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^ McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1970s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 187. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. The daughter of Batman and Catwoman from Earth-2 found a new home away from home in the pages of Wonder Woman's monthly title...a regular gig as the back-up feature to the Amazing Amazon's lead story. Handled by writer Paul Levitz and artist Joe Staton, the Huntress faced the villainy of the swamp creature Solomon Grundy.
Wonder Woman had its world premiere in Shanghai on May 15, 2017, and was released in the United States on June 2, 2017, in 2D, Real D 3D, and IMAX 3D by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film received largely positive reviews, with praise for its direction, acting, visuals, action sequences, and musical score, although the portrayal of its villains and the ending received some criticism.[8] The film set several box office records,[9] and became the fifth highest-grossing superhero film domestically and 20th highest-grossing film in the United States overall. It grossed over $821 million worldwide, making it the tenth highest-grossing film of 2017. As of August 2019, Rotten Tomatoes has listed the film fourth on its list of the "Best Superhero Movies of All Time",[10][note 1] and the American Film Institute selected it as one of the top 10 films of 2017.[11] A sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, is scheduled to be released on June 5, 2020, with Jenkins returning as director and Gadot reprising her role.
Comic books were more or less invented in 1933 by Maxwell Charles Gaines, a former elementary school principal who went on to found All-American Comics. Superman first bounded over tall buildings in 1938. Batman began lurking in the shadows in 1939. Kids read them by the piles. But at a time when war was ravaging Europe, comic books celebrated violence, even sexual violence. In 1940, the Chicago Daily News called comics a "national disgrace." "Ten million copies of these sex-horror serials are sold every month," wrote the newspaper's literary editor, calling for parents and teachers to ban the comics, "unless we want a coming generation even more ferocious than the present one."
Feminist icon Gloria Steinem, founder of Ms. magazine, was responsible for the return of Wonder Woman's original abilities. Offended that the most famous female superhero had been depowered into a boyfriend-obsessed damsel in distress, Steinem placed Wonder Woman (in costume) on the cover of the first issue of Ms. (1972) – Warner Communications, DC Comics' owner, was an investor – which also contained an appreciative essay about the character.[221] Wonder Woman's powers and traditional costume were restored in issue #204 (January–February 1973).[221]
In her debut in All Star Comics #8, Diana was a member of a tribe of women called the Amazons, native to Paradise Island – a secluded island set in the middle of a vast ocean. Captain Steve Trevor's plane crashes on the island and he is found alive but unconscious by Diana and fellow Amazon, and friend, Mala. Diana has him nursed back to health and falls in love with him. A competition is held amongst all the Amazons by Diana's mother, the Queen of the Amazons Hippolyta, in order to determine who is the most worthy of all the women; Hippolyta charges the winner with the responsibility of delivering Captain Steve Trevor back to Man's World and to fight for justice. Hippolyta forbids Diana from entering the competition, but she takes part nonetheless, wearing a mask to conceal her identity. She wins the competition and reveals herself, surprising Hippolyta, who ultimately accepts, and must give in to, Diana's wish to go to Man's World. She then is awarded a special uniform made by her mother for her new role as Wonder Woman and safely returns Steve Trevor to his home country.[86][87]
During 1942 to 1947, images of bound and gagged women frequently graced the covers of both Sensation Comics and Wonder Woman. An early example includes a scene in Wonder Woman #3 (Feb.-March 1943), Wonder Woman herself ties up several women, dresses them in deer costumes and chases them through the forest. Later she rebinds them and displays them on a platter.[3][4]
The first of these half-mortal siblings to reveal himself to Wonder Woman was her older half-brother, Lennox Sandsmark, who could transform himself into living, marble-like stone and, before his death, was revealed to be the father of Wonder Girl (Cassie Sandsmark).[137] His killer, the First Born, the eldest progeny of Zeus, would become Wonder Woman's first major super-villain of the New 52.
^ Callahan, Timothy (November 28, 2011). "When Words Collide: The New 52 First Quarter Review". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on September 16, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2012. What is worth reading? "Wonder Woman," definitely. It's the best of the new 52. Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang are telling a clean, poetic story with a strong mythological pull and a fierce warrior of a Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman was now a princess and emissary from Paradise Island (called Themyscira) to Patriarch's world. She possessed stunning beauty and a loving heart, gifts from the goddess Aphrodite. From Athena, she received the gift of great wisdom; from Demeter, the power and strength of the earth; from Hestia, sisterhood with fire; and from Artemis, unity with beasts and the instincts and prowess of a hunter. Finally, Diana received the gift of speed and the power of flight from the god Hermes.[9]
In the Silver Age, Wonder Woman's history received several changes. Her earlier origin, which had significant ties to World War II, was changed and her powers were shown to be the product of the gods' blessings, corresponding to her epithet, "beautiful as Aphrodite, wise as Athena, stronger than Hercules, and swifter than Hermes".[34][90] The concepts of Wonder Girl and Wonder Tot were also introduced during this period.[91]
Mikos delivers Ventouras's dead son to him, presumably killed by the rebel faction. This causes him to seek revenge against the Rebels and Diana. They turn into monsters and attack Diana. Diana fights the witch's forces but is overpowered by the witch herself, but only after retrieving the scroll from Stavros who was already attacked and severely wounded. The scrolls ends up in Julia's hands, and she immediately goes to work decoding it in an effort to save Diana and discover the witch's weakness. Diana is taken to the witch's stronghold, where she is revealed to be Circe, a sorceress possessing the soul of Hecate, the moon god after they had entered into a pact to drive the world into chaos. She tells Diana what became of her aunt Antiope, who was killed by Circe herself after manipulating Antiope's husband Theseus's former wife. Circe explains to Diana that her existence is a threat to her mission, due to Diana's goal of promoting peace and equality among mankind, and therefore she must be eliminated. Circe is about to kill Diana when she is interrupted by Julia and the rebels. Julia had decoded the scroll and knew how to stave off the witch's attacks. But they are beaten by Circe and almost killed when Circe herself is suspiciously summoned off from the island by an unknown force, later revealed to be the god Hermes.
The Golden Age Wonder Woman had strength that was comparable to the Golden Age Superman. Wonder Woman was capable of bench pressing 15,000 pounds even before she had received her bracelets, and later hoisted a 50,000 pound boulder above her head to inspire Amazons facing the test.[169] Even when her super strength was temporarily nullified, she still had enough mortal strength of an Amazon to break down a prison door to save Steve Trevor.[170] In one of her earliest appearances, she is shown running easily at 60 mph (97 km/h), and later jumps from a building[clarification needed] and lands on the balls of her feet.[171]
Wonder Woman's signature weapon was her Lasso of Truth; consequently, much of her crime-fighting powers came from bondage, and her only exploitable weakness was, essentially, bondage. Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette had teamed up to work on Wonder Woman: Earth One.[246] Paquette confirmed that he and Morrison would be bringing back the bondage theme that was popular in Wonder Woman comics during the 1940s. However, he stated that Morrison was looking for a way to not only modernize it, but to use the bondage theme as a form of female empowerment. Paquette acknowledged that Wonder Woman has become more than just a beloved character, she is a symbol for feminism. "By bringing in sex and, yes, bondage, it reasserts [William Moulton Marston's core] idea that it is okay for women to have a healthy sexual appetite." Paquette elaborated more on this by pointing out the blatant double standards in comics when it comes to sex: "Could Wonder Woman really ever have a healthy and active sex life without it becoming political fodder for Fox News? And what of women and girls who want to be like her? Do we truly think they wouldn't be labeled sluts? I have my doubts."
While not completely invulnerable, she is highly resistant to great amounts of concussive force and extreme temperatures and matches Superman[186] in this regard. She is completely immune to his heat vision, virtually any damage, or even the core of the sun. However, edged weapons or projectiles applied with sufficient force are able to pierce her skin.[181][187] Due to her divine origins, Diana can resist many forms of magical manipulation.
Storylines	The 18th Letter • A League of One • A Piece of You • Amazons Attack! • Beauty and the Beasts • Birds of Paradise • Bitter Rivals • Blood • Bones • The Bronze Doors • The Challenge of Artemis • Challenge of the Gods • Champion • The Circle • The Contest • Counting Coup • Depths • Destiny Calling • Devastation • Devastation Returns • Down to Earth • Ends of the Earth • Expatriate • Flesh • The Game of the Gods • God Complex • Gods and Mortals • Gods of Gotham • Godwar • Guts • Iron • Judgment in Infinity • Land of the Lost • Levels • Love and Murder • Lifelines • Marathon • The Men Who Moved the Earth • A Murder of Crows • Odyssey • The Pandora Virus • Paradise Island Lost • Revenge of the Cheetah • Rise of the Olympian • Sacrifice • Second Genesis • Stoned • Three Hearts • Trinity 98 • The Twelve Labors • War • Warkiller • War-Torn • Who is Donna Troy? • Who is Troia? • Who Is Wonder Woman? • The Witch and the Warrior • Wrath of the Silver Serpent
Diana quickly regained her sanity and was taken out of the mental hospital's care. She immediately noted the absence of Barbara and set out to locate her. However, when she arrived at Empire Enterprises, she was greeted only by Doctor Cyber.[81] Cale set Team Poison onto Wonder Woman once again, and Colonel Poison managed to shoot Diana through the chest. Diana and Steve quickly overcame their forces and followed Veronica Cale and Cheetah to a gateway that led to Themyscira. Wonder Woman and Cheetah fought, and a drop of Diana's blood fell onto the gateway which opened the portal to Ares' prison beneath Themyscira. Phobos and Deimos, whom Cale had turned into dogs with the help of Circe, entered the portal, along with Diana and Veronica Cale. Veronica found her daughter beside Ares.[82]
The Invisible Plane was a creation of Diana's during her younger years on Paradise Island. She created it to be an improvement on her mother's planes which would be shot down in Man's World. The result of her innovation was an invisible plane that could fly at terrific speeds silently and not be detected by hostile forces. Initially, it was portrayed as being transparent.[citation needed]
"Closeup, full length figure of WW. Do some careful chaining here—Mars's men are experts! Put a metal collar on WW with a chain running off from the panel, as though she were chained in the line of prisoners. Have her hands clasped together at her breast with double bands on her wrists, her Amazon bracelets and another set. Between these runs a short chain, about the length of a handcuff chain—this is what compels her to clasp her hands together. Then put another, heavier, larger chain between her wrist bands which hangs in a long loop to just above her knees. At her ankles show a pair of arms and hands, coming from out of the panel, clasping about her ankles. This whole panel will lose its point and spoil the story unless these chains are drawn exactly as described here."
The events of Crisis on Infinite Earths greatly changed and altered the history of the DC Universe. Wonder Woman's history and origin were considerably revamped by the event. Wonder Woman was now an emissary and ambassador from Themyscira (the new name for Paradise Island) to Patriarch's World, charged with the mission of bringing peace to the outside world. Various deities and concepts from Greek mythology were blended and incorporated into Wonder Woman's stories and origin. Diana was formed out of clay of the shores of Themyscira by Hippolyta, who wished for a child; the clay figure was then brought to life by the Greek deities. The Gods then blessed and granted her unique powers and abilities – beauty from Aphrodite, strength from Demeter, wisdom from Athena, speed and flight from Hermes, Eyes of the Hunter and unity with beasts from Artemis and sisterhood with fire and the ability to discern the truth from Hestia.[101] Due to the reboot, Diana's operating methods were made distinctive from Superman and Batman's with her willingness to use deadly force when she judges it necessary. In addition, her previous history and her marriage to Steve Trevor were erased. Trevor was introduced as a man much older than Diana who would later on marry Etta Candy.[102] Instead, Perez created Julia and Vanessa Kapatelis, a Greek-American scholar and her teenage daughter whom Diana would live with when she was in Man's world and would be major supporting characters in the series for years.
Membership	Air Wave • Amazing Man • Atom Smasher • Batman • Black Adam • Captain Marvel • Citizen Steel • Cyclone • Damage • Darknight • Hawkgirl • Hippolyta • Huntress • Jakeem Thunder • Johnny Thunder • Judomaster • King Chimera • Liberty Belle • Lightning • Magog • Miss America • Mister America • Obsidian • Power Girl • Red Beetle • Red Tornado • Ri • Robin • Sand • Stargirl • Star-Spangled Kid • S.T.R.I.P.E. • Thunderbolt • Tomcat • Superman • Wonder Woman
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ARCHIVED HD BROADCAST – Did you know that a common rail fuel injector can open over a billion times in its service life? A diesel fuel injector can also open and close over 10,000 times a minute and must deliver 3.0 mm3 of fuel (Half the size of a pin head) through a 0.25 mm2 space, in less than 2.0 ms, while traveling at the speed of sound.
This HD Streaming event, sponsored by Bosch, will provide a high level overview of Bosch Diesel fuel injectors and injection systems, with a focus on the various fuel delivery methods. You will learn why fuel injectors need to accurately deliver fuel to prevent issues with other components and diagnose drivability concerns related to faulty injectors. The seminar will include a review of common diesel emission components that suffer from incorrect fueling including the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and DeNOx Selective Catalyst Reduction (SCR) systems.


