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Things hadn't gone according to plan — do they ever in war? — and now, Lt. James Barrett was going to make them right. The cavalry officer and his dozen or so men would rescue his colleague, Capt. William McCleave, from those nettlesome rebels hiding near Picacho Peak, and McCleave would be returned to his rightful place with the California Volunteers and regulars.
The honor of California, a state that contributed more than 15,000 troops to the Union war effort, was at stake. But more than that, if the Confederates won control of the Southwest, riches from the gold, silver and copper mines would go to President Jefferson Davis and his fledgling nation. The Confederates would have access to the ports of Los Angeles and San Francisco, facilitating trade and diverting Union resources. And perhaps most important, the gray coats would have room to expand their new nation, creating a vast land and possibly winning the support of European nations.
If the Confederacy succeeded in building the Southwest into an empire, the Union was finished.
Barrett, more than likely, was focused on freeing McCleave, but perhaps he also felt the weight of the nation's future. And perhaps this is why Barrett, an experienced officer, made the mistake that buoyed the sagging rebel forces in what many consider the westernmost battle of the war. His error was costly but not fatal to the Union. The same could not be said of him. He is still out here, buried, it's said, by Interstate 10, along with some of the most interesting and underappreciated history of the American Civil War.
From LAX, Southwest, United and American offer nonstop service to Tucson, and US Airways, Delta, United and Southwest offer connecting service (change of plane). Restricted round-trip fares begin at $254.
Picacho Peak State Park, 15520 Picacho Peak Road, Picacho, Ariz.; (520) 466-3183. Regular admission to the park is $7 a car, $10 during the reenactment. Hiking and camping. Next year's reenactment is scheduled for March 10 and 11.
Ft. Bowie National Historic Site, 3203 S. Old Fort Bowie Road Bowie, Ariz.; (520) 847-2500, http://www.nps.gov/fobo. The visitor center and the ruins of the fort are about a 11/2-mile hike from a parking lot. Along the way are other ruins, re-creation of a cemetery and an Apache camp. Admission is free.
War in the West
In Northern Virginia, where I spent some of my growing-up years, the Civil War is so entwined with day-to-day life that you cannot escape it. If proximity to Manassas, Va., and Gettysburg, Pa., weren't reminder enough, there is always Abraham Lincoln's statue, 125 tons of sorrow, at his memorial in the District of Columbia.
The ghosts of conflicts past reminded me endlessly of the country's schism, but the absence of same in the West had left me feeling untethered. The Civil War defined a nation, but where was California's bond?
Not far away, I discovered. There were battles in these parts, important ones that "should be regarded as one of the decisive campaigns of the war," Brevet Brig. Gen. Latham Anderson, a colonel who was a commander of California Volunteers, wrote after his retirement some years later.
My curiosity took me last month to Picacho Peak State Park, about 45 miles northwest of Tucson, to see the site of that alleged westernmost battle. Some dispute the geographic distinction and point to a fight at Stanwix Station, about 80 miles east of Yuma, Ariz; others say that it was too small to count. Picacho wasn't much larger, they say, not a battle at all but a skirmish. I'll leave that to historians to argue.
What I can't argue is the shift in perspective that occurred after my Picacho (Spanish for "big peak") visit to see its Civil War reenactments, conducted annually and attracting about 3,200 visitors. Here I got a look, albeit a re-created one, at three of the West's important engagements — Valverde and Glorieta Pass, which are actually in New Mexico, and the Battle of Picacho Peak.
Looking at the brutal Sonoran Desert, I began to understand what those Californians and other troops faced here. Some things could be seen or felt — the outcroppings of rock that could hide the enemy, the menacing saguaro cactus, ready to inflict its spines on anyone who stumbled into their embrace, the dust from the parched earth and the unrelenting sun. Other elements could only be imagined (thank goodness): the snakes, the scorpions, the black widow spiders, the tarantulas and the coyotes that call this desolation home.
And there was one more thing, or, more accurately, one less thing: water. Surviving in these harsh lands meant carrying or finding water for the horses that slurped at least 5 gallons a day, and for the soldiers, who could easily overwhelm one of the infrequent desert wells when they needed to slake their thirst.
It was not yet monsoon season — that comes in the summer — so there were no instant minipools of water, no drop visible (but for the jugs of water along the sutlers' row) and nothing to fight the feeling that every drop of moisture had instantly been sucked from my body. And I was not wearing wool.
Who in their right mind would? The soldiers, both then and now, especially the Union troops. (The rebels were often a bit ragtag, so it was harder to classify their clothing.) With average daily highs in the triple digits in June, July and August and nary a shade tree to be found, soldiers in the wool blue uniform of the day — the sack coat, the pants and often the undergarments — faced a desert environment as hostile as their battlefield foes.
Ah, yes, the enemy. In this arena, the enemy wasn't just a soldier's philosophical counterpart in the War Between the States. It could mean Apaches, who fought everyone, including Pima and Maricopa tribes; it could be Texans, who marched into New Mexico Territory to secure the land for the South. If you were a Texan, it could be the Pima and Maricopa, who generally were allied with the federal government, growing crops and supplying those troops; and it might be Latinos, who often fought for the North, thus pitting them against the South, and who were despised by the Apaches.
"It's a Civil War because people are all fighting one another," said Andrew Masich, author of "The Civil War in Arizona: The Story of the California Volunteers, 1861-1865."
'It's a swirl of warfare'
The Civil War in the Southwest "is kind of separate from this other war" in the East, said Masich, formerly of Tucson and now president and chief executive of the John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center.
With a climate that could kill you and the hatred that simmered among those groups, this war was, Masich said, less about the evils of slavery and more about day-to-day survival.
The Californians may have been better equipped to handle the adversity, Masich said. They were "bigger, rougher and stronger," he said, so much so that their hat and shoe sizes were larger and trouser lengths longer than for troops in the East. Besides the physical differences, there was a mind-set too, especially in those Californians who were from elsewhere, as most were.
"You need a good deal of self-confidence to take on a jour-ney through 3,000 miles of dangerous territory, whether that's through the isthmus of Panama or overland," Masich said. "You need to be strong and fit and believe in your ability to accomplish things. You also might be more aggressive."
A handy trait in the bloodiest war in U.S. history and especially in the West, where the enemy came in many guises.
Bloody turning points
The reenactors were gearing up for the Battle of Valverde, played out on a roped-off field slightly larger than a gridiron. Artillery fire began, and viewers clapped their hands over their ears to muffle the sound. Guns fired, and one of the rebels shouted, "Welcome to Arizona!"
The Arizona he spoke of is not the Arizona we know today. In 1848, under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico gave the U.S. more than a half a million square miles of land, of which Arizona, New Mexico and California were parts. The Gadsden Purchase, which Congress ratified in 1854, added a far southern slice of land to the Arizona Territory.
One of the rebel reenactors, clearly unimpressed with the Union's effort, yelled, "Is that all you got, Billy?"
The Confederates may have been feeling cocky. History says — and the reenactors made it clear — that they were the victors at Valverde, which occurred Feb. 20 and 21, 1862, less than a week after Jefferson Davis claimed the Arizona Territory for the South.
A little more than a month later, the battle of Glorieta Pass was a different story. It was sometimes called the "Gettysburg of the West," not for the size of the encounter — the feds' 1,300 soldiers outnumbered the Confederates' by about 200 — but for the impact. More artillery fire on the reenactment field, louder this time, and more gunfire. Clouds of smoke (created by flour, a reenactor told me) billowed overhead in the Arizona sky. This time, the Union won. From March 26-28, 1862, the real battle of Glorieta Pass, with Coloradans and regulars, proved a psychological blow for the South, one that was only partly reversed with the action at Picacho.
Back on the makeshift battlefield, it was time to reenact it.
On April 15, 1862, Barrett and his men captured three Confederate pickets and tied them up. For reasons that are unclear, Barrett fired his weapon — perhaps to spur on his men — but succeeded only in making himself a target. Attacked by rebel troops, he was shot in the neck and was killed instantly, along with two other Union soldiers. The rebels lost no one, save the three captured soldiers, and the Union retreated.
That ended the reenactment action for the day but not, alas, the real war. After the Picacho fiasco, federal troops withdrew to the west, and though the South got a boost from its victory at Picacho, it wasn't long before those rebel troops were retreating to Texas.
The Union troops, meanwhile, confronted an unflinching new enemy even better at warfare. A battle was fought in July 1862, about 100 miles northeast of Tucson, but this time it was Union troops and the Apache who tangled. The Union so desperately needed the water at Apache Springs — a pleasant trickle when I hiked there last month — that it engaged in a two-day fight with the Chiricahua Apache of Cochise and Mangus Coloradus, both legendary warriors.
Using howitzers, the feds eventually repulsed them, although more Californians were lost in the engagement. But the victory opened the way for the establishment of Ft. Bowie nearby (now a national historic site), part of the federal government's initiative to make these lands safe for settlers. The discussion of Manifest Destiny — that the U.S. should expand coast to coast — is for another debate about who we were and who we have become and why.
