Thursday, December 11, 2008

Auto sales on Sundays? Independent dealers challenge proposed blue law


by Angela Hill, Guest opinion


Tuesday December 09, 2008, 11:35 AM


According to a recent article in The Oregonian, the Oregon Auto Dealers Association, or OADA, "will ask Oregon law makers to impose 'Blue Laws' prohibiting auto sales on Sundays. The independent auto dealers, consumers and the state of Oregon would all fall victim to this imbalanced proposal.

Jeff Manning of the Oregonian quoted Greg Remensperger, VP of the Oregon Auto Dealers Association, as saying, "Closing down for the day would cut dealer cost and give workers a break." The OADA is, according to their website, an association representing approximately 200 "franchise new car dealers". They do not, however, represent the more than 800 independent dealers who belong to the OIADA or the 500 belonging to the OVDA.

Dealers statewide would be adversely affected by the suggested law. John Hill, General Manager of Affordable Auto Wholesale has calculated that "13% of their gross profit is generated by Sunday sales". " Sunday is also one of our least expensive days for overhead," he says, "all of our staff is commission based and we pay rent whether we are open or not." Eric Holden, a finance manager at Mr. Hill's store, says that he would expect to lose about "$12,000 a year" as a commission-based employee.

The Oregonian article says that Vicki Giles Fabre, VP of the Washington State Auto Dealers Association says "her dealers are not advocating similar 'blue laws'" in Washington. It's not hard to speculate that Washington dealers would absorb the Sunday business of Oregon consumers since they will not be asked to close under the pending legislation. This will reduce the amount of total revenue shared by all auto dealers in Oregon. The measure also seems to lack empathy for the consumers, limiting the time that they have for shopping without consideration of their schedules. Tony Paola, Used car manager at Payless auto sales says, "People want cars, they have limited days off, Sundays are one of the days people can shop".

Pre-owned dealers everywhere seem to be asking "what about us?" and wondering why the franchise dealers have set forth to impose a law restricting the way they practice business. Monty King, The President of the Oregon Vehicle Dealer Association says that "his dealers are about 9 to 1 against" the measure. He says that he "doesn't think that blue laws are enforceable" because "websites would still be up and people would still be responding to emails." It is questionable whether this law would violate antitrust law which, according to Wikipedia, prohibits agreements or practices that restrict free trading and competition between business entities.

The general consensus seems to be that while pre-owned dealers understand and sympathize with the blight that new car stores are facing, they ask, with over whelming enthusiasm, "Please don't put us out of business in an attempt to save your selves." Monty King says, "If they want to be closed on Sunday, let them close on Sunday."



How Can I Be Reconciled With God?


Job 9


1Then Job answered and said,

2I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

5Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

6Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

7Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

8Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

9Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

10Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

11Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

12Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

13If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

14How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

16If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

17For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

18He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

19If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

20If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

21Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

22This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

23If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

25Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

26They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

27If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

28I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

29If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

31Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

33Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

35Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Today in History - Dec. 10


By The Associated Press – 12 hours ago

Today is Wednesday, Dec. 10, the 345th day of 2008. There are 21 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

Fifty years ago, on Dec. 10, 1958, National Airlines opened the era of U.S. domestic jet passenger service as it began flights between New York and Miami using Boeing 707s leased from Pan Am.

On this date:

In 1520, Martin Luther publicly burned the papal edict demanding that he recant, or face excommunication.

In 1817, Mississippi was admitted as the 20th state.

In 1869, women were granted the right to vote in the Wyoming Territory.

In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt became the first American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, for helping mediate an end to the Russo-Japanese War.

In 1931, Jane Addams became the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (the co-recipient was Nicholas Murray Butler).

In 1948, the U.N. General Assembly adopted its Universal Declaration on Human Rights.

In 1950, Ralph J. Bunche was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the first black American to receive the award.

In 1964, Martin Luther King Jr. received his Nobel Peace Prize.

In 1967, singer Otis Redding, 26, and six others were killed in the crash of their plane in Lake Monona, Wis.

In 1978, movie director Edward D. Wood Jr. ("Plan 9 From Outer Space") died in North Hollywood, Calif., at age 54.

Ten years ago: Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee lined up one by one in favor of impeaching President Bill Clinton; Democrats vowed opposition after lawyers clashed in closing arguments over alleged "high crimes and misdemeanors." Six astronauts jubilantly swung open the doors to the new international space station, becoming the first guests aboard the orbiting outpost. The Palestinian leadership scrapped constitutional clauses rejecting Israel's existence.

Five years ago: A divided Supreme Court upheld the broadest restrictions on campaign donations in nearly 30 years. An appeals court ordered a new trial for Lionel Tate, a Florida teen sentenced to life for causing the death of a 6-year-old playmate, Tiffany Eunick. (Lionel, who'd originally been convicted of first-degree murder, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and went free in January 2004.) Iranian democracy activist Shirin Ebadi, the first Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, accepted the award in Oslo, Norway.

One year ago: Suspended NFL star Michael Vick was sentenced by a federal judge in Richmond, Va., to 23 months in prison for bankrolling a dogfighting operation and killing dogs that underperformed. Madison Square Garden and New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas reached an $11.5 million settlement of a sexual harassment case brought by former team executive Anucha Browne Sanders. Cristina Fernandez was sworn in as Argentina's first elected female president. Former Vice President Al Gore accepted the Nobel Peace Prize with a call for humanity to rise up against a looming climate crisis and stop waging war on the environment.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Harold Gould is 85. Former Agriculture Secretary Clayton Yeutter is 78. Actor Tommy Kirk is 67. Actress Fionnula Flanagan is 67. Pop singer Chad Stuart (Chad and Jeremy) is 67. Actress-singer Gloria Loring is 62. Pop-funk musician Walter "Clyde" Orange (The Commodores) is 62. Rhythm-and-blues singer Ralph Tavares is 60. Rhythm-and-blues singer Jessica Cleaves (Friends of Distinction) is 60. Country singer Johnny Rodriguez is 57. Actress Susan Dey is 56. Actor Michael Clarke Duncan is 51. Jazz musician Paul Hardcastle is 51. Actor-director Kenneth Branagh is 48. Actress Nia Peeples is 47. TV chef Bobby Flay is 44. Rock singer-musician J Mascis is 43. Country singer Kevin Sharp is 38. Rock musician Scot Alexander (Dishwalla) is 37. Rock musician Meg White (The White Stripes) is 34. Violinist Sarah Chang is 28. Actress Raven-Symone is 23.

Thought for Today: "It is only in romances that people undergo a sudden metamorphosis. In real life, even after the most terrible experiences, the main character remains exactly the same." — Isadora Duncan, American modern dance pioneer (1878-1927).



William Michael Daley


32nd United States Secretary of Commerce
In officeJanuary 30, 1997 – July 19, 2000
President
Bill Clinton
Preceded by
Mickey Kantor
Succeeded by
Norman Mineta
Born
August 8, 1948 (1948-08-08) (age 60)Chicago, Illinois
Political party
Democratic
Alma mater
Loyola University Chicago*

William Michael Daley (born August 8, 1948 in Chicago, Illinois) served as U.S. Secretary of Commerce and is a lawyer and business executive. [1] On November 5, 2008, Daley was named to the advisory board of the Obama-Biden Transition Project.[2]



Daley graduated with a B.A. from Loyola University Chicago, and an LL.B. from John Marshall Law School. Daley later accepted an honorary Doctor of Law degree from John Marshall Law School. Except for a period from 1977 to 1980, during which time he sat on the Advisory Council of Economic Opportunity, Daley practiced law privately with the firm Daley and George.



