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City vs. Country over Philly Gun Scourge

Nearly every day, someone in Philadelphia is shot to death. At least one person has already been murdered this weekend, and there have been 213 murders so far this year.

Last fall 5-year-old Cashae Rivers was riding in the backseat of a car when a bullet ripped through her heart. Her aunt, Kim Carter-Ford, said the violence cannot continue.

"It does make you want to retaliate," she said, "but no one wants to keep the cycle going."

Watch David Kerley's report on gun problems in Philadelphia tonight on "World News." Check local listings for air time.

The murder rate in Philadelphia has soared to twice the rate of most major cities. In fact, Philadelphia has more murders than New York City, which has six times the population.

Unlike New York, Philadelphia cannot pass its own gun laws. According to Philadelphia City Councilman Darrel Clarke, the state of Pennsylvania has preempted all of the city's abilities to deal with gun regulations.

With their hands tied, city officials plan to sue their own state government.

"I can no longer continue to sit here and allow the level of violence to continue unabated," said Clarke, "simply because people don't feel it's appropriate to do what I believe is their mandatory duty."

Philadelphia urban leaders say all they want is to restrict gun purchases to one a month, and require a yearly $10 registration fee to target those who buy guns in bulk and sell to criminals.

But Pennsylvania's rural communities are making the establishment of gun regulations an uphill battle. Most of Pennsylvania is rural, and its rural communities value guns and hunting.

State Representative Steve Cappelli, an avid hunter who said he defends the second amendment, said gun limits won't work.

"Any measure we give Philadelphia," Cappelli said, "any new regulation and new authority to regulate firearms, will not impact the very element that is terrorizing that city."

That argument is being echoed across much of the country as rural sensibilities continue rule the gun debate -- and cities like Philadelphia prepare for another night and maybe another shooting death.

ABC News' David Kerley reported this story for "World News."


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Satellite Images Could Provide Clues to Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370

Chinese satellites may have captured images that may be wreckage from the missing plane.
3:00 | 03/12/14

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Transcript for Satellite Images Could Provide Clues to Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
air, experts around the world are studying satellite images from Asia. New images that show something floating in the ocean five days after that passenger jet vanished. 239 people onboard. So, are these images part of the answer? Are will they just deepen the mystery? ABC's bob woodruff walks us through the new twist of the disappearance of that plane. Reporter: Tonight, intriguing, new clues. Those images captured by a Chinese satellite. One, after the other. Three in all. One nearly 80 feet long, found in the search zone, reportedly closer to the original path of the flight. But are they from the missing plane? To answer that, the search is growing. The zone, now the size of Indiana, spanning a distance greater than Chicago to Atlanta. Finally, American experts have been let in to help pore over the clues. After five, long days, all we know for sure is this. Flight 370 took off at 12:21 A.M. And fell off civilian radars by 1:30 A.M. Saturday morning. Right here. The pilots' last words to the tower, all right. Good night. But still a mystery, claims by the Malaysian military that their radar picked up a signal 45 minutes later that might have been the missing plane, soaring way off course, all the way over here. Added to this, a worker aboard this oil rig saying he thinks he spotted something. E-mailing that he saw what looked like the plane burning at high altitude, in the night sky, here, in the waters off Vietnam. The Vietnamese searched the area but say they found nothing. For the families of the 239 missing, face after face, fathers, high school sweethearts, grandparents, it is agony. It's just disappeared off the face of the Earth. And if we could just find wreckage or something, it would be a help, probably. But nothing. Reporter: So, now, the eyes are really focused on those images taken by the Chinese on Sunday. And now, finally released. The question, are these pictures of that plane on the water? That, hopefully, we'll find out soon enough. Diane? ABC's David Kerley covers aviation for us. He is standing by right now. Show us where they found these objects. The Chinese say they took these pictures on Sunday. Let's take a look. We know where this plane ended up. This last radar hit was over the south China sea. They're saying they got these pictures is in the southeast area. About 25-mile circle, where they saw the three different items. They see the large pieces of floating debris. The pictures are not supersharp. But these are big pieces, 30 feet to 80 feet across. Experts will say it's not possible to identify objects with a satellite picture. One expert told us, these pieces might be too big to be part of this plane. But this could help concentrate a search. Also, the debris field. Could answer big questions for us. We have an aerial photo from the air France crash in the atlantic. It hit on the water. Its debris field was more concentrated. A wide debris field could mean that the jet broke apart at altitude. So, these pictures are being analyzed. We asked U.S. Officials. The first they heard about it today. We asked, have you moved satellites to look at this area? They would not comment or tell us anything about that, Diane. Again, David, we're talking about something fairly close to the regularly scheduled route. It is -- we're hearing anywhere from 100 to 200 miles to the southeast. So, that could be -- here's part of the problem, Diane. The last ping we saw, and the plane apparently stayed in the air for a little bit longer. Did it fly that way? Or has debris floated that way? Is it even debris from the aircraft? Thank you, David. I'm going to turn to one of the leading experts, a pilot, colonel Steve ganyard. You're looking at these pictures. Can they be made clearer? They are tantalizing. I don't know if they're clues yet. I wish we could blow them up. They're a little too fuzzy we're going to get any clarity. We have to get ships out there and make sure these aren't parts of the airport. But David raises the possibility they could be too big. They're longer than the wingspan of a 777 or the fuselage. Maybe they are too big. But at this point, we know so little that we have to investigate every potential clue. And they certainly are tantalizing. You have been reminding us, even if it is debris from that plane, it could be a long time before we know what happened. Exactly. We found debris after five days. But two years underneath that debris before we found the black boxes that held the secrets. And we will not find out what happened in this mishap until we get those black boxes. All right. Thank you, Steve, for joining in tonight. This really is an intriguing night. Thank you.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

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Legal Loophole Could Keep $1M Dorner Reward from Being Paid

PHOTO: The manhunt is intensifying as police race to find Christopher Dorner a highly-trained a former Los Angeles police officer, on a rampage to kill his former colleagues.PlayLAPD/AP Photo
WATCH Authorities Positively Identify Remains of Christopher Dorner

A legal loophole could prevent good Samaritans, instrumental in ending the manhunt for a fugitive ex-cop accused of killing four people, from claiming more than $1 million in reward money because Christopher Dorner died and was not captured.

Last weekend, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa pledged $1 million, sourced from private individuals, companies and unions, "for information that will lead to Mr. Dorner's capture."

The L.A. City Council followed up with its own promise of a $100,000 reward, for information "leading to the identification, apprehension and conviction of Christopher Dorner."

But Dorner, accused of killing four people and threatening the lives of several dozen more, was never captured, apprehended or convicted. Instead, he died following a standoff with police near Big Bear, Calif., when the cabin in which he was barricaded burned down with him inside.

The mayor's office has not yet determined if the reward could still be paid out given Dorner died.

"At this time, no decision has been made on the reward," Villaraigosa's spokesman Peter Sanders told ABC in an email.

So far, none of the privately sourced "funds have been deposited into the City's 'Special Reward Trust Fund,'" according to the Frank T. Mateljan, spokesman for the city attorney.

That still leaves an additional $100,000 that the city council could pay with municipal money, but there legal questions there, as well.

"The reward is definitely still on the table," said Jessica Tarman, spokeswoman for Councilman Daniel Zine.

But there are still plenty of questions.

The council ultimately decides how and to whom the reward will get paid. If its members are feeling generous, they could interpret the language of the original offer to make sure a worthy recipient gets paid.

"Arguably, city law is broad enough to allow payment to persons who assisted in the "identification, apprehension OR arrest and conviction" of a suspect," Metaljan said in an email [emphasis his].

If the city decides to honor the reward, there are still multiple steps before a claimant can be paid.

Anyone who thinks they are worthy must apply in writing. That claim would then be reviewed by the LAPD robbery and homicide division, and a recommendation would be made to the police commissioner. The commissioner would tell the council to consider the claim, and the council would vote on it.

So far, no one has come forward to ask for the reward. More than 1,000 leads were called to a city hotline

One couple seems most deserving, if they decide to seek the reward. Jim and Karen Reynolds, a couple in whose Big Bear, Calif., home Dorner is believed to have hidden for days, called in the tip Tuesday that ultimately put police on the trail to Dorner's final location.

On Tuesday, the couple found Dorner at their home. He briefly held them captive, but they managed to escape and call in their tip.


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Hong Kong Panorama

Why You Should Go

Suggested Length:
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Price from:
$5,350 per person

Hong Kong Travel Itinerary Highlights

Hong Kong Island, Plover Cove, Kowloon, Lantau, Macau

The Absolute Travel Experience

Your journey will be a private, customized travel experience, based on your individual schedule, interests and budget.

Start Your Journey

What To Expect:

Hong Kong Travel Tour Highlights

Similar Journeys

Your journey will be private and customized based on your schedule, budget, and interests.