Amid the ruins of the fort, on a small, dusty plateau, a stiff afternoon wind whipped an American flag to attention, snapping a song of angst for a war that would not end for almost three more years or — some would say — a war that still goes on.


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At uni today we had a careers advisor come in and give us undergrads. all a lecture about volunteering, gaining work experience and finding the right career for you. (This replaced what would have been a morning working in the lab) The main focus of the advice? Finding out what career would be best for you by taking some Jungian psyc. test to pin down your personality type and then basing your ambitions off that.
Our prof. told us that if she had taken this test earlier then maybe she wouldn't have "wasted" as much time and found the right career quicker. You might be wondering what she wasted this time on? Well apparently she considers getting a Marine Biology degree a waste and doing research on cancer while working for a Biotech company a waste as well. All because of the Jung test.
You think that would be bad enough but no! We actually have to do this Jungian test and write a "reflective piece on it for our portfolio of work (This is supposed to be for a Biology degree!)
As you can tell, I'm sceptical of Jungian psychology. The personality type test to me seems like nothing deeper than cold reading and I can't see how the careers it suggests for you at the end are any more of a profound analysis of one's mind than google working out what videos to suggest to you on Youtube.
So my question is: Is Jungian psychology of any scientific merit? Or is it, as I suspect, pseudoscience?
[Thanks for reading through my rant! :) ]
Views: 1489
Yep, surely quasi/pseudo-science. The career advice she received looks to have been pretty useless--although it did give her a job of sorts.
We were also told that lots of businesses use these types of tests on potential employees - which is somewhat disturbing.
I don't know specifically about Jungian psychology, but I would say that a personality or aptitude test could be very useful for deciding your future career.
People tend to enjoy doing what they are good at, so if you are good at fixing things, mechanic is probably a better choice than car salesman. If you enjoy being creative and relating to people, maybe marketing is the career for you.
While researching cancer cures is a worthy goal, maybe a person who gets more fulfillment and satisfaction by imparting knowledge to the next generation should be teaching instead.
Another consideration is that a lot of people don't know what career they want, even after they have completed a college degree in something. There are also lots of jobs and careers that people don't consider because they don't know about them.
The test you talk about could be useful to widen peoples' horizons, but at best it would be a suggestion.
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text: This course is a continuation of Conversation and Literature I. The literary works focus on Latin America in the past 50 years, helping to gain an understanding and appreciation of recent history. Literary terminology and methods of literary interpretation are covered, along with the review of selected grammar topics. Prerequisite: SPAN305 or consent of instructor.


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CHAPEL HILL � In the battle for public opinion, UNC-Chapel Hill fought back Thursday by showcasing athletes who said they�ve had a good academic experience � in contrast to former players who this week portrayed their education as little more than an eligibility scam.
Thursday�s presentation of �A Day in the Life of a Student-Athlete� took center stage at the university�s trustee meeting, with three football players, a gymnast, a softball standout and basketball point guard Marcus Paige speaking before the board. They were introduced by Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham, who said, �we could not be more proud of what they do.�
Paige, a second-team Academic All-American, said that although his �schedule is so crazy,� he had spent less time in study hall than some of his teammates. He praised the university�s academic advisers who help athletes balance study and practice schedules.
�The people are so ready to help,� said Paige, a sophomore journalism and mass communications major. �They�re always there for you. They want you to succeed.�
The athletes featured Thursday gave a very different view from the one presented on national TV this week as former football players talked of no-show classes and course schedules that were preordained by advisers to maintain athletes� eligibility. They spoke on ESPN and HBO�s �Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.�
Bryon Bishop, a former player, told HBO that he was instructed to major in African and Afro-American Studies because the classes were easy. �To stay on course for graduation, you�ll need to take these courses,� he said he was told.
In the same broadcast, Mary Willingham, the former athletic tutor and outspoken whistle-blower, demonstrated with flash cards how she had helped players learn phonetic sounds.
On Thursday, Paige vouched for the academic preparedness of his teammates.
�Trust me, we all can read and write,� he said. �We take pride in what we do academically. Our basketball program always has. Coach (Roy) Williams has a great track record with that. ... We understand that at a great academic institution like this, you have to bring it every day in the classroom, and we definitely try to do that.�
The dueling portrayals of the academic experience of UNC-CH athletes come at what could be a turning point in college athletics in the United States. A decision Wednesday by a National Labor Relations Board regional director allows for players at Northwestern University to unionize, classifying them as employees. Though it will no doubt be appealed, the decision has the potential to upend the college sports enterprise.
�Deep and rich experience�
UNC-CH Chancellor Carol Folt said �most universities feel that what they�re offering (athletes) is a very deep and rich experience� as opposed to an employer-employee relationship.
The latest investigation of UNC-CH�s athletic fraud and its relationship to athletics is underway by former Justice Department official Kenneth Wainstein, Folt said. Willingham has said Wainstein has reached out to her to talk about the situation, and Folt said she and Willingham have a meeting scheduled.
The chancellor has said she wants the investigation to go wherever the facts lead.
As model athletes were appearing before the trustees Thursday, websites such as Deadspin were skewering UNC-CH by posting a one-paragraph paper on civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks that appears to be largely lifted from Parks� autobiography. The �A-� paper had been held up by Willingham in one of the TV segments, and she said it had been done by an unnamed UNC-CH athlete in an African studies class.
Earlier this week, a UNC-CH spokesman had said that the TV reports were merely a rehash of old news about the long-running scandal. Yet the former athletes revealed that not only were they steered to no-show classes, but their entire course schedules and majors were picked by their advisers.
Trustee Chuck Duckett, who was a manager for the men�s basketball team when he was a student, asked the athletes at Thursday�s meeting point blank whether they had had their freedom of study restricted by anyone at the university.
The athletes said no. �None of my academic advisers have pushed me one way or the other,� said Ryan Switzer, a sophomore wide receiver on the football team.
Switzer did say that when he first started at UNC-CH, he had plans to major in nursing, but the time demands of his sport meant that was impossible. He showed a slide of his schedule, with wide swaths colored in yellow to indicate football time, from weightlifting to team meetings to afternoon practice.
Such time demands aren�t for everyone, said Switzer, an exercise and sports science major.
�I�ve gotten so good at managing my time, I don�t keep a calendar,� he said. �It�s all in my head.�
Cunningham said scheduling is an important issue and one that he hopes to address.
�We only have 24 hours in a day � every one of us,� he said. �So you have to balance those priorities. I think that we should really take a hard look at time and see if there�s a better way to organize the day so that students can get a full educational experience.�
�You�re in college now�
Kemmi Pettway, a walk-on linebacker on the football team, described a system called MAP, or �My Academic Plan,� which sets individualized study schedules for athletes who need it. The MAPs include guided study and sessions with tutors geared toward specific classes. Pettway said he had learned to become efficient in getting his work done in 50-minute sessions, and tutors are on hand to help correct mistakes.
�You�re in college now,� said the freshman, �so you have to be responsible for your own work.�
Two female athletes, a softball player and a gymnast, talked about other benefits that accompany the experience, including leadership training and community outreach.
The athletes were roundly applauded by trustees.
�Until you�ve walked in your shoes, nobody in this crowd realizes the amount of time and effort that goes into being a student-athlete at Carolina,� said Dwight Stone, a trustee and father of two former UNC-CH athletes. �We�ve taken some undeserved shots in the media.�
Added trustee Steve Lerner: �This board is 100 percent behind you.�
Cunningham said Thursday�s program was designed to get the athletes off the field and out of the gym and �talk to them as real students.�
�We have a variety of talent, academically, athletically and we try to encourage them to do the best that they can possibly do,� Cunningham said.
The athletic director did not answer questions about the claims made by former players in national TV interviews earlier in the week.
�I�m not sure which students you�re talking about,� he said, �but I think our students that we have, have done a terrific job.�


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Photosynthesis is an extraordinary chemical process that should be closely examined by anyone eager to bear closer witness to the infinite knowledge and might of Allah. Photosynthesis is a matchless process that scientists have still not fully understood today. We can never see this process with the naked eye because this mechanism uses electrons, atoms and molecules to function. However, we can appreciate the oxygen given off by the process that permits us to breathe, and see its results in the foods that enable us to survive. Photosynthesis is a system built on hard-to-understand chemical formulae and delicate balances involving units, numbers, sizes and weights the like of which few people have ever encountered before. Trillions of miniaturized chemical laboratories in which this process takes place have been established in all the green plants around us and have been producing the oxygen nutrients and energy that we need, non-stop, for millions of years.
Closer examination of the magnificent design of photosynthesis will afford a closer knowledge of one of the most important proofs of creation. Let's have a closer look at this process that takes place in a space to small to be seen with the naked eye.
