Mora on Anthony Bonsante. --I didn't understand all the anger towards Anthony Bonsante in going against the grain and choosing his own opponent a couple of weeks back on 'The Contender'.
Boxing is the most individual of sports, and in essence 'reality television' is about making decisions that are the best for yourself. Bonsante may have not won any brownie points from his West teammates, but then, boxing isn't a team sport. He did the absolute right thing in selecting an opponent he felt he could defeat.
He might make a good manager one day.
Do you think there aren't a few guys who regret voting Pete Manfredo back on, instead of a Jonathan Reid?--
Mora on Real Sports. --Did anyone see the 10th anniversary of 'Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel' on HBO? If you haven't, make sure you check it out. 'Real Sports' is simply one of the best things on the airwaves, episode after episode.
Along with 'Deadwood', 'The Sopranos' and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm', it still makes HBO worthwhile.
Now if they could just do a few good fights now and then.--
Mora on Bernard Hopkins-Jermain Taylor. --I've never seen a proposed fight be on the brink of being consummated and falling apart all at the same time quite like Bernard Hopkins-Jermain Taylor.
From what I hear, HBO can't make any decisions on the rest of their summer schedule until a final verdict is reached on that July 16th date.--
Mora on The Contender Storyline. --Going back to 'The Contender', it's great that all these guys are fighting for their families and loved ones, but that repetitive storyline is getting a bit tiresome.
Can't we just have a guy who's fighting for the money, car, drugs and fame? And also because it beats having a real job?
Y'know, like a lot of other boxers?--
Keep it real, Sergio. Keep it real.
The Contender Sergio Mora Has Come a Long Way from East LA
It was while sparring with fringe welterweight contender Danny Perez last year, in preparation for his own bout against Les Ralston (which was telecast on NBC May 15, 2005), that Sergio Mora would hear about open auditions for a new boxing reality show--The Contender.
At the time, the 11-0 boxer from East Los Angeles didn't give much thought to participating in the show. But after finding interest in his services from promoters still lukewarm after outboxing Ralston on national television, he gained a new perspective.
"I decided, 'Y'know what, I might as well try this 'Contender' thing. I'm undefeated and I'm unsigned,'" recalled Mora.
'The Contender' would have open tryouts throughout various gyms across the land, supervised by Prentiss Byrd and Frank Stallone. It was a nationwide search - taking over two months - to find 16 'contenders' in the middleweight division.
"They narrowed down 6,000 to 300 to 40," explained Mora of the process. "The 40 were the critical 40 and then to the elite 20."
Making the Cut And from there, a special presentation was given to those who made the final cut. "16 of the 20 got a necklace, personally handed from Sylvester Stallone, saying you made the show."
And just like that, his life has been forever altered by being one of 16 boxers fighting for a grand prize of one million dollars, with two finalists duking it out at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in May.
"It's definitely a life changing event," he agrees. "It's going to be forever encapsulated in show business and not only business, in boxing, on a reality show, that's unheard of. And for me to be a part of that is an amazing experience."
Now the boxing 'survivor' lives in a fishbowl, with all of America voyeur to his life.
Mora Boxes Celebrity "The first week or so it's really annoying and they film you doing the dumbest stuff," Mora says with a smile and a shake of the head. "Obviously they're not going to edit that way. I mean, I'm making a sandwich and they're taping me. I'm going to sleep and they really don't want to miss anything."
But get this, "The first week was really weird," said Mora, who then added, "then I actually missed them."
Really?
"I got back home and no one was following me and I actually missed that experience."
Reality TV Anything But Real Critics of reality television gripe that it's anything but reality. And oftentimes they are correct. Many times what shows portray is a highly manipulated and edited version of what the producers want the audience to see. But in watching the shows, Mora swears that what's being shown on 'The Contender' every Sunday night on NBC is an accurate depiction of what he went through.
"That's what's amazing about 'reality TV'. I say, 'They can't do that, they have to be told what to do, what to say or how to act,' and it's not like that; reality is really reality," he insists. "We don't get pushed to do this or to say that, we do it on our own accord.
"And that's why it developed into being such a great experience and it's ethically sound because 'The Contender' is actually a legitimate boxing show."
But this being 'reality television', boxing is just part of the story. Oftentimes, it's just the backdrop used by the storytellers. By putting 16 boxers - who would eventually face each other in the near future - friendships and conflict are bound to occur in this pugilistic Petri dish.
Early on, Ishe Smith became a polarizing figure with the way he handled his rivalry with Ahmed Kaddour, who he eventually vanquished.
"To actually live with them, it was a different experience and to know how they are every hour of every day was great," says Mora, who grew close to Jesse Brinkley and Alfonso Gomez, while having prior relationships with Smith and Peter Manfredo from their amateur days.
"As far as me having any rancor towards any other boxers, there was this one particular guy and you'll see it in the upcoming shows."
16 Boxers, Two Teams The show's format divided the 16 boxers into two eight-man teams representing the east and west. After going through a physical challenge - which is designed more to appease sponsors than anything else - the winning side gets to select the fight on that week's episode, pitting a fighter from the west coast against the east coast.
A few weeks back, Mora would face Philadelphian Najai Turpin, defeating Turpin over five rounds. With that win, Mora would advance to the second round of the show. For Turpin, it would be the last prizefight of his career. In February, Turpin took his own life with a gun shot to his own head.
Critics Blame The Contender for Untimely Dealth of Najai Turpin Some critics contend that Turpin, based on his background and psychological make-up, should not have been allowed on the program. Some have gone as far as to blame 'The Contender' for his untimely death.
"Critics are always going to be critics and they weren't there to know the guy," said Mora.
Other boxers such as Miguel Espino tell tales of how Turpin would sleep isolated in the closet with a knife in his hand, hearkening back to his days in Philadelphia. One thing is for certain, Turpin was a loner.
"We really didn't know the guy, either. And I don't think it was 'The Contender' that had anything to do with his death. Najai was a really introverted person. He was the type of person you never really got to know."
Mora does admit that he had an inkling that Turpin did have some deep seeded problems that extended well beyond the ring.
"But boxing was his outlet and obviously it was a devastating loss for him," Mora says. "But as you see when he left the show, he left content, knowing that he gave everything he could and I respect him for that as a warrior. I think he respected himself. And if he would've been alive to see what he did on television, the opportunities would've been endless."
Mora Has Come a Long Way from East LA He's come a long way from being a young man who lived in East Los Angeles, where he was raised by his single mother in a small apartment alongside his three brothers. As a youngster, Mora had aspirations of being the first in his family to graduate from college - actually taking college courses after high school.
He didn't begin boxing until the ripe age of 15, participating in what he calls 'barbecue boxing', where the local ruffians would engage in semi-organized prizefights, where the money brought by the contestants was used to fund the prize money and the meat.
Ahh, nothing like carne asada and uppercuts.
Eventually he would go onto more organized boxing, hooking up with his trainer Dean Campos - whom he credits with his unorthodox style of fighting - and a Montebello police officer, John Montelongo.
By the late 90's, Mora was a fixture around the Southern California gym scene, sparring with the likes of Terry Norris, Oba Carr, David Kamau, and even Oscar De La Hoya, as they prepped for their bouts.
Mora Earned Berth in 2000 Olympic Trials Mora would eventually be ranked as high as the number two fighter in the United States and earned a berth in the 2000 Olympic Trials, where he lost a decision to eventual bronze medalist Jermain Taylor.
As he began his pro career in 2000, he would build his record at such venues as the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, to the Quiet Cannon in Montebello, to the Compaq Center in San Jose, to the De Paul Athletic Center in Chicago.
While Taylor would build his career with the strong push of HBO, Mora would toil in anonymity. But that isn't the case anymore, since Mora now has a high profile of his own.
But this is just the beginning if he wants to really make a mark on the game, which means he's had to get back to work, something he says wasn't easy.
Mora Spars With Antonio Margarito "Yeah," he admits, "because this is obviously a TV show, it's Hollywood, it really is. They're doing it to make a TV show, first, boxing, second. Since we had to put our boxing business in the back, it was kind of a grind getting back into it."
When this article was written, Mora was serving as one of the main sparring partners for Antonio Margarito as he prepared for his April 23rd date against Kermit Cintron. The work was vigorous and far from the bright lights of network television.
"But it's nothing that we're not familiar with and nothing we can't just do. We love what we do and this is our job."
Are Contenders Exploited? Mora vehemently disagrees with the notion that any of the participants were somehow exploited.
"Exploited? How?" he asks, incredulously. "This is the best thing that could have happened to all of us. I say maybe 90-percent of us there were glad we were on the show - whether we won or lost. First of all," he explained, "we got seen by eight million people, that's more than any pay-per-view fight in history. And for us to be portrayed in certain characters, like I'm the 'Poetic Warrior', that's great."
Each fighter that appeared on the show is receiving a weekly stipend as the show airs.
"Financially we're doing better now that our careers stagnated, not fighting," he points out. "We're actually getting financially supported better than when we fight, by promoters. This is the best thing that could have happened to us as fighters and hopefully a remedy for boxing."
As you see Mora working at various gyms from Hollywood to El Monte, it's clear that his profile has been raised. As he finishes up his day's work, sparring against the likes of a Kingsley Ikeke or an Antonio Margarito, he is asked to pose for photos or sign a few autographs at the conclusion of his workouts. This wasn't happening a few months ago.
"Oh, yeah, definitely, I get recognized and it feels really good," he says. "Kids are the ones that really come up to you with no shame and ask for your autograph on a picture or a shirt, hats or whatever. Certain guys around the neighborhood in East LA, they recognize you from afar and give you that 'vato look'. But it's all respect and love. I'm loving the attention and I'm loving the experience."
