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2018 Ram 2500 Crew Cab 4x4, Pickup (Stock #417924)
More PhotosPhotos may be library images.
Vehicle Notes
2018 Ram 2500 Cummins 6.7L I6 Turbodiesel 6-Speed AutomaticEvery new Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram vehicle we sell comes with a 1,000,000 Mile Limited Power… train Warranty! Our Finance Professionals work with all credit types, including bad credit. Come see why we have customers drive from Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, Tennessee to buy a new car In Sparta! Our Internet Team is standing by to answer your questions today! One Million Mile Warranty Offer Excludes Dodge Charger Hellcats, Dodge Charger Demons, Dodge Challenger Hellcats, Dodge Challenger Demons, Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawks, Ram Chassis Cab/Flatbed Vehicles, Ram Promasters, and any vehicle used commercially. See Dealer for complete details. * MSRP is the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the vehicle. It does not include any taxes, fees or other charges. Pricing and availability may vary based on a variety of factors, including options, dealer, specials, fees, location and financing qualifications. Consult your dealer for actual price and complete details. Vehicles shown may have optional equipment at additional cost. The estimated selling price that appears after calculating dealer offers is for informational purposes, only. Financing is subject to expiration and other restrictions. See dealer for qualifications and complete details. $750 - 2018 RAM HD Diesel Bonus Cash 39CJJ. Exp. 01/31/2019, $1,750 - 2018 Retail Consumer Cash 66CJ1. Exp. 01/31/2019
Chassis Details
Stock Number
Stock Type
Ram 2500
Drive Train
Cab Type
Vehicle Trim
Vehicle Body
4D Crew Cab
Interior Color
Exterior Color Description
Engine Cylinder Count
Transmission Type
6-Speed Automatic
Rear Wheels
Fuel Type
Vehicle Options
- Quick Order Package 2FA Tradesman
- 3.73 Axle Ratio
- 3.42 Axle Ratio
- Anti-Spin Differential Rear Axle
- 18" x 8.0" Steel Chrome Clad Wheels
- Heavy Duty Vinyl 40/20/40 Split Bench Seat
- 180 Amp Alternator
- 5th Wheel/Gooseneck Towing Prep Group
- Chrome Appearance Group
- LED Bed Lighting
- Popular Equipment Group
- Power Black Trailer Tow Mirrors
- Trailer Brake Control
- Radio: 3.0
- Radio: Uconnect 3 w/5" Display
- Remote Keyless Entry
- SiriusXM Satellite Radio
- Vendor Painted Cargo Box Tracking
- 40/20/40 Split Bench Seat
- Rear Folding Seat
- Carpet Floor Covering
- Front & Rear Floor Mats
- Manual Adjust Seats
- Black Exterior Mirrors
- Exterior Mirrors w/Supplemental Signals
- Hemi Badge
- Exterior Mirrors w/Heating Element
- Electronically Controlled Throttle
- Next Generation Engine Controller
- 5.0" Touchscreen Display
- Media Hub (USB, AUX)
- Center Hub
- Tip Start
- Locking Tailgate
- 4-Wheel Disc Brakes
- Air Conditioning
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- Rear step bumper
- Cruise Control
- Tilt steering wheel
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- Variably intermittent wipers
- Auto-dimming Rear-View mirror
- Roadside assistance coverage: 60 months/60,000miles
- 6 Speakers
- View All
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Images shown may not necessarily represent the configurable options selected or available on the vehicle.


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Computational Nanoscience, Lecture 12: In-Class Simulation of Ising Model
Published on
This is a two part lecture in which we discuss the spin-spin correlation function for the the Ising model, correlation lengths, and critical slowing down. An in-class simulation of the 2D Ising Model is performed using the tool "Berkeley Computational Nanoscience Class Tools". We look at domain wall formation at low temperature, and the phase transition for the anti-ferromagnetic and ferromagnetic system.
University of California, Berkeley
Cite this work
Researchers should cite this work as follows:

subset: commoncrawl


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Tasty Trivia
Unlimited play!
Every time is different, so play as often as you like.
How to Play Tasty TriviaAnswer ten multiple-choice Trivia questions.
Click on the answer you think is correct to proceed to the next question. Each question must be answered correctly before you can continue.
Monitor your progress on the scorecard at right. Earn more points by answering a question correctly on the first go. Each wrong attempt will reduce the total amount of points able to be won.
Game Options
EXIT: Click to return to the Game Selection page
POINTS COUNTER: Displays how many points you have won during Word Power
TOKENS COUNTER: Displays how many tokens you have won during Word Power
TIMER: The timer starts as soon as you open the game


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Search for artists and concerts
Search for artists
Pittsburgh Penguins
Mar 5th 2018 @ PPG Paints ArenaPittsburgh, PA
I Was There
Monday, March 5th, 2018
PPG Paints Arena
1001 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Ticket+ allows you the opportunity to add concession value to your ticket. Simply choose the number of tickets you wish to purchase in the Ticket+ box below and present your ticket at any concession stand upon checkout. Your ticket barcode will be swiped and the appropriate amount will be debited from your Ticket+. All Ticket+ money expires at the end of the game date printed on your ticket.View All Pittsburgh Penguins Tour Dates


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B.. Alexander
B.. Alexander ('81)
» Click to list general statistics » OR, select a date :
Nov.4th (Anniversary)
A fog is spilling into these streets again
Like smoke filling the doomed house at night
And the chill is doubling day by day
And the ice on the road creeps this way
read more >>
- Hits: Number of visitors who read the poem on the given date.
- Posts: Number of visitors who posted the poem to a friend (via e-mail) on the given date.
- Dates that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list.
- Dates, poems and poets that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list. Statistics are generated daily.


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- Inside Athletics
- Tickets
- Fan Zone
- Media Zone
- Social
- Shop
- Donate Now
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. (November 3, 2005) - The ETSU women's soccer team ended their season in a heartbreaking loss to Jacksonville University, 2-1, on Thursday evening in the A-Sun conference tournament at Gardner-Webb. ETSU ends the season at 8-11-1, 4-6-0 in the A-Sun.
"The team did exactly what we needed to do, we created a lot of opportunities, but we need to get mentally and physically tougher for those last five minutes of the game," said head women's soccer coach Heather Henson. "We fought through that first goal and stayed focused but it just didn't go our way."
The score was knotted 0-0 in the first half. ETSU got off two shots to JU's one but neither team was able to find the back of the net. In the second half things turned around as Adrian Mobley (Framingham, Mass.) got the Bucs on the board first at the 28:48 mark off a kick assisted by Alexandra Schwark (Strongsville, Ohio). This was Mobley's second goal of the season.
JU answered back when A-Sun Freshman of the Year, Keri Zwikker kicked a shot which was deflected off an ETSU player to tie the score at one a piece. Then with only nine seconds left in the game, JU's Emilie Howland got past Erin Bilyeu (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) to give the Dolphins the victory. This was Howlands first goal of the season. ETSU outshot JU 15 to 3 on the night.
For more information on the ETSU women's soccer team, visit www.etsubucs.com/sports/wsoccer .


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Michael Wermuth, Jr. - Well, about a year and a half ago, I wrote an article on the top ten Sesame Street inserts that have not been released on any commercial video format. Unfortunately, all those segments are still unreleased. But, despite that, I've decided to make a second top ten list.
A great Monsterpiece Theater segment starring Prairie Dawn, teaching the concepts of "on", "under", and "in" (the last of the Monsterpiece segments hosted by Alistair Cookie).
One of my favorite performances by Bip Bippadotta (Sesame Street's answer to Mahna Mahna). I like the black background used here, and it's probably the only time we see Bip's legs.
A good lesson in telling the truth, Ernie eats a piece of cake that Bert was saving for desert. But when Bert states that he was saving two pieces for desert, Ernie makes up a story about a monster eating the cake and planting the evidence on Ernie. Bert doesn't believe this, and then Beautiful Day Monster comes in and does exactly what Ernie had just told Bert.
A funny parody of Special K and Alphabet Cereal, only for the letter K. It includes great performances by Leslie Carrara Rudolph and Joey Mazzarino. It's very funny how the kids need the letter K to spell words. I certainly hope it gets included in the upcoming "Best of Sesame Street Spoofs" DVD release.
I recall this one being shown a lot, so it's a wonder that this song has not yet been released on video or even online. Kermit sings about growing up from a pollywog to a frog. The music is really good.
A very recent sketch where Grover appears as a game show host, and gets Mr. Johnson to participate in his game. In the game, Mr. Johnson has to supply an object that starts with the letter G. Mr. Johnson doesn't want to play and admits he has no G objects, but wins by accident for being a gentlemen. But the prizes are G objects Mr. Johnson has no use for.
This is one of the best numbers from Little Jerry and the Monotones, right up there with such great songs as Mad and Telephone Rock. This is a rare Sesame Street segment to involve explosions, something that the Muppets are otherwise known for.
Kermit has been told that Old MacDonald has spotted a spaceship, but it turns out he mistook a red Frisbee for a spaceship. But then the Martians arrive inside a spaceship. A funny twist ending.
One of the few songs performed by Sherlock Hemlock.
1. Hot and Cold
1. Hot and Cold
Yeah, I mentioned this infamous number which won't be shown on Sesame Street. And I don't really expect it to be released on an official Sesame Street DVD (the upcoming "Best of Sesame Street Spoofs" release would be a great release to include it on). But maybe someday there will be a DVD of Katy Perry music videos, and if we're lucky the company releasing it will negotiate to include this as a bonus feature (after all, it is on Katy Perry's YouTube channel).
The original non-celebrity version of Monster in the Mirror has been released commercially three times, but the version with celebrities added has not. And I prefer that version. By now I'm convinced that there's problems with one or more of the celebrities involved in getting this on a commercial release, if there's not issues in getting clearances for the use of The Simpsons characters. Thankfully this version is available at sesamestreet.org, YouTube, and Hulu, but it would be great if this version eventually gets a DVD release someday.
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier


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What I know about In Fear I Trust: It's developed by Turn Me Up Games in conjunction with Black Wing Foundation. It's built on Unreal Engine 3, and looks wonderfully creepy. It's an episodic psychological thriller set in 1979, and the first three of ten episodes are due out this spring for iOS. It's got puzzles. Beyond that I'm completely in the dark, which seems like the right place to be.
I don't want to know too much. It's the sort of game that I'd rather experience fresh, rather than be bombarded with a constant barrage of assets that ruin potential surprises. Turn Me Up Games' design director Scott Cromie calls it an episodic mental meltdown. Can't prepare for that. Don't want to.
Black Wing Foundation seems keen on the idea of keeping things under wraps as well. They've got this new gameplay trailer, the opening cinematic and that's about it.
In Fear I Trust isn't just a game title — it's a directive.


