The front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination spoke at New York University late last week:
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Checking In on Hillary Clinton’s Recent Appearance...
The front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination spoke at New York University late last week:
Mexican criminals now kidnapping businessmen inside the U.S.
Mexican criminals now kidnapping businessmen inside the U.S.
February 19, 2014
On Sunday, the FBI, along with the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task
Force arrested Manuel Samano-Santoyo, 42, at his residence in Chicago.
Samano-Santoyo and three other illegal aliens kidnapped a businessman in Paxton, Ill., in December, according to police.
He is the last of the four suspects to be taken into custody, and is now being held at the Ford County Jail on an immigration detainer.
Samano-Santoyo, Eduardo Samano, 22, Rodolfo A. Cerritos, 25, and Evigan J. Marcos, 24, have all been charged with armed robbery, kidnapping and aggravated battery.
The victim, Joel Hastings, the general manager of NexStep Commercial Products in Paxton, was leaving work on Dec. 9 when he was kidnapped at gunpoint.
The News-Gazzette reported:
They only let him go under the condition that he would later give them $50,000 in cash.
On Jan. 15, Cerritos was arrested by the FBI when he picked up a bag full of money in a Chicago-area park.
Related articles:
Mexican cartel 'express kidnappings' now happening in North Carolina
Samano-Santoyo and three other illegal aliens kidnapped a businessman in Paxton, Ill., in December, according to police.
He is the last of the four suspects to be taken into custody, and is now being held at the Ford County Jail on an immigration detainer.
Samano-Santoyo, Eduardo Samano, 22, Rodolfo A. Cerritos, 25, and Evigan J. Marcos, 24, have all been charged with armed robbery, kidnapping and aggravated battery.
The victim, Joel Hastings, the general manager of NexStep Commercial Products in Paxton, was leaving work on Dec. 9 when he was kidnapped at gunpoint.
The News-Gazzette reported:
Hastings said he was retreating when a second man hit him from behind with a baseball bat, Johnson said. Hastings was then forced into the back seat of his car.The illegal aliens stole $300 in cash, two credit cards, a cell phone, and two checks written-out to Hastings, before releasing him.
The man with the bat got in the driver's seat, while the man with the gun remained in the back seat, Hastings told Johnson. They then used "zip-ties" to restrain Hastings. They then drove out of the parking lot and around rural areas in Ford and Iroquois counties, forcing Hastings to keep his head down so he could not see outside, Johnson said.
While driving around, they beat Hastings with the pistol and bat and "dry-fired" the gun twice while it was pointed at his head.
They only let him go under the condition that he would later give them $50,000 in cash.
On Jan. 15, Cerritos was arrested by the FBI when he picked up a bag full of money in a Chicago-area park.
Related articles:
Mexican cartel 'express kidnappings' now happening in North Carolina
Hillary, Your Radical Marxist Roots are Showing
Hillary, Your Radical Marxist Roots are Showing
Conservative Hideout 2.0Hillary is more of an outright Marxist than Obama. Where his socialistic tendencies towards America stem from his hatred of this country’s supposed “colonialism.” We defeated Japan, but never occupied it. We defeated Germany, but never occupied it. The list goes on, but none-the-less America is a colonial power. But I digress, back to Hillary.
Some of Hillary’s most ardent political supporters are dismayed about her time at the law firm. Of course those opposed to her White House ambitions state that it shows her radical Marxist ideology that she keeps hidden from the public.
I think the biggest item of interest from Clinton’s time at the Communist law firm is her work on a plea negotioan on behalf of armed Black Panthers who stormed into the California legislature in 1967.
more
0.
