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Recently I've had a series of discussion with people who are "different", who wonder where their place is, in the Baha'i community. Maybe they are autistic; or deaf or have Down's syndrome. Maybe they have mental illness; or lived through a traumatic event. No matter the circumstances of their lives, their stories are all the same: they feel excluded from Baha'i community events; and whenever they try to share their story with others, they are shut down, told to stop being so negative, told to focus their attention on the core activities.
"Go away, conform and leave us alone" is the message they are given, over and over again.
They ask me: Do I have a place in the Baha'i Community?
Of course they do! And it always hurts my heart to hear these stories!
Isn't it obvious that we're all one? What does oneness mean if not that they are welcome?
What is the Standard We're Aiming For?
Let's look at the concept of oneness for a moment.
Everything in God's creation is unique – why would we expect individuals to be different?
In God's creation there is only one of everything. No two things are the same. (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 4, p. 198)
Every member of the human race is born into the world as a trust of the whole:
In this regard, each individual needs to understand that, since the body of humankind is one and indivisible, each member of the human race is born into the world as a trust of the whole and that the advantage of the part in a world society is best served by promoting the advantage of the whole. (Baha'i International Community, 1998 Feb 18, Valuing Spirituality in Development)
Bahá'u'lláh compared the world to the human body. Every part looks different, and has a different function but all are needed for the efficient functioning of the body. No one makes fun of the knee cap for not being able to see; or excludes the ear when going for a walk. So too with every human being, no matter how limited or "different" they may seem – they all contribute to the whole; and they all serve a specific purpose:
Bahá'u'lláh compared the world to the human body. There is, indeed, no other model in phenomenal existence to which we can reasonably look. Human society is composed not of a mass of merely differentiated cells but of associations of individuals, each one of whom is endowed with intelligence and will; nevertheless, the modes of operation that characterize man's biological nature illustrate fundamental principles of existence. Chief among these is that of unity in diversity. Paradoxically, it is precisely the wholeness and complexity of the order constituting the human body — and the perfect integration into it of the body's cells — that permit the full realization of the distinctive capacities inherent in each of these component elements. No cell lives apart from the body, whether in contributing to its functioning or in deriving its share from the well-being of the whole. (Baha'i International Community, 1995 Mar 03, The Prosperity of Humankind)
In the Hidden Words, Baha'u'llah tells us we need to be even as one soul:
Since We have created you all from one same substance it is incumbent on you to be even as one soul, to walk with the same feet, eat with the same mouth and dwell in the same land, that from your inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the signs of oneness and the essence of detachment may be made manifest. Such is My counsel to you, O concourse of light! Heed ye this counsel that ye may obtain the fruit of holiness from the tree of wondrous glory. (Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words 68)
He's asking us to put ourselves in another person's life, understand reality from their perspective and walk with them.
We are all connected through the perfect wisdom of God, whether our body and mind fits the "norm" or not:
The beings, whether great or small, are connected with one another by the perfect wisdom of God, and affect and influence one another. If it were not so, in the universal system and the general arrangement of existence, there would be disorder and imperfection. But as beings are connected one with another with the greatest strength, they are in order in their places and perfect. This subject is worthy of examination. (Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 246)
We are all interconnected and influence each other:
. . . the human body, all the members of which are connected and linked with one another with the greatest strength. How much the organs, the members and the parts of the body of man are intermingled and connected for mutual aid and help, and how much they influence one another! (Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 244)
God has placed a crown on everyone's head:
Bahá'u'lláh taught the Oneness of humanity; that is to say, all the children of men are under the mercy of the Great God. They are the sons of one God; they are trained by God. He has placed the crown of humanity on the head of every one of the servants of God. (Abdu'l-Bahá, Abdu'l-Bahá in London, p. 28)
Just because we are all one, doesn't mean that we are all the same! Far from it!
Oneness, of course, should not be confused with sameness, which is a tedious, artificial thing, entirely alien to a world where no two grains of wheat have ever been alike. (Marzieh Gail, Dawn Over Mount Hira, p. 125)
Unity in Diversity
This is not just a faith of oneness, but a faith of unity in diversity too. We need diversity.
Diversity adds to the beauty:
Consider the flowers of a garden. Though differing in kind, color, form and shape, yet, inasmuch as they are refreshed by the waters of one spring, revived by the breath of one wind, invigorated by the rays of one sun, this diversity increaseth their charm and addeth unto their beauty. How unpleasing to the eye if all the flowers and plants, the leaves and blossoms, the fruit, the branches and the trees of that garden were all of the same shape and color! Diversity of hues, form and shape enricheth and adorneth the garden, and heighteneth the effect thereof. In like manner, when divers shades of thought, temperament and character, are brought together under the power and influence of one central agency, the beauty and glory of human perfection will be revealed and made manifest. ('Abdul-Bahá, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 41)
Diversity should be the cause of love and harmony:
The diversity in the human family should be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord. ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Advent of Divine Justice, p.32)
We need to work ceaselessly to develop a global consciousness based on unity in diversity, justice, love and service:
The Bahá'í world will work ceaselessly to develop in all its members – children, youth and adults – a . . . global consciousness based on the spiritual principles of unity in diversity, justice, love and service. (The Baha'i International Community, 1995 Apr 06, Conservation and Sustainable Development in the Baha'i Faith)
This includes education for all members of the community and immediate assimilation:
A unique administrative system, rooted in the concept of unity in diversity, both insists on education for all members of the community and allows for the immediate assimilation of all those who in the past have been deprived of their rights. (Baha'i International Community, 1993 Apr 05, Equality of Men & Women A New Reality)
The details of educational programs and activities aimed at promoting social integration will vary a great deal from the local to the national and international levels. However, in our increasingly interdependent world, all programs and initiatives must have certain aspects in common. (Baha'i International Community, 1994 Aug 23, Role of Education, Media Arts in Social Development)
We need to focus on people's good qualities, and not on their shortcomings:
If a man has ten good qualities and one bad one, to look at the ten and forget the one; and if a man has ten bad qualities and one good one, to look at the one and forget the ten. ('Abdu'l-Bahá, quoted in Baha'u'llah and the New Era, p. 83)
'Abdu'l-Baha agrees, as this story illustrates:
One day, Abdul-Bahá a group of friends were under a grove of trees near Lake Michigan and He said: "Some of you may have observed that I have not called attention to any of your individual shortcomings. I would suggest to you, that if you shall be similarly considerate in your treatment of each other, it will be greatly conducive to the harmony of your association with each other. (Earl Redman, Abdul-Bahá in Their Midst, p. 117)
Finally, this is a Faith of justice.
