Uncle Jay sings about 2013
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Happy Christmas - Day 1
“On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree.”
The period known as Christmastide begins with the Feast of the Nativity itself; specifically, with the evening of this first day, through the morning of the Feast of the Epiphany. And so the first day of Christmas is December 25-26, and the season ends with Twelfth Night on January 5-6. By tomorrow, you will stop hearing Christmas music on some radio stations, but at Chez Alexandre, whether here or on the road, as well as here at man with black hat, the Christmas season is just beginning.Most of us are familiar with the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas," and the significance of the symbolism therein. But for those who do not...
Don McLean Sings
Waters of Babylon by Don McLean:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
(AKA: Psalm 136)
Time to take down the Christmas Decorations?
Don't you touch those decorations until after the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6!
A Song For The Season
by the Clovertons:
http://manwithblackhat.
(see the lyrics)
Monopoly and Silk
Starting in 1941, an increasing number of British Airmen found
themselves as the involuntary guests of the Third Reich, and the
Crown was casting about for ways and means to facilitate their
escape...
Now obviously, one of the most helpful aids to that end is a
useful and accurate map, one showing not only where stuff was, but
also showing the locations of 'safe houses' where a POW on-the-lam
could go for food and shelter.
Paper maps had some real drawbacks -- they make a lot of noise
when you open and fold them, they wear out rapidly, and if they
get wet, they turn into mush.
Someone in MI-5 (similar to America's OSS ) got the idea of
printing escape maps on silk. It's durable, can be scrunched-up
into tiny wads, and unfolded as many times as needed, and makes no
noise whatsoever.
At that time, there was only one manufacturer in Great Britain
that had perfected the technology of printing on silk, and that
was John Waddington, Ltd. When approached by the government, the
firm was only too happy to do its bit for the war effort.
By pure coincidence, Waddington was also the U.K. Licensee for the
popular American board game, Monopoly. As it happened, 'games and
pastimes' was a category of item qualified for insertion into
'CARE packages', dispatched by the International Red Cross to
prisoners of war.
Under the strictest of secrecy, in a securely guarded and
inaccessible old workshop on the grounds of Waddington's, a group
of sworn-to-secrecy employees began mass-producing escape maps,
keyed to each region of Germany or Italy where Allied POW camps
were regional system). When processed, these maps could be folded
into such tiny dots that they would actually fit inside a Monopoly
playing piece.
As long as they were at it, the clever workmen at Waddington's
also managed to add:
1. A playing token, containing a small magnetic compass.
2. A two-part metal file that could easily be screwed together.
3. Useful amounts of genuine high-denomination German, Italian,
and French currency, hidden within the piles of Monopoly money!
British and American air crews were advised, before taking off on
their first mission, how to identify a 'rigged' Monopoly set -- by
means of a tiny red dot, one cleverly rigged to look like an
ordinary printing glitch, located in the corner of the Free
Parking square.
Of the estimated 35,000 Allied POWS who successfully escaped, an
estimated one-third were aided in their flight by the rigged
Monopoly sets. Everyone who did so was sworn to secrecy
indefinitely, since the British Government might want to use this
highly successful ruse in still another, future war.
The story wasn't declassified until 2007, when the surviving
craftsmen from Waddington's, as well as the firm itself, were
finally honored in a public ceremony.
It's always nice when you can play that 'Get Out of Jail' Free'
card!
I realize some of you are (probably) too young to have any
personal connection to WWII (Dec. '41 to Aug. '45), but this is
still interesting.
themselves as the involuntary guests of the Third Reich, and the
Crown was casting about for ways and means to facilitate their
escape...
Now obviously, one of the most helpful aids to that end is a
useful and accurate map, one showing not only where stuff was, but
also showing the locations of 'safe houses' where a POW on-the-lam
could go for food and shelter.
Paper maps had some real drawbacks -- they make a lot of noise
when you open and fold them, they wear out rapidly, and if they
get wet, they turn into mush.
Someone in MI-5 (similar to America's OSS ) got the idea of
printing escape maps on silk. It's durable, can be scrunched-up
into tiny wads, and unfolded as many times as needed, and makes no
noise whatsoever.
At that time, there was only one manufacturer in Great Britain
that had perfected the technology of printing on silk, and that
was John Waddington, Ltd. When approached by the government, the
firm was only too happy to do its bit for the war effort.
By pure coincidence, Waddington was also the U.K. Licensee for the
popular American board game, Monopoly. As it happened, 'games and
pastimes' was a category of item qualified for insertion into
'CARE packages', dispatched by the International Red Cross to
prisoners of war.
