Congressman Perriello voted in favor of the job killing, tax raising bill known as Cap and Trade. He did this saying that it was important for our national defense, claiming it will reduce our dependency on foreign oil. Proponents of this bill as well as Tom state that this legislation will only cost the average household $12 per month. They do this using faulty cost analysis. Tom claims he is worried about our national security but I believe he was more interested in voting along party lines.

Senators Warner and Webb will be facing similar votes in the near future, I wonder if they will follow the party line or will they actually think about what they will be doing to this country. Recent revelations concerning the research behind global warming should cause any thinking individual to question the claims concerning CO2 and its’ relationship to global warming. With the Goddard Institute for Space Science in the U.S. and it’s counterpart in the U.K. refusing to honor FOIA requests concerning their research you have to wonder what it is they want to hide. We can only hope that our two Senators will seriously look at what is happening behind the scenes before they vote on a bill that will do considerable damage to our economy over the coming years.

Kanske lite sent att flytta hemifrån vid 46 (inlägg alltså), men bättre sent än aldrig. Nu ligger bloggen på intussusceptor.players2go.com

There hasn’t been any “copying and pasting of news” this week – it’s been a busy one with a lot of deadlines. It’ll return come Monday. I also went to the launch on Baker Street last night of Trading Places, a new book by award-winning photographer and all-round good chap Steve Bloom. Also my dad. So that’s why posts have been scant: but it’s Friday, so I thought I’d cheer you all up with a few tips on how to survive the Christmas do…

The Christmas party: that perfect time to let your hair down and throw your reputation to the winds. What other time of year can you mock your boss, flirt with your co-workers and dance in your knickers, all at once?

But as legions of office drones know, that opportunity comes with a priceless hangover.

A good story was told by Adam, of High Street, Cardiff city centre. Things went wrong at his old job when fire fighters got more than they bargained for in a call-out.

Adam said: “My old work, a now-defunct bank, had a Christmas party in the office in 2003. There was a buffet, an awards ceremony for the year’s work, and karaoke machine, with added smoke machine.

“So the party was in full swing, people singing, people dancing and the smoke machine smoking. After about two hours of this, some men dressed in fireman outfits arrived at the office. Some of the female staff – including managers – assumed these were strippers.

“They started, well, gyrating around the men, trying to take off their ‘outfits’. The thing is though, they were actual firemen: the smoke machine had set the alarms off.

“Not surprisingly, that was the last Christmas party we were given in that office.”

So how does the humble worker bee prevent getting into pickles like these? Here are some ideas. Which type are you?

FOR THE NEW GUY

You have got to be extra-careful. For you have just entered a parallel world, in which your every move will be scrutinised to fit with the ‘banter’ of man-all-man employees who’ve been spending longer with each other than their wives for several decades.

So if you’ve been waiting for that perfect time to share your secret love of musicals, discuss French theatre, come out as gay or, worse, as a vegan, your first Christmas party isn’t it.

And beware, because it will seem like a good idea when you’re nine pints down and standing on the table without trousers or dignity.

Instead the best policy is cower in the corner, if possible with other trainees, and talk about ludicrously safe subjects.

Think along the lines of cars, ties (not shoes), bitter (not lager) and possibly politics, but make sure you tow the standard line: “Just how bad is that Gordon Brown?” Or you could stick to the ergonomic management keyboard:

FOR THE NEW GIRL

You’re over here. The punch is over there. In the middle is overweight Gwyn from accounts who always puts himself deliberately between you and the photocopier so you have to squeeze past.

This should be as good a hint as any not to drink anything. You’re young, fresh-faced, intelligent and unknown to you most people in the office are competing to be you, or worse, especially in Gwyn’s case.

So if they get you drunk, you’ll slowly turn into them: following the downward course until spring, when someone even younger and prettier comes in and sure enough, you want to be her.

Or, worse, you’ll canoodle in the corner with lovestruck Gwyn who, come 2010, will make sure he’s not only blocking the photocopier, but also the vending machine, water cooler and door.

But you’ve not got the same option as the New Guy. You can’t lurk in the corner with the fairer sex and a G&T, because unlike office guys, who mumble into their pints and keep eyes on ties, office girls will make sure they’re heard.

So it’s a no-go, especially if they have any gossip on Gwyn. The best bet is to flirt briefly with everything in the room – and walk away with your head held high.

FOR THE SAD HACK IN THE CORNER

You’re the only person older than the boss, so to rub in the fact you didn’t succeed even more you’ll be asked to toast him/her. If you’re sober, this will be an excellent exercise in brown-nosing. If you’re not, it’ll be an exercise in damage limitation.

You will be inclined to make a cruel joke. Do not bend to this temptation. It will probably come out wrong, meaning after 26 years of the same old story at the office do, you’ll be repeating yourself again in the new year. Someone else will get that promotion, and you’ll be stuck counting down the days on your free calendar to the next party.

