global economic recession. This designation also coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and the 15th anniversary of the Canadian Youth Business Foundation.
"Canada's continued economic recovery will be stimulated by the private sector, and our goal is to make it easier for small businesses to invest and create jobs," said Minister of State Menzies. "Our government has already dramatically reduced taxes for Canada's entrepreneurs and job creators, and we have aggressively cut the red tape they face. Throughout 2011, we will continue to work with the small business community to ensure that it is best positioned to continue doing what it does best: drive the economy forward."
2011: Year of the Entrepreneur
The Harper Government is committed to supporting small businesses and has established programs and services to stimulate economic growth, create more jobs for Canadians and help businesses compete and succeed in the global marketplace. The government's designation of 2011 as the Year of the Entrepreneur marks a new phase in Canada's Economic Action Plan and begins building on the significant action the government has already taken to help entrepreneurs do what they do best: drive the economy forward.
Since taking office, the Harper Government has taken the following action for small business:
Tax Relief: The Harper Government has delivered more than $200 billion in tax relief to Canadians since 2006, enabling entrepreneurs to put more of their revenues back into their businesses. The amount of business income eligible for the small business tax rate of 11 percent was raised to $500,000 from $300,000.
Cutting Red Tape: The Harper Government has eliminated almost 80,000 red tape requirements for small and medium-sized businesses since 2009. Most recently, Prime Minister Stephen Harper launched the Red Tape Reduction Commission on January 13, 2011, in order to find further ways to reduce the burden of federal regulatory requirements on Canadian enterprises. Budget 2010: Leading the Way on Jobs and Growth created a private sector committee, the Advisory Committee for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, to provide the government with information, advice and recommendations on the most important concerns facing Canada's small businesses.
Help for Small Businesses: Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Harper Government is delivering $15 million annually to support the Canada Business network. Canada Business provides essential information to help business owners start up and grow their businesses, all of which is available through a national website, a national toll-free telephone line and 13 regional service centres. The government also established BizPaL, another online service that simplifies the business permit and licence process for entrepreneurs, governments, and third-party business service providers.
Business Financing: The Canada Small Business Financing Program supports about $1 billion in loans to approximately 10,000 small businesses each year to help them get started or make improvements and expand. The government raised the maximum loan amount under this program to $350,000 from $250,000 and up to $500,000 for real property, as part of Canada's Economic Action Plan.
Commercializing Research: The Harper Government is supporting the commercialization of research and development for small and medium-sized businesses through programs such as the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Innovation Commercialization Program, or "Kickstart," that was launched in 2010 with $40 million over two years to improve their productivity and competitiveness.
Promoting Entrepreneurship: Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Harper Government provided the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) with $10 million in funding over two years to give young entrepreneurs access to business loans and mentoring services to help them start up and operate new businesses. In addition, each year, the Small Business Internship Program helps about 400 students across Canada gain valuable experience and helps entrepreneurs adopt an active e-business strategy that adds to their competitiveness.
Debit and Credit Code of Conduct: Introduced by the Harper Government, and passed into law last year, this Code encourages choice and competition in the credit and debit market for the benefit of consumers and merchants. It promotes fair business practices and ensures merchants and consumers clearly understand the costs and benefits of credit and debit cards. It also gives merchants increased pricing flexibility to encourage consumers to choose the lowest-cost payment option. And it allows merchants to freely choose which payment options they will accept.
Contact Information: Office of the Honourable Rob Moore
Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism)
Catherine Godbout
613-668-5406 (cell)
Industry Canada
Media Relations
Office of the Honourable Ted Menzies
Minister of State (Finance)
Annette Robertson
Department of Finance Canada
Media Relations


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Clive Efford (Eltham) (Lab): Thames Gateway is changing east London for the better; indeed, enormous and rapid change is taking place. Depending on whom we talk to or whom we get the figures from, it appears that 150,000 to 200,000 homes will be built. Already, my borough has seen an enormous growth in the local population. People are starting to talk about what is happening to our public services and the demands made of our local health service, local schools, local police and so forth. I know from talking to my constituents that those issues are being discussed. We need to set out clearly our proposals for meeting the needs of the new population in the Thames Gateway area.
Jobs are important. Depending on where one acquires the statistics, between 120,000 and 150,000 jobs will be created in the Thames Gateway area. Hon. Members whose constituencies are close to the area, but are not necessarily part of it, ask the same question as I have consistently raised in debates on regeneration programmes: how do we ensure that the benefits reach the wider community? Transport infrastructure is particularly important because it allows the wider community to access the Thames Gateway regeneration and benefit from the economic activity that it stimulates.
