ern farmer lived close to nature and in fact did want the animals in his house for at least two reasons he could verbalize. First, the animals helped

sting of the family living room terrace (Wohnterrasse) and a lower level (Hausboden) with mangers (Futtertroger) built into the floor of the former. This same house has an adjoining special guest room (Gastehaus). Such a home precisely fits the requirements of Luke 2:7.26 This leads us to ask whether this option has been considered by modern scholars other than Bishop, Dalmann, Thompson and Miguens. Scholarship has long noted “guest room” as a primary meaning for kataluma. Moulton and Milligan suggest “lodging place” for Luke 2:7 and observe, “Elsewhere in Biblical Greek, e.g. I Kings 1:13 (sic. 1:18), Mk 14:14, it has rather the sense of ‘guest room’.”27 Plummer long ago questioned the translation “inn” for kataluma. He writes: It is possible that Joseph had relied upon the hospitality of some friends in Bethlehem, whose “guest chamber” however was already full when he and Mary arrived. See on xxii.11.28 Leaney used the translation “lodging house,” but does not discuss the question.29 Marshall and Danker reject “inn,” preferring “room in a house,” but then affirm the birthplace to be some place for animals.30 Brown leaves the question unanswered and translates “lodgings” for kataluma.31 In short, Luke’s own meaning of “guest room” has long been recognized but not used in translations due to an inadequate understanding of the wider cultural background of the Palestinian village home with its mangers in the family room. This brings us to an important final question: how has the text been understood in the Middle East itself? Presumably, the cultural origins of the text would be understood here in the Middle East and reflected in translation and commentary. What then do we find? We have observed that Justin allows for time spent in the village and then insists that Joseph found nothing and resorted to a cave outside the village. The cave tradition we have accepted. But why the insistence by Justin and the Protevangelium of James that the birth took place outside the village rather than in it as Luke simply states? After reading a number of Arabic and Syriac fathers’ writings on the question, one has the distinct feeling there is an unspoken subjective pressure to understand the birth as having taken place without witnesses because of the sacred nature of the “mother of God” giving birth to the “Son of God.” Even as the sacraments are consecrated in utter seclusion behind an altar screen, so the eyes of even the faithful might not look on the holy event, even so Middle Eastern Christology, Mariology and piety seem to combine to insist that the birth took place where no eye beheld the divine mystery. For this to be possible the story must take place outside the village in some secluded spot. Is it not possible to assume Justin’s outside-the-village account coming from this kind of theological pressure? We can add to this the early allegorization of the text of the New Testament, where attention is focused on the mystical and allegorical meanings behind words,



And the exegete is not interested in the humanness of the incarnation in its Palestinian setting.
A revealing retelling of Justin’s account, combined with elaborate allegory, can be seen in the work of the great 12th century commentator of the Syriac church, ibn Salîbî. He interprets Luke 2:7b by saying: Spiritually interpreted, the wrapping with cloths and wraps signifies that the Christ bore our sins and that He was nailed to the Cross in order to cleanse the old man by His blood. Also the cloths and wraps are a sign of poverty and freedom from this world and its goods. He allowed Himself to be put down in a manger so that He could arise on behalf of the human race which is like beasts and animals in that it committed the crime of base rebellion. Thus Christ endured all of this to return us to Himself and to give us the power of life and the drink of the wine of joy. It is said that the manger refers to the tomb because the master will die and be buried in a tomb that looks like a manger. Luke explains the placing of the Christ in a manger by saying that there was no place for Mary and Joseph in any of the lodging places or houses because of the many travelers from the house of David coming for the registration. So the two of them were obliged to go to a cave near Bethlehem which was a shelter for animals (my translation).32 Here we enter an entirely different exegetical world. This venerable father’s account is rich in the spirituality of his age and his tradition is well worth reading. It is of little help, however, in our attempt at recovering the original Palestinian intent of the material. The Arabic and Syriac versions, like Brown, have opted for neutral words, such as “lodgings,” as their traditions focus on the allegories of the medieval period. What, then, does all of this mean for the faithful as we look forward to the recollection of the miracle of the incarnation? We all face the enormous weight of church tradition which surrounds us with the “no room at the inn” mythology. If our conclusions are valid, thousands of good Christmas sermons, plays, filmstrips, films, poems, songs and books will have to be discarded. But is the traditional myth of a lonely birth in a stable a help or a hindrance to the reality the text proclaims? Surely a more authentic cultural understanding enhances the meaning of the story, rather than diminishing it. Jesus was rejected at His birth by Herod, but the Bethlehem shepherds welcomed Him with great joy, as did the common people in later years. The city of David was true to its own, and the village community provided for Him. He was born among them, in the natural setting of the birth of any village boy, surrounded by helping hands and encouraging women’s voices. For centuries Palestinian peasants have been born on the raised terraces of the one-room family homes. The birth of Jesus was no different. His incarnation was authentic. His birth most likely took place in the natural place for a peasant to be born—in a peasant home. We can and should theologize on the glorious resurrected Christ who meets us in the Eucharist. But a proper understanding of the story of His birth forces us to not lose sight of the One who “took upon himself the form of a servant and was found in the likeness of man.” And, after all, it is still possible for us to sing: Ox and ass before Him bow,For He is in the manger now,Christ is born to save,Christ is born to save. (Reprinted by permission from the Theological Review of the Near East School of Theology, Vol. 2, No. II, November 1979.) Recommended Resources for Further StudyJesus ThroughMiddle Eastern Eyes 50 Proofs for the NTNIV ArchaeologicalStudy Bible Footnotes 1 M. Baily, “The Crib and Exegesis of Luke 2, 1–20,” Irish Ecclesiastical Record, 100 (1963), 358–376; R.E. Brown, “VI. The Birth and Naming of Jesus,” in The Birth of the Messiah (London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1977), pp. 393–434; J.D.M. Derrett, “The Manger: Ritual Law and Soteriology,” Theology, 74 (1971), 566–571, and “The Manger at Bethlehem: Light on SRosetta Stone

. After almost 200 years of archaeological research in Egypt and Israel, why do so many challenge the Exodus account? The stakes are not small, as the

