As well as appointing Hillary Clinton (whose stand on US foreign policy is almost identical to that of John McCain) as his Secretary of State, and retaining the services of George Bush's Secretary of Defence, Robert Gates, Barack Obama has made some major shifts to the Right in his rhetoric on the position of America in the world. He now sounds as resolutely determined to defend the principle of American global intervention in the name of freedom and national security as most Republicans could have wished. So the question is: has he always felt this way? Was his Left-liberal stance during the presidential campaign which seemed to be consistent with his opposition to the Iraq war and to the military surge which succeeded it, just a ruse to seduce a new generation of dissident voters? Or has he changed his tone in response to the security briefings he will have received as a consequence of being elected? (The possibility that events in India have something to do with this change can be dismissed: the decisions to appoint Clinton and Gates were widely known before the Mumbai atrocity.)
On his economic team too, Mr Obama has made some surprisingly conservative choices (including the man who ran the Federal Reserve under Ronald Reagan), so what exactly has happened to "change we can believe in"? Mr Obama may yet prove to be another example of that great Anglo-American political phenomenon: the leader who talks Left but acts Right. Bill Clinton and Tony Blair were the most successful exponents of this formula: so long as you use the morally attractive vocabulary of the Left ("fairness", "equality", "opportunity"), you can get away with reforming welfare (Clinton) and promoting free enterprise (Blair). Fair enough. But isn't it about time the genuine parties of the Right exposed this subterfuge? If it is Rightwing policies that really do deliver fairness, equality and opportunity, shouldn't it be those who have always believed in them who reap the electoral benefit?
Let me see here, sinlessness is the state of the center where the Self resides. The dark concept of harm cannot coexist with invulnerability; which is the natural state of the Son of God….
Once we become willing to hide nothing, to harbor no thoughts that we would keep private, the belief in harm or vulnerability crumbles in the light of impartiality.
Harm is a concept only valid within the separation-illusion. Without belief in structures and concepts, harm could not exist. The ego’s entire kingdom is pieced together and propped up with the belief structures of scarcity, specialness, attack and harm, producing the illusion of danger and death and attackers and victims, winners and losers …. It’s all smoke and mirrors, easily dispelled when the choice to ‘forgive and see this differently’ takes precedence in value… Then what we see is our unity and oneness, evensimultaneously as the bodies eyes see what they are made to see, within we recognize our brother as our Self…
In choosing Atonement for myself, trust without reservation unfolds and we are forgiving reservations that ego instinctively throws up, as we notice a sense of loosing connection with the center of peace … Willingness to forget fairness and justice concepts and allow the mystery within and beyond to visit truth’s impartial ‘fairness’ that unites, ensues… The letting go of needing to know, to understand and allow, results in an experience of tolerance never imagined. It is a feeling of accepting unconditionally that all things work together for good for all.
‘Nothing in this world can be done to fix anything’, dawns easily, (albeit not always recognized or welcome in the beginning) when we accept Atonement and the single goal of truth. This choice resonates at the energy of inevitability; a sense that what unfolds next has already been tested and true, so to speak… The Holy Spirit is engaged, and brings to life the ongoing gentle waking to the truth where no concepts reside at all.
So, what I’m trying to get at here is although details in the dream seem effected, and choices seem to be made, another experience is ongoing, beyond what seems apparent~ the bigger picture or rest of the story, so to speak.
There is an instant recognition, always; but due to valuing the belief in the reality of sin and you and me, etc., there is no conceptualization for pure life within the structure of the dream, so it seemingly takes time. Yet, the Holy Spirit is the great re=interpreter and once chosen, has given another way of seeing.
An experience that brings peace and safety and certainty comes quietly, but for the single desire for it.... In this state of deep awareness within Mind, actions in this world blend with God’s plan for salvation and its accomplishment.
Then this experience of safety and certainty is paid forward, so to speak and trusting is the desired response, which handles rising fears and boosts faith… I see your sinlessness, I see mine.
“What must I do to know all this is mine? I must accept Atonement for myself, and nothing more. God has already done all things that need be done. And I must learn I need do nothing of myself, for I need but accept my Self.”
