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20th Jan 2018

Socialist millionaires bare all in French 'striptease'

  • Elysee palace: the French government conducts business amid imperial-era grandeur (Photo: vincent.m)

French President Francois Hollande and eight of his 37 ministers are millionaires, according to the national "striptease" of politicians' assets published on Monday (15 April).

Hollande himself declared already last year that his estate is worth around €1.2 million, most of it deriving from a house in the Alps and apartments in Cannes.

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But Monday's revelations show that foreign minister Laurent Fabius is worth €6 million (including a €2.8mn flat in Paris and €1.2mn shares in the Piasa auction house), while Michele Delauney, in charge of helping the elderly, is worth €5.2 million (most of it inherited properties, but also more than €1mn in cash in 23 separate bank accounts).

The other millionaires are: employent minister Michel Sapin (€2mn); Prime Minister Jean-marc Ayrault (€1.4mn); junior education minister George Pau-Langevin (€1.2 mn, with over €200,000 in cash), sports minister Valerie Fourneyron (€1.1mn); French overseas departments minister Victorin Lurel (€1.1mn); and health minister Marisol Touraine (€1.1mn).

The €1 million figure acquired special status in France under Hollande because he came to office promising to tax people who earn more than €1 million a year at a sky-high rate of 75 percent.

The "rich tax" later fell by the wayside.

Monday's figures also show that the average wealth of Hollande's Socialist crew is €914,000 each - compared to the French average of €230,000, putting them in the top 10 percentile of French society.

At the other end of the scale, the poorest ministers, six mostly younger men and women with junior portfolios, had less than €200,000 per head.

With the whole revelation prompted by a scandal involving a secret bank account by Hollande's former budget minister, the figures note that the new budget minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, has €587,000, while the finance minister, Pierre Moscovici has a relatively modest €267,000.

Some of the declarations unearthed quirky details.

Employment minister Michel Sapin declared a small fishing boat. Industrial renewal minister Arnaud Montebourg declared a designer armchair worth €4,500, while housing minister Cecile Duflot said she has €12,000 in jewellery.

But the level of detail varied from minister to minister, prompting French daily Le Monde to promise that it will scrutinise the declarations in the coming days.

Justice minister Christiane Taubira went so far as to declare a 17-year-old bicycle worth €200. But interior minister Manuel Valls said he has less than €2,000 in the bank.

The transparency exercise is normal in many European countries, but represents a big change in France, where media tends to allow public figures more privacy.

The Le Figaro daily dubbed it "the striptease" of the French republic.

Opposition politicians called it "voyeurism."

For his part, Jean-Luc Melenchon, a senator who heads France's opposition Left Party, made fun of Hollande's project by declaring in his blog: "I'm 1.74 metres tall. I weigh 79kg. My shirt size is 41/42. My trouser size is 42, and I take a size 42 shoe. All my hair is my own and is not dyed."

But there is nothing funny for Hollande (approval rating 26%) about the potential political cost of the move.

Foreign minister Fabius felt no need to apologise for his wealth.

But Delauney (housing minister, €5.2mn) told Le Figaro: "I see the risk of misunderstanding in a time when many French people are in [financial] trouble."

Stephane Le Foll (agriculture minister, €481,000 plus a €300 bicycle) said it is "entirely consistent" to be "rich and on the left [politically]," adding that "history is full" of such people.

Hollande himself noted: "Voting on the left corresponds to the idea of advancing society and sharing … I do not see why those who are rich cannot have these values."

France in turmoil over tax-dodging minister

The scandal over France's tax-evading budget minister is threatening to engulf Hollande's government, which had promised an "irreproachable republic."

French leader promises anti-tax-cheat crusade

French leader Hollande has promised to "eradicate" tax havens in the EU and in the wider world, after his approval rating fell to 26 percent following a tax scandal.

German coalition deal aims for 'Macron-lite' EU renewal

Merkel and Schulz clear the first hurdle of coalition talks, but the SPD's full membership backing is still needed. The likely coalition parties express support for Macron's eurozone reform ideas, but remain cautious.

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Whaling on Long Island

at Rogers Mansion | Thu Nov 02

Rogers Mansion

17 Meeting House Lane
Southampton, NY 11968
Tel: 631-283-2494
Contact Name: Laurie Collins
Visit Website: Website.

Date & Time

11:00 AM
Thu, Nov 02, 2017
Cost: Free Event

The story of whales, and the whalers who followed them, is tied with Long Island’s rich maritime history. Join Nomi Dayan, the executive director of The Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor and author of Whaling on Long Island, for a pictorial presentation exploring the rise and fall of whaling on the island. Discover local whaleship fleets which traveled to the far corners of the world and the personalities behind local enterprises. Be transported to a time when whalers roamed the streets between journeys, shipbuilders worked in the harbors, and captains charted their expeditions in Long Island’s pursuit of the largest creatures in the world. Co-sponsored by the Southampton Historical Museum and Rogers Memorial Library.

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Science: Conditioning

Although Ivan Pavlov received a Nobel Prize for work on digestion, his most important work was in the study of classical conditioning with the famous Pavlov's Dog experiment.

This experiment involved conditioning a dog to salivate in response to an Neutral Stiumulus (a light, or bell for instance). When presenting the dog with food (Unconditioned Stimulus) it elicits an Unconditioned Response (salivation). By presenting the Neutral Stimulus and Unconditioned Stimulus in synchrony we may condition the dog to respond to the Neutral Stimulus; The dog makes the association that light and food go together and so will salivate in response to the light alone. The light has now become a Conditioned Stimulus, which ellicits the Conditioned Response (salivation).

