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Cate Blanchett: 'The Hobbit' London Premiere!
Cate Blanchett shines at the Royal Film Performance of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey held at the Odeon Leicester Square on Wednesday (December 12) in London, England.
Joining the 43-year-old actress on the red carpet were here co-star Martin Freeman with his partner Amanda Abbington, Ian McKellan, director Peter Jackson, and former Hobbits Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd.
The Hobbit hits theaters this Friday (December 14). Will you be checking it out???
FYI: Cate is wearing Givenchy with a Van Cleef & Arpels ring. Ian is wearing an Unconditional suit.
10+ pictures inside of Cate Blanchett and others at The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey premiere…

subset: commoncrawl


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OBETZ, Ohio — Just six years ago, Columbus Crew goalkeeper Matt Lampson was battling Stage 4 Hodgkin's lymphoma.
But through chemotherapy and radiation treatment, he beat the disease and went on to play goalkeeper at Ohio State and the Columbus Crew Soccer Academy.
Now in his second year in MLS, the Columbus native is helping to raise awareness for the disease that he battled through high school. As the Spokesperson for the Central Ohio Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Chapter, Lampson helps to raise awareness for blood cancers, and gives back to children who are experiencing what he did.
"One of my favorite things to do is every single home game, the LLS brings in what we call a Hero to each game with their family," said Lampson, who wears bright green goalkeeper gloves with green ribbons for lymphoma awareness. "And that's either a little boy or girl survivor or patient, and they come out on the field after the game and they get to talk to me.
"And it's a phenomenal feeling because very few times have I actually seen and felt a difference in a life that you're making, and it means the world to these kids."
For Lampson's work with the children and the LLS, he has been awarded the MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Month award for the Month of September. While honors like these aren't Lampson's goal, the 'keeper said that he hopes it can benefit awareness even more.
"I don't do this type of stuff for accolades, but it's an honor to get regardless," he said. "I'm really proud of what I've been doing with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, so I'm just hoping that this raises even more awareness and that this brings even more eyes and ears to the cause."
Lampson's first season as an LLS spokesperson has come in the same year as his first eight MLS starts for the Crew, where he has gone 4-4-0 in his spell in the stead of injured veteran goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum.
Lampson says that he will work equally as hard with the award under his belt, and that he plans to continue doing more and more for LLS and raising awareness.
"To get a personal recognition is always a nice thing, but that's no the reason I do it," he said. "So that's not going to stop what I'm doing, and I'm going to continue to do as much as I can for blood cancer awareness."


text: So just out of curiosity why hasn't burbonix.com been banninated yet? It (I will not call it a human because I suspect it to be a robot) has never ever posted any constructive posts. I have repeatedly reported the posts, but I think after 2 blatant spam posts, if not 1, they should be banned.


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In today's busy world of long wait times for appointments and short office visits, many patients and doctors crave increased individual medical attention that is more typical of yesteryear. Boutique or concierge medicine may be able to provide you with that option, but only if you can afford it.
Practice Specifics
Most boutique practices charge a high annual retainer that typically includes same-day appointments, short waits, and email or cell phone contact with the doctor. Some models include home visits and travel-medicine services. To provide this level of access, doctors accept a limited number of patients.
Concierge Concerns
Concierge practices have ignited controversy in the medical community. Some say these practices discriminate against those who cannot afford to participate.
Another concern with these practices is that physicians in them do not treat a wide variety of patients. Exposing themselves to different types of patients with different conditions helps them build experience.
Do You Want to Make the Switch?
Being well informed is essential. If you are considering changing to a boutique-style medical practice, take these steps:
- Learn about the doctor's experience and credentials.
- Ask about access to specialty and emergency care.
- Ask if the practice accepts your insurance plan and find out about their billing practices.
- Be cautious of practices trying to have it both ways, with some patients receiving boutique access and others not.
- Look for extra value, such as comprehensive exams and wellness plans.
- Stay within your budget.
While debate continues about the bigger issues, individuals that can afford it seem eager to embrace the added convenience.
- Reviewer: Michael Woods, MD
- Review Date: 06/2016 -
- Update Date: 06/29/2016 -


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Posts tagged usb
How to return an HTC G2 Rooted Phone back to stock (Unroot G2)0
This is how you return a G2 back to stock firmware. In order to do this you need to have radio S-OFF. Also make sure that gfree_verify returns secu_flag = 0 before following the steps outlined below.
1. First check to see if your main version is higher than 1.19.531.1
If the current main version is higher than what you want to install you have to change the main version number in the misc partition. To do this you can use misc_version..
download the file and extract it. In a command prompt type the following from the misc_directory:
c:\> adb push misc_version /data/local/tmp/misc_version
c:\> adb shell chmod 777 /data/local/tmp/misc_version
c:\> adb shell
# /data/local/tmp/misc_version -s 1.19.531.1
# exit
The above commands create a backup pf the misc partition 17 on the sd card with the name "part17xxxxx.bin"
2. Next install the stock G2 rom called
"PC10IMG_Vision_TMOUS_1.19.531.1_Radio_12.21.60.09b_26.02.01.15_M2_release_149459_signed.zip" you can Google this and download it from many different websites. Again go to the directory where you downloaded the file and type the following:
c:\> adb push PC10IMG_Vision_TMOUS_1.19.531.1_Radio_12.21.60.09b_26.02.01.15_M2_release_149459_signed.zip /sdcard/PC10IMG.zip
Shutdown the phone and remove it from the computer. Next, boot into hboot by holding "volume down" and "power". The hboot should automatically load the PC10IMG.zip and ask you to update. Press "volume up" to start the update process. The screen goes dim for a little but will come back up and complete the process. This process will replace fake S-Off engineering hboot.
3. Radio S-ON and original CID
The 2 ways to get radio S-ON and the original CID are:
a. Restore the backup of your partition 7. This will set secu_flag = 1 and CID = T-MOB010 and will also bring back the SIM-lock data.
b. Use gfree to set secu_flag = 1 and CID = T-MOB010.
Both scenerios require you to use temporary root. To do this you can use psneuter
Gaining temporary root:
Since you loaded the stock ROM you must now re-enable debugging on the phone. Go to "Applications -> Development" and check "USB debugging".
Next go to the directory of the psneuter command you downloaded and type:
c:\> adb push psneuter /data/local/tmp/psneuter
c:\> adb shell chmod 777 /data/local/tmp/psneuter
c:\> adb shell /data/local/tmp/psneuter
c:\> adb shell
you should now have temporary root denoted by the # prompt
3. Use gfree to get radio S-ON and the original CID
If you lost your partition 7 backup or you do not want to restore the simlock data you can use the -c and -s options of gfree to set the CID and the S-ON flag.
Get gfree_06.zip that is attached to this page [4].
Unzip gfree_06.zip to a place on your computer. Open a terminal or command window, navigate to where the files are on your computer, and type:
c:\> adb push gfree /data/local/tmp/gfree
c:\> adb shell chmod 777 /data/local/tmp/gfree
gfree should now be in your phone at /data/local/tmp
IN THE ROOT SHELL (in the first terminal/command) : Now run:
# /data/local/tmp/gfree -s on -c T-MOB010
# sync
Remove the PC10IMG.zip and the tools from the phone
# rm /sdcard/PC10IMG.zip
# rm /data/local/tmp/psneuter
# rm /data/local/tmp/gfree
Disconnect your phone from USB and power it down.
Boot into hboot by holdingwhile powering on.
The heading should now read: "VISION PVT SHIP S-ON"
Thanks to the XDA Developers and their tutorial for help on this.


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Color: please select a color
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Style # JBEHR30090
Need Assistance? Contact Us Now
A plush velvet Jennifer Behr headband finished with an inset elastic band at the back.
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Width: 1in / 2.5cm
Shipping & Returns
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About the Designer
Jennifer Behr introduced her Brooklyn-based collection of distinctive, heirloom-quality hair accessories in 2005. Jennifer Behr accessories reflect the designer's unique background, which is grounded in sculpture and art history and includes millinery work and a design stint for Frederic Fekkai . Crafted with hand-set Swarovski crystals, silk, and a mix of elegant and edgy accents, Jennifer Behr headbands and barrettes make a beautiful statement on any occasion.


text:
Get Smaller, Safer, Faster SQL Server Backups
Red Gate Software announced SQL Backup 3.0, software that provides compressed, encrypted backups for SQL Server 2000 databases. The product offers three levels of compression that let you choose whether to optimize your backup for speed or size. A user-friendly GUI lets you use wizards to walk through the backup and restore processes. A command-line interface lets power users set up maintenance plans by using syntax similar to T-SQL BACKUP and RESTORE commands. And an extended stored procedure interface lets you run SQL Backup remotely from your favorite database-connectivity tool. Other features in this release include 128-bit Rijndael encryption, the ability to create split or mirrored backups, MD5# tamper detection, and a simple log-shipping functionality that requires low setup overhead. Pricing for SQL Backup 3.0 starts at $295, and a free, fully functional 14-day trial version is available for download on Red Gate's Web site. For more information, contact Red Gate Software at 866-733-4283, 44-870-160-0037, [email protected], or http://www.red-gate.com.
