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Bush Asserts Progress in Iraq

PRESIDENT BUSH: I am really pleased to be back to Wright-Pat. And it's great to be on the inside of the National Museum of the United States Air Force, which is a fabulous place. I hope our fellow citizens come and see it. It is a great tribute to the airmen who have flown the missions and secured the skies and defended America's freedom.

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Vincent has seen it all before

Vincent Tchenguiz, the property entrepreneur, is weeks away from completing a repositioning of his £1.4bn Consensus Business Group, including the completion of a refinancing of up to £700m to generate additional cash for the business.

The Iranian-born investor is being forced to change his strategy to cope with the crisis in the markets for debt, on which both Vincent and his brother Robert built their property empire over the past two decades.

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Centex to sell HomeTeam pest business to Rollins

Home builder Centex Corp. has agreed to sell its pest control business, HomeTeam Pest Defense, to Rollins Inc. for $137 million in cash.

The companies expect the deal to close in early April.

Atlanta-based Rollins (NYSE: ROL) said it plans to operate HomeTeam separately, along with its other pest management units Orkin, PCO Services, Western Pest Services and The Industrial Fumigant Co.

"The purchase of HomeTeam will provide us with an entry into a new business channel, and provide our company a meaningful opportunity for longer term growth," said Gary Rollins, president and CEO of Rollins in a press release.

"This transaction is good for Centex because it further sharpens our focus on our primary business of homebuilding and generates cash that can be applied to homebuilding initiatives," said Timothy Eller, chairman and chief executive of Centex. more

National business briefs: Newspapers join online ad network

A group of 26 newspaper companies is joining an industry-backed online advertising sales network, QuadrantOne, aimed at winning more business from national advertisers. QuadrantOne will create a centralized pool of standardized ad units from newspapers across the country that can be sold in blocks to large advertisers.

Members of the venture include McClatchy Co., which owns The Kansas City Star; A.H. Belo Corp., owner of the Dallas Morning News; and Media General Inc. They effectively double the size of the network to about 250 newspapers. The venture was launched last month by Gannett Co., Tribune Co., Hearst Corp. and The New York Times Co.

Newsday interestThree of New York's biggest moguls reportedly are in discussions to buy Newsday, the Long Island newspaper, from the Tribune Co. more

Latest Grant Writing Services Personal Business Grants News

Alfred P. Sloan Jr. Dead at 90; G.M. Leader and Philanthropist - New York Times

Alfred P. Sloan Jr., who shaped the General Motors Corporation into one of the world's largest manufacturing enterprises, died of a heart attack yesterday afternoon at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Center here. He was 90 years old. Mr. Sloan had been in ...

Libraries and Digitization - Seattle Post Intelligencer

Timbuktu was considered such a center of learning that a West African proverb states: "Salt comes from the north, gold from the south, but the ... But a traveling exhibit from the newly created Security Services Archive in the Czech Republic capital ...

United States, et al. v. Stericycle, Inc., et al.; Proposed Final ... - TMCnet

Feb 01, 2010 (FIND, Inc. via COMTEX) -- Notice is hereby given pursuant to the Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act, 15 U.S.C. 16(b)-(h), that a proposed [Page Number 5121] Final Judgment and Competitive Impact Statement have been filed with the ...

Step Forward: Progressive LGBT Politics - Seattle Post Intelligencer

... sex ... free. Fortunately, as I was writing this post, The American Foundation for Equal Rights tweeted , "BREAKING - Judge: pending approval from 9th Circuit, trial will be recorded daily for delayed posting to internet. ... may also stream ...

Take the Plunge, Stay Married (If you Can!) - Salon

If there was ever a pair that could lean on each other to figure it all out, it was us. We were long-time friends. We’d weathered a lot together over nearly 20 years. Thirty minutes later, Lauren and Tania shot out of Loemans on Broadway. The tiny ...

The Jublilee Gift — A Fantasy Story - DAILY KOS

Joni Mitchell’s lyrics tumbled through Jillian’s mind as she sobbed with both deep grief and dizzy excitement. It was hard for her to accept that a wonderful fairy tale was coming true for her but at the cost of a deep loss. ‘Does it only work ...

Hard Times Can Bring Out Con Artists - Wall Street Journal

Internet scams set up transactions that claimed to help people receive government grants. But first, individuals had to submit personal information, such as credit-card and bank-account numbers. The Better Business Bureaus aren't regulatory agencies ...

Web anonymity is thorny issue - Independent Record

In Wong Kim Ark the Supreme Court adopted the English common law principle that a child born within the borders of the country, even if by foreign parents, is a natural born citizen. It was not the 'holding' of the case but Hakon doesnt really ...

Preying on the down-and-out - Marketwatch

The financial crisis spurred fraudsters to target people with job-hunting schemes, misleading "free" trials, and other ruses. And experts say it's not over. In 2010, consumers should remain vigilant about where they spend their dollars. People facing ...

THE TAX GAME - Toronto Star

Filing your income tax and benefit return is about as much fun as having kids invite you to play Monopoly. Both are long and tedious, and "I'm too busy" is no excuse. But at least with tax returns there are real dollars to be saved and refunds to be ...

Voting Question: If any one has read the entire House Bill on the affordable health care choices please voice oppinion?

Someone did read the entire House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009 but is this what you belive too? Please read this and let me know if this is the truth? From Michael Connelly - Retired attorney, Constitutional Law Instructor, Carrollton , Texas Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I studied it with particular emphasis from my area of expertise, constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts of the proposed law that were being discussed might be unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard or expected. To begin with, much of what has been said about the law and its implications is in fact true, despite what the Democrats and the media are saying. The law does provide for rationing of health care, particularly where senior citizens and other classes of citizens are involved, free health care for illegal immigrants, free abortion services, and probably forced participation in abortions by members of the medical profession. The Bill will also eventually force private insurance companies out of business and put everyone into a government run system. All decisions about personal health care will ultimately be made by federal bureaucrats and most of them will not be health care professionals. Hospital admissions, payments to physicians, and allocations of necessary medical devices will be strictly controlled. However, as scary as all of that is, it just scratches the surface. In fact, I have concluded that this legislation really has no intention of providing affordable health care choices. Instead it is a convenient cover for the most massive transfer of power to the Executive Branch of government that has ever occurred, or even been contemplated. If this law or a similar one is adopted, major portions of the Constitution of the United States will effectively have been destroyed. The first thing to go will be the masterfully crafted balance of power between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the U..S. Government. The Congress will be transferring to the Obama Administration authority in a number of different areas over the lives of the American people and the businesses they own. The irony is that the Congress doesn't have any authority to legislate in most of those areas to begin with. I defy anyone to read the text of the U.S. Constitution and find any authority granted to the members of Congress to regulate health care. This legislation also provides for access by the appointees of the Obama administration of all of your personal healthcare information, your personal financial information, and the information of your employer, physician, and hospital. All of this is a direct violation of the specific provisions of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution protecting against unreasonable searches and seizures. You can also forget about the right to privacy. That will have been legislated into oblivion regardless of what the 3rd and 4th Amendments may provide. If you decide not to have healthcare insurance or if you have private insurance that is not deemed "acceptable" to the "Health Choices Administrator" appointed by Obama there will be a tax imposed on you. It is called a "tax" instead of a fine because of the intent to avoid application of the due process clause of the 5th Amendment. However, that doesn't work because since there is nothing in the law that allows you to contest or appeal the imposition of the tax, it is definitely depriving someone of property without the "due process of law." So, there are three of those pesky amendments that the far left hate so much out of the original ten in the Bill of Rights that are effectively nullified by this law. It doesn't stop there though. The 9th Amendment that provides: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people;" The 10th Amendment states: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are preserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Under the provisions of this piece of Congressional handiwork neither the people nor the states are going to have any rights or powers at all in many areas that once were theirs to control. I could write many more pages about this legislation, but I think you get the idea. This is not about health care; it is about seizing power and limiting rights. Article 6 of the Constitution requires the members of both houses of Congress to "be bound by oath or affirmation" to support theFor those who might doubt the nature of this threat I suggest they consult the source. Here is a link to the Constitution: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html And another to the Bill of Rights: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html There you can see exactly what we are about to have taken from us. Michael Connelly Retired attorney, Constitutional Law Instructor Carrollton , Texas more

Voting Question: Could it be possible that the democrats/socialists are incapable of understanding the law of the land?

and crafting laws consistent with these rules? C&P: Someone did read the entire House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009 From Michael Connelly - Retired attorney, Constitutional Law Instructor, Carrollton , Texas Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I studied it with Particular emphasis from my area of expertise, constitutional law.. I was Frankly concerned that parts of the proposed law that were being discussed Might be unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard Or expected. To begin with, much of what has been said about the law and its Implications is in fact true, despite what the Democrats and the media are Saying. The law does provide for rationing of health care, particularly Where senior citizens and other classes of citizens are involved, free Health care for illegal immigrants, free abortion services, and probably Forced participation in abortions by members of the medical profession. The Bill will also eventually force private insurance companies out of Business and put everyone into a government run system. All decisions about Personal health care will ultimately be made by federal bureaucrats and Most of them will not be health care professionals. Hospital admissions, Payments to physicians, and allocations of necessary medical devices will Be strictly controlled. However, as scary as all of that it, it just scratches the surface. In Fact, I have concluded that this legislation really has no intention of Providing affordable health care choices. Instead it is a convenient cover For the most massive transfer of power to the Executive Branch of Government that has ever occurred, or even been contemplated. If this law Or a similar one is adopted, major portions of the Constitution of the United States will effectively have been destroyed. The first thing to go will be the masterfully crafted balance of power Between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the U.S. Government.. The Congress will be transferring to the Obama Administration Authority in a number of different areas over the lives of the American People and the businesses they own. The irony is that the Congress doesn't Have any authority to legislate in most of those areas to begin with. I Defy anyone to read the text of the U.S. Constitution and find any Authority granted to the members of Congress to regulate health care. This legislation also provides for access by the appointees of the Obama Administration of all of your personal healthcare information, your Personal financial information, and the information of your employer, Physician, and hospital. All of this is a direct violation of the specific Provisions of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution protecting against Unreasonable searches and seizures. You can also forget about the right to Privacy. That will have been legislated into oblivion regardless of what The 3rd and 4th Amendments may provide. If you decide not to have healthcare insurance or if you have private Insurance that is not deemed "acceptable" to the "Health Choices Administrator" appointed by Obama there will be a tax imposed on you. It is Called a "tax" instead of a fine because of the intent to avoid application Of the due process clause of the 5th Amendment. However, that doesn't work because since there is nothing in the law that Allows you to contest or appeal the imposition of the tax, it is definitely Depriving someone of property without the "due process of law. So, there are three of those pesky amendments that the far left hate so Much out the original ten in the Bill of Rights that are effectively Nullified by this law. It doesn't stop there though. The 9th Amendment that Provides: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall Not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people;" The 10th Amendment states: "The powers not delegated to the United States by The Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are preserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Under the provisions of this piece Of Congressional handiwork neither the people nor the states are going to Have any rights or powers at all in many areas that once were theirs to Control. I could write many more pages about this legislation, but I think you get The idea. This is not about health care; it is about seizing power and Limiting rights. Article 6 of the Constitution requires the members of both Houses of Congress to "be bound by oath or affirmation" to support the Constitution. If I was a member of Congress I would not be able to vote for This legislation or anything like it without feeling I was violating that Sacred oath or affirmation. If I voted for it anyway I would hope t more

Voting Question: Do you believe this Health Care Bill is about Health care?

The following comment is from a retired attorney and constitutional law instructor who states he has read the entire health care bill and has some comments, not about the bill, but about the impact upon our Constitution. It's a broader picture than just health care reform. Looks like something to sit up and pay attention to; once this sort of thing happens, it will be irreversible. THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HEALTHCARE BILLS ? Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I studied it with particular emphasis from my area of expertise, constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts of the proposed law that were being discussed might be unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard or expected. To begin with, much of what has been said about the law and its implications is in fact true, despite what the Democrats and the media are saying. The law does provide for rationing of health care, particularly where senior citizens and other classes of citizens are involved, free health care for illegal immigrants, free abortion services, and probably forced participation in abortions by members of the medical profession. The Bill will also eventually force private insurance companies out of business and put everyone into a government run system. All decisions about personal health care will ultimately be made by federal bureaucrats and most of them will not be health care professionals. Hospital admissions, payments to physicians, and allocations of necessary medical devices will be strictly controlled. However, as scary as all of that it, it just scratches the surface. In fact, I have concluded that this legislation really has no intention of providing affordable health care choices. Instead it is a convenient cover for the most massive transfer of power to the Executive Branch of government that has ever occurred, or even been contemplated. If this law or a similar one is adopted, major portions of the Constitution of the United States will effectively have been destroyed. The first thing to go will be the masterfully crafted balance of power between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the U.S. Government. The Congress will be transferring to the Obama Administration authority in a number of different areas over the lives of the American people and the businesses they own. The irony is that the Congress doesn't have any authority to legislate in most of those areas to begin with. I defy anyone to read the text of the U.S. Constitution and find any authority granted to the members of Congress to regulate health care. This legislation also provides for access by the appointees of the Obama administration of all of your personal healthcare information, your personal financial information, and the information of your employer, physician, and hospital. All of this is a direct violation of the specific provisions of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution protecting against unreasonable searches and seizures. You can also forget about the right to privacy. That will have been legislated into oblivion regardless of what the 3rd and 4th Amendments may provide. If you decide not to have healthcare insurance or if you have private insurance that is not deemed "acceptable" to the Choices Administrator" appointed by Obama there will be a tax imposed on you. It is called a "tax" instead of a fine because of the intent to avoid application of the due process clause of the 5th Amendment. However, that doesn't work because since there is nothing in the law that allows you to contest or appeal the imposition of the tax, it is definitely depriving someone of property without the "due process of law. So, there are three of those pesky amendments that the far left hate so much out the original ten in the Bill of Rights that are effectively nullified by this law. It doesn't stop there though. The 9th Amendment that provides: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people; " The 10th Amendment states: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are preserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Under the provisions of this piece of Congressional handiwork neither the people nor the states are going to have any rights or powers at all in many areas that once were theirs to control. I could write many more pages about this legislation, but I think you get the idea. This is not about health care; it is about seizing power and limiting rights. Article 6 of the Constitution requires thequier k : I deleted his name for obvious reasons but I left the site that all of this can be verified.Liberals you can ignore this all you want as expected. But it is not a interpretation it is all factual. I know you hate the truth because it makes Obama look bad . This administration is the most corrupt ever in USA history! more

Resolved Question: I am looking for a job that pays at least 24,000 USD annually while in college. Is this possible?

I am currently a Business Administration major at Troy University. As odd as it may seem, I am still not very good a writing resumes. I have neither a suit nor a tie or an iron to keep my not-quite-dressy button down shirts as wrinkle free as possible. I have never been required to where a suit and had no intentions of buying one until my last year of college. Now it seems that I am going to have a hard time finding any job that pays at least 2,000 dollars a month because of my lack of professional attire and resume writing skills. Also, as you will see, my resume is very weak, mostly because I don't have much to put in it. I was never a member of any organizations outside of music and band other than the National Honors Society. Even now, in college, I am no longer a member of the marching band because I cannot be a member, go to school, and hold a full time job. The only thing that I have going for me is that my grades were amazing in high school. I graduated High School with an advanced diploma and a GPA of 3.85. I feel as though I am going to be stuck working as a sales associate at another retail store for the next four years of my life. I know of many companies in town that are hiring assistant manager positions, but, as you will see, I have no supervisory experience. At the moment, as I have said numerous times until now, I feel I have nothing going for me at the moment because, to my understanding, no one cares if you are in college or have a degree in progress. They only care if you actually have your degree ready to hand to them. I would greatly appreciate any advice on how to improve my resume, and possibly even land a job with a decent salary that can grant me with even more experience and more to put on my resume after college. Here is my Resume: Tyler M. Abrahamson *** Summary: Very Outgoing Personality. Business-Oriented Attitude. Very Experienced at Dealing with Customers on a Daily Basis. Experienced with Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, and Excel. Education: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, In Progress Experience: Agent, Liberty National Life Insurance Co., September 1, 2009- Present, Montgomery, AL: Wrote and Delivered Policies to Clients while answering any questions and providing them with the best possible service. Sales Associate, Wal-Mart January 1, 2009- July 31, 2009, Troy, AL:Stocked and Maintained the Frozen Department while providing quality customer service. Cashier, Taco Bell, July 1, 2007- December 31, 2007, Alexander City, AL: Took Customer’s Orders Quickly and Accurately while Providing the Best Service Possible. Activities: District Honor Band, February 2004. Auburn University Summer Band Festival, July 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. Hugh O’ Brian Youth Leadership Convention, February 2006 National Honors Society Member, April 2006-Present Member of Troy University’s Sound of the South, Fall 2008 Troy University Philosophy Society, February 2009-Present References: ****** ***I excluded all personal information after my Name due to privacy reasons. ******I also excluded all contact information for my three references due to privacy reasons as well. more

Resolved Question: When his mouth is moving he is lying. Do you think that about 0bama?

LAWYER TO LAWYER (Must read, if you want the truth) Is Obama Telling the Truth? Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 9:44 AM Read this, then decide if you think Obama is telling the truth in all his speeches. Bryant Sewall wsewall@Verizon.net THIS IS SOME SERIOUS READING!! The following comment is from Michael Connelly of Carrollton , Texas , a retired attorney and constitutional law instructor who states he has read the entire health care bill and has some comments, not about the bill, but about the impact upon our Constitution. It's a broader picture than just health care reform. Looks like something to sit up and pay attention to; once this sort of thing happens, it will be irreversible. THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HEALTHCARE BILLS Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I studied it with particular emphasis from my area of expertise, constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts of the proposed Bill that were being discussed, might be unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard or expected. To begin with, much of what has been said about the Bill and its implications are in fact true, despite what the Democrats and the media are saying. The Bill does provide for rationing of health care, particularly where senior citizens and other classes of citizens are involved, free health care for illegal immigrants, free abortion services, and probably forced participation in abortions by members of the medical profession. The Bill will also eventually force private insurance companies out of business and put everyone into a government run system. All decisions about personal health care will ultimately be made by federal bureaucrats and most of them will not be health care professionals. Hospital admissions, payments to physicians, and allocations of necessary medical devices will be strictly controlled. However, as scary as all of that is, it just scratches the surface. In fact, I have concluded that this legislation really has no intention of providing affordable health care choices. Instead it is a convenient cover for the most massive transfer of power to the Executive Branch of Government that has ever occurred, or even been contemplated. If this Bill or a similar one is adopted, major portions of the Constitution of the United States will effectively have been destroyed. The first thing to go will be the masterfully crafted balance of power between the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of the U.S. Government. The Congress will be transferring to the Obama Administration, authority in a number of different areas over the lives of the American people and the businesses they own. The irony is that the Congress doesn't have any authority to legislate in most of those areas to begin with. I defy anyone to read the text of the U.S. Constitution and find any authority granted to the members of Congress to regulate health care. This legislation also provides for access by the appointees of the Obama administration of all of your personal healthcare information, your personal financial information, and the information of your employer, physician, and hospital. All of this is a direct violation of the specific provisions of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution protecting against unreasonable searches and seizures. You can also forget about the right to privacy. That will have been legislated into oblivion regardless of what the 3rd and 4th Amendments may provide. If you decide not to have healthcare insurance or if you have private insurance that is not deemed "acceptable" to the Choices Administrator" appointed by Obama, there will be a tax imposed on you. It is called a "tax" instead of a fine, because of the intent to avoid application of the due process clause of the 5th Amendment. However, that doesn't work because since there is nothing in the law that allows you to contest or appeal the imposition of the tax, it is definitely depriving someone of property without the "due process of law. So, there are three of those pesky amendments that the far left hate so much out the original ten, in the Bill of Rights, that are effectively nullified by this law. It doesn't stop there though. The 9th Amendment that provides: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people; "The 10th Amendment states: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are preserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Under the provisions of this piece of Congressional handiwork neither the people nor the states are going to have any rights or powers at all in many areas that once were theirs to control. I could write many more pages about this legislation, but more

Resolved Question: Did you find anything suspicious about Obama's speech on healthcare the other night?

I just recieved this in my e-mail. It is pretty interesting. The Truth About the Health Care Bills - Michael Connelly, Ret. Constitutional Attorney 08.24.09 Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I studied it with particular emphasis from my area of expertise, constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts of the proposed law that were being discussed might be unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard or expected. To begin with, much of what has been said about the law and its implications is in fact true, despite what the Democrats and the media are saying. The law does provide for rationing of health care, particularly where senior citizens and other classes of citizens are involved, free health care for illegal immigrants, free abortion services, and probably forced participa tion in abortions by members of the medical profession. The Bill will also eventually force private insurance companies out of business and put everyone into a government run system. All decisions about personal health care will ultimately be made by federal bureaucrats and most of them will not be health care professionals. Hospital admissions, payments to physicians, and allocations of necessary medical devices will be strictly controlled. However, as scary as all of that it, it just scratches the surface. In fact, I have concluded that this legislation really has no intention of providing affordable health care choices. Instead it is a convenient cover for the most massive transfer of power to the Executive Branch of government that has ever occurred, or even been contemplated. If this law or a similar one is adopted, major portions of the Constitution of the United States will effectively have been destroyed. The first thing to go will be the masterfully crafted balance of power between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the U.S. Government. The Congress will be transferring to the Obama Administration authority in a number of different areas over the lives of the American people and the businesses they own. The irony is that the Congress doesn’t20have any authority to legislate in20most of those areas to begin with. I defy anyone to read the text of the U.S. Constitution and find any authority granted to the members of Congress to regulate health care. This legislation also provides for access by the appointees of the Obama administration of all of your personal healthcare information, your personal financial information, and the information of your employer, physician, and hospital. All of this is a direct violation of the specific provisions of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution protecting against unreasonable searches and seizures. You can also forget about the right to privacy. That will have been legislated into oblivion regardless of what the 3rd and 4th Amendments may provide. If you decide not to have healthcare insurance or if you have private insurance that is not deemed “acceptable” to the “Health Choices Administrator” appointed by Obama there will be a tax imposed on you. It is called a “tax” instead of a fine because of the intent to avoid application of the due process clause of the 5th Amendment. However, that doesn’t work because since there is nothing in the law that allows you to contest or appeal the imposition of the tax, it is definitely depriving someone of property without the “ due process of law. So, there are three of those pesky amendments that the far left hate so much out the original ten in the Bill of Rights that are effectively nullified by this law. It doesn’t stop there though. The 9th Amendment that provides: “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people;” The 10th Amendment states: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are preserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” Under the provisions of this piece of Congressional handiwork neither the people nor the states are going to have any rights or powers at all in many areas that once were theirs to control. I could write many more pages about this legislation, but I think you get the idea. This is not about health care; it is about seizing power and limiting rights. Article 6 of the Constitution requires the members of both houses of Congress to “be bound by oath or affirmation” to support the Constitution. If I was a member of Congress I would not be able to vote for this legislation or anything like it without feeling I was violating that sacred oath or affirmation. If I voted for it anyway I would hope the American people would hold me accountable. For those who might doubt the nature of this threat I suggest they consult the source. There you can see exactly what we are about to have taken from us. Mihttp://michaelconnelly.viviti.com/ more

Voting Question: Copyright is theft. Agree or disagree?

Isn't it true that Copyright violates the rights of consumers to use property as they wish? For example, if I want to make a copy of a CD I bought onto a recordable CD I bought and give it to a friend, that is a violation of copyright law. If I decide to upload the contents of that CD I bought to the Internet onto a web server I paid for and make it freely available to anybody who wishes to download it, that is also in violation of copyright law. Defenders of copyright laws refer to copyright as a form of intellectual "property." Dictionary.com lists 10 definitions of property: 1. that which a person owns; the possession or possessions of a particular owner: They lost all their property in the fire. 2. goods, land, etc., considered as possessions: The corporation is a means for the common ownership of property. 3. a piece of land or real estate: property on Main Street. 4. ownership; right of possession, enjoyment, or disposal of anything, esp. of something tangible: to have property in land. 5. something at the disposal of a person, a group of persons, or the community or public: The secret of the invention became common property. 6. an essential or distinctive attribute or quality of a thing: the chemical and physical properties of an element. 7. Logic. a. any attribute or characteristic. b. (in Aristotelian logic) an attribute not essential to a species but always connected with it and with it alone. 8. Also called prop. a usually movable item, other than costumes or scenery, used on the set of a theater production, motion picture, etc.; any object handled or used by an actor in a performance. 9. a written work, play, movie, etc., bought or optioned for commercial production or distribution. 10. a person, esp. one under contract in entertainment or sports, regarded as having commercial value: an actor who was a hot property at the time. Definitions 6-10 refer to different uses of the word property. Definitions 1, 2, 4, and 5 cannot apply as copying a copyrighted work does not cause anybody else to lose their copy of the work. Definition 3 cannot apply as copyright is not a form of land. Compare with the 7 definitions of monopoly: 1. exclusive control of a commodity or service in a particular market, or a control that makes possible the manipulation of prices. Compare duopoly, oligopoly. 2. an exclusive privilege to carry on a business, traffic, or service, granted by a government. 3. the exclusive possession or control of something. 4. something that is the subject of such control, as a commodity or service. 5. a company or group that has such control. 6. the market condition that exists when there is only one seller. 7. (initial capital letter) a board game in which a player attempts to gain a monopoly of real estate by advancing around the board and purchasing property, acquiring capital by collecting rent from other players whose pieces land on that property. With the exception of the final definition, all of these definitions seem to fit copyright and other forms of intellectual "property" perfectly. Wouldn't the phrase intellectual monopoly be a more accurate description. There are 3 definitions of the word theft: 1. the act of stealing; the wrongful taking and carrying away of the personal goods or property of another; larceny. 2. an instance of this. 3. Archaic. something stolen. Couldn't it be argued that copyright fits perfectly definition #2 of theft? Copyright laws violate the right of consumers who have purchased a product to use it in the manner that they wish. more

Resolved Question: What does this contract mean?

