September 30, 2005

Clearance

This evening there was an e-mail waiting for me from the BMM home office, which began as follows:

Dear Andrew and Itacyara, This morning I had the pleasure of giving you financial clearance to leave for Brazil.

One more hurdle has been jumped. There is still medical clearance, but that should happen real soon.

A big "thank you" to all who have prayed and invested in this ministry over the past three years.

BTW, that was the 800th entry on this blog...in case anybody was counting.

Posted by Andrew at 6:35 PM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 29, 2005

Ponta Negra

I ran accross this picture today on Ellenvangeel's flickr page. This is Ponta Negra, in the city of Natal. Natal is the capital of Rio Negro, Brazil.

I have many fond memories of Ponta Negra. The big strip of sand you see in the center of the picture is actually part of a huge sand dune called Morro do Careca (Bald Man's Hill). I climbed up that hill, when I was younger and healthier. Even then it almost killed me.

A big thanks to Ellenvangeel for letting me post this. She has some other great pictures of Brazil at her site. Be sure to check them out!

Posted by Andrew at 5:34 PM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

Blog Stuff

Here is some miscellaneous stuff related to blogging that I thought I would share in the off-chance that anybody is interested.

First, this blog had the great honor and privilege to be blogspotted by Phil Johnson over at Pyromaniac once again. Is it normal for me to get a rush when I see my name listed on another blog, or should I seek help?

I had been an avid reader of Dr. Al Mohler's weblog for some time. Recently, I discovered that his radio program--creatively called "The Albert Mohler Radio Program"--is also avaiable as a podcast on iTunes. The subject for Tuesday's program was "teenage bloggers". During the program, Dr. Mohler interviewed the author of Agent Tim. I had never been to Agent Tim's blog, but I went there today and was quite impressed with what I saw. It is getting its own permanent link (wonder if Tim will get the same rush I got after being blogspotted).

Now if Dr. Mohler ever wants to do an interview with a missionary blogger...

Posted by Andrew at 4:41 PM // Comments: 2 //
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

The Bible in Public Schools?

As I was checking my mail just now, a story, originally from the Christian Science Monitor and published in Yahoo News, caught my eye with the headline "A Bible course without the lawsuits?" In it, staff writer Jane Lampman talks about a new course that has been introduced to teach the Bible in a "secular" way. I found this article to be interesting, insightful, and not a little positive. The article opens with this statement:

Like prayer in the schools and the Ten Commandments in courthouses, teaching about the Bible in public classrooms has long been contentious. Some people question whether it is legal. Many educators worry they might be faced with lawsuits. And American students, it seems, end up the losers.

This, of course, is one aspect of the argument we do not hear much about, when it comes to religion in public schools--what is best for the student. The article continues:

Without academic knowledge of the Bible and its influence, many teachers say, pupils can't understand their own literary, artistic, and cultural heritage. In a survey last spring, 90 percent of leading English teachers said biblical knowledge was crucial to a good education. Yet a Gallup poll found that only 8 percent of public-school teens said their school offered an elective course on the Bible.

Working with students in the classroom and at camp for the past several years, I am a witness to the fact that they have an ever-decreasing knowlege of the biblical heritage of their own culture. When young people have no idea who David, Jonah, or Noah is, for example, something has gone terribly wrong.

For school districts, the difficulty lies in agreeing on what will pass constitutional muster, and then actually having the materials to teach it appropriately.

I am sure the founding fathers--all of whom were heavily educated in the Bible and greatly influenced by it--would be horrified that their magnum opus, the US Constitution, has been construed as prohibiting it's use in education.

Enter the Bible Literacy Project and their new release, "The Bible and Its Influence".

"The Bible and Its Influence," released last week in Washington, is designed to meet constitutional standards and to convey the Scriptures' broad influence on Western civilization. Covering Old and New Testaments, it presents the biblical narratives, characters, and themes as well as their cultural influences. Students may gain a more nuanced understanding of Shakespeare, with his 1,300 biblical references; or grasp the import of the Exodus to the African-American experience and musical heritage; or learn how the Bible shaped Abraham Lincoln's vision. They may even recognize a biblical origin for their hometown - Corpus Christi, New Canaan, and Salem, for example.

Of course, there are some who have grave concerns.

"I don't think the Constitution prohibits the use of this textbook, but I have real doubts about the wisdom of this approach," says Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. "At this time in America, it's better to simply talk about religious influences when they come up during the study of literature, art, and history, and not take the text of one religious tradition and treat it with special deference." Mr. Lynn also worries that individual teachers might go beyond the text itself and "spin it in ways that may well violate the Constitution."

