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From the June, 2007 issue of Touchstone
Literature Bible
Heaven Knows by Anthony Esolen
Christian Irony & the secrets of Kings & Gods
by Anthony Esolen
The gods know what men do not. They may hoard up their knowledge to punish the wicked, or to bring innocent men to destruction, or they may parcel it out, little by little, to teach men the hard lessons of humility and wisdom. An example from ancient Greece will illustrate the point.
One day a young man fell into a quarrel at a three-way intersection on the road to Thebes, and killed the man in the chariot who had struck him and tried to hustle him aside. As Sophocles' King Oedipus opens, this same passionate Oedipus, who freed the Thebans by solving the riddle of their nemesis the Sphinx, now plies his considerable power of mind and his almost unruly energy to solve a new riddle: Why are his beloved Thebans dying of the plague?
Humor on the Move
In the Christian World, Comedy Is King
The Christian Novelty
What Homer Could Not See, & Jane Austen Could
by Peter J. Leithart
An Ironic Folly
On the Divine Wisdom of Tilting at Windmills
It is his responsibility to bring them salvation, and he groans under the burden. So he addresses the people who come pleading for his help:
And while you suffer, none suffers more than I.
You have your several griefs, each for himself;
But my heart bears the weight of my own, and yours
And all my people's sorrows. I am not asleep.
I weep; and walk through endless ways of thought.
He tells them that he has done "the only thing that promised hope": sent his kinsman Creon to ask the Delphic oracle what to do.
Let us pause to note the king's tragic virtue. Were it not for his intellectual acuity and restlessness, and his care for the people, the tragedy would not unfold. Oedipus would never learn that he himself caused the plague. Nor should we simplify the moral problem—that a man can be destroyed by his virtue—by saying that Oedipus esteems the human intellect too highly, and refuses to submit to the wisdom of the gods. He has admitted being at a loss, and that is why he must appeal to Apollo at Delphi.
Oedipus's Curse
When Creon returns with word that the plague is a punishment for the unavenged murder of the late King Laius, Oedipus determines to ferret out the murderer. We in the audience know—we are Greeks, and have heard the tale before—that Oedipus is himself the killer.
Thus, when he delivers his first proclamation to the people, we are aware of the trap that will catch him by his own words. "The unknown murderer," he says, shall "wear the brand of shame" forever, driven from the city, friendless until death. Nor does he exempt himself from the curse:
If, with my knowledge, house or hearth of mine
Receive the guilty man, upon my head
Lie all the curses I have laid on others.
We know what the gods know and what Oedipus does not know, and we also know that, were we in Oedipus's place, we would know as little as he. Man is a marvel, says Sophocles, taming the waves and furrowing the land with wheat, tracking the paths of the stars and building his gleaming cities of marble, but eternal laws bind us, and the gods who know the future and seldom tell it will deal out their justice as they please, and not as we determine.
Sophocles' play is a spider web of dramatic irony, of the dreadful weaving of gods unseen. Were it not for the equivocations of the oracle at Delphi (a notoriously anti-democratic oracle, hostile to Sophocles' Athens), there would have been no tragedy. The gods begin by playing with, meddling with, the incomplete knowledge of men. They seem to enlighten, yet bring darkness.
For Laius and his wife Jocasta had learned from Delphi that the son she bore would kill his father and marry his mother. To avert this unspeakable wickedness, they committed wickedness of their own, laming the child (hence his name Oedipus, or "Swollenfoot") and instructing a trusted servant to expose him in the mountains nearby.
What the Gods Will Do
Such exposure was thought of as returning the child to the gods—a perilous chance, it seems, when the gods are malign, leading you on to commit the deed for which they will crush you. But Oedipus did not die. He was taken up by a shepherd and brought to Corinth, where he was adopted into the home of Polybus and Merope, whom he took for his father and mother.
Yet people will talk. Young Oedipus, hearing it whispered that those good people were not his parents, went in person to Delphi—as always, impetuous to know. The oracle, as oracles will, did not reply to the question he asked. Instead, the priestess informed Oedipus that he would kill his father and marry his mother. Horrified by the prospect of this sin, Oedipus leaves Corinth.
If he is to be blamed for thinking he could avert the evil, he is also to be credited with wanting so much to avert it that he would sentence himself to exile. However we judge his flight, it is clear that the gods have put him in the way of the sin: Had he been less pious, less desirous to know the truth, and less courageous, he never would have left Corinth, and therefore never would have sinned.
The gods have given him what he thinks is reliable knowledge, knowing that he would misinterpret it and believe he knew what he did not know. We in the audience know this, and watch the plot unfold, and know that the gods may do the same to us.
In a world ruled by such gods, the sharpest tool man possesses, language itself—without which he could not build a community—turns in his own hand to cut him. Oedipus has heard from the oracle, but wants to hear more, so he summons the old seer Tiresias. That prophet knows what Oedipus does not know, but in his desire to spare him (no matter for the plague that devastates the city) he will not speak.
Oedipus interprets the silence plausibly enough, accusing Tiresias of wanting to protect himself from suspicion:
I tell you I believe you had a hand
In plotting, and all but doing, this very act.
If you had eyes to see with, I would have said
Your hand, and yours alone, had done it all.
To which the seer replies with the most devastating line in the play:
You would so? Then hear this: upon your head
Is the ban your lips have uttered—from this day forth
Never to speak to me or any here.
You are the cursed polluter of this land.
The Gods' Agent
"You are the man!" Oedipus will not believe it. Why should he? Tiresias has given no reason. The accusation only enrages the king, drawing from his lips the condemnations that will come down upon him when the truth, the how and where and why of it, is finally revealed.
We watch in amazement and comprehending horror as the ruler of Thebes does what we know we might do, denying what he cannot understand, in his ever greater stridency pressing against the truth he cannot help but suspect, the truth that cannot be but is. Indeed, Oedipus learns nothing from his contentious meeting with Tiresias, and is meant to learn nothing. Instead, the clue leads him to pursue false suppositions, as for instance that Tiresias has connived with Creon to steal the throne.
The man is being crushed by the gods.
There is no escape. When, finally, Oedipus learns how he has slain his father and "sowed the field" of his mother, he becomes both agent and subject of the gods' irony: He puts out his eyes, the egg-like organs that refer symbolically to the testicles, his instruments for the great crime against nature.
The moral that the chorus draws from the terrible finale is one of resignation, even despair. The lofty will fall, not necessarily because they are proud (though they usually are), but because they are lofty. Best to keep to the unobtrusive middle; best to know when to duck.
We live in relative ignorance, and do not even know, as Oedipus certainly did not, whether we shall escape this twilight life with something like happiness. Only the end makes us sure: and at that end, we do not rejoice but breathe a sigh of relief. Oedipus, they say, was once the greatest and wisest of men, but
Behold, what a full tide of misfortune swept over his head.
Then learn that mortal man must always look to his ending,
And none can be called happy until that day when he carries
His happiness down to the grave in peace.
Oedipus & David
Now compare the Oedipus story with this account from the Old Testament, told in 2 Samuel. David, king of Israel, is a married man, married once, and not happily, to Michal, daughter of the late King Saul, and then again to Abigail, a woman who had assisted him when he fled Saul's wrath. And there were at least two others.
Then one evening David, rich in wives, "arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look on." He learns that she is Bathsheba, wife of his loyal soldier, Uriah the Hittite. He sends for her, and lies with her, "for she was purified from her uncleanness," that is to say, she was past the time of her menstrual period.
The inspired author need not mention that neither she nor David is purified of the uncleanness of adultery, and the sly detail leads us to suspect that the good and clean time for a husband to have relations with his wife is not the best time for David to have relations with Bathsheba. For "the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child."
Now David finds himself in difficulties. He knows a secret, and thinks he can keep it hidden. He wants Uriah to lie with Bathsheba, that the child already conceived may be passed off as Uriah's own, given the vagaries of gestation and reckoning the calendar.
He summons Uriah from the battlefield, asking him pertinent (but to David quite unimportant) questions about the war. Then he commands him to go home and "wash his feet," a euphemism for bathing the genitals, as prelude to more delightful battle with his wife. David even sends a rich meal to his house, hoping that a full belly will set him to it.
That should have been enough. But he does not reckon on Uriah's great loyalty: The soldier knows his duty, and will not go home. "The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing."
Royal Shame
The hearer of these words in the synagogue must consider the irony. Here we have David, who danced for joy as he brought the sacred Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. But David has forgotten about that covenant.
Uriah has not forgotten—and he is Uriah the Hittite, an alien, one who has chosen to worship the God of Israel and to fight as a soldier for Israel's king. He is to be loved as an Israelite, for they themselves "were strangers in the land of Egypt," says the Lord, and this stranger is moreover one who, like David's own great-grandmother Ruth, has piously united himself with God and God's people.
David's hand is forced, or so he thinks. He's given Uriah a decent chance; now there is nothing to do but order him killed in battle. His letter to his general Joab leaves, in politic fashion, the means to Joab.
That general—who made a virtue of placing political considerations above piety, even though he knew right from wrong—obeys. But obedience exacts a price, taking the lives of others besides Uriah: for Joab has had to engage in a "blunder" to expose him. Joab knows that David will understand.
Thus Joab instructs the messenger who will take the news to David: "If so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? Knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall? Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? Why went ye nigh the wall? Then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also."
Joab washes his hands of the blame. Yet he wants David to know that the action was shameful; so shameful that one Abimelech must die by a woman's hand, all so that David's "servant"—fine word, "servant"—would never return alive.
Intimate Absence
