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Third Quarter 2015 July–September)
COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF LUKE
Week 2: July 4–10
COMMENTARY ON ABRAHAM: THE FIRST MISSIONARY
This lesson seeks to establish a foundation showing that the major characters throughout Scripture were actually called as "missionaries" when God called them. This particular focus is contrived, however, because it is being used to reinforce the message to Adventist members that they must always keep in mind their mandate to "share the gospel" of Adventism with the world.
Adventism, however, proselytizes. It seeks to make Adventists out of other Christians (or non-Christians). This proselytizing is called "missions", and Adventist proselytizers are called "missionaries". If Adventists truly sent out "missionaries" in the classic sense of the word, however, they would have to refuse to attempt to "convert" people who are already Christians, born again and worshiping in Christian churches. The fact that Adventists want people to become Adventists, that being a born-again Christian who worships with a Christian church on Sunday is not enough from an Adventist perspective—this fact reveals the underlying agenda behind this quarter's lessons.
This quarterly is contriving Bible stories to "support" the Adventist agenda: go make new Adventists!
Today's lesson begins with a false premise and makes claims that are not part of the biblical account. First, The lesson states, "It's no coincidence that three of the world's major faiths, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, are sometimes called the 'Abrahamic faiths.' That's because all three, in one way or another, trace their roots back to this great man of God."
Judaism and Christianity do trace their roots back to the patriarch Abraham. This legacy is Scriptural, and Paul elaborates on this fact in the book of Romans, especially in chapters 4 and 11. Islam, however, is in a different category.
Many people do not realize that Islam is a relatively new religion. It does not trace its roots directly back to Abraham as do Judaism and Christianity. Its founder, commonly known as Muhammad, was born in 570 AD, and his first vision which eventually launched the new religion of Islam did not occur until about 610. Islam did not become a religion until the seventh century. The claims that Islam is an "Abrahamic religion" is based on the Islamic tradition that Ishmael, Abraham's son by Hagar the slave woman, was Muhammad's ancestor.
Moreover, Islamic tradition typically teaches that it was Ishmael, not Isaac, whom Abraham took to Mt. Moriah to sacrifice.
Since Scripture is clear that it is through Isaac, the son of promise, that God would bless the world and bring the Messiah, and since Paul has carefully explained in Galatians 4 that the offspring of Hagar, which he actually compares to Mt. Sinai, or law-keeping, are slaves and do not inherit the promise, we have no option but to conclude that the Islamic faith is not an "Abrahamic faith".
The argument is often made that Christianity and Judaism and Islam are the three "monotheistic faiths". This claim, however, denies the biblical teaching that God is triune. Islam's god does not have a son named Jesus.
Also noteworthy is the claim in the last paragraph of Saturday's introduction: "God gave Abraham, and his family after him, a three-fold purpose: (1) to be recipients and guardians of the divine truth of God's kingdom that had been lost in the earlier history of humankind…"
This statement is patently false. There is no indication in Scripture that God's kingdom had been known but the knowledge lost in earlier history. Furthermore, there is nothing at all in the story of Abraham suggesting that God gave him the knowledge of and the job to guard the knowledge of His kingdom.
God called Abraham for the purpose of making an unconditional covenant with him, promising to give him seed, land, and blessing. The underlying idea that Abraham was the progenitor of the last-day "remnant" who have the last-day message that the world has forgotten is simply not in Scripture.
In order to understand the huge significance of Abraham, one must let go of everything Ellen White wrote about him and read the Bible alone. Ellen White manages to diminish the archetypal and actual significance of Abraham and of God's purposes and plan.
Abraham is FAR more significant that if God had called him out of Mesopotamia to be a missionary. On the contrary, God called Abraham and gave him the faith to believe Him. God made Abraham the father of faith, the prototype of all humans who are saved.
"Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:6).
Today's lesson focusses on God's call of Abraham out of Ur found in Genesis 12:1-3. In the thought questions for the day, the reader is asked, "What did Abraham experience that we might experience in our own way, as well?" Furthermore, at the end of the day's lesson the author states that the Hebrew of Genesis 12:1 "reads literally, "And God said to Abram, 'Go for yourself from your land.' He was told to go 'for himself'; that is, for his own sake. How should we understand what that means, and how can we apply it to ourselves?"
This interpretation and personal application focus changes the meaning of the passage. God did not call Abraham "for himself" or for his own sake. The reliable Bible translations that bring us the meaning of the Hebrew in English words never suggest God was asking Abraham to leave Ur for his sake. God asked Abraham to leave Ur for God's sake, and in the process, God blessed Abraham.
It is never accurate to read the Bible and jump immediately to attempting to apply it to our own lives. This method of Bible reading employs bad hermeneutics and will lead us far from the actual intent of the text. The first thing we must do when we read is to observe what the text actually says. Then we have to ask ourselves what the original audience would have understood when they first heard or read it.
After thinking about the first audience's response, we have to begin looking in the rest of the book of Genesis to see how the story of Abraham developed, and then look in slowly widening concentric circles through the books of the rest of the Old Testament and then of the New to see how the Bible itself develops and explains God's call to Abraham and the influence that moment has on the rest of history.
The call of Abraham is not a prescriptive passage; it is descriptive. We cannot take an account of someone else's story and apply it to ourselves. It is not our story, nor is it instructing us.
It is, however, showing us how God sovereignly called Abraham with no previous preparation, and it states what God said He would do. This passage actually is a turning point in the book of Genesis.
Here God promises that He will bless the world through Abraham, a blessing that promises some sort of reversal of the negative things that happened from the moment of the fall recorded in Genesis 3 through the flood to the formation of the nations described through chapter 11.
To make the call of Abraham an object lesson for "us" is to miss completely the singular act of God as He introduced His plan to create a nation out of which would come the Savior and the reconciliation of fallen, depraved humanity with God through the blood of the Lord Jesus.
Today's lesson camps on Genesis 14:8-24 and attempts to make the case that Abraham witnessed to the ancient kings he conquered as he rescued his nephew Lot. As evidence that this focus is valid, the author quotes Ellen White from Patriarchs and Prophets where she says, "By the usage of war, the spoils belonged to the conquerors; but Abraham had undertaken this expedition with no purpose of gain, and he refused to take advantage of the unfortunate, only stipulating that his confederates should receive the portion to which they were entitled."
The clear implication of Ellen's statement is that Abraham compassionately refused to take the spoils from those unfortunate kings whom he conquered, implying that he had mercy on them because his conquering of them had left the in an unfortunate condition, stripped of their honor and glory. Abraham, she suggests, refused to shame them further and graciously allowed them to keep their things.
Notice how different Ellen's interpretation is from the text of Genesis. Moreover, notice what central passage the lesson completely ignored in Genesis 14:
Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.
Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.
After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!"
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. And the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself." But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich.' I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share" (Genesis 14:8-24)
Abraham did not take spoils from the kings NOT because he didn't want to take advantage of them when they were down. Quite the contrary. He did not take the spoils because he refused to give those kings the opportunity to boast, "I have made Abram rich." His refusal to take the wealth that victory had awarded him had nothing to do with compassion or pity; it had everything to do with refusing to grant those pagan kings any opportunity to take credit for any part of Abram's success.
Furthermore, the lesson completely ignores the archetypal exchange between Abram and Melchizedek. This interaction is a primary foreshadowing of the Lord Jesus and His superior priesthood. Jesus is a priest in the order of Melchizedek, not of Aaron. The author of Hebrews uses this story to show how Jesus is the fulfillment of Melchizedek's priesthood, not of Aaron's:
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.
See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek."
For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever.'"
This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.
The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever (Hebrews 7).
The most important details of Genesis 14 are ignored in today's lesson, while the text is contrived to be a moral lesson for us to be kind to the unfortunate as part of our "missionary strategy".
Today's text is Hebrews 11:8-19:
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back (Hebrews 11:8-19).
The lesson opens with this sentence: "Though hardly perfect, Abraham was a man of God, and time and again in the Bible, even in the New Testament, he is used as an example of faithfulness and of what it means to be saved by faith."
Once again, the trivializing of what God was doing through Abraham has been erased with a few words which wrongly interpret the significance of the faith of Abraham.
Abraham was not a "an example of faithfulness". In fact, he was not faithful for much of his life. Twice he sent his wife to pagan rulers with instructions to lie about her identity. He took matters into his own hands to produce his promised heir. Abraham is not one of the Bible's better examples of "faithfulness".
But Abraham believed God. That belief in God is what Scripture identifies as his "faith", and that belief was credited to him as righteousness.
It is important to realize that Abraham had faith in God, not faithfulness in his general life. In fact, Abraham actually had nothing whatsoever to recommend him as God's chosen man through whom He would reveal the mystery of His salvation and through whom He would bring the Holy Seed, the Savior of the world.
Once again, the lesson emphasizes Abraham's journeying as an example of a missionary's lack of complete knowledge of where he was going. This point is nonsense. Abraham was not a missionary, and God's call on his life was not a call to go and witness. It was a call to obey, and God sent him to the place where He would ultimately plant Abraham's offspring: the Promised Land. Abraham's job was far, far bigger than being "a missionary".
