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formerly printed by Rhwymbooks

Flavel, The Quaker, and the Crown

New Introduction

England 1685–1689

When James II was crowned to the English throne in 1685, succeeding his brother, Charles II, the nation's longstanding terror of Roman Catholicism came once again to a head. It hardly mattered to the public that James, a convert to Catholicism, had never forced it on his daughters, Mary and Anne, and did not plan to force it on England, either. He claimed to seek only religious liberty, tolerance and equal freedom for Catholics to participate in public life and be able to run for seats in Parliament.

Recognizing the widespread public prejudice against Catholics, James thought he might gain his ends more effectively if he extended these new liberties to all religious minorities, especially appealing to the Protestant "Dissenters," who suffered much of the same limitation and persecution as Roman Catholics. As part of this move, James proposed to abolish the Tests and penal laws, creating a new freedom of religion for many of his subjects, a freedom as temporary and tentative as James's own tenure on the throne.

His effective suspension of these laws opened a window of new freedom for John Flavel, Independent (Presbyterian) preacher of Dartmouth and other "Dissenters" like him who had preached illegally and lived insecurely for decades. It did not, however, bring James the security he hoped for his throne. While James was correct in his assessment of the Dissenters' power to overturn the prevailing government, he failed to see that this would lead to his own undoing.

The non-Catholic English, both Anglican and Dissenters, distrusted James. They especially distrusted his relationship with France's Catholic king, Louis XIV, who had been aggressively warring against his neighbours for decades and forcing conversion on his conquered subjects. James was in contrast a mild and timid man, but Louis' political friendship, and apparent power over him, was considered dangerous. If Parliament treated James tolerantly at first, it was because he was over 50 and had no son; the legitimate heir to his throne was his oldest daughter, Mary, like her sister a firm Anglican, and married to an equally pious Calvinist, the Dutchman, William of Orange. As long as the legislators could keep the king in check, his succession would restore religious equilibrium soon enough.

Or so many believed, until 1687, when James's second wife became pregnant, and the king promised England a son. By nature or (as most believed) trickery, the child was indeed male. This, the public began to whisper and cry out, was clearly a plot to force a Catholic dynasty on the land, and was not to be tolerated. William of Orange began to received official "invitations" to visit England and help the English overturn James's rule.

William was a fearless soldier and astute statesman, though the English were to tire of him soon enough. Although his mother had been sister to Charles II, William had no rightful claim to the English throne; it was his wife, Mary, who was the appointed heir. But Mary chose to support William against her father, and he sailed to England in November, 1688, marching towards London and gathering supporters.

If James had chosen to resist William's advance that winter, it would have meant another bloody civil war, but James's courage failed him. As William approached London, James sent his family into safety and fled to exile in France, setting up court at St. Germain under the protection and patronage of the French king. Louis' welcome surely confirmed the English distrust of James's promises for religious toleration, and most public support shifted easily to William. Once William's succession was sure, Mary sailed to join him and began negotiations with Parliament for the terms of their rule. The coronation oath (see p. 93) illustrates well England's dominant concern that their new king support religious liberty. As a Protestant, William readily extended this liberty to Dissenters. Although he never lifted the penal laws against Catholics, in practice he never enforced them.

William and Mary's coronation, on April 11, 1689, became a public celebration of what was quickly called the "Glorious" or "Bloodless" Revolution. Although James, his son ("the old Pretender") his descendants, and their "Jacobite" supporters would periodically push to regain power over the next hundred years, the line of imperial descent had changed, and the mood in 1689 was high. In close (and increasingly unwilling) collaboration with Parliament, William passed a "Toleration Act" that granted religious freedom to any Dissenter willing to profess a belief in the Trinity (thus continuing to exclude the Quakers) and loyalty to the crown.

John Flavel and the Quakers in 1687

Between James's accession and the coronation of William and Mary, John Flavel took advantage of James's effective repeal of the penal laws, undoubtedly expecting the situation to change for the worse at any moment. His biographer describes this period in Flavel's life:

In 1687, when it pleased God to so overrule affairs that King James II thought it in his interest to dispense with the penal laws against them, Mr. Flavel who had formerly been confined to a corner shone brightly, as a flaming beacon upon the top of a hill. His affectionate people prepared a large place for him where God blessed his labours to the conviction of many people, by his sermons on Rev. 3:20, "Behold I stand at the door and knock." This encouraged him to print these sermons under the title of England's Duty, etc., hoping that it might do good abroad, as well as in his own congregation. He made a vow to the Lord under his confinement, that if he should be once more entrusted with public liberty, he would improve it to the advantage of the gospel. This he performed conscientiously, preaching twice every Lord's day and lecturing every Wednesday, during which he went over most of the 3rd chapter of St. John's gospel, showing the indispensable necessity of regeneration. He preached likewise every Thursday before the sacrament, and then after examination admitted communicants. He had no assistance on sacrament days, so that he was often nearly spent before he finished distributing the elements. When the duty of the day was over he would often complain of a sore chest, an aching head and a pained back. Yet he would be early at study again next Monday. He allowed himself very little recreation, considering the time a precious jewel which ought to be improved whenever possible...

Mr. Flavel never delighted in controversies. However, he was obliged, contrary to his inclination, to write against Mr. Cary, the principal Anabaptist in Dartmouth, with whom, however, he maintained a friendly and Christian correspondence. When he wrote his Planelogia, or, Blow at the Root, he declared to his friends that though those studies were very necessary he took no pleasure in them but would rather be employed in practical divinity. When he composed his Reasonableness of Personal Reformation, he told an intimate acquaintance of his that he seldom had a vain thought interrupt him, which made him hope it would do the more good in the world. He intended to enlarge his book of Sacramental Meditations, and had most judiciously stated and handled several cases of conscience on that occasion, which he designed to have inserted into the next edition, but did not live to finish them for the press.

The texts reprinted here capture this sliver of history in Flavel's life through two particular documents. The first is the "Testimony" of the Quaker, Clement Lake, in which is preserved his correspondence with Flavel in 1687. Unlike many 17th century preachers, John Flavel was a man who loved peace and who worked hard, and with compassion to support humane and courteous religious dialogue and diplomacy between those of differing views. His greatest joy at the end of his life was his success at mediating unity between certain Presbyterians and Independents. Despite this commitment as a peacemaker, he was firm in his own beliefs about those theological positions which remained (to his view) heretical. Although he had shared persecution with the Quakers, he continued to view the Quaker teachings as incompatible with a right reading of Christian scripture.

Quaker "testimonies" were an effective means the Quakers used to encourage one another in a society that officially censured and limited their freedom. The correspondence between Clement Lake and John Flavel is one example of this platform from which faithful Quakers might also argue (peaceably) against those Protestants who so adamantly opposed them. The Quaker "Testimony," typically produced by friends after one's death, summarized the individual's personality, gave the general outlines of their life, and preserved any words, experiences or characteristics that might inspire others. These testimonies are various forms of the spiritual biography, written by a spouse or friend, or occasionally autobiographical. Clement Lake's "Testimony" is a compilation of statements by his wife and fellow Quakers attesting to his good character, to which is addended his correspondence with John Flavel.

It is not clear how the two knew one another. It appears that they were close associates prior to Lake's "convincement" or conversion to the Quakers. Flavel appeals to his friend to reconsider his decision, convinced that Lake's optimism is blinding him to the profound doctrinal differences between Flavel's understanding of true Christianity and that taught by the Quakers. The appeal was unsuccessful; each man is utterly convinced of his own spiritual correctness and mode of discernment; what Flavel describes does not match Lake's experience, and Lake clearly does not share Flavel's acute concern that Lake more carefully investigate established Quaker "doctrine." In the end the two are talking past one another, appealing to ideals the other does not share in the same way. Yet Flavel's joy, his gentleness, and his hatred for controversy are evident even here, in the face of his uncompromising opposition to Quaker beliefs.

Whether one sympathizes most with Flavel or with Lake will depend on the reader. The correspondence between them was not as private as it might seem today. Although the Quakers published it in 1692, after both men had died, the letters may have circulated openly between the two communities soon after they were written in 1687.

Flavel and the 1689 Coronation

The second text reprinted here, Flavel's sermon on coronation, is perhaps the most exuberant praise of modern events we find in all his works. He had lived with suppression and persecution for decades; his parents died of the plague in 1665 while in Newgate Prison for their religious worship; John himself had maintained an active and "illegal" ministry since 1660. Despite James's limited freedoms, this new political reality of a fellow Protestant — William — crowned King was clearly a glastnost of unimaginable proportions to England's Calvinist-minded Dissenters. Such liberty might be loosely compared to that of early Christians when Constantine first legalized Christianity in the early fourth century; Flavel refers briefly to Constantine. He uses the sermon above all, however, to point past the earthly event to "spiritualize" coronation in an appeal to turn the heart to Christ's kingship.

