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Eat My Words Blog
Calgary one of the more affordable housing markets in Canada
Joel Schlesinger, for the Calgary Herald
The average Calgary family needed a household gross income of $100,000 to be able to afford a single-detached home worth the benchmark price of $467,000, according to a Zoocasa study.	Postmedia file
Calgary's housing market is cheap. Well, it is relative to Canada's largest markets — Toronto and Vancouver — according to a new study.
"We took a look at the average Canadian's financial situation to figure out just how much money you need to earn to buy houses across Canada, and obviously in Toronto and Vancouver, we know there are big issues with housing affordability," says Jacob Black, with RateSuperMartket.ca, the organization behind the study.
"In Calgary and Edmonton, it's still an issue, but it's not as extreme."
The average Calgary family needed a household gross income of $100,000 to be able to afford a single-detached home worth the benchmark price of $467,000, based on data collected by realty firm Zoocasa, which uses MLS (Multiple Listing Service) data.
By comparison, a family in Edmonton would need $80,000 in gross income to afford a home worth $372,100.
The figures, based on a 3.5 per cent, fixed five-year rate and 20 per cent down payment, look at how the two cities measure up relative to other jurisdictions, Black says.
By comparison, Vancouver has a single-detached benchmark price of $1,441,000, requiring a household income of $240,000, while Toronto's price is $873,100, requiring a household income of $160,000.
Regina, in contrast, was the least costly (the Maritimes and Newfoundland were not included in the study) with an average price of $275,900 and household income of $70,000.
Black notes the survey did not look at other housing options, citing the single-detached home still remains the gold standard of housing options for many Canadians — even if it's out of reach in the largest centres for many. Additionally, he says the costs are likely to be higher for first-time buyers who have less than a 20 per cent down payment.
"But the study really highlights what Canadians can afford to spend and (the importance of) going out and doing the research and the math while shopping around for the best mortgage rates," he says.
"There are so many barriers to entry that being well-armed with information is something we think is very important."
Black also offered advice for would-be house hunters. For one, first-time buyers should consider alternatives to the single-detached home as condominium apartments and townhomes are typically less costly. For example, the benchmark price for the average apartment condominium cost was about $242,000 in Calgary in May, based on Calgary Real Estate Board data.
Additionally, looking farther from the city centre tends to yield less costly options, he says. But most important, Black adds buyers need to arm themselves with information, such as the type of house they want, its likely price range and the amount they can afford.
"Shop around for mortgage rates and make sure you're getting the best deal because that will have an impact on how much you can afford to spend," he says.
"Then you know if you can do that $10,000 over on a property if you get in a bidding war."
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You are here: Home → topics → Health → 'Legal highs' - tackling psychoactive substances across Europe
'Legal highs' - tackling psychoactive substances across Europe
by eub2 -- last modified 17 September 2013
The European Commission has proposed to strengthen the European Union's ability to respond to 'legal highs' – new psychoactive substances used as alternatives to illicit drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy. Under the rules proposed by the Commission today, harmful psychoactive substances will be withdrawn quickly from the market, without jeopardising their various legitimate industrial and commercial uses. The proposals follow warnings from the EU's Drugs Agency (the EMCDDA) and Europol about the scale of the problem and a 2011 report which found that the EU's current mechanism for tackling new psychoactive substances needed bolstering.
What are new psychoactive substances?
They are natural or synthetic substances that affect the central nervous system and induce a stimulating or depressant effect, just like illicit drugs, such as cocaine or ecstasy, do. They can cause hallucinations, alterations in thinking, behaviour, perception, awareness or mood. In fact, they are often marketed as legal alternatives to illicit drugs (hence the name 'legal highs'). And, just like illicit drugs, they can cause great harm to the people who use them. They are often mislabelled and sold as plant food, bath salts, or research chemicals, to circumvent laws on the protection of consumers.
Many new psychoactive substances have or could have other uses, for example in the medical, chemical or high tech industry - as active substances for medicines, for instance. Around a fifth of the substances notified through the EU-level mechanism of exchange of information have some other, legitimate, uses. Vanoxerine, for instance, is being researched for use in the treatment of cocaine addiction; GBL (gamma-butyrolactone) is a widely used chemical with excellent solvent qualities, used as aroma compound, stain remover, superglue remover, paint stripper; CPCPP (1-(3-chloropropyl)piperazine) is being used in the manufacture of an anti-depressant.
What risks can new psychoactive substances pose?
Their consumption can pose severe risks to individuals' health and safety. These risks include death and severe physical or psychological harm, such as significant agitation, psychosis, delirium, tachycardia, hypertension, chest pain, seizures, overdose, severe psychiatric problems, spread of blood-borne infections such as HIV or hepatitis C.
The risk of physical and psychological harm is higher when several new psychoactive substances are consumed together or with alcohol, which they often are.
In addition, the use of new psychoactive substances can pose risks to society, as it may lead to an increase in violent behaviour and crime. It can also pose burdens on health or emergency services, for instance, who often struggle to identify which substances people used and which treatment will help, or on law enforcement authorities.
How many new psychoactive substances are around?
More and more new psychoactive substances are emerging and spreading increasingly quickly in the European Union. More than 300 new substances have been detected in Europe since 1997 and the problem has worsened in recent years: the number of substances identified between 2009 and 2012 tripled (from 24 to 73 a year).
Number of new psychoactive substances notified 2005-2012, by year
Source: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction 'European Drug Report' 2013, p26.
These substances spread easily in the internal market: around 80% were detected in more than one EU country.
How many people are using them?
The rise in the availability and consumption of New Psychoactive Substances is one of the most topical and dangerous trends in Europe's drug market. A growing number of individuals consume such substances, despite the risks to health and safety that they may pose. Many users are young. A 2011 Eurobarometer survey "Youth attitudes on drugs" shows that 5% of young people (15-24 years' old) in the EU reported having used such substances at least once in their life. As many as 16% of young people in Ireland have used new psychoactive substances, and close to 10% in Poland, Latvia and the UK.
Experience with legal substances which imitate the effects of illicit drugs
Source: 2011 Eurobarometer survey "Youth attitudes on drugs", p19.
Why do we need to take action at the EU level on new psychoactive substances?
With a borderless internal market, we need common EU rules to tackle this problem. 80% of new psychoactive substances are reported in more than one Member State. Member States, individually, cannot address this issue effectively and sustainably. Moreover, attempts to reduce the availability of new psychoactive substances in a country can produce knock-on effects on other countries (displacement of harmful substances from one country to another, for instance). New psychoactive substances harmful to consumers must be withdrawn quickly from the market in all Member States, which requires action at EU level.
What action has the EU taken so far to address new psychoactive substances?
Nine substances1 have been submitted to restriction measures and criminal sanctions across the EU since 1997, because of the risks that they pose. The latest substances submitted to such measures at the EU level were BZP in 2008, mephedrone in 2010 and 4-methylamphetamine in 2013.
In June 2013, the Commission proposed to subject the substance 5-IT to control and criminal sanctions (IP/13/604). In a short span of five months in 2012, four Member States reported 24 fatalities in which 5-IT – together with other substances – played a role, and three Member States reported 21 cases of intoxication linked with this substance.
Why is the Commission proposing a new mechanism?
The current EU instrument, the Council Decision (2005/387/JHA) on the information exchange, risk-assessment and control of new psychoactive substances, is unable to provide an adequate response to this growing challenge. It does not enable harmful substances to be withdrawn from the market quickly enough. Nor does it provide for a response proportionate to the level of risk involved.
This is, in particular, because it is too slow (there is a lapse of at least 24 months between the wheels of the EU being set into motion and Member States adopting the necessary measures), and it lacks options for restriction measures (it only offers a choice between imposing criminal measures to address the substance or taking no action at all).
The Commission is thus proposing new legislation to strengthen the EU's ability to respond to this challenge.
How does the new mechanism differ from the current rules?
The Council Decision 2005/387/JHA set up a mechanism for the information exchange, risk assessment and control of new psychoactive substances. The new proposals build on the strengths of this mechanism and address its shortcomings. They establish clear rules for restrictions to the free movement of new psychoactive substances. They will enable quicker and more proportionate measures to be taken on new psychoactive substances.
EU action to detect, assess and withdraw harmful new psychoactive substances from the market will be much quicker:
Temporary measures restricting the sale of new psychoactive substances to consumers across the EU for one year will be introduced within weeks in case of an immediate risk.
Permanent measures restricting the sale of a substance to consumers across the EU, and in case of severe risk even their use in industry, can be introduced within ten months.
