In tonight’s featured video The Sixteen, a British ensemble consisting of a sixteen-person choir and a period-instrument orchestra, performs Renaissance era English composer William Byrd’s Mass for four voices, Agnus dei.
The comments are open for your Reader Tips.

Now is the time at SDA when I juxtapose:
Check out the face of PM Harper as he lights the Menorah versus those of Pres. Obama and his wife.
The latter give the distinct impression they’d rather be somewhere else.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
A beautiful piece, EBD.
Here’s one of my favourite settings by Samuel Barber (set to his Adagio for Strings, which is featured in the film The Elephant Man):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFJ4hN7vxWo&feature=fvst
Pat Condell on Sweden’s suicide, and its dubious honor as “the Rape Capital of Europe”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZtc2ma2GEQ
Sunday, Dec. 5, Toronto Star, reprinted from the New York Times. Link is to the Hamilton Spectator, same item:
http://www.thespec.com/news/business/article/277623–japan-works-to-cut-ties-between-mob-and-business
“Japan works to sever ties between Mob and Business”
Quebec, are you taking notes?
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that hypocritical, bible-thumpin’ redneck
George W. Bu… wait a minute…
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Do you ever stumble across something that makes you wonder whether you’ve been staring down the wrong end of the telescope? Not because it’s any good (it isn’t, I don’t think), but because the world view it opens up is just so weird.
Is Julian Assange really just a journalist? Is he actually Woodward and/or Berntein? Is there any distinction between journalism and espionage? Does a nation have any interest in keeping diplomatic and military communications confidential? Is it somehow wrong that a former U.S. military private who leaked classified information should be in a lot of trouble? Would David Samuels be happy for all the The Atlantic‘s internal emails to be published online? Would it really suck if we got our hands on “secret White House tapes of Obama drinking scotch and slurring his words while calling Assange bad names”?:
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2010/12/the-shameful-attacks-on-julian-assange/67440/
The tale of The Great Anarchist Leader seems more and more like a script right out of Hollywood.
“WikiLeaks will release encrypted ‘doomsday file’ if site blocked”
http://tinyurl.com/38q4x82
WikiLeaks cables tell the story of an empire in decline
Beyond the gossip, the indiscretions and the petty lies, the cables released by WikiLeaks tell a sad story. They depict the fall of the American empire, the decline of a superpower that ruled the world by dint of its military and economic supremacy.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/wikileaks-cables-tell-the-story-of-an-empire-in-decline-1.328145
AGW Report: Good news.
Kyoto, he dead.
…-
“Canada gets ready to walk away from Kyoto Protocol”
“Federal Environment Minister John Baird arrives at the global climate summit Tuesday looking to administer last rites to the Kyoto Protocol, at least in its current form. But the funeral may have to wait for next year’s session in South Africa.
For Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the end of Canada’s commitment to Kyoto would achieve a long-standing goal, as he has opposed the accord since its inception in 1997 and distanced his government from it since taking office five years ago.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canada-gets-ready-to-walk-away-from-kyoto-protocol/article1825976/
…-
“High winds, rain and snow batters areas of the Maritimes causing power outages”
“Many schools in the Fredericton area have also been closed for the day with up to 25 centimetres of snow expected. (CIGO, CKHJ)”
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/high-winds-rain-and-snow-batters-areas-of-the-maritimes-causing-power-outages-111370854.html
Wayne State University pulls the plug on the the Helen Thomas Spirit of Diversity in the Media Award, saying “the university strongly condemns the anti-Semitic remarks made by Helen Thomas during a conference yesterday.”
Additionally, “the Anti-Defamation League issued a statement urging all schools and groups to take back any honors they’ve given to Thomas, saying she ‘”clearly, unequivocally revealed herself as a vulgar anti-Semite.”‘
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/world/asia/07china.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
The situation in North Korea has caused more tension between China and the U.S. than there’s been in ten years.
