The Woven: Human Resources and the Pursuit of Empire

HR: Human Resources

Although I understand the term, I have always hated it. It more than suggests that people are a resource to be used - and when no longer needed - discarded.

I also hate companies who make the claim that they are like ?a big family.? Families don't lay-off family members. Cut the pretension. Call it what it is.

From this world-view people are little more than a resource pool to feed the needs of economics and industry. Sadly, it may be true, whether I like it or not.

In today's world there is a limited pool of 'resources' available. And let's be honest here; to the modern day church, people are seen as a resource. They draw from the same pool and ultimately accomplish one thing only. Intentionally or not, they only further divide the church into smaller and smaller splinters. The direction the modern day church is headed in is ?The Church of Me?; total individuality.

Ironically, it is a position the church condemns many ?Spiritual-but-not-Religious? people of being guilty of.

What we have here is the Religion of the Institutional Church.

There are two Sacred Holy of Holies in the Institutional Christian Churches today.
Sabbath Observation (going to their church), and Tithing (revenue stream)
Membership and proselyting.
If simplified further, the modern day Institutional Christian Church is simply a business functioning under a business model.
Human Resources.

These two Sacred Cows ? Sabbath Observation and Tithing - are absolutely untouchable. However, membership and church attendance has been and continues to drop. They know they are dying.

From my observations, this gives birth to two types of reactions. There are those out there ? I'd hate to say spiritual predators because it sounds so harsh ? who would take this opportunity to create their own little churches and communities (only quickening its demise), and there is the Religion of the Institutional Church who know something needs to be done but aren't sure what.

Ultimately, they will state a revival is needed - a much needed revolution is at hand! What they attempt to do however, is repackage and re-market the same old religion (with its two Sacred Cows). (New wine into old wine skins?)

(Unfortunately, I am going to be naming names and taking numbers). Of the numerous book reviews I have done over the years, John Crowder's ?Seven Spirits Burning? and ?Mystical Union?, Jay Bakker's ?Fall to Grace?, and Andrew Farley's ?The Naked Gospel??are all indicative of this; the business of Repackaging.

It is interesting that so many people turn to religion hoping to find?succor? emancipation, and freedom. It's also interesting what the word 'religion' means.

?The literal meaning of the word religion is, ironically, ?to return to bondage.? This word comes from two words, the prefix re meaning ?to return?, and the root legare meaning ?to bind?. Since everyone wants freedom, and many turn to religion to find it, the regrettable consequence is that often they get greater enslavement?. Steve McSwain's "The Enoch Factor", Smyth & Helwys Publishing, 2010, pg. 45

I think the one question that the Religion of the Institutional Church feels so desperately needs to be answered is the wrong question.
How do we save the church?

We don't.

Although I cannot say the following authors or their books hold this position, they are definitely looking in the right direction. Aaron D. Taylor's ?Alone with a Jihadist??and Steve McSwain's ?The Enoch Factor??are good examples. Even Matt Mikalatos' ?Imaginary Jesus??because it speaks of truths through fiction.

I happen to agree with the Dalai Lama when he said, ?Until there is peace among the religions of the world, there will be no peace in the world?.

There cannot be peace among the world's religions when some are so focused on proselyting, membership, building numbers, and ? ultimately - dreams of empire.

What does the future of Churchianity look like?
I hope there isn't one.
What does the future of Christianity look like?

I don't even think these are the correct questions.
I think Steve McSwain might have put it best,

?I feel more strongly today than ever that the future of humanity is at stake. Unless there are profound changes in human consciousness ? that is, changes in how we look at each other and how we treat each other, there is little hope for humanity's survival.?Steve McSwain's "The Enoch Factor", Smyth & Helwys Publishing, 2010, pg. 44

Source: http://pieceofburlap.blogspot.com/2012/12/human-resources-and-pursuit-of-empire.html

extenze tenacious d steve smith zou bisou bisou tim tebow press conference tebow press conference trina

No 'fiscal cliff' deal, but Democrats, GOP closer to compromise (Los Angeles Times)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/273966368?client_source=feed&format=rss

phoenix coyotes bruce irvin charlie st cloud celtics nba playoffs rosario dawson young jeezy

President's brother speaks out on Colombia talks

BOGOTA, Colombia -- A brother of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has revealed that the country's largest guerrilla group had initially proposed to hold peace talks within Colombia or in neighboring Venezuela, rather than in Cuba.

Enrique Santos said in an article published in the newspaper El Espectador on Sunday that the government's team had insisted that the talks not be held in Colombia.

"We decided on Cuba for security and above all because it guaranteed confidentiality," Santos wrote in the article.

Representatives of the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, began discussions in Havana on Nov. 19 seeking a deal to end the country's decades-old conflict. They currently are taking a holiday break and are to resume talks on Jan. 14.

Santos, a journalist and former director of the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo, is not a member of the team involved in the current talks, though he has acted as an adviser to the government negotiators.

He revealed details of earlier discussions with the rebels starting in February 2011. He said he has been involved "in an irreversible way in this process."

Santos said that one especially complicated matter was getting one of the rebel leaders, Jaime Alberto Parra Rodriguez, to make the trip to Cuba for those initial discussions. Santos said the rebels were distrustful of the plans to shuttle away Parra, who is better known by the nom-de-guerre Mauricio Jaramillo or the nickname "El Medico."

"It was very hard to convince the FARC to ... accept putting (Parra) on a helicopter supplied by the state," Santos wrote. "At the time of picking him up, he appeared guarded by more than 50 men armed to the teeth. In the end there was crying by women guerrillas and a farewell ceremony. That was the first big achievement: getting Jaramillo to Havana. That process lasted nearly a year."

Santos said he and others arrived in Havana on Feb. 23, 2011, ahead of their first contacts with the guerrillas, and that after sitting together about 70 times, they finally signed a preliminary accord in August 2012 to launch the peace talks. Until they reached that point, Santos said, "various times we were on the verge of breaking off" the discussions.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/30/3161747/presidents-brother-speaks-out.html

Voting Results 2012 pbs ron paul Cnn Electoral Map roseanne barr guy fawkes gary johnson

vvslaxman25: Publishing Your eZine the Cons | My life - mlyvyn's

As with any other types of businesses, publishing your own online newsletter a.k.a. eZine has its share of drawbacks, in spite of the several benefits it offer.

The purpose of this article is not to scare you away with the disadvantages of publishing your own eZine, as the benefits are often more attractive. However, I will also show you how you can easily tackle the cons.