He became associated with Amalgamated Bank of Chicago, where he was first vice chairman (1989–1990) and then president and chief operating officer (1990-1993). Daley returned to the practice of law, as a partner with the firm Mayer Brown (then Mayer, Brown & Platt) from 1993 to 1997. In 1993, he served as special counsel to the President on issues relating to the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In 1997, Daley became Secretary of Commerce in the second administration of President Bill Clinton, and he remained at that post until July 2000, when he became chairman of Vice President Al Gore's presidential campaign, on which he was in charge of choosing a vice presidential nominee.



In December 2001, he was appointed President of SBC Communications Inc. to help reform the company's image. In May 2004, Daley was made Midwest Chairman of J.P. Morgan Chase and Bank One Corp. to oversee post-merger operations from Chicago.



Daley currently serves on the Boards of Directors of Boeing, Merck & Co., Inc, Boston Properties, Inc., and Loyola University Chicago. He also sits on the Council on Foreign Relations.
He is the seventh and youngest child of the late Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley and Eleanor "Sis" Daley, and the brother of the city's current mayor, Richard M. Daley and John P. Daley.
Daley was portrayed in the HBO film Recount, about the Florida recount of 2000, by actor Mitch Pileggi.



During the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primaries, Daley was a prominent supporter of Barack Obama. Daley is rumored to be exploring a 2010 gubernatorial run in Illinois, reportedly even asking associates to "stay neutral" until he makes a decision.[3]



Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_M._Daley

FYI: * Jesuit University
Note: Large fonts added for emphasis......................Arsenio.

President-elect Obama announces more key White House staff


President-elect Obama announces more key White House staff
(Friday, December 5, 2008)

WASHINGTON – Today, President-elect Barack Obama announced that Christina M. Tchen will serve as White House Director of Public Liaison and Michael Strautmanis will serve as Chief of Staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison.

President-elect Obama said, "I am pleased to announce that these two distinguished individuals will be joining my administration, as we seek to meet the big challenges of our time. They not only bring impressive resumes but also a deep commitment to public service -- and I know the American people will be served well by them."

The White House Staff Announcements are below:

Christina M. Tchen, Director of Public Liaison

Tchen has broad litigation experience at all levels of the state and federal courts. She has represented companies, officers and directors in shareholder class and derivative actions, and she has also handled a wide range of commercial, intellectual property, and employment-related litigation. Tchen also has represented public agencies in state and federal class actions, including the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, the Illinois Department of Public Aid and the Chicago Housing Authority. She serves on the board of the Chicago Bar Foundation; she is also Chair of the Board of Field Foundation of Illinois and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Chicago Public Library and the Board of the Chinese American Service League. She has served on the Judicial Nominations Commission for the Northern District of Illinois and she has been appointed to several leadership positions with the American Bar Association Section of Litigation.

Tchen is the recipient of many awards, including the Leadership Award from the Women's Bar Association of Illinois (1999); "Women of Achievement" award from the Anti-Defamation League (1996); and Chicago Lawyer "Person of the Year" (1994). She was selected for inclusion in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2008 and The Best Lawyers in America 2009. She also was selected as one of the top three women business lawyers in Illinois by the Leading Lawyers Network 2007.

Michael Strautmanis, Chief of Staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison

A native of Chicago, Strautmanis first came to know the Obamas when he worked as a paralegal at the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin for Mrs. Michelle Obama. After law school, Strautmanis practiced complex litigation and employment law in Chicago, before joining the Clinton Administration at the U.S. Agency for International Development. Strautmanis also served as Legislative Director and Counsel to then Rep. Rod Blagojevich, aiding Governor Blagojevich in his successful 2002 Illinois gubernatorial campaign, and serving as Counsel for Legislation for the American Association of Justice.

Strautmanis served as Chief Counsel and Deputy Chief of Staff to Obama in the United States Senate. He then served as Senior Counsel for Obama for America where he played a leading role in political outreach as a member of the Congressional Relations team. Strautmanis received a B.S. from the University of Illinois, and a J.D. from the University Of Illinois College Of Law. He and his wife Damona are the proud parents of three.


Source:

Note: Bolds, Highlights, and Italics added for emphasis....................Blogman.

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative


The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (or WHTI) requires all travelers to show a valid passport when traveling to the United States from areas within the Western Hemisphere.[1] The purpose, according to the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for both legitimate U.S. citizens and foreign visitors. The initiative is an outcome of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act.


Implementation


Since January 23, 2007, all persons (including U.S. citizens) traveling by air to the United States from all foreign countries (including Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda) have been required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document.


On January 31, 2008, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers stopped taking verbal declarations of citizenship from U.S., Canadian, or Bermudian travelers as proof of citizenship at sea and land ports of entry.[2]


On March 27, 2008, the departments of Homeland Security and State announced in a final rule that "full implementation" of the land and sea provisions of WHTI would begin June 1, 2009; on that date, the following types of documents will become the only acceptable documents for border crossings:[3]


U.S. citizens and nationals: Valid passport, passport card, state enhanced driver's license approved by the Secretary of Homeland Security, or trusted traveler program card (NEXUS, FAST, or SENTRI); a valid Merchant Mariner Document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business; or a valid U.S. military identification card when traveling on official orders. The final rule also outlines ongoing efforts to provide other alternative documents.
U.S. lawful permanent residents: Lawful Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551).


Canadian citizens: A valid passport, provincial enhanced driver's license (currently being tested in British Columbia[4][5], and passing through legislation in Ontario[6]), or a valid trusted traveler program card (FAST or NEXUS).


Bermudian citizens: A valid passport.


Mexican nationals: A valid passport and a visa or a valid Form DSP-150, B-1/B-2 laser visa (also called a Border Crossing Card, or BCC); a valid SENTRI card may be used for access to expedited border crossing lanes.
Native Americans in the United States, Mexico, and Canada may be able to use certain additional forms of identification (in addition to the documents valid for citizens of those countries):


Members of the Kickapoo Band of Texas and Tribe of Oklahoma will continue to be able to use the I-872 American Indian Card (provided that it identifies them as Kickapoo), regardless of U.S. or Mexican citizenship.


Members of other U.S. tribes may use an "Enhanced Tribal Card", when available and approved by DHS.


Members of Canadian tribes may be allowed to use the proposed Secure Certificate of Indian Status being designed by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, if approved by DHS.[7]
In addition to the other documents designated under WHTI, U.S. citizens on round-trip cruise ship voyages that begin and end at the same port of entry in the United States may also carry a government-issued photo ID and birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or Certificate of Naturalization. Foreign nationals need a WHTI-designated document to travel to the United States on a cruise ship.


Santa Claus Is Coming To Town ?


You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He's making a list
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!
O! You better watch out!
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town



Now, let's analyze this little ditty:


Santa's is coming to town?