reliability—on His confidence that the Israelites actually did eat manna in the desert as the Scriptures describe. If this account were not true, then Jesus was wrong, and so are some of His teachings.We should not be surprised, then, that some critics have focused so much attention on this fundamental event in the Bible. They try to discredit the story of the Exodus to undermine its historical validity.Biblical historian Eugene Merrill describes the importance the Exodus has for the rest of the Bible:The exodus is the most significant historical and theological event of the Old Testament because it marks God’s mightiest act in behalf of his people...To it the Book of Genesis provides an introduction and justification, and from it flows all subsequent Old Testament revelation...In the final analysis, the exodus served to typify that exodus achieved by Jesus Christ for people of faith, so that it is a meaningful event for the church as well as for Israel (1996:57–58).Limits of ArchaeologyMany critics who doubt the historicity of the Exodus share a problem: over-reliance on what archaeology can prove. Archaeology is, in fact, a limited and imperfect area of study in which the interpretation of findings, as archaeologists readily admit, is more of an art than a hard science.Archaeologist Edwin Yamauchi points out the limits of this science when he explains: (1) little of what was made or written in antiquity survives to this day; (2) few of the ancient sites have been surveyed and a number have not even been found; (3) probably fewer than 2 percent of the known sites have been meaningfully excavated; (4) few of these have been more than scratched; and (5) only a fraction of the fraction that have been excavated have been published and data made available to the scholarly world (1972: chapter 4).Considering not only the limits but also the positive side of archaeology, it is remarkable how many Biblical accounts have been illuminated and confirmed by the relatively small number of sites excavated and finds uncovered to date. Even though, regrettably, some professionals go out of their way to present a distorted picture of what archaeology does reveal, it does provide some of the strongest evidence for the reliability of the Bible as credible and accurate history.Evidence DestroyedA major challenge in reconstructing an accurate view of history is that, through the ages, most negative or embarrassing evidence was never written down or was intentionally destroyed by later rulers. In fact, the Bible stands in marked contrast to most ancient literature in that it objectively records the facts about Biblical personalities, whether good or bad.When new kings ascended the throne, they naturally wanted to be seen in the best light. So in many nations they covered up or destroyed monuments and records of previous monarchs. This pattern of expunging earlier historical evidence can be repeatedly seen in Egyptian monuments and historical records. For example, after the Hyksos rulers were expelled from Egypt, the Egyptians erased the records of that humiliating period so thoroughly that some of the names and the order of the Hyksos kings remain uncertain.Some time later Pharaoh Thutmosis III destroyed virtually all records relating to Queen Hatshepsut, the previous ruler, whom he despised. Visitors to her famous temple can still see where Thutmosis’s workmen carefully chiseled away her image from the walls of the structure. A few decades afterwards, the ruling priests eliminated virtually all possible traces of the teachings of Pharaoh Akhenaten, who had introduced what they considered to be heretical Egyptian religious reforms.Akhenaten (ca. 1350–1334 BC), the heretical king whose religious reforms were quickly reversed following his death. Mike Luddeni.So it should come as no surprise that the ancient Egyptians would not have wanted to record or even remember what was perhaps their greatest humiliation—the national devastation that occurred when their Israelite slaves won their freedom and Egypt’s might proved powerless to stop them. This attitude is not limited to the past. Even today, some of what went on during the two world wars is still hotly debated by historians on both sides of the issue.It seems too much to hope for, then, that a proud and powerful nation such as Egypt, whose rulers were considered gods, would record that their mighty army was ignominiously crushed by a band of virtually unarmed slaves who had a more powerful deity on their side. This would have embarrassed them in front of the entire known world. It’s more natural to believe they simply licked their wounds and tried to cover up all traces of this humiliating national episode, especially since they are known to have done this on other occasions.Image of Hatshepsut (ca. 1503–1483 BC) seated on a throne, erased by Thutmosis III. Deir el-Bahri, mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Thebes, Egypt. Bryant Wood.Bias against the BibleBesides these limits of archaeology, an additional problem exists that is seldom noted—the ever-present scholarly bias. It takes only a brief reading of archaeological journals to witness how alive and well human nature is among many of the experts. Differing opinions can stimulate public accusations that are envious, arrogant, spiteful and even hateful.Radio commentator Dennis Prager made an insightful comment about Rabbi Wolpe’s skepticism of the Exodus account noted earlier:According to the [Los Angeles Times] article, most archaeologists...do not believe the Biblical Exodus occurred. That most archaeologists conclude from the alleged lack of archaeological evidence that Jews were never slaves in Egypt and the Exodus to Canaan never took place tells us something about these individuals, but nothing about the Bible or the Exodus.What does it tell us? That most of these archaeologists have the same bias against traditional religious beliefs that most academic colleagues have. Ten years ago, Dr. Robert Jastrow,...founder of NASA’s Goddard Institute...,wrote about this in his book, God and the Astronomers.



Jastrow described a disturbing reaction
Among his colleagues to the big-bang theory—irritation and anger. Why, he asked, would scientists, who are supposed to pursue truth and not have an emotional investment in any evidence, be angered by the big-bang theory?The answer, he concluded, is very disturbing: many scientists do not want to acknowledge anything that may even suggest the existence of God. The big-bang theory, by positing a beginning of the universe, suggests a creator and therefore annoys many astronomers. This anti-religious bias is hardly confined to astronomers. It pervades academia, home to nearly all archaeologists (The Jewish Journal, April 20, 2001, emphasis added).Uphill Battle for BelieversWhen it comes to the Bible, archaeologists and Biblical scholars categorize themselves into two groups: minimalists and maximalists. The minimalists (also called deconstructionists of the Bible) generally hold the view that the Bible is full of myths and is therefore unreliable. So they vigorously try to refute any evidence that supports Rosetta Stone Chinese

calling the President a criminal.

This is the same Saddam Hussein who attempted to overthrow the governments of Iran and Kuwait through the use of naked and aggressive military force. Hussein justified his behavior in a variety of ways, but when the same was done to him, he objected! Somehow, even a homicidal maniac like Hussein thinks there is a standard of right and wrong to which he can appeal.Another angle that Lewis takes is comparison. Once you compare two moral ideas to one another, and determine that one is superior to the other you are comparing them to a standard. He states the case in this fashion:If no set of moral ideas were truer or better than any other, there would be no sense in preferring civilized morality to savage morality, or Christian morality to Nazi morality. In fact, of course, we all do believe that some moralities are better than others. The moment you say that one set of moral ideals can be better than another, you are, in fact, measuring them both by a standard, saying that one of them conforms to that standard more nearly than the other. But the standard that measures two things is something different from either. You are, in fact, comparing them both with some Real Morality, admitting that there is such a thing as a real Right, independent of what people think, and that some people’s ideas get nearer to that real Right than others.9 A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.10 Of even greater interest is the fact that, if you continue upward with each higher moral standard succeeding the previous standard, you must continue with comparisons until you reach an ultimate, absolute standard. This progression must eventually terminate in an eternal, uncaused, absolute, perfect, moral, personal standard. You cannot terminate the chain of standards at a finite level, because the finite level you appeal to must have a standard by which it can be measured. The line of increasingly superior moral standards can only terminate in an infinite, absolute moral standard. Only Christianity provides that type of personal and absolute standard. That standard is, and only can be, the God of the Bible.To further substantiate our case, we return to C.S. Lewis. Lewis not only speaks of an appeal to an independent moral authority and to moral comparisons between certain actions, he also discusses the inherent sense in all humanity that we somehow fall short of a standard that we know we should achieve, but somehow cannot. He writes:I now go back to what I said at the end of the first chapter, that there were two odd things about the human race. First, that they were haunted by the idea of a sort of behaviour they ought to practice, what you might call fair play, or decency, or morality, or the Law of Nature. Second, that they did not in fact do so.11 The laws of nature [physical laws], as applied to stones and trees, may only mean ‘what Nature, in fact, does’. But if you turn to the Law of Human Nature, the Law of Decent Behavior, it is a different matter. That law certainly does not mean ‘what human beings, in fact, 'do' for as I said before, many of them do not obey this law at all, and none of them obey it completely. The law of gravity tells you what stones do if you drop them; but the law of Human Nature tells you what human beings ought to do, and do not. In other words, when you are dealing with humans, something else comes in above and beyond the actual facts. You have the facts (how men do behave) and you also have something else (how they ought to behave). In the rest of the universe, there needs not be anything but the facts. Electrons and molecules behave in a certain way, and certain results follow, and that may be the whole story. But men behave in a certain way that is not the whole story, for all the time you know that they ought to behave differently.12 This law hangs over us, constantly reminding us that we fall short of its standards. It is certainly real, and really cannot be rationally denied. It is somehow a real thing, a law which we did not create, but we nonetheless find it persistently whispering to us, sometimes screaming at us, but always pressing in on us in some tangible way. Skeptics often call this guilt, imposed upon us by parents, environment, societal standards, etc. But this argument is untenable. How do small children know they should hide when they knock over the lamp for the first time, and have never seen such a thing before? Some SS officers in the Third Reich committed suicide because of their guilt in committing murder. Their guilt was not derived from human law (it was legal to do this in Nazi society), but from a Law higher than man, higher than themselves. The proper purpose of these human institutions is to keep us tune with the Law of Nature. They are not the creator of the standard itself. They are intended to help us, to attempt to minimize the deviation from the Law of Nature. Of course, they never work to perfection, for we all fall short. (Romans 3:23). These standards run through most societies to one degree or another. They are quite universal. Human imperfection makes them inexact at points, but they are consistent for the most part. And, we never evaluate these societal standards in isolation; we always compare them to one another. This returns us to the idea of the comparison between two moral ideas, and each must appeal to another standard in order to be weighed. Nazi laws dehumanizing Jews cannot be deemed immoral unless we can assert that some other standard is morally superior to them, and that can only be determined when it is weighed against some transcendental norm. This is inescapable.In conclusion, we can say the following with certainty: 1) It seems quite impossible that personal moral standards can even exist in an impersonal universe. 2) Even if personal moral standards could arise in a materialistic universe13, how could we determine their certainty if our very thoughts are random chemical processes? 3) It is certain that once you admit the superiority of one moral idea against another, you cannot logically substantiate your argument without ultimately appealing to an absolute, personal source of morals, the God of Scripture. 4) All human beings know there is a standard which they fall short of, and they often demonstrate this knowledge in their own hypocrisy. This knowledge of good and evil is the human conscience, given by Almighty God. 5) Subjectivism is logically impossible, for its assertion is self-refuting. Only personal absolutism can rationally explain morals at all, and as we have stated previously, morality can only have its origin in the God of the Bible. Recommended Resources for Further StudyWhy Trust the Bible?Searching for theOriginal Bible Bibliography Batten, Don. “That’s Nice For You But It’s Not For Me.” Creation, 26(1) December 2003-February 2004, 6. Frame, John. Apologetics to the Glory of God. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1994. Frame, John. The Doctrine of God. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed, 2002.Gish, Duane. Creation Scientists Answer Their Critics. El Cajon, Ca.: Institute for Creation Research, 1993.Ham, Ken, Jonathan Sarfati and Carl Weiland. The Answers Book. Green Forest, Arkansas: Master Books, 1990.Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. New York, New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1952. Morris, Henry. Many Infallible Proofs. Green Forest, Arkansas: Master Books, 1974.Morris, Thomas. Our Idea of God. Vancouver, BC, Canada: Regent College Publishing, 1991.Nash, Ronald. The Concept of God. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1983.NIV Men’s Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997.http://www.carm.org/relativism/relativism_refute.htm.. "Refuting Relativism", Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry. http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/5836/"Can We be GoodWithout God?", Creation Ministries International. Footnotes[1] The creationist Duane Gish has sarcastically pointed out that perhaps the cosmic egg was laid by the cosmic chicken, but this would leave us wondering where the cosmic chicken came from![2] John Frame, Apologetics to the Glory of God.

