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Happy birthday and many happy returns Gerald Ě Grech, Eris Wittmann, Lam Nguyen , Tony Pham , Peter Au and Kevin Smith. Born on the same day, across the years, along with
- 1554 – Philip William, Prince of Orange (d. 1618)
- 1587 – Dorothea Sophia, Abbess of Quedlinburg (d. 1645)
- 1899 – Martin Luther King, Sr., American pastor, missionary, and activist (d. 1984)
- 1915 – Édith Piaf, French singer-songwriter and actress (d. 1963)
- 1941 – Maurice White, American singer-songwriter and producer (Earth, Wind & Fire)
- 1944 – Zal Yanovsky, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Lovin' Spoonful) (d. 2002)
- 1974 – Ricky Ponting, Australian cricketer
- 1994 – M'Baye Niang, French footballer
Matches
- 211 – Publius Septimius Geta, co-emperor of Rome, is lured to come without his bodyguards to meet his brother Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Caracalla), to discuss a possible reconciliation. When he arrives thePraetorian Guard murders him and he dies in the arms of his mother Julia Domna.
- 324 – Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor.
- 1606 – The Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery depart England carrying settlers who found, at Jamestown, Virginia, the first of the thirteen colonies that became the United States.
- 1776 – Thomas Paine publishes one of a series of pamphlets in The Pennsylvania Journal entitled "The American Crisis".
- 1777 – American Revolutionary War: George Washington's Continental Army goes into winter quarters atValley Forge, Pennsylvania.
- 1796 – French Revolutionary Wars: Two British frigates under Commodore Horatio Nelson and two Spanish frigates under Commodore Don Jacobo Stuart engage in battle off the coast of Murcia.
- 1900 – Hopetoun Blunder: The first Governor-General of Australia John Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun, appoints Sir William Lyne premier of the new state of New South Wales, but he is unable to persuade other colonial politicians to join his government and is forced to resign.
- 1912 – William Van Schaick, captain of the steamship General Slocum which caught fire and killed over 1,000 people, is pardoned by U.S. President William Howard Taft after three-and-a-half-years in Sing Sing prison.
- 1916 – World War I: Battle of Verdun – On the Western Front, the French Army successfully holds off the German Army and drives it back to its starting position.
- 1924 – The last Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is sold in London, England, United Kingdom.
- 1932 – BBC World Service begins broadcasting as the BBC Empire Service
- 1946 – Start of the First Indochina War.
- 1956 – Irish-born physician John Bodkin Adams is arrested in connection with the suspicious deaths of more than 160 patients. Eventually he is convicted only of minor charges.
- 1964 – The South Vietnamese military junta of Nguyen Khanh dissolve the High National Council and arrest some of the members.
- 1967 – Prime Minister of Australia Harold Holt is officially presumed dead.
- 1979 – Geoffrey Boycott became the first Cricketer to be stranded at 99 not out against Australia at Perth
Despatches
community channel
New Vid! The Types of Friends You Shouldn't See Movies With http://youtu.be/
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Night's Lights
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4 her
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Marinel Pretzles
Boxes of lindt chocolate from work. Don't know what to do with all this....
It is perfect as Christmas wrapping, but the Christmas experience is diminished if it isn't filled correctly ..
.. wait! wait! I've seen this .. a model leaps out at an NRA meet saying "From my cold dead hands" while carrying an Uzi. - ed===
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Five reasons why Matt Smith was born to play the Doctor: http://bbc.in/JrVJRI (as argued byAnglophenia)
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Probably the best sunset I ever got to photograph... It was a splendid night. — at Pigeon Point Lighthouse.
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Holly Sarah Nguyen
I have been called a lot of names through out life, as we all have, the difference is now I deflect the intent and implication behind the name calling. I aim to not take it personal, breathe in, breathe out, and continue moving forward. xx
John Tran but but.. saying No is negative..
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Michelle Malkin
A&E suspends Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson; Katie Pavlich, others rip ‘crap’ decision ==>http://twitchy.com/2013/
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The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it. | Atlas Shrugged
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energy drinks don't replace sleep - ed
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An elderly man in Oklahoma calls his son in New York and says, "I hate to ruin your day son, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are getting a divorce; 45 years of marriage... and that much misery is enough!" "Dad, what are you talking about?" the son yells. "We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the old dad explained. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Hong Kong and tell her!". Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "Like heck they're getting divorced," she shouts, "I'll take care of this." She calls her elderly father immediately, and screams at him, "You are not getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, you hear me?" she yelled as she hung up the phone. The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. "Okay", he says, "it's all set. They're both coming for Christmas and paying their own air-fare."
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Graphic statements? - ed
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Democrat excess is pathetic - ed
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Not a threat .. Obama's administration just doubled in size .. ed
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It is wrong to reward his abuse - ed
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Diamond Imports
Another beautiful Diamond Engagement Ring we recently finished for a client http://
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Lol, they signed off on it - ed
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Say goodbye, my own true lover … ed
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He was a significant loss .. ed
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Irwin Graulich
MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR SHABBAT, SATURDAY, JANUARY 25TH, 2014
"Where Was God During The Holocaust?"
On Shabbos, 1/25/14 at Temple Hillel in North Woodmere, NY, Irwin Graulich, well known speaker and writer, will be Scholar-In-Residence and deliver his now famous lecture, "If God Took The Jews Out of Egypt, Why Didn't He Take Them Out of Europe?"
Services begin at 8:45am and Mr. Graulich will speak at the end of services in the synagogue. After the lecture, there will be a lovely luncheon and Q & A period with Irwin. The public is invited.
Temple Hillel
1000 Rosedale Road
Valley Stream, NY 11581
516 791-2114
===
===
MICHAEL BEN-ARI:
Warning (resident)!!!
Please do not be indifferent. Share and Spread this letter
Hello Dear Michael Ben-Ari,
I live in clty of Holon, and recently we have a problem that Arab building workers harass and attempt to rape women, both religious and secular.
A few days ago there was a senior event in my neighborhood which was attended by 38 seniors. An Arab worker tried to rape a woman and she was screaming. A religious man was nearby praying and heard her screams. The man punched the Arab, the police came and following an investigation allowed the Arab to leave.
They are also peeping into my neighbors showers because it's old buildings and able to see in the window.
People don't know what to do. Almost certainly that Amalek is living here illegal, at least some of them.
===
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===
http://www.israellycool.com/
NO GA-NAUGHTY LIST FOR YOU: If you send me ONE 36 count box of Hershey's for Heroes with a brief note of thanks for defending the Jewish State!
THESE SOLDIERS DESERVE SOME HERSHEY'S FOR HEROES!!