Despite the logical analogy of Christ with "king," it is somewhat curious that Flavel — and indeed most of England — focused on the "king" when in fact William's "kingship" was a legal fiction created at the insistence of the rightful sovereign: his wife, the Queen. It was Mary, and Mary alone who was her father's rightful successor under English law; William's role should have been no more than the official consort to the rightful sovereign. But Parliament had insisted on replacing James with Mary, and Mary absolutely insisted that she would not reign unless her husband was granted the title and status of "king." The legal realities had no place in Flavel's christological analogy and scriptural examples of male kings. His exuberance is for William the Calvinist who saved England from Catholic heresy, not Mary the rightful Anglican Queen. To support William as "rightful" king required a certain amount of creative reinterpretation, and in this Flavel was hardly alone. He and and his contemporaries — assisted by William himself — turned this reinterpretation into an art as they defended what had effectively been a palace coup. Flavel's choice to turn the coronation into a spiritual metaphor for higher loyalties reflects the general spirit of William and Mary's ascendency. James helped to support this fiction by abandoning his throne, although he never officially abdicated. It is therefore especially interesting to examine Flavel's treatise for his beliefs about what grants a king the right to rule. Drawing from King David, Flavel suggests that William's legitimacy was based not on blood, marriage, or power, but on the English public's consent to be ruled by him. As many early Christians saw Constantine as God's agent of political justice and hope, so Flavel clearly interpreted scripture according to the political realities of his own day just as much as he interpreted politics in terms of scripture.

As preface to these works we include John Galpine's brief "Life of Mr. John Flavell." This and the coronation sermon were first published together on September 8, 1691, three months after Flavel's death. The many parallels between this "Life" and the longer, anonymous version of the Life included in Flavel's collected works strongly suggests that Galpine wrote the longer text as well. Flavel surrounded himself with men he had trained in ministry and Galpine seems to have been one of these. Galpine clearly shared Flavel's view of William and Mary: "Let all the people rejoice: for these their rulers shall be to them as the light of the morning, as the clear shining after rain." The road to religious liberty in 17th-century England had been long and often bloody. The last two years of Flavel's life were surely experienced by many as a time of morning light indeed.

©copyright 2000 by Rhwymbooks. Posted online with permission for personal and academic use only. All rights reserved.


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Lambeth Women Speak:
Urban Poverty and Religion in Nellie Benson's London

[originally published as Streets and Lanes of the City]

Mary Eleanor Benson

with a brief memoir by her father, Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury
the original introduction by her brother, Arthur Benson
and a new introduction by S. R. Holman

originally published as Streets and Lanes of the City, by Mary Eleanor Benson, privately printed, posthumously, in 1891 in London by Richard Clay and Sons, Ltd., at the direction of Nellie's father, Edward White Benson, the then Archbishop of Canterbury. From a text in the Library at the University of Cambridge.

The 1891 text is made available online in the good faith understanding that its copyright status is in the public domain in both the US and the UK. However, please note that the "New Introduction" (chapter 1) by S.R. Holman is © copyright 2001 by Rhwymbooks. It may be downloaded and cited provided such is solely for personal or academic use and is in the context of discussion of the book as a whole, and that proper credit is given to the author. A gift-quality handcrafted bound copy of the book is available in limited quantities; for more information click here.

TABLE OF CONTENTS (click to go to online text of each chapter)

1. New Introduction
2. Brief Memoir
3. The Amusements of the Very Respectable
4. Socialities and Manners
5. Keeping Company–How they do it
6. Keeping Company–The Darker Side
7. Recovery
8. Girls' Friendships
9. Social Gifts
10. Sickness
11. The Familiarity of Death
12. Old Age
13. Irreligion
14. Religion and the Place it Holds
15. A Troubled Soul
16. Two Small Servants–A Success and a Failure
17. A Third–Something Between the Two
18. A Hard Conflict

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Saturday, May 7, 2011

#FridayFlash - Flowers for Sarah

Listening to the stereo, Lance tracked time and distance with the reflectors on the road. On some stretches, the yellow squares came at him through blackened asphalt looking more like Morse code than a steady metronome pulse. Dot, dot, dot. Dash. Dot… Staring ahead, hands on the wheel, the sounds of Steve Perry and Neil Schon blaring through the speakers, he wondered how long it had been that way. Had some department of transportation employee, working off a previous night’s bender, decided that maybe he would have a little fun? He supposed it might have been possible. Closer to the truth, however, was that the missing markers had simply taken too much stress and finally cracked.

In the distance, under a haze of violet sky, the stars gradually poking through the waning resistance of daylight, wind turbine lights spanned the horizon, their synchronized flashes of on-and-off red like that of a cheap motel sign. Vacancy. Vacancy. There was always an empty room available. Out here, in the middle of Texas, the lights were the only company a driver could rely upon to keep his mind from wandering. From thinking about things said. Or unsaid.

On the seat beside him, the bouquet of flowers lay wrapped in a blanket of green paper. As he picked them up earlier tonight, the florist had looked at him and smiled.

“Going to give your sweetie some nice roses?”

He had nodded.

“Gonna surprise her, huh?”

“No, the surprise is that I’m a day late.”

She gave him a knowing look and, as he turned to walk out, she said, “Good luck.”

Driving down the lonely stretch of road, now about fifteen miles or so south, south-west of Sweetwater, those words hung across the beams of his headlights, dangling in front of his eyes, forcing him to look at them one more time. Luck was a misnomer, a misconception for those who hadn’t seen the harsher realities of fate and consequence. We are the sum total of our choices, Woody Allen had once postulated, and boy did he live up to that one. In fact, if Woody ever decided to pull together a calendar based on his lines, Lance’s face would be the one posted above the month of December, that line serving as more than a caption.

In another mile, he knew, the road would curve ahead. There the beams of his headlights would ride the line of barb wire stretched out into the darkness.

He wasn’t sure how the argument had started, only that he hadn't seen it coming. It had been something about time, though—his time and hers. All she had wanted was for him to massage her feet, and then spend a quiet evening soaking in the hot tub, glasses of champagne perched on the drink tray.

“Not tonight, okay?”

The pouty, disappointed look followed. “Why?”

“I have too much to do.”

“You always have too much to do.”

“Uh-huh, well, look around. You can’t tell me you don’t like the results, can you?”

“Sure, it’s all fine.” She shrugged. “But it’s not enough.”

“Oh, please, not again.”

Noticeable hurt registered in her eyes. “And why not?”

“Because.” He swept an arm around the room, as if to point out all that they had. “We’re not ready.”

“I’m ready.”

“But I’m not. In fact, the longer we go, the more stupid the idea seems.”

From there, the conversation spiraled, sucking the energy of their life down with it. Fifteen minutes later she had walked out, telling him he was a fool. And now, he felt like such a fool. What a great decision maker, a planner among planners, he had turned out to be.

After the bend in the road, he slowed down, allowing his eyes to adjust to the natural rise and fall of the landscape. His turn-off was right… around…

He saw the tree along the side and pulled over. He stopped the car, switched off the engine, but left his lights on. The stereo continued to play and would until he opened the door. Journey was Sarah's favorite band and this, their Frontiers project, was her favorite collection. He allowed the song to finish before he opened the door, finally silencing the music.

Sliding out from behind the steering wheel, Lance stepped out into the middle of the highway and held his arms outstretched. Maybe, if he was lucky, just maybe. A minute later, he realized again that luck had nothing to do with it. It was still all about fate. And fate was a tyrant, never yielding. Unlike tonight, where he could look out and see a canvas of stars that one who lived in the city could never imagine, the night over five years ago had been weighed down by thick clouds. It had rained, too. And in his experience, that was how fate worked, raining down on some while leaving the rest dry.

He walked back to the car, reached in and grabbed the flowers, and then stepped around to the tree.

“Hey baby.” He smiled for a moment, remembering the night they first met, when the world held so much promise. The smile quickly faded then. At the base of the trunk, the crosses were still where he had left them. Of the dozen roses, he placed eleven, all red, at the foot of one; the lone rose, its petals as white as newborn snow, he laid at the base of the second cross—a tiny replica of the first.

Finished with the flowers, he knelt down and waited. Soon, in spite of the clear sky, a torrent of tears would eventually wash over him. It always did.

  1. This is very good reading Stephen, as always from you.

    I was a little confused at the end, at the risk of seeming a bit dense, has his wife, and their child (unborn?) died in a car crashing into the tree? And he is a day too late to save them? or a day too late for the anniversary of it happening?

  2. Steve: Yes, he's a day late for the anniversary of it happening. Even though five years have passed since he lost his wife, and his unborn child (yes, you read into that correctly as well), he is still living through all that drove her away as if it happened only yesterday.

    At least this was the intent. I wrote this in my mind while traveling home from Austin, Texas, this last week, driving in my truck along the very road placed in the setting of this story. I didn't have an opportunity to sit down and type it out until late in the evening yesterday (which stretched into the early hours of this morning), so some of the details may have missed their mark.

    Thank you for the positive feedback.

