THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW YOUR CELLPHONE COULD DO:

There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies.

Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with it:

I

The Emergency Number worldwide for **Mobile** is 112. If you find yourself out of coverage area of your mobile network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.

II

Subject: Have you locked your keys in the car? Does you car have remote keys?
This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone!
If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone.
Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock.
Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other "remote" for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).

III

Subject: Hidden Battery power

Imagine your cell battery is very low; you are expecting an important call and you don't have a charger. Nokia instrument comes with a reserve battery. To activate, press the keys *3370#
Your cell will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell next time.

AND

IV

How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?

To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone:

* # 0 6 #

A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. If your phone gets stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless.
You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. And If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

Sanjeev

Hello Everyone,

Just a comment on the speeches at the UN this week. It seems that Iran's President and Venezuelan's President feel very free to come to the United States and offer their oh, so generous critique of President Bush. Isn't it nice that they can come to this Nation and speak freely, isn't it? Just think about the freedoms they offer their own, at home. I wonder how free their citizens are to offer their opinions on how well their governments are doing? I wonder how free their press? Or is it the same ole, same ole picture on every street corner, reminding their citizens who's boss, who's opinion, only, counts and who they must cow-tow to- at all times, or else. Yes, isn't it nice to come to the US and speak your mind, even when your mind is dis-respectful to the host Nation's leader.

The good ole USA, we can put up, we do not have to shut you up!

Up with Bush, down with Ahmadinejad and Chaves!
okay, maybe up with Bush is a bit much for this registered Dem., but, hey, I do back his standing up to Islamic Extremeists and not backing down.

Dear Ruth

Whaddya think of a Prez who still doesn't know how to pronounce nuclear?!?!?

Ruth, your Israel bias is making you lean towards Bush?!?!?

love, Heather

Dear AJ,
Thanks for asking. Everything is fine. Let's not talk about it anymore as it was probably just a prank. It's good to see so many wonderful friends here!
Love,
Donatella

A THIEF BECAME HIS OWN ENEMY!

An Italian thief accidentally turned himself in after losing his cellular phone while robbing an elderly lady by calling his own number to meet the finder -- and unwittingly arranged a date with police.

The 77-year-old victim handed over the lost phone to police, who then lured the thief to a meeting place where he was arrested on Monday.

The crook had been recently freed from prison under an Italian mass pardon meant to ease congestion in jails.

While police were waiting for him, the 35-year-old scammer had already robbed another old lady. He was riding a stolen scooter while hurrying to meet the police!

The police met him with a curious grin, read him his rights and put him in handcuffs. He appeared to be in an immediate state of shock which caused him to spontaneously flatuate which instantly sent the police scurrying for fresh air!

He is expected to be before a magisstrate tomorrow to answer the charges!

I see Heather that you must be pleased with Hugo's speech. He is free to say whatever he wants, isn't this a great country?

Steve

Dear Steve

Hugo's speech? I wasn't aware he'd made one. Though I've been commenting through the day, my comments were a form of think breaks taken during a project I'm working on. I have no idea what's going on in the news, or politically, except what people bring up here. I googled "Hugo's speech", and got lots of ref's to Victor Hugo. Do you have a link to some news about this? Did you think my silence was approval? It was pure ignorance of current events.

love, Heather

“The devil came here yesterday,” Chavez said, referring to Bush’s address on Tuesday and making the sign of the cross. “He came here talking as if he were the owner of the world.”
Standing at the podium, Chavez quipped that a day after Bush’s appearance: “In this very spot it smells like sulfur still.”
http://[delinker]www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14923411/

We should invade China, b/c they are cracking down on their freedom of speech over their really really badly, and they have terrible economic policies also.

Cannot the nay-sayers at least formulate something other then the Republican parties published 'talking points?'

Being ‘conservative’ should not naturally imply not thinking for yourself. Quote not another but allow the Lord to speak through thy tongue . . .

Heavy sigh, anyway . . .

Kohl, Allen, Lieberman, or is that Santorum, Talent, Frist

It might even be Joe Scarborough . . .

I don't know, will the Antichrist be Jewish or Anglo, or, an AngloJewishAmerican, you know, like 'Superman.'