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Apple Loses Throne to Exxon
King no more, Apple has ceded its 'World's Largest Company by Market Cap,' to Exxon. Steven Russolillo joins MoneyBeat on what's next for the stock. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... mm mm mm ... all you know then you've heard about prayer the products he gets on the Navy and the stock to give the stock to be bought in September saying ... ball ... Dodd who suffered with an apple that fell under four hundred dollars yesterday lost its title ... as the world's largest company by market cap to talk about that what it means ... Steve Russolillo ... my Apple posts yesterday asking Apple yet ... this is quite interesting Lee as Apple shares down forty percent and Apple has now lost its spot as the number one company in the world by market cap and Exxon's number one so ... Apple was Number one for most of two dozen swell ... opens in January of this year ... and then into credit than jockeying back and forth of the last few months but that was particularly interesting about this is that ... Apple and Exxon shares are both down for the year so ... twenty thirteen the big story is held stock markets than hitting record highs ... on the SB five hundred is up eight nine percent of the year last week its own all-time high ... but its two biggest components Apple and Exxon have not been protesting Apple is down more than twenty five percent this year ... down more than forty percent from its record at September at Exxon is about what it's down about one percent for the year so ... you would think that to make its components that would ... that should be driving this they ... are actually not so with all the other components of the Nixon really ... compelling buy into me do it on top of a hill and the Morgan Stanley can't sustain the scenes record index numbers anything whopping just be great ... to be a story like Apple group were still in earnings and the kind that undermine the idea the record indexes ... but before Apple ... stocks down forty percent ... the middle of money ... I mean I'd be making a lot of money yet amid all the talk about how far the stock prices for the company is selling for a very very successful cabrio that we can honor by that ... that that that AGM and out also ... it brings up the question what is the stock finally going to bottom and then of course ... the fortune tellers everyone will know that but ... at the same time though there's your bad checks out there that that saying that maybe the stock should be poised for its part in one of them ... is the price earnings ratio for Apple to sort it to valuation metric the stock ... is now around nineteen nine times its future its projected earnings over the next twelve months ... and nine that number there is its lowest level in at least eight years awesome is the family and how cheap the stock is ... the stock isn't the cheapest the stock has been in at least ten years so it's a pretty astonishing number to take especially with ... the look at how successful the condo builder yes its growth is slowly yes there are concerns about competitors but it's still a very very successful company and leave the Islam him that he was even high seven hundred that's another thing going down right right ... whenever you are a lot of Apple love that stock price t think you're a ... much


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Tame Impala
This just in: Incredible Aussie psych band Tame Impala will play Newport Music Hall on March 8. Listening to the band's new Lonerism is among the most pleasurable sensations of 2012, and I'm sure hearing it in concert will be among the best of 2013. Tickets cost $17 advance or $20 day of, and they go on sale this Saturday at 10 a.m.
Also returning to Columbus is country star/next-gen Jimmy Buffett impersonator Kenny Chesney. He'll bring his No Shoes Nation Tour (with Eric Church and Eli Young Band) to Crew Stadium on June 29. Tickets go on sale Thursday at 10 a.m. with a generous price range of $21 to $171.
On a much smaller scale (but just a few blocks to the west), post-punk buzz band Parquet Courts, recipient of recent Pitchfork and Stereogum love, will play Cafe Bourbon Street on Jan. 7. I'm sure you can just pay something like $10 or less at the door.
One more show of note: indie-folk favorites Freelance Whales will be at A&R Music Bar on Jan. 20. Acclaimed experiemental electronic act Hundred Waters, who played the Wex this fall, will open the show. Tickets cost $13 advance, $15 day of.


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Ohio mom indicted on charges she threw baby
Ohio mom indicted on charges she threw baby
TOLEDO, Ohio —
A northwest Ohio woman who police say caused the death of her 6-month-old son by throwing him has been indicted on a murder charge.
The (Toledo) Blade reports that 25-year-old Amanda Bacon was indicted Thursday by a Lucas County grand jury on charges of murder and child endangering.
Police accuse the Toledo woman of throwing Avery Glynn Bacon against a hard surface, causing multiple skull fractures and brain damage. He died at a hospital Dec. 18.
Police say it's not clear when the abuse occurred. The boy was taken to a hospital early on Dec. 16.
She was being held with a $1 million bond. Jail records didn't indicate if she had an attorney.


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The Difference Between Nuanced Discussion And The Evil Underbelly Of The Internet Is Apparently A Fine Line Indeed
from the may-depend-on-where-you-stand dept
Some of the comments were pointed in their disagreement with Erin, but almost immediately others came in to defend her, and the overall discussion was quite interesting in my mind. And, yet, a bevy of the standard Techdirt critics took to Twitter to claim that Erin's article was proof positive that Techdirt was pure evil, hated artists and was the disgusting underbelly of the internet (a very close paraphrase of actual statements). I'm not going to link to any of these, because I don't mean to call out those people specifically. Similarly, there was a thread on a music site that was entitled "why does Techdirt hate musicians?" I suddenly had people tweeting at me, personally, about how I was somehow destroying music and why did I not want artists to get paid.
I honestly can't figure out why this was the response. First of all, we've regularly been attacked because (we're told) we never, ever post an article where we show sympathy for artists' difficult plight these days. So here was an article, from a musician, explaining her plight -- and we get attacked for that?!? Furthermore, I'm long since past the time when I could read all the comments on the site, but I do read a pretty large number of them, and the amount of hate and vitriol that has come from Techdirt haters (see above, for two very recent examples) is way, way, way, way beyond anything seen in that particular thread.
In fact, the further you read into the comments the more you realize it's a detailed and nuanced discussion on many important issues. People don't agree, but no one's calling each other a slimy lying sociopath or a disgusting human being. Yet, because a few commenters (not even the majority, as far as I can tell) disagree with Erin, all of Techdirt hates musicians? There were a few tweets and statements elsewhere saying that Techdirt hates it when artists make money. Of course, that's ridiculous. We regularly celebrate artists earning money -- sometimes lots of money. What we get nervous amount is when artists start making use of laws in ways that may actually do them more harm than good in the long term, by attacking their fans as if they were criminals, or when they seek to abuse laws that take away fundamental rights of others.
But, really, what was most amazing to me was how quick some of these people were to jump on the entire Techdirt community, because a few comments disagreed with one musician's opinion. They ignored everyone who came to her defense. They ignored the fact that we posted the story in the first place. They ignored all the people on other stories who attack Techdirt supporters in often extremely personal ways (I've been threatened with physical harm as well as seen multiple comments I won't repeat about my family). But most people -- myself included -- see those kinds of comments as part of the price you pay for having an open discussion. Some people are going to disagree and some will use different levels of speech, some more polite than others. To tar and feather everyone on the site because someone on it disagrees with your personal views is to suggest that every community online is a problem.
Is it that difficult to distinguish a nuanced conversations where not everyone agrees with each other... from the "dark underbelly" of the internet?


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TMC Windsport Offering Bunkhouse Floorplan
April 11, 2013 by RVBusiness · Comments Off on TMC Windsport Offering Bunkhouse Floorplan
The new Windsport 34J Class A motorhome from Thor Motor Coach caters to larger families with a versatile bunkhouse floorplan design, according to a press release.
With a complete overhaul of the Windsport for 2013, the 34J removes the bunks from the camp side of the coach, allowing parents and grandparents to sit under the patio awning without disturbing the kids. The floorplan also opens up space for an optional exterior kitchen in the basement that includes a generous countertop area with integrated sink, portable grill and refrigerator.
Also offering flexibility, the 34J's bunkhouse can convert from a sleeping area to a sitting area or a full length wardrobe while a pair of LCD TV's allow for personalized viewing in each bunk. Once converted to a sofa, the top bunk TV can be removed and located across the hall for family viewing.
Living room arrangements are very family-oriented, as the seating in the coach is centrally located. Multiple players can all join in the action of family game night or share the bucket of popcorn during movie night. An optional overhead bunk provides full-size sleeping accommodations above the cockpit seats, bringing the overall sleeping capacity to eight.
The exterior is handsomely finished with Thor Motor Coach's HD-MAX exterior standard along with optional full-body paint packages for an ultra-high-end look. Side-hinged slam latches on most exterior baggage doors afford easy access to the basement storage while the no-maintenance rotocast storage trunks are simple to wipe clean. A 32-inch LCD exterior TV located under the patio awning is now optional.
Standard features on all 34J Class A Bunk Houses include an Onan 5,500-watt generator, 50-amp service, dual 13,500-Btu air conditioners and a gas/electric water heater.
For more information visit http://Windsport-RV.com/ or http://ThorMotorCoach.com.