Abraham was the first person recorded in the Bible to hear and respond to God's voice after the story of Noah. The judgment God brought on the earth resulted in one family being given the responsibility of repopulating the earth, and those people quickly spiraled into egregious sin.
The story of Babel in Genesis 11 reveals that God once again judged sin by confounding language. As the people separated, finally filling the earth by settling with those who shared their language, there is no mention of God speaking to men from that judgment at Babel until He called Abram out of Ur in Genesis 12. No one knows how many years passed between Babel and Abram, but the important detail of this sequence is that God once again spoke to mankind as He called Abram, and as Abram obeyed.
God spoke to Abram, and as he obeyed, God revealed the foundation of His plan to save the world from sin. He called Abram, and it was God who was faithful. He took a pagan man out of his culture and sent him to a place he did not know. Abram had only God as a constant in his life, and Abram trusted Him.
Abram had faith because God was faithful.
Today's lesson again emphasizes that Abraham was a missionary whose missionary and reforming "episodes" were mostly connected with his wanderings.
The lesson makes a point that God used Abraham's wanderings to "shape Abraham into a reformer and missionary". Moreover, the lesson also says that in spite of Abraham's faults, God used Abraham because he "wanted to be used by Him, and thus the Lord was able to mold His character."
These comments are simply not even suggested in Scripture. In spite of Ellen White's statements that God kept Abraham from worshiping the idols of his ancestors, thus suggesting that Abraham was somehow worthy and had a right attitude for God to use him, Scripture is clear that Abraham himself worshiped idols:
And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac (Joshua 24:2-3).
God didn't call Abraham or use him because he "wanted to be used by Him." God called Abraham for His own reasons which we do not know. Abraham was a pagan who worshiped idols, and God called him and took him from his home. And Abraham believed God.
Again, there is nothing in this story of Abraham which we can twist to use as commentary on how God makes good missionaries. Abraham was not a missionary. He was God's man for God's plan, and while it is true that Abraham grew in his trust of God, we cannot look at his story and explain how his moving about gave him spiritual lessons.
Abraham was a wanderer who owned no land at all except the cave of Machpelah where he buried Sarah. Yet he possessed God's promises, and he knew that God was giving him something far greater than anything he could see. He knew he was receiving his inheritance from God.
Today's lesson uses an Ellen white quote from Education to try to establish the idea that a good missionary begins by being a missionary in his own home. Here is the quote:
"God called Abraham to be a teacher of His word, He chose him to be the father of a great nation, because He saw that Abraham would instruct his children and his household in the principles of God's law. And that which gave power to Abraham's teaching was the influence of his own life. His great household consisted of more than a thousand souls, many of them heads of families, and not a few but newly converted from heathenism."
This quote is nonsense. God didn't call Abraham to be a teacher of His word; he called him to be a man of faith from whom He would bring about a holy people and the Savior of the world. Furthermore, Abraham's family consisted of much chaos in addition to his heir of God's promises, Isaac, and to Sarah who also had to believe God in spite of the physical evidence to the contrary.
Moreover, even if Abraham was a "teacher of His word", he did not have that title because God "saw that Abraham would instruct his children and his household in the principles of God's law."
God chose Abraham NOT because there was something in Abraham that wanted to be righteous or which God "saw" that qualified him to do the job. God called Abraham sovereignly, in spite of Abraham's paganism and sin. God called Abraham for His own reasons and purposes, and Abraham did not participate in making God's will happen.
Furthermore, Abraham did not teach his family "God's law". He taught Isaac about God, but Galatians 3:17 is explicit: the law did not come into existence until 430 years AFTER Abraham.
Abraham was the father of the son of promise, but nowhere does Scripture ever suggest he was a teacher or a missionary to his own family.
Other places in Scripture do tell us to teach our children the truth, and no doubt Abraham did, but the Bible does not make the point about this idea that Ellen White makes. Her quote is designed to guilt faithful Adventists into teaching Adventism to their children so that God will see that the faithful parents are worthy of His blessing.
The week's lesson ends with another Ellen White quote from Patriarchs and Prophets. In this quote she explains her fabricated details about Abraham's involvement with the people where he lived, of his "friendly relations" with local kings, his integrity and unselfishness, his valor and benevolence—all of which represented "the character of God."
Again, nonsense. These moralistic details are not stated in Scripture, and Abraham wasn't in Canaan "representing the character of God". That great controversy idea plays no part in Abraham's story. What Scripture wants us to know about Abraham is that he believed God, and that trust was counted to him for righteousness.
Further, God chose Abraham to be the "father of the faithful", both Jews and uncircumcised gentiles who believe God.
We are called to something far greater than moral behavior and good reputations. We are called to trust God, to respond when He calls, and to all Him to be sovereign over our lives.
Like Abraham, He credits our belief in His provision for us in the person of Jesus as righteousness. He credits us with the alien righteousness of Jesus when our lives are hidden in Christ.
Copyright 2015 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised July 2, 2015. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Camp Verde, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
HOME | 2015 | THIRD QUARTER | WEEK 2


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Texans struggle to find clean water amid cold snap and extreme temperatures
2 years ago . Houston, TX, USA
#ColdWave #Houston #Texas
The water is being distributed at Delmar Stadium is Houston
People have been waiting more than 5 hours to get safe drinking water
Some residents were also facing the misery of burst pipes and flooding
Written By:Aman
Updated: February 19, 2021 11:50:33 Houston, TX, USA
Following a severe week-long cold snap in the southern state of Texas, frustrated residents of the states were forced to step out in extreme temperatures seeking fresh and safe water on Friday, after being left without a source of power and water.
With dropping temperatures and mounting snow, the state authorities have been struggling to deliver the basic necessities which has resulted in the death of at least 40 people in the lone star state, reported AFP.
Also Read: 90-year-old US woman walks 6 miles in snow to get COVID-19 jab
Percy McGee, a resident of Houston, rated the difficulties "number 10" when asked to put the struggles on a scale while he stood near Delmar Stadium, which has turned into a makeshift water distribution site for the area.
"I've been up since five o'clock. And I've been on the road since six. And I know it's 11:30 but I'm gonna sit here until, I mean, I have no choice. All the stores in my area are out of water," he told AFP.
He added, "I'm very frustrated. I'm a diabetic. I have a 94-year-old senior as a diabetic. We haven't had any medicine. Nothing… So I'm really frustrated mentally. But I'm keeping it together."
The storm, on Friday, gradually started making its way up to the northeaster side towards states like New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine, which have faced such extreme conditions frequently, unlike Texas.
As the temperature started moving towards normalcy, the National Weather Service predicted that the state can still experience temperatures ranging between 10-15 celsius around the weekend.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality head Toby Baker clarified that the residents were suggested to use boiled water for consumption due to issues with the water pressure. He further added that over 264,000 residents of the state have been affected by non-operational and faulty water systems.
Also Read: Senator Ted Cruz apologises for flying to Mexico amid power shortage crisis in Texas
Some residents were also facing the misery of burst pipes and flooding.
"It was like a waterfall was coming down and it was starting to come out of the bathroom and to the other rooms," Birgit Kamps of Houston told AFP.
US President Joe Biden promised a coordinated approach of the federal and state authorities towards finding a solution and said the governments will work "hand-in-hand". In addition to helping Texas, Biden also vowed disaster relief in states like Louisiana and Oklahoma, which have been facing similar difficulties.
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Stetson Bennett: Net worth, age, girlfriend Cameron Liss, parents Denise Bennett, Stetson Bennett, grandfather Buddy Bennett
Watch: Georgia QB Stetson Bennett tackled by Dallas police in dashcam video before arrest for public intoxication
Who were Phabian Bynaum, Davarius Bynaum, and Malik Thomas, ex-high school athletes killed after police chase?
Ohio winter weather forecast: Columbus school closures, snow emergency and other details
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home Business and Financial News Chateraise Christmas Cakes now available from Tasty Cafe Pattaya
Thai Lifestyle
Chateraise Christmas Cakes now available from Tasty Cafe Pattaya
Adam Judd
Friday, 16 December 2022, 2:27
Pattaya, Thailand-
It's that time of year again, and for many, especially those from Japan where Chateraise is the leading sweets brand, that means Christmas cakes.
Everyone can book in person with pre-payment at Tasty Pattaya Cafe, located in front of the Unixx Condo in South Pattaya.
For more on Tasty Cafe Pattaya click HERE.
Now, let's look at the cakes available. Act fast, many may sell out quickly.
https://thepattayanews.com
Mr. Adam Judd is the Co-owner of TPN media since December 2017. He is originally from Washington D.C., America, but has also lived in Dallas, Sarasota, and Portsmouth. His background is in retail sales, HR, and operations management, and has written about news and Thailand for many years. He has lived in Pattaya for over eight years as a full-time resident, is well known locally and been visiting the country as a regular visitor for over a decade. His full contact information, including office contact information, can be found on our Contact Us page below. Stories please e-mail Pattayanewseditor@gmail.com About Us: https://thepattayanews.com/about-us/ Contact Us: https://thepattayanews.com/contact-us/


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The final games of Chelsea's last seven managers before getting the sack
Chelsea have got through more managers than most big clubs during the Premier League era.