PERSONAL MANAGEMENT CONTRACT I desire to obtain your advice, counsel and direction in the development and enhancement of my artistic and theatrical career. The nature and extent of the success or failure of my career cannot be predetermined and it is therefore my desire that your compensation be determined in such manner as will permit you to accept the risk of failure and likewise benefit to the extent of my success. In view of the foregoing we have agreed as follows: I do hereby engage you as my personal manager for a period of years from date. As and when requested by me during and throughout the term hereof you agree to perform for me one or more of the services as follows: advice and counsel in the selection of literary, artistic and musical material; advice and counsel in any and all matters pertaining to publicity, public relations and advertising; advice and counsel with relation to the adoption of proper format for presentation of my artistic talents and in the determination of proper style, mood, setting, business and characterization in keeping with my talents; advice, counsel and direction in the selection of artistic talent to assist, accompany or embellish my artistic presentation; advice and counsel with regard to general practices in the entertainment and amusement industries and with respect to such matters of which you may have knowledge concerning compensation and privileges extended for similar artistic values; advice and counsel concerning the selection of theatrical agencies and persons, firms and corporations to counsel, advise, seek and procure employment and engagements for me. You are authorized and empowered for me and in my behalf and your discretion to do the following: approve and permit any and all publicity and advertising; approve and permit the use of my name, photograph, likeness, voice, sound effects, caricatures, literary artistic and musical materials for purposes of advertising and publicity and in the promotion and advertising of any and all products and services; execute for me in my name and/or in my behalf any and all agreements, documents and contracts for my services, talents and/or artistic literary and musical materials, collect and receive sums as well as endorse my name upon and cash any and all checks payable to me for my services, talents and literary and artistic materials and retain therefrom all sums owing to you; engage, as well as discharge and/or direct for me, and in my name theatrical agents and employment agencies as well as other persons, firms and corporations who may be retained to obtain contracts, engagements or employment for me. The authority herein granted to you is coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable during the term hereof. I agree to at all times devote myself to my career and to do all things necessary and desirable to promote my career and earnings therefrom. I shall at all times engage proper theatrical agencies to obtain engagements and employment for me and I agree that I shall not engage any theatrical or employment agency of which you may disapprove. It is clearly understood that you are not an employment agent or theatrical agent, that you have not offered or attempted or promised to obtain employment or engagements for me that you are not obligated, authorized or expected to do so. This Agreement shall not be construed to create a partnership between us. It is specifically understood that you are acting hereunder as an independent contractor and you may appoint or engage any and all other persons, firms and corporations throughout the world in your discretion to perform any or all of the services which you have agreed to perform hereunder. Your services hereunder are not exclusive and you shall at all times be free to perform the same or similar services for others as well as engage in any and all other business activities. You shall only be required to render reasonable services as and when reasonably requested by me. Due to the difficulty which we may have in determining the amount of services to which I may be entitled, it is agreed that you shall not be deemed to be in default hereunder until and unless I shall first deliver to you a written notice describing the exact service which I require on your part and then only in the event that you shall thereafter fail for a period of fifteen consecutive days to commence the rendition of the particular service required. You shall not be required to travel or to meet with me at any particular place or places except in your discretion and following arrangements for costs and expenses of such travel. In compensation for your services I agree to pay to you, as and when received by me, and during and throughout the term hereof, a sum equal to percent of any and all compensation, sums and other things of value which I may receive as a result of my activities in and throughout the entertainment, amusement, musical recording and publishing industries, including any and all sums resulting from the use of my artistic talents and the results and proceeds thereof and, without in any manner limiting the foregoing, the matters upon which your compensation shall be computed shall include any and all of my activities in connection with matters as follows: motion pictures, television, radio, music, literary, theatrical engagements, personal appearances, public appearances, in places of amusement and entertainment, records and recordings, publications, and the use of my name, likeness and talents for purposes of advertising and trade. I likewise agree to pay you a similar sum following the expiration of the term hereof upon and with respect to any and all engagements, contracts and agreements entered into during the term hereof relating to any of the foregoing, and upon any and all extensions, renewals and substitutions thereof. In the event of any dispute under or relating to the terms of this agreement it is agreed that the same shall be submitted to arbitration to the American Arbitration Association in (Insert New York City or Los Angeles) and in accordance with the rules promulgated by the said association. In the event of litigation or arbitration the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover any and all reasonable attorney's fees and other costs incurred in the enforcement of the terms of this agreement. This agreement shall be deemed to be executed in the State of and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of said State. In the event any provision hereof shall for any reason be illegal or unenforceable then, and in any such event, the same shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions and provisions hereof. This agreement is the only agreement of the parties and there is no other or collateral agreement (oral or written) between the parties in any manner relating to the subject matter hereof. If the foregoing meets with your approval please indicate your acceptance and agreement by signing in the space hereinbelow provided. Very truly yours, ____________________________________________________ (Artist) I DO HEREBY AGREE TO THE FOREGOING Manager___________________________ Date:_____________________________ more

Resolved Question: you may not know a person, a gop member,clergy, leader of people millions, u s gop pres rebel nominee to be?

world news of a leader in making inusa dt 7.3. 2008 new york: Yahoo!My Yahoo!Mail Make Y! your home pageYahoo! SearchSearch:Welcome, vishwa_dh [Sign Out, My Account]Answers Home -Forum -Blog -Help Ask Answer Discover Search for questions: Advanced My Profile Home > Politics & Government > Politics > Resolved Question Premansu ROY DAS Member since: April 15, 2008 Total points: 8 (Level 1) Add to My Contacts Block User Resolved QuestionShow me another » The rev kamal karna karuna roy ,newer horizon in sight for resolution _ bipartisan/ unique political resolve? effective on voters, McCain disassociating himself doesn't undo that effect. Because it's that first system, that affective, intuitive one, that's at play. P: It's the benefit without the burden. He can distance himself after the fact. The RNC has said that they're not going to officially make attacks on race and gender, but you can have other groups raise these concerns and it works to McCain's advantage. The other question here is how Obama and Clinton may tear themselves apart heading into the convention and the general election by raising all these questions about each other. They're provoking these implicit biases among the general electorate as we speak--and the Republican Party may not have to do much next fall. Featured, Expertinent, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama Permalink: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/a... Sphere It! Digg It! Newsvine Del.icio.us Facebook Type SizePrint Email RSS Social Networks Permalink: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/a... TrackBack URL: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/t... Sphere It! Digg It! Newsvine Del.icio.us Facebook DiscussEnter Your CommentSubmit Member Comments Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 26, 2008 at 7:51 PM) the reverend dr kamal karna karuna roy was not delighted to report to we th peopleo usa that USA as a democratic republi pursuant to declaration in united state constitution, the supreme commandments or testaments of usa as a nation and one of the earliet proponents of league of nations , later , the united nations organization, U N O housed at new york city , new york Plaza, is truly on a showcase about to peril in authentic democratic dreams of over two enturies since independence from british rulers w e f 1766. racial discriminations are partly on way out , but extremely disappointing discrimination in between have_nots, poors in U S A and have_most, multibillionaires, human_god/s democratic devils, , human_animals'conceived custom made god/s of most religions, supposed to be democratic in motto and intentions of we the people in U S A et al are in deep concerts are united to bring peril of u s american democracy, almost in full , in respect of rights of have_nots in u s a whenever the leaderships iossues are concerned problem. Us Courts censor the petition and conenss of grievances of weker people as a whole, as if pains, harks and damages to a weaker man of we the the mauy not exists, judges mostly declare weaker people's concer and griefs are not damage controllable ineye of us $ economics. to be quoted in u s court of laws. As such weaker people,s peoples grievances are censorred for purpose to petion to govt to redress grievance. the us judiciary is a wing of u s govt and such depts are parties to check and balances on other segregated depts of legislative and executive wings, now the issue is U S JUDICIARY HAS TURNED MONSTER TO EAT UP WEAKER PEOPLE,S PETITIONS TO GOVT FOR KEEPING EYE OD THEIR ISSUES. U S JUDICIARY MAY NOT ACT AS CENSORRING WING OF U S GOVT ,BUT IN PRACTICAL EFFECT THE US JUDICIARY ENJOYS BACK DOOR POWER OF OPPRESSIONS ON WEAKER PEOPLE. bUT THE SYSTEM MUST BE CURED AND NOT DESTROYED IN DEMOCRACY, DR ROY TOLD WE THE AT LARGE IN USA AND BEYOND BORDERS OF USA THAT FEDERAL CIVIL ACTIONS HAVE BEEN FILED IN USDC FOR SOUTHERB DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA AT ALEXANDRIA VA AND AT USDC, DISTRICT OF WYOMING AT CHEYENNE WY, USA WITH COMPLAINTS WHERIN U S JUDICIARY ARE PARTIES AS DEFENDANTS AS WINGS OF U S GOVT SHOWING JUDGES OF US DISTRIC COURT ACTING AS DEFACTO OPPRESSOR ON WEAKER PEOPOE VIZ THE REV KAMAL KARNA KARUNA ROY, A US GOP HOPEFUL AND DEMANDING TO BE NOMINATED FOR GOP AT THENEXT PARTY NOMINATING CONVENTION OF GOP, FOR DECIDING ON CANDIDATE OR GOP AT THE U S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORAL RACE SCHEDULED ON NOV 4 2008 , AND DR ROY DEMANDED TO COURTS 48+USDC'S TO ISSUE INJUNCTIVE ORDER TO POSTPONE U S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FOR PROPOSE ORDER OF INESTIGATIONS ON CORRUPTION IN CAMPAIGN , AS WELL AS CONDUCTS OF SPECIFIC JUDGES AS THEY WERE ENGAGED TO CURB WEAKER PERSON'S RIGHT IN DEJMOCRACY. oNE OF THE DEFENDANTSNAMED VIZ HON DORA LIZZETTE iRIZARRY OF USD COURT, E D NY AS SHE LOVED TO CURB U S CONSTITUTONAL RIGHTS OF CITIZEN VIZ THE RE DR KAMAL ROY A U S AERICAN POOR IN ALL STANDARD AS HE HAD BEEN ON VOW OF POVERTY AS AN ORDAINED CLERGY REGISTERED IN TH CITY CLERK'S OFFICE IN CITY OF NEW YORK IN NEW YORK COUNTY IN MANHATTAN. THE JUDGE IS IMMIUNE OF FEDERAL CIVIL CHARGES BUT MISCONDUCTS OF FEDERAL JUDGES CAN BE MADE A LIABILITY ISSUE OF US GOVT AS DEFENDANT AS JUDGES MAY NOT VIOLATE U S CONSTITUTION AS U S PRESIDENT ISANSWERABLE FOR VIOLATIONS OF U S CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS, ALTERNATELY NATION OF DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC SHALL FAIL EXISTANCE OF NATION,USA. FILED LAWFULLY ON 4.26. 2008 VIA MAIL FROM SARANAC LAKE NEW YORK 12983 . Report Abuse --------------------------------------... Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 26, 2008 at 9:00 AM) the reverend hon'ble mr premansy roy das, fellow of world religions school and university of god/s, religions and people in democracies , as is & efforts forsurvival in optimum privileges to al members of we the people, new yorl, world wide. Ask Answer Discover Search for questions: Advanced My Profile Home > News & Events > Current Events > Your Open Question Premansu ROY DAS Member since: April 15, 2008 Total points: 34 (Level 1) Your Open QuestionShow me another » The rev dr kamal karna roy's life events ,struggle to lead,his masterpiece "jungle democracy"volume:sale 15m$? contact : Roy v. CBS Inc. et al :: Justia NewsTrenton NJ, Don Imus, CBS Inc., CBS Radio - filed by Kamal Karna Roy. (Attachments: # 1 Complaint Part 2.(ead) (Entered: April 20, 2007) ... news.justia.com/cases/featured/delawar... - 41k - Puhverdatud - Sarnased lehed KAMAL KARNA ROY, U S BORN IN GUAM (u s territory .no much oriental ..."KAMAL KARNA ROY, US BORN IN GUAM (us territory .no much oriental indian blood; do u know? if no it is okay." - Find the answer to this question and ... answers.yahoo.com.au/question/index?qi... - 34k - Puhverdatud - Sarnased lehed U s america, european, any publisher may buy publication right ..."U s america, european, any publisher may buy publication right: kamal karna roy /jungle democracy? 15 m us $" - Find the answer to this question and ... 0 seconds ago - 4 days left to answer. Report It Report Abuse --------------------------------------... Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 25, 2008 at 3:53 PM) News Politics Tech and Business Culture Health Voices Quick Guide Blogitics Ruckus HomepageAbout The RuckusStumperRSSAuthors John Amato Bio | Crooks and Liars Faye Anderson Bio | Anderson@Large Joe Gandelman Bio | The Moderate Voice James Joyner Bio | Outside the Beltway Brian Leubitz Bio | Calitics Jeralyn Merritt Bio | TalkLeft Ed Morrissey Bio | Hot Air David Oatney Bio | The World According to Oatney Greg Palmer Bio | Keystone Politics Oliver Willis Bio | OliverWillis.com --------------------------------------... Checkpoint Baghdad Countdown to Beijing Level Up I, Breeder The Gold Digger Lab Notes The All-Starr Blog Soldier's Home Stumper Why it Matters --------------------------------------... LinksThe Caucus The Fix OnPolitics Hotline Blog Campaign Junkie First Read Pollster Tech President PrezVid Wonkette Marc Ambinder Ben Smith Jonathan Martin The Politico: Playbook The Stump The Plank Paul Krugman Ezra Klein Kevin Drum Atrios Daily Kos Huffington Post Talking Points Memo The Corner Redstate Instapundit Captain's Quarters Michelle Malkin Hugh Hewitt Powerline N.H. Presidential Watch Radio Iowa Featured PostingsOliver Willis: GOP Bigot Eruption: McCain Again “Fights” His Party’s Racist Impulses 1:07 PM, April 23, 2008 | Comments (2) The North Carolina Republican party is up on the air with an ad trying to paint Sen. Obama as a radical black nationalist and McCain writes a letter to try and get them to pull it back. Maybe I’m too cynical, but I think the McCain camp’s real beef is... --------------------------------------... Talk Left: Demography Is Political Destiny 10:29 AM, April 23, 2008 | Comments (0) Keystone Politics (Greg): The Inevitable Philly v. Pittsburgh Story! 4:54 AM, April 11, 2008 | Comments (8)ArchivesSee All from AprilPreviousApril 2008NextSun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 About The Media Bloggers Association The Media Bloggers Association is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting, protecting and educating its members; supporting the development of "blogging" or "citizen journalism" as a distinct form of media; and helping to extend the power of the press, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails, to every citizen. MBA Members support the freewheeling expression of ideas and strong personal opinions inherent to blogging but are equally committed to commonly accepted journalistic standards of fairness, accuracy, transparency and accountability in expressing those ideas and opinions. Read more about the MBA here. --------------------------------------... --------------------------------------... FACTCHECK.ORG LATEST FACTCHECKS "Reprehensible Misrepresentation" PAC-ing Heat Misleading Pennsylvania Voters Taking Liberties in Philadelphia Oily Words LATEST NEWSWEEK BLOG POSTS LPGA Pro-am Kicks Off in Florida First Daughters for Obama? McCain: 'Judge Me on My Own Record' Page 110: Even Though Wii Fit Is Clearly Intended For the Human Animal, Nintendo Design Guru Shigeru Miyamoto Still Got Mad Love For His Dogs Ad Hawk: Welcome to the N.C., B**ch --------------------------------------... Full Post Posted Friday, April 11, 2008 4:54 AM Keystone Politics (Greg): The Inevitable Philly v. Pittsburgh Story! Newsweek The inevitable “Philly is different than Pittsburgh” story is out this morning. It was only a question of “when,” not “if.” Steelers or Eagles? Pro-football loyalties are not the only differences that divide Pennsylvania’s two big cities. read more Read the Full Post Advertisement Featured Permalink: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus... Sphere It! Digg It! Newsvine Del.icio.us Facebook Type SizePrint Email RSS Social Networks Permalink: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus... TrackBack URL: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus... Sphere It! Digg It! Newsvine Del.icio.us Facebook Thanks for sharing your feedback! If your feedback doesn't appear right away, please be patient as it may take a few minutes to publish - or longer if the blogger is moderating comments. DiscussEnter Your CommentSubmit Member Comments Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 25, 2008 at 8:15 AM) Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 25, 2008 at 7:56 AM) the hon'ble reverend premansu roy das , a Religious leader of weaker people world wide ,& agent to remove inequities in democratic rules, and the associate editor publication s of JUNGLE DEMOCRACIES, CAT AND MOUSE DOCTRINES OF OPPRESSIONS on weaker peple or weaker entities or weaker naion ,or weaker social movements for people of regional interests with regional religiou flavour, those movemnts were being termed as terrorism as per view of powerful interests groups domesti or or foreign origins: :Author th rev dr kamal karna karuna roy of usa,anda gop Presidential candidate and hopeful and demanding to be nominee of u s president of gop on basis of qualification, ability to operate(mobile, electroni and hard copis aroun globe to spread love of democratic rule as a best sermon of god/s for equitable societal coexistence.disciple of dr kamal k roy: Report Abuse --------------------------------------... Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 25, 2008 at 7:56 AM) he hon'ble reverend premansu roy das a leligious leader o weaker people world wide &agen to remove inequities in democratic rules and the associate editor publication (mobile, electroni and hard copis aroun globe to spread love of democratic rule as a best sermon of god/s for equitable societal coexistence.discilpe of dr kamal k roy: Click here to join the NEWSWEEK community, post comments and subscribe to our e-mail newsletters User Name:Password: Forgot password? News Politics Tech and Business Culture Health Voices Quick Guide Blogitics Ruckus HomepageAbout The RuckusStumperRSSAuthors John Amato Bio | Crooks and Liars Faye Anderson Bio | Anderson@Large Joe Gandelman Bio | The Moderate Voice James Joyner Bio | Outside the Beltway Brian Leubitz Bio | Calitics Jeralyn Merritt Bio | TalkLeft Ed Morrissey Bio | Hot Air David Oatney Bio | The World According to Oatney Greg Palmer Bio | Keystone Politics Oliver Willis Bio | OliverWillis.com --------------------------------------... Checkpoint Baghdad Countdown to Beijing Level Up I, Breeder The Gold Digger Lab Notes The All-Starr Blog Soldier's Home Stumper Why it Matters --------------------------------------... LinksThe Caucus The Fix OnPolitics Hotline Blog Campaign Junkie First Read Pollster Tech President PrezVid Wonkette Marc Ambinder Ben Smith Jonathan Martin The Politico: Playbook The Stump The Plank Paul Krugman Ezra Klein Kevin Drum Atrios Daily Kos Huffington Post Talking Points Memo The Corner Redstate Instapundit Captain's Quarters Michelle Malkin Hugh Hewitt Powerline N.H. Presidential Watch Radio Iowa Featured PostingsOliver Willis: GOP Bigot Eruption: McCain Again “Fights” His Party’s Racist Impulses 1:07 PM, April 23, 2008 | Comments (2) The North Carolina Republican party is up on the air with an ad trying to paint Sen. Obama as a radical black nationalist and McCain writes a letter to try and get them to pull it back. Maybe I’m too cynical, but I think the McCain camp’s real beef is... --------------------------------------... Talk Left: Demography Is Political Destiny 10:29 AM, April 23, 2008 | Comments (0) Keystone Politics (Greg): The Inevitable Philly v. Pittsburgh Story! 4:54 AM, April 11, 2008 | Comments (6)ArchivesSee All from AprilPreviousApril 2008NextSun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 About The Media Bloggers Association The Media Bloggers Association is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting, protecting and educating its members; supporting the development of "blogging" or "citizen journalism" as a distinct form of media; and helping to extend the power of the press, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails, to every citizen. MBA Members support the freewheeling expression of ideas and strong personal opinions inherent to blogging but are equally committed to commonly accepted journalistic standards of fairness, accuracy, transparency and accountability in expressing those ideas and opinions. Read more about the MBA here. --------------------------------------... --------------------------------------... FACTCHECK.ORG LATEST FACTCHECKS "Reprehensible Misrepresentation" PAC-ing Heat Misleading Pennsylvania Voters Taking Liberties in Philadelphia Oily Words LATEST NEWSWEEK BLOG POSTS LPGA Pro-am Kicks Off in Florida First Daughters for Obama? McCain: 'Judge Me on My Own Record' Page 110: Even Though Wii Fit Is Clearly Intended For the Human Animal, Nintendo Design Guru Shigeru Miyamoto Still Got Mad Love For His Dogs Ad Hawk: Welcome to the N.C., B**ch --------------------------------------... Full Post Posted Friday, April 11, 2008 4:54 AM Keystone Politics (Greg): The Inevitable Philly v. Pittsburgh Story! Newsweek The inevitable “Philly is different than Pittsburgh” story is out this morning. It was only a question of “when,” not “if.” Steelers or Eagles? Pro-football loyalties are not the only differences that divide Pennsylvania’s two big cities. read more Read the Full Post Advertisement Featured Permalink: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus... Sphere It! Digg It! Newsvine Del.icio.us Facebook Type SizePrint Email RSS Social Networks Permalink: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus... TrackBack URL: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus... Sphere It! Digg It! Newsvine Del.icio.us Facebook Thanks for sharing your feedback! If your feedback doesn't appear right away, please be patient as it may take a few minutes to publish - or longer if the blogger is moderating comments. DiscussEnter Your CommentSubmit Member Comments Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 25, 2008 at 4:17 AM) appeal to majority white population in usa by the reverend dr kamal karna roy , a gop contender of u s presidency 2008 electoral competiotion now in progress. white majority are possibly in sleep now. or they may may be unconmscious and possibly not in coma. pl do wake up. leadership of usa is going to be auctioned off to a female viz clinton mrs or a 1/2 black person who talks big without a bit of substance in this ethics and realities of usa. a woman president in usa is a very good idea. but u may not benefit from a woman leader of usa, who possibly was involved in whitewater real estate scandal which remained overed with scandalous mystery as the possible most corrupt in the deal hillary r clinton was not fully investigated as during the whitewater r/e investigations hillary was hiding or was covered in a clintonian first woman cloak. One top white house aide linked in above scandal was killed, or he disappeared by death or in a broader conspiracy he was removed from scene of investigations of said scandal many members of we the people lost millions in the deceiving operation of whitewater.reinvestigation is demanded to all law enforcement authorities of usa or stat of arkansas. only one thing i found of the investigatioins. illfamed hillary has been trying nowto steal fame among people by intending to be u s democrat president by causing public sentiment thatshe was woman and a woman presidentshoule b elected.The problem with hillary is she is doubtful, deficient in honesty and she is no proven leader to take as big responsibility of us president. a diffent story is for inability of barrak hussain obama. He is half black no doubt.. he is an opportunist without any question. he changed his religious faith from islam to christianity for privilege to hiself. He changed his nam,partly He changed his economic status by making ponzi crime deal of buying reidential hom with sweet_heart deal with a would be felon as alleged, now in jail and 199% sure he did not pay i r s taxes from illegal bargain for turning himself to be millionaire.Now he is trying to prove that he was leader likejfk or martin luther king jr . He is nothing but oratory magician He is a junk_patrio of usa. He needed clean up his face to show himself clearly to we the people. barrack hussain obama did hear sermon from rev wright which was apparently anti american_terrorist,s voice in usa. as religious leader wright could utter words against some oppressions of black community in usa. his talk was immune under freedom of expression and especillyu wright spoke in court of presumed god christ. But obama's fke renouncement of his 20 years of close relationship with rev right make obama a very devious man as he attended sermons , say , without feeling goo or bad about it whether patriotic or anti american. dump hillary or obama, white majority in usa , yu as a group in human civilization have been excellent selector or a leader like washington, lincoln, roosevelt of reagan, w , then why u sould pick up a counterfeit leader, who be a woman like hillary or black like obama. U could draft a better black person or a better woman to beyour leader if u find it harder to find an optimally good and talented patriot for the job of u s president . look around u may find a true leader for u. from 1. 20. 2009. Pl do not junk you future with sense o nobility to woman or a black.see below : DiscussEnter Your CommentSubmit Member Comments Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 21, 2008 at 8:22 PM) 4.21.2008new york rev makhan lal ghosh , democratice reforms agent & asst to dr kamal karna roy , a gop presidential hopeful and demanding to be mr cleaner gop would be president of nov 4 scheduled election of 2008 if be held on schedule as prayers were made inthe 42+ usd court jurisdictions in most regions of usa to postpone u s presidential election of 2008 for massive corruptions by 550+ defendants during 2007-08 to harm. to pain . and to damage chances of winningof the rev dr kamal karna k roy as the u s gop candidate and nominee as the mr cleaner president of usa as and when it be held without corruptions in campaign;and prayers were made that u s house of repsentative appoint an interim u s president on jan 20, 2009 pursuant to misc laws in the u s constitution and federal laws on a prayer of usd court ourt suggestion for the appointrment to refil of void in the system if election is postponed. dr roy shall move to ifferent circuit courts of appeals if correctional measures are no approved or granted by courts and pursuant to u s constitution action shall follow u s supreme court in washington dc for appellate reriefs if not be available by lower ourts and circuit court of appeals. Yahoo! SearchSearch:Welcome, viswa_dh [Sign Out, My Account]Answers Home -Forum -Blog -Help Ask Answer Discover Search for questions: Advanced My Profile Home > Politics & Government > Politics > Your Open Question viswa_dh Member since: April 21, 2008 Total points: 91 (Level 1) Your Open QuestionShow me another » The rev mr makhan lal ghosh a leader of masses for democratic have-nots , oors and disadvantaged ? Search:Welcome, viswa_dh [Sign Out, My Account]Answers Home -Forum -Blog -Help Ask Answer Discover Search for questions: Advanced My Profile Home > Politics & Government > Civic Participation > Your Open Question viswa_dh Member since: April 21, 2008 Total points: 96 (Level 1) Your Open QuestionShow me another » THE REV MAKHAN LAL GHOSH AUTHOR POLITICAL STRATEGIST WORLD_WIDE DEMOCRACIES, REFORM AGENT, ORDAINED CLERGY WR? VISITING BELGHORIA, NEAR KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA; BENGALI AUTHOR OF REPUTE; LAWYER; A LEADER OF STRUGGLING PEOPLE IN 3RD WORLD NATIONS; HE WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP STRATEGY TO BRING HAVE_NOTS CLOSE TO HAVE ALLS: HE IS A FOLLOWER OF DR THE REV KAMAL KARNA ROY, A U S GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND DEJANDING TO BE MR CLEANER GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE OF GOP IN THE NOV 4, 2008 U S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2998 IF BE HELD ON TIME WITHOUT A USD COURTR INJUNCTION TO POSTPONE U S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF NOV 4, 2008 FOR MASS AND SKYHIGH CORRUPTIONS BY 560+ defendants 1 second ago - 3 days left to answer. Report Abuse --------------------------------------... Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 19, 2008 at 2:46 PM) Report Abuse --------------------------------------... Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 25, 2008 at 4:25 AM) the rev makhan lal ghosh & mr the rev premansu das r das reporting themes of the reverend dr kamal karna k toy a u s gop presiential candidate of gop and demanding to be nominated as mr cleanest gop presidential nominee for 2008 nov 4 scheduled election if election be held without injunctive order of postponement of the election of president until enquiries may be completed fof allegations of corruptins by 590+ defendants in 48+ us d court of diverse juridiction. DiscussEnter Your CommentSubmit Member Comments Posted By: CANDIDATE_REPUBLICAN (April 21, 2008 at 8:22 PM) 4.21.2008new york rev makhan lal ghosh , democratice reforms agent & asst to dr kamal karna roy , a gop presidential hopeful and demanding to be mr cleaner gop would be president of nov 4 scheduled election of 2008 if be held on schedule as prayers were made inthe 42+ usd court jurisdictions in most regions of usa to postpone u s presidential election of 2008 for massive corruptions by 550+ defendants during 2007-08 to harm. to pain . and to damage chances of winningof the rev dr kamal karna k roy as the u s gop candidate and nominee as the mr cleaner president of usa as and when it be held without corruptions in campaign;and prayers were made that u s house of repsentative appoint an interim u s president on jan 20, 2009 pursuant to misc laws in the u s constitution and federal laws on a prayer of usd court ourt suggestion for the appointrment to refil of void in the system if election is postponed. dr roy shall move to ifferent circuit courts of appeals if correctional measures are no approved or granted by courts and pursuant to u s constitution action shall follow u s supreme court in washington dc for appellate reriefs if not be available by lower ourts and circuit court of appeals. Yahoo! SearchSearch:Welcome, viswa_dh [Sign Out, My Account]Answers Home -Forum -Blog -Help Ask Answer Discover Search for questions: Advanced My Profile Home > Politics & Government > Politics > Your Open Question viswa_dh Member since: April 21, 2008 Total points: 91 (Level 1) Your Open QuestionShow me another » The rev mr makhan lal ghosh a leader of masses for democratic have-nots , oors and disadvantaged ? Search:Welcome, viswa_dh [Sign Out, My Account]Answers Home -Forum -Blog -Help Ask Answer Discover Search for questions: Advanced My Profile Home > Politics & Government > Civic Participation > Your Open Question viswa_dh Member since: April 21, 2008 Total points: 96 (Level 1) Your Open QuestionShow me another » THE REV MAKHAN LAL GHOSH AUTHOR POLITICAL STRATEGIST WORLD_WIDE DEMOCRACIES, REFORM AGENT, ORDAINED CLERGY WR? VISITING BELGHORIA, NEAR KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA; BENGALI AUTHOR OF REPUTE; LAWYER; A LEADER OF STRUGGLING PEOPLE IN 3RD WORLD NATIONS; HE WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP STRATEGY TO BRING HAVE_NOTS CLOSE TO HAVE ALLS: HE IS A FOLLOWER OF DR THE REV KAMAL KARNA ROY, A U S GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND DEJANDING TO BE MR CLEANER GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE OF GOP IN THE NOV 4, 2008 U S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2998 IF BE HELD ON TIME WITHOUT A USD COURTR INJUNCTION TO POSTPONE U S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF NOV 4, 2008 FOR MASS AND SKYHIGH CORRUPTIONS BY 560+ defendants 1 second ago - 3 days left Report Abuse --------------------------------------... 2 months ago Report Abuse by x_tedee_... Member since: April 17, 2007 Total points: 2379 (Level 3) Add to My Contacts Block User Best Answer - Chosen by Voters sure 2 months ago 100% 1 Vote 0 Rating: Good Answer 0 Rating: Bad Answer Report Abuse Sorry, you must be Level 2 to rate 0 stars - mark this as Interesting! Email Comment (0) Save Save to My Web Add to My Yahoo! Add to Del.icio.us RSS There are currently no comments for this question. Add a comment Please limit to 300 characters Other Answers (0) No other answers. Open Questions in Politics What ever happen to The Star-Spangled Banner? Why has it been replaced by the Black National Anthem? Do you think most people on this forum know how to argue? I need some help plz will someone help? What were all the drugs Obama did that he talked about in his book? Resolved Questions in Politics If You Are Against Gay Marriage, This Question is For You? Is the Average American Brainwashed into Intolerance for Muslims? why muslims are opposing nuke deal? YOUNG REPUBLICANS/CONSERVATIVES: Question for you? Hello vishwa d Total Points 57 Level 1 Thanks! Thanks for visiting! 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Resolved Question: can you find out the truth about islam before you comment?