And will it be a Persian like Ahmadinejad, the present day incarnation of Cyrus the Great, who shall be Christ's earthly representative for the forces of good . . .

Ahh, but we all know it shall be a Northman who leads the way . . .

One of those mysteries we are all trying to figure out, that is unless you definitively know the mind of G-d, which I most certainly do not; trying though

Nevertheless, I am not out there killing people, which is more than the United States government can say, and this barbaric 'Christian' government still has the death penalty, while also printing 'In G-d we Trust' on their very money.

Talk about Anti-Christ . . .

Peace

What do YOU think Steve (well, other than that I am crazy or 'evil,' or a 5th columnist even)

har har har

But . . .

I love you, and that IS the truth (and I have never even meant you).

Now let me see here, how can I reconcile me self-loathing with my love of humanity . . .

hmm . . .

Peace

Dear अग्नि

Thank you. Found this on the NY Times, about Hugo's after-speech:

",,,compared with Mr. Ahmadinejad, Mr. Chávez was just more colorful. He brandished a copy of Noam Chomsky’s “Hegemony or Survival: America’s Quest for Global Dominance” and recommended it to members of the General Assembly to read. Later, he told a news conference that one of his greatest regrets was not getting to meet Mr. Chomsky before he died. (Mr. Chomsky, 77, is still alive.)..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/21/world/21speeches.html

I'm grinning still. With friends like himself, he needs no enemies.

love, Heather

Now that is funny! I wish Chomsky wasn't dead too, I would like to meet him myself (maybe it is the spirit of Chomsky or something Hugo was talking about????). 2 funny!

Meanwhile in the pysical spiritual world: "U.N.: Iraq death toll surged over last 2 months
Report cites hundreds more deaths, many as a result of torture"
http://[delinker]www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14927839/

Yeah. Freedom, democracy, 'free'-trade, and the 'rule of law.' What a deal . . .

Peace

As I write, I'm listening to Colin Ferguson doing a wickedly funny take on the past two days of UN stuff, it's so funny it's hard to write.

You said "grrr" in other context. I concur.

Sorry Heather, I figure since you are so close to the action that you were in the know re: Chavez. He is a buffoon but is running around with a dangerous crowd trying to be the new Fidel. He is a chump, oh well. Seriously I didn't mean to assume something.

Craig you seem to be in top form, I'm happy. I love you too.

And love to you too Heather. The only Hindi I know is the name of a famous movie back in the 90's Dil De Pagle He. Hope I didn't butcher that. I'm sure you or someone will correct me.

Steve

I bet Bush won't leave the country now, having seen what happened in Thailand.

Grr.

Hmm . . .

Now in which context would you like that 'grr' milady?

I got 'grr,' and I got 'grrrrrrr,' and I even have a 'grrr grrr.'

Tis all very contextual though, very very contextual . . .

And don't get me going with the pirate 'arrr' stuff; holy moly!

Grrrr

Peace

Yes sir,

Reporting for duty sir!

What do you get when you cross an Arab with and Israelite? Two Semites!

What do you get when you arm everybody in the world with a handgun? A safer world!

What do you get when you raise property taxes on the poor? Richer rich people!

. . .

Think I could be a stand-up comedian? My catch-line could be 'how to be blond and get rich w/o exposing yourself.'

Or, I could beocome a lawyer! Ooooh, can't do that: damn, forgot!

Peace

Dear Steve

Dil to pagal hai, correction thus tendered. I got stuck in the UN traffic 4 times.

Dear Richard

That is quite a perceptive obervation. Has he ever left the country at all, though? Or rather, has he lever left daddy's backyard?

Dear Craig

:) ...no wit left, but the smile still works.

love, Heather

Scott, and Kristin: I very much enjoyed Hannah's piece in Kavita's newest edition--she is a jewel of a writer.

I just mentioned this to Kamini over on Mallika's thread about the Pope; as I'm sure you both would know, since you are also contributors there, that my very favorite section is Kavita's "Young Writers,"--Hannah's "The New Addition" was the first article that caught my attention.