If we include interim appointments, the Blues are well into double figures since the arrival of Roman Abramovich as owner in 2003. Even without the likes of Guus Hiddink and Rafa Benitez, installed in temporary charge, they're pretty close.
With Maurizio Sarri thought to be on thin ice, we have taken a look at the games which spelled the end for the seven men appointed as permanent Chelsea manager before the Italian.
José Mourinho – Chelsea 1-1 Rosenborg
After a first-first-second run in the Premier League, Chelsea's poor start to the 2007-08 season under Mourinho was a surprise to many.
Indeed, when the Blues picked up 10 points from their first four league games, nothing seemed wrong, but it soon became clear things were not going swimmingly between Abramovich and the manager.
Some of the summer signings were confusing to say the least – Tal Ben-Haim and Steve Sidwell on frees, to name but two – and defeat to Aston Villa followed by a draw at home to Blackburn was enough for the mood to drop going into the Champions League campaign.
His departure was probably as close to a proper 'mutual consent' exit as Chelsea have had, but it followed a disappointing result in Europe. Miikka Koppinen's opener was equaliser by Andriy Shevchenko, as just 25,000 were at Stamford Bridge to witness the Portuugese's final game of his first spell.
READ: Ranking Chelsea's 25 weirdest signings of the Premier League era
Avram Grant – Chelsea 1-1 Man Utd
Yes, Grant was technically a permanent appointment, however temporary he must have seemed in retrospect.
Considering how things looked when the Israeli took over, and how much he achieved in his time in west London, the decision from Abramovich to strip Uncle Avram of his duties and offer him his old director of football gig back almost seems harsh.
After seeing off Olympiakos, Fenerbahçe and Liverpool in the Champions League knockout stages, he came within one John Terry penalty of glory, only to instead be fired within a week.
Luiz Felipe Scolari – Chelsea 0-0 Hull City
Well this was an unmitigated disaster, wasn't it, although Ashley Cole recently named Scolari as his favourite Chelsea manager alongside Carlo Ancelotti.
Big Phil's Chelsea sat fourth in the league table when he was given his marching orders, 10 years almost to the day before Sarri's Blues lost 6-0 at Manchester City, and yet 10 wins from the first 13 games had seen them top the table in mid-November.
Two late Fernando Torres goals for Liverpool the previous week had set the tone, but the final blow was dealt when Chelsea were held at home by a Hull side with one point from its previous seven games and no clean sheets in its previous 15.
Guus Hiddink came in and won 11 from 13 in the league, but the damage had been done.
Carlo Ancelotti – Everton 1-0 Chelsea
Ancelotti's exit was more or less confirmed three games from the end of the season, when a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United all but ensured the Red Devils would end the season as champions.
Things could and would get worse, though, with Steven Taylor's stoppage time equaliser preventing the Italian from earning a win in his last game at Stamford Bridge and Jermaine Beckford scoring the only goal of the game for David Moyes' Everton on May 22.
Ancelotti was sacked that same day but things had been effectively settled earlier in the week: André Villas-Boas' Porto had won the Europa League final, meaning Chelsea were primed to hire a winner in the former Milan boss' stead.
André Villas-Boas – West Brom 1-0 Chelsea
Fans might have hoped for some stability and longevity under AVB. They got anything but that.
Back-to-back defeats in October gave people cause for concern – first, nine-man Chelsea lost to QPR, and then John Terry's slip put the gloss on a 5-3 Arsenal win at Stamford Bridge.
A 3-1 defeat in Naples in the Champions League put Villas-Boas' future on a knife-edge, though, and Gareth McAuley dealt the final blow with his winner at the Hawthorns.
Abramovich will claim he ditched his manager at the perfect time, though: interim boss Roberto Di Matteo might have struggled in the league, but a 4-1 second-leg win over Napoli set the Blues on their way to the most unlikely of Champions League successes.
READ: John Terry, Robin van Persie and a slip which made lots of people happy
Roberto Di Matteo – Juventus 3-0 Chelsea
Di Matteo's European success might have earned him a permanent deal, but it soon became clear that was a mistake.
He broke new ground again in the 2012-13 season, but not in a good way, as Chelsea became the first ever holders to be eliminated from the Champions League in the group stages.
The Italian was sacked as soon as Chelsea's European future was out of their hands – Shakhtar would not end up doing his interim successor Rafa Benitez any favours in gameweek six – but things weren't going swimmingly in the league either.
A strong start had dissipated, thanks in no small part to a controversial Fernando Torres red card against Manchester United, and defeat to West Brom had seen the Blues drop to fourth in the league before European goals from Fabio Quagliarella, Arturo Vidal and Sebastian Giovinco brought about Di Matteo's demise.
José Mourinho – Leicester City 2-1 Chelsea
Most Chelsea managers were still flying relatively high when Abramovich ran out of patience, but Mourinho's second exit left the club in genuine relegation trouble.
The reigning Premier League champions had somehow contrived to lose nine of their first 16 league games, winning just four, though they'd done enough to win their Champions League group.
Bournemouth's Glenn Murray had brought Mourinho one step closer to the exit with his winner at Stamford Bridge before champions-elect Leicester would deal the final blow.
The last Chelsea player to score for the club under Mourinho? Loïc Rémy. We think that tells its own story.
Mourinho's last Chelsea post-match interview
Makes you think 🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/DY98ieLtfm
— Daniel Tiluk (@danieltiluk) February 11, 2019
Antonio Conte – Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd
We knew Conte was going long before his final game. Back-to-back three-goal defeats against Bournemouth and Watford should have been the end of him, but he struggled on until the end of the season, when Chelsea were beaten 3-0 by Newcastle in their final Premier League fixture.
But there was still the small matter of the FA Cup final, with the Blues pitted against a Manchester United side which had finished 11 points ahead of them in the league.
And yet Chelsea's players – inspired by a brilliant performance from Eden Hazard – turned it on one final time for Conte to pull off a sweet upset against former boss Mourinho.
More Chelsea
The story of Jimmy Smith's one game for Chelsea and his failure to add to it
Can you name all 19 players to score for Chelsea on their PL debut?
Fernando Torres: The Chelsea 'flop' who still stole fans' hearts
One-Game Wonder: The story of Steven Watt's one PL appearance for Chelsea


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Mini Reviews 29/11/2009
While we may not always have the time to review all the comics we get every week, we do try and a snapshot of the latest releases, mixing the good with the not so good.
This week also sees the continuation of Matt C's Byrne FF project.