The experiment is discussed further at: Classical conditioning

Recreation: Pubs

Pavlov's Dog is also the name of a Public house in Reading, Berkshire in the United Kingdom.

Pavlov's Dog
31 St. Marys Butts
Reading RG1 2LN
(United Kingdom)
(As it happens, I will actually be going there a little later this afternoon!)

"Got to keep on moving, running to the sounds
Rhythm is a song dance
Rocking to a song dance."

American rock band, based in St. Louis, Missouri. Intermittently active 1973-2013.

David Surkamp (vocals, guitars)
Mike Safron (drums, percussion)
Steve Scorfina (guitars)
Siegfried Carver (electric violin)
David Hamiton (keyboards)
Rick Stockton (bass)
Doug Rayburn (mellotron, flute)

There are some strange American bands that are hardly known in the US but are huge elsewhere in the world. Here's another one of them. If you say "Pavlov's Dog" in Europe or Australia, chances are it will be recognised as something that's not just 19th century science. 25 years after the band split, frontman David Surkamp, who now does the odd music column, tells of visiting bands that he's supposed to be interviewing asking him whether he's "THE David Surkamp?!" Which, of course, he is. With a platinum record on his wall. From Australia.

"In St. Louis they're bigger than the Stones" --NME, Dec 1975

But only in St. Louis, as far as America was concerned. Pavlov's Dog have recorded five albums, two of which are seriously worth your time and money. Of the remainder, one spent most of its time as bootleg. The later albums had only two of the original members in the line-up and doesn't quite compare to their earlier work. Their first two albums, though, are impressive. In Pampered Menial and At the Sound of the Bell we have two brilliant albums of what might or might not be described as pop, might or might not be described as prog rock... hell, I don't know. Whatever you call it, those two albums are largely obscure delights of a mid-70s music scene that was pretty unproductive as a whole.

In a way, the band epitomised the broken rock dream of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Around 1974, Pavlov's Dog were hot stuff. Formed the previous year, they signed with ABC Dunhill and collected an advance said to be a staggering $600,000 before releasing as much as a single, something unheard of for a completely untried band. They then went to record Pampered Menial, and got canned by their label (according to Safron's version of events) OR were traded for another band OR jumped to Columbia. The album hit the shelves on the same day under two different labels.

So there was this singer who some said was like Geddy Lee, and loved or hated accordingly, and could hit notes that very few could even imagine reaching. When I give people a taste of Pavlov's Dog, I like to mess with their minds by making them guess whether the vocals are male or female. Half of them get it wrong. Perhaps a comparison to Klaus Nomi would be more helpful. There was cool junk like flutes, violins and a mellotron (acquired after seeing John Lennon's). There was a band that never used paper, be it in the form of sheet music or whatever (not even set lists as far as I can tell), and exhibited talent like few before or after them. And they knew it:

"We were the house band at the Ambassador Theatre. And we'd play in front of the bands like Aerosmith and Kiss. And they flat-out couldn't follow us. They weren't in the same league. We'd go out on tours and then get kicked off after one or two nights because acts just couldn't come out after us." --D.S.

While sales of the first album could have been better, the critics didn't mind it. They became one of the darlings of the New Musical Express and even inspired a comic strip in the magazine. The second album was released with Columbia and, while not quite as remarkable as the first, is still a classic. Album number three was shelved by Columbia, who, I suppose, intended to put an end to this capricious ensemble's recording career. However, before going their separate ways, the band members were each given a 1/4 inch copy of the master tape, and a few versions of the album did make it out from these tapes. Known as Third most of the time for discographical purposes, the best known version of it is the "St. Louis Hounds" edition. Number four was made with Surkamp and Rayburn as the only original members, and Scorfina putting in a guest appearance.

In 2004 Pavlog's Dog began to tour again with varying line-ups and mostly in Europe. They also spent a little time in the studio. By 2012, two of the original members (Rayburn and Carver) had died so the continuation is never certain but remains probable as long as Safron and Surkamp feel up to it. European tour dates for late 2013 had been posted at the time of writing.

As far as I'm concerned Pavlov's Dog stand as one of the finest musical ensembles of the 1970s and are sorely deprived of the recognition they deserve. I've owned their first two albums for well over a decade and they're still as high on my playlist as they were when I first got them. I call that the test of time and they've passed it with flying colours. The band itself has passed into the realm of legend as one of the biggest might-have-been-much-more's of 1970s music. So I'm not old enough to have seventies nostalgia but damned if the mention of this band doesn't warm my villainous heart regardless.

Without doubt, Pampered Menial is an album that you might hate but, if you love it, you'll love it forever. At the Sound of the Bell is pretty much the same. If you see a copy of either hanging around waiting for a good home, don't hesitate to adopt it. If it's lying around unappreciated... liberate it! If your tastes include stuff like Yes, Procol Harum and King Crimson, there's a good chance that you'll like The Dog. The modern miracle of the internet may help you obtain a copy from record shops in St. Louis that carry the band's old albums.

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Stress and Health

There is a close link between stress and weight gain in middle age group women.Especially for women the Stressors or causes of stress depend mainly on  demanding lifestyle ,interpersonal relations ( within family or at workplace) and circumstances . But it also depends on how the situation is perceived , it can be a positive challenge for one or  anxiety causing for another. women especially in mid life respond to stress in a rather accentuated way . And women can easily blame  it on hormones.

