Presbyterian court weighs property battle in California

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A Presbyterian court, in a case with implications for dozens of congregations exiting a denomination divided over homosexuality, convened on Thursday to decide if a California parish may break away with property worth millions of dollars.

Testimony began before the Synod of the Pacific, consisting of ministers and church elders from throughout the West, on a case stemming from a decision by the Community Presbyterian Church of Danville, an affluent San Francisco suburb, to join a more conservative denomination.

A San Francisco-area church governing body agreed in 2010 to allow the Danville congregation to keep real estate that had been appraised at nearly $14 million after its parishioners voted to split from the mainline Presbyterian Church U.S.A.

Critics of the move, however, have argued that the regional governing body lacked authority to approve the property transfer.

"We are here today because we believe the Presbytery of San Francisco has made an unauthorized gift of property," Joan Blackstone, a retired lawyer and church elder who represents opponents of the property transfer, said in opening statements.

Thursday's trial highlights deep divisions within the parent church and its 2 million members, as well as other mainstream Protestant denominations, over the ordination of gay clergy and blessing of same-sex unions.

Although it does not allow ministers to perform same-sex marriages, the Presbyterian Church allows its ministers to bless gay unions.

The synod's trial, held in a hotel banquet room near the San Francisco Airport, will decide whether the presbytery properly used the church's so-called "gracious-dismissal" policy to allow the Danville parish to leave with its buildings and more than 7 acres of land held in trust for the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.

The committee of local ministers "considered, prayed about it and decided the buildings should continue to be used by the Danville congregation as they continue to do God's work," the Rev. Joan Huff, a San Francisco minister who represents the presbytery, told the tribunal. "Grace is not always fair. Grace cannot be monetized. It cannot be bought, earned or won."

"It if could, it would cease to be grace," she said.

Blackstone urged the 10 commissioners hearing the case to consider the impact of their decision on church groups throughout the nation struggling with how to divide property.

OPENED CLERGY TO HOMOSEXUALS

The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. formally opened the ranks of its clergy to homosexuals last spring in a move that triggered a schism, prompting some opposed to gay clergy to form a new denomination, the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians.

The Presbyterian Church's pension board further alienated some conservative congregants this month by approving benefits for same-gender partners and their children starting next year.

Upset over differences in biblical interpretation of social issues, including questions of gay life and abortion, the Danville congregation began separating from the parent church in 2010.

They want to join yet another offshoot denomination, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. That church believes "unrepentant homosexual behavior is incompatible with the ordination vows."

"This case is going to establish a precedent of sorts in the minds of people in this denomination," Blackstone said in her opening trial statement. "It's going to be considered by congregations as they request to be dismissed."

The Kentucky-based denomination has endured other splits in its history, including schisms over slavery and the ordination of women. But the Rev. Gradye Parsons, the highest-ranking official in the church general assembly, said some congregations that have left the fold during the past 20 years have rejoined.

"I think it's sad that people are leaving," he said. "I see it more as a separation than a divorce and hope someday we can be reconciled."

The Danville church, founded in 1865, consists of about 1,800 members.

The Rev. Scott Farmer, the church's senior pastor, served on a task force charged with writing the "gracious-dismissal" policy, Blackstone said. She questioned whether Farmer had a conflict of interest when the Danville church was the first to ask to be dismissed under the policy.

Farmer could not be reached for comment.

A website for the Presbyterian Lay Committee, a conservative advocacy group, listed 35 congregations that had started the process of separating from the denomination since July. The First Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, with more than 4,000 members, is the largest to take part in the exodus.

The synod is expected to issue a written decision next week.

(Editing by Steve Gorman and Cynthia Johnston)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/presbyterian-court-weighs-property-battle-california-064730150.html

spring equinox audacious pollen count mexico city first day of spring mexico earthquake aziz ansari

Port Washington LIRR Branch Delays Saturday

Four Long Island Rail Road trains will be replaced with buses on trips to the last three stops on the Port Washington Branch for?about three?hours early Saturday morning.

The 1:19 a.m. and 3:19 a.m. trains from Penn Station to Port Washington will terminate at the Great Neck station, where riders can board buses and trains to Manhasset, Plandome and Port Washington.

The 2:10 a.m. and 3:40 a.m. trains from Port Washington to Penn Station will start in Great Neck. Riders can board buses and vans from Manhasset, Plandome and Port Washington to catch the train in Great Neck.