Yet, most believe that Jesus will never return to Earth; And, if He does? He will not judge mankind. How hypocritical! A mythical character named Santa Claus (a.k.a. Satan, or Saint Nicholas) is coming to town and he is making a list and checking it twice; he's checking to see who's naughty or nice. Yet, the Son of God Almighty (so they think) will never return to judge a fallen, sinful world. My suggestion to all the atheists, agnostics, modern spiritualists, and new-agers is to watch for the signs which confirm "all" the prophecies contained in the Bible (ej. Daniel and Revelation) which foretell Jesus' soon return to Earth. He's making a list (The Lamb's book of Life) and checking it twice. So, if you insist on repeating this pagan lullaby just keep in mind that all the demands (attributes) that this little jingle claims, apply to Jesus.
P.S. He's coming as a thief in the night. So, if you must continue to slumber.
All mankind will see Him, and know when He arrives!


Arsenio.

A NEW LOOK AT THE MYTH OF SANTA CLAUS VERSUS THE REALITY OF JESUS CHRIST

When we carefully compare the myth of Santa Claus versus the real Biblical story of Jesus Christ, we are presented with the shocking truth that Santa has thoroughly supplanted Jesus Christ in too many people's lives.
The New World Order is coming! Are you ready? Once you understand what this New World Order really is, and how it is being gradually implemented, you will be able to see it progressing in your daily news!!


Learn how to protect yourself, your loved ones!

Stand by for insights so startling you will never look at the news the same way again.


YOU ARE NOW ON

THE CUTTING EDGE


New Age authors repeatedly state that the supreme head of the Planetary Logos -- their supreme leader -- is named Sanat Kumara. Master D.K., speaking through Alice Bailey, defines Sanat Kumara as the "life and informing intelligence upon and within our planet." [ The Externalisation of the Hierarchy, Alice A. Bailey, Page 676]. Later, Sanat Kumara is identified by another title: The Lord of the World [Page 735]. Of course, this is synonymous to one of the Biblical titles for Satan. In John 12:31, 14:30, and 16:11, Jesus called Satan the "Prince of the World". Thus, there can be no doubt that the Sanat, the New Age supreme head, whom they call, the "Lord of the World" is none other than Satan, whom Jesus called "Prince of the World". Sanat is simply and only a translocation of the word, Satan. Sanat equals Satan. There is no doubt, especially when you realize that the Plan to produce the New World Order of Sanat is identical to the Biblical prophecy of how Satan is going to act in the End of the Age.


Santa equals Satan.


Now, please allow me to introduce to you another translocation of the word, Satan.


Santa. As in Santa Claus.


Before you react too quickly, please take the time to read this comparison between the Biblical teachings about Jesus Christ and the mythical teachings of Santa Claus. Many, many Christian pastors have lamented the fact that Santa Claus has replaced Jesus Christ in the hearts and minds of too many children and adults in America today. When you read this comparison, you will understand that this replacement in the hearts and minds of Americans is not by accident. You will be able to see Satan, the Master Marionette, pulling the strings above the world, leading adults and children alike away from Jesus Christ and toward Santa Claus, who is the epitome' of the love of the world and everything that is in it.



COMPARISON BETWEEN JESUS CHRIST AND SANTA CLAUS






















JESUS CHRIST: OUR LORD AND SAVIOR ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE
SANTA CLAUS: THE COUNTERFEIT ACCORDING TO MYTH OF MEN
1. Has white hair like wool (Rev 1:14)
1. Has white hair like wool
2. Has a beard (Isaiah 50:6)
2. Has a beard
3. Comes in red apparel Isaiah (63:1-2)
3. Comes in red apparel
4. Hour of His coming is a mystery
(Luke 12:40; Mark 13:33)
4. Hour of his coming is a mystery
5. Comes from the North where He lives (Ezekiel 1:4; Psalm 48:2)
5. Comes from the North where he lives: North Pole
6. Is a carpenter (Mark 6:3)
6. Is a toy carpenter
7. Comes as a thief in the night
(Matthew 24:43-44)
7. Comes as a thief in the night. Even gains entrance to homes as a thief.
8. Omnipotent -- all powerful (Rev 19:6)
8. Omnipotent -- can deliver all the toys of the world in one night
9. Omniscient -- knows all (Hebrews 4:13; 1 John 3:20)
9. Omniscient -- knows if you have been good or bad, for the entire year
10. Omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-10; Ephesians 4:6; John 3:13)
10. Omnipresent -- sees when you wake or sleep. Has to be everywhere at once to be able to deliver all the toys in one short night.
11. Ageless, eternal (Rev 1:8; 21:6)
11. Lives forever
12. Lives in men (1 Cor 3:16; 2 Cor 6:16-17)
12. Lives in the hearts of children
13. Giver of Gifts (Ephesians 4:8)
13. Giver of Gifts
14. Absolute Truth (John 14:6)
14. Absolute Fable - (1 Tim 1:4; 4:7;
2 Tim 4:4)
15. Sits on a throne (Rev 5:1; Heb 1:8)
15. Sits on a throne
16. We are told to boldly go to the throne of Grace for our needs (Heb 4:16)
16. Children are bidden to approach his throne to ask for anything they want
17. Commands children to obey parents
17. Tells children to obey parents
18. Wants little children to come to Him (Mark 10:14)
18. Bids children to come unto him
19. Judges (Rom 14:10; Rev 20:2)
19. Judges whether you were good or bad
20. Everlasting Father (Isa 9:6; Heb 12:2)
20. Father Christmas
21. Christ Child (Matt 1:23; Luke 2:11-12)
21. Kris Kringle (means christ child)
22. Worthy of Prayers and Worship (Rev 5:14 Hebrews 1:6)
22. Prayers and worship to "St. Nick" by children
23. Lord of Hosts (Mal 3:5; Isa 8:13; Psalms 24:10)
23. Lord over a host of elves - (In Druidic religion, elves are demons or tree spirits
24. God says, "Ho, ho ... (Zechariah 2:6)
24. Santa says, "Ho, ho, ho ..."
25. Prince of Peace, the Image of God (Isa 9:6;
Hebrews 1:3)

Note: This comparison taken from "The GOOD NEWSletter", by Former Catholics For Christ, Oct/Nov/Dec, 1997. Clearly, you can see that someone deliberately created a Secular counterfeit to Jesus Christ, matching the many attributes of Jesus Christ with Santa Claus! There are too many direct matches for this creation of Santa Claus to have been an accident. We are told in Job 1:6-7 that Satan walks up and down on the Earth, as if it were a small garden plot completely under his domination. Satan can be thought of as a Master Marionette, pulling the strings on Earth. Certainly, in these Last Days, Satan would have wanted someone else to draw the attention, admiration, and love of the children away from Jesus Christ. But, not only that, Satan would have wanted to infect children early with that most devastating of spiritual diseases, the love of material things, and the love of oneself that goes with trying to get as many presents as possible! The creation and promotion of Santa Claus certainly fulfills all these goals.


Remember that one of Jesus' End Times prophecy was that the hearts of the people would have become extremely cold to Him. "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." (Matthew 24:12)


Certainly, children are told to come to the wrong source for their gifts, they are encouraged to right behavior throughout the year for the wrong reasons, and they are taught to love material things rather than, and more than, God. This brings to thought another End Times Scripture. "But understand this, that in the last days will come perilous times of great stress and trouble, hard to deal with and hard to bear. For people will be lovers of self and utterly self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate greedy desire for wealth ... They will be lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements, more than and rather than, lovers of God." (2 Timothy 4:1, 2, 4; Parallel Bible, KJV/Amplified Commentary).