Under the strictest of secrecy, in a securely guarded and
inaccessible old workshop on the grounds of Waddington's, a group
of sworn-to-secrecy employees began mass-producing escape maps,
keyed to each region of Germany or Italy where Allied POW camps
were regional system). When processed, these maps could be folded
into such tiny dots that they would actually fit inside a Monopoly
playing piece.
As long as they were at it, the clever workmen at Waddington's
also managed to add:
1. A playing token, containing a small magnetic compass.
2. A two-part metal file that could easily be screwed together.
3. Useful amounts of genuine high-denomination German, Italian,
and French currency, hidden within the piles of Monopoly money!
British and American air crews were advised, before taking off on
their first mission, how to identify a 'rigged' Monopoly set -- by
means of a tiny red dot, one cleverly rigged to look like an
ordinary printing glitch, located in the corner of the Free
Parking square.
Of the estimated 35,000 Allied POWS who successfully escaped, an
estimated one-third were aided in their flight by the rigged
Monopoly sets. Everyone who did so was sworn to secrecy
indefinitely, since the British Government might want to use this
highly successful ruse in still another, future war.
The story wasn't declassified until 2007, when the surviving
craftsmen from Waddington's, as well as the firm itself, were
finally honored in a public ceremony.
It's always nice when you can play that 'Get Out of Jail' Free'
card!
I realize some of you are (probably) too young to have any
personal connection to WWII (Dec. '41 to Aug. '45), but this is
still interesting.
The Americans With No Abilities Act (ANAA)
President Barack Obama and the Democratic Senate are considering sweeping
legislation that will provide new benefits for many more Americans. The
Americans With No Abilities Act is being hailed as a major legislative goal
by advocates of the millions of Americans who lack any real skills or
ambition.
"Roughly 50 percent of Americans do not possess the competence and drive
necessary to carve out a meaningful role for themselves in society," said
California Sen. Barbara Boxer. "We can no longer stand by and allow People
of Inability (POI) to be ridiculed and passed over. With this legislation,
employers will no longer be able to grant special favors to a small group of
workers, simply because they have some idea of what they are doing."
In a Capitol Hill press conference, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid pointed to the success of the U.S. Postal
Service, which has a long-standing policy of providing opportunity without
regard to performance. At the state government level, the Department of
Motor Vehicles also has an excellent record of hiring Persons with No
Ability (63 percent).
Under the Americans With No Abilities Act, more than 25 million mid-level
positions will be created, with important-sounding titles but little real
responsibility, thus providing an illusory sense of purpose and performance.
Mandatory non-performance-based raises and promotions will be given to
guarantee upward mobility for even the most unremarkable employees. The
legislation provides substantial tax breaks to corporations that promote a
significant number of Persons of Inability (POI) into middle-management
positions, and give a tax credit to small and medium-sized businesses that
agree to hire one clueless worker for every two talented hires.
Finally, the Americans With No Abilities Act contains tough new measures to
make it more difficult to discriminate against the non-abled, banning, for
example, discriminatory interview questions such as, "Do you have any skills
or experience that relate to this job?"
"As a non-abled person, I can't be expected to keep up with people who
have something going for them," said Mary Lou Gertz, who lost her
position as a
lug-nut twister at the GM plant in Flint, Mich., due to her inability to
remember righty tighty, lefty loosey. "This new law should be real good for
people like me. I'll finally have job security." With the passage of this
bill, Gertz and millions of other lazy, untalented citizens will finally see
a light at the end of the tunnel.
Said Sen. Dick Durbin,IL: "As a senator with no abilities, I believe the
same privileges that elected officials enjoy ought to be extended to every
American with no abilities. It is our duty as lawmakers to provide each and
every American citizen, regardless of his or her inadequacy, with some sort
of space to take up in this great nation and a great salary for doing so."
This message was approved by Jesse Jackson, Kathleen Sebelius, Al
Sharpton, Diane Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and
Barack Obama.
legislation that will provide new benefits for many more Americans. The
Americans With No Abilities Act is being hailed as a major legislative goal
by advocates of the millions of Americans who lack any real skills or
ambition.
"Roughly 50 percent of Americans do not possess the competence and drive
necessary to carve out a meaningful role for themselves in society," said
California Sen. Barbara Boxer. "We can no longer stand by and allow People
of Inability (POI) to be ridiculed and passed over. With this legislation,
employers will no longer be able to grant special favors to a small group of
workers, simply because they have some idea of what they are doing."
In a Capitol Hill press conference, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid pointed to the success of the U.S. Postal
Service, which has a long-standing policy of providing opportunity without
regard to performance. At the state government level, the Department of
Motor Vehicles also has an excellent record of hiring Persons with No
Ability (63 percent).