For the NBC boxing event May 15, 2004 at the DePaul Athletic Center, Chicago, IL, USA featuring undefeated middleweights Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora versus Les “Lightnin’” Ralston of Buffalo, NY, both fighters came in looking to capitalize on the nation-wide exposure. But it would be Mora who would walk away with the victory in this interesting 8 round match-up of contrasting styles. Mora won by unanimous decision as two judges ruled it 78-74 and one scored it 79-73.
Ralston (13-1-0, 7 KOs), a five time New York golden Glove champion, is admittedly not a brawler, but more of a boxer/puncher. Mora, who improved to 12-0-0 with 3 KOs, was the quicker of the two and showed a propensity for throwing and trying to land the big punch.
The fight was not lacking for action as both fighters exhibited the skills that brought them to this point. Mora, a Los Angeles native, was quick to punch and his confidence was matched by his aggressiveness. So aggressive was Mora that he opened a cut over the eye of Ralston due to a head butt that referee Gerald Scott failed to pick up on in round four.
Ralston showed some resiliency, as he was able to take the hard-hitting punches of Mora without going down. Unfortunately, Mora’s hand speed kept Ralston at bay and unable to throw many punches in Mora’s direction, despite the pleas from Ralston’s corner.
The only round Ralston seemed to dominate was round six, where Mora’s aggressive nature took a back seat to his complaints to the ref of Ralston’s punches to the back of the head. Ralston had been doing most of his professional work against non-descript opponents in South Carolina and was clearly outgunned by Mora.
Does The Contender Sergio Mora Spar With The 48 Laws of Power?
The Contender Sergio Mora talked about this book on the NBC reality series, The Contender, with a copy of it in hand. Hmmmmm? Like the Contender Joey Gilbert, did Sergio Mora read it, too, and take tips from it to counterpunch the aspirations of Ishe Smith, Ahmed Kaddour and other second-round contenders? Did its philosophy guide their rise to the second round? What's the secret within the pages of this book? Who next will fall victim to its knowledge? Can I use it to gain power and win in my own life? Here's just a jab of thoughts from the book:
Law 1: Never Outshine the Master
Law 2: Conceal Your Intentions
Law 3: Always Say Less Than Necessary
Law 4: So Much Depends on Reputation--Guard It With Your Life
Law 5: Court Attention At All Cost
Follow the link below to take a deeper peek inside The 48 Laws of Power.
Book The Contender Joey Gilbert Used to Manipulate The Contenders--48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
Did The Contender Joey Gilbert have a plan to manipulate the other boxers on The Contender? How did the 48 Laws of Power guide Joey Gilbert during The Contender? Below is how Barnes & Noble describes the 48 Laws for people who want to be on top.
48 Laws of Power
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this piercing work distills three thousand years of the history of power in to forty-eight well explicated laws. As attention—grabbing in its design as it is in its content, this bold volume outlines the laws of power in their unvarnished essence, synthesizing the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun-tzu, Carl von Clausewitz, and other great thinkers. Some laws teach the need for prudence ("Law 1: Never Outshine the Master"), the virtue of stealth ("Law 3: Conceal Your Intentions"), and many demand the total absence of mercy ("Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally"), but like it or not, all have applications in real life. Illustrated through the tactics of Queen Elizabeth I, Henry Kissinger, P. T. Barnum, and other famous figures who have wielded—or been victimized by—power, these laws will fascinate any reader interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control.
"It's The Rules for suits... . Machiavelli has a new rival. And Sun—tzu better watch his back." —New York magazine
"Beguiling ... literate ... fascinating ... a wry primer for people who desperately want to be on top." —People
FROM THE CRITICS
Hardy Green
The 48 Laws of Power seems to have been packaged more than published. . . . The moral advice adds up to a grim portrait of a ruthless, duplicitous universe. -- Business Week
Newsweek
This season's most talked about all-purpose personal strategy guide and philosophical compendium.
Publishers Weekly
Greene and Elffers have created an heir to Machiavelli's The Prince, espousing principles such as: everyone wants more power; emotions, including love, are detrimental; deceit and manipulation are life's paramount tools. Anyone striving for psychological health will be put off at the start, but the authors counter, saying "honesty is indeed a power strategy," and "genuinely innocent people may still be playing for power." Amoral or immoral, this compendium aims to guide those who embrace power as a ruthless game, and will entertain the rest. Elffers' layout (he is identified as the co-conceiver and designer in the press release) is stylish, with short epigrams set in red at the margins. Each law, with such elusive titles as "Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy," "Get Others To Do the Work for You, But Always Take the Credit," "Conceal Your Intentions," is demonstrated in four ways--using it correctly, failing to use it, key aspects of the law and when not to use it. Illustrations are drawn from the courts of modern and ancient Europe, Africa and Asia, and devious strategies culled from well-known personae: Machiavelli, Talleyrand, Bismarck, Catherine the Great, Mao, Kissinger, Haile Selassie, Lola Montes and various con artists of our century. These historical escapades make enjoyable reading, yet by the book's conclusion, some protagonists have appeared too many times and seem drained. Although gentler souls will find this book frightening, those whose moral compass is oriented solely to power will have a perfect vade mecum.
Library Journal
Uses examples from history to deliver 48 laws for the power-hungry, e.g., Law 1: "Never outshine the master." Designed by Elffers, a noted book packager.
Library Journal
Uses examples from history to deliver 48 laws for the power-hungry, e.g., Law 1: "Never outshine the master." Designed by Elffers, a noted book packager.
A reviewer, young and ahead, April 21, 2005, 5 out of 5 stars
Its been three years.
I first read this book three years ago, and I still read it every now and then. it has changed my life, im better garded and better informed than ever. I'm also always having them for lunch before they have me for dinner. my favorite ever ....
A reviewer, for the people, April 8, 2005, 1 out of 5 stars
not true POWER...
this is manipulation, control, and self-serving force... follow and lose your own soul... its value may be in showing some of the tactics the soulless may use to control and manipulate... so in this it gives wisdom and protection to the naive, but I would not follow it... thus becoming another dog in a dog eat dog world...
Ronnie B (mert7734@aol.com), a conscious man now, March 28, 2005, 5 out of 5 stars
eyes for the blind
I have only read 24 laws, but I find it an ideal tool for everyday life as well as encounters that you may face when dealing with people from all social levels or backgrounds,It reveals the little mind-games people play, know that I'am armed with this information it is very hard to pull the wool over my eyes, study from this book do not read it!
esbalfour, A reviewer, March 10, 2005, 4 out of 5 stars
Well kept secret
I consider this book to be a well kept secret. Guard it with your life and be very carefull who you recommend it to. This book is not for those with weak hearts and weak stomachs and it's definitely not for those who abuse power either. Get rid of the notion that 'winning isn't everything', because it is. The way I see it, why let someone else have what could be your's. If you're ready to seriously play the game of power, then you'd better know the rules.
Also recommended: Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts
rolf dobelli (rolfdobelli@getabstract.com), A reviewer, December 2, 2004, 5 out of 5 stars
A Must Read!
This book is amoral, hauntingly true and indispensable. It should be on the bookshelf of anyone who aspires to any level of success in any organization or profession. It should not gather dust but should be read regularly, according to a plan — one law a day, for example, absorbed slowly and contemplated deeply. Author Robert Greene draws on a rich variety of sources including books so threatening that they were banned by the ancient Chinese. He cites the memoirs of Machiavelli, various con men and many others who swept aside what ought to be in order to focus on what is. It might seem that anyone who follows all of these laws in their rich, narrative detail will turn out to be a very unpleasant person. That's probably not true. We suspect, in contrast, that the person who masters the laws of power will be extremely pleasant, with winning ways and a knack for likeability, yet awe-inspiring and in control — though not always obviously so. Doesn't that sound tempting?
The Contender Joey Gilbert loves a great cappuccino, Italian and Mexican foods, smart physical training at a private gym, and unique personal care at the salon or the hotel. Check out some of his favorites.
First, A Brief Bio Born in Chicago, Illinois Joey moved West as a young boy were he had a idyllic childhood...on a family ranch in RENO, NV. His father is a Navy Flight Surgeon, attached to a Marine Reconnaissance unit currently serving in Afghanistan; his mother is a caring Italian-Catholic mother and also a nurse. His sister is his nutritionist, strength coach, endurance trainer and a key asset to his success. The family revolves around the men and Joey and his father are the heroes.
Joey began his boxing training later than most while attending college at University of Nevada - Reno (UNR). He served as the team captain and won four NCAA Regional Championships and three NCAA National Championships. Joey had quite the college career beyond boxing - he earned a BA in English Literature and minors in Political Science and Italian Studies, served in student government and was an active member in his fraternity (Sigma Alpha Epsilon) and the community.
Upon graduating from UNR, Joey enlisted in the Nevada Air National Guard and finished as the Top Academic Graduate. After spending a full year with the Nevada Air National Guard, he was placed on Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) while he earned a degree of higher education at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego. He is licensed to practice law in Nevada, holds the IRR status until 2007 and is currently applying to serve out the remainder of his term as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) Officer in either Reserve component of the Air Force or Navy.
Joey has a perfect 8-0 Pro record and won't let up until he achieves his goals - to be the Junior Middleweight World Champion and to be a positive example for the sport of boxing.
Joey's Favorite Resturant
Luciano's on Virginia (775) 322-7373 Address: 719 S Virginia St Reno, NV 89501
The owner is from Bologna, Italy, and he is a good friend of mine. I have celebrated almost all of my birthdays, graduations, and special events at his restaurant. I often will go to see Luciano in the morning to just talk and have a cappuccino with him while he prepares the restaurant for the day. Overall, it is just great Italian food, a wonderful owner, and a lively atmosphere.
