This months free audio book download at ChristianAudio.com is: Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God by David McCasland . Use the coupon code JAN2009 when checking out to get the free download. While I was on there I also saw that there is an abridged version of Future Grace by John Piper that is no cost as well and no code is needed. They have a number of Piper audios for free here, that you can also get from Desiring God.Paul Vaughn at Vaughnshire Farm writes: Corporate Bailouts North of the Mason Dixon Line. He has a link to a good article, Uncivil War: Detroit Blames the South, that gives a perspective on the bailouts of the auto industry that you probably will not find in the mainline press who do not like to rock the Union, that’s union as in UAW, in this case, boat. Paul has also added Corporate Bailouts North of the Mason Dixon Line - Part II based on an article from The TimesOnline .
(Updated 1/7/09 to include Paul's Part Three: Corporate Bailouts North of the mason Dixon Line - Part III)
Over at RBS Tabletalk they give: Some Guidelines for Making New Year’s Resolutions. At Sovereign Grace Christian Fellowship a couple Lord’s Day past I spoke on how one should plan to run the race God has us in, in the year ahead: How Will You Run in 2009?
The ESV Bible Blog has links to ESV Reading plans for the up coming year. They have 10 plans that you can access in a number of ways;
· web (a new reading each day appears online at the same link)
· RSS (subscribe to receive by RSS)
· email (subscribe to receive by email)
· iCal (download an iCalendar file)
· mobile (view a new reading each day on your mobile device)
· print (download a PDF of the whole plan)
Posts
2 comments:
Sorry Tony for contacting you in this way but this info may be of great importance to home schoolers. and I had no idea how to email you. Below is from the web site Hands and Hearts. They are discontinuing their history kits because of this law. Adonna
The CPSIA (Consumer Produce Safety Improvement Act) was passed in August 2008 and goes into effect on February 10, 2009. It was passed in response to recent lead paint scares involving imported toys. While all good parents wants safe toys and other products for their children, the unfortunate truth is that this law was written FAR too broadly.
Because this over-reaching law mandates expensive ($400 - $4,000 per test) testing on every part of every batch of everything made for children 12 and under, the ramifications are terrible. Mid-size and small companies of all sorts will go out of business as they cannot afford the testing. If a company makes clothing, for example, they would have to test every batch of every color and style of fabric, every batch of buttons, snaps, zippers, thread, elastic, etc. Even if they used the same bolt of fabric to make several different products, simply testing that one bolt would not appease the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Instead, every size of every style of finished product would have to have every component tested individually! This scenario applies to every product made for use by children - clothing, books, DVD's, craft products, toys, sporting goods, furniture, bedding, educational products, and so forth - even if the items are made from completely natural components.
Here are just a few results of this law:
1. The children's resale market will be seriously impacted. While new updates to the CPSIA state that resale shops can continue to sell used children's items without testing them, the updates also state that no one can sell used children's items that violate the new testing standard. Selling these "banned hazardous materials" is a felony offense with a $100,000 fine and jail time - and without performing the testing, resale shops and other resellers have no way of knowing if their items are in compliance. Many used children's items venues just aren't willing to take that kind of risk and are closing their doors in spite of the updates to the CPSIA.
2. The used children's book market will cease to exist.
3. All small and cottage industries related to children's products will have to close their doors. This includes natural, organic, and/or handmade products.
4. Many mid-size companies are closing because of the enormous financial burden of the testing and the paperwork nightmare created by the necessary labeling, tracking, and certification of their products.
5. Many homeschool authors and publishers will be going out of business.
6. The economy will be impacted on several levels: economically challenged families who rely on the children's resale market will suffer, families who lose their businesses will suffer, and families with members who lose their jobs due to businesses closing will suffer. Many related industries (those who produce support products like packaging, equipment, etc.) will suffer from the loss of companies who once bought their products. The companies who can afford the testing will surely pass their costs to all of us.
7. The environmental impact will be staggering as resale shops and other business are forced to dispose of their inventory, and as families who would have donated or sold their children's used items will be forced to discard them.
8. Our freedom to choose the products that we feel are best for our children will be severely hampered. We, for example, place a high value on children's toys made from natural materials like wood or wool, or items that are handmade. We will no longer be able to purchase these items for our children.
9. At this point, libraries will have to ban children 12 and under OR remove all children's books. I have no idea what the impact will be on schools!
Here are some excellent links for further information or study:
http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.HTML (actual CPSC site)
Hi Adonna:
Good to hear from you. Thanks for the information. I have been reading up on it and it is yet another example of the state trying to control everything. Sadly many probably think this type of law, "protecting children," is a good thing but do not think out the implications. It will be interesting to see how this works out as it could put many small and family business out of business.
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