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Q: Check referrer and find the href that leads to it, then trigger a click with javascript I'm working on a WP single page portfolio that loads post content with AJAX. I read that WP doesn't need #! URLs to make it crawlable by Googlebot. If I understand it correctly, since Googlebot won't interpret ajax, it will just follow the link and index the article page.
So I removed #! from my URLs and when a post is opened I update them with .pushState.It's working fine, but if I hit F5 or if I try to load a specific URL (not the home) I fall into the page of the post (single.php).
To prevent it, I added a javascript redirection in single.php that leads users to the homepage. Then I need to open the content of the article on the homepage.
Here is the address of my site: http://www.youpiemonday.com/ (the redirection isn't online yet).
How can I tell the browser "if you're coming from this page (the referrer), trigger a click on the thumbnail which href is corresponding" (the click will load the content)?
I'm digging around this but I have no idea how to target the thumbnail correctly...

Here is what the html markup looks like:

           <a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_post_thumbnail(); ?>
           <a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">

<?php the_title(); ?>

//same as above

//same as above

    // and the list goes on...

I'm not really a programmer so any help would be very appreciated. And if you can comment your code, that would be invaluable to me.

A: Because you are probably trying to reference the element before it is rendered on the page. Use document ready or window onload and reference the link there.


We are at home again today with the sun glistening on the icy wonderland around us. I wish I could say we have spent our time making crafts, playing, and having fun. Lillian has a little bug that has her tired and running fever. It hit quickly (as these things do) and I had hoped she would be better today but now she is complaining of ear pain. I'm taking her to the doctor today to check her ears. That could be the explanation for the fever.
Lucas, of course, was his usual self.
Oh no! I hope she gets to feeling better soon and I hope you all are staying warm.
Thanks for your sweet comment on my blog. I really enjoy reading yours as well.
I hope Lillian gets to feeling better!
Gosh, I miss twin spires. The kids are so cute! I love the silhouette.


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Home|Sports|Ankita moves to singles quarterfinals in Luan
Ankita moves to singles quarterfinals in Luan
New Delhi, May 09 (PTI):
India's top singles player Ankita Raina progressed to the quarterfinals of the USD 60,000 ITF women's event in Luan, China with a straight sets win over Yue Yuan on Thursday.
The 26-year-old, ranked 175, dispatched her Chinese rival 6-2 6-3 in the second round of the tournament.
"The girl (Yuan) was very attacking and aggressive but I played smart. Even though the score looks one-sided, the match was intense," Ankita said from Luan.
Ankita has been on a good run as she cherished a win over three-time Grand Slam champion Samantha Stosur at the USD 125k tournament in Anning and also made the final of a 60k event in Istanbul.She next faces Hong Kong's Eudice Chong, who is ranked as low as 497. "About tomorrow, I would say that at this level, no match is easy and no match is tough. You have to have a balance between aggression and consistency," she said.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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'The Happy Show' gives prescriptions for the blues
Stefan Sagmeister is an Austrian Grammy-award winning graphic designer, who's behind album covers for the Talking Heads, Lou Reed, and the Rolling Stones. For the last decade, he's been exploring happiness – what it means and how to get it. He has a new multimedia exhibit called "The Happy Show" at the Institute of Contemporary Art in West Philadelphia.
One of the first things I learned about happiness from Stefan Sagmeister, is that expecting his show to make you happier turns out to be a faux pas.
"The exhibition itself won't make people happy. In a similar way, I would say watching a Jane Fonda exercise film won't make you skinny," said Sagmeister.
A lot of the exhibit seems like a playground for adults, with enormous inflatable monkeys and a series of silly experiments for you to try. Grace Linden pushes a button and gets a card with a set of instructions.
"Pretend to recognize another guest at the exhibition. Tell them it's been so long," reads Linden.
There's even a bicycle you can pedal to light up huge neon words on the wall. Kevin O'Callaghan is in the saddle.
"Actually doing the things I set out to do — increase my overall level of satisfaction," said O'Callaghan.
You'd think that Sagmeister might have begun this entire project because he was sad. But no, generally he's a happy guy. The actual reason goes back to 2009, when Sagmeister was taking a year-long sabbatical in Indonesia and decided to make furniture for his New York studio. When his best friend came to visit,
"He looked around and said if I come back from this year with these seven or eight pieces of furniture, that seems pretty skimpy and not really worth my time," said Sagmeister.
Sagmeister had already been thinking and speaking for years about how the essential point of design was to make people happy. So he thought, what could be more useful to an audience than finding strategies that really work to increase well-being?
After reading three dozen books on the subject, he turned to psychologist Jonathan Haidt's "The Happiness Hypothesis," for three experiments to test for three months each. Stage one: meditation. Every morning, he'd get up at six, light a couple candles, and concentrate hard on breathing for forty-five minutes.
"There were times in the beginning that I thought it was fantastic and just best thing ever," said Sagmeister. "And sort of surprised why doesn't everyone do this? And on days where it's difficult, then it would become pretty boring basically."
Next was behavioral cognitive therapy, which helped Sagmeister get better at confronting the building manager at his home.
"We have leaks and they don't tend to get fixed. And it used to take sometimes months," said Sagmeister. "I think at one time, even years, to get that stuff really done. And this time, I was just better at it, you know, didn't let him go. He's quite a bully. And it worked! They actually did get fixed."
The final stage is taking prescription drugs, which Sagmeister is gearing up to do after he sees a doctor. This whole time, he's been documenting the experience for a film and monitoring his happiness through mood ratings, MRI brain scans, and diary entries.
"The most surprising thing I've learned is I can manufacture a truly happy moment artificially," he said.
He says all you have to do is take a scooter, a beautiful empty road, an MP3 player with songs that don't have emotional baggage, and drive around with no purpose.
"Every single time I did it, it created a happy moment beautiful enough that I would have goose bumps with chills running down my spine," said Sagmeister.
While Sagmeister is still finishing the experiments and film, "The Happy Show" does offer clips and a set of truisms, taken from his diary and spelled out in fantastical typography. Through videos and images, Sagmeister delivers his maxims through levitating sugar cubes, an unraveling spider web, even the body parts of a naked woman.
"I have an addictive personality and tend to overdo most endeavors," reads Dana Fedeli from a message scrawled on a gallery wall. "When I drank I drank until I was no fun to be around and I had to stop. When I smoke, I inhaled."
The show may not make you happier, but it certainly makes you pause and forget about the day-to-day. How can you think about your "to do" lists when using a gumball machine to rate your happiness?
"The Happy Show" is open at the Institute of Contemporary Art until August 12th. Stefan Sagmeister's documentary, "The Happy Film," will be completed next year.
Photo credit: "Trying to look good limits my life" (right) is one of the works by Stefan Sagmeister showcased in "The Happy Show" at The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) at the University of Pennsylvania.
Williams' family said in statement Monday that she died in Los Angeles Wednesday after a brief illness. She was 75.
Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts will be the first Black QBs to face off in a Super Bowl.
Philly sandwich shops take cues from 'Clyde's,' a new play at Arden Theatre
A new play by the Pulitzer-winning Lynn Nottage, opening at the Arden Theatre, has inspired local sandwich shops to take risks.


