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Recognizing Albert L. Feldstein's 42 years of public service
January 5, 2015 July 24, 2017 / Maryland Department of Planning
On December 31, 2014, MDP employee Al Feldstein retired after 37 years service to the state of Maryland and his beloved Western Maryland.
From U.S. Senator Ben Cardin – December 04, 2014
Mr. President, I wish to recognize an outstanding public servant of Western Maryland, Al Feldstein, who will be retiring at the end of this year after 42 years of public service. As Appalachian Regional Commission, ARC, State Program Manager for Maryland, Al has played a critical role in the success of countless projects and initiatives aimed at advancing economic progress and improving the lives of the residents of Maryland's three Appalachian counties. His passion for his community is boundless, and his careful stewardship of public resources has consistently set a high standard to which we can–and should–all aspire.
An exemplary leader in public service, Al's positions as grants administrator with Tri-County Council for Western Maryland and ARC State program manager at the Maryland Department of Planning enabled him to realize the importance of investing in Federal, State, private, and local economic development projects. He was committed to creating conditions for economic growth, many of which strengthened parts of the Appalachian region by constructing and improving basic public infrastructure.
Under Al's leadership, several rural counties in Western Maryland have benefited from carefully targeted ARC investments in economic development–including the financing of high-speed telecommunications infrastructure to increase local and regional connectivity and affordability. These accomplishments have leveraged far greater support for workforce development and job creation in a region that continues to battle economic distress, high unemployment rates, and severe educational disparities.
ARC's regional development roles–as advocate, knowledge builder, partner, investor, and catalyst–underlie the commission's strategy to invest in people, basic infrastructures, and job creation and retention. ARC helps create economic opportunities by making its funds available for seed capital, gap funding, and investments in innovative programs. Although the Appalachian region has not fully achieved socioeconomic party with the rest of the Nation, greater involvement in the region–not only through funding but also public service like Al's–will continue to help Appalachia's communities take advantage of emerging economic opportunities and diversification.
Knowing that accomplishing the four goals of ARC's strategic plan requires intense collaboration and civic engagement, Al was steadfast in working to achieve these objectives: to increase job opportunities and per capita income, strengthen the capacity of Appalachia's citizens to compete in the global economy, improve the region's infrastructure, and build the Appalachian Development Highway System.
In working to make the region more economically competitive, ARC's model of development, based on community support, creates sustainable, lifelong solutions that likewise stress the value of service at all levels. The hundreds of annual projects funded by ARC, all of which address one or more of the strategic plan's goals, further demonstrate the intrinsic significance of public service and its vital role in planning for a better future.
ARC approves funding for more than 400 projects annually throughout the 13-State region, including both highway projects and access road projects. The projects have invested funding and resources in a range of sectors that directly impact economic development in the Appalachian region, including child development, community infrastructure, transportation, arts and culture, career and technical education.
Maryland's projects have included the formation of Allegany County Connect 2 Compete, created to boost educational achievement and attainment, and increasing health-care access through Allegany County Public Health Accreditation. Another federally funded program in Maryland, HRDC Head Start Facility, provides services to low-income families with small children, promoting school readiness, health, and parent involvement in an educational environment. In Frostburg, a project called Frostburg Grows: Grow it Local Greenhouse involves conversion of unused mined land into an innovative five-acre greenhouse and shade house complex, designed to create additional job opportunities, reduce food insecurity, and provide local and healthy food to the residents of Western Maryland.
As Hillary Clinton once remarked, "Aid chases need; investment chases opportunity." Al internalized this message, focusing on the implementation and improvement of reforms to foster, protect, and fully benefit the lives of Marylanders. This dedication to public service helped define and differentiate the various communities he served, and illustrates the many, varied possibilities of public service–not limited to elected office. Serving on scores of local, State, and national committees only cemented Al's involvement in civic life.
While Al championed community involvement and public service, ARC's structure also ensures an active Federal-State-local partnership rooted in cooperation. One of ARC's guiding principles is to support inclusive local decisionmaking, and to cultivate a collaborative problem-solving culture in which community achievements are made possible through collective efforts and investments. ARC's development of new strategic plans relies heavily on obtaining citizen input on high-priority regional issues, promoting homegrown solutions. ARC awards program grants to State and local agencies, governmental entities, local governing boards, and nonprofit organizations: targeting the region's specific needs, and executing plans that reinforce the necessity of teamwork and commitment.
Al, too, recognized the fundamental importance of working together to strengthen the capacity of interdependent elements: individual leaders, organizations, and the community as a whole. Working in tandem, broad-based leadership structures and institutions not only spur change but also encourage the establishment of new business and economic opportunities that can strengthen a community while diversifying its base.
Just as ARC's strategy creates a framework for building on past accomplishments to help move Appalachia forward, so, too, did Al bridge his vision of the rich, fruitful past with his present–capitalizing on existing assets and acknowledging the importance of public service in improving communities. I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing the contributions Al made to the State of Maryland and to our Nation.
Above was reprinted from the Congressional Record – Senate, December 4, 2014
Published by Al
Disaster in the Queen City
I Remember: Downtown Cumberland
Postcard History Series: Allegany County
Postcard History Series: Garrett County
General, Planning
al feldstein, appalachian regional commission, western Maryland
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Foodie hotbed Sai Ying Pun has gained another hip eatery in modern pizzeria Homeslice. Though the hackneyed name doesn't score any points with us, it's a match made in heaven for this vibey pizzeria that oozes effortless cool. The walls and corkboards are bedecked from floor to ceiling in alternative band posters that span decades – and when we say bedecked, we mean it; it's a tapestry of graphics, and we spied some punk favourites such as Fugazi and Misfits, as well as contemporary indie rockers the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Neon strip lights, bright red hues, exposed cinder blocks and casual enamel tableware rule the roost.
The starters served at Homeslice are an interesting hotchpotch – from popcorn shrimp ($105) with lime and chilli mayo and padron peppers ($85) to burrata ($135) and panzanella salad ($75), the overarching theme simply seems to be "whatever tastes good". We opted for a few signatures that stood out from the crowd, like the katsu sando ($95), made with thick-cut mortadella for an Italian twist and served with pickled cabbage and a sharp sriracha mayo, all sandwiched between soft white bread slices. The uniqueness of the sando struck a welcome chord with us, and the flavours gelled.
The Spanish salad ($65), a colourful bowl of shredded red cabbage, kale, farro, buckwheat and generous petals of Parmesan, could have benefited from a heavier hand with the dressing, as we felt ours was slightly dry. We did, however, love the variety of ingredients and the firm, crunchy textures that added layers of interest.
The highlight of the starters was, without a doubt, the whimsically presented fried squid ($135), with its blackened tentacles reaching high up into the sky, looking a bit like a gnarled Buddha's hand. Crisp on the skin and tender on the inside, a drizzle of lemon and a dab of aromatic tonka bean mayo did well to elevate the slightly sweet and briny meat. The ninja bombas ($95) came in at a close second – it's hard to not love a richly flavoured calorie bomb like this one. Fluffy potatoes are mixed with spicy 'nduja and smoky scamorza, lightly breaded and fried and served on piped pillows of classic aioli.
The unique pizza menu definitely piqued our interest, and making our selections proved to be a task, accompanied by long debates. We opted for a mix between the classics and more modern options and ended up with the reliable margherita ($125) to establish a baseline for our pizza judging, the spicy sausage ($175),because we were enticed by the use of fermented chilli sauce and crème fraîche as part of the base, the baby leek ($160) for something vegetarian and the meatloaf ($165) for something truly outlandish.
And how did the weirder pies stack up? Despite their outlandishness, surprisingly well. The meatloaf pizza is just how it sounds – with a tomato base, pork crumbles, dollops of vividly green mushy peas and dabs of melted scamorza, this proved to be an oddly successful amalgamation of one of our favourite comfort foods. And though the appearance left something to be desired – the overwhelming amount of rosemary strewn across the top gave off the look of a freshly mowed lawn with wantonly scattered grass debris – the baby leek pizza had a robust and earthy taste that we found quite appealing.
And the classic margherita? Well executed and a dependable choice, with a nicely blistered crust for a slightly bitter and charred flavour. The spicy sausage pizza, on the other hand, was playful, with the crumbled beef forming a meaty base and the sharp chilli sauce and light crème fraîche tangoing across our tongues.
We wrapped up with a host of sweet delights, and though the Nutella and chocolate milkshake, appropriately named Nut Case ($80), wasn't part of the dessert menu, it should've been – its lush creaminess and thick, gooey texture made it a richly flavoured meal on its own. The tiramisu ($75), disappointingly, fell flat; though it looked like the real deal, the ladyfingers were much too soft and overly soaked with coffee, and the layers of the dessert became entirely too soggy and watery rather than smooth and velvety. We give it hard pass until there have been some significant improvements made on the recipe and preparation. Total disaster was avoided by the timely intervention of a duo of excellent doughnuts ($70), two hardy balls with a white chocolate and Earl Grey filling, dusted in cinnamon sugar and with a kick of anise.
Despite our tiramisu hiccup, Homeslice is well worth a visit, especially if you're into off-the-wall pizza toppings and/or have vegetarians in your dining party. It's great for a bar-and-bites kind of night as well. We'll be back to try the sweet potato pizza ($165) with its toppings of pickled radicchio, red onion, pumpkin seeds and ricotta and to taste the authenticity of the cannoli ($70).