Joey's Favorite Bar & Grill
Hacienda Restaurant & Bar (775) 746-2228 Address: 10580 N Mccarran Blvd Ste 102 Reno, NV 89503
The Hacienda is both a great Mexican restaurant and often (on Wednesday nights) a lively night time spot. Christian, the owner, and his management, Tony, Miguel, and the cook, Walter always take care of their guests. The food is authentic and the service is always great. Christian is at the restaurant 24/7 and is always stressed out and fun to mess around with. Most importantly, on Wednesday nights, Hacienda puts on "Chicks and Salsa", which is a night of inexpensive drinks, food, and the LADIES get in FREE. Also, Reno's most popular entertainment company "EJ Presents, LLC", puts on the show, so it is a great time and everyone usually rolls through for at least a drink or two.
Joey's Favorite Fitness Center
Framework Personal Training (775) 826-5756 Address: 6135 Lakeside Dr Reno, NV 89511
Framework, owned by Paul Fisher, is a private training gym that is a well equipped very clean lively place to work out. Most importantly, Framework is the type of private fitness center that utilizes a variety of different training and fitness techniques aimed at getting you the results you want. Framework is not a "body-builders" gym, but is more focused and dedicated towards overall improvement in personal health and a well balanced diet. Calculating and planning a specific diet unique to each client, allows Framework to offer its clients something that most fitness centers do not. At Framework, core strength and a strong immune system are considered more important than bulking up or trying some crazy rapid weight-loss system that doesn't provide the desired result. Finally, all of the trainers at Framework are incredibly knowledgeable and true professionals. They are properly educated and experienced in the health and wellness industry. The personal trainers at Framework dedicate themselves to you and give 110% while you are working out. They push you and you will notice a difference immediately.
Joey's Favorite Salon
Salon Infiniti & Day Spa (775) 825-5520 Address: 294 E Moana Ln Ste 5 Reno, NV 89502
This salon is a lively place where they really take care of you and insist that you are comfortable and at ease while you wait (if you wait) for your session to begin. Most importantly, the reason why I choose to have my haircut here about every ten days is because of how extremely gorgeous my girl Tena is; I mean, she is not just beautiful, she is HOT and she always wears the cutest, yet sexy outfits. Tena does incredible work and is very thorough and professional and she takes the time to see that I am completely satisfied with my haircut. She doesn't rush through the appointment and uses all the different types of salon equipment to fade, shape, and layer my hair the way I like it. She is extremely intelligent and great to talk to about anything and understands the crazy demands I have placed on myself due to my unique lifestyle. BTW: I get manicures there a few times a month. I love having my nails and hands done. My hands always hurt from boxing and bad circulation (cold), and I love the massage at the end. Most importantly, because I am Italian and I talk with my hands, I think it is essential for them to be well groomed.
Joey's Favorite Hotel
Eldorado Hotel & Casino (775) 786-5700 Address: 345 N Virginia St Reno, NV 89501
I might be sounding a bit redundant, but Reno is a growing city and has a lot to offer, but some places remain to be the best and provide the best service. The Eldorado Hotel & Casino is probably the best property in Reno for all your entertainment and lodging needs. The hotel is clean, spacious, and the rooms are comfortable and quiet. They have an amazing buffet and I personally love their mushroom ravioli. The Eldorado has a number of restaurants inside it as well as probably the number one brewery in Northern Nevada�Brew Brothers has live music, great food, outstanding beers to choose from, and Timmy (one of the managers) is a total stud and always takes care of the boys. Most importantly, what makes the Eldorado so unique is that the service is unparalleled to any other hotel and it is not surprising to see one of the owners (the Carano boys) personally attending to one of the Eldorado's customers. It is a family run business and a meeting place for just about everyone in town, of every (legal) age.
The Contender Final Four, 4 to Move Closer to Million Dollar Prize
The Contender Final Four. The rules have changed. It's every man for himself; the team effort is over. Weekly challenge winner gains power to choose his opponent, or to be the match maker.
The Final Four
1 - Sergio Mora was born in a tiny apartment in East LA where he lived with his mother and three brothers until just a few weeks ago. At 24, he and his older brother have finally moved out... to the apartment downstairs. He is the first to admit that his family lives in the ghetto but bristles at being lumped into the East LA stereotype. Although he grew up without a father, his respect for his mother and the desire for a better life turned him to sports instead of gangs. As a teenager, Sergio knocked out many of his friends just "goofing around" in the street. He started boxing at the age of fourteen and is currently undefeated as a Pro. When he isn't training, he works with kids at a neighborhood youth gym built to give boys and girls an alternative to gangs. Sergio trains at the same gym and the signage on the front bears his picture and nickname: "the Latin Snake." Sergio's dream is to make enough money boxing to allow his mother to quit her job working at a warehouse and send her traveling the world ... without his brothers. View the Sergio Mora Career Record.
2 - Alfonso Gomez was 10 years old his family moved from Mexico to the United States, and he's been boxing ever since. Mr. Gomez took over Alfonso's training after a month of watching another trainer teach his son an amateur style of boxing. Having been a boxer himself, Alfonso's father preferred a pro style and taught Alfonso the 'Mexican Style of boxing.' Alfonso only takes orders from his father, and will ignore almost everyone else, particularly when it comes to training - he won't undo what he and his father have been working on for fourteen years. Alfonso graduated high school with an 80-10 amateur record and decided to go Pro. He also wanted to get a B.A. degree which meant a move from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The 17-year old was going to move out alone, but his parents wouldn't let that happen. They sold their business and home and moved their three sons to Tustin, California. The entire family has made huge sacrifices to ensure their Alfonso has everything he needs to become a champion. Alfonso wants to give all that they've given back to them and sees this competition as an opportunity to get him closer to his goal. He is confident that he's going to win, and so is his family. Alfonso fought and lost to Ishe Smith in 2001. View the Alfonso Gomez Career Record. 3 - Peter Manfredo, Jr. is a happy-go-lucky kid who turns into Godzilla in the ring. He has lived his entire life in his father's gym and has more than the average perspective on the business of boxing and the potential to make a great living at it. His father complains that he started boxing too late in his life to have made any real money. However, Peter Jr. seems to be doing just fine. He has an SUV, and bought some land to build a house for his high school sweetheart-turned wife Yamika and their baby daughter.
Peter is affable, likes to laugh and is generally a happy guy but does not take criticism well. He knows the world of boxing, his place in it and is confident in his chances in this competition. Peter Senior is deathly afraid that the shows trainer will screw-up what he took a lifetime to build with his son. He is very confident that Jr. is the Contender.
4 - Jesse Brinkley is a loud and lovable country boy. He is the class clown - all about fun, all the time. He has an abundance of energy and a great sense of humor, even about himself. Jesse loves to have an audience laughing at his jokes.
He learned how to fight from Rocky movies and a heavy bag his stepfather hung in his garage. He soon developed a tough-guy reputation and quickly began knocking out all the kids in small-town Yerington. His amateur career was very brief, as he hated fighting with headgear, disliked the amateur point-scoring system, and just wanted the chance to knock guys out.
Jesse's dream is to fight DeLaHoya, but if that doesn't happen he would be just as happy living out in the desert, hunting, fishing, and drinking beer for the rest of his life. We'll see how this country boy fares in the big city.
Jesse lives with his long-term girlfriend, Coleen, and their two children, Steyr and Denaya.
Sergio Mora was born in a tiny apartment in East LA where he lived with his mother and three brothers until just a few weeks ago. At 24, he and his older brother have finally moved out... to the apartment downstairs. He is the first to admit that his family lives in the ghetto but bristles at being lumped into the East LA stereotype. Although he grew up without a father, his respect for his mother and the desire for a better life turned him to sports instead of gangs.
As a teenager, Sergio knocked out many of his friends just "goofing around" in the street. He started boxing at the age of fourteen and is currently undefeated as a Pro. When he isn't training, he works with kids at a neighborhood youth gym built to give boys and girls an alternative to gangs. Sergio trains at the same gym and the signage on the front bears his picture and nickname: "the Latin Snake." Sergio's dream is to make enough money boxing to allow his mother to quit her job working at a warehouse and send her traveling the world ... without his brothers.
Jesse Brinkley is a loud and lovable country boy. He is the class clown - all about fun, all the time. He has an abundance of energy and a great sense of humor, even about himself. Jesse loves to have an audience laughing at his jokes.
He learned how to fight from Rocky movies and a heavy bag his stepfather hung in his garage. He soon developed a tough-guy reputation and quickly began knocking out all the kids in small-town Yerington. His amateur career was very brief, as he hated fighting with headgear, disliked the amateur point-scoring system, and just wanted the chance to knock guys out.
Jesse's dream is to fight DeLaHoya, but if that doesn't happen he would be just as happy living out in the desert, hunting, fishing, and drinking beer for the rest of his life. We'll see how this country boy fares in the big city.
Jesse lives with his long-term girlfriend, Coleen, and their two children, Steyr and Denaya.
Ishe Smith loves God, his family, and boxing... in that order. He was born and raised in North Las Vegas by a single mom and lives his life with integrity. He has had great success in his undefeated boxing career, but has been taken advantage of by promoters and agents along the way and recently had to declare bankruptcy. His strength is his wife, LaToya, his 2 year old son Ishe Jr., and his faith. He is gentle and loving with his family, and respectful and humble with everyone else. He is an usher in his church every Sunday.
LaToya is to Ishe as Adrian is to Rocky. She won't let him give up on his boxing dream, even though they now have to live with her parents. She believes in him, inspires him, and sees his boxing skill as his gift from God.
