Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Turn to Tea for a New Year health kick

New Year will see people turning to tea for their post Christmas detox, if past trends continue, says the UK’s favourite tea producer.

Last year sales in green teas rose by around 40% and fruit and herbal sales rose by almost 15% during January reflecting the trend for healthy New Year resolutions. Ray Duffin, Marketing Controller, from the nation’s favourite tea producer Tetley says, “At this time of year people are thinking about their healthand wanting to choose a resolution which is easy to stick to and packed full of health benefits. Tetley Green teas can help you ease into your new regime as they are packed with goodness and a great way to kick off a healthy new year.

“Consumers in the UK are beginning to recognise the important health benefits of green tea. Tetley green teas are as hydrating as water, naturally rich in antioxidants and are a natural source of theanine. Early research suggests that antioxidants may help maintain the body’s defence systems and suggests that theanine may create a feeling of relaxation and alertness at the same time. This makes green teas from Tetley the perfect accompaniment to a healthy regime, particularly during the New Year.”

Tetley Green Tea Pure is made from only the best quality leaves and uses the gentle process of steaming to produce a tea that has a smooth and round flavour unlike the harsh taste consumers associate with other green teas.

Tetley has a green tea blend for everyone – apart from Green Tea Pure, there are three other varieties – Green Tea Lemon, Green Tea Decaf and Green Tea Mint.

Tetley also makes fruit and herbal teas which are in fact infusions, rather than tea, as they are produced from flowers, fruits, herbs and spices. They are naturally caffeine free and are traditionally believed to have added benefits, such as Tetley Peppermint Punch which is thought to aid digestion.

Tetley has a large variety of fruit and herbal teas ranging from the more traditional infusions of camomile and summer berry to the exotic tastes of lemon tangerine, redbush & vanilla and blackberry.

“We welcome the sales boost to newer varieties in the new year but know that all teas are ultimately healthy which is good news for Tetley tea drinkers,” Duffin concludes.

Tetley's green teas (99p for 25 bag pack) and fruit and herbal infusions (79p for a 20 bag pack) are available from larger branches of Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrison's. All are packaged in Tetley’s unique stay fresh resealable canisters which ensure that the last bag of Tetley
remains as fresh as the first.

Overview of Britain's favourite tea maker Tetley is the biggest manufacturer and distributor of tea in the UK. It is the nation’s favourite tea brand with a 28% volume share of the total tea market, and its tea bags are regularly bought by about every third household in the UK.

Tetley has a range of Green, Fruit & Herbal and Speciality teas along with black teas including Decaf, Organic and Extra Strong. With a range of teas to suit every taste, Tetley is well placed to consolidate its place as Britain's favourite tea maker. Tetley really is ‘Everyone’s cup of tea’.
www.tetley.co.uk
www.tetley.com
www.teaexperts.co.uk

Tea (especially Green Tea) is also becoming increasingly popular in the USA, due to the ongoing research into the health-giving properties of both ordinary black tea and Green Tea.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

"Churches and temples are no longer safe in America" claims Reverend Craig X. Rubin



"Churches and Temples are no longer safe in America," claims the Reverend Craig X Rubin of Temple 420, who was arrested November 8, 2006, at his religious establishment by over one dozen 'heavily armed' officers of the LAPD.

"If they can do this to us, they can do it to any church that the government disagrees with." The Reverend known for his reoccurring role on Showtime's hit series "Weeds" said arresting officers did not treat Temple clergymen as required by California Penal Codes 1524 and 1525.
The Reverend Rubin (pictured) is known as the General Pharmer to his congregation.

The investigation of Reverend Rubin began only days earlier. An undercover officer joined Temple 420 on November 3, 2006, and immediately purchased 3.5 grams of sacrament, "PurpleErkle." This was the basis of the arrest warrant for defendant Rubin; the seizure of all sacrament and money from the church; and, the freezing of all financial assets before conviction. As a result, Temple 420 may be forced to close.

(Note: Video of the arrest is available at: youtube.com/watch?v=Mw8W4wJcGOg).