I want to mention the peninsula at north Greenwich, which saw the grand opening of the Jubilee line five years ago. One can now leave the dome on the peninsula and get to St. John's Wood more quickly than to my constituency, which is in the same borough as the dome.
There has been a serious planning failure in what I call the second phase of development of transport infrastructure. We have not thought enough about how we feed into the new transport hubs that we are creating, which is so important for the wider community's ability to access the benefits. When I spoke previously about the need to improve transport links in south-east London, I referred to young people in my constituency who want to go to the cinema in north Greenwich. It is a three quarters of an hour bus ride away—a large chunk out of a young person's day, especially when he has to use public transport to travel there and back—and represents a serious block on those young people accessing that service. We need to pay more attention to ensuring that these schemes properly link up to the wider community, and we need to take all sections of the community into account.
I would be failing my constituents if I did not raise the issue of Crossrail. It is essential for London and will generate about 40 per cent. of the total anticipated capacity needs for transport across London. It is expected to carry about 250,000 people during peak times such as the morning rush hour and will be essential for linking east London with the more prosperous west and with Heathrow and beyond in the future.
As the Minister will be aware, there are currently no proposals for establishing a station at Woolwich, yet Woolwich is a major transport hub for south-east London. It is the nearest place at which my constituents could access the Crossrail service. The current proposal is that it will not stop anywhere between the Isle of Dogs and Abbey Wood—a six-mile stretch of Crossrail. There is no similar stretch without a station in between and it bypasses one of our major town centres.
This may sound like a whinge—it is a whinge!—but I have to say that if we were talking about west London, bypassing a town centre in that way would not be contemplated. In previous debates on infrastructure projects, I have referred to other examples such as the Hammersmith and City line. Someone who suggested that that line should bypass Hammersmith, Broadway—a transport hub with bus and other links to west London—and stop instead at Ravenscourt Park down the road would have been laughed out of court.
Yet that is exactly what is being proposed, even though Woolwich in south-east London is already a big transport hub.
The transport links that I have described are even more essential when one considers that my area does not have access to the tube network or to the docklands light railway. The DLR will reach Woolwich in the next five or six years, but the wider community will still suffer from a lack of direct access to public transport. That makes the development of a local transport hub even more essential, so that people can access all the different modes of transport. In that way, we can encourage the use of public transport and go some way towards dealing with the growing demand for road space in south-east London.
That demand will only be exacerbated by the current rate of development. We must consider how we address some of the current problems in my constituency, which is located at the confluence of the A2 and the A20. There are enormous traffic congestion problems there, and improved transport links are absolutely vital. To that end, we must develop the transport hub at Woolwich.
I went to Stratford this week, to see the preparations for the 2012 Olympics. Since my previous visit, enormous progress has been made in extending the DLR. It now reaches the edge of the Thames, and the next phase of development will take it across the river and into Woolwich town centre. The hope is that the line will open some time in 2008-09.
I want however to make sure that the development benefits the wider community. We must consider where the DLR will go next, and there is an argument that the line should move away from the river and take in communities such as my constituency in Eltham. In that way, people there will be able to benefit from the new transport infrastructure links being built.
Hitherto, the traditional routes that people take to and from work have resembled the spokes of a wheel, with people living on London's outskirts using the rail or tube networks to reach their places of employment in the centre of the capital. However, with the development of the east Thames corridor and growing demand to access the Thames Gateway, more people in my constituency will want to travel north and east. Therefore, links such as the DLR, which will head south from the river towards my area, will be vital. That is another reason why it is so important to establish the Crossrail transport hub at Woolwich that I spoke about earlier.
I must tell the House that I was very impressed by what I saw at Stratford on my visit this week. The members of the Olympic committee must have heard our arguments about London's transport system and imagined that it was creaking and incapable of accommodating the demand inspired by the games. People who do not live in London and who are not involved in the transport discussion could be forgiven for labouring under that false impression, but we should not lose sight of the fact that more than 90 per cent. of those who work in the City of London travel in and out by public transport.
London's transport system is very effective, and the scale of the development already in place must have impressed the Olympic committee enormously when it arrived in Stratford. Moreover, we are not talking about a concept or a model on a table: a real infrastructure development is under way, and it is considerably well advanced. I was certainly impressed with it, although certain elements could be improved. I do not want to overstate the problem, but we seem to have lost sight of the fact that the Paralympics are the second biggest sporting event in the world, being bigger than the football World cup. They will take place in Stratford, but very little consultation about the development of transport links is taking place with groups representing disabled people, such as DIPTAC.
