HRC: Federal Report Demonstrates Need for Research and Data on LGBT Health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 31, 2011

Federal Report Demonstrates Need for Research and Data on LGBT Health

HRC calls on federal government to collect data on health disparities

WASHINGTON – An Institute of Medicine (IOM) report released today shows in stunning clarity the need for more federal research and data collection on the health of LGBT people. Citing a number of challenges in understanding the health needs of LGBT populations, the authors of the report recommend collecting data on sexual orientation and gender identity in federal health surveys and programs and call on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to lay out a research agenda regarding LGBT health issues. The Human Rights Campaign, through administrative policy recommendations detailed in its Blueprint for Positive Change,and its work on Capitol Hill, has urged HHS to collect this data and continues to work with a coalition of LGBT and health organizations to push for this important step toward eliminating LGBT health disparities.

“Adequate research and data is critical to fully understanding and addressing the unique health needs of the LGBT community,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “We have called on the federal government to address the health needs of our community and this comprehensive report by the Institute of Medicine is a step in the right direction. We urge HHS to use this report as a roadmap to fill the gaps in knowledge relating to the health status of LGBT people and commit to collecting important and lifesaving data on sexual orientation and gender identity in future health surveys.”

The authors of the report call for implementing a research agenda to advance knowledge and understanding of LGBT health which reflects the most pressing areas, specifically demographic research, social influences, health care inequities, intervention research, and transgender-specific health needs. The report focuses on the chronic stress faced by LGBT people, the health of LGBT people at different stages of life, an individual’s identities and the ways in which they interact, and the influence of the surrounding spheres of LGBT people including families, communities, and society. The report’s authors say researchers need to proactively engage lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in health studies.

The lack of significant research and data on health issues is not the only problem facing LGBT patients. Many LGBT people often decline to seek healthcare in times of need out of fear of discrimination and poor treatment by healthcare professionals. The HRC Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) rates healthcare facilities on their policies related to LGBT healthcare equality. The HEI can be used by healthcare facilities as an organizational assessment tool in their treatment of LGBT patients, and as a guide to safe and friendly facilities for patients. The 2011 HEI will be released later this spring.

“It is clear there are significant health disparities facing our community,” Solmonese added. “We look forward to working with NIH and HHS to identify research priorities that will begin to address them. The federal government has the tools they need to improve the health and wellbeing of LGBT people. It’s time to put them to use.”

To receive a copy of the report, visit http://nas.edu or contact the National Academies' Office of News and Public Information at 202-334-2138 or news@nas.edu. [a summary and link to the full report online is below]

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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More information and the full report is here

LGBT Health 2011 Report Brief

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Business First: Arena District to fill last gap with new office tower, parking garage

The entire story is here

Nationwide Realty Investors Ltd. is primed to fill the last major parcel in the Arena District with a six-story office building and parking garage complex, completing its ambitious plan for a residential and commercial district laid out when Nationwide Arena opened in 2000.

A commitment from Columbia Gas of Ohio Inc. to anchor the 280,000-square-foot office building at the corner of Neil Avenue and Nationwide Boulevard convinced the developer to move ahead on the project, scheduled for completion in late 2014.

“This building essentially completes the commercial component of the original Arena District master plan,” said Nationwide Realty President Brian Ellis. “This project will take up the vast majority of the remaining ground.”

The $50 million project will include a parking garage with at least 1,400 spots to make up for the 525-spot surface parking lot that will be lost to the construction. Ellis said a construction timetable hasn’t been finalized and the parking garage may get started first.

“We’re still looking at the sequencing,” he said. “We don’t need to start construction immediately to meet Columbia Gas’ needs.”

The office complex would be the largest built so far in the Arena District, surpassing the Jones Day law firm-anchored building at 325 John H. McConnell Blvd., which has 165,000 square feet of space.

It will sit directly across Nationwide Boulevard from Jones Day and a five-story, 95,000-square-foot office building anchored by the San Francisco-based engineering firm URS Corp.

The project is contingent on Columbus City Council approving a 10-year, 75-percent tax abatement on the investment.

Legislation is set for introduction on April 11.

‘Great place to grow’

Columbia Gas, a division of Merrillville, Ind.-based utility NiSource Inc., plans to take at least 208,000 square feet when it moves its 650 employees out of leased offices at 200 Civic Center Drive in the RiverSouth District downtown.