Doesn't this prophecy perfectly describe our society today? Children are being taught, at a very early age, to love material possessions, to try to get as many presents as possible, and to love themselves greatly, all as a result in believing this pagan myth of Santa Claus.


We encourage you to take this information with the love in which it was given. You certainly should not teach your children of the myth of Santa Claus, and you should teach them that Jesus Christ is the Reason for the Season. While there is no harm in exchanging gifts, you certainly should teach your children that it is better to give than to receive. And, you should definitely teach them that Jesus gave the greatest gift of all history, the Gift of Eternal Life!


Once you understand the deliberate way in which the myth of Santa Claus was created to be a direct counterfeit of Jesus Christ, you can see that children can be easily led spiritually astray by believing in, and participating in, this story. Keep them focused on Jesus Christ.


This information is just one more instance showing us that we are living in the Last Days of deceit and coldness of heart. Together with the numerous other signs of the End of the Age, this love of the Pagan (Druidic) Santa Claus is just one more clear sign of the end. Are you spiritually ready? Is your family? Are you adequately protecting your loved ones? This is the reason for this ministry, to enable you to first understand the peril facing you, and then help you develop strategies to warn and protect your loved ones. Once you have been thoroughly trained, you can also use your knowledge as a means to open the door of discussion with an unsaved person. I have been able to use it many times, and have seen people come to Jesus Christ as a result. These perilous times are also a time when we can reach many souls for Jesus Christ, making an eternal difference.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, but have been very lukewarm in your spiritual walk with Him, you need to immediately ask Him for forgiveness and for renewal. He will instantly forgive you, and fill your heart with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Then, you need to begin a daily walk of prayer and personal Bible Study.

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, but have come to realize His reality and the approaching End of the Age, and want to accept His FREE Gift of Eternal Life, you can also do so now, in the privacy of your home. Once you accept Him as Savior, you are spiritually Born Again, and are as assured of Heaven as if you were already there. Then, you can rest assured that the Kingdom of Antichrist will not touch you spiritually. If you would like to become Born Again, turn to our Salvation Page now.

We hope you have been blessed by this ministry, which seeks to educate and warn people, so that they can see the coming New World Order -- Kingdom of Antichrist -- in their daily news.


Finally, we would love to hear from you.
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FREEMASONRY PROVEN TO WORSHIP LUCIFER , PART 2


TITLE: FREEMASONRY PROVEN TO WORSHIP LUCIFER , PART 2
Good Resources on Freemasonry



Subtitle: Using their own writings and symbols, and cross-checking Satanic writings and symbols, we conclusively prove Masonry to be Luciferian. Show this material to your pastor or church leadership!



Most of the article on Freemasonry below has been taken from Masonic books that have been published by Masonic Publishing Companies, and most of them were formerly very, very secret. We further have taken the Biblical admonition carefully, comparing Masonic teachings to the Holy Bible. In 1 John 4:1, we see this command to all Christians: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try (test) the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." Thus we see that any religious teaching that does not conform to Scripture is from a "false prophet".



This exercise is not an empty one, for your eternal, precious soul is at stake. Finally, remember two things about Masonry: 1) Superior Masons deliberately lie to their fellow Masons, as those Masons "deserve to be mislead"; 2) Explanations given to 95% of all Masons are wrong. Listen to this quote from a Masonic author, Carl Claudy: "Cut through the outer shell and find a meaning; cut through that meaning and find another; under it, if you dig deep enough, you may find a third, a fourth -- who shall say how many teachings?" You have been lied to, as we demonstrate in our many articles. Finally, remember Albert Pike's bold assertion in Morals & Dogma, that "Masonry is identical to the ancient Mysteries ", which means that all their teachings in all their books are precisely the same as the Ancient, Pagan, Satanic Mysteries!



Please, we implore you, take the time to read our articles so you may finally know the Truth of Jesus Christ, the God of the Universe which Masons contemptuously call an "inferior god", and Whom they never, ever mention in their teachings or their rituals. We fervently pray that the Holy Spirit will illumine your mind, heart, and soul with the knowledge of the true God, and only the true God, of the Holy Bible.



Once you understand, without a shadow of a doubt, that Freemasonry is a worship of Lucifer by the top 5% of all Masons then you can begin to spot evidences of Satanism in so many, many places. We shall continue our study proving that Masonry is Satanic, a study begun in free11 , "Masonry Shown Conclusively to Be Worship of LUCIFER, SATAN". If you have not yet read this article, please stop right now and read it as background.



In this article, we shall concentrate our study on Masonic symbols, since "a picture is worth 1,000 words" and since all occultists place such a huge emphasis on communicating, through symbols, with other Adepts while hiding the truth from the Initiates and the "profane", i.e., people who are not members at all. A Satanic book entitled, "Magic Symbols", by Frederick Goodman, states that "The true magic symbol is an image which hides an inner meaning. This meaning is usually cunningly hidden behind a form which most people think they can understand immediately." [p. 6]



Let us examine a few of these Masonic symbols to discover their "cunningly hidden " meanings, and then we shall compare them with known Satanic symbols so you can easily see from whence Freemasonry receives her "supernatural insights" and her "spiritual Light".


THE DOUBLE-HEADED EAGLE
This symbol is probably the most easily recognizable Masonic symbol in the world, even more important than the Compass/Square/Rule. Most people assume that these two birds are Eagles, but such an assumption would be deadly wrong. These two birds are the Phoenix Bird of Ancient Egyptian Mythology. Listen to the explanation from Masonic author, Manly P. Hall, 33 Degree, K.T., in his book, The Phoenix: An Illustrated Review of Occultism and Philosophy . [Before we begin, I find it highly interesting that Hall would admit, by his use of this title, that Freemasonry is occultic].



"Among the ancients a fabulous bird called the Phoenix is described by early writers ... in size and shape it resembles the eagle, but with certain differences. The body of the Phoenix is one covered with glossy purple feathers, and the plumes in its tail are alternately blue and red. The head of the bird is light in color, and about its neck is a circlet of golden plumage. At the back of its back the Phoenix has a crest of feathers of brilliant color ... The Phoenix, it is said, lives for 500 years, and at its death its body opens and the new born Phoenix emerges. Because of this symbolism, the Phoenix is generally regarded as representing immortality and resurrection ... The Phoenix is one sign of the secret orders of the ancient world and of the initiate of those orders, for it was common to refer to one who had been accepted into the temples as a man twice-born, or reborn. Wisdom confers a new life, and those who become wise are born again." [p. p. 176-77]



Let us stop right here to examine Satan's counterfeit "Born Again" experience. Freemasons, as do all occultists, refer to their initiates who have completed their initiation, as being "Born Again". I will never forget 1988, when George Bush was on the Presidential Campaign Trail; he was being interviewed by Barbara Walters, and she posed him a question which evidently caught him off guard. Walters asked Bush if he was a Christian. Bush visibly faltered, cast his eyes down for a moment, and then answered, "If by being a Christian, you ask if I am 'Born Again', then yes, I am a Christian". I came straight out of my chair because no truly Born Again Christian would have parsed their words so carefully. However, an occultist, which Bush certainly was by virtue of his life-long membership in the Illuminist Masonic secret society of Skull & Bones, would have answered precisely this way. Occultists claim to be Born Again , and they are filled with religious ecstasy when the spirit of Lucifer sweeps through them upon Initiation.