If we truly want to be just, we need to choose for others what we want for ourselves:
And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbor that which thou choosest for thyself. (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 29)
Baha'u'llah tells us that justice is "the best beloved of all things" and if we want to be close to Him we can't neglect it:
The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. (Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words 2)
We achieve justice through seeing with our own eyes and knowing through our own knowledge:
By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes. (Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words 2)
It means letting go of the traditions of the past, and seeing things through God's eyes:
If Thou wishest a discerning eye and seekest for a hearing ear, set thou aside that which thou hast heard from fathers and ancestors, for such things are imitation — and then seek for the truth with the utmost attention until the divine confirmation may reach thee and the matter may be properly disclosed unto thee. (Bahá'u'lláh, Baha'i World Faith, p. 387)
It means freeing ourselves from idle fancy and copying what others do and seeing everyone with the eyes of oneness:
The essence of all that We have revealed for thee is Justice, is for man to free himself from idle fancy and imitation, discern with the eye of oneness His glorious handiwork, and look into all things with a searching eye. (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 157)
Sometimes in our Baha'i communities, those fighting for inclusion are told to forgive and let go of their own wants and needs, but the life of mankind depends on justice and not on forgiveness:
The canopy of existence . . . resteth upon the pole of justice, and not of forgiveness, and the life of mankind dependeth on justice and not on forgiveness. ('Abdu'l-Bahá, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 28)
As forgiveness is one of the attributes of the Merciful One, so also justice is one of the attributes of the Lord. The tent of existence is upheld upon the pillar of justice, and not upon forgiveness. The continuance of mankind depends upon justice and not upon forgiveness. ('Abdul-Bahá, Principles of Bahá'í Administration, p. 37)
This is the work of everyone:
Each man has been placed in a post of honour, which he must not desert. A humble workman who commits an injustice is as much to blame as a renowned tyrant. Thus we all have our choice between justice and injustice. (Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 159)
Justice is not limited, it is a universal quality. Its operation must be carried out in all classes, from the highest to the lowest. (Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 159-160)
And the communities also have an important role in protecting the rights of everyone:
Then what Christ meant by forgiveness and pardon is not that, when nations attack you, burn your homes, plunder your goods, assault your wives, children, and relatives, and violate your honour, you should be submissive in the presence of these tyrannical foes, and allow them to perform all their cruelties and oppressions. No, the words of Christ refer to the conduct of two individuals towards each other: if one person assaults another, the injured one should forgive him. But the communities must protect the rights of man. ('Abdul-Bahá, Principles of Bahá'í Administration, p. 37-38)
How do we get there?
How do we "walk with the same feet, eat with the same mouth" without listening, and using the powers of our imagination to understand life from their perspective?
First we have to get rid of our egos; our attachment to wanting everything to be the way we want it to be.
Ali Nakhjavani tells a great story about how the ego gets in the way of us becoming one:
I was asked to say a few words to the dear South African believers who are here today. I thought I could tell you about a tablet, a very short tablet, revealed by Abdu'l-Bahá. The contents of this Tablet are as follows: the Master says the relationships of the believers to the Cause of God are of two kinds. One kind is like the relationship of the flower to the garden. The other relationship is that of the ray of the sun to the sun. "I hope", Master says, "that your relationship will be of the second kind". And that is the end of the Tablet!
Now, I have been thinking about this Tablet, and I have been wondering why Abdu'l-Bahá says that he prefers the second kind to the first kind. There is nothing wrong in being a flower in the garden of Baha'u'llah. In fact, we have prayers, "O God, make me a flower in Thy garden". Why is it that Abdu'l-Bahá prefers the other type, which is the ray of the sun? The sun is the Cause of God, and the ray emanates from it. So I am offering my views, my humble views, about this beautiful, simple tablet of Abdu'l-Bahá.
I thought like this, I said, OK, we have a flower in a garden, the flower says, "I like this garden", in other words, we say, we like the Cause. "I like this garden, I grow in this garden, I am proud of my garden, I am named after this garden". (I am a Baha'i) OK, this is all good. We take the ray of the sun. The ray says exactly all these things, he says, "I am from the sun, I am proud of the sun, I depend everything, all my life on the sun," etc, etc, exactly the same thing. But, if you bring one ray and you bring a second ray, what happens? The two rays become one. But if you bring one flower and you bring another flower, they remain two flowers.
If on an Assembly or a Baha'i committee, you bring nine rays and bring them together, they become one strong united ray. But if you bring nine flowers and bring them together, they are a beautiful bouquet, a beautiful flower arrangement, but they are nine different flowers, and everyone, if we credit the flower with some thinking, some intelligence and some ego, the flower will say, "Really, I don't want to say, but I think I'm better than the others. I think I'm more beautiful, I think I have a more beautiful scent. I don't want to talk about it, but… never mind…" This is what the flower will do. Why, because of the ego. The ego is inside. And believe me, this animal ego is in all of us. If we have 20 people in this room, there are 20 egos, no exception. And this ego will be with us till the very last breath. When we go to the next world, we separate, we say goodbye. But until that day, it is with us, it suggests things to us, it deviates us from the right path, because that is the animal in us, it wants everything for itself.
OK, let's go to the ray now. The ray says, "I have no name, it doesn't matter. I don't have colour, it doesn't matter. I am from the sun. My job is to be faithful and to carry the light of the sun, the heat of the sun. That is my duty. And I am doing it." It is so pure that if you take a chair, and you go outside where there is the sun, you say, "I am sitting in the sun." Ha! You are not sitting in the sun. The sun is up there! But the ray is so faithful, so pure, that it carries all the qualities of the sun, in a pure way, so much so that you say I am sitting in the sun.