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Spiral is a hypno-seductress from the darker side of your imagination... This recording is designed to train you to respond to a trigger, turning you into a slave with a simple command......you should already be familiar with Spiral's Induction recording before attempting this trance. So just find a nice comfortable spot and relax...as She takes you deep into Her Spiral.


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Here's How a 10-Mile Commute Can Hurt Your Health
Written by Gigen Mammoser on January 29, 2019
For many Americans, a daily commute isn't just the worst part of the day — it's also a health risk.
Commute distances are increasing in the U.S. Getty Images
With the cost of living increasing in many urban areas, and technological advances allowing for more work to be done from home, it's not surprising that more Americans are commuting to work from farther and farther away.
Studies have confirmed that these commutes, some as short as 10 miles, have numerous detrimental effects on health that include everything from lower happiness to high blood pressure.
But even as more evidence points to traffic jams or lengthy commutes as being harmful to health, the average U.S. commute time and distance continues to rise.
This month, Haven Life released new findings on the top 10 worst commuting cities include New York, New Jersey, Chicago, and Newark.
In the most highly-trafficked areas, commuters can spend over 80 minutes going to and from work, according to the research that was pulled from data released by the U.S. Census Bureau,
How do long commutes affect your health?
Some areas have such a large commuting problem, that researchers coined the new term "super commuter" in 2012.
The term describes individuals who essentially live in one city but commute to another for work. More generally, the term refers to those who spend hours per day commuting — as much as three to four hours each way.
"This kind of travel raises your blood pressure," said Richard Jackson, professor emeritus of environmental health sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
"It raises your cortisol level, it raises your adrenaline level, it actually raises your risk of having a heart attack during and for about an hour after you're doing this. So, there are direct physical threats," he said.
Professor Jackson has spent years studying how "the built environment" — urban design and neighborhoods — affect health.
Other acute effects of commuting include increased exposure to air pollution and respiratory problems.
Commuting is also frequently just one more major way in which Americans have become more sedentary. An hour in the car to work is one more hour sitting down.
Commuting can also lead to worse decisions when it comes to diet.
"When people are doing these super commutes, what do you eat? You eat fast food, and fast food is generally loaded with sugar, fat, and salt," said Jackson.
"There are lots of upstream causes for our obesity and diabetes but the removal of physical activity from our lives is a very big one. A generation ago, 60-70 percent of kids walked to school and now it's only about 20 percent," he said.
A study published in 2012 on commuters in Texas metropolitan areas found that individuals with longer commutes, around 15 miles, were less physically active, more likely to be obese, and more likely to have unhealthy waist sizes.
A commute that was just 10 miles long was associated with an increase in high blood pressure.
On the other hand, research supports the notion that individuals who physically commute to work — through biking or walking — actually have lower risk of both heart attack and stroke.
However for most, the obvious effects of a long commute are likely not physical but mental: the stress, anger, boredom, and listlessness of the daily commute.
"What you do in that car on a moment-to-moment real-time basis makes a very big difference about your experience," said Curtis Reisinger, PhD, director of the Northwell Health Employee and Family Assistance Program and Chief, Psychiatry-Psychological Services, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York.
"The dialogue that you have in your head is going to compound the impact of the deleterious effects."
According to Reisinger, humans are well-equipped to deal with acute moments of stress — say getting cut off in traffic — but when these moments happen day after day, those acute moments of stress turn into long-term chronic stress.
A Canadian study in 2015 found that people with longer commutes had lower satisfaction with life for exactly those reasons. More time in the car equated to more stress, pressure, and FOMO.
"When you're driving in difficult traffic, you are using a lot more of your physical and mental energy, which can be exhausting… It's not only emotional exhaustion, you actually get physically exhausted from muscle tension," said Reisinger.
How to have a healthier commute
Fortunately there are steps to take that can help make your commute less stressful, perhaps even enjoyable.
Keep your car clean. "For long commutes, your car is your second home from a day-to-day basis. How you keep that home will also determine your experience," said Reisinger. Decluttering your car can help you feel more relaxed and at ease during the drive.
Listen to music or podcasts. Find something enjoyable about your commute and engage with it. Make your car "a welcoming place where you can look a little bit forward to getting away from work or away from home and just having almost a retreat if you can pull it off," said Reisinger.
Vary your route. Learn more about your city, indulge your curiosity, or just try to beat your GPS route. Finding different ways to get to work can make for a more stimulating commute.
Use driving to hone focus. "You can actually use driving as a meditative exercise because one of the things is that having control and focus of what your mind is on is one of the most critical things. One of the things that can help you so much is to keep your focus on driving," said Reisinger.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