By comparison with the gods of the Greek play, the God of Israel seems to have kept free of the scene. He does not meddle, nor use oracular chicanery to elicit the wickedness he will punish. David's sin has its birth in David's mind alone.
But in another sense, God is all the more intimately involved by his apparent absence. Uriah's reference to the ark reveals God's presence: That precious box, so humble that David thought it unworthy, was the dwelling place of the Lord among his people.
The Lord is near, as David of all people ought to know. He and Joab know what the messenger does not, but the Lord knows all, and will bring it to light.
The Greek gods know many things that men do not; they do not know everything; they, too, submit to a mysterious Fate. One of the things they do not know, or do not care to know, is the human heart. But the Lord does know the heart, because there is the ark or temple where the Lord wishes to dwell, pleased with the only sacrifice that means anything: the burnt offerings of love. So the Lord sends a messenger to David.
The king does not send for the prophet; the prophet comes to the king. Tiresias speaks in riddles almost perversely designed to enrage Oedipus and check his understanding; Nathan speaks in a parable designed to capture the heart of David before he is aware. We who are aware watch as the scene builds to its climactic irony. Once upon a time, says Nathan, there were two men, one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had wealth abounding, but all the poor man had was one little lamb, the darling of his family, that ate from his own hand and drank from his cup, and was as a daughter to him. But then "there came a traveler unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him."
Hearing this, David flares up in righteous anger: "As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."
But the seer Nathan turns to him and says, "Thou art the man."
The Key Moment
"You are the man!" That accusation again—with a difference. The parable has summoned David's sympathies. He feels in his heart the betrayal of the poor man, what he did not feel in Uriah's case, as he shuffled and connived. The vision he is granted, by the mercy of God, and by God's justice, which does not veer from his mercy, is meant to convict him, and, by convicting him, to redeem him.
Nathan delivers a terrible prophecy of punishment to come, duly levied upon David's offspring, in that David had violated the womb of another man's wife. War shall fall upon David's house, and the child conceived by Bathsheba shall die.
What David did in secret, the Lord will fittingly do in the open, to David's shame before all the people. But even as he hears the punishment, David is struck to the heart, not urging excuse, but saying simply, "I have sinned against the Lord."
That is the key moment. God works to bring David to life again; he is God of the living, not the dead. Nathan replies at once: "The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die."
And David does penance, fasting, lying prostrate upon the earth, praying to no avail that the Lord will alter his punishment and let his child live. The half-understanding counselors see this and try to advise the king to be reasonable, but he, wiser than they, refuses.
Then the child dies, and David lifts himself from the ground and bathes and changes his clothes, to the astonishment of those same counselors, who still do not see. Why mourn now? says David. What good will that do?
The king's trust is once again like a child's. He has submitted to the Lord. And so far from believing that Bathsheba is unclean territory, he understands not only his sin but the Lord's forgiveness. After night comes the morning: "And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her; and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him."
How strange that the son of the foolish adulterers (and one of them a murderer as well) should become the next king of Israel, proverbial for his wisdom! But Solomon is the son not of the adultery, but of the repentance and the forgiveness.
He is the son of the new knowledge, not simply that mankind is nothing before the gods, but that man who is nothing before God is, by the grace of God, as the Psalmist says, "a little lower than the angels," crowned with glory and honor. Nathan ratifies the event, for David sends for that good prophet, who looks upon the baby and "called his name Jedidiah [beloved of the Lord]."
That story of David and Bathsheba reveals the workings of a God whose ways are not our ways, whose thoughts are not our thoughts, but who makes us to walk in his ways, and to be fulfilled in the intellectual vision of his glory. If it is not irreverent to say so, he is a God who swindles man into his restoration.
He dupes man into truth. He becomes flesh, to raise man to himself.
Already Found Out
Indeed the gods know what men do not. The sinner makes much of his intellect (Oedipus) or his cunning (David), only to find with a shock that he has already been found out, and that not only does he know less than he thought he did, but the truth is other than what he had suspected.
In both cases the sinner comes to a humiliating (for Oedipus, also horrifying) knowledge of who he is, and how small he is before the divine. In both, future generations will suffer the punishment also: Israel will be divided into two kingdoms, reflecting the division foretold for David's family; and Thebes will fall to civil war when each of the incest-born sons of Oedipus attempts to oust the other.
Yet Oedipus is the archetypal tragic hero, while David is celebrated as a great king.
David's sins and unhappy old age could never, for the Jewish people and their prophets, efface his glory as Israel's greatest ruler and the progenitor of the Messiah.
Why the divergence? One reason is that the dramatic reversal instructs David in a way it cannot instruct Oedipus. The sinner gains knowledge of himself, true. But he also gains knowledge of God, and of God not as an external and mystifying will, but as a person, a Being to whom one can pray, before whom one can dance, before whom one can lie prostrate upon the earth. He is a God who reveals himself because he wishes to be known.
So for Jews and Christians there is an added dimension to the irony of incomplete knowledge, a liberating depth, where otherwise all would have been flat confinement. A single act of love from the heart of the Almighty explodes the tense yet static confrontation between the classical heroes and the gods.
For no matter how heroic or pious the man was, he could never know more about the gods than was already given him to know: They were immortal, powerful, beautiful, ruthless. Greek philosophy serves rather to highlight what man cannot know for certain about the gods than what he can know or even suppose with a fair probability.
Where could that pagan religion lead, if not to despair? By the time of the Roman poet Lucretius (ca. 60 B.C., four centuries after Sophocles), many looked to be liberated by admitting defeat.
Everyone supposes that the gods exist, says Lucretius in On the Nature of Things, so it is reasonable to concede that minor point. But we cannot know anything else about them. They can neither touch nor be touched:
For by necessity the gods above
Enjoy eternity in highest peace,
Withdrawn and far removed from our affairs.
Free of all trouble, free of all care, the gods
Thrive in their own works and need nothing from us,
Not won with virtuous deeds nor touched by prayers.
Even the gods bow to the necessity of their limitation, their utter removal from our world. Then we might as well spend our brief lives seeking a few modest pleasures of the body, and the sweeter pleasures of the mind. These latter, of course, will be severely restricted in scope, since we can know nothing of the divine.
Our Liberations
We bide our time in the antechamber of death, persuading ourselves that we do not care: "Death, then, is nothing to us, no concern,/ Once we grant that the soul will also die." How to wait while the slow stroke falls, that is the object of the true philosopher. A benignant calm is all we can ever know, all it will ever profit us to know.
So the terrible irony is that man, whose mind can search the stars, "raiding the fields of the unmeasured All," as Lucretius says in over-praise of his master Epicurus, is the single being in creation whose faculties are quite in vain. It is as if a malign fate had ordered it so.
But what if the One we wish to know knows us and wishes to be known by us? That is no idle fancy but the startling claim that Judaism and Christianity make: It is an assertion of a fact. Such a God either exists or he does not.
There is no third possibility. And if he does exist? Suddenly and with a fearful abandon he may free us from our resigning and comfortable limitations. He may knock loose the iron fetters forged by what we think we know and what we think we cannot know. He may reveal even to great thinkers the mysteries he has revealed to babes and innocents.
He may—rather, he will. And we will find the revelation a surprise, but that is because we are sluggish in the ear and inattentive. But Truth himself has promised it, and he means to be understood. •
Anthony Esolen is a faculty member and Writer-in-Residence at Northeast Catholic College in Warner, New Hampshire, and the author of many books, including: Defending Marriage: Twelve Arguments for Sanity (St. Benedict Press), Real Music: A Guide to the Timeless Hymns of the Church (Tan, with a CD), and Out of the Ashes: Rebuilding American Culture (Regnery). He has also translated Dante's Divine Comedy (Random House).
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Many of us see and acknowledge all around us a pervading attitude of complacency or indifference, an attitude of worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes, let's live for today. To live our lives as dedicated Christians isn't an easy life; it's actually quite difficult for us to try to be so conscious of everything that we do and to reform all of our ways; to become almost a completely different person in the case for some of us who have so many bad, unhealthy and unchristian habits. One thing that we can be assured is that if we live today for today and put off reforming and renewing our ways – we will be caught off-guard when the Lord comes to us. That was almost my story. One element of my own vocation story took place in the early months of my "calling", when the seed had been planted as my pastor and I was thinking & praying about it again and again.
I had rationalized that since I was in my early 30's and there didn't seem to be an upper age limit, I could think about it again when I retired. The age I could retire at was 52. That rationalization seemed to be compelling. My mother, who was dying, told me at some point along the way that I shouldn't live life with regrets, that if the priesthood were something I wanted to pursue, then I shouldn't let rationalizations stand in the way. My mother died when she was 52. That was my wake-up call. It seemed when I put this all together, I could not rationalize anymore. I mention today my own story because one of the things which I encounter more often than I would hope for, is men and women like me who look too much for signs when their hearts are leading them to discern and follow the Lord into their vocation of priesthood and religious life. We can find all the rationale and reasons not to answer these calls – the world gives us many. But what we've felt in our heart, if it's founded in love, service, a desire to for holiness and often affirmed for us by others; it is of the Lord. We have to be careful of looking for signs, because fixating on things of this world often don't bring us any closer to heavenly things, in this case answering the Lord's call and the living out of our vocation.