These children are quite brilliant, and clearly Hannah has "the gift," (what can't be taught) as well--and as I said to Kamini, they consistently excel beyond the level of many of our "mature adult" communications here at Intentblog--their "lines" are sooooo.....clean!

I'm one of those that would love to learn more about the fantastic synchrodestiny of this unfolding miracle-of-coincidence; Hannah's humorous ending indicates she may choose to continue with this theme, or "may not"--depending?!

Next time I send a "hello" to Kavita, and a thank her for a wonderful rug she sent me from the area round-and-about her homeland, well.....frankly, I'm going to bug her to see if she can't coax that free-spirit of a daughter of yours to keep going with an updated series along the lines of what she's initiated--since her "dead-beat" dad can't find the words to keep us up-to-date!!!!

Thank her for me, Kristin and Scott, if you would--and please let her know she's got a personal request, from one of the "cantakerous dim-witted nuts" from the Intentblog, to continue her writing for Kavita's E-Magazine.

Much Love to you guys--Dave

Yah, politics.

Check this out:

Attorneys Argue Senate Bills Would Allow for Lifelong Detention Without Trial, Torture Without Accountability

www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/09/19/1348212

Neither McCain's Bill nor the White House's preferred bill outlining the treatment of detainees has a provision in it to extend the Writ of Habeas Corpus to detainees.

The White House bill further uses the term "persons" instead of "foreigners" when describing who may be detained and declared an enemy combatant.

This means that if the White House Bill passes the Senate (it has already sailed through the House), US authorities will be able to detain you, regardless of whether you are a US citizen or not, and if you are declared an enemy combatant (which the President can do without giving any evidence or justification for, just as a simple declaration), you can be held without recourse to a lawyer, any phone calls, or any contact with the outside world (including family members) for an indefinite period of time, without being charged with any crime.

You also will not have the Writ of habeas Corpus. The Writ of Habeas Corpus is a Constitutional Right which was adopted from the Magna Carta. The Writ allows a detained person to question the premises under which he was detained or arrested, and requires the arresting authorities or the State to provide the evidence and charges under which the person was detained.

Without the Writ of Habeas Corpus, in the example above, you would have no legal right to ask why you were arrested, or to ever see the evidence against you.

The Writ of Habeas Corpus was originally developed for the Magna Carta in 1215, and the intention was to prevent Kings and other rulers from simply rounding up people and throwing them in prison at will.

It is considered a cornerstone of the US Constitution, on equal footing as the right to free speech and the separation of Church and State.

The good folks at Democracy Now also have this story, which illustrates why Habeas Corpus is necessary to have in our law.

Canadian Inquiry Finds Torture Survivor Maher Arar Completely Innocent, Criticizes U.S. For 'Rendition' to Syria

www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/09/19/1348206

This is the case of Maher Arar. We know about this because he exercised the right of the Writ of Habeas Corpus. Without it, he never would have been freed, and his family would have never seen him again. He would very likely have stayed in Syrian jails until he died.

From the article:

"Four years ago this month, a Canadian citizen named Maher Arar was on his way back to Canada from a family vacation in Tunisia. The Syrian-born man had a stopover at JFK airport in New York. The date was September 26, 2002. He wouldn't see his family for another 374 days.

After being questioned at the airport, U.S. officials took him to an immigration facility in New York. Two weeks later he was secretly flown to Jordan aboard a Gulfstream Jet. Maher Arar ended up in Syria where he was held in a cell, the size of a grave. He was repeatedly tortured. For weeks his family didn't even know where he was.

On Monday, the Canadian government admitted for the first time that Arar was a completely innocent man. Justice Dennis O'Connor released the findings of a two-year major investigation into the disappearance of Arar. The judge wrote, "I am able to say categorically that there is no evidence to indicate that Mr. Arar has committed any offence or that his activities constituted a threat to the security of Canada."

It also turns out that the US did not inform Canada that it was rendering Mr Arar to Syria. Mr Arar told the US authorities that he was certain he would be tortured in Syria, and they still sent him.

Technically, the US is thus vulnerable to being charged with the following crimes: failure to give Mr Arar his rights under US Law, failure to grant him the right to see a lawyer, and illegally transporting him to a country where they knew he would face torture.