Riders should plan for an additional 30 minutes of travel time.

The service interruptions will come as LIRR crews are will be conducting track inspections. The work was scheduled for the overnight hours in order to impact as few riders as possible.

For more information, call 511 or log on to the LIRR?s website at www.mta.info/lirr.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LongIslandPress/~3/dCe5Ok_LqCk/

billy cundiff super bowl tickets superbowl birmingham news lee evans lee evans 49ers

Secure Penny Stocks | PennyStocks123.Com

Mar23

Posted by admin in Penny Stocks

If you do not have much money and you want to invest in stock, should consider penny stocks. Penny stocks are a very cheap kind of stock and this makes it possible for as many people as possible to invest into it. Anyone who does not have enough money to pump into any of the giant stocks can always look up a penny stock to invest into. Many individuals are already getting involved in it and they are also making something tangible out of it. Several negative opinions had already been voiced out about this form of investment. But this has never stopped those who are making money out of it from carting away profits. You too should take the risk and join the bandwagon; you too may end up smiling to the bank through penny stock.

Some tidbits

Penny stock does not cost much to invest in. In fact, it does not cost you more than about $5 to invest into it. There are several penny stocks out there that do not even cost up to $5. This does not in any way mean that you will not be able to make considerable profit when you invest into it. The companies that are offering penny stocks have net worth up to $5 million. There are also some other companies that may not have such worth. Any company with a higher net worth than $5 million does not belong to the group in penny stock. The limited worth of such companies does not in anyway affect the profitability of the penny stock you buy from them.

A company requires more than just $5 million to become part of the official stock exchange. Aside the issue of money, there are other requirements that a company needs to meet before it can be accepted as part of the stock exchange. If a company can?t meet up with the requirements, it is automatically counted among the companies under penny stock. This should not in anyway be seen as any limitation on the affected company. Investing in them does not in anyway mean that you will not be able to make something tangible out of your investment at the end of the day.

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission actually takes lots of interest in the penny worth companies. Regulations are made available to be followed by these companies and any company that does not follow such regulations are generally tagged by the SEC. this will give any investor the red light so that he or she will not make the mistake of investing in such a stock. Any investor that invests with such a company will do so at his or her own risk.

The intervention of the SEC actually turns the penny stock to a secure penny stock. This ensures that your investment will never be tampered with for any reason; with the strong arm of the SEC, you can sleep with you two eyes closed after you must have invested into the penny stock made available by that company.

As part of the moves of the SEC to make the penny stock as secured as possible, it makes it a point of must for companies offering penny stock to carry their clients long. Every broker is also instructed to make a statement available to their clients. The statement is expected to guide the client on how profitable or otherwise any particular penny stock will be for them. The statement will also enlighten the client on how risky the investment he is about to make is. Any decision that the client makes based on the statement offered by the broker is then a complete responsibility of the client in question. But the broker is under compulsion to ensure that the information is complete and plain enough.

This move by the SEC turns the penny stock to a secured investment. It removes the possibility of any company trying to rob you of your hard earned money. Any broker will not be able to take advantage of your lack of information. The move actually makes information available to you and you may be as informed as the broker himself. This will make it easy for you to invest without much worry.

The issue of secure penny stocks needs to be closely looked into. The regulations of the SEC on the companies do not actually give a complete reliability in your investment into penny stock. Penny stock investment is still very risky. Many of the companies involved in it are newly registered companies. Do not forget that their financial basis is not higher than $5 million. This means that the company may not have strong financial backbone to bear any financial problem. The amount such companies charge per share is also not more than $5. Some companies actually charge less than this. You need to put all these factors into consideration before you venture into penny stocks.

Many of the companies in penny stock are lightly regulated by the SEC. This may affect the security of your investment. Such a thing can also mean that you may lose all your investment after you have invested into any of the companies under penny stock. When you are dealing with any stockbroker, you should carefully look into the information the stockbroker is presenting to you. If the stockbroker tells you only the sweet part of penny stock and only about secure penny stock, you need to be wary of such a stockbroker. A stockbroker that is plain completely will tell you the truth of the whole thing. He will not hesitate to make all the risks known to you. You can put you trust in such a stockbroker.

Conclusion

Penny stocks do appreciate in value. But in most cases, they rarely appreciate as much as larger stocks. Any company among the penny stock companies should never be expected to give you a high yield of your investment. This situation is highly affected by the capital base of the company and the amount you are investing, so arm yourself with the right information and the right broker before embarking on this investment opportunity.