Get SOX in a Box
RippleTech announced its pre-configured Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 compliance solution, LogCaster for Sarbanes-Oxley. Nicknamed "SOX in a Box," the product is an intelligent event-log-consolidation solution that lets you quickly implement the internal IT audit and reporting controls necessary for compliance. An easy-to-use interface lets you select the reports you need about the control of financial data, ensuring compliance while identifying areas of potential risk. In addition, the product provides instant access to audit data and gives you the ability to report on controls to meet Sarbanes-Oxley requirements. You can get the reports on demand or automatically in various formats. The product provides security features including security-event-log management; filtering, alerting, and validation of security-policies; instant access to security audit data for system and file access; and security-event-log consolidation. A free demonstration copy of the product is available for download. For pricing and other information, contact RippleTech at 866-739- 8587, 610-862-4000, [email protected] .com, or http://www.rippletech.com.
Ease Administration of Small and Large Business Databases
AquaFold announced Aqua Data Studio 4.0, a database query and administration tool that lets developers work with SQL scripts and visually modify database structures. Aqua Data Studio provides an integrated database environment that lets DBAs and developers perform multiple tasks simultaneously from one application. New features in the latest release include Visual Editing for Security, which lets you use simple forms to visually create, alter, and drop security objects such as SQL Server logins, roles, users, server roles, object permissions, and column permissions. An enhanced, customizable Query Analyzer lets you view the SQL editor and results in a split pane. Query Analyzer scripts now support four new client-side commands that let you execute a stored procedure with local variables bound to the parameters. And a new Export Tool lets you export the contents of any table or the results of any SELECT statement and save the data in a delimited text file or a file with INSERT statements. The latest release supports the newest versions of all major database platforms, including SQL Server 2005, IBM DB2 8.2, PostgreSQL 8.0, Sybase Anywhere 9.0, and MySQL 4.1. Pricing for Aqua Data Studio 4.0 starts at $149 per license. For more information, contact AquaFold at [email protected] or http://www.aquafold.com.
Create an Encryption Shield to Foil Intruders
ActiveCrypt Software announced SQL Shield 2.0, software that provides a layer of encryption in addition to SQL Server native encryption and renders SQL scripts impenetrable by any known decryptor. The software provides SQL Server 2000 and 7.0 and Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine (MSDE) servers with encryption for triggers, views, and procedures. SQL scripts encrypted with SQL Shield remain executable, so you don't have to restore them for execution every time you need to run them. Plus, installing the software doesn't affect settings and doesn't entirely replace default encryption options; users can always choose which encryption settings to apply. The latest release of the product features a new GUI that lets you quickly encrypt a single procedure or a whole database. Pricing for SQL Shield 2.0 starts at $249 for a single SQL Server 2000 license and $199 for a single SQL Server 7.0 license. For more information or a free evaluation copy of the software, contact ActiveCrypt Software at [email protected] or http://www.activecrypt.com.


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This morning as we come to the time of the Word of God, the Lord really kind of impressed upon my heart to take us to a passage that speaks to the matter of spiritual leadership. Since we are concluding our Shepherd's Conference today we felt that we should speak to these issues which are on the heart of our guests.
I want to draw your attention to Matthew chapter 23 this morning, Matthew chapter 23. It's not my desire this morning to preach a sermon to you, particularly, but more to open a chapter of the Word of God to you and let God's Spirit speak. As I prepared my thoughts and prepared in the study of the Word I wasn't really concerned with a lot of the textual details that I often deal with, I wasn't concerned with a lot of the illustrative material, but simply to unfold the significance of this tremendous chapter,
Matthew 23. Now those of you who know me who are a part of Grace Church or who have listened to tape and radio know that I have a very difficult time covering very many verses in one message. In fact, I have been known to spend weeks in a verse or two. But I would like this morning to just move rather rapidly through the greater portion of this chapter and see if I can't at least identify in your minds some of the very crucial elements of what I'm calling "The Anti-Model of Spiritual Leadership...The Anti- Model of Spiritual Leadership."
Those of you who have been with us in our study of Philippians know that over the last three weeks in Philippians we have been dealing with three models of spiritual leadership...Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus. Philippians chapter 2 gives us these three men as illustrations of those who in humility and without complaint in difficult circumstances worked out their salvation in effective service to Jesus Christ. They are magnificent models of spiritual leadership. And we have spent three weeks examining the character of that modeling.
In contrast to that, as if set apart in bold relief, I want to share with you from this chapter the anti-model of spiritual leadership, what a spiritual leader is not. And I basically have two reasons for doing that: one, I am concerned about the mass of false spiritual leaders in our world today and I think it's important for us to understand this chapter because it will aid us in recognition. In other words, it will help us to evaluate those who offer themselves as spiritual leaders and we can assess whether or not they are legitimate. So this chapter will provide for us a guideline for the recognition of false leaders. Secondly, it provides not only recognition but instruction. And by contrast as we look at what a spiritual leader is not to be, we will therefore understand what a spiritual leader is to be. And so, if we can we'll turn the table a little bit in our thinking and having seen what Jesus condemns, we will then know what He exalts, what He commends. Having seen the character of a false leader, we can understand by contrast the character of a true spiritual leader.
I was doing an interview one time with Paul Moyer who is on KABC television and he asked me a question that I've always thought about because I thought it was such a poignant question. He said to me in the midst of all the scandals that are going on in Christianity, he says, "Why don't you people police your movement? Isn't anybody in charge? How can you allow these kinds of people to discredit the good people in Christianity?"
And so, if I might this morning, I would like to allow the Lord Jesus Christ in His own words to police our movement by helping us to have a guide by which we evaluate the truth or falsehood of someone and also a contrast by which we can evaluate our own standard for spiritual service.
Now it is obvious that there have always been false prophets, false preachers, false teachers, false leaders, false shepherds, even false Christs as we read about in the New Testament. Certainly Jeremiah pointed them out, the prophets who prophesy falsely. Ezekiel pointed them out, those foolish prophets who followed their own spirit. Jesus pointed them out as false prophets, false Christs who show great signs and wonders. Paul pointed them out as hypocritical liars who are spouting demonic doctrines generated by seducing spirits. Peter spoke of them as those who secretly bring in destructive heresies, they're like dogs who eat their own vomit, he said. John spoke of them as the many antichrists that already exist. Jude called them deluded dreamers who defile the flesh, spots on your love feasts, scabs and blemishes.
There have always been false shepherds. There have always been those who are of great danger to the people of God. Jesus said, "Beware of the wolves in sheep's clothing." He did not mean wolves dressed up like sheep. Sheep's clothing is wool and the wool robe was the garment of the prophet. As Zechariah said, "They wear wool to deceive." They are not dressed up like sheep, they are dressed up like shepherds and they are false ones. And the in John chapter 10 Jesus talked about the true shepherd and He talked about the sheepfold and He said there are those thieves and robbers who are not true shepherds who try to climb in and destroy the sheep. In Acts chapter 20 the Apostle Paul said, "I know that after my departure grievous wolves shall enter in not sparing the flock, and of your ownselves perverse men will rise up." Always the inevitability. And so said Paul for three years, "I have ceased not to warn you night and day with tears."
But of all of the portions of Scripture that deal with these false teachers, none is more poignant, none is more direct, none puts them in clearer focus and none is more penetratingly full of judgment than Matthew 23. And these words seem to be the strongest, harshest, most direct and comprehensive diatribe against false teachers in the Scripture, and that may well be, of course, because they were spoken by our Lord against the greatest assault that hell had ever amassed, namely the three-year assault on the ministry of Jesus Christ. It may well be that this was the greatest assault of false doctrine and false teaching to this point in the world's history. Certainly this is the greatest denunciation of false teachers in Scripture.
Now I want to give you a little bit of the background. It is the Passover season. Jesus will soon be at the cross in just a matter of days. He has gone into the temple, in the temple He has entered into conflict with the religious leaders, namely the scribes and the Pharisees. The Pharisees were the legalistic sect of Jews who believed in salvation by works. They were fundamental legalists. Within the Pharisees was a group known as the scribes who were the experts in the law. They were Pharisaical law experts. They had devised an apostate Judaistic system in which salvation was gained by ones own self-righteous achievements.
It is to them that Jesus brings this message. It is His final public sermon that He ever preached. The rest of His conversations are with the disciples from this point on. He gives this message in the temple where He has been in an ongoing conflict with them. He has given parables that speak of their judgment, now He is direct. He gives the message in the hearing of the scribes and the Pharisees because after all it is directed at them. But He also gives it in the hearing of the crowd, the multitude, because it acts as a warning to them to turn from these false leaders. Furthermore, He gives it in the hearing of the disciples because they are to be the true teachers to whom the people must turn.
So the disciples are there, the crowd is there, the scribes and the Pharisees are there as well. And verse 1 then says, "Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees." At that point we'll stop long enough to say He directs the message to the scribes and Pharisees in the sense that they are the subject while there is a much larger audience. This is a judgment on them but more than that, it is a warning to the rest of the crowd, but more than that, it is a call to that warned crowd to follow His disciples who are the bearers of truth and righteousness.
Now, basically He focuses on two things: their character and their condemnation. And I submit to you that we have here both a guide for the recognition of false teachers, as well as a standard in the negative sense of what a true and faithful servant of God should be like.
Let's look, first of all, at their character. And as I said, we'll not have time to dig into all the details, we'll move rather rapidly but I'll give you six marks of false spiritual leaders that will be a guide for you today as much as they were then.