Rosh Hashanah (in Hebrew)
Rosh Hashanah
|
Significance: New Year
Observances: Sounding the shofar (ram's horn trumpet) Length: 2 Days (Some: 1 Day) Customs: Dipping apples in honey; Casting off "sins" into a river Greeting: L'shanah tovah! (For a good year!) |
...In the seventh month, on the first of the month, there shall be a sabbath for you, a remembrance with shofar blasts, a holy convocation. -Leviticus 16:24Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of Tishri. In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, "head of the year" or "first of the year." Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year. This name is somewhat deceptive, because there is little similarity between Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days of the year, and the American midnight drinking bash and daytime football game.
There is, however, one important similarity between the Jewish New Year and the American one: Many Americans use the New Year as a time to plan a better life, making "resolutions." Likewise, the Jewish New Year is a time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year. More on this concept at Days of Awe.
The name "Rosh Hashanah" is not used in the Bible to discuss this holiday. The Bible refers to the holiday as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar). The holiday is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25.
The
shofar is a ram's horn which is blown somewhat like a trumpet. One of the most
important observances of this holiday is hearing the sounding of the shofar in
the synagogue. A total of 100 notes are
sounded each day. There are four different types of shofar notes: tekiah, a 3
second sustained note; shevarim, three 1-second notes rising in tone, teruah, a
series of short, staccato notes extending over a period of about 3 seconds; and
tekiah gedolah (literally, "big tekiah"), the final blast in a set, which lasts
(I think) 10 seconds minimum. Click the shofar above to hear an approximation
of the sound of Tekiah Shevarim-Teruah Tekiah. The Bible gives no specific
reason for this practice. One that has been suggested is that the shofar's
sound is a call to repentance. The shofar is not blown if the holiday falls on
Shabbat.
No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah. Much of the day is spent in synagogue, where the regular daily liturgy is somewhat expanded. In fact, there is a special prayerbook called the machzor used for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because of the extensive liturgical changes for these holidays.
Another popular observance during this holiday is eating apples dipped in honey, a symbol of our wish for a sweet new year. This was the second Jewish religious practice I was ever exposed to (the first one: lighting Chanukkah candles), and I highly recommend it. It's yummy. We also dip bread in honey (instead of the usual practice of sprinkling salt on it) at this time of year for the same reason.
Another popular practice of the holiday is Tashlikh ("casting off"). We walk to flowing water, such as a creek or river, on the afternoon of the first day and empty our pockets into the river, symbolically casting off our sins. Small pieces of bread are commonly put in the pocket to cast off. This practice is not discussed in the Bible, but is a long-standing custom. Tashlikh is normally observed on the afternoon of the first day, before afternoon services. When the first day occurs on Shabbat, many synagogues observe Tashlikh on Sunday afternoon, to avoid carrying (the bread) on Shabbat.
Religious services for the holiday focus on the concept of G-d's sovereignty.
The common greeting at this time is L'shanah tovah ("for a good year"). This is a shortening of "L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem" (or to women, "L'shanah tovah tikatevi v'taihatemi"), which means "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year." More on that concept at Days of Awe.
You may notice that the Bible speaks of Rosh Hashanah as occurring on the first day of the seventh month. The first month of the Jewish calendar is Nissan, occurring in March and April. Why, then, does the Jewish "new year" occur in Tishri, the seventh month?
Judaism has several different "new years," a concept which may seem strange at first, but think of it this way: the American "new year" starts in January, but the new "school year" starts in September, and many businesses have "fiscal years" that start at various times of the year. In Judaism, Nissan 1 is the new year for the purpose of counting the reign of kings and months on the calendar, Elul 1 (in August) is the new year for the tithing of animals, Shevat 15 (in February) is the new year for trees (determining when first fruits can be eaten, etc.), and Tishri 1 (Rosh Hashanah) is the new year for years (when we increase the year number. Sabbatical and Jubilee years begin at this time).
See Extra Day of Jewish Holidays for an explanation of why this holiday is celebrated for two days instead of the one specified in the Bible.