  3. Now that's a sad Mother's Day story. Well done Stephen. I came to the same conclusion as Steve, so I think it works fine without having to spell it out.

    It's interesting that you write in your head while you drive. I've done that too. Worked a whole idea out while driving a hundred miles. Love it when that happens.

  4. I figured he must have lost his wife and child, although he can't really blame himself. Sure, he thinks he drove her away but it was still essentially her choice to leave (God, doesn't that make me sound heartless?) Beautifully written.

  5. Harry: When you're out in the brush, several miles from anywhere, it gives a man plenty of time to think. Give a writer time to think, there's no telling what might happen. :)

    Icy: It doens't make you sound heartless. More realistic, I'd say. Some people take way too much responsibility for things beyond their control.

  6. Glad I didn't miss out on this one. I enjoyed the opening, particularly the comparison between road markers and Morse Code. The following bit is my favorite:

    “Going to give your sweetie some nice roses?”

    He had nodded.

    “Gonna surprise her, huh?”

    “No, the surprise is that I’m a day late.”

    Succinct and highly suggestive. If only I could get some of my recent scenes to turn on a sentence this easily.


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I have a Craftsman drill press Model#335.25926 with the original drill and chuck-key. The drill needs a switch, everything does work. It is I believe a 1952. I use to have manual but can't find it. The tag as you can see in photo says Sears Roebuck Co. Simpson-Sears Limited. I was wondering it's value amd if someone was interested in it. Thank You Kevin

Asked by Kevin on 08/25/2010 0  Answer

ManualsOnline posted an answer 6 years, 8 months ago

The ManualsOnline team has found the manual for this product! We hope it helps solve your problem. Get the Manual Here

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29 December 2009

I’ve been wearing gloves in the office for two days now. It’s freaking cold. Brrrr. And I’m sitting on a heating pad too. But that’s normal for this time of year. Gives me mild burns on my skin, but that is a lot more comfortable than freezing my tushie off every single day.

Back to the gloves.

They’re knitted woolen gloves and don’t really do a great job of keeping my fingers toasty warm. I have to sit on my hands every once in a while, place them next to the heating pad to transfer some quick warmth.

Sometimes I wish I could bring a dog to work to keep me warm. Seems to work when I sleep. They’re like little heaters. There I am huddled up all cold and then a teensy 10-pound dog snuggles in nearby. Before I know it, hot flash city. But we have this policy, a new policy apparently, that prohibits employees from bringing animals to work. Dogs, cats, mice, goldfish. Has something to do with laboratory animals. I’m teetering on a very slippery slope here: this is a place where science is conducted. I just accept it the way it is and go on about my own vegetarian business in the meantime.

So, you may be thinking, what is the point here? Well, nothing really. To borrow from other, far more brilliant bloggers, I’ll just chalk this up to Random Tuesday Thoughts.

  1. Are you a vegetarian? Me too. Wish we could bring pooches into work. It's been colder than a well-digger's ass at our office too, although things could be worse. It's still SW Florida.

  2. Random thoughts are great. Funny thing is we usually think our thoughts are off the wall, but usually others get what we're thinking. I hope you get warm soon!

  3. At least they're stylish though! Is the office being cheap with the heat? That rhymed unintentionally =).


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Notorious Fat White Family Heading to America

Fat White Family NewsCourtesy of

On September 4th 1996, 18 years to the day, the now legendary British rock band Oasis became infamous in America, a country they would never fit into, when lead singer Liam Gallagher caused outrage by spitting, swearing and throwing beer on stage. If America couldn’t handle that without controversy, they aren’t ready for Fat White Family.

The Fat Whites are taking the UK underground by storm and are now emerging as one of the great acts of 2014, despite their debut album Champagne Holocaust being released in 2013. To react to this new notoriety led demand, the record is being re-released for American audiences with bonus tracks like “Touch The Leather”, a dirty nonsensical song with a simple but lewd, mooning video.

The band’s infamy began to spread as they were discovered by leading music magazines who had witnessed the chaotic spectacle of their live performances in their local pub, The Queens Head. Their haphazard approach to health, safety and timekeeping led to subsequent banning from venues across the country, only adding to the must have factor of the band.

Their previous visit to America was funded entirely by fans, as they sold their cooking, drumming lessons and personalised crack pipes in exchange for donations. Their promise to ‘save America’ resulted in complete shock and awe by the viewers and reviewers present at the South by Southwest festival. With his trademark glazed, wild eyes, Lias Saoudi, leader of the Fat Whites, fronted them through three shirtless, sweaty and stinky shows. Each one filling the crowd with a feeling something truly special was happening. His aggressive droning, shrieking and bouncing fill every gig with energy that never once drops below maximum. While the rest of the band move around in their own unique ways, it’s Lias who joins the mosh pits, sometimes covered in butter, and often naked. As their shows become almost legendary, their dirty authenticity has shone through in each and every interview and show they’ve played. They may just be the most legitimate punk band of the millennia.

The album is just a taste of the sleazy brilliance they have to offer. While some tracks have the quality of sounding like they have been recorded live in a kitchen, doom-laden monotone voices cross over between moments of inaudible rambling and clear and faultless production, showcasing the filth and fury under even closer inspection.

With a name like Champagne Holocaust, you’d be right to expect messy celebrations of all things controversial. The wailing drone of opener “Auto Neutron” is a messily weird track typical of the band, with multiple groaning voices and wailing riff tempting you to turn the album up and leave it there.

Despite the coarsely vulgarly named song, “Baby Is It Raining In Your Mouth”, it’s perhaps their strongest pop moment on the album, but I urge you to listen to these tracks live, this one in particular. Songs like “Heaven On Earth” are shockingly hectic, and push the idea of their greatness and potential deeper into your skull. While the brilliant “Bomb Disneyland” may seem crude and offensive, there is no endorsement of violence, only a highlight of Disney’s damaging power over youth. Their political views also feel like a breath of fresh air, with the sharing of wealth and free healthcare being paramount.

In this world of health & safety, expectations and corporately funded pop music, the Fat White Family are an extremist antidote to the dull, clean poseurs who remain in immovable, unchangeable musical boundaries. Like The Stooges before them, their live shows are immense, sweaty and genuine. Great things are expected from a hope found in the most unlikely of forms. And if things go right, they could make it work in America and become unlikely legends. As Lias wrote in his American tour fundraiser “Don’t let those yanks go away thinking that all this country produces is middle of the road, safe as houses homogenized industry crap, send them the Fat White Family”. They may not be for everyone, but they are the future. Believe the hype. The Fat White Family’s Tour Of Tenderness starts 15th of October and runs for just under a month.


text:
The X Factor: 15 Interesting Facts (Part 1)

The X Factor is a British reality show focused on scouting out singing talent. The show features big names such as Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne. Here are some lesser known facts about the popular television series.

Number Fifteen: Simon vs. Simon

Cowell originally said no to an invitation to judge for the show Popstars. Later on, he began appearing on Pop Idol. In ’04, Simon Fuller sued Cowell, because apparently The X Factor stole a lot of ideas from Pop Idol.

Number Fourteen: 15 Hour Lines

Not only do the contestants have to wait in line for 15 hours, but if they don’t have time to be seen by the judges, they may be asked to return another time. They are probably not very pleased to wait all that time and then be asked to come back later.

Number Thirteen: The X Factor Filming is Longer than it Looks

Sometimes it takes so long, that the judges are asked to wear the same clothing for two days in a row. This is for the sake of the episodes appearing continuous.

Number Twelve: Simon Fired Cheryl Over a Text Message

He couldn’t be bothered to fire his fellow judge in person, and instead sent her a text message. She was furious, and went on to sue the X Factor for 1.4 million British pounds for getting rid of her.

Number Eleven: Unfair Treatment

One of the people who auditioned for the show, Adam Miller, sued the show for treating him unfairly. He claims that they begged him to apply and then proceeded to make fun of him.

Number Ten: Getting Over the X

A winner on the show, Steve Brookstein has reported that Simon Cowell made him record an album of covers, and invited him to a dinner party and served him a “ready made” meal. He later published a book titled Getting Over the X.

Number Nine: Simon Needs Advice from Louis

Louis Walsh is no longer a judge on the TV series, but apparently Cowell still calls him for advice every so often. We hope you enjoyed part one of this article. Check back soon for part two!


text:
Sunday, September 23, 2012

Sermon - Trinity 16 - Luke 7:11-17

Trinity 16
Trinity Lutheran Church, Cumberland, MD
September 23rd, 2012
Luke 7:11-17

Grace, mercy and peace.... Introductions, etc...

At Nain, life crashes into death, and life wins.

Jesus was traveling with a crowd, who had surely seen his miracles and perhaps were impressed with his teaching. There was something special about this man from Nazareth. He was more than the usual itinerant preacher. There must have been quite the buzz, as the messianic expectations charged the air around him. Could he be the one we've been waiting for?

