A great deal of folks adopt dogs, but don't think about the complete impact of their decision. Dog ownership needs actual commitment and dedication. Instruction is one of those commitments, and it is actually incredibly time-consuming and vital. Should you got your self a dog in need to have of instruction, the article under is usually really helpful.
As with any expert, research their reputation to confirm which you are acquiring the top animal behavior specialist available. Qualified dog trainers have unique procedures of instruction, so you'll need to become certain which you are both in agreement as to which process is suitable for your dog.
Don't be ashamed to ask for enable if your training plan doesn't alter your dog's behavior. It might be essential to seek qualified help in case your dog instruction just isn't proceeding as you anticipated it to. An expert trainer is going to be in a position to assist you fully grasp exactly where you might be going wrong together with the coaching, and set you on the proper path.
When it is time to introduce property training for your dog, place him on a consistent schedule of eating and elimination. Your dog will adjust for the schedule and he will immediately discover that his outside time is when he must visit the bathroom. Getting a set schedule will teach your dog tips on how to wait till he can go outdoors for the subsequent potty break.
Establish a calm environment if you enter a room that your dog is in. It truly is wonderful to have playtime along with your pet, but your dog should keep calm if you come in to the area. Try to not acknowledge your pet when you set foot into rooms, and this could imbue calm environments most of the time, due to the fact your dog will wait for you to begin play time.
Engaging within a bell ringing technique can spend fantastic rewards for toilet instruction. You have got to complete it for them at, but your dog will learn that this can be what takes place once they go out or have to go out. Dogs are creatures of habit and should you do that consistently they'll discover how.
Present only your dog's most favored treats when rewarding exceptionally great behavior, or when he accomplishes specifically complicated feats. Even when the treat is just not something you would typically give them, it really is OK to make use of as a reward during coaching.
You'll be able to train most types of anxiety out of one's dog. Separation anxiousness can cause a dog to bark incessantly or chew up factors inside the property even though they are left alone. Try coaching approaches that incorporate activities which can be encouraged through your absence. Make sure you spend lots of focus for your pet in an effort to relieve anxiousness.
In some cases, you'll notice that your dog may perhaps try to bite you during training. It is possible that your pet could view you as a peer in lieu of as a leader. Understanding how to proficiently display dominance for your new dog will assist them to recognize you because the alpha inside the pack. When your dog does not comprehend your human behavior, even a calm dog can bite you.
You can teach an old dog new tricks. The advice in this post is often applied to dogs of any age. Make certain you react just before the dog injures himself or somebody else.
At Pawsitive Solutions, we specialise in helping you get the top probable relationship together with your dog.


text:
Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can
Laura Marling is only 20 years old, but sizing her up based on her age or her youthful beauty betrays the amazing potential in her music. At first listen, I'd never have guessed that such a full, mature voice could come from such a young, fresh face, but that's only the initial pleasant surprise of many when listening to I Speak Because I Can. While in many ways a typical singer-songwriter guitar-folk album, Marling's newest also carries with it a mature sadness that's very atypical. The songs that are stories are dour ones, for the most part, and that makes the tone of the album very sedated and heavy. Marling tends to feel intimately close on every song, a recording quality that makes I Speak Because I Can even more effective. While her lyrics concede and reveal feelings of aging, lost love, and isolation, the music and proximity of the tracks make every feel almost coffee-shop immediate. It's as if Marling were sitting just feet away, quietly concocting these little gems of musical poetry. When you can hear the pursing of lips and the catching of breath mid-song, it has a similar quality to the squeak of fingers sliding up and down guitar strings on a long finger-picked lead or solo. It's immediacy, realism and closeness that carry I Speak Because I Can, especially because the tone and mood keep the pace slow, without any popping hits or sudden lifts.
In all fairness, Marling opens with an excellent title track (but one that sets a faster tone than the rest of the album provides). "I Speak Because I Can" begins with a needle dropping onto a record, with the crackle and whir of the turntable, followed by Marling's soulful, staggering voice. The track strolls the line between folk, rock, and country, all the while maintaining a minor, traditional Renaissance waltzing style. And after this relatively (to the rest of the album) raucous opener, "Darkness Descends" imposes the tone of the rest of the album quickly. Much of the interior of the record sounds like the lamentations and memories and lost dreams of someone much older than Marling's twenty. I was reminded of the slower, more minimalist Feist stuff, and even the quieter works of St. Vincent, but Marling definitely has a stronger hold on a more pure folk angle. "Hope In The Air," and "Goodbye England (Covered In Snow)" are both excellently beautiful tracks. And "Rambling Man" provides a brief increase in pace that shores up the end of the album. But ultimately I respect Marling's choice to keep the album primarily dark, deep, mournful and wintery. It's a tough call, to send a sophomore release like this one into the world without a big latch-on track, but artistically I Speak Because I Can is about asserting its title. Marling can write stellar, dark, poetic (good poetic, not Jewel poetic) music, and that's precisely what she does here, unapologetically. A great rainy day album, and one that sounds great with coffee, tea, and reminiscing.
By Nate Ragolia
Whats: Feist, Laura Marling, music, review, St. Vincent
LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening (pre-release s...
A Retro Kick: The Beach Boys
April 20: Phoenix
April 19: Them Crooked Vultures
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - I Learned The Hard Way
The Bird and the Bee - Interpreting the Masters Vo...
April 6: Spoon, Deerhunter, Micachu and the Shapes
Broken Bells
Untied States - Instant Everything, Constant Nothing
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text:
American and British Claims Arbitration, Volume 2, Parts 3-5
United States, signed last evening by the plenipotentiaries of His Britannic Majesty and by us.
You will perceive by the correspondence, that the ninth article was offered us as a sine qua non and an ultimatum. We accepted it, not without much hesitation, as the only alternative to a rupture of the negotiation, and with the perfect understanding that our Government was free to reject it, as we were not authorized to subscribe to it.
EXHIBIT 157.
Albert Gallatin to the Secretary of State.'
GHENT, December 25th, 1814.
I have little to add to our public despatch on the subject of the terms of the treaty. I really think that there is nothing but nominal in the Indian article, as adopted. With respect to precedent, you will find two, though neither is altogether in point, viz., the-article of the treaty of Utrecht, and the latter part of the-article of our treaty with Spain.
Lord Bathurst to the Commissioners at Ghent.?
FOREIGN OFFice, December 26, 1814. My Lord and Gentlemen-Mr. Baker arrived at this Office at half-past two this afternoon, with the Treaty of Peace between His Majesty and the United States of America, signed by you and the American Plenipotentiaries on the 24th instant. I have the satisfaction to acquaint you that this Treaty of Peace, so concluded, has received the 'approbation of the Prince Regent, and I have received his Royal Highness's commands to signify to you his most gracious approbation of the conduct you have pursued throughout the course of the negociation.
1 American State Papers, Foreign Relations, Vol. IV, p. 810; State Papers (British) 1821-1822, Vol. IX, p. 561.
2 Correspondence of Lord Castlereagh, 3rd Series, Vol. II, p. 228.
Lord Liverpool to the British Ambassador at Lisbon.'
Fife House, 28th December, 1814. My dear Canning:
You will hear by this conveyance of the restoration of peace between this country and the United States of America. The general nature of the terms is accurately stated in the public papers. I will endeavour to send you a copy of the treaty by the next packet.
You know how anxious I was that we should get out of this war as soon as we could do so with honour. This anxiety was increased by the communications which I had (after you left London) with the Duke of Wellington. He had agreed to take the command of the army in the ensuing campaign if the war should continue, but he was particularly solicitous for peace, being fully satisfied that there was no vulnerable point of importance belonging to the United States which we could hope to take and hold except New Orleans, and this settlement is one of the most unhealthy in any part of America. We might certainly land in different parts of their coast, and destroy some of their towns, or put them under contributions, but in the present state of the public mind in America it would be in vain to expect any permanent good effects from operations of this nature.
The continuance of the war for the purpose of obtaining a better frontier for Canada would, I am persuaded, have been found impracticable; for when that question came to be argued, it would be stated, and stated with truth, that no additional frontier which you could possibly expect to obtain would materially add to the security of Canada. The weakness of Canada consists in this, that the United States possess 7,500,000 of people, the two Canadas not more than 300,000; that the Government of the United States have access to Canada at all times of the year, whereas Great Britain is excluded from such access for nearly six months. As long as we have the larger and better army we shall be able to defend the country, notwithstanding all these disadvantages; but the frontier must in any case be of such prodigious extent that it never could be made, as frontier,
Yonge's "Life and Administration of Robert Banks, Second Earl of Liverpool," Vol. II, p. 74.
defensible against the means which the Americans might bring against it.
In addition to these considerations, we could not overlook the clamour which has been raised against the property tax, and the difficulties we shall certainly have in continuing it for one year to discharge the arrears of the war.
From all I have heard I do not believe it would have been possible to have continued it for the purpose of carrying on an American war, even though the negotiation had turned upon points upon which persons were more generally agreed than on the question of Canadian boundary.
The question therefore was whether, under all these circumstances, it was not better to conclude the peace at the present moment, before the impatience of the country on the subject had been manifested at public meetings, or by motions in Parliament, provided we could conclude it by obliging the American Commissioners to waive all stipulations whatever on the subject of maritime rights; by fulfilling our engagements to the Indians who were abandoned at the treaty of 1783; and by declining to revive, in favour of the United States, any of the commercial advantages which they enjoyed under former treaties. As far as I have any means of judging our decision is generally approved.
Concluded at Ghent, December 24, 1814; ratification advised by the
Senate February 16, 1815; ratified by the President February 17, 1815; ratifications exchanged February 17, 1815; proclaimed February 18, 1815.
His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, desirous of terminating the war which has unhappily subsisted between
Malloy's Treaties, Conventions, International Acts, Protocols and Agreements between the United States of America and other Powers, 1776-1909, Vol. I, p. 612.
the two countries, and of restoring, upon principles of perfect reciprocity, peace, friendship and good understanding between them, have, for that purpose, appointed their respective Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:
His Britannic Majesty, on his part, has appointed the Right Honourable James Lord Gambier, late Admiral of the White, now Admiral of the Red Squadron of His Majesty's fleet; Henry Goulborn, Esquire, a member of the Imperial Parliament, and Under Secretary of State, and William Adams, Esquire, Doctor of Civil Laws; and the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, has appointed John Quincy Adams, James A. Bayard, Henry Clay, Jonathan Russell, and Albert Gallatin, citizens of the United States;
Who, after a reciprocal communication of their respective full powers, have agreed upon the following articles:
There shall be a firm and universal peace between His Britannic Majesty and the United States, and between their respective countries, territories, cities, towns and people, of every degree, without exception of places or persons. All hostilities, both by sea and land, shall cease as soon as this treaty shall have been ratified by both parties, as hereinafter mentioned. All territory, places and possessions whatsoever, taken by either party from the other during the war, or which may be taken after the signing of this treaty, excepting only the islands hereinafter mentioned, shall be restored without delay, and without causing any destruction or carrying away any of the artillery or other public property originally captured in the said forts or places, and which shall remain therein upon the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty, or any slaves or other private property And all archives, records, deeds and papers, either of a 'public nature or belonging to private persons, which, in the course of the war, may have fallen into the hands of the officers of either party, shall be, as far as may be practicable, forthwith restored and delivered to the proper authorities and persons to whom they respectively belong. Such of the islands in the Bay of Passamaquoddy as are claimed by both parties shall remain in the possession of the party in whose occupation they may be at the time of the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty, until the decision respecting the title to the said islands shall have been made in conformity with the fourth article of this treaty. No disposition made by this treaty as to such possession of the islands and territories claimed by both parties shall, in any manner whatever, be construed to affect the right of either.
Immediately after the ratifications of this treaty by both parties as hereinafter mentioned, orders shall be sent to the armies, squadrons, officers, subjects and citizens of the two Powers to cease from all hostilities. And to prevent all causes of complaint which might arise on account of the prizes which may be taken at sea after the said ratifications of this treaty, it is reciprocally agreed that all vessels and effects which may be taken after the space of twelve days from the said ratifications, upon all parts of the coast of North America, from the latitude of twenty-three degrees north to the latitude of fifty degrees north, and as far eastward in the Atlantic Ocean as the thirty-sixth degree of west longitude from the Meridian of Greenwich, shall be restored on each side: that the time shall be thirty days in all other parts of the Atlantic Ocean north of the equinoctial line or equator, and the same time for the British and Irish Channels, for the Gulf of Mexico, and all parts of the West Indies; forty days for the North Seas, for the Baltic, and for all parts of the Mediterranean; sixty days for the Atlantic Ocean south of the equator, as far as the latitude of the Cape of Good Hope; ninety days for every other part of the world south of the equator; and one hundred and twenty days for all other parts of the world, without exception.
All prisoners of war taken on either side, as well by land as by sea, shall be restored as soon as practicable after the ratifications of this treaty, as hereinafter mentioned, on their paying the debts which they have contracted during their captivity. The two contracting parties respectively engage to discharge, in specie, the advances which may have been made by the other for the sustenance and maintenance of such prisoners.


