text:
When I was in seminary, rabbinic students were required to take only one course in what was then called "Human Relations." Its purpose was to teach us that being a rabbi was not just about scholarly matters such as acquiring a command of Hebrew and becoming knowledgeable in Jewish laws and customs but it also was about developing our human interaction skills so that we could be better serve our congregants in both their times of need and also in the daily round of manifold synagogue activities; serve them with sensitivity, compassion, and understanding. Of course, folding all of that into only one course is a tall order, impossible to fill. Thankfully, today the rabbinic students at the Hebrew Union College receive far more training in this important field.
As I recall that course, it seemed that our professor invested a majority of our time discussing issues surrounding death and funerals such as the mechanics of writing a eulogy and the dynamics of the conversations that take place in the limousine during the ride from the funeral to the cemetery, which may not make much sense to us here in the Quad Cities but does have some relevance in a community like New York City, where such a drive can take a considerable amount of time.
After ordination, it did not take my classmates or me long to discover that there was very little relationship between the content of that course and the reality of the interpersonal dynamics – the Human Relations – which are to be found in synagogue life. Indeed, considering how much time we spent exploring the role of the rabbi within the grief and mourning process, it was remarkable how out of touch with reality our curriculum had been.
So I, like most of of my contemporaries, found that whatever skills in matters of grief and mourning I would require, I would have to acquire on the job, so to speak. Over the years, I would learn from a growing body of experiences attained by standing beside so many grieving families as I attempted to offer whatever comfort and consolation I could. Yet still it require my own personal experiences of loss to take me to the next level; to understand, not just with my mind and my heart, but with every essence of my being, what it truly meant to lose someone you love.
Having assisted and supported so many mourners as they have accompanied their loved ones to the grave, I have had the opportunity to make many observations about how people deal with their grief. Of course, no two people are exactly alike in anything, and that includes how we deal with grief. Still patterns emerge, some of them good and what I consider to be healthy, and some not so much so.
One of the most difficult challenges I have seen mourners struggling with – and by mourners here, I do not just mean those who have suffered a recent loss but also those of us who have suffered loss whether it be recently or in the distant past – is the challenge of finding a healthy balance between holding on and letting go; holding on to our love and attachment to the one who is now gone and letting go of that person, not entirely but yet enough to enable ourselves to move on with our lives.
In my experiences, I have encountered those who cling so dearly to their loss that years go by and their grief is as fresh and as painful for them as it was on the day of their loved one's passing. As strong as is their love, the memory of the one they love remains mostly a source of tears and pain for them. Often they bemoan, "How can I go on? Life will just never be the same!" Such people never allow the memory of their loved one to evolve into the warming presence that can bring them smiles and maybe even some laughter as well as tears. It remains more like a knife cutting into them rather than a loving companion, invisibly accompanying them with wisdom and insight as they continue their life journey.
How could we not admire such a profound love? What a testament it is to the person now gone. How could anyone in good conscience counsel, "You need to love that person less"? Yet these people hold on so tightly to their beloved dead; so tightly that their grief winds up strangling them. Somewhere along the line, they seem to have forgotten that this is probably the last thing the departed ever would have wished upon them; that they live the remainder of their life enveloped in grief and misery because of their loss.
Such people are so determined to hold on to what they can of their loved ones that they cannot begin to conceive that it is also perfectly permissible to let go of them as well. Not to forget them – God forbid, not to forget them – but to let go of the intensity of their grief and to permit those feelings to evolve into something more livable.
There is a story about a man so stricken with grief at the passing of his wife that on her headstone he has inscribed the message, "The light has gone out of my life!" Time passes and as fate would have it, he meets another woman and they fall in love. He wants to remarry but is wracked with guilt over the thought of betraying his first wife, especially considering the inscription on her headstone. So he goes to his rabbi for counsel. He tells the rabbi of his feelings and of the inscription. The rabbi thinks for a moment and then suggests, "Why don't you have an additional inscription added to the stone right below the first?" Puzzled, the man inquires, "An additional inscription? What should it say?" The rabbi responded, "It should say, 'But I struck another match.'"
So it should be with those among us who hold on so tightly to the pain of our loss and struggle with the very thought of letting go, even if just a little. We, too, need to "strike another match." We need to discover ways of letting go – not forgetting – but letting go enough so that we can bring some semblance of joy back into our lives. For this is not just what we need but it is what our loved ones would wholeheartedly want for us.
Just as there are those among us to who hold on too tightly to their loss and have trouble letting go, there also are those who are too quick to let go – too eager to let go – as if they are afraid to hold on to anything, perhaps because they fear that holding on will prove to be just too painful for them. I know that type of fear. Up until the day my mother died, there was nothing I feared more on this earth than the passing of my parents. There was a time when I and two friends were caught in a crossfire between the Israeli army and Hezbollah terrorists, and that did not frighten me nearly as much as the thought of losing my parents. I could not begin to imagine what the world would be like without those special people who had always been there for me throughout my life. Having felt the fear, I can understand how for some that fear becomes so overwhelming that the only way they feel they can deal with it is by refusing to confront their loss, making every effort to put it behind them as quickly as possible and get on with their life.
As a rabbi, too many have been the times when I have witnessed this type of reaction on the part of mourners. I cannot tell you how deeply saddened I am when someone from the congregation passes away and their children, living out of town, come to me with a request like, "Rabbi, our flight lands at 9:00 in the morning. Would it be possible for us to hold the service at 10:00 so that we can catch a 1:30 flight back home? I can't afford the time away from the office and the children need to get back to school." While there is a part of me which wants to scream at them, "Isn't the memory of your mother / your father worth your spending at least one night in the Quad Cities? Can't you leave a little time in your life for mourning?" still I want to believe that they truly are not so heartless, so uncaring as people that they view their parent's passing as nothing more as a gross inconvenience in their lives. I want to believe that they love their parents and that their parent's passing hurts them deeply; so deeply that they convince themselves that the only way they can deal with it is by not dealing with it; by getting the funeral over and done with as quickly as possible and returning to their normal routines, making believe nothing has changed. All they want to do is let go and move on, or so they think.
But in reality, when we lose a loved one, much has changed in our lives, whether or not we wish to admit it. Because of it, we cannot just let go and move on. We cannot attempt to bury our pain, along with our loved one, for our pain will not go away. We can strive to jam it into the background, but it will keep popping out – painfully popping out – whether we like it or not.
When our body is injured, we understand the need to create space in our lives for physical recovery. The same is true for our souls. The loss of a loved one is an injury – a deep wound – to our souls and our souls need time to recover. They need time to adjust to their changed condition, especially when you consider that the injury to soul inflicted by the death of one so dear will never completely heal. We will carry a part of it with us for the rest of our lives. Making believe that no wound exists is foolishness, for it does exist and we cannot simply wish it away. We must learn how to live with it. We must learn how to transform it from intense pain to a duller pain that carries with it its own gifts; the gifts of warm memories of all that was good and loving in the relationship we once shared. There is much we need to hold on to, for holding on in such a way can enhance our lives rather than detract from them. Such holding on keeps the deceased alive on this earth, through our memories and our sharing of those memories.
So it is the balance of holding on and letting go which we should be seeking in our lives. For if such a balance we can discover, we can both render proper and fitting honor to the memories of those we loved, and we can live our lives more fully and meaningfully, as those memories help to guide us as we seek to make the most of our lives. It is to the task of finding that balance that this service of Yizkor is dedicated, for it calls upon us to both remember – for the word "Yizkor" means "Remember" – and to move forward with our lives, carrying those memories with us in positive and constructive ways.
Posted tagged 'Dealing With the Death of a Loved One'
Holding On and Letting Go: Yizkor SermonNovember 6, 2014
When I was in seminary, rabbinic students were required to take only one course in what was then called "Human Relations." Its purpose was to teach us that being a rabbi was not just about scholarly matters such as acquiring a command of Hebrew and becoming knowledgeable in Jewish laws and customs but it also was about developing our human interaction skills so that we could be better serve our congregants in both their times of need and also in the daily round of manifold synagogue activities; serve them with sensitivity, compassion, and understanding. Of course, folding all of that into only one course is a tall order, impossible to fill. Thankfully, today the rabbinic students at the Hebrew Union College receive far more training in this important field.
Penetrating the Inpenetrable VeilSeptember 19, 2013
While other faiths have their own concepts of the afterlife ‑ some of them quite elaborate ‑ Judaism has always held that all we can say about the afterlife ‑ that is with any conviction ‑ is that there is an afterlife and that the soul is eternal. For the soul comes from God and at the time of death returns to God. To say anything else is to engage in pure speculation, for there is an impenetrable veil which separates the Olam HaZeh ‑ This World ‑ from the Olam HaBa ‑ The World to Come. Even as we make this minimalist affirmation, we do so with the understanding that what we are saying is a matter of faith, not knowledge, for no one has ever penetrated that impenetrable veil and returned to our realm of existence, the Olam HaZeh, to bring us an accurate description of the other side.
It might interest you to know that we Jews not only do not have a detailed vision of the afterlife, we even did not always believe in the existence of an afterlife or in the immortality of the soul. In fact, 2,000 years ago, these doctrines fueled fierce debates between the Sadducees and the Pharisees. While the Sadducees held that there is no afterlife; that our existence ended with death, for nowhere is an afterlife mentioned in the Torah, the Pharisees held that since the soul comes from God, it, like God, must be eternal. Besides, how else could we explain God's justice in light of the suffering of the righteous in this life if there was no afterlife in which their books would balance out? The fact the Judaism today professes beliefs in the afterlife and in the immortality of the soul is as much a byproduct of the victory of the Pharisees over the Sadducees in their struggle to determine who would shape the future of the Jewish people, as it is a committed doctrine of our faith.
Personally, I am glad that the Pharisees won that battle. I would hate to believe that death is the end; that nothing of us remains in this universe once our bodies cease to function; that our lives are nothing more than a flash of light in the dark realm of oblivion.
Yet it is not only my fear of eventual non‑existence which fuels my beliefs in the immortality of the soul and in the afterlife. It also is, in its own odd way, my sense of logic. For when I consider the human condition, I find myself confronting two undeniable, yet contradictory, facts. The first is that all human beings are essentially the same. We may differ in size, shape, gender, skin color, blood type, etc., but at the end of the day, biologically we are all fundamentally identical. Indeed, as medical science continues to refine the art of organ transplantation, we see that we are so alike that our body parts are becoming increasingly interchangeable.
Yet with this in mind, the second fact seems nothing less than miraculous; that every single human being is a unique individual. No two of us are exactly alike, even if physically we are identical twins. Still, we each possess our own unique personality and disposition. That uniqueness is truly the essence of who we are; far more than any aspect of our physical appearance. It is not as much visible to the eyes as it is to the heart. So what is the source of our uniqueness? How can it be found in the body if all bodies are essentially the same while all people are fundamentally unique?
According to our tradition, our uniqueness comes from God. In the Talmud, God is compared to a human minter of coins. When a human mints coins, the minter stamps each coin with one mold and every coin comes out exactly alike. However when God mints human beings, God stamps each of us with the mold of Adam, yet not one person is like another. We are each of us unique[1]. If that uniqueness comes from God, then the essence of our character does not reside in our body but rather in our soul. If it comes from God, then like God, it must be indestructible. Though our body can cease to function, our soul cannot. With the death of the body, the soul must return to God, and reside with God eternally. And with it, all that makes us unique; our personality, our character. The people who we are continue to exist – our consciousness continues to exist – eternally behind the impenetrable veil – in the Olam HaBa, the World to Come.
But is that impenetrable veil separating the Olam HaZeh from the Olam HaBa – our realm of physical existence from our loved ones' realm of pure spiritual existence – truly, completely, impenetrable? Perhaps not. Not that it can be torn and we can traverse freely between the two realms, But perhaps, just perhaps, it can be pierced; from either side, pierced.
We are all mourners. There have been times, and this Yizkor service might be one of them, when we have passionately yearned for those we have loved but lost. We ache for their presence and the ache is palpable. It comes from deep within us. It does not come from our body; not from our stomach, not from our lungs, not from our heart, not from our head. Rather our ache is born of our soul, for our soul is the true seat of all our feelings. In its own way, our yearning is our soul reaching out and grabbing at that impenetrable veil, seeking somehow to break through.
As we yearn for those we loved and lost, is it so hard for us to perceive of their yearning for us as well? Perhaps, just perhaps, these disembodied souls, which remain the very essence of everything that they were, ache for us as we ache for them. Perhaps, just perhaps, just as our souls reach out in search of a way to break through that veil, their souls are reaching out in much the same way. We grab the veil from our side as they grab it from theirs. While even together we cannot rend it asunder, perhaps, just perhaps, we can stretch it enough for the smallest of pin holes to appear, allowing our souls, even if for just a brief moment, to touch once again.
Perhaps that is what is happening when we find ourselves wanting so much to be in their company once more, to hear their voices and to feel their touch, and then somehow or other we sense that they are with us. We hear them speaking to us, not out loud, but their voices seeming to come from within. We feel their comfort. We sense their love. And somehow, if just for the moment, we feel less alone. We are filled with the sense that they are still there for us as they always were there for us.
Let us not be afraid to ache on their behalf. Let us not run and hide from what we fear will be the pain of memory. Rather, let us embrace that pain and allow to take us to whatever place it chooses. For there is a very good chance that it is taking us to the impenetrable veil so as to prick that veil with a tiny but sufficient hole for us to meet and touch once more those who we believe to be beyond our reach. For we must never forget that our pain is but a function of our love, and that love can be the strongest force in the universe. So when you combine our love for them with their love for us, can even the impenetrable veil resist such power?
[1]BABYLONIAN TALMUD, Tractate Sanhedrin 38a
A Jewish Perspective on the Ethics of End of Life Decision MakingApril 29, 2013
My congregation – Temple Emanuel of Davenport, Iowa – has started hosting a series of panel discussions on contemporary ethical issues. For these panels we bring in local experts on varying aspects of the issue. After introducing the topics and the "players," each program starts off with me offering a 10 minute presentation on the topic from a Jewish perspective. This year we experiments with two such programs; one on the Ethical Challenges Facing the Media and the other on the Ethical Challenges Facing End of Life Decision Making. While my presentation of the Jewish perspective on the topic of media ethics was made from an outline (and therefore far exceeded my 10 minute limit), for time and efficiency sake, I decided to prepare my presentation for end of life decision making in a full text format. It is that text which I share with you now. However, before I do so, let me offer a few disclaimers: 1) This presentation is far from exhaustive on the topic, nor could it be considering the presentation's time limit of 10 minute. 2) For research sources, I relied heavily on responsa literature coming out of the Reform movement. While a more evenhanded approach would have been to pull from responsa across the Jewish spectrum, being a Reform rabbi primarily speaking to a Reform congregation, I felt, and feel, completely justified in restricting my sources to those coming out of Reform Judaism. 3) As an adjunct professor at a local university, I try to be sensitive to issues of plagerism, however I am not always certain of some of the fine lines which define it. I have tried to give appropriate credit to my sources in my footnotes. If I have an any point crossed that line into the universe of plagerism, I apologize in advance for it was never my intention to "steal" intellectual property from another.
Several years ago one of our congregants suddenly collapsed and was rushed to the emergency room. She had several arterial blockages which the doctors tried their best to clear. However the damage was so extensive that there was considerable loss of oxygen to the brain. So she was placed in intensive care and put on a respirator. She never regained consciousness and it was not long before it was clear to the doctors that she never would. At best, her brain activity was minimal. So her loving family was faced with the very difficult and painful decision as whether or not to artificially keep her alive by means of the respirator although there was infinitesimal, if any, hope of her ever recovering, or remove her from the respirator and place her life into the hands of God.
So the family sought my advise, as their rabbi. I told them that they needed to choose what they thought would be best for their loved one and for themselves, and that whatever that decision would be, Judaism would support it. So they decided to take her off the respirator.
After they had made that decision, but before they had actually taken the action, they were visited by the local Chabad rabbi. When they told him their intentions, he was emphatic in expressing his opposition, claiming that in the eyes of the Jewish religion, what they were proposing to do would be nothing short of murder.
Two rabbis and two dramatically different opinions on a very personal and difficult subject. Which one of us was right? Actually, both of us could make that claim. For when you look at the traditional literature on such difficult end of life questions, you can find argumentation in both directions. You see, we think of these questions as being relatively contemporary but in Judaism rabbis have been debating these issues for centuries, indeed for almost two millennia; as far back as the MISHNAH, which was put in its final form approximately 1,800 years ago.
Before we can look at where we disagree, we need to spend some time looking at our areas of agreement.
Firstly, there is unanimous agreement among the rabbis that life is more than just a biological function. Rather it is a gift from God. As such, it must be viewed as sacred and therefore must be treated with great care.[1] Needless to say, Judaism fundamentally rejects murder – the taking of a life. This is as old as the Torah itself. It is one of the Ten Commandments.
The rabbis later extended the Torah's definition of murder to include suicide. The Talmud makes this point very clear when it tells the story of Rabbi Chananiah ben Teradion, a second century rabbi who was part of the Bar Kochba rebellion against Rome. The Romans captured him and condemned him to be burned at the stake. His loving students urged him to breathe in the flames so that he could die more quickly. He refused, giving the reply, "It is best that He Who hath given the soul should also take it away; let no man hasten his own death."[2]
Yet another point of mutual agreement is the prohibition against the practice of euthanasia or assisted suicide – taking positive steps to advance death regardless of whether or not the individual is terminally ill.[3] There is uniformity among the rabbis that this is but another form of murder, even if the "victim" is a willing participant, choosing to terminate their own existence.
There is also agreement that while taking positive actions to advance death is prohibited, that there is a clear distinction between such positive actions and indirect actions, primarily using negative means, in order to remove barriers which might hinder a natural death.[4] So, for example, the rabbis agree that it is acceptable to stop praying for the recovery of someone who is terminally ill. While we today may think of that as a minor matter, for the rabbis it was not, for they fully believed that prayers make a real difference. In fact the Talmud relates a powerful story to this effect. Rabbi Judah HaNasi – the redactor of the Mishnah – was dying with great suffering. Yet the other rabbis insisted upon standing at his window, offering continual prayers for his life. Finally, in empathy for her master, Rabbi Judah's servant woman climbed onto the roof and dropped a clay jug right over where the rabbis were gathered. The crashing of the jug on the ground startled the rabbis, interrupting their prayers. No sooner did they stop praying then Rabbi Judah was released from his suffering and died.[5]
It is on this point of making a distinction between positive actions that advance death and those actions which serve to remove the barriers to natural death that the rabbis part company. They do so over the very difficult question of boundaries. When does one's actions cross over from actively terminating a life to removing that which artificially prolongs life and interferes with a natural death? This can plainly be seen in a debate across time between two famous commentators, Moses Isserles (1520-1572) and the Taz, David HaLevi Segal (1586-1667). Isserles held that it was permissible to remove salt from the tongue of a terminally ill patient on the grounds that it was a stimulant which was preventing him from relaxing into death. The Taz challenged Isserles' position, claiming that the removal of the salt was an overt act which hastened death.[6]
It was on this question of boundaries – when do we cross over from actively terminating a life to removing an impediment to death – that the Chabad rabbi and I disagreed in the situation that I described in the beginning of these remarks. To reference the debate between Moses Isserles and the Taz, I stood on the side of Isserles while he stood on the side of the Taz. So as you can see, their debate continues today as we find ourselves struggling in our search for ethical answers for these end of life decision.
Not only will it continue, but it will grow in intensity and complexity as medical technology continues to advance our ability to prolong the length of life but not to the same degree, the quality of life. As a rabbi, I visit the sick and the shut in of our community on a regular basis. Among those I visit are those who are suffering from horrible diseases such as Alzheimers, which methodically strips them of their intelligence, their personality, their ability to communicate, until they reach a point when their body is here but all that made them who they were as human beings is no longer with us. I leave those visits deeply depressed for I miss the people who inhabited those bodies and I deeply dread the very real possibility that such would be my ultimate fate as well. And I cannot help but ask myself the fundamental question: When does life end? When the body no longer functions or when the individual who populates that body no longer exists and for whom there is no hope of return? Tough and frightening questions present themselves to us today and will continue, and multiply, in the coming years. We will need to struggle with the ethics of our responses.
[1]Euthanasia, American Reform Responsa, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1950.
[2] Ibid. Tractate Avoda Zara 18a, Babylonia Talmud.
[3] Euthanasia, American Reform Responsa, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1980.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ketubot 104a, Babylonian Talmud; Allowing a Terminal Patient to Die, American Reform Responsa, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1969.
[6] Allowing a Terminally Ill Patient to Die, American Reform Responsa, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1969.
A Hole in the Heart: A Yizkor SermonSeptember 29, 2012
Many years ago, my friend, Dr. Amir Arbisser, and I used to get up at the break of dawn 4 to 5 mornings a week in order to go walking in our neighborhood. In fact, we used to go walking so early that if my wife awoke in the middle of the night, for reasons many people awake in the middle of the night, she would go back to sleep not in our bed but in the bed in our guest bedroom just so I would not disturb her in the morning as I awoke and prepared for those walks.
However, there was one Friday morning when things did not go precisely as planned. When I awoke, I felt a bid odd. As I was getting dressed, my left side went numb. I knew I was in trouble so I went into the guest bedroom to get help from my wife. However, after I entered and turned on the lights and received the expected reprimand from her, matters took a turn for the worse. For when I started to tell her about my problem, much to my surprise I found that I couldn't. I had the words perfectly formed in my mind but my mouth just would not utter them. I tried once. My wife asked, "What's wrong?" I tried twice. My wife said, "Tell me. What's the problem?" After the third failed attempt, I stood there and found that I only was physically capable of saying one word, and that word is one that is inappropriate to utter in a sanctuary. And even that word I spoke with slurred speech.
Well, my wife got the message and she immediately phoned Amir, who rushed over and drove me to the hospital; my wife needing to remain at home with our two children, Shira & Josh, who at the time were too young to be left home alone; our third child, Helene, not even having been born yet. As Amir will attest, in the car ride to the hospital I made several attempts to expand my vocabulary but all I could produce was that one word, over and over again.
While Amir and I were driving to the hospital, my wife had called Larry Satin, of blessed memory, who at that time was the President of my congregation. He rushed to the hospital so fast that he practically beat us there. As Larry was ushered into my cubicle in the emergency room, my numbness was starting to fade and my vocabulary was just starting to expand.
I spent the weekend in the hospital as the doctors conducted all sorts of tests and I progressively regained my abilities. In the end, I was told that I had suffered from a transient ischemic attack, which is just doctor talk for a temporary stroke. In explaining the cause of this attack, the doctor showed me my echo cardiogram. He told me that it appears that I have a hole in my heart, between my right and left ventricles. From this he deduced that a small blood clot shot through the hole from my right ventricle to my left one, and then traveled to my brain, and there remained until it dissolved. Being told that you have a hole in your heart can be rather frightening, but the doctor calmed me by explaining that all babies are born with holes in their hearts but that over time those holes close. However, in about 10% of the population, the hole never completely closes. Yet not to worry. All I need do is take one adult aspirin every morning for the rest of my life and that should eliminate any danger of a future attack. And so I have done for all these years.
When one considers the physical hole I have in my heart, and that I share such a hole with 10% of the population, and that while it cannot be corrected, it is easily relieved by a daily dose of a common over-the-counter medication, having such a hole is really no big deal. However, that type of hole is only one type of hole in the heart. There are other types of holes in the heart as well.
Unfortunately the most common hole in the heart is one that eventually strikes every person on the planet and for which there is no simple over-the-counter remedy. The hole that I speak of is the hole that is left in our hearts whenever someone near and dear to us passes away; whenever death steals from us someone we love.
We who gather on Yom Kippur to offer the Yizkor prayers all have been inflicted with such holes. Some of us have endured one of them. Some of us have endured several of them. We know from experience that much like the physical hole in my heart, they never completely heal. With the passage of time, they may shrink, as measured by the intensity of the grief we experience on their account, but they never really go away. They always are there to sting us from time to time, sometimes sharply and sometimes slightly. But sting us they do.
We can never know when something we encounter in the course of our daily living will trigger a memory – a precious memory – but even with the pleasure of memory, there is also the stab of loss. "I wish Mom could have seen this. I wish Dad could have been here for that. So-&-so would have really enjoyed this. I can just imagine what so-&-so would have said about that. This song reminds me of her. This place reminds me of him."
All mourners know from whence I speak for we all have shared such experiences. We all have felt the anguish of losing a loved one and we all have struggled with the challenge of managing our pain and getting on with our lives. After each of my parents and my sister died, I did not smile for a year. But eventually I did find the capacity to smile again. I am sure that each mourner can share similar observations about their own grief experiences.
Recently I sent a condolence email to a colleague I have known throughout my rabbinic career. When I was a rabbinical student interning in a synagogue in Scarsdale, New York, he was the associate rabbi. He lost his mother, a woman who had lived a full and rich life of 96 years; a Jewish mother who not only had the pleasure of seeing her son become a rabbi, but her granddaughter as well. He responded to my email, thanking me for my words of comfort and then said, "I don't have much to complain about but still I'm sad at my mother's passing." For you see it matters not how long we had our loved ones with us, or even the manner in which they died. Even under the best of circumstances surrounding their passing, they leave us with a hole in our hearts. We live our lives knowing that the time will come when we have to let them go, but still when that time arrives, even under the best of circumstances, in the end they are yanked from us, taking a piece of our hearts with them.
And we are left to heal, some of us knowing and others of us not realizing that we will never fully heal.
O how we wish we could effectively address these holes in our hearts as easily as I address my physical hole. How we wish we could take some spiritual-emotional over-the-counter remedy which will make everything all right. But no such remedy exists.
Perhaps the absence of such a remedy is actuality a good thing rather than a bad one. For perhaps the soul is not that much different from the body. While there are many pains which our bodies can experience that we can relieve through dosages of one drug or another, still every once in a while we can find ourselves sitting in a doctor's office, with our doctor telling us that for the pain we are experiencing there is no cure. Medication can only bring us partial relief. The rest is a matter of learning how best to live with our pain. And so we learn how to carry on with life, listening to our pain; learning from our pain. As a result we learn how to maximize the quality of our lives through letting our pain teach us what we can do and what we can't do. Our pain helps define us, or perhaps redefine, us.
The spiritual-emotional pain we feel born of our loss is really not that different. Because it is a pain we will always carry with us to some degree or another, and like our incurable physical pain, we have to learn how to listen to it. We have to learn how to learn from it.
What can be learned from such pain? First of all, we can learn that love really does transcend death. Our love for those we have lost never leaves us and we sense it most keenly when we feel the pain of our loss; when it hurts us that they are physically gone from our lives.
When we feel such pain, instead of striving to shy away from it, let us strive to delve into it. "What is it that ties this moment to that relationship as expressed by the pain I am feeling now? What was it about that person's character and personality which causes me to miss them now so much that it hurts?" For it must be something good, otherwise we would not be missing them at all. As we embrace that connection – that tie in – we also should be embracing the realization that the very cause for our pain of the moment is precisely one of the aspects of our relationship which was so very precious. In its own way, our pain is the very measure of how valued that person was in our lives and remains valued in our lives.
From our pain we need to learn gratitude. Gratitude for all those things about our loved one that we now miss so much that it hurts. As we find ourselves refocusing from our pain to our gratitude, our pain itself will lessen and our joy will increase. We will find ourselves remembering how happy we were when in the company of these dear ones.
As we find ourselves transforming our pain to gratitude, we also will find ourselves beginning to learn a very important Yom Kippur lesson; the lesson of change; the lesson of personal growth. For as we explore what it was about our loved ones which has given us cause to be so grateful for having had them in our lives, we should also be realizing that these are some of the same attributes which we should wish to emulate and incorporate into our lives so that others, whose lives we touch, will find themselves likewise grateful for having us as part of their lives.
In their own very special way, these holes in our hearts, born of the loss of those we love, are very different that the physical hole in my heart. For when it comes to the physical hole in my heart, its effect needs to be counteracted, and I do so with a simple drug. Yet when it comes to these spiritual-emotional holes in our heart left by loved ones now gone, their effects should not be counteracted, but rather channeled. For out of these holes pours love and gratitude, and if we so will it, a road map to a better, happier, more loving future for ourselves and for all those others we know and love and with whom we continue to share our lives.
May God help up to learn from our pain and thereby grow into better human beings.
Life Is Too Short…September 27, 2012
My wife and I moved to Lincoln, Nebraska in the Summer of 1977 where I assumed my first solo pulpit and my wife began serving the Reform congregation in Omaha as its cantor. We were extremely fortunate in that in both congregations we quickly made many close friends. In fact, today we still keep in regular contact with several of them.
One set of friends that we made in Lincoln were two wonderful people who, for the sake of this article, I will call Ann & Mark. They were older than us, but then again in those days, who in the congregation wasn't, other than the students in the religious school? Ann always seemed to know the right thing to do. She was always there for the temple, and there for us. Mark was a successful professional who loved to read and who loved to engage in some of the most profound conversations. During our 5 years in Lincoln we spent a lot of time with Ann & Mark talking, laughing, dreaming. Each of us valued our friendship dearly.
Then it happened. It was in November of our last year in Nebraska. I was training their youngest daughter for her Bat Mitzvah. One evening the four of us were out for dinner, and of course one of the main topics of our conversation was the family's plans for the big event. It was in the midst of that conversation that Ann asked my wife if during the cocktail hour, she would sit on a stool and perform folk music for the guests, coffee house style. She told us how much she loved listening to my wife sing and that it would mean so much to them if she would sing during their party.
The request caught us flatfooted. My wife has never been that type of entertainer. While in high school and in camp she performed in some musicals and some operas, she never got involved in anything like cabaret singing. And when it came to folk music, she has never been a big fan. In fact, the only thing like a folk song that she knew how to play on the guitar was "Charlie on the MTA." And now, over 30 years later, I can tell you from recent experience that is still the case, for while we were in Anchorage this Summer, there was a folk singer performing at the bar in our hotel. Somehow or other he got my wife to pick up his guitar and sing for the crowd. After she played "Charlie on the MTA" she went straight into Debbie Friedman music. The room which, as you can imagine, was full of non-Jews did not know what to make of it while the folk singer thought it was great. In any event, with Ann & Mark's request before her, feeling like a fish out of water, my wife told our friends that she wasn't comfortable doing that, her repertoire of music being primarily Jewish liturgical music and not folk songs.
It was not long after that we learned that Ann & Mark were upset with us because my wife would not accede to their request and I did not prevail upon her to do so. Her refusal hurt them. We, in turn, became upset with them for placing an unrealistic expectation upon my wife and for allowing this matter to injure our relationship which had been such a strong and positive one. Yet that was the way it was and sorry to say, we spent our last 6 months in Lincoln, Nebraska at a distance from these two people with whom we had shared such a lovely friendship.
But that was not the end of the story. Both we and the Ann & Mark shared a very close relationship with another couple, who, for the sake of this article, I will call Joan & Ken. Indeed, barely a weekend would pass when Joan & Ken and my wife & I wouldn't be doing something together – usually eating, but sometimes going to a play or a concert. Well, a little over a year after we left Lincoln, Ken was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and about 6 months later he died. All of us in our group of friends were devastated by his passing. For my wife and I, there was no question but that we were flying in from California for the funeral. We arranged to stay at the home of another family with whom we were close. As we discussed over the phone our plans with that family, they informed us that Ann & Mark were hosting a dinner for all of Ken's friends. We winced. During our Lincoln-bound journey, my wife and I wondered what it would be like to walk into their home that evening.
So we found ourselves standing at their doorstep and we hesitantly rang the bell. Ann answered it. There were no words that were spoken. There was only loving embraces. I must tell you that even as I was entering these memories into my computer as I was composing this article, tears were welling up in my eyes and running down my cheeks. Our dear mutual friend was dead and in the light of our shared loss how insignificant our former differences with Ann & Mark proved themselves to be for both couples.
It is Yom Kippur and I chose to share this story with you because I believe that it can speak to the meaning of this day. For Yom Kippur is a day when we are supposed to confront ourselves with all of our flaws and shortcomings. It is a day when we are supposed to take stock of our lives as we have lived them up until now and seriously ask ourselves, "Where did I go wrong and what could I have done better?" And most important of all, "What am I going to do about it?" For if we neglect to do these things, then Yom Kippur is really little more than one long, uncomfortable, perhaps even boring, day in a synagogue. If we fail to confront our errors, both the small ones and the big ones; if we fail to admit to the pettiness which can so often drive our lives off course, then we will remain unchanged, and in this case unchanged means unhealed, while Yom Kippur is all about healing.
I chose to share this story with you because while this story is very personal to my wife and me, it also is all too universal. There are so many other who have stories in their own lives that in their own way are quite similar to this one. I suspect that there may be several reading this article who at one point or another had dear friends or family, with whom they suffered a falling out; a breach in the relationship which never healed.
I happen to be one of those people who loves movies. Well, there is a movie which if you have never seen it, you should. It is called "Avalon." It is about a Polish-Jewish family that comes to America in the early days of the twentieth century and strives to obtain the American dream. In the beginning, the family was wonderfully extended with aunts and uncles and cousins, all caring for and taking care of each other. Holidays were major family occasions. But by the end of the film, we see one lone nuclear family on Thanksgiving, eating their Thanksgiving dinner on tray tables in front of the television.
Friends and family are so important in our lives, or they should be. Yet somehow, all too often there are those of us who let them slip through our fingers for reasons not even worthy of recounting. In the movie, the big family break occurred over a family Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone was sitting around the table waiting for an uncle and aunt to arrive, but they were late; extremely late. Finally the host said, "Listen the children have to eat. We cannot wait any longer!" and he started to carve the turkey. Of course it was then that the uncle and aunt arrived. When the uncle saw that they were carving the turkey without him, he was furious and he stormed out. Is the carving of a turkey worthy of the dissolution of a family? I don't think so. Yet that scenario, with its own particular details and nuances is replayed time and again in the real world, with real people, family and friends.
Yom Kippur is here to warn us that life is too short for us to allow ourselves to get caught up and trapped by minor squabbles and differences; to grant to so many little things the power to dismantle that which is truly positive, meaningful, and important in our lives.
There are a thousand cliches that tell us the very same thing. Cliches like "Don't sweat the small stuff." But because they are cliches, we tend not to give them much credence. But when all is said and done, their message is a vital one for us, for they warn us over and over again, "Don't lose sight of your priorities." Learn to recognize that which is major and that which is minor, and don't let the minor destroy the major.
Many of you are probably familiar with the story of a professor who brought a pickle jar to class one day. He set it on his desk, in front of his students, and then took large rocks and proceeded to place them into the jar. When the jar could hold no more, he asked his students whether or not the jar was full. They responded that it was. Then the professor proceeded to take pebbles and pour them into the mouth of the jar. Once again, when no more would fit, he asked his students whether or not the jar was full and once again they said that it was. Then he proceeded to pour in sand. When the sand reached the top of the jar, he asked his question yet again, and his students replied that indeed it was full. At this point, he poured in water right up to the brim. He then asked his students what the jar has to teach us about life. Several responded that from the jar they have learned that there is always room for more. "No," he said sadly, "that is not the point. What the jar has to teach us is that you have to put the rocks in first, for if you don't there will be no room for them afterward. And the rocks, they are the biggest, most important things in our lives. They are our priorities."
Every day of our lives we are confronted with multiple situations, and unfortunately, sometimes conflicts. At these times, we need to focus on the rocks; the important things in our lives. We must let them guide our choices, our actions, our words, our thoughts, and, of course, our emotions. If we do so, then our chances are greater that we will not fall victim to the petty.
Our loving relationships are far more important than many of our opinions, yet why do we so often choose to sacrifice our friendships because of this issue or that issue over which we find ourselves in disagreement with the people we care about? Yes there are some opinions that are not just opinions but in actuality true basic life principles – principles for which it is worthy to endure sacrifice. But let us be honest about it. The differences of opinion that more often than not result in driving wedges in our relationships are not of that caliber. They are merely differences of opinion concerning opinions about which we have chosen, often for reasons unknown even to us, to dig in our heals and not let go until we have won. It becomes for us about victory and defeat rather than right and wrong. Years ago, Barb Arland Fye, the publisher of the "Catholic Messenger" taught me that when we find ourselves embroiled in a conflict, we need to ask ourselves, "Is this the ditch I wish to die in?" If the answer is "yes" then we are contending over rocks. If the answer is "no" then we are squabbling over sand and water.
One of the goals of Yom Kippur is to help us learn how to distinguish between the rocks and the sand and the water. For when we elect to sacrifice wonderful relationships for sand and water, we are committing a sin against those we are cutting off and against ourselves as well.
One of the goals of Yom Kippur is to push us along the path of healing broken relationships. We all know that two of the most difficult words to say in any language are "I'm sorry." But it is precisely those words, sincerely spoken, which contain the healing balm we all so desperately need.
Ann & Mark, my wife, and I were most fortunate for we were able to heal our relationship. But to do so, we had to pay an excruciating price; the tragic loss of our dear friend. I suspect that when we embraced, in Heaven Ken was smiling, for at least some good came out of his suffering and his passing. But to this very day, my wife and I miss him terribly. While we are grateful for the healing his passing brought to our relationship with Ann & Mark, we will regret for the rest of our days that the four of us could not have brought about that healing on our own. Yom Kippur attempts to teach us that healing need not be born of tragedy. It can be born of choice.
Bringing the Yahrzeit List to LifeFebruary 29, 2012
For those who are not aware of it, we Jews honor the memories of our loving departed by observing the anniversary of their passing by reciting a special memorial prayer in the context of our worship. We call that anniversary by its Yiddish name, "yahrzeit." The prayer we offer in memory of our our loved ones is called the "Mourners" Kaddish."
Last year, the President of my congregation came to me with a suggestion about how to make our services more personal at the point in the service when we recite the Mourner's Kaddish. I believe she had witnessed this at another congregation and found it meaningful. Her suggestion was that before we read the Mourners' Kaddish, we offer those who have a yahrzeit to observe the opportunity to share some brief reflections on the person or persons they are remembering. So we gave it a try and I have to tell you, I found it to be quite a powerful and moving change in the routine of our worship.
As long as I can remember – as a child and as an adult – while attending Jewish worship services, the recitation of the Yahrzeit List before the reading of the Kaddish was this dry cataloging of names of people, most of whom I did not know. Of course these names were meaningful to those who came to remember them and to those who actually knew them, and that indeed was important. Needless to say, the older I got and the more time I spent in the community, the more names there were on the Yahrzeit List were those of people I actually knew; people of whom I had personal memories; people for whom the act of saying Kaddish was more meaningful for me. Yet still, on any given Shabbat, many of the names, if not most of the name were for me, and I suspect for most of the rest of the worshipers, names of people unknown to us, and therefore impersonal. And on those Shabbatot where all of the names where unknown, the Yahrzeit list and the Kaddish were little more than signals that the service was drawing to a close and that the Oneg would soon begin.
However, this all changed dramatically as soon as we began to invite mourners to share their memories of loved ones with us. First of all, understand that not every mourner wishes to do so. It is not their obligation. It is their option. There are many people who are uncomfortable speaking in public, and there are others who find the public sharing of such memories to be too personally painful. But those who wish to share are invited to do so, and several do. We ask that these remarks be brief and some are less brief than others, but none so far have been overly long.
But far more important than whether or not their remarks are short or long is what they have to say. For it is in what these people say that we discover the power of the moment. These mourners share both memories and feelings. In so doing they transform these names into loving, caring human beings. They share their virtues. They share their faults. They bring a tear. They bring a smile. In the end, everyone in the sanctuary finds themselves, to some degree or another, mourning individuals who they may never have known face-to-face. We feel in our hearts the loss that our mourners feel. We feel our own sense of loss in that we have been introduced to an individual who we probably would have enjoyed knowing, but never had the opportunity to get to know.
In this way, in our services, the Mourners' Kaddish has become far more than a marker, indicating that the service is nearing its conclusion. Its fundamental purpose – that of keeping alive the warm and loving memories of those now gone – has been reawakened in our hearts and in our lives. We all become mourners. We all come to realize that every single individual – living or dead – is far more than just a name; that every single individual brings into this world their own special brand of beauty. When they pass away, and at least some of that beauty is lost, we are all diminished by their passing, even if we never knew them in life.
This has become a very meaningful congregational tradition for it has taken our worship services to a higher spiritual realm.


