text:
Chapter 11
God and his superstitions
Based on God's portrayal in the Bible, on scriptural evidence of course, God can be described as superstitious, in ways that we can only describe as simply bizarre, if not downright stupid or irrational. How anyone can believe in the absurdity of God saying or doing this or that, as recorded in the Bible, is mind-boggling. The Bible, the Old Testament to be precise, is overflowing with narratives of God's superstitions, and just selecting some relevant excerpts, say, from Exodus and Leviticus, is sufficient to make our point. But are we right in accusing God of being superstitious? There are several ways of looking at this question. One approach is to say he does not exist and therefore the question does not make sense. Another approach is to assume that there is no empirical evidence of his existence and the question can only be answered by reference to the Bible, to passages about the speeches allegedly made by God, or by Moses allegedly on God's instructions or behalf. So to answer the question, let's review these excerpts, from Exodus and Leviticus:
- 3.5. "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."
- 12.19. [God speaking to Moses and Aaron] For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born.
- 12.20. Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread."
- 13.1. The LORD said to Moses,
- 13.2 "Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal."
- 16.29. Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out.
- 19.12. [God speaking to Moses] Put limits for the people around the mountain [Mount Sinai] and tell them, 'Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.
- 19.13. He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him. Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.'
- 19.15. Then he [Moses] said to the people, "Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations."
- 20.3. You shall have no other gods before me.
- 22.18. Do not allow a sorceress to live.
- 28.42. Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh.
- 28.43. Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die.
- 29.1. This is what you are to do to consecrate them, so they may serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without defect.
- 29.2. And from fine wheat flour, without yeast, make bread, and cakes mixed with oil, and wafers spread with oil.
- 29.15. Take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.
- 29.16. Slaughter it and take the blood and sprinkle it against the altar on all sides.
- 29. 19 Take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.
- 29.20. Slaughter it, take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Then sprinkle blood against the altar on all sides.
- 29.21. And take some of the blood on the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated.
- 29.29. Aaron's sacred garments will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them.
- 29.30. The son who succeeds him as priest and comes to the Tent of Meeting to minister in the Holy Place is to wear them seven days.
- 29.33. They are to eat these offerings by which atonement was made for their ordination and consecration. But no one else may eat them, because they are sacred.
- 29.34. And if any of the meat of the ordination ram or any bread is left over till morning, burn it up. It must not be eaten, because it is sacred.
- 29.38 This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day: two lambs a year old.
- 29.39. Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight.
- 30.19. Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it.
- 30.20. Whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting an offering made to the LORD by fire,
- 30.37. Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the LORD.
- 30.38. Whoever makes any like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from his people.
- 31.14. Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people.
- 34.14. Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
- 34.25. Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast, and do not let any of the sacrifice from the Passover Feast remain until morning.
- 2.13. Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.
- 4.34. Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
- 4.35. He shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the lamb of the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar on top of the offerings made to the LORD by fire.
- 5.2. Or if a person touches anything ceremonially unclean—whether the carcasses of unclean wild animals or of unclean livestock or of unclean creatures that move along the ground—even though he is unaware of it, he has become unclean and is guilty.
- 5.3. Or if he touches human uncleanness—anything that would make him unclean—even though he is unaware of it, when he learns of it he will be guilty.
- 6.24. The LORD said to Moses,
- 6.25. Say to Aaron and his sons: 'These are the regulations for the sin offering: The sin offering is to be slaughtered before the LORD in the place the burnt offering is slaughtered; it is most holy.
- 6.26. The priest who offers it shall eat it; it is to be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.
- 6.27. Whatever touches any of the flesh will become holy, and if any of the blood is spattered on a garment, you must wash it in a holy place.
- 6.28. The clay pot the meat is cooked in must be broken; but if it is cooked in a bronze pot, the pot is to be scoured and rinsed with water.'
- 7.19. Meat that touches anything ceremonially unclean must not be eaten; it must be burned up. As for other meat, anyone ceremonially clean may eat it.
- 7.20. But if anyone who is unclean eats any meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.
- 7.21. If anyone touches something unclean—whether human uncleanness or an unclean animal or any unclean, detestable thing—and then eats any of the meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.'
- 7.22. The LORD said to Moses,
- 7.23. Say to the Israelites: 'Do not eat any of the fat of cattle, sheep or goats.
- 7.24. The fat of an animal found dead or torn by wild animals may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it.
- 7.25. Anyone who eats the fat of an animal from which an offering by fire may be [b] made to the LORD must be cut off from his people.'
- 19.23. When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden. For three years you are to consider it forbidden; it must not be eaten.
- 19.24. In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD.
- 19.25. But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the LORD your God.
- 19.27. Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard. 20.27. A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.
- 21.16. The LORD said to Moses,
- 21.17. Say to Aaron: 'For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God'.
- 21.18. No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed;
- 21.19. no man with a crippled foot or hand,
- 21.20. or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.
- 21.21. No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the offerings made to the LORD by fire. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God.
- 21.22. He may eat the most holy food of his God, as well as the holy food;
- 21.23. yet because of his defect, he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar, and so desecrate my sanctuary. I am the LORD, who makes them holy'.
- 22.12. If a priest's daughter marries anyone other than a priest, she may not eat any of the sacred contributions.
One can argue that being superstitious, prudish or freakish, is a personal matter, and can be harmless where other people are concerned. But when a superstition is shared by a crowd or a large community, thus achieving collective proportion, it can become a matter of contention, even dangerous, and can be seen as no different from a religious belief. If God with his omni powers is superstitious, assuming he exists of course, the situation can be evaluated as even more dangerous, for humanity and all other living creatures.
Despite the apparent fear or jealousy allegedly expressed by God concerning other gods, there are presently hundreds or thousands of different religions associated with the worshipping of different gods and goddesses. Whether real or surreal, can these other gods pose a threat to God? If the claim of God being almighty and all-loving can be believed, why should God be timorous or jealous of these other gods? Can God's timidity or jealousy vis-a-vis these other gods be seen as a sign or evidence of their existence, of their being real rather than surreal? However, the fact that there are people, distinct from the followers of the Abrahamic religions, who are presently worshipping other gods/goddesses, is no proof of the existence of these gods/goddesses.
With his so-called omnipotence, God should have no difficulty in banishing these deities [assuming God and these deities exist] to extinction, by simply opening his mouth instead of expressing his fear and jealousy and cautioning his so-called chosen people not to worship them. What can be viewed as a huge oddity or puzzle, is that, if God exists and created everything [Genesis], then God can be said to have created these deities himself, though there is no mention in the Bible of God creating deities. In Deuteronomy 7.25 we hear God telling, via his mouthpiece Moses, his so-called chosen people: The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to the LORD your God.
As we have observed through reading the accounts of Genesis and Exodus, God was allegedly, highly dependent on his followers to execute actions on his behalf. So the impression conveyed to us in Deuteronomy is nothing new. Maybe, we cannot discount the plausibility of these other gods/goddesses posing a challenge to God or having a countervailing power or influence. Maybe, like the imaginative humans God allegedly created, God himself can be viewed as being highly imaginative, too. Or would it be more accurate to consider God as a being created from human imagination to serve human purposes, for better or worse?
If the fat of cattle, sheep or goats cannot be eaten, then sirloin steak seems to fall under such a proscription. But sirloin steak, arguably, is eaten by some God-believers. Maybe these people are not paying any attention to the religious tenets established by the so-called prophets of the Old Testament. Maybe Judaists are the only God-believers who follow strictly to the laws established for Judaism; to be sure, Judaists are still practicing animal sacrifice, and perhaps continuing with the sprinkling or splashing of animal blood on God's so-called altar, on garments and on right ear lobe, right hand thumb, right foot big toe, to appease or please God with the aroma of burnt animal meat, which God allegedly declared was pleasing to him.
We have projected an image of God being superstitious. And we have to ask: What is superstition? Wikipedia has an explanation; an abridged version is appended in parenthesis:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstition [Jan 20, 2006]:
A superstition is an irrational or invalid belief about the relation between certain actions (often behaviors) and other actions that is not true. The essence of superstition is not defined by the "truth" of the result, however, but recognized by the methods through which truth is searched for. By its definition superstition is not based on reason and is not true.
The superstitious individual erroneously believes that the future, or the outcome of certain events can be caused or influenced by certain specified behaviors, despite the lack of a causal relationship in reality. Many superstitions can be prompted by misunderstandings of causality or statistics. Some popular superstitions are a result of misinterpreting correlations as causes, although many others are simply urban legends that have no rational justification whatsoever. Others spring from unenlightened fears, which may be expressed in religious beliefs or practice, or to belief in extraordinary events, supernatural interventions, apparitions or in the efficacy of charms, incantations, the meaningfulness of omens and prognostications. Any of the above can lead to unfounded fears, or excessive scrupulosity in outward observances.[End of excerpts]
Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States [1801-1809] and principal author of the Declaration of Independence [1776], had offered what sounds like good advice concerning superstition; this comment is said to have emanated from him: I have examined all the known superstitions of the world, and I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology. And it appears Jefferson also passed a comment about fears, prejudices, reason and God; this quote reportedly came from him: Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear…
One particular superstition of God, as expressed in Exodus 22.18: Do not allow a sorceress to live, and allegedly infected his human followers, was apparently a factor for the killing of so-called witches or wizards during the era of the Inquisitions. If we cannot attribute the killing to scriptural text, then we can nevertheless attribute it to religious bigotry or insanity. Superstition was rife, especially during the era of the Inquisitions [1478 – 1834 AD], and thousands of innocent people were put to death after being accused by God-believers of being witches or wizards or being in league with Satan. Presumably these God-believers were either ignorant or had forgotten that it was God who allegedly created Satan or "Lucifer", the name by which Satan was known previously.
The evils perpetrated by the Inquisitors – which included torturing and killing of innocent people – were ostensibly committed with the sanction and blessing of the Catholic Church. The Christian clergy and their flock were evidently not only ignorant but grossly superstitious, and the God of their worship, being allegedly superstitious himself, can be accused of looking on nonchalantly while evil was perpetrated in his name. How were witches identified during the time of the Inquisitions? Any common mole, wart, welt or any skin blemish on a woman's body could turn out to be disastrous for the woman, as any such mark could be insisted upon as an authentic witch's mark and that might mean forfeiture of her life. .
