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How To Make Egg Drop Soup
I find a bowl of egg drop soup to be one of the most soothing and comforting dishes ever invented. You really only need three base ingredients to make it (two in a pinch). And yet breathing in that steamy broth and savoring the first spoonful of silky egg curd — all my troubles immediately fade away.
Silky-Smooth Egg Drop Soup: Watch the Video
The Key Ingredients for Egg Drop Soup
If you hadn't already guessed, the key ingredients for egg drop soup are broth, eggs, and a bit of cornstarch to give the soup some body. You can nix the cornstarch if that's not your style.
You can also add in other ingredients of your choosing: I love some fresh ginger, star anise, and a cinnamon stick infused in the broth. If I'm eating this soup for dinner, I'll also add some tofu, mushrooms if I have them, and a handful of greens.
One More Bonus from Adding Cornstarch
This recipe calls for using a bit of cornstarch in both the broth and in the eggs themselves. In the broth, it adds body; in the eggs, it keeps them silky and tender.
This is a trick I picked up from Kenji López-Alt in his recipe for egg drop soup on Serious Eats. He says the bit of cornstarch in the eggs will inhibit protein bonds and keep the eggs from going rubbery. Since starting to follow this advice, all my egg drop soups have been silky-smooth and never overcooked.
Soup to Start a Meal, or Be the Meal
This soup is properly an appetizer. Despite its simplicity, I guarantee your guests will be overjoyed to see this coming when you walk out of the kitchen. This recipe will make four small cups of soup, but can be easily scaled up if you have more guests at your table. I generally use one to two cups of broth and one egg per person.
I also eat it for dinner all the time. Like I mentioned above, adding some tofu or cooked vegetables helps turn it into a quick, satisfying meal; comfort food at its best.
One last parting note: This is not a soup that keeps well. It's best poured straight from the saucepan into the serving bowls and then eaten as soon as it's cool enough to swallow.
Egg Drop Soup
Serves4 as an appetizer or 2 for a light dinner
Soup Ingredients
- 4 cups
(32 ounces) chicken or vegetable stock or broth
- 1 tablespoon
+ 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 to 4
large eggs
Salt or soy sauce
Flavoring Extras (use one or all)
1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into rounds
- 1 stem
lemongrass, bruised
- 1/2 teaspoon
- 2
star anise
- 6 to 8
whole cloves
- 1
cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon
soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons
Soup Extras (use one or all)
- 1/2 block
(7 to 8 ounces) extra-firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 8 ounces
mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch
baby bok choy, thinly sliced
- 4
spring onions, thinly sliced
Medium saucepan
Measuring cups and spoons
Warm the stock or broth: Pour the stock into a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Put the smaller flavoring extras you're using into a tea ball or spice bag. Add all your flavoring extras to the saucepan with the stock. Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Scoop out all the flavoring extras with a slotted spoon. Taste and add salt or soy sauce as needed.
Add any extra ingredients: Add any soup extras to the stock and simmer for five minutes. Save some scallions for sprinkling on top of the soup at the end.
Whisk cornstarch into the broth: Scoop out 1/4 cup or so of the stock and whisk it with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk this back into the stock and let it simmer for a minute or two until the broth no longer tastes starchy.
Whisk the eggs with cornstarch: Whisk together the eggs in a small bowl with the remaining teaspoon of cornstarch. Make sure your soup is at a bare simmer.
Drizzle the eggs into the hot broth: Holding a fork over the bowl (see photo), pour the eggs slowly through the tines. Whisk the broth gently with your other hand as you pour. Let the soup stand for a few seconds to finish cooking the eggs.
Serve immediately, topped with thinly sliced scallions.


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Gaudin beats Chavanel to win Paris-Nice prologue
HOUILLES, France (AP) — French rider Damien Gaudin beat countryman Sylvain Chavanel by one second to win the prologue of the Paris-Nice race on Sunday.
Gaudin sealed the first stage win of his career when he completed the twisting 1.8-mile prologue around the Paris suburb of Houilles in 3 minutes, 37 seconds.
"It's my first professional victory and this is already my sixth season, and it's on the Paris-Nice as well," Gaudin said. "This kind of race is my specialty, I really liked this prologue. When I won I just went crazy."
Lieuwe Westra of the Netherlands was third, finishing in the same time as the 33-year-old Chavanel, who captured the 72nd podium place of his long career.
On Monday, the race continues with a flat 120.9 -mile trek from Saint-Germain-en-Laye to Nemours. The race ends next Sunday.
Chavanel and American cyclist Tejay van Garderen are among the race favorites.

subset: commoncrawl


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Shown in Polished Chrome finish and Firenze Clear with Crystal Blue AB Accents crystal -
The Millieu Collection features cascades of octagon crystals. Strands of clear or colorful Firenze or Swarovski Elements crystals flow from a base, available in four designs, finished in Allegris exclusive Chrome. These versatile and timeless mini-pendants sparkle beautifully alone or as a group.
Blending innovative design, cutting edge technology and the grace and elegance of traditional crystal, Allegri brings you a new approach to crystal lighting. With Allegri fixtures, the choice is yours. We offer several rich plated finish options, including 24 carat gold plating, for you to select from. You also may choose from our four crystal options: Firenze, which is machine cut and machine polished, Asfour, Swarovski Spectra and Swarovski Elements. All of these crystal options refract light beautifully through lighting designs, creating a gorgeous, eye-catching sparkle.


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Time for the NFL to Honor Sean
In memory of Sean Taylor. Please post all thoughts, well-wishes and prayers here.
2 posts • Page 1 of 1
Time for the NFL to Honor Sean
The other leagues have a player on their logo time for the NFL to follow suit. Many will ask why Sean...The real question is why not Sean??
Thank to NC for cleaning up the graphics
Thank to NC for cleaning up the graphics
"Sean Taylor is hands down the best athlete I've ever coached it's not even close" Gregg Williams 2005 Mini-Camp
- Posts: 8497
- Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2004 2:12 pm
- Location: Northern Virginia
Because a defensive player rarely gets a nod. More than likely, it will be Peyton Mannign on the logo once he's put out to stud.
Back and better than ever!
2 posts • Page 1 of 1


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Wednesday, 27 February 2008
Blueberry and Lemon Muffins
Blueberry and Lemon Muffins
175g plain flour
75g caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs
50g butter, melted
175ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp grated lemon rind
150g blueberries
Preheat oven to 200oC/180oC fan/gas 6. Grease or line 12 muffin tins.
Sift the flour, caster sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
Lightly whisk the egss in another bowl, then add the melted butter, milk, vanilla and lemon rind and stir until combined.
Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Using a large metal spoon, stir until the flour is moistened and incorporated but not until the mixture is smooth.
Gently fold the blueberries into the mixture with a metal spoon until they are evenly distributed.
Spoon the mixture into the tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Leave to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
7 comments:
- Rosie said...
Hi Maira, Oh these blueberry & lemon muffins are gorgeous! I love the citrus and blueberry combo and must bake these very soon sweetie! :D Thanks for sharing this recipe too your an angel ;)
Rosie x
- 27 February 2008 at 16:12
- Maria said...
Hi Rosie
What a sweetie you are. Thanks for the lovely comment. Please try these soon, they are very delish.
- 27 February 2008 at 16:15
- ruthEbabes said...
I'm wish Rosie, I love the combination of citrus and blueberry. These sound wonderful!
- 27 February 2008 at 16:43
- Rosie said...
Hi Maria me again :D
You have an Award waiting for you one my blog. Congrats and well deserved!!
Rosie x
- 27 February 2008 at 16:49
- Pixie said...
My mouth is craving a lemon/lime dessert and I have something in mind (a grand plan) of what I would like to make. Not so sure I could pull it off though!
Wonderful muffins maria and I'm shocked you've yet to try rhubarb! I thought I was the only one.
- 27 February 2008 at 16:58
- Cooking and the City said...
Yum Maria these look gorgeous, put the kettle on I'm on my way :-)
- 27 February 2008 at 18:00
- Maria said...
Hi everyone, thanks so much for all your wonderful and kind comments. You are all such a beautiful bunch of people ;o)
- 27 February 2008 at 21:51


text: Hi folks, I'm trying to install ISPconf 3 on my VPS. I get so far, then I have a problem. I'm following this howto. http://www.howtoforge.com/perfect-server-debian-squeeze-with-bind-and-courier-ispconfig-3-p4 When I issue --> nano /etc/fstab, I get this: proc /proc proc defaults 0 0 none /dev/pts devpts rw 0 0 /dev/sda1 / ext3 defaults,usrquota,grpquota 1 1 Then I issue, which works --> mount -o remount / Then: [email protected]:/home/pharox# quotacheck -avugm quotacheck: Cannot find filesystem to check or filesystem not mounted with quota option. [email protected]:/home/pharox# I've emailed my vps provider and made sure quotas is enabled, which it is. I have a vps running debian 6 32bit and the vps CP is SolusVM. Any idea where I am going wrong? Regards


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Pages: 1
is there a way by which I could customize my terminal in xfce3?...Id just to change the background color to something more easy on the eyes rather than a white.
Well..it seems like googling ( ! ^-^ ) isn't helping much with xfce3 ...
anyways..id like to hear from you guys,
I'm quite new myself but by chance I know something
Switch on the ("tools"-)toolbar, click the setup button and you find a "Colors" submenu. There you can fine-tune the colors of different stuff at will.
But so far I have not discoved how to make these adjustments survive a closing/opening, logout/login or reboot.
I can image 2 ways to do that:
- define these settings as Xdefaults - but there is no "Terminal" in /usr/share/X11/app-defaults/, so I don't how to do that.
- specify text color / background color / cursor as command-line options, but the Help of Terminal isn't exactly clear about how to do that.
Strange observation in that respect: When I do a reboot without closing Terminal, the seem that the colors survive - but the position of the tab bar is changed from bottom to top. So far it looks like I can either have nice colors OR my favorite tab bar position, but not both.
Assuming that aijazbaig1 will have the same problem soon: Can anyone help us, please?
I can solve the problem about defining colors.
Now we need a way to tell Terminal to pick up all settings from last time when it is opened.
(If nobody can tell us, I will go back to "konsole" *grumble*)
This forum lacks activity (and/or knowledge).
I'm fed up with reconfiguring the colors every time. Back to konsole, that is.
Pages: 1