Under the Americans With No Abilities Act, more than 25 million mid-level
positions will be created, with important-sounding titles but little real
responsibility, thus providing an illusory sense of purpose and performance.
Mandatory non-performance-based raises and promotions will be given to
guarantee upward mobility for even the most unremarkable employees. The
legislation provides substantial tax breaks to corporations that promote a
significant number of Persons of Inability (POI) into middle-management
positions, and give a tax credit to small and medium-sized businesses that
agree to hire one clueless worker for every two talented hires.
Finally, the Americans With No Abilities Act contains tough new measures to
make it more difficult to discriminate against the non-abled, banning, for
example, discriminatory interview questions such as, "Do you have any skills
or experience that relate to this job?"
"As a non-abled person, I can't be expected to keep up with people who
have something going for them," said Mary Lou Gertz, who lost her
position as a
lug-nut twister at the GM plant in Flint, Mich., due to her inability to
remember righty tighty, lefty loosey. "This new law should be real good for
people like me. I'll finally have job security." With the passage of this
bill, Gertz and millions of other lazy, untalented citizens will finally see
a light at the end of the tunnel.
Said Sen. Dick Durbin,IL: "As a senator with no abilities, I believe the
same privileges that elected officials enjoy ought to be extended to every
American with no abilities. It is our duty as lawmakers to provide each and
every American citizen, regardless of his or her inadequacy, with some sort
of space to take up in this great nation and a great salary for doing so."
This message was approved by Jesse Jackson, Kathleen Sebelius, Al
Sharpton, Diane Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and
Barack Obama.
FutureNews: Your News from 2023
Breitbart: News from the Future
America has not fully recovered from its military defeat in 2021 at the hands of China.
The US has had to reconcile itself to an inferior status in the Pacific—and perhaps the world. To be sure, the actual military losses suffered by the US were minimal; the American surveillance satellites, blinded by Chinese lasers, have now all been replaced—albeit they are limited to new orbits that do not violate China’s Sovereignty Zone. The three US aircraft carriers that were sunk in the first ten minutes of the conflict represented a great loss of life, of course, but as the Sharpton-Paul Commission concluded in 2022, the US had no legal authority, in the first place, to patrol that close to Chinese waters. Moreover, now that Taiwan has accepted reunification with Beijing, and now that Japan, the Philippines, and South Korea have agreed to accept People’s Liberation Army “Friendship Bases” on their territories, experts can cite no reason for the US Navy to venture east of Hawaii.
We have seen the final elimination of US influence in the Middle East.
It’s been eight years now since President Obama pulled the last American troops out of Afghanistan. The US had high hopes for the 2015 peace agreement between the late Hamid Karzai and the Taliban, but those hopes were dashed the following day. As for neighboring Iran, the results have also been disappointing. In the six years since then-President Hillary Rodham Clinton launched airstrikes against Iran, that country’s power has increased, not decreased. What the Clinton-Christie administration did not foresee, of course, is that within weeks of the US strikes, the Tehran regime would join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, taking its place alongside China and Russia. The result was a new Eurasian Axis that has supported, not stymied, Iran’s nuclear program. Earlier this year, United Nations Secretary General Chelsea Clinton expressed hope that Iran could be persuaded to stop further nuclear testing. She spoke for the hopes of many when she declared, “Surely eighteen tests are enough!”
Americans are freer than ever before.
The passage of the Cruz Amendment in 2015—enacted in the wake of the Republican landslide of 2014—established that America would have a blue-state “Obamacare Zone” and a red-state “Nobamacare Zone.” Since then, in the blue states, tighter gun control and the accumulating Political Correctness Statutes have protected the populace from an estimated 36 different categories of “hate speech,” ranging from the familiar crime of homophobia to the newer violation known as vegan-phobia. Meanwhile, in the red states, it’s possible to shoot, or tweet, or frack—or even to celebrate Christmas—as much as one wishes to.
The rise of multivariate“-gamy” forms of marriage has accelerated.
That is, bigamy and polygamy, of course. Also, xenogamy, which is interspecies marriage. In addition, cybergamy, or marriage to a computer. And in 2023, we have seen the formal legalization of cratgamy, defined as marrying the bureaucrats; yes, what was once informally referred to as the “The Julia Marriage” has become yet another valid form of marriage. Former US Senator and presidential candidate Rick Santorum issued a statement saying, simply, “I told you so!” But then his communications privileges were revoked; he has been in a Massachusetts jail for the past three years, convicted of hate speech uttered during a debate at Harvard University. Santorum has not been heard from since.
The impending merger between the US and Mexico appears to be preceding, albeit slowly.
