Last Week's Challenge
From Elizabeth Gorski: Take the phrase "patron saint," remove a letter, then rearrange the letters to create a new, familiar two-word phrase that names something important in life. Hint: The first word has three letters, the second word has seven.
Answer: NPR station
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http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130279383
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Saturday, October 2, 2010
II Maccabees excerpt: a martyrology -- posted in several sections (chapters 6 & 7)
6: 7 - 17; 18 - 31 (translated by Edgar Goodspeed)
On the monthly celebration of the king's birthday, they were taken by bitter necessity to taste the sacrifices, and when the festival of Dionysus was celebrated, they were compelled to wear wreaths of ivy and march in procession in his honor. At Ptolemy's suggestion a decree was issued to the neighboring Greek towns, that they should adopt the same policy toward the Jews and make them taste the sacrifices, and that they should slay any who would not agree to adopt Greek customs. So anyone could see how their misery was intensified. For two women were brought in for circumcising their children, and they led them publicly about the city with their babies hanging at their breasts, and then threw them down from the top of the wall. Others who had gathered in caves near by, to keep the seventh day in secret, were betrayed to Philip and all burned together, because they had scruples about defending themselves, in their respect for the dignity of that most holy day.
So I (narrator of II Maccabees) beseech those who read this book not to be cast down by such misfortunes but to consider that these punishments were meant not for the destruction of our people but for their correction. For it is a mark of great benevolence not to let the impious alone for a long time but to punish them promptly. For in the case of other nations, the Master is long-suffering and waits before He punishes them until they have reached the full measure of their sins; but in our case He has decided differetnly, so that He may not take vengeance on us afterward when our sins have reached their height. So He never withdraws His mercy from us, and although He disciplines us with misfortune, He does not abandon His own people. This much let us say by way of reminder; after these few words we must resume our story.
Verses 18 - 31: Martyrology of Eleazar
Eleazar, one of the leading scribes, a man of advanced age and fine appearance, was being forced to open his mouth and eat pork. But he, welcoming a glorious death in preference to a life of pollution went up of his own accord to the torture wheel, setting an example of how those should come forward who are steadfast enough to refuse food which it is wrong to taste even for the natural love of life. Those who were in charge of that unlawful sacrificial meal, because of their long-standing acquaintance with the man, took him aside, and privately urged him to bring meat provided by himself, which he could properly make us of, and pretend that he was eating the meat of the sacrifice, as the king had ordered, so that by doing this he might escape the death penalty, and on account of his lifelong friendship with them be kindly treated. But he, making a high resolve, worthy of his years and the dignity of his age and the hoary hair which he reached with such distinction, and his admirable life even from his childhood, and still more of the holy and divine legislation, declared himself in accord with these, telling them to send him down to Hades at once.
"For," said he, "it does not become our time of life to pretend, and so lead many young people to suppose that Eleazar when ninety years old has gone over to heathenism, and to be led astray through me, because of my pretense for the sake of this short and insignificant life, while I defile and disgrace my old age. For even if for the present I escape the punishment of men, yet whether I live or die I shall not escape the hands of the Almighty. Therefore by manfully giving up my life now, I will prove myself worthy of my great age, and leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and nobly for the sacred and holy laws."
With these words he went straight to the torture wheel, while those who so shortly before had felt kindly toward him became hostile to him, because the words he had uttered were in their opinion mere madness. As he was about to die under the strokes, he said with a groan, "The Lord in His holy knowledge, knows that, though I might have escaped death, I endure dreadful pains in my body from being flogged; but in my heart I am glad to suffer this, because I fear Him."
On the monthly celebration of the king's birthday, they were taken by bitter necessity to taste the sacrifices, and when the festival of Dionysus was celebrated, they were compelled to wear wreaths of ivy and march in procession in his honor. At Ptolemy's suggestion a decree was issued to the neighboring Greek towns, that they should adopt the same policy toward the Jews and make them taste the sacrifices, and that they should slay any who would not agree to adopt Greek customs. So anyone could see how their misery was intensified. For two women were brought in for circumcising their children, and they led them publicly about the city with their babies hanging at their breasts, and then threw them down from the top of the wall. Others who had gathered in caves near by, to keep the seventh day in secret, were betrayed to Philip and all burned together, because they had scruples about defending themselves, in their respect for the dignity of that most holy day.