Number one, false spiritual leaders, false preachers and teachers, lack authenticity. They lack authenticity. Verse 2 says, "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the seat of Moses," or the chair of Moses. Each synagogue had a special seat or a chair, the chair of Moses. It was a chair occupied by the legal authority on the law, the supreme authority on the law, the supreme teacher in that synagogue community would be said to be sitting in the chair. We have the same situation today in universities. We talk about a chair of philosophy, or a chair of science, a chair of history, a chair of literature. What we mean by that is the leading expert in that entire venue of education sits in that seat of prime authority. They had it in the synagogue as well. There was the seat of Moses, it is the chair of authority. The word "seat," by the way, is kathedra. The Roman Catholic Church says that when the Pope speaks for God he speaks ex cathedra, out of the seat of authority. And so this was typical of the synagogue. There was a chair occupied by the leading law expert. It may not always have been a literal chair but it is seen as a position of authority.
Now the point that I want you to notice in verse 2 is the scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses. The point is, they put themselves there. There's no call of God here. There's no authenticity. They are self-appointed usurpers who took the place of authority and tried to keep everybody that threatened that authority out of that place. All you have to do is read in to the gospels a little while and you find that the Pharisees became immediately violently hostile to Jesus Christ. Why? Because Jesus' teaching threatened their authority. The first sermon recorded in the gospels, Matthew 5 to 7, the Sermon on the Mount, they responded by saying that, "He spoke as one having...what?...authority." There were many, many people in positions of authority threatened by the clear, precise, powerful, dramatic, dynamic teaching of Jesus. In fact, in Luke 4 when He came to Nazareth and He stood up and read from Isaiah and spoke in terms of an explanation and a fulfillment of what Isaiah said, they were so threatened by His message, so threatened by His power and authority, they took Him to the brow of a hill and would have killed Him except that He escaped them. Jesus in John 15 and 16 promises His own that they will have persecution, they will have trouble, that the world will hate them because the world hated Him. And then in chapter 16 verse 2 He says, "The day will come when they will put you out of the synagogue." Why? Because your truthfulness and your authenticity will be a threat to their usurped authenticity. And they did it. They did it with Paul. Paul was a tremendous threat to them. And they did it with the other of the apostles. False spiritual leaders are always self-appointed experts. They are not called by God. They are not anointed by God. They are not properly trained. They are not properly ordained within the community of those who hold the Word of God precious and live by biblical truth. They are not accountable. They exist in a self-appointed identification. It is what Jeremiah said when he said, "They go but they were not sent. The preach but God did not give them the message." So all those who say they are the spokesmen of God must be carefully examined to see if they are gifted by God, called of God, faithful to the Word of God, empowered by the Spirit of God so that there is authenticity.
I mean, let's face it, the religious charlatans in our culture are absolutely pandemic, they're every place. Anybody who wants to can pop on to the scene, become a self-appointed prophet, say whatever he wants and get a following. I read the other day this which appeared in the newspaper, "We are a fast- growing faith actively seeking new members who believe as we do that all men should seek the truth in their way by any means they deem right. As a minister of our faith you can set up your own church, apply for exemption from property and other taxes, perform marriages and exercise all the ecclesiastical powers and we can tell you how. Get sizable cash grants for doing missionary work. Some transportation companies, hotels and theaters will even give ministers reduced rates. Get the whole package for a hundred dollars. This ordination is declared to be legal and valid anywhere in the country." But nowhere in the Kingdom. Just more of the same old stuff and it is everywhere. But the true shepherd, the true pastor is authentic, called by God, gifted by God, confirmed by the church, godly in character, faithful to the Word.
Secondly, they are indicted in regard to their character not only because they lacked authenticity, but they lacked simplicity. This is alluded to in verse 3, it says, "Therefore, all that they tell you do and observe." Now why does He say that? Why does Jesus say do what they tell you? Because He's speaking in reference to the chair of Moses. If they are sitting in the chair of Moses and articulating the law of God, then do what they say...do what they say. The implication of that is that when anyone speaks the Word of God he speaks as the true minister of God should speak. And the truth of God even in the mouth of a false prophet is no less the truth, right? The Word of God in the mouth of a liar is no less the Word of God. And so He is simply saying that the Word of God is the message, the Word of God is the issue, and even they if they speak the Word of God speak truth that you must do.
The problem was, of course, that they didn't limit it to that. They would speak the law of Moses, they would take the chair of Moses and speak the Word of God. In the synagogue they would read the Word of God. The problem was they lacked simplicity, they had gone way beyond the Word of God. It is said that the Pharisees alone had fifty volumes of manmade regulations in addition to the revelation of the Old Testament. They lacked simplicity. They did not stay with the Word of God and only the Word of God. For them it was not sola scriptura. The religious leaders of Israel were not unlike many today who add to the Word of God their visions, their traditions, their revelations that exceed the Word of God. I heard a false teacher on the television two days ago and he was telling the people that he had received a new word from God and that word from God is that no Christian should ever ever die accidentally, by disease, you should never die at any point in time until you will to die.
In other words, you are in total control of when you die, how you die, where you die and why you die. And if you're not in total control of that then you're not living your Christian life to the full. Now you don't find that in the Bible. Oh, he said there's a verse for it, the verse is Paul said, "I am now ready to be offered." And that what Paul was saying...This is when I'd like to die, this is why I'd like to die, and this is how I'd like to die, please kill me, it is my time. And he commanded everything in the world to come together to take his life and therefore we have that same promise and any of you who are dying...and then he said to all these people, "Don't you...don't you say it was God's will when your child died, don't you say it was God's will when your parent died, don't you say it was God's will when somebody in your family died, the Lord has shown me that that was never God's will, that was the person's will because they were willing the wrong thing at the wrong time."
Well that certainly is not biblical, but you've got about three thousand people saying, "Oh yes." You can look at the Mormon church, it's not just the Bible, it's the Bible plus the Book of Mormon, The Doctrines and the Covenants. You look at Christian Science, it's the Bible plus Science and Health and Key to the Scriptures, and the writings of Mary Baker Eddy. And you look at the writings of all these other people who have attached themselves in a cultic form to some bizarre interpretation of Scripture, you look at people today who want to add their visions and their revelations, private interpretations, prophecies, reams of stuff beyond Scripture.
There is in the life and ministry of a true spiritual leader a simplicity in that his content is confined to the Word of God.
Basic. Third thing that they lacked, they lacked integrity. Please note verse 3 again, "Do not do according to their deeds for they say and do not do." They lack integrity. They say but they don't do. In other words, He says when they sit in the chair of Moses and they speak Mosaic truth, do what they say. When they speak the law of God, do what they say. But don't do what they do because even when they say the truth they don't do it. They have no integrity. That's a very basic issue. False leaders are always corrupt on the inside, always. Read carefully 2 Peter chapter 2. Read carefully Jude's epistle. There are monumental statements in there about their internal corruption. If you add that to this chapter and to some other places in the New Testament, you get a description of their lack of integrity that would run something like this...they are called leaven, they are called whited tombs, they are called whited walls, they are called graves concealed by grass, they are called broken pots covered with silver dross, they are called tares, they are called wolves, they are called wells without water, false prophets, presumptuous, natural brute beasts to be taken and destroyed, they are called filth spots and scabs, immoral, covetous, cursed children, clouds in a tempest to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever. They are called deluded dreamers who defile the flesh, spots on your love feasts, clouds without water, trees without fruit, twice dead plucked up by the roots. They're called raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame, wandering stars to whom it is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. They're called murmurers, complainers, walkers after their own lust with their mouths speaking great swelling words, cloaks over sin and sensual.
The point is, no matter what they say that's what they are, that's what they are. They are full of masked vice. They maintain a theatrical goodness but not a real one because they have no internal restraint against the flesh. They may spout God's truth once in a while like the clock that isn't working is still right twice a day. So you need to be very discerning. So they lack authenticity, they have no call from God. They lack simplicity, they are not confined to the Word of God. They lack integrity, they do not live what they call other people to do. Fourthly, they lack sympathy. Please notice verse 4, "They tie up heavy loads and lay them on men's shoulders but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger." They load up the burdens...the picture here is of a man who has unmercifully loaded his beast of burden with assorted loads on his back. And the Pharisees and the scribes were like this, they were bringing people under a tremendous pile of rules and regulations and impossible demands, leaving them hopelessly loaded down, hopelessly guilty, without deliverance, no way to find comfort. And, of course, the heaviest load of all was a works righteousness system. Friends, anybody in a false religion, anybody under a false teacher who is trying to work his way to salvation has an unbearable load that is piled on him by the false leaders.
It also notes in verse 4, "They will not move." The word is actually remove, they will not remove the burden. No sympathy, no care, no love, they are heartless, they are abusive, they use people, they manipulate people, they keep people under a tremendous load of guilt.
You know, people are just gullible for that. It's amazing but it's...that gullibility isn't new. Do you remember 2 Corinthians 11:20? Paul here is talking about true and false prophets, deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. The context is right on. He says in verse 13 these are false apostles, deceitful workers disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. Then in verse 20 he says this, "You bear with anyone if he enslaves you, if he devours you, if he takes advantage of you, if he exalts himself, if he hits you in the face." Isn't it amazing? You take it. I mean, how amazing that you can literally be suckered by all of that, even to the point where if he hits you in the face you take it. Incredible how people become spellbound under those who load them up with absolutely unbearable burdens of responsibility and guilt and manipulation...no compassion at all,
none at all. They lack authenticity. They lack simplicity. They lack integrity. They lack sympathy, they use people, they abuse people, people are manipulated for their own goals and their own self-fulling ends. Number five, they lack spirituality. Verse 5 says, "They do all their deeds to be noticed by men for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments." That's quite an interesting verse. Four times in the Old Testament the Jews are told to bind the law of God on their forehead and on their hand, four times. The Jews understood that. They understood that that was symbolic of having the law of God in your mind, that's thought, and having the law of God applied in your action, that's work, that's living. So having the law of God bound on your forehead meant to have it at the center of your thoughts, having it bound on your hand meant to have it at the core of your behavior. They all understood that.