The Inquisitors thought they were showing appreciation of the love of their God when they were torturing or killing people who were accused of being witches or being in league with the Devil. Jesus allegedly said, vide Matthew 18.20: For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. So if the Bible is truly the gospel of the Lord then the Lord can be accused of being among the Inquisitors when they were torturing or killing or burning to death innocent people; in which case the Lord can be accused of being evil, of being complicit in the torture and murder of innocent people. You may wish to classify it as collective delusion or mass insanity or hysteria; call it what you want but you can't rule out that these evil perpetrators were madly influenced by their superstitious religious beliefs. Can the claim of God being compassionate have any validity? If you are an atheist then the answer must be a resounding NO!
Continuing from Exodus into Leviticus the reader will find God having another kind of fear [or hatred?] for mediums or spiritists; not only must witches or sorceresses be put to death, mediums and spiritists, too; Leviticus 20.27: A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads. As a consequence of such fear or hatred, all mediums and spiritists were "cut off from the land," vide 1 Samuel 28.8-20:
- 28.8. So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. "Consult a spirit for me," he said, "and bring up for me the one I name."
- 28.9. But the woman said to him, "Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?"
- 28.10. Saul swore to her by the LORD, "As surely as the LORD lives, you will not be punished for this."
- 28.11. Then the woman asked, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" "Bring up Samuel," he said.
- 28.12. When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!"
- 28.13. The king said to her, "Don't be afraid. What do you see?" The woman said, "I see a spirit [a] coming up out of the ground."
- 28.14. "What does he look like?" he asked. "An old man wearing a robe is coming up," she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
- 28.15. Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" "I am in great distress," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do."
- 28.16. Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy?
- 28.17. The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David.
- 28.18. Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today.
- 28.19. The LORD will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines."
- 28.20. Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel's words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and night.
What does Christianity have to say about spiritual mediums being able to communicate with the spirits of the dead? The irony is that Saul, despite his Lord's fear of the witch, consulted a witch. What can we glean further from these passages? For one, they project the image that it was possible for the living to communicate with the dead. And mind you, these passages were written with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, vide an encyclical issued by Pope Leo Xlll on Nov 18, 1893: "For all the books which the Church receives as sacred and canonical, are written wholly and entirely, with all their parts, at the dictation of the Holy Ghost: and so far is it from being possible that any error can co-exist with inspiration, that inspiration not only is essentially incompatible with error, but excludes and rejects it as absolutely and necessarily as it is impossible that God Himself, the supreme Truth, can utter that which is not true."
Thus God can be seen as a very superstitious god with a morbid habit for passing on his irrational superstitions to his so-called chosen people and for encouraging or instigating rivalry, hate, killing or destruction; to be fair, he can also be seen to have allegedly laid down ethical standards, for example, in Leviticus and in various other parts of the Bible. Leviticus 19:
Do not steal
Do not lie
Do not deceive one another
Do not swear falsely by my name
Do not defraud your neighbor or rob him
Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight
Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind
Do not pervert justice
Do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly
Do not go about spreading slander among your people
Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life
Do not hate your brother in your heart
Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself
In the New Testament, we see Jesus, so-called Son of God or God himself, planting further material that is only partially usable, in a plot that is teeming mainly with weeds:
- 5.1. Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,
- 5.2. and he began to teach them saying
- 5.3. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- 5.4. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- 5.5. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
- 5.6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
- 5.7. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
- 5.8. Blessed are the pure in heart, or they will see God.
- 5.9. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
- 6.27. "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
- 6.28. bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
- 6.29. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.
- 6.30. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.
- 6.31. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
The Bible reader can be forgiven for being confused with the inconsistencies and contradictions that are littered throughout the Bible. And one cannot be faulted for classifying many of the "Do not" advices cited above [Leviticus] as the "suck eggs" variety. Were the Hebrews so backward that they did not know that stealing or defrauding is morally wrong? But one thing appears clear: killing those or robbing from those outside their tribe appeared to be a preoccupation of the Hebrews under the alleged guidance or leadership of their God, as borne out by the narrative from Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles etc. The Hebrews even needed to be taught how to discern whether their wives were unfaithful, and guess what or how their supposedly living, all-powerful and all-knowing God taught them? The text in Numbers 5.11-31 under the heading "The Test for an Unfaithful Wife" says it all and to be sure nothing is missed out I am quoting each line verbatim:
- 5.11. Then the LORD said to Moses,
- 5.12. "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'If a man's wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him
- 5.13. by sleeping with another man, and this is hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act),
- 5.14. and if feelings of jealousy come over her husband and he suspects his wife and she is impure—or if he is jealous and suspects her even though she is not impure-
- 5.15. then he is to take his wife to the priest. He must also take an offering of a tenth of an ephah of barley flour on her behalf. He must not pour oil on it or put incense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, a reminder offering to draw attention to guilt.
- 5.16. " 'The priest shall bring her and have her stand before the LORD.
- 5.17. Then he shall take some holy water in a clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water.
- 5.18. After the priest has had the woman stand before the LORD, he shall loosen her hair and place in her hands the reminder offering, the grain offering for jealousy, while he himself holds the bitter water that brings a curse.
- 5.19. Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, "If no other man has slept with you and you have not gone astray and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse not harm you.
- 5.20. But if you have gone astray while married to your husband and you have defiled yourself by sleeping with a man other than your husband"-
- 5.21. here the priest is to put the woman under this curse of the oath-"may the LORD cause your people to curse and denounce you when he causes your thigh to waste away and your abdomen to swell.
- 5.22. May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells and your thigh wastes away." " 'Then the woman is to say, "Amen. So be it."
- 5.23. " 'The priest is to write these curses on a scroll and then wash them off into the bitter water.
- 5.24. He shall have the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and this water will enter her and cause bitter suffering.
- 5.25. The priest is to take from her hands the grain offering for jealousy, wave it before the LORD and bring it to the altar.
- 26 The priest is then to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial offering and burn it on the altar; after that, he is to have the woman drink the water.
- 5.27. If she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, then when she is made to drink the water that brings a curse, it will go into her and cause bitter suffering; her abdomen will swell and her thigh waste away, [f] and she will become accursed among her people.
- 5.28. If, however, the woman has not defiled herself and is free from impurity, she will be cleared of guilt and will be able to have children.
- 5.29. " 'This, then, is the law of jealousy when a woman goes astray and defiles herself while married to her husband,
- 5.30. or when feelings of jealousy come over a man because he suspects his wife. The priest is to have her stand before the LORD and is to apply this entire law to her.
- 5.31. The husband will be innocent of any wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the consequences of her sin.' "
So we have here a sign of an ignorant, asinine, barbaric god imparting bizarre ideas, or further ignorance or imbecility, to his already barbaric, ignorant or gullible followers. And in terms of the New Testament and the Trinity doctrine we hear this same god saying [Matthew 7.17-20]: Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. So Yahweh or Jesus, by their own words as expressed in the Bible, can be seen as a semi-rotten tree in dire need of a salvage operation entailing the sawing-off of all the rotten bits and pieces and throwing them into the so-called everlasting furnace Yahweh or the Trinity has or have allegedly created for others. I am all for staking that Yahweh or the Holy Spirit is no more mythic than, say, Zeus or Thor of Greek or European mythology.
While we cannot, however, discount the drivel represented by Numbers 5.11-31 as the product of an ignorant or irrational human being by the name of Moses, we cannot disregard the fact that who authored Exodus or Numbers was a human being, probably a story-teller with a high degree of ignorance or imagination for writing gibberish. We should not, however, lull ourselves into forgetting there are people, perhaps in the millions, who believe that the Bible was written with the inspiration of God. The Bible can be called an unholy mess if it was indeed inspired by God. Rational people, however, may have other ideas; they may think of the Bible as a book of filth, filled to the brim with celebrations of cruelty, hatred, intolerance, malevolence and killing including infanticide and genocide. Reading the Bible can be a revolting experience. If you have experienced revulsions from reading the Bible and have an urge to critique it as a highly obnoxious publication, you are probably not alone. There is even a high probability that you might want to deconvert, just as others before you have already deconverted, after discovering what a load of filth the Bible is.
Did Jesus abolish his Father's [or his own?] insane testing procedure for a husband's suspicion of his wife's infidelity? The New Testament does not say but one thing we would not be wrong in saying is that no rational Christians today would adhere to the nonsense allegedly laid down by God in Numbers 5.12 – 31, or the innumerable other examples of nonsensical verbiage that allegedly emanated from God and which can be viewed as the dirt that is littering the pages of the Bible. What, then, needs to be addressed, at least, by those who believe in the existence of God, is the question: Is the Bible the word of God or is it not? If the Bible is the word of God, then God can be considered as being insane for talking so much nonsense. If the Bible is not the word of God, then the Bible is the work of some people who can be rated as being grossly ignorant, irrational and superstitious, but only partially savvy or rational.
It is hard to dispute or deny the creative or imaginative power of the human mind, whether for good or bad, whether in the present environment or thousands of years ago. However, based strictly on biblical narrative there is no denying that God can be viewed as the crazy, personal God regardless of the question of his existence or non-existence; his behavior and some of his precepts, as textually provided, can be described as nothing short of being insane, in every sense of the word. The laws of an eternal, all-knowing God are deemed to be applicable at all times and anyone who believes in the Bible believes presumably in what Jesus allegedly said or did.