List of Dates
Rosh Hashanah will occur on the following days of the secular calendar:- Jewish Year 5773: sunset September 16, 2012 - nightfall September 18, 2012
- Jewish Year 5774: sunset September 4, 2013 - nightfall September 6, 2013
- Jewish Year 5775: sunset September 24, 2014 - nightfall September 26, 2014
- Jewish Year 5776: sunset September 13, 2015 - nightfall September 15, 2015
- Jewish Year 5777: sunset October 2, 2016 - nightfall October 4, 2016
If you appreciate the many years of work I have put into this site, show your appreciation by linking to this page, not copying it to your site. I can't correct my mistakes or add new material if it's on your site. Click Here for more details.
Shockwaves over Obama administration’s plan to put government monitors in newsrooms
Shockwaves over Obama administration’s plan to put government monitors in newsrooms
February 20, 2014 by 109 Comments
Image credit: www.nowtheendbegins.com
When House Republicans got wind of the plan in December, they sent a letter to the FCC, according to The Hill.
“Given the widespread calls for the Commission to respect the First Amendment and stay out of the editorial decisions of reporters and broadcasters, we were shocked to see that the FCC is putting itself back in the business of attempting to control the political speech of journalists,” the Republicans wrote in a letter to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. “It is wrong, it is unconstitutional, and we urge you to put a stop to this most recent attempt to engage the FCC as the ‘news police.’”
FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai didn’t get the message, telling The Wall Street Journal last week that the agency’s plans are still very much in the works. The Journal reported:
Last May the FCC proposed an initiative to thrust the federal government into newsrooms across the country. With its “Multi-Market Study of Critical Information Needs,” or CIN, the agency plans to send researchers to grill reporters, editors and station owners about how they decide which stories to run. A field test in Columbia, S.C., is scheduled to begin this spring.Journalists are now up in arms. The last thing a newsroom needs is a Soviet-style political officer looking over the shoulders of reporters and editors, and helping them shape the news to the Obama administration’s liking.
The purpose of the CIN, according to the FCC, is to ferret out information from television and radio broadcasters about “the process by which stories are selected” and how often stations cover “critical information needs,” along with “perceived station bias” and “perceived responsiveness to underserved populations.”
If FCC officials want to learn how stories are selected, they can go to journalism school. Otherwise, stay out of the newsroom.
The agency’s infiltration of the reporting process defeats the purpose of a free and independent press — to serve as a check to an overreaching government.
Townhall Editor Katie Pavlich appeared on “The Kelly File” Wednesday and discussed the latest developments of this story with Fox News host Megyn Kelly.
Watch the exchange via Fox News, then check out, “TV newsman’s dead-on, hilarious video: Why ‘Republicans Are Winning the PR Battle Over Obamacare’.”
There are four primary types of shofar blasts: Tekiah (תְּקִיעָה)
There are four primary types of shofar blasts:
Tekiah (תְּקִיעָה) - A long single blast (the sound of the King's coronation)
Shevarim (שְׁבָרִים) - Three short wail-like blasts (signifying repentance)
Teru'ah (תְּרוּעָה) - Nine staccato blasts of alarm (to awaken the soul)
Tekiah ha-Gadol (תְּקִיעָה הַגָּדוֹל) - A great long blast (for as long as you can blow!)
Yom Teruah or Rosh Hashanah?
Yom Teruah or Rosh Hashanah?
In the written Torah, the first day of the seventh month is to be
commemorated as Yom Teruah (יוֹם תְּרוּעָה), sometimes translated as the
"Feast of Trumpets" (Num. 29:1, Lev. 23:24). The word teruah means
"shouting" or "raising a noise," and therefore this day was to be marked
by making a joyful noise unto the LORD (Psalm 81:1-4). Of all the
moedim (holidays or feasts), Yom Teruah is unique because 1) it's the
only holiday that begins on a New Moon that is the first sighting of the
moon as a sliver and 2) there is no explicit reason given in the Torah
for its observance other than to "rest" and to offer sacrifice (Num.
