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I think it is safe to say that until about 30 - 40 years ago very few people would know what an Anglican was. Identifying yourself as an Episcopalian or a member of the Church of England in the mid-1970s would not generate the blank stare that a declaration of Anglican identity would elicit. There also was not the need to distinguish between the terms. Save for a few obscure groups here and there just about all Anglicans in the United States were members of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the U.S.A.
Likely the question would never arise, for if you were an Anglican (an Episcopalian) you would not be talking about this anyway as religion was one of the three cardinal no's of polite society -- along with sex and money.
I raise these memories of my untroubled youth by way of introducing the question of how reporters should identify those who calls themselves Anglican.
Via the magic of Facebook, commentator Daniel Stoddart directed my attention to a DC-area newspaper, the Vienna Connection, which has a nice story about a new church. The article entitled "Vienna Resident 'Plants' a Church" chronicles its story.
The Rev. Johnny Kurcina has formed a congregation that meets on Sunday mornings at the Louise Archer Elementary School cafeteria. Since its start in November, the church appears to be doing well and the write up presents an attractive picture of a young minister with a bright future ahead.
The word "Anglican" is found in the sub-title and the story contains this line. Christ Church is:
... run by a Board of Directors, the "church council." As Pastor of the church, Kurcina heads its future, guided by the deliberations of the church council. Kurcina would like to see more Anglican churches "planted" in the area.
What we are not told is what sort of Anglican Church this is, or if this church is an Anglican Church. And what exactly does it mean to be an Anglican church?
There are clues for the initiated. His church has a "church council" not a vestry. He is its "pastor," not a rector or vicar. The photo accompanying the story shows Mr. Kurcina in an open necked shirt -- no clerical collar. And, we learn that:
In 2005, Kurcina spoke with the senior minister, a friend, of The Falls Church in Falls Church, about the feasibility of opening a church in Vienna. "They have the human resources, the financial resources and a real interest seeing new churches started," said Kurcina. He became actively involved with The Falls Church, whose history goes back to the early 18th century, intending to "plant" a new church in Vienna.
The Falls Church is/was one of the major Episcopal Churches in Northern Virginia. A majority of its congregation quit the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and left to join the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). GetReligion has covered the reporting on this split as well. The clues then would lead a knowledgeable reader to believe this church plant was part of the ACNA -- but then again, it may not be as the article is silent on this point.
There is an on-going fight over the Anglican brand in the U.S. between the Episcopal Church and the ACNA. The Episcopal Church is the "official" Anglican franchise in the U.S., but the ACNA is recognized by a majority of the world's Anglicans too as being a bona fide Anglican church.
The New York Times recently published a correction to one of its stories that addressed this point.
An article on Jan. 2 about the Roman Catholic church's formation of a new diocese-like entity for breakaway Episcopal priests and congregations misstated the role of the Episcopal Church within the Anglican Communion. The Episcopal Church is the sole official branch of the Anglican Communion in the United States, not "the main American branch."
This is true up -- up to a point. The Episcopal Church is the sole American member of the Anglican Consultative Council -- a pan-Anglican coordinating group whose powers and authority are subject to some debate. But there is no official definition of who is an Anglican so that the claim to be the "sole official branch" is not entirely straightforward.
Compare the Times' certainty to the uncertainty of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York on this point. In a paper released on 20 January 2012 they noted that the:
the concept of membership of the Anglican Communion is not entirely straightforward. The Communion itself ... has no legal personality. In addition (and unlike the Church of England) it does not have a set of canons which set out its core beliefs and regulate aspects of its internal governance.
In other words there is no hard and fast definition of who is an Anglican. The bottom line ... the Vienna Connection should have identified what sort of Anglican church Christ Church Vienna was. But asking whether they are real or faux Anglicans is something that even the Archbishops of England have shied away from answering.
Should reporters define their terms? Does an individual's self-identification take precedence over all? Should reporters question this self-identification? And if so, against what standard? How does the Anglican question compare to the issue of who is a Roman Catholic? What say you, Get Religion readers?


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Run and help those who need it
Since the beginning of its time, the UTMB® has always wanted to associate the energy of the event with a spirit of solidarity. Our mountain culture places an importance on human relations and mutual aid. We are impregnated with the famous spirit of 'roped partners' and animated by this willingness to help each other to gain personal victories : to get over a difficult moment, to fight against an illness or to help children grow up and flourish.
So the UTMB® has developed several ways of collecting donations for partner charitable associations. The organisation supports 5 associations directly through a system of contributions made during registration for each of its 5 events. Besides, 140 SOLIDARITY RACE-BIBS are granted to runners who wish to support one of our partner associations by donating 2000€, paid directly or through sponsors in order to raise the sum. Finally, each runner can, if they wish to do so, take advantage of their participation to support an association of their choice by being sponsored so as to show their support for the organisation.
The UTMB® has create strong links with the associations they support, following the implementation of the actions and favouring human exchange between the runners, the organisers and the associations.
Solidarity bibs
290 000 €
collected by the associations
Donations at registration
25 000 €

subset: commoncrawl


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No. 93,4661
1. An injury is not compensable unless it is fairly traceable to the employment and comes from a hazard which the worker would not have been equally exposed to apart from the employment.
2. An injury shall not be deemed to have been directly caused by the employment where the injury results from normal activities of day-to-day living.
3. In an appeal from the final order of the Workers Compensation Board awarding compensation for an injury suffered by an employee at the workplace, under the facts of this case substantial evidence did not support the board's finding that the employee's act of standing up from a chair to reach for something was not a normal activity of day-to-day living.
Appeal from Workers Compensation Board. Opinion filed March 10, 2006. Reversed.
Eric T. Lanham and Douglas M. Greenwald, of McAnany, Van Cleave & Phillips, P.A., of Kansas City, for appellants.