Ishe's mission on The Contender is to restore the integrity of the sport he loves and to provide for his family. Ishe trains with religious zeal and keeps meticulous journals and logbooks of everything he does during the day. He doesn't drink, smoke, or go to strip clubs. He doesn't respect fighters that don't train hard, and deems them a detriment to the sport. He can talk tough with any one and considers that part of the sport. Ishe will not suffer fools. He has trained with superstar boxers, including Fernando Vargas, and feels he can hold his own against anyone...he just needs an honest chance.
Anthony Bonsante is a hard-working, honest and sincere single father who is fiercely committed to his two kids, Brittany, 10, and Derek, 8. His blue collar work ethic is so strong you get the impression he will fight until he's half-dead to win this competition for his kids. They give him the strength to fight harder, even when exhausted and in pain, and he thinks about his kids if he's ever in trouble in the ring. When not training or working, Anthony enjoys spending time with his kids and his family in Crosby, MN, hunting and fishing.
Anthony works the overnight shift as a K-Mart Manager and has found it difficult to juggle his family responsibilities, his job and his boxing career. He's proud to be an honest working man and a good father, and those values mean more to him than money or success. Anthony dedicates this experience to his two kids (who are also young boxers in training).
Anthony fought and lost to Peter Manfredo in 2004 and is hungry for a shot to settle the score.
Alfonso Gomez was 10 years old his family moved from Mexico to the United States, and he's been boxing ever since. Mr. Gomez took over Alfonso's training after a month of watching another trainer teach his son an amateur style of boxing. Having been a boxer himself, Alfonso's father preferred a pro style and taught Alfonso the 'Mexican Style of boxing.' Alfonso only takes orders from his father, and will ignore almost everyone else, particularly when it comes to training - he won't undo what he and his father have been working on for fourteen years.
Alfonso graduated high school with an 80-10 amateur record and decided to go Pro. He also wanted to get a B.A. degree which meant a move from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The 17-year old was going to move out alone, but his parents wouldn't let that happen. They sold their business and home and moved their three sons to Tustin, California. The entire family has made huge sacrifices to ensure their Alfonso has everything he needs to become a champion. Alfonso wants to give all that they've given back to them and sees this competition as an opportunity to get him closer to his goal. He is confident that he's going to win, and so is his family.
Ahmed Kaddour was born in Lebanon and raised in Denmark. Kaddour had a very successful Pro career as a European boxer until he was noticed by a US promoter/manager who signed him up and brought him to Houston. To date, Ahmed has a perfect pro record at 18-0. His amateur record was 81-1 and he claims he was robbed in his only loss ... fighting a local fighter in Germany.
Ahmed lives with (and is supported by) his girlfriend, Brandy, a very beautiful 20-something television host who is moving to LA to expand her career. Ahmed will follow her to LA as Hollywood is his "destiny." His peers even call him "Hollywood", and he embraces this nickname because he feels that he IS Hollywood personified.
Good looking yet extremely vain, Ahmed plans to be a top model and movie star as well as a world champion boxer. He thinks his opponents don't take him seriously because he is "so pretty." He claims the truth is that the reason he's so pretty is because no one can hit him. Count on Ahmed to stir the pot and create some controversy with his cocky and flashy look and personality.
Peter Manfredo, Jr. is a happy-go-lucky kid who turns into Godzilla in the ring. He has lived his entire life in his father's gym and has more than the average perspective on the business of boxing and the potential to make a great living at it. His father complains that he started boxing too late in his life to have made any real money. However, Peter Jr. seems to be doing just fine. He has an SUV, and bought some land to build a house for his high school sweetheart-turned wife Yamika and their baby daughter.
Peter is affable, likes to laugh and is generally a happy guy but does not take criticism well. He knows the world of boxing, his place in it and is confident in his chances in this competition. Peter Senior is deathly afraid that the shows trainer will screw-up what he took a lifetime to build with his son. He is very confident that Jr. is the Contender.
You don't necessarily picture Pamela Anderson in something like 'Frasier,' but that's what we're hoping for--said show creator Steve Levitan--The show is actually really smart.
Stacked, the new Fox sitcom starring Pamela Anderson was rushed in to the mid-season schedule despite the sudden defection of co-star Tom Everett Scott. The title of the show can be thought of as a cheap play on Anderson's fabulous, balloon-sized breasts. But here's the pitch:
Anderson stars as Skyler, a babe-and-a-half who wanders into a book store--that's right a bookstore--called Stacked-- get it? Pam is in search of a book that will help her dump her jerk of a boyfriend Eddie. Basically she caught the rude rocker in bed with two other babes.
"When I was with them, I was only thinking of you -- and another you," Eddie tries to explain later. Is Pamela Anderson embarking on some career resuscitation? No, rather, she's mocking her own tabloid inflated image in a comedy. Smart move for Anderson? We will see. "It's a bit of a stretch," joked Anderson. "But it's fun to kind of poke fun at yourself." (And who wouldn't want to poke Anderson in any way they could. Sorry. Just couldn't resist.) "Her character is loosely based on her, but an un-famous version of Pamela Anderson," said creator Steve Levitan. "And we get to take lots of liberties." Here's an example: in a recent episode Anderson's character laments her bad choices in boyfriends. At a bar one evening, two guys were hitting on her, she says. Guy No. 1 was kind and considerate and had a good job, guy No. 2 was "drunk, covered in tattoos and licking my face." "Guess which one I leave with?" "And that's true," said Levitan. "That's how she met [exhusband] Tommy Lee. He came up to her and licked her face." Levitan constructed the show around Anderson, 37, who through her failed marriage to rocker Lee and near marriage to Kid Rock, has become a tabloid staple and the poster girl for bad relationships. But, said Levitan, "Stacked" is not a down-market comedy. "I think people have certain expectations that this is going to be something really kitschy," said Levitan. "You don't necessarily picture Pamela Anderson in something like 'Frasier,' but that's what we're hoping for. The show is actually really smart. "Pamela Anderson [may be] the thing that attracts people to the show," he continued, "but then let's surprise them with something that is really smart and sophisticated." When Anderson was approached for the show, she said, "I thought I would have to give [the writers] a lot of stories. But I didn't have to give them anything because everybody already knows everything about my life." And, she said, that's just fine. "I'm just glad I'm doing a real show and not a reality show," said Anderson. "To me, the people who watch reality shows are the same people who read the supermarket tabloids. "It's so great to have a real job," she added, "and work with real writers and real actors."
The production of "Stacked" has gone through a period of disarray. Tom Everett Scott was originally cast as the one of the brothers who owns the bookstore. After shooting the pilot and nearly finishing rehearsals on the series' second episode, he was replaced by comedian Elon Gold. Apparently, the tall, dark and handsome Scott was not right as a high-strung bookworm. "It was a total professional decision," said Anderson. "I was really worried about Tom, but I found out that it happens a lot. Lisa Kudrow got fired from 'Frasier.'" "Tom is a wonderful actor," added Levitan, "but he was not what I had in mind for [the part]. He was a little too laid back. [The character] needs to be an uptight, neurotic intellectual, and I think that Elon can portray that in a way that's much closer to what I had envisioned." Brian Scolaro plays Stuart, Gavin's tubby brother and fellow book clerk who goes ga-ga over Skyler. When the blond bombshell complains that she needs a self help book because she's always falling for bad boys, Mr. Comedy Relief sucks in his gut and says, "My name is Stuart and I can be found under dangerous men." "So can I," says Skyler, "that's why I need the book." The pilot is loaded with sniggling sex jokes and loaded lines meant to draw parallels to Anderson's checkered past. "I seem to have a thing for guys in a band... and actors... and pro athletes... and circus performers," Skyler moans. Katrina (Marissa Jaret Winoker), the store's java-slinging Yetti, has no sympathy. "I'm into guys who are one naked girl away from realizing that they're gay." Winokur won a Tony Award for playing the size-challenged teen Tracy Turnblad in the smash Broadway musical Hairspray. She currently can be seen in the film "Fever Pitch." Christopher Lloyd plays tweedy bookstore regular Harold, a retired Cal Tech physics professor and professional curmudgeon. He huffs and yells and wanders into frame with scientific aplomb. You don't have to be a Cal Tech prof to know that Stacked isn't rocket science. But Anderson, despite her physical excesses, shows remarkable restraint as a comedienne. It's as if she wears a comedy minimizer. The Double DD dialogue is obvious and predictable, but, like Anderson's immense hooters, impossible to resist. Since the show can also be enjoyed with the sound off, it is win-win. Stacked isn't perfect. There's too much yelling and over-the-top acting. Everything takes place on the one bookstore set, which could get old quick. There's that old "where do they go from here" problem (Skyler winds up working at the bookstore, natch. As she says, "This would be the perfect place to stop meeting hot guys.") Still, you have to love a show that implants laughter -- or laughs at implants. With implants.
Born in Chicago, Illinois Joey moved West as a young boy were he had a idyllic childhood...on a family ranch in RENO, NV. His father is a Navy Flight Surgeon, attached to a Marine Reconnaissance unit currently serving in Afghanistan; his mother is a caring Italian-Catholic mother and also a nurse. His sister is his nutritionist, strength coach, endurance trainer and a key asset to his success. The family revolves around the men and Joey and his father are the heroes.
Joey began his boxing training later than most while attending college at University of Nevada - Reno (UNR). He served as the team captain and won four NCAA Regional Championships and three NCAA National Championships. Joey had quite the college career beyond boxing - he earned a BA in English Literature and minors in Political Science and Italian Studies, served in student government and was an active member in his fraternity (Sigma Alpha Epsilon) and the community.
Upon graduating from UNR, Joey enlisted in the Nevada Air National Guard and finished as the Top Academic Graduate. After spending a full year with the Nevada Air National Guard, he was placed on Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) while he earned a degree of higher education at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego. He is licensed to practice law in Nevada, holds the IRR status until 2007 and is currently applying to serve out the remainder of his term as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) Officer in either Reserve component of the Air Force or Navy.