Unlike under the current system, these measures will be directly applicable in the Member States and will not need to be transposed into national law. This will speed up dramatically the EU's response to harmful substances. Under the current system, the entry into force of restriction measures takes up to 24 months.
In addition, under the new mechanism, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) will look for chemicals similar to the one formally under examination. The purpose is for the Union to be one step ahead when criminals try to circumvent restrictive measures by making small changes to the chemical structure of a banned substance.
Decision-making under the old and new systems
How will the new rules protect legitimate uses of new psychoactive substances and economic operators?
The new instrument sets out the principle of free movement of new psychoactive substances for commercial and industrial uses as well as for scientific research and development purposes. It also introduces clear rules for the adoption of restriction measures, to improve legal certainty for economic operators. In addition, it introduces a graduated, proportionate and better calibrated set of options for addressing new psychoactive substances, which will ensure that legitimate uses of the substance and research are not unduly hindered.
EU action will be proportionate to the health, social and safety risks that psychoactive substances pose. The risks of each substance will be determined following a risk assessment. While no restriction measures will be introduced at EU level on substances posing low risks, substances posing moderate risks will be subjected to restrictions on the consumer market (industrial uses and research will not be impeded). In the case of substances posing severe risks, however, even industrial use will be restricted, and the measures will be backed by criminal penalties, like in the case of illicit drugs. This approach will also enhance the effectiveness of the Union's action: restrictive measures will be adopted as regards a greater number of substances. The Union will be able to tackle harmful new psychoactive substances to which criminal measures would not be the appropriate response.
How does the new mechanism work?
As under the current instrument, Member States that detect a new psychoactive substance on their territory share the information they have with other Member States through an Early Warning System. This is managed by the EMCDDA and Europol.
When a substance raises concerns across the Union because of the health, social and safety risks that it poses, the EMCDDA and Europol draft a joint report on the substance. On the basis of this joint report, the Commission decides whether there are grounds to request a fully-fledged risk assessment of the substance.
If the joint report shows that the substance poses immediate risks to public health, for example, that it is highly toxic and is causing fatalities across Europe, the Commission also subjects it to temporary market restriction. This will forbid the sale of the substance to consumers for one year, but legitimate uses of the substance will not be affected. In this way, consumers are protected during the risk assessment of the substance, while industrial, commercial or scientific uses of the substance are not impeded.
Once the risks of the substance have been assessed, action will be taken depending on its level of risk. The EU can:
(i) take no action, if the substance poses low risks;
(ii) ban the substance from the consumer market if it poses moderate risk, or
(iii) ban the substance from the consumer market as well as restrict its commercial and industrial uses, if it presents severe risks. Criminal measures, introduced at national level, would accompany the ban on severe-risks substances. Member States will have to adopt within one year the necessary national provisions to subject the substance to the criminal law provisions applicable to illicit drugs.
All restrictions, temporary and permanent, are directly applicable, as they are adopted by the Commission as implementing acts.
What does each legislative proposal cover?
The proposal for a Regulation on new psychoactive substances sets up a mechanism for the information exchange on, risk assessment of and restriction measures (temporary or permanent) applied to harmful new psychoactive substances within the internal market.
The proposal for a Directive amending the Framework Decision 2004/757/JHA on illicit drug trafficking enables the submission of new psychoactive substances that pose severe risks to the criminal law provisions that apply to illicit drugs. It includes severe-risk new psychoactive substances in the definition of 'drugs' and requires Member States to take the necessary measures within one year to ensure that these substances are covered by criminal law provisions, just like illicit drugs are.
What will the criminal penalties be?
The rules regarding the definition of offences and the levels of sanctions foreseen by Framework Decision 2004/757/JHA on illicit drug trafficking will apply to new psychoactive substances posing severe risks.
Trafficking in severe-risk new psychoactive substances should be punished with imprisonment of a maximum of at least between one and three years. If the offence involves large quantities, or drugs that cause the most harm to health, or it resulted in significant damage to the health of a significant number of people, the offence should be punished with a penalty of a maximum of at least between five and ten years of imprisonment.
In addition, if the offence is committed within the framework of a criminal organisation, it should be punished with a penalty of at least ten years of imprisonment.
Why do the new rules not apply to drug precursors, medicinal products or veterinary medicinal products?
Because specific EU rules govern drug precursors (Regulation (EC) No 273/2004), medicinal products (Directive 2001/83/EC) and veterinary medicinal products (Directive 2001/82/EC).
Source: European Commission
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Firsts and Frustrations
This past weekend was a great weekend for us, although it didn't end on the best note. Howie and I went to be with Jake at the cabin, so that we could help him work on the house renovations and get some more of our things packed for the move. It was quite a bit of work, but was sprinkled with some nice, normal weekend-y things as well.
Saturday, we had to make a trip to Lowe's for more bathroom supplies. We are having to gut and redo our master bath (actually, both baths, but the other one is finished); it hadn't been updated since 1991 and significant parts of it simply weren't salvageable. This weekend we had to get a new toilet and a shower door so that (hopefully) the bathroom will be finished in the next, say, two weeks. You can imagine how funny Howie thought it was that we were buying a potty. He is, after all, a boy.
We also took Howie to the park at Ft. Polk (his favorite, because it has a school bus), and he got to chase around some older kids.
We stopped at Walgreens (because I needed a shot; yuck), and Howie picked out a lace angel tree-topper for our neighbor Miss Faye. She loved it, and he was just beaming with pride that he made her so happy.
Sunday, we took Howie to see his FIRST MOVIE in the theater: Wreck-It Ralph. We went in with low expectations--he's two, so we viewed it as highly likely that halfway through he'd get bored and we'd have to leave. But he did GREAT! He sat through the whole movie, he was quiet, and he only had to get up once (to visit the little boys' room; hey, when you gotta go...). He had popcorn and lemonade, and talked about the experience all afternoon. We also had a nice lunch with Jake after the movie, before Howie and I drove home.
Last night, Howie and I met my brother Carl at City Centre for dinner. We had a nice visit over some quinoa mac-and-cheese and sweet potato fries from Ruggles, seated outside, with a calypso artist playing in the background. Howie was totally mesmerized by the musician. He saw other people putting money in his bucket and he asked me if we could "share some bucket money" with him. For the second time this weekend, Howie beamed with pride as he added a couple of dollars to the man's tips, and said "you're welcome" like a big boy when the man thanked him.
After dinner, Howie ran all over the City Centre park, taking only one short break to sweet-talk mom into some frozen yogurt before heading out to play again. One of the things I love about Houston in the Fall is the evenings--it was sixty degrees and clear, and such a great night.
There were tons of kids out playing in the park, which was lit by the giant snowflake lights on the surrounding buildings. There were lots of little boys kicking around soccer balls, so I figured Howie would go join them. Instead, he asked be for his Table Toys (the toys that stay in mom's purse for when we're out and about). Then he asked "Mommy, can I share with her?" pointing to a little girl playing by herself. I told him he could, so he walked over, plopped down beside her, and they played for twenty minutes. During that time, Howie gave the little girl every single one of his toys (including Harold the Helicopter and Lightning McQueen, two toys Howie rarely shares). When it was time to go, he said "Mommy, I shared! That's nice!" Again with the beaming pride. I have to admit, by that point I was glowing too, at my sweet boy's generous spirit.
After more than a few jokes to my brother about learning how to pick up girls from his two-year-old nephew, we headed home. What a great weekend! But then, I opened the mail.
Those of you who've been Hicks Hiking for a while (or who talk to me regularly) know that we have been furiously working away on our adoption materials to hit a December 1 deadline. It's been no easy task, between switching agencies, finishing a home study, finding psychologists to evaluate us, and working on an immigration application. But we've pushed forward and now have all of our materials submitted, except one item--the immigration approval from Homeland Security.
The immigration application was filed last month, so we were really hoping that would give us enough time to finish everything. There are really two steps in the process: evaluation of materials, and biometric fingerprinting. The former is easy as long as you have submitted all the right materials (and meticulous me certainly did). The latter is trickier. They send a letter stating a time and place where you MUST appear for your fingerprinting. If you can't go, then you have to request a new date, and a new letter arrives about ten days later telling you when/where to be.
We got our letters over the weekend. And the when/where to be is here in Houston on November 27. Jake can make it; Phil can make it. But I can't. I'll be in the Bay Area for mediation, which cannot be changed, and which I cannot miss.
I'm a little crushed right now, because my schedule has made it an absolute certainty that we will miss our deadline. It's my fault. Jake has spent the morning reminding me that things happen for a reason, and that it'll be alright. I know these things, but they don't make it hurt less that all of this hard work might have been for naught because of me.