I need 1,000 Hershey's for Heroes accounted for BEFORE JAN. 5TH! Just looking for commitments with solid numbers.
HERSHEY'S FOR HEROES (Please LIKE & ACT):
https://www.facebook.com/
===
<This was originally shared with me by David Brown. Here is my answer.
Now that I've had the opportunity to read the article I find it very interesting. Christmas today isn't the holiday it was in years past. It has become very commercialized and it's all about the gifts. Unfortunately many Jews and by extension Jewish children have no idea what Chanukah is all about. Many have been given the idea that lots of gifts and a Chanukah bush are the in thing. To a certain extent it's just like comparing Halloween to Purim because of the costumes. Let the Christians have their Christmas. Our children have to be taught unequivocally that Christmas is not our holiday. We Jews have a remarkable history filled with meaning and tradition. We must teaching them from the cradle with kindness and hope.>
- 211 – Publius Septimius Geta, Roman Emperor (b. 189)
- 1111 – Al-Ghazali, Islamic philosopher (b. 1058)
- 1807 – Friedrich Melchior, Baron von Grimm, German-French author (b. 1723)
- 1848 – Emily Brontë, English author (b. 1818)
community channel
New Vid! The Types of Friends You Shouldn't See Movies With http://youtu.be/
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DESCENT OF VAN
Tim Blair – Thursday, December 19, 2013 (1:07pm)
Normal people don’t worry much about appointees to the Human Rights Commission. In fact, normal people can’t evenname any HRC appointees.
And then there is the Guardian‘s Van Badham, for whom the HRC appointment of Tim Wilson is an event equal to Princess Di shooting JFK during 9/11. Let’s follow Miss Badham’s desperate emotional journey as she struggles to cope with the terrible news:
In other words, if he isn’t a veteran of the whining industry he has no business on one of the left’s precious little worry lobbies.
These are universal rights. They apply to everybody.
A leftist hears the words “freedom of speech” and understands them to mean “unfettered hatred”. Interesting.
Tell it to your leftist mates in the anti-Jew club, Van.
You just know where this is heading.
Yep. Van’s gone the full Hitler.
Now she’s hit the grieving phase.
The “white space” of rage? RACIST. Apparently all of this distress led to a great crying fit:
If the term wasn’t associated with masculine gender constructs that diminish the oppression of women, you’d almost think Van was hysterical.
More grief. Van’s in turmoil. But next she discovers a smoking - or dripping, in this case - gun. Wilson once tweeted the quite reasonable view that water cannons be turned on Occupy deadbeats:
This actually shows up Wilson as a weak moderate. A genuine conservative would have called for the deployment ofChewplosive™ acre-clearance detonation mints.
In other words, if he isn’t a veteran of the whining industry he has no business on one of the left’s precious little worry lobbies.
These are universal rights. They apply to everybody.
A leftist hears the words “freedom of speech” and understands them to mean “unfettered hatred”. Interesting.
Tell it to your leftist mates in the anti-Jew club, Van.
You just know where this is heading.
Yep. Van’s gone the full Hitler.
Now she’s hit the grieving phase.
The “white space” of rage? RACIST. Apparently all of this distress led to a great crying fit:
If the term wasn’t associated with masculine gender constructs that diminish the oppression of women, you’d almost think Van was hysterical.
More grief. Van’s in turmoil. But next she discovers a smoking - or dripping, in this case - gun. Wilson once tweeted the quite reasonable view that water cannons be turned on Occupy deadbeats:
This actually shows up Wilson as a weak moderate. A genuine conservative would have called for the deployment ofChewplosive™ acre-clearance detonation mints.
HAWTHORN FOLDS
Tim Blair – Thursday, December 19, 2013 (5:58am)
Please enjoy Bernie’s Magic Moment. Some notes:
• The presence of Brad Rowe and Saverio Rocca indicates to AFL experts that this short film was made in 1994. Then again, the film’s credits also indicate this.
• Clearly, the broadcast game is at Victoria Park and not at the MCG. Artistic licence.
• The pizza boy is future Kevin Rudd advisor Rhys Muldoon.
• It is true that we Collingwood supporters can influence results by ironing. It’s just that we don’t iron very often.
• Why wasn’t he actually at the game?
TEACHER TAUGHT
Tim Blair – Thursday, December 19, 2013 (5:45am)
(Via Rafe)
ANGRY KITTY
Tim Blair – Thursday, December 19, 2013 (5:41am)
Suppose you’re a baby Sumatran tiger, born in a fancy zoo. Everything is sweet for the first 12 weeks. You’re the centre of attention. Cuddles galore! And then your handler decides – in freezy November – that it’s time for a swimming test:
Someone isn’t happy. And that zoo might not be so fancy after all.
Someone isn’t happy. And that zoo might not be so fancy after all.
(Via fearless reporter Leafy, floating at the scene)
TRAPPED IN A MADHOUSE
Tim Blair – Thursday, December 19, 2013 (5:32am)
Energy companies, among many others, have long been spooked by climate alarmism. Now, as Tony Thomasobserves, those companies might be wising up:
It must be a tipping point in the climate debate when a senior Shell executive notices something odd about the green activists with whom he has been consorting.David Hone, Shell UK’s Melbourne-born “senior climate change adviser”, went to an academic conference on “radical emission reduction strategies” in London on December 10-11.He concluded that he had fallen among eco-idiots wanting to remould society from the ground up.
Do read on.
SOAK SHOCK
Tim Blair – Thursday, December 19, 2013 (5:30am)
Mark Steyn sends a prayer:
God save us from the bedwetter Left.
Amen to that, especially when the dampeners are hitting Steyn and the National Review Online with vile lawsuits. Donate here to join the fight.
PULLING WOOL
Tim Blair – Thursday, December 19, 2013 (3:30am)
David Thompson reviews the colossal scope and profundity of Australian performance art.
The Left exposed: enemies of free speech, inciters of hate
Andrew Bolt December 19 2013 (7:12am)
Tim Wilson is a gay man who supports a form of gay marriage and should be a darling of the Left.
But here’s the problem. He also supports free speech.
Cue the vicious hate.
And cue a signature of the modern Left - a collective effort to abuse and cow him with a Hate Tim Wilson Day:
(Via Catallaxy Files.)
===But here’s the problem. He also supports free speech.
Cue the vicious hate.
And cue a signature of the modern Left - a collective effort to abuse and cow him with a Hate Tim Wilson Day:
A day to denounce, fling hate at, and generally express our contempt for Tim Wilson, the new freedom commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission.Note another hallmark of the Left - the hypocrisy. This mass hatred is organised by someone whose job is to promote tolerance:
Timothy James ScrivensNo honour. No shame.