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April 17, 2007
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - MIT's 12 first-half goals were crucial in its 15-9 win over Wheaton College in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women's lacrosse game on Tuesday night. Laura Watson paced the Engineers (4-6, 2-3 NEWMAC) with five goals and an assist while Madeline Williams posted four goals and an assist for the Lyons (3-10, 2-3 NEWMAC).
MIT quickly jumped out of the gate as it tallied three goals during the first 2:35 of the contest. Watson put the Engineers on the board with an unassisted goal, and then Julia Roberts connected on a pass from Mary Harding, which was followed by an unassisted strike from Lynne Tye. Wheaton ended the shutout at the 19:47 mark on a goal from Caitlin Grant. The Lyons forced a turnover during an MIT clear attempt and Grant picked up the groundball and sprinted to the net for the score.
The Engineers responded with four consecutive goals which extended their lead to 7-1 with 10:31 on the clock. Watson connected on a pass from Casey Flynn, who then recorded her first goal of the night. Roberts and Amanda Hunter completed the spurt with unassisted goals. Just over two minutes later, Grant found Williams for her first score. MIT countered with five unanswered goals which resulted in a 12-2 advantage at the intermission. A goal by Roberts that was set up by Watson sparked the run as Watson completed the hat trick with 3:19 to go. Samantha O'Keefe notched what proved to be the game-winning goal on the ensuing draw while Flynn and Watson rounded out the scoring for the Engineers.
Flynn converted MIT's first free position shot of the game to start the second stanza. Wheaton then tallied three goals in a span of 1:36, which cut its deficit to 13-5 at 22:42. Williams' free position goal ignited the run, which was followed by an unassisted goal from Meredith Hurd and a free position goal by Abbie Sherwin. Flynn found the back of the net for the Engineers before two quick goals from the Lyons' Williams and Hurd narrowed the gap to 14-7 midway through the half. Watson recorded the final score for MIT with 13:35 left to play. Wheaton continued to attack as Williams connected on a pass from Alexa Jurczak at the 7:30 mark. The remainder of the game was a defensive battle until a turnover by the Engineers set up Grant for the night's last goal as the horn sounded.
O'Keefe collected a game-high four groundballs while Anna Ayuso and Amanda Hunter each posted three draw controls. In net, Hee Jay Kang made eight saves as her record improved to 4-6 on the year.
Williams paced Wheaton with three groundballs while Grant and Sherwin totaled three draw controls apiece. Kristin Konig finished with 11 saves as her ledger lowered to 3-10 on the season.
MIT will close out regular season NEWMAC play on Saturday, April 21 when it travels to Mount Holyoke College. Wheaton will host Amherst College in a non-conference game on Wednesday, April 18.


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"There's no doubt that Kenny has interest in him," Thornton said on Tuesday. "[Putz] has been asking me what I think about it, what I think about the Sox. I told him we expect to win. I tell that to anyone that asks me, we expect to win. We prepare to win and if we don't win, well, we're pissed. I told [Putz] that if you're a free agent you want to go to a winner."
Thornton and Putz have been good buddies since early on in their Seattle days.
"We've known each other for over a decade," Thornton said laughing. "It's a bromance."
Thornon also has some comments on the Jenks situation.


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President urges freshmen to begin a search for self
Cites Louis Brandeis as a man who understood the meaning of moral courage
Welcoming the Class of 2016 to campus at Gosman Sports and Convocation Center Sunday afternoon, President Fred Lawrence told the 820-plus new Brandeisians that the greatest act of moral courage is to be oneself.
He urged them to emulate the university's namesake, Louis Brandeis, who accepted leadership of the American Zionist movement at great risk to his own career.
For Justice Brandeis, and at the university which bears his name, Lawrence said, "theory and practice do not pull in opposite directions."
On this campus, "social justice is not just a branch of curriculum. It's not just a part of life; it's a way of life," he said. Over the next four years, he said, members of the Class of 2016 will focus on the "act of creating yourself."
Dean of Arts and Sciences Susan J. Birren, who welcomed incoming international students at a standing-room-only gathering in Levin Ballroom Friday, also stressed the centrality of social justice at Brandeis.
"The focus here is social justice," Birren said. "It permeates everything we do. It influences the classes we take, the clubs we belong to... and the way we think about the world."
Both Lawrence and Birren emphasized that the missions of Brandeis as a liberal arts college and a teaching university were inextricably integrated. Throughout your time here. "you will be encountering people engaged in cutting edge research, and you are going to be part of that," Birren said. "What you're going to be learning in the classroom starting next week is what will be in the textbooks in 10 years."
Lawrence promised students that somewhere on this campus there is a professor who will "change your way of looking at the world and blow your mind," and told them they will also make lifelong friends and possibly meet a future spouse.
"No pressure, but we like to think of ourselves as a full-service university," he told the laughing crowd.
Mitchell Schwartz '14, the student coordinator of orientation 2012, said that in conceiving the theme for this orientation, the committee tried to imagine "what describes this Brandeis experience that we all love so much."
When they realized they were unable to do this, they made the theme "Out of This World."
"This institution offers so much but it all stands idle until you access it," he said, urging students to take advantage of every opportunity.
Andrew Flagel, senior vice president for students and enrollment, said students would have to make choices but urged them to "do everything" in their orientation period and early days.
Flagel, who recently took his 10-year-old son to the Lorax movie, quoted the beloved Dr. Seuss character in his charge to the freshmen: "Unless someone like you cares an awful lot, things are not going to get better. They're not."
So, Flagel continued, "we expect a lot from you.... We are counting on you to repair our world, to heal the sick, to feed the hungry and, God willing, to bring us peace."
Categories: General, Student Life


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I have already reviewed at length the first two volumes of this US/UK omnibus (The Shadow of the Torturer and The Claw of the Conciliator), but for this series of short commentaries on the Gollancz Fantasy Masterworks series, I thought I'd focus a bit on a few minor points of interest to myself. In particular, I want to focus more on the ways that Wolfe's first two volumes appear to be influenced by the blind Argentine author/poet, Jorge Luis Borges, whose motifs have been cropping up lately in several authors' fictions that I've been reading.
The first possibly Borgesian element is that of Severian's purportedly eidetic memory. When re-reading this omnibus for the fourth time this week, I was struck by the surface similarity to Borges's Funes. Now while the two authors employ the use of near-perfect memory differently in their stories, it is interesting in how each author's character have similar quirks about them. But it wasn't until near the midpoint of The Shadow of the Torturer that explicit references to Borges' signature stories begin to appear.
Severian's visit to Ultan's Library, with its labyrinthine passages and seemingly infinite number of shelves, not to mention its blind curator, is a direct homage to Borges himself and to stories such as "The Library of Babel" and perhaps The Book of Sand. Severian's conversation with Ultan bears some passing resemblence as well to how Borges would often frame his stories. Perhaps at a later time I'll go into more detail in regards to Borges' stories, but this is not the time.
Later on, in The Claw of the Conciliator, the influences are even more apparent. The section concerning Father Inire's mirrors and the fish that appears in them, are taken directly from Borges' "The Fauna of Mirrors," with the fish being at the center (China Miéville was also influenced by this short fiction when writing The Tain). The metaphysical explanation behind the mirrors and its form of travel/reality mirror similar discussions in several of the stories found in Ficciónes.
Being a fan of both authors, re-reading each for those subtle little bits leads to the accretion of semantic layers with each successive reading of the text. Whether it be discovering the multitude of ties connecting the two authors (throwing out mentions of Dr. Talos' play, Baldanders, and the like) or noting the level of skill that went into crafting these passages, Wolfe's Shadow and Claw is not only worthy of being "a" Fantasy Masterwork, it perhaps is THE fantasy masterwork of the past century. Its layers add to the re-reading experience and each successive read, for me, has led to a deeper awareness and appreciation for what Wolfe accomplished with his masterpiece. His The Book of the New Sun novels are among the most important novels of the second half of the 20th century, regardless of whatever shallow genre classifications might be used.


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Moderator: Community Team
der sniffter wrote:Congrats Andy.
Did I already tell you I have your avatar as a tattoo??
DJ Teflon wrote:Andy, you are the man monkey.
Victor Sullivan wrote:Thanks so much for your service Andy, we can all only hope for another 5 years
AndyDufresne, there's no one better than,
Still helps us newbies, though a veteran,
Thanks for you service,
Please don't desert us!
The greatest "Monkey Manager".
To AndyDufresne!
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text:
Jen Kaufman, also known as Midnight Lurker, first picked up a paint brush in the fall of 2002 while trying to create a party of colorful characters for a D&D game. She started painting dozens of NPC minis and soon her friends were asking for her to paint their figures too. With the help of the friendly people on the Reaper message boards and the encouragement of her family she has grown her skills and was eventually asked to paint for Reaper as a freelance artist. read more
Always a fan favorite, Bobby has been sculpting for Reaper since the late 90's. Today, Bobby's figures are synonymous with quality and excellence. Bobby's work is notable for its incredibly clean finish, crisp details, and amazing clothwork. read more


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2010-03-10 / Schools/Sports
Farmingdale College to close its pool as cost-cutting measure
Local swim teams left high and dry as coaches scramble for alternate sites
Within two years, Farmingdale State College's pool, which is used by many local swim clubs and school teams, will be closed. The college made the announcement recently, saying the cost of maintenance and upkeep for the pool is simply too costly. Instead, the college will be demolishing the pool and and putting up a new gymnasium.
You must be an online subscriber to view this story.