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to the Ginn Act
My Government
has tabled a Bill to amend the
Modification of Provisions (Ginn LA-West
End Grand Bahama) Act.
This honourable
House may recall that in 2005, the Government of The Bahamas concluded
a Heads of Agreement with Ginn-LA West End, Limited, the original Developer
of the Ginn Sur Mer Project at West End, Grand Bahama.
The 2005 Heads
of Agreement purported to grant the Developer considerable concessions
which were not permissible in law.
My Government,
in 2008, sought to honour the Agreement made between the Government
and the Developer, and did so by enacting appropriate legislation to
give effect to the concessions provided for in the Heads of Agreement.
Accordingly, My Government enacted the
Modification of Provisions
(Ginn LA-West End Grand Bahama) Act 2008
("the Ginn Act")
Many of the
concessions in the Heads of Agreement related to the stamp duty rates
which would be applicable in certain circumstances. Clause 2.1.8(a)(i)
of the Agreement provided that the applicable rate of stamp duty for
sales of $250,000 or more shall be 2% for any unimproved lot sold by
the Developer during the period commencing on the date the Developer
shall sell the first unimproved lot in the Project and ending on the
date which is five years after the date on which the Developer shall
sell the first unimproved lot in the Project.
In 2008, My
Government concluded a Second Amendment to the Heads of Agreement.
Clause 2 confirmed and ratified that the date of the first sale of an
unimproved lot was the 12th day of October 2006. Accordingly,
the concession provided under this provision will expire, five years
later, on or about the 12th October 2011.
to the Mortgage
This Honourable
House is advised that the Ginn Sur Mer project is owned by the Developer,
as well as another company called Ginn-LA OBB, Limited, which was a
subsidiary developer.
The Developer
owns approximately 1,500 acres of the Project. The Developer mortgaged
its land as security for a loan of $276,750,000 in favour of Ginn-LA
Conduit Lender, Inc., which subsequently (in 2006) transferred its rights
to Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands Branch as Administrative Agent and
Collateral Agent for a syndicate of Lenders ("the Lenders").
In 2008, the
Developer defaulted on the loan and the Lenders commenced steps to realise
their security. As at 2010, the parties contemplated amicable
measures to convey the Borrower's equity of redemption to the Lenders
using the concessionary rate provided in the 2005 Heads of Agreement
and the Ginn Act 2008.
My Government
was advised that once these measures had proven unsuccessful, on 12th
May 2011, the Lenders commenced foreclosure proceedings in the Supreme
Court of The Bahamas. On 1st September 2011, the Lenders
filed to discontinue the foreclosure proceedings, as the parties again
determined that they would pursue a conveyance of the equity of redemption
in the mortgaged property.
to this effect were concluded and placed in escrow, pursuant to an Escrow
Agreement executed on 31st August 2011, between the relevant
parties. It is intend that a company owned by the Lenders, namely
G-LA Resorts (Bahamas), Limited, would become the absolute beneficial
owner of the mortgaged property.
of the Government – Amendments to the Ginn Act
In furtherance
of continuing the Ginn Project in respect of the mortgaged land, the
Lenders have requested that Government:
My Government agreed and did so table the
Modification of Provisions
(Ginn LA-West End Grand Bahama) (Amendment) Bill, 2011.
In making such
a decision, My Government took into consideration:
My Government
has been advised that approximately $505 million have been expended
by the Developers as at 30th June 2011 on the development of the Ginn
Project. Besides land acquisitions and various legal and marketing
fees associated with the Project, the amount expended includes capital
works amounting to approximately $200 million including in respect of
The Lenders
have advised Government that it intends to continue the development
of the property once they have full ownership of the same.
My Government
has required that they do so in conformance with the plans and designs
previously approved in the Heads of Agreement, as it relates to the
mortgaged property.
The Government
is advised that the Lenders have engaged in extensive preparations to
continue the development of the residential component of the resort,
including market research and planning.
They have retained
Replay Resorts, a Canadian-based company which specialises in large-scale
master planned resort developments, to move forward with the development.
The Lenders'
Project Timetable submitted to Government provides that during the first
six months following the Lenders becoming the absolute owners of the
mortgaged lands, they propose to focus on: master planning; re-engaging
the marketplace; commencing a builders' program; construction of model
homes; and preparing for sales launch.
I am advised
that whereas the Lenders were prepared to execute the conveyances in
escrow, they are reluctant to close the transaction before knowing that
they would be approved to obtain the benefits and concessions provided
for by the
Ginn Act 2008 to enable them to carry on the development
as originally intended.
My Government has table the Bill to amend the Ginn Act before this Honourable
© Copyright 2011 by thebahamasweekly.com
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A while back, I expressed my desire for my blog to hit the big round number of 1000 followers. In response, my readers reminded me that Google Friend Connect is sort of passé, and that many people are now following me through Blogloving or some other reader, and that I probably have a lot more readers than I know. And I suppose that's true, so I decided not to fret over the almost-round number. But few days ago I discovered that, while I wasn't paying attention, my numbers had been slowly, quietly creeping up, and I actually had passed my goal of 1000 followers on Google without even noticing! Right now have reached the grand total of 1002.
So to say thank you to my loyal followers, I'm going to have little giveaway. If you read my blog a lot, you know that I love to make jewelry, way more than I ever, ever, ever could or would wear. So I'm going to give away a necklace, possible a necklace/earring set, or maybe even two, and maybe a couple of pairs of earrings as well. Don't get too excited - I'm not giving away my PMC (precious metal clay) jewelry - that stuff is ridiculously expensive to make and is all MINE. This stuff is more colorful and fun, but does not include precious metals. The photos on this post are a sampling of what I have. While the only earrings pictured here are parts of sets, my collection also consists of many fun individual pairs of earrings, particularly right for someone who likes a dash of color.
Here's what you need to do if you want to take a chance on this giveaway:
- First of all, if you don't already follow this blog, become a follower.
- Then, once you are a follower (or if you already were one in the first place) leave a comment. In the comment you need to tell me the following:
- An email address to contact you if you win. (Please feel free to write out the 'dot' and 'at' to avoid spam. I'll figure it out.)
- Favorite color schemes/color families for jewelry, including metal preferences (silver, gold, copper toned, etc)
- Size and style preferences, such as big and chunky or light and delicate? Prefer longer or shorter or any length? Ears pierced? Funky or conservative?
- Also: If there is any piece pictured on this post that particularly suits your taste, please point it out, as it is possible that something pictured here might be what is sent, and if you win, I definitely want you to like and wear what you receive!
- Leave your comment no later than midnight one week from today, Thursday, June 5th. A name (or maybe even two or three) will be selected at random and the winner will be announced on the blog and also contacted via email for mailing information. If you do not leave an email contact, you are not eligible to win.


