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The Last Temptation of Christ

2010-01-02T20:44:31Z

JustinSatyr: Correction on author-director confusion

'''''The Last Temptation of Christ''''' is a film released in 1988 based on a novel by the same name. Adapted from the book of the same name written by Nikos Kazantzakis, the film was directed by [[Martin Scorsese]] and stars Willem Dafoe as [[Jesus]] Christ and Harvey Keitel as [[Judas]] Iscariot. Emphasizing the aspect of Jesus as human, the film shows him as a bit of a bumbling buffoon whom the Pharisees run circles around. It also has him make pantheistic statements about God being in all things. Due to its blasphemous nature, it was heavily protested when it first came out. The film did not do well at the box office, but has been a favorite of secular [[Hollywood Values|Hollywood]] and is shown relatively often on movie channels.

The Film covers Jesus's ministry years, including his acquisition of apostles, and his temptations in the desert, up until his crucifixion. It portrays Judas as a hero.

The events of the film deviate from scripture in many points, but two are noted here. First, Judas is asked by Jesus to betray him, and in the film, Judas is the only Apostle loyal enough to turn Jesus in. The second involves Jesus's last moments on the cross. While on the cross, Satan appears to Jesus in the form of a little girl. [[Satan]] tells Jesus that he is not the son of God, and offers him a chance to live a normal life. Believing the child is an angel, Jesus accepts and begins his new life married to [[Mary Magdalene]]. Jesus continues to live his life following the advice of Satan, still in the form of a little girl, until while on his deathbed, Judas visits him and accuses him of betraying the 12. Realizing that the little girl is in fact the Devil, Jesus begs God to let him make things right. The movie ends with Jesus back on the cross, claiming that "It is accomplished."

[[category:movies]]

Talk:Liberal myths

2009-12-26T19:38:49Z

JustinSatyr:

How about the claim that a fetus is not a human? Or is that not quite what we're going for here? [[User:DanH|DanH]] 23:30, 23 September 2007 (EDT)

I normally try to stay away from discussion on these sorts of pages, but I'm very uncomfortable with the "motivation" part of the first few entries. Personally I'd rather have the motivation removed from this entry and discussed on the relevant article page, but a comprimise would be to give each bullet point it's own section with a full discussion. Thoughts? [[User:HelpJazz|HelpJazz]] 00:30, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

==I'm ripping this apart one by one==

'The claim of a population explosion (motivation: promote abortion)'

The population went from 3 billion from around the time of the second Vatican Council to over 6 billion now. Is that not an explosion in your eyes?

'The claim that people today are smarter than in prior centuries (motivation: to make famous Christians look dumb)'

Not smarter, more educated. The whole sum of knowledge a human being will never know is beyond our comprehension, but at least the amount of knowledge we do not know as a whole is decreasing. In other words, we have so much more knowledge in our hands today than we used to have. It was not a matter of intelligence, it was a matter of education. Without universal education and the abilitity to read and write, the people didn't have the opportunities to be what they are today. Its not a Liberal Myth, its a simple fact. People were less educated in the past than they are now.

'The claim that the Apostles were all illiterate (motivation: to portray them as dumb)'

As far as I am aware most of them were blue collar guys with no need for a formal education. Actually, the overwhelming majority of people back then could not read or write. So yes, it is most likely they were illiterate.

'The claim of extraterrestrial life (motivation: deny that man was created in God's image)'

You are once again politicising science, which is just stupid. The claim of extraterrestrial life is a bold one; we have no evidence other than a mathematically calculated probability that there isn't.

'The claim that the Bush tax cuts substantially reduced 2006 revenues and expanded the budget deficit.'

Bush's tax cuts did decrease revenues. Show me a graph or something. Your deficit is exploding man... Get a grip.

'The claim that the Bush tax cuts have not helped the economy.'

I think its more to do with Bush not being able to help the economy.

'Man-made Global Warming.[1]'

There are three steps to conservatism. 1) Denying the science behind passive smoking. 2) Denying the science behind Climate Change. 3) Promoting Creationism in '''Science classes'''. I'll never be able to persuade you about the lunacy of that point above. [[User:Graham|Graham]] 07:13, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

:Your definition of conservatism is rather poor, indeed. When one is arguing that there is too much rhetoric in another's argument, one should be careful to keep the rhetoric out of one's own argument, no? [[User:HelpJazz|HelpJazz]] 09:44, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

I was mainly joking about that. Its a caricature of the extreme right. Denying Climate Change is just one step on the ladder of that infamous caricature... [[User:Graham|Graham]] 09:53, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

== Okay, I'm ripping you a new one! ==

Here you go, sport!

''"The claim that the Bush tax cuts substantially reduced 2006 revenues and expanded the budget deficit."''

Critics tirelessly contend that America's swing from budget surpluses in 1998–2001 to a $247 billion budget deficit in 2006 resulted chiefly from the "irresponsible" Bush tax cuts. This argument ignores the historic spending increases that pushed federal spending up from 18.5 percent of GDP in 2001 to 20.2 percent in 2006.[4]
[[Image:Chart1 lg.gif|thumb|right|300px]]
The best way to measure the swing from surplus to deficit is by comparing the pre–tax cut budget baseline of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) with what actually happened. While the January 2000 baseline projected a 2006 budget surplus of $325 billion, the final 2006 numbers showed a $247 billion deficit—a net drop of $572 billion. This drop occurred because spending was $514 billion above projected levels, and revenues were $58 billion below (even after $188 billion in tax cuts). In other words, 90 percent of the swing from surplus to deficit resulted from higher-than-projected spending, and only 10 percent resulted from lower-than-projected revenues.[5] (See Chart 1. [http://www.heritage.org/Research/Taxes/bg2001.cfm]

:From an conservative economic standpoint, Bush still deserves mediocre or poor grades. It's true that the budget is Congress' department, but has Bush done anything to curb spending and cut down on pork? Did he ever use his veto as Reagan did? while we can start to shift some of the blame to the Democrats now, we can't escape the fact that for six years republicans controlled both Congress and the White House, and it during that time that these deficits emerged. The sad fact is that politicians love to spend other peoples money. even those who rail against it tend to change their tune when its their turn. Clinton was lucky that he had surpluses during his tenure. Bush doesn't have the tech bubble, and Clinton didn't have a war on terror, even though after the World Trade center and embassy bombings he really should have. Bush is in a more difficult situtation, but the inabaility of ALL partys to curb spending is shameful. as for whether or not the bush tax cuts substantially desreased revenue, I guess it depends on what one considers substantial. is 58 billion substantial? I guess in this context it isnt so much, but considering 58 billion an unsubstantial amount of money is one reason why there is so little fiscal responsibility today. as for the point below, yes the tax cuts did help the economy, as they generally do. The deficits are still troubling, though. does no one remember those hopeful days in 1994 when Republicans talked of not just a balanced budget, but a balanced budget amendment? Why does no one even mention the term balanced budget or fiscal responsibility any more? [[User:AuH2O|AuH2O]]
::Libertarians do ;-) [[User:HelpJazz|HelpJazz]] 10:07, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

''"The claim that the Bush tax cuts have not helped the economy..."''

The 2003 tax cuts lowered income, capital gains, and dividend tax rates. These policies were designed to increase market incentives to work, save, and invest, thus creating jobs and increasing economic growth. An analysis of the six quarters before and after the 2003 tax cuts (a short enough time frame to exclude the 2001 recession) shows that this is exactly what happened (see Table 3):
[[Image:Table 3 lg.gif|thumb|right|300px]]
* GDP grew at an annual rate of just 1.7 percent in the six quarters before the 2003 tax cuts. In the six quarters following the tax cuts, the growth rate was 4.1 percent.
* Non-residential fixed investment declined for 13 consecutive quarters before the 2003 tax cuts. Since then, it has expanded for 13 consecutive quarters.
* The S&P 500 dropped 18 percent in the six quarters before the 2003 tax cuts but increased by 32 percent over the next six quarters. Dividend payouts increased as well.
* The economy lost 267,000 jobs in the six quarters before the 2003 tax cuts. In the next six quarters, it added 307,000 jobs, followed by 5 million jobs in the next seven quarters.
* The economy lost 267,000 jobs in the six quarters before the 2003 tax cuts. In the next six quarters, it added 307,000 jobs, followed by 5 million jobs in the next seven quarters.[16]
Critics contend that the economy was already recovering and that this strong expansion would have occurred even without the tax cuts. While some growth was naturally occurring, '''critics do not explain why such a sudden and dramatic turnaround began at the exact moment that these pro-growth policies were enacted.''' They do not explain why business investment, the stock market, and job numbers suddenly turned around in spring 2003. It is no coincidence that the expansion was powered by strong investment growth, exactly as the tax cuts intended.

The 2003 tax cuts succeeded because of the supply-side policies that critics most oppose: cuts in marginal income tax rates and tax cuts on capital gains and dividends. The 2001 tax cuts that were based more on demand-side tax rebates and redistribution did not significantly increase economic growth.[http://www.heritage.org/Research/Taxes/bg2001.cfm]
--[[User:TK|şŷŝôρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|Ṣρёаќǃ]] 07:55, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

:Although I would readily agree that sometimes tax cuts can be great for an economy - a budget deficit is most certainly not. Bush's irresponsible 'spending without raising' policies have led to the current deficit, something which is helping fuel the economies of the likes of Saudi Arabia, Japan etc. who are buying your government bonds to help make ends meet! Its a nasty little circle. Your charts were lovely though :-) [[User:Graham|Graham]] 09:55, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

*When you are refuted, have the good grace to accept defeat. Don't respond with more ''talking points'' from moveon or daily kos. Most responsible economists would never say all budget deficits are bad. And again, read the Constitution! '''Presidents cannot appropriate money!''' That was, 75% of the time since FDR, a liberal, Democrat-controlled Congress. --[[User:TK|şŷŝôρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|Ṣρёаќǃ]] 17:36, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

First of all I don't read Move on or Daily Kos. I stick to reading the Irish Times, if anything (The Centre-Right paper in my country) or the Economist when I want a more Liberal perspective on things.

Presidents do not appropriate money - but they can veto. Add to this the fact there was a Republican Congress, the President could have balanced the Budget. The fact that he did not is a testament to his lack of fiscal responsibility. [[User:Graham|Graham]] 17:41, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

P-S Going all Keynesian (deficit spending) on me TK!?? I might have expected that from a crusty old Liberal like myself but you... :-O [[User:Graham|Graham]] 17:43, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

P.P.S - I said his tax cuts did decrease revenues... And you continued to show me a chart proving that 10% of the deficit is down to the cuts... What am I supposed to concede!??? [[User:Graham|Graham]] 17:53, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

== Fetus rights ==

'''The claim that a fetus is not a living being with rights.'''

I've been going over our own rights and I have to say, it's tough to give them to a fetus.

:1st: While a good idea, they don't really talk much. And besides, if they have the right to free speech, their host mothers won't have any rest.
:2nd: While I personally am all for gun rights, over here I'll make an exception. The recoil of a gun can harm fetus', besides, the exit wound on the mother would be awful.
:3rd: There really isn't any room in the womb for soldiers, besides, I doubt they would be stationed there.
:4th: What exactly would they be looking for anyway, the charges would be dismissed for a lack of probable cause.
:5th: Like I said they don't talk much. Due process isn't really applicable
:6th: Might apply, without a speedy trial, after birth it's as if their in a new jurisdiction.
:7th: Jury of his peers would be tough, fetuses are always trying to get out of jury duty by saying they're too young to register.
:8th: Bail them out, huh? How do they get transported to prison in the first place, (I agree that the cruel and unusual punishment part applies though).
:9th: Need a joke for this one.
:10th: Here too.

A belated Aprils fool day gift.

'''---[[user:DLerner]]---''' 11:36, 9 April 2008 (EDT)

== Unilateral action ==

As I understand if Jpatt, you are saying that the US should not be restricted from acting unilaterally should the situation demand it. This is not helped by then pointing out a situation that some people think is unilateral was not unilateral (if anything it tends to show the exact opposite of the point you're trying to make.
Also it is a liberal myth that the US acted unilaterally in Iraq.--[[User:MCrowe|MCrowe]] 18:24, 29 July 2008 (EDT)

: go ahead and change to "that the US acted unilaterally in Iraq". It sounds better than what I have up there.--[[User:Jpatt|jp]] 18:28, 29 July 2008 (EDT)

==Pruning Needed==

I keep seeing unreferenced items being added to this page, and it's reading more and more like an essay instead of an encyclopedia article. I'm going to remove the following items unless someone can provide sources backing them up:

* The claim that the population has increased by a large amount.
::''Population growth is a documented fact, not a myth. Whether or not it's "over" population is more debatable.''
* The claim that people today are more knowledgeable than in prior centuries.
::''Between 1870 and 1950, the average American’s level of education rose by 0.8 years per decade.[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/opinion/29brooks.html?em&ex=1217563200&en=e296ab54d60b33ed&ei=5087%0A] In 1890, the average adult had completed about 8 years of schooling. By 1960, it was nearly 14 years.''
* The claim that the Bush tax cuts substantially reduced 2006 revenues and expanded the budget deficit.
::''His administration announced on 7/28/2008 that they are leaving a record deficit for the next president.''
* The claim that the Bush tax cuts have not helped the economy.
::''We are in a near-recession if not in one already, and at historic levels of national debt and budget deficits''
* The claim to support the rights of women, never mention the oppressed women in Muslim countries.
::''Bush and other conservatives have not taken any Arab allies to task over this, either.''
* The claim that enabling oil drilling will not reduce energy prices.
::''In the near term it doestn't, and this has been verified by conservative economists and backed by the Wall Street Journal''
* The claim that same-sex couple adoptions can replace the love from a mother and a father.
::''No proof provided for this subjective claim''
* The claim that an individuals sexual preference needs to be a protected civil right.
::''This is a political position, not a myth
* The claim that President Bush lied about WMD in Iraq to grab oil.
::''This is an irrational conspiracy theory, not a liberal one.''
* The claim that the 9/11 terrorists attacks were an inside job by the USA.
::''This is an irrational conspiracy theory, not a liberal one.''
* The claim that Foreign Intelligence & Surveillance Act (FISA) is for spying on Americans.
::''The issue is that because of FISA, there is no need for warrantless wiretaps.''
* The claim that bigger government will benefit its' citizens.
::''Bush bloated government spending, and in his first four years never vetoed a big-spending bill sent to him by the Republican-controlled Congress''
* The claim that military recruits are poor and uneducated.
::''This is being retained, but during Bush's administration the number of felony waivers granted to hit recruiting goals shot way up. The military is accepting arsonists, thieves and sexual abusers because it can't meet its quotas otherwise.''
* The claim that going on the offense against terrorists creates more terrorists.
::''The claim is that going after terrorists ''dishonorably'' creates more terrorists.''
* The claim that terrorism should be handled by law enforcement.
::''As opposed to who? No one suggests the military is not right either.''
* The claim that the USA should negotiate with rogue nations and terror groups.
::''Bush has negotiated with Libya and North Korea to achieve progress''
* The claim that socialism is a better than a capitalism.
::''Not a liberal belief, and no source was provided to the contrary''

:: -[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 10:44, 30 July 2008 (EDT)

:::Not all have to be cited and some of these are going back up. Curious to why you feel some need citations yet you didn't remove all without citations. I will go point to point on each of your accusations. When a article has a disclaimer, not enough citations, removing them sort of defeats the purpose. Even though you gave a day for a reply.--[[User:Jpatt|jp]] 17:11, 31 July 2008 (EDT)

(Unindent)

I was trying to be respectful and solicit feedback before the pruning, and I chose that term for a reason. I wasn't looking to wipe the entire page, and left uncited points which were not as clearly out of place as the ones I was removing. I also gave a brief explanation for why I believed each trimmed point should be removed. What I'd ask is that before any are put back, they are cited, or the reason why they don't need to be cited briefly explained.

I know people get sensitive when any edits are made to a ''"Liberal ----"'' article, so when I contemplate changes I keep it fair, and think about how people would want a corresponding ''"Conservative ----"'' article to read. With that in mind, please apply the same consideration to the quality and validation of additions here. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 17:56, 31 July 2008 (EDT)

==New Sources Added==

Thanks for adding the new sources, Jpatt. I'm not adding any more edits to this article myself, because I've been reverted twice in the past 24 hours, and the comments on this from ASchlafly left no doubt as to how anything but additional support for the current list would be regarded.

That said, I'll leave with a constructive suggestion. This page is about alleged liberal myths, and in order to establish that something is a myth you generally need to show two things: first, that there's a statement someone believes, and second, that the statement is clearly untrue, or at least in doubt. The problems with the sources you've added are that you're either picking isolated examples (Nancy Pelosi does not represent all liberals, just as Ted Haggard does not represent all conservatives), or they just show a liberal view without showing why that view's a myth. Some specifics:

:*When Bush and McCain supported the rollback on offshore drilling bans, conservative economists and the Wall Street Journal panned this as ineffective gimmickry. How is this a myth, then?

