Panel: Too many risks to lift ban on blood donations by gay men | TheHill

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/225974-fda-panel-skeptical-of-lifting-ban-on-blood-donations-from-gay-men

Rolling Stone apologises for Virginia rape story

Rolling Stone apologises for Virginia rape story http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-echochambers-30355922

What do dictators like to eat?

What do dictators like to eat? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30313326

Pakistani blood transfusions spreading hepatitis, HIV – official

http://in.mobile.reuters.com/article/idINL3N0TP2GV20141205?irpc=932

New York police complain of being demonized, say chokehold victim complicit in his own death | Star Tribune

http://m.startribune.com/nation/284846501.html

Day in pictures: 5 December 2014

Day in pictures: 5 December 2014 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-30342548

Old batteries ‘could power slums’

Old batteries ‘could power slums’ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30345221

Cosby counter-sues over sex claims

Cosby counter-sues over sex claims http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-30343324

Prince William to meet Obama in US

Prince William to meet Obama in US http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30353278

Belgium’s former queen dies aged 86

Belgium’s former queen dies aged 86 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30353761

UN ‘concerned’ at US jury decisions

UN ‘concerned’ at US jury decisions http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-30350702

A word from Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. — TheAlkaline_Empre$$

“@blazeart_: MLK pic.twitter.com/IrrT6jgUCh“

— TheAlkaline_Empre$$ (@ShanizleGTFOyo) December 5, 2014

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about  things that matter.”
–Martin Luther King Jr.

Saint Nicholas (Myra): Victor Hoagland

Saint Nicholas (Myra)

Victor Hoagland

St. Nicholas Feast Day Hymn: Pat Tsagalakis (make music part of your life series)

St. Nicholas Feast Day Hymn

  Pat Tsagalakis

A SAINT OF ALL CHRISTIANS: St. Nicolas of Myra (Sfantul Nicolae) Saint of the day December 6, 2014 |Troparion to St. Nicolas Правило веры (rule of faith) composed by Nikolay Golovanov

Saint of the Day for Saturday, December 6th, 2014

Saint Nicholas of Myra at Ottobeuren Abbey, Ottobeuren, Germany (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

St. Nicholas, called “of Bari”, Bishop of Myra (Fourth Century) 6 Dec. Feast day. The great veneration with which this saint has been honored for many ages and the number of altars and … continue reading

More Saints of the Day

St. Nicholas St. Abraham of Kratia Bl. Adolph Kolping St. Asella

St. Dionysia St. Majoricus St. Peter Pascual St. Polychronius

From Wikipedia (OUR FREE ONLINE ENCYCLOPEDIA):

St. Nicholas of Myra

St Nicholas of Myra

Our father among the saints Nicholas of Myra, Wonder-worker, was the archbishop of Myra in southern Asia Minor in the fourth century and is also the basis for the Santa Claus legends and imagery which accompany Christmas celebrations in much of the world. While widely honored and venerated, not only in the Orthodox Church, but throughout most Christian groups, little is known historically of the life of Nicholas. He is known to have been archbishop of Myra and he may have participated in the Council of Nicea in 325. In addition to being honored as the patron saint of many countries, notably Greece and Russia, and of cities, he is the patron of many occupational groups, most notably of sea-farers. St. Nicholas is commemorated by the Church on December 6, and also on May 9 (the transfer of his relics) and on July 29 (his nativity).

Life and tradition

By tradition, Nicholas born in the province of Lycia in the southern part of Asia Minor in the city of Patara to well-to-do parents. The date of his birth is not known. Having inherited his parents’ estate, he became known for his generous gifts to those in need. As a youth, he made pilgrimages to Palestine and Egypt. He was subsequently consecrated Archbishop of Myra as the fourth century began. He was imprisoned during the persecutions of Diocletian and released by Constantine after his ascension to emperor. Nicholas was noted for his defense of Orthodoxy against the Arians. He is reputed to have been present at the Council of Nicea, but his name does not appear among any documents from that era. He died in Myra on December 6 in a year uncertain, but between 342 and 352.