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This blog is inspired by Sindy at bluebutterfliesandme who made the suggestion of having different people blog for the 12 days leading up to Christmas. Great idea!
Please check her blog for the full details, and for where you can visit each day:
Image provided by http://www.hdwallpapersinn.com/christmas-trees.html
The Christmas Tree
You can look all over the world to see that most countries have a form of Christmas tree on display at this time of year, usually decorated, especially with lights. But where does this tradition come from?
There are many traditions, from the ancient Romans and Egyptians, Germans and Scandinavians to the Druids and many pagan rituals that used evergreen trees to signify new life, spring, and the eventual returning of the light to the world. Various types of greenery were used, and usually brought indoors in winter, or at the time of the winter solstice, to help counteract the dark times and lack of apparent life during the colder months.
These could have been fir trees, but also date palm leaves in the case of Egyptians, or mistletoe or holly in the case of the Druids. Lights (candles back in the day) were later used to symbolise the return of the sun as a surety, and most probably as a symbol of God's light to the world, Jesus Christ. Many old religions and traditions revered a sun god, and by keeping a symbol of life and light in their homes, it ensured his return in spring, when all things would grow again and agriculture could continue, completing the circle of life.
There is a legend of St Boniface, an English missionary who went to Germany to spread the idea of Christianity to the pagan people. On witnessing them worshipping at an oak tree, he cut it down. In its place appeared a fir tree, which Boniface took as a sign of Christian faith, and the symbolic fir tree has stuck.
Although even those in the Southern Hemisphere (such as in Australia where I live) keep the same tradition at Christmas time, we really should be celebrating it in our own winter solstice in the middle of the year, as that is our winter. Because the old pagan traditions have been blended with the Christian beliefs originally put in place by the converted Romans, the winter solstice at the end of the year (Northern Hemisphere) has become associated with the birth of Christ, and hence the whole celebration it encompasses.
Whether you are Christian or otherwise, the idea of keeping the life and light in your home is a lovely one, and can be done with the traditional Christmas tree, or other greenery which you may like to place on an altar for reverence.
Link to next post: Karen at http://karenkubicko.wordpress.com/


