Monday, July 05, 2010

The United States in Prophecy

I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. Rev. 13:11.


One nation, and only one, meets the specifications of this prophecy; it points unmistakably to the United States of America. {Mar 193.1}

Here is a striking figure of the rise and growth of our own nation. And the lamb-like horns, emblems or innocence and gentleness, well represent the character of our government, as expressed in its two fundamental principles, Republicanism and Protestantism. {Mar 193.2}

The Lord has done more for the United States than for any other country upon which the sun shines. Here He provided an asylum for His people, where they could worship Him according to the dictates of conscience. Here Christianity has progressed in its purity. The life-giving doctrine of the one Mediator between God and man has been freely taught. God designed that this country should ever remain free for all people to worship Him in accordance with the dictates of conscience. He designed that its civil institutions, in their expansive productions, should represent the freedom of gospel privileges. {Mar 193.3}

But the enemy of all righteousness has designs upon God's purpose for this country. He will bring in enterprises that will lead men to forget that there is a God. Worldliness and covetousness, which is idolatry, will prevail through the working of the archdeceiver, till the law of God, in all its bearings, shall be made void. {Mar 193.4}

I have been shown that Satan is stealing a march upon us. The law of God, through the agency of Satan, is to be made void. In our land of boasted freedom, religious liberty will come to an end. {M
..ar 193.5}
When our nation, in its legislative councils, shall enact laws to bind the consciences of men in regard to their religious privileges, enforcing Sunday observance, and bringing oppressive power to bear against those who keep the seventh-day Sabbath, the law of God will, to all intents and purposes, be made void in our land; and national apostasy will be followed by national ruin. {Mar 193.6} .........
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Maranatha, Ellen G. White, p.193.
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Sunday, July 04, 2010

The Internet Renaissance and the Censorship Card

He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future.–George Orwell


Rewriting history has been one of the controllers’ biggest programs. The true villains of history have been made out to be heroes, and vice-versa. Whole chapters of world events simply vanish. What was common knowledge for whole eras has little or no mention at all, or has been totally reversed.

I’ve been shocked to learn the true history of the Jesuits for example, and how excoriated they were by the nations of the world since their inception with the maniacal Ignatius Loyola . In fact, the US broke off all diplomatic relations with the Vatican in 1867 as a result of its alleged connection with the murder of Lincoln via the Jesuits, which was only restored in 1984 (!) by the corporatist sell-out Ronald Freemason Reagan.

(Little hand signal action going on?;)

Quite the reversal there. Not only are Jesuits accepted as a mainstream branch of the Vatican, somehow they’ve gotten ahold of our educational system via high schools and colleges throughout the nation and world. (You’ll be amazed at how many world leaders were trained by Jesuits.) And as for the Vatican, today our leaders climb all over each other to go and kiss the Pope’s ring, via checking in with the Queen of England. (And I thought we declared independence. Is this why our rights are eroding and country dissolving–because our leaders have other loyalties?)

The New Renaissance
The internet has made the light of truth and information available to an unfathomable extent. The original Renaissance was due to an information burst, enabled by the invention of the printing press around 1450.
Illustration of Gutenberg’s press

'Before the printing press was created, only the church and royalty were wealthy enough to have books printed. Once printed material became widely available, a greater number of people learned to read and the flow of textual information reached all corners of Europe. Access to information helped to feed Europe’s brainpower, closing out the Middle Ages for good and helping to open the door for the Renaissance.' Source

Similarly, the explosion of instant worldwide availability of information and communication via the internet is morphing the world exponentially as we speak. In fact, our world would-be controllers are openly declaring their fear of this “mass global political awakening” and are wondering what to do about it. (view here)

Potential excuses to shut down this source of information have been abounding. A bill was passed that gives Obama power to shut down the net “for security purposes” in order to free up band width for emergency situations…blah blah blah. Since 9/11 there have been so many infringements on our constitutional freedoms you can hardly count them. Oddly enough, these types of infringements the 9/11 gullible “patriots” welcomed as added security during the Bush years, are now protested when coming from the Obama administration, and they still don’t get how it works.

How do you make it dark? Turn out the lights
Here’s how they play the censorship card: A little at a time. Until we’re used to it.
The gulf situation is being handled very roughly and very publicly so. I think a big part of all this offensive activity by the government, BP and the coast guard is to get us used to it. If we start getting used to the new standard of being pushed around, that’s good for them. If we accept limitations on what can be reported on and what can’t, that’s good as well.

We’re being desensitized.
These things have been happening all along, but this public display where even the mainstream media are getting miffed, or are scripted to get miffed, has me wondering.

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Americans Mark July 4 Independence Day Holiday

04 July 2010

Photo: AP
People gather behind a rear stage to watch an evening dress rehearsal of the independence day concert, 'A Capitol Fourth,' by the US Capitol in Washington, 03 Jul 2010



Americans across the United States are attending barbecues, parades, fireworks displays and other events as the nation marks its birth 234 years ago.

The July 4 Independence Day holiday marks the occasion in 1776 when the 13 original U.S. colonies declared independence from Britain during a revolutionary war.

In Washington, DC, thousands of people are expected to converge on the National Mall for an annual festival featuring displays and events celebrating American heritage, and an Independence Day parade. Other activities in the nation's capital include re-enactments of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by actors portraying the nation's founders.

A few kilometers away at Mount Vernon, the home of the nation's first president, George Washington, organizers are hosting a wreath-laying at Washington's tomb and a naturalization ceremony for about 100 new U.S. citizens.

Later Sunday, there will be a televised concert and fireworks display over the National Mall. Similar events are planned in cities across the country.

President Barack Obama issued an Independence Day statement saying the tenacity, resolve and courage of the nation's founders, in the face of seemingly impossible odds, became the bedrock of the country.

The president also paid tribute to the men and women of the U.S. armed forces who are serving around the world or have given their lives in the line of duty.
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America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee)


Text: Samuel F. Smith, 1808-1895
Music: Thesaurus Musicus
Tune: AMERICA, Meter: 664.6664
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1. My country,' tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside let freedom ring!

2. My native country, thee,
land of the noble free, thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
thy woods and templed hills;
my heart with rapture thrills, like that above.

3. Let music swell the breeze,
and ring from all the trees sweet freedom's song;
let mortal tongues awake;
let all that breathe partake;
let rocks their silence break, the sound prolong.

4. Our fathers' God, to thee,
author of liberty, to thee we sing;
long may our land be bright
with freedom's holy light;
protect us by thy might, great God, our King.


