Rabbi Dr. Jacob J Schacter: Why is the Chassida not Kosher?
Five Minute Halacha - God or G-d?
Could Devarim be subjective? Or is this theologically treif?
In a previous post, I explained how apparent differences between Devarim and the rest of Torah might be due to the agenda of author.
For example, in Shemot, in a narrative section about Yitro, it makes sense to mention Yitro's input into setting up the court system. Whereas, in Devarim, where the authorial agenda is placed elsewhere (e.g. movement of power from Moshe to others), there is no purpose in mentioning Yitro, and so he is not mentioned. Yitro is simply irrelevant, and his omission is not a contradiction. Since this is a retelling, rather than a first telling, and the audience already is expected to be familiar with the Torah, there is no fear that Yitro's role will be lost to posterity, and so the author of Devarim can focus on what he wants. Devarim is thus an agenda-driven interpretation of the previous text, rather than a dry Biblical history based on otherwise unknown sources.
The reaction, by some, was that this would not be palatable to an uber-frum audience. [This is somewhat beyond the point, because my main thrust was that from an academic perspective, this theory is more nuanced, and the competing theory is simplistic and non-nuanced. Further, who says we care about this uber-frum audience.] But, I am not so convinced that this would not be so palatable to a frum audience.
Charedi TMS [ed: Torah miSinai] means that everything was given to Moses. It would be impossible to say that Moses had some fancy intent to explain why he made certain choices.
יג לִשְׁמֹר אֶת-מִצְו‍ֹת ה, וְאֶת-חֻקֹּתָיו, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ, הַיּוֹם--לְטוֹב, לָךְ. 13 to keep for thy good the commandments of the LORD, and His statutes, which I command thee this day?
Yeah, that's all Hashem wants. No biggie!
R. Hanina further said: Everything is in the hand of heaven except the fear of heaven,25 as it says, And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear.26 Is the fear of heaven such a little thing? Has not R. Hanina said in the name R. Simeon b. Yohai: The Holy One, blessed be He, has in His treasury nought except a store of the fear of heaven, as it says, The fear of the Lord is His treasure?27 — Yes; for Moses it was a small thing; as R. Hanina said: To illustrate by a parable, if a man is asked for a big article and he has it, it seems like a small article to him; if he is asked for a small article and he does not possess it, it seems like a big article to him.
Or, for example, in Devarim 1, we see that a blessing Moshe gave the Israelites was his own blessing, rather than a blessing from Hashem.
Were this all Moshe merely speaking Divine speech, this distinction would make no sense!
The Gemara (in several place, e.g. BT Yevamot 4a) notes that although there is a dispute among the Tannaim as to whether or not it is appropriate to make contextually-driven inferences (known as "S'mukhin") in the Torah, this dispute only obtains in reference to the first four books of the Torah. In other words, whether we can infer details of one law from a "neighboring" law simply by virtue of their juxtaposition is subject to debate among the scholars of the Mishnah. This is, however, not true with regards to Sefer D'varim - there is a consensus that juxtaposition is meaningful in D'varim and that such inferences are valid. This principle is known as "Darshinan S'mukhin b'Mishneh Torah" - we allow for juxtapositionally-driven inferences in "Mishneh Torah" (D'varim).
That would be fine with a human writer living in the 7th century BC, yet i find this hard to reconcile with the concept of torah min hashamayim. What sort of a God is this, who doesn't care about creating accurate historical recounts of the past? isn't he the one who is supposed to have said "midvar sheker tirchak"?
1. Given that our tradition views the Torah as very precise document i.e. every single word and maybe even every letter is not supposed to be redundant, so whether one says different traditions or applies your suggestion, the question remains how does our traditional view allow for conflicting details of narratives. Was Moishe being disingenuous? Did Moishe never hear of "ha-omer dover b'shem omro"? or did he simply forget details? I really don't see how this works.
From a chareidi perspective where every word or letter is meaningful to the extent that this answer would be a problem, the question does not even start. That same chareidi perspective has midrashic explanations, based on these slight divergences. And one uses these meaningful extra letters as a basis for a parallel Oral tradition which answers up any contradictions.
From a less extreme perspective, for the frum perspective I was never saying that these accounts were sheker, or that Moshe was being disingenuous. I was simply saying that he focused on what he focused on, and spoke in the language of man. Dibra Torah kilshon benei adam.
וירם תולעים ויבאש - הרי מקרא זה מסורס. וכי מרחיש ואח"כ מבאיש, אלא מבאיש ואח"כ מרחיש, כענין שנאמר: ולא הבאיש וגו'.
The driving force behind this midrash is a belief in spontaneous generation. Obviously, first something must become putrid and only afterwards become wormy.
What sort of a God is this, who doesn't care about creating accurate historical recounts of the past? isn't he the one who is supposed to have said "midvar sheker tirchak"?
The answer is that the transposed order is not "sheker" and it is not an "[in]accurate historical [ac]count". Rather, it is a way of speaking, a dibra Torah kilshon benei adam. See how many times Rashi writes that something is mikra mesuras or is mikra katzer.
1. Hillel Hazaken's establishment of prozbul -- was not the nullification of a mitzvah deOraysa, chas veshalom. Just the opposite! It was akiyum of a mitzvah!
2. Reeh sources, 2012 edition.
3. YUTorah on parshas Reeh.
4. Bal Tosif in context -- It relates to changes in sacrificial worship. How can adding positive things turn out negative? Shadal gives an example.
Re'eh sources -- I improve this from year to year. I gather a nice group of meforshim on the parsha and haftarah, and link to a mikraos gedolos, by perek and aliyah. This is a very useful starting point for learning through the parsha with meforshim. In subsequent years, I added more meforshim. This year, I added even more, in several different categories. For instance, there are many more meforshei Rashi and even a few manuscripts of Rashi.
How has the eved ivri served you 'twice as much as a hired servant'? Considering the approaches of a group of meforshim on this phrase, and pasuk. Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Ibn Caspi, Seforno, Rashbam, and Shadal. While I add a bit of my own analysis to Rashbam's analysis, the topic is not yet settled in my mind, so I don't end up taking sides. Plus, in the comment section, Rav Chaim Kanievsky's take on the issue.
YU Torah for parashat Reeh.
The movement of the Shalach -- Targum Yonasan on Re'eh is unduly influenced by the Targum and pasuk in parashat Shemini. Or is it working from a Samaritan text? Based in part on a comment in Taama de-Kra, from Rav Chaim Kanievsky.
The hyrax as ruminant -- in which I explain, in a systematic manner, how to read the pasuk in this week's parasha with shafan as hyrax, even if hyrax is not a true ruminant, but ancient people just thought it was. And in the comment section, a lot of discussion, given video evidence that it is actually maaleh gerah, brings up the already chewed food, to rechew, in that it practices merycism.
The Gra on the trup of asser ta'aser -- Part of a series focusing on the Vilna Gaon's interpretation of trup, this one focuses on the pasuk in Re'eh, 'asser te'asser, and works the trup into the famous derasha on those words.
The trup on acharei derech mevo hashemesh -- An analysis of the trup on acharei derech mevo hashemesh, according to Rashi, Rashbam, and Shadal. Does Rashi have a complete theory of trup?
The other side of the Jordan -- A pasuk which must have been written in the midbar. What about the reference to Gilgal, then?
Hashem testing you with false signs, or is this just dibra Torah kilshon bnei Adam? The Torah indicates that the signs of a false prophet of idolatry are really simply Hashem testing you, which seemingly indicates that the signs are real, and that Hashem would mislead in this way. While theologically possible, is this indeed so? Ibn Caspi gives another way, in which this is a (near-) false statement in the Torah, for the hamon am who would not otherwise understand.
Korbanos as compromise -- Ibn Caspi. If so, do we really desire them in messianic times?
Deah vs. Reah in Re'eh -- I respond to a snarky guest-post at DovBear.
How did the Samaritans falsify their Torah? Let me count the ways. It turns out, in two or three ways, not just one. And there might be an over-correction or two in the Yerushalmi and Bavli.
In 2009, in Re'eh sources, I gather a nice group of meforshim on the parsha and haftarah, and link to a mikraos gedolos, by perek and aliyah. This is a very useful starting point for learning through the parsha with meforshim.
In One understandable, and one perplexing, instance of censorship in Baal Haturim, I explore how certain controversial text was edited out or modified in different versions. It is perplexing what one would find offensive in an injunction not to raise pigs.
In Why shouldn't we eat the chassidah, I consider the gemara which explains its traits, and draw a rationalist / non-rationalist distinction regarding timtum halev in whether to agree with the Kotzker Rebbe's premise that the bird would only be non-kosher if its had an undesirable trait.
In A good friend will help you move; a true friend will help you move the body, I manage a tie-in to the parsha, in that a meisis to Avodah Zarah who is a friend who is like your soul should nevertheless be reported rather than concealed. The main body of the post consists of tracing the history of story which appeared in Rabbi Bibi's article in the Jewish Star, about how none of the youngster's friends would assist him when he came to them claiming that he had killed someone, but his father's half-a-friend did.