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Aline Brosh McKenna
Cinderella (2015) — Screenplay
Annie (2014) — Screenplay
Matt Zoller Seitz
We Bought a Zoo (2011) — Written by
Morning Glory (2010) — Written by
The Devil Wears Prada (2006) — Written by
LAWS OF ATTRACTION (2004) — Written by
Three To Tango (1999) — Written by
The Best Television of 2019
by Allison Shoemaker and Brian Tallerico | December 31, 2019 |
On the best television of 2019, including Watchmen, Unbelievable, When They See Us, and Fleabag.
The Best Television of the Decade
by Allison Shoemaker and Brian Tallerico | November 26, 2019 |
The top 50 shows of the 2010s.
The Best TV of 2018
The best in television for the year.
Our TV critics pick the best of 2017.
#36 November 10, 2010
by Marie Haws | November 3, 2010 |
Actress Jill Clayburgh, whose portrayal of women in the 1970s helped define and and reshape the role of leading lady, died last week of chronic lymphocytic leukemia at her home in Lakeville, Connecticut; she was 66. She's best known for her Academy Award nominated roles in "An Unmarried Woman" (Winner: Best Actress Cannes 1978) and "Starting Over." Roger has remembered her on his site: Jill Clayburgh: In Memory.


The report's co-writer Dr David Murakami-Wood told BBC News that, compared to other industrialised Western states, the UK was "the most surveilled country".
"We have more CCTV cameras and we have looser laws on privacy and data protection," he said.
"We really do have a society which is premised both on state secrecy and the state not giving up its supposed right to keep information under control while, at the same time, wanting to know as much as it can about us."
The two worst countries in the 36-nation survey are Malaysia and China, and Britain is one of the bottom five with "endemic surveillance".
If it prevents criminal behaviour or improves its detection I'm all for it.
"We've got to say where do we want the lines to be drawn? How much do we want to have surveillance changing the nature of society in a democratic nation?" he told the BBC.
"We're not luddites, we're not technophobes, but we are saying not least don't forget the fundamental importance of data protection, which I'm responsible for.
"Sometimes it gets dismissed as something which is rather bureaucratic, it stops you sorting out your granny's electricity bills. People grumble about data protection, but boy is it important in this new age.
"When data protection puts those fundamental safeguards in place, we must make sure that some of these lines are not crossed."
The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) said there needed to be a balance between sharing information responsibly and respecting the citizen's rights.
A spokesman said: "Massive social and technological advances have occurred in the last few decades and will continue in the years to come.
"We must rise to the challenges and seize the opportunities it provides for individual citizens and society as a whole."
Graham Gerrard from the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) said there were safeguards against the abuse of surveillance by officers.
"The police use of surveillance is probably the most regulated of any group in society," he told the BBC.
"Richard Thomas was particularly concerned about unseen, uncontrolled or excessive surveillance. Well, any of the police surveillance that is unseen is in fact controlled and has to be proportionate otherwise it would never get authorised."


"Be mindful of your property," said Abbott. "Several stolen vehicles and car larcenies have been reported lately countywide.
"Make sure you are locking your homes and cars to help deter this criminal activity. Keep an exterior light on and report any suspicious people and vehicles in your neighborhood," said Abbott.
Anyone with information can contact the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office at (269) 657-3101, Crime Stoppers 1 (800) 342-7867, Silent Observer (269) 343-2100 or your local police department.


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← Mandelbrot's Fractalist: 00 Beauty and Roughness, Introduction – Chapter by Chapter Review
Mandelbrot's The Fractalist: 02 Childhood in Warsaw – Chapter by Chapter Review →
Mandelbrot's the Fractalist 01: Roots: Of Flesh and the Mind – Chapter by Chapter Review
Posted on August 25, 2019 by flybrand1976
Mandelbrot's book tells the story in a fractal nature – bouncing big and small and returning to reinforce important topics. From this first family photo Mandelbrot introduces us to the adults that shaped his young life, helped him survive World War II, and put him in position to excel when life provided him with options. What a family!
Best Quote(s)
"As observed by a writer native to that part of Europe, Woe to the poet born in an interesting piece of geography in a violent time."
Mandelbrot's fractals visual replication of geographic features – coast lines and elevations, was one of the first clear victories of the new field. Mandelbrot's life would move about the globe, making big leaps and small.
"Other war survivors describe being in a herd on the way to the death camps, noticing a way out, and taking it instantly. That is the kind of man Father was."
Little opportunities lead to big changes. Mandelbrot's family would face many opportunities where following the herd would have led to a very different life – or even death. Instead, they found the way out.
"They never shouted at each other but argued constantly about strategy, and they taught me very early that before taking big risks, one must carefully figure the odds."
Discussion of risks helps mitigate risks. Identify risks, then address them.
"Like many social customs, it could be defied, but at a cost: not being part of a system of patronage that is pervasive in intellectual and professional groups."
Mandelbrot's career would lack the rudder of mentorship – but he made up for it by staying focused on finding a larger calling and harnessing his intellectual capabilities and breadth of interests with hard work.
"To the contrary, one wanted to sacrifice oneself for science." The author of these words was my uncle Szolem (1899–1983)."
"On gifted youngsters, this environment bestowed absolutely no feeling of entitlement and offered no encouragement by flattery."
Mandelbrot was born November 20, 1924.
"At the place of honor to Grandfather's right sits the most senior guest, Jacques Hadamard (1865–1963)."
Photo is from June 1930.
"He was a lifelong self-improver and an extremely widely read, clear-minded, and scholarly person. He was fascinated with how machines worked and very handy with tools—in wartime, he taught me many tricks."
Collapse of credit early in his life would lead Mandelbrot back to finacial markets later in life.
"None have been paid because everybody is bankrupt; that is what happened."
"As Father was fighting his final illness, increasing general prosperity destroyed his niche profession."
"As confirmed by several cousins of Mother who scattered around the world, he pioneered by insisting that all his granddaughters become doctors."
"Mother was the kind of person who witnessed her world collapse around her six times, regained her composure in no time, and soon resumed full steam."
"This photo shows me in Świder in 1930 with my brother, Léon, fifteen months younger than I."
"Father was bold and Mother was cautious. They never shouted at each other but argued constantly about strategy, and they taught me very early that before taking big risks, one must carefully figure the odds."
"Mother sobbed and I am still ashamed."
"My high level of self-confidence had its roots at home."
"They reestablished themselves, only to be ruined a third time by the Depression, a fourth by World War II, and a fifth and final time by a nonpolitical event, Father's cancer."
"Like Poincaré and Hadamard, and Isaac Newton long before them, Szolem viewed mathematics as almost real, but with a crucial difference. They were fascinated by profound issues of physics and the actual world, but Szolem was not."
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Goldratt's Major Concepts in The Goal: The Foundations of Theory of Constraints