You’ll also be inclined to do your famous boss-impression. Unfortunately, its fame is probably due to an in-joke among your younger colleagues, and isn’t actually funny. Plus, impressions at office dos are seldom better than that dance Ricky Gervais did in The Office. Often, they’re worse.

So don’t do it. And especially, please, don’t try and impersonate Ricky Gervais. Just no.

FOR THE BOSS

Finally, if you’re the boss and you’ve not been told about the office party, it could be a surprise do for you.

Be prepared to walk through that door after ‘urgent business’ calls you in to be greeted with party poppers and bubbly by the whole staff. By the time they’ve finished stroking your ego you won’t be able to get your head through the door.

But it more likely means you’ve not been invited.

So a word of caution: have a good think about how well-liked you are. Do you bend, bad breath and all, over the hunched shoulders of your well-meaning employees and whine you-could-probably-do-this advice in their ears?

Do you give motivational speeches standing on tables where you use star-charts and words like “self-fulfilment”? Do you keep everyone on past 5.30pm in the name of “building a community spirit”?

If any of these things apply to you, you are probably one of those Hated Bosses you’ve heard so much about. Your best bet would be to stay at home with your kids. They’re too young to realise how irritating you are yet.

Igår uppmärksammade Resumé att SvD hade på sin webbetta en artikel om vanvård av grisar samtidigt som de hade en annons om att ge bort en gris. En klassisk tabbe när det kommer till misslyckade annonsplaceringar. För ingen annonsör vill ha sin annons bredvid en artikel som uppmärksammar något negativt som kan relateras till deras erbjudande. Eller?

Man kan lätt tro att de ha lärt sig av sitt misstag men icke.

I dagens pappersutgåva av SvD fortsätter de skriverierna om vanvård av grisar och bredvid den har de lyckats placera en helsidesannons för hamburgerkedjan MAX. Visserligen har MAX nötkött eller kyckling i sin mat  (enligt annonsen) men trots allt så vill de väl inte att man ska äcklas av det redaktionella materialet i tidningen samtidigt som man tar del av deras erbjudande. Eller?

Gårdagens webb

Dagens tidning

By Jennifer Rodino
News Editor

On Tuesday, the Palm Beach Atlantic University Department of Health and Wellness offered students, faculty and staff the chance to either make an appointment or walk in to receive the H1N1 vaccine or the standard flu vaccine. People could also receive both vaccines.

The Health and Wellness center received 200 doses of the H1N1 vaccine, and suggested that students with a healthy immune system receive the nasal mist vaccine.
Ilene Wallmueller, PBA’s Nurse Practitioner, explained that the nasal mist is only a small dose, which may cause your nose to run.

“My mom told me that I should get both vaccines because since I have started field experience for my major and I am around kids all day, it is best that I make sure I am healthy,” said junior Maria Sumner, an elementary education major.

PBA Junior Kevin Keeling receives a dose of the nasal mist vaccine for the H1N1 virus.

Upon contacting Senator Webb’s office on Friday I was told that the Senator had not decided on a course of action concerning the Health Care cloture vote. They asked for my feedback and then thanked me for my concern. I do not believe for a second that Webb told the truth to his staff, I imagine that in order for them to be believable he does not tell them how he is voting so they do not have to lie to the constituents that call. I do believe that Webb knew which way he was going to vote long before this item came to the Senate floor. I say this because I am not aware of any rumor that he was on the fence on this motion. If Webb had seriously been considering not voting for cloture Reid would have put a special provision in the bill to buy his vote similar to the The Louisiana Purchase used to buy Mary Landrieu’s vote. So despite what I was told when I called Webbs’s office he was already planning on following in the footsteps of the donkey.

As for Mark Warner at least he was honest enough to admit that he was going to vote on cloture. However as mentioned in a previous post he supposedly did not like certain aspects of the bill but wanted to be able to debate them on the floor. As I also stated earlier 97% of bills that pass this hurdle do end up being approved something which I am sure Warner is aware.

Both Senators are not completely happy with this bill but state that something needs to be done. What concerns me most about their statements that the government needs to do something is where in the constitution does it say they must provide health care to the citizens? Of course many will refer to the general welfare clause; Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution says: “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises to pay the debts, provide for the common defense, and promote the general welfare of the United States.” In actuality the general welfare clause was supposed to limit government’s taxing and spending powers to purposes that are in the national interest. Jefferson was concerned that this clause may be misinterpreted and stated 1n 1798: “Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare but only those specifically enumerated.” Note the words specifically enumerated. General welfare means providing for national defense, post offices, coining money, the set up a federal court system and other needs of national concern. Nowhere in the enumerated powers does it mention health care, housing , providing food or education to the masses.

The general welfare provision was for the national good not the individual. Correct me if I am wrong but I do believe that at the writing of the constitution people lived in houses, there was some type of schooling, there were doctors and people needed food to survive but the writers seemed to think that these concerns were best left to the individual and the states not the Federal Government. Because of this misinterpretation of the general welfare clause our government has grown to an unmanageable size full of corruption and graft. This must be changed.