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Sy Sperling, Hair Club for Men founder and client, dies at 78
By Chuck Johnston, CNN
Updated 6:16 PM ET, Thu February 20, 2020
Sy Sperling in a Hair Club for Men TV ad.
(CNN) Sy Sperling, the founder of Hair Club for Men, died Wednesday after a lengthy illness in Boca Raton, Florida, said company vice president Rich Narcisi. Sperling was 78.
Sperling is best known for his TV ads in the 1980s that famously pitched his hair restoration club with the tag line, "I'm not only the Hair Club president, but I'm also a client."
That first national commercial with Sperling aired in 1982.
"Colleagues, friends, and family recall Mr. Sperling as a visionary with an immense passion for business, innovation and helping others," said a post on the company website.
"We continue to live by his words 'Live life to the fullest, take chances and risks, and believe in yourself.'"
His TV commercials quickly became a cultural phenomenon with over 10,000 telephone calls received by the Hair Club in the first month it aired, according to the company.
Sperling created Hair Club for Men in 1976. He had "experienced hair loss himself and was unhappy with the poor quality of available solutions," the company said.
In a statement, his family said he was "most proud" of his charitable Hair Club for Kids, which provides free services for children who lost their hair from chemotherapy
Sperling sold the company in 2000 and retired, spending his time between Vancouver and Hillsboro Beach, Florida.
He is survived by his wife, Susan; daughter Shari Sperling; son Andrew Sperling; and sister Rosalie Slute.
Funeral arrangements were pending.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We have another cool behind the scenes video into the making of the epic adventure Thugs of Hindostan. We earlier showed you the amazing video about the construction of the massive ships in Malta. Now we go inside the film and what it was like to shoot on those ships!
If building the huge ships was a herculean task, you can't imagine how tough it was to shoot on them! Watch how the team of Thugs of Hindostan shot on the ships at Malta and the challenges they faced and overcame. We hear from director Vijay Krishna Acharya, Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan and Fatima Sana Shaikh. all who agree it was a unique experience, a wet and slippery experiernce and overall difficult but amazing.
We certainly are loving this inside look into this epic film and we can't wait to see what they have instore for us next!
Thugs of Hindostan releases on 8 November 2018.