A true Swiss specialty introduced to you by Swiss House Shop. "Kafi Fertig" or "Kafi Luz" (short for Lucerne) or "Cheli" is a hot drink to enjoy around the carnival season in Switzerland. It consists of a glass of thin coffee with 'Träsch' - a liqueur made of apples and pears. According to the recipe the coffee should be transparent like tea, so that one can still read the newspaper thru it.
Kafi Lutz was invented in the 18th century in Switzerland, when the per capita consumption of distilled liqueurs was at 13 litres p.a. For the farmers the day began with a pre-breakfast 'Schnapps". It was meant to help the digestion of the heavy cheese dishes. When the authorities introduced the ban on distilling and consuming alcohol the people started to conceal the liqueur in the coffee.
Preparation of the "Kafi Fertig": In a coffee glass, add boiling water, sugar, the liqueur and some coffee but remember it has to be transparent!
- 1x Glass Jar, 100 g, Mövenpick - Heavenly Instant Coffee "Der Himmlische"


Is Your Home Ready for its Close-Up Shot?
In real estate, a picture is worth a hundred home visits — at least to many potential buyers who cast off rejects as fast as they can hit the Next button.
Take photos of your house from the street and then take a shot of every room from the doorway. Then put them on the computer and take a look at what the public is seeing online.
2) In the photo from the front door, can you see into other parts of the house or is the foyer closed off and dark? Is there old carpeting on the floor or is it tile or hardwood?
4) And lastly, is there something in the photo that immediately grabs your eye — and not in a good way? It could be a crooked picture or a sloppy bed. That is what the public remembers from that photo.
With to-do list in hand, fix those items that are keeping your house from getting a personal visit from potential buyers. Selling a house is far more than just listing it with an agency and sticking a sign in the front yard. Make sure you value the importance of photos that show your home to its best advantage.
You are currently reading Is Your Home Ready for its Close-Up Shot? at Your Home & Color Coach.


The design of non-cryptographic hash functions by means of evolutionary computation is a relatively new and unexplored problem. In this paper, we use the Genetic Programming paradigm to evolve collision free and fast hash functions. For achieving robustness against collision we use a fitness function based on a non-linearity concept, producing evolved hashes with a good degree of Avalanche Effect. The other main issue, efficiency, is assured by using only very fast operators (both in hardware and software) and by limiting the number of nodes. Using this approach, we have created a new hash function, which we call gp-hash, that is able to outperform a set of five human-generated, widely-used hash functions.


Have you ever noticed how within moments of someone suggesting we start a fire in the camp that a special person emerges? An almost superhero-type personality, a driven and focused person, the kind of 'no-nonsense' person that's not to be messed with. Enter the FIRE MONITOR!
You may collect the kindling or the wood, he will appreciate that (although most of it won't be to his ozone layer smashing standards) but do not, I say again, DO NOT under any circumstances try to arrange said kindling in any fire-like structure; this is not your role and this act will be met with an eye roll at the very least.
The Fire Monitor has his methods; they are not ad hoc, they are techniques driven by science, passed down through the generations or learned from fire Jedis – they are not for the common man.
The Fire Monitor will never use an accelerant or newspaper, such is the act of the layman to start the fire. No, leaves and naturally occurring fuels are all that will enter his project. A lighter or gas burner will never bring life to his creation, only a flint or single match, before he slowly looks around the camp to see who's watched his feat.
Once the fire triangle of heat, fuel and oxygen has been completed and flames lick toward the sky, the Fire Monitor's real task begins. It is now time to feed the beast, nurture it and keep it safe from the uneducated in the camp, who are the enemy from this moment on. The 'fire murderers' will attempt to harm his friend and they must be stopped. The Fire Monitor will leave his friend only to visit the toilet and he would even do that next to the fire if the rest of us would allow it.
He knows that every time he turns his back someone is going to attempt to carry out at least one of the following: stoke it incorrectly, throw rubbish into it, steal coals from it for his camp oven or put a barbecue plate over it. None of these acts are acceptable to the Fire Monitor, so be prepared for a dressing down if you are irresponsible enough to cross these lines.
allow them to be, but here's my tip for embracing him: let him do the bloody lot and enjoy your beer!


TV/radio: 6 p.m. Friday, Ford Field, Detroit; ESPN2, WIND-AM 560.
Records: NIU 7-5, 6-2 MAC; Buffalo 10-2, 7-1.
The line: Buffalo by 3½.
The series: NIU leads 11-1, including 10-0 since Buffalo joined the Mid-American Conference. The Bulls' only victory against the Huskies came in 1968. The last meeting was a 14-13 NIU win on Oct. 14, 2017, at Buffalo.
How they got here: NIU clinched its seventh MAC West title in nine years on Nov. 13 by virtue of Ball State's 42-41 win against Western Michigan. The Huskies then lost their final two regular-season games, 13-7 to Miami of Ohio and 28-21 at Western Michigan. Buffalo clinched its first MAC East title since 2008 with a 44-14 victory Nov. 23 at Bowling Green.
Back in contention: The Huskies are making their eighth appearance in the MAC title game after a two-year absence. NIU is 3-4 in its previous appearances, winning the championship in 2011, 2012 and 2014. The Bulls are playing in the MAC championship game for the second time; they defeated Ball State 42-24 to win the 2008 conference title.
NIU by the numbers: The Huskies lead the MAC in rushing defense (107 yards per game) and have held seven opponents to fewer than 100 rushing yards. NIU opponents average 2.6 yards per carry. The Huskies also lead the MAC in total defense (344 ypg) and scoring defense (20.9 points per game) and lead the nation with 46 sacks. Defensive end Sutton Smith is sixth in the nation with 21 tackles for a loss and fourth with 13 sacks, both totals leading the MAC.
The NIU offense isn't as prolific as its defense. The Huskies are 10th in the 12-team MAC in total offense (318 ypg) and 11th in scoring (19.9 ppg), the latter figure ranking 122nd nationally out of 130 teams.
Buffalo by the numbers: Freshman Jaret Patterson leads the Bulls in rushing with 874 yards on 150 carries (5.8 average) and 12 touchdowns. He needs 44 yards to break the school's freshman record of 917 yards, set by Aaron Leeper in 2002. Kevin Marks has 733 yards on 153 carries (4.8 average) with 11 scores. Quarterback Tyree Jackson has thrown for 25 touchdowns and run for seven but also has 11 interceptions.
Linebacker Khalil Hodge had seven tackles against Bowling Green, bringing him to 406 in three seasons. Hodge is the fourth player in school history to record 400 tackles and the first to do it in three seasons. Davonte Shannon holds the school record of 461.


