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Sri Lanka opt to bat; three ODI debutants for New Zealand - ESPNcricinfo

  1. Sri Lanka opt to bat; three ODI debutants for New Zealand  ESPNcricinfo
  2. Mendis, Fernando tons deflate New Zealand  Cricbuzz
  3. Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 45-runs to go 1-0 up in ODI series  The Times of India
  4. Sri Lanka wins toss, elects to bat in 1st ODI against New Zealand  Hindustan Times
  5. NZ vs SL ODIs: New faces, spin pitches and Champions Trophy watch  ESPNcricinfo






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Villa Rosa developers say Church criticism based on discarded designs

“The Commission continues to criticise previous designs, despite our clarification that these have been discarded and will be redesigned based on the outcomes of the local plan review”




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Tolentino: No PNP officer, politician helped Guo escape from PH

MANILA, Philippines — No police nor any politician helped Alice Guo escape the Philippine jurisdiction, at least according to the internal investigation conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP). Sen. Francis Tolentino, who was speaking on behalf of the PNP as the agency’s budget sponsor, bared the matter during the Senate’s marathon plenary debates on the 2025 funding. Prior to Tolentino’s disclosure, opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros asked what was the result of the “internal investigation” conducted by the country’s police force. READ: Alice Guo says someone ‘initiated’ her escape “There was an investigation and the result was that no member […]...

Keep on reading: Tolentino: No PNP officer, politician helped Guo escape from PH




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British police officer arrested on suspicion of Hamas support


The alleged support for Hamas related to online activity, Gloucestershire Police said.




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Fingers pointing in all directions: Dutch politicians debate Amsterdam attacks, antisemitism


The members of the House debated the role of lack of integration, antisemitism within the Muslim population, and failure of authority in a discussion about the attacks.




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CIA official arrested in Cambodia for classified doc. leak on Israel retaliation on Iran - report


CIA official Asif W. Rahman held top-secret security clearance and had access to sensitive information, the New York Times reported.




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Trump names Elon Musk to role for leading govt efficiency drive

US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday named Elon Musk to a role aimed at creating a more efficient government, handing even more influence to the world’s richest man who donated millions of dollars to helping Trump get elected.

Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will co-lead a newly created Department of Government Efficiency, an entity Trump indicated will operate outside the confines of government.

Trump said in a statement that Musk and Ramaswamy “will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies”.

Trump said the new department will realise long-held Republican dreams and “provide advice and guidance from outside of government,” signalling the Musk and Ramaswamy roles would be informal, without requiring Senate approval and allowing Musk to remain the head of electric car company Tesla, social media platform X and rocket company SpaceX.

The new department would work with the White House and Office of Management & Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach” to government never seen before, Trump said.

The work would conclude by July 4, 2026 — the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Musk, ranked by Forbes as the richest person in the world, already stood to benefit from Trump’s victory, with the billionaire entrepreneur expected to wield extraordinary influence to help his companies and secure favorable government treatment.

With many links to Washington, Musk gave millions of dollars to support Trump’s presidential campaign and made public appearances with him.

Adding a government portfolio to Musk’s plate could benefit the market value of his companies and favoured businesses such as artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency.

“It’s clear that Musk will have a massive role in the Trump White House with his increasing reach clearly across many federal agencies,” equities analyst Daniel Ives of Wedbush Securities said in a research note.

“We believe the major benefits for Musk and Tesla far outweigh any negatives as this continues to be a ‘poker move for the ages’ by Musk betting on Trump,” Ives said.

The move was criticised by Public Citizen, a progressive consumer rights NGO that challenged several of Trump’s first-term policies.

“Musk not only knows nothing about government efficiency and regulation, his own businesses have regularly run afoul of the very rules he will be in position to attack in his new ‘czar’ position,” Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen, said in a statement. “This is the ultimate corporate corruption.”

Maximum transparency promised

Trump likened the efficiency effort to the Manhattan Project, the US undertaking to build the atomic bomb that helped end World War Two, while Musk promised transparency.

“All actions of the Department of Government Efficiency will be posted online for maximum transparency,” Musk said on X, inviting the public to provide tips.

“We will also have a leaderboard for most insanely dumb spending of your tax dollars. This will be both extremely tragic and extremely entertaining,” Musk said.

Musk said at a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden in October that the federal budget could be reduced by “at least” $2 trillion. Discretionary spending, including defence spending, is estimated to total $1.9tr out of $6.75tr in total federal outlays for fiscal 2024, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

“Your money is being wasted and the Department of Government Efficiency is going to fix that. We’re going to get the government off your back and out of your pocketbook,” Musk said at the rally.

Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk speaks as US President-elect Donald Trump reacts during a rally at the site of the July assassination attempt against Trump, in Butler, Pennsylvania, US on Oct 5, 2024. — Reuters

The acronym of the new department — Doge — also references the name of the cryptocurrency dogecoin that Musk promotes.

In August, Musk and Tesla won the dismissal of a federal lawsuit accusing them of defrauding investors by hyping dogecoin and conducting insider trading, causing billions of dollars of losses.

Dogecoin has more than doubled since Election Day, tracking a surge in cryptocurrency markets on expectations of a softer regulatory ride under a Trump administration.

Shares in Tesla fell on Wall Street ahead of the announcement but are up about 30 per cent since the election.

Ramaswamy is the founder of a pharmaceutical company who ran for the Republican presidential nomination against Trump and then threw his support behind the former president after dropping out.