But about 400 B.C. some Jews decided that they needed to make that internal principle of the law of God in the mind and in the behavior an external act. So about 400 B.C. they started building little boxes covering them with black leather. In them they put four portions of Scripture, two out of Exodus chapter 2, two out of Deuteronomy chapter 2, tucked them in the little box, covered it with leather, strapped it on their head and strapped it on their arm. Those are called phylacteries. I have seen them many times when I was flying to Israel with an entire plane load, a 747, full of orthodox Jews. I saw a lot of it. Every stop we made they all got out and faced toward the east and put all their phylacteries on and all their prayer cloths. You'll still see it today among orthodox Jews in the United States, particularly New York City where they are and other parts of the world.
The external demonstration of that became the issue. Now what He's saying here is very interesting. By the way, when they tie their little thongs around on their arm and their head and everywhere, they tie them in the shape of Hebrew letters and the Hebrew letters together spell Shaddai which is one of the names of God, El Shadda i. And so it's a very formal,
external, ritualistic thing from about 400 B.C. on. Why do they do it? Well look what He says here, not only do they do that on the outside, but, this is interesting, "They enlarge their phylacteries," they put a big box on their head. Why? So people will see how devout they are. It's all externalism. And then they were also commanded in Numbers chapter 15 to put tassels on their robes. Why? So they would be singled out as God's people. Why did God do that? To keep them from mingling with the pagans. They were easily identifiable by the kind of robe they wore, and they had the tassels. It was a symbol of their Jewishness of their identity with the people of God and of their commitment to the law of God. So now when they want to parade how committed to the law of God they are, they get great big tassels and great big boxes, see how spiritual we are. They became, by the way, magical charms to keep away evil and they taught that God even wore one on His head, amazingly enough.
This was sheer external show. They had no spirituality. You know what it says in Jude 19? They were devoid of the Holy Spirit...they were devoid of the Holy Spirit, they had not the Holy Spirit. They weren't spiritual. That's deadly because they had no way to restrain the flesh. They had no way to constrain their fallenness. They had no way to control their sin. So you see these false spiritual leaders on big ego trips parading all their holiness, parading all their piosity on the outside, but the truth is the Spirit does not dwell on the inside, they are corrupt, they are all those things that we read you a moment ago because they have no spirituality. It is all, as Galatians 6:12 says, a fair show in the flesh.
And one more virtue they lack, number six, they lack humility...they lack humility. Verse 6, "They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues."
The seats of honor were at the right and the left hand of the host and they loved to be at the right and the left hand of the host. They were really into that. I mean, even James and John got sucked into that deal, didn't they? "Can we please sit on the right and left hand in the Kingdom," they said to Jesus. This was typical of those who sought preeminence and prominence. They wanted to be on the right and the left hand of the guest. They wanted to be in the know. They were really looking for significance.
Furthermore, they wanted to sit in the chief seats, up front on the raised platform in the synagogue where they would sit and all the dignitaries would sit there and face the people. That's what they chose. That's what they liked. They liked being elevated and being highly esteemed in the eyes of the people.
Now that's one reason I don't sit up on the platform, I just want to stay as far away from that as I can. But it isn't necessarily wrong to sit on a platform, I do that in a lot of places I go. It's wrong to have the attitude of wanting to be seen and thought to be holy and pious because you're up there. So I'm not discounting the fact that it's perfectly all right to have people sitting on a platform as long as their hearts are right, that's the issue. But their hearts were not right. And I'm a little cautious about my own heart so I don't feed that. But they lacked humility. They sought the chief places of respect and honor.
Then notice, would you please, this is very interesting, verse 7, "They also loved respectful greetings in the marketplaces." They loved people to acknowledge them as dignitaries. They wanted honored titles. In fact the rabbinical writings give an elaborate direction about how you're to greet a rabbi when you meet him. There's all kinds of things you're supposed to say. And by the way, it says they're to be treated superior to kings. Some of the Jewish writings that I've seen indicated that one time the Academy of Rabbis was having an argument with God and they had to select a very special rabbi to settle it. Now that is an exalted opinion of oneself when a rabbi has to resolve a conflict that God can't solve. The Mishna says, quote: "It is more punishable to act against the words of the scribes than against the words of Scripture." So you get the idea of how they were elevated in their own minds.
They had an inflated sense of their own importance. And here's what they liked, they loved being called by men "rabbi." They loved that. What does that mean? You want to know what the Latin is? Docere from which we get doctor. They liked being called doctor because that elevated them, that lifted them up. "Your excellency," would be another way to translate that. "You superior one, you." "You great one." They loved that, they sought that. We still have people like that around, they seek that, they want to be sure that you don't miss that they're doctor someone, or excellency someone or great one someone. But there's always been a propensity in a false leader to seek that glorification, that prominence. That's why there's such a market in degree mills for easily gained titles of honor.
Then notice what He says also, He says, "They love to be called rabbi." Verse 8, "But do not be called rabbi." Don't you go around being called doctor, don't you go around being called excellency, great one, superior mind, great teacher. Hey, if you ever said anything true, you got it from your teacher, right? "For One is your teacher and you are all brothers," there's the leveler, folks, we're all brothers. There's the leveler. We can't seek anything more than that.
Brother John...that's me, just brother. Now I'm glad when people are nice and they grant a degree and I can understand the proper work in academia, the proper work in ministry that causes one to be carefully honored. And if the heart is right, that's not a problem. But if the heart is wrong, that's gas on the fire. It's a heart issue. So He says don't be called rabbi. And I kind of think He may have been looking at the Twelve at this point.
And then He says, "Don't be called leaders." They loved to be called leader, that's master...master. He says only One is your leader, that's Christ. Earlier He said One is your teacher, that's probably the Holy Spirit. Verse 9 He says, "Don't call anybody on earth Father for One is your Father." You've got the whole trinity there. The Spirit is your teacher. God is your Father. Christ is your leader. All you are is brothers. Don't get an elevated view of yourself and don't go around demanding that everyone give you honor by calling you all these things.
By the way, I just kind of passed by verse 9. "Don't call anyone on earth your Father for One is your Father who is in heaven." I think sometimes the Catholic Church must have erased that out of the Bible because it's so absolutely explicit. "Don't call anyone Father." What does Father mean? Source, source, source of life, source of spiritual life. There's only one source of spiritual life, that's God the Father. There's only one true teacher and the only time I am ever a worthy teacher is when I teach you exactly what He taught in the Word. There's only one leader and that's Christ, not me. And my leadership is useless if I'm not leading you into the will of Christ. So we're all leveled at this point. But they lacked humility.
He goes to the disciples then in the final two verses and says, "The greatest among you shall be your servant and whoever exalts himself shall be humbled and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted."
Learn humility. Now, what have we seen? Six characteristics of a false spiritual leader. He lacks authenticity, simplicity, integrity, sympathy, spirituality and humility. And all you have to do to find out what a spiritual leader should be is flip that over.
What should be the characteristic of a true spiritual leader? Authenticity. What does that mean? Called by God, strong sense of divine call, confirmation by the church, affirmation by the church of his giftedness and of his moral character and virtue and godliness.
Secondly, simplicity. We should be characterized as those who are totally committed to and bound by the parameters of the revealed Word of the living God. That is the beginning and the end of our message.
Integrity, what does that mean? That the true spiritual leader will live what he preaches, live what he says. That's integrity. Integrity means wholeness. An integer is a whole number, that's where that word comes from. It's not a fraction, wholeness, all the parts are touching, no inconsistencies,
integrity. We are also to be marked by sympathy. Those of us who serve Jesus Christ with authenticity, those who serve in simplicity with integrity are to be also sympathetic. We are to be like Jesus of whom it is so wonderfully said by the prophet and then quoted again in Matthew 12 that a bruised reed He will not break and smoking flax He will not extinguish. Do you understand the beauty of that statement? A shepherd would take a little reed and he would use it to play a little tune but because he would use it over and over again his saliva would eventually weaken it and it would get soft and it would begin to kind of be crushed and he wouldn't blow the tune properly. And so he would break it and throw it away. And there was very often a wick that would be burning in an oil lamp and the wick would get down to the very end and it wouldn't burn with a flame that would light, it would just smolder with smoke. And the bruised reed would be thrown away and the smoking flax would be thrown away. It's discarding the frail things. Jesus comes along and it is said of Him the bruised reed He will not break and the smoking flax He will not extinguish. Just the opposite. He will strengthen the bruised and He will give light back to the flickering. That's the ministry of compassion, the ministry of sympathy, the ministry of gentleness that characterizes the true shepherd.
And then fifthly, we are to be marked by spirituality. Our life is not a life of outward show but our life is a life of inward power. It is not that we enlarge the outward stuff. It is not what we look like on the outside. It is not a pious appearance. It is a heart controlled by the Spirit of God, basic things.