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E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā iwi, e ngā rau rangatira mā. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
I move, that the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill be now read a first time.
In March this year, tens of thousands of New Zealand school students went on strike to protest a lack of decisive action on climate change. We are acting now.
Kia tau te rangimārie o te Rangi e tū nei, o Papatūānuku e takoto nei, o te Taiao e awhi nei, ki runga i a tātou. Tīhei mauri ora!
Mr President, tena koe. E nga rangatira, tena koutou.
Kia ora everyone, and welcome back to Parliament for the third day of the Third International Conference on Wellbeing & Public Policy.
Tena koutou katoa and, because it's Cook Islands language week, kia orana.
I am very pleased to be in Fiji, and to be speaking with you here today at the University of the South Pacific.
Let's Talk About The Weather
After all the rain we've had over the last few days, it's easy to forget what an incredible summer we had this year.
Tēnā koutou katoa.
When I was asked for my summary of the Budget yesterday, my answer was that it lays foundations for the future.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak at the Energy Management Association's conference this morning.
And congratulations on your 25th anniversary.
Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.
Kia tau te rangimārie o te Rangi e tū nei
o Papatūānuku e takoto nei
o te Taiao e awhi nei
DOWNSTREAM – 14 March Sky City Convention Centre Akld
I thank you for the invitation to attend this second Pacific Climate Change Conference and thank our hosts, Victoria University and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, for organising this important event here in Wellington.
Mr President, tena koe.
E nga rangatira, tena koutou.


