Clarence Edward Noble Macartney was born in 1879 and died at age 78 in 1957. He is most remembered for ministering 27 years at First Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Unlike most American preachers today, Rev. Macartney's preaching attracted mostly men “not only to his Sunday services but also to his popular Tuesday noon luncheons.”
In 1943, Abingdom Press published Great Nights of the Bible, a collection of sermons by Rev. Macartney. In that collection is the sermon “The Night of Nights” in which the great preacher explained why the night Jesus, the Man of Peace, was born must remain the greatest night in history.
In the sermon, Rev. Macartney relates an incident that took place the first Christmas after the start of World War I. He said “the colossal armies” of Germany, France, and Great Britain “had fought themselves to a standstill, and now millions of their soldiers were glaring at one another out of the trenches that gashed the earth from the North Sea clear to the Alps.”
=> Read on...
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Why Didn't They Use Video Conferencing for the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference?
The credibility of the climate-change gods is on the line once again. Changing their verbiage from global warming to climate change cannot conceal whatever they are hiding. Following on the heels of email gate, which reveals that warm-earth activist scientists silenced certain voices that differed from theirs, it may not be an exaggeration to brand this Copenhagen Climate Change Conference as the Who's Who of Global Warming Hypocrites.
It seems like hypocrisy (a mismatch of belief and behavior) continues to be a hallmark of leading global warming activists, and this Mother of the Global Warming Congregation is the biggest "Do as we say, not as we do" sermon yet.
To their credit the organizers did pick the right venue. Denmark leads the world in energy-generating wind mills, powering 19% of its electricity from wind turbines. So the Danish deserve to be the poster country for clean, green energy.
Besides choosing the right host, the climate gods should have taken two other actions if they wanted the world to take them more seriously.
=> Read on...
It seems like hypocrisy (a mismatch of belief and behavior) continues to be a hallmark of leading global warming activists, and this Mother of the Global Warming Congregation is the biggest "Do as we say, not as we do" sermon yet.
To their credit the organizers did pick the right venue. Denmark leads the world in energy-generating wind mills, powering 19% of its electricity from wind turbines. So the Danish deserve to be the poster country for clean, green energy.
Besides choosing the right host, the climate gods should have taken two other actions if they wanted the world to take them more seriously.
=> Read on...
Friday, November 27, 2009
White House State Dinner Party Crashers: Fame or Crime?
Instead of President & First Lady Obama along with India's Prime Minister Manmohan & Mrs. Singh remaining the focus of the Obama's first state dinner, it is Tareq & Michaele Salahi that have stolen the media spotlight. Not to mention that the uninvited couple won photo ops with some of the biggest power players on Pennsylvania Avenue, as they took pictures with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. But their biggest catch was a photo-shoot with none less than the #2 man of the United States, VP Joe Biden himself. The Salahis have the Facebook evidence on their successful adventures. As of the writing of this article, Facebook seemed to have taken down Michaele and Tareq Salahis' page.
The big joke may be on the Obama White House, whose security credentials have now come under scrutiny. This after the low-flying aircraft debacle of April 2009. One logical query by non-Obamaics is, "If this bunch can't secure the house where they live and party, how can they oversee the security of the United States?"
Incompetence can be a delicious word for those who have already concluded this administration doesn't know much of anything it's doing.