Now, let us return to our discussion of this Phoenix Bird. Listen to the explanation given by a radical feminist, Barbara Walker, in her occult book, Now Is The Dawning , p. 281. Egyptians believed that the Phoenix was the representative of a god who "rose to heaven in the form of a morning star, like Lucifer, after his fire-immolation of death and rebirth ..."
Wow! In one sweet, short, and simple sentence, we have conclusive proof that the Phoenix bird is a symbol of Lucifer !



Listen now to the testimony of another former witch, William Schnoebelen, in his book, Satan's Door Revisited , p. 4. "The Phoenix, of Bunnu is believed to be a divine bird going back to Egypt ... This Phoenix destroys itself in flames and then rises from the ashes. Most occultists believe that the Phoenix is a symbol of Lucifer who was cast down in flames and who ... will one day rise triumphant. This [belief] also relates to the raising of Hiram Abiff, the Masonic 'christ'."
To prevent most people from associating the Masonic Eagle with the ancient Phoenix, Freemasons changed the Phoenix to an Eagle, and began to refer to it as an Eagle. However, two Masonic authors blow the lid off that change in symbolism.



Manly P. Hall, in his book, The Lost Keys of Freemasonry , states, "These were the immortals to whom the term 'phoenix' was applied, and their symbol was the mysterious two-headed bird, now called an eagle , a familiar and little understood Masonic emblem ." [p. 108; Emphasis added]



Albert Pike, in Magnum Opus, writes, "... the Eagle was the living Symbol of Egyptian God Mendes ... and the representative of the Sun ..." [p. xviii]



In one sentence, we see the admission that the Phoenix Bird of Ancient Satanic Egypt was changed into the Masonic Eagle and then Pike's admits that the Eagle is the Symbol of the Sun God and of the God of Mendes, both symbols being common Satanic symbols of Satan/Lucifer !
Remember also the Satanic meaning of the phrase depicted below the symbol depicted below the Eagles -- "DEUS MEUMQUE JUS". As we explained in free11, this is a typical Satanic Latin phrase, meaning, "... Masons are saying that they are "using occult methods", through Lucifer, to achieve their Rights and Justice." [Read free11 for full details]



But why a two-headed Eagle be adopted by Masonry, instead of only a one-headed Eagle? Masonic author, R. Swinburne Clymer, writing in The Mysteries of Osiris , 1951, explains. "When they [pagans] desired to express the renewal, or beginning, of the year, they represented it in the form of a door-keeper. It could easily be distinguished by the attributes of a key ... At times, they gave it two heads, back to back ... In time, this [back-to-back key symbol] became the double-headed Eagle of symbolic Masonry." [p. 42]


TRIANGLES


The triangle is one of the most used occultic symbols. A triangle with its point downward represents the deity and is called the Deity's Triangle, or the Water Triangle. With one point up, it is called the Earthly Triangle, Pyramid Triangle, or the Fire Triangle. These two definitions of the triangle are standard occult belief. From whence did they come? They came from a Masonic book, Symbolism of the Eastern Star, by Shirley Plessner, Cleveland, Ohio, Gilbert Publishing Co., 1956, p. 18. Robert Macoy said the same thing in Adoptive Rite Ritual , [Virginia: Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply co., 1897, p. 237].



However, this latter representation of the triangle, with the point upward, is the symbol of the Perfect or Divine Man! Notice this occult symbol portrays "Perfect Man and Woman" within a circle, which is within a square [representing creation], which is within a triangle [godhood], which is surrounded by the largest circle. Notice that the triangle here is with its point upward, signifying the Divinity of Man .



Another Masonic writer who stated that Man can become Perfected or Divine is George H. Steinmetz, writing in, Freemasonry: Its Hidden Meaning, New York, Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply Co., 1948, p. 63. Also, Steinmetz wrote this belief in his book, The Lost Word: Its Hidden Meaning , New York, Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply Co., 1953, p. 148.
Another Masonic writer, J.D. Buck, blasphemously writes, "It is far more important that men should strive to become Christs than that they should believe that Jesus was Christ." [J.D. Buck, Mystic Masonry , Illinois: Indo-American Book Co., 1913, Sixth Edition, p. 138] Let us hear that terribly blasphemous statement again :
"It is far more important that men should strive to become Christs than that they should believe that Jesus was Christ."



Once again, Masonry is revealed to NOT BE CHRISTIAN , in any way, shape, or form. But, this statement denies the unique Deity of Jesus Christ; therefore, Freemasonry teaching qualifies as being part of the forces of Antichrist. Listen:



1 John 2:22 -- "Who is such a liar as he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is the antichrist who habitually denies and refuses to acknowledge the Father and the Son. No one who habitually denies or disowns the Son even has the Father." [Parallel Bible, KJV/Amplified Bible Commentary ]



1 John 4:3 -- "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist."



2 John 1:7 -- "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."



In addition to denying that Jesus is the Christ come in flesh, this statement also teaches that man can save himself. Obviously, Freemasonry cannot be considered Christian in any way, shape, or form when it teaches this heresy straight out of the pit of Satan's Hell.



Now, let us return to the subject of the Triangle pointing upward representing the Perfect or Divine Man; Masonic writer Albert Churchward states standard occult belief when he further identifies the Upright Triangle. Churchward writes that this triangle, with point up, represents Set! The name, Set, is one of the Infernal Names of Satan, as listed in the Satanic Bible written by Satanic High Priest, Anton LaVey! [Churchward's book was, Signs and Symbols of Primordial Man , London: George Allen and Company, Ltd., 1913, Second Edition, p. 189, 309, 471.]



Masonic authors William Meyer and J.S.M. Ward, also wrote that this type triangle was worn in India by followers of Shiva, who wear it in their foreheads! Shiva is another Infernal Name listed in the Satanic Bible as another name for Satan! {Meyer wrote this in, The Order of the Eastern Star, p. 20; Ward wrote this information in, Freemasonry and the Ancient Gods, London: Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent and Co., Ltd., 1921, p. 10-11. Occult writer, R.P. Lawrie Krishna said the same thing in The Lamb Slain -- Supreme Sacrifice .


THE HEXAGRAM

The Hexagram is formed by uniting the Water Triangle with the Fire Triangle, forming the six-pointed star, otherwise known as the Seal of Solomon . This symbol is a counterfeit Star of David, the national symbol of God's Chosen Nation, Israel. The difference is that this occult seal is formed by the triangles interlocking, while the two triangles of the Star of David lie flat against each other.



Masonic author, Mary Ann Slipper, writing in Symbolism of the Eastern Star, 1927, on page 14, makes a most telling admission, when she says, "The six pointed star is used in Masonic work and is also found in other well known secret orders." Another Eastern Star book, The Second Mile , understates the impact of the hexagram when it says, "... the six pointed star is a very ancient symbol and one of the most powerful."



No kidding! The hexagram is really a most powerful symbol, to witches, sorcerers, and magicians! The hexagram is used in all sorts of magic, witchcraft, occultism and the casting of zodiacal horoscopes. Because it has six points, and because it contains a '666 ', the hexagram is considered to be Satan's most powerful symbol. Look at the hexagram above. The first six is formed by the sides of each triangle facing the clockwise direction; the second six is formed by the sides of each triangle formed by facing the counterclockwise direction; the third six is formed by the sides of the inner hexagon.