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The foundation supported a multistory mudbrick and timber temple

With an entrance flanked by two large towers. Stager hypothesized that the courtyard of this temple could have been where Joshua “took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD” (Jos 24:26).Stager (2003: 68) places the destruction of the Fortress-Temple around 1100 BC. So does Seger (1997: 22), who correlates the destruction debris found at Level XI as being from the Iron IA period. Campbell (1993: 1347) states that there was a “significant” destruction “around 1100 BCE” and guardedly concludes, “connecting Level XI with the story underlying Judges 9 is plausible” (1993: 1352).Dating Shechem’s destruction to 1100 BC helps confirm the Biblical date of 1406 BC as the beginning of the Conquest in Canaan. To do this, it is necessary to know that immediately after we read in the Bible of Abimelech’s destruction of Shechem, Jephthah, the ninth Judge, appears (Jgs 11, 12). Jephthah was hired by Israelites who lived in Gilead, east of the Jordan River, to confront the Ammonites who had made war on them for 18 years. Jephthah first attempted diplomacy with the Ammonite king. He reminded the Ammonite king that the Israelites had been in the land east of the Jordan River for “300 years” (Jgs 11:21–26). Jephthah, of course, was referring to the time when Moses led the Israelites through that region and defeated numerous kings (Nm 21:21–31).Thus, if Abimelech destroyed Shechem ca. 1125–1100 BC (Jgs 9), and Abimelech was a contemporary of Jephthah, the Conquest would have occurred about 300 years earlier, in ca. 1400 BC (1100 BC + 300 years = 1400 BC).Shechem in the Time of the Divided MonarchyThe Bible sheds little light on Shechem’s role during the reigns of Saul, David or Solomon. Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, was next in line for the throne. All the Israelites assembled at Shechem to anoint Rehoboam king. Rehoboam, however, acted foolishly by chiding the northern tribes and telling them he would tax them heavily. In defense, the northern tribes retaliated by separating themselves from Rehoboam and the southern kingdom. The northern tribes made Jeroboam I king of their region. The country, formerly unified under David and Solomon, became divided. The northern region and tribes, led by Jeroboam I, was known as Israel. The southern area and tribes, first led by Rehoboam, is referred to as Judah in the Bible.Levels X and IX at Tell Balata represent the Jeroboam I period and are noted for carefully built houses of selected stones. The discovery of stone foundations for stairs suggests two-story, four-room houses, typical homes of that period (Dever 1994: 80–81). Campbell concludes that Level IX (920–810 BC) has “tangible evidence of Jeroboam I’s rebuilding (1 Kg 12:25) and a return to city status” (1993: 1352–53).The Assyrian invasion of Israel in 724 BC (2 Kgs 17:5–6) brought another destruction to Shechem. The evidence is in Level VII. Toombs noted that in Level VII the city was “reduced to a heap of ruins, completely covered by debris of fallen brickwork, burned beams and tumbled building stones,” typical examples of Assyrian thoroughness (1992: 1185). In addition to the destruction, the Assyrians placed exiled peoples from other nations into the region around Shechem, a common Assyrian practice (2 Kgs 17:23–24).These new peoples added Yahweh to their own beliefs (2 Kgs 17:25–30). The new religion mimicked Judaism in many respects and Mt. Gerizim was made the center of its worship. New Testament practitioners of the cult are called “Samaritans,” which also referred to the people who lived in the vicinity (Mt 10:5; Lk 9:52, 10:53; 17:16; Jn 4:7, 9, 22, 39, 40; 8:48; Acts 8:25). A remnant of the ancient Samaritans still lives on Mt. Gerizim and they practice sacrifices there just as they did 2,700 years ago.7Shechem in the Intertestamental PeriodBetween the Old and New Testaments, Shechem had a modest recovery and there is an abundance of evidence that excellent buildings were constructed in this, the Hellenistic, period (ca. 330–107 BC). It was during this time that the Samaritans built a large temple and sacrificial platform on Mt. Gerizim, the remains of which were still visible in Jesus’ day (Jn 4:20).As fighting between the Ptolemies and Seleucids swirled around the country in the intertestamental period, physical decline again took place at Shechem. This decline culminated when the Jewish leader, John Hyrcanus, took advantage of the temporary absence of outside armies and destroyed the Samaritan temple on Mt. Gerizim (ca. 126 BC). He leveled the city in 107 BC. Shechem never recovered from this destruction and lay in ruins until identified by Tierschin 1901.Shechem in the New Testament PeriodSamaritans continued to live in the area during the following years, the Roman period. This is confirmed by the discovery of human burials from the period on the lower slopes of Mt. Ebal (Magen 1993: 1358–59). It is known that Samaritans also made several attempts to renew their cult worship on Mt. Gerizim. The Romans suppressed their efforts and in AD 72 constructed a new city, Flavia-Neapolis, about 1 mi (1.6 km) west of Tell Balata (Magen 2001: 40). This new city is now Nablus, a modern Arab city of about 120,000 people8 whose name is probably a corruption of Roman city, Neapolis.About 500 yd (460 m) southeast of Tell Balata is an ancient well, venerated to be a well that Jacob, the Patriarch, dug when he lived there. Such a well is not mentioned in the Old Testament. There is a small Arab village, Askar, just north of the well. Most scholars associate Askar with Sychar, the village in John 4 near “Jacob’s well” (Jn 4:6). The authenticity of the well is not only based on its physical identification in John 4, but also on “the fact that all traditions-—Jewish, Samaritan, Christian and Muslim-—support it” (Stefanovic 1992: 608). Several churches in Christian history have been built on the site of the well and today it is located under a recently constructed Greek Orthodox church. Access to the well is gained by going down steps from the apse of the new church..Jacob’s well as it appeared in the 1870s. In the right background is Mt. Gerizim with the tomb of the Arab sheikh, where the ruins of the Samaritan temple were located in New Testament times, visible at the peak. Todd Bolen.Jacob’s well, at the base of Mt. Gerizim, is at the junction of the main road leading from Jerusalem in the south. Here, the road splits with the eastern branch going toward the Jordan Valley and the western branch leading to Nablus, and in NT times, Samaria and the Galilee. It is an excellent setting for one of the most important passages in the Bible-—the account of Jesus’ verbal Messianic announcement in the fourth chapter of John. In this passage Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, dialogues with her, and tells her He is the long-awaited Messiah.Mt. Gerizim (left peak) as seen from Jacob’s well. When the Samaritan woman said to Jesus, “Our fathers worshipped on this mountain,” she was no doubt referring to the ruins of the Samaritan temple on top of Mt. Gerizim. The small structure on the peak marks the location of the ruins of the Samaritan temple that easily could have been seen from Jacob’s well in Jesus’ day. Bryant Wood.Significance of Shechem in Understanding John 4This article began by stating that context in reading the Bible was important to full understanding of what the original writers wanted the original hearers/listeners to know. In the case of Shechem, it is clear that the writer of John’s Gospel was appealing to the hearer/reader’s understanding of Shechem’s unique historical and theological context.First, the author established that the event took place at Sychar (Jn 4:6). By making reference to Jacob he reminded his readers/hearers that this is where Jacob first settled when he returned to the Promised Land from Paddan Aram (Gn 33:18). At this spot Abram received God’s promise that To your offspring I will give this land”