Cameron Avery is back with a new song today. It's one of our favorites from his forthcoming album 'Ripe Dreams, Pipe Dreams' out March 10th. Simply, the series of songs Cameron Avery is coming up with surround the release of his album have to mark it as an early contender for those 'Best Of The Year…' lists, and you just need to know about it. Thus, I shall tell you. Latest visually-enhanced instalment is Dance With Me (Spinning Top/Anti), again a long way from his Tame Impala and Pond credits. And sure it has some ironic self-awareness, an arched eyebrow to its noir-ish tone, which might be deliberately winking at itself. But, as Berlin-era Iggy collides with some Lennie Cohen via some Rat Pack lounge-lizarding, it'd all fall to slivers if there wasn't real craft and talent in what has been made.


When a major steel deck and joist manufacturer wanted to become more competitive in the upper Midwest region, it called on Austin Consulting and The Austin Company to help find a location and build a new manufacturing plant and office building. Austin first performed a site location study focused primarily in areas in Indiana and Illinois to identify the best area based on annual cost and non-cost factors. Important location considerations included quality industrial sites at a reasonable cost, labor availability and a quality local technical school for training needs, an area with a positive history regarding labor relations, a good sources for all utilities especially electric power, and incentive programs including worker training and grants to assist in site development. Upon selection of a final site in Peru, Illinois, The Austin Company also completed design, engineering, and construction services for the new facility.