One obvious challenge most beginning eZine publishers face is the creation of eZine content. Creating your own content can be tiresome, especially if you are not a gifted writer and that you run out of ideas every so often that your publishing schedule is threatening you.

A way of taking care of this problem is to create your content in advance. You can compile 30 days worth of content in one day, for example. If you are not blessed with writing skills, you can broker the writing task to capable freelance writers which you can find at places such as http://www.elance.com/ or http://www.rentacoder.com/. While you need to pay for such services, you are at liberty to take the credit for written articles.

Alternatively, you can republish articles from article directories such as http://ezinearticles.com/. This is a free method you can use in making content, provided you include the resource box of the original author and that the article has republishing rights conveyed.

In conclusion, you can easily tackle the content creation challenge using the mentioned methods that do not require writing on your part, free or paid.

[Insert Your Resource Box Here]

(Words: 253)

This entry was posted in Internet Marketing on December 25, 2012 by SWELEX.

Source: http://blog.swelex.com/teamangel/publishing-your-ezine-the-cons.html

tropic thunder carnie wilson missing reese witherspoon pregnant billy joel bent new york jets

Source: http://vvslaxman25.blogspot.com/2012/12/publishing-your-ezine-cons-my-life.html

jon hamm heather morris ncaa bracket predictions jeff foxworthy the bachelor finale march madness bracket south by southwest

Source: http://mlyvyn.posterous.com/vvslaxman25-publishing-your-ezine-the-cons-my

daniel tosh kate upton Jason Kidd All Star Game 2012 directv rashard lewis curacao

Source: http://gogaev.posterous.com/vvslaxman25-publishing-your-ezine-the-cons-my

ufc 143 weigh ins micron ceo glenn miller who do you think you are superpac steve appleton bishop eddie long

RUBEN NAVARRETTE: California Dreamers wake; UC Berkeley plans scholarship for illegal immigrants

When it comes to how California handles illegal immigrants, the state is all over the map. Not unlike the rest of the country, the Golden State can?t decide whether it wants to make life comfortable for the undocumented or make them so unhappy that it runs them off.

?Twas always thus. Consider my home state?s history over the past few decades.

In the 1980s, Republican Sen. Pete Wilson of California ? at the behest of agribusiness ? drove support for the Immigration Reform and Control Act, which President Ronald Reagan signed into law in 1986. The legislation granted amnesty to about 3 million illegal immigrants.

Then in the 1990s, when Wilson ? who had come home to serve as governor ? found himself with dismal approval ratings and a tough re-election battle, he drove support for Proposition 187, which California voters approved in 1994. The ballot initiative ? later struck down as unconstitutional ? denied illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born children access to schools, welfare and non-emergency health care.

Today, the tradition continues. And now, it?s Democrats who are being inconsistent.

One minute, Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown is signing a bill to expand educational opportunity for undocumented youth by letting them compete for scholarships to attend public colleges and universities in the state. The next minute, Brown all but ensures that more of these students and their parents will get deported when he vetoes another bill aimed at reining in Secure Communities, a program the Obama administration uses to coerce local police into enforcing federal immigration law.

Now, in a recent development, the flagship institution in the University of California system ? UC Berkeley ? has announced that it is forming a $1 million scholarship fund for undocumented immigrant students. Believed to be the largest scholarship of its kind at any university in the country, it is being funded by a donation from a private foundation. When the Dreamers Fund is established in 2013, as many as 200 undocumented students from 20 countries will be eligible to apply. The awards are in the amount of $8,000. To qualify, students need at least a 3.0 grade-point average.

The new scholarship will come in handy. While getting into a college or university isn?t usually a problem for many illegal immigrant students, paying the tuition can be. The undocumented are ineligible for federal grants or student loans. To address that problem, the California Legislature passed a law last year declaring undocumented students eligible to receive private scholarships offered by state colleges and universities.

The scholarship takes its name from the DREAM Act, legislation that would have provided a pathway to legal status and citizenship to those who attended college or joined the military. The Democratic-controlled Senate killed the bill in December 2010 when five Democrats voted against cloture. Otherwise, in the 2012 elections, Democrats might have been slapped with the label of being weak on illegal immigration.

While some Californians grumble about offering scholarships to illegal immigrants, there is really nothing wrong with it. There is a legitimate debate to be had over whether illegal immigrants should have access to public funds. Those who feel strongly that illegal immigration is destroying California certainly don?t want to see their tax dollars go to educate young people who shouldn?t be here in the first place. Continued...

I don?t agree with that point of view, but I understand it. We all should. Yet, this is private money, and the University of California is free to use it however specified by the donors. Case closed.

Besides, there?s an added benefit. In a larger sense, the Dreamers Fund is an honest acknowledgement by the University of California of a couple of things that most people don?t want to admit. First, that many undocumented students are hardworking and productive, and they deserve financial support from private individuals. And second, that Californians owe a debt to the estimated 3 million undocumented residents who call the state home. Despite what many people think, these immigrants pay taxes (sales, municipal, property). And they help keep the state?s economy humming along by maintaining the profit margins for the multitude of businesses ? farms, ranches, landscaping companies, construction firms, meat-processing factories, hotels, restaurants, etc. ? that hire them and then turn around and pay state taxes as well.

Thank you, University of California. Honesty is hard to come by in just about any aspect of the immigration debate, and it is much appreciated.

Ruben Navarrette is a columnist and editorial board member at the San Diego Union Tribune. He offers new thinking on major issues, especially thorny questions involving ethnicity and national origin. His e-mail address is ruben.navarrette@uniontrib.com.

Source: http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2012/12/30/opinion/doc50dfca1267916501755462.txt

rob the firm new york philharmonic marines urinating on taliban critics choice awards super pac dre kirkpatrick

Univision Communications Selects Man Made Music (NYC) for ...

The NYC-based music and media company Man Made Music has won a major client, announcing that it has been named as the sonic branding agency of record for creation of Univision?s sonic rebrand.

The new Univision logo is the springboard for the media giant?s fresh sonic brand, debuting January 1st.

Univision stands as the leading media company serving Hispanic America, with wide-ranging multimedia assets. Man Made Music will create an overall sonic anthem for the brand, including a sonic logo and full identity packages for Univision?s news, sports, telenovelas and movie offerings, plus the Univision Radio group, segmented by radio playlist.

The sonic identity will be utilized across Univision Communications? multimedia platforms, including Univision Network, UniM?s Network and Univision Radio. The new sonic identity for Univision Network will be unveiled on January 1, 2013 followed by UniM?s on January 7.