The Facts According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, global deaths due to measles fell by 48%, from 871,000 in 1999 to an estimated 454,000 in 2004. The largest reduction occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the highest burden of the disease, where estimated measles cases and deaths dropped by 60%. These statistics make measles one of the single leading causes of death among children in most developing countries - more than HIV, tuberculosis, and malnutrition- despite the availability of a safe, effective and relatively inexpensive vaccine for more than 40 years. In places where health conditions are extremely poor, living conditions are congested, and access to health care is minimal, measles can be easily prevented with a simple vaccination.
Since Africa had the highest measles mortality rate among children under five in 1999, the focus of mass measles campaigns started there. Because of the Measles Initiative's first five years success in reducing measles in Africa, the program has been able to expand its immunization activities into Asia where the measles burden remains high. In Bangladesh alone 20,000 children die every year due to measles and related complications. Over the past few years, mass measles campaigns have also reached into other areas including Kyrgyzstan and in tsunami affected areas.
This need for vaccination goes beyond areas where measles is endemic, but to countries where measles could become an enormous health concern; examples being crowded living situations, such as refugee camps, due to war or civil unrest, or areas affected by natural disasters.
"After a disaster the threat of disease often increased due to the close living conditions and poor hygiene that result from people being displaced from their homes," said Timothy E. Wirth, President of the United Nations Foundation. "While the Measles Initiative cannot prevent natural disasters, we can focus on addressing persistent, everyday, health issues in order to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared for future disasters."
Dr. Irene Lubega, a pediatrician at Mulago Hospital in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, feels "It is very overwhelming to see so many sick kids knowing that with one shot they could live. It really breaks my heart to see children dying when you know it can be prevented."
"We want to prevent the disease rather than treat it," said Dr. Makumbi, Director of Uganda National Expanded Programme of Immunisation (UNEPI). "Children who get measles in Africa have a good chance of dying from it."
Nasrin Aktar, a volunteer from the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society emphasized, "My wish is that this campaign will eliminate measles and that none of my brothers and sisters in Bangladesh will ever die from measles again."
There are no measles transmissions in the Western Hemisphere. In developing countries such as South and Central America, national mass campaigns have helped to eliminate the disease. Because of routine immunizations and more sophisticated healthcare systems, measles is not an ever present threat to countries in the western hemisphere; however, in countries where measles has been largely eliminated, measles cases imported from developing countries remain a source of infection.
Why children die of measles Measles is a leading killer of children in many developing countries for several reasons. Children are already compromised with poor living conditions, they are infected at very young ages when their immune systems are not strong, malnutrition is rampant in many homes, and many families do not have access to medical care to treat measles and its complications. Measles, itself, does not kill children. Instead, complications from measles attack the child's already weak immune system. Measles attacks the body, inside and out. It is similar to HIV in the sense that when it knocks down the immune system, the child becomes susceptible to the myriad of diseases that fester in poor living conditions.
While the typical red spots of measles in a developed country may signal a mild disease, that same rash becomes a severe attack on all of the child's skin surfaces including the gut, cornea, and lungs. The direct damage caused by measles can be high fever, peeling of the skin, and encephalitis leading to brain damage. "The problem is children die from complications of measles such as pneumonia, diarrhea, brain damage, or suffer from blindness. Therefore, people aren't always aware of the issues inherent with measles illness," reported Dr. Ataur Rahman, UNICEF Health and Nutrition Program Officer. Measles itself is just one more assault on the child's already unhealthy body. There are two ways to contract measles- catching it outside the home, or spreading it inside the home. Because measles is one of the most highly contagious diseases known and carried in the air, some children contract it in crowded places like a market or school, or just by coming in contact with someone who has it. Then, when the child goes back home, where living conditions are usually very cramped, other siblings catch the disease and become sick as well.
One woman who brought her brothers' children to be vaccinated at the Kumi Girls Boarding School, during a Uganda campaign said, "Suppose there is a home with six children. They all might catch measles from each other. The last one to catch it will die because he has so much sickness from the others." The last child has basically been bombarded with high doses of measles from the others and the chances for survival at that point are slim. This reasoning may be the basis for the African saying "the second child with measles always dies." A mother in Bangladesh remembered, "At some point in time all three of my children had had measles."
"When my eldest boy got sick he had a high fever for three days. We were worried he might die" said a mother during a measles vaccination campaign in Bangladesh. "If they [children] don't get vaccinated they can get sick and die."
One tribe in Uganda has its own word to describe measles - Akwap. The word translates to "disease of the wind." Mothers know when a child has measles because the other children become infected so quickly, as the measles virus spreads through the air.
Once a child has contracted measles, treatment can be expensive, and many times the family does not realize the child needs treatment until it is too late. Folk tales, misinformation, and safety concerns also contribute to the child not being treated in time. If the child does recover from a bout with measles, he or she may die or be left with permanent disabilities.
The Measles Initiative strives to support the delivery of the safe, effective, and inexpensive vaccine needed to protect vulnerable children from measles. Measles vaccinations are one of the most cost-effective child-health interventions available today. Most importantly, for as little as $1 a child can be vaccinated and protected against measles!
As of year-end 2005, the Measles Initiative has vaccinated 213 million children in more than 40 African countries, saving more than 1.2 million lives. Because of the Measles Initiative's success in Africa, the program has expanded into Asia, where the measles burden remains high.
Measles (rubeola) is more than a red rash. It is a leading vaccine-preventable killer of children in the developing world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 300,000 children (the vast majority are younger than five years of age) die from measles each year. As this article describes, measles infections place a heavy burden on impoverished families and communities. Secondary complications such as pneumonia are common in areas where adequate nutrition and access to health care are limited. One of the most serious complications of measles infection is encephalitis, which can lead to blindness and profound brain damage in children. Measles can be easily prevented with a simple vaccination that costs less than one dollar per child. Largely due to the vaccination campaign launched by the Measles Initiative, measles deaths have decreased dramatically since 2001.
For more information, please visit www.measlesinitiative.org.
The Measles & Rubella Initiative is a global partnership committed to ensuring no child dies from measles or is born with congenital rubella syndrome.