For those with small kitchens (and in particular galley kitchens), finding design inspiration can prove challenging, with Pinterest, Instagram and other interiors hot-spots favouring the large, spacious kitchens that many of us can only dream of.
However, as our stylish galley kitchen design ideas will demonstrate, having a small kitchen doesn't have to mean making style sacrifices. Covering everything from small kitchen storage solutions and tips on making your space seem larger and lighter, to incorporating interiors trends and injecting personality, you'll be well equipped to embark on an overhaul of your of small (but mighty) galley kitchen.
Find out everything you need to know about planning, designing and costing a kitchen (of any size) in our ultimate guide.
Whether you're a renter looking to make landlord-friendly alterations, or a homeowner seeking affordable solutions for a tired galley kitchen, creating the kitchen of your dreams could be as simple as a lick of paint.
From bright, happiness-inducing shades, to moody and atmospheric interiors, painting is the easiest way to incorporate trends. Don't let the idea of DIYing put you off, either, as our handy guide to painting kitchen cabinets will talk you through the steps.
We love the millennial feel of this pop of pink in the kitchen, especially when paired with a statement piece of monochrome artwork.
Looking for space-stretching galley kitchen design ideas? Creating a focal point at the end of a galley kitchen is a powerful design tool that draws the eye, making a small space feel longer and larger.
This trick is particularly effective if you're fortunate enough to have windows at the end of your galley kitchen, as natural light is also helpful in creating the illusion of space. Pair with white and light wood kitchen furniture – we love the Tatton White Kitchen from Magnet – for a spacious and contemporary finish.
Remember what we said about focal points in galley kitchens? Creating a gallery wall at one end of your kitchen – particularly if it's the wall you see when entering the kitchen – is an effective means of achieving this elongating effect.
We'd recommend browsing sites such as Desenio, Etsy or Society 6 for prints and picking up frames from Ikea – the Ribba Frame is an affordable favourite.
Inspired by this kitchen? Take a look at these quirky gallery wall ideas and recreate your own.
Opting for kitchen cabinets with a sleek finish is a great option if you're keen to design a galley kitchen that has a distinctly contemporary, yet compact feeling.
When designing your galley kitchen, plan the storage you'll need with precision, and bear in mind that open shelves will keep everything to hand but need to be kept neat; that deep drawers are better than base cabinets for maximising space; and that wall cabinets should be as shallow as possible if your kitchen isn't to feel too narrow.
Specially designed corner units are an especially useful addition, allowing you to make use of space that might otherwise have been wasted. Speak to your kitchen designer about space-saving features during the early stages of design and development. If you need any more advice on what to ask a kitchen designer then have a read of our guide.
They're characteristically short on floor space, so galley kitchen design ideas that maximise the height potential of a room are a real bonus.
If you're worried about ceiling high cabinets making your kitchen feel small and boxed in, we'd recommend opting for a crisp white finish. White is space enhancing and timeless (meaning you won't go off it as soon interiors trends change). Pair with woods and a stripped back brick wall or metro tile design for a sophisticated, Scandi finish. You can actually create an exposed brick wall yourself, just follow our step-by-step guide.
While it's true that the easiest way to create the illusion of space in a small, galley kitchen is to opt for an all-white kitchen scheme, this doesn't mean you have to shy away from darker shades entirely. So, fear not, lovers of the dark and atmospheric kitchens trend, it's not entirely off limits.
Kitchen cabinets with a darker finish – we love the idea of a deep, inky blue – along with black, aluminium frame windows and dark wood accessories successfully hint at a moodier feeling interior style without overwhelming a small space.
Another way to inject colour and create a space-enhancing focal point (there's that design trick again) is to choose a brightly coloured blind which will offset an otherwise monochrome scheme and add interest to the kitchen.
We love this Flame Venetian Blind from English Blinds. We have loads more practical (and of course beautiful) kitchen window treatment ideas in our gallery.
Patterned tiles on the wall, or floor, are a great option for incorporating colour and character into a galley kitchen, especially when they're used in small quantities.
This gorgeous, light blue kitchen maximises space with ceiling high cabinetry and proves that galley kitchens can be a haven for colour. The combination of Blue Split Shift One, Two and Three tiles, all from Bert & May, is successful in achieving a bespoke feel within the space.
Keeping the surfaces of a galley kitchen clear is vital as clutter makes a space appear smaller. You'll also want to prioritise maximising surface space for food preparation.
This means choosing the best small kitchen storage solutions. In addition to space for storing crockery, cutlery and the dreaded tupperware, you'll also need space to stow away the coffee machines and food processors that have the tendency to be left on display in larger kitchens.
Floor-to-ceiling storage is a great option for maximising storage potential in a small, galley kitchen.
Open shelving is a great kitchen storage alternative that works well in a galley kitchen. In addition to costing less, overall, than kitchen cabinetry, open shelving also allows for a more relaxed, unfitted finish.
Opting for a darker shade of paint, or tiles, behind the shelves is a great way to add interest and dimension to a space, without overwhelming it. Style shelves with only the prettiest pieces from your kitchenware collection. What's more these sort of galley kitchen design ideas don't eat up a lot of budget.
This Chef's Edition Kitchen Pegboard from Wearth makes a stylish (and practical) addition to a galley kitchen with open shelving.
Incorporating different textures – think a combination of wood, stone, concrete and glass – into a galley kitchen is a great way to create interest and detract from the size of a space.
We love the use of dark woods, light stones and glass that make this galley kitchen feel dynamic, well designed and, ultimately, more spacious. The addition of a small, one-seater bench makes for a great dining table solution if you live alone.
When designing a small, galley kitchen, it's important to remember that the size of the tiles you choose can make a big difference to the finish of a space.
As our handy guide to choosing the right tiles for a small kitchen explains, opting for glossy, metallic or mother-of-pearl finish tiles will enhance a space by reflecting light and giving a grander sense of proportions.
Looking for more small kitchen design inspiration?
Best types of kitchen worktop: granite, quartz, marble, laminate, glass or wood?


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The DR Book Collection: Catch-Up #3
April 11, 2018 January 16, 2018 by Walker
This is part of the DR Book Collection.
I'm once again behind on my book reviews, so here's a list of the books I've read recently, their descriptions, and accompanying videos.
Stephen Prothero, Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know–And Doesn't (HarperCollins, 2007): "The United States is one of the most religious places on earth, but it is also a nation of shocking religious illiteracy.
Only 10 percent of American teenagers can name all five major world religions and 15 percent cannot name any.
Nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that the Bible holds the answers to all or most of life's basic questions, yet only half of American adults can name even one of the four gospels and most Americans cannot name the first book of the Bible.
Despite this lack of basic knowledge, politicians and pundits continue to root public policy arguments in religious rhetoric whose meanings are missed—or misinterpreted—by the vast majority of Americans. "We have a major civic problem on our hands," says religion scholar Stephen Prothero. He makes the provocative case that to remedy this problem, we should return to teaching religion in the public schools. Alongside "reading, writing, and arithmetic," religion ought to become the "Fourth R" of American education. Many believe that America's descent into religious illiteracy was the doing of activist judges and secularists hell-bent on banishing religion from the public square. Prothero reveals that this is a profound misunderstanding. "In one of the great ironies of American religious history," Prothero writes, "it was the nation's most fervent people of faith who steered us down the road to religious illiteracy. Just how that happened is one of the stories this book has to tell." Prothero avoids the trap of religious relativism by addressing both the core tenets of the world's major religions and the real differences among them. Complete with a dictionary of the key beliefs, characters, and stories of Christianity, Islam, and other religions, Religious Literacy reveals what every American needs to know in order to confront the domestic and foreign challenges facing this country today" (Amazon).
Steven Reiss, The 16 Strivings for God: The New Psychology of Religious Experience (Mercer University Press, 2015): "This ground-breaking work will change the way we understand religion. Period. Previous scholars such as Freud, James, Durkheim, and Maslow did not successfully identify the essence of religion as fear of death, mysticism, sacredness, communal bonding, magic, or peak experiences because religion has no single essence. Religion is about the values motivated by the sixteen basic desires of human nature. It has mass appeal because it accommodates the values of people with opposite personality traits. This is the first comprehensive theory of the psychology of religion that can be scientifically verified. Reiss proposes a peer-reviewed, original theory of mysticism, asceticism, spiritual personality, and hundreds of religious beliefs and practices. Written for serious readers and anyone interested in psychology and religion (especially their own), this eminently readable book will revolutionize the psychology of religious experience by exploring the motivations and characteristics of the individual in their religious life" (Amazon).
Alfred R. Mele, Free: Why Science Hasn't Disproved Free Will (Oxford University Press, 2014): "Does free will exist? The question has fueled heated debates spanning from philosophy to psychology and religion. The answer has major implications, and the stakes are high. To put it in the simple terms that have come to dominate these debates, if we are free to make our own decisions, we are accountable for what we do, and if we aren't free, we're off the hook. There are neuroscientists who claim that our decisions are made unconsciously and are therefore outside of our control and social psychologists who argue that myriad imperceptible factors influence even our minor decisions to the extent that there is no room for free will. According to philosopher Alfred R. Mele, what they point to as hard and fast evidence that free will cannot exist actually leaves much room for doubt. If we look more closely at the major experiments that free will deniers cite, we can see large gaps where the light of possibility shines through. In Free: Why Science Hasn't Disproved Free Will, Mele lays out his opponents' experiments simply and clearly, and proceeds to debunk their supposed findings, one by one, explaining how the experiments don't provide the solid evidence for which they have been touted. There is powerful evidence that conscious decisions play an important role in our lives, and knowledge about situational influences can allow people to respond to those influences rationally rather than with blind obedience. Mele also explores the meaning and ramifications of free will. What, exactly, does it mean to have free will — is it a state of our soul, or an undefinable openness to alternative decisions? Is it something natural and practical that is closely tied to moral responsibility? Since evidence suggests that denying the existence of free will actually encourages bad behavior, we have a duty to give it a fair chance" (Amazon).
Brink Lindsey, Human Capitalism: How Economic Growth Has Made Us Smarter–and More Unequal (Princeton University Press, 2013): "What explains the growing class divide between the well educated and everybody else? Noted author Brink Lindsey, a senior scholar at the Kauffman Foundation, argues that it's because economic expansion is creating an increasingly complex world in which only a minority with the right knowledge and skills–the right "human capital"–reap the majority of the economic rewards. The complexity of today's economy is not only making these lucky elites richer–it is also making them smarter. As the economy makes ever-greater demands on their minds, the successful are making ever-greater investments in education and other ways of increasing their human capital, expanding their cognitive skills and leading them to still higher levels of success. But unfortunately, even as the rich are securely riding this virtuous cycle, the poor are trapped in a vicious one, as a lack of human capital leads to family breakdown, unemployment, dysfunction, and further erosion of knowledge and skills. In this brief, clear, and forthright eBook original, Lindsey shows how economic growth is creating unprecedented levels of human capital–and suggests how the huge benefits of this development can be spread beyond those who are already enjoying its rewards" (Amazon).
Gretchen Rubin, Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits–to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life (Broadway Books, 2015): "How do we change? Gretchen Rubin's answer: through habits. Habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life. It takes work to make a habit, but once that habit is set, we can harness the energy of habits to build happier, stronger, more productive lives. So if habits are a key to change, then what we really need to know is: How do we change our habits? Better than Before answers that question. It presents a practical, concrete framework to allow readers to understand their habits—and to change them for good. Infused with Rubin's compelling voice, rigorous research, and easy humor, and packed with vivid stories of lives transformed, Better than Before explains the (sometimes counter-intuitive) core principles of habit formation. Along the way, Rubin uses herself as guinea pig, tests her theories on family and friends, and answers readers' most pressing questions—oddly, questions that other writers and researchers tend to ignore:
• Why do I find it tough to create a habit for something I love to do?
• Sometimes I can change a habit overnight, and sometimes I can't change a habit, no matter how hard I try. Why?
• How quickly can I change a habit?
• What can I do to make sure I stick to a new habit?
• How can I help someone else change a habit?
• Why can I keep habits that benefit others, but can't make habits that are just for me?
Whether readers want to get more sleep, stop checking their devices, maintain a healthy weight, or finish an important project, habits make change possible. Reading just a few chapters of Better Than Before will make readers eager to start work on their own habits—even before they've finished the book" (Amazon).
Drew Magary, The Hike: A Novel (Penguin, 2016): "When Ben, a suburban family man, takes a business trip to rural Pennsylvania, he decides to spend the afternoon before his dinner meeting on a short hike. Once he sets out into the woods behind his hotel, he quickly comes to realize that the path he has chosen cannot be given up easily. With no choice but to move forward, Ben finds himself falling deeper and deeper into a world of man-eating giants, bizarre demons, and colossal insects. On a quest of epic, life-or-death proportions, Ben finds help comes in some of the most unexpected forms, including a profane crustacean and a variety of magical objects, tools, and potions. Desperate to return to his family, Ben is determined to track down the "Producer," the creator of the world in which he is being held hostage and the only one who can free him from the path. At once bitingly funny and emotionally absorbing, Magary's novel is a remarkably unique addition to the contemporary fantasy genre, one that draws as easily from the world of classic folk tales as it does from video games. In The Hike, Magary takes readers on a daring odyssey away from our day-to-day grind and transports them into an enthralling world propelled by heart, imagination, and survival" (Amazon).
Categories Arts, Books, Philosophy, Psychology, Religion, Social Science Tags DR book collection, literature Post navigation
Does Pot Legalization Decrease Drug-Related Violence?
Do Markets Pave the Way for Anticorruption Reforms?