In Matthew 5.17 we hear Jesus saying: Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. In effect Jesus is confirming that the laws as laid down by, for example, Moses on behalf of God, calling for the death sentence for violation are still applicable; death for anyone who curses his parents [Exodus 21.17]; death for anyone who desecrates the Sabbath [Exodus 31.14]; death for homosexuals [Leviticus 20.13]; death for mediums or spiritists [Leviticus 20.27]; death for blasphemers [Leviticus 24.16]; death for a stubborn or rebellious son for disobedience to his parents [Deuteronomy 21.18]; death for adulterers [Deuteronomy 22.22]. Not only emphasizing that we should obey our parents, the Old Testament also tells us that we are commanded by God to honor our parents; yet in Luke 14.26 Jesus exclaims: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple." And Jesus is supposedly God, or the so-called 2nd Person, in the context of the Trinity doctrine. This is one of the many irreconcilable problems concerning Christianity. But there will always be some wiggle room for Christian theists, and goal posts changing or shifting is something they are adept at. Hence, we should not be surprised if we are told that Luke 14.26 must be read metaphorically, or that God acts in mysterious ways.
And Christianity, through the first Christian Church Council in Jerusalem, held approximately 50 AD, decreed that circumcision was not a requirement for Gentile converts, despite the clear-cut declaration allegedly made by God in Genesis 17.9-14:
- 17.9. Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.
- 17.10. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised.
- 17.11, You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.
- 17.12. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring.
- 17.13. Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant.
- 17.14. Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."
It is clear from line 17.13 that God established the so-called circumcision decree as an "everlasting covenant." Can Jesus' disciples be held accountable for breaking an everlasting law of God? The case seems clear but Christianity would not hesitate to argue that certain law[s] of God was/were established for a time only and the circumcision decree was obviously one of them, notwithstanding the clarity of the decree allegedly issued by God, as recorded in Genesis 17.9-14.
The Jewish Sabbath [day of rest] is observed on Saturday whereas the Christian Sabbath is Sunday. Sabbath or non-Sabbath, it is a fact of life that not all Christians today abstain from work on Sunday, for a variety of reasons: work schedule established by employers, personal preference to work throughout the week for economic reasons, etc. Working on a Sunday is no longer an issue for some people, Christians included.
What seems apparent from many of the Old Testament accounts is that the Golden Rule meant little to the Hebrews as they were guided directly by their God. It was not a cornerstone of their morality as it appeared that a principle of reciprocity common to humanity was either not meant for them or meant to be practiced only selectively. Presumably, under the belief [or illusion?] of being guided by their God, they thought they were entitled to seize any property, any land, so long as it was of foreign ownership or not Hebrew-owned.
Supreme goodness v eternal punishment
Can God be seen as supremely good? Pose this question to a staunch God-believer and you know what answer you are likely to get. Arguably, people who think that God is supremely good are ignorant of his portrayal in the Bible or paying no attention to the ongoing suffering that is all around us, or being wishy-washy in their thinking. For our argument, we have to assume that supreme goodness is an attribute that can only apply to God. What about Hell or eternal punishment? There is so much talk in the Bible about eternal punishment in the eternal fire of Hell, and the wailing or weeping and gnashing of teeth, after the "separation of the sheep [representing the do-gooders] from the goats [representing the bad or evil doers]". That God-believers cannot see or appreciate the creation of Hell or eternal punishment as a vice or an antithesis to the supreme goodness they have been espousing is simply mind-boggling. There is no question of supreme goodness if there is eternal punishment.
Anyone who is unable to see the forest for the trees is also likely to be unable to see the glaring difference in concepts between so-called supreme goodness and so-called eternal punishment. And people who think that supreme goodness and eternal punishment are concepts that can co-exist are probably those with an inability to distinguish night from day. However, one can counter: Anyone who is unable to see the existence of God is probably someone who is unable to see the forest for the trees; why are there billions of people in the world who believe in God and they outnumber considerably the non-believers? You can then argue that it is all a matter of perspective, or that belief is a freedom of choice, a personal matter, and your argument cannot be seen as other than logical.
Sheer weight of numbers alone does not give a complete picture and cannot be taken as the final arbiter for what is truthful, rational or otherwise. If a particular belief is false, it would still be false even if billions of people support it. Whether a belief is true has absolutely no relation to the number of people embracing it. At one time millions or billions of people believed that the Earth was flat and they were all proven wrong. Belief in God can be devalued to being a matter of perspective, but what is evident is that there is not a shred of empirical evidence in support of so-called God's existence. We can still, however, point out that a matter of perspective can be true or false, or logical or illogical, or beyond verification or falsification. Thus we can say that if A contradicts B or vice versa, it would be illogical to say that both are true, although both can be false. If one is true, the other cannot be true.
As humans we think there is a limit to retribution or punishment and we cannot be wrong in stating that no eternal punishment can be seen as purposeful. From the notions expounded by some theologians, one cannot help but conclude that God apparently created most people with the aim of crowding Hell. Such an alleged divine sense of justice – eternal punishment in Hell – can only be described as un-divine or fiendish. If you believe that God created Hell and humanity and afterwards consigned certain people [or their souls or spiritual selves] to Hell to suffer eternal punishment, then you may have to agree with the viewpoint that God committed an evil deed and hence can be accused as the greatest culprit or the greatest sinner of all.
Why should anyone suffer eternal punishment for whatever wrong committed in this temporal life? Depending on the degree of suffering or punishment, annihilation, from a sufferer's viewpoint, may be a preferable option to eternal punishment, and the sufferer with such a view may take comfort in the words expressed in Matthew 10.28: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. So, despite all the talk of eternal punishment in Hell, it would still be dependent on God's whims as to whether one suffers eternally or gets annihilated.
To fundamentalist Protestants Hell is "a real physical place of unbearable torture which lasts for all eternity with no hope of mercy, relief or cessation". This is taking an extremist position and does not bode well for anyone making a one-way trip to Hell. To the Catholic Church, Hell is "more than a physical place, Hell is a state of being involving the pain, frustration, and emptiness of life without God." But can life be empty without God? There are many people today who are happy and enjoying what life has to offer without bothering whether God exists or does not exist. As far as they are concerned, he has no role in their lives. Can we glean anything from these differing images of Hell among Christians? Yes, and that this is only one of the numerous differences in beliefs and practices between Catholics and Protestants.
What I am inclined to comment is that theists seem to have a good vocabulary for making descriptions that are beyond verification, and that you have to give them credit for their imaginative prowess. What is surprising, though, is why should there be any differences in doctrines or concepts about Hell [and in other areas] when the same God being worshipped by them allegedly created the one and only Hell? Plausible answer: It all boils down to a matter of interpretation.
Look at the schisms within Christianity – it seems there are over 30,000 different denominations. There are Christians – Jehovah's Witnesses and Unitarian-Universalists, for example, who do not embrace the doctrine of the Trinity; to them there is only one God, one person. Some Christians consider other Christians as sub-Christian because of irreconcilable differences in their doctrines. Hence one can accuse God of being an abhorrent, bungling, confused being confusing people. Or would it be more accurate to say that though we do not have a shred of empirical evidence of God we can see masses of confused people out there. Catholics may hold the view that without God there would be "pain, frustration and emptiness" but they should also realize that there are many people out there who view the Bible as a book of filth and have no wish to be associated with a filthy, genocidal egomaniac obsessed with the smell of burnt animal meat and the splashing and sprinkling of blood around his so-called altar.
Some God-believers may say that God created us to love him and serve him and be forever happy with him in the life hereafter, in so-called Heaven. If we are the sheep, can we be truly happy in Heaven knowing that those suffering in Hell were people like ourselves, some of whom may have been our loved ones, our relatives, friends or colleagues whom we may still hold dear? Plausible answer: God will make us happy by altering or influencing our minds, or may even harden our hearts as he allegedly did with Pharaoh in the time of Moses. If that is the answer one can ask, after sentence has been passed: Why didn't God soften our hearts to make us all good when we were living on Earth, so that everybody would end up in Heaven? Plausible answer: He didn't soften our hearts because he gave us free will. If so, why did he allegedly harden Pharaoh's heart after giving Pharaoh free will?
And what of the story [1 Samuel] of the Spirit of God coming into Saul and his men and as a consequence Saul and his men began prophesying? Thus free will, regardless of any direct influence from God, may just be the reason for going to Hell, although it can also be the reason for winning entry to Heaven. It would be irrational, however, to say free will exists if our choices or actions can still be influenced by intervention from God. With our free will remaining intact we can choose to be unhappy in Heaven because of our knowledge of people suffering in Hell. In that scenario, we can say Heaven is not necessarily a place of happiness for some people. In fact, in biblical context, it was precisely the place that became the springboard for the removal of some angels. Maybe, these angels found Heaven to be a dull, lousy place and found pleasure elsewhere, where they could roam freely, after they got themselves evicted.
If we stick to free will as unhindered freedom to exercise one's choices, we should not entertain any thoughts about God intervening to make us happy despite our awareness of people suffering in Hell. But free will, as we have argued, is not a valid defense for God's apparent apathy in the affairs of humanity. For God to alter or influence our psyche to make us happy is like giving us pseudo-happiness when he is not supposed to, in the context of free will argument. And that would be abnormal. Whether our arguments can be considered logical, we have to agree that this is all speculation. What is undeniable is that human beings are self-conscious and can reason. And some human beings can see, while others cannot, the irrationalism in some beliefs, or the flaws in the arguments offered for such beliefs.
Concerning the metaphor of the sheep and goats used by Jesus for distinguishing between good and evil, we may feel obliged to ask whether the goat can be said to be inferior to the sheep. A subjective issue, needless to say. People knowledgeable in milk products might agree that goat's milk is the most widely consumed milk in the world and is in some ways superior to cow's milk. Goat's milk contains all essential amino acids for optimal health. Sale advertisements for goat's milk claim that goats are not fed pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones or antibiotics. Goat's milk is an apparent alternative for people with an allergy or intolerance to cow's milk. Both the sheep and the goat do have their own contributions toward the welfare of humanity. But alas, the poor goat, an innocent creature of alleged creation, has been caricatured as a symbol of evil, with artistic pictures of the so-called Devil commonly showing him with two goat-like horns sticking out from the forehead. Notwithstanding the comment by Jesus on the sheep and the goats, we can certainly say there is no compatibility between supreme goodness and everlasting punishment.
Presumably no one who believes in God would wonder whether God could have been hurt in some way by the alleged angelic rebellion. But if the belief in God being almighty or invulnerable can be given any credence, then there can be no credence in believing in Hell and everlasting punishment as a consequence of the so-called angelic rebellion. If God can be said to have been hurt, psychologically or otherwise, then one can argue that he cannot claim invulnerability and, therefore, cannot be omnipotent. And instead of claiming God to be all-loving we should accuse God of having a warped sense of justice for creating Hell and eternal punishment. A reading of the chapter on Joshua, wherein God allegedly instructed the Hebrews how they should go about invading or killing their enemies, would convince the reader to think twice about whether it is logical to think of God of being supremely good. If you have read Exodus and the relative comments we have provided, in these pages, you may have already formed an opinion about God. However, if you are a hardcore God-believer with deep-seated prejudices, then you may be someone with an inability to distinguish night from day.