In Virginia:

Warner (D-VA), Yea
Webb (D-VA), Yea

http://senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00353

Cloture Motion Agreed to

Warner (D-VA), Yea
Webb (D-VA), Yea

Here is the text I sent to them:

I’ll let you know if they even respond and whether or not they address the issues of tort reform, inter-state insurance choice and transparency. My guess is they will ignore those issues and go off on some socialist tangent.

Wonderwall INC. Japanska inredningsarkitekter.
Grymt snygg och skev sida som både lyckas vara lekfull och intressant.
Ett bra exempel på hur det går att kombinera  avancerad flash med bra avändarvänlighet.

Laddar lite trögt men är väl värt väntan. Wonderwall

Mycket nöje
// F

Den här bloggen är snart ett år gammal och börjar lida av ålderskrämpor. Den är otroligt grå och tråkig. Det var visserligen en av mina idéer, att visa mig som en töntig bibliotekarie vid datorn, med det är dags för en remake. Åke Nygren har lagt in en ny header till Biblfeed som jag gillar. Sidan behöver också en förnyelse. Det här kunde varit en perfekt sysselsättning i helgen, men jag är upptagen med DIKs kongress så det får bli senare.

Under tiden utökar jag min digitala närvaro med Twitter. Inte precis först, men jag har inte haft lust till att skriva tweets förut även om jag insett nyttan vid tillfällen som konferenser och liknande. Min användare är Haraag

Sure, there’s bragging rights involved for teams that win the police dog competition held in Temecula every year, officers involved in the event said Saturday.

But more importantly, it’s a chance to correct misconceptions people may have about police dogs and to showcase the bond between the furry creatures and their human partners.

“We work with these dogs, we live with these dogs —- they are our best friends,” said Sgt. Coby Webb, K-9 supervisor for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, which holds the competition, now in its 14th year. “It’s so fun to show the public the bond between the handler and the dog, so they can see the partnership.”

The two-day competition began Friday and culminated Saturday at Harveston Community Park in Temecula. It attracted K-9 units from more than 30 law enforcement agencies across the region.

The teams are put to the test —- given building, luggage, vehicle and narcotics searches. Friday’s trials, which included narcotics searches, were closed to the public.

On Saturday, the teams competed in a variety of drills testing obedience and agility as a crowd of about 250 people watched from the sidelines.

“This is like, the best time of my life,” said 25-year-old Pacific Beach resident Michael Dolan, who has autism and uses a retired police dog as a companion animal. “I love shepherd dogs, and how beautiful, loyal and noble they are.”

The dogs competing in the trials can sense this is no ordinary day, Webb said.

“They are just like kids,” she said of the dogs. “Sometimes, it’s like, ‘Oh, I forgot my routine.’ And other times it’s like, ‘I got this down.’”

Motioning toward a dog and its partner strutting their stuff on the field, Webb pointed out how the officer’s head was held high, his back was straight, and his arms were swinging.

“The handlers are having just as much fun as the dogs are,” she said.

Riverside County Deputy Kevin Brooks, a member of the K-9 unit, said the event helps illustrate that police dogs are not always vicious.

“We hope to show that the dogs are under control, that they are our partners and not just mean animals,” Brooks said.

And German shepherds are not the only dogs that serve the badge. There are bloodhounds, Labradors and other shepherd breeds in the mix, he said.

Typically, a dog might train several years before it is qualified to serve with the police. Not all canine candidates make it to the field, either.

For the dogs that make the cut, and the officers chosen to join the K-9 unit, considered by many to be an elite squad because they are the first-responders to serious crime scenes, the partnerships are filled with love and trust, Brooks said.

“I love it,” said Brooks, whose partner is Roxy, a 7-year-old Belgian malinois.

“I love having her in the car with me.”

For more information about the event or the Sheriff’s Department’s canine teams, visit www.rsok9trials.com

By JENNIFER KABBANY

LINK

Många försöker säga till sig själva att tänka ”outside the box”. Jag själv är en förespråkare av uttrycket ”there is no box”. En tidning som verkar ha anammat samma uttryck är tidningen Esquire (US). De har den senaste tiden gjort flera schysta omslag och det senaste i raden är ett som interagerar med webben. Riktigt trevligt om jag får säga det själv.

Fler inlägg av mig om tidningen Esquire och dess design:
Hårda paket, How to be a man, Naken typografi.

Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn)

Two senators unveiled legislation Monday to double US nuclear energy output in 20 years and foster clean energy options with “mini-Manhattan Projects”named for the original US atomic bomb push. The ‘Clean Energy Act of 2009′ introduced by Democratic Senator Jim Webb (Va) and Republican Senator Lamar Alexander (Tenn), noting they cannot support “cap-and-trade” climate change bill now churning through the Senate, said their plan could cost 20 billion dollars over 10 years. In a speech yesterday to the American nuclear society Senator Alexander pointed out some of the challenges that America faces in its energy future.