70% oxygen
30% oxygen
Of the oxygen in the atmosphere, 30% is supplied by land plants, and 70% by plants and single-celled organisms in the oceans. This oxygen production takes place thanks to photosynthesis.
The Vital Importance of Photosynthesis to Life on Earth
Before examining how photosynthesis works, we need to understand just how important this process is for life on Earth. Let us consider the results of this process:
1. Nutrient
2. Energy
3. Oxygen
4. Carbon dioxide
A miraculous transformation takes place inside the microscopic factories in plants. Plants perform photosynthesis with the energy from the Sun, and thus meet the energy needs of human beings and animals.
Photosynthesis and oxygen
In carrying out photosynthesis, plants absorb the carbon dioxide in the air (CO2), a gas that human beings cannot use, and break it down into oxygen (O2). Oxygen, which we take into our lungs when we inhale and which is essential to life, is the main product of photosynthesis. Some 30% of the oxygen in the atmosphere is produced by terrestrial plants, and the remaining 70% by single-celled algae and marine plants also capable of photosynthesis. The striking thing here is that while human beings continually destroy plants on land, they are unable to eliminate those in the oceans—their main source of oxygen—at the same rate. The fact that different living things capable of photosynthesis have been created allows us to possess a source of oxygen that is never completely decimated.
Plants, and animals that feed on plants, are exposed to high pressure after dying and being buried. This leads to the formation of exceedingly important natural resources such as petroleum, coal and natural gas.
Photosynthesis and nutrients
We humans receive all the nourishment we need either directly from plants or else from herbivorous animals. Sunlight is simply a source of energy; but its raw form is not that practical. It is impossible to consume this energy, or to use it or store it directly in the body. Therefore, solar energy needs to be converted into another, usable form of energy—which is what photosynthesis does. By means of this process, plants turn solar energy into a stored form they can use at some later time. Using solar energy, the photosynthetic reaction centers in leaves converts the carbon dioxide in the air into starch and other high-energy carbohydrates. The O2 released after carbon dioxide has been used is released into the atmosphere. When the plant later requires energy, it uses the energy it has stored in these carbohydrates. Living things that feed on these plants, in turn, meet their own energy needs through the carbohydrates stored in them, by way of photosynthesis.
As we shall be seeing, photosynthesis is an exceedingly complex process. The fact that all living things acquire the food they need to live as a result of such a complex process is the work of the infinite knowledge and wisdom of Allah:
O humanity! Remember Allah's blessing to you. Is there any creator other than Allah providing for you from heaven and earth? There is no Allah but Him. So how have you been perverted?
(Surah Fatir: 3)
Photosynthesis and energy
Your car engine runs on what was once solar energy. Jet planes fly thanks to what was once solar energy. You are using what was once solar energy even as you read these lines.
The first thing that comes into your mind as you read this will be that your car actually runs on gasoline and that jetliners use aviation fuel. You will imagine that you acquired the energy to read these lines from the last meal you ate, not from solar energy. The fact is, however, that both gas and the meals you eat, and even the wood and coal we burn for warmth, all contain energy obtained from the Sun—via photosynthesis. How?
Plants that stored solar energy in their bodies millions of years ago by means of photosynthesis, and animals that ate these plants, gave rise to the petroleum with which we are familiar, underground and under high pressure, after a period of millions of years. Coal and natural gas came into being in the same way. In short, the solar energy stored in plants thanks to photosynthesis was placed at our disposal after millions of years had passed.
Similarly, the energy you obtain from the food you eat is simply the solar energy stored by plants. The energy you obtain from animal foodstuffs is also the energy those animals obtained from plants. The source of energy is always the Sun, and the system that makes this energy useable by human beings is always photosynthesis. You cannot acquire the energy you possess by means of any system other than photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis and side products
Wood is a very important material used not just as fuel but in many fields, including construction. Paper, cotton and other natural fibers, for instance, consist of cellulose produced almost entirely by photosynthesizing plants. Even wool depends on the energy sheep obtain from grass, and photosynthesis. Solar energy, transformed by photosynthesis, is the source of countless vegetable, animal and organic side products.65
Photosynthesis and the environment
Carbon dioxide is constantly being released into the atmosphere by various industries. If the level of CO2 in the atmosphere were not balanced by means of photosynthesis, then we would have an atmosphere in which life could not survive.
Living things constantly increase the carbon dioxide in the air and the air temperature. Millions of tons of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere every year as a result of the respiration of human beings, animals and micro-organisms in the soil, not to mention burning of fossil fuels. Moreover, the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from fuels consumed for heating purposes in factories and homes and used in transport also reaches billions of tons. According to one study, an increase of 42 billion metric tons in the carbon dioxide has been seen in the atmosphere in the last 22 years. One of the main causes of this rise is the fuels consumed and deforestation. The rise in carbon dioxide caused by fuels over the last 22 years is 78 billion metric tons.66
Unless this rise is compensated, there will be terrible ecological imbalances. In such an event, the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere will fall to very low levels, and the Earth's temperature will rise, as a result of which the ice caps will melt. Therefore, some low-lying regions will be flooded, while others will turn into deserts, and all life on Earth will be endangered. Yet that will not be the case, because carbon dioxide is constantly consumed and oxygen released in the process of photosynthesis carried out by plants and micro-organisms. Thus the equilibrium in nature can persist. While there has been a rise of 78 billion tons in carbon dioxide caused by fuels, the level remaining in the atmosphere is 42 billion tons. This excess CO2 is to a large extent cleaned up from the atmosphere by way of photosynthesis and the oceans.
The Earth's temperature is fixed within a specific range. Wide temperature fluctuations do not occur, because green plants also ensure temperature balance.
Photosynthesis ensures the continuity of these balances, which are of such vital importance for life on Earth. Also, there is no other mechanism for the preservation of the level of oxygen in the atmosphere.
In conclusion, it is clear what a great miracle photosynthesis is, and how closely it impacts on our lives. This flawless system was discovered only in the last century. Studying those phases of this mechanism, full of astonishing miracles that have only recently been understood, will increase our appreciation for the infinite knowledge of Allah.
65. Devens Gust, "Why Study Photosynthesis?", http://photoscience.la.asu.edu/photosyn/study.html.
66. Sylvia S. Mader, Inquiry into Life, William. C. Brown Publishers, 1991, pp. 726-727.


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Grace Lutheran, Maryland Ave., holds an appreciation services for organist Traci Melton on Dec. 30. There will be a covered dish lunch in her honor.
First United Methodist, 601 N. Pink St., hosts a community-wide breakfast buffet from 7 to 10 a.m. Dec. 29 in the fellowship hall. Call 704-435-6732.
Center Baptist, South New Hope Road, presents a youth event, Jamming with Jesus, will be held at 3 p.m. Dec. 29, hosted by the Gaston County Missionary Baptist Association
Firestone Wesleyan, 1700 Union Road, presents s ingle parenting classes at 7 p.m. Thursdays. This program combines Christian-centered biblical hope and healing for single parents with practical strategies to help them develop parenting skills. The cost is $15. For more information, contact Sharon Combs at email@example.com or call the church office, 704-865-4572.
Friendship Christian Center, 221 W. Bradley St., presents Watchnight 2012 at 10 p.m. Dec. 31. The theme is �Finishing The Year at Jesus� Feet.� The guest speaker will be Elder Jeffrey D. Mahan, Mount Calvary Baptist, Lowell. Call 704-865-9016 or visit www.friendshipgastonia.com
Mount Hebron Baptist, 711 Mount Hebron Church Road, will be the host church for the Gaston Baptist Association Watch Night Service. The service will begin at 10 p.m. Dec. 31. The Rev. Darial A. Jackson of St. John Baptist will be the speaker for adults and the Rev. Pierre McElhany , pastor of Abundant Life Ministries, will be the guest speaker for the youth. The youth service will be held in the life center. Breakfast will be served after the service.
Pisgah A.R.P., 3600 Linwood Road, is beginning new times starting Jan. 6. Sabbath School will be at 9:30 a.m. and morning worship will be at 10:30 a.m. These times will be year-round. Call 704 865-7611.
Providence Presbyterian, 2850 Union Road, welcomes Will Barron Jr. who will preach on Sunday. Dec. 23 There will be no service on Dec. 30.
Saint John�s Missionary Baptist, 1282 Bradford Heights Road, holds a Joint Sunday School session on Dec. 30. Breakfast will be served from 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. Classes will be combined in the outreach center. The congregation celebrates the14th Pastoral Anniversary of Dr. Darial A. Jackson at 2:30 p.m. Jan. 30. The special guests will be the Rev. Franklin Lowery and the Gold Hill Baptist Church family. Call 704-864-6222.
Tabernacle Community Impact Center, 1701 S. York St., hosts a clothes give away every Saturday. Call Mary Gibson, 704-820-8695, or the church, 704-864-4051.