Women of 21st  century   face stressors like economic status, workplace stress and poor work-life balance. On a  personal level they may get stressed due to conflicts in relationship .They deal with demands from kids, partners, in laws, workplace seniors but are too stressed to look after themselves .They often feel neglected , they have low self esteem.
Some life altering situations like death , major illness, divorce also drain them emotionally and physically.
Thus  simple stress as well as chronic stress work at   hormonal level and brings about many changes.
It speeds up ageing process. It shows in premature greying of hair, wrinkled skin, sagging,dryness etc.
The stress response  causes increased fat accumulation.
The hormonal levels and their ratios get disturbed which eventually cause different menstrual problems.
Chronic stress  leads to hypertensive and cardiac problems too.
Some women under stress tend to starve or eat hardly 2/3 meals in a day as they are too busy looking after loved ones or do mot give importance to themselves as an individual . That causes nutritional loss over longer period of time .Body responds by slowing metabolism and weight gain (!)
Interestingly stress also manifests in Comfort Eating( ladies remember those shakes and pastries or all wrong calory loaded  foods eaten while dealing with stress ) . It is body’s  response to deal with the stress The carbohydrates raise serotonin or ‘feel good hormone ‘ levels so it’s body’s self help solution ,it directly gives weight gain .
Another hormone released during stress is cortisol which Is related to fat stores and energy usage. It results in more hunger n cravings . So again weight gain is the outcome
The so called ‘ remedy ‘for stress for some is alcohol consumption and smoking but which again leads to cardiac , renal problems, weight gain, cancers ,psychological problems and many more .

stress thus diminishes quality of life, it leads to addictions, wrong foods, no food leading to  diseases like hypertension, Diabetes, cardiac, renal problems which were few years ago problems in old age . But stress has brought all these to 30s.

Stress  management is  very crucial to avoid problems created by it which may otherwise lead to intense complications.

1.we have to identify and avoid Comfort foods, Task Foods( junk food at workplace while completing the deadlines).
2. Make wise choices and control portion sizes.
3. Never go hungry for a long time as it will lead to wrong food choices .
4.Organise yourself and keep a stress log so that you identify and deal with stressors effectively.
5. Engage in exercises , they too release ‘ feel good hormones .’
6. Be positive in life , deal with stress by considering all sides of the problem , then you may perceive it differently.
7. Try and learn something new at this juncture of life which will keep your mind occupied , keep mind away from stress .it will rejuvenate your brain cells .
8. You have to love yourself , You can be your biggest fan. You have to place ‘ you’ at a  prime position. You can not neglect’ you’.
9. Learn relaxation techniques .Spend some time every week pampering yourself.You have definitely earned it.

So ladies be aware of the dangers of stress induced weight gain . Try to tackle stress . That’s the key to happy n healthy 30s to 50s.

2 thoughts on “Stress and Health

  1. very nicely put together …loved readig it…found so many similarities with me and my life…..keep reflecting dear!

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text:
Call to Arms

Tears! tears! tears!
In the night, in solitude, tears,
On the white shore dripping, dripping, suck’d in by the sand,
Tears, not a star shining, all dark and desolate,
Moist tears from the eyes of a muffled head;
O who is that ghost?

– Walt Whitmam, Tears

No one cared about the virmen. After all, virmen disappearing is something people around Halfhill cherish. The less virmen, the more carrots. Still, some people – mostly the Mudclaws – did from time to time raise the subject. They were always careful about their words of course. Always a glance over the shoulder if The Dead One was at the inn.

“I don’t know about you,” one of the Mudclaws usually started, “but don’t it strike you odd we got plenty of virmen but … the Newcomer … doesn’t?”
“Oh, but she’s a great farmer,” Yoon would pipe up – and then swiftly be silenced by one of those Mudclaw stares until he conceeded that, well, “maybe she is a bit … kinky.”

They didn’t mind her carrots though.

On certain nights in Halfhill people found it hard to get some shuteye. There was a … sound … a wail. Not exactly a scream. Not exactly a cry. Something between a scream of anguish and a joyous outburst. Sometimes followed by a harsh laughing sound, something akin to “mmmmhmmmm! Haaaa haaaaa!”. It was not exactly upsetting. But it did keep children awake.

People started to change. At first the gentle words to kids like Noomi and Andi. That kind of wording that’s not exactly a warning or a threat but not a joke.
“Strangers, even if they know you, might not always be gentle folk like us, you know.”

People stopped coming by. People stopped saying hi. What once were appreciated – such as the gibbeted virmen around her farm – became disgusting. Abominable. Some elder folks recalled stories of how the Mogu used to behave. Now, they were all agreed on that Zavannah was a really good farmer, a sturdy oak in times of trouble (such when the Kor’Kron came by; they left rather quickly when a Death Knight equipped with a pitchfork led the minutemen that had scrambled for defense). But still …

“She’s not one of us,” the Mudclaws would say late at night when she finally left the inn, usually after a full barrel of plum wine. “No one should drink that much and not, you know … ”
“Maybe we should form a Tillers meeting?” Yoon would say – and then shut his mouth after one of those Mudclaw stares.
“And what of her farmhand, mmm?” One of the Fellreeds would say.
“Oh, her farmhand … “

Eventually the call to arms also reached Halfhill. no one exactly cared about either the Zandalari or even Garrosh Hellscream. The failed Kor’kron raid, hunting for supplies, had been the closest they’ve ever come to a war that, well, wasn’t a pandarian war. But once in a while some young pandaren grabbed his backpack and went “away”. That’s what folks called it; “Ol’ Blackpaws youn’un has went away”.

Sometimes they came back. Sometimes not. Pandaren mentality is a fantastic thing; everyone knew what had happened to those that never returned, but no one said anything. If you don’t stare Death in the eyes but keep your eyes to the ground and your hands busy you won’t get noticed. Generations of slaves to the mogu – it’s hard to get rid of something like that.