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text: At Acacia Construction we are dedicated to leveraging our years of experience to exceed expectations and forge meaningful, productive relationships with homeowners and contractors.  We have a steadfast commitment to our craft and have become stalwarts of the highest quality residential, commercial, and institutional construction.  Our holistic approach and broad expertise allows us to engage in a wide-range of projects that enrich communities in the Portland Metropolitan area.


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  • Alcohol Research Center

Charleston Alcohol Research Center

The Charleston Alcohol Research Center (ARC) is a "specialized" Alcohol Research Center supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The ARC competed for another five years of support from NIAAA and received a new award that will allow research in the Center to continue into 2020.

Since 1995, our Center has enabled basic scientists to work jointly with clinical researchers on alcohol treatment with an emphasis on pharmacological intervention. The recent renewal of funding will support projects focused on changes in the brain that underlie the transition from controlled to uncontrolled drinking.

Through excellence in scientific research, our Center has become a significant regional and national resource in the treatment of alcohol abuse and alcoholism.


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Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Shabby Apple Beachcomber Dress

Shabby Apple

Kain long sleeve top, $70 / Beachcomber / Audrey Brooke slingback pumps / Hermes tote / Friis & Company metal ring, $19 / Forever 21 waist belt / Totem Table, sheesham, $390

I am so excited for autumn. Not because my little boy starts preschool or because the weather is getting colder but simply because I get to wear fall clothes. I LOVE fall clothes. With the layers and boots and awesome saturated colors, how could you not? Anyone else trying to find ways to style their favorite summer pieces for fall?

Thursday, August 2, 2012

List as of Late

  • I am loving being a mom of two. I am surprised how nicely their demands are met in shifts and it is rare that they both urgently need me at the same time. I love that I can give Calder one on one attention while Colette sleeps and Colette gets special time while Calder has quiet time. I don't have much time left in the day to sew but I know that time will come.
  •  It's interesting how my son's independence has increased since Colette was born. He is so big these days.
  • I hate typing one handed while I feed the baby.
  • I love how flexible newborns are. I just pop her in the sling and away we go. She hates her car seat so we try to walk or metro as many places as possible.
  • We are eating tons of fruit these days.
  • I'm so impatient about getting back to my pre-pregnancy clothes. I feel like I wear the same things over and over again because I don't fit in many things. I'm also torn between buying something that fits now that probably won't work when I lose the last 10 lbs and just waiting. I'm rather tired of the clothes that fit now. What do you do?
  • I re-arranged my bedroom and it looks so much better. I'll take pictures for you all soon.
  • I'm trying to prep Calder for starting preschool NEXT MONTH! I'm not really sure what to do other than talk about it here and there and get really excited about it.

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Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help: Day Three

This is the third day of the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. This Novena is prayed leading up to the feast on June 27.

Here is a novena prayer from a booklet of mine called Novena:

See at your feet, O Mother of Perpetual Help, a poor sinner who has recourse to you and confides in you.

O Mother of Mercy, have pity on me! You are called the refuge and the hope of sinners; be my refuge and my hope. Help me, for the love of Jesus Christ; stretch forth your hand to a poor, fallen creature. I recommend myself to you, and I want to devote myself to your service forever. I bless and thank almighty God, who is his mercy has given me this confidence in you, which I hold to be a pledge of my eternal salvation.

(Mention your request)

Mary, help me. Mother of Perpetual Help, never allow me to lose my God.

(Recite the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be three times each)

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Copyright Notice: Unless otherwise stated, all items are copyrighted under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. If you quote from this blog, cite a link to the post on this blog in your article.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links on this blog are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Watch Casey Spooner’s “Spanish Teenager” Video

Posted by The G on January 11, 2011 under GNN | Be the First to Comment

Photo by G.

Casey Spooner

Grab a towel and watch Casey Spooner’s NSFCMP (not safe for closed minded people) video “Spanish Teenager,” a duet with Scissor Sisters’ lead singer, Jake Shears.  You can see the video here.  Schwing!

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Video: “Too Much” live by Sufjan Stevens

Posted by The G on November 20, 2010 under G Videos | Be the First to Comment

HD Video by G.

Sufjan Stevens is freaking nuts!  His Lo-Fi electronic/folk mix was an amazing show when he played two sold out nights at New York’s legendary Beacon Theater.  I caught the show on opening night, November 14, 2010 and I loved it a lot!  My camera was trying to focus during the first few moments of Sufjan telling one of his hilarious in-between-song anecdotes.  Also, the security guards stopped me from taking video at the end of the song, but I got enough footage for you to see why you should go see Sufjan Stevens in concert every time he comes to your town!  His show was ridiculously cool!  I’ve said too much.  Now watch “Too Much,” live by Sufjan (pronounced “soofy-yawn”) Stevens (pronounced as it looks).

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Business Links

Customer Links

• Repairs, tuning and restoration

There's not many problems I can't repair. Replacing keytops, bellows corners, bellows straps, left hand straps, grill cloth, reeds, pads, valves, key stems, button stems, etc. Electronics repairs on Musictech, Ketron, Orla,Iorio, Elkavox Orla, Roland, Yamaha, Korg products. The advantage you will have with my services is that I can repair the acoustic and the electronics in your accordion. Accordion repair and midi systems is my forte. I am an authorized Roland, Yamaha repair tech.

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• Click on "Contact Info" for contact information


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guemes island ferry: Guemes Island Ferry - 01/14/09 11:42 AM
The Guemes Island Ferry Committee convenes it's annual meeting this Sunday, January 18th at 2:30 p.m. at the Community Center.  Guemes Islander Glen Veal says he will seek re-election to another five year term.  Other agenda will include updates on recent events -- such as more upcoming changes in the Guemes Island ferry schedule.  The schedule was last changed on January 1st of this year.  You can view the ferry schedule from Coldwell Banker Island Living's agent Karen Everett's website homepage.  visit www.KarenEverett.com and click on ferry schedule in the Guemes link.

guemes island ferry: Anacortes Ferry Dock Improvements - 01/06/09 11:34 AM
The Washington State DOL announced how funds will be spent, and luckily there will be improvements made to the Guemes Island and Anacortes ferry docks.
Skagit County Guemes Isl. Ferry Dock rehabilitation combined with the Skagit County Anacortes Ferry Dock - total rehabilitation $1,522,572
Skagit County:
 Construction usually brings some minor inconveniences, but these improvement are necessary.

guemes island ferry: Guemes Island Ferry Run - 11/26/08 03:09 AM
No decision at Mondays's hearing on the Guemes Island Ferry Schedule ......
Guemes Island is a quaint little island with a tight knight community.  But the proposed elimination of the Guemes Island Ferry runs after 6 PM weekdays has the island divided.  Newer residents purchased their Guemes Island homes hoping the current schedule would be made permanent.
Long time residents want the island to stay quiet with only a few hundred full time residents.  They also sight the burden on Skagit County tax payers.
I will keep you posted!

guemes island ferry: Guemes Island Real Estate - Guemes Island, WA - 08/19/08 12:37 PM

The Guemes Island Market is so small that a few transactions can throw the numbers so don't read too much into the Guemes Island stats.
Jean Groesbeck      360 941 3734
Jean Groesbeck & Assoc. LLC
Coldwell Banker Island Living

guemes island ferry: Guemes Island Premier Waterfront Estate-Guemes Island, WA - 08/09/08 04:42 AM
Guemes Island Premier Waterfront Estate-Guemes Island, WA  Offered For $5,900,000   This Stunning Guemes Island Gated Waterfront Estate was designed by AIA Award Winner Bernie Baker. There are approximately 20 acres of property on the north end of Guemes Ialnd with an 800± foot sandy beach. There is an easy path to the best beach on Guemes Island (Forest Service quality path) where you will find a Kayak house.Lounging hours can be spent at the terraced 25' x 40' Olympic-sized pool with diving board. Lovely flowered paths lead to the tennis and sport court. Many private hiking paths have been designed for … (0 comments)

On July 17th, 2008 Skagit County Commissioners adopted an interim schedule for Guemes Island Ferry This action was necessary because the extended schedule for the Guemes Island Ferry was only a two year test which ended June 30, 2008. The currecty hours will stay in effect through December 31, 2008. The current schedule extended service to 10: 00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. According to the Skagit County Website "After reviewing public comments on the May 8th Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) regarding Extended Guemes Island Ferry service, Skagit County's SEPA responsible official has retained that DNS, finding that no new information has … (0 comments)

Jean Groesbeck, Broker, CRS, e-PRO, ABR, ASP, CNE, IMS (Coldwell Banker Bain)

Jean Groesbeck

Broker, CRS, e-PRO, ABR, ASP, CNE, IMS

Anacortes, WA

More about me…

Coldwell Banker Bain

Address: 809 7th St, Anacortes, WA, 98221

Office: (360) 899-5027

Mobile: (360) 941-3734

Email Me

Information on events in Anacortes and La Conner as well as Anacortes real estate, Anacortes homes for sale, La Conner real estate, Samish Island real estate, Guemes Island, Whidbey island, Fidalgo Living, Skagit and Island Counties http://www.CBIslandLiving.com http://www.AnacortesRealEstateBlog.com

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Daytona Real Estate Trainer Says Bye Bye

Services for Real Estate Pros with Exit Beach Realty BK645709

This is really a test post but I must admit there is some truth in the title.  For as long as I have been on Activerain I've marketed myself as the Daytona Real Estate Trainer, in many ways I still am but I am moving...moving...moving...