In his 2021 bestseller Woke, Inc., Ramaswamy decried decisions by some big companies to base business strategy around social justice and climate change concerns.

Ramaswamy said the appointment means he is withdrawing from consideration for the pending US Senate appointment in Ohio, where Governor Mike DeWine will appoint a replacement for JD Vance, who will become Trump’s vice president when they are inaugurated on Jan. 20.




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'Massive downsizing': Vivek Ramaswamy reveals how he will ensure government efficiency under Trump - The Times of India

  1. 'Massive downsizing': Vivek Ramaswamy reveals how he will ensure government efficiency under Trump  The Times of India
  2. DOGE days are coming for the US under Trump's two Musketeers  The Times of India
  3. Trump picks Musk, Ramaswamy to run new dept of govt efficiency  Hindustan Times
  4. When Vivek Ramaswamy was 18: School speech emerges as he readies for DOGE role  India Today
  5. Explained: How Musk's US Government Efficiency Panel Might Work  NDTV





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Indian-American Kamala To Take On Trump's Immigration Policies

Indian-American Kamala Harris, who scripted history by winning a Senate seat, has said she would open a battlefront against President-elect Donald Trump's anti-immigration policies




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Lawsuit Case: 276 Dominic Jermano -Vs- Nanning City Municipal Court

Lawsuit Case: 276

Dominic Jermano -Vs- Nanning City Municipal Court

November 27,...




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Democratic judiciary system


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Discover Advanced Engine Tuning Techniques For Better Fuel Efficiency

Maximising fuel efficiency is a top priority for many automobile enthusiasts. Tuning your engine can significantly enhance performance and save costs. This guide explores advanced techniques to optimise your engine for better mileage, focusing on practical steps and real-world benefits. Understanding




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Elon Musk Net Worth: Donald Trump Names Tech Giant To Lead US 'Government Efficiency'; Know Its Likely Impact

Donald Trump has named tech gaint Elon Musk to head US Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE). Elon Musk is world's one of the most wealthiest man, with a Net Worth over $319 billion following the US Presidential elections. Before the US




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Vivek Ramaswamy’s Viral Speech: A Future Politician In The Making?

A nearly two-decade-old graduation speech by Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has resurfaced on social media, gaining significant attention after his appointment to co-lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside Elon Musk. This viral clip showcases Ramaswamy, who is




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Maharashtra Election 2024: Election Commission Officials Frisk CM Eknath Shinde’s Bag In Palghar| Watch Video

The Election Commission (EC) officials on Wednesday inspected bag of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during his Palghar visit. A couple of days ago, EC officials frisked Uddhav Thackeray's helicopter, after which, Shiv Sena UBT chief accused the EC of being




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How much money Pakistan can lose if Champions Trophy 2025 is moved or postponed due to India's non-participation

The ongoing dispute between the PCB and the BCCI has put the International Cricket Council (ICC) in a difficult position, with limited options available.




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Indian IT firms key beneficiaries of H-1B visa sponsorship, data shows

In the current fiscal so far, 9,265 Amazon employees have availed of the H-1B visa facility, followed by Infosys (8,140 employees), Cognizant (6,321), Google (5,364) and TCS (5,274)




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Insecticides India records ₹61 cr net profit in Q2 

The company completed a buyback of 500,000 fully paid-up equity shares at ₹1,000 each, amounting to ₹50 crore, through internal accrual




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Onion prices expected to cool down with arrival of kharif crop: Govt officials

Govt disposing of buffer stock in retail markets at lower prices, says Consumer Affairs Ministry




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SBI, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank continue to be identified as Domestic Systemically Important Banks: RBI

RBI has prescribed additional CET 1 requirement of 0.80 per cent for SBI, 0.40 per cent for HDFC Bank, and 0.20 per cent for ICICI Bank, as a percentage of their Risk Weighted Assets (RWAs)



  • Money & Banking

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Single step eco-efficient mild chemical process for the total valorisation of rice husk: a focus on the inorganics as a cement additive

RSC Adv., 2024, 14,36314-36326
DOI: 10.1039/D4RA05263C, Paper
Open Access
  This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence.
Eleonora Conterosito, Geo Paul, Valentina Toson, Valentina Gianotti, Marco Milanesio, Daniela Gastaldi, Enrico Boccaleri
Rice production generates 25 wt% of rice husk as a waste, whose valorisation is challenging due to its high silica content. A mild chemical process separates it in three fractions, and the inorganic one can improve cementitious materials.
The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry




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Bulldozer action: Guilty officials to pay for rebuild

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued pan-India guidelines on demolition of properties and said affected people need to be given some time to challenge demolition orders before an appropriate forum.




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Crazy Participants In Group

I have noticed a pattern over the past few years and want to share. I believe my experiences demonstrate the need to get in recovery from codependency. I have noticed similar patterns in two people...



