Family Records Centre Knowledge Base
What records do Family History Centers have? I'm going to one on Monday. Their website doesn't give much info so I thought I'd ask people who'd been there. I'd like to know who were the god-parents and witnesses of my earliest know ancestors to see if I can link to related families, do Family History Centers have Catholic records for Pennsylvania and Massachusetts? I know not all centers have the same things but I would rent the microfilm from the head-office if they had the record there. Also do they have civil death records?
Family records advice.? I need advice please on who to contact, the Family Records Centre or the National Archives in the UK., with regard to the 1901 census. Louisa Marsh wed William Baker in Brighton Sept. 1894. They had 2 daughters, Louisa born Nov. 23rd 1897. (the other one,dont know her name). William died in Brighton in 1899. I have tried spelling the name all different ways, Backer, Bakor, Bakerr. Bacor, the list goes on all to no avail. Obviously it is some transcript error.I have tried Genes Reunited and 1901 Census On Line. Thank you.
Can I use Media Center to records dvds from my VCR? I have never hooked up my Media Center I was wondering if I could use it to record old VHS family videos on my computer or even to DVD. I know you can use it like tivo, but this I haven't heard one way or another. If not what is the best way to do so?
family records, I cant understand the writing? can some 1 help me out? <center> <img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee6/leanne_dando2007/untitled.jpg" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"><br><br> </center> it says john hale then next to it, it says something then 19 whats that thing before 19 http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee6/leanne_dando2007/untitled.jpg sorry thats the link Bunny hater, please stop e-mailing me all the time being abusive. Please find other things to do instead of harrassing people on here. your a mother so could you please grow up
Need help searching through Canadian family records....? I went to a genealogy center here in Tulsa, OK, but none of them could find anything about my grandmother's parents. Here's the info: I need to know some information about William Williams who was born in 1879 in Scotland and married Susan Florence Downey anywhere from 1910-1918 in Toronto. If anyone could find ANY information on him, especially about his parents and/or grandparents, that would be awesome because I can hardly find anything. Ashley, you're the best! How do you do this? I have some other family members that I want to look up as well lol.
Picture this: A Family Room 16x24 you enter from the center of? the 24 length. Straight ahead is a fireplace, wall sconces on either side. To your immediate left there is a small bar area, with 6' bar and 4 barstools. There is a curved soffitt over this area with two pendant lights coming down from the soffitt and illuminating the bar. The there is a slider on the right wall to the backyard. In the far right corner is a dining area. The far left wall is an entertainment wall with all necessary electronic equipment and various media: CDs, DVDs, Videos, Books, Records. . Also located somewhere in the room but subject to discussion are a couch, a coffee table, a drum set, and various other instruments and recording gear. The walls are textured. SO ! Tell me what walls you would paint and what colors. Where would you place other items ? It's all open to discussion. We can even change the color of furniture. The room is illuminated with six MR-16 can lights equally spaced.
How do I record my family movies onto a dvd? ? OK, I have a nice tv with lots of hook ups...but already plugged in I have a home entertainment center dvd player/radio thing...I have a regular camcorder that used to be directly hooked up to my tv and record on my dvd recorder. But now with this new tv, i can't get my dvd-r hooked up to the tv. I can watch my videos but how do i get this all hooked up so it will all work???? Please help!!!
Why are democrats really upset about the phrase "phony soldiers"? Senator Reid and the 40 other democrats who are smearing Rush Limbaugh had no problem with William Arkin's calling the troops "mercenaries" Democrats also had no problem with John Kerry's attack on the troops, or Barak Obama's attack on the troops, or Dick Durbin's attack on the troops, or....... Obviously its not for attacking the troops but we do have these two of many examples. Two people familiar with the federal probe said Democrat Atlantic City Mayor Levy is under investigation on suspicion that he lied about his service for financial gain. According to one of the sources, Levy is suspected of lying about having received a Combat Infantryman's Badge, a medal given to soldiers who participate in active ground combat, and about having post-traumatic stress disorder. As a veteran, he was entitled to veteran's payments, but by embellishing his record, he could get more money, the sources said. The total financial benefit gained in this way would be less than $25,000, they said. His current salary is around $101,000, according to the acting mayor. The controversy bubbling around Levy erupted in November 2006, when the Atlantic City paper reported he had "knowingly misrepresented" his military record to family, friends, reporters and the public for years. The newspaper said it began examining Levy's record after a local veteran expressed doubts that Levy had been a Green Beret. The Press examined Levy's claims by contacting the National Archives and Records Administration's National Personnel Records Center, which reported Levy had never been involved with the Special Forces. In Harkin's case, the questions that have lingered longest concern his Navy record. Mr. Harkin did serve in the Navy during the Vietnam era, but exactly what he did, and for how long, remain a matter of some dispute. "After I got out of college," he says in his standard stump speech, "I spent eight years, eight months and eight days as a Navy pilot." His military record, though, shows he served five years on active duty, from Nov. 21, 1962, until Nov. 30, 1967. The senator arrives at the eight-year figure by adding on three years in the ready reserve. Mr. Harkin's military record, acquired by The Wall Street Journal through a Freedom of Information request, shows he remained active in the reserves, ready or not, until Oct. 1, 1989, retiring with the rank of commander. "I'm right," Mr. Harkin says. "I was a Navy flyer for eight years, eight months and eight days. I have a certificate to prove it." What he did while on active duty is even more confusing. In 1979, Mr. Harkin, then a congressman, participated in a round-table discussion arranged by the Congressional Vietnam Veterans' Caucus. "I spent five years as a Navy pilot, starting in November of 1962," Mr. Harkin said at that meeting, in words that were later quoted in a book, Changing of the Guard, by Washington Post political writer David Broder. "One year was in Vietnam. I was flying F-4s and F-8s on combat air patrols and photo-reconnaissance support missions. I did no bombing." That clearly is not an accurate picture of his Navy service. Though Mr. Harkin stresses he is proud of his Navy record--"I put my ass on the line day after day"--he concedes now he never flew combat air patrols in Vietnam. He was stationed at the U.S. Naval Air Station at Atsugi, Japan. Damaged aircraft were flown into Atsugi for repairs or sometimes flown out of Atsugi to the Philippines John Kerry: And there is no reason, Bob, that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women, breaking sort of the customs of the -- of -- the historical customs, religious customs. so Kerry is saying here Bush is terrorizing kids in the dead of night? How can anyone take you seriously when you continually cherry pick or lie and not answer the question. just admit they dont care one lick if Rush really did attack the troops and be done with it.
How do I get a home study for adoption in Korea? I've contacted 18 agencies . . . all the agencies at my home of record in the states. I am in the military in Korea. I will probably not return to my home of record in the states for another decade or so. The family center and community services center both say that they no longer have social workers who can do home studies in Korea. As of 2006, Korean law requires that US citizens use a US based agency to adopt, that I cannot adopt through a Korean service over here. How can I find a social worker who can do a home study?
How could I order this film online? Can I order from a Latter Day Saint family history center? It is an immigration record from July 11, 1832 Philadelphia. I have found the transcribed version online at http://www.immigrantships.net/v2/1800v2/arab18320711.html Though I have this, I would like to have the original copy of the record. At the bottom of that website is says it comes from here: "National Archives and Records Administration, Film M425, Reel 47. " How could I get this online? How much will it cost? It would be very convenient if I could get at a family history center. All help is greatly appreciated.
How can I convert media center video to watch on Tivo? Goal is to record on Media Center PC (in the office), convert the file to a .tivo. Then I'll be able to use Tivo desktop to push it up to the Tivo box, and watch it where the Tivo is in the family room. Tivo and Media Center PC are alreay networked, and Tivo desktop is enabled.
What is the return on investment of a check cashing franchise? I am working with a franchise consultant who is recommending that I purchase a check cashing franchise with a company called Family Financial Centers. I have never owned a franchise before. I would like to find out from current franchisees of this or other companies how much investment of their personal time is necessary and what kind of net profit are you making per year. Family Financial Centers is a new business (3 years) so I'm concerned that there is no long term track record of it's profitability.
How do I go about willingly paying child support? I want to be on record as paying child support but I can't find information for dads who WANT to pay it. I know I should call my local family services center but what's involved? Is court neccesary? Paternity test? Basically, what is the process? This is emily's boyfriend. Emily is NOT a father.
People with work experience for a youth organization? I just got a clerical job for a youth counseling center and in the list of job duties it has some acroynms. TFC parent. I think it means theraputic foster care. Also email to appropriate ARC? Also does anyone know who OFMQ is?ILS issues? BLS times and recreation? DPS records for TFC family? Also aside from all these acroynms do you have any advice for me. I have never worked in a counseling center so I don't know anything about it. I have alittle office work in my background thats it. To anyone who has worked in an office like this they know you get audited like twice a year it's alot of work. Do you think someone with little office experience and no college education can sustain this job?
I am applying for full time clerical jobs. Could you help me as well? I am seeking employment in the Concord NH area. I have many years of experience serving the public, legal and medical as well as purchasing depts in manufacturing as an admin assistant. Legal: Assisted in civil litigation, domestic/family law, personal injury, criminal, labor and employment law, discrimination and probate cases. Drafted and typed legal correspondence, pleadings, documents, briefs, and other legal documents that was required for each specific case, and organization of hard copy and electronic files. Responsible for client intake, billing, scheduling appointments, depositions, mediations and other meetings necessary for each case, and for tickling deadlines. Medical: Responsible for admissions, reception area, medical records and call center. Entered vital information, insurance information and other medical information electronically. Scheduled and confirmed appointments, and noted cancellations with patients and medical staff. Reception: High-visibility of public relations, greeted and assisted public, answered several types of switchboards, multi line telephones and intercom systems. Directed calls to assigned personnel and departments. Responsible for picking up, distributing and delivering mail, office supplies inventory, petty cash, and delivery and pick up of documents to courts and law firms.
Getting involved with a guy from the wrong side of the tracks? Well I like this guy and he's sort of left of centre. He has a criminal record for shoplifting when he was like 12 or something and he goes to this bad school, but he seems really friendly and nice to me. Also I go to a pretty pricey school and my family are all Catholic so what do you think?
I Think New Labour Are On Their Way Out, Do You? Hello. We have record uncapped immigration (3million unwanted immigrants no matter where they're from jumping housing queues over local residents,bringing with them their filthy habits and disgusting families), record crime (in which New Labour have been rewarding criminals for their bad behaviour and punishing victims for their good behaviour since 1997), record debt (of around £2 trillion pounds or £100,000 per household ran up by Brown under an increasing volume of lies and more lies about the borrowing), record town-centre drunkardness (in which my own town centre is a river of blood, crime, vomit and urine at the weekends and a no-go area for the locals because of 24 hour drinking which us British cannot cope with), record anti-people laws all given to us by New Labour (which is around 3000 pieces of anti-people legislation either from Parliament or Brussels). We were promised a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty but it never happened. We spend £55million a day proping up the European Union when the money could be better spent here. We have QUANGOS coming out of every orifice doing goodness knows what and costing billions of pounds. We cannot get urgent out of hours medical care by any English speaking GP because they changed their contracts giving GPs more money and less hours and no weekend cover.Millions cannot get dental care because they changed Dentists contracts so they too got more money and no longer had to provide NHS dental treatment even though we the tax-payer paid for their training. The current Prime Minister is a two-faced duplicitous and bare-faced liar and has been caught out by Mrs.Duffy specifically and the general public collectively. I hope that New Labour and all their cohorts are consigned to the dole queues on Thursday.I for one will be glad to see the back of Brown once and for all. I think New Labour are on their way out. Do you? Big L 266 I am not a natural Conservative voter! I am not a natural Conservative voter! Alan-I know my facts from fiction.Unlike the current idiot at 10 Drowning Street,I know first hand what immigration has done to this market town I live in.Its being ruined by drunk foreigners banging on my door at 3am because they think they live here.My front garden is a local chucking depot for bottles and cans,my neighbours garden has been urinated in more than once,and druken foreigners shout and holler outside my home-all of them Poles. They are a bloody nuisance,should be deported,and never allowed back.I wish the BNP had some decent policies but they don't. They do queue jump Alan.A family from Czechoslovakia dumped themselves in Peterborough and were given immediate housing for the two adults and five kids they brought here with them.The local Rumanian population catch and eat the Swans along the River Nene.This is fact dear boy not fiction. My account of the national debt isn't far-fetched either. With this government there are two sets of books.One lot for the government and general public,and the real one which only Gordon and other tops Ministers see.If there was a proper legitimate audit of this nations books,you would see that give or take the odd billion,we've been deluded by New Labour for the past 13 years as to exactly what we've borrowed and what we've spent. As for QUANGOS it works like this. My little local Community Hospital is overseen by the regional Hospital which is itself overseen by a local health authority,which in turn is overseen by a regional health authority,which in turn is overseen by a strategic health authority,which is then overseen by the Department of Health. I would guess that for every medically trained specialist, doctor or nurse in this small community hospital,there are 15 non-medical staff telling them how to do their jobs.The same goes for education and welfare. Please don't tell me I'm wrong when I know I'm not. As for the European Union,we should have a single one-off referendum as to whether or not we stay in it. The last time was under that Tory idiot Heath back in the mid-70s - now 35 years ago - and that was to vote for the Economic European Community a far cry from the political claptrap foisted on the citizens of the UK without ANY referendum by ANY party. I remember under the Old Tories of the 70s when the dead weren't buried,the rubbish wasn't collected for months on end with Leicester Square being the biggest in-town rubbish heap,the dreaded three day week,the pathetic trade unions running Labour and ruining the economy and being held to ransom in the process.I remember the rail strikes,the train strikes,the steel strikes,the shipbuilding strikes,the coal strikes,the bus strikes,and car building strikes etc etc.All under the Tories and all changed under Thatcher and for the best.We dont' make anything anymore because of pathetic trades unions of the past and foreign buyers who went elsewhere - anywhere in fact - other than Britain.So yes,the Torys have a lot to answer for in the past,but then so do Labour.So please don't lecture me about my knowledge of social history.
Question regarding the States Attorney office.? My daughter recently advised that she was sexually assaulted by her step-father. The states attorney is pushing the case off and giving this man a free pass on the grounds that I am currently involved in a custody battle with my daughters mother. And that they won't convict him because I am trying to use this as an advancement in my custody hearing. This is totally untrue, and there is absolutely no evidence to back this up because it's untruthful. The states attorney hasn't requested or reviewed any of the documentation that would lead to his conviction ( ie. Children Family Services notes, Hospital records, Crisis center records) They are simply trying to let him off without a thorough investigation, which if they viewed the videos, read the reports, and listened to my statement, would see that everyone involved believes this actually happend to my daughter. Any idea what my recourse would be in this case. I've called my attorney and haven't heard back. This is the second representative within that office to toss this aside.. Thank you for your reply Laughter_evey_day, I actually spoke with the lead detective and they have already made this assumption and are just now requesting records, but advised him that t wouldn't influce the case much. I saw the list they were asking and it was all geared toward my custody case.. not the issue at hand.
How many lies can we kill today? http://www.insightmag.com/Media/MediaManager/immigrants.htm A new study has struck a harsh blow to the premise that U.S. immigrants, particularly from Mexico, are committed to traditional family values. The Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies said that immigrants from Mexico and Spanish-speaking countries were not committed to traditional values and pointed to the dramatic rise in illegitimate birth rates among Hispanic immigrants. The center said in a study that immigrant out-of-wedlock births have kept pace with those of native-born Americans. "The argument is often made that immigrants have a stronger commitment to traditional family values than do native-born Americans," said the report, entitled "Illegitimate Nation: An Examination of Out-of-Wedlock Births Among Immigrants and Natives.” “However, birth records show that about one-third of births to both groups are now to unmarried parents.
WHY are SO MANY Members of Obama's Family Dead or Hidden Away in Kenya? Now ask yourselves... Has America EVER HAD a President Where ALL his Family members are EITHER DEAD or Hidden away in Kenya & elsewhere from media interviews??? Mother - Stanley Ann Dunhan - dead from cancer Father - dies in car crash in 1981 Grandparents who raised him - the Dunhams - BOTH DEAD ? STEP Father - Lolo Soetoro - DEAD too... And Sister, Maya tells different hospital in Hawaii of Obama's alleged birth (Queens Medical Center) - than Obama does (Kapo 'lani Medical Center... Then - VOILA - Snopes & UPI quickly change their records last month after a WND story illustrates how brother & sister can't get their stories straight on his alleged birth hospital - that WILL NOT CONFIRM if Obama was born there - even when he tried to talk Kapo ' lani Medical Center into affirming his birth??? But STILL - HAVE WE EVER SEEN a U.S. President with SO MANY DEAD or HIDDEN AWAY FAMILY MEMBERS???
Media Centre Queries!? Hi. I have just bought a really nice TV (full hd, the works) and I am looking into purchasing a media centre. I want something which plays Blu-Ray DVD's, and which enables me to record TV. Now i am fine with functioning computers, but other members of the family do often struggle. I want to know - do the media centre pc's tend to boot-up quicker and easier? Can they turn on by the touch of a button on the remote control for example. When the computer does boot-up, is it easy to start the media centre program or software? And on that note, which is the best media centre software to get? I plan on getting the pc with Vista premium which would have Windows Media centre built in. Is that good enough? Does WMC play blu-ray dvds in the optimum quality? Basically, i just want to be assured on simplicity for less computer-literate people. Sorry for any confusion. I'm new to all this. Thanks
LDS Question: What is a "bishop's letter" and what are my chances of getting one? There is someone whose dates fit into known events has possibly having been my grandmother. Same name, born 2 years after my grandfather, and deceased three years before his marriage to his second wife. I clicked on the "Source call number" link from familysearch.org and got this text as part of the information listed: The document is listed as "Family group sheets prepared by patrons and taken directly to the temple; also baptism-endowment cards for the deceased on these family group sheets." (My grandfather and his second wife were LDS members, unsure if my grandmother was. Their children are mostly Catholic, one LDS.) Additionally, it says: "No circulation to family history centers. Photocopying not allowed. Must show temple recommend or bishop's letter to use the material. Access to these records requires patron show proof that they may include his/her own lineage." So, what are my chances of viewing these documents? I'm not an LDS member, so what is a bishop's letter?
What do you think Victim's family angry that illegal hit-run driver still in U.S? An illegal immigrant who has been arrested five times for driving offenses, including a hit-and-run that ultimately left an elderly Dacula man dead, was back in court in Gwinnett County last week.The family of Aubrey Sosebee, whom Celso Campo-Duartes was convicted of running over in 2005, wonders why the Mexican plumber is still in the United States. “He shouldn’t have even been on the road, let alone this country,” said Gary Sosebee, one of the man’s sons. Sosebee’s family believed Campo-Duartes would be sent back to Mexico after serving time on the hit-and-run charge. The Sosebees received a letter from the Gwinnett County district attorney’s office informing them that Campo-Duartes was due back in court for a probation violation hearing. “What’s he still doing in this country?” asked Sosebee, 55. “That’s what we want to know.” Sosebee said his father, who had gone to retrieve the mail when he was run over, spent his last few months in a hospital bed, being fed by a tube. He was 83 when he died. Gwinnett County Assistant District Attorney Rich Vandever said he routinely sees illegal immigrants pass through the system and back again. “We deal with it every day,” Vandever told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It really shows how the state’s hands are tied.” Campo-Duartes served a little more than two years in the Gwinnett County Detention Center after he was arrested in October 2005 for serious injury by vehicle, driving without a license, driving without insurance, and having a tag from another vehicle on his car in the Sosebee case. He was not able to afford bond, according to court records, and spent the next 26 months behind bars. Campo-Duartes initially rejected entering a guilty plea because the judge told him he risked deportation. According to the court transcript, the magistrate judge asked him if he understood the ramifications of pleading guilty, and Campo-Duartes said he did not. The case was set for trial at an undetermined date. In the meantime, Campo-Duartes wrote Superior Court Judge Timothy Hamill, explaining that he has a wife, three children and a 60-year-old mother for whom he is the primary provider.The letter did not specify if the family was in Georgia or in Mexico. In his absence, he said, the family had lost their house and car and was in dire need of food. In January 2008, he entered a negotiated plea to a charge of failure to stop at or return to the scene of an accident and was sentenced to two years in prison and three years of probation. Campo-Duartes was released for time served. It wouldn’t be long before he was back in police custody. One year ago Saturday, he was arrested for driving without a license and released the same day on $760 bond. In October, he was arrested on the same charge. This time, an immigration hold was placed on him, meaning no bond could be issued. Nonetheless, according to jail records, Campo-Duartes was released eight days later. Those arrests came before the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department began participating in the 287(g) program — a partnership with the federal government that trains deputies to identify illegal immigrants in the county jail, then hand them over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)for possible deportation. Cobb, Gwinnett, Hall and Whitfield counties and the Georgia State Patrol participate in the program. Before 287(g), “our hands were pretty much tied,” said Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway. He said it is likely someone like Campo-Duartes jailed on a traffic-related offense was not checked. “This just reinforces the need for that program in Gwinnett County,” Conway said. “I’ve said before that it was a revolving door in the past where an illegal immigrant could be arrested eight or 10 times and released even on bond or after 48 hours. It’s just more work on Gwinnett County government to process people that shouldn’t be here.” Campo-Duartes was arrested again on May 28, charged with disorderly conduct and unlicensed driving. He would have been eligible for a $1,983 bond, but since the arrest is a violation of his probation, he is being held without bond. His hearing was continued until September because he didn’t have a lawyer yet. .Now that Gwinnett has adopted 287g, Campo-Duartes will be handed over to federal immigration officials once this case is resolved. In court Thursday, Campo-Duartes claimed he had already been deported, but there’s no record of it. If he was in fact deported and returned to the U.S. illegally, “that action constitutes a crime and the alien can be charged with illegal entry and, if convicted, can be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/victims-family-angry-that-597345.html
Do you think I'll get the parents' names of this person involved in this document? I'm going to the family history center and I'm going to be looking at a microfilmed record of one of my ancestors who I could find almost nothing on before this. It is a marriage record in Kerry County, Ireland in the year 1885. It is an "Ireland, Civil Registrations Index (1845-1958)." I know I'm a geek for actually looking forward to seeing what's going to be on the record ;) I think it may just be a list of people and when they got married, but I don't know...
Why would there need to be recent records of a pap smear for a routine Depo Provera shot? Okay, here's the deal. I've been taking Depo shots for the past 9 months (or more) with a prescription from my Family Physician. I also go to an OBGYN and have gotten pap-smears from him for the past 3 years. I'm in my first year at college and am due for my shot on October 14th. I went to the campus health facility to make an appointment for my shot and the receptionist told me that they needed record of my pap smear in order to give me the shot. I had my OBGYN fax over my records of the last pap smear (which was less than a year ago; will be a year at the end of the month). The nurses said my records were outdated and that I need to get another pap smear before I get my shot. This would make sense, but they scheduled my pap smear and my shot for the same day. This means that the results of my pap smear have nothing to do with whether or not I can get my shot because you obviously have to wait for the pap results. My question is what does my pap smear have to do with getting my Depo shot? The major problem with this is that my OBGYN is over 4 hours away and there is no way I can get there or get an appointment by then, and my mother wants to keep me with the same Gynecologist. Is there a valid reason for the health center to request the pap smear?
What do U think of these stories Illegal Drove Drunk Crashed Into Family woman jailed in child smuggling at? BREWSTER, N.Y. (WPIX) - A man who is said to be living illegally in the country, was charged for driving while intoxicated and without a license after hitting the car of a family of five Sunday night in Brewster and causing injuries to a 4-year-old boy, according to police. Mario Carona, 43, was arrested following the accident that occurred at the intersection of Oak Street and Main Street, police said. Cardona crashed into a Honda sedan stopped at a stop sign and carrying the family of five. The 4-year-old boy complained of head and neck pains and was taken to Putnam Hospital Center with minor injuries, said John Del Gardo of the Brewster Police Department. Cardona had a blood-alcohol content of 0.17, according to Del Gardo. That's more than twice the 0.08 percent threshold for driving while intoxicated. Cardona was arraigned Monday and sent to the Putnam County jail on $3,000 cash bail or 5,000 bond, Del Gardo said. Cardona is charged with driving while intoxicated and was issued summonses for being unlicensed and driving too close to a vehicle, police said. The minivan was registered to Cardona's brother, Jose Cardona Del Gardo said. Jose Cardona, who has a North Carolina driver's license, was issued a ticket for allowing an unlicensed driver to operate his car. http://www.wpix.com/news/wpix-illegal-arrested-driving-drunk,0,5052475.story A Galveston County woman is behind bars in the Rio Grande Valley after she allegedly tried to pass a 12-year-old Mexican boy off as her own son. U.S. Custom and Border Protection (CBP) officers arrested Africa Celene Chavez for aiding an abetting a the illegal entry of a minor into the United States on Sunday. Federal court records show that the 36-year-old San Leon woman drove up to Brownsville's Veterans International Bridge with a 12-year-old boy inside her car. Chavez claimed the boy was her son and showed his birth certificate. Interviews during a secondary inspection allegedly revealed the boy was an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. Chavez appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Felix Recio on Monday morning where she pleaded guilty to a misdeameanor aiding and abetting charge. Judge Recio sentenced Chavez to 30 days in jail. Court records show that that Houston-area woman could get out of jail sooner if the children in her car are safely returned to family members. http://www.valleycentral.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=326742 According to advocates this woman should not be arrested was she hurting you , NO-mind your own business isn't that the new way of talking ?The illegal driving drunk gets a free pass right, because somebody else did it and did he hurt you, NO, -mind your own business isn't that the new way of talking ?
Will the Obama crime family but Al Capone's house? For sale: Six-room two-flat in Chicago's Park Manor neighborhood; ornate tile work; impressive brick exterior; an underground cellar big enough to hide some cash or ditch a tommy gun. The home at 7244 S. Prairie Ave. once owned by mobster Al Capone and his family has hit the market for $450,000. It's a hefty sum considering similar two-flats in that working-class South Side neighborhood are selling for $180,000 to $230,000. But no other home in Chicago can match the history of the modest brick house that has had just two owners since Capone's mother died in 1952. "I'm looking for people who would be interested in the historical value of this home," said Patrice Brazil, the Coldwell Banker agent who's listing it. "It's an excellent home, and it's in great shape." Records show the Capones bought the home for $5,500 in 1923 after moving from Brooklyn, N.Y., where Al Capone's notorious business interests began. Capone centered his bootlegging, gambling and prostitution enterprises in Cicero and later moved them to the old Lexington Hotel at Cermak Road and Michigan Avenue. But he was a frequent guest of his mother's, famously barricading himself inside one December night in 1927 when police threatened to arrest him.
Does going to rehab for opiates affect all my medical records?my dad is a dr & i dont want him finding out..? I am 19, F, & addicted to opiates. I started a year or so ago just gettin high off them on weekends and it has grown to an every day thing. I dont take many, usually 2-4 pills every evening. If i dont get any some nights, i get extreme anxiety and have physical withdrawls. My friend is an addict also, and is trying to get me to go to rehab with him. We found a rehab center that uses suboxone. I heard that when you go to rehab, it goes on all of your medical records and you can not be prescribed opiates EVER again. My problem is, that my dad is a doctor. My family doctor that i go to is good friends with my dad. They work in the same office. My parents do not know that i am an addict. I know there is patient-doctor confidentiality, but i am afraid if rehab goes on my medical records my dad will find out. Is this true? is there a possibility this can happen? i do NOT want my parents knowing about this yet. im not addicted bad yet, but i want to end it secretly before it gets bad!
Will my sons father be able to see my son without a contact centre when this goes to court next month? I split up wit my sons father a year ago because he was very immature drinking too much and on drugs and he kicked me and my 6 month old son out!! I was letting him see our son until he decided to freaten my family and I had to geth the police involved! So in the best interests of my son because he is a very controlling and verbally violent man!! He then moved away 350 miles away from us n myself and solicitor made an offer to him of seeing his son once a month for a few hours until he got to know his dad him now being 16 months old and then it being moved into a contacted centre he declined this but still wanting to see my son with me being there and also taking me to court in the mean time I let him see my son for the past few months with me being there for 3 days letting him in my house transporting him around until I realised he was disrapecting me and the I said that I would no longer run round for him and take his controllingness as he started to try to controll visits and where we were going etc I said if he wanted to see his son he needed to find his own transport he kicked off at me in front of our son and I had to leave his meeting him early because it up set my son!! He has a criminal record, he drinks night before seeing our son even tho asked not to and drink is a problem with him because it turns him nasty, he takes drugs, his controlling a verbally agressive and I don't see it in my sons best interests to be manipulated by this man who says his going to tell our son wen his older how evil I am!!he is very unstable n tried to kill himself before moving away he lies to his solicitors and says what I am saying is untrue, he is on the birth certificate! He wants access of having my son at his parent (who my son doesn't know) for the week end every two week, birthdays Nd Christmas and the two weeks out of the summer! I am his full time career and his parents live 200 miles away from me!! Will a court give him unsupervised visits or will it have to go to a contact centre?? As I fear for my childs safety!! Please help!???! Thank u for ur help iv got evidence with the police as it's on record! I have evidence of things hee has said and written about me on the Internet I don't know if I can prove his drink and drug problem because the people he does that with will not give evidence for me as there his friends and family! Will this be enough as he is known as a liar I'm worried the court won't see through his lies and will believe him cos his very crafty lik that and it's not fair for my son his very advanced for his age and in a very good routine and I don't want him to put my son out of that and up set him. Thank u for ur help iv got evidence with the police as it's on record! I have evidence of things hee has said and written about me on the Internet I don't know if I can prove his drink and drug problem because the people he does that with will not give evidence for me as there his friends and family! Will this be enough as he is known as a liar I'm worried the court won't see through his lies and will believe him cos his very crafty lik that and it's not fair for my son his very advanced for his age and in a very good routine and I don't want him to put my son out of that and up set him.
What should I be when I "grow up"? Right now I work in Records at the Law Enforcement Center and I'm really getting into the law enforcement career. I don't want to be a police officer. I've lived with that my entire life--my dad and brother are both cops--and I've seen what it does to you, and your family. Recently I've been considering Forensics or Coroner work. Any suggestions on classes I should start taking for either fields, or other suggestions on other fields I haven't considered would be much appreciated! Thanks for your help!!! **Don't want to be a Police Officer**
i want to get my record of achievement from when i was at school in the year 2000? i took my gcse exams at park high secondary school in the year 2000. From sept 1995 until june 1999 i attended park high school and then in september 1999 until july 2000 i attended the seacombe family centre to complete my education . seacombe family centre where i completed my education was were i was based this was the place were i was taught but the actual name of this education school was the solar campus and it was run by Mrs Jackie Forcey whom runs the teenage mums school
family court question I need help please a.s.a.p? I am 14 years old and have a sister who is 9 years old. My dad is slowly about to die really soon and he is not my biological father and he never adopted me but he is my little sister’s biological father. What I want to know is at what age could I try to see about moving out of my mother’s house or could I even try to move out and take care of my sister. What steps would I have to follow in order to do that? My mom has a past record of Prostitution, driving while intoxicated, domestic violence, and maybe drug possession I feel very strongly that when my dad passes she will go back to that lifestyle she already speaks about going back and doing things from her past or that she would like to commit suicide. She is a alcoholic and has already started using drugs again every once in a while, she is very emotional and short tempered and can sometime become some what abusive and take things out on me and my younger sister as well as my dad. My family would not take us in if something were to happen because of past arguments between my mother and family and because they are races against blacks. And my mom is not capable of taking care of us she has never had a job and has relied on my dad for the last 13 or 14 years. And far as my biological dad he is in prison I don’t want me and my sister to be places in foster care so I have never spoke up about any of the problems going on in my home. I just really need to know what age at the youngest could I try to move out and keep my sister with me. I have already looked into places and some what figured out the cost of living In some area’s and this is what I came up with …….. Rent $390, Bus fair $70 monthly includes me and my sister, Electric $25- $50, Food $200 that’s with budget and cooking foods that last, personal & household items $200, all the total of $910.00 plus maybe a little more. I also know I need to keep extra money incase of emergency. If a can get these two jobs this is the pay I would have. 8am – 4pm at 4.75 a hour 7 days a week 38 a day 266 a week 798 for 3 weeks 1,064 for 4 weeks computer center 5pm- 8pm 5.85 a hour 5 days a week 17.55 a day 87.75 a week 263.25 for 3 weeks 351.00 for 4 weeks This is my total I come up with for both jobs together. adding 3 weeks 798.00 263.25 is 1061.25 left is 261.25 adding 4 weeks 1,064.00 351.00 is 1415.00 left is 615.00 If you haven’t noticed I am really serious about this. And as for school I will continue with school online and my sister could still go to school and then during the day be with me at the computer center while she does her homework and when I get out of work we would be home together. I stay in Lansing, Michigan I REPOSTED THIS QUESTION WITH MORE INFO TO SEE MORE TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND MY QUESTION PLZ GO TO THIS LINK http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ah0.8x.vBvuiiQz0uuaveOrsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20070908183527AAYkxoK
OBAMA. Really visiting grandma? It seems very ironic to me that Obama suddenly boards a plane to Hawaii to visit his grandmother who is "supposedly" on her deathbed at the very same time other matters are taking place in Hawaii. This is something I read yesterday but still have heard nothing else about the matter [It appears that] "An hour or so before Obama’s announcement of his trip to grandma's house, conservative commentator and Obama critic Andy Martin was scheduled to file an emergency petition with the Hawaii Supreme Court to “release Barack Obama’s family records,” including his “birth certificate and related records.” (No additional information at this time.)". "But Andy Martin, an anti-Obama columnist, says the real reason for Obama's emergency trip is to stop his own pursuit of birth records, including an emergency writ to the Hawaii Supreme Court to request expedited handling after a previous filing to demand that the State's Department of Health release the records. "Obama did not pay any attention to his grandmother until I showed up in Honolulu," he wrote in an email. "Suddenly she is the center of his attention. She is so central to his campaign that he has suspended it! But when Obama was here last summer he only visited his grandmother for an hour. One hour! Now he suspends his campaign for her?"" I find this very interesting!! "The Times Herald even reports: "the senator's grandmother, brother and sister, who live in Kenya, believe they were present during Obama's birth in the African country." Here, the Times Herald uses the word that his family 'believe' he was born in Kenya (perhaps to avoid possible law suits by Obama's Truth Squad?)." The Berg allegations, it would have seemed, were easily handled more than a month ago. Sen Obama was given 30 days from the September 15th filing to respond to Berg -- such response would have ended the entire matter. Instead, Sen Obama, and his attorneys allowed the deadline to pass, unanswered. “They did not file answers or objections or anything else to the request for admissions we served upon them on September 15,” Berg said. “They knew the admissions were due. They knew they must object or answer specifically in 30 days. Here, they did nothing.”" Why would he do such a foolhardy thing? He could have simply put the entire matter to rest. Instead, he now faces the prospect of the Hawaii court system forcing the opening of his private records. Hence, the sudden trip to Hawaii to visit his ailing grandmother. Informed Lawyer posts:
What can I do about a law enforcement officer intimidating my family? My 19 year old daughter has a son and the father to her child comes from a family of law enforcement (His father is a detention center sheriff officer, his Aunt is a judge, his mother works for the county court.) My daughter and her childs father have had some problems with getting along as far as their child go (he wasn't even a part of the babys life for the first 6 months, by his own choice). He has been a huge bully and been more than disrespectful to our whole family. I went with my daughter to meet him yesterday and he immediately started an altercation with us. I had my daughter call his parents hoping they could diffuse the situation as we were unsure what to do, or why he was so angry. His parents were unreceptive to our request to help and his father, the Sheriff, proceeded to tell me "You are about ready to find out what kind of family we are. We work for the law, we are the law, and you would be a fool to mess with anyone in my family. You have no idea what we are capable of." First of all the only thing that was said before his son went off, was a request to meet somewhere else. That was it, so we were confused about where all the hatred came from. When I asked why the hate, he stated "I wear an officers uniform and you should respect that. As far as hate I am an officer of the law, I am trained to not have emotion." It was scary and bizarre. His son was arrested (in a different county thank God,than the one his family works for) for harrasement towards me, and domestic violence and harrasement towards my daughter. I am terrified of a law enforcement officer that throws his influence and power around like that. I am afraid for myself, my daughter, my grandson and the rest of my family. Can I file a complaint that will be on a permanent record against the officer? I just don't believe my family should have to live in fear of a family who obviously puts themselves above the law. Please Help! I am not exaggerating the situation, but because it was in a phone call, it is his word against mine. I did put it in my police report, and his son immediately told the police when they went to question him " My dad is a sheriff and my aunt is a judge" The sheriff informed him to not try to intimidate him because that would be a felony. Should I file a complaint in my county or his? Thank you all for your feedback
Researching a WW2 Veteran? I am attempting to learn more about my Grandfather, who died in 1989. He served in the navy during World War 2, but I do not have the exact entry or end of service. I do have his Social Security number, but not his service number or the variation of his name that he served under (Bill, William, Will, Billy, etc.) Furthermore, that information is unavailable in the family. He didn't marry my Grandmother until well after the war, and that information was never handed down. How can I go about getting that information so I can make a request to the National Personal Records Center for information about his Military Career? He was said to have earned some medals during Guadalcanal, but I haven't found his name for any WW2 lists of Silver Medals, Navy Crosses, or Medals of Honor.
Family court custody question I had already posted this question but I guess I didnt put enough info, plz help ALL OF THIS WAS ALREADY POSTED BUT THERE IS NEW INFO AT THE BOTTOM I STAY IN LANSING, MICHIGAN I am 14 years old and have a sister who is 9 years old. My dad is slowly about to die really soon and he is not my biological father and he never adopted me but he is my little sister’s biological father. What I want to know is at what age could I try to see about moving out of my mother’s house or could I even try to move out and take care of my sister. What steps would I have to follow in order to do that? My mom has a past record of Prostitution, driving while intoxicated, domestic violence, and maybe drug possession I feel very strongly that when my dad passes she will go back to that lifestyle she already speaks about going back and doing things from her past or that she would like to commit suicide. She is a alcoholic and has already started using drugs again every once in a while, she is very emotional and short tempered and can sometime become some what abusive and take things out on me and my younger sister as well as my dad. My family would not take us in if something were to happen because of past arguments between my mother and family and because they are races against blacks. And my mom is not capable of taking care of us she has never had a job and has relied on my dad for the last 13 or 14 years. And far as my biological dad he is in prison I don’t want me and my sister to be places in foster care so I have never spoke up about any of the problems going on in my home. I just really need to know what age at the youngest could I try to move out and keep my sister with me. I have already looked into places and some what figured out the cost of living In some area’s and this is what I came up with …….. Rent $390, Bus fair $70 monthly includes me and my sister, Electric $25- $50, Food $200 that’s with budget and cooking foods that last, personal & household items $200, all the total of $910.00 plus maybe a little more. I also know I need to keep extra money incase of emergency. If a can get these two jobs this is the pay I would have. 8am – 4pm at 4.75 a hour 7 days a week 38 a day 266 a week 798 for 3 weeks 1,064 for 4 weeks computer center 5pm- 8pm 5.85 a hour 5 days a week 17.55 a day 87.75 a week 263.25 for 3 weeks 351.00 for 4 weeks This is my total I come up with for both jobs together. adding 3 weeks 798.00 263.25 is 1061.25 left is 151.25 adding 4 weeks 1,064.00 351.00 is 1415.00 left is 505.00 If you haven’t noticed I am really serious about this. And as for school I will continue with school online and my sister could still go to school and then during the day be with me at the computer center while she does her homework and when I get out of work we would be home together. NEW INFO POSTED AFTER ORIGINAL QUESTION I guess I might not have made it very clear and I apologize for any confusion but no there is nobody else in my family who I could turn to. My mother had to give up two kids before me and my sister and they both live with other people in my family but because of that situation my mom had problems with other family members and chased them all away and its to the point where even though my older sisters are still in my family we can no longer see them and the rest think me and my little sister are a bad influence and have no respect because of the way are mother acts, which by the way I dislike very much cause I am nothing like my parents. But the only people in our family who would speak to us were my grandparents and my grandfather died in 04 and my grandmother just passed in June of 07. There use to be one person “My Cousin” she is 22 years old and she stills wants to get custody of me but because of some legal issue’s she might not be able to. See my birthday just passed and in July I completely lost it for a second because of the fact my grandmother had just passed and my dad is dieing and my mother is slowly killing herself as well. So I ended up drinking some alcohol at my cousin’s house while my cousin was in the bathroom and I drank so much in such short time that I had actually drunk myself into a coma. I still have yet to deal with that whole court issue because its not coming up until the 17th of this month so I have no idea what they will say as far as my cousin but she has been the only one who looks after me and helps me. She had got 2 beds one for me and another for my sister and got clothes and other personal items for us. We would stay with her for most of the summer and during the weekends while there was school. But now since this happened my mom has not let me have any contact with her and blames her for my actions when I take full responsibility because I know I was in the wrong.
I was charged with shoplifting for baby clothes (1st offence) with AUS$475. will i have criminal record? I was charged with shoplifting for baby clothes and a bottle of eye gel 2 days ago in Myer worth approx. AUS$475.00. This is my first offence and I need to go to court later. I am working but pay majority of my income to child care thus not much spending money left. My baby's birthday is coming in Oct so I stole some baby clothes from the store, of course this is a huge mistake! Since my mother in law always come to look after my baby when she is sick so I wanted to give something nice to her, so i stole that bottle of eye gel. I am working in call centre. I feel sorry about my stupid mistake and so afraid of what will happen in the court. I also don't want to affect my family and my baby's future. Will I have a criminal record on it? What is the most common court decision on my situation? Please help me.
Family photos or just photos in general? I realize that my family rarely takes pictures, or videos for that matter. Important events (such as birthdays, getting my drivers license, etc) go without being recorded by any means. My mom/dad used to want pictures and videos of EVERYTHING. We used to take pictures of not just important events, but daily life as well. I love seeing pictures of the family during thanksgiving or my brother learning to ride a bike or friends and family together at a Sunday backyard BBQ. I feel like we should take more, but I can't seem to get the family motivated. Even if I try to take pictures, no one wants to be in them. If I ask them to take a picture of me, they seem think it's weird or self-centered of me. Also, I don't have many pictures of me with my friends. My family worries that people would photoshop me into a vulgar picture or something. I understand that there are weirdos out there, but I can't let that fear stop me from living my life. What should I do? I want to preserve precious memories and be able to show others, such as my future children or grandchildren. I also want to remember the good times with my friends.
What will Barack Obama do for U.S. Veterans being cheated by having their service records purposely destroyed? It has been uncovered 47 of 51 VA Centers that determine compensation for U.S. Veterans, have had VA records purposely shredded, so evidence of injuries and illnesses no longer exists anywhere, thus claims may then be denied on the grounds there is no proof to substaniate the claim. This has been discovered to be more wide-spread than originally thought when 57 claims for compensation were found shredded in Columbia, SC at the VA. Columbia, SC is home to Ft. Jackson, a U.S. Army Training Center! After it was discovered the files were purposely destroyed, an investigation has so far reveal part of the reason for this action is to save paying money, although the veterans have earned it and are entitled to the compensation! The veterans are not the only people being denied fair compensation....their families and children have been denied and go without, many forced to go on Federal Food-Stamps to have enough to eat! Will Barack Obama directly address this situation as promised on the campaign trail or was he just paying "Lip Service" for veteran votes? Will the American public stand for their veterans to be denied, while they send others off to war...to be denied at some future time and location, what they were promised? Does America care if the same children who are worried to death their mother or father may be killed in battle deserve to be denied enough money for food, while their parent is sent into "harms way"? Wall Street got hundreds of billions of dollars in a "Bailout", veterans children are told to go and apply for "Food Stamps" and are embarrassed by being forced to "BEG" for food from the U.S. Government! Has this nation, no shame? Barack Obama says "Change is on the way"! Is change on the way for American Veterans and their families or was the "CHANGE" just for George W. Bush and the Wall Street, "Fat Cats"? The American Veteran is fighting wars on all fronts, both abroad and here at home. The pay they receive "Pales" in comparison to civilian pay for the same job a lot more safer here at home! This is Barack Obama's chance to show "real change for the better", not just talk about it! Do you believe Barack Obama really cares or does America have four more years of another George W. Bush concerning veterans and their plight in America?
Are my ideas more centre-right or centre-left?would u vote for me? On the economy i would: Institute a tax of 14% on those that earn above $120,000 Institute a tax of 12% on families earning in between $70,000-$120,000Institute a flat tax of 10% on families earning 60,000 or less Give a tax rebate of 6% to families that earn 60,000 or less Give a property tax rebate of 6% to families that earn less $140,000. Institute a tax of 12% on small businesses owners and a tax of 10% on farmers. Give a rebate of $3000 to all small business owners and farmers. Institute a tax of 15% on corporations. Give a tax rebate of 4% to corporations that don't send jobs overseas or those that protect the environment. I would create jobs by investing in American infrastructure. Social Issues I support homosexual civil unions to give gay couples the same civil rights. Immigration- I am against illegal immigration and i would secure our borders to maximum capacity and make it illegal to pass laws that would make cities sanctuary cities. I would place troops near the border and fund using more technology to capture illegal aliens and drug traffickers. I support programs to help and give other options to women who are considering abortion. I would make sure that education is a top priority and invest in it and make sure that there are more teacher inspections before hiring. I would set up a program to make it optional to get health insurance through the government (pay 50 dollars a month for every family member) or to get it through a private company. I support clean coal, nuclear energy, wind and solar technologies along with hydrogen powered vehicles. I would give tax relief to families willing to make smart transitions to any of the aforementioned technologies. I would invest in using these technologies to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. .I am against gun control(i think anyone with a clean criminal record with just misdemeanors should be able to own a gun) I think all home owners and business owners should be able to own one as well as long as they have it locked and in a secure place far from the reach of children.
duz my record Exist at the Arkansas VA Hostpital.Mp police have access unto my Fayetteville Police records.? sum Racist Black man caught me out side the Fayetteville Arkansas Homeless Day center and ask if I had my T:A:P:S papers on me.I remember Attending the vetrans Hospital here in Fayetteville yet not under which name. of which should back track unot my natural Royal Family Name.most Soldiers know they keep me druged here thus i wont prosecute the sex rings they have going.yet I had not seen my Little son Brandon since 2003 I think that is worthy of the States Electric Chair for these criminals.Johnson Jo Henson Young York one of my Armed Forces names should back track unto my Sir:Izaak Newton Mr;Bohemia'n Royal blood line and Kings rank Name or assosiated names.yet yahoo.com covers for the criminals by kicking my questions off yahoo.com questions.thus I could not build up to asking this question encoded and covertly.john brian i forget which one my family had me use aboard the aircraft carrier where I was sucked into A jets intake live on video.of course my kidnappers will not allow me to remember it all.i've ask Fayetteville Ar.police to investigate this.yet i may need the Utah Attorney firm and An Private Eye agency from out of State.before they acheive killing me off.they cover all 3 cities of Fayetteville Ar,Tulsa Ok,and Fort smith Ar,thus it would do little good to hide from them.its not that difficult to cross compare finger prints and photographs.sum one in these 3 cities has tried repeatedly to break my neck and since i've just started taking vitamin B12 pills i had just started awakenning out of this trance status i've been under having lots of flash back within memory.and made my ploice report's via Fayetteville P:D's Hot Tips web site as to the rings existance with in the region.all the same blood lines opperating these.each are criminals and nothing more than that. note for military p"d my eyes are green yet my license says Hazel.my height and weight shalt remain pretty close to what it was then on military files which are equipt with photo's and finger prints.i was forced to accep thisMR:Wisdom name.and Judge Murphy had not yet been informed of this news.and it's his jurisdiction.