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10 Mar 11 HIRE Act Primer For Enrolled Agents

HIRE Act Primer For Enrolled AgentsBy: Sawyer Adams .... Click author's name to view profile and articles!!!Retargeting by ChangoTweet The recently enacted HIRE Act of 2010 is intended to offer tax incentives to employers who hire eligible employees by offering payroll tax credits. Overall, the HIRE Act is straight- forward and determining who is an eligible employee is not overly difficult.Under the HIRE Act, employers can receive a payroll exemption of their 6.2% share of social security tax on all wages paid to qualified employees, exempting the employer from their share of Social Security taxes on 2010 wages paid to these workers after March 18, 2010. Employers are still liable for Medicare tax on all wages. In addition to the 6.2% savings, businesses who retain a qualified employee for a 52 consecutive week period can qualify for a tax credit of up to $1,000 provided the employee's pay does not decrease significantly in the second half of the year. The employer may claim the new hire retention credit on their 2011 ine tax return.What employees are eligible for the HIRE Act?The basic instructions, as explained on IRS Form W-11 are as follows. Employee must begin employment after February 3, 2010 and before January 1, 2011. An eligible employee has not been employed for more than 40 hours during the 60-day period ending on the date the employee begins work with employer. The employee must sign a W-11, or similar affidavit to be eligible. An employee is not eligible if heshe replaces a fired employee, but is eligible if filling a voluntarily vacated position, or as a result to downsizing. Employees who are also not eligible for the HIRE Act are any persons related to the employer, or a relative or dependent of anyone who owns more than 50% of outstanding stock or capital of a business. The HIRE Act does not apply to household employees.Who is an eligible employer for the HIRE Act?Businesses, agricultural employers, tax-exempt organizations, temp agencies, employees in U.S territories and public colleges and universities all qualify to claim the payroll tax benefit for eligible newly hired employees. The HIRE Act also applies to brand new businesses. A business that lays off workers due to lack of work and hires new staff when business improves may qualify. The hire act even applies to employees who are laid off and rehired for the same position, and employees hired from a temp agency if the temp agency has not claimed said employees wages.For an employee to be eligible heshe does not need work a minimum amount of hours or for a set period. Of course, to receive the general tax credit the employee must be employed for 1 year. Employers may claim the Cobra Premium Assistance Credit and the Payroll Tax Exemption for new hires on the same employment tax return.As you can see, the requirements for the HIRE Act are not overly stringent or difficult to meet. The W-11 Affidavit is currently available on the IRS official website as well as additional information regarding more specific tax questions. Enrolled agents, CPA's and other registered tax preparers should be aware of this opportunity to help clients save money under the Hire Act. These new rules cannot show up on the enrolled agent exam until the 2011 testing period, so if you are a prospective enrolled agentcurrently studying for the 2010 EA exam, you will not need to know these rules. The 2011-2012 enrolled agent course will cover this new law.Article Source: abcarticledirectoryFast Forward Academy is a leading publisher of IRS enrolled agent study guides, enrolled agent exam review questions and continuing education for all tax professionals. Information on the pany including free access to an online question bank for the EA exam is available on their website.Note: The content of this article solely conveys the opinion of its author, Sawyer AdamsRetargeting by ChangoDid You Like This Article? Share It With YourFriends!Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 Not yet Rated Click the XML Icon to Receive Free Articles About Auditing via RSS!Additional Articles From - Home Accounting AuditingWhat you need to know about Auditing from the experts.- By : john newportCulture and business proposition- By : foxhatsNavigating Miscellaneous Itemized Deductions- By : Sawyer AdamsAbout The National Association Of Enrolled Agents (NAEA)- By : Sawyer AdamsThe History Of Enrolled Agents- By : Sawyer AdamsThe Canon Sd780is Black Silver Gold Red - Very Nice Christmas Gift- By : ArticleSubmit AutoIRS Increasing Enforcement Activity- By : Sawyer AdamsDestination Military Surplus Products- By : Ali Khan5 Tips For Getting The Right Health Insurance For Your Needs- By : danica12 Quick Tips For Eye Shadow- By : Ali Khan Still Searching? Last Chance to find what you're looking for. Try using Bing Search!