So, my friends, please pray for us. We are going to keep pushing to complete our materials, and after that it's out of our hands. Please pray that everything will work out, but also that whatever happens, we will have peace. Because right now I'm really trying, but I just don't have it. Yet.


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Dr. Stanley Dean "Stan" Wagstaff
March 18, 2019 | By slarson
Dr. Stanley Dean Stan Wagstaff, 71, of Topeka, passed away and reunited with his wife on Sunday, March 10, 2019. He was born May 24, 1947, in Topeka, Kansas, the son of George D. and Fern E. (Mossman) Wagstaff. He was a graduate and accomplished pitcher for the baseball team at Shawnee Heights High School. Wagstaff earned bachelor's and master's degrees in education and played baseball at Washburn University. He received his doctorate in education from the University of Kansas. He served in the Kansas Army National Guard from 1969 until retiring in 2007 with the rank of colonel. Wagstaff began his career in education with USD 501 in 1969, teaching at Belvoir, Hudson, Randolph, Highland Park Central, Avondale West, back to Randolph Elementary until retiring as principal of Topeka West High School in 2007, where he assisted in establishing the Junior ROTC program. After retiring, he worked for Homeland Security and was instrumental in establishing Crisis City Training Facility in Lindsborg, Kansas. Stan married Judy Ann Williams on August 9, 1969, in Topeka. They shared over 45 years together until she preceded him in death on March 16, 2015. Survivors include a daughter, Jennifer Carter; a son, Justin Wagstaff; and three grandchildren, Jack, Ben and Kate. Stan worked extremely hard to provide for his family and was proud of their accomplishments. He was a very meticulous and dedicated educator who was always willing to lead others in his profession. His other enjoyments included spending time with family, trout fishing and canoeing at Bennett Spring State Park with friends and family, as well as trips to Jamaica with Judy. His other passion was farming with his father and raising registered Angus cattle on the farm that has been in his family since 1895. He was as avid sports fan, especially of baseball and KU basketball. Honoring Stans request, cremation is planned. Private inurnment with military honors will be at Zion Cemetery, Tecumseh. Dove Cremations and Funerals, Southwest Chapel is assisting the family. Memorial contributions may be made to Topeka Public Schools Foundation, P.O. Box 5883, Topeka, KS 66605 or to Topeka West Army ROTC, 2001 SW Fairlawn Rd., Topeka, KS 66604.
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IRS Tell Estates No Closing Letters – Pull Transcripts Yourself!
The IRS is the federal agency which has the most direct contacts with Americans. Dealing with the IRS is never easy. The starting point is 75,000 pages (in fine print) of the Internal Revenue Code and Regulations which Americans must somehow master to file accurate tax returns.
To make life even more difficult, irrespective of the IRC and Regulations, the IRS creates a number of procedural requirements necessary to complete various tasks involving the IRS' contacts with taxpayers. One such situation involving the filing of Federal Estate Tax Returns (forms 706 and 706-NA) has been the automatic issuance of closing letters (IRS Letter 627, catalogue # 40285J) when the IRS has completed reviewing these forms. Under Section 6324 of the IRC, the IRS has a 10 year lien on all property which appears on an estate tax return. In order to avoid personal liability, the executor of the estate and anyone else who had contact with either the assets or proceeds of the estate (see Section 2203) can be held liable for any unpaid tax unless one receives a form 5173, Federal Transfer Certificate which frees everyone from this potential liability. Form 5173 was always issued in tandem with with the automatic issuance of the federal closing letter.
This was too simple for taxpayers so the IRS, in its infinite wisdom, decided to make life a little bit more complex with one of its procedural requirements. For estate tax returns filed after June 1, 2015, if the estate wished to receive a closing letter and form 5173, the personal representative or power of attorney had to send a letter to the IRS more than four months after the filing of the tax return requesting the issuance of both the closing letter and form 5173.
This procedural change unleashed a firestorm of complaints directed toward the IRS. In lieu of going back to the old procedure where a closing letter was automatically issued when the IRS closed an estate, the IRS came up with a completely new procedure which is, leave it to the IRS, even more complex. The new procedure requires the taxpayer to request an account transcript from the IRS Transcript Delivery System. Tax professionals can register with the government to obtain secure tax transcripts; only registered professionals, accompanied by form 2848 (Power Of Attorney) can receive these transcripts.
This new methodology will send the tax professional something called a transcript delivery system page, from which one must request a transcript option utilizing this option which can then generate the closing letter. Such a letter cannot be issued until the transcript shows an IRS Transaction Code 421 which indicates that a 706/706-NA has been accepted by the IRS or the the IRS examination is complete. In order to learn more about how to work the system, there is a tutorial program to which one can refer by clicking on "TDS Tutorial."
This having been said, one wonders about how one gets the required form 5173 (transfer certificate) which is not mentioned in the IRS material. This certainly presents an opportunity to demonstrate how the IRS can create unnecessary complexities (and accompanying misery) for people wishing to receive Federal Closing Letters. Lots of luck!
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The Casino | 172 S. Washington Street, Washington
The Casino was a venue occupying the space of the former People's Theater, which had been in operation from 1890 to 1904. The club was run by John and Margaret Delevitti, a heterosexual couple that cared for gays in the city. The club was known as one of the places most welcoming of gays on the West Coast and became popular with drag queens.
At the time, it was not widely allowed for men to dance together, but they were allowed to do so at The Casino because the establishment paid off local policemen. This fact made the establishment popular, via an underground network of information about nightlife for gays and lesbians, and caused it to be known as something of a speakeasy. Prior to the legalization of dancing of same-sex couples, same-sex contact at The Casino was primarily through conversations and stealthy eye contact via the bar's mirrors.


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Greater Seattle Romance Writers of America Monthly programs; annual Emerald City Writers Conference in the fall.
Hugo House: A Place for Writers Classes and events for emerging and established writers.
King County Library System Free workshops and programs on writing and publishing.
Mystery Writers of America - Northwest Chapter Monthly meetings and speakers.
North Seattle College A variety of writing classes in the continuing education program.
Pacific Northwest Writers Association Monthly programs; annual conference each summer; literary contest.
Seattle Central College Continuing education classes in writing.
Seattle7Writers Programs and events, including the Write Here Write Now writing intensive.
Sno-Isle Libraries Write Now series of free classes and workshops covering every step of the writing and publishing process.
South Seattle College Continuing education and online courses in writing.
The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators of Western Washington Programs, retreats, and conference for adults writing for children and teens.
University of Washington Continuing Education Variety of fiction, nonfiction and editing programs.


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Here is my first DT project for Lemon Shortbread for the Challenge Blog.
I have used A4 white card, Crafter's Companion Kimono CD, Crafter's Companion Kimono 5×7″ Oriental Screen Embossing Folder, Crafter's Companion Kimono Butterfly Fan Die, Crafter's Companion Kimono Butterfly, Crafter's Companion Kimono Fluttery Butterfly Die, Hunkydory Adorable Scorable, Hunkydory Mirri card, Paper Doily, Adhesive Gems, Collall glue, Pinflair Glue Gel, Tonic Nuvo Glue pen, Tape pen & Foam pads.


Maddie and Tae's new single, "Fly," is a far cry from their previous hit, "Girl in a Country Song," and the videos are also vastly different. The video for "Fly" embodies everything the empowering song is about — always following your dreams.
Carrie Underwood is the beautiful new face of Almay makeup, and in the newest ad, she's dishing on her "guilt-free pleasure" from the line.
After days of teasing her fans with short snippets, Taylor Swift's "Style" video is here ... and it's everything we hoped it would be. The singer looks remains flawless in the new visual, which gives a nod to one of her famous exes.
The hotly-anticipated 50 Shades of Grey film is in theaters, and Brantley Gilbert wants in on the action.
Kenny Chesney's most recent single with Grace Potter, 'Wild Child,' celebrates a woman who is adventurous and drawn to follow her passion, and the video is the perfect representation of that gypsy woman.
Clara Henningsen of the Henningsens, and her husband Jacob Calaway celebrated Valentine's Day in the best way! The couple welcomed a baby boy on the day of love.


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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD, Autism)
A condition that can involve a wide variety of traits, such as difficulties in processing social skills, heightened sensory sensitivities or insensitivities, and a preference for repetitive movements or routines.