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One would have thought that the proudly announced indictment of 13 Russians and three Russian companies for election related crimes went to the heart of his assignment. The Department of Justice posted the indictment online here.
Mueller failed to anticipate that any of the defendants would appear in court to defend against the charges. Rather, Mueller obtained the indictment to serve a public relations purpose, laying out the case for interference as understood by the government and lending a veneer of respectability to the Switch Project.
To Mueller's obvious surprise, defendant Concord Management and Consulting appeared in court represented by competent counsel — Eric Dubelier and Kate Seikaly of the Reed Smith firm — to contest the charges and seek the discovery of evidence supporting the government's case against it. Let us count the signs and tokens of second thoughts about this prosecution of the Russians now that Mueller has been put to it.
• In April Concord filed a general appearance through counsel in the case and made discovery requests seeking full disclosure of the information bearing on the charges.
• This despite the fact that Concord had made a general appearance to defend the case.
• As John put it at the time, this is probably the first time in the history of litigation that a complaining party has told a court that it may not have obtained good service of process on a defendant that has appeared to defend the case on the merits. Not surprisingly, the judge was not impressed with Mueller's transparently frivolous concerns.
• Mueller subsequently joined Concord in a motion for a continuance seeking relief from the requirement of proceeding to trial within 70 days under the Speedy Trial Act. The 70 day-requirement was to be extended to 70 days from August 28, 2018.
• At a June 15 hearing, Judge Friedrich directed Mueller to work out the discovery issue with Concord's counsel.
Tom Lifson is not inclined to swallow the public relations disseminated on Mueller's behalf by "people familiar with the staffing decision." He asks: "Have you ever heard of anyone 'farming out' the central mission of a multi-million-dollar operation in order to focus on tangents?" Tom isn't buying it. He thinks Mueller is getting ready to run — to run away from the case to avoid humiliation.


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Эциони (  ), также 6-я бригада и Иерусалимская бригада — пехотная бригада в составе Хаганы и Армии обороны Израиля во время арабо-израильской войны 1948 года . Она была основана в конце 1947 года как подразделение полевого корпуса, ответственное за оборону Иерусалима и его окрестностей, где действовала во время войны вместе с бригадой Харель . Его первым командующим был Исраэль Амир, которого сменил Давид Шалтиэль .

Основание

Бригада Эциони была создана в рамках решения командования Хаганы от 7 ноября 1947 года о создании на базе корпуса Хиш четырех пехотных бригад — Леванони, Александрони, Гивати и Эциони.  Всего в Эциони было предусмотрено три батальона, а первоначально было развернуто только два: 61-й батальон «Мориа» и 63-й батальон «Михмас». 62-й батальон «Бейт-Хорон» был добавлен в мае 1948 года, а 63-й батальон был расформирован в том же месяце. Бригаде также подчинялись подразделения Гвардейского корпуса и Гадны в районе Иерусалима, всего пять батальонов.  В итоге 15 мая Моше Садок из Управления кадров сообщил, что численность бригады составляет 3166 человек.

Район Иерусалима, а значит, и театра военных действий бригады, простирался от Мертвого моря на востоке, Атарота на севере, Гуш-Эциона на юге и Хартува на западе.  Согласно плану Далет, работа Этциони заключалась в том, чтобы «занять ключевые позиции на дороге Иерусалим — Тель-Авив и утвердиться в городе Иерусалим».  Исраэль Амир, до войны занимавший ряд штабных должностей, был назначен командовать бригадой по рекомендации Моше Снэ .

Реорганизация

Перед реорганизацией пехотных сил Хаганы в феврале 1948 года бригада была разделена на два батальона; первый отвечал за северный Иерусалим, Моцу, Атарот и Неве-Яаков, и им командовал Залман Март. Второй батальон отвечал за Старый город и Гуш-Эцион под руководством Шалома Дрора. Однако бригада была не готова к предстоящим боям, а ее командир Исраэль Амир не сотрудничал с остальными подразделениями в этом районе.

Давид Шалтиэль, сменивший Амира на посту командира бригады в том же месяце, реорганизовал силы и разделил Иерусалим на пять районов, четыре из которых отошли к корпусу гвардии, а Старый город и южные кварталы отошли к оперативным батальонам (61-й и 63-й). Однако реорганизация не помогла, и в марте 1948 года Шалтиэль заметил, что у подразделения серьезные проблемы со снабжением и дисциплиной, и в таком темпе Иерусалим не продержится даже до  мая. Метод командования Шалтиэля также усугублял проблемы с дисциплиной, пока в июне 1948 года 61-й батальон не восстал и впоследствии до августа 1948 года был переподчинён бригаде Харель  В мае 1948 года Исраэль Галили создал штабное подразделение в Эциони, которое базировалось в Тель-Авиве и отвечало за отдаленные и изолированные поселения в районе Иерусалима.

Смена командования также не способствовала сотрудничеству между различными подразделениями в районе Иерусалима. Шалтиэль настаивал на том, чтобы региональное командование отвечало за все подразделения в его районе, включая подразделения Харель, которые, по словам Шалтиэля, выполняли приказы только из штаба Пальмаха в Тель-Авиве . Шалтиэль также был в разногласиях с высшим командованием Хаганы из-за его односторонних соглашений с Иргун и Лехи, которые не были одобрены командованием.  Наконец, политические и культурные лидеры Иерусалима не признали полномочия бригады в вопросах безопасности, особенно при Шалтиэле. Гражданское население Иерусалима отказалось предоставить Эциони необходимое топливо и рабочую силу,  и Дов Йосеф, глава совета Иерусалима, направил Давиду Бен-Гуриону личную жалобу на методы вербовки Шалтиэля.

Моше Даян сменил Давида Шалтиэля на посту регионального командующего Иерусалимом 25 июля 1948 года, хотя ему не удалось повлиять на значительные территориальные изменения в этом районе. Даян закончил свой срок в феврале 1949 года.

Операции
Поскольку бригада Этциони имела меньшие оперативные силы ( полевой корпус ), чем другие бригады, она никогда не покидала театр военных действий в Иерусалиме.  Всего в боях за Иерусалим и Гуш-Эцион погибло от 592 до 651 человек, больше, чем потеряла любая другая бригада за всю войну. Из-за нехватки кадров и подготовки среди частей гвардейского корпуса на первых этапах войны Этциони в основном выполнял караульные обязанности, не имея резервных частей для инициирования атак.

Бригада Этциони участвовала в операции «Евусей» (апрель – май 1948 года), первой операции в истории Хаганы, которая проводилась более чем одной бригадой (второй была «Харель» ). 61-й батальон 2—3 мая овладел районом Катамон и соединился с изолированным ранее Мекор-Хаимом.