Daytona Real Estate Trainer Says Bye Bye

OK Online That Is - It's a Strategic Move and the Daytona Real Estate Trainer says bye bye to ActiveRain.  In the next coming weeks my online presence will change here on ActiveRain and so will my location.  Stay tuned as I plan to be #1.  I have enjoyed the first spot, the second spot and now the third in Daytona Beach but now its time to move out and move on!

There Are Benefits In Being In The Top Two Spots on ActiveRain

I am going to share with you one final thought as the Daytona Real Estate Trainer on

Email Marketing - if you want to get those valuable email addresses, the phones ringing off the hook and leads, leads, leads that eventually buy or sell through you.  Give something away...seriously...think of something you could give away that is cost effective.

You Give You Get - Floyd Wickman Taught Me That and Lesson Learned on Activerain

Example:  Jeannette Neerpat and I participated in the Makeover2Takover Contest on Active rain.  Because we appreciated what the contest did for us, we decided to offer a copy to anyone who requested it.  We gave away what she did for the winning presentation to whoever requested it.  I posted my email address and in turn I receive request to this day.  I have probably over 1000 email addresses from this alone.  See how you can work this type of strategy into your marketing, find something valuable and give it away!

I have stored all the email addresses and have never done anything with them except to send the presentation to people but it goes to show important thing in get...everyone wins!

How To Receive The Winning Pre-Listing Presentation and 180 tasks of a REALTOR

If you should read this post and have requested the pre-listing template and the 180 tasks of a REALTOR and you never received it   Please accept my apology and I have made it simpler to receive.....go to the sidebar and click on the order to download the presentation you have to go to slideshare.  Chances are some of you were called spam, the others I missed, truthfully I could not keep up with the requests. :(    Isn't that a problem all REALTORS would love to have?

WOW not that feels good I haven't wrote a post for myself in ages.

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Bob Stewart
ActiveRain - Seattle, WA
ActiveRain Ambassador

Looking forward to seeing your new presence!

Feb 07, 2011 01:46 PM #1
Margaret Rome, Baltimore Maryland
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Baltimore, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

You get by giving! I, too, am a Floyd follower since the beginning of real estate. Good luck and look forward to your number one spot in whatever you do!

Feb 07, 2011 02:35 PM #2
Cyndee Haydon
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
727-710-8035 Clearwater, Beach Short Sales Luxury Condos &Homes

Midori - I can't wait to hear, whatever it is...I know you will be an asset and bring your special uniqueness to it. Thanks for always being so willing to share. PS This was just what I was looking for today - serendipity? coincidence? I think not! Wishing you much success in your new venture :D

Feb 07, 2011 03:48 PM #4
Don Rogers
Keller Williams Realty Chesterfield - O'Fallon, MO
Realtor, Broker, CDPE, GRI, OnullFallon MO & St Charles County MO homes

Good morning ma'am,

I am sure that the new presence will be a good move for you and I look forward to seeing it.

Feb 07, 2011 10:28 PM #5
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
Keller Williams 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Realtors - Luxury - Divorce - Short Sale

Just keep moooooving...the top spot is always yours for the taking !

Feb 07, 2011 11:07 PM #6
Missy Caulk
Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI
Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate

Can't wait to hear what you will be doing next. I am sure it will be exciting, my friend.

Feb 08, 2011 12:18 AM #7
Connie Goodrich
Keller Williams Realty - McKinney, TX
CRS ABR (McKinney Realtor)Texas

Missed seeing your wonderful posts but excited for you with your next venture and adventure.  Good luck getting all in place and we will anxiously be awaiting the news you share!

Feb 08, 2011 12:31 AM #8
brenda swanson

Please keep me updated and where, when and how can reach you little mama!

I am wondering what I should give away for freeeeeeeeee.

Mar 02, 2011 10:56 AM #9
Patt M. Judd
First Realty Company - Cookeville, TN
Realtor - Your Cookeville Connection

Sounds like you are in a good space and lets hope you stay there,please keep us updated to anything we as realtors can do to stay on top!!!!

Mar 07, 2011 09:13 AM #10
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Midori Miller

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New HARP 2.0 Refinance Program up and rolling by spring

Real Estate Agent with The Dream Big Team at Realty ONE Group Champions BRE #01346382

Fannie Mae cuts ‘ability to pay’ requirement

New HARP 2.0 Refinance Program up and rolling by springMajor banks have delayed the rollout of the HARP 2.0 Refinance program until mid-March.

Though all major lenders previously indicated they would begin offering the updated Home Affordable Refinance Program for upside-down homeowners starting in December 2011, none have yet begun processing applications for borrowers who are more than 125 percent loan to value.

Banks are processing HARP applications for borrowers whose loan balances do not exceed 125 percent of their home value. But the vast majority of Southern California borrowers have mortgages that far surpass the 125 percent loan-to-value limit, which was lifted when the HARP program was updated in November.

Easier Requirements

Fannie Mae recently announced that it had removed the “reasonable ability to repay” clause from its borrower requirements to qualify for a HARP refi, as long as the new payment did not increase by more than 20 percent.

“(Banks are) no longer required to determine the borrower has a reasonable ability to repay the mortgage based on a review of the information provided on the new loan application,” according to the latest update from Fannie Mae.

Previous HARP guidelines required banks and servicers to collect and verify information from a borrower to ensure they could repay the mortgage.

Fannie Mae’s clarified rules now allow a bank to make the loan without collecting income and expense information. However, if the homeowner’s mortgage payment increases by more than 20 percent, the borrower must provide documentation to verify their debt payments do not exceed 45 percent of their gross income, according to Fannie Mae.

Fannie Mae changed their requirements to help prod banks to make more loans in an effort to stem the tide of strategic defaults. Along with lifting the loan-to-value limits, the updated HARP guidelines also eliminated the requirement that lenders guarantee that borrowers perform on these loans.

Still, the “ability to pay” requirements contained unclear language that continued to vex lenders, perhaps even contributing to the delay in major banks’ launching of the program.

“In our conversation with lenders, this has been often highlighted as one of the significant hurdles to HARP refinancing,” analysts from investment banking firm Barclays told Default Servicing News this month. “Lenders argue that lack of clarity on what ‘reasonable ability’ precisely means could expose lenders to liability in the event that the loan defaults.”

Freddie Mac has not removed the “ability to pay” requirements from its HARP guidelines.

Program Details

FANNIE OR FREDDIE: The program is only eligible for home loans that have been owned or backed by Freddie or Fannie since at least May 31, 2009. That doesn’t mean you get a mortgage statement from either of those entities. Even though you may write your monthly check to Bank of America or Wells Fargo, your loan could be owned or guaranteed by one of these two “government sponsored entities.”

So how do you know? To find out if your loan qualifies, check online at:

Freddie Mac:
Fannie Mae:

Or call our office at 951-778-9700 and we’ll help you get that answer.

UNDERWATER LOANS: For 15- to 30-year fixed loans, there is no cap on the refinance loan amount, regardless of whether your home is upside-down.

LTV is limited to 105 percent for fixed-rate loans with terms of 31 to 40 years and for adjustable-rate mortgages with initial fixed periods of five or more years and terms up to 40 years.

HARP is limited to only those homeowners with less than 20 percent equity. Homes with more than 20 percent equity can more easily qualify for existing conventional refinance programs and thus do not need this program.

LATE PAYMENTS? A borrower must be current on their loan payments. You cannot have any payments that were 30 or more days late in the past six months, and you are allowed only one payment of 30 or more days late in the past 12 months, according to program guidelines.

CAN YOU AFFORD PAYMENT? In some cases, the homeowner must meet underwriting guidelines, which require an income sufficient to afford the new house payment along with property taxes, insurance and all other expenses.

Your lender will detail the income and expense ratios based on your specific situation.

BANKRUPTCY or FORECLOSURE? The borrower no longer must meet the standard waiting period following a bankruptcy or foreclosure, which is critical in today’s housing environment.

The program ends Dec. 31, 2013.

Even though a homeowner may qualify for a HARP refinance, the program is voluntary: Banks remains free to reject a HARP refinance even if a homeowner meets all requirements.

If a bank rejects you, persistence is key – find another bank!

Homeowners who don’t qualify for HARP have several other options to consider if they are struggling with their current payments.