Maybe that was the problem. Death was running a farm. A good farm too. Zavannahs carrots was the talk of the town (until she started resurrecting virghouls to keep the virmen out of the fields). It’s hard to not stare Death in the eyes when Death is trying to get a good price on another batch of carrots. Isn’t it so, mr Ironpaw?

Zavannah heard the call to arms as well. In fact, she heard it not from an official source but from a gnome. It was quite a debacle.

Just after harvest of another field of carrots – half of them were eaten by Geist Alpha, who seemed to have gotten into her head that carrots was good for your skin – Zavannah made a business trip to The Wall. That’s what people in Halfhill call it; the Alliance tower on the Great Wall, Lion’s Redoubt, as it’s called. It’s a meeting place not only for mercenaries but also for tradesmen. Zavannah was intent on selling carrots (“buff food” as some of the mercs, usually hunters, call it). She knew it could be a rough-and-tumble place so she dug out some old armor, equipped it and went on her way.

Somehow it felt good … busying herself with crude jokes and laughter with proffesional soldiers. She even met some old friends, death knights, people who had yet to find the peace she had found. While she was conducting her business she heard alarming news. Orgrimmar was under siege, Garrosh had fallen – but the Horde still kept a stranglehold on Alterac Valley.

Then the gnome made a rude remark. The last thing he saw before the healers took him away was … well.

His pain. His despair … as his weapons did no harm, as she kept on swinging, as she kept on screaming … letting years of anguish out on a unsuspecting gnome who really just had said “If I stand on a stool I can give you a standing O, babe”. Despair – so delicious. Yet – so disastrous.

She fled. She jumped down the wall, killed herself (or so she thought). A few hours later she came to; you can’t kill what’s allready dead. For some time there was terror afoot in the Dread Wastes. The Klaxxi, caught up in a terrible civil war after the Paragons had deserted them, didn’t stand a chance. Zavannah was a storm of pain … and then, one night, she couldn’t remember how she got there, she found herself on a deserted beach.

She cried.

All the things she had worked so hard to keep locked away … The anger, the hate, the need to kill to know she was alive … All the anguish that the Lich King once instilled in her – it all came back. Flip a switch and ypu turn the killing machine on again.

Zavannah left the farm to Geist. Perhaps she can make something out of it, perhaps even gain acceptance. The hunger – the never ending famine in her soul – has gripped her, yet again. The death screams of orcs and blood elves on the Fields of Strife in Alterac Valley keeps her going. Forward, ever forward. Yet.

Whenever the battle is over, she stands there, terrible, Death incarnate. She stands there, face covered by a monstrous helmet. She stands there. Bloodsoaked, trembling with exhaustion and exhilaration pounding through her muscles and veins. She stands there, alone, in the cold of Alterac Valley …

And miss her farm.

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Depression in Women

September 18, 2015 in Psychology 0 Shared

“Sadness is a sickness in which every patient should treat themselves”.

As a woman, the feminine world has always interested me, as have questions of how and why women have different answers from our life partners, men.

The article “Why Are Men So Different from Us?” based on the book “The Feminine Brain” by the professor of neuropsychiatry Louann Brizendine, served as my inspiration for this article. An interesting book published in 2006 and surrounded by controversy, it raises the topic of depression in women, which is what I will explore here.

Depression is an important topic in psychology and psychiatry, as much for women as for men. Because of its prevalence, depression has gained the nickname “the flu of psychiatry.”

Statistics show that one out of ten people has suffered or will suffer from depression sometime in their life and that women are twice as likely to suffer from depression, due to conditions like puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, or menopause.

According to recent research, there are a number of factors making women more predisposed to depression than men:

1 – Genetics

A woman with a family history of depression is more likely to develop depression, although it is not a determining factor. Many times the reason the woman suffers from depression has to do with a combination of genetics and psychological factors.

2 – Hormones

The hormonal changes we women suffer are a breeding ground for depression considering that they influence brain chemicals and, therefore, our emotions. There are various times in a woman’s life when hormones can influence depression.

During puberty, the desire for approval from friends, and above all boys, especially in terms of physical appearance can be triggers for depression. Additionally girls are more frequent targets of sexual abuse or mistreatment by boys, which can also be a cause. A study has shown that while 70% of girls suffer from depression only 14% of boys suffer from it.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder affects some women. On the week before menstruation, women with this disorder especially suffer alterations in brain chemistry that can lead them to suffering from depression.

Postpartum depression is also common. The hormonal changes, dealing with a new life, the responsibility of raising a child are other causes of depression in women, although it usually occurs more frequently in women that have suffered this illness before. Nevertheless we should not confuse “baby blues”, which occurs many times after birth, with depression.

Perimenopause, which precedes menopause, can cause depression due to the hormonal changes our body suffers during this time.

3 – Brain chemistry

An upset in the balance of neurotransmitters like dopamine, seratonin, or norepinephrine can cause depression.

4 – Stress

There are situations especially stressful and/or sad in our lives like the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, physical or psychological mistreatment. We should note that women, generally, tend to ruminate more than men over any problem, therefore these situations are also breeding grounds for depression.

5 – Socio-cultural pressures

Women feel social pressure to be a type of “Superwoman” — to be a successful woman at work, the perfect wife and mother, and to be physically in shape. This pressure often leads to depression.

6 – Life expectancy

The life expectancy of a woman is greater than that of a man and therefore they have more time to develop this mental illness.