?

Source: http://www.pennystocks123.com/penny-stocks/secure-penny-stocks.html

richard cordray shannon de lima joe torre west virginia university michele bachmann jessica biel tim howard

Far higher potential for wind energy in India than previously estimated

ScienceDaily (Mar. 21, 2012) ? A new assessment of wind energy in India by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has found that the potential for on-shore wind energy deployment is far higher than the official estimates -- about 20 times and up to 30 times greater than the current government estimate of 102 gigawatts. This landmark finding may have significant impact on India's renewable energy strategy as it attempts to cope with a massive and chronic shortage of electricity.

"The main importance of this study, why it's groundbreaking, is that wind is one of the most cost-effective and mature renewable energy sources commercially available in India, with an installed capacity of 15 GW and rising rapidly," says Berkeley Lab scientist Amol Phadke, the lead author of the report. "The cost of wind power is now comparable to that from imported coal and natural gas-based plants, and wind can play a significant role in cost effectively addressing energy security and environmental concerns."

Even if the previously estimated potential of 102 GW is fully developed, wind would provide only about 8 percent of the projected electricity demand in 2022 and 5 percent in 2032. The new Berkeley Lab study has found the total techno-economic wind potential to range from 2,006 GW for 80-meter hub heights (an indication of how high the wind turbine stands above the ground) to 3,121 GW for 120-meter hub heights. Given these new estimates, the availability of wind energy can no longer be considered a constraint for wind to play a major role in India's electricity future.

Phadke and his team have been discussing their findings informally and formally with several key government agencies in India and have gotten positive responses. "The key agency in charge, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), has now signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Berkeley Lab to collaborate on several issues related to potential estimates and wind energy integration," said Jayant Sathaye, who leads the International Energy Studies Group at Berkeley Lab.

Ranjit Bharvirkar, a senior consultant at Itron Inc. and one of the other authors of the study, said part of the motivation for reassessing India's wind potential came from recent reassessments of wind potential in the United States and China. Both found substantial increases over the previous assessments -- a ten-fold jump in China and a 50 percent increase in capacity in the United States and 400 percent by energy. Improved wind technology, including higher efficiency and hub heights, accounted for much of the increase along with more advanced mapping techniques.

The previous wind potential estimate in India of 102 GW is based on the assumption that only two percent of the windy land is available for wind power development. However, this assumption is not based on any assessment of land availability. The Berkeley Lab study undertook a systematic assessment of the availability of land using publicly available GIS (geographic information system) data on topography and land use and found a significantly higher availability of land that can potentially be used for wind power development, which is the primary reason for the higher potential estimates.

The study excluded land with low-quality wind, slopes greater than 20 degrees, elevation greater than 1,500 meters and certain other unsuitable areas such as forests, bodies of water and cities. The researchers obtained off-the-shelf wind speed data for heights of 80 meters, 100 meters and 120 meters from 3TIER.

The study also finds that the total footprint required to develop high-quality wind energy (that is, wind turbines at 80 meters with a capacity factor greater than 25 percent, which would yield a potential of about 543 GW in India) is approximately 1,629 square kilometers, or 0.05 percent of the total land area in India. The footprint is not large because, typically, only about 3 percent of a wind farm is occupied by the wind turbines and related infrastructure; the rest of the land can be used for other purposes.

The study was funded by the ClimateWorks Foundation through a contract with the Regulatory Assistance Project. Engineers from Itron Inc. and Black and Veatch contributed to the report. "Reassessing Wind Potential Estimates for India: Economic and Policy Implications" can be downloaded at: http://ies.lbl.gov/node/473.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120321143025.htm

blagojevich sentence mythbusters cannonball uss arizona myth busters tracy mcgrady tracy mcgrady mash

Natural Good Health is All About Supporting Your Immune System ...

Natural good health is all about supporting your body?s best efforts. Your body has innate wisdom. Everything it does, every symptom it throws out, is an attempt to restore balance. Although it can sometimes seem as if it is putting you in danger, it never does.

For example, a high fever is an excellent sign that you have a strong immune system. One that is working very efficiently to expel an invading pathogen. Yes, it does need to be monitored. But the best treatment is no treatment. Or homeopathic treatment which works by supporting your immune system.