Zipp's Handlebar Gel Pad Set is a fast and easy way to minimize the countless bumps and vibrations from riding on less-than-perfect roads. The pack of two precision-shaped silicone gel strips contours to the top of each side of drop-style handlebars. Without tape on the bar, roll back brake hood and place specially designed gel strip on the top of the bar from where the brake is attached to the handlebar. Simply wrap bar tape over the gel and enjoy the smooth ride.


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¡Que viva la música! Repaso de conversación en español: Derechos de autor
¡Que viva la música! Repaso de conversación en español
North Broad Press is a joint publishing project between Temple University Press and Temple University Libraries, publishing works of scholarship, both new and reissued, from the Temple University community. All North Broad Press titles are peer reviewed and freely available online. More information is available at http://tupress.temple.edu/open-access/north-broad-press
Temple University Press
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122
www.tupress.temple.edu
Copyright © 2021 by Norma Corrales-Martin
All material in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License unless otherwise noted. A copy of this license is available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Section 3 adapted from Norma Corrales-Martin, Esbozo de una Gramática Viva del Español: Una Gramática Centrada en el Verbo. Munich: Lincom Studies in Romance Linguistics 66, 2010.
ISBN 9781439919972 (paperback); 9781439919989 (ebook)


There is no liability on withdrawals either if you are around 60. Check out the latest webcasts available covering the most important topics in the industry. Many qualify for CE credits. Important Notices Like preferred stock, utility stocks tend to remain relatively stable in price, and pay dividends of about 2% to 3% above treasury securities. The other major characteristics of utility stocks include: March 21, 2018 Finally, consider a small allocation to a hedge fund. The best of this bull market is already past and for the rest of its duration, stock market returns are likely to be far lower and probably more volatile. A true hedge fund—one that aims to provide a return across all kinds of market environments—that offers stable, mid-single-digit returns is compelling and should help manage risk. Practical analysis for investment professionals There are several types and levels of risk that a given investment can have: Analysis Support Let's keep in touch. Get the best of The Simple Dollar, right in your inbox. Nathan Slaughter, Chief Investment Strategist of High-Yield Investing and Scarcity & Real Wealth, has developed a long and successful track record over the years by finding profitable investments no matter where they hide.


Can anyone help me diagnose the pain/feeling I have in my foot/toes?
I returned from holiday in early November where I did a bit more running that usual. I flew back and did a parkrun the next day (PB btw!).
It was after that I noticed a pain in my right foot. I say it was a pain but it was more of a feeling, a kind of numb sensation across the end of the foot where he toes are. The first time I tried swimming after this I felt a strong pain on my big toe while kicking doing front crawl, but nothing else which felt strange. I've rested it over the last few months as much I can and the big toe pain has gone. However I have tried a few runs and the numb sensation returns if I push it too much. I'm guessing it might be a trapped nerve or something...any ideas?
You should consult a good doctor or this pain could get worse by time..
Yes, you must consult a doctor.