29:1, Lev. 23:24). After the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 AD,
however, the sages of the Mishnah redefined Judaism and associated Yom
Teruah with the start of the Jewish civil year. Yom Teruah then became
known as "Rosh Hashanah" (the head of the year).
Trumpets and Shofars Silver trumpets
Trumpets and Shofars Silver
trumpets (חֲצוֹצְרת, cha-tzotz-rot) were originally used to signal camp
movements during the journey to the Promised Land (Num. 10:1-2). Later
they were used by the Levites during various Temple rituals, especially
during the offering of animal sacrifices (Num. 10:10). They were also
sometimes used in times of warfare (Num. 10:9; 31:6; 2 Chr. 13:12-14).
These silver trumpets are to be distinguished from the ram's horn
trumpet (שׁוֹפָר, shofar) that was explicitly commanded to be sounded
during Yom Kippur (Lev. 25:9) and during the Yovel (Jubilee Year). The
common consensus among the sages was that the shofar, not the silver
trumpet, was likewise used for Yom Teruah (Mishnah: Rosh Hashana 16a,
3:3). The shofar was a reminder of the exchange of the divinely provided
ram as ransom for Isaac's life (the Akedah) and of the giving of the
Torah to Israel at Mt. Sinai (Exod. 19:16). According to later
rabbinical tradition, on Rosh Hashanah the destiny of the righteous, the
tzaddikim, are written in the Book of Life, and the destiny of the
wicked, the resha'im, are written in the Book of Death. Most people,
however, won't be inscribed in either book, but are given ten days --
until Yom Kippur -- to repent before sealing their fate. On Yom Kippur,
then, everyone's name will be sealed in one of the two books. The ten
days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are therefore called Aseret
Yemei Teshuvah - the "Ten Days of Repentance" - because personal
repentance can affect the divine decree for good....
As Messianic believers, we maintain that Judgment Day has come and
justice was served through the sacrificial offering of Yeshua for our
sins (2 Cor. 5:21). He is the perfect fulfillment of the Akedah of
Isaac. Our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, or Sefer
HaChayim (Rev. 13:8). We do not believe that we are made acceptable in
God's sight by means of our own works of righteousness (Titus 3:5-6),
but that does not excuse us from being without such works (as fruit of
the Holy Spirit in our lives). The Scriptures clearly warn that on the
Day of Judgment to come, anyone's name not found written in the Book of
Life will be thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15)The Mishnah
(Sanhedrin 38b) states that Adam and Chavah were created on Rosh
Hashanah (i.e., Tishri 1). But how did the sages determine this date? By
transposing the Hebrew letters of the very first word of the Hebrew
Scriptures. In other words, by rearranging the letters of the word
bereshit ("in the beginning"), the phrase aleph b'Tishri ("on the 1st of
Tishri") was formed, and therefore this date became associated with the
anniversary of creation (or rather, the creation from Adam's
perspective, i.e., the sixth day). Rosh Hashanah therefore represents
the day that God began to rule as King of the Universe. When Adam first
opened his eyes and human consciousness was born, he immediately
understood that the LORD created all things, including himself.