Renowned female Scholar: Aminah Assilmi Aminah is a renowned female scholar of Islam she travels around the United States to give lectures , her personal story has admired hundreds of individuals , she is also President of International Union of Muslim Women , the organization that has many achievements under its belt. "I am so very glad that I am a Muslim. Islam is my life. Islam is the beat of my heart. Islam is the blood that courses through my veins. Islam is my strength. Islam is my life so wonderful and beautiful. Without Islam I am nothing, and should Allah ever turn His magnificent face from me, I could not survive." Aminah It all started with a computer glitch. She was a Southern Baptist girl, a radical feminist, and a broadcast journalist. She was a girl with an unusual caliber, who excelled in school, received scholarships, ran her own business, and were competing with professionals and getting awards – all these while she was going to college. Then one day a computer error happened that made her take up a mission as a devout Christian. Eventually, however, it resulted into something opposite and changed her life completely around. It was 1975 when for the first time computer was used to pre-register for a class in her college. She was working on her degree on Recreation. She pre-registered for a class and then went to Oklahoma City to take care of a business. Her return was delayed and she came back to college two weeks into the class. Making up the missed work was no problem for her, but she was surprised to find that the computer mistakenly registered her for a Theatre class, a class where students would be required to perform in front of others. She was a very reticent girl and she was horrified to think about performing in front of others. She could not drop the class for it was too late Failing the class was also not a choice, for she was receiving a scholarship that was paying for her tuition and receiving an 'F' would have jeopardized it. Advised by her husband, she went to her teacher to work out some other alternative to performing, such as preparing costumes, etc. Assured by the teacher that he would try to help her, she went to the next class and was shocked by what she saw. The class was full of Arabs and "camel jockeys". That was enough for her. She came back home and decided not to go back to the class anymore. It was not possible for her to be in the middle of Arabs. "There was no way I was going to sit in a room full of dirty heathens!" Her husband was calm as usual. He pointed out to her that God has a reason for everything and that she should think about more before quitting. Besides, there was the scholarship that was paying her tuition. She went behind locked doors for 2 days to think about. When she came out, she decided to continue the class. She felt that God gave her a task to convert the Arabs into Christianity. Thus she found herself with a mission to accomplish. Throughout the class, she would be discussing Christianity with her Arab classmates. "I proceeded to explain to them how they would burn in the fires of hell for all eternity, if they did not accept Jesus as their personal savior. They were very polite, but did not convert. Then, I explained how Jesus loved them and had died on the cross to save them from their sins. All they had to do was accept him into their hearts." They still did not convert, and so she decided to do something else: "I decided to read their own book to show to them that Islam was a false religion and Mohammed was a false Prophet". At her request, one student gave her a copy of the Qur'an and another book on Islam. With these two books she started on her research, which she was to continue for the next one and half years. She read the Qur'an fully and another fifteen books on Islam. Then she came back to the Qur'an and re-read it. During her research, she started taking notes that she found objectionable and which she would be able to use to prove that Islam was a false religion. Unconsciously, however, she was changing from within which did not escape the attention of her husband. "I was changing, just in little ways but enough to bother him. We used to go to the bar every Friday and Saturday, or to a party, and I no longer wanted to go. I was quieter and more distant." She stopped drinking and eating pork. Her husband suspected her of having an affair with another man, for "it was only for a man that a woman changes". Ultimately, she was asked to leave, and she soon found herself living in a separate apartment "W hen I first started to study Islam, I did not expect to find anything that I needed or wanted in my personal life. Little did I know that Islam would change my life. No human could have ever convinced me that I would finally be at peace and overflowing with love and joy because of Islam." Throughout these times, she continued studying Islam and although she was changing subtly from within, she remained a devout Christian. Then one day, there was a knock on her door. It was a man in traditional Muslim robe, who appeared to her as a "man in a long white night gown with a red and white Checkered table cloth on his head". His name was Abdul-Aziz Al-Sheik and he was accompanied by three other men in similar dress. She was very offended by Muslim men coming to her in nightgowns and pajamas. She was further shocked when Abdul-Aziz told her that he understood that she waited to be a Muslim. She replied that she was a Christian and she did not have any plan to become a Muslim. However, she had some questions to ask if they had the time. At her invitation, they came inside. She now brought up the questions and objections that she noted down while she was researching. "I will never forget his name", she said of Abdul-Aziz who proved to be a very patient and soft-mannered person. "He was very patient and discussed every question with me. He never made me feel silly or that a question was stupid." Abdul-Aziz listened to every question and objection and explained it within the proper context. "He explained that Allah had told us to seek knowledge and questions were one of the ways to accomplish that. When he explained something, it was like watching a rose open – petal by petal, until it reached its full glory. When I told him that I did not agree with something and why, he always said I was correct up to a point. Then he would show me how to look deeper and from different directions to reach a fuller understanding." It would not be long before she would externally submit to what she had already been submitting to internally during the last one and half years. Later in that same day, this Southern Baptist girl would declare in front of Abdul-Aziz and his companions: "I bear witness that there is no god but God and Mohammed is His Messenger." It was May 21, 1977 . Conversion to Islam, or to any other religion for that matter, is not always a simple thing to do. Except for a few fortunate ones, a new Muslim usually face consequences. The convert may face isolation from family and friends, if not pressure to go back to the family faith. Sometimes, a convert may even face sever economic hardship, as in the case of those who are asked to leave the house because of converting to Islam. Some converts are fortunate to continue to be well respected by family and friends, but most of them face minor to severe hardship especially during the first few years after the conversion. But the difficulty that Aminah Assilimi had to go through and the sacrifice that she had to make for the sake of her conviction and faith is almost unheard of. There are few who could rely so much on Allah as she did, standing firm and meeting the challenges, making sacrifices, and yet maintaining a positive posture and influencing people around with the beauty of what she found and believed in. She lost most of her friends, for she was "no fun anymore". Her mother did not accept her becoming a Muslim and hoped that it was a temporary zeal and that she would soon grow out of it. Her "mental health expert" sister thought that she lost her mind. She attempted to put her in a mental health institution. Her father was a calm and wise man. People would come to him for advice and he could comfort anyone in distress. But when he heard that his daughter became a Muslim, he loaded his double-barrel shotgun and started on his way to kill her. "It is better that she be dead rather than suffering in the deepest of Hell", he said. She was now without friends and without family. She soon started wearing hijab. The day she put it on, she was denied her job. She was now without family, friends, and job. But her greatest sacrifice was yet to come. She and her husband both loved each other very much. But while she was studying Islam, her husband misunderstood her for her apparent changes. She became quieter and stopped going to the bar. Her changes were visible to him and he suspected her of having affair with another man, for whom she must have been changing. She could not explain to him what was happening. "There was no way to make him understand what was changing me because I did not know. “Eventually he asked her to leave and she started living separately. After she openly accepted Islam, it went worse. A divorce was now inevitable. This was a time when Islam was little known, much less understood for what it is. She had two little children whom she loved dearly and whose custody should have rightfully be given to her. But in a grave violation of justice, she was denied their custody just because she became a Muslim. Before giving the formal verdict, the judge offered her a harsh choice: either renounce Islam and get custody of the children, or keep Islam and leave the children. She was given 20 minutes to make a decision. She loved her children very dearly. It is perhaps the worst nightmare that a mother can have: asked to willfully leave her child - not for one day, month, or year, but forever. On the other hand, how could she keep the Truth away from her children and live as a hypocrite? "It was the most painful 20 minutes in my life", she said in an interview. Those of us who are mothers and fathers, especially of young children, little imagination is needed to feel the pain and torment that she must have passed every second in those 20 minutes. What added further to her pain was that according to doctors, she could never bear another child because of certain complications. "I prayed like I had never done before … I knew that there was no safer place for my children to be than in the hands of Allah. If I denied Him, there would be no way in the future to show my children the wonders of being with Allah." She decided to retain Islam. Her two dear children – one little boy and one little girl – were taken away from her and given to her ex-husband. For a mother, is there a sacrifice greater than this – a sacrifice that is done for no material reason but only for faith and conviction? "I left the court knowing that life without my babies would be very difficult. My heart bled, even though I knew, inside, I had done the right thing" . She found comfort in the following verse of the Qur'an: There is no god but He,-the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory). (Quran 2: 255) Perhaps the air of Colorado was too thin for justice. Or perhaps there was a plan in Allah's greater scheme of affairs. Aminah Assilimi later fought back and took her case to the media. Although she did not get custody of her children again, a change was made in the Colorado law that one cannot be denied child custody on the basis of his or her religion. Indeed Allah's love and mercy engulfed her so much that, as if, she has been granted the touchstone of Islam. Wherever she goes, people are touched by her beautiful words and Islamic manners and become Muslim. By accepting Islam, she became a changed person, and a much better person. So much so that her family, relatives, and people around her started appreciating her mannerism and the faith that brought about such changes in her. Despite her family's initial reaction, she remained in touch with them and addressed them with respect and humility, just as the Qur'an enjoins the Muslims to do. She would send cards to her parents on different occasions, but she would always write down a verse from the Qur'an or the Hadith without mentioning the source of such beautiful words of wisdom. It was not long before she started making a positive influence among her family members. The first to become Muslim was her grand mother. She was over 100 years old. Soon after accepting Islam, she died. " The day she pronounced Shahada, all her misdeeds had been erased, while her good deeds were preserved. She died so soon after accepting Islam that I knew her "book" was bound to be heavy on the good side. It fills me with such a joy!" Next to become Muslim was her father, the one who wanted to kill her after she became Muslim. Thus he brought alive the story of Umar ibn Khattab. Umar was a companion of the Prophet who persecuted the early Muslims before he converted to Islam. When he heard one day that his sister became a Muslim, he went out with an open sword to kill her. But upon hearing some of the verses from the Qur'an that his sister was reciting, he recognized the truth and went straight to the Prophet and accepted Islam. Two years after she (Assilmi) accepted Islam, her mother called and said that she appreciated her faith and hoped that she would keep it. Couple of years later, she called again and asked her about what one would need to do to become a Muslim. Assilmi replied that one had to believe that there is only One God and Muhammad was his Messenger. "Any fool knows that. But what do you have to do?" , she asked again. She replied that if that is what she believed, then she was already a Muslim! At this, her mother said, "Well … OK. But let's not tell your father just yet" . She was not aware that her husband (Assilmi's step father) had the same conversation with her a few weeks earlier. Thus the two lived together as Muslims for years in secret without knowing that the other was also a Muslim. Her sister who wanted to put her in mental institution accepted Islam as well. She must have realized that becoming Muslim is indeed the most healthy and sound thing to do. Her son, upon becoming adult, accepted Islam. When he turned 21, he called her and said that he wanted to become a Muslim. Sixteen years after the divorce, her ex-husband also accepted Islam. He said that he had been watching her for sixteen years and wanted his daughter to have the same religion that she had. He came to her and apologized for what he had done. He was a very nice gentlemen and Assilimi had forgiven him long ago. Perhaps the greatest reward for her was yet to come. Assilmi later married another person, and despite the doctors' verdict that she could never conceive another child, Allah blessed her with a beautiful boy. If Allah (swt) makes a gift to someone, who can prevent Him? It was truly a wonderful blessing from Allah (swt), and so she named him "Barakah The sacrifice that Assilmi made for the sake of Allah (swt) was tremendous. And so Allah (swt) turned in mercy to her and rewarded her with enormous blessings. Her family discarded her after she accepted Islam, and now by Allah's mercy, most of them are Muslim. She lost her friends because of Islam, and now she is being loved by so many. "Friends who loved came out of nowhere", she said. Allah's blessings came upon her so much that wherever she goes people are touched by the beauty of Islam and accept the Truth. Both Muslims and non-Muslims now come to her for advice and counseling. She lost her job because of wearing hijab, and now she is the President of the International Union of Muslim Women. She delivers lectures nationwide and is on high demand. It was her organization that successfully lobbied for the "Eid Stamp" and had it approved by the United States Postal Service but it took many years of work. She is now working on making the Eid Day as a national holiday. She has tremendous trust on Allah's love and mercy and she never looses faith on Him. She was once diagnosed with cancer some years ago. Doctors said that it was in an advanced stage and that she would live for another year. But her faith in Allah (swt) remained strong. "We must all die. I was confident that the pain I was experiencing contained blessings." As a brilliant example of how much one can love Allah, she mentions about a friend of her named Kareem Al-Misawi who died of cancer when he was in his 20's: "Shortly before he died, he told me that Allah was truly Merciful. This man was in unbelievable anguish and was radiating with Allah's love. He said: "Allah intends that I should enter heaven with a clean book." His death experience gave me something to think about. He taught me of Allah's love and mercy." All praise is due to Allah, she continues to live in good health. She now thinks that having cancer was the greatest blessing that she ever had. http://www.famousmuslims.com/Aminah%20Assilmi.htm This sister's sacrifice is comparable to the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim Alaihi Salaam ... As rightly said by Shaheed Sayyid Qutb . Sacrifice - is the making of a Muslim ... "There is no Islam without struggle, and there is no struggle nobler than sharing Islam with those deprived of its beauty and blessings." Let us turn to Allah to help us lest our human frailties overwhelm us when sacrifices are demanded of us, and to seek His forgiveness for all our shortcomings and failures: "Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us; Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Release us from our sins, grant us forgiveness and have mercy on us…" [Quran 2:286] more

Resolved Question: Internet Debate Essay. What Do You Think ? Please Help ! ( Year 10 Coursework)?

It could be argued that the internet is the best technical development of our time. Since its creation in the late sixties, it has quickly become an important and beneficial piece of modern technology to millions of people all over the world. It is a global computer network, which provides a variety of facilities for communication, information and entertainment. With simple and immediate access to endless websites, available with just a click of a mouse, it may seem that surfing the net is the perfect cure for boredom. On the contrary, many people find themselves questioning this positive attitude towards the World Wide Web, when considering the risks and disadvantages that it brings, and the dangers that anyone may encounter whilst online. Amongst the most popular sites are social networks, such as ’Facebook’ and ‘Netlog’, where users have their own page within the network, and can communicate with each other no matter where in the world they are. People of any age, race or background can use these sites, which means you can talk to all sorts of people and learn about hundreds of different cultures and lifestyles. This is a great way to meet new friends or keep in touch with your old ones. ‘MySpace’ is a network where accounts and home pages are created by users, and pictures, music, blogs (online diaries) and videos can be uploaded. Bands, venues, individuals or even companies may have their own ‘MySpace’ and therefore you are sure to find something of interest amongst the thousands of accounts. ‘Msn Messenger’, the instant messaging service, is probably the most popular way for web users to stay in contact and have free, live conversations with any number of people. This means it is possible for many disabled internet users to talk amongst friends, without the trouble of leaving the house or the high expense of using the telephone. The disadvantage of this way of communicating is the lack of trust available between members, due to the fact that there is no sure way of knowing exactly whom you are talking to. People can lie about their identity, particularly their age, and paedophiles and stalkers may use the sites as easy access to their victims. Adults may lure children into thinking they are other children of a similar age and might convince them into meeting up with them in the outside world. This is called grooming and has been known to lead onto kidnappings, rape and violent attacks. Innocent youths may also fall victims to people of their own age, when accounts are hacked and abuse can be written through fake identities. It seems easier for teenagers to emotionally and mentally bully children of their own age whilst online, without the full contact of face-to-face conversation in real-life. Hateful messages can be sent through instant messaging, emails and even comment boxes on websites or someone’s personal page. This cyber bullying is a huge issue online and children can often feel unsafe within their own homes if they are suffering this abuse. Social networks may also have an addictive affect on users meaning they interact a lot less with friends and family. Users may even be left lacking the skills to have real conversations with people, without being able to hide behind a computer screen and keyboard. Then again, there is also the isolation that people who do not have internet access may face. They are unable to stay in touch with friends in the way that so may people take for granted. However, a final advantage of these social networking sites is that they are an advertisers dream. Businesses can easily advertise online, and popular sites such as these social networking ones are a huge opportunity to attract customers. Children, adults, parents and people of different professions and interests can be specifically targeted through certain websites, which are suited to them, in order to attract the most potential customers. A good example of this is through search engines, which make their money by displaying advertisements within the results of what the internet user has searched. Of course businesses can use the internet to their advantage in many other ways also. Records and databases can be held on the internet, and secured and accessed through passwords. The stock exchange can be viewed online and companies can check in on their competition by simply searching for them on the internet. They can research customer demand , or keep in touch with buyers, employees and other businesses via email or their own webpage .Finally, websites like ‘Monster’, which is an online directory where employees upload their CV’s, allow employers to find the most suitable staff, without having to hold hundreds of interviews. Another way in which the internet is highly useful is through its vast range of entertainment available. This entertainment can mean that it is no longer necessary to leave your seat in order to have fun, and therefore hundreds of people have a significant lack of exercise, which of course is a health risk. This has been linked to the increasing problem of obesity in both children and adults. On the other hand, the vast sources of entertainment are a major plus to millions of internet surfers. Video upload sites prove to be very popular with hundreds of thousands of viewers visiting Youtube everyday. Anyone can upload anything they like onto these sites from TV series, to homemade short films, music videos and any other creations. It is a great way to watch and create video blogs and learn about other people from across the world. It could even be said that the internet is better than a remote control. Online gaming is another aspect of the internet to enjoy. Hundreds of free games are available to download and play with genres to suit everyone. Puzzle, adventure, racing and even multiplayer games can be accessed quickly through many websites, the majority are free and simple to download or play though a flash player. Downloading is relied on by many people so that they can have the latest songs and films stored to their own computer and then sent to their phone or personal music and video players (Ipods or MP4s). ‘Limewire’ is a program that allows millions of files to be shared across the net and almost anything can be downloaded quickly and simply from this free source. This can mean that the artists and producers of songs are missing out on profits that they deserve. All this freedom of viewing on the net can be dangerous when there are no age restrictions. Youths may be badly influenced by violent images they see online, and unsuitable pornographic material is easily accessible to them at the click of a mouse. Most adults would agree that this needs to be more carefully regulated, but it is highly unlikely that age restrictions would ever prevent teenagers from intentionally viewing these sites, when they can simply type in a false age. This easy accessibility throughout the internet can be useful though when referring to educational purposes. Students have many websites available that are dedicated to encourage and enable studying, revision and coursework. BBC Bitesize in particular is a useful website which pupils of Key stage three and Key Stage four can use to assist them in learning. Teachers can also benefit from the online lesson plans on offer throughout the net and students can stay in touch with their tutors through email whenever necessary. The internet can also be considered as a brilliant learning aid because of its huge volumes of information covering endless varieties of subjects; it could be thought of as the biggest encyclopaedia in the world. Information that is usually unobtainable in local libraries is easily reached through search engines and students can read expert knowledge from specialists in the topic they need. Never the less there are still negative aspects to using the internet this way. It makes it possible for pupils to copy and cheat on tests and coursework using past essays and work that someone has uploaded onto the web previously. Some learners may become dependent on using the internet for help with their work and not able to perform as well under exam conditions in school. Some information gained from websites may be seriously outdated or inaccurate and therefore useless. There is also an unfair advantage on students that do no have internet access at home. Shopping online is another great way of taking advantage of the World Wide Web. You can purchase anything from a huge assortment of products from anywhere in the world; from clothes, gifts, memorabilia and anything else that you could possibly want. It’s the ultimate shopping experience, and shops you can find on the high street have their own online stores along with shops only available on the net. It is a much simpler way of browsing for whatever you may be looking for, without the bother of busy crowds. There are also often online discounts available, or some items sold on the internet are originally cheaper than on the high street anyway, and comparing prices online is easily done. Being able to shop online makes a big difference in peoples lives if they are disabled or seriously ill. Being housebound means that they do not get the chance to visit the supermarket or their local city centre on a regular basis, like so many people do, but that problem has been solved with home delivery. Anything they might buy off the internet can probably be delivered straight to their doorstep, whether it’s their weekly shop or something they’ve splashed out on. ‘Ebay’ is a massively successful online auction site where you can bid on items which other people are selling through the website. All you need is an online account and then you can start buying and selling pretty much what ever takes your fancy. You can make money by selling unwanted pieces in your home or save money by striking lucky in an auction, and having the winning bid on your requested item. However, things that you see on the internet may not always turn out to be what you expected when they arrive at your home. What you have bought may have been misrepresented online and you could be left disappointed with something you have no use of. It is also common to overspend without realising when buying online. Paying for goods via the internet is only possible by using a credit card and sometimes this means that you are not as aware of exactly how much money you are parting with, if you do not physically hand it over. Even more unfortunate is that your card details may not be secure and someone else could use your bank account without you knowing. Although using the internet is an essential aspect to many people’s lives, it does prove to have risks and consequences if used inappropriately or too often. Still, I have to disagree with the statement of “the internet is a monster out of control” because I find that the pros out weigh the cons by far. Without the internet certain aspects of life would prove difficult to me and millions of other people. The web is relied on everyday for purposes of work, school and play and as long as we approach it with more knowledge of the dangers, it can benefit us the many ways that it is intended to. more

Resolved Question: What do you think of the 1000 characters limit?