And finally, humility as opposed to the ugly pride of the false preachers and teachers, we are to have an evident, inward, manifest meekness...meekness. That's it.
We who are those that God has called are to be the gifted, the one set apart by God, not self-appointed. The ones who seek to serve, not to be served. The ones who are faithful in the stewardship of our life and ministry to the sacred tusk...trust of Scripture. The ones who are not inventing their own ideas or giving their own opinions. The ones who are faithful to feed the flock not fleece the flock. The ones who seek by the manifest meekness and gentleness of Christ, not to abuse the flock but to comfort and encourage the flock. The ones who seek no honor for self but honor only for Christ. The ones who do not preach what they will not live, but the ones who live what they preach. Shepherds who know their humility will make them useful and shepherd who understand that neither they nor their flock are their own but God's.
Then in verse 13 we come to the break and from here on we have not the character of these spiritual leaders but the condemnation and I'm just going to touch on this lightly, but listen very carefully for the power of this is great. Jesus condemns them and He condemns them for eight sins that they perpetrate because of this kind of character. Character cannot be isolated from conduct and this is their conduct which leads to their condemnation.
The first thing to note is they are cursed. Each of those curses begins with a word "woe." In the Greek that's an interesting word, it's got all vowels in it, it's ouai, it's onomatopoetic, it's a groan at best. It expresses grief, sorrow, pain, despair, and that's its point. It's as if Christ is saying, "Whaaa" in sadness and despair as He thinks about their imminent judgment.
And what is the false teacher going to be judged for? First, exclusion...exclusion. Verse 13, "But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the Kingdom of heaven from men for you do not enter in yourselves nor do you allow those who are entering to go in." Exclusion...what do I mean? They keep people out of the Kingdom. That is the damning heresies that they propagate. Whether you're talking about the Mormons or the Jehovah's Witnesses or the Christian Scientists or Dionetics, or Unity or liberalism or whatever it is, they bar the gates of heaven and open wide the mouth of hell, do they not? They are guilty of the sin of exclusion. They keep people out of the Kingdom. A frightening contradiction in spiritual service for we are they who are to lead people into the Kingdom. That's why Jesus in all the ministry that He had with His disciples and in the forty days after His resurrection, Acts 1 says, spoke of them...spoke to them of things pertaining to the Kingdom. Why? Because theirs was a Kingdom gathering ministry. These false teachers exclude people from the Kingdom. They aren't in it and they bar the gates to those they influence.
Secondly, they're guilty of the sin of exploitation. While there is some discussion about verse 14's inclusion in the text, we'll look at it and accept it as being here. It says, "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows houses even while for a pretense you make long prayers, therefore you shall receive greater condemnation." You come off as this pious, long-praying, spiritual person and you take advantage of widows, you are an exploiting person, exploitation. Taking advantage of poor people, taking advantage of people in need, taking money from widows...would you say that's still characteristic of false teachers? You better believe it. According to the statistics that I have seen, and I forget the exact figure, the majority of dollars being sent to the typical false teachers that are moving around this country are coming from older women, many of them over sixty years of age, many of them in a widowed situation. And that is a vile sin for one who offers himself as the servant of God come to meet people's needs, to exploit them for personal vice sake.
Thirdly, they're guilty of the sin of perversion, not only exclusion and exploitation but perversion. Verse 15, "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel about on sea and land to make one proselyte," or one convert, "and when he becomes one you become twice as much a son of hell as yourselves." He comes in as a convert and becomes a pervert. The point is this, you corrupt everybody that comes to you. Yours is not a proper ministry of conversion, it's a ministry of perversion. You don't make converts, you make perverts. Somebody who comes to you...and let's face it, false teachers attract the broken, the hurting, the suffering, the questioning, the doubting, the struggling people, the weak-willed people, the people who have all kinds of problems they can't solve who are struggling with the exigencies of life and they bring them in and instead of bringing them to the true God, they make them perverts, twice as much the children of hell as they themselves are. What is a child of hell? One whose character and deeds cause him to deserve hell.
Fourthly, they're guilty of subversion. Verse 16 and following, and I won't read all of this because of time, but it simply describes how they had invented this system of swearing, you know, and they wanted to lie is basically the bottom line, they wanted to lie but they knew it was a very serious thing to lie. So they developed a subversive system of lying based upon oaths and it got as complex as this, verse 16, "You say whoever swears by the temple, that's nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he's obligated." So let's say a guy wants you to make him a promise and you don't want to keep the promise so you say, "I swear by the temple to keep that promise." Well you don't have to keep that cause according to the system swearing by the temple you don't have to keep, that's like having your fingers crossed behind your back when you're six-years-old an you tell your friend you'll do something you know you're not going to do. And when he says you didn't do it, you said, "Yeah, but I had my fingers crossed." It's the same kind of system.
So, they had some things that were binding to swear by, some things that were not binding, and you could lie through your teeth all you wanted and as long as you were swearing by something that was non-binding, it was okay. So what they had done was subverted God's truth by developing a system that permitted them to live in sin and not violate categorically their defined moral code.
So, they're condemned for exclusion, exploitation, perversion, subversion. Number five, inversion, turning something inside out, that's inversion. Look at verse 23, "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, you tied mint and dill and cumin..." You say, what's that? Herbs. You know what a mint leaf is? They said if we have ten mint leaves we give one to the temple. Good for you. If we have ten dill seeds, we give one to the temple. Oh, that's good, wonderful. But the problem is, "You have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness." I mean, those are the big things. You've turned it all inside out. You paid no attention to justice, mercy and faithfulness, but you're counting seeds of kitchen herbs used to spice your dinner. Ludicrous, making little things big and big things insignificant, reversing the divine patterns, the divine priorities...really a sad thing to think about. They neglected the things that really mattered, paid attention to the things that didn't matter at all. He says you should take care of the little things, but not neglect the other things, they don't matter morally. They're not even an issue.
That really showed up in the incident in the book of Matthew where Jesus says, "You're supposed to take care of your parents," the Sermon on the Mount, "but when it comes time to give to your parents you say...Oh, it's korban, it's korban...sorry. What does that mean? Korban means devoted to God. What do they say that for? Oh, I've already pledged it to God, I've already pledged it to God, I can't give it to them. You heartless, merciless person, you won't even meet your parents needs and you piously say, "Oh, I've devoted it to God, I've devoted it to God." And the implication is in so saying you devoted it to God, swore you'd give it to God, only you swore by the temple which didn't count, so you have no intention of giving it to God, you phony. But that's what they were in to. Inversion of the divine priority.
Sixth, they were guilty of extortion. Verse 25...after, oh, verse 24 I need to comment on. He says, "You blind guides who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel." Do you know they literally did that? Not the second half, but the first half. Do you know that some of them were so afraid of taking in a dead insect into their body because of the law that they had prescribed that there is evidence to indicate that when they drank wine they would suck it through their teeth like this..... so they could strain off on their teeth the gnats. Now there were gnats in wine because there were gnats on grapes and when they made the grapes and things like that they might get crushed in there so they would suck it like this...and they'd pick the gnats off their teeth. So the Lord says you strain out the gnats and then you swallow a camel.
Very vivid. Then verse 25, extortion. "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of robbery and self- indulgence." Would you please note that is so characteristic of false teachers, they are robbers, the Greek word is harpage, it means rapers, plunderers. It's the word for pillaging, raping, plundering. It's not a term...it's not a term for, you know, the stealthy thief who comes in the night and takes something out and you don't know he's been...it's the...it's the marauder, the plunderer, the rapist, the brigand. So they look so scrupulous and clean on the outside, they are rapers, they are robbers, they are plunderers and because of your extortion, because you have done so much harm to others for the sake of self-indulgence, you are robbers for self-indulgence sake. They...verse 26 says, "You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish so the outside of it may become clean also." Start from the inside out.
Number seven, they are condemned for deception. Verse 27, "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you're like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you too outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." This is very vivid. There are tombs all over Jerusalem, this is Passover, lots of people in the city, very crowded, very pressed together, lots of strangers in the city who might not know where the tombs were. So typically each year before Passover they went through the city and whitewashed all the tombs because to touch a tomb was to become unclean. You didn't want to become unclean at Passover, obviously. So they would go around and whitewash all the tombs at the Passover time so that the people coming into the city would be able to see them and not touch them. And so He is looking at that very moment in the temple, perhaps, and He can see the tombs certainly if He was able to see out the backside of the temple mount, He could see that the Mount of Olives would be a place where there were tombs, we know that. But nonetheless, He is simply saying...You look white and shiny and bright and pure and clean on the outside, the fact is on the inside you are full of dead men's bones, rotten, vile, decaying flesh. Deception. You will be condemned for your deception. You have deceived people. You have deluded people.
And then lastly, pretention. They are guilty of the deception as well as extortion, as well as inversion, subversion, perversion, exploitation, exclusion...the last word pretention. Verse 29, "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, you build the tombs of the prophets, you adorn the monuments of the righteous and you say...If we had been living in the days of our fathers we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets." We're not like them...oh, we're much better than our forefathers. They pretend to be better than they are. They pretend to be so holy, so sanctimonious, better than their fathers, you can trust us. Oh there have been false leaders in the past, false prophets in the past, you can trust us, we represent God. Listen, don't believe it. They aren't better than the past. Evil men...says Paul to Timothy...will grow worse and worse.