It is obvious Mr. Lynn is worried, and with good reason. Although he would definitely not put it in these terms, he is well aware that the Bible is a powerful book. As Isaiah puts it, So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

It does not matter what kind of "spin" the teachers give it, it is the word of God, and it is about to get back into the public schools! No matter Mr. Lynn is worried.

Now granted, I would much rather have a text book that more explicitly taught the central theme of the Bible. The article goes on to talk about such a program--developed by the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools--which is recieving a lot of flack.

I believe that this is an incremental victory in the effort to get Judeo-Christian values back into the mainstream of our society.

What do you think?

Posted by Andrew at 3:17 PM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 28, 2005

New Family Portrait

We got some family portraits taken recently (Thanks David and Judy!). Here is one of them. The others can be seen on the flickr page.

Posted by Andrew at 9:02 PM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 27, 2005

Caption Challenge

Connie is the winner of last week's caption challenge with this entry:

You mean there really is a reason not to block the fire hydrant?

Posted by Andrew at 1:25 AM // Comments: 9 //
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

Empire State Video

On Friday we went to NYC to help a friend arrange his documents with the Brazilian consulate. Finishing that task in the morning, we took the rest of the day to check out Manhatten. This is a short panoramic video of the view from the Empire State Building.

You can check out more of our NYC pics here.

Posted by Andrew at 1:03 AM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 26, 2005

Visit with Uncle Kevin

On Thursday we had the chance to hang with Uncle Kevin at the wildly popular Chat-a-Whyle restaurant in beautiful downtown Bath, NY.

Kevin works for Family Life Ministries. This morning he was interviewed by the staff of FLM for the morning radio show. That inteview, which includes Kevin's amazing testemony, can be heard at this blog.

Posted by Andrew at 11:35 PM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 24, 2005

The Essence of Brazil

A student from the UK has posted in her blog a story which I feel captures the essence of the Brazilian culture.

Posted by Andrew at 12:51 PM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

Source of Light Construction

I just got a prayer letter from Jim and Julie Leonard, and included in it was this picture of Pastor Bibiano (who was my dorm dad when I studied at the Cariri Baptist Seminary) standing next to the construction site of the Source of Light Baptist Church (Igreja Batista Fonte de Luz) in Juazeiro do Norte, CE.

Posted by Andrew at 11:24 AM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 22, 2005

Lord of the...Beans?

That's right, Big Idea is announcing the release of their newest VeggieTales epic, Lord of the Beans (hat tip to Handsome Tom for the story). From the trailers, it looks like a winner. You can see them here.

Posted by Andrew at 11:35 AM // Comments: 1 //
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 20, 2005

Caption Challenge

Congratulations to Larry for coming up with the winning caption for last week's challenge:

Fear Factor meets This Old House

Here is this week's challenge, dedicated to firefighters everywhere.

Posted by Andrew at 3:08 PM // Comments: 12 //
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

A "Small World" Moment

The other day I was over at Pyromaniac's blog, and left a comment on a post there. A while later I went back, and someone had posted under my comment. I followed the links to his site, and read one of his most recent posts, where he mentioned that he had just gotten engaged to a Brazilian girl. As all readers of this blog know, the subject of marrying a Brazilian is near and dear to my heart, and so I left a little congratulatory note for the happy couple.

Imagine my surprise today at getting an e-mail from the owner of the blog, informing me that his fiancée is a young lady I met at the Shepherd's Conference last March. I remember walking into the bookstore at Grace Community Church and asking the girl at the counter if they had any materials in Portuguese. As it turned out, I was talking to the only Brazilian "resource" in the store!

It is indeed a small, small world. Parabens, Matthew e Elsiene, e que Deus lhes abençoe com muitos anos de felicidade!

Posted by Andrew at 1:46 PM // Comments: 1 //
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

Scenes from São Luís

I am constantly on the lookout for good pics from Brazil. Recently, one of my Flickr contacts, Goga, posted some pictures of the historical district of São Luís. Be sure to check out the rest of his pictures here.

Posted by Andrew at 1:12 PM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 17, 2005

Say What?

A friend just e-mailed this to me--apparently they saw it in the Reader's Digest. I thought I would pass it on:

Why we stil trail other countries in Math

I was sitting in a cafeteria recently, next to a woman who was engrossed in
her newspaper. One of the headlines blared: "12 Brazilian Soldiers Killed."
She shook her head at the sad news. Then, turning to me, asked, "How many is
a Brazilian?"

Posted by Andrew at 11:37 AM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

News From Missionaries in Brazil

It won't be long before our reports here at the Comings Communiqué will be coming to you directly from Brazil. In the meantime, however, I like to post things other missionaries send me so you can get a feel for what is going on in that part of the world.