Now, another difference is that the flower is on the receiving end." Soil, give me good soil, water, give me good water, light and sun, I want more light." It's all the time receiving. "Give me." What does the ray do? It doesn't want anything, the ray gives, it helps the flowers to grow. Big difference between the two!! So, that is why I think Abdu'l-Bahá says, "It's good to be a flower in the garden, but better still is to be a ray of the sun. This is my first choice for you, this is what I prefer you to be. To be a ray from the sun, so that you give to others, you are a way of helping others. You are not thinking of yourself. You are thinking of others, to assist others all the time, to give the light, to give the heat, the warmth." (Ali Nakhjavani, Pilgrim's Notes)
Here are some other ideas to consider:
Those who are born into this world and face excessive difficulty are worthy of our sympathy:
As to the souls who are born into this world radiant entities and who through excessive difficulty are deprived of great benefits and thus leave the world — they are worthy of all sympathy, for in reality this is worthy of regret. (Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v3, p. 542)
We need to see the honor and nobility in every human being:
Only if you perceive honour and nobility in every human being—this independent of wealth or poverty—will you be able to champion the cause of justice. (Universal House of Justice, Ridván Message 2008, paragraph 8)
We need to want for others what we want for ourselves:
Justice must be sacred, and the rights of all the people must be considered. Desire for others only that which you desire for yourselves. Then shall we rejoice in the Sun of Justice, which shines from the Horizon of God. (Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 159-160)
We need to treat everyone with compassion:
The Kingdom of God is founded upon equity and justice, and also upon mercy, compassion, and kindness to every living soul. Strive ye then with all your heart to treat compassionately all humankind. (Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 158)
We need to abandon all sense of superiority:
The recognition of the oneness of mankind would require the abandonment of all doctrines of superiority, many of which still persist implicitly. (Baha'i International Community, 1989 Feb 08, Eliminating Racism)
We need love and affection for everyone:
Above and beyond all this, a great love and fountain of affection shall bind and blend these two remote peoples . . . The world of humanity has been expressed by Him as a unit — as one family. (Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 36)
We need to be kind to everyone:
He is kind to all; why should we be unkind? All live beneath the shadow of His love; why should we hate each other? (Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 169)
We need to uplift the cause of unity by becoming one heart:
You must become of one heart, one spirit and one susceptibility. May you become as the waves of one sea, stars of the same heaven, fruits adorning the same tree, roses of one garden in order that through you the oneness of humanity may establish its temple in the world of mankind, for you are the ones who are called to uplift the cause of unity among the nations of the earth. (Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 214-215)
We need to become united and agreed among ourselves:
First, you must become united and agreed among yourselves. (Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 214-215)
We need to be Willing to forfeit our lives in the pathway of other people's happiness:
You must be exceedingly kind and loving toward each other, willing to forfeit life in the pathway of another's happiness. (Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 214-215)
We need to be ready to sacrifice our possessions for others:
You must be ready to sacrifice your possessions in another's behalf. The rich among you must show compassion toward the poor, and the well-to-do must look after those in distress. (Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 214-215)
We need to be the servant of others
Your utmost desire must be to confer happiness upon each other. Each one must be the servant of the others, thoughtful of their comfort and welfare.(Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 214-215)
We need to entirely forget ourselves:
In the path of God one must forget himself entirely. (Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 214-215)
We need to seek the good pleasure of others:
He must not consider his own pleasure but seek the pleasure of others. He must not desire glory nor gifts of bounty for himself but seek these gifts and blessings for his brothers and sisters. (Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 214-215)
We need to offer ourselves as sacrifices:
It is my hope that you may become like this, that you may attain to the supreme bestowal and be imbued with such spiritual qualities as to forget yourselves entirely and with heart and soul offer yourselves as sacrifices for the Blessed Perfection. (Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 214-215)
We need more fellowship and love:
He said that man must recognize the oneness of humanity, for all in origin belong to the same household and all are servants of the same God. Therefore mankind must continue in the state of fellowship and love, emulating the institutions of God and turning away from satanic promptings, for the divine bestowals bring forth unity and agreement whereas satanic leadings induce hatred and war. (Abdu'l-Bahá, Baha'i World Faith, p. 233)
We need to reject deeply ingrained prejudices:
That humanity constitutes a single people is a truth that, once viewed with skepticism, claims widespread acceptance today. The rejection of deeply ingrained prejudices and a growing sense of world citizenship are among the signs of this heightened awareness. (Universal House of Justice, To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013)
We need to subordinate our impulses and interests:
It calls for a wider loyalty, for a larger aspiration than any that has animated the human race. It insists upon the subordination of national impulses and interests to the imperative claims of a unified world. (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 41-42)
We need to respect the rights of everyone:
To preserve and honor diversity without making differences a cause for conflict requires a new way of thinking, based on respect for the rights of every individual. This new way of thinking, characterized some years ago as a "culture of human rights," must be developed and supported by human rights education. (Baha'i International Community, 1995 Aug 07, Prevention of Discrimination Protection of Minorities)
We need to reconceptualize the relationships that sustain society:
For the principle of the oneness of humankind, as proclaimed by Baha'u'llah, asks not merely for cooperation among people and nations. It calls for a complete reconceptualization of the relationships that sustain society. (Universal House of Justice, To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013)
Long-term solutions will require a new and comprehensive vision of a global society, supported by new values. (Baha'i International Community, 1991 Aug 13, International Legislation for Environment Development)
We need to let go of the need for uniformity: It is inconsistent not only with any attempt to impose uniformity, but with any tendency towards excessive centralization. (Baha'i International Community, 1991 Aug 13, International Legislation for Environment Development)
We need to address inequities directed to ourselves and others, through lawful means:
Wherever they reside, Baha'is endeavour to uphold the standard of justice, addressing inequities directed towards themselves or towards others, but only through lawful means available to them, eschewing all forms of violent protest. (Universal House of Justice, To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013)
How Do We Help Others Get There?
Education, Training and Healing:
There are certain people who are ignorant; they must be educated. Some are like children; they must be trained and educated until they reach maturity. Others are sickly, intellectually ill, spiritually ill; they must be treated and healed. But all are the servants of God. (Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 169)
By starting with education, numerous possibilities for policies, goals and programs emerge:
The first example of a spiritually based indicator explores the application of the principle of unity in diversity to educational policy. Beginning with a vision of development that accepts both the possibility and the necessity of a united and peaceful world, unity in diversity is identified as a spiritual principle essential to the realization of that future. A policy area is then chosen: in this case, education. By considering the principle of unity in diversity in education, numerous possibilities for policies, goals and programs emerge, several of which might be pursued. (Baha'i International Community, 1998 Feb 18, Valuing Spirituality in Development)
Sometimes we need to sacrifice for others, in order to advance the whole, as this story illustrates:
One day as I was standing near the border of a little stream on Mt. Carmel, I noticed a number of locusts that had not yet developed full wings. These insects wishing to pass from my side of the stream to the other in order to procure some food, threw themselves forward, each one trying to emulate the other in flinging itself into the water, so that a bridge was formed in order that the others might pass over and this was accomplished; yet those who gave themselves as a bridge finally perished. Consider how much solidarity makes for life as compared to the fighting for self interest which destroys it. (Abdu'l-Bahá, Divine Philosophy, p. 187-188)
None of this comes easy! Like everything in the Faith, it takes courage to cling to these standards and demonstrate them to others:
To discharge your responsibilities, you will have to show forth courage, the courage of those who cling to standards of rectitude, whose lives are characterized by purity of thought and action, and whose purpose is directed by love and indomitable faith. (The Universal House of Justice, message to the Paraguay Youth Congress, 2000)
Consequences of not being Inclusive
What happens when we are not inclusive?