In order to improve our performance we have come back to the former "Schulaufgaben" in grades in grades 7 and 8 after long and extensive discussions.
Due to the lack of a book especially conceived for the "Wirtschaftsschule" we use "Go Ahead" series 7-10 which provide us with the necessary grammar and enough material for working on texts and extending our general knowledge.
In addition to this we use "Mail For You" which covers a wide range of business letters and the corresponding vocabulary in grades 9, 10Z, 10, 11Z.
Anmelden | 55 queries. 0,351 seconds.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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    namespace Dez\Http\Cookies;

    use Dez\DependencyInjection\ContainerInterface;
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        public function __construct( $name, $value = '', $expired = 0, $path = '/', $domain = '', $secure = false, $httpOnly = false ) {
            $this->setName( $name )->setValue( $value )->setExpired( $expired )
                ->setPath( $path )->setDomain( $domain )
                ->setSecure( $secure )->setHttpOnly( $httpOnly );
        }

        /**
         * @return ContainerInterface
         */
        public function getDi() {
            return $this->di;
        }

        /**
         * @param ContainerInterface $di
         * @return static
         */
        public function setDi( ContainerInterface $di ) {
            $this->di = $di;
            return $this;
        }

        /**
         * @return boolean
         */
        public function isSent() {
            return $this->sent;
        }

        /**
         * @param boolean $sent
         * @return static
         */
        public function setSent( $sent ) {
            $this->sent = $sent;
            return $this;
        }

        /**
         * @return string
         */
        public function getName() {
            return $this->name;
        }

        /**
         * @param string $name
         * @return static
         */
        public function setName( $name ) {
            $this->name = $name;
            return $this;
        }

        /**
         * @return string
         */
        public function getValue() {

            if( ! $this->value && isset( $_COOKIE[ $this->getName() ] ) ) {
                $this->setValue( $_COOKIE[ $this->getName() ] );
            }

            return $this->value;
        }

        /**
         * @param string $value
         * @return static
         */
        public function setValue( $value ) {
            $this->value = $value;
            return $this;
        }

        /**
         * @return string
         */
        public function getExpired() {
            return $this->expired;
        }

        /**
         * @param string $expired
         * @return static
         */
        public function setExpired( $expired ) {
            $this->expired = date( 'D, d-M-Y H:i:s', $expired ) . ' GMT';
            return $this;
        }

        /**
         * @return string
         */
        public function getPath() {
            return $this->path;
        }

        /**
         * @param string $path
         * @return static
         */
        public function setPath( $path ) {
            $this->path = $path;
            return $this;
        }

        /**
         * @return string
         */
        public function getDomain() {
            return $this->domain;
        }

        /**
         * @param string $domain
         * @return static
         */
        public function setDomain( $domain ) {
            $this->domain = $domain;
            return $this;
        }

        /**
         * @return boolean
         */
        public function isSecure() {
            return $this->secure;
        }

        /**
         * @param boolean $secure
         * @return static
         */
        public function setSecure( $secure ) {
            $this->secure = $secure;
            return $this;
        }

        /**
         * @return boolean
         */
        public function isHttpOnly() {
            return $this->httpOnly;
        }

        /**
         * @param boolean $httpOnly
         * @return static
         */
        public function setHttpOnly( $httpOnly ) {
            $this->httpOnly = $httpOnly;
            return $this;
        }

        /**
         * @return $this
         */
        public function delete() {

            setcookie(
                $this->getName(),
                null,
                time() - 86400,
                $this->getPath(),
                $this->getDomain(),
                $this->isSecure(),
                $this->isHttpOnly()
            );

            $this->setValue( null );

            return $this;

        }

        /**
         * @return $this
         */
        public function send() {

            $expire     = strtotime( $this->getExpired() );

            if( ! $this->isSent() && $expire > time() ) {

                setcookie(
                    $this->getName(),
                    $this->getValue(),
                    $expire,
                    $this->getPath(),
                    $this->getDomain(),
                    $this->isSecure(),
                    $this->isHttpOnly()
                );

                $this->setSent( true );

            }

            return $this;

        }

        /**
         * @return string
         */
        public function __toString() {
            return $this->getValue();
        }

    }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: How to include explicitly a controller method in its helper file so it is possible to include that helper in another controller and use that method? I am using Ruby on Rails 3 and I would like to include a controller (accounts_controller.rb) method explicitly in its related helper file (accounts_helper.rb) so that I can include that helper in another controller and use its methods. I need that because I can move out in helper the method code stated in accounts_controller.rb, but I need to use that method in others controllers.
Since this question is also related to this other question, I thinked to solve the latter this way:
(1) in accounts_controller.rb I state
def method_name
  ...
end

(2) in accounts_helper.rb I can include the method_name... how to do this?
(3) in posts_account.rb I can include accounts_helper.rb... how to do this?
Is it a good approach? If so, how can I code the steps 2 and 3?