Michael H. Stang, of Mark & Burkhead Law Offices, of Mission, for appellee.
Before BUSER, P.J., CAPLINGER, J., and KNUDSON, S.J.
BUSER, J.: Johnson County appeals from the final order of the Workers Compensation Board (Board) awarding compensation for an injury suffered by Nancy A. Johnson which the Board determined arose out of her employment. We reverse.
Factual and Procedural Background
Johnson works for Johnson County as a child care licensing specialist. She inspects child care facilities and spends 5 to 10 percent of her time in the office doing paperwork. According to the Board's findings–which adopted the administrative law judge's findings–Johnson was injured while at her office on August 5, 2002. On that occasion, Johnson "injured her left knee when she simultaneously turned in her chair and attempted to stand while reaching for a file that was overhead. Claimant immediately experienced severe pain in her left knee, which would not straighten." A medical examination revealed a bucket handle meniscal tear to the knee. The injury was surgically repaired, and Johnson was released without restrictions.
The administrative law judge found Johnson's injury arose out of her employment under K.S.A. 44-501(a), which provides coverage to "personal injury by accident arising out of and in the course of employment." In making this finding, the administrative law judge noted:
"It is true that the claimant could have bent her knee in a similar fashion away from work, and thereby injured her knee away from work, but that did not happen here. This was a knee bend in furtherance of the employment–it was something the claimant did to accomplish her job–and it produced a locked up knee."
The Board affirmed, rejecting Johnson County's argument that compensation was excluded under K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 44-508(e), which provides "[a]n injury shall not be deemed to have been directly caused by the employment where it is shown that the employee suffers disability . . . by the normal activities of day-to-day living." Johnson was awarded compensation from Johnson County for the accident and resulting disability.
Standard of Review and Question Presented
An appellate court's review of a decision from the Board is governed by the Act for Judicial Review and Civil Enforcement of Agency Actions (KJRA), K.S.A. 77-601 et seq. Under K.S.A. 77-621, appellate review is explicitly limited to questions of law. When an appellate court reviews a decision from the Board, it should not disturb the decision unless the court concludes: (1) The Board has erroneously interpreted or applied the law; (2) the Board's actions were based on facts not supported by substantial evidence; (3) the Board's actions were otherwise unreasonable, arbitrary, or capricious. See Kindel v. Ferco Rental, Inc., 258 Kan. 272, 277, 899 P.2d 1058 (1995).
The parties agree that our standard of review is substantial competent evidence. Substantial evidence in a workers compensation case is evidence that possesses something of substance and relevant consequence and carries with it fitness to induce the conclusion that the award is proper, or furnished a substantial basis of fact from which the issue raised can be reasonably resolved. An appellate court reviews the evidence in the light most favorable to the prevailing party and does not reweigh the evidence or assess the credibility of the witnesses. Neal v. Hy-Vee, Inc., 277 Kan. 1, 16-17, 81 P.3d 425 (2003).
The parties present the following question: Was there substantial competent evidence to support the Board's conclusion that Johnson's act of standing up from a seated position arose out of her employment under K.S.A. 44-501(a) and that this act was not part of her "normal activities of day-to-day living" under K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 44-508(e)?
Based on our review of the record, the Board's conclusion was not supported by substantial competent evidence.
In addition to the facts recounted above, the record also reflects that prior to August 5, 2002, Johnson had a history of three or four incidents of left knee pain. Her treating physician, Dr. Jennifer Finley, testified that "[i]t looks like she had had years of degeneration and had some previous problems, and it was just a matter of time." According to Johnson's retained expert, Dr. P. Brent Koprivica, a meniscal tear injury "usually goes along with some relative degeneration of the tissues and that means the tissues are weaker." With regard to the mechanism of Johnson's injury, Dr. Finley testified, "It wasn't anything particular about the swiveling in her chair that would be anymore likely to do it than getting out of a car or getting out of bed or just standing up or anything else." Dr. Koprivica observed that "there are activities in daily life where you pivot."
It is true that Johnson was at work when the meniscal tear occurred, and it is true that under K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 44-508(e), the definitions of "personal injury" and "injury" are linked to work and include "any lesion or change in the physical structure of the body, causing damage or harm thereto, so that it gives way under the stress of the worker's usual labor." It is also true, however, that under the same statute some injuries are not "deemed to have been directly caused by the employment . . . ." K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 44-508(e). These latter injuries are those which result from, inter alia, "the normal activities of day-to-day living." K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 44-508(e).
Considering the facts of this case, we do not find substantial evidence to support the Board's finding that Johnson's act of standing up was not a normal activity of daily living. For example, in Martin v. U.S.D. No. 233, 5 Kan. App. 2d 298, 300, 615 P.2d 168 (1980), a back injury suffered when a claimant exited his vehicle upon arrival at work was not compensable because "almost any everyday activity would have a tendency to aggravate [the] condition." In Boeckmann v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 210 Kan. 733, 734, 504 P.2d 625 (1972), a worker sought compensation following a back injury which arose when he stooped down to pick up a tire. In affirming the Board's denial of compensation, our Supreme Court cited the examiner's findings that "there was no difference between stoops and bends on the job or off." 210 Kan. at 739.
The Board held here that Johnson's "injury . . . is distinguishable from both Martin and Boeckmann," but in our opinion these cases are persuasive authority to deny compensation. Martin and Boeckmann demonstrate the well-established rule that when an injury occurs at work, it is not compensable unless it is "fairly traceable to the employment," as contrasted with hazards to which a worker "would have been equally exposed apart from the employment." Siebert v. Hoch, 199 Kan. 299, Syl. ¶ 5, 428 P.2d 825 (1967).