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text: Hello. I now want to set up my prefix more logic then it is like standard. As standard it is like this: Database name prefix: c[CLIENTID] Database user prefix: c[CLIENTID] FTP user prefix: [CLIENTNAME] Shell user prefix: [CLIENTNAME] Webdav user prefix: [CLIENTNAME] At my old server i have all this as [CLIENTNAME], but after reading this isnt good, beacuse db names only can be 16 charters. What about if i change all to [CLIENTID], will this be better? I´m also thinking if it will be better to have c5[CLIENTID] (if this is my 5th server) How are you guys doing with this? I want to have this so logic it can, and i think its maybe more easy to find at which server a customer is. But if i need to move some customer to other server that isnt good too. Thanks!


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What Orthodoxy Can Gain From Academic Biblical Studies: The Torah as Political Theory[1]
by: Joshua Berman
In ways that were astonishingly new and counter-intuitive, in ways that served the purposes of no known interest group, the political philosophy of the Torah may be seen to rise like a phoenix out of the intellectual landscape of the ancient Near East. Throughout the ancient world the truth was self-evident: all men were not created equal. It is in the five books of the Torah that we find the birthplace of egalitarian thought. When seen against the backdrop of ancient norms, the social blueprint found in the Torah represents a series of quantum leaps in a sophisticated and interconnected matrix of theology, politics and economics.
To appreciate the claim that the Torah represents the dawn of egalitarian thought, let us set the claim in historical perspective. It is only in the European revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries that the privileges of rank and nobility are rejected, and the entrenched caste, feudal, and slave systems delegitimated. Greece and Rome had known their respective reformers, yet nowhere in the classical world is there evidence of a struggle to do away with class distinctions.[2] None of the ancient authors championed egalitarianism in their ideal systems. "From the hour of their birth," wrote Aristotle, "some are marked out for subjection, others for rule."[3] It was assumed that some would be rich and that many, many more would be poor. Not simply because that's the way things were, but because that was the way things were actually supposed to be. For Aristotle, justice meant that equals be treated as equals and unequals as unequals.[4] The Greeks and Romans possessed an overwhelming belief in the harmony of various classes. The medieval mindset, too, believed that in an ordered society each socioeconomic class performed its tasks for the common good.[5] Political theorists from classical times through the Italian Renaissance, assumed that independence and freedom could not be achieved by those who did not already possess it.[6] Social stratification was likewise the norm in the empires and lands of the ancient Near East. Not a culture in the region believed in the ideal of a society without entrenched class divisions that were founded on the control of economic, military, and political power.
To be sure, the Torah manifestly speaks of multiple classes of individuals within the Israelite polity, an order which may not be termed egalitarian in the full sense of the word. The Torah speaks of those with entitlements and privileges, such as the king, priests and Levites.[7] But the control of economic and political resources enjoyed by these groups is greatly attenuated in contrast to the surrounding cultures of the ancient Near East. Most significantly, the Torah rejects the divide between a class of tribute imposers, which controls economic, and political power and an even larger class of tribute bearers. In its place, the Torah articulates a new social, political, and religious order, the first to be founded upon egalitarian ideals and the notion of a society whose core is a single, uniformly empowered, homogeneous class.
* * *
The revolution of political thought in the Torah begins with a revamping of theology: for people to think anew about politics, they would first have to think anew about theology. Our view of things political as distinct from things religious is a thoroughly modern notion: not a single culture in the ancient Near East has a word for "religion" as distinct from "state". The Tanakh reflects a world in which theological beliefs were intimately bound up with the politics of the times and the support of social hierarchy.
To appreciate just how intimately politics and theology went hand in hand in the ancient world, imagine that we are archeologists digging up an ancient culture called "America." Deciphering its religious texts, we discover that the paramount god of the pantheon was "Commander in Chief," who resided in a heavenly palace, or temple called "White House," and would traverse the heavens in his vehicle, Chariot One. We further discover that Commander in Chief had a consort known as "First Lady"—herself a goddess of apparently meager powers, yet assumed by some to possess a keen aesthetic sense. Our digging would further reveal that opposite "White House" in the heavens, was another temple, this one domed and populated by 535 lesser, regional deities, who routinely schemed and coalesced into partisan groupings, and who were known, on occasion, to have been able to depose Commander in Chief.
Put differently, what we would discover is that the institutional order "down below" is parallel to the divine order "up above." This phenomenon, whereby the political structure of the heavens mirrored that of the earthly realm, was nearly ubiquitous in the ancient world, and it is easy to see why. Political regimes are, by definition, artificial, constructed, and therefore tenuous: there is no real reason why one person should reign, and not another. A regime can receive immeasurable legitimation, however, if the masses underfoot believe that it is rooted in ultimate reality and unchanging truth; that the significance of the political order has cosmic and sacred basis. The heavenly order mirrors the earthly order because ancient religion is a mask that covers over the human construction and exercise of power.[8]
For example, we find that the chief god of the Mesopotamian pantheon, Enlil, utterly resembles his earthly counterpart, the king. Enlil, like the king, rules by delegating responsibilities to lesser dignitaries and functionaries. Like his earthly counterpart, he presides over a large assembly. He resides in a palace with his wives, children, and extended "house."[9] Generally speaking, the gods struggled to achieve a carefree existence and enjoyed large banquets in their honor. Like kings, gods needed a palace, or what we would call a temple, where they, too, could reside in splendor in separation from the masses, with subjects caring for their every physical need.
If a god wanted something, say a temple repaired, or the borders expanded, he communicated through various agents with the king, and the king was his focus.[10] The gods never spoke to the masses, nor imparted instruction to them. Ancient creation myths depict the masses serving a single purpose: to toil and offer tribute. Common humans were servants, at the lowest rung of the metaphysical hierarchy. The gods were interested in the masses to the extent that a baron or feudal lord would have interest in ensuring the well-being of the serfs that run the estate and supply its needs.[11] Servants, no doubt, play a vital role in sustaining monarchical order, but from an existential perspective, it is a decidedly diminished and undignified role.
The Torah achieves a dual accomplishment as it reconfigures theology in a way that supports an egalitarian agenda: it articulates a portrait of the heavens that strips earthly hierarchies of power of their sacral legitimation. Moreover, it provides a theological grounding for the existence of a homogeneous nation of equal citizens.
This is achieved through the Exodus and the revelation at Sinai - stories that would have made a distinct and unusual impression on the ancient mind. The ancients had no problem believing that the gods could split the seas, or descend in fire upon a mountaintop. Yet the Exodus and Sinai stories required an enormous stretch of the imagination, as they required listeners of subsequent generations to believe in political events that were without precedent and utterly improbable, even in mythic terms. Slaves had never been known to overthrow their masters. Gods had never been known to speak to an entire people. In propagating the story of an enslaved people simply upping and outing, however, the Torah also pre-empted claims of election and immanent hierarchy within the Israelite nation. The Exodus story effectively disallowed any Israelite to lay claim to elevated status. All Israelites emanate from the Exodus—a common, seminal, liberating, but most importantly equalizing event.
Although the revelation at Sinai is usually conceived in religious terms, its political implications are no less dramatic, and constitute the bedrock of the egalitarian theology the Torah sought to adduce. Elsewhere, the gods communicated only to the kings, and had no interest in the masses. But at Sinai, God spoke only to the masses, without delineating any role whatever for kings, and their attendant hierarchies.[12] Archeological findings allow us to grasp the way in which the Sinai narrative transforms the masses into kings.
Here's how it works: As scholars noted more than fifty years ago, the pact, or covenant between God and Israel displays many common elements with what are known in biblical studies as ancient Near Eastern vassal treaties between a great king and a weaker one. In these treaties the more powerful king acts on behalf of a weaker, neighboring king: sensing an opportunity to foster a loyal ally, he may send food during a famine, or soldiers to break a siege. In return, the lesser king demonstrates his appreciation to the powerful one by agreeing to a series of steps that express his gratitude and loyalty. In these treaties the vassal king retains his autonomy and is treated like royalty when he visits the palace of the powerful king. Having been saved from Egypt by God, the Israelites sign on at Sinai to a vassal treaty as sign of loyalty, becoming subordinate partners to the sovereign king, God.
The theological breakthrough of the Hebrew Torah the transformation of the status and standing of the masses, of the common person, to a new height, and the elimination of nobles, royalty, and the like. In the Torah, the common man received an upgrade from king's servant to servant king.[13]
The ennoblement of the common man is manifested in the very notion that the accounts of Exodus and Sinai should be promulgated among the people as their history. The point requires a note of context for us as moderns. Although there are over one million inscriptions in our possession from the ancient Near East, there is nowhere evidence of a national narrative that a people tells itself about its collective, national life, of moments of achievement or of despair that is recorded for posterity.
Stories abound in the ancient Near East—but they revolve around the exploits of individual gods, kings and nobles.[14] The stories were written, oddly enough, for the gods themselves—as witnessed by the fact that these texts were often discovered in temple libraries, buried, or in other inaccessible locations. Myths were recited to remind the gods of their responsibilities. Texts that detail a king's achievements on the battlefield were read as a report to a deity about the king's activities on his or her behalf. They were not composed for the masses.
In an age and place such as our own, where literacy is nearly ubiquitous, access to texts of many kinds and the knowledge they bear is unfettered and, in theory, available to all. But in the ancient world physical access to written texts and the skills necessary to read them were everywhere highly restricted. The production and use of texts in the cultures of the ancient Near East as well as of ancient Greece were inextricably bound up with the formation of class distinctions: those who could read and write were members of a trained scribal class who worked in the service of the king.[15] Writing originated in the ancient Near East as a component of bureaucratic activity. Systems of writing were essential for the administration of large states. The elite in these cultures had a vested interest in the status quo, and had an interest in preventing others from gaining control of an important means of communication. Far from being interested in its simplification, scribes often chose to proliferate signs and values. Both cuneiform writing in Mesopotamia and hieroglyphics in Egypt are systems of writing whose signs and symbols run into the hundreds. The texts produced in Mesopotamia were composed exclusively by scribes and exclusively for scribal use—administrative or cultic, or in the training of yet other scribes.
The Cambridge anthropologist Jack Goody noted that a culture's willingness to disseminate its religious literature inevitably reflects an emphasis on the individual within that culture.[16] The comment sheds light on the Torah's agenda to establish an ennobled egalitarian citizenry, as the Torah eagerly looks to share the divine word with the people of Israel. Moses reads the divine word to the people at Sinai (Exodus 24:1-8). Periodically, the people are to gather at the temple and hear public readings of the Torah (Deuteronomy 31:10-13). It is telling that the Tanakh never depicts priests or scribes as jealous or protective of their writing skills, as was common in neighboring cultures.[17]
* * *
Turning from theology, we see that the Torah radically revamped regnant notions of political office and the exercise of power, with an egalitarian agenda. The Torah is the first work in history to adopt the rule of law. The great 20th century political philosopher, Friedrich Hayek, saw Athenian political philosophy as the birthplace of the notion of equality before the law,[18] but it is already present in the Torah, especially in Deuteronomy. Elsewhere in the ancient world, the kings composed and promulgated law, but were above it, not subject to it. By contrast, all public institutions in the Torah—the judiciary, the priesthood, the monarchy, the institution of prophecy—are governed and regulated by law.[19] Moreover, the law is a public text whose dictates are meant to be widely known thus making abuse of power more obvious, and thus safeguarding the common citizenry.
Moreover, the most important body of authority in the polity envisioned by the Torah is, none other than the people themselves. The Torah addresses the fraternal and egalitarian citizenry in the second person, "you", and charges them with appointing a king and to appoint judges. Put differently, the Torahh specifies no nominating body for appointing leaders or representatives. Rather, the collective "you"—the common citizenry—bears ultimate responsibility to choose a king and to appoint judges. From the history of the United States we know how unthinkable it was only a few generations ago for many to contemplate the notion that persons of color or women should play a role in choosing who rules. For the royal monarchies of the ancient Near East, it was equally unfathomable that the masses—who elsewhere were serfs, servants— would hold any sway over those that ruled them.
Thomas Hobbes recognized the fundamental principle that rule is legitimate only if the people choose to surrender some of their authority to a central figure. But the origins of the idea that a king would be appointed only if the people wanted one are in the Torah. Furthermore, if the people did elect to have a king, the Torah determined that he should be but a shadow of what a king was elsewhere. Elsewhere kings played central roles in the cult. In the Torah he plays none.[20] Elsewhere, the kings aimed to build a strong army. The Torah calls for him to have a limited treasury and to forego a cavalry, limitations that would leave him commanding only a small army. Moreover, were a royal chariot force to serve as the backbone of the nation's defense, it would inevitably emerge as an elite military class.[21] The great jurist of Athens, Solon, extended preferred status to the members of the cavalry over other citizens. But what confers status in the Torah is citizenship in the covenantal community, and this is shared by all. Elsewhere, the king would consolidate his power through a network of political marriages.[22] The Torah forbids the king from taking a large number of wives.
Finally, the Torah wrote a page in the history of constitutional thought, one that would not be written again until the American Founding. It pertains to a highly advanced notion of the separation of powers. Classical Greek political thought understood that in the absence of a strong monarch or a tyrant, factionalism threatened the stability of the polity. It was inevitable that the population would contain rich and poor, nobles and commoners. The stratification of the social order led classical theorists to balance power by allotting a share of the rule to each faction within society.
Yet, the balance of power was not a balance of institutions of government, as we are accustomed to today. Rather, the balance was achieved by allowing each of the socioeconomic factions a functioning role within each seat of government. Thus, for the Roman jurist Polybius the legislative branch of government in the republic was to consist of two bodies: the senate for the nobles and the assembly for the commoners, with each institution permanently enshrined in law.[23]
The accepted wisdom that the effective division of power was predicated upon its distribution across preexisting societal seats of power was one that would hold sway throughout most of the history of political thought, from Roman theorists through early modern thinkers. It is central even to the thinking of Montesquieu, the father of modern constitutional theory, who is credited with the separation of powers into three branches, executive, legislative and judiciary in his 1748 work, The Spirit of the Laws.