A: If you want to use the method across controllers and views/helpers you can declare it as a helper_method
In your application_controller
helper_method :some_method

def some_method
  // some common stuff
end

This will make the method available across controllers and views

A: One idea --  put the helper method in application_controller.rb then you can declare when to expose it to the view in a per controller basis - or globally in the application_controller.rb.

A: If you need to use the method in multiple controllers then I'd suggest it's reasonable to put it in application_controller.rb

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Dragon - LAH Panzergrenadiers + Sd.Kfz.251/7 Ausf.D, Ardennes 1944 (DRA 7364) _________(BRF)
Manufacturer Dragon
Set Code 7364
No. of Figures 4
No. of Poses 4
Additional Items Sd.Kfz.251/7, Weapons, Gear, Optional Heads
Size Tall
Colour Gray
Flash Level Low
Glue-ability Excellent (Polly-cement)
Convert-ability Easy
Optimal Period 1943 – 1945
For the great joy of Braille Scale fans Dragon has started issuing scaled-down versions of their famous 1/35 figures sets, but in the 1/72 scale, except soldiers, the target groups also receive a full vehicle assessed by the manufacturer as "bonus" to the kit. In terms of WWII German Army troopers, all the poses of the scaled-down kits are inspired after reference images, an excellent fact which corroborated with a brilliant sculpture succeed to accurate transpose in the 1/72 scale the real soldiers appearing in those images.
In designing "LAH PanzerGrenadiers" the sculptor used as inspiration a series of well-known images shot during the Ardennes campaign, featuring several German soldiers, most of the time four, in few of those also emerging a destroyed American vehicle. Based on the packs of cigarettes and some weapons, it seems the German soldiers "visited" the vehicle and took from there what they were interested more. The camera and the film were later on captured by Americans and we might wonder what destiny had the soldiers appearing in those images, wonderfully illustrated by Dragon, too. Obviously, the series of images present the four soldiers in various poses and backgrounds but the sculptor decided to depict them when smoking or preparing to start smoking. One of them offers a fire to his colleague to light the cigarette, another smokes and the last, with an MG on the right shoulder, holds a pistol in the right hand, perhaps an American Colt, a highly appreciated souvenir. It has to be emphasised that this soldier in the pose Dragon portrays him is one of the most famous images of a MG gunner, perfectly showing the genuine image of the German soldier during the Late War period and became a real emblem of the Ardennes campaign.
Indeed the original image is of an excellent quality, presenting from close distance just the bust and giving the opportunity of seeing plenty of unconventional items such as shovel worn in front under the belt, knife on the chest slipped under jacket as well some more common stuff like MG on the left shoulder and ammunition belt around the neck. Furthermore, the MG gunner has in his mouth a cigarette and seems wearing an old Zeltbahn over a camouflage smock, toque, and steel helmet. Most of those details Dragon succeeded to catch on the mini, except the cigarette and the knife, the sculptor wrongly allocating the knife in case to one of his colleagues. Nevertheless, the existence of that knife is a good thing, a modeller wishing to exactly copy that legendary MG gunner having just to glue the knife to him and not to his comrade. Attire on the other three figures is more casual, one wearing M42 camouflage smock and the others M43/44 tunics issued in pea dot camouflage pattern in conformity with the artwork. Trousers are quite interesting, two having M43 trousers, another perhaps HBT trousers worn over the regular ones while the MG gunner has a pair of trousers either captured or tailored made. Footwear reiterates the shortage confronting the German army in the late stage of war, two of them having ankle boots and the others marching/jack boots. The sprue provides options for heads with toques or without but only steel helmets can be fit as headgear.
The kit is marketed in the classical Dragon large box, with two front artworks, one from the 1/35 version displayed in the right up corner and showing the figures in action as well as a central one with the "bonus" Sd.Kfz 251/7. On the back of the box the company offers various written and illustrated information on the figures and gear, completely demonstrating the high quality of the product, the images with the troopers also representing basic assembly instructions. Nevertheless, inside the box it is assured the complete assembly guide both for soldiers and vehicle, drawing precise data on how to put together the content. Preferring titling "LAH PanzerGrenadiers + Sd.Kfz 251/7 Ausf.D - Ardennes 1944" the manufacturer had in mind the possibility of legally commercialising the product also in countries where SS is prohibited, the complete name of the division being "1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" (LSSAH). Indeed, that elite division took part at all the major battles of WWII such as Kursk, Kharkov, Normandy, and of course, Ardennes but ended in disgrace, Hitler issuing the famous "Armband order" after the failure of Lake Balaton Offensive in March 1945, accusing LSSAH troops that they "did not fight as the situation demanded".
As usual, the vehicle does not make the subject of the present review that is limited only to the plastic soldiers, but it should be highlighted its very nice quality although it is a little odd the inclusion of a specialised pioneer vehicle next to Panzer Grenadiers. However, the hobbyist has the alternative to build the kit without the bridge, as a regular Sd.Kfz. 251/1, the standard armoured vehicle of Panzer-Grenadiers.
A single sprue of figures is provided, accommodating the parts for putting together the four army-men as well as four optional heads and some items necessary for precisely reproduce the appearance of the true soldiers showed by the reference images. These objects are the shovel in two parts for enabling an easy fit under the belt, the knife for the chest, a rolled blanket, and an American M1 Carbine held by one of the troopers. It is a pity that starting with this kit Dragon ceased providing two sprues of figures like in the previous two 1/72 figure sets dedicated to German Paratroopers aiming the same Ardennes campaign. Especially here it would have been nice for having two spures of figures in order the modeller to have the possibility of converting the minis after another image of the series. The challenge is really attractive and maybe in this way the company wished to tantalise the interested parts to buy more boxes of the same kit.
Gear is incorporated on the standard Dragon sprue taking in 4 entrenching tools, 4 shovels, 4 bayonets in sheaths, one binoculars, 4 mess-tins, 4 canteens, 4 gas mask containers, 4 gas mask containers with rolled gas cape pouches, 4 Zeltbahns, 4 bread bags, 4 gas cape pouches, 8 Kar98K ammunition pouches, 4 StG44 ammunition pouches, 4 MP40 ammunition pouches, 2 Gewehr43 ammunition pouches, 2 map cases, 1 MG gunner case, 2 pistols holsters for 9 mm P-08 Parabellum/P-38 Walther, 2 pistols holsters for 7.65 mm Walther, and 1 pistol holster for 6.35 mm Sauer. Of note is that all these Dragon items are detailed on both sides even if the efforts on the inner one would not be seen anymore after gluing the piece in position. Likewise, the MP40 an StG44 ammunition pouches are on pairs, the ones for left hand side pouch having the additional small pocket stitched to the left side and the others for the right hand side pouch without small pocket.
The same is for the weapons too, the special sprue accommodating 3 Gewehr43, 3 Kar98K, 1 MG34, 1 MG42, 2 folded and 2 opened bipods for MGs, 1 StG44, 1 MP40 with shoulder stock folded, 1 MP40 with shoulder stock opened, and a Sten Mk2, its side magazine being delivered separately next to it. In addition, on the same sprue but independently there are included 4 standard and 4 Fallschirmjager steel helmets.
As mentioned, the poses depict some static soldiers in unusual stances for plastic kits but extremely natural, copying even the smallest detail of the original soldiers featured by the images in case. Indeed, WWII was a war of smokers, thousands of still and motion documents showing the soldiers with cigarettes, so Dragon's incentive of emphasising that fact-finding in several sets should be praised and appreciated. Not only the present set, but also the other two on Fallschirmjagers portray troopers while smoking. Of course, due to moulding reasons, cigarettes are missing but the suggesting positions of palms as well as the hard plastic material facilitate the hobbyist to add a scratch-built cigarette, an ideal method being one made of melted hard plastic sprue.
Being multi-part, conversions are extremely easy to carry out and the smoking figures to be turned into fighting ones or implementing various activities according to modeller's needs or imagination. Nonetheless, it would be a pity not having in collection the original ones, so for conversion purposes it would be good buying a second or even more boxes, this perhaps representing also manufacturer's market strategy when enclosing in the box just a single sprue of figures. For conversions there can be used not only Dragon body parts, weapons and gear, but also Preiser, the close proportions of anatomy and equipment allowing such thing.
Regarding the faultless and imposing level of small details, here there are fulfilled the dreams of any Braille Scale hobbyist, and it is normal to be like that bearing in mind Dragon copied in the 1/72 scale the figs as those are in the 1/35 scale. Such kind of kits reiterates there are no more borders between the two scales in terms of details, the smaller one having the advantage of cheaper price and less occupied space in the house. Returning to the proposed details, these come extremely crisp both on figures and their optional equipment. Clothes genuine fit and fold on the army-men, revealing a large amount of small details like buttons, pockets, buckles etc. Even before putting together the minis the lucky owner of the kit will be fascinated by the irreproachable proportions of bodies, wholly paying attention to the human body. Concerning facial details, these reach perfection, the eyes, eyebrows, mouths, and noses seem carved having in mind the expression of the authentic soldiers. ln fact, Dragon is fully aware about the masterpiece they created and clearly adverts on the box that facial expressions and clothes have been carefully sculptured. The same may apply for palms with all fingers naturally grabbing things even if there is about small ones such as glove or pack of cigarette.
The body parts perfect match in positions and weapons and gear could be added by modeller as advised by the instructions or how he wants. At his disposal there are unnumbered options on the sprues of weapons and equipment, but it should stressed that the manufacturer provided quite proper guidelines on the matter after studying all the images of the series. Of course, being made of hard plastic the adhesive for fixing the parts will be the regular polly-cement used to most vehicle kits. Painting on hard plastic raises no problem, the material faultless accepting enamel, acrylics, and artistic oils, permanently keeping those even at intense handling.
Although sufficient to create an eye-catching vignette by themselves and eventually the supplied vehicle, being in the tall side of the scale Dragon's Panzer Grenadiers find plenty of comrades dressed in smocks, parkas or M43 tunics to accompany. Some of the closest in terms of anatomy and gear size can be found in different Pegasus Hobbies, Preiser, Warriors, and CMK sets. Furthermore, modellers have to take in account the previous two figure sets issued by Dragon having in mind the Ardennes front. Though portraying paratroopers, it is well-known that after the invasion of Crete when they suffered heavy losses, Fallschirmjagers had been transformed in elite infantry and just occasionally received missions according to their designation. For this reason they often appear next to regular infantry troopers, fighting together on numerous fronts. Likewise, Dragon's paratroopers are inspired after another series of images shot in Ardennes and even further, they are also smoking in very relaxed stances, so an outstanding fit for achieving a complex image in the 1/72 scale of the front in a calm area.
Perhaps the set illustrating in the best manner and with the support of an incredible sculpture the real image of WWII Late War German Infantry or Panzer Grenadier, highlighting with accuracy the shortage of equipment and necessary goods as well as the complete disobedience to regulations, Dragon's "LAH PanzerGrenadiers + Sd.Kfz 251/7 Ausf.D - Ardennes 1944" emerges as a masterpiece in Braille Scale. Moreover, the kit provides the major opportunity to own in 1/72 the copy of one of the most famous simple soldier, the legendary MG gunner from Ardennes as well as his comrades.
The smart appearance with shinny boots and clean uniforms is far away, now it is the turn of grubby attire and chaotic armament and gear, a real mess that would have given nightmares to a 1940 officer. Still, this is the authentic image of the soldiers who amazed world and succeeded to face the most powerful armies with poor equipment and weapons. Cursing their political leader for throwing them into another stupid campaign they fought and proved once again their bravery and power based on exactly what Dragon set reveals, the friendship established between the members of a WWII German platoon.
Historical Accuracy 10
Anatomy 10
Poses Quality 10
Details Quality 10
Mould Quality 10
Recommendation/Utility 10
Reviewer's Opinion 10