Vice President, chair of education committee and Disability equity officer. at Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association
(Via Catallaxy Files.)
That’s the trouble right there: Human Rights Commission denies freedom commissioner freedom to speak
Andrew Bolt December 18 2013 (8:07pm)
The president of the
Human Rights Commission says new freedom commissioner Tim Wilson, who
plans to campaign for free speech, is actually not permitted to speak out unless she and her fellow commissioners agree.
===Night's Lights
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4 her
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Marinel Pretzles
Boxes of lindt chocolate from work. Don't know what to do with all this....
It is perfect as Christmas wrapping, but the Christmas experience is diminished if it isn't filled correctly ..
.. wait! wait! I've seen this .. a model leaps out at an NRA meet saying "From my cold dead hands" while carrying an Uzi. - ed===
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Five reasons why Matt Smith was born to play the Doctor: http://bbc.in/JrVJRI (as argued byAnglophenia)
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CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Anti-Socialist Stooge David Ball Condemned
PYONGYANG (KCNA) — With the people clamoring for justice, the organizing committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly announced that David Ball will meet the serious punishment of history.
The era and history will eternally record and never forget the shuddering crimes committed by Ball, the enemy of the party, revolution and people and heinous betrayer of the nation.
These crimes will be admitted to, following which hurrahs for the Workers’ Party of Korea and socialism will reverberate far and wide.
Ball let the decadent capitalist lifestyle find its way to our society by distributing all sorts of pornographic pictures among personal confidants. Ball led a dissolute, depraved life, squandering money at every stop.
Ball is a traitor to the nation for all ages, who perpetrated anti-party, counter-revolutionary factional acts in a bid to overthrow the leadership of our party and state and the socialist system.
Ball is a hooligan bereft of any personality as a human being,does not know even elementary diplomatic etiquette and lacks diplomatic ability, and will find that their desperate moves will be smashed.
Ball systematically rallied ex-convicts, those problematic in their past careers and discontented elements around him, and ruled over them as sacred and inviolable being.
Ball worked hard to put all affairs of the country under control, massively increasing the staff of the department and organs under it, and stretch Ball’s tentacles to ministries and national institutions.
All facts go to clearly prove that Ball is a thrice-cursed traitor without an equal in the world, who had desperately worked for years to destabilize and bring down the DPRK. The hateful and despicable nature of these anti-party, anti-state and unpopular crimes will be fully disclosed in the course of the trial. No matter how much water flows under the bridge and no matter how frequently a generation is replaced by new one, the lineage of Paektu will remain unchanged and irreplaceable.
No one in the world can stand in the way of the army and people who are advancing single-mindedly united around supreme leader Kim Jong Un under the banner of great Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.
Citizens may discuss the trials in the official committee forum or denounce a friend using the form below.
Read more at Boing Boing
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Probably the best sunset I ever got to photograph... It was a splendid night. — at Pigeon Point Lighthouse.
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Holly Sarah Nguyen
I have been called a lot of names through out life, as we all have, the difference is now I deflect the intent and implication behind the name calling. I aim to not take it personal, breathe in, breathe out, and continue moving forward. xx
John Tran but but.. saying No is negative..
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Michelle Malkin
A&E suspends Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson; Katie Pavlich, others rip ‘crap’ decision ==>http://twitchy.com/2013/
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The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it. | Atlas Shrugged
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Sarah Palin
Free speech is an endangered species. Those “intolerants” hatin’ and taking on the Duck Dynasty patriarch for voicing his personal opinion are taking on all of us.
===energy drinks don't replace sleep - ed
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An elderly man in Oklahoma calls his son in New York and says, "I hate to ruin your day son, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are getting a divorce; 45 years of marriage... and that much misery is enough!" "Dad, what are you talking about?" the son yells. "We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the old dad explained. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Hong Kong and tell her!". Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "Like heck they're getting divorced," she shouts, "I'll take care of this." She calls her elderly father immediately, and screams at him, "You are not getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, you hear me?" she yelled as she hung up the phone. The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. "Okay", he says, "it's all set. They're both coming for Christmas and paying their own air-fare."
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www.theage.com.au
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/renewable-energy-target-faces-cut-by-abbott-20131218-2zlgs.html===
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Graphic statements? - ed
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Democrat excess is pathetic - ed
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www.news.com.au
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www.news.com.au
.. it is unlucky the Democrats have white house? - ed===
www.news.com.au
===Not a threat .. Obama's administration just doubled in size .. ed
===
It is wrong to reward his abuse - ed
===
Diamond Imports
Another beautiful Diamond Engagement Ring we recently finished for a client http://
===
Lol, they signed off on it - ed
===
Say goodbye, my own true lover … ed
===
www.news.com.au
There may be driver fault, but there is also certainly planning fault too. - ed===
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He was a significant loss .. ed
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www.israpundit.com
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www.israelnationalnews.com
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Irwin Graulich
MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR SHABBAT, SATURDAY, JANUARY 25TH, 2014
"Where Was God During The Holocaust?"
On Shabbos, 1/25/14 at Temple Hillel in North Woodmere, NY, Irwin Graulich, well known speaker and writer, will be Scholar-In-Residence and deliver his now famous lecture, "If God Took The Jews Out of Egypt, Why Didn't He Take Them Out of Europe?"
Services begin at 8:45am and Mr. Graulich will speak at the end of services in the synagogue. After the lecture, there will be a lovely luncheon and Q & A period with Irwin. The public is invited.
Temple Hillel
1000 Rosedale Road
Valley Stream, NY 11581
516 791-2114
===
blogs.timesofisrael.com
===
www.jewishpress.com
======
MICHAEL BEN-ARI:
Warning (resident)!!!
Please do not be indifferent. Share and Spread this letter
Hello Dear Michael Ben-Ari,
I live in clty of Holon, and recently we have a problem that Arab building workers harass and attempt to rape women, both religious and secular.
A few days ago there was a senior event in my neighborhood which was attended by 38 seniors. An Arab worker tried to rape a woman and she was screaming. A religious man was nearby praying and heard her screams. The man punched the Arab, the police came and following an investigation allowed the Arab to leave.
They are also peeping into my neighbors showers because it's old buildings and able to see in the window.
People don't know what to do. Almost certainly that Amalek is living here illegal, at least some of them.
===
www.jpost.com
======
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===
http://www.israellycool.com/
www.israellycool.com
===NO GA-NAUGHTY LIST FOR YOU: If you send me ONE 36 count box of Hershey's for Heroes with a brief note of thanks for defending the Jewish State!