So I (narrator of II Maccabees) beseech those who read this book not to be cast down by such misfortunes but to consider that these punishments were meant not for the destruction of our people but for their correction. For it is a mark of great benevolence not to let the impious alone for a long time but to punish them promptly. For in the case of other nations, the Master is long-suffering and waits before He punishes them until they have reached the full measure of their sins; but in our case He has decided differetnly, so that He may not take vengeance on us afterward when our sins have reached their height. So He never withdraws His mercy from us, and although He disciplines us with misfortune, He does not abandon His own people. This much let us say by way of reminder; after these few words we must resume our story.
Verses 18 - 31: Martyrology of Eleazar
Eleazar, one of the leading scribes, a man of advanced age and fine appearance, was being forced to open his mouth and eat pork. But he, welcoming a glorious death in preference to a life of pollution went up of his own accord to the torture wheel, setting an example of how those should come forward who are steadfast enough to refuse food which it is wrong to taste even for the natural love of life. Those who were in charge of that unlawful sacrificial meal, because of their long-standing acquaintance with the man, took him aside, and privately urged him to bring meat provided by himself, which he could properly make us of, and pretend that he was eating the meat of the sacrifice, as the king had ordered, so that by doing this he might escape the death penalty, and on account of his lifelong friendship with them be kindly treated. But he, making a high resolve, worthy of his years and the dignity of his age and the hoary hair which he reached with such distinction, and his admirable life even from his childhood, and still more of the holy and divine legislation, declared himself in accord with these, telling them to send him down to Hades at once.
"For," said he, "it does not become our time of life to pretend, and so lead many young people to suppose that Eleazar when ninety years old has gone over to heathenism, and to be led astray through me, because of my pretense for the sake of this short and insignificant life, while I defile and disgrace my old age. For even if for the present I escape the punishment of men, yet whether I live or die I shall not escape the hands of the Almighty. Therefore by manfully giving up my life now, I will prove myself worthy of my great age, and leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and nobly for the sacred and holy laws."
With these words he went straight to the torture wheel, while those who so shortly before had felt kindly toward him became hostile to him, because the words he had uttered were in their opinion mere madness. As he was about to die under the strokes, he said with a groan, "The Lord in His holy knowledge, knows that, though I might have escaped death, I endure dreadful pains in my body from being flogged; but in my heart I am glad to suffer this, because I fear Him."
Friends of the Library - NILES, Michigan - fundraiser nets $352.50
The Niles District Library's Friends organization held in conjunction with "Apple Festival" a semi-annual used book and media sale in the building basement / storage areas.
This non-profit group seeks to provide funding for special projects beyond the budget and regular items/memorials that the Library uses to expand its offerings to local patrons of all ages.
The fundraiser today (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.) involved more than 10 volunteers over the five-hours and included many renewals and new memberships. I helped during the closing hour while the "Apple Festival" grand parade was finishing up 1:30 - 3:30 or so.
more information at www.nileslibrary.com/ in the "What We Have" section of the home website --
Friends of the Library
The purpose of the Friends is to raise funds for support of the services and programs of the Library and to promote use of the services and participation in programs of the Library.
This non-profit group seeks to provide funding for special projects beyond the budget and regular items/memorials that the Library uses to expand its offerings to local patrons of all ages.
The fundraiser today (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.) involved more than 10 volunteers over the five-hours and included many renewals and new memberships. I helped during the closing hour while the "Apple Festival" grand parade was finishing up 1:30 - 3:30 or so.
more information at www.nileslibrary.com/ in the "What We Have" section of the home website --
Friends of the Library
The purpose of the Friends is to raise funds for support of the services and programs of the Library and to promote use of the services and participation in programs of the Library.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Discovery of fossil (5 - foot giant penguin) in Peru
from www.bbc.co.uk/news
Ancient giant penguin unearthed in Peru By Katia Moskvitch
The fossil of a giant penguin that lived 36 million years ago has been discovered in Peru.
Scientists say the find shows that key features of the plumage were present quite early on in penguin evolution.
The team told Science magazine that the animal's feathers were brown and grey, distinct from the black "tuxedo" look of modern penguins.
It was about 1.5m (5ft) tall and nearly twice as heavy as an Emperor Penguin, the largest living species.
The bird, named Inkayacu paracasensis, or Water King, waddled the Earth during the late Eocene period.
It had a long, straight beak, much longer than that of its modern relatives.
The fossil was found in Reserva Nacional de Paracas in Peru. The scientists nicknamed the penguin "Pedro" - after a scaly character in a Colombian TV series.