Is hiring a family member a bad idea? Here is a scenario: Father asks son to serve as marketing manager for a franchise that he will be starting. The son does not have any degree. (He was kicked out of a 4 year university for drinking over spring break and never transferred or completed any type of degree some four years later.) However, he will receive 2 weeks training, is intelligent, and always has been a gifted salesman with a silver tongue and good looks. However, the son has always worked a series of minimum wage jobs or just above-minimum wage jobs that he acquired through family connections. He sometimes has issues with authority and sometimes has resented his father for telling him to do something and likes to be the center of attention. He doesn't like making major decisions and will defer it to a manager but he likes to have the power to make the decisions. He manages his budget well enough but has made some purchases that weren't required while ignoring the things of substance he NEEDS to buy. He centers on the claim that he "just wants to be happy" and it doesn't matter if he drives a lexus. However, he expresses envy for others that appear to have more than he has; and will bad mouth others when they are not in hearing distance. He is self-admittedly lazy and doesn't take care of his house or keep his car clean. He works 38 hours a week and is stressed and tired at the end of it. He is easily distracted by video games and likes to play them in his down time. However, he is excited about this business venture, is eager to be a part of it, and has indicated that he is willing to use his car (he has an excellent driving record) to be on call and that he understands it can be 80 hours a week initially. He is under the understanding that this business will be passed down to him in time. Will hiring him help him develop the maturity and business sense/professionalism that he seems to be lacking? Is it helpful that he will have a stake in the business? Or in 6 months will he be bored, disenchanted and not willing to tow the line?
Should you hire a family member in this situation? Here is a scenario: Father asks son to serve as marketing manager for a franchise that he will be starting. The son does not have any degree. (He was kicked out of a 4 year university for drinking over spring break and never transferred or completed any type of degree some four years later.) The marketing manager doesn't have any staff to supervise but is responsible for an advertising budget, attracting new clientele and using marketing strategies. However, he will receive 2 weeks training, is intelligent, and always has been a gifted salesman with a silver tongue and good looks. However, the son has always worked a series of minimum wage jobs or just above-minimum wage jobs that he acquired through family connections. He sometimes has issues with authority and sometimes has resented his father for telling him to do something and likes to be the center of attention. He doesn't like making major decisions and will defer it to a manager but he likes to have the power to make the decisions. He manages his budget well enough but has made some purchases that weren't required while ignoring the things of substance he NEEDS to buy. He centers on the claim that he "just wants to be happy" and it doesn't matter if he drives a lexus. However, he expresses envy for others that appear to have more than he has; and will bad mouth others when they are not in hearing distance. He is self-admittedly lazy and doesn't take care of his house or keep his car clean. He works 38 hours a week and is stressed and tired at the end of it. He is easily distracted by video games and likes to play them in his down time. However, he is excited about this business venture, is eager to be a part of it, and has indicated that he is willing to use his car (he has an excellent driving record) to be on call and that he understands it can be 80 hours a week initially. He is under the understanding that this business will be passed down to him in time. Will hiring him help him develop the maturity and business sense/professionalism that he seems to be lacking? Is it helpful that he will have a stake in the business? Or in 6 months to a year will he be bored and not towing the line.
I need an attorney who practices in Missouri who will work with me ? To Whom It May Concern: Being a veteran of the World’s greatest military, as many of you are I would expect you to hold integrity to yourself when hearing my story. On or about the month of December 2004 I was hired on by the Missouri Department of Corrections at Moberly Correctional Center . While I was there I came in contact with a female employee whom I befriended. On or about March 2005 she and I left with our group to attend the training academy in Jefferson City, while there I made some decisions that did not hold up to my character. On several occasions during after duty hours I consumed alcohol with this particular female. However approximately the third week of training the last one of these occasions occurred with the end result of me being accused of sexual assault and terminated from my employment due to her allegations. The Department of Corrections states that I was terminated for bad conduct for consuming alcohol and being late for class (1day late due to illness & the only other day was the day after the alleged allegation). When I was terminated I appealed this decision because I felt I was being discriminated against however my appeal was denied. Given the facts this other female Individual was consuming alcohol just as often as I was and that she was late to class as often as I, their decision was to allow her to keep her employment but terminate mine. I am under the impression that they believe I actually committed these accusations therefore terminating me for sexual assault, if they were to honestly terminate me for bad conduct for the consumption of alcohol they would have terminated this female individual as well. Regardless of what the Department of Corrections may have in their records they were aware of her actions while in the training academy. I have a letter signed by the Macon County Victims Advocate dated February 7, 2007 which states quote “ I made several telephone calls to law enforcement in Jefferson City and was told upon investigation the overall feeling was that Ms. XXXX made the accusation in order to keep from getting in trouble with her employer for drinking while in training and having relations with a fellow correction officer” this letter also states “ Ms. XXXX had a history of making false allegations in Macon County ”. I have attached this letter. After this incident I filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity but did not follow through due to family emergencies and I had also contacted the State Reps., State Senate, Director of State, the Division Director of Department of Corrections and Superintendant of Moberly Correctional Center their decisions stood final. I also seeked counsel from an attorney in Macon County who wanted much more than I could afford being a single father with 2 children at that time. It wasn’t until recently that I applied for a position as a law enforcement officer with the Travis County Sheriffs Department in Austin , Texas and found that because of the mark on my employment record I would not be able to obtain the position I was longing for. My criminal record is clean, I have many accredited hours in Criminal Justice, I am only being held back from doing what I want to, do due to false accusations from an unbalanced young lady. I am coming forward to all of you in the hopes of clearing my employment record. As giving my all but death to this country as a 6 year veteran with an Honorable Discharge from the Navy, and currently on active duty with the California Air National Guard, I do believe I deserve better than this. I have been respectful to my Commander in Chief, to the State of Missouri and have always maintained honesty and integrity. I would only hope after reading this story you too would uphold your integrity and ask yourself, does this young man deserve such a tainted mark upon his employment record? If you honestly do not think so what could you do, given the office and position that you hold? Thank You for your time. Very Respectfully, Joshua S. Yount Senior Airman United States Air Force Dear Mr. Yount: Thank you for contacting Lt. Governor Kinder's office concerning your employment with the Department of Corrections. We will do our best to be of service to you. In response to your request for assistance, I contacted the Department of Corrections. We have asked that your situation be reviewed at the state level and that you receive every consideration allowed to you under the law. The Department should contact you soon. If you have additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call our office at (573) 751-4727. Sincerely, Bill Fix Assistant Director of Communications Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder
What should i do?The Department Of Human Services,'child protection' Have manipulated 2 young boys life's since 2005.The children have been kept from the father,in a desperate bid to cover up the unlawful actions made by the victoria police,in which the father was charged with assualting the boys mother.It is been said,'the mother was in a sexual relationship with at least one of the the police members involved.The father has eviedence that proves it all, BUT,he has been black-listed in our legal proffesion, with the hard word coming from the Attorney Generals office.l can even tell you,that the media, has also been told to stay away from this one. The mother a current child care assistant in a popular day care centre,was well liked by the local dohs staff, which she had known for many years. It was also found,the mother had attempted to stab the father in the pressence of both children.She had also self harmed in the childrens company.The father has a voice recording of the mother,where she addmits to her violence and her mental stabillity within the family home.what do i do?
What is the best football family? The Mannings???? (who everyone knows) ------------- The Matthews???? (3 generations of football) Clay Matthews, Sr. (4 seasons in the NFL in the 50's) -- Bruce Matthews (Hall of Fame O-lineman for 19 years with a record 14 consecutive Pro Bowls). Also started the most games in NFL history for a non-kicker (296). Clay Matthews, Jr. (3rd most games in NFL history for a non-kicker (278) over 19 seasons as a linebacker (4 Pro Bowls) -- SONS OF Clay Jr.: Clay Matthews III -linebacker at USC. Will most likely be a 1st round pick in this year's draft. Kyle Matthews -safety at USC (2000-03). Casey Matthews -currently linebacker at UO (2007- ). -- SONS OF Bruce: Kevin is the starting center for the Texas A&M Aggies, while Jake and Mikey play offensive line in high school. ------------- Someone else? What football family do you think is the best? Where do the following fit in: Shannon and Sterling Sharpe? Ronde and Tiki Barber? William and Michael Dean Perry? I guess it really comes down to the Matthew vs. The Mannings: Combined Stats for Matthews: Pro Bowls: 0+4+14+0=18 Starts: 45+296+278+0=619 3 generations in the NFL Combined Stats for Mannings: Pro Bowls: 2 + 9 + 1 = 12 Starts: 151 + 176 + 73 = 400 2 generations in the NFL Pro Bowls: 18 combined vs. 12 combined. - winner Matthews Starts: 619 vs. 400 - winner Matthews Number of Generations in NFL: 3 vs. 2 - winner Matthews MVPS: They don't give MVPs to O-lineman and the only MVP award ever given to a defensive player is usually Defensive Player of the Year, so I think that MVPs tend to bias toward QBs, RBs, and WRs. --winner Mannings, but the fight isn't fair. Super Bowls wins: 0 vs 2 -I'm not sure how much this should factor into determining a player's greatness. Remember than Dan Marino doesn't have a ring, but there are guys like Trent Green and Brad Johnson that do. - winner Mannings
How do you decipher family law documents when they are not yet put into place? We are located in Texas. I am the director of a child care center and I have one parent who has issued a restraining order against the other on 4/16/2009. The petitioner does not want the respondent to have any online viewing that we provide to parents or any of the child's sign in/out logs. The respondent is requesting to be able to sign up and view his child on the internet as well as recieve the sign in/out records. Not sure what to do? Does anyone have any suggestions?
Hospital spends $2 million to treat injured illegal now being sued by family I don't understand do you ? STUART — A civil trial pitting the Indiantown guardian of a brain-damaged Guatemalan native against Martin Memorial Medical Center over his 2003 deportation will begin June 23, an attorney in the case confirmed. The trial, claiming false imprisonment against the hospital after officials there used a chartered jet to return former patient Luis Jimenez to Guatemala City, is expected to last through July 22. Attorneys are expected to meet in court June 22 to resolve outstanding motions before jury selection begins the next day, said West Palm Beach attorney Jack Scarola, who represents Jimenez and his court-appointed guardian Motejo Gaspar Montejo, who is Jimenez’s cousin by marriage. Court records show the hospital cared for Jimenez for more than two years, at a cost of about $2 million. He suffered a severe brain injury in 2000 when the van he was traveling in was struck head-on by a drunken driver. At trial, to be conducted by Senior Circuit Judge James Midelis, a jury will determine whether Jimenez, who lives in Soloma Huehuetenango, Guatemala, was kidnapped and falsely imprisoned when Martin Memorial paid to have him returned to his native country. The hospital on July 10, 2003 flew Jimenez out of the country after being granted a court order allowing his return to Guatemala, which an appeals court later determined exceeded the trial court’s jurisdiction. Martin Memorial attorney Scott Michaud, of Boca Raton didn’t return a call Wednesday seeking comment. He recently filed a motion seeking to limit what evidence could be presented by the plaintiffs at trial, and to prohibit certain arguments from being made in front of jurors. Specifically, Michaud asked the court to rule that attorneys for Jimenez must not make a “golden rule” argument, by encouraging jurors “to place themselves in the position or situation of the plaintiffs.” The hospital’s motion also seeks to stop attorneys from making statements reflecting a “personal belief in the justness of the cause, the credibility of witnesses” or personal knowledge of the case. And from preventing attorneys from “encouraging the jury to send a message by its verdict, to act as the conscience of the community, or to use its verdict to punish any defendant.” Midelis is expected to rule on the matters before a jury is seated. WHO’S ON THE LIST? Attorneys for plaintiff Luis Jimenez filed a witness list Wednesday for the June 23 trial, including those involved in the 2003 court proceeding and top current and former Martin Memorial Medical Center executives. Some listed are: • Richmond “Dick” Harman, former CEO of Martin Memorial Medical Center • Robert Lord Jr., in-house attorney for Martin Memorial • Miguel Coty, vice president for public relations at Martin Memorial • George Bovie, Stuart attorney who represented hospital in guardianship case • Ann Decker, assistant to former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley • Dr. Julio Molina Aviles, Vice Minister of Guatemala Public Health and Public Assistance • Two Guatemalan consulate members in Miami and physicians in Guatemala City who may have treated Jimenez in 2003
Is it ok that I go to the Urgent Care for this? Should I look for a Family Doctor? I am currently a student in college. I have been sexually active with two people previously. 2 weeks ago I noticed what looks like a herpes outbreak on the shaft of my penis. I did not pay it much attention at first, It looked like I had a small cut in the region.. it has not increased in size, but it has yet to go away. I don't want to go to student health because I don't want this to be in my medical records here if it proves to be a herpes outbreak. (might be a wart) Would it be ok that I go to a urgent care center, or should I look for a general doctor to go to? Not to be gross, but I have never had sex/oral sex.. just touching.. but I know you can get it from genital contact.. Thanks in advance for anyone's help!
Criminal Record Check Help!? I need help understanding what failure to comply with sentence or disposition (x2) means. I got my first reference check today and found that on it. Its from youth court, and I just turned 18 (on Oct. 23). I knew of the summary charges such as mischief, assault, obstruct police, and a couple counts of breach which were over 3 years ago. It was my understanding that all this would be erased from my record once I turned 18. so why is that still there? When will it go away? How will it affect me if it remains and I submit my reference check to St. Johns Ambulance (to be a volunteer for their Therapy Dog Program) and for work at the Child and Family Center. I think it means that I missed a court date for being sentenced. And I recall being in Youth Detention on that day it states, so if someone could also help me find out who I have to talk to to get this cleared or figured out. Like do I need to call the Lawyer I had, or my old probation officer. (Note: the date for this conviction was Feb. 1, 2006, so it was awhile ago).
How about now (politicians) follow this example? Costa Mesa's illegal-immigration crackdown highlights the fears of many Activists worry that the city's enforcement of federal laws would affect more than just those guilty of serious crimes. By Jennifer Delson, Times Staff Writer January 30, 2007 In a city that has clashed loudly and publicly over immigration laws, the arrest of Marcelino Tzir Tzul underscored the worst fears in Costa Mesa's Latino community. The 37-year-old illegal immigrant from Guatemala was picked up for riding his bicycle on the wrong side of the street, brought before a federal agent at the city jail and then shipped to a federal lockup to await his likely deportation. For months, Latino activists had worried that Costa Mesa's decision to become one of the nation's first cities to enforce federal immigration laws would result in people such as Tzir being swept off the streets. "This is exactly what we feared," said Amin David, who heads Los Amigos of Orange County, a Latino advocacy group. But others, including the mayor of Costa Mesa, applaud the crackdown, even if it means that people who have committed minor crimes are caught in the process. "I believe illegal immigration is wrong. It's breaking the law," said Mayor Allan Mansoor, an Orange County sheriff's deputy. During a three-week period in December, 46 Latino men picked up in Costa Mesa were taken to the Mira Loma Detention Center in Lancaster to await deportation hearings. Half were held on misdemeanor charges. Tzir, who came to this country illegally in 2005, was headed to work on a chilly January morning when his luck ran out. A religious man who kept a Bible by his bed and three cheap suits in a closet for nightly church services, Tzir had come to Costa Mesa to send money home to his wife and three children. Wearing work boots and a blue sweatshirt stained from the previous day's work, Tzir rode his blue mountain bike down Placentia Avenue, through the heart of the town's Latino community. When he turned left on Hamilton Street, an officer stopped him and told him he was riding on the wrong side of the road. He also didn't have a bicycle license. Without an ID, Tzir was taken to the city jail, where a federal agent recently assigned to the city determined he was in the country illegally. Before he could alert family or friends, he was shipped to the lockup in Lancaster to await a deportation hearing. "The sin I committed was to enter this country illegally," Tzir said in a recent jailhouse interview in Spanish. "I regret the pain I have caused my family, but I will leave with my head held high because I know that all I did here was to work hard." Although Tzir's crime was minor, many of those swept up in Costa Mesa in December were arrested on serious charges. Of 20 arrest records the city was able to provide, most involved men in their mid-20s charged with crimes such as selling drugs and burglary. One involved a 19-year-old accused of having sex with a minor. Virginia Kice, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said one man had an arrest record in five states and had been deported three times. Another had drug convictions and had been deported five times, she said. Wendy Leece, who was recently elected to the City Council, said having the agent in the jail would make the community a safer place. "There are a broad spectrum of crimes being committed," Leece said. "Maybe some are misdemeanors, but they are lawbreakers." By the time Tzir was able to call his wife, news of the ongoing crackdown had drifted through the city's immigrant community. Rumors about immigration raids and tips on avoiding the police spread. "Do the police want to pluck people off the streets like him when there are so many people who commit real crimes?" wondered the Rev. Oscar A. Ramirez of Iglesia Fuente de Amor (Fountain of Love Church) in Costa Mesa, where Tzir taught Bible classes. Others in Costa Mesa — where the immigration debate has colored local elections, drawn the attention of groups such as the Minuteman Project and become the fodder of national talk radio — see no shame in someone such as Tzir being picked up and ultimately deported. "The law is the law, and we need to enforce it, not here and there. They are all criminals the minute they step across the border," said Jason Mrochek, director of the Federal Immigration Reform & Enforcement Coalition, which runs anti-illegal-immigrant protests throughout Southern California. Tzir said he felt reluctant to sneak into the United States and did so only because of a pressing need for money. In Guatemala, he was a nurse in a rural health center outside Quiriguá, a small town best known for its Mayan ruins, where he dispensed prescription medicines, helped deliver babies and tended to the injured. He earned a college degree in health and studied the Bible so he could become a minister. When his employer cut his salary from $782 to $339 a month, he and his wife feared the money wouldn't be enough to make ends meet. "I felt all the doors closed to me, and I needed quick relief," Tzir said. Tzir's wife called a relative in Costa Mesa for help. The relative, who worked as a nanny in an Orange County home and declined to be identified because she also is in the country illegally, said she decided to pay a smuggler $14,000, which she had saved, to bring Tzir, as well as her own son, to Costa Mesa. When he arrived in Costa Mesa, Tzir said he found work quickly, pulling in about $400 a week. "He was motivated by the opportunities in this country," said roommate Marcos Roa, 53, a waiter in a Costa Mesa restaurant. "He dreamed of bringing his wife and children here." At first he lived with a relative but later moved into an aging apartment complex on Hamilton Avenue, where he paid $225 a month to share a bedroom. He cooked his own food, read the Bible and books on the English language, and spent four nights a week at the Iglesia Fuente de Amor, an Assemblies of God church, where once a week he taught Bible classes. Rudy Sandoval, a fellow Guatemalan who hired Tzir to install hardwood floors, said they spent much of their free time talking about the Bible and their faith. "He was serious. No liquor. No smoking. No women," said Sandoval's wife, Elma. "Not even a curse word." The night before he was picked up by police, Sandoval said, Tzir talked about how much he missed his family, saying, "What am I doing here? I've got to go home." Costa Mesa Police Chief Christopher Shawkey, a former Phoenix police commander recently named to the city's top police post, said his department was simply enforcing the law as it always had. "No dictate has been issued …. We're not going to change our enforcement policies because of this," Shawkey said. "We need to remain consistent." Shawkey said he called the Orange County Human Relations Commission to determine how to alleviate fears about the federal agent, but no decisions have been made. "I would hope that the community would still have trust in the Police Department," Shawkey said. For local Enriqueta Monterroso, who said she entered the United States illegally eight years ago, the crackdown has awakened memories. "I feel like I did in my last days in Guatemala when we thought the army would arrest us for any little thing," she said. Tzir, who is expected to remain jailed until his likely Feb. 13 deportation date, said he realized it was wrong to sneak into the United States. But, he said, the issue was far more complex than that. "There is no question that I broke the law," Tzir said. "But it's very clear that immigrants are the motor of the most powerful economy in the world. Immigrants have a value. They do what Americans will not do."
How can I get a "church book" if I know the name of the church I want to get it from? I've been doing genealogy for about a year and a half and I know what Church records are. I know that you can order microfilm of certain years for certain things like baptisms, marriages, burials, etc. through Family History Centers (I've done it plenty of times), but I get confused on how to get a "church book." Are there books that contain all the records for a certain church that are reproduced and sold? If so, how do I start the process of ordering one? Who do I contact? How much do they cost?
Who is really behind Barack Obama and why do we know so little about him? Compared to John McCain, we know very little about Barack Obama’s past. (For example, how many know that Obama has smoked cigarettes this year on the campaign trail? Watch his own admission.) He seems to have simply burst upon the scene with a well-branded, well-funded and carefully honed message of change. It seems highly strange, though, that somebody could make it past the massive Clinton Machine and to the Democratic nomination without some kind of backing. Who is really behind Barack Obama and why do we know so little about him? This collective ignorance is partly because he has refused to release his medical records, college transcripts, birth certificate and many other basic details that could clue us in on his character, experience and judgment. This collective ignorance is also because the mainstream media has been incredibly uninterested in Barack Obama’s past and has simply not investigated or even seemed interested. (They are very interested in Sarah Palin and ‘Joe the Plumber’ though and have dug and dug — in some cases perhaps illegally.) Here are a few things we know about Barack Obama. The Annenberg Challenge and the Woods Fund of Chicago funded numerous controversial groups while Barack Obama served on their boards between 1995 and 2002, an analysis of their tax returns shows. In 2001, when Obama was a part-time director of The Woods Fund of Chicago, it gave $75,000 to ACORN, the voter registration group now under investigation for voter fraud in 12 states. The Woods Fund also gave $6,000 to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s Trinity United Church of Christ, which Obama attended. The reason for the donation to the church is unclear — it is simply listed as “for special purposes” in the group’s IRS tax form. It gave a further $60,000 to the Children and Family Justice Center at Northwestern University, which was founded and run by Bernardine Dohrn, the wife of domestic terrorist William Ayers and, with her husband, a former member of the 1960s radical group the Weather Underground. Other controversial donations that year included $50,000 to the Small Schools Network — which was founded by Ayers and run by Michael Klonsky, a friend of Ayers’ and the former chairman of the Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist), an offshoot of the 1960s radical group Students for a Democratic Society — and $40,000 to the Arab American Action Network, which critics have accused of being anti-Semitic.
What is your opinion on La Raza and Mexico's statements on raid? La Calif-- An immigration sweep that resulted in the arrests of dozens of illegal immigrants took place in the most unexpected of places, and Mexico human rights activists are outraged with the operation,The sweep, which happened Wednesday at the transit center bus exchange, involved agents from the Transportation Security Administration and the Border Patrol. The agents got on board a bus and arrested 21 illegal immigrants, including three teenagers on their way to school. Those teens have since been deported to Mexico.Vincent Fox said, "Some of them don't have any relatives in Mexico; they don't have anywhere to go and Mexico officials condemned the raid and has send a letter of protest to Obama.On Friday, iLa Raza denounced the sweep and said the agents crossed the line and accused them of profiling."What gives them the authority to question only Latinos or people that looked a certain way?" said La Raza.La Raza also questioned the Obama administration, wondering if this was the change in immigrant rights they thought was coming."This is a policy that violates human rights," said a spokesperson from Mexico.A Border Patrol spokesman denied the use of racial profiling. He said behavior detection officers helped identify suspected illegal immigrants on board the bus. Mexico said of the 21 detained, one person had a warrant out for his arrest and another had a felony conviction on his record. Mexico said it is isn't buying that explanation."That's wrong, and it cannot be tolerated," La Raza would not comment on the teens' legal status to be in the U.S. or the status of their families. La Raza said a raids on public transportation would discourage other teenagers from going to school or adults from going to work.There is no word on what happened to the other 18 people arrested in the sweep.The three teenagers are currently in a shelter in Mexico while Mexico officials decline to comment further.
Would Tupac Shakur have had wider commercial success had he done some worldwide tours? I was just thinking about rapper Tupac Shakur for a moment and all the success and hype Michael Jackson earned with his world tours and all his songs and thinking maybe if 2Pac had done more songs centered on family importance (Dear Mama) and world problems (Just The Way It Is) like pollution and political greed but chopped out the profanity and sexual references (aside from condemning the plight of teen pregnancy in "Brenda's Got A Baby" in his lyrics) and had he done world tours with his songs instead of merely targeting African-Americans with his lyrics maybe he would have gained more positive publicity instead of being an unknown on a wider scale. Tupac's mother took his earnings from Death Row Records and used it to open an educational learning center in her son's honor which was cool. I think had Tupac used his money to do stuff like that while he was alive and again not hung out with people with rap sheets he would have been praised more as an artist than condemned as a jail bird.
Another article, do you want to read it? DIARIO DE NOTICIAS - 11/08/2007 THE BLOOD "WOULD NOT BE THE KEY OF THE INVESTIGATION" JM Oliveira The investigations now centre on the parents and friends Is it human or animal blood ? This question has to be clarified during the next week, with the results of the sample sent to the British laboratory. Nevertheless, the PJ "does not wait for clear results". Even if it happens to be Maddie´s, the blood "is not the key of the investigation". Meanwhile, the investigators wait with some "anticipation" for the conclusions, to make sure, if the blood is human, that the DNA has been determined. It is an important point, since it can be compared with the DNA of other suspects, which could lead to an explanation of the crime. The tapping of phone calls and other communications, especially e-mails, besides "other items" found in the meantime, have contributed to the quick acting of the police in the apartment, where Maddie was sleeping with her sister and brother. The pending investigations are concentrated most of all on the parents, other members of the family and friends of the McCanns. "It is an extremely delicate case, since it is about a child disappearance. That is the reason why we always had the parents in mind", stated Olegario de Sousa yesterday, adding the police’s official version : " we had non formal meetings, informing of the new developments". Meanwhile, the researches for finding the girls body or remains of it have stopped, after the dogs and their owners having left back to their country on last Thursday. But other dogs could come again to the Algarve, if necessary. On the other side, Robert Murat, the only official suspect of the abduction of Maddie, waits for the Public Ministry to be freed at any time. "He is calm, and waits as patiently as possible to be declared innocent" stated his lawyer Francisco Pagarete. But he has "no idea" of when it could happen. For the record, Robert Murat has been constituted as an "arguido" after the first researches achieved at his mothers home (and family cars) in PdL, on May 14th. The fact that he has not been prosecuted might be the PJ wanted to use him as a kind of "security" in the investigations. The long inquiries he has been subjected to with three friends of the McCanns in the Criminal Investigation Department (DIC) at Portimão led to nothing. Murat will be considered a witness. The police only issued a statement, according to team McCann, they cannot issue any statement in Portugal, their law forbids it. Not just me Mysterious, and I am just wanting to pass on the Portuguese stuff I pick up, for a bit of "balance" maybe, I try not to comment on it too much thoough.
Do you believe in coincidences? The Coincidence Theorists Guide to 9/11 That governments have permitted terrorist acts against their own people, and have even themselves been perpetrators in order to find strategic advantage is quite likely true, but this is the United States we're talking about. That intelligence agencies, financiers, terrorists and narco-criminals have a long history together is well established, but the Nugan Hand Bank, BCCI, Banco Ambrosiano, the P2 Lodge, the CIA/Mafia anti-Castro/Kennedy alliance, Iran/Contra and the rest were a long time ago, so there's no need to rehash all that. That was then, this is now! That Jonathan Bush's Riggs Bank has been found guilty of laundering terrorist funds and fined a US-record $25 million must embarrass his nephew George, but it's still no justification for leaping to paranoid conclusions. That George Bush's brother Marvin sat on the board of the Kuwaiti-owned company which provided electronic security to the World Trade Centre, Dulles Airport and United Airlines means nothing more than you must admit those Bush boys have done alright for themselves. That George Bush found success as a businessman only after the investment of Osama's brother Salem and reputed al Qaeda financier Khalid bin Mahfouz is just one of those things - one of those crazy things. That Osama bin Laden is known to have been an asset of US foreign policy in no way implies he still is. That al Qaeda was active in the Balkan conflict, fighting on the same side as the US as recently as 1999, while the US protected its cells, is merely one of history's little aberrations. The claims of Michael Springman, State Department veteran of the Jeddah visa bureau, that the CIA ran the office and issued visas to al Qaeda members so they could receive training in the United States, sound like the sour grapes of someone who was fired for making such wild accusations. That one of George Bush's first acts as President, in January 2001, was to end the two-year deployment of attack submarines which were positioned within striking distance of al Qaeda's Afghanistan camps, even as the group's guilt for the Cole bombing was established, proves that a transition from one administration to the next is never an easy task. That so many influential figures in and close to the Bush White House had expressed, just a year before the attacks, the need for a "new Pearl Harbor" before their militarist ambitions could be fulfilled, demonstrates nothing more than the accidental virtue of being in the right place at the right time. That the company PTECH, founded by a Saudi financier placed on America's Terrorist Watch List in October 2001, had access to the FAA's entire computer system for two years before the 9/11 attack, means he must not have been such a threat after all. That whistleblower Indira Singh was told to keep her mouth shut and forget what she learned when she took her concerns about PTECH to her employers and federal authorities, suggests she lacked the big picture. And that the Chief Auditor for JP Morgan Chase told Singh repeatedly, as she answered questions about who supplied her with what information, that "that person should be killed," suggests he should take an anger management seminar. That on May 8, 2001, Dick Cheney took upon himself the job of co-ordinating a response to domestic terror attacks even as he was crafting the administration's energy policy which bore implications for America's military, circumventing the established infrastructure and ignoring the recommendations of the Hart-Rudman report, merely shows the VP to be someone who finds it hard to delegate. That the standing order which covered the shooting down of hijacked aircraft was altered on June 1, 2001, taking discretion away from field commanders and placing it solely in the hands of the Secretary of Defense, is simply poor planning and unfortunate timing. Fortunately the error has been corrected, as the order was rescinded shortly after 9/11. That in the weeks before 9/11, FBI agent Colleen Rowley found her investigation of Zacarias Moussaoui so perversely thwarted that her colleagues joked that bin Laden had a mole at the FBI, proves the stress-relieving virtue of humour in the workplace. That Dave Frasca of the FBI's Radical Fundamentalist Unit received a promotion after quashing multiple, urgent requests for investigations into al Qaeda assets training at flight schools in the summer of 2001 does appear on the surface odd, but undoubtedly there's a good reason for it, quite possibly classified. That FBI informant Randy Glass, working an undercover sting, was told by Pakistani intelligence operatives that the World Trade Center towers were coming down, and that his repeated warnings which continued until weeks before the attacks, including the mention of planes used as weapons, were ignored by federal authorities, is simply one of the many "What Ifs" of that tragic day. That over the summer of 2001 Washington received many urgent, senior-level warnings from foreign intelligence agencies and governments - including those of Germany, France, Great Britain, Russia, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, Afghanistan and others - of impending terror attacks using hijacked aircraft and did nothing, demonstrates the pressing need for a new Intelligence Czar. That John Ashcroft stopped flying commercial aircraft in July 2001 on account of security considerations had nothing to do with warnings regarding September 11, because he said so to the 9/11 Commission. That former lead counsel for the House David Schippers says he'd taken to John Ashcroft's office specific warnings he'd learned from FBI agents in New York of an impending attack - even naming the proposed dates, names of the hijackers and the targets - and that the investigations had been stymied and the agents threatened, proves nothing but David Schipper's pathetic need for attention. That Garth Nicolson received two warnings from contacts in the intelligence community and one from a North African head of state, which included specific site, date and source of the attacks, and passed the information to the Defense Department and the National Security Council to evidently no effect, clearly amounts to nothing, since virtually nobody has ever heard of him. That in the months prior to September 11, self-described US intelligence operative Delmart Vreeland sought, from a Toronto jail cell, to get US and Canadian authorities to heed his warning of his accidental discovery of impending catastrophic attacks is worthless, since Vreeland was a dubious character, notwithstanding the fact that many of his claims have since been proven true. That FBI Special Investigator Robert Wright claims that agents assigned to intelligence operations actually protect terrorists from investigation and prosecution, that the FBI shut down his probe into terrorist training camps, and that he was removed from a money-laundering case that had a direct link to terrorism, sounds like yet more sour grapes from a disgruntled employee. That George Bush had plans to invade Afghanistan on his desk before 9/11 demonstrates only the value of being prepared. The suggestion that securing a pipeline across Afghanistan figured into the White House's calculations is as ludicrous as the assertion that oil played a part in determining war in Iraq. That Afghanistan is once again the world's principal heroin producer is an unfortunate reality, but to claim the CIA is still actively involved in the narcotics trade is to presume bad faith on the part of the agency. Mahmood Ahmed, chief of Pakistan's ISI, must not have authorized an al Qaeda payment of $100,000 to Mohammed Atta days before the attacks, and was not meeting with senior Washington officials over the week of 9/11, because I didn't read anything about him in the official report. That Porter Goss met with Ahmed the morning of September 11 in his capacity as Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has no bearing whatsoever upon his recent selection by the White House to head the Central Intelligence Agency. That Goss's congressional seat encompasses the 9/11 hijackers' Florida base of operation, including their flight schools, is precisely the kind of meaningless factoid a conspiracy theorist would bring up. It's true that George HW Bush and Dick Cheney spent the evening of September 10 alone in the Oval Office, but what's wrong with old colleagues catching up? And it's true that George HW Bush and Shafig bin Laden, Osama's brother, spent the morning of September 11 together at a board meeting of the Carlyle Group, but the bin Ladens are a big family. That FEMA arrived in New York on Sept 10 to prepare for a scheduled biowarfare drill, and had a triage centre ready to go that was larger and better equipped than the one that was lost in the collapse of WTC 7, was a lucky twist of fate. Newsweek's report that senior Pentagon officials cancelled flights on Sept 10 for the following day on account of security concerns is only newsworthy because of what happened the following morning. That George Bush's telephone logs for September 11 do not exist should surprise no one, given the confusion of the day. That Mohamed Atta attended the International Officer's School at Maxwell Air Force Base, that Abdulaziz Alomari attended Brooks Air Force Base Aerospace Medical School, that Saeed Alghamdi attended the Defense Language Institute in Monterey merely shows it is a small world, after all. That Lt Col Steve Butler, Vice Chancellor for student affairs of the Defense Language Institute during Alghamdi's terms, was disciplined, removed from his post and threatened with court martial when he wrote "Bush knew of the impending attacks on America. He did nothing to warn the American people because he needed this war on terrorism. What is...contemptible is the President of the United States not telling the American people what he knows for political gain," is the least that should have happened for such disrespect shown his Commander in Chief. That Mohammed Atta dressed like a Mafioso, had a stripper girlfriend, smuggled drugs, was already a licensed pilot when he entered the US, enjoyed pork chops, drank to excess and did cocaine, was closer to Europeans than Arabs in Florida, and included the names of defence contractors on his email list, proves how dangerous the radical fundamentalist Muslim can be. That 43 lbs of heroin was found on board the Lear Jet owned by Wally Hilliard, the owner of Atta's flight school, just three weeks after Atta enrolled - the biggest seizure ever in Central Florida - was just bad luck. That Hilliard was not charged shows how specious the claims for conspiracy truly are. That Hilliard's plane had made 30-round trips to Venezuela with the same passengers who always paid cash, that the plane had been supplied by a pair of drug smugglers who had also outfitted CIA drug runner Barry Seal, and that 9/11 commissioner Richard ben-Veniste had been Seal's attorney before Seal's murder, shows nothing but the lengths to which conspiracists will go to draw sinister conclusions. Reports of insider trading on 9/11 are false, because the SEC investigated and found only respectable investors who will remain nameless involved, and no terrorists, so the windfall profit-taking was merely, as ever, coincidental. That heightened security for the World Trade Centre was lifted immediately prior to the attacks illustrates that it always happens when you least expect it. That Hani Hanjour, the pilot of Flight 77, was so incompetent he could not fly a Cessna in August, but in September managed to fly a 767 at excessive speed into a spiraling, 270-degree descent and a level impact of the first floor of the Pentagon, on the only side that was virtually empty and had been hardened to withstand a terrorist attack, merely demonstrates that people can do almost anything once they set their minds to it. That none of the flight data recorders were said to be recoverable even though they were located in the tail sections, and that until 9/11, no solid-state recorder in a catastrophic crash had been unrecoverable, shows how there's a first time for everything. That Mohammed Atta left a uniform, a will, a Koran, his driver's license and a "how to fly planes" video in his rental car at the airport means he had other things on his mind. The mention of Israelis with links to military-intelligence having been arrested on Sept 11 videotaping and celebrating the attacks, of an Israeli espionage ring surveiling DEA and defense installations and trailing the hijackers, and of a warning of impending attacks delivered to the Israeli company Odigo two hours before the first plane hit, does not deserve a response. That the stories also appeared in publications such as Ha'aretz and Forward is a sad display of self-hatred among certain elements of the Israeli media. That multiple military wargames and simulations were underway the morning of 9/11 - one simulating the crash of a plane into a building; another, a live-fly simulation of multiple hijackings - and took many interceptors away from the eastern seaboard and confused field commanders as to which was a real hijacked aircraft and which was a hoax, was a bizarre coincidence, but no less a coincidence. That the National Military Command Center ops director asked a rookie substitute to stand his watch at 8:30 am on Sept. 11 is nothing more than bad timing. That a recording made Sept 11 of air traffic controllers' describing what they had witnessed, was destroyed by an FAA official who crushed it in his hand, cut the tape into little pieces and dropped them in different trash cans around the building, is something no doubt that overzealous official wishes he could undo. That the FBI knew precisely which Florida flight schools to descend upon hours after the attacks should make every American feel safer knowing their federal agents are on the ball. That a former flight school executive believes the hijackers were "double agents," and says about Atta and associates, "Early on I gleaned that these guys had government protection. They were let into this country for a specific purpose," and was visited by the FBI just four hours after the attacks to intimidate him into silence, proves he's an unreliable witness, for the simple reason there is no conspiracy. That Jeb Bush was on board an aircraft that removed flight school records to Washington in the middle of the night on Sept 12th demonstrates how seriously the governor takes the issue of national security. To insinuate evil motive from the mercy flights of bin Laden family members and Saudi royals after 9/11 shows the sickness of the conspiratorial mindset. Le Figaro's report in October 2001, known to have originated with French intelligence, that the CIA met Osama bin Laden in a Dubai hospital in July 2001, proves again the perfidy of the French. That the tape in which bin Laden claims responsibility for the attacks was released by the State Department after having been found providentially by US forces in Afghanistan, and depicts a fattened Osama with a broader face and a flatter nose, proves Osama, and Osama alone, masterminded 9/11. That at the battle of Tora Bora, where bin Laden was surrounded on three sides, Special Forces received no order to advance and capture him and were forced to stand and watch as two Russian-made helicopters flew into the area where bin Laden was believed hiding, loaded up passengers and returned to Pakistan, demonstrates how confusing the modern battlefield can be. That upon returning to Fort Bragg from Tora Bora, the same Special Operations troops who had been stood down from capturing bin Laden, suffered a unusual spree of murder/suicides, is nothing more than a series of senseless tragedies. Reports that bin Laden is currently receiving periodic dialysis treatment in a Pakistani medical hospital are simply too incredible to be true. That the White House went on Cipro September 11 shows the foresightedness of America's emergency response. That the anthrax was mailed to perceived liberal media and the Democratic leadership demonstrates only the perversity of the terrorist psyche. That the anthrax attacks appeared to silence opponents of the Patriot Act shows only that appearances can be deceiving. That the Ames-strain anthrax was found to have originated at Fort Detrick, and was beyond the capability of all but a few labs to refine, underscores the importance of allowing the investigation to continue without the distraction of absurd conspiracy theories. That Republican guru Grover Norquist has been found to have aided financiers and supporters of Islamic terror to gain access to the Bush White House, and is a founder of the Islamic Institute, which the Treasury Department believes to be a source of funding for al Qaeda, suggests Norquist is at worst, naive, and at best, needs a wider circle of friends. That the Department of Justice consistently chooses to see accused 9/11 plotters go free rather than permit the courtroom testimony of al Qaeda leaders in American custody looks bad, but only because we don't have all the facts. That the White House balked at any inquiry into the events of 9/11, then starved it of funds and stonewalled it, was unfortunate, but since the commission didn't find for conspiracy it's all a non issue anyway. That the 9/11 commission's executive director and "gatekeeper," Philip Zelikow, was so closely involved in the events under investigation that he testified before the the commission as part of the inquiry, shows only an apparent conflict of interest. That commission chair Thomas Kean is, like George Bush, a Texas oil executive who had business dealings with reputed al Qaeda financier Khalid bin Mafouz, suggests Texas is smaller than they say it is. That co-chair Lee Hamilton has a history as a Bush family "fixer," including clearing Bush Sr of the claims arising from the 1980 "October Surprise", is of no concern, since only conspiracists believe there was such a thing as an October Surprise. That FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds accuses the agency of intentionally fudging specific pre-9/11 warnings and harboring a foreign espionage ring in its translation department, and claims she witnessed evidence of the semi-official infrastructure of money-laundering and narcotics trade behind the attacks, is of no account, since John Ashcroft has gagged her with the rare invocation of "State Secrets Privilege," and retroactively classified her public testimony. For the sake of national security, let us speak no more of her. That, when commenting on Edmond's case, Daniel Ellsberg remarked that Ashcroft could go to prison for his part in a cover-up, suggests Ellsberg is giving comfort to the terrorists, and could, if he doesn't wise up, find himself declared an enemy combatant. I could go on. And on and on. But I trust you get the point. Which is simply this: there are no secrets, an American government would never accept civilian casualties for geostrategic gain, and conspiracies are for the weak-minded and gullible. go to http://rigorousintuition.blogspot.com/2004/08/coincidence-theorists-guide-to-911.html for links for every statement made here. http://truthmove.org
any ideas for a do it yourself wedding reception for 12? i am having a destination wedding and we are renting a villa for a week for a family of 12 after the wedding in the afternoon/evening we are having our own reception(no big meal just snacks as will have already had that) with our own pre recorded music etc, but needs some ideas for tropical centre pieces, drinks, decorations etc its on a budget so fairly cheap but nice and classy
What about Skeptics of Buddhism, like us ? Please Patiently read everything.? Buddhism for beginners (and sceptical Westerners) Introduction Now that Buddhism is such a fast-growing religion in the West, a lot of Westerners are attracted to its rational approach and rejection of an all-powerful deity. But all too often we Westerners quickly get stuck on the idea of rebirth and the various cultural traditions that have become a part of Buddhism in Asia. I've been there myself - wondering if rebirth is for real, if karma is scientific, if Buddhism is rational, why I have to bow to a statue, and so on - and I almost gave up at one point. I've noticed also that some Westerners pop up on the Internet looking for others who've converted to Buddhism, hoping they can discover the trick to becoming a Buddhist despite a materialist upbringing. So this page is a mixture of useful resources and my own personal experiences in fully accepting Dharma as a way of life. I hope it will be of some use to others on the same path. •Where should I start? •What is Buddhism? •Are rebirth and karma for real? •What is our purpose in life? •What's the difference between Theravada and Mahayana? •Which tradition should I choose? •How do I become a Buddhist? •Which are good books to read? Where should I start? If there's one place you should not start, it's reincarnation/rebirth. Newcomers to Buddhism tend to open every book at the section on rebirth because what happens to us after we die is all-important in the monotheistic culture we come from. But the Buddha wasn't teaching rebirth as the goal of life. He said many times, "I teach suffering, and the way out of suffering." That was his message, to make nirvana (Pali: nibbana) - the end of suffering - the goal. So the place to start is with the basics, the Four Noble Truths and a practice aimed at reducing suffering. If this seems worthwhile to you, you're on your way. In fact, the best way to start is by doing a lot of reading. You need to know about the basic principles of Buddhism, its founder, its history, the different traditions, and what it can do for you. Even though there's a lot of stuff available free on the Internet, I still think a well-written book is the best way to go. For all of the above, try John Snelling's The Buddhist Handbook : A Complete Guide to Buddhist Schools, Teaching, Practice, and History or Gill Farrer-Halls' The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Buddhist Wisdom (which is also a handbook). These two books are both excellent primers to start off with. There's also a short overview titled What is Buddhism? from the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. For inspiring books written by Western monks who really understand Westerners' problems, try Ajahn Sumedho's The Mind and the Way : Buddhist Reflections of Life or Ajahn Jagaro's True Freedom, which is available online: •Chapter 1: True Freedom •Chapter 2: Compassion - The Natural Expression of Awakening •Chapter 3: Buddhism and God •Chapter 4: Beyond Boredom and Depression •Chapter 5: Buddhism and Vegetarianism •Chapter 6: Death and Dying Another book that's a must-read is Thich Nhat Hanh's little-known masterpiece, Old Path, White Clouds : Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha, a beautiful and easy-to-read story of the Buddha's life drawn from accounts in the Pali Canon and illustrated with line drawings. For a thorough explanation of the nuts and bolts of the teachings and practice, check out Ayya Khema's Being Nobody, Going Nowhere : Meditations on the Buddhist Path (very good at showing how ego rules our lives) or Henepola Gunaratana's Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness : Walking the Buddha's Path. There are a lot of good books on Dharma (Pali: Dhamma), but I'd recommend starting of with the original Theravada Buddhism and checking out the Mahayana traditions like Zen and Tibetan when you have a grasp of the basics. What you read will depend on what particular problems brought you to Buddhism in the first place. Some authors, the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh, for example, have written books on anger management. But it's important to practise too. In addition to following the Five Precepts, try practising Right Speech, generosity, compassion, being less self-centred, being less addicted to pleasures of the senses and being less concerned with possessions. And once you have a good grasp of the basic teachings and different traditions, it will be time to start meditating. Your situation in life may affect your practice and progress. If you live near a temple or Buddhist group, you'll be able to listen to Dharma talks, make Dharma friends and be with a community of like-minded people. If you don't, there are always the Internet and Buddhist forums such as E-Sangha and the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. I personally live in a Buddhist country where the majority of people don't understand the deeper teachings of Buddhism, so their focus is on making merit for a better rebirth and participating in ceremonies. So I rely a lot on the Internet, on Amazon and a few friends. I rarely go to temples. What is Buddhism? The following article is from the website of the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. The author explains karma and rebirth in the traditionally accepted way and is somewhat sceptical about the origins of the Mahayana sutras, but otherwise it's an excellent overview of Buddhism. Introduction For more than 2,500 years, the religion we know today as Buddhism has been the primary inspiration behind many successful civilizations, the source of great cultural achievements and a lasting and meaningful guide to the very purpose of life for millions of people. Today, large numbers of men and women from diverse backgrounds throughout our world are following the Teachings of the Buddha. So who was the Buddha and what are His Teachings? The Buddha The man who was to become the Buddha was born Siddhattha Gotama around 2,600 years ago as a Prince of a small territory near what is now the Indian-Nepalese border. Though he was raised in splendid comfort, enjoying aristocratic status, no amount of material pleasure could satisify the enquiring and philosophic nature of the young man. At the age of 29 he left palace and family to search for a deeper meaning in the secluded forests and remote mountains of North-East India. He studied under the wisest religious teachers and philosophers of his time, learning all they had to offer, but he found it was not enough. He then struggled alone with the path of self- mortification, taking that practice to the extremes of asceticism, but still to no avail. Then, at the age of 35, on the full moon night of May, he sat beneath the branches of what is now known as the Bodhi Tree, in a secluded grove by the banks of the river Neranjara, and developed his mind in deep but luminous, tranquil meditation. Using the extraordinary clarity of such a mind with its sharp penetrative power generated by states of deep inner stillness, he turned his attention to investigate upon the hidden meanings of mind, universe and life. Thus he gained the supreme Enlightenment experience and from that time on he was known as the Buddha. His Enlightenment consisted of the most profound and all-embracing insight into the nature of mind and all phenomena. This Enlightenment was not a revelation from some divine being, but a discovery made by Himself and based on the deepest level of meditation and the clearest experience of the mind. It meant that He was no longer subject to craving, ill-will and delusion but was free from their shackles, having attained the complete ending of all forms of inner suffering and acquired unshakeable peace. The Teachings of the Buddha Having realized the goal of Perfect Enlightenment, the Buddha spent the next 45 years teaching a Path which, when diligently followed, will take anyone regardless of race, class or gender to that same Perfect Enlightenment. The Teachings about this Path are called the Dhamma, literally meaning "the nature of all things" or "the truth underlying existence". It is beyond the scope of this pamphlet to present a thorough description of all of these Teachings but the following 7 topics will give you an overview of what the Buddha taught: 1. The way of Inquiry The Buddha warned strongly against blind faith and encouraged the way of truthful inquiry. In one of His best known sermons, the Kalama Sutta, the Buddha pointed out the danger in fashioning one's beliefs merely on the following grounds: on hearsay, on tradition, because many others say it is so, on the authority of ancient scriptures, on the word of a supernatural being, or out of trust in one's teachers, elders, or priests. Instead one maintains an open mind and thoroughly investigates one's own experience of life. When one sees for oneself that a particular view agrees with both experience and reason, and leads to the happiness of one and all, then one should accept that view and live up to it! This principle, of course, applies to the Buddha's own Teachings. They should be considered and inquired into using the clarity of mind born of meditation. Only when one sees these Teachings for oneself in the experience of insight, do these Teachings become one's Truth and give blissful liberation. The traveller on the way of inquiry needs the practice of tolerance. Tolerance does not mean that one embraces every idea or view but means one doesn't get angry at what one can't accept. Further along the journey, what one once disagreed with might later be seen to be true. So in the spirit of tolerant inquiry, here are some more of the basic Teachings as the Buddha gave them. 2. The Four Noble Truths The main Teaching of the Buddha focuses not on philosophical speculations about a Creator God or the origin of the universe, or on a heaven world ever after. The Teaching, instead, is centred on the down-to-earth reality of human suffering and the urgent need to find lasting relief from all forms of discontent. The Buddha gave the simile of a man shot by a poison-tipped arrow who, before he would call a doctor to treat him, demanded to know first who shot the arrow and where the arrow was made and of what and by whom and when and where ... this foolish man would surely die before his questions could be well answered. In the same way, the Buddha said, the urgent need of our existence is to find lasting relief from recurrent suffering, which robs us of happiness and leaves us in strife. Philosophical speculations are of secondary importance and, anyway, they are best left until after one has well trained the mind in meditation to the stage where one has the ability to examine the matter clearly and find the Truth for oneself. Thus, the central Teaching of the Buddha, around which all other teachings revolve, is the Four Noble Truths: 1.That all forms of being, human and otherwise, are afflicted with suffering. 2.That the cause of this suffering is Craving, born of the illusion of a soul (see below, note 7). 3.That this suffering has a lasting end in the Experience of Enlightenment (Nibbana) which is the complete letting go of the illusion of soul and all consequent desire and aversion. 4.That this peaceful and blissful Enlightenment is achieved through a gradual training, a Path that is called the Middle Way or the Eightfold Path. It would be mistaken to label this Teaching as 'pessimistic' on the grounds that it begins by centring on suffering. Rather, Buddhism is 'realistic' in that it unflinchingly faces up to the truth of life's many sufferings and it is 'optimistic' in that it shows a final end of the problem of suffering - Nibbana, Enlightenment in this very life! Those who have achieved this ultimate peace are the inspiring examples who demonstrate once and for all that Buddhism is far from pessimistic, but it is a Path to true Happiness. 