The federal government has rejected the merger, but California’s “sister state” relationship with Baja California has deepened, to the point where all border checks and inspections have ceased and the two entities are the same color on the map. The population of the Golden State has nearly doubled over the past decade and continues to grow. Already boasting 82 House members—66 of them Democrats—California could have more than 100 House members after the next census.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
The Great Apostasy
Watch this video to learn about The Great Apostasy before the End of the World which will see:
- A return to the days of Noah and of Sodom & Gomorrah with effeminate men dressing and acting as women.
- Perverse sodomite marriages sanctioned and written on marriage documents.
- The Anti-Christ (most likely Jewish) will appear and will be accepted by the Jews.
- 3.5 Years of Persecution of Christians under the Anti-Christ who rules for 42 months (3.5 years)
- Enoch will return to warn the Gentiles of God’s Wrath. Elisha will return to warn the Jews of God’s wrath.
- Enoch and Elisha will be killed in Jerusalem and lay in the streets dead for 3 days.
- The Anti-Christ will try to raise to heaven but will be knocked out of the sky.
- There will be a period of peace before the cleansing fire that ends the world.
- There will be no rapture. There will be massive fires that end the world.
Video Sancto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The conditions of the end of the world would mirror both the days of Noah and the days of Sodom and Gomorrah.
~ Luke 17: 26-30:
In the days of Noah: the generation of the flood was not wiped out until they wrote marriage documents for perverse marriages.
It seems we are living in it now. God strengthen us!
In the days of Noah: the generation of the flood was not wiped out until they wrote marriage documents for perverse marriages.
It seems we are living in it now. God strengthen us!
Are you prepared for the coming economic collapse?
Be prepared with guns and ammo for your protection . . .
Covadonga: The Beginning of the Reconquista of Spain from the Infidel Muslims
Interesting articles and a video on the Battle of Covadonga between Christians and Muslims in Spain: the beginning of the Reconquest of Christian Spain from the Infidel Muslims
(The video is from a traditionalist Catholic group.)
Pelagius of Asturias
Pelagius (Spanish: Pelayo; c. 685 – 737) was a Visigothic nobleman who founded the Kingdom of Asturias, ruling it from 718 until his death. Through his victory at the Battle of Covadonga, he is credited with beginning the Reconquista, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian peninsula from the Moors. He established an independent Christian state in opposition to Moorish hegemony, but there is no strong evidence that he intended to resuscitate the old Visigothic Kingdom, or was motivated by any religious desire.
Battle of Covadonga
The Battle of Covadonga was the first significant victory by a Christian military force in Iberia following the Muslim Moors' conquest of that region in 711. It was fought at Covadonga, most likely in the summer of 722. It assured the independence of the Kingdom of Asturias and, in the longer term, the survival of a Christian stronghold in northern Iberia. It was from there that the return of Christian rule over the entire Iberian peninsula began, so that the battle is in retrospect regarded as the beginning of the Reconquista.
Our Lady of Covadonga
Our Lady of Covadonga is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a Marian shrine devoted to her at Covadonga in the province of Asturias in north west Spain. The Spanish shrine rose to prominence following the Battle of Covadonga in 722, at which the Moorish invasion of Spain was first resisted. A statue of the Virgin Mary, secretly hidden in one of the caves, was believed to have miraculously aided the Christian victory. Our Lady of Covadonga is the patron of Asturias, and a basilica was built to house the current statue. Pope John Paul II visited the shrine at Covadonga to honor the Virgin Mary.
Stir Up Thy Might O Lord: The Beginning of the Reconquista of Spain by Video Sancto
Interpreting Athiest Billboards
The 29 Most Hilarious Atheist Billboards… And What They Should Really Say
Hitler's Hunt For The Holy Grail
Where is the missing Ghent Altarpiece, and does it contain a treasure map leading to the Holy Grail?
Bill O'Reilly - Ignorant and Arrogant Pinhead
To Bill O'Reilly - Phil Robertson Was Quoting St Paul! Hey, Bill - Ignorance of Scripture is Ignorance of Christ
· 12/21/2013
. . . As the debate continues over the A&E networks' punitive decision to suspend Phil Robertson indefinitely, because he openly professed his evangelical protestant faith in a magazine interview, I want to focus for a moment on a problem in my own Church - and among some of my fellow Catholics. I will use an example from a recent interview which Fox News mega personality Bill O'Reilly had with radio personality Laura Ingraham on Thursday, December 19, 2013.
Both of them are Catholics. In discussing the most quoted portion of the GQ interview, the part which caused offense to some homosexual activists, Phil Robertson used these words: Don't be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers - they won't inherit the kingdom of God.