St Nicholas the Wonderworker

Many of the details of his life that we have appeared during medieval times. St. Methodius, Patriarch of Constantinople, in the middle of the ninth century produced a life of Nicholas in which he noted that the life of Nicholas was unknown to most of the Christians of the time, thus indicating his composition was probably based mainly on legend. Methodius noted that Nicholas was raised well by pious and well-to-do parents and related how Nicholas contributed from his inheritance the dowry for three daughters of a citizen of Patara who had lost all his money. His feast was being celebrated by the time of St. Justinian two centuries after his death. After Methodius’ life of Nicholas became available, Nicholas was acclaimed and honored throughout Europe and especially in Italy. When Myra was captured by the Saracens in 1034, many Italian cities planned to “rescue” his relics. In 1087, forces from Bari, Italy, attacked Myra and carried away his relics from the lawful Greek guardians in Myra to Bari where they were enshrined in a new church. His fame increased. The story of his rescue of sailors in the Aegean Sea during his lifetime established him as the patron of mariners. His popularity in Russia rose to the point that almost all churches had some sort of shrine honoring St. Nicholas.

Secular fame

In time his fame in northern Europe as a saintly bishop began changing to that of a giver of gifts to children, usually done on December 6. As immigrants from the Germanic and Nordic lands settled in the United States the image of St. Nicholas, or “Sinterklaas,” as he is known among the Dutch, slowly changed to that of “Santa Claus” with little tie to the spirituality of Christianity.

Hymns

Troparion (Tone 4)

In truth you were revealed to your flock as a rule of faith,

an image of humility and a teacher of abstinence;

your humility exalted you;

your poverty enriched you.

Hierarch Father Nicholas,

entreat Christ our God

that our souls may be saved.

Kontakion (Tone 3)

You revealed yourself, O saint, in Myra as a priest,

For you fulfilled the Gospel of Christ

By giving up your soul for your people,

And saving the innocent from death.

Therefore you are blessed as one become wise in the grace of God.

Troparion to St. Nicolas Правило веры (rule of faith) comp. by Nikolay Golovanov

Andrey Goryachev

The “Pokroff” Chamber Choir, cond. Andrey Goryachev, solo Svetlana Polyanskaya Concert in Basilica di San Nicola in Bari, Italy at 19.05.2009 http://choirtraveltorussia.com/en/cha…

Related articles

• The REAL Saint Nicholas! December 6
• Head of Russian Orthodox Church says secularization in Europe has reached “apocalyptic dimensions,” calls for “Christian values”
• Patriarch Kirill urges Europe to return to Christian values, warns against ‘rewriting history’
• Eastern Christianity From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

China arrests ex-security chief Zhou

China arrests ex-security chief Zhou http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-30352458

Haiku – Love, by George-B (nature of nature… Any questions?)

Haiku – LOVE, by George Bost

Shorter than tall grass,

lion kitten whispers,

love to mom’s ear.

any questions?

EU Unveils Deal to Let Member States Ban GMO Crops

Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Thursday, December 5

   democracynow
***********************************************************
Visit http://www.democracynow.org to watch the entire independent, global news hour. This is a summary of news headlines from the United States and around the world as reported by Democracy Now! on Thursday, December 5, 2013. Visit our website to read the complete transcript, search the vast news archive, or to make a donation to support our non-profit news program.

FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/democracynow
Twitter: @democracynow
Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/democracynow
Listen on SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/democracynow
Daily Email News Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+DemocracyNow
Instagram: http://instagram.com/democracynow
Tumblr: http://democracynow.tumblr.com

Watch Democracy Now! live 8-9am ET Monday through Friday via livestream at http://www.democracynow.org.

Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT

EU Unveils Deal to Let Member States Ban GMO Crops

The European Union has announced an agreement that would allow member states to ban cultivation of genetically modified crops. The legislation would let the 28 EU countries ban the crops even if EU regulators approve them. Environmentalists who are seeking to curb GMOs over potential health and ecological harms have voiced concern the measure could leave countries that ban GMOs vulnerable to legal retaliation from multinationals like Monsanto.