In The target of Re'eh, I grapple with why Re'eh is singular but the remainder of the verse is plural. Ibn Ezra says it is distributive; Ibn Caspi suggests it refers to the entire nation, and Avi Ezer says that it is a ziruz and hazmana and thus does not take gender or number.
In Why specifically the son of your mother?, I continue on a point started last year (2008) about "your brother, the son of your mother." Ibn Ezra's remarks seem to contain some cryptic, philosophical derash. Avi Ezer dismisses this idea and provides a straightforward explanation, but I would side with Mechokekei Yehuda and Ibn Caspi who say otherwise. However, I don't think I agree with the substance of their interpretation of Ibn Ezra's philosophical derash.
In Chizkuni and You are not *Able* to Eat, I consider Chizkuni's explanation of Rashi's midrashic remarks about the identity of the Yevusi, in different places as descendants of the Chiti with whom Avraham dealt when purchasing the Cave of the Patriarchs, or as descendants of Avimelech. I disagree with him in one or two points.
In Rav Papa Stumbles, I consider a curious gemara in which Rav Pappa's stumbling upon a ladder is blamed on possible lack of charity. I consider the Gra's tie-in to the names of the trup symbols on a pasuk, but then give an explanation I believe is more likely, based on the symbolism of ladders.
In Why pour out the blood like water, I consider the explanation of Rav Yonasan Eibeshitz, and then my own suggestion on the level of peshat, that it is spilling it rather than sprinkling it on the mizbeach.
In Who Was The Baal HaTurim's Woman, I consider just who she was. I have reasons to doubt Rabbi Akiva Eiger's explanation that it is a reference to Mary and her son, and instead believe that he is referring to the Intellect.
In 2008, in Shadal on Tithes, I note an interesting explanation Shadal has about tithes -- that there is only one, which is to be eaten in Jerusalem. And that at the end of the third year, if the produce has not been eaten in Yerushalayim, it should be distributed to the Levi or to the pauper. Shadal claims that the practice of giving all the produce of that year to the pauper rather than taking it to Yerushalayim is a rabbinic enactment so that people should not lie to the paupers and tell them that it was all already consumed in Yerushalayim. And the Biblical vidui maaser is also to ensure that the maaser is distributed correctly, for people would not lie to God.
In Would Hashem Empower A False Prophet, I discuss an interesting theological question which relates to a sequence of psukim in Reeh. If a false prophet makes an os or mofes, and it comes to pass, yet he says to worship idols, we do not believe him. This, states the next verse, is Hashem testing us. Does this mean that Hashem is granting this false prophet actual power to predict the future or to perform wonders? Different commentators offer their different takes on the question, and how to read peshat in those pesukim.
In Your Brother, The Son of Your Mother, I consider this case of apparent duplication from the perspective of the gemara, Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Aharon ben Yosef the Karaite, Targum, and trup. Is this an instance of poetic duplication or is it dealing with two separate individuals?
In 2004, in The Blessing and the Curse, I cite the opening words to Re`eh: רְאֵה, אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם--הַיּוֹם: בְּרָכָה, וּקְלָלָה.
and suggest that the keeping of the Torah, and living a life of Torah and mitzvot, is the blessing. Homiletical, I know, but clearly marked as such, and I think the message behind it is true.
In 2003, I focused on false prophets, as well as a bal tosif/bal tigra issue.
In Parshat Re`eh: Don't Add Nor Subtract: Mitzvot or Avodah? - I focused on the specific language of the prohibition of adding/subtracting something in this week's parsha (to the exclusion of elsewhere).
One point I did not make at the time is that there is another bal tosifu/tigre'u, in Devarim 4: 2 which is more explicitly about commandments in general, based on the context.
In Re`eh #2: Can a false prophet perform miracles? - I focus on a dispute in the Sifre. Devarim 13:2-3 states that a false prophet can do miracles, and Hashem lets this happen/causes the miracles to happen to test us if we will be true to Him.
In Re`eh #3: How can you tell if a prophet is false? - I detail the criteria for declaring a prophet false, on the basis of the Rambam in his peticha to his perush HaMishnayot. In short, he has to give a public, positive prophecy which does not come to pass. This is because Hashem can backtrack on negative prophecy if the people repent (think Yonah in Ninveh). Further, Hashem can recant a promise to an individual not made public, if the merits of the person are reduced (think of Yaakov's fear when about to confront Esav, according to the midrash on katonti miKol hachadasim). Another major precedent/source-text: Yirmiyahu's showdown with the false prophet Chananya ben Azur in Yirmiyahu perek 28. This should form the basis for determining a true and false prophet, and in fact, in Shofetim, next week's parsha, in the devar torah entitled Dvar torah for Shoftim #4: Was the Lubavitcher Rebbe a Navi Sheker?, I dealt with the fact that if we accept (which we don't), as many Lubavitchers claim, that the Rebbe said certain things as prophecy, then he would be a false prophet, rather than that those things must be true even though it is readily apparent that they are not.
2. The general and specific of Hashem's love -- which accounts for the placement of the etnachta.
3. As a follow-up to this post about how to approach discrepancies between Devarim and the rest of Torah in a nuanced way, grappling with the question of the where and when of Aharon's death.
4. The trup on Ushmartem vaAsitem Otam, and considering the difference between our Mikraos Gedolos and what the Teimanim have.
1. Ekev sources, 2012 edition.
2. A land of oil producing olives and honey -- According to Chazal, the word דְבָשׁ in our pasuk refers to dates, rather than specifically the honey of those dates (or the honey of bees). Rav Chaim Kanievsky is troubled by this, sincehalachically, they have the status of zeiah bealma. And he explains how it is not synechdoche, but rather, devash is a generic name for sweet fruit. I am not entirely convinced by this. I also give two novel ways of interpreting this pasuk, at the end, the latter of which will indeed produce an interpretation of dates rather than date honey.
3. YUTorah on parshas Eikev.
4. Running commentary to parshas Eikev, part one.
Ekev sources, 2011 edition. Links by perek and aliyah to an online Mikraos Gedolos. Additionally, many, many links to meforshim on the parsha and haftara. In the 2011 edition, many further additions, including many more meforshei Rashi.
Why does Rashi wait until Ekev to explain gedolim va'atzumim? The Taz has his explanation of this phenomenon. And I offer my own, based on an analysis of Rashi's sources.
Does the prohibition of suppressing urine apply also to women? Rav Chaim Kanievsky considers a reason it should not, and a reason it should, based on a derasha on parashat Ekev.
How should we translate הַנֹּתֵן לְךָ כֹּחַ in Onkelos? Eitzah vs. Chailah, and some analysis from Onkelos' commentators.
A follow-up to 'After you, or after them' -- A follow-up to a 2009 post on Ekev about how Chizkuni makes a derasha assuming a heh rather than a kaf. Now, considering evidence from the Septuagint and from Vetus Testamentum.
The land of Tov, and the need to bless Eretz Yisrael -- In a fascinating construction by Rav Yonasan Eibeshutz, the blessing of the land, lack of barrenness, etc., was needed to combat the natural negative nature of Eretz Yisrael, as accurately described by those well-known tzaddikim, the meraglim. Or else there was 'natural' blessing, as a result of taking off maaser, and the 'supernatural' blessing, of exceedingly large amounts, which was all the more impressive and a demonstration of love, since it violated the 'natural order' of blessings.
Why was Hashem furious with Aharon? After all, the narrative in Ki Tisa, especially as explained by the midrash, would seem to entirely excuse Aharon. Why, then, was Hashem furious with him?
Is Moshe's forty day (and night) fast super-miraculous? So says Ibn Ezra. And Ibn Caspi takes him to task. And besides speculating on Ibn Ezra's methodological motivation, I wonder if it is even so certain that the Torah describes a miraculous event.s.
Did the Israelites have shoes in the wilderness? Pretty clearly, they did. What, then, shall we make of Rashi's comment referring to כדרך הולכי יחף שרגליהם נפוחות?
Luchat ketiv or Lachat ketiv? With the repercussions being which pasuk Rashi is going on. Plus, what exactly is Rashi telling us with this midrash; or what is this midrash telling us?
The Gra's theory of two hornets fighting in Canaan -- It creates a nice elu ve'elu, and works out nicely with the pesukim, but does it reflect original intent of the midrash?
Yet more on the tzir'ah -- How the Maharsha explains the brayta's statement that the hornets did not pass over, in terms of tying it in with the pesukim; whether his problem is the same as ours; and thus, whether his solution works.
Is the command to bentch peshat or derash? Is the command to bentch peshat or derash? Ramban and tradition (and the Karaites!), vs. Shadal. And how to consider it if we accept Shadal's premise.
God-granted power, and why it is not kefirah to believe in the water cycle. And perhaps also to believe in Darwinian evolution as well.
Cleaving to Hashem, and different understandings of dveikus. Can one square the kabbalistic understanding, and Ibn Ezra's understanding, with the objections of the Sifrei? Meanwhile, on a peshat level, I would argue that it is meant metaphorically.
What are the evil diseases of Egypt? Shadal identifies it as diseases particular to Egypt, based on the medical writings of Pliny. And I connect it to a midrash about Pharaoh bathing in blood.
The variant trup on ad-avod, and why Shadal prefers our revii over the variant gershayim. And what each would mean.
100 blessings a day, but how many letters in the pasuk? There is one variant tradition of 100 letters, held e.g. by Baal HaTurim, but we only have 99, and Rabbenu Bachya for instance has 99. Minchas Shai discusses. This is slightly related to a post on parshat Devarim, about Rashi having a word as chaser where we have it malei.