With regards to the two bills now being debated in the Senate, it has been speculated that there are specific reasons that the right to the Writ of Habeas Corpus has been omitted.

It is because the Bush Administration, possibly including the Vice President and the President himself, may become vulnerable to being charged with crimes in relation to their detention practices in the war on terror (as in Guantanamo) and particularly with regard to the secret CIA program called "extraordinary rendition," which was the program under which Mr. Arar was sent to Syria to be tortured.

It should also be mentioned that the White House bill approves the use of evidence obtained through torture in tribunal proceedings against the detainees.

In Mr Arar's case, he eventually signed bogus confessions for crimes he did not commit as a means to stopping the torture.

The White House wants this kind of evidence to be given full credence in military tribunals and in US courts of law. Currently it is not allowed. And currently, the military rules governing tribunals and courts martial do not allow for evidence obtained under torture to be used. The reason the military gives is that the accuracy of evidence obtained by the use of torture is highly questionable since torture victims have been known to confess to crimes they are innocent of to stop the torture, exactly as in the case of Mr. Arar.

Finally, I want to point out that the discussion of the importance of preserving Habeas Corpus is not on any major news network, it has not been covered in a single major metropolitan newspaper, (I wrote the Seattle Times to complain about their overlooking the issue), and it is not being debated on the floor in the Senate.

Rumor has it that some Democratic Senators are arguing with McCain and other GOP senators behind closed doors to preserve the Writ if habeas Corpus and disallow evidence obtained under torture to be used in a tribunal or court proceeding.

It has been speculated that the debate is not public because no Senators want to broach the possibility of indicting the President for violating the rights of detainees. They are afraid of being labeled "soft on terror" in an election year.

If you are an American Muslim, and you occasionally like to travel, you should be very concerned about this.

Oh, one more thing: Mr. Arar, according to the US authorities, was detained because he was on a list of suspected terrorist collaborators. It turns out that his wife was also on the list, and that his son, who se six years old, and his daughter, who was 6 MONTHS old, all living in Canada and all Canadian citizens were also on the list.

That’s right, you read correctly: Mr. Arar’s 6-month old baby was listed by the United States as being a terrorist collaborator, and as such could have been declared an enemy combatant.

Fighting terrorism is a noble venture, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about it. We need our system of checks and balances to help us avoid falling onto the wrong path.

It smells of sulfur here.....

http://www.counterpunch.com/

Yogi-One,

Ref. #34.

Well done!

It is a chilling (US) possibility, eerily akin to the frightening world of Big Brotherism prognosticated by George Orwell in his book "1984".

Hello Everyone,

Ambasteve, you might enjoy this article in the Washingpost today by George Will titled "A Dissident of Islam" here is the last paragraph..

"Neither is she pessimistic about the West. It has, she says, "the drive to innovate." But Europe, she thinks, is invertebrate. After two generations without war, Europeans "have no idea what an enemy is." And they think, she says, that leadership is an antiquated notion because they believe that caring governments can socialize everyone to behave well, thereby erasing personal accountability and responsibility. "I can't even tell it without laughing," she says, laughing softly. Clearly she is where she belongs, at last

This is a woman who has survived the "enemy" so she know about what she speaks.

Dear Yogi-One,
That information is very valuable.
The United States is a wondeful country and must say no to torture! There is no alternative.
Love,
Donatella

HI David,
Just caught your comments as I'm on the way out. I'll pass them along to Hannah. She was disappointed with what she wrote, because it wasnt' good enough. I'm not sure where she gets her perfectionist nature. ;)

Love, Kristin

Dave -

Glad you liked Hannah's piece. She is an avid reader and writer.

I agree with you completely; children do seem to have a way of seeing through the BS that we adults shovel into piles (a vain attempt to build protective walls I suspect). I too would really like to see what she thinks about the new situation :).

I am actually going to write a book about these experiences that have currently lead to the reunion with my b-mom and siblings. I will be sure to send you an advanced copy!

Peace,
Scott.