:*How is the idea that liberals support womens' rights but don't speak out against womens' rights in Muslim countries a myth? If it was true it would be hypocrisy, but not a myth. The source cited is for the ACLU Women's Right project, and by definition the ACLU is focused on American rights issues, not global ones, so the plight of women in other nations is not in their official scope. Finally, for this to be a liberal myth it would only apply to liberals, but there's no proof of conservatives, particularly the Bush administration and its concern for relations with Arab allies, making this an issue.

::It is a myth, because feminists in this country always complain they have less rights, when in fact they make up a higher precentage of the colleges than men, feminists always complain about every little thing in the USA, when worldwide women are treated horribly versus in the USA where women are treated as equals, feminists if anything should be complaining about how women are treated by muslims, but they don't, they just get more radical. They try doing stupid things like renaming man hole covers to person hole covers -- [[Image:50 star flag.png|12px]] [[User:Deborah|Deborah]] [[Special:Contributions/Deborah|(contributions)]] [[User_talk:Deborah|(talk)]]
[[Special:Emailuser/Deborah | email me]] 16:39, 1 August 2008 (EDT)

:::Deborah, while you're entitled to your views, speaking out for rights in the USA while not focusing on rights elsewhere still doesn't make this a "myth" - at worst it's either a myopic focus or at the extreme, hypocrisy. To claim it's a myth would be like claiming the civil rights movement in the 1950's was a liberal myth because it focused on issues in the USA while ignoring apartheid in South Africa. As I pointed out, you don't see George Bush using his connections and influence with Arab leaders like the Saudi Royal family to continually pressure them to let women drive, vote or walk alone unescorted - these are not good things in our view, but it's not our country/culture, so our influence is limited. Choosing to focus on domestic issues, where change is more feasible, doesn't make it a myth. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 11:33, 3 August 2008 (EDT)

:*You've added a cite for why some feel that same-sex couple adoptions can replace the love from a mother and a father, but nothing to show why this is a myth.

:*If "an individuals sexual preference needs to be a protected civil right" is a liberal myth, then why do conservatives like McCain accept the concept of civil unions as an alternative to gay marriage, since the purpose of the former is to offer rights and protections to homosexuals under the law without sanctioning gay marriage itself?
::McCain is a right-leaning, he is an environmentalist, remember [[Huckabee]], is a better example of a conservative than [[McCain]] -- [[Image:50 star flag.png|12px]] [[User:Deborah|Deborah]] [[Special:Contributions/Deborah|(contributions)]] [[User_talk:Deborah|(talk)]]
[[Special:Emailuser/Deborah | email me]] 16:33, 1 August 2008 (EDT)
::: In October 2004, George W. Bush came out in [http://www.americablog.com/2006/10/breaking-new-jersey-sup-ct-adopts.html support] of civil unions instead of gay marriage, albeit on a state-by-state basis, because he recognized the legitimacy of people needing equal rights under the law:
::::"I view the definition of marriage different from legal arrangements that enable people to have rights. And I strongly believe that marriage ought to be defined as between a union between a man and a woman. Now, having said that, states ought to be able to have the right to pass laws that enable people to be able to have rights like others."
:::-[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 11:37, 3 August 2008 (EDT)

:*You used a socialist reference, not a liberal one, to support the item about WMD in Iraq being about grabbing oil.
::Socialists are liberals by definition, I know socialists and communists they all vote Democrat -- [[Image:50 star flag.png|12px]] [[User:Deborah|Deborah]] [[Special:Contributions/Deborah|(contributions)]] [[User_talk:Deborah|(talk)]]
[[Special:Emailuser/Deborah | email me]] 16:33, 1 August 2008 (EDT)
:::That's not a valid premise - fascists are a subset of conservatives, and would vote that way too, but I would never use the views of fascists to represent conservatives because it's misleading to use extreme minority views to represent the views of the majority. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 11:41, 3 August 2008 (EDT)
:::: Deborah - by definition, any "socialists and communists" you know that vote Democrat are not what they say they are - they're Democrats. No actual Socialist or Communist would vote for a centre-right party - they have their own parties to vote for, after all. [[User:EngelUmpocker|EngelUmpocker]] 13:21, 3 August 2008 (EDT)

I could go on, but since I've been told these need to stay, any added examples are a waste of time. Good luck with the article, and thanks for trying at least. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 13:22, 1 August 2008 (EDT)

: No, that's not what you were told. I asked you to make an effort to look for citations, some of which are easy-to-find, rather than simply deleting (censoring) something you disagreed with. Many of the myths are obvious and cannot seriously be denied to be liberal myths. This is not Wikipedia where liberal editors run around quickly deleting truths they don't like by claiming they are unsupported.

: Deborah's analysis about feminists above is superb, and I can add that women in the United States live on average far longer than men, which is hardly a sign of suppression and victimization.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 17:52, 1 August 2008 (EDT)

::Trustworthy Encyclopedia are not built by filling pages with unsupported statements and then expecting others to do the work of validating them - I'm assuming that this is why Conservapedia Commandments #1 and #2 were created, and place at the top of the list. Also, women living longer than men on average is about biology, not suppression and victimization. Women also live longer in India, Iran and Saudi Arabia, so I'd hardly say that using life expectancy as a measure of the ''quality'' of life is valid. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 11:50, 3 August 2008 (EDT)

Let me first say that I do not expect to have all the answers and I am wrong as much as I am right. With that said, I will try to answer some of your questions.

''"When Bush and McCain supported the rollback on offshore drilling bans, conservative economists and the Wall Street Journal panned this as ineffective gimmickry. How is this a myth, then? "''

Well, it is a liberal myth that we will get pennies on the dollar twenty years from now with offshore drilling. Though Pelosi said it, many in her own party have taken her stand. Also, many of her party feel vulnerable on this issue and support drilling less face the rath of voters. Conservatives say inneffective gimmickry, then somebody will have a list of conservative myths too. The myth is drilling doesn't lower prices. Proof? none. We will only know if it happens. My belief is that as soon as we announce to the world that the USA will use all resources available, the price drops without a pint of oil extracted. Also, 10 years till extraction is another myth. I read that we have hundreds of offshore wells idled by law. One year is all it will take to restart those platforms.
::"Proof? None." Sounds like the idea that permitting drilling will lower prices right away is a myth, too. Seriously, the issue is also one of demand, not just supply. It doesn't matter ''where'' oil is produced from - as long as demand from China, India and elsewhere continues to grow, the oil will go to the highest bidder. We do get more jobs out of it, though. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 12:00, 3 August 2008 (EDT)

''"How is the idea that liberals support womens' rights but don't speak out against womens' rights in Muslim countries a myth?"''

I see your point. It is more hypocrisy then myth. The ACLU is probaly not a good example (American only). If I search through human rights orgs, they list women in other countries. If I was to pick all liberal orgs, they would be focused on American women's rights and not other womens from other countries. I refer you to Deborahs conclusion.

::Please refer to my response to Deborah. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 12:00, 3 August 2008 (EDT)

''"You've added a cite for why some feel that same-sex couple adoptions can replace the love from a mother and a father, but nothing to show why this is a myth."''

The liberal groups will say studies show that same-sex couples are just as capable as heterosexual couples to raise kids. If that is their belief, than they assume that the love they provide is the same as hetero couples. How do you measure love? If you look at the beginning of mankind, it was a mother and a father. That was the ultimate measure. Now it has been refined. It is a myth that two same-sex'ers can replace all that a child needs.

::"How do you measure love? " I think you just made by point for me, because the quality of the love one receives has nothing to do with who they get it from. There's no qualification requirement to be a good parent, and sadly, too many kids in "traditional" families get a rough start in life from poor parenting. Adoptive parents go through screening that biological parents never have to face, so if they pass, and are willing to share their lives and love with kids in need, why stop them over idology and have the kids stay in orphanages and foster homes as a result? Surely ''that's'' not in the child's best interest. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 12:00, 3 August 2008 (EDT)

''"If an individuals sexual preference needs to be a protected civil right" is a liberal myth, then why do conservatives like McCain accept the concept of civil unions as an alternative"''

First, it is forced on them over the years. They were not offering protections until the minority clamored for it. I can't answer for McCain. All I can say is that is my belief that they deserve zero rights. That their sexual preference should not be public knowledge. If not public, than not an issue. Gay activist deliberately push the envelope to stake their high ground so as to feel as normal as their neighbors.

:: See my response to Deborah. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 12:00, 3 August 2008 (EDT)

''"You used a socialist reference, not a liberal one, to support the item about WMD in Iraq "'' I will come up with additional sources. I agree with Deborah that liberal ideals are just socialism; universal health, extensive government mandates, fairness doctrine, etc. You could claim that moderate liberals don't feel that way. That it is all the concept of the far-left. It is sorta unfair but the definition of liberal has been driven by the [[New Democrats]]. I prefer and honor the liberals of the 1950's and earlier, if you could even call them liberal. As of the 21st
century, socialist ideaology mimicks liberal ideaology.

:: See my response to Deborah. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 12:00, 3 August 2008 (EDT)

''"The problems with the sources you've added are that you're either picking isolated examples"''
Further study would prove that it is not isolated but mainstream liberal thinking.--[[User:Jpatt|jp]] 20:46, 1 August 2008 (EDT)

::Not based on the sources you chose. Try some more mainstream sources and see if you get the same results. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 12:00, 3 August 2008 (EDT)

==Oil Drilling==

I'm not starting another edit war, but come on - drilling does not provide energy security, because oil is a finite resource, and in free markets it will always go to the highest bidder. If an American oil company drills on American territory, they will still sell it to China or India if they pay more than anyone else, so unless demand freezes or goes down more drilling does not equal more energy security. All it does is postpone the inevitable, because sometime this century it will either run out or become so expensive due to supply & demand forces that it can't be used to the degree it is today. That's not a liberal myth, it's the reality of conservative economics. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 19:41, 7 August 2008 (EDT)

: I don't understand why you can't see that. If we drill our own oil, then we don't send $700 billion abroad to countries that don't care for us. The argument states that even if we didn't drop the price of gas one nickle, we have just secured America from financing nations that wish us harm.--[[User:Jpatt|jp]] 19:45, 7 August 2008 (EDT)

::You equated oil drilling with ''energy'' security, not ''economic'' security. If we drill it and then sell it to other nations that bid more, the profits go to the shareholders of the companies that produced the oil. Sure we get jobs, and even some tax revenue but drilling more of a finite resource now just accelerates its depletion - security comes from developing long term alternatives. A true fiscal conservative thinks and plans long term like Warren Buffet, instead of focusing on short-term gains like Donald Trump. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 20:17, 7 August 2008 (EDT)

:::Economic security via energy or energy security via economics? Your point rightfully taken if you mean energy security by means of energy independence and the use of alternatives. The fact remains, the long term includes oil unfortunately unless the long term also includes the replacement of oil in every area, not just energy.--[[User:Jpatt|jp]] 20:55, 7 August 2008 (EDT)

::::I'm just pointing out that energy security won't come from drilling, so it should be removed from the myth-list. Unfortunately, it also won't come from economics either, which helps determine which options are feasible in varying conditions, but doesn't create any solutions in and of itself. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 21:00, 7 August 2008 (EDT)

::::: I'm just pointing out that energy security won't come from drilling is a myth--[[User:Jpatt|jp]] 21:04, 7 August 2008 (EDT)

::::::Before we conclude that, one question. How much oil do we expect to get from increased drilling?--[[User:Frey|Frey]] 20:55, 10 October 2008 (EDT)
::::::It's a simple question. Anyone?--[[User:Frey|Frey]] 09:58, 3 November 2008 (EST)

==War on Terror==

The new reference is appreciated, but this is still not a myth. First off, Bush is taking Obama's comments out of context and twisting it to sound like civil prosecution after an attack is an adequate way to address terrorism. That's not Obama's position, as this more comprehensive reference [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/20/national/main4366366.shtml shows]. What Obama was talking about is that instead of locking up enemy combatants for years outside of civil law and without due process, waiting for military tribunals while bogus confessions are extracted under harsh interrogation, we could have prosecuted them fairly and quickly, and have them serving justly-deserved sentences in jail today. Obama has long called for stepping up our activity against the terrorists who actually attacked us at their power bases in Afghanistan and the Pakistani border, instead of diverting resources on the fiasco in Iraq. That is hardly "relying on law enforcement", and Bush doesn't mention it because a Pentagon-funded study by the Rand Group published in July concluded that the Bush strategy for fighting the war on terror has, like so many of his other policies, [http://chinadaily.com.cn/world/2008-07/31/content_6893272.htm been unsuccessful]. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 14:28, 20 August 2008 (EDT)

==Red Meat==

how is this a liberal myth? it's an undisputable fact that it takes less net energy to grow plants than to grow livestock. {{unsigned|Michaeljw}}

:Presumably the "myth" part isn't the amount of energy it takes to raise livestock, but the fact that we should be eating less to combat climate change. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 13:56, 6 October 2008 (EDT)

==Clarification needed==

Not trying to "rip apart one by one" or anything, just hoping that whoever added the claims below could clarify them a bit.

"people today are more knowledgeable than in prior centuries."

:Knowledge as in the total knowledge of mankind or the knowledge of an average individual? Something else?

"an individuals sexual preference needs to be a protected civil right."

:Is this not an opinion? The source seems to be dead so I'm not quite sure about the context.

"atheists are just as moral as Christians who regularly go to a church, or, in some cases, atheists are morally superior."

:The article "[[moral]]" says: "each groups sees their sets of morals as supreme." Doesn't this sort of render the claim axiomatic, false if seen from Christian point of view, true if seen from atheist point of view?

"we should eat less red meat in order to combat climate change."

:The "we should" part sounds like an opinion again. How is it not?

"They claim that humans and apes have a common ancestor"

:I take it someone claims certainty, who? A theory certainly exists and, as far as I know, hasn't been proven false.

--[[User:Tmb|Tmb]] 11:32, 6 November 2008 (EST)

==Nation of Islam==
Myth: Nation of Islam is seperate from Islam. It is not a religion but it is 100% tied with Islam, hence the name Islam. Do their members enforce Sharia, no. Do their members travel to Mecca? I don't know. The fact remains, it is not seperate and they are tied by a common ideology- Islam. It may be more akin to an organization such as the Knights of Columbus. But KOC is tied to Christianity just as NOI is tied to Islam.--'''Jpatt'''[[User:Jpatt| ]] 12:47, 12 November 2008 (EST)

*The [[Nation of Islam]] preaches adherence to the Five Pillars of the Islamic Faith: shahadah, or profession of faith; salat, or prayer, five times daily facing toward [[Mecca]]; zakat, charity to the poor; sawm, fasting during the holy month of [[Ramadan]]; and [[hajj]], a pilgrimage to Mecca required of every Muslim financially and physically able to go, at least once in his or her lifetime.

So it seems NOI is related to Islam, in the sense of having some ideas and practices in common. The question is whether either group identifies with the other. That is, does NOI claim to be Muslim (or part of Islam)? And - a separate question - does Islam accept/repudiate NOI? --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 12:55, 12 November 2008 (EST)
:Hsmom explains it pretty clearly on the Obama talk page, I think [http://www.conservapedia.com/Talk:Barack_Obama#Nation_of_Islam]. NOI is based on, but separate from Islam. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 13:00, 12 November 2008 (EST)
::There is no overarching authority in Islam, no Muslim Pope to excommunicate heretics, so even if other Islamic sects denounce NoI, that doesn't mean it is not Islamic. [[User:Bugler|Bugler]] 13:06, 12 November 2008 (EST)
::: Well.. sort of. It adheres to some non quranic doctrines. Most particular their belief that the messiah already came in the 20TH century. They also believe in miscegenation and segregation which are very un-muslim. It is a racial movement, not religious. They believe that people alive today should still be held accountable for slavery that ended 150 years ago, and that they should be provided for by their ANCESTORS' owners to create their own nation. Its very much not Islam. [http://www.noi.org/muslim_program.htm Their version of Islam] [[User:EternalCritic|EternalCritic]] 13:15, 12 November 2008 (EST)
:::::::''They also believe in miscegenation and segregation which are very un-muslim'' But so did the Reform Church in South Africa. When examining whether the NoI is or isn't Islamic, we should put to one side its secular political beliefs, and concentrate on the theology. [[User:Bugler|Bugler]] 13:24, 12 November 2008 (EST)

They are indeed a very politically active movement, but given their theological beliefs, "non-religious" would be a stretch.