Everyone Suffers
Regard how numerous are the parts and members of the human organism, but the oneness of the spirit animating it keeps its various parts and elements together in perfect co-ordination and solidarity. It brings such a unity into the organism that were each member to be subjected to any injury or were it to become diseased, all the other members would sympathetically suffer, due to the existence of their perfect unity. (Baha'i Scriptures, p. 280)
The consequences of failing to respond appropriately will be disastrous:
The unifying, salutary effects of applying this principle to the redesign and development of communities the world over, would be incalculable, while the consequences of failing to respond appropriately to the challenges of an ever-contracting world will surely prove disastrous. (Baha'i International Community, 1996 Jun 07, Sustainable Communities in an Integrating World)
If we do not treat others with justice, God will not forgive us:
Withdraw your hands from tyranny, for I have pledged Myself not to forgive any man's injustice. This is My covenant which I have irrevocably decreed in the preserved tablet and sealed with My seal. (Baha'u'llah, Hidden Words, Persian 64)
Benefits of Including Everyone
Learning to appreciate diversity of all sorts includes the following benefits:
We all prosper and grow:
Unity in diversity is at once a vision for the future and a principle to guide the world community in its response to these challenges. Not only must this principle come to animate relations among the nations of the planet, but it must also be applied within both local and national communities if they are to prosper and endure. (Baha'i International Community, 1996 Jun 07, Sustainable Communities in an Integrating World)
Misunderstandings will be removed and happiness guaranteed:
In proportion to the acknowledgment of the oneness and solidarity of mankind, fellowship is possible, misunderstandings will be removed and reality become apparent. Then will the light of reality shine forth, and when reality illumines the world, the happiness of humankind will become a verity. (Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 327-328)
We will vindicate the truth that humanity is one
By the rectitude of their conduct, the sincerity of their love for their fellow human beings, and the ardour of their desire to serve the peoples of the world, may they vindicate the truth proclaimed by Baha'u'llah that humanity is one. (Universal House of Justice, 20 October 2008, to the Bahá'ís of the World)
It's a sign that we've entered the age of maturity:
As you know from your study of the Baha'i writings, the principle that is to infuse all facets of organized life on the planet is the oneness of humankind, the hallmark of the age of maturity. (Universal House of Justice, To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013)
We will help raise civilization to a new level:
More importantly, by establishing the foundation for true co-operation, the recognition of this principle would raise civilization to a new level. (Baha'i International Community, 1989 Feb 08, Eliminating Racism)
We'll be able to share power and responsibility without fear:
At this higher level, no one need fear oppression, even those who were formerly oppressors. The sharing of power and responsibility among all citizens can then be implemented without fear, through appropriate legal measures and equitable social and economic policies. (Baha'i International Community, 1989 Feb 08, Eliminating Racism)
We'll be able to offer the entire world a model of unity in diversity:
You should strive to create a Bahá'í community which will offer to the entire world a vibrant model of unity in diversity. (The Universal House of Justice, Ridván 153, 1996 – North America)
We will learn to cherish people's temperaments and talents, experiences and viewpoints, understanding that they contribute to the progress and well-being of society:
Unity in diversity stands in contrast to uniformity. It cherishes the natural diversity of temperament and talents among individuals as well as humanity's variegated experiences, cultures and viewpoints, inasmuch as they contribute to the human family's progress and well-being. (Baha'i International Community, 1998 Feb 18, Valuing Spirituality in Development)
We will become invincible champions of justice:
As you dedicate yourselves to healing the wounds with which your peoples have been afflicted, you will become invincible champions of justice. (The Universal House of Justice, message to the Paraguay Youth Congress, 2000)
Here are some prayers we can say, for our communities to become more inclusive:
O my God! O my God! Verily, these are servants at the threshold of Thy mercy, and maidservants at the door of Thy oneness. Verily, they have gathered in this temple to turn to Thy face of glory, holding to the hem of Thy garment and to Thy singleness, seeking Thy good pleasure and ascent into Thy Kingdom. They receive effulgence from the Sun of Reality in this glorious century, and they long for Thy goodwill in all great affairs. O Lord! Illumine their sight with a vision of Thy signs and riches, and quicken their ears with hearkening to Thy Word. Render their hearts replete with Thy love, and gladden their spirits with Thy meeting. Deign to bestow upon them spiritual good in Thine earth and heaven, and make them signs of unity among Thy servants in order that the real unity may appear and all may become one in Thy Cause and Kingdom. Verily, Thou art the Generous. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the Spiritual. Thou art the Merciful, the Clement. (Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 193)
Bring them together again, O Lord, by the Power of Thy Covenant, and gather their dispersion by the Might of Thy Promise, and unite their hearts by the dominion of Thy Love! Cause them to love one another so as to sacrifice their spirits, expend their money and give up their desires for each other's sake! O Lord, make to descend upon them quietness and tranquillity! Shower upon them the clouds of Thy Mercy in full abundance, and make them to characterize themselves with the characteristics of the spiritual! O Lord, hold us firm in Thy noble command, and bestow upon us Thy Gifts through Thy bounty, grace and beneficence! Verily, Thou art the Generous, the Merciful, and the Benevolent. (Baha'i Scriptures, p. 263)
O my God! O my God! Unite the hearts of Thy servants, and reveal to them Thy great purpose. May they follow Thy commandments and abide in Thy law. Help them, O God, in their endeavor, and grant them strength to serve Thee. O God! Leave them not to themselves, but guide their steps by the light of Thy knowledge, and cheer their hearts by Thy love. Verily, Thou art their Helper and their Lord. (Baha'u'llah, Baha'i Prayers, p. 203)
O my God! O my God! Verily, I invoke Thee and supplicate before Thy threshold, asking Thee that all Thy mercies may descend upon these souls. Specialize them for Thy favor and Thy truth.
O Lord! Unite and bind together the hearts, join in accord all the souls, and exhilarate the spirits through the signs of Thy sanctity and oneness. O Lord! Make these faces radiant through the light of Thy oneness. Strengthen the loins of Thy servants in the service of Thy kingdom.
O Lord, Thou possessor of infinite mercy! O Lord of forgiveness and pardon! Forgive our sins, pardon our shortcomings, and cause us to turn to the kingdom of Thy clemency, invoking the kingdom of might and power, humble at Thy shrine and submissive before the glory of Thine evidences.
O Lord God! Make us as waves of the sea, as flowers of the garden, united, agreed through the bounties of Thy love. O Lord! Dilate the breasts through the signs of Thy oneness, and make all mankind as stars shining from the same height of glory, as perfect fruits growing upon Thy tree of life.
Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Self-Subsistent, the Giver, the Forgiving, the Pardoner, the Omniscient, the One Creator. ('Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i Prayers, p. 203-205)
For those who are battling for the right to be included in the Baha'i community, know that your efforts, no matter how miniscule, can uphold the standard:
Humanity is weary for want ofa pattern of life to which to aspire. A single soul can uphold a standard far above the low threshold by which the world measures itself. (Universal House of Justice, Ridvan Message 2012)
The actions you take today are the first step in a process that will take decades and centuries to unfold:
Yet, however promising the rise in collective consciousness may be, it should be seen as only the first step of a process that will take decades–nay, centuries–to unfold. (Universal House of Justice, To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013)
I'd like to leave you with the two most uplifting sentences ever written:
Have hope. It will not always be so. (Universal House of Justice, Ridvan Message 2015)
There will be a time when every Baha'i community welcomes those who are "different".
What's been your experience with inclusive Baha'i communities? Post your comments below!


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Is it by actions followed by words, or by mere words spoken that it develops, solidifies and concretizes? Can we really go by appearances alone, or must there be a history of words followed by actions, followed further by assurances, then again by more actions, until a sense of comfort and solidarity of feeling comes together to form an aggregate whole where we declare within our inner consciences, "Yes, I trust him (her)"?
Trust is a peculiar human emotion –for, it is an emotion, in the end, is it not?
Not quite like smiling or crying; not nearly a cousin to a shriek or a wail; but more akin to a calm, a peace of mind or a self-satisfying sigh. Once earned, it can last a lifetime and beyond into off-springs and surviving relatives; once betrayed, it may be that it can never be restored, no matter how many apologies, the innumerable "make-up" actions and the irrelevancy of gifts galore. For, how can you restore that which was meant to be inviolable?
If a spouse cheats once, will the suspicion of another time ever disappear? If a person abandons his or her post and absconds in the middle of the night, does that not hint to a character flaw that he or she can and likely will do the same thing again? Would an embezzler be invited to be employed as the head treasurer once accused, convicted and imprisoned? Can trust shaken once ever be regained?
