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Amish People and Amish Culture

The Lifestyle of the Amish Community in Lancaster County

Old Order Amish women and girls wear modest dresses made from solid-colored fabric with long sleeves and a full skirt (not shorter than half-way between knee and floor). These dresses are covered with a cape and apron and are fastened with straight pins or snaps. They never cut their hair, which they wear in a bun on the back of the head. On their heads they wear a white prayer covering if they are married and a black one if they are single. Amish women do not wear jewelry.

Men and boys wear dark-colored suits, straight-cut coats without lapels, broadfall trousers, suspenders, solid-colored shirts, black socks and shoes, and black or straw broad-brimmed hats. Their shirts fasten with conventional buttons, but their suit coats and vests fasten with hooks and eyes. They do not have mustaches, but they grow beards after they marry.

The Amish feel these distinctive clothes encourage humility and separation from the world. Their clothing is not a costume; it is an expression of their faith.

The following answers to questions we received as part of our “Ask the Amish” feature were given by the resident experts at the Mennonite Information Center in Lancaster:

“Why don’t the Amish use electricity?”

“Amish people interpret linking with electrical wires as a connection with the world – and the Bible tells them they are not to be “conformed to the world.” (Romans 12:2) In 1919 the Amish leaders agreed that connecting to power lines would not be in the best interest of the Amish community. They did not make this decision because they thought electricity was evil in itself, but because easy access to it could lead to many temptations and the deterioration of church and family life.

Most of us today would think it impossible to live without the modern conveniences such as electricity and cars. What makes the Old Order Amish unique is not that they get along without modernity, but that they choose to do without it when it would be readily available. The Amish value simplicity and self-denial over comfort, convenience and leisure. Their lifestyle is a deliberate way of separating from the world and maintaining self-sufficiency. (Amish are less threatened by power shortages caused by storm, disaster, or war.) As a result there is a bonding that unites the Amish community and protects it from outside influences such as television, radios, and other influences.”

“The Amish do not use electricity or modern conveniences, yet they have this website. How can that be?”

“This website is not maintained or created by the Amish themselves. However, those involved in this website are directly in contact with the Amish and Mennonites either by friendship, association, or business relationships. This website, and the “Ask The Amish” feature especially, has been created in an effort to pass along the truth about the Amish and their chosen lifestyle. There is much misinformation about these fascinating people, even here in the heart of the so-called ‘Amish Country’, and one goal of this service is to dismiss that misinformation, and pass along the truth. We are not here to make money off the Amish, or to exploit them in any way. Many local Amish people have seen this website, and have expressed their appreciation for our efforts. Several local Amish businesses have also joined this website as participating advertisers.”

“Why do Amish men have beards, but not mustaches?”

“There are quite a few scripture that mention beards in the Bible. An example would be Psalm 133:1,2. An Amishman does not shave his beard after he becomes married; a long beard is the mark of an adult Amishman. Mustaches, on the other hand, have a long history of being associated with the military, and therefore are forbidden among the Amish people.”

“Do the Amish pay taxes?”

“Self-employed Amish do not pay Social Security tax. Those employed by non-Amish employers do pay Social Security tax. The Amish do pay real estate, state and federal income taxes, county taxes, sales tax, etc.

The Amish do not collect Social Security benefits, nor would they collect unemployment or welfare funds. Self sufficiency is the Amish community’s answer to government aid programs. Section 310 of the Medicare section of the Social Security act has a sub-section that permits individuals to apply for exemption from the self-employment tax if he is a member of a religious body that is conscientiously opposed to social security benefits but that makes reasonable provision of taking care of their own elderly or dependent members. The Amish have a long history of taking care of their own members. They do not have retirement communities or nursing homes; in most cases, each family takes care of their own, and the Amish community gives assistance as needed.”

“What crops are grown on an Amish farm?”

“Main crops raised by Amish in Lancaster County, in order of acreage, are corn, hay, wheat, tobacco, soybeans, barley, potatoes, and other vegetables. Farmers also grow various grasses for grazing. Corn, grain, and hay crops usually stay on the farm for feeding livestock. Tobacco, potatoes, some grain and hay plus vegetables are raised for marketing. Farming is done with horse-drawn equipment with metal wheels (no rubber tires).”

“What do the Amish think of tourists visiting their area?”

“Amish people want nothing more than to simply be left alone. However, for the most part they have accepted the influx of tourism as something they cannot change. So far as their lifestyle, tourists have not changed the Amish. It is true that some have moved away, partly because of tourism, but also because of the high cost of land in Lancaster County. Others have opened small shops and are now realizing profits from the tourists.”

“Why are all the buggies black?”

“Throughout the United States and in Canada not all buggies are black. The similarity of Amish carriages in any given area allows little for status, but speaks of all being equal. Therefore, members of a particular group can be identified by the buggies they drive. In Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, for example, there are five distinct groups of Old Order Amish living in the Kishacoquillas Valley. The two most conservative groups drive white-topped buggies, another has yellow tops, and two others use black buggies. Here in Lancaster County, the Old Order Amish drive gray buggies and the Old Order Mennonites drive black buggies.”

“How does a barn raising work?”

“A barn-raising is indeed a community endeavor for the Amish. At daybreak, the Amish buggies arrive at the farm where the barn is to be erected. An experienced Amish carpenter/contractor is in charge and men are assigned to various areas of work. Often the framing is completed before the noon meal and in the afternoon the roofing is installed. Meanwhile the women are preparing a delicious noon meal, sometimes served outdoors. There is always prayer before a meal is served. The children play games and are available to run errands. But they also have a most exciting day as spectators at a truly amazing project of brotherly love—building a barn in one day.”

“What language do the Amish speak?”

“In their homes and in conversations with each other, the Old Order Amish speak Pennsylvania Dutch, which is a dialect of German. We understand that it is similar to “Platt” that is spoken in parts of northern Germany. When children go to school they learn English. In their worship services the sermons are given in German. The German language, “Deutsch”, is also taught in Amish schools.”

“Why do Amish men wear black hats?”

“Here in Lancaster County, the Amish men wear broad-brimmed hats of black felt. The width of the brim and hat band and the height and shape of the crown are variables which gauge the orthodoxy of the group and individual wearer. A wide brim, low crown, and narrow hat band denotes the oldest and most traditional style. Within church groups, one’s age and status is often reflected by the dimensions of one’s hat. For warm weather, straw hats are preferred by plain men.”

“Do Amish families play games?”

“Yes, Amish families do play games and read together in the evenings. Parents are involved in their children’s activities. However, there are not long evenings in an Amish family. When the children get home from school, there are chores that must be done. At an early age, children have responsibilities assigned to them. After the evening meal, the school homework must be tackled, and before long it is bedtime. Amish are early risers and therefore go to bed early.”

“Do the Amish still milk their cows by hand?”

“Very few Amish, if any, do their milking by hand. Today they have modern milking equipment — not electric, but operated by alternate sources of power. In order to ship milk, the Amish must have modern refrigerated milk tanks. They also have modern barn-cleaning equipment. Children get involved in daily chores at a very early age — even before they start school. However, the chores are suited to the age of the child.”

“What holidays do the Amish celebrate and why?”

“Holidays observed by the Amish are the religious holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, Ascension Day, Pentecost, and Whit Monday (the day after Pentecost). The reasons for these observances are to fast and meditate on scriptures related to these days. We should also mention that December 25 is a solemn celebration of Christ’s birth and “second Christmas” on December 26 is a time for visiting and family dinners.”

“Do the Amish use modern medicine and doctors?”

“Most Amish and Mennonite groups do not oppose modern medicine. Their readiness to seek health services varies from family to family. Nothing in the Amish understanding of the Bible forbids them from using modern medical services, including surgery, hospitalization, dental work, anesthesia, blood transfusions, etc. They do believe, however, that good health, both physical and mental, is a gift from God and requires careful stewardship on the part of the individual. With few exceptions, physicians rate the Amish as desirable patients: they are stable, appreciative, and their bills will be paid. They do not have hospitalization insurance, but they band together to help pay medical expenses for anyone of their group who needs financial assistance. A designated leader in the Amish community is given responsibility for their mutual aid fund.”

“Do Amish women still use midwives for childbirth?”

“Some Amish women go to “English” doctors and have their babies in local hospitals; others go to birthing centers; and some choose to have midwives who will deliver the babies at home. It is a matter of preference. We do not have statistics as to how many midwives are in Lancaster County.”

“What are common Amish names?”

“According to John A. Hostetler, author of Amish Society, the most common family names among the Amish in Lancaster county are: Stoltzfus, King, Fisher, Beiler, and Lapp. The most common first names for males are: John, Amos, Samuel, Daniel, and David. The most common first names for females are: Mary, Rebecca, Sarah, Katie, and Annie.”

“What are the differences between Amish and Mennonite groups?”

“It is impossible to answer this question with a few simple sentences. There are so many varieties of Mennonites and Amish around the world that we cannot cover the many shades of belief and practice among them. It is true that most Mennonite and Amish groups have common historical roots. Both were part of the early Anabaptist movement in Europe, which took place at the time of the Reformation. A group led by Jacob Amman broke from the Mennonites in 1693 and became known as “Amish.” Amish and Mennonites are Christian fellowships; they stress that belief must result in practice. The differences among the various Amish and Mennonite groups through the years have almost always been ones of practice rather than basic Christian doctrine.”