Global impact McDonald's has become emblematic of globalization, sometimes referred as the "McDonaldization" of society. The Economist magazine uses the "Big Mac Index": the comparison of a Big Mac's cost in various world currencies can be used to informally judge these currencies' purchasing power parity. Because McDonald's is closely identified with American culture and lifestyle, its international business expansion has been termed[by who?] part of Americanization and American cultural imperialism. McDonald's is a perpetual target of various and often conflicting anti-globalization protests worldwide. The brand is known informally as "Mickey D's" (in the US and Canada), "Macky D's" (in the UK), "McDo" (in France, Quebec, the Philippines, and the Kansai region of Japan), "Maccer's" (in Ireland), "Maccas" (in New Zealand and Australia) or "de Mac" (in the Netherlands). Thomas Friedman once said that no country with a McDonald's had gone to war with another.[8] However, the "Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention" is not strictly true. Careful historians point to the 1989 United States invasion of Panama, when NATO bombed Serbia in 1999, and the 2006 Lebanon War as exceptions. Some observers have suggested that the company should be given credit for increasing the standard of service in markets that it enters. A group of anthropologists in a study entitled Golden Arches East (Stanford University Press, 1998, edited by James L. Watson) looked at the impact McDonald's had on East Asia, and Hong Kong in particular. When it opened in Hong Kong in 1975, McDonald's was the first restaurant to consistently offer clean restrooms, driving customers to demand the same of other restaurants and institutions. In East Asia in particular, McDonald's have become a symbol for the desire to embrace Western cultural norms. McDonald's have recently taken to partnering up with Sinopec, China's second largest oil company, in the People's Republic of China, as it begins to take advantage of China's growing use of personal vehicles by opening numerous drive-thru restaurants. [9] In addition to its effect on business standards, McDonald's has also been instrumental in changing local customs. By popularizing the idea of a quick restaurant meal, Watson's study suggests, McDonald's led to the easing or elimination of various taboos, such as eating while walking in Japan.[dubious – discuss] CriticismPotted plants at a McDonald's. The company has been a target of criticism practically since its inception. Since the mid-1990s this protest has taken the form of an anti-globalization movement as documented in Naomi Klein's manifesto No Logo. McDonald's restaurants have been the targets of protests, peaceful and otherwise, by environmental, anti-globalization and animal rights activists. The company has used a litigious approach to protecting its business interests. This conflict, and the company's approach to resolving it, was epitomized in the early 1990s by what came to be known as the McLibel case. Two British activists, David Morris and Helen Steel, distributed leaflets entitled What's wrong with McDonald's? on the streets of London. McDonald's wrote to Steel and Morris demanding they desist and apologize, and, when they refused, sued them for libel. The trial lasted more than two years. The company's advertising techniques and business practices were scrutinized in the High Court of Justice in London and reported extensively in the press, who saw the case as a David and Goliath battle (under UK law, legal aid could not be granted for a defamation suit, so Steel and Morris did most of their own legal casework while McDonald's was represented by an extensive legal team). In June 1997, the judge ruled in favor of McDonald's, awarding the company £60,000 damages, which was later reduced to £40,000 by the Court of Appeal. The amount was low because the judge ruled that some of the claims made by Morris and Steel had been proved, including that McDonald's exploited children in its advertising, was anti-trade union and indirectly exploited and caused suffering to animals. Steel and Morris announced they had no intention of ever paying, and the company later confirmed it would not be pursuing the money. Steel and Morris later successfully challenged UK libel law in the European Court, arguing that it was an infringement of the right to free speech. The British Government was forced to re-write the legislation as a result. In 2005, a film by Ken Loach was made about the court case. In 2001, Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation included criticism of McDonald's' business practices. Among the critiques are allegations that McDonald's (along with other companies within the fast-food industry) uses its political influence to increase their own profits at the expense of people's health and the social conditions of its workers. The book also brings into question McDonald's advertisement techniques where it targets children. While the book does mention other fast-food chains, it focuses primarily on McDonald's. In 2002, vegetarian groups, largely Hindu, successfully sued McDonald's for misrepresenting their French fries as vegetarian.[10] Even after the discontinuation of frying the French fries in beef tallow in 1990, the French fries still had beef extract added to them. The French fries sold in the U.S. still contain beef and animal flavoring. McDonald's biscuits also contain beef flavoring along with animal flavoring. Also in 2004, Morgan Spurlock's documentary film Super Size Me said that McDonald's food was contributing to the epidemic of obesity in society, and failing to provide nutritional information about its food for its customers. For 30 days Spurlock ate nothing but McDonald's (supersizing whenever asked). He ate everything on the menu at least once and continued to eat after he was full. At the same time he consciously attempted to get little or no exercise. By the end of the month he had gained 24.5 pounds (11.11 kg), was moody and had less interest in sex. Others have disputed Spurlock's claims (see below). After the film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival, but before its cinematic release, McDonald's stated it was phasing out its Supersize meal option and would begin offering several healthier menu items, though no link to the film was cited in this decision. However, while the healthier menu items have appeared, the Supersize meal option still remains available at some locations. The company also began a practice of putting nutritional information for all menu items in light grey small print on the reverse of their tray liners. It is currently phasing in nutritional labeling in clear black print on the actual packaging of its food items. Anthony Bourdain on his show, No Reservations, has criticised McDonald's among other fast-food restaurants for its culinary blandness. Legal challenge over trans fats In September 2002, McDonald’s announced it was voluntarily reducing the trans fat content of its cooking oil by February 2003. Because of operational problems, the oil was not changed on time. In the ensuing lawsuits, plaintiffs claimed that McDonald’s didn't do enough to inform the public that the oil was not changed. The bantransfat.com website contains testimonials from people, one claims she thought the oil was low in trans fat, and she said, "that is why I have been eating there every week..." In a settlement agreement, bantransfat.com said "While there is a difference of opinion regarding whether McDonald’s gave effective notice to its customers that the oil was not changed, McDonald’s deserves recognition and credit for having achieved a reduction in the trans fat levels ... and for working diligently over the last two years to test additional cooking oils." Nevertheless, bantransfat.com demanded monetary damages. Settlement of the lawsuit brought by BanTransFats.com and one private party requires McDonald’s spend up to $1.5 million to publish notices on the status of its trans fat initiative. McDonald’s will also donate $7 million to the American Heart Association for public education about trans fat. [3]. The settlement also requires some money be paid directly to bantransfat.com. The California Superior Court for Marin County has entered an order preliminarily approving the settlement. Supporters of McDonald's point out that the company is successful because it meets the needs of customers and adapts to its customers wants. In response to public pressure, McDonald's has sought to include more healthy choices in its menu and has introduced a new slogan to its recruitment posters: "Not bad for a McJob". (The word McJob, first attested in the mid-1980s[11] and later popularized by Canadian novelist Douglas Coupland in his book Generation X, has become a buzz word for low-paid, unskilled work with few prospects or benefits and little security.) McDonald's disputes the idea that its restaurant jobs have no prospects, noting that its CEO, Jim Skinner, started working at the company as a regular restaurant employee, and that 20 of its top 50 managers began work as regular crew members. [12] In 2007, the company launched an advertising campaign with the slogan "Would you like a career with that?" on Irish television, outlining that their jobs have many prospects. In a bid to tap into growing consumer interest in the provenance of food, the fast-food chain recently switched its supply of both coffee beans and milk. UK chief executive Steve Easterbrook said: “British consumers are increasingly interested in the quality, sourcing and ethics of the food and drink they buy". McDonald's coffee is now brewed from beans taken from stocks that have been certified by the conservation group the Rainforest Alliance. Similarly, milk supplies used for its hot drinks and milkshakes have been switched to organic sources which could account for 5% of the UK's organic milk output[13]. In other cases, the firm has shown itself ready to adjust its business practices. When the public became concerned that product packaging was environmentally damaging, McDonald's started a joint project with Friends of the Earth to eliminate the use of polystyrene containers, only in the United States, and to reduce the amount of waste produced. Throughout the McLibel trial, senior representatives of the firm said they were merely trying to protect its image from undue and unfounded attack. With regard to its numerous and often controversial copyright and trademark actions, McDonald's lawyers say they are simply protecting the company's intellectual property. Super Size Me has been characterized as a non-scientific publicity stunt. The subject of the film consumes massive quantities of McDonald's food, to the point of being sickened by it. Eating on an hourly schedule and, as part of his rules, eating additional quantities each time a McDonald's worker says the word "supersize," the subject gains weight. Following the release of the film Super Size Me, some people reported they had experienced no weight gain and suffered no ill effect by eating only at McDonald's for a month, but choosing menu items more judiciously and exercising frequently.Minimize Me Merab Morgan, a North Carolina woman, was even able to lose weight.Woman loses 33 lb on McDonald's diet She claimed that the transparency of nutritional information made it easy to control her daily caloric intake. Global impact McDonald's has become emblematic of globalization, sometimes referred as the "McDonaldization" of society. The Economist magazine uses the "Big Mac Index": the comparison of a Big Mac's cost in various world currencies can be used to informally judge these currencies' purchasing power parity. Because McDonald's is closely identified with American culture and lifestyle, its international business expansion has been termed[by who?] part of Americanization and American cultural imperialism. McDonald's is a perpetual target of various and often conflicting anti-globalization protests worldwide. The brand is known informally as "Mickey D's" (in the US and Canada), "Macky D's" (in the UK), "McDo" (in France, Quebec, the Philippines, and the Kansai region of Japan), "Maccer's" (in Ireland), "Maccas" (in New Zealand and Australia) or "de Mac" (in the Netherlands). Thomas Friedman once said that no country with a McDonald's had gone to war with another.[8] However, the "Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention" is not strictly true. Careful historians point to the 1989 United States invasion of Panama, when NATO bombed Serbia in 1999, and the 2006 Lebanon War as exceptions. Some observers have suggested that the company should be given credit for increasing the standard of service in markets that it enters. A group of anthropologists in a study entitled Golden Arches East (Stanford University Press, 1998, edited by James L. Watson) looked at the impact McDonald's had on East Asia, and Hong Kong in particular. When it opened in Hong Kong in 1975, McDonald's was the first restaurant to consistently offer clean restrooms, driving customers to demand the same of other restaurants and institutions. In East Asia in particular, McDonald's have become a symbol for the desire to embrace Western cultural norms. McDonald's have recently taken to partnering up with Sinopec, China's second largest oil company, in the People's Republic of China, as it begins to take advantage of China's growing use of personal vehicles by opening numerous drive-thru restaurants. [9] In addition to its effect on business standards, McDonald's has also been instrumental in changing local customs. By popularizing the idea of a quick restaurant meal, Watson's study suggests, McDonald's led to the easing or elimination of various taboos, such as eating while walking in Japan.[dubious – discuss] CriticismPotted plants at a McDonald's. The company has been a target of criticism practically since its inception. Since the mid-1990s this protest has taken the form of an anti-globalization movement as documented in Naomi Klein's manifesto No Logo. McDonald's restaurants have been the targets of protests, peaceful and otherwise, by environmental, anti-globalization and animal rights activists. The company has used a litigious approach to protecting its business interests. This conflict, and the company's approach to resolving it, was epitomized in the early 1990s by what came to be known as the McLibel case. Two British activists, David Morris and Helen Steel, distributed leaflets entitled What's wrong with McDonald's? on the streets of London. McDonald's wrote to Steel and Morris demanding they desist and apologize, and, when they refused, sued them for libel. The trial lasted more than two years. The company's advertising techniques and business practices were scrutinized in the High Court of Justice in London and reported extensively in the press, who saw the case as a David and Goliath battle (under UK law, legal aid could not be granted for a defamation suit, so Steel and Morris did most of their own legal casework while McDonald's was represented by an extensive legal team). In June 1997, the judge ruled in favor of McDonald's, awarding the company £60,000 damages, which was later reduced to £40,000 by the Court of Appeal. The amount was low because the judge ruled that some of the claims made by Morris and Steel had been proved, including that McDonald's exploited children in its advertising, was anti-trade union and indirectly exploited and caused suffering to animals. Steel and Morris announced they had no intention of ever paying, and the company later confirmed it would not be pursuing the money. Steel and Morris later successfully challenged UK libel law in the European Court, arguing that it was an infringement of the right to free speech. The British Government was forced to re-write the legislation as a result. In 2005, a film by Ken Loach was made about the court case. In 2001, Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation included criticism of McDonald's' business practices. Among the critiques are allegations that McDonald's (along with other companies within the fast-food industry) uses its political influence to increase their own profits at the expense of people's health and the social conditions of its workers. The book also brings into question McDonald's advertisement techniques where it targets children. While the book does mention other fast-food chains, it focuses primarily on McDonald's. In 2002, vegetarian groups, largely Hindu, successfully sued McDonald's for misrepresenting their French fries as vegetarian.[10] Even after the discontinuation of frying the French fries in beef tallow in 1990, the French fries still had beef extract added to them. The French fries sold in the U.S. still contain beef and animal flavoring. McDonald's biscuits also contain beef flavoring along with animal flavoring. Also in 2004, Morgan Spurlock's documentary film Super Size Me said that McDonald's food was contributing to the epidemic of obesity in society, and failing to provide nutritional information about its food for its customers. For 30 days Spurlock ate nothing but McDonald's (supersizing whenever asked). He ate everything on the menu at least once and continued to eat after he was full. At the same time he consciously attempted to get little or no exercise. By the end of the month he had gained 24.5 pounds (11.11 kg), was moody and had less interest in sex. Others have disputed Spurlock's claims (see below). After the film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival, but before its cinematic release, McDonald's stated it was phasing out its Supersize meal option and would begin offering several healthier menu items, though no link to the film was cited in this decision. However, while the healthier menu items have appeared, the Supersize meal option still remains available at some locations. The company also began a practice of putting nutritional information for all menu items in light grey small print on the reverse of their tray liners. It is currently phasing in nutritional labeling in clear black print on the actual packaging of its food items. Anthony Bourdain on his show, No Reservations, has criticised McDonald's among other fast-food restaurants for its culinary blandness. Legal challenge over trans fats In September 2002, McDonald’s announced it was voluntarily reducing the trans fat content of its cooking oil by February 2003. Because of operational problems, the oil was not changed on time. In the ensuing lawsuits, plaintiffs claimed that McDonald’s didn't do enough to inform the public that the oil was not changed. The bantransfat.com website contains testimonials from people, one claims she thought the oil was low in trans fat, and she said, "that is why I have been eating there every week..." In a settlement agreement, bantransfat.com said "While there is a difference of opinion regarding whether McDonald’s gave effective notice to its customers that the oil was not changed, McDonald’s deserves recognition and credit for having achieved a reduction in the trans fat levels ... and for working diligently over the last two years to test additional cooking oils." Nevertheless, bantransfat.com demanded monetary damages. Settlement of the lawsuit brought by BanTransFats.com and one private party requires McDonald’s spend up to $1.5 million to publish notices on the status of its trans fat initiative. McDonald’s will also donate $7 million to the American Heart Association for public education about trans fat. [3]. The settlement also requires some money be paid directly to bantransfat.com. The California Superior Court for Marin County has entered an order preliminarily approving the settlement. Supporters of McDonald's point out that the company is successful because it meets the needs of customers and adapts to its customers wants. In response to public pressure, McDonald's has sought to include more healthy choices in its menu and has introduced a new slogan to its recruitment posters: "Not bad for a McJob". (The word McJob, first attested in the mid-1980s[11] and later popularized by Canadian novelist Douglas Coupland in his book Generation X, has become a buzz word for low-paid, unskilled work with few prospects or benefits and little security.) McDonald's disputes the idea that its restaurant jobs have no prospects, noting that its CEO, Jim Skinner, started working at the company as a regular restaurant employee, and that 20 of its top 50 managers began work as regular crew members. [12] In 2007, the company launched an advertising campaign with the slogan "Would you like a career with that?" on Irish television, outlining that their jobs have many prospects. In a bid to tap into growing consumer interest in the provenance of food, the fast-food chain recently switched its supply of both coffee beans and milk. UK chief executive Steve Easterbrook said: “British consumers are increasingly interested in the quality, sourcing and ethics of the food and drink they buy". McDonald's coffee is now brewed from beans taken from stocks that have been certified by the conservation group the Rainforest Alliance. Similarly, milk supplies used for its hot drinks and milkshakes have been switched to organic sources which could account for 5% of the UK's organic milk output[13]. In other cases, the firm has shown itself ready to adjust its business practices. When the public became concerned that product packaging was environmentally damaging, McDonald's started a joint project with Friends of the Earth to eliminate the use of polystyrene containers, only in the United States, and to reduce the amount of waste produced. Throughout the McLibel trial, senior representatives of the firm said they were merely trying to protect its image from undue and unfounded attack. With regard to its numerous and often controversial copyright and trademark actions, McDonald's lawyers say they are simply protecting the company's intellectual property. Super Size Me has been characterized as a non-scientific publicity stunt. The subject of the film consumes massive quantities of McDonald's food, to the point of being sickened by it. Eating on an hourly schedule and, as part of his rules, eating additional quantities each time a McDonald's worker says the word "supersize," the subject gains weight. Following the release of the film Super Size Me, some people reported they had experienced no weight gain and suffered no ill effect by eating only at McDonald's for a month, but choosing menu items more judiciously and exercising frequently.Minimize Me Merab Morgan, a North Carolina woman, was even able to lose weight.Woman loses 33 lb on McDonald's diet She claimed that the transparency of nutritional information made it easy to control her daily caloric intake. Global impact McDonald's has become emblematic of globalization, sometimes referred as the "McDonaldization" of society. The Economist magazine uses the "Big Mac Index": the comparison of a Big Mac's cost in various world currencies can be used to informally judge these currencies' purchasing power parity. Because McDonald's is closely identified with American culture and lifestyle, its international business expansion has been termed[by who?] part of Americanization and American cultural imperialism. McDonald's is a perpetual target of various and often conflicting anti-globalization protests worldwide. The brand is known informally as "Mickey D's" (in the US and Canada), "Macky D's" (in the UK), "McDo" (in France, Quebec, the Philippines, and the Kansai region of Japan), "Maccer's" (in Ireland), "Maccas" (in New Zealand and Australia) or "de Mac" (in the Netherlands). Thomas Friedman once said that no country with a McDonald's had gone to war with another.[8] However, the "Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention" is not strictly true. Careful historians point to the 1989 United States invasion of Panama, when NATO bombed Serbia in 1999, and the 2006 Lebanon War as exceptions. Some observers have suggested that the company should be given credit for increasing the standard of service in markets that it enters. A group of anthropologists in a study entitled Golden Arches East (Stanford University Press, 1998, edited by James L. Watson) looked at the impact McDonald's had on East Asia, and Hong Kong in particular. When it opened in Hong Kong in 1975, McDonald's was the first restaurant to consistently offer clean restrooms, driving customers to demand the same of other restaurants and institutions. In East Asia in particular, McDonald's have become a symbol for the desire to embrace Western cultural norms. McDonald's have recently taken to partnering up with Sinopec, China's second largest oil company, in the People's Republic of China, as it begins to take advantage of China's growing use of personal vehicles by opening numerous drive-thru restaurants. [9] In addition to its effect on business standards, McDonald's has also been instrumental in changing local customs. By popularizing the idea of a quick restaurant meal, Watson's study suggests, McDonald's led to the easing or elimination of various taboos, such as eating while walking in Japan.[dubious – discuss] CriticismPotted plants at a McDonald's. The company has been a target of criticism practically since its inception. Since the mid-1990s this protest has taken the form of an anti-globalization movement as documented in Naomi Klein's manifesto No Logo. McDonald's restaurants have been the targets of protests, peaceful and otherwise, by environmental, anti-globalization and animal rights activists. The company has used a litigious approach to protecting its business interests. This conflict, and the company's approach to resolving it, was epitomized in the early 1990s by what came to be known as the McLibel case. Two British activists, David Morris and Helen Steel, distributed leaflets entitled What's wrong with McDonald's? on the streets of London. McDonald's wrote to Steel and Morris demanding they desist and apologize, and, when they refused, sued them for libel. The trial lasted more than two years. The company's advertising techniques and business practices were scrutinized in the High Court of Justice in London and reported extensively in the press, who saw the case as a David and Goliath battle (under UK law, legal aid could not be granted for a defamation suit, so Steel and Morris did most of their own legal casework while McDonald's was represented by an extensive legal team). In June 1997, the judge ruled in favor of McDonald's, awarding the company £60,000 damages, which was later reduced to £40,000 by the Court of Appeal. The amount was low because the judge ruled that some of the claims made by Morris and Steel had been proved, including that McDonald's exploited children in its advertising, was anti-trade union and indirectly exploited and caused suffering to animals. Steel and Morris announced they had no intention of ever paying, and the company later confirmed it would not be pursuing the money. Steel and Morris later successfully challenged UK libel law in the European Court, arguing that it was an infringement of the right to free speech. The British Government was forced to re-write the legislation as a result. In 2005, a film by Ken Loach was made about the court case. In 2001, Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation included criticism of McDonald's' business practices. Among the critiques are allegations that McDonald's (along with other companies within the fast-food industry) uses its political influence to increase their own profits at the expense of people's health and the social conditions of its workers. The book also brings into question McDonald's advertisement techniques where it targets children. While the book does mention other fast-food chains, it focuses primarily on McDonald's. In 2002, vegetarian groups, largely Hindu, successfully sued McDonald's for misrepresenting their French fries as vegetarian.[10] Even after the discontinuation of frying the French fries in beef tallow in 1990, the French fries still had beef extract added to them. The French fries sold in the U.S. still contain beef and animal flavoring. McDonald's biscuits also contain beef flavoring along with animal flavoring. Also in 2004, Morgan Spurlock's documentary film Super Size Me said that McDonald's food was contributing to the epidemic of obesity in society, and failing to provide nutritional information about its food for its customers. For 30 days Spurlock ate nothing but McDonald's (supersizing whenever asked). He ate everything on the menu at least once and continued to eat after he was full. At the same time he consciously attempted to get little or no exercise. By the end of the month he had gained 24.5 pounds (11.11 kg), was moody and had less interest in sex. Others have disputed Spurlock's claims (see below). After the film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival, but before its cinematic release, McDonald's stated it was phasing out its Supersize meal option and would begin offering several healthier menu items, though no link to the film was cited in this decision. However, while the healthier menu items have appeared, the Supersize meal option still remains available at some locations. The company also began a practice of putting nutritional information for all menu items in light grey small print on the reverse of their tray liners. It is currently phasing in nutritional labeling in clear black print on the actual packaging of its food items. Anthony Bourdain on his show, No Reservations, has criticised McDonald's among other fast-food restaurants for its culinary blandness. Legal challenge over trans fats In September 2002, McDonald’s announced it was voluntarily reducing the trans fat content of its cooking oil by February 2003. Because of operational problems, the oil was not changed on time. In the ensuing lawsuits, plaintiffs claimed that McDonald’s didn't do enough to inform the public that the oil was not changed. The bantransfat.com website contains testimonials from people, one claims she thought the oil was low in trans fat, and she said, "that is why I have been eating there every week..." In a settlement agreement, bantransfat.com said "While there is a difference of opinion regarding whether McDonald’s gave effective notice to its customers that the oil was not changed, McDonald’s deserves recognition and credit for having achieved a reduction in the trans fat levels ... and for working diligently over the last two years to test additional cooking oils." Nevertheless, bantransfat.com demanded monetary damages. Settlement of the lawsuit brought by BanTransFats.com and one private party requires McDonald’s spend up to $1.5 million to publish notices on the status of its trans fat initiative. McDonald’s will also donate $7 million to the American Heart Association for public education about trans fat. [3]. The settlement also requires some money be paid directly to bantransfat.com. The California Superior Court for Marin County has entered an order preliminarily approving the settlement. Supporters of McDonald's point out that the company is successful because it meets the needs of customers and adapts to its customers wants. In response to public pressure, McDonald's has sought to include more healthy choices in its menu and has introduced a new slogan to its recruitment posters: "Not bad for a McJob". (The word McJob, first attested in the mid-1980s[11] and later popularized by Canadian novelist Douglas Coupland in his book Generation X, has become a buzz word for low-paid, unskilled work with few prospects or benefits and little security.) McDonald's disputes the idea that its restaurant jobs have no prospects, noting that its CEO, Jim Skinner, started working at the company as a regular restaurant employee, and that 20 of its top 50 managers began work as regular crew members. [12] In 2007, the company launched an advertising campaign with the slogan "Would you like a career with that?" on Irish television, outlining that their jobs have many prospects. In a bid to tap into growing consumer interest in the provenance of food, the fast-food chain recently switched its supply of both coffee beans and milk. UK chief executive Steve Easterbrook said: “British consumers are increasingly interested in the quality, sourcing and ethics of the food and drink they buy". McDonald's coffee is now brewed from beans taken from stocks that have been certified by the conservation group the Rainforest Alliance. Similarly, milk supplies used for its hot drinks and milkshakes have been switched to organic sources which could account for 5% of the UK's organic milk output[13]. In other cases, the firm has shown itself ready to adjust its business practices. When the public became concerned that product packaging was environmentally damaging, McDonald's started a joint project with Friends of the Earth to eliminate the use of polystyrene containers, only in the United States, and to reduce the amount of waste produced. Throughout the McLibel trial, senior representatives of the firm said they were merely trying to protect its image from undue and unfounded attack. With regard to its numerous and often controversial copyright and trademark actions, McDonald's lawyers say they are simply protecting the company's intellectual property. Super Size Me has been characterized as a non-scientific publicity stunt. The subject of the film consumes massive quantities of McDonald's food, to the point of being sickened by it. Eating on an hourly schedule and, as part of his rules, eating additional quantities each time a McDonald's worker says the word "supersize," the subject gains weight. Following the release of the film Super Size Me, some people reported they had experienced no weight gain and suffered no ill effect by eating only at McDonald's for a month, but choosing menu items more judiciously and exercising frequently.Minimize Me Merab Morgan, a North Carolina woman, was even able to lose weight.Woman loses 33 lb on McDonald's diet She claimed that the transparency of nutritional information made it easy to control her daily caloric intake. Global impact McDonald's has become emblematic of globalization, sometimes referred as the "McDonaldization" of society. The Economist magazine uses the "Big Mac Index": the comparison of a Big Mac's cost in various world currencies can be used to informally judge these currencies' purchasing power parity. Because McDonald's is closely identified with American culture and lifestyle, its international business expansion has been termed[by who?] part of Americanization and American cultural imperialism. McDonald's is a perpetual target of various and often conflicting anti-globalization protests worldwide. The brand is known informally as "Mickey D's" (in the US and Canada), "Macky D's" (in the UK), "McDo" (in France, Quebec, the Philippines, and the Kansai region of Japan), "Maccer's" (in Ireland), "Maccas" (in New Zealand and Australia) or "de Mac" (in the Netherlands). Thomas Friedman once said that no country with a McDonald's had gone to war with another.[8] However, the "Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention" is not strictly true. Careful historians point to the 1989 United States invasion of Panama, when NATO bombed Serbia in 1999, and the 2006 Lebanon War as exceptions. Some observers have suggested that the company should be given credit for increasing the standard of service in markets that it enters. A group of anthropologists in a study entitled Golden Arches East (Stanford University Press, 1998, edited by James L. Watson) looked at the impact McDonald's had on East Asia, and Hong Kong in particular. When it opened in Hong Kong in 1975, McDonald's was the first restaurant to consistently offer clean restrooms, driving customers to demand the same of other restaurants and institutions. In East Asia in particular, McDonald's have become a symbol for the desire to embrace Western cultural norms. McDonald's have recently taken to partnering up with Sinopec, China's second largest oil company, in the People's Republic of China, as it begins to take advantage of China's growing use of personal vehicles by opening numerous drive-thru restaurants. [9] In addition to its effect on business standards, McDonald's has also been instrumental in changing local customs. By popularizing the idea of a quick restaurant meal, Watson's study suggests, McDonald's led to the easing or elimination of various taboos, such as eating while walking in Japan.[dubious – discuss] CriticismPotted plants at a McDonald's. The company has been a target of criticism practically since its inception. Since the mid-1990s this protest has taken the form of an anti-globalization movement as documented in Naomi Klein's manifesto No Logo. McDonald's restaurants have been the targets of protests, peaceful and otherwise, by environmental, anti-globalization and animal rights activists. The company has used a litigious approach to protecting its business interests. This conflict, and the company's approach to resolving it, was epitomized in the early 1990s by what came to be known as the McLibel case. Two British activists, David Morris and Helen Steel, distributed leaflets entitled What's wrong with McDonald's? on the streets of London. McDonald's wrote to Steel and Morris demanding they desist and apologize, and, when they refused, sued them for libel. The trial lasted more than two years. The company's advertising techniques and business practices were scrutinized in the High Court of Justice in London and reported extensively in the press, who saw the case as a David and Goliath battle (under UK law, legal aid could not be granted for a defamation suit, so Steel and Morris did most of their own legal casework while McDonald's was represented by an extensive legal team). In June 1997, the judge ruled in favor of McDonald's, awarding the company £60,000 damages, which was later reduced to £40,000 by the Court of Appeal. The amount was low because the judge ruled that some of the claims made by Morris and Steel had been proved, including that McDonald's exploited children in its advertising, was anti-trade union and indirectly exploited and caused suffering to animals. Steel and Morris announced they had no intention of ever paying, and the company later confirmed it would not be pursuing the money. Steel and Morris later successfully challenged UK libel law in the European Court, arguing that it was an infringement of the right to free speech. The British Government was forced to re-write the legislation as a result. In 2005, a film by Ken Loach was made about the court case. In 2001, Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation included criticism of McDonald's' business practices. Among the critiques are allegations that McDonald's (along with other companies within the fast-food industry) uses its political influence to increase their own profits at the expense of people's health and the social conditions of its workers. The book also brings into question McDonald's advertisement techniques where it targets children. While the book does mention other fast-food chains, it focuses primarily on McDonald's. In 2002, vegetarian groups, largely Hindu, successfully sued McDonald's for misrepresenting their French fries as vegetarian.[10] Even after the discontinuation of frying the French fries in beef tallow in 1990, the French fries still had beef extract added to them. The French fries sold in the U.S. still contain beef and animal flavoring. McDonald's biscuits also contain beef flavoring along with animal flavoring. Also in 2004, Morgan Spurlock's documentary film Super Size Me said that McDonald's food was contributing to the epidemic of obesity in society, and failing to provide nutritional information about its food for its customers. For 30 days Spurlock ate nothing but McDonald's (supersizing whenever asked). He ate everything on the menu at least once and continued to eat after he was full. At the same time he consciously attempted to get little or no exercise. By the end of the month he had gained 24.5 pounds (11.11 kg), was moody and had less interest in sex. Others have disputed Spurlock's claims (see below). After the film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival, but before its cinematic release, McDonald's stated it was phasing out its Supersize meal option and would begin offering several healthier menu items, though no link to the film was cited in this decision. However, while the healthier menu items have appeared, the Supersize meal option still remains available at some locations. The company also began a practice of putting nutritional information for all menu items in light grey small print on the reverse of their tray liners. It is currently phasing in nutritional labeling in clear black print on the actual packaging of its food items. Anthony Bourdain on his show, No Reservations, has criticised McDonald's among other fast-food restaurants for its culinary blandness. Legal challenge over trans fats In September 2002, McDonald’s announced it was voluntarily reducing the trans fat content of its cooking oil by February 2003. Because of operational problems, the oil was not changed on time. In the ensuing lawsuits, plaintiffs claimed that McDonald’s didn't do enough to inform the public that the oil was not changed. The bantransfat.com website contains testimonials from people, one claims she thought the oil was low in trans fat, and she said, "that is why I have been eating there every week..." In a settlement agreement, bantransfat.com said "While there is a difference of opinion regarding whether McDonald’s gave effective notice to its customers that the oil was not changed, McDonald’s deserves recognition and credit for having achieved a reduction in the trans fat levels ... and for working diligently over the last two years to test additional cooking oils." Nevertheless, bantransfat.com demanded monetary damages. Settlement of the lawsuit brought by BanTransFats.com and one private party requires McDonald’s spend up to $1.5 million to publish notices on the status of its trans fat initiative. McDonald’s will also donate $7 million to the American Heart Association for public education about trans fat. [3]. The settlement also requires some money be paid directly to bantransfat.com. The California Superior Court for Marin County has entered an order preliminarily approving the settlement. Supporters of McDonald's point out that the company is successful because it meets the needs of customers and adapts to its customers wants. In response to public pressure, McDonald's has sought to include more healthy choices in its menu and has introduced a new slogan to its recruitment posters: "Not bad for a McJob". (The word McJob, first attested in the mid-1980s[11] and later popularized by Canadian novelist Douglas Coupland in his book Generation X, has become a buzz word for low-paid, unskilled work with few prospects or benefits and little security.) McDonald's disputes the idea that its restaurant jobs have no prospects, noting that its CEO, Jim Skinner, started working at the company as a regular restaurant employee, and that 20 of its top 50 managers began work as regular crew members. [12] In 2007, the company launched an advertising campaign with the slogan "Would you like a career with that?" on Irish television, outlining that their jobs have many prospects. In a bid to tap into growing consumer interest in the provenance of food, the fast-food chain recently switched its supply of both coffee beans and milk. UK chief executive Steve Easterbrook said: “British consumers are increasingly interested in the quality, sourcing and ethics of the food and drink they buy". McDonald's coffee is now brewed from beans taken from stocks that have been certified by the conservation group the Rainforest Alliance. Similarly, milk supplies used for its hot drinks and milkshakes have been switched to organic sources which could account for 5% of the UK's organic milk output[13]. In other cases, the firm has shown itself ready to adjust its business practices. When the public became concerned that product packaging was environmentally damaging, McDonald's started a joint project with Friends of the Earth to eliminate the use of polystyrene containers, only in the United States, and to reduce the amount of waste produced. Throughout the McLibel trial, senior representatives of the firm said they were merely trying to protect its image from undue and unfounded attack. With regard to its numerous and often controversial copyright and trademark actions, McDonald's lawyers say they are simply protecting the company's intellectual property. Super Size Me has been characterized as a non-scientific publicity stunt. The subject of the film consumes massive quantities of McDonald's food, to the point of being sickened by it. Eating on an hourly schedule and, as part of his rules, eating additional quantities each time a McDonald's worker says the word "supersize," the subject gains weight. Following the release of the film Super Size Me, some people reported they had experienced no weight gain and suffered no ill effect by eating only at McDonald's for a month, but choosing menu items more judiciously and exercising frequently.Minimize Me Merab Morgan, a North Carolina woman, was even able to lose weight.Woman loses 33 lb on McDonald's diet She claimed that the transparency of nutritional information made it easy to control her daily caloric intake. Global impact McDonald's has become emblematic of globalization, sometimes referred as the "McDonaldization" of society. The Economist magazine uses the "Big Mac Index": the comparison of a Big Mac's cost in various world currencies can be used to informally judge these currencies' purchasing power parity. Because McDonald's is closely identified with American culture and lifestyle, its international business expansion has been termed[by who?] part of Americanization and American cultural imperialism. McDonald's is a perpetual target of various and often conflicting anti-globalization protests worldwide. The brand is known informally as "Mickey D's" (in the US and Canada), "Macky D's" (in the UK), "McDo" (in France, Quebec, the Philippines, and the Kansai region of Japan), "Maccer's" (in Ireland), "Maccas" (in New Zealand and Australia) or "de Mac" (in the Netherlands). Thomas Friedman once said that no country with a McDonald's had gone to war with another.[8] However, the "Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention" is not strictly true. Careful historians point to the 1989 United States invasion of Panama, when NATO bombed Serbia in 1999, and the 2006 Lebanon War as exceptions. Some observers have suggested that the company should be given credit for increasing the standard of service in markets that it enters. A group of anthropologists in a study entitled Golden Arches East (Stanford University Press, 1998, edited by James L. Watson) looked at the impact McDonald's had on East Asia, and Hong Kong in particular. When it opened in Hong Kong in 1975, McDonald's was the first restaurant to consistently offer clean restrooms, driving customers to demand the same of other restaurants and institutions. In East Asia in particular, McDonald's have become a symbol for the desire to embrace Western cultural norms. McDonald's have recently taken to partnering up with Sinopec, China's second largest oil company, in the People's Republic of China, as it begins to take advantage of China's growing use of personal vehicles by opening numerous drive-thru restaurants. [9] In addition to its effect on business standards, McDonald's has also been instrumental in changing local customs. By popularizing the idea of a quick restaurant meal, Watson's study suggests, McDonald's led to the easing or elimination of various taboos, such as eating while walking in Japan.[dubious – discuss] CriticismPotted plants at a McDonald's. The company has been a target of criticism practically since its inception. Since the mid-1990s this protest has taken the form of an anti-globalization movement as documented in Naomi Klein's manifesto No Logo. McDonald's restaurants have been the targets of protests, peaceful and otherwise, by environmental, anti-globalization and animal rights activists. The company has used a litigious approach to protecting its business interests. This conflict, and the company's approach to resolving it, was epitomized in the early 1990s by what came to be known as the McLibel case. Two British activists, David Morris and Helen Steel, distributed leaflets entitled What's wrong with McDonald's? on the streets of London. McDonald's wrote to Steel and Morris demanding they desist and apologize, and, when they refused, sued them for libel. The trial lasted more than two years. The company's advertising techniques and business practices were scrutinized in the High Court of Justice in London and reported extensively in the press, who saw the case as a David and Goliath battle (under UK law, legal aid could not be granted for a defamation suit, so Steel and Morris did most of their own legal casework while McDonald's was represented by an extensive legal team). In June 1997, the judge ruled in favor of McDonald's, awarding the company £60,000 damages, which was later reduced to £40,000 by the Court of Appeal. The amount was low because the judge ruled that some of the claims made by Morris and Steel had been proved, including that McDonald's exploited children in its advertising, was anti-trade union and indirectly exploited and caused suffering to animals. Steel and Morris announced they had no intention of ever paying, and the company later confirmed it would not be pursuing the money. Steel and Morris later successfully challenged UK libel law in the European Court, arguing that it was an infringement of the right to free speech. The British Government was forced to re-write the legislation as a result. In 2005, a film by Ken Loach was made about the court case. In 2001, Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation included criticism of McDonald's' business practices. Among the critiques are allegations that McDonald's (along with other companies within the fast-food industry) uses its political influence to increase their own profits at the expense of people's health and the social conditions of its workers. The book also brings into question McDonald's advertisement techniques where it targets children. While the book does mention other fast-food chains, it focuses primarily on McDonald's. In 2002, vegetarian groups, largely Hindu, successfully sued McDonald's for misrepresenting their French fries as vegetarian.[10] Even after the discontinuation of frying the French fries in beef tallow in 1990, the French fries still had beef extract added to them. The French fries sold in the U.S. still contain beef and animal flavoring. McDonald's biscuits also contain beef flavoring along with animal flavoring. Also in 2004, Morgan Spurlock's documentary film Super Size Me said that McDonald's food was contributing to the epidemic of obesity in society, and failing to provide nutritional information about its food for its customers. For 30 days Spurlock ate nothing but McDonald's (supersizing whenever asked). He ate everything on the menu at least once and continued to eat after he was full. At the same time he consciously attempted to get little or no exercise. By the end of the month he had gained 24.5 pounds (11.11 kg), was moody and had less interest in sex. Others have disputed Spurlock's claims (see below). After the film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival, but before its cinematic release, McDonald's stated it was phasing out its Supersize meal option and would begin offering several healthier menu items, though no link to the film was cited in this decision. However, while the healthier menu items have appeared, the Supersize meal option still remains available at some locations. The company also began a practice of putting nutritional information for all menu items in light grey small print on the reverse of their tray liners. It is currently phasing in nutritional labeling in clear black print on the actual packaging of its food items. Anthony Bourdain on his show, No Reservations, has criticised McDonald's among other fast-food restaurants for its culinary blandness. Legal challenge over trans fats In September 2002, McDonald’s announced it was voluntarily reducing the trans fat content of its cooking oil by February 2003. Because of operational problems, the oil was not changed on time. In the ensuing lawsuits, plaintiffs claimed that McDonald’s didn't do enough to inform the public that the oil was not changed. The bantransfat.com website contains testimonials from people, one claims she thought the oil was low in trans fat, and she said, "that is why I have been eating there every week..." In a settlement agreement, bantransfat.com said "While there is a difference of opinion regarding whether McDonald’s gave effective notice to its customers that the oil was not changed, McDonald’s deserves recognition and credit for having achieved a reduction in the trans fat levels ... and for working diligently over the last two years to test additional cooking oils." Nevertheless, bantransfat.com demanded monetary damages. Settlement of the lawsuit brought by BanTransFats.com and one private party requires McDonald’s spend up to $1.5 million to publish notices on the status of its trans fat initiative. McDonald’s will also donate $7 million to the American Heart Association for public education about trans fat. [3]. The settlement also requires some money be paid directly to bantransfat.com. The California Superior Court for Marin County has entered an order preliminarily approving the settlement. Supporters of McDonald's point out that the company is successful because it meets the needs of customers and adapts to its customers wants. In response to public pressure, McDonald's has sought to include more healthy choices in its menu and has introduced a new slogan to its recruitment posters: "Not bad for a McJob". (The word McJob, first attested in the mid-1980s[11] and later popularized by Canadian novelist Douglas Coupland in his book Generation X, has become a buzz word for low-paid, unskilled work with few prospects or benefits and little security.) McDonald's disputes the idea that its restaurant jobs have no prospects, noting that its CEO, Jim Skinner, started working at the company as a regular restaurant employee, and that 20 of its top 50 managers began work as regular crew members. [12] In 2007, the company launched an advertising campaign with the slogan "Would you like a career with that?" on Irish television, outlining that their jobs have many prospects. In a bid to tap into growing consumer interest in the provenance of food, the fast-food chain recently switched its supply of both coffee beans and milk. UK chief executive Steve Easterbrook said: “British consumers are increasingly interested in the quality, sourcing and ethics of the food and drink they buy". McDonald's coffee is now brewed from beans taken from stocks that have been certified by the conservation group the Rainforest Alliance. Similarly, milk supplies used for its hot drinks and milkshakes have been switched to organic sources which could account for 5% of the UK's organic milk output[13]. In other cases, the firm has shown itself ready to adjust its business practices. When the public became concerned that product packaging was environmentally damaging, McDonald's started a joint project with Friends of the Earth to eliminate the use of polystyrene containers, only in the United States, and to reduce the amount of waste produced. Throughout the McLibel trial, senior representatives of the firm said they were merely trying to protect its image from undue and unfounded attack. With regard to its numerous and often controversial copyright and trademark actions, McDonald's lawyers say they are simply protecting the company's intellectual property. Super Size Me has been characterized as a non-scientific publicity stunt. The subject of the film consumes massive quantities of McDonald's food, to the point of being sickened by it. Eating on an hourly schedule and, as part of his rules, eating additional quantities each time a McDonald's worker says the word "supersize," the subject gains weight. Following the release of the film Super Size Me, some people reported they had experienced no weight gain and suffered no ill effect by eating only at McDonald's for a month, but choosing menu items more judiciously and exercising frequently.Minimize Me Merab Morgan, a North Carolina woman, was even able to lose weight.Woman loses 33 lb on McDonald's diet She claimed that the transparency of nutritional information made it easy to control her daily caloric intake. more