A mockup of Boeing's CST-100.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Mobile tech and apps designed for astronauts could make a fresh appearance in space, thanks to efforts by Boeing and Samsung.
The two companies are teaming up to find new ways to incorporate mobile technology and applications into the CST-100 spacecraft, which Boeing is developing as part of NASA's commercial crew program with the goal of ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
Boeing wants to use mobile technology to help future astronauts share their experiences in orbit and make the most of their time in space. Representatives for the company have already identified about six apps that could be used on the CST-100 during flight.
Boeing's new CST-100 commercial interior features the aerospace company's sky-blue interior lighting already featured in its modern airliners and uses a large digital display to substitute for passenger windows.
Some of the app software — which could potentially be transferred to the Android operating system used by Samsung — is currently used on the space station and was also useful during past NASA space shuttle missions, said former astronaut Chris Ferguson, director of crew and mission operations for the Boeing Commercial Crew Program.
For example, an app called World Map allows astronauts to set an alarm that will tell them when the International Space Station flies over a particular part of the world, Ferguson said.
"Those geopolitical lines aren't necessarily carved on the Earth," Ferguson said here today (May 20) at the 2014 National Space Symposium. "You have to rely sometimes on a tool to tell you where you are, and there's a great application on the space station called World Map that we would like to bring over to an Android platform. That's an example of how a NASA astronaut would use it."
Space tourists might have different uses for tablet technology. For example, private space explorers might be able to capture photos and share them with people on Earth using an onboard Wi-Fi-type tool that can beam back information to the surface of the planet.
"There's no telling where this [partnership] is going to lead in half a dozen years, but our intention is to closely mimic what the commercial customer desires on an airliner, to be able to provide them with at least a similar type of service on a spaceliner," Ferguson said.
There are also other apps that could be useful in space. For instance, mobile apps could give astronauts information about their vessels and their position in space, as well as help replace the bulky, heavy checklists that astronauts currently need on the station.
Ferguson also thinks that, in the future, tablets could even make spacecraft windows unnecessary.
Windows can pose risks, he said. "They're heavy. You have to defog them. You have to do a lot of things to keep your window happy," Ferguson said. "What if I just put a camera on the outside and a nice LCD that's perhaps conformal that can wrap on the inside, and I can otherwise see on a screen what I can see outside through the hull? Is that something I could see in the future? Yes, it is."
But it might not be that simple, Ferguson added. Windows probably will not be replaced entirely, however — after all, the view from space isn't quite the same when seen on an LCD screen.
Boeing is currently competing with other spaceflight companies — notably, SpaceX and Sierra Nevada Corp. — to fly astronauts to the space station under the commercial crew program, which aims to have at least one American spaceship up and running by 2017. In August, NASA is planning to pick a smaller number of companies to continue on in the process.
Ferguson said that the CST-100 is currently on track to make its first unmanned flight to space in January 2017, followed by its first manned mission in July 2017.


Suriya's Diwali release in 'NGK' is getting ready, with only a few days of shoot remaining. Touted to be a political entertainer, the film stars Sai Pallavi and Rakul Preet Singh opposite Suriya and has music by Yuvan Shankar Raja. Recently, reports surfaced that actor Dhanush, who is also the brother of the film's director Selvaraghavan, has sung a single track in the film.
However, sources from the production house Dream Warrior have tossed the news as a rumour, stating that there is no such development yet.
Producer SR Prabhu recently revealed that he will be bringing out a special update on the film come July 23rd, which is Suriya's birthday. It is expected to be another poster or a motion poster designed according to the film's theme.
Suriya will complete a schedule in Pollachi of his action thriller with KV Anand before he returns on the sets of 'NGK' to finish off remaining portions. His new film with Sudha Kongara too is expected to take off by the end of the third quarter. It will be really interesting to see how the star manages dates to meet his commitments!


I'm considering whether to use OS-based or Options-dialog based app customization for my Firefox extension. The question i have is: what would be the programmatic way to open a file using default app, w/o reading the defaults.list files? Would this kind of linking make the extension GNOME-version-dependent? Also, do i understand correctly that the extension wouldn't even load if GNOME isn't installed, and my extension uses this API?
P.S. Also, a KDE question: the defaults.list files used for gnome don't appear to affect KDE. Would you guys know which config files they use? P.P.S. This preferences app appears to be no longer available. It appears the new way to do this is to use Properties->Open With. I'm not sure if this is more convenient than one app, but it might be a bit more secure.


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One-Time Local 35 Guild Member Eleanor Roosevelt to Grace $5 Bill
By mgruenberg
For the first time in U.S. history, a committed union member will be on U.S. currency: Eleanor Roosevelt, who joined the American Newspaper Guild in 1936, will be on the back of the newly designed $5 bill.
Roosevelt will enter that pantheon when she joins Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Marian Anderson on the reverse side of the to-be-redesigned $5 bill, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced on April 20. President Abraham Lincoln will remain on the front of the bill.
"We have always taken great pride in the fact that Eleanor Roosevelt was a card-carrying member of our union," said Bernie Lunzer, President of the News Guild sector of the Communications Workers of America. Roosevelt joined the American Newspaper Guild in 1936 and remained a member until her death in 1962.
"This an opportunity for Americans to learn more about that part of her life and her values, in addition to all the other reasons she deserves to be immortalized on U.S. currency," Lunzer said of Roosevelt.
While serving as First Lady and for years afterwards, Roosevelt wrote a column, My Day, syndicated to more than 200 newspapers, with more than six million readers. She was a member of the Guild's Washington-based local. The former Newspaper Guild Local 35 is now the Washington-Baltimore NewsGuild, CWA Local 30235.
"ER walked on picket lines, went into mines to inspect working conditions…and testified about what she saw," Cornell University Professor Jo Freeman wrote in reviewing a Roosevelt biography in 2011. "Even during wartime" – World War II – "she supported the right of all workers to join unions."
And Roosevelt used her column to argue for workers' rights, women's rights, African-American rights, and to chastise unions for excluding those groups from leadership positions, Freeman noted.
After the war, Roosevelt continued to support U.S. strikers and successfully argued for inserting the right to join unions into the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
The redesigned currency, which produced the decision to put Roosevelt on the $5 bill, occurred after a flood of comments came into the Treasury about its original plan to replace former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton on the $10 bill with an historic woman.
That led to thousands of nominations for new figures on the $5, $10 and especially on $20 bills, given controversy over the record of President Andrew Jackson, now on the front of the $20 bill. Abolitionist and Underground Railroad leader Harriet Tubman will replace Jackson on the front. Jackson will be relegated to the other side, Lew said.
Meanwhile, "The reverse of the new $5 will highlight historic events that occurred at the Lincoln Memorial and will include images of Marian Anderson, Eleanor Roosevelt and Martin Luther King Jr.," Treasury said. Though Treasury did not say so, the Daughters of the American Revolution had barred Anderson from singing at nearby Constitution Hall. Roosevelt not only arranged for Anderson's concert at the memorial, but quit the DAR, blasting its racism.
Treasury said writers submitted names of 274 women to be on currency. Other unionists among those nominees were Jane Addams, founder of Hull House and co-founder of American Federation of Teachers Local 1, miners' and labor activist Mary Harris "Mother" Jones and socialist unionist Emma Goldman.
Florence Kelley, founder of the labor-backed National Consumers League, and Frances Perkins, the first female cabinet member – as Secretary of Labor – and a strong advocate who lobbied FDR to enact both Social Security and the National Labor Relations Act, were also among the nominees.