  • Friends and Family of Alcoholics

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Did the Denominational name begin on shaky ground? - He goes on to write that the naming of the (Nazarene) Church was the work of Joseph Widney - "For Widney, the name "Church of the Nazarene" **conveyed nothing explicit about the Methodist

Did the Denominational name begin on shaky ground? At the beginning of TCotN [The Church of the Nazarene] both Phineas Bresee and Joseph Widney were made general superintendent "for life". This info is from the book by Carl Bangs "Phineas F. Bresee", 1995, Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City. p. 196-197; He goes on to write that the naming of the Church was the work of Joseph Widney. "For Widney, the name "Church of the Nazarene" conveyed nothing explicit about the Methodist doctrine or the experiences of conversion and entire sanctification. It was much more an expression of late-nineteenth-century "Jesus of history" theology, which preferred the name "Jesus" to the more exalted name "Jesus Christ." The "Jesus of history" was not so much the eternal Second Person of the Trinity who on the Cross made a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world," as He was the human Person remembered for words and deeds whom Christians were to follow as Teacher and Example. Widney's subsequent religious pilgrimage bears out the connoation of low Christology, and also low ecclesiology, that the term suggested." It is suggested that Bresee accepted the Name because he did not know Widney's true theology. To Bresee the name "Nazarene" represented Jesus association with the common man. So what was the outcome with Widney? He became increasing seperated from the Nazarenes and eventually started his own church. "He wrote a number of books on the borderline of politics, history, and culture. These were laced with mysticism and with a core theme of Aryan racial theory (Q. Nazism?). He developed a syncetistic religion followed by relatives and friends in his privately built "Beth-El", A Chapel and Manse of the Church of the All-Father" (or "All Fader")." (P. 214). Notice that this was not someone outside the Naz. throwing mud. This was published by Beacon Hill. Are we seeing sowing and reaping? It is amazing to me how quickly things seemed to change. Yet as we see from the origins our name, one of our first Generals began on shaky ground. -- posted by Robert Bruce Fruehling at 'Concerned Nazarenes' Facebook Page



  • Christian Church History Study
  • 4. 1881 A.D. to Present (2012) - Corrupt modern bible translations and compromised Seminaries and Universities

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My Utmost For His Highest - Oswald Chambers (1847-1917) Chambers was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1874, the youngest son of a Baptist minister - A gifted artist and musician, Chambers trained at London's Royal Academy of Art, sensing God's direc

Oswald Chambers sometimes startled audiences with his vigorous thinking and his vivid expression. Even those who disagreed with what he said found his teachings difficult to dismiss and all but impossible to ignore. Often his humor drove home a sensitive point: "Have we ever got into the way of letting God work, or are we so amazingly important that we really wonder in our nerves and ways what the Almighty does before we are up in the morning!" Oswald Chambers was not famous during his lifetime. At the time of his death in 1917 at the age of forty-three, only three books bearing his name had been published. Among a relatively small circle of Christians in Britain and the U.S., Chambers was much appreciated as a teacher of rare insight and expression, but he was not widely known. Chambers was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1874, the youngest son of a Baptist minister. He spent his boyhood years in Perth; then his family moved to London when Oswald was fifteen. Shortly after the move to London, Oswald made his public profession of faith in Christ and became a member of Rye Lane Baptist Church. This marked a period of rapid spiritual growth, along with an intense struggle to find God's will and way for his life. -- A gifted artist and musician, Chambers trained at London's Royal Academy of Art, sensing God's direction to be an ambassador for Christ in the world of art and aesthetics. While studying at the University of Edinburgh (1895-96), he decided, after an agonizing internal battle, to study for the ministry. He left the university and entered Dunoon College, near Glasgow, where he remained as a student, then a tutor for nine years. In 1906 he traveled to the United States, spending six months teaching at God's Bible School in Cincinnati, Ohio. From there, he went to Japan, visiting the Tokyo Bible School, founded by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cowman. This journey around the world in 1906-1907 marked his transition from Dunoon College to fulltime work with the Pentecostal League of Prayer. During the last decade of his life, Chambers served as: • traveling speaker and representative of the League of Prayer, 1907-10 • principal and main teacher of the Bible Training College, London, 1911-15 • YMCA chaplain to British Commonwealth soldiers in Egypt, 1915-17. He died in Cairo on November 15, 1917, of complications following an emergency appendectomy. The complete story of his life is told in Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God (1993).



  • Christian Church History Study
  • 3. 1522 A.D. to 1880 A.D. - Indigenous Bible translations and Church Doctrines era - The Reformation

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Amazon: Empires Collection - The Dynasties - Egypt's Golden Empire / **The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance / Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire / The Roman Empire in the First Century / The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization) - Empires Collection:

Egypt's Golden Empire: In 1570 B.C., when Rome was still a marsh and the Acropolis was an empty rock, Egypt was already 1000 years old. Although the period of the pyramid-builders was long over, Egypt lay on the threshold of its greatest age. The New Kingdom would be an empire forged by conquest, maintained by intimidation and diplomacy, and remembered long after its demise. Led by a dynasty of rich personalities, whose dramatic lives changed the course of civilization, Egypt's Golden Empire presents the most extraordinary period in Egyptian history: from 1570 B.C. to 1070 B.C., when the Egyptian Empire reached its zenith. -- The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance - From a small Italian community in 15th century Florence, the Medici family would rise to rule Europe in many ways. Using charm, patronage, skill, duplicity and ruthlessness, they would amass unparalleled wealth and unprecedented power. They would also ignite the most important cultural and artistic revolution in Western history- the European Renaissance. But the forces of change the Medici helped unleash would one day topple their ordered world. An epic drama played out in the courts, cathedrals and palaces of Europe, this series is both the tale of one family's powerful ambition and of Europe's tortured struggle to emerge from the ravages of the Dark Ages. -- Japan: Memoirs Of A Secret Empire - Commanding shoguns and samurai warriors, exotic geisha and exquisite artisans -- all were part of the Japanese "renaissance" -- a period between the 16th and 19th centuries when Japan went from chaos and violence to a land of ritual refinement and peace. But stability came at a price: for nearly 250 years, Japan was a land closed to the Western world, ruled by the Shogun under his absolute power and control. Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire brings to life the unknown story of a mysterious empire, its relationship to the West, and the forging of a nation that would emerge as one of the most important countries in the world. -- The Roman Empire in the First Century: Two thousand years ago, at the dawn of the first century, the ancient world was ruled by Rome. Through the experiences, memories and writings of the people who lived it, this series tells the story of that time - the emperors and slaves, poets and plebeians, who wrested order from chaos, built the most cosmopolitan society the world had ever seen and shaped the Roman empire in the first century A.D. -- The Greeks: Crucible [melting pot] of Civilization - The Greeks - Classical Greece of the 4th and 5th centuries, B.C. was a magnificent civilization that laid the foundations for modern science, politics, warfare, and philosophy, and produced some of the most breathtaking art and architecture the world has ever known. Through the eyes and words of the great heroes of ancient Greece, this dazzling production charts the rise, triumph, and eventual decline of the world's first democracy. Now, through dramatic storytelling and state-of-the-art computer animation, you witness history, art, and government with giants like Pericles, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.