Joey has a perfect 8-0 Pro record and won't let up until he achieves his goals - to be the Junior Middleweight World Champion and to be a positive example for the sport of boxing.
Jimmy Lange, the Contender, is one of ten kids from a very close, loving, catholic, blue collar/working class family. He is married, has twin sons and is expecting a baby girl in a few months.
His dad has been his manager and has advanced Jimmy this far by getting him the best. He trains in Florida under Buddy McGirt and at one time was trained by a former trainer of Ray Leonard. He prays with a priest before every fight and his priest, Father Cilinski, has only missed two fights in Jimmy's entire career.
Jimmy is very articulate and very passionate about "saving boxing" from the deserved bad rap and corruption. He's aware of the fighters coming and knows he can do well but appears anxious. Jimmy has the highest IQ of the group.
Will you survive the end of days? Frightened by Revelations. Try taking and overview via an outline that may guide you to a deeper exploration and understanding of this fascinating book of the Bible. In some ways what follows here is a map, a spiritual guide. Here's one from James Akin.
According to James Akin, an author's interpretation of the entire book can hinge on his outline. If an outline has not been successfully defended, it can leave a question mark over the whole work.
Akin wanted to avoid this problem. Instead of simply presenting an outline and hoping the reader agrees with it, he wants to interpret an outline in the reader's presence so he can see his reasoning.
“Because of this approach,” Akin writes, “we will not be starting at the beginning of the book and walking through it. Instead, we will jump around, noting its literary features, and showing how these influence the outline.”
This non-linear approach may be less tedious. To make it easier, Akin suggests that the following article be read with opened Bible. That will let the reader see the features of the text referred to without interruptions to give long, repetitious quotations.
Are You Ready for The End of Days?
I. John's Commission
In Revelation 1:19 John is given a three-fold commission: he is told to write, "the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall take place after these things." (NASB)
Everyone seems to be agreed on what the three sections refer to. "The things which you have seen" refers essentially to the contents of chapter one (really 1:9-20 because John did not "see" the introductory material of 1:1 to 8.) "The things which are" refers to chapters two and three. And "the things which shall take place after these things" refers to everything else in the book. The commission divides the book into three sections: chapters one, chapters two and three, and chapters four through twenty-two.
I agree with this interpretation. However if we stop here and say that this is the book's basic outline and we need go no further, then I feel we will be adopting an overly simple view of the book's contents. Additional time is needed to look at its structures before we announce that John's commission expresses the book's most basic outline. We need to first look at Revelation's literary structures and then harmonize them with John's three-fold commission.
II. The Four Heptads
If we want to study the book's literary forms, the place to begin is obvious. Revelation contains four very visible, very prominent structures: the seven letters, the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls. These blocks of text are obviously there. The only problem that faces us is how to define where they begin and end.
Initially, I want to define each one as starting with the first item in the heptad and ending with the last clear effect of the seventh item in the heptad. For instance, the first trumpet is sounded in 8:7, and though the seventh trumpet is sounded in 11:15, its effects do not die down until 11:19. That would make the trumpet cycle 8:7-11:19.
Using this definition would divide the text as follows:
One of the things I noticed when I was trying to define the heptads is that each set of seven is prefaced by a certain amount of preparatory material. Each of the heptads has a "preparation--execution" pattern. Before the execution of each heptad, something is introduced which is necessary for the execution stage. Before John receives the seven letters, he sees Jesus who dictates the letters. Before the seven seals, John sees the scroll on which the seven seals are fixed. Before the trumpets are sounded, John sees the seven angels who are then given the trumpets. And before the seven bowls, John tells us he sees "seven angels with seven last plagues".
If one was to say the preparation stages start with the introduction of this necessary element and end with the verse just before the first execution, the prep-stages are as follows: 1:10-20 (letters), 5:1-14 (seals), 8:2-6 (trumpets), and 15:1-16:1 (bowls). However, I think a couple of changes that need to be made. In the preparation for the letters, John hears Jesus' voice in 1:10, but that is not the first verse in the context. The verse before it, verse 9, sets us up for verse 10 and is the obvious beginning to the narrative con text. Therefore I want to say the prep-stage for the letters is 1:9-20. Later, I will expand another one of the preparation periods, but my reasons for doing so will not become clear for some time.
This is quite a bit better than we had before. We made a significant dent in the unclassified material. We can make another one in short order.
III. Revelation's Opening and Closing
Now that we have isolated the borders of the seven letters block, the nature of the first eight verses of chapter one is clear: they are introductory material. Rev. 1:1-8 is the introduction to the book. We also find at the end of the book several verses which serve as its closing. The exact start of the closing is harder to pin down, but it is my view that the closing starts at Rev. 22:12. My reasons will become clear shortly.
We have now reduced the unclassified material to just three blocks of text: chapter 4, chapters 12-14, and chapters 17-22. How are we to deal with this material?
IV. The Two Cities of Revelation
The last of the blocks engulfs six chapters. This material was a problem to me for some time. I wasn't sure what to do with it. It was too large for me to feel comfortable saying it's all one big section. But it didn't have the kind of obvious, visible, rigid structures that the four great heptads did. After considering this section for a while, I began to perceive certain parallels within it.
For a start, the section contains two obviously antithetical cities, one at the beginning and one at the end: the Whore of Babylon and the Bride of Christ. In addition, both of these cities is introduced the same way. One of the seven bowl angels appears and takes John to see the city. The two city accounts also end the same way. After John has seen the city, he tries to worship the angel and is told not to. Then the angel makes one more comment to him (19.10c and 22.10f) and disappears from the text. After this John does not see the angel (or the city) anymore.
This gives us two, more readily discernable sections. Each is defined by the presence of a bowl angel. This makes our outline:
Introduction 1:1-8 1. Seven Letters 1:9-3:22 2. Seven Seals 5:1-8:1 3. Seven Trumpets 8:2-11:19 4. Seven Bowls 15:1-16:21 5. The Whore of Babylon 17:1-19:10 6. The Bride of Christ 21:9-22:11 Conclusion 22:12-21
One can see now why I started the concluding material at verse 12 of chapter 22--because the angel from the Bride section is still present at verse 11. He disappears, and in verse 12 Jesus begins a statement which starts the closing section of the book.
We have also reduced the third unclassified block to a much more manageable size.
V. The Seven Sights
Once when I was reading this section--19:11-21:8-- I noticed it contained a recurring literary formula: "I saw." This phrase occurs ten times in this section, but the last six occurrences are grouped in pairs. The upshot of that is the text is divided into seven narrative sections, each introduced by the phrase "I saw." The last three sections are introduced by a double "I saw." These seven sections begin at 19:11, 19:17, 19:19, 20:1, 20:4, 20:11, and 21:1.
And looking at what John tells us he saw is instructive:
1. "I saw" Jesus and "the armies of heaven" 2. "I saw an angel standing in the sun" 3. "I saw the beast and the kings... and their armies" 4. "I saw an angel coming down out of heaven" 5. "I saw thrones on which were seated..."/"I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded" 6. "I saw a great white throne"/"I saw the dead" 7. "I saw a new heaven and a new earth"/ "I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem" (all NIV)
In the first one John sees a leader and his army. In the second, he sees an angel. In the third, he sees a leader and his army. In the fourth, he sees an angel. In the fifth he sees thrones and one group of the dead (martyrs). In the sixth he sees a throne and another group of the dead (non- martyrs). In the last section he sees the new creation and the new Jerusalem.
The pattern John is seeing is leader--angel--leader--an gel--thrones--throne--new creation. This section has an A-B-A-B-C-C-x rhyme scheme.
(We also ought to add that a judgment takes place at each of the throne blocks: the unnamed ones who were seated on the thrones "had been given authority to judge" and when John saw the unnamed One sitting on His throne, the books were opened and "the dead were judged"--more parallelism).
Because of the recurring literary formula, the seven blocks of text, and the symmetrical relationship between these seven blocks (via their rhyme scheme), we have good evidence that this material constitutes a distinct section on its own and that it is not a part of either of the two city sections which surround it. In fact, not only is it a section, but it appears to be an additional heptad, the "seven sights", if you will.
We can thus revise our outline to:
Introduction 1:1-8 1. Seven Letters 1:9-3:22 2. Seven Seals 5:1-8:1 3. Seven Trumpets 8:2-11:19 4. Seven Bowls 15:1-16:21 5. The Whore of Babylon 17:1-19:10 6. Seven Sights 19:11-21:8 7. The Bride of Christ 21:9-22:11 Conclusion 22:12-21
Unclassified material: 4:1-11 and 12:1-14:20
Now we only have two unclassified sections left: chapter 4 and chapters 12-14. I want to deal with the latter first.
VI. The Seven Signs?
It is obvious that these three chapters, 12, 13, and 14, are part of neither the trumpet material nor the bowl mate rial which surrounds them. That being the case, they must either form one single section, or should be split into two or more smaller sections. To find out which is the case we can look at this material in terms of form and content. While it lacks the obvious, unifying content of the Whore and the Bride sections, and while it lacks the obvious, unifying form of the seven sights, I still feel its their ultimate unity can be demonstrated.
First, we will look at form, but we will start with the final chapter (ch. 14) and work our way backwards.
Chapter 14 contains three main blocks of text. The first of these is the Lamb and the 144,000 on Mt. Zion (vv. 1-5). Following this, three angels make announcements (vv. 6-14). And finally there are two harvests (vv. 15-20). Chapter 13 contains only two blocks of text. The first of these introduces the beast from the sea (vv. 1-10) and the second introduces the beast from the earth (vv. 11-18). Thus, in these two chapters, we have five blocks: 1) the beast from the earth, 2) the beast from the sea, 3) the Lamb and the 144,000, 4) the three angels, 5) the two harvests.