The Energy Information Administration forecasts a 22 percent increase in U.S. electricity demand during the next 20 years. For that much electricity our country simply can’t rely solely on conservation, windmills and solar panels or even natural gas.

The problem with relying on renewable energy sources to produce ‘green’ jobs;

As for green jobs, according to the Department of Energy, there would be 250,000 construction jobs for 100 new nuclear plants. This would compare with 73,000 jobs to construct the 180,000 wind turbines needed to produce 20 percent of our electricity from wind. Of course, producing a lot of cheap, reliable, energy is the best way to produce new jobs.

The costs of boosting America’s nuclear capabilities compared to wind power;

The cost to taxpayers over 20 years would be about $20 billion. No new energy taxes or mandates are required. These $20 billion would compare with the $170 billion we would spend in taxpayer subsidies if we were to produce 20 percent of our electricity from wind, not counting the billions more for transmission lines.

Senator Alexander also made this prediction;

If we actually did build 100 nuclear plants in 20 years as well as electrify half our cars and trucks in 20 years—which we should be able to do without building one new power plant if we plug them in at night—we would come close to reaching the 1990 Kyoto global warming protocols without expensive new energy taxes.

Wow that sounds pretty good. But nuclear is opposed by environmental advocacy groups the world around. Can any Global Warming scientists actually get on board with a bill that throws all the eggs in the nuclear basket? Well Dr. James Hansen seems to think that nuclear might have to be an option;

The scientific method requires that we keep an open mind and change our conclusions when new evidence indicates that we should. The new evidence affecting the nuclear debate is climate change. We need an urgent, substantial research and development program on fourth-generation nuclear power, so that we have at least one viable option in the event that efficiency and renewables cannot provide all needed energy.

Opposition though does persist. Although it’s a new bill i suspect that environmental opinion organizations like grist, and environmental watchdogs like greenpeace will be up in arms, suggesting that the bill aside from supporting nuclear, won’t do enough to limit carbon and create a new ‘green’ economy. Some of the main opposition to the bill that I see coming down the pipeline;

1. The bill lacks cap-and-trade legislation, no established price on carbon.
This seems to be a major sticking point with democrats who want an established price on carbon to be part of any energy bill. In some critics minds its an essential ingredient because it starts a transition towards clean energy from the private sector. Companies will be forced to pivot their energy intake thus creating a chain effect. Clean energy becomes more competitive, creating more ‘green’ jobs as demand for dirty cheap coal power dwindles. The problem is that no company resides exclusively in a domestic marketplace. indeed neo-liberal policies enacted in the 80’s and 90’s have transformed the world into a global market place with no one company surviving on a patriotic agenda. When the president has to urge people to ‘buy American’ its obvious that loyalty doesn’t preside in the nations economical makeup. With the evolution of telecommunication our world has become smaller and the market has evolved accordingly. As it looks right now Copenhagen isn’t going to establish a Co2 reduction target, but the bigger problem might be the inability of establishing a global price on carbon as well as governing body to enforce that price between nation states. With no global deal why would American based companies want to limit their competitiveness with up-and comers not held back from using cheap, dirty energy to produce their goods. Do you think that consumers are going to by ‘green’ when its substantially more expensive? Sorry I don’t.

2. There are also problematic issues of siting and waste disposal, neither of which are addressed by providing federal loan guarantees for building nuclear power plants

This has always been a pressing issue for nuclear critics and rightly so. Nuclear waste is potentially dangerous and we are still unclear of the ramifications of burying it. Yet as France and japan have discovered reprocessing nuclear waste , although not competitive, is a small step to addressing this problem. The act also calls for five new “Mini-Manhattan-Projects” for clean energy: $750 million per year over ten years for research and development:

1.capture carbon emissions from coal plants
2.develop advanced bio-fuels from things other than crops we eat
3.improve batteries for electric cars
4.make solar power more cost competitive
5.Recycling used nuclear fuel.

I have faith that discoveries will be made in recycling processes, greatly limiting the ‘elephant in the room’ that nuclear waste represents.

3. Sen. Webb is breaking party lines and siding with a rep. who is opposed to cap-and-trade.

He’s [Webb] running away from Democratic values instead of on them.

Daily Kos

Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va)

I think that sen. Webb has serious doubts about cap-and-trade and the idea of renewable energy being heavily subsidized by the state. Maybe he’s looked a little deeper into the actual cost of green jobs in Spain, or the immense price increase for electricity that renewable projects have wrought on Denmark. Some people have a problem when the democrats don’t act like the republicans before them. Sorry but I like to think that blindly voting along party lines is probably a detriment to democracy not a positive. Also the ‘Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act‘ (CEJAPA) bill is a watered down Waxman-Markley bill, and that did really, really well in Congress. Attacking sen. Webb because he lacks ‘democratic’ principles is disingenuous of the real debate. CEJAPA is cumbersome, expensive, and ill-conceived. It has opened up a seam for attacks from big coal, it calls for a ramp-up in off-shore drilling putting it at odds with environmental activists thus it lacks the momentum that a bill of its magnitude needs. Also its cap-and trade provision is misunderstood by the American people.