“How do the Amish hold a funeral?”

“Here in Lancaster County, funeral and burial usually takes place three days after death. A funeral director from the local area assists in a minimal way, which usually includes embalming, and sometimes includes supplying the coffin and the hearse. In death, as in life the simplicity is evident. A plain wooden coffin is built. Often it is six-sided with a split lie – the upper part is hinged so it can be opened for viewing the body. It is very simple – no ornate carving or fine fabrics. Traditionally a woman will wear the white apron she wore on her wedding day. In some Amish communities both men and women wear white for burial. The tone of the two-hour Amish funeral service is hopeful, yet full of admonition for the living. There are no eulogies. Respect for the deceased is expressed, but not praise. A hymn is spoken but not sung. There are no flowers. The grave is hand dug in an Amish church district cemetery. There will be only a simple tombstone to mark the spot, much like all the other tombstones in the cemetery – in death as in life, we are all equal and do not elevate one person above another.”

“Is it true that dolls for girls have no faces?”

“Our understanding is that years ago, most of the dolls for little girls were rag dolls without faces. The Amish have retained this custom. We believe the reason is similar to the refusal to have pictures of people and is linked to the second commandment. (Exodus 20:4-6) At an early age children are learning not to have images, likenesses, idols.”

“I have heard the Amish will place a small mistake or imperfection in a quilt or other handmade item. Why is this done?”

“We’ve heard that many years ago sometimes a scrap of fabric that didn’t quite match was used inconspicuously in a patchwork quilt to give it “identity.” We question whether this is true. We don’t know of any quilters who would do that today. Amish quilts are all hand quilted; stitches are very small and uniform. But, no matter how hard one tries, the stitches are not all identical and perfect. A quilt may have an imperfection, but it wasn’t on purpose.”

“Do the Amish play any form of musical instrument?”

“No. Musical instruments are forbidden by the Old-Order Amish community. Playing an instrument would be “worldly.” It is contrary to the spirit of “Glassenheit” (humility), and would stir up the emotions of those who are involved.”

“I know that the Amish don’t own automobiles, but in our area it is common to see them riding in other peoples’ vehicles. Some even have made a business of offering rides, for a fee, to them. If the Amish don’t believe in owning automobiles, it seems strange that they would ride in them. Seems inconsistent to me. Why is this?”

“Maintaining Amish standards, but accepting some modernization to meet needs of living, requires compromise that must not disrupt the social structure. By rejecting certain types of modernity and accepting others, some Amish appear to the outside world to be contradicting themselves – hypocrites. However, from the viewpoint of Amish culture, there is no contradiction. One of the more pronounced inconsistencies is the use of an automobile…although he may not own a car, a member may accept rides and willingly hires an automobile with a driver to transport him from place to place. There was little hesitation when the Amish decided “no” to car ownership. It would separate the community in various ways. If only wealthy members could afford it, the car would bring inequality. Proud individuals would use it to show off their status, power and wealth. Cars would speed things up dramatically, disrupting the slow pace of Amish living. So, they will use them but not own them, for then things will surely get out of control.”

“Do the Amish believe in gas power?”

“Yes, the Amish use gas. Bottled gas is used to operate water heaters, modern stoves and refrigerators. Gas-pressured lanterns and lamps are used to light homes, barns and shops.”

“Is it true the Amish are exempt from Medicare and Medicaid withholding? What legal basis is used for this?”

“Medicare and Medicaid are a part of the Social Security system. Old Order Amish believe that if the church is faithful to its calling, many government programs and commercial insurance are not needed. That conviction forced them to testify before Congress because they did not want to receive Social Security benefits. What they wanted instead was the right to look after their own elderly. They were finally given approval, if self-employed, to be exempt from paying the tax. Seldom do Old Order Amish individuals accept Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid.”

Learn more about the Amish in Lancaster County.

  1. Emily smith says:

    I love in an area populated by many Amish people and I have always respected them for the hard choices they have made. However, I would never choose an insular life. Living in such a way as to keep everything and everyone else out is not my understanding of Christianity, which teaches “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel”.

  2. Yakubu Ishaku says:

    I am from Nigeria it’s very interesting to know about AMISH Christian ,if all followers of Christ will go by AMISH pattern of life GOD will always be happy with us a very straight and good way of life that free mankind from sinful life and direct one hart toward eternity. God bless Anabaptist

  3. Honestly, I saw Amish only in movies as in our country – Estonia, I never interacted with them, but it was very interesting to read about them and their culture. Warmest greetings from Estonia.

  4. I grew up traveling to Lancaster, Pennsylvania several times a year to visit family. I have long respected the Amish and Mennonites with their devotion to God, Faith, Family and structure. My Grandmother, Roman Catholic, and widowed with 6 children in the 1940’s, lived her last years in a Mennonite home for the elderly in Lancaster County. I am awed and indebted to those who cared for her until she passed at the age of 104. Please respect them and their strong belief of privacy.

  5. I like the Amish way of living. This shows a true christian.

  6. My friend * * tried to tell me about the amish i was like “they dont believe in technology but its real” i understand now ;)

  7. Colette Descent says:

    I bought a beautiful Amish basket from a lovely Amish family at a roadside stand today. The workmanship is phenomenal, and the price I think was too low for such quality of work. After doing much reading about the Amish, I am awed by their way of life. Perhaps they are the smart ones among us, living a clean and uncluttered life. I look around at our dirty cities, corrupt politicians, aimless teenagers, substance abusers, pornography users, environmental destruction etc, and I feel disgusted by our “modernity”. Our society will eventually destroy itself, but the Amish will survive and thrive, deservedly so. Blessings to them!

  8. I have a great deal of respect for the Amish people, but I feel as tho some of the rules are too much.

  9. I would love to turn away from the ways of this world and live among them. I think the way they live is good. Keep it simple and God fearing!

  10. I have a correction to your answer to what language do the Amish speak. Pennsylvania Dutch is not similar to Plattduetsch. Plattduetsch is Low German, the Pennsylvania Dutch language is a High German dialect that has its roots in the dialects spoken by their ancestors in the Palatinate region of Germany.

  11. I think the Amish people are extremely brave! They don’t care about what the outside world thinks of them, and to me that spells “true religion.” They are doing what the rest of us should be doing – which is being fair and just; not only in their own community but even to our Government. From what I have read, these people are the true ”church family.” They stick together on the same beliefs. They help and love each other. I’m not Amish and never knew anyone who is, but I grew up with a Baptist Grandpa. He didn’t believe in having a television either. Lots of “old timer’s” believed the same things, and I’m only talking about thirty years ago. These people are living simple and humble lives, the way most of us wish we were brave enough to do. I have to say that I really admire these folks! It’s people like these who will see the promised land!

  12. I like the way they are living, because I was growing up that way too that would give you not to get temptation. So proud about them.

  13. Maybe without TV, computers, cell phones, and other time wasters the Amish actually get to know their families and neighbors. I have been to Amish Country many times and their children are the best behaved kids I have ever seen. I try to live a simple life as much as possible.

  14. Joann W. says:

    I am just wondering about something I read on here. It says that they forbidden musical instruments but musical instruments are Biblical. Can this be explained?

  15. The Amish are right and live in a way that is simple without the complications that new technology has created. If only the rest of the world could see.

  16. I find your work very informative and usefull. Yet I found a single mistake in the answer to the question “What language do the Amish speak?”. It says they speak Deitch, but it’s called Deutsch.

  17. lester keller says:

    I love the Amish. I think the way they live is amazing. Where I live, I see a couple of Amish. I would like one day to live that life.

Speak Your Mind


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Las Vegas Sun

January 16, 2018

Currently: 61° — Complete forecast

Lawsuits seek nearly $16.5 million from family of doctor in hepatitis C case

Dr. Dipak Desai appears in court for a competency hearing Friday, Jan. 27, 2012.

Dr. Dipak Desai appears in court for a competency hearing Friday, Jan. 27, 2012.

The wife and daughters of Dipak Desai, the high-profile physician facing a murder charge in connection with a hepatitis C scare that rocked Southern Nevada about four years ago, are being taken to court by the estate’s bankruptcy trustee — who claims they’ve tucked away close to $16.5 million from creditors.

William A. Leonard Jr., the trustee, has filed two complaints in U.S. Bankruptcy Court against Desai’s wife and daughters.

In one of the lawsuits, Leonard said that by about 2005, Desai transferred substantially all of his property, about $12.85 million, through trusts to his daughters, Amishi Desai, Anjali Desai and Avani Bhambri, to shelter the money from creditors.

In another lawsuit, Leonard alleges that in 2009, Desai’s wife, Dr. Kusum Desai, rolled $3.5 million from her husband’s Gastroenterology Center pension plan into a money purchase plan under her own business, Kusum Desai, M.D. Chartered, “for the purpose of protecting her assets from existing and potential creditors.”

The lawsuit claims that the $3.5 million is community property and can be used in bankruptcy proceedings against Desai and his company.

The lawsuit alleges the money purchase plan doesn’t meet the requirements of the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act and is not protected from the Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings.

The lawsuit is also going after Kusum Desai’s assets valued at $458,1000 in two IRA plans and in a profit-sharing plan.