Man Man Made Music?s Founder and Lead Composer, Joel Beckerman, oversaw a sonic branding process designed to give voice to the Univision mission, and bring to life the evolution of the Univision brand over it?s 50-year history.

The fresh sonic branding follows an October, 2012, unveiling of Univision Communications? new brand identity. The company?s new logo was introduced at that time, evocative of a human heart and three-dimensional in appearance, representing Univision as the ?Hispanic Heartbeat of America.?

The Univision rebrand signified growth and transformation, and celebrates the culture of innovation built over the company?s 50-year history.

In early December, Univision Communications unveiled the UniM?s Network, the newly transformed TeleFutura. UniM?s provides alternative and bold programming to the new generation of Hispanic Millennial trendsetters ? the M?s Generation.

Man Made Music created built on Univision?s overall message and strategy with a new sonic identity that captures the essence of the dynamic multimedia company and its audience. With its new sound, Univision emphasizes the company?s heritage and culture, while at the same time connecting with its Hispanic American audience.

Man Made Music?s team of arrangers, composers and musicians created a dance track, using Latin rhythms with a vibrant, heartfelt tone ? the result is an emotional journey intended to capture the entirety of the Univision experience. The new sonic identity instantly connects audiences with Univision, creates continuity across Univision?s multiple platforms and differentiates the uniqueness of the media company.

On pins and needles to hear this new sonic brand? Tune in to Univision on New Year?s Day!

?

Source: http://www.sonicscoop.com/2012/12/29/univision-communications-selects-man-made-music-nyc-for-sonic-rebrand/

davy jones dead monkees last train to clarksville tim tebow taylor swift post grad arpaio carol burnett

Newtown Scam Arrest: Nouel Alba Busted For Starting Bogus Funeral Fund

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/newtown-scam-arrest-nouel-alba-busted-for-starting-bogus-funeral/

demaryius thomas transtar 316 william daley truffles truffles alabama vs lsu

The Blood Diamond

A normal high school girl is thrust into a sinister, darker and unbelievable world after she meets a gorgeous man that promises to make her life a little bit better. [PRP]

Owner:

Game Masters:

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?The Blood Diamond?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
This is the auto-generated OOC topic for the roleplay "The Blood Diamond"

You may edit this first post as you see fit.

Himekura

Member for 2 years

---

---

So what all characters are you wanting? are there certain roles you want filled?

JEDH3

Member for 1 years

---

Same question as JEDH3 I would love to be able to incoorporate my own supernatural characters too.

SilverInk

Member for 0 years

---

---

Post a reply

RolePlayGateway is a site built by a couple roleplayers who wanted to give a little something back to the roleplay community. The site has no intention of earning any profit, and is paid for out of their own pockets.

If you appreciate what they do, feel free to donate your spare change to help feed them on the weekends. After selecting the amount you want to donate from the menu, you can continue by clicking on PayPal logo.

Who is online

Registered users: 0neTailedf0x*, AceofSpade*, Adantas*, Addrinvan*, Ahri*, Alasund De'astio, Alexis Skulls, Anastasia's Arrow*, Aniihya, AntleredRabbit, Anuwa*, ArabellaDemonte, Areomancer*, ArgoYamato*, Armageddon*, Artemis June*, Aryutsuki*, Asher MstrImmortalis*, AthaNielsen*, AugustArria, AvengerSpirit*, Azrieldemourn, bandgeek*, Banshee*, Beach-Born-Boy*, bizarre1*, Blackbird26*, blackwolt*, BleedingLover, Bromander Shepard, Calvazara*, Canibelle*, Captain Obvious*, Carlos_Joaquin*, ceh12, Celaira, Celaradith, Celedia*, ChaosWithin*, ChaoticMarin*, Chari*, CharlotteV*, CherryRed, Cheyenne Hikaru, Chloe De Luca*, chrono*, cirrus_sd, ColeMaibara*, Colonel_Masters*, Colors of Iris, CptxMorgan*, create_something*, CreativityIsPower*, CriminalMinds*, Crooked Thoughts*, Curtsive*, CussingChild, CuteAsKaylah*, Dark Star*, dealing with it, Deallo*, deathrisesagain*, DemiKara*, DemonDante*, desire99600*, Devil Within*, Digital_Muse*, Disarmhxc*, DocBlargle, DontBeMad*, DreamerOnTheStars, Drogyn*, DuBois_Scarlett*, DustAndEchoes, Ebrie*, El_Gringo, ElRey, Elrith Eldwind, ElvenEllis, emotionless, EmperorCaesar*, Essence, Exabot [Bot], Fadded*, FalloutRomanae*, FamishedPants, fauxtruth, Floorgan*, Forevveru, Forsaken Heart, FrostedFlames, FrozenShard*, Game Master Zero, Geekly*, Genesis Rhapsodos, gezzygezzy, Ghost_Scar*, Google [Bot], Google Adsense [Bot], Google Feedfetcher, Half-Dragon*, Hallowed777*, Harlequin Smile, Hoga, HOLYCRAPAGHOST*, Horseygirl*, Hyperiant, Iandak, Igari*, itookaChance*, Izzyvamp*, JacintoRain*, Jadebud98, Jakuri-chan*, JEDH3, Jusan Kikan*, Just Sayin'*, Kai, Kamileon1*, Ken Shiro, kexia, KidCoyote*, KiraArsenic, Kohananinja, kookoo127*, Korrye*, Kura Ravengade*, Kuroe, LavenderMistress*, LazuliMetempsychosis*, Liberator600*, lilyboo12*, Little Fox, LittleMissGeorgia*, LittlexVamp, Lost Whisper, LostRiver, LuckyNumber24, Lufia, Luna Delta*, Luv-is-a-Bug, Malan, Malfunction*, MaxwellH*, MegaKooala12*, Megraw*, Merusagon*, Michaelis_xXx_Elly*, Midnightclub*, Miss_Dreamer, miz_reichul, Monochrome, moonrakerone*, Morgan, Mr_Doomed*, Mrs. Sara Banner*, MSNbot Media, mummydove, NasiaWords*, Natzalia, Nekohina*, Nevan*, Nevermore90*, Nieki*, nikarorse, nikihayner123*, ParanoiaLoser, Patcharoo*, pieluver, Polarisbear12*, Porecomesis*, PrinceSakuma, Princess Awinita*, Purpl3_Flam3s*, qbsuperstar03*, RacoonMoon()*, Raize*, rdaydreamer*, RedWolfe, Rem?us*, ROFLMAO FTW, Roku Mushabuki*, Romaneck*, RoteRosen, Rougeshadow*, Rulke*, Runika, Saviarre*, Scarlet Loup*, Scorpion01*, Seveneleven*, shadereen*, Shadow44499*, Shalaren*, Shiki29, silentawakening, SilverInk, SkullsandSlippers, Skwidge*, slcam*, SlightlyIrregular*, smrtazz13*, Sneakyrio*, Sokka25*, Sorella*, Soulnado, SoulSurviver233*, SpartanWolf*, spayce, Specialist443*, StandardFiend, Stark Contrast, Starlight77*, Stella11*, Stilts*, StitchSaysHi*, StormRider, supertoastgirl, Sweet Angel Jocelyn, swibla, Sylwyn*, Syn_Maxwell*, T1ra, Tainted Twinkee, Talisman, TaniaSoulEater, Taroo, teddybear, Temple, Tessla, The Great Thundorz, The Keywork*, The Painkiller*, thebagel264*, TheFlag, TheMadBlackRabbit*, TheMaster*, TheNoremac42*, Thundergod1020*, Tiko*, TnevdaNai, Tsukiakari, TurtleSoup*, twi-twi, Tylerjohnny1*, UniqueYetUnoriginal*, Varyar, Vestiline, vilevixen, VindicatedPurpose*, Vinn*, viper45, VitaminHeart*, ViviOrunitiaFF9, Voimoi, Wake*, WaltJRimmer, Wanderer*, warthog, wolfoftheage*, xfaithyx123*, XShishioX, Ylanne, Yolo, ZacharyTC*, Zero5*, Ziddie, Zitacamron95, ZoeyAutopsyx*