After you, or after them? Chizkuni makes a derasha off of a word that doesn't exist in the form he needs it to, in order to say that the water was chasing after the Egyptians, rather than the Egyptians chasing after the Israelites.
Your feet did not develop calluses -- a followup to my 2008 post about whether the Israelites' clothing stayed fresh naturally; and how this relates to archaeological evidence, or lack there of, of a massive exodus from Egypt.
Is the wickedness of the nations the cause, or the purported cause? Rashi and Rashbam against Ramban and Shadal about how to parse a pasuk.
Did the Israelites' clothing stay fresh naturally? Three opinions: no, yes, and kind of.
Haftarat Ekev: In which there is an interesting poetic Biblical parallelism between YKVK and Adonai. And what this might mean.
which shouldn't necessarily be taken literally. Ekev Tishmeun does not literally mean "that you will hear." Eating enemies, or "consuming" them, connoted destruction. The Finger of God; Circumcising the heart; Moshe not eating bread nor drinking water for 40 days and 40 nights.
After a short break in blogging, my return. In that post, I included a midrash from Ekev, about the scope of Noach's flood and whether it covered Har Gerizim, in which an animal driver gave a great response to a Samaritan, which caused the Pharisee Sages to apply the verse from Ekev -- בָּרוּךְ תִּהְיֶה, מִכָּל-הָעַמִּים: לֹא-יִהְיֶה בְךָ עָקָר וַעֲקָרָה, וּבִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ -- where בְהֶמְתֶּךָ is taken to mean "in your Beham," your animal driver. And a short grammatical analysis of Beham.
A main point of the verse is that Hashem wanted them to realize that He was the source of sustenance. Thus first He afflicted them, by exposing them to hunger, and then provided them with this food, the manna. Why? If they had bread, they would not have learned this all-important lesson. Bread is but one instance of it, but man does not live on bread. He lives on whatever Hashem deigns to grant - כָּל-מוֹצָא פִי-ה.
That is, a tipcha munach. The tipcha separates from the next word while the munach joins. So it is: ושמרתם || ועשיתם אתם.
Does either make sense? After all, in "and you shall keep and you shall perform them", the word "them" is the object of both "you shall keep" and "you shall perform". If so, shouldn't "and you shall keep and perform" be one unit?
This would appear to be the case under consideration. And so, the regular construction would be as in our Mikraos Gedolos. Yet the Teimani alternative is possible, and not infrequent, and indeed, often motivated by a consideration (emphasis).
Under the rule of lectio difficilior, I would assume that the seemingly more difficult word is the original, since a scribe will be more likely to change it in the direction of the easier reading. So that would favor the Teimani reading as more original.
Here is a fascinating variant text that the Samaritans have, in Ekev (Devarim 10): The text on the right is our Masoretic text, while the text on the left is the Samaritan text.
The Samaritan text is obviously not the original. It is a harmonizing effort, to bring in the material from Bemidbar 33 and make it harmonious.
לא וַיִּסְעוּ, מִמֹּסֵרוֹת; וַיַּחֲנוּ, בִּבְנֵי יַעֲקָן. 31 And they journeyed from Moseroth, and pitched in Bene-jaakan.
which on a surface level seems the opposite direction than in Ekev. And in Bemidbar, it is clear that Aharon died at a much later encampment, at Mt. Hor, rather than in Mosera.
לח וַיַּעַל אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן אֶל-הֹר הָהָר, עַל-פִּי ה--וַיָּמָת שָׁם: בִּשְׁנַת הָאַרְבָּעִים, לְצֵאת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַחֲמִישִׁי, בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ. 38 And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment of the LORD, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month.
The Samaritans seem untroubled by it, and just insert the intervening encampments, and put Aharon's death at Mt. Hor.
The contradiction between these two texts (Devarim and Bemidbar) is indeed a difficult one. Someone raised it in the comment section on my previous post, "Deuteronomy based on a different Biblical tradition? Simple vs. Simplistic", as evidence that Devarim was based on different source material.
פסוק זה ושלאחיו קשים מאד.
It is OK to admit that something presents a great difficulty.
ו, ז ] ובני ישראל נסעו וגו ': פסוק זה ושלאחיו קשים מאד. כי לא ידענו מה ענינם במקום הזה. ורשב " ם וראב " ע אמרו שהם להודיע כי אהרן לא מת מיד, וזה לא יועיל ולא יציל, כי יודעים היו ישראל כי אהרן לא מת רק זה זמן מועט, ואם היה משה רוצה להזכירם זאת, למה לו להזכיר המסעות ולא אמר כי חי עד שנת הארבעים? ולדברי האומרים כי נוספו אחר זמן, לא הרווחנו מאומה, כי לא יובן מה ראה המוסיף להוסיפם. ואם בטעות לוקחו ממקום אחר, לא נודע מהיכן נלקחו ואיה מקומם. והשומרונים הוסיפו: ובני ישראל נסעו ממוסרות ויחנו בבני יעקן. משם נסעו ויחנו ביטבתה ארץ נחלי מים. משם נסעו ויחנו בעברונה. משם נסעו ויחנו בעציון גבר, משם נסעו ויחנו במדבר סין היא קדש. משם נסעו ויחנו בהר ההר. וימת שם אהרן ויקב שם ויכהן אלעזר בנו תחתינו . - כל זה להשוות הענין למה שכתוב בפרשת מסעי, אבל מה ענין כל זה לכאן?
"And the Israelites traveled...: this verse, and the one after it, are extremely difficult. For we do not know what their function is in this place. And Rashbam and Ibn Ezra said that they are to inform that Aharon did not die immediately. And this does not help or save, for the Israelites knew that Aharon had only died a short while before; and if Moshe wanted to mention this, why should he mention the traveled and not say that he lived until the fortieth year?
And according to those who say that this [text] was added after a time, we gain nothing, for it is not understood what the added saw to addthem.
And if they were taken from another place, we do not know from whence they were taken and where is their [proper] place.
And the Shomronim add [Josh: as above, see text that they add]. And all this is to make the matter equal to what was written in parashat Masei. But what relevance is this matter here?"
According to Deuteronomy (1:9-13), the court system devised in the desert was Moses' idea. However, according to Exodus (18:17-22), the idea was not Moses' but that of his father-in-law Jethro.
I noted that whether or not one believes in Mosaic authorship of Devarim, it makes good sense that Devarim was written for an audience already familiar with the Torah, and that the author has a religious or political agenda to advance.
In Exodus 18, the agenda is Jethro's role as visitor and influencer of the Israelites. And so, Jethro proposes this, and in the end, 18:24, וַיִּשְׁמַע מֹשֶׁה, לְקוֹל חֹתְנוֹ; וַיַּעַשׂ, כֹּל אֲשֶׁר אָמָר. We are not told there Moshe's words in instructing the Israelites.
In Deuteronomy 1, Moses does not claim exclusive credit for the idea. He does not mention Jethro because Jethro is irrelevant. Jethro would be a distraction to Moses' exhortation. Rather, he is reporting what he said to the Israelites when he implemented this action (or even, a portion thereof). And the purpose of mentioning this is not dry history, but of the transitioning of power from Moshe to others, in this cases, lower judges.
This approach works well in the general case. But it does not work so smoothly when it comes to this Ekev / Masei divergence.
I cannot claim to be able to solve every single divergence. Still, my general observation, about the lameness of many of the purported divergences, holds true.
#1, the Samaritans are right. Not that they have the original text -- of course they falsified their Torah text in order to harmonize. But that the author of Devarim was looking to Masei and pulling in selections of that text. And that even though when read literally and uncompromisingly, the text in Devarim says Aharon died in Moserah while in Bemidbar (20 and 33) the text says he died on Hor HaHar -- that is not what the author of Devarim intended.
Further, Devarim is pulling from both Bemidbar 20 and Bemidbar 33, because Bnei Yaakan is only mentioned in Bemidbar 33 and Eliezer replacing is only mentioned in Bemidbar 20.
יט כִּי יָגֹרְתִּי, מִפְּנֵי הָאַף וְהַחֵמָה, אֲשֶׁר קָצַף ה עֲלֵיכֶם, לְהַשְׁמִיד אֶתְכֶם; וַיִּשְׁמַע ה אֵלַי, גַּם בַּפַּעַם הַהִוא. 19 For I was in dread of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you. But the LORD hearkened unto me that time also.
כ וּבְאַהֲרֹן, הִתְאַנַּף ה מְאֹד--לְהַשְׁמִידוֹ; וָאֶתְפַּלֵּל גַּם-בְּעַד אַהֲרֹן, בָּעֵת הַהִוא. 20 Moreover the LORD was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him; and I prayed for Aaron also the same time.
Yet Moshe interceded, and both were spared. And Moshe continues in that perek with other times he interceded on behalf of the Israelites. Perek 10 returns us to Har Sinai, "at that time", and the chance of a do-over.
And so, the point in bringing in that Aharon died is that he died later, not just there at Har Sinai.
#3, As to Shadal's objection -- why not just say "and Aharon died in the 40th year"?
Recall that this is not a parallel first-telling, but rather a re-telling. The audience is already familiar with the Biblical text, and by channeling parshat Masei, it is effectively quoting to them parashat Masei. This sounds more Biblical, and is along the lines of "as you well know". Thus also the parallel of שם Aharon died.
#4, If so, one could imagine that there is a "Yada Yada Yada" in play, to introduce that they traveled on to other encampments.
With Aharon's death, and the transition of power to Eleazar being the priority, and the death being specifically in הר ההר not really being relevant. This is then mentioned after the first movement in the chain, and is followed by others in the chain to show the movement continued.
#5, בעת ההיא in Devarim 10:7 means at Har Sinai, not Yatva, just as it does in the first pasuk of the perekm Devarim 10:1. See Bemidbar 3.
#6, Many times, making too much of divergences does not lead us to peshat but to derash. I don't know that it applies here, but maybe.
At the end of the day, I am not entirely happy with this, but I do think that it may form the beginning of an answer.
Did Linnaeus classify the hare as a ruminant?
May a girl ride a bicycle?