Reports Jake Tapper, Senior White House Correspondent of ABC, "It's one of the most secure places on earth, but two Washington area socialites and reality TV wannabes were apparently able to get behind the gates at the White House and mingle with the crowd at the State Dinner in honor of India last night."*
Who were the party crashers (if they did crash the party)? They are Tareq and Michaele Salahi, labeled as "socialites and reality TV wannabes".* They are further described as "polo-playing socialites".*
Mrs. Salahi claims to be a former Redskins cheerleader. The Salahis are a "Virginia couple who reportedly want to be on the D.C. version of Bravo's 'Real Housewives' series."*
According to NBC Washington, Michaela is a model and wife of Tareq Salahi, president of America's Polo Cup and owner of Oasis Winery. Tareq Salahi reportedly runs Oasis Winery near the Shenandoah. The winery's website claims it is "one of the top 10 in the world -- the only North American winery to make the list."*
The Washington Post says, "Even before their brush with reality TV fame, the couple had gained some notoriety for a long-running feud with Tareq's parents, Dirgham and Corinne Salahi, over control of the family's Oasis Winery in Hume, Virginia. Last year, Tareq accused his mother's attorney of punching him; the lawyer was found not guilty. Court records show that Oasis filed for bankruptcy in February, with Tareq listed as 'debtor designee'".*
On the embarrassment this flamboyant couple has dealt the White House, Ed Donovan, Secret Service spokesperson, said the agency is looking "into a report that two individuals not on the guest list were in the event."
To stress that there was never a security risk, Donovan said, "Everyone that goes into the white house grounds goes through magnetometers and other levels of screening."
Besides the publicity-stunt value of this incident, did the Salahis commit a crime? In a Thanksgiving Day statement, Mahogany Jones, the Salahis' publicist, said the couple's counsel, Paul W. Gardner, "states emphatically that the Salahis' did not 'crash' this event. Jones added, "We look forward to setting the record straight very soon."*
For his part, Paul Morrison, a Virginia lawyer who in the past has represented the Salahis, downplayed the couple's action by saying, "They just went to a party. They didn't do anything wrong."*
However, a former government official begs to differ. He told CNN, "If you lie to a federal official, either secret service or the social secretary, if they lied their way to get in, and it seems they would have had to have done that, that's a federal felony."
Whether or not the Salahis has done something worthy of a crime, one thing is sure: they have gained that coveted American prize: ATTENTION. And to realty-TV-types, any attention is better than no attention. In that case the Salahis getting on national television at the expense of the Obama White House's security lapse can be nothing less than a realty-TV jackpot.
But consider this: What if this couple did not crash the party after all? What if they got insider help to slip into the dinner halls under the security radar? That is a real possibility, but we shall see.
* Sources: ABC News, NBC Washington, Washington Post
The big joke may be on the Obama White House, whose security credentials have now come under scrutiny. This after the low-flying aircraft debacle of April 2009. One logical query by non-Obamaics is, "If this bunch can't secure the house where they live and party, how can they oversee the security of the United States?"
Incompetence can be a delicious word for those who have already concluded this administration doesn't know much of anything it's doing.
Reports Jake Tapper, Senior White House Correspondent of ABC, "It's one of the most secure places on earth, but two Washington area socialites and reality TV wannabes were apparently able to get behind the gates at the White House and mingle with the crowd at the State Dinner in honor of India last night."*
Who were the party crashers (if they did crash the party)? They are Tareq and Michaele Salahi, labeled as "socialites and reality TV wannabes".* They are further described as "polo-playing socialites".*
Mrs. Salahi claims to be a former Redskins cheerleader. The Salahis are a "Virginia couple who reportedly want to be on the D.C. version of Bravo's 'Real Housewives' series."*
According to NBC Washington, Michaela is a model and wife of Tareq Salahi, president of America's Polo Cup and owner of Oasis Winery. Tareq Salahi reportedly runs Oasis Winery near the Shenandoah. The winery's website claims it is "one of the top 10 in the world -- the only North American winery to make the list."*
The Washington Post says, "Even before their brush with reality TV fame, the couple had gained some notoriety for a long-running feud with Tareq's parents, Dirgham and Corinne Salahi, over control of the family's Oasis Winery in Hume, Virginia. Last year, Tareq accused his mother's attorney of punching him; the lawyer was found not guilty. Court records show that Oasis filed for bankruptcy in February, with Tareq listed as 'debtor designee'".*
On the embarrassment this flamboyant couple has dealt the White House, Ed Donovan, Secret Service spokesperson, said the agency is looking "into a report that two individuals not on the guest list were in the event."
