The Prevailing Delusion About Online College Degrees: A Treatise on the Decline of Public Education

A delusion is defined by Webster's Dictionary as a false belief regarding the self or persons, or objects, that persists despite the facts, and one of the most prevalent and hard-hitting delusions that have prevailed in the late 20th and early 21st Centuries is the extremely fallacious belief by millions of rank-and-file human beings around the world, especially in the USA, that computer Internet educational pursuits produce as much academic learning for a person as does traditional classroom instruction. On the one hand, there are the many recalcitrant, adolescent, public school students who greatly dislike the free structured courses that they are required to attend in classrooms for twelve years in order to attain basic academic skills and a high school diploma. These young misguided men and women account for approximately 67 percent of all public school students, and, in most cases, merely occupy classroom seats, with their minds absently elsewhere, during their elementary, middle school, and high school years and end-up barely attaining the minimum grades necessary for high school graduation. The real sad fact is that, for the American public schools to retain some delusive credibility in properly educating the bulk of America's youth, 70 percent of that 67 percent of all public school students have their grades pragmatically padded with huge disproportionate curves in order to make it seem that most of the American youth leaving high school at eighteen years of age are basically educated and ready to, either, enter the workforce or attend college. Yet, these basically uneducated, barely literate men and women leave public high school, and currently end-up, within three years, enlisting in the military, attending junior college or trade school, apprenticing for a trade, continuing to live at home off their parents, or becoming mendicants on the streets. Every year thousands of these millions of young people, fifteen to eighteen years of age, run away from home to end-up spending five to ten years on the streets, many of them turning to crime, before they the time and precious free resources that they have wasted through contrariness and indolence.

Since around 1995, a great many of these millions of poorly educated young adults, eighteen to thirty years of age, have been given the grand delusion that they can accomplish with a personal computer, alone at home for thousands of dollars, what they refused to accomplish during the twelve years of a free public education they were offered as teenagers. What do I mean by this? Seventy years ago, most graduates of public high schools actually graduated on a real eleventh-to-twelfth grade level and were prepared to, either, enter a college or university and perform real college-level work, or to enter a salable trade. As child-rearing in American homes (parents helping and encouraging their children to succeed in the public schools) became over the decades, since 1950, more of a burden than a privilege and responsibility for husbands and wives, who were more goal seeking individuals than they were fathers and mothers, the male and female children of these very egoistic men and women were left alone in the home to struggle academically by themselves during their formative and adolescent years. As a result, what used to be real high school diplomas conferred upon most eighteen year old graduates of public schools are now no better than certificates showing 12 years of attendance, while junior college degrees (A.A.s and A.S.s) are actually remedial high school diplomas, which indicate that the students have compensated for their lack of academic attainment during their high school years at community and junior colleges during two years of study. Hence, as logically follows, traditional baccalaureate degrees now conferred upon senior college graduates, who emerge from community and junior colleges, are not equivalent, to any degree, to the B.As, and B.S.s conferred upon the university graduates during the 1950s, '60s, and '70s.

Now we arrive at the issue at hand, the attainment of B.A., B.S., M.A., M.S., and, even, PhD degrees by these under-educated students from colleges and universities offering complete online Internet curriculum programs leading to conferral of these degrees. What happens when under-educated men and women, who graduated high school on probably a ninth-to-tenth grade level, attempt to do real university-level academic work five-to-ten years after they leave the public schools? Now remember that a high percentage of these individuals have spent time in the U.S. military taking military enlisted courses taught on an eighth-grade level and are told by these universities that, if they enroll in particular online degree programs and pay the required tuition, they will be given college-credit for military courses and for "life experience (whatever that means)" that will lead to the total 120 hours of college credit necessary for a baccalaureate degree. Moreover, a great many of these under-educated adults, 25-to-35 years of age, begin their so-called college educations online without any previous junior college remedial study.

So, have you, yet, figured out the dismal result of the grand delusion? These millions of under-educated students, who have anxiously embraced the computer-age, are actually made to believe that they can use the Internet, at home alone, to study the books and course materials provided by online universities and colleges, without the presence of an instructor/professor, in order to learn the equivalent of what is taught during four years of classroom instruction at traditional brick-and-mortar universities. What this was called in the 1950s, '60s, and '70s was correspondence/distance learning effect, which was not approved as equivalent to college classroom instruction by regional accrediting commissions. Presently, 98 percent of all Internet online college degree programs offered by most accredited universities and colleges are not interactive; that is, they do not provide video-teleconferencing for designated weekly lesson periods where the individual students are connected together to allow every student enrolled in the particular course to see his, or her, classmates, and the instructor/professor, on a computer screen during the lesson period, and to interact with each other during the class. As compared to the tuition cost of a three-unit undergraduate classroom course in American history, at the University of Maryland, which is around $500, the cost of an interactive online Internet course is about $700, and, invariably, the Socratic method cannot be effectively utilized by the instructor during this very expensive electronic interaction.

Most online undergraduate and graduate courses are, however, "not" interactive to any degree, and the only means for a student to communicate with an instructor, or other classmates, during the semester or quarter course period is by email, and that is regarded by most rational people as an extremely impersonal and disadvantageous means of effective communication. Let's say the under-educated undergraduate student lives in South Carolina and is enrolled in an undergraduate online degree program at the University of Maryland. The student has all of the course textbooks and study materials, for a semester, mailed to his residence and he, or she, is allowed to perform the prescribed lesson assignments whenever convenient. There are no verbal lectures unless the instructor records them and allows the students to access them, along with the other course materials, using "Blackboard" software. If this is the case, the tuition for the course is substantially increased. Now, believe it or not, the instructor may actually live in another distant state, such as Minnesota, and a student may be unable to contact the instructor by email for extended periods of time. Hence, the under-educated undergraduate student is essentially left alone for most of the semester or quarter to study the course materials alone, and to take un-proctored, open-book, multiple choice question tests for grades, when the student's academic honesty is not even questioned.

During the 19th and 20th Centuries, this type of learning was called the Lincoln-effect, which was named for the way Abraham Lincoln supposedly learned to be a lawyer, and was called then by most colleges and universities as a poor way to learn for the average student. Lincoln learned on his own by reading and studying what he needed to know in order to succeed in his legal endeavors, and his success was attributable to the fact that he was an extremely intelligent and intuitive person, capable of learning on his own, which the great majority of all public high school graduates are unable to do. Even today, a college or university will "not" give a person credit for learning independently, and actually knowing and mastering college-level course material before enrolling in a university and paying for the course. Then, even after a "very smart" person pays the costly tuition for the course and the professor allows the aspiring individual to take the course's comprehensive final examination, the examination is, in most cases, not the regular final examination taken by classroom students, but one that has been made inexorably more difficult for the express purpose of ensuring that the very smart person does not make a passing grade. Does this sound unfair and sorely inequitable? Yes it does, because it is! The current academic system is staggeringly unfair to, both, the very intelligent and the very under-educated. The startling reality is that nearly all of the colleges and universities in the USA are much more concerned with advanced learning as a profitable money-making business than what it should be, the scared responsibility of helping intuitive and intelligently capable men and women, who are prepared for college-level work, to attain the learning and research skills that they need to succeed in opening new frontiers of the natural and physical sciences, mathematics, humanities, and literature. The sad fact is that baccalaureate and graduate degrees are being awarded every year to under-educated men and women who have completed undergraduate and graduate online Internet degree programs that are, in no way, equivalent to the degrees attained through classroom work under the close supervision of professors and instructors.

This particular grand delusion's grave and deprecating effect, which I have endeavored to explicate in this essay, is, simply, that these men and women who have attained these online pseudo-degrees actually believe that they are as educated, intuitive, and intelligent as other men and women who have attended traditional colleges and universities to attain their undergraduate and graduate degrees. It is like comparing an online University of Phoenix baccalaureate degree in economics to a B.A. degree in economics obtained through continuous classroom study at the University of Texas at Austin, or at any other tradition accredited brick and mortar institute of high learning. The two degrees are basically incomparable. Yet, the majority of the American people of the 21st Century, 25-to-40 years of age, who have actually been conditioned to believe that obtaining college degrees quickly through superficial and watered-down online study is entirely equal to the painstaking process of obtaining a four-year baccalaureate degree through continual classroom attendance, have contributed greatly, by participation, to the educational diminution of the American republic, to its relegation to the status of a third-world nation. America now ranks 38th in the world in educational achievement. Can you imagine that, when, from 1945 until around 1970, the USA ranked first among all nations in population literacy, educational superiority, and scientific achievement?