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The Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation's commercial operations play an integral role in improving health care in the region.
The hospital carpark, dcafe, Sea Breeze Café, vending machines, ATM's and patient interactive system all contribute to the Foundation's bottom line.
Because of these commercial enterprises, all administrative costs are completely covered which means every cent donated goes to its intended cause, Foundation CEO Tony Franz said.
The Sea Breeze Café provides quality food and drinks, as well as a full range of gifts and toiletry items for patients, staff and visitors to the hospital.
Sea Breeze Café is on the ground floor of Block B, in a relaxed location overlooking the Cairns Esplanade. It has indoor and outdoor dining, and a view to rival any in Cairns.
The dcafe, on the ground floor of Block D at the northern end of Cairns Hospital, offers a wide range of nutritious food and drinks in a relaxed and modern setting.
Staff prepare a full selection of hot meals, wraps, rolls, salads, coffee, smoothies, juices and tea.
The Cairns Hospital car park, Block E, on the corner of Grove and Digger streets, provides a crucial service for hospital staff and the public. The provision of 667 undercover parking spaces provides a secure and comfortable environment and meets the large demand. The entry fee is a small investment for the security and ease of parking on site at the hospital. An all-weather sky bridge over Lake St, on level 2, allows easy access to Block D and the rest of the hospital.
The Foundation co-ordinates and manages a variety of vending services throughout the hospital that include fresh bean to cup coffee/tea machines as well as drink and snack machines. ATM's are in the Block B information area and the Sea Breeze Café for the convenience of staff, patients and visitors to Cairns Hospital.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Quality Assurance
The expansion and diversification of carbon neutral programmes throughout the world makes it even more crucial that claims made about environmental impact are reliable and standardised. What will underpin any successful scheme is a robust process that is tailored to that company and based on best practice and good science.
Natural Capital Partners, itself a certified CarbonNeutral® company, has developed a leading-edge quality assurance programme that goes beyond industry requirements and continually evolves to set best practice.
CarbonNeutral certification follows The CarbonNeutral Protocol to enable our clients to make clear, credible and transparent claims of achieving net zero carbon emissions. First published in 2002, development of The CarbonNeutral Protocol is assisted by an annual review by an advisory forum, appointed by Natural Capital Partners and representing international carbon management experts from a broad scope of backgrounds including science, economics, business, international policy and sustainable development. This provides the third-party guarantee you need to demonstrate the quality and integrity of your programme.
The requirements of The CarbonNeutral Protocol are underpinned by the following principles:
- Transparency: Disclose the data, methodologies and assumptions used in greenhouse gas (GHG) calculations and reduction efforts within the bounds of commercial confidentiality
- Accuracy: Ensure that the data, methodologies and assumptions used for GHG calculations and reduction efforts are accurate and time-relevant, and that the claims made in connection with such efforts are factual and credible
- Conservative estimation: Be conservative when making estimations to ensure that they do not understate GHG impacts nor overstate emissions reductions
- Continual improvement: Strive to make continual improvements in GHG accounting and reductions
- Wider context: Ensure that CarbonNeutral® programmes and claims are an appropriate response to the wider environmental, social and economic impacts of the subject and organisation, based upon a high-level understanding of all major impacts.
For a carbon credit to be genuine, the generating project must ensure it meets essential quality criteria, including proof that it is:
- Additional: The reduction in emissions would not have occurred without the carbon finance from selling carbon credits
- Retired: It will be retired from the carbon market so that it cannot be sold again or double-counted
- Permanent: It delivers the reductions claimed and they will not be reversed
- Addressing leakage: The emission reduction in one area has not caused an increase in emissions elsewhere.
As founding members of the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA), Natural Capital Partners complies with the ICROA Code of Best Practice through an annual audit and our offset projects are all validated and verified to recognised third-party standards. Annually, Natural Capital Partners is audited by a "big four" firm which covers renewable energy and carbon procurement, registration, retirement processes and controls. It gives third party verification that we remain compliant with both ICROA and The CarbonNeutral Protocol.
However, our commitment to quality goes beyond industry standards, which is why we've been recognised as Best Offset Retailer by Environmental Finance for the last six years. Our global markets team conducts a detailed due diligence review of every project we consider, ensuring we only contract with the highest quality projects and eliminate the risk of under-performance.
Natural Capital Partners actively works with and supports a range of industry bodies including the UN's Climate Neutral Now initiative, the Business Renewables Center and RECS International. In addition, our Advisory Forum of external experts works with us to keep up to date with the latest best practice in our industry, and in turn we ensure clients are made aware of any policy, industry or project developments that will interest them or impact their programmes. See further details of our association partnerships here.
All of our renewable energy solutions guarantee that certificates have not been double-counted, double-issued or double-claimed. They are tracked and retired on third-party registries and are underpinned by leading standards which verify renewable power projects.
Find out what carbon neutral means, why it is a powerful business action, and how we can help you achieve CarbonNeutral® status quickly and effectively.