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/d1AdY1KseuE/viewtopic.php

megamillions winning numbers lotto winner michael oher jerry lee lewis cesar chavez winning lotto numbers lottery tickets

Valuable Information about a Drug Rehab in New York. | ArticlePDQ ...

Drug addiction is an essential issue people need to address. Typically, addicted people do not realize exactly how severe addiction is and have the tendency to wave it off as one of lifes tragedies. However, obsession to any substance, be it liquor, nicotine or drugs is certainly unhealthy and may even be life threatening. Find help from a drug rehab New York,US if any of your loved ones are addicts. Foremost, what do these programs give?.

Good Programs in Drug Rehab.

Firstly, there will be visible physical recuperation within few weeks of admission. The people will begin to see clearer and have rosier skin. They will also get other physical benefits such as having a healthy heart and liver. They will also have enhanced digestive functions. They will definitely learn just how to think logically because they no longer strive to cover their thoughts and feelings behind drugs. Physical and emotional well-being is guaranteed through yoga, martial arts and also such other holistic procedures.

There are a few substances that take a much longer time to get into the system of the body. This is particularly true if the person has formed a physical tolerance for covering the addiction. Amazingly, few people look to have ideal health conditions even on obsession to cocaine, heroin or other such narcotics. Drug rehabilitation programs present very good medical advice for drug withdrawal situations. These programs are also good for effective detoxification. These cleansing programs prevent the patient from retreating to the old habits of drug usage.

Besides lowering the addiction, the rehab program also helps avoid any signs of recurrence. Internal cleansing is therefore among one of the most effective programs offered. It makes certain the extraction of toxins from the patients human body and helps in building higher tolerance levels. Over time, patients could return to their regular activities without any type of hassle. You could note a considerable decline in withdrawal symptoms as a result of good guidance and strict medical supervisions.

Drug rehab programs are excellent in meeting all the demands of an addict not limited to substance abuse. Sessions on behavioral therapy and counseling is also given for fruitful rehabilitation. In addition, these programs make it simpler for an addict to be identified by the community by presenting occupational therapies. These two therapies teach life and social skills with which an addict may develop a new way of living for him/her. While the rehab programs offer freedom for the addicts, it can be quite hard for some junkies to manage such immediate responsibilities. They can be attracted towards drug dependence again. Rehab programs present such solutions also for protection of addicts.

In many circumstances, people become addicted to drugs as a result of disquieting emotional conditions. Some might also endure from mental illness that simply worsen the behavior pattern of an addict. Critical personal breakthrough is ensured by drug rehab New York as therapists spend quality time with the junkies. They attempt to uncover the dependence causes and determine the presence of other conditions that have to be treated simultaneously. Drug rehabs offer stress reduction through counseling , group discussions or other such rehab therapies. Though this could be mentally and emotionally exhausting, it is definitely less stressful than the usual life of an junkie. The patients need not worry about facets like work, relationships or financial problems which instigated the addiction process.

Source: http://articlepdq.com/health-fitness/valuable-information-about-a-drug-rehab-in-new-york/

Topless Kate university of texas UT Austin Lizzie Velasquez NFL Network att libya

Why Do Democrats ? Revolvers? (Powerlineblog)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/273481774?client_source=feed&format=rss

alex smith 49ers miss america 2012 hgtv dream home patriots vs broncos contraband denver vs new england denver broncos vs new england patriots

David Lowery, Cracker, Camper toil on despite bad odds | Tom ...

Fans may know David Lowery as a solo artist, Cracker frontman or anchor of his self-proclaimed ?unwieldy, chaotic, barely stable collective? Camper Van Beethoven, which has a new album, ?La Costa Perdida,? and celebrates its 30th anniversary next year.

But to his students at the University of Georgia, he is a math genius who helps demystify the increasingly complicated modern music industry.

?I get people to understand how the money works, because it?s a business built on failure,? he says. ?Almost everything that record labels, publishers and songwriters put out are failures, and just every once in a while, one song is kind of a hit.?

Depressing? You have no idea, says Lowery, 52, who brings CVB and Cracker to San Francisco this week.

Young artists shouldn?t waste time thinking they?re skilled, he argues, because talent means nothing in this equation, and luck is everything.

?Most people who tell you they have a formula for success have deluded themselves. They?ve just created a narrative fallacy about why something is successful,? says the singer, who ? with his spectacles and bushy beard ? looks rather professorial.

?It?s a very strange class that I teach ? we talk about risk and reward and the way markets work. It?s a really philosophical thing.?

What does he think accounts for Simon Cowell, and carefully conceived hitmakers like One Direction?

Cowell has more ability than the next producer, the singer admits.

?But we?re just talking about someone like him failing one out of eight times, instead of one out of 10,? says Lowery, who actually worked as a risk-assessing quantitative analyst for an online stockbroker.