Does anyone lose their job in the public sector nowadays for gross incompetence without receiving a big fat cheque to ease their departure?
Three senior staff at Haringey social services, including the director Sharon Shoesmith, have been relieved of their duties after the report into the death of Baby P.
There could hardly have been a more damning verdict on the way they had conducted themselves and failed to do the job for which they were very well paid.
Yet despite being removed from their posts, they are still on a full salary while all legal and contractual matters are considered.
The local council said Mrs Shoesmith and her colleagues would not be paid compensation; so what are the 'contractual' obligations other than to pay her the notice period required when dispensing with her services?
Surely gross incompetence is a legitimate ground for dismissal, as it is in the private sector?
¿Cómo reaccionamos cuando nos enfrentamos a alguna situación que sabemos concretamente que es mala?
Tenemos algunas opciones: Enojarnos, mostrarnos indiferentes o intervenir correctamente.
¿Y cómo reaccionamos cuando en la Iglesia de Dios o en sus alrededores suceden cosas que sabemos que están mal?
En la carta de Pablo a Tito, encontramos algunas pautas claras para saber qué hacer:
"Por esta causa te dejé en Creta, para que corrigieses lo deficiente, y establecieses ancianos en cada ciudad, así como yo te mandé" (Tito 1:5)
Y entre los varios requisitos de vidas puras y rectas de los ancianos, se encuentran los del versículo 9
"Retenedor de la palabra fiel tal como ha sido enseñada, para que también pueda exhortar con sana enseñanza y convencer a los que contradicen"
¿Por qué razón era tan importante esto?
"Porque hay aún muchos contumaces, habladores de vanidades, y engañadores, mayormente los de la circuncisión, a los cuales es preciso tapar la boca; que trastornan casas enteras, enseñando por ganancia deshonesta lo que no conviene" (Tito 1:10-11)
¡Era preciso taparles la boca! Duras palabras como consejo...Con toda seguridad intentamos no actuar de esa manera, la mayoría de las veces elegimos ser conciliadores, dejar pasar, pero si estos errores traerán "trastornos en casas enteras" deberíamos ser más estrictos en obedecer al Apóstol...
"Este testimonio es verdadero: por tanto, repréndelos duramente, para que sean sanos en la fe, no atendiendo a fábulas judaicas, y a mandamientos de hombres que se apartan de la verdad" (Tito 1:13-14)
Víctor Hugo dijo: "No son las locomotoras, sino las ideas, las que llevan y arrastran al mundo"
Los que están a cargo, enseñando y dirigiendo al pueblo de Dios tienen esta responsabilidad, y el resto de nosotros...también debemos atender a la sana doctrina de la Palabra de Dios
"No es tan culpable el que desconoce un deber como el que lo acepta y lo pisa" (C. Arenal)
Recordemos: Las verdades humanas van y vienen. Pero la Verdad de Dios debe ser protegida de toda mentira o error.
This final part covers decoration of your softie. I come from an embroidery background, so I guess it's only natural that anything I make will involve some embroidery along the way...
some of my favorite stitches are blanket stitch, seeding and french knots. Read more here.
Tougher than Lumber: Won despite being put through a table (including announce table)
Cardio Monster: Consumed 400 units of stamina
ON STRIKE: Didn't use a grapple the entire match
DAVID WHUPS GOLIATH Defeated a super-heavyweight in 2 1/2 minutes or less while Playing as cruiserweight
DIVA WHUPS GOLIATH : Defeated a super-heavyweight in 2 1/2 minutes or less while playing as Diva
BLOWN UP : Got tired enough to fall down
Out of Control: Broke out of 3 total control grapples by opponent
ALL HEART : Took 3 finishing moves from opponent and won
LOCK BREAKER: Escaped 4 submission holds during match
TOUGHER THAN LUMBER : Won despite being PUT THROUGH A TABLE
DOWN, BOY!: Connected with 12 strikes to downed opponent
CARDIO MONSTER : Consumed 400 units of stamina
BLOWN UP : Got tired enough to fall down
ON STRIKE :Didn't use a Grapple the entire match
OUT OF CONTROL : Broke out of 3 ultimate control moves by opponent
Still Need to unlock the following:
11TH HOUR SAVE: Won the match when your partner has less than ??? remaining (tag)
TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM: Won the match when you have ??? or less and your partner has ??? or more (tag)
BY A THREAD : Won the match with less than ? health
SHOWING MERCY :Manually released ? submission holds (no ropebreak )
I'M NOT DONE YET: Countered ? finisher attempts
Successfully complete the indicated task in Road To WrestleMania mode to unlock the corresponding bonus:
Backstage: Play as CM Punk, and pin Morrison in the Punk/Big Daddy V/Morrison Triple Threat match.