Choose an instrument: Piano Organ Bells
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A Special Tribute to Pastor David J. Meyer



Volume XXIX Issue VII July 2010Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916Fax: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/


A Special Tribute to Pastor David J. Meyer

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

II Corinthians 5:1-8
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Corinthians 15:55-57
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:20-21
A Tribute From Shirley

For the past twenty-nine years, my husband, Pastor David J. Meyer, has faithfully researched the events of the day, and with the help of our God and His undisputable Word, he brought to us the Last Trumpet Newsletter each month. Many of you have fostered this ministry by your contributions and prayers. He has been encouraged greatly through your kind and informative letters. He met many of you in person, even baptizing some of you and ministering in any way possible. Pastor Meyer also gathered with our prayer teams each Saturday evening and helped us pray for your prayer requests. He felt a love and a burden for this work, and the newsletter was always written with the great desire that eyes would be opened to the cunning ways of the devil and his cohorts. It was hoped that his readers would learn to see through the deceit and the manipulations of the enemy and realize that there were those with less than noble purposes that strive to control the masses. Most of all, Pastor Meyer wanted his readers to realize that the return of Jesus Christ was at hand and that the signs on the earth and in the heavens were ordained by God and declared the times. Ultimately, God is in charge, and if we cry out to Him in repentance and obedience to His Word, He will hear us, save us, and deliver us from this present world of sin and death.

Pastor David Meyer's perspective was unique. God had saved him from out of the world of the occult in 1969. He was young then, only 19 years old when God called him, but as a teenager David had already gathered a following with his astrological keenness. Sitting on the steps of his back porch, he would invite spirits to come into his person. He amazed people by writing out their horoscopes and making predictions that came to pass. When David accurately told strangers their birthdates, they were stunned. Certainly, if God would not have intervened in his life, his story would be completely different. But thank God, there was a complete and true conversion. God turned his life around and used his past to edify and instruct His people. Because of his background in that other world, David had insights into the workings of the kingdom of darkness. He threw a dagger into the devil's realm so that God's people could be aware of the devices of the destroyer and the sinner would feel the need to repent.

In June 1981, my husband, Pastor David Meyer, felt compelled to begin the writing of this newsletter. I remember some scoffers who laughed at his new project, but no one could then imagine the impact that this new project would soon have. We sent it out to two hundred individuals in our local telephone book. One young man who read the newsletter sent out a copy to another publisher. The publisher liked my husband's materials and reprinted his article, and soon to our great surprise, we were getting responses from many different places. Soon it spread to Norway and Japan. In a short time, we were getting letters from most of the fifty states here in the United States, and we also began hearing from people in Europe, Australia, and Africa. Each reader had a story, and we began to realize that the Lord was using the Last Trumpet Newsletter and spreading it around the world. We thanked God for such an opportunity.

Financially, our ability to begin this newsletter and continue it was a miracle. With the birth of our fourth child, Rebekah, and the needs of a growing family, supported by a small church and an infant locksmith business, money was not in abundance. However, God always granted us the funds we needed to print the newsletter and keep it circulated. One time, Pastor Meyer was heading to Madison, Wisconsin, to the printers with the newly written monthly newsletter. He didn't have the funds to cover the printing cost so the printers had graciously agreed to extend credit for this printing. However, before my husband left town, he looked inside the mailbox. There in the mail were two envelopes, and inside these were the exact amounts needed to pay for the printing! From that time forward, the funds needed to publish and mail the newsletter were always supplied. We never had to beg or charge a fee even though we were mailing it all over the world and also sending it to many inmates. In time we started offering tapes, CDs, and DVDs. Staff members to work the ministry were added. The Lord helped us to buy Faith House, and more recently we leased a processing center to facilitate our needs to do this work. Our ministry was extended over the internet. Always, the Lord has provided and kept Last Trumpet Ministries alive.

Our family would like to thank all of you for your support through the years for our ministry. Your recent outpourings of love and condolences have touched our hearts. Though we grieve the loss of our beloved pastor, friend, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and my husband, who went home to be with the Lord Tuesday, June 8th, 2010, we know we shall meet again. This time we will meet in that place where there are no more seas, or boundaries. In that perfect place, there will be no more tears, no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, or even pain. The former things will never come to mind for we shall dwell with God in His very presence. We will know each other and long enjoy the work of our hands as we worship together around the throne of God for eternity!

Shirley Meyer

A Tribute From Ruth

My dad sang for us a lot when we were little. Some of my earliest memories are of my dad coming into the room I shared with my little brother, Nate, when I was four or five years old. Besides the lullabies, he spun the most delicious bedtime stories: vivid, original tales that I suppose no other children ever had the chance to hear. He would pray for us, then tuck us in, lifting the blankets up, up into the air four or five or ten times and letting them settle all around us, soft like a parachute floating down.

The songs were always a family affair. He would attract our ever increasing brood all around him whenever he brought out his concertina. It was a shiny red contraption with white buttons, a whole arm's length when it was completely unfurled, cheerful in its breathy huffing as it was pulled and pushed into bright melodies while he sang for us-- everything from "Mrs. Murphy's Chowder" to "Der Fröhliche Wanderer."

My dad sang in the shower. He sang in the upstairs hall while we were getting ready for church. He sang anywhere the mood struck. Of course, nobody minded. He had a nice tenor voice and perfect pitch. I can still hear him singing now. Sometimes when my heart needs lifting, the little melodies he recorded there play on and on for me.

Over the past few days since he has passed, I have been hearing one in particular. I cannot convey the sound of his voice in these paragraphs I'm typing, but I will pass along the words to you. It may be you will cherish them in your heart as I do in mine.

Why do you let the troubles of tomorrow / Bring sorrow to your heart, and burden too? For if the Father's eye is on the sparrow / Then surely He will care for you!

He knoweth, and careth / Each burden, He beareth / For if the Father's eye is on the sparrow / Then surely He will care for you!

It's a child's song, but then Jesus did tell us we should all be just like little children when it comes to trusting in God. Whatever economic maelstrom, whatever political or social injustice may exist, small children don't fear or fret over the future. They trust without a second thought. So do the sparrows. I have yet to see a sparrow furrow his feathery brow in despair of any kind. He just goes about his day, chipping and fluttering, oblivious to human drama.

So this is the legacy I value most from my dad: his counsel to trust implicitly in the Lord. All Christians have been entrusted to continue the work of Jesus Christ on earth as His hands and His feet and His voice. This is our simple mission as long as it is yet our time. We have everything we need to fulfill this commission as we allow the words of Jesus to rest in our hearts: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Ruth Gretchen (Meyer) Barbieri

A Tribute From Nathaniel

A couple months ago, I remember mom calling me to ask when I was available to fold the newsletter. "He wrote it?!" was my stunned reply. Almost immediately, I felt foolish for being surprised. True, the last time I had visited him since the surgery he could hardly stay awake for five minutes at a time. But this was the newsletter we are talking about, and the saying "If there's a will there's a way" never rang so true. And with dad there was always a will. He was so determined! For almost thirty years he wrote the newsletter, and for much of that time he had two other jobs! Working forty hours a week as a locksmith at UW Oshkosh, plus over an hour and a half driving each day, was his routine. And I can recall many times waking in the middle of the night and hearing dad leave for work because some student put gum in a lock! Yet still, there was church three times a week, plus Bible studies with other groups, sometimes on a weekly basis. He always joked that he wasn't a "Noted Preacher" because he didn't use notes. Well, that was a good thing, because I really don't know from where the time to write them would have come. And then there were the phone calls! All the time, people needing help or just wanting to talk to him would call. We grew up with the best human role model I can imagine. In terms of qualities that define us, I look at his level of devotion as something amazing! To mom, to us kids, to the newsletter readers, to the church family...dad made time for everybody, leaving very little for himself. Sometimes I catch myself actually thinking that I'm busy, and then I think of him and feel silly. He may have lived only sixty years, but I think it would take triple that for most of us to do all that he's done!