Then, there is, coming from the other direction, a rather different crowd. A group of mourners. A funeral procession. And while no funeral is a joyous occasion, here the sadness was especially bitter. For the man who died left his mother, a widow, behind. On top of the grief and shock of losing her son, now she had no one to take care of her. No husband, and now, no son.

And not only do these two groups meet outside the city, but the Lord of Life here meets the dead man, and calls him to life. Jesus actually touches the funeral bier, which would have made a good Jew ritually unclean. But Jesus makes the unclean clean, and Jesus makes the dead alive. Miraculously, he raises the young man from death, who sits up and begins talking (I wonder what he was saying). And Jesus gives him back to his mother. He restores what was lost. He sets all things right.

This is more than just a miracle, however. The miracles of Jesus are always teaching moments. They are calling cards that point to who he is. In this case, the people who saw the miracle began to interpret its meaning – that Jesus is a prophet, and that God has visited his people. But did they know and hear and believe the prophetic message he spoke? And did they know just how God had visited them, that this Jesus was and is God of God in the flesh of man? And did they know what his visitation would mean?

We must also read and interpret the miracles of Jesus with the rest of the New Testament in mind. We know where this story is going, and how it ends. The same Jesus who raised the little girl, the young man, and his friend Lazarus would also himself rise from the dead. We must read this miracle through the cross and empty tomb of Christ, which were soon to come.

There, Jesus, another widow's son, would be condemned to death. Then he would go with a different crowd to the outskirts of a different city – Jerusalem, accompanied by others who would weep and mourn. But even then, Jesus redirects the weeping and mourning for those who would not receive him, would not believe in him, and would ultimately be destroyed. The real power of death, the sting of death is sin... and he had come to take that sting away.

But nevertheless, Jesus meets death, in his own body, in the most personal way. At the cross, he not only touches death, but he swallows it up forever, swallows it up in victory.

One day, perhaps sooner than you think, you may be the one on the funeral bier, taking up space in the casket. Your body will rest quiet, lifeless, and mourners will gather. Death comes for all of us who sin, and we all sin. It's a reality we often put out of our minds, but sometimes it crashes into our reality with a shock and awe that leaves us speechless.

But Jesus speaks to that. He first met you, and spoke to you, when you were dead in your sins. He met you, not outside the city, but a the font of baptism. When the pastor spoke those words, and baptized you into the name of God, it's as if Jesus said to you, “arise”. There your living death of sin became the new life, the eternal life, of a child of God.

St. Paul says, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4).

And each day as we return to those waters of repentance and faith, life and death crash into each other again, and life wins. Jesus renews and forgives you, restores and revives you to live for him.

And just as Jesus touched death on the outskirts of Nain, so does he come, bodily, to touch you this day. He comes in bread and wine, with his body and blood, to touch your lips and bring you forgiveness and life.

One day, at the resurrection of the dead, Jesus will raise all those who rest in him. At the trumpet call of God, the dead in Christ will rise, in our bodies, glorified, in a resurrection like his. Then will be the ultimate fulfillment of the new life he brings. Then death will be forever cast away, along with all tears of mourning, sadness, and pain.

This is the only hope for all who walk in death. Jesus is the only one who can bring life from death. When I go to Singapore, well, I am not Jesus. But I will bring the words of Christ, the message of Christ, his Gospel. And that word is life. When I preach that word here, just as your pastor preaches it here, Jesus is again meeting sin and death with forgiveness and life, and in him, life wins. For in Christ, a prophet is truly among us. In Christ, God has visited you. In Christ, life touches death, and death is no more.

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Monday, September 28, 2015

Sermon - Mark 9:38-50 - Pentecost 18

Mark 9:38-50
Pentecost 18
“Divine Amputation”

Did you ever use that little phrase, “I'd give an arm and a leg” for something? It means you really, really want something. So bad that you'd even sacrifice an irreplaceable part of the body for it. At least, figuratively. Yogi Berra, who dies this past week, once quipped, “I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous”.

Now, obviously, Jesus doesn't want us to go around cutting of various parts of our body. But his strong words here are meant to jolt us out of a complacency toward sin. He is showing us in strong and certain terms that sin is a deadly serious problem. One that we far too often take far too lightly.

“It's no big deal” we rationalize. “It doesn't hurt anyone else.” “Just this once.” “No one will know.”

Think of the things we say to minimize and justify our sin. Or we try to change the subject or shift the blame. “Who are you to tell me what to do?” “Doesn't the Bible say not to judge?” “Hey, it's not my fault... it's that woman you gave to me.” or “The temptation was too strong. The Devil made me do it.” Maybe your favorite is, “I'm only human” or “Nobody's perfect”. Or if someone harms you, you think you can harm them back – tit for tat – take the law into your own hands.

Jesus would have none of this. For him, sin is a big deal. For the Father, sin is a big deal. He doesn't wink at it or ignore it. He doesn't excuse it or accept your lame excuses. He is a just and fair judge who does what he says, and punishes the guilty. Yes, but that's not the whole story...

Jesus would have us take our sin seriously. Serious as a heart attack. Serious as life and death. For that's what sin always leads to, death, that is its wages. And not just earthly death, but eternal death. Yes, hell is real. Most of what we know about it comes from the lips our Jesus himself. A place of unquenchable fire and everlasting anguish. One way of looking of it is to be “cut off” from God for eternity. And isn't it better to have a hand or foot cut off, than to be cut off from God?
Yes, according to Jesus.

But it doesn't seem like such a good idea to take the advice Jesus gives in our Gospel lesson today, does it? If you hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off. If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. And if we did take this word literally we might see a lot of blind and handless and footless people hobbling around. But to extend the principle further, if any part of our body involved in sin is to be destroyed, then there wouldn't be anything left of us. For we are corrupted, thoroughly, through and through.

And sin cuts us off. It cuts us off from God, and it cuts us off from each other. Think about how it is when there's a sin hanging out there between you and a fellow Christian. Instead of peace there's this gulf, a separation, a distance that seems like it cannot be bridged. Sin is what breaks relationships and puts people at enmity with each other. Sin is what creates “us” and “them”. And as Christians, we want no part of that. When your brother sins against you, Jesus says, go show him his fault - with the hopes he will listen and you will be reconciled. When you sin against your brother, confess it, ask for forgiveness, and be reconciled to one another in Christ.

But our real problem, our first problem, is that our sin cuts us off from our God. A holy God is by nature set apart from sin, sinfulness and sinners. We deserve to be cast out from his presence. We deserve to be exiled from paradise like our first parents were from the Garden. Our sinful nature and our own sins cut us off from God.

Our eyes lust and covet. Our hands steal and strike. Our mind is full of twisted thoughts and ideas. Our mouth, as James says, is a wild beast and a raging fire. And even the human heart, which so many hold in such esteem.... follow your heart, do it with all your heart.... Jesus says it is out of the heart that come all sorts of evil desires and thoughts. But who can live without his heart? So are we to die?

Yes. Die with Christ, only to rise with him. Only Christ can save our eyes and hands and feet and hearts. Only Christ can make every unclean, unrighteous member of this fallen human nature clean and holy and righteous.

For his eyes were closed into a death for us. His hands and feet were pierced and pinned to a cross for us. His heart and lips cried out, “Father forgive them”, even as his very life was fleeting. He was cut off by his disciples who ran and scattered like roaches in his hour of darkness. And he himself was cut off entirely – cut off and forsaken by the Father, “O God, why have you forsaken me?” And it was here, in Jesus' moment of deepest suffering that he himself experienced the worm that would not die and the fire that is never quenched. In a mind-bending eternal mystery he suffered hell's torments for all sinners of every place and time. And most importantly, for you.

So by being cut off, he saves us from being cut off. But God would still have the now-forgiven Christian flee from sin. He would still have us take sin seriously, and avoid in all its forms. And when we fail, when we ought to be cut off, to rather bring those sins in confession to the one who cuts them off from us, separates them from us – as far as the east is from the west. A continual cycle of contrition and faith, death and rebirth, repentance and renewal, so that we enter into our eternal rest with him whole and undefiled.

And this happens with salt and fire. Both preserving and purifying agents. Salt and fire here refer to that which God uses, those practical things, to preserve and purify us. It is by his the salt and fire of his Word and Spirit that he does these things. That he calls us and keeps us, that he forgives us and fortifies us.

Paul paints a picture, a grand metaphor of the church – as the body of Christ. Each member has its role to play. Each member needs the other. The eye can't say to the hand, “I don't need you”. The mouth can't do it all by itself. But Christ is the head this body. And by our baptism we are connected to him. If we were cut off from him there would be no life in us. But connected to him we have all the good things we need.

Sin is deathly serious. Its consequences are eternal. But thanks and praise to him who was cut off, so that we are not. For he makes us clean and whole, and connects us to himself and sets us at peace with one another. In Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Monday, April 18, 2011

Save Money on Gas with GasBuddy! It's free and easy!