text:
'''

 Parse coverage checker html files.
 Write out data to a csv.

 INPUT: html files in MY_DATA_FOLDERS
 OUTPUT: csv file called OUTPUT_FILE

'''

from os import walk
import re

MY_DATA_FOLDERS = ["cov_checker"]   # Folder to be processed
OUTPUT_FILE = "output.csv"  # csv output result

DIGITAL_SEVICES = set()
CHANNELS = set()
MYDATABASE = []

def findWithPattern(mystr, startPattern, endPattern):
    """
    Find the string that starts with <startPattern> and ends with <endPattern> in the orginal string <mystr>.
    Args:
        mystr: orginal string.
        startPattern:
        endPattern:
    Returns:
        The found string,
        and the remained part of the orginal string.
    """
    x = mystr.find(startPattern)
    if x==-1:
        return "",mystr
    mystr = mystr[x + len(startPattern):]
    y = mystr.find(endPattern)
    if y==-1:
        return "",mystr
    return mystr[:y], mystr[y+len(endPattern):]

# ------------FIRST PHASE----------------
# 1. Read through all the data files
# 2. Generate list of DIGITAL_SEVICES and CHANNELS
# 3. Log all the data into MYDATABASE

my_output_file = open (OUTPUT_FILE, "ab+")

def scan_all_files(log_data):
    global DIGITAL_SEVICES
    global CHANNELS
    global MYDATABASE

    DIGITAL_SEVICES = set()
    CHANNELS = set()
    MYDATABASE = []

    for mypath in MY_DATA_FOLDERS:
        # Process each folder
        print "Reading folder " + mypath

        # Retrieve all file in the folder
        flist = []
        for (dirpath, dirnames, filenames) in walk(mypath):
            flist.extend(filenames)
            break

        # Process each file in the folder
        count = 0
        for filename in flist:
            count = count + 1
            if (count%1000==0):
                print ("Processing file {0!s}000th".format(count/1000))

            with open (mypath + "/" + filename, "r") as myfile:
                # Read the file
                data=myfile.read()

                # Extract signalQuality
                signalQuality,data = findWithPattern(data,"This address","signal");
                for signalType in ["good","variable","poor",""]:
                    if (signalQuality.find(signalType)>-1):
                        signalQuality = signalType
                        break;

                # Extract transmitterName
                transmitterName,data = findWithPattern(data,""," transmitter");
                transmitterName = transmitterName

                # Extract transmitterRegion
                transmitterRegion,data = findWithPattern(data,">"," region");
                if (transmitterRegion=="Detailed view"):
                    transmitterRegion=""

                # Extract list of available digitalServices
                digitalServices=set()
                digitalService,data = findWithPattern(data,"
")
                while digitalService:
                    digitalServices.add(digitalService)
                    digitalService,data = findWithPattern(data,"
")
                DIGITAL_SEVICES = DIGITAL_SEVICES.union(set(digitalServices))

                # Extract list of available channels
                channels=set()
                channel,data = findWithPattern(data,"","")
                while channel:
                    channels.add(channel)
                    channel,data = findWithPattern(data,"","")
                CHANNELS = CHANNELS.union(set(channels))

                # Store the record into database
                if log_data:
                    row = {'code':filename.split(".")[0],
                               'signalQuality':signalQuality,
                               'transmitterName':transmitterName,
                               'transmitterRegion':transmitterRegion,
                               'digitalServices':digitalServices,
                               'channels':channels}
                    rowStr = "{0!s},{1!s},{2!s},{3!s}".format(row['code'], row['signalQuality'], row['transmitterName'], row['transmitterRegion'])
                    for service in DIGITAL_SEVICES:
                        rowStr =rowStr + ',{0:d}'.format(int(service in row['digitalServices']))
                    for channel in CHANNELS:
                        rowStr =rowStr + ',{0:d}'.format(int(channel in row['channels']))
                    my_output_file.write(rowStr + "\n")

print "------------FIRST PHASE----------------"
# 1. get the DIGITAL_SEVICES and CHANNELS
scan_all_files(False)
# Set the order of DIGITAL_SEVICES and CHANNELS in the csv file
DIGITAL_SEVICES = sorted(DIGITAL_SEVICES)
CHANNELS = sorted(CHANNELS)

# Genearate the column name list
headerStr = "{0!s},{1!s},{2!s},{3!s}".format('postal.code', 'quality.terrestrial.tv.signal', 'transmitter.name', 'transmitter.region')
for service in DIGITAL_SEVICES:
    headerStr =headerStr + ',service.{0!s}'.format(service)
for channel in CHANNELS:
    headerStr =headerStr + ',channel.{0!s}'.format(channel)
my_output_file.write(headerStr + "\n")

print "------------SECOND PHASE----------------"
# 2. ouput into csv file for each row in MYDATABASE
scan_all_files(True)

my_output_file.close()

# ------------FINISH----------------
print "DONE"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Kids and computers go together like peanut butter and jelly. My point is that kids start using computers earlier and earlier, and many of them become very adept and quite precocious at an extremely young age.There are significant dangers out there: the online world is a new place to be concerned about what your kids are up to, and we've all heard too many stories already of youngsters getting into trouble online.Happily, your Mac comes with a few bits of protection built in, and there are some good applications available to help you extend those controls.
The first thing to say is that you're well-served by creating separate user accounts for your children – maybe one for each if you have a few (that could reduce some fighting, I expect!
), but certainly at least one account that's separate from yours.
Once you've done this, OS X makes it easy to apply Parental Controls that allow you to decide what site each account has access to, how long the computer can be used each day, and a few other things.
To begin, click on the Apple icon in the menubar, select 'System Preferences', and then click on 'Accounts'.
It's important that you keep this password a secret from your kids, because with it they – or anyone with access to your machine – could wreak very real havoc, since they would have complete access to all your settings and data.
Many people advise creating a Standard account even for yourself, to minimise the access that's allowed to important settings and protect you from accidentally doing damage – as well as to protect your computer from others that might do malicious damage.
Once you've authenticated, you can click on the + sign below the list of existing accounts to add a new one.
A panel slides down, where you enter details for the new account.
You set a username, an account name, password, and – crucially for this article – the account type.


text:
Q: FORTRAN self-launching MPI program Is there any way to call mprirun inside FORTRAN program? I'm working on public linux cluster via ssh and the main idea is to automatically enqueue program after its execution is over.
I tried to write something like this at the end of the program:
CALL system('mpirun -np 16 -maxtime 100 TestNP')

But recieved this error:
sh: mpirun: command not found

Any ideas ?

A: The problem is the missing path prefix, so specifying an absolute path for mpirun should help. However there are several problems with your approach:

*

*If every MPI process executes it, you would have too many instances running, so only one of the nodes (e.g. the master node) should execute it.