Another example is asthma. Frightening though the serious symptoms of asthma can be, before the use of cortisone, there were no recorded deaths. The cortisone treatment changed that. Now, it is possible to die from asthma.

In the first example, the strong immune system was able to prevent entry of an invading pathogen. In the second example, the asthma attack achieved what the body needed ? more carbon dioxide. The only way your body can receive more carbon dioxide is to stop you breathing for a few seconds or a minute or two.

By preventing the high fever, a pathogen invades successfully. By allowing normal breathing, your body carbon dioxide levels remain too low to allow a healthy recovery.

Once you understand and appreciate that your body does have wisdom, and that signs and symptoms are there to be treated with understanding, then you can start to move towards natural good health.

A strong immune system should always be your aim. Armed with this, your natural good health will know no bounds. You?ll hardly get sick and when you do, you will recover quickly.

Some modalities work by suppressing your immune system. This will always take to towards more sickness.

So how do you support your natural immunity?

There are many ways and all aspects should be addressed:

* a healthy diet
* regular exercise
* regular time for you
* regular relaxing time, where you can stop and ?smell the roses?
* regular exposure to the natural sun
* emotional freedom ? your own natural expression and allowing others the same
* only use health or emotional disorder treatment which works by supporting your immune system, such as homeopathy, yoga, meditation

It?s really important to make regular time for you. This isn?t always appreciated as being important. Parents are often guilty of this. They often put the children first. However, it is vitally important, to have time to be you. It restores balance, it relaxes you, you end up setting a great example to your children.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2012 at 4:14 pm and is filed under Article Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://polstina-preklady.com/natural-good-health-is-all-about-supporting-your-immune-system.html

diphtheria del rio del rio das racist das racist ginger white conrad murray sentencing

Top Reasons to Consider Renting a Storage Space | One by One ...

Do you live in a cramped apartment, claustrophobic condominium or a spacious home that?s turning into a cluttered mess? Instead of throwing a massive yard sale or filling your leaky basement or musty garage to the rafters, utilize the benefits of a storage locker. Not only are the units safe and secure, most are also climate and pest controlled. Here are 8 more reasons why storing your family heirlooms, children?s toys and Christmas ornaments in a storage unit is a wise decision.

Seasonal Items

Imagine the time and energy you?ll save visiting your beautifully organized storage unit when it?s time to pull out the Christmas or Halloween decorations. Storage units are not only ideal for safely housing your decorative items; they?ll also keep your seasonal clothing safe from mold, mildew and insect damage. Many parents are faced with the dilemma of a child who is involved in several sports, from hockey and figure skating to golf and soccer. If your home is becoming overwhelmed with sporting goods and gear, consider a storage unit to securely house these items until next season.

Overflow Storage

Almost any homeowner has a secret closet filled with old cookware or a basement that is overflowing with their children?s toys or dad?s fishing gear. If you?ve simply outgrown your space, but aren?t interested in moving, a storage unit is the answer to your problem. Many homeowners have simply accumulated too many goods that aren?t necessary for everyday life, but they?re not quite ready to part with them. If the items are worth holding onto, consider self-storage as an economical answer that saves your closets, basement and garage from becoming disastrous.

Storing Collectibles

If you?re like most Americans, you probably have a collection of some sort. Whether it?s a gaggle of porcelain geese or a bevy of bowling trophies, your collection might be too large for your armoires, bookcases and shelves. The best solution for your cache of personal possessions is a secure storage locker. The locker allows you to categorize, group and store your collection with the knowledge that it will be protected.

?

Moving?

Moving is a hassle that no one enjoys. Make the process less disheartening by storing your overflow items in a storage unit. Moving the extraneous items into the storage unit during the move allows you or a contractor to perform home improvements without tripping over excess boxes. Life happens, and you might be forced to move in with a friend or family member after a death or loss of employment. Storage units allow you to protect your personal belongings while you transition into a future home. Also consider a unit to temporarily store home improvement and construction goods if you?re updating your present or future home.

Separation or Divorce

The anguish and pain associated with going through a separation or divorce is almost more than any one person can handle. The last thing they need is to deal with the burden of where to keep their belongings. Save yourself from this unnecessary stress by housing your belongings in a storage unit. With one less burden, you?re able to concentrate on the more crucial aspects of your life.