There is an irony in that, and we need to address the matter soon. There are some concerns about the accessibility of transport and whether it is suitable for disabled people. It is essential that we deal with that matter in the near future.
The development of the dome by Anschutz will bring a lot of regeneration. I have already spoken about the need to improve transport links to that and about the training opportunities. I draw to the Minister's attention the opportunities for training that are provided by Greenwich community college at a unique facility that it has developed with Charlton Athletic football club: it has based one of its faculties, which is called the London Leisure college, at Charlton Athletic for several years.
Greenwich community college has positioned itself to develop opportunities for training in the leisure industry. It has started to train stewards for major events and to provide health and safety training and other forms of training, so that people who are putting on large events, including those at Charlton Athletic and the London Arena in the docklands, can employ qualified and trained staff. Clearly, the Olympics could benefit from input from the community college. In the Minister's future discussions about the development of the Olympics, that should not be overlooked.
The major contribution that the development of the Thames Gateway can make is in housing. Shelter's recently published report, "Building Hope: the case for more homes now", highlights the scale of need across the country, including in London. Nation wide, there are 116,000 children living in temporary accommodation. Over 73,000 of those live in London. There are 900,000 children nationally who are in overcrowded accommodation and 261,000 of those are in London.
Living in cramped accommodation has all sorts of implications for young people who are trying to educate themselves and to study at home. There are also implications for their health. All the studies on the development of children who are in temporary accommodation show that, because their base is temporary and they often get moved, their development falls behind that of their peers, which puts them at a disadvantage. We are developing schemes such as Sure Start, which those children often do not have access to, and targeting education to improve standards of attainment. When that number of children do not have a permanent home where they can study properly, or where they have difficulty in getting the home life that they need to be able to make the best of their education, we have a serious problem in tackling the Government's agenda on developing those young people. Housing is therefore central to the success of the Thames Gateway.
A growing number of people are living in temporary accommodation for long periods. In 1997-98, the percentage of people who were in temporary accommodation for over two years was 1 per cent., but that has grown to nearly 10 per cent. The percentage who have been living in such accommodation for more than one year is up to nearly 25 per cent., so it is essential that we deal with the issue of affordable housing in the Thames Gateway area.
I am absolutely sick and tired of not being able to help the families who come to my surgery who are looking for housing. Three generations are living in a house. As I have said before in the Chamber, those families are living in houses that were built by a Labour Government, and they are now looking to a Labour Government to give them the start in life that was afforded to their parents. We must address that issue. Those people look to us to provide them with affordable housing. No amount of schemes to assist families to purchase, which I fully support and welcome, will address the fundamental problems of overcrowding and the number of families in temporary accommodation. If they could afford to buy, temporary accommodation is certainly an incentive; if they could buy, they would get themselves out of it pretty damn quick. There is a growing need for affordable accommodation for rent and we are not addressing it forcefully enough in the Thames Gateway development.
Shelter tells us that we need to build 20,000 additional homes each year until 2010 and that in London we need almost 6,000 homes a year in addition to those already proposed, to deal with our housing problems. If we fail to address the problem in a regeneration programme as big as Thames Gateway, we shall be letting down a whole generation of young families in London.
We have to ask who the regeneration is for. At the end of the programme, when the Thames Gateway area is fully regenerated, who will be living there? Who will benefit from all the effort that we, as politicians, have put in to bring about change? Will it be the people we were elected to represent—those who really need to benefit from the regeneration? That is the real measure of whether the Thames Gateway and everything we have discussed, including the Olympic games, will be of benefit to London and its people.


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Praxair, Inc. has announced it has expanded its Skills Pipeline Workforce Development Programme and will be working with Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis "to help take Indiana's workforce to the next level".
The new program will offer instruction, career support and professional development opportunities to approximately 50 students training to become advanced manufacturing technologists. After completing the one-year curriculum, students earn a certificate In industrial technology in addition to a number of other skills-based certifications.
The programme is being funded through a $100,000 contribution from Praxair's Global Giving Program, with a conditional training grant of approximately $100,000 from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, and is the latest example of Praxair's commitment to advancing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education.
Indianapolis is home to Praxair Surface Technologies, Inc. (PST), the company's coatings and technologies business. The training will allow these students to pursue job opportunities as manufacturing and production technicians in industries such as PST's aviation coatings.
Pierre Lüthi, President of Praxair Surface Technologies, said, "Developing the right workforce with the right skills and building a feeder pool of talent is an imperative for us in PST. This will determine our success in the future. The best way we can make this happen is by developing these deep connections with our community."