For Federal employees and U.S. Postal workers who are considering filing for Federal Disability Retirement benefits through the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, whether the Federal or Postal employee is under FERS, CSRS or CSRS Offset, the issue of trust will need to be met head-on at some point.
When should the Agency be told of one's intentions to file for Federal Disability Retirement benefits? Who should be told and who will be the one to tell? How will confidential issues – gleaned from medical records and the Applicant's Statement of Disability – be handled, and by whom and by which prying eyes? Should the issue of confidentiality be magnified, be concerned over, and which employees actually have a "right to know" concerning all such issues?
These and many other legal entanglements constitute the encompassing purview of a Federal Disability Retirement application, and for answers to these complex questions, queries should be made in consultation with an expert in the field of Federal Disability Retirement Law. For, in the end, it is the lawyer who is the advisor and counselor who gains the trust of the client through his experience, specialty and knowledge of the law.
Robert R. McGill, Esquire
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subset: commoncrawl


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TEL AVIV, May 29 (JTA) Twenty-five families, 22 of them now Jewish, have been identified via DNA testing as descendants of a common paternal ancestor who lived several hundred years ago. The families were connected through Family Tree DNA, a DNA testing company with a large Jewish database. Using DNA in genealogical research is becoming increasingly common, and many people test themselves because they're curious about their origins. Individuals who match are put into contact with one another. In this case, a host of genealogical questions remain: What was the time period, location and identity of the common ancestor, and what were the migration routes of his descendants? One possibility labels the common ancestor as Sephardi. With the modern families mostly of recent Eastern European descent, that would challenge their identities on the most basic level. Vienna-born electrical engineer Herbert Huebscher, 80, of Franklin Square, N.Y., spearheaded the project, together with South African-born Dr. Saul Issroff, who now lives in London. It began when Huebscher was tested, and Issroff was the only exact match in the database of Family Tree DNA, one of the leading companies doing this kind of testing. Extended testing showed just a small genetic difference, making them "genetic cousins." They, like the families, matched on 37 genetic "markers." The Jewish families' origins are in Galicia, Podolia, Crimea, Belarus, Lithuania and Latvia the Pale of Settlement; five are Levites. In Puerto Rico, one recently learned of possible Jewish ancestry; those from Germany and Hungary suspected it, but do not consider themselves Jewish. Today, the families live mostly in the United States and United Kingdom. The families share rare Y-DNA anomalies as well as the 37 "markers," making a common ancestor a virtual certainty, company founder Bennett Greenspan says. Huebscher "has applied the genetic genealogy breakthrough in exactly the way I dreamed. He broadened his approach, cast a wide net and found a tight group of genetic cousins," Greenspan says. Y-DNA, carried only by males, doesn't change except for minor mutations. This Y-DNA is transmitted by father to son, for thousands of years. The test takes only a few seconds. A toothbrush-like scraper is rubbed into the inner cheek, then placed in a special tube and mailed to Family Tree DNA. Huebscher and Issroff will present the genealogical puzzle at the 26th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, to be held Aug. 13-18, in New York City. More information is available at www.jgsny2006.org. Some 1,500 attendees and experts are anticipated at 280 programs including lectures, panels, tracks, resources, methodologies, technologies, education, concerts, tours and networking. Huebscher enjoys "the challenge of delving into the genealogical puzzle" and investigating their common ancestor's identity, time period and location, as well as the migration routes that produced different names and locations. Why just five of the families should be Levites, descendants of a patrilineal clan that assisted the Israelite priests during ancient times, is another puzzle. Huebscher's theories: A Levite shortage might have influenced leaders to appoint new Levites, or some Jews might have falsely claimed to be Levites. Levite status may have been forgotten as religious observance waned or as victims of pogroms or epidemics left small children unaware of their status. Huebscher, for example, had no idea his family members were Levites until a second cousin, 88, had a childhood memory of his father saying, "We have to leave the shul while the Cohanim are duchening [delivering the priestly blessing] because we are Levites." One expert voiced skepticism. "If individuals match genetically, they are related," says Dr. Doron Behar, a population geneticist at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. "However, that genetic match is just that. It does not confirm the religion or ethnic background of those individuals." Behar urges some caution. "Genetic genealogy is a very important tool one that is having a great impact on the field of genealogy in general," he says. "But it is only one of the tools that researchers use today in their search for genealogical truth, and results need to be interpreted with caution." A key connection between the Eastern European Jews and their Sephardi ancestry is researcher and avid genealogist Sonia Rosa-Velez of Virginia. Her earliest traced roots are in Aguada, Puerto Rico, in 1860, with her great-grandfather Saturnino Rosa. Prior to the testing of her father, Pascual Rosa-Feliciano in Aguada, the family had no knowledge of Jewish roots. Historians agree that Columbus' crews included known conversos, Jews who converted to avoid persecution during the Spanish Inquisition. On his second voyage, Columbus arrived in Puerto Rico with 1,500 men in 17 vessels. A Catholic church was built in Aquada. Huebscher says there were almost no self-declared Jews in Puerto Rico before about 1890. By definition, he says, Saturnino's ancestor must have been a converso. "How else could he have had the Y-DNA of our group and lived in Puerto Rico?"
DNA unites Jewish families


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AT THE RISK of looking like refugees from another planet, buyers have made a hit of Cakoon UV umbrellas from Kaiser Permanente pharmacies, according to Kaiser's over-the-counter program manager, Alana Gaitley.
There are some who don't want to be seen walking with a regular umbrella in the sun, so they'll probably want to stay away from these, made of silver-coated polyester pongee. But for those who take sun-protection seriously, the umbrella adds an extra layer of protection when used with sunglasses and a hat.
"Some people don't want to use a hat. They say, 'I don't like hat hair,' or that their head gets hot wearing a hat. The umbrella blocks 99.9 percent of the sun's rays, so wearing sunscreen and using the umbrella would be fine," Gaitley said, adding that the umbrella has a lifetime warranty and can also be used in rain.
For an extra layer of protection from the sun, Kaiser Permanente hosts frequent health and wellness sessions to introduce sun-protective hats by Physician Endorsed and Sunday Afternoons, umbrellas, plus other pharmacy items such as fitness products (exercise balls, pedometers, resistance bands), blood pressure monitors, orthopedic supplies, and more.
Clinics run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Here is the schedule through August:
July 19: Koolau Clinic, 45-602 Kamehameha Highway, Kaneohe.
July 26: Waipio Clinic, 94-1480 Moaniani St.
July 28: Honolulu Clinic, 1010 Pensacola St.
Aug. 7: Mililani Clinic, 95-660 Lanikuhana Ave.
Aug. 8: Waipio Clinic
Aug. 16: Koolau Clinic
Aug. 18: Honolulu Clinic
Aug. 23: Waipio Clinic
Those who cannot make it to the sessions can visit the Kaiser Moanalua Medical Center gift shop from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. weekdays, and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays for assistance.


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Foundation Program in Studio Art
Simply want to explore your own creative potential?
With classes in tools & techniques, personalised attention and a studio space, we help you do that.
Kick-starting art education or living an old dream?
Whatever the case, this course gives space for experimentation and learning basic techniques.