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #20
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Salvador Larroca
Marvel $3.99
Matt C: A large chunk of this issue features just Tony Stark's talking head but Fraction injects such a high level of intelligence and emotion into Stark's monologue that it becomes absolutely riveting. There were occasions in the past where I was unsure about the route this title was taking, but it's been slowly and quietly working its way under my skin to the point where I'm pretty much convinced that this is one of the best titles Marvel are currently publishing. On this trajectory it'll be giving Captain America a run for its money very soon. This is probably the only book where the whole Dark Reign thing works for me, and I think Fraction nails Osborn the way Ellis did in Thunderbolts i.e. far more successfully than most other writers seem to be managing (yeah, you know I'm thinking Bendis). Larrcoa isn't handed much action to work with this month but he's still able to keep the drama alive in each and every panel. The only low point is the 'Iron Man Saga' back-up – considering Marvel have been giving this sort of thing away for free recently it feels a bit cheeky to see them jacking up the price by a dollar for its inclusion, but as it's such a thrilling read overall I can let that slide on this occasion. 9/10
Stewart R: Ok, let's start with the negative here and I must cry an almighty 'bullshit' at Marvel for having the nerve to slap the hideousness of a $3.99 price tag on this comic. The 'Invincible Iron Man Saga' piece that takes up the last 15 pages here (including adverts for other Marvel titles!!!) is completely unnecessary for regular readers of this title and I would really have liked see it released either separately or have two versions of this issue, one containing it at the higher price and the other lower and without. Aside from that gripe we're still in terrific Tony Stark territory as Fraction and Larroca take a detailed look at his plan for a post-Osborn world which he may or may not be around to witness. Larroca should really take much of the praise here as the sequences inside Tony's psyche alongside those of his recorded message to his Avenger colleagues are brilliantly contrasted. It takes a lot to produce six pages of repeating panels of the same character and make every single one unique and captivating. Jump on to this title, jump on now dammit! 9/10
BLACKEST NIGHT #5
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert
DC $3.99
Stewart R: The further I get into this event the more I realise that I'm looking forward to the associated titles more and more and this main title just a little less. I believe my feelings for this may be based upon weight; this title has to deal with the main thrust of the story along with a huge universe of characters, alive and dead, and under the weight of these things I find that it can lack a little 'heart' as it deals with the big picture. Ivan Reis' artwork is definitely of a decent quality but is a step away from Mahnke and Gleason's work on Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps respectively as they bring a cohesive feel to the Lantern 'Universe' with their complimentary styles. The continuous jumping to and from locales is also getting confusing as it becomes difficult to remember on some occasions just who specific Black Lanterns are. It still puts the Marvel events of the past year to shame but I'm expecting better over the remaining course. 6/10
Matt C: It's becoming a bit of a rollercoaster, this main Blackest Night series. One issue can be electrifyingly brilliant, the next good but flawed. This one falls into the latter category. Nekron, so far, is a largely one-dimensional character, and this entire event really needs a shot of charismatic villainy at this point. Bringing Superman and Wonder Woman into the mix – two members of DC's iconic 'trilogy' – but then relegating them to secondary status, with a barely a handful of words between them, seems like a misstep; they're contribution needed bolstering considering who they are and what happens at the end of this issue. It's still an exciting page-turner with several "Holy crap!" moments peppered throughout, and the art is largely stunning, but Green Lantern #48 provided a better, more cohesive read this week. 7/10
Matt T: There's been few crossovers, in my memory at least, that have remained so consistent and surprising at the same time. Johns has an impressive ability to weave dozens of characters into a coherent plot without making you feel short-changed, giving each their time to shine. The collaboration of the Lanterns feels like a 'backs against the wall' situation, and the interplay between the likes of Larfleeze and Atrocitus shows some superb writing. Add to this Reis' ability to turn a potentially garish muddle of various colours battling against one another into a spectacular series of eye-catching panels, with the odd worthwhile splash page and I no longer have any concerns as to whether the quality can be maintained; instead I don't want this amazing event to end! 9/10
CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #2
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Art: Sean Phillips
Marvel/Icon $3.50
Stewart R: Well isn't this just a healthy 'meat and two veg' meal of a detective noir comic! There's no over the top 'wow' moments, no unnecessary overblown violence or profanity, no huge rooftop action sequences; there's just good, plain, down to earth story development, character interaction and the occasional hint of plot threads to come. Brubaker is apparently in his element as he unwinds Tracy Lawless' journey through the seedy alleyways and seedier bars as he tries to uncover the motive behind the attacks on Hyde's operations. The dialogue is deliciously punchy and Phillips' panels so cinematic that I could easily see this making the transition to television at some stage. Of course I wouldn't want that to detract from these guys continuing to make great comics! 8/10
JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE #5
Writer: James Robinson
Art: Mauro Cascioli
Matt T: The free reign given to James Robinson to ignore current events in the DC Universe is clearly paying dividends, as the twists and turns are wonderfully reminiscent of his amazing run on Starman. The range of characters shows an impressive handle on the variety of personalities in the current DCU, and the storyline is going in an unexpected direction to say the least, and with Cascioli's artwork becoming more competent dealing with the action sequences this is becoming a favourite mini of mine. 8/10
INCREDIBLE HERCULES #138
Writers: Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente & Jeff Parker
Art: Rodney Buchemi & Gabriel Hardman
Stewart R: Despite its presence in Marvel's catalogue as something of an 'event' I'm feeling a little underwhelmed by the Assault On New Olympus premise and delivery. Compared to some of the big stories that have graced the mighty pages of a $2.99 Herc book in the past year or so – see the Secret Invasion tie-in and the Love & War storylines – this is feeling a little haphazard and a little plodding. The inclusion of the Mighty Avengers will work for some who pick up that title but I'm certainly not fussed by their involvement here and they're simply being used as a means to deliver a huge fight in the issues to come. There is hope in the fact that Amadeus Cho is being developed as a character in huge Titan-like strides by the writers, and there are some clever twists and plays on Greek Mythology. That said I'm not too keen on the artwork by Buchemi but with the number of titles that Marvel are pumping out week on week it's no surprise that the quality is going to drop here and there. The backup is the usual accomplished bitesize Agents of Atlas fare and once again it saddens my heart a little to see them shuffled to the last six pages which we're essentially charged a dollar for. 6/10
Art: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy & Tom Nguyen
Stewart R: Now this is more like it! Johns has brought all of the leaders of the Lantern Corps together and makes a terrific read out of their first meeting with each other as the potential saviours of the universe. The writer seems more at home here with the varying personalities and specific character traits imbued within each Lantern than perhaps he does in the main event title where the lines are a little more blurred as he deals with the far reaching DC canon. While all of the protagonists here may be clearly defined, the confrontations and uneasy alliance is never predictable and there are some terrific scenes as they try to put aside their many differences and concentrate on the battle ahead. Mahnke's work is exceptional once again even though he has a little less action to deal with this time around. This issue is simply unmissable if you're following Blackest Night. 8/10
CHEW #6
Writer: John Layman
Art: Rob Guillory
Image $2.99
Stewart R: With the well-received first arc out of the way I was interested to see how Messrs Layman and Guillory would continue into the next run of this great comic and whether anything would change. From the evidence on show here it seems that we're witnessing a very pleasing case of 'if it ain't broke…'. Tony is reunited with his former partner, John Colby, who's gone through a necessary Steve Austin style makeover since his violent meeting with a butcher's cleaver back in the first issue. The friendly, yet somewhat uneasy partnership between Chu and Colby is quite refreshing as we can see too many buddy-buddy cop partnerships in comics today and the tone of their relationship suits the dark humour of the comic. With the partnership now fully re-established I think we can expect the chaotic exploits and occurrences to pop up in a big way next issue! Huzzah! 8/10
THOR GIANT-SIZE FINALE #1
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Art: Marko Djurdjevic, Danny Miki & Allen Martinez
Matt C: Disappointment was unavoidable really considering the circumstances (Straczynski bailing because he wanted no part of the upcoming Siege crossover) but I kind of hoped it wouldn't fall as flat as this. Calling it a 'finale' is a bit misleading since it doesn't really bring the story to a conclusion of any sort, and if you take a look at the cover you imagine Straczynski had something more long term in mind for the secondary characters he's been playing with. It's a shame Olivier Coipel doesn't get to complete his collaboration with the writer, but Djurdevic's no slouch in the art department and his style continues to improve as it evolves. The preview of Kieron Gillen's take on the title character shows promise, but while Straczynski's final script has many powerful moments you can't help feeling let down that an outstanding reinvention of one of Marvel's major icons has been pushed aside to make way for another Bendis-driven sales juggernaut. 6/10
SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN #3
Art: Gary Frank & Jon Sibal
Matt C: Heavily influenced by Richard Donner's Superman: The Movie, the third issue of this miniseries skips ahead a few years to bring Clark right up to his arrival in Metropolis. I was a bit iffy about last month's Legion-starring instalment but this is right on the money again as we're introduced to various characters we know and love for the first time: Perry White, Jimmy Olsen and especially Lois Lane, whose personality is so overwhelming it's no surprise Clark eventually falls head over heels for her, as any red-blooded male would have a hard time resisting her spirited charms. Johns provides Frank with plenty of opportunities for 'wow' moments, and he delivers each an every time. This series stands a good chance of being the definitive take on Superman's origin for the 21st century, at least until the next group of hotshot creators decide to do it all over again a few years from now. 8/10
POWERS #1
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Mike Avon Oeming