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text:
Bob Andrews: A large and patriotic life
He loved the United States and was the best kind of patriot: one who could recognize the country's flaws and do whatever he could to fix them.
January 11, 2023 George Weigel The Dispatch 4 Print
(Image: Jordan Wozniak/Unsplash.com)
The beginning of my friendship with Bob Andrews, who died this past December 2, would probably astonish contemporary Washington, D.C., whose denizens rarely venture beyond their hermetically sealed siloes.
It all started in 1982. In diebus illis, I was scholar-in-residence at an anti-communist, pro-democracy peace organization while doing consulting work on arms control issues with a Seattle-based Republican congressman; Bob was national security advisor to Senator John Glenn, who was planning a run for president against Ronald Reagan. Bob asked Dr. Dorothy Fosdick (daughter of the famous founding pastor of Riverside Church, Harry Emerson Fosdick, and longtime aide to Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson) if there was anyone in the peace movement who might have sensible ideas for Glenn, a pro-defense Democrat, as he prepared for the 1984 campaign. Dickie, as she was universally known, suggested that Bob meet with me.
And so, with Dickie Fosdick as midwife, my longest-running Washington friendship began with a conversation over burgers and fries in the cafeteria of the Rayburn House Office Building.
As his daughter Elizabeth remarked at his death, Bob Andrews lived a large life. A native South Carolinian, he went straight into the US Army's Special Forces after graduating from the University of Florida and did two tours in Vietnam (and adjacent countries). That experience led him to write a scholarly book, The Village War: Vietnamese Communist Revolutionary Activities in Ding Tuong Province, 1960-1964, a copy of which Bob inscribed with this arresting epigram: "For George – A book about a war Americans need not have fought — a war America need not have lost."
After leaving the Army with a chest full of ribbons, he worked in the intelligence community, Congress, the defense industry and the Defense Department. Thanks to Bob, I got to know a wide-ranging cast of characters, including Jim McDivitt (commander of Gemini IV and Apollo IX, who once confessed over lunch to being afraid of heights); Jim Woolsey, who served as director of central intelligence until President Clinton's lack of interest in such matters led him to resign; and the denizens of Stoney's, a legendary DC cop bar (now sadly gone up-scale) with the greatest grilled cheese sandwiches on the planet.
Bob Andrews's literary talents were not confined to academic treatises on communist subversion in rural Vietnam. In his 60s, he became an accomplished novelist in both the espionage and police-procedural genres. I relished the black CIA agent he created, Bradford Sims: one of Sims' adventures (in The Towers) anticipated the events of 9/11 by five years; another (Death in a Promised Land) did for the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., what Charles McCarry did for the assassination of John F. Kennedy in The Tears of Autumn, the greatest spy novel ever written. Bob's Frank Kearney/José Phelps mysteries (A Murder of Honor, A Murder of Promise, A Murder of Justice) exposed the seamy underside of life inside the Beltway while giving the author opportunities for pungent social and political commentary.
A great talent for friendship across the divides of race and class informed Bob Andrews' fiction even as it enriched his life and the lives of those drawn into his ample orbit. He hobnobbed cheerfully with the immigrant staff of a Vietnam restaurant because they had first met long ago in a country far away; he worked in harness with United States senators and senior executive branch officials. His extensive contacts in the worlds of soldiers, spooks and cops lent his novels a realism that was never less than humane, however sordid the subject matter. He was wonderful company in every setting in which we ever met, from the Pentagon to Martin's Tavern in Georgetown.
When my work took a decisive turn toward ecclesiastical affairs, Bob could not have been more supportive. He was deeply impressed with Pope John Paul II's conviction and courage and would always ask me (on my return from a Roman sojourn) "How's the Big Guy doing?" A man of moral principle himself, especially when it came to soldiering, Bob Andrews recognized and applauded firm principles in others.
He loved the United States and was the best kind of patriot: one who could recognize the country's flaws and do whatever he could to fix them. In the book I dedicated to him, I wrote, "Multiply Bob Andrews by a thousand, and what they call the 'decision-making process' in the nation's capital would be very different indeed." That's even more true today than it was in 1993.
Rest in God, my friend. Thank you for your service and your example.
Bob Andrews
About George Weigel 428 Articles
George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of Washington's Ethics and Public Policy Center, where he holds the William E. Simon Chair in Catholic Studies. He is the author of over twenty books, including Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II (1999), The End and the Beginning: Pope John Paul II—The Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy (2010), and The Irony of Modern Catholic History: How the Church Rediscovered Itself and Challenged the Modern World to Reform. His most recent books are The Next Pope: The Office of Peter and a Church in Mission (2020), Not Forgotten: Elegies for, and Reminiscences of, a Diverse Cast of Characters, Most of Them Admirable (Ignatius, 2021), and To Sanctify the World: The Vital Legacy of Vatican II (Basic Books, 2022).
Church in Australia reacts with 'shock,' sadness at news of Cardinal Pell's death
Extra, Extra! News and views for January 11, 2023
Deacon Edward Peitler
I missed it perhaps but was there a Catholic angle to this piece? (Calling Pope St. John Paul II "The Big Guy" doesn't qualify.)
robert reilly
I am so glad to see this tribute to Bob Andrews, who, as George rightly says, was a great American patriot. He was a colleague and friend of mine when we both worked at the Department of Defense, and for long afterwards.
Bob Andrews: A large and patriotic life | Franciscan Sisters of St Joseph (FSJ) , Asumbi Sisters Kenya
Bob Andrews: A large and patriotic life | Passionists Missionaries Kenya, Vice Province of St. Charles Lwanga, Fathers & Brothers
Cardinal Giacomo Biffi, in his own words
Alessandra Nucci July 24, 2015 0
During his lifetime Cardinal Giacomo Biffi, the retired archbishop of Bologna whose death earlier this month made national headlines but not the international papers, came to be one of the most controversial and influential cardinals […]