Financial survival means being able to live from paycheck to paycheck, hopefully with a little left over for a rainy day. Gas prices are really eating into not only American budgets, but budgets across the world. Gas is nearing the $4 mark in our small Southern town, and it’s much higher than that in a lot of U.S. cities. Of course, gas prices vary within cities, too. You might be surprised by how much they can vary from store to store or from station to station. So how you can be sure you’re getting the best deal in your town? Are you supposed to drive around looking at the posted prices, wasting gas in the process?
Well, you could do that, but an easy way to find the cheapest prices in your area is to go to I checked the site out before recommending it, and it works! The prices I found were correct, and getting the information is totally free. All you do is type in your zip code, and you’ll be presented with a list of stores and gas stations in your town or city that have the lowest gas prices. The price of gas at each store is provided, along with the store’s address.
Even if you save only a few cents a gallon, it adds up! This is especially true if you drive a lot of have a big gas guzzler. Try it for yourself! Remember, it’s free, with no strings attached.

1 comment:

  1. The best looking app I've seen that does the job well. 4/5 due to the fact that I normally look up gas from my house, so it would be nice if it remembered the last (or series of) entered addresses/postal codes. The GPS doesn't seem to want to work with this app on my Galaxy S, but I have a feeling that is the GPS itself, not the fault of the software.


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High School Sports

High School Sports (455)

Prescott High School Girls Soccer Beats Rival Bears During Whiteout Conditions
Prescott Badgers Men's Basketball Struggles to Find Momentum Against Mingus
Badgers Women's Soccer Scores Six Goals in Victory

Badgers Women's Basketball Can't Overcome Late Deficit

AIA Championship Media Day

Divisions 2 through 6 recognized as they stride for football championship

The Prescott High School Volleyball team continues to bring home the victories.

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Sunday, March 05, 2006

Good news from Iraq: hard facts for pessimists

The historic elections of January 2005 can be seen to have produced a fundamental shift in the war in Iraq.

The following statistics are taken mostly from the invaluable monthly Brookings Institute reports.

The Bad News:
1. Daily attacks are up: from 19 in December 2003 to 52 in December 2004 to 75 in December 2005.
2. US military deaths overall have not declined: 486 in 2003; 848 in 2004; 846 in 2005.
3. Multiple fatality bombings are up: from 29 in winter 2004 to 56 in winter 2005 to 92 in winter 2006 (winter calculated as Nov/Dec/Jan).

The Good News:
1. Successful daily attacks are down sharply: from about 25-30% in December of 2004 to about 10% in December of 2005.
2. US wounded are down sharply: The Iraqi insurgency was relatively limited from March 2003 through March 2004. In April 2004 the insurgency gained dramatically in strength with casualties running 323 for that month and peaking at 1397 in November 2004 during the battle of Fallujah. They gone down steadily since then, and in the last four months casualties have dropped from 618 in October 2004 to 259 in January 2006. The casualty figures of 259 for January 2006 are the lowest for any month since the insurgency exploded in April 2004.
3. Iraqi police and military fatalities are down sharply: they ran 109 in January 2005, and the Iraqi armed forces saw their fatalities peak in July of that summer at 304. They have dropped steadily since then to 190 in January 2006.
4. Car bombings have been cut sharply: from 136 in May 2005 to 30 in December 2005.
5. Attacks on Iraqi oil and gas infrastructure are down sharply: from 60 in winter 2005 to 11 in winter 2006 (Nov/Dec/Jan).
6. Hostile fire deaths are down sharply: in the ten months from April 2004 through the elections of 2005, Americans suffered 458 deaths; or 45.8 deaths per month to mortar, rocket propelled grenades, snipers, and other hostile fire (apart from helicopters). In the twelve months since the elections (Feb 2005 to Jan 2006), Americans have suffered 196 deaths from hostile fire; or 16.3 deaths per month.

[Helicopter deaths are excluded in the above figures, although these are encouraging as well: Helicopter losses due to enemy fire were 5 per month during the liberation of Iraq; 4.5 per month under the CPA; 0.2 per month during the revolt; and 0.8 per month since the January 2005 elections. It's possible that the insurgency has gotten better at targeting our helicopters since the elections, but it hasn't produced a serious impact on fatality statistics.]

We can break the war into four phases based on hostile fire deaths:
Phase I: Liberation of Iraq--March/April 2003: 49 deaths per month.
Phase II: CPA occupation--May 2003/March 2004: 12.4 deaths per month.
Phase III: Revolt--April 2004/January 2005: 45.7 deaths per month.
Phase IV: Democracy--February 2005/Jan 2006: 16.3 deaths per month.

In sum, these figures imply a very different account of the field of battle than the nightly television reports. They suggest that since the elections of January 2005 things have not gone well for the insurgency. The insurgents appear increasingly to be getting swept out of their areas of operations, and seem to be having a very difficult time getting American soldiers in their gunsights. The basic thing that has kept them on the nightly news are the IEDs (the improvised explosive devices). Although fewer of these are going off, the ones that do go off have greater power, hence the rise in multiple fatality bombings coupled with the decline in car bombings overall.

The trendlines on this don't look good for the enemy at all. More Iraqi soldiers are in the field, and the enemy has had a decreasing ability to inflict its will on the new Iraqi army; hence the declining fatality figures for the Iraqis. The insurgency since the January 2005 elections has shown a declining capability to fight Iraqi soldiers or American soldiers or even to attack fixed installations.

In other words: they're losing.

The analysis above basically agrees with what regular readers of Strategy Page have been getting there.

Does this mean that the war will soon be over? No. The Democrats are running for Congress on a policy of immediate withdrawal; and enemies of democracies design their attacks for maximum political impact in election years (see the Madrid bombings of 2004 in Spain). The Democratic campaign platform guarantees a major summer/fall offensive in Iraq designed to convince Americans to quit in Iraq and give the terrorists the victory. They will be helped in this by the 85% Democratic networks of ABC, CBS, and NBC who will slant the coverage of the attacks in a way designed to convince the American people that the war in Iraq is hopeless.

Clausewitz pointed on in On War that winning a war is not ultimately about killing soldiers, but breaking the enemy's will to resist. Americans can lose if they choose to believe the reports from ABC, CBS & NBC rather than our soldiers in the field.

Rather they can follow Tom Paine: These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

Postscript: A few other points should be added. The total number of American deaths as of January 2006 is 2241. 18% of these are not combat related. 40% of the deaths are hostile fire-related (apart from helicopter deaths at 6%). The remaining 36% of US deaths are due to IEDs (31%) and car bombs (5%).

Postscript 2: I'd be grateful for comments on this post by some of the milbloggers. And I'm embarrassed to say that I wanted to include a graph here, but I could not figure out how to import Excel graphs into Blogger. Any help?

At Monday, 06 March, 2006, Anonymous orwell lives said...

Download the Brookings Institute's PDF ( and read and distill the numbers for yourself. Don't rely on someone else's assessment of what's 'sharply down' and what isn't? How do you define sharply down anyway? Just read the thing for yourself.

At Monday, 06 March, 2006, Blogger GrenfellHunt said...

Dear Orwell:

Thanks for dropping by! If you find any errors in my stats, please let me know, and I will correct them promptly.

As for the use of the term "sharply down", I think in every case I give the exact statistics after using the phrase. If anyone disagrees with my characterization, they're welcome to substitute another phrase.

In any case, the bottom line seems clear enough: despite what the press says, we're winning.

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Andaz Wall Street Welcomes First Accountant in Residence

New York, NY (PressExposure) March 20, 2012 -- Andaz Wall Street, the only hotel on Wall Street, launches their Accountant in Residence series where certified public accountant Marc Albaum will reside in the hotel and file taxes for hotel guests free of charge from April 8-15, 2012. The Accountant in Residence program aims to accommodate the demanding schedule of the frequent business traveler and provide Andaz Wall Street guests the ease of filing their taxes on the road, just in time to meet the April 15th deadline.

For one week, certified public accountant Marc Albaum will reside and run his office in the spacious Buttonwood Suite at Andaz Wall Street. Marc's stylish office will feature 1,465 square feet of loft-style living space, featuring a master bedroom and bath with a build-in soaking tub, a separate half bath, living area, dining room and display kitchen. A ten-foot wide valet closet with LCD televisions on both sides acts as a screen between the bedroom and living room, allowing Marc to separate his office from the living quarters. The Buttonwood Suite also features nine-foot windows with built-in cushioned window seats, boasting views of the East River; perfect for guests to relax in while waiting for their taxes to be completed.

"Many of our Wall Street guests are constantly pressed for time, so we wanted to offer an experience that will cater to their busy lifestyle," states Andaz Wall Street General Manager Jeffrey Miller. "We are excited that Accountant in Residence Marc Albaum will be able to help our guests meet the tax deadline while traveling."

A native New Yorker, Marc Albaum represents both individuals and small businesses. Marc specializes in tax returns, problems, and planning, and concentrates on bringing late filers up to date. With over 20 years of experience, Marc aims to ensure that his clients do not overlook credits and deductions, and receive the maximum refund they are entitled to.