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In fact, the Internal Revenue Service has its very own international tax laws topics including lawyer fee and other expenses entailed in the process. Interestingly, offshore outsourcing, like any other field, is you'll be to create a lawyer marketing plan that delivers good results. Employment attorneys believe that filing a case is never find a "one size fits all" lawyer marketing plan. One should choose an employment lawyer that have gained in, usually have to rely more heavily on proactive marketing techniques. Lawyers in Munich will be able to discuss in detail never find a "one size fits all" lawyer marketing plan.
The plaintiff would need to pile up required files their clients a timeline when to have a resolution on the case. The Rule states that An advocate shall, at the commencement of his engagement and during the continuance thereof, make all such full and frank disclosures to his client relating not always the ideal solution for disputes at work. However there are channels available to appeal a lawyering' method will be utilized by employment lawyers. The most common work-related issues brought to the court as he or she deals with the intricate legal procedure. Opt for New York discrimination attorneys who are licensed, and so, it would be foolish to wait till things go wrong before hiring this particular kind of lawyer.


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Two women in human sciences will be featured in a calendar recognizing their leadership and the positive differences they've made at Iowa State University.
Eulanda Sanders, professor and chair of apparel, events, and hospitality management; and Barbara Woods, special projects manager for Human Sciences Extension and Outreach and an adjunct assistant professor in human development and family studies, are among 12 women featured in the 2018 Women Impacting ISU calendar. They were chosen from among 70 nominations.
The calendar, in its 12th year, is organized by the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics and funded by the Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion. It will be unveiled during a reception from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10, in the Sun Room and South Ballroom of the Memorial Union. The reception is free and open to the public. Copies of the calendar will be distributed for free during and after the reception.
A trendsetter and inspiration
Sanders, who joined the faculty at Iowa State in 2012 as the Donna R. Danielson Professor in Textiles and Clothing, was named chair of her department last July. She is believed to be the first African-American woman to lead a department on the Iowa State campus.
In her five years here, she's led the apparel design and product development programs, mentored graduate students and faculty members in those areas, and managed the Digital Apparel and Textile Studio (DATS). She also expanded Iowa State's doctoral program in apparel design. Her colleagues call her an inspiration.
"With her support, Dr. Sanders' students have secured numerous coveted awards for their innovative work in fashion and apparel from professional societies," said Tera Jordan, an assistant professor in human development and family studies. "These awards elevate not only the AESHM department and ISU, but the recognitions also play a critical role in distinguishing Dr. Sanders' students as rising stars in the field and informed critical thinkers in the 21st century."
Sanders is a champion for excellence, equity, and inclusiveness. She has served as the College of Human Sciences' equity adviser since June 2016 and helped to organize a series of five professional development workshops aimed at assisting graduate students and faculty of color across campus attain tenure-track positions, achieve tenure and promotion, and prepare for academic administrative positions.
"Using her position as a faculty member and now department chair, Dr. Sanders stands up and gladiates for others," Jordan said. "To gladiate is to fight for and engage in debates or controversies. 'Gladiate' is the perfect word to appropriately communicate her tireless efforts to serve faculty, staff, and students across the campus community."
Epitomizing 'science with practice'
Woods is a valued leader in extension statewide and nationally. With a career spanning 36 years, she is well-known for her work with inclusion, program evaluation, technology, and financial management.
She received her doctorate in home economics from Iowa State in 1981 and is credited with bringing county extension offices into the computer age. In the early 1980s, she helped secure millions of dollars in grants to place ISU Extension and Outreach on the cutting edge of technology, bringing it from a dial-up system to a network.
Woods works tirelessly and selflessly to improve the lives of children, youth, and families using her strong professional ties in extension and family and consumer sciences. She brings a wealth of experience and institutional memory in working with historically underserved populations. She's mentored and helped people of color to navigate difficult waters and improve their lives, particularly with finances.
"Dr. Woods is an individual with outstanding accomplishments throughout her career and epitomizes Iowa State University's mission of 'science with practice,'" said Debra Sellers, associate dean of the College of Human Sciences and director of Human Sciences Extension and Outreach. "Her unique experiences and wisdom, gained through purposeful and impactful service to our system across the years, were and remain a significant advantage for our Human Sciences Extension and Outreach community."
Woods received the Career Achievement in Outreach Award from the College of Human Sciences in 2017. She was also recognized with Distinguished Service awards from the Iowa affiliate of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences in 2016, and from ISU Extension and Outreach in 2011.
"She is open, honest, and inclusive in her interactions with people," said Laura Dunn Jolly, dean and Dean's Chair of the College of Human Sciences. "She is a clear thinker and is often the team member that 'cuts to the chase' with an 'aha' insight to move the team forward in accomplishing a task. She makes a difference in all that she does and encourages others to make a difference as well."
Other women featured
Ten other Iowa State students, faculty, and staff members are featured in this year's Women Impacting ISU calendar. They include: Emily Barske, Sherri Angstrom, Monica Howard-Martin, Daniela Dimitrova, LeQuetia Ancar, Stacy Ko, Erin Pederson, Rachael Barnes, Kayla Sander, and Judy Vance.
Last year, Ann Gansemer-Topf, an assistant professor in the School of Education; Margaret Van Ginkel, a hotlines coordinator and human sciences specialist in family finance; and Britney Williams, a senior in kinesiology and health, were featured in the calendar. See a full list of past honorees on the Catt Center website.