Resolved Question: 30 days Plan to resemble a command economy in 30 days: free market and progress for all?

Rockwell's Thirty-Day Plan By Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr. When Eastern Europe broke free in 1989, we all realized just how little thought had been given to the transition from socialism to capitalism. Mises had told us the collapse was coming, and we should have been prepared. As America comes to resemble a command economy, we need a transition plan here too. Yuri Maltsev proposed a "One-Day Plan" for the U. S. S. R. We're not in that bad a shape (yet), so we could do it in 30 days. DAY ONE: The federal income tax is abolished and April 15th is declared a national holiday. The 40% reduction in federal revenues is matched by a 40% cut in spending. The budget is still almost twice as big as Jimmy Carter's. DAY TWO: All other federal taxes are abolished, including the corporate income tax, the capital gains tax, the gasoline tax, "sin" taxes, excise taxes, etc. Businesses boom, and the few legitimate federal functions are funded with an inexpensive head tax. People who choose not to vote need not pay it. (Note: this was a mainstream view in the 19th century.) DAY THREE: The federal government sells all its land, freeing up tens of millions of acres for development, mining, farming, forestry, oil drilling, private parks, etc. The government uses the revenue to pay off the national debt and other liabilities. DAY FOUR: The minimum wage is reduced to zero, creating jobs for ex-federal bureaucrats at their market wage. All pro-union laws and regulations are scrapped. The jobless rate falls dramatically. DAY FIVE: The Bureau of Labor Statistics, like the rest of the Labor Department, is sent to that big hiring hall in the sky. Without detailed economic statistics, future economic planners will be blind and deaf. DAY SIX: The Department of Commerce is abolished. Big business has to make its own way in the world, without subsidies and privileges at the expense of its competitors and customers. DAY SEVEN: The plug is pulled on the Department of Energy. Oil and gas prices plummet. DAY EIGHT: All regulatory agencies, from the Interstate Commerce Commission to the Federal Trade Commission, are deep-sixed. Competition is legalized. DAY NINE: HUD is squashed like a bug. There's a buiding boom in cheap, private, apartments. DAY TEN: The interstate highways reopen as private businesses. Road entrepreneurs price travel according to consumer demand. Using modern technology, drivers get bills once a month. Credit risks-and drunks and dangerous drivers- aren't allowed on the road. Non-drivers no longer subsidize car owners. DAY ELEVEN: Government welfare is wiped out. Bums work or starve. The deserving poor find a cornucopia of private services designed to make them independent. Private charity explodes, as the American people, already the most generous in the world, find their incomes almost doubled, thanks to the tax cuts. DAY TWELVE: The Federal Reserve closes its open-market operations and stops protecting the banking industry from competition. But banks can now engage in all the non-bank financial activities previously forbidden to them. The business cycle, which is caused by monetary expansion through the credit markets, is liquidated. DAY THIRTEEN: Federal deposit insurance is scrapped. All insured deposits are redeemed from federal assets, which include the personal assets of high-level government employees. The threat of bank runs forces banks to keep 100% reserves for their demand deposits, and prudent reserves on all other accounts. There are no more inherently bankrupt banks propped up by the government, at taxpayer expense, and no more bail outs. DAY FOURTEEN: The shaky fiat dollar is defined in terms of gold, with the ratio determined by dividing the government's gold stock by all existing dollars on that day. DAY FIFTEEN: The federal government sells National and Dulles airports to the highest bidder, and stops all subsidies to other socialist airports around the country. All constraints on airline prices and service cease. It costs more to fly during peak hours than off-peak, but overall, air travel drops in price. DAY SIXTEEN: All government regulations that create and sustain cartels are abolished, including those for the post office, telephones, television, radio, and cable TV Prices plummet, and a host of new and unforeseen services becomes available. DAY SEVENTEEN: Centrally planned agriculture, as imposed by Hoover and Roosevelt, is repealed: there are no more subsidies, payments-in-kind, marketing orders, low-interest loans, etc. Farm prices drop. Entrepreneurial farmers get rich. Welfare farmers go into another line of work. The poor eat like kings. DAY EIGHTEEN: The Justice Department shutters its anti-trust division. Companies, big and small, are free to merge – up, down, or sideways. Stockholders can buy any other company, or sell their stock to anyone else. Marginal producers can no longer battle their competitors with bureaucratic weapons. DAY NINETEEN: The Department of Education flunks the constitutionality test, and is kicked out. Private charities set up remedial reading and writing programs for the former bureaucrats. Federally subsidized sex education and other anti-family programs go out of business. Local school districts become responsive to parents or close, pressured by a fast-growing private school sector (which many more parents can now afford). DAY TWENTY: All federal monuments are sold, in some cases to non-profit groups based on the Mt. Vernon Ladies Association, which owns and runs George Washington's home. The VFW buys the Vietnam memorial. There is much bidding for the Jefferson and Washington monuments. Nobody wants FDR's, so it's torn down and the land sold to a farmer. (With the federal government cut back to its constitutional size, much of Washington reverts to productive uses like agriculture, as in late 18th century.) DAY TWENTY-ONE: The computerized financial and political dossier maintained by the government on every American is erased. The public wanders through the federal offices to make sure, in a reprise of the East Berliners' visits to Stasi headquarters. DAY TWENTY-TWO: Equal rights are granted to all Americans, even members of non-victim groups. There is no affirmative action, no quotas, no set-asides, no public accommodations laws. Private property and freedom of association are fully restored. DAY TWENTY-THREE: The EPA is cleaned out, with all "clean air" and similar big-government laws repealed. Ten thousand lawyers leap from their balconies. Private property is established in air and water. Americans harmed by pollution are free to sue the polluters, who are no longer protected by the federal government. DAY TWENTY-FOUR: Americans are given complete freedom of contract, restoring rationality to malpractice and product liability law. DAY TWENTY-FIVE: Government scrambles for more assets to sell (i.e., the National Zoo, also known as Washington, D.C.) to pay off the liabilities of the privatized Social Security system. DAY TWENTY-SIX: Porno artists have to earn their own livings, as the National Endowment for the Arts tries to raise its budget through sidewalk painting sales. DAY TWENTY-SEVEN: Foreign aid is outlawed as unconstitutional, unjust, and un-economic. Foreign politicians have to steal their own money. The World Bank, IMF, and United Nations close their super- luxurious doors. DAY TWENTY-EIGHT: The American people are given the unrestricted right to keep and bear arms. DAY TWENTY-NINE: The Defense Department is reoriented towards defense. American troops come home from all around the world. We adopt a policy of armed neutrality, remembering the Founding Fathers' teaching that we could not have an empire abroad and a constitutional republic at home. DAY THIRTY: All tariffs, quotas, and trade agreements are put through the shredder. Americans can trade with anyone in the world, without barriers or subsidies. Japanese car prices drop an immediate 25%. In just 30 exhilarating days, we have established the outlines of free market. Radical? Maybe so. Me, I can't wait until Month Two. __________ Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr., is president of the Mises Institute and editor of LewRockwell.com. rockwell@mises.org. This article appeared in The Free Market, March 1991.Please Read This : http://www.mises.org/story/2685 more

Resolved Question: Is this credit card a good choice for me...?

I have bad credit... or none, i cant get approved for anything else and dont understand all the red tape! HELP! does anyone have this card? THE ORCHARD BANK CREDIT CARD 200 min security deposit 35 dollar annual fee Variable Rate Information Your APRs may vary. The rates are determined monthly by adding the Index (described below) and: 6.65% ("Spread") for the Customary APR for credit card purchases. 16.90% ("Spread") for the Cash APR for cash advances, including balance transfers, if applicable, and cash advances made by credit card check. 22.24% ("Spread") for the Default APR. For each billing cycle, the Index is determined in the month prior to the month in which the billing cycle ends. In that prior month, the highest (U.S.) "Prime Rate" published in the Money Rates Table of The Wall Street Journal is selected (the "Index"). If the Index has changed, the new variable rates will take effect with the billing cycle that ends on or after the first day of the month following the Index change. Grace Period for Repayment of Balances for Purchases You have 25 days from the date of the periodic statement to avoid a Finance Charge on new credit card purchases, provided you paid your previous balance in full. Method of Computing Balance for Purchases Average Daily Balance (including new purchases). Annual Fee $35 per year Minimum Finance Charge $1.00 for each billing cycle in which a Periodic Finance Charge is payable. Foreign Transaction Fee Finance Charge 1% of the U.S. dollar amount will apply to transactions made in a foreign currency. Cash Advance Fee:$5 or 5% on all cash advances, whichever is greater; unless otherwise disclosed. Finance Charges accrue from the date of transaction. Cash advances will be limited. Your cash advance limit is disclosed on your billing statement. Late Payment Fee: The Late Payment Fee will vary based on the amount of your outstanding balance on your Payment Due Date, and will be: $30 if your balance is more than $0 up to and including $1000; or $35 if your balance is greater than $1000. Overlimit Fee: $30. Accessing the full amount or most of your available credit may result in an overlimit fee. Credit Limit Increase (CLI) Fee: If requested and approved, a CLI fee of up to $50% of the CLI may be charged to your Account, depending on your creditworthiness. Closed Account Service Fee: $3.50 per month on closed accounts with a debit balance. The variable Customary APR will apply to credit card purchases. The variable Cash APR will apply to cash advances, including balance transfers, if available, and cash advances made by credit card check. If at any time your Account is subject to the Customary and/or Cash APRs, and you fail to make at least your Minimum Payment in time to be credited to your Account by the Payment Due Date, or your Account exceeds your credit limit, your entire Account balance will increase to the Default APR. Note: The Orchard Bank Secured MasterCard requires a minimum deposit of $200 for a minimum $200 line of credit. For more information on the Orchard Bank Secured MasterCard, see our Secured Card FAQs. At our discretion, payments are generally applied to interest, fees, and then principal balances. We apply your payments to lower APR balances before higher APR balances. The application of payments is subject to change at any time, without notice. IMPORTANT INFORMATION There is a maximum of two (2) Accounts issued by HSBC Bank Nevada, N.A. per customer. If within 90 days of your Account open date, you decide you do not want the account, you can call the customer service number provided on the back of your card to cancel. Any fees, if assessed, will be reversed at no cost to you if you have not used the card. IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PROCEDURES FOR OPENING A NEW ACCOUNT To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an Account. What this means for you: When you open an Account, we will ask you for your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may also ask to see your driver's license or other identifying documents. Notice to California Residents: Except otherwise limited by applicable law, we may provide credit information about your account to our affiliates from time to time. This information may be used to qualify you for other credit offers. Married persons may apply for a separate account. Notice to New York Residents: Consumer reports may be requested in connection with the processing of this application and any resulting account. Upon your request, we will inform you of the names and addresses of any consumer reporting agencies which have provided us with such reports. Notice to Ohio Residents: The Ohio laws against discrimination require that all creditors make credit equally available to all creditworthy customers, and that credit reporting agencies maintain separate credit histories on each individual upon request. The Ohio Civil Rights Commission administers compliance with the law. Notice to Married Wisconsin Residents: No agreement, court order, or individual statement applying to marital property will adversely affect a creditor's interests unless prior to the time credit is granted the creditor is furnished with a copy of the agreement, court order, or statement, or has actual knowledge of the adverse provision. You must indicate your marital status for this application to be processed. INTEREST RATES AND FINANCE CHARGES Interest Rates The APRs on your Account are variable rates and are determined by adding a specified amount ("Spread") to an Index (described below). The APR is divided by 365 and rounded to the next highest hundred thousandth of a percentage point to determine your Daily Periodic Rate. The Daily Periodic Rate is used to determine the amount of Periodic Finance Charges (see Finance Charges). Monthly Index For each billing cycle, the Index is determined in the month prior to the month in which the billing cycle ends. In that prior month, the highest (U.S.) "Prime Rate" published in the Money Rates table of The Wall Street Journal is selected (the "Index"). If the Index has changed, the new variable rates will take effect with the billing cycle that ends on or after the first day of the month following the Index change. An increase in the Index will increase your applicable Daily Periodic Rates which may increase the Finance Charge due on your Account and may increase the Minimum Payment and Current Payment Due. Each time any APR changes, we will apply it to any existing balances, excluding any fixed rate Promotional or Introductory APR. Purchase APR Your variable Customary APR applies to credit card purchases. The Daily Periodic Rate is based on 1/365th of the Index plus 6.65% ("Spread"). For example, for billing cycles ending 5/17/07, the rate of FINANCE CHARGE would have been a Daily Periodic Rate of .04082% (corresponding 14.90% ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE). The minimum rate of FINANCE CHARGE is a Daily Periodic Rate of .04082% (corresponding 14.90% ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE). Cash APR Your variable Cash APR applies to cash advances, including balance transfers, if available, and cash advances made by credit card check. The Daily Periodic Rate is based on 1/365th of the Index plus 16.90% ("Spread"). For example, for billing cycles ending 5/17/07, the rate of FINANCE CHARGE would have been a Daily Periodic Rate of .06890% (corresponding 25.15% ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE). The minimum rate of FINANCE CHARGE is a Daily Periodic Rate of .05726% (corresponding 20.90% ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE). If at any time your Account is subject to the Customary and/or Cash APRs, and you fail to make at least your Minimum Payment in time to be credited to your Account by the Payment Due Date, or your Account exceeds your credit limit, your entire Account balance will increase to the variable Default APR. At our discretion, your Account may return to the Customary APR after five consecutive months of on-time payments of at least the Current Payment Due, without exceeding your credit limit. Default APR The Daily Periodic Rate for the variable Default APR is based on 1/365th of the Index plus 22.24% ("Spread"). For example, for billing cycles ending 5/17/07, the rate of FINANCE CHARGE would have been a Daily Periodic Rate of .08353% (corresponding 30.49% ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE). The minimum rate of FINANCE CHARGE is a Daily Periodic Rate of .08079% (corresponding 29.49% ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE). Finance Charges Finance Charges are the total of the greater of (a) Minimum Finance Charge, or (b) periodic Finance Charges, and any applicable (c) Cash Advance Fee Finance Charges, (d) Foreign Transaction Fee Finance Charge, (e) Credit Limit Increase Fee Finance Charge, (f) Closed Account Service Fee Finance Charges, and (g) Processing Fee Finance Charge. (a) Minimum Finance Charge. A Finance Charge that is assessed in lieu of a lesser periodic Finance Charge in any billing cycle in which a periodic Finance Charge is payable. This fee is $1.00. (b) Periodic Finance Charges. Periodic Finance Charges are computed by multiplying the Average Daily Balance for each category of transactions shown on your statement (e.g., purchases, balance transfers, cash advances) by the applicable Daily Periodic Rate and then multiplying the result by the number of days in the billing cycle. To calculate the Daily Balances, we take the beginning debit balance for each category of transactions each day, add any new transactions, any previous day's periodic Finance Charges, any assessed fees and charges, and subtract any payments and/or credits. If a debit transaction posts after the beginning of your billing cycle, but the transaction occurred prior to the beginning of your billing cycle, the applicable Daily Balance will be adjusted to include the transaction amount and any previous day's periodic Finance Charges for each day the transaction amount was outstanding prior to the beginning of the current billing cycle. Then, for each transaction category, we add the Daily Balances for the billing cycle together and divide the total by the number of days in the billing cycle. This is the Average Daily Balance for each transaction category. (1) Credit Card Purchases. Periodic Finance Charges begin to accrue on the date of the transaction and continue to accrue until payment in full is credited to your Account. However, there is a 25 day Grace Period on new credit card purchases. That means, if the New Balance shown on your last statement is paid in full by the Payment Due Date for that statement, periodic Finance Charges will not be imposed on new credit card purchases, provided the New Balance for the current billing cycle is paid in full by the Payment Due Date for that billing cycle. If, however, the New Balance is not paid in full by the Payment Due Date for the immediately preceding billing cycle, periodic Finance Charges will be incurred on new credit card purchases (i.e., purchases appearing for the first time in the current cycle) from the date of the transaction and on the previously billed but unpaid credit card purchases form the first day of the current cycle. (2) Cash Advances (including balance transfer and credit card checks). Periodic Finance Charges begin to accrue on the date of the transaction and continue to accrue until payment in full is credited to your Account. There is no Grace Period on cash advances. Periodic Finance Charges will be calculated using the Daily Periodic Rate in effect on the statement closing date. (c) Cash Advance Fee Finance Charges. Cash advances include all advances to get cash over the counter, through an ATM, balance transfers (if available), credit card checks, or other "cash-like" transactions (such as purchasing a money order, traveler's check, casino or betting chip, or a lottery ticket) as determined by us. A Finance Charge will be computed on the amount of each cash advance as of the date of the transaction. The Cash Advance Fee FINANCE CHARGE for all cash advances is 5%, subject to a minimum FINANCE CHARGE of $5, unless otherwise disclosed. (d) Foreign Transaction Fee Finance Charge. A Foreign Transaction Fee FINANCE CHARGE equal to 1% of the U.S. dollar amount is assessed on transactions made in a foreign currency, as of the transaction date. (e) Credit Limit Increase Fee Finance Charge. If you request and are approved for a credit limit increase ("CLI"), a CLI Fee FINANCE CHARGE of up to 50% of the CLI may be assessed to your Account, depending on your creditworthiness. (f) Closed Account Service Fee Finance Charge. A $3.50 per month FINANCE CHARGE is assessed to the Account for each billing cycle whenever that Account is closed with a debit balance. The application of any Finance Charge other than a periodic Finance Charge may cause the APR on the billing statement on which this Finance Charge first appears to exceed the Nominal APR. ACCOUNT FEES Annual Fee/Periodic Membership Fee Your Account is subject to a $35 Annual Fee for each year your Account is open or closed with a balance. If you close your Account within the first 90 days your Account is open, the Annual Fee is refundable so long as you have not used the Account. Late Payment Fee A Late Payment Fee is assessed for each billing cycle in which at least the Minimum Payment, and any amount past due, is not paid in time to be credited to the Account by the Payment Due Date. The Late Payment Fee will vary based on the amount of your outstanding balance on your Payment Due Date, or during the period up to 5 days after your Payment Due Date, as determined by us, and will be: $30 if your balance is more than $0 up to and including $1000; or $35 if your balance is greater than $1000. Overlimit Fee An Overlimit Fee is assessed if your Account balance exceeds the applicable credit limit at any time during a billing cycle. We may impose this fee even if we authorize or impose any charges that cause your balance to exceed the credit limit. This fee is $30. Other Fees and Charges Returned Payment Fee A Returned Payment Fee is assessed to your Account each time a payment check, automatic payment deduction, or other payment method is not honored or is returned unsatisfied by the bank or other financial institution. Any payment returned unsatisfied for any reason may be reposted to any type of transaction (i.e. cash advance, purchases, etc.) and Finance Charges may be reinstated back to the payment date at the APR being charged for that transaction. This fee is $30. Returned Check Fee A Returned Check Fee is assessed to the Account each time a credit card check, balance transfer check (if available), electronic check or other Account access device is returned unsatisfied by us for any reason. This fee is $30. Check by Phone A Check by Phone Fee may be assessed to the Account each time a payment is made by telephone, even if the payment is made by someone other than you. The amount of this fee will be disclosed at the time such payment is requested. Stop Payment Fee A Stop Payment Fee is added to the cash advance balance when a payment of a credit card check is stopped at your request. Payment may be stopped on a credit card check by notifying us in writing or by calling us at the telephone number listed on the Account billing statement, so long as such check has not already been processed. A stop payment request must include the check number, payee, amount and date of the credit card check on which payment is to be stopped. If a stop payment is requested by telephone, the call must be confirmed in writing within 14 days. A written stop payment will remain in effect for six months unless renewed in writing. This fee is $29. Send stop payment requests to P.O. Box 81622, Salinas, CA 93912-1622. Research Fee A $7 Research Fee is assessed to the Account for each sales slip copy, $3 for each statement copy, and $10 for each application copy upon request. ADDITIONAL TERMS Arbitration The Cardmember Agreement and Disclosure Statement ("Agreement") that you will receive with your card, if you are approved for credit, provides that certain disputes are subject to binding arbitration. Arbitration replaces the right to go to court, including the right to a jury and the right to participate in a class action or similar proceeding. Please read the "Arbitration" section of the Agreement carefully. YOUR BILLING RIGHTS What To Do If There's An Error In Your Bill YOUR BILLING RIGHTS - KEEP THIS NOTICE FOR FUTURE USE This notice contains important information about your rights and our responsibilities under the Fair Credit Billing Act. NOTIFY US IN CASE OF ERRORS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR BILL If you think your bill is wrong, or if you need more information about a transaction on your bill, write to us (on a separate sheet) at the address listed on your billing statement. Write us as soon as possible. We must hear from you no later than 60 days after we sent you the first bill on which the error or problem appeared. You can telephone us, but doing so will not preserve your rights. Please include the following information in your letter: Your name, account number and signature; The dollar amount of the suspected error; and Describe the error and explain, if you can, why you believe there is an error. If you need more information, describe the item you are not sure about. If you have authorized us to pay your Account bill automatically from your savings or checking account, you can stop the payment on any amount you think is wrong. To stop the payment, your letter must reach us three business days before the automatic payment is scheduled to occur. YOUR RIGHTS AND OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AFTER WE RECEIVE YOUR WRITTEN NOTICE: We must acknowledge your letter within 30 days, unless we have corrected the error by then. Within 90 days, we must either correct the error or explain why we believe the bill was correct. After we receive your letter, we cannot try to collect any amount you question, or report you as delinquent. We can continue to bill you for the amount you question, including Finance Charges, and we can apply any unpaid amount against your Credit Limit. You do not have to pay any questioned amount while we are investigating, but you are still obligated to pay the parts of your bill that are not in question. If we find that we made a mistake on your bill, you will not have to pay any Finance Charges related to any questioned amount. If we didn't make a mistake, you may have to pay Finance Charges, and you will have to make up any missed payments on the questioned amount. In either case, we will send you a statement of the amount you owe and the date it is due. If you fail to pay the amount we think you owe, we may report you as delinquent. However, if our explanation does not satisfy you, and you write to us within ten days telling us you still refuse to pay, we must tell anyone we report you to that you have a question about your bill. And, we must tell you the name of anyone we reported you to. Upon settlement of the dispute, we must tell everyone we report you to that the matter has been settled. If we don't follow these rules, we can't collect the first $50 of the questioned amount, even if your bill was correct. SPECIAL RULES FOR CREDIT CARD PURCHASES If you have a problem with the quality of property or services you purchased with a credit card, and you have tried in good faith to correct the problem with the merchant, you may have the right not to pay the remaining amount due on the property or services. There are two limitations on this right: (a) You must have made the purchase in your home state or if not, within 100 miles of your current mailing address. (b) The purchase price must have been more than $50. These limitations do not apply if we own or operate the merchant, or if we mailed you the advertisement for the property or services. HSBC Card Services Inc. and/or HSBC Card Services (II) Inc. provide processing services for HSBC Bank Nevada, N.A. You may write to us at the address shown on your billing statement or HSBC Bank Nevada, N.A., 1111 Town Center Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89144. Orchard Bank, Household MasterCard and HSBC credit cards are issued by HSBC Bank Nevada, N.A. in Las Vegas, Nevada and serviced by its affiliates HSBC Card Services Inc. and/or HSBC Card Services (II) Inc. Not available to those consumers residing outside the United States. Offer void for all existing Household Bank and Orchard Bank MasterCard Cardmembers. Important Information To receive, view, and save disclosures and Account Information electronically, you must have a personal computer equipped with Netscape 4.0, Microsoft Explorer 4.0 or AOL 5.0 or later, and either a printer, a hard drive, or other storage device. You must also have a valid email address. As paperless communication options become available, our cardholders will be able to choose which communications to receive electronically, and which to receive via standard mail. We will notify you in advance of sending such electronic disclosures and Account Information. You must notify us if your email address changes in order to continue receiving disclosures and Account Information electronically. You may withdraw your consent to receive disclosures and Account Information electronically at any time. However, if you withdraw your consent, future disclosures and Account Information will be sent via U.S. mail. You have the option to request any information that we have provided electronically in paper form. To notify us of your new email address, withdraw your consent, or to request a disclosure or Account Information in paper form, please contact us by calling the phone number on the back of your credit card or write us at Bankcard Services, P.O. Box 80084, Salinas, CA 93912-0084. Electronic Agreement: I agree to receive disclosures and other Account Information electronically. I confirm that I have the software and computer equipment that satisfies the requirement above and that I will download or print the disclosures and other card related communications for my records. Additionally, by clicking the YES button, I acknowledge that I am providing my consent to receive electronic communications Terms and ConditionsAnnual Percentage Rate (APR) for Purchases Variable Customary APR: 14.90%1 will apply. Minimum Customary APR: 14.90% Other APR's Variable Cash APR: 25.15%2 (Minimum Cash APR: 20.90%) Variable Default APR: 30.49% (Minimum Default APR: 29.49%) Variable Rate Information Your APRs may vary. The rates are determined more