Even with most of his time spent, he was a fun dad! He always had a joke. When I first was called with the news that he wasn't doing well, I was in an awful state...crying and completely panicking. When I gathered myself somewhat, I called work to tell them that I wouldn't be in. In the middle of trying to choke the words out on the recording, I thought of something dad used to joke about. He sometimes threatened to call in and say, "I've got foot trouble; I can't stand to be there" or "I've got eye trouble; I can't see coming in!" I let out a mini-laugh in the middle of the recording...it must have been quite a strange sounding recording... But that's how it's been. Dad still makes me feel better when I think about the funny stuff he said!

I guess in a way the limited time we got to spend with him was a blessing because being with him always seemed like a treat! Sometimes he would join my brother and me for part of the Packer game. Truth be told, I don't really think he cared about the game too much. It was just his way of relating to us, and we knew it and deeply appreciated it. I think that was true with all of us kids; he found some way to relate to each of us. His ability to relate to people in general was something I always admired. He would meet someone, and it seemed, whatever subject came up, he knew something about it! It could be some random thing that I had never even heard of. Yet he would be able to talk about it and thus relate to that person. As a result, he seemed to know everybody, and it kind of felt as though our dad was famous. I worked with a lady once who upon meeting me asked if I was related to David Meyer. I of course told her that he was my father. She then explained that he had done some lock work for her some nine or ten years ago. Still she remembered him well enough to recognize him though me!

There are two things in this life you can spend: money, and time. While you can always earn more money, you only get so much time. But as with money, a wise man will invest his time as well. Dad did just that with all of his work for God. And I have to believe his investments are reaping huge returns!

You're a tough act to follow, Dad! I love you. I miss you, and I will do my best to see you again!

Nathaniel Meyer

A Tribute From Sarah

Life is too short. The things that really matter seem to get lost in the everyday monotony of life. There are so many things I wish I could say to my dad. I wish I could tell him how much I admire him for his strength, his kindness, his honesty, his dedication. I wish I could tell him that I treasure each and every memory that I have with him. He always made me feel so special. Even when I was naughty, I know it broke his heart to have to discipline me, but he loved me enough to do it. I know that he always wanted the very best for all of his children. I wish that I could find the words to express how much I love my dad. He made everything better; he made everything special.

The lessons we learn in life aren't from a textbook. And as I think about all the memories we shared on the rare occasions when it was just my dad and I, I realize that it wasn't the actual event that mattered. It was the way that what we had done made me feel. He showed his love through actions; thus I learned that love is a verb. It is in the doing. We do not live this life for ourselves, and dad definitely never thought of just himself. He thought about me, he thought about you and everyone else. He always put God first and set an example for everyone. I thank God for the time that He lent him to us. I miss him, but it is beautiful to know that he is with Jesus, and I will see him again.

Sarah Meyer
A Tribute From Rebekah

While I was growing up, my dad was the hardest working person that I've ever seen. He was a pastor, he was a locksmith for a college, plus he had his own business. Mostly though, he was our dad. No matter how he felt he worked from dawn till late into the night just so that he could make sure that his children were taken care of.

One of the most important things to me was to never disappoint him. I always strived to make my dad proud of me. When things went wrong, I always worried that I would hurt him by not doing well. The truth was that no matter what we did he still loved us; he was always proud of us. He taught me how to be a good person. He taught me that you had to work hard, love each other, and help whenever and however one could. Most of all, he prayed for each and every one of us daily, and I know that is what made us the people that we are.

Some of my favorite memories growing up are very basic things. At night all eight of us kids would crowd into my parents' room, and my dad would tell us all stories of his childhood or just stories. Sometimes, he would sing. It was what I looked forward to everyday. For a while, I wanted to be a locksmith, just like my daddy. That was because one time when I was really little my dad took me on one of his lock jobs at Green Giant. He introduced me to the office personnel as his assistant. I had so much fun just helping him.

My dad was a great father, a great man, and someone that we all learned from and loved and respected. My dad will always be part of me, who I am, and I will be a better person just because of him.

Rebekah (Meyer) Kline

A Tribute From Jayne

When my father was born, the Lord inspired my grandmother, Alvina Meyer, to name the baby David, which means beloved, an appropriate name for one that would become very beloved by many. My father grew up in a little house, as one of nine children, and had few possessions, but the essentials were always provided by his hardworking parents. He was raised knowing the value of working hard, an attribute he also exhibited throughout his life.

When my father began his ministry, he had it in his heart to never press people for money. His mission was to help others find their way to Jesus Christ. When he started a church, he took an additional job as a locksmith so he could provide for his family and help the church to become debt free. Likewise, when he started writing the Last Trumpet Newsletter in June of 1981, he again resolved never to charge or put a price on anything. He believed there was to be no buying or selling in the kingdom of God, only giving and receiving. He stepped out on faith and knew that God would always provide, even if it was at the last minute. This built a foundation of faith by which he lived his life.

Being a father of eight children and working multiple jobs to support them, he was continuously busy. He taught science and history classes to home-schooled children, visited the elderly in nursing homes, managed the ministry, corresponded with many people throughout the world, held Bible studies, and did many other endeavors. He felt pressed to serve God by helping others.

He regretted his early past when he had dabbled into occultism and felt deeply the need to expose the deception and corruption that he saw in the world. It became his incentive in life to honor God's will and to teach others to do the same. He desired above all else to reach Heaven and to help as many people as he could get there, too.

His influence on others is astonishing. In forty years of ministry, he impacted thousands of lives. He will most certainly be missed. I can't look at anything in my life without realizing I have it because of him. Whenever I needed him, he was always there to help me. He encouraged my faith, taught me to put my trust in God, and always prayed for me. Because of him, I know the way I must seek is God's will, the journey I must take is to Heaven, and the greatest treasure I possess is the Word of God.

Jayne Meyer

A Tribute From Victoria

I'm sure that there are many people reading this who at one time or another called upon my father, Pastor David Meyer, to pray for them. I can be sure of this because I sincerely believe that anyone who had ever heard my dad preach could not help but recognize his steadfast belief in the power of prayer. This is one of the things that captured my attention even as a young child, and it became one of the things I loved most about him, even to this day.

I, along with some of my siblings, had the opportunity to travel with him and my mother on three or four different occasions. I remember watching as dozens upon dozens of people lined up after he had finished preaching, waiting for my dad to pray for them or a loved one. The power that flowed from his prayers was so evident that one could not even watch without feeling surrounded by the spirit of God. Sometimes it would last for hours, but my father would stay there without fail until the last person had been prayed for.

After my dad's hospitalization in April of 2010, I felt compelled by God to assist him with the writing of the Last Trumpet Newsletter by offering to take dictation as he had lost eyesight in his left eye and writing was now harder for him. Even though I would never have imagined it at the time, the May and June 2010 editions of the newsletter would be the last he would ever write. In the writing sessions that we shared, my faith became stronger and I felt closer to God than I had ever been before. Even though my dad was so sick and in a great deal of pain, his faith never failed. Every day, before anything else, he would pray for wisdom and strength, and I will never forget the power that I felt and the faith that he portrayed, even in his weakened state. God used him until the very end.