После ухода британцев из Иерусалима в мае 1948 года, после операции «Шфифон» в Старом городе, Эциони при поддержке военизированных формирований «Иргуна» и «Лехи» инициировал операцию «Килшон» по захвату территорий, ранее принадлежавших британцам. Шейх-Джаррах и районы между Йемин-Моше и Рехавией были взяты 14 мая, за ними 15 мая последовали немецкие и греческие колонии, Бака, Кэмп-Алленби и большая часть «Бевинграда». Абу-Тор был захвачен 17–18 мая, что положило конец операции.  После операции Килшон бригада Этциони добилась дальнейших небольших успехов, захватив монастырь Нотр-Дам рядом с Новыми воротами 17–18 мая. Одновременная атака на Башню Давида не удалась.

После захвата Иорданским арабским легионом Шейх-Джаррах и входа в Старый город все израильские подразделения в Иерусалиме, включая Эциони, вступили в бой с ним, особенно в северной части Иерусалима между Синедрией и Нотр-Дамом. Атака Легиона на гору Скопус была отражена в основном расквартированными там войсками Эциони.

Бригада была также основной частью в боях при Рамат-Рахели. 22 мая кибуц был взят и разграблен египетскими силами братьев-мусульман после сильного обстрела, но в 17:00 подразделение 61-го батальона отбило деревню и передало ее подразделениям своего корпуса охраны. Надолго продержаться в деревне не удалось, и 23 мая арабы снова захватили деревню; Эциони отбил его в ту же ночь, оставив там 75 защитников (50 из Иргуна и 25 из Эциони). Третье совместное нападение «Братьев-мусульман» и «Арабского легиона» произошло 24 мая, и в основном оно было отражено подразделениями «Иргуна». Подкрепления Эциони и Хареля, наконец, вытеснили арабские силы, а также захватили монастырь Мар-Илия на юго-западе.

Во время «Десятидневных сражений» Этциони должен был значительно расширить еврейский контроль над Иерусалимом и его окрестностями, в том числе захватить Старый город. Однако в северном Иерусалиме инициатива принадлежала Арабским легионам, которые атаковали Мандельбаум и Мусрару и привлекли в этот район подразделения ЦАХАЛа. Несмотря на это, Эциони и региональные подразделения Гадны сумели 10–16 июля взять Сионские ворота, аль-Малиху и Эйн-Керем .  62-й батальон Эциони участвовал в операции «Кедем» 16–17 июля с целью захватить Старый город в лобовой атаке (из-за нехватки времени, вызванной надвигающимся прекращением огня), но не смог пробить его стены. Несмотря на некоторые успехи, операция была остановлена объявлением о прекращении огня.

После второго перемирия войны Эциони участвовал в операции  по захвату гор в районе Бейт-Джала, но не справился со своей миссией и отступил.  Они также принимали участие в операции «Ха-Хар» по зачистке деревень к западу от Иерусалима.

После войны за независимость
Бригада Эциони была расформирована после войны в связи с общей реорганизацией АОИ, в результате которой летом 1949 года осталось только три постоянных бригады.

В 1955 году она была воссоздана как резервная бригада Центрального военного округа . В сентябре 1958 года она была передана Южному военному округу и переименована в 14-ю бригаду.

В 2010 году в рамках общей акции в АОИ, направленной на возвращение названий первых бригад в использование, 408-я бригада была выбрана, чтобы носить название бригады «Эциони», а также она получила новый номер 6.

Примечания

Воинские части и формирования, созданные в 1955 году
Воинские части и формирования, расформированные в 1949 году
Воинские части и формирования, созданные в 1948 году
Пехотные бригады Израиля
Арабо-израильская война 1947—1949 годов

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"What is the only thing that has a chance at fighting hate-filled zealots bearing protest signs? A group of zombies, of course. That's why when Westboro Baptist Church – the same group famous for threatening to picket the memorial service of Aurora shooting victims – showed up today near a Washington military base to spew vitriolic slurs, a group of the undead stood firmly across the street in counter-protest. As church members yelled that U.S. soldiers have died because God is angry with America over gay marriage, the zombies outside Joint Base Lewis-McChord yelled their own retorts and flashed signs asking Westboro to "drink the Kool Aid already."
The members of the Westboro Baptist Church are known for sparking anger and counter-demonstrations. Eight of their members spread their anti-gay message on the streets of DuPont.
The demonstrators used repeated slurs and claimed soldiers died because God is angry with America over gay marriage and tolerance of "gay lifestyles."
Unconfirmed spokesman Bertha Dim Whit of the Westboro Baptist Church wanted everyone to know that they are just trying to protect the average American way of life and just confirming God's will based upon a casual meeting that they had with God over a cup of coffee and Danish. To avoid the appearance of collaboration with God, separate checks were given and they left through separate doors.
Spokesman for the Zombies had indicated that they were unable to eat their brains because the Westboro Baptist Church members did not have any, and besides, Zombies have certain standards. It is known within the Zombie culture that if at all possible, avoid eating the brains of stupid people as it will impact your view on reality.


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Jennifer Holliday Reveals Dark Days At NYC Charity Event
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The Law Effect: Hollywood's Image Architect On Building A Fashion Empire
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How I Overcome My Fear Of Working Out In Front Of My Fiancé
A slimmer, sparkling Jennifer Holliday graced the small stage last night to perform a collection of songs for Harlem-based charity, Centre for Urban and Community Services (CUCS).
The former Tony and Grammy award winner was an instant hit with the audience of sponsors and community figures, performing her signature song from the Broadway classic, "Dreamgirls," titled 'And I'm telling you I'm not going.'
The star touched on some personal issues, including her dark days as a sufferer of depression.
"I grew with the song and it could take on special meaning for me," she said. "More so than anything, I'm someone who's suffered greatly from chronic depression and the fact that I can be here and stand, and have clarity of mind and peace of mind and to be able to sing for you is a wonderful thing."
GALLERY: Dreamgirls Come Out For The LA Premiere
During the revival of some her classic hits, the Dreamgirl also joked about the issue of her weight loss.
"I'm really hungry right now so watch your hands with the food," she joked. "But the greatest change has taken place on this inside and I think it's a wonderful time in your life when you get to be at peace and find a sense of self so that you can help others."
The CUCS event was held June 14 at The Prince George Ballroom in Manhattan to raise funds and awareness about the group's latest 'Going Green' housing project.
CUCS' mission is to end homelessness for as many people as possible and to provide opportunities for low income individuals and families, particularly those living with disabling conditions, to be productive members of the community.
When asked about her role with CUCS, Ms Holliday said she felt drawn to the group because of the issues they address within New York's homeless community.
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Jennifer Holliday has been an active part of many charity groups and movements in her long career, including LGBT rights, mental health awareness and now CUCS' 'Going Green' initiative.
It is not currently known if the former Dreamgirl is working on releasing a new album.
GALLERY: A Skinny JHud Does Cannes
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Dreamgirls	, Jennifer Holliday	, musictag