text:
Q: How to include a different probability distribution in TMB in R? I am using the TMB package in R, and I want to use a density distribution which is not available in the R style distribution.
How should I include it? I didn't find anything in the documentation.
For example, I want to use Simplex distribution, which I have already written in R:
dsimplex <- function(y, mu, sigma, log=TRUE){
  dis <- (y-mu)^2 / (y*(1-y)*mu^2 *(1-mu)^2)
  dsim <- -0.5*log(2*pi) -0.5*log(sigma) -
    (3/2)*log(y*(1-y)) - (1/(2*sigma))*dis
  if(log == FALSE){dsim <- exp(dsim)}
  return(dsim)
}

and it is available in simplexreg and Stan packages.

*

*What is the best approach to deal with it? (I would like to have an external file which contains this density, and call it from the file that I am writing my log likelihood)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Great opportunity to build in Seven Lakes North. This lot is in a great location and perfect for your dream home. Come enjoy the lake life, Seven Lakes has many amenities to offer including horse facilities, marina, swimming pool, club house, gated community, tennis courts, playground and more!


The leap from excess to excellence is surprisingly short: how some of the best chefs in the world are trying to reduce food waste.
According to recent research, every year, one third of the world's food production is literally thrown away: this means that roughly 222 million tons of foodstuffs are binned, a quantity that is roughly equivalent to the food production of sub-Saharan Africa.
It is actually as a reaction to this alarming figure that, on one hand, a growing number of people are engaged in combating waste at all levels of the food industry and, on the other, "zero waste" has become a trend which, according to several sources (comprising Mintel, Rabobank and Sterling-Rice Group) will continue to exert a strong influence in 2017. It's a year that promises to be a decisive one in terms of combating waste, if the newly founded "European platform on food losses and food waste" is anything to go by.
In brief, "food philanthropy", together with the zero waste and reutilisation philosophy, has truly passed the border between theory and practice.
Much was said (in glowing terms) on this topic in Greenwich Village, when Dan Barber – chef of the renowned Blue Hill at Stone Barns New York restaurant and nutrition consultant to the Obamas – launched the WastEd project in March 2015 (literally "waste education"): a network set up to unite the players of the supply and production chain – chefs, farmers, fishermen, designers etc. – to kindle ideas on the best way to optimise food waste. Thanks to the collaboration of some of the world's top chefs – Alain Ducasse, Enrique Olvera and Grant Achatz to mention but a few – what usually represents kitchen waste has been admirably transformed into dishes of surprising refinement.
Barber has done nothing more than put the "third plate" concept into practice in the kitchen, by presenting simple yet refined ideas: the Dumpster Dive salad, for instance, made from pistachios, bruised apples and pears, is served with chickpea water (the brine used to preserve them) transformed into a velvety emulsion sauce (very much the same thing as "aquafaba"). Noodles made from pork rind and king prawns served in a delicate (dashi-style) broth of potato peelings. Or what about a most original hamburger: waste vegetable scraps for the burger, breadcrumbs and crusts for the bread roll and a cream of bruised red beetroots performing the function of ketchup?
The experience is about to be replicated in London where, from 24 February to 2 April 2017, a pop-up restaurant will be in full swing, based on the same zero waste concept: on the iconic terrace of Selfridges, meals will be served whose ingredients normally end up in the bin and, in any case, are underrated in food production.
Almost at the same time as Dan Barber was launching his no-waste concept, the chef of the world's best restaurant, Massimo Bottura, was also starting his own personal crusade against food waste, defining it as the goal of his social evolution. It was May 2015 and Expo Milano – with its slogan "feeding the planet" – was about to open its gates and the Modena-based chef spoke out against the unacceptable phenomenon of tons of good food going straight into the bin. From words to action.
First Bottura set up the Refettorio Ambrosiano near Milan, where about 50 internationally acclaimed chefs took turns in cooking for the less fortunate, using the surplus food (never eaten and served before or processed anyhow) from Expo 2015 restaurants. Together with his wife Lara Gilmore, he launched the Food for Soul project in March 2016: a cultural and social organization created to continue his work committing to reduce food waste. That's why in the Summer of the same year he flew to Brazil for the Olympic Games and facilitated the creation of the RefettoRìo Gastromotiva, which savaged the surplus food, otherwise wasted, from the Olympic Village.
According to the figures released, of the 250 tons of food served every day at mealtimes, 12 tons were recovered and, in turn, transformed into thousands of meals for the homeless. A "culinary philanthropy" that is moving ahead at full speed: after launching the Socialtables @Antoniano in Bologna, last December Bottura's Food for Soul organization arrived in Modena with a project called Socialtables @Ghirlandina, preparing meals for needy persons in the city's Refettorio every monday. What's happening in 2017? Bottura's Food for Soul keeps moving: work is in progress for new projects to be launched in New York, as well as London, Berlin, Turin and Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, legislative measures are being taken in different countries to combat waste at various levels (as in Italy where a bill has been approved regarding the introduction of a food waste tax or in France which has paved the way towards considerations regarding supermarket waste); at all latitudes there are those who have grasped the value – by no means negligible – of the foodstuffs which, for aesthetic or cultural reasons, fail to be channelled into the distribution network, and are developing start-ups of undeniable economic, social and environmental importance.
One such example is the British "Winnow" which, thanks to an app that acquires data on surpluses in the catering industry, allows operators to make more prudent purchasing choices. Food Cowboy in Washington deploys mobile technologies to "divert" the food rejected by distributors towards canteens for the needy. Then, there is the Bostonian Daily Table which transforms food close to its "best before" date into inexpensive cooked dishes.
The electronic exchange of CropMobster in San Francisco is another example of how the exchange of farming surpluses between producers and consumers can be facilitated, successfully diverting huge quantities of food from the waste tip to the table. On the subject of farming, what about the innovative technology that exploits field waste and turns it into "something else"?


text:
Sentencing Hearing – Do You Go to Jail Right After Sentencing?
HomeBlogSentencing Hearing – Do You Go to Jail...
During the sentencing hearing, the judge will analyze the pre-sentence report, and he or she will listen to arguments from the prosecution, defense, and even the victim.
What Is a Sentencing Hearing?
A defendant's sentencing hearing represents the final step in a criminal prosecution. It differs from the trial itself, in that the judge is the only one who decides the official sentence. He or she does have a bit of assistance in the form of a pre-sentencing letter to the judge, which is prepared by a probation officer after an investigation.
The judge is responsible for giving the length of the sentence and for announcing whether the defendant will be facing probation or imprisonment.
If at any point during this article you feel like talking to our knowledgeable and caring staff, contact the Law Offices of Seth Kretzer today. We're here for you.
What Happens at a Sentencing Hearing?
What happens when you get sentenced in court? The following three sections will explain in more detail.
How Long from Plea to Sentencing?
With minor misdemeanors, the judge will usually sentence immediately following the defendant's plea: guilty, no contest, or found guilty after the trial. However, when substantial incarceration is on the line, the judge may take a few days or even weeks to impose the exact sentence. This would occur at a different scheduled hearing.
Most of the time, the sentencing takes a few moments. This is certainly likely if the judge is officially going with the agreed-upon sentence in the plea negotiations. For instance, a judge may sentence the defendant with a fine, 30 days in jail suspended, and a year of probation.
Felony sentences can come quickly, too, when the sentence is part of a plea bargain. In less than ten minutes, someone can be facing seven years in prison.
It would be misleading to say it's always a short-lived process. After all, the judge does possess the legal authority to order longer terms of imprisonment. The pre-sentencing report tends to speed up the hearing. Both the prosecution and defense are given the opportunity to argue for or against those recommendations and facts in the report.
Sentencing Day What to Expect
First, we'll talk about who will be present. The defendant, defense counsel and district attorney will be in attendance.
The flow of the hearing is very similar to that of the trial. The state addresses the court initially, and then the district attorney speaks to the judge, highlighting evidence culled from the trial and sentencing report. The district attorney makes an argument for the sentence that the state has deemed fitting.
Then, the defense addresses the court, highlighting their own evidence that supports the defendant's proposed sentence. Following that, if there's a victim in the case, either the family of that victim or the actual victim will be allowed the chance to speak to the court.
Finally, the defendant will be given the chance to speak the last word. This may be the first, last, and essentially the only time a defendant speaks in open court. It's different than testifying when at trial. This time, there is no advantage to waiving the opportunity.
When the defendant is finished speaking, the judge pronounces the sentence. In general, this happens directly after the presentations or following a brief recess. In more extensive and complex cases, the judge may opt for a day or two to make a determination regarding the sentence. However, this is extremely rare.
Things to Say to a Judge Before Sentencing
No one will be able to speak more persuasively than the defendant, preparing to face his or her sentence. These individuals have the right to speak on their own behalf in these moments before the judge determines the sentence.
Defendants will want to work closely with their lawyers to prepare for the "defendant's right of allocution" so that they will understand exactly what to say, if anything, to the judge.
Having an experienced and trusted federal criminal appeals attorney in your corner can be very helpful. Look to the Law Offices of Seth Kretzer for more help.
What Is a Sentence Review Hearing?
At some point, the court will set a sentence review hearing to decide whether the conditions of the sentence have been met with compliance. Unless a defendant is certain that he or she has met all court orders, they should not make an appearance at this hearing without contacting a lawyer.
If you have an attorney on retainer, seek their advice. If you do not have an attorney, be sure you contact one as soon as you get notice of the sentence review hearing. If you are certain that you have not been compliant with the court's orders, it is imperative that you seek out legal counsel as soon as possible.
Are Sentencing Hearings Open to the Public?
Your sentencing hearing will take place in an open court – exactly as trials do.
Do You Go to Jail Right After Sentencing?
What happens after sentencing? When do you go to jail after sentencing? Do you go to jail immediately after sentencing? We'll talk about all that here.
What Happens After a Sentencing Hearing?
If court case sentences are for imprisonment, defendants are taken into custody to wait for their transportation to prison. So, to answer a popular question – when do you report to jail after sentencing? – immediately.
If the federal sentencing hearing was for treatment or probation, then a defendant would be required to schedule and make arrangements with proper officials and entities for enrollment in a particular program(s) and for approved supervision.
How to Get Someone Out of Jail After Sentencing
You might be curious about how to get out of jail after sentencing. Largely, individual state's laws are responsible for establishing the circumstances in which a defendant might make bail as they await the resolution of a criminal appeal.
If you or a loved one have been convicted of a crime and face a federal court sentencing of jail or prison, you may be after an appeal. Attorneys who specialize in appeals will be able to look at your specific case, analyze it, and explain to you whether bail is possible and how you may achieve it.
If you or a loved one is facing a federal crime, don't begin the federal court sentencing procedure alone. You may still be worried about what happens after sentencing in federal court, appeals, and so much more. Act now.
Contact the Law Offices of Seth Kretzer today for more help.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
'Rocky Horror' takes virginity of first-time attendees
Abbie Judson
Photo by Joseph Lachance | The RKO Army performs to "Thriller" during pre-show.
The RKO Army Performance Troupe put on a live performance of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in Edwards Auditorium at the University of Rhode Island on Oct. 26.
RKO Army is a small shadow cast from Rhode Island that URI's Gender and Sexuality Center brought back to campus this year.
The annual "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" performance was the final event the Gender and Sexuality Center held for Coming Out Month. Doors opened at 10:30 p.m. and the show began at 11 p.m. Before the show began, the audience was able to purchase "shit bags" filled with props related to the film. In honor of this year's theme "Thriller Tour" RKO Army performed a parody of Michael Jackson's Thriller during the pre-show.
In the past, anyone who had never been to a live performance of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" was deemed a "virgin" and was marked with a "V" drawn on their forehead. This year students were simply asked to stand up if this was their first time seeing the movie acted out live. If students were "virgins," cast members came around the auditorium, bringing about 30 chosen students to the stage to perform a ritual to make them no longer virgins.
The film began after the student's whose virginity was revoked returned to their seats. The original movie of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" was projected behind the live performers, who acted out the same events in sync with the movie characters.
The audience was encouraged to be very interactive with the cast throughout the performance by using their goodie bags to act out different scenes with the performers, dancing along with the characters in the movie and live performers and shouting out slanderous statements when specific characters would be speaking on the film.
The most common insults to be yelled were when the newly engaged two main characters, Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon), were on screen. Audience members would shout "slut" at Janet and "asshole" towards Brad. Although these degrading slurs were encouraged to shout, these were the most innocent of what was yelled throughout the movie.
"I had no idea what I was getting myself into," sophomore Christie Swanson said. "It's definitely something you have to experience for yourself in order to get the full effect and fully understand what happens during the film and live performance."
Director of the Gender and Sexuality Center, Annie Russell, thanked RKO Army for volunteering their time to come to URI and hold this performance for students to experience and enjoy. With some of the members being part of RKO Army for 40 years, all of the performers are volunteers, who generously spend their time on weekend nights to perform "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" for students.
"It was a really fun and interesting event to be a part of," sophomore Lexi DelPico said.
Produced in 1975 and known to be a "cult film," "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is about Brad and Janet, a couple who discover a castle to take shelter in after their car gets a flat tire during a rainstorm.
The castle belongs to a scientist, Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), and a host of other very interesting characters who appear to worship and cater to Dr. Frank-N-Furter's every need. Not understanding what they have gotten themselves into, the innocent and slightly prude couple find themselves in the midst of an unveiling of Dr. Frank-N-Furter's newest experiment, the creation of Rocky Horror- a man who is supposed to represent the perfect male sex-symbol. While trapped in the castle, the characters begin to uncover their transgressive sexualities and fantasies.
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All staff of color at John Carroll are invited to attend a Staff of Color Employee Resource Group Lunch on Friday, October 19, from noon-1 p.m. in the Schott Dining Hall on campus for conversation and community building.
Please bring a lunch or $5 to purchase one at the Dining Hall. We will meet in the Underground, right outside the dining hall, at noon.
The Staff of Color Employee Resource Group envisions a university community that is inclusive and supportive of all people. To achieve this vision, the Staff of Color Employee Resource Group will gather and support people from minoritized racial identities. The Staff of Color Employee Resource Group will organically evolve to meet the needs of women and men of color in this community. This Employee Resource Group aims to be a network of staff of color who are interested in creating community, and advocating for equity and inclusion for staff of color at John Carroll University.