Dreaming of studying
Art or Design at university?
Metàfora's Starter's Level is recognized as a Foundation Course in the UK and in many other countries


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Mark your calendar for Nov. 13, when PROFIT Magazine beams a top-notch business conference directly to your desktop.
The PROFIT Small Business Show presents four dynamic speakers on business trends you need to know. Their goal: to give you the motivation and tools you need to grow your business. And it's all FREE.
Starting at 10 am (EST) on Nov. 13, you will hear from:
Mike Lipkin, President of Environics/Lipkin
Keeper of the Flame: How to Inspire Other on the Cusp of Change
Lipkin helps you understand and execute the 10 steps to being a Keeper of The Flame. Examples: someone who goes first; someone with a heightened awareness of his impact on others; someone who is his own best coach; someone in total sync with her environment; someone embedded with the authority of both competence and character; someone who inspires others to be their personal best.
Jaynie L. Smith, Founder and President of Smart Advantage
Competitive Advantage: Is Yours a Hit or a Myth?
According to Smith, 95% of CEOs do not know their company's true competitive advantage. She will provide the backbone of a new strategic planning, sales and marketing campaign that depends on clearly defined competitive advantages and not just the undifferentiated company "strengths" that most businesses claim to have.
Brian Beaulieu, Economist, Institute for Trend Research
The Future of Your Business: Economic Road Signs You Need to See
As one of North America's most outspoken, entertaining and accurate economic forecasters, Brian can help you plan confidently for your company's future, protect your business from economic threats and jump on opportunities.
Andrew Patricio, Partner, BizLaunch
How To Promote Your Business on the Internet
Discover how to develop an online strategy to help you bring in more customers, boost productivity, and save money using tools Web tools such as search engine optimization and LinkedIn.
POWER PANEL: Secrets of Success
Featuring CEOs from the PROFIT 100 Hall of Fame
* Tony Lacavera, President & CEO, Globalive Communications;
* Rebecca MacDonald, Co-Founder, Chair & CEO, Energy Savings Group of Companies
* John Nemanic, Director, GeeksForLess & TransGaming Technologies
You can also participate in a special Networking Lounge. Meet your peers, chat live with other entrepreneurs, exchange business cards and participate in discussion boards. I don't know how it will work, but it seems a great way to combine the convenience of online with the networking you need. Give it a shot, and see if it works. Maybe this is the future of conferencing!
For more info, click here.
To register, click here.


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Like seriously, just friends?
I remember growing up with friends
May it be men or women?
We just chilled
No sexual intent
No motive
No objective
WE just chilled
Nowadays people have an agenda
A simple outing just for entertainment with the opposite sex
Making friendship a prerequisite for sex
Some type of sexual manner
A kiss
Some ASS
At least a taste of that pussy
Seems to be the standard
Disclaimer ***This does not apply to all MEN***
Call me old school
Clearly there is something wrong
And I did not get the memo
Most successful relationships are those that start with friendship
The question is "Why is Friendship skipped?"
"Why is Sex a prerequisite?"
If asked my opinion
I see it as such
We live in a world where Sex is displayed in many formats
May it be on T.V., Radio, or from personal experiences?
Sex is THE topic of conversation
Related to every situation that may take place in some manner
Clearly the world has brainwashed individuals
To the point the flesh doesn't understand the spirit
Ladies your body is your temple
Treat it as such
No one is perfect and backsliding is expected
Thus the entry you choose should be of choice
Not by the way of circumstances
Pre-requisite, acceptance, or settlements
A man that is willing to look past the obvious
Intrigued by the unknown
Honor to be in your grace
Has patience to understand youBefore any sexual content takes place is a FRIEND!
Copyright 2014


text:
Item Location:United StatesThis battery only ship to the United States.Free Shipping!!
This 3S 11.1V 2200Mah lipo battery is specially designed for FPV racer. The price of this battery is much higher than the similar batteries in the market, because we only sell top-quality batteries. As we all know, the low quality battery might have potential safety hazard, we will never tolerate such products. Besides, if a battery does not have high quality, it might cause damage during flight, which is very dangerous. Our technician also flied quadcopters and racing drones, this ROC 3S battery is their only chooice after testing more than 20 kinds of other batteries in the market.
Nominal Capacity: 2200mAh
Dimension: 110mm x 33mm x 23mm
Nominal Voltage: 11.1V
Max Charge Current: 11A
Continuous Discharge Current: 66A
Weight: 184g
Plug Type: XT60


text:
Look what happened now...
Ready, Set, Jet!
Happy Mother's Day!
To all the mother's out there: Happy Mother's Day! Hope you are having a wonderful day.
I rather rushed it, but she liked it. LOL (yes, it's the one I was drawing in the Instagram photo) I also bought her some new towels and some perfume. She seemed happy. :D (No new coffee maker, yet lol)
And I made her a Strawberry Desert that she really likes. (It didn't photograph well, but it tasted good, lol)
Being a mother is a full time, thankless job. (Ask any mother, she will tell you.) But in that same breath they will also tell you its the BEST job in the world. :)
So Thank you for all you do for us & Happy Mother's Day!
Comments are closed.
Welcome to my (I'm excited to travel again) blog, my healthy Vegan lifestyle blog and my life! It's a lot, but it's my passions and I just love to write about it. Here I share tips, stories and photos from my adventures and life. This is the place where people can find daily inspiration to travel and motivation to live healthier lives and laugh a bit too!
September 2022
Most Popular Blog


text: Last spotted in a couple of subtly off-kilter Gyakusou colourways, the Zoom Elite+ is back in this striking new colourway. Featuring a royal blue cage with Infrared support straps running beneath, the breathable lightweight upper features a reflective heel patch and sits on a bed of Zoom Air. Check it out now at Caliroots.


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Thursday, August 27, 2009
Still thinking about death
I read a lot of the Kennedy coverage yesterday, and the article that jumped out at me most was this one in the New York Times, because it gives insight into how Kennedy prepared to die. He was a "man who in his final months was at peace with the end of his life and grateful for the chance to savor the salty air and the company of loved ones." He spent time with family at dinners and singalongs, and he told friends, "Every day is a gift" and "I've had a wonderful life." He ate ice cream and watched James Bond movies and 24 episodes. The article makes brief mention of Kennedy's growing reliance on his faith in his later years. He was described as "someone who had a fierce determination to live, but who was not afraid to die."
All this reflection on death makes me wonder if I'm ready to die, or if I really live my life like I could die anytime. I don't mean that I'm afraid to die, but I feel like I should be thinking more strategically, more intentionally, about everything I want to do before I die and focus on that. Do I spend too much time on stuff that doesn't really matter and that I should just quit doing? What should I be doing that has eternal value?