Stewart R: Well Powers is back… but I missed it the first (and second) time round so am part of the experiment to see if this really is a jumping on point. There's a brief 'Previously in Powers' recap on the inside cover and we're thrust straight into the action as Christian Walker and Enki Sunrise (the Internal Affairs agent who investigated Walker previously) deal with further super-power related crimes. Having next to no knowledge of what has come previously I must say that the story is easy to follow and certainly interesting, bringing up the past events only when required to keep some continuity but managing not sideswipe new readers with too much referencing to backstory. This is Bendis as I've not seen him before, shying away from panels and panels of 'chatter' between characters and almost trying to use a 'less is more' approach. He's obviously helped by Avon Oeming's very simplistic and bold style which really comes into it's own during the modest lovemaking scene here. I'm not sure what the fans will think but this new reader is certainly intrigued enough to read more. 7/10
Matt T: The relaunch of Powers starts much like the previous issues, in that a superhero-tinged crime requires investigating by former (and perhaps still current) hero Walker and his new partner, Sunrise. It's fair to say they don't get on, and a homicide that brings up Walker's sketchy past doesn't exactly help proceedings. I'm interested for the time being, but I'm starting to wonder if Powers has run it's course if Bendis doesn't drop something new into the standard police-procedural-with-superheroics approach in this run. Especially if it proves to be as unreliable as the last. 7/10
ULTIMATE AVENGERS #4
Writer: Mark Millar
Art: Carlos Pacheco & Dexter Vines
Matt C: Yeah, I'm definitely done with this but I'm still going to have to see it out to the end of this arc for the sake of closure. There are just no likeable characters here; even Ultimate Steve Rogers is a grade-A prick, a poor and uninspiring relation to his regular Marvel Universe counterpart. You can almost imagine Millar writing this with his tongue firmly lodged in his cheek, aiming for style over substance on every page, and it just irks me something rotten. Pacheco's visuals are as excellent as ever, but they can't quite carry me along through the substandard story. The brilliance of the first two volumes of The Ultimates is a distant memory. 5/10
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #20
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art: Brad Walker & Victor Olazaba
Stewart R: While I have reservations when it comes to DnA's work with Nova beyond the War Of Kings saga it's obvious that the GOTG title is perfectly placed for all things Fault-related as the bizarre and unknown threaten the galaxy as a whole. I cannot speak highly enough of this issue which deals with so many of the recent plot lines and the heartbreak that each and every member is suffering after the recent losses to the team. It is the fact that the writers were so very ruthless, yet in the same hand so very caring towards the characters and the way that their story progresses that makes this such a highlight on my pull-list. Brad Walker's artwork is truly exceptional and really helps to deliver the emotion to the page while convincing me that it is his pencils that should bring the cosmic weirdness to the readers for many issues to come. C'mon, just look at the size of Groot's cocktail glass and how very creepy the situation with Massdriver is! 9/10
Writer: Greg Rucka
Art: J.H. Williams III & Cully Hamner
Matt C: It seems redundant to keep repeating how incredible Williams' artwork is because it should now really be the consensus opinion, but I'm going to say it again anyway because he blatantly deserves all the praise he gets. Rucka's scripting is easily a match for the visuals: smart, adult and brave, this is sophisticated superhero storytelling at its finest. Kathy Kane's 'origin' is fascinating and compelling, avoiding cliché to arrive at something completely different from the norm. The Question backup can't hope to compete against the supreme quality of the lead feature, but it's a nice addition to what is probably the finest non-Vertigo book DC is putting out right now. 9/10
Art: Greg Land & Jay Leisten
Matt T: I certainly don't hate Matt Fraction's current run on Uncanny, which seems to have taken a huge amount of influence from the blockbuster pacing of The Ultimates, but there isn't a whole amount of substance to it. People show up, kick ass and reel off pithy dialogue without any real emotional investment, even if the likes of Namor and Emma Frost look and sound like they should. Although the new direction of the X-men interests me, I'm not sure Fraction has a complete handle on the team dynamic. 7/10
Stewart R: Matt Fraction really does know how a team of X-Men should work and how their abilities can be used to compliment each other. This is nothing but a glorious display of mutant powers and Cyclops' excellent tactical mind; since that's all an X-audience needs once in a while I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. I've criticised Greg Land an awful lot in the past – for portraying all women as deliciously sexy strangely enough – but even he adds an extra element to the feast of visceral carnage. While Rogue's super-powerhouse display is the standout for me it's also the little touches like Wolverine and Warpath's 'mopping up' of one of the Predator Xs that make this a great read. 8/10
FANTASTIC FOUR #282
Writer: John Byrne
Art: John Byrne
Mavrel $0.65
Matt C: Reed is fretting over the Beyonder's recent appearance on Earth, but Sue isn't having any of it - having just had her soul raped by the Psycho-Man and his lackey, the Hate Monger, Sue wants revenge and she wants it now. Great character writing from Byrne really connects to the emotional core of the FF, particularly Susan Richards. A neat opening where Franklin meets a certain team of super-powered kids hints at things to come in the future, but it's the drama of whether to stay and keep an eye out for the Beyonder or head to the Microverse to confront the Psycho-Man that ensures this issue is an unquestionable success. That, and some stellar art from Byrne & Ordway who are no bringing out the best in each other's talents, and a perfect example of this is the magnificent final page splash. 9/10
Labels: Byrne FF Project, Matt C, Matt T, Mini Reviews, Stewart R
Quite surprised at the split in opinion on Blackest Night. I've enjoyed this latest issue the most, even though I'm not getting the other books, where as it's vice versa for Stu and Matt C. Normally I'm all for the satellite titles for big events, but I don't feel left out with BN, so I'm not bothering :)
Matt Clark said...
I would have said Green Lantern #48 would have added to your enjoyment of the Blackest Night #5, but seeing as how you enjoyed it more than me and Stewart maybe I'm wrong on that one!
Justin Giampaoli said...
Glad to see others enjoying the awesome work Fraction is doing on Iron Man. Definitely the best thing Marvel is doing at the moment IMHO. Though, I do have to question the extra $1 for the filler. I get that they're gearing up for Iron Man 2 in theatres, but it's not as if some unaware bloke is going to stumble into this issue of Iron Man randomly and then be prompted to find out all that backstory, it's just... odd thinking.
Also wish Fraction would bring this level of writing to Uncanny, that title has just been slipping and slipping... it's almost off the pull list!
It annoys me that Marvel have been doing these 'Saga' things as freebies (New Mutants, Wolverine, War Of Kings) and then charge us (against our will!) for the Iron Man one! Not that I've read any of them anyway.
I gave up on Uncanny recently after it being the one constant in my pull list for many, many years. It's not like Fraction's run is the worst or anything, I think I needed a clean break from the X-Men.... have I grown out of them??
Perhaps, if you're anything like me, you like them for reasons of nostalgia, not because of the inherent quality of any current book. I mean, has any X-Men book been really grand (aside from Astonishing for me) in the last 10 years? 20 even? I want to like them, they're good in my memory, but when I objectively look at them today, taking the emotion out of it, they just don't pass muster.
...Says the guy who's been *threatening* to pull Uncanny from his pull list for like 3 months now, but hasn't actually done it!
I think it was nostalgia that kept me going with Uncanny for as long as I did. I was threatening to drop it for several years before I actually plucked up the courage to say "No more!".
I can see myself picking it up sometime in the future though. I'll just say we're on a 'break'.
Stewart R said...
I've got to say that the main X-Books generally (not including rebooted X-Force here)for me have gone off the boil a little bit post-Messiah Complex.
The change of X-Men to Legacy hasn't done that book any favours and the constant change of direction for Uncanny makes it difficult to get stuck in for long as it'll all be pulled out from under you before the next arc is finished. There also seems to be too much of a reliance on old villains and retelling origins and past histories of characters.
I think my favourite time recently for both books was when Rogue her her 'misfits' team with Cannonball, Cable, Iceman, Omega Sentinal and Lady Mastermind. It was really edgey and unpredictable, things that the books seemed to have lost of late.
Andrew Wahl said...
I totally agree with the review on Ultimate Avengers #4 citing the series' problem with no likable characters. I haven't read this one yet, but felt like I needed a shower after #3. What a bunch of unpleasant "heroes."
ComicsBronzeAge.com
Quick note to say I'm glad you're still rolling with your Byrne FF Project. I'm making a point of not reading your reviews until I've written my own (I'm up to FF #256), but really enjoy comparing notes once mine is finished.
You're nearing the end. Have you figured out which series you're going to tackle next?
I think I've chosen what'll come after Fantastic Four, but I'm keeping it under my hat for now!


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Ryan Ramczyk Primed to Break Out in 2018
Strief might be going to the booth, but his replacement looks more than capable.
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Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Depending on how much stock you put into Pro Football Focus's player grades, New Orleans Saints OL Ryan Ramczyk could be viewed as the best offensive rookie of the 2017 NFL Draft class. He graded out consistently higher than fellow Saint (and eventual ROY) Alvin Kamara, Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt, and Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey.
So it should come as no surprise that when Bleacher Report listed one NFL player at each position ready to break out in 2018, that it was Ryan Ryamczyk named at Offensive Tackle.
Whether or not the New Orleans Saints wanted Reuben Foster with the 32nd pick in the 2017 NFL draft, the organization ended up with the right player in offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk.
The first-year blocker bounced from left to right tackle because of injuries among teammates before settling in on the strong side. Ramczyk played every offensive snap last season, per Pro Football Reference, and became a reliable protector for quarterback Drew Brees.
"I think one of the things you see from Ryan is that he's steady week to week; he's smart," head coach Sean Payton said in December, per the Times-Picayune's Herbie Teope. "It's very unusual for a rookie to play over there on the left side and play on the right side, but I'd say there's a maturity level to him and a calmness to him that feels more like a third- or fourth-year pro."
As the 24-year-old gets comfortable at his new position, his technique and consistency will improve.
"I think fundamentally he's just improved an awful lot," offensive line coach Dan Roushar said of Ramczyk's offseason work, per the Times-Picayune's Josh Katzenstein.
The rookie ranked seventh among all offensive tackles in pass-blocking efficiency last season, according to Pro Football Focus, and he'll be even better this fall. Right tackle is more important than ever, and Ramczyk is already one of the best.
Honorable mentions at the position were Charles Leno Jr. of the Chicago Bears, Jake Matthews of the Atlanta Falcons, and Taylor Decker of the Detroit Lions.
Another Saints 2017 rookie, Marcus Williams, was named as an honorable mention at the Safety position, behind Adrian Amos of the Chicago Bears.