Peoples Baptist, 1010 Groves St., presents a New Year�s Eve service at 10:30 p.m. Dec. 31. The theme is �Looking for the unseen in 2013�
First United Methodist, 140 N Main Street, presents A Matter of Balance, a free program managing concerns about falls. The dates will be April 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29 and May 2, 2013. The eight sessions take place from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. The program is sponsored by the Centralina Area Agency on Aging and the Health and Wellness Ministry of First United Methodist Church. Mount Holly. For more information or to reserve a spot, call Donna Small at 704-827-4855.
New Life Milk & Honey International Ministries, N.C. 18 South, Shelby, presents � Season of Releasing� the Apostolic Anointing revival, 7 p.m. nightly Jan. 2-4; intercessory prayer 6 p.m. nightly. Features Apostle Lonzo A. Guthrie III. Call 704-484-9673
Send faith announcements to email@example.com or FAX them to 704-867-5751. The deadline for submissions is noon Wednesday.


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Alleged serial cheater Eddie Cibrian claims he's the victim in his broken relationship with his soon-to-be ex wife Brandi ... along with the tires on his motorcycles.
In custody papers filed by Eddie, he claims Brandi slashed his tires in August -- then she immediately admitted to it when he confronted her about it.
Here's the best part: In the docs, Eddie says Brandi "told me that it made her feel better that she slashed my tires."
No word if LeAnn Rimes helped Eddie fix the flats.
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Welcome to The Seth Educational Institute
"You Create Your Reality
According to Your Thoughts,
Emotions and Beliefs" -Seth 1963
"No matter how tempted you are to look to others, you are your own authority. And the answers literally-literally- come from within yourself, and I mean now through your own private experience that cannot be given to you by another-they must be experienced.I can only lead you toward a recognition of those truths and help open your own inner doorways and help you use your own minds and intellect, until in one miraculous moment, your intellect and your intuitions click together and work like magic" —SETH, Seth Class Session 7/30/74
About Us
The Seth Educational Institute will endeavor to provide educational and enrichment activities for both long time Seth readers and new readers alike. These activities, including Seth conferences, online seth courses, live workshops and educational materials, will be designed to help people use their own resources to actualize their dreams, explore inner reality, and awaken to a greater understanding of themselves and the multi-dimensional universe. Further, the Seth Educational Institute will endeavor to introduce people throughout the globe to the wisdom and practical applications contained within the Seth material.
Rick Stack, Director, Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com
Who is Seth?
Seth is the internationally acclaimed spiritual teacher who spoke through the author Jane Roberts while she was in trance, and coined the phrase "You Create Your Own Reality." Seth's empowering message literally launched the New Age movement.
The books written by Seth have sold over seven million copies and have been translated into over eleven languages.
Seth's clear presentation of the furthest reaches of human potential, the eternal validity of the soul, and the concept that we create our own reality according to our beliefs, has rippled out to affect the lives of people in every corner of the globe.
Seth's voice clearly stands out as one of the major forces which led to the current New Age philosophical movement.
About the Director?
Rick Stack was a student of Seth & Jane Roberts and attended over 100 Seth sessions given in Jane Roberts' classes. His company, New Awareness Network is the publisher of 2/3 of the existing Seth books. Rick is the author of the classic book Out of Body Adventures and has been teaching courses on the Seth Material and other consciousness studies topics for the past 35 years.


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Chlorophyll: The Green Miracle
The tip of a pencil covers an area just a millimeter in size. There are 500,000 chloroplasts in the same area of a leaf. That so many complex structures are contained in such a minute area is, of course, one of the proofs of the matchless nature of Allah's creation.
Consider an area of 1 square millimeter—about the size of the tip of a lead pencil. Now, into that space, squeeze 500,000 special devices, each containing a very special design and function. Also, let's protect each one with a very special packaging system.
This might seem quite impossible for you, but Allah's creation is flawless and magnificent. The feat described above is regularly performed in real life. There are 500,000 chloroplasts in 1 square millimeter of a plant's leaf.78 Chloroplast molecules, squeezed into that very small area and have an exceedingly complex design, perform a function vital for human life—as briefly mentioned in an earlier section.
Imagine that you must design a special piece of apparatus whose job will be to break down water molecules—which as you know, consist of two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen. The device you design must separate the oxygen from the hydrogen.
The separation of oxygen and hydrogen atoms requires either a large explosion, or for the water molecules to be heated by thousands of degrees. Bear in mind that water boils at only 100 degrees Celsius, so the level of energy needed is apparent. Yet the only source of heat energy you are allowed to use is the Sun. And the device you are to design has another difficult task to perform; to combine the free CO2 in the air with the H2 molecules it obtains.
If you manage to design such a device, your name will go down in history, because despite all the extraordinary progress made in technology, science has still been unable to invent a device of the sort described above. Indeed, biologists are still trying to understand just how plants do this. The chlorophyll molecule is the only device on Earth capable of performing this process. When chlorophyll's design is examined, you can better appreciate how Allah has created all things with delicate calculation and infinite intelligence.
The chlorophyll molecule consists of 55 atoms of carbon, 72 of hydrogen, 5 of oxygen, 4 of nitrogen and 1 of magnesium, combined in a particular order and with a very special design.79 Every atom must be correctly placed for the molecule to do its job.
These atoms constituting chlorophyll know just what duties they have to do, and fulfill them and in an unbelievably short space of time beyond all human comprehension—one 10-millionth of a second.80 The difference between 1/1000th of a second and 2/1000ths of a second is too short for us to grasp. One 10 millionth of a second is therefore totally unimaginable.
The Extraordinary Events That Take Place in Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll, one of the vital elements in photosynthesis, consists of various atoms laid out according to the above formula.
Photons striking the water in leaves is loaded into the chlorophyll device. The impact of light activates the atomic sub-particles in the chlorophyll and changes their orbits. This process, takes place in as little as one 10 millionth of a second, and the hydrogen is separated from the oxygen in the water molecule. This process occurs so quickly that scientists still do not know just how the oxygen and hydrogen atoms separate.
The free hydrogen that has separated off is trapped by larger, spiral-shaped protein molecules known as enzymes or catalysts, whose shapes are specially designed to trap hydrogen. They chemically combine this hydrogen with the CO2 absorbed in such a way that the two molecules intermingle by rotating at enormous speeds. This is another stage that scientist do not yet understand, since they lack the means to isolate and examine the system. They merely interpret what probably happens by analyzing the results that emerge.81
A single chlorophyll molecule contains a flawless system that 21st-century technology, with all the means at its disposal, cannot comprehend. Extraordinary phenomena take place within every single part of this system. For example, the enzymes seem to expect the hydrogen in water to be released with the light that arrives. When the hydrogen atoms separate, they immediately recognize and catch them, not letting them recombine with the oxygen that's been released. They then know they must transport the hydrogen and combine it with CO2. Thanks to this highly conscious behavior, here summarized in the very briefest terms, life on Earth is able to survive.
In addition, all this happens in just one 10-millionth of a second. Despite all our technology, we cannot do under laboratory conditions what the enzymes and atoms in the chlorophyll molecule do. No doubt that the design and tasks accomplished by chlorophyll are proofs of the matchless and incomparable creation of Allah.
The Initial Stages
When we examine the processes by which photosynthesis takes place, the might of Allah and the glory in His creation can be seen more clearly.
The time required for this is quite unbelievable: just "1 billionth of a second!"82
During this space of time, energy transfers and the distribution of the energy stored in the reaction center must take place. These rapid energy transfers, a complex process, have to be achieved in an even shorter period of time, one which we cannot even imagine: one 300 billionth of a second.
This is one second divided by 300 billion—way beyond all human comprehension.
Danger under Control
Security is of the greatest importance in nuclear reactors. Special systems eliminate harmful substances arising during production. Leaves also have similar security systems to prevent damage to the plant.
The processes taking place during photosynthesis could give rise to very dangerous consequences if the necessary precautions were not taken. During these processes, a water molecule is split, following which one of its components is combined with another molecule. A very dangerous method is employed in doing this, using the movements of sub-atomic particles.
The movements of atomic sub-particles could give rise to unbelievable dangers. Unless all the processes are brought under complete control, the consequences could even lead to the total breakdown of the plant's cell. However, security measures have been created for every phase of the photosynthesis process.
This situation can be compared to the design of nuclear reactors in atomic power stations. The energy obtained from the splitting of atoms is used to produce electrical energy. In addition to energy, very dangerous radioactive isotopes are produced. The reactor is designed to convert the heat energy from the splitting of atoms into a useable state, but also to neutralize the harmful particles. Special systems that absorb these particles are installed in the reactor.
Molecular structure of the pigment beta carotene.