[Matt's Messages] "Jesus Said To His Disciples..."
After one week off, we're back to our study of the Gospel of Luke which we've called "Certain of Jesus" because Luke wrote his gospel so that we might grow in our certainty about who Jesus is and what Jesus taught, what Jesus did and what Jesus wants. Certain of Jesus.
What we have in verses 1 through 10 of Luke 17 is a series of loosely connected teachings that are aimed at disciples, followers, students, learners, disciples of the Lord Jesus.
Jesus is teaching His followers how disciples should act, how they should think, how they should believe.
And Luke has faithfully recorded these teachings here for us in one place.
Five things that Jesus said to His disciples.
#1. WATCH YOURSELVES. Listen again to verses 1 and 2.
These are really strong words. Some of the strongest words ever uttered by our Lord Jesus.
But what exactly is he talking about?
Jesus is talking about someone (perhaps a professing disciple, someone who says that they are a follower of Jesus) that causes someone else to sin–tempts someone else to sin, puts a block in front of someone and causes them to stumble over it, falling on their faces.
That sort of thing is bound to happen, but it shouldn't. And WOE to the person who actually does it.
Jesus is a master teacher. What an image! A millstone, a great big heavy circular stone used for grinding the grain, tied around the neck and thrown into the sea.
What's going to happen? The certainty of drowning.
That would be BETTER than what will happen to someone who causes one of these "little ones" to stumble.
Now, who are these little ones?
In a very similar passage in the Gospel of Matthew, the "little ones" are children. Little children who are led down an evil path by someone and caused to stumble, led into sin.
And that's possible here, as well. But there are no little children in the context.
And I think that the temptation to sin, the offense, the stumbling block here is false teaching–a false gospel.
The sin that Jesus and the apostles were the most concerned about was the sin of apostasy–the sin of forsaking Jesus and His way of salvation–His gospel.
And if a so-called disciple were to lead a newer disciple off of the path of the true gospel and into the path of a false gospel–woe to them that did that!
It would be better to die a painful death than to face the wrath of God against those who lead people to forsake Jesus.
I think that's the right approach to these two verses. It's like the Apostle Paul at the beginning of Galatians.
In the book of Galatians, Paul is very concerned about the young Galatian church because they have been seduced by false teachers who have said that Jesus is okay but He's not enough.
It's got to be Jesus plus circumcision. Jesus plus our good works. Jesus plus our performance. Jesus plus our efforts.
But Paul says that that is a false gospel and he pronounces woe upon those who teach it.
Doesn't that sound like what Jesus says here in Luke 17?
The application is clear. Watch yourselves.
You and I need to be careful about what gospel we believe and share.
Because the consequences of our gospel are eternal for both us and them.
What gospel are you believing and sharing?
Only one gospel saves–the gospel of Jesus Christ and Jesus alone.
#2. REBUKE YOUR BROTHER. Look at verse 3.
Here's how disciples are supposed to act. They are supposed to rebuke one another.
Now, almost nobody like this.
Almost nobody like being rebuked.
And almost nobody likes giving out rebuke, and they when people do like it, there's something wrong with them!
But rebuking should not be unusual for disciples of Jesus Christ.
We know that we're going to sin. We are sinners.
And we know that our sin needs checked. We need accountability. We need help to cut it out.
We're often blinded by our own sin. Sin is deceitful, and we can't see how we really are. We need each other to help each other.
If you truly love someone, then you will not let them wallow in their sin forever.
Now, this doesn't mean to not overlook offenses. It's a glory to overlook an offense.
But not always. Sometimes, if we love someone, we need to rebuke them.
That's a big part of being a parent. It is! Showing your children where they are wrong is a big part of what it means to be a parent.
Rebuke is a big part of being married.
My wife regularly rebukes me. And I'm glad she does!
Not when she's doing it! But I need it. I need to be told where I'm wrong.
Last week, at one point, I failed her miserably. And it was a lack of leadership. I failed to take leadership. I abdicated my leadership responsibility and left her hanging.
And she had point it out. Thanks a lot!
Disciples rebuke other disciples. Instead of leading someone into a stumbling blocks, we warn each other of the stumbling blocks ahead of us.
We must do it in love. Rebuke without love is empty and painful and ineffective.
But rebuke fueled by love is obedience to Jesus.
They don't just point out someone else's sin and then run away.
We forgive as the Lord Jesus forgave us.
He is the master, we are His disciples. If he forgives, then so do we.
And not just once. Again and again.
Now, this is no excuse to sin against someone the same way seven times a day.
There is no excuse for sin.
This is a call to be gracious. To be magnanimous. It's a call to be forgiving.
To forgive means to promise to not let this offense stand between you.
To release someone from the debt created by their sin against you.
And it's bound up with love.
But that's not right. Love says, "I'm sorry" over and over and over again.
Because we are (all of us) big-time sinners.
Now, full forgiveness is only possible if your brother repents. Notice how in verse 4 he comes back to you again and again.
But we should be ready to forgive all of the time.
Because of how forgiven we are.
I thought about just preaching verses 3 and 4 as their own message on relationships.
Most healthy relationships–especially marriage–are based upon applying these two principles over and over and over again.
Sin is a given in all of our relationships. The question is, how will we deal with it when it comes. Not if, but when.
That's what Jesus said to his disciples.
Lord, how are we supposed to do that?
Don't you know how hard it is to forgive someone?
#4. HAVE A LITTLE FAITH.
Aren't Jesus' images so amazing?
Here, it's not a millstone, but it's still the sea.
Say to the mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea" and it will obey you.
If you only have faith as small a mustard seed.
It's not the quantity of the faith, it's the quality of the faith. It must be genuine. And you must exercise it.
The way to increase your faith is to act on it.
Now, I don't think that Jesus is being literal here. He never told a tree to do that trick and a disciple has never done it either.
I think he's saying that amazing things can happen when you believe.
Unexpected things can happen when you believe.
Including loving rebuke and gracious forgiveness!
Amazing things can happen when you believe.
Now in verses 7 through 10, Jesus takes a little bit of a different tack.
He's still talking to His disciples, but He's got a particular problem in mind–legalism.
Specifically, Jesus is concerned that His disciples don't fall into the trap that the Pharisees have often fallen for–of believing that God owes us something because of our obedience to Him.
The myth of merit–believing that God owes us something.
Jesus said to His disciples, #5. DO YOUR DUTY (BY GRACE).
Jesus tells a parable, starting in verse 7.
Again, Jesus is guarding against the temptation to think that just because we're disciples, and we're obeying and doing our disciple-thing, that God somehow owes us something.
That's what we call a "works-righteousness" approach to God. Or legalism.
But Jesus' parable emphasizes two things.
1. We should do our duty. We should do what we're supposed to do as disciples.
And in the context, that's watch yourself, rebuke your brother, forgive your brother, and exercise a little faith.
That's a false gospel, too.
The second thing Jesus' story does is to show us that we are unworthy even to be His slaves.
How did we become His servants?
The unworthy being given what we don't deserve.
So, do your duty by grace, out of grace, because of His mercy, because of His grace.
But, you know what, it gets better than that.
Because Jesus, our master, actually does serve us.
Remember how Jesus acted at the Last Supper in the Upper Room?
How He washed His disciples feet?
The most amazing thing is that Jesus actually does serve us.
Not because we deserve it, but because He loves us and lavishes His grace upon us.
We are servants, but not just servants.
We are actually God's adopted children!
What more reason do we need to do our duty? Grace is all that we need.
We are unworthy, but He is amazingly gracious.
Have you trusted in Jesus for salvation by grace?
It's the only way to live!
Let me end by asking you a trick question.
Today is a great holiday. What great holiday is it?
Now, remember, this is a trick question.
What great holiday is it?
Reformation Sunday marks the day in 1517 when Martin Luther, a catholic monk and teacher, nailed his 95 theses to the church door at Wittenburg starting what became known as the Protestant Reformation. That was October 31, 1517 AD.
The medieval church had gotten off track, and Luther was trying to bring reformation to it–to get the church back to what it was originally intended to be.
What Luther was most concerned about was what gospel was being preached.
So, Luther started something big on this day 493 years ago.
With his 95 Theses, Luther was saying with our Lord that stumbling blocks, false gospels may come, but WOE to those through whom they come.
Salvation is found in the Scriptures Alone, by trusting in Christ Alone, through Faith Alone in Grace Alone to the Glory of God Alone.
That's the only way that we will be able to loving rebuke our brothers and sisters in Christ and the only way that we can forgive them–because of the forgiveness that Jesus gives us.
That's the way of faith. Just a little of faith (alone in Christ alone!) can miraculously save us.
Not because we're worthy. We are unworthy.
Let's stand together and sing the most famous song by Martin Luther. #26.
It's a celebration of the true gospel–in Christ alone.
He's is the "one word" that fells the devil and is above all earthly powers and doesn't live because of them.
Jesus is the "one word" that makes the difference in everything.
So that goods and kindred may go (things and family may go) and even our mortal lives.
Because God's truth lives on. His kingdom is forever.
That's what Jesus says to His disciples.
[Matt's Messages] "Great Is Your Faithfulness"
Thank you for praying for Heather as she traveled home last week and got to spend time with her mom. It was a great visit. Her travel was pretty smooth, and it's great to have her back. Thanks for praying for the kids and me this last week as we lived without mommy. The kids had a great time with their grandparents–who are here today! Thank you.
And I had a great week spending time with many of you. I didn't get to visit everyone in the church–and if you didn't get a visit this week–and you'd like one– just speak up! Visitation is one of my favorite pastoral activities. And I'd love to visit with all of you as time allows.
For me, it was the stillbirth of our first child, Charis Mitchell. It happened in 1999, and I remember so much of it vividly and painfully.
What is the worst thing that you have suffered?
Last February, we got the call that Heather's mom had stage 4 cancer, probably had it for years and it had gone undetected. She's gone through 5 rounds of chemo and now there is nothing medically left to do. Just live her life out.
Did you know what to do with it?
Did you have a category for it?
The worst thing that ever happened to Jeremiah was the exile of Judah and destruction of Jerusalem.
In the year 586 BC, God brought judgment upon the nation of Judah. He had promised exile and warned of judgment for hundreds of years. And Judah had, by and large, ignored those warnings.
And in 586 BC, God kept His promise to bring disaster on His rebellious people. The King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, sacked and destroyed the city of Jerusalem.
And he wrote about his suffering in a little book tucked away between the major prophets called Lamentations.
We're going to take a break from the Gospel of Luke and today look into the book of Lamentations in the Old Testament.
We're going to read the most famous verses in the book of Lamentations. We sing the words of these few verses all the time. They are very familiar.
But their tucked into the very middle of the one of the saddest books in the whole Bible. I mean, the name of the book is Lament. Which basically means to be sad. "Sad-Thoughts" is the name of the book. Lamentations.
And that's great. We need books like Lamentations.
We need books like Lamentations.
One of the most amazing things about Lamentations is how it is structured. 4 of the 5 chapters of Lamentations are a acrostic poems. Do you know what an acrostic is?
But Lamentations is even more carefully structured.
Jeremiah (who I believe wrote this book, actually formally anonymous, but most people believe that Jeremiah wrote it, Jeremiah) put meticulous thought in how to express his grief and sorrow and pain over what had happened to him and his beloved city.
Someday, we'll do the whole book together, and we'll learn a lot of different principles about responding to suffering.
Today, we'll see just a few, perhaps the brightest. The whole book calls for careful study.
But today, we're going to read verses 19 through 24 of chapter 3. Have you found it?
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