The Great Negotiator in Washington appears to be unable to solve the worsening crisis,and has called for a meeting with Japan and South Korea over the NK situation, but China and NK aren’t going to be there.
Could it be that China and NK see Obama as weak,rather than the god-like person who can convince anyone to see his side, as Obama sees himself?
Michael Hoffman, Army eyes use of tanks in Afghanistan
Army officials will keep a close eye on the arrival of U.S. tanks in Afghanistan as the Marine Corps begins to deploy its tracked vehicles there this winter.
The Army has witnessed the success Canada’s tank units have had against Taliban forces, Army officials said. They said in mid-November the Army has no plans so far to follow the Marine Corps’ lead and send tanks to Afghanistan, but one official said he hasn’t ruled it out….
The Maccabeats are an a cappella group at Yeshiva University. Here is their retelling of the Hanukkah story:
Candlelight
Also available here
“She was speaking on behalf of a coalition of public health officials, government and industry representatives who are calling for a strategy that includes several elements, including:
– A national immunization registry where there is a central record of all vaccines individuals have received – currently some provinces have registries but they are not linked;
…
The coalition has not put a dollar figure on the initiative but, based on past efforts, at least $100-million a year would be required.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/quebec/time-for-a-national-immunization-strategy-health-officials-say/article1825980/
Au contraire, “based on past efforts” (gun registry, e-health, etc.), I’d say that the costs will be about 10x the estimate and deliver a useless product. Anyone in their right mind should fear national strategies, registries and the cost of expert consultants far more than most vaccinations.
David Wood, Afghans Are War-Weary, Ready for Negotiations with Taliban, Poll Finds
A glimmer of good news this morning for the White House Afghan war strategy team: an extensive new poll finds that in Helmand and Kandahar provinces, where Gen. David Petraeus has focused his forces, Afghan residents say their security has improved dramatically.
More than two-thirds of residents in southern Afghanistan, where the Taliban-led insurgency has been the strongest and most violent, now say their security is “good” — a dramatic leap from the 14 percent who thought so a year ago….
Islam: Gamil Gharbi = Marc Lepine.
“Marc Lepine kills 14 female engineering students at L’Ecole …
Marc Lepine’s father Liess Gharbi was an Algerian immigrant, a Muslim who taught his boy how to hate women. Not that he particularly cared about his son, …
gaohx2050.wordpress.com/…/marc-lepine-kills-14-female-engineering-students-at-lecol
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“Montreal massacre was heinous crime, PM says
Toronto Star – Richard J. Brennan – 1 hour ago
OTTAWA—The massacre 21 years ago at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal was one of the most “heinous” crimes in Canadian history, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Monday on the anniversary of the murders”
(google news)
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“Suicide bombers kill 50 in Pakistan
Los Angeles Times – Nasir Khan, Zulfiqar Ali – 2 hours ago
The attack targets a meeting between leaders of an anti-Taliban militia and a top official in the Afghan-border region of Mohmand.”
today in televangelist christian history:
Dec 6 1980
Televangelist Jim Bakker of the PTL ministry has a 15 minute quickie in a motel room with Jessica Hahn. The minister uses the line “When you help the shepherd, you’re helping the sheep”. Baaaa. PTL later pays Hahn hush money, but seven years later the incident becomes public and Bakker resigns in disgrace.
(hint to sda regulars: kettle, pot, black, also eye, log)
As someone who has lived and raised a family in most of the provinces in Canada, it would be very beneficial to have at least a common standard and method of recording immunizations. I have found that record keeping is at best dubious and at worst non-existent, especially if you have to move school age children. The family doctor has them, no, the public health nurse, no, it’s the school nurse, how about the regional health authority…
At lest have a common standard. Kind of like trying to read an e-mail attachment that is in Word, Wordperfect, RTF, PPS, txt, html, pdf, Office 2010, etc. At least standardize the reporting system so that the data can be useful to all.