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What agency millennials look for in mentors
March 27, 2014 | By Saya Weissman
When Matt Mirandi started at agency Group SJR straight out of college, he got into the habit of having breakfast every Friday morning with one of the senior executives, Margaret Sullivan, who is today one of the partners.
She would start her Fridays early just so she could have time to talk to Mirandi about things he was having trouble with and give him pointers on how to handle things that were overwhelming. Mirandi, now 25, credits Sullivan's guidance as a big part of his career development into a senior director position at the agency.
"She made it a point to help ease me through all of it," he told Digiday.
Navigating the agency world as a newbie can daunting. At big agencies, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle and overlooked; at small agencies, it might be hard to break into already-tight-knit groups. But one invaluable way of learning the ropes faster and getting good career advice involves a good mentor, and this is something savvier young agency staffers are well aware of and actively pursuing.
It's easy to play into the whole millennial stereotype. And it's clear some senior agency execs do tend to view the entire generation as overly coddled, attention-deficit kids who need constant feedback and reassurance. But the real picture, of course, is more nuanced. Agency staffers under 30 are an earnest, ambitious and hungry lot. And many of them who want mentors to help them thrive in adland. But they're not waiting around for someone to come show them the ropes; some of these kids are so proactive, it's scary.
"I feel a need for a mentor, but not one that's necessarily from work and part of a program," said Matt Butler, a 23-year-old junior planner at London agency Yomego. "In previous employment, I've found that mentor programs can feel too forced, infrequent and, at times, impractical."
According to Butler, a serial people collector, more than half of the people he considers his mentors are people he has met online — whether it's someone who posts interesting things on Twitter or someone who has run a Skillshare class.
"I think it's important to have a handful of mentors, from many disciplines, not just advertising," said Butler. "Whether I meet these people at work, online or in the pub, I tend to latch onto fun, inspiring people that always search for purpose in their work."
Agency millennials recognize that mentors can come from many different places — within their agencies or elsewhere — and it's on them to keep their eyes open for the right people.
"I'd recommend just getting to know as many people as possible at your company," said Alyssa Galella, director of earned media at Huge. "Attend company events, strike up conversations in the kitchen, or invite people to lunch. Most of my closest friends and confidants at work weren't necessarily people I worked with directly very often, but I admired their work and wanted to get to know them better, then made an effort to do that. They can also make introductions to their own mentors and bosses."
Galella recommended staying in touch with former colleagues as a way to get candid advice, and she, like many of the other 20-something agency staffers, agreed that it is definitely their own responsibility to be on the lookout for mentors, and that it doesn't have to be some official agency program. In fact, most agreed that a good mentor relationship has to happen naturally.
"I definitely have someone I consider to be a mentor, and I'd say it happened in an organic way — we seemed to work really well together from the start," shared one 23-year-old agency staffer who preferred to remain anonymous. "I was lucky enough that she decided to go out of her way to guide me, and I absolutely jumped on this opportunity."
Having a good mentor can make all of the difference as an inexperienced agency employee. Not only in learning how to manage workloads and day-to-day problems but especially in a client-services business, it helps to have someone who knows how to handle clients and can have your back. As Mirandi shared, his mentor helped him overcome being introverted in client presentations.
"Have a good attitude and be passionate about what you do," said Mirandi. "If you show you're driven, you're more likely to turn the right heads and prove you're someone worth mentoring."
Image via movies4every1
Saya Weissman


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Leaders in the Limelight: Neha Gupta
Susan Jacobs
Publications Manager, The Learning Guild
Management & Strategy, Professional Development
My name: Neha Gupta
My company: True Office Learning
My title: Chief Executive Officer
My location: New York City
Best business advice I ever received: There are two that I received from mentors that I always remember and strongly live by.
The first: It's always about people, and people never forget how you make them feel. Motivating individuals, building trust within an organization, and building deep relationships with your customers is paramount to being successful in business. Amidst the myriad of transactions, negotiations, and financial analysis, this advice has allowed me to focus on the most important part of any interaction and decision—the people.
The second: If you wait for 100 percent of the information to make a decision or take action, you are already behind. Making decisions in tough or ambiguous circumstances is critical for ensuring success. In our ever-changing world, individuals and organizations can suffer greatly from analysis paralysis if the focus shifts from taking actions to attaining certainty—which, given the dynamic nature of the business world, is essentially false precision. This advice has always helped remind me to steer clear of that and keep moving forward.
Most daring personal career move: My most daring personal career move was to leave a leadership role at Citigroup to join a startup and bring the True Office Learning vision to life. I went from overseeing functions for a 17,000-person organization within Citi to being in an 11-person startup working to build the next-generation enterprise education technology platform. I knew it would be a big culture shift that would require me to leverage not only existing skills, but develop new ones, as I would be working in a very close-knit environment. The passion for the mission of moving learning forward and the belief in the founding team made it a lot easier to make this transition. I remember saying to a friend that from a career perspective, this will either be the best move I make, or the worst. Either way, the one thing I was sure of was that it would be a lot of fun.
What I'm most proud of: I am most proud of being able to share some of the basic privileges of education and independence I received growing up in America with young people around the world that are not as fortunate. In addition to supporting organizations that run residential schools in rural areas and focus on children's causes, I find the work of actively mentoring young women looking to make their mark against all odds and social norms most gratifying. Giving young people a fair opportunity to be their best selves as they grow and evolve, and knowing that I could contribute to that journey, is what I'm most proud of.
Current workplace challenge: Having a multi-generational workforce. With organizations increasingly becoming globally distributed and the workforce being a mix of Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y (Millennial) individuals, it is becoming very challenging for organizations to build a common value system and create tools that can cater to each group effectively. The one-size-fits-all approach that has traditionally worked is simply no longer yielding results. This puts a much greater burden on the organization to identify ways to adapt every business process to each population's needs. Fortunately, technology can help create the right tools that personalize the experience to each user and help attain maximum effectiveness.
Something people don't know about me: I'm classically trained in Kathak, an Indian dance form that is the ballet equivalent in India. Expression through music and movement is something that gives me immense joy, and I am two years away from having a master's degree in the dance form.


"We are tuned to think linearly – but the fact is, these are exponential times".
And to think exponentially, we need to break out of our comfort zone and seek out new knowledge.
I've spent time in companies where they talk about innovation. Supposedly they fight for it. Funny thing is, I don't notice any "innovation breeding habits" in display. And, if you ask them about those habits, the first one that comes up is brainstorming.
Sorry, but innovation work is more than just brainstorming around what you know. It's about constant learning. And not so much as learning about the same topic, but going out an learning from people who are not in the same line of work as you. Learning about their domain, how they solve problems, what their challenges are, etc.
Tagged Innovation, innovation habits, learning, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Company.