My dad often stressed not only the importance of prayer, but also the value of prayer. Having the opportunity to lay all things out before Jesus Christ and allowing Him to work them out according to His perfect will is an amazing gift, a gift that David Meyer cherished so dearly throughout his lifetime and encouraged all others to cherish as well. I look back on all the times that he prayed for me (which I'm sure are more than I could ever even be aware of), and I thank God for giving me a father with the faith to bring all things to the Lord. He was a kind and generous man, a loving and supportive father, a powerful preacher and prayer warrior, and a humble and devout child of God. His example is one that I pray will live on through many lives.

Victoria (Meyer) Liljander

A Tribute From Anna

There are so many things I could say about my dad. However, he was such a profound man that I am honestly lost for adequate words that are worthy enough. He was more than just my father. He was also my minister, one of my teachers, and even my employer. Knowing him in all these aspects has been truly a blessing. I will always cherish the memories of being with him and knowing him in all of these ways. There are times I wonder why it was his time to go home. Then I am always reminded of how God knows all and He has the whole world in His hands. He knows what is best for everyone because it is only He who knows what the future holds. We as humans can only do so much and last so long in an uncertain world such as ours. It is only God who knows what each of us can bear and when our time is over. This world offers much disappointment, but if we can truly live by faith, we can endure through the hope of Jesus Christ. He hears every cry and sees all that goes wrong, and if we hold on to Him, we will be able to understand everything in the end. He will make all things new. As for my dad, he is now in that place where everything is new and nothing can ever take it away from him.

Anna Meyer

A Tribute From Samuel

My father was a remarkable man. He was the hardest working, most generous, and most God-fearing person I've ever known. He freely gave of what he had to his friends, children, and even complete strangers. His faith in God was unshakeable, and with his daily prayers he truly prayed without ceasing.

Dad was a hard worker. I remember watching him work and being amazed at what he was able to accomplish. He'd get up and preach every Wednesday and Sunday, spend days preparing and writing the newsletter, answer correspondence, manage nearly every administration aspect of the ministry, and even maintain our lock systems.

Dad was a prayer warrior. I've never known another person who prayed as much as my dad did. If one of his children were sick, he would sometimes pray all night. So mighty and fervent were his prayers that you could feel the presence of God just by being near him. His intercession before God truly wrought many blessings for his family, his congregation, and people all over the world.

Dad was a great boss. He was never overbearing and didn't enforce rigid procedural policies. All he really cared about was getting the Gospel message to as many people as possible. So as long as we got our work done, he was happy and rewarded us generously for it.

Dad was a humble man. He truly believed that without God's help, he could do nothing. He didn't place much value on material things; his most prized possession was his Bible. He didn't own fancy suits, buy luxury cars, or live in a big extravagant house. In fact, I would sometimes grow frustrated with my Dad because he'd so seldom "splurge" and buy things for himself.

Dad was a great dad. It's not easy being a parent these days, especially when you have eight children. But if any of us ever had a problem, he would drop what he was doing and come help us. If I needed advice, he was always there for me. If one of my siblings had a financial crisis, he'd do what he could to take care of it. He loved to give us good things even though we didn't deserve them.

I rejoice that my beloved father and pastor, David J. Meyer, is now in Heaven. But I miss him greatly and eagerly await the day I get to see him again.

It was Pastor Meyer's wish that we continue his ministry, and if we are able, we will endeavor to keep you all up to date on the happenings around the world in these last days. We humbly ask for your prayers, seeking the Lord's guidance and perfect will, as we move forward. As usual, you may continue to send us your prayer requests, and our team of intercessors will give them each individual attention. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Samuel David Meyer

http://lasttrumpetnewsletter.org/2010/07_10.html
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Pastor David J. Meyer passes away


It is with great sadness and heaviness of heart that I announce the passing of our beloved Pastor David J. Meyer. He wrestled long and hard with much pain and illness, and the Lord decided it was time to take him home. You may read his full obituary by clicking here.

It was Pastor Meyer's wish that we continue his work, and we will with the help of God. It may take us a little time to reorganize, so we ask for your patience through this process. Please lift us up in prayer as we seek guidance on how to continue.

Update: A very special July 2010 issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter is now available online. We hope and pray it will be a blessing and a comfort to all of you.

Main Website Main Website
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Saturday, July 03, 2010

Letter From The President

Letter From The President
Adventist Church President Ted N.C. Wilson reads a letter from U.S. President Barack Obama, who commended the church for its service. Joining Wilson on the platform is his wife Nancy. [photo: Gerry Chudleigh]
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P.S.
A Comment on the above noose:
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Is this a letter from the latent Muslim, LGBT promoting, Big Government proponent, Universal Health care providing, General Motors controlling, president? The change, hope, and yes we can, president?
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Thanks, but, a blessing (or a vote of confidence) from such a party is not worth my attention. Thanks for the awareness anyway. Now, I know what time it is. It is later than we think. The Lord's coming is nearer than we think, folks.
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The image of the Beast is metamorphosing before our very eyes.
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Arsenio.
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Google Identity Games


Several months ago while searching info on Google late at night I started getting a peculiar screen - implying that there was doubt about who I was, and that to validate my identity I should copy/type an arbitrary sequence of letters into a blinking box.

Well, folks now it's occurring at all times of the day. Why, it was only 10 minutes ago that I attempted to upload a picture from the Internet into one of my post when I was asked by blogger (blogspot) to sign on or re-enter my scree name and password. If that weren't enough data collection? Just a few minutes later, I received this message as I attempted to post again:
We're sorry...
... but your computer or network may be sending automated queries. To protect our users, we can't process your request right now.

To continue searching, please type the characters you see below:


See Google Help for more information.
© 2010 Google - Google Home

This reminds me of the company men that will rationalize that there are no conspiracies; They will go out of their way to "prove" that everything is as it is professed and manifested. Everybody is true-blue, the moon is made of cheese, and The Maine was blown up by Spaniards.

I can see that something is up at Goggle, and at Blogspot. However, what it is I'm not exactly sure? But, whatever it is, it has a tint of Tyranny.
If they don't know who I am by now...

Who does? The scanner organization at Alexandria - Virginia?


Let, the games begin...

Wait, they're in full swing; Let the games continue!

Arsenio.
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Scientists Crack Code of How to Live Past 100: Vegetarianism, Religion, Good Genes

by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 07. 2.10
Science & Technology



Image via Dezinerfolio

A group of US scientists studying human longevity believe they've gathered some invaluable evidence in the quest to predict which people will live to be older than 100. Based on genetic 'signposts', the scientists have worked out a mathematical model that determines a person's chance of living to be a centenarian. To gather the data, they looked at the biggest study yet done on centenarians, and found that there were common lifestyle choices and habits amongst those who lived longest: Vegetarianism, avoidance of alcohol, and a strong religion, to name a few. Beyond that though, it's up to having the right genes . . .