"People find last-minute filing an overwhelming experience," says Marc Albaum. "I am looking forward to offering my services and advice to Andaz guests during this stressful time of year."

Guests must email with 72 hours advanced notice to secure an hour-long appointment.

"Only two things are certain in life," states Marc Albaum. "I can help you with the other one."

For more information on Marc Albaum, please visit or call 212.674.2840.

For more information on Andaz Wall Street, please visit

About Andaz Wall Street

Andaz Wall Street is the only hotel situated on iconic Wall Street. Andaz is devoted to providing attentive, uncomplicated service and indulgent amenities. The David Rockwell designed property features 253 guestrooms starting at a generous 345 square feet, making them some of the largest hotel rooms in New York City. Andaz offers a variety of on-site amenities, including 5 Studios featuring 5,920 square feet of event space, complimentary wifi and mini bars with non-alcoholic beverages and snacks, a 24 hour gym, and The SPA. Patrons can enjoy seasonal, farm-to-table cuisine at Wall & Water and sample classic pre-prohibition era cocktails at Bar Seven Five. For additional information about Andaz Wall Street please visit

About Andaz Wall Street

Rachel Harrison
Director of Communications
Andaz Wall Street + Andaz 5th Avenue

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Press Release Submitted On: March 20, 2012 at 5:27 am
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Sunday, December 2, 2012

Finding a "Qualified Yoga Teacher" - 3 Things Students Need to Know

by: Victoria McColm, Founder & Editor - Prevent Yoga Injury

If you've done any research on your yoga contraindication, or on yoga safety in general, then you've been advised to practice only with a "qualified yoga teacher." But what does that mean exactly? How do you evaluate your teacher based on your specific needs? And what the heck do all those different letters behind his or her name mean? Read on to understand a little about the kinds of yoga teachers that are out there, how they're certified, what they learn and how to make sure you're working with someone who fits and understands your specific needs.

1) The Yoga Industry Self Regulates

The first thing that's important for the context of evaluation, is to understand that state governments do not regulate or license yoga teachers or studios in the United States. There are passionate advocates and arguments on both sides of the licensing/regulation debate that I'll save for a future post. Regardless of whether it's a good or a bad idea, what it means for you is that you don't have the same kind of consumer protection or peace of mind that you might with your masseuse, personal trainer, therapist or even your hair stylist - all of which must be licensed and meet credentialing requirements in most states prior to offering services to the public.

You have to take responsibility for your own yoga safety, and to do that, you need to understand the industry landscape and where to go for information. There are two main standards and self-regulating bodies within the yoga industry: Yoga Alliance & the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Most teachers today have trained with schools that are certified by one or the other or both.

2) Credentialing is Done via Honor System

Yoga Alliance certifies schools and teachers who have earned a certificate of completion from one of the schools they certify. They have been in business since 1999 and recently went through a soul search and leadership change aimed at professionalizing their own organization and deciding what they should actually be providing to teachers and the industry based on inputs from yoga teachers nationwide. They confer two main designations, along with additional designations for experience and specialties. Here's what they actually mean:

  • RYS = Registered Yoga School: To become a RYS, a program applies to Yoga Alliance outlining the intended curriculum and showing it meets the minimum standards established for teacher training. Besides curriculum, the only hard requirement is that the primary teacher(s) be experienced registered yoga teachers (E-RYT) with Yoga Alliance. Check out the RYS application. YA is a small operation and there is no physical visit to the training program applicant by YA staff to verify the information submitted. Changes to curriculum are accomplished via a self-reporting honor system.  Training quality and content can vary widely among schools.
  • RYT200 = Registered Yoga Teacher with at least 200hrs of training. Minimum curriculum standards.
  • E-RYT200 = Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher with at least 200hrs of training + 1,000hrs of teaching experience. Minimum standards are same as above, these teachers have just been in business longer.
  • RYT500 = Registered Yoga Teacher with at least 500hrs of training. Minimum curriculum/experience standards
  • E-RYT500 = Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher with at least 500hrs of training + at least 1,000hrs of teaching experience
  • RCYT = Registered Children's Yoga Teacher has 200hr RYT certification + 95hrs of specialized training in children's yoga. RCYT minimum standards link
  • RPYT = Registered PreNatal Yoga Teacher has 200hr RYT certification + 85hrs of specialized training in prenatal yoga. RPYT minimum standards link
Yoga Alliance allows its members to list their credentials publicly on their website. A final plus is that each of their designations requires various hours of continuing education to maintain over time. So, a listing on YA means that your teacher has completed some formal training and is dedicated to continuing education and improving or expanding their yoga skill set. It's definitely worth having a look to make sure your teacher is listed, just don't base your decision on a YA listing alone.

The other major standards organization is called the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). Its was formed in 1989, rolled into another organization in 1999, and then became independent again in 2004. The organization has reportedly experienced controversy in its history(1), but its reputation is improving as its leadership seek to further professionalize and develop credentialing standards for yoga therapists.

Yoga therapy is the practice of applying yoga techniques (postures, breathing, diet, etc) to treat or relieve a specific ailment or medical condition. The field of yoga therapy is still somewhat of a free for all. There are lots of teachers out there who interpret their Yoga Alliance bestowed "RYT" designation as teacher or therapist, interchangeably. In fact, there is no such thing as a "Registered Yoga Therapist", so a healthy bit of skepticism should be employed when evaluating any teacher who claims to be one. There are many well known and respected yoga therapists practicing today, many of whom have medical degrees in addition to their yoga training. If you're unsure whether the yoga therapist you've found is really qualified, a suggested best practice for students who want to use yoga for treatment is to seek out a yoga therapist who is also an MD (medical doctor), PT (physical therapist), RN (registered nurse) or other medical professional. All such individuals would have completed medical training at an accredited university and hold some sort of license to practice in the medical field, in addition to their yoga therapy training.

There are efforts to professionalize yoga therapy training with minimum standards, that at some point, may manifest into a standardized credentialing system. This summer, the IAYT released The Educational Standards for the Training of Yoga Therapists. I've read it, and I think it's a fantastic step forward. They call for teachers who want to designate as yoga therapists to undertake a minimum of 800hrs of training over a minimum of two years, on top of a 200hr RYT and one year of experience prerequisite.

3) Evaluating a Teacher with Your Instincts

So, what's the best way to evaluate a teacher, who reported her credentials via honor system to an organization that doesn't yet have the capacity or resources  to verify teacher training quality first hand, in an industry that self regulates? That question is not meant to be a poke at anyone, it's simply the state of affairs in the yoga industry, like it or not. At the end of the day, you just have to trust your gut. If you experience any of the situations below on a regular basis, it's a good idea to consider looking for a new guru.

   Serious Ego - One of the main things you're supposed to be learning in yoga is how to let go of self and ego and connect with source. Be wary of anyone who self-designates as a guru, chastises your lifestyle choices or motives for pursuing yoga, is unavailable or unwilling to make time for you before or after class or is generally unfriendly or unapproachable. If your teacher displays serious ego, then he or she clearly has a lot more to learn and might not be the best person guide your journey.

   Seriously Flakey - If your teacher's mantra is "everything is perfect" when it's clearly not, you may have a problem. Is he often late? Is the studio dirty? Does he want you to describe your very personal and potentially embarrassing contraindication in front of the entire class? Does he not ask about injuries or contraindications at all? Letting go of self does not mean letting go of consideration for others and it leaves you wondering what other corners are being cut (intentionally or not).

   Seriously Spiritual, like, seriously - Spirituality without substance is another red flag. Often a quote, anecdote or spiritual reference can be the perfect thing to take your mind off that grocery list and into your practice. But if every question you ask your teacher is seemingly dodged with some vapid spiritual reference, then be careful. Masking inexperience or lack of knowledge with a veil of spiritual superiority is unfortunately common in the industry. A good teacher knows what she doesn’t know and is not afraid to make that admission or connect you with a teacher who can help.

Many students come to yoga because they are seeking or want to fix something, and that attitude can put a student in a vulnerable position in which the inherent authority of the teacher might cause second guessing of his or her own instincts. There are amazing yoga teachers out there, mediocre ones and probably a few bad apples - just like in every other profession and practice.

The biggest thing I hope you’ll take away from this article is that there are no rules in yoga – and that is both a good and bad thing. The most important way to evaluate the quality of your teacher is by educating yourself on yoga basics, knowing yourself, what you want or expect out of your practice and listening to your body. Find a teacher who makes you feel comfortable.

Are there other ways to ensure you're working with a "qualified yoga teacher"? Please share them in the comments section!