3. The Middle Way or Eightfold Path The Way to end all suffering is called the Middle Way because it avoids the two extremes of sensual indulgence and self-mortification. Only when the body is in reasonable comfort but not over-indulged has the mind the clarity and strength to meditate deeply and discover the Truth. This Middle Way consists of the diligent cultivation of Virtue, Meditation and Wisdom, which is explained in more detail as the Noble Eightfold Path. 1.Right Understanding 2.Right Thought 3.Right Speech 4.Right Action 5.Right Livelihood 6.Right Effort 7.Right Mindfulness 8.Right Concentration Right Speech, Action and Livelihood constitute the training in Virtue or Morality. For a practising Buddhist it consists of maintaining the five Buddhist Precepts, which are to refrain from: 1.Deliberately causing the death of any living being; 2.Intentionally taking for one's own the property of another; 3.Sexual misconduct, in particular adultery; 4.Lying and breaking promises; 5.Drinking alcohol or taking stupefying drugs which lead to lack of mindfulness. Right Effort, Mindfulness and Concentration refer to the practice of Meditation, which purifies the mind through the experience of blissful states of inner stillness and empowers the mind to penetrate the meaning of life through profound moments of insight. Right Understanding and Thought are the manifestation of Buddha-Wisdom which ends all suffering, transforms the personality and produces unshakeable serenity and tireless compassion. According to the Buddha, without perfecting the practice of Virtue it is impossible to perfect Meditation, and without perfecting Meditation it is impossible to arrive at Enlightenment Wisdom. Thus the Buddhist Path is a Gradual Path, a Middle Way consisting of Virtue, Meditation and Wisdom as explained in the Noble Eightfold Path leading to happiness and liberation. 4. Kamma Kamma means 'action'. The Law of Kamma means that there are inescapable results of our actions. There are deeds of body, speech or mind that lead to others' harm, one's own harm, or to the harm of both. Such deeds are called bad (or 'unwholesome') kamma. They are usually motivated by greed, hatred or delusion. Because they bring painful results, they should not be done. There are also deeds of body, speech or mind that lead to others' well being, one's own well being, or to the well being of both. Such deeds are called good (or 'wholesome') kamma. They are usually motivated by generosity, compassion or wisdom. Because they bring happy results, they should be done as often as possible. Thus much of what one experiences is the result of one's own previous kamma. When misfortune occurs, instead of blaming someone else, one can look for any fault in one's own past conduct. If a fault is found, the experience of its consequences will make one more careful in the future. When happiness occurs, instead of taking it for granted, one can look to see if it is the result of good kamma. If so, the experience of its pleasant results will encourage more good kamma in the future. The Buddha pointed out that no being whatsoever, divine or otherwise, has any power to stop the consequences of good and bad kamma. The fact that one reaps just what one sows gives to the Buddhist a greater incentive to avoid all forms of bad kamma while doing as much good kamma as possible. Though one cannot escape the results of bad kamma, one can lessen their effect. A spoon of salt mixed in a glass of pure water makes the whole very salty, whereas the same spoon of salt mixed in a freshwater lake hardly changes the taste of the water. Similarly, the result of a bad kamma in a person habitually doing only a small amount of good kamma is painful indeed, whereas the result of the same bad kamma in a person habitually doing a great deal of good kamma is only mildly felt. This natural Law of Kamma becomes the force behind, and reason for, the practice of morality and compassion in our society. 5. Rebirth The Buddha remembered clearly many of His past lives. Even today, many Buddhist monks, nuns and others also remember their past lives. Such a strong memory is a result of deep meditation. For those who remember their past life, Rebirth is an established fact which puts this life in a meaningful perspective. The Law of Kamma can only be understood in the framework of many lifetimes, because it sometimes takes this long for Kamma to bear its fruit. Thus Kamma and Rebirth offer a plausible explanation to the obvious inequalities of birth; why some are born into great wealth whereas others are born into pathetic poverty; why some children enter this world healthy and full-limbed whereas others enter deformed and diseased... The fruits of bad Kamma are not regarded as a punishment for evil deeds but as lessons from which to learn, for example, how much better to learn about the need for generosity than to be reborn among the poor! Rebirth takes place not only within this human realm. The Buddha pointed out that the realm of human beings is but one among many. There are many separate heavenly realms and grim lower realms, too, realms of the animals and realms of the ghosts. Not only can human beings go to any of these realms in the next life, but we can come from any of these realms into our present life. This explains a common objection against Rebirth that argues "How can there be Rebirth when there are ten times as many people alive today than there were 50 years ago?" The answer is that people alive today have come from many different realms. Understanding that we can come and go between these different realms, gives us more respect and compassion for the beings in these realms. It is unlikely, for example, that one would exploit animals when one has seen the link of Rebirth that connects them with us. 6. No Creator God The Buddha pointed out that no God or priest nor any other kind of being has the power to interfere in the working out of someone else's Kamma. Buddhism, therefore, teaches the individual to take full responsibility for themselves. For example, if you want to be wealthy then be trustworthy, diligent and frugal, or if you want to live in a heaven realm then always be kind to others. There is no God to ask favours from, or to put it another way there is no corruption possible in the workings of Kamma. Do Buddhists believe that a Supreme Being created the universe? Buddhists would first ask which universe do you mean? This present universe, from the moment of the 'big bang' up to now, is but one among countless millions in Buddhist cosmology. The Buddha gave an estimate of the age of a single universe-cycle of around 37,000 million years, which is quite plausible when compared to modern astrophysics. After one universe- cycle ends another begins, again and again, according to impersonal law. A Creator God is redundant in this scheme. No being is a Supreme Saviour, according to the Buddha, because whether God, human, animal or whatever, all are subject to the Law of Kamma. Even the Buddha had no power to save. He could only point out the Truth so that the wise could see it for themselves. Everyone must take responsibility for their own future well-being, and it is dangerous to give that responsibility to another. 7. The Illusion of Soul The Buddha taught that there is no soul, no essential and permanent core to a living being. Instead, that which we call a 'living being', human or other, can be seen to be but a temporary coming together of many activities and parts - when complete it is called a 'living being', but after the parts separate and the activities cease it is not called a 'living being' anymore. Like an advanced computer assembled of many parts and activities, only when it is complete and performs coherent tasks is it called a 'computer', but after the parts are disconnected and the activities cease it is no longer called a 'computer'. No essential permanent core can be found which we can truly call 'the computer', just so, no essential permanent core can be found which we can call 'the soul'. Yet Rebirth still occurs without a soul. Consider this simile: on a Buddhist shrine one candle, burnt low, is about to expire. A monk takes a new candle and lights it from the old. The old candle dies, the new candle burns bright. What went across from the old candle to the new? There was a causal link but no thing went across! In the same way, there was a causal link between your previous life and your present life, but no soul has gone across. Indeed, the illusion of a soul is said by the Buddha to be the root cause of all human suffering. The illusion of 'soul' manifests as the 'Ego'. The natural unstoppable function of the Ego is to control. Big Egos want to control the world, average Egos try to control their immediate surroundings of home, family and workplace, and almost all Egos strive to control what they take to be their own body and mind. Such control manifests as desire and aversion, it results in a lack of both inner peace and outer harmony. It is this Ego that seeks to acquire possessions, manipulate others and exploit the environment. Its aim is its own happiness but it invariably produces suffering. It craves for satisfaction but it experiences discontent. Such deep- rooted suffering cannot come to an end until one sees, through deep and powerful meditation, that the idea 'me and mine' is no more than a mirage. These seven topics are a sample of what the Buddha taught. Now, to complete this brief sketch of Buddhism, let's look at how these Teachings are practised today. Types of Buddhism One could say that there is only one type of Buddhism and that is the huge collection of Teachings that were spoken by the Buddha. The original Teachings are found in the 'Pali Canon', the ancient scripture of Theravada Buddhism, which is widely accepted as the oldest reliable record of the Buddha's words. Theravada Buddhism is the dominant religion in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. Between 100 to 200 years after the passing away of the Buddha, the Sangha (the monastic community) split over the political question of 'Who runs the Sangha?' A controversy over some monastic rules was decided by a committee of Arahats (fully Enlightened monks or nuns) against the views of the majority of monks. The disgruntled majority resented what they saw as the excessive influence of the small number of Arahats in monastery affairs. From then on, over a period of several decades, the disaffected majority partially succeeded in lowering the exalted status of the Arahat and raising in its place the ideal of the Bodhisattva (an unenlightened being training to be a Buddha). Previously unknown scriptures, supposedly spoken by the Buddha and hidden in the dragon world, then appeared giving a philosophical justification for the superiority of the Bodhisattva over the allegedly 'selfish' Arahat. This group of monks and nuns were first known as the 'Maha Sangha', meaning 'the great (part) of the monastic community'. Later, after impressive development, they called themselves the 'Mahayana', the 'Greater Vehicle' while quite disparagingly calling the older Theravada 'Hinayana', the 'Inferior Vehicle'. Mahayana still retains most of the original teachings of the Buddha (in the Chinese scriptures these are known as the 'Agama' and in the Tibetan version as the 'Kangyur') but these core teachings were mostly overwhelmed by layers of expansive interpretations and wholly new ideas. The Mahayana of China, still vibrant in Taiwan, reflects an earlier phase of this development, the Mahayana of Vietnam, Korea and Japan (mostly Zen) is a later development, and the Mahayana of Tibet and Mongolia is a much later development still. Buddhism's relevance to the world today Today, Buddhism continues to gain ever wider acceptance in many lands far beyond its original home. Here in Australia, many Australians through their own careful choice are adopting Buddhism's peaceful, compassionate and responsible ways. The Buddhist Teaching of the Law of Kamma offers our society a just and incorruptible foundation and reason for the practice of a moral life. It is easy to see how a wider embracing of the Law of Kamma would lead any country towards a stronger, more caring and virtuous society. The Teaching of Rebirth places this present short lifetime of ours in a broader perspective, giving more meaning to the vital events of birth and death. The understanding of Rebirth removes so much of the tragedy and grief surrounding death and turns one's attention to the quality of a lifetime, rather than its mere length. From the very beginning, the practice of meditation has been at the very heart of the Buddhist Way. Today, meditation grows increasingly popular as the proven benefits to both mental and physical well being become more widely known. When stress is shown to be such a major cause of human suffering, the quieting practice of meditation becomes ever more valued. Today's world is too small and vulnerable to live angry and alone, thus the need for tolerance, love and compassion is so very important. These qualities of mind, essential for happiness are formally developed in Buddhist meditation and then diligently put into practice in everyday life. Forgiveness and gentle tolerance, harmlessness and peaceful compassion are well known trademarks of Buddhism, they are given freely and broadly to all kinds of beings, including animals of course, and also, most importantly, to oneself. There is no place for dwelling in guilt or self-hatred in Buddhism, not even a place for feeling guilty about feeling guilty! Teachings and practices such as these are what bring about qualities of gentle kindness and unshakeable serenity, identified with the Buddhist religion for 25 centuries and sorely needed in today's world. In all its long history, no war has ever been fought in the name of Buddhism. It is this peace and this tolerance, growing out of a profound yet reasonable philosophy, which makes Buddhism so vitally relevant to today's world. Are rebirth and karma for real? Is rebirth for real - either as a human or in one of the other realms? This is the question most Westerners ask as soon as they become interested in Buddhism. Karma (Pali: Kamma) - the law of cause and effect - operates across multiple lifetimes, but where's the proof that there is any life other than the current one? It's a complex subject and each tradition has its own explanation. It isn't uncommon for different teachers in the same tradition to have a different take on rebirth. One thing's for sure, there is no scientific proof of rebirth (yet). There are rational explanations, but they all rest on unprovable assumptions. One way to approach the question of rebirth is suggested by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, who says, "You don't have to believe in rebirth, you just have to take it as a working hypothesis." Other teachers, such as Ajahn Summedho, have a similar view, that since we can never know what will happen after death, it makes sense to practise Dharma (Pali: Dhamma) and live this life in the best way possible. Some well-known monks, Ajahn Brahm and P.A. Payutto among them, say that when meditators reach the third or fourth jhana (level of absorbtion) they are able to "read their past lives" as the Buddha did and experience the truth of rebirth. But this ability is by no means universal, even among meditation masters. Another explanation championed by Buddhadasa, Thailand's most revered monk, is that rebirth in a series of physical bodies is "conventional talk" to make the subject understandable for the masses, but in "Dharma talk" what the Buddha really meant was that each life was the arising of the ego in the mind. So we experience "death" and "rebirth" (of the ego) many times each day. Similarly, the six realms of existence all correspond to states of mind. In the same way, the cause and effect of karma can be observed in our own mental states - when we do good deeds it results in a wholesome mental state, when we do bad deeds, we experience unwholesome mental states. This rational explanation of rebirth and karma doesn't necessarily exclude the traditional view. It augments it. What works for me is to take both of them as working hypotheses and practise accordingly. Recalling the Buddha's story about the man shot with a poisoned arrow, if we need to have every detail of the teaching proved to us at the outset, we'll be dead before we start practising. What is our purpose in life? The traditional answer to this is that our purpose is to attain nirvana and stop the endless cycle of rebirths and suffering. But the idea of a general purpose for mankind suggests that someone or something created that purpose, which in turn suggests an omnipotent deity. The way I think of it is that we have no pre-ordained purpose. We evolved, and here we are. Because we also evolved language and conceptual thinking, we got stuck with this concept of a self, an ego that makes us feel separate from everything else. The ego needs constant reassurance of its importance, which is why we cling to our views and defend them fanatically, and why we are constantly criticizing others. Our ego rules our lives. It is terrified of being snuffed out. We handle this in different ways. Some of us have lots of kids so we can feel that a part of us lives on forever through our descendants. Some of us perform heroic deeds so that our names will live on in history forever. Some of us get onto Ripley's Believe It Or Not with the world's longest moustache or beating the world record for smashing melons with our head, or some such nonsense, so that we'll achieve digital immortality. Some of us cling to the idea that a god will give us eternal life in some form after death. For those of us who don't find this pseudo-immortality or unguaranteed immortality satisfying, there's a need to create our own purpose in life. This is where Buddhism fits the bill nicely. Instead of being ruled by the ego and its fears, get rid of it! Being rid of the ego and the suffering it brings is what Ajahn Jagaro called "True Freedom" - a very appealing idea for all of us. If we don't achieve true freedom in this life, we should get another chance in a future life. But simply diminishing the ego and increasing freedom in this life seems like a worthwhile purpose to me. What's the difference between Theravada and Mahayana? To preserve the monastic order, the Buddha set down 227 rules for a bhikkhu (monk) to observe and 311 for a bhikkhuni (nun). Before his death (known as parinirvana) he said that some minor rules could be changed. Within a short time of his passing away there was disagreement over what could be changed and different sects emerged. The more reformist sects later called themselves Mahayana (greater vehicle) and referred to the conservative sects as Hinayana (lesser vehicle). The only conservative sect remaining today is Theravada, which is prevalent in Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand. Theravada recognises the Pali Canon as its scriptures and a variety of ancient Theravadin commentaries. Whereas Theravada spread to the south and east, Mahayana moved to the northwest through what is now Pakistan and Afghanistan and then across Central Asia to China, Tibet, Vietnam, Korea and Japan. For historical reasons, the language of Mahayana scriptures was Sanskrit and that of Theravada was Pali. Hence the difference in spelling of some common Buddhist terms: Nirvana/Nibbana, Sutra/Sutta, Karma/Kamma, Dharma/Damma, etc. Westerners are more familiar with Mahayana Sanskrit terms. Mahayana also has its own scriptures in addition to the Pali Canon, the most important of which is the Lotus Sutra. These sutras are purported to be the Buddha's secret "higher" teachings, which were handed down only to those who were ready for them - an idea emphasised at the beginning of the Lotus Sutra. Apart from a modified monastic code which made monasticism possible in harsh environments such as Tibet, Mahayana emphasises the Bodhisattva Ideal, where a man vows not to achieve final enlightenment until all sentient beings have been saved. So anyone helping others to achieve enlightenment can be considered a bodhisattva. In Theravada, the term bodhisattva usually refers only to the historical Buddha in his previous lives. Historically, some Mahayanists consider Theravadins to be selfish for seeking enlightenment only for themselves, while some Theravadins consider Mahayanists to have deviated from what the Buddha taught. The various sutras and sects of Mahayana reflect different ways of reaching enlightenment appropriate for different people with different levels of ability. Because of this, a number of "mythical" buddhas and bodhisattvas are revered and used as objects of meditation. Theravadins revere only the historical Buddha and only his image is seen in temples. Mahayana tends to emphasise the concept of sunyata (void-ness) in its teachings and tends to have a more specific idea of what passes from rebirth to rebirth (consciousness, comprising awareness and memory). Personally, I found that the more I read about Mahayana and the Tibetan tradition known as Vajrayana, the more I accepted that all sects are going in the same direction and there is no point in considering any one of them better than another. Which tradition should I choose? I suggest reading about Theravada first and then investigating the other traditions to see which suits you best. Your decision may also depend on your Buddhist friends and what is available where you live. As far as I know, the main traditions known in the West are Theravada, Tibetan, Zen, Pure Land and Nichiren. One myth that seems to have grown up over the years is that with Mahayana one can reach enlightenment in one lifetime whereas with Theravada it takes aeons. This notion seems to have been pushed by the Chinese Zen patriarchs, in particular Huang Po, as illustrated in The Zen Teaching of Huang Po. In modern times the idea has been spread by influential author-scholar John Blofeld, who translated Huang Po's works into English and wrote several excellent books on Buddhism. But it all seems pretty ridiculous because how could anyone know how many lives ago any particular person started consciously working towards enlightenment? Blofeld followed Zen and then Tibetan Buddhist Tantrism, describing both as the "Short Path." However, it isn't difficult to see that any tradition that emphasises meditation - as the Buddha did - will be a short path. In the past century, the Thai Forest Tradition is a good example of a Theravadin tradition that produced a number of enlightened masters. According to Blofeld, Mahayana and Tibetan Buddhism in particular offer ways of practice to suit people at every level. After all, not everyone has an aptitude for meditation. A lot of people prefer something simpler, such as praying, chanting, various forms of devotion and pilgrimages. He describes Zen and Theravada as "formless," meaning the practice is mostly just you and your mind. But in fact there's a lot more to both than just meditation. Tibetan Buddhism seems to attract Westerners because there are now a lot of Tibetan lamas and monasteries in the West, because of the charisma of the Dalai Lama, because it can be a "Short Path," because of its reputation for developing psychic powers and because of its many varied methods of practice. However, Tibetan Buddhism has absorbed much of the ancient, shamanistic Bon religion of Tibet, so it's wise to read up on Tibet thoroughly before committing to it. Zen attracts Westerners because it's something of a "back to basics" tradition with an emphasis on meditation and very little ritual. Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha, is revered rather than the other mythical buddhas and bodhisattvas of the Mahayana sutras. Although it originated in China, the type of Zen practised in the West is mostly Japanese. Theravada attracts Western practicioners because it is seen as the oldest and purest form of Buddhism, one that reveres only Sakyamuni and in theory concentrates on meditation. The Thai Forest Tradition which developed in the late 1800s was an effort to practise exactly as the Buddha did, wandering in the jungle and meditating in caves. Although the jungle is largely gone now, a number of Westerners joined Ajahn Chah's international monastery in the 1970s and later spread the practice in other countries: Ajahn Jagaro and Ajahn Brahm in Australia, Thanissaro Bhikkhu in the USA and Ajahn Sumedho in the UK. For a brief look at the origins of this tradition, see Thanissaro Bhikkhu's Customs of the Noble Ones. For a more detailed treatment, read Forest Recollections. Pure Land was once widespread in China and is still practised among Chinese around the world. A refined form of Pure Land (Jodo and Shin Jodo) developed in Japan and has spread to the West. Pure Land involves purifying the mind by chanting the name of the Amitabha (Amida) Buddha to gain help in reaching a realm after death from where it is easy to reach enlightenment. On a deeper level, Pure Land equals pure mind and Amitabha represents our own qualities rather than an external saviour. Pure Land is sometimes combined with Zen practice. Nichiren is a homegrown Japanese tradition advocating chanting of a phrase hailing the Lotus Sutra. An offshoot of Nichiren is the lay organisation, Sokka Gakai International. There are a few Buddhist sects and organisations that are controversial in some way, usually because of their founder/leader or his particular beliefs. Before getting involved with Sokka Gakai (SGI), the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO), Shugden or Diamond Way (Karma Kagyu), you might want to google for information about their background. How do I become a Buddhist? Although there is a ceremony of taking the Three Refuges (the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha), there isn't any "conversion" involved and you aren't required to renounce any other religion or beliefs. In fact, it seems to be more of a social statement to show others that you have become a Buddhist. In my opinion, once you accept the Buddha's teachings as a way of life and try to follow the Five Precepts for lay people, you're a Buddhist. For me, this involved a lot of reading Dharma and listening to Dharma talks on the Internet. Rather than read the scriptures (which are often difficult), I chose books by monks and nuns who already had a deep knowledge of Dharma through study and practice, and who had a talent for explaining it. I looked at how Buddhism developed over the millennia and decided to start off with Theravada, which is the original form of Buddhism based on the Pali Canon. Later, I investigated the various Mahayana traditions too. It was obvious to me that reducing the power of the ego to control our lives was a foundation of Buddhism. For my practice, I concentrated on Right Speech (a component of the Noble Eightfold Path) because I thought it would give the fastest results. I expected if I started being nice to people, eventually they'd be nicer to me. That happened, but much more than that. I found myself examining my intentions every time I felt like defending my views, arguing with someone, contradicting them, criticizing them, comparing myself with them or judging them in any way at all. Pretty soon it was obvious that much of what I said or did was designed to boost my sense of self-worth and that "true freedom" was to escape this tyranny of the ego. Later I started meditating, since this is the only way to experience the truth of the teaching rather than just understanding them intellectually. Even though the majority of people born into Buddhism may not meditate, it's essential for the serious Buddhist. Some Westerners have a problem with whether they are or aren't a Buddhist, usually because they still have some belief in god or because they haven't come to believe in rebirth. The following talk by Ajahn Jagaro, a Western monk of the Thai Forest Tradition, will be helpful for anyone asking himself, "Am I a Buddhist?" ________________________________________ Am I a Buddhist? by Ajahn Jagaro Teaching people who have only recently encountered Buddhism I am often asked the question "How do you become a Buddhist?" or "How do you know when you are a Buddhist?" This type of enquiry is indeed healthy and to be encouraged not only amongst those new to Buddhism but also for people born and raised as Buddhists. So go ahead and ask yourself: "Am I a Buddhist?" I expect that there will be many who will answer "Yes" and those who say "No", but I wonder how many will be thinking "Oh ... Ahm,.. I don't know." So let us contemplate this business of being a Buddhist a bit more. To begin our enquiry it may be worthwhile to know what the Buddha said on the matter. The following episode is taken from the Buddhist scriptures (Anguttara Nikaya, Vol IV): "Once, the Lord dwelt amongst the Sakyans in the Banyan Tree Monastery at Kapilavatthu, and while there, Mahanama the Sakyan came to him and asked; "How, Lord, does one become a lay disciple?" "When one has taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, then one is a lay disciple". "How, Lord, is a lay disciple virtuous?" "When a lay disciple abstains from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and drinking intoxicants, then he is virtuous." Here the Buddha clearly states that by taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha one becomes a disciple or, in modern terminology, a Buddhist. The classical formula of going for refuge, which has been passed down from the time of the Buddha is as follows; Buddham Saranam Gacchami (I go for refuge to the Buddha) Dhammam Saranam Gacchami (I go for refuge to the Dhamma) Sangham Saranam Gacchami (I go for refuge to the Sangha) However one does not become a Buddhist through the mere repetition of these words nor by the performance of any other ceremony ritual or initiation. On the other hand, though one has not performed any ceremony or ritual, one may still be a Buddhist. Put simply, this means that no one can make you a Buddhist nor can anyone stop you from being a Buddhist. It is a volitional choice that one makes when one has sufficient confidence in the Teacher and the Teaching. In the commentaries to the scriptures it explains this as, "It is an act of consciousness devoid of defilements, motivated by confidence in and reverence for the Triple Gem"... Here I would like to relate something of my own experience to help explain this point. When I first came in contact with Buddhism I did not consider myself a religious person. If anything, I thought of myself as an atheist and felt that religion had little relevance to real life. However, I did find the Buddha's Teachings and in particular the practice of meditation very appealing. I had a desire to find out more about it and this lead me into a monastery where I was eventually ordained as a monk. One day a young Thai student, wanting to practise his English, casually asked me "Are you a Buddhist?" But in my mind I wondered whether or not I was a Buddhist. I must confess that it was a strange position to be in - a Buddhist monk who doesn't know whether he is a Buddhist! Yet that situation persisted for over a year before the meaning of both the question and the answer became clear to me. During that year as I continued to study and practise the Dhamma I began to feel very comfortable with the teaching and increasingly confident that this was the way for me. With this came the conscious recognition that I had chosen the Buddha as my Teacher and considered him as the embodiment of the spiritual ideals of peace and liberation. I had also chosen to follow the path contained in his Teaching (the Dhamma) being confident that it would lead to liberation. And while on this path I would seek the guidance and try to emulate the example of all the noble disciples who constitute the Sangha. It was indeed wonderful to discover that I was a Buddhist and not just a Buddhist monk! Now becoming a Buddhist does not mean that one has to either agree with or believe in everything that is taught or practised by all the countless Buddhist sects and groups throughout the world. Nor do we have to believe that it is the only way and that all the other religions are no good. It simply means that having looked at and probed into this teaching of the Buddha, having tried it and having seen that it does work, one has confidence in it and chooses to take refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and Sangha. However if you are still unsure as to whether you are a Buddhist or you are not, don't worry about it, just keep on practising. With Metta, Jagaro Bhikkhu. ________________________________________ If you found this page useful or have any comments you can contact me at craigo@tale ofgenji.org. [ links | home | bibliography ]
what is barmuda triangle and where it is situated? is it mistry of this world http://miss-aishwaryarai.page.tl http://miss-aishwaryarai.page.tl The Bermuda Triangle (also known as Devil's Triangle) is a nearly half-million square-mile (1.2 million km2) area of ocean roughly defined by Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and the southernmost tip of Florida. The Bermuda Triangle has become popular through representation by the mass media, in which it is a paranormal site in which the known laws of physics are either violated, altered, or both. http://miss-aishwaryarai.page.tl While there is a common belief that a number of ships and airplanes have disappeared under highly unusual circumstances in this region, the United States Coast Guard and others disagree with that assessment, citing statistics demonstrating that the number of incidents involving lost ships and aircraft is no larger than that of any other heavily traveled region of the world. Many of the alleged mysteries have proven not so mysterious or unusual upon close examination, with inaccuracies and misinformation about the cases often circulating and recirculating over the decades. http://miss-aishwaryarai.page.tl The triangle is an arbitrary shape, crudely marking out a corridor of the Atlantic, stretching northward from the West Indies, along the North American seaboard, as far as the Carolinas. In the Age of Sail, ships returning to Europe from parts south would sail north to the Carolinas, then turn east for Europe, taking advantage of the prevailing wind direction across the North Atlantic. Even with the development of steam and internal-combustion engines, a great deal more shipping traffic was (and still is) found nearer the US coastline than towards the empty centre of the Atlantic. The Triangle also loosely conforms with the course of the Gulf Stream as it leaves the West Indies, and has always been an area of volatile weather. The combination of distinctly heavy maritime traffic and tempestuous weather meant that a certain, also distinctly large, number of vessels would flounder in storms. Given the historical limitations of communications technology, most of those ships that sank without survivors would disappear without a trace. The advent of wireless communications, radar, and satellite navigation meant that the unexplained disappearances largely ceased at some point in the 20th Century. The occasional vessel still sinks, but rarely without a trace. It should be noted that both the concept and the name of the Bermuda Triangle date only to the 1960s, and were the products of an American journalist. http://miss-aishwaryarai.page.tl Other areas often purported to possess unusual characteristics are the Devil's Sea, located near Japan, and the Marysburgh Vortex or the Great Lakes Triangle, located in eastern Lake Ontario. Map of the popularly-held dimensions of the Bermuda Triangle; recent claims by researchers alude to a more "trapezium" shape, extending back into the Gulf of Mexico and down into the Caribbean Sea.Contents History The cover of the 1977 Panther paperback edition of Berlitz's The Bermuda Triangle First citations The first mention of disappearances in the area was made in 1950 by E.V.W. Jones as a sidebar on the Associated Press wire service regarding recent ship losses. Jones' article notes the "mysterious disappearances" of ships, airplanes and small boats in the region, and ascribes it the name "The Devil's Triangle". It was next mentioned in 1952 in a Fate Magazine article by George X. Sand, who outlined several "strange marine disappearances". The term "Bermuda Triangle" was popularized by Vincent Gaddis in a 1964 Argosy feature. http://miss-aishwaryarai.page.tl Popularized by Berlitz The area achieved its current fame largely through the efforts of Charles Berlitz in his 1974 book The Bermuda Triangle (right) and its subsequent film adaptation. The book recounts a long series of mysterious disappearances of ships and aircraft, in particular the December 1945 loss of five U.S. Navy Avenger torpedo bombers in the infamous Flight 19 incident. The book was a bestseller and included several theories about the cause of the disappearances, including accidents due to high traffic volumes; natural storms; "temporal holes"; the lost empire of Atlantis; transportation by extraterrestrial technology; and other natural or supernatural causes. Skeptical responses The marine insurer Lloyd's of London has determined the "triangle" to be no more dangerous than any other area of ocean, and does not charge unusual rates for passage through the region. Coast Guard records confirm their conclusion. http://miss-aishwaryarai.page.tl Skeptics comment that the disappearance of a train between two stops would be more convincing evidence of paranormal activity, and the fact that such things do not occur suggests that paranormal explanations are not needed for the disappearance of ships and airplanes in the far less predictable open ocean. http://miss-aishwaryarai.page.tl Kusche's research Intrigued by the number of students coming to him looking for information about the Bermuda Triangle, Lawrence Kusche, a reference librarian with Arizona State University at the time of the Flight 19 incident, began an exhaustive follow-up investigation of the original reports. His findings were eventually published in 1975 as The Bermuda Triangle Mystery: Solved. http://miss-aishwaryarai.page.tl Kusche's research revealed a number of inaccuracies and inconsistencies between Berlitz's accounts and statements from eyewitnesses, participants and others involved in the initial incidents. He noted cases where pertinent information went unreported, such as the disappearance of round-the-world yachtsman Donald Crowhurst which Berlitz had presented as a mystery, despite clear evidence that Crowhurst had fabricated the accounts of his voyage and had probably committed suicide. Another example was the ore-carrier Berlitz recounted as lost without trace three days out of an Atlantic port when it had been lost three days out of a port with the same name in the Pacific Ocean. Kusche also argued that a large percentage of the incidents attributed to the Bermuda Triangle's mysterious influence actually occurred well outside it. Kusche came to several conclusions: The number of ships and airplanes reported missing in the area was not significantly greater, proportionally speaking, than any other part of the ocean. In an area frequented by tropical storms, the number of disappearances that did occur was neither disproportionate, unlikely, nor mysterious. The numbers themselves had been exaggerated by sloppy research. A boat listed as missing would be reported, but not necessarily its eventual, if belated, return to port. The circumstances of confirmed disappearances were frequently misreported in Berlitz's accounts. The numbers of ships disappearing in supposedly calm weather, for instance, did not tally with weather reports published at the time. Methane hydrates Main article: Methane clathrate An explanation for some of the disappearances focuses on the presence of vast fields of methane hydrates on the continental shelves. A paper was published in 1981 by the United States Geological Survey about the appearance of hydrates in the Blake Ridge area, off the southeastern United States coast. Periodic methane eruptions may produce regions of frothy water that are no longer capable of providing adequate buoyancy for ships. If this were the case, such an area forming around a ship could cause it to sink very rapidly and without warning. Laboratory experiments have proven that bubbles can, indeed, sink a scale model ship by decreasing the density of the water. Hypothetically, methane gas might also be involved in airplane crashes, as it is not as dense as normal air and thus would not generate the amount of lift required to keep the airplane flying. Methane can cut out an aircraft engine with very little levels of it in the atmosphere. Tidal waves Main article: Freak wave Research has shown that tidal, freak, or rogue waves can reach up to 30 m (100 feet) in height and are capable of sinking large ships within moments. Although these are very rare, in some areas ocean currents mean they happen more often than the normal. Such waves have now been hypothesized as a cause for many unexplained shipping losses over the years. Some research suggests that some of these waves are caused by giant bubbles of methane rising to the surface. These giant bubbles are created when methane vents at the ocean bottom become clogged; then pressure builds up and eventually the gas bursts out and rises rapidly to the surface thus generating the wave. Research has shown that such bubbles are able to sink scale sized ships with great ease and speed. Famous incidents Flight 19 Main article: Flight 19 One of the known Bermuda Triangle incidents concerns the loss of Flight 19, a squadron of five U.S. Navy TBM Avenger torpedo bombers on a training flight out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on December 5, 1945. According to Berlitz, the flight consisted of expert Marine Corps aviators who, after reporting a number of odd visual effects, simply disappeared, an account which isn't entirely true. Furthermore, Berlitz claims that because the TBM Avenger bombers were built to float for long periods, they should have been found the next day considering what were reported as calm seas and a clear sky. However, not only were they never found, a Navy search and rescue seaplane that went after them was also lost. Adding to the intrigue is that the Navy's report of the accident was ascribed to "causes or reasons unknown". While the basic facts of Berlitz's version of the story are essentially accurate, some important details are missing. The image of a squadron of seasoned combat aviators disappearing on a sunny afternoon is inaccurate. Rather, it was a squadron of lost, inexperienced flight trainees forced to ditch their out-of-fuel airplanes into unknown stormy waters in the dark of night. As for the Navy's report, it is claimed that the original report blamed the accident on the commander's confusion (Lt. Taylor abandoned his airplanes twice in the Pacific after getting lost returning to his carrier), but the wording was changed in deference to the wishes of his family. Another factor to consider is that the TBM Avenger Aircraft were never designed for crash-landing into water. Wartime experience in the Pacific showed that an Avenger aircraft would sink very quickly if landed on the water. Especially with novice pilots at the helm - an Avenger would be very difficult to land on calm water - let alone the perilous rough seas in the Bermuda Triangle. Star Tiger If the disappearance of Flight 19 had been an isolated incident, it would have remained one of the great mysteries of modern aviation. However, aircraft disappearances continued to be reported near the same location, some accompanied by equally extended and confusing radio traffic, including that of a four-engine Tudor IV airliner named Star Tiger, in the predawn hours of January 31, 1948. Piloted by Captain B. W. McMillan, the airliner, which carried twenty-nine passengers and crew on board, had left hours earlier from Santa Maria, Azores, one of numerous scheduled fuel stopover points on its route from London, England to Havana, Cuba. While approaching Bermuda, McMillan made the expected contact with Kindley Field, the next stopover, requesting a radio bearing to calibrate his navigation systems and ensure he remained on course. With the response indicating that the plane was slightly off course, its position was corrected after Bermuda relayed a first-class bearing of 72 degrees from the island. At this point, with Star Tiger less than two hours flight away, McMillan gave confirmation of an ETA of 05:00 hours, an hour late due to strong headwinds; no further transmission from the aircraft was ever received. Armed with precise reports of the plane's last known position, rescue operations were launched after the craft was determined overdue for arrival; but no trace of the aircraft was ever found. In the report issued soon thereafter by the Civil Air Ministry, numerous hypotheses as to what might have occurred during the flight's final two hours are given, before each being subsequently rejected: "There would accordingly be no grounds for supposing that Star Tiger fell into the sea in consequence of having been deprived of her radio, having failed to find her destination, and having exhausted her fuel." "There is good reason to suppose that no distress message was transmitted from the aircraft, for there were many radio receiving stations listening on the aircraft's frequencies, and none reported such a message." "...The weather was stable, there were no atmospheric disturbances of a serious kind which might cause structural damage to the aircraft, and there were no electrical storms." It was ruled that the aircraft could not have gone off course, as the broadcast bearing from Bermuda, with winds prevailing, would have brought it within thirty miles of the island: "The aircraft could hardly have failed to find the island in a short time, in the conditions of visibility which prevailed." Engine difficulty was ruled out as a likely cause, since at such late stage in the flight, without the added weight of extra fuel aboard, the aircraft might have been flown safely on three, or even two, engines instead of the four it had. The probability of the aircraft entirely losing three engines in the course of under two hours was considered absurd. Faced with the accumulation of evidence, or perhaps lack thereof, the board of investigation addressed the loss of the Star Tiger with remarked eloquence: "In closing this report it may truly be said that no more baffling problem has ever been presented for investigation. In the complete absence of any reliable evidence as to either the nature or the cause of the accident of Star Tiger the Court has not been able to do more than suggest possibilities, none of which reaches the level even of probability. Into all activities which involve the co-operation of man and machine two elements enter of a very diverse chaarcter [sic?]. There is an incalculable element of the human equation dependent upon imperfectly known factors; and there is the mechanical element subject to quite different laws. A breakdown may occur in either separately or in both in conjunction. Or some external cause may overwhelm both man and machine. What happened in this case will never be known and the fate of Star Tiger must remain an unsolved mystery." 2 years ago http://miss-aishwaryarai.page.tl
9/11 Coincidences? The Coincidence Theorists Guide to 9/11 That governments have permitted terrorist acts against their own people, and have even themselves been perpetrators in order to find strategic advantage is quite likely true, but this is the United States we're talking about. That intelligence agencies, financiers, terrorists and narco-criminals have a long history together is well established, but the Nugan Hand Bank, BCCI, Banco Ambrosiano, the P2 Lodge, the CIA/Mafia anti-Castro/Kennedy alliance, Iran/Contra and the rest were a long time ago, so there's no need to rehash all that. That was then, this is now! That Jonathan Bush's Riggs Bank has been found guilty of laundering terrorist funds and fined a US-record $25 million must embarrass his nephew George, but it's still no justification for leaping to paranoid conclusions. That George Bush's brother Marvin sat on the board of the Kuwaiti-owned company which provided electronic security to the World Trade Centre, Dulles Airport and United Airlines means nothing more than you must admit those Bush boys have done alright for themselves. That George Bush found success as a businessman only after the investment of Osama's brother Salem and reputed al Qaeda financier Khalid bin Mahfouz is just one of those things - one of those crazy things. That Osama bin Laden is known to have been an asset of US foreign policy in no way implies he still is. That al Qaeda was active in the Balkan conflict, fighting on the same side as the US as recently as 1999, while the US protected its cells, is merely one of history's little aberrations. The claims of Michael Springman, State Department veteran of the Jeddah visa bureau, that the CIA ran the office and issued visas to al Qaeda members so they could receive training in the United States, sound like the sour grapes of someone who was fired for making such wild accusations. That one of George Bush's first acts as President, in January 2001, was to end the two-year deployment of attack submarines which were positioned within striking distance of al Qaeda's Afghanistan camps, even as the group's guilt for the Cole bombing was established, proves that a transition from one administration to the next is never an easy task. That so many influential figures in and close to the Bush White House had expressed, just a year before the attacks, the need for a "new Pearl Harbor" before their militarist ambitions could be fulfilled, demonstrates nothing more than the accidental virtue of being in the right place at the right time. That the company PTECH, founded by a Saudi financier placed on America's Terrorist Watch List in October 2001, had access to the FAA's entire computer system for two years before the 9/11 attack, means he must not have been such a threat after all. That whistleblower Indira Singh was told to keep her mouth shut and forget what she learned when she took her concerns about PTECH to her employers and federal authorities, suggests she lacked the big picture. And that the Chief Auditor for JP Morgan Chase told Singh repeatedly, as she answered questions about who supplied her with what information, that "that person should be killed," suggests he should take an anger management seminar. That on May 8, 2001, Dick Cheney took upon himself the job of co-ordinating a response to domestic terror attacks even as he was crafting the administration's energy policy which bore implications for America's military, circumventing the established infrastructure and ignoring the recommendations of the Hart-Rudman report, merely shows the VP to be someone who finds it hard to delegate. That the standing order which covered the shooting down of hijacked aircraft was altered on June 1, 2001, taking discretion away from field commanders and placing it solely in the hands of the Secretary of Defense, is simply poor planning and unfortunate timing. Fortunately the error has been corrected, as the order was rescinded shortly after 9/11. That in the weeks before 9/11, FBI agent Colleen Rowley found her investigation of Zacarias Moussaoui so perversely thwarted that her colleagues joked that bin Laden had a mole at the FBI, proves the stress-relieving virtue of humour in the workplace. That Dave Frasca of the FBI's Radical Fundamentalist Unit received a promotion after quashing multiple, urgent requests for investigations into al Qaeda assets training at flight schools in the summer of 2001 does appear on the surface odd, but undoubtedly there's a good reason for it, quite possibly classified. That FBI informant Randy Glass, working an undercover sting, was told by Pakistani intelligence operatives that the World Trade Center towers were coming down, and that his repeated warnings which continued until weeks before the attacks, including the mention of planes used as weapons, were ignored by federal authorities, is simply one of the many "What Ifs" of that tragic day. That over the summer of 2001 Washington received many urgent, senior-level warnings from foreign intelligence agencies and governments - including those of Germany, France, Great Britain, Russia, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, Afghanistan and others - of impending terror attacks using hijacked aircraft and did nothing, demonstrates the pressing need for a new Intelligence Czar. That John Ashcroft stopped flying commercial aircraft in July 2001 on account of security considerations had nothing to do with warnings regarding September 11, because he said so to the 9/11 Commission. That former lead counsel for the House David Schippers says he'd taken to John Ashcroft's office specific warnings he'd learned from FBI agents in New York of an impending attack - even naming the proposed dates, names of the hijackers and the targets - and that the investigations had been stymied and the agents threatened, proves nothing but David Schipper's pathetic need for attention. That Garth Nicolson received two warnings from contacts in the intelligence community and one from a North African head of state, which included specific site, date and source of the attacks, and passed the information to the Defense Department and the National Security Council to evidently no effect, clearly amounts to nothing, since virtually nobody has ever heard of him. That in the months prior to September 11, self-described US intelligence operative Delmart Vreeland sought, from a Toronto jail cell, to get US and Canadian authorities to heed his warning of his accidental discovery of impending catastrophic attacks is worthless, since Vreeland was a dubious character, notwithstanding the fact that many of his claims have since been proven true. That FBI Special Investigator Robert Wright claims that agents assigned to intelligence operations actually protect terrorists from investigation and prosecution, that the FBI shut down his probe into terrorist training camps, and that he was removed from a money-laundering case that had a direct link to terrorism, sounds like yet more sour grapes from a disgruntled employee. That George Bush had plans to invade Afghanistan on his desk before 9/11 demonstrates only the value of being prepared. The suggestion that securing a pipeline across Afghanistan figured into the White House's calculations is as ludicrous as the assertion that oil played a part in determining war in Iraq. That Afghanistan is once again the world's principal heroin producer is an unfortunate reality, but to claim the CIA is still actively involved in the narcotics trade is to presume bad faith on the part of the agency. Mahmood Ahmed, chief of Pakistan's ISI, must not have authorized an al Qaeda payment of $100,000 to Mohammed Atta days before the attacks, and was not meeting with senior Washington officials over the week of 9/11, because I didn't read anything about him in the official report. That Porter Goss met with Ahmed the morning of September 11 in his capacity as Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has no bearing whatsoever upon his recent selection by the White House to head the Central Intelligence Agency. That Goss's congressional seat encompasses the 9/11 hijackers' Florida base of operation, including their flight schools, is precisely the kind of meaningless factoid a conspiracy theorist would bring up. It's true that George HW Bush and Dick Cheney spent the evening of September 10 alone in the Oval Office, but what's wrong with old colleagues catching up? And it's true that George HW Bush and Shafig bin Laden, Osama's brother, spent the morning of September 11 together at a board meeting of the Carlyle Group, but the bin Ladens are a big family. That FEMA arrived in New York on Sept 10 to prepare for a scheduled biowarfare drill, and had a triage centre ready to go that was larger and better equipped than the one that was lost in the collapse of WTC 7, was a lucky twist of fate. Newsweek's report that senior Pentagon officials cancelled flights on Sept 10 for the following day on account of security concerns is only newsworthy because of what happened the following morning. That George Bush's telephone logs for September 11 do not exist should surprise no one, given the confusion of the day. That Mohamed Atta attended the International Officer's School at Maxwell Air Force Base, that Abdulaziz Alomari attended Brooks Air Force Base Aerospace Medical School, that Saeed Alghamdi attended the Defense Language Institute in Monterey merely shows it is a small world, after all. That Lt Col Steve Butler, Vice Chancellor for student affairs of the Defense Language Institute during Alghamdi's terms, was disciplined, removed from his post and threatened with court martial when he wrote "Bush knew of the impending attacks on America. He did nothing to warn the American people because he needed this war on terrorism. What is...contemptible is the President of the United States not telling the American people what he knows for political gain," is the least that should have happened for such disrespect shown his Commander in Chief. That Mohammed Atta dressed like a Mafioso, had a stripper girlfriend, smuggled drugs, was already a licensed pilot when he entered the US, enjoyed pork chops, drank to excess and did cocaine, was closer to Europeans than Arabs in Florida, and included the names of defence contractors on his email list, proves how dangerous the radical fundamentalist Muslim can be. That 43 lbs of heroin was found on board the Lear Jet owned by Wally Hilliard, the owner of Atta's flight school, just three weeks after Atta enrolled - the biggest seizure ever in Central Florida - was just bad luck. That Hilliard was not charged shows how specious the claims for conspiracy truly are. That Hilliard's plane had made 30-round trips to Venezuela with the same passengers who always paid cash, that the plane had been supplied by a pair of drug smugglers who had also outfitted CIA drug runner Barry Seal, and that 9/11 commissioner Richard ben-Veniste had been Seal's attorney before Seal's murder, shows nothing but the lengths to which conspiracists will go to draw sinister conclusions. Reports of insider trading on 9/11 are false, because the SEC investigated and found only respectable investors who will remain nameless involved, and no terrorists, so the windfall profit-taking was merely, as ever, coincidental. That heightened security for the World Trade Centre was lifted immediately prior to the attacks illustrates that it always happens when you least expect it. That Hani Hanjour, the pilot of Flight 77, was so incompetent he could not fly a Cessna in August, but in September managed to fly a 767 at excessive speed into a spiraling, 270-degree descent and a level impact of the first floor of the Pentagon, on the only side that was virtually empty and had been hardened to withstand a terrorist attack, merely demonstrates that people can do almost anything once they set their minds to it. That none of the flight data recorders were said to be recoverable even though they were located in the tail sections, and that until 9/11, no solid-state recorder in a catastrophic crash had been unrecoverable, shows how there's a first time for everything. That Mohammed Atta left a uniform, a will, a Koran, his driver's license and a "how to fly planes" video in his rental car at the airport means he had other things on his mind. The mention of Israelis with links to military-intelligence having been arrested on Sept 11 videotaping and celebrating the attacks, of an Israeli espionage ring surveiling DEA and defense installations and trailing the hijackers, and of a warning of impending attacks delivered to the Israeli company Odigo two hours before the first plane hit, does not deserve a response. That the stories also appeared in publications such as Ha'aretz and Forward is a sad display of self-hatred among certain elements of the Israeli media. That multiple military wargames and simulations were underway the morning of 9/11 - one simulating the crash of a plane into a building; another, a live-fly simulation of multiple hijackings - and took many interceptors away from the eastern seaboard and confused field commanders as to which was a real hijacked aircraft and which was a hoax, was a bizarre coincidence, but no less a coincidence. That the National Military Command Center ops director asked a rookie substitute to stand his watch at 8:30 am on Sept. 11 is nothing more than bad timing. That a recording made Sept 11 of air traffic controllers' describing what they had witnessed, was destroyed by an FAA official who crushed it in his hand, cut the tape into little pieces and dropped them in different trash cans around the building, is something no doubt that overzealous official wishes he could undo. That the FBI knew precisely which Florida flight schools to descend upon hours after the attacks should make every American feel safer knowing their federal agents are on the ball. That a former flight school executive believes the hijackers were "double agents," and says about Atta and associates, "Early on I gleaned that these guys had government protection. They were let into this country for a specific purpose," and was visited by the FBI just four hours after the attacks to intimidate him into silence, proves he's an unreliable witness, for the simple reason there is no conspiracy. That Jeb Bush was on board an aircraft that removed flight school records to Washington in the middle of the night on Sept 12th demonstrates how seriously the governor takes the issue of national security. To insinuate evil motive from the mercy flights of bin Laden family members and Saudi royals after 9/11 shows the sickness of the conspiratorial mindset. Le Figaro's report in October 2001, known to have originated with French intelligence, that the CIA met Osama bin Laden in a Dubai hospital in July 2001, proves again the perfidy of the French. That the tape in which bin Laden claims responsibility for the attacks was released by the State Department after having been found providentially by US forces in Afghanistan, and depicts a fattened Osama with a broader face and a flatter nose, proves Osama, and Osama alone, masterminded 9/11. That at the battle of Tora Bora, where bin Laden was surrounded on three sides, Special Forces received no order to advance and capture him and were forced to stand and watch as two Russian-made helicopters flew into the area where bin Laden was believed hiding, loaded up passengers and returned to Pakistan, demonstrates how confusing the modern battlefield can be. That upon returning to Fort Bragg from Tora Bora, the same Special Operations troops who had been stood down from capturing bin Laden, suffered a unusual spree of murder/suicides, is nothing more than a series of senseless tragedies. Reports that bin Laden is currently receiving periodic dialysis treatment in a Pakistani medical hospital are simply too incredible to be true. That the White House went on Cipro September 11 shows the foresightedness of America's emergency response. That the anthrax was mailed to perceived liberal media and the Democratic leadership demonstrates only the perversity of the terrorist psyche. That the anthrax attacks appeared to silence opponents of the Patriot Act shows only that appearances can be deceiving. That the Ames-strain anthrax was found to have originated at Fort Detrick, and was beyond the capability of all but a few labs to refine, underscores the importance of allowing the investigation to continue without the distraction of absurd conspiracy theories. That Republican guru Grover Norquist has been found to have aided financiers and supporters of Islamic terror to gain access to the Bush White House, and is a founder of the Islamic Institute, which the Treasury Department believes to be a source of funding for al Qaeda, suggests Norquist is at worst, naive, and at best, needs a wider circle of friends. That the Department of Justice consistently chooses to see accused 9/11 plotters go free rather than permit the courtroom testimony of al Qaeda leaders in American custody looks bad, but only because we don't have all the facts. That the White House balked at any inquiry into the events of 9/11, then starved it of funds and stonewalled it, was unfortunate, but since the commission didn't find for conspiracy it's all a non issue anyway. That the 9/11 commission's executive director and "gatekeeper," Philip Zelikow, was so closely involved in the events under investigation that he testified before the the commission as part of the inquiry, shows only an apparent conflict of interest. That commission chair Thomas Kean is, like George Bush, a Texas oil executive who had business dealings with reputed al Qaeda financier Khalid bin Mafouz, suggests Texas is smaller than they say it is. That co-chair Lee Hamilton has a history as a Bush family "fixer," including clearing Bush Sr of the claims arising from the 1980 "October Surprise", is of no concern, since only conspiracists believe there was such a thing as an October Surprise. That FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds accuses the agency of intentionally fudging specific pre-9/11 warnings and harboring a foreign espionage ring in its translation department, and claims she witnessed evidence of the semi-official infrastructure of money-laundering and narcotics trade behind the attacks, is of no account, since John Ashcroft has gagged her with the rare invocation of "State Secrets Privilege," and retroactively classified her public testimony. For the sake of national security, let us speak no more of her. That, when commenting on Edmond's case, Daniel Ellsberg remarked that Ashcroft could go to prison for his part in a cover-up, suggests Ellsberg is giving comfort to the terrorists, and could, if he doesn't wise up, find himself declared an enemy combatant. I could go on. And on and on. But I trust you get the point. Which is simply this: there are no secrets, an American government would never accept civilian casualties for geostrategic gain, and conspiracies are for the weak-minded and gullible. Here is where you can see this with links for every statement: http://rigorousintuition.blogspot.com/2004/08/coincidence-theorists-guide-to-911.html A good 9/11 truth movement website: http://truthmove.org/ What are your thoughts on these "coincidences"? What is the "Cole's Notes version"?
