Experts anticipate that more than 350,000 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will return to civilian life with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Barry R. Schaller, a judge and a bioethicist, chronicles the events leading to what he predicts will be the most challenging PTSD epidemic in U.S. military history. Although combat veterans have experienced similar disorders in previous wars, Schaller explains why these two contemporaneous wars in particular are a breeding ground for the condition.Veterans on Trial deals with the problem of PTSD from the ground up, starting with the issues that returning veterans and their families face. When they leave the battlefield to become civilians again, many soldiers are not prepared, or are unable, to cope successfully with the challenges. Their compounded anxieties often result in serious trouble: divorce, job loss, homelessness, substance abuse, suicide, and even murder. Schaller also explains how PTSD now operates as a means of defense in the criminal court system and how it will affect the courts in the next decade.After unveiling this invisible injury among the walking wounded, Schaller offers far-reaching solutions for returning veterans and their families. He specifies what political and judicial officials, military leaders, legislators, and the mental health communities can do to meet their responsibilities to the men and women who serve our nation.
This masterpiece of modern apologetics builds upon the intrinsic, formative principle within thought-namely, being. Having established the idea of being (indeed, of Absolute Being) as essential to all coherent thought, the author shows that it was a failure to appreciate the analogy of being that led to the disastrous errors of Kant and postmodern philosophy-for the analogia entis links all that exists. After beginning with philosophy, the book's clear aim is to demolish postmodernism, to strengthen and nourish the life of faith, and, finally, to take the reader on an extraordinary journey as far as the consummation of the life of faith in mystical union. This remarkable and timely text offers a profound, succinct, and accessible introduction to cosmology, revelation, Christology, the nature of the Church, and the moral and spiritual life, providing readers a compass to help them navigate the troubled waters of our time.
This masterpiece of modern apologetics builds upon the intrinsic, formative principle within thought-namely, being. Having established the idea of being (indeed, of Absolute Being) as essential to all coherent thought, the author shows that it was a failure to appreciate the analogy of being that led to the disastrous errors of Kant and postmodern philosophy-for the analogia entis links all that exists. After beginning with philosophy, the book's clear aim is to demolish postmodernism, to strengthen and nourish the life of faith, and, finally, to take the reader on an extraordinary journey as far as the consummation of the life of faith in mystical union. This remarkable and timely text offers a profound, succinct, and accessible introduction to cosmology, revelation, Christology, the nature of the Church, and the moral and spiritual life, providing readers a compass to help them navigate the troubled waters of our time.
Seeking Wisdom's Depths and Torah's Heights celebrates Samuel E. Balentine's innovative and influential work in the field of biblical studies with essays from prominent biblical scholars and from Balentine's former students, who are up-and-coming in the field. Balentine's creative theological inquiry, interdisciplinary analysis, and pioneering work in the reception history of the book of Job inspired this volume, and its essays bring the Bible into conversation with quantum physics, psychology, ethics, and theology while exploring the reception of Torah and wisdom in literature, painting, sculpture, and the performing arts.Edited by Barry R. Huff and Patricia Vesely.Contributors: Samuel L. Adams, John Barton, Mark E. Biddle, Heather Woodworth Brannon, E. Carson Brisson, William P. Brown, Walter Brueggemann, Katharine J. Dell, Heidi J. Hornik & Mikeal Joseph Parsons, Barry R. Huff, Phillip Michael Lasater, S. Dean McBride, Jr., Andreas Schuele, Marvin A. Sweeney, and Patricia Vesely.Advance Praise for Seeking Wisdom's Depths and Torah's Heights: "This impressive collection of papers on Torah and Wisdom, in honour of Samuel E. Balentine, offers a veritable cornucopia of lexical, theological, ethical, and epistemological readings of Scripture, as well as engaging with biblical texts expressed through sculpture, dance, visual arts and even quantum physics. Sam is well known not only for his prolific publications but also for the influence he has had on students and colleagues worldwide: this Festschrift is a worthy testimony to both aspects of his legacy." -Sue Gillingham, Emeritus Professor of the Hebrew Bible, University of Oxford"This volume admirably reflects Samuel Balentine's breadth of mind, depth of insight, height of character, and length of influence in biblical studies. It draws together established leading scholars in the field with exciting younger voices, who incorporate insight ranging from quantum mechanics and psychology to art history and ballet into careful literary analysis and creative theological and ethical exposition of the biblical text with the openness and