One of the highlights of the study was the presence of well-preserved feathers and scales.
"Before this fossil, we had no evidence about the feathers, colours and flipper shapes of ancient penguins," said Julia Clarke, a palaeontologist at the University of Texas, US, and lead author of the study.
"We had questions and this was our first chance to start answering them." She explained to BBC News that the fossil also shows that penguins' main physical features evolved millions of years ago, but the colour of penguin feathers switched from reddish brown and grey to black-and-white quite recently.
It is the particular shape of flippers and feathers that makes penguins such powerful swimmers.
During wing-propelled diving - the so-called aquatic flight - these birds are able to generate propulsive forces in an environment about 800 times denser and 70 times more viscous than air.
The team excavated the fossil in Reserva Nacional de Paracas in Peru "One thing that's interesting in living penguins is that how deep they dive correlates with body size," said Dr Clarke. "The heavier the penguin, the deeper it dives. If that holds true for any penguins, then the dive depths achieved by these giant forms would've been very different."
To get an idea about the colour of the feathers of the long-dead penguin, the team examined melanosomes - microscopic structures in the fossil, whose size, shape and arrangement determine the colour of a bird's feathers.
"Insights into the colours of extinct organisms can reveal clues to their ecology and behaviour," said co-author Jakob Vinther of Yale University, US.
"But most of all, I think it is simply just cool to get a look at the colour of a remarkable extinct organism, such as a giant fossil penguin."
The researchers say that the find, together with some other recent discoveries from the same area, is just another evidence of a rich diversity of giant penguin species in the late Eocene period of low-latitude Peru.
"This is an extraordinary site to preserve evidence of structures like scales and feathers," said Dr Clarke.
"So there's incredible potential for new discoveries that can change our view not only of penguin evolution, but of other marine vertebrates."
Ancient giant penguin unearthed in Peru By Katia Moskvitch
The fossil of a giant penguin that lived 36 million years ago has been discovered in Peru.
Scientists say the find shows that key features of the plumage were present quite early on in penguin evolution.
The team told Science magazine that the animal's feathers were brown and grey, distinct from the black "tuxedo" look of modern penguins.
It was about 1.5m (5ft) tall and nearly twice as heavy as an Emperor Penguin, the largest living species.
The bird, named Inkayacu paracasensis, or Water King, waddled the Earth during the late Eocene period.
It had a long, straight beak, much longer than that of its modern relatives.
The fossil was found in Reserva Nacional de Paracas in Peru. The scientists nicknamed the penguin "Pedro" - after a scaly character in a Colombian TV series.
One of the highlights of the study was the presence of well-preserved feathers and scales.
"Before this fossil, we had no evidence about the feathers, colours and flipper shapes of ancient penguins," said Julia Clarke, a palaeontologist at the University of Texas, US, and lead author of the study.
"We had questions and this was our first chance to start answering them." She explained to BBC News that the fossil also shows that penguins' main physical features evolved millions of years ago, but the colour of penguin feathers switched from reddish brown and grey to black-and-white quite recently.
It is the particular shape of flippers and feathers that makes penguins such powerful swimmers.
During wing-propelled diving - the so-called aquatic flight - these birds are able to generate propulsive forces in an environment about 800 times denser and 70 times more viscous than air.
The team excavated the fossil in Reserva Nacional de Paracas in Peru "One thing that's interesting in living penguins is that how deep they dive correlates with body size," said Dr Clarke. "The heavier the penguin, the deeper it dives. If that holds true for any penguins, then the dive depths achieved by these giant forms would've been very different."
To get an idea about the colour of the feathers of the long-dead penguin, the team examined melanosomes - microscopic structures in the fossil, whose size, shape and arrangement determine the colour of a bird's feathers.
"Insights into the colours of extinct organisms can reveal clues to their ecology and behaviour," said co-author Jakob Vinther of Yale University, US.
"But most of all, I think it is simply just cool to get a look at the colour of a remarkable extinct organism, such as a giant fossil penguin."
The researchers say that the find, together with some other recent discoveries from the same area, is just another evidence of a rich diversity of giant penguin species in the late Eocene period of low-latitude Peru.
"This is an extraordinary site to preserve evidence of structures like scales and feathers," said Dr Clarke.
"So there's incredible potential for new discoveries that can change our view not only of penguin evolution, but of other marine vertebrates."