PLEASE TRANSLATE INTO FRENCH!? i need someone to please translate the text below. i know its alot. but i need it for school!! : ) into French Canadian or Regular French PLEASE!!! (L) first one to answer correctly gets best answer!! Mario Lemieux (born October 5, 1965) is a retired Canadian ice hockey player. He played 17 seasons as a centre for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1984 and 2005. He is currently the Penguins' principal owner and chairman of the board, having bought the team out of bankruptcy in 1999. Lemieux led Pittsburgh to two Stanley Cups, and Canada to an Olympic gold medal and two World Cups of Hockey. He won three Hart Trophies as the NHL's most valuable player during the season, six Art Ross Trophies as the league's leading scorer, and two Conn Smythe Trophies as playoff MVP. At the time of his retirement, he was the NHL's seventh-ranked all-time scorer with 690 goals and 1,033 assists.[1] In 2004, he was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. Playing only 915 out of a potential 1428 regular season NHL games, Lemieux's career was plagued by health issues. His numerous ailments included spinal disc herniation, Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic tendinitis of a hip-flexor muscle, and chronic back pain so severe that other people had to tie his skates.[2] He has retired twice because of his health: first in 1997 after battling lymphoma (he returned in 2000), and for a second and final time in 2006, after being diagnosed with an atrial fibrillation.[1] Lemieux was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame immediately after his first retirement, waiving the normal three-year waiting period; upon his return in 2000, he became the third Hall of Famer (after Gordie Howe and Guy Lafleur) to play after being inducted.[3] Lemieux's impact on the NHL has been significant: Andrew Conte of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review called him the "savior" of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and after Lemieux's retirement, Wayne Gretzky commented that "You don't replace players like Mario Lemieux [...] The game will miss him".[4] Bobby Orr called him "the most talented player I've ever seen"; Orr, along with Bryan Trottier and numerous fans,[1] speculate that had Lemieux not suffered so many injuries, his on-ice achievements would have been much greater.[4] Early years Mario Lemieux was born in Montreal to Pierrette, a stay-at-home mom, and Jean-Guy Lemieux, a construction worker. He and his older brothers Alain and Richard grew up in a working class family in the Ville-Émard district. Mario began practicing hockey at age 3 in his basement; before using real equipment, he and his brothers used wooden kitchen spoons as hockey sticks and bottle caps as pucks.[5] His father created a rink on the front lawn so that the boys could practice as much as possible,[6] and according to family legend, the family sometimes packed snow onto the living room carpet so the brothers could practice indoors when it was dark.[7] Lemieux started his career with the Laval Voisins of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). When he was drafted at age 15, he declared that he would break league records;[7] in the 1983–84 QMJHL season, Lemieux broke the league record for points in a season with 282 (133 goals, 149 assists) in 70 games.[8] In his last game of the regular season, Lemieux needed three goals to tie Guy Lafleur's record of 130 goals— he scored six goals and added six assists in a 16-4 victory.[3] Although he played in the 1983 World Junior Hockey Championships, Lemieux refused to play for the Canadian Juniors in 1984 because he disliked how coach Dave King treated him in the previous tournament.[9] He also did not want to break up his junior season.[10] He finished his QMJHL career with 562 points (247 goals, 315 assists) in three seasons. Before the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, Lemieux announced he wanted to play for whomever drafted him.[11] He and his agent were deadlocked with the Penguins and could not negotiate a contract. Because of this, when the Penguins called his name as the first overall draft pick, he did not shake general manager Eddie Johnston's hand or don the Penguins jersey, as is NHL tradition. He claimed he was upset about the contract negotiation, and said that "Pittsburgh doesn't want [him] bad enough."[12] Even though the draft was held in Montreal, over 3,000 fans viewed a broadcast in Pittsburgh's Civic Arena (now known as the Mellon Arena) — a typical Penguins game drew less than 7,000 fans at the time.[11] Lemieux's actions upset many fans and led to accusations of arrogance and aloofness.[7] After the draft, Johnston signed Lemieux to a two-year contract for $600,000, plus a $150,000 bonus for signing.[12] NHL career At the start of Lemieux's career, the Penguins were in financial turmoil and there were rumours of relocation. The team had declared bankruptcy after the 1974–75 season, and by 1983, they were averaging fewer than 7,000 fans per game — less than half of their arena's capacity.[11] Lemie
federer's arrogance exposed? http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/articles/2009-06-20/200906201245507259546.html Five-time champion Roger Federer was relaxed and confident ahead of what could be an historic tournament for him, although any talk of taking Pete Sampras' Grand Slam record was relegated to a mere afterthought – the Swiss 2nd seed wants his Wimbledon title back, with any records that come with it mere icing on the cake. "The focus is on the first round and the first point," said the genial Swiss, whose match against Yen-Hsun Lu is first on Centre Court on Monday, "but also trying to regain my Wimbledon crown, so that stands over trying to beat Pete's record right now. Once I come down to the semi-finals or finals, hopefully, then that's also going to start creeping into my mind, but right now, just trying to regain my Wimbledon crown would be a dream come true." Realising this dream is an even more viable prospect with Rafael Nadal, the top seed and defending champion, having withdrawn due to a knee injury. "It didn't come as such a big surprise to me, but it's obviously very disappointing for the tournament, and also for myself. It's a little bit similar to Paris — we played the last four years against each other in Paris, the last three years here at Wimbledon, so we won't see the same finals again. "It's disappointing for me because I'd love to play him. He's my main rival and we've had some wonderful matches over the years, and especially the one here last year that obviously stands out. It just shows me how lucky I've been that I haven't been injured over all those years." When pressed later in the interview by the Swiss media, Federer elaborated on this "luck". "I'm a little bit lucky, but getting to all the finals that I have is not normal, not being injured is not normal, and you realise that now. It's luck but it's also planning and preparation," said the 27-year-old in reference both to his training regimen and also his style of play, which is much less intensive than Nadal's, yet no less effective. Local hero Andy Murray was also high on the agenda throughout the press conference, as can be expected for the Briton's home tournament, but again Federer refused to speculate. "He's a very gifted player. He has wonderful feel, he's a great tactician — I always said that, and he's finally proved it. It took him some time, and that was the disappointing part. I expected him to do better a few years ago, but everything is coming together for him now and he's been rock solid for almost two years now. "The [British] media seems be making something of our recent matches," Federer ventured to the French-speaking press. "When I lost to him in Shanghai [at the Masters Cup in November 2008], for example, I was ill and suffering with my back, and I still almost beat him, so I'm not about to say that he's the best player in the world all of a sudden." One person who could claim to be the best player in the world however is Federer himself, particularly having claimed the one Grand Slam crown that had eluded him with victory at the French Open two weeks ago. "It was a great feeling, it really inspired me,” smiled the Swiss. "I was mentally drained because I felt like I had to play four finals at the end of Paris because of the pressure. There was such a relief and happiness once it was all over that for me it was almost impossible to change it all around again and start a tournament from scratch again. "I spent a week in Switzerland doing nothing except working on fitness a little. I saw my family and friends then I came here on Tuesday. I practised with [Mikhail] Youzhny on Tuesday, Stan [Wawrinka] on Wednesday, [Marat] Safin yesterday [Friday] and [Stefan] Koubek today [Saturday]. I've been practising two or three hours a day and the change from clay to grass has gone really well," said a serene Federer, despite being a mere 15 days away from a potential 15th major.
Internet Debate Essay. What Do You Think ? Please Help ! ( Year 10 Coursework)? It could be argued that the internet is the best technical development of our time. Since its creation in the late sixties, it has quickly become an important and beneficial piece of modern technology to millions of people all over the world. It is a global computer network, which provides a variety of facilities for communication, information and entertainment. With simple and immediate access to endless websites, available with just a click of a mouse, it may seem that surfing the net is the perfect cure for boredom. On the contrary, many people find themselves questioning this positive attitude towards the World Wide Web, when considering the risks and disadvantages that it brings, and the dangers that anyone may encounter whilst online. Amongst the most popular sites are social networks, such as ’Facebook’ and ‘Netlog’, where users have their own page within the network, and can communicate with each other no matter where in the world they are. People of any age, race or background can use these sites, which means you can talk to all sorts of people and learn about hundreds of different cultures and lifestyles. This is a great way to meet new friends or keep in touch with your old ones. ‘MySpace’ is a network where accounts and home pages are created by users, and pictures, music, blogs (online diaries) and videos can be uploaded. Bands, venues, individuals or even companies may have their own ‘MySpace’ and therefore you are sure to find something of interest amongst the thousands of accounts. ‘Msn Messenger’, the instant messaging service, is probably the most popular way for web users to stay in contact and have free, live conversations with any number of people. This means it is possible for many disabled internet users to talk amongst friends, without the trouble of leaving the house or the high expense of using the telephone. The disadvantage of this way of communicating is the lack of trust available between members, due to the fact that there is no sure way of knowing exactly whom you are talking to. People can lie about their identity, particularly their age, and paedophiles and stalkers may use the sites as easy access to their victims. Adults may lure children into thinking they are other children of a similar age and might convince them into meeting up with them in the outside world. This is called grooming and has been known to lead onto kidnappings, rape and violent attacks. Innocent youths may also fall victims to people of their own age, when accounts are hacked and abuse can be written through fake identities. It seems easier for teenagers to emotionally and mentally bully children of their own age whilst online, without the full contact of face-to-face conversation in real-life. Hateful messages can be sent through instant messaging, emails and even comment boxes on websites or someone’s personal page. This cyber bullying is a huge issue online and children can often feel unsafe within their own homes if they are suffering this abuse. Social networks may also have an addictive affect on users meaning they interact a lot less with friends and family. Users may even be left lacking the skills to have real conversations with people, without being able to hide behind a computer screen and keyboard. Then again, there is also the isolation that people who do not have internet access may face. They are unable to stay in touch with friends in the way that so may people take for granted. However, a final advantage of these social networking sites is that they are an advertisers dream. Businesses can easily advertise online, and popular sites such as these social networking ones are a huge opportunity to attract customers. Children, adults, parents and people of different professions and interests can be specifically targeted through certain websites, which are suited to them, in order to attract the most potential customers. A good example of this is through search engines, which make their money by displaying advertisements within the results of what the internet user has searched. Of course businesses can use the internet to their advantage in many other ways also. Records and databases can be held on the internet, and secured and accessed through passwords. The stock exchange can be viewed online and companies can check in on their competition by simply searching for them on the internet. They can research customer demand , or keep in touch with buyers, employees and other businesses via email or their own webpage .Finally, websites like ‘Monster’, which is an online directory where employees upload their CV’s, allow employers to find the most suitable staff, without having to hold hundreds of interviews. Another way in which the internet is highly useful is through its vast range of entertainment available. This entertainment can mean that it is no longer necessary to leave your seat in order to have fun, and therefore hundreds of people have a significant lack of exercise, which of course is a health risk. This has been linked to the increasing problem of obesity in both children and adults. On the other hand, the vast sources of entertainment are a major plus to millions of internet surfers. Video upload sites prove to be very popular with hundreds of thousands of viewers visiting Youtube everyday. Anyone can upload anything they like onto these sites from TV series, to homemade short films, music videos and any other creations. It is a great way to watch and create video blogs and learn about other people from across the world. It could even be said that the internet is better than a remote control. Online gaming is another aspect of the internet to enjoy. Hundreds of free games are available to download and play with genres to suit everyone. Puzzle, adventure, racing and even multiplayer games can be accessed quickly through many websites, the majority are free and simple to download or play though a flash player. Downloading is relied on by many people so that they can have the latest songs and films stored to their own computer and then sent to their phone or personal music and video players (Ipods or MP4s). ‘Limewire’ is a program that allows millions of files to be shared across the net and almost anything can be downloaded quickly and simply from this free source. This can mean that the artists and producers of songs are missing out on profits that they deserve. All this freedom of viewing on the net can be dangerous when there are no age restrictions. Youths may be badly influenced by violent images they see online, and unsuitable pornographic material is easily accessible to them at the click of a mouse. Most adults would agree that this needs to be more carefully regulated, but it is highly unlikely that age restrictions would ever prevent teenagers from intentionally viewing these sites, when they can simply type in a false age. This easy accessibility throughout the internet can be useful though when referring to educational purposes. Students have many websites available that are dedicated to encourage and enable studying, revision and coursework. BBC Bitesize in particular is a useful website which pupils of Key stage three and Key Stage four can use to assist them in learning. Teachers can also benefit from the online lesson plans on offer throughout the net and students can stay in touch with their tutors through email whenever necessary. The internet can also be considered as a brilliant learning aid because of its huge volumes of information covering endless varieties of subjects; it could be thought of as the biggest encyclopaedia in the world. Information that is usually unobtainable in local libraries is easily reached through search engines and students can read expert knowledge from specialists in the topic they need. Never the less there are still negative aspects to using the internet this way. It makes it possible for pupils to copy and cheat on tests and coursework using past essays and work that someone has uploaded onto the web previously. Some learners may become dependent on using the internet for help with their work and not able to perform as well under exam conditions in school. Some information gained from websites may be seriously outdated or inaccurate and therefore useless. There is also an unfair advantage on students that do no have internet access at home. Shopping online is another great way of taking advantage of the World Wide Web. You can purchase anything from a huge assortment of products from anywhere in the world; from clothes, gifts, memorabilia and anything else that you could possibly want. It’s the ultimate shopping experience, and shops you can find on the high street have their own online stores along with shops only available on the net. It is a much simpler way of browsing for whatever you may be looking for, without the bother of busy crowds. There are also often online discounts available, or some items sold on the internet are originally cheaper than on the high street anyway, and comparing prices online is easily done. Being able to shop online makes a big difference in peoples lives if they are disabled or seriously ill. Being housebound means that they do not get the chance to visit the supermarket or their local city centre on a regular basis, like so many people do, but that problem has been solved with home delivery. Anything they might buy off the internet can probably be delivered straight to their doorstep, whether it’s their weekly shop or something they’ve splashed out on. ‘Ebay’ is a massively successful online auction site where you can bid on items which other people are selling through the website. All you need is an online account and then you can start buying and selling pretty much what ever takes your fancy. You can make money by selling unwanted pieces in your home or save money by striking lucky in an auction, and having the winning bid on your requested item. However, things that you see on the internet may not always turn out to be what you expected when they arrive at your home. What you have bought may have been misrepresented online and you could be left disappointed with something you have no use of. It is also common to overspend without realising when buying online. Paying for goods via the internet is only possible by using a credit card and sometimes this means that you are not as aware of exactly how much money you are parting with, if you do not physically hand it over. Even more unfortunate is that your card details may not be secure and someone else could use your bank account without you knowing. Although using the internet is an essential aspect to many people’s lives, it does prove to have risks and consequences if used inappropriately or too often. Still, I have to disagree with the statement of “the internet is a monster out of control” because I find that the pros out weigh the cons by far. Without the internet certain aspects of life would prove difficult to me and millions of other people. The web is relied on everyday for purposes of work, school and play and as long as we approach it with more knowledge of the dangers, it can benefit us the many ways that it is intended to.
Ihave met a nice man, but have just found out that hes got a criminal record.? I have been seeing a man for around 2 months. He is really kind and gentle and he has been honest with me, he has a long criminal record but would like to change his life now. I am in a job where i work with the police and it would be really embarrassing if my work colleagues and family found out about his history. He lives near surrey and i live near Bristol, so it is a long distance relationship. Is there anywhere near Croydon like an outreach centre to help ex cons to get him on the straight and narrow. Maybe do some volunteering work for an organisation for a day a week, to give something back to the comminuty. I would like this person to make a good out of a bad situation .
Is Mike Hitchin right? I think so..read these and make your own minds up. Mr Grub: Did you try to hijack a local event? I am somewhat puzzled about a few recent statements made by you and your family, so I am offering you the opportunity to confirm, clarify or deny these statements. The latest entry on your blog includes the following statement written either by yourself, or a representative of your family and/or fund raising/awareness campaign. "A small event took place in Porto, in the north of Portugal, today to remember missing children. It was at a large schools end of year musical and the children and staff released balloons. It is good that local communities are staging events like this and we thank them for remembering Madeleine." Would I be correct in thinking this is not the complete story? It's not that I don't believe you and I would never call you a liar. Let me try and explain my reluctance to take the above entry at face value? Ah yes. You don't exactly have a demonstrated and proven track record in presenting information in a manner that stands up to close scrutiny, is not open to interpretation, is not later contradicted either by yourself, family or other parties directly or indirectly involved with this issue, can be verified by independent sources or be considered totally reliable. Yep, that's it. I understand the event referred to was an end of term event held on the eighth of this month, at a nursery school called Pinga Amor in Gondomar Social Centre (Vila Nova de Gaia) - approximately 10 minutes drive from Praia da Luz. Organised by the mother of a boy who disappeared nine years ago, www.ruipedro.net/ the event featured the release of 9 white balloons. You and Kate were invited but did not attend. Instead, you told organisers to release 60 green and 2 yellow balloons, for Madeleine. If this report is true - it means you and your family wanted to hijack a simple and dignified event meant to help the mother of a little local lad who vanished nine years ago, as a promotional tool for your own aims. Would you like to confirm or deny this report? Despite what your Aunt Phil appears to think, this blog is not moderated and there is no reason why you can not respond or accept an earlier invitation to be interviewed on this blog. Good ole Phil, who gives every impression of being a left over cast member from, "Shameless" doesn't appear to like me for some reason. Buggered if I know why - but there ya go - you can't please all the people all the time, in much the same way you can't fool all of the people all of the time, (though there are some who try their hardest, as you well know). Quote from Phil: "I cant stand this man, I think he's a show off with a big mouth and and even bigger ego, he's also a coward as far as I can see, everything he wrtes is covered by "alledgedly" or "I assume" it's all suposition and rumour, as I have said before, anyone who needs to use a mixture of derision, ridicule & mockery of someone who cant even respond to his comments has lost whatever point he was trying to make." Derision, ridicule & mockery - Gawd that sounds erotic. Just out of interest, is there anyone in your educated family of eminent university graduates, who can spell? Reading your family's postings is like reading something from Fenn Street School's, Class 4C, Creative Writing Class. Hey - is that you Sharon! There are quite a few things in that statement that can be torn apart, but I don't like to have all the fun myself, so I will leave it to others. I must send Phil the, "For Immediate Release" alerts I receive from The New South Wales Police Media Unit. Because of my line of work, I receive the same releases as every newspaper, radio and TV station in New South Wales. Every alert is littered with "alleged" or "allegedly" because we are trained to far higher standards of professional communication skills than Phil appears accustomed to. Maybe she should listen to Attorney General Phil Ruddock. Granted, if you were stuck in a lift with only Philip for company, you would climb out and cut the damn cable to end your suffering, but every sentence is locked tighter than Fort Knox. Phil gives the impression that you can not respond to my comments. Why not? All you have to do is click the "Post Comment" option and wallah, wallah, cats meat - you have the right of reply. I do not delete comments except in your interests. I do not allow direct allegations for example. So unless you directly accuse yourself or any other party of any offence, you are most welcome to exercise right of reply. Or perhaps the reason you can not respond is because you have been advised not to. Scaredy cat. Please note: This post has been amended to remove an error in the original post. The original post incorrectly stated that "Pinga Amor in Gondomar Social Centre (Vila Nova de Gaia) is approximately 10 minutes drive from Praia da Luz." In fact it is several hours away. See also "Correction" Posted by Mike Hitchen at Tuesday, July 10, 2007 24 comments Sunday, July 08, 2007 The Grubs: No stone unturned - no airport departed According to a BBC article dated May 22, you stated your intention to, "travel wherever is necessary" in your search to find Madeleine. That is very commendable Gerry. Just out of curiosity, have you had much luck finding Madeleine on the road to and from the airport? You know - the place you use to pick up and drop off friends - but others use to actually go somewhere. Malta for example. Since you completed your grand tour of Europe, the only times you have used it for the purpose it was intended, were whirlwind visits to the UK. Business completed, you then shot through like a Bondi tram shouting, "A dingos got my wallet". It now seems you are determined to remain in Portugal which is rather convenient if you don't have any other choice. I notice there are a whole range of events being organised to raise money for the campaign, including a balloon release in Beirut, Lebanon on Saturday July 14. I I am sure the Lebanese will be thrilled with that and will make it their number one priority. Will you and Kate be attending? Or will others do the work for you? I realise you and Kate are grieving and that your public grief grows as donations and interest dwindle - and you may find these events too traumatic for you to attend. Maybe that is why you couldn't keep your hands off 'Er Indoors, knockers when photographed outside a church. Of course, you could just be a tacky little bastard. Have you ever read any of my articles on Lebanon? Perhaps the one entitled Suffer Little Children: Lebanese children play to tackle war trauma? I thought you might have read it considering you have acquired a passionate interest in other people's children ever since the fund raising campaign was launched. The United Nations estimates that at the end last years conflict on 14 August, a third of the 1,189 Lebanese casualties and up to 45 percent of the million displaced were children. Al Almost half a million children homeless. Almost 400 dead. Perhaps the homeless children can pass the time away releasing your pretty little balloons to raise money for a campaign intended to assist two wealthy, property owning parents who left their children unattended while they got pissed every night at a Tapas bar. May I ask you another question? May I ask you another question? You have a newly appointed campaign manager, you recently collected a friend from the airport who runs the campaign in Amsterdam, and you have media advisers. What exactly do you do? I don't mean to be funny, but what's the point of buying a dog then barking yourself? After all these people are professionals. They are used to organising campaigns, PR exercises and rallying support. You are not. I realise they have to float whiz bang, blue sky ideas by you for approval - but apart from being a mouthpiece now and then - what other role do you play? Do you attend any of the fund raising events others have worked hard to organise on your behalf? I can't recall too many except for the high profile photo opportunities. Don't you think a personal appearance by you and/or Kate would put more bums on seats which in turn would lead to more hands in pockets? Of course I realise that a "sponsored toddle in Ipswich on July 17" is not quite the same as meeting the Pope, but I didn't see him put his hand in his pocket to help the fund or bake any cakes. Maybe the Vatican could raffle a painting in order to help their newly aquired poster children like the idea of the sponsored toddle. I bet all the proud mums will be there watching over the little mites and hoping they wont fall over or get hurt. Mums and dads tend to worry about toddlers when they are not close at hand. Even if they aren't perfect Saturday, July 07, 2007 Another quickie before bed Just a quick update on the response to posts regarding the McCanns. I have now received exactly 750 responses and emails since June 22. Considering this is a dime-a-dozen blog in terms of search engine ranking, it shows just how strong the feeling is out there For three days I was able to access the "Post comment" box to thank those who have taken the time to respond, but without any settings being altered - the bloody thing is down again today! Please don't think your comment is not appreciated - it is! A source close to Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry, said last night: “It’s true, there haven’t been any phone calls at all from David Miliband, which has been a surprise to be honest. Margaret Beckett went out of her way to get in touch, even breaking off from important talks in Washington, to telephone Kate and Gerry and let them know she could count on her help." Nice to know that Anglo-American relations were put on hold. What did she say to Kate, "Hang on a tic luv"...then call out to fellow delegates, "Don't start the war without me"? "Even Gordon Brown has Gerry’s mobile number" Good. He can give it to Social Services. I've got McCann's number too. So have a lot of people. “If I were Kate and Gerry, I would have expected something but there hasn’t been anything.” She is right. If I were Kate and Gerry I would have expected something. However if I were Bob and Gladys living on the Jasmine Allen Estate, I would have expected social services banging on my door. "Their only focus is on doing everything they possibly can to get Madeleine back.” As opposed to doing everything they possibly could to lose Madeleine in the first place. Recently a Portuguese newspaper published an article describing the events surrounding May 03, the night of Madeleine's alleged disappearance. I use the word "allege," not to cast doubt upon what is said to have happened, but because it is what any professional media person would do in such circumstances. This is a concept you seem to have conveniently forgotten as you throw around words such as "snatched" "kidnapped" and "abducted" as easily as you threw away your professionalism and obligation to those who help pay your wages. You can not fail to be aware of the article, yet I have seen no priority given to it in any mainstream media. It has been swept under the carpet in a ridiculously naive belief that by doing so, no one will know it exists. In the past you have appealed to members of the public who know parties involved in a news story, to come forward with information. "Tell us what they are like and we will show you the money". This has not happened in the case of the McCanns. Surely you can not be ignorant of the depth of feeling - not only in the new media, but in pubs, clubs, offices and workplaces up and down the land. How can you ignore the countless backtracking and changing of stories of those directly involved in this tragedy? The British media has long had a world-wide reputation as being nothing more than gutter press. - the slightest hint of scandal and you will sniff it out and bleed it until it is dry. Don't let facts get in the way of a good story. But not in this case. Team McCann asks the cardboard heroes of the British media, "have you any wool?" and with one voice you reply, "Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir" then you meekly allow them to pull it over your eyes. Let's get down to the nitty gritty. * Is there any suspicion that this is another Profumo affair? * Why has Gordon Brown's involvement been largely played down? * Has it escaped your notice that all this was happening as Portugal prepared to take over the helm of the EU? * Has there been a directive given to keep quiet? * If so, who issued the directive and why? Was it your editors? Your organisation's owners? Or has it come from an even higher authority? * Why has there been no widespread coverage of the Portuguese article in the British media? * Why are you ignoring an article that the British public have a right to have easily available access to? * Why have you not enquired about reports of McCann family business interests overseas including property interests? * Why are you allowing the public to continue donating to the infamous fund, without John and Jane Doe having access to information that may help them decide if the cause is genuine or worthy? * Have you investigated rumours relating to "Maddy's Law"? Do you believe the public are gullible? Do you really think that they believe that almost every reporter in the UK, suddenly decided all at the same time, that these questions are not worth perusing? Has the word gone out to give the McCanns every possible assistance? Why are two parents who constantly neglected their children allowed to go unquestioned and largely un-censured? Why have they been given access to high profile personalities and high profile assistance, previously denied to others in worse situiations than the McCanns? Why am I asking these questions and not you? The truth is out there? What price the truth ladies and gentlemen of the press? - what price the truth? Gerry, I have to compliment you. I do like the latest post on your blog. Your new style of writing is quite commendable. I hardly recognised it in fact. Well done old chap. I am also pleased that you state, "We also want to work closely with the media here in Portugal" May I ask a question? Would telling Sol journalists, "What do you think you are doing? Do you think you’re better than the Portuguese police? I’m going to forward your contact to PJ and you will have to explain yourselves" be one of the core skills involved in forming a friendly working relationship? Now why doesn't it surprise me that so soon after the mass Internet distribution of the Sol article, "Pact of Silence" you state you wish to form an entente cordiale with the local media. Perhaps in similar fashion to Paul, you have been converted on the road to the airport
Did you know Steve Irwin is dead? What a shame...report inside the question.? 'Crocodile Hunter' Irwin killed The naturalist worked to protect Australian wildlife Irwin with tiger cubs Australian environmentalist and television personality Steve Irwin has died during a diving accident. Mr Irwin, 44, was killed by a stingray barb to the chest while he was filming an underwater documentary in Queensland's Great Barrier Reef. Paramedics from the nearby city of Cairns rushed to treat him at the scene but were unable to save him. Mr Irwin was known for his television show The Crocodile Hunter and his work with native Australian wildlife. Police in Queensland confirmed the naturalist's death and said his family had been notified. Mr Irwin was married with two young children. "It is believed that Mr Irwin collapsed after being stung by a stingray at Batt Reef off Port Douglas at about 1100 (0100 GMT)," a police statement quoted by AFP news agency said. "His crew called for medical treatment and the Queensland medical helicopter responded. However Mr Irwin had died." The stingray is a flat, triangular-shaped fish, commonly found in tropical waters. Mr Irwin's documentaries were shown around the world It gets its name from the razor-sharp barb at the end of its tail, coated in toxic venom, which the animal uses to defend itself with when it feels threatened. Although deadly, such attacks on humans are a rarity. David Penberthy, editor of the Sydney Daily Telegraph, told the BBC he had never heard of anyone in Australia being killed by a stingray before. "You know we still at this early stage don't know what type of stingray it was, or, you know I guess given the bloke's track record, whether he was getting up close and personal with it as well," Mr Penberty said. "Or whether it was just a total freak accident and in the course of making this nature documentary he just ended up being attacked." Documentaries Mr Irwin had built up what was a small reptile park in Queensland into what is now Australia Zoo, a major centre for Australian wildlife. He was famous for handling dangerous creatures such as crocodiles, snakes and spiders, and his documentaries on his work with crocodiles drew a worldwide audience. But he also courted controversy with a series of stunts. He sparked outrage across Australia after cradling his one-month-old son a metre away from the reptile during a show at Australia Zoo. A probe was also launched to investigate whether Mr Irwin and his team interacted too closely with penguins and whales while filming in the Antarctic, but no action was taken. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer praised Mr Irwin for his work to promote Australia. "The minister knew him, was fond of him and was very, very appreciative of all the work he'd done to promote Australia overseas," Mr Downer's spokesman said.
Would you Hire this Man ? This is a bit long as I understand he is a politician Subject: G.W. Bush's Resume I will be available in January 2009, am willing to relocate. RESUME -GEORGE W. BUSH 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20520 EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE Law Enforcement: · I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1976 for driving under the influence of alcohol. I pled guilty, paid a fine, and had my driver's license suspended for 30 days. · My Texas driving record has been 'lost' and is not available. Military: · I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam · College: · I graduated from Yale University with a low C average. I was a cheerleader. PAST WORK EXPERIENCE · I ran for U.S. Congress and lost. · I began my career in the oil business in Midland, Texas, in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn't find any oil in Texas. The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock. · I bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money. · With the help of my father and our friends in the oil industry (including Enron CEO, Ken Lay), I was elected governor of Texas. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS: · I changed Texas pollution laws to favour power and oil companies, making Texas the most polluted state in the Union. During my tenure, Houston replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America. · I cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money. · I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American history. · With the help of my brother, the governor of Florida, and my father's appointments to the Supreme Court, I became President of the United States, after losing by over 500,000 votes. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT: · I am the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record. · I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over one billion dollars per week. · I spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury. · I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history · I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period · I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period. · I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the U.S. stock market. · In my first year in office, over 2 million Americans lost their jobs and that trend continues. · I'm proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history. My 'poorest millionaire, ' Condoleezza Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker named after her. · I set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips by a U.S. President. · I am the all-time U.S. and world record holder for receiving the most corporate campaign donations. · My largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of my best friends, Kenneth Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in U.S. history, Enron. · My political party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to assure my success with the U.S. Supreme Court during my election decision. · I have protected my friends at Enron and Halliburton against investigation or prosecution. More time and money was spent investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair than has been spent investigating one of the biggest corporate rip-offs in history. · I presided over the biggest energy crisis in U.S. history and refused to intervene when corruption involving the oil industry was revealed. · I presided over the highest gasoline prices in U.S. history. · I changed the U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts. · I appointed more convicted criminals to my administration than any President in U.S. history. · I created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy in the history of the United States Government. · I've broken more international treaties than any President in U.S. history. · I am the first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the Human Rights Commission. · I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court of Law. · I refused to allow inspector's access to U.S. 'prisoners of war' detainees and thereby have refused to abide by the Geneva Convention. · I am the first President in history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 US election). · I set the record for fewest numbers of press conferences of any President since the advent of television. · I set the all-time record for most days on vacation in any one-year period. After taking off the entire month of August, I presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history. · I garnered the most sympathy ever for the U.S. after the World Trade Centre attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated country in the world, the largest failure of diplomacy in world history. · I have set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million people), shattering the record for protests against any person in the history of mankind. · I am the first President in U.S. history to order an unprovoked, pre-emptive attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation. I did so against the will of the United Nations, the majority of U.S. Citizens and the world community. · I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families in wartime. · In my State of the Union Address, I lied about our reasons for attacking Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends. · I am the first President in history to have a majority of Europeans (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and security. · I am supporting development of a nuclear 'Tactical Bunker Buster,' a WMD. · I have so far failed to fulfil my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice. RECORDS AND REFERENCES: · All records of my tenure as governor of Texas are now in my father's library, sealed and unavailable for public view. · All records o f SEC investigations into my insider trading and my bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view. · All records or minutes from meetings that I, or my Vice-President, attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review. · I specified that my sealed documents will not be available for 50 years.
I'm thinking about buying a new pc, and would like to know if this Is a good pc for £180? Thanks for your advice! ABS 1st CHOICE COMPUTERS Hi and welcome to Abs 1st choice computers. Your number one shop for hi-spec pc's at bargain prices. We offer on all our pc's 1 Year return to base warranty service . We also build computers to your requirements, let us know what type/spec pc your after and we will let you know as fast as we can what we can offer. (We will start a listing just for you in our shop) Once you've made a purchase you can choose to complete checkout straight away or make payment within 7 days. FOR SALE WE HAVE A STUNNING, POWERFULL DESKTOP GAMING / FAMILY PC. INTERGRATED HDMI TO CONNECT DIRECT TO YOUR HD READY TV FOR AWESOME PICTURE QUALITY NVIDIA 8200 INTERGRATED GRAPHICS SUPPORTING DIRECT X-10 AND NVIDIA PUREVIDEO HD SUPPORT MOTHERBOARD SUPPORTS HYBRID SLI AMD Athlon 64 x2 dual core processor inside, 2 x 2.7 GHz Multi-tasking has become a way of life, but sometimes your PC just can't keep up with everything you want to do on it at the same time. The AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core processor enables true multitasking - taking computing to an all new level. Dual-Core technology is like having two processors working together, each one taking care of different applications. So now you can simultaneously burn a CD, check e-mail, edit a digital photo, and run your virus protection - all without slowing down your computer. To protect your computer you've installed all the latest virus protection and firewall software. The result? Your PC is safer but slower. Upgrade to a computer powered by the AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core processor - now you can run protection programs in the background while a second runs the applications you want to work on - making computing fast again. --------------------------------------... XFX AM2+ MOTHERBOARD Amplify your gaming experience with the XFX GeForce 8 series motherboard with onboard graphics. True performers in every sense of the word, these first-of-their-kind motherboards to support DirectX10 and HybridSLI come jam-packed with all of the full-throttle features hardcore gamers demand. From GeForce Boost technology that pops graphics performance up to 45% for the XFX GeForce 8200, to an array of gaming-enhancing technologies, the 8 series motherboards are ready to rock your game. KEY FEATURES OF MOTHERBOARD 240-PIN DDR2-1066 UP TO 8GB PCI-EXPRESS 2.0 ONBOARD SATA II POINTS X 6 GIGABIT ETHERNET PORT (10/100/1000 MBIT/SEC) USB 2.0 X8 GEFORCE BOOST TECHNOLOGY NVIDIA HYBRIDPOWER TECHNOLOGY 8 CHANNEL HIGH DEFINITION WITH SPDIF NVIDIA RAID MEDIASHILD TECHNOLOGY UP TO 256MB DDR2 MEMORY HDMI + DVI WITH HDCP AND VGA NVIDIA CINFX 3.0 ENGINE NVIDIA NVIEW MULTI DISPLAY NVIDIA DIGITAL VIBRANCE CONTROL 3. DIRECT X 10 SUPPORT OPEN GL 1.5 NVIDIA PURE VIDEO HD SUPPORT TURBO CHARGE GRAPHICS THIS PC’S SYSTEM FEATURES DUAL CORE PROCESSOR 2 X 2.7GHZ = 5.4GHZ 64BIT. POWERFULL AND FAST, MULTI TASKING WITHOUT LOSS OF PERFORMANCE 250GB QUALITY HARD DRIVE, TOP QUALITY SATA HARD DRIVE WITH PLENTY OF SPACE. NVIDIA GEFORCE 8200 GEFORCE GRAPHICS UPTO 256MB SHARED RAM. ADD A DEDICATED GRAPHICS CARD VIA PCI-E 2.0 SLOT AND SWITCH ON HYBRID SLI FOR AWESOME EXTREME GAMING INTERGRATED HDMI OUTPUT, CONNECT DIRECTLY TO ANY HD READY TV FOR SUPERB PICTURE QUALITY DVI AND VGA MONITOR OUTPUTS 2 GB KINGSTON RAM, TOP QUALITY PC MEMORY FROM A RECONISED BRAND FRONT AND REAR USB PORTS 4X REAR, 2 X FRONT, PLUS EXTRA INTERNAL USB HEADERS. FRONT AUDIO HEADPHONE AND MIC JACK HIGH DEFINTION AUDIO , AWESOME 8 CHANNEL AUDIO, CONNECT UPTO 8 SPEAKERS I.E FRONT, REAR, CENTRE, SUBWOOFER DVD RE-WRITER, FAST AND RELIABLE. DUAL LAYER!!!! RECORD AND PLAY DVD'S AND CD'S ALL FROM THE SAME DRIVE NETWORK SOCKET. GET CONNECTED TO A WIRED BROADBAND NETWORK AT BLISTERING SPEEDS!!. 1 YEAR RETURN TO BASE WARRANTY!!! ALSO INCLUDED FAR CRY 2 FULL GAME ( WORTH £39.99), INCLUDES CD AND PRODUCT KEY (NOT RETAIL BOXED), I will be using it for games as well, was thinking about getting a dedicated grathic card. Would not the 2 gig ram cope with gaming?