5 Mar 11 Beatin' The Blues And Bringin' In The Bucks

Beatin' The Blues And Bringin' In The BucksBy: Johnny Albertson .... Click author's name to view profile and articles!!!Retargeting by ChangoTweet My first love is music, hands down. I front a band called You Can Call Me Al (in honor of that wonderful musician, Paul Simon -- one of my greatest influences). I play guitar, sing NHL Shop
and play alto saxophone, depending on the gig, and I love doing all three.There's nothing quite like getting up on stage and belting out the blues while people sing along, dance, drink and laugh in the audience. It's such a rush to see people having fun in the crowd! The problem is, for a bunch of aging hippies like me and my band mates, the tip jar rarely covers the night's beer consumption, let alone pays the bills.That's all right, though, because I'm lucky. I've got another love, which is writing, and I might have finally found a way to something I love and actually make some real income! I've been waiting for a gig like this. And I'm so excited that it's finally here!I've actually been writing articles about my music (and my day job) for a few months now. I've done the research and submitted articles myself to several different content sites in an effort to drive traffic to my new blog, called Beatin' the Blues. My blog is mainly there to talk about the music, but I'm also thinking about joining a couple affiliate programs. Currently, I have a decent-paying day job selling multi-level marketing products, but it's so far from what I enjoy doing I can't tell you! It makes me enough to get by on, but I'm ready to put some money away for my retirement and the kids' college. Taking on a 9-to-5er doesn't appeal to me, since it would probably mean backing way off from playing two or three gigs a week. The operative word is "aging" after all!If possible, I want to keep playing music at least that often, and set up a new online revenue stream for supplemental income. I've heard that if you do it right, you really can succeed.I've checked out several affiliate programs, so I'll start by talking about some of those. The first one I found is called Article Post Robot. It's a goofy name, but they have three different affiliate programs you can sign up for. The first gives you 40 percent, or $40-$50, of every product sold on your site. The second one is also 40 percent, at $35 to $40, and the third gives only 25 percent, estimated at about $8 per sale. I'm feelin' the first two; maybe not so much the third one.The first program is an affiliation of Article Post Robot itself, a software system you purchase that allows you to post articles on sites around the Web. Personally I've been down that road with the software, but I still might be willing to join their affiliate program! Some people prefer to use software that lets them control where their articles end up. At this point, I'm looking for the widest distribution to the largest lists possible. Moving on!Another site I am looking at is called iSnare. They do it a little differently, using a referral rather than a straight-out affiliate program. It works like this: For everyone you refer to use iSnare's service (everyone who then purchases article posts) you earn free article post slots. You get one post for every five slots your referral buys, six for every 40 slots on up to 10 for 100 slots purchased.There is an option to submit articles for free on iSnare, and like any new system I explore that's the one I'll start with. To be distributed to the entire list, you Montreal Canadiens jersey
must pay a fee for your post. Definitely an option -- if I like what they have to offer after a little more exploration.I read about Article Marketer when researching Jason Develvis's website, Adventures in IM. He has a lot of great advice about how to market yourself online, and he is an affiliate of Article Marketer, so I decided to check them out.Article Marketer has a very attractive affiliate program. You put their links up on your site, and they pay you 50 percent their sales made through your website. Then, if one of your referrals becomes an affiliate, you get 5 percent of those sales too! Seems almost like they're giving away too much. I wonder if there's a catch.I've read through their spiel and it seems pretty air-tight, but again I'm a skeptic. I'm going to sign up for their free service before I make a commitment to post their links on my precious blog. So there you have it! I guess for me the jury's still out on these affiliate programs. But now you're at least semi-informed. So, what are YOU gonna do? Hopefully start making the big bucks, right along with yours truly.Article Source: http://www.shop-on-sale.com Johnny Albertson is a musician, blogger and writer. Visit his blog, Beatin' the Blues for more insights and pearls of wisdom. Johnny is a big fan of Article Marketer, an online article distribution service.Note: The content of this article solely conveys the opinion of its author, Johnny AlbertsonRetargeting by ChangoDid You Like This Article? Share It With YourFriends!Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 Not yet Rated Click the XML Icon to Receive Free Articles About Affiliate Programs What Cloth Diaper Provides The Top Match For Newborns?- By : mirtagaylWhat is Affiliate Marketing and Why You Should Do It?- By : James A AndersonEarning Money Quickly With Email Marketing - True or False?- By : chad buistMoney Creating Tips For Individuals Involved In An Online Affiliate Marketing Home Business- By : Johnny BarrellGlobal Success Club And How To Make Money Online- By : Don Canadiens jersey
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24 Jan 11 UCLA Bruins Hope for a Healthy Kevin Prince Against Washington State

Kevin Prince played well against Texas, but has missed practice this week due to injury.Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesFolks in Westwood had plenty of reason to be excited after the UCLA Bruins trounced the Texas Longhorns in Austin, 34-12.However, even triumphs of such magnitude come with some trepidation.In UCLA's case, it comes in the person of Kevin Prince.The redshirt sophomore has missed the last few days of practice with a sore knee, an injury that he suffered while hooking the 'Horns and that has led him to have his knee drained twice this week, Miami Dolphins jersey
Needless to say, this comes as a rather disappointing, if predictable, piece of bad news for Rick Neuheisel's Bruins.With momentum on UCLA's side after a huge victory, Neuheisel and offensive coordinator Norm Chow had hoped to take advantage of a home date with the hapless Cougars of Washington State.However, with Prince potentially out for Saturday's game at the Rose Bowl, the Bruins may have to put their plans to open up the playbook on hold for the sake of winning.Prince's absence in practice has left the bulk of the snaps to true sophomore Richard Brehaut, Minnesota Vikings
who hasn't exactly looked sharp this week. After duking it out with Prince for the starting gig before the season and splitting time with the first unit in the summer, Brehaut has seen his opportunities dwindle in the last couple weeks, leaving him rusty and ill-prepared to lead the offense.Given more time under center, Brehaut should be able to get himself back up to speed, particularly since the Bruins won't need him to be a world-beater against Wazzu.However, win or lose, the UCLA football team may look back at this week as a monumental moment missed, a shot to show off the offense squandered.Even if Prince is able to play on Saturday, he may still be limited by his injury, which would once again force the coaching staff to scale back the attack and have the team play conservatively rather than take risks against the Cougs.Which brings up a more important issue underlying UCLA's chances of success this year and going forwardthe health of Kevin Prince.Prince has shown a propensity for injury ever since his high school playing days at Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino.And though the Bruins' O-line hasn't done Prince many favors in his two years in Westwood, Bruins fans still can't help but cringe at the thought of their quarterback going down with another sprain, bruise, or tear every time he takes New England Patriots jersey
off from the pocket.If Rick Neuheisel has any hope of getting his guys to play as well the rest of the season as they did against Houston and Texas, he'll need Prince on the field and playing well.Whether Prince can delivery is still very much up in the air.

22 Jan 11 Big 12 Football: Monday Morning One-Liners

Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty ImagesBaylor was blasted by Texas Christian on Saturday, handing the Horned Frogs their 16th straight home win. Colorado loves their bye week before an October 2nd match up with Georgia. Iowa State played a tough game against Kansas State and their star running back Daniel Thomas. Southern Mississippi kicked Kansas off their pedestal and handed the Jayhawks their second embarrassing loss on the season. Kansas State did something for the first time in 10 years, and running back Daniel Thomas set one career high; check it out HERE. Reebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
Missouri escaped defeat by San Diego State with significant help from TJ Moe. Nebraska overwhelmed Washington and Heisman hopeful Jake Locker. Their home win streak now stands at 33 after the Oklahoma Sooners barely defeated Air Force on Saturday. Oklahoma State has found itself ranked No. 25 in the USA Today coaches poll. Texas defeated Texas Tech in Lubbock on Saturday, but it was a very rocky game for the Longhorns. Either Texas AM was caught in a trap game, or Florida International is for real (lost 19-14 to Rutgers a week ago). Texas Tech failed to beat Texas in Lubbock for the second straight game.