Looking at the English model of his day, Montesquieu held that the legislative power should consist of a body of hereditary nobles and of a body of commoners.[24] He saw hereditary nobility not as a necessary evil, nor even as an inevitable fact of life, but rather as a boon to effective government. With its inherent wealth and power, the nobility would serve as a moderating force within government against the abuses of the monarch.[25] Moreover, the fact that the nobility's strength was derived from its own resources would endow its members with a sense of independence. Together with developed education and time for reflection, this would enable the nobles to contribute to effective government in a way members of the lower classes could not.[26] Montesquieu could not conceive of a classless society, and a regime where the division of powers was purely institutional and instrumental, where the eligibility to hold office was independent of class.
Here the Torah stands distinct. Elsewhere, political office legitimizes preexisting societal seats of power, and is awarded upon the basis of class and kinship. For the first time in history, the Torah articulates a division of at least some powers along lines of institution and instrument without regard to social standing. Anyone, according to the law of the king in Deuteronomy, who is "among your brethren" is eligible to be appointed king. Moreover, the king is appointed by the collective "you," mentioned before. How that selection occurs, apparently, is an issue that the Torah deliberately left open, implying that there is no selecting body that a priori has a greater divine imprimatur than any other.
The same is true with regard to the judiciary in the book of Deuteronomy. Anyone may be appointed judge, and no less importantly, anyone, in theory, is eligible to participate in the process of appointing judges. The appointment of judges is mandated with the sole purpose of achieving the execution of justice, rather than the assignment of office to perpetuate the standing of a noble class. In this sense, Deuteronomy's notion of offices that are entirely institutional and instrumental is an idea that would again appear only with the American Founding Fathers.
* * *
The Torah understood that in order to create an egalitarian order, it would also need to rethink the economic structure of society, for without equity, there is no equality, and it sought to achieve this through radical legislation on several fronts. The first concerned the allocation of land, the primary source of a livelihood. Elsewhere, land was owned by the palace and by the temple.[27] The Torah, in contrast, knows of no land holding for either king or cult. Instead, nearly the entire land is given to the people themselves, in an association of free farmers and herdsmen, subsumed within a single social class.[28] The idea that wide tracks of available land should be divided among the commoners was without precedent. Indeed, it is hard to think of another example of this until the American Homestead Act of 1863. With the Great Plains open to mass settlement, nearly any person 21 years of age could acquire at virtually no cost a tract of 160 acres that would become his after five years of residence and farming. For 2 million new arrivals and other landless Americans, the Homestead Act was an opportunity to acquire assets and to bring equality of economic standing in line with equality before the law.[29]
The revamping of economic norms is evident in the Torah's approach to debt-relief. Royal edicts of debt relief were common in the ancient world, and almost always declared during the first year of a new monarch's reign, with clear political motivations.[30] The Greek historian Plutarch writes that when the Spartan ruler Agis sought to impose debt relief, the measure was considered by his detractors as nothing more than a Robin-Hood scheme: "By offering to the poor the property of the rich, and by distribution of land and remission of debts, he [bought] a large bodyguard for himself, not many citizens for Sparta."[31] In contrast, debt-relief in the Torah is enacted every seven years, and is in no way dependent on the will of the king. Debt relief, which had been a political tool of the ascending king, is now transformed to a legislated right of the common citizen.
With the release mandated to be enacted every seven years, the inequities of free trade would be leveled out on a more regular basis than they would have been elsewhere in the ancient Near East. For a society predicated upon the principle of the rejection of hierarchy, there could be no more important legislation; equity is a vital component of equality. The release of debts every seven years serves as a hedge against the permanent development of an indigent underclass.[32]
What is most remarkable about the Torah's economic reforms is the manner in which the new economy is incorporated into a new measure of time. Elsewhere in the ancient Near East the calendar was based upon readily perceptible astronomical rhythms: the counting of days stems from observing the rising and setting of the sun; of months, from observations of the waxing and waning of the moon; of years, from observing the seasons and position of the sun. The ancient Near East, however, knows no calendar that incorporates the notion of a week.[37] The week is the invention of the Torah, and is rooted in the Torah's account of creation, in which God worked for six days, and rested on the seventh.
The new unit of time is integral to the Torah's egalitarian vision. The Sabbath principle regulates the schedule of the laws of social welfare, as a great equalizing force between haves and have-nots. The Sabbath day is a day of rest for all. In the seventh year—the "Sabbatical" year—the field lies fallow and is available for all to enjoy, and debt release, as we saw earlier is enacted in this year. Time itself is marshaled in the establishment of the egalitarian agenda.[38]
It may be challenged that the institution of the priesthood undermines the central thesis of this essay. But when seen in ancient Near Eastern perspective, it is clear that the Torah designed a priesthood that would be stripped of many of the powers that priests had in neighboring cultures. We have already seen how this is true with regard to land-holding and literacy. To this we may add that nowhere else in the ancient world do we find pejorative accounts concerning the high priests. The Torah, however, tells us only one substantive story about Aaron – the sin of the golden calf (Exodus 32) – and one substantive story about his sons – the sins of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10), both stories that are pejorative in the extreme. Elsewhere in the ancient Near East, temples were strictly off limits to all but temple officiates. Within the Torah, the common men and women of Israel play a more active role in the Temple, than is found anywhere else in the ancient world. No other culture revealed the laws of the cult to the masses in the way that Leviticus does to the entire populace. When seen in ancient perspective, the power and mystique of the priesthood is greatly vitiated, and the status of the common citizen greatly elevated.
Throughout the ancient world, the truth was self-evident: all men were not created equal. The ancients saw the social world they had created, and, behold, it was good. It was good, they deemed, because it was ordered around a rigid hierarchy, where everyone knew their station in life, each according to their class. By contrast, the Torah articulates an integrated grand vision. For the first time a society was told that the gods were something other than their own selves writ large, in a vision that radically rethought God as it rethought man. It introduced new understandings of the law, of political office, of military power, of taxation, of social welfare. It conceived in radically new ways the importance of national narrative, of technologies of communication, and of a culture's calibration of time. Never, in the annals of human thought, has one document revolutionized so much political thought, with so little precedent to inspire it.
[1] This essay is derived from my Created Equal: How the Bible Broke with Ancient Political Thought (Oxford University Press, 2008).
[2] Howard Adelson, "The Origins of a Concept of Social Justice," in Social Justice in the Ancient World, eds. K. D. Irani and M. Silver (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 1995), 26.
[3] Aristotle, Politics, 1:5 (1254a20) [Benjamin Jowett translation]. Available: http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/politics.1.one.html. [December 6, 2007].
[4] Aristotle, Politics, 3:9.
[5] Adelson, "The Origins of a Concept," 32.
[6] Philip Pettit, Republicanism: A Theory of Freedom and Government (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997), 162.
[7] There are many areas in which the blueprint laid forth by the Torah sees women as subordinate to men in areas such as the judiciary, the cult, the military, and in land ownership, to name just a few. Yet much of what follows about how the Torah empowered and ennobled the common Israelite is true of women as well as of men. Moreover, there is evidence that the status of women in the Tanakh was higher than the standing ascribed to women in ancient Near Eastern literature. See Tikva Frymer-Kensky, In the Wake of the Goddesses: Women, Culture, and the Biblical Transformation of Pagan Myth (New York: Free Press, 1992); idem., Reading the Women of the Tanakh: A New Interpretation of Their Stories (New York: Schocken, 2002).
[8] Peter L. Berger, The Sacred Canopy: Elements of a Sociological Theory of Religion (Garden City: Doubleday, 1967), 31-38; Paul Ricouer, Figuring the Sacred: Religion, Narrative, and Imagination (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995), 54. See also, S. N. Eisenstadt, "Introduction: The Axial Age Breakthroughs--Their Characteristics and Origins," in The Origins and Diversity of Axial Age Civilizations, ed. S. N. Eisenstadt (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1986), 2-4. See discussion with regard to ancient Near Eastern religions in J. David Schloen, The House of the Father as Fact and Symbol: Patrimonialism in Ugarit and the Ancient Near East (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2001), 92.
[9] Thorkild Jacobsen, The Treasures of Darkness: A History of Mesopotamian Religion (Hew Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1976), 4; Jean Bottéro, Religion in Ancient Mesopotamia (trans. Teresa Lavender Fagan; Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001), 51, 91, 220; Robert Karl Gnuse, No Other Gods: Emergent Monotheism in Israel (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997), 153.
[10] Henri Frankfort, Kingship and the Gods: A Study of Ancient Near Eastern Religion as the Integration of Society and Nature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1948) 258-59.
[11] S. A. Geller, "The God of the Covenant," in One God or Many?: Concepts of Divinity in the Ancient World, ed. Barbara Nevling Porter (Casco Bay Assyriological Institute, 2000), 309.
[12] All of this, of course, changes with the rise of the Davidic dynasty and the sacral legitimation given it. My arguments here concentrate on the vision of society as set forth in the Torah, a vision that, it would seem, was not fully realized at any point in biblical history.
[13] The theological implications of the vassal treaty paradigm are explored in greater depth in my article, Joshua A. Berman, "God's Alliance with Man," Azure 25 (Summer 2006) 79-113.
[14] Edward L. Greenstein, "The God of Israel and the Gods of Canaan: How Different Were They?" World Congress of Jewish Studies 12 (1999): A:56*; John Van Seters, "The Historiography of the Ancient Near East," Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, ed. Jack M. Sasson, et al (4 vols.; Peabody: Hendrickson, 1995) 4:2433-44 (henceforth CANE).
[15] On the general topic, see David Carr, Writing on the Tablet of the Heart: Origins of Scripture and Literature (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005).
[16] Jack Goody, The Logic of Writing and the Organization of Society (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1986), 2.
[17] See, for example, the Admonitions of Ipuwer, a mid-second millennium Egyptian composition in Miriam Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature, (3 vols.; Berkeley: University of California Press, 1976) 1:155.
[18] F. A. Hayek, The Political Ideal of the Rule of Law (Cairo: National Bank of Egypt, 1955), 6-9.
[19] See Bernard M. Levinson, "The Reconceptualization of Kingship in Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomic History's Transformation of Torah," Vetus Testamentum 51 (2001) 532.
[20] Levinson, "The Reconceptualization of Kingship," 523. The separation of monarchy and cult, however, is distinctly deuteronomic. Many kings are seen offering sacrifices, most notably Solomon (1 Kgs 8:5), and indeed Solomon is the driving force in the construction of the First Temple (1 Kgs 6-8). No protest is registered against kings anywhere in the prophetic literature for performing cultic activities, a note registered only in 2 Chr 26:16-20, with reference to Uzziah.
[21] Shemaryahu Talmon, "Kingship and the Ideology of the State," in World History of the Jewish People, ed. Ben-Zion Netanyahu, 8 vols. (Tel Aviv: Massadah, 1963- ) 4:13-14; Mayes, (A. D. H. Mayes, Deuteronomy [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979], 272) notes that the agenda of attenuating royal prestige by limiting the number of horses accords with other biblical references which suggest that the possession of wealth and horses deny a person the capacity to trust in God (Isa 2:7-9; Mic 5:10ff).
[22] See Patricia Dutcher- Walls, "The Circumscription of the King in Deuteronomy 17:16-17 in its Ancient Social Context," Journal of Biblical Literature 121:4 (2002) 609; Richard D. Nelson, Deuteronomy: A Commentary (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002), 224.
[23] Thomas L. Pangle, Montesquieu's Philosophy of Liberalism(Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1973), 118-20.
[24] Montesquieu, Spirit of the Laws, 11:6.
[25] Judith N. Shklar, Montesquieu (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987), 87.
[26] Pangle, Montesquieu's Philosophy of Liberalism, 129.
[27] With regard to Egypt see David O'Connor, "The Social and Economic Organization of Ancient Egyptian Temples," in CANE 1: 319-29. With regard to Mesopotamia, see Norman Yoffee, "The Economy of Ancient Western Asia," CANE 3:1387-99. It would appear that alongside royal estate holdings, some form of private ownership of land was extant in all period and all places in the ancient Near East, with the possible exception of Egypt, where it may be that all lands were considered to be the property of the king. See Snell, Life in the Ancient Near East, 125-28 and the extended bibliography in Chirichigno, Debt Slavery in Israel, 35, n. 1.
[28] Jeffrey A. Fager, Land Tenure and the Biblical Jubilee: Uncovering Hebrew Ethics through the Sociology of Knowledge (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1993), 88.
[29] On the Homestead Act see Heather Cox Richardson, The Greatest Nation of the Earth: Republican Economic Policies During the Civil War (Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 1997).
[30] Moshe Weinfeld, Social Justice in Ancient Israel and in the Ancient Near East (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, 1995), 77.
[31] Plutarch, Lives: Agis and Cleomenes 7:7, trans. Bernadotte Perrin (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1913) vol. 10, p. 19. See similar sentiments in Roman times, in Cicero, Duties 2, 78-80. See discussion in Weinfeld, Social Justice, 11.
[32] Nelson, Deuteronomy, 192.
[33] Elsewhere, both in the Hebrew Tanakh and in almost all ancient Near Eastern sources, tithes are delivered to the temple or sanctuary. Cf. H. Jagersma, "The Tithes in the OT," Oudtestamentische Studiën 21 (1981): 123. In Israel as well, the distinction between the royal and temple tithes is not always clear, since temples were ispo facto royal temples (Amos 7:13) and the kings controlled their treasuries (1 Kgs15:18; 2 Kgs 12:19; 18:15) and were responsible for their maintenance (2Kgs 12:7-17; 22:3-7; Ezek 45:17; 2 Chr 31:3-6). See Jacob Milgrom, Cult and Conscience: The Asham and the Priestly Doctrine of Repentance (Leiden: Brill, 1976), 57. For an overview of tithing in the Tanakh and its relationship to tithing in the ancient Near East, see Moshe Weinfeld, "Tithing in the Tanakh: Its Monarchic and Cultic Background," Be'er Sheva 1 (1973) 122-31 (Heb.).
[34] This is decidedly not the case throughout the Tanakh, however. In 1 Sam 8:15-17 and 1 Kgs 4:7, the tithe is a tax collected through the legal claim of the kingdom as sacral monarchy, belonging to God and the king together. See Frank Crüsemann, The Torah: Theology and Social History of Old Testament Law, trans. Allan W. Mahnke (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1996), 217.
[35] John F. Robertson, "The Social and Economic Organization of Ancient Mesopotamian Temples," in CANE 1:444-46. Occasions mentioned elsewhere in the Tanakh, however, indicate that major cultic occasions could involve massive economic resources (cf. 1 Kgs 8:5).
[36] Crüsemann, The Torah, 217.
[37] Different systems were adduced for breaking down the month into smaller units in Mesopotamia. See William W. Hallo, "New Moons and Sabbaths: A Case Study in the Contrastive Approach," Hebrew Union College Annual 48 (1977) 12-13.
[38] Hallo, "New Moons and Sabbaths," 15; M. Tsevat, "The Basic Meaning of the Biblical Sabbath," Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 84 (1972): 448; Benjamin Uffenheimer, "Myth and Reality in Ancient Israel," in The Origins and Diversity of Axial Age Civilizations, ed. S. N. Eisenstadt (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1986), 150-53.