Why should I apologize for loving people?
I always will.
"It doesn't matter whom you love, as long as you do."
Swami Muktananda

Ayaan Hirsi Ali is nothing but a trophy piece for the American Enterprise Institute boys to pass around, whenever Ann Coulter is too busy and they want some 'exotica' blood.

And George Will, you must still be watching those Sunday morning news shows . . .

American newpapers are no longer interested in the truth, they are all owned by the incorporated elite, and they will just contiinually give you the same old swill about republican/democrat politics!

No free-thinking there! They control the very way you frame the issues, and what issues you talk about.

Waiting for somwbody to use the word 'uptick' now . . .

Please . . .

Peace

"Sir Richard Branson, the British magnate and adventurer, said today that all of his profits from his five airlines and train company, projected to be $3 billion through the next 10 years, would be invested in developing energy sources that do not contribute to global warming..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/21/science/22warmcnd.html

-- I hope a contributor will write something about this.

I've been hoping to hear news of this magnitude for a long time, and had grown to think it might never happen.

This was facilitated by Bill Clinton.

love to all, Heather

If what Richard Bronson is promising materializes, it will have put him in the rank of one of the world's most generous philanthropists, "planetarians" and humanitarians of all time.

Hopefully, this could then serve as a model for other tycoons around the world to step up to the plate and do the same for the planet and for humankind.

lyrics by Bobby Vinton

Blue Velvet

She wore blue velvet
Bluer than velvet was the night
Softer than satin was the light
From the stars
She wore blue velvet
Bluer than velvet were her eyes
Warmer than May her tender sighs
Love was ours
Ours a love I held tightly
Feeling the rapture grow
Like a flame burning brightly
But when she left, gone was the glow of
Blue velvet
But in my heart there'll always be
Precious and warm, a memory
Through the years
And I still can see blue velvet
Through my tears

Jesus 'Really Dreading' This Next Birthday
December 1, 1999 | Issue 35•44
JERUSALEM—Jesus Christ, son of God and savior of humanity, confided Monday that He is not looking forward to His 2,000th birthday next year, saying that He is "really dreading turning the big two-oh-oh-oh."

"This is the Big One," said Christ, who will be 1,999 Dec. 25. "I can't believe I'm actually turning 2,000 soon. I am seriously getting up there."

Though His associates have been keeping Him in good company as the milestone draws near, Christ said He is finding it increasingly difficult to keep His spirits up.

"They keep telling me I don't look a day over 33, but you know how they are—especially Peter," Christ said meekly. "He'll be calling me an old fogy three times before the cock crows tomorrow morning. I just know it."

Even members of Christ's family have been giving Him a hard time about His age.

"Dad's been ribbing Me pretty good," said Christ, sipping Holy Water from an "Old Fart" mug recently given to Him by St. Michael. "He gives Me all kinds of grief, telling Me stuff like, 'At the rate you're going, people aren't going to know if you're the son of God or the brother.'"

"Two-thousand," Christ said. "I swear, for the next few centuries, when people ask me how old I am, I'm going to tell them 1,999."

Though Christ is aware that His birthday is one of Earth's biggest holidays, He said it hasn't been important to Him lately.

"I remember when I turned 1,000, I was really excited," said Christ. "A bunch of the apostles threw a big surprise party for me at the Sea of Galilee, and it was such a great time—I don't even want to tell you how much water we turned into wine that night. But once I turned 1,000, each birthday sort of became less and less of a big deal. It's like, once you're a thousandsomething, you don't even get so excited about birthdays anymore. The past few hundred birthdays, I've generally celebrated by just going out to dinner with a good friend or something mellow like that."

"I am so over the hill," He said. "God, in another 501 years, I'm going to be 2,500. I can't believe it."

Despite Christ's pleading with friends not to "make a whole big production" out of His birthday, some suspect He is secretly hoping for a surprise party.

"Every time I bring up the subject, He says, 'Don't do anything special for Me, don't get me any presents, all I want is peace on Earth, I'm not some kid in his 840s anymore'—blah, blah, blah," St. Matthew said. "That's vintage Jesus for you. Well, I have news for Him: Nobody is going to 'just forget.'"