The BBC has more on the study:
only one in 6,000 people in industrialised countries reaches such a ripe old age. And 90% them are still disability free by the age of 93. The researchers now think they have cracked the genetic secret of this longevity.

They identified genetic markers that are "most different" between centenarians and
randomly selected individuals ... "We tested our model in an independent set of centenarians and achieved an accuracy of 77%," explained Professor Sebastiani. "So out of 100 centenarians we could correctly predict the outcome of 77."

Their work builds on a previous study, which looked at a group of the longest-living Americans: Seventh Day Adventists. They were found to have the highest average life expectancy, at 88 years. One of the researchers explains the significance of that finding: "They get there by virtue of the fact that they have a religion that asks them to be vegetarian, they regularly exercise, they don't drink alcohol, they tend to manage their stress well through religion and time with family and they don't smoke."

But in order to make it 10 or more years longer, "genetics plays an increasingly important role."

The scientists are now setting to work devising a website that would allow the public to enter personal data in order to find out how long the model predicts they'll live. Which is kind of creepy. But also useful -- such a tool could eventually play a role in helping people prepare treatments or therapy plans accordingly. Perhaps if you knew how long your genes may allow you to live would act as a motivator for pursuing healthy eating and living habits. Of course, it could depress the hell out of you, pushing you into living a life of excess and indiscretion as well ... . ,
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More on Health




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Adventist Joseph Nally says a vegan lifestyle leads to life of happiness

June 23, 2010 in Food

Adventist Joseph Nally says a vegan lifestyle leads to life of happiness

Virginia De Leon Correspondent



Vegetarian chef Joseph Nally is a graduate of the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson and Wales University and worked as a chef for many years before he slowly turned to a plant-based diet. He didn’t become a Seventh-day Adventist until about four years ago, when the vegetarian teachings of the church appealed to him. He’s now a preacher and instructor for the Countryside Seventh-day Adventist Church in north Spokane.





There’s actually such a thing as a “bad vegetarian.” At least, that’s how Joseph Nally once identified himself.

In his desire to be healthy and to lessen his impact on the environment, Nally vowed 10 years ago to refrain from eating meat as well as eggs and dairy products. But he still felt bloated and sluggish, he recalled.

His diet – sans animal flesh and products – consisted mostly of refined carbohydrates and saturated fats.

“Sure, I cut out the meat, but I ate everything else,” said Nally, a trained chef who lives in Nine Mile Falls. “Eating well isn’t just about removing meat. It’s really more about eating whole grains, raw vegetables and other healthy foods.”

After spending nearly a decade working in restaurants in various parts of the country, Nally discovered a connection between his health and spiritual life. He came to the conclusion that he could no longer just live to eat; instead he had to eat well in order to live a more vibrant and sustainable life.

Now, Nally is sponsored by the Spokane Countryside Adventist Church as a “Bible worker,” that is, a preacher and instructor, whose duties include teaching others about the benefits of simple, plant-based foods. Every month, he organizes a free cooking and health class for people in the community who want to learn more about vegetarian and vegan alternatives.

From 30 to as many as 50 people gather at the North Side church on the second Sunday of each month. They spend about two hours listening to a lecture presented by a local naturopath followed by Nally’s cooking demonstrations and a vegan meal.

By early evening, everyone comes home with samples as well as recipes and menu plans for the entire month.

“You won’t find fake meat at our cooking school,” said Nally, referring to the “mock meat” and other processed foods that sometimes become a staple of many vegetarian diets.

Instead, his grocery list includes ingredients such as fresh fruit, steel cut oats, sprouted wheat berries, a variety of nuts, quinoa, and almond or coconut milk.

The menu plans feature dishes such as beet and potato latke, quinoa pilaf, caramel creamy lentils, avocado mousse, blueberry millet pudding, and macaroni and cashew cheese.

“We don’t have complicated recipes,” said Nally. “We don’t want people having to make special orders or driving everywhere for ingredients. We emphasize easy, simple, approachable food that makes sense.”

The recipes require only a few food items and can be prepared in half an hour or less. Many of these ingredients also are affordable and can be purchased in the bulk section of most grocery or health food stores, said Nally, who does most of his shopping at Fresh Abundance on North Division Street and Rosauers-Huckleberry’s in north Spokane.

“These classes have broadened the range of foods I can eat,” said Kim Love, a Suncrest resident who is gluten- and lactose-intolerant.

Although Love isn’t vegetarian, she regularly attends the class to get new ideas and to motivate her family to eat a healthier diet.

“I’m learning how to prepare food more efficiently,” she said. “I’m also investing more time in learning how to make delicious meals.”

While some of the participants have no church affiliation, many who come are Seventh-day Adventists. Although it’s not a religious requirement, many Seventh-day Adventists are encouraged to practice a vegetarian lifestyle because of their belief in healthful, holistic living.

Their faith life not only focuses on the spiritual, but also on their social, emotional and physical well-being, according to adherents.

Many Adventists try to exercise regularly, refrain from alcohol, tobacco and caffeine, eat modestly and consume only simple, plant-based foods, said Dr. Jay Sloop, a physician and health ministries director for the Upper Columbia Conference of Seventh-day Adventists – the administrative headquarters for more than 25,000 members of 130 churches in Eastern Washington, North Idaho and northeastern Oregon.

According to the Seventh-day Adventist Dietetic Association, holistic health means eating “generous” amounts of whole grain breads, cereals and pastas, a “liberal” use of fresh vegetables and fruits and a “moderate” amount of legumes, nuts and seeds. Low-fat dairy products and eggs are acceptable but foods in high saturated fat and cholesterol are highly discouraged.

Several studies – including research funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health – have found that Adventists live eight to 10 years longer than the average American, due in part to their diet.

Nally and his wife, Annie, joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church four years ago because of the Christian denomination’s emphasis on health and diet and how these factors contribute to spirituality and overall well-being. The couple, along with their 7- and 2-year-old daughters, eat only plant-based foods and cook everything from scratch.

“Before, food was entertainment for me,” said Nally, a graduate of the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson and Wales University in North Carolina. “Even though I still see food as art – it’s a creative avenue for me – I now realize that food should strengthen our bodies and minds so that we can live more fully.”

Nally’s interest in food began as a child. His mom, whom he adores, was a terrible cook and often served meals that consisted of rubbery meat and buttered noodles. Whenever they dined at a restaurant, he often found himself wanting to replicate other people’s meals.

So he started cooking as a teenager and often spent his allowance on ingredients that his mother never bought, as well as on wooden spoons, a wok and other kitchen items.

It was no surprise to his girlfriend, who would eventually become his wife, that Nally ended up in culinary school. After graduating in 2002, he worked at restaurants in Florida and California, where he learned how to grow his own food and cook with organic, local and fresh ingredients.

He became serious about vegetarianism while working at a bistro that featured some meat-free items on its menu. After eating mostly vegetarian food for several months and reading books that included Michio Kushi’s “The Macrobiotic Way,” “The China Study” by T. Colin Campbell and “Raw” by Charlie Trotter, he discovered that he had higher energy levels and felt better all around.