text:
Review Group Week 213 - DAYTRIPPER #4
Hey you! Reader! Want to be a part of the GREATEST COMIC BOOK AND GEEK COMMUNITY on the web?! Well, they're not accepting new members, but we'll take anyone here, so why not sign up for a free acount? It's fast and it's easy, like your mom! Sign up today! Membership spots are limited!*
*Membership spots not really limited!
Hey you! Reader! Want to be a part of the GREATEST COMIC BOOK AND GEEK COMMUNITY on the web?! Well, they're not accepting new members, but we'll take anyone here, so why not sign up for a free acount? It's fast and it's easy, like your mom! Sign up today! Membership spots are limited!*
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by MrBlack » Fri Mar 12, 2010 12:42 pm
Well heck, let's just go with Irredeemable #12 then.
by thefourthman » Fri Mar 12, 2010 2:15 pmi love it when we do books i'm not reading!!!
by MrBlack » Fri Mar 12, 2010 2:22 pmMaybe not the best place to pick it up for new readers, but I do love this book and would like to see it get more attention.
by thefourthman » Fri Mar 12, 2010 2:25 pm
good thing about boom, is I can go to the thingy and read all of them before it comes out.
It gets plenty of attention. There are way too many books like it though. Back when it, Absolution and the Mighty started, The Mighty is the one I liked and stuck with.
I read the first issue and then the first trade, but it didn't really grab me, the epic 11 issue read will be fun though.
by Garofani Spruzzo » Fri Mar 12, 2010 2:35 pmI always look forward to reading this more than most books.
The Mighty was great, I'm sorry it may have ended prematurely, but to toss Irredeemable off as another iteration of The Mighty is wrong, they grow to be very different books over the 12-ish issues of each.
Irredeemable is not just a book about The Plutonian's rampage at this point, although that is still the compelling centerpiece to the story. The characterization really stands out as he fleshes out the rest of the cast over the run so far.
I am so looking forward to some info on Modeus.
by thefourthman » Fri Mar 12, 2010 2:38 pm
I certainly don't think it was a rip off of the Mighty...
I liked it, but sometimes I have a hard time following multiple books that are similar Irredeemable lost out, but I hear very good things. I am looking forward to it.
by Punchy » Fri Mar 12, 2010 2:39 pmNice, an easy book to read on PDF
by Garofani Spruzzo » Fri Mar 12, 2010 2:48 pm
Or you could say Irredeemable won out.
I didn't pick up The Mighty until the end when I bought the back issues a couple months before it ended. Good stuff.
by thefourthman » Fri Mar 12, 2010 2:50 pm
*runs out of room crying*
by Garofani Spruzzo » Fri Mar 12, 2010 2:54 pm
Yep, all my fault. Don't you think BOOM! did a better job of getting their book out there publicity-wise though?
by thefourthman » Fri Mar 12, 2010 2:56 pm
Boom has to do a better job than Marvel or DC does and Waid and the crew did a phenomenal job with this book. I still want a Waid is Evil Shirt.
by Eric Ratcliffe » Fri Mar 12, 2010 5:38 pmDaytripper #4
By Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon
So when I read the first issue of this series I think it took the scene at the bar to hook me and then I was really curious as to where things would head. The of course I got to issue #3 and was still confused but really pulled in by Bras as a character.
Bras through the story seems to be your typical struggling writer who does his best to do right by his family friends and in some cases the women he falls in love with. What was interesting in this issue was the exploration of a slightly older bras relationship with his parents and his wife who was about to have their first child.
The exploration between Bras and the mysterious girl who he once let get away was a highlight for me. I really enjoyed the over all mystery of who she was and how she was connected to his father. (not sure if I read it right but was she a love interest for Bras or was she his father's illegitimate daughter from another woman?)
The art is as as strong as the brothers have every been in my opinion. I feel that you can't tell exactly which brother is drawing what and their styles really seem to mesh together extremely well.
I'm really curious to see exactly how Bras is still alive at these different points in his life and just what everything means. My current theory is that we are following Bras as he writes a book that will be successful about a fictional version of himself who dies after several important moments in his life.
Art: 10
Story: 7.5
Over all: A solid 8.
by Punchy » Fri Mar 12, 2010 5:41 pm
They refer to her as his half-sister in the issue, she's his father's illegitimate daughter.
by Eric Ratcliffe » Fri Mar 12, 2010 5:43 pm
Ah okay, I was thrown off because Bras mentioned missing out on the girl of his dreams like a page after that.
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The point I was making is that Swine Flu has been blown out of proportion by the media - it has died down somewhat in recent months, but a while ago it was all over the news. The might as well have had a pale man, sweating and shaking on our screens repeatedly saying "We're all going to die! We're all going to die!" Its all just sensationalism, probably trying to take our minds off the dire state of the economy for a while.Sanghamitta wrote:Dont be afraid of the vaccine either.
No one I have encountered has suffered with Swine Flu, and in many cases I have heard about, people just had flu like symptoms and recovered very quickly. No one I know ever had Bird Flu either, or SARS. Whilst I admit it is important to look out for one's own health, its also important not to get swept up in mass hysteria. Many elderly people die from regular flu every year (not to mention all the countless other diseases and ailments!), as do many with weak immune systems etc. It's those people who we need to look out for. The rest of us don't have a huge amount to worry about.
To me it just seems completely like the media have whipped up a frenzy over this. Of course I don't wish Swine Flu upon anyone and I hope all those suffering with it recover swiftly and healthily, and I don't deny that in some cases Swine Flu is a huge risk. However it is not a huge risk to every single person in the whole wide world as it is portrayed to be in the media and I don't think it should be feared to such a high degree.
Personally I would be more weary of getting the vaccine myself (if I were to fear anything in this scenario), not least untill I knew exactly what was in it. After the media creating all this hype they could have anything in those syringes and we would gladly roll up our sleeves... Not wanting to sound like a conspiracist or anything