text:
PRINTER'S NO. 2395
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
Session of
INTRODUCED BY GERGELY, BELFANTI, BRENNAN, BROWN, BUXTON, DALEY, DEASY, EACHUS, FABRIZIO, FREEMAN, GIBBONS, HARKINS, JOSEPHS, McGEEHAN, MELIO, MURPHY, M. O'BRIEN, PAYTON AND STABACK, JULY 6, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR RELATIONS, JULY 6, 2009
AN ACT
Providing for paid sick leave for certain employees, for duties
of the Department of Labor and Industry and for enforcement;
and imposing a civil penalty.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Healthy
Families, Healthy Workplaces Act.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) Nearly every worker in this Commonwealth will at
some time during the year need temporary time off from work
to take care of the worker's own health needs or the health
needs of family members or to deal with safety issues arising
from domestic or sexual violence.
(2) There are many workers in this Commonwealth who are
not entitled to any paid sick leave to care for their own
health needs or the health needs of family members.
(3) Low-income workers are significantly less likely to
have paid sick leave than other members of the work force.
(4) Providing workers time off to attend to their own
health care and the health care of family members will ensure
a healthier and more productive work force in this
Commonwealth.
(5) Paid sick leave will have a positive effect on
public health in this Commonwealth by allowing sick workers
the occasional option of staying home to care for themselves
when ill thus lessening their recovery time and reducing the
likelihood of spreading illness to other members of the work
force.
(6) Paid sick leave will allow parents to provide
personal care for their sick children. Parental care makes
children's recovery faster, prevents more serious illnesses
and improves children's overall mental and physical health.
(7) Providing minimal paid sick leave is affordable for
employers and good for business.
(8) Employers who provide paid sick leave have greater
employee retention and avoid the problem of workers coming to
work sick. Studies have shown that costs from on-the-job
productivity losses resulting from sick workers on the job
exceed the cost of absenteeism among employees.
Section 3. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Child." A biological, adopted or foster child, stepchild or
legal ward or a child to whom the employee stands in loco
20090HB1830PN2395
parentis who is under 18 years of age or who is 18 years of age
or older but incapable of self-care or earning a living due to a
physical or mental disability or incapacity.
"Department." The Department of Labor and Industry of the
"Domestic violence." As "abuse" is defined in 23 Pa.C.S. §
6102 (relating to definitions).
"Employee." As defined in section 3 of the act of January
17, 1968 (P.L.11, No.5), known as The Minimum Wage Act of 1968.
"Employer." As defined in section 3 of the act of January
"Extended family member." A relative within the third degree
by blood or marriage.
"Grandparent." A parent of a parent.
"Health care provider." As defined in section 109 of the act
of June 2, 1915 (P.L.736, No.338), known as the Workers'
Compensation Act.
"Paid sick leave." Leave that is compensated at the same
hourly rate as the employee earns form the employee's employment
and is provided by an employer or small employer to an employee
for the purposes described in section 4.
"Parent." A biological or foster parent, stepparent or
adoptive parent or legal guardian of an employee or an
employer's spouse or a person who stood in loco parentis when
the employee was a minor child.
"Retaliatory personnel action." The discharge, suspension or
demotion by an employer of an employee or any other adverse
employment action taken by an employer against an employee in
the terms and conditions of employment.
"Sexual assault." As the offense is defined in 18 Pa.C.S. §
3124.1 (relating to sexual assault).
"Small employer." Any private individual, firm, partnership,
institution, corporation or association that employs less than
ten persons.
"Spouse." A person to whom the employee is legally married
under the laws of Pennsylvania.
"Stalking." As the offense is defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 2709.1
(relating to stalking).
Section 4. Accrual of paid sick leave.
(a) General rule.--Except as provided for in subsection (b),
employers shall provide a minimum of one hour of paid sick leave
for every 40 hours worked by an employee. Employers are not
required to provide more than 52 hours of sick leave for an
employee in a calendar year.
(b) Exception.--Employers that employ fewer than ten
individuals shall provide a minimum of one hour of paid sick
leave for every 80 hours worked by an employee. Employers under
this subsection are not required to provide more than 26 hours
of paid sick leave in a calendar year.
(c) Accrual of leave.--Paid sick leave shall accrue in hour
unit increments. Paid sick leave shall begin to accrue at the
date of hire as indicated in the employee's personnel file.
(d) Use of leave.--Employees shall be entitled to use
accrued paid sick leave beginning 90 business days following the
employee's date of hire. After 90 business days of employment,
employees may use sick leave as it is accrued.
(e) Carry forward of leave.--No more than 40 hours of paid
sick leave of an employee may carry forward from one calendar
year to the next.
(f) Compliance.--An employer with a paid leave policy who
makes available an amount of paid leave that may be used for the
same purposes and under the same conditions as paid sick leave
under this section shall be deemed to be in compliance with this
Section 5. Use of paid sick leave.
(a) General rule.--Paid sick leave shall be provided to an
employee by an employer or small employer for:
(1) An employee's mental or physical illness, injury or
health condition or need for medical diagnosis, care or
treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury or health
condition or need for preventive medical care.
(2) Care of a spouse, child, parent, grandparent or
extended family member, or any other individual related by
blood or affinity whose close relationship with the employee
is the equivalent of a family relationship, with a mental or
physical illness, injury or health condition who needs
medical diagnosis, care or treatment of a mental or physical
illness, injury or health condition or who needs preventive
medical care.
(3) Absence necessary due to domestic violence, provided
the leave is to:
(i) Seek medical attention for the employee or
employee's child, spouse, parent, grandparent or extended
family member to recover from physical or psychological
injury or disability caused by domestic or sexual
(ii) Obtain services from a victims' services
(iii) Obtain psychological or other counseling.
(iv) Seek relocation due to the domestic or sexual
violence or stalking.
(v) Take legal action, including preparing for or
participating in any civil or criminal legal proceeding
related to or resulting from the domestic or sexual
(b) Notice.--An employer or small employer may require
reasonable notice of the need for paid sick leave. Where the
need for the leave is foreseeable, an employer may require
advance notice of the intention to take such leave, but in no
case shall require notice of more than seven days' advance
notice. Where the need is not foreseeable, an employer may
require an employee to give notice of the need for leave as soon
as practicable.
(c) Documentation.--For leave of more than three consecutive
days, an employer may require reasonable documentation that the
paid leave is covered by subsection (a). Under subsection (a)(1)
or (2), documentation signed by a health care professional
indicating the need for the number of paid sick leave days shall
be considered reasonable documentation. Under subsection (a)(3)
a court record or documentation signed by an employee or
volunteer working for a victims' services organization, an
attorney, police officer or other antiviolence counselor shall
be considered reasonable documentation.
Section 6. Retaliation prohibited.
An employer or small employer shall not take retaliatory
personnel action or discriminate against an employee because the
employee has requested paid sick leave under this act or taken
paid sick leave guaranteed by this act or made a complaint or
filed an action to enforce an employee's right to paid sick
leave under this act.
Section 7. Notice and posting.
(a) Notice.--Employers shall give notice to employees
entitled to paid sick leave of the following:
(1) The amount of paid sick leave and the terms of its
use guaranteed under this act.
(2) That retaliation against employees who request or
use paid sick leave is prohibited.
(3) That each employee has the right to file a complaint
or bring a civil action if sick leave as required by this act
is denied by the employer or the employee is retaliated
against for requesting or taking paid sick leave.
(b) Compliance.--
(1) Employers may comply with this section by supplying
each of their employees with a notice that contains the
information required in subsection (a).
(2) Employers may comply with this section by displaying
a poster in a conspicuous and accessible place in each
establishment where employees are employed which contains the
information required under subsection (a).
(c) Department poster.--The department shall create posters
and make them available to employers to assist employers in
complying with this act. The posters shall contain the
Section 8. Regulations.
The department shall promulgate regulations to carry out the
provisions of this act.
Section 9. Enforcement.
(a) Failure to provide leave.--
(1) Any person aggrieved by failure to provide paid sick
leave as required by this act may bring a civil action in a
court of competent jurisdiction against an employer violating
this act.
(2) Upon prevailing in an action brought pursuant to
this subsection aggrieved, persons shall recover the full
amount of any unpaid sick leave plus any actual damages
suffered as the result of the employer's failure to provide
paid sick leave and shall also be entitled to reasonable
this subsection, aggrieved persons shall be entitled to such
legal or equitable relief as may be appropriate to remedy the
violation, including, without limitation, reinstatement in
employment and injunctive relief.
(b) Retaliatory personnel action.--An employee subjected to
retaliatory personnel action in violation of this act may
institute a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction
and shall be entitled to recover damages and any other legal or
equitable relief as may be appropriate. An employee who prevails
in an action under this subsection shall be entitled to
reasonable attorney fees.
(c) Complaint.--Any person aggrieved by either a retaliatory
personnel action in violation of this act or by an employer's
failure to provide paid sick leave as required by this act may
file a complaint with the Office of Attorney General. The filing
of a complaint with the Office of Attorney General does not
preclude the filing of a civil action pursuant to subsection (a)
or (b).
(d) Action of Attorney General.--The Attorney General may
bring a civil action to enforce this act. The Attorney General
may seek injunctive relief. In addition to injunctive relief, or
in lieu thereof, for any employer or other person found to have
willfully violated this section, the Attorney General may seek
to impose a fine of $1,000 per violation.
(e) Class action.--Actions brought under this section may be
brought as a class action pursuant to the laws of this
Section 10. Confidentiality and nondisclosure.
If an employer possesses health information or information
pertaining to domestic violence about an employee or employee's
child, parent, spouse, extended family member or other
individual described in section 5, the information shall be
treated as confidential and not disclosed except pursuant to the
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
(Public Law 104-191, 110 Stat. 1936).
Section 11. Construction.
The following apply:
(1) Nothing in this act shall be construed to discourage
or prohibit an employer from the adoption or retention of a
paid leave policy more generous than the one required under
(2) Nothing in this act shall be construed as
diminishing the obligation of an employer to comply with any
contract, collective bargaining agreement, employment benefit
plan or other agreement providing more generous leave to an
employee than required herein.
diminishing the rights of public employees regarding paid
sick leave or use of sick leave as provided in the employees'
employment contract or collective bargaining agreement.
(4) Nothing in this act shall be construed to conflict
with the act of January 17, 1968 (P.L.11, No.5) known as The
Minimum Wage Act of 1968.
Section 12. Effective date.
This act shall take effect as follows:
(1) This section and section 8 shall take effect
(2) The remainder of this act shall take effect in 180