curiosity that makes Balentine's work so captivating. The focus on Torah and wisdom furthers his important contributions to bridging the externally imposed categorical breach between them." -Will Kynes, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies, Samford University"Rich with exegetical insights, this volume makes provocative forays into terrain long scouted with perspicacity by Sam Balentine. In these pages, creation is explored as wild, as ruined, as generative of moral yearning and spiritual awe. Here are musings on the art of translation and visual exegesis, on clashing epistemologies and formation of the ethical imagination, on fearlessness and fragility as dimensions of life in community, and more. Highly recommended " -Carolyn J. Sharp, Professor of Homiletics, Yale Divinity School"The only thing richer than a book by Samuel E. Balentine (though this might be debated) is a volume in honor of this one-of-a-kind scholar, teacher, and theologian. The present collection, authored by leading scholars focused on Torah and Wisdom, is a worthy tribute to Balentine's innovations in theological and ethical interpretation, performed in interdisciplinary modes, with consistent attention paid to the history of reception. Echoing God's words in Job, one of the contributors asks, 'Have you considered my servant, Sam' This book helps one do just thatand not just Sam, also his God and his beloved Scripture. A perfect trifecta " -Brent A. Strawn, Professor of Old Testament and Professor of Law, Duke University
The Banjo Pilot is the story of Duke Steel, a North Carolina bluegrass banjo player who played banjo with Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys in 1949. He then goes on to start his own band. After a personal tragedy involving a plane accident with his wife on board, he later joins a major airline as a pilot in 1958. After twenty years, he reacquaints himself with the bluegrass community when his daughter brings him back into the world of bluegrass. He teaches a new band how to play the style of bluegrass he learned from Bill Monroe and helps them learn enough to possibly win the band contest. The next week he takes the entire band to an important festival in a private plane. He has another flying incident coming home.The novel features extensive coverage of flying, bluegrass music and its pioneers, Christianity, tension and excitement, even a love story. This is for the bluegrass music newbie, as well as the veteran historian. It also features loads of excitement for the bush pilot as well as the airline pilot. It is for the Christian as well as the non-Christian.
The Alaskan Adventures of the Banjo Pilot is the continuing saga of Duke "The Banjo Pilot" Steel and his family. Learn about Duke's new wife Doris as she tells us about her secretive and torrid past, and find out why she kept her past a secret all these years from Duke.Join Duke and his family in their new adventure in Southeast Alaska where they start a brand new bush-flying business throughout the beautiful waters and snow-capped mountains from Ketchikan to Skagway. Join them on their flights up and down the waterways, and live the dangers they must endure in order to survive in this country.Enjoy Duke and Doris as they start a new bluegrass band in downtown Juneau. And meet Duke's brother Gus as you've never known him as tragedy besets him and the family.Discover how the Russian mafia threatens to either kill them or destroy their business. Will their business adventure come to an early end due to the threats from the mafia? Will the Steel family help expose the mafia to the FBI and help get rid of them from Southeast Alaska, or will the mafia prevail even stronger?Learn the dirty secrets of child prostitution, and see how the Steels try to help eliminate this evil from Juneau.Will the Steel family return to their beloved home in Mt. Airy, South Carolina, or will they choose to stay in Alaska?All these questions and more are explored in this exciting sequel to The Banjo Pilot.
The Alaskan Adventures of the Banjo Pilot is the continuing saga of Duke "The Banjo Pilot" Steel and his family. Learn about Duke's new wife Doris as she tells us about her secretive and torrid past, and find out why she kept her past a secret all these years from Duke.Join Duke and his family in their new adventure in Southeast Alaska where they start a brand new bush-flying business throughout the beautiful waters and snow-capped mountains from Ketchikan to Skagway. Join them on their flights up and down the waterways, and live the dangers they must endure in order to survive in this country.Enjoy Duke and Doris as they start a new bluegrass band in downtown Juneau. And meet Duke's brother Gus as you've never known him as tragedy besets him and the family.Discover how the Russian mafia threatens to either kill them or destroy their business. Will their business adventure come to an early end due to the threats from the mafia? Will the Steel family help expose the mafia to the FBI and help get rid of them from Southeast Alaska, or will the mafia prevail even stronger?Learn the dirty secrets of child prostitution, and see how the Steels try to help eliminate this evil from Juneau.Will the Steel family return to their beloved home in Mt. Airy, South Carolina, or will they choose to stay in Alaska?All these questions and more are explored in this exciting sequel to The Banjo Pilot.
