| ST. JOHN: Fasting friend inspires action
I'm not talking about a not-eating-meat-on-Friday fast, or an I'm-gonna-give-up-red-wine-for-40-days-but-still-drink-white-wine fast. No, he's doing an honest-to-goodness, Mahatma Gandhi-type fast- nothing but water. Fasting is a method of religious observance, penitence and purification which is practiced in several religious faiths. I am of the Protestant persuasion, so I will focus mostly on Protestant fasting. Fasting was an option for the early Christians, and later became a requirement. In the early church the typical fast lasted 40 hours. It was later changed to 40 days. The 40-day fast in the early Christian church allowed one meal per day. My friend is not allowing himself even one meal. He is on a nothing-but-water fast for the entire 40 days. As I write he is in the 20th day of the fast and seems to be doing well.
The Weedpatch Gazette
Rhett had his reasons for suggesting this to Scarlett in GWTW, but Alec Baldwin had his reasons for asking "Am I in hell?" in "The Shadow," and I have my own reasons for wondering the same thing. Not everyone is mourning the passing of William F. Buckley and some are quite willing to consign him to the fiery pit. I have never owned a yacht, but his writing of the marvels of yachting and adventures in seafaring for the wealthy as though all good Americans should share his enthusiasm for the things money and privilege bestow on those favored of the gods was his stamp of approval among the favored few. Face it, that circle would seem to be the only one unbroken if anyone is really looking for an answer to the question raised in the hymn. However, love him or hate him Buckley did speak for a certain class, most of whom are not going to make it through the Pearly Gates in the opinion of some despite their circle remaining unbroken in this world and perhaps remaining unbroken in hell.
Two state grants to help North Andover become greener
NORTH ANDOVER — One grant is meant to help people conserve water, another is to help them breathe easier. Residents will have the opportunity to get a $10 discount on rain barrels for their yard because of money from the state Department of Environmental Protection. North Andover received $500 to use to give 50 residents a $10 discount on rain barrels ordered from New England Rain Barrel Co. through April 14. With the discount, the barrels will cost the first 50 people who order them $56.50 each, according to Tina Klein, chairwoman of the North Andover Solid Waste Advisory Committee. People can use the 55-gallon barrels made of recycled plastic to collect rainwater, and then use that water for their gardens or flowers. "This is a way to collect it and reuse it, and not have to use it from the normal town source," said DEP spokesman Edmund Coletta.
SGPC again expands itself
The SGPC today promoted five employees as assistant secretaries and two as additional secretaries, making the mini parliament of the Sikhs top-heavy. Avtar Singh today issued the promotion orders, which were his first order after becoming SGPC president for the third consecutive year. Interestingly, the SGPC had four full-fledged secretaries against one post during the tenure of Gurcharn Singh Tohra, who reigned the SGPC for 27 years. With the new promotions, the number of assistant secretaries and additional secretaries has risen to 15 and eight, respectively. Though the SGPC chief has claimed that the promotions will not put any additional burden on the exchequer of the SGPC, insiders say the newly promoted employees will be entitled to use the additional facilities like telephone, official vehicle etc.
Music Insider
And women cooed that they just liked being in close proximity to soccer superstar David Beckham. • BEST PARTY VENUE: While it's known for such eerie things as being the site of John Belushi's death, and more recently, where late Oscar nominee Heath Ledger was taped allegedly using drugs, the Chateau Marmont remains an especially beautiful property in the hills atop Sunset Strip. In celebration of its annual Hollywood issue, Vanity Fair magazine, along with Louis Vuitton, threw a party at the pool, where legendary music mogul Quincy Jones, actress Taraji Henson, actor Larenz Tate, pop singer Nelly Furtado and Atlantans Ludacris, Ne-Yo, Sean Garrett, Chaka Zulu, Jeff Dixon and Sabrina Rowe muted the 80-plus degree heat under cabanas and palm trees. • BEST PARTING GIFT: Actually, it wasn't at one of the many swank events in West Hollywood.
|