Some homeowners have mortgages with payments expected to increase next year. Others are dealing with reduced income or must relocate for work. In these cases, if HARP is not an option, you have alternatives.

Call us today at 951-778-9700 for details.

Posted by

(Brian Bean, broker/owner of Dream Big Real Estate, is a Homeowner Advocate and Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist. He can be reached directly at or 951-778-9700.)

Brian Bean
Certified Homeowner Advocate
CA BRE Lic #01346382

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Edward Gilmartin
Boston Homes - Boston, MA

I personally do like the "reasonable ability to repay" clause. What is so unreasonable about reasonable?  I have to think a lot of folks in Souther Cal under report their income by working under the they want a bail out.  Lets take a look at their mortgage applications and do some cross checking with their tax return.

Jan 15, 2012 02:41 AM #1
Brian Bean
The Dream Big Team at Realty ONE Group Champions - Riverside, CA
Homeowner Advocate, Dream Big Real Estate, S.Calif

Edward, thanks for taking the time to comment.

But I think a lot of people miss the point of this program when take your position.

This is about the only program available for people who have actually MADE THEIR PAYMENTS on homes that are too underwater to refinance. All the other programs are rewarding failure. A program like HARP, which has benefitted thousands of homeowners, is a great tool to keep even more homes from going into foreclosure.

I think we all need to remember that these borrowers already have the home and already have a mortgage. HARP doesn't allow cash out. It doesn't forgive principal. It doesn't allow someone to consolidate a bunch of other debt. This is not a new purchase we're talking about. HARP simply allows a homeowner to take advantage of today's low interest rates and perhaps to turn an adjustable-rate loan into a fixed loan. And that could be the difference between their ability to keep a home and a future foreclosure.

"Ability to repay" is a moot point if this program actually decreases their payment.

Jan 15, 2012 07:48 AM #2
Brian Bean
The Dream Big Team at Realty ONE Group Champions - Riverside, CA
Homeowner Advocate, Dream Big Real Estate, S.Calif

One more thing, Edward ... I just reread your post, and your comment about most people working under the table in Southern California smacks of ignorance. Why would you make such an assumption? Are you making some snide comment about our Latino workforce?

Check your facts before shooting your mouth off.

Jan 15, 2012 07:52 AM #3
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Thursday, October 30, 2008

Heresy's New Missionary

From the AP via T-19:
MANCHESTER -- Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson said he led a confidential retreat a few years ago for gay Roman Catholic priests...

...I had said to them, 'It's too dangerous for you to come out as gay to your superiors, but I believe that if you work for the ordination of women in your church, you will go a long way toward opening the door for the acceptance of gay priests," Robinson said.
Not content with the destruction he has wrought within his own denomination and the wider Anglican Communion it would appear that VGR has now decided to branch out to the Roman Catholics. This is so outrageous and offensive I really don't even know where to begin. It is one thing for a high ranking member of the clergy to stand up in the clear light of day and express deep disagreements with the theology and discipline of another religious confession. It is an altogether different thing to attend clandestine meetings with clergy from that confession and encourage them to work to subvert their church's doctrine and discipline. This is just way over the top. At the very least, I hope that a strongly worded letter is sent by Rome to Ms. Schori (the Presiding Bishopess of The Episcopal Church) protesting this intrusion by one of their "bishops" into the affairs of another church.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Propositions 8 and 4

(The below is posted at the request of Fr. David Thatcher, an occasional contributor to this blog. - John / Ad Orientem)

Recently, I was asked by a parish member about a couple of very important Propositions in our California election next week. Proposition 8 would re-establish heterosexual marriage — between a man and a woman — as California law; Proposition 4 would require parental notification, as well as a 48 hour waiting period, before a minor girl could obtain an abortion. She knew my position, in particular about Prop. 8, and she disagreed — adding that she also was not for Prop. 4. In response, I wrote the following. I do not attempt to be original in what I say. Rather, I write as an unworthy pastor in the historic Christian tradition and faith.

You ask me if I am interested in polling the faithful in our church, to see how they intend to vote with respect to Propositions 8 and 4 this election in California. Well, voting as a Christian citizen in this land of ours is a matter of conscious before God. I certainly do not see my calling as a priest to impose a particular point of view on these matters. My role is one of moral persuasion. Besides, the question is twofold, at least: there is Christian moral belief on the one hand, but then the law of our country on the other. In addition, while I am interested in what folks think, moral truth is not established (or changed) by taking a vote. If every one in our church parish voted against Prop 8, it would be a source of great grief for me, but it would not change moral truth.

First, taking a position for Proposition 8 is not an act of intolerance, or hate. If marriage is, by nature and meaning, essentially heterosexual, then any law seeking to re-define it is simply mistaken, and needs correction. I certainly disagree with your opinion on both counts, and believe that you are incorrect in your assessment. I have put down my response, worrying that you could, in the end, be offended. Please know that my goal is to speak the truth in love.

I believe that the concept of "civil rights" is confused in our day. Rights do not come from the State; our founding documents and language of inalienable rights are clear in this respect. Rights, as such, are rooted in the structure of nature and creation, believe it or not. Does that not frame the matter differently? If rights are an expression of nature, according to the intent and design of the Creator, and homosexuality is not the way that people are meant to be, viz a viz creation, then the State granting a "right" of marriage is something not at all rooted in reality, is it? After all, every cell of every part of our body has our sexuality imprinted in it, as male or female. Chromosomes! They are XX or XY, female or male (respectively), right? Our affections may get confused, but our nature is not. I suppose there are genetic mutations, but that is another matter.

Another red herring in all this is the framing of rights in terms of some amorphous vision of the evolution, or so-called "progress," of the human spirit. C. S. Lewis refers to this in its different forms: "scientism" (as opposed to science) or "evolutionism" (as opposed to evolution). These "-isms" take a fundamental form of human thought or life which is legitimate in and of itself, like science or evolution, and turns it into a paradigm of interpretation only dimly related to the original activity itself. This many, like Huxley or contemporary "faux" philosophers, see some sort of "onwards and upwards" concept of human "progress" and applies it inappropriately to all sorts of things. Behind it is often lurking an ideology, a kind of utopianism or vision of society, such as is the case with Marxism.

I believe that such concepts of human progress have been applied, inappropriately, to civil rights and freedoms. The thinking, which should seem familiar, goes like this: first is was liberation of the African American from slavery, then came the rights of women through suffrage and then, later, women's liberation; today it is all about the rights of our gay friends. A kind of grid or timeline is erected to frame the issue at kind, in this case an apparent human right. With such thinking, the issue — and now I am talking about same sex marriage, not toleration or the human rights of homosexuals — is not decided so much on the merits of the arguments. Rather, all depends on this model of movement and progress. Are you not on board with same sex marriage? Well, then! You are contrary to this great movement of the human spirit — a sort of political and moral throwback to medieval times, or the like!

This is all nonsense, and I can demonstrate that. If the "right" to marriage is indeed on the table, then what about my right to merry, say, my mother, or perhaps my daughter? I might say, if you object, that we love each other! How dare you interfere with my right to love somebody as I see fit! Or, perhaps I want to marry my pet dog? If you think that is an outrageous reductio ad absurdum, so be it — but beware! One of the leading philosophers today is Peter Singer, at Princeton University, who decries our anthropocentric worldview as "speciesism" and so advocates all sort of animal-stuff as "rights."

This illustrates an important principle, or corollary, if you will: cultural fads and utopian fancies are not the stuff of good law. The legal fabric of our society is not an appropriate forum for such social experimentation. As one Christian pastor once put it: "Marry the spirit of the age today, and you will be a widower in the next." This is one reason why, up until very recently, our nation's courts have been the most stable and conservative force in our government.

Marriage is a societal recognition of the fundamental reality of a man and woman, who then establish a family through procreation. It is rooted in creation, a reality given to us by our Creator. This is not contrary to our nation's concept of liberty and rights. It is the legal recognition of the fundamental equality of all human beings as a law of nature that is the sure foundation for rights.

To consider the so-called right to marriage as rooted in anything other than this is simply to pretend. We can play house with whomever, and I can cross my legal-ethical fingers behind my back and call it marriage, but it isn't. And if we do "baptize," as a culture and nation, homosexual marriage, then the norming of our social scientists/educators begins.

My dear, forgive me, but you're smarter than all this. The argument for same sex marriage is intellectually puerile, in my opinion. Advocacy against Prop 4 is the same, or worse. Good heavens! Do you know any 13 year old girls? If it is true that psychologists have established, now, that the developing human brain's moral reasoning and judgement is not even complete until age 25 (the true end of adolescence, apparently), then how in the world can you grant the power of life and death of an unborn child to someone completely unequipped, at this point in life, to make that decision. Perhaps we should hand out AK-47s to early adolescent boys, as well, because they are afraid of school bullies.