*The original program won't be finished, until the one called via the system() call did not finish. So, if your queue is wall-clock limited, you don't gain anything at all.
Typically, tasks like this are done via shell-scripts. E.g. in Bash you would write something like:
while true; do
  mpirun your_program
done

This would re-invoke mpirun continuously until not killed by you or the queuing system. (So be careful with it!)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Can be the divergence Mach be greater than 1?
Why does having a geometry-limited aircraft lead to lower VLOFs?
How do active blades work on helicopters?
Has there been any research on plasma-producing planes?
Does the extension of trailing edge flaps increase or decrease the critical angle of attack?
Could a moving film of gas reduce aerodynamic drag?
Where can I find information on dethermalizer aerodynamics?
How does corrugated skin influence the effectiveness of ailerons?
What orders of Ram Rise Coefficient (Recovery Factor) are commonly encountered?
How is the inflow velocity distributed of a tilted and trimmed rotor in hover?
How to transform a NACA airfoil into a near-circle using the inverse Karman-Trefftz?
How much lift can be generated by the intake lip of a duct?
Is this the right way to calculate the roll damping moment coefficient of a projectile in free-flight?
What does "lower flatness" mean in airfoil terminology?
What does lower flatness mean in these parameters of a Glenn Martin airfoil?
Why are Leading Edge Flaps (LEFs) create lift while down at slow speeds but decrease lift while down at higher speeds?
Why do the elliptical and the rectangular wing show different aerodynamic efficiency?
How is Reynolds Number derived and used?
What is the glide ratio on the CE-S550 Citation S-II?
I couldn't find it in the AFM. Is it different then the square winged citation II?
Where am I wrong at aerodynamic center calculation?
How do split winglets reduce bending moment in the wings?
I don't understand what they mean with basic lift distribution. I have calculated C_L which is 5a (a is alpha in radians). I added the relevant equations here.
Is winglet height equivalent to duct height?
What are stick position stability and stick force stability?
What are stick position stability and stick force stability? What are the difference between them? How will changing trim of an aircraft affect them?
What would the consequence of placing the data probe beneath rather than free of the boundary layer be?
How can I calculate the lift force on an aircraft pulling out of a dive?


Fortune Magazine Kenya is an online business magazine containing information on the current state of the economy/business trends.
We publish business articles and features every month in our monthly publication. It can now be found in a store near you.
Each year we award the top 5,000 International companies and brands that have made a significant impact in society.The Fortune 5,000 is an annual award ceremony that is held on September 3rd in Nairobi Kenya.5,000 companies and brands from all over the world are awarded at the ceremony for their exemplary work in growing the economy.
The above employee is an employee of the above publications.


text:
Lucifer: How a Decent Deity Got a Bad Rap (Part 3)
February 27, 2020 by Vincent Czyz 4 Comments
Dictionnaire Infernal, 1863
We've seen that there are few traces of the Lucifer we've all come to know and loathe in the Old Testament. We will have to dig through the somewhat obscure books of intertestamental literature to find the sketchy outlines of a familiar likeness. The intertestamental period covers the 400 or so years that span the writing of the last book of the Old Testament and the composition of the New Testament. Two works that date from this epoch, The Book of Enoch and The Book of Jubilees, have their roots in Genesis and The Book of Daniel.
Genesis 6.1–6.4 recounts how the "sons of God"—angels—chose mortal wives: There were Giants on the Earth in those days and also afterward when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. However momentous the mingling of human and divine might seem, the Bible closes the topic as soon as it is opened.
Similarly, in Daniel, angels called Watchers receive their first and last canonical mention. Although we learn virtually nothing about them in this cameo, the Watchers will become major players in Enoch and Jubilees.
Enoch, the sixth patriarch after Adam, reputedly lived to the age of 365 before ascending to heaven. The book named after him was composed over some four centuries. Its deepest roots, Forsyth maintains, reach back to the third century BCE, while, according to Pagels, the last section was added as late as the beginning of the first century CE. The Watchers from Daniel reappear in The Book of Enoch as a group of 200 angels led by Semihazah, and they are inexplicably linked with the angels in Genesis. In this version their lust for the daughters of men is an act of deliberate sin, whereas in Genesis they go unjudged. In Enoch their giant offspring are called nephilim, "fallen ones," and they "sin and do violence against all the beasts of the Earth" until they eventually kill one another off.
While Genesis 6.5 locates men as the primary source of evil ("Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great …") and sends a flood to purge the world, angelic lust is the origin of evil in this narrative thread of Enoch. Later in Enoch, however, the story of the archangel Azazel, who seems to have equal standing with Semihazah, offers a very different theodicy: Azazel teaches men the secrets of metallurgy, "a pernicious revelation that inspired men to make weapons and women to adorn themselves with gold, silver, and cosmetics." [Pagels p. 50] It is hard here not to see echoes of the Greek story of Prometheus, especially when we recall that Palestine had been under Greek rule since Alexander the Great drove the Persians out around 333 BCE. In any event, in direct contrast to Genesis, Enoch absolves men of wickedness and places the blame for evil on angelic doings.
Yahweh, ever in the mood to smite, decrees that
Azazel is to be covered with darkness, 'that his face may not see the light,' while Michael is to 'bind' Semihazah and his cronies 'for seventy generations in the valleys of the earth until the day of their judgment.' On the great Day of Judgment they are to be thrown into … 'the abyss of fire and torture and perpetual imprisonment.' [Forsyth p.179]
For the first time, we have something vaguely resembling the popular conception of angels who rebel against God and are punished with darkness and fire.
The Watchers put on another performance of lust and sin in the Book of Jubilees, which shouldn't be surprising given that the author of Jubilees admits that he has read and borrowed from Enoch. Composed around 160 BCE, Jubilees is a reimagining of Genesis and Exodus. Giants once again wreak havoc (even after they are dead, their ghosts go on with the mischief-making) but Semihazah and Azazel are replaced by Mastema and Satan.
The pivotal moment in Jubilees occurs when Noah prays to God, beseeching Him to imprison "these spirits which are living … and hold them fast in the place of condemnation …" [Jubilees 10.5, Forsyth p. 185] The Lord agrees, but Mastema does some beseeching of his own:
Lord, Creator, let some of them [the spirits] remain before me, and let them hearken to my voice and to all that I say unto them; for if some of them are not left to me, I shall not be able to execute power of my will on the sons of men for these are for corruption and leading astray before my judgment, for great is the wickedness of the sons of men. [Jubilees 10.8]
God grants Mastema's wish, allowing one tenth of the spirits to remain under his supervision. Mastema and Satan are distinct entities in Jubilees, but before the book is over they merge. This isn't too surprising given that the Hebraic root of Mastema is "stm," which means "hate" or "enmity" and is related to "stn," the root of Satan ("adversary"). Or, put another way, "enmity" and "enemy" become essentially one and the same. By the time we get to Jubilees 10.11, a tenth of the "malignant evil ones" are left "that they might be subject before Satan on the earth." So at this point Satan has replaced Mastema as the Grand Poobah.
Jubilees, like Enoch, presents us with some semblance of the familiar fallen angels, although this is inter-testamental, not biblical, literature, and the story we get is still distant from the epic presented by Milton and commonly linked with the name Lucifer. While the angels disobey God, they do not take up arms against Him, there is no war in heaven, and Mastema ends up on his knees begging God for a favor—behavior hardly befitting the eternally defiant hero of Milton's poem.
It is important to recognize that while Enoch and Jubilees are obscure to us, they were bestsellers in their day. Kelly points out they are the two most popular (in terms of number of copies) of the surviving Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran, and Pagels agrees these texts were well known to the early Christians. The Epistle of Jude, in fact, actually quotes a verse of Enoch. [Jude 15–16] Thus, by the time the Gospels were written, Satan had evolved from an adversary in general to God's adversary. While all of the Satan sightings in the New Testament are too numerous to deal with here, there are a few worth considering.
In the Pauline letters Satan is referred to as the Tester, which recalls his role in Job. He is also called the Devil and Beliar (once). Picking up where Mastema left off, Satan (always used as a name now) is ruler of the world—not Hell—with God's approval.
In Mark, Jesus is "tested by Satan" in the wilderness. (While "tested" here is generally translated "tempted," Kelly points out that the Greek peirasmos can mean test or temptation.) We know this is part of God's plan because Jesus is whisked off for his sessions with Satan not by demons or treachery but by the Holy Spirit.
In Matthew Jesus is "led" (rather than "driven") into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit and here, too, faces the Tester, who offers him the kingdoms of the world. Jesus doesn't object that the kingdoms are not Satan's to give, he simply replies that God is the only one worthy of worship.
Luke makes Satan's legitimate ownership still more explicit: "I will give you all this power and all the glory of these Kingdoms. For it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please." It is a continuation of Satan's role in Jubilees in which he ruled over evil spirits and roamed the Earth with God's permission. Interestingly enough, in the Epistle of Jude, "when the Archangel Michael contended with the Devil and disputed about the corpse of Moses, [Michael] did not dare to bring a blasphemous denunciation against [Satan]. Instead, he said, 'The Lord rebuke you.'" In other words, Michael himself doesn't have authority to overrule Satan since the place Satan occupies has been granted by God.
There are two other important passages in the New Testament that need to be addressed. The first is in Luke, where Jesus says, "I was watching Satan falling like lightning." This is sometimes taken to be corroboration that Satan, not a pair of kings, was referred to in Ezekiel and Isaiah, but this is pretty flimsy evidence. Numerous things that have nothing to do with heavenly rebellion fall—empires, cities, warriors, and, yes, kings. More importantly, Satan is compared to lightning; his fall is not tragic or lamentable. Further proof that these are utterly unrelated falls can be found in John, where Jesus says, "[The Devil] was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him." [John 8:44] In other words, the Devil was never good; hence, he could never have fallen and become corrupt.
Indeed, Kelly interprets this passage to mean that the fall Jesus mentions will take place in the future, and it is simply a reference to Satan losing his position as ruler of the world. In other words, there will come a time when God no longer has need of a Tester.
The other passage is Revelation 12, in which John sees
a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.
His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. [12:3–12:4]. […]
And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the Earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
While here we are much closer to the tragic hero of Milton's Paradise Lost, there is still a huge gap here between the fetching Lucifer of popular imagination and a dragon with seven heads. And again we have to bear in mind that Jesus calls Satan "the father of lies" in John while here in Revelations Satan "deceives the whole world"; there is nothing noble about him nor was there ever. What we have at best is a version of Mastema, "Hatred/Enmity," who is backed by angels rather than the spirits of dead Giants. This "rebellion" is also very late in the game; Revelations is a prediction of the future written in the past tense. So the idea that the angels fell before the beginning of time and that Satan later deceived Eve is impossible based on biblical scripture.
Finally, any attempt to identify Lucifer with Satan and posit a fall before Creation runs aground on the Old Testament itself: If Satan had been cast out of heaven for rebelling against God, what's he doing hanging around God's court in the Book of Job? While we can't be sure where the first scene in Job takes place, it does not seem to be set on Earth since that is where the satan says he has just come from. Presumably we are in heaven—from which Satan was supposedly evicted. We could also ask why an exiled satan does a good deed by preventing Balaam from cursing the Israelites in Numbers. It simply makes no sense.
Clearly enough, the satan began as an office filled either by an angel who was part of the heavenly court or by a human being on earth. Beginning with Chronicles, Satan got his capital letter, so to speak, and began to evolve both into the personification of Hate (found in Enoch and Jubilees) and God's opponent. The New Testament exhibits completely contradictory versions of Satan: Sometimes he is the Tester—as he was in Job—as well as in Mark, Matthew, and Luke. In his sanctioned role, even the archangel Michael refuses to oppose him, but at other times, as in Revelations, Persian dualism seems to hold sway, and Michael and Satan go toe to toe somewhere in the stratosphere.
This is the third installment of a four-part article. The previous installment is here. The next installment is here.
Vincent Czyz received an MA in comparative literature from Columbia University, and an MFA in creative writing from Rutgers University. He is the author of the collection Adrift in a Vanishing City and the novel The Christos Mosaic, and is the recipient of the 1994 Faulkner-Wisdom Prize for Short Fiction. His short stories and essays have appeared in Shenandoah, AGNI, The Massachusetts Review, New England Review, Boston Review, and many other publications.
Filed Under: Featured Article, Misc. Philosophical Musings Tagged With: Book of Enoch, History of Satan, Lucifer, philosophy blog, Satan, The Devil
Barry Smylie says
It simply (yet complexly) makes no sense!
eeenok says
you seem to be accepting the dating of Daniel that is used by evangelicals and ultra-orthodox jews … ie people who ignore scholarship out of a need for the bible to be literally true. there is very little doubt daniel is second century BC — the final edit is dated to within a few years by the point where the battles between the north and south kings cease to be historically accurate description of the warring greek emperors, and becomes fanciful prediction (or end times allegory, to desperate evangelicals). daniel (and deuterocanonical material) is "intertestamental"
iow, despite the time taken for composition, it's more likely for material in daniel to borrow from the generally earlier and more popular enoch than vice versa. daniel has made it into canon by writing in the idiom of the golden era of judaism defined in babylon, while the more obviously post-persian (and untethered) enoch has been abandoned in the retreat to a more authentic judaism that predated its collapse into warring factions
but despite being sidelined, enoch's literary popularity (like milton) has an obvious influence on later writers who might not even be aware where the broad strokes of their cosmological roadmap originated. once invented, the fascinating folk tale of fallen angels became indelible
Vincent Czyz says
You are right to identify Daniel as intertestamental–it is. It's my mistake not to be clear that although it seems to predate Enoch and Jubilees, it still belongs to the intertestamental period (2nd century BCE). That said, believe me, no source I've ever used was written by an Evangelical. The fact is I've spent most of my adult life arguing against a literal reading of the Bible, as demonstrated in the novel I wrote and here in an essay arguing against a literal reading of the gospels, Mark in particular: http://logosjournal.com/2011/summer_czyz/
Thanks for weighing in. That said, 1. I have no idea when Evangelicals think Daniel was composed. No source I've ever used was written by an Evangelical. 2. The second century BC/BCE, which you cite as the approximate date of composition, is part of the intertestamental period, which is the only dating I give for Daniel. If you click on the "intertestamental" link above, you'll see this is the first sentence: "A vast amount of Jewish literature written in the intertestamental period (mainly 2nd and 1st centuries BCE) and from the 1st and 2nd centuries CE was preserved, for the most part, through various Christian churches." 3. I've spent my adult life arguing against a literal reading of the Bible, as demonstrated in the novel I wrote and here in an essay arguing against a literal reading of the gospels, Mark in particular: http://logosjournal.com/2011/summer_czyz/
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all the first time after entering system executing startx will make fbpanel start , but after startx several times(usually two times), fbpanel windows could not be shown.
I start fbpanel from my window manager (I use openbox). In .xinitrc I have "openbox-session", and in .config/openbox/autostart.sh I have "fbpanel &". Maybe you can call fbpanel from herbstluftwm?