?They still fail most of the time, but just a little less than everybody else. That?s the main thing that I teach the kids ? that it?s really unpredictable.?

Lowery has his own parable about the randomness of show biz, regarding a little track on Cracker?s fourth album called ?The World is ?Mine.?

The band enjoyed playing it live, he says, and that was about it. But recently an advertising executive stumbled across the cut, and decided to feature it in a new Gillette commercial: ?Suddenly that song is making more money for us than 90 percent of our catalog,? he says.

The Richmond, Va.-based Lowery wrote and recorded ?La Costa Perdida,? the whimsical new California-themed comeback (with songs such as ?Too High for the Love-In?) in his old Bay Area stomping grounds for a real West Coast feel.

Even though his outlook regarding success is bleak, the musician continues to make albums, he says, ?because you have to ? you have to keep playing the lottery. Then the higher the chances are that somehow, some song gets picked up in some weird way, and you make some money.?

Source: http://www.sfexaminer.com/entertainment/music/2012/12/david-lowery-cracker-camper-toil-despite-bad-odds

matterhorn chris harrison girl scouts printable bracket game change own stacy francis

Reduce Your Ray Rice Jersey Auto Insurance Top quality By Using ...

Simply how much do you basically understand about car insurance? Many people can always Ray Rice Jersey use far more information about vehicle insurance due to the fact it?s an issue that has an effect on us all. This post is moving to provide you with some ideas that can assist all sorts of folks about receiving vehicle insurance.

Drive properly and observe the policies of the direction to decrease your car insurance costs. Should you stay away from accidents and seats, you could possibly be entitled to a price reduction like a safe motorist. Naturally, becoming a risk-free motorist can save you money all over regarding solution bills and misused gasoline, and also obtaining you the cheapest insurance premiums.

Should you be auto buying make sure to talk with your vehicle insurance broker about how the vehicle you will be selecting will have an effect on your high quality. Various autos Ray Rice Jersey will have different effects on your insurance fees, in fact it is typically hard to anticipate all on your own such a certain car indicates for the rates.

Should your yearly miles pushed is reduced, your automobile insurance superior should be, as well. A lot fewer miles on your way converts directly into much less options for you to get into incidents. Insurance companies normally supply a quotation for the default twelve-monthly mileage of 12,000 kilometers. Should you drive lower than this be certain your insurance provider is aware it.

An ingenious way to verify a potential automobile insurer for stability would be to make contact with local automobile technicians and request them what insurance companies they do and never suggest. Vehicle restoration outlets have an unique viewpoint on insurance firms, while they see lots of promises Ray Rice Jersey handled from all insurance companies and know which companies typically create problems.

To streamline your insurance coverage demands and get the best feasible level on many different insurance kinds, look at incorporating your car insurance, property insurance and life coverage below 1 business. The greater number of policies you may have with a business, the steeper your current low cost is going to be. As an extra, this too signifies just one single monthly bill to spend at the same time on a monthly basis.

Verify and make sure your insurance policy for precision. You should hang out ensuring not just can be your information and facts Ray Rice Jersey correct with regards to your automobile but additionally make sure that your plan is proper according to your needs and demands. Faults can occur which is to your advantage to ensure that you usually are not spending money on insurance you don?t require or didn?t require.

An alternate way to lessen your car insurance top quality is actually by boosting your insurance deductible for accidents and extensive. Changing to a more expensive insurance deductible helps to reduce the collision percentage of your premium by approximately thirty percent. This can continue to include any car catastrophes, however, you continue to buy fender-benders.

With all the Ray Rice Jersey understanding you will be now armed with, you have to have a greater knowledge about vehicle insurance. What?s vital about auto insurance is to usually gain more know-how about the subject, that method for you to make knowledgeable choices. So start using these tips and you will be producing the correct judgements on the particular vehicle insurance protection you will need.

Select lots of good value Anquan Boldin Jersey now with speedy shipping, secure checkout & superb customer satisfaction from acknowledged Haloti Ngata Jersey online store.

Source: http://www.affordsl.com/reduce-your-ray-rice-jersey-auto-insurance-top-quality-by-using-these-recommendations/

the bourne legacy roland martin suspended lake vostok montgomery county public schools the river dr dog ke$ha

chrishaywoodfd: flanker darleen: Tools & Home Improvement - Lawn ...

Product Added : December 20th, 2012
Category : Mower Accessories

* Discount only for limited time, Buy it now!

"This Best Selling BRIGGS AND STRATTON 808798 KIT-NEEDLE VALVE [Tools & Home Improvement] Tends to SELL OUT VERY FAST! If this is a MUST HAVE product, be sure to Order Now to avoid disappointment!"

BRIGGS AND STRATTON 808798 KIT-NEEDLE VALVE [Tools & Home Improvement]

Product Descriptions : Brand New factory sealed Briggs and Stratton OEM KIT-NEEDLE VALVE. Current 2011 Briggs and Stratton part, Subject to availability from Briggs and Stratton. If not in stock you will be notified within 1 business day.. Check your Owners/Parts manual for correct application and fit. This is the current part description provided by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). To confirm your parts fit or description, Email us with your Make, Model and Serial Numbers. ?read more here

• BRAND NEW
• FRESH FROM FACTORY
• OEM

We have searched the web to find the best prices available. Click Here to find out where to get the best deal on BRIGGS AND STRATTON 808798 KIT-NEEDLE VALVE [Tools & Home Improvement]

Note : Purchase the BRIGGS AND STRATTON 808798 KIT-NEEDLE VALVE [Tools & Home Improvement]. This stuff is currently available, Sometime only 1 left in stock (more on the way), you can purchase it for just best price click here as well instead of making a trip to the complicated store.

Source: http://lawnmowingcare.com/briggs-and-stratton-808798-kit-needle-valve-tools-home-improvement

ps i love you ray charles cheney heart transplant weather san diego unitarian new black panther party lost in space

Source: http://theresapeele54.posterous.com/tools-home-improvement-lawn-mowers

khalid sheikh mohammed masters par 3 gwen stefani overeem laron landry mary j blige burger king islands

Source: http://flanker-darleen.blogspot.com/2012/12/tools-home-improvement-lawn-mowers.html

new black panther party lost in space elizabeth banks battle royale key largo arnold palmer invitational ryan madson

Source: http://ybnykot.posterous.com/flanker-darleen-tools-home-improvement-lawn-m

aldon smith friday night lights nick santino bruce arians the misfits hook troy

Source: http://lesleyalin.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/flanker-darleen-tools-home-improvement-lawn-mowers.html

octomom dan savage new world trade center kellen moore ryan braun bryce harper may day

Source: http://philipcampbell32.posterous.com/flanker-darleen-tools-home-improvement-lawn-m

Lil Reese Hurricane Sandy Nyc aapl Saanvi Venna vikings Colin Powell Tyrann Mathieu

Source: http://chrishaywoodfd.blogspot.com/2012/12/flanker-darleen-tools-home-improvement.html

Olympics closing ceremony PGA Championship 2012 John Witherspoon george michael usain bolt Closing Ceremony London 2012 Tom Daley

The end of One London Bridge ? and the end of London Bridge itself ...