We could say, roughly, that they are about as [[Islamic]] as the [[Mormons]] or [[Moonies]] are [[Christian]]. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 13:18, 12 November 2008 (EST)

:On that basis, I'd like to nominate this for removal from the list, as whether some people view them as seperate, or the same is clearly not a relation to liberalism, simply an amalgamous mission statement with extremist views in harmony or disharmony with islam at various points. [[User:EternalCritic|EternalCritic]] 13:22, 12 November 2008 (EST)

::You misunderstand me: I consider Mormons to be Christian despite their rejection by the mainstream of Christianity. Same for [[Unification Church|my church]]. Thus it is not true that ''Nation of Islam is seperate from Islam the religion''.

::If liberals want to point out the actual differences while acknowledging the similarities, that is okay. But denying that there's any connection at all there is just as deceitful as saying that natural causes didn't warm up the earth's atmosphere between [[ice ages]]. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 13:29, 12 November 2008 (EST)

::: I'm sorry, but I think I stated that poorly. . What I said was that, because the misunderstanding is based on their ideology, not on the political stance of the reader, then calling it a liberal myth is inaccurate, so it does not belong on the list of liberal myths. [[User:EternalCritic|EternalCritic]] 13:32, 12 November 2008 (EST)

Do "liberals" really try to suggest that NOI is completely unrelated to Islam? I think the claim usually made (as evidenced on this talk page) is that NOI is not ''part'' of Islam. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 17:28, 12 November 2008 (EST)

== This is getting a little frustrating ==

Are we just making up formatting rules now? Can someone explain to me how the current version of the page makes any sense? [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 16:36, 16 November 2008 (EST)
:I like it, it stresses the relevant information before all the examples start. --[[User:Drunk|Drunk]] 16:41, 16 November 2008 (EST)
::It looks ugly (the letters overlap) and it follows the formatting of no other article on this site. Ed, you protected the article, could you comment please? [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 16:44, 16 November 2008 (EST)

*This is not so much an article, but a informational list. The salient information, in the first paragraph is, and always should be, a header. Articles are different, and we format them so. Would I be remiss in reminding HelpJazz that I was among those in on the origins of this article, with Andy? You were given blocking rights, Jazz, to be able to fight vandals, not decide policy or met out punishments. Do you dispute that fact? --[[User:TK|₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|/Talk]] 17:03, 16 November 2008 (EST)

::I agree with HelpJazz on this. In its current state it looks terrible. TOC is right at the top, which is best avoided, the section header is overly long, which isn't very reader-friendly, & it uses the largest size of header, which overlaps with the underline & makes it look like a strikethrough. Maybe some header is needed for the list section of the article, but this isn't a good way of doing it. [[User:Sideways|Sideways]] 17:16, 16 November 2008 (EST)

:::So we should make it look ugly because it's a "list"? That doesn't make any sense. And who says it's a list and not an article ''with'' a list?
:::You created it? First of all, I was also "among those in on the origins of the article" (Edit number 6). Second of all, so what? This is a community effort, and anyone who creates an article does so with the mind that other editors will edit it.
:::The fact is, this just looks ugly, and it doesn't match any of the other articles. If we want to have hodge-podge formatting then sure, just go ahead and delete the MoS. But then every editor gets to decide how they randomly format, not just one editor. But think about this: do you think anyone would take Encyclopedia Brittanica seriously if every article was formatted a different way? I rather doubt it.
:::Ed, could you ''please'' comment on this? You have protected the article and now have changed it twice. Could we work together here? [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 18:32, 16 November 2008 (EST)

=Frustration is the negation of elation=

Life is meant to be a song of joy. Whenever we reach a goal, we feel elated; we feel in sync with the song of life. But whenever we are prevented from reaching our goals, we may succumb to frustration. We may feel annoyed and irritable. But since frustration negates happiness, it doesn't make any sense to give in to it.

Frustration is an emotion that can spiral downward. Here's what I mean. Larry graduated the university and got his first good job. Now he's looking for a girlfriend. He visits clubs and dance parties in the hope of getting a date. He's frustrated by his lack of success. The frustration he experiences drains his energy and puts him in a bad mood. The next time he goes to a club or dance, he lacks enthusiasm and is feeling negative even before he speaks. Not surprisingly, he meets with further rejection. Now he finds himself sinking into a downward spiral. Before long, he may find himself weighed down with anger, little confidence, and a sense of hopelessness.

If Larry experiences severe frustration, he may feel like a prisoner. The truth is, it is the ignorance of his own freedom that is holding him captive. What is the freedom that Larry is ignoring? The greatest freedom of all, which is the freedom of thought. Larry can change his thoughts. And if he does, it will result in a change in his feelings, behaviour, outcomes, and attitude.

Frustration has two meanings. One is the feeling of disappointment that some people get when they cannot have what they want. The second meaning is the obstruction of someone's plans or efforts. Frustration in the second sense is unavoidable. That is, some of our plans are bound to be thwarted. There's nothing we can do about that. It's the nature of life. For example, the same snow that covers the ski slopes may make the roads to them impassable. So, your skiing trip may be frustrated, but YOU don't have to be. You can just shrug your shoulders and say, "That's life." Accepting life is one of the secrets of avoiding frustration.

Let's return to Larry. He's still waiting for a date. How can we help him? Well, we can teach him the law of life that states: We have to give away what we wish to receive. What is it that Larry wishes to receive? He wants to be released from frustration. He wants a date! Everything will change for Larry when he stops thinking ME, ME, ME and starts thinking YOU, YOU, YOU.

He has to turn his attention from inward to outward. Why doesn't he use the pain of frustration and loneliness that he feels to empathize with the pain of others? The solution to his problem is pitifully simple. All he has to do is find the loneliest woman in the club or at the dance and ease her pain by inviting her to dance. Once he does so, the world changes. 1) Instead of spending another lonely night, he spends a pleasant evening with a lonely person. 2) Whether it develops into a relationship or not, he boosts his and her confidence. 3) He makes a new friend. 4) He develops a more positive attitude and grows more appealing. 5) As long as he continues thinking of others, he will continue to make new friends, eventually finding the woman of his dreams.

Let's see what we can learn from two more examples. Bob is speaking in a discussion group when he is suddenly interrupted. Bob says, "Excuse me, I get frustrated when someone interrupts me while I'm speaking." "Why are you angry?" another member asks Bob. "I'm not angry; I'm frustrated," Bob answers angrily. See how a little frustration can create tension?

I'm glad some people take assertiveness training. After all, no one wants to be manipulated or controlled by others. And once they learn how to defend themselves, they'll be able to defend the rights of others. That's the positive side of assertiveness training. But there can be better approaches. You see, assertiveness can reinforce one's feelings of self-importance. For example, although Bob worded his statement properly ("I feel frustrated when others interrupt me while I'm speaking."), the real meaning was, "Excuse me, what I have to say is more important than what you have to say, so please be quiet!"

But is anything I have to say more important than what you have to say? Even if what I have to say is worthwhile, it can't be so earth-shattering that it must be said NOW. Can't it wait for another moment? Even though it may not be proper etiquette to interrupt others, when viewed through the lens of compassion, disruptive behaviour may be seen as expressions of enthusiasm or a need for recognition.

So, when I'm interrupted, I can choose to grow frustrated or to grow. That is, I can choose to grow angry or accepting, impatient or understanding, and unsympathetic or compassionate. Why don't I reserve my assertiveness for defending the rights of others? Isn't that what Christ meant by meekness? He was meek when it came to defending Himself, but rigorous in defending others. When we take the meek approach, we not only help others, but we help ourselves, for in allowing them to speak, we give ourselves the opportunity to learn.

Let's look at a second example of how someone handles frustration. Laura's friend, Diana, called hoping to gain a sympathetic ear as she aired her problem. Laura was willing to help and listened as her friend poured out her feelings. Then along comes Timmy, Laura's ten-year-old. "Mom! Mom! Mom!" he says, interrupting. As Laura strains to hear Diana through the shouts of Timmy, she feels frustrated, and an urge to scold her son rises within her. However, being compassionate, she STOPS. Meanwhile, as Diana continues venting, Laura analyzes Timmy's situation.

Then, just as Diana ends a sentence, Laura says, "I understand how you feel. But Timmy is calling me now. Let me see what he wants; then, I'll get back to you. Talk to you soon." As Laura turns to face Timmy, she wonders why he interrupts her like that. That thought then triggers a possible explanation, for she thinks he may have learned that behaviour from her. So, rather than scolding Timmy and upsetting both, she does just the opposite.

"Timmy," she says, "I think every time you want to speak to me, I interrupt you. I may be busy or thinking of something important, but that's no excuse for me to ignore you. You must feel frustrated. I want to change, but I need your help because habits are difficult to break. So, every time I interrupt you, raise your palm, like this, to signal that I need to STOP and listen. Will you do that for me, honey? Now, what did you want to tell me?"

Laura's change of tactics and change of attitude led to a change of outcome. Instead of Laura and Timmy growing upset, they are growing closer together. And she taught him how to behave, without preaching or scolding. If Timmy does interrupt her in the future at an inappropriate time, all she has to do is hold up her palm as a signal, and he will understand.

Would you like to rid yourself of frustration forever? You can if you have a big enough dream. Mother Teresa's dream was so great it dwarfed the frustration normally associated with poverty, sickness, homelessness, suffering, and death. Isn't it interesting to look at things differently and reflect on our own behaviour? If you disagree, I'll try not to be frustrated. <ref>http://www.personal-development.com/chuck/frustration.htm</ref>

--[[User:TK|₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|/Talk]] 19:09, 16 November 2008 (EST)

= Ambiguity =
:''I previously posted this on Talk for [[User:Aschlafly]].''
There is something ambiguous and bizarre about this following paragraph. Below, I make bold the comments that come across as anti-capitalist, even if not intended to do so.

:''Liberals have demonized such companies as RJ Reynolds, Walmart, Halliburton and Blackwater. Their latest target is Exxon Mobil for their enormous profits and futures market oil speculators. Most of their accusations are absurd. Liberals in Congress don't blink an eye when it comes time to spend all that tax revenue generated. Liberals in Congress have been called on their hypocrisy for owning stocks in those companies. Which in turn, [''horrible grammar''] they divest their portfolios like nothing was ever wrong. For years, for decades, these companies have lobbied members of Congress, they have worked together for their common goals. In return, hefty campaign donations are their reward. Then for opportune reasons, liberals will publicly ridicule and verbally attack these '''bad, greedy''' capitalists. Corporate heads are brought before congress for a sideshow grilling to explain their actions. [33] The Windfall Tax is just another example of the sham created by this liberal myth. '''Those companies make enough money, they should now be forced to give some back.''' They are threatened with nationalization [34] and further government regulation, a socialist scheme. '''As the price of gas fell, Congress just pretended like nothing ever happened, Big Oil off the hook.'''''

I realize the '''bad, greedy''' part is supposed to be from a "liberal perspective," but it is not clear. The first full sentence that is bold is my main concern and nearly seems to be vandalism. Also, the final words in the paragraph seem to suggest that '''Big Oil''' (which is an anti-business term) had something for which to be "on the hook" in the first place -- even if meant to come from a liberal perspective. [[User:JustinSatyr|JustinSatyr]] 14:38, 26 December 2009 (EST)

Panzerschreck

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737293 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Panzerschreck''' (German: [[tank]] terrorizer) was the popular name for the Raketenpanzerbüchse ('rocket tank rifle', abbreviated to RPzB), an 88 mm calibre reusable anti-tank rocket launcher developed by the [[Germans]] in [[World War II]]. Another popular nick-name was Ofenrohr ("stove pipe").

The weapon was used by the German infantry to help disrupt allied armor attacks. It was shoulder-launched and fired a rocket-propelled, fin-stabilized grenade with a shaped charge warhead. While the weapon was effective, the vast industrial advantage of the allied nations made the effectiveness of individual German weapons moot in preventing an allied victory. It was made in much smaller numbers than the Panzerfaust, which was a disposable recoilless rifle firing an anti-tank grenade.

The weapon was created in response to the incredible success of the Allied "[[Bazooka]]" against German armor, outshining the penetration, accuracy and range of the German antitank grenades. After being reverse-engineered in Germany, the first Panzerschreck model, RPzB 43, began to roll off assembly lines.

The bazooka rocket fielded by the Allies often had trouble penetrating German 100mm armor, especially on the Tiger tank. The Panzerschreck's rocket, however, could easily penetrate over 200mm of armor plate, making it suitable for penetrating heavy Soviet armor. Panzerschrecks soon became the bane of Allied vehicle commanders, as the Panzerschreck often destroyed any armored fighting vehicle in one shot.

Notable drawbacks of the weapon include a heavier and more cumbersome design than the bazooka, as well as the smokey nature of the propellant used in the rocket. While the Panzerfaust used a short-burst motor, producing relatively little smoke, the Panzerschreck's motor produced great volumes of smoke. This was to the disadvantage of rocket troops fielding them, as it instantly gave away their position, and could not be used indoors because the room the rocket was fired from would be quickly filled with [[toxic]] fumes.

[[Category: World War II]]

Blood Type Diet

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737294 by Timothyjones (Talk)

The '''Blood Type Diet''' is a [[diet]] started in 1996 by a [[naturopathic]] [[physician]] named [[Doctor|Dr.]] [[Peter J. D'Adamo]]. There are 4 basic [[blood type]]s (Type O, A, B, and AB). What you should eat or drink is determined by your blood type.

==Sources==
*{{Harvard reference
| Surname1 = D'Adamo
| Given1 = Peter J.
| Surname2 = Whitney
| Given2 = Catherine
| Year = 1996
| Title = Eat Right 4 Your Type: The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer & Achieving Your Ideal Weight
| Publisher = Putnam Adult
| ID = ISBN 039914255X
}}

*{{Harvard reference
| Surname1 = D'Adamo
| Given1 = Peter J.
| Surname2 = Whitney
| Given2 = Catherine
| Year = 2000
| Title = Cook Right 4 Your Type: The Practical Kitchen Companion to Eat Right 4 Your Type
| Publisher = Berkley Trade
| ID = ISBN 0425173291
}}

*{{Harvard reference
| Surname1 = D'Adamo
| Given1 = Peter J.
| Surname2 = Whitney
| Given2 = Catherine
| Year = 2000
| Title = Live Right 4 Your Type: The Individualized Prescription for Maximizing Health, Well-Being and Vitality in Every Stage of Your Life
| Publisher = Putnam Adult
| ID = ISBN 0399146733
}}

*{{Harvard reference
| Surname1 = D'Adamo
| Given1 = Peter J.
| Surname2 = Whitney
| Given2 = Catherine
| Year = 2002
| Title = Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia R4YT
| Publisher = Riverhead Trade; 1st Riverhead Books Trade Pbk. Ed edition
| ID = ISBN 1573229202
}}

==External Links==
*http://www.dadamo.com/ Official Website of the Blood Type Diet
*http://www.dadamo.com/knowbase/newbie/1.htm Blood Type Diet Tutorial
*http://www.dadamo.com/typebase4/typeindexer.htm TYPEbase4: Blood Type Diet Food Values

[[Category: Health]]

Idleness

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737289 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Idleness''' is a lack of willingness to work, or be productive. The causes can be [[physical]], mental or immoral behavior.
[[category:Psychology]]

Evangel University

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737273 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Evangel University''' is an accredited private [[Christian]] [[university]] located in [[Springfield]], [[Missouri]], with the theme that "[[Christ]] is Lord". Beginning in 1955, the college originally used WWII-era [[Army]] [[barracks]] to hold its first classes.

==Reference==
http://www.evangel.edu/

[[Category:Universities]]

Illness

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737271 by Timothyjones (Talk) I'm not even a sysop

An '''illness''' is a [[medicine|medical]] problem that detracts from the good [[health]] of an individual.
[[category:medicine]]

Aliasing

2009-12-25T17:25:44Z

JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737270 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Aliasing''' is a problem with [[digital]] sampling of [[analog]] waveforms, such as [[sound]] waves. When the digital sample is converted back to an analog waveform - such as when a [[CD]] is played - the player will emit the lowest '''alias''' waveform, which might not be the sound actually recorded.

==The Problem==
Sound waves are continuous and can have any [[frequency]], while digital sampling only records the value at discrete intervals. For example, a sampling frequency of two kilo[[hertz]] records the value of the sound wave 2,000 times per [[second]]. If the original sound wave has a frequency of 500 hertz, that means that its value will be recorded four times per [[period]], or cycle.

Unfortunately, multiple [[sine]] waves can fit these points. For example, <tt>sin(2πt)</tt> and <tt>sin(10πt)</tt> cross at six points in each cycle. When digitalized with a frequency of 6t, they will create identical digital records. A CD player playing the digital record will not be able to tell which sound was recorded. These two waves are therefore called ''aliases'' of each other.

===Analyzing Aliases===
In general, the sequence of alias frequencies is <tt>n*fs±g</tt>, where <tt>g</tt> is the lowest alias frequency, <tt>fs</tt> is the frequency of sampling, and <tt>n</tt> is any [[natural number]].

