To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Clarification
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 1999 06:32:12 -0500

From: owner-bpr@philologos.org

On Dec 13, I posted a message titled "The Second Coming is in
Site" which referred to a website that has cameras trained on
Jerusalem's Golden Gate and the Mount of Olives in hopes of
capturing Christ's return to Earth. I gave the url to the news
article in question and also gave the url to the website.

I then posted what I referred to as "my favorite quote" from
the entire article which was:

"Something significant will happen. The Bible says that His
feet will stand on the Mount of Olives and there will be an
earthquake, so our cameras might not even stand up to the
impact. But we have a Swiss company who helped design these Web
cameras and the Swiss are very impressive technically."

Apparently I need to clarify some things. Some folks evidently
think that because I post a particular news item that I
therefore must believe, support or endorse it. This is simply
not true. I merely post news items that I feel the list may
find interesting. One reader wrote to me and suggested that I
was making the Second Coming appear like an announcement "of a
popular film star." Let me remind everyone that I didn't write
the article. I merely brought it to everyone's attention.

Perhaps it was the reference to what I called "my favorite
quote" that mislead some. That was a "tongue-in-cheek" comment.
I thought it was obvious that the article spoke of the
ridiculous attempts of man in trying to capture an event on film
that words can not even describe adequately. I thought the
quote obviously showed the naive notions of man in relying on
"Swiss technology" to record the Second Coming. The Bible says
that every eye shall see Him. I don't think Christ needs Swiss
technology to make that happen.

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Weekend News Today items (12/20/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 1999 09:20:10 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza@worldspy.net>

New government expected in Syria

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Arabic News

Mon Dec 20,1999 -- The London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat daily
said on Saturday that it has become evident that a new Syrian
government is to be formed under the leadership of Syrian Foreign
Minister Farouk al-Sharaa. The paper quoted well-informed sources
as saying that the success of the first round of peace talks
between Syria and Israel in Washington and the agreement made
to resume them intensively next month presume, in protocols, that
these negotiations are to be carried out on one level between the
two sides' delegations, which means between the two prime
ministers.

The sources expected that announcement of the new government
will be made before resuming negotiations in a way that will allow
al-Sharaa to return to these negotiations as prime minister and with
wider authority.

Talks resume with PA

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Mon Dec 20,1999 -- Following a two-week lapse in the talks,
negotiators from Israel and the PLO Authority (PA) met on Monday
in the PA autonomous city of Ramallah. The talks were dominated
by issues pertaining to Jewish communities (=93settlements=94) located
throughout Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha/ West Bank) and
little progress was reported in the meeting. The Israeli team told
their PA counterparts that the government of Prime Minister Ehud
Barak intended to retain control of areas throughout Yesha with
large Jewish populations, a move ardently opposed by Yassir
Arafat.

According to chief Israeli negotiator Oded Eran, the issues which
were discussed at the Monday meeting were most difficult ones,
issues that ultimately will have to be worked out in a face-to-face
meeting between Prime Minister Barak and Chairman Arafat. Most
analysts believe that Arafat is keenly watching the talks between
Israel and Syria, and Israeli concessions pertaining to the Golan
may be an impetus for Arafat to take a harder negotiating position.

In addition, a summit with Barak and Arafat is expected in the very
near future, as is a visit by senior US State Department officials.
According to IBA English News senior diplomatic correspondent
Steve Weizman, a visit by US President Bill Clinton for a trilateral
summit may be forthcoming in the beginning of 2000. One similar
to the three-way meeting just seen in Washington between Prime
Minister Ehud Barak, President Bill Clinton and Syrian Foreign
Minister Farouk al-Shara.

US-Kazakhstan military pact signed

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: UPI

Mon Dec 20,1999 -- Top defense officials from the United States
and Kazakhstan signed an agreement to expand military
cooperation and help the former Soviet satellite modernize its
military, Pentagon officials announced Monday. The agreement,
signed Dec. 17 by Defense Secretary William Cohen and Minister
of Defense Sat Tokpakbayev, pledges U.S. assistance for
Kazakhstan's efforts to modernize its military and support for
Kazakhstan's peacekeeping battalion, KAZBAT, which participates
in U.N. peacekeeping missions. The new document includes two
significant extensions to the Cooperative Threat Reduction
agreement that already exists between the United States and
Kazakhstan. The CTR's Defense Conversion Agreement will be
extended to include all four sectors of Kazakhstan, Pentagon
officials said, and the CTR's Weapons of Mass Destruction
Elimination Agreement will now include biological weapons as part
of threat reduction activities. During their meeting on Friday, Cohen
and Tokpakbayev discussed security concerns in the Central Asia
and the Caucasus, Pentagon officials said. Cohen told his
counterpart that U.S. officials would consider Kazakhstan's
proposal for assistance in strengthening its mobile reaction force
so that troops can effectively combat potential military insurgents
who could threaten Central Asia's security balance.