The "I saw" literary formula is also present in this mate rial. It appears in front of three of them (numbers 1, 2, and 4). It does not appear in front of the other two (numbers 3 and 5), but an equivalent phrase, "I looked", does.
Given the presence of these five blocks and of the "I saw" and "I looked" phrases, it is possible this material might turn out to be another heptad. The possibility of this is strengthened when you realize that the only time the dragon and the two beasts appear on-camera are in this material and in the seven sights. In order to find out whether this mate rial is another heptad, we need to look at chapter 12. If chapter 12 divides into two parts, it is.
At least at first glance, chapter 12 does not appear to divide into two parts. There are no clear, radical shifts in content which we could use to draw a line and say, "Everything on one side of this mark belongs in one group and everything on the other side belongs in another." The best division of content that one could make is (1) the war of the dragon against the child (vv. 1-12) and (2) the war of the dragon against the woman (vv. 13-16; this leaves v.17 out). I am not comfortable with this. Though the dragon does change the object of his designs, I don't feel at ease saying this a real dividing line. These events could well be taken as two happenings in a single section rather than two separate sections.
If we can't divide chapter 12 by its content, can we divide it by its form? Again, it does not look promising at first glance. The "I saw" and "I looked" phrases do not occur in this chapter. There is, however, one phrase which might provide the kind of division we are inquiring about. At the beginning of chapter 12, John tells us that "A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven" (12:1). Shortly thereafter he tells us "another sign appeared in heaven" (12:3). I would suggest then that the appearance of the woman and the appearance of the dragon may be the final two units of a heptad. If so, the seven signs would be:
1) the woman clothed in the sun (12:1) 2) the dragon (12:3) 3) the beast from the sea (13:1) 4) the beast from the earth (13:11) 5) the Lamb and the 144,000 (14:1) 6) the three angels (14:6) 7) the two harvests (14:14)
Now, I am much less sure of this than anything I have said so far. The proposed woman section is much shorter than the dragon section (being only two verses long), and if the two happenings were not explicitly introduced by the text as separate signs, we would not make this kind of division. I am fully confident of the divisions of chapter 13 and 14. These are certain on the grounds of both form and content. But the division of chapter 12 is ambiguous, though it finds support in the explicit naming of the woman and the dragon as two separate signs.
Because of the ambiguity over chapter 12, however, I would like additional support before I say that this material is definitely all one section.
Chapter 12 begins with the woman who is obviously Israel (either ethnic or spiritual, possibly both). She gives birth to Christ, and the dragon attacks him. The child is caught up to heaven however, and when the dragon tries to follow, he is repelled by the hosts of heaven. Having been frustrated in his attack on the child, he begins to attack the child's mother but is frustrated again. He then prepares to make war on the woman's "other children", who must be either ethnic Jews of some sort or spiritual Jews (as in Rom. 2:28f and Eph. 2:12, 19) or both. The middle and the latter are probable given Rev. 12:17.
To help him in the battle, the dragon then gets two allies (chapter 13), the beast from the sea and the beast from the earth. The war these three make against the woman's children is described as the two allies are introduced.
Then we see the Lamb standing on Mt. Zion with the 144,000, and they sing. Up to this point we have been hearing about the war the dragon wages. Now a different note is brought in, one of the other side's triumph. The sign of the Lamb and the 144,000 is surely a sign of victory. You might interpret it either to mean that the 144,000 are now in heaven and that is why they are victorious, or you might say it is an anticipation of the final victory which is realized in the seven sights of ch.s 19-21. In either case, it is a note of triumph which is in keeping with the development of the war theme from chapters 12 and 13.
If this sign is not an anticipation of God's final victory, the next one certainly is. Before that victory comes, God sends three angels who bring messages. The first announces the gospel and tells the people of "every nation, tribe, language, and people" to worship God. The second announces the coming doom of Babylon (incidentally, this is the first time the Whore is mentioned). Finally, an angel appears who proclaims the doom of anyone who allies himself with the beast and warns them away from giving in during the persecution (the war). This material is also a development of the war theme.
Finally we are shown two harvests. While the meaning of the first is debatable, the meaning of the second is not. It is a harvest of judgment, for we are told that the grapes that are reaped are thrown into the winepress of God's wrath, which is trampled, making blood flow out of the winepress. This may be an anticipation of the final victory, or it may be the final victory itself, presented as a single symbol. If so, chapters 12-14 cover virtually the entire period of the book of Revelation.
In view of all this, it is apparent that the theme being unfolded in these chapters is the war the dragon wages against Christ and his followers. Chapter 12 tells us the origins and early history of the war. Chapter 13 tells us of the two allies of the dragon and how they wage the war on the saints. Chapter 14 opens with a note of victory which is followed by three proclamations: first, the gospel, second, the doom of Babylon, and third the doom of anyone who succumbs to the persecution and gives in to the dragon. Finally, the earth is harvested--twice--and the grapes of the second vine's harvest are throne into the winepress of God's wrath.
In these chapters a shift takes place: first the dragon attacks (ch.s 12-13), then God responds (ch. 14). Both of these, however, are development of the war theme which is expanded in the seven sights of chapters 19-21. I therefore think it is safe to say chapters 12-14 are a single section, united by a common theme. The best outline I have for the material, in spite of the chapter 12 problem, is the seven-fold one I suggested earlier. But even if you cut the pie differently, this material is a unity and so can be entered into our outline as a single section.
Introduction 1:1-8 1. Seven Letters 1:9-3:22 2. Seven Seals 5:1-8:1 3. Seven Trumpets 8:2-11:19 4. Seven Signs 12:1-14:20 5. Seven Bowls 15:1-16:21 6. The Whore of Babylon 17:1-19:10 7. Seven Sights 19:11-21:8 8. The Bride of Christ 21:9-22:11 Conclusion 22:12-21
Unclassified material: 4:1-11
VII. The Vision of Heaven
We have now eliminated all the unclassified material but chapter 4. That chapter is obviously a unity and does not break down into different sections. But is part of one of the sections it borders, or does it stand on its own?
The fact that it is so brief (being only eleven verses long) argues that we should include it under one or the other. It simply does not have the stature of the other sections. All the commentators of which I am aware treat chapters 4 and 5 as a unity. Since we know that chapter 5 is the preparation for the seals, should we then say that chapter 4 is just a sort of extended preparation?
There is an obvious unity between the two chapters. The latter opens with John seeing the scroll "in the right hand of him who sat on the throne." This phrase would be hard to interpret without chapter 4, which introduces the throne and the One who sits on it.
The only reason I would even hesitate to lump the two together has to do with chapter 4's function in the book. By taking us into heaven and showing us what is happening before the judgment begins, it sets the stage for all that takes place in heaven. Since Lamb opens the seals in heaven, chapter 4 definitely introduces them. But the trumpets and bowls also take place in heaven as well. Should we count it as a separate section which introduces all three judgment-heptads?
I do not believe so. We must say the scene of heaven sets the stage for all three cycles in some sense, but that does not mean it is a distinct section all its own. In view of its extreme brevity and its obvious unity with chapter 5, I believe the best thing to do is to say chapter 4 as an extended introduction to the seals cycle, which also introduces the trumpets and bowls. Earlier, I said I would revise the preparation stage of a second cycle. This is why.
VIII. Revelation's General Outline
We have now eliminated all the unclassified material and can present the general outline we have been working to develop:
Introduction 1:1-8 1. Seven Letters 1:9-3:22 2. Seven Seals 4:1-8:1 3. Seven Trumpets 8:2-11:19 4. Seven Signs 12:1-14:20 5. Seven Bowls 15:1-16:21 6. The Whore of Babylon 17:1-19:10 7. Seven Sights 19:11-21:8 8. The Bride of Christ 21:9-22:11 Conclusion 22:12-21
Basically speaking, Revelation has an eight-fold outline, and six of the folds appear to be heptadic. We might ask, in view of this, whether the remaining two--the city sections-- are heptadic as well.
If they are, I can't find it. The only two clear events which would be elements of the heptad are the approach of the angel and John's attempt to worship the angel. Between these two there would have to be five more units and I don't have a way to divide the text which is not arbitrary. Until such a method might emerge we must resist the temptation (ever pre sent) to impose sevens on the book. I am already a little uncomfortable with the division of the seven signs.
Nevertheless, I am sure that this is the correct general outline for the book. I arrived at it by trying to stick very close to the text. Others have arrived at the same thing. According to D. Guthrie, A. Yarbro Collins has arrived at an outline which is the same as mine, except the sections are labeled differently [The Relevance of John's Apocalypse, 25].
I also find confirmation for the outline in a very interesting symmetry which I discovered among the sections.
IX. A Subtle Symmetry
After perceiving the eight basic blocks of text, one questions that naturally arose was why they are arranged the way they are. Why, for instance, at the end of the trumpet cycle do we suddenly jump backwards in time and start looking at the birth of Christ? Why don't we just go straight on into the bowls instead of having the interlude?
I set to thinking about the various sections and how they relate to each other. One thing I have noticed is that the sections come in pairs. This is obvious in the case of the two city sections. The Whore and the Bride are obviously parallel. It is also clear in what I have been calling the seven signs and the seven sights. Both deal with the conflict on earth. In chapters 12-14, we see the conflict begin, and in chapters 19-21, we see the conflict end. The cast of characters in these two sections is also the same.