This series begins:
<tt>g</tt>, <tt>fs-g</tt>, <tt>fs+g</tt>, <tt>2fs-g</tt>, <tt>2fs+g</tt>. It continues to infinity.

==The Solution==
The '''Nyquist-Shannon Sampling Criterion''', formulated by [[Harry Nyquist]] in 1928 and proven by [[Claude Shannon]] in 1949, states that each digital sample can be converted to a unique analog signal if the sampling rate is more than twice as large as the highest frequency in the signal. While Shannon's proof requires [[Fourier transform]]s, it can be deduced from the sequence of alias frequencies above. If <tt>g < 1/2 fs</tt>, then fs is, by definition, greater than two times the sample's frequency. If <tt>g > 1/2 fs</tt>, then <tt>fs-g</tt>, which is another alias, is less than one-half the frequency of sampling. Therefore, there is always one unique alias frequency less than 1/2 fs.

Of course, every frequency always has aliases. However, digital-to-analog convertors assume that the sound has been recorded according to the Nyquist Criterion; therefore, they always play back the lowest alias.

Hyperion

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737275 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Hyperion''' was the [[Titan]]-god of [[heaven]]ly [[light]] and the ordering of the days and months in ancient [[Greek mythology]]. By his wife and sister [[Theia]] he was the father of the of [[Eos]] (the Dawn), [[Helios]] (the Sun) and [[Selene]] (the Moon). With three of his brothers ([[Coeus]], [[Crius]] and [[Iapetus]]) Hyperion conspired with [[Cronus]] to depose their father [[Uranus (mythology)|Uranus]]. Uranus (the Sky) would descend each night to lie upon [[Gaia]] (the Earth), each standing at a corner of the cosmos they held Uranus firm whle Cronus emasculated him with a sickle.

{{Nb mythology greece}}

Oswald Spengler

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737267 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Oswald Spengler''' (1880–1936) was a German historian whose '' Der Untergang des Abendlandes,'' (translated as ''Decline of the West'') (1918-22) was a very influential study of the cyclical nature of western civilization that strengthened the pessimism of the 1920s. It opened the new field of comparative world history and influenced many conservative writers.
==Career==
Spengler was born at Blankenburg in the Harz Mountains and studied philosophy, history, mathematics, and art, taking his PhD at Halle in 1904. He taught mathematics at a gymnasium in Munich until 1911, when an inheritance allowed him to concentrate on his scholarship. ''Decline of the West'' made him an instant intellectual celebrity throughout the world in the 1920s. His other books were much less influential, and included ''Der Mensch und die Technik'' (1931; ''Man and Technics'', 1932) and ''Jahre der Entscheidung'' (1933; ''Hour of Decision'', 1934). Spengler spoke to the political and spiritual predicament of Germany after World War I, explaining Germany was no longer "the people of poets and thinkers" but could become a useful land of engineers, industrialists, and technicians. In the Weimar era he took a highly conservative position and criticized parliamentary and constitutional rule, as well as individual rights, as un-German. Spengler found the Nazis' racism stupid, their economic policies shortsighted, and their "socialism" far removed from the old-fashioned Prussian state-capitalism Spengler intended by that name. His refusal to support [[Nazism]] led to his ostracism when the Nazis came to power in 1933.

==Impact==
His book was a smashing success among intellectuals worldwide as it predicted the disintegration of European and American civilization after a violent "age of Caesarism," arguing by detailed analogies with other civilizations. It deepened the post-World War I pessimism in Europe.<ref> Wyndham Lewis, ''Time and Western Man'' (1927)</ref> German philosopher Ernst Cassirer explained that at the end of the First World War, Spengler's very title was enough to inflame imaginations: "At this time many, if not most of us, had realized that something was rotten in the state of our highly prized Western civilization. Spengler's book expressed in a sharp and trenchant way this general uneasiness."<ref>Ernst Cassirer, ''The Myth of the State'' (1946) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0300000367/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link online at p. 289]</ref> Northrop Frye argued that while every element of Spengler's thesis has been refuted a dozen times, yet it is "one of the world's great Romantic poems" and its leading ideas are "as much part of our mental outlook today as the electron or the dinosaur, and in that sense we are all Spenglerians."<ref> Northrop Frye, "Spengler Revisited" in ''Northrop Frye on modern culture'' (2003) [http://books.google.com/books?id=WzgZrML6tQ0C&pg=PA305&lpg=PA305&dq=%22electron+or+the+dinosaur%22&source=web&ots=RNkPFFsmdB&sig=hBUTzWIF59G2sp1tifAGDLlgVe0&hl=en online at p. 305]</ref>

Spengler's pessistic predictions about the inevitable decline of the West inspired Third World intellectuals, ranging from China and Korea to Chile, eager to identify the fall of western imperialism.<ref> Prasenjit Duara, "The Discourse of Civilization and Pan-Asianism." ''Journal of World History'' 2001 12(1): 99-130. Issn: 1045-6007 Fulltext: [[Project Muse]]; Neil McInnes, "The Great Doomsayer: Oswald Spengler Reconsidered." ''National Interest'' 1997 (48): 65-76. Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]</ref> In Britain and America, however, Spengler's pessimism was later countered by the optimism of [[Arnold J. Toynbee]] in London, who wrote world history in the 1940s with a greater stress on religion.

==Ideas==
''Decline of the West'' predicted the disintegration of European and American civilization after a violent "age of Caesarism," arguing by detailed analogies with other civilizations and interpreting history as the life of nine organic cultures: Egyptian (3400 BC-1200 BC), Indian (1500 BC-1100 BC), Chinese (1300 BC-AD 200), Classical (1100 BC-400 BC), Byzantine (AD 300-1100), Aztec (AD 1300-1500), Arabian (AD 300-1250), Mayan (AD 600-960), and Western (AD 900-1900).
Jumping across centuries and societies, Spengler adduced a remarkable variety of examples to support two key arguments. First culture is a fundamentally spiritual or ideal phenomenon; studying its history allows us to grasp its temporal character, its principle of becoming--of the world-as-history. It is this ideational or spiritual quality that authoritatively distinguished it from other Cultures. Using his strong background in art history and mathematics, Spengler sought to understand the unique "soul" or pattern of experience and creation of each civilization by comparing its forms of art, thought, and action. Thus the Western or "Faustian" soul is characterized by a yearning for infinity, which is equally expressed in the Gothic cathedral, the infinitesimal calculus, the music of Bach, worldwide imperialistic diplomacy, the radio, and modern techniques of credit banking.

Second, all cultures follow the same sequence of growth and decay in similar lengths of time. They pass through the stages of pre-culture, culture, and civilization, and are marked by identical crises. [[Alexander the Great]], for example, plays the same role in Classical culture as [[Napoleon]] in Western culture; [[Pythagoras]] resembles [[Martin Luther]]; [[Aristotle]] parallels [[Immanuel Kant]]; [[Stoicism]] in Rome is like [[Socialism]] in Germany.
Given that every culture passes a life cycle from youth through maturity and old age to death, it follows that Western civilization has now entered the final period of inevitable decline. More precisely, he identified the two stages of culture and civilization, and equated the second stage with degeneration. Spengler views the first decline of the West as applying to all cultural achievements and occurring with the transition from the first to the second stage during the 19th century, amid the prevalence of materialist and democratic values, and anticipates a second future decline with the victory of a growing mass of "coloreds" over a declining minority of "whites," or "Prussians," who as the potential elite of Western civilization at the political level would defend and preserve the remnants of its culture, although no change is envisaged in other cultural spheres.

==Aphorisms==
His many striking aphorisms include:
* ''A civilization (Kultur) is born at the moment when, out of the primitive psychic conditions of a perpetually infantile [raw] humanity, a mighty soul awakes and extricates itself: a form out of the formless, a bounded and transitory existence out of the boundless and persistent. This soul comes to flower on the soil of a country with precise boundaries, to which it remains attached like a plant. Conversely a civilization dies if once this soul has realized the complete sum of its possibilities in the shape of peoples, languages, creeds, arts, states, and sciences, and thereupon goes back into the primitive psyche from which it originally emerged.<ref> ''Decline of the West'' 1:153</ref>

* ''We are civilized people, not Gothic or Rococo people; we must reckon with the hard cold facts of life in a late era, to which the parallel is not Pericles' Athens but Caesar's Rome. Of great painting or great music there can no longer be, for Western people, any question. Their architectural possibilities have been exhausted these hundred years. Only extensive possibilities are left to them. Yet, for a sound and vigorous generation that is filled with unlimited hopes, I fail to see that it is any disadvantage to discover in time that some of those hopes must come to nothing. And if the hopes thus doomed should be those most dear, well, a man who is worth anything will get over that. It is true that the issue may be a tragic one for some individuals who in their decisive years are smitten by the discovery that in the spheres of architecture, drama, painting, there is nothing left for them to achieve. What matter if they do go under!... If under the influence of this book men of the coming generation devote themselves to technics instead of lyrics, to the navy instead of painting, to politics instead of philosophy, they will be doing what I wish, and you could not wish anything better for them.''<ref> ''Decline of the West'' 1:40 [http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0394421795/ref=sib_books_pg?ie=UTF8&keywords=%26%2334%3BGothic%20or%20Rococo%20people%26%2334%3B&p=S01O&checkSum=O0ks4REqVU00DWPN1MmNn%252BBOyJO4ORATVuS2sdgF7rE%253D online] </ref>
* ''In place of a world, there is a city, a point, in which the whole life of broad regions is collecting while the rest dries up. In place of a type-true people, born of and grown on the soil, there is a new sort of nomad, cohering unstably in fluid masses, the parasitical city dweller, traditionless, utterly matter-of-fact, religionless, clever, unfruitful, deeply contemptuous of the countryman and especially that highest form of countryman, the country gentleman.''<ref>''The Decline of the West,'' vol. 1:32 [http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0394421795/ref=sib_books_pg?ie=UTF8&keywords=%26%2334%3BGothic%20or%20Rococo%20people%26%2334%3B&p=S01O&checkSum=O0ks4REqVU00DWPN1MmNn%252BBOyJO4ORATVuS2sdgF7rE%253D online]]</ref>
* ''It is the Late city that first defies the land, contradicts Nature in the lines of its silhouette, denies all Nature. It wants to be something different from and higher than Nature. These high-pitched gables, these Baroque cupolas, spires, and pinnacles, neither are, nor desire to be, related with anything in Nature. And then begins the gigantic megalopolis, the city-as-world, which suffers nothing beside itself and sets about annihilating the country picture.''<ref>''The Decline of the West, vol. 2, ch. 4, sect. 3</ref>
* ''Long ago the country bore the country-town and nourished it with her best blood. Now the giant city sucks the country dry, insatiably and incessantly demanding and devouring fresh streams of men, till it wearies and dies in the midst of an almost uninhabited waste of country.''<ref>''The Decline of the West,'' vol. 2, ch. 4, sct. 5</ref>

==Bibliography==
* Bentley, Jerry H. ''Shapes of World History in Twentieth Century Scholarship. Essays on Global and Comparative History Series.'' (1996)
* Costello, Paul. ''World Historians and Their Goals: Twentieth-Century Answers to Modernism'' (1993).
* Frye, Northrop. "Spengler Revisited" in ''Northrop Frye on modern culture'' (2003), pp 297-382, first published 1974; [http://books.google.com/books?id=WzgZrML6tQ0C&pg=PA297&dq=%22electron+or+the+dinosaur%22&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=0_0&sig=c73q8UNO2Z6dbrg27Hmf0_1PlFY online]
* Hughes, H. Stuart. ''Oswald Spengler'' (1952).
* McInnes, Neil. "The Great Doomsayer: Oswald Spengler Reconsidered." ''National Interest'' 1997 (48): 65-76. Issn: 0884-9382 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]

===Primary sources===
* Spengler, Oswald. ''The Decline of the West'' (1918-22) [http://www.archive.org/details/declineofwest01spenuoft vol 1 online]; [http://www.archive.org/details/declineofwest02spenuoft vol 2 online]; [http://www.amazon.com/Decline-West-Oxford-Paperbacks/dp/0195066340/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207258261&sr=8-13 excerpt and text search, abridged edition]
* Spengler, Oswald. ''Letters, 1913-1936'' (1966) 320pp, edited by Arthur Helps

==See also==
* [[Arnold J. Toynbee]]
* [[World history]]

====notes====
<references/>

[[Category:Historians]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spengler, Oswald}}

Conveyance

2009-12-25T17:24:31Z

JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737266 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Conveyance''' is an instrument transferring [[title]] of land (ownership) from one person or group of persons to another. [[Category:Legal Terms]]

American History Homework Seven Answers - Student 33

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737265 by Timothyjones (Talk)

Nick DeJ American History – Homework Seven

1. The “Gilded Age” is a name given by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) for the end of the 1880’s. That time period seemed like a golden age because of all the prosperity, but underneath all of this was really greed and corruption.

:Correct!

2. The trait I like most about Thomas Edison is his creative mind. I do believe that being homeschooled made him become very successful. I believe that being homeschooled made his creativity shine. If he would have stayed in public school he would have been left back many times. (In today’s age, he probably would have been put on medication.) He would have been made to believe that he could never amount to anything. Being homeschooled, and having his mother as his teacher unlocked his imagination, making him create all those wonderful inventions and obtain enormous wealth.

:Superb analysis, and I may your insight about medication in the model answers.

3. I agree with Frederick Jackson Turner, who wrote in 1893, that the frontier experience had promoted democracy. The people who settled the frontier faced many hardships and had to rely on themselves for survival. These people were not about to accept a government that would not allow them to have a say.

:Terrific.

4. What made America the world leader in inventions was “Yankee Ingenuity” or American inventiveness. In addition, Congress passed the first patent law in 1790, which became a motivator for inventors.

:Very good.

5. I think political cartoons are sometimes influential. I think they are not as influential today as they were a long time ago. Two examples of political cartoons that were influential a long time ago are:

PUCK was a magazine in New York from 1876 to 1918. This magazine was known for its colored cartoons on political issues. It is believed that PUCK helped Grover Cleveland defeat James G. Blaine in the 1884 presidential election. In one cartoon, published in PUCK, drawn by Bernard Gillam, Blaine was portrayed as a man with tattoos all over his body, which were engraved with details of charges of political corruption.

Thomas Nast was an American political cartoonist. One character he drew a lot was William Tweed (“Boss” Tweed), who was a New York politician. In one cartoon, Nast showed Tweed and the Tammany Ring (an organization operated by Tweed) pointing fingers at each other in hopes of finding an answer to the question, “Who is stealing the people’s money?” Tweed requested that Nast stop drawing these cartoons. He even offered Nast a huge sum of money to leave New York and to study art in Europe. It is believed that Tweed said, “ My constituents can’t read. But, damn it they can see pictures.” Nast’s cartoons made people angry at Tweed and the Tammany Ring. Tweed was sent to prison, but escaped, only to be found later in Spain by a customs clerk who allegedly recognized him from Nast’s cartoons.

:Excellent, particularly your examples and your point about cartoons being less influential today.

6. I believe the most influential person between 1877 and 1896 was John D Rockefeller. Rockefeller was an American industrialist, born in New York in 1839. In 1862 he went into business with Henry Flagler and with Samuel Andrews; the inventor of a cheap process for the refinement of crude petroleum. In 1870 he founded Standard Oil Company and began to drive out the competition and monopolize the industry. In 1882, Rockefeller formed the Standard Oil Trust of Ohio. The “trust” was a new type of business. Ten years after forming this trust, the Ohio Supreme Court forced him to break it up into twenty smaller businesses. In 1889, he formed a holding company for all of his businesses in the name of Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. However, in 1911, once again, Rockefeller was forced to break this company up into smaller pieces, this time by the US. Supreme Court. After this incident, Rockefeller retired. He devoted the rest of his life to giving away his money to charities.

:Terrific analysis, but the link to his ''influence'' is not entirely clear from your superb factual account.

7. This cartoon appeared in a paperback book entitled ''Coin’s Financial School''. The author of the book, William H. Harvey, advocated bimetallism. Bimetallism is a monetary system in which two commodities, usually gold and silver, are used and coined, without any restrictions, at a ratio fixed by law. Harvey believed the ratio should be 16:1. He also believed that reliance on gold without anything else tended to tighten the money supply and lower prices. The cartoon represents Uncle Sam sinking in the gold while there is plenty of silver to be mined. Because of this, he will never reach prosperity.

:Terrific analysis. May use as a model answer.