Ellis said the building will have two contiguous floors with an additional 20,000 square feet on each floor available to Columbia Gas if needed.

“Columbia Gas really wanted to make sure the project was multitenant, so we sized it accordingly,” he said. “We think the Arena District is a great place to grow.”

The company asked Nationwide to build additional space in case it expands its downtown operations, including information technology and financial functions as well as a control center for NiSource gas distribution in seven states and centralized dispatch operations for five states.

“The main thing is we’ve been able to build in flexibility in terms of what our needs may be and cover any eventuality in terms of growth,” said Columbia Gas President Jack Partridge.

Columbia Gas moved into the 14-story, 240,000-square-foot RiverSouth building when it was completed in 1983. Partridge said the building layout is less efficient than what they’ll get in the Arena District and it was not pre-wired for technology lines when it was built.

A coming lease expiration in December 2014 prompted NiSource’s corporate real estate department to begin looking for options.

Partridge said the company considered new development land and buildings in Dublin and New Albany, as well as Easton in the city of Columbus.

“We tried to look at every option out there and each option had attractive aspects,” he said. “(But) the Arena District is where we ended up.”

View Arena District building in a larger map

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waste not, want not

When a girl's lucky enough to have several thousand 

daffodils in the garden, what else can she do but

enjoy them indoors too!

Picking daffodils each day this week, for me, for my friends.

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I'm not scare anymore

Ya kan judulnya aneh-aneh.....Mau ketik-ketik ga penting di sini. Bosen sama materi kuliah. Gak ada yang bisa dimengerti dengan cepat, mudah, dan tepat. Heuuuhh selama ini aku ngapain ya?? kuliah apa mimpi???hahahahhaaa dasar bodohnya aku.Badan doang yang tiap hari pergi ke kampus. duduk di kelas. ketak-ketik keyboard komputer lab. tulis-tulis kertas as a note. tapi gak tau apa maksudnya.Hmmm...

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Rustic Tulip Poplar Log STack in TN

Patriot log home builders builds a

TULIP POPLAR RUSTIC LOG HOME in TN 

Patriot had found when searching the web a log home company that got his attention, we wrote about it and you can read the post here since that time conversations with the owner, emails etc a relationship was developed.

The lovely yellow flower of the Tulip Poplar

Mike wanted to see first hand the product line offered by Grizzly log Homes, so he instigated contact with the owner and learned that a model home "The Shotgun ",was being erected in the state of Tennessee . He  made arrangements to met the man behind the business, see the logs first hand  and learn what tulip polar really is , as he has never experienced it before  and was more than curious about what it was. In addition ,he  would  train some of the builders that where new to  the company in the process. As Mike has been considering for some time, to begin the selling of log homes, and this company was of great interest to him, it made prefect sense to explore all aspects of the business  before making any decision.

Feeding baby goat with baby bottle at the homestead in TN

Living arrangements were made for Mike, he lived with the neighbor  on the property, in this close knit Christian community . The land was breathtaking, set in the heart of the Appalachians  where  plenty of chickens   ran free ...with , horses , sheep, cows and goats, Mike learned that the goats are called Jacobs goats (the goat from the bible) this darling little baby , not a Jacob goat ,was a real treat to get to know. He was being fed by bottle and Mike took a cute video of this . The local people of this close knit community homestead, live off the land and animals are an integral part  of daily living , it is really charming to say the least.

Delicious and wholesome meals were prepared for Mike each evening, as part of his compensation for building . The people were truly  friendly, Mike noticed that no matter what, people would give you a warm gracious  wave of the hand,  with a sincere smile while walking or driving by. 

On Sunday , the day was set aside for the Lord, and Mike, as most others,   did not work,  instead a local gathering in the home of the hospitable neighbor,  set up her home as   temporary church venue for Bible study which Mike attended and found both refreshing and inspirational .

p

Rustic log stack , old fashioned pioneer  look

Affordable no frills log homes !!!

Mike discovered  the men that he worked with were very   open to other  and different techniques that they were unfamiliar with.  For example, the men found useful the importance of concentrating on each corner , stacking it plumb and level at this aspect because  when they are stacked plumb  the overall home stays square which less problematic elements during  the roof erection ,.  In addition,  the tools he brought the men quickly learned how some of them saved both  time and  energy which took much of the hard lifting and other strenuous aspects of log building off.