THESE SOLDIERS DESERVE SOME HERSHEY'S FOR HEROES!!
I need 1,000 Hershey's for Heroes accounted for BEFORE JAN. 5TH! Just looking for commitments with solid numbers.
HERSHEY'S FOR HEROES (Please LIKE & ACT):
https://www.facebook.com/
===
<This was originally shared with me by David Brown. Here is my answer.
Now that I've had the opportunity to read the article I find it very interesting. Christmas today isn't the holiday it was in years past. It has become very commercialized and it's all about the gifts. Unfortunately many Jews and by extension Jewish children have no idea what Chanukah is all about. Many have been given the idea that lots of gifts and a Chanukah bush are the in thing. To a certain extent it's just like comparing Halloween to Purim because of the costumes. Let the Christians have their Christmas. Our children have to be taught unequivocally that Christmas is not our holiday. We Jews have a remarkable history filled with meaning and tradition. We must teaching them from the cradle with kindness and hope.>
www.virtualjerusalem.com
I have no problem with secular administration. Faith is personal and I don't like it when the state tells me I should have a certain faith. The arguments people employ are unsettling to .. were gay marriage to be legal I would not do it .. there are lots of things I don't do which are legal. As a Christian, I respect Chanukah and those following observances related to it, but it would be hypocritical of me to demand that of Jews for Christmas. For me, Jesus would have observed and followed Chanukah practice .. the scripture which advises me to be offensive to others and behave in a superior way I cannot find .. ed
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unitycoalitionforisrael.org
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unitycoalitionforisrael.org
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www.algemeiner.com
===
This is a sequence showing a "Lebanese mother and son" who were supposedly the targets of an Israeli air raid into Lebanon. The story that accompanies the photos says that the mother would die in her son's arms. Too bad it is all a lie designed to create anger and indignation and foster hatred towards Israel. As you will see in the middle picture, the "mother" and "son" proudly show off their fake photo. How many newspapers and news agencies will write about Arab propaganda lies?
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sultanknish.blogspot.com
===by Adam Levick
As we noted in a post yesterday, the Guardian's Harriet Sherwood evidently believes - contrary to all evidence - that Palestinian terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) are rare.>
http://cifwatch.com/2013/12/
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- 1154 – Henry II was crowned King of England in London's Westminster Abbey.
- 1843 – A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (pictured), a novella about the miser Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation after being visited by three Christmas ghosts, was first published.
- 1956 – Irish-born British physician John Bodkin Adamswas arrested in connection with the suspicious deaths of more than 160 of his patients, although he was only convicted on minor charges.
- 1981 – Sixteen lives were lost when a Penlee lifeboatwent to the aid of the stricken coaster Union Star in heavy seas off the south-west coast of England.
- 1986 – Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev releaseddissident Andrei Sakharov after six years of internal exile in Gorky.
- 1998 – The U.S. House of Representatives impeachedPresident Bill Clinton following the Lewinsky scandal.
Events[edit]
- 211 – Publius Septimius Geta, co-emperor of Rome, is lured to come without his bodyguards to meet his brother Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Caracalla), to discuss a possible reconciliation. When he arrives thePraetorian Guard murders him and he dies in the arms of his mother Julia Domna.
- 324 – Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor.
- 1154 – Henry II of England is crowned at Westminster Abbey.
- 1490 – Anne, Duchess of Brittany, is married to Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor by proxy.
- 1606 – The Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery depart England carrying settlers who found, at Jamestown, Virginia, the first of the thirteen colonies that became the United States.
- 1776 – Thomas Paine publishes one of a series of pamphlets in The Pennsylvania Journal entitled "The American Crisis".
- 1777 – American Revolutionary War: George Washington's Continental Army goes into winter quarters atValley Forge, Pennsylvania.
- 1796 – French Revolutionary Wars: Two British frigates under Commodore Horatio Nelson and two Spanish frigates under Commodore Don Jacobo Stuart engage in battle off the coast of Murcia.
- 1828 – Nullification Crisis: Vice President of the United States John C. Calhoun pens the South Carolina Exposition and Protest, protesting the Tariff of 1828.
- 1900 – Hopetoun Blunder: The first Governor-General of Australia John Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun, appoints Sir William Lyne premier of the new state of New South Wales, but he is unable to persuade other colonial politicians to join his government and is forced to resign.
- 1907 – 239 coal miners die in a mine explosion in Jacobs Creek, Pennsylvania.
- 1912 – William Van Schaick, captain of the steamship General Slocum which caught fire and killed over 1,000 people, is pardoned by U.S. President William Howard Taft after three-and-a-half-years in Sing Sing prison.
- 1916 – World War I: Battle of Verdun – On the Western Front, the French Army successfully holds off the German Army and drives it back to its starting position.
- 1920 – King Constantine I is restored as King of the Hellenes after the death of his son Alexander of Greece and a plebiscite.
- 1924 – The last Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is sold in London, England, United Kingdom.
- 1927 – Three Indian revolutionaries, Ram Prasad Bismil, Roshan Singh and Ashfaqulla Khan were executed by the British Empire.
- 1932 – BBC World Service begins broadcasting as the BBC Empire Service
- 1941 – World War II: Adolf Hitler becomes Supreme Commander-in-chief of the German Army.
- 1941 – World War II: Limpet mines placed by Italian divers sink the HMS Valiant and HMS Queen Elizabeth in Alexandria harbour.
- 1946 – Start of the First Indochina War.
- 1956 – Irish-born physician John Bodkin Adams is arrested in connection with the suspicious deaths of more than 160 patients. Eventually he is convicted only of minor charges.
- 1961 – India annexes Daman and Diu, part of Portuguese India.
- 1964 – The South Vietnamese military junta of Nguyen Khanh dissolve the High National Council and arrest some of the members.
- 1967 – Prime Minister of Australia Harold Holt is officially presumed dead.
- 1972 – Apollo program: The last manned lunar flight, Apollo 17, crewed by Eugene Cernan, Ron Evans and Harrison Schmitt, returns toEarth.
- 1975 – John Paul Stevens is appointed a justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
- 1979 – Geoffrey Boycott became the first Cricketer to be stranded at 99 not out against Australia at Perth
- 1981 – Sixteen lives are lost when the Penlee lifeboat goes to the aid of the stricken coaster Union Star in heavy seas.
- 1983 – The original FIFA World Cup trophy, the Jules Rimet Trophy, is stolen from the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederationin Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- 1984 – The Sino-British Joint Declaration, stating that China would resume the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and the United Kingdom would restore Hong Kong to China with effect from July 1, 1997 is signed in Beijing, China by Deng Xiaoping and Margaret Thatcher.