:One of the best papers in the class. Well done! Score: 70/70.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 21:35, 1 November 2008 (EDT)
[[Category:American History Homework Seven Answers]]

Alan Shepard

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737264 by Timothyjones (Talk)

[[Image:Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. pictured in front of Apollo 14 insignia.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. pictured in front of Apollo 14 insignia]]
[[Image:Shepard Plants Flag.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Shepard Plants Flag on the Moon]]
'''Alan B. Shepard''' (November 18, 1923-July 21, 1998) was an American [[astronaut]], and held the rank of Rear Admiral. He was born in East Derry, [[New Hampshire]]. He was one of the [[Mercury project]] astronauts, and on May 5, 1961, he became the first American to journey into space on the ''[[Freedom 7]]'' spacecraft. Following a surgery to correct an inner ear disorder he was restored to full flight status in May 1969, and in 1971 he landed on the [[Moon]] as Commander of the [[Apollo 14]] mission.

Commander Shepard received a Bachelor of Science degree from the [[United States Naval Academy]] in 1944, as well as several honorary degrees. He received the [[Congressional Medal of Honor]], two [[NASA]] Distinguished Service Medals.

==References==

[http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/shepard-alan.html NASA Biography Page]

[[Category:Astronauts]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shepard, Alan B.}}

Dobson unit

2009-12-25T17:22:31Z

JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737286 by Timothyjones (Talk)

The '''Dobson Unit''' ('''DU''') is a measurement of [[Column Ozone|column ozone]] levels.

If 100 DU of ozone were brought to the Earth's surface, it would form a layer 1 millimeter thick. In the tropics, ozone levels are typically between 250 and 300 DU year-round. In temperate regions, seasonal variations can produce large swings in ozone levels. For instance, measurements in Leningrad have recorded ozone levels as high as 475 DU and as low as 300 DU. These variations occur even in the absence of ozone depletion, but they are well understood.

Ozone depletion refers to reductions in ozone below normal levels after accounting for seasonal cycles and other natural effects.

A graphical explanation is available at [http://jwocky.gsfc.nasa.gov/teacher/basics/dobson.html NASA's TOMS site].

[[category:meteorology]]

Executive Order 9835

2009-12-25T17:22:15Z

JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737287 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Executive Order 9835''' was a Presidential directive signed by [[President]] [[Harry Truman]] on March 21, 1947, establishing what would come to be known as the "Truman loyalty program." E.O. 9835 directed the Attorney General to compile a list of:
{{cquote|each foreign or domestic organization, association, movement, group or combination of persons which the Attorney General, after appropriate investigation and determination, designates as totalitarian, fascist, communist or subversive, or as having adopted a policy of advocating or approving the commission of acts of force or violence to deny others their rights under the Constitution of the United States, or as seeking to alter the form of government of the United States by unconstitutional means.}}

The resulting list was known as the [[Attorney General's list|Attorney General's List of Subversive Organizations]]. The complete text of the order follows.

==EXECUTIVE ORDER 9835==

PRESCRIBING PROCEDURES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF AN EMPLOYEES LOYALTY PROGRAM IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT

WHEREAS each employee of the Government of the United States is endowed with a measure of trusteeship over the democratic processes which are at the heart and sinew of the United States; and

WHEREAS it is of vital importance that persons employed in the Federal service be of complete and unswerving loyalty to the United States; and

WHEREAS, although the loyalty of by far the overwhelming majority of all Government employees is beyond question, the presence within the Government service of any disloyal or subversive person constitutes a threat to our democratic processes; and

WHEREAS maximum protection must be afforded the United States against infiltration of disloyal persons into the ranks of its employees, and equal protection from unfounded accusations of disloyalty must be afforded the loyal employees of the Government:

NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statues of the United States, including the Civil Service Act of 1883 (22 Stat. 403), as amended, and section 9A of the act approved August 2, 1939 (18 U. S. C. 61i), and as President and Chief Executive of the Untied States, it is hereby, in the interest of the internal management of the Government, ordered as follows:

===Part I - INVESTIGATION OF APPLICANTS===

1. There shall be a loyalty investigation of every person entering the civilian employment of any department or agency of the executive branch of the Federal Government.

:a. Investigations of persons entering the competitive service shall be conducted by the Civil Service Commission, except in such cases as are covered by a special agreement between the Commission and any given department or agency.

:b. Investigations of persons other than those entering the competitive service shall be conducted by the employing department or agency. Departments and agencies without investigative organizations shall utilize the investigative facilities of the Civil Service Commission.

2. The investigations of person entering the employ of the executive branch may be conducted after any such person enters upon actual employment therein, but in any such case the appointment of such person shall be conditioned upon a favorable determination with respect to his loyalty.

:a. Investigations of persons entering the competitive service shall be conducted as expeditiously as possible; provided, however, that if any such investigation is not completed within 18 months from the date on which a persons enters actual employment, the condition that his employment is subject to investigation shall expire, except in a case in which the Civil Service Commission has made an initial adjudication of disloyalty and the case continues to be active by reason of an appeal, and it shall then be the responsibility of the employing department or agency to conclude such investigation and make a final determination concerning the loyalty of such person.

3. An investigation shall be made of all applicants at all available pertinent sources of information and shall include reference to:

:a. Federal Bureau of Investigation files.

:b. Civil Service Commission files.

:c. Military and naval intelligence files.

:d. The files of any other appropriate government investigative or intelligence agency.

:e. House Committee on un-American Activities files.

:f. Local law-enforcement files at the place of residence and employment of the applicant, including municipal, county and state law-enforcement files.

:g. Schools and colleges attended by applicant.

:h. Former employers of applicant.

:i. References given by applicant.

:j. Any other appropriate source.

4. Whenever derogatory information with respect to loyalty of an applicant is revealed full field investigation shall be conducted. A full field investigation shall also be conducted of those applicants, or of applicants for particular positions, as may be designated by the head of the employing department or agency, such designations to be based on the determination by any such head of the best interests of national security.

===PART II - INVESTIGATION OF EMPLOYEES===

1. The head of each department and agency in the executive branch of the Government shall be personally responsible for an effective program to assure that disloyal civilian officers or employees are not retained in employment in his department or agency.

:a. He shall be responsible for prescribing and supervising the loyalty determination procedures of his department or agency, in accordance with the provisions of this order, which shall be considered as providing minimum requirements.

:b. The head of a department or agency which does not have an investigative organization shall utilize the investigative facilities of the Civil Service Commission.

2. The head of each department or agency shall appoint one or more loyalty boards, each composed of not less than three representatives of the department or agency concerned, for the purpose of hearing loyalty cases arising within such department or agency and making recommendations with respect to the removal of any officer or employee of such department or agency on grounds relating to loyalty, and he shall prescribe regulations for the conduct of the proceedings before such boards.

:a. An officer or employee who is charged with being disloyal shall have a right to an administrative haring before a loyalty board in the employing department or agency. He may appear before such board personally, accompanied by counsel or representative of his own choosing, and present evidence on his own behalf, through witnesses or by affidavit.

:b. The officer or employee shall b served with a written notice of such hearing in sufficient time, and shall be informed therein of the nature of the charges against him in sufficient detail, so that he will be enabled to prepared his defense. The charges shall be stated as specifically and completely as, in the discretion of the employing department or agency, security considerations permit, and for the officer or employee shall be informed in the notice (1) of his right to reply to such charged in writing within a specified reasonable period of time, (2) of his right to an administrative hearing on such charges before a loyalty board, and (3) of his right to appear before such board personally, to be accompanied by counsel or representative of his own choosing, and to present evidence on his behalf, through witnesses or by affidavit.

3. A recommendation of removal by a loyalty board shall be subject to appeal by the officer or employee affected, prior to his removal, to the head of the employing department or agency or to such person or persons as may be designated by such head, under such regulations as may be prescribed by him, and the decision of the department or agency concerned shall be subject to appeal to the Civil Service Commission's Loyalty Review Board, hereinafter provided for, for an advisory recommendation.

4. The rights of hearing, notice thereof, and appeal therefrom shall be accorded to every officer or employee prior to his removal on grounds of disloyalty, irrespective of tenure, or of manner, method, or nature of appointment, but the head of the employing department or agency may suspend any officer or employee at any time pending a determination with respect to loyalty.

5. The loyalty boards of the various departments and agencies shall furnish to the Loyalty Review Board, hereinafter provided for, such reports as may be requested concerning the operation of the loyalty program in any such department or agency.

===PARTY III - RESPONSIBILITIES OF CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION===

1. There shall be established in the Civil Service Commission a Loyalty Review Board of not less than three impartial persons, the members of which shall be officers or employees of the Commission.

:a. The Board shall have authority to review cases involving persons recommended for dismissal on grounds relating to loyalty by the loyalty board of any department or agency and to make advisory recommendations thereon to the head of the employing department or agency. Such cases may be referred to the Board either by the employing department or agency, or by the officer or employee concerned.

:b. The Board shall make rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the provisions of this order, deemed necessary to implement statues and Executive orders relating to employee loyalty.

:c. The Loyalty Review Board shall also:

::(1) Advise all departments and agencies on all problems relating to employee loyalty.

::(2) Disseminate information pertinent to employee loyalty programs.

::(3) Coordinate the employee loyalty policies and procedures of the several departments and agencies.

::(4) Make reports and submit recommendations to the Civil Service Commission for transmission to the President from time to time as may be necessary to the maintenance of the employee loyalty program.

2. There shall also be established and maintained in the Civil Service Commission and central master index covering all persons on whom loyalty investigations have been may by any department or agency since September 1, 1939. Such master index shall contain the name of each person investigated, adequate identifying information concerning each such person, and a reference to each department and agency which has conducted a loyalty investigation concerning the person involved.

:a. All executive departments and agencies are directed to furnish to the Civil Service Commission all information appropriate for the establishment and maintenance of the central master index.

:b. The reports and other investigative material and information developed by the investigating department or agency shall be retained by such department or agency in each case.

3. The Loyalty Review Board shall currently be furnished by the Department of Justice the name of each foreign or domestic organization, association, movement, group or combination of persons which the Attorney General, after appropriate investigation and determination, designates as totalitarian, fascist, communist or subversive, or as having adopted a policy of advocating or approving the commission of acts of force or violence to deny others their rights under the Constitution of the United States, or as seeking to alter the form of government of the United States by unconstitutional means.

:a. The loyalty Review Board shall disseminate such information to all departments and agencies.

===PART IV - SECURITY MEASURES IN INVESTIGATIONS===

1. At the request of the head of any department or agency of the executive branch an investigative agency shall make available to such head, personally, all investigative material and information collected by the investigative agency concerning any employee of the requesting department or agency, or shall make such material and information available to any officer or officers designated by such head and approved by the investigative agency.

2. Notwithstanding the foregoing requirement, however, the investigative agency may refuse to disclose the names of confidential informants, provided it furnishes sufficient information about such informants on the basis of which the requesting department or agency can make an adequate evaluation of the information furnished by them, and provided it advises the requesting department or agency in writing that it is essential to the protection of the informants or to the investigation of other cases that the identity of the informants not be revealed. Investigative agencies shall not use this discretion to decline to reveal sources of information where such action is not essential.

3. Each department or agency of the executive branch should develop and maintain, for the collection and analysis of information relating to the loyalty of its employees and prospective employees, a staff specifically trained in security techniques, and an effective security control system for protecting such information generally and for protecting confidential sources of such information particularly.

===PART V - STANDARDS===

1. The standard for the refusal of employment or the removal from employment in an executive department or agency on grounds relating to loyalty shall be that, on all the evidence, reasonable grounds exists for belief that the person involved is disloyal to the Government of the United States.

2. Activities and associations of an applicant or employees which may be considered in connection with the determination of disloyalty may include one or more of the follow:

:a. Sabotage, espionage, or attempts or preparations therefore, or knowingly associations with spies or saboteurs;

:b. Treason or sedition or advocacy thereof;

:c. Advocacy of revolution or force or violence to alter the constitutional form of government of the United States;

:d. Intentional, unauthorized disclosure to any person, under circumstances which may indicate disloyalty to the Untied States, or documents or information of a confidential or non-public character obtained by the person making the disclosure as a result of his employment by the Government of the United States.

:e. Performing or attempting to perform his duties, or otherwise acting, so as to serve the interests of another government in preference to the interests of the United States.

:f. Membership in, affiliation with or sympathetic association with any foreign or domestic organization, association, movement, group or combination of persons, designated by the Attorney General as totalitarian, fascist, communist, or subversive, or as having adopted a policy of advocating or approving the commission of acts of force or violence to deny persons their rights under the Constitution of the United States, or as seeking to alter the form of government of the United States by unconstitutional means.

===PART VI - MISCELLANEOUS===

1. Each department and agency of the executive branch, to the extent that it has not already done so, shall submit, to the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the Department of Justice, either directly or through the Civil Service Commission, the names (and such other necessary identifying material as the Federal Bureau of Investigation may require) of all of its incumbent employees.

:a. The Federal Bureau of Investigation shall check such names against its records of persons concerning whom there is substantial evidence of being within the purview of paragraph 2 of Part V hereof, and shall notify each department and agency of such information.

:b. Upon receipt of the above-mentioned information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, each department and agency shall make, or cause to be made by the Civil Service Commission, such investigation of those employees as the head of the department or agency shall deem advisable.

2. The Security Advisory Board of the State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee shall draft rules applicable to the handling and transmission of confidential documents and other documents and information which should not be publicly disclosed, and upon approval by the President such rules shall constitute the minimum standards for the handling and transmission of such documents and information, and shall be applicable to all departments and agencies of the executive branch.

3. The provisions of this order shall not be applicable to persons summarily removed under the provisions of section 3 of the act of December 17, 1942, 53 Stat. 1043, of the act of July 5, 1946, 60 Stat. 453, or of any other statute conferring the power of summary removal.

4. The Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary of the Treasury with respect to the Coast Guard, are hereby directed to continue to enforce and maintain the highest standards of loyalty within the armed services, pursuant to the applicable statues, the Articles of War, and the Articles of the Government of the Navy.

5. This order shall be effective immediately, but compliance with such of its provisions as require expenditure of funds shall be deferred pending the appropriation of such funds.

6. Executive Order No. 9300 of February a5, 1943,1 is hereby revoked.

HARRY S. TRUMAN

THE WHITE HOUSE,

March 21, 1947

13 CFR Cum. Supp.

==Source==
[http://www.trumanlibrary.org/executiveorders/index.php?pid=502&st=loyalty&st1= EXECUTIVE ORDER 9835], Harry S. Truman Library & Museum

See also: [http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/1947.html#9835 Executive Order 9835], The National Archives

Bolzano-Weierstrass theorem

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{{Template:Math-h}}

The '''Bolzano-Weierstrass theorem''' is an extremely important theorem of [[real analysis]] in [[mathematics]]. It states that any infinite, bounded set of [[real numbers]] has an [[accumulation point]]. Equivalently, it states that any bounded infinite sequence of real numbers has a subsequence that converges.

The theorem has useful applications to [[economics]]. It asserts the existence of an equilibrium in certain economic problems.

[[Category:mathematics]]
[[Category:economics]]

Laysan Albatross

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According to the US Geological Survey, "the '''Laysan Albatross''' and '''Black-footed Albatross''' are two of the 3 species of [[albatross]] that occur in [[Alaska]]n waters." <ref>USGS, ''Laysan and Black-footed Albatross''[http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/seabird_foragefish/seabirds/flash_cards/laysan_albatross.html]</ref>



{{clear}}
==References==

<references/>

[[Category:Biology]]

FDA v. Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corp.

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In '''''FDA v. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp.''''', 529 U.S. 120 (2000), a 5-4 [[U.S. Supreme Court]] rejected an attempt by the Clinton Administration to regulate tobacco products.

The Court held that the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (Act)<ref>21 U.S.C.S. § 301 ''et seq.''</ref>, when viewed as a whole, implicitly excluded tobacco products from the FDA's jurisdiction. The Court reasoned that if the FDA had power to regulate tobacco products, then the Act would require the it to remove tobacco entirely from the market. This would be contrary to the congressional intent as illustrated by tobacco-specific legislation.

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:United States Supreme Court Cases]]

Regressive tax

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A '''regressive tax''' is when everyone is taxed a fixed dollar amount, or fixed percentage such as sales tax. Essentially, a regressive tax causes those earning lower incomes to pay a greater percentage of their income. This acts as an incentive to force those earning lower incomes to work to earn higher incomes, thus reducing their effective [[tax rate]].

[[Category:Economics]]

The New American

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'''''The New American''''' is a biweekly [[magazine]] of [[conservative]] news and opinion. It is published by the [[John Birch Society]].

It succeeded two magazines which used to be published by the John Birch Society: ''American Opinion'', and ''Review of the News''.

==External links==
* [http://www.thenewamerican.com/ The New American] - official website

[[Category:Conservative Magazines|New American]]

Special effects

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737296 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Special effects''' are effects used in [[magic|magical illusions]], [[film]], and [[theater]] that dazzle or bewilder an audience. The use of special effects in [[Hollywood]] movies has increased dramatically over the past two decades with the introduction of computer-generated imagery (CGI). The success of a special effect can be determined by how convincing the effect is.