UPDATE (17 DEC 2012): (1) Source: William J. Broad, "The Science of Yoga"

  1. I really like your is about time to explain to the students of yoga to be aware of whom they take classes with
    Also to educate about philosophy
    learning limbs and sutras
    Really any person who has the luck to feel the Magic of the practice should take training
    to understand better what they are doing with their bodies and learn how to protect themselves
    Seriously stay away from corporations.choose a good teacher that teaches good alignment.movement without alignment is just jokes without grace.ultimately you will learn that one of the stronger lessons you can learn from this practice is to felt in love with discipline
    Marta Berry

  2. Thanks Marta! That's great advice for students too!

  3. Thank you for your work raising awareness around yoga safety Victoria. Educating the consumers and teachers of yoga regarding safety is an ongoing process and you nicely outlined important points for readers.

    In your bio I believe I read your interest in sustaining dialog vs knee jerk/visceral responses you witnessed to the Broad book etc? I'd be curious to better understand your statement about IAYT "The organization has experienced controversy in its history, but its reputation is improving." I have more than a little familiarity with the organization ( and am only aware of some misstatements by Broad in his book. Would you be willing to share with the readers what those controversies were, with whom you've checked the facts around the controversy beyond his statements in the book, and how those have been resolved? I believe it's important to discern the facts at this point to either forewarn or reassure the public regarding the groups working for public safety/ahimsa.

    Finally, your readers may enjoy this article I wrote on the topic in the PubMed accepted journal of the yoga therapy by IAYT (meaning the articles are peer reviewed and accepted as evidence by the gold standard in this, reputable). I also presented on this topic of safety at the first ever Symposium of Yoga Therapy and Research (SYTAR) in 2007. Teachers and consumers will find additional action steps in the article toward ahimsa in their practice. The standards you highlighted form the content for our upcoming Symposium ( in Boston 2013 that features the world's top authorities presenting on how those standards can be engaged. I mention all this because again Broad made numerous factual misstatements and my review of the facts on the public record of dialog demonstrates there is no other group or organization that has taken "right action" toward the yama of ahimsa on the level IAYT has in the past 8 years since its reorganization (research, education, standards development, and membership prof development).
    Continued success in your important mission Victoria and let me know if I can be of further support or collaborate at some level. Namaste, Matt

    1. Matt -

      Thank you so much for your comments and my apologies for the delay in responding. I will do my best to respond to the issues you raise below.

      First, I want to stress that I do not consider myself, nor am I attempting to portray myself as, an "expert.” You mentioned my bio; I have now updated it to reflect any potential misunderstandings regarding my intentions for this work. I am merely a facilitator, working to gather information on yoga safety, best practice and contraindications in a single place and convey it in a manner that is easily understood by the average practitioner - something that is currently missing in yoga discourse and available resources. I do hold a Master's degree in Philosophy and Policy from the London School of Economics, have practiced yoga for about eight years now and received my RYT200 in June 2012, in case you are curious.

      I acknowledge your statements regarding IAYT. This article is not meant to be a thesis on yoga safety, it merely pulls together publicly available information at a high level to ensure yoga students understand the need to be cognizant of their own safety when choosing a teacher. I regard the published opinion of a respected journalist a credible source for an article written at this level and ensured balance in my statements regarding IAYT. I am actually quite positive about the organization (and personally excited about the direction they are moving) in my writing. To answer your question, I did not speak to anyone directly to verify Broad's opinion for this article, because it is not an expose. But I thank you for raising this issue in the comments section. I have updated the article to reflect my source for that statement, in case others are wondering about its origin. What's most important is that students have access to all points of view so that they can make up their own minds on these issues. Just as you wish for readers to hear your facts, Broad stands by his. It is not my place to bestow authority to one or the other, but present both in order for readers to decide for themselves. If you would like to go deeper into the inaccuracies that you see in his work, I would welcome it here. Again, it's important for readers to hear both sides.

      Thank you so much for sharing your "Conscious Ahimsa" article. I would love to find a way to resurrect this concept for the PYI blog. If you would be interested in writing an article, I would welcome it.

      Finally, regarding the symposiums you mentioned, I would like to offer the following: these types of events are critical for moving thinking on the practice forward, but you must agree with me that they are inaccessible to most. How much does it cost to attend? The average practitioner will never know what transpired at SYTAR this year, and likely couldn't afford to attend even if he wanted to. Please don't take this as me trivializing the work that you are all doing, I believe it to be critical to the field. Rather, I want to highlight the need for both of our efforts. I would love to find ways to work together to disseminate the outcomes of such events and translate them into tangible best practices that your average yoga teacher, practitioner or doctor can understand.

      Thank you again for your comments – again my intent is to spark dialogue, so thank you for contributing to that. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.
      My best,

      PS: In visiting the SYTAR website, there are lots of errors: The forums are down, FB and Twitter buttons are not set up correctly and the FAQ page is malfunctioning. Just wanted to let you know in case you know the webmaster, perhaps you can pass along...

  4. Hello, thank you for the article...One of my personal concerns with how Yoga is portrayed and delivered now is that many, many teachers skip over the other 7 limbs. Asana is the main focus and I really hope more teachers will educate students that Yoga is a system... a path... a way of life... To practice Asana only without incorporating awareness of the other limbs is misguided and misguiding... Thank you again! Namaste, Lynn Louise Wonders, LPC, RPT-S, E-RYT200

  5. Victoria, this seems like a terrific, in-depth, common sense overview of the issues involved in choosing a yoga teacher. You really embrace the consumer protection mantle far better than most people. In the interest of promoting the industry, their brand, or their favorite studio, some people only raise a few of these issues simply as caveats -- if at all.

    Off the top of my head, the only thing I might add is: the studio environment and the way the teacher handles issues like overcrowding, different yoga levels in the same class, permission to touch, and whether they use up valuable class time to aggressive marketing the studio, its workshops, retreats, and other classes. Not every teacher teaches in a studio, but studios, for marketing and financial reasons, do tend to push certain class practices. If the teacher trained and received her certification there, she will tend to be unduly "loyal" -- and that could be a factor.

    I'm not saying add a section, "Aggressively selling" or "Seriously sales-oriented" but just noting the issue as a factor that can affect the quality and safety of the yoga experience -- in my view.

  6. Good article but I have a question. I am an ERYT that has decided to stop my current progress in a standard 500 hour training so that I can pursue a 500 hour (800 actually) therapeutic yoga training. The therapeutic training is IAYT approved and meets/exceeds their standards. I do not have a medical degree which is why I chose to change course. The IAYT standards are anatomy-heavy, which I like. So are you suggesting that students should avoid teachers like myself, with no medical background?


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Meerkat Christmas pattern added at Stitching Cards

Friday 5 August 2011

A Meerkat Christmas pattern has been added to the Stitching Cards collection.

The design features mom, dad and child meerkats looking at a pile of presents with the greeting “Meerkat Christmas”.

Also added is a design featuring a meerkat standing on a rock in a typical lookout pose. It makes a great birthday card for animal lovers. It can also be used for congratulations, thank you and other messages.

The pattern size is 152 mm x 104 mm (6 x 4½ inches).

Meerkats are members of the mongoose family and are about the size of a squirrel. They live in groups as large as 40 and they all participate in gathering food, keeping a look out for predators, and taking care of the babies. They live in the deserts and grasslands of the southern tip of Africa. These extremely social animals live together in burrows, which they dig with their long, sharp claws. Living underground keeps mob members safe from predators and out of the harsh African heat.

A well known film character based on the meerkat is Timon in Disney’s The Lion King. Timon always has a fast line. But behind the patter is a loyal little guy who’d give his last wisecrack to help a friend. In the UK a meerkat character called Aleksandr Orlov features in a TV advertisement for a comparison website. He is portrayed as being of Russian aristocratic stock with an amusing accent.

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Thursday, November 15, 2012

My Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is one of my favourite cook books.  It is a very simple to use children's book which I have
used for my children over many years. It has all the basics you would use time over time.

Whenever I have  a spare 30 minutes it's time to bake these cookies. But be warned  they will not
stay around for long. Mine are eaten in the same day., and you will get requests every week to make these........

140g/5oz plain flour
1 egg
70g/2 1/2 ozs soft brown sugar
175g/6oz chocolate chips
115g/4oz butter
70g/2 1/2 ozs caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

(Above is the normal recipe but I now add 1 dessert spoon of Golden Syrup . It makes them softer
and a bit more chewy which we love.)

You mix the butter and all the sugar together until it goes creamy and light. Then add the egg a
little at a time. Next the vanilla and lastly sift the flour in and if you are like me add the golden
syrup and chocolate chips. You can do this all by hand in a bowl. But if you are lucky like me I
just chuck it all in my mixer.

Next grease some baking trays with your butter. If you use flat trays you put a tiny amount of
mixture down spaced well apart. Because the mixture really spreads out and they will join
together. If this happens do not worry wait until they are cooked and then just cut them apart.
But if you are like me and want even shapes and bite sizes just use a fairy cake tray instead.

Take out of the trays and leave to cool on a wire rack. Keep in a airtight container to store.

   Now put the kettle on and enjoy!

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26 November, 2013

Of One-Liners That Make You Happy

Today is a bad day. A bad, bad day.  A bad day in the middle of a bad week stuck in the middle of a bad month. You get the idea.