One cannot do ethics or morality from the extreme exception, as you apparently suggest. This is the old error of "situation ethics," popularized in the '70s by Joseph Fletcher. Ethical and moral norms are just that: normal. Rather than completely divorce a pregnant child from her parents by establishing such a hideous law as secret abortions (i.e. murder, if one gives any moral authority to the the teachings of the saints through the ages), we have laws protecting young pregnant girls who are afraid. There is just no excuse that I can see for being against Prop 4, unless you throw out the precepts and understandings of human rights informed by the great tradition of Christian humanism.

You cannot be unaware that Christianity itself tamed the most violent empire in human history by, in a few hundred years, overthrowing both human slavery and the death penalty. I speak of the Roman Empire. Later, it was Christian abolitionists that overthrew the unholy and untenable union of a semi-Christian culture in the American South with ethnic slavery. Christianity established hospitals. Rather, would you embrace a post-modern ethic based upon the autonomous reason and morality, without root and disembodied? The result is, in my opinion, moral anarchy. In the end, it is anything but humanizing, because in the end it isn't classic concepts of moral truth that are king, but demagoguery and fad. The ones with the most power will decide. They will re-define human nature, and play with the very stuff of life and human culture. It is happening. We should see this.

I do not like politics, and I do not like being an advocate of something that many mistakenly believe, mistakenly is just mean. They are deluded, and I cannot define my advocacy by such.

Begging forgiveness and hoping the dialogue will continue,
Rev. David Thatcher
Orthodox Christian Priest and Pastor
Merced, CA

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

The Libertarian Revolt

...McCain's working on the other realignment: The one where eight years of fiscal recklessness and cultural warfare alienates swing voters and withers the Republican Party until the very base of the conservative movement cracks in half—splitting a coalition that has endured since the Barry Goldwater campaign of 1964.

That coalition between social conservatives and economic libertarians (who tend to be socially moderate to liberal), served the GOP well from 1964 to 2006. It gave the party eight years of Ronald Reagan and 12 years of a Republican Congress. But the Bush years have proven to be one long pulling apart. And, in a matter of days, we may just see the final snap.

Hat tip to Brian

I have occasionally summarized my political philosophy as being a monarchist with strong libertarian tendencies. My politics are generally conservative in the classical sense of the term. I believe that we have a government that is FAR too intrusive into areas it has no business worrying about, even as it ignores things that need regulation. And for me it is getting harder and harder to vote in concience for the GOP these days.

I voted (mea culpa mea culpa...) for Bush in 2000. But I could not bring myself to pull the lever for him again in '04. I voted Libertarian that year. By 2006 my disgust with the Republican Party had reached such levels that I felt obliged to sit out the election. While I did vote for McCain this year and I endorse his candidacy, I do so with more than a few reservations.

This simple truth is that the last eight years have been an unmitigated disaster for our country. We have a president who has shown no respect for the constitutional limitations on the powers of his office and has become a virtual power unto himself. He ignores laws at will with so called signing statements and has unilaterally suspended the writ of habeus corpus. He has authorized various agencies of the government to spy on citizens without a warrant and he has invaded a country which did not attack the United States and in no way threatened us. He has spent our country into near bankruptcy while cutting taxes mostly for persons in the higher tax brackets. He has been vigorously pressing for government regulation of the bedroom while all but suspending regulation of Wall Street. And in all of this he was backed by a rubber stamp Republican Congress for the first six years.

I for one have had enough. I am tired of voting for people who do not share my values or concerns. If the GOP wants my vote in the future they are going to have to start making some changes. As I noted elsewhere the Democratic party's marriage to the abortion lobby is an absolute impediment to their getting my vote. But that does not mean the Republicans are entitled to my vote by default.

If the choice before me is to waste my vote by casting it for someone who might win but reflects almost nothing of my values and in many respects is antithetical to them, or waste it voting for someone whose positions I respect though he may have little chance of winning, I am more inclined to the latter. I voted for McCain because I frankly think some of his neo-con rhetoric in this election has been born more of political necessity than conviction. But I will not criticize anyone who can't go there and who pulls the lever for Bob Barr instead.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Address of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch BARTHOLOMEW to the XIIth Ordinary General Assembly of Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church

Your Holiness,
Synodal Fathers,

It is at once humbling and inspiring to be graciously invited by Your Holiness to address the XIIth Ordinary General Assembly of this auspicious Synod of Bishops, an historical meeting of Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church from throughout the world, gathered in one place to meditate on “the Word of God” and deliberate on the experience and expression of this Word “in the Life and Mission of the Church.”

This gracious invitation of Your Holiness to our Modesty is a gesture full of meaning and significance - we dare say an historic event in itself. For it is the first time in history that an Ecumenical Patriarch is offered the opportunity to address a Synod of the Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church, and thus be part of the life of this sister Church at such a high level. We regard this as a manifestation of the work of the Holy Spirit leading our Churches to a closer and deeper relationship with each other, an important step towards the restoration of our full communion.

It is well known that the Orthodox Church attaches to the Synodical system fundamental ecclesiological importance. Together with primacy synodality constitutes the backbone of the Church’s government and organisation. As our Joint International Commission on the Theological Dialogue between our Churches expressed it in the Ravenna document, this interdependence between synodality and primacy runs through all the levels of the Church’s life: local, regional and universal. Therefore, in having today the privilege to address Your Synod our hopes are raised that the day will come when our two Churches will fully converge on the role of primacy and synodality in the Church’s life, to which our common Theological Commission is devoting its study at the present time.

The theme to which this episcopal synod devotes its work is of crucial significance not only for the Roman Catholic Church but also for all those who are called to witness to Christ in our time. Mission and evangelization remain a permanent duty of the Church at all times and places; indeed they form part of the Church’s nature, since she is called “Apostolic” both in the sense of her faithfulness to the original teaching of the Apostles and in that of proclaiming the Word of God in every cultural context everytime. The Church needs, therefore, to rediscover the Word of God in every generation and make it heard with a renewed vigour and persuation also in our contemporary world, which deep in its heart thirsts for God’s message of peace, hope and charity.

This duty of evangelization would have been, of course, greatly enhanced and strengthened, if all Christians were in a position to perform it with one voice and as a fully united Church. In his prayer to the Father little before His passion our Lord has made it clear that the unity of the Church is unbreakably related with her mission “so that the world may believe” (John 17, 21). It is, therefore, most appropriate that this Synod has opened its doors to ecumenical fraternal delegates so that we may all become aware of our common duty of evangelization as well as of the difficulties and problems of its realization in today’s world.

This Synod has undoubtedly been studying the subject of the Word of God in depth and in all its aspects, theological as well as practical and pastoral. In our modest address to you we shall limit ourselves to sharing with you some thoughts on the theme of your meeting, drawing from the way the Orthodox tradition has approached it throughout the centuries and in the Greek patristic teaching, in particular. More concretely we should like to concentrate on three aspects of the subject, namely: on hearing and speaking the Word of God through the Holy Scriptures; on seeing God’s Word in nature and above all in the beauty of the icons; and finally on touching and sharing God’s Word in the communion of saints and the sacramental life of the Church. For all these are, we think, crucial in the life and mission of the Church.

In so doing, we seek to draw on a rich Patristic tradition, dating to the early third century and expounding a doctrine of five spiritual senses. For listening to God’s Word, beholding God’s Word, and touching God’s Word are all spiritual ways of perceiving the unique divine mystery. Based on Proverbs 2.5 about “the divine faculty of perception (αἴσθησις),” Origen of Alexandria claims:
This sense unfolds as sight for contemplation of immaterial forms, hearing for discernment of voices, taste for savoring the living bread, smell for sweet spiritual fragrance, and touch for handling the Word of God, which is grasped by every faculty of the soul.
The spiritual senses are variously described as “five senses of the soul,” as “divine” or “inner faculties,” and even as “faculties of the heart” or “mind.” This doctrine inspired the theology of the Cappadocians (especially Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa) as much as it did the theology of the Desert Fathers (especially Evagrius of Pontus and Macarius the Great).

1.Hearing and Speaking the Word through Scripture

At each celebration of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, the presiding celebrant at the Eucharist entreats “that we may be made worthy to hear the Holy Gospel.” For “hearing, beholding and handling the Word of life” (1 Jn 1.1) are not first and foremost our entitlement or birthright as human beings; they are our privilege and gift as children of the living God. The Christian Church is, above all, a scriptural Church. Although methods of interpretation may have varied from Church Father to Church Father, from “school” to “school,” and from East to West, nevertheless, Scripture was always received as a living reality and not a dead book.