This extremely affordable package, has log stack on first floor and siding on 2nd where the stick framing is being erected. A no frills home  yet comfortable and practical-3 bedrooms and 2 baths!

Day 4 with Grizzly in TN

Day 7 with Grizzly in TN

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Lead us not into temptation! Satan's Box Canyon.

Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Matthew tells us that Jesus was led by God to this lonely place for the purpose of being tempted of the devil. Mark relates how He was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness for this temptation. (1:12) Luke says that He was full of the Holy Ghost when He went to enter into temptation. (4:1,2)

Why is it that the Savior was led of the Spirit into the enemy's lair for the purpose of temptation?

This was a must because we require a High Priest who can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, One who was tempted in all three areas in which we are tempted, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Our great High Priest endured and triumphed over that temptation, passing His test. Heb. 4:15

Had Jesus not endured this temptation and won the victory, He could not relate to what we go through on a regular basis and therefore, pray for us as we are tempted and plea to the Father on our behalf when we fall to temptation.

Two short chapters later (6:13) He is modeling a prayer for His followers in which He instructs us to ask that the Lord would lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Why was He led into temptation, but He tells us to pray that we not be led into temptation? Because He endured temptation and emerged victorious so that we would be more than conquerors. That is, His victory over sin, the world, the flesh and the devil is sufficient for us,
we have the victory in Him. There is no need for us to face Satan down, he is already the loser, thanks to Jesus. What purpose is there in refighting battles that have already been won? There is only the possibility of unnecessary casualty.

We need to reckon ourselves to be dead to the lust of the flesh, the eyes and the pride of life. Entering into temptation merely gives rise to the possibility of reviving that which is crucified unto Him.

So, do pray that you will not be led into temptation this day, but would be delivered from evil. Satan has traps set for you where he can easily fire his darts at you. But the Spirit has a path for you that will circumvent his "box canyons" where you would be an easy target.

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Room Additions: The Great Room

Of all the room additions and alterations a homeowner can make, one that is enjoying a resurgence in popularity is the creation of a great room.

The recession has kept a lot of people at home and as a result many families found that, yes, they did actually enjoy spending time together.

The ideal great room ties a number of spaces - primarily eating, living, and recreational - together in a single area. Some newer homes are now designed along the great room concept but, if you want a great room in a more traditional house, it is very likely that some walls will need to come down.

Knocking out walls or demolishing columns that are in the way is a tricky business best left to the pros. You 

may think that you know which are the supporting walls in your home but it will be a little too late to say "whoops" if, upon demolition of that dining room wall, the ceiling comes crashing down as well.

It is often well worth working with an architect as well as a good general contractor when planning the creation of a new great room. A good great room is as efficient and functional as it is attractive and an architect is just the person to help you get it all right. Even if you only hire one for a brief consultation (many architects are willing to do that) it is almost always money very well spent in the long run.

Once all of the basic planning and major structural issues have been squared away, it is then time to think about the fine detail. It's well worth remembering that the idea behind this remodel is that you and your family will be spending a great deal of time in this room, so seemingly minor touches such as hardwood floors, some decorative crown molding, or built-in shelves can really make all the difference.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5412784

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l'éspoir means hope

At times I feel my 16 year old daughter is rather heavy hearted.  Sure she has a loving family, a comfortable home and a great gang of friends but I think she gets worried by the bigger picture.

At school she is given a mountain of work  but told that the job market will be hard to get on to,  no matter how qualified she is.

At home we do our best to respect the environment around us, but can  do nothing about Fukushima sending radio-active clouds our way or about the oceans being filled with rubbish.

You can see where I'm going here ..... economic recession, population explosion, I don't need to give you the details.

So what can we do to help our children be happy, optimistic and dynamic?   What do you tell your children?   The best  I can come up with is to live in a loving and respectful manner, do your best, look for beauty and encourage hope.  .....   I'm not sure that it's enough

photo thanks to Flickr

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I wanna throw up!

Hi guys...
Hufth... I'm very tired lately. My school bussiness just getting worse.
"Study... study... study..." That's the title. Imagining the National exams makes me feel like throwing up.
YAKS!!

I HATE THIS TIME...!!
It's annoying when you have to read books over the day. And what makes me sick is my brotha get a long holiday while i'm stuck in this moment. ARGH...!!
A lil longer to learn, then I will be as smart as an owl

LOL

Talking of owl, i have a good info...
My online magazine, "Aul-Owl Online Magazine" will be launching on the end of April! YAYY!!