Old London Bridge, courtesy of Motco, with the site of my ancestor?s house at One London Brige arrowed in red.

In the second half of the 18th Century my family lived at One London Bridge ? the first house and shop you came to as you entered the City of London? from the Southwark end. One of the things which I find incredibly sad about the family diaries from the 18th and 19th Centuries is the story of Francis Hall (the younger of two sons which my 4xgreat grandfather had by his first wife). After all, he never really wanted to be a shopkeeper ? he was never trained as a haberdasher like his father and elder brother, and was only drafted in to the family business at Number One London Bridge when brother William got bored with the retail trade and deserted the shop for the freedom of being a silk-man. That was in the 1790?s.

Francis stepped into the breach without complaint. His life wasn?t easy ? his first wife died in 1799 shortly after giving birth to a son. Her previous pregnancies had resulted in three live births (all three of them boys and all three of them dying within a couple of months) and a pair of stillborn twins. She was just 28 at the time of her death, which resulted from complications linked to the birth, but the latest child, another boy, somehow survived.

Bringing up a tiny infant while trying to run the business must have been a daunting task for the newly widowed Francis ? it doesn?t bear thinking about! In practice he married again fairly soon afterwards, but never had any more children.

From the moment when he became an owner of the business (jointly with father Richard, who took no part in the running of the shop, but who paid all the bills and pocketed half the profits) Francis knew that he was in charge of an asset which had a declining value as the lease ran out. Richard had originally signed a 61 year lease from the Corporation of London at an annual rent of just under ?28. It would inevitably expire on Christmas Day 1826, at which point Francis would have to move out and surrender possession to the Landlord. He must have felt the clock ticking every day, especially after his father died in 1801 leaving him the business. He would know full well that he would be 68 years old when the lease expired ? and he would be losing not just his business but?the?home? he had lived in since he was twelve years old as well.

There was something else looming over Francis ? the knowledge that all he had worked for, all he had done, was likely to be pulled down as soon as the lease was up. He would have known that plans had been mooted from the very beginning of the century to pull down the old bridge and put up a new one just upstream? and that the building at One London Bridge would be demolished so that improved access roads could be constructed. Year by year the knife would have been driven home ? a competition to find the best design, parliamentary approval, detailed feasibility studies etc.

All the time the old bridge was deteriorating. The Great Arch had been constructed?only seventy years earlier?but the?pillars were all constructed on their original 500 year old foundations and they were beginning to suffer subsidence. Bluntly the bridge was no longer fit for purpose ? either for shipping or for pedestrians, let alone for vast numbers of carts carriages and wheeled vehicles, livestock and so on.

Rennie?s design for the new bridge showing the old bridge with its many arches and starlings.

In July 1823 Parliament finally authorised work to commence in accordance with the plans prepared by John Rennie. The first pile was driven on March 15th 1824 and a year later, on 15th June, the foundation stone was laid with great ceremony.

All day and every day Francis Hall would have had to contend with the noise and dust of construction work, especially with constant pile driving. It can hardly have been conducive to the business of selling fabrics and general haberdashery! To add to his misfortunes his second wife died in July 1825. By then his son had grown up and left home, so Francis would have been alone in the house in those final years.

The view from Francis Hall?s window, showing the new bridge on the right

The warehouse premises next door to Number One were pulled down, and Francis would have had a grandstand view from his living room window of the coffer dam being built to his right, and the excavation for a grand flight of steps leading to the water?s edge, immediately in front of him. The old bridge to the left was still in use, but shored up in places with wooden boards to try and stop any more masonry falling into the river.

Close up view of the starlings? beneath the old bridge, with St Magnus the Martyr in the background.

The excellent map by Greenwood dated 1827 shows the two bridges side by side, and I have highlighted in red the building where Francis would have watched the unfolding picture.

The stone blocks for the new bridge were cut and the arches laid out on the Isle of Dogs, and then lettered and numbered before being brought to the site and lowered into place. Everywhere cranes and derricks were loading and unloading, while stone-masons hammered away. Men swarmed over the scaffolding like ants.

The view towards the site of One London Bridge showing the lower half of the Monument in the background.

December 1826 must have been especially poignant for Francis as he found buyers for his remaining stock within the trade, and began plans for moving out. Maybe he over-did the furniture shifting. Or maybe he simply was heart-broken to be leaving ? either way, the lease expired on Christmas Day, and Francis, whose birthday it was on Boxing Day,?expired immediately afterwards.

This painting from 1827 looking at the Northern bank of the river from the Southwark side,?shows the old bridge on the right, and is looking straight at the site of One London Bridge, It is low tide and the starlings supporting the pillars of the old bridge are exposed. The parapet above the fifth arch is shored up, and the subsidence in the old arches is clearly visible. Standing above the line of the parapet can be seen a number of the cupulas, designed to give shelter and protection to pedestrians, mentioned below.

Francis never saw the New Bridge being formally opened on the 1st of August, 1831, in the presence of His Majesty King William IV. The picture above (courtesy of the Tate) shows the opening ceremony with the old bridge in the background ? demolition could not start in earnest until the new structure was fully operational

He?never got to see the old bridge being pulled down arch by arch, and the old starlings, used to protect the foundations, being excavated and removed. Today very few pieces of stonework remain ? although there are a couple of the old cupolas? to be found in Victoria Park.

?

What is especially interesting is the incredibly detailed record of the works as they progressed, drawn by a young man called Edward William Cooke. He started his drawings in 1826 when he was fifteen. Guildhall Library holds 69 of these drawings: according to their site they were presented in 1872 by Alderman Sir David Salomons, a close friend of Cooke. Twelve of the drawings were later selected for engraving and publication in 1833 under the title ?Views of the Old and New London Bridge?

Here is his?picture of the demolition of one of the pillars to the Great Arch:

Within a few years no trace remained of the old bridge, and the old family shop at Number One passed into history. But I do rather like this 1870?painting of the Rennie bridge, looking towards where the family ran their business for over 60 years. It is shown courtesy of the Atkinson Grimshaw website at http://www.johnatkinsongrimshaw.org? :

?