To stress that there was never a security risk, Donovan said, "Everyone that goes into the white house grounds goes through magnetometers and other levels of screening."
Besides the publicity-stunt value of this incident, did the Salahis commit a crime? In a Thanksgiving Day statement, Mahogany Jones, the Salahis' publicist, said the couple's counsel, Paul W. Gardner, "states emphatically that the Salahis' did not 'crash' this event. Jones added, "We look forward to setting the record straight very soon."*
For his part, Paul Morrison, a Virginia lawyer who in the past has represented the Salahis, downplayed the couple's action by saying, "They just went to a party. They didn't do anything wrong."*
However, a former government official begs to differ. He told CNN, "If you lie to a federal official, either secret service or the social secretary, if they lied their way to get in, and it seems they would have had to have done that, that's a federal felony."
Whether or not the Salahis has done something worthy of a crime, one thing is sure: they have gained that coveted American prize: ATTENTION. And to realty-TV-types, any attention is better than no attention. In that case the Salahis getting on national television at the expense of the Obama White House's security lapse can be nothing less than a realty-TV jackpot.
But consider this: What if this couple did not crash the party after all? What if they got insider help to slip into the dinner halls under the security radar? That is a real possibility, but we shall see.
* Sources: ABC News, NBC Washington, Washington Post
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Time Management Woes: Losing to the 5 Most Notorious Thieves of Time
In a meeting I was never invited to, the civilized world agreed long ago that I should have no more than 24 hours in a day – 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of nighttime. I can't even add a single hour to my day. Then sleep experts got together and decided that I spend about 8 hours of my lifetime sleeping each day.
OK, let me clear the sleep from my eyes and do the math: 24 hours minus 8 hours leaves me just 16 hours. What? I should spend 1/3 or 33% of my life asleep? Could a hermit or armadillo do any worse?
Having just 66% of this important currency of life to work with, you would think I'd be a much better time manager, being most diligent to make the most of every waking hour. Sorry to disappoint you; I often find myself squandering precious time far beyond the 33% I lose just by being human.
Years ago I learned the principles of time management, but I have yet to master what it takes to keep the most notorious thieves of time in check. They seem to break in at will and rob my time treasure.
=> Click here to read the rest of the article.
OK, let me clear the sleep from my eyes and do the math: 24 hours minus 8 hours leaves me just 16 hours. What? I should spend 1/3 or 33% of my life asleep? Could a hermit or armadillo do any worse?
Having just 66% of this important currency of life to work with, you would think I'd be a much better time manager, being most diligent to make the most of every waking hour. Sorry to disappoint you; I often find myself squandering precious time far beyond the 33% I lose just by being human.
Years ago I learned the principles of time management, but I have yet to master what it takes to keep the most notorious thieves of time in check. They seem to break in at will and rob my time treasure.
=> Click here to read the rest of the article.
Friday, January 16, 2009
The Four Uses of Money: How Well Are You Doing?
No matter how one earns or receives money, there are just four good ways to use money. If you can consistently practice all four uses, you rank as one of the few responsible money mangers in the world. Just in case you are curious to know, let me admit that I regularly wrestle to master these uses of money.
1. Spend it. This is the use of money most people have mastered. In fact, the typical person does such a good job at spending money we usually have very little left. Worse, we may spend all of ours, and then borrow other people's money to spend as well. Not a brilliant thought.
Click here to continue reading...
1. Spend it. This is the use of money most people have mastered. In fact, the typical person does such a good job at spending money we usually have very little left. Worse, we may spend all of ours, and then borrow other people's money to spend as well. Not a brilliant thought.
Click here to continue reading...
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
What to Do When You Get Ripped Off by Smart Savings Center
All you wanted to do was buy a book or some other item on the Internet. You see a great price, and you jump on it. Then the deal gets sweeter, as you compare prices, using one of those price comparison sites. Along with the deep discount, you're getting free shipping too, and that's because you are a first-time buyer. Yes! Unlike your less informed peers, you are that tech savvy online shopper that pays $6 for a $19 book.