State Department prepares Y2K evacuation teams

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Reuters

Mon Dec 20,1999 -- The State Department said on Monday it was
boosting security at U.S. diplomatic installations at home and
abroad, and setting up evacuation teams to deal with any terrorism
or other emergencies at the start of the year 2000. "Global
terrorism concerns have required all of our overseas posts to
maintain a high state of alert and readiness," said David Carpenter,
assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security. Carpenter said
Y2K-related "emergency response teams" made up of diplomatic
security agents, security engineers and technicians would go on
standby status in Washington and at regional hubs overseas to
support any necessary "embassy security evacuation and
technical security problems." An interagency foreign emergency
support team "is similarly on standby to respond as necessary to
overseas emergencies," Carpenter said. In addition to concerns
about possible guerrilla strikes, "the potential for violence by radical
millennium cults and civil disorders resulting from Y2K disruptions
to critical infrastructures also exist," he said.

The State Department warned on Dec. 11 that it had "credible
information" that guerrillas were planning attacks on U.S. citizens
overseas, notably at New Year's gatherings. U.S. overseas
missions will be staffed by "appropriate essential personnel,"
Carpenter said. He added that "emergency action committees" had
assessed potential local threats and updated emergency plans. In
addition, the State Department is working closely with host
government security services and U.S. military regional
commands, Carpenter said. In the United States, the State
Department has developed contingency plans to make sure that its
105 domestic facilities, including training facilities and satellite
offices, are "adequately protected" and can perform essential
business functions during the date change.

IDF Intelligence: If Syria gets the entire Golan, PA will insist on
Jerusalem

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Mon Dec 20,1999 -- In an assessment of the current situation of
negotiations between Israel and Syria and the PA, presented by
Major-General Amos Malka by OC IDF Intelligence to Barak and
and FM Levy, he stated that an Israeli concession regarding the
entire Golan Heights would send a signal to the PA regarding its
demands for a Palestinian capital in Jerusalem. In a position paper
being completed by the Israel Defense Force Intelligence Branch, it
is explained that an Israeli agreement to withdraw to the pre-June
4, 1967 border with Syria would make the PA less likely to
compromise on its current demands regarding eastern Jerusalem.
A compromise by the PA would be seen in the eyes of Arab
leaders and PA residents as a sign of weakness on the part of
Arafat following Israel=92s capitulation to demands by President Hafez
el-Assad. With the start of talks between Israel and Syria,
intelligence officials report that senior aides to Arafat are urging him
to take a firmer position in future talks with Israel and to be less
willing to make any compromises regarding Israeli concessions in
Jerusalem. Senior officials in the FM concur with the IDF
Intelligence assessment, indicating that we can expect to see a
more persistent negotiating partner on the PA side in future
meetings.

Some officials have also warned that the PA may demand a total
Israeli withdrawal from all of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, based on
United Nations resolutions 242 and 338. Arafat would point to
Israeli concessions in the Sinai with Egypt and the Golan with
Syria as precedents to support his demands. Therefore, explain
analysts, Prime Minister Ehud Barak has already indicated the two
UN resolutions are not binding regarding Israeli negotiations with
the PA. Yassir Arafat has not accepted this position.

Barak warns that failure to achieve an accord may result in war

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Mon Dec 20,1999 -- Prime Minister Ehud Barak has stated that
failure to achieve a peace agreement with Syria may result in
increased hostilities against Israel from the Arab nations. The
prime minister hinted to the 1991 Gulf War during which 42 scud
missiles were launched against Israel. Likud opposition MK Danny
Naveh was critical of the prime minister=92s statements, explaining
that trying to instill fear in the citizens of Israel to enlist support fo=
r
the government=92s initiative with Syria was an improper way to act.

Russian marines move into Chechen mountains

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Reuters

Mon Dec 20,1999 -- Russia sent marines into Chechnya's remote
southern mountains from Dagestan province to the east Monday,
opening up a new front and cutting Chechen supply routes. Itar-
Tass said the military described the move as a continuation of an
operation begun late last week, when Russia dropped paratroops
on to mountaintops guarding Chechnya's southern border with
former Soviet Georgia. Russian troops have swept through the
lowland valleys and steppes of northern and central Chechnya and
rebels are now holed up in the capital Grozny and remote bases in
steep gorges in the Caucasus mountains, Europe's highest range.
The arrival of paratroopers and marines on the southern and
eastern flanks are part of a plan to encircle the guerrilla strongholds
and cut them off from supply routes to Georgia and to Azerbaijan,
both former Soviet republics.