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Please bring your own packing materials, boxes and help for moving heavy items. We do not supply these things.
payment due before pick-up. A buyer's premium (BP) of 15% will be collected. Everyone must bring a
printed COPY OF YOUR INVOICE. Credit card payments are due at the end of
the on-line auction. No property can be removed
until the account is fully settled. All items
are sold as-is and where-is. Any announcements made day of sale takes
precedence over printed advertisements. Sales tax of 8.25% will be charged on ALL winning bids unless
a re-sellers tax form or tax-exempt form is presented, and it must be in
the registered bidders name. Items not picked up at the designated
times become the property of Lonestar Timeless Treasures LLC.
Acceptance of Terms: All persons participating in the on-line bidding agree to and accept these terms and conditions unequivocally and without exception. All items are sold AS IS, WHERE IS with NO warranties implied or expressed. No allowance, refund or set aside will be made because of any incorrectness, error in cataloging, imperfection, defect or damage. Any descriptions or representations are for identification purposes only and are not to be construed as a warranty of any type. It is the responsibility of the Buyer to have inspected thoroughly the items and to have satisfied himself or herself as to its condition and value and to bid based upon that judgment solely. In rare situations, pursuant to federal UCC regulations, the seller may retain one or more items that have been advertised for sale. Every effort is made to provide notice of retention as soon as Lonestar Timeless Treasures LLC is notified.
Shipping and/or preparation of items for shipment is not automatically available for all purchases. All items that can be shipped are marked in the auction. For this auction, Lonestar Timeless Treasures, will deliver the items to be shipped to BOX IT (which is a third party and is not employed Lonestar Timeless Treasures). Their contact information is as follows: BOX IT www.boxitleaguecity.com (281)332-1599 Owner: Dan Duria. It is up to the Winning Bidder to make the arrangements. They require a credit card to be on file before they will take possession of any items. They do not except American Express. This must be completed within the removal timeline. We recommend you arrange shipping and/or preparation of items for shipment prior to bidding.


text: My baby boy is now 3 weeks old and has been nursing and supplementing with formula since he was 5 days old. When he was born he was 6lbs 2oz when we left the hospital he was 5 lbs 8oz. We were told to go to the doctor a few days after being discharged and he was still 5 lbs 8oz this was when the pediatrician told me to start supplementing with formula. My sweetie ended up back in the hospital at 9 days old because he turned blue, but he was still nursing what I would say is well. He would nurse 8 times a day and take between an ounce or two of formula after each nursing session. We have always had a little trouble with him falling asleep while nursing but I would tickle his feet or undress him to keep him awake, but now for the past week he wont stay latched on. I have tried the cradle hold, laid back, and football hold but he wont stay latched on in any of these positions. He is now nursing closer to 11 times a day but I have noticed that he is taking more formula and always fusses when I try and breastfeed him. My boyfriend and I don't really have the money to afford formula and we both would much prefer him to breastfeed. I have been pumping to try and help increase my supply but I only get about and ounce combined from both breasts when I pump. I have been trying to stop supplementing because our new pediatrician said we could stop, but he is taking more formula and never seems satisfied after nursing. I feel like I am a failure. I have been trying so hard to do everything that I know is the best for him but it fails every time. First I had to have him by c-section and now I am failing at breastfeeding.