Dipak Desai and two people working for him have been accused of spreading the hepatitis C virus through unhygienic practices. Thousands of people were potentially exposed to the virus through Desai’s former clinics, leading to numerous civil lawsuits and criminal charges.

In July 2009, Desert Shadow Endoscopy Center, Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada and Gastroenterology Center of Nevada all filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation.

During proceedings in June in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Dipak Desai asserted his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination and would not testify.

Last month, Dipak Desai and two of his former nurses, Keith Mathahs and Ronald Lakeman, pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Rodolfo Meana, a patient who contracted hepatitis C at Desai’s clinic.

Meana, 77, died in April due to complications believed to stem from the infection. Judge Stefany Miley has scheduled a status check hearing on that case for Sept. 19.

Dipak Desai and the two nurses, meanwhile, are scheduled to stand trial Oct. 22 on 28 felony charges, which include neglect of patients, insurance fraud and racketeering.

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Tuesday, March 3, 2015

What Does Being Graceful Mean?

I am on a mission to live my remaining days with grace. To be that gracious, kind, loving person that people will remember long after I am gone.

                                                 So, what exactly is being graceful?

Gracefulness comes from deep within you. You must feel comfortable with yourself and feel secure with what you do, say and be. We weren't born graceful.  It takes some lots of work. I have always wished to be like Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly but in reality I thought of myself as a bull in a china shop, often doing the wrong things, saying what I shouldn't, when I shouldn't and just not having that polish I so aspired in others.

       A person that is graceful is kind, gentle, giving, charitable.

Living graceful is a choice. I have decided that my days as a 'bull in a china shop' are over. We often let our silverware get tarnished and we let ourselves get tarnished, as well. It's time to drag out the silver polish and put a shine on ourselves so that people will sit up and take notice. I will probably still be Willie Latane Barton, but I am going to try very hard to polish myself until I sparkle.

So, I have some work to do. I always did hate the job of polishing my silver. But, this should be fun and fulfilling.

Let's start at the beginning....

                   Select what is important to you,
                                                how  you want to live
                                                                      and look and be.

What's important to me?

To have a sweetness, a gentleness, a calm demeanor.

My Mother was one of the sweetest women I have ever known. I always have said, 'I didn't take after my Mother' because I viewed myself as that bumbling, unsophisticated creature. Mom wasn't sophisticated but you saw the gentle spirit she possessed. I never ever heard her say a bad word against anyone. How many of us can say the same about ourselves. Certainly, not me.

But, it's not too late to change. It is never too late for anything you feel that is important to you. And, so I will work on being sweet and gentle. Not to be presumption and artificial but to find a serenity to even the toughest situations, people and times. Remember Pollyanna? Now, that girl had the right attitude!

It's important to me to always be learning.

I did not finish high school. But, I have been in a constant state of education all my life. I've read, and traveled and experienced. And, every night you will find me in front of the tv watching Alex Trebek and trying to answer the questions on Jeopardy. Just because I am 81 now does not mean that my learning will stop. I will be learning something new the moment I leave this earth. (Just wish I could blog about that.... but.... oh well, you will have to find that out for yourselves.)

It's important to me to fill my soul with peace, to have a sense of calmness.

To enjoy the simplest things of every day. Our lives are too filled with clutter to see and enjoy what's around us. To continue to seek my deeper sense of spirituality, a closer connection to God and the peace He offers.

There is so much more that is important to me. I would love to hear what you consider the most important aspects of your life at present and what you would like to take center stage. Tell me your wishes, your desires. Spoken aloud they could take on a deeper meaning and become reality.

  1. I wish you the best with your declaration. If it was me I would fail before I got the post written.
    But I do try to stay in the word of God and want very much to be what you say kind, gentle, giving and charitable.
    I rebound a lot and question my peace even I know that comes from God only.

  2. Dear Sister of my heart, I strive for the same things you wrote about in this post! I started some years ago trying to un-clutter my life and my space. I have not yet attained all I aspire to be, but I continue, with the help and guidance of our Lord, to press on to that goal. I think one of the nicest compliment I have received was from Jeep. One day with he had to go and counsel a lady in a difficult situation. He asked me to go with him and I asked him why. He replied, "Because you have a calming effect on people". I thought that was the sweetest thing!

  3. A very inspiring post Latane, certainly made me think about all the things I need to correct about myself!
    Your dear mother was such a beautiful lady and I can see in her smile that she was gentle and kind. I love the detail of her dress - I'm sure it's a dress as that's what our mothers wore, right?
    I suppose we are all 'tarnished' a bit, nobody can be perfect, so know I'm right there with you and will try a little harder to be a better, more graceful, aging lady, ha ha!!

    Hugs - Mary

  4. So many things yet to work on yet....I guess if I had to narrow it all down to one thing, what I'd like to polish up first would be to become more patient; to let the daily nuisances fall away more and more. Your post is quite inspiring, and reminds me so much of some of how much my mom meant to me.

  5. I passed up your newer posts searching for this one. I've been a little absent lately from blog visits but I remembered that you were going to be sharing these things with us and I wanted to hear it.

    You probably have no idea how inspiring you are to me but this post was much needed. I think my mother was a lot like yours. When women would bemoan the fact that they were turning into their mothers, I always said "I should be so lucky."

    I think I'm much better at keeping peace and calmness now than when I was younger but there are times when fatigue sets in that I get dull to asking for God's help in that.

    And I do want to be always learning too but I think I may need to narrow my many interests and focus on the most important ones.

    Looking forward to more from you on these subjects!

I hope you will visit often and leave a comment when you do. My blogging friends always put a smile on my face.


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Set to Major Lazer’s hit track ‘Light it up’ the TVC showcases the key trends of the seasons including Boho, Denim, Fitness, Festival, Party and Beach wear. It was directed by Dori Oskowitz, who has recently done work for Justin Bieber, Pharrell Williams and Jack White. The £3 million TV campaign launches today, followed by a high impact spot during Saturday Night Takeaway on ITV at the weekend, and is part of an integrated £9 million campaign including two 40” edits, two 30” cutdowns, brand and promotional press, OOH, VOD, digital takeover, behind the scenes and social content.

Category: Clothing/fashion


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lubchencoHaving finally shaken off the various and sundry anonymous holds that had  been placed on the nominations, the Senate on Thursday confirmed Jane Lubchenco to be the administrator of NOAA and John Holdren to be Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.  The Washington Post has a nice article about Lubchenco, why she took the job, and how she plans to keep her carbon footprint small in DC.

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Romney Endorses Keynesian Stimulus Spending — But Calls It an Energy Plan

I posted last week about the Romney energy plan and the super-optimistic projections of energy production it borrows from a Citigroup report.  (here and here). The Romney plan touts enormous economic benefits in terms of job creation, also derived from the same Citigroup report.  Of course, Romney doesn’t mention the report’s warning that its analysis required “sweeping assumptions” and that the beneficial effects would probably only last five years. (p. 86) But putting that aside, where did Citigroup get the numbers?

The answer is pretty amazing.  Citigroup analyzes the effects of the oil and gas production surge as a stimulus measure. Keep in mind that Republicans, including Romney, are quite caustic about the idea of a stimulus.  The idea of a stimulus goes back to John Maynard Keynes’ idea that in a recession, there’s a multiplier effect that amps up the impact of added spending on the economy.  Republicans hate Keynes, not to mention Obama’s stimulus spending.  But it turns out that Romney has brought in his own stimulus program through the back door of energy policy.

The Citigroup report begins by projecting very large numbers of people getting jobs in the energy sector or supporting industries.  Then it says: “On top of this, there are the multiplier effects that occur” as the spending ripples through the economy and causes “virtuous cycles of new economic activity.”  (p. 78) Keynes couldn’t have said it better. Fully $250 billion of their estimated GDP increase comes from these multiplier effects. (Fig. 68). In fact, they explicitly say their model is Keynesian. (p. 85)

The Citigroup analysts are quite explicit that they are treating this as a stimulus measure.  They choose a high multiplier “which calculates the overall economic GDP impact compared to the initial direct stimulus in output.”  They also admit that their estimate may be “optimistic” because they picked the highest multiplier they could find.

Their job estimates are even more stimulus based.  Citigroup estimates a half million new jobs created directly in the oil and gas sector, but 2.2 million jobs due to the “resulting economic stimulus.” These are the numbers that Romney touts.

Richard Nixon once said, “we are all Keynesian now.”  I guess that’s still true today — at least if Mitt Romney is any example.

Of course, this particular stimulus program puts a lot of money in the pockets of his biggest contributors. I guess that makes it o.k.

, ,


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IL SB0475 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: Introduced on January 24 2017 - 25% progression
Action: 2017-08-04 - Pursuant to Senate Rule 3-9(b) / Referred to Assignments
Pending: Senate Assignments Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [HTML]

Amends the Tobacco Products Tax Act of 1995. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning sales of tobacco products that are exempt from the tax imposed by the Act.

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Register now for our free OneVote public service or GAITS Professional trial account and you can begin tracking this and other legislation, all driven by the real-time data of the LegiScan API. Providing tools allowing you to research pending legislation, stay informed with email alerts, content feeds, and share dynamic reports. Use our new PolitiCorps to join with friends and collegaues to monitor & discuss bills through the process.