7 – A higher frequency of women seeking help

Women have less difficulty expressing their problems and turning to specialists. For this reason more female cases of depression are known than male.

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text:
Pan-Amazonian Book Fair in town!

One of the largest literary fairs in the country is in Belém at the Hangar (Center of Conventions & Amazonian Fairs) starting tomorrow November 6th, 2009 and lasting 10 days. In accordance with Brazil’s Year of France, the Book Fair will be the official closing event which promoted French culture in Brazil and several notable French authors will be in attendance. The 13th edition of the Fair will include 176 stands and the participation of 112 expositions (57 of which are national and 55 being regional). Over half a million people are expected and R$25 million is expected to exchange hands, in accordance with last years numbers.

The event will also include Literary Meetings with the likes of Ariano Suassuna, Emir Sader, Moacir Scliar, Zeca Caramago, Frei Betto, Zuenir Ventura, Laurentino Gomes, Cristovam Tezza and Sérgio Nogueira. Each event will happen at 8PM in the auditorium on the 2nd floor. Also, pocket shows with musical guests Lenine (the 6th) and João Bosco (the 14th) are scheduled.

Entrance is free and the Hangar is open from 10AM to 10PM everyday. The Hangar is located at Av. Dr. Freitas, S/N (Sem Número meaning no number).

Official Site:

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Learn How The Blog Started: in The NY Times Magazine

We are blown away by the opportunity to be featured in the NY Times Magazine this weekend. Ya, the New York Times! How did we get so lucky?! The article is now available online for you to read and will be in the May 6th Sunday paper. We wanted to share it with you our readers if you would like a chance to get to know us a little better. The article is 5 pages online and spans 8 pages in the magazine. We would encourage you to read the whole article to get a true sense of the message the author was trying to portray. Feel free to leave comments on the online article and let people know how couponing has changed YOUR LIFE!

If you want to pick up a copy of the article you will find it inside the Sunday May 6th edition of the New York Times. You can get the New York Times at grocery stores and book stores. I have spotted it at my local WinCo and Barnes & Noble. In some cities it will be on newsstands this evening.

  • Kori

    Hey y’all…just wondered if the blog stared at the NY Times Magazine or starred in the NY Times Magazine.

    I’d be happy to proof read for you anytime. 🙂

  • TAMI

  • Amy Ball

    I LOVED your article! But I have to say I am in shock at the comments the readers wrote on the NY times blog about the article. It was hurtful and I had a BIG sister moment where I wanted to protect you all and say something. But, I closed the page and came back to this site to praise you all instead. THANK YOU for all the help and advise you ladies give to us readers. For the past year I have followed it and you have made couponing a blast and have helped my family save a ton. We can now afford yearly vacations and we are leaving for the Oregon Coast in less than a month! 🙂 I appreciate you Kathy and Monica.

    • Monica

      Thanks Amy. I had a hard time reading some of the comments too. Makes me sad that people are so narrow minded and do not get it. Really appreciate you words. It takes like 10 positive comments to help you get over one negative one. 🙂

    • JW

      I did say something but politely. I didn’t bite any heads off like I wanted. Those people just don’t understand the true gift couponing can be. It has saved my famliy thousands of dollars. I am beyond grateful for what I have learned here.

  • congrats ladies, you deserve it! Thank you for all that you do 🙂

  • Tricia Barnes

    You ladies did an amazing job Friday on the Today Show. Thank you for showing America that we are not the TLC couponers. You all do amazing work and make my life so much easier. Thank you again for your dedication and hard work.

  • Janet Masters

    I wouldn’t coupon if it wasn’t for your site. I am still trying to get the hang of it but it would be way to overwhelming if I didn’t have your input to guide me. I think it is wonderful you found a way to support your families by helping others. Thanks for all your hard work, it is appreciated!

  • Kathryn

    Way to go! Oh, and p.s. people are just bullies when it comes to commenting online–ignore them! They mock what they don’t understand or appreciate. 🙂 Thanks for all you do!

  • Autumn

    Bravo and congratulations to the the both of you! I am also LDS! I’ll be thinking of you in Relief Society tomorrow & just wanted to reiterate how amazing you are! You have really turned my household’s financial standings around this past year that I have been following the blog and couponing, it’s like a complete 180 ! And don’t let those negative comments affect you, you are wonderful and heaven sent in every single way. The Avila family will forever love you!

    • Monica

      Autumn – It means so much to hear how couponing has blessed your life. Kudos to you for having the courage to try it. We appreciate your love and support.

  • Judie M.

    Loved the article, and the fact that you both really opened up about your couponing journey. I was surprised about the negative tone of the comments on the NYT page. Just know that you are appreciated for all of the work that you do (and save us from doing). Thank you.

    • Monica

      Thanks you for your comment Judie. Unfortunately that negative people commenting on the article do not get it. I feel sad for them.

  • rowit

    “I was surprised about the negative tone of the comments on the NYT page”

    Me too! I wanted to tell them how rude they where and how they just didn’t get it. BUT you cant fix stupid. I hope they choke on the organic crap they spew.

    I think you girls are great and I send anyone that will listen to your site.

  • Candice

    I can not believe what the readers on NYT website wrote! I felt like a previous lady who said she wanted to post something to stand up for you guys but instead closed it and came here. I can not thank you enough for your time you spend on this blog. I can feed my family with, some processed but would have bought because it was a favorite, foods and have the tp and soaps and toothpastes to end a fabulessly frugal day! Thank you for being great teachers and overall FABULESS!!! btw Beautiful family!