Israel expects to sign an agreement with Syria by September

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: ArabicNews

Mon Dec 20,1999 -- Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy said the
Syrian delegation debated the situation in Lebanon and he said,
"We have to work to have a progress and to reach an agreement
with Lebanon." He continued, "We will seek to reach a good
agreement with Syria to be debated to the public to accept or
refuse it." He expressed his hope of reaching an agreement within
a few months between Syria and Israel. Levy said that Syria will
control the operations against Israel. But a Syrian official in
Washington's negotiations stressed that it is premature to talk
about such matters. Meanwhile, Israeli Minister of Justice Yossi
Beilin expected a peace agreement to be signed with Syria in the
middle of next September and comprehensive peace to be
established in the Middle East before the end of the year 2000. In
statements he made in Florida that were published on Friday, Belin
added that experts will crystallize the agreement by next February,
adding that the final agreement will be reached in September, and
this agreement will be signed by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak
and Syrian President Hafez al-Assad. Editor's note: How very
interesting that these dates correspond with the target dates with
peace with the Palestinians: a framework agreement by mid
February, and the detailed agreement by mid September.

Assad confidante: 'Israel will have to give up water'

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Ha'aretz

Mon Dec 20,1999 -- A British journalist and close confidante of
Syrian President Hafez Assad says that Prime Minister Ehud
Barak will have to give up on his main aspirations in bargaining with
Syria over water rights. Patrick Seale listed Israel's goals regarding
water as "maintaining control over the Banias spring ... maintaining
full possession of the Jordan river, and Israel's full possession of
the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) and the land around it." Seale claims
that Barak will have to sacrifice these principles. "It is almost
certain, I believe, that Syria will not agree to give up control of the
Banias, even if Israel will offer the hot streams of Hamat Gader in
exchange." The journalist adds that "Syria will stand firm to win
access to the Jordan river and the northeastern side of the Kinneret
- areas which it controlled on the eve of the 1967 war." Assad's
official biographer goes on to say that, "in exchange for Syria
regaining the Banias spring and access to the Jordan river and
Lake Kinneret, it is highly likely that Syria will guarantee that it will
not interfere with the flow of water from the Golan to the river and
the Kinneret and will not poison the Kinneret or cause an increase
in its salinity."

On the matter of European involvement in the peace process,
Seale writes that European countries are likely to assist the
process in a number of ways: by means of financial aid and
investments, delegations of experts in the field of water and
security who will ease the approach to an agreement, the
stationing of European soldiers as part of the multi-national forces
to be placed on both sides of the border, and technical advice to
the Syrians over development, which will enable the relocation of
half a million Syrians in the Golan.

EU leaders urge Barak to buy Airbus

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Ha'aretz

Mon Dec 20,1999 -- The leaders of four major European countries
have written to Prime Minister Ehud Barak in an attempt to
persuade him that El Al Israel Airlines should buy planes from the
European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus. French President Jacques
Chirac, German Chancellor Gerhard Shroeder, British Prime
Minister Tony Blair and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar
decided to get involved in the aircraft deal after the United States
warned Israel to steer clear of Airbus planes and Rolls-Royce
engines. US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright made it clear
during her visit to Israel two weeks ago that the American
government would find it very difficult to explain to Congress and
the American public why Israel, which benefits from such a large
proportion of US foreign aid, purchased European aircrafts and
engines rather than Boeing aircraft and American produced
engines. Jerusalem officials said that the European "Letter of Four"
was worded in gentle and polite language and requested Israel to
purchase Airbus planes, without applying any pressure or linking
the deal to future relations between Israel and Europe. Israel has,
however, asked for a number of favors from Europe of late, including
Israeli membership of the European Union and EU aid in any future
peace deal with Syria and the Palestinians. "It's not easy," said
one official, "since we are dependent on the one hand on American
aid and also want to be nice to the Europeans."

All four of the letter's signatories are involved in the Middle East
peace process and Blair, Shroeder and Chirac are especially close
to Barak. Aznar was the first foreign head of state to visit Israel
after Barak was elected to office, and also stopped off in
Damascus in an attempt to advance the Syrian track. The Spanish
prime minister will visit the Palestinian Authority at the weekend to
celebrate Christmas and is expected to meet with Barak as well.

Spain is the biggest opponent to Israel's membership of the EU
and Barak asked his Spanish counterpart some weeks ago to
reconsider his country's stance.

Editor's note: This sitution may be a prophetic time indicator. We
know from Daniel that Israel will be "governed" by the revived
Roman Empire (Southern Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle
East). We also know that in these days, money is one of the
dominant forces behind most political decisions. So, keep a close
eye on this situation to see if this indicates the break from the US
and a move the forming "10 toes" of Daniel - whoever they will turn
out to be. If Israel does choose EU over the US, then we know we
are that much closer to the glorious reign of Jesus Christ on earth!