The article presents information on developments related to the U.S. politics. The pattern is one seen repeated again and again. It is called hubris. Inebriated by power, flying higher and higher, an exhilarating sense of power untethered by such old fashioned nuisances as being answerable to the laws the common folk must obey, the gravity of ethics reasserted its rightful power. The ethically challenged mighty are falling. It seems to be a lesson which needs to be learned again and again. The congressmen knew they would be next to fall if they too failed to pay attention to the social compact that is the foundation of our republican form of government. The post-election pundits were right: values do matter.


text:
What should every freshman at your school know before they start? (20) Describe your favorite campus traditions. (5) What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year? (5) What's unique about your campus? (4) What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why? (4) Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it. (3) What kind of person should attend this school? (3) What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school? (3) What's the most frustrating thing about your school? (3) Describe the students at your school. (2) What kind of person should not attend this school? (2) What are the academics like at your school? (1) What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate? (1)
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Well, compared to high school and Waubonsee Community College was that Waubonsee is "immature" free. Usually in High school, there was always drama and people picking on you for no reason. In Waubonsee, now I do not want to sound too naive, but people in Waubonsee are more interested in studying, completing their schoolwork, and trying to figuring out what career path they wanted to take. Sure, there are a few immature people in Waubonsee, but I studied Waubonsee for over a year and I feel great walking though the doors there. I have no issues with the other students.
Waubonsee is a wonderful school because it allows you to discover what you're interested in pursuing academically without having to pay astronomical tuition. There are plenty of night classes, weekend classes, and online classes for people who have busy schedules, and it's easy to go full time or part time. Many of the classes at Waubonsee transfer to four year universities if you're interested in attending one after your Waubonsee education, too.
Well it's close to home and is much much more affordable than other schools I considered. They have a pretty good staff and the campus keeps getting updated to meet the needs of the students.


The Local Authority has a statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children resident in its area. An analysis of the latest pupil forecasts has identified the need to provide additional primary school places in Nantwich in response to housing developments.
Following discussions with the local authority, the governing body considered the need for extra school places in the area and resolved to publish an expansion proposal for Stapeley Broad Lane C of E Primary school.
Consultation on the proposed expansion closed. Governors will consider all the feedback received and make a decision on whether to proceed with the proposal.
Consultation on the proposed expansion started. Consultees were invited to submit their views by the deadline of 24 May 2018.