  • Christian Church History Study
  • 2. 313 A.D. to 1521 A.D. - Revised Rome and the Holy Roman Empire
  • Christian Videos

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{Occult Infiltration of the Roman Catholic Church} The Revised Roman Empire - 'Occult' power: the politics of witchcraft and superstition in Renaissance Florence - In Florence, how did one family--the Medici--secure their power after over a centur

Lawrence's interpretation, however narrow and flawed, does highlight an indisputable element of Grazzini's tale of Dr. Manente: its cruelty and "monstrosity," traits that, I will argue, provide insight into the social structures of the mid-sixteenth century, particularly those that rely upon coersion and force. In Florence, how did one family--the Medici--secure their power after over a century of struggle, and how did they come to construct a myth of their own legitimacy? ... It is important to remember that, from 1494--when the friar himself gained widespread support and offered a major threat to the rule of the Medici family--until long after his execution in 1498, Savonarola bequeathed a powerful religious and political vision that was not dependent on his leadership for survival--a fact that fascinated the political theorist Niccolo Machiavelli. Savonarola's followers--called the Piagnoni first by their enemies and later, proudly, by themselves--remained politically active after his execution, through the Republic that lasted until 1513, when the first Medici pope, Leo X, used the considerable influence of this position to help his family and their allies to return to Florence, and again after the sack of Rome in 1527, which occurred during the pontificate of another Medici, Clement VII. The Piagnoni continued to be active even after the Medici, first Alessandro and then Cosimo I, openly turned Florence onto the path of absolutism [unlimited, centralized authority and absolute sovereignty] by accepting the [nobility] title of Duke. ... Lorenzo's manipulation of the Church comes into play in the next phase of the beffa. ... At this point, Grazzini emphasizes not only that many friars and priests were ignorant, but, more importantly, that the kind of people Lorenzo elevated to positions of power in the Florentine church hierarchy were either superstitious [occult] or corrupt, criticisms that Savonarola also often made of the Medici.



  • Christian Church History Study
  • 2. 313 A.D. to 1521 A.D. - Revised Rome and the Holy Roman Empire

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{Occult Infiltration of the Roman Catholic Church} The Revised Roman Empire - The Medici Family [generally considered the most Occult family of Medieval Europe] - Other Prominent Medici were *Pope Leo X (1475-1521); Pope Clement VII (1478-1534); Catherine

Medici, an Italian family of merchants and bankers who ruled the republic of Florence through economic power and personal influence. By their patronage of the arts they made Florence the center of the Italian Renaissance. The Medici were created dukes of Florence by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in 1531, and grand dukes of Tuscany by Emperor Maximilian II in 1575. The last Medici grand duke was deposed by the Austrians in 1737. Important members of the Medici family included the following. Giovanni De' Medici: (1360-1429) established the family fortune and made himself ruler of Florence's merchant oligarchy. Cosimo De' Medici: (1389-1464), his son, used his banking business to gain political power and led Florence in a long period of prosperity and artistic achievement. Lorenzo the Magnificent: (1449-1492), grandson of Cosimo, gained fame as a statesman and patron of arts and letters. He was recognized as a poet himself and was largely responsible for the Tuscan dialect becoming the national speech of Italy. Cosimo (I) the Great: (1519-1574) succeeded to the dukedom in 1537 and ruled as a despot. He restored the duchy of Tuscany by conquering the other republics that had been part of it.