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2017-08-04SenatePursuant to Senate Rule 3-9(b) / Referred to Assignments
2017-06-28SenateAdded as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Bill Cunningham
2017-06-28SenateAdded as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins
2017-06-28SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments
2017-06-28SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Daniel Biss
2017-06-28SenateChief Sponsor Changed to Sen. Daniel Biss
2017-04-28SenateRule 2-10 Third Reading Deadline Established As May 31, 2017
2017-03-28SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 29, 2017
2017-03-28SenateSecond Reading
2017-03-16SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 28, 2017
2017-03-16SenateDo Pass Executive; 014-000-000
2017-03-09SenateAssigned to Executive
2017-01-24SenateReferred to Assignments
2017-01-24SenateFirst Reading
2017-01-24SenateFiled with Secretary by Sen. John J. Cullerton

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ChapterArticleSectionCitation TypeStatute Text
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text:
Las Vegas dinner - November 11th

October 17 - November 13, 2009. Concert reports, set lists, photos, media coverage, multimedia links, recollections...
Posts: 2324
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Re: Las Vegas dinner - November 11th

Postby ladydi » Mon Mar 22, 2010 2:02 pm

LisaLCFan wrote: it is so cute when Leonard hugs that monkey (and then he skips off-stage hugging it in his arms!). Aahh, to be that monkey! :lol:
Hi Lisa,

:lol: :lol: Your comment just gave me the most hilarious visual of LC picking one of us up off the floor and skipping off stage hugging us! Dragging would be more like it. Maybe he tried it with someone and that's how he hurt his back! ;-)
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Location: somewhere in the Pacific Northwest

Re: Las Vegas dinner - November 11th

Postby mutti » Mon Mar 22, 2010 4:25 pm

How about a round of 'The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Game'? I am not a backgammon player or gambler like our gambling man in question
and not a bridge player like our Arlene..but would love to sit with the 2 of you among others to play this brilliant fun game..a bit lame in comparison I know
but unless you teach me poker or bridge, my only option is and I would be honoured to watch the 2 of you play something!!!
Maybe if LC ever returns to LAS VEGAS so we can "do it all again!"
Mutti ;-)
1988 Vancouver
2009 Victoria/Seattle/Almost Red Rocks/Las Vegas/San Jose.
2010 Sligo x 2/Victoria/Vancouver/Portland/Las Vegas x 2.
2012 Austin x 2/Seattle/Vancouver/Montreal x 2.
2013 Oakland x 2/New York City x 2/Winnipeg...
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Location: Los Angeles - ex Toronto

Re: Las Vegas dinner - November 11th

Postby bridger15 » Mon Mar 22, 2010 5:31 pm

Okay everyone. This thread is getting way off topic. I think this is a clear manifestation of our "waiting for news" syndrome. I also think Jarkko started the "What to do with the Politics" thread just to engage us in busyness while we are going nuts "waiting for news". That thread I refuse to participate in.

Perhaps someone should start a new thread, "Silliness to keep us occupied waiting for Jarkko's news". Then after the news is announced, the Mods can delete it having served its purpose. :lol:

To: Gamblin' man
I would love to do some concerts after the Krakow event. :D :D :D :D
So, the only gambling for me right now is whether I can get flights at reasonable prices after Jarkko's anticipated announcement. Also, gambling that I can use free air miles to get me across the continent to connect with a flight to Europe. Free seats get booked up way in advance. Sigh...
2009-San Diego|Los Ang|Nashville|St Louis|Kansas City|LVegas|San Jose
2012-Austinx2|Denver|Los Ang|Seattle|Portland

Arlene's Leonard Cohen Scrapbook
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Location: Canada

Re: Las Vegas dinner - November 11th

Postby LisaLCFan » Tue Mar 23, 2010 4:55 am

casterbridgecohen wrote:I am afraid my only comment ignores Fred - who has already clearly fully fulfilled his subsitute or surrogate fantasy role with Leonard on behalf of many female members of this Forum -
Now, that's funny! (And, hey dude, how's it going?)

And Diana, thanks for that wonderful image! :lol: Although, in reality, I think it would be more like Leonard trying to run away from all of us as we hang on to him! (Oh, now there's another image...)

(Personally, I rather like it when these threads morph into something kind of silly like this! It's just so much fun, and who doesn't need that?)

Cheers, all!

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text:
First day of work placement

My first week is completed and in my opinion a success! Although the work week for me wasn’t very long, as it was “påsklov” or, Easter weekend, the office closed early at 2 on Thursday and then everyone had Friday and Monday free! Swedes don’t mess around when it comes to their work-life balance. 😉 I felt very welcome on my first day, complete with a handwritten welcome sign and my very own Stanley Black and Decker toolbox! I was also given a tour and got to see the famous “tool play room” used to train all sales reps about new tools and gadgets! Really loving this company culture so far. Can’t wait to see what else is in store for me…stay tuned… 😉

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“What Little Girls Wish ‘Daddies’ Knew”

May 2, 2014

Dear Brian,

So I saw an article come across my Facebook feed a few months ago titled “What Little Girls Wish Daddies Knew.”*  First of all, I DESPISE the term “daddy” so much that it evokes an actual physical reaction in my stomach.  You know, the same kind of reaction that forces all of the food in your stomach to go hurling towards the toilet at 80 miles per hour after eating some bad fish; so I’m gonna just go ahead and change “daddy” to “father.”  After reading this list I did start thinking about the fact that I’ll never be an Aunt as you never did have any children of your own.  But I do know that had you chosen to become a dad that you’d have been a really, really great one.

As long as I have you, can I talk to you about something? I feel like sharing that list with you along with my thoughts of “what not to do” regarding each of the 25 statements about raising an emotionally stable and confident daughter.  I know you would have made a wonderful dad, so you can rest assured that these thoughts are not directed at you– but, rather, are some (let’s just call them “hypothetical“) thoughts I have for the “less-than-stellar” fathers that are out there who are currently stunting the healthy development and self-image of their daughters.  I shouldn’t have to clarify for you that being a “good” father doesn’t stop at providing the basic needs such as food, shelter, health and education because you and I always did think alike where this was concerned.  So with that, I give you my thoughts on how not to contribute to a daughter’s emotional deterioration:

1. How you love me is how I will love myself.  If you consistently put all of your needs and wants in front of those of me you raise me to believe that I am also undeserving of seeking a partner in life that will put me first.  If you tell me that you love me in the third person such as “daddy loves you” it will make me feel as though I am undeserving of hearing those meaningful words from you, or anyone, and it will create a fear that it isn’t safe to express emotions and feelings.

2. Ask how I am feeling and listen to my answer, I need to know you value me before I can understand my true value.  This should begin at a young age so I grow up feeling that I have a voice and that I matter and that I am worth something.  A piece of advice?  Turning the TV volume up and saying to me, “Shut up, I can’t hear the damn TV!!” when I am talking with Mom about my accomplishments at school that day isn’t the best approach.  Putting me down and for being too shy to try out for a school play or musical or group sports is hurtful.  However, when I do actually muster up the courage to get involved with something, it is more hurtful yet to never show up to any of those events.  Saying, “Oooh, daddy is tired and his favorite TV show is on tonight.  You don’t really need me to be at your concert, right??” tells me that I have absolutely no value to you.  And asking for my “permission” to get out of going to support me is just manipulative and cowardly.  You also shouldn’t consistently compare me to others by saying, “This isn’t a good grade!  I bet so-and-so gets better grades than this…why can’t you get grades like so-and-so??”  Or, “Hey Peggy Sue tried out for the school play, why can’t you be more like her and get involved like Peggy Sue?”  I could offer you the same question– “Peggy Sue’s Dad shows up for her performances– why can’t you be more supportive and involved like Peggy Sue’s Dad?”

3. I learn how I should be treated by how you treat my mom, whether you are married to her or not.  Always putting your own needs first, not ever listening to her needs and wants, putting her down in front of me when she shares her feelings, belittling her by groping her breasts inside her shirt and her genitalia inside her pants in front of me, getting her gifts that YOU want instead of things you genuinely believe SHE would like for herself, never spending a single wedding anniversary together in 40 years because you’d rather spend it hunting with your buddies every single year because you say “she doesn’t mind,” telling her to “shut up,” sleeping with someone else just before you propose (you know, just to “make sure that getting married really feels right or not”), letting your own mother treat your wife with limitless disrespect… all of these things would be examples of how NOT to behave if you want me to have a healthy idea of what a truly respectful and deeply loving relationship with a man should look like.

4. If you are angry with me, I feel it even if I don’t understand it, so talk to me.  TALK to me.  Don’t yell or make me feel bad about myself.  Use kind words so I learn that conflicts within a close relationship are nothing to be feared and that they can, indeed, be worked out in a loving and open manner.  I need to learn that a disagreement doesn’t need to be feared as a potential end of a relationship.

5. Every time you show grace to me or someone else, I learn to trust God a little more.  Ummm…. I’m not into the whole “god” idea so this one I could comfortably skip over… you’re off the hook on this one.  However, I will say just this one thing– calling yourself a “christian” man but yet doing all of the things I’m saying NOT to do in this list is laughable, to say the least.  Going to church every Sunday, praying for others, doing “good deeds” in the community and overall outwardly appearing to be what you deem a “godly” man mean nothing if you put all things, including yourself, in front of your own family.