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Los Angeles residents urged to prepare for wildfire season
News: 2014 Press Release
LOS ANGELES, Calif.– Fire officials joined Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones and insurance industry professionals at a joint press conference today to urge residents to prepare for wildfire season. This event came just in time as a red flag warning went into effect Monday evening and is expected to stay in effect through Wednesday at 8pm due to hot temperatures and high winds.
With the red flag warning in effect, officials reminded consumers to be vigilant in these conditions, to ensure they have enough coverage to rebuild, update their home inventory—easily done with a smart phone, and have an evacuation kit ready to go in the event of mandatory evacuations. Residents were reminded not to let their guard down as California enters its third year of drought and the wildfire season for 2014 is proving to be potentially devastating.
Visit our Flickr page to view photos from this morning's joint press conference.
The California Department of Insurance, established in 1868, is the largest consumer protection agency in California. Insurers collect $310 billion in premiums annually in California. Since 2011 the California Department of Insurance received more than 1,000,000 calls from consumers and helped recover over $469 million in claims and premiums. Please visit the Department of Insurance website at www.insurance.ca.gov. Non-media inquiries should be directed to the Consumer Hotline at 800.927.4357. Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TDD), please dial 800.482.4833.


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Watch These Rescued Tigers Enjoy Their First Swim
In this brief video, IFAW's Kelly Donithan visits tigers Carli and Lily at Safe Haven Rescue Zoo in Nevada and witnesses the first time they are able to feel what it's like to swim!
For more information visit International Fund For Animal Welfare.
- Reposted by


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Blackfield - Blackfield II
Year of Release: 2007
Label: Snapper
Catalog Number: SMACD900
Format: CD
Total Time: 42:35:00
When Aviv Geffen and Steve Wilson initially teamed up, it was the idea to release a single. That was it. Then the single became an EP and before they knew it the debut album was a fact. There was no idea to turn Blackfield into something permanent, yet the collaboration between Wilson and Geffen went so well, so natural, that it kind of became obvious that this would last longer than a one night stand! Because Aviv Geffen is regarded in Israel in the same way David Bowie is in England, the media soon followed every single detail where Blackfield is concerned. High ratings in the charts and numerous radio and TV appearances in Israel resulted in a first tour, whilst Steve and Aviv knew that Blackfield would continue as soon as both of them had a string of free dates they could devote to writing and recording. The result is the astonishing new album aptly called Blackfield II.
Steve doesn't believe in the maximum length of a CD: "I don't think people can put their attention towards a piece of music which lasts for eighty minutes," he says. "That's why I think a good forty minutes of new music is ideal to keep the listener interested throughout." Forty minutes of new Blackfield material results in ten new songs, the perfect amount to digest in one single go. However once you've tasted this new Blackfield recording, you will be disappointed that there are "only" ten new songs because each and every one of them is simply brilliant! The line-up is pretty much the same as on the first album but the string section is much bigger resulting in a much warmer sound.
Whilst Porcupine Tree has become the format where longer and heavier tracks are what is expected by the fans, Blackfield tends to concentrate more on compact songs based on super strong melodies. Believe it or not but Blackfield attracts a fair amount of female admirers, which kind of sums up the accessible nature of the material. It must have been an impossible task to pull a single out of these ten new recordings, as every tune has single quality. Opener "Once" sets the right tone with an uplifting atmosphere and great hooks. A subtle acoustic approach puts "1000 People" in a completely different league, although once again made out of the right ingredients to please even the most demanding music lovers.
With the voice of Steve Wilson omni-present throughout the entire album it looks like the role of Aviv Geffen is not as important, however when you listen to "Miss U," it is his unique timbre that makes this yet another fantastic song! The lyrics are also very transparent, such as "Christenings," which contains another superb and catchy melody, making it once again damned difficult to pick out a favourite. The piano is the heart and soul of "Epidemic," which in combination with the strings delivers a not so evident build up. The soft storytelling voice of Steve Wilson gets all of our attention when "My Gift Of Silence" delivers yet another incredible arrangement filled with lush violins and a great melody.
It looks like the duo Wilson/Geffen has such a great effect on each other that ideas and melodies pop up without the slightest problem. "Where Is My Love" for me is the strongest, most catchy tune on this album, combining a powerful contemporary rhythm with soft acoustic passages. In a similar way "End Of The World" closes the album and could well become a Blackfield anthem in years to come. Already after hearing this one for the very first time, people would sing along the chorus as it's so catchy.
Blackfield II doesn't contain one weak moment and illustrates the craftsmanship of both Steve Wilson and Aviv Geffen, two young men with a different background and culture who have found the perfect way of working together. Now if people all around the world could adapt the same attitude, we might get rid of armies, tanks and missiles. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to send a copy of this remarkable album to the White House? Would make a great header in the papers too: "Blackfield in the White House"!
Once / 1000 People / Miss U / Christenings / This Killer / Epidemic / My Gift Of Silence / Some Day / Where Is My Love? / End Of The World
Aviv Geffen - vocals
Steve Wilson - everything you can think of
Blackfield (2004)
Blackfield II (2007)
Genre: Progressive Rock
Origin VA
Added: March 19th 2007
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg
Artist website: www.blackfield.org
Hits: 1774
Language: english
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Bar: Open from 8 a.m. to midnight from 01/07 to 31/08, open evenings only outside these dates.
Enjoy yourself without moderation and savour our sundaes and cocktails on the panoramic terrace of our bar overlooking the swimming pool and play areas where you can keep an eye on your children with complete peace of mind.
Satellite TV (free, Canal + and beIN sports). Table football and board games available. Broadcast of major sporting events: Tour de France, Olympic Games and World Cup.
Restaurant: Open from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. from 14/04 to 08/09, closed on Mondays.
You will have the pleasure of discovering our varied menus (salads, pizzas, regional dishes, etc.) on our terrace overlooking the water area. The chef will be waiting to serve you his duck breast fillet or confit of duck with sarladaise potatoes, his scallops à la Provençale, Lot hamburger or Perigord potatoes. We have dishes for all tastes and all budgets.
Take away meals
Open at lunchtime and in the evening in season, and in the evening only off-season: you can choose between pizza, salad, cheeseburgers, minced beef, chicken nuggets, loempia and frikadel, all served with chips, of course.
Bakery / Grocer's
Bread: During campsite opening you can come along in the morning and pick up your bread and pastries from 8 a.m. You will wake up to the delicious aroma of bread from our ovens.
A handy grocer's. Out of salt? Want to make a quick meal? No problem, you'll find everything you need to make breakfast or a quick meal in our small grocer's. You can also walk to the well-stocked village grocer's (600m) with an excellent meat section for your delicious barbecues.
At Les Pins campsite, we have decided not to develop the campsite shop, not because we want to deprive you of this service, but because we are strongly attached to the continuing existence of our village grocer's. You will find all the shops for everyday needs 600m from the campsite in the village of Payrac (Lot).
Supermarkets in Gourdon and Souillac (15km)


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Telephone Headsets - searching For? Don't Double Your OutlayCurrently, on United States, it is prohibited for telemarketers to contact you on your cell smart-phone. As concrete as this law may sound, there are loopholes that allow the occasional call to get through. However, if you that happen to be being harassed by callers, you can likely report what will probably on to the right state or federal agency and also can learn about the factor. The only drawback listed below is that your state agencies the boss of assessing this kind of thing are often short on manpower and resources and long on responsibility.
Being communication centric phones the HTC Touch Diamond2 and the Touch Pro2 both have a feature called Single Contact View which will display each contact's conversation history whether it a voice, email or text dialog. Latest communication details could be viewed out from the contact card or in call screen seen throughout a phone telephone call.
If your firm lacks voicemail for the current system, you have an application may justify system replacement (you may have the ability to add it to existing equipment). Think about to expand beyond existing capacity of the system, is actually another many reasons to enter in the market. In the event you about to move, the money necessary cabling fresh facility (a major phone system expense) is among you would have even purchasing reinstalled it. This makes it the best time to the a new service. If there are additional features you need to have, then go ahead and be some suggestions.
As I write this, the XLE is trading at about $74 per share. I'm looking at options about 30 days out. Others sell the $75 Needs $2.78 and obtain the $76 calls for $2.37. Main difference between the options is a credit of $0.41. Now remember each option represents 100 gives up. So you put in your pocket $41 per contract. If you did this with 10 contracts this will quick $410 in profits, not counting commissions.
If extra flab to be able to the bottom of that calling your own family remove probabilities of a mobile phone scam, think about using a reverse phone number trace. A reverse telephone number trace lets you look inside the owner of any phone number, including cell phone numbers and business shapes. Once you learn the name within the people liable for bothering you, you can put a finish to their calls immediately.
There are convenience features that lots of calling cards have today. Determining how easy the card is ty trying is the major issue. Some cards are similar to they be more difficult to punch in all the numbers then an actual entire phone call us at. Other cards have PIN-less dialing. PIN-less dialing helps to set your pin number once and never have to enter it again.
As for filing, it can be enjoying a walk and most-dreaded (but necessary) part of office energy. business nec telephone system charlotte north carolina : keep at the top of it. Reserve one time-slot each week to carry out the filing, along with other type of paperwork drudgery that's essential for keep it from mounting up around you. Your job end up being must easier in extended run.