  • Kari

    Thanks for telling your story. Most of us start couponing because we are experiencing financial difficulties, but we don’t all have the courage to talk about our struggles in a national paper. 🙂 I know your story will help struggling families around the country.

    I think its funny the negative comments are always the same “coupons are only for processed food”. As if we have no choice over what food we buy for our families. I just got 10 bags of jolly ranchers for 9 cents each, but I promise that’s not what I’m feeding my family for dinner tonight. 🙂 Last year my pantry was empty and I knew I had to do something. I found your website and now my pantry is full, I added shelves in my laundry room (which are full), and my linen closet is full. A year ago I was struggling to feed my three almost teenagers, today I’m able to feed them and all their friends. You’ve made a difference in my family. Keep posting the great deals!

    • Monica

      Cathy is an amazingly courageous person. So happy to hear how couponing has blessed your life! Kudos to you for being so successful!

  • veronica

    just had to tell you girls how much you really are appreciated!! coupons changed my life! i’m a young mom who has to work for our house payment! with your help my husband and i have been able to be comfortable and stay off welfare and wick! when it came to babyfood and diapers you seriously saved my life! from the bottom of my heart i say thank you and appreciate you sharing your stories! thanks for all your time and knowledge!

    • Monica

      That is what it is all about! Staying self sufficient in hard economic times and empowering your self to take control of your grocery budget.

  • Lisa L

    It would be great to see you and Kathy on TLC to show America how to coupon ethically and strategically!!!

  • Sophie

    I was disappointed with the comments on the Times, but not surprised. People often make incorrect assumptions based on a limited amount of information. Unfortunately, those people don’t know that they are missing out! We have all learned that you can choose to (or not) buy something. I think one of the most important lessons I have learned is to be a conscious and strategic shopper regardless of what you are buying! You can apply those guidelines to all parts of your life. Thanks ladies for everything you do and the sacrifices your families make for you to blog!

    • Monica

      Love you Sophie! I can still remember when we met at the coupon class in Charter Pointe. Wonderful to see you as a contributor on our site for so many years!

  • Breanna

    You guys rock, we love you!

  • Jade

    Love your website. You ladies are awesome. Just adding some positive comments to counter those annoying comments written by people who have never read your blog. You are helping so many. Keep up the great work!

  • Jenni

    I haven’t clipped coupons since we moved from Idaho to Virginia almost a year ago. But, you have inspired me and now I am seriously thinking that I need to start again, since the cost of living is double out here and the dollar doesn’t seem to stretch as far even if you are making more money. It is amazing what you ladies are doing and how you are helping other families. Thank you for all you do!

  • Helen in Meridian

    I was so excited for you two that I hurried out and bought The New York Times at Albertsons. You’ll have to autograph my copy. I can’t believe they charge $6.00 for that Sunday paper. I get the two whole weeks of papers and 6 on Sunday for that price. I have noticed how UPTOWN your site has become in the last month, but never suspected New York Times and Today Show. Congratulations, I appreciate all you do.

    • Helen- You are so funny. Autograph your copy. We should meet up at Albertsons sometime for a signing session! 🙂 I think WinCo had it cheaper. I need to go out a get a few more copies myself. Thanks for always being such a supportive and loyal FruGAL!

  • Last week I was on vacation, and our local beach bookstore pulls out all the unsold New York Times’s Magazines and places them next to the free periodicals. My husband scooped up a few to read–so fortunate to find your piece. I included your link in my blog: http://thriftyandproudofit.blogspot.com/2012/05/realm-of-thrifty-sahm.html

    Thank you for all your hard work!

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Safely Riding My Bike

My ‘burb has a well maintained system of bike/jogging paths.  It makes it easy for me to ride to the grocery store or library without spending much time on busy roads, which is good, because I am not the most confident rider.  Cars whizzing past at high speeds make me nervous.

Here, riding on the sidewalks is legal.  In many places it is not.  (Do you know the regulations in your town?)  Sidewalks are not necessarily safer, though.

I had a few close calls with cars pulling into or out of driveways while riding on sidewalks.  After reading How to Not Get Hit by Cars I realized why the drivers had not seen me, and I stopped riding on sidewalks as much as possible.

If you or your children ride your bicycles around town or just in your neighborhood, please take a minute to read this article.  It doesn’t talk about wearing helmets, bicycling rights, or regulations.  It’s practical advice centered on making yourself visible to cars so they don’t hit you.

Stay safe!

6 thoughts on “Safely Riding My Bike

  1. I loved this! Thank you for the great way to start the day. I’ve been lusting after a new bicycle lately, and I love, love, love that Queen song, so this was the perfect post for me. And as my youngest has decided to start riding around Denver (taking my old bike, which is why I want a new one), I will be passing the article along to her. Scares me to think of her pedaling around LoDo (which she lives just a short bike ride from). Thank you for this. ♥

    • Biking is so common in Denver that the drivers tend to be a bit more aware of cyclists than in some other cities, but, still, you have to be careful….and in Denver, you cannot ride on the sidewalks.

  2. We have a bike race here every year, but most car drivers seem to be oblivious of bike riders. The bike riders also seem to be oblivious of the traffic rules (not the ones in the race, but the locals). Bikers don’t stop at stop lights, drivers don’t pay attention to bikers in the bike lane. The bike lanes seem incredibly dangerous to me because they have them between lanes sometimes instead of on the side. I am not sure who designed them. We also have bikers that ride in packs with three or four wide so drivers are forced to follow behind them very slowly until they can pass. This makes the drivers angry so they drive aggressively. When my husband first moved here he was riding his bike and some kids pulled up next to him and started throwing rocks and beer cans at him. Apparently, some of the locals don’t like the bike race because they don’t like “outsiders” in their town. It’s very strange, but biking seems to have divided people. The bike race brings people here and the industry supports the town economically, but we still seem to have a problem with rules and respect and even kindness when it comes to bike riding.