  • Christian Church History Study
  • 2. 313 A.D. to 1521 A.D. - Revised Rome and the Holy Roman Empire

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{Occult Infiltration of the Roman Catholic Church} The Revised Roman Empire - The [two] Medici Popes - Pope Leo X [1513 - 1521] known for being the Pope that challenged Martin Luther's [1517 A.D.] 95 Theses -- Pope Clement VII [1523 - 1534] (Medici co

Pope Leo X - Giovanni de'Medici, 1475 - 1513 - 1521: Giovanni de'Medici, second son of Lorenzo and younger brother of the fatuous Piero, became the first of the Medici Popes (Leo X - Leone Decimo) at the age of 38 on 11 March 1513. Prior to this his life had been a complete roller coaster. Brought up in Medici luxury alongside Michelangelo (who was included in the Medici household by Lorenzo), older brother Piero and cousin Giulio (who was adopted by Lorenzo after his father (who was Lorenzo's brother) was killed in the Pazzi Conspiracy in 1478), he had access to the incomes of several wealthy monasteries, including Badia a Passignano, and was made a Cardinal at the age of 13. All this came to an abrupt end in 1494 when, in the wake of Lorenzo's death, the incompetent surrender of his brother Piero the Fatuous to the French, and the ensuing Savanorola stirred turbulence, he had to sneak out of Florence dressed as a Franciscan Friar, and then live in hiding with his cousin for the next decade, latterly being protected by the Habsburg Emperor Maximilian (who ironically was to be a major cause of the collapse of the Bruges branch of the Medici Bank) and then by the dreadful Cesare Borgia and his father Pope Alessandro VI (1431 - 1492 - 1503 (72)) in Rome. ... Pope Clement VII Giulio de'Medici, 1478 - 1523 - 1534 (56) Illegitimate son of Lorenzo's (Pazzi murdered) brother Giuliano, adopted son of Lorenzo, and companion in exile to Lorenzo's son Giovanni (Leo X), who was three years his senior, Giulio de'Medici became Pope Clement VII (Clemente Settimo). He was good looking, intellectually sophisticated, a talented musician and a political disaster. In reality he also faced the legacy of the corrupt practices of his cousin Leo X, and the impossible task of operating in the emergent nation state Europe dominated by Charles V, Francis I, and Henry VIII (whom he excommunicated), and threatened by Suleiman the Magnificent, plus Martin Luther dealing the protestants into the game as well - see Insight Page. He lost England, and was humiliated by having to flee in disguise from Rome when it was barbarically sacked by Charles V's rabble army after Clement mistakenly got too close to flashy Francis I of France.



  • Christian Church History Study
  • 2. 313 A.D. to 1521 A.D. - Revised Rome and the Holy Roman Empire

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{Occult Infiltration of the Roman Catholic Church} (Part 1 of 3) Pope Leo X: 11 December 1475 - 1 December 1521, born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, [made a Cardinal at the age of 13] was the Pope from 1513 to his death in 1521. He was the last non-p

Spendthrift [primarily on things not directly benefiting or advancing the Christian message and Gospel of Jesus Christ]: Leo's lively interest in art and literature, to say nothing of his natural liberality, his alleged nepotism, his political ambitions and necessities, and his immoderate personal luxury, exhausted within two years the hard savings of [Pope] Julius II, and precipitated a financial crisis from which he never emerged and which was a direct cause of most of what, from a papal point of view, were calamities of his pontificate. -- He sold cardinals' hats. He sold membership in the "Knights of Peter". He borrowed large sums from bankers, curials, princes and Jews. The Venetian ambassador Gradenigo estimated the paying number of offices on Leo's death at 2,150, with a capital value of nearly 3,000,000 ducats (about 132 million dollars in 2010 dollars) and a yearly income of 328,000 ducats ($14,432,000.00). -- The ordinary income of the pope for the year 1517 had been reckoned at about 580,000 ducats ($2,552,000.00) [around $44 each ducat coin in 2010 dollars], of which 420,000 came from the States of the Church, 100,000 from annates, and 60,000 from the composition tax instituted by Sixtus IV. These sums, together with the *considerable amounts accruing from indulgences, jubilees, and special fees, *vanished as quickly as they were received. Then the pope resorted to pawning palace furniture, table plate, jewels, even statues of the apostles. Several banking firms and many individual creditors were ruined by the death of Leo.



  • Christian Church History Study
  • 2. 313 A.D. to 1521 A.D. - Revised Rome and the Holy Roman Empire

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Wikipedia: Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 7 March 1274), also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus,

Thomas is held in the Catholic Church to be the model teacher for those studying for the priesthood. The works for which he is best-known are the Summa Theologica and the Summa Contra Gentiles. As one of the 33 Doctors of the Church, he is considered the Church's greatest theologian and philosopher. Pope Benedict XV declared: "This (Dominican) Order ... acquired new luster when the Church declared the teaching of Thomas to be her own and that Doctor, honored with the special praises of the Pontiffs, the master and patron of Catholic schools."



  • Christian Church History Study
  • 2. 313 A.D. to 1521 A.D. - Revised Rome and the Holy Roman Empire

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{Basic Christian: Gnosticism Exposed} Movie: Ron Howard Prepares to Unleash Angels & Demons (2009) - the follow-up to The Da Vinci Code [Angels & Demons is part 1 - The Da Vinci Code was actually part 2] - Tom Hanks reprising his role as Robert La

One of the many high-profile productions being affected by the looming writers' strike is Angels & Demons, the follow-up to The Da Vinci Code -- but if director Ron Howard and his fellow filmmakers have anything to say about it, their sequel's progress will be unimpeded. Variety reports on the last-minute preparations behind the scenes of Angels & Demons, which will find Tom Hanks reprising his role as Robert Langdon from The Da Vinci Code, the $758 million-grossing adaptation of Dan Brown's bestselling book. Angels is scheduled to start filming in Europe next February, but with the writers' strike coming as early as November 1, Howard's team has to move quickly. ... Meanwhile, the "Angels" team have begun casting around Tom Hanks, who will reprise his role as Robert Langdon. Hanks' character, a Harvard-based expert on religious symbols, this time sleuths a mystery that involves a secret society and a conspiracy that leads to Vatican City and threatens the future of the Catholic Church. Variety's report goes on to note that, although the Angels & Demons novel was written before -- and takes place before -- The Da Vinci Code, the film will be a sequel.