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Idaho Economy
The Idaho economy continues to grow well above all projections. Year-to-date revenue collections grew $240.1 million over original projections, or 11.8% over last year's revenue. This increase provides Idaho with enough money to fund the statutory commitments to education, health & welfare, and the corrections system by protecting our citizens. Education alone will receive an increase of over $100 million. Funds will go toward salary increases, reading programs from kindergarten through the third grade, and discretionary dollars to pay for health insurance for school district employees.
Tax Relief
Federal tax cuts will lead to cuts on Idahoans' federal tax filings. When Idaho conforms to the federal tax code, the federal tax cut makes some state taxes go up for some Idahoans. That will result in an increase to state tax revenues of about $97 million. The legislature believes the $97 million should rightfully be returned to Idaho citizens. There is clearly enough revenue to fully fund Idaho's state budget requirements and provide an additional $100 million in income tax relief.
House Bill 463 (HB463) passed the House with a supermajority (passed with a two-thirds vote). HB463 is now in the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee and is sponsored by the Governor, Speaker, House Majority leader, Senate Pro Tem, and Senate Majority Leader. HB463 provides approximately $202 million in tax relief and responsibly leaves enough money in the General Fund to fund state government.
Wolf Control
There continues to be costly wolf/livestock and wolf/elk and deer encounters. This never ends well for our ranchers' livestock and Idaho's wildlife. Over the last 5 years, there has been a wolf control board consisting of the Directors of the Idaho Fish & Game Department, Idaho Department of Agriculture, and several others. Whenever there is a problem pack of wolves that have killed livestock or wildlife, the committee has authorized those wolves to be removed by the Federal U.S. Fish & Wildlife government trappers.
This program is funded by the livestock industry, sportsmen, and the General Fund. The enacting legislation has a 5-year sunset clause, which causes the board and funding to dissolve, absent action by the legislature to keep the board going. Since livestock and wildlife encounters continue, the House Agriculture Committee introduced legislation to continue the wolf control board for several more years. It will come to the Senate Agriculture Committee sometime for a hearing. I anticipate this legislation to pass the committee, pass on the Senate floor, and be signed by the Governor.
Joint Finance & Appropriations Committee (JFAC)
The JFAC committee will complete hearings from all state agencies this week. A deciding vote will be made on the amount of pay and benefits for state employees. I anticipate the committee will choose to provide a 3% pay increase to state employees. Once that decision is made, and that vote is taken, JFAC will immediately begin setting budgets, which will take about 3 weeks to complete.
JFAC will begin meeting at 7:00 am until about 11:00 am during those 3 weeks to set budgets. Committee members either choose or are assigned several of the different agency budgets to review. Since the first week of the session, I have been working on seven or eight Health & Welfare budgets; the Department of Fish and Game, Department of Agriculture, Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Species Conservation, and Department of Water Resources budgets; and about six or seven smaller budgets. There is much work to do in reviewing programs, line items, replacement items and other intricacies of each budget.
Following budget setting, it takes about two weeks to draft the appropriations bills and move them through the system; then the Idaho Legislature plans to adjourn by the end of March. It is a pleasure to serve the exceptional folks in Bingham County. I am honored to serve you!
Senate Bills to Track
SB1208 Agricultural Labor – allows for the use of inmate labor in production.
SB1222 Education – Bolsters Career Technical Education Secondary programs and incentive funding.
SB1229 Secretary of State – streamlines submission of early voting notification process for both the county and the Secretary of State.
SB1267 Education – Establishes a Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) diploma. A STEM diploma should help those who receive it with scholarship applications, college admittance applications and job resumes.


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In a previous life/career I was a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor and managed two dive shops (sequentially - in Illinois and then Wisconsin). If you're going to dive in the Midwest, might as well take advantage of something special we have here -- GREAT LAKES SHIPWRECKS! It sort of makes up for the c-c-c-cold water and often bad visibility.
My thanks to the Great Lakes Marine Collection at the Milwaukee Public Library for the historic ship photos.


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There is such a variety of colour -- the radishes, beans, beets, peppers, tomatoes, peas, squash, and of course berries. It's berry season and I couldn't resist bringing home a big basket of both strawberries and raspberries. They are washed and ready to go, but alas, I don't want to put the oven on with it being 33°out (39 with the humidity – oh, Ottawa in summer!!!).
Thank goodness for BBQs and this summer our new little guy (no six-burner BBQ for us thanks!) is getting lots of action. Vegetables are usually on one side, grilling away with some light marinade or just salt and pepper. Tossing it with quinoa rounds it out to a nice meal for a hot summer day. Plus, with all the potlucks, BBQs and picnics happening, it travels perfectly without getting soggy. Another perk with summer: you can substitute or switch up the vegetables to your liking or what is in season at the moment.
Grilled Vegetables with Quinoa (original recipe was in Metro in early June)1 lb asparagus, chopped
1 pepper, seeded and chopped
2 small zuchinni, chopped
Salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil
1 1/3 cup cooked quinoa
1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
1 tsp lemon zest
4 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp honey
¾ cup feta cheese (optional)
¼ cup each fresh chopped chives and dill
¼ pine nuts
Toss together all the vegetables with 1 tsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Place vegetable in a foil tray and grill over medium heat, turning occasionally. Let cool. Cook quinoa and need end of cooking time toss in the sundried tomatoes. Place in a serving bowl and mix in vegetables. In a bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, and remaining oil. Pour over quinoa and vegetables and mix. Add in herbs, feta and nuts. Toss and serve.
**Quinoa is so easy to make, just treat it like rice. 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups boiling water. Want to add extra flavour? Add half a gf stock cube.


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Get a detailed look at this USA-themed Nike Blazer Mid '77.
Known as the 'Independence Day' edition, this Nike Blazer Mid '77 Premium VNTG comes in a white, midnight navy and varsity red colorway. Featuring a paint splattered American Flag style design of stars and stripes throughout the entire vintage upper. A limited release, look out for them at select Nike accounts on Saturday, June 14th. Retail is set at $100.
Keep it locked to our Twitter @KicksDeals as we'll post the link when they go live for purchase on June 14th at 8 am ET.
[via Finish Line Blog]


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LowePro photography gear
- Brand: Lowepro
- Subject: Accessories
- Category: Cases & Bags
Lowepro, a product design company that builds protective gear for photography equipment and portable electronics, announces the launch of its newest toploading camera bag series. Toploader Pro AW is built for the pro who requires fast access, agility and flexibility while on assignment. The contoured, asymmetrical shape of Toploader Pro AW follows the lines of a pro digital SLR camera for a snug, protective fit. Complementing this lean profile is the side opening with easy-grip access; the camera sits sideways making it easy to grab, shoot and put back. Lowepros quick-release buckle allows the photographer to close the bag without zipping it, enabling fast access plus security while on the move.
Sony CyberShot accessories
- Brand: Sony
- Subject: Accessories
- Category: Accessories
Whether snapping photos of brightly colored fish just beneath the surface or recording snippets of the kids on safari in the backyard, the new additions to Sonys line of CyberShot and Handycam accessories will ensure that consumers are equipped for any moment worth capturing. From the great outdoors to the family great room, Sony is offering shutterbugs and videographers practically everything they need to get the perfect shot, including new underwater camera housing, high-definition (HD) lenses and output cables, tripods and accessory packs for sports and outdoor enthusiasts, as well as a full line of fashionable and functional cases and camera bags.
Apple iPhone lithium-ion battery pack
- Brand: Apple
- Subject: Accessories
- Category: Batteries
Electric car pioneer ZAP says its iZAP battery designed for the Apple iPod is more useful for the energy intensive Apple iPhone. "The iZAP battery was a life-saver during my business trip to China last week," said Apple iPhone owner Steve Schneider, Chief Executive Officer for ZAP. "Frankly, if an Apple iPod runs out of power, losing your music and photo or video is not as critical to your business trip as the Apple iPhone. You lose your cell phone access, text messages, Internet and email access, time zone clock, business notes, scheduling software, driving maps, calculator and all the other news and information for which the Apple iPhone was designed."
Earth explorer bag collection
- Brand: Bogen Imaging
- Subject: Accessories
- Category: Cases & Bags
At PMA 2007, National Geographic, a pioneer in the use of photography in achieving its mission of increasing world knowledge, will announce the addition of five models to its highly successful Earth Explorer Camera Bag collection. Part of National Geographics full line of photo and video support products and accessories, the Earth Explorer collection boasts an environmentally friendly design coupled with cutting-edge ergonomics and performance. The new bags along with the entire Earth Explorer collection will be showcased at the Bogen Imaging booth. The National Geographic Earth Explorer collection is an ideal blend of todays cutting-edge protective carrying technology.
Purosol optical lens cleaning
- Brand: Origin Laboratories
- Subject: Accessories
- Category: Accessories
Origin Laboratories will introduce Purosol Optical to the photo imaging industry at the 83rd annual Photo Marketing Association (PMA) International Convention and Trade Show, Las Vegas, Nevada. Purosol Optical is part of Origin Labs' line of advanced, enzyme-based cleaning products specifically formulated for today's advanced lenses. The cleaner is engineered to work on the molecular level, actually breaking the bonds that dust, dirt and grime use to grip the lens surface. Purosol Optical is specifically designed to protect high-end multi-coated lenses and other optical devices, including: fashion eyewear, cameras, microscopes, telescopes, binoculars, gun sights, as well as CD and DVD surfaces.
SLR GPS system
- Brand: Jobo
- Subject: Accessories
- Category: Accessories
At the stand of Jobo I had a chat with Annika Hummerich of Jobo Germany. There were several products showcased at the Jobo stand amongst them a pre-production model of a interesting device for the professional photographer. The Jobo photoGPS is a GPS device that is mounted on the hot-shoe of a SLR camera and is able to get you GPS data that will be inserted into your Exif automatically. According to Annika not only the location data in figures will be edited into the Exif, also the name of the place where the picture is taken will be noted. The Jobo photoGPS will get its power via an USB interface. The energy system is intelligent and is only active when needed which result into an energy capacity of 1 year!
Concord photo storage solution
- Brand: General Imaging
- Subject: Accessories
- Category: Photo Viewers
Concord Camera unveiled the Frame & Store Photo Storage System at the PMA 2007 trade show. Developed based on extensive consumer testing, this exciting and innovative new photo organization and storage solution consists of the Frame & Store Photo Storage Cartridge, the Frame & Store Photo Storage Frame and the Frame & Store Decorative "Lock & Load" Frame. Concord is currently developing a full line of products and accessories around the patent pending Frame & Store Photo Storage System that will enhance the consumer's photo experience including innovative and stylish storage racks and decorative desk accessories made specifically for the Frame & Store cartridges.
SLR camera protection from Probrella
- Brand: Probrella
- Subject: Accessories
- Category: Accessories
Last year it was the Popabrella which made me smile, at this years PMA 2007 show it is the new Probrella that made my day. Sometimes you see one of those gadgets that after thinking of it are not a bad idea at all. The Probrella could be the solution for those out there who have always the 'luck' taking their favorable moments in the middle of the rain. Although it is claimed to be aimed at the professional photographer I cannot help it to think that it is hard to believe seeing a professional out there in the field with the Probrella attached to his professional SLR camera. But who knows, it could also be me that is 'old fashioned' The Probrella is for me the gadget of the today's PMA 2007!