I think that a focus on nuclear energy is what we need to dramatically reduce our Co2 output. The ‘Clean energy act of 2009′ moves forward in achieving energy independence, creating renewable technologies that are competitive, and providing future generations with cheap, abundant, clean energy.

By Jen Rodino & Kristina Webb
News & Managing Editors

With some dormitories on the Palm Beach Atlantic University campus over 40 years old, many students worry about the conditions of their rooms.

In particular, recent concerns have been raised about Flagler Towers, built in 1964 and acquired by PBA in 1986; the Lakeview Apartments, also built in 1964 and acquired in 2004; and the Mango apartments, built between 1920 and 1935 and acquired in the 1980s.

There are 25 buildings on campus and renovations occur every year, primarily scheduled over the summer.

According to Gary Parker, associate vice president of Facilities and Construction, the weather takes a toll on the paint, which is the first line of defense to prevent leaks and other types of damage from occurring.

Periodic maintenance may also be performed by placing a work order through the MyPBA Web site.

“There have been many complaints from students about things such as a broken window screen or bugs,” Parker said. “But we get them corrected once it is brought to our attention.”

“We take the concerns of our students very seriously,” said Becky Peeling, assistant vice president for University Relations and Marketing. “If there are any problems with the buildings it is in our best interest to see that they are resolved.”

Parker said the upkeep of the buildings is really a team effort.

“It’s very important that students realize that the maintenance of the dorms in which they live is really up to them and how they keep their living environments,” Parker said. “But it is also my job to make sure if they have any issues it is being taken care of.”

According to Mike Steger, director of Physical Plant Services at PBA, once a work order is placed online it goes through an electronic system.

Steger said that not many schools allow their students open access to an electronic system like PBA’s. That’s why, he said, it’s important for students to utilize it.

“We felt our campus audience was mature enough to not abuse the system,” Steger said.

The process begins once the person placing the work order clicks “Submit” on the form. From there, the order travels to a central location, where a maintenance manager prioritizes it.

The orders are split up between two categories: emergencies, such as life safety issues or potential threats to building stability; and less immediate needs, such as a light bulb that has gone out or a broken cabinet door.

The manager then assigns the work order to an employee in the proper zone.

The school is divided up into four zones, each serviced by a group of technicians.

In some cases, a technical specialist may be assigned to fulfill the work order.

After the employee has performed the work order, he or she leaves a hangtag to let the resident know what has been accomplished, whether the work order is closed or parts are being ordered.

However, Steger acknowledged that more than one visit might be required.

“Sometimes we walk out the door and it breaks again 20 minutes after we leave,” Steger said.

In that case, it is best to immediately place another work order.

“I’d rather have an issue reported four times than not at all,” Steger said, adding that often each roommate may think the other has placed the work order, when in fact it has not been reported.

According to Steger, of the 700 to 800 total work orders fulfilled each month, customers place only 25 to 30 percent.

This means that the rest are placed by Plant Services as preventative and routine maintenance.

Steger said the average time for all work orders, which includes the large projects performed by the department, is six days.

“Living in Towers last year, I found mold in my bathroom and the carpet was not in good condition, but what school has great dorms?” said Ariel Jasmin Tucker, a PBA junior and Flagler Towers resident. “Although I learned to live with it, I just think it could be better.”

Students in Lakeview are working together to make the best of their situation, living in an older building.

“Because of the setup, Lakeview does not have a traditional lobby area,” said Kevin Abel, associate dean of students and director of Residence Life. “The Residence Life staff in the building wanted to create that type of community atmosphere by gathering in the parking lot for a time of fellowship.”

“A combination of Lakeview and Towers residents come out on Thursday nights,” said Kaitie Chasse, a resident assistant in Lakeview. “We always have about a 20-person turnout.”

Chasse added that people bring couches, play music, bake food, hang lights and often hold volleyball games to make the event, called a “Lounge,” successful.

Due to the age of the Mango apartments, they are classified as historical buildings and are included in the Mango Promenade Historic District, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

Because of their historical status, any major maintenance on the buildings must meet specifications set forth by the Florida Division of Historical Resources (FDHR).

According to the FDHR Web site, these specifications include the use of historically accurate materials.

Beacon staff writer Samone Davis contributed to this article.

Forsman lyckades på ett väldigt ödmjukt och lagom påträngande sätt hjälpa Ikea att visa upp sina showroom på Facebook. Ihop med ett tävlingsmoment fick de användarna själva att sprida reklamen vidare till sina vänner. (Titta noga på filmen, så kanske ni känner igen ett visst par…

Apropå inlägget nedan ska Google skicka ut sin kameracykel för att fota turistattraktioner i Sydafrika som inte nås med bil. För att få lite extra buzz låter man användarna rösta om vad man ska plåta, även om det verkar osannolikt att inte alla grejerna på listan ska plåtas rätt snart.