In the context of a living faith, then, Scripture is the living testimony of a lived history about the relationship of a living God with a living people. The Spirit, “who spoke through the prophets” (Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed), spoke in order to be heard and take effect. It is primarily an oral and direct communication intended for human beneficiaries. The scriptural text is, therefore, derivative and secondary; the scriptural text always serves the spoken word. It is not conveyed mechanically, but communicated from generation to generation as a living word. Through the Prophet Isaiah, the Lord vows:
As rain and snow descend from heaven, watering the earth … so shall my word go from mouth to mouth, accomplishing that which I purpose. (55.10-11)

Moreover, as St. John Chrysostom explains, the divine Word demonstrates profound considerateness (συγκατάβασις) for the personal diversity and cultural contexts of those hearing and receiving. Adaptation of the divine Word to the specific personal readiness and the particular cultural context defines the missionary dimension of the Church, which is called to transform the world through the Word. In silence as in declaration, in prayer as in action, the divine Word addresses the whole world, “preaching to all nations” (Mt 28.19) without either privilege or prejudice to race, culture, gender and class. When we carry out that divine commission, we are assured: “Behold, I am with you always.” (Mt 28.20) We are called to speak the divine Word in all languages, “becoming all things to all people, that [we] might by all means save some.” (1 Cor. 9.22)

As disciples of God’s Word, then, it is today more imperative than ever that we provide a unique perspective – beyond the social, political, or economic – on the need to eradicate poverty, to provide balance in a global world, to combat fundamentalism or racism, and to develop religious tolerance in a world of conflict. In responding to the needs of the world’s poor, vulnerable and marginalized, the Church can prove a defining marker of the space and character of the global community. While the theological language of religion and spirituality differs from the technical vocabulary of economics and politics, the barriers that at first glance appear to separate religious concerns (such as sin, salvation, and spirituality) from pragmatic interests (such as commerce, trade, and politics) are not impenetrable, crumbling before the manifold challenges of social justice and globalization.

Whether dealing with environment or peace, poverty or hunger, education or healthcare, there is today a heightened sense of common concern and common responsibility, which is felt with particular acuteness by people of faith as well as by those whose outlook is expressly secular. Our engagement with such issues does not of course in any way undermine or abolish differences between various disciplines or disagreements with those who look at the world in different ways. Yet the growing signs of a common commitment for the well-being of humanity and the life of the world are encouraging. It is an encounter of individuals and institutions that bodes well for our world. And it is an involvement that highlights the supreme vocation and mission of the disciples and adherents of God’s Word to transcend political or religious differences in order to transform the entire visible world for the glory of the invisible God.

2.Seeing the Word of God – The Beauty of Icons and Nature

Nowhere is the invisible rendered more visible than in the beauty of iconography and the wonder of creation. In the words of the champion of sacred images, St. John of Damascus: “As maker of heaven and earth, God the Word was Himself the first to paint and portray icons.” Every stroke of an iconographer’s paintbrush – like every word of a theological definition, every musical note chanted in psalmody, and every carved stone of a tiny chapel or magnificent cathedral – articulates the divine Word in creation, which praises God in every living being and every living thing. (cf. Ps. 150.6)

In affirming sacred images, the Seventh Ecumenical Council of Nicaea was not concerned with religious art; it was the continuation and confirmation of earlier definitions about the fullness of the humanity of God’s Word. Icons are a visible reminder of our heavenly vocation; they are invitations to rise beyond our trivial concerns and menial reductions of the world. They encourage us to seek the extraordinary in the very ordinary, to be filled with the same wonder that characterized the divine marvel in Genesis: “God saw everything that He made; and, indeed, it was very good.” (Gn. 1.30-31) The Greek (Septuagint) word for “goodness” is ά, which implies – etymologically and symbolically – a sense of “calling.” Icons underline the Church’s fundamental mission to recognize that all people and all things are created and called to be “good” and “beautiful.”

Indeed, icons remind us of another way of seeing things, another way of experiencing realities, another way of resolving conflicts. We are asked to assume what the hymnology of Easter Sunday calls “another way of living.” For we have behaved arrogantly and dismissively toward the natural creation. We have refused to behold God’s Word in the oceans of our planet, in the trees of our continents, and in the animals of our earth. We have denied our very own nature, which calls us to stoop low enough to hear God’s Word in creation if we wish to “become participants of divine nature.” (2 Pet 1.4) How could we ignore the wider implications of the divine Word assuming flesh? Why do we fail to perceive created nature as the extended Body of Christ?

Eastern Christian theologians always emphasized the cosmic proportions of divine incarnation. The incarnate Word is intrinsic to creation, which came to be through divine utterance. St. Maximus the Confessor insists on the presence of God’s Word in all things (cf. Col. 3.11); the divine Logos stands at the center of the world, mysteriously revealing its original principle and ultimate purpose (cf. 1 Pet 1.20). This mystery is described by St. Athanasius of Alexandria:
As the Logos [he writes], he is not contained by anything and yet contains everything; He is in everything and yet outside of everything … the first-born of the whole world in its every aspect.
The entire world is a prologue to the Gospel of John. And when the Church fails to recognize the broader, cosmic dimensions of God’s Word, narrowing its concerns to purely spiritual matters, then it neglects its mission to implore God for the transformation – always and everywhere, “in all places of His dominion” – of the whole polluted cosmos. It is no wonder that on Easter Sunday, as the Paschal celebration reaches its climax, Orthodox Christians sing:
Now everything is filled with divine light: heaven and earth, and all things beneath the earth. So let all creation rejoice.
All genuine “deep ecology” is, therefore, inextricably linked with deep theology:
“Even a stone,” writes Basil the Great, “bears the mark of God’s Word. This is true of an ant, a bee and a mosquito, the smallest of creatures. For He spread the wide heavens and laid the immense seas; and He created the tiny hollow shaft of the bee’s sting.”
Recalling our minuteness in God’s wide and wonderful creation only underlines our central role in God’s plan for the salvation of the whole world.

3.Touching and Sharing the Word of God – The Communion of Saints and the Sacraments of Life

The Word of God persistently “moves outside of Himself in ecstasy” (Dionysius the Areopagite), passionately seeking to “dwell in us” (Jn 1.14), that the world may have life in abundance. (Jn 10.10) God’s compassionate mercy is poured and shared “so as to multiply the objects of His beneficence.” (Gregory the Theologian) God assumes all that is ours, “in every respect being tested as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4.15), in order to offer us all that is God’s and render us gods by grace. “Though rich, He becomes poor that we might become rich,” writes the great Apostle Paul (2 Cor. 8.9), to whom this year is so aptly dedicated. This is the Word of God; gratitude and glory are due to Him.

The word of God receives His full embodiment in creation, above all in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. It is there that the Word becomes flesh and allows us not simply to hear or see Him but to touch Him with our own hands, as St. John declares (I John 1,1) and make Him part of our own body and blood (σύσσωμοι καί σύναιμοι) in the words of St. John Chrysostom.

In the Holy Eucharist the Word heard is at the same time seen and shared (κοινωνία). It is not accidental that in the early eucharistic documents, such as the book of Revelation and the Didache, the Eucharist was associated with prophesy, and the presiding bishops were regarded as successors of the prophets (e.g. Martyrion Polycarpi). The Eucharist was already by St. Paul (I Cor. 11) described as “proclamation” of Christ’s death and Second Coming. As the purpose of Scripture is essentially the proclamation of the Kingdom and the announcement of eschatological realities, the Eucharist is a foretaste of the Kingdom, and in this sense the proclamation of the Word par excellence. In the Eucharist Word and Sacrament become one reality. The Word ceases to be “words” and becomes a Person, embodying in Himself all human beings and all creation.
Within the life of the Church, the unfathomable self-emptying (κένωσις) and generous sharing(κοινωνία) of the divine Logos is reflected in the lives of the saints as the tangible experience and human expression of God’s Word in our community. In this way, the Word of God becomes the Body of Christ, crucified and glorified at the same time. As a result, the saint has an organic relationship with heaven and earth, with God and all of creation. In ascetic struggle, the saint reconciles the Word and the world. Through repentance and purification, the saint is filled – as Abba Isaac the Syrian insists – with compassion for all creatures, which is the ultimate humility and perfection.

This is why the saint loves with warmth and spaciousness that are both unconditional and irresistible. In the saints, we know God’s very Word, since – as St. Gregory Palamas claims – “God and His saints share the same glory and splendor.” In the gentle presence of a saint, we learn how theology and action coincide. In the compassionate love of the saint, we experience God as “our father” and God’s mercy as “steadfastly enduring.” (Ps. 135, LXX) The saint is consumed with the fire of God’s love. This is why the saint imparts grace and cannot tolerate the slightest manipulation or exploitation in society or in nature. The saint simply does what is “proper and right” (Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom), always dignifying humanity and honoring creation. “His words have the force of actions and his silence the power of speech.” (St. Ignatius of Antioch)

And within the communion of saints, each of us is called to “become like fire” (Sayings of the Desert Fathers), to touch the world with the mystical force of God’s Word, so that – as the extended Body of Christ – the world, too, might say: “Someone touched me!” (cf. Mt 9.20) Evil is only eradicated by holiness, not by harshness. And holiness introduces into society a seed that heals and transforms. Imbued with the life of the sacraments and the purity of prayer, we are able to enter the innermost mystery of God’s Word. It is like the tectonic plates of the earth’s crust: the deepest layers need only shift a few millimeters to shatter the world’s surface. Yet for this spiritual revolution to occur, we must experience radical metanoia – a conversion of attitudes, habits and practices – for ways that we have misused or abused God’s Word, God’s gifts and God’s creation.