It's right there in verse 23.
That's where we get our songs. Right here from that verse. Lamentations 3:23.
Nearly every Celebration Sunday, we sing Hymn #43, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." We're going to sing it in just few minutes again.
Its come right out of this passage.
Which isn't a passage about good feelings. It's a passage about Bad Feelings.
A passage about Sad Feelings. A passage about suffering and lamentation.
Things are going well. The worst thing that he could imagine has happened.
You will be healthy, wealthy, and well-liked.
The Bible paints a realistic picture of life which includes suffering and sadness.
And it even gives us patterns to follow those times of suffering and sadness come. Divine patterns.
I love that about the Bible.
We call this Celebration Sunday, and we celebrate 118 years of God's faithfulness to our church family.
It hasn't always felt like it.
Our church has gone through some pretty rough times. We've faced times when the money was scarce, when attendance dwindled to almost nothing, when the membership was only 7 people, and only 3 of them had jobs.
We've gone through conflicts and church splits. The most painful one was in 1992-93. And just my mentioning it probably fills many of you with some painful memories and uncomfortable feelings.
It's not always felt fine and dandy at Lanse Free Church.
But God has always been faithful to us.
Every one of those 118 years. Every day of those 118 years. Every single day.
The word for "love" there in verse 22 is "hesed." It's the word for God's covenant love. His unfailing love. His love that is promised to His people and can be counted upon no matter what. His steadfast love.
He doesn't get up some days on the wrong side of the bed.
I love the picture of verse 23. Everyone does.
Yesterdays mercies are yesterday. And God has promised new mercies every morning. So we have to go looking for them.
I was at the Gisewhites on Thursday, attending their Link Group–which is an excellent Link Group, in case you'd like to join one. They are studying the book of Isaiah and there was a great discussion about God's Word there.
And I noticed a plaque on the Gisewhite's wall. I was facing it, so I was staring at it the whole meeting.
It may not be on our time-table. It may not even look like what we expected.
Okay, so what should we do about that?
How do we live differently because we've read these few verses?
It doesn't necessarily change how we feel. Jeremiah has two and half more chapters of lamentation to go!
What difference does it make that God is faithful? What should we do?
Notice that this is a prayer.
He reminds himself that God has great steadfast love and great faithfulness and that it is worth it to endure the suffering (which will last for moment) because joy will last forever. Hope in him.
But our feelings can be deceived.
Jeremiah wrote this to be read by others. To be (in some cases) sung by others.
But we need songs like this. We need dirges. Because life hurts!
He didn't know about the Suffering Servant.
He didn't know what we know about the Messiah.
He felt like Lamentation in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross of Calvary.
It's because He was the very embodiment of the steadfast love of the Lord.
His death and resurrection was God keeping His promises.
What's the worst thing has every happened to you?
Do you know how to respond to it?
My favorite mother-in-law is only 59. That seems way too young for what she's got to go through right now. But this is how she's handling her illness.
The Story Behind "Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
Can't say that there never is any good news out there.
My favorite mother in law was featured today in the Airdrie Echo.
[Matt's Messages] "Jesus and the Great Chasm"
For several chapters now, Jesus has been teaching his disciples and fighting with the Pharisees. He's been teaching (among other things) about the surprising Kingdom of God, God's passionate love for lost people, and the dangers of loving money.
And the Pharisees have responded to this teaching by sneering at Jesus and ignoring God's word.
So in today's passage, Jesus tells yet another story about the same things–and this one is all about the danger of ignoring God's Word.
Jesus tells the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus. The Rich Man and Lazarus.
It's probably a familiar parable to most of us.
It's a story about the urgency of getting right with God now while there is still time.
It's a story about two people who end up in very different (and surprising) places.
Two people who are separated by a great chasm, a great gulf, an unbridgeable space. A fixed, terrible, and irreversible chasm.
Jesus is the most amazing storyteller there ever was and ever will be!
The story starts in verses 19-21 with the introduction of the two main characters: the Rich Man and Lazarus.
These two men couldn't be more different in circumstances.
He lives in the lap of luxury every single day.
Is that bad, that he had good things?
Is it bad to rich? No. Not necessarily. It makes things harder [(v.13), you cannot serve both God and money.], but it's not necessarily bad.
A stark contrast if there ever was one!
This man, Lazarus (not Mary and Martha's brother but another Lazarus), was probably crippled (he had to be laid at the gate). He was suffering terribly with open sores, and was desperately hungry.
Reminds us of the prodigal son, right? Who wished that he could eat the pig's slops?
Lazarus wishes that he could eat the dog's food.
There are dogs here. These are probably guard dogs or wild dogs. People didn't just keep dogs as pets back then. And they are very unclean. And they are licking his sores. Yuck! It might have been compassionate that they did that, but it's still gross.
If it was compassionate, the dogs are the only ones showing Lazarus any compassion.
The rich man has absolutely everything but does absolutely nothing.
Now the story is going to change. Incredibly.
Death comes to both characters in Jesus' story, but it is not the end for either of them.
Both die, but they end up in radically different places.
We don't use that word "bosom" much today. It means "side" and particularly the chest. Near to someone.
Here, it's really a banqueting term.
Remember, in the Ancient Near East it people reclined at low tables like spokes on a wheel, and if you wanted to talk to someone, you would recline backwards towards them an turn your head to talk to them. The Apostle John talked intimately that way with our Lord at the Last Supper. The Last Supper was not like Michelangelo's famous painting.
John was in Jesus' bosom.
And here, the picture is that of a great feast, presumably in Heaven. And Lazarus is right up there, right near Father Abraham, the greatest Father figure of the Jews.
Lazarus has made it to blessing.
We would say, in our terminology, that Lazarus was in heaven.
Remember, the kingdom is a party, and Lazarus was now partying with Abraham.
He went from the bottom of the world to the top of Heaven.
Interestingly, Lazarus never speaks in Jesus' story. He suffers too much to speak in the first part, and I think he's too happy to speak in the second part of the story.
He has doesn't have to speak, because Abraham speaks for him. And Abraham, interestingly enough, speaks in this story for God, as well.
It definitely was hell for this formerly rich man. He is not rich any longer. He now has nothing and is in painful torment.
And this man can see Abraham and can see Lazarus, and I think he can see how happy Lazarus is.
Their positions are now switched.
There is a surprising and complete reversal between these two men.
Now, don't work up some compassion for him. This man is (we have seen and will see) getting what he deserves.
Notice that he talks to Abraham. Calls him "Father." He expects his racial connection with Abraham to help him out. He is a Jew, after all.
And notice, especially, that he doesn't talk to Lazarus (even though he knew his name! He knew his name but hadn't done a thing to help him! He doesn't talk to Lazarus), but actually has the audacity to ask Abraham to send Lazarus like some kind of a servant boy to give him a dip of water on his tongue–the tongue that feasted sumptuously every single day.
But he had never lifted a finger to relieve Lazarus' suffering with even a table scrap.
I think that that's the thing that surprised me the most as I studied this story this week.
He is in agony, but he's not repentant at all. And he still thinks that he is above Lazarus and that others ought to be serving him.
It's easy to get used to be rich and take for granted the perks that come with it.
But this man had paid no attention to God or God's Word all of his life, and though he has now begun to pay for it, he hasn't changed his mind at all.
Now, I don't know how many of these details we are to take literally.
I doubt that people in Hell are now talking with Abraham. This is a parable.
But parables are supposed to teach things. And if this parable teaches anything, it teaches that there is a great chasm, a great gulf fixed (irreversible) between blessing and judgment in eternity.
There is a great chasm between Heaven and Hell and no one in eternity cross over from one to the other. It is an unbridgeable divide.
Fixed. So that when you get to eternity, there is no going back. No second chances.
It is too late. Let's read those two verses again.
It is too late. It is too late.
Those are frightening words. Those are sobering words.
They are supposed to stop us and make us think.
Whom is Jesus telling this story to?
Well, in the context, he's been teaching His disciples, and He's also been fighting with the Pharisees.
He's not teaching dead people. He's talking to living people before it's too late for them.
And you don't know when it will be.
But it will come, and when it does the results are irreversible. Fixed.
And what you do now is what counts.
We're going to have four points of application today.
#1. NOW IS THE TIME TO CARE FOR THE POOR.
It's one thing that the Rich Man had completely ignored.
The Scriptures are clear about how God wants us to treat the poor–compassion, mercy, generosity, care.
And you can't do that in eternity.
It's something you can't do after you die.
Now is the time to care for the poor.
Now, don't get me wrong. You can't earn your way to heaven by giving your money to the poor. We've seen that already in this book.
But we've also seen that if you love God, you will love people, but if you love money, you will just love yourself.
Money can be such a false god! Mammon.
Mammon wants us not think about eternity. Not think about the world to come.
Mammon wants us to just enjoy ourselves now and not think about other people.
Especially those pesky poor people.
But a "great chasm has been fixed" between judgment and blessing.
And so, now is the time to care for the poor.
We might like to think of ourselves as poor!
But everyone in this room is richer than that rich man in Jesus' story.
We all have purple things and fine linen. And eat really well. And don't worry about where our next meal is going to come from.
Raise your hand if know you're going to have lunch today.
Raise your hand if know you're going to have lunch tomorrow.
Raise your hand if know you're going to have lunch every day this week.
By the world's standards, we here, are all very rich.
And so we better be thinking about the poor.
I love these shoeboxes. They are a great way of applying this passage to our lives.
They are going to go to "Lazaruses" around the world.
Now, is the time to care for the poor. Soon, it will be too late.
#2. NOW IS THE TIME TO WARN PEOPLE ABOUT HELL.
That's what is on the man's mind in verse 27.
Notice again, that he expects Lazarus to serve him.
He wants him to go (as a ghost perhaps or in a dream or something?) back to Earth to his dad's place to miraculously pass on the message of the great chasm.
He wants his 5 brothers, who are also Jews, to hear the warning that he sends.
Remember who is listening. Remember last week, that the "slightest stroke of a pen" won't drop out of the Law, but the Pharisees had been ignoring God's Word.
The man reasons that surely he himself would have repented if he had had a personal miracle.
But Abraham knows better. It's a heart-problem, not an information problem.
Miracles don't necessarily convince people.
Remember the other Lazarus? Jesus raised him from the dead. How did people respond?
Some rejoiced and believed. Others tried to turn Jesus in to the authorities.
Hard hearts aren't convinced even by miracles.
No, Son, you should have listened to the Word of God when you were alive and talked to your brothers then.
Now is the time to warn people about Hell.
There is a great chasm fixed between heaven and hell. Fixed.
And now is the time to warn people.
You and I have to tell people about Hell.
I'm struck by all of the suffering words in this short story.
Hell is real, and it is really coming to real people.
And now is our chance to warn them.
After we die, it's too late.
Now is our chance to warn people.
And more than that–to invite people.
#3. NOW IS THE TIME TO INVITE PEOPLE TO HEAVEN.
Telling lost people about Jesus.
Every shoebox that we send has a gospel presentation in it.
Because the gospel is more than just don't go to Hell.
It is come with me to Heaven through what Jesus did for us on the Cross.
Now is the time to believe God's word.
Moses and the Prophets. They pointed to Jesus.
And He is the way to Heaven.
We need to invite people to turn from their sins and put their trust in the Savior who rescues people to go to Abraham's side.
There is a great chasm fixed–and we need to NOW encourage people to choose which side they are on.