Click here if you don't mind to see it :) 
Isn't it cool...??
hehe...

( Maaf deh, pake bahasa inggris nge-post nya. Walaupun 'siapa tahu' banyak salahnya sih. haha. No problem. Namanya juga belajar. Ya memang harus salah-salah dulu sebelum benar. Bahkan, bukankah kesalahan itu guru paling baik...? :)

<--------------------------- u,u --------------------------->

P.S.
Two of my neighbor, gimme awards. Hurray...!!

This fragrance and cute award is from Dhira. No matter the award looks girly. An award given by someone is an honorary for me, and my blog. seriously. Thanks so much Dhira!

And this delicious award is from Patricia, in celebrating her 100th followers.

Thank's so much Patt...! Congrats for ur 100th followers! :)

LUCKY...!
And I'm really shocked knowing this is my 55th and 56th awards :))
#Breathless
Hufth... hufth... hufth...
See-Yaa...!

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Business First: Ibiza replacement plan faces hurdles

A link to the story is here

Columbus real estate investor Mike Schiff first demonstrated an appetite for distressed properties in late 2010 with a relatively conservative play with the discounted purchase of a loan on the former Yankee Trader site near the North Market.

Stepping it up a bit, he purchased the nearly vacant Atlas Building downtown in late February with plans to redevelop the historic property into apartments and perhaps offices.

Now Schiff has worked his way into the Short North to the pocked, vacant site at 830 N. High St. that for the last four years has proven a financial black hole for Apex Realty, the would-be developers of the failed 11-story Ibiza condominium tower. A Schiff-led venture began solidifying its development rights for the property this week when it took over a contract from Columbus’ Core One Properties LLC to buy out Apex’s mortgage for the site. The loan has an outstanding balance of about $4.6 million but any developer could buy it at a discount and control the real estate.

The Ibiza saga goes back to 2006, when Apex first unveiled its plans for the 11-story tower. After numerous delays, the developer told about 70 would-be condo buyers in January 2010 that it would scuttle its bid for 138 condos and pursue apartments instead. Core Properties showed interest a few months later as it began talking to the Finance Fund, a financier of projects in distressed neighborhoods, about buying out the loan and putting apartments on the site.

Schiff said he wants a mix of offices, retail and residential units in a tower similar in scope to the failed Ibiza.

“It will have a much better shot at success than something that’s strictly residential,” he said.

But those plans still offer plenty of risks. For one, Schiff will have to pay off more than $550,000 in past-due property taxes. And those prospective buyers remain in line for an estimated $1.2 million in deposits Apex has yet to return, according to numerous lawsuits filed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. Such litigation, and rumors the developer may file for bankruptcy, may impede any plans.

Schiff also will have to go back to the Italian Village Commission since the project’s “certificate of appropriateness” has long since expired. He said he has lined up two unspecified developers to work through the minefield, but the unveiling of a formal plan will take a few months.

“We think we’ll bring Italian Village something they can be happy with,” Schiff said.

Core Properties CEO Jeff Coopersmith did not get specific in outlining his reasons for walking away from the project after nearly a year of trying.

“We basically sold our contract (to develop the site) in order to recover some of our expenses,” he said. “... We just couldn’t figure out how to make it work economically within our risk parameters. It was just too big of a risk.”

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HRC: Inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act Introduced in U.S. House

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 30, 2011

Inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act Introduced in U.S. House

Bill to Ban Job Discrimination Part of Economic Empowerment Agenda for LGBT Community

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, hailed today’s bipartisan reintroduction of an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would create federal protections against workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill is a critical piece of an economic empowerment agenda for the LGBT community, as detailed in a recent memo by HRC: www.hrc.org/documents/EconomicEmpowerment.pdf. (also below)

“All Americans worry about their economic future, but LGBT Americans’ anxieties are exacerbated when they can be fired for no other reason than their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “Passing ENDA is a key element of making sure all Americans can get back to work and get our country moving again.”

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act would address discrimination in the workplace by making it illegal to fire, refuse to hire or refuse to promote an employee based on the person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Currently such protections exist in 21 states and DC for sexual orientation and 12 states and DC for gender identity.

“ENDA reflects our shared value that what matters in the workplace is how you do your job, not who you are,” said Solmonese. “While debate remains about how to best solve our country’s economic woes, varied interests from large corporations to organized labor agree that ENDA is critical to our economy.”

Among Fortune 500 companies, 87 percent have sexual orientation non-discrimination policies and 46 percent have gender identity non-discrimination policies. Additionally, more than 85 companies have joined the Business Coalition for Workplace Fairness, a group of leading U.S. employers that support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

HRC’s new memo, “Federal LGBT Legislation: An Economic Empowerment Agenda,” details a number of legislative proposals to put LGBT Americans on the same footing as everyone else. In addition to ENDA, a number of bills aim to extend benefits to families currently disadvantaged because their relationships are not recognized. These include the Respect for Marriage Act, the Tax Equity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act, the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act, the Uniting American Families Act, the Equal Access to COBRA Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act. Additionally, passing legislation to ensure that schools are safe for all students will help prepare them to contribute to our economy.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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Economic Empowerment

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Columbus Dispatch: New developer to take over Ibiza's Short North site

The story is here

Retail, residential, office space planned in Short North tower

Wednesday, March 30, 2011 03:06 AM

By Jim Weiker

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A Columbus developer plans to build an office and residential tower on the site of the failed Ibiza condominium project in the Short North.

Schiff Capital Group has assumed control of the site at N. High Street and Hubbard Avenue, principal Michael Schiff said.

Schiff said he plans an eight- to 10-story building to include retail and restaurants on the ground floor, three or four floors of office space and some sort of residential space - probably apartments - on the upper floors.

"We believe that we have a real formula for success there," Schiff said. "The Short North is the hottest area in central Ohio right now, and this is the heart of the Short North."

The deal appears to mark the end for Ibiza. The project, announced in 2006, was to have been the largest condo project in the Short North, with 135 units in two 11-story towers.

But the project was crushed by a collapsing real-estate market, although an estimated 60 buyers deposited a total of about $1million for condominiums in the project. At least 17 investors have sued the developer, ARMS Properties, or its sister company, Apex Realty Enterprises, for their money back. In addition, Franklin County has sued ARMS for about $551,000 in unpaid property taxes.

"All along, the principals at Apex Realty Enterprises and ARMS Properties have promised their investors that if a new developer takes over the project, each person who deposited money would be made whole," said Brian Laliberte, a Columbus attorney who represents 15 investors. "We certainly hope that Apex and ARMS will follow through on that promise."

ARMS officials, who could not be reached for comment, had tried to strike a deal with Columbus developer Core Properties to build apartments on the site. Core backed out of the project after determining that the risk was too high, said Jeffrey Coopersmith, Core's managing partner.

Schiff assumed Core's primary position with the chief lender on the project, the Finance Fund.

"This is a great site, but it requires a different approach than what we're used to doing," Coopersmith said. "We were perfectly happy to give Mike our position."

Schiff said he hopes to work out the details of the development in 60 to 90days and "be able to proceed with construction soon after that."

The development also would include a parking garage off High Street, he said.

"This is a very important site for the entire city," Schiff said. "We see it as becoming a true focal point and meeting place in the Short North."

jweiker@dispatch.com

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ce mercredi je mange ... une tarte aux fraises

We like to eat seasonal and regional food here.  Grapes in the fall, asparagus in May, plums in October and French strawberries as from now!

Strawberries are a wonderful dessert fruit, most delicious of course when plucked from the garden, still warm in the sunshine, but we'll have to wait a few months for those.   The first French strawberries to appear on fruit stands are large and firm and ideal for using in tarts.  

Here is my favourite recipe: an almond rich pastry, amaretto flavoured creme patissiere, fresh strawberries and a light glaze.  Serving this at dinner generally provokes a moment of silence, as guests take their first spoonful of the pastry/cream/fruit combination.

Because I don't like the creme patissiere too firm,  this is not the best behaved tart to slice and serve.  To avoid extra difficulty, I make the cream and the pastry ahead of time then assemble at the last minute.

The pastry is dead easy, just throw the following into our mixer and whizz until  it has formed a round  ball.  Leave in the fridge for a short while, roll out to fit your tart mould, then back blind  at 190 until golden brown.