According to midrash, Adam's first words were, "The LORD is King for
ever and ever." God then said, "Now the whole world will know that I am
King," and He was very pleased. The birthday of humanity is therefore
the Coronation Day for the King of the Universe. Psalm 47 celebrates the
Kingship of God that mentions the "shout" (teruah) and shofar blast of
God's coronation: The sound of the shofar is meant to awaken our
consciousness that the LORD is King of the Universe. "How blessed are
the people who know the joyful sound (teruah), O LORD; they walk in the
light of Your Presence" (Psalm 89:15). Second, the month of Elul and the
preparation for Rosh Hashanah reminds us to be ready for the soon
appearance of King Yeshua our LORD. Though we do not know the exact day
or hour of His return to possess His kingdom on earth, we are commanded
to watch and be ready for His soon appearance. We ought, therefore, be
in a constant state of repentance (teshuvah) as we seek to humble
ourselves and walk with our God. The New Testament links teshuvah with
salvation (יְשׁוּעָה) itself. Yeshua's first message was "Repent and
believe the gospel (בְּשׂוֹרָה)" (Mark 1:15), and Paul linked teshuvah
with confession and trust in the saving work of the Messiah on our
behalf (Rom. 10:8-13). Teshuvah implies a response to the Person of
Yeshua that is demonstrated through confession that He is none other
than YHVH, the LORD of Compassion and grace. The sound of the shofar is
meant to awaken our hearts and to prepare for coming judgment. Third,
Rosh Hashanah itself, or rather Yom Teru'ah, has prophetic significance
in the life of the Christian. The blowing of the shofar is prophetic of
the rapture of the church, where those who are part of the Bride of
Mashiach, the church, will experience everlasting transformation:
"Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all
be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet
(shofar): for the trumpet (shofar) shall sound, and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:51)
The Talmud states that on Rosh Hashanah the dead will be raised (Rosh
Hashanah 16b). This corresponds to the "last trump" mentioned by the
Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 15:52). Fourth, the Tashlikh ceremony reminds us
that our LORD is a God of new beginnings, and even if we have sinned and
fallen away from Him, He is faithful to restore us and cast our sins
away from us. After all, God sent His only Son Yeshua to be our
Sin-Bearer and Kapparah, so we can take comfort in His forgiveness when
we earnestly seek to repent from the harm we have done and begin anew
with God. Fifth, we should be grateful to the LORD for writing our names
in the Lamb's Book of Life, or Sefer HaChayim. Of course we do not
believe that we are made acceptable in the LORD's eyes by means of our
own works of righteousness (Titus 3:5-6), but that does not excuse us
from being without such works (as fruit of the Spirit in our daily
life). Sixth, the Akedat Yitzchak ("Binding of Isaac") is a major theme
on Rosh Hashanah. According to Jewish tradition, God told Abraham that
the ram's horn (shofar) should be blown on Rosh Hashanah to remind the
people of the substitutionary sacrifice provided by the LORD Himself --
an echo of the First Sacrifice offered in Eden. How much more should we
as believers in the greater sacrifice of Yeshua as our Lamb of God
celebrate this day? Finally, we anticipate the prophetic fulfillment of
the LORD's covenant faithfulness to Israel when we understand that the
Yamim Nora'im foreshadow the future repentance of national Israel in the
days to come. This pictures the Great Tribulation and Yom Adonai - the
Day of the LORD - that arrives just before national Israel's ultimate
shuvah (return). Yom Kippur is the Holiday that pictures the full
restoration of Israel to all her covenant promises with Yeshua as the
recognized Kohen Gadol (High Priest) of the New Covenant. The Brit
Chadashah will be embraced and Yeshua will be revealed as Israel's
Savior, LORD, and Deliverer. Then "all Israel shall be saved" (Rom.
11:26). How do we prepare for Rosh Hashanah? Traditionally we prepare
through three types of turning: 1) turning to God (teshuvah); 2) turning
to others we've harmed or offended (mechilah), and 3) turning to those
in need (tzedakah). In all three cases we can genuinely return to God
only by choosing to embrace the truth about our lives. Our prayers
(tefillot) are offered in the plural, emphasizing that we are all
interconnected. This is the idea of kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh: "All
Israel is responsible for one another" (Talmud Shavuot 39a). We are all
one "body" and should one member hurt, we all are diminished (1 Cor.
12:26). Avinu Malkenu - "Our Father, our King..." Our teshuvah means
that we honestly examine ourselves and repair any breach we might have
created in our relationships (James 5:16). And our tzedakah means that
we turn away from ourselves entirely, considering the needs of others
and their welfare instead of our own. May it please the LORD to help us
all turn to Him for life!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)