Boogeyman: Successfully complete RTWM mode with The Undertaker.
Brothers Of Destruction Entrance: Play as The Undertaker, and make Finlay bleed in Week 8.
CAS Moveset 1: Play as Batista/Rey, and have Batista win the Rumble, Rey lose to Edge at No Way Out, and Rey lose the Tag titles against Morrison and Miz.
CAS Moveset 2: Play as Batista/Rey, and have Rey win the Rumble, Batista lose to Edge at No Way Out, and Batista lose the Tag titles against Morrison and Miz.
CAS Moveset 3: Play as Triple H, and pin Edge in the Triple Threat match.
Chris Jericho Classic Attire: Play as Chris Jericho, and after the Royal Rumble, question Jeff Hardy about being The Masked Man, then defeat him.
Chris Jericho's Titantron for CAS: Play as Chris Jericho, and make Mr. Kennedy bleed in Week 12.
CM Punk Attire B: Play as CM Punk, and put your opponent through a table in Week 2.
Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder: Play as Batista, and spear Edge twice in Week 7.
DX Entrance, Animation, Music, and Video: Play as Triple H, and Pedigree Randy Orton three times in Week 12 (if you teamed with Shawn Michaels at No Way Out).
DX Outfits for Triple H and HBK: Successfully complete RTWM mode with Triple H after teaming with Shawn Michaels at No Way Out.
Evolution Music and Video: Play as Triple H, and win in less than two minutes against Batista in Week 12 (if you teamed with Randy Orton at No Way Out).
Finlay's Zombie Attire: Play as The Undertaker, and help Rey Mysterio defeat Finlay by Pinfall in Week 8.
Gauntlet Match in Exhibition mode: Play as John Cena, and defeat Mr. Kennedy in less than two minutes in Week 12.
Generic Code Titan Animation for Create-A-Superstar Entrance: Play as Chris Jericho, and make Kennedy bleed on Week 12.
Generic IE Animation Set 2: Play as Triple H, and pin Edge in Week 1.
Hardcore Championship Belt: Win the Hardcore Championship.
Hornswoggle as Manager: Play as The Undertaker, and defeat Finlay in a shorter time than Santino in Week 2.
Jillian Hall: Play as Triple H, and win the Tag match in Week 7.
John Cena and Tony's Military Vehicle Entrance: Successfully complete RTWM mode with John Cena.
Layla: Play as CM Punk, and defeat Big Daddy V at the No Way Out Pay-Per-View in less than two minutes in Week 8.
Locker Room: Play as CM Punk, and pin John Morrison in a Triple Threat match in Week 10.
Old School Chris Jericho: Play as Chris Jericho, and defeat Jeff Hardy without using a finisher when investigating The Masked Man.
Revolution Entrance, Video, and Music: Successfully complete RTWM mode with Triple H after taking the Evolution path.
Rey Mysterio Alternate Costume: Play as Batista/Rey, and pin John Morrison in a Tag Team match.
Ric Flair: Play as Triple H, and defeat Randy Orton at WrestleMania during the Evolution storyline, then complete RTWM mode.
Santino Marella's Zombie Attire: Play as The Undertaker, and help Rey Mysterio defeat Santino by Pinfall in Week 8.
Saturday Night's Main Event: Play as Batista/Rey, and hit every opponent with a finisher in Week 7.