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This week I attended the Central Wisconsin Social Media Conference. Of course, this is no big news, social media is a big part of what I do in helping local and small businesses increase their productivity. Social Media as a communication platform is an excellent way to business to connect and engage with their customer base. But the tools are more than just communication. As the technology matures, I'm seeing a fundamental shift in how social media is utilized. It's no longer good enough to have a Facebook page or to build a LinkedIn profile. Thanks to Google and the other search engines, Social is now woven into the fabric of the web. How our business, and its products and services are found online depend on greatly on how we use social media to promote ourselves.
In my break-out presentation at the conference, titled Social Media: Where do I begin I outlined five reasons why a business needs to be active and engaged in the social channels. Businesses that don't adapt the marketing strategy to integrate social media as part of their overall plans in the long run will be left behind those that do.
1. Social Mobile
In 2013 the smart phones as a computing device has eclipsed the number of desktop and laptop computers in use. 5.6 billion smart phones are in use worldwide and 50.1% of all mobile phones in use in the US have smart phone technology. Mobile content and the mobile enabled web are now more important than ever. Smart phone users interact with businesses using their smart phones and the apps it contains. Making is easy for these users to interact and share your content in a social manner is critical for these users.
2. Social Search
Social media has completely intertwined itself within the pages of Google search results. Facebook's new Graph Search will make your personal connections key in the search results. Why just limit yourself to one or two lines in the Google search results with your social activity can drive a half dozen or more returns. In search, content is key, but recommendations by others like with the Google +1, Facebook Likes, and Pinterest Repins will ultimately drive your website higher in the search rankings.
3. Location Based Marketing
Apps like Facebook Check-In, Foursquare, and Yelp turn your customers into your best marketing tool. Why not use these location based apps to allow them to 'check-in' to your location. Offer specials and discounts through the apps to encourage this, because when you do, their status gets shared with all their friends and connections.
4. Visual Social Web
Because of the smart phone integration, the web has become more visual than ever. Everyone has a camera with them and they're ready to share their latest images. Sites like Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram encourage visual sharing and offering compelling images on your social sites, blog, and website will increase traffic and social engagement.
5. Social Convergence
Traditional media has met and is embracing the social space. It's not uncommon to see QRCodes in print advertisements, POP displays, vehicles, and even billboards. Hashtags pop up on our favorite reality television shows so we can follow along with the participants in the virtual space. The new media is all about convergence and integrated campaigns. Effective marketing strategies will require a multidisciplinary approach, so social media should be a part of your next campaign and not just an afterthought.
Have these five trends in social media affected how you use the technology? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Photo Credit: Jim Carlson