We provide quality eyecare, eyewear, and service for all of North Canterbury.
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Who's Afraid of Black Sexuality? (2)
by Stacey Patton
"The white imagination still traffics in toxic racial and gender stereotypes," says Beverly Guy-Sheftall, a professor of women's studies at Spelman College. Talking about sex "means that we are engaging in and calling up discussions of black sexuality that we think underscore what white people say about us. That leads to silence."
That silence has left a gap in the classroom and in black-studies scholarship. Rising faculty members worry that a topic doubly controversial—race and sex—could derail their careers. Students and professors are sensitive, even squeamish, about portrayals of their communities. Reflecting on the years of avoidance, Kevin Mumford, a history professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, thinks there is a basic dynamic: Many black people "refuse to give up the privilege of normalcy."
In recent years, however, a growing number of scholars, in a variety of disciplines—queer studies, women's studies, anthropology, African-American studies, sociology, literature, history, public health—have begun to break that silence. Black sexuality is the focus of a number of conferences, research projects, and anthologies. While discussions of sexuality go far back in the world of black scholarship—to such work as W.E.B. Du Bois's report on black sexual mores and marital practices in Philadelphia, Ana Julia Cooper and Ida B. Wells's examinations of the racist construction of black male and female sexuality, and the social scientist E. Franklin Frazier's dissection of the social patterns of the black bourgeoisie—today's work is more explicit, rawer. It gets into the bedroom with heterosexual black men having sex with other men "on the down low"; onto the streets and porn sets with cross-dressers, transsexuals, and black sex workers; behind prison bars with gay and lesbian inmates; into the dungeons and play dens of blacks who seek pleasure through bondage and pain.
And it is driven by a sense of urgency over problems confronting black communities, such as the AIDS crisis, incest, homophobia, domestic violence, and sex abuse in black churches.
The in-your-face approach owes much to the feminism among women of color and to the queer-studies scholarship that began to make its mark in the 1980s. At the beginning of that decade, KitchenTable: Women of Color Press became the first publishing company entirely run by women of color, focusing both on research about race and gender and on advocacy for women, gays and lesbians, and other oppressed groups. Queer studies similarly drew from scholarly theory about the construction of sexual personae and from gay activism.
That twin vision has given work on black sexuality a controversial edge.
Read More: Black Dandies Fashion New Academic Identities
[to be continued]
Tags: biseksualiteit / blackness / essay / gender / LHBTQ+ (homoseksualiteit) / Patton Stacey / seksualiteit / wetenschap
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Gio Kannan Blog Leg 1
August 10-12:
ROPOS right below the surface, about to be recovered onboard the Thompson. Credit: G. Kannan, University of Washington, V22.
During my shift on the evening of August 10th, I was tasked with taking pictures of the recovery of ROPOS, our remotely operated submersible, and its package, a mooring part of the cabled array we are servicing. I had not yet spent much time outside past sunset due to safety rules, so it was ecstatic to get the opportunity to see true darkness away from city lights, especially given the fact that the sky was clear of clouds.
When I first stepped outside it was to take pictures of ROPOS being slowly lifted from the water. Its bright lights turned the water an eerie blue/green color as it got closer and closer to the surface. Moments later one could make out the engineering beast as it dramatically mixed the water around it, slowly being carried into the air by its crane, revealing the massive mooring beneath it.
I was in awe at the scene, not just because of the sheer awesomeness of the engineering I was observing, but also because of the coordination of the deck operations. The main deck was crawling with people each busy with a task, be it to guide the mooring onto the deck, man the crane, or trigger the latch connecting ROPOS and the mooring.
The moon beautifully floating in the sky. Credit: G. Kannan, University of Washington, V22.
After this hub-hub of activity was over, and my shift with it, I took. A few brief moments too look out to the horizon. Despite the lights of the ship lighting the waves within a few meters of the hull, the ocean was dark. The only light piercing through was a big bright white moon, lighting everything below it and hiding even the stars.
Earlier that evening we had taken advantage of the clear skies to observe the sunset at golden hour. The ship was glistening as if covered by a gold filter as the sun set, and perhaps more beautiful was the effect of this light on the moon. The moon had just started to rise opposite the sun. Thanks to the vast flatness of the ocean, one could see them opposite each other just by turning one's head. As the moon peaked through the pink-blue clouds it revealed itself to be a light hue of pink. I was mesmerized.
Yesterday, August 11th, the ship cruised full steam ahead towards Axial Base. Although no dives were taking place, the transit was by no means a restful time. Everyone was working to make up the time lost due to longer than expected dive times and ROPOS turnaround times. The Chief Scientists were figuring out how to merge dives together so that all the science planned could be done in a timely manner, including Dr. Rika Anderson's work to take fluid samples at hydrothermal vents. I did not envy the chief scientists. Somehow, they developed a plan that satisfied everyone.
The National Deep Submergence Facility Universal Fluid Obtainer (UFO) fluid sampler on the front of ROPOS. It it will be used to collect diffuse flow fluid samples from hydrothermal vents in the International District as part of Dr. R. Andersons' NSF funded work to study microbes and viruses. Credit: A. Somol, University of Washington, V22.
Meanwhile, the ROPOS team was tasked with figuring out how to hook up the Universal Fluid Obtainer (UFO) to ROPOS. The UFO is the instrument the Anderson team is using to sample. Because the nature of their project is hydrothermal vent microbiology (my lab is interested in deep-sea bacteria as well), I have been very invested in their work, and have tried as much as I can to familiarize myself with it to be a helpful hand and resource when needed. Finally seeing the UFO on ROPOS was very exciting.