Local Theatre group -- "The Creator" -- October 1, 2, 3 at First Presbyterian Church
NILES (Weekend of Oct. 1 - 3):
Four Flags Players will present the play The Creator, by Chicago playwright Jessica Puller on October 1, 2, and 3. The performances will be held in the Fellowship Hall of First Presbyterian Church. The Creator was the 2009 winner of the Beverly Hills Theatre Guild Marilyn Hall Play Competition for Youth Theatre, and the American Alliance for Theatre and Education's unpublished play reading contest. It explores the five stages of grief from the point of view of a child. Although Sara and Zabrina promised to be friends forever, when Sara declares that she no longer believes in imaginary friends, Zabrina finds herself in the purgatory of imagination. She goes through the five stages of grief as she remembers her relationship with Sara, all while awaiting her encounter with the mysterious deity, the Creator. Performances begin at 7:30 pm on October 1st and 2nd and at 2:00 pm on October 3rd. Tickets are available at the door or may be reserved by calling 1-269-695-1150. Ticket prices are $10 General Admission, $8 Seniors and $5 Students and active military.
Four Flags Players will present the play The Creator, by Chicago playwright Jessica Puller on October 1, 2, and 3. The performances will be held in the Fellowship Hall of First Presbyterian Church. The Creator was the 2009 winner of the Beverly Hills Theatre Guild Marilyn Hall Play Competition for Youth Theatre, and the American Alliance for Theatre and Education's unpublished play reading contest. It explores the five stages of grief from the point of view of a child. Although Sara and Zabrina promised to be friends forever, when Sara declares that she no longer believes in imaginary friends, Zabrina finds herself in the purgatory of imagination. She goes through the five stages of grief as she remembers her relationship with Sara, all while awaiting her encounter with the mysterious deity, the Creator. Performances begin at 7:30 pm on October 1st and 2nd and at 2:00 pm on October 3rd. Tickets are available at the door or may be reserved by calling 1-269-695-1150. Ticket prices are $10 General Admission, $8 Seniors and $5 Students and active military.
Today is 86th birthday of Jimmy Carter - ex-President - author
from Writer's Almanac -- daily list serv from Minnesota Public Radio (Garrison Keillor):
It's the birthday of Jimmy Carter, born in Plains, Georgia (1924), the first American president to be born in a hospital. He grew up in a house where everyone brought a book to the dinner table, and then the family sat there together at dinner eating and reading in silence. He started selling boiled peanuts from a red wagon by the side of the road when he was six, around the same age that he started winning all sorts of prizes for being the top reader in his rural grade school.
He played basketball in high school, joined the Future Farmers of America club, and went off to the United States Naval Academy, where he taught Sunday school to the officer's kids and graduated 59th in his class of 820. While in the Navy, he did graduate work in nuclear physics. Then, after his dad died, he left the Navy and took over the family peanut farming business. For a while, he was a wealthy peanut farmer.
He became governor of Georgia. But he wasn't very well known around the nation, and when he first threw his hat in the ring for the Democratic primaries of the 1976 presidential election, only 2 percent of Americans recognized his name. When he told his mom he was going to run for president, she replied, 'President of what?'
He decided he would write a book to help the nation know who he was and where he was coming from and what he stood for -- a candidate autobiography. He wrote it on the campaign trail, scribbling paragraphs on yellow notepads during airplane rides and in hotels. He took it to a bunch of small publishers in Georgia, but they all rejected the manuscript. Finally, he convinced a small press in Nashville that specialized in Southern Baptist books to publish his book. After he won the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries, that book -- Why Not the Best? (1975) -- sold about a million copies. It has since been reissued.
Carter defeated Gerald Ford and took office during an energy crisis. He wore sweaters and told Americans to turn down the heat. In one of his last acts in office, he signed a House Bill bailing out a failing American car company, the Chrysler Corporation.
When he got back to Georgia, he found that his farm, which he placed in a blind trust upon election, was suddenly a million dollars in debt. He sold the farm and then, to make ends meet and save their home, he and Rosalynn each signed separate book contracts to write memoirs.
He sat down and wrote for eight to 10 hours a day, drawing on diaries he kept while in the Oval office, typewritten notes that amounted to 6,000 pages. When he could not stand sitting down at the typewriter anymore, he went to his woodworking shop and made furniture -- things like tables and chairs and cabinets. He ended up with more than 30 pieces of furniture in the time in took him to write that first post-presidential book, which was published in 1982 as Keeping Faith.