The process of becoming a vegan took several years. His desire to eat and live well eventually drew him to Seventh-day Adventism, he said.

Last year, Nally and his family moved to Maine, where he became a Bible worker at a Seventh-day Adventist church. In addition to teaching classes and preaching, he worked with doctors from Parkview Adventist Medical Center in Brunswick, Maine, to provide courses on healthy living and eating.

In January, he moved to Spokane, where his work is sponsored by the Upper Columbia Conference of Seventh-day Adventists as well as Spokane Countryside Adventist Church.

“The name ‘Simple Health’ says it all,” Nally said. “The goal and the point of the (cooking) class is that health is achievable and it can be done without great expense and even by those who are not all that comfortable in the kitchen.”

(excerpt)

Source: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/jun/23/vibrant-vegan/
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Missing convention-goer found

Atlanta News 1:20 p.m. Saturday, July 3, 2010
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By Kristi E. Swartz
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution


A woman missing from a Seventh-Day Adventist General Conference since Tuesday has been found, Atlanta police said

Yvonne Ramona Marshall, 53, was found Saturday morning. They did not release information on where they found her.

Police said Marshall was “a little dehydrated but she is doing well.” She doesn't recall anything that happened, police told the AJC.

Police said they are trying to contact the woman's family so she can be reunited with them.

"We are rejoicing and praising God together as a worldwide Seventh-day Adventist church family that Ms. Marshall was found and will be reunited with her family," George Johnson Jr., an associate director for the Seventh-day Adventist church said.

Marshall had not been seen since Tuesday, officials said. She was walking across Northside Drive toward the Georgia Dome, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority said.

Marshall was in town from Aruba. She was attending the conference, held this week at the Georgia World Congress Center, the GWCC Department of Public Safety said.

Marshall reportedly suffers from dementia.

Staff writer Alexis Stevens contributed to this story
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Source: http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/missing-convention-goer-found-563486.html
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ATLANTA 2010 DRAWS TO A CLOSE

ATLANTA 2010 DRAWS TO A CLOSE
The British have descended on Atlanta. Even with up to 70,000 people expected to crowd the Georgia Dome this Sabbath to hear the newly elected World Church President, Pastor Ted Wilson preach, you cannot help bumping into a minister here, a lay member there - and quite often old friends who have emigrated or moved as missionaries to far flung corners of the world. more


Source: http://adventistnews.org.uk/tinc?key=49UUR3Fy&id=16&design-output-mode=js&design-css-mode=standard

The Corruption of Truth

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Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. Matt. 24:23.


Before the last developments of the work of apostasy there will be a confusion of faith. There will not be clear and definite ideas concerning the mystery of God. One truth after another will be corrupted. {Mar 192.1}

After the truth has been proclaimed as a witness to all nations, every conceivable power of evil will be set in operation, and minds will be confused by many voices crying. "Lo, here is Christ; lo, He is there. This is the truth, I have the message from God, He has sent me with great light." Then there will be a removing of the landmarks, and an attempt to tear down the pillars of our faith. A more decided effort will be made to exalt the false sabbath, and to cast contempt upon God Himself by supplanting the day He has blessed and sanctified. This false sabbath is to be enforced by an oppressive law. {Mar 192.2}

In the future, deception of every kind is to arise, and we want solid ground for our feet. We want solid pillars for the building. Not one pin is to be removed from that which the Lord has established. The enemy will bring in false theories, such as the doctrine that there is no sanctuary. This is one of the points on which there will be a departing from the faith. {Mar 192.3}
There will be false dreams and false visions, which have some truth, but lead away from the original faith. The Lord has given men a rule by which to detect them: "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isa. 8:20). {Mar 192.4}

As we near the end of time, falsehood will be so mingled with truth, that only those who have the guidance of the Holy Spirit will be able to distinguish truth from error. We need to make every effort to keep the way of the Lord. We must in no case turn from His guidance to put our trust in man. The Lord's angels are appointed to keep strict watch over those who put their faith in the Lord, and these angels are to be our special help in every time of need. Every day we are to come to the Lord with full assurance of faith, and to look to Him for wisdom. . . . Those who are guided by the Word of the Lord will discern with certainty between falsehood and truth, between sin and righteousness. {Mar 192.5}
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Maranatha, p.192.
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What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?


Romans 6

1What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

7For he that is dead is freed from sin.

8Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

9Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

10For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

15What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

17But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

18Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

19I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

20For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.


King James Version (KJV)
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Thursday, July 01, 2010

New recycling bins with tracking chips coming to Alexandria

By: Markham Heid
Examiner Staff Writer
May 6, 2010

(Andrew Harnik/Examiner)


Alexandria residents soon will have to pay for larger home recycling bins featuring built-in monitoring devices.

The City Council added a mandatory $9 charge to its residents' annual waste collection fee.

That cash -- roughly $180,000 collected from 19,000 residents-- will pay for new larger recycling carts equipped with computer microchips, which will allow the city to keep tabs on its bins and track resident participation in the city's recycling program.

"If you know who's participating in the programs, you can focus your education and outreach to those who are not participating," said Stacy Herring, Alexandria's recycling coordinator.

Rich Baier, Alexandria's environmental services program director, said the city will use direct mailing campaigns and public presentations to target neighborhoods -- not individuals -- that lag when it comes to recycling.

"We're just trying to get the biggest bang where we need it for the buck," Baier said. "We don't want to get into exactly what people are recycling."

The new carts will come in sizes ranging form 25 to 65 gallons, and will sport wheels and lids. While the $9 charge is mandatory, residents may keep their old 18-gallon bins if they so choose.

Councilman Frank Fannon, the lone City Council member to oppose the new recycling bins, said he was against increased government spending, not recycling.

A a glance » Cost to Alexandria residents: Roughly $180,000, or about $9 per
bin

» Bin size: Ranges from 25 to 65 gallons, replacing the old 18-gallon bins

» Time frame for implementation: August or September

» Alexandria's current recycling rate: About 29 percent

» Alexandria's target: 35 percent

» Expected recycling rate increase using new bins: At least 2 percent


Source: Alexandria Department of Transportation and Environmental Services

"I thought this was just another fee that we didn't have to pass on to the residents," he said.

Herring said the city conducted a survey among Old Town residents last May that found 60 percent wanted larger bins. She also said other jurisdictions had implemented bigger recycling bins and had seen recycling rates shoot up as a result.

"The larger the container, the more people recycle," Herring said, citing a study conducted by Eureka Recycling, a Minnesota nonprofit organization that promotes recycling.

Alexandria recently reported a 29 percent recycling rate to the state. Virginia requires most localities to recycle 25 percent of its waste, while the Environmental Protection Agency advocates a 35 percent target.

Baier said larger bins increase recycling rates because residents tend to throw their excess recyclables into regular trash cans once their recycling bins fill up.

He also said litter was a problem with the current bins, which don't have lids to prevent light materials from blowing out into area neighborhoods.

Venishka Hurdle, who coordinates recycling education programs in Arlington, said the county implemented larger, tracking-chip loaded recycling bins last year and saw the curbside recycling rate jump roughly 24 percent. The county's overall recycling rate is about 40 percent, she said.