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The Taboo of Sex Within Gender Based Violence Prevention: Localising The Gender and Development Paradigm in Cambodia
Elena Robertson
The Gender and Development (GAD) paradigm emerged out of decades of concerted effort by theorists, practitioners and feminists. GAD has attempted to bring women as individuals into the development institution and while this has no doubt contributed to considerable advances in women's access to education, health care and employment, it has yet to greatly affect gender-based violence (GBV). GBV continues to plague development despite GAD's best efforts. Recent research suggests that this may be linked to the paradigm's inability to address female sexuality in and of itself. Female sex and sexuality continue to be taboo at global and local levels of GAD, where sex is relegated to a public health issue instead of treated as a fundamental aspect of human experience. In this way, women continue to be constructed within the GAD institution as passively sexual beings. In nine semi-structured interviews with local GAD actors in Cambodia, the immediacy of this issue became apparent. Not only do these experts recognize the importance of addressing female sexuality, but they are acutely aware of how their positionality both enables and constrains their ability to adequately broach this issue. During approximately one month of study in Phnom Penh, I conducted interviews with Cambodian GAD actors of any gender working for Cambodian-run organisations. Drawing upon this feminist-oriented research, this paper argues that the omission of female sexuality from GAD is a root cause of the persistence of GBV.
Elena Robertson completed her Master in Development Studies (gender stream) at the University of Melbourne in July 2018. Prior to beginning her master's, she lived in Siem Reap, Cambodia for two years and Long Xuyen, Vietnam for one year. Elena now works at the International Women's Development Agency (Melbourne) as the Research, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator. Elena's geographical focus is Cambodia and Southeast Asia, and she is interested in the importance of addressing sex as a human right within GBV prevention frameworks, GBV against commercial sex workers and emerging issues of the relationship between climate-change related disasters and GBV.
Robertson, Elena (2019). The Taboo of Sex Within Gender Based Violence Prevention: Localising The Gender and Development Paradigm in Cambodia. Journal of International Women's Studies, 20(3), 74-87.


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Group A, Poster #105, Earthquake Geology
Fault mapping in Trona, West Searles Valley, San Bernardino County, California as a result of the 2019 Trona-Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence, Part 2
Frank F. Jordan, Jr.
, & Miles H. Wagner
The 2019 Trona-Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence occurred primarily as a result of shallow fault rupture initially along the northeast-striking Salt Wells Valley Faults and subsequently along the northwest-striking Paxton Ranch Faults. However, extensive damage to Trona, Argus, West End, Windy Point, and Searles Lake areas of San Bernardino County as the result of strong ground shaking suggested the presence of additional faulting in Searles Valley. Field reconnaissance along Trona Road found the presence of west-striking, primary fault rupture in the vicinity of West End on July 4 and 5, 2019 (the Miles Fault). Originally classified by the State as a liquefaction/lateral spread feature, sub...sequent field mapping by the Searles Valley Working Group (SVWG) documented ground surface rupture across the floors and walls of former gravel quarries and along the edge of the unlined Miles Canyon County Flood Control Channel approximately 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) to the west of Trona Road, up the dry canyon. Additional north- and northeast- striking primary faulting was mapped in downtown Trona (the Trona Fault) and at Windy Point (the Aguirre Ranch Fault). At least seven additional primary fault ruptures were identified in the West Searles Valley (including the West Searles Valley Faults, Randsburg Wash Road Fault, Pinnacles Road Fault, Railroad Faults, Ana's Fault, Jessie's Fault, and Outhouse Fault). It is proposed that all of these faults be included within State A-P Zones.
All of these faults were found as pixelated, linear traces on overlay X and Y phase gradient imagery provided by Xu (2019). These traces matched interferogram imagery, also from Xu (2019). The traces of surface faulting were mapped by the authors and volunteers of the SVWG utilizing Garmin GPS units. The data was downloaded from the units and added to field maps using Garmin Software ver. 7. The correlation between fault traces mapped by the SVWG with potential high-angle fault surface disturbances displayed by Xu was considered sufficiently well matched that field mapping to areas previously considered unfaulted were scheduled. Based on the imagery of Xu (2019), field trothing found corroborating evidence for the ground surface ruptures previously suggested by Xu. The correlation between high-angle fault disturbances on Xu's imagery and mapped surface fault ruptures, the authors propose that zonation for active faulting be based solely upon disturbances captured by Xu.
Citation: Jordan, Jr., F. F., & Wagner, M. H. (2022, 09). Fault mapping in Trona, West Searles Valley, San Bernardino County, California as a result of the 2019 Trona-Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence, Part 2. Poster Presentation at 2022 SCEC Annual Meeting.
Keywords: Trona, Searles Valley, Fault, Surface Rupture, X-Phase and Y-Phase Gradient Map, Interferogram


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COVID-19 UPDATE: 380 Cases, 10 Deaths in Louisiana
Photo by Alessandro Sabattini, Getty Images
BATON ROUGE (AP) — Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has told President Donald Trump that a growing number of coronavirus cases could push the state beyond its capacity to provide health care in seven days.
The state's total case number jumped to 380 Thursday afternoon, up from 280 a day earlier. The death toll stands at 10. Edwards asked Trump for federal help including the possible use of the veterans' hospital in New Orleans to dealt with a possible surge in cases.
The vast majority of people recover from this with only mild or moderate symptoms, but many require hospitalization. It can be lethal in the elderly and people with existing health problems.
(Story written by MELINDA DESLATTE and KEVIN McGILL/AP)
Source: COVID-19 UPDATE: 380 Cases, 10 Deaths in Louisiana


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Tech, Now + Beyond
These 6 rogue apps completely change the way we resist in 2017
Don't underestimate the power of resistance.
By Alicia Soller Jul. 7, 2017
Attribution: Corpus Christi Caller-Times
Activism is indispensable to combating injustice, and under the Trump administration, it feels especially imperative in protecting marginalized people. Now more than ever, people are feeling invigorated to protect and empower their communities, and thanks to the digital age, tools to do this are right at our fingertips.
Although organizing our communities is no simple feat, these apps are streamlining and improving how we activate ourselves and our communities.
1. Brigade
Having trouble finding people in your area who are passionate about the same issues as you? Brigade helps you find nearby voters to better organize and influence policies and elections together. In an app that prides itself as the first voter network in the world, you can also debate topics in discussion forums to influence voters on issues that matter to you, while also pledging your support for political candidates.
Available to download on iOS and Google Play.
2. Countable
Holding our legislators accountable is paramount as an activist under the Trump administration. The Countable app streamlines the process of contacting your representatives so you can tell them how you want them to vote on a bill. The app also allows you to video message your representatives if you're more comfortable communicating with them in this medium.
Countable additionally lets you see how your elected officials voted on the past bills so you can hold them accountable during the next election cycle. The app also allows you to educate yourself on active and upcoming legislation to keep informed about policy changes.
3. Boycott Trump
Don't underestimate the power of a boycott. Created by the Democratic Coalition Against Trump, the BoycottTrump app was created for users who want to disassociate themselves from any businesses connected to Donald Trump or his business interests. Users can search the database of over 250 businesses to decide which businesses or brands to avoid as conscientious consumers.
4. Cell 411
Protests are often misrepresented by mainstream media. Often we don't read about instances of police brutality against protesters, who are often wary of trusting police for help in emergency situations. The Call 411 app lets you notify friends, family, or emergency service providers during situations where you don't want to rely on the police for help.
Built by and for activists, users can also record instances of police brutality and illegal searches, which can be broadcasted to your unique network of family and friends along with your GPS coordinates so your network can locate you.
5. Meetup
Finding fellow activists can be tough, but the Meetup app allows you to meet people in your area so you can organize a protest, march or town hall meeting. Meetup recently created a #Resist extension of their network to let users form a community and take civic action.
Available for download on iOS and Google Play.
6. Signal Private Messenger
It's no secret that National Security Agency (NSA) has a significant amount of access to your data. Activists are often under scrutiny, by the federal government and law enforcement. If you're worried about outsiders getting access to your data, then the Signal Private Messenger has you covered.
Signal encrypts your messages and voice calls so no outside party can intercept them, and it's completely free. The app also allows you to use your phone number, so you don't have to worry about memorizing a new number.
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J.B. Wogan
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The Catastrophe Trilogy
Whelan, Gregg ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5434-5985 and Winters, Gary (2010) The Catastrophe Trilogy. [Performance]
The Catastrophe Trilogy/Homo Novus Festival, Riga, Latvia /9 September 2011
Whelan, Gregg and Winters, Gary
Abstract / Summary:
'A triumph, theatrical magic' **** The Times
'Revolutionary theatre' Time Out
'A hope-filled story for the twenty first Century' De Standaard
A celebration of the human spirit's ability to survive even the most testing of times, The Catastrophe Trilogy is a collection of theatre works that share a common playful interest in the act of storytelling and are at once touching, comic and resolutely hopeful. The Catastrophe Trilogy premiered at the Barbican, London (2010) before a European premier at KunstenFESTIVALdesArts, Brussels (2010)
The Catastrophe Trilogy comprises three Lone Twin Theatre productions:
Alice Bell (2006)
A fictional character born into a fictional conflict, Alice seeks happiness in a divided land, finding love and companionship but at a terrible cost. Part DIY-musical, part fairy-tale, Alice Bell offers a portrait of life as an act of hope, life as something to sing and dance about.