6. I need to experience your nurturing physical strength, so I learn to trust the physicality of men.  Well, this one just pisses me off a little bit.  I’m plenty capable of opening a pickle jar by myself (usually)… and the idea of me needing to trust the “physicality” of men I just find unnecessary and insulting. Besides, I should learn to trust my OWN physicality so I feel comfortable defending myself. Soooo… moving on.

7. Please don’t talk about sex like a teenage boy, or I think it’s something dirty.  It would be a good idea, and just plain honorable, to not point at a couple having intercourse in a movie and say to me, your young daughter, “Look at that!  What is that man doing to that lady???”  In fact, might be best to just change the channel and make sure the entertainment I am taking in is not only respectful and tasteful, but age-appropriate.  I would also recommend that you refrain from sticking your hand down your wife’s shirt and/or pants while holding my gaze and saying, “Hey, look!  What?  What am I doing to Mommy? See, it’s OK, she likes it, see??”  And should I try to look away and avoid what is happening, you should not call me by name, look straight at me with a twisted gleam in your eyes and giggle as you see me squirm with discomfort and an obvious urge to come to my Mother’s defense.  All of these things tell me that sex is not a “mutual exchange” but rather something that happens TO a woman.  It makes it seem dirty and uncomfortable and one-sided, not something special that two loving, people in a committed relationship share.  And these messages will undoubtedly cloud for me the difference between affection and sex– and will teach me to confuse the two easily and to seek out the wrong kinds of “affection” from men in my later years.

8. When your tone is gentle, I understand what you are saying much better. You can show you are angry without screaming at me.  Please discuss issues with me in a respectful way– I deserve to know that even when you are angry that you still care about me.

9. How you talk about female bodies when you’re “just joking” is what I believe about my own.  Here’s a few pointers… Don’t point at a woman walking by or on the television and say to me, “Geeeeez, look at her.  Her boobs are huge!  Look how short her skirt is!  She wants people to look at her, doesn’t she??  She sure is pretty, isn’t she??  Do you want to grow up to look like her??”  Don’t tell me dirty jokes that teach me that my body is something to be objectified or embarrassed by or stared at by men or that sex is something to be feared or given up unwillingly. If you must tell these jokes, tell them to your adult, male friends.  Not your 8 year old daughter.  If I learn from you that women are objects and that their looks are so terribly important, I also learn that as I age and my looks deteriorate that I in turn lose my intrinsic value.

10. How you handle my heart, is how I will allow it to be handled by others.  If you consistently make promises you can’t keep or only support me when it is “convenient” for you then I will learn that I’m not worthy of unconditional care, love and support– and will not expect any more out of my relationships with men.  If you spend more time pointing out my flaws or what I’m doing wrong than praising me for the good things I will continually feel as though I’m not deserving of praise or affection and won’t be motivated to try harder because it just wouldn’t matter to you, anyway.  If I bring an “A” paper home and try to show it to you when you’re watching TV please praise me for it instead of saying, “god dammit, I can’t see the TV… move, I’ll look at it later!!”  You’re the parent– so you ultimately set the tone for how things will go for the duration of our relationship.  If I grow up feeling ignored, not cherished and inferior I learn very early on what to expect out of you and, in turn, will obviously not want to offer you the attention, time and care that you failed to provide my entire life.  You reap what you sow, you know? If you plant a dead seed you can’t be angry when a flower fails to grow for you.

11. If you encourage me to find what brings joy, I will always seek it.  If I don’t ever see you expressing any true joy in life I will have trouble knowing that it even exists. If I only see that you are not happy with your life, with your co-workers and friends or even with me, I don’t see what true happiness or joy should look like. I need you to encourage me to find things that bring me happiness for my own sake, not for making YOU happy or to give you something to brag about.  I need to know that whatever my path that I may choose that you will support it regardless of whether or not it is something you’d have chosen for me.

12. If you teach me what safe feels like when I’m with you, I will know better how to guard myself from men who are not.  There are so many ways to make a young girl NOT feel safe.  It would be helpful to begin by respecting my boundaries– in all areas.  For instance, if I am a child who is deathly afraid of heights, it would be cruel to shake the car as it carries us over the top of the ferris wheel and laugh at me for crying as I beg and plead with you to stop.  Or say I’d been in a serious car accident and was in the hospital having recurring nightmares about that accident it would be horribly heartless to put on a stock car race on the TV in my hospital room and to pretend you don’t see me crying as I plead with you to change the channel because I’m still having flashbacks about the crash that occurred just days ago and can’t handle watching cars racing just yet.  Attempting to re-enact the very same car accident by very slowly driving off the road in the same location as where the crash occurred as I cry, beg and plead with you to stop from the back seat… well, that’s just plain sadistic.  Dismissing my feelings and fears because you don’t agree with them or think they aren’t warranted only serves to tell me that I don’t deserve to have my feelings respected regardless of whether or not they make sense to you.  I need to learn that a relationship is about caring enough to respect others’ boundaries and limitations and loving them anyway.

13. Teach me a love of art, science, and nature, and I will learn that intellect matters more than dress size.  Even if you do encourage me to explore art, science and nature but still openly objectify women in my presence, or even objectify me, I will learn that my appearance is of greater value than any of those things.

14. Let me say exactly what I want even if it’s wrong or silly, because I need to know having a strong voice is acceptable to you. Regardless of whether or not something I’m saying to seems silly or wrong… I need to know that you LISTEN to me.  Not that you’re hearing me while waiting for your chance to talk interrupt me with your own thoughts but that you’re truly listening to what I’m saying so I know that having my own thoughts and opinions is OK and that you care about how I feel. It will make me feel as though I matter to you as a human being, not just as your daughter.

15. When I get older, if you seem afraid of my changing body, I will believe something is wrong with it.  On the flip side, if you look at me too long in a bathing suit, or comment on my figure or put an inappropriate amount of focus on my physique or my appearance I learn that my primary value lies not with my mind nor my integrity.  The same goes for my close friends… if you begin to comment on THEIR changing bodies to me (i.e. how well-developed their breasts are) then I will fear you are going to be watching for these changes in my own body and will be ashamed of it and won’t want to invite my friends over anymore.

16. If you understand contentment for yourself, so will I.  If you are never satisfied, never seem to get any joy out of life or out of having me as a daughter then I’ll never know what it is like to be content with myself… at least without a great deal of work and effort.

17. When I ask you to let go, please remain available; I will always come back and need you if you do.   As a parent, you should always WANT to be available and remain available for years to come.  If you show a disinterest in being supportive of me early on I will certainly feel little more than apathy and detachment in return.  Again, you get back what you put into a relationship.

18. If you demonstrate tenderness, I learn to embrace my own vulnerability rather than fear it.  If I’m busy working on something which requires my focus (like school work, for example) please don’t interrupt by teasing and poking and teasing and poking and teasing and poking and teasing and poking after I’ve asked you 17 times to please, please, pleeeease stop interrupting.  When you don’t listen to my pleas and I finally explode with a, “Please, I told you to STOP I’m trying to study!” it would be absolutely unacceptable for you to yell at me, “god dammit, I can’t even talk to you damn kids!  You don’t want anything to do with me, I get it!!!”  I may be a child but I still absolutely deserve to have my boundaries respected!

19. When you let me help fix the car and paint the house, I will believe I can do anything a boy can do. I need to be encouraged to believe that I can do anything I set my mind to… and you shouldn’t compare me to other people or I grow up doing the same– allowing my self-worth to be set in terms of how I compare to others’ abilities and achievements.

20. When you protect my femininity, I learn everything about me is worthy of protecting.  I feel some of these statements are redundant… this being one of them.  I’ll refer you again to numbers 7, 9 and 15 for this one.

21. How you treat our dog when you think I’m not watching tells me more about you than does just about anything else.   For example, hitting the dog so hard with a broom that it actually breaks in half… or teasing the cat relentlessly until he finally has enough and bites you and to punish him for sticking up for himself you throw him against the back door… or slamming the dog pen door into the side of the dog resulting in a wound requiring a substantial amount of stitches… all examples of things that might give the impression that you are to be feared, not trusted.

22. Don’t let money be everything, or I learn not to respect it or you. If you are continually spending money impulsively on “the next greatest thing” like the first microwave to come out, the first Betamax player, the first camcorder or timeshares we don’t need but condemn me for spending my money on something YOU think is unnecessary then I learn from you that the way of your world is “Do as I say, not as I do.”  I need you to set a good example for me to follow so I learn financial responsibility and stability.  And when your wife, my mother, admits that she tends to spoil me with money and things in an attempt to make up for the emotional connection lacking from my father I learn to self-soothe in the very same way– by spending money on myself, often money I do not have.  When I learn that “things” can make up for what I’m lacking inside I am never satisfied.

23. Hug, hold, and kiss me in all the ways a father does that are right and good and pure. I need it so much to understand healthy touch.  You, as my dad, do not need to physically touch me in an inappropriate way to be abusive.  Performing sexual things to my Mom in front of me is abusive and under no circumstances is that OK.  When you do this and see she is uncomfortable with it and politely asks you to stop and you persist it teaches me, in a sense, that women are here as an object to please men regardless of whether or not we are comfortable with what is happening.  When she nervously says “stop it” and you laugh and continue to do that to her in front of me it is a clear string of messages: “I do not care that you are uncomfortable. Your feelings are of no consequence to me.  I am allowed to do this to your mother despite her discomfort or yours.”