An injury is compensable only if, inter alia, the "employment exposes the worker to an increased risk of injury of the type actually sustained." Angleton v. Starkan, Inc., 250 Kan. 711, 718, 828 P.2d 933 (1992). This was seen in Anderson v. Scarlett Auto Interiors, 31 Kan. App. 2d 5, 6, 61 P.3d 81 (2002), where an employee suffered a back injury after entering and exiting vehicles 20 to 30 times per work day while installing parts. This injury was compensable because the claimant "would not have been equally exposed to the risk that ultimately caused the injury" apart from his employment. 31 Kan. App. 2d at 11.
It is fundamental that "'[t]he legislature is presumed to have expressed its intent through the language of the statutory scheme.'" Pieren-Abbott v. Kansas Dept. of Revenue, 279 Kan. 83, 88, 106 P.3d 492 (2005). The language of K.S.A. 44-501(a) and K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 44-508(e) shows that injuries caused by or aggravated by the strain or physical exertion of work do not arise out of employment if the strain or physical exertion in question is a normal activity of day-to-day living. Substantial evidence did not support the Board's finding that Johnson's act of standing up from a chair to reach for something was not a normal activity of day-to-day living. See Poff v. IBP, Inc., 33 Kan. App. 2d 700, 710, 106 P.3d 1152 (2005) ("Standing and sitting are normal everyday activities.").
Other jurisdictions which have considered similar factual scenarios have reached the similar conclusion that ordinary activities of daily living which result in on-the-job injuries are not compensable under workers compensation laws. See Strategic Marketing Systems v. Soranno, 559 So. 2d 353, 354 (Fla. Dist. App. 1990) (telemarketing representative's torn meniscal injury to knee was not the result of an accident arising out of his employment when the injury occurred when he started to stand from a seated position and his knee popped and locked); Board of Trustees v. Industrial Com., 44 Ill. 2d 207, 214-15, 254 N.E.2d 522 (1969) (teaching assistant's back injury not caused by risk incidental to employment where he turned in his chair while seated at a desk and medical evidence was that because of his degenerative condition any ordinary activity would have caused back injury).
Given our holding, the remaining issue raised by Johnson County is moot.
1REPORTER'S NOTE: Previously filed as an unpublished opinion, the Supreme Court granted a motion to publish pursuant to Rule 7.04 (2005 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 50). The published version was filed with the Clerk of the Appellate Courts on November 14, 2006.


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Well, if you were one of those "The Walking Dead" fans who was wondering what was going on with the Governor, then Sunday night's episode — "Live Bait" — was just what you were waiting for!
This was one of those episodes that really focused on one character for the entire 60 minutes, and I'm OK with that. In fact, I think this was one of the strongest episodes of the season, if not the series.
The episode picks up with the Governor and his two loyal cronies departing the crime scene where he shot up a lot of faceless Woodburians. Apparently those three hung out in some flimsy self-standing tents for a little while on an open lot like some losers at Coachella before Martinez and Shumpert ditched the Governor.
After that the Governor hopped onto that big rig, busted it into Woodbury, burned down his old stomping grounds like it was "Gone With the Wind," and then just started walking and letting his beard grow. It wasn't very gubernatorial of him. He was like a much slower, more disinterested Forrest Gump.
He was kind of acting like Tyreese. He didn't seem to care about the zombies and he definitely wasn't concerning himself with slaying them. His emaciated, "No SpaghettiOs" diet figure and big Wolfman haircut and No Shave November beard kind of made him look like a zombie himself, so maybe they weren't noticing him.
Eventually the Governor stumbled across some other town and noticed a little girl in a window. At first I thought he was having a vision of Penny, but it turned out to be a survivor!
Don't be alarmed, but these new survivors — Megan, Tara, Lilly and David Chalmers — would eventually teach the Governor (alias Brian Heriot) to trust and love again.
Aww, the Governor!
I kept waiting for the Governor to do something chaotic evil to swing his alignment back in the right direction, but it didn't happen. Even in his weakened state, the Governor is still strong enough to haul dying David Chalmers around like a ragdoll. The Governor's PR people really made some headway in this episode.
After warming up to the new characters, the Governor gets a chance to prove himself by going on a mission to scavenge some oxygen tanks from the old folks home. When he was in there he was bobbing and weaving like some zombie-sympathizing-pacifist who was trying to get a perfect score on "Metal Gear Solid."
The Governor should have just laid waste to all of those decrepit zombies with a Phillips head screwdriver, but since he didn't he got a little dotted up and nurse Lilly had to tend to him upon his heroic return. She rewards his bravery by flirtily blowing on his forehead. #foreshadowing
The Governor continues to ingratiate himself to his new friends by playing chess with little Megan and exchanging fist bumps with Tara. It was cute when Megan drew the eye patch on the king. And you know you're cool with Tara if she fist bumps you. I hope she would fist bump me.
After all this warmth, the Governor is like "the only thing I know is to be cold and indifferent, so I'm leaving." And they're like "remember when you symbolically burned that photo of your old family? We're your new family now and we're coming with you."
Wasn't that a little creepy when Lilly started grinding on the Governor and fresh kissing him right next to her sister? I mean, don't get me wrong, it was very hot, but a little awkward. You know Tara was laying there staring at the ceiling of the Gorbelli Foods Company truck getting all scandalized.
So right as the Governor is really seeming like a nice guy and warming up to this new group of good people, you knew something bad had to happen.
The truck runs out of fuel, they have to hoof it, they run across a herd of zombies, they have to flee, Megan runs to the Governor and unlocks the key to his heart, Megan and the Governor take a pratfall into a zombie pit and are discovered by Martinez. #cliffhanger
This episode had no Rick Grimes or Bob Stookey, wasn't that weird?