And how does Jesus respond to that? He responds like this, verse 31, "You bear witness against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murder the prophets." How did they do that? How did they give testimony that they were worse than their forefathers? I'll tell you why, their forefathers killed the servants of God, these guys were about to kill...whom?...the Son of God. And so in 32 He says, "Fill up then the measure of the guilt of your fathers." Complete it, go ahead. And He's really saying, "Take My life...take My life."
And then He closes our little section, "You serpents, you brood of vipers, how shall you escape the sentence of hell?"
Very serious. Now let me conclude very quickly. When you look at your ministry as a servant of God, you look not only at the positive but you look at the negative...the positive model as we have seen, Paul, Timothy, Epaphroditus; the negative, as we've seen, these men...we are reminded that God has called us to authenticity, simplicity, all those good things that we noted. We are reminded that God has called us not to keep people out of the Kingdom but to bring them in. He has called us not to be abusive and debilitating and cruel to people, but to care for the poor and needy; not to contaminate our followers but to make them pure and holy as they follow our pattern; not to create a subversive kind of religious code that undermines biblical truth, but to uphold biblical truth; not to reverse the divine order of priority, but to emphasize the weightier matters of God's law, not the minute things; not to extort and use and abuse people but to give our life in their behalf; not to contaminate everybody who touches us with the putridness of our own life, but to make those holy who come near, and certainly not to pretend to be something that we're not. May God make us faithful, one, to recognize the false and to respect the true and to help us through this particular portion to see what we should be.
Let me close with Jeremiah 23, just listen, three verses, Jeremiah 23:1, "Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture, declares the Lord. Therefore, thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are tending My people, You have scattered My flock and driven them away and have not attended to them, behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds." I'm going to take care of you for what you've done to My sheep. But then He says in verse 4, "I shall also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing." That's the kind of shepherd God wants us to be, who don't terrify the sheep but feed the sheep, who don't lose the sheep but keep the sheep. May God make us faithful spiritual leaders. Let's bow together in prayer.
Father, we do ask that You would move in us, help us to say yes to Your Holy Spirit as He calls us to a life of faithful service, whether we be pastors, lay leaders, deacons, workers in the church, faithful Christians. Lord, help us, help us to be all that You wanted us to be when You gave this message and no doubt by contrast were showing the disciples what we've seen today. Don't be like this. On the other hand, be the opposite. Help us to be faithful so that You might use us to Your glory in Jesus name. Amen.
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All done: Monarchs elminated from AHL playoffs three games to oneBy ALLEN LESSELS
New Hampshire Union Leader
May 04. 2013 11:54PM
MANCHESTER - Overtime proved poison for the Monarchs. Again.
Springfield Falcon Nick Drazenovic broke into the Monarchs zone on a two-on-one and elected to shoot and beat Monarch goalie Martin Jones to the far side to lift his team to a 4-3 overtime win at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Saturday night.
The end came 8:06 into the first extra session.
The Falcon win gave Springfield a three-games-to-one win in the AHL Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
The Falcons advance to the Eastern semifinals. The Monarchs close up shop for the 2012-13 season.
"We hung in there against a very good team and had a chance to win this one today," said Monarchs coach Mark Morris.
The Monarchs, seeded No. 7 in the East, needed a fierce rally at the end of the season to get into the playoffs.
The Falcons are the No. 2 seed in the conference.
All three Springfield wins in the series came in overtime. The Falcons won the first two games last weekend and the Monarchs forced a Game 4 with a 2-1 win on Thursday night here.
Jones, outstanding in the series, had 37 saves and Curtis McElhinney, just as outstanding, the same number for the Falcons.
Linden Vey scored his first two goals of the series to help Manchester to a 3-1 lead early in the second period.
"He had a big day," Morris said. "You could tell he was back to his old self. He was bringing a lot of energy and played with a lot of confidence with the puck on his stick.
It was 3-3 going into the third period but neither team could score.
On to overtime.
The game did not start well for the home team.
Defenseman Blake Parlett deflected a Cody Bass shot from the right boards past Jones and the Falcons were on top just one minute and 40 seconds into the game.
Not to worry
The Monarchs answered with a pair of goals in less than two minutes midway through the opening period to grab the led.
Colton Yellow Horn and Vey got the goals.
Jordan Weal set up the first when he stole the puck from Springfield defenseman Nick Holden just outside the Falcon zone and broke in on McElhinney. He passed in front to Yellow Horn who patiently stickhandled and waited until the goalie went down and then put a backhander past him at 8:33 of the period.
Vey broke out of the Monarchs end and worked a give-and-go with Andreoff for the next score. Vey rifled a shot past McElhinney's glove to finish it off.
The Monarchs took the first two-goal lead of the series on Vey's second of the game at 5:17 of the middle period. Defenseman Nick Deslauriers made a great hustle play, diving to knock a loose puck on net and Vey followed the play and put it in and it was 3-1.
But the Monarchs could not hold the lead.
The Falcons took advantage of a turnover by Monarchs defenseman Andrew Bodnarchuk and Boone Jenner scored for 3-2 at 13:35 of the second.
Springfield won a wild scramble in the Monarchs crease and Michael Chaput scored to knot things at 3-3 with 1:24 left in the period.
Back and forth they went, each team creating chances and Jones and McElhinney denying them through the third period and into overtime.
Then the Falcons struck. Again.


text:
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Junior point guard Tara Davis (
ETSU rattled off its fourth straight win and improved to 8-7, 6-1 in A-Sun play, placing the Lady Bucs a half-game behind the Eagles in the conference standings. FGCU suffered its first lost since Dec. 13, 2009 at
"FGCU is a very aggressive team and they shoot the ball well," commented head coach Karen Kemp, whose Lady Bucs stayed a perfect 5-0 at home after the five-point win over the Eagles. "We knew they shoot a lot of threes, so our perimeter defense had to be really effective today. We had some breakdowns, but I felt like the last three minutes we laced the shoestrings up even tighter and it was gut check time. Fortunately, in the end, we defended pretty well."
"Tara (
The first half was a game of runs, as
From there, the next 4 minutes, 30 seconds saw four ties and four lead changes, but with the game knotted at 29, ETSU received another bust and grabbed a seven-point advantage, 36-29, when Gordon sank a jumper with 4:28 left before half. Once again,
Both teams shot the lights out in the opening 20 minutes. The Lady Bucs shot 54.3 percent (19-35) and 54.5 percent from beyond the arc (6-11); while the Eagles were 14-of-28 from the field (50 percent) and 10-for-18 from 3-point land (55.6 percent). ETSU did an excellent job capitalizing on nine Eagle turnovers, as the Lady Bucs turned in 21 points off those miscues. The Eagles assisted on 10 of their 14 field goal makes, with ETSU having eight.
Neither team was able to grab any momentum in the first 5 minutes, 39 seconds of the second half, but with ETSU leading 57-52, the Lady Bucs got a spark and pushed their lead to 12, 66-54, when sophomore Gwen Washington (
However, the spark didn't last long and the Eagles continued to chip away.
In just a two-minute span, FGCU was able to cut the deficit to four, 66-62, following Chelsea Lyles' 3-pointer with a little over 10 minutes remaining in the contest.
The Eagles would answer and tied the game at 74, following Adrianne McNally's lay-up with six minutes showing on the clock. Fortunately, for the Lady Bucs, Evans was fouled on the next trip down and the
From there, FGCU never led or tied the game, but the Eagles had a chance to even the contest with less than a minute to play. With the Lady Bucs leading 86-83, Evans missed an off-balance jumper with 32 ticks remaining - but following a FGCU 30-second timeout - McNally missed a lay-up and
For the game, ETSU shot 47 percent from the floor (31-66) and finished 8-of-20 from beyond the arc (40 percent). Meanwhile, the Eagles were 29-of-59 from the field (49.2 percent) and 15-for-31 from 3-point range. After both teams didn't make a trip to the charity stripe in the opening 20 minutes, the clubs combined for 38 total attempts in the final half. ETSU finished 18-of-23, while FGCU went 10-for-15. The Lady Buccaneer defense forced the Eagles into 16 turnovers and ETSU converted those miscues into 34 points.
Like the Lady Bucs, the Eagles had four in double figures with Lyles pacing FGCU at 25 points.
ETSU will now hit the road again as the Lady Bucs make their second trip to the
For more information on Lady Buccaneer hoops, visit www.ETSUBucs.com.