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Japan Suicide
Tullow Oil exits Uganda
This should not come as a surprise for those who read my oil reports every Tuesday and Friday. I have sometimes done my own analysis on oil outside of the reports I share from oilprice.com, Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal. I remember writing an analysis with the title of WHAT IS THE FUTURE FOR UGANDA OIL when I used to write the business column for The Insider in early 2015. Tullow had just booked a loss of USD $14 Billion and it was blamed on exploration. Some of you will remember that Tullow and Heritage Oil had offered toRead More


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By Elias FB - Brigadista April 2019
At the University of Havana, we had an exchange with the University Student Federation (Federacion Estudiantil Universitaria, FEU). The FEU represents the interests of university students in various platforms. Cuba's parliament has representatives elected from amongst the FEU, and during our exchange the students discussed the new constitution's draft in local FEU meetings.
In Cuba, education is a right rather than a privilege. Everyone can access universities and efforts are made to eradicate inequality between regions and institutions.
Cuban higher education is free, while students' right to housing and other basic needs are guaranteed. Students also receive a small allowance so that they don't have to work while studying. Foreign students with scholarships such as those at the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) are entitled to those same rights.


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No Man's Land by Neil Broadfoot
English | 2019 | Mystery & Thriller | ePUB | 865 KB
War is coming to No-Man's Land, and Connor Fraser will be ready.
A mutilated body is found dumped at Cowane's Hospital in the heart of historic Stirling. For DCI Malcolm Ford it's like nothing he's ever seen before, the savagery of the crime makes him want to catch the murderer before he strikes again. For reporter Donna Blake it's a shot at the big time, a chance to get her career back on track and prove all the doubters wrong. But for close protection specialist Connor Fraser it's merely a grisly distraction from the day job.
But then another bloodied and broken corpse is found, this time in the shadow of the Wallace Monument – and with it, a message. One Connor has received before, during his time as a police officer in Belfast.
With Ford facing mounting political and public pressure to make an arrest and quell fears the murders are somehow connected to heightened post-Brexit tensions, Connor is drawn into a race against time to stop another murder. But to do so, he must question old loyalties, confront his past and unravel a mystery that some would sacrifice anything – and anyone – to protect.
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it's that time of year again, when I wrestle with wrapping paper, tape, and oddly-shaped presents
just to make me feel even more inadequate, this smug, smart-arse wraps his pressies without using any tape . . .
assuming you've watched the above video and are now feeling a bit cocky, having mastered this new way of wrapping presents, you're ready now to move on to a more challenging task – how to gift wrap a cat


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The Clifton Record (Clifton, Tex.), Vol. 112, No. 7, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Description: Weekly newspaper from Clifton, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.
Date: February 14, 2007
Creator: Smith, W. Leon
Item Type: Refine your search to only Newspaper
Partner: Nellie Pederson Civic Library