As to the origin and advancement of this grand delusion, the reader is owed an explanation. How could this progressive and aberrant mind-set about the fundamentals of advanced learning have become so destructively prevalent in the latter-part of the 20th Century by sheer accident, or how could it have been widely accepted by the people as a standard model of educational endeavor through the visible efforts of one great man or woman? These two foregoing accepted explanations for the cause of historical events, accident and "the great man" hardly explain the subtle, publicly unnoticeable, events that have occurred from the late 19th Century through the mid-and-late 20th Century, which, working collectively, have caused deliberate systematic change in the way Americans are educated. The "accidental," and "great man" explanations for the occurrence of history don't hardly explain the sad miserable events that has plagued human beings from the outset of recorded history. The third accepted explanation accepted by contemporary historians for sad history, conspiracy, is the most reasonable and plausible reason for the occurrence of subtle incremental events that have collectively combined over the decades to produce an effect such as the grand delusion about the proper methodology for American learning. When a thorough investigation of the facts reveals the motives of conspiring men and women over an extended period of time to cause a major shift in the presiding philosophy underlying the essential rudiments of public education, those facts can, either, be closely examined by the existing traditional and electronic media and accepted by the American public, or capriciously discounted by that same media and hidden from the public. Why would an objective and independent media hide such scurrilous facts from the public? A free and independent media would not do such a blasphemous thing, but a media bought and paid for by the powerful and wealthy men and women who have conspired together to bring about such a shift in philosophy would so such a thing quite capably.

As Thomas Jefferson stated in 1805, "I'd rather have newspapers without government, than a government without newspapers." What he actually meant was that he would rather have newspapers willing to publish the facts and the truth in the absence of government than a government unwilling to allow newspapers to publish the truth about what the government is doing against the interest of the governed. The American Constitutional Framers worked together to produce a state that would serve the people, not a state to be served by a people indoctrinated by government to be subservient. The latter status, a state to be served by the people, was predicated upon a political philosophy called Hegelian "statism". A free-thinking people, such as the original American population that ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1789, are very concerned about individual liberty. As Henry Ward Beecher succinctly stated, "Liberty is the soul's right to breathe." This goes along quite well with what Thomas Jefferson stated in 1779, during the American Revolution. He said, "I have sworn upon the altar of liberty eternal hostility against all tyranny over the mind of man." These immortal words, among the many others he wrote, today grace Jefferson's memorial in Washington, D.C. All of the Constitutional Framers, who had also signed the Declaration of Independence, realized that "as a man, or woman, thinks, so he, or she, is," and that perception of reality is the means whereby the American people will choose who, and what, they are. This is why the Constitutional Framers wrote the preamble of the U.S. Constitution to express its explicit purpose, which is stated with the first eleven words of the last twenty-three words of the Preamble "to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity." The Preamble didn't say that purpose of the U.S. constitution was to "establish justice, provide for the common defense, and promote the general welfare." No, those particular things were a means for implementing the ultimate purpose, which was, and is, to secure the blessings of liberty." Some might argue that the constitution of the Soviet Union had established a form a justice, provided for a common defense of the Soviet people, and promoted a form of general welfare for the Soviet people. But there was no liberty for the Soviet people to determine their own destinies with their independent pursuits of happiness. No, a communist dictatorship does not secure the blessings of personal liberty to a governed people, but, rather, just the opposite, which is control over the minds and bodies of the people. It's certainly strange that most federal and State politicians today don't consider the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution an essential part of the Constitution; but it really is.

"Statism," socialist fascist philosophy that the people of a nation-state are to be conditioned to serve the state, began in the new USA as a pragmatic sociopolitical ideology embraced by wealthy ideologues in several the New England States in the latter-part of the 19th Century. I know that that's a long way to look backward on American history to collect the relevant and pertinent facts about what really happened, but those facts were duly recorded by historians, journalists, and ordinary Americans in the form of journals, diaries, books written by writers who had actually witnessed those facts being established, and newspaper articles documenting those facts. The five 'Ws" and one "H" of historical research are the questions and inquiries that lead to a cogent explication of the issues. Who, What, Where, When, and Why, and, of course, How, constitute the basis for historical research and the answers to how, and why, sad events occurred. There have been wealthy powerful aristocratic people in the USA who, from the outset of the republic, did not, at all, like the idea of a common rabble of human beings, the rank-and-file American People, being allowed to choose democratically, by the vote, who would represent them in a bicameral Congress and legislate laws that would affect and diminish the power and wealth of those aristocrats. In effect, these ideological oligarchies, shadow governments within the State and federal governments, were comprised of super-wealthy people who feared freedom and liberty as a political means of making them less powerful and less wealthy. Hence, came the collective surreptitious efforts of these shadowy oligarchies to systematically control the minds of the population in order to secure their wealth and power. These wealthy, powerful, and pragmatic people, though actually very few in number, knew quite well that the proper education and intuitiveness of that common rabble, the great majority of the U.S. population, would cause that great cross-section of Americans to insightfully seek the passage of laws that would enhance the ability of the common People to eventually, through industry and entrepreneurship, compete with, and eventually overshadow, the controlling aristocratic power-brokers; such as common self-educated, and brightly intuitive individuals like Cyrus McCormick, Eli Whitney, Elias Howe, Thomas Edison, and Philo T. Farnsworth, the poor Idaho farm-boy who was invented television.

In a succinct cut to the chase, the ten decades of passed time that have elapsed in the 19th Century have brought to pass the subtle, and extremely detrimental increments of change to public education in the American republic. For example, the ability to read and understand the published written word was regarded by the honored Framers as the keystone to public awareness and understanding of current events in State and federal government in order to assure an intelligent and informed electorate. The basic methodology for teaching America's youth began as phonics, which was considered by such Framers as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams as the proper methodology for teaching children, and illiterate adults, how to read. That was way that they had learned to read, and Franklin, Jefferson, and Adams had used traditional phonics to teach their own children how to read effectively, and the methodology was used effectively in the first public schools established in America before, and after the American Revolution. The first public schools established in the new United States of American were locally controlled and had nothing at all to do with the federal, or State, government. The parents of the children hired teachers to teach reading skills in these original one-room schools were for children of all ages, and phonics, learning to identify words by their vowel and consonant sounds, was used to teach reading.

Yet, another methodology for reading was created around the year 1813 by a man named Thomas H. Gallaudet. Gallaudet created the "see-say" method of teaching deaf-mutes how to read, since abnormal people could not hear word-letter sounds and learn through the normal use of phonics. Then in 1835, Horace Mann, a college educated intellectual, who had, himself, learned to read phonetically, was instrumental in getting the "see-say" reading primer, "Mother's Primer" established for use by all primary schools in the State of Massachusetts; but by 1843, the very normal and reasonable parents of Massachusetts rejected the "see-say" method and phonics was restored as the standard method for teaching all normal primary reading in the State of Massachusetts how to read. Yet, Thomas Gallaudet, his children, and grandchildren were all graduates of Yale University, as was Thomas Mann, and they were also members of a secret order that existed then at Yale, and still exists and flourishes in the 21st Century. This was, and is, the Secret Order of the Skull and Bones. In fact, Horace Mann was co-founder of Skull and Bones, and it is much more than a passing thought as to why Mann, who had learned to read using phonics, would have pushed and shoved to get the "see-say" reading methodology, originally designed for abnormal deaf-mutes, accepted as a reading methodology for normal primary-age children. Furthermore, the false propaganda disseminated about the, supposedly, successful use of the "see-say" methodology, from around 1853 to 1900, resulted in the adoption of "see-say" by the influential Columbia Teachers College and the Lincoln School, which propelled the thrust of the speciously new John Dewey-inspired system of education that was geared away from the fundamentals of learning towards, rather, preparing primary child to be subservient units in the organic society instead of intelligent and intuitive individuals who could read comprehensively and effectively. 'See-say" was ideal for the proponents of Dewey. Since learning to read effectively was the primary key for unlocking a child's ability to read to learn, the Dewey-system deliberately eviscerated the one essential key step in the learning process, which would ultimately culminate in producing an informed electorate. See-say" also appeared to be an easy way to learn to read, despite the recognized fact that learning to read well required personal discipline and hard work.

Hence, I sincerely believe that the rational and reasonable American reading this essay will be clearly able to cogently extrapolate the inexorable and egregious results of adopting a reading methodology system, "see-say,' created for "abnormal" deaf-mutes, for systematic use by "all" of the public school districts in all of the States by 1920, in order to teach normal elementary school-age children how to read. It wasn't adopted by accident or as a result of a grand gesture by a wise man or woman, but, rather, by conspiratorial means over a long period of time The leading educational "authorities" from 1900 to 1920, exclaimed by newspapers, magazines, and radio as "progressives," in the likeness of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, constituted a select group of, mostly, men who had been educated at Yale University and were members of Skull and Bones. For an ultimately conspiratorial reason, the fundamental wisdom of the Constitutional Framers, regarding the adoption and preservation of phonics, was devalued during this time, and most, that is over 70 percent, of the national electorate were made to believe that what these, supposedly, learned 20th Century men were spouting about educational learning standards for children was based upon truth. Therefore, what is extant today, a nation of dumbed-down adults, is a sad result of a conspiracy that worked its evil in increments over 150 years to the present day. "See-say" is still the predominant methodology for teaching reading in the federally approved "common-core" system of public education. Though there are many private and parochial schools that have continued to teach phonics in the 20th and 21st Centuries, the graduates of these schools make up a very small portion, less than 10 percent, of all the school children in the USA. Most of America's children, more than 90 percent, are, and will remain to be, products of the public schools.