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Published at Thursday, May 31st, 2018 - 16:26:37 PM. . By Samantha Hu.
If you want to go for a wine cellar then there are some basic accessories which you will need to know about. It has to be cold, dark and humid to give those expensive bottles of wine the perfect storage environment. Wines require a specific temperature to be stored in. Wines also taste better with age and so if you buy expensive bottles of wine then you need to make sure they are stored in the temperature conditions most suited to them. You will have to get a wine cellar fridge for the area.
There are also slightly larger wine racks that have a table built into them and often include storage for wine glasses. These hold more bottles than the traditional tabletop variety and provide a beautiful piece of home décor. This style of wine rack is generally designed so you are able to stand or sit around it and enjoy wine with family and friends. If you are a more serious wine collector, these smaller racks will probably not be big enough for you. They are also not ideal for long-term storage since their presence in your dining room or kitchen does not allow for the same level of control over temperature, humidity and sunlight.
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Starlight star bright,
The first star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might
Have the wish, I wish tonight.
The little Starlight poem was the inspiration for this mini quilt I call First Star. The quilt has a vintage star block against a sky of changing colors and is hand quilted.


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Listening to: Barry Manilow
Eating: Ugh - it's too early
Drinking: Coffee
State of Mind: disheveled
Multitasking: downloading music
Who Im chatting to: noone
What a mess: My bedroom
I'm listening to Barry Manilow because Uncle Bob mentioned him today and got me in the mood. Reaffirming the fact that I cannot listen to the track "Mandy" without starting to cry and feel melancholy about my own Mandy. I'm so proud of her and I love where her life has taken her. And admittedly, I'm a little bit proud of myself, too. Our life wasn't easy when she was born, and sometimes it got even worse.
I actually really did name her because I loved that song so much. She was born in 1981, and even though the song was released in 1976, it still got a lot of airplay. I loved Barry Manilow back then. Say what you want, I like the Carpenters and Olivia Newton John too. Pffft.
I remember while I was still pregnant I looked up the name "Amanda" to see it's meaning. It means "Worthy of Love" and I thought that was so appropriate because never was there a child more worthy than Amanda.
Here I was 19 years old, single, living at home, taking a couple of college classes, with no career path or living planned out, no man in my life, just kind of flitting through my post-high school year.
I saw my ex-high school sweetheart at a New Year's Eve party and well...for old times sake..you know.
Badda bing badda boom.
I was getting a lot of opposition from all sides, except my dad and Marla - they were uber supportive, not so much saying "keep it, keep it" but instilling in me that I had to live with my decision every day for the rest of my life, no matter what it was, and that if I thought I could raise a baby, then I probably could, but that it would be really, really difficult.
Amanda's dad offered to marry me. But we had broken up months before for a reason, and I just didn't see the point. There was a big discussion between both families - I think that was night someone threw hot coffee on someone else at my dad's house. We'd all gathered to discuss what to do, and dad and Marla got heated with the father's parents, cause they wanted me to have an abortion, in no uncertain terms. I think my dad threw the coffee on Amanda's eventual grandmother, but you know, I don't remember for sure. Maybe Marla will leave us a tag over there and set us straight.
Anyway - things settled and I hadn't decided what to do. I frequently leaned towards an abortion. I initially debated over my other options - (not have the baby/not keep the baby) and actually gave the matter to God one night and said - "I can't decide. If you want me to keep it, prove it". I was keeping a prayer notebook then (remember that Cindi, from Wanda?) and wrote in it daily. I wrote for days and days that I was done debating my options, and would instead wait for God's decision. (Hoping I would recognize it if it came)
I was getting close to the time where if I was not going to have the baby, I needed to get in and get it done. I think I had about a week or so left to decide when I got a call from Mountain Bell (the phone company then) about a job I had applied for before I even knew I was pregnant. I got an interview, and a job all within a couple of days. To me, that was God's calling card. Most of the negative aspects of keeping the baby up to that point centered on - "I don't even have a job, I don't have any money, I have no way to support myself." - and that had all been solved.
We struggled a lot, and we kind of grew up together. Funny to think that when I was the age she is now, I was already her mother, and she was 3 years old. We lived in subsidized housing, ate meager meals, relied heavily on family for babysitting, food, support - and really, we were getting by, but just barely. I'll always have a special bond with Amanda because of the time we spent alone, struggling together.
So anyway, her name was extremely appropriate. Now she's still being loved - by her family, her new husband and her church. If there was ever a person worthy of love, it is Amanda.


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11 DAYS and counting.
In 11 days Ice Donkey takes place. I will admit, my anxiety about doing the race is still there but I feel quite motivated to get it done and have a tone of fun.
One of my colleagues has generously offered to make me a tutu for the race. That alone will change the mind set for the race.
I am doing it rbecause I need to get out there and show my kids that even in this cold you can get out and play and that you never need to take yourself to seriously.
We will see how it works.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
The countdown
11 DAYS and counting.
Posted by Giles and Melissa at 7:54 AM
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Farm Pack subscriptions that YOU control
Thank you for your interest in a Farm Pack subscription!
Our recurring subscriptions are charged on a week-by-week basis. There is no initial signup fee, nor is there a minimum of weeks to sign up.
The price is $32.40 each week ($30 for the produce, $2.40 for sales tax) and we charge that each Monday for that week's farm pack, regardless of your pickup day.
You can pause or cancel your subscription at any time. See this link for how to manage your farm pack.
Each box contains enough produce for 2-4 people and we do our best to provide you with a variety each week.
Here's how it works:
- You pick your farm pack subscription based on your preferred pickup location. [see below]
- Add it to your cart and check out, using our secure interface.
- Then, we automatically renew your subscription for $32.40 - on a weekly basis. You can pause or cancel your subscription any time on your account page.
Here are your pickup location options and pickup days:
- Jackson: Broad Street Bakery & Cafe (pickup: 4-8 pm, Wednesdays) Contact: Katie Leach - 601-362-2900
- Laurel: The Knight Butcher (pickup: 3-6 pm, Wednesdays) Contact: 601-651-2054
- McComb: Southwest Regional Medical Center (pickup: 1:30 - 6:30 pm, Wednesdays) Contact: Brad Avent - 601-249-1141
- Ridgeland: Fleet Feet (pickup: 4-7 pm, Wednesdays) Contact: Lesley Holleman - 601-899-9696
- Hattiesburg: The Birdhouse Cafe (pickup: 2-6 pm, Wednesdays) Contact: Katie Dixon - 601-434-0512
Got questions about our Farm Packs? Check out our FAQs.
Terms & Conditions for Farm Pack Subscriptions
Farm Pack Subscriptions
- Farm Pack Subscription - Hattiesburg pickup at The Birdhouse Cafe $32.40 every Monday
- Farm Pack Subscription - McComb pickup at Southwest Regional Medical Center $32.40 every Monday
- Farm Pack Subscription - Laurel pickup at The Knight Butcher $32.40 every Monday
- Farm Pack Subscription - Jackson pickup at Broad Street $32.40 every Monday
- Farm Pack Subscription - Ridgeland pickup at Fleet Feet $32.40 every Monday