24. Please don’t lie, because I believe what you say.  This includes not going back on your word.  When you promise me you’ll be at my talent show performance you should be there– and no, getting me to give you my “permission” for you to get out of it is not an acceptable loop hole for not attending.

25. Don’t avoid hard conversations, because it makes me believe I’m not worth fighting for.  When I see you yell each time you and Mom have a disagreement and it ends in an explosive “then why in the hell did you marry me” followed by a week of mutual “silent treatment” and talk of divorce I do not learn effective communication and fear that each argument might be “the end” of the relationship.  I need to learn that true love means working through difficulties together by communicating effectively and that a relationship can even grow from these experiences.

Thanks for listening, dude.  I know you understand why I had to do this.

*The original article can be found here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tara-hedman/what-little-girls-wish-daddies-knew_b_4581782.html

5 Responses to ““What Little Girls Wish ‘Daddies’ Knew””

  1. Leashya Says:

    Laura, I know how hard this post was for you to write and I commend you for your courage, strength and determination to tell the truth- as gut wrenching as it is. As you know, I was the daughter of a father who also did not demonstrate healthy relationship boundaries or behaviors, so I know what that does to a developing child AND the effects it has on that same child when she becomes an adult. A parent’s abusive behavior leaves scars that become sub-conscious patterns that play out in future relationships and the survivor of abuse continues to experience the negative repercussions in every area of her life. That said, the fact that you can identify “what dads should know” is evidence of your healing process. You are not in denial or attempting to justify or downplay your father’s behavior- you are naming it and exposing it for what it was/is: abuse. Thank you for being brave and speaking out. You never know who may read this and who may silently feel validated and supported by your words. Keep up the fight. Love you!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Michelle Says:

    This is a wonderful post. It kind of makes my stomach hurt and I’m so sorry that this was your experience, but you have expressed it in a beautiful way.

    I hope that your life continues in a way that brings you peace and comfort. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • lhabedank Says:

      Thank you for saying that. While I know it isn’t the kind of horrific trauma you read about in the newspapers, it is reassuring to know someone read it and thought, “that isn’t ok.” Thank you for that! ❤

  3. Marcy Says:

    I’m very proud of you, Laura. You are stronger than you know. love you

    Liked by 1 person

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text:
HIPAA – Can You Afford to be Compliant?

Maybe the question should be, “Can your organization afford not to be compliant?” Just in the last two months of 2015, three HIPAA settlements were announced that totaled over $5 million in payments

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.linkedin.com

Jay Hodes consistently offers important information and guidance that I utilize to manage incoming and outgoing PHI files. As Jay suggests I will complete the OCR’s  Security Risk Assessment Tool and make sure Lifeline’s policies adhere to the legal requirements of HIPAA. Thanks for another great post, Jay!

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text:
The Tomb is Empty!

John 20

Last time, our lesson closed when Pilate finally sent Jesus away to be crucified.  Now we pick up the story after the crucifixion has been completed, on the first day of the new week with Mary Magdalene who went to the tomb very early, while it was still dark and found that the tomb was open and the body of Jesus was gone.  John has already used “darkness” in this Gospel as a metaphor for disbelief several times, and this is no different, for upon discovering the empty tomb neither Mary nor Peter and John believed that it indicated Jesus had risen from the dead, for they had not grasped this concept in advance. As the sun rose and light began to spread across the land, this would change…

The drama begins early in the morning, before sunrise when Mary Magdalene finds the tomb empty.  She rushes to tell the disciples that the body has been moved or stolen and Peter and John race to the scene where they confirm that the body is gone.  John completes this part of the story by pointing out in v. 9 that none of them understood from Scripture that Jesus would rise from the dead.  I might point out that they also didn’t understand this from the things that Jesus had told them.  It would be beneficial for all of us to understand that we have the same problem today very frequently because we are used to thinking in earthy terms.  Very few Christians today, at least in America, have what could be called a Biblical world view, instead most of us have a cultural or secular world view which inhibits our ability to see things as they really are, and we need to be aware of this to avoid misinterpreting not only Scripture but the world around us. As for Scripture in this regard, take a look at what Peter said in Acts 2:25-32: Obviously, he understood what Scripture taught on this point by the Day of Pentecost.

Mary had found the tomb empty, had run back to tell the disciples, Peter and John had come running and confirmed the tomb was empty… and had in turn gone back to their homes leaving Mary at the scene crying.  Still crying, she looks into the tomb again and this time sees two angels inside; there is nothing in the text to tell us that she understood that they were angels.  They ask her why she is crying, and her reply demonstrates that she has no concept of their double meaning; she is crying because someone has stolen the body.  She did not comprehend the second meaning that there should be no cause for crying any longer: He has risen! She turns and sees Jesus standing there but does not recognize Him.  Her lack of recognition is interesting, for it shows us that there is nothing remarkable in His appearance.  That she doesn’t realize who He is shouldn’t be that shocking, for I cannot recall a time in my own life in which I would ever expect to see someone walking around and talking when I had gone to visit their grave.  She assumes He is the gardener.

Jesus asked her why she was crying and then who she was looking for, a question He had already asked twice on the night He was arrested.  She answers Him by asking about the whereabouts of the body.  Jesus calls her by name; the shepherd “calls his own sheep by name and leads then out” (10:3). Immediately she is “called out” of her unbelief!

Jesus says a curious thing at this point, “do not hold on to me.”  A close look at this reveals that His meaning is something like: Do not try to hold me here on earth for I have to return to my Father (go to prepare a place for you 14:2) go and tell my brothers that I am going to prepare their co-inheritance.  She returns and tells them these things; note that John goes to lengths to make sure we know who was the very first to give testimony about having seen the risen Christ.

The scene shifts from the tomb to a place in town where the disciples, excluding Thomas, are gathered behind closed and locked doors: Suddenly Jesus is in their midst. He simply says “shalom” and lets them see His wounds; they are thrilled!

This is no social call; Jesus is all business, giving them three pieces of vital information.  First, He tells them that He is sending them out just as the Father has sent Him.  They are to carry on His mission of salvation into the world, now that they have seen all that they had seen.  Second, He breathed on them and told them to receive the Holy Spirit.  This appears to be a foreshadowing of the Day of Pentecost.  It appears to be a foreshadowing as there is no apparent reaction to this act yet, but when the Spirit is poured out in Acts 2 the reaction is dramatic. Third, He gives them an awesome charge saying that if they forgive anyone their sins they are forgiven, if not they are not forgiven.  Obviously much has been written and speculated upon with regard to this, but I can’t help thinking about what Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 16:18 ff. saying that “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” I can’t help noting that it was Apostles who wrote what would be required to enter into a covenant relationship with Jesus in the New Testament…

20:24-31 is the story of “Doubting Thomas” who had stated that he wouldn’t believe that Jesus had arisen from the dead until he put his fingers into the wounds on his body.  Jesus suddenly appears in the room and offers Thomas the chance, Thomas replies with a hugely significant statement of faith: “My Lord and my God.” This is of course the highest statement of faith found in the New Testament, theologically speaking, equating Jesus not only as Lord but also as God.  Jesus quickly bursts his bubble by pointing out that anybody with a brain would understand that with what Thomas has seen, but many more will come to that understanding based only upon the testimony of others. John ends the chapter by telling the reader the purpose for the book:  Many wonderful things were done by Jesus that are not recorded here, but what is recorded is recorded so that the reader might come to the same conclusion based upon John’s eyewitness testimony that Thomas came to by seeing Jesus after the resurrection.

About Don Merritt

A long time teacher and writer, Don hopes to share his varied life's experiences in a different way with a Christian perspective.
This entry was posted in Bible and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

11 Responses to The Tomb is Empty!

  1. Pingback: The Tomb is Empty! | A disciple's study

  2. davidkitz says:

    Well said. There is no greater event than the resurrection.

  3. It amazes me all the people referring to “Doubting Thomas” when none of the apostles believed the women when they told them. On the other hand, it was Thomas who first said, “Let us go to Jerusalem that we may die with him,” and Thomas who first said, “My Lord and my God.”

  4. “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

    Jesus tell this to the Apostles, not the 500, a select group. Yet, today we feel free to rewrite just about everything they bound and loosed. Do you think all followers, then and now, are given that authority?

  5. Pingback: The Tomb is Empty! | The Life Project | franciscansonthemountains

  6. Thank you Don, yes our world view coupled with our Scriptural view can colour our Scriptural perspective. i wish I could be as clear in my explanations as you are.

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Simply Cook

A little box of treasures to unfold!

