Three times in one calendar year!

I commented on this before here.  As a summary, in March-ish of 2008 someone stole money out of my wallet (I think, and I think I know who, and when/how, but can’t prove it).  And in August, someone broke into my apartment and stole cash, a borrowed iPod, checks, my passport (I think), and who knows what else that I’m not missing.  Each time I filed a police report.

 

The latest incident was more fortunate—for me at least.  My credit card was used at five different motel/hotels in town in about one week.  I discovered two of the transactions as I checked my account activity online.  The card was in my possession the entire time.  I reported this to the bank as fraudulent activity and filed a police report.  My goals in writing this post are to do the following: explain (i.e. provide some reassurance as to how the process works) how I took care of this with the bank; talk about working with the police; and my personal feelings/what I’ve learned.

 

Working with the bank

This was the easiest part, and I knew it would be.  As consumers in the USA, we have some really cushy laws protecting us when it comes to credit card fraud.  First, the credit card provide cannot hold you liable to more than $50 in the event of theft, regardless of the amount charged.  Many times, they will waive it completely.  That was my experience.  I’m not a huge Chase fan, but they deserve some praise here.  I have a Chase/VISA Amazon.com card so I will give them all merits in this case.

 

***It is important to know that Debit cards don’t have nearly as much protection.  You are only liable to $50, IF you inform the bank within 48 hours of learning of the fraud.  There may be a limit for credit cards but it is much longer.  This is one reason some people advise people to use credit cards rather than debit/check cards, though there are probably many more reasons to use Debit (primarily, to avoid getting yourself in debt).***

 

I was on the phone with Chase for about 15 minutes over two conversations.  They mailed me something (which showed that there were actually 5 frauds) and had me verify what I did not purchase, I sent it back, and they cancelled the transactions.  They cancelled my card and had me a new one within 1.5 weeks.  I give them an A- overall, my only complaints being the time to wait for a new card (it was around Christmas and some people might really “need” the card so they could put themselves into debt buying gifts :-/) and a letter I received that said to call someone but I never received a call back.

 

A week or so later, I decided to file a police report as well (for more on my motivations, read here).  This was not necessary for self-preservation reasons, and if you’re shaken up or just “want to put it all behind you” then maybe you decide not to do this.  Otherwise, you should, as it can help to prevent this in the future and may have some therapeutic affects as well.  Since it was not a crime that occurred at a specific time and place, I went by the station on a day off.  After waiting about 15 minutes, an officer called me into a room and took my information, what happened, etc… It was very easy, though more time-consuming than speaking on the phone with Chase.

 

About two weeks later, I received a call from another officer who had been investigating.  She told me that one of the hotels were told on the phone that it was a “reservation for a homeless person.”  This is helpful for me, in identifying what I may have done to compromise my information and how I could prevent this in the future. (However, I already suspected such, and will probably not act differently in the future, as far as helping out the homeless goes.  Unless I’m told that a specific action of mine got my credit card # in someone else’s hands, I’m not going to change my whole life and make entirely different decisions).  This makes me think that I may know the person and it may not be random, though the first officer told me that this crime is very common here.

 

Another two weeks have passed and I have not heard anything else.  Is this someone I know?  If yes, then perhaps my ignorance is not good.  Otherwise, I’m not worried.  Hopefully if this happens to you things will work out just as well.

Local elections, Champaign County/Illinois- UPDATED

This is to provide resources for you if you would like to be a more informed voter next Tuesday, especially in our State and local elections here in Illinois.  Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of information out there in any one place.  Here’s my suggestions for becoming more informed

1. Decide on what is important to you.  Are you passionate about the justice system?  (You should spend more time reading about judges and the State’s Attorney).  Are you concerned with environmental issues?  That is part of the platform of Naomi Jakobbson, who is running for a state congressional position.  Etc… Then, really read up on those races.  Google search for the candidates to see if they have web sites, which should hopefully have more info than any other source.

2. Familiarize yourself with all the races so that you can make an informed decision on as many as possible.  Figure out what exactly each elected official does, and make an effort to think about what qualities and/or beliefs you think are important for that job.  Then browse through the News-Gazette articles and the Voter’s Guide.

3. Talk to others.  Today at work I learned that my co-worker used to work for the Forest Preserve.  It just so happens that one of the things on the ballot is a property tax increase to give the Forest Preserve more money.  I now know much more about the Forest Preserve than I did before.  Consider what people would know at your job.  I work for a bank.  Thus, I plan to talk to people who work with releasing mortgages about what they know about the County Recorder’s office and see if they have an opinion on what could be done better, because one of the races is for the County Recorder.

4.  Vote.  It’s free.

The race I am most passionate about at this time is State’s Attorney.  I am supporting the challenger, Janie Miller-Jones.  I won’t get on a soapbox here but if you’d like to know more reasons, please ask.  And if you don’t care, vote for her!

Resources

UPDATE: I’m not going to delete all the News-Gazette info below, but they’ve put it all on a free section of their web site, found here: http://www.news-gazette.com/special/2008_election/

And here’s the direct link to the County Clerk page where you find out where you vote and all the district information as well as a sample ballot so you know exactly which contests you will vote on: https://www.champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/registration_status.html

County Clerk’s Office. Here you can find where you go to vote and information on the elections.  Everyone should read the Voter’s guide, especially the part that lists all the positions up for election and the names of each candidate.  Also there are pretty good descriptions of the Referenda on the ballot.  The voter’s guide is a PDF and is found here.  It’s also important so that you can know which district you are in.

Second, I went through all the News-Gazette’s from this month.  Unfortunately, they require you to pay to read the archives online, so you’ll have to go to the library (or to that neighbor’s house who keeps all the newspapers for months at a time).  You can find them at the Champaign Library, upstairs in the back left corner near all the magazines.  I’m going to list by race where you can find articles and a list of the editorial choices.  They’re not in very good order so you’ll just have to sort through them.  For each position I’m listing the date and page #, and editorial date in italics.

Third, the political party sites.

I myself plan to go back because I didn’t know which district I was in for different races so I need to look that up first.

Recorder: 10/29, A5.  10/16

Circuit Clerk: 10/28, A5.  10/21

Champaign Co Board, Dist 1: 10/20, A5.

Champaign Co Board, Dist 7: 10/23, A5. 10/24, A1.

Champaign Co Board, Dist 8: 10/22, A2.

Champaign Co Board, Dist 9: 10/25, A4.

All 9 districts for Champaign County Board discussed in editorial on 10/30

US House of Representatives: 10/14, A3. 10/24, A5.  10/28

IL House 103th District: 10/18, A1.  10/14

IL House 104th District: 10/17, A1.  10/12

Auditor: 10/18, A5.  10/22

Coroner, 10/20

US Senate, 10/31

State’s Attorney, 10/16

Champaign County judges, 10/20

Forest Preserve tax: 10/28, D1.

Champaign City property tax increase for general assistance fund, 11/1.  10/31

School sales tax: a lot of places

POLITICAL PARTY SITES

Champaign County Democrats’ candidates

Champaign County Republicans’ candidates

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS

IL State Board of Elections

Champaign County

secondhand ear pollution

I’m sitting outside of Atlanta Bread Company, working on some various and sundry writing/studying things, and there are three middle-aged women carrying on somewhat loudly a few tables down.  Thankfully, I’ve been in the zone and have some music on so I’ve been able to tune them out.  However, a few moments ago, I shifted tasks, let down my guard, while one of them got especially riled up.

What do I hear?  Something I’d really rather not hear.

Oh, she got her tubes tied.  Because I was like, ‘When is she going to stop reproducing’?

What a disgusting thing to say, and likely about one of your friends or co-workers.  My town has taken the progressive step to ban smoking in all restaurants and bars to prevent the effects of secondhand smoke; it’s too bad we can’t ban this kind of insensitive, gossipy chatter.

Pres. Bush’s speech on the economic bailout Sept 24, 2008

From the White House web site:

I’m a strong believer in free enterprise. So my natural instinct is to oppose government intervention. I believe companies that make bad decisions should be allowed to go out of business. Under normal circumstances, I would have followed this course. But these are not normal circumstances. The market is not functioning properly. There’s been a widespread loss of confidence. And major sectors of America’s financial system are at risk of shutting down.

The government’s top economic experts warn that without immediate action by Congress, America could slip into a financial panic, and a distressing scenario would unfold:

More banks could fail, including some in your community. The stock market would drop even more, which would reduce the value of your retirement account The value of your home could plummet. Foreclosures would rise dramatically And if you own a business or a farm, you would find it harder and more expensive to get credit. More businesses would close their doors, and millions of Americans could lose their jobs. Even if you have good credit history, it would be more difficult for you to get the loans you need to buy a car or send your children to college. And ultimately, our country could experience a long and painful recession.

Ima this, Ima that.  Iva had enough of that!  I made a rhyme!

This language really annoys me.  As president, I would have to make many tough decisions.  Things aren’t black and white.  I’d have to do or support or reluctantly compromise on things I wouldn’t like.  But it seems like GWB has had to compromise a little too much.

Most economists, wall street types, politicians, etc… think the government needs to do something (although many disagree with the original proposed $700B plan, which now seems to be off the table).  So I have no problem with him going against his normal desire to support free enterprise… but how many times does this have to happen?  This isn’t the first time.  Bush has not stuck with orthodox conservative economic policy.  Some liberals and progressives might celebrate that but as a fiscal conservative, I am disappointed and I’m more annoyed by the larger integrity issue.

Furthermore, federal government intervention in general has increased way too much under his watch.  It may not have been his idea but he’s been at least an approving bystander.  Then, he paints such a bleak picture as if those things are certain to happen if the government does nothing, but will not happen if we act quickly.

Look, either being president is hard and you have to make tough decisions in gray areas, or it’s easy and you just make black and white decisions in accordance with your ideological view.  In fact sometimes it’s both, but let’s not act as if it’s both at the same time.  That’s really not helpful.

SJ in the OT: Government

Concerning the oppressed and the poor, the Bible has a universal rule and calling for government: treat them fairly and bring about justice in their favor. I will put together dual posts, one each for the message of the Old and New Testaments. Each will attempt to show God’s calling for government and how it applies to His people and those who are not His people.

In the Old Testament, there is a division between the Jews (God’s chosen people; Hebrew descendants of Isaac) and Gentiles (Generally enemies of God’s people; any number of ethnic groups and nation-states). In my limited political history understanding, Old Testament government, with the exception of the Jewish theocracy from Moses – Judges, generally takes the form of absolute monarchies– people led by kings and queens.  First, we will look at God’s commands for justice to the kings of Judah and Israel.

Judah: Jeremiah 22:2-5,8-9
Hear the word of the Lord, O King of Judah, who sits on the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people who enter these gates.  Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.  For if you will indeed obey this word, then there shall enter the gates of this house kings who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their servants and their people.  But if you will not obey these words, I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation.

And many nations will pass by this city, and every man will say to his neighbor, Why has the Lord dealt thus with this great city?  And they will answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God and worshiped other gods and served them.

Israel:  Amos 2: 6-7
For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath.
They well the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.
They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed.

Amos 5:12-15
You deprive the poor of justice in the courts… the times are evil.
Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.

You can see that the Lord had strong words to the kings and officials of these nations.  God called the patriarchs of Israel into covenant with himself in order that the Lord would be their king.  When they demanded an earthly king, the Lord told them two things: 1) I’ll give you what you want– you want to be like other nations, and you better be careful, because earthly kings will do just that and steer you wrong; and 2) these kings are to lead you in my ways and commands– the covenant and the Law are still in place.

What was the Law?  It contained many things.  For some of my studies on the Law, go here.  The original covenant between God and his chosen people was with Abram, in Genesis 12: “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you… and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  Israel was to be a channel of God’s blessing to all nations.  Now, the gentile nations worshiped idols and blatantly disregarded God’s law.  So Israel first needed to be a light to the nations.  By shining its light, it would bring other nations to God, that they could then be blessed.

Depriving the poor of justice… selling the righteous; failing to “deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed”– that is not exactly being a light!!  So the sins of God’s chosen people were double- not only did they violate God’s law, but they also broke covenant and failed to be a light to the nations. They deprived the earth of God’s blessing. Thus they bore not only responsibility for their own sins but also the sins of their gentile neighbors.  Speaking of which…

Gentiles

Israel’s failure did not excuse the gentiles from responsibility for justice.

Amos 1
For three sins of Gaza, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath.
Because she took captive whole communities and sold them to Edom,
I will send fire upon the walls of Gaza…

For three sins of Tyre, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath.
Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom,
disregarding a treaty of brotherhood,
I will send fire upon the walls of Tyre…

For three sins of Ammon, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath.
Because he ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to extend his borders,
I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah.

The lack of a good example did not excuse these nations and many others.  A really interesting thing is that God would use Gentile nations to carry out his judgment against other Gentile nations because of the failure of Israel!  Assyria is condemned for its “endless cruelty” in Nahum 3:19 and defeated by Babylon.  Furthermore, in the book of Habakkuk the prophet complains about the injustice and idolatry prevalent in Judah.  In response, God says that “I am raising up Babylonians… to seize dwelling places not their own.” He used Gentile nations to stop the injustice occuring in Israel itself!

This may seem cruel, but as a result of Judah’s exile to Babylon, it gets a fresh chance to renew the covenant.  While in Babylon, God instructs them to be a blessing:

“Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:7).

People like Daniel find favor with the rulers and the Hebrews prosper spiritually, eventually with some returning to Jerusalem to repair the city wall and rebuild the temple.

In conclusion, the governments of the OT were expected to lead their people in pursuing justice in accordance with God’s law.  And Israel had a specific calling to also pursue justice in light of its covenant with God– that by doing so, it would be a light to the gentiles and bring blessing to the earth.  I believe that the NT contains a similar dynamic.  The next post will address the role of government in NT social justice and the role of Christians in regards to government.

The House built on the Rock

Lone house to survive from Hurricane Ike

This blog post brought to my attention the above photo of a solitary home still standing in the town of Gilchrist, TX, after Hurricane Ike passed through the state last week.  The owners of this home had their previous house destroyed by Hurricane Rita– they re-built with a plan for a building that could survive a Category 5 storm.

The obvious parallel, to a Christian, are Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount in Luke 6 or Matthew 7.

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. Matt 7:24-29

A few verses from the hymn “How Firm a Foundation”

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast of Tabernacles is the last major Jewish Biblical holiday in our study.  It is also known as the Feast of Booths because of the command to build and live in temporary dwellings for the seven days of the festival (Lev 23:42-43).  Faithful Hebrews made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to give offerings from the recent harvest and constructed booths during their stay.

When

• 15th day of 7th month
• Celebrated for 8 days: first day Israel gives offerings and fruits of the land; 8th day hold a sacred assembly (Lev 23:36,40; Deut 16:13)
• Occurred after harvest (Lev 23:39; Deut 16:13)
• Implication that they were to do “no regular work” throughout the entire festival (Num 29:12)

What to Offer

• The daily offerings followed the following pattern: (Num 29:13-34)
• On the first day (in addition to regular burnt, grain, & drink ofg’s):
  • Burnt: 13 bulls; 2 rams; 14 male lambs
  • Grain: same as normal grain ofg
  • Sin: 1 male goat
• Each subsequent day, decrease the number of bulls by one
• Seventh day, seven bulls for the burnt ofg; everything else unchanged

Sacred Assembly

• Scripture seems to speak of two different assemblies.  There is one which occurs on the eighth day—what I would call the “normal” assembly, the one which marked the climax of a multi-day festival; but Num 29:12 says that on the starting date, a sacred assembly should be held.
  • This is not the 8th day.  The feast of tabernacles starts on the 15th day of the 7th month.  The day of atonement is on the 10th day of the 7th month, therefore the 15th cannot be the end of the FoT.
  • Therefore I will assume that this first assembly was also when the first day’s offerings were made and but also special plant offerings- in addition it was a day of rest.
• Like other assemblies: do no work (Num 29:35)
• Burnt:1 bull, 1 ram, 7 male lambs, along with their grain and drink ofg’s (Num 29:37)
• Sin: male goat
• Regular grain and drink and burnt ofg’s

Hebrews 13 challenges this morning

Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

• I know someone who was just sent to prison.  When he was in jail, it was easy to take a few hours to go have a 20 min visit with him every week or every other week.  Now, he’s much farther away.  Will I write?  Will I visit?  What should I do?

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have

• I will have a fat checking account soon- several weeks of overtime, a returned security deposit, and new cheap rent will do that to you.  The money is not going to stay there.  What will I save?  What will I give?

It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them.

• I like spending time alone.  Circumstances in life have made that less frequent than in the past, but these are good circumstances.  I have my internet surfing, sports-following, other private hobbies that I’ve used to strengthen myself- in a sense, my ceremonial food.  Will I be selfish and make sure I get that no matter what?  Or will I approach the throne of grace and ask in my time of need?

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

• As I’ve become busier, it’s been easier to feel justified in turning down opportunities to do good.  I’ve also had to make choices between two or more things that are intrinsically good- such as honoring scheduled time with a friend vs. spending time with someone who may benefit from it but is not really a friend.
• I live in a house now where we have many things in common.  Will I resist the temptation to be selfish?  Furthermore, will I become more selfless?  The positive should be our goal, not the lack of a negative.

Pray for us.

• Will I pray for friends on the mission field?  Will I pray for friends who have sick family members?  Will I pray for my own family?  Will I pray for my relationships?
• Will I pray for those I don’t know, whether it’s the poor in Champaign, those starving in Darfur, or even politicians?
• How will I pray?  In passing or focused on the person and God?  “With many words, to be heard by men,” or privately, because “God hears what is said in secret”?

Fantasy football draft

My main league, in which this is my 6th year participating, had its offline draft today.  Most of the guys gathered in Chapel Hill but I was here in Illinois.  We have a 10-team league, mostly standard scoring (30 yds passing/pt and 6 pts/TD pass are two differences) with no flex starter.  I had the 10th pick, so back-to-back in a snake draft.  We are starting a keeper league this year so that affected my drafting a little bit (taking fliers on some young guys near the end of the draft, and in who I would pick first and who second on my back to backs).

I did things a bit unconventionally but the draft went about as well as I could have hoped.  I got 2 RBs with potential to be solid starters in Rounds 3 and 4, and one of my top defenses and Tight Ends even though I waited till many had already been picked.  Here’s my team:

Starters

QB: Tony Romo
RB: Willie Parker
RB: Darren McFadden
WR: Terrell Owens
WR: Roddy White
WR: Joey Galloway
TE: Tony Scheffler
K: none [will pick up before week 1, or possibly after week 1]
DEF: New England (even though I rout against them about as much as any team)

Bench
Josh Morgan, WR, 49ers
Philip Rivers
Chester Taylor, RB, Vikings
Michael Turner, RB, Falcons
Matt Forte, RB, Bears
Ted Ginn, JR
Tim Hightower, RB, Cardinals
Dustin Keller, TE, Jets

The season starts on Thursday!!!

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

This is part of a series. See the description and introduction and glossary.

My cultural and informal knowledge of contemporary Jewish practice is very limited. Thus, I try not to say too much in these opening remarks about the way these festivals are celebrated in our culture. One difficulty with understanding Jewish festivals is the difference in beliefs amongst Jews themselves. Orthodox Jews will differ greatly in the significance they attach to Yom Kippur from that of reformed Jews. But all would agree that Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is significant because of its themes of atonement and repentance from us, before God. We can see a parallel in that “liberal” and “conservative” Christians would explain the purpose of Jesus’ life and death differently, but all those explanations would include the ideas of atonement and forgiveness.

All that being said, I am going to try and understand the Day of Atonement as it was given by God to the Hebrews in the Law. The most important thing to understand is that this day, the 10th day of the 7th Hebrew month (see Timeline), was the only occasion for entering into the Most Holy Place (MHP) of the Tent of Meeting (ToM, later the Temple) (Lev 16:2). And only the High Priest (HiPt) could enter. One person, one time per year. That’s it. This restriction reflected the holiness of God and the separation of God from sinful people.

Purpose: to atone for the people and the holy things

• High Priest and his household: the Bull SinOfg, Burnt Ofg
• Israel: their Sin and Burnt Ofg’s
• MHP & ToM: the Goat SinOfg (from the community)
  • For that reason, no one else is to be in ToM at this time
• Altar: both the bull and the goat’s blood together sprinkled; the fat of the bull and goat burnt

Offerings to prepare

• HiPt was contribute the following for offerings before entering (Lev 16:3,6,11)
  • Sin: young bull
  • Burnt: Ram
• From the community (Lev 16:5, 8-10)
  • Sin: 2 male goats, one to atone for people and one as scapegoat
  • Burnt: Ram

How to conduct the offering

• Bull: (Lev 16:12-27) process similar to sin ofg for anointed priest
• Scapegoat: presented alive before Lord and sent into desert (Lev 16:10); takes with it the sins of Israel and is released in a remote area (20-22)
• Sin Goat: same as Bull (Lev 16:15-19)
• Rams: sacrificed after HiPt exits the MHP (Lev 16:23-24)

Other rules for the Holiday

• Fasting (Lev 16:29,31; 23:27,32; Num 29:7)
• Do not work (Lev 16:29,31; 23:28,31-32; Num 29:7)
• Hold a sacred assembly (Lev 23:27; Num 29:7-11)
  • Same ofg as monthly ofg (except only 1 bull for burnt)
• Called a “Sabbath rest” (Lev 23:32)

Consequences for Improper actions/offerings

• If one did not fast, they were to be cut off from the community (Lev 23:30)