In conclusion, the reasonable person can clearly see the progression of ineffective educational standards in the current process of educating most of America's children. You have the elementary schools, which don't teach basic reading, writing, and arithmetic to properly prepare children for their middle-school learning experience, and the dumbed-down children that enter middle-school from elementary school aren't properly prepared for the last three, or four, years of high school. Consequently, middle-school is really a remediation of elementary school, and high school is, in most cases, a remediation of what should have been learned in middle-school. Therefore, 98 percent of the 17-to-18 year old adolescents who receive high school diplomas, aren't really receiving graduation certificates for the proper completion of twelve years of education, but, rather, for merely attending twelve years of classroom experience, and graduating on much less than a twelfth-grade level. Most seniors in public high schools are actually working on a 9th to 10th grade-level when they walk across the stage to be graduated. So, here we are back at the beginning of the time-frame when men and women, 25-to-35 years of age and the graduates of public schools, begin to think that online college and university degrees are "really" equivalent to degrees earned by classroom attendance in brick and mortar universities; and that what they couldn't achieve in a classroom with their level of academic preparation could be achieved outside of a classroom, at home, before a computer screen. This is, and will remain to be, the mass grand delusion that is the nemesis of American educational superiority.


 By Norton Nowlin


Article Source: The Prevailing Delusion About Online College Degrees: A Treatise on the Decline of Public Education

The Irritating Aroma of Uninvited Religion

I am a Jesus-follower. My culture is koinonia. I was born and raised in church. This whole religion/ Jesus thing is not weird for me. I have been exposed to it all of my life. And one of the biggest mistakes I make when it comes to sharing Jesus is assuming that everyone else is as comfortable with him as I am. But just a half hour ago I got a taste of what it means to be on the other side of this spectrum.

The doorbell rang. I thought it was the food guy delivering our groceries a little early but when I looked I saw two women - one old and one young - dressed in early 90's grandma fashion. It didn't take long for me to discover they were Jehovah's Witnesses. And while I smiled on the outside, on the inside I found myself extremely irritated. These ladies did not know me. They were uninvited to my home. And yet there they were confronting me with an extremely personal, sensitive, and emotional element of the human experience - religion. I didn't want them there, but there they were, and all I could think was how soon can this whole thing be over? They said they would come back to talk some more. I politely said "sure" mostly because I just wanted them to leave. But my mind said the opposite to my lips: I don't want you to come back and the next time this doorbell rings I am going to hide. Of course, with two super loud kids running around this house that will be impossible. This makes their future visit even more dreadful.

And then it hit me. I am a Jesus-follower. My culture is koinonia. I was born and raised in church. This whole religion/ Jesus thing is not weird for me. I have been exposed to it all of my life. And if I find the aroma of uninvited religion irritating, how much more will those who do not share my back-ground? Those who hate religion. Those who are indifferent toward it. Or those who experience anxiety every time the topic is raised. What about those who have been hurt by it? Those who have been betrayed, bruised, and ostracized by other Christians? Will they not experience the same dreadful emotions I experienced? I think its safe to say, yes.

Now don't get me twisted. Jesus confronts us. He is not comfortable. He is not safe. He is a lion. But we must never forget that he is also a lamb and harmless as a dove. He doesn't seek to devour, he seeks to redeem. As such, we must share Jesus in a way that does not automatically awaken dreadful emotions and the proverbial fight-or-flight mechanism. If Jesus alone is challenging enough then we should not add to the struggle by sharing him in unpalatable ways. Instead, we should bend over backwards to make sure we are not making the journey to him more difficult for those who don't share our "church culture".

http://www.pomopastor.com


 By Marcos D Torres


Article Source: The Irritating Aroma of Uninvited Religion

Have You Tried to Solve This Famous Historical Mystery?

I have come across many explanations for the amazing events commemorated by Christians at Eastertime. However, they tend to boil down to variations on just a handful of theories. Four, if you do not include the explanation given in the four gospels, that Jesus rose again from the dead.

These are the main ones.

1. It never happened. It is all fiction.

2. It was never intended to be taken literally. The story of the resurrection really meant Jesus was living on in people's hearts and minds. His ideas are still alive.

3. Jesus did not die. This splits into two principal variations:

a) He was crucified but survived.

b) Someone else was crucified instead. The main contenders are Judas and Barabbas.

4. The disciples stole the body.

Now let's consider each of these.

1. It never happened.

The four gospels are works of fiction. Fake news!

This theory lacks an explanation of the motive of the apostles and other early Christians for inventing the story. I cannot think of one. Those I have heard do not seem to me to be at all convincing. Perhaps someone wanted to start a new religion or a breakaway sect. Why? Was this a credible way to go about it?

Fiction as we know it was not developed until much later. In ancient times, fiction comprised sagas, myths and other totally unrealistic stories, full of monsters, talking animals and larger-than-life superheroes and supervillains. All right. The miracles in the gospels might seem a bit far-fetched to you, but the setting and characters are realistic. The dialogue, including Jesus' preaching, is generally down-to-earth.

There are other historical documents which confirm the existence of Jesus and confirm a few details of the gospels, although only sketchily. Josephus and Tacitus come to mind.

2. It was not meant literally.

It should be taken as an allegory. The most credible version of this theory accepts the crucifixion as literally true, but says the resurrection was not a physical event, rather a spiritual one.

I have a lot of sympathy for this view and would strongly agree that Jesus lives in us by the Holy Spirit, thus continuing his work. It is possible to get so obsessed with the empty tomb that you lose sight of the significance for you and me.

My main concern is that the early Christians always seem to have treated it as a literal event as well as believing in its allegorical implications. St Paul uses it as proof of life after death, as set out in the final chapter or two of his first letter to the Corinthians. It was Paul's assertion that Jesus was literally alive that got him into so much trouble with the Jewish religious leaders. Why would he not try to offer a compromise by saying it was not a physical resurrection?

3. Jesus did not die.

a. He was crucified but survived.

It is hard to imagine anyone surviving such an ordeal, but let us suppose it might be possible. One suggestion is that he was given some sort of drug that put him into a coma. The drink he was given, via a sponge on a stick, is thought to be a possible means of doing this. Three days later he recovered and broke out of the tomb.

Theories differ as to how the stone was rolled away. It is very hard to believe a man who would have been barely alive could have managed it alone. The women were worried about the need to get help to move the stone, when they went to embalm the body. Of course, they found the stone moved already and the body gone.

Roman soldiers took care to ensure the people they crucified actually died. Some doctors see significance in the detail in St John's gospel of the soldier piercing Jesus side to make sure he was dead. The water and blood coming out separately is seen as conclusive. Would St John have made that up? He also says the soldiers broke the legs of the other two victims in order to finish them off, as they had not died before sundown.

This theory also requires us to believe that Jesus and at least some of the disciples knew the resurrection story was not true, but did nothng to correct the mistaken belief. They would have to have been dishonest to a high degree, making them hypocrites, to say the least.

b. Someone else was crucified in his place.

Not something anyone would be likely to volunteer for, unless put under extreme duress. Thus the main candidates are the two men who might have felt sufficient remorse to go along with it: Judas who had betrayed him and Barabbas who had been released by popular demand instead of Jesus.

How the switch could have been effected has never been explain satisfactorily. It would have required the collusion of at least some of the Roman soldiers.

This theory also has the same drawback as the 'coma' theory. Jesus and some of the disciples would have known that the resurrection story was not true.

4. The disciples stole the body.

Like the two variations of theory no. 3, this would mean some of the disciples knew the resurrection was a hoax. Not only does this mean they were very dishonest and cynical, but that they must have been prepared to die for this falsehood. Peter was crucified, and all the others died for their faith in different ways, including being fed to lions.

I find it unbelievable that there is no record of even one of them admitting to a hoax in the hope of being spared. I am sure such a confession would have been given publicity.

So what do I think?

Having considered all the explanations, I once found myself accepting the explanation offered in the Bible, and that remains the only one I regard as credible. I just do not have enough faith to believe any of the others.

After studying Economics and Accountancy at Bristol University, John worked in local government finance, investigating everything from petty fraud to massive overspends, and all kinds of insurance claims. He has worked in North, Mid and South Wales, and the North West of England. He is now a self-employed risk management consultant based in Warrington.