Two witches explain further that the hexagram was used as a "stand-by for Magicians and Alchemists. The Sorcerers believed it represented the footprint of a special kind of demon called a 'trud', and used it in ceremonies both to call up demons and to keep them away." [Gary Jennings, Black Magic, White Magic, Eau Claire, WI, The Dial Press, 1964, p. 51. Also Harry E. Wedeck, Treasury of Witchcraft , New York, Philosophical Library, 1961, p. 135]
Take another look at the above hexagram; it is used to conjure up demons, making them appear in this dimension to do the bidding of the witch. The symbols inside the hexagram are for that purpose. Former Illuminist Satanist Doc Marquis confirms that hexagrams are used to call forth demons to place spells and curses on the intended victim. The word, HEX , comes from this practice.



The hexagram is also a symbol of the sex act and reproduction. Masonic author, Albert G. Mackey provides us with the occult explanation in his book, The Symbolism of Freemasonry, [p. 195, 1869 A.D.] The triangle pointing downward "is a female symbol corresponding to the 'yoni' and the upward pointing triangle is the male, the 'lingam'. When the two triangles are interlaced, it represents the union of the active and passive forces in nature; it represents the male and female elements." [Also explained in Did You Know? Vignettes in Masonry from the Royal Arch Mason Magazine , Missouri Lodge of Research, 1965, p. 132, Wes Cook, Editor]



If you have not figured it out already, the occultist, the paganist, worships sex ; in fact, they worship most everything in Nature, perfectly fulfilling the Biblical definition of a paganist in Romans 1:25, "Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator ..." I cannot help but think continuously of this verse as I am wading through the mountains of Masonic literature, as it is absolutely full of assorted worship of every conceivable pagan belief throughout the centuries and from every continent on earth. Truly, Albert Pike, Grand Commander of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, was right when he bragged, "Freemasonry is identical with the Mysteries".



Speaking of the sexual connotation of the hexagram, another witch revealed, "When the male triangle penetrates the female triangle, it produces the six pointed crest of Solomon or hexagram, the most wicked symbol in witchcraft". [David J. Meyer, Dancing With Demons: The Music's Real Master ]



The hexagram is the sign used in the Royal Arch in Freemasonry. Masonic author Wes Cook, writing in Did You Know? Vignettes in Masonry from the Royal Arch Mason Magazine, [Missouri Lodge of Research, 1965, p. 132] stated that the hexagram represented "balance and harmony" in all facets of the world. Another Masonic publication links the hexagram with the infamous Chinese YANG AND YIN symbol. ["The Significant Numbers", Short Talk Bulletin , September, 1956, Vol. 34, No. 9, p. 5]



In summary, the hexagram IS the most wicked, and one of the most powerful, of all symbols in witchcraft. It is used to call forth demons into this dimension, to communicate with the dead, to describe sex acts, and to represent false and pagan gods such as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. [Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated , Dr. Cathy Burns, p. 39]



For the sake of time and space, we will have to stop here. In the next few articles, we shall present more Satanic symbols which the Freemasons love dearly. We will talk about Pentagrams, the Circle, the Yin and Yang, the Serpent, assorted animals, insects, and the Bees with or without their hive. Stay with us to more clearly see the thorough depth, height, and width of the Satanism of which Freemasonry is composed. Once you have finished this series of articles, you will only ask yourself how and why you could not have seen this truth earlier.



The Bible clearly states that ALL sin is forgivable. If you have been involved with Freemasonry, you can turn to the Savior for forgiveness and restoration with Him. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, but have been very lukewarm in your spiritual walk with Him, you need to immediately ask Him for forgiveness and for renewal. He will instantly forgive you, and fill your heart with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Then, you need to begin a daily walk of prayer and personal Bible Study.



If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, but have come to realize His reality and the approaching End of the Age, and want to accept His FREE Gift of Eternal Life, you can also do so now, in the privacy of your home. Once you accept Him as Savior, you are spiritually Born Again, and are as assured of Heaven as if you were already there. Then, you can rest assured that the Kingdom of Antichrist will not touch you spiritually.



If you would like to become Born Again, turn to our Salvation Page now.



We hope you have been blessed by this ministry, which seeks to educate and warn people, so that they can see the coming New World Order -- Kingdom of Antichrist -- in their daily news.
Finally, we would love to hear from you.



You can contact us by mail or email.



God bless you.



Source: http://www.cuttingedge.org/free12.html

Washington Monument in "1999"

Washington Monument on New Year's Day 1999


P.S. Thanks Anonymous for sharing this pic with us.

Blogman.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

French Stores Honor Sabbath, Except When They Don't


Stephane du Sakutin/Agence France-Presse




An exhibition space in the Louis Vuitton store on the Champs-Élysées qualifies the store itself to open on Sundays, the management asserts.


By ELAINE SCIOLINO
Published: June 23, 2006



PARIS, June 22 — Louis Vuitton was certain it had found an ingenious way around the French ban on doing business on Sunday: it promoted its vast new flagship store on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées as a cultural space.




Cultural spaces, it seems, are exempt from the country's tough labor laws, which among other things prohibit most retailers from opening on what, in some circles here, is still called the "day of the Lord."

But the small area on the top floor of its 20,000-square-foot store dedicated to art exhibits and Vuitton's corporate history and the tiny bookstore below were not enough of a cultural statement for the French Christian Labor Union and the National Clothing Federation.

Accusing the luxury goods giant of violating workers' rights to leisure time, the two groups won a lawsuit last month to shut down the Sunday operations, even though none of the store's employees belong to the union.

"They argued that buying one of their handbags was a cultural activity and that their store is a place that amuses," said Thierry Doueb, the lawyer for the two groups. "They argued that they sell books. For me there's nothing cultural about carrying a Louis Vuitton handbag."

Officials for LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the parent company of Vuitton, declined to comment pending the outcome of the company's appeal, which will be heard by an administrative tribunal on Monday.

But Yves Carcelle, Vuitton's chief executive, recently described the ban as "nonsense."

In a country where unemployment is nearly 10 percent, the Vuitton case is part of a much larger guerrilla war over the meaning of Sunday.

The country's century-old law limiting Sunday work has been amended and eroded, interpreted and flouted to such an extent over the years that it makes little sense. Proprietors who provide "urgent" economic needs, including those who operate restaurants, bars, tobacco shops, newspaper kiosks, florists and pharmacies, are exempt from the ban.

Retailers who can prove an "athletic, recreational or cultural" side to their businesses in "touristic" zones in cities throughout the country, including several neighborhoods in Paris, can be exempted, depending on decisions by the local prefect. So can retailers in depressed economic areas who can make the case that they might go bankrupt if they cannot open on Sundays.

Food markets and many food stores can open on Sundays, but only in the morning. Bakeries can stay open all day, so long as they close another day of the week to allow their "artisans" to rest.

Reflecting the changing patterns of French family life, the law was amended in 2005 to allow gardening and home improvement centers, DVD and video rental stores, and Internet service shops to operate on Sundays.

Violators can be subject to stiff fines, but the law is sporadically enforced. The Virgin Megastore on the Champs-Élysées, which sells DVD's, CD's and books, for example, challenged it nearly two decades ago, staying open until midnight and then later opening on Sundays.