Resolved Question: I received an offer of employment from Western Geco Ltd. How can I know if this is a scam or not?

Tel: +447045713892 Fax: +448704795285 Ingoted: +448063439406 Date: 05/06/07 Ref: WG-HR/OE/CSE-908/2007 Attention: MANISH VISHWAKARMA, RE: NOTIFICATION OF EMPLOYMENT/ JOB ENGAGEMENT: 1.1 After verification and confirmation of details contained in your submitted Resume/CV, it is with great pleasure that we extend to you the offer to join the Western Geco Ltd in UK as (SENIOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEER) a total monthly wage of GBP 8,200.00 (Eight Thousand Two Hundred British Pounds Sterling) Only. You have been requested to join the Western Geco Ltd in the UK on JULY 23RD 2007. Western Geco Ltd shall arrange and pay for your flight ticket to join us in the UK for commencement of job in due time upon your compliance with the Western Geco Ltd/ British Expatriate Services paper works requirements. JOB STATUS: You shall be expected to enter into an initial job engagement contract with the Western Geco Ltd for a maximum duration of 365 days and can be converted/renewed to full-time service or otherwise upon your successful/satisfactory performance and preference. Where the Government of the EU/UK either by legislation or administrative pronouncement, provides for new and/or additional benefits, including increase in salaries or directs that such benefits should apply to private sector, the Western Geco Ltd and you shall meet to discuss the new measures. You shall be entitled to travel and relocation expenses plus travel/ contingencies allowances of GBP3, 200.00 that is excluded of relocation expenses and flight ticket prior to your job commencement as part of our service commitment/incentive to encourage our employees who have met our official statuary requirements. 1.2 YOU HAVE BEEN OFFERED THE POSITION SENIOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: As one of our Senior Electrical Engineers, you’ll provide specialist engineering technical support and advice in specifying appropriate maintenance, inspection and reliability activities. We’ll also require you to evaluate new systems and procedures and provide advice regarding application and support for their introduction. You’ll identify, share and apply best practices, both from within Shell Group and from external sources, and provide electrical engineering support for projects and plant changes, either managed locally or by the project department. You can expect to assist the ENG Team Leader Electrical Engineering and ENG Distribution Engineer in long term planning of the electrical infrastructure and management of the generation and distribution system, including protection coordination, system modelling and system studies. In addition to these tasks, you’ll also have the following tasks: Acting as contract holder of a number of site term contracts Estimating or providing input to estimating for plant changes and projects Providing input to the site standards and procedures, electrical safety rules, guidance notes, electrical permit to work system, etc. Designing support for projects across the whole of the site Providing discipline input to multi-discipline teams looking at specific site issues or problems. 1.3 Other employment benefits/entitlements include and not limited to: . Fully furnished accommodation (Family/Single housing) . Medical, Dental and Optical care for employee/family . Scholarship / Educational assistance . Mobility. . Relocation Expenses . Life/Health Insurance Policy implementations . Overtime Allowance benefits 1.7PARTY A shall pay to EMPLOYEE on satisfactory performance of the services stated in 1.1, the sum of ₤9,200 (Nine thousand two hundred pounds sterling) monthly basic salary, or equivalent depending on EMPLOYEE’S home country and currency preference. (a)PARTY A shall pay EMPLOYEE for the services rendered under this agreement by cheque presented on a monthly basis upon due presentation and receipt of undisputed Quality single or family housing shall be provided by SPDC or in the alternative the sum of ₤2,000.00 per month shall be paid to you as Housing Allowance. (b)The sum of ₤3,100.00 shall be paid to you for personal effects shipment and excess baggage allowance. (c)SPDC shall provide you access to some of the finest social and recreational facilities in the United Kingdom. (d) SPDC will provide the employee with comprehensive health care for the terms of contract and follow-on care for injuries suffered during the term of contract for employer and family. (e)The sum of ₤2330.00 per month shall be paid to you as Educational Assistance Benefit with family status contracts. (f)Complete meals for you as deemed appropriate. (g) ₤3.200.00 flat rate travel / entertainment allowance shall be paid by your employer for each international trip. Travel shall be by business / first class. However for the purpose of commencement, the cost of travel ticket shall be paid in addition to travel / entertainment allowance. Cost shall be substantiated and shall be the rate charged at the period / time of employees. Travel ticket including that of employees’ family only on employees’ early notification to employer and as shall be requested by employee. (h) Employee shall also be entitled to maximum security including members of the state security service in housing community. (I) the employee will be reimbursed by the employer for reasonable moving expense incurred only as a result of relocation or early termination of leases, storage charges: procurement of travel documents, immunization etc. Reimbursements shall be paid not more than five (5) working days from submission of report / and receipt as proof of payments. 1.4 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT. 1.8 Serve as other wise specifically stated in a superseding document, the project administrator of PARTY A, shall maintain general administration and management of this contract on behalf of PARTY A and all correspondences relating or pertaining with this agreement should be made, forwarded, addressed to same. 1.9PARTY B / EMPLOYEE agree to indemnify PARTY A in respect of any third party claims arising from PARTY B’s performance of this contract. 2.0 This agreement shall not be assigned or transferred in part of whole by due to termination of same any party to this agreement without prior written consent of the other party, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld. Notwithstanding any of the aforementioned obligations, terms and conditions neither party shall be deemed, considered in default of any of its obligations under this agreement as a result of “Force Majeure”, but if an interruption of performing the obligations under this agreement as a result of “Force Majeure’ condition for a period more than one month; PARTY A shall pay EMPLOYEE only 70% of the amount stated in paragraph 1.7 of this agreement as standby or agreement termination fee. PARTY A shall; in the event of default or non-compliance of PARTY B/EMPLOYEE with the terms and conditions of this agreement; in writing give notice to PARTY B / EMPLOYEE specifying the areas of default and PARTY B / EMPLOYEE shall upon receipt of the said notice have ten (10) calendar days to rectify to the satisfaction of PARTY A the said default. 1.5 WORK HOURS. The working hours shall be 40 hours working per week: Monday to Friday inclusive. Saturdays, Sundays and Gazettes public holidays shall be rest days. However, some employees’ who work on shift may have different work hours and rest days other than Saturdays and Sundays. 1.6 WEEKEND/ HOLIDAY DUTY ALLOWANCE: Where an employee is required to be on duty on Saturdays, Sundays and Gazette public holidays, he will be paid as follows: Total Performance: 9.0%- for work done for 6hours and above Partial Performance: 4.5%- for work done for 3 hours but not up to 6 hours Transport Allowance: GBP 30.00 per day worked Meal Allowance: GBP 40.00 per day worked 1.7 SHIFT ALLOWANCE: Western Geco Ltd shall pay shift allowance of GBP 45.00 only per shift to employees who work on shift either in the offices or fields. Presence Weekend (PW), this rule will apply to periods arising from delays in evacuating the field, location site or office according to the arrangements subsisting between the Western Geco Ltd and the Department in question. 1.8 VACATION: You shall be authorized Three (3) times paid vacation (Not exceeding 21 Working Days) each year, to be used at your discretion after duly informing and receiving approval from employer’s management. Employer will pay for travel expenses (i.e. flight tickets) and flat rate travel allowance of GBP2, 800.00. COMPASSIONATE LEAVE: In the event of death or serious illness of employees’ father, mother, wife husband or child, necessitating presence of staff, Western Geco Ltd shall grant compassionate leave with pay up to a maximum of 12 working days per year. INTERNATIONALIZATION OF EMPLOYEE: You shall be given the opportunity for international assignments within the group for the acquisition of experience and exposure to enhance your competence and not limited to job engagements as shall be required by the Western Geco Ltd as such you shall also be entitled to benefits on such issues. DISCIPLINE: You are expected to recognize the right of the Western 1.TERMINATION: In addition, the company reserves the right to terminate the employment of any staff who flagrantly or repeatedly fails to comply with the company’s code of conduct or commits an offence of a magnitude that the company considers him unsuitable to be in its employment. 2.SUMMARY DISMISSAL: In rare cases, an employee may be dismissed for the commission of a grave offence, in which case no notice is given. Such offences shall include inter-alias. a)Theft and fraud in connection with company’s business or property. Any staff found guilty or implicated in any of these offences may be liable to prosecution. b)Disclosure of confidential information of the company or its associate to a third party. c)Conviction and/or imprisonment for criminal offence. The Employee’s High Commission, Embassy/Consulate shall be given benefit of consultation in any case involving the dismissal of its citizens as such, Employee will also be given the chance of fair hearing and proper investigation prior to decisions conclusion. With compliance with the mobilization, advancement & reimbursement policies (MA&DP) of the Western Geco Ltd, you shall be required to incurred all initial expenses as a result of your documentation & paper work processes/procurement and would be reimbursed in not more than five (5) working days upon your submission of invoice receipt or proof of incurred expenses. This is for confirmation of readiness & seriousness of employee to join the Western Geco Ltd. team within the stipulated time frame and also based on previous occurrences experienced by our corporate management from expatriate services employees. NOTE: You would be required to personally bear the initial expenses as regards the processing, procurement and acquisition of your legal immigrant paper works as a sign of your readiness and seriousness to join our team here in the UK in due time and you shall be reimbursed incurred expenses by the Western Geco Ltd management prior to your resumption in not more than Five (5) working days from date of your acquisition of the legal permit documentation , if you do not find this term agreeable, then do not hesitate to furnish us with a letter of declination of your job engagement offer as soon as possible to enable us timely replacement on your position. Welcome to our family. Sincerely, Prof. Richard Don Lawrence Human Resources Manager, Western Geco Limited. Gatwick Airport RH6 0NZ, West Sussex, United Kingdom. MANAGING DIRECTOR MR. MICHAEL FISH AND ………………………………………… EMPLOYEE SIGNATURE & DATE more

Resolved Question: Why have churches sold out to the government?

Obtaining Corporation Status (501c3) is Against God The word "church" is not meant to refer to any physical building, but refers to the worldwide body of believers in Christ. The word "church" (ecclesia in Greek - called out ones) does not refer to any organization, no matter it's name or legal status. Keep that in mind when reading this article. It is time for Christians to wake up and turn back to God. We need to turn to the Lord and repent of our sins that we have committed against Him. We need to ask for forgiveness of tolerating idolatry that removes His Sovereignty over His Church. To see that the Church is in grave danger we must have a clear understanding of what a corporation is. We also need to realize what the courts have ruled about corporations and that a corporation has no rights, only privileges, granted by the "estate." To become a corporation removes the authority of the Lord over a corporate church and puts it under the bondage of man's law. According to man, The State is Sovereign over its Corporations 1. "A corporation is a creature of the state. It is presumed to be incorporated for the benefit of the public. It receives certain special privileges and franchises and holds them subject to the laws of the state and the limitation of its charter. Its powers are limited by law. It can make no contract not authorized by its charter. Its rights to act as a corporation are only preserved to it so long as it obeys the laws of its creation. There is a reserved right in the legislature to investigate its contracts and ascertain if it has exceeded its powers" (Hale v. Henkel, 201 U.S. 43) 2. "[A corporation is] an artificial person or legal entity created by or under the authority of the laws of a state. An association of persons created by statute as a legal entity.... The corporation is distinct from the individuals who comprise it (shareholders).... Such an entity subsists as a body politic under a special denomination, which is regarded in law as having a personality and existence distinct from that of its several members." Black's Law Dictionary West Publishing Company, 1991; 6th Edition, page 340. 3. "A corporation derives its existence and all of its powers from the State and, therefore, has only such powers as the State has conferred upon it. Power is used here to mean the legal capacity to execute and fulfill the objects and purposes for which the corporation was created, and the source of this power is the charter and the statute under which the corporation was organized." Len Young Smith and G. Gale Roberson, Smith and Roberson's Business Law, West Publishing Company, 1966, page 796. A corporation derives its existence and all of its power from the State. The church on the other hand was created by and is the body of Christ. We belong to Him and we are subject to Him and His Laws. The source of any church's power is supposed to be the Holy Spirit; it's authority to function solely from God. 4. "Corporate existence is a privilege granted by the sovereign upon compliance with specified conditions" Len Young Smith and G. Gale Roberson, Smith and Roberson's Business Law, West Publishing Company, 1966, page 931. . 5. "Corporations are not citizens.... The term citizen... applies only to natural persons... not to artificial persons created by the legislature" Paul v. Virginia, 8 Wall. 168, 177; see also the Opinion of Field, J., in the Slaughterhouse Cases, 16 Wall.36,99 The Word of God teaches us that Christians, His Holy Church, are citizens of the household of God (Eph.2:19). 6. Every corporation has obtained a charter from the State of Incorporation. This charter is simply permission to exist given to the corporation (by the State!) without which, its operations would be considered illegal. In addition to the charter are the articles of incorporation: "The objects or purposes for which a corporation is formed are expressly stated in its articles of incorporation, which delineate in general language the type of business activities in which the corporation proposes to engage" Smith and Roberson's Business Law, West Publishing Company, 1966, page 798. 7. "Instances of non-profit corporations are educational institutions, athletic clubs, library clubs, fraternities, sororities, hospitals, and organizations which have exclusively a charitable purpose" Smith and Roberson's Business Law, West Publishing Company, 1966, page 789. (Note: The purpose of the church is not "charity," nor is it's purpose exclusively charitable. Charity should be a function of every church, but is certainly not it's purpose. Offering worship to God, evangelism to the lost, and the fellowship and equipping of the saints are among church's exclusive purposes. (gm) The Lord is Sovereign over His Churches : Jesus is the Head of the Church, not man Paul compares the special relationship of Christ and His church to the God giving relationship of man and wife. What can be closer or more special then this? Would you bring another person into your marriage to control it with worldly principles? I hope the answer is no. Then why would you bring in a "fictitious entity" no less created by the state and man i.e.: corporation, to run and regulate something that belongs to the Lord? The relationship with Jesus and His Church belongs to Him alone. He is the Head of the Church and as such He governs it with His Laws, Principles and Directions. After all He is our King and is Sovereign over His Church. To become a corporation in effect divorces the church from Christ. We also commit idolatry by putting something before Him. Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Christ is the Saviour of the body (the church); not the state. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. The church is subject to Christ not the state. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Christ has purchased the church with His own blood. The State can give nothing for the church and should give nothing to the church. 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. The church should be holy and without blemish, to mingle the church with the state/worldly system is to bring spot and wrinkle to the church because of what the state/world does and says, homosexuality, abortion, adultery and many other things are acceptable, they pass laws making them that way. This goes against God; should the church be partakers of that? 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: The Lord nourishes and cherishes the church. Throughout history the state has tried to destroy the church. It still does through legislation trying to control all aspects of the free and corporate church. 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. The church is a living organism with a living head and body. Therefore the church is not a religious organization. It is possible to be a religious or charitable organization without being a church. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. The church is to be joined unto Christ. In Matthew Jesus used the word cleave. I do not see that the church is to be joined to Christ and the state. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. He speaks of the relationship that the church is supposed to have with Christ. One that is supposed to be holy and true. One, that's with each other without interference, blessed. Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church Christ is to be all things to the church. He is in Charge and Head of the church not the state. The state is under His feet, it is the footstool of the Lord why put it ahead of Him? 23 Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. KJV There are more Scriptures that would support that Jesus is the sole authority over the church. Most of us Christians know this and believe this. I challenge my brothers and sisters to find them. Study them, to see if the Truth is being brought forth. Jesus Christ Should Be The Head Of The Church - Why Then Incorporate? Many people for some reason think that a church has to. This is far from the truth on a few different levels. Here in the United States of America a church does not have to incorporate at all to be recognized as a local body of believers. (Not sure why they would want recognition from the state anyway.) I know some of you are thinking "Well, Romans 13 says..." Most of us have been taught that whatever the government says, goes. Wrong! If the government passes a law that interferes or contradicts one of Gods law we are not bound to follow it. There are examples of this in the Bible ; we have all heard the story of Daniel and the lions' den. To think Christians are bound by the laws of men, when it comes to the work of the Kingdom, is just stupid. If this were the case the church in Russia, China, Middle East and other places - if they listened to Romans 13 the way it is applied now - would never have seen growth. How about the brothers/sisters that smuggled Bibles into the old Soviet Block, China, Cuba and others? Whose law did they break? Man's. The local government's. They may be held accountable for their actions by men, they might even lose their lives. Guess what? God will reward them for their actions. They were doing the work of the Kingdom. I know most of us have heard that Federal law supercedes state law. State law supercedes county, city and town law, and so on and so forth. Guess what? The law of God supercedes all of man's law when it goes against His own (Acts 4:18-19). The point is even if there was a law requiring churches to incorporate we would not be bound to do so. In doing so we would be removing the Lordship of Jesus and giving it to the state. Thank God we have not reached this point yet in this country but don't be fooled, its coming. Why then do churches incorporate? 1. They think they have to. 2. They feel it gives them some benefit. 3. They think it gives them prestige. 4. Asset protection. 5. Think it's the only way gifts are tax deductible. 6. Think its okay with God. 7. They have always done it that way. The list could go on, I'm sure we could all find some earthly reasons why we think incorporating would be a good idea. We Still Think It's The Law - Show me Otherwise If you still think it's the law and that would make any difference to you in your relationship with the Lord, I will show you differently: "Congress shall make no law regarding an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" (U.S. Constitution, First Amendment). According to the Internal Revenue Code, "a church, its integrated auxiliaries, and conventions and associations of the church are excluded from taxation." United States Code, Title 26, 508(c)(1)(A). Section 508(c) of the Internal Revenue Code provides that churches are not required to apply for recognition of Section 501(c)(3) status in order to be exempt from federal taxation or to receive tax deductible contributions. Churches are automatically exempt from Federal income tax, and contributions to churches are deductible by donors under section 170. Elsewhere, the IRS states: "Although a church, its integrated auxiliaries, or a convention of churches is not required to file Form 1023 to be exempt from federal income tax or to receive tax deductible contributions, such an organization may find it advantageous to obtain recognition of exemption (Tax Exempt Status for Your Organization, IRS Publication 557). Just what "advantage" is there for a church in obtaining 501(c)(3) recognition and thereby exchanging its sovereignty for a subordinate status in relation to the federal government? Most people would answer that such grants the church exemption from taxation. However, we have already seen that the federal government has never been able to tax the Church of Christ; the Church is not exempt from taxation, it is immune. The "advantage" is something else entirely: "By establishing its exemption, potential contributors are assured by the [Internal Revenue] Service that contributions will be deductible" Tax Exempt Status for Your Organization, IRS Publication 557. The tragic irony of all this is that, according to the Internal Revenue Code, financial donations to an unregistered, unincorporated church are automatically tax-deductible (26 USC 170-B). The government has no constitutional authority over the Church. It is not allowed to violate the First Amendment protection that the constitution provides. In fact the government may not infringe on any of our constitutional rights at all. They have found a way around this of course. To hold out an unbiblical advantage hoping an ignorant clergy person will take the bait and bring the church into voluntary compliance by forming a 501( C )(3) corporation, thus placing the church under the authority of the state. Once the church has been transformed into a corporation it then becomes subject to control by federal and state governments. In truth an incorporated church is no longer a church!! but merely a non-profit organization. Once a church incorporates the new non-profit organization is subject to total control by the government. You will be controlled on who you hire, what you can and cannot preach. You cannot conflict with public policy nor assault the hearer's sense of mental well being, self-esteem, sexual orientation etc. You can be sued. The IRS prohibits such organizations from "carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation" (26 USC 501-C-3). This prohibition extends, not only to the endorsement of a political candidate, but also any other attempts to "influence legislation," including taking a public stand against such government-protected abominations, such as abortion or homosexuality. Now, the church is discovering that favors from Washington, DC have strings attached. In this case, the string is a rope that is being used to throttle her once-powerful voice, to squeeze out her very life and, eventually, to hang her by the neck until dead! History Of Our New Nation: One of the reason people came to the new land was to get away from the entanglements of the old world. Quite a few of the reasons dealt with the issue of church and state. People where fleeing a repressive regime where there was a state-sponsored church or the church was running the governments. It was bad enough that people picked up and left. Now we seem to be returning to what our forefathers left on our own free will. We are taking a license to preach from the state, being told what we can and can't say. One of the things that inspired Patrick Henry's speech "Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death" was, he saw a man being beaten for preaching the gospel without a license. If we forget history we are doomed to repeat it. We as Christians need to wake up and take a stand. One thing that sticks in my mind is when I got married : "By the power vested in me by God and the State of California I now...." What Do I Do Now? (This section will not be favored by corporate Pastor/Ministers.) 1. You became incorporated, become unincorporated. 2. Talk to your Pastor/Minister about this important issue. 3. Rescind your membership in an incorporated church. 4. Don't incorporate. 5. Don't support incorporated churches. 6. Find an unincorporated church. 7. Start an unincorporated church. 8. Study Your Bible Daily. 9. Pray for the Body of Christ. 10. Witness and lead people to a personal relationship with Jesus. I know finding an unincorporated church will be a real chore, as there are not many out there. There is also a real need to hear and study the word. If you must go to an incorporated church I suggest not becoming a member. I know this is not the norm but we have to remember who the head of the church is, and especially, that we are not join to ourselves to a harlot. Churches which have (knowingly or not) substituted the authority of Christ with sinful man's demonically-influenced word system fit this description. This issue has weighed on my spirit for a long time. I'm guilty of idolatry for finding things to put before Him in the writing of this paper. I was led to write this and now it's almost done. I only pray that God will get the glory, eyes and hearts will be opened and His Will be done. I realize this paper will not make me many friends. I know this, but that was not the point. I pray people will take the time to search out what The Word has to say on this issue. I'm certain many people will come to the same conclusion and we can restore the Lordship of Jesus Christ to his rightful place over HIS church. Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. KJV A Servant of the King, Yashua Ha Mashiach, Jesus, the Messiah What Now? For more information on this topic go to http://www.theantichurch.org/501c3churchinfo.htm All information presented here is done so under the protection of the First, Fourth, Ninth, and Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. No warranty of accuracy is intended or implied, but merely reflects the best of my current non-professional research into these matters, to date. Nothing here should be interpreted or taken as legal advice, as I am not an attorney, and Guy Malone - who has posted it, but not written it - assumes no responsibility for any actions resulting from believing or acting upon this material; everything presented should be thoroughly researched against the Holy Bible, U.S. and State laws for your area, and with God and your conscience before taking any action from reading this material more

Resolved Question: How many of you can't read this?