The term "autism" was coined by German psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911, according to Michelle O'Reilly et. al. They stated autism was first distinguished as a discrete concept by Austrian psychiatrist Leo Kanner, who in 1935 described the condition's characteristics, such as a "need for sameness, aloneness, and obsessions." Another German pediatrician, Hans Asperger, also fleshed out autism around the same time. Reilly et. al. said that Asperger, a man who historians proved had voluntarily assisted the Nazi "euthanasia program", felt that people with autism lacked empathy. This assertion has since been debunked (PDF). They also stated that Asperger thought people with autism were clumsy and had deficits in communication and forming friendships (Asperger, 1944, as cited in O'Reilly et. al., 2019).
Fred Volkmar and James C. McPartland of Yale University shared that autism was first included in the third Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). In 1980, Lorna Wing and Judith Gould coined the term "autism spectrum disorder," which theorized that the perceived levels of autism severity lie on a continuum. David C. Giles wrote that the DSM-IV introduced "Asperger's Syndrome." Psychologist Tony Atwood stated in his 2007 book The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome that Asperger's Syndrome differentiated itself from autism mainly by the average or above-average levels of intelligence those with the condition had. However, as Richard Bentall observed in his 2009 book Doctoring the Mind: Why Psychiatric Treatments Fail, the DSM-5 eliminated this term to reflect how autism traits are multi-faceted, not categorizable in levels of severity. Instead, the umbrella term "autism spectrum disorder" covered what was formerly called "Asperger's Syndrome," as well as other forms of autism. J. B. Barahona-Correa and Carlos N. Filipe stated that currently, the DSM-5 criteria for "autism spectrum disorder" include "a mandatory dyad of impaired social interaction and communication, and restricted, repetitive behaviors and interests."
Throughout history and today, non-autistic people often have non-consensually institutionalized and "treated" people with autism. Kathleen P Levinstein, PHD, LCSW, LMSW (PDF) chronicled the history of one such treatment, Applied Behavioral Analysis. Ole Ivar Lovaas founded Applied Behavioral Analysis to make people with autism "indistinguishable from their normal friends." His method of achieving this was hitting or spanking the children with which he worked, as Levinstein noted. Levinstein remarked that Lovaas is also responsible for gay conversion therapy, in which he hit and used electric shock therapy to make gay people, again, "indistinguishable from their peers." Lovaas's methods have been popularized, as Levinstein observed:
City University of New York researcher Brown (2008) observed the very same flaws again and reported them again, nearly two decades later. ABA providers are more likely to be comfortable with the use of aversives, including restraint, seclusion, and food, water, and sensory deprivation, as well as electroshock, particularly against the disabled, who are often seen as, in Lovaas' (1974) words, less than human. "You see, you start pretty much from scratch when you work with an Autistic child . You have a person on the physical sense, they have hair nose and a mouth but they are not really human in the psychological sense," Lovaas claimed in an interview. "After you hit a child, you can't just get up and leave him; you are hooked to that kid". (Chance, Psychology Today, 1974)
While many people who have not experienced autism firsthand feel that Applied Behavioral Analysis is a positive form of therapy, those born with autism overwhelmingly disagree. The following sources outline their reasons:
Invisible Abuse: ABA and the things only autistic people can see — NeuroClastic
Is the Most Common Therapy for Autism Cruel? — The Atlantic
Association for Behavioral Analysis International Endorses Torture — Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Behind the Anti-Neurodiversity Articles: An Unholy Alliance of Usual Suspects — NeuroClastic
The controversy over autism's most common therapy — Spectrum
How much compliance is too much compliance: Is long-term ABA therapy abuse? — Taylor & Francis Online
The autism community is diverse in that anyone of any race, ethnicity, gender identity, class, and other factors can have this condition. However, people of color face more barriers to diagnosis and supports. In addition, women are underdiagnosed.
People in the autism community have varying relationships to their condition. Some consider autism to be a disability, while some simply feel it's a positive difference. In addition, some people consider autism to be an integral part of their identity and consider themselves "autistic," while others feel that autism is something that they have that is separate from their identity. These people may call themselves "people with autism." Likewise, some people want their autism to be cured or treated, while many others do not. Many people with autism do not want those who have not experienced autism firsthand to create research and policies, take positions on autism-related issues, or other matters without the autism community's input.
Within Glossary


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Happy to hear you where able to find gravel for your design.
Hopefully the changes you made will save your maple. Good Luck and keep us updated.
Guess I'm kind of late reading this thread, but when I did start to, very first thing that occured to me is that it would indeed be a important to change that sand to gravel... just like it has been recommended here already and eventually partly done.
As regards the livelihood and well-being of the maple, I tend to think that its proximity to the huge fir (?)is disadvantegous... despite my not being familiar with root systems, I have the feeling the maple is not getting enough nutrients this way.
While miniaturization certainly does have an important role in Japanese gardening, I believe it is mostly used to create illusions of depth and to keep trees, bushes managable, the garden in dimension. However, it's the human proportions that are at stake here as we look on to somewhat out-of-scale scenes under a really huge tree... it is mostly the small size of the artifacts ( buddha- pagoda ) that I feel do this... esp. in great contrast with the mature conifer. Hope I don't sound unkind, not authority on this, it is merely a personal opinion, sharing thoughts.
I think you have fabulous givens with the conifer and the building... the contours you have applied in the designated area with the dark pebbles on the periphery and the mossy islands is really pleasing to the eye. I wish you a great time working on this seemingly simple but actually very intriguing project.


Do We Want 3D Printed Snacks?
The wave of things that people want to 3D print has grown to tsunami proportions. We've seen stories about printed organs, printed engines, and printed lingerie. It doesn't take too much imagination, and perhaps a little history of watching Star Trek, to become really excited about the idea of 3D printed food. The fantasy is that one day, in some nearish/not-so-distant future we could walk into our kitchens, pour a cup of coffee or tea (Earl Grey. Hot.) (brewed automatically), pull a plate out of a dishwasher/storage-drawer, and head over to our home food printer to program a morning of lobster eggs Benedict with a side of home fries.
3D printing food leads us down this philosophical path because it requires that food be reduced to its most basic elements, just as printing reduces color to its four components: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Is it possible to reduce food to some basic 'inks', a combination of which could hypothetically lead to the creation of any food substance? Is the creation of food science or is it art? Is there something greater than just the ingredients, some je ne sais quoi that must be present to change nutritional substances into food?
A bigger question here is: is there anything necessary that is added by 3D printing the food rather than making it in some other way? The technology is wonderful in that it has democratized making, eliminated enormous initial investments, created limitless potential for customization, can produce things incredibly rapidly…but are these possibilities important to food production? And this is a key question for 3D printing in general as it struggles to move its identity from nifty novelty to commonly accepted workhorse. Just because something can be 3D printed doesn't mean it should be. On the other hand, it's hard to resist the urge to see what can be done, even if it turns out, in the long run, to be wholly unnecessary.
In other words, this may or may not be the best idea since sliced bread, but the continued exploration of how food is produced has enormous potential to address significant nutrition and dietary issues the world wide. I'm not sure the creation of Cheez-E Snack Units (trademark me) is the best way to utilize our advanced technology, but the basic science behind such explorations could lead in any number of directions.
It's not that I'm a luddite, and I am always excited about eating, but I just don't know if I have the patience to eat my way through another molecular gastronomy-type foodie movement. Let's discuss this topic over in the 3D Printed Snacks or Not? forum at 3DPB.com.


"And after the exhibition, Tryphaena again receives her. For her daughter Falconilla had died, and said to her in a dream: Mother, thou shaft have this stranger Thecla in my place, in order that she may pray concerning me, and that I may be transferred to the place of the just."
"Abercius by name, I am a disciple of the chaste shepherd...He taught me .. faithful writings...These words,I, Abercius, standing by, ordered to be inscribed.In truth, I was in the course of my seventy-second year. Let him who understands and believes this pray fro Abercius."
"Without delay, on that very night, this was shown to me in a vision. I saw Dinocrates going out from a gloomy place, where also there were several others, and he was parched and very thirsty, with a filthy countenance and pallid colour, and the wound on his face which he had when he died. This Dinocrates had been my brother after the flesh, seven years of age? who died miserably with disease...But I trusted that my prayer would bring help to his suffering; and I prayed for him every day until we passed over into the prison of the camp, for we were to fight in the camp-show. Then was the birth-day of Gets Caesar, and I made my prayer for my brother day and night, groaning and weeping that he might be granted to me.Then, on the day on which we remained in fetters, this was shown to me. I saw that that place which I had formerly observed to be in gloom was now bright; and Dinocrates, with a clean body well clad, was finding refreshment. And where there had been a wound, I saw a scar; and that pool which I had before seen, I saw now with its margin lowered even to the boy's navel. And one drew water from the pool incessantly, and upon its brink was a goblet filled with water; and Dinocrates drew near and began to drink from it, and the goblet did not fail. And when he was satisfied, he went away from the water to play joyously, after the manner of children, and I awoke. Then I understood that he was translated from the place of punishment."