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In girls basketball: CA improves to 12-4 with win over Rochester
by Harris Kinsey
copyright the Chronicle 2-11-2013
CRAFTSBURY COMMON — Coming off a loss, the Craftsbury Academy girls varsity basketball team hoped to get a win at home against Rochester. They played hard all four quarters, and came out on top in a 55-28 win. Janet Bohannon led all scorers with 23 points, and Thaila Thomas added 16 points for the Chargers. Phoebe Parrish led Rochester with 11 points but had no help, as the Charger defense was very good all game long.
The first quarter started well for Craftsbury with Sarah Dunbar connecting on a layup to go up 2-0. It was very obvious after that first basket it was going to be a struggle for Rochester. Craftsbury dominated the quarter on the defensive end. They forced turnover after turnover on bad passes, travels, and out of bounds. Craftsbury didn't allow Rochester to score until the 1:30 mark on a free throw by Sierra Ostrow–Remy. Rochester would only score five points in the quarter while Craftsbury scored 13 points. The first quarter ended with the score 13-5 in favor of Craftsbury.
The second quarter started and no one scored until Savannah Shepard of Rochester connected on a jumper at the 6:50 mark in the quarter. Craftsbury would finally score at the 5:40 mark on a layup by Bohannon. Both defenses played well in the quarter. Rochester forced some turnovers, as did Craftsbury. Craftsbury would score 10 points in the second quarter while Rochester almost matched them with eight points. At halftime the score stood at 23-13 Craftsbury.
The second half started fast as Craftsbury would score only 37 seconds in on a layup by Thomas. Craftsbury 25, Rochester 13. Their defense would be very good again and they held Rochester scoreless until the 5:10 mark when Parrish connected on a jumper. Craftsbury's defense forced many turnovers in this quarter. Mainly they closed the passing lanes and forced Rochester to throw passes into crowds, and force their passes. Rochester couldn't do anything right in the third quarter and scored only six points, while Craftsbury scored 14 points as a team. After three quarters the score stood at 37-19 Craftsbury.
The Craftsbury girls seemed confident going into the fourth quarter, and they did not disappoint. Rochester would get the first score of the quarter on a layup by Ostrow-Remy. However, Craftsbury would answer right back when Bohannon scored on a layup to put them back up by 18. Craftsbury 39, Rochester 21. Craftsbury's defense would continue to dominate as the girls showed no sign of tiredness. They held Rochester to nine points in the quarter and Craftsbury scored 18. The game ended with the score 55-28 in favor of Craftsbury.
After the game, Coach Rick Thomas said, "I am very happy with the way we played. We played some of the best lock down defense I've seen us play all year. We forced 21 turnovers, so we were great in all aspects of our defense. It was a team effort."
For more free sports stories, look in our sports category on this site or subscribe to our print or online editions. Click on this link for a full winter sports schedule.


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Integrity Blinds Servicing Menzies Creek
Integrity Blinds Servicing Menzies Creek
Integrity Blinds Servicing Menzies Creek
We have been supplying a full range of Australian made Curtains, Blinds and Shutters since 2004, being local to the Menzies Creek area, means we are happy to come to your home or business and give you a free measure and quote. This will ensure that you not only get the best quality product, but it will suit you home.
With new products always coming on the market do you know what is going to suit your home. it is hard to go into a showroom and then image that product in your home, We are happy to come to you in the Menzies Creek area with samples so you can see what it is going to look like in your home.
See what our customers from Menzies Creek are saying about us.
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Virtual Tour: Gillespie Commons and Belhaven Lagoon
The Gillespie Commons, located between Fitzhugh and Preston Halls, provides a place for quiet meditation, studying or meeting with friends. Praise music heard along the tree-lined sidewalk sets the tone for this thoroughfare.
Renovation of the Belhaven Lagoon, located in the plaza between Fitzhugh and Preston Halls in the front of the campus, was completed in early November 1999. Originally built in 1927, the refurbished Lagoon features a three-tiered cast-iron fountain, which is 12 feet high and 10 feet wide, in the center of the pool. New, architecturally correct redwood columns with Roman Corinthian caps were also erected. Lights were added to the fountain and columns.
Renovations to the Lagoon also included replacing the pool bottom and wall caps as well as the walkway between the two administrative buildings. Additions include a water circulation system in the pool and new flower beds around the plaza.


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Old Flame
We drank a toast to innocence, we drank a toast to now
And tried to reach beyond the emptiness but neither one knew how
We drank a toast to innocence, we drank a toast to time
Reliving in our eloquence, another 'auld lang syne'
The beer was empty and our tongues were tired
And running out of things to say
She gave a kiss to me as I got out and I watched her drive away
Just for a moment I was back at school
And felt that old familiar pain
And as I turned to make my way back home
The snow turned in to rain...
- Dan Fogelberg, "Same Auld Lang Syne"
Have you ever hung out with an ex? Bad memories, some people say, make this a difficult undertaking.
In my (admittedly limited) experience, though, the good memories are much worse. The hardest thing about being around someone you used to be in a relationship with isn't remembering why you broke up; it's remembering why you were together and knowing that you'll never have that again.
The summer after my first year of college, I went out for an afternoon with my old high school girlfriend (the Ohio Renaissance Festival--yes, I'm that guy and we were that couple). We were still friends and we were still into a lot of the same things, and it was nice to have someone back home I could hang out with. It was just a little bit awkward, though, catching glimpses of something that used to be and would never be again.
It's not that I was lonely, or that I pined for the old days. In fact, I was in a wonderful new relationship in college with the woman who would eventually become my wife. I would never have traded that for a chance to go back to high school. But that didn't stop the moment from being a little strange and bittersweet.
I found myself having similar feelings last week as I attended the rank testing at my old club. It was my first time there in almost three months. I would have been testing that night myself had I not been sidelined by an injury early in February. As it is, I'm now at a new club for many different reasons, the most pressing of which is impending changes to my schedule. I'm not dissatisfied with the new club, and I still have reservations about the old one, but that didn't stop the dojo from feeling like home.
To kneel beside my friends again, to take a few rolls on the familiar softness of that mat again, and to hear the kind voice of my former head instructor again were all wonderful--and a little bit sad. For all that I've complained on this blog, this club is family. It got me started in the martial arts, it introduced me to a lot of friends, and it taught me many lessons that will stay with me for a long time.
During the tests themselves, I had the luxury of losing myself in the aikido (the one exception was the test I would have taken, featuring the friend who would have been my testing partner--that one stung a little). I watched, silently analyzing my friends' technique, or walking through the techniques myself in my mind. I caught myself breathing in rhythm with the kokyu nages and moving my hands along with ikkyos.
After the testing was over, we all went out for drinks. Everyone wanted updates on the status of my pregnant wife, my job, and my music (respectively: well, going to hell, and should be picking up soon). I hadn't been gone long enough yet to keep me from fitting right in. We talked about aikido, about beer, about movies, about anything and everything.
The head instructor made sure to tell me they'll always have a place for me if I want to visit. I'm sure I will. Perhaps some morning classes over the summer after the school year is over. And I'd like them all to meet my daughter after she's born. I'm looking forward to it, but the thought of visiting the place that's been like home for the last couple years is a strange one.
I left the bar a little earlier than I would have liked. I had to work in the morning, and my wife was waiting for me at home. It had been a good night. By the end of the evening, I was in full club-member mode, and my goodbye was the brief goodbye of someone who would be back for the Thursday night class.
But, of course, I wouldn't be.
(The original post on The Young Grasshopper can be found here.)
Re: Old Flame
The word visiting should be italicized. It makes the sentence make a lot more sense.
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The Race for women in entrepreneurship in the Southern Serbia is on going!!!The jogging is healthy.
Cluster Events
The project "Balkan Cluster" is co-funded by EU through the Bulgaria–Serbia IPA Cross-border Programme.
This website has been redesigned and maintenance with the assistance of the European Union through the Cross-Border Programme CCI No 2007CB16IPO006. The contents of this website is the sole responsibility of the "Cluster House-Nis" and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the Managing Authority of the Programme.
Kuća klastera je osnovana na inicijativu klastera iz jugoistočne Srbije i uz podršku danskog programa za lokalni ekonomski razvoj na Balkanu LEDIB.Cluster House was founded upon the initiative of clusters from South-East Serbia and with support of the Danish Programme for Local Economic Development in the Balkans LEDIB.


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Bill Clinton Thinks The Internet Needs A Taxpayer Funded Ministry Of Truth
from the politifact-not-good-enough-for-you? dept
"Let's say the U.S. did it, it would have to be an independent federal agency that no president could countermand or anything else because people wouldn't think you were just censoring the news and giving a different falsehood out," Clinton said.But why would that be a worthy expenditure of taxpayer money, when others are already trying to do that? We have operations like FactCheck.org and Politifact, both run by respected operations, and both of which have done pretty well from what I've seen. Of course, this sort of thing could also already be considered part of the GAO's mandate, as it's pretty well respected for not falling for political spin in its reports, but for digging in and getting things right. Of course, that hasn't stopped much of the government from ignoring the GAO's position on things.
"That is, it would be like, I don't know, National Public Radio or BBC or something like that, except it would have to be really independent and they would not express opinions, and their mandate would be narrowly confined to identifying relevant factual errors" he said. "And also, they would also have to have citations so that they could be checked in case they made a mistake. Somebody needs to be doing it, and maybe it's a worthy expenditure of taxpayer money."


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MILWAUKEE — Small forward Jared Dudley is going to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The seven-year veteran was dealt by the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday in exchange for forward Carlos Delfino and backup center Miroslav Raduljica. The Clippers are also receiving a conditional 2017 first-round pick.
Dudley averaged 6.9 points last year in his only season with the Clippers. The former Boston College star is averaging 8.7 points a game in his career.
Delfino signed as a free agent last year with Milwaukee but never played a game because of a foot injury.
The 7-foot-1 Raduljica averaged 3.8 points in 2013-14.