Easiest ways to commit suicide!? (Long Story for understanding of me) My dad left me when I was a kid and now I live with my step dad when I was in school I was bullied (well so was everyone) but my bullying didn't stop at school it was also a part of my everyday I could expect to be bullied and beaten by kids in the same school or by my parents when I got home (they don't beat me anymore) for no reason when I was 8 I was so badly beaten I couldn't walk or even speak, because I didn't want to go to a foster home I told the teachers I had fallen down the stairs to avoid the subject. (Even today I suffer from back pain because of it) My brothers where even a part of it making it almost a daily chore to torment me (don't all relatives) I have even been raped by my older brother (disgusting but true) I still keep that secret even today I’m taking that to the grave (thank goodness for anonymity on the internet). Even my friends my closest friends would be friendly one day and beating the crap out of the next this continued until high school here I was completely depressed but I did manage to make friends without even trying these where some good friends and also I managed to get a girlfriend at this point but after a while it went downhill, my girlfriend slept with my best friend this is where I started to get depressed and bottle my anger/depression inside. (Typical high school crap in my eyes really) I'm seen as the golden boy in my family because when I was in school my GCSE's where bad I mean D's and going down until college where I got nothing but A's, I help my family whenever I am needed, I had 4 relatives die in 3 years and now my granddad has cancer so does my uncle my mom's got a water infection that cannot be operated on because it attached to vital organs and I have a stomach hernia, stomach ulcer, frequent headaches among others including a mass of stress. (I might be very unlucky in health) Today's stuff: I am now 23 and yes a guy I still live at home sheltered I lost my job last year because of redundancy I can't get my own place because vie tried and failed, no girlfriend, no friends I’m currently on (Job Seekers Allowance) which sucks because I feel like I’m sponging even though I am trying to get working I keep being told to (Get a Job/ Get a Life) by random people even family and even though I am trying hard I can't get anywhere. My little brother has AD-HD and he is a real hand full I have two brother in prison my little brother threatened the other one that he was going to suffocate him in his sleep with a pillow I’m on constant alert at night now I can’t sleep because he is really a big bag of stress in one he peed on a extension cord once and almost set the house of fire. It now takes me about 2-3 hours to get to sleep because of all of this and there is still more the sadist thing is that the only things in my crappy little excuse of a life that is actually keeping me going is a cute family dog (how sad it that?) and me trying to improve my drawing and that is all that’s keeping me here (funny right?). The job centre send me on courses that do not help like the New Deal that was a complete waste of time all it was is work experience and that had no effect on improving my job finds, I couldn't upload CV’s using their system (this was the most stupidest part about it), also when I needed their help the person in charge cleared off (and it's their job to be there). After all of these course and frequent job application rejections I have lost all motivation to keep going now, I’m signed up to agencies but the ones here are a waste of time and can ring up a huge phone bill phoning them every day for new job posts, I am now more anti-social than every because of these job centre courses. I have an interview with my personal adviser on Friday which I’m stressed even more over because I need to have job search proof which I only have a little because once I’ve applied for a job I don't record it, even my personnel adviser is useless she just keeps sending me on course that don't help I’m probably going to be on another one soon (I do appreciate the help though even though she doesn’t not listen to what I am saying). Well that is it, I have more depressing things etc to add but I only wanted to keep it kind of short sorry if it is a little muddled since I had a lot to say and more. People call suicide selfish in a way it is and it isn’t I’m contemplating suicide to help rid the world of a jobless contributor which is me and to help lessen the burden on my family of me being here. Being told to get a life is now funny to me because I just laugh at the person saying it the only reason a person can have the entire RIGHT to saying this is when their own life is so damn perfect. My own thoughts of myself is probably all I need is a good girlfriend or a best friend but can’t talk to people anymore since I am more anti-social than ever I’m constantly depressed but always keep a FAKE smile on for my
¡¡Soy Española!! commotion in spain for a monster case of Josef Fitzl,? " Conmocción desde España "The case of Josef Fitzl, the Austrian retired electrician who has kept locked in a basement for 24 years for her daughter and three children he had with her has shocked world public opinion. These are the 50 keys of what happened,'' August 1984. Josef Fritzlar, an electrician in Austria 50 years, holds her daughter Elisabeth, 18, in the basement of his home in Amstetten, Austria. 2. Amstetten. Locality Austrian located northeast of the country, in Lower Austria, with about 22,600 German-speaking inhabitants. Birthplace of Josef Fritzlar, 73 years ago. At a nearby gas station, on the motorway from Vienna to Salzburg, he worked Elisabeth in the early 80. 3. APRIL 2008. Kristen, a girl aged 19, was taken to hospital with symptoms of being seriously ill. It is one of the daughters Elisabeth, now 42 years. Kristen is unconscious, but it has a note in which his mother asks for help for the young. Doctors seeking unsuccessfully history of the patient. Notice to the Police and history come to light: Josef Fritzlar has remained closed to Elisabeth for 24 years and has had seven children with her. Three of them (the very Kerstin; Stephan, 18, and Felix, 5) have shared captivity with the mother, another died, and the remaining three (Lisa, 15 years; Monika, 14, and Alexander, 13) lived with Josef and his wife, Rosemarie (Elisabeth's mother), on top of one's own home. Rosemarie ensures that knew nothing. 4. Arrests. On April 27, police announced the arrest of Fritzlar, accused of unlawful restraint and sexual abuse. Shortly before, Josef had released her daughter and their children-grandchildren. The detainee confessed the whole. Then, decides to remain silent until the trial. 5. DNA. Two days later, police confirmed that DNA tests conducted to confirm that Fritzlar is the father of the children of Elisabeth. 6. Abuse. Elisabeth suffered the first sexual abuse of his father in 1977, when she was eleven years. Since then she was raped and beaten systematically. He spent the first nine years of his confinement in a single stay of the basement (not until 1993 his father organized other spaces). Children born at that time witnessed continuing violations. Fritzlar kept handcuffed the first two days of captivity, and during the six or nine months remained tied. Police ruled that Josef Fritzlar had abused their children. 7. Background. Fritzlar was jailed for 18 months in 1967 for sexually abusing a young woman in Linz (Austria). He was also subsequently arrested for attempted rape and exhibitionism. In addition, the Police is investigating its connection with the murder, still unsolved, a woman, Martina Posch, 22 years ago. B 8. Search. When Elisabeth was locked up in 1984 his mother reported his disappearance, but, being older, the police thought that he had left home on his own will and no longer look it up. In fact, Elisabeth was locked up by his father after returning to his home after an initial escape attempt. 9. Babies. The three children who lived with Josef and Rosemarie were left on the door of the house shortly after birth (in 1993, 1994 and 1997). They were legally adopted by his grandparents. C 10. Carter. Fritzlar forced his daughter to write letters to keep the secret safe, especially any suspicions of Rosemarie. In the first, 1984, Elisabeth said she was going home and who did not seek. The three children who were appearing at the door of the house later iban accompanied by letters from Elisabeth in which ensured that he could not take care of them. 11. Wedge. Christine R., sister-in-law of Fritzlar and sister Rosemarie, says he always humbled his sister and mistreated their children. It also noted that Josef fell to the basement every morning, "supposedly to draw maps of some machines that wanted to sell." "Sometimes spent all night there. Now you know why," he added. 12. Dungeon. The dungeon built in the basement of his home by Fritzlar has about 80 square meters, and stretched under the garden of the house. It is accessed through a sliding door concrete than 300 kilos of weight, hidden behind a bookcase. There was a staircase entrance, a laundry room, two bedrooms, 3 square metres and a small kitchen next to a bathroom. Some parts of zulo had no more than 1.70 meters high. Ventilation came from a tube. 13. Code. The door of the basement could only be opened using a secret code known only by Fritzlar. The code shareholders an engine electronically. Fritzlar had activated a mechanism so that the door is opened only if he disappeared. 14. Construction. Fritzlar planned and built the dungeon one year before locking her daughter there, and after seeking permission to reform the building. The plans were approved, but did not include rooms in the basement. 15. Food. Josef was responsible for supplying food and clothing to locked. When was travelling left them food reserve. 16. CIEN. Police intended to interrogate hundred people who went through the house during these 24 years (Fritzlar rented rooms at the top). The investigation could go on for at least two months. Researchers can only work in the zulo followed for half an hour due to lack of oxygen. 17. Damn. Fritzlar, in custody, faces a possible sentence of at least 15 years in prison if found guilty of the charge of rape, the most serious of his alleged crimes, according to Austrian law. 18. Complications. The evidence analyzed so far ruled that no family member acting as an accomplice. Although the police insisted that Fritzlar acted alone, the head of the investigation stated that "someone in the family should know something." In this regard, the German magazine Brigitte said that one of the children living in the upper house had a copy of the key that gave the basement. Dubanovsky Alfred, a man who was 12 years renting a room in the house of Fritzlar, said that he saw another man fell next to his home in the basement. He added that this man was a plumber, and it drew attention because he was trying to enter prohibited in that part of the house. D 19. Drugs. Fritzlar told police he had locked her daughter to "protect and keep away from drugs". 20. Damage. Encerrado without natural light and isolated from the world throughout his life, the children of Fritzlar have developed various phobias and fears. They feel panic before the blue tones of mobile phones, traffic in the city ... In addition, they speak with gruñidos (communicate among themselves with a language itself) and prefer to crawl. The small, five-year, is "joyful and vital", and was fascinated to sit for the first time in a car. The two biggest need at least eight years of therapy. Experts have advised that for the moment, live in a house without windows. The three, like her mother, have skin problems. Kristen has lost almost all their teeth. 21. Fainting. Kristen was transferred to hospital after suffering a fainting, a result of illness endured. According to some sources, his condition is typical of the evils that can lead to having children at an incestuous relationship. Other media point to an infection. E 22. Ageing. Elisabeth looks 20 years over which it has. It has very white hair and skin almost transparent due to lack of sunlight. F 23. Pictures. Despite that have been disclosed both photographs of Josef Fritzlar as Elisabeth, the Austrian authorities have warned that any media to publish pictures or intimate details of the victims could be fined up to 20,000 euros. The authorities are studying the possibility of changing the name to protect the victims. G 24. GAS. Police investigating whether Fritzlar built a device to the zulo be filled gas in the event that something will happen to him. Threats to the gas locked in the dungeon if they tried to break free, which could partly explain why Elisabeth would not have never tried to attack you. H 25. Daughter. Elisabeth took their seven children in the course of 14 years. The conditions under which took place deliveries are still being investigated. The first, Kristen, was born in 1988, and Stephan was born in 1990. Lisa and Monika 'appeared' on the door of the house when they were nine and ten months old. In 1996 twins were born. One of them died within three days and the other, Alexander, 'appeared' also 15 months later at the door of the home. The last, Felix, was born in 2003. According to police, Fritzlar chose the children who took on his health status and its "inclination to mourn." I 26. Incineration. According said Elisabeth, the sister of the dead body was cremated by Josef in the garden. 27. Social impact. The case of Josef Fritzlar has shocked both the town of Amstetten, besieged these days by hundreds of journalists, as the entire Austrian society, especially when it happened barely two years after it was known the case of Natascha Kampusch, the young man who was kidnapped near Vienna for eight years. Some local media also have questioned one type of society in which there may be cases like this one: "Everything should be ashamed Amstetten.'s Neighbors closed their eyes" (Österreich), "The entire community must ask itself what is happening" (Der Standard). Some 200 people gathered in the main square of Amstetten carrying candles to express their "anger" and "deep sorrow" for what happened. "Every day spent in front of the house; should have done something," said one of the assistants. 28. Ignorance. Elisabeth has exculpado his mother from captivity and abuse he suffered, making sure that she knew nothing. "He never had anything to do," he said. J 29. JUDGE. "All the procedures were tough, the pieces were consistent," said Josef Schluegl judge, who granted in their day-to Fritzlar custody of a child, not knowing that it was actually his son, after reading a letter in which Elisabeth asked their parents to take care of small and not try to look it up. "Impossible to imagine that he was kidnapped and forced him to write," he added. K 30. KAMPUSCH, Natascha. The young Austrian 20-year-old Natascha Kampusch, who reappeared in 2006 after spending eight years sequestered, announced the donation of 25,000 euros for victims of Fritzlar. He also made an international appeal to raise money for the family. L 31. Lynchings. Fritzlar has been isolated in prison Sankt Polten before the danger that other prisoners might lynched. "The murderers and rapists of minors are seen as the lowest scale and deplorable, so often suffer attacks extremes," said Günter Mörwald, director of the prison. M 32. Monster. Most of the Spanish press has dubbed Josef Fritzlar as "The Monster of Amstetten." The French daily Le Figaro spoke of "the father of darkness". 33. May, RUDOLPH. It's lawyer Fritzlar. Counsel famous in Austria, Der Spiegel assured that their work is "to show Josef Fritzlar as a human being" after being presented as "a horrible monster and a tyrant sex." "When I saw him for the first time I seemed like a patriarch with good and bad sides, broken, very emotionally affected," he said. N 34. Nazis. The clinic where he recovered Elisabeth and their children, in the town of Mauer, also has its own dark past. During World War II, hundreds of people died here victims of euthanasia practices carried out by the Nazis between 1941 and 1944. Or 35. Other cases. We discovered in Amstetten has brought to mind other similar events, apart from the mentioned Natascha Kampusch. Gouardo Lydia, a French 45 year said they had been raped and tortured for 28 years by his father, with whom she had six children between 1982 and 1993, has shown its desire to meet Elisabeth. Moreover, the Austrian police reopen the case of 64 missing children in the country, five of which are missing from their homes for more than 10 years. P 36. Posch, Martin. He was murdered 22 years ago, when he was 17. His body was found in Lake Mondsee and so far the case has not yet been resolved. Fritzlar's wife then had a restaurant on the banks of the lake, not far from Amstetten. 37. Properties. Fritzlar enjoyed a comfortable financial position. He was registered as sole owner of six real estate, spread over several localities of Lower Austria. The list includes the family home, three buildings with many apartments and commercial premises, another house and a plot, with an estimated value of about 2.2 million. In one of these solar acquired by Fritzlar just three years ago, had moved tens of cubic meters of earth. 38. Imprisonment. In prison Sankt Polten, Fritzlar occupies a cell with a small window by which natural light enters, overlooking a garden. It has radio and television and can go for a walk once a day. 39. Profile. Joseph Fritzlar, 74-year-old retired electrician, has been described by police as a "very intelligent". His neighbors considered him a figure respectable within the community. His sister-in-law, however, he now qualifies for "despot". His neighbours claim that always tried to appear tan, flirting with women and that drew attention for the way he had exaggerated care of your garden. Others noted that ruled his home "as a lieutenant general," and that it was very jealous of their privacy. A former co-worker noted that "was always well dressed, as a diplomat." It belonged to the club's fishing Amstetten. Q 40. Complaint. Some of the tenants of Fritzlar complained that often disappeared as the refrigerator of the house. One of them said not understand because Fritzlar "seemed to enjoy a good economic situation." R 41. Reunification. Each child of Elisabeth (except Kristen, who remained hospitalized) and her mother met for the first time last April 27, at the clinic where they are receiving treatment. The centre's director described as "astonishing" and "exciting" the "ease with which came together", both boys among themselves, as with his mother Elisabeth. Rosemarie told her daughter that it felt and that he had no "no idea". S 42. Suicide. In prison, Fritzlar remains under surveillance 24 hours to avoid dealing with kill himself. 43. Sect. Fritzlar maintained all these years version of her daughter Elisabeth had been picked up by a sect, which obliged him to get rid of their children. The Chief of Police of Lower Austria noted that "this man did not leave any place without tying in order to deceive his family, his wife, their relatives, children and the world around him." T 44. Thailand. The German tabloid newspaper Bild Zeitung reported in a video that appears Fritzlar during a holiday in Thailand. It was recorded by a German friend who traveled with the Asian country. In the video you can see how Fritzlar, swimwear, receives a massage from a woman on the beach. In another scene, is preparing to eat a piece of meat and it looks very good mood. 45. Tourism. The Austrian authorities have shown their concern about the effect of tourism in cases like that of Fritzlar or Kampusch. Franz Grossglockner, head of the department of Tourism of Austria, told the AP agency: "Who will want to visit this country? For every wonderful summit snowfall or every cathedral we also have begun a world war, or choose to admit as xenophobes rulers, rapists and incestuous psychopaths in the headlines ...". U 46. Usurpation of staff. In at least one occasion, Fritzlar was going through his daughter Elisabeth to announce by telephone that his wife had left one of the babies at the door of the house. V 47. Summer. Fritzlar had planned to end the confinement this summer, according to British newspaper Daily Mail. Apparently, "no longer endure" his daughter, and was "tired of his dual life" and therefore had decided to return to Elisabeth of the alleged sect which allegedly had ido 24 years ago. W 48. WEB. Internet is the medium that is giving more complete and updated case. In www.20minutos.es there is continuous renewal with photos and videos. X 49. X. The case of 'monster Amstetten "is full of questions and unknowns still to be resolved: How is it possible that no member of the family, especially his wife of Fritzlar, suspected nothing, nor neighbours and acquaintances of the couple? Who Caring for Fritzlar was locked when traveling? How were the births in that zulo what happened when one of the children, especially infants being, fell seriously ill How justified Fritzlar before his wife extra expenditure on food, clothing , Etc.? Z 50. Zul. The basements like the one used as Fritzlar zulo received grants from the Austrian government during the Cold War to be used as shelters before a possible nuclear attack Related articles A tenant who lived in the house of Fritzlar says he knew he raped his daughter (04/05/08) Fritzlar threatened their victims to die gas in the basement (01/05/08) Austria called to testify to the neighbors of Fritzlar (30/04/08) Josef Fritzlar built the dungeon for her daughter a year before encerrado (03/05/08) Elisabeth Fritzlar his acquittal mother of his captivity and abuse (03/05/08) Danger of lynching for the kidnapper and rapist of his daughter, Elizabeth Fritzlar (02/05/08) One witness says that he saw another person come in zulo Josef Fritzlar (02/05/08) -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Send to: Reddit Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Yahoo Fresqui Note: You must be registered in these services to record the contenidoAhora at home ... They begin the return of traffic jams in the Puente de Mayo Comments (7) Hacker Web 'SLQH' with photos without clothes Patricia Conde and Pilar Rubio Discuss the news Fines of 200 euros for this New law in Italy. Updated 29 minutes ago Discuss the noticiaAVANCE OF interview with the 'number two' waiting Aguirre Ignacio Gonzalez: "We do not know if Rajoy will be the candidate in the year 2012" Tomorrow, the entire interview in 20minutos and unabridged in 20minutos.es. Juan Carlos ESCUDIER Comments (53) Mobile phones are old gold mines Comments (7) Which was ... Gianluca Vialli "TVE 'bought' votes to win Eurovision Massiel. There was Tongo" Comments (95) He stays out of work "fat" Comments (18) More news on 20minutos.es Make 20minutos.es your homepage
whats The Real Story Of Mary From the Holy Quran? 1 Kaf. Ha. Ya. `Ain. Sad. This is the only Sura which begins with these five Abbreviated Letters, K.,H.,Y.,A.,S. For Abbreviated Letters generally. 2 (This is) a recital of the Mercy of thy Lord to His Servant Zakariya. The Mercy of Allah to Zakriya was shown in many ways: (1) in the acceptance of his prayer; (2) in bestowing a son like Yahya; and (3) in the love between father and son, in addition to the work which Yahya did as Allah's Messenger for the world. 3 Behold! he cried to his Lord in secret . In secret: because he feared that his own family and relatives were going wrong, and he wanted to keep the lamp of Allah burning bright. He could not very well mention the fear about his colleagues (who were his relations) 4 Praying: "O my Lord! infirm indeed are my bones and the hair of my head doth glisten with grey: but never am I unblest O my Lord in my prayer to Thee! This preface shows the fervent faith of Zakariya. Zakariya was a prophet of the Most High Allah. His office was in the Temple, and his relatives were his colleagues. But he found in them no true spirit of the service of Allah and man. He was filled with anxiety as to who would uphold the godly ideas he had in mind, which were strange to his worldly colleagues. 5 "Now I fear (what) my relatives (and colleagues) (will do) after me: but my wife is barren: so give me an heir as from Thyself His was not merely a desire for a son. If it had been, he would have prayed much earlier in his life, when he was a young man. He was too full of true piety to put merely selfish things into his prayers. But here was a public need, in the service of the Lord. 6 "(One that) will (truly) represent me and represent the posterity of Jacob; and make him O my Lord! one with whom Thou art well-pleased!" It is true that an heir inherits property, but his higher duty is to represent in everything the personality of him from whom he inherits. It is doubtful whether Zakariya had any worldly property. But he had character and virtue, as a man of God, and this he wanted to transmit to his heir as his most precious possession. It was almost the most precious possession of the posterity of Jacob. The people around him had fallen away from Allah's Message. Could his heir, like him, try and renew it? 7 (His prayer was answered): "O Zakariya! We give thee good news of a son: his name shall be Yahya: on none by that name have We conferred distinction before." This was John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus. In accordance with his father's prayer he, and Jesus for whom he prepared the way, renewed the Message of Allah, which had been corrupted and lost among the Israelites. The Arabic form Yahya suggests "Life". The Hebrew form is Johanan, which means "Jehovah has been Gracious". 8 He said: "O my Lord! how shall I have a son when my wife is barren and I have grown quite decrepit from old age?" Who is the "He" in this clause? As I have construed it, following the majority of Commentators, it means the angel who brought the message from Allah. But some Commentators construe it to refer to Zakariya. In that case the meaning will be: Zakariya after a little reflection said (in his wonder) "So!", i.e., "Can it really be so? Can I really have a son in my old age?" 9 He said: "So (it will be): thy Lord saith `That is easy for Me: I did indeed create thee before when thou hadst been nothing!' " Every man was nothing just before he was created, i.e., his personality was called into being by Allah. Even if there are material processes in forming the body, in accordance with the laws of nature, the real creative force is the power of Allah. But here there is a subtler meaning. John was the harbinger of Jesus, preparing the way for him; and this sentence also prepares us for the more wonderful birth of Jesus himself, see verse 21 below. Everything is possible with Allah. 10 (Zakariya) said "O my Lord! give me a Sign." "Thy Sign" was the answer "shall be that thou shalt speak to no man for three nights although thou art not dumb." 2464 2465 The "Sign", was in order to convince Zakariya that the Lord's promise was true. 11 So Zakariya came out to his people from his chamber: he told them by signs to celebrate Allah's praises in the morning and in the evening. 12 (To his son came the command): "O Yahya! take hold of the Book with might": and We gave him wisdom even as a youth. Time passes. The son is born. In this section of the Sura the centre of interest is Yahya, and the instruction is now given to him. 'Keep fast hold of Allah's revelation with all your might': for an unbelieving world had either corrupted or neglected it, and Yahya (John the Baptist) was to prepare the way for, Jesus, who was coming to renew and re-interpret it. Hukm, translated Wisdom, implies something more than Wisdom; it is the Wisdom or Judgment that is entitied to judge and command, as in the matter of denouncing sin. 13 And pity (for all creatures) as from Us and purity: he was devout John the Baptist did not live long. He was imprisoned by Herod, the tetrarch (provincial ruler under the Roman Empire), whom he had reproved for his sins, and eventually beheaded at the instigation of the woman with whom Herod was infatuated. But even in his young life, he was granted (1) wisdom by Allah, for he boldly denounced sin; (2) gentle pity and love for all Allah's creatures, for he moved among the humble and lowly, and despised "soft raiment"; and (3) purity of life, for he renounced the world and lived in the wilderness. All his work he did in his youth. These things showed themselves in his conduct, for he was devout, showing love to Allah and to Allah's creatures, and more particularly to his parents (for we are considering that aspect of his life): this was also shown by the fact that he never used violence, from an attitude of arrogance, nor entertained a spirit of rebellion against divine Law. 14 And kind to his parents and he was not overbearing or rebellious. 15 So Peace on him the day he was born the day that he dies and the day that he will be raised up to life (again)! This is spoken as in the life-time of Yahya. Peace and Allah's Blessings, were on him when he was born; they continue when he is about to die an unjust death at the hands of a tyrant; and they will be specially manifest at the Day of Judgment. 16 Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East. the story of Mary. Here the whole theme is different: it is the personal side of the experiences of the worshippers of Allah in relation to their families or environment. To a private eastern chamber, perhaps in the Temple. She went into privacy, from her people and from people in general, for prayer and devotion. It was in this state of purity that the angel appeared to her in the shape of a man. She thought it was a man. She was frightened, and she adjured him not to invade her privacy. 17 She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them: then We sent to her Our angel and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. 18 She said: "I seek refuge from thee to (Allah) Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou dost fear Allah." 19 He said: "Nay I am only a messenger from thy Lord (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son." Allah had destined her to be the mother of the Prophet Jesus Christ, and now had come the time when this should be announced to her. 20 She said: "How shall I have a son seeing that no man has touched me and I am not unchaste?" 21 He said: "So (it will be): thy Lord saith `That is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us': it is a matter (so) decreed." The mission of Jesus is announced in two ways (1) he was to be a Sign to men; his wonderful birth and wonderful life were to turn an ungodly world back to Allah; and (2) his mission was similar to that of all prophets of Allah. But the point here is that the Israelites, to whom Jesus was sent, were a hardened race, for whom the message of Jesus was truly a gospel of Mercy. For anything that Allah wishes to create, He says "Be", and it is . There is no interval between His decree and its accomplishment, except such as He imposes by His decree. Time may be only a projection of our own minds in this world of relativity. 22 So she conceived him and she retired with him to a remote place. The annunciation and the conception, we may suppose, took place in Nazareth (of Galilee), say 65 miles north of Jerusalem. The delivery took place in Bethlehem about 6 miles south of Jerusalem. It was a remote place, not only with reference to the distance of 71 miles, but because in Bethlehem itself the birth was in an obscure corner under a palm-tree, from which perhaps the babe was afterwards removed to a manger in a stable. 23 And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: she cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had died before this! Would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!" She was but human, and suffered the pangs of an expectant mother, with no one to attend on her. The circumstances being peculiar, she had got far away from her people. 24 But he cried to her from beneath the (palm-free): "Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee; 25 "And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree: it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee. Unseen Providence had seen that she should not suffer from thirst or from hunger. The rivulet provided her with water also for ablutions. 26 "So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye. And if thou dost see any man say `I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious and this day will I enter into no talk with any human being.' " Cool thine eye: An idiom for "comfort thyself and be glad". The literal meaning should not, however, be lost sight of. She was to cool her eyes (perhaps full of tears) with the fresh water of the rivulet and take comfort that a remarkable babe had been born to her. She was also to look around, and if any one came near, she was to decline all conversation. It was quite true: she was under a vow, and could not talk to any one. She was to decline all conversation with man or woman, on the plea of a vow to Allah. The "fast" here does not mean abstinence literally from eating and drinking. She has just been advised to eat the dates and drink of the stream. It means abstinence from the ordinary household meals, and indeed from human intercourse generally. 27 At length she brought the (babe) to her people carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! The amazement of the people knew no bounds. In any case they were ready to think the worst of her, as she had disappeared from her kin for some time. But now she comes, shamelessly parading a babe in her arms! How she had disgraced the house of Aaron, the fountain of priesthood! We may suppose that the scene took place in the Temple in Jerusalem, or in Nazareth. 28 "O sister of Aaron! thy father was not a man of evil nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" Aaron the brother of Moses was the first in the line of Israelite priesthood. Mary and her cousin Elisabeth (mother of Yahya) came of a priestly family, and were therefore, "sisters of Aaron" or daughters of 'Imran (who was Aaron's father). See n. 375 to iii. 35. Mary is reminded of her high lineage and the unexceptionable morals of her father and mother. How, they said, she had fallen, and disgraced the name of her progenitors! 29 But she pointed to the babe. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?" What could Mary do? How could she explain? Would they, in their censorious mood, accept her explanation? All she could do was to point to the child, who, she knew, was no ordinary child. And the child came to her rescue. By a miracle he spoke, defended his mother, and preached-to an unbelieving audience. 30 He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; 31 "And He hath made me Blessed wheresoever I be and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; There is a parallelism throughout the accounts of Jesus and Yahya, with some variations. Both the parallelisms and the variations are interesting. For instance Jesus declares at the very outset that he is a servant of Allah, thus negativing the false notion that he was Allah or the son of Allah. The greatness of Yahya is described in terms that are not applied to Jesus, but the verses xix. 14-15 as applied to Yahya are in almost identical terms with those applied to Jesus here. Devotion in Prayer and Charity is a good description of Christ at its best, and pity, purity, and devotion in Yahya are a good description of the ways leading to Prayer and Charity, just as John led to Jesus. 32 "(He) hath made me kind to my mother and not overbearing or miserable; Overbearing violence is not only unjust and harmful to those on whom it is practised; it is perhaps even more harmful to the person who practises it, for his soul becomes turbid, unsettled, and ultimately unhappy and wretched,-the state of those in Hell. Here the negative qualities are "not overbearing or miserable." As applied to John they were "not overbearing or rebellious." John bore his punishment from the State without any protest or drawing back. 33 "So Peace is on me the day I was born the day that I die and the Day that I shall be raised up to life (again)"! and Christ was not crucified. 34 Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth about which they (vainly) dispute. The disputations about the nature of Jesus Christ were vain, but also persistent and sanguinary. The modern Christian churches have thrown them into the background, but they would do well to abandon irrational dogmas altogether. 35 It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! When He determines a matter He only says to it "Be" and it is. Begetting a son is a physical act depending on the needs of men's animal nature. Allah Most High is independent of all needs, and it is derogatory to Him to attribute such an act to Him. It is merely a relic of pagan and anthropomorphic materialist superstitions. 36 Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord: Him therefore serve ye: this is a Way that is straight. As opposed to the crooked superstitions which take refuge in all sorts of metaphysical sophistries to prove three in one and one in three. In the Qur-an there is no crookedness (xviii. 1). Christ's teaching was simple, like his life, but the Christians have made it crooked. 37 But the sects differ among themselves: and woe to the Unbelievers because of the (coming) Judgment of a momentous Day! Judgment: the word in the original is Mash-had, which implies many things: (1) the time or place where evidence is taken, as in a Court of Judgment; (2) the time or place where people are produced (to be judged); and (3) the occasion for such production for the taking of evidence. A very expressive phrase for the Day of Judgment. 38 How plainly will they see and hear the Day that they will appear before Us! But the unjust today are in error manifest! and that whole passage, where the Resurrection is described. 39 But warn them of the Day of Distress when the matter will be determined: for (behold) they are negligent and they do not believe! Hasrat: Sighs, sighing, regrets, distress. 40 It is We Who will inherit the earth and all beings thereon: to Us will they all be returned. Material property passes from one to another: when one dies, another inherits it. Allah gives life and death, and all that survives after physical death goes back to Allah, the original source of all things. 41 Also mention in the Book (the story of) Abraham: he was a man of Truth a prophet. 42 Behold he said to his father: "O my father! why worship that which heareth not and seeth not and can profit thee nothing? The reference to Abraham here is in relation to his tender solicitude for his father, who had not received the light of Unity, and to whom Abraham wanted to be a guide and friend. 43 "O my father! to me hath come knowledge which hath not reached thee: so follow me: I will guide thee to a Way that is even and straight. Some are more receptive of Light than others. It is their duty and privilege to guide and point to the right Way. Sawiyan-right, smooth, even; complete, perfect; hence the derived meaning: in full possession of all the physical senses; in that context, 'not dumb': , when the angel appears in the form of a man, 'completely like' a man, a man 'in all respects.' 44 "O my father! serve not Satan: for Satan is a rebel against (Allah) Most Gracious. The rebellion is all the more heinous and inexcusable, considering that Allah is Most Just, Most Merciful, Most Gracious. 45 "O my father! I fear lest a Penalty afflict thee from (Allah) Most Gracious so that thou become to Satan a friend." To entertain a feeling of friendliness, instead of aversion, to Evil, is in itself a degradation of our nature, a Penalty which Allah imposes on our deliberate rejection of the Truth. And the friendliness to Evil also implies the sharing of the outlawry of Evil. 46 (The father) replied: "Dost thou hate my gods O Abraham? If thou forbear not I will indeed stone thee: now get away from me for a good long while!" Note the gentle persuasive tone of Abraham in his speeches (for we may suppose those sentences to sum up a long course of arguments) and contrasted with the brusque and repellent tone of the father's reply in this verse. The one was the outcome of the true Light which had come to Abraham from Allah, as the other was the outcome of Pagan arrogance and the worship of brute force. The spiritual lesson from this episode of Abraham's life may be stated in four propositions: (1) the pious son is dutiful to his father and wishes him well in all things, material and spiritual, (2) if the father refuses Allah's Light, the son will do his utmost to bring such Light to the father; (3) having received the Light, the son will never renounce that Light, even if he has to forfeit his father's love and renounce his home; (4) even if the father repels him and turns him out, his answer will be a soft answer, full of love and forgiveness on the one hand, but firmness on behalf of Truth on the other. 47 Abraham said: "Peace be on thee: I will pray to my Lord for thy forgiveness: for He is to me Most Gracious. where this promise of Abraham to pray for his father is referred to, and its limitations pointed out. 48 "And I will turn away from you (all) and from those whom ye invoke besides Allah: I will call on my Lord: Perhaps by my prayer to my Lord I shall be not unblest." Abraham left his father and the home of his fathers (Ur of the Chaldees) and never returned. He left because he was turned out, and because it was not possible for him to make any compromise with what was false in religion. In return for abuse, he spoke gentle words. And he expressed his fervent hope that at least he (Abraham) would have Allah's blessing in reply to his prayers. Here was a prefigurement of another Hijrat many centuries later! In both cases the prayer was abundantly fulfilled. 49 When he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allah We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob and each one of them We made a prophet. Isaac and Isaac's son Jacob are mentioned here as carrying on one line of Abraham's traditions. The other line was carried on by Isma'il, who is mentioned independently five verses lower down, as his line got special honour in the Holy Prophet of Islam. That is why his mention comes after that of Moses. 50 And We bestowed of Our Mercy on them and We granted them lofty honor on the tongue of truth. Abraham and his son and grandson Isaac and Jacob, and their line, maintained the banner of Allah's truth for many generations, and they won deservedly high praise-the praise of truth-on the tongues of men. Abraham prayed that he should be praised by the tongue of truth among men to come in later ages: xxvi. 84. Ordinary praise may mean nothing: it may be due to selfish flattery on the part of others or artful management by the person praised. Praise on the tongue of sincere truth is praise indeed! 51 Also mention in the Book (the story of) Moses: for he was specially chosen and he was an apostle (and) a prophet. Moses was (1) especially chosen, and therefore prepared and instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, in order that he might free his people from Egyptian bondage; there may also be a reference to Moses's title of Kalimullah, the one to whom Allah spoke without th eintervention of angels (2) he was a prophet (nabi), in that he received inspiration; and (3) he was a messenger (rasul) in that he had a Book of Revelation, and an Ummat or organised Community, for which he instituted laws. 52 And We called him from the right side of Mount (Sinai) and made him draw near to Us for mystic (converse). The incident here I think refers to the incidents described more fully . The time is when Moses (with his family) was travelling and grazing the flocks of his father-in-law Jethro, just before he got his commission from Allah. The place is somewhere near Mount Sinai (Jabal Musa). Moses sees a Fire in the distance, but when he goes there, he hears a voice that tells him it is sacred ground. Allah asked him to put off his shoes and to draw near, and when he went near, great mysteries were revealed to him. He was given his commission, and his brother Aaron was given to him to go with him and aid him. It is after that, that he and Aaron went and faced Pharaoh in Egypt. The right side of the mountain may mean that Moses heard the voice from the right side of the mountain as he faced it; or it may have the figurative meaning of "right" in Arabic, i.e., the side which was blessed or sacred ground. 53 And out of Our Mercy We gave him his brother Aaron (also) a prophet. Moses was diffident, and reluctant to go to Pharaoh as he had an impediment in his tongue, and he asked that his brother Aaron should be associated with him in his mission. Allah in His Mercy granted his request. 54 Also mention in the Book (the story of) Ismail: He was (strictly) true to what he promised and he was an apostle (and) a prophet. Isma'il was Az-zabih i.e., the chosen sacrifice for Allah in Muslim tradition. When Abraham told him of the sacrifice, he voluntarily offered himself for it, and never flinched from his promise, until the sacrifice was redeemed by the substitution of a ram under Allah's commands. He was the fountain-head of the Arabian Ummat, and in his posterity came the Prophet of Allah. The Ummat and the Book of Islam reflect back the prophethood on Isma'il. 55 He used to enjoin on his people Prayer and Charity and he was most acceptable in the sight of his Lord. 56 Also mention in the Book the case of Idris: he was a man of truth (and sincerity) (and) a prophet: Idris is mentioned twice in the Qur-an, where he is mentioned among those who patiently persevered., that he was taken up without passing through the portals of death. All we are told is that he was a man of truth and sincerity, and a prophet, and that he had a high position among his people. It is this point which brings him in the series of men just mentioned; he kept himself in touch with his people, and was honoured among them. Spiritual progress need not cut us off from our people, for we have to help and guide them. He kept to truth and piety in the highest station. 57 And We raised him to a lofty station. 58 Those were some of the prophets on whom Allah did bestow His Grace of the posterity of Adam and of those whom We carried (in the Ark) with Noah and of the posterity of Abraham and Israel of those whom We guided and chose; whenever the Signs of (Allah) Most Gracious were rehearsed to them they would fall down in prostrate adoration and in tears. The earlier generations are grouped into three epochs from a religious point of view: (1) from Adam to Noah, (2) from Noah to Abraham, and (3) from Abraham to an indefinite time, say to the time when the Message of Allah was corrupted and the need arose for the final Messenger of Unity and Truth. Israel is another name for Jacob. The original is in the Aorist tense, implying that the "Posterity" alluded to includes not only the messengers but their worthy followers who are true to Allah and uphold His standard. 59 But after them there followed a posterity who missed prayers and followed after lusts: soon then will they face Destruction This selfish godless posterity gains the upper hand at certain times, but even then there is always a minority who see the error of their ways, repent and believe, and live righteous lives. They are not penalised in the Hereafter because they were associated with the ungodly in time. They reap the full reward of their faith and righteousness. 60 Except those who repent and believe and work righteousness: for these will enter the Garden and will not be wronged in the least 61 Gardens of Eternity those which (Allah) Most Gracious has promised to His servants in the Unseen: for His promise must (necessarily) come to pass. 62 They will not there hear any vain discourse but only salutations of peace: and they will have therein their sustenance morning and evening. Salam, translated "Peace", has a much wider signification. It includes (1) a sense of security and permanence, which is unknown in this life; (2) soundness, freedom from defects, perfection as in the word salim; (3) preservation, salvation, deliverance, as in the word sallama, (4) salutation, accord with those around us; (5) resignation, in the sense that we are satisfied and not discontented; besides (6) the ordinary meaning of Peace, i.e., freedom from any jarring element. All these shades of meaning are implied in the word Islam. (19.62) Rizq: literally sustenance or means of subsistence, the term covers all the means of perfect satisfaction of body and soul. Morning and evening, i.e., early and late, all the time, always. (19.62) 63 Such is the Garden which We give as an inheritance to those of Our Servants who guard against evil. 64 (The angels say:) "We descend not but by command of thy Lord: to Him belongeth what is before us and what is behind us and what is between: and thy Lord never doth forget" We are apt to be impatient of the evils we see around us. We may give of our best service to Allah, and yet see no results. In our human short-sightedness we may complain within ourselves. But we must not be impatient. The angels of Grace come not haphazard, but by command of Allah according to His Universal Will and Purpose. Allah does not forget. If things are delayed, it is in accordance with a wise providence, which cares for all. Our plain duty is to be patient and constant in His service. (19.64) 65 "Lord of the heavens and of the earth and of all that is between them: so worship Him and be constant and patient in His worship: knowest thou of any who is worthy of the same Name as He?" The more we taste of the truth and mystery of life, the more do we realise that there is no one to be mentioned in the same breath as Allah. He is above all names. But when we think of His beautiful qualities, and picture them to ourselves by names which give us some idea of Him, we can search the whole wide world of our imagination, and we shall not find another to be compared with Him in name or quality. He is the One: praise be to Him! (19.65) 66 Man says: "What! when I am dead shall I then be raised up alive?" 67 But does not man call to mind that We created him before out of nothing? 68 So by thy Lord without doubt We shall gather them together and (also) the Evil Ones (with them); then shall We bring them forth on their knees round about Hell; The disbelief in a future life is not merely a philosophic doubt, but a warped will, a disingenuous obstinacy in face of our inner spiritual instincts and experiences. We were nothing before. Cannot the same Allah, Who created us out of nothing also continue our personality? But if we refuse to accept His light and guidance, our state will grow worse and worse. We shall be deprived of His grace. We shall be herded with satans. In utter humiliation we shall be faced with all the consequences of our refusal of Truth. (19.68) Round about Hell: There are many ways leading to evil, and people get to it from all round. Hence the mention of the seven Gates to Hell: see xv. 44. and n. 1977. (19.68) 69 Then shall We certainly drag out from every sect all those who were worst in obstinate rebellion against (Allah) Most Gracious. 70 And certainly We know best those who are most worthy of being burned therein. 71 Not one of you but will pass over it: this is with thy Lord a Decree which must be accomplished. Three interpretations are possible, (1) The general interpretation is that every person must pass through or by or over the Fire. Those who have had Taqwa (see. n. 26 to ii. 2) will be saved by Allah's Mercy, while unrepentant sinners will suffer the torments in ignominy, (2) If we refer the pronoun "you" to those "in obstinate rebellion" in verse 69 above, both leaders and followers in sin, this verse only applies to the wicked, (3) Some refer this verse to the Bridge over Hell, the Bridge Sirat, over which all must pass to their final Destiny. This Bridge is not mentioned in the Qur-an. (19.71) 72 But We shall save those who guarded against evil and We shall leave the wrongdoers therein (humbled) to their knees. 73 When Our Clear Signs are rehearsed to them the Unbelievers say to those who believe "Which of the two sides is best in point of position? Which makes the best show in council?" The Unbelievers may, for a time, make a better show in worldly position, or in people's assemblages where things are judged by the counting of heads. But Truth must prevail even in this world, and ultimately the positions must be reversed. (19.73) 74 But how many (countless) generations before them have We destroyed who were even better in equipment and in glitter to the eye? 75 Say: "If any men go astray (Allah) Most Gracious extends (the rope) to them. Until when they see the warning of Allah (being fulfilled) either in punishment or in (the approach of) the Hour they will at length realize who is worst in position and (who) weakest in forces! Allah's warning is that every evil deed must have its punishment, and that there will be a Hereafter, the Day of Judgment, or the Hour, as it is frequently called. The punishment of evil often begins in this very life. For instance, over-indulgence and excesses of all kinds bring on their Nemesis quite soon in this very life. But some subtler forms of selfishness and sin will be punished as every evil will be punished-in its own good time, as the Hour approaches. In either case, the arrogant boasting sinners will realise that their taunt-who is best in position and in forces? (xix. 73)-is turned against themselves. (19.75) 76 "And Allah doth advance in guidance those who seek guidance; and the things that endure. Good Deeds are best in the sight of thy Lord as rewards and best in respect of (their) eventual returns." These lines are the same as in xviii. 46 (second clause), (where see n. 2387), except that the word maradd (eventual returns) is here substituted for amal (hope). The meaning is practically the same: but "hope" is more appropriate in the passage dealing generally with this world's goods, and "eventual returns" in the passage dealing with the sinner's specific investments and commitments in worldly position and organised cliques. (19.76) 77 Hast thou then seen the (sort of) man who rejects Our Signs yet says: "I shall certainly be given wealth and children"? Besides the man who boasts of wealth and power in actual possession, there is a type of man who boasts of getting them in the future and builds his worldly hopes thereon. Is he sure? He denies Allah, and His goodness and Mercy. But all good is in the hands of Allah. Can such a man then bind Allah to bless him when he rejects faith in Allah? Or does he pretend that he has penetrated to the mysteries of the future? For no man can tell what the future holds for him. (19.77) 78 Has he penetrated to the Unseen or has he taken a contract with (Allah) Most Gracious? 79 Nay! We shall record what he says and We Shall add and add to his punishment. Such a man deserves double punishment,-for rejecting Allah, and for his blasphemies with His holy name. (19.79) 80 To Us shall return all that he talks of and he shall appear before Us bare and alone. Literally, "We shall inherit", Cf. xix. 40 and n. 2492. Even if the man had property and power, it must go back to the Source of all things, and the man must appear before the Judgment-seat, alone and unaccompanied, stripped of all the things from which he expected so much! (19.80) 81 And they have taken (for worship) gods other than Allah to give them power and glory! 2525 'Izz=exalted rank, glory, power, might, the ability to impose one's will or to carry out one's will. (19.81) 82 Instead they shall reject their worship and become adversaries against them. Cf. x. 28-30, where the idols deny that they knew anything of their worship, and leave their worshippers in the lurch; and v. 119, where Jesus denies that he asked for worship, and leaves his false worshippers to the punishment of Allah. (19.82) 83 Seest thou not that We have set the Evil Ones on against the Unbelievers to incite them with fury? Under the laws instituted by Allah, when evil reaches a certain stage of rebellion and defiance, it is left to gather momentum and to rush with fury to its own destruction. It is given a certain amount of respite, as a last chance: but failing repentance, its days are numbered. The godly therefore should not worry themselves over the apparent worldly success of evil, but should get on with their own duties in a spirit of trust in Allah. (19.83) 84 So make no haste against them for We but count out to them a (limited) number (of days). 85 The day We shall gather the righteous to (Allah) Most Gracious like a band presented before a king for honors. 86 And We shall drive the sinners to Hell like thirsty cattle driven down to water Note the contrast between the saved and the doomed. The one march with dignity like honoured ones before a king, and the other rush in anguish to their punishment like a herd of cattle driven down by thirst to their watering place. Note the metaphor of the water. They rush madly for water but are plunged into the Fire! (19.86) 87 None shall have the power of intercession but such a one as has received permission (or promise) from (Allah) Most Gracious. 88 They say: "(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten a son!" 89 Indeed ye have put forth a thing most monstrous! The belief in Allah begetting a son is not a question merely of words or of speculative thought. It is a stupendous blasphemy against Allah. It lowers Allah to the level of an animal. If combined with the doctrine of vicarious atonement, it amounts to a negation of Allah's justice and man's personal responsibility. It is destructive of all moral and spiritual order, and is condemned in the strongest possible terms. (19.89) 90 At if the skies are ready to burst the earth to split asunder and the mountains to fall down in utter ruin. 91 That they should invoke a son for (Allah) Most Gracious. 92 For it is not consonant with the majesty of (Allah) Most Gracious that He should beget a son. This basic principle was laid down early in the argument (xix. 35). It was illustrated by a reference to the personal history of many messengers, including Jesus himself, who behaved justly as men to their kith and kin and humbly served Allah. The evil results of such superstitions were pointed out in the case of many previous generations which went to their ruin by dishonouring Allah. And the argument is now rounded off towards the close of the Sura. (19.92) 93 Not one of the beings in the heavens and the earth but must come to (Allah) Most Gracious as a servant. 94 He does take and account of them (all) and hath numbered them (all) exactly. Allah has no sons or favourites or parasites, such as we associate with human beings. On the other hand every creature of His gets His love, and His cherishing care. Everyone of them, however humble, is individually marked before His Throne of Justice and Mercy, and will stand before Him on his own deserts. (19.94) 95 And every one of them will come to him singly on the Day of Judgment. 96 On those who believe and work deeds of righteousness will (Allah) Most Gracious bestow Love. His own love, and the love of man's fellow-creatures, in this world and in the Hereafter. Goodness breeds love and peace, and sin breeds hatred and contention. (19.96) 97 So have We made the (Qur'an) easy in thine own tongue that with it thou mayest give Glad Tidings to the righteous and warnings to people given to contention. 98 But how many (countless) generation before them have We destroyed? Canst thou find a single one of them (now) or hear (so much as) a whisper of them?
Help with probability questions!? If anyone could help me with any of these questions I'd really appreciate it! 1)Statistics Canada reported that 76% of families in Edmonton consist of married couples. There are 22 students in a grade 3 class. The school administration records whether they live with both biological parents who are either married or living common-law. If the child is from a single-parent home, they record the parent with which the child lives. a) What is the probabilty that exactly half the students have families where the parents are defined as a married couple? Express your answer to the nearest tenth of a percent. b) What is the probabilty that at least one student does not have parents that are defined as a married couple? 2) Krina works in a call centre assisting home-computer users. THe average length of a call in her centre is 605 s. Her last call took only 569 s.Her manager offers a bonus for calls that are handled efficiently and quickly. If a call is handled more quickly than 95% of calls, a 2$ bonus is paid. What is the largest standard deviation for the calls that would let Krina's latest call get the bonus? Round your answer to 2 decimal places if needed. 3) The scores for a particular examination are normally distributed with a mean of 54.8% and a standard deviation of 16.3%. What is the probabilty that a student who wrote the exam had a mark of 75% or more? Round to 4 decimals if needed. 4) A teacher the lung capacity of students in her school. She found that the values were normally distributed with a mean of 3500 mL and a standard deviation of 300 mL. If 23% of the kids had lung capacities that were less than Samantha's, what is Samantha's lung capacity? Round to nearest millilitre. 5) A teacher marking an assignment gave the following marks: 49, 90, 87, 68, 61, 71, 53, 65, 79, 88 What is the z-score corresponding to the lowest mark? Round to 3 decimal places.
please help with these questions!? If anyone could help me with any of these questions I'd really appreciate it! 1)Statistics Canada reported that 76% of families in Edmonton consist of married couples. There are 22 students in a grade 3 class. The school administration records whether they live with both biological parents who are either married or living common-law. If the child is from a single-parent home, they record the parent with which the child lives. a) What is the probabilty that exactly half the students have families where the parents are defined as a married couple? Express your answer to the nearest tenth of a percent. b) What is the probabilty that at least one student does not have parents that are defined as a married couple? 2) Krina works in a call centre assisting home-computer users. THe average length of a call in her centre is 605 s. Her last call took only 569 s.Her manager offers a bonus for calls that are handled efficiently and quickly. If a call is handled more quickly than 95% of calls, a 2$ bonus is paid. What is the largest standard deviation for the calls that would let Krina's latest call get the bonus? Round your answer to 2 decimal places if needed. 3) The scores for a particular examination are normally distributed with a mean of 54.8% and a standard deviation of 16.3%. What is the probabilty that a student who wrote the exam had a mark of 75% or more? Round to 4 decimals if needed. 4) A teacher the lung capacity of students in her school. She found that the values were normally distributed with a mean of 3500 mL and a standard deviation of 300 mL. If 23% of the kids had lung capacities that were less than Samantha's, what is Samantha's lung capacity? Round to nearest millilitre. 5) A teacher marking an assignment gave the following marks: 49, 90, 87, 68, 61, 71, 53, 65, 79, 88 What is the z-score corresponding to the lowest mark? Round to 3 decimal places.