Was this an episode of "The Walking Dead" or an hour-long commercial for Gorbelli Foods Company? That was some pretty solid product placement. Even better, though, was the SpaghettiOs appearance. Mmmm, I could go for a big bowl of SpaghettiOs right about now. I like to cut up a hot dog and fix them with that in it. Ooooh, I love it! I can't believe the Governor dumped those SpaghettiOs out in favor of Miss Wilhelm's butter beans. That was a grave misstep.
They've also got Roni sticks for days, years probably. Uhh, the zombie apocalypse isnt sounding so bad all of the sudden!
Unlike most of this season's new characters, it looks like the Chalmers' (at least three of the four) will be with us for awhile, so let's get to know them.
Megan Chalmers, aka new Penny, is played by 10-year-old Meyrick Murphy.
Tara Chalmers plays bad cop and says that she was an Atlanta police officer, even though that is a little white lie. Tara enjoys the company of other females and once ate psychadelic mushrooms with her old girlfriend Sam. Tara is played by 25-year-old Alanna Masterson, who was on "The Young and the Restless", "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Grey's Anatomy", among other television shows and obscure movies. Her older brother is Danny Masterson, who everyone knows as Hyde from "That 70's Show".
Lilly Chalmers is a nurse and Megan's mother, and her husband ditched her before the zombie apocalypse with the old "going out for a couple of beers and a Powerball ticket" ruse. Lilly seems a little too naive and trusting, as none of the Chalmers' even knew that you have to take out the zombies' heads to kill them. Lilly is played by 38-year-old Audrey Marie Anderson. She was a regular on these shows I've never heard of called "Point Pleasant" and "The Unit".
David Chalmers, aka Old Man Oxygen Tank, likes playing games with his granddaughter Megan. Don't get too attached to him because he has already died of lung cancer, and wanted to smoke his Merit ultra light menthols all the way up until the end. Before the outbreak he drove a truck for Gorbelli Foods. He was friends with Backgammon Bob upstairs. David is portrayed by veteran actor Danny Vinson, who had minor roles in "Walk the Line", "Talladega Nights" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".
This is only the second episode in the entire season that didn't have a Rick Grimes appearance. (The other was "Walk With Me" from Season 3, when the Governor was first introduced.)
This is the first episode in which most of the source material was taken from "The Rise of the Governor" novel.
David Chalmers wears a Georgia Tech hat.
Backgammon Bob upstairs had some REAL nice girly magazines under his bed. A guy could get used to some magazines like that!
There is a pillow on the couch in the Chalmers' apartment embroidered with the phrase: "This too shall pass." Shall it pillow? Shall it?
The Chalmers' apartment number is 204.
The E-350 fleet truck that they roll out on is numbered 359.
The herd of zombies at the end is mesmerized by a sign blowing in the wind. The sign says "Live Bait." #irony
(Because I have nothing better to do)
- Brian Heriot
- Went to Jims for winter
- F YOU Mollica DON'T COME HOME
- Chad Krear died
- Megan Cook Died
- We found Ken Jones
- Brian Heriot we're at home meet us we love you
- Brian Heriot we're at the YWCA
This week's Story Sync gave us these specs on...
The Governor's New Gun
Colt Eagle Revolver
Original Design: 1872
Single-Action (rapid fire by "fanning" the hammer)
Muzzle Velocity: Approximately 800fps
Barrel Length: 5.5inches
Weight: approx. 2.2lbs
Nicknamed "The Gun that Won the West"
Tara: "Do you see this? This here is a fully loaded standard issue Smith and Wesson. I'm Atlanta City Police and I have enough artillery in here to kill you everyday for the next ten years."
Lilly: "I'll be damned if a Merit Ultra Menthol is going to blow this place up after all the work we've done to stay alive up here."
Tara: "Lucky for us the old man's truck was pretty much stocked floor to ceiling with s'ghetti rings, turkey chili, and these little suckers."
Lilly: "It feels good to have something to do. Nobody ever mentioned just how boring the end of the world was going to be."
The Governor: "Something happened to me."
The Governor: "You can lose a lot of soldiers but still win the game. That's the king, that's the guy you want to capture."
Lilly: "There has to be some place better and you're going to help us find it ... I saw the picture, Brian. You had a family. I know that, and I know we're not them. But for now you're stuck with us and that's just the way it's going to be."
The Governor: "I'm never gonna let anything happen to you ... cross my heart."
Winner: The Governor, obviously.
There were several to choose from, but the winner might be one of the best ever seen on "The Walking Dead"! It happened when the Governor and Megan fell into that pitfall and were accosted by three rotting bodies. The Governor ripped out the esophagus of one of them to slow it down a bit, and then did this epic move: he took a big Flintstones bone and gagged the esophagus-less zombie with it before using it as a lever to pry the top half of its head off. The greatest of zombie kills!
The Governor also took second place by smashing the living heck out of David Chalmers' head, and then just when you thought he was done smashing, smashing some more.
The legless one in the bathtub with the dishpan face. His face looked like that guy Zoidberg from "Futurama". The Governor was like "Is that your face or did your neck throw up?" and it was SUCH a good burn but no one was there to appreciate it. Then the Governor was like "Hey I'm gonna stab up your face and it will probably improve your looks" and there was no need to insult that creature that was clearly suffering through perpetual agony.
That old lady one in the wheelchair with the fangs and ghoulish eyes was pretty freaky too.
Zombies: Six, for 191 on the season. (That number is pretty unofficial though, as the killing has been kind of fast and loose this season.)
Humans: One. David Chalmers, for a nice and even 20 on the season.
A look ahead to next week's episode, "Dead Weight"
The Governor stands on a dock and reunites with his old cronies, who take him in, but trouble (and hilarity) ensues when they stumble across a tent city. The Governor goes on a mission with the boys and comes across a headless soldier tied to a tree.