"They've been a huge success," Hurdle said of the new bins. "Residents love them, and they recycle more materials as well."

Hurdle said Arlington County is collecting data from the bins' microchips, but had not yet used that data to improve recycling outreach and education programs.

Alexandria residents can expect to see their waste collection fees jump up in July, and likely will receive their new bins this summer.

mheid@washingtonexaminer.com
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AWOL Afghan Soldiers Turn Up on Facebook

They're apparently in Toronto...and fans of hip-hop, Paris Hilton

By Kevin Spak Posted Jun 25, 10 9:07 AM CDT



This screenshot shows the profile of a person who appears to be Sardar Ahmadi, one of the AWOL Afghan soldiers. (Facebook)


(Newser) – Remember that report warning that 17 Afghan soldiers had gone missing from a Texas Air Force base? Well, you can find 11 of them in the same place you can find pretty much anyone these days: Facebook. Fox News easily tracked down the deserters, who've done little or nothing to disguise themselves, and are all connected, either as friends or through a mutual friend. But if their profiles are any indication, these guys would be pretty unlikely jihadis.

One, for example, is a fan of both Afghan lawmaker Shukria Barakzai and...Paris Hilton. Another likes hip hop, Family Guy, and SportsCenter. A few, however, are part of the "Afghanistan Mujahideen" group, whose page contains some al-Qaeda videos. ICE officials say only two or three of the Afghans remain at large, and that they're believed to be in Canada. Sure enough, three of the men's profiles list Toronto as their current city. One responded to a message from Fox saying, "I am not missing that is my face book if every body concern about me I have my address they can come to visit me." He then sent the reporter a friend request.
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Source: http://www.newser.com/story/93797/awol-afghan-soldiers-turn-up-on-facebook.html
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The recovery seems to be losing its pop

Jobless claims rise, housing and auto demand sinks

By Christopher Rugaber


Matt Rourke / AP file
In this June 23, 2010 photo, Frank Wallace, who has been unemployed since May of 2009, is seen during a rally organized by the Philadelphia Unemployment Project, in Philadelphia. by Christopher S. Rugaber


updated 1 hour 26 minutes ago


WASHINGTON — Fears that the economic recovery is fizzling grew Thursday after the government and private sector issued weak reports on a number of fronts.

Unemployment claims are up, home sales are plunging without government incentives and manufacturing growth is slowing.

Meanwhile, 1.3 million people are without federal jobless benefits now that Congress adjourned for a weeklong Independence Day recess without passing an extension. That number could grow to 3.3 million by the end of the month if lawmakers can't resolve the issue when they return.

Readers: We want to hear from you about Millennial job discrimination


All of this worries economists. As jobless claims grow and benefits shrink, Americans have less money to spend and the economy can't grow fast enough to create new jobs. Some are revising their forecasts for growth in the third quarter. Others are afraid the country is on the verge of falling back into a recession.

"We find the level and direction in jobless claims somewhat troubling and the increase is likely to feed double-dip fears," said John Ryding, an economist at RDQ Economics in a note to clients.

New claims for benefits jumped by 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 472,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. The four-week average, which smoothes fluctuations, rose to 466,500, its highest level since March.

Job worries have begun to take their toll on auto sales, which had been climbing. Sales at Detroit's Big Three automakers fell from May to June: Ford's U.S. sales fell 13 percent in June; GM's sales of cars and trucks dropped nearly 13 percent; and Chrysler's sales slid 12 percent.

Claims have remained stuck above 450,000 since the beginning of the year. Requests for unemployment benefits dropped steadily last year after reaching a peak of 651,000 in March 2009. Economists say they will feel more confident about sustained job growth when initial claims fall below 425,000

Adding to that is the growing number of people who stand to lose government support while they search for work.

For the third time in as many weeks, Senate Republicans blocked a bill Wednesday night that would have continued unemployment checks to people who have been laid off for long stretches. The House voted 270-153 Thursday to extend jobless benefits Thursday, though the Senate's action renders the vote a futile gesture as Congress prepares to depart Washington for its holiday recess.

During the recession, Congress added up to 73 weeks of extra benefits on top of the 26 weeks typically provided by states. Democrats in the House and Senate want them extended through November. Republicans want the $34 billion cost of the bill to be paid for with money remaining from last year's stimulus package. Democrats argue that it is emergency spending and should be added to the deficit.


During the recession, Congress added up to 73 weeks of extra benefits on top of the 26 weeks typically provided by states. Democrats in the House and Senate want them extended through November. Republicans want the $34 billion cost of the bill to be paid for with money remaining from last year's stimulus package. Democrats argue that it is emergency spending and should be added to the deficit.

The total number of people continuing to claim benefits rose by 43,000 to 4.6 million, the department said. But the number of people collecting extended benefits fell by 376,000, as Republican lawmakers have refused to continue the extra aid. About 4.9 million people continue to collect emergency aid.

Some economists say they may revise their forecasts for growth in the third quarter if the benefits are not extended.

"People whose benefits are going to run out will simply not have the spending power necessary to help drive growth," said Dan Greenhaus, chief economic strategist at Miller Tabak.

The housing market is also weighing on the economy. The number of buyers who signed contracts to purchase homes tumbled 30 percent in May, the National Association of Realtors said. And construction spending declined 0.2 percent in May as residential building fell, the Commerce Department said.

Both were affected by the expiration of government incentives to buy homes. Buyers had until April 30 to sign sales contracts and qualify for tax credits.

The tax credit's impact also showed up in the jobless claims report. Greater layoffs by construction firms fueled the increase, a Labor Department analyst said.

Separately, the Institute for Supply Management, an industry trade group, said its manufacturing index slipped in June. But it is still at a level that suggests growth in the industrial sector, which has helped drive the economic recovery.

Story continues below More below Advertisement ad infoSponsored links Marketplace .
Surveys released Thursday in China showed a slowdown in factories' growth as exports faltered and analysts worry that cutbacks in government lending will cool the economy's rapid rise. Reports from Markit Economics also indicated that manufacturing sector growth in India, South Korea, Australia and Taiwan was slowing.

The industrial sector's growth also cooled slightly in the 16 countries using the euro and the United Kingdom.

The troubling information on the economy comes a day before the Labor Department is scheduled to release the June jobs report. That is expected to show a modest rebound in private-sector hiring. Overall, employers are expected to cut a net total of 110,000 positions, but that includes the loss of about 240,000 temporary census jobs. Private employers are projected to add 112,000 jobs, according to a survey of economists by Thomson Reuters.

That would be an improvement from May, when businesses added only 41,000 workers. But the economy needs to generate at least 100,000 net new jobs per month to keep up with population growth, and probably twice that number to bring down the jobless rate.

The unemployment rate is expected to edge up to 9.8 percent from 9.7 percent in May.

Layoffs are rising in the public sector, as states and local governments struggle to close persistent budget gaps. New York City approved a budget Tuesday that cuts about $1 billion in spending and would eliminate 5,300 jobs from the city's 300,000-person work force.