text:
Dear Prospective Spartan Parents and Students,
Welcome to Saint Mark's High School! As a proud Spartan Alumnus and now Director of Admissions, I understand the tremendous impact Saint Mark's continues to make in the lives of students and families. Since rejoining my alma mater in 2019, I am reminded daily just how special Saint Mark's is. Through my daily interactions with our faculty, staff, students and parents, I often reflect on the faith, excellence, humility and integrity of our people. I truly believe the people of Saint Mark's are the "secret ingredient" to making Saint Mark's feel like home. It is our people who continue to foster a nurturing environment for one another to encourage and support spiritual, academic, social and emotional growth. This level of support extends outside of our classrooms. It remains with our Spartans long after they join our alumni base of 17,000+ individuals and it will remain with them through a divine relationship with our God. I believe this strong foundation is why families from across the region are finding value in calling Saint Mark's "home".
Over the past two years, Saint Mark's has developed into one of the fastest growing Catholic schools in the country. Bucking national trends in Catholic education, we have experienced an incredible 40% total student enrollment increase - growing by more than 215 students! This has included two of the largest freshman classes in recent history - consisting of a total of 422 students from 62 different middle schools. Additionally, a total of 58 transfer students from 30 different high schools have joined our Spartan family. Amazing!
Our explosive enrollment growth has been complimented by the generous support of our constituency and alumni base. In fact, the support has never been stronger. Annual giving has increased an incredible 83% over the past two years, which helps fuel strategic initiatives, programming, and financial assistance for the next generation of Spartans.
Due to our enrollment increase and generous support from our constituency, we welcomed many new faces to our team this school year. As part of our growth, Saint Mark's was pleased to welcome 19 new faculty and staff members for the 2021-2022 school year. Sixteen of the nineteen positions were in academics and/or student life. The three remaining positions were in advancement and communications.
This level of success has supported a new governance model at Saint Mark's and a tremendous investment in faculty and staff. Mr. Tom Fertal, our previous principal since 2019, has transitioned to become the very first President at Saint Mark's High School. Mrs. Diane Casey, our previous Assistant Principal of Student Affairs since 2019, has taken the reigns as proud Principal. This leadership model will allow Saint Mark's to further strategic initiatives, engage our alumni across the country and run a first-class operation within our building.
As we move into the 2021-2022 school year, there is no better time to be a Saint Mark's Spartan! I welcome our prospective students to the first step in realizing their potential for excellence by scheduling a visit to our beautiful campus. We are eager to meet you and to learn about your interests, likes, talents and passions!
Prospective parents, as you navigate the important discernment process for high school, Mrs. Tokarski and I are happy to answer any questions you may have about our admissions process or Saint Mark's High School! Please feel free to contact our Admissions Office today or click here to schedule a meeting and campus tour.
Genuinely,
Mr. Rob DeMasi '09
Admissions@stmarkshs.net
Mrs. Deborah Tokarski
Admissions Assistant
Dtokarski@stmarkshs.net
Mrs. Denise Blum '89
Admissions Marketing
Dblum@stmarkshs.net
BECOME A SPARTAN


Toyota is all set to showcase the 'Furia' at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2013. To increase the excitement, Toyota releases the teaser video.
The video features an orange coloured 'Furia', highlighting the rear spoiler, front grilles with headlamps, taillamps and some of the interiors. We find the front very much futuristic with all new grille and headlamps, while the LED taillamp cluster is giving a spiky look to the car. The black-coloured rear spoiler seems adding boldness to the metal.
The history says, the actual production car is very much different from the concept car.
Whatever it may be, we enjoyed the video, the way it presented Furia to us was fiery and futuristic.
We also expect that, Furia will increase the level of HOTness in the sports sedan segment, like Volvo S60 and Hyunda did in the past.
We watched the video again and again to give a treat to ourselves. Now guys, its your turn, go ahead and watch the video.


Chantale Taillon v. Aimia Canada inc. and al. and Robert Lamontagne v. Aimia Canada inc. and al.
* Please note that the information and the documents that you provide will remain confidential and will not be filed in the Court file unless you authorize us.


What has caused many women to apparently withdraw their labour from the labour market during the boom years of 2000 to 2007?
What has happened during the later years up to 2013?
What attitudes differentiate women (and men) in ways relevant to labour supply, causing some households to avoid offering paid wage labour of women to the market, while gaining their availability for other forms of upaid, informal and domestic work?
To fill a gap in the knowledge about variations in the gender impact (and its mediation through social and micronorms) of poverty alleviation interventions in rural India and Bangladesh. We particularly want to focus on socialdifferentiation (in rural areas with many poor people) in attitudes about women's work, and its effect on women's work.
The project focuses on women's well-being as related to their attitudes and their work. It has two branches and involves research in two geographic areas, rural Bangladesh and rural low-income parts of India.The first branch is to use secondary data to look at changing attitudes and women's labour-force involvement over two decades. For the second branch we collect primary survey data at household, personal and village level and at two points in time within one year, to allow for male-female wage differentials to be examined over a small seasonal panel. We can create models of the supply of labour from these data. The results will be better than standard results.The second branch involves mixed methods analysis of attitudes about gender and work. Here, the research also moves on to examine the sources of change and resistance to change in women's labour and women's roles, based upon theattitudinal data and semi-structured interviews (80 per country, carried out as follow ups to the survey for selected individual cases, 60 men and 20 women in India and the same in Bangladesh).We examine attitudes about women's work and their informal/formal labour supply in each area. Some attitudes about domestic roles to limit the willingness of some women to labour outside their home, and offer resistance to the general trend toward more egalitarian attitudes during the potentially modernising influence of economic growth. We will report onthe actual diversity of these attitudes in the states of Jharkand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (India) and two rural areas of Bangladesh. The qualitative research offsets a tradition in economics of focusing purely on narrowly defined paid labour, and using individualistic approaches, when studying labour-supply of women. We avoid individualism and yet we combined quantitative and qualitative data. This research integrates demography with sociology and economics. We have a new modelling method that looks at the husband-wife pair. Another strong advantage is our use of multilevel models and ourability to control for change over time in the panel of survey data (for two seasons).
Looking at thirty years of comparable NSS data from 1983 to 2011 of rural women's participation in the labour force in India we find that the sharp drop in female labour force participation (FLP) in 2004-2011 occurs in both narrow and wide definitions of FLP. We observe that the largest drop occurs in illiterate unmarried women in labourer households. We do not find any geographic concentration of the decline in FLP. We also observe that in some categories of economically active women, the decline in FLP had started much earlier, in the 1980s, suggesting that for these women, secular factors of FLP were at work. We do not find any evidence of a substitution of non-market work for market work. Our analysis highlights the somewhat contradictory behaviour of RLFPR across different definitions and time periods, and across different correlates of female labour force participation, and suggests that more complex factors are at work than has usually been discussed in the literature.


We protect the marine environment from the harmful effects of human activities on land.
We encourage countries to work together to protect and sustainably manage their marine and coastal environments.
We work to protect the world's coral reefs from the effects of climate change and other human activity.
We support protected areas to conserve, manage and protect marine resources.
We are leading a global movement to highlight the problem of marine litter and tackle it decisively.


CHUM fruit bites are 100% natural snacks that were created by Benjamin Bartley to protect wildlife while offering a new "better for you" brand to consumers. In fact, 15% of CHUM's profits go to WILDAid.org to support their efforts.
These yummy treats are all fruit, with no added sugar, Non-GMO Certified, and free of pesky gluten. Greet the elephants with the lovely Peach flavor, or play with the panda bears when you eat the sweet Strawberry flavor! The bright packaging and single-serve options make CHUM a quick and happy snack.
It's guilt-free unlike a lot of other brands, which overload with sugar and artificial colors. Wild animals don't eat fake stuff, so why should you?


Delta™ harnesses combine a set of "industry first" advancements, with popular features making them the workhorse of the industry. Today's Delta full body harness represents the culmination of more than twenty years of design, research, manufacturing know how and on the job performance. Delta™ harnesses are as tough as the guys who wear them. They feature coated, corrosion resistant hardware, water repellant and abrasion resistant webbing and a build quality that is second to none. A patented triangular design gives Delta™ harnesses a shape of their own, so you can don them quickly and easily. Throw it in the tool box or in the back of your truck, think you can tangle it? Just pick it up and it's ready to put on, tangle free. The Delta™ pad also incorporates a web spreading design, positioning webbing wider apart on shoulder straps to eliminate abrasion on your neck.


You're right, but she's righter. Yes, that's right, and don't you forget it. Celebrate a decade of understanding this fact with the Mr Right Mrs Always Right 10th Anniversary Mugs. They arrive in a gift box, making them splendidly easy to wrap up as a gift. Toast the next ten years with a cuppa in your new mugs, and here's to decades of happiness!
It's supposed to be 'tin', but we think a mug is better!
Lovely gift.it was one of the many gifts I bought for my wife on our 10th anniversary.Both of us loved the mugs especially my wife liked it even more as it says Mrs always right.
There are exactly what I wanted for anniversary presents for both a family member and a friend. They both thought it was a bit of fun. I would definitely use Find Me A Gift next time I want something a little different.
The product was just as it looked on the screen and was packaged well. We needed it to be delivered quickly as it was needed for a wedding anniversary gift, it arrived in plenty of time and was liked very much by the recipients. Thank you for the fast efficient service.
Fabulous. Bought 2 sets, 1 as a present, the other to keep. The recipients of the present absolutely loved it (good sense of humour). If you are looking for an affordable, memorable 10th anniversary present I would recommend this.


text:
Sua Majestade Católica ou Su Majestad Católica, no original em espanhol (abreviado como S.M.C) é um tratamento que o papa tradicionalmente concede aos reis da Espanha. Este honorífico muitas vezes precede o título de rei da Espanha ("Sua Majestade Católica o rei da Espanha"). O uso mais antigo dessa denominação, no original latino Rex Catholicissimus, aparece na bula papal Inter Caetera do Papa Alexandre VI , emitida em 1493.