"Accordingly the believer, through great discipline, divesting himself of the passions, passes to the mansion which is better than the former one, viz., to the greatest torment, taking with him the characteristic of repentance from the sins he has committed after baptism. He is tortured then still more--not yet or not quite attaining what he sees others to have acquired. Besides, he is also ashamed of his transgressions. The greatest torments, indeed, are assigned to the believer. For God's righteousness is good, and His goodness is righteous. And though the punishments cease in the course of the completion of the expiation and purification of each one, yet those have very great and permanent grief who are found worthy of the other fold, on account of not being along with those that have been glorified through righteousness."
"[T]hat allegory of the Lord which is extremely clear and simple in its meaning, and ought to be from the first understood in its plain and natural sense...Then, again, should you be disposed to apply the term 'adversary' to the devil, you are advised by the (Lord's) injunction, while you are in the way with him,'to make even with him such a compact as may be deemed compatible with the requirements of your true faith. Now the compact you have made respecting him is to renounce him, and his pomp, and his angels. Such is your agreement in this matter. Now the friendly understanding you will have to carry out must arise from your observance of the compact: you must never think of getting back any of the things which you have abjured, and have restored to him, lest he should summon you as a fraudulent man, and a transgressor of your agreement, before God the Judge (for in this light do we read of him, in another passage, as 'the accuser of the brethren,' or saints, where reference is made to the actual practice of legal prosecution); and lest this Judge deliver you over to the angel who is to execute the sentence, and he commit you to the prison of hell, out of which there will be no dismissal until the smallest even of your delinquencies be paid off in the period before the resurrection. What can be a more fitting sense than this? What a truer interpretation?"
"All souls, therefore; are shut up within Hades: do you admit this? (It is true, whether) you say yes or no: moreover, there are already experienced there punishments and consolations; and there you have a poor man and a rich...Moreover, the soul executes not all its operations with the ministration of the flesh; for the judgment of God pursues even simple cogitations and the merest volitions. 'Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.' Therefore, even for this cause it is most fitting that the soul, without at all waiting for the flesh, should be punished for what it has done without the partnership of the flesh. So, on the same principle, in return for the pious and kindly thoughts in which it shared not the help of the flesh, shall it without the flesh receive its consolation. In short, inasmuch as we understand 'the prison' pointed out in the Gospel to be Hades, and as we also interpret 'the uttermost farthing' to mean the very smallest offence which has to be recompensed there before the resurrection, no one will hesitate to believe that the soul undergoes in Hades some compensatory discipline, without prejudice to the full process of the resurrection, when the recompense will be administered through the flesh besides."
"As often as the anniversary comes round, we make offerings for the dead as birthday honours."
"[A] woman is more bound when her husband is dead...Indeed,she prays for his soul,and requests refreshment for him meanwhie, and fellowship(with him) in the first resurrection;and she offers(her sacrifice) on the anniversary of his falling asleep."
"For if on the foundation of Christ you have built not only gold and silver and precious stones(1 Cor.,3);but also wood and hay and stubble,what do you expect when the soul shall be seperated from the body? Would you enter into heaven with your wood and hay and stubble and thus defile the kingdom of God;or on account of these hindrances would you remain without and receive no reward for your gold and silver and precious stones; Neither is this just. It remains then that you be committed to the fire which will burn the light materials;for our God to those who can comprehend heavenly things is called a cleansing fire. But this fire consumes not the creature,but what the creature has himself built, wood, and hay and stubble.It is manifest that the fire destroys the wood of our trangressions and then returns to us the rewardof our great works."
"And do not think, dearest brother, that either the courage of the brethren will be lessened, or that martyrdoms will fail for this cause, that repentance is relaxed to the lapsed, and that the hope of peace is offered to the penitent. The strength of the truly believing remains unshaken; and with those who fear and love God with their whole heart, their integrity continues steady and strong. For to adulterers even a time of repentance is granted by us, and peace is given. Yet virginity is not therefore deficient in the Church, nor does the glorious design of continence languish through the sins of others. The Church, crowned with so many virgins, flourishes; and chastity and modesty preserve the tenor of their glory. Nor is the vigour of continence broken down because repentance and pardon are facilitated to the adulterer. It is one thing to stand for pardon, another thing to attain to glory: it is one thing, when cast into prison, not to go out thence until one has paid the uttermost farthing; another thing at once to receive the wages of faith and courage. It is one thing, tortured by long suffering for sins, to be cleansed and long purged by fire; another to have purged all sins by suffering. It is one thing, in fine, to be in suspense till the sentence of God at the day of judgment; another to be at once crowned by the Lord."
"Let us pray for our brethren that are at rest in Christ, that God, the lover of mankind, who has received his soul, may forgive him every sin, voluntary and involuntary, and may be merciful and gracious to him, and give him his lot in the land of the pious that are sent into the bosom of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, with all those that have pleased Him and done His will from the beginning of the world, whence all sorrow, grief, and lamentation are banished."
"The same divine fire, therefore, with one and the same force and power, will both burn the wicked and will form them again, and will replace as much as it shall consume of their bodies, and will supply itself with eternal nourishment: which the poets transferred to the vulture of Tityus. Thus, without any wasting of bodies, which regain their substance, it will only burn and affect them with a sense of pain. But when He shall have judged the righteous, He will also try them with fire. Then they whose sins shall exceed either in weight or in number, shall be scorched by the fire and burnt: but they whom full justice and maturity of virtue has imbued will not perceive that fire; for they have something of God in themselves which repels and rejects the violence of the flame."
"Then we commemorate also those who have fallen asleep before us, first Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, that at their prayers and intercessions God would receive our petition. Then on behalf also of the Holy Fathers and Bishops who have fallen asleep before us, and in a word of all who in past years have fallen asleep among us, believing that it will be a very great benefit to the souls, for whom the supplication is put up, while that holy and most awful sacrifice is set forth. And I wish to persuade you by an illustration. For I know that many say, what is a soul profited, which departs from this world either with sins, or without sins, if it be commemorated in the prayer? For if a king were to banish certain who had given him of-fence, and then those who belong to them should weave a crown and offer it to him on behalf of those under punishment, would he not grant a remission of their penalties? In the same way we, when we offer to Him our supplications for those who have fallen asleep, though they be sinners, weave no crown, but offer up Christ sacrificed for our sins, propitiating our merciful God for them as well as for ourselves.
"I think that the noble athletes of God,who have wrestled all their lives with the invisble enemies,after they have escaped all of their persecutions and have come to the end of life,are examined by the prince of this world;and if they are found to have any wounds from their wrestling,any stains or effects of sin,they are detained.If,however they are found unwounded and without stain,they are, as unconquered,brought by Christ into their rest."
"Lay me not with sweet spices: for this honour avails me not; Nor yet incense and perfumes: for the honour benefits me not. Burn sweet spices in the Holy Place: and me, even me, conduct to the grave with prayer. Give ye incense to God: and over me send up hymns. Instead of perfumes of spices: in prayer make remembrance of me."
"Useful too is the prayer fashioned on their behalf...it is useful,because in this world we often stumble either voluntarily or involuntarily."
"When he has quitted his body and the difference between virtue and vice is known he cannot approach God till the purging fire shall have cleansed the stains with which his soul was infested. That same fire in others will cancel the corruption of matter, and the propensity to evil."
"Give,Oh Lord,rest to Thy servant Theodosius,that rest Thou hast prepared for Thy saints....I love him,therefore will I follow him to the land of the living;I will not leave him till by my prayers and lamentations he shall be admitted unto the holy mount of the Lord,to which his deserts call him."
"Other husbands scatter on the graves of their wives violets, roses, lilies, and purple flowers; and assuage the grief of their hearts by fulfilling this tender duty. Our dear Pammachius also waters the holy ashes and the revered bones of Paulina, but it is with the balm of almsgiving."