Encyclopaedia Britannica: “We’ve Done Your Homework for You!”

We’ve Done Your Homework for You!

Encyclopaedia Britannica

For more information, visit http://corporate.britannica.com/for-j… or contact tpappas@eb.com.

 

Yes, we know: the pressure on journalists has never been greater. Crushing deadlines. Multiple beats. And a world that gets more complicated every day.

Today you have to do more with less and do it faster than ever.

Encyclopaedia Britannica can help. For many of the stories you cover today, we’ve got the backstory—the historic, scientific, and political background you, and your readers, need to make sense of it.

Ebola. The Middle East. Climate change. Terrorism.

We’ll help you get up to speed fast with cogent, factual articles you can trust. And you can pass them onto your readers by linking to them with confidence. Your colleagues are already doing it.

Working journalists get unlimited access to the Britannica at no cost. And your readers get free access to articles you share with them. Contact us to find out how.

Britannica:  We’ve done your homework for you

Haiku – Love, by George-B (nature of nature… Any questions?)

pic.twitter.com/3yjwyYGxgP

— The Cult Cat (@Elverojaguar) December 5, 2014

Haiku – LOVE, by George Bost

Shorter than tall grass,

lion kitten whispers,

love to mom’s ear.

P. I. Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 6 “Pathetique”, Op. 74 (Fedoseyev),: great compositions/performances

P. I. Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 6 “Pathetique”, Op. 74 (Fedoseyev)

   Joseph Aknin

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 6 “Pathétique” in B minor, Op. 74 (1893) :
1. Adagio. Allegro non troppo
2. Allegro con grazia
3. Allegro molto vivace
4. Finale. Adagio lamentoso. Andante

*** Moskow Radio Symphony Orchestra
*** Conductor – Vladimir Fedoseyev
*** Recorded live at the Alte Oper Frankfurt, 1991

*****************************************************************
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, Pathétique is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky‘s final completed symphony, written between February and the end of August 1893. The composer led the first performance in Saint Petersburg on 28 October [O.S. 16 October] of that year, nine days before his death. The second performance, conducted by Eduard Nápravník, took place 21 days later, at a memorial concert on 6/18 November.^[1][2] It included some minor corrections that Tchaikovsky had made after the premiere, and was thus the first performance of the work in the exact form in which it is known today. The first performance in Moscow was on 16 December [O.S. 4 December], conducted by Vasily Safonov.^[3] It was the last of Tchaikovsky’s compositions premiered in his lifetime; his last composition of all, the single-movement 3rd Piano Concerto, Op. 75, which was completed in October 1893, a short time before his death, received a posthumous premiere.

Background

After completing his 5th Symphony in 1888, Tchaikovsky did not start thinking about his next symphony until April 1891, on his way to the United States. The first drafts of a new symphony were started in the spring of 1891.^[4] However, some or all of the symphony was not pleasing to Tchaikovsky, who tore up the manuscript “in one of his frequent moods of depression and doubt over his alleged inability to create.”^[4] In 1892, Tchaikovsky wrote the following to his nephew Vladimir “Bob” Davydov:

The symphony is only a work written by dint of sheer will on the part of the composer; it contains nothing that is interesting or sympathetic. It should be cast aside and forgotten. This determination on my part is admirable and irrevocable.^[5]

This work was the Symphony in E-flat, the first movement of which Tchaikovsky later converted into the one-movement 3rd Piano Concerto (his final composition), and the latter two movements of which Sergei Taneyev reworked after Tchaikovsky’s death as the Andante and Finale.