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Commercial, Products
By Staff Writer | April 1, 2012
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Aero Dynamix, Inc. is the industry leader and principle innovator of integrated Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS) solutions for commercial and military aircraft. ADI is a full line distributor and certified repair station for Aspen Avionics and offers internal NVG instrument modifications for Aspen products that do not compromise on the Aspen factory warranty. Featured here is the Evolution 1500H Package, which combines the powerful, award-winning Pro PFD 1000H with the versatile MFD 500H to deliver a full-featured, exceptionally easy-to-use glass panel. The Pro PFD 1000H provides professional-grade EFIS primary flight instruments, with a full-featured electronic HSI with moving map. The MFD 500H adds photo-quality moving maps, terrain awareness, geo-referenced charts and airport diagrams, and (with optional or existing sensors) traffic displays, WX500 Stormscope display, and the full suite of XM WX aviation weather products. Contact Aero Dynamix today at firstname.lastname@example.com for more information or to request a quote. Aero Dynamix has a wide array of optional equipment with the best prices and exceptional customer support for all your Night Vision requirements. Let Aero Dynamix be your one-stop-shop for night vision solutions. For more information, visit the company's website at www.aerodynamix.com
A large number of composite repairs can be accomplished by a Hot Bonder, utilizing vacuum pressure for material compaction. However, there are many instances for which the Structural Repair Manual (SRM) stipulates that a positive pressure, typically up to 50 psi, must be used, as that created by vacuum alone is insufficient for carrying out large area repairs on major components. In such instances, up until recently the only alternative to utilizing an Autoclave was to combine vacuum with a 'Dead Weight', such as sandbags, in order to achieve the equivalent of the required positive pressure. As it is difficult to achieve pressure uniformity over the repair area, plus the fact that sandbags act as a huge 'heat sink', most repair stations without an Autoclave would either decline the job, or subcontract the repair to a facility with one. Our patented HCS3100 (Series) Portable Autoclaves are custom built semi-portable pressure vessels. They are designed to provide controlled temperature, vacuum, and pressure during composite and metal bond repair processes. The positive internal pressure applied to the repair enables operators to achieve the higher pressure when required by aircraft manufacturer repair manuals. Heat is applied only where required using specially constructed silicone rubber heat blankets. This method results in reduced operational costs and fewer problems due to temperature induced part damage. For more information, visit www.heatcon.com
Professional Aviation Associates, located in Atlanta, Ga., operates a 30,000-square-foot warehouse just minutes away from Hartsfield International Airport, with sales support staff in Greer, S.C. and London, England. "We are excited to extend our support offering of the EC155 fleet in addition to our Eurocopter support program for AS350/AS355," said Professional Aviation Associates President Glenn MacDonald. "Our sales force spans the United States, Spain, Latin America, Canada and the United Kingdom. It is a continuation of our goal to grow this part of the business and become the largest independent global supplier of parts for the rotor wing market." For more information in the U.S. and Canada, call 1-800-283-2015 or visit www.proavation.com
With a full line of windows available for your MD500 series helicopter, Tech-Tool Plastics offers the finest in replacement and custom windows for your aircraft. Cabin Comfort Windows, provided exclusively by Tech-Tool, are available in clear or tinted, Smoke Gray or Dark Gray options. These wedge-shaped windows allow for more shoulder and elbow room for passengers and give pilots more freedom to maneuver. In addition, their clear-view design improves visibility and provides a custom appearance. Quick Change Windows are another option for those interested in reduced installation time and replacement costs. These are available for all door windows and chin bubbles. They fit better, eliminate rivets and eliminate the need to repaint. Years of experience and a strong focus on innovation have allowed Tech-Tool Plastics to become the leader in replacement and custom windows for rotorcraft. Ensuring durability, ease of installation and an unwavering focus on quality—Tech-Tool customers experience immediate service with little or no down time. Contact Tech-Tool Plastics at 1-800-433-2210 or visit the company on the web at www.tech-tool.com
La Jolla, Calif.-based Blue Sky Network launched its HawkEyeLink for Bluetooth messaging during Heli-Expo. The Iridium voice and messaging service debuted for Android smartphones and tablets. The system, which is "aircraft manufacturer agnostic," comes with an 8130 form for easy installation and field approvals from Blue Sky's FAA/PMA facilities.
Once the modem is installed in the aircraft, users can pair Android devices with HawkEyeLink and Bluetooth headsets with the Blue Sky app. Currently, Android is the only platform supporting HawkEyeLink.
"We've developed the iPhone and iPad app, but Apple requires a lot of regulation, approval and licensing to use Bluetooth on their devices. It's all done, we just need to get approval," said Matt Cadwell of Blue Sky Network. Blackberry and Windows Mobile apps are also in development.
The system has a 30-foot radius for Bluetooth connectivity, making it useful for offshore transport operations that use Sikorsky S-92s and other large transport helicopters, such as "these are carrying 20-25 people, and [HawkEyeLink] is giving connectivity to all of them, not just the guys up front."
"We've developed this for two different types of people in the aircraft: One, if you have a two-pilot operation, the non-flying pilot can handle things like calling the operations department … but our initial thought on this was the people in the back of the aircraft," said Cadwell.
With FAA expanding its regulations to allow tablets as part of electronic flight bags (EFBs), the use of Blue Sky's system is just the addition of a new app on a tablet, Cadwell stated. Blue Sky has also signed with Bell Helicopter to provide its HawkEye PT for Bell's support and services division. The Iridium tracking and messaging software will track helicopters inbound for Bell's service center in Piney Flats, Tenn. —By Chris Sheppard, Associate Editor


text:
This week in Island history
The news of 10 and 15 years ago is from the Jamestown Press. The news of 25, 50, 75, and 100 years ago from the Newport Daily News comes from the collection of the Newport Historical Society.
100 years ago From the Newport Daily News, June 12, 1906:
The horses and carriages of Mr. S.W. Woodward arrived here today.
A steel motor boat, for Mrs. E.A. Earnshaw, arrived yesterday.
From the Newport Daily News, June 14, 1906:
Steamer Conanicut and Captain Champlin's launch Twentieth Century had a friendly brush on the 12 o'clock trip of the ferry from here today, the Conanicut coming off victorious.
The office of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company here will open Monday for the season, with Mr. Scott Lawrence in charge.
From the Newport Daily News, June 15, 1906:
Mr. Herbert S. Weeden of Fall River has completed the installation of an acetylene lighting plant in the Champlin House and the Dr. Bates sanitorium (sic).
According to the Westerly Sun, Dr. Bates of the Jamestown Sanitarium was at Watch Hill Saturday and purchased a large stock of furniture from the Larkin House, which will be used in furnishing the annex to the sanitarium. The furniture was brought here on tug Westerly.
From the Newport Daily News, June 16, 1906:
Mr. Abbott Chandler left today on a trip to Boston, Quincy, Roxbury and Plymouth, to secure additional knockabouts to his fleet of boats for the coming season.
75 years ago From the Newport Daily News, June 15, 1931:
A beach party and treasure hunt was held Saturday evening by the members of the Conanicut 4-H Clothing Club. After a short stay at the beach, the party assembled at the home of Mary Perry on Narragansett avenue and all started on the trail which included a number of stops, a few of which were West ferry, grange hall, Casino pier, and finally they returned to the starting point, where the treasure was found by John Barry.
From the Newport Daily News, June 19, 1931:
The Purchasing Agents' Association of Rhode Island will hold its annual reunion at the Beavertail Country Club, Beavertail road, next Wednesday.
50 years ago From the Newport Daily News, June 12, 1956:
The Jamestown Town Council last night endorsed next week as Clean-Up Week in cooperation with the Jamestown division of Keep America Beautiful, Inc.
The Council gave permission for the use of one of the buildings in the Fort Getty reservation to the recreation department for the Speed Shifters as an auto repair shop
The request for a joint pole location for the Newport Electric Company and New England Tel. and Tel. Co. on Narragansett Avenue adjacent to Coronado Street was granted.
From the Newport Daily News. June 13, 1956:
The Navy Harbor Defense Unit reservation at Beavertail in Jamestown will be open to the public on a full 24-hour basis starting at 10 a.m. Saturday. The grounds may be entered except on those days when operational exercises are scheduled there. . . . The Navy's invitation does not include the use of U.S. Coast Guard property on the tip of the Beavertail Point, where the lighthouse is located. . . . The decision to open the Navy property was reached following agreement with the Jamestown Town Council to provide necessary civilian security measures to insure that the privilege is not abused.
25 years ago From the Newport Daily News, June 15, 1981:
Seven firemen, including trainees, were injured Sunday night while battling a fire that destroyed an abandoned observation tower at Fort Wetherill. From the Newport Daily News, June 17, 1981:
Sixty Jamestown pupils received their diplomas Tuesday night at Jamestown School during graduation exercises in the gymnasium.
The town is still waiting to learn if the federal Government Services Administration will permit the Fort Wetherill waterfront property to become Jamestown property. The town is leasing the property, and town officials and Waterfront Authority members are frustrated by the government agency's slow movement.
15 years ago From the Jamestown Press, June 13, 1991:
The Town Council wants the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to hold off on issuing the state Department of Transportation a permit to build the cross-island highway until "grave concerns" about the new road's impact on public safety, the environment, and local traffic circulation are resolved.
The Jamestown Under-10 soccer team won the Division 3 Under-10 State Championship of the Rhode Island Spring Competitive Soccer League this past weekend.
The Jamestown Department of Public Works is more progressive than some town residents may realize. Rather than incinerating sludge, a product of wasterwater treatment, Jamestown has a composting program that has been in effect for approximately six years.
A pier on the new Jamestown Bridge has been found to contain faulty concrete.
10 years ago From the Jamestown Press, June 13, 1996:
For the first time in many years, Jamestown may have its own Fourth of July fireworks, but they would be a little early - on July 2. The Town Council Monday voted to grant Community Chorus Director B.J. Whitehouse and Community Band drummer Fred Brome use of the town beach at Mackerel Cove as the staging area for a public fireworks display.
Plans were unveiled this week for a new Veterans Memorial at East Ferry. "We hope to have this ready for Memorial Day 1997," said Ed Connelly, chairman of the Veterans Memorial Square Committee.
The Jamestown Under-10 girls' soccer team won the Rhode Island Cup tournament this past weekend.