Recently, Jason Webb wrote a 5 part series on the Reformed Baptist Fellowship blog providing a critical evaluation of the Family Integrated Church Movement (http://reformedbaptistfellowship.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/the-family-integrated-church-movement-%E2%80%93-part-5/). While this will not  be a five part series, I wanted to take the opportunity to provide somewhat of a response to a few of the arguments made by Mr. Webb, who clearly finds the Family Integrated Church Movement (FICM) to be unbiblical and detrimental to the church. For anyone who is not familiar with the FICM, it is essentially a movement of folks, like me, who believe that the modern church has taken an approach to family ministry that has inadvertently harmed families and is fundamentally ineffective. We see the practice of regularly dividing families into age-segregated departments and programs as something adopted mostly from secular society and not firmly based in Scripture. To be more specific, much of what churches do in this regard can be traced to modern sociological, psychological and educational theories, which, themselves, find their basis in pure humanism. The FICM is an effort to bring families together in worship and to call fathers, primarily, but also mothers, to fulfill their God-given responsibilities as the primary teachers and disciplers of their children. Hence, we would argue that it is appropriate to keep families together more often than not, and to treat the family as a unit, not as simply a group of individuals that includes different “target” age groups for the church’s programs. Particularly (at least from my point of view) it is important that we encourage families to come into the worship of the church together. The fathers, as heads of households, lead their families in the corporate worship of God, as a central part of the overall process of leading their families and discipling their children. From where I sit, that’s the FICM in a nutshell, and it is this movement that Mr. Webb finds unbiblical and harmful to the church.

Before I point out the problems I find in Mr. Webb’s argumentation, let me say that I believe he does have some legitimate points of concern. Our tendency, too often, is to react to a problem by moving to the other extreme and embracing the opposite error. To some extent, that has happened within the FICM. Some folks within this movement have become overly critical in their attitude toward the local church. For some (and I don’t believe they are the majority) the vision of the family has all but eclipsed a vision for the body of Christ. Moreover, some in the FICM tend to hold pastors/elders or teachers in disdain. They emphasize that, because the church is a “family-of-families” and men are called to lead their families, the church meeting should basically include all the fathers taking turns teaching the church. Additionally, some fathers wish to insist on baptizing their own children or wish to have “family communion.” In this regard, it is right for Mr. Webb to critique the “family-of-families” concept of the church. God has not given the church fathers for the equipping of the saints. Rather, He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastors and teachers – Spirit-gifted and Spirit-called individuals. Moreover, God gives the local church elders/overseers who are to shepherd the people of God and oversee the ministries of the church. In reality, in may be a both/and rather than either/or. The church is a family of families, in one sense, but it is also more than that. It is a spiritual family. Hence, there is a place for the widow, the single person, the husband or wife of an unbelieving spouse, etc. It is a spiritual family that is to be led by biblically qualified elders, instructed by Spirit-gifted teachers and governed by the congregation, under the leading of the Spirit. So, I can say I appreciate that Mr. Webb  has pointed to some legitimate areas of concern that those of us who identify with the FICM should give consideration to.

All that said, I think there are some problems with Mr. Webb’s argumentation overall. It seems to me that the main point that he keeps returning to is the nature of the new covenant as it relates to children and families. Essentially, he argues that the FICM is wrong in its fundamental assumptions about the place of children in the church because it super-imposes the old covenant paradigm on the new covenant people of God. In short, the new covenant is made only with believers, not with believers and their children. Hence, children cannot be considered to be in the church simply because they are born into a believing family. They may not be instructed in covenant keeping, because they are not in the covenant. He writes, “‘On these grounds it is misguided to say that fathers need to disciple their children in covenant keeping. The only covenant that children outside of Christ are in is the Covenant of Works.” It appears that the basis of the argument against a family-integrated model of ministry is that children can’t be in the worship of the church because they’re not in the church in reality. That is, because they are not included in the new covenant unless they are saved, they have no legitimate place in the worship of the church. I think it’s ironic, at this point, that most churches today have a popular program they call “children’s church”. The very terminology implies that there is, in fact, a church within the church. This church is exclusively for children, many of whom will be unregenerate, but it’s called a church nonetheless. So, children can’t be considered to be in the church, but that can be in the children’s church?

As I read the discussion of families and the new covenant, with the references to Jer. 31 and the explanation of the discontinuity of the new covenant with the old, I thought Mr. Webb wrote a very good argument in favor of Baptist ecclesiology. He basically rehashed the arguments against paedo-baptism. He emphasizes that the new covenant is made with regenerate individuals only and not with family units, in contrast with the old covenant. However, in terms of family-integration, I believe he is simply knocking down a straw-man. Granted, there are family-integrated folks who are also paedo-baptist in their theology. These arguments may be more relevant for them. But the particular view of covenant and family that Mr. Webb argues against is certainly not fundamental to a family-integrated church model. Those of us who hold to Baptist ecclesiology would certainly agree that the church is made up of regenerate individuals. We do not believe that our children are in the new covenant unless and until they are regenerate, and we pray that God will grant each of our children true repentance and faith by the regenerating work of the Spirit, so that they will become true members of the church.