18 Jan 11 Michigan Football: The Wolverines Have a New Hero

AP/OhioCollegeFootball.com Dan PoelThink back to all of the Michigan greats over the years. All of the men who have made you proud to be a Wolverine. Desmond Howard, Bo Schembechler, Charles Woodson, Chris Perry, Tom Brady, and most recently, Denard Robinson. Well, make Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
room for one more, and this one may surprise you. The newest Michigan hero has absolutely no affiliation with the University of Michigan, but yet shares a common bond: a hatred of The Ohio State Buckeyes. His name is Brandon Hanning, aka Rufus, the former mascot for THE Ohio University. I say former because his recent actions at the Ohio State/Ohio football game on September 18th, 2010, caused him to not only lose his job as mascot, but also got him banned from attending another Ohio University athletic event, ever. What could a mascot do that could be so reprehensible? Only what every Michigan fan across the country has thought of doing at one point or anotherassaulting Brutus the Buckeye in front of his home crowd. Words cannot possibly do it justice, so you have to enjoy the video here to truly see what a great moment it was. But I think it's important to get the back story of the gentleman that once called himself Rufus. You see, this was no impromptu act. This was a premeditated attack that took over a year of planning and a dedication to seeing a dream through that most of us have never been able to muster. While a student at Ohio University, Brandon Hanning was watching a previous OSU/Ohio football game, and while watching the mascots, thought it would be funny if someone were to tackle Ohio State's mascot, Brutus. The mere thought of seeing Brutus being slammed to the ground by another mascot was enough motivation for Brandon to put his master plan in motion. He set out to become the next Rufus mascot for Ohio San Diego Chargers jersey
University, for no other reason than to humiliate Ohio State, and more importantly, their mascot. What that entailed was actually BEING Rufus for all of the other Ohio University sporting events. Hundreds of hours spent acting out a role simply to go unnoticed when the time to strike came. On Saturday, September 18th, 2010, in Columbus, Ohio, the moment had arrived. Hanning's plan was to attack at mid field, just as the Buckeye's were coming onto the field at the beginning of the game. And sure enough, just as Brutus and the Ohio State football team ran onto the field, Rufus made his move. He sprinted to midfield and met his nemesis with a tackle. But the blow failed to bring down the mighty Brutus. In fact, it knocked the head off of Rufus himself. Collecting himself, Rufus got his head together and went in for a second, far more devastating attack.Following Brutus into theend zone, Rufus struck again. This time jumping onto the OSU mascot's back from behind and wrestling him to the ground, all the while striking blows to the nut's head. As the two mascots separate, without words you can clearly see that the only thing Brutus asks is, "What the [EXPLETIVE]?" And as quickly as the attack had begun, it ended. Rufus was pulled aside by security and told to stay away from Brutus. His dream had San Francisco 49ers jersey
come to fruition in dramatic style, and in an instant he was admired as a hero to many, and an enemy to the Ohio State faithful. Since the incident occurred last week, Hanning has received a wide range of responses. Some people have gone as far as to threaten his life while others have said he deserves a statue honoring the moment. Whatever abuse or reward he may receive, the memories will last a lifetime. Thank you Rufus, you are now officially Michigan's adopted mascot!

15 Jan 11 St. Louis Rams "Rams trying to rest, regroup and refocus"

The bye last week probably couldn;t have come at a better time for the St. Louis Rams. Coming off its fourth straight lopsided loss, the team had just fired its head coach -- who previously benched $65 million quarterback Marc Bulger.In a season packed with bad news for the 0-4 Rams, the latest is that their next opponent -- the Washington Redskins -- is among the hottest teams in the NFL. The Redskins started the season 0-1, but they've bounced back to win four straight and emerge as a contender in the NFC.After the Washington game, the Rams have the unenviable Dallas Cowboys jersey
task of hosting the Cowboys (4-1) and playing at New England (3-1). For a team that's winless and hapless, facing three teams with a combined record of 11-3 probably isn;t a recipe for success.Commentary: It remains to be seen whether interim coach Jim Haslett will be able to create a pulse in St. Louis. It was obvious that team morale was down with former coach Scott Linehan, especially after he benched Bulger before the 31-14 loss to Buffalo.The first move Haslett made after replacing Linehan was to reinstate Bulger for the rest of the season. That erased any chance of there being a quarterback controversy with the Rams between Bulger and Trent Green. Bulger wasn;t the reason the Rams started 0-3 with him under center. Despite taking 11 sacks in three games, Bulger completed almost 60 percent of his passes for 500-plus yards during that span.One main problem (besides the porous offensive line) for the Rams is the fact that running back Steven Jackson is the team;s leading receiver (20 catches). The Rams have to get Pro Bowl wideout Torry Holt more involved in the offense if the losing is going to end. Haslett also must get Jackson more carries. Through the first four games, Jackson is averaging just a shade over 18 carries a game and only has one touchdown.Fan Pulse: Rams fans are still frustrated, but they're willing to give Haslett a chance. No one likes to see their favorite team lose, but to do so seemingly without much of an effort was too much for St. Louis loyalists to handle. Anyone who saw Julius Jones bounce off the Rams; defenders like a pinball and run for a touchdown earlier this season had to be wondering if the 'D' actually knew how to tackle.Fantasy Football Impact: At the start of the season, Bulger, Jackson and Holt were three prized fantasy targets. Now you can find them at the Denver Broncos jersey
bottom of a team;s roster, buried there until they start to show some life. Jackson is the best bet to have a fantasy impact in the near future.Injury Watch: Tight end Randy McMichael is out for at least two months and maybe more after his injury in the Buffalo game. Wide receivers Drew Bennett and Keenan Burton are expected back from injuries by the Dallas game on Oct. 19. (2)

14 Jan 11 Carolina Panthers players subpoenaed in steroid probe March 14 2005

Investigators probing an alternative medicine doctor want to speak to at least 9 current or former members of the Carolina Panthers about possible illegal steroid prescriptions, according to The State - a Columbia, SC newspaper. Dr. James Shortt, a West Columbia physician, is under investigation for allegedly prescribing steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs, said the local paper Sunday's published editions. The newspaper based its story on court records and sources speaking on condition of anonymity. Federal agents subpoenaed the Panthers forDenver Broncos jersey
the addresses and contact information of several players as part of the probe. Sources familiar with the investigation told the newspaper that some of the players were on the Panthers team that competed in the 2004 Super Bowl. Neither the paper nor Hurney revealed the identities of the players. The newspaper said a sworn statement from Dave Lawrence, a State Law Enforcement Division agent, said Shortt has been under investigation since May 2004 when a Columbia bodybuilder told the Drug Enforcement Administration that Shortt had a reputation for readily prescribing steroids for patients in exchange for $1,000.

13 Jan 11 Derrick Rose, an All Star?

Has Derrick Rose turned a corner after his rough start to the year? During the first month of the season, Rose was averaging roughly 16 ppg, 5 apg and 3 rpg on 46% shooting. But how has he done lately? In Rose's last 12 games, he has put up some staggering numbers. Over that span, Rose has averaged 22.8 ppg, 7.0 apg, 4.3 rpg on 49.8% shooting from the field. In addition, his true shooting percentage over that span is 53.9%. So after that rough start, he's been able to pull his averages up to 18.5 ppg, 5.9 apg, 3.5 rpg on 45.7% shooting. That's a major leap from Philadelphia Eagles jersey
his earlier averages. His jump shot looks much improved and his speed is seemingly back. So this begs the question, with his current popularity and his improvement in play, does Derrick Rose have a chance at making his first all-star appearance this season? It'll be difficult for him because of his rough start, that's for sure. But assuming that Dwyane Wade and Allen Iverson get voted in as starters and Iverson is injured come the all-star game, that would mean that Vince Carter would get the other starting nod by the fans. After that Rose's competition boils down to Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Gilbert Arenas, Joe Johnson and Mo Williams. Arenas is most likely out of the running due to his recent incident involving guns. And while Joe Johnson is probably a lock for one of the reserve spots, the rest is a bit of a crap shoot. Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
Rajon Rondo probably deserves the nod over his teammate, Ray Allen. But because both players are playing for a contender, an argument can be made that the presence of the other holds back each player's individual statistics. Even so, Allen seemingly has lost a step the past couple of seasons. And as for Mo Williams, he might San Diego Chargers jersey
get the nod only because he's playing for a good team. But his numbers really don't support another all-star nod. So is it possible that Rose gets picked by the coaches and players? Sure. Is it likely? It's hard to say at this point. But if he keeps up his current level of play, he definitely has a legitimate shot. However, Rose's teammate, Joakim Noah, also might have a shot if he is picked by the coaches. And if Noah makes it in, Rose's chances are diminished quite a bit.