- 1986 – Mikhail Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union, releases Andrei Sakharov and his wife from exile in Gorky.
- 1995 – The United States Government restores federal recognition to the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indian tribe.
- 1997 – SilkAir Flight 185 crashes into the Musi River, near Palembang in Indonesia, killing 104.
- 1998 – President Bill Clinton is impeached by The United States House of Representatives, becoming the second President of the United States to be impeached.
- 2000 – The Leninist Guerrilla Units wing of the Communist Labour Party of Turkey/Leninist attack a Nationalist Movement Party office inIstanbul, Turkey, killing one person and injuring three.
- 2001 – A record high barometric pressure of 1085.6 hPa (32.06 inHg) is recorded at Tosontsengel, Khövsgöl, Mongolia.
- 2001 – Argentine economic crisis: December 2001 riots – Riots erupt in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- 2010 – Sachin Tendulkar scores a record-breaking 50th Century in Test Cricket against South Africa at the SuperSport Park in Centurion, Gauteng.
- 2010 – Rahul Dravid crosses the 12000 runs milestone in Test Cricket against South Africa at the SuperSport Park in Centurion, Gauteng.
- 2012 – Park Geun-hye becomes the first female elected President of South Korea
Births[edit]
- 1554 – Philip William, Prince of Orange (d. 1618)
- 1587 – Dorothea Sophia, Abbess of Quedlinburg (d. 1645)
- 1683 – Philip V of Spain (d. 1746)
- 1699 – William Bowyer, English printer (d. 1777)
- 1714 – John Winthrop, American astronomer and educator (d. 1779)
- 1778 – Marie Thérèse of France (d. 1851)
- 1784 – Marcus Morton, American politician, 16th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1864)
- 1796 – Manuel Bretón de los Herreros, Spanish playwright (d. 1873)
- 1817 – James J. Archer, American lawyer and general (d. 1864)
- 1820 – Mary Livermore, American journalist and activist (d. 1905)
- 1825 – George Frederick Bristow, American composer (d. 1898)
- 1831 – Bernice Pauahi Bishop, American philanthropist (d. 1884)
- 1849 – Henry Clay Frick, American businessman (d. 1919)
- 1850 – Friedrich Lüthi, Swiss target shooter (d. 1913)
- 1852 – Albert Abraham Michelson, Prussian-American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1931)
- 1853 – Charles Fitzpatrick, Canadian lawyer and politician, 12th Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec (d. 1942)
- 1861 – Italo Svevo, Italian author (d. 1928)
- 1863 – Wallace Bryant, American archer (d. 1953)
- 1865 – Minnie Maddern Fiske, American actress (d. 1932)
- 1873 – Alphonse Kirchhoffer, French fencer (d. 1913)
- 1875 – Carter G. Woodson, American historian and author, founded Black History Month (d. 1950)
- 1876 – Bernard Friedberg, Austrian Hebraist (d. 1961)
- 1881 – John Fraser, Canadian soccer player (d. 1959)
- 1888 – Fritz Reiner, Hungarian-American conductor (d. 1963)
- 1891 – Juhan Kallaste, Estonian clergyman, actor and centenarian (d. 1999)
- 1894 – Ford Frick, American journalist and businessman (d. 1978)
- 1895 – Ingeborg Refling Hagen, Norwegian author and educator (d. 1989)
- 1899 – Martin Luther King, Sr., American pastor, missionary, and activist (d. 1984)
- 1901 – Rudolf Hell, German inventor, invented the Hellschreiber (d. 2002)
- 1901 – Oliver La Farge, American writer and anthropologist (d. 1963)
- 1901 – Fritz Mauruschat, German footballer (d. 1974)
- 1902 – Ralph Richardson, English actor (d. 1983)
- 1903 – George Davis Snell, American geneticist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1996)
- 1905 – Irving Kahn, American businessman
- 1905 – Count "Johnnie" Lurani, Italian automobile engineer, racing car driver and journalist (d. 1995)
- 1906 – Leonid Brezhnev, Soviet politician (d. 1982)
- 1907 – Jimmy McLarnin, Irish boxer (d. 2004)
- 1909 – W. A. Criswell, American pastor and author (d. 2002)
- 1910 – Jean Genet, French author, poet, and playwright (d. 1986)
- 1914 – Mel Shaw, American animator and screenwriter (d. 2012)
- 1915 – Édith Piaf, French singer-songwriter and actress (d. 1963)
- 1916 – Roy Ward Baker, English director (d. 2010)
- 1916 – Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, German political scientist (d. 2010)
- 1918 – Professor Longhair, American singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 1980)
- 1920 – Little Jimmy Dickens, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1920 – David Susskind, American talk show host and producer (d. 1987)
- 1922 – Eamonn Andrews, Irish radio and television host (d. 1987)
- 1923 – Robert V. Bruce, American historian and author (d. 2008)
- 1923 – Gordon Jackson, Scottish actor (d. 1990)
- 1924 – Carlo Chiti, Italian engineer (d. 1994)
- 1924 – Doug Harvey, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1989)
- 1924 – Gary Morton, American comedian, actor, and producer (d. 1999)
- 1924 – Edmund Purdom, English actor (d. 2009)
- 1925 – Tankred Dorst, German playwright
- 1925 – William Schutz, American psychologist (d. 2002)
- 1925 – Robert B. Sherman, American songwriter and screenwriter (d. 2012)
- 1926 – Bobby Layne, American football player (d. 1986)
- 1926 – Herb Stempel, American game show contestant
- 1927 – James Booth, English actor and screenwriter (d. 2005)
- 1928 – Eve Bunting, Irish author
- 1928 – Nathan Oliveira, American painter and sculptor (d. 2010)
- 1929 – Bob Brookmeyer, American trombonist, pianist, and composer (d. 2011)
- 1929 – Gregory Carroll, American singer-songwriter and producer (The Orioles and The Four Buddies) (d. 2013)
- 1929 – Howard Sackler, American screenwriter (d. 1982)
- 1932 – Salvador Elizondo, Mexican author (d. 2006)
- 1933 – Kevan Gosper, Australian runner
- 1933 – Cicely Tyson, American actress
- 1934 – Rudi Carrell, Dutch actor and singer (d. 2006)
- 1934 – Al Kaline, American baseball player
- 1934 – Casper R. Taylor, Jr., American politician
- 1934 – Pratibha Patil, Indian politician, 12th President of India
- 1935 – Barbara Bostock, American actress
- 1935 – Bobby Timmons, American pianist and composer (d. 1974)