Immunization police coming soon…
———————————–
OTTAWA — Canada’s independent public health advocate is calling for a national immunization registry as the country looks to renew its Health Accord in 2014.
[…]
…would help ensure high coverage rates.
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/20101206/canadian-national-immunization-strategy-101206/
Yesterday in Religion of Peace history.
2010.12.05 Iraq Baghdad Four Holy Warriors bind and stab an elderly Christian couple to death in their home.
Bark now Beagle Boy. Good dog. Sit.
now ya got it gramps.
like politicians, religionists ALL do it.
ta. gotta heft a 30 cubic meter pile of snow now.
I see they aren’t allowing any more comments at the Victoria climate change link Kate had up yesterday, hahahaha!! I guess they didn’t like the comments they were getting, oh poo
Thank you so much for the Byrd, EBD! I’ve sung this piece so many times, I had a great time singing along with the counter tenor. (For “pa-cem”, Latin for “peace”, I sing “pa-CHem” instead of “pa-Sem”—but that makes no difference to the sublime transcendence of this beautiful music. The Sixteen: really fine artists.)
I’m going to check out the Barber version batb mentions, which I’ve heard before. (I think Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” is one of the saddest pieces of music I know: exquisite, but it really pulls at the heartstrings. Well, isn’t music supposed to?)
(batb’s link didn’t work for me. Here’s the one I’m listening to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUtv776aYKo )
AGW Progress Report: Cold, please.
“A cold Christmas dinner: Farm foreman Graham Marsh stands in a field full of frozen sprouts in Boston, Lincolnshire”.
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“The big freeze threatens Christmas: Plunging temperatures and snow could cause three weeks of delivery chaos
By Lewis Bazley
Last updated at 4:28 PM on 6th December 2010
* Comments (67)
* Add to My Stories
* Two cyclists killed on same road where two teenage girls died last week
* Death toll of winter weather up to 10 after man dies clearing snow
* Warnings of icy roads and freezing fog across UK
* AA answers 10,800 breakdown calls by 11am
* Flight cancellations at Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport
* Reduced train services for Northern Rail and on East Coast line
As Britain faces another week of freezing weather, haulage firms have warned that the delivery of Christmas presents bought online could be threatened by the snow, winds and freezing fog.
British consumers are expected to spend a huge £633 million on online purchases today but courier companies said the rising popularity of online shopping and the possibility of delays and backlogs due to the icy roads could jeopardise deliveries over the next three weeks.
The warnings come after the mercury plunged to -18C in parts of North Yorkshire while more snow, sleet and patches of freezing fog hit large swathes of the country as millions returned to work after a chilly commute.”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1336095/UK-snow-Plunging-temperatures-cause-weeks-delivery-chaos.html
The November-December 2010 ADF Journal (scroll down) is available, including:
Lt. Col. I.D. Langford, NATO Special Operations: exploiting new structures in command, control and intelligence, at 56-66:
While a SOF capability is not a substitute for conventional forces, SOF provide an alternative or supporting capability that can very effectively deliver a series of precise, potentially devastating blows against an enemy’s critical vulnerabilities. The employment of SOF is also not limited to the lower end of the conflict spectrum. Rather, SOF remain applicable across the full range of military options, ranging from defence and diplomacy during peacetime engagement to the conduct of major combat operations. Moreover, SOF retain the unique ability to perform tasks in operating environments where conventional militaries may be at a strategic or operational disadvantage for a variety of political or environmental reasons.
SOF in essence can provide NATO a dual function, that is, a strategic offensive operational capability (utilising the ‘find, fix, finish, exploit and analyse’ [F3EA] targeting model to engage the enemy) and a defensive, asymmetrical capability (unconventional warfare via military assistance operations). In doing so, SOF can provide both political and senior military leaders with real options that retain a clear freedom of action while at the same time employing economy of force. In this capacity, SOF can create a value proposition disproportionate to their size and resources….