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Results 1 to 4 of 4
#1 Reddit founder Aaron Swartz found dead in suicide at Brooklyn apartment01-13-2013, 11:21 AM
The Internet genius behind the popular Web site Reddit.com committed suicide at his Brooklyn home, police sources and friends said.
Cops found Aaron Swartz, 26, unconscious at 9:30 a.m. Friday in the bedroom of his Sullivan Place apartment building in Crown Heights, law-enforcement sources said.
He had used a belt to hang himself and left no note, the sources added.
Swartz helped create Reddit and drafted an early version of the RSS format, a Web feed that syndicates frequently updated online work, including news, blogs and audio.
I don't know who he was or what Reddit is, but it's sad. I wonder if it was suicide, given there was not a note left behind, but if it was that choking orgasm thing.
Swartz was a very gifted person who started working in the tech field at 14, when he collaborated with experts who authored the RSS 1.0 Specification. He dropped out of Stanford after one year and founded infogami, which would become Reddit, a bulletin board style website that literally covers every topic known to man. He is responsible for advancements in computer code such as Python and web.py.
In short: Computer genius responsible for advancement of the internet. Internet activist who was charged with a BS crime.A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others. Ayn Rand
Power Point Ranger
01-15-2013, 03:38 PMWoe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
And clever in their own sight! Isaiah 5:20-21 NASB
|« Previous Thread | Next Thread »


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Daniel E. Conrad , age 58, of Casper, Wyo., formerly of Sleepy Eye died on February 19, 2013 at the Wyoming Medical Center.
Daniel E. Conrad , age 58, of Casper, Wyo., formerly of Sleepy Eye died on February 19, 2013 at the Wyoming Medical Center.
Visitation will be on Saturday from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm at the Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye.
Memorial service will be held at the Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye Chapel, on Saturday, March 23, 2013 at 1:30 pm.
The clergy will be Fr. George Schmitt.
Interment will be at the St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, in Sleepy Eye, MN.
Arrangements are with the Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye, MN.
On line condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com
Daniel Emery Conrad was born January 22, 1955, in Rochester, Minnesota, to Dennis and Evelyn Conrad. Dan graduated from St. Mary's School in Sleepy Eye, in 1973. He then attended the Fluid Power Program at Granite Falls Technical College, graduating in 1975.
He worked in several different cities across the country, specializing in oilfield well head components and service. Dan owned and operated his business Marta-Co Control in Casper, Wyo., for the past twenty-five years.
He was well known and respected by those in the business. According to several long time associates, "Dan was unmatched in his skills in the oil patch." He will be greatly missed.
Dan was an avid Minnesota Vikings fan. He was passionate about current events and politics. Dan enjoyed playing cards with his family, talking to long-time friends, and keeping in touch with his cousins, Joan and the Miller family.
Dan is survived by his parents, Dennis "Red" and Evie Conrad of Alexandria, MN; sisters and their spouses, Laurie and Neal Hunter of Alexandria, MN, and Susie and Lyle Braun of Temecula, Calif.; brother and his spouse, Tom and Melissa Conrad of Indianapolis, Ind; seven nieces and nephews, one great-nephew and one great-niece.


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Message Board
Kate Hawks Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Hawks has written!
Author Hawks's Book Reviews
Watch By Moonlight
"Watch By Moonlight" is a well researched novel based upon the classic poem "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes. Jason Quick is a man who has sunk to the depths of robbing passing coaches so he can get his father out of jail. He rides into an inn and falls in love with the innkeeper's daughter, Bess. They become engaged and would have a happy life together if Jason didn't have such a terrible alter-ego....


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12-Year-Old Girl Discovers All US Presidents Are Related To A Former King Of England.. Even Obama! (Claims Shes 18th Cousin Of Obama Too) [FIXED]
"12 yr Girl Discovers ALL U.S. Presidents Except One Related To One British King" - Newidd
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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Deepground is going to be a Third Person Shooter that's based on various games we love. It will be very basic to start off with but once we are more into it we will be adding more advanced features and ideas. Currently we are just gathering ideas and coming up with concepts and thinking about what direction we want the game to head into. So far we're going to be designing the game to be completely singleplayer with no enemies for now just so we can get the player control scripted and some of the basic features running. Then we will work on coding the multiplayer side of things. We're planning on designing a game that's based loosely into the future where you use energy weapons similar to Halo. We also wish to create maps in a modern setting, such as deserts, urban areas, car parks. At the moment though we are doing one thing at a time so that we don't overwhelm ourselves.
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.


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The Internal Revenue Service began accepting 2012 tax returns this week, sending thousands of individual taxpayers and tax professionals to their computers to fill out forms and then e-file them.
Continue Reading Below
You, however, are an electronic tax-filing holdout. You've heard the reports about all the tax-related identity theft. So you're still sending Uncle Sam your tax data on paper.
You might want to reconsider.
Yes, tax-time identity theft is a growing problem. A Government Accountability Office, or GAO, investigation last fall found that as of Sept. 30, 2012, the IRS had identified almost 642,000 incidents of identity theft.
Worse, according to the GAO, the IRS does not know the full extent of tax-filing ID theft. While the agency keeps count of the occurrences it discovers, it does not estimate the number of identity theft cases that go undetected.
Worst, the ID thieves are getting away with it. Unless the IRS pursues a criminal investigation, says the GAO, the feds generally do not know the real identity of the thieves.
But while the identity thieves do e-file fraudulent returns using stolen information from real taxpayers, the security breach that allowed them to get the info generally doesn't come from the e-filing system.
"For the most part, there is not substantially more risk for e-filing," says Denis G. Kelly, president of IDCuffs.com, an identity theft prevention and protection company. "In fact, when the check-clearing process was changed from physical checks to digital checks, the percentage of fraud decreased. The consensus for this decrease is the number of eyes that see checks in the process was significantly reduced."
So those thieving eyes get your tax and personal financial information from other sources and then use it to file a fake tax return in your name, usually tweaking the numbers to get a large refund.
And you, the taxpayer whose ID has been stolen, don't find out about it until you file your own 1040 and are told by the IRS that they already sent you your refund.
Jay Foley, a partner at ID Theft Info Source in San Diego, says a major problem is where a taxpayer's personal data is stored.
Reports of former tax preparation firm employees stealing client data is not uncommon, says Foley. "If I were an identity thief, I'd find a CPA office, steal a copy of his files and dummy up tax returns and shoot them through before his clients file. Tax thieves will shoot off a thousand returns. If they only get 200 back as fraudulent refunds, that's great. That's still 200 more than they had to begin with."
So what can you do to prevent tax-related identity theft? The same thing, say security experts at TrustedID, that you do at nontax time:
Don't talk to strangers. File your taxes with a reputable tax professional or use legitimate tax prep software programs. Don't fall for phishing schemes. The IRS does not initiate communications with taxpayers via email or phone. So that urgent email message about a possible refund is probably a scam. Do update your computer spyware and firewall. If you do open a malicious email, it could protect you from malware designed to steal your personal information.
Go ahead and e-file, and soon.
"An argument could be made that e-filing actually decreases the rate of tax identity theft," says Kelly, in part because it reduces the number of possible criminals who handle your return and see your personal data.
Plus, says Kelly, "the absolute best tactic to prevent a criminal from stealing your tax refund is to file before them."
Want the latest news on taxes, tax reform prospects, filing deadlines, Internal Revenue Service alerts and tax-saving tips? Subscribe to Bankrate's free Daily Tax Tip newsletter, our Weekly Tax Tip newsletter or, if you're a true tax geek, both!
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text: As I have noticed another post on the gallery suggesting I should crop - kids Rome, I thought it worthy of a new post. When framing with a rangefinder, perhaps you see something below the brightline finders you wish to exclude, in preference to excluding part of the image at the top. In this case, if what appears at the top is not helping the content or composition, then perhaps the solution (as suggested) is to crop at the printing stage. However, (I feel) this destroys your moment of realisation within the frame finders. Do some understand what I am trying to say?


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Trying to figure out Chris Sale has been next to impossible this season, and the Cubs knew going into Sunday's finale of the City Series it was going to be a huge challenge.
"Probably the best thing we can hope for is if his command is off a little bit," manager Joe Maddon said Sunday morning. "Then if it is, you have a chance to attack him somewhat. We'll see what happens."
What happened was Sale struck out 15 in seven innings and allowed only one hit, ending the Cubs' nine-game winning streak while barely breaking a sweat on a hot, humid afternoon.
This hasn't been a very enjoyable season for the Sox, who were expected to contend for a division...


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Call for Articles - Gender equity in agricultural research
GFAR is seeking many new ways to spread the value of agricultural research and innovation of all kinds and how they are helping to address development challenges. GFAR has established a collaboration with New Agriculturist a widely read and well recognized online journal, to help share your stories about how agricultural knowledge and innovation are helping to address major development challenges and make a real difference in the lives of the poor.
Through publication in New Agriculturist we can help you to raise wider awareness of your work and share your knowledge with thousands of readers. GFAR is particularly interested in stories that show how you are delivering against processes transforming and strengthening agricultural research for development systems as highlighted in the GCARD Roadmap and how your work is helping achieve developmental change in increasing environmental resilience, in benefiting people's lives and livelihoods or enhancing food and nutrition security, whether by improving foresight and prioritization, improving partnership, enhancing capacities, increasing investments, or by better linking research and innovation into development processes.
GFAR is contributing 3 articles in each edition. These articles will be displayed on the front page of New Agriculturist. The previous editions with the GFAR sections are available here.
The topic for the next edition is "Gender equity in agricultural research - women in research & research for women" and GFAR is seeking stories and projects from around the world on the theme, whether at local, national, regional or international scale.
GFAR welcomes your contributed articles, which must be received by the 16 December 2013. The guidelines for writing up the articles in terms of content are:
Show how people put the GCARD RoadMap principles into practice:
- Background – what was the drive behind the new development
- Description of how the new development works and how it is changing real lives
- Hurdles and challenges that were overcome
- Comments and experiences of 'developers' and users
- Limitations/constraints/future challenges
- Responses from relevant/significant bodies (e.g. partner organizations)
- What next in terms of development? What lessons have been learnt/can be transferred elsewhere?
Article length is 750- 850 words. Please note, longer article will not be considered.
Please send articles rather than research type papers as the former are more likely to be selected. To get more idea of the style expected please visit the previous edition.
All articles received will be submitted to New Agriculturist for their consideration and selection.
GFAR invite you to identify and share stories on the topic and help reach beyond GFAR`s community.
Please send the articles to the following E-mail address: firstname.lastname@example.com