He has written several books. His writing reflects his Christian faith, as well as his love of Wales, of horses and of other animals.

http://www.johnharveymurray.co.uk

https://twitter.com/JohnHMurray1


 By John Harvey Murray


Article Source: Have You Tried to Solve This Famous Historical Mystery?

Why Prayers Don't Work

Rattling off scripted prayers written by religious people often centuries ago does nothing for anyone. When the roots of those prayers are examined the reality is that they are part of the blinding of humanity and the burying of the truth. It is rather astounding to think that most people cannot put enough words together to ask God about their lives or where they are supposed to be heading.

The rituals people engage in are also astounding. I have yet to understand what a minute's silence accomplishes when people stand in mass with heads bowed for that length of time. Nothing changes and I doubt that anyone is really moved by it.

In ancient times the God of worship was the sun, and it still is although disguised now in both character and name. In Babylon, the capital of the Assyrian or Persian Empire, the name of that body was 'Mary'. The name means 'mother's powerful light' and I was shown that entity in an awesome vision that showed people's reaction to when refracted rays formed the moving rainbow-coloured rings as seen so often in nature.

The Persian Empire was established by the Amor who then built Roma (reverse Amor) and they became the Romans. They retained their brutal ways and ancient texts reveals how savage and cruel they were.

Contantine was a direct descendant and he established the Catholic Church in 325 based on the Babylonian Islamic religion. He made Mary the Mother of God and invented Jesus Christ. This is told in the book of Revelation chapter 13:12-18 where is also identified him a 666.

The religion was in the position to alter the records and to bring under its wing all previous forms of worship. Jerome compiled the New Testament at the end of the 4th CAD and there are no previous versions of it. This was the true start of Christianity and stories about previous Christians are false. There were, however, follower of Chrishna.

My reincarnation and knowledge that the real God is the Spirit of the Universe explains why it is inside everyone leading and guiding them throughout their lives. Only the spiritual people of God can discern the facts and as we are in the last days they are receiving the gifts of the Spirit including healing and other miracles.

This is all promised to occur before the end and the explanations about God's plan and how those who have led lives of corruption are now suffering. They are the ones being killed and watching their children die, as was promised in the Old Testament prophecies.

Because God knows everything and is the author of every situation there is no need to ask for anything and certainly not by man's scripted prayers. Norma's research went back to Babylon to unearth the roots of religion and the identity of 666. It proves conclusively that heaven and hell are tricks designed to manipulate people into believing in his Islamic religion.


 By Norma Holt


Article Source: Why Prayers Don't Work

Questions You Should Ask When Selecting Rubbish Removal Services

Living in an environment that is hygienic and clean is paramount because it plays a role in good health and a conducive environment for that matter. It is, however inevitable for rubbish to build up and at some point you will need to dispose it otherwise you will be living in the most unhygienic unsightly area. Whereas it may be possible for you to get rid of some of your rubbish, it may not always be possible for everyone to effectively dispose everything.

Rubbish removal services take the worries off everyone's shoulder. The professional waste collection offers a reliable, efficient way of disposing of what you no longer need cleanly and correctly for that matter. But with so many companies now offering the rubbish removal services, it would be a good idea to know exactly what you are getting into to enjoy peace of mind. Below are important questions that can lead you to the best waste removal company.

What services are offered? Rubbish is not limited to homes only, even offices and other commercial areas do have rubbish they want disposed. A good, reliable company should be able to offer services for both residential and commercial settings. This way, you can be sure to fully rely on your service provider regardless of the needs you have.

What rubbish types are handled by the company? When thinking rubbish, most people think about kitchen waste. However, old furniture, damaged electronics, construction debris and stationary that is no longer important pass for rubbish. You may also have garden junk that you wish to be cleared from your garden. The best you can do is to find out what types of rubbish the company handles and manages so you know whether it is the right company for the kind of disposal needs you have every now and then.

Where does the rubbish end up? Majority of people do not think about where their junk ends up in as long as it is removed from their property. Being responsible for the environment, however means having the interest to find out exactly where your unwanted matter will end up in. Rubbish removal companies who focus on recycling materials that can be recycled are best to work with. With such a company, you can be sure that your rubbish ends in all the right places and does not contribute to pollution or environmental degradation in any way.

How competent is the company? A good company pays attention to training its staff on handling different kinds of garbage considering that some can be toxic. Apart from having the expertise, it will only be possible for the company to deliver beyond expectations when it uses the right equipment needed to get the job done. For instance, just because the truck deals with garbage does not mean that it should be old, worn and dirty. Professional garbage collectors take pride in what they do and everything should therefore be in order.

When looking for rubbish removal services, always settle for a company that has what it takes to deliver excellent services. Let professionals handle your rubbish to enjoy peace of mind.


 By Shalini Madhav


Article Source: Questions You Should Ask When Selecting Rubbish Removal Services

Exclusive Interview With the Historical Jesus

We hold no brief with invisible friends in the sky--not the nine choirs of angels, the eight maids a-milking, the heavenly hosts a-dancing, or the figments of anybody's fevered second-rate imagination. We are, however, fascinated by the Historical Jesus, the apocalyptic prophet and rabble-rouser who did exist and who was crucified by Roman authorities, and about whom nothing much else can be said for sure, unless you are willing to credit the bilge water about Jesus the Christ concocted by Saint Paul and the other charlatans whose "work" makes up the New Testament.

We emphatically are not. We considered making a few inquiries among biblical scholars about these matters, but we decided on two glasses of Rosatello and half an Ambien instead. As a result we fell asleep during Season 11 Episode 2 of Trial and Retribution, and we did dream of the following exclusive interview with the Historical Jesus, a fascinating and thoroughly human being.

THE FERAL ATHEIST: How do you feel about the way you are portrayed in the New Testament?
HISTORICAL JESUS: I call it the New Testicle because it makes be look like some kind of super magician with an extra one.

TFA: So you didn't walk on water or heal the sick or...
HJ: Heck no. Some of the other allegedly divine preachers in those days resorted to that schtick, but I was a word jockey, the thinking man's zealot. That still didn't stop some of my followers from claiming that I performed miracles, though

TFA: What do you mean by "allegedly divine"?
HJ: I never said I was divine. Read the gospel of Mark. It's the first one written, and it's the best of the lot, short and to the point.

TFA: But there are frequent references to you in Mark as "the son of god."
HJ: My people--I am Jewish, you know--called everybody the son of god. All they meant was that you were someone whom god had put on earth to help carry out his mission, which was to reward the righteous and to kick the snot out of the Roman downpressors.

TFA: So if you weren't divine, what about the other preachers who claimed to be divine?
HJ: That was just their followers blowing smoke for the most part. I'd run across some of the other preachers occasionally--Appolonius of Tiana, the Egyptian, guys like that--and we'd compare notes about the best places to sleep or to get a free meal. We got along fine, but our followers were always making up [stuff] and getting into brawls about whose guy was the greatest. You know how possessive followers can be.

TFA: The Jesus of the New Testament didn't say words like [stuff].
HJ: Wouldn't say [stuff] if he had a mouthful, right? Listen, man, I'm from peasant stock, illiterate, rough-living peasant stock. What did you expect me to sound like, that Jesus dweeb in the picture frame on zillions of walls, the guy in the flowing robe with the perfumed hair whose eyes "follow you around the room"? Gimme a break. My boys and I were rough; we made that poseur Bruce Springsteen look like the pious middle-class fraud that he is. Sanctimonious twit wouldn't have lasted a day in my neighborhood.

TFA: Back to the Gospel of Mark...
HJ: You know that the gospels weren't written by the people who got the bylines for them, right? And that they were written in Greek, a poncy language spoken by toffs, not the Aramaic that I and my homies spoke, and that none of the authors of the New Testicle ever attended any of my speeches? Mark wasn't written until at least thirty-five years after the Romans did me in, you know.

TFA: Yes, I know, but in Mark you are quoted as saying that the coming of god was at hand. In fact, you said at one point that many of the people in the crowd listening to you speak would be alive when god arrived.
HJ: OK, so I got that part wrong. As I said, I'm not divine. Besides, lots of other people got that wrong, too.

TFA: Was your crucifixion as dramatic as...
HJ: Stations of the cross, weeping women, Mel Gibson theatrics, all that [stuff]? Nah. It was less a production than that, but it did hurt like the devil. I wouldn't recommend it.

TFA: What happened afterward?
HJ: Afterward? There wasn't any celebration of life, I'll tell you that. They cut me down and threw me on a landfill, just like they did with the other troublemakers.. Didn't even give me a proper burial, much less a fancy tomb in a gated-cemetery community.