The following comes from Mark Lounsbrough, church planter and professor at the Cariri Baptist Seminary.

Next weekend is our annual seminary retreat. This is an important time of fellowship and breaking away from the classroom routine. Two of our students will not be able to attend due to health issues, and we ask your prayers for them. One had a mild stroke that paralyzed one side of his face, and the other struggles with epileptic convulsions. They have such good attitudes and want to be able to continue in their studies.

I have fond memories of the seminary retreats. They are great times of refreshment and spiritual enrichment for students and professors alike. Please be in prayer for this event, and for the students who are not able to go.

Maranatha Baptist Church is gearing up for an evangelistic conference the last weekend of September. Please pray for God's special preparation of hearts. We long to see families added to our number.

Maranatha Baptist Church is where Itacyara and I were married (the tall guy on the left is Mark Lounsbrough, who served as translator for our bi-lingual ceremony). Obviously, we have a special place in our hearts for this ministry!

Dad Nichols has experienced quite a bit of back pain lately, and may have to resume chemo treatments. Thanks for your continued prayers for him.

The guy Mark is referring to here is Chuck Nichols, his father-in-law. Chuck is a former missionary to Brazil, who also served stateside as Field Administrator for Latin America with Baptist Mid-Missions. I will always remember Chuck as the guy I met "by chance" in the Sao Paulo airport after I had missed my flight. Please be in prayer for Chuck and his family during this time of physical infirmity.

Posted by Andrew at 11:15 AM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

Prayer Request

Please be in prayer for Pastor Alan Carpenter--pastor of First Baptist Church in New Berlin, NY. First Baptist is one of our supporting churches. Pastor Carpenter is in the hospital, waiting for an MRI following what could have been a small stroke. According to the e-mail I just recieved, the doctors are not sure what is going on and are waiting for the results of the MRI. He and his wife Laurel would greatly appreciate your prayers during this time.

Posted by Andrew at 10:48 AM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 15, 2005

Indianapolis, Here We Come

We are taking off for Indianapolis now, in what should be our last tour of the North before we head for Brazil (current departure date for Brazil is October 24th). Besides Indy, we will be stopping in Dryden, NY, New York City, and Camden, NY. Pray for our safety, and for a fruitful ministry.

Posted by Andrew at 9:41 AM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 14, 2005

Buy My House

My house has been officially posted online with Exit Realty. You can check it out here. If you know of anybody that wants to buy a house in a nice family community in Central Florida, be sure to send them here to check it out.

Posted by Andrew at 3:29 PM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 13, 2005

Lula, Bush, Roberts, Outfit and Passage

In our most recent podcast, we discuss presidents Lula and Bush, take on the confirmation of Judge Roberts, and give details about the provision of our outfit and passage.


MP3 File

Posted by Andrew at 8:53 PM // Comments: 1 //
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

Caption Challenge

The winner of last week's caption challenge was Shannarie, with the following entry:

humans are friends. not food

Here is this week's challenge.

Posted by Andrew at 3:47 PM // Comments: 16 //
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 12, 2005

Off for Shots

We are heading out now to get some shots and, hopefully, our physical exams so we can get medical clearance to go to Brazil. Fun fun fun!

Posted by Andrew at 11:49 AM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 11, 2005

PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW

I have long said that we have the best sending church available. Today the people of Fellowship Baptist Church proved that once again by taking up a special offering which covered our entire outfit and passage. We knew there was going to be an offering, and were expecting perhaps $5,000 or a little more. Imagine our surprise when the total was read to us--$16,000! This more than covers our outfit and passage needs.

A big "thank-you" to our church family at Fellowship. We praise God for you always.

Posted by Andrew at 8:13 PM // Comments: 2 //
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

We Must Never Forget

Posted by Andrew at 2:23 PM // Comments: 1 //
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 10, 2005

Pictures from the Frays

Shown in this photo are Marv and Diane Fray, missionaries with Baptist Mid-Missions in São Paulo Brazil. They recently took a small vacation to the city of Monte Verde in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and sent me some of the pictures. Here is what they have to say about Monte Verde:

It is a small town founded by Baptists from the Balkans (Letos in Portuguese but we're not sure which--Lithuania, Latvia or Estonia). It's less than 3 hours from São Paulo with lots of Pousadas (small hotels), but not a very big commercial area. Really nice. The Baptist church is in the center of town and it is still traditional. Of course the town has lots of non-Christian people, hotels, and businesses.

Check out the rest of the pictures here. While you are at it, you can check out the website for their ministry here.