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BC: Global stocks waver after Wall Street losses
LONDON â Global stock markets traded on a soft note Wednesday after Wall Street fell for a second day following U.S. President Donald Trumpâs comments about reducing drug prices.
KEEPING SCORE: In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 0.2 percent at 7,325 while the CAC 40 in France was flat at 4,953. Germanyâs DAX was up 0.1 percent at 11,976. Wall Street was poised for a flat open with Dow futures and the broader S&P 500 futures unchanged.
TRUMP WATCH: Trump tweeted Tuesday before the stock market opened that he is working on âa new systemâ to reduce drug prices and bring competition to the industry. Pharmaceutical stocks fell, especially those of biotechnology companies, which make drugs that are complicated to engineer and can be extremely expensive. In January, Trump accused drugmakers of âgetting away with murderâ on drug prices. He later held an apparently friendly meeting with industry executives at the White House and said he wants to speed up the drug approval process, which could bring costs down for drug companies.
ANALYST TAKE: âAs has been the case for several companies since the election, pharmaceuticals learned last night that just a single tweet can wipe hundreds of millions off their valuation,â said David Cheetham, chief market analyst at XTB.
FED FOCUS: Thereâs also a focus on the Federal Reserve ahead of next weekâs meeting which many in the markets think will herald another interest rate hike. Whether one materializes could hinge on this Fridayâs nonfarm payrolls report for February.
ASIAâS DAY: Tokyoâs Nikkei 225 index shed 0.5 percent to 19,254.03 and the Shanghai Composite Index was unchanged at 3,240.66. Hong Kongâs Hang Seng advanced 0.4 percent to 23,786.31 while Sydneyâs S&P-ASX 200 ended unchanged at 5,759.70. Indiaâs Sensex lost 0.3 percent to 28,924.56, while Bangkok, Manila and Jakarta also declined. Seoulâs Kospi was unchanged at 2,095.41 while New Zealand, Taiwan and Singapore gained.
ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude fell 56 cents to $52.58 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 48 cents to $55.44 in London.
CURRENCY: The euro was down 0.1 percent at $1.0555 while the dollar rose 0.3 percent to 114.33 yen.


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Don't know where to get off on your route or where to find the closest roads? Download the Moovit App to get the latest timetable, real-time step-by-step directions, estimated live arrival times, and see where on the map is the best street to cross for הנשר and רענן.
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Bret Michaels told our photog he "wasn't feeling super great" as he left his hotel and headed out for tonight's "Celebrity Apprentice" finale, but make no mistake -- he's ready to take home the title!
Bret also confirmed, as TMZ first reported, that there will be a doctor in the house during the show.
Here's hoping you don't need him.
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Jennifer Lopez Says She and Marc Anthony Are Friendly Since Split
Jennifer Lopez compared her relationship with her ex Marc Anthony to another megafamous former Hollywood couple of yesteryear. The 'American Idol' judge likened her friendship and business partnership with Anthony to none other than '60s icons Sonny and Cher.
The exes, who star together in 'Q'Viva!,' a Univision talent competition show showcasing Latin American singers and dancers, get along so well that on the show it's hard to tell that they're not married anymore … until a producer asks them about it point blank, to which the gracious Lopez replied that it's "very Sonny and Cher after the divorce."
E! Online's Marc Malkin reports that later on in the show, Anthony muses on their bond and says that he and J. Lo are "meant to be" in each others' lives, adding that "Marriage is one chapter, kids are another."
The news is a refreshing change from what we're used to hearing about the friendly exes. Prior to last week's awkward reunion at the Television Critics Association, reports flew that Anthony threw fits about Lopez's new beau, Casper Smart — and that he even planned a ferocious custody battle to hurt the 'On the Floor' singer.
We're so happy to see that they're getting along … and secretly hoping for an 'I Got You Babe' cover!


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Raphael Correa was elected Ecuador's president last November and took office January 15 promising social change. He's the country's eighth president in the last decade including three previous ones driven from office by mass street protest opposition against their misrule and public neglect. Correa must now deliver and just got a boost from his governing Movimiento Alianza Pais' landslide Constituent Assembly election victory to rewrite the nation's constitution for the 177th time in Ecuador's history hoping to get it right this time. Awaiting a final tabulation of results, it appears Correa supporters got around 70% of the vote winning 80 of the 130 Assembly seats. That's a comfortable majority to push through change, but doing it won't be easy, and Correa's commitment has yet to be tested.
Longtime Latin American expert James Petras writes "Ecuador today faces great opportunities for a basic social transformation and also grave threats from imperial networks" the way states in the region always do. He notes how in recent years mobilized urban and rural popular classes ousted neoliberal regimes only to see them resurface under so-called left-center leaders (who are neither left nor center) like Lula in Brazil, Kirchner in Argentina, Morales in Bolivia, Vasquez in Uruguay and others. Even Hugo Chavez governs from the "pragmatic left." He combines grassroots participatory democracy and redistributive social policies with support for business interests but on a more equitable basis than under previous Venezuelan leaders.
Petras quotes a Forbes magazine editor's comment on former Mexican president Luis Echeverria (1970 - 1976) that's very revealing and explains Correa's challenge - "He talks to the Left and works for the Right." That's pretty common in Latin America today, and Brazil stands out as Exhibit A under former Workers' Party co-founder and the country's current president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2002 to present).
Lula promised social change, but delivered betrayal. Even before being elected, he signed a letter of understanding with the IMF promising no change and business as usual. He agreed to full debt service and repayment terms as well as to back economic stability and neoliberal policies. He didn't disappoint.
Once elected with a clear majority, he cut public employee pensions 30%; his agrarian policy subsidized agribusiness; his promise of land redistribution to the Landless Workers Movement (MST) was broken; spending for health and education was cut; employer rights to fire workers and cut severance pay were supported; extended privatizations of state-owned companies were backed; thuggish troops occupied Haiti; and right-wing bankers, corporate executives and free-marketeers were appointed economic ministers and central bankers. Petras sums up his record saying: "Lula fits the profile of a right-wing neoliberal politician," not a "center-leftist" one.
Current Argentina president Nestor Carlos Kirchner is Exhibit B (in office from 2003 to the present with an October 28 presidential election ahead and the president's wife ahead in the polls to win it). Petras notes how compared to Lula, he seems progressive. He cut unemployment from 20 to 15%, raised pensions and wages, renegotiated part of the country's foreign debt and rescinded immunity for military torturers although with little to show for it.
In sharp contrast, "fraudulent privatizations" in Argentina's key industrial areas weren't reversed; inequalities remained the same or increased in some sectors; poverty levels are still almost 30%; 10% inflation diluted nominal earnings gains; the socio-economic power structure stayed the same; Argentina's thuggish troops occupy Haiti; its central bankers and economic ministers are hard right; debt service was placed above health and education spending; and unfettered capitalism was supported following the 2001 economic collapse and subsequent uprisings. Petras calls Kirchner a "pragmatic conservative willing to dissent from the US when it" serves Argentina's business interests. As for being a social democrat? Forget it.
Bolivia's president and first ever indigenous head of state (2006 to present), Juan Evo Morales Ayma, is Exhibit C, and along with Lula, the greatest disappointment. Petras cites his government as "the most striking example of (a) 'center-left' regime" to betray its supporters and embrace neoliberalim once in office. Mass uprisings ousted two earlier presidents who defended foreign investor natural resources ownership, and Bolivians elected Morales to do what they didn't. Instead, he rejected oil and gas expropriation, supports Big Oil interests, and embraced business as usual policies. Under nationalizations Morales-style, current contractual arrangements are effectively intact, and the country's mineral resources have been sold off to the greatest ever number of foreign investors.
In addition, Morales broke his promise to triple the painfully low minimum wage, increased it 10% instead, and maintained previous neoliberal fiscal austerity and economic stability policies. He also tolerates the US Drug Enforcement Agency's intrusive presence and the Pentagon's Chapare military base; appointed hard right economic, defense and other ministers; opposed agrarian reform; supports large landowners; provides them large subsidies and tax incentives; and backs the Confederation of Private Businessmen in Bolivia by promoting foreign investment, social spending cuts, prioritization of exports, and other pro-business policies above the interests of the people who elected him. Petras says Morales "excels in public theater" by combining "political demagogy" to his base while backing neoliberal IMF austerity and business-friendly policies.
Here's a sample of the former from Morales' September 24 UN General Assembly speech when he said: "....each day we are destroying the future of humanity. (We must) pinpoint who our enemies are (and the) damage (they do) that may put an end to humanity....I think that capitalism is the worst enemy of humanity and if we do not change the model, change the system (our efforts here) will be totally in vain....Capitalism has twins, the market and war....This is why (we must) change economic models....particularly in the western world." It's lovely rhetoric from a man who, in fact, embraces the model he denounces.
He symbolizes the fantasy of "new winds from the Left" sweeping the region, but too many others do as well in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and all of Central America including Costa Rica. There, a US intimidation campaign narrowly got DR-CAFTA passed in an October 7 national referendum that still awaits a recount before confirming what pre-referendum polls predicted would go the other way.
That aside, there's strong support for the left throughout Latin America that eventually may bubble up into change. It's too early to know for sure where Correa stands, but his commitment will soon be fully tested. Here's what he's up against.
US regional dominance is still strong, and thinking otherwise is misguided. It's not like in the 1990s "Golden Age of Pillage," but it's still able to keep business flourishing, including in Venezuela where it's booming. Nonetheless, a new generation of committed leftist leaders are emerging with Correa yet to prove he's one of them and may in the end disappoint.
His chance to prove otherwise is coming, and he won it convincingly with a 54% second round presidential electoral victory. It was followed by an overwhelming 82% referendum majority to convoke a Constituent Assembly to draft a new socially progressive constitution. Correa says it will be based on "principles not models (and) every country must decide according to its own different realities." The Assembly will convene the end of October to begin its work with a long struggle ahead to complete it. It hopes to finish in six months, but its mandate allows more time if it's needed.
Correa wants the constitution to "facilitate" foreign investment (especially in banking) "to force competition." He's against monopolies, traditional oligarchic power, and the one-sided big media opposition to his government. He's also renegotiating the country's debt, is assessing its legitimacy, wants a constitutional limit on its repayment, and intends to keep the dollar the official currency with eventual plans to abandon it. In addition, he favors ending the central bank's autonomy, joined the Bank of the South (to be officially founded November 3 and headquartered in Caracas), expelled the World Bank's representative in April, is ending relations with the IMF, and aims to transform the current neoliberal system into one that will aid "the recovery of the government's planning capacity (and be a) beginning of the concept of a solidarity system."
Correa's close economic adviser and leading September 30 vote getter, Alberto Acosta, said the nation's "economy should be based on human beings" and that capital, investment, the profit motive motive and workings of the state should be subordinate to human needs. If Correa supports that view and will back it fully, he's off to a good start. It's too soon to tell but early signs are promising.
He talks the talk and is starting to prove it. He promised social democratic change and a "citizens' revolution" and said he'll use the country's oil revenues for the people with a positive step already taken. On October 4, he signed a decree increasing Ecuador's share of windfall foreign oil company profits from 50 to 99% while committing to honor existing contracts. Announcing the move, Correa said: "No more plundering, no more surrender, no more waste. (Ecuador's oil) now belongs to all Ecuadoreans" with revenues from it earmarked for social welfare and infrastructure.
Correa also indicated after a new constitution is drafted and approved by referendum, he'll call for new elections for president, vice-president and Congress. The current legislature has no Correa party representatives in it, but he hopes overwhelming popular support will change that. The sitting Congress, according to Correa "must be tossed back into the street," but that's for the people to decide. Democracy, however, isn't just about elections. It's about what happens afterwards, and that's for Correa, the Constituent Assembly and a newly elected Congress to decide.
The September 30 victory was Correa's third triumph in nine months, and he hailed it saying the "Ecuadorean people have won the mother of all battles. (It was) an unquestionable victory." Earlier he echoed Hugo Chavez's call for a "new socialism of the twenty-first century (and that Ecuador must end) the perverse (neoliberal) system that has destroyed our democracy, our economy, our society." He won't have long to back that rhetoric with action, but doing it won't be easy.
The long shadow of Washington haunts the region, and its influence pressures and subverts change from the left. At the same time, countries like Ecuador face conflicting interests - maintaining the status quo from the right and demands for real change from below through redistributive social policies and nationalizing strategic sectors like oil, gas, banks and land.
Petras is hopeful "decay and profound disintegration of all the traditional parties opens the way for (progressive) new political forces." He sees an "historical opening" and opportunity for change through an "alliance of trade unionists, Indian militants, movement leaders and ecologists" in the newly formed Polo Democratico (PD). Its agenda calls for a "total rupture (and) transformation of the Constituent Assembly into the legislative arm of the peoples' movement." Its aim is bold and revolutionary - to establish "popular sovereignty" that places basic resources like oil and gas under "popular self-management" and out of the hands of local oligarchs and exploitive foreign capital. It's a national liberation struggle to defeat imperialism and savage capitalism and return power to the people. Now it's for Correa and his coalition to prove they're up to the challenge. So far at least, it looks like they'll try.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at email@example.com.
Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to The Steve Lendman News and Information Hour on TheMicroEffect.com now moved to Mondays at noon US central time.