    • I think part of the problem is that people don’t know the laws. Bikes are vehicles, and, in most places, they are supposed to be on the road, obeying the same laws as cars. Cyclists who don’t obey the stop signs and lights just anger the drivers who already think cyclists should not be on the road. (Plus, some people are just rude no matter what – or mean like the rock throwers. Okay, mostly, people are some combination of ignorant and rude.)

    • How very sad…..bicycle safety is about so much more than wearing a helmet. I wish drivers were more aware of the laws concerning cyclists and were more willing to share the road.

Be extra nice and share!

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Director of Benefits Job Reviews

Women who are Director of Benefitss have an overall job satisfaction level of 4, 0% of them believe there is gender equality in their firms, and make an average salary range of >$150k.

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Elijah and Ancient Ascension Traditions

In light of the church’s place in its Gospel Doctrine curriculum (1 – 2 Kings), I thought I’d share some of my findings/musings on ancient ascension traditions, given the attention the church gives to Elijah.

From a literary perspective, ascension motifs have been with us mostly since Greek and Roman times, with a few scattered tales of ascension from ancient Mesopotamia. Each of these different tales are unified by a singular thrust — removal. For the Romans, the removal of the emperor from the realm of humankind was the central piece of cultic life and living. Likewise, Jesus’ ascension in the New Testament is also viewed as a removal from this life and re-location, as it were, in a place not accessible to the common individual (Mark 16:19; Luke 9:51; Acts 1:2, 9, 11, 22; 1 Tim. 3:16).

The ascension traditions have common traits, despite their differences in time and location of origin. Using Elijah as a test-case (thanks to Houtman, “Elijah,” DDD), we see these common threads:

* removal from “human-ness,” or removal of a living (read: not dead) person.

* account related from the perspective of the narrator, not usually in first-person (logically, the transported person is now absent, and therefore unavailable for comment).

* the circumstances under which the ascension ocurred and the locale of the given ascension find a place of importance (2 Kgs 2:1-18; Luke 24:36-53; Acts 1:4-11).

* none of the ascension accounts in existence give any details regarding the journey, route, and destination of the person, save the person was taken “up” or “to heaven” (caveat: the word “heaven” is theologically loaded in post-biblical times, and I use the word here in the sense of “the sky”).

* No mortal remains are found on the earth (2 Kgs 2:16-18; Luke 24:1-11, 23-24). Elijah’s mantle would probably not be considered a mortal remain, as it is an article of clothing.

* God (or gods) is the agent of transportation (2 Kgs 2:1, 11; Luke 24:52-53).

* Fire or other meteorological phenomena accompany the given translation, often to whisk the person away or to cover up the event from human view (Judg. 13:20; 2 Kgs 2:11-12; Acts 1:9)

* The individual translated gains importance and (often) honor due to the event (Judg. 13:6, 8, 10-23)

* The removal demands belief (2 Kgs 2:16-18; Acts 1:10-11; Rev. 11:12).

* Only happens to extraordinary mortals

* The person in question continues to “live” despite being “dead” (a strong understanding of the underworld in the OT — sheol, or the realm of the dead is necessary here, but time and space do not permit a deeper exploration in this post).

* A return to earth is possible (Mal. 3:23-24; Acts 1:11; Rev. 1:7).

There are various other examples of these common motifs in the pseudepigraphic writings as well, especially in the Enochic traditions.

For Mormon studies, we find Elijah’s immanent return to earth in D&C 110 as direct fulfillment of the Malachi material. Various interpretations of this event have been spun, and Ed Snow produced an excellent post on how this relates to NT material here. Here Ed and others allow us to see some of the problems between Elias and Elijah in the text, and how they are utilized in (restoration) scripture.

Furthermore, Joseph Smith may have revived ancient understandings of the Elijah material, perhaps unknowingly. Scholars of the Deuteronomistic History (Deut. – 2 Kings, inclusive) understand the importance of Elijah in the narratives which feature him. He is portrayed as one of the most remarkable individuals in all of the Old Testament.

The NT authors also picked up on his importance, even to the point of asking whether Jesus was Elijah, or if John the Baptist was Elijah. But Elijah is mostly forgotten in most modern Christian circles. For Joseph Smith, he is equated with the restoration of the “sealing power” as conferred through the fulness of the priesthood anointing — definitely a high and holy calling to possess. Elijah’s translation, then, one might conclude was the proper exit and necessary closure to the history of one of the Bible’s most noble and honored figures.

Filed under Doctrine

11 responses to “Elijah and Ancient Ascension Traditions

  1. Mogget

    I’m interested in a little more on two themes:

    1) Why were these guys translated? Too good for the present situation? As a reward? Needed elsewhere?

    2) How the idea developed that the ascended one would return.

    I haven’t read Ed’s work but I’ll get to it tonight.

  2. Mark Butler

    “Translated bodies are designed for future missions” (TPJS, 191)

    And the Lord said unto me: John, my beloved, what desirest thou? For if you shall ask what you will, it shall be granted unto you.

    And I said unto him: Lord, give unto me power over death, that I may live and bring souls unto thee.