In 1893, Tchaikovsky mentions an entirely new symphonic work in a letter to his brother:

I am now wholly occupied with the new work … and it is hard for me to tear myself away from it. I believe it comes into being as the best of my works. I must finish it as soon as possible, for I have to wind up a lot of affairs and I must soon go to London. I told you that I had completed a Symphony which suddenly displeased me, and I tore it up. Now I have composed a new symphony which I certainly shall not tear up.^[5]

The symphony was written in a small house in Klin and completed by August 1893. Tchaikovsky left Klin on 19 October for the first performance in St. Petersburg, arriving “in excellent spirits.”^[6] However, the composer began to feel apprehension over his symphony, when, at rehearsals, the orchestra players did not exhibit any great admiration for the new work.^[6] Nevertheless, the premiere was met with great appreciation. Tchaikovsky’s brother Modest wrote, “There was applause and the composer was recalled, but with more enthusiasm than on previous occasions. There was not the mighty, overpowering impression made by the work when it was conducted by Eduard Nápravník, on November 18, 1893, and later, wherever it was played.”^[7]

Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Sleepers Awake, BWV 645); Rodney Gehrke, organ:, Make music part of your life series

Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Sleepers Awake, BWV 645); Rodney Gehrke, organ 4K HD Video

   Voices of Music

The organ Chorale of J.S. Bach, “Wachet auf, ruft uns die

English: Young Johann Sebastian Bach. 1715. Teri Noel Towe seems to demonstrate that the portrait is probably not of Bach http://www.npj.com/thefaceofbach/09w624.html. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Stimme” (BWV 645), performed by Rodney Gehrke on the Flentrop organ from All Saints Episcopal Church in Palo Alto, California; HD 4K video from Voices of Music.
Bach’s chorale setting features music from his cantata BWV 140 which was performed in Leipzig on November 25th, 1731. Originally intended for the 27th Sunday after Trinity, the work is now heard most often in Advent. In 1747, Bach commissioned Johann Georg Johann Georg Schübler to engrave six organ chorales for publication—Bach loved to present his works in groups of six; Schübler engraved the books in Zella, in the forest of Thuringia.
Bach based his work on a hymn by Philipp Nicolai. When Nicolai was pastor in Westphalia, the plague killed many of his parishioners; Nicolai wrote a collection of meditations and two hymns in their memory: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, and Wie schoen leuchtet der Morgenstern. Bach’s counterpoint provides a perfect accompaniment for the chorale melody.

More HERE

Saint of the Day for Friday, December 5th, 2014: St. Sabas

Saint of the Day for Friday, December 5th, 2014

   St. Sabas

Sabas was born at Mutalaska, Cappadocia, near Caesarea. He was the son of an army officer there who when assigned to Alexandria, left him in the care of an uncle. Mistreated by his uncle’s wife, … continue reading

More Saints of the Day

St. Sabas St. Anastasius St. Basilissa St. Bassus St. Cawrdaf St. Crispina St. Dalmatius of Pavia St. Firminus St. Galagnus

 

St. Gerald St. Gerbold St. John Almond St. John the Wonder-Worker St. Julius St. Nicholas Tavigli St. Pelinus Bl. Philip Rinaldi St. Sabas

quotation: You see things; and you say “Why?” But I dream things that never were; and I say “Why not?” George Bernard Shaw

You see things; and you say “Why?” But I dream things that never were; and I say “Why not?”

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Discuss

today’s holiday: Ghana Farmers’ Day

Ghana Farmers’ Day

Much of Ghana‘s national economy revolves around agriculture, so it is only appropriate that this African country reserves a date to honor its farmers and provide them a day off from their labors. An important component of the day is the awards ceremony, which is held on the regional and the national levels. Judges who have followed farmers’ achievements throughout the year bestow prizes for excellence in such categories as husbandry practices, ecological awareness, use of new technology, and contributions to the local community. More… Discuss

today’s birthday: Fritz Lang (1890)

Fritz Lang (1890)

A successful Austrian director, Lang gained worldwide acclaim with his early German expressionistic films Metropolis and M. After making the anti-Nazi film The Last Will of Dr. Mabuse, he fled Germany in 1933, eventually settling in the US, where he revived his career. His Hollywood films rival his earlier works in their intensity, pessimism, and visual mastery. What was Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels‘s unexpected response to The Last Will of Dr. Mabuse? More… Discuss