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HARWICH, Mass.—In its first NCAA tournament game in 37 years, MIT was not able to hold an early lead and fell to Rhode Island College by a 12-2 score. J.P. Stone went 4-for-4 with four runs batted in to help lead the fifth seeded Anchormen over #4 MIT in the opening game of the 2011 NCAA Division III New England Regional Baseball Championship at Whitehouse Field.
With their first loss in the double elimination tournament and a surprising result in the second game, MIT will now play the top seeded Tufts Jumbos in an elimination game at 9:30 Thursday morning. That game can be viewed free online at http://www.d3cast.com/ or the live stats can be followed at http://livestats.prestosports.com/ecac/.
The Engineers (25-14), struck first with two runs in the opening frame on Wednesday morning. Brian Doyle scored on a failed pickoff attempt at second base and Dan Hyatt had an RBI sacrifice fly to score Bryan Macomber, who had doubled to left field.
That was all MIT would get, however, as RIC starting pitcher C.J. Tsomakas (7-2) allowed the two runs, one unearned, over six innings to get the win. Cameron Cash worked three scoreless innings to chalk up his first career save, allowing just two singles. He didn't issue a walk and struck out the last six batters.
Starter Aric Dama (5-2) took the loss for the Engineers after giving up four runs and eight hits in four innings. Doyle, Macomber, Zach Carr, Sean Karson and Jonathan Rea joined Hyatt as Engineers to record a hit.
RIC improves to 22-18 after reaching the 10-hit plateau for the 20th time this season. The Anchormen rapped out 17 hits for their third-highest total on the year. They tied the game at 2 in the top of the third when Kyle Allaire singled down the left field line to plate Stone. Alliare would later score himself on a Mike Giustino double to left field. RIC scored two more in each of the next two innings, then put the game out of reach with six runs in the sixth to wrap up the scoring for both teams.
Justin Corso gave the Anchormen the lead for good with a run-scoring single to right in the fourth.
Every Anchormen in the lineup had at least one hit, including Ronnie Bracchi with a double and Kevin Carey with an RBI-double.