I'm reminded that Henri Nouwen wrote somewhere that death brings us into solidarity with all humanity. All of us are part of the same human community that journeys this earthly life together. All of us are mortal, and our time here is brief. I was reading Facebook comments about our classmate, and one of the things that struck me is that even though many of us didn't know her well in high school, all of us feel a sense of loss. It doesn't matter if we perceived each other back then as jocks or nerds or partiers or outcasts - nineteen years later, we're just people, all aware of our own mortality. John Dunne wrote, "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind." So we grieve our classmate, and we are reminded of our connections with each other. And we pray for one another for comfort and hope.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Thinking about death
There have been quite a number of prominent deaths this summer, and not just Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. TV host Ed McMahon. Veteran news anchor Walter Cronkite. Vietnam War-era Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. Former Philippines president Corazon Aquino. '80s filmmaker John Hughes. Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics. Memoirist Frank McCourt. And in the Christian publishing world, Robert Short, author of The Gospel According to Peanuts, and Marie Little, wife of IVP author Paul Little. All of these passed in just the last few months.
I just looked up some of these and discovered that Wikipedia has running entries like "Deaths in 2009" or month-by-month listings like "Deaths in July 2009." Reading these entries is sobering, as you see the lives of the famous and the not-so-famous summarized in a single sentence, often with the cause of death - colon cancer, heart attack, car accident, hanging, brain aneurysm. Regardless of the individual's notoriety, fame, wealth or power, death comes to us all.
I'm certainly familiar with death; I've already lost my father, a cousin, an aunt, an uncle and all four of my grandparents. But it feels like there have been several recent reminders of death close to home; my wife's aunt died of cancer earlier this summer, and a publishing industry friend lost his wife. It's scary when people of our own age or generation start to die. It's my twenty-year high school reunion next year, and I'm nervous about finding out if any of my classmates are gone.
So how do we live in light of the presence of death? As I get a little farther along in my mid-to-late 30s, I find myself a little more aware of my own health. I get worried that aches and pains could be more serious. A friend from church found a benign tumor a few months ago. What if that shoulder or back pain isn't just a muscle or joint thing, but cancer?
I've been thinking about all this partly because I'm the editor for a forthcoming book by Rob Moll on The Art of Dying: Living Fully into the Life to Come (releasing spring 2010). I was reviewing an early draft of the manuscript as my wife's aunt was in the final stages of cancer. And what struck me most about Rob's book is that throughout most of church history, Christians have practiced the spiritual discipline of dying well, of anticipating one's own death. It had been an intentional practice of numbering one's days, of reckoning with one's own mortality.
These days people often say that they hope to die quickly, in a sudden accident or something. But Christians throughout history usually preferred to have time to prepare and anticipate one's death, to make peace with God and others. One's approaching death was a time of saying the important things, like sorry, thank you, forgive me, I love you. The reality of death often jolts us into living more meaningfully.
I remember after events like Columbine and 9/11, one significant result and response was that people hugged their kids and had significant conversations with their loved ones. It seems to me that every new celebrity death in the news could be a trigger to remind us to do the same.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
How John Hughes's movies shaped Generation X
Shaping a Generation
Looking for love, friendship, and community: How the movies of John Hughes shaped Gen X's ecclesiology.
Al Hsu
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
In the 1980s, when the generation yet-to-be-tagged-as-X were still known as "baby busters," a series of John Hughes movies depicted what it meant to be a teenager in America. Sixteen Candles. The Breakfast Club. Pretty in Pink. Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Some Kind of Wonderful. Long before Napoleon Dynamite, Juno or High School Musical, Hughes's films captured the particulars of teen angst and relationships.
Hughes died last week of a heart attack at the age of 59. His funeral was held yesterday in the Chicago suburbs where so many of his movies were filmed. Ben Stein, a longtime friend and one of the Ferris Bueller stars, said Hughes "was the Wordsworth of the suburban America post-war generation."
Hughes's movies are more than a time capsule of '80s music, fashion and hair. They were formational for the worldview of many Gen Xers and shaped how we view friendship and community. By extension, they offer a glimpse into what Christian Gen Xers yearn for in the church.
Another movie of the late '80s, Dead Poets Society, exhorted viewers to carpe diem, seize the day. But what would we actually do if we were to seize that day? Ferris Bueller's answer was to take the day off with his best friend and girlfriend and hit the city. The average suburban teen moviegoer could relate more to catching a Cubs game than reciting candlelit poetry and that barbaric yawp stuff.
But the overarching theme of Ferris Bueller's Day Off is not merely "follow your heart" or "skip school." It's friendship. While Ferris is the focus of the movie, viewers do not generally identify with him. He's too singular, too unconventional. His best friend, Cameron, is the Everyman character. We all know what it's like to want to stay in bed and hide from the world. And every Cameron out there needs a friend like Ferris—someone who does unimaginable things to challenge us in ways we would never expect.
Similarly, the female protagonist is not really Ferris's girlfriend, Sloane, who is little more than eye candy. The most important female character is Ferris's sister, Jeanie, struggling with sibling rivalry and family dynamics while searching for her own identity. She too is on a journey from alienation to significance, and she finds some degree of connection to others even as she becomes more comfortable with who she is.
Yearning for community
Likewise, The Breakfast Club is about an alienated generation's yearning for friendship and community. The movie featured one of the first true ensemble casts, presaging TV shows like Friends or Lost where no one character is the lead. All of the Breakfast Club members are equally necessary for the dynamic of the movie to work. It was not just a Molly Ringwald vehicle with a supporting cast. And all of us watching longed for a community of peers where we could have equal billing and our share of the stage, not just be a sidekick to someone else's lead.
The Breakfast Club identified teen archetypes but then transcended them. On one level, the takeaway message is the familiar refrain that "we're more alike than different," looking beyond the stereotypes to show that these five seemingly diverse teenagers have more in common than not. But on another level, the movie worked to hold individuality and community in dialectical tension. Each of the five protagonists remained their own distinctive character, even as they grappled with their particular problems in the context of a larger community.
A. O. Scott of the New York Times, in his appreciative remembrance of Hughes's movies, noted that "the great, paradoxical insight of The Breakfast Club is that alienation is the norm, that nerds, jocks, stoners, popular girls and weirdos are all, in their own ways, outsiders." As a high schooler, it was a shock to my system to realize that the popular kids had their own insecurities just like the freaks and geeks did.
A movie like The Breakfast Club is intended to be viewed with friends and then discussed afterward in community, as my high school friends did on many occasions in those late '80s. We asked ourselves, "So which one do you identify with?" And we'd surprise ourselves when we found that the athlete related more with the stoner or nerd than the archetypal jock.
My sophomore year of high school, I wrote some short stories with my classmates as characters. At first they were indiscriminate, with my entire honors English class as the cast. But they gradually centered on a smaller group of friends in an attempt to define a brat pack of our own. I wanted to bring together disparate individuals from different spheres and create a Breakfast Club-like community. But I learned that community could not be artificially orchestrated, and I was often surprised with friends I would not have expected or chosen.
[For the rest of the article, go here.]


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In the actual world, things aren't as straightforward as they may seem. If you are thinking, "that I wish to sell my house quickly," then realize that getting the proper cost is rather tough.
Today you may begin wondering about the choices you have. There's absolutely no doubt a fantastic decrease has happened in property costs in the vendor's market.
Thus, homeowners barely have some viable options left. This further restricts the options for people who shout, "I wish to sell my house quickly!" Among the alternatives, you could rely on is your rental purchase option. There are a lot of options, to get quick cash for philly homes.