Sue Smith, Vice-President for Technology at Ivy Tech Community College, added, "We are excited to partner with Praxair to provide training for these high-wage, high-demand positions. This is a great model for industry to replicate, creating a pathway to grow and develop highly skilled employees."
Jim Schellinger, Indiana Secretary of Commerce, commented, "We are thrilled Praxair and Ivy Tech have come together to help take Indiana's workforce to the next level."
He continued, "Here in Indiana, we have built an economy that is recogniSed across the globe, offering businesses like Praxair a pro-growth, business-friendly climate. To continue our economic momentum and establish Indiana as a magnet for jobs, we must ensure our workforce is equipped with the skills needed to meet the demands of the 21st century, and we are excited to see businesses like Praxair advance the training of tomorrow's leaders."


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The future is now, apparently./
What is a comic? That's the question on everyone's lips, if lips were fingers on a keyboard and everyone was defined by Joe Quesada, Rich Johnston and Kieron Gillen! It all started, dear reader, last Friday when Joseph Quesada reconsidered webcomics at Newsarama: "For the longest time I've been an advocate that fans will always want the tangible book in their hands, and I came to that feeling because of what I saw as the reading habits of most folks on the net. But recently I've been a convert, I'm watching a very young generation of kids who are born into today's computers and I realized that my take on this was completely selfish and was coming from a point of all that I knew and not what was really happening out there... there is a time coming, when for some kids the very first time they read a comic they'll be reading it on their computer or their phone or PDA. That's what comics will be to them and that number of kids will grow rapidly. Fans ask how we can bring the price of comics down; this is how it may happen. No print cost, minimal distribution and no shipping."
Wait... no print cost? No shipping? This "internet publishing" sounds like something that a smaller company, say one that prints critically-acclaimed but low-selling books, might consider as a way to save money while keeping certain books under contract. But who would do that? The answer, according to Rich Johnston, is Adam Fortier, at Speakeasy:
"The pattern goes as follows, according to Fortier. A book's first issue sells okay, makes money, the second breaks even, the third and fourth lose money. So rather than cancel the book outright, just cancel it in print and put the last two issues online for free. With no printing or handling fee for the creator from Speakeasy. Those readers following the book get a great deal, are guaranteed to be able to finish the series with no comics left hanging, and a completed mini series can then be represented for foreign of mass media rights - which might then lead to the book becoming financially viable again, finishing the series in print or as a graphic novel... And this model has other opportunities. Promoting comics. Completing series from other publishers, by putting already published issues online. This way they can continue the series and allow new readers to get on board. And also create a business model to pay to download comics that have been printed, if a reader has no local comic shop."
According to Rich, this is Fortier "living up to his Smartest Man In Comics TM tag", and he's doing it because "Adam Fortier doesn't want to saddle creators with debt or force them to cancel a book in mid-run if orders are too low." So, instead, he's going to cancel a book in mid-run if orders are too low, but use cutting edge PDF technology to keep the books alive online! And you can even use it to promote books through PDFs, you say? Why has no-one ever thought of this before?!? Truly, he is the Smartest Man In Comics.
Okay, now I'm just being a dick. Rich has a book at Speakeasy, in case you're wondering why he's pushing this as such a good thing. Me, I think it's interesting, but more as Carla Speed McNeil's policy being adopted as a company-wide thing than anything else. I think dressing it up as trying to save the creators money is a sleight-of-hand thing, as Speakeasy could adopt Image's print policy and save creators money that way, if that was the main focus; clearly it's more about the company's bottom line than anything else. I wonder how many of Speakeasy's books will make it past the 1750 initial order cut-off mark, and what the plus is for Speakeasy to publish the PDFs, as opposed to the creators doing it themselves. Presumably, Speakeasy's contract terms - whatever they may be - will stay in effect if they "publish", so that's the plus for them if there are media rights or whatever... But what are the creators getting out of it?
Speakeasy creators are starting to talk about it. Matt Maxwell, of the upcoming Strangeways:
"Now if I were a retailer, and I knew about this, I'd be far less interested in taking any kind of risk on a couple issues of a Speakeasy book if I knew that my preorders were going to possibly evaporate. But that's me. If I were a buyer and knew about this (which would assume I had to know who Speakeasy was as a publisher--and there are plenty who don't), then I'd probably be wary of picking up that issue #1. Why should I buy what I could get for free later on (on the assumption that if you publish issue #3 and #4 of a comic on the internet, you'd make #1 and #2 available in that medium as well.)"