Police estimate 400,000 on Mount for Friday Ramadan prayers

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Mon Dec 20,1999 -- The official police estimate places the number
of Islamic worshipers who attended Temple Mount prayer services
on Friday at 400,000. The figure is said to represent the largest
prayer forum on the Mount in the past decade. Police report the
day passed without incident and an additional one thousand law-
enforcement troops will be deployed throughout Jerusalem=92s Old
City in anticipation of an increase in tensions related to the
Christmas holiday and the ending of the millennium. Police
anticipate that New Year=92s Eve which coincides with the last Friday
of Ramadan, will attract some 500,000 worshipers to the Mount.

PA parking tariff may be keeping tourists away

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Mon Dec 20,1999 -- The PLO Authority (PA) imposed $50 charge
per tourist bus may be one of the reasons the tourists are not seen
flocking to Bethlehem, just one-week ahead of the Christmas
holiday. Tour operators have indicated they will do their best not to
bring tourists to the PA autonomous city due to the tariff. This
despite the enormous amount of monies spent to modernize and
clean up the city, with tour operators explaining the tariff is
unacceptable. Operators added that a reasonable fee might be
acceptable but the $50 was out of the questions. Officials in the
PA appear confident that the Christian pilgrims will want to make a
visit to Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity, and the tariff
would not keep the buses away. Israel Ministry of Tourism officials
have indicated that tourism shop owners in Bethlehem are willing to
refund the $50 to bus operators so the situation is not as it may
appear on the surface. Bethlehem Mayor Hanna Nasser responded
by indicating he thought the parking fee was reasonable. Mayor
Nasser added the reason the tourists have not come is because it
is too early in the season and the situation is unrelated to the new
tariff.

Arafat says a permanent agreement possible

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Mon Dec 20,1999 -- PLO Authority (PA) Chairman Yassir Arafat
stated on Sunday that the PA and Israel could reach a permanent
settlement even before the September 2000 target date despite the
difficult negotiations. In an interview in a Spanish newspaper, Arafat
stated that whatever the status of the talks, he plans to declare
Palestinian statehood in 2000. Arafat also called for a solution to
the problem of the =93settlements=94, referring to Jewish communities
throughout Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha), and added that
Prime Minister Ehud Barak does not fulfill his commitments but are
not without hope that he will in the future.

Much of world's population lives on potentially shaky ground

Weekend News Today
By Weekend Staff
Source: Yahoo!

Sun Dec 19,1999 -- Much of the world's population lives on
potentially shaky ground, scientists said after releasing the first
map detailing the entire planet's earthquake hazard zones.
Southern California, southeastern Hawaii, Turkey, Taiwan, Iceland
and the India-China border are most likely to experience strong
shaking in the future. The map, developed by 500 scientists over
seven years, offers developing countries new information that can
be used to update or establish building codes. Some nations in
Africa, for example, never compiled such data. ``We can say today
that as a result of this program, more than half the countries of the
world have a new generation of seismic hazard maps,'' said
Domenico Giardini of the Swiss Seismological Service in Zurich.
As much as 15 percent of the planet's land is in zones of high or
very high hazard, which is defined as a 10 percent chance or
greater of violent shaking within the next 50 years, Shedlock said.
Roughly 40 percent of the Earth's land is considered low hazard.

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========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Turkey may forego sheep sacrifice
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 1999 17:42:47 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

Turkey may forego sheep sacrifice

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - President Suleyman Demirel has asked
authorities not to sacrifice two rams to mark the inauguration of a
dam, citing European Union regulations that bar the slaughter of
animals in the streets due to health risks, reports said Tuesday.
The EU named Turkey as a candidate for membership earlier this
month, and Turkish politicians have been pressing for quick reforms
to meet EU standards. It is traditional in Turkey to sacrifice sheep,
goats, bulls or camels to mark the inauguration of a major project
or celebrate weddings and other festive events. "First inauguration
without sacrifice," the daily Sabah said in a front-page story.
Demirel blocked the sacrifice of two rams at the Monday opening of
a dam in southeastern Turkey, the paper reported. ###

http://www.infobeat.com

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========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Dec 22, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 1999 17:46:02 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

8:00 PM Eastern

 HIST - CHRISTMAS UNWRAPPED: THE HISTORY OF
CHRISTMAS -
          The season of a pagan holiday is adopted for the annual
          celebration of the birth of Jesus.(CC)(TVG)

9:00

 DISC - THE SCIENCE OF CHRISTMAS - Some of the traditions of
          Christmas evolved from historical facts.(CC)(TVG)

 HIST - SELL & SPIN: A HISTORY OF ADVERTISING - How
          advertisers convince us to buy.(CC)(TVG)

9:30

 TBN - JACK VAN IMPE PRESENTS

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