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It appears that the United Nations is trying to brainwash children. They are presenting a comic book. It depicts a war torn country. Also, the comic book describes superheroes working alongside UNICEF aid workers and U.N peacekeepers. It doesn't mention which war torn country. The United Nations is trying to cover up their real image and agenda, but in the 21st century tons of truthseekers know the truth. The United Nations was created in 1945 by the same corporate elite (the same heads of the big banks and the heads of Big Oil like members of the CFR. The headquarters of the United Nations is placed on land donated by the Rockefellers. The Rockefellers is a family known as oil tycoons and elitists) which funded both sides in WWI and WWII plus promoted eugenics (Many of these social Malthusians are here to this day). The U.N. is about trying to merge national sovereignities and enhance the ideals of globalization, population control, and control of foreign policy. The Third World is made stagnant by them (and as a consequence, the Third World's economics is further via the World Bank and the IMF). Real solutions to the Third World ought to be radical true, modern health, electricity, and the modern development of that region of the world. UN peacekeepers have been accused of rape in the Third World and the UN took little steps to stop the genocide in Rwanda. The United Nations is anti-gun and has a statue of a destroyed gun in UN headquarters inside NYC. Techshout from December 29, 2007 discussed on how New Jersey banned sex offenders from using the Internet except for job searching. This is wild since how can you monitor all of the Internet of sex offenders. The problem to deal with in this situation is sex crimes not the Internet. If sick people use the Internet for evil purposes, that is wrong. Yet, there could be a slipply slope because you can ban folks using copyright material in using the Internet and other citizens from using it. It's nothing more than an example of the government controlling more and more of the Internet. It's similar to neo-fascism since the state is granted more power in ruling the power of the people and individuals. Recently, I've seen some videos from Chris Everard. Some of the things I disagree with it, but most of the information was suprisingly accurate about the new world order, the spirit world, Secret Societies, and the space world. Some of the information that I knew. There was new information that caught my eye like how Rudolf Steiner (a member of the OTO and a Theosophist) created a statue called Ahriman. Ahriman is a characteristic of Lucifer according to Chris and looks similar to the demon smoke images on the WTC Towers when both towers were burning. I alreay knew that the Twin Towers look similar to the Masonic emblem of Jachin and Boaz. This symbol is represented by 2 Towers with a globe on the top of each column. It is utilized to represent the entrance of King Solomon's Temple since Freemasonry obsess with King Solomon in allegory. It means the solar and lunar (or masculine and feminine influences) parts of the Universe. Symbolism is throughout many places of the world (like the Pentagram, the obeslik, the sacrab, and others). Some of locations have been built by Freemasons or other Secret Societies. These global political/aristocratic/religious elite (made up of the Vatican and Black Nobility bloodlines in the City of London, etc.) rule most of the policies of the world. That's why the United Nations and the Vatican promote a one world religion (i.e. John Paul II called for a new world order. The United Nations regularly have a World Council of Religions to discuss about world religions). Education has also been manipulated by the elite. For example, socialist John Dewey admitted that he wanted to eliminate the teaching of moral absolutes in public schools. To me, teaching moral absolutes is vital in developing strong students. That's why I'm independently minded in my thinking.
Big Brother seems to be all over the place presently. KNDO in Washington described on how Homeland Security is placing RFID tags on licenses. Ray Massey from the Daily Mail at December 29, 2007 reported that there are new digital cameras in Britian. There are DVD cameras (called concept) recording folks' behavior while driving. While, they want those using a cell phone or smoking while driving to go to jail as high as 2 years. That is extreme, but the UK wants this reality in their own nation. Captain Gatso of the campaign group Motorists Against Detection oppose this plan as classifying it as a surveillance control mechanism against citizens. the National Immigration Institute of Mexico in March wants to monitor all migrants with a microchip in their ID cards (mainly from Belize and Guatamela). Spanish news agency EFE beleive that some in Mexico want migrant workers to have an implantable microchip. This is wild. I don't believe they want the well being of workers. They want control over people. Rauni-Leena Luukanen-Kilde, MD, the former Chief Medical Officer of Finland in 2000 even called for all newborns to be placed with a microchip at birth, so the agenda is there. We should reject these developments of oppressive Big Brother. BBC from Monday, at December 31, 2007 reported on privacy rights being depleted in many other nations like in Greece. 2007 is a wild year. 2007 is much more crazier than 2006. In 2007, there were scandals, Paris Hilton, and the Presidental election heating up. Rudy Giulani is the most Authoritarian candidate out of both parties. For example, he is for the patriot Act. Rudy agrees with domestic surveillance of citizens when necessary. He endorses Big Brother in microchips. He agrees with preemptive warfare with Neo Cons like Norman Podhoretz advising him. The stone cold truth is that most Americans don't want warrantless wiretapes or threatening warfare with Iran when Iran is no where near a direct threat to America or having nuclear weapons. On social issues, Rudy is almost identical to the belief system of Hillary Clinton being pro-abortion. There are other circumstances and stories revolving around other candidates like Ron Paul (who wants no National ID card and is recieving a high level of popularity among young people and civil libertarians), Mitt Romney, John McCain, Fred Thompson, John Edwards, Barrack Obama (who is appearing on BET), Mike Gravel, Dennis Kuinich, and others. One important event is the huge bashlash against illegal immigration that reached new heights in 2007. People accept compassion for human beings whether illegal or legal, but most Americans desire that the borders ought to be protected, laws enforced, and use ways to decrease of illegal immigration in America. Without these actions, there is no real solution to this complex and controversial issue of immigration. Bonesman George W. Bush along with transnational corporations are for this North American integration. Even CFR member