In his comments, Bill O'Reilly paraphrased the words of Jesus, taken from the Gospel of Luke judge not lest you be judged. (Luke 6:37) He then "opined" - as he says - and offered his thoughts on the controversy. He made that facial expression which he often demonstrates when, to use an old expression, he feels "sure of himself".
He insisted that when Phil Robertson made the comment concerning the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers... he was violating the Bibles admonition against judgment. You could tell by the expression on his face that he thought he was being profound.
Laura Ingraham seemed a bit taken aback. Obviously she knows the Bible better than Bill O'Reilly does. She tried to steer the interview toward a critique of the intolerance which so often masquerades as tolerance these days. Her comments were truly insightful. However, Bill O'Reilly kept coming back, apparently thinking his own insight was much more important than hers.
It was an awkward moment. Laura Ingraham attempted to spare Bill embarrassment by saying something like, I think Phil was quoting Corinthians Bill. In other words, she tried to give Bill a clue, that Phil Robertson was quoting the Bible! However, Bill O'Reilly did not hear her. He was so enamored with his own take on the matter that he seemed to pay no attention.
Watching the awkward interplay between the two, I came to the conclusion that Bill O'Reilly simply did not realize that the words quoted by Phil Robertson were actually in the Bible - and not made up by Phil Robertson. So, in effect, Bill O'Reilly and A&E Network simply do not like St. Paul's words to the Christians in Corinth. They do not like what the Bible says.
That leads me to the second part of my title for this article, Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ. Phil Robertson was quoting the same Bible which Bill O'Reilly hears at Mass - and is supposed to be very familiar with. It appears that Bill O'Reilly was simply ignorant of scripture.
In the GQ interview which O'Reilly was purporting to discuss with Laura Ingraham, Phil Robertson continued his conversation with the interviewer: If you simply put your faith in Jesus coming down in flesh, through a human being, God becoming flesh living on the earth, dying on the cross for the sins of the world, being buried, and being raised from the dead-yours and mine and everybody else's problems will be solved. And the next time we see you, we will say: 'You are now a brother. Our brother.' So then we look at you totally different then."
The interviewer made this observation: Despite his beliefs, the 67-year-old says he doesn't judge others. "We never, ever judge someone on who's going to heaven, hell. That's the Almighty's job," Robertson told GQ. "We just love 'em, give 'em the good news about Jesus - whether they're homosexuals, drunks, terrorists. We let God sort 'em out later." Thus, O'Reilly was not only misguided in his analysis of the words which Robertson used, he was wrong in his claim that Phil Robertson was deciding anyone's eternal destiny.
In the whole Catholic Church we are now committed to what Blessed John Paul II called the New Evangelization. The phrase refers to the need to work with Catholics in the pews, helping them to grow in their faith. To fall in love with the Lord Jesus Christ by encountering Him in prayer, receive His grace in the Sacraments and, yes, hear His word as it comes to us in the Bible.
That requires noting something of real importance, too many Catholics are unfamiliar with the Bible. The Catholic Church is dedicated, as a vital part of helping them become well informed in their faith, to helping them develop a familiarity with the Bible, the kind of knowledge which comes by more than simply hearing it at Mass on Sunday.
I conclude with a quote from that Bible, the Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version. They are words written by the Apostle Paul. I offer them to my fellow Catholic Bill O'Reilly, just in case he reads this article:
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. (1 Cor. 6: 9-11, 18)
Phil Robertson should not have been suspended by the A&E Network for being a Christian who knows the Bible, believes in it - and is willing and able to actually quote it in a freewheeling magazine interview. He should be affirmed for doing so by all who share the name Christian along with him, no matter which Christian tradition or Church within which they live out that relationship with the Lord. That includes Catholics, like me - and yes, Bill O'Reilly.
Both of them are Catholics. In discussing the most quoted portion of the GQ interview, the part which caused offense to some homosexual activists, Phil Robertson used these words: Don't be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers - they won't inherit the kingdom of God.
In his comments, Bill O'Reilly paraphrased the words of Jesus, taken from the Gospel of Luke judge not lest you be judged. (Luke 6:37) He then "opined" - as he says - and offered his thoughts on the controversy. He made that facial expression which he often demonstrates when, to use an old expression, he feels "sure of himself".
He insisted that when Phil Robertson made the comment concerning the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers... he was violating the Bibles admonition against judgment. You could tell by the expression on his face that he thought he was being profound.
Laura Ingraham seemed a bit taken aback. Obviously she knows the Bible better than Bill O'Reilly does. She tried to steer the interview toward a critique of the intolerance which so often masquerades as tolerance these days. Her comments were truly insightful. However, Bill O'Reilly kept coming back, apparently thinking his own insight was much more important than hers.