Still, Christ insisted that He hopes no big celebrations are in the works.

"It's bad enough getting old, but having your birthday on Christmas?" said Christ, shaking His head. "And Dad had better not make one of those delicious carrot cakes with the sour-cream frosting. I have to go to My Second Coming and judge the living and the dead right afterwards, and I want to be able to fit into My old raiment."

Kamini: Ab-soul-utely delightful!

Something tells me those "old farts" (Elder Brothers and Sistern) have a great fondness for a good sense of humor--rather than a "deadly seriousness" about killing each other over insignificant details of fact--most of which we've got wrong anyway.

Do you think it will piss JC and the Boys off if I purposely ask Jesus' Mom how old She IS?

I know it's not polite to ask a woman her age--but I thought, just to see if I could get Her to blush, and get a reaction out of the "old woman," well......maybe you'd better ask, women make better lightning rods and are good swimmers when it comes to floods and such! Dave

Kamini: Also, have you ever heard the saying: Laughter is God's favorite music?! Dave

Hi david,

No,no,no.....never ask a woam her age of her weight! Definitely not the way to get to them!
:-)

As for the saying 'Laughter is God's favorite music?! NOpe, haven't heard that one-but of course have heard Laughter is the best medincine! Or is that booze is the best medicine. Speaking of which its Friday night-and I'm off to take some medicine! lol

Take it easy, Byeeeeeee

K

You could always ask JC what he charged for his shelves!!!!

Girls Vs Boys:

When a girl is quiet,
Millions of things are running in her mind.

When a girl is not arguing,
She is thinking deeply.

When a girl looks at you with eyes full of questions,
She is wondering how long you will be around.

When a girl answers “I’m fine” after a few seconds,
She is not at all fine.

When a girl stares at you,
She is wondering why you are lying.

When a girl lays on your chest,
She is wishing for you to be hers forever.

When a girl calls you everyday,
She is seeking your attention.

When a girl SMS’s you everyday,
She wants you to reply at least once.

When a girl says “I love you”,
She means it.

When a girl says that she can’t live without you,
She has made up her mind that you are her future.

When a girl says “I miss you”,
No one in this world can miss you more than her………..

------

When a boy is quiet,
He has nothing to say.

When a boy is not arguing,
He is not in the mood of arguing.

When a boy looks at you with eyes full of questions,
He is really confused.

When a boy answers “I’m fine” after a few seconds,
He is actually fine.

When a boy stares at you,
He is either amazed or angry.

When a boy lays in your lap,
He is wishing for you to be his forever.

When a boy calls you everyday,
He is spending a lot of Talk Time to get your attention.

When a boy SMS’s you everyday,
He is forwarding them.

When a boy says “I love you”,
It’s not the first time.

When a boy says he can’t live without you,
He has made up his mind that you are his for at least a week.

Sanjeev

Oh God, excuse the spelling mistakes. I'm not really that stupid....guess in a hurry!

Hi Kamini,

We know you can't be that bad orthographically. You obviously write in a hurry. I have one suggestion: Write you text in MS Word first; before copy-pasting it make sure no word is underlined in red.

Sanjeev

Chomsky responds to questions about his death:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/22/nyregion/22chomsky.html

The autumn light in NYC has a fine blue quality to it, the air is cool and crisp, a good day for a long walk through the city, except I have no time.

Shanah Tovah to all those celebrating Rosh Hashanah tonight.

love, Heather

Are you out there Amba, or, you are probably working, ok; I need some input here!

For a confederation of Noachides

As we begin a new year, I believe that what the world Jewish community is most lacking is size, and the foremost challenge confronting it is the need for greater numbers. The number of Jews in the world has fallen below a critical mass, and the paucity of our number leads to its own tragic consequences.

Foremost among them is our inability to defend ourselves. Does Israel really have a long-term future with so few Jews in the world? Who will influence and exert pressure on their own governments to support Israel, the Middle East?s only democracy, when the Jewish population in most countries, outside the United States, is small to inconsequential? Will governments really choose the Jews over Arab adversaries when there are hundreds of millions of them and just a handful of us?