However, while it is true that the new covenant is made with regenerate individuals only and that the church consists of those individuals only, those individuals belong to families in one way or another. While there is a fundamental change in the new covenant people of God, the new covenant does not supersede or negate the fundamental nature of the family, which was established at creation. God established the family as a fundamental institution in society and as an important means of passing on the knowledge of God from generation to generation. He has chosen to place children under the direct headship and instruction of parents. While there is fundamental change in the makeup of the covenant community from Old Testament to New, there is continuity in the fact that people come into the new covenant community with family relationships. Moreover, those family relationships are connected, directly, with one’s life in the new covenant. In other words, there is not some kind of complete disconnect between family and church. The New Testament writers address believers as members of households and outline the responsibilities of fathers, mothers, children and even slaves. Particularly relevant, in this regard, is Paul’s admonition directed at children in Eph. 6:1-3: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.” (NASB) Notice that Paul takes the 5th commandment of the decalogue and applies the command, as well as its attached promise, directly to children in the new covenant church. This implies at least 2 things: 1. There are children in the new covenant. 2. There may be more continuity with the old covenant paradigm for families than Mr. Webb has allowed for. Certainly we are not told to circumcise our male children. I do not believe we are to baptize our children either. But the family is still a fundamental institution in the new covenant community, and it is still a parent’s responsibility to disciple his children in the things of God. Paul continues in Eph. 6:4 to admonish fathers in their role to bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. This responsbility has not been relegated to elders, youth pastors or Sunday School teachers. (It’s also not been relegated to godless, government run schools, but that’s a subject for another blog entry.) It belongs to parents, with emphasis on fathers as heads of households. This does not mean that elders are not also responsible for the instruction of the whole church, including children (which, it seems to me, actually presents an argument in favor of FIC and not the other way around). It does mean that the church is to encourage and support parents in the discipleship of their children rather than supplanting them. Even more importantly, in a day when so many forces in society work to undermine the family and to stress individuality, the church must reinforce the sense of God-ordained unity and connectedness within the family. Children are not primarily members of the youth group or members of the 2nd or 3rd grade class at church. They are primarily members of their families. They need to learn from the example and instruction of their parents, first, and then from the church as a whole. This flies in the face of modern educational theory, which argues that children learn best when grouped with others their own age. However, it is modern secular theories that have often formed the basis for churches’ “family ministries.” As one youth pastor candidly stated (and I’m paraphrasing), “Age-segregated ministries aren’t in the Bible. But, then, we have to learn from other areas of knowledge like psychology and sociology to know how to effectively do family ministry.”

So, we can acknowledge that no one belongs, truly, within the new covenant who is not regenerate. Our children are not truly members of the church of Christ just because they are born into Christian homes. But it does not follow that they should not accompany their believing parents into the worship of the church and be exposed to the preaching of the word and the worship of the church and see their parents participate in worship. It also does not mean that they should not be discipled in the home on a daily basis. Parents are to bring up children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, which will require teaching the whole counsel of God and instructing them in a biblical worldview. It is strange to me that Mr. Webb makes the following statement in regard to the role of parents discipling their children, “Furthermore this descriptive statement of the New Covenant means that men cannot disciple those outside the covenant in any way as to bring them into the covenant.” If we cannot disciple our children, why are we told to do so in Eph. 6:4 and elsewhere? In fact, if one cannot disciple someone outside the new covenant in such a way as to bring that one into the covenant, what is the point to the great commission? The only way that I can make sense of this statement is if the word “disciple” is being used in a narrow sense that would apply only to the believer: i.e. something entirely separate from evangelism. In that case, it is understandable, at least in relation to adults who profess no faith in Christ. However, I do not believe it applies in the same way to children. As parents, we must be constantly instructing our children in the Word of God, including both evangelism and discipleship. It is possible – maybe even likely – that our children will make a profession of faith early in life. This does not mean that we no longer need to proclaim the gospel to them and to call them to faith in Jesus Christ. Their faith may be real and it may not be. We cannot know with certainty. We can only look for fruits  and evidences of regeneration, continue to instruct them in the truth and encourage them to continuing repentance and faith. Conversely, if our children have not yet made a profession of faith, it does not mean that we don’t instruct them in the Word of God and try to instill a biblical worldview, even while we pray that the Lord would graciously and mercifully move in them and bring them to genuine faith. In short, we are told to disciple are own children and should do so. Part of that process will be teaching them to attend to the public worship of God and exposing them to the preaching of the Word of God.