Four narrators. Two books. One story of love. Side A tells the story from the outsider's perspective.
Cover design by Daniela Conde of DCP Design.
5.0 out of 5 starsI read/loved and highly recommend to everyone!!!
I read and loved Lori Otto's Emi Lost and Found series (most favorite series EVER), read and loved her Choisie series (also now a most favorite), and read/loved the novella Crossroads (can not wait to read more about Will).
Even though I read and LOVED all the above listed books by Lori L. Otto who has become one of my most favorite authors I was very hesitant to read the Love Like We Do duet and admittedly almost skipped over it to her next book. The reason being that I had never read an M/M book before, just never appealed to me/ never thought I would enjoy it and most often it's hard to open yourself up to something you've already closed yourself off to. But knowing how much I loved Ms. Otto's previous books, all her wonderful characters, and her brilliant writing I knew I needed to give this duet a chance.
Love Like We Do - Side A.....This story is a beautiful coming of age story of two unique wonderful boys, Max & Callen, who are from completely different backgrounds but have become the best of friends and have found a deeper connection than they let anyone see even their closest friends and family....a new young love that may be doomed before it's even been able to begin.
I loved seeing and experiencing this story through the perspective's of Jon Scott (Max's oldest brother) and Trey (Max's best friend) along with other loved characters who all love Max and Callen, viewing it all through their minds and hearts really opens your eyes to so much more!!
I'm so glad that I followed my instincts and allowed myself to be more open when comes to the stories that I read and I know beyond a doubt that just by reading this authors heart felt words that my mind and heart are more open than ever before!!!
I can now say that I have read and loved the Love Like We Do duet (a top favorite and would recommend to everyone)!!!!
4.0 out of 5 starsLove is love was never more beautiful!!
Lori Otto has once again proven she can take a sensitive topic and give it the voice it deserves. With her latest, we are witness to the painful coming out of two characters, Max Rosser and Callen McNare. Through the eyes of older brother Jon Scott and best friend Trey Holland, each alternate chapters, and not only do we come to understand the dilemma faced by these two courageous young men, but get to hear all about Jon and Trey's lives since the Choisie series ended. **These characters have been a vital part of the books that Lori Otto has written previously and although you should read them since they are exceptional, you don't have to, in order to enjoy this journey.
This well-written and detailed read chronicles days in the life of an affluent family and the people they love no matter what. Jon married into the Holland household and now enjoys married life with Livvy and their newborn daugher Edie. Trey is the 16 year old son of Jack and Emi and has the world at his fingertips. His best friends are Max and Callen and he has a beautiful girlfriend in Zaina and a bright future ahead of him. We watch as an event concerning Callen turns everyone's worlds upside-down and the fall-out from his actions. We watch as beloved Uncle Matty becomes the true voice of reason when families are threatened to be torn apart by a well-guarded secret many parents would refuse to accept. And we watch as Max has to come to grips with the fact that the person who holds his heart has abandoned him.
The emotions felt by the entire crew are very intense at times. In addition, Will Rosser, middle brother to Jon and Max is trying to find his way in the world and is having a hard time relating to his older sibling. Jon, the man who basically raised Will and who now is suffocating any dreams the talented musician wants to pursue. This background story was very intriguing and there are many parts to his puzzle that are vital to the main story-line and I'm hopeful Side B will give me the answers I need.
There is a lot to digest and sometimes it's easy to get lost in the many voices being heard. However, with patience and a comfy reading spot, you will find yourself wanting more once those last pages are read. I honestly can't wait to get immersed in Side B.
4 solid stars and well worth your time.
The one thing that's been running through my mind since finishing this book is this: This story is so important. It's relevant. It's what society needs right now. I'm so proud of Lori for putting Max and Callen's story out there for the world to read and experience.
Side A is told from Trey and Jon's POV which I absolutely loved. I enjoyed getting to know Trey better and seeing his perspective of the events that happened. He's so much like his father, but he's young and still has some growing to do, especially when his two best friends come out as being gay. Trey represents the average person going through this experience and how they might feel as they grasp how to handle the situation. At times, he was confused and paranoid, like any normal person would be, but he handled it with grace and the maturity of someone much older than him.
With Jon's perspective, we get to see how a person would handle finding out a family member is gay. Of course, Jon is an exceptional person but he still had some obstacles to face. While reading this, I fell in love with him all over again. He's an amazing husband, father, brother and friend. I hope one day I'll find my very own Jon.
"I cradle her head in my hands as I kiss her some more. 'We're doing fine. I'll do whatever I need to do to support whatever you want to do. Always. Everywhere. Those were my vows to you.'"
As with any Lori Otto book, it was emotional and it was real. She's so good at capturing and showing the human condition. That's why I'm so happy she decided to write this story. She lays it all out there and doesn't hold anything back. What she writes is raw and relatable.
I hope an LGBT youth picks up these books and gains the courage and strength to be themselves in this world. I hope a person who is against, or uncomfortable about homosexuality will read these books and gain a better understanding of the LGBT community and put aside their prejudices. Love Like We Do has something to give to everyone.
"The feeling of love is... well it's like an absolute. It's universally accepted, right? Why does it matter what gender or race we love?"