O Riley did you see his show tonight......? ATOON — The incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says this country's health-care system is sick and doctors need to develop a plan to cure it. Dr. Anne Doig says patients are getting less than optimal care and she adds that physicians from across the country - who will gather in Saskatoon on Sunday for their annual meeting - recognize that changes must be made. "We all agree that the system is imploding, we all agree that things are more precarious than perhaps Canadians realize," Doing said in an interview with The Canadian Press. "We know that there must be change," she said. "We're all running flat out, we're all just trying to stay ahead of the immediate day-to-day demands." The pitch for change at the conference is to start with a presentation from Dr. Robert Ouellet, the current president of the CMA, who has said there's a critical need to make Canada's health-care system patient-centred. He will present details from his fact-finding trip to Europe in January, where he met with health groups in England, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands and France. His thoughts on the issue are already clear. Ouellet has been saying since his return that "a health-care revolution has passed us by," that it's possible to make wait lists disappear while maintaining universal coverage and "that competition should be welcomed, not feared." In other words, Ouellet believes there could be a role for private health-care delivery within the public system. He has also said the Canadian system could be restructured to focus on patients if hospitals and other health-care institutions received funding based on the patients they treat, instead of an annual, lump-sum budget. This "activity-based funding" would be an incentive to provide more efficient care, he has said. Doig says she doesn't know what a proposed "blueprint" toward patient-centred care might look like when the meeting wraps up Wednesday. She'd like to emerge with clear directions about where the association should focus efforts to direct change over the next few years. She also wants to see short-term, medium-term and long-term goals laid out. "A short-term achievable goal would be to accelerate the process of getting electronic medical records into physicians' offices," she said. "That's one I think ought to be a priority and ought to be achievable." A long-term goal would be getting health systems "talking to each other," so information can be quickly shared to help patients. Doig, who has had a full-time family practice in Saskatoon for 30 years, acknowledges that when physicians have talked about changing the health-care system in the past, they've been accused of wanting an American-style structure. She insists that's not the case. "It's not about choosing between an American system or a Canadian system," said Doig. "The whole thing is about looking at what other people do." "That's called looking at the evidence, looking at how care is delivered and how care is paid for all around us (and) then saying 'Well, OK, that's good information. How do we make all of that work in the Canadian context? What do the Canadian people want?' " Doig says there are some "very good things" about Canada's health-care system, but she points out that many people have stories about times when things didn't go well for them or their family. "(Canadians) have to understand that the system that we have right now - if it keeps on going without change - is not sustainable," said Doig. "They have to look at the evidence that's being presented and will be presented at (the meeting) and realize what Canada's doctors are trying to tell you, that you can get better care than what you're getting and we all have to participate in the discussion around how do we do that and of course how do we pay for it." Copyright © 2009 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved. Add News to your iGoogle Homepage Add News to your Google Homepage The Canadian Press Ans the libs hols it up as a model for us ....what say you sorrry so long but worth the read.... the libs only hear Oriley,,,he did not say this, this is the person the head of the medical personnnel in Canada and her and the other gentleman on his show both sat the canadian system is IMPLODING that is very real and honest...go watch the show.it is very expensive and unsustainable they are saying that themselves Obama is lying to you to get you dependent on the GOV to secure DEM power...when will the libs wise up.... Arro.....Canadians have had the insurance since the Canadian system the single payer one does not cover drugs so they must have both you people really need to stop being idealogs and find the truth on both sides of the issue. remember politicians are liars and only want to fit in in the Washington circles they do not care what is best for you....
Do you think Bengalooru is a suicidal city? According to the National Crime Records Bureau, at least 35 in every 100,000 people in Bangalore commit suicide. Why is Bangalore seeing an increasing number of suicides? Experts say most suicide cases in the city are related to stress; its citizens are unable to cope with Bangalore's quick growth. If you walk into Bangalore's leading hospitals, you will find a large number of patients suffering from stress-related ailments. Doctors specialising in this disorder told rediff.com that, on an average, they treat at least 10 patients a day for stress-related ailments. A doctor at the city's Manipal Hospital said, on condition of anonymity, "We admit such patients to monitor them. They remain in hospital for at least a day or two before they are discharged. We keep them on medication if necessary or we advise counselling." Work and the city's chaotic traffic contribute to increased stress among Bangalore residents. Anoushka Tripathy, a clinical psychologist, says, "Several of my patients, especially from the IT and BPO industry, complain that they are unable to cope with their work. Extended work timings, competition and, most importantly, insecurity at work are contributing to an increase in people's stress levels." Another reason is that many young people working in these industries have no family life. "By the time they return from work, it is quite late. Their family members are either sleeping or they themselves are too tired to talk, which makes them very lonely." Take the case of Ravi Varma (name changed), a customer service adviser at a reputed BPO. Unable to bear the stress and loneliness, he attempted suicide five months ago. Luckily, he was saved due to quick medical attention. Ravi says the loneliness and stress got to him. He hardly had any time to spend with his family or friends. "Sometimes I felt like discussing work-related issues with my family, but never got the opportunity because of my work hours." Ravi's mother says she never thought the problem was this bad until he attempted suicide. "We now take him for regular counselling and yoga class. We are making attempts to create time to spend with each other. Giving up his job is not the solution," she says. Traffic-related stress is another problem Bangaloreans are grappling with. The number of vehicles in the city has grown five-fold and Bangalore just does not have the infrastructure to cope. Between 8 am to 10 am and 6 pm to 8 pm, the city looks like a village that has exploded. Those working in the IT sector have to travel at least 20 kilometres to 25 kilometres to reach their work place and, thanks to the traffic jams, the travel time increases by a good one-and-a-half hours at the very least. The pressure of meeting deadlines and making it on time to meetings prey on their mind as they try and beat the traffic. This, in turn, contributes to increasing stress levels. The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Bangalore also treats patients for stress-related ailments. Doctors at NIMHANS say software engineers in the age group of 24 to 30 years form a large chunk of the patients facing this problem. The doctors add that such patients complain of restlessness, lack of concentration, anxiety and body pain -- all of which are symptomatic of stress. In the last two months, over 100 IT professionals have made a beeline to Ayurvedic centres for de-stressing programmes, where they are taught how to strike a balance between their personal and professional lives. A close study indicates that work-related insecurity, extended working hours and stringent deadlines also contribute to Bangalore's rising stress levels. Psychiatrists say those afflicted by stress should spend more time with the family and talk about their problem. Moreover, people working in the BPO and IT industries constantly need to adjust to different cultures as they keep interacting with different people of different nationalities. This constant change also takes a toll on them, the doctors say. The common factor, the doctors add, is that most of these youngsters are stressed out about money. Since the IT boom took place, salaries are at an unbelievable high. This has prompted banks to make tempting loan offers. At least five out of 10 IT workers fall into the trap. Says Kishore Alva, a software engineer, "It is the EMIs that worry us. How do we repay the banks if we lose our jobs? This factor is on my mind almost every day and increases my stress levels." While hospitals deal with at least 10 patients a day on an average, counsellors see five patients a day as against five patients in five days three years ago.
Is this going to be a major nail in 0bama's Sodomized Medicine plan - I don't think it could have come at a? worse time. Do you? Overhauling Health-care System Tops Agenda at Annual Meeting of Canada's Doctors By Jennifer Graham (CP) – 1 day ago SASKATOON — The incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says this country's health-care system is sick and doctors need to develop a plan to cure it. Dr. Anne Doig says patients are getting less than optimal care and she adds that physicians from across the country - who will gather in Saskatoon on Sunday for their annual meeting - recognize that changes must be made. "We all agree that the system is imploding, we all agree that things are more precarious than perhaps Canadians realize," Doing said in an interview with The Canadian Press. "We know that there must be change," she said. "We're all running flat out, we're all just trying to stay ahead of the immediate day-to-day demands." The pitch for change at the conference is to start with a presentation from Dr. Robert Ouellet, the current president of the CMA, who has said there's a critical need to make Canada's health-care system patient-centred. He will present details from his fact-finding trip to Europe in January, where he met with health groups in England, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands and France. His thoughts on the issue are already clear. Ouellet has been saying since his return that "a health-care revolution has passed us by," that it's possible to make wait lists disappear while maintaining universal coverage and "that competition should be welcomed, not feared." In other words, Ouellet believes there could be a role for private health-care delivery within the public system. He has also said the Canadian system could be restructured to focus on patients if hospitals and other health-care institutions received funding based on the patients they treat, instead of an annual, lump-sum budget. This "activity-based funding" would be an incentive to provide more efficient care, he has said. Doig says she doesn't know what a proposed "blueprint" toward patient-centred care might look like when the meeting wraps up Wednesday. She'd like to emerge with clear directions about where the association should focus efforts to direct change over the next few years. She also wants to see short-term, medium-term and long-term goals laid out. "A short-term achievable goal would be to accelerate the process of getting electronic medical records into physicians' offices," she said. "That's one I think ought to be a priority and ought to be achievable." A long-term goal would be getting health systems "talking to each other," so information can be quickly shared to help patients. Doig, who has had a full-time family practice in Saskatoon for 30 years, acknowledges that when physicians have talked about changing the health-care system in the past, they've been accused of wanting an American-style structure. She insists that's not the case. "It's not about choosing between an American system or a Canadian system," said Doig. "The whole thing is about looking at what other people do." "That's called looking at the evidence, looking at how care is delivered and how care is paid for all around us (and) then saying 'Well, OK, that's good information. How do we make all of that work in the Canadian context? What do the Canadian people want?' " Doig says there are some "very good things" about Canada's health-care system, but she points out that many people have stories about times when things didn't go well for them or their family. "(Canadians) have to understand that the system that we have right now - if it keeps on going without change - is not sustainable," said Doig. "They have to look at the evidence that's being presented and will be presented at (the meeting) and realize what Canada's doctors are trying to tell you, that you can get better care than what you're getting and we all have to participate in the discussion around how do we do that and of course how do we pay for it." Copyright © 2009 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved. http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jbjzPEY0Y3bvRD335rGu_Z3KXoQw
How do I create a hotel booking system in Microsoft Excel? Ok, my family own these units, and we are using old school booking books to record the bookings. We only have 3 units and already have a computerized invoicing program, but I really want to create something in Excel that does the same as our booking book. I need to include the dates of the booking, the person's name, the price that we are charging them, the number of people, where we got the booking from (roamfree, our local visitors centre etc.) and whether they are staying in a 2 bedroom or studio apartment. It would be great if you gave me some ideas!! Thanks a heap! ok thanks, so is access easy to adapt to?
How many of you can't read this? The Unthinkable Thought "Jesus said, 'It is to those who are worthy of my Mysteries that I tell my Mysteries.'" The Gospel of Thomas On the site where the Vatican now stands there once stood a Pagan temple. Here Pagan priests observed sacred ceremonies which early Christians found so disturbing that they tried to erase all evidence of them ever having been practised. What were these shocking Pagan rites? Gruesome sacrifices or obscene orgies perhaps. This is what we have been led to believe. But the truth is far stranger than this fiction. Where today the gathered faithful revere their Lord Jesus Christ, the ancients worshipped another godman who, like Jesus, had been miraculously born on 25 December before three shepherds. In this ancient sanctuary Pagan congregations once glorified a Pagan redeemer who, like lesus, was said to have ascended to heaven and to have promised to come again at the end of time to judge the quick and the dead. On the same spot where the Pope celebrates the Catholic mass, Pagan priests also celebrated a symbolic meal of bread and wine in memory of their saviour who, just like Tesus, had declared: "He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made one with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation." When we began to uncover such extraordinary similarities between the story of Jesus and Pagan myth we were stunned. We had been brought up in a culture which portrays Paganism and Christianity as entirely antagonistic religious perspectives. How could such astonishing resemblances be explained? We were intrigued and began to search further. The more we looked, the more resemblances we found. To account for the wealth of evidence we were unearthing we felt compelled to completely review our understanding of the relationship between Paganism and Christianity, to question beliefs that we previously regarded as unquestionable and to imagine possibilities which at first seemed impossible. Some readers will find our conclusions shocking and others heretical, but for us they are merely the simplest and most obvious way of accounting for the evidence we have amassed. We have become convinced that the story of Jesus is not the biography of an historical Messiah, but a myth based on perennial Pagan stories. Christianity was not a new and unique revelation but actually a Jewish adaptation of the ancient Pagan Mystery religion. This is what we have called 'the Jesus Mysteries Thesis.' It may sound farfetched at first, just as it did initially to us. There is, after all, a great deal of unsubstantiated nonsense written about the 'real' Jesus, so any revolutionary theory should be approached with a healthy dose of scepticism. But although this book makes extraordinary claims, it is not just entertaining fantasy or sensational speculation. It is firmly based upon the available historical sources and the latest scholarly research. Whilst we hope to have made it accessible to the general reader, we have also included copious notes giving sources, references and greater detail for those who wish to analyse our arguments more thoroughly. Although still radical and challenging today, many of the ideas we explore are actually far from new. As long ago as the Renaissance, mystics and scholars saw the origins of christianity in the ancient Egyptian religion. Visionary scholars at the turn of the nineteenth century also made com-paxable conjectures to our own. In recent decades, modern academics have repeatedly pointed towards the possibilities we consider. Yet few have dared to boldly state the obvious conclusions which we have drawn. Why? Because to do so is taboo. For 2,000 years the West has been dominated by the idea that Christianity is sacred and unique, whilst Paganism is primitive and the work of the Devil. To even consider that they could be parts of the same tradition has been simply unthinkable. Therefore, although the true origins of Christianity have been obvious all along, few have been able to see them, because to do so requires a radical break with the conditioning of our culture. Our contribution has been to dare to think the unthinkable and to present our conclusions in a popular book rather than some dry academic tome. This is certainly not the last word on this complex subject, but we hope it may be a significant call for a complete reappraisal of the origins of Christianity. THE PAGAN MYSTERIES In Greek tragedies the chorus reveals the fate of the protagonists before the play begins. Sometimes it is easier to understand the journey if one is already aware of the destination and the terrain to be covered. Before diving deeper into detail, therefore, we would like to retrace our process of discovery and so provide a brief overview of the book. We had shared an obsession with world mysticism all our lives which recently had led us to explore spirituality in the ancient world. Popular understanding inevtitably lags a long way behind the cutting edge of scholarly research and, like most people, we initially had an inaccurate and out-dated view of Paganism. We had been taught to imagine a primitive superstition which indulged in idol worship and bloody sacrifice, and dry philosophers wearing togas stumbling blindly towards what we today call 'science.' We were familiar with various Greek myths which showed the partisan and capricious nature of the Olympian gods and goddesses. All in all, Paganism seemed primitive and fundamentally alien. After many years of study, however, our understanding has been transformed. Pagan spirituality was actually the sophisticated product of a highly developed culture. The state religions, such as the Greek worship of the Olympian gods, were little more than outer pomp and ceremony. The real spirituality of the people expressed itself through the vibrant and mystical 'Mystery religions.' At first underground and heretical movements, these Mysteries spread and flourished throughout the ancient Mediterranean, inspiring the greatest minds of the Pagan world, who regarded them as the very source of civilization. Each Mystery tradition had exoteric Outer Mysteries, consisting of myths which were common knowledge and rituals which were open to anyone who wanted to participate. There were also esoteric Inner Mysteries, which were a sacred secret only known to those who had undergone a powerful process of initiation. Initiates of the Inner Mysteries had the mystical meaning of the rituals and myths of the Outer Mysteries revealed to them, a process which brought about personal transformation and spiritual enlightenment. The philosophers of the ancient world were the spiritual masters of the Inner Mysteries. They were mystics and miracle-workers, more comparable to Hindu gurus than dusty academics. The great Greek philosopher Pythagoras, for example, is remembered today for his mathematical theorem, but few people picture him as he actually was a flamboyant sage who was believed to be able to miraculously still the winds and raise the dead. At the heart of the Mysteries were myths concerning a dying and resurrecting godman, who was known by many different names. In Egyp he was Osiris, in Greece Dionysus, in Asia Minor Attis, in Syria Adonis, in Italy Bacchus, in Persia Mithras. Fundamentally all these godmen are the same mythical being. As was the practice from as early as the third century BCE, in this book we will use the combined name "Osiris-Dionysus" to denote his universal and composite nature, and his particular names when referring to a specific Mystery tradition. From the fifth century BCE philosophers such as Xenophanes and Empedocles had ridiculed taking the stories of the gods and goddesses literally. They viewed them as allegories of human spiritual experience. The myths of Osiris-Dionysus should not be understood as just intriguing tales, therefore, but as a symbolic language which encodes the mystical teachings of the Inner Mysteries. Because of this, although the details were developed and adapted over time by different cultures, the myth of Osiris-Dionysus has remained essentially the same. The various myths of the different godmen of the Mysteries share what the great mythologist Joseph Campbell called 'the same anatomy', just as every human is physically unique yet it is possible to talk of the general anatomy of the human body, so with these different myths it is possible to see both their uniqueness and fundamental sameness. A helpful comparison may be the relationship between Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Bernstein's West Side Story. One is a sixteenth-century English tragedy about wealthy Italian families, whilst the other is a twentieth-century American musical about street gangs. On the face of it they look very different, yet they are essentially the same story. Similarly, the tales told about the godmen of the Pagan Mysteries are essentially the same, although they take different forms. The more we studied the various versions of the myth of Osiris-Dionysus, the more it became obvious that the story of Jesus had all the characteristics of this perennial tale. Event by event, we found we were able to construct Jesus' supposed biography from mythic motifs previousl3 relating to Osiris-Dionysus: - Osiris-Dionysus is God made flesh, the saviour and 'Son of God'. - His father is God and his mother is a mortal virgin. - He is born in a cave or humble cowshed on 25 December before three shepherds. - He offers his followers the chance to be born again through the rites ot baptism. - He miraculously turns water into wine at a marriage ceremony. - He rides triumphantly into town on a donkey while people wave palm leaves to honour him. - He dies at Eastertime as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. - After his death he descends to hell, then on the third day he rises from the dead and ascends to heaven in glory. - His followers await his return as the judge during the Last Days. - His death and resurrection are celebrated by a ritual meal of bread and wine which symbolize his body and blood. These are just some of the motifs shared between the tales of Osiris-Dionysus and the 'biography' of Jesus. Why are these remarkable similarities not common knowledge? Because, as we were to discover later, the early Roman Church did everything in its power to prevent us perceiving them. It systematically destroyed Pagan sacred literature in a brutal programme of eradicating the Mysteries -- a task it performed so completely that today Paganism is regarded as a 'dead' religion. Although surprising to us now, to writers of the first few centuries CE these similarities between the new Christian religion and the ancient Mysteries were extremely obvious. Pagan critics of Christianity, such as the satirist Celsus, complained that this recent religion was nothing more than a pale reflection of their own ancient teachings. Early 'Church fathers,' such as Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Irenaeus, were understandably disturbed and resorted to the desperate claim that these similarities were the result of 'diabolical mimicry.' Using one of the most absurd arguments ever advanced, they accused the Devil of 'plagiarism by anticipation,' of deviously copying the true story of Jesus before it had actually happened in an attempt to mislead the gullible! These Church fathers struck us as no less devious than the Devil they hoped to incriminate. Other Christian commentators have claimed that the myths of the Mysteries were like pre-echoes of the literal coming of Jesus, somewhat like premonitions or prophecies. This is a more generous version of the'diabolical mimicry' theory, but seemed no less ridiculous to us. There was nothing other than cultural prejudice to make us see the Jesus story as the literal culmination of its many mythical precursors. Viewed impartially, it appeared to be just another version of the same basic story. The obvious explanation is that as early Christianity became the dominant power in the previously Pagan world, popular motifs from Pagan mythology became grafted onto the biography of Jesus. This is a possibility that is even put forward by many Christian theologians. The virgin birth, for example, is often regarded as an extraneous later addition that should not be understood literally. Such motifs were 'borrowed' from Paganism in the same way that Pagan festivals were adopted as Christian saints' days. This theory is common amongst those who go looking for the 'real' Jesus hidden under the weight of accumulated mythological debris. Attractive as it appears at first, to us this explanarion seemed inadequate.We had collated such a comprehensive body of similarities that there remained hardly any significant elements in the biography of Jesus that we did not find prefigured by the Mysteries. On top of this, we discovered that even Jesus' teachings were not original, but had been anticipated by the Pagan sages! If there was a 'real' Jesus somewhere underneath all this, we would have to acknowledge that we could know absolutely nothing about him, for all that remained for us was later Pagan accretions! Such a position seemed absurd. Surely there was a more elegant solution to this conundrum. THE GNOSTICS Whilst we were puzzling over these discoveries, we began to question the received picture of the early Church and have a look at the evidence for ourselves. We discovered that far from being the united congregation of saints and martyrs that traditiona! history would have us believe, the early Christian community was actually made up of a whole spectrum of different groups. These can be broadly categorized into two different schools. On the one hand there were those we will call 'Literalists', because what defines them is that they take the Jesus story as a literal account of historical events. It was this school of Christianity that was adopted by the Roman Empire in the fourth century CE, becoming Roman Catholicism and all its subsequent offshoots. On the other hand, however, there were also radically diffejent Christians known as 'Gnostics.' These forgotten Christians were later persecuted out of existence by the Literalist Roman Church with such thoroughness that until recently we knew little about them except through the writings of their detractors. Only a handful of original Gnostic texts survived, none of which were published before the nineteenth century. This situation changed dramatically, however, with a remarkable discovery in 1945 when an Arab peasant stumbled upon a whole library of Gnostic gospels hidden in a cave near Nag Hammadi in Egypt. This gave scholars access to many texts which were in wide circulation amongst early Christians, but which were deliberately excluded from the canon of the New Testament -- gospels attributed to Thomas and Philip, texts recording the acts of Peter and the 12 disciples, apocalypses attributed to Paul and James, and so on. It seemed to us extraordinary that a whole library of early Christian documents could be discovered, containing what purport to be the teachings of Christ and his disciples, and yet so few modem followers of Jesus should even know of their existence. Why hasn't every Christian rushed out to read these newly discovered words of the Master? What keeps them confined to the small number of gospels selected for inclusion in the New Testament? It seems that even though 2,000 years have passed since the Gnostics were purged, during which time the Roman Church has split into Protestantism and thousands of other alternative groups, the Gnostics are still not regarded as a legitimate voice of Christianity. Those who do explore the Gnostic gospels discover a form of Christianity quite alien to the religion with which they are familiar. We found ourselves studying strange esoteric tracts with titles such as Hypostasis of the Archons and The Thought of Norea. It felt as if we were in an episode of Star Trek -- and in a way we were. The Gnostics truly were 'psychonauts' who boldly explored the final frontiers of inner space, searching for the origins and meaning of life. These people were mystics and creative free-thinkers. It was obvious to us why they were so hated by the bishops of the Literalist Church hierarchy. To Literalists, the Gnostics were dangerous heretics. In volumes of anti-Gnostic works -- an unintentional testimony to the power and influence of Gnosticism within early Christianity -- they painted them as Christians who had 'gone native.' They claimed they had become contaminated by the Paganism that surrounded them and had abandoned the purity of the true faith. The Gnostics, on the other hand, saw themselves as the authentic Christian tradition and the orthodox bishops as an 'imitation church.' They claimed to know the secret Inner Mysteries of Christianity which the Literslists did not possess. As we explored the beliefs and practices of the Gnostics we became convinced that the Literalists had at least been right about one thing: the Gnostics were little different from Pagans. Like the philosophers of the Pagan Mysteries, they believed in reincarnation, honoured the goddess Sophia, and were immersed in the mystical Greek philosophy of Plato. 'Gnostics' means 'Knowers', a name they acquired because, like the initiates of the Pagan Mysteries, they believed that their secret teachings had the power to impart 'Gnosis' -- direct experiential 'Knowledge of God.' Just as the goal of a Pagan initiate was to become a god, so for the Gnostics the goal of the Christian initiate was to become a Christ. What particularly struck us was that the Gnostics were not concerned with the historical Jesus. They viewed the Jesus story in the same way that the Pagan philosophers viewed the myths of Osiris-Dionysus -- as an allegory which encoded secret mystical teachings. This insight crystallized for us a remarkable possibility. Perhaps the explanation for the similarities between Pagan myths and the biography of Jesus had been staring us in the face the whole time, but we had been so caught up with traditional ways of thinking that we had been unable to see it. THE JESUS MYSTERIES THESIS The traditional version of history bequeathed to us by the authorities of the Roman Church is that Christianity developed from the teachings of a Jewish Messiah and that Gnosticism was a later deviation. What would happen, we wondered if the picture were reversed and Gnosticism viewed as the authentic Christianity, just as the Gnostics themselves claimed? Could it be that orthodox Christianity was a later deviation from Gnosticism and that Gnosticism was a synthesis of Judaism and the Pagan Mystery religion? This was the beginning of the Jesus Mysteries Thesis. Boldly stated, the picture that emerged for us was as follows. We knew that most ancient Mediterranean cultures had adopted the ancient Mysteries, adapting them to their own national tastes and creating their own version of the myth of the dying and resurrecting godman. Perhaps some of the Jews had likewise adopted the Pagan Mysteries and created their own version of the Mysteries which we now know as Gnosticism. Perhaps initiates of the Jewish Mysteries had adapted the potent symbolism of the Osiris-Dionysus myths into a myth of their own, the hero of which was the Jewish dying and ~surreeting godman Jesus. If this was so, then the Jesus story was not a biography at all but a consciously crafted vehicle for encoded spiritual teachings created by Jewish Gnostics. As in the Pagan Mysteries, initiation into the Inner Mysteries would reveal the myth's allegorical meaning. Perhaps those uninitiated into the Inner Mysteries had mistakenly come to regard the Jesus myth as historical fact and in this way Literalist Christianity had been created. Perhaps the Inner Mysteries of Christianity, which the Gnostics taught but which the Literalists denied existed, revealed that the Jesus story was not a factual account of God's one and only visit to planet Earth, but a mystical teaching story designed to help each one of us become a Christ. The Jesus story does have all the hallmarks of a myth, so could it be that that is exactly what it is? After all, no one has read the newly discovered Gnostic gospels and taken their fantastic stories as literally true; they are readily seen as myths. It is only familiarity and cultural prejudice which prevent us from seeing tlae New Testament gospels in the same light. If those gospels had also been lost to us and only recently discovered, who would read these tales for the first time and believe they were historical accounts of a man born of a virgin, who had walked on water and returned from the dead? Why should we consider the stories of Osiris, Dionysus, Adonis, Attis, Mithras and the other Pagan Mystery saviours as fables, yet come across essentially the same story told in a Jewish context and believe it to be the biography of a carpenter from Bethlehem? We had both been raised as Christians and were surprised to find that, despite years of open-minded spiritual exploration, it still felt somehow dangerous to even dare think such thoughts. Early indoctrination reaches very deep. We were in effect saying that Jesus was a Pagan god and that Christianity was a heretical product of Paganism! It seemed outrageous. Yet this theory explained the similarities between the stories of Osiris-Dionysus and Jesus Christ in a simple and elegant way. They are parts of one developing mythos. The Jesus Mysteries Thesis answered many puzzling questions, yet it also opened up new dilemmas. Isn't there indisputable historical evidence for the existence of Jesus the man? And how could Gnosticism be the original Christianity when St Paul, the earliest Christian we know about, is so vociferously anti-Gnostic? And is it really credible that such an insular and anti-Pagan people as the Jews could have adopted the Pagan Mysteries? And how could it have happened that a consciously created myth came to be believed as history? And if Gnosticism represents genuine Christianity, why was it Literalist Christianity that came to dominate the world as the most influential religion of all time? All of these difficult questions would have to be satisfactorily answered before we could wholeheartedly accept such a radical theory as the Jesus Mysteries Thesis. THE GREAT COVER UP Our new account of the origins of Christianity only seemed improbable because it contradicted the received view. As we pushed further with our research, the traditional picture began to completely unravel all around us. We found ourselves embroiled in a world of schism and power straggles, of forged documents and false identities, of letters that had been edited and added to, and of the wholesale destruction of historical evidence. We focused forensically on the few facts we could be confident of, as if we were detectives on the verge of cracking a sensational 'whodunnit', or perhaps more accurately as if we were uncovering an ancient and unacknowledged miscarriage of justice. For, time and again, when we critically examined what genuine evidence remained, we found that the history of Christianity bqueathed to us by the Roman Church was a gross distortion of the truth. Actually the evidence completely endorsed the Jesus Mysteries Thesis! It was becoming increasingly obvious that we had been deliberately deceived, that the Gnostics were indeed the original Christians, and that their anarchic mysticism had been hijacked by an authoritarian institution which had created from it a dogmatic religion - and then brutally enforced the greatest cover-up in history. One of the major players in this cover-up operation was a character called Eusebius, who, at the beginning of the fourth century, compiled from legends, fabrications and his own imagination the only early history of Christianity that still exists today. All subsequent histories have been forced to base themselves on Eusebins' dubious claims, because there has been little other information to draw on. All those with a different perspective on Christianity were branded as heretics and eradicated. In this way falsehoods compiled in the fourth century have come down to us as established facts. Eusebius was employed by the Roman Emperor Constantine, who made Christianity the state religion of the Empire and gave Literalist Christianity the power it needed to begin the final eradication of Paganism and Gnosticism. Constantine wanted 'one God, one religion' to consolidate his claim of 'one Empire, one Emperor.' He oversaw the creation of the Nicene creed -- the article of faith repeated in churches to this day -- and christians who refused to assent to this creed were banished from the Empire or otherwise silenced. This 'Christian' Emperor then returned home from Nicaea and had his wife suffocated and his son murdered. He deliberately remained unbaptized until his deathbed so that he could continue his atrocities and still receive forgiveness of sins and a guaranteed place in heaven by being baptized at the last moment. Although he had his 'spin doctor' Eusebius compose a suitably obsequious biography for him, he was actually a monster -- just like many Roman Emperors before him. Is it really at all surprising that a 'history' of the origins of Christianity created by an employee in the service of a Roman tyrant should turn out to be a pack of lies? Elaine PageIs, one of the foremost academic authorities on early Christianity, writes: "It is the winners who write history -- their way. No wonder, then, that the traditional accounts of the origins of Christianity first defined the terms (naming themselves "orthodox" and their opponents "heretics"); then they proceeded to demonstrate -- at least to their own satisfaction -- that their triumph was historically inevitable, or, in religious terms, "guided by the Holy Spirit." But the discoveries [of the Gnostic gospels] at Nag Hammadi reopen fundamental questions." History is indeed written by the victors. The creation of an appropriate history has always been part of the arsenal of political manipulation. The Roman Church created a history of the triumph of Literalist Christianity in much the same partisan way that, two millennia later, Hollywood created tales of 'cowboys and Indians' to relate 'how the West was won' not 'how the West was lost.' History is not simply related, it is created. Ideally, the motivation is to explain historical evidence and come to an accurate understanding of how the present has been created by the past. All too often, however, it is simply to glorify and justify the status quo. Such histories conceal as much as they reveal. To dare to question a received history is not easy. It is difficult to believe that something which you have been told is true from childhood could actually be a product of falsification and fantasy. It must have been hard for those Russians brought up on tales of kindly 'Uncle Joe' Stalin to accept that he was actually responsible for the deaths of millions. It must have strained credibility when those opposing his regime claimed that he had in fact murdered many of the heroes of the Russian revolution. It must have seemed ridiculous when they asserted that he had even had the images of his rivals removed from photographs and completely fabricated historical events. Yet all these things are true. It is easy to believe that something must be true because everyone else believes it. But the truth often only comes to light by daring to question the unquestionable, by doubting notions which are so commonly believed that they are taken for granted. The Jesus Mysteries Thesis is the product of such an openness of mind. When it first occurred to us, it seemed absurd and impossible. Now it seems obvious and ordinary. The Vatican was constructed upon the site of an ancient Pagan sanctuary because the new is always built upon the old. In the same way Christianity itself has as its foundations the Pagan spirituality that preceded it. What is more plausible than to posit the gradual evolution of spiritual ideas, with Christianity emerging from the ancient Pagan Mysteries in a seamless historical continuum? It is only because the conventional history has been so widely believed for so long that this idea could be seen as heretical and shocking. RECOVERING MYSTICAL CHRISTIANITY As the final pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, we came across a small picture tucked away in the appendices of an old academic book. It was a drawing of a third-century CE amulet. We have used it as the cover of this book. It shows a crucified figure which most people would immediately recognize as Jesus. Yet the Greek words name the figure 'Orpheus Bacchus,' one of the pseudonyms of Osiris-Dionysus. To the author of the book in which we found the picture, this amulet was an anomaly. Who could it have possibly belonged to? Was it a crucified Pagan deity or some sort of Gnostic synthesis of Paganism and Christianity? Either way it was deeply puzzling. For us, however, this amulet was perfectly understandable. It was an unexpected confirmation of the Jesus Mysteries Thesis. The image could be that of either Jesus or Osiris-Dionysus. To the initiated, these were both names for essentially the same figure. The 'chance' discovery of this amulet made us feel as though the universe itself was encouraging us to make our findings public. In different ways the Jesus Mysteries Thesis has been proposed by mystics and scholars for centuries, but has always ended up being ignored. It now felt like an idea whose moment had come. We did, however, have misgivings about writing this book. We knew that it would inevitably upset certain Christians, something which we had no desire to do. Certainly it has been hard to be constantly surrounded by lies and injustices without experiencing a certain amount of outrage at the negative misrepresentation of the Gnostics, and to have become aware of the great riches of Pagan culture without feeling grief that they were so wantonly destroyed. Yet we do not have some sort of anti-Christian agenda. Far from it. Those who have read our other works will know that our interest is not in further division, but in acknowledging the unity that lies at the heart of all spiritual traditions -- and this present book is no exception. Early Literalist Christians mistakenly believed that the Jesus story was different from other stories of Osiris-Dionysus because Jesus alone had been an historical rather than a mythical figure. This has left Christians feeling that their faith is in opposition to all others -- which it is not. We hope that by understanding its true origins in the ongoing evolution of a universal human spirituality, Christianity may be able to free itself from this self-imposed isolation. Whilst the Jesus Mysteries Thesis clearly rewrites history, we do not see it as undermining the Christian faith, but as suggesting that Christianity is in fact richer than we previously imagined. The Jesus story is a perennial myth with the power to impart the saving Gnosis which can transform each one of us into a Christ, not merely a history of events that happened to someone else 2,000 years ago. Belief in the Jesus story was originally the first step in Christian spirituality -- the Outer Mysteries. Its significance was to be explained by an enlightened teacher when the seeker was spiritually ripe. These Inner Mysteries imparted a mystical Knowledge of God beyond mere belief in dogmas. Although many inspired Christian mystics throughout history have intuitively seen through to this deeper symbolic level of understanding, as a culture we have inherited only the Outer Mysteries of Christianity. We have kept the form, but lost the inner meaning. Our hope is that this book can play some small part in reclaiming the true mystical Christian inheritance. The Pagan Mysteries "Blest is the happy man Who knows the Mysteries the gods ordain, And sanctifies his life, Joins soul with soul in mystic unity, And, by due ritual made pure Enters the ecstasy of mountain solitudes; Who observes the mystic rites Made lawful by the Great Mother; Who crowns his head with ivy, And shakes his wand in worship ot Dionysus." Euripides Paganism is a 'dead' religion -- or more accurately an 'exterminated' religion· It did not simply fade away into oblivion. It was actively suppressed and annihilated, its temples and shrines desecrated and demolished, and its great sacred books thrown onto bonfires. No living lineage has been left to explain its ancient beliefs. So, the Pagan worldview has to be reconstructed from the archaeological evidence and texts that have survived, like some giant metaphysical jigsaw puzzle. 'Pagan' was originally a derogatory term meaning 'country-dweller,' used by Christians to infer that the spirituality of the ancients was some primitive rural superstition. But this is not true. Paganism was the spirituality which inspired the unequalled magnificence of the Giza pyramids, the exquisite architecture of the Parthenon, the legendary sculptures of Phideas, the powerful plays of Euripides and Sophocles, and the sublime philosophy of Socrates and Plato. Pagan civilization built vast libraries to house hundreds of thousands of works of literary and scientific genius. Its natural philosophers speculated that human beings had evolved from animals. Its astronomers knew the Earth was a sphere which, along with the planets, revolves around the sun. They had even estimated its circumference to within one degree of accuracy? The ancient Pagan world sustained a population not matched again in Europe until the eighteenth century. In Greece, Pagan culture gave birth to the concepts of democracy, rational philosophy, public libraries, theatre and the Olympic Games, creating a blueprint for our modern world. What was the spirituality that inspired these momentous cultural achievements? Most people associate Paganism with either rustic witchcraft or the myths of the gods of Olympus as recorded by Hesiod and Homer. Pagan spirituality did indeed embrace both. The country people practised their traditional shamanic nature worship to maintain the fertility of the land and the city authorities propped up formal state religions, such as the worship of the Olympian gods, to maintain the power of the status quo. It was, however, a third, more mystical, expression of the Pagan spirit which inspired the great minds of the ancient world. The thinkers, artists and innovators of antiquity were initiates of various religions known as 'Mysteries.' These remarkable men and women held the Mysteries to be the heart and soul of their culture. The Greek historian Zosimos writes that without the Mysteries "life for the Greeks would be unlivable" for "the sacred Mysteries hold the whole human race together." The eminent Roman statesman Cicero enthuses: "These Mysteries have brought us from rustic savagery to a cultivated and refined civilisation. The rites of the Mysteries are called "initiations" and in truth we have learned trom them the first principles of life. We have gained the understanding not only to live happily but also to die with better hope." Unlike the traditional rituals of the official state religions, which were designed to aid social cohesion, the mysteries were an individualistic form of.spirituality which offered mystical visions and personal enlightenment. Initiates underwent a secret process of initiation which profoundly trans-r formed their state of consciousness. The poet Pindar reveals that an initiate into the Mysteries "knows the end of life and its God-given beginning." Lucius Apuleius, a poet-philosopher, writes of his experience of initiation as a spiritual rebirth which he celebrated as his birthday, an experience for which he felt a "debt of gratitude" that he "could never hope to repay." Plato, the most influential philosopher of all time, relates: "We beheld the beatific visions and were initiated into the Mystery which may be truly called blessed, celebrated by us in a state of innocence. We beheld calm, happy, simple, eternal visions, resplendent in pure light." The great Pagan philosophers were the enlightened masters of the Mysteries. Although they are often portrayed today as dry 'academic' intellectuals, they were actually enigmatic 'gurus.' Empedocles, like his master Pythagoras, was a charismatic miracle-worker. Socrates was an eccentric mystic prone to being suddenly overcome by states of rapture during which his friends would discover him staring off into space for hours. Heraclitus was asked by the citizens of Ephesus to become a lawmaker, but turned the offer down so that he could continue playing with the children in the temple. Anaxagoras shocked ordinary citizens by completely abandoning his farm to fully devote his life to "the higher philosophy." Diogenes owned nothing and lived in a jar at the entrance of a temple. The inspired playwright Euripides wrote his greatest tragedies during solitary retreats in an isolated cave. All of these idiosyncratic sages were steeped in the mysticism of the Mysteries, which they expressed in their philosophy. Olympiodorus, a follower of Plato, tells us that his master paraphrased the Mysteries everywhere. The works of Heraclitus were renowned even in ancient times for being obscure and impenetrable, yet Diogenes explains that they are crystal clear to an initiate of the Mysteries. Of studying Heraclitus he writes: "It is a hard road to follow, filled with darkness and gloom; but if an initiate leads you on the way, it becomes brighter than the radiance of the sun." At the heart of Pagan philosophy is an understanding that all things are One. The Mysteries aimed at awakening within the initiate a sublime experience of this Oneness. Sallustius declares: "Every initiation aims at uniting us with the World and with the Deity." Plotinus describes the initiate transcending his limited sense of himself as a separate ego and experiencing mystical union with God: "As if borne away, or possessed by a god, he attains to solitude in untroubled stillness, nowhere deflected in his being and unbusied with self, utterly at rest and become very rest. He does not converse with a statue or image but with Godhead itself. And this is no object of vision, but another mode of seeing, a detachment from self, a simplification and surrender of self, a yearning for contact, and a stillness and meditation directed towards transformation. Whoever sees himself in this way has attained likeness to God; let him abandon himself and find the end of his journeying ." No wonder the initiate Sopatros poertcally mused, "I came out of the Mystery Hall feeling like a stranger to myself." THE SACRED SPECTACLE AT ELEUSIS What were these ancient Mysteries that could inspire such reverent awe and heartfelt appreciation? The Mystery religion was practised for thousands of years, during which time it spread throughout the ancient worid, taking on many different forms. Some were frenzied and others meditative. Some involved bloody animal sacrifice, while others were presided over by strict vegetarians, At certain moments in history the Mysteries were openly practised by whole populations and were endorsed, or at least tolerated, by the state. At other times they were a small-scale and secretive affair, for fear of persecution by unsympathetic authorities. Central toall of these forms qf the Mysteries, however, was the myth of a dying and resurrecting godman. The Greek Mysteries celebrated at Eleusis in honour of the Great Mother goddess and the godman Dionysus were the most famous of all the Mystery cults. The sanctuary of Eleusis was finally destroyed by bands of fanatical Christian monks in 396 CE, but up until this tragic act of vandalism the Mysteries had been celebrated there for over 11 centuries. At the height of their popularity people were coming from all over the then known world to be initiated: men and women, rich and poor, slaves and emperors -- even a Brahmin priest from India. Each year some 30,000 Athenian citizens embarked on a 30-kilometre barefoot pilgrimage to the sacred site of Eleusis on the coast to celebrate the autumn Mysteries of Dionysus. For days they would have been preparing for this important religious event by fasting, offering sacrifices and undergoing ritual purification. As those about to be initiated danced along the 'Sacred Way' to Eleusis, accompanied by the frenzied beat of cymbals and tambourines, they were accosted by masked men who abused and insulted them, while others beat them with sticks. At the head of the procession was carried the statue of Dionysus himself, leading them ever onward. After ritual naked bathing in the sea and other purification ceremonies the crowd reached the great doors of the Telesterion, a huge purpose-built initiation hall. Only the chosen few who were already initiated or about to be initiated into the secret Mysteries could enter here. What awesome ceremony was held behind these closed doors that touched the great philosophers, artists, statesmen and scientists of the ancient world so deeply? All initiates were sworn to secrecy and held the Mysteries so sacred that they kept this oath. From large numbers of hints and clues, however, we know that they witnessed a sublime theatrical spectacle. They were awed by sounds and dazzled by lights. They were bathed in the blaze of a huge fire and trembled to the nerve-shattering reverberations of a mighty gong. The Hierophant, the high priest of the Mysteries, was quite literally a 'showman' who orchestrated a terrifyingly transformative dramatic reenactment of sacred myth. He himself was dressed as the central character - the godman Dionysus. A modern scholar writes: "A Mystery Religion was thus a divine drama which portrayed before the wondering eyes of the privileged observers the story of the struggles, sufferings, and victory of a patron deity, the travail of nature in which life ultimately triumphs over death, and joy is born of pain. The whole ritual of the Mysteries aimed especially at quickening the emotional life. No means of exciting the emotions was neglected in the passion-play, either by way of inducing careful predispositions or of supplying external stimulus. Tense mental anticipations heightened by a period of abstinence, hushed silences, imposing processions and elaborate pageantry, music loud and violent or soft and enthralling, delirious dances, the drinking of spirituous liquors, physical macerations, alternations of dense darkness and dazzling light, the sight of gorgeous ceremonial vestments, the handling of holy emblems, auto-suggestion and the promptings of the Hierophant -- these and many secrets of emotional exaltation were in vogue." This dramatization of the myth of Dionysus is the origin of tragedy and theatre. But the initiates were not a passive audience. They were participants who shared in the passion of the godman whose death and rebirth symbolically represented the death and spiritual rebirth of each one of them. As a modern authority explains: "Dionysus was the god of the most blessed ecstasy and the most enraptured love. But he was also the persecuted god, the suffering and dying god, and all whom he loved, all who attended him, had to share his tragic fate." By witnessing the awesome tragedy of Dionysus, the initiates at Eleusis shared in his suffering, death and resurrection, and so experienced a spiritual purification known as 'catharsis.' The Mysteries did not offer religious dogmas to simply be believed, but a myth to be entered into. Initiation was not about learning something, but about experiencing an altered state of awareness. Plutarch, a Pagan high priest, confesses that those who had been initiated could produce no proof of the beliefs that they acquired. Aristotle maintains, "It is not necessary for the initiated to learn anything, but to receive impressions and to be put in a certain frame of mind." The philosopher Produs talks of the Mysteries as evoking a "sympathy of the soul with the ritual in a way that is unintelligible to us and divine, so that some of the initiates axe stricken with panic, being filled with divine awe; others assimilate themselves to the holy symbols, leave their own identity, become at home with the gods, affd experience divine possession." Why did the myth enacted by the Mysteries have such a profound effect? ENCODED SECRET TEACHINGS In antiquity the word mythos did not mean something 'untrue't as it does ( for us today. Superficially a myth was an entertaining story, but to the initiated it was a sacred code that contained profound spiritual teachings. Plato comments, "It looks as if those also who established rites of initiation for us were no fools, but that there is a hidden meaning in their teachings." He explains that it is "those who have given their lives to true philosophy" who will grasp the "hidden meaning" encoded in the Mystery myths, and so become completely identified with the godman in an experience of mystical enlightenment. The ancient philosophers were not so foolish as to believe that the Mystery myths were literally true, but wise enough to recognize that they were an easy introduction to the profound mystical philosophy at the heart of the Mysteries. Sallustius writes: "To wish to teach all men the truth of the gods causes the foolish to despise, because they cannot learn, and the good to be slothful, whereas to conceal the truth by myths prevents the former from despising philosophy and compels the latter to study it." It was the role of the priests and philosophers of the Mysteries to decode the hidden depths of spiritual meaning contained within the Mystery myths. Heliodorus, a priest of the Mysteries, explains: "Philosophers and theologians do not disclose the meanings embedded in these stories to laymen but simply give them preliminary instruction in the form of a myth. But those who have reached the higher grades of the Mysteries they initiate into clear knowledge in the privacy of the holy shrine, in the light cast by the blazing torch of truth." The Mysteries were divided into various levels of initiation, which led an initiate step by step through ever deepening levels of understanding. The number of levels of initiation varied in different Mystery traditions, but essentially the initiate was led from the Outer Mysteries, in which the myths were understood superficially as religious stories, to the Inner Mysteries, in which the myths were revealed as spiritual allegories. First the initiate was