Major G.J.S. Cornelia, ADF Joint Entry Operations: why conventional airborne forces are fundamental, at 34-44.
beagle
like politicians, religionists ALL do it.
Why do you only make reference to Christian trangressions then. Just askin.
Not quite a reader’s tip but a shocking (to me) factoid I encountered in recent reading.
The US is spending $2 billion a week in A’stan, a country with GDP of $14 billion. Can this be right? If so, the US is spending 7 years of A’stan GDP per year there. Epic lunacy?
Now, next time someone (including sda commenters) tells you that polls consistently show that Afghans want the US to say, say, “hmmmmmmmm, well, duh yeah … “.
Afghans want the US to STAY, say, “hmmmmmmmm, well, duh yeah … “.
O’s Money Supply Sabotaged.
Fingerprinting has started, our Mole reports.
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“Real But Fake Or Was That Fake But Real”
“Treasury is having trouble printing the monumental sums of money needed to stimulate the economy. “The defective bills – which could number into the tens of millions, potentially representing billions of dollars in face value – will have to be burned, they say. American taxpayers have already spent an enormous amount of money to print the bills. ”
The Daily Mail writes “some of the new bills have a vertical crease that, when the sides of the bill are pulled, unfolds and reveals a blank space on the face of the bill.” MSNBC writes:
According to a person familiar with the matter, the bills are the most costly ever produced, with a per-note cost of about 12 cents – twice the cost of a conventional bill. That means the government spent about $120 million to produce bills it can’t use. On top of that, it is not yet clear how much more it will cost to sort the existing horde of hundred dollar bills. …
An official familiar with the situation told CNBC that 1.1 billion of the new bills have been printed, but they are unusable because of a creasing problem in which paper folds over during production, revealing a blank unlinked portion of the bill face. …
The redesigned bills are the first $100 bills to feature Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner’s signature. But to stave off a cash crunch as existing $100 bills deteriorate and can’t be replaced, the Federal Reserve has ordered renewed production of the current-design $100 bills, which feature Bush Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson’s signature and do not have the new security features.
MSNBC says the finger pointing has already begun. “Somebody has to pay for this.”
Officials have mixed views on what caused the problem, and who is responsible for it. “This is not about assigning blame,” said one. But another person familiar with the matter said finger-pointing has already begun. “The Fed’s very unhappy, and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is taking a beating unnecessarily,” the person said. “Somebody has to pay for this.””
http://pajamasmedia.com/richardfernandez/2010/12/06/real-but-fake-or-was-that-fake-but-real/
Sorry, especially on Dec 6th Leponday, but such choral music was meant to be sung by boys singing the higher voices.
beagle @11:50 – oh no! Not Jim Bakker! Why, I revered him so… how can I condemn suicide bombings now, how can I object to Sharia, to mass-murders, to beheading-videos and honour-killings and Jew-hating tyrannies, knowing that some greasy televangelist schtupped a woman he wasn’t married to 30 years ago!?
beagle – are you Kate? Is Kate messing with us? But would Kate have called herself “schnauzer”, if she were trolling her own website?
Sorry, David – and not that it would have caused me to change my selection – but I never heard of Leponday. It’s nowhere to be found on Google, either. Zero hits.
Um, Lemonday? Repoday? Simon LeBonday?…
Le Monday, Dec. 6th?
Peut être.
beagle: you’re giving the breed a bad name; beagle’s are a friendly and happy go lucky breed of dog.
Thanks, lookout, for your link for the Barber Agnus Dei. ‘Don’t know why the one I posted didn’t work…
David M(ini) M(e?): “. . . such choral music was meant to be sung by boys singing the higher voices”.
Certainly, this music WAS WRITTEN for boys (and adult male counter tenors, like the one in this video) to sing the higher parts because girls and women were not part of the choral scene back then—over 400 years ago! (In Italy, consider the castrati . . .)
But now, David, we have a fine “innovation”: women and girls often sing the upper parts—beautifully.
What’s your point?