text:
Suffolk, ss. DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW APPEALS
Appeal of:
Linda Antonucci,
v. CR-07-1055
State Board of Retirement,
Appearance for Petitioner:
Linda D. Antonucci
41 Woodside Avenue
Leominster, MA 02720
Appearance for Respondent:
Erin Nally, Esq.,
State Board of Retirement
One Ashburton Place - Rm. 1219
Boston, MA 02108
Administrative Magistrate:
Joan Freiman Fink, Esq.
The State Board of Retirement properly denied the Petitioner's request for Group 4 classification. Her job title of Correction Program Officer is not specifically delineated in the statute, G.L. c. 32, § 3(2)(g), as a job title included in Group 4.
Pursuant to G.L. c. 32, § 16(4), the Petitioner, Linda Antonucci, is appealing the October 26, 2007 decision of the Respondent, State Board of Retirement, classifying her position as Group 2 and denying her request to be classified in Group 4 for retirement purposes. (Exhibit 1.) The appeal was timely filed in accordance with the provisions of G.L. c. 32, § 16(4).
A hearing pursuant to G.L. c. 7, § 4H was held on February 19, 2009 at the offices of the Division of Administrative Law Appeals, 98 North Washington Street, Boston, MA. Various documents were entered into evidence at the hearing. (Exhibits 1 - 10.) The Petitioner's Pre-hearing Memorandum was marked as "A" for identification and the Respondent's Pre-hearing Memorandum was marked as "B" for identification. The Petitioner testified in her own behalf. One cassette tape recording was made of the hearing.
Based on the testimony and evidence presented, I make the following findings of fact:
1. The Petitioner, Linda Antonucci, d.o.b. 7/26/58, commenced employment on May 5, 1979 as a Correction Officer with the Department of Correction. She was assigned to MCI Framingham. (Testimony of the Petitioner.)
2. Prior to being appointed to the position at MCI Framingham, the Petitioner successfully completed a six week in-service training program at MCI Shirley designed for Correction Officers. (Testimony of the Petitioner.)
3. In or about May of 1980, she was assigned to the position of Correction Counselor at MCI Lancaster, a minimal security pre-release center for male and female inmates. (Testimony of the Petitioner.)
4. At some point prior to 1997, her title was changed to Correction Program Officer. (Testimony of the Petitioner,)
5. On or about May of 1997, the Petitioner was transferred to MCI Gardner, a pre-release program for males, as a Correction Program Officer. She has remained in that position up to and including the present day. (Testimony of the Petitioner.)
6. Her duties as a Correction Program Officer entail performing all aspects of institutional security including providing head counts, room searches, strip and pat down searches, obtaining urine samples, supervising inmate work crews, and providing inmates with information concerning various programs such as Alcoholic Anonymous. (Exhibit 4, Testimony of the Petitioner.)
7. The Petitioner holds a State Police Commission that certifies that she can transport inmates anywhere in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. (Exhibit 4.)
8. By an undated letter, the Petitioner requested that her position be classified in Group 4. She attached a completed Group Classification Questionnaire. (Exhibit 4.)
9. By letter dated October 26, 2007, the State Board of Retirement notified Ms. Antonucci that her request for Group 4 classification had been denied. (Exhibit 1.)
10. By letter dated November 5, 2007, the Petitioner filed an appeal of this denial with the Contributory Retirement Appeal Board. (Exhibit 2.)
The Petitioner is not entitled to prevail as G.L. c. 32, §3 (2)(g) does not mention the position of Correction Program Officer as a Group 4 position. G.L. c. 32, §3 (2)(g) provides for a system of classification of employees for retirement purposes.
Group 1 includes "Officials and general employees including clerical, administrative and technical workers, laborers, mechanics and all others not otherwise classified."
Group 2 includes in pertinent part: "employees of the commonwealth or of any county, regardless of any official classification … whose regular and major duties require them to have the care, custody, instruction or other supervision of prisoners …."
Group 4 includes "members of police and fire departments not classified in Group 1" as well as other law enforcement and fire fighting personnel … employees of the department of correction who are employed at any correctional institution or prison camp under the control of said department and who hold the position of correction officer, female correction officer, industrial instructor, recreation officer, assistant industrial shop manager, industrial shop manager, assistant to the supervisor of industries, supervisor of industries, senior correction officer, senior female correction officer, prison camp officer, senior prison officer, supervising prison camp officer, assistant deputy superintendent …."
In this case, the Petitioner has held the position of Correction Program Officer from 1997 up to and including the present date. Her duties involve all aspects of institutional security at MCI Gardener including, but not limited to, performing head counts, room searches, and strip searches.
In listing the categories of employees classified in Group 4, G.L. c. 32, § 3(2)(g) makes no reference to the position of Correction Program Officer. The Legislature has consistently described employees categorized as Group 4 by naming their positions or titles rather than by describing the types of work they perform. Gaw v. Contributory Retirement Appeal Board, 4 Mass. App. Ct. 250 (1976). In Gaw, the Appeals Court concluded that the test of whether an employee is qualified for Group 4 is not whether the employee performed the duties of one whose job title is listed in Group 4, but rather, "the test for eligibility is largely the employee's title or job description." Gaw, supra, at p. 256.
The Petitioner argues that since her job entails supervising inmates, she serves in the same capacity as a Correction Officer and as such, she is entitled to Group 4 classification. She further notes that her title of Correction Program Officer merely defines the additional duties she is called upon to perform over and above the duties of a Correction Officer.
Notwithstanding the Petitioner's argument, the fact that she performs similar duties to a Correction Officer does not bestow Group 4 status on her. In the case of Thomas Fallon v. State Board of Retirement, CR-05-442 (DALA 2006), the Petitioner, also a Correction Program Officer, was denied Group 4 status as that position was not specifically set forth in G.L. c. 32, § 3 (2)(g) as falling within that category. As indicated by the Magistrate in Fallon, the "reason for the omission is irrelevant …."
For the foregoing reasons, the decision of the State Board of Retirement denying the Petitioner's request for Group 4 status and classifying her instead in Group 2 is hereby affirmed.
/s/ Joan Freiman Fink
Administrative Magistrate
Dated: March 19, 2009


text:
(P.L. 105-244; 112 SEC. 492 [20 U.S.C. 1098a]
(a) MEETINGS.-
(1) IN GENERAL.-The Secretary shall obtain public involvement in the development of proposed regulations for this title.1 The Secretary shall obtain the advice of and recommendations from individuals and representatives of the groups involved in student financial assistance programs under this title, such as students, legal assistance organizations that represent students, institutions of higher education, guaranty agencies, lenders, secondary markets, loan servicers, guaranty agency servicers, and collection agencies.
(2) ISSUES.-The Secretary 2shall provide for a comprehensive discussion and exchange of information concerning the implementation of this title, as amended by the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 through such mechanisms as regional meetings and electronic exchanges of information. The Secretary shall take into account the information received through such mechanisms in the development of proposed regulations and shall publish a summary of such information in the Federal Register together with such proposed regulations.
(b) DRAFT REGULATIONS.-
(1) IN GENERAL.-After obtaining the advice and recommendations described in subsection (a)(1) and before publishing proposed regulations in the Federal Register, the Secretary shall prepare draft regulations implementing this title as amended by the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 and shall submit such regulations to a negotiated rulemaking process. Participants in the negotiations process shall be chosen by the Secretary from individuals nominated by groups described in subsection (a)(1), and shall include both representatives of such groups from Washington, D.C., and industry participants. To the extent possible, the Secretary shall select individuals reflecting the diversity in the industry, representing both large and small participants, as well as individuals serving local areas and national markets. The negotiation process shall be conducted in a timely manner in order that the final regulations may be issued by the Secretary within the 360-day period described in section 437(e) of the General Education Provisions Act.
(2) EXPANSION OF NEGOTIATED RULEMAKING.-All regulations pertaining to this title that are promulgated after the date of enactment of this paragraph shall be subject to a negotiated rulemaking (including the selection of the issues to be negotiated), unless the Secretary determines that applying such a requirement with respect to given regulations is impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest (within the meaning of section 553(b)(3)(B) of title 5, United States Code), and publishes the basis for such determination in the Federal Register at the same time as the proposed regulations in question are first published. All published proposed regulations shall conform to agreements resulting from such negotiated rulemaking unless the Secretary reopens the negotiated rulemaking process or provides a written explanation to the participants in that process why the Secretary has decided to depart from such agreements. Such negotiated rulemaking shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of paragraph(1), and the Secretary shall ensure that a clear and reliable record of agreements reached during the negotiations process is maintained.
(c) APPLICABILITY OF FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.-The Federal Advisory Committee Act shall not apply to activities carried out under this section.
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.-There are authorized to be appropriated in any fiscal year or made available from funds appropriated to carry out this part in any fiscal year such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section, except that if no funds are appropriated pursuant to this subsection, the Secretary shall make funds available to carry out this section from amounts appropriated for the operations and expenses of the Department of Education.
1. Section 490D(a)(1)(B) of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 (P.L. 105-244; 112 Stat.1755) amended this paragraph by striking "parts B, G, and H of this title," and inserting "this title;". The amendment was executed to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
2. Section 490D(a)(2)(A) of P.L. 105-244 (112 Stat. 1755) purported to amend this paragraph by striking "During such meetings the" although the prior statute read "During such meetings, the". The amendment was executed to reflect the probable intent of Congress.


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Children Face What They Fear Most to Conquer OCD
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