Such a conversion is, of course, impossible without divine grace; it is not achieved simply through greater effort or human willpower. “For mortals, it is impossible; but for God all things are possible.” (Mt 19.26) Spiritual change occurs when our bodies and souls are grafted onto the living Word of God, when our cells contain the life-giving blood-flow of the sacraments, when we are open to sharing all things with all people. As St. John Chrysostom reminds us, the sacrament of “our neighbor” cannot be isolated from the sacrament of “the altar.” Sadly, we have ignored the vocation and obligation to share. Social injustice and inequality, global poverty and war, ecological pollution and degradation result from our inability or unwillingness to share. If we claim to retain the sacrament of the altar, we cannot forgo or forget the sacrament of the neighbor – a fundamental condition for realizing God’s Word in the world within the life and mission of the Church.

Beloved Brothers in Christ,

We have explored the patristic teaching of the spiritual senses, discerning the power of hearing and speaking God’s Word in Scripture, of seeing God’s Word in icons and nature, as well as of touching and sharing God’s Word in the saints and sacraments. Yet, in order to remain true to the life and mission of the Church, we must personally be changed by this Word. The Church must resemble the mother, who is both sustained by and nourishes through the food she eats. Anything that does not feed and nourish everyone cannot sustain us either. When the world does not share the joy of Christ’s Resurrection, this is an indictment of our own integrity and commitment to the living Word of God. Prior to the celebration of each Divine Liturgy, Orthodox Christians pray that this Word will be “broken and consumed, distributed and shared” in communion. And “we know that we have passed from death to life when we love our brothers” and sisters (1 Jn 3.14).

The challenge before us is the discernment of God’s Word in the face of evil, the transfiguration of every last detail and speck of this world in the light of Resurrection. The victory is already present in the depths of the Church, whenever we experience the grace of reconciliation and communion. As we struggle – in ourselves and in our world – to recognize the power of the Cross, we begin to appreciate how every act of justice, every spark of beauty, every word of truth can gradually wear away the crust of evil. However, beyond our own frail efforts, we have the assurance of the Spirit, who “helps us in our weakness” (Rom. 8.26) and stands beside us as advocate and “comforter” (Jn 14-6), penetrating all things and “transforming us – as St. Symeon the New Theologian says – into everything that the Word of God says about the heavenly kingdom: pearl, grain of mustard seed, leaven, water, fire, bread, life and mystical wedding chamber.” Such is the power and grace of the Holy Spirit, whom we invoke as we conclude our address, extending to Your Holiness our gratitude and to each of you our blessings:
Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth
present everywhere and filling all things;
treasury of goodness and giver of life:
Come, and abide in us.
And cleanse us from every impurity;
and save our souls.
For you are good and love humankind.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Some thoughts on... Thoughts

Fr. David Thatcher (my parish priest and an occasional contributor to this blog) pointed me to a magnificent lecture by Fr Meletios (Webber) given at the Diocesan Assembly (OCA Diocese of the West). I strongly recommend it to all.

To the Tampa Bay Rays who beat the Red Sox in game 7 of the ALCS.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

For those of us on the left coast... A Pan-Orthodox Hierarchical Liturgy

Click on the picture for the full size view.

Hat tip to Mary P. Thanks for the email.

Another forthcoming election

Bishop Hilarion (Alfeeyev) of Vienna

The OCA must soon begin the process of electing a replacement for Metropolitan Herman who recently retired under a cloud. As it has become clear that there are not many members of the Holy Synod who have not been in one way or another touched by the recent scandals in the central administration there has been more than a passing discussion of looking outside the OCA for our next primate. Among the names being prominantly mentioned are Met. Philip of the Antiochian Archdiocese and Bishop Basil, also of the AA.

But the name that I think is currently causing the most buzz is Bishop Hilarion (Alfeeyev) of the Russian Orthodox Church. The bishop is well known and highly respected both in the Orthodox world and among other Christian confessions. He is considered by some to be a bit of a heavy weight and has been endorsed by a number of OCA clergy including notably Fr. Thomas Hopko (Dean Emeritus of St. Vladimir's Seminary). However, I am wondering at practical issues like getting the consent both of Bishop Hilarion and also the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church whch I believe would have to release him. Alas I am not sufficiently up-to-date on church politics to be able to handicap this election. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable can comment on where things stand.

Friday, October 17, 2008

A little election humor

In case you missed it, the two candidates were both guests at the annual Alfred E. Smith charity dinner tonight. The Al Smith dinner is a political tradition hosted by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York where presidential candidates have been showing up to roast and be roasted by one another for decades. Decked in the traditional white tie, senators McCain and Obama took turns stumping for laughs instead of votes (well maybe votes too). I thought both were funny. But (maybe its my Republican prejudice here) I also thought Senator McCain stole the show at this, the last of the face to face showdowns between the candidates. For those who may have missed the speeches they are linked below.

McCain Part 1

McCain part 2

Obama part 1

Obama part 2

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

A Blue Election

"Sometimes in life your the windshield and sometimes your the bug."

Today I cast my vote (via absentee ballot) for the man who I hope, but seriously doubt, will be the next President of the United States of America, John S. McCain. McCain is not perfect. I think he is wrong on some important issues like taxes and debt. But he is right on the imperative ones; those two being life and national security.

Anyone who can read and who has a basic grasp of math (my grasp has never been more than basic), will note the spreading ocean of blue on any of the various election maps that all of the news services are putting up. If you want red (oddly, the Republican color) you are in for a disappointment. Senator Obama is not only firmly in command of all of the usual blue states and a majority of those states often touted as battleground, but he also holds leads in a number of states that are traditionally Republican.

No Republican has ever won the White House without carrying Ohio. Right now the odds of Ohio voting Republican are somewhere between slim and none. And I think that was slim I just saw on the bus heading out of town. Add to this mix states like Michigan Florida and Pennsylvania which are all either solidly in Obama’s camp or leaning in that direction and it looks ugly. But it gets worse.

Look down from Pennsylvania a bit and you will see Virginia and N. Carolina.. These are two states which have been reliably Republican for decades. How reliable? The last time Virginia voted for a Democrat was when they went all the way with LBJ in 1964. For the benefit of those of us who are mathematically challenged a TV talking head explained that was 44 years ago. Or put another way Virginia has never voted for a Democrat for President in my lifetime (plus two years).

Right now Virginia and N. Carolina are leaning strongly towards Obama. This is starting to look like we could be facing an electoral landslide the likes of which we have not seen in decades. And I am not talking just about the numbers but about a fundamental shift in the political landscape and out look of the American people. The last time we saw an election that could be a bellwether for a major shift in the political pendulum was probably 1980. That was the year Ronald Reagan thumped Jimmy Carter and announced in his inaugural address that government was not the solution, it was the problem. From that election up to now traditional big government liberalism has appeared to be safely dead and buried.

And yet here we have one of the most reliably conservative states about to vote for the most liberal member of the United States Senate who also happens to be African American for president! The joy which I think anyone should feel at the sight a black man about to carry at least three states out of the old southern Confederacy (Virginia was home to their capitol city) must be tempered by the implications of this election. Big government liberalism is poised to make the biggest comeback since John Travolta’s return from the dead.

Not only is McCain likely facing a historic pasting (Dick Morris, no friend of liberals, thinks McCain’s home state of Arizona might go blue), but the Congress is likely to be reshaped by this election as well. Herein lies the sign of a bellwether election. You may well have both the presidency and the Congress in the hands of an overwhelming liberal Democratic majority. Although I doubt the Senate will see enough of a shift to give the Democrats a filibuster proof majority they could come close enough to make the threat of a filibuster more or less empty. What does this mean? Think Great Society the sequel. And as Jim Cramer is wont to observe, the sequel is always worse than the original.

* Federal Legislation Enshrining Abortion Rights
* Higher Taxes
* Massive Federal Spending
* Increased Debt
* Surrender in Iraq
* Liberal Judges
* Extension of Same Sex Marriage Benefits

I could go on but I am guessing the point has been made.

Unlike the last two presidential elections, the suspense this year will not be over who is going to win, but rather how much he will win by. Barack Obama will likely be called the winner before the polls even close in California. What we will need to watch closely is how big the Democrats win in the House and Senate.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

It's time to call this what it is... a stock market crash. It's occuring in slow motion. But it's a crash all the same.

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Down Time

Starting tomorrow I am heading back east to visit family and enjoy a little R&R. For the next couple of weeks posting will be infrequent. Unfortunatly, during this period I will also have to set comments for moderation. In the past when I announced a hiatus some people took advantage of my absence by posting inappropriate things in the comments area. Sorry for any inconvenience, but there could be some lag time on comment approval.