"They told us we'd pay fines, but we did it anyway," said Jean-Noël Reinhardt, president of Virgin Stores. "We were absolutely not allowed to be open, but we did it. It started a debate in France, and after many years the law was changed. There's a kind of hypocrisy here — everyone knows the law doesn't correspond to the needs and desires of the consumer."

Now, Virgin is allowed to operate some of its stores legally in Paris, Marseille and Bordeaux, because they have been designated "cultural" enterprises in designated tourist areas. By contrast, it has to keep stores in 15 other cities, including Lille, Avignon, Lyon and Strasbourg, shut tight.

Virgin France is required to have the 100 employees who work Sundays sign statements every week affirming that they are doing so voluntarily. They are also paid double time.

In addition to Virgin, Vuitton's other neighbors on the Champs-Élysées that operate on Sundays include a soccer souvenir shop and Sephora, the perfumer and makeup emporium, which is also owned by LVMH.

The crackdown against Vuitton and other businesses is largely a result of an aggressive campaign against clothing, shoe and handbag sellers by the National Clothing Federation, an organization that represents 55,000 clothing merchants in France. Its main goal is to protect small merchants, for whom opening on Sundays is a bother and a burden, from big competitors.

This month, after the federation filed suit, the court of appeals of Versailles affirmed the prefect's order of a Sunday closing for all the clothing stores in the Usines Center mall in the nearby town of Vélizy-Villacoublay, but allowed others to remain open.

Yet, with few exceptions, the local authorities have turned a blind eye to the Sunday operations, typically cracking down only when lawsuits force them to act.

"The government has been tolerating us and looking the other direction for 20 years," said Jean-Patrick Grumberg, president of the Association of Usines Center Merchants and owner of a television and stereo shop there. "If the prefect had wanted to shut us down, it would have taken 20 minutes to send the police to close us."

A one-page advertisement by the Usines Center last week in the newspaper Le Figaro branded the law incomprehensible "in a country that counts more than 2,500,000 unemployed at the moment and where the prime minister and his government declare creating jobs their priority."

It also called "absurd" the clause in the law that allows stores to stay open on Sundays as long as they are staffed by the owner and his immediate family, not salaried employees.

Certainly it seems that the French people want the option of Sunday shopping. An Ipsos telephone survey published in April indicated that 75 percent of those polled said they approved of stores opening on Sundays.

But for the opponents of working Sundays, nothing less than the French way of life is at stake.

"Maybe I'm the last dinosaur in France, but if we continue like this, we'll end up with no neighborhood merchants," said Charles Melcer, president of the clothing federation. "We'll end up with those huge malls that Americans adore. We have to be vigilant."

But then he argued his case on more mundane grounds. "Why should merchants who respect the law and stay closed be punished?" he asked. "And why should those who flout the law profit?"



Measure Would Allow French Stores To Open Sunday

Philippe de Poulpiquet/Le Parisien


Business


by Eleanor Beardsley



Listen Now [4 min 2 sec] add to playlist



Morning Edition, December 9, 2008 · By law, retail stores in France are not allowed to open on Sundays, unless they are located in tourist zones and cater to sporting, recreational or cultural activities. A proposed law would give all businesses the right to open Sunday in the four largest French cities. But unions and small storeowners are opposed.


Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97992284

Irish won't halt beef sales despite dioxin scare


Cattle stand in a field near Virginia, Ireland, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008. Ireland announced Tuesday it has found illegal levels of dioxins, the chemicals that are devastating its pork industry, in cattle, but insisted its beef was safe to eat. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)


Tuesday, December 09, 2008
By SHAWN POGATCHNIK, Associated Press Writer


DUBLIN, Ireland — Irish officials confirmed Tuesday that cattle at three farms have tested positive for dioxin _ the cancer-causing chemical that has contaminated its pork industry _ but insisted the country's beef posed no real risk to health.

Ireland has already ordered the withdrawal and destruction of all pork products produced since Sept. 1, a sweeping move the government says should reinforce _ not undermine _ international confidence in Ireland's food exports.

But Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith said the government decided not to recall any Irish beef products at home or abroad because, unlike the contamination of pork products, the level and extent of dioxin found so far in cattle is much lower.

Smith said the cattle with excessive dioxin levels were "technically noncompliant, but not at a level that would pose any public health concern." Still, he said Ireland would prevent the movement of any cattle or beef from the three farms in question.

Alan Reilly, deputy director of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, stressed that the dioxin levels found in the most contaminated cattle were just two to three times European Union safety limits, whereas pigs at nine dioxin-threatened Irish farms recorded dioxin levels 80 to 200 times too high.

"There's a huge difference between 200 times above a legal limit, and two to three times," Reilly said.

The government declined to say whether any cattle from the three farms had produced beef that went to foreign markets. Reilly said most of the beef produced since September was still in storage, being aged to improve its tenderness and taste.

A recall of Irish beef would do even greater damage to Ireland's recession-hit economy than its emergency shutdown Saturday of the pork industry. Ireland has 69,000 beef farms but just 400 pig farms.

Ireland exports 85 percent of its beef to about 35 other countries, chiefly in Europe, a trade valued at more than euro1.5 billion ($2.2 billion). Irish pork generates only a third as much money and reaches 25 other countries. In both cases, neighboring Britain is Ireland's major customer.

Irish investigators have traced the source of the contamination to a single animal-food maker, Millstream Power Recycling Ltd., which used an oil-fired burner to dry out-of-date bread, dough and confectionary.

The Agriculture Department says Millstream _ which has been shut down pending investigations by the government and police _ was using a kind of oil that should never be used around food, creating fumes that infused the food with dioxins. It also failed to get the appropriate oil-burning permit from the Irish Environmental Protection Agency.

Authorities say Millstream supplied oil-tainted feed to at least nine pig farms and 45 cattle farms in the Republic of Ireland, and nine pig farms and 10 cattle farms in the British territory of Northern Ireland.

Tuesday's test results that confirmed too-high levels of dioxin in cattle at three Irish farms also cleared eight others of contamination. The Irish government declined to specify when results on the 34 other cattle farms would be confirmed.

But Reilly said he expected the number of total positive results to be in similar proportion to Tuesday's findings. This would mean about a quarter, or nine, more cattle farms could test positive for excessive dioxin.

He noted the cattle ate much less of the Millstream product than the pigs, because cows still eat mostly grass in the fall while pigs rely on man-made fodder.

In Northern Ireland, meanwhile, authorities announced Tuesday that none of the pig farms that received the Millstream product actually used it, which means its pork products can return immediately to store shelves and export markets. But Northern Ireland's agriculture minister, Michelle Gildernew, said she was still awaiting test results later this week on the 10 suspect cattle farms.

International research shows that dioxins, a family of chemicals that can accumulate and be retained for years in body fat, can lead to an increased risk of cancer.

Irish authorities, however, point to Europe's last major dioxin scare _ in Belgium in May 1999, when thousands of farms were closed after dioxin-contaminated animal feed tainted meat, eggs and dairy products _ to show that short-term exposure should not pose a risk.

"We're dealing in broad terms with the same exposure levels as in Belgium, where the follow-up showed no impact on public health," said Ireland's chief medical officer, Dr. Tony Holoran.