    And the Lord said unto me: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, because thou desirest this thou shalt tarry until I come in my glory, and shalt prophesy before nations, kindreds, tongues and people.
    (D&C 7:1-3)

    Many have supposed that the doctrine of translation was a doctrine whereby men were taken immediately into the presence of God, and into an eternal fullness, but this is a mistaken idea. Their place of habitation is that of the terrestrial order, and a place prepared for such characters He held in reserve to be ministering angels unto many planets, and who as yet have not entered into so great a fullness as those who are resurrected from the dead
    (TPJS, 179)

    See also 3 Ne 28.

  3. I guess I would part ways with JS on that one because the “terrestrial order” was totally unknown to the biblical authors. One of the points in the post is to illustrate that since all people go to the underworld when they die (also called sheol in the Hebrew), the idea of an individual becoming transported UNTO GOD (read: not sheol) is alarming, unprecedented, and down right serious business, especially while he is alive. Also, most ancient Israelites did not have a (post-mortum) “salvation” doctrine like we do now, so naturally the way the author decided to “exalt” or “save” Elijah was to just send him up to God while living. We see evidence of the lack of a post-mortem salvation doctrine at the end of the book of Job, where the author has Job quickly retrieve his net worth (and then some!) just before death in order to “compensate” him for his faithfulness. The reward didn’t come after Job’s death, like it does to the Christian, but before it (because after death, it’s too late), and it’s all done in great haste (the author is at pains to make it quick). This idea also permeates early resurrection doctrines (pre-Christian ideas about it) — to stand upon the earth while in the flesh to view the restoration of God’s kingdom to its proper order… I’ll post more on OT resurrection later.

    Mogget, my guess is that translation was sort of a way for the author to say “it doesn’t get any better than ______ (fill in name of translated individual here).” It seems to me that it’s all about the contrast between what is below vs. what is above. Or what is godly and what is not.

  4. Mark Butler

    What does what the biblical authors did or did not know have to do with where Enoch, or Moses, or Elijah actually went?

  5. Mogget

    David J. knows from shared experience that when I ask questions such as those I posed, I’m asking what the biblical record reveals via historical-critical methods.

    It really has nothing to do with what those OT worthies are “really” doing or where they “really” are, or what may appear in other parts of the canon. When I want to know about that sort of thing, I deliberately frame the question to capture those sources.

  6. Good stuff David, in the post and your response. You mentioned this already, but do regular Christians really not have Elijah theology? Seems a bit odd.

    BTW, did you get my email?

  7. do regular Christians really not have Elijah theology?

    “Regular” Christians — so, does that make Mormons “diet Christians”? 😉

    So, from what I’ve experienced, they do have Elijah theology, but it’s confined to what is mentioned about him in Malachi and its subsequent usage (and fulfillment?) in the NT. For them, the Elijah stuff in the NT is all they need, and rightly so. Consequently, there is not a whole lot of discussion regarding Elijah, since his “return,” as promised in Malachi, is viewed as ocurring (and therefore over and done) in the NT.

    JS differs somewhat in his take on the Elijah/Elias thing, which Ed Snow beautifully illustrated over at BCC (see link above).

  8. J, no, I didn’t get an email from you. Try it again (I’m reluctant to post my address on the blog). In fact, I’ll shoot you a note so you have me in your address book.

  9. there is not a whole lot of discussion regarding Elijah, since his “return,” as promised in Malachi, is viewed as ocurring (and therefore over and done) in the NT.

    And that’s an interesting point. The NT does suggest Elijah has returned, but how is the “turning of the hearts” expressed in the NT?

  10. No clue. I do know this: the Mormon concept of “the fathers” needs some adjustment. Most Mormons think it refers to general antecedents or ancestral predecessors of some sort. Well, I think, based on my OT studies, that “the fathers” is a terminus tecnicus for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Sure enough, the patriarchs (see the linguistic connection there?) received big time promises, and are mostly referenced throughout the post-Pentateuch material as “the fathers” (ie, the patriarchs). If this is indeed the case, and this is what is at play here in Malachi, then “the fathers” is a realization of the patriarchal promises to the people of Israel. What Malachi is saying from a sociological perspective is that the mainline “Israel” or Judah of his time was not worthy of the patriarchal promises, that Malachi and the other “prophetic schools” awaited some sort of cataclysmic cleansing of the infidels (Persian or Hellenistic sympathizers?), and that such a cleansing could only take place if the whole earth was smitten. Similar to JS’s take on the verses, only without the Christian theological understanding of eschaton, parousia, priesthood, temples, etc.

    So, with a correct understanding of “the fathers,” perhaps we can begin to see how the “turning” is fulfilled in the NT. I don’t have Bibleworks in front of me, but I’d be interested to see how the LXX verb for “turning” in Malachi is used in the NT material when it takes on a more theologically nuanced usage. Does that make sense?

  11. Mogget

    OK, I preened the AB volume on Malachi on my way out of the lieberry. The general take is that The Baptist’s call for repentance is a call for the young and evil generation to be reconciled to their utterly righteous fathers. Missing the A, I, J thing. It’s worth more time, but after I finish the Other Thing.


text:
walking hannah, going south on Wesley.  her harness has an extra lead attached to it that is picked up by what i at first think is a bird and laugh at the feeling of hannah being tugged in another direction from my end of the leash.  but as i squint (oh the frustration of being […]

i dreamed i was following a character as her story progressed. the character’s name was maggie and i was going to her hometown, following her journey by train and car. a woman at a ticket booth in the train station said that she used to loooooooooove maggie!  she got teary remembering her story.  she showed […]

we are in a pickup truck and pulling a camper behind us.  we’re going to visit his family but i’m not sure why i have agreed to come.  i didn’t think we would be going all the way, i guess.  we stop and visit friends along the way, sometimes they join us.  we have a […]