Os primeiros a poderem ostentar o título foram Fernando II de Aragão e Isabel I de Castela. Desde então, os governantes da Espanha (desde então chamados de los reyes católicos ) usam o título de "majestade católica".  O tratamento, se não for retirado pelo pontífice, torna-se hereditário.

Descrição

Um dos direitos de ser uma rainha que ostenta este tratamento é que ela pode vestir branco, em vez do habitual preto, quando se encontra com o papa (conhecido como privilège du blanc).

Tanto Fernando II quanto Isabel (desde então Reis Católicos) utilizaram este estilo, bem como os seus descendentes. A atual dinastia reinante escolheu não abandonar os antigos títulos e associados da coroa espanhola, mas ele não os usa. Portanto o rei da Espanha, pode ser oficialmente "Sua Majestade Católica".

Tratamentos

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Is Christina Aguilera About to Release New Music With Demi Lovato?
Joe Hyer
© PictureGroup & Robert Deutsch, USA Today Sports
We're starting to think that Demi Lovato may be gearing up to release new music with Christina Aguilera. The pair have been dropping hints for a few weeks, and we're pretty excited about the rumors.
Christina was asked about her "upcoming duet" with Demi Lovato by TMZ just last week. Christina responded by telling TMZ "I love Demi. She's my girl." Aguilera went on to say "Great things to come."
HQ video of Christina Aguilera talking about Demi pic.twitter.com/mgncxUxpUJ
— Demi Lovato News (@justcatchmedemi) March 6, 2018
Flash forward just a few days, and Demi Lovato has basically said the same thing about Christina.
"Now Christina's my girl and big things are coming," Demi reportedly told the crowd during the Dallas stop for her Tell Me You Love Me Tour.
We don't know much about the possible collaboration, but Christina recently said that new music was "coming." So it's possible the collaboration would be released as part of Christina's new album.
While Demi is busy on the road, Christina will be hitting the runway for the season 10 premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race. Yes, Aguilera will be a guest judge on the popular VH1 show next week.
Snatch up a first lewk at the premiere of #DragRace Season 10 with @xtina!! -- #DragRaceXtina https://t.co/otikaB7jIl
Premieres THURS 3/22 at 8/7c on @VH1!! ---- pic.twitter.com/in1eAbKUAq
— RuPaul's Drag Race (@RuPaulsDragRace) March 7, 2018
Season 10 of RuPaul's Drag Race premieres on Thursday, March 22 at 8pm ET/7pm CT on VH1.


text:
<?php

use October\Rain\Filesystem\Filesystem;
use October\Rain\Halcyon\Datasource\Resolver;
use October\Rain\Halcyon\Datasource\FileDatasource;

class DatasourceResolverTest extends TestCase
{

    public function testConstruct()
    {
        $theme1 = new FileDatasource('themes/theme1', new Filesystem);
        $theme2 = new FileDatasource('themes/theme2', new Filesystem);
        $theme3 = new FileDatasource('themes/theme3', new Filesystem);

        $resolver = new Resolver([
            'theme1' => $theme1,
            'theme2' => $theme2,
            'theme3' => $theme3
        ]);

        $this->assertTrue($resolver->hasDatasource('theme1'));
        $this->assertTrue($resolver->hasDatasource('theme2'));
        $this->assertTrue($resolver->hasDatasource('theme3'));
        $this->assertFalse($resolver->hasDatasource('theme4'));
    }

    public function testDefaultDatasource()
    {
        $resolver = new Resolver;
        $resolver->setDefaultDatasource('theme1');
        $this->assertEquals('theme1', $resolver->getDefaultDatasource());
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Pelosi Despite new mandatory mask rules, Trump insists it's everyone's 'personal choice' – ABC News
After the city of Jacksonville, Florida, announced that masks will be mandatory for public and indoor locations starting Monday, White House press secretary Kaleigh McEnany would not directly say if President Donald Trump planned to wear one at his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention.
The event, scheduled for August, is expected to bring more than 40,000 people from all over the country to Jacksonville, and while the rules may apply to them, it's likely Trump will exempt himself.
"I talked to the president before coming out here," McEnany said. "It's his choice to wear a mask. It's the personal choice of any individual as to whether to wear a mask or not. He encourages people to make whatever decision is best for their safety, but he did say to me he has no problem with masks, and to do whatever your local jurisdiction requests of you."
Her rationale comes on the heels of a growing number of health officials urging the public to wear masks as cases rise alarmingly across the southern United States.
At the first public task force briefing in two months last Friday, Vice President Mike Pence spent much of the time applauding the Trump administration's efforts and emphasizing how much worse the pandemic could have been without their response.
Coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, meanwhile, stressed the importance of wearing a mask.
When asked by ABC News Correspondent Kyra Phillips why Trump's campaign continues to hold rallies without mask or social distancing requirement, despite public health advice, Pence cited the Constitution.
"The freedom of speech and the right to peacefully assemble is enshrined in the Constitution," Pence said. "President Trump and I believe that taking proper steps as we created screening at recent events, and giving people the very best counsel that we have. We still want to give people the freedom to participate in the political process."
Pressed about how masks — or how the decision not to wear one — has become a political statement, Pence would only say he encouraged Americans to follow state and local leaders.
For many people, that wasn't enough.
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., House Republican Conference Chair and daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney tweeted a photo of her masked father following the task force briefing accompanied by the hashtag "RealMenWearMasks."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also shared the sentiment to ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos on "This Week" Sunday and voiced her support for a federal mask mandate.
"It's definitely long overdue for that," she said. "My understanding is that the Centers for Disease Control has recommended the use of masks but not required it, because they don't want to offend the president."
"Real men wear masks," she added. "It's not about protecting yourself, it's about protecting others."
By Sunday afternoon, Pence has changed his tune — somewhat.
In a trip to the hotspot state of Texas, Pence and his team all arrived wearing masks, as did Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, and his team, to greet Pence on the tarmac.
In a later press conference, Pence was more direct in echoing the advice of the health professionals seated beside him: "Wearing a mask is just a good idea."
Birx then stressed the importance of "100% compliance" with mask orders in several counties as hospitalization rates increase particularly among younger adults with underlying health conditions.
Notably, hours before Pence gave advice alongside Birx, he spoke at a mega-church in Dallas with over 2,000 congregants and a 100-person choir — standing close and none wearing masks — though the Centers for Disease Control an Prevention has warned churches can be "super spreader" sites, for one, because of singing.
Despite the ramped up warnings, Trump has signaled for months that he doesn't view masks as presidential and has resisted any pressure to be photographed in one in public.
"I just don't want to wear one myself. It's a recommendation. I am feeling good," Trump said at an April 3 coronavirus task force briefing. "I just don't want to be doing — I don't know, somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk, the great Resolute Desk, I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens. I don't know, somehow, I don't see it for myself."
Even as Trump's travels to more states where the coronavirus was spreading, and more Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell say people "ought to" wear them and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said, "Everyone should just wear a damn mask," Trump has resisted the pressure.
Although the White House says the president respects state and local mask mandates, Trump, himself, seems to be the exception to those rules.
At a Fox News "town hall" in Wisconsin last week, for instance, all participants were required to wear masks to enter at the event — except for a socially-distant Trump and Sean Hannity.
But Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams said Monday that without a mask, someone may not be allowed into a business or venue. This includes the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Downtown Jacksonville where the RNC is scheduled for August.
"We will continue to work on these plans as we get closer [to the RNC]," he said.
It seems unlikely come August that the Republican National Committee will force their nominee to wear a mask in the mega-indoor arena.
It seems more likely it's a "personal choice" the president will do the same as he's done so far.
ABC News' Elizabeth Thomas and Ben Gittleson contributed to this report.
Pelosi House bill expected to force standoff with GOP over policing
Pelosi Trump White House under growing pressure for answers on reported Russian bounties


text:
module Purview
  module Pullers
    class Base
      def initialize(opts={})
        @opts = opts
      end

      def earliest_timestamp
        raise %{All "#{Base}(s)" must override the "earliest_timestamp" method}
      end

      def pull(window, page_number, page_size)
        raise %{All "#{Base}(s)" must override the "pull" method}
      end

      private

      include Purview::Mixins::Logger

      attr_reader :opts

      def table
        opts[:table]
      end

      def timeout
        opts[:timeout]
      end
    end
  end
end


Simple yet elegant, small yet tough, great quality yet inexpensive, there is nothing that can stop you from loving this riding crop. Small flap on the top offers some spicy action and the solid base at the bottom provides fabulous grip control. Please choose from red, blue or black.