Empty Nester Necessity

The kids have gone away to college, gotten married or started their new career. They?re physically gone, but unfortunately many of their items remain. Instead of selling, trashing or donating these sentimental pieces, place them into a secure storage unit. The added cost is well worth the look on your grandchild?s face when you pull out his mother or father?s favorite teddy bear or 5th grade report card. Once again, choose a storage unit that is climate, humidity and pest controlled to ensure your child can pass down these treasures to their grandchildren.

Boats, Cars or RVs

Believe it or not, many storage units have ample room to house your classic car, fishing boat or recreational vehicle. Although their designed to house your favorite toys, many garages aren?t equipped to properly protect vehicles, boats and RVs when not in use. If improperly stored, these items are susceptible to frost, animals and insect damage. Storage units are also ideal to protect your other favorite recreational items, from jet skis and snow mobiles to motorcycles and four wheelers.

Business Inventory

Many small business owners suffer from the dilemma of requiring storage for their excess inventory, but not requiring all the square footage of a massive warehouse. A storage unit is the economical way to keep your inventory unharmed, no matter if you?re selling makeup, snow blowers or semi-precious stones.

These are just a few of the many reasons that keeping your personal or professional belongings in a storage unit is a wise move. Before choosing a unit, speak to the employees and tour the facility. The peace of mind you?ll receive from knowing your valuables are safe is worth the modest added expense.

This article was written by Anthony Graves.? Anthony started his career with a local moving company over 10 years ago, and has been working in the Moving industry ever since.? ?He now works as an online consultant for Vanlines.com offering advice on everything from packing tips to the best way to rent a moving truck.

Source: http://blog.onebyoneselfstorage.com/top-reasons-to-consider-renting-a-storage-space/

chapter 11 bankruptcy chapter 11 bankruptcy big ten acc challenge 2011 john wayne gacy amr jack del rio fired jack del rio fired

30 Minutes to a More Organized Day

If you spend most days flying by the seat of your pants ? disorganized, confused, feeling stressed and wondering what is falling through the cracks ? an investment of 30 minutes each morning can help.?

Here are five daily habits that can change your life and make your day better organized.? These action steps will take, at the most, six-minutes each.? The five daily habits have made ?a great ?impact on my life and on the lives of those I serve as a professional organizer.? I invite you to consider adopting them.

1. ?Take six minutes to make your bed shortly after you get up.? Think of it as the transition that completes your nightly sleep time and begins your daily activities. ?Your bedroom will appear better organized and this task will provide you with your first successful accomplishment of the day.? At the end of the day, you will find that the experience of entering a nicely made bed is both comforting and calming.? Make this a ritual that affirms the importance of a restful night's sleep and provides a symbolic beginning and end to the day.
2. Take six minutes to center your mind and body.? Each morning, sit quietly for a few minutes to settle your thoughts and relax your body.? Listen to the sounds around you; imagine yourself in a serene and peaceful place; feel the beat of your heart; pay attention to the inhaling and exhaling of your breath.? This small investment in stillness will reap tremendous benefits throughout the day.? You will enter the day with a greater sense of well-being and a clearer mind.
3. Take six minutes to eat something nutritious.? No time for breakfast?? Try to have on hand something quick and easy such as a banana, a bowl of cereal, piece of whole wheat toast, instant oatmeal or a granola bar.? Get something into your system to kick start the day.? Your mind and body will work better and your ability to be organized and operate effectively will increase.
4. Take six minutes to go over your "to do" list.? One technique is to take a piece of paper and draw one vertical line down the middle and one horizontal line across the center to create four quadrants.? Use each quadrant to list different kinds of tasks you are facing for this day.? One quadrant can be for errands to run, another for appointments, a third for people to contact by email or telephone, and the fourth for action steps related to current projects on which you are working. ?Now that you have your list, take a second look and realistically assess whether or not your list is too big for one day.? If so, eliminate the non-priority tasks.? Making a daily to-do list will reinforce your awareness of what's ahead and allow you to visualize it all getting done effortlessly.? This will increase your chances of having a successful and productive day.?
5. Take six minutes to delete all incoming emails that are obvious junk.? Before you concentrate on the important business of the day, why not quickly clean out the spam and clutter in your in-box.? Not only will this reduce the amount of mail to which you need to pay attention, it will also bring what's really important into better focus.

Total time invested:? 30 minutes.? Results:? Priceless.?

Source: http://lifestyle.ezinemark.com/30-minutes-to-a-more-organized-day-18dcfe5bc42.html

when does daylight savings time end world series mvp rocky horror picture show risky business weather nj weather nj nyc weather