Robert Pastor publicly called for international highway and a North American border like scheme in Congress. The North American Union have been exposed on a high level in 2007 via the work of Dr. Jerome Corsi, Dr. Daneen Peterson, and others. The SPP (i.e. The Security and Prosperity Partership) set a foundation for this agenda along with the creation of NAFTA in 1993 (which transplanted jobs overseas and it ruined the economy of Mexico for years). The Trans Texas Corridor, CANAMEX, trade corridors, and other entities are an extension of the North American Union plan. The CFR document, called "Building a North American Community," tells the CFR's support of a common security perimeter around North America. Therefore, it's real. Bret Caldwell from the The Huffinton Post at December 29, 2007 reported on how the House (Republicans, Democrats, and Independents) voted against the Mexican pilot program where Mexican trucks are traveling in US highways with little regulations. Yet, Bush is still carrying it forward when reports show flaws in it like little enforcement of regulations and bad records of their activities. There was also the assassination of Benzair Bhutto in 2007. Typically the media accused al-Qaeda of the unforunate murder. Yet, al-Qaeda was assisted in its creation by the CIA and the ISI. Pakistan is a tool of the Elite to formet this war on terror (with the Wahhabis, who were created by the British. In fact, Saudi Arabia as a country was created by the British via Ibn Saud and headed by many controlled families like the bin Ladens. Controlled Saudi elites were even present in the League of Nations in 1919). Now, the movie Charlie Wilson movie is lying about the Middle East. The truth is that Wilson was a CIA thug organizing the funding of the mujahadeen (who were the forerunning of al-Qaeda. One famous mujadheen was Gulbaddin Hekmatyar) killing tons of Afghanis in the 1980's. Trilateralist Zbignew Brzezinski endorsed this funding of terrorists. Wilson didn't really end the Cold War. The Cold War commenced by a host of factors like Russia's economic problems, leadership problems in Russia, agreements and colloborations between the USA and the USSR. 2008 will be a highly political year. One President will be elected in 2008. Good occurences and bad events are bound to happen next year. Hopefully, more opposition to evil will commence. There is a need of strength and cowardice among us around the world. Now, it's time to welcome 2008. Goodbye 2007.
By Timothy


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The European Union: Ongoing Challenges and Future Prospects
Description: This report provides a brief history of the European Union (EU) and the major challenges confronting the bloc. It also discusses the potential implications for the EU and for U.S.-EU relations.
Date: December 3, 2018
Creator: Archick, Kristin
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report


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As expected, Japan's Toyota Motor Co. last week officially regained the No. 1 ranking among global automakers after selling 9.75 million vehicles last year.
The Japanese carmaker reported sales of its Lexus, Scion, Hino and Diahatsu brands jumped nearly 23 percent in 2012 as the company recovered from natural disasters that curtailed production in 2011 and moved to put a series of recalls behind it. Toyota fell to No. 3 globally in 2011, behind GM and Volkswagen.
After a year at the top, General Motors Co. was the No. 2 sales leader with 9.29 million vehicles sold and Germany's Volkswagen was third selling 9.1 million vehicles worldwide last year.
Nissan Motors Co., Japan's second largest automaker, sold 4.94 million vehicles last year, up 5.8 percent, and Honda Motor Co. saw its sales jump 19 percent to 3.82 million vehicles.
Toyota sold 2.08 million vehicles in the United States in 2012, a 27 percent increase, while sales in Japan soared 35 percent to 2.41 million vehicles, and rose 2 percent in Europe.
Affordable fuel cells?
Three international automakers have reached a joint deal to develop what many consider the Holy Grail of alternative fuels -- the hydrogen fuel cell.
Executives at Detroit's Ford Motor Co., Franco-Japanese Renault-Nissan and Germany's Daimler hope to create a common hydrogen electric fuel system and have "the world's first affordable, mass market fuel cell car" on the road by 2017.
Fuel cells generate electricity from hydrogen with oxygen with water and heat the only byproducts. But the partnership faces the daunting task of developing an affordable fuel cell that can spur creation of an infrastructure of hydrogen fueling stations.
The three automakers also face competition from Germany's BMW and Toyota, who are cooperating on their own fuel cell technology.
They will share costs on development of a common fuel-cell stack and related systems.
"The production cost until now has been prohibitive," Dr. Anthony Baxendale of Future Transport Technologies & Research in Britain told the BBC, "so by collaborating and joining forces they will be hoping to accelerate development. The technology is there -- it has been the costs that have not been viable until now."
In a statement issued at a news conference in Germany, the three automakers said they hope the partnership would "define global specifications and component standards, an important prerequisite for achieving higher economies of scale."
Daimler and Ford already partner at the Automobile Fuel Cell Cooperation, a fuel cell development facility in Vancouver, Canada, and Daimler and Renault-Nissan signed an engine-sharing agreement in 2012.
"We are convinced that fuel cell vehicles will play a central role for zero-emission mobility in the future," said Professor Thomas Weber, board member for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, who told The New York Times the partnership hopes eventually to produce 100,000 vehicles, although no time frame was given.
Honda, which is not part of the agreement, has had its zero-emission Clarity FCX fuel cell vehicle on the road in Southern California since 2008, offering a three-year lease for $600 a month including insurance, maintenance, roadside assistance and hydrogen.
Range for the Clarity on a single tank of hydrogen is about 240 miles.
Wide availability of hydrogen fuel would overcome the range limitations of electric vehicles, which have been slow to attract buyers.
Ford recently began offering customers as much as $10,750 off a three-year lease for its Focus EV and dropped the base price for the all-electric car by $2,000 for cash sales.
A Ford customer can get a "Red Carpet lease" on a Focus EV -- for 36 months with 10,500 miles a year -- for $285 a month with $930 due at signing.
Ford sold just 685 Focus EVs last year of the 1,627 built.
"Our intent is to make fuel economy mass-market," a Ford spokesman told the Times. "We expect for a considerable amount of time our electric battery car sales will be less than our hybrid and plug-in hybrid sales."