TFA: You didn't rise from the dead?
HJ: Of course not. That opportunist Paul and the gospel writers after Mark made that scene up out of whole burial cloth. What would you have done in their place? Your boy blows the call on the coming of god, gets himself stripped, whipped, dipped by the hated Romans, then gets served up on a landfill as dog food. You'd make up some cockamamie story about him rising from the dead, appearing to his disciples, and ascending into heaven, too. What amazes me is that people bought that story, even the Romans eventually did. Isn't that ironic? Tell you the truth, I don't really think my disciples ever meant to start a world religion. They weren't that ambitious. Most of them didn't even have jobs. They just wanted to save a little face in the temple. They didn't foresee this whole Catholic Church business with the men in funny hats and the priests chasing altar boys in the sacristy. Jesus Christ, man, that [stuff] got way out of hand.

TFA: True dat. Listen, it's been great talking to you.
HJ: Same here, brother. I gotta get over to the EWTN for an interview. I don't think they're gonna be ready for my act, but neither were the Romans, eh?


 By Philip J Maggitti


Article Source: Exclusive Interview With the Historical Jesus

Atheism - Is It Really Reasonable?

Following Richard Dawkins and other high-profile atheists, many people have the idea that atheistic belief relies on the wonderful powers of human reason. The thought has become commonplace; atheism is super-reasonable, while Christianity is super-daft nonsense. Popular atheistic belief needs to be teased out a little to see what in fact it relies on.

• REALITY
Atheists like Richard Dawkins follow a philosophy of reality in which everything that exists is composed of physical matter in a space-time continuum. In this scheme such things as minds and personalities, including thoughts are all explained in terms of physical processes, some doubtless very complex, but still the result of chemical and electrical interactive processes. So, a word like 'mind' is merely a social construct describing a complex psychological entity, rather than it referring to a non-material dimension in our human make-up. So any non-material being such as God, or even thoughts, are excluded by the starting point of the atheist's philosophy of reality. Is this belief system grounded in scientific method? No, materialism is an unproven belief system that is not open to proof or disproof.

• VALIDITY
But then we ask 'What is reason and is it able to check itself without first believing in its own effectiveness? The straight answer is 'No'. To examine the foundations of the validity of thinking we first need to believe in it.

So, let's assume the validity of reason and say that reason is a faculty of our humanity by which we construct rules of logic, and use thinking in rational ways to offer explanations, form arguments, make inferences and deductions, and reach conclusions. There is a lot more but that is a start. So far, so good if you are following my thinking.

Now we all know that much of our thinking is expressed in words; a form of symbol-code that represents the meanings we wish to communicate. Thus, when it comes to Richard Dawkins' book, 'The God Delusion', he aims to show that God most probably does not exist on the basis that a case can be made using verbal arguments.

• PHILOSOPHY
However, this is just where Richard Dawkins faces his biggest problem because his philosophy of reality excluded the existence of anything spiritual or non-material from the start, so in fact it was a materialistic philosophy that determined Dawkins' conclusions for him. So, for instance, when an atheist says, 'there is no God', it means nothing beyond merely being a particular arrangement of molecules in his or her head. The materialist philosophy of reality has already awarded itself the status of being close to a true answer, but an atheist doesn't believe that real truth exists, which obviously includes atheism. On atheistic assumptions final answers could never exist in a cosmos without any final meaning.

• INCREDIBLY
By thinking like that, the atheist has leapt by an act of atheistic 'faith' and made an ultimate pronouncement that God probably does not exist. In that pronouncement he or she must assume they are in a meaningful reality in which their thoughts correlate with some sort of final or ultimate truth, and that it all exists, with such marvellous and vast grandeur that began with a meaningless explosion.

But however did they discover that ultimate truth, when all they had to do it with was molecules? Oh, how did they ever think it was reasonable for molecules to make such a final discovery that molecules is all there is - how incredible!

• DEITY
Atheists are persons made in the image of God, whose personalities and thinking have a transcendent dimension, which they use to presuppose the validity of their denial of God's existence, which as the Bible clearly reaches, is a denial grounded in suppressed and rebellious wishful thinking; 'For [God's] invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse' (Romans 1:20).

Well, is it high time to own up that atheism is a lot more than molecules; it an expression of the rebel mind and thinking of real persons whose thoughts transcend physical matter. As such they are trapped in futile thinking and urgently need to repent and turn to Christ as they will one day give an account to the living God. Reason is indeed a high gift to be used for the glory and praise of God, but never for making futile, weak excuses like atheism.

ANSWERS FOR A SEARCHING GENERATION

Michael J. S. Austin, Ph.D. has authored several books and many articles that offer answers for many of life's big questions - 'Is biblical Christianity finished, or does it still speak to the 21st century?'

Take a look at my eBook or paperback, 'DAWKINS' DILEMMAS' to see how Richard Dawkins' atheistic belief cannot support itself, either as philosphy or science.

Use the following link:

http://www.amazon.com/Dawkins-Dilemmas-Deluded-question-ebook/dp/B007RFLYI8/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_t_2

My title, 'Darwin's Puzzle - Unravelling the Riddle of Reason' discusses how the evolutionary beliefs of Charles Darwin destroy human reason. He admits this when he says he inherited his thinking from monkeys.

And try this link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007ZE34GG

Use my books and articles to help you find faith in Christ, or to strengthen your faith.

Also find titles on other websites - Thank you!


 By Michael J. S. Austin, Ph.D.


Article Source: Atheism - Is It Really Reasonable?

Promises That Only God Can Keep

In the dialogue below, Q=Questioner, JWA=Jehovah Witness Answer, and CA=Christian Answer.

John 14-16. "The final discourse of Jesus."

They say that politicians make promises that only God could keep. It is cute to say that about the would-be statesmen among us, but to say it of Jesus Christ is the absolute truth.

That is, only God could fulfill the self-statements made by Jesus of Nazareth. Oh, listen carefully! Here are absolute revelations of His Deity to the apostles, along with the personality of the Holy Spirit.



We will take them as a group.

14:7. "... If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also... "

14:9. "... He who has seen Me has seen the Father... "

14:11. "... believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me... "

14:13. "... whatever you ask in My Name, that will I do... "

14:17-18. "... [the Spirit of truth]... abides with you and shall be in you... I will come to you... "

14:23. "... my Father will love [the one who keeps My word]... and We will come to him and make our abode with him... "

16:14. "He [the Spirit of truth] will glorify Me... "

16:23. "... if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you... " (cf 14:13 above)

Q. I notice that in all the above quotes, there is only one feeble attempt to deny the things being said, namely in 16:13-14. There the NWT tries to neuter the Spirit in at least one word when it says, "When that one comes, the spirit of the truth... " But in the rest of the verse, "He" is used, for it cannot be denied here or elsewhere, that the Holy Spirit is a person. Why do witnesses insist on teachings that are unfounded in the Scriptures?

JWA. All of these verses can be looked at in different ways, once eyes are opened to the truth. There is one Almighty God, and one created Mighty Son. On this the Bible is clear, and all else must be built around it.

CA: So in Witness theology, Christians are the blind ones who interpret Scriptures in the light of ancient tradition rather than the new light given to their founders and governors. The clarity of the above passages does nothing for them, just as a person who is sworn to defend a particular Presidential candidate will not change regardless of the facts brought out.

How wonderful is that last discourse of Jesus to the subject at hand. The above verses are not the entire story. But read all three chapters and see what breathless revelations Jesus is leaving with His men as He departs this world:



To know and to see Jesus Christ is to know and to see Father God, Jehovah!

Jesus actually has His life inside of the Father and the Father has His life inside the Son!

Whatever we ask Jesus or His Father, the response is the same: You can have it!

The Spirit will come from the Father but will actually be Jesus!

Father and Son are actually present in the Spirit when He comes to live in the human heart!

The Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ, with not a word of protest from the Great Father Almighty!

With this one series of statements, if need be, we could rest our case against the so-called "witnesses."

John 14:28. "... My Father is greater than I... "

Q. Is there a difference in greatness between Father and Son?

JWA. You said it. You just read it from John's Gospel!

Q. Perhaps you did not hear my question. I said, Is there a difference in greatness between Father and Son?

JWA. Ah, but we both know the Lord never changes. What He was then He is now. And He, Jehovah, was greater than the Son, by the Son's admission.

Q. I'll go you one better. At the time of which we are speaking, known historically and theologically as the Incarnation, even the angels were greater than Jesus. Sir do you believe the angels are greater than Jesus today?

JWA. Actually we believe that Jesus was the first created angel, but definitely the greatest.

Q. We will discuss the "Michael" teaching another time. Let's concentrate on the "greater" teaching for the moment. You are saying that Jesus is the greatest of all angels, therefore greater than all the other angels. But Hebrews 2:7 specifically states that Jesus was placed a little lower than the angels for a certain period of time, the time He was here.

CA. And this is the same time of which we are speaking in John 14:28. Philippians 2:7 in the NWT puts it like this, "... He emptied Himself and took a slave's form... " Is God a slave? Is God all-powerful? Yes. But when the Son came to earth, He became one of us. He became a servant, a slave. He humbled Himself to the point of death. He listened for the Father's voice in every aspect of His life, and chose not to do anything the Father was not saying to do. That is, He acted and lived as He calls all His people to live. And we are not God. But although he was God, in those miraculous days of the Incarnation, He behaved like the lowest of men.