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November 26, 2010 - 19 Kislev, 5771
Shlopping for Chanuka? | Living with the Rebbe | A Slice of Life | What's New
Shlopping for Chanuka?
by Rabbi Yisrael Rubin
The approach of Chanuka has many people shlepping and shopping (shlopping for short) around the malls for gifts.
Even if you're sitting at home in a comfortable chair with your feet up and a cup of tea in hand, perusing a catalogue or surfing the net for great gift ideas, it can still be a shlep to shop for Chanuka!
Whether you're driving around looking for a parking space or checking out the bargains in cyberspace, shlopping can take hours upon hours and can be very tiring.
Shlopping is especially draining, confusing and exhausting with all that goes on in the malls at this time of the year during the end of the shlopping days countdown.
Actually, shlopping malls may be the most inappropriate place to find the most appropriate Chanuka gift. The seasonal decorations, the rush and hassle, the here-today- gone-tomorrow trendiness of items ornately displayed in store windows, can detract from the Chanuka spirit.
Chanuka celebrates the triumph of the little cruse of purity over crass materialism. The Maccabees fought and were victorious in a battle of quality over quantity. They dedicated themselves to preserving Jewish identity and to resisting alien influences.
We can shop and shop, but not all that glitters is gold. A true Chanuka gift should have some inner content, not only superficial wrappings, fancy labels and pricey tags. Our family and friends certainly deserve more on Chanuka than just shlopping bags full of gizmos.
But can anyone hear us above all the noise? How can we focus on the true meaning of Chanuka amid all the surrounding sights and sounds, muzak and color?
The following proposed announcement may sound a little shloppy, but let's try to get someone's attention with it.
"Attention Shloppers! We draw your attention to a special in the Chanuka department.
"Remember: It's the thought that counts. Give something with meaning.
"Gone are the days when the only Jewish toy was a wobbly lead dreidle. We've come a long way.
"Experience the explosion of Jewish creativity. Go into your local Judaica store (or visit them online) and choose from a large and attractive selection of Jewish games, toys, art & crafts, books, tapes, software and CDs, with real, authentic Jewish content.
"Our rich and exciting heritage can come alive for Jewish kids of all ages. Give gifts that are educational and entertaining - the best of both worlds."
Shlep a friend along with you on this new Chanuka shlopping adventure.
Rabbi Yisrael Rubin is director of Chabad of the Capital District, Albany, NY.
At first glance, this week's Torah portion, Vayeishev, chronicles the circumstances leading to Joseph's appointment as second in command over Egypt, subordinate only to Pharaoh. Yet, upon examination, we find that Joseph's story is synonymous with the history of the Jews.
Joseph, the pride of his father, at the age of 17 is suddenly plucked from his secure environment, family, and his country. Sold into slavery and finding himself in a foreign land, he must now cope with the most adverse and cruel of circumstances. Worst of all, Joseph is not to blame, for all this has come about through no action of his own.
A lesser individual would have surely succumbed to bitterness and depression. Another might have become indifferent. But Joseph realized that he must deal with the reality which presented itself. As the servant of Potifar, he fulfilled his duties to the best of his ability. It soon became apparent even to Potifar that it was in Joseph's merit that his household enjoyed its material blessings.
This, then, is the task of every Jew: No matter how adverse the circumstances, each Jew must live up to his full potential and fulfill his duties to the best of his ability.
But how was Joseph repaid for his loyalty? He was thrown into prison! Why? Because he refused to betray his master by succumbing to the advances of the master's wife. Not only didn't Joseph's honesty and integrity bring him any positive benefits, these very qualities caused him to be incarcerated. Was Joseph discouraged? Did he reject his lifestyle and renounce his high standards? Joseph's response to adversity was to continue in the same path, acting honestly and in good faith. Eventually his behavior and virtue drew the attention of his jailers.
This is the history of the Jew as well: No matter how depraved and corrupt his surroundings, he remains undeterred from his faith in G-d and His Torah.
When Joseph noticed that two of his fellow inmates, Pharaoh's chief butler and chief baker, were distressed for some reason, he rushed to their aid, without thought of rejoicing at their misfortune or of taking revenge for the role they played in his downfall. Joseph could not bear to see people in need, and so he immediately offered his assistance. He was able to bring them relief by interpreting their respective dreams.
In return, Joseph did not ask for monetary payment or special treatment. He merely requested that the chief butler mention his name to Pharaoh when he was freed, which he didn't do. In his unbending faith in the goodness of man and in ultimate justice, Joseph believed that fairness would prevail if only Pharaoh was presented with the facts.
This theme has been played out time and again in Jewish history. Joseph unfortunately learned the hard way that this world is full of lies and deception. Yet when he later found himself in a position of almost unlimited power, he refused to exact revenge on those who had harmed him. This is not the way of the Jew. Joseph faithfully used his office to steer the Egyptians and the whole world from potential catastrophe during the years of famine, enacting, for the first time, the historic role the Jews have played during their exile among the nations.
Adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
The Song of Chanuka by Svetlana Weissman
Let me share with you my story about the small cruse of oil that has remained pure though hidden in Jewish hearts in the former Soviet Union despite 70 years of communism and oppression.
Our family is typically Russian. My grandparents moved from Poland to the Kuban region of Southern Russia since 1953. My grandparents were devoted communists and they raised my mother to be faithful to communist doctrines as well. My grandmother Larissa Michaelovna was the one who actually educated me, as well, since my mother Olga passed away when I turned none.
Grandmother just allowed Russian to be spoken at home. In fact, she was known as the best Russian language teacher in our town. She never spoke about her past. We only knew that she was from Poland. The only time I ever heard Polish was when she would take out her violin and play some old, Polish melodies. At those times, Grandmother would cry and laugh at the same time. She would gaze up high as if she were in some distant place for, far way, with tears rolling down her cheeks. I would say, "Babushka," over and over again, asking, "Why are you crying?" She would just smile adn kiss me the way only Babushka could.
My birthday was in the middle of December, and my grandmother would always celebrate by taking out her violin and playing a Polish song that she said reminded her of me. "Oy chanuka, oy chanuka, a yontif, a sheina." I didn't understand the Polish words of the song but Grandmother would always look at me as she played and sang, and I knew that it must mean something very wonderful.
Around the time of my birthday in 2001, something happened that changed our lives forever. It was the middle of the winter when she came home with a young look on her face. Even though she was already 78-year-old she looked 20 years younger. I will always remember the look of delight and contentment in my grandmother's eyes when she showed me her shopping bag filled to overflowing. I never saw my grandmother come home with so much food at once. It was around 10-12 kilos of flour, oil, canned vegetables, dried fruit and candy I never saw in our stores.
I was in shock. I knew that on her 3,850 rubles pension she could not possibly afford to buy all at that at once. My grandmother saw my curious look and told me the following.
"Svetochka, my child, we are Jews. Your real name is Sheine. I asked your mother to give you that name in memory of my mother Sheine who was murdered with my entire family in Auschwitz in 1944. I am not Larisa, I am Leahle. I am not Polish, I am Jewish. You see this tattoo on my arm? It's not just a number; it's my identity. I promised myself after the War that I would forget my past, and start a new life with no oppression. I didn't want your mother and future generations to suffer anymore. I was angry with G-d and I didn't want Him to be a part of my life. My 'religion' became communism.
"But that all changed a week ago. It was when I was taking my regular daily stroll in the park. I heard music. It was the song that I play on my violin for your birthday. My feet had a mind of their own and I began walking toward the music. Right there, in the park in Krasnodar, Russia, I saw them. It was the boys I last saw 60 years ago. They reminded me of my brothers and cousins. They were dancing to the music that came from their car and they were stopping people, asking them questions, and then giving them something.
" 'One of them came over to me and asked: "Izvinti, vi Evreika?" (Excuse me, are you Jewish?) I couldn't answer. Tears began rolling down my cheeks. I could only nod my head "yes." He gave me a box, with a tin candle holder. Look, here it is. It is called a menora. And he gave me candles and a volchok (dreidel).
"The package had a leaflet with holiday instructions and contact information. It took me several days before I actually called the number. and Then I was invited to be introduced to Rabbi Shneur Segal, the director of the Krasnodar Jewish Community Center and a Chabad rabbi. He spoke to me in Yiddish. It's been 60 years since I've spoken Yiddish. He asked if he could give me a Chanuka package. It was this bag full of goodies. I declined. I said other people might need and deserve it more than me. But he was insistent. I want you to meet him Sheine. He invited us to the Chanuka celebration at the JCC... I want you to meet him, Sheine.
As they say, the rest is history. We went to the Chanuka celebration at the JCC. And we started going there for Shabbat and during the week for classes and events. The most difficult part for Babushka was when I went to study in the Machon Chamesh Jewish Institute in Moscow. But she encouraged me to go there. "You must be a living legacy for our family. Go, learn to really be a Jew," she blessed me.
Each year that I was away in Moscow I would make sure to be at my babushka's for my birthday. She would take out her violin and play our special song. But from that Chanuka on, I knew what the words meant. "Oy Chanuka, oy Chanuka, a Yontif, a sheine....' "
Sheina Weissman, a social worker, lives in Rishon L'Tzion, Israel, with her husband Meir and daughter Rachel. The Krasnodar JCC is a member of the Federation of Jewish Communities of CIS and Baltic States, the umbrella organization for JCCs in 454 cities across the former Soviet Union. They provide religious, cultural, educational and humanitarian aid to Jews throughout the FSU.
Be part of the Chanuka celebrations at the World's Largest Chanuka Menora at Fifth Ave. and 59th St. in NYC. Wednesday, Dec. 1 and Thursday, Dec. 2, the menora will be lit at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, the menora will be let at 3:40 p.m. Saturday night, Dec. 4, menora lighting will be at 8:00 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5 - Wednesday, Dec. 8, the menora will be lit at 5:30 p.m. On Sunday there will be live music, free hot latkes and chocolate Chanuka gelt. For more info call the Lubavitch Youth Organization at (718) 778-6000. For public menora lightings in your area call your local Chabad-Lubavitch Center.
20 Kislev, 5719 (1959)
Yesterday we celebrated Yud Tes [19] Kislev, the Redemption of the Alter Rebbe [Rabbi Shneur Zalman], the founder of Chabad, and together with him the triumph of all matters connected with Chabad.
The day inspires every one of us to greater efforts in living up to the concepts of Chabad, the basis of which is the love of G-d, love of the Torah, and love of our fellow-Jews, all of which is truly one.
This is connected with the basic teachings of Chabad, requiring everyone of us to do our utmost to bring our fellow-Jews closer to G-d and to Torah and mitzvos [commandments], in their purest form, without compromise or concession, though the approach to each individual may differ in accordance with his spiritual state and background.