Nissan recently cut the price of its all-electric 2013 Leaf S by 18 percent to $28,000.
The Environmental Protection Agency is testing the mileage claims of the new Ford C-Max hybrid, which claims 47 mpg. The plug-in C-Max Energi claims a combined gasoline and electric range of 100 miles per gallon equivalent. It can go 21 miles on batteries alone.
Toyota's subcompact Prius C, voted "greenist" vehicle by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, claims fuel economy of 53 mpg city and 46 mpg highway. The only-for-lease Honda Fit EV was second. The Ford Focus EV was 10th on the organization's "greenist" list.
Chicago Auto Show ramps up
Among the vehicles being introduced at the Chicago Auto Show this week are the 2014 Toyota Tundra and the Chevrolet Cruze diesel.
Toyota's full-size pickup shares the stage with the redesigned 2013 RAV4 sport utility vehicle and 2013 Toyota Avalon. The stylish Corolla Furia Concept that made its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January also will draw attention. Toyota has sold more than 40 million Corollas worldwide since 1968 -- 9 million of them in the United States.
The Texas-built Tundra pickup trailed full-size Ford and GM trucks with just 6.2 percent market share in 2012. Ford unveiled a concept for a new F-150, the best-selling pickup, in Detroit.
"Chicago has long been considered one of the top drawing consumer auto shows in the country," Toyota's auto show planner Brent Marrero said. "We know that 'made in America' is especially important to people living in the Midwest, and we feel we have a great story to tell, with 70 percent of all our vehicles sold in [the] U.S. being built here as well."
Chevrolet's Cruise diesel, expected to go on sale in April or May, is one of 13 new or refreshened Chevys heading to showrooms this year. The Cruise diesel will be built at the General Motors Lordstown Assembly plant in Youngstown, Ohio.
Kia, Hyundai, Nissan, Volkswagen, Ford and Chrysler all are expected to make vehicle introductions.


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I hardly remember 2006. You probably don't either. But that's when Twitter first started! And looking back how we tweeted that fateful first year, it's probably better left as a distant memory. Just check out how awful everyone was at it:
We used the search engine oldtweets, a service that cleverly only searches the first year of Twitter's logs, to cull this list of unfortunate early tweets together. It's pretty, um, relieving to see how far we've come from those dark early days.
Just added Twitter to my myspace. HELLO FROM MY DANG PHONE
— DJ PROMOTE (@djpromote) October 6, 2006
Bored at work.Myspace keeps me from going crazy...it's sad really.
— Landon Dunning (@Dunningl) September 28, 2006
Trying to figure out what is better facebook or myspace?
— Karen Magno (@maushopgirl) March 10, 2007
seesm like the majority of people using computers @ apple store are looking @ myspace.
— Mai Le (@mai) October 30, 2006
Oh man, this twitter tickles my nose
— Jeremy (@jeremy) March 22, 2006
is thinking Twitter is a bit like the Facebook status option but without any other features. Hmmm...
— Guy Rintoul (@grintoul) December 28, 2006
I can twitter from Google Talk now.
— Ramanan (@funkaoshi) October 27, 2006
The Blackberry Pearl: My quintessential smart phone.
— Ray Garraud (@ray) November 19, 2006
is highly impressed with the battery life on her new shiny pink Razr phone
— Desi (@Fae_Fae) December 26, 2006
Is Texting from his new samsung sync. It rocks.
— Elliott Pesut (@elliottp) November 23, 2006
ordered a video iPod
— BK (@japhy) July 21, 2006
I'm thinking of ditching my Sony Ericsson K608i for a Nokia 6288.
— Heilemann (@Heilemann) November 10, 2006
Is something wrong with hotmail?
— Amy Firis (@Exilein) March 16, 2007
iphone looks a tad ugly
— José Marques (@josemarques) January 9, 2007
Wondering how "Barack Hussein Obama" could ever hope to be president.
— Josh Berezin (@joshbzin) December 22, 2006
Browsing google video
— r3dw0rm (@r3dw0rm) September 11, 2006
what NSFW?
— Christian Heilmann(@codepo8) November 23, 2006
— Jack Dorsey (@jack) April 1, 2006
I have to poop really bad.
— iJustine (@ijustine) October 25, 2006
— Nic Werner (@Nic) May 9, 2006


text: Lock up your arsonists. It's Big Red, possibly the world's longest (38') and heaviest (29,960 lbs) monster truck in the world, parked at the corner of 13 Mile and Woodward Avenue for this year's Woodward Dream Cruise. The sign also notes Red is the world's only fully functional monster fire truck, which could prove handy if a blaze ever erupts atop a double row of crushed cars. It's a late-30s vintage International Harvester D series, best known as the platform of the psychedelically painted school bus named "Furthur." That was the groovemobile in which Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters crisscrossed the US in 1964, dropping more acid in a year than the entire student body of UMass did in all of the 1980s. But you won't find Wavy Gravy crashed out in this ladder truck. It's the product of Monster Truck Rides USA and Liberty-1 Motorsports, which reports the massive rig will depart from New York City on September 11, 2007 for Los Angeles on a cross-country fundraising trip for children's charities [Big Red Monster Fire Truck]


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Pranklopedia is the aspiring young prankster's dream-come-true. It shows kids aged 7-12 how to do more than 70 pranks, from classics like short-sheeting a bed to the newly invented squirting blister trick (yuck!). There are also tips on how to pull the perfect prank and what to do when a prank backfires, and profiles of the greatest pranksters in history. Kids also get 20 pages of colorful pranks they can cut out and use on their friends. There are even some pranks on the reader, so watch out!
Buy at IndieBound. Buy at Barnes & Noble.
Watch pranks from the book in action!
Get a free taste of Pranklopedia or click below.