It was an awkward moment. Laura Ingraham attempted to spare Bill embarrassment by saying something like, I think Phil was quoting Corinthians Bill. In other words, she tried to give Bill a clue, that Phil Robertson was quoting the Bible! However, Bill O'Reilly did not hear her. He was so enamored with his own take on the matter that he seemed to pay no attention.
Watching the awkward interplay between the two, I came to the conclusion that Bill O'Reilly simply did not realize that the words quoted by Phil Robertson were actually in the Bible - and not made up by Phil Robertson. So, in effect, Bill O'Reilly and A&E Network simply do not like St. Paul's words to the Christians in Corinth. They do not like what the Bible says.
That leads me to the second part of my title for this article, Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ. Phil Robertson was quoting the same Bible which Bill O'Reilly hears at Mass - and is supposed to be very familiar with. It appears that Bill O'Reilly was simply ignorant of scripture.
In the GQ interview which O'Reilly was purporting to discuss with Laura Ingraham, Phil Robertson continued his conversation with the interviewer: If you simply put your faith in Jesus coming down in flesh, through a human being, God becoming flesh living on the earth, dying on the cross for the sins of the world, being buried, and being raised from the dead-yours and mine and everybody else's problems will be solved. And the next time we see you, we will say: 'You are now a brother. Our brother.' So then we look at you totally different then."
The interviewer made this observation: Despite his beliefs, the 67-year-old says he doesn't judge others. "We never, ever judge someone on who's going to heaven, hell. That's the Almighty's job," Robertson told GQ. "We just love 'em, give 'em the good news about Jesus - whether they're homosexuals, drunks, terrorists. We let God sort 'em out later." Thus, O'Reilly was not only misguided in his analysis of the words which Robertson used, he was wrong in his claim that Phil Robertson was deciding anyone's eternal destiny.
In the whole Catholic Church we are now committed to what Blessed John Paul II called the New Evangelization. The phrase refers to the need to work with Catholics in the pews, helping them to grow in their faith. To fall in love with the Lord Jesus Christ by encountering Him in prayer, receive His grace in the Sacraments and, yes, hear His word as it comes to us in the Bible.
That requires noting something of real importance, too many Catholics are unfamiliar with the Bible. The Catholic Church is dedicated, as a vital part of helping them become well informed in their faith, to helping them develop a familiarity with the Bible, the kind of knowledge which comes by more than simply hearing it at Mass on Sunday.
I conclude with a quote from that Bible, the Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version. They are words written by the Apostle Paul. I offer them to my fellow Catholic Bill O'Reilly, just in case he reads this article:
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. (1 Cor. 6: 9-11, 18)
Phil Robertson should not have been suspended by the A&E Network for being a Christian who knows the Bible, believes in it - and is willing and able to actually quote it in a freewheeling magazine interview. He should be affirmed for doing so by all who share the name Christian along with him, no matter which Christian tradition or Church within which they live out that relationship with the Lord. That includes Catholics, like me - and yes, Bill O'Reilly.
Is Las Vegas the next Detroit?
The next Detroit? Atlantic City and Las Vegas facing catastrophic collapse
. . . Beginning in the late 1940s, Las Vegas became known as the 'adult playground of the world.' Celebrities knew they made the big time when their names graced the billboards of ‘Sin City.’ Gamblers hoping to make money would flock there all year and families looking for a nice getaway would enjoy relaxing by the extravagant swimming pools under the hot desert sun, seeing the various shows and concerts, and whenever possible, sneaking away to the blackjack tables while their kids slept.
It was paradise. . .
It was paradise. . .
The Great Recession of the late 2000s hit Las Vegas hard. As the recession wore on, and as gambling received approval in various jurisdictions throughout the United States, folks realized they didn't need to travel thousands of miles just to gamble.
Casino revenues and the price of real estate plummeted. Unemployment went as high as 14 percent, however unofficially, local officials said it may have been as high as 30 percent.
More than half of all home owners with a mortgage in the state of Nevada owe more than their homes are worth.
One local bought his condo in 2006 for $209,000, and as of 2013 it is worth barely $60,000.
As Las Vegas moved to market itself as purely an entertainment paradise, one local said “The reality is, people just won’t fly to the middle of a desert to play some slots, watch shows and sit down for some blackjack when they can drive right near their town or city, or play legally online.”
And now it looks like the feds may soon allow online gambling across the United States.
Casino revenues and the price of real estate plummeted. Unemployment went as high as 14 percent, however unofficially, local officials said it may have been as high as 30 percent.