12 Jan 11 NBA All-Star Game Reserves Announced

Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesMoments ago, the NBA announced the reserve selections for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. They are as followed:*notes as first All-Star Game appearance .Eastern ConferenceG-Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls*G-Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics*G-Joe Johnson, Atlanta HawksF-Paul Pierce, Boston CelticsF-Gerald Wallace, Charlotte Bobcats*F/C-Chris Bosh, Toronto RaptorsF/C-Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks*They will be joined by the already announced starting lineup of Allen Iverson, Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, and Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
Dwight Howard.Western ConferenceG-Chris Paul, New Orleans HornetsG-Deron Williams, Utah Jazz*G-Brandon Roy, Portland TrailblazersF-Pau Gasol, Los Angeles LakersF-Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas MavericksF-Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder*F-Zach Randolph, Memphis Grizzlies*Alongside them is the perennial lineup of Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan, and Amar'e Stoudemire.The game will be held on February 14 at Dallas Cowboys Stadium. It is reported that the event has sold over 85,000 tickets already, which would be the largest crowd ever at a basketball event.

12 Jan 11 Atlanta Hawks Look To Sweep Boston Celtics Tonight

Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesAtlanta, GA.At the start of the season there were only three elite eastern teams; nobody would think these teams would get swept. But, a new team has risen to take on the elites and become one of them. The Hawks are now widely considered an elite team.If I were to tell you the Hawks Reebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
would sweep the Celtics in the regular season before this season started you would call me a liar and have no sense of basketball. While that has not happened yet it just may happen tonight. Atlanta is coming off a tough loss to the Spurs from Wednesday and the Celtics are coming off an even tougher loss last night to the Magic.At the start of the series Boston hosted the Hawks where Atlanta had never won in a long time. The Hawks beat and embarrassed the Celtics at home 97-86. One month later Boston came to Phillips Arena and got kicked out of the Arena 93-85. Just 17 days ago Atlanta went back to the Garden and again stuck it to Boston 102-96.Boston is getting closer to topping the Hawks for the first time this season but still can't find a way to win. This game now has to be considered a big game and a rivalry. In 2007 the Hawks took the Celtics to seven games in the first round of the playoffs, the Celtics would go on to win the NBA title.Last year the Hawks got better, making it into the second round of the playoffs but they still could not beat Boston at Boston.Now they know they can and they know they can play ball with the best teams in the league. Atlanta has their sights set on their first division title since '93, and the first East title since ever. The last time the Hawks played in the NBA Reebok New York Jets #6 Mark Sanchez Realtree camo Jersey
championship game was 1961 and that was in the western conference at that time.But before they try to get all of that, Atlanta will look to take down an NBA giant. This sweep would certainly give the Hawks confidence going into later games knowing that they swept an elite team.

10 Jan 11 Shaq vs. Dwight Howard: Who is the Real Superman?

Sam Greenwood/Getty ImagesEver since the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Orlando Magic in the last game before the All-Star Break, media coverage has been centered, among many things, on the nickname battle between Shaq and Dwight Howard.Everyone has their opinions. Either Shaq is being too rash Cleveland Browns jersey
and is being petty, or that he is the original NBA Superman. However, nobody has analyzed, as far as I know, the two players against the Superman persona.So without further ado, I would like to make a final ruling over the nickname battle between the two dominating big men. Superhuman StrengthBoth of these men are ridiculously strong. Howard seems to look stronger because his is more fit and toned, while Shaq, it seems, is just fat. However, when you watch the two play, it is evident that Shaq is the stronger man.When Shaq plays he imposes his will upon other the players trying to defend him, and, as he said, doesn't double-team anybody.Howard, while still one of the strongest players in the league, does not live up to Shaq's level. He can use his body, but doesn't always throw it around like a big man of his stature should.Superman Score: Shaq 1, Howard 0 Super SpeedThis one is a no-brainer. Shaq is old and slow, Howard is young and fast (for a big man that is).Superman Score: Shaq 1, Howard 1 Superstrong SkinSuperman's skin can stop bullets. Dwight Howard's skin can't even take it when Shaq is angry at him.After Shaq's outburst following the Cavalier-Magic game last week, Howard's response was less than inspiring. When he could have, and maybe should have, stood up and proclaimed the Dallas Cowboys jersey
name for himself, he backed down. Howard downplayed the whole thing, and to me came off as upset that one of his childhood heroes was angry at him.Howard had the opportunity to stand up to Shaq's bullying, yet he recoiled and relinquished the nickname that he is obviously fond of.Superman Score: Shaq 2, Howard 1 FlyingWe all saw Dwight Howard's explosive performance at the dunk contest in the past few years. Anyone is crazy to think that Shaq, at any point in his career, could jump as far as Howard did in his second dunk at the 2008 dunk contest (one that I have dubbed "The Thrunk" )Superman Score: Shaq 2, Howard 2 Interplanetary TravelAs far as I know, there is only one player in the history of the NBA that was ever capable of traveling to other planets (whether it be real or fake) and that is Darryl Dawkins. Denver Broncos jersey
No points awarded for this round.So, as you can see, this is even more convoluted as before. So as a tiebreaker, we will have to look at head-to-head match-ups. Since Howard entered the league in 2004, Shaq has won eight games where both centers played, Howard has won six.So, ladies and gentlemen, without further ado I pronounce Shaq your NBA Superman, at least for now.