Daniel Hit By A Train (2008)
Inspired by a Victorian collection of 53 true stories about people losing their lives in the attempt to save another, Daniel Hit By A Train tells each tragedy in turn, in all its heart-wrenching, comedic, vaudevillian glory. Sincere, but unafraid to raise a smile, Daniel Hit By A Train stands as a testimony to the human spirit and our abiding impulse to help each other.
The Festival (2010)
A chain of events discretely alters a private world to devastating effect when two lives cross at a festival of music and song. Told against a backdrop of the here and now, The Festival is a simple story of love and expectation, of family and companionship, of the mundane and the extraordinary.
Whelan and Winters initiated and directed the project with an international ensemble working as devisors and performers: Nina Tecklenburg, Paul Gazzola, Molly Haslund, Antoine Fraval, Cynthia Whelan and Guy Dartnell. David Williams worked as dramaturg and Paul Dale-Vickers joined the company for The Festival as Musical Director.
Alice Bell commissioned by: Sophiensæle, Berlin; KunstenFESTIVALdesArts, Brussels; Farnham Maltings, Farnham; and Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster. Funded by Arts Council England. Supported by: The Tron, Glasgow; and The German Federal Cultural Foundation.
Daniel Hit By a Train commissioned by: Wiener Festwochen, Austria; brut Wien, Austria; the Barbican BITE, London; The Arches, Scotland; Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster; Farnham Maltings, UK; and Leeds Met Studio Theatre, UK. Research and development, and touring, supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Also supported by The Basement, Brighton.
The Festival commissioned by: Barbican BITE 10, London; Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels; The Point, Eastleigh; Uovo Performing Arts Festival, Milan; and the Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster. Supported
by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Also supported by The Royal Exchange, Manchester; the Corn Exchange, Newbury and The Basement, Brighton.
www.lonetwin.com
Gregg Whelan
http://repository.falmouth.ac.uk/id/eprint/355


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Annihilation (2018)
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Watch A Cure for Wellness Movie Online Free An ambitious young executive is sent to retrieve his company's CEO from an idyllic but mysterious "wellness center" at a remote location…
Trailer: Annihilation (2018)
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Inside this Special Feature
Small business: going big on mobility
Protein gets digitally creative with mobile applications
Smartphone surveillance on the rise for SMBs
Australia set for small business mobile tech investment surge
Making litter bins smart would be a smart idea
Crisp dishes up flexible management with iPads
Xero: A sole trader's take
Australian government gives SMBs a leg up in Budget 2015
Mobilising from retail to online
Keeping up with an event-driven mobile workforce
Should small businesses be jumping the BYOD ship?
Mobility at the centre of social enterprise expansion
Mobility move streamlines SJP Air operation
Part of a ZDNet Special Feature: Small business: going big on mobility
Over the last five years, Sydney-based digital branding agency Protein has increasingly been using mobile applications to improve its workflow and proposals for clients.
By Aimee Chanthadavong | February 29, 2016 -- 03:39 GMT (19:39 PST) | Topic: Small business: going big on mobility
One of the key services Sydney-based digital branding agency Protein provides to clients is the development of creative branding solutions, and part of that involves developing mobile applications.
But according to Protein director Galvin Scott Davis, offering mobile apps as part of creative proposals was only introduced recently, when the company realised it was something clients were increasingly after. He noted that during the first 10 years of business, mobility wasn't a factor.
"Part of the mantra of our business has always been 'never grow old', which is where we find brands die when their image, creativity, and ability to pivot at any moment becomes stale, so we knew when we went into business it was going to encompass all new technology," he said.
More on small business mobility
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When it comes to how Protein as a business relies on mobility, it wasn't something that Davis had to question. As a result, over the last five years, the company has adopted a catalogue of applications, which Davis said has improved the business' overall production pipeline and has enabled greater work flexibility, including his ability to spend more time working overseas.
He said for instance, prior to the days of business applications, the company would have to collect physical taxi receipts, write out time sheets, and print out paperwork.
These days Protein relies on applications including Harvest for time tracking, Basecamp for project management, Wunderlist for task management, Skype for remote communication between team members and clients, and Uber for travel.
Meanwhile, Protein's staff of 10 and its contractors are encouraged to now bring their own devices to the office to allow them the flexibility to work how they want to, which Davis said makes them less reliant on their desktop.
"We counted [the adoption of applications] as a necessity. If we had not, and all of our clients had embraced mobility -- which they were [doing] -- they'd come to us for advice on technology and trends, then we would have been behind," he said.
"We've seen a reduction in admin in anything we can do; as a creative company, every single opportunity to reduce administration for that time to be spent on creative thinking, the better.
"Plus, because we knew we were interested in creating our own apps, one of the ways to do that is to research, play, and integrate your business as much as possible, and that's the same for anything we do ... the best way to learn is being hands on and constantly delving into it rather than just waiting for it."
Protein developed their first own in-house content titled Dandelion originally as a mobile app.
(Image: Supplied)
But one of the most significant roles that mobility has played for Protein was during the creation of company's first in-house content creation project. The idea, titled Dandelion, was developed into a story about a little boy who overcame bullying. However, Davis said at the time that while they realised it was a good idea, getting the story published by a publisher was going to be difficult and instead turned to self-publishing the story on the Apple App Store.
"We had this idea that we thought would be successful and we knew we had a really hard chance of getting published, so we developed it as a mobile app," he said.
The app eventually got turned into a book and published by Random House, which went onto becoming a number-one seller in Australia, and winner of the New York, London, and Sydney design awards. The company also developed a follow-up story called Daisy Chain that transformed from an app into an animated film narrated by Hollywood actress Kate Winslet.
Davis said none of it would have been possible without the initial development of the app.
"It was the mobility project that we were able to go and test the market for [Random House]. We created the audience so they could see the value in it."
Davis has predicted virtual reality is going to be the "next big thing" when it comes to producing digital content for film and television,
"One of the big changes in the last four to five years in film content that we're pitching is how it can live as a mobile experience, and a part of that in the last six months has been VR. Virtual reality is definitely the next big thing; with the power of mobile devices we'll definitely be seeing ... a massive rise in the next five years."
Australia Smart Office Productivity Innovation Start-Ups Cloud


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Numbers are unique identities for athletes
Jake Furr
BUCYRUS – Behind every number on the back of every athlete is a story.
It's a story that tells a tale of identity, passion and sometimes luck. Numbers can be passed down for generations, started in a new generation to pave a new path, or numbers can find an athlete.
Other times, it is about honoring someone and paying homage to an individual who had a positive influence on life. Such is the case with Colonel Crawford junior Kaleb Landin. When Landin was a freshman, a life-changing event led him to drape No. 16 on his back every time he takes the football field.
"I wear No. 16 because my freshman year my father passed away and my older brother Kameron Landin was a senior," Landin said. "He had my coach special order 16 because my father's birthday is March 16 and he wanted to wear it to commemorate my father. As he graduated he passed the number down to me and I wear it for my father as well. It's a lot more to me than just a number on my black-and-gold jersey."
Landin uses his number to carry on a legacy and to start a tradition likely to last generations.
Sporting a number in honor of a family member is a common theme among local athletes. Bucyrus senior Loarel Mollenkopf sticks with the No. 6 after wearing 33 her freshman season on the softball diamond.
"My sister was No. 6 all throughout high school and travel ball," Mollenkopf said. "When we played together my freshman year I obviously couldn't be 6 because she was a senior, so I was 33. Then my sophomore year I didn't know whether or not to be 33 or 6, but having someone else be 6 that wasn't a Mollenkopf did not seem right."
Mollenkopf isn't the only sibling honoring a sibling with a number. Wynford senior Tyler Glowaski decided against playing football his freshman and sophomore years. After influence from his older brother Nate, Tyler played football his junior year and is taking the field again in the fall. This time, he won't be wearing 88.
"He (Nate) was No. 6 in high school," Glowaski said. "I am wearing that number my senior year out of respect to him. I grew up watching him play high school sports. He had a successful career and I've always wanted to be like him or better. He gave me confidence and corrected my mistakes positively. He always taught me little things to be better. A little competitiveness within the family."
Colonel Crawford junior basketball player Brody Martin chose No. 11 because it was a family tradition. His father and current Colonel Crawford Superintendent, Todd Martin, wore the number during his high school days when it was given to him his sophomore year.
"Before my brother stopped playing, he was No. 11, so it is like a family tradition and I am the one who is going to carry it on until I graduate," Martin said.
Martin isn't the only area athlete carrying on a tradition started by a parent. Buckeye Central senior basketball player Haley Green took after her mom, Jennifer, and grabbed the No. 20 jersey as fast as she could on jersey day.
"She was a part of the 1992 state basketball team at Buckeye," Green said about her mom. "My older sister was No. 20. My little sister, brother and I all took on 20."