More than half of all home owners with a mortgage in the state of Nevada owe more than their homes are worth.
One local bought his condo in 2006 for $209,000, and as of 2013 it is worth barely $60,000.
As Las Vegas moved to market itself as purely an entertainment paradise, one local said “The reality is, people just won’t fly to the middle of a desert to play some slots, watch shows and sit down for some blackjack when they can drive right near their town or city, or play legally online.”
And now it looks like the feds may soon allow online gambling across the United States.
Last May, the American Gaming Association called on Congress to enact federal legislation that would allow states to license and regulate online poker so Americans who play can do so safely using responsible, law-abiding operators. The Department of Justice made a decision that the Federal Wire Act only prohibits the transmission of communications relative to bets or wagers on sporting events or contests. It also clarifies that intrastate lottery tickets sold online are legal, so long as the lottery games do not involve sport wagering, even if the transmission crosses state lines.
Officials say this has opened up the possibility that online gambling may get approved on a federal level. . .
Nevada also enacted modifications to their internet gambling law to allow for interstate compacts, among other provisions in hopes to draw higher stakes jackpots, similar to the Mega Millions and Power Ball lottery games that are played in multiple states.
With this in mind, it seems the niche that Las Vegas and Atlantic City once offered as a gambling and entertainment hub is heading toward the dustbin of history.
Time will tell if these two cities will end up like Detroit. However, the fact that they are losing their biggest industries to major competition, much like Detroit did, with depressed housing, casinos bankrupting/closing and businesses fleeing, makes their fate seem eerily similar.
With this in mind, it seems the niche that Las Vegas and Atlantic City once offered as a gambling and entertainment hub is heading toward the dustbin of history.
Time will tell if these two cities will end up like Detroit. However, the fact that they are losing their biggest industries to major competition, much like Detroit did, with depressed housing, casinos bankrupting/closing and businesses fleeing, makes their fate seem eerily similar.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
REMINDER: World Ends in 60 Days
I will be so disappointed if this does not happen . . .
WHY DOES THE JORVIK VIKING CENTRE BELIEVE RAGNAROK IS IMMINENT?
Danielle Daglan from the Norvik Viking Centre told MailOnline that a number of recent events spoken about in the legends of Ragnarok led them to believe that the end of the world may well be imminent.
For instance, the legend states that ‘the first to notice shall be man, brother will fight brother and all the boundaries that exist shall crumble.’
‘The idea that “boundaries that exist shall crumble” could be said to be about the Internet age, where you can communicate with millions of people simultaneously around the world thanks to the global rise of social media,’ said Ms Daglan.
Viking tradition also believes that a vast winter will appear before the apocalypse.
‘There are predictions that we are heading into a mini-ice age thanks to a fall in solar flare activity - what is a mini-ice age but several winters rolled into one?’ said Ms Daglan.
Another part of the legend suggests that the Midgard Serpent, named Jormungand, shall free itself from its tail and rise up from the ocean.
Ms Dagland points to the two huge fish which appeared on a beach in California last month.
The giant oarfish were dead when they washed up on land, and some scientists believe they came ashore to die because they are ‘in distress’.
‘Traditionally, the Viking festival of Jolablot marked the end of the winter - if this winter truly does not end, then that feast may be given over to Ragnarok instead,’ said Ms Dagland.
The Jorvik Viking Centre predicted that Ragnarok would occur on 22 February because this is the end of the feast of Jolablot.
While not a scientific conclusion, they claim that Vikings loved to feast and wouldn't want to miss this event. For this reason, they argue that Vikings would believe the world would end in 100 days.
Ragnarok Reminder
Ragnarok | Norse Mythology
(also Ragnarök, Ragnarökk)
Ragnarok, in Norse mythology, was the predestined death of the Germanic gods. A three-year winter led to a final battle on the Vigrid Plain, where the gods and the frost giants fought the epic final battle. Ragnarok marks the end of the old world, and the beginning of the new, current world.
Odin, who had previously attempted to prevent Ragnarok from occurring, led the gods. They were assisted by the heroic dead, those who had died in glorious battle and had been taken to live in Valhalla and await the final battle. The frost giants were led by the fire god Loki and assisted by the unworthy dead who came from Hel, and by other monsters.
Two humans, Lif and Lifthrasir, hid in a sacred tree called Yggdrasil during the battle and didn't return until after the battle. When they emerged, they repopulated the Earth. Other survivors of Ragnarok included some of the gods, particularly Odin's brother Honir, Odin's sons Vidar and Vali, Thor's sons Modi and Magni. Another of Odin's sons, Balder, was revived from the dead after the battle.