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Canada's CTV Picks Up Arrow
News May 31, 2012 Craig Byrne
CTV has picked up Arrow to air on Wednesday nights at 8PM on CTV Two in Canada starting this Fall. This will mean the show will air the same time it is seen on The CW in the United States.
Here's the description from CTV this morning:
One of the most sought-after new faces in Hollywood, Gemini Award-winning Canadian actor Stephen Amell stars in the new action-adventure drama ARROW. A modern retelling of the legendary DC Comics character Green Arrow, the series embraces a dark, cinematic take on the story of billionaire playboy Oliver Queen, who after a violent shipwreck was presumed dead but fought for his survival for five years on a remote island in the Pacific. Once rescued, Oliver returns home to Starling City, where his devoted mother Moira (Susanna Thompson), much-beloved sister Thea (Willa Holland) and best friend Tommy (Colin Donnell) welcome him home, but they soon realize that the Oliver they said goodbye to is very different from the one who returned. As Oliver tries to reconnect with those closest to him, he secretly creates the persona of Arrow – a ruthless vigilante determined to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society, and restore Starling City to its former glory. First on his list of targets is the villainous and corrupt businessman, Adam Hunt (Canadian Brian Markinson). By day, Oliver plays the role of the wealthy, carefree and careless philanderer he used to be – watched closely by his devoted chauffeur/bodyguard, John Diggle (David Ramsey) – while carefully concealing the secret identity he turns to in the darkness.
Cast: Stephen Amell (HUNG, HEARTLAND) as Oliver Queen, Susanna Thompson (COLD CASE) as Moira Queen, Willa Holland (GOSSIP GIRL) as Thea Queen, Colin Donnell (PAN AM) as Tommy, Katie Cassidy (GOSSIP GIRL) as Laurel Lance, David Ramsey (BLUE BLOODS) as John Diggle
Credits: EP: Greg Berlanti (BROTHERS & SISTERS), EP: Marc Guggenheim (FLASHFORWARD), EP: Andrew Kreisberg (THE VAMPIRE DIARIES), EP: David Nutter (SMALLVILLE)
Production Company: Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television


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The definition for Michael in the New Testament is #3413, which in the Concordance (A Bible reference dictionary) means, "Who is like God (El)?" The two scriptures that reference Michael are Jude 1:9 and Rev 12:7. The entries for Michael in the Old Testament all refer to definition #4317, which is defined the same as the entries in the New Testament. So, let's look at some scriptures about Michael the archangel.
The first verse is 1 Thess 4:16. This scripture says the Lord himself comes with the voice of the archangel. The Lord in verse 16 is referring to Jesus Christ. He himself comes with the voice of the archangel. (It is good to read verses 13-16.) The Interlinear (A Bible research guide that provides closer to the original version of scripture) says for verse 16, "because the Lord Himself shall come down from heaven with a commanding shout of an archangel's voice, and with God's trumpet. And the dead in Christ will rise again first." When Jesus comes, he gathers his people from the four corners of the earth.
The second verse is Jude 9. This verse says Michael disputed with the devil about the body of Moses, and that Michael did not dare pronounce a railing judgment against the devil, but said "The Lord rebuke you." The word "Lord" here is referring to God's name Jehovah/YHWH; the definition is #2962 for Yahweh, and is a NT translation of the Hebrew #136 - "donay", which is a title of the one true God and Hebrew #3068 which refers to Yahweh (or Jehovah for english), the proper name of the one true God. From this verse we know that the "Lord" is referring to Jehovah/YHWH, and not Jesus Christ. For the rest of this article we will use the english translation for God's name, Jehovah. So, Michael said, Jehovah rebuke you to Satan. Jesus said that he himself judges no one. It is up to Almighty God Jehovah to judge.
The third reference is to Zechariah 3:1-2. This scripture says Joshua was standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan standing there to accuse him. Verse 2 says, "And the Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, Satan."" This scene is part of a vision that appears to take place in heaven. Again, here it is up to Jehovah to rebuke Satan. This verse refers to two Lords…from one Lord to another Lord. As we know, Jesus Christ was with his Father in heaven (although he was not yet named Jesus), and as "Lord", he stated to Satan that Jehovah rebuke him. It is stated from one Lord to another Lord. Another instance of this usage is in Psalm 110:1, where the Lord Jehovah said to the Lord Jesus (although not yet named Jesus) to sit at his right hand until later.
The fourth reference is Daniel 12:1. This verse describes Michael standing up at a key point in time, the coming of Jesus Christ. We know that this time of distress and those who awake in verse 2 refer to Jesus' coming (and also after having seen the events in chapter 11 having taken place).
At this point, let's refer to Revelation 12:7, which says Michael and his angels fought. This verse says "his angels", and as we know from Hebrews Jesus is in charge of them. Jesus Christ is the head over all of the good angels, and they worship him and are in subjection to him (as are we all), while Satan is the head over the demons. From this verse we know that the dragon/Satan and his demons will be kicked out of heaven. Another point to be made here is that Jesus has pre-eminence in all things. He is the King, the highest, the Chief under his Father only and under no other. Refer to Colossians 1:18, as Jesus is the head of the church, the first and only begotten son of Jehovah, the first of all creation, the first raised first from the dead, of course King, and many other authorities that was given to him.
The next verse is in Exodus 23:20-23. This verse is one of several keys about the meaning of the word "angel". This verse refers to the "angel" sent by Jehovah before His people. God said he would send this angel before them to guard them along the way and to bring them into the place that He had prepared for them. In verse 21, he tells His people to obey this "angel" because Jehovah's own name is in him. This is true for Jesus Christ, as we will see.
The following scriptures match the verses in Exodus 23. Exodus 13:21-22 says the "Lord" went before the Israelites by a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on their way, and by a pillar of fire by night to give them light. Exodus 14:19 says the "angel" of God had been going before the camp of Israel, and then moved to go behind them as a pillar of cloud. All of these verses are referring to the same "Lord" and "angel". Remember that "angel" means "messenger", and then look back to Exodus 23:21, as it says the people were commanded by Jehovah to listen to his voice and obey him, and again that Jehovah's name was in that angel.
The next verse is 1 Corinthians 10:1-4. Jesus Christ was that "angel" who guarded Jehovah's people. Jesus Christ, the "angel" and "messenger" of God, God's protector and guardian of His own people. The name Jesus means: "Jehovah saves." (#2424) And today, we are commanded to listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, just as in that day (Deut 18:15-18 and Acts 3:20-23).
So, we know that Jesus Christ was with his Father before he came to earth (See Christ with God Before the World study available on this site) to be born and raised as a man, to become the son of man, to be made lower than the angels for that short time. And we know that the "archangel" means the "chief" or "highest" angel. And we know that "angel" means "messenger". And without a doubt, we know that Jesus Christ was the greatest "messenger" ever sent by Jehovah; He had sent prophets, who were persecuted and killed by the world, and then sent John the Baptist as a "messenger" to pave the way for Jesus Christ, and finally sent his only begotten Son as the greatest "messenger" of all time.
So, can Michael the archangel be Jesus the Christ? Why not? The scriptures lend themselves to proving that he is. We have just proven that the "angel" of the Lord in the Old Testament is Jesus the Christ in the New Testament. We know that while Jesus was on earth, Satan was the point of his controversy, as Jesus had been placed in Satan's world as our teacher, preacher, and messenger for 3 ½ years from the age of 30 until his death, and during the time to come, Satan will be cast to the earth to be in a world under the authority of Jesus Christ for 3 ½ years. Jesus Christ has every right as the highest being under his Father, and the head over all of the angels, to cast Satan to the earth in Revelation 12. As the Lion of the tribe of Judah and Lamb of God was the only one found worthy to open the seals on the book in Revelation 5, no one is more worthy than Jesus Christ as the one who is like Jehovah, with God's name in him, to cast Satan out of heaven in the war described in Revelation 12. Only he has been given the authority over such things.
The bigger question may be to ask why the name Michael is used in the end time scriptures, such as Daniel 12:1 and Revelation 12, instead of the name of Jesus Christ. As mentioned earlier, Michael means, "Who is like God (El)?" Maybe Michael's name was used in Daniel because people who read the writings before Jesus came to earth would know who he was. Maybe the name Michael is used in Revelation 12 for disciples and students like us to seek and to figure it out, that Michael is truly referring to Jesus Christ.
Another thought is that in the case of Melchizedek, some people have considered whether he may have been Jesus Christ. Of that there is not enough proof for our own discernment, but with Michael the archangel we have much more information to prove and discern who he is and why. We do know that Jesus has been given a number of titles and names in the Bible.
Jesus Christ having been Michael the archangel is not a discredit to Jesus. It is simply his role prior to becoming the Mesiah. After Christ was crucified and resurrected to be re-united with his Father in heaven, he received much more glory than what he had as Michael.
In addition to the subject of Michael the archangel here is a four Bible scripture research on "What Christ received that he as the archangel did not have".
The first verse discusses immortality. John 5:26-27 tells us that Jehovah gave Jesus life within himself. Although many angels will never die (Luke 20:36), they do not have the secret of immortality – life within themselves – which Jesus obtained from his Father after his own death and resurrection.
The second verse describes Jesus as our resurrection and life. Romans 5:18-21 shows how Jesus gives us grace (vs.15) and that He is our way out. It does not say the angels are our way out, but only through Jesus Christ.
The third verse describes how Jesus became so much more than the angels. Hebrews 1:1-14 describes Jesus having been appointed heir of all things, and by whom Jehovah made the worlds, and that Jesus was made much better than the angels because he inherited a more excellent name than them. As verse 6 says, let all the angels of God worship him. The definition of angel here in the Greek is Concordance #32: messenger. According to the Concordance, this definition of "angel/messenger" can refer to a human messenger, such as John the Baptist, messengers sent by John the Baptist or Jesus, or the supernatural class of beings that serve God.
The fourth verse describes how all things are under Christ's subjection. Hebrews 2:1-10 describes how the world to come has been placed in subjection under him, and that he was made lower than the angels to suffer death, and was after crowned with glory and honor. Only Jesus Christ is the author of our salvation. Even the angels are subject to Him.
So, we know and can prove that Jesus Christ, upon his death and resurrection, received something greater, which included immortality. At this point in time, only Jehovah and Jesus Christ have immortality. Immortality means one has life within their self, and cannot die. Before Jehovah sent Jesus from heaven to earth, Jesus had not yet received immortality. If he had, he could not have died for us, which was needful to fulfill God's plan.