  • Christian Church History Study
  • 2. 313 A.D. to 1521 A.D. - Revised Rome and the Holy Roman Empire

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{Basic Christian: Gnosticism Exposed} Muslim - British financing of "Da Vinci Code" Movie questioned

Mohammed Yusef, the founder of Invicta Capital in Great Britain, is using a government tax-incentive program to fund the movie version of the anti-Christian "Da Vinci Code" novel for Sony Pictures. According to the Times of London, the London-based Invicta is taking advantage of British tax rules to provide Sony with 100 million pounds of the 114 million pounds that the movie reportedly cost. The capital allows Sony to dramatically reduce its cost of borrowing money to produce and market the movie.



  • Christian Church History Study
  • 2. 313 A.D. to 1521 A.D. - Revised Rome and the Holy Roman Empire

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{Basic Christian: Gnosticism Exposed} Rise of Modern Islam - The Myth of Mecca (as the early center of Islam) - Let's face it . . . Islam began in the year 666 AD.

In her book, Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam, Dr. Crone demonstrates that Islam did not originate in Mecca. Mecca is located in the Hejaz region of what is today Saudi Arabia. It is portrayed by traditional belief as a wealthy trading center, full of merchants trading goods by caravan from Yemen in the south and Syria and the Byzantium empire in the north. Crone shows that Mecca was in fact way off the incense route from Yemen to Syria, which bypassed where Mecca is today by over 100 miles. Further, there is no mention whatever of Mecca in contemporary non-Moslem sources: ... While there may well have been a historical individual named Ubu'l Kassim who was later entitled Mohammed ("The Praised One"), who raised followers and participated in the initiation of the Arab Conquest, he likely came from northeast Arabia in what is now southern Jordan. The deity that Ubu'l Kassim chose to follow was Allah, a contraction of al-Lah, the ancient Arab God of the Moon [note: which is why the symbol of Islam to this day is the crescent moon]. Ubu'l Kassim died, however, some years before the Arab Conquest was fully underway (the traditional date is 632). Al-Rawandi summarizes what then happened:



  • Christian Church History Study
  • 2. 313 A.D. to 1521 A.D. - Revised Rome and the Holy Roman Empire

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Wikipedia: Constantine the Great - Roman Emperor from 306 A.D. to 337 A.D. - The foremost general of his time, Constantine defeated the emperors Maxentius and Licinius during civil wars - He also fought successfully against the Franks, Alamanni, Visigoths

Religious policy: Constantine is perhaps best known for being the first Christian Roman emperor; his reign was certainly a turning point for the Church. In February 313, Constantine met with Licinius in Milan where they developed the Edict of Milan. The edict stated that Christians should be allowed to follow the faith of their choosing. This removed penalties for professing Christianity (under which many had been martyred in previous persecutions of Christians) and returned confiscated Church property. The edict protected from religious persecution not only Christians but all religions, allowing anyone to worship whichever deity they chose. A similar edict had been issued in 311 by Galerius, then senior emperor of the Tetrarchy; Galerius' edict granted Christians the right to practice their religion but did not restore any property to them. The Edict of Milan included several clauses which stated that all confiscated churches would be returned as well as other provisions for previously persecuted Christians. ... Constantine did not patronize Christianity alone, however. After gaining victory in the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312), a triumphal arch-the Arch of Constantine-was built (315) to celebrate it; the arch is decorated with images of Victoria and sacrifices to gods like Apollo, Diana, and Hercules, but contains no Christian symbolism. In 321, Constantine instructed that Christians and non-Christians should be united in observing the venerable day of the sun, referencing the esoteric eastern sun-worship which Aurelian had helped introduce, and his coinage still carried the symbols of the sun cult until 324. Even after the pagan gods had disappeared from the coinage, Christian symbols appeared only as Constantine's personal attributes: the chi rho between his hands or on his labarum, but never on the coin itself. Even when Constantine dedicated the new capital of Constantinople, which became the seat of Byzantine Christianity for a millennium, he did so wearing the Apollonian sun-rayed Diadem. -- The reign of Constantine established a precedent for the position of the emperor as having some influence within the religious discussions going on within the Catholic Church of that time, e.g., the dispute over Arianism. Constantine himself disliked the risks to societal stability that religious disputes and controversies brought with them, preferring where possible to establish an orthodoxy. The emperor saw it as his duty to ensure that God was properly worshiped in his empire, and that what proper worship consisted would be determined by the Church. In 316, Constantine acted as a judge in a North African dispute concerning the validity of Donatism. After deciding against the Donatists, Constantine led an army of Christians against the Donatist Christians. More significantly, in 325 he summoned the Council of Nicaea, effectively the first Ecumenical Council (unless the Council of Jerusalem is so classified). Nicaea was dealt mostly with Arianism. Constantine also enforced the prohibition of the First Council of Nicaea against celebrating the Lord's Supper on the day before the Jewish Passover (14th of Nisan) (see Quartodecimanism and Easter controversy). Constantine made new laws regarding the Jews. They were forbidden to own Christian slaves or to circumcise their slaves.