6 oz or 1 1/2  cups of flour

1 oz or 1/4 cup of ground almonds

3 oz or 1/2 cup sugar

 pinch of salt

3 egg yolks

3 oz or 1/.2 cup butter

To make the creme patissiere you will heat 1 litre of milk in a pan with a split vanilla pod.  While it's heating mix in a bowl 6 egg yolks, 1/3 cup flour and 1/2 cup sugar.  Pour the hot milk over the eggs and sugar mix then pour back into the pan and stir gently until the cream starts to thicken.  Watch this carefully, it doesn't take long.   Pour back into the bowl and leave to cool.

Once this is cool I beat up some fresh cream until fairly thick and mix the cream into the creme patissiere, along with a good tablespoonful of amaretto liqueur.  Leave in the fridge until ready to assembly the tart.

You only need to make the glaze now.   Simply cook a small handful of strawberries in a pan with orange juice and sugar to taste.  When thoroughly cooked press through a sieve and mix in 1/2 teaspoon powdered gelatine.

To assemble your tart, remove the pastry case from the tart mould (this isn't obligatory but it looks so much prettier), cover the pastry base with the cream then carefully lay the strawberries all over in neat circles.  If the strawberries are enormous you may want to cut them in half.

Pour the glaze over the strawberries and smile graciously as you bring the tart to the table amidst applause from a deliriously happy crowd! 

And,  if you enjoy this recipe and one day you're feeling saintlike, you might like to make up small individual tarts and .... prepare yourself for instant stardom!

photos all found at Google images

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Kiss the Son

Mat 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Mat 2:19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.

Few lives are as checkered as the life of Herod the Great. Few deaths are as miserable as his was. He was described as "a madman who murdered his own family and a great many rabbis."

His people, the Edomites (Idumaeans) were converted to Judaism under the Maccabees. Therefore they confessed the religion of the Jews and were circumcised, but the hearts of people like Herod were far from God. He tended to worship Caesar and self more than the Lord.

Although he did reconstruct the temple and outlying buildings, employing 1000 priests and slaves in the project, he did few favors for the Jews otherwise. The religious faithful despised Herod.

At 25, Herod was appointed governor of Galilee and at about 35 he was elected King of the Jews by the Roman senate.

In an attempt to gain the loyalty of the Jews, Herod married the teenage niece of his true Jewish predecessor and protagonist, Antigonus. Her name was Miriamne. However, this earned him more spite since he was already wed to Doris and had a 3 year old son, Antipater. He had the 2 of them banished.

3 years later, Herod and the Romans took control of Jerusalem, deposing Antigonus, and he made himself king over all the region.

In the style of the Romans, Herod became a paranoid potentate, killing many of his own family, Jewish priests and even his wife, Miriamne.

Here, we read of this ungodly fool's most egregious sin, the slaughter of the innocents. Not only was his paranoia piqued by the birth of this Galilean Child who was foretold to be born the "King of the Jews," but he was slighted by the wise men of the east. They were told to return to Jerusalem to report to Herod once they had located the newborn King so that he could also go and "worship him." Instead, they returned to their country another way, thus avoiding another meeting with this tyrant.

Our Scripture tells us that when he realized he was mocked of the wise men, he became so enraged that he sent soldiers to destroy all the children in the area of Bethlehem, from 2 years old to the newborns.

Did you catch that? It was the worshipful act of the wise men that angered Herod and triggered one of the most despicable acts of history.

In case you were thinking that God overlooked this massacre of innocents, let's look at history's account of what happened soon after to Herod.

Joseph and Mary quickly fled with Jesus to Egypt thanks to the message of the angel in a dream warning Joseph of the impending danger. While they were enduring their Nile exile, God's vengeance was unfolding upon Satan's henchman, Herod.

It is said that Herod suffered from depression, paranoia, chronic kidney disease and gangrene of the pubic region. Moreover, his last days were plagued with scabies, putrefaction and visible worms in and on his body. These maladies literally drove him to insanity.

I am reminded of God's law of sowing and reaping, that whosoever soweth to the flesh shall, of the flesh, reap corruption. Herod died as he lived, violently, miserably and insanely. All of the sorrow he caused others came back exponentially to visit him in his latter days.

God is not mocked! Herod, who was aware of the Scriptures, should have kissed the Son rather than trying to kill the Son.

Let the kings of the earth hearken to the Scriptures: Ps 2:10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

By the way, the innocents continue to be slaughtered here in our nation to the tune of 1.5 million per year. Those who countenance this great evil will also suffer greatly here and in the hereafter.

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