Much of the argumentation in Mr. Webb’s critique seems to rely on an overly negative view of the spiritual status of children. He emphasizes that children cannot truly belong to the church since the church is only made up of the regenerate. He points out that it cannot be said that all children in Christian homes know the Lord. This is true. We cannot say that all children in Christian homes are believers. However, the converse is also true. We cannot say that all children in Christian homes do not know the Lord either. In fact, the apostle Paul, for one, assumed that at least some children came to faith in Christ and were genuine members of the new covenant community. In the passage I’ve already discussed to some extent, Eph. 6:1-3 and its parallel in Col. 3:20, Paul specifically singles out children and addresses them as believers. Moreover, the very fact that these passages are present in Paul’s letters implies that Paul expected the children would be present in the worship meeting of the church to hear this admonition as it was read. (Apparently, he hadn’t heard about the modern research that says children learn better if they are isolated with a lot of other kids their age and are instructed at an age-appropriate level.) In contrast with an approach that assumes all children must not be regenerate and can’t have a place in the church, Paul assumed there were children in the congregation, and he instructed them the same way he instructed others in the body of Christ.

In the end, I agree with Mr. Webb in this, that balance is needed. Some elements of the FICM have undermined the importance of the church has a spiritual body of believers and a true spiritual family, under the oversight of Spirit-appointed leadership. At the same time, many churches have undermined the role and responsibility of parents in discipling their own children and have inadvertently aided in the fragmentation of the family. May we all be willing to carefully examine our presuppositions and our methods in the light of God’s Word, with a view to reforming church and family and advancing the glorious kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Nu är jag hemma igen och resten av kvällen blir det webb-tv, popkorn och inget annat än chilla. Jag har inget annat att göra helt enkelt och orkar inte fixa något. Så ikväll ska jag bara vila upp mig inför morgondagens flyttande. Jag hoppas du får en lite aktivare kväll än jag, det är oftast roligare…

Sleep tight everyone!

// Elin “Sleepy” Johansson

Jag sitter just nu och tittar på massa olika klipp och program på bland annat SVT Play och TV4 Play. Hype osv osv. Det är så härligt att kunna välja själv NÄR man ska titta på tv-program. Webb-tv FTW!

Samtidigt försöker jag komma på vad jag ska äta för något nu. Det är lite småjobbigt att vi har packat ner alla grytor och stekpannor så att man inte kan laga något. Jag vet inte riktigt vad jag ska hitta på, hungrig kan jag ju inte gå hela kvällen. Visst, jag kan ju äta mackor och dricka juice, men hur himla kul är det hela tiden? Vi får se vad jag hittar helt enkelt…

Om en timma sticker jag till tonår i alla fall. Och imorgon slipper jag problemet jag snackade om. ÄNTLIGEN!!!

‘Vägledningen 24-timmarswebben’ publicerades av Verva (Verket för förvaltningsutveckling) 2006, och innehåller riktlinjer för utveckling av webb och e-tjänster i offentlig sektor. Den har varit ett stort stöd för många webbredaktörer och webbansvariga.

Då Verva lades ner  den 31/12 2008 försvann materialet och webbplatsen, och under en tid har det varit oklart vad som ska hända med  Vägledningen. Nu har dock  E-delegationen (läs om vad E-delegationen är här)  slagit fast att den ska fortsätta leva och uppdateras!

Läs mer om Vägledningen på eutveckling.se, eller på InUseful, där man intervjuat några informatörer, tillgänglighetsexperter och företag om Vägledningen.

Fotot taget en tidig lördagsmorgon i mitten på september i Nyhamnsläge

Aunt Becky

My grandmother Packett had lots of siblings.  Here’s her sister Gladys, known to me as (great) Aunt Becky.  It’s a mystery why Gladys was known as Becky.  Her first marriage was to a man named Millard Beals – is this how my uncle Millard James “Big Jim” got his name?  Who knows, but I suppose so.  Supposition will have to make do in the absence of real evidence.  I never knew that husband or what happened to him.  I do vaguely remember hearing about another husband named Dan Betts.

Becky & Dan Betts in Lenoir City, TN

This picture was made in front of my grandmother’s house.  The street is Wilson Street.  You can see a farm gate to the left.  That’s the entrance to the fields where my father kept cattle, and perhaps an angry little pony named Happy.  Becky and Dan’s car is parked in front of my grandmother’s gate. 

I believe that Becky lived in Norfolk, VA, but, like most of my grandmother’s family, she’s a mystery to me.

Jag har fått en inbjudan nu till att testa Google Wave vilket jag ska göra. Dock inte ikväll, det blir för sent. Några kommentarer har jag sett från andra där det lite besviket konstateras att man inte är så imponerad som man hoppades. Får väl se vad jag tycker…för mig har det hela tiden låtit som ett fantastiskt arbetsverktyg som man saknar idag, det ger möjlighet till att i realtid jobba tillsammans och se samma vy. Hoppas det blir slut på worddokument med olika korrversioner – det borde förbjudas!

Hittade den här texten som jag tyckte verkade förklara verktyget på ett bra sätt:

• What problem does Google Wave solve?

Mot slutet skriver han “Wave is built for the corporate environment. It’s a tool for getting work done. And as far as those go, it’s an excellent tool, even at this very early stage.”, därav min något konstiga rubrik till inlägget. Det ska bli kul att ta sig in i det här…