He's now the author of about two dozen books, including An Hour Before Daylight: Memoirs of a Rural Boyhood (2001), Our Endangered Values (2005), Palestine Peace Not Apartheid (2006), A Remarkable Mother (2008), and Beyond the White House (2008). He is on book tour for WHITE HOUSE DIARY.
He likes to fly-fish and ride his bicycle. He continues to teach Sunday school. He reads just about every new book written about the U.S. presidency. He adores poet Dylan Thomas and has read two dozen biographies about the man. He writes his own poetry now. In 2002, he won the Nobel Peace Prize.
He said: 'A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It is a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity.'
It's the birthday of Jimmy Carter, born in Plains, Georgia (1924), the first American president to be born in a hospital. He grew up in a house where everyone brought a book to the dinner table, and then the family sat there together at dinner eating and reading in silence. He started selling boiled peanuts from a red wagon by the side of the road when he was six, around the same age that he started winning all sorts of prizes for being the top reader in his rural grade school.
He played basketball in high school, joined the Future Farmers of America club, and went off to the United States Naval Academy, where he taught Sunday school to the officer's kids and graduated 59th in his class of 820. While in the Navy, he did graduate work in nuclear physics. Then, after his dad died, he left the Navy and took over the family peanut farming business. For a while, he was a wealthy peanut farmer.
He became governor of Georgia. But he wasn't very well known around the nation, and when he first threw his hat in the ring for the Democratic primaries of the 1976 presidential election, only 2 percent of Americans recognized his name. When he told his mom he was going to run for president, she replied, 'President of what?'
He decided he would write a book to help the nation know who he was and where he was coming from and what he stood for -- a candidate autobiography. He wrote it on the campaign trail, scribbling paragraphs on yellow notepads during airplane rides and in hotels. He took it to a bunch of small publishers in Georgia, but they all rejected the manuscript. Finally, he convinced a small press in Nashville that specialized in Southern Baptist books to publish his book. After he won the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries, that book -- Why Not the Best? (1975) -- sold about a million copies. It has since been reissued.
Carter defeated Gerald Ford and took office during an energy crisis. He wore sweaters and told Americans to turn down the heat. In one of his last acts in office, he signed a House Bill bailing out a failing American car company, the Chrysler Corporation.
When he got back to Georgia, he found that his farm, which he placed in a blind trust upon election, was suddenly a million dollars in debt. He sold the farm and then, to make ends meet and save their home, he and Rosalynn each signed separate book contracts to write memoirs.
He sat down and wrote for eight to 10 hours a day, drawing on diaries he kept while in the Oval office, typewritten notes that amounted to 6,000 pages. When he could not stand sitting down at the typewriter anymore, he went to his woodworking shop and made furniture -- things like tables and chairs and cabinets. He ended up with more than 30 pieces of furniture in the time in took him to write that first post-presidential book, which was published in 1982 as Keeping Faith.
He's now the author of about two dozen books, including An Hour Before Daylight: Memoirs of a Rural Boyhood (2001), Our Endangered Values (2005), Palestine Peace Not Apartheid (2006), A Remarkable Mother (2008), and Beyond the White House (2008). He is on book tour for WHITE HOUSE DIARY.
He likes to fly-fish and ride his bicycle. He continues to teach Sunday school. He reads just about every new book written about the U.S. presidency. He adores poet Dylan Thomas and has read two dozen biographies about the man. He writes his own poetry now. In 2002, he won the Nobel Peace Prize.
He said: 'A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It is a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity.'
Apple Festival (three-day weekend): October 1-3
informational website -- www.fourflagsapplefestival.org/
Near Niles High School and Airport - Lake Street Road -- APPLE FESTIVAL GROUNDS & Parking
Bring your family and friends to the 2010 Apple Festival for many family oriented activities and a good time to be had by all. Please look through our website to learn about all of the activities from the Miss Apple Festival and Jr. Miss Apple Festival Scholarship Pageants to the Lip Sync contest.
We look forward to seeing you at the 2010 Four Flags Area Apple Festival!
Near Niles High School and Airport - Lake Street Road -- APPLE FESTIVAL GROUNDS & Parking
Bring your family and friends to the 2010 Apple Festival for many family oriented activities and a good time to be had by all. Please look through our website to learn about all of the activities from the Miss Apple Festival and Jr. Miss Apple Festival Scholarship Pageants to the Lip Sync contest.
We look forward to seeing you at the 2010 Four Flags Area Apple Festival!
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