Posted by Andrew at 2:40 PM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 9, 2005

Awesome News

There were two people saved last week in Coqueiro Seco, the same place where John Leonard was shot July 3rd.

Posted by Andrew at 6:57 PM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

Podcast: Brazil and Katrina

Here is the audio from the most recent podcast.


MP3 File

Posted by Andrew at 4:37 PM // Comments: 1 //
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

Video Bloggings

I am experimenting with the video features of Audioblog. This is a short clip of the Dapper Dans singing "Happy Birthday" to Michael and Hassana on our Monday trip to Disneyworld.

Posted by Andrew at 3:36 PM // Comments: 1 //
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

Al Mohler Podcast

For quite sometime I have been an avid reader of the weblog of Dr. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. I became more of a fan after I heard him speak at the Shepherd's Conference in Burbank, CA in March of this year. I recently discovered that his radio show is also available as a podcast. I am now listening to a show that I missed a few days ago. This is good stuff.

I use iTunes as my podcast agregator, and I also just discovered that John MacArthur's "Grace to You" broadcasts are available there as well.

In a related note, I hope to have another of my podasts up by the end of the day.

Posted by Andrew at 2:02 PM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

Visa Progress

Yesterday afternoon we visited the Brazilian consulate in Miami. Our papers were in order, and--according to them--I should be recieving my permanent visa within a month. We are scheduled to go back there on October 10th to pick it up.

Posted by Andrew at 11:39 AM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 7, 2005

Off to Miami

To visit the Brazilian Consulate tomorrow, making application for my permanent visa. w00t!

Posted by Andrew at 12:27 PM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

Happy Birthday Brazil!

Today is September 7th, Brazilian independance day.

Posted by Andrew at 9:53 AM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

Caption Challenge

At long last, we are ending our caption drought with this underwater image. The winner of last week's challenge is Daniel, with this entry:

In other news...it's being reported that used car sales are through the roof!

Prizes are available Daniel, let me know if you want one...

Posted by Andrew at 9:51 AM // Comments: 14 //
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

Mikey's Adventures at Disney World

On Labor Day we were able to go with some friends to Disneyworld in Orlando, FL (we were provided with complimentary tickets). I took advantage of the event to try out the Comic Life program, with some great results. You can see the rest of the comics I made of this event here, and the rest of the photos here.

Posted by Andrew at 9:23 AM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

With The Lord

I just got the word that L.T. Lemonds, a member of our home church, friend, and supporter of this ministry, passed away this morning. He has been fighting cancer for some time, and now the fight is over. His passing leaves a hole in our church, and in our hearts.

Please pray for his wife, Pat, during this difficult time.

Posted by Andrew at 9:16 AM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 6, 2005

And The Announcement We Have All Been Waiting For...

We have finally topped the 100% mark! May all the honor and glory be to God for what He has done for us over the past three years. He has seen fit to bless us in this way, and we praise Him for it.

There are still many tasks for us to accomplish before we arrive in Brazil, but for now we are praising God that this major hurdle has been overcome.

Posted by Andrew at 3:39 PM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 2, 2005

BMM Family in New Orleans

I just recieved the following letter from Roger and Lonie Price, who serve with our mission board, ministering to the Acadians in Louisianna.

Thank you for your support by means of prayer. We rejoice to report to
you that Lonie and I were barely touched by the hurricane. And the news
is that our son and his wife in Pensacola, Florida, are OK, too. We
cannot communicate with each other by phone since it is not possible to
make long-distance telephone calls. Some long-distance calls are getting
through to us, and we can send and receive e-mail.

Lonie and I were packed and literally came to the decision on Sunday
afternoon that we should evacuate. Before we could get our things in the
car, another news update caused us to reconsider the idea. We stayed
with the news until after midnight on Sunday night. It continued to
reassure us that we could stay at home.

During the night Sunday and all day Monday we had 30-40 mile per hour
winds and heavy clouds but no rain. If Katrina had turned just a couple
of degrees to the west, the story would have been entirely different for
us.

Lafayette, La., has now been inundated with evacuees from the hurricane.
Motels, restaurants, shopping malls, parking lots are full of them as
they sit around aimlessly. They are pitiful.

The Cajun Dome, a sports arena here in Lafayette which is similar to the
Super Dome in New Orleans, has been turned into a major center for
evacuees. 2,000 evacuees spent the night there on Tuesday. Word is out
that another 3,000 will be bussed over from New Orleans during the day
on Wednesday.

A convoy of 50 school buses went from Lafayette to New Orleans to the
Superdome on Wednesday afternoon to pick up hurricane victims. The
convoy made it to New Orleans without problem. However many of the buses
returned to Lafayette empty because it had become too dangerous for them
in New Orleans. Gangs were roaming the streets with guns. Fighting was
breaking out among looters. Even here in Lafayette, La., on Wednesday
evening, one of the evacuees shot a policeman who was stopping him from
stealing a car.