Source: http://blog.mikerendell.com/?p=4736

brown recluse spider wiz khalifa taylor allderdice eddie royal iditarod nfl free agents 2012 encyclopedia brittanica nfl free agency

Why men in the US still pay more for auto insurance [w/poll]

It's not just your imagination ? insurance premiums in the United States are still higher for men than they are for women. According to a recent study of 5,000 quotes conducted by Onlineautoinsurance.com (OAI), auto insurance quotes for men are still about 23 percent pricier than women's on average. Plus, if a man and a woman with the identical driver profiles (same driving record, age and vehicle) received quotes for the same coverage, the man's quote would be more expensive 62 percent of the time.

As expected, it was young men (under 25) who paid the brunt of the cost, with an average premium of $676 more than their young female counterparts when the quotes differed ? keep in mind that men and women were offered the identical premiums 27 percent of the time and women were quoted higher in 11 percent of the cases.

While figuring out why men often pay more still isn't completely clear, experts cite statistics showing that men and women drive differently. Not only do men spend more time behind the wheel (they drive about 1.5 times as many miles), but they are more likely to violate laws for speeding, yielding and passing. Plus, they take more risks (males were involved in 1.25 million more crashes in 2010).

Interestingly enough, courts in the European Union have decided that "differences in insurance pricing based purely on a person's sex are discriminatory;" a new Gender Directive is officially in effect and it will change premiums for policyholders. The US is unlikely to follow its lead, as insurance companies in the States are typically allowed to use rating factors (those that correlate with actual risk), despite the obvious controversy.

Considering the statistics, do you think men should pay more for car insurance than women? Take part in our informal poll below.

Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/26/why-men-in-the-us-still-pay-more-for-auto-insurance/

derek jeter Red Bull Stratos Redbull Stratos steve mcnair vice presidential debate Martha Raddatz Chris Lighty

Pinstripe Bowl 2012: Syracuse Suspends Adonis Ameen-Moore, Max Beaulieu For Game Against West Virginia

Syracuse's Adonis Ameen-Moore (34) scores from the 1-yard line against Connecticut during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game in Syracuse, N.Y., Friday, Oct. 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) ? Syracuse has suspended sophomore tailback Adonis Ameen-Moore and reserve tight end Max Beaulieu for the Pinstripe Bowl on Saturday for violating athletic department rules.

Head coach Doug Marrone announced the suspensions in an email that did not elaborate on what the players had done.

Ameen-Moore, who was used mainly in the Orange's short-yardage formation, gained 108 yards on 30 carries and scored six touchdowns in the six games he played. Beaulieu played in just one game this season, a home win over UConn.

Starting outside linebacker Marquis Spruill also has been disciplined. He will not play "a significant portion" of the Pinstripe Bowl against West Virginia.

Spruill and running back Steve Rene were arrested Dec. 2 and charged with misdemeanors after scuffling with Syracuse Police. Marrone did not specify how much of the game Spruill will miss. The junior is fourth on the team in tackles with 62 and is a three-year starter.

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/26/pinstripe-bowl-syracuse-suspends-adonis-ameen_n_2363586.html

chris harrison girl scouts printable bracket game change own stacy francis tournament brackets

Killer Left Chilling Note Before N.Y. Firefighter Shootings

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/killer-left-chilling-note-before-ny-firefighter-shootings/

groundhog day ground hog groundhog day 2012 serrano staten island chuck dr jekyll and mr hyde edwin jackson

Firemen's killer left chilling note, deaths at 3

This 2006 image provided by the Monroe County Sheriff's Department shows William H. Spengler Jr. Authorities say Spengler, 62, set a house and car ablaze Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, N.Y., and then opened fire, killing two firefighters and wounding two others. Spengler, who served 17 years in prison for the 1980 slaying of his grandmother, later killed himself after a shootout with police. (AP Photo/Monroe County Sheriff's Department )

This 2006 image provided by the Monroe County Sheriff's Department shows William H. Spengler Jr. Authorities say Spengler, 62, set a house and car ablaze Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, N.Y., and then opened fire, killing two firefighters and wounding two others. Spengler, who served 17 years in prison for the 1980 slaying of his grandmother, later killed himself after a shootout with police. (AP Photo/Monroe County Sheriff's Department )

A house burns Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, New York. A former convict set a house and car ablaze in his lakeside New York state neighborhood to lure firefighters then opened fire on them, killing two and engaging police in a shootout before killing himself while several homes burned. Authorities used an armored vehicle to evacuate the area. (AP Photo/Democrat & Chronicle, Jamie Germano)

A house burns Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, New York. An ex-con set a car and a house ablaze in his lakeside neighborhood to lure firefighters, then opened fire on them, killing two, engaging in a shootout with police and committing suicide while several homes burned. Authorities used an armored vehicle to evacuate the area. (AP Photo/Democrat & Chronicle, Jamie Germano)

Police officers move in to look for a man who set fire to a house, Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, New York. A former convict set a house and car ablaze in his lakeside New York state neighborhood to lure firefighters then opened fire on them, killing two and engaging police in a shootout before killing himself while several homes burned. Authorities used an armored vehicle to evacuate the area. (AP Photo/Democrat & Chronicle, Jamie Germano)

Homes burn on Lake Road, Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, New York. A former convict set a house and car ablaze in his lakeside New York state neighborhood to lure firefighters then opened fire on them, killing two and engaging police in a shootout before killing himself while several homes burned. Authorities used an armored vehicle to evacuate the area. (AP Photo/Democrat & Chronicle, Max Schulte)

WEBSTER, N.Y. (AP) ? An ex-con killed two firefighters with the same caliber and make military-style rifle used in the Connecticut school massacre after typing a note pledging to burn down his neighborhood and "do what I like doing best, killing people," police said Tuesday as another body, believed to be the gunman's missing sister, was found.

William Spengler, 62, who served 17 years in prison for manslaughter in the 1980 hammer slaying of his grandmother, set his house afire before dawn Christmas Eve before taking a revolver, a shotgun and a semiautomatic rifle to a sniper position outside, Police Chief Gerald Pickering said.

The death toll rose to three as police revealed that a body believed to be the killer's 67-year-old sister, Cheryl Spengler, was found in his fire-ravaged home.

Authorities say he sprayed bullets at the first responders, killing two firefighters and injuring two others who remained hospitalized Tuesday in stable condition, awake and alert and expected to survive. He then killed himself as seven houses burned on a sliver of land along Lake Ontario.