text:
Tag: displaced
Ukraine Human Toll Grows, With 14 Million Displaced and 3,500 Civilian...
On Sunday, Moscow had the highest daily coronavirus death toll for a Russian city, as countries across the Asia-Pacific region extended or reimposed restrictions...
Brazilians Fear Bolsonaro Would Stage a Military Takeover
In a television interview two decades ago, the fringe congressman stated unequivocally that if he were president, he would dissolve the Brazilian congress and...
As Biden Makes His First Presidential Trip to Asia,...
President Joe Biden begins his first trip to Asia since taking office on Friday, despite some of his lowest domestic approval ratings, as he...
The 'Floating Hotel' Rusting Away in North Korea
It was once a luxurious five-star resort floating directly above Australia's Great Barrier Reef. It now sits dilapidated in a North Korean port, a...
Forget Alexa, Astro is The Next Step in Amazon's...
Amazon ended its late-year event with a surprise announcement: Astro, a new robot that's essentially a tablet on wheels with enough cameras to host...
US Vaccine 'Passports' Advance Despite Growing Controversy
As the United States' vaccination campaign accelerates, so-called vaccine passports are gaining traction despite political divisions and a fragmented health care system that complicates...
Pro-China Social Media Campaign Sought to Influence U.S. Voters
According to researchers, a massive online propaganda campaign promoting pro-China messaging has been attempting to influence American voters. This week, two companies that study large-scale...
Jeffrey Epstein Accusers Sue Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase
Women who have accused Jeffrey Epstein of sexual assault are suing the banks, alleging that they enabled Epstein's alleged sex-trafficking operation and disregarded warning...
South Carolina Passes Ban On Transgender Athletes Playing Women's...
South Carolina lawmakers are the latest to pass legislation prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in women's sports in public schools and universities. Despite over 1,000...
Congressman Calls for FBI to Investigate Police Response in...
A US congressman has asked the FBI to look into law enforcement's response to the Uvalde, Texas, massacre that killed 19 children and two...
Biden Scrambles to Avert Cracks in Pro-Ukraine Coalition
In recent months, President Biden has spent hours speaking with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and other foreign leaders...
California to Vote on Constitutional Amendment Protecting Abortion Rights
California is on track to become one of the first states in the country to explicitly enshrine the right to abortion and contraception in...
Congress Must Make it Easy for America's Veterans to...
One of the nation's most important responsibilities is to care for America's veterans. Medical care, benefits, and burials/memorials are the three main functions of...
Chinatown Fears Community, Business Loss in 76ers Arena Plan
Wei Chen wants visitors to Philadelphia's Chinatown to look through the community's gateway arch and see residents chatting in Mandarin on the steps to...
An 'Immortal' Gas Pollutes Far More Than Carbon Dioxide...
On a quiet country road, four thin metal cylinders containing the world's most potent greenhouse gas are lashed to the base of a Duke...
Taking Race Out of Education Could Fuel White Nationalism
Some politicians and activists have recently claimed that teaching about race and inclusion in schools is divisive or a means of indoctrinating students. However, the...
Man Charged With Kidnapping in Disappearance of Memphis Jogger...
A 38-year-old man has been charged with especially aggravated kidnapping in the disappearance of a 34-year-old Memphis teacher, after DNA on two slides linked...
Zelensky Taps National Psyches of Other Countries as he...
President Volodymr Zelensky's message to the West and its leaders is as follows: "We are all Ukrainians." As he fights an existential battle for his...
Russia and West at Impasse as Ukraine Urges Reversal...
Ukraine said on Thursday that Russia had gathered 106,000 troops and 1,500 tanks near its border and demanded a "verified withdrawal" of Russian forces,...
After Final Trump-backed Midterm Loss, Senate Republicans Bemoan Weak...
On Wednesday, Republicans laid the blame for their defeat in the Georgia U.S. Senate runoff election squarely at the feet of former President Donald...
Scientists Are Paying Volunteers To Be Infected By Lab-Grown...
Scientists are currently cultivating the Delta Covid variant in laboratories with the goal of infecting volunteers on purpose. British researchers are developing the samples that...
Microsoft Blames 'Human Error' After Suspicions It Censored Tiananmen...
It's the 32nd anniversary of the infamous 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, in which Chinese troops opened fire on and slaughtered hundreds of pro-democracy protesters...
Military Interests Parachute Into Supreme Court Cases on LGBTQ...
A common theme on the dockets of some of the most significant cases before the Supreme Court in recent weeks, ranging from affirmative action...
New Report Highlights Views And Experiences of Transgender And...
According to new research, most transgender adults have been aware of their gender identities since early childhood, even if they didn't yet have the...
'Greta Mania' Hits Glasgow as Swedish Teen is Mobbed...
Greta Thunberg was not officially invited to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, but she made her presence known on the first day of...
Exploring Japan, Its History, And Why It's So Popular...
Japan is a very popular destination for travelers and is visited by people from all over the world. It is a country full of...
Climate Change, Big Agriculture Combine to Threaten Insects
Climate change and habitat loss from big agriculture are working together to suffocate global insect populations, according to a new study, with each problem...
Internal Memos Reportedly say Mark Zuckerberg's Big Metaverse App...
Internal memos from Meta's VP of Metaverse to employees working on the metaverse app highlight concerns that it has too many quality and performance...
Number of Migrants at U.S.-Mexico Border Again Predicted to...
A growing number of Mexicans, Hondurans, Cubans, and Venezuelans are crossing the US-Mexico border, while some US policies may continue to funnel migrants into...
Minneapolis Defund the Police Results: Voters Reject Policing Overhaul
Voters in the city rejected a ballot measure to overhaul policing that was drafted amid national outrage over the death of George Floyd by...
Mike Pence Could Become Donald Trump's Nemesis in 2024
Former Vice President Mike Pence has remained at the center of speculation about his plans for the 2024 presidential election, and despite the fact...
Texas' 6-Week Abortion Ban Lets Private Citizens Sue In...
A Texas state law that prohibits abortion after six weeks of pregnancy could serve as a model for red states to enact stringent abortion...
Iran's IRGC Head Predicts Defeat of Israel, US Amid...
The head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the quasi-military mafia that governs the country, claimed that the US is planning to leave...
Sports Leagues Were Unprepared for Avalanche of Anti-LGBTQ Legislation
Layshia Clarendon was overcome with emotion when she learned that Idaho had passed anti-transgender legislation, making it the first state in the country to...
Abbott Issues Disaster Declaration In Response To Border Crisis
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration on Tuesday in response to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants entering the United States through...
Carissa Moore Among Famous Alumni Who Attended Punahou School
Carissa Moore of the United States became the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in surfing today. The Hawaiian surfer, who is so...
Brazil Olympians To Take Anti-Racism Training
For the first time, Brazilians representing their country at the Olympics will undergo anti-racism training, in a bid to deal with a deep-rooted problem...
Newest US Cardinal: A San Diego-Based Ally of Pope...
When San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy receives his prestigious red hat at the Vatican on Saturday, he will bring to the College of Cardinals...
The Growing Importance of NATO and What It Means...
With the demise of the Soviet Union and dissolution of the Berlin wall, Europe has once again confronted a revitalized Moscow. This time, the...
Justice Department Accuses Trump of 'Shell Game' with Mar-a-Lago...
The Justice Department argued in a newly unsealed court filing that former President Donald Trump mischaracterized White House documents he retained after leaving office...
Putin's Inner Circle Fear Coup After Daughter of 'War...
The daughter of the mastermind behind Vladimir Putin's Ukraine invasion was blown to pieces in a car bomb, raising fears of a coup. Suspects in...
Trucker Blockade Snarls US-Mexico Border Over Texas Order
One of the busiest trade ports on the US-Mexico border remained effectively closed Wednesday as frustrations and traffic jams grew over Texas Gov. Greg...
Republican FTC Commissioner Noah Phillips to Step Down
Noah Phillips, one of two Republican commissioners on the Federal Trade Commission, has told POLITICO that he plans to leave the agency in the...
Europe Starts Unique Soccer Season Split by Qatar World...
The European game has never had such a disrupted season in the 134 years since league soccer began in England. FIFA's decision to move the...
Russia Calls U.S. An Adversary, Warns Its Warships To...
Russia on Tuesday called the United States an adversary and told U.S. warships to stay well away from Crimea "for their own good", calling...
Trial To Begin For US Policeman Charged With George...
Nine months after George Floyd's death laid bare the racial wounds in the United States, the white policeman charged with murdering the 46-year-old Black...
After Viral Central Park Incident, Woman Sues Ex-Employer for...
Amy Cooper, the white woman who called 911 after a run-in with a Black man while walking her dog in Central Park last year,...
Ex-CIA Officer Says Putin is 'Completely Cornered' and the...
As military setbacks in Ukraine force Russian President Vladimir Putin into a corner, an ex-CIA officer predicts that he will resort to tactical nuclear...
What is Happening in Almaty, Kazakhstan and Across the...
In recent days, violent protests in Kazakhstan have resulted in the resignation of the government and the declaration of a state of emergency, as...
Tesla Driver Killed in Fiery Crash Hit 90 Mph
The Tesla driver who died with a passenger in a fiery September crash near Miami accelerated to 90 mph (145 kph) in the seconds...
As US Newspapers Slide Toward Abyss, a Bidding War...
Even as US newspapers sink toward an abyss, an unusual bidding war has broken out for a major chain, pitting hedge fund operators against...
US Libraries Face 'Unprecedented' Efforts to Ban Books on...
The American Library Association (ALA) reports that books for children and young adults with themes of race, gender, and sexual identity faced an "unprecedented"...
U.S. Senate Vote Sets Off Debate on Daylight Saving...
Republicans and Democrats in a bitterly divided Washington appear to agree on one thing: the twice-yearly ritual of changing the clocks must end. Even with...
Meghan And Harry's Baby Name is Tone Deaf at...
Lilibet is a reference to Queen Elizabeth's childhood, when she struggled to pronounce her own name. "Lilibet is my pride; Margaret is my joy,"...
UN Chief Urges Wealth Tax Of Those Who Profited...
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared Monday that the world's failure to unite on tackling COVID-19 created wide inequalities, and he called for urgent action including...
Dolly Parton Among Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Winners
Dolly Parton is one of this year's Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy recipients, having made a significant donation to help fund coronavirus vaccine research in...
Antisemitic Hate Group Hangs Banner Saying 'Kanye is Right'...
According to watchdog groups, an antisemitic hate group was behind a banner hung over a busy Los Angeles freeway on Saturday that said, "Kanye...
Johns Hopkins Doctor and Army Doctor Spouse Charged With...
The Justice Department charged an Army doctor and a Johns Hopkins anesthesiologist on Thursday with conspiring to provide medical information about US soldiers and...
Immigration Detention Facility Near Empty in California
A sprawling, privately run detention center in Adelanto, California's windswept desert town, could house nearly 2,000 migrants facing deportation. However, it is nearly empty...
China Has Gone 'Mad for Drones' And is Using...
In recent weeks, China's drones have been a consistent part of its military activity around Taiwan, demonstrating new capabilities and increasing pressure on the...
Americans Are Showing up Sick to Work Even as...
You might believe that store and restaurant workers in the United States who catch Covid-19 stay at home to recover and keep the public...
Mills, LePage Look Ahead to November in Maine Governor...
Paul LePage, the Republican governor of Maine whose two terms were defined by his offensive rhetoric and combative leadership, is attempting a political comeback. With...
J&J's Janssen Settles With WVa for $99M in Opioid...
West Virginia will receive $99 million as part of a settlement with Johnson & Johnson's subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. over the drugmaker's role in...
Poll Finds 43% of Americans Believe It's Likely Civil...
A new poll of 1,500 American citizens found that 43% believe a civil war will erupt within the next decade, indicating growing concern about...
What Biden's Obamacare Executive Order Could Mean For You
On Thursday, President Joe Biden signed an executive order that aims to make healthcare more affordable and available for Americans. As a result, the Department...
Deon Joseph Letter To LeBron James In Full As...
An LAPD officer has hit out at LeBron James, saying the NBA star "put a target on the back" of the cop who shot dead...