He stressed that, even if anyone ate both the dioxin-tainted beef or pork daily for the past three months, it still wouldn't be enough to cause a health problem.

"The risks are extremely low from any exposure that may occur. People do not need to seek any direct medical advice. We do not expect to see symptoms occurring as a result of this," Holoran said.

(This version CORRECTS ADDS background on beef industry, source of Irish contamination and Europe's last dioxin scare in 1999, corrects spelling of surname to Reilly sted O'Reilly.)

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.



As riots continue, Greece faces mounting political crisis


Protesters throwing stones at riot police in Athens on Tuesday. (Petros Giannakouris/The Associated Press)


By Rachel Donadio and Anthee Carassava

Tuesday, December 9, 2008


ATHENS: Thousands of mourners turned out here Tuesday for the funeral of a 15-year-old boy whose shooting death by police officers has tipped the country into its worst riots in decades, exposing the government's fragile hold on a deeply divided society.

The authorities said more than 100 people were arrested for looting on Tuesday, as roving bands of militant youths threw gasoline bombs and smashed shop windows in central Athens for a fourth day, clashing with riot police who did not seem able to contain the violence.

Greece's two largest labor unions said they would push ahead with a planned 24-hour strike Wednesday to demand more state social spending. But they cancelled a protest march in an attempt to avoid further violence. Flights and ferry links are expected to be cut and train services severely limited. The governments of the United States, Britain and Australia warned citizens to avoid traveling to Athens.

Overall, the clashes Tuesday were seen as less intense than those on Monday, when after dark hundreds of self-described anarchists broke the windows of upscale shops, banks and five-star hotels in central Athens and burned a large Christmas tree in the plaza in front of Parliament.

On Tuesday, rioters also fought with the police for the fourth day in a row in Salonika, Greece's second largest city, while in the port city of Patras, citizens trying to protect their shops came into conflict with rioters.

That the shooting death of a teenager, however tragic, could bring an entire country to its knees speaks to the deep political, social and economic unrest in Greece, a powder keg disguised as a functioning, middle-class democracy.

The center-right government of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis hangs by a one-vote majority in Parliament and is roiled by a corruption scandal in which two senior ministers have already resigned. Unemployment is high and the global recession hitting hard.

For the second day in a row on Tuesday, students, teachers and workers used the demonstrations inspired by the death of Alexandros Grigoropolos, 15, to protest everything from school reforms to the grim economic situation.

On Tuesday, the Socialist Party leader, George Papandreou, renewed his call for early elections. Yet it remained unclear whether the riots would cause the government to fall.

"What I foresee is a prolonged political crisis with no immediate results for two or three years," said George Kirtsos, a political commentator and the publisher of City Press, an independent newspaper. "In that time, the country will be going from bad to worse."

On Tuesday, as youths scuffled with the police outside Parliament, Karamanlis met with government members and opposition leaders in an effort to get their backing for security operations.

He said that there would be no leniency for the rioters. "No one has the right to use this tragic incident as an alibi for actions of raw violence, for actions against innocent people, their property and society as a whole, and against democracy," Karamanlis said after an emergency meeting with President Karolos Papoulias.

Yet even Karamanlis's closest advisers conceded that the government did not have the security situation under control. "He's seriously troubled," said Nicholas Karahalios, a strategy adviser to the prime minister. "Whereas before we were dealing with a political and economic crisis, now there's a third dimension attached to it: a security crisis."

The authorities seem to fear that cracking down on the militants might lead to other unintended deaths and provoke more rioting. Asked why they had not contained the riots, a spokesman for the national police, Panayiotes Stathis, said "violence cannot be fought with violence."

Demonstrations, even violent ones, are nothing new in Greece, which has a long tradition of political protest and has been relatively tolerant of the self-described anarchist groups that routinely hold anti-government demonstrations.

Ever since the country shed decades of military rule to became a democracy in the mid-1970s, the police have been seen as a throwback to the era of the military junta. Although Greece has a comparatively high ratio of more than 45,000 police for 10 million people, in the popular imagination, they are seen as ineffective and corrupt.

To some, the instability reflects deeper problems. "These riots are a symptom of a deep cultural problem rather than a social one," said Stathis Kalyvas, a political science professor at Yale University. Since the mid-1970s, Kalyvas said, civil disobedience has been seen as "almost always justified."

Indeed, Grigoropolos was shot on Saturday night in the Athens neighborhood of Exarcheia, where youths routinely fight the police. The police have said Grigoropolos died when officers encountered a mob. But one officer has been charged with premeditated manslaughter in the case and another has been charged as an accomplice.

On Tuesday, thousands lined the street outside the cemetery and small, whitewashed chapel where Grigoropolos was buried in Paliro Faliro, an upscale residential neighborhood where he grew up. His father is a bank manager and his mother a jeweler.

Although the funeral passed peacefully, dozens of militants fought afterward with the police and smashed car windows, though no one was injured.

Earlier Tuesday, two demonstrations of teachers, students and workers wound their way largely peacefully through central Athens. Once they neared the Parliament building, some students shouted "Down with the government of murderers" and "Let it burn, let it burn, the brothel, the Parliament." Other militants fought the police.

Before the rioting, Karamanlis was popular, even if his government was less so. He won by a wide margin in 2004, promising change after two decades of Socialist rule. He was re-elected in 2007, but his center-right party's lead in Parliament fell to one vote.

But in the autumn of 2007, the government was stung by a corruption scandal in which it was accused of selling a monastery that is prime Athens real estate before the 2004 Olympics in exchange for cheaper land elsewhere.

Last month, two top ministers resigned over reports of more than 250 land swaps and lawmakers unanimously agreed to start a special investigation. The scandals have deeply weakened Karamanlis's government and curbed his chances of implementing changes.


Local impact of Bank of America cuts still unclear




Tue. December 09, 2008; Posted: 09:49 AM



HIGH POINT, Dec 09, 2008 (High Point Enterprise - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- MER Quote Chart News PowerRating -- Bank of America Corp. hasn't made it clear what, if any, impact that job cuts might have on its High Point-area operations because of a restructuring from its purchase of Merrill Lynch & Co.



Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis said last week that the bank is in final stages of analyzing planned job cuts from its purchase of Merrill Lynch. Lewis last week declined to comment on a CNBC report that the bank could eliminate 30,000 jobs as it merges the two companies.

Bank of America has indicated it plans to trim $7 billion, or 10 percent of the combined company's annual expenses, by 2012. Some analysts have extrapolated from the bank's cost-cutting intent that 10 percent of the company's work force could lose their jobs. Bank of America has 247,000 employees, and Merrill has 61,000, meaning that a cut of 10 percent would equal a little more than 30,000 jobs.

The Charlotte-based bank is one of High Point's top private employers through its customer service center in north High Point's Piedmont Centre, where the bank has had approximately 1,800 workers.

A media relations representative told The High Point Enterprise that Bank of America is evaluating staffing levels, given both the pending merger with Merrill Lynch and the weak economic environment affecting the level of business activity.

"While we believe both factors will result in eliminations of positions, we have not completed our analysis. We don't anticipate having a final plan until early in 2009," said spokeswoman Britney Sheehan.

High Point Economic Development Corp. President Loren Hill said that his agency hasn't had discussions with Bank of America about job cuts.

The McClatchy-Tribune News Service contributed to this report.