That's why He could say what seemed to those around Him to be an obvious truth: My Father is greater than I. Then God exalted Him, per Philippians 2. Look at Him after His resurrection. Look at Him at the top of Transfiguration hill. Look at Him as He ascends, body, soul, and Spirit, into the heavens, where He re-assumes the glory He had with the Father before there was a world (John 17:5).

At one time, by Divine plan, the Father was greater than the Son. But in eternity, and throughout eternity, the honor due to the Father is also due to the Son. Insult to the Son of God is made at one's own peril.

Look for Bob Faulkner's creations on http://sermonaudio.com including a through-the-Bible course, works about the Christ, the antichrist, the rapture, the church, prophecy and the persecution in North Korea. Look also for series on Muhammad and Islam, written for Christian believers. All of these works are now in book form available at Amazon. Go to http://www.amazon.com/author/bfaulkner to look at all these books.

As for me, I'm a man found of God over 55 years ago, called to the ministry, now retired from school teaching, and serving the Lord as a nursing home minister, and podcaster.


 By Bob Faulkner


Article Source:  Promises That Only God Can Keep

Code Blue: Why Many Churches Are Spiritually Dead

"My Church does not really believe I'm coming back soon!" Christ cried three times after police officer Marty Breeden coded blue, took his last breath and met Jesus on July 17, 2015. Breeden pleaded with Him that the church is ready. However, Christ replied, "I AM coming back soon and My church is not ready! for IF they did, they would not be living as they are!" Then, the Lord told Mart, "Now go back and tell the things you have heard and know that your message will not be received!"

Marty obeyed the Lord. After the doctors revived him and he recovered completely, he knocked on the doors of over fifty churches to tell their congregations the message Christ gave him. Like He told Marty, none of the pastors allowed him to preach about Christ coming back very soon and that their congregation should be getting ready for the Rapture. Only one church pastored by a disabled pastor with a twelve member congregation allowed Marty to deliver His message.

It's no wonder why the Creator of the Universe is upset at today's churches that ignore the fact that we are living in the end times. The Lord placed over one thousand prophecies in the Bible about the end of life on earth. Remember Noah built a large boat to accommodate the prophet and his family before God warned him about a flood coming to wipe out the human race. Despite Noah's warning to all of the people of the catastrophic danger, they didn't seriously believe the ark builder's message. These ungodly people dismissed God's prophecy to Noah's because they didn't care; they were too busy doing other things. Christ warned:

As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. (NIV, Mathew 24: 37-39)

So, why don't many pastors at churches preach the most important message of our time that Jesus Christ is coming back soon for His Church? First, a large majority of them do not believe in the Rapture or the Second Coming, because they were trained by secular academics. Second, many ministers don't take the Bible literally. But, if they do take the words literally, they ignore prophecy. Third, most church services and activities no longer include God. Christ has been taken out of churches and replaced with messages and activities that cater to seeking fun and entertainment. Pastors' messages water down the Bible and its teachings and disregard Christ's teachings and love and salvation.

Christ is coming back imminently to remove the true church, made up of God fearing and devoted people who have taken His love seriously. Those I described above who attend these fake churches run by pastors who teach "anything goes," run a serious risk of not being taken up and being left behind to suffer the consequences on that day at hand.

Churches are built to worship and fear the Lord, not do to your life as you please. Do not take God lightly, or He might weigh your burdens down heavier than you can imagine.


 By Harrington A Lackey


Article Source: Code Blue: Why Many Churches Are Spiritually Dead

Populism, James Madison, and Hamilton Leithauer + Rostam

At the end of the 19th century, populism through William Jennings Bryan almost consumed the Democratic Party. Today, the Republican Party has been consumed. Funny that in both instances it was white, rural voters upset with their lack of opportunities.
After several days of above normal temperatures, we hit the mid-thirties again. I had to put a coat on to play with the dog. Such a shame for January.

My Country - Restrains on Populism, If Only

Justice Douglas quotes James Madison in one of my favorite quotes, that the republican form of government emerged "to protect the minority of the opulent against the majority." Douglas focuses on the power of checks and balances built into our system.

I have thought a lot about this concept in the current atmosphere. We all consider ourselves the minority that needs to be protected. We all want the power. And if nothing else, partisanship wins mean more than anything else to most Americans. Our system was designed to be open and allow this through

a President who would be elected by an Electoral College, which would be selected from the best and the brightest;
a Senate that would serve longer than any other role to allow them the freedom to not worry about election at every turn;
a House that would be very responsive to the people as their elections would occur every two years; and
a Supreme Court that would be named by the President, approved by the Senate, and have no political constraints put on them.

"In other words, the majority could not unite against the minority propertied interests."

Populism has taken over our country against all of the fears and the checks and balances. Populism has raised its head before: Andrew Jackson and William Jennings Bryan are two of the most central figures. We the People can cause pain to each other. Minorities need our help and need our respect. What will you do to provide that?

Daily Distraction

The SiriusXM radio station I listen to the most is SiriusXMU, their version of a college radio station. Of course, since I was one of the least college radio type people when I was in college, it only makes sense that in my thirties, I would listen to vinyl and indie rock. But I listen to this station to learn about new musical acts and hear something more inventive than modern pop music, which I have never liked. I've always listened to Musicals and Motown - with British 60s-70s rock, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Billy Joel sprinkled along the way.

I'm not surprised that I enjoy the new album from Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam since I like The Walkmen and love Vampire Weekend. The album creates an aura with the sounds they create and encompass me as I listen. You can hear tones from 50s and 60s rock in the rhythms and the harmonizations but the sound is far more modern. Even an electric guitar Bob Dylan warping into Vampire Weekend style wall of sound. A haziness with strong drum beats beautifully fill the airwaves.

You Ain't That Young Kid has a perfect Blonde on Blonde riff. I would not be surprised if Gram Parson was not an influence on Peaceful Morning. Everyone has heard In a Black Out in an Apple commercial. And I could listen to A 1000 Times that many times. But then again, I love unrequited love songs.

One Sentence Story

Melted butter over frozen fish resembles a custard. http://rockthewesternworld.com/

 By Daniel Billings

Article Source: Populism, James Madison, and Hamilton Leithauer + Rostam

The War on Your Privacy

Last week, congressional Republicans voted to repeal a Federal Communications Commission rule that required Internet service providers (ISPs) to obtain your consent before selling your online browsing history to a third party.

Even if you use your Web browser in secure mode, delete all your cookies and use apps to secure your Internet privacy, your ISP will know which websites you have visited for as long as you have been a customer.

Today I'm going to offer a solution to this travesty that works for me... and will work for you too.

You don't want your browsing history to be public knowledge. Even if your Internet usage is as pure as the driven snow, it can still be used to do you serious harm. Given that most of us now use the Internet for everything important in our lives - financial, medical and legal issues, for example - the potential for a third party to blackmail or threaten you is always there.

With this vote, congressional Republicans have essentially told ISPs such as Verizon, Comcast and AT&T that they don't care. It's OK with them if your ISP chooses to sell this intensely private information without your knowledge or consent.

The GOP argument is that since Web-based services such as Facebook and Google can sell information that they learn from your use of their sites, ISPs should be able to do the same. They argue that restricting ISPs in this regard interferes with their ability to compete with these other firms.

To put it mildly: This is absolute rubbish.

Your choice to use Facebook, Google or any other Web-based company's products is entirely voluntary. An ISP, on the other hand, is an unavoidable gateway to the Internet itself. You have to have an ISP if you want to use the Internet, period. So the notion that the types of information that you give voluntarily to Facebook by choosing to use its services have exactly the same status as your browsing history with your ISP is fundamentally misleading.

To add insult to injury, the highly concentrated state of the U.S. broadband market means that many of us have no choice of ISP. We are forced to use the one that's available where we live. By contrast, if you don't like the fact that Google may sell your search history, you can always use an alternate search engine, such as DuckDuckGo, that doesn't do that.

Fighting Back

One way to avoid ISP tracking is to use the Tor browser. Tor is a decentralized system run by volunteers that masks your physical location and all your activity on the Internet. When you use Tor, your activity appears to be coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. Unfortunately, it can be complicated to use - and it can even bring you to the attention of law enforcement officials, who tend to assume that anybody who uses it is doing something illegal.

The other solution to this problem is to use what's known as a virtual private network, or VPN.

These are subscription-based services that encrypt your Internet activity and route it through multiple servers so that, as with Tor, it appears to be coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. A VPN is a set of instructions loaded into the software that connects to the Internet that tells your computer, phone or tablet to route all Internet activity through a secure network.