text:
package it.smartcommunitylab.carpooling;

import android.app.Application;
import com.parse.Parse;
import com.parse.ParsePush;
import com.parse.ParseInstallation;
import com.phonegap.parsepushplugin.ParsePushPlugin;

public class MainApplication extends Application {

    public static final String LOGTAG = "ParsePushPlugin";

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        String appId = "";
        String clientKey = "";

        Parse.initialize(this, appId, clientKey);
        ParseInstallation.getCurrentInstallation().saveInBackground();
    }
}


text:
Q: Raise a OnTextChanged event in winforms TextBox How can I raise an event that will call my OnTextChanged overridden method for my textbox control?
edit:
private void thebox_TextChanged(object sender, FastColoredTextBoxNS.TextChangedEventArgs e)

A: When you find the need to try to call events directly, it usually indicates that you are trying to stuff to much logic into your event methods or event handlers. It is not a good idea to call OnTextChanged or call the event handler directly. Events are designed to be triggered based on user interaction, not to be called as normal methods whenever you want to see their side effects. In fact, it should be a design goal to remove all significant side effects from your event methods and all of your event handlers and move them into separate methods.
Your best option is to take the logic that is currently occurring in your OnTextChanged method and put it in another method, properly named. The method name "OnTextChanged" implies that it doesn't do anything except notify you that the text has changed. If you need to do more work, put it in its own method (for example, UpdateRelatedControls, or whatever it may be) and call this new method from your OnTextChanged event. You can then expose this new method publicly and call it any time you want.

A: The only way to raise that event from the code behind is by making a change to the Text property of the TextBox.
See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa645739(v=vs.71).aspx

A: To format numbers to decimal format with commas on textchanged event. Here is the code in c#
private void textBox8_TextChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)

    {

        //Remove previous formatting, or the decimal check will fail

        string value = String.Format("{0:0,0.00}", double.Parse(textBox8.Text));
 // "12,345.87"

        decimal ul;
        //Check we are indeed handling a number
        if (decimal.TryParse(value, out ul))
        {
            //Unsub the event so we don't enter a loop
            textBox8.TextChanged -= textBox8_TextChanged;
            //Format the text as currency
            textBox8.Text = value.ToString();
            textBox8.TextChanged += textBox8_TextChanged;
        }

    }