Snitsky: Play as John Cena, and make MVP bleed in Week 11.
Tazz: Successfully complete RTWM mode with CM Punk.
The Masked Man: Successfully complete RTWM mode with Chris Jericho.
Tony: Play as John Cena, and give Regal and Umaga the FU in the Tag Team match.
Tribute To The Troops Arena: Play as John Cena, and defeat MVP by submission at the Tribute To The Troops arena in Week 2.
Vince McMahon: Successfully complete RTWM mode with Batista/Rey.
WCW title and WCW brand: Play as Chris Jericho, and pin Finlay during the match in Week 3.
WrestleMania Jeep in Create-A-Superstar Entrance: Successfully complete RTWM mode with John Cena.
Created superstar abilities
To edit your created superstar or abilities, restart your career with the same superstar. (You will lose all your gained abilities) Always create double copies of a CAW after making them doing this you can start over with the unused copy and if you end up gaining unwanted abilities.
Durability: Get beaten up until your limbs are at least in orange
Strength: perform lots of strikes and fist of fury attacks
Who says football is a young man’s game? Antonin Panenka, the man who invented the ‘dink’ penalty and became a European champion with Czechoslovakia in 1976, wants to put his boots back on and return to the sawdust of the arena at the grand old age of 59.
“I have physical problems,” he said.
“My head tells me to take up football again but my body says no.”
However, he remains defiant and said his wish for his 60th birthday is that “Bohemka [his old club, now called Bohemians 1905] find themselves in a beautiful new stadium and that I can get back to playing football again.”
If Panenka did return to the professional game, he would eclipse Stanley Matthews, who played his final game for Stoke City in 1965 at the age of 50.
He’d also usurp John Ryan, the owner of Doncaster Rovers who brought himself on as a substitute in the last minute of a game in 2003 aged 52 years and 11 months.
Had another real good night on my PBA Experience league last night (Scorpion pattern). I was rolling a uerethane ball (wanted something that would grab early, but wouldn't dive on the back end) targeting the 1st arrow with my ball going out to the 2-3 board. I was locked in for the first 2 games (276-278). In the last game, I went through the nose in the 2nd frame, and left the 3-4-6-7-10 (covered 3). Followed the split up with a spare and a four bagger. The lanes broke down around the 8th and 9th frame. I switched to a weaker ball in the 10th frame, and struck out for a 221 game and a 775 series.
Among the runners and riders for the job of Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police are:
Bob Quick, the head of the specialist unit which carried out the raid on Damien Green
Acting commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, who authorised the raid
The head of the Association of Chief Police Officers, Ken Jones, who is fiercely supportive of the way the Met have behaved.
I wrote some time ago that the way to decide which candidate is suitable is to ask them to list in order the public's concerns and match their answers to a survey of the public. Clearly these three are miles off target and should be rejected.
Unfortunately the position is in the gift of the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith.
Much as I'd love to see a change of government at the next General Election, I'm of the real impression that the Conservatives are beginning to 'blow it' and are in danger of slipping back into the sleazy and ineffective ways that characterised the Major government from late 1992 onwards.
In our desire to play party politics and give this corrupt government a good kicking, we must not lose sight of the fact that the arrest of Damian Green followed breaches of security in a department that deals with some of Government's most confidential information - the leaking of 20 top secret documents (and those were only the ones known about) - including those on terrorism.
No-one is above the law and the police must be allowed to carry out their statutory investigation without fear or favour.
In this country we have an independent police service. What's important here is that politicians do not interfere with the natural course of an investigation.
The very important principle, and one that is being conveniently being overlooked here, is that MPs - apart from when they are speaking in the chamber and dealing with constituents' correspondence - are as subject to the law as the rest of us. If the police decide not to take action against an MP which they would against an ordinary citizen, then that would be discriminatory.
People would rightly say: "Well, we are not living in a police state but a state where people, because they have been elected to parliament, have certain exemptions from the law". That can't ever be allowed to be the case. MP's are subject to the same laws as the rest of us and must accept this.