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The Dismantling of a Suspected Russian Intelligence Operation


By Fred Burton and Ben West July 1, 2010

The U.S. Department of Justice announced June 28 that an FBI counterintelligence investigation had resulted in the arrest on June 27 of 10 individuals suspected of acting as undeclared agents of a foreign country, in this case, Russia. Eight of the individuals were also accused of money laundering. On June 28, five of the defendants appeared before a federal magistrate in U.S. District Court in Manhattan while three others went before a federal magistrate in Alexandria, Va., and two more went before a U.S. magistrate in Boston. An 11th person named in the criminal complaint was arrested in Cyprus on June 29, posted bail and is currently at large.

The number of arrested suspects in this case makes this counterintelligence investigation one of the biggest in U.S. history. According to the criminal complaint, the FBI had been investigating some of these people for as long as 10 years, recording conversations in their homes, intercepting radio and electronic messages and conducting surveillance on them in and out of the United States. The case suggests that the classic tactics of intelligence gathering and counterintelligence are still being used by Russia and the United States.


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Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Twitter-ing with the Russians




Who needs the "Hotline"? The Red Phone is not needed anymore! I'll twit yous instead!



It's time to push the re-set button!



We need to go forward to the final frontier. Dah?


Kagan Defends Approach To Military Recruiting


Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan answers questions from members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, the second day of her confirmation hearings.

Published: June 29, 2010

by Carrie Johnson

Elena Kagan's treatment of military recruiters at Harvard Law School took center stage Tuesday on her second day of confirmation hearings to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

In tones at times emotional and steely, Kagan defended her record as a Harvard dean and expressed her respect for students who belonged to the military.

"This has been a sort of long process, and sometimes an arduous one," Kagan said. "I only cried once," when she read a favorable opinion piece by Marine Corps Capt. Robert Merrill, a former student now in Afghanistan.

Kagan, the Obama administration's current solicitor general, asserted that "military recruiters had access to Harvard students every single day I was dean." She did not back down, even when Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, the Senate Judiciary Committee's ranking Republican, challenged her veracity about the atmosphere she fostered on campus.

Senate conservatives have criticized Kagan for her role in reinstating a ban on military recruiters using career service facilities on the Harvard campus because the "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gays violated the university's anti-discrimination policy. Harvard Law School still allowed recruiting through student groups.
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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Glenn Beck Thinks Catholics Should “Leave Their Church”


Monday, March 8, 2010, 1:42 PM

Joe Carter

On his radio program, Fox News’ Glenn Beck encouraged listeners to leave their church if it proclaims a concern for social justice:
I’m begging you, your right to religion and freedom to exercise religion and
read all of the passages of the Bible as you want to read them and as your
church wants to preach them . . . are going to come under the ropes in the next
year. If it lasts that long it will be the next year. I beg you, look for the
words ‘social justice’ or ‘economic justice’ on your church Web site. If you
find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are
code words. Now, am I advising people to leave their church? Yes!”


Listen to the audio here.

Although many Protestant denomination express concerns about social justice, the term is most closely associated with the social teachings of the Catholic Church. A Jesuit priest, Luigi Taparelli D’Azeglio, coined the term in the 1840s and based the concept on the movie downloads teachings of Thomas Aquinas.

According to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, “a large part of the Church’s social teaching is solicited and determined by important social questions, to which social justice is the proper answer.” Social justice is even given a section in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Could Beck’s claim be construed as “anti-Catholic?” Yes and no. I think if anyone else had made the remark it would have been hard to dismiss the anti-Catholic undertones. But Beck is a special case: He is too prone to say any dumb thing that pops into his head and too ignorant about history and religion to truly understand the implications of his statement. This doesn’t excuse him, of course, but it certainly is reason not to be too shocked when a self-professed “rodeo clown” advises people to leave their churches over Catholic “code words” like social justice.

Still, I’m curious to see how Beck’s loyal defenders will excuse his latest outrageous remarks. If we’re not supposed to take him seriously when he says stuff like this, when exactly are we to take him seriously?


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DC Catholic Charities: Penny Wise, Pound Foolish

by Bryan Cones 06-14-2010

Few people expect their workplace benefits to be a casualty of the culture wars, but in Washington, DC, the battle over same-sex marriage hit local employees of Catholic Charities square in the pocketbook.

Last December, the District passed a law recognizing same-sex marriage and requiring any organization that has contracts with the city to provide equal spousal benefits to employees regardless of a spouse’s gender. DC Catholic Charities, which has extensive contracts with the city to provide social services, argued that it could not offer benefits to same-sex spouses because doing so would violate Catholic teaching on marriage. To avoid that contradiction, it eliminated all spousal benefits for new employees and for current employees who have not elected to cover their spouses. The change became effective after a single day’s notice to the organization’s approximately 850 employees.

In other words, for the sake of “defending marriage,” Catholic Charities has made it harder on its own employees who are or plan to get married. It has also taken the cheap way out: as it hires new employees with this reduced benefits package, it stands to improve its bottom line. Time will tell if Catholic Charities will pass those savings on to employees to supplement their slim social-service salaries.

While the decision may have upheld the church’s teaching on marriage, the spirit of Catholic social teaching about fairness to workers got thrown under the bus. The Catholic labor priests of the 20th century would no doubt have objected to Washington Archbishop Donald Wuerl’s bald statement to The Washington Post that “employers have the right to frame compensation packages.” Even more unfortunate is the precedent that the Washington archdiocese sets for the future, since it is unlikely that Wuerl will be the last archbishop to find himself in the same bind between church teaching on marriage and political reality.

Situations like this call for creativity, not retrenchment; a promising solution is modeled by the Archdiocese of San Francisco. That city’s board of supervisors began requiring groups with city contracts to provide equal benefits in 1997. Rather than take the easy way out, then-Archbishop William Levada expanded employee benefits, allowing employees to cover any other legally domiciled adult member of a household — a sibling, parent, or domestic partner.

Defending his position to the likely-suspicious readership of the conservative ecumenical journal First Things, Levada wrote: “We have achieved a notable success by shifting the debate so that what was intended by proponents of the legislation as a requirement that all employers accept an equality of status between domestic partnership and marriage has now become a situation where employers can expand health care benefits, while not being forced to recognize that marriage and domestic partnership are equivalent.” That reasoning hardly hurt now-Cardinal Levada’s ecclesiastical career; he currently heads the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome.

The debate around legal recognition of same-sex relationships has changed dramatically since 1997, but it is clear that its trajectory is leading to greater and greater acceptance. Society in many places is showing a willingness to be more generous to same-sex couples by extending to them the benefits and duties of civil marriage. The Roman Catholic Church and other religious groups who oppose this development have two basic options if they want to continue their social-service partnerships with the state. They can either adopt the DC response — and, in effect, become as parsimonious as any corporate employer — or, like San Francisco, they can do civil society one better by being even more generous, widening the circle of protection that benefits such as health insurance offer.

Given the deteriorating and uncompromising tone of the debate, one wonders if Catholic institutions in the future will have the courage to follow San Francisco’s lead.
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Source: http://blog.sojo.net/2010/06/14/d-c-catholic-charities-penny-wise-pound-foolish/
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