The Salvation Army has authorized Roger to go into the Dome at any time
to talk to these people. He was there on Wednesday evening until 10:30
P.M. These people are pitiful. Many have lost loved ones in the
hurricane. Others seek news about family members from whom they have
been separated. Each one has a story to tell. Please pray for Roger as
he tries to offer words of comfort and reassurance and also points these
people to their need of Jesus Christ.

On Thursday afternoon (Sept. 1), we will pick up one couple at the Cajun
Dome and take them shopping to buy some clothes and other necessities.
After that, we will bring them to our house so that they can take a
shower. As we return them to the Cajun Dome, we will stop along the way
and buy them a meal at a fast-food restaurant.

Baptist Mid-Missions has a World Relief Fund. Gifts to that fund are
used to help people who are victims of such things as this hurricane.
Please pray for wisdom for us as we seek to offer assistance with
clothing, food, temporary lodging, etc., by means of this fund.

We firmly believe that God is using this hurricane to put people on our
path so that we can point them to their need of Jesus Christ as their
Lord and Savior.

The governor of Louisiana declared Wednesday, August 31, 2005, to be a
statewide day of prayer for the multitudes suffering in this natural
disaster. Please join us in prayer for these people.

And thank you for caring. Thank you for praying. Thank you for being
there for us.

Posted by Andrew at 3:02 PM // Comments: 1 //
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

International Feelings on Katrina

My brother-in-law in Brazil sent me an e-mail wondering if we are ok in the wake of Katrina. As we live in Central Florida, the only effects we are seeing is of absurdly high gas prices. I wrote him back letting him know we are fine, and expressing curiosity and doubt about the international reaction to the tragedy.

I must say, I was surprised and pleased to read this article (via He Says She Says) about the international response to Hurricane Katrina.

One thing that did not surprise me was the reaction of the terrorists:

Islamic extremists rejoiced in America's misfortune, giving the storm a military rank and declaring in Internet chatter that "Private" Katrina had joined the global jihad, or holy war. With "God's help," they declared, oil prices would hit $100 a barrel this year.

It would seem that rising oil prices play right into the hands of terrorist goals for this country.

On the other hand, I was quite surprised when I read other parts of the article:

Venezuela's government, which has had tense relations with Washington, offered humanitarian aid and fuel if requested.

So Hugo Chavez, or someone in his government, showed some real good form on that one.

French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder sent messages of sympathy to President Bush. Chirac, who has famously quarreled with Bush over the Iraq war, addressed this letter, "Dear George."

Dear Jacques,

Merci

And, of course, the environmentalists had to get in their digs:

The sympathy was muted in some corners by a sense that the United States reaped what it sowed, since the country is seen as the main contributor to global warming.

Please. According to a report I heard on the radio this morning, one of the reasons we have been so slow in our response is the environmental controls we have imposed on ourselves which limit production.

I have been watching pictures of the devastation for the past two days. My prayers and those of my family are with the people of the stricken areas. God bless them, and God bless the USA.

Posted by Andrew at 10:17 AM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

September 1, 2005

More on Hugo Chavez

There is a debate going on at a conservatvie Brazilian community I participate in on Orkut about the wisdom of Pat Robertson's statements concerning Venezuelan Presidente Hugo Chavez. Because I am going to Brazil--which is very close to Venezuela, and I don't mean just geographically--I have taken a keen interest in Mr. Chavez and his policies. I must say that I agree with the position of Al Mohler and Phil Johnson concerning the lack of wisdom shown by Rev. Robertson, but I am also no fan of the antics of Seňor Chavez. I definitely agree that the world would be a much better place without him.

So what say you? Should the U.S. take an active role in getting him out of power, or should they let snarling dogs lie?

Posted by Andrew at 3:53 PM
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //

Citizen Tassie?

Today we paid a visit to the Department of Homeland Security office in Orlando in order to see what needs to be done as far as Tassie's U.S. visa once we go to Brazil. It turns out that the best thing to do will be to go ahead and work toward her citizenship. Sooooo, we got the necessary forms, and will be filling them out soon. She also got a study book for the citizenship exam. Most Americans would not be able to pass that exam, but she should do just fine.

On the way home we listened to stories of looting on the streets of what was once New Orleans, and saw the equally criminal looting going on at the gas pumps. We need to pray for our nation.

Posted by Andrew at 2:23 PM // Comments: 2 //
Share this entry: blinklist // del.icio.us // digg //