What are you and I doing these days to reach our lost friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members for Christ?
We've seen Jesus' heart for the lost.
What is our heart for the lost?
Next Sunday, I want to invite you to our church family meal and meeting. One of the things we're going to be talking about at that meeting is how we, as a whole church, as a team, can reach out more to our community.
To invite people to come with us to Heaven through what Jesus did for us on the Cross.
Come to that meeting and bring your ideas and thoughts and your prayers and your hopes and your vision.
Now is the time share the gospel with those who need to hear it.
And #4. NOW IS THE TIME TO REPENT.
Did you see that in verse 30?
The formerly rich man knows what his problem was. He knows that he failed to repent.
The point was not that if he'd been generous, he would have been saved, but that if he'd been repentant, he would have been generous.
And now, there is no going back.
It may not be too late for his brothers, if they read the word of God and believe it.
But it is too late after you die to turn away from your sins and turn to Jesus.
Now is the time to repent.
If you have never trusted Jesus as your Lord Savior, now is the time.
Now is the time to turn to Him, before it is too late.
Because between Heaven and Hell there has been a great chasm fixed.
I'm preparing to preach Luke 16 again tomorrow, and I've found this message by D.A. Carson to be so rich!
I've listened to it already 3 times, and each time got some more out of the passage. Good stuff!
[Matt's Messages] "Sneering at Jesus"
While you're turning there, I want to thank you for sending Heather and me to the Allegheny District Pastors & Wives Retreat last weekend. We had a great time. It was just the right balance of fellowship, biblical teaching, and free time to rest.
Thank you for sending us, for giving us the weekend off, and for paying our way. Heather and I feel very appreciated by our whole church family.
And it's good to be back with you! It is a great privilege to be your pastor and to be paid to study the Bible during the week to deliver it to you on Sundays like a chef preparing all week for one great big feast.
It's time now to feast on God's Word in Luke chapter 16.
We're in the middle of chapter 16, and we're going to study five verses that can be easily overlooked. Verses 14 through 18.
When you preach through every verse of a long book like Luke, it's easy to miss 5 little verses like this that are hard to categorize. In chapter 15, there were lots of stories, and Jesus has already told a story in chapter 16 (the shrewd and dishonest manager) and He's going to tell another story before chapter 16 ends: the Rich Man and Lazarus, which we're going to study next week, Lord-willing.
But it's hard to get the point of these 5 verses that kind of bridge the gap between the two stories. Unless, we slow down and focus on them in particular.
They're not sure what to do with these verses either.
One commentary I have, which is in 2 volumes, covering the whole gospel of Luke, just skips these verses altogether!
But we're not going skip them today. We're going to think of them as a kind of bridge to connect what we've been learning in chapters 13 through 16 so far and what we're going to learn at the end of chapter 16 and into the next few chapters.
What are some of the themes that we've been learning about in the last few chapters?
Kingdom is one theme. Ever since chapter 13 and especially in chapter 14, Jesus has put a big emphasis on the kingdom of God and what it's like. The Kingdom is dawning, and it's not what people had expected. It's a surprising kingdom. And it's a kingdom that is characterized by celebration. The kingdom is a party.
And that brings us to a second theme: the Lost. Remember all of those parables in chapter 15 about the lost [1, 2, 3]? Something valuable is lost, someone conducts a desperate search, and then when it is found, there is a great celebration. Lost, search, found, party. Right? God the Father has a passionate love for lost people. The lost must be pursued at any cost.
And that brings us to another theme: money. Two weeks ago, we studied some of Jesus' teachings on money. Be shrewd. Be trustworthy. Be loyal. Jesus isn't done talking about money.
The Kingdom of God. Lost people. Money. Those are key themes we've been learning about. And all of that has been in a context of a growing hostility to Jesus by the Jewish Religious Leaders–the scribes and the Pharisees.
There's more of all of that to come. And it's all actually right here in this little bridge text.
In Luke 16:14, the Pharisees respond to Jesus' teaching on money. And they do it in the most disgraceful way they can think of...they sneer at Him.
The Pharisee go beyond disagreeing with Jesus.
They go beyond opposing Him.
They go beyond muttering about what they don't like about Him.
And they openly sneer at Jesus. Can you imagine?
What we have here is a fight with the Pharisees.
We're looking here at a confrontation between the Jewish Religious Leaders and our Lord Jesus Christ.
It's so short, you could easily miss this one. But it's too good to miss.
The Pharisees didn't like Jesus' teaching on money. They didn't like the story of the shrewd manager. They didn't like being told to invest their money in eternity with shrewd generosity. They didn't like to be told to be trustworthy with it because they were just stewards. And they especially didn't like being told to be loyal–that you can only serve one master–God or money.
Just think about that phrase for a second.
The Greek word here, "mykterizo" literally means to "turn one's nose up at someone" (Bock, 1349).
Utter mocking contempt. Sneering at Jesus.
They didn't like Jesus one bit, and they sneered at Him.
Now, do you and I sneer at Jesus?
I hope not. Not intentionally, at least.
I hope we love Jesus and that it shows.
But let's see what kind of a heart they had that caused them to sneer and then see if the seeds of those sneers are in our hearts so that we can root them out.
You are sneering at Jesus, (#1.) WHEN YOU LOVE YOUR MONEY.
They loved what money could do for them. Status, power, buying power, possessions, everything that goes with money.
You don't have to have money to love money.
Some poor people are just as guilty of loving money as rich people can be.
All you have to do to get into this trap is to have a heart that is inclined towards money.
And when you do, you're prone to sneer at Jesus.
Because you cannot serve both God and money. Can't do it.
The only antidote to a sinful love of money is a growing love for God.
And the only way to know if you're growing in love for God instead of money is to "follow the money." To watch where the money goes in your life.
Is there generosity in your life towards what God is passionate about–which we've learned is the Lost?
Or is all of the money flowing towards you?
You can tell a lot about someone's heart by looking at their checkbook register.
One of the things I love about this church is that we don't make money the focus of the church, but we do give people plenty of opportunities to learn the joy of giving.
We don't apologize for having "opportunities for giving" like on pages 7 and 8 in your bulletins. God loves a cheerful giver. Because it shows whom the giver really loves.
You're sneering at Jesus (#2.) WHEN YOU PUT ON A SHOW.
When you put on a big religious show you're sneering at Jesus.
The Pharisees were masters of this.
They went through their gardens and tithed all of their spices!
And I'm sure they made a big deal of telling everyone all about it.
"But God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men (money, pride, impressiveness, religious display) is detestable in God's sight." It stinks.
God is not impressed by our religious shows.
God is not fooled by the outward exhibitions that we put on.
And you and I are not immune from the temptation to hypocrisy.
It's easy to put on a show.
It's easy to get dressed up and pretend that everything in our life is right where it belongs.
But the reality is that we are messed up people. We are broken. We are faulty. We are hurting. We are sinners. We are sufferers. We are needy.
The answer to hypocrisy is authenticity.
God wants us to be real with Him.
Verse 15 says that He already knows our hearts. Why would we want to go around pretending?
And, be real with other Christians that you can trust.
But being real with God and being real with other Christ followers.
Because what is highly valued among men is highly detestable in God's sight.
And that's the sight that really counts!
Are you being real with God?
Now, I don't think that Jesus' audience changes at all in verse 16.
I think that Jesus is still talking to the sneering Pharisees.
I think that Jesus is saying that the Pharisees have been sneering at Him by ignoring God's Word.
#3. WHEN YOU IGNORE GOD'S WORD.
The Pharisees claimed to love God's law, to love God's word. But did they?
The Old Testament Law and Prophets were full of promises, not just commands.
And now is the time of fulfillment!
The good news of the Kingdom of God is that the promised Rescuing King is finally here!
And the Pharisees are missing it.
Now, that last phrase, "and everyone is forcing his way into it" is one of the hardest phrases to translate and to interpret in the Gospel of Luke.
It could mean about 4 different things depending on how you translate it and how you understand its place in the context.
It could mean that the kingdom of God is being attacked violently. Like the Pharisees are attacking it. That would fit with a similar passage in Matthew chapter 11.
But the verse says, "And everyone is forcing," not "but." So it's unlikely.
It could mean that the people are trying to force the kingdom of God in the wrong way. Like when they tried to make Jesus the King by force. But that doesn't fit the context very well, either.
It could mean (translating it a little differently, in the passive voice in Greek), that "all are urged insistently to come into the Kingdom." That's how the footnote in the English Standard Version would understand it. And that fits the context really well. It's very possible.
But I think the mostly likely interpretation is that many people (the "everyone" of verse 16) are eager to get into the Kingdom now that they have heard the good news about Jesus.
But the Pharisees are missing out. They have ignored the promises of the Old Testament, and they are missing the fulfillment of the New.
You're sneering at the fulfillment of the whole Old Testament!
Anyway you understand the last phrase of verse 16, the Pharisees were missing out because they were sneeringly ignoring the message of God's Word.
These guys who supposedly loved the Law of God really didn't love it at all!
It was just a show. If they did love the Law, then they would love the Savior whom God had promised to send in the Law. But they were sneering at Him.
When You Ignore God's Word you sneer at Jesus.
Do we sometimes ignore God's word today?
Well, certainly the world does. That's obvious.
But what about you and me?
Are we prone to pick and choose what parts of the Bible we like and what parts of the Bible we don't like so much?
We don't get to choose what God has said and what He hasn't.
We don't get to just use the promises and not obey the commands.
The Pharisees, strangely enough, only wanted the commands (because they thought they could earn God's favor by keeping them in their flesh). But they ignored His promises–especially those promises that clearly pointed to Jesus.
But God's word cannot be safely ignored.
It stands forever. V.17 again.
The King James calls it "a tittle." The Greek word is "keraian." Not crayon!
Do you see any difference between these two Hebrew letters?
The difference is this keraian, this little tittle.
Jesus says that the whole Old Testament is fulfilled down to the least stroke of a pen now in Him!
It's more likely that the Sun won't shine tomorrow than that the Word of God will fail.
Why would we ignore it?
Jesus gives just one test case. Divorce. I don't think that verse 18 comes out of nowhere. It's an example of what He's just been talking about.
You are sneering at Jesus (#4) WHEN YOU BREAK YOUR PROMISES.
Jesus is bringing in the new era of the Kingdom of God.
But in some ways, nothing has changed.
The kingdom is a kingdom of righteousness, which means (among other things) keeping your sacred promises. Keeping covenant.
Verse 18 isn't everything the Bible says about divorce. There are exceptions to this rule (Jesus gives them the other gospels) in cases of marital unfaithfulness (and Paul adds) abandonment by an unbelieving spouse.
Not everyone who is divorced has failed to honor their commitments. We know that.
But Jesus has in mind those who divorce one person to marry another.
And He says that that's no better than adultery. And if you're a marrying into a situation like that, you're committing adultery, too.
Marriage is all about keeping your promises.
And that's not something to sneer at.
The greatest threat to the family in America is not homosexuality.
It's not even homosexual "marriage," whatever that is.
It's divorce. Especially among Christians.
It's not keeping the covenant you made before God.
A threeway covenant. Husband, wife, and Lord.
At Heather and my wedding, my Dad got up to the mic and shared one piece of counsel.
He said that the secret to a good marriage is very simple: Marry the right person and keep your promises.
And after you're married, it gets even more simple.
Because God always keeps His.
Down to the least stroke of a pen.
And that's nothing to sneer at.
Two great ministries that go great together!
My proposal for my applied research project is ready to mail!
Thank you to all who have been praying for this.