Until now, we have relied on two factors to offset our limited number: Jewish economic power, and alliances. But each solution is flawed and inadequate. In countries like Australia, for example, where there are just 100,000 Jews, their economic influence is such that governments take the Jewish community seriously. But this, firstly, leads to all kinds of charges that Jewish money controls foreign powers. And it is, at best, a temporary solution, because that economic power, in an age of rampant assimilation, is becoming more and more diluted as more and more affluent Jews identify less and less with the Jewish community.

As far as the Jewish community?s friendships and alliances are concerned, they always involve trade-offs. Sure, Christian evangelicals are Israel?s best friends anywhere in the world. But they still dream of all of us becoming Christian, and often pursue those dreams in multimillion-dollar conversion campaigns. With Catholicism it?s the opposite. After 2,000 years, they have come to greatly respect Judaism. But on the Israel front, the Vatican remains slanted in favor of the Palestinians.

But aside from security, we Jews, whose biblical mandate it is to function as a light unto the nations, are meant to leave a Jewish mark on the world. I fully understand that real influence comes from quality and not quantity, and that already we Jews, the smallest of nations, have been, arguably, the most influential nation of all time. The Athenians never numbered more than 20,000 citizens. Yet, along with the Jews, they laid the foundations for Western civilization.
BUT ALL this took place before quantity ? sheer numbers ? became so important. All civilized nations in the world today are, thankfully, democracies, and their governments, and their direction, is decided by numbers. And without sufficient Jewish numbers, we cannot influence the direction of world policy to reflect Jewish and biblical values, the way that evangelical Christians have done so successfully in the United States because of their enormous voting bloc.

To be sure, I have no interest in Jewish hegemony. I just want Jews and Judaism to have a seat at the table. And today, we have to accept that we don?t. Just look at the United Nations as an example of how Jews and Israel are treated with contempt, mostly because we are too small a number to influence a world body.

Kicking up Jewish numbers isn?t going to be easy, and vastly increasing the Jewish birthrate as well as fighting assimilation is key. But it is high time we addressed the issue that Jews have traditionally shied away from, that being, converting non-Jews to Judaism.

In the 150 years that they have been around, the Mormons have grown from a few hundred followers to roughly 14 million, the same as the number of the world?s Jews, even though we have been around for 3,500 years longer. The reason: the Mormons field a global missionary force of 60,000.

Why have we Jews not proselytized? Firstly, our standards for conversion are high, and we refuse to water them down to allow people to enter. And we would prefer not having converts to having insincere converts, and that is admirable and necessary. We can brook no compromise with the lofty standards that Jewish observance demands.

But the bigger reason we don?t proselytize is even more noble, namely, that unlike every other religion in the world, we don?t claim a copyright on truth. We don?t believe that by becoming a Jew you come closer to God than you would be as a devout Christian or Muslim. We actually respect the Godly qualities of other faiths that lead to a righteous life. And we shouldn?t want to change that and tell the world that unless they are Jewish they are all going to hell.

And yet, there is something that I have learned from the many debates that I have conducted with leading Christian thinkers around the world. In the debates, there is always a group of people who feel uncomfortable with what they see as Christianity?s compromises and accommodations with paganism. The idea of a man as God does not appeal to them. They are likewise put off by the pagan overtones of God conceiving a child with a woman, and they are positively cold to the Christian idea of original sin and how we are all born guilty before being innocent. Finally, they believe in personal accountability, so that the idea of a redeemer shedding his blood in order to purge them of sin does not accord with their personal values.

It is to those people whom I believe we should be offering Judaism as a pure monotheistic alternative and actively promote the Torah to them as the word of God that may light their nascent spiritual fire. Should they not wish to become fully Jewish, because they are equally unexcited by Judaism?s exacting demands of ritual observance, we should be creating a Jewish confederation of Noachides, as the Bible calls them, men and women who identify with Jewish spirituality and Jewish values but without the ritual observances.

In effect, these people would be adopting the Torah?s norms without converting to Judaism. Already, there are whole Christian congregations that have removed the cross and steeple and transformed themselves into Noachide communities who reject the deification of Jesus, observe the Sabbath on Saturday rather than Sunday, study the Torah for its general prescriptions of a spiritual life, but do not embrace all the rituals of biblical law.