9 Jan 11 Breakdown of a Bad Break: Cavaliers Adjust to the Loss of Shaquille O'Neal

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty ImagesThe news reverberated not only in Northeast Ohio Sunday, but throughout the NBA.Shaquille ONeal right thumb injury isn just significant, as TNT David Aldridge so accurately reported just minutes after it happened Thursday night in Boston. It seriousas in requiring surgery, and a lengthy recuperation period of six to nine weeks.With seven weeks remaining in the regular season, it means the Cleveland Cavaliers will finish the year without their starting center. Hell likely make it back in time for the playoffs, but an exact timetable won be known Reebok Denver Broncos #15 Tim Tebow Realtree camo Jersey
until after the surgery.Combined with the Cavs' recent trade that leaves them, at least for now, without Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the impact is even more significant.Anderson Varejao, most comfortable as a supersub power forward, slides into the pivot to assume ONeal role in the middle.How the loss of ONeal will affect the Cavaliers, pro and con, won immediately be known. Here are some of the potential positives and negatives that could result from Shaq pending absence from the lineup.Con: The Cavaliers suddenly have a void in the middle that will be difficult to offset.In just two weeks, Cleveland has gone from one of the biggest teams in the league to one of the smallest. For a time, it leaves them vulnerable against more powerful centersbut really, how many of those are there?They play Boston twice more, but have shown they can handle the Celtics without Shaq (or Ilgauskas). Andrew Bogut of the Bucks is a skilled big man. Brook Lopez of New Jersey continues to improve, but is a rookie.Dwight Howard and the Magic don reappear on the Cavs schedule until the next-to-last game of the season. By then, Shaq and Ilgauskas may be back.Pro: Varejao will gain valuable experience as a starting center.There no question he is most comfortable coming off the bench as the supersub at power forward. Varejao often catches teams napping with his constant hustle at both ends of the floor.It the only way he knows how to play, so that will continue. But hell also have to adjust to the nuances of the center position and learn to bang bodies with the best the league has to offer.Not only will this help the Cavaliers this year and in the playoffs, it will prove valuable in future seasons when the era of Shaq and Z is over in Cleveland.Con: Shaq injury may disrupt the team established chemistry.As the season has progressed, so has ONeal. Early returns on his presence in the Cavs lineup weren favorable, but Shaq gradually proved doubters wrong.He contributed solid numbers and an even more solid defensive presence in the middle, typically playing about half of each game.Of equal importance, however, was the way his teammates had adjusted to his style of play.Similar adjustments wererequired after Ilgauskas departure. The team lost three in a row before winning their last three.It will take a few games to see how the Cavaliers handle not having a pure center on the floor. If Ilgauskas chooses to return in March, the Cavs still have 11 games to play before he is available.Critics of the Ilgauskas trade pointed to the Cavaliers remarkable team chemistry as a reason to Reebok Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Rodgers Realtree camo Jersey
have left well enough alone. With Shaq now sidelined as well, the team resiliency will be put to the test.Pro: The Cavs will test-drive a smaller, faster lineup.The Shaq doubters will have their day in courtor at least, on itas Cleveland will be forced to play small.ONeal was obtained primarily to offset the bigger, more physical teams who might give the Cavs trouble in the playoffs. Size isn always the issue, however. Still, when you have experienced big men like Shaq and Ilgauskas in your lineup, you play to their strengths.Now, with neither of them there for the time being, there nothing to prevent Mike Brown from running an up-tempo offense.Charles Barkley has called Brown out many times on TNT, questioning why the Cavaliers don run more. He claims it the best approach when you have a player like LeBron James on your team.Now, well see. If the smaller, faster Cavs perform well, Brown will have discovered yet another weapon to throw at opponents in the postseason.Con: Conditioning could be a problem for the Cavaliers come playoff time.With ONeal out for an extended period, will he remain in shape? Much was made of his playing condition at the start of the season, andShaq himself said he had worked during the offseason to be ready for the rigors of 82 games and the playoffs.Brown had been careful all season with ONeal minutes, and the system seemed to be working. However, six weeks or more of recuperation time will require an ongoing conditioning program if ONeal is to be game-ready come April.The same is true for Ilgauskas. Should he choose to return to the Cavs, hell have been idle for a month. Conditioning while they wait will be of utmost importance to both players effectiveness once they return to action.Pro: Dividing playing time just got easier for Mike Brown.One of the real concerns for the Cavs coach has been finding enough minutes to go around, particularly at the power forward position.J.J. Hickson had been the starter most of the season, with Varejao coming off the bench. The presence of Jamison has sent Hickson to the bench. With the recent activation of Leon Powe from the injured list, the Cavs had a glut of power forwards.However, with Varejao at center, Brown will use a rotation of his big men to fill both positions. He views them as interchangeable in Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
the Cavaliers offense. This will be a good test of that theory.Seldom-used Darnell Jackson may find his status changing as Brown looks to fill the void left by ONeal and Ilgauskas.Injuries are a fact of life in professional sports. Theyre also the variable that can completely alter a season.The Cavaliers proved earlier this year that they could make the necessary adjustments when Mo Williams, Delonte West and Jamario Moon missed significant amounts of playing time.Now theyand the rest of the NBAwill see if theyre able to do the same while ONeal is on the mend.

8 Jan 11 2010 NBA Playoffs: Can Charlotte Defeat the East's Top Three Teams?

Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesI will be the first to admit, the idea of the Charlotte Bobcats qualifying for the 2010 NBA postseason was a foreign one to me, and even though I felt the Bobcats had taken positive steps, the playoffs still seemed like a long shot.Hiring Larry Brown as coach was the first step, and acquiring Stephen Jackson has proved to be the move which has spurred Charlotte from the throes of mediocrity to the cusp of their first NBA playoff berth in team history.The young, athletic Bobcats have bought into Brown's Reebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
defensive philosophy, and the level of discipline the team displays is also a reflection of their coach and his rigid standards on the court.Brown doesn't mind if a player has baggage in his personal life, because he feels if discipline is learned on the basketball court, then it might seep over into a player's personal life.Brown's approach has had varying degrees of success, but he has always established open lines of communication with his team, and is not afraid to both encourage and admonish a player for his performance.He is the ultimate teacher and the Bobcats have grown into apt pupils, grasping onto Brown's instruction and riding it to the sixth position in the Eastern Conference.With only a few weeks left in the regular season people in Charlotte are now speaking as if the Bobcats' path to the postseason is sealed, and the only question now is, how far can they go once they get there.This may be a presumptuous line of thought, but considering how the teams beneath Charlotte in the standings are actually regressing, it iseasy to see why people in the Queen City are excited about their basketball team.If the season ended today Charlotte's first round opponent would be the Atlanta Hawks, a team with a very similar roster to the Bobcats'.Both teams have superior shooting guards in Jackson and Atlanta's Joe Johnson, while Charlotte's Gerald Wallace and the Hawks' Josh Smith are both players whose impact can be felt in nearly every category in the stat book.Mike Bibby has an experience advantage over Raymond Felton at the point guard position, but Felton is athletically superior, a better defender, and is quicker than Bibby.Both rosters are deep with talented players like Al Horford, Marvin Williams, and Jamal Crawford for Atlanta, and Boris Diaw, Tyrus Thomas, and Tyson Chandler for Charlotte.Crawford is the one player Charlotte cannot match in terms of point production from the bench, and although Crawford may give the Hawks a scoring edge, the Bobcats' discipline could be the determining factor in a playoff series.Atlanta is notorious for their inconsistency on both ends of the floor and their tendency to make bad decisions in pressure-filled moments, which are found in abundance in the postseason.I would be inclined to take the steady leadership of Brown over the playoff Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
experience of Atlanta, because in a close series, the composure and discipline Brown brings to his team will win out.If Charlotte were to defeat Atlanta, Orlando would likely be their next opponent, and the Magic cause the same type of match-up problems for the Bobcats as they did for the Cleveland Cavaliers in last year's postseason.The Orlando scheme is simple, but effective. Place Dwight Howard in the paint, and surround him on the perimeter with jump shooters who have a particular taste for the three-point shot.Having four perimeter players on the court makes it hard to double Howard in the paint, and the fact that all of those players are actually good scorers mean there is little chance to slide down or even offer token assistance against Howard.The only chance Charlotte would have against Orlando would be to offer strong resistance on Howard with one player and tighten up the perimeter on everyone else.This strategy worked in a recent game between the two teams, and while Howard did have a monster game with 27 points and 17 rebounds, Charlotte's defense on the rest of theMagic was effective enough to prevent anyone else from hurting them.I'm not sure this would work over the duration of a seven game series, but it does represent Charlotte's best chance for success against a seasoned Orlando team, seeking consecutive NBA Finals appearances.If the Bobcats could make the Magic disappear, the mighty Cleveland Cavaliers would be next in Charlotte's path, and you could pretty much throw out Charlotte's victory in the regular season series.Like the recent victory over Orlando, Charlotte has a blueprint for how to defeat LeBron and his Cavaliers, but making that strategy hold up over the course of a seven game series is an entirely different task.Cleveland lost last season's 2009 Eastern Conference Finals, and the experience has made them hungry for a chance to return to that stage and redeem themselves.The Cavaliers also have the game's most complete player in James, and he embraces pressure moments on the big stage, while the Bobcats would be new to the whole playoff phenomenon.If Charlotte were able to somehow defeat Orlando and Atlanta, this is the point that their hypothetical journey would likely end, because the Cavaliers' combination of experience and James would be too much to overcome.In all honesty, it is doubtful Charlotte would be able to surpass Orlando, and if they did defeat Atlanta that feat would leave them ill-prepared for the tasks ahead, because they would likely become trappedReebok New England Patriots #12 Tom Brady Realtree camo Jersey
in the moment.Charlotte hasn't had an NBA playoff game in years, and this Bobcats' team has given the city hope that a future postseason game is in the near future.Under those circumstances one can be forgiven for dreaming a little when it comes to postseason upsets, and who knows, once the playoffs begin anything is possible, right?