The Unthinkable Thought "Jesus said, 'It is to those who are worthy of my Mysteries that I tell my Mysteries.'" The Gospel of Thomas On the site where the Vatican now stands there once stood a Pagan temple. Here Pagan priests observed sacred ceremonies which early Christians found so disturbing that they tried to erase all evidence of them ever having been practised. What were these shocking Pagan rites? Gruesome sacrifices or obscene orgies perhaps. This is what we have been led to believe. But the truth is far stranger than this fiction. Where today the gathered faithful revere their Lord Jesus Christ, the ancients worshipped another godman who, like Jesus, had been miraculously born on 25 December before three shepherds. In this ancient sanctuary Pagan congregations once glorified a Pagan redeemer who, like lesus, was said to have ascended to heaven and to have promised to come again at the end of time to judge the quick and the dead. On the same spot where the Pope celebrates the Catholic mass, Pagan priests also celebrated a symbolic meal of bread and wine in memory of their saviour who, just like Tesus, had declared: "He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made one with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation." When we began to uncover such extraordinary similarities between the story of Jesus and Pagan myth we were stunned. We had been brought up in a culture which portrays Paganism and Christianity as entirely antagonistic religious perspectives. How could such astonishing resemblances be explained? We were intrigued and began to search further. The more we looked, the more resemblances we found. To account for the wealth of evidence we were unearthing we felt compelled to completely review our understanding of the relationship between Paganism and Christianity, to question beliefs that we previously regarded as unquestionable and to imagine possibilities which at first seemed impossible. Some readers will find our conclusions shocking and others heretical, but for us they are merely the simplest and most obvious way of accounting for the evidence we have amassed. We have become convinced that the story of Jesus is not the biography of an historical Messiah, but a myth based on perennial Pagan stories. Christianity was not a new and unique revelation but actually a Jewish adaptation of the ancient Pagan Mystery religion. This is what we have called 'the Jesus Mysteries Thesis.' It may sound farfetched at first, just as it did initially to us. There is, after all, a great deal of unsubstantiated nonsense written about the 'real' Jesus, so any revolutionary theory should be approached with a healthy dose of scepticism. But although this book makes extraordinary claims, it is not just entertaining fantasy or sensational speculation. It is firmly based upon the available historical sources and the latest scholarly research. Whilst we hope to have made it accessible to the general reader, we have also included copious notes giving sources, references and greater detail for those who wish to analyse our arguments more thoroughly. Although still radical and challenging today, many of the ideas we explore are actually far from new. As long ago as the Renaissance, mystics and scholars saw the origins of christianity in the ancient Egyptian religion. Visionary scholars at the turn of the nineteenth century also made com-paxable conjectures to our own. In recent decades, modern academics have repeatedly pointed towards the possibilities we consider. Yet few have dared to boldly state the obvious conclusions which we have drawn. Why? Because to do so is taboo. For 2,000 years the West has been dominated by the idea that Christianity is sacred and unique, whilst Paganism is primitive and the work of the Devil. To even consider that they could be parts of the same tradition has been simply unthinkable. Therefore, although the true origins of Christianity have been obvious all along, few have been able to see them, because to do so requires a radical break with the conditioning of our culture. Our contribution has been to dare to think the unthinkable and to present our conclusions in a popular book rather than some dry academic tome. This is certainly not the last word on this complex subject, but we hope it may be a significant call for a complete reappraisal of the origins of Christianity. THE PAGAN MYSTERIES In Greek tragedies the chorus reveals the fate of the protagonists before the play begins. Sometimes it is easier to understand the journey if one is already aware of the destination and the terrain to be covered. Before diving deeper into detail, therefore, we would like to retrace our process of discovery and so provide a brief overview of the book. We had shared an obsession with world mysticism all our lives which recently had led us to explore spirituality in the ancient world. Popular understanding inevtitably lags a long way behind the cutting edge of scholarly research and, like most people, we initially had an inaccurate and out-dated view of Paganism. We had been taught to imagine a primitive superstition which indulged in idol worship and bloody sacrifice, and dry philosophers wearing togas stumbling blindly towards what we today call 'science.' We were familiar with various Greek myths which showed the partisan and capricious nature of the Olympian gods and goddesses. All in all, Paganism seemed primitive and fundamentally alien. After many years of study, however, our understanding has been transformed. Pagan spirituality was actually the sophisticated product of a highly developed culture. The state religions, such as the Greek worship of the Olympian gods, were little more than outer pomp and ceremony. The real spirituality of the people expressed itself through the vibrant and mystical 'Mystery religions.' At first underground and heretical movements, these Mysteries spread and flourished throughout the ancient Mediterranean, inspiring the greatest minds of the Pagan world, who regarded them as the very source of civilization. Each Mystery tradition had exoteric Outer Mysteries, consisting of myths which were common knowledge and rituals which were open to anyone who wanted to participate. There were also esoteric Inner Mysteries, which were a sacred secret only known to those who had undergone a powerful process of initiation. Initiates of the Inner Mysteries had the mystical meaning of the rituals and myths of the Outer Mysteries revealed to them, a process which brought about personal transformation and spiritual enlightenment. The philosophers of the ancient world were the spiritual masters of the Inner Mysteries. They were mystics and miracle-workers, more comparable to Hindu gurus than dusty academics. The great Greek philosopher Pythagoras, for example, is remembered today for his mathematical theorem, but few people picture him as he actually was a flamboyant sage who was believed to be able to miraculously still the winds and raise the dead. At the heart of the Mysteries were myths concerning a dying and resurrecting godman, who was known by many different names. In Egyp he was Osiris, in Greece Dionysus, in Asia Minor Attis, in Syria Adonis, in Italy Bacchus, in Persia Mithras. Fundamentally all these godmen are the same mythical being. As was the practice from as early as the third century BCE, in this book we will use the combined name "Osiris-Dionysus" to denote his universal and composite nature, and his particular names when referring to a specific Mystery tradition. From the fifth century BCE philosophers such as Xenophanes and Empedocles had ridiculed taking the stories of the gods and goddesses literally. They viewed them as allegories of human spiritual experience. The myths of Osiris-Dionysus should not be understood as just intriguing tales, therefore, but as a symbolic language which encodes the mystical teachings of the Inner Mysteries. Because of this, although the details were developed and adapted over time by different cultures, the myth of Osiris-Dionysus has remained essentially the same. The various myths of the different godmen of the Mysteries share what the great mythologist Joseph Campbell called 'the same anatomy', just as every human is physically unique yet it is possible to talk of the general anatomy of the human body, so with these different myths it is possible to see both their uniqueness and fundamental sameness. A helpful comparison may be the relationship between Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Bernstein's West Side Story. One is a sixteenth-century English tragedy about wealthy Italian families, whilst the other is a twentieth-century American musical about street gangs. On the face of it they look very different, yet they are essentially the same story. Similarly, the tales told about the godmen of the Pagan Mysteries are essentially the same, although they take different forms. The more we studied the various versions of the myth of Osiris-Dionysus, the more it became obvious that the story of Jesus had all the characteristics of this perennial tale. Event by event, we found we were able to construct Jesus' supposed biography from mythic motifs previousl3 relating to Osiris-Dionysus: - Osiris-Dionysus is God made flesh, the saviour and 'Son of God'. - His father is God and his mother is a mortal virgin. - He is born in a cave or humble cowshed on 25 December before three shepherds. - He offers his followers the chance to be born again through the rites ot baptism. - He miraculously turns water into wine at a marriage ceremony. - He rides triumphantly into town on a donkey while people wave palm leaves to honour him. - He dies at Eastertime as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. - After his death he descends to hell, then on the third day he rises from the dead and ascends to heaven in glory. - His followers await his return as the judge during the Last Days. - His death and resurrection are celebrated by a ritual meal of bread and wine which symbolize his body and blood. These are just some of the motifs shared between the tales of Osiris-Dionysus and the 'biography' of Jesus. Why are these remarkable similarities not common knowledge? Because, as we were to discover later, the early Roman Church did everything in its power to prevent us perceiving them. It systematically destroyed Pagan sacred literature in a brutal programme of eradicating the Mysteries -- a task it performed so completely that today Paganism is regarded as a 'dead' religion. Although surprising to us now, to writers of the first few centuries CE these similarities between the new Christian religion and the ancient Mysteries were extremely obvious. Pagan critics of Christianity, such as the satirist Celsus, complained that this recent religion was nothing more than a pale reflection of their own ancient teachings. Early 'Church fathers,' such as Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Irenaeus, were understandably disturbed and resorted to the desperate claim that these similarities were the result of 'diabolical mimicry.' Using one of the most absurd arguments ever advanced, they accused the Devil of 'plagiarism by anticipation,' of deviously copying the true story of Jesus before it had actually happened in an attempt to mislead the gullible! These Church fathers struck us as no less devious than the Devil they hoped to incriminate. Other Christian commentators have claimed that the myths of the Mysteries were like pre-echoes of the literal coming of Jesus, somewhat like premonitions or prophecies. This is a more generous version of the'diabolical mimicry' theory, but seemed no less ridiculous to us. There was nothing other than cultural prejudice to make us see the Jesus story as the literal culmination of its many mythical precursors. Viewed impartially, it appeared to be just another version of the same basic story. The obvious explanation is that as early Christianity became the dominant power in the previously Pagan world, popular motifs from Pagan mythology became grafted onto the biography of Jesus. This is a possibility that is even put forward by many Christian theologians. The virgin birth, for example, is often regarded as an extraneous later addition that should not be understood literally. Such motifs were 'borrowed' from Paganism in the same way that Pagan festivals were adopted as Christian saints' days. This theory is common amongst those who go looking for the 'real' Jesus hidden under the weight of accumulated mythological debris. Attractive as it appears at first, to us this explanarion seemed inadequate.We had collated such a comprehensive body of similarities that there remained hardly any significant elements in the biography of Jesus that we did not find prefigured by the Mysteries. On top of this, we discovered that even Jesus' teachings were not original, but had been anticipated by the Pagan sages! If there was a 'real' Jesus somewhere underneath all this, we would have to acknowledge that we could know absolutely nothing about him, for all that remained for us was later Pagan accretions! Such a position seemed absurd. Surely there was a more elegant solution to this conundrum. THE GNOSTICS Whilst we were puzzling over these discoveries, we began to question the received picture of the early Church and have a look at the evidence for ourselves. We discovered that far from being the united congregation of saints and martyrs that traditiona! history would have us believe, the early Christian community was actually made up of a whole spectrum of different groups. These can be broadly categorized into two different schools. On the one hand there were those we will call 'Literalists', because what defines them is that they take the Jesus story as a literal account of historical events. It was this school of Christianity that was adopted by the Roman Empire in the fourth century CE, becoming Roman Catholicism and all its subsequent offshoots. On the other hand, however, there were also radically diffejent Christians known as 'Gnostics.' These forgotten Christians were later persecuted out of existence by the Literalist Roman Church with such thoroughness that until recently we knew little about them except through the writings of their detractors. Only a handful of original Gnostic texts survived, none of which were published before the nineteenth century. This situation changed dramatically, however, with a remarkable discovery in 1945 when an Arab peasant stumbled upon a whole library of Gnostic gospels hidden in a cave near Nag Hammadi in Egypt. This gave scholars access to many texts which were in wide circulation amongst early Christians, but which were deliberately excluded from the canon of the New Testament -- gospels attributed to Thomas and Philip, texts recording the acts of Peter and the 12 disciples, apocalypses attributed to Paul and James, and so on. It seemed to us extraordinary that a whole library of early Christian documents could be discovered, containing what purport to be the teachings of Christ and his disciples, and yet so few modem followers of Jesus should even know of their existence. Why hasn't every Christian rushed out to read these newly discovered words of the Master? What keeps them confined to the small number of gospels selected for inclusion in the New Testament? It seems that even though 2,000 years have passed since the Gnostics were purged, during which time the Roman Church has split into Protestantism and thousands of other alternative groups, the Gnostics are still not regarded as a legitimate voice of Christianity. Those who do explore the Gnostic gospels discover a form of Christianity quite alien to the religion with which they are familiar. We found ourselves studying strange esoteric tracts with titles such as Hypostasis of the Archons and The Thought of Norea. It felt as if we were in an episode of Star Trek -- and in a way we were. The Gnostics truly were 'psychonauts' who boldly explored the final frontiers of inner space, searching for the origins and meaning of life. These people were mystics and creative free-thinkers. It was obvious to us why they were so hated by the bishops of the Literalist Church hierarchy. To Literalists, the Gnostics were dangerous heretics. In volumes of anti-Gnostic works -- an unintentional testimony to the power and influence of Gnosticism within early Christianity -- they painted them as Christians who had 'gone native.' They claimed they had become contaminated by the Paganism that surrounded them and had abandoned the purity of the true faith. The Gnostics, on the other hand, saw themselves as the authentic Christian tradition and the orthodox bishops as an 'imitation church.' They claimed to know the secret Inner Mysteries of Christianity which the Literslists did not possess. As we explored the beliefs and practices of the Gnostics we became convinced that the Literalists had at least been right about one thing: the Gnostics were little different from Pagans. Like the philosophers of the Pagan Mysteries, they believed in reincarnation, honoured the goddess Sophia, and were immersed in the mystical Greek philosophy of Plato. 'Gnostics' means 'Knowers', a name they acquired because, like the initiates of the Pagan Mysteries, they believed that their secret teachings had the power to impart 'Gnosis' -- direct experiential 'Knowledge of God.' Just as the goal of a Pagan initiate was to become a god, so for the Gnostics the goal of the Christian initiate was to become a Christ. What particularly struck us was that the Gnostics were not concerned with the historical Jesus. They viewed the Jesus story in the same way that the Pagan philosophers viewed the myths of Osiris-Dionysus -- as an allegory which encoded secret mystical teachings. This insight crystallized for us a remarkable possibility. Perhaps the explanation for the similarities between Pagan myths and the biography of Jesus had been staring us in the face the whole time, but we had been so caught up with traditional ways of thinking that we had been unable to see it. THE JESUS MYSTERIES THESIS The traditional version of history bequeathed to us by the authorities of the Roman Church is that Christianity developed from the teachings of a Jewish Messiah and that Gnosticism was a later deviation. What would happen, we wondered if the picture were reversed and Gnosticism viewed as the authentic Christianity, just as the Gnostics themselves claimed? Could it be that orthodox Christianity was a later deviation from Gnosticism and that Gnosticism was a synthesis of Judaism and the Pagan Mystery religion? This was the beginning of the Jesus Mysteries Thesis. Boldly stated, the picture that emerged for us was as follows. We knew that most ancient Mediterranean cultures had adopted the ancient Mysteries, adapting them to their own national tastes and creating their own version of the myth of the dying and resurrecting godman. Perhaps some of the Jews had likewise adopted the Pagan Mysteries and created their own version of the Mysteries which we now know as Gnosticism. Perhaps initiates of the Jewish Mysteries had adapted the potent symbolism of the Osiris-Dionysus myths into a myth of their own, the hero of which was the Jewish dying and ~surreeting godman Jesus. If this was so, then the Jesus story was not a biography at all but a consciously crafted vehicle for encoded spiritual teachings created by Jewish Gnostics. As in the Pagan Mysteries, initiation into the Inner Mysteries would reveal the myth's allegorical meaning. Perhaps those uninitiated into the Inner Mysteries had mistakenly come to regard the Jesus myth as historical fact and in this way Literalist Christianity had been created. Perhaps the Inner Mysteries of Christianity, which the Gnostics taught but which the Literalists denied existed, revealed that the Jesus story was not a factual account of God's one and only visit to planet Earth, but a mystical teaching story designed to help each one of us become a Christ. The Jesus story does have all the hallmarks of a myth, so could it be that that is exactly what it is? After all, no one has read the newly discovered Gnostic gospels and taken their fantastic stories as literally true; they are readily seen as myths. It is only familiarity and cultural prejudice which prevent us from seeing tlae New Testament gospels in the same light. If those gospels had also been lost to us and only recently discovered, who would read these tales for the first time and believe they were historical accounts of a man born of a virgin, who had walked on water and returned from the dead? Why should we consider the stories of Osiris, Dionysus, Adonis, Attis, Mithras and the other Pagan Mystery saviours as fables, yet come across essentially the same story told in a Jewish context and believe it to be the biography of a carpenter from Bethlehem? We had both been raised as Christians and were surprised to find that, despite years of open-minded spiritual exploration, it still felt somehow dangerous to even dare think such thoughts. Early indoctrination reaches very deep. We were in effect saying that Jesus was a Pagan god and that Christianity was a heretical product of Paganism! It seemed outrageous. Yet this theory explained the similarities between the stories of Osiris-Dionysus and Jesus Christ in a simple and elegant way. They are parts of one developing mythos. The Jesus Mysteries Thesis answered many puzzling questions, yet it also opened up new dilemmas. Isn't there indisputable historical evidence for the existence of Jesus the man? And how could Gnosticism be the original Christianity when St Paul, the earliest Christian we know about, is so vociferously anti-Gnostic? And is it really credible that such an insular and anti-Pagan people as the Jews could have adopted the Pagan Mysteries? And how could it have happened that a consciously created myth came to be believed as history? And if Gnosticism represents genuine Christianity, why was it Literalist Christianity that came to dominate the world as the most influential religion of all time? All of these difficult questions would have to be satisfactorily answered before we could wholeheartedly accept such a radical theory as the Jesus Mysteries Thesis. THE GREAT COVER UP Our new account of the origins of Christianity only seemed improbable because it contradicted the received view. As we pushed further with our research, the traditional picture began to completely unravel all around us. We found ourselves embroiled in a world of schism and power straggles, of forged documents and false identities, of letters that had been edited and added to, and of the wholesale destruction of historical evidence. We focused forensically on the few facts we could be confident of, as if we were detectives on the verge of cracking a sensational 'whodunnit', or perhaps more accurately as if we were uncovering an ancient and unacknowledged miscarriage of justice. For, time and again, when we critically examined what genuine evidence remained, we found that the history of Christianity bqueathed to us by the Roman Church was a gross distortion of the truth. Actually the evidence completely endorsed the Jesus Mysteries Thesis! It was becoming increasingly obvious that we had been deliberately deceived, that the Gnostics were indeed the original Christians, and that their anarchic mysticism had been hijacked by an authoritarian institution which had created from it a dogmatic religion - and then brutally enforced the greatest cover-up in history. One of the major players in this cover-up operation was a character called Eusebius, who, at the beginning of the fourth century, compiled from legends, fabrications and his own imagination the only early history of Christianity that still exists today. All subsequent histories have been forced to base themselves on Eusebins' dubious claims, because there has been little other information to draw on. All those with a different perspective on Christianity were branded as heretics and eradicated. In this way falsehoods compiled in the fourth century have come down to us as established facts. Eusebius was employed by the Roman Emperor Constantine, who made Christianity the state religion of the Empire and gave Literalist Christianity the power it needed to begin the final eradication of Paganism and Gnosticism. Constantine wanted 'one God, one religion' to consolidate his claim of 'one Empire, one Emperor.' He oversaw the creation of the Nicene creed -- the article of faith repeated in churches to this day -- and christians who refused to assent to this creed were banished from the Empire or otherwise silenced. This 'Christian' Emperor then returned home from Nicaea and had his wife suffocated and his son murdered. He deliberately remained unbaptized until his deathbed so that he could continue his atrocities and still receive forgiveness of sins and a guaranteed place in heaven by being baptized at the last moment. Although he had his 'spin doctor' Eusebius compose a suitably obsequious biography for him, he was actually a monster -- just like many Roman Emperors before him. Is it really at all surprising that a 'history' of the origins of Christianity created by an employee in the service of a Roman tyrant should turn out to be a pack of lies? Elaine PageIs, one of the foremost academic authorities on early Christianity, writes: "It is the winners who write history -- their way. No wonder, then, that the traditional accounts of the origins of Christianity first defined the terms (naming themselves "orthodox" and their opponents "heretics"); then they proceeded to demonstrate -- at least to their own satisfaction -- that their triumph was historically inevitable, or, in religious terms, "guided by the Holy Spirit." But the discoveries [of the Gnostic gospels] at Nag Hammadi reopen fundamental questions." History is indeed written by the victors. The creation of an appropriate history has always been part of the arsenal of political manipulation. The Roman Church created a history of the triumph of Literalist Christianity in much the same partisan way that, two millennia later, Hollywood created tales of 'cowboys and Indians' to relate 'how the West was won' not 'how the West was lost.' History is not simply related, it is created. Ideally, the motivation is to explain historical evidence and come to an accurate understanding of how the present has been created by the past. All too often, however, it is simply to glorify and justify the status quo. Such histories conceal as much as they reveal. To dare to question a received history is not easy. It is difficult to believe that something which you have been told is true from childhood could actually be a product of falsification and fantasy. It must have been hard for those Russians brought up on tales of kindly 'Uncle Joe' Stalin to accept that he was actually responsible for the deaths of millions. It must have strained credibility when those opposing his regime claimed that he had in fact murdered many of the heroes of the Russian revolution. It must have seemed ridiculous when they asserted that he had even had the images of his rivals removed from photographs and completely fabricated historical events. Yet all these things are true. It is easy to believe that something must be true because everyone else believes it. But the truth often only comes to light by daring to question the unquestionable, by doubting notions which are so commonly believed that they are taken for granted. The Jesus Mysteries Thesis is the product of such an openness of mind. When it first occurred to us, it seemed absurd and impossible. Now it seems obvious and ordinary. The Vatican was constructed upon the site of an ancient Pagan sanctuary because the new is always built upon the old. In the same way Christianity itself has as its foundations the Pagan spirituality that preceded it. What is more plausible than to posit the gradual evolution of spiritual ideas, with Christianity emerging from the ancient Pagan Mysteries in a seamless historical continuum? It is only because the conventional history has been so widely believed for so long that this idea could be seen as heretical and shocking. RECOVERING MYSTICAL CHRISTIANITY As the final pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, we came across a small picture tucked away in the appendices of an old academic book. It was a drawing of a third-century CE amulet. We have used it as the cover of this book. It shows a crucified figure which most people would immediately recognize as Jesus. Yet the Greek words name the figure 'Orpheus Bacchus,' one of the pseudonyms of Osiris-Dionysus. To the author of the book in which we found the picture, this amulet was an anomaly. Who could it have possibly belonged to? Was it a crucified Pagan deity or some sort of Gnostic synthesis of Paganism and Christianity? Either way it was deeply puzzling. For us, however, this amulet was perfectly understandable. It was an unexpected confirmation of the Jesus Mysteries Thesis. The image could be that of either Jesus or Osiris-Dionysus. To the initiated, these were both names for essentially the same figure. The 'chance' discovery of this amulet made us feel as though the universe itself was encouraging us to make our findings public. In different ways the Jesus Mysteries Thesis has been proposed by mystics and scholars for centuries, but has always ended up being ignored. It now felt like an idea whose moment had come. We did, however, have misgivings about writing this book. We knew that it would inevitably upset certain Christians, something which we had no desire to do. Certainly it has been hard to be constantly surrounded by lies and injustices without experiencing a certain amount of outrage at the negative misrepresentation of the Gnostics, and to have become aware of the great riches of Pagan culture without feeling grief that they were so wantonly destroyed. Yet we do not have some sort of anti-Christian agenda. Far from it. Those who have read our other works will know that our interest is not in further division, but in acknowledging the unity that lies at the heart of all spiritual traditions -- and this present book is no exception. Early Literalist Christians mistakenly believed that the Jesus story was different from other stories of Osiris-Dionysus because Jesus alone had been an historical rather than a mythical figure. This has left Christians feeling that their faith is in opposition to all others -- which it is not. We hope that by understanding its true origins in the ongoing evolution of a universal human spirituality, Christianity may be able to free itself from this self-imposed isolation. Whilst the Jesus Mysteries Thesis clearly rewrites history, we do not see it as undermining the Christian faith, but as suggesting that Christianity is in fact richer than we previously imagined. The Jesus story is a perennial myth with the power to impart the saving Gnosis which can transform each one of us into a Christ, not merely a history of events that happened to someone else 2,000 years ago. Belief in the Jesus story was originally the first step in Christian spirituality -- the Outer Mysteries. Its significance was to be explained by an enlightened teacher when the seeker was spiritually ripe. These Inner Mysteries imparted a mystical Knowledge of God beyond mere belief in dogmas. Although many inspired Christian mystics throughout history have intuitively seen through to this deeper symbolic level of understanding, as a culture we have inherited only the Outer Mysteries of Christianity. We have kept the form, but lost the inner meaning. Our hope is that this book can play some small part in reclaiming the true mystical Christian inheritance. The Pagan Mysteries "Blest is the happy man Who knows the Mysteries the gods ordain, And sanctifies his life, Joins soul with soul in mystic unity, And, by due ritual made pure Enters the ecstasy of mountain solitudes; Who observes the mystic rites Made lawful by the Great Mother; Who crowns his head with ivy, And shakes his wand in worship ot Dionysus." Euripides Paganism is a 'dead' religion -- or more accurately an 'exterminated' religion· It did not simply fade away into oblivion. It was actively suppressed and annihilated, its temples and shrines desecrated and demolished, and its great sacred books thrown onto bonfires. No living lineage has been left to explain its ancient beliefs. So, the Pagan worldview has to be reconstructed from the archaeological evidence and texts that have survived, like some giant metaphysical jigsaw puzzle. 