One cannot expect a Jew who has drifted from the Jewish way of life to transform himself suddenly, and it is necessary to bring him closer to G-d by stages, yet we have to present to him the true aspects of our Torah and mitzvos, not in any diluted form.
It is only then that the Jew is responsive to the truth, as is expressed the well-known saying of the Alter Rebbe that "No Jew wishes, nor can he, sever himself from G-d."
The 19th of Kislev, therefore, reminds us every year of these basic principles, and inspires us towards their fulfillment.
I know your late father of blessed memory, and I also had the opportunity to meet with you and your wife when you visited here.
My personal knowledge of the members of your family gives me every confidence that every one of you will do your utmost to work for the spreading of Torah and mitzvos in your community, in the spirit of the founder of Chabad, and his teachings.
The work of Chabad in every field of Jewish endeavor has always been on a non-sectarian basis and not confined to any particular group, but embraces all our fellow Jews.
It is because of this that it has remained free from outside influences and pressures, and it is because of this that it has succeeded so well, with the help of G-d.
Translated from a telegram of the Rebbe
17 Kislev, 5752 (1991): To all those participating in the major gatherings of Yud Tes Kislev,
L'Chaim, L'Chaim Velivracha - "To life, to life and blessing."
Beginning today, the 17th of Kislev (whose numerical equivalent in Hebrew, tov, means "good"); continuing on the 18th of Kislev (whose numerical equivalent in Hebrew, chai, means "live"); and on the 19th of the month, Yud Tes Kislev itself; may you be inscribed - and may that inscription be sealed - for a good year in the study of Chasidut and in the Chasidic ways of conduct.
May it be G-d's will that the verse, "He redeemed my soul in peace" [the verse of Psalms which the Alter Rebbe was reciting when he was informed of his release] come to complete fruition for each and every one of you.
May you succeed in making vessels for this blessing, as reflected in our Sages' interpretation of the above verse as refer-ring to one who is occupied in Torah study (both the revealed dimension of Torah law and the Torah's mystic dimension), in deeds of kindness, and in prayer.
Additional emphasis on the above is granted this year, for Yud Tes Kislev falls on a Tuesday, the day on which the expression "And G-d saw that it was good" was repeated. And as our Sages explain, this refers to a two-fold good, "Good for the heavens" and "Good for the created beings."
The above activities should all be brought to fruition energetically, in a manner of Ufaratzta: "And you shall spread forth westward, eastward, north-ward, and southward," beginning with each of the mitzva campaigns.
There is added emphasis on all of the above in the present year, for it is a leap year, which the Torah describes as a "perfect year"....
And from these days, we will proceed to the days of preparation for Chanuka and to Chanuka itself, whose message is, which indeed, grants the potential for it to be actualized, for each and every person to kindle "the lamp of mitzva and the light of Torah," "at the outside of the entrance to his home," and to increase the light shining at the entrance to his home from day to day, causing it to shine outward throughout the entire year...
May this be realized in the building of the Third Holy Temple - speedily in our days, in the true and complete Redemption led by Moshiach. May this take place in the immediate future.
ZMIRA is from the Hebrew meaning "song" or "melody."
ZEVULUN means "to exalt" or "to honor." Zevulun was the sixth son of Jacob and Leah. A partnership was set up between Zevulun and his brother, Yisachar. The tribe of Yisachar were full-time students of Torah while the Zevulunites, who were merchants, provided them with financial support. This relationship continues today, as exemplified by business people who support Torah study.
Happy New Year! Yes, Rosh Hashana was a few months ago, but this Tuesday we'll be celebrating a different New Year: Yud Tes Kislev, the Rosh Hashana of Chasidut.
Yud Tes (19) Kislev is the anniversary of the release from prison of the founder of Chabad, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, known as the Alter Rebbe. Because the entire future of Chasidut was at stake, his liberation was not only a personal redemption, but the redemption of the entire movement.
Nothing happens down here in this world without a spiritual counterpart. In fact, the reason things happen in this world is because of what is going on "up above" in the higher celestial spheres. When the Alter Rebbe was freed from prison it was a vindication of his teachings - and a "green light" from Above to continue their dissemination full speed ahead.
The underlying purpose of Chasidut is to prepare the world for the Messianic era, when the knowledge of G-d will be commonplace. Maimonides explains that King Moshiach "will restore the entire world to serve G-d together, as it states, 'For then I will transform the nations...that they all call in the Name of G-d.'"
This point - that Moshiach is for everyone, Jew and Gentile - was emphasized in a letter the Alter Rebbe sent to the famous Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev upon his release. Rather than stressing the joy that was felt over the liberation of Chasidut from its bondage, the Alter Rebbe wrote that "G-d's Name was made great and publicly sanctified, particularly in the eyes of the officials...who also considered it a great wonder...and declared, 'It is from G-d that such a thing has happened.'"
May the holy day of Yud Tet Kislev, the preparatory redemption of Chasidut, lead to the ultimate Redemption of all mankind with the coming of Moshiach immediately.
What profit will it be if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? (Gen. 37:26)
The fact that we will be forced to conceal our deed indicates that it is wrong. "Wherever secrecy exists - thievery exists."
(Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk)
We were binding sheaves in the field...and behold, your sheaves placed themselves round about, and bowed down to my sheaf (Gen. 37:7)
This world, in which physical objects appear to be distinct and separate entities from G-dliness, is likened to a field. To make a sheaf, the stalks of wheat must first be uprooted and then bound together. Similarly, the task of the Jew is to take physical objects, "uproot" them from their corporeality, and utilize them in the service of G-d so that they become vessels for holiness.
(Likutei Sichot)
Reuven returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit (37:29)
Reuven's absence allowed the other brothers to sell Joseph; had Reuven been present, he would not have permitted them to do it. And where was he? Rashi says Reuven was preoccupied with fasting and perfecting himself. Because he was concerned only with himself, Joseph was sold and the whole series of events was set in motion that would lead to our forefathers' exile in Egypt. An important lesson is learned: One must not be concerned solely with his own perfection to the exclusion of others. We must always have our fellow Jew in mind and truly love him, lest he be ignored in his time of need.
And on the vine were three branches (Gen. 40:10)
According to our Sages, the Jews are likened to the vine, the fruit of which "gladdens G-d and man." For within every Jew exists this attribute of "wine" - the innate ability to delight in G-dliness, an inheritance from our forefathers. This love for G-d is hidden deep inside, much like the wine is hidden in the grape and not outwardly discernable. Likewise, just as squeezing the grape releases the treasure within, so does personal refinement and self-nullification reveal this inner love and bring it to its potential.
(Lubavitcher Rebbe)
Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz, a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov, believed strongly that the doctrines of Chasidism, based on and interwoven with the Kabala, ought not to be publicized except to a select few. He was especially opposed to the practice of the disciples of his colleague, the Maggid of Mezritch, who committed the Maggid's teaching to writing and circulated their manuscripts for copying by others.
Rabbi Pinchas' anger and criticism were aggravated one day when on a visit to Mezritch, he found one of these manuscripts lying in the gutter. To Rabbi Pinchas, his worst suspicions appeared confirmed. He was notably upset and this incident could very well have led to a serious rift between himself and the Maggid, the leader of the Chasidic movement after the Baal Shem Tov's passing.
The situation was saved by the quick intervention of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi. He approached Rabbi Pinchas to appease him by relating the following parable:
"Once there was a great and powerful king who had but a single son. The king wished to see his son excel in wisdom and strength and sent him to many distant places to be trained in all the arts and sciences. One day a letter came informing the king that while on some far-off island the prince had fallen ill with a very dangerous disease which perplexed his doctors. Immediately the king gathered the greatest medical experts to find a cure, but to no avail. Anxiety, fear and frustration filled all in the kingdom, until one day a man appeared and said that he knew of an effective medicine. The alleged elixir, however, consisted of a unique and most precious stone grounded into a fine powder which had to be mixed with a liquid and then fed to the patient. After a thorough search the king's servants could find but one stone of the type prescribed: It was none other than the central and most precious jewel adorning the principal royal crown.
"The joy at finding this jewel was soon tempered by the great dilemma: The removal of the stone might cure the prince, but it would dim the very symbol of the royal majesty. To the king, however, nothing mattered as much as a cure for his only son and he ordered that the jewel be removed and pounded into powder. In the meantime, however, the latest medical bulletins reported that the patient's condition had deteriorated severely to the point that he was unable to take in even liquids. His mouth could hardly be opened. In view of this development the king's advisors thought it useless and senseless to destroy the precious stone and with it the crown's glory. But the king insisted that they proceed, arguing that the slightest chance of getting a single drop of the elixir into the patient's mouth was worth the destruction of the inestimable stone.
"The advisors retorted, "For as long as your son was able to take in food and drink we agreed with you. Indeed, nothing would have been too precious to save his life, but now his condition has worsened this much and it is most doubtful, in fact unlikely, that he will be able to take in anything. Surely it is not right to destroy the very diadem of the kingdom.
"But the king replied, "If, Heaven forfend, my son should not live, what use do I have for the crown? Alternatively, if my son survives, surely that shall be my greatest glory - the life of an only child who exposed himself to dangers in order to obey his father's wish and excel in wisdom and strength."
Rabbi Pinchas nodded his head in approval. He understood the analogy, how sometimes even the diadem of the kingdom must serve as a means towards a higher end. The King's son, the people of Israel, were in dire need of that most precious life-giving elixir of Chasidism. With a smile he conceded, "You are right. Your words are an effective defense for the propagation of Chasidic teachings."
Upon hearing of this incident, the Maggid personally complimented Rabbi Shneur Zalman, adding, "With your words, you saved me."
The nineteenth of Kislev - the "Rosh Hashana" of Chasidut - is associated with the coming of Moshiach, for it is through the spreading of the wellsprings of Chasidic teachings outward that Moshiach will come. With Moshiach's coming, there will be the revelation of "the [new dimensions of the] Torah which will emerge from Me," the revelation of the mystic secrets of the Torah.
(The Lubavitcher Rebbe, 16 Kislev, 5752-1991)


The Borrower had an unstabilized, mixed-use property with unique characteristics and needed quick financing to renovate the property.
We got comfortable with the borrower's real estate, their business plan, and with their ability to execute. We were transparent with the appraisal and executed the deal in the needed time-frame.


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