Related articles

• Fleeing Europe’s darkness, filmmakers took refuge in California sun

this day in the yesteryear: Sergei Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin Debuts in US (1926)

Sergei Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin Debuts in US (1926)

Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin, based on the real-life 1905 uprising aboard the Russian battleship Potemkin, is a seminal film in cinematic history. Eisenstein deliberately wrote the silent film as a revolutionary propaganda piece and used it to test his theories of “montage,” a form of movie collage consisting of a series of short shots edited into a sequence intended to effect emotional or intellectual responses. What is the film’s most famous montage sequence? More… Discuss
*************************************************************************

Battleship Potemkin (1925)

A dramatised account of the mutiny aboard the Russian battleship Potemkin that occurred in 1905, when its crew rebelled against their officers from the Tsarist regime. Directed by Sergei Eisenstein, Battleship Potemkin is regarded as one of the most influential propaganda films of all time and ranks highly on many best film lists.

Director: Sergei Eisenstein
Cast: Aleksandr Antonov as Grigory Vakulinchuk, Vladimir Barsky as Commander Golikov, Grigori Aleksandrov as Chief Officer Giliarovsky

Essential silent films
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=…

Subscribe for more quality public domain film
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c…

12 Days of Christmas Cost a Little More

Alas, ambitious shoppers, the cost of all the gifts mentioned in the Christmas carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas” has risen yet again. According to the annual analysis by a US financial services firm, the overall price tag for the items—including five golden rings and a partridge in a pear tree—rose 1.4 percent from last year, from $114,651.18 to $116,273.06. Over the history of the analysis, the average of the cost increases has closely mirrored the US inflation index. The increase is the smallest since 2002, when the cost of the items dropped 7.6 percent in the wake of the Dot-com bust. More… Discuss

Muay Thai

Muay Thai is a martial art that originated in 16th-century Thailand. Once used as military training, it gained international fame in the 20th century when its practitioners defeated those of other martial arts. Today’s “sport” version of Muay Thai takes place in a ring and features gloves like those used in boxing. It is called “The Art of Eight Limbs” because the hands, feet, elbows, and knees are all involved—giving each combatant eight points of contact. Who was Nai Khanomtom? More… Discuss

word: redolence

redolence 

Definition:	(noun) A pleasingly sweet olfactory property.
Synonyms:	bouquet, fragrance
Usage:	The moonlight and the redolence of flowers made the garden a romantic spot. Discuss.

Orion deep space capsule launches

Orion deep space capsule launches http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30343171

One Republican Who’s Offering Hope for an Immigration Bill – ABC News

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/republican-leader-whos-offering-hope-immigration-bill/story?id=27373370

Unarmed man shot dead by cop who mistook pill bottle for gun – NY Daily News

http://m.nydailynews.com/news/national/unarmed-man-shot-dead-mistook-pill-bottle-gun-article-1.2034471

Obama picks former Pentagon official Ashton Carter to be Defense secretary | Fox News

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/12/05/president-obama-picks-former-pentagon-official-ashton-carter-to-be-defense/

Eric Garner Protests Spread Across The Country; Police Arrest More Than 200 In NYC

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/6273810

Syria terror training Briton jailed

Syria terror training Briton jailed http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30347666

Migrants die in Mediterranean boat

Migrants die in Mediterranean boat http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30344627

Germany jails Islamic State jihadist

Germany jails Islamic State jihadist http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30344625

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/12/05/how-a-white-phoenix-cop-killed-an-unarmed-black-man/?tid=hp_mm#

Obese lose up to eight years of life

Obese lose up to eight years of life http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-30327777

Obese lose up to eight years of life

Obese lose up to eight years of life http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-30327777

What do dictators like to eat?

What do dictators like to eat? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30313326

Powerful typhoon nears Philippines

Powerful typhoon nears Philippines http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-30324209

New protests over Eric Garner death

New protests over Eric Garner death http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-30341101