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This the Latest Game I'm Developing and it is looking very good. Its a Game with theme the War but with the difference that the things are going a bit... crazy! Created with Game Maker 8 Pro Let's hope people are going to appreciate my job with this and will enjoy the craziness so you can get the most fun you can on the online matches.
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Partnership Minyanim and More
Marc B. Shapiro
1. A few people have wanted me to comment on the recent debate between Rabbis Barry Freundel and Zev Farber about the so-called Partnership Minyanim in which women lead Kabbalat Shabbat. See here. The issue goes back to R. Freundel's article in Tradition 44:2 (2011) on the topic. I was planning to respond to this article when it first appeared, and even wrote some pages, but I never completed the piece. Since the issue has once again surfaced, now is a good time to deal with it. Some of what I will say was also stated by an anonymous commenter on the Torah Musings blog, but both R. Zev Farber and Lazer Kaganovitch can testify that I sent them these points before the commenter posted anything, so I see no reason not to record my thoughts. (I should also note that this anonymous commenter, while pointing out errors and misreadings by R. Freundel, did not show proper respect in recording his criticisms.)
In his article, R. Freundel argues against the Partnership Minyanim with an original approach. Rather than summarize his viewpoint in my own words, this quotation sets forth his thesis, which the article attempts to prove:
In those communities which do not employ a Hazan for Kabbalat Shabbat, that lack would indicate that they view this liturgy as neither mandatory nor communal. Nonetheless, putting a woman (and maybe a child) into the role of Hazan would still be problematic. Adding a Hazan makes the prayer mandatory and communal but women and possibly children cannot lead a mandatory communal prayer. As a result, even in a setting that currently has no Hazan, the innovation of using a Hazan who cannot serve as a Hazan for communal prayer creates a halakhic dissonance that is unsustainable.
This is quite an argument and if it could be sustained, then it would be a significant contribution to the debate. However, in my opinion, and the opinion of everyone I know who has examined the issue, R. Freundel's argument is completely unconvincing. There is simply no way that having a person read a few paragraphs of Psalms or more recent compositions before some other people makes the prayer "mandatory" and "communal."
Before getting into some particulars of R. Freundel's piece, let me offer a more general criticism. Reading the article I was troubled by the author's need to come up with a halakhic argument to forbid that which pretty much everyone can see is not a halakhic matter at all (apart from possible halakhic concerns of tzeniut). Those who are in favor of Partnership Minyanim devote great efforts to show that there is no halakhic objection, and therefore these minyanim should be instituted, and R. Freundel is playing the same game, but from the other side. He feels that he needs to show why Partnership Minyanim are halakhically forbidden, and therefore shouldn't be instituted.
The truth of the matter is that many of the most important things traditional Jews do and don't do have nothing to do with halakhah. Something can be a bad idea, even a very bad idea, and deserve to be rejected even if there is no technical halakhic objection to it. As the Steipler wrote (Karyana de-Igarta [2011 ed.], vol. 2 no. 581):
יש כמה דברים שאין בכח החכם להורות איסור אע"פ שבאמת אינו נכון כלל
There are good reasons people can offer in opposition to Partnership Minyanim without falling into the "pan-halakhic" trap that everything you oppose has to be shown to be halakhically improper. Opponents of the Partnership Minyanim should be able to acknowledge that if non-bar mitzvah age boys are permitted to serve as a hazan for pesukei de-zimra or Kabbalat Shabbat then, apart from issues of tzeniut (in which I include kol ishah), there is no "technical" halakhic objection with women doing so as well. But as mentioned already, lack of a prohibition doesn't necessarily make something a good idea. Plenty of synagogues will not let someone serve as a hazan if he is wearing jeans (or if he is not wearing a jacket or hat), yet this doesn't mean that we need to find a technical halakhic objection for something which is at essence a matter of synagogue custom and propriety, and therefore does not need to be supported by halakhic sources. By the same token, I think we have reached the point whereby the typical Orthodox rabbi acknowledges (privately, at least) that there is no real halakhic objection to a woman rabbi, while at the same time continuing to oppose the concept (much like many oppose yoatzot halakhah). They oppose it because of how women rabbis will change the structure of traditional Judaism, change it in way they view as negative. This point can be made without using halakhic arguments that after a little investigation people will see don't carry any weight. This is especially so in the Modern Orthodox world where there are women principals of Jewish day school, women synagogue presidents, women teachers of Talmud, women learning advanced halakhah, and no one bats an eye when a woman speaks in front of men.
For those who oppose things like women leading Kabbalat Shabbat, a weak halakhic argument is worse than no argument at all. The best tactic for the opponents is simply to keep the issue focused on what direction is best for Judaism. It is known that a number of great rabbis refused to provide halakhic reasons for particular decisions they gave, especially when the halakhic justification was weak. They chose this path precisely because they didn't want these issues to become matters of halakhic debate, as there were other, even more important considerations guiding them. (In a future post I will give examples.) What R. Freundel's article does is empower the proponents of Partnership Minyanim because they can rightfully say, "If this is the best our opponents can muster in terms of halakhic objections, then there really is no reason to oppose what we are doing."
Now let's turn to some particulars, as there are a couple of points in R. Freundel's article that I would like to comment on. He writes:
The second oft-cited opinion in Rishonim is that of Nahmanides, who argues for obligatory twice a day recitations of the Amidah by women at Shaharit and Minha. The problem is that, despite the fact that the Mishna Berurah quotes this approach in the name of Ramban, I cannot find this opinion anywhere in Nahmanides' writings. An examination of the section of Shulhan Arukh where Mishna Berurah makes this statement indicates that he is quoting R. Akiva Eiger.
There is a misunderstanding here. Here is the passage from the Mishnah Berurah 106:4 referred to by R. Freundel.
What the Mishnah Berurah is saying is that Nahmanides' view is that prayer is a rabbinic commandment. The part about Anshei Keneset ha-Gedolah requiring the Amidah to be recited twice a day and that women are also obligated in this is not from Nahmanides. This is the Mishnah Berurah speaking. Contrary to what R. Freundel writes, the Mishnah Berurah is not quoting R. Akiva Eger.
In the next paragraph, Freundel writes:
R. Eiger cites Nahmanides from section 89 of Responsa Besamim Rosh. At one time this book was attributed to a variety of important scholars including Ramban, but now it is known to have been written by Isaac Molina in the 16th century. . . . Section 89 of Besamim Rosh tells us that women "in our area" are required to pray twice a day because "they have accepted this practice upon themselves." This is hardly an indication that all Jewish women are required to recite the formal liturgy at Shaharit and Minha as Mishna Berurah claims.
Here is the responsum from Besamim Rosh.
It never uses the words "in our area", and furthermore, the responsum is not from Nahmanides. It seems that R. Freundel makes the false assumption that at one time this book was attributed to Ramban because he thinks that R. Akiva Eger is citing a responsum of Ramban in Besamim Rosh. Yet Besamim Rosh was never attributed to Nahmanides nor to Isaac Molina.[1] The latter supposedly gathered the teshuvot (that is what it says on the title page, but this is part of Saul Berlin's forgery). This means that R. Freundel's critique of the Mishnah Berurah falls by the wayside, since the responsum in Besamim Rosh has nothing to do with the Ramban and thus nothing to do with the Mishnah Berurah's point, which is derived from the Ramban. .
In his heading he cites Ramban, but that is simply a quote from the Magen Avraham, and has nothing to do with the Besamim Rosh that he cites immediately following this. All R. Akiva Eger is doing by citing Besamim Rosh is providing another relevant text dealing with the issue under consideration, i.e., women and prayer. In R. Akiva Eger's responsa, vol. 1, no. 9, he cites this same responsum in Besamim Rosh. (R. Akiva Eger thought that Besamim Rosh was an authentic work.[2])
However, how did R. Freundel ever assume that Besamim Rosh was citing Nahmanides? He never could have concluded this if he used the Machon Yerushalayim edition, which is the text I just used. He also could not have concluded this if he used one of the older editions of the Shulhan Arukh in which R. Akiva Eger's note doesn't even refer to Ramban. See here:
However, how did R. Freundel ever assume that Besamim Rosh was citing Nahmanides? He never could have concluded this if he used the Machon Yerushalayim edition, which is the text I just used. He also could not have concluded this if he used one of the older editions of the Shulhan Arukh in which R. Akiva Eger's note doesn't even refer to Ramban. See here:
Yet here is the text as it appears in what used to be the standard edition of the Shulhan Arukh. In this edition there is a mistake in R. Akiva Eger's text and it indeed has him stating that Nahmanides' view is found in Besamim Rosh.
R. Freundel writes:
While all agree that women do not count towards adding Elokeinu, there is some debate about whether women can count among the three for zimmun. Nonetheless, even for those who say that women do count for the three no one suggests that a woman can lead if there are both men and women present. This is either because women's obligation is rabbinic while men's is Biblical or because the formal text of Birkat ha-Mazon contains references to certain mitsvot (e.g., circumcision) which are not applicable to women (emphasis added).
The passage I have underlined is incorrect. Ritva writes as follows[3]:
נשים חייבות בברכת המזון מן התורה, ולפיכך אשה מברכת לאיש על ידי זימון, או אם הוא עם הארץ להוציאו ידי חובתו כדרך שהאיש מוציאו.
See also R. Asher Ben Hayyim, Sefer ha-Pardes, ed. Blau (New York, 1984), pp. 176-177, and also the Hazon Ish, Orah Hayyim 30:8, who mentions that according to one approach in the rishonim גם הנשים רשאות לזמן כה"ג אם אין אנשים בקיאין .
R. Yitzhak Yosef, Yalkut Yosef, Orah Hayyim 186:5, writes:
אשה שבירכה ברכת המזון ונתכוונה להוציא את האיש ידי חובתו, ושניהם אכלו כדי שביעה, בדיעבד יצא ידי חובה, ואינו צריך לחזור ולברך
A good discussion of the issue is found in R. Yehudah Herzl Henkin, Bnei Vanim, vol. 3, no. 1.[4]
R. Freundel writes:
The presence of a Hazan was essential to Magen Avot becoming a mandatory tefillah be-tsibbur. Magen Avot became mandatory with a Hazan. . . . If the presence of a Hazan makes a prayer mandatory, then Kabbalat Shabbat, which today has a Hazan in the vast majority of synagogues, is also mandatory.
I think R. Freundel has it all backwards. The presence of a hazan never made Magen Avot mandatory. Rather, when Magen Avot was made mandatory, it was required that there be a hazan. But what does this have to do with Kabbalat Shabbat which was never made mandatory by anyone?
R. Freundel writes:
R. Kook maintained that one who has heard the repetition of the Amidah on Rosh Hodesh thereby fulfilling his tefillah be-tsibbur requirement, but who must repeat his silent Amidah because he forgot Ya'ale ve-Yavo[,] counts among the six to whom four who previously prayed are added for recitation of devarim she-bi-kedushah. His repeat prayer constitutes tefillat rabbim in that venue, which is sufficient to count him in the majority of a tsibbur that has not yet prayed. Tefillat rabbim is, therefore, not a larger form of individual prayer, rather it is a diminished form of tefillah be-tsibbur and therefore, he counts because his is a minor act of communal prayer.
This description is incorrect as R. Kook does not "maintain" that which is being attributed to him. In his responsum, Orah Mishpat, no. 23, R. Kook presents both sides of the matter and concludes וצריך בירור. What this means is that he does not make a final decision. In any event, what does this have to do with someone such as a minor or a woman leading a prayer that is not obligatory?
The larger problem of R. Freundel's article is that he makes assumptions which are simply not in accord with the practice of Jewish communities. For example, his argument leads to the conclusion that it should be forbidden (not just inappropriate, but forbidden) for someone under bar mitzvah age to lead any part of the service. Yet this is the practice in communities all over the world. Doesn't every Modern Orthodox synagogue have a child lead Adon Olam? R. Freundel assumes that the only reason this can be permitted is because of hinnukh considerations. That is possible, but it is just as likely permitted precisely because there is no prohibition, and it is a nice thing to do. In other words, there is no default position that it is prohibited, from which one then needs to then find a way to permit.
The Beit Yosef, Orah Hayyim 53, discusses the practice of children leading the congregation in maariv and those who objected. He explains that the practice can be defended since there is no repetition of the Amidah, the hazan is not fulfilling anyone's obligation for him, and maariv is also reshut. In other words, there are no considerations of hinnukh raised here, and for the Beit Yosef there is no default position that it is prohibited, and certainly no concept of tefillat rabbim, (which is mostly a hiddush of R. Freundel). It seems to be entirely a matter of synagogue etiquette, i.e., kevod ha-tzibbur, and if this can be overcome, then there is no halakhic problem. R. Yitzhak Zilberstein even argues that in an extreme circumstance (the particular case concerned a prison) one need not protest if a non-Jew leads the maariv service![5]
Let me stress that there is nothing wrong with R. Freundel coming up with a hiddush dealing with tefillat rabbim. However, a hiddush such as this cannot be the basis for forbidding a practice such as Partnership Minyanim. To see how far R. Freundel's model takes him, in response to criticism he even stated that it is forbidden for a woman to recite tefillat ha-derekh on behalf of men and also to lead a communal recitation of Psalms. R. Freundel assumes that this is all tefillat rabbim and therefore forbidden for a woman to lead.
I have no doubt that if you ask the typical posek about a woman reciting tefillat ha-derekh or reading a Psalm before a mixed group of men and women, he will say it should not be done, for reasons of tzeniut or mesorah. But if you ask him if it is forbidden on account of tefillat rabbim, he won't have a clue what you are talking about. Speaking historically, there is simply no such halakhic framework, and I find it hard to believe that people are going to be convinced that if some men and women sit down to read a few Psalms together (or a liturgical text of more recent vintage) that there is a prohibition for a woman to lead the recitation. (Again, I am not referring to tzeniut issues here.). Let me just remind readers that R. Ovadiah Yosef, relying on numerous rishonim, has ruled that if necessary a woman can read the Purim megillah for men (which might arise if no men know how to read it).[6] If the halakhically obligatory Megillah can be read by women for men, with none of the poskim saying a word about a concept of tefillat rabbim, then why should people accept that there is a prohibition for a woman to lead a group of men and women in recitation of a Psalm? (I realize that one can respond that reading the Megillah is not tefillah, but it would nevertheless be strange to permit a woman to read an entire book of the Bible before a group of men, and at the same time not allow her to read even a few verses from another book, i.e., Psalms.)