- 1935 – Joanne Weaver, American baseball player (d. 2000)
- 1936 – Marian McKnight, American model, Miss America 1957
- 1940 – Phil Ochs, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1976)
- 1941 – Lee Myung-bak, South Korean politician, 10th President of South Korea
- 1941 – Maurice White, American singer-songwriter and producer (Earth, Wind & Fire)
- 1942 – Rufus, French actor
- 1942 – Cornell Dupree, American guitarist
- 1942 – Dennis E. Fitch, American pilot (d. 2012)
- 1943 – Ross M. Lence, American political scientist and academic (d. 2006)
- 1943 – James L. Jones, American general, 22nd United States National Security Advisor
- 1944 – William Christie, American-French harpsichordist and conductor (Les Arts Florissants)
- 1944 – Mitchell Feigenbaum, American physicist
- 1944 – Richard Leakey, Kenyan paleontologist and politician
- 1944 – Alvin Lee, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (Ten Years After) (d. 2013)
- 1944 – Tim Reid, American actor and director
- 1944 – Zal Yanovsky, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Lovin' Spoonful) (d. 2002)
- 1945 – Elaine Joyce, American actress
- 1945 – John McEuen, American guitarist (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band)
- 1946 – Rosemary Conley, English businesswoman, author, and broadcaster
- 1946 – Robert Urich, American actor (d. 2002)
- 1947 – Jimmy Bain, Scottish bass player (Rainbow and Wild Horses)
- 1947 – Charlie Van Dyke, American actor and radio host
- 1948 – Ken Brown, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1949 – Sebastian, Danish singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1949 – Nancy Kyes, American actress
- 1950 – Eleanor J. Hill, American lawyer and diplomat
- 1951 – Mohammad Reza Aref, Iranian politician, 2nd Vice President of Iran
- 1951 – Alan Rouse, English mountaineer (d. 1986)
- 1952 – Walter Murphy, American pianist and composer
- 1954 – Jeff Allam, English race car driver
- 1955 – Lincoln Hall, Australian mountaineer and author (d. 2012)
- 1955 – Rob Portman, American politician
- 1956 – Tom Lawless, American baseball player
- 1956 – Shane McEntee, Irish politician (d. 2012)
- 1957 – Cyril Collard, French actor, director, and composer (d. 1993)
- 1957 – John Gulager, American actor, cinematographer, and director
- 1957 – Kevin McHale, American basketball player
- 1958 – Limahl, English singer and keyboard player (Kajagoogoo and Brooks)
- 1958 – Steven Isserlis, English cellist
- 1959 – Ivan Vallejo, Ecuadorian mountaineer
- 1960 – Derrick Jensen, American author and activist
- 1960 – Mike Lookinland, American actor
- 1960 – Michelangelo Signorile, American journalist
- 1961 – Eric Allin Cornell, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1961 – Matthew Waterhouse, English actor
- 1961 – Reggie White, American football player (d. 2004)
- 1962 – Gary Fleder, American director, screenwriter, and producer
- 1962 – Jill Talley, American actress
- 1963 – Jennifer Beals, American actress
- 1963 – Til Schweiger, German actor
- 1964 – Béatrice Dalle, French actress
- 1964 – Arvydas Sabonis, Lithuanian basketball player
- 1965 – Chito Martínez, Belizean baseball player
- 1965 – Jessica Steen, American actress
- 1966 – Chuckii Booker, American singer-songwriter and producer
- 1966 – Robert MacNaughton, American actor
- 1966 – Alberto Tomba, Italian skier
- 1966 – Eric Weinrich, American ice hockey player
- 1966 – Rajesh Chauhan, Former Indian Cricketer
- 1967 – Criss Angel, American magician
- 1967 – Frankie Lam, Hong Kong actor
- 1968 – Ken Marino, American actor and comedian
- 1969 – Tom Gugliotta, American basketball player
- 1969 – Richard Hammond, English journalist and television host
- 1969 – Kristy Swanson, American actress
- 1969 – Nayan Mongia, Former Indian Wicket-Keeper
- 1970 – Tyson Beckford, American model and actor
- 1971 – Liz Cho, American journalist
- 1971 – Amy Locane, American actress
- 1972 – Rosa Blasi, American actress
- 1972 – Alyssa Milano, American actress and singer
- 1972 – Warren Sapp, American football player
- 1973 – Michalis Grigoriou, Greek footballer and coach
- 1973 – Takashi Sorimachi, Japanese actor
- 1973 – Zulfiya Zabirova, Russian cyclist
- 1974 – Mikko Paananen, Finnish bass player (HIM)
- 1974 – Joe Jurevicius, American football player
- 1974 – Felipe Lopez, Dominican basketball player
- 1974 – Jake Plummer, American football player
- 1974 – Ricky Ponting, Australian cricketer
- 1975 – Makis Belevonis, Greek footballer
- 1975 – Russell Branyan, American baseball player
- 1975 – Brandon Sanderson, American author
- 1975 – Jon Smith, English journalist and author
- 1975 – Olivier Tébily, Ivorian footballer
- 1975 – Michiel van den Bos, Dutch composer
- 1977 – Jorge Garbajosa, Spanish basketball player
- 1978 – Patrick Casey, American screenwriter and actor
- 1979 – Kevin Devine, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Bad Books)
- 1979 – Paola Rey, Colombian actress
- 1970 – Rafael Soriano, Dominican Republic baseball player
- 1980 – Iman Ali, Pakistani model and actress
- 1980 – Jake Gyllenhaal, American actor
- 1980 – Chris Haslam, Canadian skateboarder
- 1980 – Marla Sokoloff, American actress
- 1982 – Tero Pitkämäki, Finnish javelin thrower
- 1982 – Mo Williams, American basketball player
- 1983 – Nektarios Alexandrou, Cypriot footballer
- 1983 – Casey Crescenzo, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Dear Hunter and The Receiving End of Sirens)
- 1983 – Matt Stajan, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1984 – Ian Kennedy, American baseball player
- 1985 – Gary Cahill, English footballer
- 1985 – Neil Kilkenny, English-Australian footballer
- 1985 – Dan Logan, English bass player (The Kooks, Cat the Dog, and The Ordinary Boys)
- 1985 – Lady Sovereign, English rapper
- 1986 – Ryan Babel, Dutch footballer
- 1986 – Lazaros Christodoulopoulos, Greek footballer
- 1986 – Miguel Lopes, Portuguese footballer
- 1987 – Cédric Baseya, French-Congolese footballer
- 1987 – Karim Benzema, French footballer
- 1988 – Paulina Gretzky, American singer and model