Though it is less obvious, the four major heptads also come in pairs. The letters and the seals, for instance, are both executed by Jesus. Jesus dictates the letters; Jesus opens the seals. The second two heptads, however, are not executed by Jesus but by angels. Angels blow the trumpets; angels pour out the bowls. Not only is there this pairing between their executors, there is pairing between the things executed. Letters and seals are both literary items. Trumpets and bowls are both liturgical items that were used in Jewish temple worship.
Therefore, it seems that the eight sections fall into four pairs:
A: Jesus, literary (letters and seals) B: angels, liturgical (trumpets and bowls) C: the earthly conflict (signs and sights) D: a great city (the Whore and the Bride)
The symmetry between the eight sections goes deeper than this, however; though it is a little harder to see at first.
1. Seven Letters A 2. Seven Seals A 3. Seven Trumpets B 4. Seven Signs C 5. Seven Bowls B 6. The Whore of Babylon D 7. Seven Sights C 8. The Bride of Christ D
Now right here this does not display a great deal of symmetry. The most you can make of it from just a surface glance is the presence of a B-C-B pattern and a D-C-D pattern following an A-A. That is some kind of symmetry, but not a very satisfying one. I believe, however, that there is a deeper one to be found.
It is obvious that four of the sections have an explicit seven-ness. We are told that there are 7 churches. We are told that there are 7 seals. We are told that there are 7 trumpets. And we are told that there are 7 bowls. The seven-ness is explicit. That is not the case with the other four sections. They are either non-explicit seven or they are not sevens at all.
If we represent the explicit heptad passages by the letter S and the others by the letter T, we find that the overall structure of the book is a chiast:
S. Seven Letters S. Seven Seals S. Seven Trumpets T. Seven Signs S. Seven Bowls T. The Whore of Babylon T. Seven Sights T. The Bride of Christ
It has an S-S-S-T / S-T-T-T pattern. This also cracks the strange A-A-B-C-B-D-C-D pattern we saw earlier. If we group all of the S-passages together we find that their order is A-A-B-B, while if we group all the T-passages together their order turns out to be C-D-C-D.
In essence we could say that Revelation has an S-leg with an A-A-B-B pattern and a T-leg with a C-D-C-D pattern. The two legs are then propped together so they form a chiast with a twist at the point of intersection, giving the overall chiast an S-S-S-T / S-T-T-T form
The apparent presence of this symmetry in the order of the sections supports the idea that the eight-fold structure I have suggested is correct. I did not perceive this symmetry until after I had already broken the book into the eight blocks; only then I discovered that they have this special relationship among themselves.
One other note: the letter section serves as the introduction to the rest of the book, which is composed of seven sections. Given that, you may ask whether the book is a single great heptad with a preparation stage. I don't know whether this suggestion is right or not, especially in light of overall the symmetry. It is a possible understanding of the book's structure, but one I am nervous around.
X. John's Two Commissions
How are we to relate all this to the three-fold commission John was given in chapter one? John was told to write 1) the things which he had seen, 2) the things which are, and 3) the things which shall be after these things.
"The things which he are" is the execution of the seven letters. The "things which [John had] seen" covers most of chapter one, which is the preparation for the seven letters. Before the letters can be dictated, the one who dictates them appears to John and commission him to write them down. There fore, "the things which you have seen" and "the things which are" represent the two parts of the letter cycle which deals with the present reality of the churches at the time John is writing. "The things which shall be after these things" is the rest of the book, the other seven sections, which deal with later events.
John receives a second commission in chapter 10. In 10:11, he is told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings" (NIV). This "second prophecy" is usually thought to be the contents of the book from chapter 12 onward. It might, however, be the contents of the book from the very next verse onward. We can investigate this by consulting the concordance.
Upon looked up all the relevant words, I found that though it is present earlier in the text the "international theme" suddenly leaps to prominence following 10:11. The word people, used to indicate an ethnic group, along with its plural, occurs six times in the book, but only two of these uses occur before 10:11. Nation and its plural occur twenty- four times in the book, but only three of these occur before 10:11. Language and languages occur eight times, and only two are before 10:11. Eliminating the phrase "King of kings", the word kings occurs fifteen times in the book, only two of which are before 10:11 (the singular of this word is never used in reference to a merely human king). Lastly, there is the word tribe and its plural. Though not mentioned in 10:11, this word is elsewhere associated with the international theme. Of its six occurrences that are not in reference to a Jewish tribe, three are before 10:11.
If you total up the words of the international theme, you find that of fifty-nine word uses, only eleven occur before 10:11, which means that eighty percent of the international theme is to be found at 10:11 or after.
Forty-four occurrences come after 10:11, and are distributed among the remaining sections of the book. Here is how they break down: remainder of the trumpets (6), seven signs (10), seven trumpets (6), the Whore of Babylon (13), seven sights (5), the Bride of Christ (4). There are a lot in the Whore section because the kings of the earth are talked about. Surprisingly, there are a number of occurrences in the remainder of the trumpet section during which the second commission is given. This might make one want to say the second prophecy begins immediately, and not at the beginning of chapter 12.
EXCURSUS: Other Structures
The 4/3 Split
As I read the book of Revelation, I began noticing some of the heptads seem to fall into groups of four and three. Usually the group of four would come first. There would be four elements in series, then a shift of some kind would take place, then there would be another three.
For instance, there is a recurring statement which appears in each of the seven letters: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Each of the letters also contains a promise, which is always right next to the exhortation to hear. It was by looking at this relationship that I first found the 4/3 split. What I discovered was that in the first three letters (Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum), the exhortation to hear comes before the promise, while in the last four letters (Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea) the exhortation to hear comes after the promise.
After I saw this, I began to notice the 4/3 split in other heptads. In the seals it is obvious: we first have the four horsemen of the Apocalypse followed by three seals without horsemen. It is also present in the trumpets. First we have four judgments followed by three special judgments: "the three woes."
It also appears to be present in the seven sights.
The first four sights are introduced by the formula "I saw", but the last three are introduced by a double use: "I saw"/"I saw". The 4/3 split appears to occur in the "seven signs" as well. The first four signs are single entities who are introduced: the woman, the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. The last three are not single entities but composite groups and events: the Lamb and the 144,000, three angels with warnings, and two harvests.
However, the 4/3 split does not appear to be present in the bowl cycle. At least I have not found it if it is there. This is strange since it appears to occur in all the other heptads, but we must not force it onto a text where it does not occur.
The 6/7 Split
While I have never seen anyone mention the 4/3 split, the 6/7 split is regularly discussed in commentaries on the book of Revelation.
In at least two of the heptads (the seals and the trumpets), you move through the first six elements relatively quickly, but then there is a sudden parenthesis before you go on to the seventh.
In the seal cycle, you run through the first six seals in chapter 6, then a parenthesis which takes up all of chapter 7 occurs, then in the first verse of chapter 8, the last seal is opened. In this case, the parenthesis contains two elements: the sealing of the 144,000 and the multitude in white robes.
In the trumpet cycle, something very similar happens. One proceeds through the first six trumpets, which take up the rest of chapter 8 and all of chapter 9. Then you come to the parenthesis which fills chapter 10 and most of chapter 11. At the end of 11, you get the sounding of the seventh trumpet. As before, the parenthesis contains two elements: the eating of the scroll (chapter 10) and the measuring of the temple (chapter 11), which discusses the two witnesses.
There does not appear to be a 6/7 split in the bowls, though you might see the discussion of the three evil spirits as a parenthesis. One fact that argues against this, however, is that if there were a bowl parenthesis, it would have only one element in it. It would also seem a little short compared to the other two, which are a chapter or two long.
The premiere of Revelations was spiritually nourishing for NBC on Wednesday, giving the peacock its highest marks in the 9 p.m. hour in six months despite heightened competition from an hour-long edition of American Idol on Fox. Revelation airs again tonight--Sunday.
"Revelations," a limited-run series, aims to tap into the interest in "Da Vinci Code" by revolving around a Harvard professor and a nun who team up to search for signs of the apocalypse. The episode delivered 15.6 million viewers and a 5.2 rating/13 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Fox still won the hour handily with "Idol" (25 million, 10.8/26), but "Revelations" registered a 44% improvement over NBC's average in the time slot this season in the key demo with "The West Wing." "Revelations" built significantly on its 8 p.m. lead-in from a special edition of "Dateline NBC" (10.8 million, 3.4/10) that explored some of the same end-of-days themes as featured in the drama series.
Meanwhile, Fox got its new Pamela Anderson comedy "Stacked" off to a respectable start. UPN also had a big night with "America's Next Top Model."
The combo of the "Revelations" debut and the extra-long "Idol" took a toll on the 9 p.m. competition. ABC's "Alias" yielded a modest 7.7 million viewers and a 3.1/8 in adults 18-49, which was on par demographically speaking with its lead-in from a repeat of 8 p.m.'s "Lost" (10.4 million, 3.3/10). CBS' 9-10 p.m. comedies "The King of Queens" (7.7 million, 2.4/6) and "Yes, Dear" (7.3 million, 2.4/6) also were hammered by the divine intervention from Fox and NBC.
NBC's momentum extended to the 10 p.m. hour with "Law & Order" (16.9 million, 5.3/14) easily beating CBS' "CSI: NY" (11 million, 3.8/10) by its largest margin of the season to date with its highest numbers since its season premiere in September. ABC's detective drama "Eyes" (6.1 million, 2.4/6) trailed its rivals in the hour.
Fox also took the wraps off a mid-season entry Wednesday. "Stacked" (8.3 million, 3.8/10) didn't pop a huge number at 8:30 p.m., but it did take a bounce from its lead-in, "The Simple Life: Interns" (6.5 million, 2.9/9).
UPN's 8 p.m. anchor "Top Model" (5.5 million, 2.5/7) delivered its highest tally of this incarnation of the catwalk competition series; in its second half-hour, "Top Model" climbed to 6 million viewers and a 2.8/8 in 18-49.