[[category:entertainment]]

Curve

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A '''curve''' is a [[math]]ematical object defined as a one-dimenional, continuous mapping from one interval of [[real number]]s to another.

[[Category:Mathematics]]

Uzzah

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'''Uzzah''' - the name means "strength" <ref> 'He presumed that he was doing God a favour, that he was doing what God wanted and he was immediately killed for his presumption because he had interfered with something holy and something which God had allowed to happen! Uzzah's name means "strength" and he did this in his own strength, with the strength of his flesh, his own arm. It was NOT of God. It was not God's compassion or mercy that he was acting from, but rather his own.' [http://www.unveiling.org/ Unveiling], a Christian website </ref>
- was a son of [[Abinadab]], in whose house the men of [[Kirjath-jearim]] placed the [[Ark of the Covenant]] when it was brought back from the land of the [[Philistines]] (1 Sam. 7:1). With his brother [[Ahio]], he drove the cart on which the ark was placed when [[David]] sought to bring it up to [[Jerusalem]]. When the oxen stumbled, Uzzah, in direct violation of the divine law ([[Book of Numbers|Numbers]] 4:15), put forth his hand to steady the ark, and was immediately slain.

== References==
<references/>

[[Category:Biblical Persons]]

Liberal competitiveness

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[[Liberal competitiveness]] refers to the desire to win even when one is aware that the opponent is more worthy. However, [[liberal]]s usually only enter competitions against opponents whom they are certain of beating.{{fact}}

{{liberalism}}
[[Category:Liberalism]]

Apartheid

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737258 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Apartheid''' (meaning ''separateness'' in [[Afrikaans language|Afrikaans]]), was a social and political policy of racial [[segregation]] which was enforced by white minority governments in [[South Africa]] from the time the state of South Africa was created in 1909 (with the South Africa Act) until June 17 1991 when the final Apartheid laws were abolished in Parliament.

==Verwoerd and the Bantustans==
Laws passed in 1950 forced a separation of non-whites from whites in South African society. The first, the ''Population Registration Act'', which had people register with a racial classification board to determine "officially" if they belonged to one of four racial groups: white, African, colored, or Indian. The second, the Group Areas Act, was the enforced relocation of non-whites to the outskirts of various cities; to compel these people into the new "townships", which were in essence little more than shanty towns, the government ordered the bulldozing of once-vibrant mixed-race communities; the non-white inhabitants, especially the Africans, were ordered to carry passbooks to go from place to place in white areas. [http://overcomingapartheid.msu.edu/unit.php?id=5&page=2] Likewise, whites were ordered to relocate from the areas which they settled, that historically belonged to blacks.

Dr. [[Hendrik F. Verwoerd]], Prime Minister of South Africa from 1957 until 1966, designed a system that expanded the scope and impact of apartheid. Blacks were given a limited education which guaranteed them menial job opportunities as opposed to whites [http://www.stanford.edu/~jbaugh/saw/Chloe_Bantu_Education.html]. The ''Reservation of Separate Amenities Act'', passed in 1953, ordered the segregation of blacks at all public facilities, including post offices, public transportation, beaches, sports venues, parks, toilets, and even cemeteries. [http://overcomingapartheid.msu.edu/unit.php?id=5&page=2]

:''"There is no place for him [the African] in the European community above the level of certain forms of labor. Within his own community, however, all doors are open. For that reason it is to no avail for him to receive a training which has as its aim absorption in the European community, where he cannot be absorbed."'' Hendrik F. Verwoerd (1954) [http://overcomingapartheid.msu.edu/unit.php?id=5]

Verwoerd had also insisted, and succeeded in getting, limited self-administration in the black reservations (called "homelands") of the Transkei, Ciskei, Bophuthatswana, Venda, Ganzankulu, KwaNdebele, KwaZulu, [[Lebowa]], and QwaQwa, which meant they were semi-autonomous. This had also meant that the homelands were now responsible for their own societal and economic problems; it also had the benefit for the white-controlled South African government that a huge majority of blacks in the country were no longer citizens, and therefore ineligible to vote, however, all blacks gained full voting rights in the bantustans. [http://www.suedafrika.net/history/eh_apart2.htm]

==Independence of four Bantustans==
Four of the Bantustans, Transkei (1976), Ciskei (1981), Bophuthatswana (1977), and Venda (1979), were eventually declared independent nations by South Africa, albeit without any international recognition other than from each other.

During their period of independence, these four nations were often derided by critics claiming they were [[puppet government]]s of South Africa, but the Transkei government had a rocky relationship with South Africa, breaking diplomatic relations between 1978 and 1980 over territorial disputes, and then undergoing a military [[coup d'etat]] in 1987 after which Transkei became an ally of, and safe haven for, the [[African National Congress]].

In Bophuthatswana on the other hand, an attempted coup in 1988 was suppressed by South Africa, who restored president Kgosi Lucas Manyane Mangope. The Sun City [[casino]] was located in Bophuthatswana, where [[gambling]] was legal (it was illegal in South Africa). Ciskei and Venda both underwent military coups in 1990, which South Africa did not suppress.

All four countries were re-incorporated into South Africa in April 1994 following the end of Apartheid and the adoption of a new South African constitution, but Bophuthatswana and Ciskei at first declared their refusal to re-integrate and their intention to remain independent nations. Both standoffs ended after mutinies and coup d'etats deposed their respective leaders within two weeks of each other in March 1994.

==1983 Whites-only referendum==
In 1983 President PW Botha put the question of allowing Colored and Indian representation to the White electorate. 66% of whites voted to allow Coloreds and Indians their own houses of parliament (called the House of Representatives and the House of Delegates respectively).

Although many ultra-nationalistic and conservative whites attacked the move as it was power-sharing (which they feared would result in Black rule, and indeed it did some 11 years later).

==The Troubles==
The followers of Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi (Zulu King) and his Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) were staunchly pro-separation and even entered into a short-lived non-aggression pact with the [[Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging|AWB]] in 1993.

However the African National Congress, who drew members from most other Black tribes, were pro-integration and, as such, Zulu workers who had migrated to White South Africa were frequently involved in clashes with ANC supporters in the townships (Black areas adjoining many White towns and cities).

Between 1986 and 1994 some 10,000 IFP members were murdered by ANC supporters, many in a brutal fashion, the practice of "necklacing" was very popular amongst ANC members. Necklacing entailed placing a petrol-filled tire around the neck of a victim and then setting it alight.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
*''Apartheid: A History'' by Brian Lapping

[[Category:Apartheid]]
[[Category:South Africa]]

Bacon's Rebellion

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[[image:bacon.jpg|300px|thumb|Burning of Jamestown during Bacon's Rebellion.]]
'''Bacon's Rebellion''' was a revolt in 1676 by frontiersmen and [[indentured servants]], in colonial [[History of Virginia|Virginia]]. They were angry at the failure of the government to stop Indian raids.
==Rebellion==
In 1675 the people of Virginia were ripe for a rebellion. The spark came from fear of Indian attacks and the feeling that the royal governor, Sir William Berkeley (1606-1677), was not doing his job to protect the colonists. In 1676, they rallied around Nathaniel Bacon, a recent arrival from England, as their leader against the Indians who had launched bloody raids against settlements on the northern and western frontiers. Bacon demanded the right to lead volunteers against all Indians, even those living peacefully within the colony, in retaliation. Berkeley, fearing unjust dispossession and slaughter of the friendly Indians, refused. Bacon ignored the governor's restriction and led volunteers to the southern frontier in May 1676, where he slaughtered and plundered the friendly Occaneechee Indians. Berkeley was furious but the colonists hailed him a hero. In his ''Declaration of the People'', Bacon denounced the colonial government for doing little to protect the frontier farmlands and unjust taxation, among other things.

When the governor attempted to call him to account, Bacon marched to Jamestown and, at gunpoint, forced the assembly to grant him formal authority to fight the Indian war, which he then prosecuted against another friendly tribe, the Pamunkey. Berkeley now attempted to raise forces to reestablish his own authority, and Bacon turned on the governor with his volunteers. Civil war ensued. Berkeley was driven to the eastern shore of Virginia; Bacon burned Jamestown, the capital. For a few months Bacon's word was law on the mainland; he may have been thinking of independence from the Empire. Suddenly, in October 1676, Bacon died of natural causes and his rebellion disintegrated. Berkeley, having recruited volunteers, defeated the remaining rebels, and, by February 1677, reestablished his authority. Soon thereafter 1,000 troops, sent by King [[Charles II]] to suppress the rebellion, arrived, accompanied by commissioners to investigate its causes. Berkeley had revenged himself by executing defeated rebels after quick courts martial, and for that was severely censured by the commissioners. They sent him to England to justify himself but Berkeley died before seeing the king.

==Slavery and freedom==
A central paradox in American history is the simultaneous rise of liberty and equality and the rise of slavery. With particular attention to Virginia, Morgan (1972) has offered a resolution of the paradox. Virginians feared the presence of large numbers of landless and dependent poor people as antithetical to political liberty and social well-being. Yet, this is what was happening in Virginia, leading to Bacon's Rebellion in 1676. Large numbers of young, armed, single white men had come to Virginia to seek their fortune. They worked on tobacco plantations for wages and few could expect to become planters. They became a source of peril to the established gentry. Governor Berkeley had lamented that "six parts of seven at least are poor, indebted, discontented, and armed." The gentry solved the problem after Bacon's rebellion by replacing the white men with black slaves. This reduced the need to import white servants, opened opportunities for whites who remained, and enabled Virginia to build its free political institutions upon slavery.<ref> Edmund S. Morgan, "Slavery and Freedom: The American Paradox." ''Journal of American History'' 1972 59(1): 5-29 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1888384 in JSTOR]; Morgan, ''American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia'' (1975) </ref>

Bacon's Rebellion was the first major rebellion in the American colonies in which free white men were involved.
==Further reading==
* Wilcomb E. Washburn, ''Governor and the Rebel: A History of Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia,'' (1957), by a conservative historian.

====references====
<references/>
[[category:Colonial America]]
[[category:Virginia]]

HTML to CSS

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The following table is a translation of the features in [[HTML]] and [[CSS]] "coding".

{|border=1
|Feature
|HTML
|CSS
|Comment
|----
|center text
|align=center
|text-align: center
|
|----
|italics
|
|font-style: italic;
|
|----
|bold
|
|font-weight: bold;
|
|----
|background
|bgcolor=#E6D596
|background-color: #E6D596
|Do not use quotes around hex codes here!
|----
|capitalize words
|
|text-transform:capitalize;
|
|----
|}

[[category:html]]

Isoroku Yamamoto

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737255 by Timothyjones (Talk)

Admiral of the Fleet '''Isoroku Yamamoto''' (1884-1943) was Commander in Chief of the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] during the early years of the [[Second World War]], and author of the Japanese attack of [[Pearl Harbor]] in 1941, although he personally considered the decision to attack the [[United States]] to be a grave error.

Isoroku Yamamoto was a young naval officer during the [[Russ-Japanese War]], and lost a leg at the [[Battle of Tsushima]].

He was killed on 18 April 1943 while on an inspection tour of Japanese positions in the [[Solomon Islands]], when his aircraft, a [[Mitsubishi G4M|G4M bomber]], was ambushed and shot down by American [[P-38 Lightning]] fighters.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yamamoto, Isoroku}}

[[Category:Japan]]
[[Category:World War II Commanders]]

Space Shuttle Challenger

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[[Image:Space Shuttle Challenger Crew.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Space Shuttle Challenger crewmembers are: in the back row from left to right: Mission Specialist, Ellison S. Onizuka, Teacher in Space Participant Sharon Christa McAuliffe, Payload Specialist, Greg Jarvis and Mission Specialist, Judy Resnik. In the front row from left to right: Pilot Mike Smith, Commander, Dick Scobee and Mission Specialist, Ron McNair.]]
The '''Space Shuttle Challenger''' disintegrated due to O-ring failure 73 seconds after lift-off on January 28, 1986, killing all seven members on board. Those killed included the first private citizen to fly on a [[space shuttle]], who was a high school teacher. <ref>http://www.fas.org/spp/51L.html</ref>

President [[Ronald Reagan]] mourned the tragedy in an address to the [[United States of America|nation]]:

<blockquote style="background: #F9F9F9; border: 1px solid #AAAAAA; padding: .3em;">

Today is a day for mourning ... a national loss .... There's a coincidence today. On this day 390 years ago, the great explorer Sir [[Francis Drake]] died aboard ship off the coast of [[Panama]]. ...

Well, today we can say of the Challenger crew: Their dedication was, like Drake's, complete. The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives.

We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved good-bye and 'slipped the surly bonds of [[earth]]' to 'touch the face of [[God]].'

</blockquote>

==Cause==

O-rings which provided crucial seals failed in the unusually cold weather of the launch. It was freezing cold that day (29 degrees F), whereas it had been at least 53 degrees on all previous launches.

==NASA coverup==

NASA had said the O-rings had a safety factor of 3, which [[Richard Feynman]] later exposed as untrue.

* [[SRB]] engineers had previously warned about problems in the o-rings, but had been dismissed by NASA management.<ref> [http://duartes.org/gustavo/blog/post/richard-feynman-challenger-disaster-software-engineering Richard Feynman, the Challenger Disaster, and Software Engineering]</ref>

* For example. in determining if flight 51-L was safe to fly in the face of ring erosion in flight 51-C, it was noted that the erosion depth was only one-third of the radius. It had been noted in an experiment cutting the ring that cutting it as deep as one radius was necessary before the ring failed. Instead of being very concerned that variations of poorly understood conditions might reasonably create a deeper erosion this time, it was asserted, there was "a safety factor of three." This is a strange use of the engineer's term, "[[safety factor]]."<ref> [http://www.ralentz.com/old/space/feynman-report.html Feynman's Appendix to the Rogers Commission Report on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident]</ref>

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Space Exploration]]

Screen Actors' Guild

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The '''Screen Actors' Guild''' is the largest labor [[union]] representing [[actor]]s. It covers actors in [[film]], [[television]], industrials, commercials and music videos. The Guild exists to improve working conditions, compensation and benefits on behalf of artists. [[Ronald Reagan]] was president of the Screen Actors Guild for eight years<ref>[http://www.sag.org/history/presidents/reagan.html Screen Actors Guild]</ref>, although since that time it has taken a hard turn to the left.{{fact}}

== See Also ==
*[[Labor union]]
*[[Screen Actors Guild Awards]]

== External Links ==
*http://www.sag.org/guild-information

== References ==
{{reflist|1}}

[[Category:Cinema]]

Equilibrium quantity

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737252 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Equilibrium quantity''' is the quantity of a product being both supplied and demanded in market equilibrium. It corresponds to the quantity at which the [[supply]] and [[demand]] curves meet and coincides with the [[market clearing price]].

[[Category:Economics]]

Chromium

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{{Element | name=Chromium | symbol=Cr | anumber=24 | amass=52.0 amu | state=solid | class=Transition metal | cstructure=Cubic | color=Gray | date=1797| discname=[[Louis Vauquelin]] | origname=From the Greek word ''chrôma'' (color) | uses=Stainless steel | obtained=Chromite}}
[[Category:Metals]]

'''Chromium''' (Cr) is a [[chemical]] [[element]] found at number 24 on the [[periodic table]]. It is a hard, lustrous gray transition metal used in plating processes and the production of stainless steel.

Chromium is generally found in nature in the mineral ''chromite'' (FeO - Cr2O3), but can also be found in [[crocoite]] (PbCrO4). It is also an essential mineral for life; a deficiency will lead to a reduction in glucose tolerance, as several chromium (III) compounds have been found to enhance the effectiveness of insulin. However, some chromates are hazardous to one's health when injested/inhaled.

==References==
*[http://www.answers.com/topic/chromium Answers.com]
*[http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=13096 OSHA.gov regulation on hexavalent chromium]

Age of Exploration Z

2009-12-25T17:15:28Z

JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737250 by Timothyjones (Talk) ''This is what happens without corporal punishment...''

Gin

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737249 by Timothyjones (Talk)

:''The word "gin" can also mean a machine, particularly a snare or trap. It is closely related to the word "engine." Whitney's [[Cotton gin]] is one example of this use. The lines "Oh, thou who didst with pitfall and with gin/Beset the road I was to wander in," from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, are another.''
'''Gin''' is an [[alcoholic beverage]] made by distilling the mash of fermented [[grain]]. The resulting spirit is then [[flavor]]ed by the addition of herbal extracts, primarily [[juniper]] berries. The main producers of gin are [[England]], [[Ireland]] and the [[Netherlands]].

==History==

Gin was invented in the Netherlands during the 17th century, and became very popular in [[England]] during the late 17th and early 18th century. This was the first time that an alcoholic [[spirit]] had been made available cheaply in England, and gin became very popular with the poor in London, leading to widespread drunkenness, and concerns about morality and addiction. This subject was highlighted in [[William Hogarth]]'s famous satirical engraving, "Gin Lane".