Interesting to see how this pans out...
Anyway, back to defining comics. Kieron Gillen makes my head hurt:
"Cattle class on a British Airways flight to Seattle. I'm off to see a developer. I'm sitting next to Mathilde Remy, the legendary insane French-Woman of Joystick Magazine and probably the most important games journalist alive... She argues that Understanding Comics is - in fact - not a comic. It uses the tools of the form, but is in fact something else entirely. Comics exist to provoke emotion - they are a narrative form... She is stating the word 'comic' should /not/ be expanded to include anything that shares its tools. Comic is a specific use of these tools, rather than a description of the tools itself. Therefore, I expand, Comics is a subset of a greater over-arcing technique of Sequential Art - images placed in juxtaposition to one another to express meaning."
As you may expect, The Engine is all over this one.
Meanwhile, have we all agreed that Manga is comics? That's good. Manga is also, in certain cases, being shrinkwrapped to avoid more scenes like this in the future. Chris Butcher weighs in with some comments on this that are worth reading. Obviously, the solution is clear: If this manga was never a book, but instead downloadable onto the poor child's handheld electronic device of choice, chances are the parents would never have seen the offending images. Everything must be digitized. Now.
Brian's reviews, and list of shipping books, are below. Go read 'em.


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The quiet darkness was broken by the sound of pots and pans ringing from the balconies. I looked up confused, curious about the reason behind this cacophony of sound. Attiya, the person I crashed with the second half of my time in Barcelona, lived in Gracia. Every night at 10pm the residents here use sonic resistance as a way of showing support for the referendum. The sound continued as we made our way to her apartment to drop off my luggage. The vibe of this neighborhood was much more residential then my friend who lived in the Gothic Quarter. The pace moved a lot slower, the streets narrower, the large placa's filled with life and familial energy.
Staying in Gracia with Attiya was like moving from Dupont in DC to a row house in Georgia Ave Petworth. Both are integral to the constitution of the city but one is the face tourists see while the other is a more private, more intimate, and importantly more local. I was standing in a bar on a Monday the musical nuances of a language I couldn't understand washed over me. There was a large half-empty jar of sangria on the counter but this is not the kind of establishment where wone drinks sangria. Instead, beer and vermouth pour from the hands of the bartenders as they greet the customers by name.
The signs and sounds of discord mixed with a vibrant creativity as I explored the neighborhood in the daylight. I could understand the deep anger and dissatisfaction that Catalans feel as a DC resident who despite living in the government capital has no vote in either chamber of the United States legislative branch. The walls in Gracia were covered with graffiti that referenced artistic legends like Frida Khalo as well as new forms of art that I hadn't seen before. Specifically, I noticed an artist who reused old soda cans and painted them to spell out various phrases that were then placed around the city
Gracia is such a young and vibrant neighborhood. It is even the site of Park Güell a huge park that was one of the major works by Gaudí. I tried to explore it but I got the light wrong so I guess I have to come back again!
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Profile: Anthea Fraser
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Twice a year senior Anthea Fraser shows her Greek side at two of Portland's biggest Greek events of the year. Her heeled shoes click on the 31st Ave. dancing stage as her hair swings in her face. With a huge crowd cheering, focusing on the difficult footwork is tough, but also one of the best feelings.
The smell of the food, the sounds music, the people laughing, and the culture, all give the sense of family, never failing to make her smile.
Fraser's grandfather came to America from Greece with his wife and three daughters, one of whom is her mom. With eight grandkids and many extended cousins in Fraser's immediate family, there is a lot of involvement in the Greek community.
"I am very involved in my culture and faith and it all ties together," Fraser says."Everyone at church is family, whether blood related or not, the connection is instant."
Fraser has been performing at The Greek Festival since she was in kindergarten and competing at international competitions since fourth grade. She has performed a countless number of dances.
After 66 years, The Greek Festival is one of the most iconic festivals in Portland, sharing Greek culture with over 15,000 guests annually.
Starting in September for The Greek Festival preparations, until February for the FDF (folk dance festival) competition, Fraser, her family and her team, Protopori, spend Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for three to four hours practicing the difficult routine they perform.
"We perform nine dances at Greek Fest, random ones during the practice season and two long performances for the FDF competition," Fraser says.
Although she's a senior and her team performances are coming to an end, it is not the end of her Greek life. This bittersweet closing is opening a new door to the future. There are many Greek communities at the schools she is applying to, and that is not a coincidence. Fraser is planning to stay connected to her Greek community, in the near and distant future.
"My family will definitely be part of the Greek community whether or not I marry a Greek."