Police recovered a military-style .223-caliber semiautomatic Bushmaster rifle with flash suppression, the same make and caliber weapon used in the elementary school massacre in Newtown, Conn., that killed 26, including 20 young children, Pickering said.

The chief said it was believed the firefighters were hit with shots from the rifle given the distance but the investigation was incomplete.

"He was equipped to go to war, kill innocent people," the chief said.

The two- to three-page typewritten rambling note left by Spengler did not reveal what set off the killer or provide a motive for the shootings, Pickering said. He called the attack a "clear ambush on first responders."

He declined to reveal the note's full content or say where it was found. He read only one chilling line: "I still have to get ready to see how much of the neighborhood I can burn down, and do what I like doing best, killing people."

Pickering said it was unclear whether the person believed to be Spengler's sister died before or during the fire.

"It was a raging inferno in there," Pickering said.

A next-door neighbor said Spengler hated his sister and they lived on opposite sides of the house.

Roger Vercruysse said Spengler loved his mother, Arline, who died in October after living with her son and daughter in the house in a neighborhood of seasonal and year-round homes across the road from a lakeshore popular with recreational boaters.

As Pickering described it and as emergency radio communications on the scene showed, the heavily armed Spengler took a position behind a small hill by the house as four firefighters arrived after 5:30 a.m. to extinguish the fire: two on a fire truck; two in their own vehicles.

They were immediately greeted by bullets from Spengler, who wore dark clothing. Volunteer firefighter and police Lt. Michael Chiapperini, 43, driving the truck, was killed by gunfire as the windshield before him was shattered. Also killed was Tomasz Kaczowka, 19, who worked as a 911 dispatcher.

Several firefighters went beneath the truck to shield themselves as an off-duty police officer who was passing by pulled his vehicle alongside the truck to try to shield them, authorities said.

The first police officer who arrived chased and exchanged shots with Spengler, recounting it later over his police radio.

"I could see the muzzle blasts comin' at me. ... I fired four shots at him. I thought he went down," the officer said.

At another point, he said: "I don't know if I hit him or not. He's by a tree. ... He was movin' eastbound on the berm when I was firing shots." Pickering portrayed him as a hero who saved many lives.

The audio posted on the website RadioReference.com also has someone reporting "firefighters are down" and saying "got to be rifle or shotgun ? high-powered ... semi or fully auto."

Spengler had been charged with murder in his grandmother's death but pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter, apparently to spare his family a trial. After he was freed from prison, Spengler ? a felon who wasn't allowed to possess weapons ? had lived a quiet life on Lake Road on a narrow peninsula where Irondequoit Bay meets Lake Ontario.

That ended when he left his burning home Monday morning, armed with his three weapons and a lot of ammunition.

"I'm not sure we'll ever know what was going through his mind," Pickering said.

___

Esch reported from Albany. Associated Press writer Larry Neumeister in New York City also contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-25-US-Fire-Shooting/id-6b00449ace264eda9a28c96f2211e044

gmail down ryan oneal file taxes online tupac shakur sledge hammer tax day freebies madison bumgarner

China Set To Surpass US In R&D Spending In 10 Years

Fantasizing, you say? Whatever. The fact is, the wealth of the world is being redistributed, and the US and EU are coming up losers. China is gaining. The real catch to all this redistribution is, the world's central banks are reaping the lion's share of the profits. For each ten dollars we lose, China gains a dollar, and the banks steal nine dollars.

But, the situation with the central banks don't affect the fact that China is ascending, while we descend.

China may be dependent on us today, but what hap

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/NyxwZW_sCe0/story01.htm

osu football osu football kobe bryant netflix les miserables a christmas story

Roman Catholic cleric celebrates Palestinian state

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) ? The top Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land celebrated the United Nations' recent recognition of a Palestinian state in his annual pre-Christmas homily on Monday, saying that while the road to actual freedom from Israeli occupation remains long, the Palestinian homeland has been born.

Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal told followers at the patriarchate's headquarters in Jerusalem's Old City that this year's festivities were doubly joyful, celebrating "the birth of Christ our Lord and the birth of the state of Palestine."

"The path (to statehood) remains long, and will require a united effort," added Twal, a Palestinian citizen of Jordan.

From Jerusalem, he set off in a procession for the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Jesus' traditional birthplace. There, he was reminded that life on the ground for Palestinians has not really changed since the U.N. recognized their state last month in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Twal had to enter the biblical city through a massive metal gate in the barrier of towering concrete slabs Israel built between Jerusalem and Bethlehem during a wave of Palestinian suicide bombings in the last decade.

Israel, backed by the United States, opposed the statehood bid, saying it was a Palestinian ploy to bypass negotiations. Talks stalled four years ago, primarily over Israel's construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories Israel occupied in the 1967 Mideast war.

Israel has rejected the Palestinians' demand that it freeze all construction before they will renew talks, and launched a major settlement building push in retaliation for the successful statehood bid.

Hundreds of people were on hand to greet Twal in Manger Square, outside the Church of Nativity. The mood was festive under sunny skies, with children dressed in holiday finery or in Santa costumes, and marching bands playing in the streets.

A lavishly decorated 55-foot (25-meter) fir tree with a nativity scene at its foot dominated the plaza. Festivities were to culminate with Midnight Mass at the Church of the Nativity, built over the grotto where tradition says Jesus was born.

Devout Christians said it was a moving experience to be so close to the origins of their faith.

"It's a special feeling to be here, it's an encounter with my soul and God," said Joanne Kurczewska, a professor at Warsaw University in Poland, who was visiting Bethlehem for a second time at Christmas.

Christmas is the high point of the year in Bethlehem, which, like the rest of the West Bank, is struggling to recover from the economic hard times that followed the violent Palestinian uprising against Israel that broke out in late 2000.

Tourists and pilgrims who had been scared away by the fighting have been returning in larger numbers. Last year's Christmas Eve celebration produced the highest turnout in more than a decade, with some 100,000 visitors, including foreign workers and Arab Christians from Israel.

The Israeli Tourism Ministry predicts a 25 percent drop from that level this year, following last month's clash between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, which put a chill on tourist arrivals. Foreign tourists heading to Bethlehem must pass through Israel or the Israel-controlled border crossing into the West Bank from Jordan.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/roman-catholic-cleric-celebrates-palestinian-state-125522036.html

montrose marshawn lynch earthquake bay area clear channel drexel dale george will