Of course the working systems and production in photosynthesis differ, but they share one point in common with those in nuclear reactors: The photosynthesis mechanisms also possess security systems to eliminate any harmful elements that might emerge during the process. But the plant's mechanisms possess a far more advanced technology and a design far superior to those in nuclear reactors. Moreover, reactors cover hundreds of square meters, while photosynthesis takes place in a cell too tiny to be seen with the naked eye. All dangers that might arise during photosynthesis have been foreseen. For example, the distance between the sub-systems that carry out electron transfer have been arranged according to a very careful plan. The distance in question is so minute as to be invisible even under the most advanced microscopes.
During photosynthesis, protein-pigment compounds literally work like robots. Which of these will be involved in which stage and which threat it will eliminate has also been set out carefully beforehand.
The examination of a few technical details will better reveal the perfection of the design involved:
When light is intense, the chlorophyll assumes a chemical state known as triplet, which could cause the plant severe damage, because the orbits of two electrons in the outer ring of chlorophyll are in the same direction in this state, rather than working in opposite directions.
This triplet chlorophyll might lead to the formation of a single free oxygen atom, and by immediately entering into a reaction with oxygen, could damage the proteins. What prevents any such damage is the carotene pigments installed immediately next to the chlorophyll. Carotene prevents the formation of single oxygen atom combining to calm the triplet status of the chlorophyll. In other words, by sharing the excess energy loaded in the chlorophyll, it prevents the chlorophyll assuming a harmful state.83
Leaving aside the hundreds of planned stages and systems built into photosynthesis and reflecting on just this last technical detail clearly shows the flawlessness in Allah's creation. The moment the chlorophyll molecule reaches a dangerous state, the carotene molecule eliminates the excess energy in the chlorophyll and prevents it from doing any harm in exactly the right place, at exactly the right moment. In addition, the carotene has exactly the right design for that purpose. This shows that this system was created by a superior mind—in other words by Allah. No coincidence can produce such a detailed, complex and flawless system, together with all its security measures. No right-thinking person can possibly imagine that blind chance brought such a system into being.
The Mysterious World of Photosynthesis
Energy-production systems trying to imitate photosynthesis have faced enormous difficulties. The most important of these has been the need to use new energy to initiate a reaction each time, rather than being able to set up a constantly self-sustaining process. Since no system to transfer the absorbed energy according to requirements or to convert it into another form of energy that can be stored has yet been built, a large part of sunlight is wasted by being scattered or reflected away. All mechanisms trying to make use of solar energy face this problem. Yet green leaves never encounter such a difficulty, thanks to the superior system they have possessed ever since they were first created.
The Stages of Photosynthesis
Scientists describe the photosynthesis that takes place inside chloroplasts as a long chemical chain reaction. But as was made clear in the preceding pages, since this reaction takes place unbelievably quickly, some stages have proven impossible to study. What is known is that photosynthesis takes place in two phases, known as the light phase and the dark phase.
In the light phase, which takes place only in the presence of light, pigments absorb sunlight and use the hydrogen in water to convert it into chemical energy. The left over oxygen is returned to the atmosphere. In the dark phase, which does not require light, the chemical energy obtained is used for the production of other organic substances such as sucrose.
The Light Phase
1. Chloroplast
2. Cytochrome bf
3. Photosystem II
4. Photosystem I
5. ATP synthesis
6. Light
7. Chlorophyll receptors binding to protein
8. Carotenes, other assistant pigments
9. These molecules absorb light energy and transmit it between the molecules until it reaches the reaction center.
10. Reaction center
The organization of the components of the photosystem.
A) The distribution of Photosystem I and Photosystem II in the thylakoid membrane and ATP synthesis are not haphazard. Photosystem I and ATP synthesis are left totally outside the tightly stored regions. Nonetheless, since Photosystem II is tightly stored, it is found in abundance in this region. The division between Photosystems I and II in this way prevents the energy absorbed by Photosystem II being transmitted directly to Photosystem I.
B) The reaction center is shown in a magnification of a photosystem showing chlorophyll receptors and assistant pigments. All these systems, with their extraordinary features, are packed into an area as small as a plant cell. This detailed and flawless design is one of the proofs of Allah's creation.
In the first stage of photosynthesis, NADPH and ATP products to be used as fuel are obtained.
The antenna groups that serve during the first stage of photosynthesis and are responsible for trapping the light are of the greatest importance. As you have seen, these chloroplasts consist of pigments such as chlorophyll, protein and fat and contain what are called photosystems. Photosystem II is stimulated at light wavelengths of 680 nanometers and less, and Photosystem I is stimulated at 700 nanometers and above. The chlorophyll molecules that trap specific wavelengths in the photosystems are known as P680 and P700.
The reactions initiated under the effect of light take place inside these photosystems. Although each photosystem performs a different process with the light energy that it traps, the two systems constitute a single chain reaction and are mutually complementary. The energy caught by Photosystem II enables hydrogen and oxygen to be released by breaking down the water molecule. Photosystem I permits NADP to be reduced with hydrogen.
In this three-stage process, the electrons in water are first carried to Photosystem II, then from Photosystem II to Photosystem I, and finally to the NADP. The first stage is exceedingly important, which takes place when a single photon strikes the plant's leaf.
The moment a photon strikes the plant, it initiates a chemical reaction, reaching that chlorophyll pigment in the Photosystem II reaction center and stimulating one of that molecule's electrons, raising it to a higher energy level. Electrons are exceedingly small particles that revolve in specific orbits around the atomic nucleus and bear a very low negative electrical charge. The light energy pushes the electrons in chlorophyll and other light-trapping pigments out of their orbits—an initial reaction that sets up the remaining stages of photosynthesis. At this point the electrons release an energy in as little as 1 millionth of a second. This energy flows from one pigment molecule to another, which are arranged in a sequence. (See diagram on Page 178.)
At this stage, the chlorophyll that has lost one electron assumes a positive electrical charge, and the receptor molecule that accepts the electron bears a negative charge. The electrons pass into what's known as the electron transfer chain, made up of carrier molecules, moving down from
To better understand this phenomenon, compare it to a hydroelectric station. The falling water in this station powers an electricity generator. The greater the height from which the water falls, the more energy will be obtained. However, two pumps are used to keep the water flowing from a high level, worked by panels that collect solar energy, which are located in two strategic positions to set the entire system in motion. Of course this is a much simplified analogy. Even if we managed to construct this system, we would still encounter a major problem in converting the energy from the solar panels into electrical energy to run the pumps. Yet in performing photosynthesis, plants do so with an expert design and in a perfect manner.
In order for this photosynthesis system to function, the water must be broken down in the internal area of the thylakoids, which are sacs in which photosynthesis take place. Thus the electrons will pass along the membrane to the stroma where it will be reduced to NADP+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, a molecule with a high-energy charge receiving an electron for Photosystem I during photosynthesis). However, since water is not easily broken down, there is a need for precise organization and co-operation in this region. Energy needed for this process is obtained from the solar energy that enters the equation at two points. At this point, the water electrons are exposed to a "propulsive" force from both photosystems. In the wake of each propulsion movement they pass through the electron transfer system and lose part of their energy. This lost energy is used to power photosynthesis.
The Formation of Photosystem I and NADPH
A photon striking Photosystem I raises a P700 chlorophyll electron to a higher energy level. This electron is received by the NADPH line of the electron-transfer system. Part of this energy is used to reduce the NADP+ in the stroma to NADPH. In this process, NADP+ receives two electrons and receives one hydrogen atom from the stroma. (See the diagrams on pages 178 and 179.)
Photosystem II – Photosystem I
When the system in hydroelectric stations are compared to that used by plants for photosynthesis,, we can see that plants work in a far more impeccable manner than power plants with their advanced technology.
The electron leaving its orbit and reaching the electron receptor and many other subsequent processes provide the energy necessary for photosynthesis. Yet it is not enough for this process to occur only once. For photosynthesis to continue, it must be repeated again and again. But this suggests a major problem. When the first electron leaves its orbit, its place remains empty. A new electron must be installed there, a subsequent photon has to strike that electron, and the electron hurled out has to be caught by the electron receptor. There is a need for an electron to respond to the incoming photons on every single occasion.
At this stage, a new electron to replace the one lost by the P700 is installed: The hydrogen ion (H+) in the stroma is carried inside the thylakoid. In Photosystem II, a photon raises energy level by striking a P680 electron. This electron passes into the other electron transfer system, replacing the lost electron by moving to the P700 in Photosystem I. As the electron moves along this chain, the energy it receives from the photon is used for carrying the hydrogen ion from the stroma to the thylakoid.
This hydrogen will later be used in the production of ATP, which all living things use as a fuel to survive. It's obtained with the addition of a phosphorus atom to ADP (adenosine diphosphate, a chemical found in all living things). In conclusion, the carrier molecules take the molecules of the Photosystem II to Photosystem I, and thus meet the P700's electron requirement. The system continues functioning in this impeccable manner.
Of course, the fact that an electron storage system has been designed to meet the electron expenditure, and has been installed in the appropriate location, is another proof that all the details of this system have been created.