Perhaps you decided to to the transaction at Amazon dot com, or Hot Book Sale dot com, or another site, where Smart Savings Center lurks behind the screen. Approximately 8 days or more after the deal, you'll be sounding like one of these folks who got ripped off by Smart Savings Center, not to mention me and my wife who fell victim to Smart Savings Center's sneaky scheme.
Click here to continue reading...
Perhaps you decided to to the transaction at Amazon dot com, or Hot Book Sale dot com, or another site, where Smart Savings Center lurks behind the screen. Approximately 8 days or more after the deal, you'll be sounding like one of these folks who got ripped off by Smart Savings Center, not to mention me and my wife who fell victim to Smart Savings Center's sneaky scheme.
Click here to continue reading...
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Should Obama Remain Silent on Middle East Conflict?
If you believe Israelis' claim, Hamas has been firing rockets into their homeland, and thus endangering, injuring, and killing Israeli civilians for more than 6 months. Accordingly, the Israelis say they had to respond to the national security threat posed by the hostile regime in Gaza.
If Israel is telling the truth in their claim, then, in light of such a severe security danger, one can't help but ask, "Why did Israel wait that long to take action against Hamas?"
One plausible answer might be that the Israelis were reluctant to endure a repeat of the Lebanon debacle, where the elite military all but got its butt kicked by Hezbollah in 2006, probably because Israel sought to fight a politically correct war, according to some pundits.
Click here to continue reading...
If Israel is telling the truth in their claim, then, in light of such a severe security danger, one can't help but ask, "Why did Israel wait that long to take action against Hamas?"
One plausible answer might be that the Israelis were reluctant to endure a repeat of the Lebanon debacle, where the elite military all but got its butt kicked by Hezbollah in 2006, probably because Israel sought to fight a politically correct war, according to some pundits.
Click here to continue reading...
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Strategies, Tips for Making and Keeping Your New Year's Resolution
Let's start with a couple of definitions.
The word "resolution" is the noun of the verb "resolve", to reach or make a strong decision about something. You may have noticed "solve" in "resolve", as you see "solution" in "resolution". When we say "resolution", as in NYR, we're talking about solving a problem in order to change a chosen area of your life.
A New Year's Resolution or NYR is a vow, promise or commitment you make on New Year's Eve or on New Year's Day to change a habit or do something different that will benefit you. Once made, the NYR remains in effect until you achieve or abandon it.
Click here to continue reading.
The word "resolution" is the noun of the verb "resolve", to reach or make a strong decision about something. You may have noticed "solve" in "resolve", as you see "solution" in "resolution". When we say "resolution", as in NYR, we're talking about solving a problem in order to change a chosen area of your life.
A New Year's Resolution or NYR is a vow, promise or commitment you make on New Year's Eve or on New Year's Day to change a habit or do something different that will benefit you. Once made, the NYR remains in effect until you achieve or abandon it.
Click here to continue reading.
Having a Great Personality: Why Your Appearance Counts So Much
"It's what's in the heart that counts."
That's true … especially for the person saying it, and for few others who take time to look past the outside of the person speaking those words.
But for the vast majority of people, "what's in the heart" matters not much, not obviously. And it is these normal people that you may have to live with and relate to most of your life. So it matters what they think of you. If how they see you differs greatly from how you see yourself, you may have a serious problem.
While "God looks at the heart", people do not see your heart. People look at you, unless they are visually impaired or legally blind.
Click here to continue reading.
That's true … especially for the person saying it, and for few others who take time to look past the outside of the person speaking those words.
But for the vast majority of people, "what's in the heart" matters not much, not obviously. And it is these normal people that you may have to live with and relate to most of your life. So it matters what they think of you. If how they see you differs greatly from how you see yourself, you may have a serious problem.
While "God looks at the heart", people do not see your heart. People look at you, unless they are visually impaired or legally blind.
Click here to continue reading.
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