Feeling daring? Check out even more pranks.
To arrange a Pranklopedia author visit to your school, library, or bookstore, click here.
Author Q&A: The Scientific Research Behind Pranklopedia
What's the first prank you ever pulled?
If you don't count being born, it was the classic salt-and-sugar switch. I pulled this prank on my father at breakfast one April Fools' Day when I was about six years old. I remember watching with a mixture of delight and trepidation as he stirred two spoonfuls of salt into his tea, took a sip, screwed up his face in disgust and spit it out. He didn't think it was funny, but I enjoyed the show.
Have you ever had a prank backfire?
Yes. The worst one was a prank I pulled on my father (again) when I was in my twenties. I had just moved to New York City and was broke. He gave me money to go see some dance performances. After one of the performances, I decided to thank him in an unorthodox way. I typed up a letter that appeared to be from the director of the dance company. In the letter, I had the director explain that he had talked to me after the show and wanted to personally thank my father for supporting the arts by funding my trips to see dance. Unfortunately, at that time my father was working for an organization that ran an awards program for young artists and he was seeking judges for the dance component. He wrote to the director and invited him to serve on the judging panel. He was completely mortified—and livid—when I told him the letter he had received was a fake.
Did you test out the pranks in Pranklopedia?
Yes. Except for the classic pranks that I had already pulled many times, I tested the rest of the pranks on my boyfriend over the course of a year. I don't think he enjoyed it, but his feedback was very helpful. Once in a while, he would miss the prank completely, and I'd have to figure out if there was something wrong with him…or with the prank.
Illustrations by Robb Allen
Photos: Images on soup can label: fotolia: fotomaster; OlegD; product shot: Netta Rabin. Presidential Pranks: Lawrence Thornton, page 124; Getty Images: Hulton Archive, page 125 top; George Skaddling/Time Life Pictures, page 125 middle; Time Life Pictures, page 125 bottom.


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In an escalation of protest tactics, five immigrants dressed in caps and gowns held a sit-in on Monday at the Tucson offices of Senator John McCain, calling on him to sponsor legislation to open a path to legal status for young illegal immigrants.
Four of the protesters, including three who are in the country illegally, were arrested Monday evening on misdemeanor trespassing charges. The three were expected to face deportation proceedings.
It was the first time students have directly risked deportation in an effort to prompt Congress to take up a bill that would benefit illegal immigrant youths.
Separately on Monday, a lawsuit was filed in federal court in Phoenix by a coalition of civil rights, labor and religious groups challenging the new Arizona law that allows the police to detain suspected illegal immigrants as unconstitutional, saying it would lead to racial profiling.
Though it was the fifth suit challenging the law, it was widely believed to have the best chance of being heard by the courts given the groups' experience and the nature of the complaint.
Brooke Buchanan, a spokeswoman for Mr. McCain, said of the protesters, "The individuals have a right to peacefully protest in the senator's office," and added that Mr. McCain "understands the students' frustrations."Continue reading the main story
But she said: "Elections have consequences, and they should focus their efforts on the president and the Democrats that control the agenda in Congress."
Mr. McCain, a Republican, has in years past repeatedly sponsored a bill that would offer legalization for illegal immigrant students who were brought to the United States as children by their parents, known to its supporters as the Dream Act. But this year he has not. Mr. McCain is facing a primary challenge from J.D Hayworth, a talk show host who has taken a tough stand on illegal immigrants.
The students protesting in Mr. McCain's office said they wanted to increase pressure on Congress to pass the Dream Act this year, even if lawmakers do not take up a broader overhaul of the immigration system. The student bill is currently part of a Democratic proposal for an overhaul, largely written by Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York.
"I've been organizing for years, and a lot of my friends have become frustrated and lost hope," said one of the students, Lizbeth Mateo, 25. "We don't have any more time to be waiting. I really believe this year we can make it happen."
Ms. Mateo, who came to the United States when she was 14, said she paid full tuition to earn a degree from California State University, Northridge, the first member of her family to graduate from college. She said her plans to attend law school had failed because she lacked legal status.
Ms. Mateo was arrested, along with Mohammad Abdollahi, 24, of Ann Arbor, Mich.; and Yahaira Carrillo, 25, of Kansas City, Mo. All three are illegal immigrants.
Also arrested was Raúl Alcaraz, 27, an immigrant from Mexico who is a legal resident and a counselor at a Tucson high school.
The protesters walked into Mr. McCain's office just before noon and sat in the lobby.
Tania Unzueta, 26, who is from Los Angeles, joined the sit-in, but she said the group decided she should leave the protest in order to avoid arrest.
Mr. Abdollahi said he could not return to Iran, where he was born, because he is gay and feared persecution there.
Margo Cowan, a lawyer representing the students, said that the Tucson police said they would advise federal immigration authorities of the arrests, and that she expected the students would be put in immigration detention.
Illegal immigrant students have become increasingly public in their protests in recent months, as the prospects for an immigration overhaul faded in Washington. Four immigrant students walked from Miami to Washington, arriving in late April. So far, immigration authorities have not moved to detain student protesters.
Lawmakers are divided over whether to take up the Dream Act as separate legislation. Andy Fisher, a spokesman for Senator Richard G. Lugar of Indiana, a Republican who is a lead sponsor of the bill, said that the senator did not support any effort to advance a comprehensive immigration overhaul this year, but that he believed the Dream Act could be "doable" separately.
An aide to Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, a Democrat who is the act's other lead sponsor, said he continued to see it as part of an overhaul.
Lawyers for the groups that filed the suit over the Arizona immigration law Monday took aim at a chief argument of its supporters: that it largely parallels existing federal statutes. The lawyers said the Arizona law went further because federal agents are not required to check the immigration status of people they stop or arrest, as the state law requires.Continue reading the main story