Water – Photosystem II
This complex picture does not end here. The P680 that gave its electrons to P700 is now without an electron. However, another system has been established to meet this deficiency. The P680 electrons are obtained by the water carried up from the roots to the leaves being broken down into hydrogen and oxygen ions and free electrons. The electrons from the H2O supply the missing P680 electrons by flowing to Photosystem II. Some of the hydrogen ions are used to produce NADPH at the end of the electron transport chain, and the freed O2 molecules are released back into the atmosphere.
This chain of events, which is expressed in even its simplest terms, is very difficult to understand but which ensures the progressive release of energy is a sign of a superior design and infinite intelligence. Thanks to this complex and superior design, the chloroplasts and cell membranes are protected against any harmful rise in temperature. And in addition sufficient time is gained for the plant to manufacture such basic products as NADPH and ATP.
1. Energy level
2. Light
3. Electron receptor
4. Photosystem II
5. Electron returning to the electron transportation chain
7. Periodic electron flow
8. Electron recepto
9. Light
10. Photosystem I
11. Water
12. Oxygen
The photon striking Photosystem I causes a P700 chlorophyll electron to depart from its orbit (7), beginning the process that provides the energy necessary for photosynthesis. In order for the process to continue without interruption, the P700 electron must be replaced. A flawless process is now activated: In Photosystem II, light striking a P680 electron (1) passes it to the electron transport system (2). This electron reaches the P700 and replaces the lost electron in Photosystem I (6). Now P680 is missing an electron. The P680 electrons will be obtained from water carried from the roots to the leaves being broken down into hydrogen and oxygen ions and electrons (3-4-5). This extraordinary chain of events cannot be the work of chance, and is an example of Allah's infinite might.
Another miracle that emerges in the design of photosynthesis is especially striking. As mentioned, the Photosystem I and II antenna are divided into two: P700 and P680. The 20-nanometer difference in the light wavelengths caught by the two receptors plays a key role in the functioning of the entire system. In fact, these two receptors possess the same structure and form. Yet the existence of separate molecules, known as Kla that serve as traps for light reveals the difference between them. A Creator possessed of infinite knowledge designed the special systems to obtain a distance of 20 nanometers (1 nanometer is 1 billionth of a meter—so small that it's hard even to imagine,) in a system built on such minute numbers and proportions.
The first stage in photosynthesis is actually a preparatory phase, despite such superior systems being in operation. The substances used as fuel and produced in this stage will be employed in the dark phase when the fundamental processes are carried out—and this system, a marvel of design, will thus be completed.
1. Granum
2. Inner part of thylakoid
3. Photon
4. Photosystems
5. Proton pump
7. ATP synthesis
8. Inner part of thylacoid (low pH)
9. Stroma (high pH)
As the electron moves from P680 to P700, the energy it obtains from light is used in transporting the hydrogen ion from the stroma to inside the thylakoid. This hydrogen is later used in the production of ATP. Above is shown the hydrogen ion entering the thylakoid. The way all these events and structures are packed into an area far smaller than the plant cell, too small to be seen with the naked eye, is a miracle. In addition, this process is repeated in any flower in your garden. All plants have been doing this for millions of years—an extraordinary phenomenon.
The Dark Phase
The energy-charged NADPH and ATP molecules that emerged during the light phase, in the dark phase convert the carbon dioxide into foodstuffs such as sugar and starch.
The dark phase is a circular reaction, which begins with a molecule that needs to be recreated at the end of the reaction in order for the process to continue. In the start of this reaction, also known as the Calvin phase, electrons and hydrogen ions joined to the NADPH, and phosphorus joined to the ATP, are used to produce glucose. These processes take place in the liquid regions of the chloroplast known as stroma, and each phase is controlled by a different enzyme. The dark-phase reaction needs the carbon dioxide, which enter the leaves through the pores and disperse in the stroma. When these carbon dioxide molecules bind to the sugar molecules known as 5-RuBP in the stroma, they form an unbalanced 6-carbon molecule, and thus the dark phase is initiated. (See diagram on Page 185: 1st phase.)
1. Photosystem II
2. Photosystem I
3. Basic tissue
4. NADP enzyme catalyzing biochemical reducing reaction
5. Lumen, P700
8. Reaction center, P680
9. Light-collection complex reaction center
Before moving to P700, electrons activated by photons striking P680 provide energy for pumping protons into the space shown as lumens in the illustration. Entering into the end of the system, the electrons expelled from P700 transform NAPD+ into NAPDH. Throughout the course of the process electrons derived from water molecules constantly replace the electrons lost from P680. This process is shown in greater detail in the diagrams below.
This 6-carbon molecule immediately divides, and two 3-phosphoglycerate (3PG) molecules emerge. Phosphate is added to both molecules by ATP; this process is referred to as phosphorylation. (See diagram on Page 185, 2nd phase.) As a result of phosphorylation, two bisphosphoglycerate (BPG) molecules form. These in turn are broken down by NADPH, giving rise to two glyceral-3-phosphate (G3P) molecules. (See diagram on Page 185, 3rd and 4th stages.) This final product is now at the junction point and part of it abandons the chloroplast in order to participate in glucose production by entering the cytoplasm. (See diagram on Page 185, 5th phase.) The other part continues with the Calvin phase, is again subjected to phosphorylation, and is thus transformed into the 5-RuBP molecule at the beginning of the phase. (See diagram on Page 185, 7th and 8th phases.) This phase has to be repeated six times for the production of the G3P molecule needed to form one glucose molecule.
As in all the other stages of photosynthesis, the enzymes undertake important tasks. To cite one example of their vital importance, the enzyme carboxydismutase (ribulose 1.5 diphosphate carboxylase)— which plays a particularly important role in this stage of photosynthesis—breaks down acids, despite its being only 0.00000001 mm (one hundred-millionth of a millimeter) in size, and catalyzes oxidation processes.
What purpose does this serve? If the carbohydrates (triose-hexose molecules) are not stored in a specific quantity and a specific form inside the cell, then internal cell pressure rises and finally leads to cellular breakdown. This storage, therefore, takes place in starch molecules that do not affect internal fluid pressure. This is one of the ordinary tasks undertaken by enzymes 24 hours a day.
As already stated, the remaining 5 RuBP molecule establishes a non-stop chain reaction by providing the material necessary to begin the process anew. So long as carbon dioxide, ATP and NADPH are present, this reaction in the chloroplasts is constantly renewed. The thousands of glucose molecules produced during this reaction are used by the plant for respiration and as a structural material, or are else stored away.84
1. Photosystem II
5. Reaction center
6. Light-collecting receptors
7. Photosystem II
9. Lumen
12. Lumen
B) The electron set in motion by the light is expelled from the P680. This electron is replaced by an electron obtained from the breaking down of a water molecule.
C) The electron set into motion passes to a carrier known as PQ that will transport it to the cell complex.
1. Photosystem I
4. Lumen
5. Basic tissue
6. NADP enzyme catalyzing biochemical reducing reaction
8. Lumen
D) After reaching the cell complex, the electron is transferred to PC, another transporter. It then replaces the electron that was given up by P700 and set in motion by the light.
E) The P700 electron passes to the NAPD complex. This is where two electrons in P700, and two protons in the basic tissue convert NAPD+ into NAPDH.
Even the broad outlines of this chain reaction, briefly summarized here, took scientists hundreds of years to understand. Carbohydrates cannot be formed in any other way on Earth, which have been produced by plants thanks to this exceedingly complex system for millions of years. These substances thus produced are the main food source for all living things.
The plants, bacteria and single-celled organisms are entities with no brain, eyes or ears, and are unaware of what they do. Yet they have been carrying out photosynthesis for millions of years, even though it is still not fully understood by human beings. To maintain that these entities spontaneously acquired this photosynthetic system is as illogical as claiming that they decided to use the Sun, water and air to obtain energy and that they possessed the knowledge to implement that decision. Even if all the world's researchers and scientists joined forces and try to produce a substance that performs photosynthesis by using organic substances, alone they could never succeed, because before constructing such a system they would need to discover how it works. Yet present-day technology is unable to resolve anything more than the broad outlines of this exceedingly complex system.
2. Phosphoglyceric acid
3. Unbalanced 6-carbon molecule
4. 2 molecule 3-phosphoglycerate
5. 2 molecule 1,3-biphosphoglycerate
6. 2 molecule Glycerol 3-phosphate
7. 2 molecule Glycerol 3-phosphate
8. Ribulose biphosphate (RuBP)
X. The Calvin Cycle
A. Carboxylation (CO2 is added)
B. Phosphorylation (Phosphate is added.)
C. Destruction (Hydrogen is added.)
D. Product (Glucose is produced.)
E. The cycle continues
The Calvin Cycle, which is a series of biochemical reactions that takes place in the stroma, begins with carbon dioxide entering the stroma. (1) When carbon molecules bond to the sugar molecules known as 5-RuBP, they form an unstable 6-carbon molecule. (2) This 6-carbon molecule immediately divides. forming two 3-phosphoglycerate (3PG) molecules. (3) Phosphate is added to both molecules by ATP—a process known as phosphorylation. Two bisphosphoglycerate (BPG) molecules emerge as a result of phosphorilation. (4) These are broken down by NAPDH and two glyceral-3-phosphate (G3P) molecules emerge. (5) Part of this final product leaves the chloroplast and goes to the cytoplasm and is again subjected to phosphorylation. The cycle thus returns to the initial 5-RuBP molecule.