text:
Q: How to choose a partition key in DynamoDB for a chat app I have a requirement to use DynamoDB for a chat app that will be used occasionally, on an event day. The app will be reading/writing few thousands of messages on a particular day, and almost none after that.
Here's what I have in mind:
Table: Messages
HashKey: Event day name
SortKey: Message timestamp

I can get recent 20 messages (chat app usually get latest data only, no?), but the all read/write will be directed to one partition only.
I could try this way
Table: EventDayMessage
HashKey: Message timestamp

With this, the read/write will be spread out to the more recent message, but I have no way to get the recent messages due to no sort key.
Is method 2 better in my scenario? What can I use for the sort key? Is there any other better suggestions (other than switching db)?

A: my first recommendation is to move to a proper db (like elasticsearch) that answer this usage (time based search) and create a new index for each day
but if still you want to use dynamodb, a good hack can be:

*

*if your app write/read thousands of msges per day, so you wont get many partitions (depends also on you data size).

lets assume you are going to have 3 partitions.
your keys can be like that:
HashKey: Event day name + 'part_X' (where x is a number between 1-5. it can be a round rubin, or some '%' on a user_id or something like that)
SortKey: Message timestamp

so in your case, to get last 20 comments:
you should get 20 comments from each partition (hash = event_day_name_part_1, event_day_name_part_2 ..) and then get to top recent.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Berry Middle School golf team members Jessica Shaw, Caroline Waldrop, Lauren Choi, Caroline McCabe, Tanya Gupta and Sarah Nelson.
Berry Middle School's girls golf team has once again emerged as champion of the annual Girls Metro South Golf Tournament.
The tournament, held in April at the Highland Park Golf Course, featured nine area teams. Berry's overall score was 135. R.F. Bumpus Middle School's girls golf team placed second with a score of 148 with Carson McKie winning the trophy for best round with a 37.
"The tournament went very well thanks to Mace Muse at Highland Park and the wonderful ladies at the Lady Legacy Foundation who volunteered their time to help officiate," Lincoln Clark, Berry Middle School teacher and girls golf team coach said.


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