There is a good deal more to say about the phenomenon of Partnership Minyanim and the strange way they came about. Before Prof. Daniel Sperber got involved, the basis for them was an article written by an otherwise unknown rabbi in the Edah Journal. I can't help but wonder about the halakhic methodology of changing traditional Jewish practice simply because a rabbi writes an article with some suggestions. If tomorrow a rabbi, any rabbi, writes an article arguing that in today's day and age when men and women mix freely, that there is no need for a mehitzah in prayer (after all, it is not mentioned in the Shulhan Arukh), would that then give people carte blanche to remove the mehitzah? Had this not already been an issue between the Orthodox and Conservative, and thus of great symbolic significance, I am sure the mehitzah would already have been removed in liberal Orthodox synagogues. And what about counting women in the minyan? Halakhic arguments can be advanced for this as well. Is the only reason the liberal Orthodox don't accept R. Ethan Tucker's and R. Micha'el Rosenberg's arguments[7] because of their non-affiliation with Orthodoxy? If an Orthodox rabbi had advanced the same argument as them, would it then be OK to move to complete halakhic egalitarianism?[8]
2. In a previous post I wrote about the dispute over whether there is pesak in hashkafah. Only recently did I see the following relevant statement of R. Soloveitchik, The Emergence of Ethical Man, p. 6 (emphasis added).
It is certain that the fathers of the Church and also the Jewish medieval scholars believed that the Bible preached this doctrine [the separateness of man from nature]. Medieval and even modern Jewish moralists have almost canonized this viewpoint and attributed to it apodictic validity. Yet the consensus of many, however great and distinguished, does not prove the truth or falseness of a particular belief.
In my article, I discussed some of the difficulties with the Hatam Sofer's position that principles of faith can change with time, and are determined in a fashion no different than typical halakhic decisions. I argued that this understanding diverges from that of the rishonim. In R. Dovid Cohen's recently published Ha-Emunah ha-Ne'emanah (Brooklyn, 2012), p. 41, he appears troubled by the Hatam Sofer's approach.
וקשה מאד להתאים דברי הח"ס שעיקרי הדת חשובים עיקרים שהכל צריכים להאמינם מפני ההכרעה שאז י"ל שהפורק עול שאינו רוצה לקבל ההכרעה נענש מטעם זה, אבל איך זה שייך לסברת האברבנאל והגרי"ז שמי שאינו מאמין אין לו התפיסה שיוכל להשיג עולם הבא האם ההשגה תלויה בהכרעה או במציאות של האמת והאם שייך לומר שלרב הלל יש חלק בעוה"ב והבא אחריו שסובר כוותיה אין לו חלק לעולם הבא שאינו יכל להשיג. . . . ועיין לקמן בעיקר ז' שהערתי שמשמע מהאריז"ל ומבעל התניא שהם חולקים על החתם סופר ודו"ק.
What does the last word (abbreviation) mean, as it does not stand for ודוחק קצת, which is how it is usually understood? Furthermore, what are we to do with the expression והדברים ברורים ודו"ק that appears in Maharsha and elsewhere? I remember how in yeshiva we didn't know what to make of this, since it obviously doesn't mean ודוחק קצת. One rebbe told us that the abbreviation mark is a mistake and it should be read as ודוק, that is, "examine it carefully" (like ודייק). It is also possible that the abbreviation stands for ודיק וקרא, although this meaning is not mentioned in Otzar Rashei Tevot. R. Meir Mazuz recounts that in Tunis they explained it: ואחר דרישה וחקירה קל. (Otzar Rashei Teivot has ודייק ותמצא קל). See his Lo Tashikh (Bnei Brak, 2005), p. 8 (first numbering). But he assumes that the real meaning is as I mentioned, i.e., ודייק.
Returning to R. Cohen's book, it really requires a post of its own, as it contains all sorts of interesting things. Here is one example, from p. 127, where he suggests an interpretation of the Twelfth Principle of Maimonides according to which belief in a personal Messiah and other details in the Principle are not really required beliefs.
וצ"ל שהעיקר הי"ב הוא גאולה באחרית הימים והכופר בזה הוא כופר גמור והפרטים שכתב הרמב"ם שיהיה משיח והוא מיו"ח של שלמה בן דוד אין זה מהעקרים שהכופר בהם אינו נחשב ככופר והוא חידוש עצום.
I only quote this for its novelty, as it is contradicted by Maimonides' explicit words in the Principle. With reference to the detail of the Messiah's genealogy, Maimonides states: "Included in this fundamental principle is that there will be no king of Israel except from David and from the seed of Solomon exclusively. Anyone who disputes concerning this family denies God and the words of His prophets."
On p. 162 R. Cohen states that according to Maimonides even non-Jews are obligated to believe in the Thirteen Principles. He concludes his paragraph with ודו"ק, and again, it does not mean ודוחק קצת.
ועיין סוף פ"ח ממלכים שכתב וז"ל כי [כל] המקבל שבע מצות ונזהר לעשותן הרי זה מחסידי אומות העולם ויש לו חלק לעולם הבא. והוא שיקבל אותן ויעשה אותן מפני שצוה בהן הקב"ה בתורה והודיענו על ידי משה רבינו שבני נח מקודם נצטוו בהן. אבל אם עשאן מפני הכרע הדעת אין זה גר תושב ואינו מחסידי אומות העולם ולא מחכמיהם עכ"ל. ומשמע מכאן שהרמב"ם בא לכלול הגוים שהם חסידי אומות העולם שמאמינים בתורה, אבל אינם מאמינים בי"ג עיקרים שאין להם חלק לעוה"ב . . . הרי מוכח כנ"ל שגוי צריך להאמין בי"ג עקרים ודו"ק
Contrary to R. Cohen, when Maimonides speaks of righteous non-Jews being required to believe in the revelation at Sinai, this has nothing to do with acceptance of the complete Thirteen Principles.
One more point about R. Cohen's book is that it is obvious that at times he is responding to what I wrote in The Limits of Orthodox Theology (and he also makes use of many of the sources I cite). While I am not mentioned by name (no surprise there) I am apparently included among the משמאילים referred to on p. 5 (see Limits, pp. 7-8).
Finally, let me add more comment about the Thirteen Principles. Just when I was about send in this post, I received the latest issue (Spring 2013) of the journal Conversations, published by Rabbi Marc Angel's Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals. Each issue is a great read as it includes material from both well-known scholars as well as talented newcomers who have a lot to contribute and whose writings have often been real eye-openers for me.
Among the established writers in the new issue is R. Nathan Lopes Cardozo. If there is any contemporary writer in the Orthodox world who reminds me of the early Hasidic masters, the Kotzker, or even R. Jehiel Jacob Weinberg in his private moments,[9] it is R. Lopes Cardozo. Reading him one can sense how difficult it is for R. Lopes Cardozo to live in a world in which spiritual authenticity is in such short supply. As with his similar-minded predecessors, he too must protest, and the real perplexity is why so many others don't join in this protest. The questions he asks, and what keeps him up at night, are exactly what should be on the mind of all thinking Orthodox Jews, even if one may disagree with the answers he gives.
His latest article, which appears in Conversations, is entitled "Lonely but Not Alone: An Autobiography by a Jew Who Should Never Have Been." On p. 10 he writes:
It became clear to me that Judaism is based on the need for absolute questioning. I discovered that there are no absolute dogmas in Judaism, at least not in the way they are found within the Catholic Church. Maimonides' famous Thirteen Principles of Faith, which are sung in nearly every synagogue on Friday nights, were never accepted as the final version of Jewish belief and were in fact heavily attacked and challenged by the greatest rabbinical authorities. Today, I see that Maimonides' thirteen principles caused major damage to Judaism. It was the famous Professor Leon Roth who once remarked: "For this Hebrew of Hebrews had in many respects a Greek mind and through his sense of logic and his passion for precision, he brought Judaism into a doctrinal crisis, the echoes of which are with us yet" (Judaism, A Portrait, 1960, p. 122). How true! Judaism, while surely consisting of certain beliefs, is open to self-critique, debate, and ongoing discussions that have almost never been resolved. This spoke to my imagination. A religion with no dogmas, always open to new ideas! What could be better than that!
3. In a previous post I called attention to a bizarre segulah from R. Zvi Hirsch Kaidonover which I didn't translate and which I suggested the police might regard as a form of sexual abuse. The text is as follows:
ועוד סגולה נפלאה לתינוק הנולד שלא יקרה עליו חולי נכפה בר מינן, מיד כשנולד ישימו בפיו ברית קודש של תינוק ויהיה ניצול כל ימיו מחולי נכפה
If you thought that this was strange, I guarantee that you will find the following, which was sent to me by a friend, even stranger.
The text comes from Meir Benayahu, Toldot ha-Ari (Jerusalem, 1967), pp. 224-225, and describes a "cure" recommended by R. Isaac Luria. The passage is too bizarre to translate. If the man who "came to the rescue" was just a man off the street it would be one thing. However, we see that it was none other than R. Moses Galante, a great sixteenth-century Torah scholar of the land of Israel who was given real semikhah by R. Joseph Karo. Even though the pre-modern mind was able to come up with all sorts of strange "cures", I would like to believe that the entire story is a fiction. But even if it never happened, the fact that people believed it happened tells us a great deal about their mindset.
On p. 110 n. 4, Benayahu cites the following text from R. Hayyim Vital (and note the shocking passage I have underlined):
On p. 110 n. 4, Benayahu cites the following text from R. Hayyim Vital (and note the shocking passage I have underlined):
בענין לילית ההורגות את הילדים מבן שמונה ימים ללידתם . . . נטיתי אז ושמתי אבר מילת נער קטן בפי הילד תכף כשנולד טרם שיינק . . . ואמנם פעמים אחרות עשיתי כל הנ"ל וגם דברים אחרים, שנבאר עתה, ולא ניזוק. ואלה הם: לשים אבר מילת אבי הנולד עצמו בפי הילד טרם שיינק
On p. 111 he records a story that once when a lion was about to attack R. Hayyim Ben Attar
All of these texts relate to the power of circumcision, a topic that is relevant to an earlier post here where I discussed the notion that Eliezer took an oath to Abraham by placing his hand on Abraham's circumsision.
Returning to the first story quoted from Benayahu, there is no doubt that people can believe all sorts of strange things. There is currently a situation in London where a leading rabbi is charged with inappropriate contact with women. This rabbi denies the charges. However, he has admitted, so I am informed, that he did touch women in non-sexual ways, but this was done as part of his "therapy" which he claims was halakhically permitted. Now obviously we can't have a situation where a male therapist, or "therapist", is arm wrestling or massaging his female patients. In fact, after everything we have seen these last few years, I think we can all agree that there can't be any touching.
גילה בריתו ברית קדש, וכשראה אותה האריה ברח מפניו . . . שמעולם לא ראה טפת קרי
All of these texts relate to the power of circumcision, a topic that is relevant to an earlier post here where I discussed the notion that Eliezer took an oath to Abraham by placing his hand on Abraham's circumsision.
Returning to the first story quoted from Benayahu, there is no doubt that people can believe all sorts of strange things. There is currently a situation in London where a leading rabbi is charged with inappropriate contact with women. This rabbi denies the charges. However, he has admitted, so I am informed, that he did touch women in non-sexual ways, but this was done as part of his "therapy" which he claims was halakhically permitted. Now obviously we can't have a situation where a male therapist, or "therapist", is arm wrestling or massaging his female patients. In fact, after everything we have seen these last few years, I think we can all agree that there can't be any touching.
Imagine my surprise, therefore, when in the most recent volume of Ma'ayan Omer I came across the following text:
R. Ovadiah gives permission for a kabbalist to touch a woman as part of his kabbalistic healing. R. Ovadiah requires that he wear gloves when touching her, but this is still surprising, as once such a heter is given it is not too difficult to see where this can lead..
I didn't know what to make of the words צריכה להתפשט. Does this mean that a woman can remove all her clothes if that's what the kabbalist needs in order to complete the healing process? (According to news reports, the Breslov figure currently in the news for sexual impropriety operated in this way). I was certain it couldn't mean this, but then what does it mean? I wrote to R. Avraham Yosef and here is his reply.
Even with R. Avraham's explanations, both regarding the nature of the pesak and the limited removing of clothes, it is still very difficult to stomach. But I acknowledge that this is only because of my rationalist perspective and my assumption that virtually all of these "kabbalists" are more snake oil salesmen than anything else. (R. Yitzhak Kaduri, a real kabbalist, said that an authentic mekubal does not charge money for helping people, so that immediately knocks out some of the most popular "kabbalists" who make a very good living at their craft.) However, for one who believes that a kabbalist can heal just like a doctor, then all the heterim that apply to a male doctor, including touching a woman while healing her, would also apply to a kabbalist. Skeptical as I am, I wonder why such a powerful kabbalist can't do his healing without touching the woman.[10]
[1] This information is available simply by googling "Besamim Rosh", and the first two results are from Seforim Blog posts. The third result is Wikipedia which also states that Besamim Rosh is an eighteenth century forgery.
[2] This can be seen from how he cites the source, and see also his note to Shulhan Arukh, Even ha-Ezer 117, where he is explicit (this source was noted by one of the commenters on Torah Musings).
[3] Hilkhot Berakhot 7:2 (p. 106 in the Mossad ha-Rav Kook edition).
[4] R. Baruch Gigi, one of the roshei yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion, believes that women saying birkat ha-mazon together with their families can be counted towards a mezuman. See Yonatan Gershon, "On Women Joining in a Zimmun," Meorot 9 (2011), available here. I have yet to see this acted on in practice.
[5] Hashukei Hemed, Berakhot 51b. R. Zilberstein's books contain some of the strangest cases. I don't know whether these are actual cases or if people just ask him the strange questions knowing he will respond, or if perhaps even he makes up the questions so that he can then discuss the matter להגדיל תורה ולהאדירה
[6] See Yalkut Yosef, Dinei Keriat ha-Megillah, no. 12.
[7] See here.
[8] David Berger has recently alluded to Partnership Minyanim in his "Texts, Values, and Historical Change: Reflections on the Dynamics of Jewish Law," in Michael J. Harris, et al., eds., Radical Responsibility: Celebrating the Thought of Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (Jerusalem, 2012). In referring to Haym Soloveitchik's thesis in "Rupture and Reconstruction," Berger writes (p. 204): "[S]ome of those who lionize the mimetic society as they savour the anti-haredi uses of Soloveitchik's analysis are simultaneously impelled by feminist convictions to change generations of synagogue practice on the basis of textual analysis far more tenuous than the considerations that lead the traditionalist Orthodox to their usually more stringent deviations from the practices of the past. Affirmation or rejection of a mimetic ideal can depend very much on whose ox is being gored."
[9] I think readers will appreciate this letter of R. Jehiel Jacob Weinberg. It first appeared in Mordechai Eliav and Yitzhak Rafael, eds., Sefer Shragai (Jerusalem, 1981), p. 275, and was reprinted in Ba'ayot Aktualiyot le-Or ha-Halakhah (Jerusalem, 1993), pp. 58-59. We are now sixty years after R. Weinberg wrote his letter, and not only have things not gotten better, but they have actually gotten much worse.
[10] In the recently published Mesorat Moshe, p. 612, it records that R. Moshe Feinstein responded as follows, after being told of a dentist who sexually assaulted female patients while they were sedated: אמר רבינו שממש פלא, דהלא זה כנגד החזקה שאומן לא "מרע אומנותו". I don't understand R. Moshe's surprise, as he could say the same thing about teachers or anyone else who engages in this sort of behavior. Since we are dealing with people who are sick, there is no rational calculation for which you can apply the concept of מרע אומנותו. We have already seen numerous people who have destroyed their lives and their families by engaging in the sort of behavior, and taking the sort of risks, that simple self-interest would be enough to deter normal people from. (In a future post I will discuss other passages in Mesorat Moshe.) Also regarding sexual (and physical) abuse, R. Yosef Shalom Elyashiv writes, in discussing whether to inform the authorities (Kovetz Teshuvot, vol. 4, no. 198):
יש גם לשקול בגדר של ההתעוללות, שבהשקפה שלהם היא אחרת לגמרי משלנו
What does this mean? In what way is the religious Jewish approach to this matter superior to that found among non-Jews and non-religious Jews?
And finally, I found what I thought was a strange passage in R. Abraham Bornstein, Avnei Nezer, Even ha-Ezer no. 44. Much like Todd Akin, the Avnei Nezer thought that a woman couldn't get pregnant through rape (unless . . . actually I would rather not explain it).
ואם היתה אנוסה מתחילה ועד סוף ולא רצתה בו כלל אי אפשר שתתעבר, רק שיש חשש שמא תחילה באונס וסופו ברצון . . . אלא ודאי כמ"ש משום דבאונס מתחלה ועד סוף אי אפשר שתתעבר
I have not found such a notion in any earlier rabbinic source. However, S. of On the Main Line called my attention to Rachel P. Maines, The Technology of Orgasm (Baltimore, 2009), pp. 51-52, from which we see that there was indeed a long-standing view that conception was not possible without female orgasm or at least desire.