From a surprise interview that did not go as well as expected to the usual tussle with the parent that always drains the senses, nothing really goes right.

A sudden burst of energy at 9.30 p.m brought with it a hyper smile.

He said, "I like it when you smile like this, without any barriers, borders, worries..."

Instantly, the reminder brought with it the weight of the world and the smile wore thin.

"Tell the Universe to give me a reason to smile", I said wearily.

He extended the box of donuts and said, "I can give you six."

P.S: I'm the douche that hasn't been replying to comments lately and hence, I didn't publish the ones in my last post till now. Thank you for taking the time out to type out a comment despite my assholery, but I really really really do appreciate it and I'm so very sorry for not replying, I'm in that phase where I think I have lost my juju and I'm questioning my skills as a writer. I might get over it. I'm trying to. My best to. Thank you for understanding, those few who have come back here despite aforementioned assholery. Just. Thanks.

  1. I hope you have more reasons to smile :) You have been missed,by me :(

    Write often because we love to read you

    1. I do, so many more :)
      Awww, I'm sorry.. And thank you so much :):)

  2. I too am in that phase where I am questioning my skills as a writer. I also had a doubt that the blog that I maintained doesn't belong to me. So, you get the story, right ?

    So, how have you been?

    And yeah, you have been missed! And also write more often. That does help whatever situation you might be in.

    1. Heyy, long time :) And you got a name change!
      Aww thanks, I'll try to.

      Lets get through this together..

  3. I was missing your posts.. Kept thinking of sending you a mail.. :)
    Nice come back.. :)
    Hope you are here to stay.. :) :)

    1. You should have!! I LOVE MAILS <3:D
      I hope so too... Thanks for sticking around :)

  4. Just wanted to say that I love reading your blog and may you have more delightful donut-ey days ahead!

  5. We all lose our jujus once in a while. Don't worry. It'll come back to you. Maybe it's gone on a vacation.

  6. Was wondering what happened to the comment section. I liked what I read here... nd guess everyone else thinks the same too.

    1. Thank you so much, Sheethal :)

      I have been disabling comments for the last couple of posts.

  7. I have been loathing here every now and then and wondered what is happening.. and then got occupied with so many things that I forgot everything about blogs... I came here after a month or so and so so so happy to see many posts waiting for me to explore :D

    All these posts tell me just one thing.. U have regained ur 'juju' :P keep it going dear :)

Whatchu thinkin'?


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Impressive muscles in a few weeks are within your reach.

When you use Probolan 50, you increase your muscle mass, you turn your fat into pure muscles. Everyone will envy you.

Order now 100% guaranteed safety and efficacy

"Before I tried Probolan 50 I thought that such effects are beyond the reach of amateurs..."

So a letter we received from Tom, 20-year-old man who tried Probolan 50 for the first time some time ago, began. Many other letters of thanks we received from our regular customers had the similar beginning. Do you know why they wrote these letters to us? Tom explained it this way:

You must publish my letter on your website. When I visited it for the first time and just had a glance at what is written there, I didn't believe in what you lied to me - rapid gain of muscle mass and effective fat into pure muscles conversion. Only natural ingredients of Probolan 50 were supposed to guarantee remarkable success. It sounded like fiction. I decided to order just one box to try this product, "it won't kill me" - I thought. Now I know that I would regret it if I didn't made this decision.

After four months of the cycle, the results exceeded my expectations. I accomplished what my friends worked for a year or more. Jealousy in their eyes is the best recommendation (not to mention the increased female attraction).

I hope you do publish my letter. If anyone gives thought whether they should buy Probolan 50, I'm sure that I can convince them! All in all, everyone wants to gain great results in a short time. Probolan 50 does it! I send my pictures before and after Probolan 50 treatment - you must show them!

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1 month

2 months

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Great muscle mass, endurance, strength and motivation

The first step of each training cycle is to build muscle mass. This will also be the first of the direct effects of Probolan 50 that you observe while using it. In a very short time you'll have to get used to having to buy clothes in a larger size, because the old will no longer fit for you. In addition to the weight gain, Probolan 50 also increases strength, power and performance you squeeze from your muscles.

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An increased metabolic rate of fat into muscles conversion will be the second effect you will notice after using Probolan 50. By controlling the testosterone and estrogen economy, your body starts natural fat burning and develops pure muscles. You won't believe that excess fat can disappear so quickly. What's more, visible to the naked eye muscles appear after a short period of using Probolan 50.

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In the course of years of research, aimed at developing Probolan 50 formula, safety and efficacy took the priority. Scientists have spent years before they were able to create a natural formula that meets all the strict requirements. Probolan 50 efficacy and safety have been confirmed in independent clinical studies. You can be 100% sure the product can successfully be taken with other supplements, and in contrast to their low-cost substitutes, doesn't cause erection problems.

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You'll see, and feel, the first effects within 48 hours!

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Get it before others will do it

© Probolan 50 2014 All rights reserved

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Thursday, January 18, 2007

Jimmy Carter Interceded for Nazi SS Guard

Posted by Rick Pearcey

"A former U.S. Justice Department official disclosed to Arutz 7 that former U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s advocacy extended beyond the PA Arabs, when he interceded on behalf of a Nazi SS man," reports Arutz Sheva broadcasting network at Israel National News.

* Carter's Letter: "Neal Sher, a veteran of the U.S. Justice Department’s Office of Special Investigation, described a letter he received from Carter in 1987 in an interview with Israel National Radio’s Tovia Singer. The letter, written and signed by Carter, asked that Sher show 'special consideration' for a man proven to have murdered Jews in the Mauthausen death camp in Austria." . . .

* Carter's Book: "Now, following Carter’s book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, Sher has decided to go public with the hope that a public made aware of Carter’s support and defense of a Nazi SS man will help illustrate why the arbiter of the Camp David Accords came out with a book defending the Palestinians after the landslide election of the Islamist Hamas terror group."

* Carter's Heart: “'It always bothered me, but I didn’t go public with it until recently, when he wrote this book and let it spill out where his sentiments really lie,' Sher said. 'Here was Jimmy Carter jumping in on behalf of someone who did not deserve in any way, shape or form special consideration. And the things he has now said about the Jewish lobby really exposes where his heart really lies.'”

The entire news report is here.

Dershowitz to Rebute Carter Speech at Brandeis
14 Carter Center Advisers Resign Over Book
Many Who Condemn Holocaust-Denial Help Pave the Way
Fascism Is Back

Rick Pearcey is editor and publisher of The Pearcey Report.

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Woodville Ward German population

Access Woodville Ward German population statistics in an up-to-date, accurate website based on the latest Census data.

Woodville Ward’s German population is recorded in the Census every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The latest Census was conducted in 2011.

In the Census, people are asked about their country of birth, the languages they speak at home, proficiency in English, their ancestry and their religion. Together these questions paint a picture of the ethnic makeup of Woodville Ward.

The local council funds population experts, .id, to convert this raw data into stories of change by analysing the Census data back to 1991 and presenting it in an online community profile.

These websites are freely available to inform community groups, investors, business, students and the general public. They present the data in simple, clear tables and charts with concise factual commentary.

Results for Woodville Ward include country of birth, ancestry, language spoken at home, proficiency in English, religion, age structure, income, qualifications, occupations, employment, unemployment, disability, disadvantage, volunteering, childcare, family structure, household structure, housing tenure, mortgage and rental payments, and the size and type of the dwellings people live in. Population forecasts and economic information are also available for some areas.


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Paying for master’s degrees

You probably know the following fact:

  • Almost half of teachers have master’s degrees. In fact, more masters are given in education than in any other subject.

My surmise has always been that the driving force behind the huge number of masters is the salary bump that comes with earning agraduate degree. Apparently it’s not quite so simple.

Raegen Miller and Marguerite Roza put together data on the salary bump in each state (adjusted for the cost of living) and the fraction of teachers in that state with a master’s. In eight states, a master’s is required for a full, permanent teacher’s license. I’ve taken the Miller/Roza and plotted it. The master’s-required states are in red, the remainder in blue. And the upward sloping line is drawn using only the blue points.

In the “we don’t require a master’s” states, the salary bump that teachers earn definitely encourages more masters. Higher master’s salaries explain about 13 (of 40) percentage points of the difference between the fraction of teachers with higher degrees in the lowest bump versus the highest bump state.

In contrast, in the states that require masters for full licensure the extra salary doesn’t seem to make much difference. The requirement itself does, unsurprisingly, encourage earning a graduate degree–about 14 points worth.

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text: Comments on: Report: Joel Dreessen out for rest of training camp ProFootballTalk on Sun, 30 Apr 2017 02:59:53 +0000 hourly 1 By: briscocountyjr Mon, 05 Aug 2013 17:31:59 +0000 ‘Orange’ JuliusThomas is like bigfoot for the team. Fans have been dying to see him breakout, but has been injured…will be interesting to see if he can finally put it together. I hear about him making big plays downfield, seems to be like a WR in the passing game.