For the night, Fox dominated in viewers (16.2 million) and adults 18-49 (7.1/19). NBC was No. 2 in both measures (14.4 million, 4.6/12).
Revelations, The Ominous NBC Series -- Is The End of Days at Hand?
Could the end of days be near? Is this a voyage into a new spiritual frontier for TV programming, or just a return trip?
An online companion and biblical reference for the NBC series is here: Revelations the last book of the New Testament.
The NBC Series
COULD THE END OF DAYS BE NEAR? -- From executive producer Gavin Polone ("Panic Room") and writer/creator David Seltzer ("The Omen") comes "Revelations," a six-hour event series starring Bill Pullman ("Independence Day") as Harvard professor Dr. Richard Massey, an astrophysicist who is certain that all worldly events can be explained by Science. In the series premiere, Dr. Massey is dealing with the tragic murder of his 12-year-old daughter by a maniacal murderer, Isaiah Haden (Michael Massee, "24"), who was captured and imprisoned.
After a strange course of events, Massey is challenged by a nun, Sister Josepha Montafiore (Natascha McElhone, "Solaris"), who leads him on a journey through the unfamiliar world of faith. Drawn together by personal tragedy, these unlikely partners -- one who worships God and one who worships Science -- are propelled into a deepening mystery, finding evidence that the world, as predicted by The Book of Revelation, has reached The End of Days. Also starring, Chelsey and Brittney Coyle, Tobin Bell and John Rhys-Davies. TV-14
More Details
(RNS) Omnium finis imminet. The end is here.
So warns NBC's miniseries "Revelations," based on the similarly named book of the Bible.
Critics are calling it Hollywood's latest attempt to hop on the religion bandwagon. But an influential professor of popular culture says putting the Bible in prime time is a rerun of an old TV strategy.
The six-part series by writer/creator David Seltzer of "The Omen" debuts just two weeks after Pope John Paul II's death and chronicles the religious conflict between a man of science and a woman of God with the impending end of the world as backdrop.
The series, which will fill in for "The West Wing" this spring, stars Bill Pullman of "Independence Day" and Natascha McElhone of "Solaris."
In "Revelations," astrophysicist Dr. Richard Massey (Pullman), whose daughter has been murdered by Satanists, and Sister Josepha Montafiore (McElhone), who is convinced Christ has been reborn, team up to save the world from apocalypse.
"All the signs and symbols are currently in place for the end of days," says Montafiore, who is trying desperately to convince Massey, a nonbeliever, that the Bible's prophecies are real.
With NBC keeping open the possibility of "Revelations" returning as a regular series, it seems religion is becoming more marketable than ever. Popular culture has already embraced movies like "The Passion of the Christ," other TV series such as "Joan of Arcadia" and books like the wildly successful "Left Behind" series.
But is this a voyage into a new spiritual frontier for TV programming or a return trip?
In the early days of television, networks hired vice presidents of religious programming to oversee the development of multidenominational shows, notes Robert Thompson, professor of popular culture at Syracuse University in Syracuse, N.Y. Talk shows like "Life is Worth Living" hosted by Bishop Fulton Sheen competed successfully with other popular programs.
During the 1970s, Thompson said, "religion became verboten for a long time" because the networks decided to forego topics of politics and religion in order to retain larger viewing audiences.
"Prime time was completely unrelated to what was going on in the news at 11 p.m.," Thompson said, referring to the absence of political shows in popular programming during the Vietnam War.
But with the advent of cable in the 1980s, audience retention was less an issue and shows like "Highway to Heaven" and later "Touched by an Angel" found their way back to primetime.
Still, these weekly series were more "feel good" television than sophisticated theological analysis.
"So many Americans go to church on Christmas and Easter," Thompson said, "but they don't want to go for the rest of the year. I'm not sure they would want to watch a series that really dealt with religious issues."
Jerry B. Jenkins, co-author of the "Left Behind" book series that also deals with biblical end times, described "Revelations" as "a mishmash of myth, silliness and misrepresentations of scripture (that) seems to draw from everywhere and nowhere."
Jenkins and co-author Tim LaHaye have sparked their own controversy with their novel series that has sold more than 60 million copies because of what some see as an "us against them" take on the apocalypse. It has yet to be seen whether "Revelations" will do the same.
According to LaHaye, who is the "scripture expert" of the duo, "man has to be ready to die and spend his eternity somewhere." The "Left Behind" series makes it clear that all but Christians will be spending their afterlives somewhere other than heaven.
"There are some wonderful people ... that you almost think deserve heaven," LaHaye told Fox's Bill O'Reilly in a recent interview. "But God said there's only one way, and that's by receiving his son, Jesus Christ."
Thompson described the book of Revelation as "ripe fodder" for both the miniseries and books like LaHaye's because "it's so hard to kind of get to the bottom of, which means you can really take a lot of liberties."
An online companion and biblical reference for the NBC series is here: Revelations the last book of the New Testament.
Look what a keyword search on "NBC Revelation" returned. Coincident of Provident? Here's an excerpt.
The Sword of Islam is being unsheathed for its final and most deadly time. The world has come to a crossroad in the history of human civilizations, civilizations that now have one last chance to stop what may be an irreversible slide into oblivion. This oblivion is looming clear as the malevolent genie of NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Weapons) or WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) that have been let out of the uncorked bottle of historical human horrors. The bottle has been unstopped by frenzied, dictatorial Islamic governments and numerous power seeking Islamic splinter groups that are now unleashing their special brand of terror upon the civilized world.
When many of us were growing up during the 50's to the 90's, the threat was, "The Russians are coming." Most will remember a time during the early 80's, just prior to the Regan administration in the United States, when there were serious news reports that Soviet submarines had created a nuclear ring surrounding continental North America. All that was left to do was to call America to surrender or face possible extinction. "Better Red than Dead," was the responding cry from many parts of our communities.
But these were kinder and gentler times in the world's history. MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction) worked well in keeping the balance between civilized, rational minds that had a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. It served the world well with almost a half century of relative peace. Perhaps unhappily for the world those times have come and gone. The fanaticism of misguided religions zeal has seized the reigns of destruction.
"Man's ingenuity in splitting atoms; creating extraordinary chemical agents that can kill with a pin drop; brewing and blending diseases that are intended to not only kill but also to resist cures - are now upon us. From the laboratories of America, Russia and China, etc. have come the most destructive substances which seem to rival God's plagues of old. From the brilliant minds who mixed these witches' brews, the "stuff" traveled to the primitive nations and dictators with wild dreams of world conquest who welcomed these demonic gifts." (Winston Mid East Analysis & Commentary - October 12, 2002)
There is little doubt left. Nations like Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lybia, Algeria, Sudan, Pakistan and Iraq either have dictatorial governments or major opposition groups within, that eagerly pursue violent Islamic ends. According to www.terrorismfiles.org, most of these nations have either used or are in advanced research and development of NBC.
Iran is listed as being in the "Developmental" stages of Nuclear and Biological weapons with recorded "Deployment" of Chemical weapons (in 1984-88). Libya is listed as doing research for Nuclear, a question for "Development" of Biological weapons and as "Deployed" for Chemical (in 1987). Syria is listed as "Research" for Nuclear, "Development?" for Biological and "Deployed" for Chemical. Egypt is listed as "Research" for Nuclear, "Development?" for Biological and "Stockpiled - Used" (in 1963-67). Iraq is listed as "Weaponized" for Nuclear, "Stockpiled?" for Biological and "Stockpiled - Used" for Chemical (in 1983, 1987-88).
Sudan is a special case. Since 1989 the opposition and some surrounding nations like Uganda have repeatedly accused the Sudanese government of producing chemical weapons with the help of Iraq and Iran. They have also been accused of actually using mustard gas in attacks on civilians and opposition forces in the Nuba mountains region of Sudan.
Apart from the above nations, the web site names 15 known Islamic terrorist organizations, along with two individuals - Usama Bin Laden and Ramzi Yousef. Bin Laden has been connected with the 9-11 destruction of the World Trade Center while Yousef has been indicted as a result of the first World Trade Center attempt in 1993.
All of the above information is unclassified and can be checked from normal news sources over the past dozen years. It clearly underlines the current and future threat. It clearly links the issue with radical Islam.
To complicate this issue, we have to recognize that there are many foolish nations who have a vested interest in selling equipment to these rogue nations. Included on this sorry list would be France, Russia and China - aided and abetted by a rather partisan United Nations. All have a special, vested interest in Iraq's oil supplies. Much of the recent posturing over the fate of Iraq appears to be centered around not whether Iraq should be contained but around the preservation of special interests once the conflict is over.
However, while all this political, religious and financial intrigue dominates the issue, very few are pondering the fate of a dead planet if they do not begin to gather back the devastating powers that have been unleashed. It has to begin somewhere and, according to State Department thinking, it might as well begin with Iraq. So, perhaps "President Bush is correct in asking the world community if they wish to participate in saving
Here are some Random Thoughts from Sergio Mora.
"I decided, 'Y'know what, I might as well try this 'Contender' thing. I'm undefeated and I'm unsigned,'" recalled Mora.
When this article was written, Mora was serving as one of the main sparring partners for 
Ralston (13-1-0, 7 KOs), a five time New York golden Glove champion, is admittedly not a brawler, but more of a boxer/puncher. Mora, who improved to 12-0-0 with 3 KOs, was the quicker of the two and showed a propensity for throwing and trying to land the big punch.
Stacked, the new Fox sitcom starring Pamela Anderson was rushed in to the mid-season schedule despite the sudden defection of co-star Tom Everett Scott. The title of the show can be thought of as a cheap play on Anderson's fabulous, balloon-sized breasts. But here's the pitch: