#37 hours of cf

[the-mercy-workers]

Message of his holiness Pope Francis XXXII World Day of the Sick

“It is not good that man should be alone”. Healing the Sick by Healing Relationships

“It is not good that man should be alone” (cf. Gen 2:18). From the beginning, God, who is love, created us for communion and endowed us with an innate capacity to enter into relationship with others. Our lives, reflecting in the image of the Trinity, are meant to attain fulfilment through a network of relationships, friendships and love, both given and received. We were created to be together, not alone. Precisely because this project of communion is so deeply rooted in the human heart, we see the experience of abandonment and solitude as something frightening, painful and even inhuman. This is all the more the case at times of vulnerability, uncertainty and insecurity, caused often by the onset of a serious illness.

In this regard, I think of all those who found themselves terribly alone during the Covid-19 pandemic: the patients who could not receive visitors, but also the many nurses, physicians and support personnel overwhelmed by work and enclosed in isolation wards. Naturally, we cannot fail to recall all those persons who had to face the hour of their death alone, assisted by healthcare personnel, but far from their own families.

I share too in the pain, suffering and isolation felt by those who, because of war and its tragic consequences, are left without support and assistance. War is the most terrible of social diseases, and it takes its greatest toll on those who are most vulnerable.

At the same time, it needs to be said that even in countries that enjoy peace and greater resources, old age and sickness are frequently experienced in solitude and, at times, even in abandonment. This grim reality is mainly a consequence of the culture of individualism that exalts productivity at all costs, cultivates the myth of efficiency, and proves indifferent, even callous, when individuals no longer have the strength needed to keep pace. It then becomes a throwaway culture, in which “persons are no longer seen as a paramount value to be cared for and respected, especially when they are poor or disabled, ‘not yet useful’ – like the unborn, or ‘no longer needed’ – like the elderly” (Fratelli Tutti, 18). Sadly, this way of thinking also guides certain political decisions that are not focused on the dignity of the human person and his or her needs, and do not always promote the strategies and resources needed to ensure that every human being enjoys the fundamental right to health and access to healthcare. The abandonment of the vulnerable and their isolation is favoured also by the reduction of healthcare merely to a provision of services, without these being accompanied by a “therapeutic covenant” between physicians, patients and family members.

We do well to listen once more to the words of the Bible: “It is not good for man to be alone!” God spoke those words at the beginning of creation and thus revealed to us the profound meaning of his project for humanity, but at the same time, the mortal wound of sin, which creeps in by generating suspicions, fractures, divisions and consequently isolation. Sin attacks persons and all their relationships: with God, with themselves, with others, with creation. Such isolation causes us to miss the meaning of our lives; it takes away the joy of love and makes us experience an oppressive sense of being alone at all the crucial passages of life.

Brothers and sisters, the first form of care needed in any illness is compassionate and loving closeness. To care for the sick thus means above all to care for their relationships, all of them: with God, with others – family members, friends, healthcare workers – , with creation and with themselves. Can this be done? Yes, it can be done and all of us are called to ensure that it happens. Let us look to the icon of the Good Samaritan (cf. Lk 10:25-37), to his ability to slow down and draw near to another person, to the tender love with which he cares for the wounds of a suffering brother.

Let us remember this central truth in life: we came into the world because someone welcomed us; we were made for love; and we are called to communion and fraternity. This aspect of our lives is what sustains us, above all at times of illness and vulnerability. It is also the first therapy that we must all adopt in order to heal the diseases of the society in which we live.

To those of you who experience illness, whether temporary or chronic, I would say this: Do not be ashamed of your longing for closeness and tenderness! Do not conceal it, and never think that you are a burden on others. The condition of the sick urges all of us to step back from the hectic pace of our lives in order to rediscover ourselves.

At this time of epochal change, we Christians in particular are called to adopt the compassion-filled gaze of Jesus. Let us care for those who suffer and are alone, perhaps marginalized and cast aside. With the love for one another that Christ the Lord bestows on us in prayer, especially in the Eucharist, let us tend the wounds of solitude and isolation. In this way, we will cooperate in combating the culture of individualism, indifference and waste, and enable the growth of a culture of tenderness and compassion.

The sick, the vulnerable and the poor are at the heart of the Church; they must also be at the heart of our human concern and pastoral attention. May we never forget this! And let us commend ourselves to Mary Most Holy, Health of the Sick, that she may intercede for us and help us to be artisans of closeness and fraternal relationships.

[rjzimmerman]

How Much Longer Can Glen Canyon Dam Last? (Sierra Club)

Excerpt from this story from Sierra Club:

This spring, the Bureau of Reclamation revealed damage to the river outlet works system of Glen Canyon Dam. While there is no structural risk to the huge dam on the Colorado River, the incident drew attention to the dam’s antiquated infrastructure and brought into question its ability to sustain water releases from Lake Powell at lower elevations. At risk are both the lower Colorado River Basin’s ecosystems—including the Grand Canyon—and the 30 million people who rely on the Colorado’s water.

The damage was caused by a High Flow Experiment Release in April 2023, by cavitation, a process that happens when water passing through pipes at high velocity creates air bubbles that cause erosion. During the 2023 release, 3,500 CFS (cubic feet per second) of water was released through the outlet works pipes for 72 hours. The aim was to distribute sediment throughout the Grand Canyon to maintain healthy beaches and riparian habitats.

Part of the reason Glen Canyon Dam was constructed between 1956 and 1963, in addition to water storage and hydropower generation, was to keep a million tons of Colorado River sediment each year from clogging Lake Mead, 305 miles downstream. Lake Powell, the resulting reservoir that straddles the Arizona-Utah border, flooded 169 miles of the Colorado River in Glen Canyon with 8 trillion gallons of water at maximum capacity. The reservoir is currently at an elevation of 3,577 feet and only 37 percent of capacity, reflecting both the two-decades-long drought and a slight uptick from the last wet winter.

Water is released from the dam through eight main penstocks, which produce hydropower. The four river outlet works are a secondary release option, typically reserved for flood control, High Flow Experiments, and when the power plant is offline. Cavitation, coating, and pipe wall damage were first observed in 1965 following a discharge slightly higher than that of 2023, and the damage has continued over time. While it doesn’t impede the functionality of the outlet works, it does highlight their limitations. Previously, it was assumed the pipes could be used for downstream releases if the reservoir dropped below power pool elevation, 3,490 feet. In an email response to a query, a Bureau of Reclamation spokesperson said that that is not a viable option: “If Lake Powell drops below elevation 3490 feet, Glen Canyon Dam releases could only be accomplished through the river outlet works, which have not been used as the exclusive means to release water and were not envisioned as the sole means to release water from Glen Canyon Dam.” 

The bureau is currently running studies and physical modeling to better understand the situation, with an analysis expected by the end of this year. Meanwhile, it plans to replace the interior coating inside the original pipes, which will prevent corrosion but does not address the cavitation. In addition to the $9 million repair, Reclamation will also look to repair the hollow jet valves that regulate water flows through the outlet works.

The damage raises questions about the dam’s longevity. In 2022, environmental groups Great Basin Water Network, Glen Canyon Institute, and Utah Rivers Council released a report, Antique Plumbing & Leadership Postponed: How the Glen Canyon Dam’s Archaic Design Threatens the Colorado River Water Supply. Among their key concerns were the limitations of the river outlet works to release water should reservoir levels plummet. In April 2023, Lake Powell dropped to an elevation of 3,519 feet, the lowest it has been since the dam started filling.

[carley-cramer95]

Guide to Choosing a Portable Oxygen Concentrator

A medical oxygen device known as a portable oxygen concentrator is used to treat respiratory conditions including cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (CF). Portable oxygen concentrators are made to be lightweight, and effective, and provide the patient with as much mobility as possible while still ensuring their oxygen needs are fulfilled, in contrast to other oxygen devices like oxygen tanks or stationary oxygen concentrators. You're probably searching for a decent place to start if you've never bought an oxygen machine before or if you want to improve your current model.

Why Use a Portable Oxygen Concentrator?

Why should I utilize a portable oxygen concentrator is probably the first query you have regarding them. Given the variety of oxygen devices available, including oxygen tanks, portable oxygen cylinders, home oxygen concentrators, and more, this is a legitimate issue. Although each of them has advantages and disadvantages, portable oxygen concentrators will, on average, offer you the best long-term value.

Pulse Flow vs. Continuous Flow

It's time to choose between pulse flow and continuous flow now that you've determined you need a portable oxygen concentrator instead of another medical oxygen equipment. An oxygen concentrator with continuous flow produces a constant stream of oxygen, much like a water fountain. Unless they contain a device known as an oxygen conserver that is attached to the top of the unit, all oxygen tanks are continuous flow. On the other hand, a pulse flow oxygen concentrator contains extra technology that monitors your breathing and only releases oxygen when you take a breath.

Portable Oxygen Concentrator Specifications

Oxygen Output

The total (maximum) oxygen production of your portable oxygen concentrator is without a doubt the most crucial factor. Pulse flow portable oxygen concentrators are constrained by the size and effectiveness of their compressor, as opposed to oxygen tanks, which provide almost any oxygen setting you choose. On the market, there are pulse flow machines with speeds ranging from 300 ml/min to 1,260 ml/min and 2 to 6 distinct pulse flow settings. For most oxygen patients, a setting of 2 or 3 on most POCs corresponds to an oxygen flow rate of at least 400 ml/min.

Battery Life

The battery life of a portable oxygen concentrator is the second most crucial factor for the majority of oxygen patients. In the end, you might feel that you have less mobility than you had with your oxygen tank because a POC that can only function for an hour before needing to be charged doesn't actually offer any portability at all.

Sound Level

When switching from oxygen tanks, one of the common inquiries people have is "Do portable oxygen concentrators produce noise?" "Yes" is the response to the query. They probably don't make as much noise as you believe they do. The noise level of oxygen concentrators typically ranges from around 37 decibels (dBA) to about 50 dBA, however, the majority of pulse-flow portable oxygen concentrators are at or below 40 dBA. This is comparable to the volume of a whisper or a hushed chat, to put things in perspective.

Final Thoughts

It's not always simple to choose a portable oxygen concentrator, especially if you've never bought one before. Above all else, you must ensure that your POC satisfies your oxygen requirements, is portable, and has a long battery life. Because pulse flow POCs are more technologically sophisticated than their continuous flow counterparts, they frequently achieve these criteria more readily.

[daily-praise]

Today’s Reflection

Today in our gospel the disciples display, in their discussion among themselves, a worldly ambition – who will be the greatest. That is they want to be first in his Kingdom, but in doing so, they will loses themselves. For, Jesus is not looking to dominate but to serve, because he knows that “[if] a person only thinks [about them self] … and wants to dominate [they] would not lend much attention to little ones and to children.” Yet, it is the little ones, who matter, for in welcoming them, they are welcoming God.[1]  For Jesus is one of the little ones. Therefore, it is in serving others that we grow and become virtuous, for let us remember the words of Saint Benedict who said, that “Without doubt, this descent and ascent can signify only that we descend by exaltation and ascend by humility.”[2]

[1] Cf. https://ocarm.org/en/content/lectio/lectio-divina-mark-930-37 [2] RB 7:5-7, https://christdesert.org/prayer/rule-of-st-benedict/chapter-7-humility/

Today’s Spiritual Links for February 21, 2023

Join the National Eucharistic Revival Today’s Mass Readings Today’s Reflection The Holy Rosary Liturgy of the Hours New American Bible Non-Scriptural Reading Prime Matters

[shalomelohim]

Am Echad (One People) - Ted Pearce

Yeshua is the vine and Israël a sign for all to see Every Tribe and Tongue is grafted by the Son into the olive tree

If casting them away He received the world instead Then what is their return but life from the dead ?

Am Echad, Adonaï Echad One People Am Echad, Adonaï Echad One People, One God One People

And in that day God will take away all their sins They shall be saved and His servant David shall be their Prince

In tears they have sowed but in joy shall they reap He will lead them home as a shepherd leads his sheep

Am Echad, Adonaï Echad We are One People Am Echad, Adonaï Echad We are One People, One God

In the valley of dry bones, a holy wind is blowing making noise The sound of a nation, a holy congregation with One Voice Singing a new song unto their God Shema Yisrael Adonaï Echad

Am Echad, Adonaï Echad We are One People, One God Am Echad, Adonaï Echad We are One People, One God (x2)

God is with us, in Him alone we trust for our peace His love is forever and His mercy never will cease He will set His resting place in our midst Extending His love an grace to all who are His

Am Echad, Adonaï Echad We are One People, One God Am Echad, Adonaï Echad We are One People, One God

=====

Réunification des 12 tribus (Juda & Ephraïm) afin de former un seul peuple avec un seul Esprit pratiquant les mêmes ordonnances, les mêmes commandements, les mêmes fêtes et les mêmes lois de Dieu dans l’amour du Messie / Roi Yahshua. > Cf Ezéchiel 37:15-28 

Elohim travaille avec chaque nation dans le mouvement de Son Esprit afin de faire corps avec Lui pour refléter la vie, la culture du Royaume et Sa Gloire. Chaque pays a donc une place et un rôle dans le monde définis par Dieu avec sa propre onction et spécificités (chants, danses, etc...)

Attention aux chansons types “Hillsong”, musique chrétienne de la Fin des Temps. Si quelques-unes sont intéressantes, elles uniformisent les gens dans l’émotion et l’on ne voit plus l’onction du pays puisque tout le monde chante la même chose. Prudence donc.

Avner & Rachel Boskey - Every Tribe

One People ! (Galates 3:28-29)

Every tribe, every nation, every people, every tongue. (x2) Fear God and give Him glory, for the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him who made heaven and earth And say “Fallen is Babylon ! Fallen is Babylon !”

Every tribe, every nation, every people, every tongue. (x2) The dead who die in the Lord are blessed indeed from now on Spirit says, “They will rest from their work Their deeds will follow them ; their deeds will follow on”

Every tribe, every nation, every people, every tongue. (x2) One hundred and forty-four thousand of the tribes of Israel Follow the Lamb wherever He goes And they sing their own new song, sing their own new song.

Their new song, their own new song (x2) Shir chadash, shir chadash ! (x2) Twelve tribes, Israeli nation, (Jewish) people, Hebrew tongue. (x2)

Fear God and give Him glory, for the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him who made heaven and earth And say “Fallen is Babylon ! Fallen is Babylon !” Every tribe, every nation, every people, every tongue. (x2)

Every Nation, Every Tribe (Kila Taifa, Kila Kabila) (Satb Choir) - Karen Crane / arrangement Stacey Nordmeyer - Swahili / English

Kila Taïfa, Kila Kabila Every Nation, Every Tribe Precious children in His eyes Strangers all through race or tongue God’s desire to make us One

Oh love relentless, deep and wide For every Nation, Every Tribe

Kila Taïfa, Kila Kabila (x2)

Every People, Every Clan Perfect pieces of God’s plan Each unique in heart and mind Tapestry of Love’s design !

Oh love relentless, deep and wide For Every Nation, Every Tribe

Kila Taïfa, Kila Kabila (x2)

My gracious Master and my God Assist Me to proclaim to spread through all The earth a broad the honors of Your Name !

Kila Taïfa, Kila Kabila

Every Daughter, Every Son Every One Celebrate what God has done ! Came to earth to break our fall Sacrificed one life for all 

Oh love relentless, deep and wide For every Nation, Every Tribe

Sing HalleluYAH (x12) HalleluYAH Every Nation & Every Tribe

[nicolewrites]

I beat Azure Moon. I beat Verdant Wind. I beat Crimson Flower. And, today, I beat Silver Snow.

...now what...

[make-me-imagine]

Tagged by @whimsical-daydreams forgot about it or a minute lol Thank you~

Name: Mera

Sign: Gemini

Height: 5'2" (158cm)

Birthday: June 19

Time: I think it was around 4pm

Favourite band/artists: There are so many, ummm, Brandi Carlile, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, P!atd, Celtic Woman, Lewis Capaldi, The Chicks, Carole King. That's enough lol

Last movie: Tombstone (1993)

Last show: Sandman I think (still need to finish it though)

What I post: Fics for SO MANY fandoms lol. But the most popular and most recent are: Top Gun, Marvel, Star Trek, Star Wars, Bridgerton, Stargate, etc. I have like 35+ fandoms that I write for lol.

Last thing I googled: ft to cm lol <<SAME lol

Other blogs: @truthbehindthereflection; where I just reblog a lot of stuff

Do I get asks: Not as many as I would like, but yes :)

Following: 37

Average hours of sleep: Around like 8-10 hours (I have cfs leave me alone lol)

Instruments: I used to play keyboard, but haven't for a long time

What I'm wearing: Tank top and shorts.

Dream job: Archaeologist (which is what I went to Uni for); and also fashion design, but that'll never happen lol.

Dream trip: Road trip around Switzerland, or to Peru to see Machu Picchu.

Nationality: American

Favourite songs: I have so many it would take me forever to list them. But I will list three I always go back to: "Most of all" by Brandi Carlile; 'A Case of You' by Joni Mitchell; and 'Don't Let Me Go' by RAIGN.

Last book I read: The first Anne of Green Gables book

3 fictional universes I'd want to live in: Star Trek, Middle Earth, and maybe Stargate (its our universe but with secret alien and planetary travel)

Tagging (no pressure!): @spuffyfan394, @trashywritestrash, @gaitwae, @cosplayingwitch, @magravenwrites

[thecreaturecodex]

Great Old One, Chaugnar Faugn

Image © deviantArt user fed0t, accessed at his gallery here

[Commissioned by @monstersdownthepath​. Chaugnar Faugn is a canonical Great Old One in Pathfinder from the Cthulhu Mythos, specifically the novella “The Horror From the Hills” by Frank Belknap Long. Although I’ve been familiar with good ol’ CF since I got a copy of Call of Cthulhu d20 for Christmas one year, I only just now read “The Horror From The Hills” in order to write this entry. I can see why the story hasn’t been reprinted a ton; it’s basically just “The Call of Cthulhu” with more action and more racism. Yes, more racism than Lovecraft. Let that sink in. Also, I think it’s hilarious how many times Long has his characters describe Chaugnar Faugn as unlike any other mythological entity, and completely unimaginable by mere human minds, when he’s clearly Eldritch Vampire Ganesha.]

Great Old One, Chaugnar Faugn CR 26 CE Aberration This creature is vaguely like a parody of an elephant-headed humanoid, but the resemblances to both elephants and humanoids are only superficial. Tentacles held together with webbing mirror ears, and its twin tusks are translucent and interwoven. Its trunk is impossibly long and ends in a lamprey-like maw.

Chaugnar Faugn, the Horror From the Hills, the Feeder CE male Great Old One of blood, patience and remote landscapes Domains Chaos, Death, Evil, War Subdomains Blood, Entropy, Murder, Tactics Favored Weapon Light pick Unholy Symbol An elephant’s head with a bloody trunk Worshipers evil elves, murderers, nosferatu, those seeking revenge Minions faceless stalkers, morlocks, hill giants

Chagnaur Faugn, the Feeder, was old when the planets were young. He is a being formed from the initial creation of matter in the universe, and has traveled the cosmos in search of blood to drink and death to deal. He is perhaps the first parasite, and is truly one of the greatest. His body and senses stretch into both the Ethereal and Shadow Planes, and he will prey on their denizens as readily as any Material creature. Chaugnar Faugn is capable of flying between worlds, but does so only on rare occasions. He has witnessed the birth and death of at least one biosphere in its totality, and wishes to compare that to other arcs of planetary development.

Chaugnar Faugn prefers swift and precise attacks to destructive rampages, despite his bulk and strength. He spends most of his life in the shape of a stone statue, animating only to drink blood or punish followers who betray his faith. If forced to actually fight, the Feeder tramples enemies, then uses his crystalline tusks (which swivel independently) and mighty claws to finish off opponents. He is gifted in magic, and often transforms his allies into monstrous beasts to fight on his behalf, or simply stops an enemy’s heart with power word: kill.

Chaugnar Faugn’s current appellation, The Horror from the Hills, stems from his preference for remote country. He seeks out dispossessed and marginalized groups and bullies his way into a place of honor in their pantheon, demanding blood sacrifice and murdering them if they do not comply. To mark his chosen, he inflicts a terrible curse on them, granting them animalistic features. The trunk and ears of an elephant are a favorite, as they resemble his own form. Chaugnar Faugn teaches patience, for he has lived for literal eons, and savors the suspense of a revenge drawn out. His worship is popular with long lived and endangered species, such as the nosferatu, and he teaches that if they cannot make more of themselves, they should at least be remembered for the terror they inflict.

Chaugnar Faugn   CR 26 XP 2,457,600 CE Large aberration (great old one) Init +18; Senses darkvision 60 ft., hyperdimensional sight, Perception +38, scent, true seeing Aura cloak of chaos (DC 26), unspeakable (300 ft., Will DC 33) Defense AC 43, touch 31, flat-footed 42 (-1 size, +8 Dex, +12 natural, +10 insight, +4 deflection) hp 615 (30d8+480); fast healing 10 Fort +25, Ref +24, Will +31 Immune ability damage, ability drain, aging, cold, death effects, disease, energy drain, fire, mind-affecting effects, paralysis, and petrifaction; SR 37 Defensive Abilities hyperdimensional body, immortality, improved uncanny dodge Offense Speed 80 ft., swim 80 ft. Melee 2 gores +36 (2d8+15/19-20), 2 claws +36 (2d6+15), bite +36 (1d6+15 plus chew magic plus grab) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (15 ft. with bite) Special Attacks blood drain (2d4 Con), curse of Chaugnar Faugn, demanding dreams, insanity (DC 33), mythic (10/day, 1d12), subtle magic, trample (Ref DC 40, 4d6+22) Spell-like Abilities CL 26th, concentration +34 Constant—cloak of chaos (self only, DC 26), true seeing At will—darkness M, gaseous form M, greater command (DC 23), nightmare (DC 23), stone shape M, telekinesis (DC 23) M 3/day—greater dispel magic, horrid wilting (DC 26), quickened mass inflict pain (DC 24), polymorph any object (DC 26), empowered vampiric touch M 1/day—etherealness, shadow walk, power word: kill M, power word: stun M M = Chaugnar Faugn can use the mythic version of this SLA Statistics Str 40, Dex 27, Con 42, Int 26, Wis 30, Cha 27 Base Atk +22; CMB +38 (+40 bull rush, +42 sunder), CMD 60 (62 vs. bull rush, sunder) Feats Acrobatic Steps, Awesome Blow, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Empower SLA (vampiric touch), Greater Sunder, Improved Bull Rush,  Improved Critical (gore), Improved Sunder, Lightning Reflexes, Nimble Moves, Power Attack, Quicken SLA (mass inflict pain), Staggering Critical, Stunning Critical Skills Bluff +33, Climb +36, Intimidate +38, Knowledge (arcana, dungeoneering, geography, nature, religion, planes) +33, Knowledge (history) +36, Perception +38, Sense Motive +35, Spellcraft +36, Stealth +36, Swim +43 Languages Aklo, Aquan, Terran, Undercommon, telepathy 300 ft. SQ no breath, otherworldly insight, starflight, statue form Ecology Environment any Organization unique Treasure double standard Special Abilities Chew Magic (Su) A creature or object bitten by Chaugnar Faugn is subject to a targeted greater dispel magic effect (CL 26th). This effect first affects spells that protect against being grappled, such as freedom of movement, before any other spells. Curse of Chaugnar Faugn (Su) As a standard action, Chaugnar Faugn can cast its curse upon a creature within 120 feet. A creature targeted must succeed a DC 33 Will save to suffer a -6 penalty to an ability score of Chaugnar Faugn’s choice. A creature cursed in this manner has their facial features altered to resemble those of an animal. A creature that succeeds on this save is immune to the Curse of Chaugnar Faugn for the next 24 hours. Chagnaur Faugn can use this ability as a swift action against a creature it is grappling. This is a curse effect, and the save DC is Charisma based. Demanding Dreams (Su) When Chaugnar Faugn targets a creature with its nightmare spell-like ability, regardless of whether it passes or fails the save, the creature must succeed a DC 33 Will save or be affected as per a demand spell. A creature that passes its save against the damage from the nightmare gains a +5 bonus on this saving throw. This is a mind-influencing compulsion effect, and the save DC is Charisma based. Hyperdimensional Body (Su) Chaugnar Faugn exists in multiple dimensions at once, granting it abilities similar to those of an incorporeal creature. It is immune to damage from non-magical weapons, and takes half damage from all corporeal sources except for force effects and ghost touch weapons. It can move through solid objects as if they were difficult terrain, except that it cannot end its movement in an object. This ability does not function if Chaugnar Faugn is subject to a dimensional anchor or similar effect. Hyperdimensional Sight (Su) Chaugnar Faugn can see into the Ethereal Plane and Shadow Plane at a distance of 60 feet. It can attack creatures on either of these planes normally, although such creatures are treated as having cover against his attacks. Immortality (Ex) If Chaugnar Faugn is slain, he dissolves into a noxious sludge, and incarnates in his statue form on a distant planet over the course of 100 years. He must remain in his statue form for an additional 1011 years before he can return to animation, but can still use his subtle magic in this forced hibernation. Starflight (Su) Chagnaur Faugn can survive in the void of outer space. It flies through space at an incredible speed. Although exact travel times vary, a trip within a single solar system should take 3d20 hours, while a trip beyond should take 3d20 days (or more, at the GM's discretion)—provided it knows the way to its destination. Statue Form (Su) As a standard action, Chaugnar Faugn can assume the form of a statue of Medium, Large or Huge size. He can use his senses normally in this form and communicate using telepathy, but can take no actions except for his subtle magic. He may resume his animate form as a move action. Subtle Magic (Su) Chaugnar Faugn does not detect as magical when in statue form. In addition, he can spend a use of mythic power to use one of its spell-like abilities or the Curse of Chaugnar Faugn while in statue form. If he does so, he cannot deliver a touch attack unless the creature is touching it. When it uses this ability, creatures that witness the spell must succeed an opposed Spellcraft check against Chaugnar Faugn to determine that he is the source of the spell-like ability. Unspeakable Presence (Su) Creatures that succumb to Chaugnar Faugn’s unspeakable presence find themselves literally falling apart. A creature that fails a DC 33 Will save gains vulnerability to bludgeoning, slashing or piercing damage (determined randomly) for as long as it remains in the area of effect. The save DC is Charisma based.

[chronicallyblogged]

I took haldol for the first time yesterday and at first it was fine. I actually felt pretty good. Just a bit slowed down. I could think clearly and while I still had the feeling that I had to move it wasn't as bad. I was also more aware of my physical fatigue. I still wound up cooking dinner fine, cleaning up, and then cleaning most of the bathroom afterwards. The awareness of my physical fatigue made me think I should probably take a nap since I had done far more past my usual. It took forever to sleep but when I slept I was basically out until morning minus a short break to feed cat and take meds. So close to 16 hours. I dont know if the haldol did that or if that's the cfs. I know if I expend myself physically it's not uncommon to sleep long hours. I also tend to sleep more when it rains bc of inflammation and its been doing that.. Today I still feel physically tired. But mentally I have the drive to get things done and move. I havent hallucinated since taking the haldol yesterday though. My thoughts are also fairly reasonable. Not sure if the mania is coming to a close or if haldol is still with me. I read online it can take 14-37 hours to leave the system when taken orally

[reedreadsgreek]

Mark 11:11–14

11 Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ περιβλεψάμενος πάντα, ὀψίας ἤδη οὔσης τῆς ὥρας, ἐξῆλθεν εἰς Βηθανίαν μετὰ τῶν δώδεκα.

12 Καὶ τῇ ��παύριον ἐξελθόντων αὐτῶν ἀπὸ Βηθανίας ἐπείνασεν. 13 καὶ ἰδὼν συκῆν ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἔχουσαν φύλλα ἦλθεν, εἰ ἄρα τι εὑρήσει ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐπʼ αὐτὴν οὐδὲν εὗρεν εἰ μὴ φύλλα· ὁ γὰρ καιρὸς οὐκ ἦν σύκων. 14 καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτῇ· Μηκέτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐκ σοῦ μηδεὶς καρπὸν φάγοι. καὶ ἤκουον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ.

My translation:

11 And he went into Jerusalem, into the temple and, having looked around at everything, the hour already being late, he went out unto Bethany with the Twelve.

12 And on the following day, after he went out from Bethany, he hungered. 13 And seeing a fig tree from a distance having leaves, he went to see if perhaps he will find anything on it, and having come upon it he found nothing except leaves; for it was not time for figs. 14 And answering, he said to it, “May no one eat fruit from you forever.” And the disciples were listening.

Notes:

11:11

Jesus is the unexpressed subject of the aorist εἰσῆλθεν (from εἰσέρχομαι). The verb is modified by the spatial prepositional phrases εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα and εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν, the first general and the second specific.

περιβλέπομαι (7x, 6 of which in Mark), from περί + βλέπω, is “I look around” (see note on 3:5). The aorist participle περιβλεψάμενος is temporal-antecedent with ἐξῆλθεν below. The substantival πάντα is the direct object of περιβλέπομαι.

The adjective ὄψιος (15x) is, “late”. Some manuscripts instead have the adverb ὀψὲ. The feminine accusative ὀψίας is the predicate of εἰμί below.

τῆς ὥρας (“the hour”) with present genitive feminine participle οὔσης (from εἰμί) is a genitive absolute construction; here it is not temporal but causal (“since it was already late”). The adverb ἤδη modifies the participle.

Jesus is the unexpressed subject of the aorist ἐξῆλθεν (from ἐξέρχομαι). The verb is modified by the prepositional phrases εἰς Βηθανίαν and μετὰ τῶν δώδεκα.

11:12

ἐπαύριον (17x), from ἐπί + the adverb αὔριον (14x) “tomorrow”, functions as an adverb of time meaning, “tomorrow”; technically it modifies an implied ἡμέρᾳ, always found in the NT with the dative article τῇ (“the next day”, most translations).

The genitive aorist participle ἐξελθόντων (from ἐξέρχομαι) with αὐτῶν, referring to Jesus and his disciples, is a genitive absolute, indicating antecedent time to the aorist ἐπείνασεν (from πεινάω, “I am hungry”), of which Jesus is the unexpressed subject. The aorist could be inceptive. ἐξέρχομαι is modified by the spatial prepositional phrase ἀπὸ Βηθανίας.

11:13

The aorist participle ἰδὼν (from ὁράω) is causal or temporal-antecedent with the aorist ἦλθεν (from ἔρχομαι), of which Jesus is the unexpressed subject.

ἡ συκῆ (16x) is, “fig tree” (cf. τό σῦκον “fig” below). συκῆν is the direct object of ὁράω and is attributively modified by the present feminine participle ἔχουσαν (from ἔχω).

The adverb μακρόθεν (14x) is, “from afar, from a distance”, modifying ὁράω. On ἀπὸ with μακρόθεν, see note on 5:6.

τό φύλλον (6x) is, “leaf”. φύλλα is the direct object of ἔχω.

When expressing something tentative, ἄρα means, “perhaps” (BDAG). εἰ ἄρα (“if perhaps”) assumes a verb of perception after ἦλθεν (e.g., “He went to see if perhaps”, NASB).

τι (“something, anything’) is the direct object of the future εὑρήσει (from εὑρίσκω). The future is retained in the indirect discourse, where the direct deliberative comment would have been, “Will I find anything?” ESV: “if he could find”; NIV paraphrases, “if it had any fruit”. εὑρίσκω is modified by the locative prepositional phrase ἐν αὐτῇ (“on it”).

The aorist participle ἐλθὼν (from ἔρχομαι) is temporal-antecedent with the aorist εὗρεν (from εὑρίσκω; for the augment, see note on 1:37). The prepositional ἐπί after ἔρχομαι is spatial; αὐτὴν refers to the fig tree. οὐδὲν (“nothing”) is the direct object of εὑρίσκω.

εἰ μὴ with φύλλα is, “except leaves”.

ὁ καιρὸς (here, “season”) is the predicate of the impersonal imperfect ἦν (from εἰμί). Fig trees began developing fruit at the same time as the leaves; thus the leaves should be a sign of fruit. ‘Jesus was on the eve of spiritual conflict with a nation whose prime and patent fault was hypocrisy or false pretense, and here he finds a tree guilty of the same thing’ (ICC).

τό σῦκον (4x) is, “fig”. σύκων is a descriptive genitive (“season for figs”) with καιρὸς.

11:14

The aorist passive participle ἀποκριθεὶς (from ἀποκρίνομαι, “I answer”), here carries the idea, “in response” (NIGTC); the participle is generally omitted in most translations.

Jesus is the unexpressed subject of the aorist εἶπεν (from λέγω), and αὐτῇ, referring to the fig tree, the indirect object.

φάγοι is the 3s aorist optative active of ἐσθίω (“I eat”), the only optative in Mark. Optatives express a wish; here, a curse. μηδεὶς is the subject of the verb and καρπὸν the direct object: “May no one eat fruit”.

ἐσθίω is modified by the adverb μηκέτι (“no longer”; most translations, “again”) and temporal prepositional phrase εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα (“forever”); εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα is omitted by most translations as redundant with μηκέτι. ἐσθίω is also modified by the prepositional phrase ἐκ σοῦ (lit. “out of you”).

οἱ μαθηταὶ is the subject of the imperfect ἤκουον (from ἀκούω); imperfects are common in Mark at the closing of a scene.

[lawrenceop]

Holy Land Retrospective - Day 8

Reminder: clicking on the link for each photo (links are all in red text) will take you to the Flickr page where you can see the photo in larger sizes.

Start with DAY 1, or flip through DAY 2, DAY 3, DAY 4, DAY 5, DAY 6, or DAY 7. Or just read on!

PHOTO 37: This would be our last full day together as a group, and we began the day with a journey, just over an hour, to Mount Carmel on the slopes of which is built the ancient port city of Haifa. From here, one looks out into the Mediterranean, where Elijah had seen a little cloud that was a sign of rain after a long drought in Israel that had been a consequence of the infidelity of God’s People; the little cloud came to be regarded as a symbol of Our Lady, from whom God’s grace would rain down upon the earth. For after God had worked a marvel and Elijah had triumphed over the 450 false prophets of the idol Baal who had their shrine on Mount Carmel, a great fall of rain returns to the land as a sign of forgiveness and of grace because the people of Israel had turned back to the one true God. This is recounted in 1 Kings 18:17-46. Mount Carmel, therefore, is a place of conversion, of spiritual renewal, and tells of the power of God to save us. It is also the spiritual heart of the great Carmelite Order in whose 19th-century church of Stella Maris (Star of the Sea) we prayed. 

Here in the Carmelite church, the sanctuary is built over a cave where Elijah sheltered. The Latin inscription reads: Hanc Aliquando Speluncam Incolvit Magna Ille Prophetarum Dux et Patrem Elias Thesbites, “At one time this cave held that great leader and father of all the prophets, Elijah the Thesbite.”

The Carmelites believe that religious life began on Mount Carmel, centred around this cave as hermits began to gather here in solitary prayer, after the example of Elijah. As their Constitution says: “From Elijah, Carmelites learn to be people of the desert, with heart undivided, standing before God and entirely dedicated to his service, uncompromising in the choice to serve God’s cause, aflame with a passionate love for God.”

As we have seen over the past week in the Holy Land, God often reveals his wonders and works his marvels among people who live in caves. Why? Living in a cave grounds us in our humanity, I think. For, according to Scripture, we humans, the children of Adam, are created from adamah, the dust of the earth. As such, we are people of the earth, dwellers on the earth, our being is connected to the earth from which we receive our existence and sustenance. Modern man in non-agrarian societies, some even living in the skies, is much removed from this fact. But Adam was, indeed, the first gardener, called to tend the earth of Eden (cf Gen 2:15), and so, too, the new Adam, Jesus Christ, was seen as a gardener on the first Easter morning for he was tending the new garden of creation that had been restored by his death and resurrection (cf Jn 20:15). Each of us, therefore, has a garden to tend, namely the soil at the very heart of our earthly being which God makes fruitful with his Word, and on which the rainfall of his grace falls (cf Matt 13:3-9, 18-23). Let us, by God’s grace, then, be “good soil... who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields” (Mt 13:23)

Like Plato’s cave-dwellers, our pilgrimage to these caves of the Holy Land brings us to stand at the mouth of the cave, and there, to see the light of truth concerning our being, our place in salvation history, and the lives we live. What are we doing with all that God has given us? Consider the experience of Elijah on Mount Horeb:

“And there he came to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." And he said, "Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. And when Eli'jah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" – 1 Kings 19:9-13

PHOTO 38: After lunch in Haifa, our next and final holy site was the town of Cana in the north in Galilee, not far from Nazareth. Here the Franciscans established themselves in 1641 although the present church is from the early 20th-century. I presided and preached at the Mass here, during which the married couples who were present were invited to renew their marriage vows.  

“Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim.” – Jn 2:6-7

In our imagination, we often think of these jars as being much smaller, the kind that we could pick up perhaps. But St John is clear about their capacity, and beneath the church in Cana, excavations had unearthed various artefacts including this example of a monumental stone vessel. Once again, like the caves, we are confronted with something hewn from the rock of the earth. For, once again, we see in the miracle at Cana a sign of what God wants to do for us human beings. Christ wants to transform us with his grace, elevating us beyond our human nature to share and partake in his divine nature (cf 2 Peter 1:4). Hence, he turns water into wine at the wedding feast, for when, by grace, Man shares in the divine nature, the soul is wedded to God, the divine Bridegroom. 

“He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast." So they took it. When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now." This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” – Jn 2:8-11

PHOTO 39: Also beneath the church in Cana are the excavations of a 4th-5th century synagogue on this site. Pious pilgrims have stood here in prayer, and some have left their prayer intentions here, and others have left money as a votive offering. 

However, the story of Cana, and indeed, all we have seen on this pilgrimage points to the generosity and gratuitousness of God’s grace. He gives us everything freely, beginning with life itself, and then with the gift of salvation in Christ, and the gift of eternal life in heaven. All is grace. Thus, no money nor any worldly good can ever buy or earn his favour. 

However, God does demand something if we are to receive his favour, his graces. He asks of us something more costly still, more precious than money and jewels, more all-consuming than a pilgrimage. He asks us to follow him (cf Mt 4:19). He asks us to entrust our lives to him (cf Lk 14:27). Or as Mary, the best of all disciples said in Cana: “Do whatever he tells you." (Jn 2:5) The invitation to Christian discipleship which transforms the water of our lives to become like the best of wines is extended to us daily. For God’s love and mercy is without end (cf Ps 136). Therefore, on the great pilgrimage of life, the Lord Jesus says: 

“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.” – Luke 9:23-24

Returning to Jerusalem that evening, we had a final festive meal together in our hotel, and I did not return to the Holy Sepulchre because (as was the case on most nights) we had inspiring talks from our spiritual leaders, and on this night, we had an evening of reminiscences and farewells. 

Tomorrow: Final hours in Jerusalem, with a visit to the Dominican friars, and to the Holy Sepulchre one last time. 

[learningtobreathe2019]

Post 1, Birth and Diagnosis, 2/8/2020

          Greetings and welcome to the Learning to Breathe Blog, I am the creator and moderator, Michael Krystallis. This blog is being created to, and is dedicated to, spreading awareness for those with invisible diseases and disabilities, specifically to my infant son who was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at just 3 weeks old. My plan is for this blog to be relevant and engaging to all who either have loved ones with “invisible diseases” or have no clue what the term even means. I wanted to create this blog so that it may serve as a resource to others whom may be affected emotionally, physically or spiritually by an invisible disease or disability. Personally I hope this blog reaches others and helps others see what life is like for small children diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis specifically, but also any invisible illness. I am sure it will also serve as a therapeutic outlet for me as well and allow me to express and put into words what my family and my son have gone through and will continue to go through for the rest of our lives since June 11th 2019.

           You meet the love of your life, you get married and you start a family. It’s that simple, right? No one ever mentions how hard the last part of that statement can be. My wife and I both knew, at very early ages, that we wanted to be parents. So, as soon as we were married we started trying for a family. We would have never guessed that those months of trying would quickly turn into years. We wanted to be parents so badly that during this time, we also decided to pursue adoption. First, we would have our hand at being matched with an expectant mother because we really wanted a newborn. After many cases being presented to us, we decided maybe we were being led to adopt from foster care. For various reasons, things were taking longer than we had hoped but fate was on our side. After almost two years of trying we decided something was wrong. One of us, both of us, something just wasn’t working like it was supposed to. So, with heavy hearts we called a prestigious local fertility clinic and scheduled our first appointment. The day before our appointment, my wife would give me the best birthday present to this day. The morning before our infertility appointment, my wife took her last pregnancy test and it was positive. Finally, after several years, after all the heart break month after month, we were going to be parents. We couldn’t have been more excited.

           On Sunday, June 9th, just 3 days before her due date, my very pregnant wife curled up in bed with what she thought was a upset stomach from something she had eaten. I’m sure you can guess where this is going. Nope, she didn’t have an upset stomach, she was in labor. After making our way to the hospital, lots of ups and downs and thirty-something hours of labor later, my wife was rushed backed to the operating room for an emergency c-section. Early on June 11, 2019 our precious baby boy made his grand entrance into this world. We did it! We were finally parents and man, was he perfect. William R.C. Krystallis was born a whopping 7lbs and 20inches long and in perfect health. Mommy and baby were doing great. My wife and I, despite being exhausted, refused to sleep. We talk, smiled, held and loved on our precious little boy.

             William was such a great baby and was thriving. He was a natural at breastfeeding and hardly cried. Our nurse came in bright and early the morning after he was born to do some run of the mill testing on William. This would include a blood test to test for Cystic Fibrosis. The state we live in mandates that every newborn be tested for CF within 24 hours of birth. There was nothing to worry about. My wife had been tested during her pregnancy for the most common Cystic Fibrosis genes and was negative. Plus, William was very visibly healthy. Later that evening our doctor came in to tell us that my son’s CF blood work had come back slightly elevated. They tested his blood the next morning. Again, it came back just slightly elevated. We were told that they would have to do another test at his one week appointment. Multiple blood samples were taken over the next week. Each one coming back ever so slightly elevated. Although, not an alarming elevation for CF, each test was elevated enough to require more testing. After 4 total blood tests and several stool samples later, we were sent to a specialty lab to have what they call a sweat test performed on William. At this point, he was barely 2 weeks old. Our little guy had already been through so much and was such a trooper. As long as mommy was holding him he hardly made a peep during the tests. As we waited to hear back about his sweat test results, we had an appointment with a pediatric pulmonologist. While he was concerned that William’s tests were showing positive for Cystic Fibrosis, he assured us that the blood tests can sometimes show false positives but the final diagnosis would depend on the outcome of the sweat test.

           A day shy of 3 weeks, my phone rang and the pediatric pulmonologist we had met with earlier in the week began to speak. He greeted me and within an instant, by the tone of his voice, I knew my life was about to change. “Mr. Krystallis, your son has Cystic Fibrosis.” That was all I heard. Everything else he said became murmurs in my now deaf ear. I held back the tears and interrupted the doctor. “I can’t tell her. You have to.” It was all I could manage to get out without crying. How was I supposed to walk down the hall, into my bedroom where my loving wife rocked our precious baby boy and tell her that the little baby she held had a potentially terminal illness? The baby boy that we wanted for so long, our perfectly healthy baby was very sick. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t tell her. So, I walked down the hall and handed my wife the phone. I’ll never forget that moment. It was like a scene from a movie. She grabbed the phone, said hello and then took a deep breath. My wife slowly put the phone down, pulled our son to her chest and started crying. Time stood still. We spent the next several hours sitting on our bed, holding our precious and perfect little boy and crying. Crying because we knew the currently life expectancy for a person with cystic fibrosis was only 37 years. Our baby, that looked so healthy was actually sick and would only get sicker as he grew.

[mysageukinbio]

Some Jang Hee Bin trivia bullet points

Movies Jang Hee Bin (1961) and Femme Fatale, Jang Hee Bin (1968)

Lee Seo Gu was approached to write the 1961 movie because of the success of his radio drama Jang Hee Bin in the same year.

At 21 years old at the time of filming, Kim Ji Mi is tied with Lee Mi Suk as the youngest actor to portray Jang Hee Bin.

Jang Hee Bin (MBC, 1971)

There was a ‘lead actor famine’ for this drama, and so a 300,000-won prize (worth 5,984,227 won today) was offered at first for the lead role, before a vote was called.

Yun Yeo Jeong was voted to become Jang Hee Bin amidst candidates Yun Jeong Hee and Kim Ji Mi, who previously portrayed Jang Hee Bin in 1961.

Though MBC’s 1971 adaptation was wildly popular, lead actress Yun Yeo Jeong received major backlash for her role. She was even removed from CFs for Yunina Shampoo and Oransshi Soda because ‘her image as Jang Hee Bin was not good for the product’.

While filming the 1971 adaptation, MBC reported many threatening calls to end the network, pressure from the audience to bring Queen Inhyeon back to life, and an incident on set where an actor playing the role of Jang Hee Bin’s court lady was given a bowl of hot water instead of room temperature in an attempt to sabotage filming.

Eventually, the drama was rewritten so that Queen Inhyeon was reinstated sooner than expected.

Actress Kim Min Jeong (Queen Inhyeon) was cast for the role in the 1971 adaptation on a stairwell by writer Lee Seo Gu.

This adaptation is the first to portray a dramatic poison scene, a plot point that would become the climax of many more adaptations to come, with various embellishments.

No known footage of this adaptation remains. MBC only began archiving drama broadcasts from the mid-’70s.

At 154 daily episodes, this remains the longest adaptation of Jang Hee Bin by episode count.

A special was aired on January 31st, 1972 - two days after broadcast had concluded.

Women of Legend: Jang Hee Bin (MBC, 1981)

The first season of Women of Legend (MBC, 1981~1982) was actually going to be another adaption of the Hanjungrok, but the production was scrapped and Jang Hee Bin became the first season instead. Series writer Im Chung would later on write two adaptations of the Hanjungrok (Oh, Heaven! for KBS in 1988, and the King’s Pathway for MBC in 1998).

This adaptation became MBC’s highest rated drama during its broadcast.

The late Kim Mu Saeng played the role of Jo Sa Seok both in this version and Jang Hee Bin (SBS, 1995).

During broadcast, Lee Mi Suk, Lee Hye Suk (Queen Inhyeon) and Lee Miji (Queen Ingyeong) were referred to as the Three Beautiful Musketeers (미녀 삼총사).

Director Yu Gil Chon’s brother Yu In Chon was selected to play the role of Sukjong. Yu In Chon is currently South Korea’s Minister of Culture.

In 1986, Lee Mi Suk admitted that mixed reactions were given to her portrayal. She elaborated that older people hated her character, while younger women related to and empathized with the character.

This adaptation broadcasted on Mondays and Tuesdays at first, but was moved to Wednesdays and Thursdays from Episode 37.

Lee Mi Suk’s portrayal of Jang Hee Bin was popular with men at the time, as the way she acted in front of Sukjong was considered to be cute.

This adaptation and SBS’ 1995 remake are loosely based on the Records of Queen Inhyeon, a compilation of memoirs by Lady Lee, one of Queen Inhyeon’s court ladies.

500 Years of Joseon: Queen Inhyeon (MBC, 1988)

Actor Kim Seok Ok played the role of Queen Inhyeon’s stepmother both in 500 Years of Joseon: Queen Inhyeon (MBC, 1988) and Jang Hee Bin (KBS, 2002)

Kim Myeong Hee played the role of Ok Jeong’s shaman here as well as in KBS’ adaptation, for which she is more famous.

Jeon In Hwa and Lee Deok Hwa took up the roles of Jang Ok Jeong and Jang Hee Jae respectively. They would become brother and sister once more in SBS’ 2001 drama Ladies in the Palace.

Jeon In Hwa’s portrayal of Jang Hee Bin was not initially popular until her reentry into the Palace in Episode 27, as her graceful and elegant aura was seen as too in contrast to the conniving characters of MBC’s previous portrayals.

This adaptation is heavily based on the Joseon Annals, as opposed to the Records of Queen Inhyeon.

The poison scene in this adaptation was famous for Sukjong ordering that one of the doors be used to restrain Ok Jeong as she was fed the poison. This portrayal would be repeated in KBS’ 2002 adaptation.

Jang Hee Bin (SBS, 1995)

SBS’ 1995 adaptation uses the same script as MBC’s 1981 adaptation, written by Im Chung.

Im Chung’s son Im Ho took the role of Sukjong. Im Ho is world famous for his role as Jungjong in Dae Jang Geum (MBC, 2003).

Eom Yu Shin played the role of Prince Sungseon’s wife both in the 1995 and 2002 adaptations of Jang Hee Bin. She also played the role of Jang Hee Bin’s mother in MBC’s 1988 adaptation.

The 1995 adaptation was supposed to be broadcast after SBS’ 1994 drama Auld Lang Syne, but was delayed because of trouble finding a lead actor. Sandglass was broadcasted instead.

Jeong Seon Gyeong was only casted after refusals from Lee Young Ae, Kang Su Yeon and Shin Eun Jeong. Lee Young Ae would soon after become the lead actor of KBS’ West Palace.

This adaptation achieved ratings of up to 43%, but began to suffer during the broadcasts of KBS’ West Palace and Jang Nok Su.

Child actor Lee Jeong Hu played Queen Inhyeon in her first three years after entering the Palace. Kim Won Hee replaced her when Queen Inhyeon turned 18. Lee Jeong Hu died of cancer on December 10, 2016, at the age of 30.

The poison scene in Episode 63 is considered to be the closest in historical dramas to an accurate portrayal of what actually happens when someone drinks Joseon’s government arsenic poison.

The scene is also reputed for Jeong Seon Gyeong’s sudden retaliation in kicking the bowl of poison from a court lady’s hands.

Jang Hee Bin (KBS, 2002)

The lead role was first offered to Lee Young Ae, Song Yun Ah, Kang Su Yeon, Chae Shi Ra and Kim Hyeon Ju before Kim Hye Su took up the role.

Even so, audience reactions were not initially positive to her being chosen, saying that she was too glamorous for the role. Public opinion began to change once Ok Jeong gained the rank of Suk Won in Episode 24.

With 16 previous years of acting experience, Kim Hye Su is the most experienced actor to take the role of Jang Hee Bin.

Kim Hye Su’s casting also broke the tradition of casting young rookies for the role of Jang Hee Bin.

The ratings once dropped to as low as 6%, but its final episode garnered a 31.1% rating.

The show’s original writer Kim Seon Young is not only the first woman to write a televised adaptation of Jang Hee Bin, but also the first woman to write an authentic historical drama (정통사극). The format has been dominated by male writers since its import to Korea in 1981 through KBS’ The Grand Order.

A rivalry was brewing between production manager Kim Sang Hun and Outdoor Filming Director Han Cheol Gyeong, which escalated into an assault incident.

The show’s latter half was written by Kang Tae Wan, rumored to be 1st-generation TV writer Shin Bong Seung under a pseudonym. Shin wrote the 500 Years of Joseon adaptation in 1988.

Kim Eul Dong, portraying Court Lady Kwon (Hee Bin’s court lady) is the mother of Song Il Guk, who portrayed Western Faction activist Kim Chun Taek.

The role of Choi Suk Bin was offered to Kim Gyu Ri, Choi Yu Jeong and Hong Eun Hee before being given to Park Ye Jin from April 9th, 2003. The first three potential candidates happened to be filming for movies when the role was offered.

At 100 hour-long episodes, this remains the longest adaptation by runtime.

Dong Yi (MBC, 2010)

Some of the State Tribunal’s clothes were previously worn in Queen Seondeok (MBC, 2009).

Jang Hee Bin’s character was written much differently than in previous dramas. Her character was meant to be more mature, driven to her decisions out of support for her family and faction. However, while the show itself was successful, Lee So Yeon’s portrayal was often referred to as ‘uninteresting’.

Extra Choi Na Gyeong (not to be confused with flautist Jasmine Choi) gained much popularity after the broadcast of Episode 36 on July 28th, 2010, featuring as a Court Inspector during the Head Inspector's arrest. Referred to as the Tibetan Court Lady (티벳 궁녀) due to her perceived resemblance to the Tibetan fox, she would later on feature in a daily drama and a sitcom. Choi Na Gyeong also became the model for a character in mobile game Master Asia, and is an avid arcade game player herself. Her cameo in Dong Yi can be seen below.

Because of how differently Jang Hee Bin was written in comparison to previous adaptations, this adaptation is the first since 1968 to portray Jang Hee Bin as willingly drinking the poison that would lead to her death.

Jang Ok Jeong, Living in Love (SBS, 2013)

Despite Jang Ok Jeong’s portrayal in the drama as a fashion designer, viewers were displeased at the use of high heels and fashion mannequins, both anachronic to Joseon.

At 33 years old at the time of broadcast, Kim Tae Hee is the oldest actor to play the role of Jang Hee Bin.

The show is unfortunately considered a failure for SBS, with an average rating of only 11.3%. This puts the show behind its contemporaries Queen of Office (KBS, 13.2%) and Gu Family Book (MBC, 18.7%).

At 24 episodes, this is the shortest adaptation of Jang Hee Bin.

A historical accuracy dispute arose over the portrayal of Queen Inhyeon’s father Min Yu Jung. This led to the show being derided as a ‘fantasy drama’ by political drama fans.

[autumn-leaves8snowflakes-please]

May is Cystic Fibrosis awareness month. Fingers crossed that we can spread the message! CF is a progressive, terminal, recessive genetic disease; meaning those of us with CF were born with it by inheriting a defective CFTR gene from both parents. This causes a thick, sticky buildup of mucus in the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. As a result, we spend hours a day doing breathing treatments and airway clearance and most of us, including myself, have to take enzymes and supplements when we eat to be able to digest food and absorb calories and nutrients. These treatments also often include hospital stays and IVs during exacerbations. In the lungs, the mucus we produce clogs the airways and traps bacteria leading to infections, extensive lung damage, and eventually respiratory failure which is what causes our shortened life expectancy. Only 30,000 people in the United States and 70,000 people worldwide have CF making it very rare. In the 1950s, children with CF rarely lived long enough to start kindergarten. When I was born, in 1992, the life expectancy for CFers was around 16 years of age. Today, the median life expectancy for CFers in the United States is almost 37 years! In Canada, the UK, and Europe the life expectancy is even better at around 46.5 years! It’s awesome that we are now living long enough to achieve adulthood, however CF is all consuming and unpredictable and often a full time job so it is hard to maintain a normal balance. As hard as it may be to see past it those of us with CF are so much more than CF! This month I will do my best to show you the bad and the ugly of life with CF, but I will also do my best to show you the beautiful life that can come out of the resiliency and strength that CF teaches us. #vegansofig #vegansofinstagram #veganism #vegangirl #veganpower #smallyoutube #smallyoutubersupport #smallyoutubercommunity #smallyoutubechannel #veganyoutuber #veganyoutube #KCVPHOTO #cysticfibrosis #chronicillness #anxiety #motivation #inspire #friends #cf #cysters #cfer #CFlife #cfawareness #cysticfibrosisawareness #invisibleillness https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw8wzOWAqs6/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1vdinmlrw8adc

[pope-francis-quotes]

14th April >> (@ZenitEnglish) #PopeFrancis #Pope Francis’ Homily during the celebration of Holy Mass for Palm Sunday: (Full Text) ‘Joyful Entrance into Jerusalem Followed by Humiliation’.

Pope Francis on 14th April 2019, celebrated Mass for Palm Sunday in St. Peter’s Square. An estimated 40,000 of the faithful joined in the service, which included the blessing of palms and reading of the Passion narrative from the Gospel of Luke.

Following is the Vatican-provided text of the Holy Father’s Homily:

Joyful acclamations at Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, followed by his humiliation. Festive cries followed by brutal torture. This twofold mystery accompanies our entrance into Holy Week each year, as reflected in the two characteristic moments of today’s celebration: the initial procession with palm branches and the solemn reading of the Passion.

Let us enter into this movement, guided by the Holy Spirit, and thus obtain the grace we sought in our opening prayer: to follow in faith our Savior’s example of humility, to heed his lesson of patient suffering, and thus to merit a share in his victory over the spirit of evil.

Jesus shows us how to face moments of difficulty and the most insidious of temptations by preserving in our hearts a peace that is neither detachment nor superhuman impassivity, but confident abandonment to the Father and to his saving will, which bestows life and mercy. He shows us this kind of abandonment by spurning, at every point in his earthly ministry, the temptation to do things his way and not in complete obedience to the Father. From the experience of his forty days in the desert to the culmination of his Passion, Jesus rejects this temptation by his obedient trust in the Father.

Today, too, by his entrance into Jerusalem, he shows us the way. For in that event, the evil one, the prince of this world, had a card up his sleeve: the card of triumphalism. Yet the Lord responded by holding fast to his own way, the way of humility.

Triumphalism tries to make it to the goal by shortcuts and false compromises. It wants to jump onto the carriage of the winner. It lives off gestures and words that are not forged in the crucible of the cross; it grows by looking askance at others and constantly judging them inferior, wanting, failures… One subtle form of triumphalism is spiritual worldliness, which represents the greatest danger, the most treacherous temptation threatening the Church (De Lubac). Jesus destroyed triumphalism by his Passion.

The Lord truly rejoiced with the people, with those young people who shouted out his name and acclaimed him as King and Messiah. His heart was gladdened to see the enthusiasm and excitement of the poor of Israel. So much so, that, to those Pharisees who asked him to rebuke his disciples for their scandalous acclamations, he replied: “If these were silent, the very stones would cry out” (Lk 19:40). Humility does not mean denying reality: Jesus really is the Messiah, the King.

Yet at the same time the heart of Jesus was moving on another track, on the sacred path known to him and the Father alone: the path that leads from “the form of God” to “the form of a servant”, the path of self-abasement born of obedience “unto death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:6-8). He knows that true triumph involves making room for God and that the only way to do that is by stripping oneself, by self-emptying. To remain silent, to pray, to accept humiliation. There is no negotiating with the cross: one either embraces it or rejects it. By his self-abasement, Jesus wanted to open up to us the path of faith and to precede us on that path.

The first to follow him on that path was his mother, Mary, the first disciple. The Blessed Virgin and the saints had to suffer in walking the path of faith and obedience to God’s will. Responding with faith to the harsh and painful events of life entails “a particular heaviness of heart (cf. Redemptoris Mater, 17). The night of faith. Yet only from that night do we see the dawn of the resurrection break forth. At the foot of the cross, Mary thought once more of the words that the angel had spoken about her Son: “He will be great… The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom, there will be no end” (Lk 1:32-33). On Golgotha, Mary faced the complete denial of that promise: her Son was dying on a cross like a criminal. In this way, triumphalism, destroyed by the abasement of Jesus, was likewise destroyed in the heart of his Mother. Both kept silent.

In the footsteps of Mary, countless holy men and women have followed Jesus on the path of humility and obedience. Today, World Youth Day, I would like to mention all those young saints, especially the saints “next door” to us, known only to God; sometimes he likes to surprise us with them. Dear young people, do not be ashamed to show your enthusiasm for Jesus, to shout out that he is alive and that he is your life. Yet at the same time, do not be afraid to follow him on the way of the cross. When you hear that he is asking you to renounce yourselves, to let yourselves be stripped of every security, and to entrust yourselves completely to our Father in heaven, then rejoice and exult! You are on the path of the kingdom of God.

Festive acclamations and brutal torture; the silence of Jesus throughout his Passion is profoundly impressive. He also overcomes the temptation to answer back, to act like a “superstar”. In moments of darkness and great tribulation, we need to keep silent, to find the courage not to speak, as long as our silence is meek and not full of anger. The meekness of silence will make us appear even weaker, more humble. Then the devil will take courage and come out into the open. We need to resist him in silence, “holding our position”, but with the same attitude as Jesus. He knows that the battle is between God and the prince of this world and that what is important is not putting our hand to the sword but remaining firm in faith. It is God’s hour. At the hour that God comes forth to fight, we have to let him take over. Our place of safety will be beneath the mantle of the holy Mother of God. As we wait for the Lord to come and calm the storm (cf. Mt 4:37-41), by our silent witness in prayer we give ourselves and others “an accounting for the hope that is within [us]” (1 Pet 3:15). This will help us to live in the sacred tension between the memory of the promises made, the suffering present in the cross, and the hope of the resurrection.

© Libreria Editrice Vatican

14th APRIL 2019 15:42PAPAL TEXTS

[russellbrunsonnetworth-blog]

Russell Brunson's Net Worth 2019

Russell Brunson was born in 1980 in Provo, Utah, in the US. He also grew up in Utah, and he loved sales and marketing from early on. He would study television commercials and radio advertisements, and he seemed obsessed with junk mail.

Russell’s entrepreneurial spirit also emerged early on, as evidenced by his interest in many business opportunities that came his way. He was also quite competitive, and was a good wrestler in high school, taking the second position during High School Nationals during his senior year. He also wrestled in college.

It was while at Boise State University that he met his wife Collette, with whom he now has five children. At the moment, he is known all over the world as a leading internet marketing guru. He had an interest in internet marketing while still in college, and a year after he graduated, he had already made his first million.

Today, Russell Brunson has made his a career in the app development and the blogging niche, but his most successful venture yet remains to be ClickFunnels, which he co-founded with Todd Dickerson. The company has over 55,000 users, and it has made sales worth hundreds of millions of dollars. He has other ways of making money as well, which is why Russell Brunson net worth is a big subject of discussion today.

What is Russell Brunson’s net worth?

Russell Brunson’s net worth is $37 million dollars. ClickFunnels has been his most successful venture so far, as the SaaS business is currently worth nearly $400 million. He is the CEO and Head of Marketing at ClickFunnels. Russell Brunson’s Forbes profile is also clear proof that this internet marketing expert has been a huge success.

Sources of Income

ClickFunnels

Obviously, ClickFunnels has helped Russell Brunson get most of his wealth. The highly popular international marketing concern has users all around the world. Even though ClickFunnels is a multi-million dollar venture, it was a self-funded project.

The company was started in 2014, and Brunson did not get any assistance from venture capitalists to get the business up and running. However, Russell had over a million people on his list, and he sent them an email requesting them to join his venture. Therefore, his deep connections in the internet marketing space helped him bring this company to life.

The entire idea behind ClickFunnels is to come up with clickable funnels that encourage huge sales. The program does this through three simple steps: the Tripwire, the Webinar, and the High-Ticket. The Tripwire is a low ticket item such as a free ebook, while the Webinar sells the product. Finally, the High-Ticket gives the user an opportunity to sell a high priced offer for up to $100,000.

Inner Circle Program

Many have benefited from the Russell Brunson Inner Circle program, which is limited to only a 100 people at a time. The program helps participants learn how to improve site traffic and improve conversions over a 12-month period. The program has been a huge success, and it has been endorsed by popular figures such as Tony Robbins. No wonder the Russell Brunson Inner Circle program is so popular today.

Dotcom Secrets

Once he proved successful at selling products and services, Russell Brunson came up with Dotcom Secrets in the year 2002. He would travel around the nation to share his knowledge of marketing through seminars and workshops.

If you want a Dotcom Secrets summary, here it is: you learn how to start a successful online and offline business. The product is very effective in delivering the desired information, and it is very easy to use, and also quite affordable. Dotcom Secrets should familiarize you with the basics of value ladder system, numerous case studies, and various concepts that should serve you well for many years.

Books

Given his success as an entrepreneur, Russell has managed to have a huge following in the entrepreneurial world. It is estimated that he has a million entrepreneurs who follow him. He has cashed on this unique privilege by selling books.

Today, he has sold over 250,000 books about marketing. However, his interest in selling books started from early on while he was still in college. He created a how-to booklet that promised to help readers make money every time their phones rang. He had 30 orders on his first day and he that gave him the assurance that this was something worth pursuing.

Later, while still in college, he created a guide on how to build potato guns. From there, he boldly entered the world of internet marketing. So far, Russell Brunson has written four books.

Other Sources of Income

Russell Brunson also makes money in other ways. His services can be hired, and he can also talk at events for a price. To pick his brain for an hour over lunch, people have to pay $5,000. He also speaks at events starting from $100,000. Russell can also create a funnel for customers for $250,000 and then get 10% of that funnel’s gross sales. He can also train your team starting from $100,000.

ClickFunnels Product Features

ClickFunnels makes the process of creating sales funnels much easier. In the past, it would take at least several weeks to create a single funnel, but with ClickFunnels, the process takes only a few hours. That is why thousands of people keep signing up in order to create funnels fast and effectively.

Customers can buy membership into the ClickFunnels program for $97 or $297 a month, depending on the features they want off their membership. Some features of this product include the following.

1. Great Customer Support Many SaaS products tend to have horrible customer support, even with a great software in place. But that will not be your experience when using ClickFunnels. The support team is very knowledgeable, and it will offer you all the assistance you need to create a successful sales funnel.

2. Pre-built Funnel Templates You do not have to build a funnel from scratch, which can take a lot of time, when using ClickFunnels. With the company’s pre-built templates, you can easily create your own custom marketing funnel with a lot of ease.

3. Drag and Drop Editing ClickFunnels makes it extremely easy to create your own sales funnel. The system comes with a drag and drop feature that lets you create various elements of your sales funnel to get the results you want off your online business operation.

4. Additional Features ClickFunnels also makes it easy to create membership sites, great landing pages, and even send follow-up emails and texts.

Summary

Anyone who knows a thing or two about online marketing knows about Russell Brunson, or at least ClickFunnels. Although this company remains his biggest success, it is not his only claim to fame.

Russell Brunson had an entrepreneurial mind from a young age, and he has been successful in several other ventures as well. Today, his Russell Brunson net worth is $37 million, and ClickFunnels makes over $100 million a year in revenues.

Unlike many other modern digital entrepreneurs, Russell Brunson Forbes story emphasizes how he started ClickFunnels without anyone’s financial assistance.

Russell Brunson has also made money off selling books, speaking at events, helping online entrepreneurs create marketing funnels, and so forth. So, although his star shines quite brightly today, it will only shine brighter in future if his current success streak is anything to go by.

CF Review's mission is to educate people who are starting out with sales funnels. Software like Clickfunnels provides incredible value to internet marketers but it can often be overwhelming when starting out. We hope to make it less confusing so you can get your sales funnels up and running! For more information visit: https://cfreview.org/russell-brunson-net-worth/