The Vikings were particularly interested in Ragnarok, and many of the Germanic peoples believed that the same type of battle would again occur. Even when Christianity began to take over their belief system, many of them still explored the idea of a Judgement Day in the same light as Ragnarok.
Merry Christmas
In the video below is a touching reminder that the truer purpose of a gift is the well-being of another and the love we can show at Christmas.
The basic scene is that two snowmen are built, a kind of husband and wife snowman family. But one has, and the other has not. Seeing his wife’s need, a snowman sets out, enduring great hardship and many obstacles, to get for his wife what she needs. The greatest gifts are those that show care for another.
The “creator” of the snowman is watching this act of love unfold through the window. At the touching end of the video, the creator is very pleased.
And so too our Creator and Lord is also watching from the window of heaven and He is pleased with our acts of mercy as well.
The greatest things in life aren’t things; they are those we love. And the greater gift this Christmas is not so much the thing we give, as the care and love we extend through gifts shared, and the shared gift of our very selves.
Love is the light
Scaring darkness away
I’m so in love with you
Make love your goal
Scaring darkness away
I’m so in love with you
Make love your goal
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
The power of love
A force from above
A sky scraping dove
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
The power of love
A force from above
A sky scraping dove
Make love your goal
Sung By Gabrielle Aplin
Friday, December 20, 2013
Italian Auction
Italian Auction - only 44 seconds!
You don't have to understand Italian to follow the auctioneer:
A Chinese Ming Vase is up for auction. The bidding opens at a half-million Euros.
Bidding is brisk and each bidder is clearly identified as each raises the bid by 100,000 Euros.
You don't have to understand Italian to follow the auctioneer:
A Chinese Ming Vase is up for auction. The bidding opens at a half-million Euros.
Bidding is brisk and each bidder is clearly identified as each raises the bid by 100,000 Euros.
(The exchange rate at auction time was 1 Euro = $1.43.)
Within seconds, the bid stalls at one million Euros, and the gasp from the crowd identifies
the excitement that prevails in the room.
The successful bidder is the last one who bid one million, and the auctioneer counts down
the bid, "Going once, going twice, and sold to the gentleman sitting in front of me for one million Euros!"
Now, you are going to have to see the video for yourself.
Now, you are going to have to see the video for yourself.
The auctioneer is exuberant. The pace is fast. This is how an auction should be run.
Please note the excitement on the auctioneer's face after the final bid.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/
http://www.youtube.com/embed/
Aspirin Cardio: Auction - YouTube
Monday, December 16, 2013
Lightning in a Jar
Lightning in a Jar Remember this title.
Enjoy!
This is a beautiful slide show presentation about life. After you're done with the first
picture, click on it and it will go to the next. So click on the link below and enjoy!
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Special Christmas Video
Be sure to watch this excellent enhanced video by The Piano Guys.
A special Advent version of “O Come Emmanuel”
Lyrics:
O come, O come, Emmanuel
and ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times did'st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
O come, O come, Emmanuel
and ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times did'st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
O Come Emmanuel by The Piano Guys
Watch and enjoy the music:
We love the Holiday Season. Why? It's a great excuse to be extra nice to each other. =) ... And we love Christmas music, lights, presents, and the excitement of our sleepless children anticipating the advent of Christmas day. We know there are many out there who do not celebrate Christmas or believe in what it may represent. This song is not meant to exclude anyone. We hope this song is an opportunity to reflect on everything we are blessed with in life -- family, a beautiful earth, a place to rest our head, the warmth of the sun. The lyrics of this piece speak of being "ransomed" from captivity. In general terms, at some point or another in our lives we find ourselves at the receiving end of a "ransom" -- a rescue by someone or something -- even as simple as a note from a friend, a hug from a child, a much-needed vacation, or the unconditional affection of a loyal dog. That is what this song represents to us. People may define the "rescue" moments in life differently, but the meaning of the moments remain the same. To many, including us, the story of The Savior is the sweetest and most priceless "ransom" of all. To Him we dedicate this song.
And with this video we wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a bright future filled with "rescue" moments. We love you!
The Piano Guys
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Photos To Blow Your Mind
These Photos Nearly Made My Brain Explode In My Head. One Look And You’ll See What I Mean.
Swedish photographer and retouch artist Erik Johansson has one of the craziest photography portfolios we’ve ever seen.
Erik is completely self-taught in retouching his own photographs to make impossible and extraordinary images. He says his inspiration came from both growing up with a grandmother who painted and having a penchant for escaping into the other worlds of video games, so he naturally blended the two into a technique using computers to generate images that couldn’t be captured by a camera.
Check out some of his mind blowing creations below:
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