ritually purified. Then they were taught the secret teachings on a one-to-one basis. The highest stage was when the initiate understood the true meaning of the teachings and finally experienced what Theon of Smyrna calls "friendship and interior communion with God." THE INTERNATIONAL MYSTERIES The Mysteries dominated the Pagan world. No other deity is represented on the monuments of ancient Greece and Italy as much as Dionysus, godman of the Eleusinian Mysteries. He is a deity with many names: Iacchos, Bassareus, Bromios, Euios, Sabazius, Zagreus, Yhyoneus, Lenaios, Eleuthereus, and so the list goes on. But these are just some of his Greek names! The godman is an omnipresent mythic figure throughout the ancient Mediterranean, known in different ways by many cultures. Five centuries before the birth of Christ, the Greek historian Herodotus, known as 'the father of history', discovered this when he travelled to Egypt. On the shores of a sacred lake in the Nile delta he witnessed an enormous festival, held every year, in which the Egyptians performed a dramatic spectacle before "tens of thousands of men and women," representing the death and resurrection of Osiris. Herodotus was an initiate into the Greek Mysteries and recognized that what he calls "the Passion of Osiris" was the very same drama that initiates saw enacted before them at Eleusis as the Passion of Dionysus. The Egyptian myth of Osiris is the primal myth of the Mystery godman and reaches back to prehistory. His story is so ancient that it can be found in pyramid texts written over 4,500 years ago! In travelling to Egypt Herodotus was following in the footsteps of another great Greek. Before 670 BCE Egypt had been a closed country, in the manner of Tibet, or Japan more recently, but in this year she opened her borders and one of the first Greeks who travelled there in search of ancient wisdom was Pythagoras. History remembers Pythagoras as the first 'scientist' of the Western world, but although it is true that he brought back many mathmatical theories to Greece from Egypt, to his contemporaries he would have seemed anything but 'scientific' in the modern sense. A wandering charismatic sage dressed in white robes and crowned with a gold coronet, Pythagoras was part scientist, part priest and part magician. He spent 22 years in the temples of Egypt, becoming an initiate of the ancient Egyptian Mysteries. On returning to Greece he began to preach the wisdom he had learned, performing miracles, raising the dead and giving oracles. Inspired by Pythagoras, his disciples created a Greek Mystery religion modelled on the Egyptian Mysteries. They took the indigenous wine god Dionysus, who was a minor deity all but ignored by Hesiod and Homer, and transformed him into a Greek version of the mighty Egyptian Osiris, godman of the Mysteries. This initiated a religious and cultural revolution that was to transform Athens into the centre of the civilized world. The followers of Pythagoras were models of virtue and learning, regarded as puritans by their neighbours. Strict vegetarians, they preached non-violence towards all living things and shunned the temple cults that practised the sacrifice of animals. This made it impossible for them to participate in the traditional Olympian religion of Athens. Forced to live on the fringes of acceptability, they often organized themselves into communities that shared all possessions in common, leaving them free to devote themselves to their mystical studies of mathematics, music, astronomy and philosophy. Nevertheless, the Mystery religion spread quickly amongst the ordinary people and within a few generations the Egyptian Mysteries of Osiris, now the Mysteries of Dionysus, inspired the glory of Classical Athens. In the same way that Osiris was synthesized by the Greeks with their indigenous god Dionysus to create the Greek Mysteries, other Mediterranean cultures which adopted the Mystery religion also transformed one of their indigenous deities into the dying and resurrecting Mystery godman. So, the deity who was known as Osiris in Egypt and became Dionysus in Greece was called Attis in Asia Minor, Adonis in Syria, Bacchus in Italy, Mithras in Persia, and so on. His forms were many, but essentially he was the same perennial figure, whose collective identity was referred to as Osiris-Dionysus. Because the ancients recognized that all the various Mystery godmen were essentially the same mythic being, elements from different myths and rites were continually combined and recombined to create new forms of the Mysteries. In Alexandria, for example, a charismatic sage called Timotheus consciously fused Osiris and Dionysus to produce a new deity for the city callled Serapis. He also gave an elaborate account of the myth of the Mystery godman Attis. Lucius Apuleius received his initiation into theMysteries from a high priest named after the Persian godman Mithras. Coins were minted with Dionysus represented on one side and Mithras on the other? One modern authority tells us that "possessed by the knowledge of his own secret rites," the initiate of the Mysteries "found no difficulty in conforming to any religion in vogue." Like the Christian religion which superseded it, the Mysteries reached across national boundaries, offering a spirituality which was relevant to all human beings, regardless of their racial origins or social status. Even as early as the fifth century CE philosophers such as Diogenes and Socrates called themselves "cosmopolitans' -- "citizens of the cosmos" -- rather than of any particular country or culture, which is testimony to the international nature of the Mysteries. One modern scholar, commenting on the merging and combining of different mystery traditions, writes: "This went a long way towards weaning the minds of men from the idea of separate gods from the different nations, and towards teaching them that all national and local deities were but different forms of one great Power. But for the rise of Christianity and other religions, there can be little doubt but that the whole of the Graeco-Roman deities would continually have merged into Dionysus." OSIRIS-DIONYSUS AND JESUS CHRIST Osiris-Dionysus had such universal appeal because he was seen as an 'Everyman' figure who symbolically represented each initiate. Through understanding the allegorical myth of the Mystery godman, initiates could become aware that, like Osiris-Dionysus, they were also 'God made flesh.' They too were immortal Spirit trapped within a physical body. Through sharing in the death of Osiris-Dionysus initiates symbolically 'died' to their lower earthly nature. Through sharing in his resurrection they were spiritually reborn and experienced their eternal and divine essence. This was the profound mystical teaching that the myth of Osiris-Dionysus encoded for those initiated into the Inner Mysteries, the truth of which initiates directly experienced for themselves. Writing of the Egyptian Mystery godman Osiris, Sir Wallis Budge, who was keeper of antiquities in the British Museum, explains: "The Egyptians of every period in which they are known to us believed that Osiris was of divine origin, that he suffered death and mutilation at the hands of the power of evil, that after great struggle with these powers he rose again, that he became henceforth the king of the underworld and judge of the dead, and that because he had conquered death the righteous might also conquer death. "He represented to men the idea of a man who was both God and man, and he typified to the Egyptians in all ages the being who by reason of his sufferings and death as a man could sympathise with them in their own sickness and death. The idea of his human personality also satisfied their cravings and yearnings for communion with a being who, though he was partly divine, yet had much in common with themselves. Originally they looked upon Osiris as a man who lived on the earth as they lived, who ate and drank, who suffered a cruel death, who by help of certain gods triumphed over death, and attained unto everlasting life. But what Osiris did they could also do." These are the key motifs that characterize the myths of all the Mystery godmen. What Budge writes of Osiris could equally be said of Dionysus, Attis, Adonis, Mithras and the rest. It also describes the Jewish dying and resurrecting godman Jesus Christ. Like Osiris-Dionysus, he is also God Incarnate and God of the Resurrection. He also promises his followers spiritual rebirth through sharing in his divine Passion. CONCLUSION The Mysteries were clearly an extremely powerful force in the ancient world. Let's review what we've discovered about them: - The Pagan Mysteries inspired the greatest minds of the ancient world. - They were practised in different forms by nearly every culture in the Mediterranean. - They comprised Outer Mysteries which were open to all and secret Inner Mysteries known only to those who had undergone a powerful process of mystical initiation. - At the heart of the Mysteries was the myth of a dying and resurrecting godman - Osiris-Dionysus. - The Inner Mysteries revealed the myths of Osiris-Dionysus to be spiritual allegories encoding spiritual teachings. The question which intrigued us was whether the Mysteries could have somehow influenced and shaped what we have inherited as the "biography" of Jesus? Unlike the various Pagan Mystery godmen, Jesus is traditionally viewed as an historical rather than a mythical figure, literally a man who was an incarnation of God, who suffered, died and resurrected to bring salvation to all humankind. But could these elements of the Jesus story actually be mythical stories inherited from the Pagan Mysteries? We began investigating the myths of Osiris-Dionysus more closely, searching for resemblances with the Jesus story. We were not prepared for the overwhelming number of similarities that we uncovered. Diabolical Mimicry "Having heard it proclaimed through the prophets that the Christ was to come and that the ungodly among men were to be punished by fire, the wicked spirits put forward many to be called Sons of God, under the impression that they would be able to produce in men the idea that the things that were said with regard to Christ were merely marvellous tales, like the things that were said by the poets." Justin Martyr Although the remarkable similarities between the myths of Osiris-Dionysus agd the supposed "biography" of Jesus Christ are generally unknown today, in the first few centuries CE they were obvious to Pagans and Christians alike. The Pagan philosopher and satirist Celsus criticized Christians for tryingto pass off the Jesus story as a new revelation when it was actually an inferior imitation of Pagan myths. He asks: "Are these distinctive happenings unique to the Christians -- and if so, how are they unique? Or are ours to be accounted myths and theirs believed? What reasons do the Christians give for the distinctiveness of their beliefs? In truth there is nothing at all unusual about what the Christians believe, except that they believe it to the exclusion of more comprehensive truths about God." The early Christians were painfully aware of such criticisms. How could Pagan myths which predated Christianity by hundreds of years have so much in common with the biography of the one and only saviour Jesus? Desperate to come up with an explanation, the Church fathers resorted to one of the most absurd theories ever advanced. From the time of Justin Martyr in the second century onwards, they declared that the Devil had plagiarized Christianity by anticipation in order to lead people astray? Knowing that the true Son of God was to literally come and walk the Earth, the Devil had copied the story of his life in advance of it happening and created the myths of Osiris-Dionysus. The Church father Tertullian writes of the Devil's "diabolical mimicry" in creating the Mysteries of Mithras: "The devil, whose business is to pervert the truth, mimics the exact circumstances of the Divine Sacraments. He baptises his believers and promises forgiveness of sins from the Sacred Fount, and thereby initiates them into the religion of Mithras. Thus he celebrates the oblation of bread, and brings in the symbol of the resurrection. Let us therefore acknowledge the craftiness of the devil, who copies certain things of those that be Divine." Studying the myths of the Mysteries it becomes obvious why these early Christians resorted to such a desperate explanation. Although no single Pagan myth completely parallels the story of Jesus, the mythic motifs which make up the story of the Jewish godman had already existed for centuries in the various stories told of Osiris-Dionysus and his greatest prophets. Let's make a journey through the 'biography' of Jesus and explore some of these extraordinary similarities. SON OF GOD Despite Christianity's claim that Jesus is the "only begotten Son of God." Osiris-Dionysus, in all his many forms, is also hailed as the Son of God. Jesus is the Son of God, yet equal with the Father. Dionysus is the "Son of Zeus, in his full nature God, most terrible, although most gentle to mankind." Jesus is "Very God of Very God." Dionysus is "Lord God of God born." Jesus is God in human form. St John writes of Jesus as "the Word made flesh." St. Paul explains that "God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh? Dionysus was also known as Bacchus, hence the title of Euripides' play The Bacchae, in which Dionysus is the central character. In this play, Dionysus explains that he has veiled his "Godhead in a mortal shape" in order to make it "manifest to mortal men.. He tells his disciples, "That is why I have changed my immortal form and taken the likeness of man." Like Jesus, in many of his myths the Pagan godman is born of a mortal virgin mother. In Asia Minor, Attis' mother is the virgin Cybele. In Syria, Adonis' virgin mother is called Myrrh. In Alexandria, Aion is born of the virgin Kore. In Greece, Dionysus is born of a mortal virgin Semele who wishes to see Zeus in all his glory and is mysteriously impregnated by one of his bolts of lightning. It was a popular tradition, recorded in the most quoted non-canonical text of early Christianity, that Jesus spent only seven months in Mary's womb. The Pagan historian Diodorus relates that Dionysus' mother Semele likewise was said to have also had only a seven-month pregnancy. Justin Martyr acknowledges the similarities between Jesus' virgin birth and Pagan mythology, writing: "In saying that the Word was born for us without sexual union as Jesus Christ our teacher, we introduce nothing beyond what is said of those called the Sons of Zeus." Nowhere was the myth of the 'Son of God' more developed than in Egypt, the ancient home of the Mysteries. Even the Christian Lactantius acknowledged that the legendary Egyptian sage Hermes Trismegistus had "arrived in some way at the truth, for on God the Father he had said everything, and on the Son." In Egypt, the Pharaoh had for thousands of years been regarded as an embodiment of the godman Osiris and praised in hymns as the Son of God. As an eminent Egyptologist writes, "Every Pharaoh had to be the Son of God and a human mother in order that he should be the Incarnate God, the Giver of Fertility to his country and people." In many legends the great prophets of Osiris-Dionysus are also portrayed as saviours and sons of God. Pythagoras was said to be the son of Apollo and a mortal woman called Parthenis, whose name derives from the word parthenos, meaning "virgin." Plato was also posthumously believed to be the son of Apollo. Philostratus relates in his biography of Apollonius that the great Pagan sage was regarded as the "Son of Zeus." Empedocles was thought to be a godman and saviour who had come down to this world to help confused souls, becoming "like a madman, calling out to people at the top of his voice and urging them to reject this realm and what is in it and go back to their own original, sublime, and noble word." Mythic motifs from the Mysteries even became associated with Roman Emperors who, for political reasons, cultivated legends about their divine nature which would link them to Osiris-Dionysus. Julius Caesar, who did not himself even believe in personal immortality, was hailed as "God made manifest, the common saviour of human life." His successor, Augustus, was likewise the "saviour of the universal human race." and even the tyrannical Nero is addressed on an altar piece as "God the deliverer for ever." In 40 BCE, drawing on Mystery myths, the Roman poet and initiate Virgil wrote a mystical 'prophesy' that a virgin would give birth to a divine child. In the fourth century CE Literalist Christians would claim that it foretold the coming of ]esus, but at the time this myth was interpreted as referring to Augustus, said to be the "Son of Apollo," preordained to rule the Earth and bring peace and prosperity. In his biography of Augustus, Suetonius offers a cluster of 'signs' that indicated the Emperor's divine nature. One modern authority writes: &am
Really need help with my speech which is due tomorrow!!!!!!? i have to do a speech on pele so here it i Pele was a very famous football/soccer player who was born on the 23rd of October 1940. Pele grew up in a very poor family in Tres Coracos, Brazil. Pele is just a nickname for Edson Arantes Do Nascimento which is why he was given this nickname since he has such a long name. Growing up his parents and friends called him ‘Dico’. He first learned the game football from his dad ‘Dondinho’ who was a centre forward until his career came to an end with a fractured leg. Pele began playing when he was a young boy for a local minor team, when he wasn’t playing he was shining shoes for pennies. He was first discovered at age 11 by one of the countries premier players, Waldemar de Brito. Waldemar took Pele to Sao Paulo and said, ‘This boy will be the greatest player in the world’. He was right! Pele had an immediate impact, in his first game he scored a goal right away at age 16! Pele went on to four world cups with his national team Brazil. Pele was an average sized man but blessed with speed, balance, excellent vision, being able to control a ball superbly, being able to shoot powerfully and accurately with either foot and head. Some wealthy European clubs offered large amounts of money to sign the young Brazilian but the government of Brazil declared him an official national treasure to prevent him being transferred out of the country. Pele said ‘My father was a footballer who once scored 5 goals in a single game all with his head, a record I was never able to beat’. Pele’s statistics are astounding scoring 1,280 goals in 1,360 games second to Arthur Friedenreich who scored 1,329 goals. Pele holds the record for hat tricks scoring 92 in his career. His statistics are even more mind blowing compared to today’s players who struggle to score 30 goals in a season. Pele played for Santos for most of his career retired and then came out of retirement to play for the New york cosmos. Pele in many ways was a complete athlete, with superb skill and agility he could dribble around defenders with ease. Many people regard pele as the best ever player to live. When pele came out of retirement to play for the New york cosmos he became the highest ever paid player but he said he did not do it for the money but to make football truly popular in the United states. Pele, whose nickname does not mean anything, became a Brazilian national hero and was also known as Perola Negra (Black Pearl). His best season was 1958, when he scored 139 times. When pele was young he played with a sock stuffed with newspaper or a coconut as a ball. It took him twelve years to save up enough money to by a real ball. When Pele was at school he was expelled in grade 4 for skipping school to play football in a nearby park. Since he was so poor the only other type of entertainment was to play street football in his neighbour hood with a coconut and bare feet. During his career many players tried to break his legs because he was so good and wanted to put him out of the competition one time during a world cup he walked off crying because he couldn’t stand it.
Whats wrong with me? Is i dont care what it is, i just wanna know? I have searched for different personality disorders to see if there was something wrong there... but i seem to have bits of everything in me... main two though are narcissism anti-social At the moment i dont care about anybody, i dont love anybody and i never have, not family and/or friends, when they die it either bothers me because they were useful or it doesnt bother me at all. I have almost a certainty that i will achieve greatness, i can almost feel it then when i step up and get critisized i can get aggressive or lose all motivation... although that motivation soon comes back when im on my pedestal again.... i feel very little empathy or no empathy at all. I want to be the centre of attention its my main desire and im annoyed when im not, but then when its handed to me i get so nervous and hate the attention and end up hiding away until 10 mins later where i crave the attention again, i love being by myself as long as i have the option to be with many people i use people all the time, i love hearing how concerned they are about me, i guess it gives me in a sense of power knowing that they will do whatever to aid me, but i have no problem helping others, its just usually i am seeking benefits for doing so i then have weeks or days of where i am severly depressed, suicidal because i hate who i am and what ive done, or when i realise that im just an evil human, nothing great, just ordinary and stupid... this causes me to drink a lot even when im not completely depressed it lingers in the back of my mind i then have severe anger issues, i just lose control, things get broken, and hurt.... i have visions of killing or paralysing people who look down on me or i am jealous of, or even of killing family just so i can live with the guilt, i know i wouldnt do it, but then sometimes i wonder what if and it scares me... i lie ALL the time (i know, hard to believe what im sayibg now haha but this is the most honest ive been in....EVER)... i lie about things that nobody cares about aswell and i dont even realise i do it untill i have done it i have two warnings for theft another illegal activity and i get a criminal record, i have vandalised, dealt drugs (stopped now though, drug dealing that is, i was doing it about a year ago) the only reason i have a problem with all this is that it will damage any hopes of a successful future, which i must attain before im forty cause i will just kill myself if have to be a normal person for any longer then that Oh and as for childhood... up until i was 6 i was a jehovahs witness and my parents were together, during that time my uncles used get a kick out of pissing me off and hurting me, and showing me porn and horror movies.... funny thing is, is i loved there company when my parents divorced, my dad disappeared for 2-3 years and i lived with my mom, who had drinking and anger problems (her parents died recently of alcoholism) she loves me so much but as done so many bad things to me... when i was 9-10 i moved back with my dad and the only times i saw my mom she would be in tears over her shitty life, my dad moved in with a woman and her family which i hated and she hated me i have been stuck here ever since, my dad adores me but is all logic and my mom is all emotion... i dont see my mom often now, and i pretty much live by myself, my dad sleeps here every second day, up until 8-9 we used fear my grandparents and when i was with my uncles i would have to hide from the grandparents
Urgent free legal help/experience stories required? I would make a nice drink before reading this it’s a long one I would be very interested to hear from any legal eagles or anyone who has experienced similar problems especially links to free web sites which deal with the content of the question/s. I am especially interested in time frames, court processes etc warts & all so my daughter can prepare herself. I would ask that only facts are given and not theories. My daughter and her 2 year old son moved into a council house in February. Shortly afterwards her partner, I’ll call him David, decided to give up his council flat and move in with them. There have been problems with the relationship in the past to which end David’s out reach worker set up a CAF agreement. Part of that agreement was that David would not touch drugs and would not touch alcohol, he can’t because of his medication, if he has alcohol he can become difficult which was proven last year with a court case which fortunately had nothing to do with my daughter or their child. David had been getting very awkward with my daughter recently and she thought it best to come home for a couple of days. This was Friday of last week. On Saturday David came round to our house and it was obvious he had been on something I have never seen him like it but it wasn’t nice. I managed to calm him down and sent him home back to the council house. I told him that my daughter would speak to him on the Sunday. Sunday lunch time came round and my wife took my daughter back to see David. She left them to it but when she heard David raising his voice she decided that was time to get my daughter out of there. I was at home with the grandson at the time which was a good thing because what happened next was David stood in front of the car refusing to let my wife and daughter leave. My daughter said she was phoning the police. He moved and said if she did he would kill himself. He admitted to my daughter that he had taken drugs during the week previous to this and had, had alcoholic drinks. My wife and daughter arrived home and both of them were shaking it was at this point I told my wife to call the police. This was not only to report the incident so the police had a number should any subsequent problems occur but also to report his threat of suicide so that my wife and daughter were covered should he decide to carry out his threat. The police managed to contact David and he was safe and well. Now we have his family asking why my wife called the police- unbelievable! My daughter now finds herself and her son at our house as she cannot face going back to the property he is still in. He is not a tenant and is not on the tenancy agreement he is just logged by the council as staying there my daughter is the sole tenant oh and her son. Even after everything that has happened she does not want to see David as another statistic on the streets and is going to give him time to quit the property, max one week from today. She will tell him that he then has a month to move his stuff out. 1.What should be the content of the letter she needs to write to him so that he gets the message she wants him out and how does she record this I thought registered mail would be a good option so he has to sign for receiving it. Any other ideas? 2.Because my daughter cannot trust David any more she wants him to have supervised visits with the grandson on neutral ground how does she go about this. 3.My daughter wants to stop David from visiting the council house, our house and the play group how does she do this. 4.His other grandmother, David’s mum, sees her grandson on regular occasions. My daughter does not want this to happen at David’s mum’s house anymore but is still willing to let his grandmother see him at the daughters’ house. How does she do this? 5.I asked to speak to David’s out reach worker today and he asked to speak to my daughter. My daughter spoke to the out reach worker and he upset my daughter by suggesting that David and my daughter should have a meeting to come to some sort of an agreement. She told him absolutely not and that she had put up with enough from David. She finally burst into tears and gave me the phone. David’s out reach worker then tried the same trick on me by saying that David would be homeless. I said no he wouldn’t he has a sister nearby, a brother nearby, a mother nearby oh and a father in Spain. His out reach worker explained that David cannot stay with any of them to which I said hang on you expect my daughter to stay at ours and carry on paying rent on a property she cannot use while David is in it but his family won’t do anything to help him out. The out reach worker finally got the message when I told him that my daughter would not be renewing her relationship with David and that on Wednesday she went to the Job centre to cancel all joint claims. I think he got the message. Is there a body I can complain to about this out reach workers working practice? My daughter is not th is not hte guity party david is! How can my daughter put a stop to the CAF I still think the out reach worker was in the wrong his suggestion to my daughter nad to me, all though he was trying to be clever enough not to say it directly, was for my daughter to give David a chance. As far as my daughter was concerned he had used his chances up. For his out reach worker to also suggest that David stays in the house while my daighter pays for it is beyond belief!
Should John Tsang, the Hong Kong Financial chief starts adequate policy to reform other than by all one offs? Hong Kong Financial Secretary (chief/minister), John Tsang Chun-wah is being criticized by all local news papers, media and political commentators appeared in TVs. The South China Morning Post and Standards, including major Chinese presses of Hnog Kong Apple Daily News and Oriental Daily News and the others indicating his one off measures will not able to reform the current social and economic problems affecting every walk of life. There are more than two million Hong Kong citizens are currently living under the poverty line in a city of total seven millions. They are living in dim and noisy rooms in the private owned flats with minimum income and most of their incomes are spent in paying the extra high rents for worst living condition in this world. I think John Tsang must do the followings to reach the ultimate goal of reforming the messy Hong Kong society exhibites the worst poor and rich gap in Asia. 1) Axe overall overpaid civil servants' salaries by 2% for all low ranks just earning from HK$12k to to 25k per month, those making HK35k to 55k per month should cut at least 6-10% per month and all those upper ranks and all officials should cut at least 20-50% of all their overpaid salaries each month. It is recorded the first fiscal quarter of 2008 had a deficit of HK $ 800 billions (Chinese press calculated one hundred millions as one billion and the English press published as $HK 80 billions) was caused by the average salaries hike of 6% for major lower and middle civil servants and was approved by John Tsang after Donald Tsang (incumbent Hong Kong chief executive) raised his own already overpaid salary of HK $340,000 per month to the current HK $ 430,000 per month. Hong Kong middle and upper ranks civil servants are regarded as the highest paid in this world. That's why Hong Kong has the never ending social problem exhibites its gini coefficient of 0.56, too far from the norm of 0.3. The Hong Kong land sales and rental costs are described as the highest prices in this world. And the poor environment of foul air and condaminated drinking water from the idustrial waste river of Pearl River has scared many professional refused to accept jobs in Hong Kong for the sake of healthy life for their family members and themselves. 2) Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) must be downsized to the status of 50% lessen wagering monies in buy and sell foreign currencies, stock shares, bonds, funds, derivatives in monetary matters, financial leverage for local financial matters. If so, HKMA should cut back 50% of oversized staffs which are also the highest paid in this world. HKMA has recorded a net loss of HK $1008 billions in 2007.The chief of HKMA made HK $10.3 millions in 2007, exact seven times as what the top America public financial persons made for doing even more complex job description in comparison to Joseph Yam, the top man of HKMA. 3) Hong Kong must learn from China and be able compete with the mainland economic enhancement programs which has defeated our manufacturing sectors, logistics, transporation, and the Hong Kong financial centre will soon be replaced by Shanghai, Shenzen, and Beijing. They are making much lessen in comparison to the Hong Kong professionals doing the similar jobs. Many friends and I have found the root cause of the never ending social and economic problems are as the above-described. Sooner or later Hong Kong Doomsday will be in scene. As it happened to the recent Hong Kong Budget Day, John Tsang did the same or even more generous than this time as the same Hong Kong candy man. He never wants to solve the Hong Kong contemporary problems directly and completety by applying more effective tacitcs in terms of effecetive policy making to pinpoint the root causes of the current and forever problems that makes the harsh life of the many in this tiny city. Hong Kong can afford to establish an universal pension fund for the most poor senior citizens who can't even afford to buy an hamberger in Mcdonald, a congee or a dimsum in Chinese restaurants. Hong Kong citizens should against John Tsang's inadequate one off measures of not able to meet the aims and goals of all peoples. We all should have the sense of belonging, sharing, and leading to the common goal of harmony by narrow down the too wide poor and rich gap.
speech help!!!!!pele? i have to do a speech on pele so here it is Pele was a very famous football/soccer player who was born on the 23rd of October 1940. Pele grew up in a very poor family in Tres Coracos, Brazil. Pele is just a nickname for Edson Arantes Do Nascimento which is why he was given this nickname since he has such a long name. Growing up his parents and friends called him ‘Dico’. He first learned the game football from his dad ‘Dondinho’ who was a centre forward until his career came to an end with a fractured leg. Pele began playing when he was a young boy for a local minor team, when he wasn’t playing he was shining shoes for pennies. He was first discovered at age 11 by one of the countries premier players, Waldemar de Brito. Waldemar took Pele to Sao Paulo and said, ‘This boy will be the greatest player in the world’. He was right! Pele had an immediate impact, in his first game he scored a goal right away at age 16! Pele went on to four world cups with his national team Brazil. Pele was an average sized man but blessed with speed, balance, excellent vision, being able to control a ball superbly, being able to shoot powerfully and accurately with either foot and head. Some wealthy European clubs offered large amounts of money to sign the young Brazilian but the government of Brazil declared him an official national treasure to prevent him being transferred out of the country. Pele said ‘My father was a footballer who once scored 5 goals in a single game all with his head, a record I was never able to beat’. Pele’s statistics are astounding scoring 1,280 goals in 1,360 games second to Arthur Friedenreich who scored 1,329 goals. Pele holds the record for hat tricks scoring 92 in his career. His statistics are even more mind blowing compared to today’s players who struggle to score 30 goals in a season. Pele played for Santos for most of his career retired and then came out of retirement to play for the New york cosmos. Pele in many ways was a complete athlete, with superb skill and agility he could dribble around defenders with ease. Many people regard pele as the best ever player to live. When pele came out of retirement to play for the New york cosmos he became the highest ever paid player but he said he did not do it for the money but to make football truly popular in the United states. Pele, whose nickname does not mean anything, became a Brazilian national hero and was also known as Perola Negra (Black Pearl). His best season was 1958, when he scored 139 times. When pele was young he played with a sock stuffed with newspaper or a coconut as a ball. It took him twelve years to save up enough money to by a real ball. When Pele was at school he was expelled in grade 4 for skipping school to play football in a nearby park. Since he was so poor the only other type of entertainment was to play street football in his neighbour hood with a coconut and bare feet. FINISHED FOR NOW having some trouble adding some more information to this as it only goes for 2:10 min but i need it to be around 3 min im 13 years old so yes i know it aint top quality stuff but what do you expect? any help and corrections i can add plus 50 seconds more.
What should we do to to make Trinidad Peaceful island in Caribbean ? This year, so far, 60 murders have been recorded compared with 38 last year for the same period, 50 in 2006 and 44 in 2005. MALONEY'S second shooting incident in three days claimed the life of a teenager Tuesday night. 17-year-old Roshawn Williams was shot dead while liming with friends outside Building Five at Maloney Gardens around 8.15 p.m. His family's apartment is in that building. Williams, also known as "Monster", died on the spot after he was shot three times, to the head and body. A nickname family members said he may have received because of his towering height. Williams was shot about 300 metres from the Maloney Sports Complex where he frequently played basketball. However, speaking at the Forensic Science Centre yesterday, Williams' mother, who declined to give her name, said the Millennium club basketball player did not intend to play his favourite sport that fatal night. Williams was wearing a black jersey, grey pants and orange and grey Nike sneakers. Trinisoc we cannot campre Trinidad with USA just a reminder
I need advice on my book introduction? Hi I was wondering if you could give me advice or your opinion on my book introduction so here it is: Some people think the worst thing in the world is death. If I had the chance I would welcome death. I am a magician; my family have been magicians for generations and I inherited it, you unlock your magic at the age of sixteen, it was my birthday a week ago. We fight a number or monsters that are sent by powerful demons who want to make humans suffer. It is a magician’s job to protect the Earth from these kinds of threats. Many people have heard the story of The Minotaur if you haven’t I will go through it for you: Centuries ago King Minos was in an argument with his brothers about who should take the throne from their dead father, King Minos prayed to the Poseidon to send him a white bull as a sign of approval to him being King. As you can probably guess the white bull was presented and King Minos was meant to sacrifice the bull. The bull was so beautiful that Minos decided to swap it with a normal bull from his herd. King Minos couldn’t fool Poseidon and when he tried Poseidon wasn’t happy. As a punishment Poseidon made King Minos’ wife (Pasiphea) fall madly in love with the bull. The offspring of Pasiphea and the bull was The Minotaur, a bull’s head on a human’s body. King Minos went to the oracle for advice when the beast started to get angry. Following the oracles advice Minos had a Labyrinth built to hold the Minotaur. The monster was put in the centre of the maze. The Athenians killed Androgeus (king Minos’ son) after winning a competition. King Minos was so upset and angry he kept attacking Athens, eventually the king and the Athenians made a deal. Every year seven Athenian youths and seven beautiful maidens would be sent to the Labyrinth as a sacrifice for the Minotaur. Theseus, an Athenian warrior, went as a sacrifice to kill the beast. He managed to kill the beast with help from King Minos’ daughter, he soon returned and was a hero in Athens. But what most people don’t know is what happened after the story. Acrilise, a very powerful Demon Lord found the remains of the Minotaur, Acrilise brought back not one but fifteen Minotaurs and set them free on Labyrinth. He tracked down Theseus and gave him one thousand years of torture in hell. He put the rest of the residents of Athens in Labyrinth for the Minotaurs. He also killed King Minos for putting the Minotaur in the labyrinth. As magicians it was our duty to kill the Minotaurs, I can’t join in with any thing like that until I’ve mastered my magic. To be honest I don’t even want to join in. I’d be much happier to stay at home, go to school and only have to worry about getting in trouble at school. They killed the Minotaurs with great ease. We knew that wouldn’t be the end of it, Acrilise made thirty Minotaurs this time but blessed them and Labyrinth with great magic. Nobody dares to attack the Minotaurs without the help of an extremely powerful magician. Nobody knows how much power Acrilise gave the Minotaurs. Only the most powerful magicians would have seen Acrilise, nobody has ever recorded it but people have rough descriptions of him. I couldn’t care less about them because the way I see it I will be with my brothers who would never let me face Acrilise. I’ve never been the bravest of my family, I can be brave if I need to but that’s only when I have no other choice. © ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (sorry it's quite long) so please give advice and opinion. © Copyright 2007
Making a successful DVD with holiday photos?? I have been trying to make a DVD using holiday photos from Greece and adding Greek music for a nice atmospheric background. After several attempts and using different brands of DVD discs, I am still getting the same problem...the pictures and music are on the DVD but when I play it back on the TV, it keeps on jumping and freezing momentarily. I have even tried slowing down the recording speed to 8x, then 4x but still not having any success. Could anybody please advise me how I can resolve this problem so my family and I can watch a DVD without the pictures pixellating and the music jumping? Thanks in advance. PS: I am using Windows Media Centre to create the DVD's.
Have you ever done an Intervention? My nephew is 28 and addicted to oxycontin, his mother and I have been talking. Because of his addiction he is now in trouble with the law as well, stealing to get money to pay for his pills. I came up with the idea of getting the closest members of the family and friends to do an intervention. He needs to get help, he's either going to end up in jail for a long time or dead. His mother thinks it's a great idea. I've already left a message for Canada Rehab Centre. I'm just wondering if you've ever done one or had one done to you? Is it a good or bad idea? And advice would be appreciated. We want to see him clean and straight, it's so sad what drugs can do to you. Just for the record yesterday was the anniversary of his father's passing 13 years ago. It hit him real hard when it happened and it still bothers him alot. We just care about him and love him and want to get him help. What do you think of the idea of an intervention? He says he wants help but never takes the first step to get it.
A scenario for you to ponder? ok here we go a 2 and a half year old child at centre of an access row, Parent 1, has never been on time once to pick up or drop the child off has consistently failed to keep to pre-arranged dates and times because their friends and social life is more important than their childs relationship with the other parent.when with parent 2 child is fed chinese fried rice and curry or microwave sausages and sometimes chicken but nothing else Parent has also been investigated 3 times by social services who still monitor them when child is there . parent refuses to answer phone calls for days on end to arrange contact then expects for contact to be arranged at drop of a hat when it suits them, Parent was also criticised heavily by social services for making the child wait in a car for 2 hours with parent number 2 with no change of clothes way past the childs bedtime because they were busy having sex in a car and knowing that that the child could not be taken to parent number 2's house as it was being renovated and there was no power parent number 1 believes this is ok as they only did it once, Parent 1 regularly takes child to known drug dealers house which is well known to police and has drugs lying around on the floor, Parent 1 screams harassment when parent 2 questions their behaviour over treatment of the child and their actions around the child and phones the police trying to get parent 2 in to trouble.When with parent 1 child is left with anyone who will take the child or is left to their own devices to play whilst parent spends all day on facebook and there phone. now Parent 2. Has been ready and on time for every agreed date for access, has never changed the arrangements once, social services have stated that parent 2 provides a stable safe enviroment for the child, Parent 2 has no criminal record, no history of violence and has always put the child first, the child is taken places such as swimming softplay and interacts with other children when taken to nursery when parent 1 comes to pick child up the child clearly does not want to go.Parent 2 has dedicated a lot of time and money trying to keep the relationship amicable and civil for the sake of the child and parent 2 believes that the child benefits from having both parents in their life. Please also bear in mind that the courts are fully aware of both parents actions where witnesses have spoken regarding the actions above In your opinion who do you believe is the better parent? Would it surprise you if i told you that even though parent 2 had evidence to back up their claims inc witnesses one of them being parent 1s mother the courts have decided that parent 1 is the better parent, Parent 2 is now only allowed supervised access on a date convenient to parent 1 because parent 1 says they fear parent 2 will not allow them to have access to the child they state this with absolutley no evidence to back up their claims that parent 2 would refuse access or take the child away. And the reason for the courts decision is Parent 1 is female. Surely if this case does not show that family law needs to be changed what will? Michael s if you were parent 2 i think you would be slightly bitter. Thanks Mrs GC you have hit the nail on the head that is what is so ridiculous about the ruling.
Why do the Government not set a precedent with regards to pregnancy under 16? I live in Eastbourne, where the 13 year old dad happens to live and believe me it is certaintly not rare to see a CHILD pushing a pram or two around the town centre. My problem with the whole situation is the example being set by the Government and the Eastbourne Council. Instead of saying "Right as you are his/her parents and are responsibile for him/her until they are 16 you are now responsible for this baby until your son/daughter is classed as adult and able to take on responsibility for the babies needs. This includes any legal aspects as well as monetary aspects. instead it's we'll do all we can to support the this young family, which presumably means, set them up with a little house, all the benefits they can ask for and milk vouchers for life. If it were the case that the parents were deemed responsible, i bet we would see less under age pregnancy. The law should be changed and sex under 16 should be illegal and come with a criminal record. If you are not working how will you pay for your baby. Why should we as taxpayers, pay for every Tom, Dick and Harry, it doesn't set a good example or teach anything to just give these children all they desire. Why should i have to scrimp and save, so that when i do decide to have children i can pay for them as well as Alfie the 12 year old's babay down the road? oh and get this... because Chantelle will be 16 soon, if her and Alfie move into a council house together she can legally claim benefits as his guardian, as he is under 16 *sick* what is this country (and town) coming to I can't believe that those of us who work and pay taxes are actually carrying on doing it. It shouldn't be a case of what do-gooders think is should be the majority vote, we're paying for the Government to be in place and the working class are constantly shat on. This Country is so bloody concerned with being politically correct we're turning into a circus. We need a Prime Minister with the balls to admit the state of this Country and deal with it, our ministers are far too worried about the words prejudice and discrimination to pop up! I'm 21 and i've already lost hope in this Country and it's morals. I'm even contemplating never having kids, the teachers can no longer discipline (not just with weapons), the nursery nurses can no longer call a child naughty, and the Government is a mockary! Why would anyone (who will actually pay for their own children) want to bring children into this millenium!
Plz.give me solution to my real life story? First of all,when we talk about this world . .we can see there are many guys,all have different lifestyles,point of views,qualities,disqualities . .etc This story is about a guy who is just different from all persons living on this earth . . story of guy named "prince". You can take the example of any person . .all have to do struggle in their life . .its just irrelevant in which particular field they have to do . .some have alot,some a little bit and some are just born genius . .they just dont need anyone s help . . Now lets get back to the point,dis guy "prince" lived in a town,belong to middle class family,his original birth was in some place in u.p . . .but lived in delhi . . .due to genes problem of his father,he got captured into a big disease of "tonsilities (tonsils)" . .only few are affected by this problem,probably 2 out of 100 . Nobody takes this problem seriously in their life,but yes tiny and quite big problem . .its side effects are just cannot be described,it can make any person feel cry . . Dis guy got admission in a private good school near by his home . .he was so naughty that the whole world would cry on his behaviour . .like hurting everyone in class,taking "pangas" and all with all his collegous . .he was used to it,everytime could be seen exceeding the limits of everything . .so parents always used to scold him,always found seriously fighting with his friends . .dats why nobody wanted to talk to him . .day by day,he became far very hyper,rude,he became so cheap that even he stole her teacher s money from her bag . .but unfortunately got caught when his feos complained their mam . . He didnt know anything as he had not grew up as his other frns just because of his big disease which points out to maturity problem . .he was 5 years younger than his frns in real aspect of life when noone was aware of this problem . .but except of course his parents. . .fights,fights and more fights. .enough,enough,enough . . Heads down and quite embarassing faces of everyone could be seen. But noone could do anything,he was a child. .he didnt know anything about him . .rigorous and strict punishments were not good enough to give him . .only proper care,talking sweetly could help this guy to improve alot. . Neighbours,whole society,school,parents all were worried . .mom just everytime seen working nd trying hard either to take proper care or hiding from everyone his mistakes . . . Average in studies,quit naughty,dwarf,stupid,hypered,making fun,cough,difficulty to eat,rudeness plus maturity were/are main disqualities of this big disease and his so called main problems of his life . . Bit improvement day by day bcoz of his mom s hardwork and support . .every guy at the age of 16,in 10th class know them well and get matured enough to tackle life s problem on their own . .but dis guy was just the same except for minor improvements . .his personality was as such that even whole world would laugh on him . .4"11 height,38 inches waist,simple boy cut,fat face with no sense of maturity on face . .looked like as if of 5th class sweet and innocent child . .same studying 2months ago before xams,no tantion on face but quite hyper from mind . .cheating here and there to get pass and cheating invigilator to try himself not to be get caught . .coaching centres,frns,feos,parents all having same expectation this guy wil be failed . .even the god cant save him to pass in 10th board . .but hey got passed scoring average marks of 70% . .a big huge smile on his face,so much happy that presume he has broke up all records . .o god what to do?? . .then transfered to 11th class with commerce in maths stream . .he chose this one as his father is c.a . .and his only one elder brother was doing engineering from ip university . .now he has to face quite powerful,matured,optimistic guys in his class . . .same old problem made him so vulgar that whole class was against him,ready to beat him when he enter into class . .one guy with quite clever brain to cheat him and to stab on his back in order to take his revenge used to stay with him,and was a big reason for his fights,his name was "lav" . .even in nearby home coaching institute students were annoyed . .girls just forget about it,he was a child . .but hey one girl named "mehak" liked him in his a/cs tuition in 11th . .she could have thought that dis guy is smart,everytime he raises question in clas,so might be intelligent . .she started loving him seriously . .but same he fought with his old frn "anuj" . .and because of a girl in tuition named "avani" both of them like her,she was not smart,but just kind of attraction . .for this that prince fought with her girl's brother in class,but he lied and left tuition . . Mehak had no option but to leave him but true love is once for the lifetime . .also his operation of "tonsils" was near . .he didnt know about agony,pressures in operation but parents were worried alot. operation got successful and medicla
Why is it so hard to find a job? I mean seriously. Im 19 now and STILL cant find any. Ive applied for almost every job available, from cleaner to admin assistant or retail assistant etc. I NEVER get a reply and only received an interview ONCE in 3 years! And others make it seem so easy. How come someone else I know is able to get a supervisor job at ASDAs, who pretty much left school early because she got pregant, had a bad school record (alot of fights), has 4 kids, never has had a job, then applies for asdas and gets the job straight in to supervisory position?? Ive studied 3 years of college, passed it all, had helped a family business (sort of a job I suppose) so got some experience and got REJECTED. I go to the opportunity centre alot and they say my application is fine, Cv is fine etc. I try so much to help me but get NOWHERE> You may have noticed this is more of a rant because Im fed up and feel like a dead end. Time to do things like the present. Have a baby in order to get a house and money from benefits. Woo... If your in the same position as me, or have some words to make me feel that little bit better, itd help. Im open minded so dont be afraid to give your opinion, FED up of applications now.. wheres lady luck when you need her? wow! most answers ive had EVER on yhaoo answers. thanks guys. dont worry, not given up hope. just fed up
Why do I need a Canadian Temporary Resident Visa? My wife and I (both US Citizens) rented an apartment in Vancouver in April, 2008 for weekend and holiday use. I did a lot of research about seasonal residents in Canada and we found did not qualify for a seasonal type of residency permit because we did not own the Condo and the lease was less than three years. After returning to the states from the visit where we rented the apartment, I called the "Call Centre" and asked what I should do about bringing personal effects into Canada for personal use in the Condo (I bet you regulars are probably laughing and saying "big mistake" right about now). He said make a list of the items, explain to the IO what the goods are for (the apartment) and they might make me register the items and when leaving prove I've taken them with me. So we pull up to the border at Douglas and explain to the IO exactly as described above, and was quickly asked to pull over to the secondary inspection area. Inside we were grilled separately by IO as to our intentions; I guess they thought we were moving up there. After a couple of hours of "fun under fluorescence", they called us over and issued us Temporary Resident Visa's, explaining to us we needed to provide documents to Immigration to renew it within the next 6 months. To tell you the truth I didn't know why we needed these Visa's, we didn't want to be temporary residents in that way. But we were so stoked to get out of the office we gladly agreed with him and made our way to Vancouver. During the first 6 months of our visiting back and forth we'd usually get quizzed at the border by other IO as to why we were issued this record to begin with. One agent said it was a good thing cause you are in the "system" if you ever decide to become PR's. I saw it as having to spend 150 bucks every six months to apply for something I didn't need! So after 4 months I filed an extension, and after the standard delays the visa was renewed. In the meantime we got Nexus passes and then stopped seeing the IO's so life was good. Until now? Our second application for the visa extension was just denied today. WTF? They sent me a letter saying the agent didn't think I satisfied the requirements and that if I hadn't left Canada I needed to immediately. No problem, I am back here in the states, but NOTHING has changed since my first extension request. I still have my US house, job, family here. Which leads me to my questions: 1) Why did I need this to begin with? I think know... they wanted to keep tabs on us. 2) Why did they just reject me? 3) If I want to go to Vancouver next week for my friends Birthday am I still allowed to enter the country? I don't think I've been deported!?!? 4) Assuming I have not been deported, and since a US Citizen can enter Canada for a period of up to six months, am I losing anything by not getting this visa extension approved? If so, should I reapply? Thanks for reading this and if you have any advice I'd appreciate it. All I want to do is visit Vancouver and not stress over this.
Huh? Do you get this? A nine-year-old Singaporean student, who did not realise she was pregnant, gave birth to a boy after it became too late for her to abort the baby. Her horrified mother found out that her daughter was six-month pregnant when she took her to a doctor for what she thought was a urine infection. By that time, it was too late for the girl to go for abortion. The shocking case was made public at a seminar on youth relationships organised by Tamil cultural group Narpani Peravi and Republic Polytechnic last Saturday and was reported in Tamil Murasu on Sunday. The primary three student, who comes from a well-to-do family and lives in a private landed property, was made pregnant by her boyfriend from the same school back in 2004. She gave her baby boy up for adoption soon after giving birth. The child would be about three years old now. The girl was sent by her parents to a school in a nearby country, where she is currently in Primary Six. The boy was sent to a Reformative Training Centre soon after. According to The New Paper, the girl met her boyfriend in school and they had sex frequently in her home. All these time, her parents never suspected anything as they were out and working most of the time. And when she started gaining weight and had morning sickness, she didn't suspect that she was pregnant. Neither did her teachers and friends, as the girl always tucked blouse out so no one in school could tell if she was pregnant.. An early developer, she was about 1.3 metres tall and quite big-size for a girl her age. She reached puberty early and started menstruating when she was eight. A gynaecologist and an urologist told The New Paper that it is very unusual for a nine-year-old to give birth. Gynaecologist Ann Tan, who has 15 years experience, said she has never heard or seen any girl below 14 getting pregnant. "This is very frightening," said Dr Tan, when told of the case. She said that girls reach puberty around 11 on average. Consultant urologist Damian Png, who has more than 10 years of experience, said boys usually reach puberty between 11 and 13. Once a boy reaches puberty, he will be able to produce sperm, and in so doing will be capable of impregnating a girl. He, however, notes that the average age of puberty has gone down. The youngest mother ever on record is Lina Medina from Peru. She was only five when she gave birth to a boy in May 1939. It was reported that she had her first period when she was only eight months old. Her son, named Gerardo, died from a bone marrow disease when he was 40 in 1979.