- 1988 – Alexis Sánchez, Chilean footballer
- 1988 – Peter Winn, English footballer
- 1989 – Valdimar Bergstað, Icelandic horse rider
- 1989 – Hamza Riazuddin, English cricketer
- 1990 – Greg Bretz, American snowboarder
- 1991 – Jorge Blanco, Mexican actor and singer
- 1991 – Declan Galbraith, English singer
- 1992 – Iker Muniain, Spanish footballer
- 1992 – Raphael Spiegel, Swiss footballer
- 1994 – M'Baye Niang, French footballer
Deaths[edit]
- 211 – Publius Septimius Geta, Roman Emperor (b. 189)
- 1111 – Al-Ghazali, Islamic philosopher (b. 1058)
- 1327 – Agnes of France, Duchess of Burgundy (b. 1260)
- 1370 – Pope Urban V (b. 1310)
- 1737 – James Louis Sobieski, Polish son of John III Sobieski (b. 1667)
- 1741 – Vitus Bering, Danish-Russian navy officer and explorer (b. 1681)
- 1745 – Jean-Baptiste van Loo, French painter (b. 1684)
- 1749 – Francesco Antonio Bonporti, Italian priest and composer (b. 1672)
- 1751 – Louise of Great Britain (b. 1724)
- 1807 – Friedrich Melchior, Baron von Grimm, German-French author (b. 1723)
- 1813 – James McGill, Scottish-Canadian businessman and philanthropist, founded McGill University (b. 1744)
- 1814 – Joseph Bramah, English inventor and locksmith, invented the Hydraulic press (b. 1748)
- 1819 – Thomas Fremantle, English navy officer and politician (b. 1765)
- 1848 – Emily Brontë, English author (b. 1818)
- 1878 – Bayard Taylor, American author and poet (b. 1825)
- 1899 – Henry Ware Lawton, American Civil War general (b. 1843)
- 1915 – Alois Alzheimer, German psychiatrist and neuropathologist (b. 1864)
- 1916 – Thibaw Min, Burmese king (b. 1859)
- 1927 – Ashfaqulla Khan, Indian freedom fighter (b. 1900)
- 1927 – Ram Prasad Bismil, Indian freedom fighter (b. 1897)
- 1927 – Roshan Singh, Indian freedom fighter (b. 1892)
- 1932 – Yoon Bong-Gil, South Korean activist (b. 1908)
- 1933 – George Jackson Churchward, English engineer (b. 1857)
- 1938 – Stephen Warfield Gambrill, American politician (b. 1873)
- 1939 – Hans Langsdorff, German navy officer (b. 1894)
- 1944 – Abbas II of Egypt (b. 1874)
- 1944 – Rudolph Karstadt, German businessman (b. 1856)
- 1946 – Paul Langevin, French physicist (b. 1872)
- 1953 – Robert Andrews Millikan, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1868)
- 1962 – Warren Brittingham, American soccer player (b. 1886)
- 1968 – Norman Thomas, American minister (b. 1884)
- 1970 – Mihkel Müller, Estonian wrestler (b. 1887)
- 1982 – Dwight Macdonald, American philosopher, author, and critic (b. 1906)
- 1984 – Joy Ridderhof, American missionary (b. 1903)
- 1986 – V. C. Andrews, American author (b. 1923)
- 1986 – Werner Dankwort, German diplomat (b. 1895)
- 1987 – August Mälk, Estonian writer and politician (b. 1900)
- 1988 – Robert Bernstein, American author and playwright (b. 1919)
- 1989 – Stella Gibbons, English author (b. 1902)
- 1991 – Joe Cole, American roadie and author (b. 1961)
- 1993 – Michael Clarke, American drummer (The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and Firefall) (b. 1946)
- 1996 – Marcello Mastroianni, Italian actor (b. 1924)
- 1997 – Masaru Ibuka, Japanese businessman, co-founded Sony (b. 1908)
- 1997 – Jimmy Rogers, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1924)
- 1998 – Mel Fisher, American treasure hunter (b. 1922)
- 1998 – Antonio Ordóñez, Spanish bullfighter (b. 1932)
- 1999 – Desmond Llewelyn, Welsh actor (b. 1914)
- 2000 – Rob Buck, American guitarist and songwriter (10,000 Maniacs) (b. 1958)
- 2000 – Milt Hinton, American bassist (b. 1910)
- 2000 – David Dewayne Johnson, American murderer (b. 1963)
- 2000 – John Lindsay, American lawyer and politician, 103rd Mayor of New York City (b. 1921)
- 2000 – Pops Staples, American singer and guitarist (The Staple Singers) (b. 1915)
- 2001 – Arkie Whiteley, Australian actress (b. 1964)
- 2002 – Will Hoy, English race car driver (b. 1952)
- 2002 – Arthur Rowley, English footballer (b. 1926)
- 2002 – George Weller, American author, playwright, and journalist (b. 1907)
- 2003 – Peter Carter-Ruck, English lawyer, founded Carter-Ruck (b. 1914)
- 2003 – Hope Lange, American actress (b. 1933)
- 2003 – Les Tremayne, English-American actor (b. 1913)
- 2004 – Herbert C. Brown, English-American chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1912)
- 2004 – Renata Tebaldi, Italian soprano (b. 1922)
- 2005 – Keith Duckworth, English engineer (b. 1933)
- 2005 – Vincent Gigante, American mobster (b. 1927)
- 2008 – James Bevel, American minister and activist (b. 1936)
- 2008 – Carol Chomsky, American linguist and educator (b. 1930)
- 2008 – Michael Connell, American political consultant (b. 1963)
- 2008 – Kenny Cox, American pianist (b. 1940)
- 2008 – Dock Ellis, American baseball player (b. 1945)
- 2009 – Giridharilal Kedia, Indian businessman (b. 1936)
- 2009 – Hussein-Ali Montazeri, Iranian theologian, scholar, and activist (b. 1922)
- 2009 – Kim Peek, American megasavant (b. 1951)
- 2010 – Anthony Howard, English journalist (b. 1934)
- 2010 – Trudy Pitts, American pianist and singer (b. 1932)
- 2012 – Inez Andrews, American singer (The Caravans) (b. 1929)
- 2012 – Lawrie Barratt, English businessman, founded Barratt Developments (b. 1927)
- 2012 – Robert Bork, American judge and scholar (b. 1927)
- 2012 – Paul Crauchet, French actor (b. 1920)
- 2012 – Colin Davis, English race car driver (b. 1933)
- 2012 – Pecker Dunne, Irish singer-songwriter (b. 1933)
- 2012 – Georges Jobé, Belgian motocross rider (b. 1961)
- 2012 – Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, Israeli military officer and politician (b. 1944)
- 2012 – Larry Morris, American football player (b. 1933)
- 2012 – Keiji Nakazawa, Japanese writer and illustrator (b. 1939)
- 2012 – George O'Donnell, American baseball player (b. 1929)
- 2012 – Peter Struck, German politician (b. 1943)
Holidays and observances[edit]
- Christian Feast Day:
““Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),” Luke 1:68-70 NIV
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Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon
Morning
"Rend your heart, and not your garments."