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Q: Get the textbox Text using ajax on button click I want a code for get textbox value when submit button is clicked. It must be Ajax.Here is the code I tried so far.But I culdent get to work....
<form action="" method="post">

Route No :
<input type="text" name="route_no" required="required" />
<input type="submit" value="Search" name="search" />
</form>

Ajax Code

PHP code
$txt = null;
if((isset($_POST)) && (isset($_POST['txt1'])))
{
echo $txt = $_POST['txt1'];
}

A: HTML:
Route No:<input type="text" id="route_no" name="route_no" required="required" />
<input type="button" value="Search" id="search" />

JavaScript:
$(document).ready(function()
{
    $("#search").click(function()
    {
        var textboxvalue = $('input[name="route_no"]').val();

        $.ajax(
        {
            type: "POST",
            url: 'ajaxPage.php',
            data: {txt1: textboxvalue},
            success: function(result)
            {
                $("#result").html(result);
            }
        });
    });
});

ajaxPage.php:
if(isset($_POST) && isset($_POST['txt1']))
{
    echo $_POST['txt1'];
}

A: You have problem here
$("#sub").click(function() {

you are using id ="sub" for submit button but you are not assigning id to that button so give id to submit button as id="sub".

A: To get the value of the textbox you can use:
$('#elementid').val()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Problematic Apologetics: A Response to the "Lengthening Shadow" Interpreter Article
Date: July 22, 2017Author: Mary Ann 12 Comments
A recent article in Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture has me scratching my head. Yesterday, Part 1 of Duane Boyce's "A Lengthening Shadow: Is Quality of Thought Deteriorating in LDS Scholarly Discourse Regarding Prophets and Revelation?" was released online. The 48-page article (and this is just the first part?!) highlights what Boyce sees as incorrect doctrines espoused in the works of newer apologists Terryl Givens and Patrick Mason (he'll tackle Grant Hardy in the forthcoming Part 2). It seems Boyce is of the same opinion as MormonLeaks' Ryan McKnight in viewing progressive Mormon views as detrimental to the church.
First of all, let us ponder on one apologist attacking other apologists who are writing publications aimed at persuading people to stay in the church…
Okay, now that we've swallowed that premise, let's get to the article. Boyce explains the central issue,
Do significant errors regarding prophets and revelation occur, and are they becoming both common, and commonly accepted, in the rhetoric of LDS scholars?
He believes both Givens and Mason (and others like them) are promoting erroneous views of prophets and revelation which are becoming more widely accepted in Mormon literature. Specifically, he takes church leader statements that Givens and Mason use to back up their positions, and suggests the interpretations are incorrect. As I've shown previously, I'm totally okay with the idea of reevaluating original evidence people claim to back up their positions (see here and here). The problem, as I see it, is his implication that in misinterpreting those particular statements they have ultimately come up with arguments that cannot be supported in any way. And that's what I disagree with. For example, in my Vernal Holley post, I worked hard to discredit faulty evidence, but I also worked hard to present other evidence that backed up the original claims.
The first argument Boyce examines is in regard to a particular interpretation of D&C 41:4-5.
To begin, consider a single paragraph by Terryl Givens.5 In it he desires to show that we should not expect moral superiority from men called as prophets — they are not "infallible specimens of virtue and perfection." As partial support for the obviousness of this claim, Givens draws attention to the Lord's statement to the infant Church, regarding Joseph Smith, that "thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments" and that "his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith" (D&C 21:4–5). Givens quotes only the phrase "in all patience and faith" in this passage, however, remarking that "God would not have enjoined us to hear what prophets, seers, and revelators have to say 'in all patience and faith' if their words were always sage and inspired."6 Givens thus interprets this passage to indicate that we are to have patience and faith toward the Brethren since they are not always "sage and inspired."
Boyce agrees with the claim that the Brethren are not "infallible specimens of virtue and perfection," but doesn't like the implication that we need to be patient with the brethren because leaders might not be inspired in a given situation. If what they say is what God would say (per that scripture), they are obviously always inspired. So we must reinterpret what it means to endure what they say with "patience and faith."
If the Lord is telling us to receive prophets' words as if from his own mouth, it is not likely that he is simultaneously telling us to have patience and faith because those words might not be "sage and inspired." Such an interpretation reduces to the claim that the Saints should recognize that the Lord's own words are not always sage and inspired and therefore that members should be patient with him….
The Lord's instruction to consider Joseph Smith's words "as if from mine own mouth," and to do so "in all patience and faith," would more naturally be interpreted to mean something like: "Follow my servant Joseph even though you will suffer all manner of persecution and hardship by doing so"….
Far from suggesting we need to be patient with prophets, the passage tells us we need to be patient in enduring the worldly consequences of following prophets.
Umm… okay. I guess I can see that interpretation. So nothing supports the claim that we need to be patient with the fallibility of prophets, because they may not always be 100% saying exactly what God would say? Because there's this by Elder Holland:
So be kind regarding human frailty—your own as well as that of those who serve with you in a Church led by volunteer, mortal men and women. Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we. And when you see imperfection, remember that the limitation is not in the divinity of the work. As one gifted writer has suggested, when the infinite fulness is poured forth, it is not the oil's fault if there is some loss because finite vessels can't quite contain it all.10 Those finite vessels include you and me, so be patient and kind and forgiving.
And (you knew this was coming) President Uchtdorf's famous 2014 statement:
And, to be perfectly frank, there have been times when members or leaders in the Church have simply made mistakes. There may have been things said or done that were not in harmony with our values, principles, or doctrine.
I suppose the Church would be perfect only if it were run by perfect beings. God is perfect, and His doctrine is pure. But He works through us—His imperfect children—and imperfect people make mistakes.
Another point Boyce disagrees with is Patrick Mason's argument that the Brethren are only occasionally receiving revelation for church government. In his mind, the argument is both implausible and contradicts many church leaders statements. With implausibility, he argues that because a leader shares an account of receiving a powerful spiritual experience earlier in his life, it obviously proves a consistent closeness to the spirit. But… according to the scriptures and church history, powerful spiritual experiences aren't actually evidence of consistent closeness to the spirit.
As far as contradicting statements by the Brethren, I don't really mind his large section compiling statements saying the church works under constant inspiration and revelation. I've heard many of those types of statements in the last few years. (I'm amused he chose to include the obligation apostles have to seek a personal manifestation of Jesus Christ given Elder Oaks' effort to downplay that one in the Boise Rescue.) My problem came in his attempt to disprove Givens' interpretation of a B.H. Roberts statement. B. H. Roberts said,
Hence, I think it a reasonable conclusion to say that constant, never-varying inspiration is not a factor in the administration of the affairs of the Church; not even good men, though they be prophets or other high officials of the Church, are at all times and in all things inspired of God. It is only occasionally, and at need, that God comes to their aid.62
Givens argued this proves the brethren only occasionally receive revelation from God to govern the affairs of the church. Boyce thinks this is an understandable, yet incorrect, interpretation.
After all, from the fact that prophets are not inspired "at all times and in all things" it hardly follows that revelation is therefore only occasional.
Um, except for the fact that B. H. Roberts actually said the word "occasionally," which would imply "occasional." But Boyce says we're forgetting the "at need" phrase.
[S]ince [the Brethren] do not report receiving revelation "at all times and in all things," but do report receiving it far more frequently than "occasionally," the need for guidance would therefore itself seem to be more than occasional.
This makes my head hurt. Here's the deal: Givens' interpretation makes sense. Boyce's interpretation, while I guess might be valid, is created by circular reasoning. "Here's a statement by one church leader that on the surface doesn't seem to agree with other church leaders. You can't have church leaders disagree with one another," (even though it's completely expected with over a century of different personalities leading the church), "so I must figure out a way to make them agree."
But, more importantly, Boyce is in agreement that revelation is not being received for administrative decisions 100% of the time. This seems to match what Elder Uchtdorf said,
As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ and as one who has seen firsthand the councils and workings of this Church, I bear solemn witness that no decision of significance affecting this Church or its members is ever made without earnestly seeking the inspiration, guidance, and approbation of our Eternal Father.
He didn't say no decisions were made without seeking inspiration, he specified no decisions of significance. Clearly, God leaves some things up to the Brethren, which then undermines Boyce's first point where he argued that all statements and actions by prophets are inspired.
Finally, Boyce is irritated that both Mason and Givens suggest the possibility that the priesthood and temple ban was a "mistake."
In the course of discussing the imperfection and fallibility of Church leaders, Givens tells us that Spencer W. Kimball, as an apostle, "referred as early as 1963 to the priesthood ban as a 'possible error' for which he asked forgiveness."69 He is referring to this statement by Elder Kimball in a letter: "I know the Lord could change his policy and release the ban and forgive the possible error which brought about the deprivation."70
Again, Boyce suggests Givens is misinterpreting Kimball's statement. Since Kimball referred to the policy as belonging to the Lord, he cannot have suggested that it was in error (because the Lord cannot be in error!). So Boyce looks around for another use of "possible error" and finds one in the now disavowed teaching of President Joseph Fielding Smith regarding premortal actions disqualifying blacks from priesthood in mortality. According to Boyce,
[Kimball] seems to be saying something like this: "The priesthood ban is the Lord's policy, but he could change it. If the restriction is due, as Joseph Fielding Smith (and some others) have thought, to error committed in the pre-earth existence, perhaps the Lord could forgive that error and release the restriction."
Also, because Kimball felt advocating for the change of policy was showing contempt for "the sacred principle of revelation and divine authority," Boyce argues that obviously President Kimball felt the priesthood ban was revelation and given by divine authority. This is where I'd take a page from Boyce's book and submit an alternate interpretation. Activism from the ground up would be considered itself a violation of the rule of stewardship/authority, where only church leaders are allowed revelation to change policy affecting the membership as a whole. In my opinion, that statement doesn't actually prove Kimball believed that the policy was inspired (even though he likely preferred that belief).
The biggest problem I have with this section is when Boyce talks about whether the church accepts the priesthood and temple ban as inspired (in spite of disavowing racist justifications). He points to a statement by Elder Oaks and concludes,
Here Elder Oaks relies on the distinction between instructions and explanations, accepting the priesthood-temple restriction itself as the correct action but simultaneously rejecting the various explanations that had been offered for it. The same distinction is evident in the Church essay regarding the priesthood. That essay disavows past explanations for the restriction, but (though it sets out at length the historical setting of the time) it does not disavow the restriction itself. 104