Simply cook is a monthly subscription box of hidden gems. Beautiful spices to create wonderful dishes on plan. Just add fresh ingredients. Subscriptions can be for just 3 months or longer. A perfect gift also for that person you know who loves to cook! They come beautifully presented with recipes. Each spice blend for individual recipes are packed in their own little box. No need to have hundreds of spices when they are blended for you! Use your creativity! I haven't started cooking with these yet but I will soon, some dishes may need tweaking to stay on plan but i will post any changes.  ( if any are required) once I cook them. They can be found Here

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Happy Birthday, Dear Blog — GIVEAWAY

This little blog is two years old today!  When I contemplated whether a blog celebrates an anniversary or a birthday, I decided that this blog on motherhood definitely celebrates a birthday.  “Life with Levi” was born just shy of four months after I gave birth, during a time when I was frantically trying to find my way as a new mom.  In many ways, I was trying to find my way back to my pre-baby self, and as all moms know (or will come to realize), that is impossible, and it is supposed to be that way.  In one of many foggy moments spent scouring the internet for information on motherhood that would make me feel less alone, I came across Kristen Hedges’ blog, milk & moonlight.  I wrote about that relief-filled moment of connection–of being able to relate deeply to her words.  Her writing speaks straight to the confused, conflicted, but joy-filled (mostly) mommy heart.

Birthdays, of course, involve presents (yay!), and the birthday of this blog is no different. Since I cannot give this inanimate, online space a gift, I am giving a copy of Kristen Hedges book, Mama, Bare: The Birth of Mother, to one of you reading this post:)

mama bear

Two steps to enter (you must do both in order to be eligible):

  • Follow this blog!  If you’re already a follower, leave me a comment on this post, saying hello, or telling me one thing you like about the blog, or making a suggestion for improving this blog.
  • Follow me on Instagram!  If you already follow me, leave me a comment on the associated post saying hello or telling me why you’d like to read Kristen’s book.

Contest will stay open until Wednesday, May 3rd at midnight and winner will be selected Thursday, May 4th.

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Marion Cotillard, Tori Amos, and Acting While Singing

We really should know this by now, but Marion Cotillard is awesome.

She just recorded “The Eyes of Mars” with Franz Ferdinand. It is quite possibly the best thing Franz Ferdinand has ever done.

Speaking of awesome covers, if you haven’t heard Tori Amos reinterpret Britney Spears’ “Hit Me (Baby One More Time)” as a ballad about spousal abuse check out the video after the break. Continue reading


text:
Skip to content

Nov 17 2014

Lincolnshire Animal Hospital-Dog Therapy Group

The Lincolnshire Animal Hospital Dog Therapy Group was established approximately 25 years ago, making it one of the first of its kind in the country. It began with a nucleus of hospital staff and their pets, and through the years, by attracting interest from dog owners everywhere, it grew to its current membership of approximately 25 handler/dog teams that visit a variety of facilities in the north and northwestern suburbs.

Having expanded and matured, the Group has established itself as part of The Lincolnshire Animal Hospital and is pleased to announce openings to qualified people/dog teams. Lincolnshire Animal Hospital Dog Therapy Group (LAHDTG) serves schools, hospitals, nursing homes, facilities for the mentally and physically disabled and hospices throughout Lake and other northeastern Illinois counties.

Our volunteer dogs (and their handlers) bring unconditional love and affection to those in need of a smile or companionship. Our four legged friends and their handlers have been tested and found to be obedient, outgoing and compatible with people and other dogs. The dogs travel free of charge (chauffeured by their handlers) to visit those in need.

Why therapy dogs? Among the many physical aspects enhanced by pet therapy, it has been proven to lower one’s blood pressure and significantly reduce anxieties. When petting a friendly, non-judgmental dog, it has also been proven that stress can be lowered. There have been instances during which non-communicative persons have spoken to therapy dogs when they have not spoken to other humans in the recent past. Conversations established by the handlers often lead to the remembrance of beloved dogs and other pets, thereby inducing pleasant conversation.

For inquiries about participation in the group, information about LAHDTG can be obtained by calling 847-634-9250 and asking for Marilyn Putz, Dog Therapy Group Director.

Lifelearn Admin | Veterinary News

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text:
Re: Mozilla Firefox 0.8 Packages

* Jeroen van Wolffelaar (jeroen@wolffelaar.nl) wrote:
> Why not add some code like
> if not exists ~/.firefox and exists ~/.phoenix
> 	move ~/.phoenix ~/.firefox
> endif
> in the firefox code?

I thought about this and initially I was going to do that, but I
decided it wasn't a good idea to muck around in people's home
directory with out asking them. Perhaps if I write a little script to
do this, but force the user to invoke it themselves would be a good

Eric Dorland <eric.dorland@mail.mcgill.ca>
ICQ: #61138586, Jabber: hooty@jabber.com
1024D/16D970C6 097C 4861 9934 27A0 8E1C  2B0A 61E9 8ECF 16D9 70C6

Version: 3.12
GCS d- s++: a-- C+++ UL+++ P++ L++ E++ W++ N+ o K- w+
O? M++ V-- PS+ PE Y+ PGP++ t++ 5++ X+ R tv++ b+++ DI+ D+
G e h! r- y+

Reply to:


text:
Re: (DRAFT 4) FAQ on documentation licensing

My suggestions, HTH:

s/software/programs and\/or libraries/g

       { RATIONALE: no two dictionaries seem to agree about
       the meaning of the word "software". To avoid any
       ambiguities, it would be better to spell out what you
       are telling apart from documentation}

Jacobo Tarrio wrote:

>Q: Why does Debian apply the DFSG to documents?
>A: Debian applies the same standards of freedom to all works
>it distributes; some of these standards are written down in
>the DFSG. No good reasons have been provided to use a
>different standard with documents than with programs.
>Even if we were to treat software and documentation
>differently, first we would need to have a clear way to tell
>documentation apart from software.  Many works, like source
>code annotated with Javadoc comments or Postscript files, are
>software and documentation at the same time, so it is easy to
>see that there is no such clear division.

s/it is easy to see.*$/it is very difficult to find any such
clear division./

       { RATIONALE: if it were easy to see, everybody would
       have seen it by now :-) And it is very possible that
       some genius comes with such a clear division in the
       future, altough I don't believe so }

>Q: Some documents need to have some parts which must not be
>modified.  For example, RFC or other standards documents
>should not be modifiable at all.  Or a piece may contain the
>author's opinion on something, and nobody should be allowed
>to misrepresent the author's position by modifying that
>piece.  Isn't this a restriction that should be allowed in
>documents and not in programs?

s/Isn't this a restriction that should be allowed/Shouldn't
this restriction be allowed/

       { RATIONALE: Aesthetic }

>A: Mainly, for three reasons: such a restriction is
>unnecessary, it is useless and it is not true that it would
>be less appropriate for software than for documentation.
>First, misrepresentation can be prevented without forbidding
>anyone to modify the work, by requiring all modified works to
>not claim that they are the original work or that they were
>written by the original work.

s/work.$/work's author(s)./

       { RATIONALE: The work cannot write anything :-) }

and, after,

s/$/ Concluding, such a restriction is unnecessary./

       { RATIONALE: For this and the two following items,
       closure with the first paragraph of the answer }

>Furthermore, a clause in a copyright license would not stop
>anyone from misrepresenting the work or its authors. For
>example, I might create a new, original document titled "RFC
>2821, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol" with a distorted
>description of SMTP, and with this action I would not be
>contravening the license of the IETF's RFC 2821. The proper
>defense against this are the various laws dealing with libel,
>fraud and impersonation.

s/$/ Concluding, such a restriction is useless./

>Finally, if there were any reasons to allow such a
>restriction in documents, these reasons would allow it in
>programs too. For example, qmail's license forbids
>distributing modified versions of it, since its author
>believes that his reputation might suffer if someone
>distributed a version of qmail with bugs not introduced by
>him. If restrictions on modification of documents were
>allowed to save an author's reputation, they would be allowed
>on programs; this would make qmail free, but due to the DFSG
>it isn't, so these restrictions cannot be allowed.

s/$/ Concluding, such a restriction, if permitted, would not
be more appropriate for documentation than for programs./

>Q: I think that some "Debian Free Documentation Guidelines"
>should be created as an alternative to the DFSG for
>documentation. What should I do to have them adopted?
>A: First, you must write them; most people never manage this
>Next, for every license restriction permitted by your new
>guidelines that isn't allowed by the DFSG, you must give
>satisfactory answers to these three questions:
>1. How do we distinguish between packages where this
>restriction should and should not be allowed?
>2. Why should the restriction be allowed in for these
>3. Why shouldn't the restriction be allowed in for every
>other package?
>Note that the answers to (2) and (3) should not involve
>special pleading or otherwise be contradictory. "Because it's
>documentation" is not a valid answer, and the answer to (3)
>should not apply to the packages in question.
>You'll need to discuss your proposal on debian-legal and
>debian-project to work out any problems with your proposal
>and to gather support for it.
>Finally, you'll have to propose a General Resolution to amend
>the Social Contract, and convince a 3:1 supermajority of your
>fellow Debian developers to vote for it.
>Q: If the DFSG are to be applied to documents as well as to
>programs, why is the text of the GPL included in Debian, if
>it says that it cannot be modified at all?
>A: Because the verbatim text of the license must be
>distributed with any work licensed under its terms. This is
>not specific to the GPL; almost all free licenses require
>that their text be included verbatim with the work. As a
>compromise, Debian distributes copies of the GPL and other
>licenses under which the components of Debian are covered.
>This compromise will not be extended to other types of works.
>(Note that according to the FSF, which is the author of the
>GPL, you're actually allowed to modify the text of the GPL
>and create a derived license if you remove the preamble and
>you do not call the results "General Public License". See the
>for more information.)
>Contributors to this FAQ
>Jacobo Tarrío, Andrew Suffield, Doug Jensen, Francesco Poli,
>Anthony DeRobertis, Raul Miller, Evan Prodromou, Ben Finney
>and Glenn Maynard.