'Pagan' was originally a derogatory term meaning 'country-dweller,' used by Christians to infer that the spirituality of the ancients was some primitive rural superstition. But this is not true. Paganism was the spirituality which inspired the unequalled magnificence of the Giza pyramids, the exquisite architecture of the Parthenon, the legendary sculptures of Phideas, the powerful plays of Euripides and Sophocles, and the sublime philosophy of Socrates and Plato. Pagan civilization built vast libraries to house hundreds of thousands of works of literary and scientific genius. Its natural philosophers speculated that human beings had evolved from animals. Its astronomers knew the Earth was a sphere which, along with the planets, revolves around the sun. They had even estimated its circumference to within one degree of accuracy? The ancient Pagan world sustained a population not matched again in Europe until the eighteenth century. In Greece, Pagan culture gave birth to the concepts of democracy, rational philosophy, public libraries, theatre and the Olympic Games, creating a blueprint for our modern world. What was the spirituality that inspired these momentous cultural achievements? Most people associate Paganism with either rustic witchcraft or the myths of the gods of Olympus as recorded by Hesiod and Homer. Pagan spirituality did indeed embrace both. The country people practised their traditional shamanic nature worship to maintain the fertility of the land and the city authorities propped up formal state religions, such as the worship of the Olympian gods, to maintain the power of the status quo. It was, however, a third, more mystical, expression of the Pagan spirit which inspired the great minds of the ancient world. The thinkers, artists and innovators of antiquity were initiates of various religions known as 'Mysteries.' These remarkable men and women held the Mysteries to be the heart and soul of their culture. The Greek historian Zosimos writes that without the Mysteries "life for the Greeks would be unlivable" for "the sacred Mysteries hold the whole human race together." The eminent Roman statesman Cicero enthuses: "These Mysteries have brought us from rustic savagery to a cultivated and refined civilisation. The rites of the Mysteries are called "initiations" and in truth we have learned trom them the first principles of life. We have gained the understanding not only to live happily but also to die with better hope." Unlike the traditional rituals of the official state religions, which were designed to aid social cohesion, the mysteries were an individualistic form of.spirituality which offered mystical visions and personal enlightenment. Initiates underwent a secret process of initiation which profoundly trans-r formed their state of consciousness. The poet Pindar reveals that an initiate into the Mysteries "knows the end of life and its God-given beginning." Lucius Apuleius, a poet-philosopher, writes of his experience of initiation as a spiritual rebirth which he celebrated as his birthday, an experience for which he felt a "debt of gratitude" that he "could never hope to repay." Plato, the most influential philosopher of all time, relates: "We beheld the beatific visions and were initiated into the Mystery which may be truly called blessed, celebrated by us in a state of innocence. We beheld calm, happy, simple, eternal visions, resplendent in pure light." The great Pagan philosophers were the enlightened masters of the Mysteries. Although they are often portrayed today as dry 'academic' intellectuals, they were actually enigmatic 'gurus.' Empedocles, like his master Pythagoras, was a charismatic miracle-worker. Socrates was an eccentric mystic prone to being suddenly overcome by states of rapture during which his friends would discover him staring off into space for hours. Heraclitus was asked by the citizens of Ephesus to become a lawmaker, but turned the offer down so that he could continue playing with the children in the temple. Anaxagoras shocked ordinary citizens by completely abandoning his farm to fully devote his life to "the higher philosophy." Diogenes owned nothing and lived in a jar at the entrance of a temple. The inspired playwright Euripides wrote his greatest tragedies during solitary retreats in an isolated cave. All of these idiosyncratic sages were steeped in the mysticism of the Mysteries, which they expressed in their philosophy. Olympiodorus, a follower of Plato, tells us that his master paraphrased the Mysteries everywhere. The works of Heraclitus were renowned even in ancient times for being obscure and impenetrable, yet Diogenes explains that they are crystal clear to an initiate of the Mysteries. Of studying Heraclitus he writes: "It is a hard road to follow, filled with darkness and gloom; but if an initiate leads you on the way, it becomes brighter than the radiance of the sun." At the heart of Pagan philosophy is an understanding that all things are One. The Mysteries aimed at awakening within the initiate a sublime experience of this Oneness. Sallustius declares: "Every initiation aims at uniting us with the World and with the Deity." Plotinus describes the initiate transcending his limited sense of himself as a separate ego and experiencing mystical union with God: "As if borne away, or possessed by a god, he attains to solitude in untroubled stillness, nowhere deflected in his being and unbusied with self, utterly at rest and become very rest. He does not converse with a statue or image but with Godhead itself. And this is no object of vision, but another mode of seeing, a detachment from self, a simplification and surrender of self, a yearning for contact, and a stillness and meditation directed towards transformation. Whoever sees himself in this way has attained likeness to God; let him abandon himself and find the end of his journeying ." No wonder the initiate Sopatros poertcally mused, "I came out of the Mystery Hall feeling like a stranger to myself." THE SACRED SPECTACLE AT ELEUSIS What were these ancient Mysteries that could inspire such reverent awe and heartfelt appreciation? The Mystery religion was practised for thousands of years, during which time it spread throughout the ancient worid, taking on many different forms. Some were frenzied and others meditative. Some involved bloody animal sacrifice, while others were presided over by strict vegetarians, At certain moments in history the Mysteries were openly practised by whole populations and were endorsed, or at least tolerated, by the state. At other times they were a small-scale and secretive affair, for fear of persecution by unsympathetic authorities. Central toall of these forms qf the Mysteries, however, was the myth of a dying and resurrecting godman. The Greek Mysteries celebrated at Eleusis in honour of the Great Mother goddess and the godman Dionysus were the most famous of all the Mystery cults. The sanctuary of Eleusis was finally destroyed by bands of fanatical Christian monks in 396 CE, but up until this tragic act of vandalism the Mysteries had been celebrated there for over 11 centuries. At the height of their popularity people were coming from all over the then known world to be initiated: men and women, rich and poor, slaves and emperors -- even a Brahmin priest from India. Each year some 30,000 Athenian citizens embarked on a 30-kilometre barefoot pilgrimage to the sacred site of Eleusis on the coast to celebrate the autumn Mysteries of Dionysus. For days they would have been preparing for this important religious event by fasting, offering sacrifices and undergoing ritual purification. As those about to be initiated danced along the 'Sacred Way' to Eleusis, accompanied by the frenzied beat of cymbals and tambourines, they were accosted by masked men who abused and insulted them, while others beat them with sticks. At the head of the procession was carried the statue of Dionysus himself, leading them ever onward. After ritual naked bathing in the sea and other purification ceremonies the crowd reached the great doors of the Telesterion, a huge purpose-built initiation hall. Only the chosen few who were already initiated or about to be initiated into the secret Mysteries could enter here. What awesome ceremony was held behind these closed doors that touched the great philosophers, artists, statesmen and scientists of the ancient world so deeply? All initiates were sworn to secrecy and held the Mysteries so sacred that they kept this oath. From large numbers of hints and clues, however, we know that they witnessed a sublime theatrical spectacle. They were awed by sounds and dazzled by lights. They were bathed in the blaze of a huge fire and trembled to the nerve-shattering reverberations of a mighty gong. The Hierophant, the high priest of the Mysteries, was quite literally a 'showman' who orchestrated a terrifyingly transformative dramatic reenactment of sacred myth. He himself was dressed as the central character - the godman Dionysus. A modern scholar writes: "A Mystery Religion was thus a divine drama which portrayed before the wondering eyes of the privileged observers the story of the struggles, sufferings, and victory of a patron deity, the travail of nature in which life ultimately triumphs over death, and joy is born of pain. The whole ritual of the Mysteries aimed especially at quickening the emotional life. No means of exciting the emotions was neglected in the passion-play, either by way of inducing careful predispositions or of supplying external stimulus. Tense mental anticipations heightened by a period of abstinence, hushed silences, imposing processions and elaborate pageantry, music loud and violent or soft and enthralling, delirious dances, the drinking of spirituous liquors, physical macerations, alternations of dense darkness and dazzling light, the sight of gorgeous ceremonial vestments, the handling of holy emblems, auto-suggestion and the promptings of the Hierophant -- these and many secrets of emotional exaltation were in vogue." This dramatization of the myth of Dionysus is the origin of tragedy and theatre. But the initiates were not a passive audience. They were participants who shared in the passion of the godman whose death and rebirth symbolically represented the death and spiritual rebirth of each one of them. As a modern authority explains: "Dionysus was the god of the most blessed ecstasy and the most enraptured love. But he was also the persecuted god, the suffering and dying god, and all whom he loved, all who attended him, had to share his tragic fate." By witnessing the awesome tragedy of Dionysus, the initiates at Eleusis shared in his suffering, death and resurrection, and so experienced a spiritual purification known as 'catharsis.' The Mysteries did not offer religious dogmas to simply be believed, but a myth to be entered into. Initiation was not about learning something, but about experiencing an altered state of awareness. Plutarch, a Pagan high priest, confesses that those who had been initiated could produce no proof of the beliefs that they acquired. Aristotle maintains, "It is not necessary for the initiated to learn anything, but to receive impressions and to be put in a certain frame of mind." The philosopher Produs talks of the Mysteries as evoking a "sympathy of the soul with the ritual in a way that is unintelligible to us and divine, so that some of the initiates axe stricken with panic, being filled with divine awe; others assimilate themselves to the holy symbols, leave their own identity, become at home with the gods, affd experience divine possession." Why did the myth enacted by the Mysteries have such a profound effect? ENCODED SECRET TEACHINGS In antiquity the word mythos did not mean something 'untrue't as it does ( for us today. Superficially a myth was an entertaining story, but to the initiated it was a sacred code that contained profound spiritual teachings. Plato comments, "It looks as if those also who established rites of initiation for us were no fools, but that there is a hidden meaning in their teachings." He explains that it is "those who have given their lives to true philosophy" who will grasp the "hidden meaning" encoded in the Mystery myths, and so become completely identified with the godman in an experience of mystical enlightenment. The ancient philosophers were not so foolish as to believe that the Mystery myths were literally true, but wise enough to recognize that they were an easy introduction to the profound mystical philosophy at the heart of the Mysteries. Sallustius writes: "To wish to teach all men the truth of the gods causes the foolish to despise, because they cannot learn, and the good to be slothful, whereas to conceal the truth by myths prevents the former from despising philosophy and compels the latter to study it." It was the role of the priests and philosophers of the Mysteries to decode the hidden depths of spiritual meaning contained within the Mystery myths. Heliodorus, a priest of the Mysteries, explains: "Philosophers and theologians do not disclose the meanings embedded in these stories to laymen but simply give them preliminary instruction in the form of a myth. But those who have reached the higher grades of the Mysteries they initiate into clear knowledge in the privacy of the holy shrine, in the light cast by the blazing torch of truth." The Mysteries were divided into various levels of initiation, which led an initiate step by step through ever deepening levels of understanding. The number of levels of initiation varied in different Mystery traditions, but essentially the initiate was led from the Outer Mysteries, in which the myths were understood superficially as religious stories, to the Inner Mysteries, in which the myths were revealed as spiritual allegories. First the initiate was ritually purified. Then they were taught the secret teachings on a one-to-one basis. The highest stage was when the initiate understood the true meaning of the teachings and finally experienced what Theon of Smyrna calls "friendship and interior communion with God." THE INTERNATIONAL MYSTERIES The Mysteries dominated the Pagan world. No other deity is represented on the monuments of ancient Greece and Italy as much as Dionysus, godman of the Eleusinian Mysteries. He is a deity with many names: Iacchos, Bassareus, Bromios, Euios, Sabazius, Zagreus, Yhyoneus, Lenaios, Eleuthereus, and so the list goes on. But these are just some of his Greek names! The godman is an omnipresent mythic figure throughout the ancient Mediterranean, known in different ways by many cultures. Five centuries before the birth of Christ, the Greek historian Herodotus, known as 'the father of history', discovered this when he travelled to Egypt. On the shores of a sacred lake in the Nile delta he witnessed an enormous festival, held every year, in which the Egyptians performed a dramatic spectacle before "tens of thousands of men and women," representing the death and resurrection of Osiris. Herodotus was an initiate into the Greek Mysteries and recognized that what he calls "the Passion of Osiris" was the very same drama that initiates saw enacted before them at Eleusis as the Passion of Dionysus. The Egyptian myth of Osiris is the primal myth of the Mystery godman and reaches back to prehistory. His story is so ancient that it can be found in pyramid texts written over 4,500 years ago! In travelling to Egypt Herodotus was following in the footsteps of another great Greek. Before 670 BCE Egypt had been a closed country, in the manner of Tibet, or Japan more recently, but in this year she opened her borders and one of the first Greeks who travelled there in search of ancient wisdom was Pythagoras. History remembers Pythagoras as the first 'scientist' of the Western world, but although it is true that he brought back many mathmatical theories to Greece from Egypt, to his contemporaries he would have seemed anything but 'scientific' in the modern sense. A wandering charismatic sage dressed in white robes and crowned with a gold coronet, Pythagoras was part scientist, part priest and part magician. He spent 22 years in the temples of Egypt, becoming an initiate of the ancient Egyptian Mysteries. On returning to Greece he began to preach the wisdom he had learned, performing miracles, raising the dead and giving oracles. Inspired by Pythagoras, his disciples created a Greek Mystery religion modelled on the Egyptian Mysteries. They took the indigenous wine god Dionysus, who was a minor deity all but ignored by Hesiod and Homer, and transformed him into a Greek version of the mighty Egyptian Osiris, godman of the Mysteries. This initiated a religious and cultural revolution that was to transform Athens into the centre of the civilized world. The followers of Pythagoras were models of virtue and learning, regarded as puritans by their neighbours. Strict vegetarians, they preached non-violence towards all living things and shunned the temple cults that practised the sacrifice of animals. This made it impossible for them to participate in the traditional Olympian religion of Athens. Forced to live on the fringes of acceptability, they often organized themselves into communities that shared all possessions in common, leaving them free to devote themselves to their mystical studies of mathematics, music, astronomy and philosophy. Nevertheless, the Mystery religion spread quickly amongst the ordinary people and within a few generations the Egyptian Mysteries of Osiris, now the Mysteries of Dionysus, inspired the glory of Classical Athens. In the same way that Osiris was synthesized by the Greeks with their indigenous god Dionysus to create the Greek Mysteries, other Mediterranean cultures which adopted the Mystery religion also transformed one of their indigenous deities into the dying and resurrecting Mystery godman. So, the deity who was known as Osiris in Egypt and became Dionysus in Greece was called Attis in Asia Minor, Adonis in Syria, Bacchus in Italy, Mithras in Persia, and so on. His forms were many, but essentially he was the same perennial figure, whose collective identity was referred to as Osiris-Dionysus. Because the ancients recognized that all the various Mystery godmen were essentially the same mythic being, elements from different myths and rites were continually combined and recombined to create new forms of the Mysteries. In Alexandria, for example, a charismatic sage called Timotheus consciously fused Osiris and Dionysus to produce a new deity for the city callled Serapis. He also gave an elaborate account of the myth of the Mystery godman Attis. Lucius Apuleius received his initiation into theMysteries from a high priest named after the Persian godman Mithras. Coins were minted with Dionysus represented on one side and Mithras on the other? One modern authority tells us that "possessed by the knowledge of his own secret rites," the initiate of the Mysteries "found no difficulty in conforming to any religion in vogue." Like the Christian religion which superseded it, the Mysteries reached across national boundaries, offering a spirituality which was relevant to all human beings, regardless of their racial origins or social status. Even as early as the fifth century CE philosophers such as Diogenes and Socrates called themselves "cosmopolitans' -- "citizens of the cosmos" -- rather than of any particular country or culture, which is testimony to the international nature of the Mysteries. One modern scholar, commenting on the merging and combining of different mystery traditions, writes: "This went a long way towards weaning the minds of men from the idea of separate gods from the different nations, and towards teaching them that all national and local deities were but different forms of one great Power. But for the rise of Christianity and other religions, there can be little doubt but that the whole of the Graeco-Roman deities would continually have merged into Dionysus." OSIRIS-DIONYSUS AND JESUS CHRIST Osiris-Dionysus had such universal appeal because he was seen as an 'Everyman' figure who symbolically represented each initiate. Through understanding the allegorical myth of the Mystery godman, initiates could become aware that, like Osiris-Dionysus, they were also 'God made flesh.' They too were immortal Spirit trapped within a physical body. Through sharing in the death of Osiris-Dionysus initiates symbolically 'died' to their lower earthly nature. Through sharing in his resurrection they were spiritually reborn and experienced their eternal and divine essence. This was the profound mystical teaching that the myth of Osiris-Dionysus encoded for those initiated into the Inner Mysteries, the truth of which initiates directly experienced for themselves. Writing of the Egyptian Mystery godman Osiris, Sir Wallis Budge, who was keeper of antiquities in the British Museum, explains: "The Egyptians of every period in which they are known to us believed that Osiris was of divine origin, that he suffered death and mutilation at the hands of the power of evil, that after great struggle with these powers he rose again, that he became henceforth the king of the underworld and judge of the dead, and that because he had conquered death the righteous might also conquer death. "He represented to men the idea of a man who was both God and man, and he typified to the Egyptians in all ages the being who by reason of his sufferings and death as a man could sympathise with them in their own sickness and death. The idea of his human personality also satisfied their cravings and yearnings for communion with a being who, though he was partly divine, yet had much in common with themselves. Originally they looked upon Osiris as a man who lived on the earth as they lived, who ate and drank, who suffered a cruel death, who by help of certain gods triumphed over death, and attained unto everlasting life. But what Osiris did they could also do." These are the key motifs that characterize the myths of all the Mystery godmen. What Budge writes of Osiris could equally be said of Dionysus, Attis, Adonis, Mithras and the rest. It also describes the Jewish dying and resurrecting godman Jesus Christ. Like Osiris-Dionysus, he is also God Incarnate and God of the Resurrection. He also promises his followers spiritual rebirth through sharing in his divine Passion. CONCLUSION The Mysteries were clearly an extremely powerful force in the ancient world. Let's review what we've discovered about them: - The Pagan Mysteries inspired the greatest minds of the ancient world. - They were practised in different forms by nearly every culture in the Mediterranean. - They comprised Outer Mysteries which were open to all and secret Inner Mysteries known only to those who had undergone a powerful process of mystical initiation. - At the heart of the Mysteries was the myth of a dying and resurrecting godman - Osiris-Dionysus. - The Inner Mysteries revealed the myths of Osiris-Dionysus to be spiritual allegories encoding spiritual teachings. The question which intrigued us was whether the Mysteries could have somehow influenced and shaped what we have inherited as the "biography" of Jesus? Unlike the various Pagan Mystery godmen, Jesus is traditionally viewed as an historical rather than a mythical figure, literally a man who was an incarnation of God, who suffered, died and resurrected to bring salvation to all humankind. But could these elements of the Jesus story actually be mythical stories inherited from the Pagan Mysteries? We began investigating the myths of Osiris-Dionysus more closely, searching for resemblances with the Jesus story. We were not prepared for the overwhelming number of similarities that we uncovered. Diabolical Mimicry "Having heard it proclaimed through the prophets that the Christ was to come and that the ungodly among men were to be punished by fire, the wicked spirits put forward many to be called Sons of God, under the impression that they would be able to produce in men the idea that the things that were said with regard to Christ were merely marvellous tales, like the things that were said by the poets." Justin Martyr Although the remarkable similarities between the myths of Osiris-Dionysus agd the supposed "biography" of Jesus Christ are generally unknown today, in the first few centuries CE they were obvious to Pagans and Christians alike. The Pagan philosopher and satirist Celsus criticized Christians for tryingto pass off the Jesus story as a new revelation when it was actually an inferior imitation of Pagan myths. He asks: "Are these distinctive happenings unique to the Christians -- and if so, how are they unique? Or are ours to be accounted myths and theirs believed? What reasons do the Christians give for the distinctiveness of their beliefs? In truth there is nothing at all unusual about what the Christians believe, except that they believe it to the exclusion of more comprehensive truths about God." The early Christians were painfully aware of such criticisms. How could Pagan myths which predated Christianity by hundreds of years have so much in common with the biography of the one and only saviour Jesus? Desperate to come up with an explanation, the Church fathers resorted to one of the most absurd theories ever advanced. From the time of Justin Martyr in the second century onwards, they declared that the Devil had plagiarized Christianity by anticipation in order to lead people astray? Knowing that the true Son of God was to literally come and walk the Earth, the Devil had copied the story of his life in advance of it happening and created the myths of Osiris-Dionysus. The Church father Tertullian writes of the Devil's "diabolical mimicry" in creating the Mysteries of Mithras: "The devil, whose business is to pervert the truth, mimics the exact circumstances of the Divine Sacraments. He baptises his believers and promises forgiveness of sins from the Sacred Fount, and thereby initiates them into the religion of Mithras. Thus he celebrates the oblation of bread, and brings in the symbol of the resurrection. Let us therefore acknowledge the craftiness of the devil, who copies certain things of those that be Divine." Studying the myths of the Mysteries it becomes obvious why these early Christians resorted to such a desperate explanation. Although no single Pagan myth completely parallels the story of Jesus, the mythic motifs which make up the story of the Jewish godman had already existed for centuries in the various stories told of Osiris-Dionysus and his greatest prophets. Let's make a journey through the 'biography' of Jesus and explore some of these extraordinary similarities. SON OF GOD Despite Christianity's claim that Jesus is the "only begotten Son of God." Osiris-Dionysus, in all his many forms, is also hailed as the Son of God. Jesus is the Son of God, yet equal with the Father. Dionysus is the "Son of Zeus, in his full nature God, most terrible, although most gentle to mankind." Jesus is "Very God of Very God." Dionysus is "Lord God of God born." Jesus is God in human form. St John writes of Jesus as "the Word made flesh." St. Paul explains that "God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh? Dionysus was also known as Bacchus, hence the title of Euripides' play The Bacchae, in which Dionysus is the central character. In this play, Dionysus explains that he has veiled his "Godhead in a mortal shape" in order to make it "manifest to mortal men.. He tells his disciples, "That is why I have changed my immortal form and taken the likeness of man." Like Jesus, in many of his myths the Pagan godman is born of a mortal virgin mother. In Asia Minor, Attis' mother is the virgin Cybele. In Syria, Adonis' virgin mother is called Myrrh. In Alexandria, Aion is born of the virgin Kore. In Greece, Dionysus is born of a mortal virgin Semele who wishes to see Zeus in all his glory and is mysteriously impregnated by one of his bolts of lightning. It was a popular tradition, recorded in the most quoted non-canonical text of early Christianity, that Jesus spent only seven months in Mary's womb. The Pagan historian Diodorus relates that Dionysus' mother Semele likewise was said to have also had only a seven-month pregnancy. Justin Martyr acknowledges the similarities between Jesus' virgin birth and Pagan mythology, writing: "In saying that the Word was born for us without sexual union as Jesus Christ our teacher, we introduce nothing beyond what is said of those called the Sons of Zeus." Nowhere was the myth of the 'Son of God' more developed than in Egypt, the ancient home of the Mysteries. Even the Christian Lactantius acknowledged that the legendary Egyptian sage Hermes Trismegistus had "arrived in some way at the truth, for on God the Father he had said everything, and on the Son." In Egypt, the Pharaoh had for thousands of years been regarded as an embodiment of the godman Osiris and praised in hymns as the Son of God. As an eminent Egyptologist writes, "Every Pharaoh had to be the Son of God and a human mother in order that he should be the Incarnate God, the Giver of Fertility to his country and people." In many legends the great prophets of Osiris-Dionysus are also portrayed as saviours and sons of God. Pythagoras was said to be the son of Apollo and a mortal woman called Parthenis, whose name derives from the word parthenos, meaning "virgin." Plato was also posthumously believed to be the son of Apollo. Philostratus relates in his biography of Apollonius that the great Pagan sage was regarded as the "Son of Zeus." Empedocles was thought to be a godman and saviour who had come down to this world to help confused souls, becoming "like a madman, calling out to people at the top of his voice and urging them to reject this realm and what is in it and go back to their own original, sublime, and noble word." Mythic motifs from the Mysteries even became associated with Roman Emperors who, for political reasons, cultivated legends about their divine nature which would link them to Osiris-Dionysus. Julius Caesar, who did not himself even believe in personal immortality, was hailed as "God made manifest, the common saviour of human life." His successor, Augustus, was likewise the "saviour of the universal human race." and even the tyrannical Nero is addressed on an altar piece as "God the deliverer for ever." In 40 BCE, drawing on Mystery myths, the Roman poet and initiate Virgil wrote a mystical 'prophesy' that a virgin would give birth to a divine child. In the fourth century CE Literalist Christians would claim that it foretold the coming of ]esus, but at the time this myth was interpreted as referring to Augustus, said to be the "Son of Apollo," preordained to rule the Earth and bring peace and prosperity. In his biography of Augustus, Suetonius offers a cluster of 'signs' that indicated the Emperor's divine nature. One modern authority writes: "They include some striking points of similarity to the gospel narratives of the birth of Christ. The senate is supposed, with ludicrous implausibility, to have decreed a ban on rearing male Roman babies in the year of Augustus' birth because of a portent indicating that a king of Rome had been born. On top of this slaughter of the innocents, we are offered an Annunciation: his mother Aria dreamed during a visit to the temple of Apollo that the god had visited his favour on her in the form of snake; Augustus was born nine months later." An inscription written around the time that lesus is supposed to have lived reads: "This day has given the earth an entirely new aspect. The world would have gone to destruction had there not streamed forth from him who is now born a common blessing. Rightly does he judge who recognises in this birthday the beginning ot life; now is that time ended when men pitied themselves for being born. From no other day does the individual or the community receive such benefit as from this natal day, full of blessing to all. The Providence which rules over all has filled this man with such gifts for the salvation of the world as designate him as saviour for us and for the coming generations; of wars he will make an end, and establish all things worthily. By his appearing are the hopes of our forefathers fulfilled; not only has he surpassed the good deeds of earlier times, but it is impossible that one greater than he can ever appear. The birthday of God has brought to the world glad tidings that are bound up in him. From his birthday a new era begins." But this is not a Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus. It is not even a eulogy to the Mystery godman. It is in honour of Augustus. These mythic motifs were clearly so common by the first century BCB that they were used to fabricate legends politically helpful to a living Emperor. Celsus catalogues numbers of figures to whom legend similarly attributes divine parentage and a miraculous birth, and accuses Christianity of clearly using Pagan myths "in fabricating the story of Jesus' virgin birth." He is disparaging of Christians who interpret this myth as historical fact and regards the notion that God could literally father a child on a mortal woman as plainly absurd. Much material omitted here. CONCLUSION Either the Devil really has perfected the art of diabolical mimicry or there is a mystery to solve here. Let's review the evidence: - Jesus is the saviour of mankind, God made man, the Son of God equal with the Father; so is Osiris-Dionysus. - Jesus is born of a mortal virgin who after her death ascends to heaven and is honoured as a divine being; so is Osiris-Dionysus. - Jesus is born in a cave on 25 December or 6 January, as is Osiris-Dionysus. - The birth of Jesus is prophesied by a star; so is the birth of Osiris-Dionysus. - Jesus is born in Bethlehem, which was shaded by a grove sacred to Osiris-Dionysus. - Jesus is visited by the Magi, who are followers of Osiris-Dionysus. - The Magi bring Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, which a sixth-century BCE Pagan tells us is the way to worship God. - Jesus is baptized, a ritual practised for centuries in the Mysteries. - The holy man who baptizes Jesus with water has the same name as a Pagan god of water and is born on the summer solstice celebrated as a Pagan water festival. - Jesus offers his followers elemental baptisms of water, air and fire, as did the Pagan Mysteries. - Jesus is portrayed as a quiet man with long hair and a beard; so is Osiris-Bionysus. - Jesus turns water into wine at a marriage on the same day that Osiris-Dionysus was previously believed to have turned water into wine at a marriage. - Jesus heals the sick, exorcises demons, provides miraculous meals, helps fishermen make miraculous catches of fish and calms the water for his disciples; all of these marvels had previously been performed by Pagan sages. - Like the sages of the Mysteries, Jesus is a wandering wonder-worker who is not honoured in his home town. - Jesus is accused of licentious behaviour, as were the followers of Osiris-Dionysus. - Jesus is not at first recognized as a divinity by his disciples, but then is transfigured before them in att his gIory; the same is true of Osiris-Dionysus. - Jesus is surrounded by 12 disciples; so is Osiris-Dionysus. - Jesus rides triumphantly into town on a donkey while crowds wave branches, as does Osiris-Dionysus. - Jesus is a just man unjustly accused of heresy and bringing a new religion, as is Osiris-Dionysus. - Jesus attacks hypocrites, stands up to tyranny and willingly goes to his death predicting he will rise again in three days, as do Pagan sages. - Jesus is betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, a motif found in the story of Socrates. - Jesus is equated with bread and wine, as is Osiris-Dionysus. - Jesus' disciples symbolically eat bread and drink wine to commune with him, as do the followers of Osiris-Dionysus. - Jesus is hung on a tree or crucified, as is Osiris-Dionysus. - Jesus dies as a sacrifice to redeem the sins of the world; so does Osiris-Dionysus. - Jesus' corpse is wrapped in linen and anointed with myrrh, as is the corpse of Osiris-Dionysus. - After his death Jesus descends to hell, then on the third day resurrects before his disciples and ascends into heaven, where he is enthroned by God and waits to reappear at the end of time as a divine judge, as does Osiris-Dionysus. - Jesus was said to have died and resurrected on exactly the same dates that the death and resurrection of Osiris-Dionysus were celebrated. - Jesus' empty tomb is visited by three women followers; Osiris-Dionysus also has three women followers who visit an empty cave. - Through sharing in his passion Jesus offers his disciples the chance to be born again, as does Osiris-Dionysus. Discounting the 'diabolical mimicry' argument, as all sane people must, how are we to explain these extraordinary similarities between Pagan myth and the story of Jesus? more

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