During the 18h transit to Axial Base we also had the chance to tour the bridge, and ROPOS itself. These were very informative. I especially enjoyed learning about the many ways ROPOS can sample the ocean and its sediment. Perhaps this knowledge will be useful in the future if I write my own hydrothermal vent research proposal. I also had the chance to familiarize myself with perhaps the most famous oceanographic tool: a CTD rosette. A CTD rosette measures conductivity (salinity), temperature, and depth over a vertical section of the water column. Many Niskin bottles are mounted to the rosette, a quasi-cylinder frame, and each fires at a different depth. This provides us with an understanding of how these essential parameters vary with depth in the water column. However, nothing surprised me more than discovering the movie room. I thought I had explored every part of the ship, but I had missed a door facing the library. The movie room is probably the highlight of non-science facilities onboard this ship. A large TV, plenty of comfy sofas, a mini fridge stocked with ice-cream, and an XBOX! I wish I had discovered it at the start of the transit rather than at the end. I expect to make good use of it on our day-long transit back to port in a few days.
Today, in the next few hours, we will transit for a short time from Axial Base to the international district hydrothermal field in Axial Caldera. This will be our first hydrothermal vent dive, and my first time seeing them lived, beamed up through fiber optic cables over 1500m from the bottom of the ocean, through an HD camera and into my retina, all at the speed of light. This will be a busy time for me not only because my shift logging events in the ROPOS control room is sure to be exciting and demanding, but also because I will be taking samples on the dive as well. For my project I have asked to sample water surrounding the hydrothermal vent using Niskin bottles mounted to the sides of ROPOS. These bottles fill with water and then can be shut closed by ROPOS. Moreover, the UFO will be sampling and I intend to work in shifts with the Anderson team as their work will go well into tomorrow morning. For this special occasion, I have donned my sailor's shirt.
August 10: Over the last two days, ROPOS has made around 4 dives to replace instruments and lay down extension cable. I had the privilege to be on shift in the ROPOS control room when the first dive landed on the seafloor. As the ROV descends, all one can see is blue water, marine snow, and the occasional jellyfish or squid. As I follow the depth gauge I slowly move towards the edge of my seat, anticipating an amazing sight: the bottom of the ocean. A few moments go by and then suddenly a cloud of sediment covers our camera, we've landed.
It is quite a feat of engineering that from the cozy temperature controlled control room, I can see the bottom of the ocean 2900 m beneath me, in full HD. The ROPOS team is incredibly competent, they navigate the tasks at hand and the alien depths with skill and composure. This made me think of those in the Mars rover control rooms navigating an alien planet with a 20 minutes of delay. How amazing that we've built robots to allow us to explore the most hidden depths of our universe.
When I was not on my shift, my time was dedicated to developing my project idea, writing, reading, photography and exploration of the ship. I was particularly focused on developing a project idea for my time aboard. Dr. Rika Anderson has two days of ship and ROV time to conduct dives to different hydrothermal vents around axial caldera. Her team will be collecting large volumes of diffuse flow seawater (seawater that leaks out the side of the vents) to understand the microbial and viral population inhabiting these extreme environments.
My project will hitch a ride on her dives in the form of Niskin bottles. Niskin bottles essentially allow us to take water samples at depth, and are triggered manually by the ROV in this case. By collecting samples at each of Dr. Anderson's planned sampling sites, I will accumulate a series of spatially distributed samples. Once in the lab, I will concentrate these samples onto filters and store them. Finally, once back on shore, I will quantify the amount of polysaccharides contained on these filters. Once these values are normalized to the number of cells (cell count will be done by Dr. Anderson's lab), I can then map out how polysaccharide production varies around hydrothermal vents. This is interesting because these compounds take on many critical functions, one of which is biofilm formation. Biofilms are an agglomeration of bacteria stuck together by these sticky sugars.
Understanding the frequency at which these exist in hydrothermal vents has impacts on our overall understanding of microbiology at these sites, but also will inform the hypothesis that life first evolved within primitive biofilm in these vents.
To that end, I have been coordinating with the Anderson team here, and getting familiar with their instrument and protocols. I plan to help them out as much as I can, and will most likely rotate on shifts when their dives happen, as dives occur 24/7, but someone has to process lab samples, and sleep eventually becomes necessary. Their sampling instrument, called the Universal Fluid Obtainer (UFO), allows them to pump water from a precise point the ROV can place the water input at, into large bags or filters. It was fun troubleshooting their instrument together with Eve and Joanne (Dr. Anderson's representatives on-board).
This morning I saw some whale flukes, and it has motivated me to take more time to be outside and just watch the sea, especially with my camera. It is quite amazing and humbling to see nothing but ocean around one's self. I realized how tiny humans are on the scale of our planet, of which most of looks like this, just water. Despite being on the ship, we are at the mercy of the ocean. This little island of steel may be impressive, but the sheer scale of the ocean, the forces of its wave moving us up, down, left, right, is simply overwhelming. Looking out at the ocean yesterday, an overcast sky above, the whole world took on a silvery tint. It was truly beautiful. The open ocean is such an alien place to us, despite this being our home. I wonder if more people got to experience this, if they would be inspired to act to protect this ecosystem which does so much for us.