Even if this secret is one day unraveled, producing a chlorophyll molecule similar to the 500,000 squeezed into a space the size of a pencil point will still lie far beyond the present level of human ability. Therefore, it is totally irrational to claim that the blind chance in unconscious plants performed something that human intelligence cannot.
Say: "Have you thought about your partner deities, those you call upon besides Allah? Show me what they have created of the Earth; or do they have a partnership in the heavens?" Have We given them a Book whose Clear Signs they follow? No indeed! The wrongdoers promise each other nothing but delusion.
(Surah Fatir:40)
78. "From Photons to Chlorophyll: Some Observations Regarding Color in the Plant World, C.J. Horn, Botany column-November, 1997.
79. Guy Murchie, The Seven Mysteries Of Life, p. 52.
80. Ibid.
81. Ibid.
82. "Photosynthesis Problem Set 1," www.biology.arizona.edu/biochemistry/problem_sets/photosynthesis_1/09t.html.
83. http://botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/webb/BOTT311/PSyn/Psyn11.htm
84. Kingsley R. Stern, Op. cit., pp. 169-170.


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Led by a career day from senior running back James Nwankpah, the Austin College football team piled up 305 rushing yards on their way to a 31-0 victory over visiting Southwestern University on Saturday afternoon at Jerry Apple Stadium. Nwankpah ran for 149 yards as the 'Roos improved to 1-4 overall on the season with the victory.
The 'Roos established the ground game early with a seven play, 60 yard driving ending in a one yard touchdown dive by Nwankpah with 11:11 left in the first quarter to make it 7-0, and added another score midway through the first half on a quarterback sneak by Noah Jesko following a blocked punt and recovery by Josh Uland at the Southwestern 1-yard line. Andrew Klink's 31 yard field goal with 48 seconds left in the first quarter made it 17-0, and that is how things would stay heading into halftime.
Austin College got on the board early in the third quarter after a 25 yard rush from Nwankpah got the ball inside the 5-yard line, and after being unable to find anyone open on a play action pass attempt, Jesko tucked the ball and dove in from two yards out to make it a 24-0 game with 10:51 on the clock.
Neither team was able to get any more points on the board for the remainder of the third, but the 'Roos once again struck pay dirt in the fourth when Bryce Murphy capped off a 13 play, 66 yard drive when he took a pitch and went 10 yards untouched into the endzone to make it a 31-0 game with 12:36 left to play. Each team would threaten but neither was able to put the ball into the endzone the rest of the way and it would stay 31-0 with the 'Roos earning their first victory of the season.
Nwankpah carried 23 times on the way to his career high single game total, and Murphy finished the game with 19 carries for 96 yards. Devin Smith added 65 yards on 18 carries as the 'Roos used a balanced rushing attack to dominate the game and the time of possession. Austin College held the ball for 36:19 while also holding Southwestern to 155 yards of total offense, 100 of which came in the fourth quarter.
Logan Estes led the Austin College defensive effort with nine tackles and Scott Loy added six stops and an interception. Uland blocked two punts in the game and added a sack, and Brooks Ward added an interception and 1.5 tackles for loss.
For Southwestern, Bryan Hicks completed 11-of-22 passes for 101 yards and a pick and Dylan Wilburn rushed 15 times for 44 yards, while Tate Taylor led the team with three receptions for 40 yards. Tyler Frisby and Justin Broussard each had nine tackles and Gregory Reeves had six stops and a 24 yard interception return for the Pirates.
The 'Roos head out on the road next week when they take on Texas Lutheran University with kickoff time set for 1:00 p.m.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
About Austin College
Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the college is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope's influential book Colleges That Change Lives.


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Starting with macOS Mojave, Back to My Mac is no longer available. Learn how to use Cloud Drive, screen sharing, and Apple Remote Desktop instead.
Check your settings and connections
On all of your computers, choose Apple () menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud and check the following settings:
- Make sure that you're signed in to iCloud with your current Apple ID. If you changed your password but didn't update it in iCloud preferences on either computer, Back to My Mac won't connect.
- Make sure that the checkbox for Back to My Mac is selected, and review any status messages that may be shown. If Back to My Mac is selected, deselect it and select it again.
On the Mac that you're trying to connect to:
- In Energy Saver preferences, make sure that your Mac isn't set to go to sleep. Set it to either wake for network access or never go to sleep.
- If you're trying to share the screen, make sure that you set up screen sharing correctly.
- If you're trying to share files, make sure that you set up file sharing correctly.
On your AirPort Base Station or router:
- Update your base station fimware.
- Make sure that your base station is set up to use Back to My Mac.
- Turn on NAT-PMP or UPnP. If you're not using an Apple router, see the documentation that came with your router for instructions for turning on NAT-PMP or UPnP.
- Find out if your network has a multiple-NAT configuration, and update it if you need to.
- Make sure that the TCP or UDP ports used by Back to My Mac are open on your firewall. Contact your ISP if you need help confirming that these ports are open.
Update your Back to My Mac keys
- Open Keychain Access, which is in the Utilities folder of your Applications folder.
- From the list of Keychains on the left, choose System.
- Click the Kind column header to sort the list by kind.
- Select all keys of the kind "Back to My Mac key."
- Delete the selected keys. Enter your administrator password when prompted.
- Quit Keychain Access.
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud. Deselect Back to My Mac.
- Restart your Mac, then
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud. Select Back to My Mac.
Contact iCloud Support
If you still can't use Back to My Mac, contact iCloud Support. Here's the information you'll need:
- Troubleshooting steps you've already done.
- Network setup for each computer, including the makes and models of your routers and modems.
- Any status messages that you see in iCloud preferences for Back to My Mac. If you can, take a screenshot of each message.
- Results of the traceroute you performed on each computer when you checked for a multiple-NAT configuration.
- Computer name and local hostname of each computer.


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When Will Graham looked out over Joplin, Missouri, this morning, he saw mile after mile of devastation. The May 22 twister left a swath one mile wide and seven miles long. "The community is literally ripped apart," he said, trying to put words to the horrific scene he witnessed. "Nothing is left. The streets are wiped clean."
Joining his father, Franklin, on a Memorial Day visit to the tornado-ravaged community, Will met with Rapid Response Team chaplains and Samaritan's Purse volunteers working on a holiday to show the love of Christ to storm victims, and with survivors who shared stories of tragedy and triumph.
"We met one 83-year-old lady who survived the tornado by hiding in a little closet with her pet and a picture of Jesus," said Will. "She was literally trapped in there until her son chain-sawed through the sheet metal to dig her out. But she was smiling and talking about her love for Jesus today."
Will and Franklin also met a young man who said he had his values "upside down" before the storm. He survived the tornado by diving from his shower into a crawl space under his house. He realizes God spared his life. "After his world was turned upside down," said Will, "this man's values are now right side up."
Both Grahams stressed the importance of prayer. "We come in the name of Jesus Christ and the greatest thing we can do is pray," said Franklin. "This community has been hit hard. This tornado will go down in the record books. We are focusing on helping people who have lost absolutely everything."
"Pray for the Rapid Response Team chaplains and the Samaritan's Purse volunteers who are ministering here," said Will. "Also pray for the churches in this area. Here in the Midwest—in this beautiful, hard-working community—neighbors are helping neighbors. Christians are being the body. People from around the country have come here to help."
Some 830 people showed up to volunteer on their day off work. "I want to thank the volunteers for all that they are doing," Franklin said. "We couldn't do what we do without volunteers."
Overwhelming Magnitude
Preston Parrish, Executive Vice President of Ministry for BGEA, and Ken Isaacs, Vice President of Programs for Samaritan's Purse, accompanied the Grahams on their visit today. An eyewitness to many disasters himself, Parrish found the scene in Joplin overwhelming: "This tornado has shaken both the community and the people volunteering in Joplin.
"Even the seasoned chaplains are saying this storm has affected them in a way that others haven't," Parrish said. "The magnitude of this tornado—you have to see it to even begin to understand it. There has been tremendous loss of life—everybody pretty much knows somebody who has either died, or been injured, or is still missing. You walk through these neighborhoods and smell death."
Parrish said the tornado gutted several community landmarks, including the high school and hospital. Walmart and Home Depot are demolished.
"An everyday community in middle America has been forever changed," he added. "People are in shock. Many people are grieving. I talked to a 10-year-old girl and asked if she was afraid as she looked to the future."
The girl admitted that she was a little afraid, "but I know God is with us."