Unlike Tor, however, VPNs are typically run through centralized servers rather than through a peer-to-peer network. That means companies that provide VPN services could theoretically track you. But good VPN providers don't do that because they compete with other VPNs by offering privacy.

Setting up a VPN typically involves adding a special Web address in the settings that tell your browser where to look up websites when you browse the Internet. If you're using an Apple or Android phone or tablet, it's set up as a "profile" for the device.

The VPNs I use install and set themselves up automatically. The whole process is handled by an installation app.

Now, VPNs are not a 100% foolproof solution. As I noted above, VPN companies could conceivably record your browsing history and give it to someone. It is also theoretically possible to reconstruct a person's identity and location from certain patterns in what appear to be anonymous browsing histories. But this is a complex and expensive thing to do, and for most ordinary folks like us who just want to keep our browsing history private, a VPN should do just fine.

Now, one thing you don't want to do is use a free VPN service. If it's free, it's selling your information to someone - that's the only way it can make money.

It's clear that the people in charge of our country care more about corporate profits from our private data than they care about our privacy. Until that changes, you need a VPN - today.

Ted Baumann joined The Sovereign Investor Daily in 2013. As an expat who lived in South Africa for 25 years, Ted specializes in asset protection and international migration. Read more of what he has to say about offshore living here.


 By Ted Baumann


Article Source: The War on Your Privacy

A Massive Housing Shortage Is Coming

"I got the house!" wrote my friend "K."

She was pumped because she had been on the hunt for a house for six months.

She "lost" two houses to higher bids.

Nationwide, you're seeing this every day, where people who want to buy a house can't find one.

Then, when they do find a house, they are outbid by people who are willing to pay more.

There simply aren't enough houses on the market.

Now, there's a good reason why this is happening. It's something that I've been saying since February of 2016. And today, I'll show you one way you can benefit from this housing surge.

The Largest Generation in American History

The reason why most housing markets in the United States are facing a short supply is because of the surge in demand coming from the millennial generation.

The oldest members of this generation are now 34 years old, which has traditionally been around the time when Americans settle down, buy houses, start families and see the fastest rise in their incomes.

While there's some small improvement compared to last year, in truth there's no change. And according to the National Association of Realtors, which began tracking housing numbers 18 years ago, we're at an all-time low.

However you want to spin it, we have too few houses compared to the number of people who want to buy them. As we get wave after wave of millennials getting to the age of 34 in the years ahead, we're facing a massive housing shortage.

Right now, housing starts are at just 75% of their historical average. In other words, we're completely and utterly unprepared for what is going on. I believe we're going to need a homebuilding boom to offset the coming housing shortage.

And I believe the biggest gains from the millennial housing boom are still ahead.

It's also not too late to get in on an incredible opportunity in the housing sector. I believe this stock could rise by as much as 300% as waves of the millennial generation come to buy houses.

However, to get access to this opportunity, the housing ETF that I've been telling you about - iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (NYSE Arca: ITB) - will give you broad exposure to the housing sector, and it's not too late to get in.

Use this opportunity to benefit off the millennial mega trend.

Paul Mampilly joined The Winning Investor Daily in 2016, and serves as editor of Profits Unlimited, specializing in helping Main Street Americans find wealth in growth investing, technology, small-cap stocks and special opportunities.


 By Paul Mampilly


Article Source:  A Massive Housing Shortage Is Coming

Separating Church And State Will Diminish the Influence of Climate Change Deniers

Introduction: REAL Wellness and the Environment

The REAL wellness concept, that is, attitudes and choices that promote positive lifestyles, is not a Republican or Democratic concept. It's an apolitical commitment to disciplined thinking and behavior that advances health (its own reward) while preventing illness (an attractive side effect).

Anyone who practices such a wellness lifestyle will know that wellbeing cannot be sustained with personal efforts alone. No man (or woman) is an island, as John Dunn famously noted; other factors have an immense influence on the quality of our lives - most especially our immediate and the larger environment of which we are a part.

A wellness lifestyle will not get you far in a war zone, in a city besieged by a modern day plague or a community engulfed by an ecological disaster, such as floods and famines of biblical proportion.

President Trump and Climate Change

In late March, President Trump signed an executive directive to remove regulations that to some measure mitigated the impact of climate change. This action will revoke the Clean Power Plan that would have closed coal-fired power plants; wind and solar farms will no longer be supported.

The head of EPA, Scott Pruitt, is a climate change denier and a religious fundamentalist. This is true of most of Trump's appointees. When supernatural beliefs drive public policies, science is ignored. Climate change denial is founded on religious dogma, not evidence concerning the nature of reality. Rick Perry, Trump's secretary of energy, is well known for mocking climate science, based solely on his religious devotions to bible stories, blind faith and wishful thinking. Other prominent climate denialists include Mike Pence, James Inhofe, Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum.

There is a reluctance to call out the influence of extreme religious belief as a controlling factor in climate change denial. However, the correlation between religiosity and climate change delusion is clear. Consider the following:


"My point is, God's still up there. The arrogance of people to think that we, human beings, would be able to change what He is doing in the climate is to me outrageous." Sen. Inhofe (R-OK)

"Jesus would be for whatever is best for the poor. A warmer climate-if it's even happening-is better for the poor." Conservative Christian radio host Bryan Fischer

"The Earth will end only when God declares it's time to be over. Man will not destroy this Earth. This Earth will not be destroyed by a flood... I do believe God's word is infallible, unchanging, perfect." Rep John Shimkus, R-IL


Why the Twain Should Not Meet, Nor Blend

If there were a stronger, clearer demarcation between government and public policy and religious dogma, there would be less conflict not just over policies for minimizing the dangers of climate change, but also evolution, women's reproductive rights, taxpayer funding of religious schools (i.e., vouchers) and so much else.

It could be worse: Martin Luther counseled, "Whoever wants to be a Christian should tear the eyes out of his Reason." This reminds us of Mark Twain's observation that "faith is believing what you know ain't so."

A virulent strain of evangelicalism infects our current government. Too many politicians are animated with religious worldviews that welcome the destruction of this world, believing in apocalyptic "End Times" as a fulfillment of prophecy and a second coming.

Whether you live a healthy wellness-oriented lifestyle or not, concern for the environment should be a high priority. A recent FFRF news release put it this way:

The only afterlife we ought to care about is leaving our descendants and our planet a secure and pleasant future. Systems that deny facts and reality must not be used to dictate public policy. We have a duty to our children and grandchildren, to posterity, to the other species we share our planet with, to ensure our world is habitable for the future.


 By Donald Ardell


Article Source: Separating Church And State Will Diminish the Influence of Climate Change Deniers

Humans Are Grossly Misled by Disinformation and Are Killing the Planet

The extent of the misinformation fed out to communities about climate change is, fortunately, having little effect now that the evidence is clear. In Australia the heat of last summer has broken several records and there is massive depression created by it. That is despite what some sceptics would have us believe. It is hard to understand why some would think that a warming planet is a good thing.

Right now the east coast is suffering the effects of Cyclone Debbie that has claimed lives and brought misery and hardship to many towns impacted by the flooding rain. Over summer the Great Barrier Reef, an international icon, suffered enormous bleaching with the death of a large proportion of coral. That is just the start of what occurred here.

Thanks to Debbie thousands of homes were inundated with flood water that destroyed many businesses on the main streets of Lismore and Maryborough. The Gold Coast and Resort Islands bore the brunt of it with millions of dollars worth of damage. The stinking mud left behind is a major health risk. As it dries into dust breathed in to cause respiratory problems. It has to be washed away before that happens.

Thousands of volunteers and army personnel are now in the worst hit areas to undertake the clean-up and help people get back into their homes where possible. Furniture, clothes, memorabilia, and so much junk now line the street ready for Council pick-up and disposal.

What can be more heartbreaking than to know that some have died while their vehicles were swept away by fast-moving waters or other things. The last victims were a mother and her three children whose car skidded in mud and went into the river. One little girl escaped and raced barefoot to the nearest farmhouse to raise the alarm while the grief she shares now with her father has become that of the nation.

Climate change is dangerous and war or the threat of it along with massive refugee problems are also in the mix. Drought and starvation has already hit many nations while others are struggling to acquire fresh water.

Humans don't learn from the past and the archaeological records are full of civilised societies that failed because of similar problems. With the added pressure of overpopulation this planet is doomed.

While the Trump administration is withdrawing funds that would otherwise assist with family planning, and so on, it is also overturning previous climate change agendas set in place by the Obama government. The question is: do these new policies make a difference in the long-term? The answer is 'yes' because they will bring more devastation much faster than otherwise.

The disinformation given out by religious organisations also requires a mention here. The notions of heaven and hell have influenced the majority who believe they have the right to take from the earth whatever they want. This is greatly contested by reality.