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The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State, CP Ikemefuna Okoye, on Thursday put his officers and men on their toes in preparation for the yuletide season in the state. The CP directed men of the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Police Force to work hard and make sure that no ugly incident occurs in their respective places.
CP Okoye issued the directive while he was addressing officers at the November Mess Gathering at the Police Officers' Mess Ibara, GRA Abeokuta Ogun State.
Those present at the security meeting included the management team of the command, Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and Heads of departments.
The CP warned them against incivility to the public, corrupt practices and unethical conducts. The Director Code of the Conduct Bureau, Ogun State, Mr Oluwasegun Rabiu was on hand to lecture the officers on what is expected of them. Rabiu was at the meeting on the CP's invitation.
The Commissioner of Police also ordered officers to display their telephone numbers, relevant phone numbers and distress call numbers at the main entrances, charge rooms, investigation rooms and strategic places at their formations for transparency and accountability; and threatened to query any officer who fails to comply with his directives.
In the course of the meeting, CP Okoye prayed for peace to reign in Ogun State and directed the Police Chief Imam and Chaplain to offer prayers for a hitch free yuletide.


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The whole book is online here. Definitely worth a visit.
Friday, September 25, 2009
With the Tibetans In Tent and Temple
The whole book is online here. Definitely worth a visit.
1 reader comments:
Another less known traveler was the Finnish baron C.G. Mannerheim, whom the Russian Czar sent to a military reconnaissance journey to northern parts of China in 1906-08. Mannerheim combined the trip with ethnographical interests, sending back, among others, Buddhist manuscripts from Tibetan border areas. http://idp.bl.uk/pages/collections_other.a4d
Tibetans were genuinely inhospitable those days. The monks at Labrang monastery threw stones at him, and Tanguts (If I remember correctly) once gave him a sleeping place in a leper's house (Mannerheim noticed this only the next morning, after having slept there. The incubation period for leprosy can be decades, so this kept him in an uncertainty for a long time).
Mannerheim met the 12th Dalai Lama in 1908 ,towards the end of his journey. He was out of presents, and gave the Dalai Lama a pistol, saying "the times are such, that even a holy man might need such a thing".
- Konchog
- Friday, September 25, 2009 at 4:22:00 AM GMT+8


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It is the sad, solitary privilege of human beings to kill our own consciously, as well as to commit suicide.
This is so, we can rightfully assume, because human beings are the only beings that comprehend death - that of others as well as our own. We all know that we will die one day.
"You are one being among many / Only you hang on to Beauty / And know: you must part," wrote the poet Reiner Kunze. This knowledge penetrates every moment of our lives. Media in vita in morte sumus - in the midst of life, we are surrounded by death - went a medieval song.
Heidegger even made the knowledge of death key to the understanding of what it means to live.
Death isolates every individual, because there is no such thing as collective dying. Everyone dies alone. Those who realize this are thus tempted to deny any meaning to human conduct; everything, it seems, is futile in the end, because in dying we leave society and society leaves us.
On the other hand, only the knowledge of our mortality provides our existence with its preciousness. If we did not die, everything would lose meaning. Everything we do today, we could do tomorrow.
At a golden wedding anniversary one may wish that, now, everything should really start in earnest. But endlessly? That would immediately ruin everything. Knowledge of the end opens up dimension of meaning, which also makes it possible for some things to be meaningless.
"You hang on to beauty..." - this is the other characteristic that Kunze's poem ascribes to humanity. The experience of beauty is closely related to knowledge of death.
Beauty does not derive its meaning from its value for our biological survival or its use for other people, who must also die. What we call beautiful has meaning in itself. It can be human gestures and actions, even when they are futile or squandered on the wrong people.
Beauty is resistant to the hubbub of the absurd. For religious believers, as earlier with Plato, beauty is a foretaste of what survives death.
How does society deal with dying and death? With death one ceases to be a member of society. A state can threaten death, but, as many totalitarian regimes have learned, no one is stronger - and possibly more dangerous - than those who have overcome the fear of death.
The threat of death is a powerful weapon. To have to deliver on that threat is always a defeat.
The ritualized culture of death and funerals in the old European tradition was an experience in which society was aware of its limits. By embedding death in rituals, society made its self-questioning into a part of itself.
This attitude has a necessary religious dimension - and one that legitimized society. By acknowledging itself as finite and limited, society could think of itself as also sanctioned by God.
Belief in immortality made the opposition between life and death relative. Mortals see death as the gateway to true life, much as a caterpillar might look at a butterfly. As the words inscribed on an execution sword in Munster put it: "When I raise this sword, I wish the poor sinner eternal life."
Our atheist modern age understands the contrast between life and death as absolute. We search for some palliatives, but they are ineffective. "My life continues in the lives of my children," we say, but for an individual this is an empty phrase.
We doggedly fight to prolong life, only to find that we cannot win this battle - and are left unable to produce authentic rituals to accompany the end of our existence.
Because our societies have no sense of limits, they strive to eliminate death from our consciousness. More and more often, death takes place in a hidden hospital room. Death is suppressed socially, but the effect is that individuals' fear of death grows ever greater. Most people nowadays face death never having witnessed the death of someone else!
Next comes a desire to eliminate quietly those who can no longer be seen as members of the social world. Holland, with its euthanasia law, is not internationally condemned; indeed, its killer-doctors see themselves as an avant-garde. Suddenly, such killings can't go fast enough.
Definition of death as "brain death" allows one to declare breathing beings dead and to eliminate the process of dying, in order to exploit the dying as warehouses of spare parts for the living.
Death no longer comes at the end of the process of dying, but - by decree of a Harvard commission - at the beginning.
The Judeo-Christian custom of burial is rapidly being replaced - not by the ritual of an Indian pyre, but by a crematorium, that is, the destruction of a corpse by means of high-temperature machines, a procedure from which the public is excluded.
More and more people believe that they are doing their children a favour by letting themselves be buried anonymously "under the green grass" to spare them the costs of the funeral and the upkeep of the grave.
The oldest distinction of homo sapiens - ritual burial of the dead - is disappearing.
Robert Spaemann is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Munich, and Honorary Professor at the University of Salzburg. His books include Persons: The Difference between 'Someone' and 'Something' (Oxford University Press, 2006), Happiness and Benevolence (Continuum, 2005) and Essays in Anthropology (Wipf and Stock, 2010).


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The shapes of letters in all languages are derived from common forms in nature, according to a new hypothesis.
The idea, in some ways seemingly obvious and innately human, arose however from a study of how robots see the world.
Robots employ object recognition technology to navigate a room by recognizing contours. A corner is seen as a "Y," for example, and a wall is recognized by the L-shape it makes where it meets the floor.
"It struck me that these junctions are typically named with letters, such as 'L,' 'T,' 'Y,' 'K,' and 'X,' and that it may not be a coincidence that the shapes of these letters look like the things they really are in nature," said Mark Changizi, a theoretical neurobiologist at the California Institute of Technology.
Changizi and his colleagues think letters and symbols in Chinese, Latin, Persian, and all 97 of the other writing systems that have been used through the ages have shapes that humans are good at seeing.
It's hardly surprising that Chinese characters can be, so to speak, traced back to nature. They're pictograms. Of course, needless to say Chinese characters have through the centuries evolved toward ever more stylized and simplified forms of the originals.
Back to the English alphabet, I really feel antsy about Changizi's claim that "it may not be a coincidence that the shapes of these letters look like the things they really are in nature." With regards to that i'm wondering what he has to say about such letters as B, C, D, G, O, P, Q, R, S, U. On the one hand, it's almost a truism to say that any alphabet will have some correspondence with things we see in nature (straight lines, curves, circles, ...) On the other hand, unless there's a strict operational definition, there's enough leeway to force fit alphabets, characters, and what have you to confirm the hypothesis. Given that the news item is for popular consumption and doesn't have the rigor of a journal article, I'm giving Changizi the benefit of the doubt.
(I'd also be interested to see the precursors of the modern alphabet and how many of them have the distinct corners/junctions Changizi talks about. Moreover, it may be instructive to know what the connection is between the written letter and its pronunciation. For instance, Which came first? I put my money on the oral tradition.)


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Academic medical centers face pressures not only in relation to patient care, but for delivering high quality education as well. With lagging deliverables and implementation schedules, Solving IT recruited a seasoned Project Manager to steer these critical projects back on course.
One of the nation's premier academic medical centers (AMC) faced challenges created by their derailed clinical software implementation, including delayed timelines and deliverables. Critical information, including patient records, was intermittent or inaccessible.
Solving IT provided project management expertise to bring the project back on track by creating a coherent project plan, workflows and processes. This person not only acted as the manager of internal and external communication, but also liaised between the AMC and its clinical software vendor to negotiate terms and solutions for the near and long-term. Through clear and frequent communication, the project veered back on schedule and successfully delivered on its intended initiatives.
The AMC achieve improved patient care, physician and patient satisfaction, and a 25% savings on the overall cost of their medical imaging system through Solving IT's project management leadership.


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United States of America: Maze of injustice: The failure to protect indigenous women from violence: End injustice - free forensic examinations
All survivors of sexual violence should be offered a forensic examination, without charge, regardless of whether or not they have decided to report the case to the police. Indigenous women in the USA are being effectively denied access to these examinations. If the authorities fail to provide the examination in appropriate surroundings or do not store the results properly, this can jeopardize prosecutions and result in those responsible for rape not being brought to justice.