"What if this was my church?" Rubin's lawyer asked. A key tenet of Temple 420 is that members receive communion by burning a sacramental herb, marijuana. However, the plant contains THC, regulated under the Controlled Substances Act by the Federal Government; the sect is currently being barred from engaging in the practice of its religion on the grounds that it violates the California Health & Safety code.

Temple 420 claims the Religious Freedom Restoration Act affirmed by the Supreme Court for protection. By law the Government is prohibited from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion, unless the Government demonstrates that application of the burden to the person represents the least restrictive means of advancing a 'compelling interest.'

This was affirmed in the case of "Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao Do Vegetal" when the church's Schedule I hallucinogenic sacrament was seized. But, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the church's sacrament being returned and them being allowed to continue their religious practices.

Temple 420 has retained civil rights attorney La'Chelle Monique Woodert, who plans not only to defend the church, but to then help the Temple sue the city for violating Temple 420's religious freedom rights when they beat the criminal charges.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

A new voice in Pagan Literature emerges LINK FIXED!

A new voice in Pagan Literature emerges. Refreshing, direct and a little bit mad Valley of the Cynllaith 2006.Emerging from the shadowy mists of the Welsh / Shropshire Borders , Rob Chapman, Druid, Counselor has spent the last Five years creating workshops, ritual and group experiences for people around the UK.

The culmination of this Five years is his new Book.Llyfr o Cythrawl a Awen by Rob Chapman, is his first offering to the world. It presents on one hand a new and refreshing look at some of the ideas and conc,epts of modern druidry, whilst also giving a metaphoric description for the emergence of the true self, through actualization.

"It includes sections upon ritual as well as ideas of free expression as a means of growth and healing. One reader said “Just downloaded and read your book...! Have to say, makes loads of sense, and its refreshing to see someone approaching druidry from a unique perspective (though I suppose we all do anyway...)

"It's very easy to write and include all that has gone before, though in some respects you have done that, just finding your own definition and way of working which is definitely (not that I deal in definite anything really), a welcome change from the usual garbage that’s perpetuated in the name of Paganism in general."

"You have a firm grasp of the nature of things, this comes across really well, and its nice to hear these subjects covered from a Druidic perspective and simply rather than a lengthy tome ... very succinct and "to the point"."

Rob Chapman wrote Llyfr o Cythrawl a Awen to help relieve the fire in the head that comes when you spend all your time thinking and exploring the ideas and ways of Druidry. Also because as a Druid he sees that an important role is to teach, but also to push the boundaries and not let things stagnate.

He came to Lulu because he wanted to be in control of the publishing process and found Lulu’s print-on-demand tools to be fast, easy and, most importantly, free. Llyfr o Cythrawl a Awen is available for purchase at www.lulu.com, in a marketplace filled with other unique and wonderful surprises. Link to Publication http://www.lulu.com/content/569765

Rob Chapman has over twenty years experience within the occult and pagan Traditions. 10 Years of which have focused largely upon Druidry. He has over the last Five years trained as a Person Centered Counselor as well as running workshops and spiritual camps.

I thought I'd share this with you! Post Mormon enough for you, eh?

Thank you to Gunner for pointing out the problem with Lulu. I have now attacked this from a different angle and put in a different link which takes you directly to the book.

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Mormons and Mormonism in the news

For the first time in a long, long time I have decided to do a trawl for Mormon-related news items. Here they are!

Mormons ignore Mary, mother of Jesus!
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_4757591

“ For most of the year, though, Mary is largely tucked away - respected for her submissiveness, admired for her faithfulness, but largely invisible. She does not adorn their chapel walls, nor stare down from stained-glass windows. She is not part of their weekly worship or routinely mentioned in prayers. And she barely merits a mention in LDS books. True to the Faith, a recent compendium of Mormon teachings, moves from "marriage" to "Melchizedek Priesthood" without a line about Mary. Ditto for Preach My Gospel, the handbook of doctrine used by LDS missionaries worldwide, even in the section on Jesus' earthly ministry. She's nowhere to be found in Mormonism for Dummies, either. "There is next to nothing official about Mary from the modern LDS perspective, so we wanted to err on the side of caution rather than offering our own speculations that may not have been doctrinal," says Jana Riess, Dummies co-author with Christopher Bigelow. "When it does offer teaching about Mary, the church tends to emphasize her role in the fulfillment of prophecy, and particularly her being of the Davidic line."