Reply to:


text:
Re: A new practical problem with invariant sections?

Craig Sanders <cas@taz.net.au> writes:

> bullshit. "freedom", as used by Debian, is explicitly defined in the
> DFSG. the DFSG has a number of clauses detailing what we consider
> free and what we don't consider free. convenience is NOT one of those
> clauses, and never was. in fact, convenience is implicitly discarded as
> a criteria by the existence of the patch clause, which explicitly states
> that the major inconvenience of modification-by-patch-only is free.

Modifiability *is* one of those clauses, and a rule that says "you
cannot modify this essay" is in violation of that clause.

The *reason* why some care about this clause is for reasons to
do with convenience, practicality, or expense, or perhaps other
things.  It is Anton's apparent conviction that the DFSG only demands
modifiability when it is necessary for convenience's or practicality's
sake.  This is not *my* view.  But it is interesting that *even* if we
adopt Anton's view, in which suddenly convenience and practicality
matter, we can think of reasons why the modifications in question
would be useful.

But let there be no mistake.  My view (and, I think, Manoj's view), is
that the freedom to modify a manual by removing "invariant sections"
is one of the freedom's protected by the DFSG, and it is so whether it
is practically important to be able to do so or not.

Use of the word "bullshit" constitutes a violation of the policy for
this mailing list.

Reply to:


text:
Re: OT: vim syntax highlight on C program files only?

"Karsten M. Self" wrote:
> I'm starting to play with C a bit.  Discovering some nice things in vim.
> I know that there's an 'au' and 'augroup' commands, and that a number of
> vim settings can be configured using these.  I'm not sure what current
> settings exist for C program files (matching pattern *.c), or how I
> should use these settings to enable appropriate settings for programming
> support.

  if you install vim-rt the syntax highlighting should work on most

syntax on

  into your ~/.vimrc

> In particular, I'd like to enable syntax highlighting, and maybe get
> some ideas of what I should change to make things a bit more readable
> (some of my screen colors are very hard to read, particularly blue, also
> red, bolding them should help a lot).

  the gvim (opens vim in its own window) has much better colors since it
is not limited to few colors that xterm uses (by default).

  also, set up your background (light or dark):

set background=dark

Reply to:


text:
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text:
[OpenAFS] Re: Naming of "backup" and "up" commands

Russ Allbery rra@stanford.edu
Mon, 23 Sep 2013 09:13:19 -0700

Andrew Deason <adeason@sinenomine.net> writes:
> Russ Allbery <rra@stanford.edu> wrote:

>> What would people think if I submitted a patch to OpenAFS to rename up
>> to afs-up and backup to afs-backup?  Would that break a bunch of
>> critical software?  It would be really nice to fix AFS's camping on
>> obvious namespace.

> Would it be appropriate to also have an optional compat package that
> could symlink the original names?

Yeah, we could do that, I suppose, although it's going to be hard to know
when to drop the package.  Although I'd really rather do something that
OpenAFS is also going to adopt, since I have to rename the command in all
the man pages.

> Either way, sure, makes sense to me. But the people that actually use
> those commands really do need to say something, even if it's just "yes,
> sounds good".

Yes, indeed.

Russ Allbery (rra@stanford.edu)             <http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/>


text:
Wine Rosette & Marine Blue Aditi Hat (Multi-pack)

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Live Better With Bamboo Hats Bamboo material is super soft, lightweight, and up to 41% more absorbent than cotton, keeping your head dry and cool. It also has anti-bacterial and hypoallergenic properties.

This gorgeous hat is made from 95% bamboo, with 5% elastane for a little stretch.

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If you have had a positive experience with this product let everyone know below!


text:
When price of goods or services are controlled below its real market price by government the price is said to be subsidized. An Industry is asked by the Government to sell its product at certain price levels below its market price. The loss incurred by company is compensated by the Government. Government subsidizes an item to make it affordable for poor/common men.

Is subsidy a good thing for India, or is it bad? Does it help the poor, or only the rich? Does the so-called “culture of subsidy” promote idleness?

If a person can buy rice, wheat for 2 or 3 rupees per kg, why does that person work hard and earn more for his/her family? This so-called subsidy is breaking the backbone of poor and killing their desire to work hard and improve their standard of living.

Some may argue that subsidies help in lowering cost of living. To an extent this reasoning is correct but it does not support long-term good. Normally, when price of any item goes up what we do? We try to buy less of that item. We switch to other alternatives. This results in lower demand of the costly item. Lower demand forces prices to come down. But in case of subsidized items, people do not feel the heat of prices going up. The demand of those items continues to grow without control. When demand grows price will also grow.

Do you ever think who bears the cost of these subsidies?

Does government pays those subsidies from their pockets? Of course not. The subsidies are paid from tax payer’s money. The money that could have been utilized for development is used for subsidies. The money that can build bridges, roads, better trains, better buses, electricity etc goes waste as subsidy. Increased spending on subsidies is compensated by increased taxes and lower government spending.

The entire alternative to nurture subsides are only detrimental to economy. When tax goes up, people purchasing power goes down. They spend less and thus overall demand in country falls. This lowers GDP growth rate. Lower government spending means less developmental projects in country. It means lower efficiency of the country. This further lowers the country GDP.

Then why we voters accept a government which favors subsidies? The negative effect of subsidies does not create direct damage. Immediate damage of subsidy is not visible.

The entire subsidy culture is caused by India’s political system. A lot of subsidies are targeted towards creating political constituencies and vote banks.

The Economic Survey 2015-16 questioned their impact in transforming the lives of the poor. The center and state governments offer a host of price subsidies, including on rice, wheat, pulses, sugar, kerosene, cooking gas, water, electricity, and fertilizer. The survey pegged the fiscal cost of these subsidies at Rs 3.78 trillion, which translates into 4.24% of gross domestic product.

For the last three to four years, India has focused on reining in fiscal deficit over propping growth. A trim subsidy will help government to reduce its fiscal deficit and divert it to public infrastructure or other productive assets in the economy, which, in turn will generate employment and growth across all sectors in the economy.

Does this mean all subsidies are being given at the wrong places, and that there is no good being served? Subsidies on public transport have made traveling affordable for millions of people, apart from reducing pollution and congestion on roads, as well as cutting down on petrol consumption.

“Desirable subsidies” would include the rural employment generation scheme NGERA, midday meal programs, healthcare, female empowerment, funds allotted for the right to education among the poor and agricultural loans.

In short, any subsidy that benefits women, the poor is good; their growth increase national growth.

Subsidies on medical equipment or medicines ensure healthcare for the poor, especially in a country like India where medical infrastructure is poor at rural places.

Similarly, subsidies for agriculture loans given for secondary agriculture initiatives reduce the burden on primary agriculture activities, and also help increasing employment in agriculture sector.

The MSME sector is the backbone for any economy and in India, it accounts for 37% of the GDP. Subsidy here will not only strengthen this sector but also ensure jobs for millions as well.

Subsidies for renewable energy usage at public places and in residential areas, is much desired; solar subsidy, duty exemptions on imports of expensive equipment, and incentives for green fuels like bio-fuels will propel investment in R&D and drive towards a more Eco-friendly energy regime.

copyright © 2017 All Rights Reserved.

Thanks for reading this post…

I hope you all will like it…

What do you think about the effect of subsidy on Indian economy?

Share your opinion and feedback about this post in the comment box below…

  1. Subsidies are good or bad, the answer can’t be in Yes or No. It will depend on the sector, current scenario, who are the beneficiaries or the target, state of the economy etc. etc.
    Most contested issue in recent past in Indian economy was the subsidies given on fertilizers to the farmers. When fertilizers were brought in the market, It was argued that farmers are generally poor in India and hence they will find it difficult to use the new techniques to enhance productivity as it was costly too. So to make the farmers aware about the benefits of it, subsidies were given. No doubt, farmers benefitted immensely and India witnessed Green Revolution.
    But the point is that,even after so many years, farmers condition did not change drastically. Till today they are committing suicides in thousands. And the fertilizer company are getting benefits more than the farmers. Their business is proliferating. So in one sense the target is not right
    Subsidies having a deleterious impact on the state of the economy.
    However, there are many people , such as the lower strata of the society, they need basic support from the government to survive, so for them subsidies are must. But the point is that it should be sustainable.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Nice post, with good arguments…however, I do not oppose the idea of subsidies if that is benefiting the poor. This is because of the lower income earning capacity and nearly no tax paid by them. So the questing taking money in the form of tax from those below poverty line is nearly negligible. Nevertheless, I agree that there are many sector to be focused that would contribute to a larger community like, women empowerment and medicine.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Thought provoking post indeed.

    Could you please elaborate on the statement, “In short, any subsidy that benefits women, the poor is good; their growth increase national growth.”

    Don’t you think, at one point, women themselves consider that they are weak? Women, in India, are much stronger than men in most of the aspects. As a responsible blogger (by the number of followers you cater to), you might send the wrong message. Please correct me, if I took the wrong meaning.

    Liked by 1 person

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