==England and Ireland==
In England there are two distinct types, [[London]] dry gin and [[Plymouth]] gin. Ireland produces [[Cork]] gin (named after the city not the bark of the cork oak tree). Gin used to a popular intoxicant of the working classes and the [[artist]] [[Hogarth]] produced a series of prints on the theme of gin. A popular euphemism for gin in England is ''Mother's Ruin''. Although gin was originally consumed neat, it is now mainly consumed in mixed drinks, the most famous of which is '''gin and tonic'''.

===Gin & Tonic===
It is alleged that the origin of gin and tonic is from the [[British Army]] in colonial [[India]]. It had been discovered that [[quinine]] had anti-malarial properties and it was prescribed to the soldiers. However, the taste was very bitter and the British [[soldier]]s found that it was much more palatable when mixed with gin. Having built up a popular following for the [[cocktail]], quinine water was later commercialised as effervescent Indian [[Tonic Water]]. It should be noted that the present levels of quinine in tonic water are low and it requires the consumption of copious amounts to have any [[prophylactic]] effect.

==Netherlands==
In the Netherlands gin is known as jenever with two distinct varieters, jonge and oude (young and old). The flavor of [[Dutch]] jenever is much more pungent than the English and Irish varieties. Dutch gin is normally drunk neat and chilled.

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Alcoholic Beverages]]

Debate:Which is true; progressive Liberal or regressive liberal

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737248 by Timothyjones (Talk)

Which is true? progressive or regressive, which best describes liberals. Democrats wanting to put a new moniker on their actions and wish not to be trapped by the negativety surrounding the word liberal. Progressive is a nice sound bite that they can be proud of, but is it true? Everything a liberal believes in gay rights, abortion rights, bigger government, higher taxes still is part of their thinking. These actions are a drain on our country, that to me is regressive. Progressive is just putting a dress on a pig, but it is still a pig.--[[User:Jpatt|jp]] 00:00, 16 April 2007 (EDT)

:Giving rights to homosexuals puts a drain on our country?--[[User:Άθεος|Άθεος]] 16:14, 16 April 2007 (EDT)

----

:For a start this is a very poor question. You launch into one huge diatribe without a break, you seek to answer the question your self. If this is a rhetorical question for you why pose it in a debate? Additionally it displays a sever degree of cultural autism. An inability of the questioner to consider another position, a mere knee jerk rejection of all that the author opposes.

:The truth is that a liberal person, describing their philosophy as "progressive" is simply a classic example of framing. This is a sometimes subtitle art where in the word or words that you use to describe your position seeks to frame the debate. If we use the abortion debate as an example, one side describes its self as pro-life, the other as pro-choice. Why not pro-life and anti-life or anti-choice and pro-choice? It is quite simply that a pro-life person wants to frame the abortion debate in the context of life and the right to life, and to ignore the issue of parental choice, the pro-choice person seeks to do the opposite.

:Then to the question of what is progressive. Well that depends on what your aim, for instance if you are a homosexual, then the prospect of expanding gay rights, which necessarily would be your rights, would seem very reasonably like progress to you. Additionally if you don't have health insurance, a government plan to provide you with health insurance sounds like progress. Conservatism by contrast seeks to resist or undo change, and this resistance of change can be framed as an unwillingness to progress.

:So I would say the answer depends on your position, and where you want to be.

:--[[User:Irish|Irish]] 20:01, 5 July 2007 (EDT)

Progressivism is a set of ideas, you might want to look here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressivism

[[Category:Conservapedia Debates]]

Law degrees

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737300 by Timothyjones (Talk)

The discipline of [[law]] is sufficiently broad as to require multiple degrees with different focuses. Practitioners generally acquire first professional degrees, which qualify them to sit the bar exam. Those focusing on research and academics will continue their education further and acquire additional advanced degrees.

==First Professional==
There are two main first professional law degrees that are mandatory for bar admission. In many countries the [[Bachelor of Laws]] (LL.B.) is used, especially in Commonwealth realms. The study of law as an undergraduate field was very common over time and even occurred in the US until the middle part of the 20th century. With the increased focus on liberal arts education at the undergraduate level, law schools began to require a separate undergraduate degree and switched to a doctoral system, using the [[J.D.]] instead.
==Research and Academic==
Those engaged in the practice of law only need a first professional degree, and most practitioners elect to end their education after graduating law school. The first professional may be the most commonly known law degree, but is by no means the highest or sole law degree available. Extreme competitiveness for teaching positions makes the acquisition of advanced degrees a necessity. The [[Master of Laws]] (LL.M.) is common, although more geared towards foreign lawyers.

Writ of certiorari

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737299 by Timothyjones (Talk)

A '''writ of certiorari''' is an order issued by the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] directing the lower court to transmit records for a case for which it will hear on appeal.

[[category:law]]

Homosexual denial

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737324 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Homosexual denial''' consists of clever verbal manipulations by [[homosexual]]s trying to seduce same-sex partners, and by advocates of [[homosexuality]] trying to trick good people into condoning [[homosexual relations]].

In seduction, one of the most common tactics employed is to pretend that intercourse between two males (or females) isn't really homosexuality:
*"We are just experimenting/exploring"
*"Bi-curious"
*What happens in prison (or on board a ship) is a "special case"

Seducers and advocates alike employ the argument that same-sex relations cannot be labeled as homosexual unless one or both parties has a "[[homosexual orientation]]". It's an attempt to subvert the following argument:
#[[Sex]] between members of the same gender is immoral
#We are the same gender, and we are having sex
#Therefore, what we are doing is immoral

Below, the denial consists in substituting the word ''homosexual'' or ''homosexuality'' in a misleading way:
#Homosexuality is sex between members of the same gender having a [[homosexual orientation]].
#We are the same gender, and we are having sex
#Society considers sexual contact between homosexuals immoral
#One or both of us is not "a homosexual"
No conclusion can be drawn from the premises.

Solar System

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The '''Solar System''' includes the [[Sun]] and all the objects in orbit around the sun.<ref>Freedman, Kaufmann: ''Universe'', 7th edition</ref> Objects orbiting the sun include planets, moons, asteroids, and comets.

==Planets==
A [[planet]] is defined as an object that orbits the [[sun]], is massive enough that its own gravity pulls it into a nearly round shape, and is dominant enough to clear away objects in its neighborhood. <ref>http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/planetsf-20060824.html</ref> There are 8 planets in the solar system. They are, in order of increasing distance from the sun:<ref>The third grade</ref>
*[[Mercury]]
*[[Venus]]
*[[Earth]]
*[[Mars]]
*[[Jupiter]]
*[[Saturn]]
*[[Uranus]]
*[[Neptune]]

The first four planets are [[terrestrial planet]]s, the last 4 planets are jovian planets. Terrestrial planets are small in size, have high densities, and consist of rocky materials. Jovian planets are large in size, have low densities, and consist of gaseous materials.

==Dwarf Planets==
A [[dwarf planet]] is an object that orbits the sun and has a round shape. The crucial difference between a planet and a dwarf planet is that a dwarf planet is not large enough to clear the neighborhood of its orbit. Currently recognized dwarf planets are:<ref>http://www.answers.com/topic/dwarf-planet</ref>
*[[Pluto]][[#Note|[1]]]
*[[Eris]]
*[[Ceres]]
*[[Makemake]]
*[[Haumea]]

===Note===
[1]Pluto was considered a planet until 2006.<ref>http://www.thenewstribune.com/soundlife/story/261408.html</ref>

==Asteroids==
[[Asteroid]]s are irregularly shaped chunks of rocks in the solar system. They exist mostly in 2 places:

*The [[asteroid belt]], which is between the orbits of [[Mars]] and [[Jupiter]]
*The [[Kuiper belt]], which shares its orbit with [[Pluto]]

==Comets==
[[Comets]] are chunks of dust and ice. Some are in an [[ellipse|elliptical]] orbit around the sun, meaning that they will return someday. Some are in a [[hyperbola|hyperbolic]] orbit around the sun, meaning that they will only come into the solar system once and will never return.

== External links ==

*[http://www.solarviews.com/eng/terms.htm Glossary]

== See also ==

[[Milky Way Galaxy]]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Astronomy]]
{{Solarsystem}}

West Bengal

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'''West Bengal''' is a state of [[India]]. East Bengal is now [[Bangladesh]]

[[Category:Indian States]]

Heywood Broun

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'''Heywood Broun''' (1888 - 1939) was an [[American]] [[journalist]].

<blockquote>Broun helped establish the American Newspaper Guild in 1933 and was elected its first president. As well as writing for several newspapers Broun was a regular contributor to the journals, The Nation and The New Republic.<ref>http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAbrounH.htm</ref> </blockquote>

He was noted for his liberal social and political opinions.

== References ==

<references/>
{{DEFAULTSORT:Broun, Heywood}}
[[Category:Journalists]]

Homologous pair

2009-12-25T17:11:26Z

JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737370 by Timothyjones (Talk) ''that history button bit is annoying''

'''Homologous pairs''' refer to the 2 identical (by size) [[chromosomes]] found in diploid organisms, such as humans. Variation between genes on homologs are referred to as [[allele]]s.

[[Category:Cellular Biology]]

Trade winds

2009-12-25T17:10:38Z

JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737327 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Trade winds''', also called ''trades'' are the constant and regular winds that blow in belts on either side of the [[equator]] to about 30 degrees north and south over the three oceans that exist at those [[latitude]]s. They are caused by air moving in to replace the hot, rising air in the permanent low pressure band at the equator—frequently called the doldrums. They move in south-easterly (northern hemisphere) and north-easterly (southern hemisphere) directions instead of due south or north because of the Earth’s rotation.

Above and below them are belts called the “variables” before bands of prevailing westerlies (called the “[[Roaring Forties]]” in the southern hemisphere) occur between about 40 and 60 degrees.

Their existence of all these “belts” has had a profound effect on the history of trade, and European exploration through history:
* The [[Spanish]] and other [[Europeans]] used the trades to reach the [[America]]s then returned with the help of the Variables and the north-west setting [[Gulf Stream]].
* The Portuguese, and later the [[Dutch]] and [[British]] used the trades in the [[Indian Ocean]] in their return from [[India]] and the [[East Indies]] and much later with the tea clippers from [[China]].
*[[Pedro Cabral]] came across [[Brazil]] whilst reaching across the [[Atlantic]] South-east trades whilst on his way to India.
* The [[Triangular trade]] used the trades for the “middle passage” then sailed north and out of them for the return to Europe.
* All seafaring nations used the trades from the Americas west across the Pacific, then used the westerlies to return.
*The Dutch used the westerly “Roaring Forties” on their voyages from the [[Cape of Good Hope]]. Their occasional miscalculation about when to turn north for [[Batavia]] (modern [[Djakarta]]) was instrumental in the discovery of [[Western Australia]], then known as [[New Holland]].
* The British and [[French]] used the African route sailing to [[Australasia]], then returned via [[Cape Horn]], making use of the westerlies on both trips.

There have been exceptions. Trade across the north Indian Ocean between India and north-east Africa and the [[Red Sea]] made use of the African and Indian monsoons which occurred at different times of the year. Also, currents have been used: as well as the Gulf Stream, the currents running up the west coasts of Africa and [[South America]] were a boon to mariners in the age of sail.

The trade winds have always been a moderator of the tropical heat; a blessing to the islands and coasts in their path. [[John Masefield]]’s poem "Trade Winds”, later put to music by Frederick Keel, evokes this beautifully:

"''In the harbour, in the island, in the Spanish seas, 
''Are the tiny white houses and the orange trees, 
''And day-long, night-long, the cool and pleasant breeze 
''Of the steady Trade Winds blowing''. 

''There is the red wine, the nutty Spanish ale, 
''The shuffle of the dancers, and the old salt's tale, 
''The squeaking fiddle, and the soughing in the sail 
''Of the steady Trade Winds blowing''. 

''And o'nights there's the fire-flies and the yellow moon, 
''And in the ghostly palm trees the sleepy tune 
''Of the quiet voice calling me, the long low croon 
''Of the steady Trade Winds blowing''." 

==References==

<references/>

[[Category:Weather]]
[[Category: Age of Exploration]]

Activist

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737328 by Timothyjones (Talk)

The term '''activist''' refers to an individual who is vigorously and extensively involved in a political activity, either within or outside the governmental system. The term is usually followed by a central issue which the a person is an activist for; common activism issues include [[human rights]], [[terrorism]], [[poverty]], and [[freedom]]. Although much activism is done in a peaceful manner, activist will sometimes use violent means in an attempt to persuade government or another authority to take their recommended action. One example can be seen in "anti-war" protests which have resulted in rioting and injuries of those opposing the activist ideals.

[[Category: Political Terms]]

Olympe de Gouges

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'''Olympe de Gouges''' (1748-92) was a French writer who proposed the [[Declaration of the Rights of Women]] in 1791. She argued that women should gain equality with men through education and work and that, in the new order introduced by the revolution, the liberty granted to men should include women. She wrote the pamphlet "Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen" (1791) and the anti-slavery play "The Slavery of the Blacks" (1792). She championed family life and lobbied for constitutionally guaranteed women's rights - equality in society, politics, economics, marriage, and sexuality. Regarding marriage, she wrote in "Les Droits de la Femme et de la Citoyenne" (1791). She argued that marriage should be a consensual and loving 'social contract' between a man and a woman, and divorce and adoption should be legalized, existing laws on marital separation liberalized, and the rights of illegitimate children safeguarded.

In 1791, just weeks after the death of Honoré-Gabriel Riqueti, Comte de [[Mirabeau]], she wrote the comedy "Mirabeau in the Elysian Fields" based on his speeches and writings. By combining various texts and modifying them in slight ways, Gouges created a work which paid homage to a man regarded at the time as a national hero.

In 1792 the [[National Assembly]] rejected her feminist proposals. She belongs to the [[Girondin]] faction and like most Girondin leaders she was executed.

==Further reading==
* Chaudhuri, Nupur. "Olympe De Gouges' Perception of Marriage and Motherhood," ''Consortium on Revolutionary Europe 1750-1850: Proceedings'' 1990 20: 815-821,

[[Category:Women|De Gouges, Olympe]]
[[Category:French Revolution]]
[[Category:Faminists]]

Croatia

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{{Country
|name =''Republika Hrvatska''
|map =Croatia rel01.jpg
|map2 =Croatia location.png
|flag =Flag of Croatia.jpg
|arms =Arms of Croatia.png
|capital =Zagreb
|capital-raw =
|government =Parliamentary republic
|government-raw =
|language =Croatian
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Stjepan Mesić
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Ivo Sanader
|pm-raw =
|area =21,831 sq mi
|pop =4,491,543
|pop-basis =2008
|gdp =$82.272 billion
|gdp-year =2008
|gdp-pc =$18,545
|currency =kuna
|idd =
|tld =
}}
The '''Republic of Croatia''' (Republica Hrvatska) is a [[Balkan]] nation of southern [[Europe]] bounded by [[Slovenia]], [[Hungary]], [[Serbia]], [[Bosnia-Herzegovina]], [[Montenegro]] and the [[Adriatic Sea]]. It has an area of 21,829 square miles (56,538 sq km) and a population of 4.44 millions (2007 est). The capital city is [[Zagreb]]; other major centres include [[Dubrovnik]], Split, Osijek and Rijeka. The nation comprises three traditional regions: Croatia, around the Zagreb; [[Slavonia]], the eastern territory extending to the Serbian border, and [[Dalmatia]], the long and narrow coastal region.

From 1918 to 1991 Croatia formed part of [[Yugoslavia]] (it had a period of independence between 1941 and 1945 as a pro-Nazi puppet state). In 1991 it declared independence from Yugoslavia and was immediately embroiled in war with the Yugoslav National Army (JNA) and ethnic Serbian forces in the Karjina region bordering Bosnia-Herzegovina. Conflict with the JNA was fiercest in eastern Slavonia, with the city of Osijek suffering severe bombardment and the border town of Vukovar being besieged and then stormed by the JNA after a stubborn Croat resistance. The two conflicts ended in 1995 with a refurbished Croatian Army (armed and trained by the United States) reconquering rebel districts and the JNA withdrawing from occupying territories, resulting in a major campaign of alleged ethnic cleansing in which the vast majority of the Croatian Serb population was expelled.