"Weep for the unbelievers; weep for those who differ in nowise from them, those who depart hence without the illumination, without the seal! they indeed deserve our wailing, they deserve our groans; they are outside the Palace, with the culprits, with the condemned: for, "Verily I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven." Mourn for those who have died in wealth, and did not from their wealth think of any solace for their soul, who had power to wash away their sins and would not. Let us all weep for these in private and in public, but with propriety, with gravity, not so as to make exhibitions of ourselves; let us weep for these, not one day, or two, but all our life. Such tears spring not from senseless passion, but from true affection. The other sort are of senseless passion. For this cause they are quickly quenched, whereas if they spring from the fear of God, they always abide with us. Let us weep for these; let us assist them according to our power; let us think of some assistance for them, small though it be, yet still let us assist them. How and in what way? By praying and entreating others to make prayers for them, by continually giving to the poor on their behalf."
"If the baptized person fufils the obligations demanded of a Christian,he does well. If he does not--provided he keeps the faith,without which he would perish forever--no matter in what sin or impurity remains,he will be saved,as it were,by fire; as one who has built on the foundation,which is Christ,not Gold,silver, and precious stones,but wood, hay straw,that is, not just and chasted works but wicked and unchaste works."
"Now on what ground does this person pray that he may not be 'rebuked in indignation, nor chastened in hot displeasure"? (He speaks) as if he would say unto God, 'Since the things which I already suffer are many in number, I pray Thee let them suffice;' and he begins to enumerate them, by way of satisfying God; offering what he suffers now, that he may not have to suffer worse evils hereafter."
"And it is not impossible that something of the same kind may take place even after this life. It is a matter that may be inquired into, and either ascertained or left doubtful, whether some believers shall pass through a kind of purgatorial fire, and in proportion as they have loved with more or less devotion the goods that perish, be less or more quickly delivered from it. This cannot, however, be the case of any of those of whom it is said, that they 'shall not inherit the kingdom of God,' unless after suitable repentance their sins be forgiven them. When I say 'suitable,' I mean that they are not to be unfruitful in almsgiving; for Holy Scripture lays so much stress on this virtue, that our Lord tells us beforehand, that He will ascribe no merit to those on His right hand but that they abound in it, and no defect to those on His left hand but their want of it, when He shall say to the former, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom," and to the latter, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.' "
" During the time, moreover, which intervenes between a man's death and the final resurrection, the soul dwells in a hidden retreat, where it enjoys rest or suffers affliction just in proportion to the merit it has earned by the life which it led on earth."
"For our part, we recognize that even in this life some punishments are purgatorial,--not, indeed, to those whose life is none the better, but rather the worse for them, but to those who are constrained by them to amend their life. All other punishments, whether temporal or eternal, inflicted as they are on every one by divine providence, are sent either on account of past sins, or of sins presently allowed in the life, or to exercise and reveal a man's graces. They may be inflicted by the instrumentality of bad men and angels as well as of the good. For even if any one suffers some hurt through another's wickedness or mistake, the man indeed sins whose ignorance or injustice does the harm; but God, who by His just though hidden judgment permits it to be done, sins not. But temporary punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by others after death, by others both now and then; but all of them before that last and strictest judgment. But of those who suffer temporary punishments after death, all are not doomed to those everlasting pains which are to follow that judgment; for to some, as we have already said, what is not remitted in this world is remitted in the next, that is, they are not punished with the eternal punishment.of the world to come."
"But since she has this certainty regarding no man, she prays for all her enemies who yet live in this world; and yet she is not heard in behalf of all. But she is heard in the case of those only who, though they oppose the Church, are yet predestinated to become her sons through her intercession. But if any retain an impenitent heart until death, and are not converted from enemies into sons, does the Church continue to pray for them, for the spirits, i.e., of such persons deceased? And why does she cease to pray for them, unless because the man who was not translated into Christ's kingdom while he was in the body, is now judged to be of Satan's following? It is then, I say, the same reason which prevents the Church at any time from praying for the wicked angels, which prevents her from praying hereafter for those men who are to be punished in eternal fire; and this also is the reason why, though she prays even for the wicked so long as they live, she yet does not even in this world pray for the unbelieving and godless who are dead. For some of the dead, indeed, the prayer of the Church or of pious individuals is heard; but it is for those who, having been regenerated in Christ, did not spend their life so wickedly that they can be judged unworthy of such compassion, nor so well that they can be considered to have no need of it. As also, after the resurrection, there will be some of the dead to whom, after they have endured the pains proper to the spirits of the dead, mercy shall be accorded, and acquittal from the punishment of the eternal fire. For were there not some whose sins, though not remitted in this life, shall be remitted in that which is to come, it could not be truly said, "They shall not be forgiven, neither in this world, neither in that which is to come.' But when the Judge of quick and dead has said, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,' and to those on the other side, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels,' and 'These shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life,' it were excessively presumptuous to say that the punishment of any of those whom God has said shall go away into eternal punishment shall not be eternal, and so bring either despair or doubt upon the corresponding promise of life eternal."
"If we neither give thanks to God in tribulations nor redeem our own sins by good works,we shall have to remain in that purgatorian fire as long as it takes for those above-mentioned lesser sins to be consumed like wood and straw and hay."
"Each one will be presented to the Judge exactly as he was when he departed this life. Yet, there must be a cleansing fire before judgement,because of some minor faults that may remain to be purged away. Does not Christ,the Truth,say that if anyone blasphemes against the Holy Spirit he shall not be forgiven 'either in this world or in the world to come'(Mt. 12:32)? From this statement we learn that some sins can be forgiven in this world and some in the world to come. For, if forgiveness is refused for a particular sin, we conclude logically that it is granted for others. This must apply, as I said, to slight transgressions."
Joseph A. Gallegos © 1998 All Rights Reserved.
The Early Church Fathers believed in purgatory and prayers for the dead.
"We offer sacrifices for the dead on their birthday anniversaries".
It is one thing to stand for pardon, another thing to attain to glory; it is one thing, when cast into prison, not to go out thence until one has paid the uttermost farthing; another thing at once to receive the wages of faith and courage. It is one thing, tortured by long suffering for sins, to be cleansed and long purged by fire; another to have purged all sins by suffering. It is one thing, in fine, to be in suspense till the sentence of God at the day of judgment; another to be at once crowned by the Lord.
Temporal punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by some after death, by some both here and hereafter, but all of them before that last and strictest judgment. But not all who suffer temporal punishments after death will come to eternal punishments, which are to follow after that judgment"
All Christians agree that we won't be sinning in heaven. Sin and final glorification are utterly incompatible. Therefore, between the sinfulness of this life and the glories of heaven, we must be made pure. Between death and glory there is a purification.
Thus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. The Church gives the name purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned" (CCC 1030–1).
The concept of an after-death purification from sin and the consequences of sin is also stated in the New Testament in passages such as 1 Corinthians 3:11–15 and Matthew 5:25–26, 12:31–32.
Some imagine that the Catholic Church has an elaborate doctrine of purgatory worked out, but there are only three essential components of the doctrine: (1) that a purification after death exists, (2) that it involves some kind of pain, and (3) that the purification can be assisted by the prayers and offerings by the living to God. Other ideas, such that purgatory is a particular "place" in the afterlife or that it takes time to accomplish, are speculations rather than doctrines.
"And after the exhibition, Tryphaena again received her [Thecla]. For her daughter Falconilla had died, and said to her in a dream: 'Mother, you shall have this stranger Thecla in my place, in order that she may pray concerning me, and that I may be transferred to the place of the righteous'" (Acts of Paul and Thecla [A.D. 160]).
"The citizen of a prominent city, I erected this while I lived, that I might have a resting place for my body. Abercius is my name, a disciple of the chaste Shepherd who feeds his sheep on the mountains and in the fields, who has great eyes surveying everywhere, who taught me the faithful writings of life. Standing by, I, Abercius, ordered this to be inscribed: Truly, I was in my seventy-second year. May everyone who is in accord with this and who understands it pray for Abercius" (Epitaph of Abercius [A.D. 190]).
"[T]hat very night, this was shown to me in a vision: I [Perpetua] saw Dinocrates going out from a gloomy place, where also there were several others, and he was parched and very thirsty, with a filthy countenance and pallid color, and the wound on his face which he had when he died. This Dinocrates had been my brother after the flesh, seven years of age, who died miserably with disease. . . . For him I had made my prayer, and between him and me there was a large interval, so that neither of us could approach to the other . . . and [I] knew that my brother was in suffering. But I trusted that my prayer would bring help to his suffering; and I prayed for him every day until we passed over into the prison of the camp, for we were to fight in the camp-show. Then . . . I made my prayer for my brother day and night, groaning and weeping that he might be granted to me. Then, on the day on which we remained in fetters, this was shown to me: I saw that the place which I had formerly observed to be in gloom was now bright; and Dinocrates, with a clean body well clad, was finding refreshment. . . . [And] he went away from the water to play joyously, after the manner of children, and I awoke. Then I understood that he was translated from the place of punishment" (The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity 2:3–4 [A.D. 202]).