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100 Days of Love
100 Days of Love Movie - BookMyShow

100 Days of Love  (PG-13)

Malayalam Comedy

3 hrs
An ultimate romantic comedy!
Release Date26 Mar, 2015
DirectorJenuse Mohammed
WriterJenuse Mohammed
Cast & CrewDulquar Salman,Nithya Menon,Praveena,Vineeth,DJ Sekhar Menon
SynopsisFor a perfect mushy, romantic mood, 100 Days of Love is the perfect film!

A famous columnist Balan K. Nair works in a Bangalore based daily and lives with his friend and aid Ummar, who is an avid gamer and a complete foodie. They both meet a young and effervescent Sheela, and soon a friendship between Dulquer and Nitya blossoms. They soon fall in love, and the events that follow sums of the story of this film.

This romantic comedy stars Dulquer Salman, Sekhar Menon and Nithya Menon in the lead.


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Game Change

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Release Year: 2012
MPAA Rating: NR
Genre: Docudrama

Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska becomes Sen. John McCain's running mate in the 2008 presidential election.

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Teenage hikers find a town stuck in the 1800s where no one ages thanks to ritual sacrifices offered to the ogre that rules over them.

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  • John Schneider
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  • Brendan Fletcher
  • Chelan Simmons
  • Andrew Wheeler
  • Kyle Labine
  • Kimberley Warnat
  • John Shaw
  • Chilton Crane
  • Tyler Johnston
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  • Michael Puttonen
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  • Directed by: Steven R. Monroe
  • Written by: Chuck Reeves
  • Executive Producer: Lisa M. Hansen, Kirk Shaw


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Monday, October 4, 2010

Dulce de Leche Brownie Bites

After a stressful week, I picked up a a can of condensed milk with the intention to make dulce de leche. After a little internetz research, I discovered the old-school candy making technique was more advanced than I was prepared for. I opted instead to boil down the condensed milk over the stove top. Yes, it's simple in the way that there is only one step, but a sacrifice in the way that you cannot leave its side. But I promise these little puppies are even better than the mouth-watering pictures.
    (adapted Martha recipe)
  • 1, 14oz can condensed milk (see Brands I Like)
  • 2 cups flour (King Arthur Brand is my fav)
  • 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon Ghirardelli cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
  • 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 + 1/3 cups sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons coconut milk
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

NOTE: The first time I made these, I tried making thumbprint cookies as pictured below. However, when the cookies baked they flatten out more than I liked, so the next batch I put the cookie dough balls into a muffin pan. This worked like a charm. Fuss free, plus you can make even bigger cookie like the pic above!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the dulce de leche first, so it can cool and be easily malleable when you're ready to fill the brownie bites. In a small sauce pan, or better yet, a double boiler if you have one, add the can of condensed milk. Put heat on low and slowly stir the milk until it starts to heat up. Once hot, raise the temperate to a medium heat. Stir constantly and get comfortable.

Keep stirring! This process will take approximately 25 - 30 minutes. You need to stay by that stove side the entire time. Stay attuned to the condensed milk. If you catch sight or scent of any hint that the milk is burning, lower heat immediately. Adjust heat as needed and after about 15 minutes, and you're feeling nothing as happened, the milk will finally start to thicken. Between 20-30 minutes you'll feel the milk turn to a caramel thickness. I removed mine from heat after 25 minutes, when at the consistency shown above. Set aside.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, and salt into a small bowl.

Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium, and add yolks, cream, and vanilla. Scrape sides of bowl. Beat in cocoa flour mixture until just combined.

TO MAKE COOKIES: Roll balls using 2 teaspoons dough for cookies. Place cookies 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets. With chapstick or handle of a wooden spoon, press gently in the center of each to create an indentation. Bake until cookies are just set, about 6 minutes.

TO MAKE BROWNIE BITES: (Recommended Method) Roll balls using 2 tablespoons dough for brownie bites. Place cookie dough balls into greased muffin tins. Bake until cookies are just set, about 8 minutes.

While brownie bites/cookies bake, shape dulce de leche into chickpea sized balls for cookies - or mable sized balls for brownie bites. You can flatten these slightly to make more of a button shaped candy. After specified time above, remove brownie bites/cookies and add one dulce de leche candy to the center of each. If cookies have lost indent, press indents again. If making brownie bites in muffin tins, just push the dulce de leche buttons into the center of each. Rotate the brownie bites/cookies when putting back into oven. Bake for an additional 6 minutes.

Let cool completely and enjoy! These decadent treats were a hit will Bill :)

Brands I Use

You can find condensed milk in grocery stores usually with the latin american foods. Here's the random brand that I grabbed at my local store. One small can will be plenty, and you can always roll the extra into buttons and enjoy as homemade candies!

If you have ANY recipe that calls for cocoa powder - this is what to use. Bill's mother bought us a container once to make her frosting recipe, and I've been using nothing else since.

  1. La Lechera also comes in a SQUEEZE BOTTLE! It's a controlled substance, so proceed with caution.


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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Code performance vs system performance

Just a quick thought: as non-volatile storage becomes faster and more affordable, I/O will cease to be the bottleneck it currently is, especially for database servers. Granted, there are applications/web sites out there which will always have to shard their database layer because they deal with a volume of writes well above what a single DB server can handle (and I'm talking about mammoth social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr etc).  By database in this context I mean relational databases. NoSQL-like databases worth their salt are distributed from the get go, so I am not referring to them in this discussion.

For people who are hoping not to have to shard their RDBMS, things like memcached for reads and super fast storage such as FusionIO for writes give them a chance to scale their single database server up for a much longer period of time (and by a single database server I mostly mean the server where the writes go, since reads can be scaled more easily by sending them to slaves of the master server in the MySQL world for example).

In this new world, the bottleneck at the database server layer becomes not the I/O subsystem, but the CPU. Hence the need to squeeze every ounce of performance out of your code and out of your SQL queries. Good DBAs will become more important, and good developers writing efficient code will be at a premium. Performance testing will gain a greater place in the overall testing strategy as developers and DBAs will need to test their code and their SQL queries against in-memory databases to make sure there are no inefficiencies in the code.

I am using the future tense here, but the future is upon us already, and it's exciting!

Friday, November 09, 2012

Quick troubleshooting of Sensu 'no keepalive from client' issue

As I mentioned in a previous post, we started using Sensu as our internal monitoring tool. We also integrated it with Pager Duty. Today we terminated an EC2 instance that had been registered as a client with Sensu. I started to get paged soon after with messages of the type:

 keepalive : No keep-alive sent from client in over 180 seconds

Even after removing the client from the Sensu dashboard, the messages kept coming. My next step was of course to get on the #sensu IRC channel. I immediately got help from robotwitharose and portertech.  They had me try the following:

1) Try to remove the client via the Sensu API.

I used curl and ran:

curl -X DELETE http://sensu.server.ip.address:4567/client/myclient

2) Try to retrieve the client via the Sensu API and make sure I get a 404

curl -v http://sensu.server.ip.address:4567/client/myclient

This indeed returned a 404.

3) Check that there is a single redis process running

BINGO -- when I ran 'ps -def | grep redis', the command returned TWO redis-server processes! I am not sure how they got to be both running, but this solved the mystery: sensu-server was talking to one redis-server process, and sensu-api was talking to another. When the client was removed via the sensu-api, the Sensu server was still seeing events sent by the client, such as this one from /var/log/sensu/sensu-server.log:

{"timestamp":"2012-11-10T01:41:14.154418+0000","message":"handling event","event":{"client":{"subscriptions":["all"],"name":"myclient","address":"","timestamp":1352502348},"check":{"name":"keepalive","issued":1352511674,"output":"No keep-alive sent from client in over 180 seconds","status":2,"history":["2","2","2","2","2","2","2","2","2","2","2","2","2","2","2","2","2","2","2","2","2"],"flapping":false},"occurrences":305,"action":"create"},"handler":{"type":"pipe","command":"/etc/sensu/handlers/ops_pagerduty.rb","api_key":"myapikey","name":"ops_pagerduty"},"level":"info"}

To actually solve this, I killed the 2 redis-server processes (since 'service redis-server stop' didn't seem to do it), then stopped sensu-server and sensu-api, then started redis-server, and finally started sensu-server and sensu-api again.

At this point, the Sensu dashboard showed the 'myclient' client again. I removed it one more time from the dashboard (I could have done it via the API too) and it finally went away for good.

This was quite some obscure issue. I wouldn't have been able to solve it were it not for the awesomeness of the #sensu IRC channel (and kudos to the aforementioned robotwitharose and portertech!)

I hope google searches for 'sensu no keepalive from client' will result in this blog post helping somebody out there! :-)

Sensu rocks BTW.


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