For another Wynford senior, Robbie Miller, it was about stepping out of his family shadow and starting his own legacy. His brother and father wore No. 32. Since he began sports, he would always be asked if he would be as good as his brother. Miller chose No. 11.
"For some reason, I'm not sure why, but it always just kind of bugged me," Miller said. "So I decided I was going to step out of the Miller path and go on my own route and create a name for myself. I didn't want to be another 32 like my brother; I wanted to have a different number so that people knew me for being me, and not being Luke Miller's little brother. I decided a change of number might help make that stand out more. So 11 just kind of came up when I was in line to get my jersey and it stuck with me ever since."
Other athletes use an inspiration outside of the family. For Wynford senior Gretchen Harris, it was a certain girls basketball player from the storied Wynford past that led her to No. 43.
"I grew up watching Teneil Krebs and wanted to be just like her," Harris said of the Wynford legend. "I want people to be able to remember the example I set on and off the court and I think Teneil did a great job at doing that. When I wear 43 I remember the role she set at Wynford, and I just want to be able to live up to that."
For others, the number seems to find them. Either they go into jersey day with no particular number in mind or it may be the only jersey left when they are freshmen. For Karissa Rowlinson, a junior softball player at Colonel Crawford, the No. 72 found her. After showing up late to a practice during the summer of her sixth-grade year, Rowlinson missed out on the number she wanted.
"I didn't really care what number I had because it was only going to be for one tournament, so I just said the first number that came to my head, which happened to be 72," Rowlinson said. "'Then I got picked to play on the Bucyrus All-Star team the same summer and I picked number 72 again. I just kept choosing that number for every team I played on. I didn't think I would get to stay 72 in high school, but the day Coach (Chuck) Huggins handed out jerseys, I was a freshman so I had to pick last. He surprised me with a jersey with that number."
Bucyrus senior Gavin Lewis also missed out on the number he wanted, but found a new number that fits him for football, basketball and baseball.
"In middle school when I played travel baseball I wanted to be No. 2, but they had a returning player that was already No. 2," Lewis said. "So I chose 22 and I have stuck what that number since."
Hayden Bute, the Eagles' junior quarterback, took No. 9 to start his own legacy. Although he doesn't necessarily like the number, he admits his name is tied to it and he is sticking with it.
"Really, No. 9 makes me feel like a hybrid of Tony Romo," Bute said of the Dallas Cowboys signal caller. "And I am one of the leaders of my team and I need to look up to people who I believe are very vocal and looked up to by not only their teammates but the people who watch the game. I don't like Dallas, but I do admire Tony and what he has done for the organization as a whole."
Wynford senior Sarah Ogden found her own number on the hoops floor after not being able to duplicate her volleyball number. Although it's a bit confusing, Ogden has found a number that suits and has made quite an impression.
"My little brother's favorite number is 24 and I told him I would always play for him," Ogden said. "My mom's favorite sport was volleyball and my volleyball number was 4, but there is not a No. 4 jersey in basketball. So, two plus two is four, so 24."
However an athlete comes across their jersey number, it can stick with them long after their careers are over. Some professional athletes sign autographs and include their number. Opposing coaches know opposing players by their number and sports reporters rely on numbers like oxygen.
It is all part of the identity of an athlete.
jfurr@gannett.com
Twitter: @JakeFurr11


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China Delivers Largest Warship to Pak: How Beijing Wants to Increase Power in the Indian Ocean
China delivered to Pakistan the largest and most advanced warship Beijing has ever exported. Experts say Beijing seeks to beef up the navy of its all-weather ally in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Experts say this will contribute to the two countries' all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.
China has long wanted to increase its own naval presence in the Arabian sea and Indian Ocean region. The modernisation of Pakistan navy along with the acquisition of the naval bases will help China maintain presence in the Indian Ocean.
See also China has been supplying the world with cheap labor, thereby exporting disinflation… however demographics in China are rapidly changing… to the extent that deaths exceeded births in the last year
See also China preparing to launch an invasion of Taiwan, warns Chinese journalist
Tags beijing, china, delivers, increase, largest, wants, warship Post navigation
Debunking Climate Change Myths: 50 Years of FAILED 'Expert' Predictions! | Louder with Crowder
Americans have never been in so much debt…


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The Outsider Figure
May 2, 2017 /in cover home /by admin
'And now we arrive at a crucial question: Is the Outsider strong enough to create his own tradition, his own way of thought, and to make a whole civilisation think the same way?'
'The argument I am propounding is quite simple:
Outsiders are a symptom of a dying culture. Without sense of purpose, there can be no life.
Society always begins to die from the head downward. First, the men of genius lose their sense of purpose. When that happens, the decline has begun.'
'The Outsider is a romantic and a mystic; and what is more, the essence of Western civilisation — the 'Faustian culture is mystical and romantic. Western culture is the culture of Outsiders. 'Siegfried, Parsifal, Tristan, Hamlet, Faust are the loneliest heroes in all the Cultures.'
'The Outsider is not a 'crazy mixed-up kid.' He is not a bored and inefficient bank clerk. The essence of the Outsider problems lies in the need for self-transcendence.'
'The Outsider's way of thinking is called existentialism. But it might as easily be called religion. It is a way of thought which, like the religious way, regards man as involved in the universe, not just a spectator and observer, a sort of naturalist looking at the universe through a magnifying-glass and murmuring: "Mmm. Most interesting.'
'The Outsider is a man who struggles for power over his own complexity, over the civilisation which conditions him and tries to distort his identity. Hesse believed that the Outsider is the highest form of life that civilisation knows — next to the prophet. Nietzsche believed that the Outsider is a halfway house to the Superman. In Toynbee, the Outsiders are the men who solve the problems of a civilisation, and keep it alive.'
'The Outsider's greatest need is to find a way in which he can become a visionary. The Outsider is a freethinker because the only kind of thought worth anything is free thought. This means that he can accept nothing until he has proved it by his own direct insight.'
'For the Insider, moral and intellectual ideas are unimportant in comparison with aesthetic satisfaction. But for the Outsider, nothing matters but moral heroism. The Insider does not mind people being trivial and unheroic because life is still good. The Outsider cannot begin living until he has solved the question of how to live; like Ivan Karamazov, he rejects the world, he rejects life if it must be lived trivially. He craves greater intensity of life.'
'The Outsider is the heroic figure of our time, and Outsider tragedies — those of Nietzsche, Lawrence, Van Gogh, Nijinsky — are the great tragedies of our time. That is why the great bulk of modern literature must be detestable to the Outsider.'
'The Outsider's question: How does one become a visionary? is the belief that these moments are not beyond reconstruction and comprehension. What is the essence of the 'moment of vision'? It would seem to be a sense of the multitudinousness of life, a release of energy into the brain (Nijinsky: 'God is fire in the head'; Yeats: 'Heaven blazing into the brain') which revitalises all the areas of one's memory.'
'The essence of boredom and exhaustion is the narrowing of the brain, confinement, a sense of being imprisoned in time. This is its opposite: a sense of the immense strangeness and greatness of life, of 'unknown modes of being.' It is a tonic emotion that revitalises and creates courage. In which case the man intent on 'becoming a visionary' now has a definite aim: to learn enough about the structure of his own brain to be capable of flooding it with energy at will.'
'The Outsider cannot help feeling that men do not learn from experience — not the really important things. When adulthood is reached, most men seem to reach a level of maturity at which they remain until their faculties begin to decay. There are, of course, some men who seem to squeeze the subtle essence from their experience and learn by it: the great poets and artists. The last quartets of Beethoven represent the accumulated experience of fifty years, and there seems to be no reason why he should not have gone on indefinitely — writing still greater music as he got older.'
'Very few men can serve as examples of this kind of development. It requires a peculiar sort of honesty. Among modem writers, W. B. Yeats, Andre Gide, Rainer Maria Rilke, possessed this honesty; Rilke especially deserves closer attention as the epitome of the existentialist poet.'
'But for the Outsider, all men lose their lives in living them. All men are failures.'
'The Outsider only exists because our civilisation has lost its religion. The Outsider is the result of Whitehead's 'bifurcation of nature,' and Spengler's Decline is a study of civilisation in which the Outsider has become the representative figure. The bifurcation of nature is the cause of the decline of the West.'
'The Outsider sees this as the final difference between men. Will power and obsession are all that counts. The obsessed man is great; the satisfied man is not. The Outsider's natural attitude to philosophy is this: Do not ask whether the philosophy is true; look at the philosopher and ask whether he is great. A man who is not obsessed cannot be great.'
'The Outsider is the man who yearns for a return to ancient standards — the standards which recognise that 'cleverness' is of the intellect alone, that wisdom is a complex of intellect, emotions and body.'
https://www.aristeia-press.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/busto-1.jpg 1280 1146 admin https://www.aristeia-press.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Logo-Aristeia-Transparent-300x300.png admin2017-05-02 09:05:172017-05-31 09:48:26The Outsider Figure
Religion and the Rebel New Existentialism