This narrative follows the life of the author from early childhood up until his late teenage years. Stories of nostalgic younger days are intermixed with family history, regional facts, bizarre events and other influences that developed into a faith in a higher power. Families and friends leave inspirational values that foster the growth to self fulfillment. There are times in life that you find you may feel alone and times you just want to be left alone. Being alone is not a bad thing when there are adventurous activities within the imagination to fill the time. Find something every day that makes you smile, for in humor there is no remorse no sorrow no regrets. There will be some rainy days that come to all our lives. How you perceive the outcome is what counts. "After a pause of the summer rain, the sky turned this bright golden glow with a soft sweet smell that could have only been created by the Gods; A tranquil serene felling engulfs you as you soak up the peaceful seconds given. Absorbing these moments one can only think that the rapture must soon follow. This instant in time can only be seen if you are looking. Then the rain returns and you are left abandoned, again, but you feel good inside." Barry R. Byers
A legislative intern with secrets that could unravel the governing elite vanishes into the night in Albany, New York. Seven years later, another young woman disappears in a suburb of the nation's Capital. The only connection between both missing women is Ryan McNeil, the chief of staff to a rising congressman. Under suspicion, Ryan must now prove his innocence in these women's abductions, but in the ruthless world of politics-where the line between crime and lawful authority blurs-there is no one he can trust. With his life at stake, Ryan confronts the elaborate lies of his lover, his wife, and his political mentor to uncover the identities of a murderer and manipulator. While Ryan tries desperately to maintain his relationship with his wife and stepdaughter, the desires and deceits of those around him undermine his family and also the integrity of government. Innocent of murder, but implicated in this political world of deception, Ryan discovers the only truth is power. "... the pace of the story is consistently propulsive throughout, which is sure to maintain readers' interest." -Kirkus Reviews
A legislative intern with secrets that could unravel the governing elite vanishes into the night in Albany, New York. Seven years later, another young woman disappears in a suburb of the nation's Capital. The only connection between both missing women is Ryan McNeil, the chief of staff to a rising congressman. Under suspicion, Ryan must now prove his innocence in these women's abductions, but in the ruthless world of politics-where the line between crime and lawful authority blurs-there is no one he can trust. With his life at stake, Ryan confronts the elaborate lies of his lover, his wife, and his political mentor to uncover the identities of a murderer and manipulator. While Ryan tries desperately to maintain his relationship with his wife and stepdaughter, the desires and deceits of those around him undermine his family and also the integrity of government. Innocent of murder, but implicated in this political world of deception, Ryan discovers the only truth is power. "... the pace of the story is consistently propulsive throughout, which is sure to maintain readers' interest." -Kirkus Reviews
In 1666, The Great Fire of London raged from the 2nd of September and for a very long time. King Charles II joined with people trying to quell the fire filling the leather buckets with water. Samuel Pepys, Clerk of the Privy Seal wrote in his diary about the fire. Gunpowder was used to make a firebreak to ease the fire but nothing helped as the houses were made of wood. The Quare Family Saga is a story of the family when the fire began. The sons of Mr Quare were suddenly into a life of intrigue and a sense of awareness they had not ever felt or had such adventures before.
Finally, the story of America's regional theme parks. Everybody knows pretty much everything about Disneyland-how it got started, how the Imagineers do their thing, and so on. But nobody ever talks about the parks that most of us across the country enjoy far more often. Regional theme parks, different from amusement parks, owe their existence to the magical land Walt built in Anaheim. There were a few false starts, but in 1961 Angus Wynne opened Six Flags Over Texas, triggering a tidal wave of Disneyland-lites over the next twenty years. Imagineering an American Dreamscape tells the story of the regionals and the strong-willed individuals behind them-where they came from, how they got started, and how they've changed over the decades. Some of the stories you may have heard. Most you probably haven't, and it's a fascinating tale to tell. Sit back and enjoy the long journey from the grand world expositions of yesteryear to the parks you grew up to love and cherish.Contents: Before DisneylandWalt sets a new standardDuplicating Disneyland is harder than you thinkAngus Wynne gets it doneEntrepreneurs, visionaries, & mavericksDavy Crockett tangles with...Yogi Bear?Masters of the franchiseAdolphus plants a gardenMunchkins, berries & Hershey barsWho says we can't build a theme park now?EvolutionRedemptionPlus special contributions by theme park designers: Foreword by Rob DeckerDuell Design 101, Mel McGowanLearning from legends: A personal retrospective, Rick Bastrup