"We offer sacrifices for the dead on their birthday anniversaries [the date of death—birth into eternal life]" (The Crown 3:3 [A.D. 211]).
"A woman, after the death of her husband . . . prays for his soul and asks that he may, while waiting, find rest; and that he may share in the first resurrection. And each year, on the anniversary of his death, she offers the sacrifice" (Monogamy 10:1–2 [A.D. 216]).
"The strength of the truly believing remains unshaken; and with those who fear and love God with their whole heart, their integrity continues steady and strong. For to adulterers even a time of repentance is granted by us, and peace [i.e., reconciliation] is given. Yet virginity is not therefore deficient in the Church, nor does the glorious design of continence languish through the sins of others. The Church, crowned with so many virgins, flourishes; and chastity and modesty preserve the tenor of their glory. Nor is the vigor of continence broken down because repentance and pardon are facilitated to the adulterer. It is one thing to stand for pardon, another thing to attain to glory; it is one thing, when cast into prison, not to go out thence until one has paid the uttermost farthing; another thing at once to receive the wages of faith and courage. It is one thing, tortured by long suffering for sins, to be cleansed and long purged by fire; another to have purged all sins by suffering. It is one thing, in fine, to be in suspense till the sentence of God at the day of judgment; another to be at once crowned by the Lord" (Letters 51:20 [A.D. 253]).
"Then we make mention also of those who have already fallen asleep: first, the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, that through their prayers and supplications God would receive our petition; next, we make mention also of the holy fathers and bishops who have already fallen asleep, and, to put it simply, of all among us who have already fallen asleep, for we believe that it will be of very great benefit to the souls of those for whom the petition is carried up, while this holy and most solemn sacrifice is laid out" (Catechetical Lectures 23:5:9 [A.D. 350]).
"If a man distinguish in himself what is peculiarly human from that which is irrational, and if he be on the watch for a life of greater urbanity for himself, in this present life he will purify himself of any evil contracted, overcoming the irrational by reason. If he has inclined to the irrational pressure of the passions, using for the passions the cooperating hide of things irrational, he may afterward in a quite different manner be very much interested in what is better, when, after his departure out of the body, he gains knowledge of the difference between virtue and vice and finds that he is not able to partake of divinity until he has been purged of the filthy contagion in his soul by the purifying fire" (Sermon on the Dead [A.D. 382]).
"Let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons were purified by their father's sacrifice [Job 1:5], why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them" (Homilies on First Corinthians 41:5 [A.D. 392]).
"Weep for those who die in their wealth and who with all their wealth prepared no consolation for their own souls, who had the power to wash away their sins and did not will to do it. Let us weep for them, let us assist them to the extent of our ability, let us think of some assistance for them, small as it may be, yet let us somehow assist them. But how, and in what way? By praying for them and by entreating others to pray for them, by constantly giving alms to the poor on their behalf. Not in vain was it decreed by the apostles that in the awesome mysteries remembrance should be made of the departed. They knew that here there was much gain for them, much benefit. When the entire people stands with hands uplifted, a priestly assembly, and that awesome sacrificial Victim is laid out, how, when we are calling upon God, should we not succeed in their defense? But this is done for those who have departed in the faith, while even the catechumens are not reckoned as worthy of this consolation, but are deprived of every means of assistance except one. And what is that? We may give alms to the poor on their behalf" (Homilies on Philippians 3:9–10 [A.D. 402]).
"But by the prayers of the holy Church, and by the salvific sacrifice, and by the alms which are given for their spirits, there is no doubt that the dead are aided, that the Lord might deal more mercifully with them than their sins would deserve. The whole Church observes this practice which was handed down by the Fathers: that it prays for those who have died in the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, when they are commemorated in their own place in the sacrifice itself; and the sacrifice is offered also in memory of them, on their behalf. If, then, works of mercy are celebrated for the sake of those who are being remembered, who would hesitate to recommend them, on whose behalf prayers to God are not offered in vain? It is not at all to be doubted that such prayers are of profit to the dead; but for such of them as lived before their death in a way that makes it possible for these things to be useful to them after death" (ibid., 172:2).
"Temporal punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by some after death, by some both here and hereafter, but all of them before that last and strictest judgment. But not all who suffer temporal punishments after death will come to eternal punishments, which are to follow after that judgment" (The City of God 21:13 [A.D. 419]).
Acts of Paul and Thecla (A.D. 160).
"Abercius by name, I am a disciple of the chaste shepherd...He taught me…faithful writings...These words, I, Abercius, standing by, ordered to be inscribed. In truth, I was in the course of my seventy-second year. Let him who understands and believes this pray fro Abercius."
Inscription of Abercius (A.D. 190).
"Without delay, on that very night, this was shown to me in a vision. I saw Dinocrates going out from a gloomy place, where also there were several others, and he was parched and very thirsty, with a filthy countenance and pallid colour, and the wound on his face which he had when he died. This Dinocrates had been my brother after the flesh, seven years of age? Who died miserably with disease...But I trusted that my prayer would bring help to his suffering; and I prayed for him every day until we passed over into the prison of the camp, for we were to fight in the camp-show. Then was the birth-day of Gets Caesar, and I made my prayer for my brother day and night, groaning and weeping that he might be granted to me. Then, on the day on which we remained in fetters, this was shown to me. I saw that that place which I had formerly observed to be in gloom was now bright; and Dinocrates, with a clean body well clad, was finding refreshment. And where there had been a wound, I saw a scar; and that pool which I had before seen, I saw now with its margin lowered even to the boy's navel. And one drew water from the pool incessantly, and upon its brink was a goblet filled with water; and Dinocrates drew near and began to drink from it, and the goblet did not fail. And when he was satisfied, he went away from the water to play joyously, after the manner of children, and I awoke. Then I understood that he was translated from the place of punishment."
The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitias, 2:3-4 (A.D. 202).
Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, 6:14 (post A.D. 202).
"[T]hat allegory of the Lord which is extremely clear and simple in its meaning, and ought to be from the first understood in its plain and natural sense...Then, again, should you be disposed to apply the term 'adversary' to the devil, you are advised by the (Lord's) injunction, while you are in the way with him, 'to make even with him such a compact as may be deemed compatible with the requirements of your true faith. Now the compact you have made respecting him is to renounce him, and his pomp, and his angels. Such is your agreement in this matter. Now the friendly understanding you will have to carry out must arise from your observance of the compact: you must never think of getting back any of the things which you have abjured, and have restored to him, lest he should summon you as a fraudulent man, and a transgressor of your agreement, before God the Judge (for in this light do we read of him, in another passage, as 'the accuser of the brethren,' or saints, where reference is made to the actual practice of legal prosecution); and lest this Judge deliver you over to the angel who is to execute the sentence, and he commit you to the prison of hell, out of which there will be no dismissal until the smallest even of your delinquencies be paid off in the period before the resurrection. What can be a more fitting sense than this? What a truer interpretation?"
Tertullian, A Treatise on the Soul, 35 (A.D. 210).
"All souls, therefore; are shut up within Hades: do you admit this? It is true, whether you say yes or no: moreover, there are already experienced there punishments and consolations; and there you have a poor man and a rich...Moreover, the soul executes not all its operations with the ministration of the flesh; for the judgment of God pursues even simple cogitations and the merest volitions. 'Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.' Therefore, even for this cause it is most fitting that the soul, without at all waiting for the flesh, should be punished for what it has done without the partnership of the flesh. So, on the same principle, in return for the pious and kindly thoughts in which it shared not the help of the flesh, shall it without the flesh receive its consolation. In short, inasmuch as we understand 'the prison' pointed out in the Gospel to be Hades, and as we also interpret 'the uttermost farthing' to mean the very smallest offence which has to be recompensed there before the resurrection, no one will hesitate to believe that the soul undergoes in Hades some compensatory discipline, without prejudice to the full process of the resurrection, when the recompense will be administered through the flesh besides."
Tertullian, A Treatise on the Soul, 58 (A.D. 210).
"[A] woman is more bound when her husband is dead...Indeed, she prays for his soul, and requests refreshment for him meanwhile, and fellowship (with him) in the first resurrection; and she offers (her sacrifice) on the anniversary of his falling asleep."
Tertullian, On Monogamy, 10 (A.D. 216).