Even though it isn't a recommended method, it may be a deal choice if you're stuck in the vicious group of mortgages. Using a rental-purchase option, you can rent your house with the decision to purchase it in the future.
You could even rent out your home to a tenant that will agree to purchase your premises. Throughout your renter's monthly obligations, you can pay for your mortgages.
Another option you may think about is a brief sale. This only comes into play when the lender wants to go over the number of mortgages left for one to cover. That is what another house owner could take when in debt.


text:
SOAS Translation Workshop in Japanese Studies 2012
The participants are listed below
Date: 17 September 2012Time: 10:00 AM
Finishes: 21 September 2012Time: 5:00 PM
Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings Room: 4418
Type of Event: Workshop
This translation workshop invites participants to engage in an intensive process of critiquing and revising their English translation of a Japanese-language book. The goal is to aide participants in developing advanced skills particular to translating scholarly work. This is achieved through the process of producing a translation from first draft to final publication under the guidance of members of Japanese Studies faculty from the social sciences and humanities. Amongst other activities, the workshop includes:
Roundtable discussions of general difficulties in translation.
Small group discussions based on topics ranging from broad disciplinary distinctions, to particular translations.
One-on-one sessions between students and faculty members.
Participants receive a modest bursary, accommodation, and round trip transport from the EU/UK, Japan, China, South Korea and the United States.
2012 Workshop Participants
|Polly Barton
|Independent Translator
|Kate Dunlop
|Sophia University, Tokyo
|Hansun Hsiung
|Harvard University
|Angelika Koch
|University of Cambridge
|Kanako Kuramitsu
|University of Turku
|Anni Kynsilehto
|University of Turku
|Sam Malissa
|Yale University
|Sherzod Muminov
|University of Cambridge
|Sara Osenton
|University of Toronto
|Giulio Pugliese
|University of Cambridge
|Craig Smith
|University of British Columbia
|Kristin Williams
|Harvard University
2012 Workshop Faculty
|Dr Christopher Gerteis
|Dr Barak Kushner
|University of Cambridge
|Professor Paul Midford
|Norwegian University of Science and Technology
|Asa Yoneda
|Independent Translator
Organiser: Centres and Programmes Office
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KIRO Goggle for Shooting and Tactical Environments with 3 Types of Lenses
KIRO Goggle for Shooting and Tactical Environments with 3 Types of Lenses
KIRO Goggle for Shooting and Tactical Environments with 3 Types of Lenses
Details & Specs
Package Contains:
- Goggle
- Two Interchangeable Lenses (Clear and Yellow)
- Hand Carrying Micro Bag
- Interchangeable Lenses
- High-Quality Frame Sunglasses for men made with Plastic that is very lightweight yet strong and durable.
- Sunglasses for men built with hinged and silicon nose pads which allow for maximum comfort and flexibility.
- Yellow Lenses – From baseball players to target shooters, yellow lens tints can be spotted on outdoor enthusiasts who may find themselves having to focus their eyes on moving objects in low-light, hazy conditions. Yellow lenses provide greater clarity, perfect for pilots, and can also reduce eye strain for computer users and gaming fans. Whether you spend your leisure time in front of a screen, on the tennis courts, or the shooting range, you'll enjoy greater clarity and comfort with yellow-tinted sunglasses.
- Dark Grey Lenses – suitable on both cloudy and sunny days, providing anti-fatigue benefits and overall protection from glare – especially glare shining off the water and wet roads. They are a perfect choice for outdoor activities, including cycling, fishing, and active sports. And for nature lovers, gray lenses have the added benefit of allowing the color of objects to be seen in their purest form.
Clear Lenses
- Improve vision into shadowed areas
- If it gets dark you can still see
- People are friendlier when they can see your eyes
- Vision isn't as impaired when dirty
- Eyes don't dilate as much so vision is sharper
- also reducing UV damage (assuming UV lenses)
- Clearer vision if it rains
- No need to remove them when going inside
- Bright light stimulates the brain
- Not suitable for rising into the sun
Those glasses are made of Polycarbonate. lenses that are made of Polycarbonate are thinner and lighter than standard plastic varieties, and also much more durable. Polycarbonate is ideal for strong prescriptions because it corrects vision without adding thickness, which can distort the wearer's appearance. Best of all, polycarbonate lenses are virtually unbreakable, making them a great choice for children and active adults.
Benefits of Polycarbonate
- Impact-resistant
- Scratch-resistant
- Thinner
- Lighter
Polycarbonate Recommended For
- Tactical Use
- Sports enthusiasts
- Safety
- Children
Technical Details:
- Frame Material: PC
- Frame Color: Matt Black
- Frame Type: Goggle
- Lens Material: PC
- Lens Color: dark grey/clear/yellow
- UV Protection Rating: 400
UV Protection
UV Protection Rating: 400
Sunglasses with this UV Protection Rating block 99 to 100 percent of UV light. This rating ensures that all light rays with wavelengths up to 400 nanometers, including both UVA and UVB rays, are blocked out.
Additional information
Additional information
|Manufactured at
Semi-Rimless Frames
ZFI-Inc, KIRO


text:
Otley: Thai-Bo (Wales: Golden Ale: 4.6%)
Visual: Pale grain gold. Small layer of loose bubbles for a head.
Nose: Lemongrass. Quite resin filled. Minty methanol soothers. Greenery, peppermint and coconut.
Body: Peppermint. Lemongrass. Some sweet syrup or custard. Slightly thin. Moderate bitterness. Coconut and elder berry.
Finish: Lemongrass. Peppermint and bitter hops. Very heavy elderberry here.
Conclusion: Possibly the oddest beer I have had for a while, flavour wise at least, and if you look through my past month or so of reviews then that is saying a lot. Aroma wise it is quiet herbal, possibly a tad like cannabis (admittedly I couldn't say for sure – I'm not a follower of the herb, but it seems faintly familiar) The main body seems slightly thin, but with the lemongrass, mint and coconut you can't call it boring. There is a sudden kick at the end with a solid bitterness to match the menthol, not hugely heavy, but definitely enough to wake you up.
The use of the light elderberry sweetness is, while thin, a pleasant enough bit of mid body flavour that works well as a base freshness. The flavours build up over time so that the second half of the pint is significantly better than the first half.
The odd flavours of coconut and menthol mix to make a dry yet refreshing beer. It's got a slightly sour touch to the finish where I think maybe a more simple bitterness would make for a more satisfying rounding off. I can't be too critical on that element – this beer is very unusual so there may not be much room to so distinctly delineate the flavours.
My friend considered it an excellent beer, me, I consider it an immensely interesting beer. The slight dry style doesn't quite work for me so I can't see myself drinking a lot of it, despite it being built for session style. However the beer is a great one to experience for new sensations.
A nice oddity to try of resinous smell, menthol fresh mid body and greenery, but not a great one to return to regularly.
Background: Ratebeer list this as a spice/herb/vegetable, I presume due to unusual brewing ingredients, but sod it, this is blatantly golden ale. Brewed with the aid of beer writer Melissa Cole. This was a very limited run beer so when I saw it in the Raven I had to give it a try. Good thing I did, then ran out less than half an hour later.