Mormon temple to get rates (property tax) bill

http://www.lep.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=73&ArticleID=1898273

“Mormons must pay full rates
The Mormon Church has suffered defeat in its legal campaign to stop rates bills being slapped on its massive temple in Chorley.
Top judges ruled against the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints, saying the temple did not qualify for a rates exemption – because it can only be used by selected Mormon believers and is not "a place of public religious worship."The Appeal Court decision is a bitter blow to the Church whose 6,300 square metre temple is just one of a number of very large buildings set amidst 15 acres at Temple Way, adjacent to the M61 motorway.”


Mormon necrodunking satirised by UK publication
http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s2i11826
“WASHINGTON, DC -- Rabbi Jacob Baer stood before his congregation at Temple Sinai on Military Road yesterday morning, poised to perform a ritual that he had perfected just hours before. On a long table before him were a silver bowl, a small dark blue bottle, a lighted candle, a lockbox, and a blow dryer.”

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/11/30/231605.shtml?s=lh
The Rev. Jerry Falwell quickly distanced himself from a published report that claims he has endorsed Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for president in 2008….
"It has come to my attention that a statement attributed to Governor Mitt Romney suggests that I have endorsed his candidacy for president... I have not endorsed or offered support for Governor Romney or any other candidate…”

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_4747901
Man charged in library bombing said he was studying Mormon faith, not blowing up library.


http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/19/CMGTTLVBEJ1.DTL
Jeffs described as: "...pope of Mormon polygamy"

Monson attacks BYU football coach for failing to seperate religion and sport. (That's Gordon Monson, by the way)
http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_4753437

"Even - no, especially - at an institution owned by a church, there has to be separation between righteous living, earning or invoking God's blessings, and kicking tail on the football field. There is no connection."


Oops! Book burning goes too far! (Don't they ALL?)
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2006/11/30/book-burnings-potter-tech-media_cz_ds_books06_1201burn.html

In August 2003, two Michigan pastors, T.D. Turner Sr. and son T.D. Turner Jr., took a stand against sorcery by burning a Harry Potter book outside their Jesus Non-Denominational Church. The younger Turner, Tommy, says that while he hadn't read the book... The fire so inflamed parishioners' passions that, according to the Detroit Free Press, some of the 50 spectators proceeded to burn the Book of Mormon..."


http://www.slweekly.com/editorial/2006/ae_3_2006-11-23.cfm

"When Brian Evenson began writing The Open Curtain, he was a Mormon. By the time he finished the book, he was not. Leaving the religion one grew up in can be fertile ground for a novelist to explore. "


http://www.ocweekly.com/music/music/purpose-beyond-crap/26259/
"Musician Theo Hirsch has 30 years of frustration to get off his chest. Is it fair to call your songs rants set to music?I rant a lot. Yeah. Did you have stuff to get off your chest after being a Mormon for so long?" (Yes, it IS Theo from RFM)

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_4599863
"Pearson's was a searing tale of her husband's battle against his homosexuality, their attempts to create a faithful Mormon family, his leaving to live as a gay man and his eventual death from AIDS. Her story of love, hope, betrayal, forgiveness and reconciliation put a human face on gayness. "

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11222006/news/nationalnews/14_year_olds_polygamy_nightmare_nationalnews_.htm
"November 22, 2006 -- ST. GEORGE, Utah - A 14-year-old girl cried and was clearly troubled in the weeks preceding an arranged marriage to an older cousin, her sister testified yesterday at a hearing that could lead to a criminal trial for the leader of a fundamentalist Mormon sect.
"She was 14," said Rebecca Musser, whose sister has a different last name. "It was just shocking and horrific . . . She didn't want to get married." "

As covered in the New York Post