So, here's the thing. While Boyce is correct that the Race and Priesthood essay does not disavow the restriction, it also does not say, as Oaks did, that the restriction was the "correct action." The essay, approved by church leaders, doesn't say the ban was inspired and it doesn't say it was uninspired. In fact, when new Doctrinal Mastery curriculum materials were put out recently, they referred to the priesthood ban as an inspired policy. Within a few months that section was removed. Church leaders are being careful not to come down either side. Mason and Givens' suggestion that the policy was a mistake is not outside the realm of possibility. Boyce's opinion that the policy was inspired is also not out of the realm of possibility. Just because prior leaders viewed the policy as inspired, it doesn't mean that is the official position of current leadership.
What did you think of Boyce's article and arguments?
Published by Mary Ann
Mary Ann has blogged at Wheat and Tares since 2015. A stay-at-home mom to three, she enjoys family history research and talking religion.	View all posts by Mary Ann
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12 thoughts on "Problematic Apologetics: A Response to the "Lengthening Shadow" Interpreter Article"
New Iconoclast says:
Unfortunately, it seems that Boyce will go to extreme lengths to avoid re-examining his closely held and treasured faith in prophetic infallibility. This is too bad, since the existence of the Restoration itself is rooted in the questioning of established belief and authority. This ossification is part of a natural process, I think, but it can't be allowed to become (or remain) as the mainstream attitude of what passes for thinking in the Church.
rcb1820 says:
Here's my response I posted on The Interpreter:
I'm sure Terryl and Patrick will respond to this pre-meditated attack, but it's a thinly veiled, convoluted attempt to revive the notion that the discredited "Negro Doctrine" was the "Lord's policy." Boyce tries to build a case that our leaders are more than "occasionally" inspired and virtually incapable of mistakes (dare we say infallible?), even though B.H. Roberts states just the opposite and even uses the word "occasionally." Boyce's attempt to rationalize away Roberts' comments was laughable.
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Curt Burnett
Curt Burnett Boyce cites a letter written by Spencer Kimball in 1963 to the effect that the Negro ban was the "Lord's policy." However, that letter was written a full 15 years prior to the 1978 revelation, and Elder Kimball never used that phrase again in public addresses. Moreover, Elder McConkie gave the definitive statement when he effectively said "everything" ever written or said about the Negro Doctrine was "wrong," including his own writings. I assume "everything" would apply to everything from Brigham Young's original teachings to Elder Kimball's letter that didn't conform to the new revelation. I don't believe the ban was ever "the Lord's policy" and would make God a racist; instead, the God I worship stated plainly in several places that "all are alike unto me."
I think it was Hardy, ironically talking about the need for better apologetics, who said that the leaders have worried so much about losing grandma's testimony that they didn't realize they were losing all of the grandchildren's testimonies. The narrative that Boyce is trying to push is impossible to defend. Givens and Mason are aware of enough actual historical events that show that the men who lead us are very capable of error. The only way to reconcile this for me is accept that most of time our prophets are left to make decisions the same way that stake presidents, bishops, and parents receive revelation. That process is a careful analysis followed by discussion and pondering followed by a plea with God for some type of confirmation. I would hope that the men we sustain as prophets have refined this process and am better at it than I am, but I am very sure that they have biases, opinions and prejudices that get in the way. It is hard for me even to take Boyce seriously. The sad part is he does represent what the majority of members think in my ward. I have mentioned before that the brethren could clear this up because they really do know how the process happens and are content to let the members believe that Jesus is appearing to them on a regular basis.
I do find it interesting that very few members would seriously say that their stake presidents and bishops receive inspiration and revelation with the same clarity that they claim our prophets do. Maybe it is because we know them and know their families and flaws so we expect less of them. We have had two ward boundary changes in the last eight years that were done by our current stake presidency. Both of them involved a secret Sunday night meeting that we were informed about at church that day. At both of the meetings, the stake president stood up and assured all of the members that he was certain that the Lord's hand was involved in the realignments. I think most members saw that boundaries were changed to help struggling wards. We all just accepted the fact that change needed to happen and we sustain those men that had to make the tough decisions on where to draw the new lines. Nobody really believes that Jesus showed up and told them what to do.
So my question is at what point are these men able to distinguish their own thoughts from what the spirit is telling them? Is it the moment they are called bishop? the moment they are called stake president? the moment they are called to be a general authority? Apostle? Prophet?
Sorry for the long comment, but I also completely understand what happens when you start losing trust in prophets. For me, it has been the hardest thing to deal with.
Andrew S. says:
whyyyyyy are they doubling down on accepting the priesthood and temple ban of all things?
Stephen R. Marsh says:
Well, it is robust discussion. 🙂
Zach, "So my question is at what point are these men able to distinguish their own thoughts from what the spirit is telling them?" It depends on how important it is to them to be able to tell the difference. Elder Bednar said in a Face to Face event that we overcomplicate things when we try to differentiate. If you are thinking about doing something you believe is good, it's obviously the Holy Ghost (based on the scriptural idea that if it invites and entices to do good, it's from Christ).
fbisti says:
For what it is worth, I almost completely agree with Zach (July 23, 2017 at 1:34 am ). However, having been part of many stake presidency and bishopric meetings (across multiple stakes and wards), it is all too often the case that the reasons and rationales for decisions originate from and solely of personal preference, wisdom, experience, bias. Then, all too often (almost always), if the resulting actions are as momentous as ward boundary changes, the public rationales announced place an inordinate emphasis on "inspiration" that wasn't voiced in the private deliberations.
I am fine with honest and sincere deliberations and unavoidably "biased" decision-making, but not with hyperbole, dissembling, and lies to engender agreement from the sheep.
Glenn Thigpen says:
I am not going to get in between any two parties arguing the nuances of revelation and inspiration. I agree somewhat with Boyce on some points, such as the "occasional" inspiration versus fairly constant inspiration. I am sure that no President of the Church or General Authority drops down to his knees and asks what to do in each and every situation. On the other hand, those men spend a lot of time in the temple praying and meditating, seeking inspiration and guidance in their callings. I remember reading about David O. McKay rising every morning very early to pray and meditate, seeking spiritual guidance and impressions daily, and he said those impressions were right.
I place a bit of distinction between revelation and inspiration. Revelations, to me, come in the form of pretty straightforward verbal directions such as verbal instructions or visions, such as what Wilford Woodruff ending the practice of polygamy in the church. I would agree that this type of communication from the Lord is on a much less frequent basis than is inspiration, spiritual impressions etc. During the restoration direct revelations were needed constantly as the ordinances and structure of the church were revealed. But once that restoration was complete, the need for direct revelation is only occasional, but the need for inspiration is constant, and I believe that our prophets and General Authorities seek such inspiration constantly.
Ending the practice of polygamy was one such item of significance where direction was sought and and given in no uncertain terms.
Ending the priesthood ban was another of those significant items that elicited a lot of meditation and prayer. Answers were sought much earlier than 1978, especially during the time David O. McKay was the prophet.
The origination of the priesthood ban has been laid at Brigham Young's feet but the historical evidence is too ambiguous to establish such a claim. Parley P. Pratt made a statement in April of 1947 indicating that the restriction was known at that time, and due to his own travel time line, he had to learn of it sometime between April 8 and April 14 of 1847 since he arrived in Nauvoo on April 8 and his statement was on April 15. If he did not learn of it then, it would push the origination back to at least 1846, before he left on another mission to England in July. But there is reason to believe that the restriction was known even earlier, from a statement by Orson Hyde in April of 1845 concerning the curse laid upon Canaan as alluded to in the Book of Abraham and the incident with Ham and a drunken Noah.
It has to be remembered that Brigham Young was not called to the office of president of the Church until December of 1847. His right to lead the Church as President of the Quorum of the Twelve has been established by the voice of the people in August of 1844. So, what is one to make of that? Did Brigham formulate this policy during that tumultuous period of time with enemies of the church pressing from all sides and trying to get ready for the exodus to Utah? There is something about Occam's Razor…..
Now, as to whether this was a knee jerk reaction to the McGary affair, it would seem that the restriction was before that time. And this also would seem to be one of those "significant" types of issues where serious reflection, prayer, and discussion would have been enjoined. But each to his or her opinion.
Jewelfox says:
Umm, what about the first presidency letter in the 1940's which said unequivocally that the priesthood and temple ban came from God?
JR says:
Jewelfox, What about it? You can read the entire text of that 1949 letter here: https://www.fairmormon.org/answers/Mormonism_and_racial_issues/Blacks_and_the_priesthood/Statements. You can also read the relevant text from Joseph Fielding Smith's 1931 "Way to Perfection" here: http://emp.byui.edu/OpenshawR/Pearl%20of%20Great%20Price/Cain,%20Ham%20and%20the%20Priesthood.htm. It would seem that JFS provided or summarized what "we all know" and that on at least some things he and the 1949 letter were unequivocally in error. I see no particular reason to think a First Presidency infallible or immune from the human tendency to teach the "traditions of their fathers." See, e.g. on a closely related subject the acknowledgment of JFS: "No, you do not have to believe that Negroes are denied the priesthood because of the pre-existence. I have always assumed that because it was what I was taught, and it made sense, but you don't have to believe it to be in good standing, because it is not definitely stated in the scriptures. And I have received no revelation on the matter." Joseph Fielding Smith, quoted by Eugene England here: http://eugeneengland.org/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/1990_e_003.pdf. So, what about it?
Elizabeth St Dunstan says:
In response to Zach's question, "So my question is at what point are these men able to distinguish their own thoughts from what the spirit is telling them?" and Mary Ann's response, I think this matters a great deal. Take the controversial example of the November 5th policy. A person who views homosexuality as entirely unnatural and feels a bit "grossed out" contemplating homosexual relationships and families would positively view a policy that made it less likely for homosexual couples and families to join their social circles. A person who was used to viewing their own instincts and divine inspiration as functionally one and the same would then interpret this to mean that homosexuality is against divine law and they are holding the righteous line in declaring it so. They have no training or incentive to more closely examine their own biases and challenge their own views.
It's too easy to enshrine one's own opinions as doctrine and one's own thoughts as God's thoughts when revelation doesn't involve critical processes for studying the difference between the two. This is how my own thought process used to go, and it led me to some very arrogant and decidedly un-Christlike places that I now regret very much.
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