Indeed, in my travels I have encountered many such former Christians who have created communities where they have Friday night Shabbat meals, observe all the Jewish festivals, study the Torah in Hebrew, and have a staunch love of Israel. They call themselves either Noachides, or non-Jewish Jews.

The Jewish community should be spearheading this movement, and should fund a global campaign to have non-Jews join a Jewish confederation, if not adopt Judaism in its entirety.

This is not to knock Christianity or portray it as a lesser faith. On the contrary, Judaism and Christianity, both Godly religions, simply have vastly different appeals, even as they share a great deal in common. Christianity will always appeal to those who prefer a more corporeal religion, where God is incarnate in human form, just as Judaism will always appeal to those attracted to a more subtle and intangible God, and those who wish to approach God without intermediaries.
http://[delinker]www.shmuley.com/articles.php?id=218

What do people think of? And following Mr. Akbar's post 151 on the 'Should The Pope Say Sorry?' I go there to post a couple more things . . .

Peace

White House, Senators Near Pact on Interrogation Rules President Would Have a Voice in How Detainees Are Questioned
http://www.washingtonpost.com

Is this going to be a 'gentler' form of torture?

Dear Heather,
your clip "Sir Richard Branson, the British magnate and adventurer, said today that all of his profits from his five airlines and train company, projected to be $3 billion through the next 10 years, would be invested in developing energy sources that do not contribute to global warming..." indicates great news. Now we need the help of political vision -- and action -- from people like Barack Obama and Al Gore, besides Bill Clinton. Not surprisingly they are all Democrats.

Dear Fresportra,
A little blue for you:
"This was a wall of the castle, and in front of it was a landscape in which Genevieve daydreamed, wearing a blue belt."
from Proust's A la recherche du temp perdue (Du cote du chez Swann ).

Love,
Donatella

Godhead

This new age self-made godhead,
Boorish, bullfrog like butt-head,
Ancient, Sanskritic, hypocritical

Sells sutras for uplifting the soul.
Sells liquor for drowning the soul.
Sells sutras of love, lust and sex.

Sells stealthy secrets of the universe.
Tells you how to be in good health
And so fooling you makes his wealth.

http://whitewings.sulekha.com/blogs/blogdisplay.aspx?cid=96637

WW

Dear Donatella

This morning's news said that Gore is connected with Branson's decision.

love, Heather

Meditation Saturday 23rd sept 2006
This EQUINOX let's hold the intention of PEACE, in ourselves.

Happy New Year to all our Jewish friends and families.
Love,
Donatella

It looks to me like Gotham's got a deputy.

Where DID simon freejohn go?

The spider's web-jail...

D. will bail him out.

I apologize for changing the subject, dear friends. I am participating in an INTERFAITH DIALOGUE about FORGIVENESS(the act of forgiving, pardon) in a few days. Would you all, esteemed scholars, and intellectuals, wise ones, please help me?? I have not started my research yet. Thank you. Love and God bless.

Geeta: If you want, I can give you a piece with a some good info. to follow up on the study of "Forgiveness"--at least some ideas and research for a starting point.

E-mail me at dwhalljr@Gmail.com--Dave

Dear Geeta,

David wrote a very thoughtful and thought provoking piece on forgiveness. I believe you would find it interesting and useful to your research.

Love,

Patzi

the upside of having Hugo Chavez think you're dead: a spike in sales of your book:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/23/books/23chomsky.html

love, Heather

"The Touch of the Master's Hand"
(written by Myra Brooks Welch, Feb. 26, 1921)

'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile;
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar"--then, "Two? Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three--" but no,
From the room far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
And going, and gone!" said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand
What changed its worth." Swift came the reply:
"The touch of a master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,
A game---and he travels on.
He's "going" once, and "going" twice,
He's "going" and almost "gone."
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's hand.

Patzi, thanks for being you and the pleasure you bring in the company of Kate, Donatella and Geeta. You all are a league of your own and an inspiration to many, male or female. With you, things fall in place when the center cannot hold. Thank You.