==Geography==
Croatia serves as a gateway to eastern Europe. It lies along the east coast of the Adriatic Sea and shares a border with Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, and Slovenia. The republic swings around like a boomerang from the Pannonian Plains of Slavonia between the Sava, Drava, and Danube Rivers, across hilly, central Croatia to the Istrian Peninsula, then south through Dalmatia along the rugged Adriatic coast. Croatia is made up of 20 counties plus the city of Zagreb and controls 1,185 islands in the Adriatic Sea, 67 of which are inhabited.
*Area: 56,542 sq. km. land area (slightly smaller than West Virginia), 31,067 sq. km. coastal sea area.
*Major cities (2002 est.): Capital--Zagreb (779,145). Others--Split (188,694), Rijeka (144,043), Osijek (114,616).
*Terrain: Croatia is situated between central and eastern Europe. Its terrain is diverse, containing rocky coastlines, densely wooded mountains, plains, lakes, and rolling hills.
*Climate: Croatia has a mixture of climates. In the north it is continental, Mediterranean along the coast, and a semi-highland and highland climate in the central region.

==People==
The Croats are believed to be a Slavic people who migrated from Ukraine and settled in present-day Croatia during the 6th century.
*Population (July 2008 est.): 4,491,543.
*Growth rate (2005 est.): -0.02%.
*Ethnic groups: Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, other 5.9% (including Bosniak, Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, and Roma) (2001 census).
*Religions: Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, Slavic Muslim 1.28%, others 6.52%.
*Language: Croatian (South Slavic language, using the Roman script).
*Health (2005 est.): Life expectancy--male 70.79 years; female 78.31 years. Infant mortality rate--6.84 deaths/1,000 live births.

==Government and Political Conditions==
====Legislature====
The Croatian Parliament, also known as the Sabor, became a unicameral body after its upper house (Chamber of Counties) was eliminated by constitutional amendment in March 2001. The remaining body, the Chamber of Representatives, consists of 153 members who serve 4-year terms elected by direct vote. The Sabor includes 140 members from 14 geographic districts within Croatia (each district holds 10 seats, as well as eight seats guaranteed to representatives of national minorities (3 for the Serb minority, one each for several other smaller groups), and a variable number based on turnout for Croatians abroad without fixed residence in Croatia, the large majority of whom reside in Bosnia-Herzegovina. As of the November 2007 parliamentary elections, the diaspora representatives hold 5 Sabor seats. The Sabor meets twice a year--from January 15 to July 15 and from September 15 to December 15.

The powers of the legislature include enactment and amendment of the constitution, passage of laws, adoption of the state budget, declarations of war and peace, alteration of the boundaries of the republic, and carrying out elections and appointments to office.

====Executive====
Stjepan Mesic was re-elected President in January 2005. The president is the head of state and is elected by direct popular vote for a term of 5 years. The president is limited to serving no more than two terms. In addition to being the commander in chief, the president appoints the prime minister and cabinet members with the consent of Parliament. Following the death of President Tudjman, the powers of the presidency were curtailed and greater responsibility was vested in Parliament.

HDZ President Ivo Sanader assumed the office of Prime Minister in December 2003. The prime minister, who is nominated by the president, assumes office following a parliamentary vote of confidence in the new government. The prime minister and government are responsible for proposing legislation and a budget, executing the laws, and guiding the foreign and internal policies of the republic. The HDZ-led government that assumed office in January 2008 represents a coalition agreement between the HDZ (66 seats), the HSS (6 seats), the HSLS (2 seats), the SDSS (3 seats), other minority representatives and the lone representative of the HSU. The current government has, in addition to Prime Minister Sanader, 17 ministers, including four deputy prime ministers. Thirteen of the ministers come from the ranks of the HDZ. Coalition partners hold four cabinet seats: agriculture, tourism, and two deputy prime minister seats, including one responsible for regional development and returns held by a representative of the Croatian Serb SDSS party. This is the highest ranking government position held by a Croatian Serb since Croatia's independence in 1991.

====Judiciary====
Croatia has a three-tiered judicial system, consisting of the Supreme Court, county courts, and municipal courts. Croatia's Supreme Court is the highest court in the republic. The Supreme Court assures the uniform application of laws. Members of the high court are appointed by the National Judicial Council, a body of 11 members, and justices on the Supreme Court are appointed for life. The court's hearings are generally open to the public.

The Constitutional Court is a body of 13 judges appointed by Parliament for an 8-year term. The Constitutional Court works to assure the conformity of all laws to the constitution.

===Principal Government Officials===
*President: Stjepan Mesic
*Prime Minister: Ivo Sanader (HDZ)
*Deputy Prime Minister/ Minister for Economy, Labor and Entrepreneurship: Damir Polancec (HDZ)
*Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of the Family, Veterans' Affairs and Intergenerational Solidarity: Jadranka Kosor (HDZ)
*Deputy Prime Minister for Internal Affairs: Djurdja Adlesic (HSLS)
*Deputy Prime Minister for Regional Development, Reconstruction and Returns: Slobodan Uzelac (SDSS)
*Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration: Gordan Jandrokovic
*Minister of Defense: Branko Vukelic

===Foreign Relations===
Croatia is in the midst of pursuing a policy of greater Euro-Atlantic integration. In October 2001, Croatia and the European Union (EU) signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement. In February 2003 Croatia formally presented its EU membership application, and in April 2004 the European Commission agreed to open EU accession negotiations with Croatia. The opening of talks was delayed in March 2005 when the EU decided that Croatia was not fully cooperating with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), but talks finally got underway in October 2005, after the ICTY's Chief Prosecutor, Carla del Ponte confirmed that Croatia was fully cooperating.

In December 2005 General Ante Gotovina, indicted by the ICTY for war crimes and a fugitive since 2002, was arrested by Spanish authorities in the Canary Islands, partially as a result of intelligence information provided by the Croatian Government. Since the arrest and transfer of Gotovina to The Hague in late 2005, Croatia continues to cooperate with the ICTY.

Croatia was admitted on May 25, 2000 into the Partnership for Peace program--which was designed by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states in 1994 to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security--and, in May 2002, was welcomed into NATO's Membership Action Program, a key step toward NATO membership. On May 2, 2003, the United States joined Croatia, Albania, and Macedonia to sign the Adriatic Charter, in which the three NATO aspirants pledged their commitment to NATO values and their cooperative efforts to further their collective NATO aspirations. In 2008, the Adriatic Charter expanded to include two new countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Croatia received an invitation to join NATO at the NATO Summit in Bucharest, Romania in April 2008 and hopes to become a full member of the alliance by the next NATO Summit in April 2009.

Croatia has been a member of the United Nations since 1992, and contributes troops to 13 UN operations including those in Haiti, Cyprus, Georgia, Ethiopia and Eritrea, and Kashmir. In January 2008, Croatia began a two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Since 2003, Croatia has contributed troops to support the International Stabilization Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. Croatia's contribution to ISAF rose to approximately 300 personnel in 2008, and Croatia also approved its participation in ISAF for 2009. Croatia is a member of the World Trade Organization and the Central European Free Trade Organization.

While Croatia has made progress on dealing with a number of post-conflict issues, the status of refugees displaced during the 1991-95 war and resolution of border disputes with Slovenia remain key issues influencing Croatia's relations with its neighbors and the international community.

==Economy==
Following World War II, rapid industrialization and diversification occurred within Croatia. Decentralization came in 1965, allowing growth of certain sectors, particularly the tourist industry. Profits from Croatian industry were used to develop poorer regions in the former Yugoslavia. This, coupled with austerity programs and hyperinflation in the 1980s, contributed to discontent in Croatia.

Privatization and the drive toward a market economy had barely begun under the new Croatian Government when war broke out in 1991. As a result of the war, the economic infrastructure sustained massive damage, particularly the revenue-rich tourism industry. From 1989 to 1993, GDP fell 40.5%. With the end of the war in 1995, tourism and Croatia's economy recovered moderately. However, corruption, cronyism, and a general lack of transparency stymied meaningful economic reform, as well as much-needed foreign investment.

Croatia's economy turned the corner in 2000 as tourism rebounded. The economy expanded by 5.6% in 2002, stimulated by a credit boom led by newly privatized and foreign-capitalized banks, some capital investment (most importantly road construction), further growth in tourism, and gains by small and medium-sized private enterprises. These trends have continued, with credit growth fueling strong demand in construction and services, resulting in 4.8% GDP growth in 2006. Unemployment, although still high, began a steady decline over this period that has continued to the present day. Croatia has also benefited from macroeconomic stability over the past several years with a stable exchange rate, low inflation, and shrinking government deficits. The start of European Union accession talks in 2005 and the prospect of NATO membership have also helped to attract higher levels of foreign investment.

Despite these gains, however, substantial challenges remain, particularly in reforming the judicial system and reducing corruption. The privatization process, begun in the 1990s, has been unsteady, largely as a result of public mistrust engendered when many state-owned companies were sold to the politically well-connected at below-market prices. The government sold three large metals plants in early 2007, but the Croatian state still controls a significant part of the economy, with government spending accounting for as much as 40% of GDP. Some large, state-owned industries, such as the country's shipyards, continue to rely on government subsidies, crowding out investment in education and technology needed to ensure the economy's long-term competitiveness.

Croatia has so far weathered the global financial crisis reasonably well, but faces significant challenges in 2009. GDP growth is forecast to slow to between 2% and 3%, largely due to an expected downturn in Croatia's top export commodity, tourism. Croatia's external imbalances and high foreign debt present risks as well, as continued access to foreign credit in 2009 may be severely limited.
*Real GDP growth (2007): 5.6%.
*Inflation rate (2007): 2.9%.
*Unemployment rate (International Labor Organization method, 2007): 9.6%.
*Natural resources: Oil, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, natural asphalt, mica, clays, salt, and hydropower.

==History==
After a period of self-rule, Croatians agreed to the Pacta Conventa in 1091, submitting themselves to Hungarian authority. By the mid-1400s, concerns over Ottoman expansion led the Croatian Assembly to invite the Habsburgs, under Archduke Ferdinand, to assume control over Croatia. Habsburg rule proved successful in thwarting the Ottomans, and by the 18th century, much of Croatia was free of Turkish control.

In 1868, Croatia gained domestic autonomy while remaining under Hungarian authority. Following World War I and the demise of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Croatia joined the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes became Yugoslavia in 1929). Yugoslavia changed its name once again after World War II. The new state became the Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia and united Croatia and several other states together under the communistic leadership of Marshall Tito (born Josip Broz).

After the death of Tito and with the fall of communism throughout eastern Europe, the Yugoslav federation began to unravel. Croatia held its first multi-party elections since World War II in 1990. Long-time Croatian nationalist Franjo Tudjman was elected President, and one year later, Croatians declared independence from Yugoslavia. Conflict between Serbs and Croats in Croatia escalated, and one month after Croatia declared independence, war erupted.

The United Nations mediated a cease-fire in January 1992, but hostilities resumed the next year when Croatia fought to regain one-third of the territory lost the previous year. A second cease-fire was enacted in May 1993, followed by a joint declaration the next January between Croatia and Yugoslavia. However, in September 1993, the Croatian Army led an offensive against the Serb-held self-styled "Republic of Krajina." A third cease-fire was called in March 1994, but it, too, was broken in May and August 1995, after which Croatian forces regained large portions of the Krajina, prompting an exodus of Serbs from this area. In November 1995, Croatia agreed to peacefully reintegrate Eastern Slavonia, Baranja, and Western Sirmium under terms of the Erdut Agreement, and the Croatian government re-established political and legal authority over those territories in January 1998. In December 1995, Croatia signed the Dayton peace agreement, committing itself to a permanent cease-fire and the return of all refugees.

The death of President Tudjman in December 1999, followed by the election of a coalition government and President in early 2000, brought significant changes to Croatia. The government, under the leadership of then-Prime Minister Racan, progressed in implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords, regional cooperation, refugee returns, national reconciliation, and democratization.

On November 23, 2003, national elections were held for Parliament, and the HDZ, which had governed Croatia from independence until 2000, came back into power. The HDZ government, headed by Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, was narrowly re-elected in a November 2007 ballot, and the new government assumed office on January 12, 2008. The Sanader government's priorities remain membership for Croatia in the European Union and in NATO. Presidential elections were held in January 2005. President Mesic, having defeated the HDZ candidate in that election, was inaugurated for a second term on February 18, 2005. Presidential elections will next be held in January 2010.

[[Category:European Countries]]
==see also==
* [[Yugoslavia]]
[[Category:Balkans]]

{{Copyright Details (US Government)}}

Source = [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3166.htm]

Salination

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737334 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Salination''' is the process through which fresh ([[potable water]]) becomes [[salt]] (non-potable) [[water]]; hence, [[desalination]] is the reverse process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused by evaporation of excessive irrigation water, a process that can eventually render [[soil]] incapable of supporting crops.

[[Category:Environment]]

Josephus

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JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737343 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Flavius Josephus''' 37 - 101 A.D. [[Jewish]] general and historian who took part in the Jewish revolt against the [[Roman]]s and later worked for a Roman patron. Josephus would become close friends with the emperors [[Vespasian]] and [[Titus]], taking their family name, Flavius. Josephus born into a priestly family and a descendant of the [[Hasmoneans]], was well educated and at age 19 became a [[Pharisee]].

==Writings==
A prolific writer, Josephus' works, in ancient Greek, not only include his own biography but also ''The Antiquities of the Jews'' and ''The Wars of the Jews''. His writings, especially concerning events of the first century, are considered of particular interest as they provide [[Extra-Biblical beliefs|extra-biblical]] references to key events recorded in the Bible and are considered to provide additional insight into Jewish thought, background and history of the ancient world.

:'''The Antiquities of the Jews''' Is Josephus' recounting of Jewish history from Creation to first-century Roman Procurator Florus in a total of 20 books, broken into a number of chapters. The ''Jewish Encyclopedia'' indicates that it was Josephus' motive in writing the history was to both glorify the Jewish people and their history in the eyes of the Greco-Roman world and to counteract what he considered to be false histories being circulated that degraded the Jewish nation.

:Surviving early copies and translations of his writings make some references to the life and death of [[Jesus Christ]], [[John the Baptist]] and Jesus' brother [[James the Just]].

:A few modern scholars are skeptical of the passages in Josephus' writings that refer to Jesus, believing they were inserted by copyists during the middle ages. While the longer passage (the "Testimonium Flavium") most probably contains at least a few interpolations, the passage for the most part is considered genuine by most scholars. A copy of the Testimonium was found in Agapian that contained no signs of interpolation. The citation about John the Baptist, and about James the brother of Jesus, are considered to be genuine.

::†The Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, Chapter 3.3.63-64; Chapter 5.2.116-118; Chapter 9.1.200.

:'''The Wars of the Jews''' provides a general history of Jewish warfare and contains 7 books, broken into a number of chapters. The history covers the time from Anitochus Ephiphanes taking Jerusalem during the time of the [[Maccabees]] to the taking of Jerusalem by [[Titus]] to the sedition of the Jews at Cyrene.

== See also ==

*[[Philosophy]]
*[[Jewish philosophy]]

==References==
*Alice Whealey, Josephus on Jesus: The Testimonium Flavianum Controversy from Late Antiquity to Modern Times,Peter Lang Publishing (2003).
*William Whiston, The Works of Josephus, Complete and Unabridged, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. (1987)
*[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=543&letter=J&search=josephus Jewish Encyclopedia: Josephus]

[[Category:Military Commanders]][[Category:Christianity]]
[[Category:Roman Historians]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek Historians]]

Kaiju

2009-12-25T17:08:45Z

JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737348 by Timothyjones (Talk) ''maybe you need a life''

{{Japanese characters}}
'''''Kaiju''''' (怪獣) is a [[Japanese]] word meaning "weird beast" or simply "monster". The word ''daikaiju'' indicates a giant monster, and ''daikaiju eiga'' is a "[[giant monster film]]". The most famous example of a ''kaiju'' is the giant monster [[Godzilla]], who was perhaps the first Japanese ''daikaiju'' to hit the screen. Godzilla has since been joined by numerous other monsters with which he has co-starred, and some have had movies all to their own.

Some ''kaiju'', such as in popular Japanese television, have been based on things such as tomatoes and common household objects (such as toasters and umbrellas).

[[category:Japanese pop culture terms]]

Jessica's Law

2009-12-25T17:08:18Z

JustinSatyr: Undo revision 737350 by Timothyjones (Talk)

'''Jessica's Law''' refers to the Jessica Lunsford Act passed in [[Florida]] and proposed as a federal [[law]].<ref>Florida Senate: [http://www.flsenate.gov/session/index.cfm?BI_Mode=ViewBillInfo&Mode=Bills&SubMenu=1&Year=2005&billnum=1877 House 1877: Relating to Jessica Lunsford Act]</ref> It is named in memory of nine-year old Jessica Lunsford, who was abducted, sexually assaulted and then buried alive by John Evander Couey.<ref>NBC6: [http://www.nbc6.net/news/4306072/detail.html Sex Offender Charged With Murder]</ref> The law mandates a minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum of life in prison for first-time child sex offenders. So far, 33 states have enacted all or some of the law.

==External Links==
*[http://www.jmlfoundation.org/ Jessica Marie Lunsford Foundation]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Law]]