People are looking at a future that not only includes rebuilding physically, said Parrish, "but toward a future of having to live, for the rest of their lives, with having been through an experience that has underscored for them that, in an instant, everything they know can change."
Why We are Here
That, of course, is why we are here, Parrish added. "To help them experience the fact that God is with them, that He has not forsaken them, that He loves them, that while we cannot control the storms that come to us in life many times, we can choose to face them standing on the solid rock, the firm foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ."
And that is the message that RRT chaplains are communicating. "We are praying with people who are realizing that for the first time now, through the wake-up call of this storm, they need to receive Christ," said Parrish.
Perhaps no more powerful depiction illustrates the current mood in Joplin than the sign for the local high school. The "J" and "lin" were blown off in the tornado, leaving only "op."
Somebody took paint and painted "h" before the "op" and "e" after it: "Hope."
"That is a great picture of the message that can come from this crisis," Parrish added. "While it's an awful thing, the thing to learn out of this, is that through faith in Christ, the winds blow, the storms come, the rain falls.
"But if we are founded on the Rock, our lives, our house can stand."
Be the Hands and Feet of Christ
As the Rapid Response Team ministers in Missouri and other areas, we appreciate your financial support. Please give today to help hurting people at home and around the world.
- Praise God for the enormous outpouring of actual volunteer help, as well goods and supplies in the community. The spontaneous outpouring of assistance is a gift of God and something to celebrate and be thankful for.
- Rebuilding will be an ongoing process and will take a long time. Pray that the victims of the storm will get the immediate encouragement they need, as well as the long-term support required so they won't lose heart.
- Also pray for area churches, which are doing a wonderful job of reaching out to the community. Pray that pastors have wisdom about how to effectively share the love of God and hope of Christ, in addition to providing tangible assistance in this hour.
- Pray that the hope of Christ will shine in the dark hour for those grieving.


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Amid all the insanity surrounding this year's early switch-over to Daylight Savings Time, we heard about the direct impact of another sort of time shifting.
Offering an explanation as to why there was a "robust" 3.9% gain in freight shipments this past December, Bob Costello, ATA's chief economist, theorized this was the "result of more shipments later in the fall freight season than what we typically saw in the not-too-distant past. As retailers sell more merchandise in January due to the proliferation of gift card giving, this trend is likely to continue in the years ahead."
Who could have imagined all those little credit-cardish gift cards hanging in racks by the cash registers of most (if not all) major retailers could so influence what gets hauled when in the nation's truck fleet?
Yet another example of how our economy is changing-- and how every ripple that gets stirred up washes up against trucking in some way.


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Long Distance Paths
This area of the LDWA's national website is designed to help people who want to find information about Long Distance Paths (LDPs) in the UK. You can search our online database for Paths or related Publications. If you're new to this we explain how to use it. From this part of the site you can also send us LDPs queries and updates, and LDPs information if you are a path developer or a publisher.
The Long Distance Paths (LDPs) pages on this site provide:
- Summary information on each specific route: its character and difficulty, and the publications and maps needed to walk it, accessible via the Searchable Database
- Support services for walkers on trails, such as holiday providers and other walking support providers, and some accommodation along or near the route, such as budget hostels.
- For LDWA members the Searchable Database also provides many downloads of route descriptions, and 'track logs' for use with digital mapping software, especially useful for the routes not already marked with 'diamonds' on Ordnance Survey maps.These are for private non-commercial use.
- The LDPs area also provides as a 'rolling' news service, the news features on LDPs that form a regular item in our magazine, Strider. This LDPs News service is separate from the general LDWA news listings.
- Background general information on the UK's network of LDPs and how to walk them, with explanations about things like maps and links to our hints on visitor information
Click on the links to find out about:
- The LDWA's new UK Trailwalker's Handbook, the definitive directory of UK LDPs
- The UK's LDP network and how we define an LDP
- The LDWA's role in documenting the network
- Advice about selecting and walking an LDP
- Maps for walkers and where to get them: each route page provides a map list and a 'buy online' link for each map with discounted prices, while also benefiting the LDWA. You can also buy any of the OS and other maps from the Buy a Map page. Many of the LDP books have 'buy online' links, as do other books you find mentioned elsewhere on the site.
- Accommodation and visitor information – useful links and tips, searchable for places to stay.
- European LDPs, also called E-Routes, for which the LDWA is the UK implementer
- FAQ's to answer many of your questions on using the site
- How to contact us if you are a walker, path promoter or publisher, and want to send us updates or new route information
- How you can help as a volunteer to improve this site
As data on this website in the Handbooks and in the Strider features may be out-of-date you should check key items with the route promoter before you walk the route.
Click on the List of Paths link to view a list of the LDPs known to us. We have over 1,600 routes with details 'available online' on this site and more are being added so you may find it easier to use the search facilities.
How to Use the Database gives detailed instructions about using these search menus.
In addition to this website, the LDWA provides the 2009 Eighth Edition UK Trailwalker's Handbook as the definitive directory of UK LDPs, published with Cicerone. A previous Seventh Edition published with A&C Black, and titled the Long Distance Walkers Handbook, is superceded.
The 1,600 routes currently online comprise:
- Over 200 'New' routes since our last LDPs Handbook and LDP Chart (published in 2009)
- Many promoted main routes that were opened before 2002 still remain usable, though not all still have a current publication nor are all still maintained. A number of the 2002 and 2009 Handbook routes are no longer promoted and are among those marked on their information page as 'Old Path'. Old routes may sometimes be relaunched.
- Over 200 'Anytime Challenge'routes developed by LDWA members are included in our lists, for many of which we provide track files for private non-commecial use.
- Many shorter or linking routes.
- The UK National Trails, that are the major UK walking trails.
In 2002 we published our previous Long Distance Walkers Handbook (Seventh Edition) along with its companion Long Distance Paths Chart showing the principal routes on a UK map. This Handbook covered then over 600 main routes being promoted at that time and many of these routes are shown on the Chart. The same route numbering was used in both of these LDPs publications. The new 2009 Trailwalker's Handbook uses a Path Code (letters with some numbers) to identify the small selection of routes shown on the mapping in the 2009 book.
The 2002 Handbook is now almost out-of-print, though bookshops and online booksellers may still have a few copies. The Chart remains useful to see the location of routes and how they relate to each other.
If you still have difficulty with the site or cannot find the information that you want, please contact us outlining your query. Your query will get priority if you send us your LDWA Membership Number in your message. You can join here.


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NZ House prices compared around the world
Property Here - Friday, April 05, 2013
The average New Zealand home owner could pick themselves up a lovely four-bedroom farm house in Brittany, France, or perhaps a 40-bedroom hotel in Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria.
That's according to guardian.co.uk'sFantasy Property Finder, which allows users to compare their house's price with those overseas.
If you sold your Auckland home for $535,000 (295,673 GBP) in February - the median price houses in the Auckland region sold for that month according to Real Estate Institute of New Zealand figures - you could buy a four bedroom apartment in Marrakech, Morocco, a three bedroom house in Phuket, Thailand, or a two bedroom flat in Budapest, Hungary.
Wellingtonians who sold their house for the region's February medium of $405,000 (223,837 GBP) could score themselves a nice one bedroom detached villa in Mendoza, Argentina, while if you sold your Christchurch property for the February median house price in that city of $383,000 (211,668 GBP) you could settle into a two bedroom apartment in Kuala Lumpur.


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Chicago Blackhawks Charities launches championship ring raffleby Chicago Blackhawks / Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks Charities will launch an online ticket raffle today, Friday, Dec. 6, for a chance to win one authentic Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup championship ring designed by Jostens in collaboration with the Blackhawks. The 14-carat white gold ring weighs approximately 96 grams and consists of 260 diamonds and gemstones totaling roughly 14.68 carats. Raffle tickets can be purchased for $2 each (minimum purchase of five tickets) via www.chicagoblackhawks.com/ringraffle through 2 p.m. CT on Friday, March 21, 2014. The winner will be announced later that day during the March 21 game vs. the Carolina Hurricanes at the United Center and posted on chicagoblackhawks.com. All proceeds from the raffle will benefit Chicago Blackhawks Charities.
The authentic ring will be engraved with the winner's name and presented by a Blackhawks representative during a special ceremony on Sunday, April 6, 2014, before Chicago hosts the St. Louis Blues. Four premium seats to the April 6 contest and a United Center tour will also be included for the winner and three guests, in addition to a two-night stay at a downtown Chicago hotel and round-trip coach air travel (if necessary). The raffle is subject to the Official Raffle Rules, which can be reviewed and/or downloaded at chicagoblackhawks.com.
Chicago Blackhawks Charities pledges to support programs and institutions throughout Illinois that focus on health and wellness, education and housing, while striving to serve local citizens and impact the lives of youth in and around the city of Chicago. Since its inception in October 1993, Chicago Blackhawks Charities has granted over $12 million to local nonprofit organizations.