Joel 2:13
Joel 2:13
Garment-rending and other outward signs of religious emotion, are easily manifested and are frequently hypocritical; but to feel true repentance is far more difficult, and consequently far less common. Men will attend to the most multiplied and minute ceremonial regulations--for such things are pleasing to the flesh--but true religion is too humbling, too heart-searching, too thorough for the tastes of the carnal men; they prefer something more ostentatious, flimsy, and worldly. Outward observances are temporarily comfortable; eye and ear are pleased; self-conceit is fed, and self-righteousness is puffed up: but they are ultimately delusive, for in the article of death, and at the day of judgment, the soul needs something more substantial than ceremonies and rituals to lean upon. Apart from vital godliness all religion is utterly vain; offered without a sincere heart, every form of worship is a solemn sham and an impudent mockery of the majesty of heaven.
Heart-rending is divinely wrought and solemnly felt. It is a secret grief which is personally experienced, not in mere form, but as a deep, soul-moving work of the Holy Spirit upon the inmost heart of each believer. It is not a matter to be merely talked of and believed in, but keenly and sensitively felt in every living child of the living God. It is powerfully humiliating, and completely sin-purging; but then it is sweetly preparative for those gracious consolations which proud unhumbled spirits are unable to receive; and it is distinctly discriminating, for it belongs to the elect of God, and to them alone.
The text commands us to rend our hearts, but they are naturally hard as marble: how, then, can this be done? We must take them to Calvary: a dying Saviour's voice rent the rocks once, and it is as powerful now. O blessed Spirit, let us hear the death-cries of Jesus, and our hearts shall be rent even as men rend their vestures in the day of lamentation.
Evening
"Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds."
Proverbs 27:23
Proverbs 27:23
Every wise merchant will occasionally hold a stock-taking, when he will cast up his accounts, examine what he has on hand, and ascertain decisively whether his trade is prosperous or declining. Every man who is wise in the kingdom of heaven, will cry, "Search me, O God, and try me"; and he will frequently set apart special seasons for self-examination, to discover whether things are right between God and his soul. The God whom we worship is a great heart-searcher; and of old his servants knew him as "the Lord which searcheth the heart and trieth the reins of the children of men." Let me stir you up in his name to make diligent search and solemn trial of your state, lest you come short of the promised rest. That which every wise man does, that which God himself does with us all, I exhort you to do with yourself this evening. Let the oldest saint look well to the fundamentals of his piety, for grey heads may cover black hearts: and let not the young professor despise the word of warning, for the greenness of youth may be joined to the rottenness of hypocrisy. Every now and then a cedar falls into our midst. The enemy still continues to sow tares among the wheat. It is not my aim to introduce doubts and fears into your mind; nay, verily, but I shall hope the rather that the rough wind of self-examination may help to drive them away. It is not security, but carnal security, which we would kill; not confidence, but fleshly confidence, which we would overthrow; not peace, but false peace, which we would destroy. By the precious blood of Christ, which was not shed to make you a hypocrite, but that sincere souls might show forth his praise, I beseech you, search and look, lest at the last it be said of you, "Mene, Mene, Tekel: thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting."
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Today's reading: Obadiah 1, Revelation 9 (NIV)
View today's reading on Bible GatewayToday's Old Testament reading: Obadiah 1
Obadiah’s Vision
1 The vision of Obadiah.
This is what the Sovereign LORD says about Edom—
We have heard a message from the LORD:
An envoy was sent to the nations to say,
“Rise, let us go against her for battle”—
2 “See, I will make you small among the nations;An envoy was sent to the nations to say,
“Rise, let us go against her for battle”—
you will be utterly despised.
3 The pride of your heart has deceived you,
you who live in the clefts of the rocks
and make your home on the heights,
you who say to yourself,
‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’
4 Though you soar like the eagle
and make your nest among the stars,
from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD.
5 “If thieves came to you,
if robbers in the night—
oh, what a disaster awaits you!—
would they not steal only as much as they wanted?
If grape pickers came to you,
would they not leave a few grapes?
Today's New Testament reading: Revelation 9
1 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 3 And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.5 They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them....
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PRINCE
And he will be called...Prince of Peace - Isaiah 9:6
In ancient times, princes, whether they desired it or not, often became warriors. Rulers of nations may talk about peace, but nothing is more elusive than peace. And so, when Isaiah talked about a child who would be born, a son who would be given, who would be called "Prince of Peace," it sounded like high rhetoric, wishful thinking. Could it ever possibly happen?
When you look at the life of Jesus, it hardly appears to be a life of peace. He was in constant conflict with people who had invented their own ideas about God, and with people who really didn't want God to meddle in their affairs at all. Jesus had enemies. In the end, he died a most violent death, which had been preceded by humiliating abuse. His followers were harassed and persecuted. Fishermen died as martyrs.
Yet, it is in Jesus' sacrifice that he became Prince of Peace. Only when the chief enemies of humanity-sin, death, evil-were defeated could people live at peace with God, with themselves, and with the world.
And so, yes, he was the Prince of Peace. The angel was right in saying "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace..."(Lk. 2:14). The apostle Paul offered a sincere blessing of peace when he said: "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way" (2 Thess. 3:16).
This is the kind of prince-a ruler brand new to the world-that the prophecies had described. So when we think of Bethlehem, we must remember that it was not the stable that made this baby unique, nor the virtues of Mary or Joseph, nor the angelic presence, nor any other feature of those extraordinary days, as important as they are. The child was remarkable, because Jesus is the only prince to truly bring a lasting peace-a peace that has lasted for millennia, and will last into eternity.
Where do you need to find peace in your life at this time? Your family? Your workplace? Your inner life? We can be assured of this, God is for peace and reconciliation, and God wants to bring order where there has been chaos in our lives.
Prayer for today:
Lord, I know there will be battles in my life, and I know that some fights between what is right and what is wrong are necessary. But help me to live in the calm and confidence that you have made it possible for me to live at peace with you.
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