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Celebration for New LGBT Youth Facility in Fort Lauderdale
On Thursday, December 7th, Julian's Fountain of Youth will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony for their new LGBTQ youth center.
Special guests include Ft. Lauderdale Commissioner and Mayoral Candidate Dean Trantalis, Pastor Dwayne Black -- The Sanctuary Church Founder, CEO and Director Julian Cavazos -- Julian's Fountain of Youth.
Julian's Fountain of Youth will work collaboratively with existing LGBT youth organizations to create opportunities for LGBT youth between the ages of 13 and 17 to partake in activities that include experiential learning, career development workshops and life-enrichment strategies at no cost.
This collection of initiatives will hopefully foster future community leaders and overall empowerment of our LGBT youth both locally and nationally.
Julian's Fountain of Youth Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will be held on December 7, at 6:30 p.m. at 1400 N. Federal Highway, Administrative Building, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305.


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Two years was all it lasted, but the Klondike Gold Rush indelibly shaped the culture, identity and even landscape of northern Canada's Yukon Territory.
Like all great historical events, the gold rush has its well-told story: the oral tradition of the region's Tagish First Nations people tells how while fishing in Yukon River, Dawson Charlie, Skookum Jim and his brother-in-law George Carmack were approached by veteran gold-seeker Robert Henderson.
He told Carmack about some prospects he'd found in the Klondike River Valley, so a couple of weeks later the men poled their boat up Rabbit Creek, a Klondike tributary. After panning a few encouraging nuggets, one of them picked up a dime-sized chunk of gold. Overturning loose bits of rock, they found gold sandwiched thick between rock slabs. The next day, Aug. 17, Carmack, Jim and Charlie staked their claim on the renamed Bonanza Creek.
Even in those pre-Twitter days, word spread fast, drawing prospectors from all over Yukon and Alaska. Days later gold was found on Eldorado Creek, a tributary of the Bonanza. But it wasn't until the following July that news went viral, when the steamship Excelsior landed in San Francisco laden with more than half a million dollars worth of Klondike gold. Three days later, a crowd of 5,000 greeted another steamer with 68 miners aboard in Portland, Ore., to witness more than $1 million in gold carried down the gangplank in a battered assortment of suitcases and rope-tied bags.
The Klondike Gold Rush had officially begun.
Spurred by the hardship of a global recession, 50,000 people descended on Yukon. By 1898 the population had exploded from 5,000 to more than 30,000. Ground zero was Dawson City, a trading post on a mud flat at the confluence of Yukon and Klondike rivers. While steamers did navigate the Inside Passage to the Alaska Coast and up Yukon River to Dawson City, such travel was expensive. Most stampeders booked passage to Skagway and from there hiked overland via the Chilkoot or White Pass trails. From their layover at Lake Lindeman and Bennett Lake, those who survived spent the dark winter months building boats for the 800-kilometre voyage to Dawson City. In May 1898, a motley flotilla of barges, rafts and plank boats headed up Yukon River.
Their arrival was bittersweet, how-ever, as the hopeful stampeders learned the stakes had been scooped up two years earlier. While many turned right around, others pursued their fortunes selling supplies and services to the miners; Dawson's shops boasted the finest in French Champagnes, oysters, Parisian fashions and porcelain.
While the Klondike Gold Rush officially ended with a gold discovery in Alaska in 1899, ironically 1900 marked its most productive year with more than $22 million worth of gold pulled from the creeks. Today, Dawson's heritage is lovingly preserved in its architecture, right down to the wooden sidewalks. The gold search continues, with about 13,000 active placer claims currently operating in Yukon.
The stories live on, too, in the writings of Pierre Berton and Robert Service, on Discovery Channel's popular Gold Rush TV series and around kitchen tables the world over.
"The stories are still being spread around," says Merran Smith with the Klondike Visitors' Association (dawsoncity.ca). "People came from Europe, the U.S., from across Canada, from Edmonton up the Mackenzie River and from B.C. on the Stikine. Their stories have been passed down to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The Klondike is a living, breathing history."