In the evening last night I poked my head outside when the ROV was descending because I was told that the darkness is absolute. They were right. I have never seen such a deep black. The envelope of black around the ship was absolute despite the lights around the deck, as soon as one looked onto over the horizon it quickly became all-consuming darkness. As if the ocean itself had disappeared. Of course, the overcast sky helped with this effect by blocking out the moonlight and stars. I am completely sustained by and reliant on the ship I am on, and for that, I am very grateful to the engineers of the ship, and its crew.
The R/V Thompson in Newport awaiting its' departure for Leg 1 of the VISIONS'22 Expedition. Credit: G. Kanaan, University of Washington, V22.
August 7-8: The adventure began at around 1300 on Sunday, august 7th. As we entered the gate of the NOAA Marine Operations facility in Newport, OR, I got my first glance at the silvery blue ship I would be aboard for the next ten days: the R/V Thomas G. Thompson. This expedition would mark many firsts for me. First time aboard a research vessel, first time aboard a large ship, first time sailing the pacific, first time on the ocean as an oceanographer-in-training… I was incredibly excited for this adventure to start, and to discover whether I had what it takes to conduct science at sea.
The expedition is called VISIONS'22, its main goal is to maintain instruments and equipment that make up the Regional Cabled Array. This cabled network of instruments sits on the seafloor off the coast of Washington and Oregon. These sophisticated tools record various characteristics such as salinity and temperature all year long. This veritable treasure trove of data enables vast amount of science to understand our ocean and the Juan de Fuca ridge.
The R/V Thompson transits under the highway 101 bridge as it departs Yaquina Bay, Leg 1 of the VISIONS'22 expedition. Credit. G. Kanaan, University of Washington, V22.
The first leg of this cruise, which I am on, has a special stop: Axial Seamount. I will have the chance to explain why this hydrothermal field is especially relevant to me in a future post.
We pulled up to the dock, and after the second COVID test of the day, boarded with our luggage. My cabin happens to be the first one you see when you board from the port aft door, on the 01 level, room #32. I was expecting cramped quarters and few heads per person. Boy was I wrong. The TGT is a luxurious home as far as research vessels go. I share my room with one other person, and together with the room next door we share one toilet and shower. The room has a desk, closets, and its own sink. I quickly unpacked, made my bed and started exploring in anticipation of dinner.
I discovered the gym's well-equipped gym, its lounge and library with board games, cards, books, darts, and DVDs, and the 24/7 snack service in the galley. I also took in the ship's history, character, and characters. I appreciated the ship's design and focus on its mission, there is no waste of space, no superfluous markings, no ambiguous instructions. Everyone on board has a job, and the ship is built to perform it. On board, the atmosphere is set by the ship's metallic structure and late 90s décor. The light-brown colored wood accents, and blue chairs perfectly complement the beige metal of the interior. The ship would be a husk of rusty metal though, if it weren't for the complement of crew that lovingly take care of it, and for whom the ship is truly a second home. Overall, I feel like I am on a modern research vessel with its own charm, and part of a team dedicated to understanding our oceans together.
Dinner was the occasion to meet people. I was told to expect amazing food, and I was not disappointed. The food so far has been great. I am very thankful for the amazing cook on-board. Over a delicious tofu Thai curry, I got to know some of my fellow students. Meal times are going to be a great social gathering. That evening, I walked along the docks and appreciated our ship and the others present at the NOAA facility from shore for one last time before going to bed.
This morning we set off from Newport, and as the shipped made its way from the port to the open ocean, I was suddenly very happy I had chosen to take my sea sickness medication. We are in relatively calm waters, and yet I still underestimated the movement of the ship. It's hard to describe what it's like being on a moving ship. As the waves roll by below the hull, the ships bow lift and sinks, and I with it. In this way we are all one unit with the ship, and through it, we are all connected to physical forces that shape three quarters of our planet. Although it's tiring at first, an extra cognitive load your body and brain is trying to adapt to, it becomes soothing after a while. The ship gently rocked me into a nap in preparation for my night watch from 2000 to 2400 tonight.
Each of us works two four hour shifts a day, during which we are on-call to help with duties as assigned. For me, tonight, that will most likely be helping log data from the first ROPOS dive which will start soon. ROPOS is the Canadian remotely operated submersible vehicle we have on board. It will carry instruments and equipment to the seafloor to do maintenance on the cabled array, and take samples for us.
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Jaishankar extends PM Modi's invitation to Israeli Prime Minister to visit India
Tel Aviv [Israel], October 20 (ANI): On the behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday invited Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to visit India.
"On behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jaishankar invited Bennett to make his first official visit to India," the Prime Minister's Media Adviser said.
"We're at an important stage at the India-Israel relationship. Now the challenge is to take this relationship to next level. I can tell you that the sentiment and interest in India in our ties with Israel are very strong," Jaishankar said during the meeting with Bennett.
During the meeting, Jaishankar and Bennett discussed to take the bilateral ties between the two countries to next level.
Meanwhile, Jaishankar conveyed the greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Israeli PM.
"I speak on behalf of Israelis: We love India. We view India as a huge friend and we're looking forward to expanding our relationship in all fields and dimensions. I look forward to a very productive meeting," Bennett told Jaishankar.
Earlier today, Jaishankar also met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and discussed changes in the geopolitical landscape.
Jaishankar -- who is on his first visit to Israel as External Affairs Minister -- arrived here on Sunday. (ANI)
21st October 2021, 04:03 GMT+11