Dr.Singh government has done nothing? the bjp claims that dr.manmohan singhs government has done "nothing" for the people..for the country...they have eve resorted to calling Dr.Singh nikamma..useless...and their people on y!a have faithfully followed their line..i'd like to ask them..is this nothing?? • It has restored secular and Constitutional values in governance. It has also made administrationmarkedly more transparent. The Right to Information Act, 2005 is a historic legislation. It is enablinglakhs of our citizens in villages, towns and cities to demand responsiveness and accountability frompublic officials and government at all levels. • It has enacted the path-breaking National Rural Employment Guarantee Act which is being implementedin all districts to provide 100 days of legally guaranteed employment to each rural household seekingemployment in public works programmes. Not only has livelihood security been provided to many lakhpoor rural families but durable community assets have also been created. • It has started and achieved considerable progress on the ambitious Bharat Nirman programme totransform rural India by expanding and providing irrigation, all-weather roads, houses for the poor,drinking water, electricity for all poor families and phone connectivity in all villages. • It has brought comfort and hope to crores of our farmers and their families by (i) increasing the MSPand procurement prices; (ii) by waiving loans to the tune of Rs 65,000 crore; (iii) by increasing threefoldcredit from banks and reducing interest rates on crop loans; and (iv) by extending irrigation facilities. • It has launched the National Rural Health Mission which has already made a positive impact byimproving the quality and accessibility of primary health care in villages. More children are now beingdelivered under the care of trained health professionals. Around six and a half lakh women have beentrained and posted as accredited social health activists (ASHAs). • It has significantly empowered the weaker sections of society by (i) giving scheduled tribes andtraditional forest dwellers rights over land they cultivate in forest areas; (ii) by providing reservationsfor OBC students in all professional institutions; (iii) by passing a new law to protect women fromdomestic violence; (iv) by giving women equal rights to inherit property; and (v) by enhancing hugelythe scholarships for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, minorities and OBCs to pursue college anduniversity education. • It has imparted a new momentum to the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan for primary education. It has alsointroduced a cooked mid-day meal scheme in all primary schools that feeds 15 crore children every day.At the same time, it has for the first time in five decades, increased the number of colleges, universities,and institutes of technology, management and information technology. The investment in highereducation in the XIth Five Year Plan (2007-08 to 2011-12) will witness a huge increase – five times theinvestment in the previous five years. • It has delivered five years of record economic growth. This has enabled an unprecedented step-up ingovernment spending particularly on (i) education and health; (ii) on agriculture and rural development;(iii) infrastructure like power and railways; and (iv) municipal services in towns and cities. Thiseconomic growth has enabled the introduction of the Aam Admi Bima Yojana (life insurance cover) forone and a half crore landless households, the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (medical insurance cover)for six crore unorganized sector workers living below the poverty line and the Indira Gandhi NationalOld Age Pension scheme for elder citizens over 65 years of age and living below the poverty line. • It has initiated the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) with an outlay ofRs.1 lakh crore in 63 cities for upgrading infrastructure and for providing basic services to the urbanpoor. Work amounting to over Rs.42,000 crore is in progress covering areas like water supply, sanitationand urban transport. 14 lakh houses for the poor are under construction. Governance reforms underJNNURM has increased the availability of housing in the 63 cities. A major programme for improvingpower supply in 1,420 towns and cities has also begun. • It has ensured that all States in the country received financial resources from the Centre for developmentschemes and programmes at a scale never known before. Unlike the NDA’s record during 1999-2004, noState has faced discrimination in the matter of funds from the Central Government. Sensitive States ofthe northeast and Jammu and Kashmir have benefited enormously and are seeing development activitieson a very large scale. For the first time, the Backward Regions Grant Fund with an annual allocation ofover Rs 5000 crore for 250 of the poorest districts is being implemented through panchayats. • It has earned for India a new respect and stature internationally. Civil nuclear a • It has earned for India a new respect and stature internationally. Civil nuclear agreements have beenentered into with many countries entirely on our terms. India has today a place of honour in everyglobal forum. The sustained campaign led by the Congress President has resulted in the declaration ofGandhi Jayanti as International Day of Non-Violence by the United Nations i know its a long list..but please go through it before you answer..if you can
How Can I Become A Professional Singer Like Pixie Lott? I'm 16 And Singing Is A MASSIVE Part Of My Life. My Favorite Singers And Bands Include: Rihanna, LadyGaga, Jay Sean, N-Dubz, Example, Alexandra Burke, Pixie Lott And More. I've Always Wanted To Be A Singer And Everytime There's A Karaoke I'm On It At Least 4 Or 5 Times That Night. :) .. I'm Not Being Self-Centred But I've Won Singing Competitions And Been Awarded Medals, I Get People Beggin Me Too Go Back On Karaoke, People Have Asked Too Sing With Me And I've Had ALL My Family Tell Me To Go On Britains Got Talent, But Singers Never Win. :( Plus I'd Rather Do It On The Low, Where I Can Suprise People When They Suddenly See Me On Tv. :) .. It's My Dream Too B On Stages Singing My Heart Out And In Studios Recording And Making My Own Music Video's. And If I Got All That, My Sister Wants Too Be A Professional Music Video Dancer And I'd Like Too Make Both Our Dreams Come True At Da Same Time... (Her Dancing In My Videos) .. Can Any One Give Me Advice Please? Thanks In Advance For Your Answers. :) R x
Would John McCain's actions toward his first wife change your view about him? The article released by the Daily Mail newspaper portrays who really John McCain is. The actions towards his first wife would not let him get my vote. READ THE ARTICLE BELOW. Choosing a women as a VP does change who McCain is. The wife U.S. Republican John McCain callously left behind By Sharon Churcher, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1024927/The-wife-John-McCain-callously-left-behind.html on 08th June 2008 Now that Hillary Clinton has at last formally withdrawn from the race for the White House, the eyes of America and the world will focus on Barack Obama and his Republican rival Senator John McCain. While Obama will surely press his credentials as the embodiment of the American dream – a handsome, charismatic young black man who was raised on food stamps by a single mother and who represents his country’s future – McCain will present himself as a selfless, principled war hero whose campaign represents not so much a battle for the presidency of the United States, but a crusade to rescue the nation’s tarnished reputation. Forgotten woman: But despite all her problems Carol McCain says she still adores he ex-husband McCain likes to illustrate his moral fibre by referring to his five years as a prisoner-of-war in Vietnam. And to demonstrate his commitment to family values, the 71-year-old former US Navy pilot pays warm tribute to his beautiful blonde wife, Cindy, with whom he has four children. But there is another Mrs McCain who casts a ghostly shadow over the Senator’s presidential campaign. She is seldom seen and rarely written about, despite being mother to McCain’s three eldest children. And yet, had events turned out differently, it would be she, rather than Cindy, who would be vying to be First Lady. She is McCain’s first wife, Carol, who was a famous beauty and a successful swimwear model when they married in 1965. She was the woman McCain dreamed of during his long incarceration and torture in Vietnam’s infamous ‘Hanoi Hilton’ prison and the woman who faithfully stayed at home looking after the children and waiting anxiously for news. But when McCain returned to America in 1973 to a fanfare of publicity and a handshake from Richard Nixon, he discovered his wife had been disfigured in a terrible car crash three years earlier. Her car had skidded on icy roads into a telegraph pole on Christmas Eve, 1969. Her pelvis and one arm were shattered by the impact and she suffered massive internal injuries. When Carol was discharged from hospital after six months of life-saving surgery, the prognosis was bleak. In order to save her legs, surgeons had been forced to cut away huge sections of shattered bone, taking with it her tall, willowy figure. She was confined to a wheelchair and was forced to use a catheter. Through sheer hard work, Carol learned to walk again. But when John McCain came home from Vietnam, she had gained a lot of weight and bore little resemblance to her old self. Today, she stands at just 5ft4in and still walks awkwardly, with a pronounced limp. Her body is held together by screws and metal plates and, at 70, her face is worn by wrinkles that speak of decades of silent suffering. For nearly 30 years, Carol has maintained a dignified silence about the accident, McCain and their divorce. But last week at the bungalow where she now lives at Virginia Beach, a faded seaside resort 200 miles south of Washington, she told The Mail on Sunday how McCain divorced her in 1980 and married Cindy, 18 years his junior and the heir to an Arizona brewing fortune, just one month later. Golden couple: John and Cindy McCain at a charity gala in Los Angeles Carol insists she remains on good terms with her ex-husband, who agreed as part of their divorce settlement to pay her medical costs for life. ‘I have no bitterness,’ she says. ‘My accident is well recorded. I had 23 operations, I am five inches shorter than I used to be and I was in hospital for six months. It was just awful, but it wasn’t the reason for my divorce. ‘My marriage ended because John McCain didn’t want to be 40, he wanted to be 25. You know that happens...it just does.’ Some of McCain’s acquaintances are less forgiving, however. They portray the politician as a self-centred womaniser who effectively abandoned his crippled wife to ‘play the field’. They accuse him of finally settling on Cindy, a former rodeo beauty queen, for financial reasons. McCain was then earning little more than £25,000 a year as a naval officer, while his new father-in-law, Jim Hensley, was a multi-millionaire who had impeccable political connections. He first met Carol in the Fifties while he was at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. He was a privileged, but rebellious scion of one of America’s most distinguished military dynasties – his father and grandfather were both admirals. But setting out to have a good time, the young McCain hung out with a group of young officers who called themselves the ‘Bad Bunch’. His primar
What is the title of the film with the ending scene of a woman 'framing' a man for rape with a 911 phone call? The film centres on a woman falsely accusing a man of raping her. The man is actually attracted to the woman in the same way Michael Douglas is to Demi Moore in 'Disclosure'. There is a lot of sexual tension between them and I think the vendetta started when the man rejected the woman's sexual advances (like in Dislcosure!.) The woman successfully ruins the man's life and is very sadistic towards him whilst feinting distraught at being raped to the police. From what I remember, the guy loses everything (Job, family e.t.c). and the last scene is what I remember the best.... In a kitchen of a house, the woman entices the man to have sex with her and bends over a work surface suggestively and repeats, 'rape me, come on, rape me.' and the man replies, 'you wanna be raped, huh?' and he succumbs to the temptation and has sex with her. The twist is that the woman had had a discreet active telephone call with the police with a 911 phone operator listening to the conversation the whole time through the speakerphone function. I remember the 911 phone operator was a large black lady and the scene was switching between the sex in the kitchen and the sound which the 911 phone operator could hear on her headset. The film ends when the man is made aware by the woman that they had been recorded with the woman smiling. I thought that the woman in the film was Demi Moore but I checked imdb and it looks like it isn't her. It was very much a 'Demi Moore role'. Please help me movie buffs, I have been after this film for ages! It's been about 8 years since I saw it on TV and I can hardly remember it other than the ending scene. (The film's got to be late 80s to mid 90s, I think.)
Do you believe in coincidences? The Coincidence Theorists Guide to 9/11 That governments have permitted terrorist acts against their own people, and have even themselves been perpetrators in order to find strategic advantage is quite likely true, but this is the United States we're talking about. That intelligence agencies, financiers, terrorists and narco-criminals have a long history together is well established, but the Nugan Hand Bank, BCCI, Banco Ambrosiano, the P2 Lodge, the CIA/Mafia anti-Castro/Kennedy alliance, Iran/Contra and the rest were a long time ago, so there's no need to rehash all that. That was then, this is now! That Jonathan Bush's Riggs Bank has been found guilty of laundering terrorist funds and fined a US-record $25 million must embarrass his nephew George, but it's still no justification for leaping to paranoid conclusions. That George Bush's brother Marvin sat on the board of the Kuwaiti-owned company which provided electronic security to the World Trade Centre, Dulles Airport and United Airlines means nothing more than you must admit those Bush boys have done alright for themselves. That George Bush found success as a businessman only after the investment of Osama's brother Salem and reputed al Qaeda financier Khalid bin Mahfouz is just one of those things - one of those crazy things. That Osama bin Laden is known to have been an asset of US foreign policy in no way implies he still is. That al Qaeda was active in the Balkan conflict, fighting on the same side as the US as recently as 1999, while the US protected its cells, is merely one of history's little aberrations. The claims of Michael Springman, State Department veteran of the Jeddah visa bureau, that the CIA ran the office and issued visas to al Qaeda members so they could receive training in the United States, sound like the sour grapes of someone who was fired for making such wild accusations. That one of George Bush's first acts as President, in January 2001, was to end the two-year deployment of attack submarines which were positioned within striking distance of al Qaeda's Afghanistan camps, even as the group's guilt for the Cole bombing was established, proves that a transition from one administration to the next is never an easy task. That so many influential figures in and close to the Bush White House had expressed, just a year before the attacks, the need for a "new Pearl Harbor" before their militarist ambitions could be fulfilled, demonstrates nothing more than the accidental virtue of being in the right place at the right time. That the company PTECH, founded by a Saudi financier placed on America's Terrorist Watch List in October 2001, had access to the FAA's entire computer system for two years before the 9/11 attack, means he must not have been such a threat after all. That whistleblower Indira Singh was told to keep her mouth shut and forget what she learned when she took her concerns about PTECH to her employers and federal authorities, suggests she lacked the big picture. And that the Chief Auditor for JP Morgan Chase told Singh repeatedly, as she answered questions about who supplied her with what information, that "that person should be killed," suggests he should take an anger management seminar. That on May 8, 2001, Dick Cheney took upon himself the job of co-ordinating a response to domestic terror attacks even as he was crafting the administration's energy policy which bore implications for America's military, circumventing the established infrastructure and ignoring the recommendations of the Hart-Rudman report, merely shows the VP to be someone who finds it hard to delegate. That the standing order which covered the shooting down of hijacked aircraft was altered on June 1, 2001, taking discretion away from field commanders and placing it solely in the hands of the Secretary of Defense, is simply poor planning and unfortunate timing. Fortunately the error has been corrected, as the order was rescinded shortly after 9/11. That in the weeks before 9/11, FBI agent Colleen Rowley found her investigation of Zacarias Moussaoui so perversely thwarted that her colleagues joked that bin Laden had a mole at the FBI, proves the stress-relieving virtue of humour in the workplace. That Dave Frasca of the FBI's Radical Fundamentalist Unit received a promotion after quashing multiple, urgent requests for investigations into al Qaeda assets training at flight schools in the summer of 2001 does appear on the surface odd, but undoubtedly there's a good reason for it, quite possibly classified. That FBI informant Randy Glass, working an undercover sting, was told by Pakistani intelligence operatives that the World Trade Center towers were coming down, and that his repeated warnings which continued until weeks before the attacks, including the mention of planes used as weapons, were ignored by federal authorities, is simply one of the many "What Ifs" of that tragic day. That over the summer of 2001 Washington received many urgent, senior-level warnings from foreign intelligence agencies and governments - including those of Germany, France, Great Britain, Russia, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, Afghanistan and others - of impending terror attacks using hijacked aircraft and did nothing, demonstrates the pressing need for a new Intelligence Czar. That John Ashcroft stopped flying commercial aircraft in July 2001 on account of security considerations had nothing to do with warnings regarding September 11, because he said so to the 9/11 Commission. That former lead counsel for the House David Schippers says he'd taken to John Ashcroft's office specific warnings he'd learned from FBI agents in New York of an impending attack - even naming the proposed dates, names of the hijackers and the targets - and that the investigations had been stymied and the agents threatened, proves nothing but David Schipper's pathetic need for attention. That Garth Nicolson received two warnings from contacts in the intelligence community and one from a North African head of state, which included specific site, date and source of the attacks, and passed the information to the Defense Department and the National Security Council to evidently no effect, clearly amounts to nothing, since virtually nobody has ever heard of him. That in the months prior to September 11, self-described US intelligence operative Delmart Vreeland sought, from a Toronto jail cell, to get US and Canadian authorities to heed his warning of his accidental discovery of impending catastrophic attacks is worthless, since Vreeland was a dubious character, notwithstanding the fact that many of his claims have since been proven true. That FBI Special Investigator Robert Wright claims that agents assigned to intelligence operations actually protect terrorists from investigation and prosecution, that the FBI shut down his probe into terrorist training camps, and that he was removed from a money-laundering case that had a direct link to terrorism, sounds like yet more sour grapes from a disgruntled employee. That George Bush had plans to invade Afghanistan on his desk before 9/11 demonstrates only the value of being prepared. The suggestion that securing a pipeline across Afghanistan figured into the White House's calculations is as ludicrous as the assertion that oil played a part in determining war in Iraq. That Afghanistan is once again the world's principal heroin producer is an unfortunate reality, but to claim the CIA is still actively involved in the narcotics trade is to presume bad faith on the part of the agency. Mahmood Ahmed, chief of Pakistan's ISI, must not have authorized an al Qaeda payment of $100,000 to Mohammed Atta days before the attacks, and was not meeting with senior Washington officials over the week of 9/11, because I didn't read anything about him in the official report. That Porter Goss met with Ahmed the morning of September 11 in his capacity as Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has no bearing whatsoever upon his recent selection by the White House to head the Central Intelligence Agency. That Goss's congressional seat encompasses the 9/11 hijackers' Florida base of operation, including their flight schools, is precisely the kind of meaningless factoid a conspiracy theorist would bring up. It's true that George HW Bush and Dick Cheney spent the evening of September 10 alone in the Oval Office, but what's wrong with old colleagues catching up? And it's true that George HW Bush and Shafig bin Laden, Osama's brother, spent the morning of September 11 together at a board meeting of the Carlyle Group, but the bin Ladens are a big family. That FEMA arrived in New York on Sept 10 to prepare for a scheduled biowarfare drill, and had a triage centre ready to go that was larger and better equipped than the one that was lost in the collapse of WTC 7, was a lucky twist of fate. Newsweek's report that senior Pentagon officials cancelled flights on Sept 10 for the following day on account of security concerns is only newsworthy because of what happened the following morning. That George Bush's telephone logs for September 11 do not exist should surprise no one, given the confusion of the day. That Mohamed Atta attended the International Officer's School at Maxwell Air Force Base, that Abdulaziz Alomari attended Brooks Air Force Base Aerospace Medical School, that Saeed Alghamdi attended the Defense Language Institute in Monterey merely shows it is a small world, after all. That Lt Col Steve Butler, Vice Chancellor for student affairs of the Defense Language Institute during Alghamdi's terms, was disciplined, removed from his post and threatened with court martial when he wrote "Bush knew of the impending attacks on America. He did nothing to warn the American people because he needed this war on terrorism. What is...contemptible is the President of the United States not telling the American people what he knows for political gain," is the least that should have happened for such disrespect shown his Commander in Chief. That Mohammed Atta dressed like a Mafioso, had a stripper girlfriend, smuggled drugs, was already a licensed pilot when he entered the US, enjoyed pork chops, drank to excess and did cocaine, was closer to Europeans than Arabs in Florida, and included the names of defence contractors on his email list, proves how dangerous the radical fundamentalist Muslim can be. That 43 lbs of heroin was found on board the Lear Jet owned by Wally Hilliard, the owner of Atta's flight school, just three weeks after Atta enrolled - the biggest seizure ever in Central Florida - was just bad luck. That Hilliard was not charged shows how specious the claims for conspiracy truly are. That Hilliard's plane had made 30-round trips to Venezuela with the same passengers who always paid cash, that the plane had been supplied by a pair of drug smugglers who had also outfitted CIA drug runner Barry Seal, and that 9/11 commissioner Richard ben-Veniste had been Seal's attorney before Seal's murder, shows nothing but the lengths to which conspiracists will go to draw sinister conclusions. Reports of insider trading on 9/11 are false, because the SEC investigated and found only respectable investors who will remain nameless involved, and no terrorists, so the windfall profit-taking was merely, as ever, coincidental. That heightened security for the World Trade Centre was lifted immediately prior to the attacks illustrates that it always happens when you least expect it. That Hani Hanjour, the pilot of Flight 77, was so incompetent he could not fly a Cessna in August, but in September managed to fly a 767 at excessive speed into a spiraling, 270-degree descent and a level impact of the first floor of the Pentagon, on the only side that was virtually empty and had been hardened to withstand a terrorist attack, merely demonstrates that people can do almost anything once they set their minds to it. That none of the flight data recorders were said to be recoverable even though they were located in the tail sections, and that until 9/11, no solid-state recorder in a catastrophic crash had been unrecoverable, shows how there's a first time for everything. That Mohammed Atta left a uniform, a will, a Koran, his driver's license and a "how to fly planes" video in his rental car at the airport means he had other things on his mind. The mention of Israelis with links to military-intelligence having been arrested on Sept 11 videotaping and celebrating the attacks, of an Israeli espionage ring surveiling DEA and defense installations and trailing the hijackers, and of a warning of impending attacks delivered to the Israeli company Odigo two hours before the first plane hit, does not deserve a response. That the stories also appeared in publications such as Ha'aretz and Forward is a sad display of self-hatred among certain elements of the Israeli media. That multiple military wargames and simulations were underway the morning of 9/11 - one simulating the crash of a plane into a building; another, a live-fly simulation of multiple hijackings - and took many interceptors away from the eastern seaboard and confused field commanders as to which was a real hijacked aircraft and which was a hoax, was a bizarre coincidence, but no less a coincidence. That the National Military Command Center ops director asked a rookie substitute to stand his watch at 8:30 am on Sept. 11 is nothing more than bad timing. That a recording made Sept 11 of air traffic controllers' describing what they had witnessed, was destroyed by an FAA official who crushed it in his hand, cut the tape into little pieces and dropped them in different trash cans around the building, is something no doubt that overzealous official wishes he could undo. That the FBI knew precisely which Florida flight schools to descend upon hours after the attacks should make every American feel safer knowing their federal agents are on the ball. That a former flight school executive believes the hijackers were "double agents," and says about Atta and associates, "Early on I gleaned that these guys had government protection. They were let into this country for a specific purpose," and was visited by the FBI just four hours after the attacks to intimidate him into silence, proves he's an unreliable witness, for the simple reason there is no conspiracy. That Jeb Bush was on board an aircraft that removed flight school records to Washington in the middle of the night on Sept 12th demonstrates how seriously the governor takes the issue of national security. To insinuate evil motive from the mercy flights of bin Laden family members and Saudi royals after 9/11 shows the sickness of the conspiratorial mindset. Le Figaro's report in October 2001, known to have originated with French intelligence, that the CIA met Osama bin Laden in a Dubai hospital in July 2001, proves again the perfidy of the French. That the tape in which bin Laden claims responsibility for the attacks was released by the State Department after having been found providentially by US forces in Afghanistan, and depicts a fattened Osama with a broader face and a flatter nose, proves Osama, and Osama alone, masterminded 9/11. That at the battle of Tora Bora, where bin Laden was surrounded on three sides, Special Forces received no order to advance and capture him and were forced to stand and watch as two Russian-made helicopters flew into the area where bin Laden was believed hiding, loaded up passengers and returned to Pakistan, demonstrates how confusing the modern battlefield can be. That upon returning to Fort Bragg from Tora Bora, the same Special Operations troops who had been stood down from capturing bin Laden, suffered a unusual spree of murder/suicides, is nothing more than a series of senseless tragedies. Reports that bin Laden is currently receiving periodic dialysis treatment in a Pakistani medical hospital are simply too incredible to be true. That the White House went on Cipro September 11 shows the foresightedness of America's emergency response. That the anthrax was mailed to perceived liberal media and the Democratic leadership demonstrates only the perversity of the terrorist psyche. That the anthrax attacks appeared to silence opponents of the Patriot Act shows only that appearances can be deceiving. That the Ames-strain anthrax was found to have originated at Fort Detrick, and was beyond the capability of all but a few labs to refine, underscores the importance of allowing the investigation to continue without the distraction of absurd conspiracy theories. That Republican guru Grover Norquist has been found to have aided financiers and supporters of Islamic terror to gain access to the Bush White House, and is a founder of the Islamic Institute, which the Treasury Department believes to be a source of funding for al Qaeda, suggests Norquist is at worst, naive, and at best, needs a wider circle of friends. That the Department of Justice consistently chooses to see accused 9/11 plotters go free rather than permit the courtroom testimony of al Qaeda leaders in American custody looks bad, but only because we don't have all the facts. That the White House balked at any inquiry into the events of 9/11, then starved it of funds and stonewalled it, was unfortunate, but since the commission didn't find for conspiracy it's all a non issue anyway. That the 9/11 commission's executive director and "gatekeeper," Philip Zelikow, was so closely involved in the events under investigation that he testified before the the commission as part of the inquiry, shows only an apparent conflict of interest. That commission chair Thomas Kean is, like George Bush, a Texas oil executive who had business dealings with reputed al Qaeda financier Khalid bin Mafouz, suggests Texas is smaller than they say it is. That co-chair Lee Hamilton has a history as a Bush family "fixer," including clearing Bush Sr of the claims arising from the 1980 "October Surprise", is of no concern, since only conspiracists believe there was such a thing as an October Surprise. That FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds accuses the agency of intentionally fudging specific pre-9/11 warnings and harboring a foreign espionage ring in its translation department, and claims she witnessed evidence of the semi-official infrastructure of money-laundering and narcotics trade behind the attacks, is of no account, since John Ashcroft has gagged her with the rare invocation of "State Secrets Privilege," and retroactively classified her public testimony. For the sake of national security, let us speak no more of her. That, when commenting on Edmond's case, Daniel Ellsberg remarked that Ashcroft could go to prison for his part in a cover-up, suggests Ellsberg is giving comfort to the terrorists, and could, if he doesn't wise up, find himself declared an enemy combatant. I could go on. And on and on. But I trust you get the point. Which is simply this: there are no secrets, an American government would never accept civilian casualties for geostrategic gain, and conspiracies are for the weak-minded and gullible. "wegottagetoutofthisplace," the democrats are just as guilty as the republicans on this one. they are trying to cover up just as much as the republicans. Sandy Berger, for instance...obviously helping save BJ Clinton's ass.
What about Skeptics of Buddhism, like us ? Please Patiently read everything.? Buddhism for beginners (and sceptical Westerners) Introduction Now that Buddhism is such a fast-growing religion in the West, a lot of Westerners are attracted to its rational approach and rejection of an all-powerful deity. But all too often we Westerners quickly get stuck on the idea of rebirth and the various cultural traditions that have become a part of Buddhism in Asia. I've been there myself - wondering if rebirth is for real, if karma is scientific, if Buddhism is rational, why I have to bow to a statue, and so on - and I almost gave up at one point. I've noticed also that some Westerners pop up on the Internet looking for others who've converted to Buddhism, hoping they can discover the trick to becoming a Buddhist despite a materialist upbringing. So this page is a mixture of useful resources and my own personal experiences in fully accepting Dharma as a way of life. I hope it will be of some use to others on the same path. •Where should I start? •What is Buddhism? •Are rebirth and karma for real? •What is our purpose in life? •What's the difference between Theravada and Mahayana? •Which tradition should I choose? •How do I become a Buddhist? •Which are good books to read? Where should I start? If there's one place you should not start, it's reincarnation/rebirth. Newcomers to Buddhism tend to open every book at the section on rebirth because what happens to us after we die is all-important in the monotheistic culture we come from. But the Buddha wasn't teaching rebirth as the goal of life. He said many times, "I teach suffering, and the way out of suffering." That was his message, to make nirvana (Pali: nibbana) - the end of suffering - the goal. So the place to start is with the basics, the Four Noble Truths and a practice aimed at reducing suffering. If this seems worthwhile to you, you're on your way. In fact, the best way to start is by doing a lot of reading. You need to know about the basic principles of Buddhism, its founder, its history, the different traditions, and what it can do for you. Even though there's a lot of stuff available free on the Internet, I still think a well-written book is the best way to go. For all of the above, try John Snelling's The Buddhist Handbook : A Complete Guide to Buddhist Schools, Teaching, Practice, and History or Gill Farrer-Halls' The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Buddhist Wisdom (which is also a handbook). These two books are both excellent primers to start off with. There's also a short overview titled What is Buddhism? from the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. For inspiring books written by Western monks who really understand Westerners' problems, try Ajahn Sumedho's The Mind and the Way : Buddhist Reflections of Life or Ajahn Jagaro's True Freedom, which is available online: •Chapter 1: True Freedom •Chapter 2: Compassion - The Natural Expression of Awakening •Chapter 3: Buddhism and God •Chapter 4: Beyond Boredom and Depression •Chapter 5: Buddhism and Vegetarianism •Chapter 6: Death and Dying Another book that's a must-read is Thich Nhat Hanh's little-known masterpiece, Old Path, White Clouds : Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha, a beautiful and easy-to-read story of the Buddha's life drawn from accounts in the Pali Canon and illustrated with line drawings. For a thorough explanation of the nuts and bolts of the teachings and practice, check out Ayya Khema's Being Nobody, Going Nowhere : Meditations on the Buddhist Path (very good at showing how ego rules our lives) or Henepola Gunaratana's Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness : Walking the Buddha's Path. There are a lot of good books on Dharma (Pali: Dhamma), but I'd recommend starting of with the original Theravada Buddhism and checking out the Mahayana traditions like Zen and Tibetan when you have a grasp of the basics. What you read will depend on what particular problems brought you to Buddhism in the first place. Some authors, the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh, for example, have written books on anger management. But it's important to practise too. In addition to following the Five Precepts, try practising Right Speech, generosity, compassion, being less self-centred, being less addicted to pleasures of the senses and being less concerned with possessions. And once you have a good grasp of the basic teachings and different traditions, it will be time to start meditating. Your situation in life may affect your practice and progress. If you live near a temple or Buddhist group, you'll be able to listen to Dharma talks, make Dharma friends and be with a community of like-minded people. If you don't, there are always the Internet and Buddhist forums such as E-Sangha and the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. I personally live in a Buddhist country where the majority of people don't understand the deeper teachings of Buddhism, so their focus is on making merit for a better rebirth and participating in ceremonies. So I rely a lot on the Internet, on Amazon and a few friends. I rarely go to temples. What is Buddhism? The following article is from the website of the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. The author explains karma and rebirth in the traditionally accepted way and is somewhat sceptical about the origins of the Mahayana sutras, but otherwise it's an excellent overview of Buddhism. Introduction For more than 2,500 years, the religion we know today as Buddhism has been the primary inspiration behind many successful civilizations, the source of great cultural achievements and a lasting and meaningful guide to the very purpose of life for millions of people. Today, large numbers of men and women from diverse backgrounds throughout our world are following the Teachings of the Buddha. So who was the Buddha and what are His Teachings? The Buddha The man who was to become the Buddha was born Siddhattha Gotama around 2,600 years ago as a Prince of a small territory near what is now the Indian-Nepalese border. Though he was raised in splendid comfort, enjoying aristocratic status, no amount of material pleasure could satisify the enquiring and philosophic nature of the young man. At the age of 29 he left palace and family to search for a deeper meaning in the secluded forests and remote mountains of North-East India. He studied under the wisest religious teachers and philosophers of his time, learning all they had to offer, but he found it was not enough. He then struggled alone with the path of self- mortification, taking that practice to the extremes of asceticism, but still to no avail. Then, at the age of 35, on the full moon night of May, he sat beneath the branches of what is now known as the Bodhi Tree, in a secluded grove by the banks of the river Neranjara, and developed his mind in deep but luminous, tranquil meditation. Using the extraordinary clarity of such a mind with its sharp penetrative power generated by states of deep inner stillness, he turned his attention to investigate upon the hidden meanings of mind, universe and life. Thus he gained the supreme Enlightenment experience and from that time on he was known as the Buddha. His Enlightenment consisted of the most profound and all-embracing insight into the nature of mind and all phenomena. This Enlightenment was not a revelation from some divine being, but a discovery made by Himself and based on the deepest level of meditation and the clearest experience of the mind. It meant that He was no longer subject to craving, ill-will and delusion but was free from their shackles, having attained the complete ending of all forms of inner suffering and acquired unshakeable peace. The Teachings of the Buddha Having realized the goal of Perfect Enlightenment, the Buddha spent the next 45 years teaching a Path which, when diligently followed, will take anyone regardless of race, class or gender to that same Perfect Enlightenment. The Teachings about this Path are called the Dhamma, literally meaning "the nature of all things" or "the truth underlying existence". It is beyond the scope of this pamphlet to present a thorough description of all of these Teachings but the following 7 topics will give you an overview of what the Buddha taught: 1. The way of Inquiry The Buddha warned strongly against blind faith and encouraged the way of truthful inquiry. In one of His best known sermons, the Kalama Sutta, the Buddha pointed out the danger in fashioning one's beliefs merely on the following grounds: on hearsay, on tradition, because many others say it is so, on the authority of ancient scriptures, on the word of a supernatural being, or out of trust in one's teachers, elders, or priests. Instead one maintains an open mind and thoroughly investigates one's own experience of life. When one sees for oneself that a particular view agrees with both experience and reason, and leads to the happiness of one and all, then one should accept that view and live up to it! This principle, of course, applies to the Buddha's own Teachings. They should be considered and inquired into using the clarity of mind born of meditation. Only when one sees these Teachings for oneself in the experience of insight, do these Teachings become one's Truth and give blissful liberation. The traveller on the way of inquiry needs the practice of tolerance. Tolerance does not mean that one embraces every idea or view but means one doesn't get angry at what one can't accept. Further along the journey, what one once disagreed with might later be seen to be true. So in the spirit of tolerant inquiry, here are some more of the basic Teachings as the Buddha gave them. 2. The Four Noble Truths The main Teaching of the Buddha focuses not on philosophical speculations about a Creator God or the origin of the universe, or on a heaven world ever after. The Teaching, instead, is centred on the down-to-earth reality of human suffering and the urgent need to find lasting relief from all forms of discontent. The Buddha gave the simile of a man shot by a poison-tipped arrow who, before he would call a doctor to treat him, demanded to know first who shot the arrow and where the arrow was made and of what and by whom and when and where ... this foolish man would surely die before his questions could be well answered. In the same way, the Buddha said, the urgent need of our existence is to find lasting relief from recurrent suffering, which robs us of happiness and leaves us in strife. Philosophical speculations are of secondary importance and, anyway, they are best left until after one has well trained the mind in meditation to the stage where one has the ability to examine the matter clearly and find the Truth for oneself. Thus, the central Teaching of the Buddha, around which all other teachings revolve, is the Four Noble Truths: 1.That all forms of being, human and otherwise, are afflicted with suffering. 2.That the cause of this suffering is Craving, born of the illusion of a soul (see below, note 7). 3.That this suffering has a lasting end in the Experience of Enlightenment (Nibbana) which is the complete letting go of the illusion of soul and all consequent desire and aversion. 4.That this peaceful and blissful Enlightenment is achieved through a gradual training, a Path that is called the Middle Way or the Eightfold Path. It would be mistaken to label this Teaching as 'pessimistic' on the grounds that it begins by centring on suffering. Rather, Buddhism is 'realistic' in that it unflinchingly faces up to the truth of life's many sufferings and it is 'optimistic' in that it shows a final end of the problem of suffering - Nibbana, Enlightenment in this very life! Those who have achieved this ultimate peace are the inspiring examples who demonstrate once and for all that Buddhism is far from pessimistic, but it is a Path to true Happiness. 3. The Middle Way or Eightfold Path The Way to end all suffering is called the Middle Way because it avoids the two extremes of sensual indulgence and self-mortification. Only when the body is in reasonable comfort but not over-indulged has the mind the clarity and strength to meditate deeply and discover the Truth. This Middle Way consists of the diligent cultivation of Virtue, Meditation and Wisdom, which is explained in more detail as the Noble Eightfold Path. 1.Right Understanding 2.Right Thought 3.Right Speech 4.Right Action 5.Right Livelihood 6.Right Effort 7.Right Mindfulness 8.Right Concentration Right Speech, Action and Livelihood constitute the training in Virtue or Morality. For a practising Buddhist it consists of maintaining the five Buddhist Precepts, which are to refrain from: 1.Deliberately causing the death of any living being; 2.Intentionally taking for one's own the property of another; 3.Sexual misconduct, in particular adultery; 4.Lying and breaking promises; 5.Drinking alcohol or taking stupefying drugs which lead to lack of mindfulness. Right Effort, Mindfulness and Concentration refer to the practice of Meditation, which purifies the mind through the experience of blissful states of inner stillness and empowers the mind to penetrate the meaning of life through profound moments of insight. Right Understanding and Thought are the manifestation of Buddha-Wisdom which ends all suffering, transforms the personality and produces unshakeable serenity and tireless compassion. According to the Buddha, without perfecting the practice of Virtue it is impossible to perfect Meditation, and without perfecting Meditation it is impossible to arrive at Enlightenment Wisdom. Thus the Buddhist Path is a Gradual Path, a Middle Way consisting of Virtue, Meditation and Wisdom as explained in the Noble Eightfold Path leading to happiness and liberation. 4. Kamma Kamma means 'action'. The Law of Kamma means that there are inescapable results of our actions. There are deeds of body, speech or mind that lead to others' harm, one's own harm, or to the harm of both. Such deeds are called bad (or 'unwholesome') kamma. They are usually motivated by greed, hatred or delusion. Because they bring painful results, they should not be done. There are also deeds of body, speech or mind that lead to others' well being, one's own well being, or to the well being of both. Such deeds are called good (or 'wholesome') kamma. They are usually motivated by generosity, compassion or wisdom. Because they bring happy results, they should be done as often as possible. Thus much of what one experiences is the result of one's own previous kamma. When misfortune occurs, instead of blaming someone else, one can look for any fault in one's own past conduct. If a fault is found, the experience of its consequences will make one more careful in the future. When happiness occurs, instead of taking it for granted, one can look to see if it is the result of good kamma. If so, the experience of its pleasant results will encourage more good kamma in the future. The Buddha pointed out that no being whatsoever, divine or otherwise, has any power to stop the consequences of good and bad kamma. The fact that one reaps just what one sows gives to the Buddhist a greater incentive to avoid all forms of bad kamma while doing as much good kamma as possible. Though one cannot escape the results of bad kamma, one can lessen their effect. A spoon of salt mixed in a glass of pure water makes the whole very salty, whereas the same spoon of salt mixed in a freshwater lake hardly changes the taste of the water. Similarly, the result of a bad kamma in a person habitually doing only a small amount of good kamma is painful indeed, whereas the result of the same bad kamma in a person habitually doing a great deal of good kamma is only mildly felt. This natural Law of Kamma becomes the force behind, and reason for, the practice of morality and compassion in our society. 5. Rebirth The Buddha remembered clearly many of His past lives. Even today, many Buddhist monks, nuns and others also remember their past lives. Such a strong memory is a result of deep meditation. For those who remember their past life, Rebirth is an established fact which puts this life in a meaningful perspective. The Law of Kamma can only be understood in the framework of many lifetimes, because it sometimes takes this long for Kamma to bear its fruit. Thus Kamma and Rebirth offer a plausible explanation to the obvious inequalities of birth; why some are born into great wealth whereas others are born into pathetic poverty; why some children enter this world healthy and full-limbed whereas others enter deformed and diseased... The fruits of bad Kamma are not regarded as a punishment for evil deeds but as lessons from which to learn, for example, how much better to learn about the need for generosity than to be reborn among the poor! Rebirth takes place not only within this human realm. The Buddha pointed out that the realm of human beings is but one among many. There are many separate heavenly realms and grim lower realms, too, realms of the animals and realms of the ghosts. Not only can human beings go to any of these realms in the next life, but we can come from any of these realms into our present life. This explains a common objection against Rebirth that argues "How can there be Rebirth when there are ten times as many people alive today than there were 50 years ago?" The answer is that people alive today have come from many different realms. Understanding that we can come and go between these different realms, gives us more respect and compassion for the beings in these realms. It is unlikely, for example, that one would exploit animals when one has seen the link of Rebirth that connects them with us. 6. No Creator God The Buddha pointed out that no God or priest nor any other kind of being has the power to interfere in the working out of someone else's Kamma. Buddhism, therefore, teaches the individual to take full responsibility for themselves. For example, if you want to be wealthy then be trustworthy, diligent and frugal, or if you want to live in a heaven realm then always be kind to others. There is no God to ask favours from, or to put it another way there is no corruption possible in the workings of Kamma. Do Buddhists believe that a Supreme Being created the universe? Buddhists would first ask which universe do you mean? This present universe, from the moment of the 'big bang' up to now, is but one among countless millions in Buddhist cosmology. The Buddha gave an estimate of the age of a single universe-cycle of around 37,000 million years, which is quite plausible when compared to modern astrophysics. After one universe- cycle ends another begins, again and again, according to impersonal law. A Creator God is redundant in this scheme. No being is a Supreme Saviour, according to the Buddha, because whether God, human, animal or whatever, all are subject to the Law of Kamma. Even the Buddha had no power to save. He could only point out the Truth so that the wise could see it for themselves. Everyone must take responsibility for their own future well-being, and it is dangerous to give that responsibility to another. 7. The Illusion of Soul The Buddha taught that there is no soul, no essential and permanent core to a living being. Instead, that which we call a 'living being', human or other, can be seen to be but a temporary coming together of many activities and parts - when complete it is called a 'living being', but after the parts separate and the activities cease it is not called a 'living being' anymore. Like an advanced computer assembled of many parts and activities, only when it is complete and performs coherent tasks is it called a 'computer', but after the parts are disconnected and the activities cease it is no longer called a 'computer'. No essential permanent core can be found which we can truly call 'the computer', just so, no essential permanent core can be found which we can call 'the soul'. Yet Rebirth still occurs without a soul. Consider this simile: on a Buddhist shrine one candle, burnt low, is about to expire. A monk takes a new candle and lights it from the old. The old candle dies, the new candle burns bright. What went across from the old candle to the new? There was a causal link but no thing went across! In the same way, there was a causal link between your previous life and your present life, but no soul has gone across. Indeed, the illusion of a soul is said by the Buddha to be the root cause of all human suffering. The illusion of 'soul' manifests as the 'Ego'. The natural unstoppable function of the Ego is to control. Big Egos want to control the world, average Egos try to control their immediate surroundings of home, family and workplace, and almost all Egos strive to control what they take to be their own body and mind. Such control manifests as desire and aversion, it results in a lack of both inner peace and outer harmony. It is this Ego that seeks to acquire possessions, manipulate others and exploit the environment. Its aim is its own happiness but it invariably produces suffering. It craves for satisfaction but it experiences discontent. Such deep- rooted suffering cannot come to an end until one sees, through deep and powerful meditation, that the idea 'me and mine' is no more than a mirage. These seven topics are a sample of what the Buddha taught. Now, to complete this brief sketch of Buddhism, let's look at how these Teachings are practised today. Types of Buddhism One could say that there is only one type of Buddhism and that is the huge collection of Teachings that were spoken by the Buddha. The original Teachings are found in the 'Pali Canon', the ancient scripture of Theravada Buddhism, which is widely accepted as the oldest reliable record of the Buddha's words. Theravada Buddhism is the dominant religion in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. Between 100 to 200 years after the passing away of the Buddha, the Sangha (the monastic community) split over the political question of 'Who runs the Sangha?' A controversy over some monastic rules was decided by a committee of Arahats (fully Enlightened monks or nuns) against the views of the majority of monks. The disgruntled majority resented what they saw as the excessive influence of the small number of Arahats in monastery affairs. From then on, over a period of several decades, the disaffected majority partially succeeded in lowering the exalted status of the Arahat and raising in its place the ideal of the Bodhisattva (an unenlightened being training to be a Buddha). Previously unknown scriptures, supposedly spoken by the Buddha and hidden in the dragon world, then appeared giving a philosophical justification for the superiority of the Bodhisattva over the allegedly 'selfish' Arahat. This group of monks and nuns were first known as the 'Maha Sangha', meaning 'the great (part) of the monastic community'. Later, after impressive development, they called themselves the 'Mahayana', the 'Greater Vehicle' while quite disparagingly calling the older Theravada 'Hinayana', the 'Inferior Vehicle'. Mahayana still retains most of the original teachings of the Buddha (in the Chinese scriptures these are known as the 'Agama' and in the Tibetan version as the 'Kangyur') but these core teachings were mostly overwhelmed by layers of expansive interpretations and wholly new ideas. The Mahayana of China, still vibrant in Taiwan, reflects an earlier phase of this development, the Mahayana of Vietnam, Korea and Japan (mostly Zen) is a later development, and the Mahayana of Tibet and Mongolia is a much later development still. Buddhism's relevance to the world today Today, Buddhism continues to gain ever wider acceptance in many lands far beyond its original home. Here in Australia, many Australians through their own careful choice are adopting Buddhism's peaceful, compassionate and responsible ways. The Buddhist Teaching of the Law of Kamma offers our society a just and incorruptible foundation and reason for the practice of a moral life. It is easy to see how a wider embracing of the Law of Kamma would lead any country towards a stronger, more caring and virtuous society. The Teaching of Rebirth places this present short lifetime of ours in a broader perspective, giving more meaning to the vital events of birth and death. The understanding of Rebirth removes so much of the tragedy and grief surrounding death and turns one's attention to the quality of a lifetime, rather than its mere length. From the very beginning, the practice of meditation has been at the very heart of the Buddhist Way. Today, meditation grows increasingly popular as the proven benefits to both mental and physical well being become more widely known. When stress is shown to be such a major cause of human suffering, the quieting practice of meditation becomes ever more valued. Today's world is too small and vulnerable to live angry and alone, thus the need for tolerance, love and compassion is so very important. These qualities of mind, essential for happiness are formally developed in Buddhist meditation and then diligently put into practice in everyday life. Forgiveness and gentle tolerance, harmlessness and peaceful compassion are well known trademarks of Buddhism, they are given freely and broadly to all kinds of beings, including animals of course, and also, most importantly, to oneself. There is no place for dwelling in guilt or self-hatred in Buddhism, not even a place for feeling guilty about feeling guilty! Teachings and practices such as these are what bring about qualities of gentle kindness and unshakeable serenity, identified with the Buddhist religion for 25 centuries and sorely needed in today's world. In all its long history, no war has ever been fought in the name of Buddhism. It is this peace and this tolerance, growing out of a profound yet reasonable philosophy, which makes Buddhism so vitally relevant to today's world. Are rebirth and karma for real? Is rebirth for real - either as a human or in one of the other realms? This is the question most Westerners ask as soon as they become interested in Buddhism. Karma (Pali: Kamma) - the law of cause and effect - operates across multiple lifetimes, but where's the proof that there is any life other than the current one? It's a complex subject and each tradition has its own explanation. It isn't uncommon for different teachers in the same tradition to have a different take on rebirth. One thing's for sure, there is no scientific proof of rebirth (yet). There are rational explanations, but they all rest on unprovable assumptions. One way to approach the question of rebirth is suggested by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, who says, "You don't have to believe in rebirth, you just have to take it as a working hypothesis." Other teachers, such as Ajahn Summedho, have a similar view, that since we can never know what will happen after death, it makes sense to practise Dharma (Pali: Dhamma) and live this life in the best way possible. Some well-known monks, Ajahn Brahm and P.A. Payutto among them, say that when meditators reach the third or fourth jhana (level of absorbtion) they are able to "read their past lives" as the Buddha did and experience the truth of rebirth. But this ability is by no means universal, even among meditation masters. Another explanation championed by Buddhadasa, Thailand's most revered monk, is that rebirth in a series of physical bodies is "conventional talk" to make the subject understandable for the masses, but in "Dharma talk" what the Buddha really meant was that each life was the arising of the ego in the mind. So we experience "death" and "rebirth" (of the ego) many times each day. Similarly, the six realms of existence all correspond to states of mind. In the same way, the cause and effect of karma can be observed in our own mental states - when we do good deeds it results in a wholesome mental state, when we do bad deeds, we experience unwholesome mental states. This rational explanation of rebirth and karma doesn't necessarily exclude the traditional view. It augments it. What works for me is to take both of them as working hypotheses and practise accordingly. Recalling the Buddha's story about the man shot with a poisoned arrow, if we need to have every detail of the teaching proved to us at the outset, we'll be dead before we start practising. What is our purpose in life? The traditional answer to this is that our purpose is to attain nirvana and stop the endless cycle of rebirths and suffering. But the idea of a general purpose for mankind suggests that someone or something created that purpose, which in turn suggests an omnipotent deity. The way I think of it is that we have no pre-ordained purpose. We evolved, and here we are. Because we also evolved language and conceptual thinking, we got stuck with this concept of a self, an ego that makes us feel separate from everything else. The ego needs constant reassurance of its importance, which is why we cling to our views and defend them fanatically, and why we are constantly criticizing others. Our ego rules our lives. It is terrified of being snuffed out. We handle this in different ways. Some of us have lots of kids so we can feel that a part of us lives o