  • Christian Church History Study
  • 2. 313 A.D. to 1521 A.D. - Revised Rome and the Holy Roman Empire

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Eusebius of Caesarea (263 - 339 A.D.) also called Eusebius Pamphili - a Roman historian, exegete and Christian polemicist - He became the Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine [Israel] about the year 314 A.D. - Together with Pamphilus, he was a scholar of the B

Eusebius of Caesarea (c. AD 263 - 339) also called Eusebius Pamphili, was a Roman historian, exegete and Christian polemicist. He became the Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine about the year 314. Together with Pamphilus, he was a scholar of the Biblical canon. He wrote Demonstrations of the Gospel, Preparations for the Gospel, and On Discrepancies between the Gospels, studies of the Biblical text. As "Father of Church History" he produced the Ecclesiastical History, On the Life of Pamphilus, the Chronicle and On the Martyrs. ... Little is known about the life of Eusebius. His successor at the see of Caesarea, Acacius, wrote a Life of Eusebius, but this work has been lost. Eusebius' own surviving works probably only represent a small portion of his total output. Since he was on the losing side of the long 4th-century contest between the allies and enemies of Arianism (Eusebius was an early and vocal supporter of *Arius), posterity did not have much respect for Eusebius' person and was neglectful in the preservation of his writings. Beyond notices in his extant writings, the major sources are the 5th-century ecclesiastical historians Socrates, Sozomen, and Theodoret, and the 4th-century Christian author Jerome. There are assorted notices of his activities in the writings of his contemporaries Athanasius, Arius (Arianism heresy), Eusebius of Nicomedia, and Alexander of Alexandria. Eusebius' pupil, Eusebius of Emesa, provides some incidental information. -- By the 3rd century, Caesarea had a population of about 100,000. It had been a pagan city since Pompey had given control of the city to the gentiles during his command of the eastern provinces in the 60s BC. The gentiles retained control of the city in the three centuries since that date, despite Jewish petitions for joint governorship. Gentile government was strengthened by the city's refoundation under Herod the Great (r. 37-4 BC), when it had taken on the name of Augustus Caesar. In addition to the gentile settlers, Caesarea had large Jewish and Samaritan minorities. Eusebius was probably born into the Christian contingent of the city. Caesarea's Christian community presumably had a history reaching back to apostolic times, but it is a common claim that no bishops are attested for the town before about AD 190, even though the Apostolic Constitutions 7.46 states that Zacchaeus was the first bishop. -- Through the activities of the theologian Origen (185/6-254) and the school of his follower Pamphilus (later 3rd century - 309 AD), Caesarea became a center of Christian learning. Origen was largely responsible for the collection of usage information regarding the texts which became the New Testament. The information used to create the late-fourth-century Easter Letter, which declared accepted Christian writings, was probably based on the Ecclesiastical History [HE] of Eusebius of Caesarea, wherein he uses the information passed on to him by Origen to create both his list at HE 3:25 and Origen's list at HE 6:25. Eusebius got his information about what texts were accepted by the third-century churches throughout the known world, a great deal of which Origen knew of firsthand from his extensive travels, from the library and writings of Origen. In fact, Origen would have possibly included in his list of "inspired writings" other texts which were kept out by the likes of Eusebius, including the Epistle of Barnabas, Shepherd of Hermas, and 1 Clement. On his deathbed, Origen had made a bequest of his private library to the Christian community in the city. Together with the books of his patron Ambrosius, Origen's library (including the original manuscripts of his works formed the core of the collection that Pamphilus established. Pamphilus also managed a school that was similar to (or perhaps a re-establishment of) that of Origen. Pamphilus was compared to Demetrius of Phalerum and Pisistratus, for he had gathered Bibles "from all parts of the world". Like his model Origen, Pamphilus maintained close contact with his students. Eusebius, in his history of the persecutions, alludes to the fact that many of the Caesarean martyrs lived together, presumably under Pamphilus.



  • Christian Church History Study
  • 1. 0 A.D. to 312 A.D. - Birth of Jesus and the early Church Age

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SAINTS PERPETUA, FELICITAS, AND COMPANIONS - MARTYRS 203 A.D. - Feast Day: March 6 - The record of the Passion of St. Perpetua, St. Felicitas, and their Companions is one of the great treasures of martyr literature, an authentic document preserved for us

Perpetua's father was a pagan, her mother and two brothers Christians, one of the brothers being a catechumen. These five prisoners were soon joined by one Saturus, who seems to have been their instructor in the faith and who now chose to share their punishment. At first they were all kept under strong guard in a private house. Perpetua wrote a vivid account of what happened. ...



  • Christian Church History Study
  • 1. 0 A.D. to 312 A.D. - Birth of Jesus and the early Church Age

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REVIVAL TRUTHS by Charles G. Finney -- WHAT EVANGELICAL FAITH IS: Since the Bible uniformly represents saving or evangelical faith as a virtue, we know that it must be a phenomenon of the will - It is an efficient state of mind, and therefore it must cons

WHAT IS IMPLIED IN EVANGELICAL FAITH:

1. It implies an intellectual perception of the things, facts, and truths believed. No one can believe that which he does not understand.
2. Evangelical faith implies the appropriation of the truths of the Gospel to ourselves. It implies an acceptance of Christ as our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. The soul that truly believes in Christ, believes that He tasted death for every man, and of course for it. It apprehends Christ as the Saviour of the world, as offered to all, and embraces and receives Him for itself. It appropriates His atonement, and His resurrection and His intercession, and His promises to itself. Christ is thus presented in the Gospel not only as the Saviour of the world, but also to the individual acceptance of men. He saves the world no further than He saves individuals. Evangelical faith implies a personal acceptance and appropriation of Christ to meet the necessities of the individual soul.
3. Faith is a state of committal to Christ, and of course it implies that the soul will be unreseveredly yielded up to Him, in all His relations to it, so far and so fast as these are apprehended by the intellect.
4. Evangelical faith implies an evangelical life. This would not be true if faith were merely an intellectual state or exercise. But since, as we have seen, faith is of the heart, since it consists in the committal of the will to Christ, it follows, by a law of necessity, that the life will correspond with faith. Let this be kept in perpetual remembrance.
5. Evangelical faith implies repentance towards God, that is, a turning from sin to God.
6. Evangelical faith implies a renunciation of self-righteousness. It is impossible for one to embrace Christ as the Saviour of the soul, any further than he renounces all hope or expectation of being saved by his own works, or righteousness.
7. Of course it implies peace of mind. In Christ the soul finds its full and present salvation. It has found its resting-place in Christ, and rests in profound peace under the shadow of the Almighty.
8. It implies hope, as soon as the believing soul considers what is conveyed by the Gospel, that is, a hope of eternal life in and through Christ.
9. It implies joy in God and in Christ. St. Peter speaks of joy as the unfailing accompaniment of faith, as resulting from it.
10. Present evangelical faith implies a state of present sinlessness [covered by the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7)]. Observe: faith is the yielding and committal of the whole will, and of the whole being to Christ. This, and nothing short of this, is evangelical faith. But this comprehends and implies the whole of present, true obedience to Christ. This is the reason why faith is spoken of as the condition, and as it were, the only condition, of salvation. It really implies all virtue.

When contemplated as an attribute of love, it is only a branch of sanctification. When contemplated in the wider sense of universal conformity of will to the will of God, it is then synonymous with entire present sanctification. Contemplated in either light, its existence in the heart must be inconsistent with present sin there. Faith is an attitude of the will, and is wholly incompatible with present rebellion of will against Christ. This must be true, or what is faith? -- REVIVAL TRUTHS by Charles G. Finney




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Socialized Medicine Director Dies Waiting for Operation

It’s a bit like a supermarket manager dying of starvation or a bottled-water distributor dying of thirst: In the U.K., a former National Health Service (NHS) director died while waiting for medical care — at her own hospital. The Daily Mail reports:

Margaret Hutchon, a former mayor, had been waiting since last June for a follow-up stomach operation at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex.

But her appointments to go under the knife were cancelled four times and she barely regained consciousness after finally having surgery.

Her devastated husband, Jim, is now demanding answers from Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust — the organisation where his wife had served as a non-executive member of the board of directors.

He said: "I don't really know why she died. I did not get a reason from the hospital. We all want to know for closure. She got weaker and weaker as she waited and operations were put off."

Not to be cruel, but the reason is simple.

It’s called government-run health care.




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Age of the AI Divorce: What Artificial Intelligence Can and Can’t Do

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere and being discussed by everyone it seems. But, what is AI? By definition, it is a field of computer science that is focusing on creating intelligence systems; AI is making computers capable of performing tasks that require human intelligence. We have been using computers for decades, but the introduction of AI […]




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Official Wordpress App for Blackberry

Wow, I was just stuck on a train from Philly to New York, and for lack of anything better to do, I looked up the progress of the official Wordpress App for the Blackberry. And I’m proud to report that its out, works great, supports multiple blogs, and looks great! You can download and install over [...]




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ProScan Imaging of Louisville, Freestanding MRI Center, Announces Discounted Self-Pay Pricing for Services

As of March 1, 2023, ProScan Louisville at 4044 Dutchmans Ln, St Matthews, KY 40207 has introduced new self-pay pricing for MRIs without contrast, MRIs with contrast, and MRIs with and without contrast. Imaging fees are permanently implemented, discounted by $100 each with an additional 10% off for patients that pay in full when services are rendered.




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Artificial intelligence in intensive care units: University Hospital Freiburg relies on x-cardiac technology in clinical routine

Berlin-based x-cardiac GmbH is pleased to announce that Freiburg University Hospital has become the second pilot customer for its AI-based software "x-c-bleeding" for predicting severe bleeding complications after cardiac surgery. With the implementation of "x-c-bleeding", the University Hospital Freiburg takes another important step towards AI-based medicine.




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Grünenthal announces significant investments in its Latin America production sites, further securing reliable medicine supply for patients




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FitLine becomes Official Partner of the ATP Tour

FitLine is proud to announce a new multi-year partnership with the world's top-tier men's tennis tour. The athletes will benefit from the FitLine products, with the brand being the new Official Sports Nutrition Partner and Official Energy Bar Partner of the ATP Tour.




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First participants enrolled in first-in-human Phase I clinical trial with nociceptin (NOP) receptor agonist

Aachen, Germany, 22 October 2024 – Today, Grünenthal announced that the first participants have been enrolled in a first-in-human Phase I clinical trial for a nociceptin (NOP) receptor agonist. The trial will include 90 healthy volunteers and aims to demonstrate a favourable safety and tolerability profile and to confirm the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the compound after single and multiple ascending doses. The results of the trial are expected in Q3 2025.




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Mux Miner develops efficient blockchain mining technology for beginners

Mux Miner puts in effort to lower energy consumption in cryptocurrency mining. Users can mine with the MUX series in BCH, BTC, Ether, LTC, Monero, and Dash.