"For if on the foundation of Christ you have built not only gold and silver and precious stones (1 Cor.,3); but also wood and hay and stubble, what do you expect when the soul shall be separated from the body? Would you enter into heaven with your wood and hay and stubble and thus defile the kingdom of God; or on account of these hindrances would you remain without and receive no reward for your gold and silver and precious stones; neither is this just. It remains then that you be committed to the fire which will burn the light materials; for our God to those who can comprehend heavenly things is called a cleansing fire. But this fire consumes not the creature, but what the creature has himself built, wood, and hay and stubble. It is manifest that the fire destroys the wood of our transgressions and then returns to us the reward of our great works."
Origen, Homilies on Jeremias, PG 13:445, 448 ( A.D. 244).
"For to adulterers even a time of repentance is granted by us, and peace is given. Yet virginity is not therefore deficient in the Church, nor does the glorious design of continence languish through the sins of others. The Church, crowned with so many virgins, flourishes; and chastity and modesty preserve the tenor of their glory. Nor is the vigour of continence broken down because repentance and pardon are facilitated to the adulterer. It is one thing to stand for pardon, another thing to attain to glory: it is one thing, when cast into prison, not to go out thence until one has paid the uttermost farthing; another thing at once to receive the wages of faith and courage. It is one thing, tortured by long suffering for sins, to be cleansed and long purged by fire; another to have purged all sins by suffering. It is one thing, in fine, to be in suspense till the sentence of God at the day of judgment; another to be at once crowned by the Lord."
Cyprian, To Antonianus, Epistle 51 (55):20 (A.D. 253).
Apostolic Constitutions, 8:4,41 (3rd Century).
Lactantius, The Divine Institutes, 7:21 (A.D. 307).
Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 23:9,10 (c. A.D. 350).
"I think that the noble athletes of God, who have wrestled all their lives with the invisible enemies, after they have escaped all of their persecutions and have come to the end of life, are examined by the prince of this world; and if they are found to have any wounds from their wrestling, any stains or effects of sin, they are detained. If, however they are found unwounded and without stain, they are, as unconquered, brought by Christ into their rest."
Basil, Homilies on the Psalms, 7:2 (ante A.D. 370).
Ephraem, His Testament (ante A.D. 373).
"Useful too is the prayer fashioned on their [the dead's] behalf...it is useful, because in this world we often stumble either voluntarily or involuntarily."
Epiphanius, Panarion, 75:8 (A.D. 375).
Gregory of Nyssa, Sermon on the Dead, PG 13:445,448 (ante A.D. 394).
"Give, Oh Lord, rest to Thy servant Theodosius, that rest Thou hast prepared for Thy saints....I love him, therefore will I follow him to the land of the living; I will not leave him till by my prayers and lamentations he shall be admitted unto the holy mount of the Lord,to which his deserts call him."
Ambrose, De obitu Theodosii, PL 16:1397 (A.D. 395).
Jerome, To Pammachius, Epistle 66:5 (A.D. 397).
John Chrysostom, Homilies on Phillipians, 3 (ante A.D. 404).
"If the baptized person fulfills the obligations demanded of a Christian, he does well. If he does not--provided he keeps the faith, without which he would perish forever--no matter in what sin or impurity remains, he will be saved, as it were, by fire; as one who has built on the foundation, which is Christ, not gold, silver, and precious stones, but wood, hay straw, that is, not just and chasted works but wicked and unchaste works."
Augustine, Faith and Works, 1:1 (A.D. 413).
"Now on what ground does this person pray that he may not be 'rebuked in indignation, nor chastened in hot displeasure"? He speaks as if he would say unto God, 'Since the things which I already suffer are many in number, I pray Thee let them suffice;' and he begins to enumerate them, by way of satisfying God; offering what he suffers now, that he may not have to suffer worse evils hereafter."
Augustine, Exposition of the Psalms, 38(37):3 (A.D. 418).
"And it is not impossible that something of the same kind may take place even after this life. It is a matter that may be inquired into, and either ascertained or left doubtful, whether some believers shall pass through a kind of purgatorial fire, and in proportion as they have loved with more or less devotion the goods that perish, be less or more quickly delivered from it. This cannot, however, be the case of any of those of whom it is said, that they 'shall not inherit the kingdom of God,' unless after suitable repentance their sins be forgiven them. When I say 'suitable,' I mean that they are not to be unfruitful in almsgiving; for Holy Scripture lays so much stress on this virtue, that our Lord tells us beforehand, that He will ascribe no merit to those on His right hand but that they abound in it, and no defect to those on His left hand but their want of it, when He shall say to the former, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom," and to the latter, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.'"
Augustine, Enchiridion, 69 (A.D. 421).
"During the time, moreover, which intervenes between a man's death and the final resurrection, the soul dwells in a hidden retreat, where it enjoys rest or suffers affliction just in proportion to the merit it has earned by the life which it led on earth."
Augustine, Enchiridion, 1099 (A.D. 421).
"For our part, we recognize that even in this life some punishments are purgatorial,--not, indeed, to those whose life is none the better, but rather the worse for them, but to those who are constrained by them to amend their life. All other punishments, whether temporal or eternal, inflicted as they are on every one by divine providence, are sent either on account of past sins, or of sins presently allowed in the life, or to exercise and reveal a man's graces. They may be inflicted by the instrumentality of bad men and angels as well as of the good. For even if any one suffers some hurt through another's wickedness or mistake, the man indeed sins whose ignorance or injustice does the harm; but God, who by His just though hidden judgment permits it to be done, sins not. But temporary punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by others after death, by others both now and then; but all of them before that last and strictest judgment. But of those who suffer temporary punishments after death, all are not doomed to those everlasting pains which are to follow that judgment; for to some, as we have already said, what is not remitted in this world is remitted in the next, that is, they are not punished with the eternal punishment of the world to come."
Augustine, City of God, 21:13 (A.D. 426).
"But since she has this certainty regarding no man, she prays for all her enemies who yet live in this world; and yet she is not heard in behalf of all. But she is heard in the case of those only who, though they oppose the Church, are yet predestinated to become her sons through her intercession...For some of the dead, indeed, the prayer of the Church or of pious individuals is heard; but it is for those who, having been regenerated in Christ, did not spend their life so wickedly that they can be judged unworthy of such compassion, nor so well that they can be considered to have no need of it. As also, after the resurrection, there will be some of the dead to whom, after they have endured the pains proper to the spirits of the dead, mercy shall be accorded, and acquittal from the punishment of the eternal fire. For were there not some whose sins, though not remitted in this life, shall be remitted in that which is to come, it could not be truly said, "They shall not be forgiven, neither in this world, neither in that which is to come.' But when the Judge of quick and dead has said, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,' and to those on the other side, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels,' and 'These shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life,' it were excessively presumptuous to say that the punishment of any of those whom God has said shall go away into eternal punishment shall not be eternal, and so bring either despair or doubt upon the corresponding promise of life eternal." Augustine, City of God,2 1:24 (A.D. 426).
"If we neither give thanks to God in tribulations nor redeem our own sins by good works, we shall have to remain in that purgatorian fire as long as it takes for those above-mentioned lesser sins to be consumed like wood and straw and hay."
Ceasar of Arles, Sermon 179 (104):2 (A.D. 542).
"Each one will be presented to the Judge exactly as he was when he departed this life. Yet, there must be a cleansing fire before judgment, because of some minor faults that may remain to be purged away. Does not Christ, the Truth, say that if anyone blasphemes against the Holy Spirit he shall not be forgiven 'either in this world or in the world to come'(Mt. 12:32)? From this statement we learn that some sins can be forgiven in this world and some in the world to come. For, if forgiveness is refused for a particular sin, we conclude logically that it is granted for others. This must apply, as I said, to slight transgressions."
Gregory the Great [regn. A.D. 590-604], Dialogues, 4:39 (A.D. 594).


Time to dust off your Furbish dictionary because Furby is back and ready to take the planet by storm. Who will your Furby grow to be? Are you ready to handle a Furby? 2 or later. When you first meet your Furby, it will speak largely Furbish. But remember: your Furby has a mind of its own. App is optional and functions with i Pad, i Pod touch and i Phone with i OS 4. It responds to your touch, your music, and also to other Furbys (each sold separately ). But the a lot more you play with Furby, the a lot much more English it will speak. You may also download a cost-free app to help you translate FURBISH, too as virtually feed your FURBY and also other interactive functions. But be warned - how you treat your Furby will shape its personality. Feed it, speak to it, tickle it, play music for it and shake, tilt or turn your Furby upside down. It all depends on how you play you're your Furby.
Product Dim.: Height: 7.75" Length: 8" Depth: 5"
Package Dim.: Height: 4.9" Length: 8.3" Depth: 6.6"