The Metropolitan Police Service does not participate in political games, but serves to protect the constitutional order and safety of the individual, Society and the Government within the bounds of he law. Cross the line - whoever you are - and you must expect to get your collar felt!
I'm on holiday this week and I've turned my blog over to a few guests who are posting there thoughts about how social media will develop in 2009. Today it's the turn of consultant Amanda Rose.
It has been quite a few years since I created a wish list. When I was a kid, there was always something specific that I wanted. One year it was a Wrinkles Dog, the next it was a bike, until eventually my parents told me I'd have to start saving for that car myself. As an adult, I find that the things desirable to me now can't be measured in a physical sense. Social media was only a buzz word a few years ago, yet now it has now become an integral part of my day. I rely heavily on social media tools for how I communicate, manage my time, get information and connect with others; so naturally I find myself wishing for a few basic changes in the way we all use it. Instead of rhyming off a checklist of obvious improvements Twitter can make in 2009, I thought I'd identify five areas that always get me tweeting 'why?'
Learn online etiquette. Maybe I didn't get the memo, but last time I checked, having a profile on sites like Facebook and LinkedIn didn't mean you had signed up to a dating service. Not a week goes by without having a friend request or message from a random who wants to 'network' or 'get to know me'. Perhaps I should be flattered, but I know from conversations with others that this happens a lot. The connections we make through social media has a direct impact on how much we trust or want to share information. I wish that people would put more value into their relationships on social networking sites and not treat it like a school popularity contest.
Sort out communication overload. Emails, tweets, texts, wikis, IMs, newsfeeds, video messages and the list continues. Inevitably, with all these new and exciting ways to communicate it is easy to get overwhelmed. Instead of saving time or streamlining your life, it can quickly become a huge time-sink and create unnecessary work. Someday it would be fantastic if all the website inboxes I'm given could be connected into one central service like Gmail where I could sort, delete and search without signing in. We are headed in that direction with the movement towards open source and news aggregation services like Friend Feed, but frankly it still hasn't solved my problems. In the meantime, I wish people would think about how their communication affects others. If you write an email, keep it concise and don't twitter or send me a text to say you sent it - that only adds to the noise.
Connect the news. One of the most interesting things about the growth of social media is how it has changed the way people discover news. Like it or not, traditional media will have to embrace the role that emerging technologies are playing in the development of stories. People are hungry for instant, transparent perspectives; although this is still found in organic ways, scattered all over the web and ultimately difficult to source. Big media continues to feel threatened by what has been dubbed 'citizen journalism'. I've had conversations with journalists about the impact of sites like Twitter breaking news first and they all believe that social media creates more opportunities, not less. I wish this opinion was shared by all media industries so that we can find a way to bring together multiple sources of news, so everyone benefits.
Make it look pretty and have more fun. I don't think there are any excuses for having a bad looking website anymore. There is an endless array of free image libraries, software, and other tools online. Yet I still see blogs and social media sites stick to the same old routine. Next year, it would be fantastic to see a bit more collaboration, experimentation with colours and graphics or something which inspires me to use it.
Go mainstream. The common talking point for social media is whether or not it has reached mainstream status. Sure, there are a few sites which boast a high number of dedicated and regular users; but I wish that emerging sites could get beyond the early adopter crowd and really integrate into the mainstream. There are all these incredible features that I'd really like to be able to share with my sister, my best friend in Canada, or even my Grandmother if only they were in my network. Okay, maybe getting Grandma Reta online is a bit of a stretch even for 2009. She still won't go near a computer since that time I told her to put her hand on the mouse.
I think it will be a lot easier to convince people of the power of social media when they are using it on their mobile. Imagine reviewing your hotel stay on TripAdvisor while waiting to check-out or using a service like Rummble to search for the nearest sushi restaurant, which happens to be recommended by someone you know. You might even decide to share your experience by uploading a photo instantly to Flickr or switching on Qik and livestreaming to your network. Next year, I can't wait to see the vision of many of these sites come to fruition as a wider demographic starts to recognise social media the way that I do: useful.
Amanda Rose is an independent communications and events consultant.