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Download Video Transcript [PDF, 177KB]
This video was taken at the 2013 Public Sector and Education Shared Services Summit held from June 4–6 at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Today, educational institutions face the dual challenge of effectively dealing with resource constraints and managing their growth. Leveraging public sector shared services can be instrumental in driving cost savings that can be reallocated to meet other service demands.
In this video, Ryan Oakes, Managing Director, Accenture, and Darrylyn Swift, Executive Director of Service Quality and Organizational Effectiveness at University of California, Berkeley, explain how quickly universities can see a payoff from the implementation of public sector shared services and manage the challenge of addressing change resistance among stakeholders. Discussions include:
Streamlining processes for efficiency and effectiveness
Growing shared services through extending services
Addressing change management and driving engagement
Launching a shared services center and implementing service lines
Dealing with key leadership challenges and the new opportunities faced in launching the shared services


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Workouts To Lose Belly Fat Quick
The Flat Belly Fix by Todd Lamb is a unique system designed to blast away stubborn belly fat in as little as 21 days. Workouts To Lose Belly Fat Quick
Now, I know it probably sounds like just another gimmicky exercise program which promises to provide results, but do not be mistaken. Quite often, the majority of those programs will provide results if you follow their regime precisely.
On the other hand, the regime is generally too unrealistic to follow. The amazing news is that the exact same can't be said about The Flat Belly Fix .
In fact, it's probably one of the easiest programs to add into your everyday regime as it doesn't ask that you spend hours on end working on your health and fitness, yet it focuses on exercise and healthy eating. Intrigued? As was I! Let us discover whether this online exercise program is worth your pretty penny.
What Is The Flat Belly Fix Program About?
Speaking of pennies, The Flat Belly Fix is an exceptionally inexpensive program, particularly considering that it gives you nutritional advice, exercise instructions, and smoothie recipes. While most programs charge the same price for just one of these components, you get all three when you start this program, which can be:
- The 21 Day System
- 7-Minute Flat Belly Protocol
- Smoothie Recipe Guide
I will explain these a little further in just a minute, but as you can see in a glance, your fitness and nutrition are cared for within this program. This is key since it's hard to achieve sustainable weight loss without one or another; you need both to be able to see results, and this program offers you a considerable amount of both.
Now, the basis of the exceptional health and fitness plan stems from ancient ingredients which were used back in time to maintain optimum health and strength.
No, I'm not talking about some weird voodoo spell, pill or potion. These components are available at your grocery store.
It just so happens that many people today in Westernized countries don't understand how to incorporate them in their diet or the motives for doing so.
Because of this, we do not use them when cooking and we don't receive the benefits either.
The program not only teaches you the power that such ingredients bring into your life, fitness and health but it also offers you the easiest way to enjoy them in smoothies.
The smoothie recipes provided place the information you learn throughout the primary part of the program in the blender, which makes it easy for you to finally reap the benefits.
Concerning the exercise regime, it includes several types of motions designed to target the stomach area to eventually eliminate your stubborn belly fat.
When there are dates of this week attached to each protocol, you can pick and choose which ones you want to do, assuming that you are doing 1 full protocol each day, which only requires 7-minutes to complete.
In terms of the sort of exercise movements, they are all based on the movements that SWAT teams, military members, and police officers use to ensure they're endurance and strength, which leads me to the next topic… Workouts To Lose Belly Fat Quick
Who's the Creator of The Flat Belly Fix Program?
Todd Lamb is the creator of The Flat Belly Fix. Unlike a number of other exercise program writers, he's not some substantial media fitness guru that's been seen with this talk show and in that magazine.
But he has always had a solid comprehension of health and fitness and what is required to achieve both because he's always had a profession which required him to do so.
Todd is a veteran police officer of 17 years, a retired SWAT team leader, a SWAT and Canine dog handler, and has military experience. Actually, his certificates are so long, we'd be here all day if I was to list them.
Therefore, while he does not have some fitness level or personal training experience, he does possess the knowledge and experience you're looking for; and that is what counts.
Summary of The Flat Belly Fix App
Now, let's get into the particulars of this program. To give you a better understanding of what you get when you buy The Flat Belly Fix program, here's a breakdown of the topics covered and what you can expect from each element supplied:
The 21 Day System
The 21 Day System is a great place to start this system if you're interested in knowing everything there is to know about your wellbeing, nutrition, fitness and how this program caters to this.
I highly recommend reading this, since it will teach you invaluable tips about how best to maintain weight loss even when you have completed this program.
For instance, you learn everything from nutrition to human anatomy, eating schedules, triglycerides, proportions, insulin, and far more. This is information that you might want to have under your belt moving ahead.
The 7-Minute Flat Belly Protocol
The 7-Minute Flat Belly Protocol is where all of the exercises are available, from system anxiety to isometric holds, fiber activation and more.
There's a protocol for each day of the week. However, you can choose which one you prefer to do, provided that you complete one protocol every day.
Considering they just take 7-minutes to complete, this is not really difficult to do at all, but don't be mistaken, you will surely feel the burn.
Each movement also comes with two photos along with detailed instructions on how best to execute it properly, for how long, how many reps and how long your rest periods should be in between every set. Therefore, it's fairly simple to follow through.
Smoothie Recipe Guide
Chocolate and avocado, banana nut, chocolate vanilla, oh my!
This section of the program offers you detailed instructions on the best way to get proper nutrition (such as the early components taught to you in the first guide) into your diet, and in a manner that's enjoyable. Think chocolate, wild berries, coconut, almond milk, cinnamon, vanilla, nuts, and a good deal more.
The Verdict
The Flat Belly Fix is unbelievably easy to follow through. You just need 7 minutes a day to finish the exercise regime and a couple more to make the smoothies.
The one thing that is"hard" is fighting that intense burn you feel as you implement the brief but quick motions, the same burn that melts away stubborn belly fat.
If you are still worried as to if the exercise program is for you (who doesn't have 7 minutes a day?) Or are a picky eater and not sure you'll like the smoothies (trust me, you will), there's a 60 Day Money Back Guarantee which you could take advantage of.
Thus, activate it now and discover if this is a program that you're going to be using to eventually achieve your weight loss and fitness goals.


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424 Gregoire Drive, Fort McMurray, AB, Canada, T9H 3R2
Phone: (780) 791-7200
Fax: (780) 790-1658
The Quality Hotel® & Conference Centre is conveniently located minutes from MacDonald Island Park, a natural park with wildlife and hiking trails. Home to Oil Sands Discovery Centre, the world's largest single deposit of oil, this is an interesting tourist destination. Heritage Park Historical Village is also nearby, displaying the rich history of Fort McMurray, and shopping can be found at the Peter Pond Shopping Centre. Fort McMurray Airport is just a few minutes' drive away and once in town, be sure to visit the regional municipality of Wood Buffalo, located in the northeastern corner of Alberta. Taxi service is easily accessible for in-town travel.
The hotel offers many amenities, including:
Enjoy new and upgraded features in the lobby like cozy fireplace with seating and a business centre providing copy and fax services.
All newly renovated guest rooms of this Fort McMurray hotel come equipped with 42-inch high definition flat-screen televisions, air conditioning,coffee makers and hair dryers. Complimentary high-speed internet is available in all guest rooms while select rooms offer microwaves and refrigerators. select suites feature whirlpool bathtubs and fireplaces. Non-smoking rooms can be requested.
This hotel provides two dining options: the brand new Table 63 Restaurant featuring delicious home-style cooking in a casual and friendly atmosphere, or play some pool and catch the game at the Lion's Den Pub & Billiards known for its Buffalo wings and fresh made pizzas.
With 7 functions rooms,offering over 12,000 square feet of beautiful space including the Poplar Crek and Crystal Ballroom, the Quality Hotel & Conference Centre is perfect for catering functions, receptions and business meetings.
Whether you are here for business or pleasure, meetings or conferences we look forward to accomodating your needs.
This Fort McMurray hotel supports the fight against global climate change by participating in cutting-edge sustainability initiatives like the LivCleanEco-Stay Program.This program helps us reduce our carbon footprint by offering you green accomodations in Canada.


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Above: a cold December morning in Middlebury. Are we in for a similar scene this Thanksgiving weekend?
Weather is on the minds of many Vermont residents this week. Thanksgiving weekend involves travel for many people, and is also around the time that more wintry weather starts building into the region. This year will be no exception – a storm is forecast to move into the area on Wednesday, and it's hard to say if the storm will bring a drenching, frigid rain or the year's first significant snowfall.
Like many early-season winter storms, this storm will bring with it air in the low to mid 30s, with colder air on the northern and eastern sides of the storm. Between the difficulty of forecasting temperatures within a few degrees, and the difficulty of forecasting an exact storm track, there is quite a bit of uncertainty about what the storm will do.
At first it seemed that the storm would primarily produce rain for Vermont, but the forecast may be changing. The National Weather Service just issued a winter storm warning for much of Vermont, but not including the southern Champlain Valley. My guess is that the lowlands of Addison County will experience some wet snow late Tuesday night, quite a bit of cold rain on Wednesday, and then a quick dusting of snow Wednesday night. The mountains will, of course, see much colder weather. High elevation areas such as Middlebury Gap are more likely to experience significant snowfall during most of the storm, with a period of rain or slush during the middle of the day on Wednesday. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the higher peaks got up to a foot of snow. Areas to the north and east of Addison County will also likely pick up significant snowfall. Areas to the south, including southern New England, will experience mostly cold rain.
If you aren't ready for possibly treacherous winter driving conditions, I strongly suggest you avoid Bethel Mountain Road, which is still in very bad shape due to damage from Tropical Storm Irene. Middlebury Gap will also probably be quite slick on Wednesday night. Route 4 east of Rutland will probably be a bit less snowy, due to its more southern location and somewhat lower elevation. Better yet, if your schedule is flexible, travel during the middle of the day on Wednesday or wait until Thursday morning. It's also a good idea to check the forecasts before you go. Storms like this can occasionally throw a curve ball and end up as a heavy blizzard.
Those of you who aren't ready for winter weather may enjoy the Thanksgiving weekend. Temperatures will warm to above average over the long weekend, and the weather will be mainly dry. Not surprisingly, the long-term outlook seems to call for a more serious change to wintry weather after the start of December.
If the forecast changes significantly, I'll post an update in the comments below.
Charlie Hohn is a recent graduate of the UVM Field Naturalist graduate program. He has been closely watching the weather ever since he was a child in southern California. Charlie will be posting occasional blog posts here about Addison County weather. He also maintains a blog about water at slowwatermovement.blogspot.com.