No one can stop climate change because it was forecast thousands of years ago as part of the last days scenario. Sceptics can carry on as much as they like but in the end they too will be caught up in the heat and death cycle that is already taking a massive toll of human life. Norma's research went back to Babylon to unearth the roots of religion and the identity of 666. It proves conclusively that heaven and hell are tricks designed to manipulate people into believing in his Islamic religion.



 By Norma Holt


Article Source: Humans Are Grossly Misled by Disinformation and Are Killing the Planet

Uruguay: A Place to Call Home

Sitting on the balcony of my hotel room watching the waves rush to the shore, I tried to pinpoint the moment I fell in love. And it wasn't the miles of nearly empty beaches with some of the softest sand I've ever walked on, the amazing food or the incredibly kind people.

It came down to the rolling green hills.

You see, I spent nearly three decades of my life living in Kentucky. I grew accustomed to rolling hills covered in varying shades of rich green, the wide swaths of pastures and crops, and the dark, shadowy woods.

I stopped while on a real estate tour during the Offshore Investment Summit in Uruguay, and I realized that these hills were similar to those I'd grown up with.

And, well, the horses in the paddock across the road were a pretty good reminder too.

Sure, if I traveled just a short distance, I'd see the signs were in Spanish and the food was a little different. But in Uruguay, there is a wonderful blending of the familiar and the exotic, making this place simply amazing.

Now I just need to find a way to tell my husband that it's time to move again. But first, I need answers on what's necessary to make that move easy...

It Can Be Easy

If you've never relocated to another country - whether temporarily or permanently - the process can be intimidating. Learning the language, the culture and just finding your way around the area can seem overwhelming. And then there's tackling government bureaucracy to get all your proper paperwork in order. But the fact is... for Uruguay, it doesn't need to be intimidating.

While I was in Uruguay, I met with presenters who went into detail about attaining residency and citizenship in Uruguay. One person explained that obtaining residency is a simple process because the country strives to be open, welcoming and friendly. There's no need to invest in the country, and after providing three key requirements, you can have your permanent residence in just six to eight months.

In fact, she described in clear detail how foreigners attain citizenship after three to five years. She also explained American banking options in Uruguay and potential options for buying and storing gold in Uruguay.

Insight From an Expat

We also discussed the process of finding a home in Uruguay, attaining residence and what it's like living in the country.

In addition, presenters talked about the importance of hiring a local for your first 30 days, who can help you navigate the basics such as setting up utilities, finding doctors, locating stores and getting a cellphone. One man also spoke about the local bilingual school, where his 9-year-old daughter became fluent in Spanish within the first half of the year.

Help From a Great Team

One of the topics that came up was the variety of opportunities in Uruguay. One man explained that in farmland, two of the strongest opportunities are in forestry and cattle, due to the recent dip in land prices.

Meanwhile, another gentleman explained that in real estate, the area of Roche is starting to expand and grow due to a new bridge that makes reaching the region much quicker. Many are looking for Roche to become a new vacation destination, similar to Punta del Este.

Many more questions were asked covering taxes, investments and homebuilding in Uruguay, but I just couldn't get the answers down fast enough.

Don't wait to learn more about how easy it is to lose yourself in this beautiful country.

As the Senior Managing Editor for The Sovereign Investor Daily and Winning Investor Daily, Jocelynn handles the day-to-day operations for bringing you the Banyan Hill team's daily insight. She has spent over a decade working as an editor for financial publications. A former trader, Jocelynn has spent 15 years in the financial industry.


 By Jocelynn Smith


Article Source: Uruguay: A Place to Call Home

She Doesn't Communicate, She Listens

"She doesn't communicate. She listens." This line gives you a small idea of a personality who does not give much care about groups. In accordance, they are known as introverts or the ones who prefer to rely and enjoy solitude and not the Hubble-bubble of the society. However it is not a term which is defined in the "-ism" sense, though there are few misconceptions spiralling around.

First, let us be clear about the term. Being an introvert is not a disease. It is neither a mental disorder nor it has anything to do with serial killers or thieves. Being an introvert has its own magnetism its own beauty. These individuals function a bit different from the others who want the allure and noise of the society. There are examples in history that the greatest of kings preferred to stay alone in their free time. They kept their eyes and ears open and listened to people's problems. When they wanted to relax, they took their horses and went deep into the forest to see a cascading waterfall.

Introverts are also associated with high imaginary skills and about fantasy world. Folks coming under this term can hold an audience together by their artistic speech skills but at the same time can go back to their favourite spot that includes a cup of coffee and lonely green pastures. This intensity varies from person to person.

School and college students might have misinterpreted such people as loners or weirdos but it is wrong. An introvert personality profuses either from childhood or from some experience in adulthood which ashtrays a person from the local audience. It can be on the temporary or on a permanent base. Assorted notions have stuck upon this pile of persona which derives words like negative emotions, highly sensitive, vulnerable, loner, a cry-doo, or worst a serial killer or a tad-defensive person. This is not introvert at all. In reality, such people focus more on the serious or important issues and are more concerned to shape their careers. They have a lesser degree of a fiery spirit at times so they tad to move on carefully and with guided steps. Some of these personalities are high devotees of god and are religious with a fear of committing sin. They can act as great counsellors and can become a loyal friend and an excellent husband/wife.

Cancerians would be able to relate to this description. Am I right? Well, to a certain degree. These people can recount themselves to social issues of poverty, guiding people to the right path by doing social service or save the souls in a secret way. If this is it, then all the hidden superheroes should be termed as introverts too as they are hiding their real identity. Again, this is a topic of discussion. Many a times you will find them fighting with villains and then after a rigorous victory they fly over to the highest mountain and celebrate their victory in solitude.

Let us not forget the great King-Kong. This majestic gorilla a huge animal mammal sits on the top part of the mountain and watches the sunrise He is the king of his life, his jungle, and all the jungle creatures. He is the saviour sitting in solitude. Animals too have this instinct of sitting in silence and having some moments of peace. They are termed as introverts but when the time comes, they will get up and fight for their life.

Introverts tend to write and think about love as some sort of classic they keep this feeling high in their heart and rarely think of cheating their partner. Again, it denotes a Cancerian but it is not the truth.

Enjoying one's own company is not a crime nor should it be frowned upon. Being an introvert is a choice or it comes from nature. It is in our hands whether we are comfortable with it or not. We have one life so I think we should live it how we choose to frame.

There would be a whirlpool of souls musing in solitude but their aloofness is beautiful and so is their heart.


 By Janaki Mehta


Article Source: She Doesn't Communicate, She Listens

Tardiness: An Increasing Problem in Schools

Attendance is one of the ways children show they can meet their obligations. In many cases, a child's attendance depends on his/her parents' ability to help him/her be on time. Parents can teach their children organizational techniques that will help them get out of the house faster, such as packing their bags and laying out their clothes the night before school.

But parents who drive their children must also remember to be punctual and responsible. After all, you are the primary role model for your kids. Definitely, you have to show your kids that you are actually doing what are you saying. Meaning, you practice what you preach.

The increase in school tardiness is most disturbing. Schools considered this a significant problem that affects school performance. Students depend on the structure of the day. They know where they have to be and when to be in school. When students are repeatedly tardy, these routines are disrupted.

Part of the child's education is learning to be responsible. The school teaches children how to meet expectations. Learning responsibility in school is a precursor to functioning in the working world. But it is not the sole duty of the school. Discipline starts at home. Even if it is a real challenge, but the bottom line is how parents respond to the negative behavior of their children especially in terms of tardiness. They might get used to it.

Arriving late to school can also mean that students miss out on activities designed to build connections with their peers, potentially impacting their social interactions and creating a greater sense of alienation from their classmates. Punishment or positive reinforcement? So, how can teachers tackle the issue?

Instructional time lost due to tardiness is likely to significantly affect the capacity of the student to meet rigorous academic standards. If teachers respond to the educational needs of late students by reallocating regular class time, then other students are adversely affected and classroom instruction is slowed by this disruption.

With tardy students entering the school day at abnormal times and potentially missing a large number of cumulative instructional hours, teachers must divert their attention away from regular teaching time and towards remediation.

Tardiness in schools, if left unchecked, can create serious systemic problems. Indiscipline will also increase. Administrators must lead by example. This would encourage more students to be punctual. Recognizing and rewarding students for punctuality would also be useful.

The tardy policy must be communicated to everyone and enforced methodically. All classes should have time to complete their syllabi.

When parents focus on punctuality, students learn that not coming to a meeting or event on time is disrespectful of other people's time and that they miss out on important information. It's a priority of which many high school students are acutely aware.


 By Rosemarie Sumalinog Gonzales


Article Source: Tardiness: An Increasing Problem in Schools

Nasib

Nasib Nasib Oliver Cadwell. Usia 25 tahun. Mengambil jurusan keuangan. 3 tahun pengalaman kerja. "Sempurna. Dialah yang kita butuhka...