When you see the word "remake", what's the first thing that comes to your mind? Is it something like this? Extreme makeover Korean version? J If you had the opportunity to remake yourself, what would you like to change about yourself? Is it your face, your hair, your body or something else? The first things that usually come to mind when we think of "remake" is to change something physical – to lose some weight/fat, to have a more defined body, to change your hairstyle or spectacles to something more cool, etc. But I know we are not so superficial. Of course there's nothing wrong with taking care of ourselves physically, and we should, but I'm sure there are other things on your mind too when we talk about remaking or change.
As you ponder over those questions, let's talk a bit about our identity. What makes up our identity?
What makes you you? These are some things that make up who we are. Where do you sink the roots of your identity into?
Do you sink the roots of your identity into your gender, your ethnicity, your culture, your family background, your relationships, your job, your car/bag/shoes, your friends, your ministry?
Much as these are important parts that make up who we are, these are all our outer or public persona. What makes you truly and uniquely you is your inner person. Perhaps when we think about remake, the inner person is what we need to focus on. Especially in our world where we are constantly scrolling through social media feeds and spending lots of time thinking about how to showcase ourselves or manage the outer projection of our lives, what we may need most right now is to spend some time remaking our inner person. Or allowing God to remake our inner person.
What or who can bear the weight of our being fully?
Obviously God was extremely pleased when God made us.
All of us human beings, whether male or female, transgender, cisgender or gender neutral, God created each one of us to be like God, to reflect God's nature. Right at the beginning when we were created, God was pleased that each of us reflect God's nature. We often read the verse "He created them male and female" and automatically assume it refers to the gender binaries of male or female. But notice the verse says "male and female", not male orfemale. What if all of us have maleness and femaleness inside of us? What if instead of the separation of binary genders, God had meant for us to appreciate the maleness and femaleness in each of us, regardless of what you look like on the outside?
Some of you may think I am taking liberties with the Bible or perhaps you think I am making stuff up about the human brain and body. Some may say, "Of course, male and female brains are different and separate! And I'm sure God made men and women very different!" Some people think the difference between male and female brains look like this. But I know we are smarter than that. The fact that many of us are LGBTQ makes us more aware that there is indeed maleness and femaleness inside each of us. And it's okay! God made us male and female.
Why am I sharing this with you? Well, were there times when people put you down, teased or bullied you for not conforming to gender stereotypes? And maybe they even used the Bible to convince you that God meant maleness or femaleness to be a certain specific way and there is something wrong with you? Or maybe there was a time you yourself felt there was something wrong with you and God couldn't possibly accept you? I want to challenge your mindset of God today…and your mindset of yourself. God made us male and female. So don't be afraid to let all your maleness and femaleness show. J Maybe this was God's plan all along? To begin the story with two who are called to "be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth" with different kinds of people who are all called to love one another and worship God in their similarities and differences?
I don't see Jesus calling us to become more manly or womanly. Jesus calls all of us to be made new, to put on Christ, to grow in love, wholeness, and the fruit of the Spirit. These virtues are for all people—male, female, cisgender, transgender and intersex alike. They challenge masculine stereotypes. They challenge feminine stereotypes. Jesus calls all of us to die to our own preferences so that God's life can grow within us.
I just wanted to note that over the years, we have celebrated International Womens' Day on the first Sunday of March at FCC. This year, we decided to do it differently because when FCC first started the practice of having special services, we held them because it is to highlight minority groups. That's why we have TDOR and WAD services too. Over the past few years, the number of women at FCC have grown and our focus for IWD in previous years has always been to find ways to bridge between the genders. So while it's important to celebrate women, I think it's appropriate for us to celebrate every one of us, regardless of gender, because God made us all to be like God and to reflect God's nature. What we need to celebrate is the identity that God has given us.
So what is this identity that God has made in us? What does it mean that we are godlike? That we reflect God's nature? Let's look a little further into Genesis and see what that means.
5-7 At the time God made Earth and Heaven, before any grasses or shrubs had sprouted from the ground—God hadn't yet sent rain on Earth, nor was there anyone around to work the ground (the whole Earth was watered by underground springs)—God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive—a living soul!
How do your different translations translate the Hebrew word "ha-adam" ("the man", the human, etc.) It literally means the "dust creature" or the "earth creature". And the dust creature came alive when God breathed the breath of life into the nostrils. The meaning of the word "life" here means more than physical life as you well know. The Message translates it well: a living soul. When God breathed life into us, our souls came alive. We carry within us the breath of God, the love of God, the life of God. How precious is that! And how often do we forget?
We carry on our lives as if we don't carry within us the breath of God. We limit ourselves by sinking the roots of our identity into things that are not sufficient to bear the weight of our being. There are many things we may have sunk our identity into — our relationships, our intellect, our careers, our ministries, and I spoke a little about our gender earlier. All these make up who we are but they are insufficient to bear the weight of our being.
Our soul constitutes our spiritual DNA. It is eternal, divinely unique and core to who we are and all that we are meant to be.
When we talk about remaking, we are talking about our souls, our hearts, our spiritual DNA.
You see, the problem is God breathes life into us in the beginning. But along the way, our hearts turn stony or cold. There are many reasons and circumstances that cause our hearts to turn cold. But it's not an unusual thing. It's happened throughout human history. Throughout the Bible, we see how God constantly engages with people who turn away and how God pulls them back time and again. We see this described by the prophet Ezekiel.
Just as God breathed life into us in the beginning, God wants to gives us a new heart and spirit. This is God inviting us to a Remake. But are you willing?
As you look at this diagram, what are some of the thoughts and beliefs about your identity that hinder or limit you in living out your life fully as a soul who carries within you the breath of God, the love of God, the life of God?
Just over this past week as I was preparing this sermon, I saw an article that both Kyn and Cynthia posted and it spoke so eloquently about what it means to truly live out our full identities as God had created us to. The article quoted from a book by Parker Palmer and I want to share some of the insights with you.
"Integrity that comes from being what you are" means being able to hear our souls speak. It means being able to hear what God is speaking to us there.It means finding alignment between our soul and our outer lives. That is Wholeness.
Two Sundays ago, I spoke about the tensions of this verse: "But you are called to something higher. Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matt 5:48) And I told you that the original Greek word istelios, which actually means "completeness in growth and character, to be mature or fully grown, complete in all its parts. In other words, to become WHOLE.
Over this past week, I've been talking to some of our church members who are going through a rough time. It was tough for me sitting with a lot of brokenness and broken relationships, and how much tougher it must be for them! I am usually quite good at making sure I take care of myself emotionally even as I counsel and minister to those who are hurting or in anguish. But I must admit their pain has an impact on me, and it was harder this week because there were quite a few of them. And I can understand how difficult it must be for them to think of using devastation as a seedbed for new life. But it's true. Wholeness means embracing our brokenness as an integral part of life.
That's why Miak and I are planning a SuperSunday series called Kintsugi: Embracing Our Brokenness. Some people have asked me if this is like Wholeheartedly and I just wanted to say the content is not the same and it's more like a follow through from Wholeheartedly. In our pastoral work, Miak and I have seen a lot of broken relationships and one day, we were discussing about the link between the development of our identity and how that impacts our relationships. So if you've been wondering why you have been experiencing broken relationships or why LGBTQ people seem to have more broken relationships, then come join us.
So how can we live whole lives? How is God wanting to remake you and me at the soul level?
Firstly, there is remaking on the individual level where we allow God to first give us a new heart and spirit. Then we learn to listen to that inner voice within us as the Holy Spirit moves. This can help us bring alignment between our inner and outer lives.
Secondly, we cannot do this without community.Palmer draws from the old Quaker practice of the "circle of trust" to describe in detail a reliable means for creating space and offering community for our soul to speak. He says, "No fixing, no saving, no advising, no setting each other straight," which is the main rule of the "circles of trust". Instead we learn to speak our truth and engage in "deep speaks to deep" type of listening. The participants create a safe and bonded interaction where each person may listen for their own inner voice.
That means in building this circle of trust, we need community. It's not just the pastors. We need each other and you need to think about how you can be a part of this circle of trust for others. We need to do this together in community. But not just any community. We need a group of people who are committed enough to each other to listen deeply without rushing to fix or to solve.
I want to end by asking you the same question I did when we started.
If you had the opportunity to remake yourself, what would you want to change today?
Do you desire a new heart, a new spirit? Are you tired of living a divided life?
Are you willing to create space for your soul to show up? Are you ready to listen to that inner voice?
Are you willing to commit to each other to listen deeply without rushing to fix or solve? Are you willing to be a part of this circle of trust for yourself and others?
I pray we allow God to remake us and bring us closer to our true identity – dust creatures who carry within us the breath of God. I pray we will devote time and energy to finding alignment between our soul, our inner life and our outer lives. That is true wholeness. That is what we are called to be.