PoodleDoc

Looking for Lulin tonight

2009-02-23T19:40:00.002-06:00

Duke and I are heading out to see if we can see the comet! I didn't even know about it til today. I must live in a cave! It's the comet Lulin and it's closest approach is actually tomorrow night, when it's 38 million miles away. I'm going to give it a try. I don't know why I love comets so much. I can only really remember seeing Hale-Bopp in 1996. I had finished a midnight farm call on a winter night. As I was piling my gear back into my truck, in the 10 below Wisconsin air, I looked up and saw it, motionless, it seemed, in the sky. My son was two years old. Dave Matthews was just becoming popular. I had graduated from vet school just 6 months earlier. We'll see what we can see. Hope we get a glimpse since it's supposed to be cloudy tomorrow night. I'll go to the park that runs along the lake by my house. I've seen the Northern Lights twice from that park, always on clear winter nights like this one. We'll see if my luck holds.....

Clarence

2009-01-20T19:57:00.003-06:00

At the inauguration today, the crowd around us was at least half if not more, African-American. It was interesting and fun that loud cheers would go up for black politicians, entertainers, etc. But..............when they showed a close up of Clarence Thomas coming in with the Court. Silence.

A Chilly Inauguration

2009-01-20T15:42:00.003-06:00

(Author's note: if you click on any of the above photo's, they get bigger...)

Obama's speeck was great. Moved me to tears. I loved the poet who spoke after Obama's speech. Loved the benediction. The minister who gave the prayer had the the expression: "beating our tanks into tractors", instead of the oft used "beating swords into plowshares". The "controversial" minister from the megachurch gave an invocation that was more or less ok, in my humble opionion. Very patriarchal and Christian, most of which seemed to be the Lord's Prayer. I don't have anything particulary bad about the Lord's Prayer, but it's been around for a while......So didn't find that particularly moving or controversial. Just boring.

Julia and I had been standing in roughly the same spot for several hourswatching a replay of the Sunday concert from the Lincolm Memorial on the JUMBOTRON, which was fun. We had to rely on the big screen to watch the concert (and the Inauguration) because the Capitol was much too far in the distance.

So, detractors might say that we should have watched the "show" from Julia's comfy living room. But being in the crowd, about 50% African-American, was incredible. The excitement was goose bumpy. Of course, it was cold, too! But the goose bumps were not from the cold. Before Obama was sworn in, there was a seemingly endless procession into the area where all the important people sit, up by the podium behind bullet proof glass. The crowd would cheer for this celebrity or politician as they entered the area. Ophrah got a big cheer. The Clintons got big cheers. "W" got heavily booed. Joe Lieberman also got booed by the crowd. Chency, in a wheel chair, also received as many boos as Bush. I booed Nancy Pelosi. Perhaps booing is inappropriate, especially for a Quaker like myself, but the crowd was full of emotions and some of the booing (and cheering) had to do, certainly, with their feelings about the "leaders" of the past 8 years.

Barack's speech was excellent. He challenged Americans of all colors,creeds, etc to work together to bring out their best. To let the world know that we want to be friends again. Or words to that effect. Much of it I'd heard before on the campaign trail, but this felt different in THIS moment. His voice broke several times.

Concerns: I was happy that he plans to "hand over Iraq to the Iraqi's" but focus on "winning" the war in Afghanistan. The latter ahs always been hard for me to hear coming from him. Like I expected better. But of the many things I don't control, this is one of them. I wondered how Muslims felt hearing this. And I wondered, again, why he said nothing of the invasion of Gaza by Israel. Sigh.

But his speech WAS riveting. During the speech, the crowd of one million plus was silent, with occasional cheering at various points, of course; at the beginning and end as well. I could hear AND feel the crowd's silence and as I glanced around me, it was clear that the silence came not from disappointment of any kind, but from listening INTENTLY to what Obama was saying. So intently that I could hear his voice echoing off the buildings lining the mall. Like this was/is a dream that has come true. At last.

It is moving to me that so many people are PAYING ATTENTION. And they may not and certainly will not agree with everything Obama proposes. But they are paying attention and there's a palpable readiness, now that Bush is gone, to really DO SOME GOOD in our country and the world. I think Obama "gets" this readiness. I am not so sure that the Democratic leadership in Congress get it, but so it goes. Overall, I was thrilled. Cold, but thrilled. I won't forget this day.

DeSnubbed: Robinson Prayer Will Air Tomorrow

2009-01-19T17:19:00.002-06:00

from the Atlantic Online
19 Jan 2009 05:33 pm

It's our bad.

Barack Obama's inaugural committee is taking for the blame for a scheduling miscue that left gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson's prayer out of HBO's live broadcast of yesterday's inaugural megaconcert.

Robinson, the first openly gay Anglican church bishop, called Obama's selection of conservative Rick Warren to give the inaugural invocation a "slap in the face."

So observers noticed immediately when Robinson's prayer wasn't broadcast by HBO.

Conspiracy theories abound.

An inaugural committee aide calls it a "simple mistake."

"We'd always intended him to be in the televised portion of the program -- but there was an obvious miscommunication between the planners and executers on this one." HBO went live at 2:30 pm ET; Robinson invoked at around 2:25.

Live TV being what it is, it's not a mistake that is easily or quickly fixed.

Tomorrow, before an audience of 2 million people on the Mall, the inaugural committee will broadcast an edited version of the program on Jumboscreens that includes his prayer.

It was, the aide says, "[a]n honest, unfortunate mistake in executing the program that for which we take responsibility."

The team has apologized to Robinson.

Note: The text of the Bishop's prayer is presented in the previous post. I still don't understand the selling of the "concert" to HBO, a cable network that is probably unavailable to the majority of Americans, although I don't have data to back that up! Perhaps I was ticked because I was one of those Americans with no access to HBO. However, I'm happy it will be broadcast to those of us on the Mall. I was moved by the prayer.

A Prayer for the Nation and Our Next President, Barack Obama

2009-01-19T08:36:00.002-06:00

By The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire

Opening Inaugural Event
Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC
January 18, 2009

Welcome to Washington! The fun is about to begin, but first, please join me in pausing for a moment, to ask God’s blessing upon our nation and our next president.

O God of our many understandings, we pray that you will…

Bless us with tears – for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.

Bless us with anger – at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Bless us with discomfort – at the easy, simplistic “answers” we’ve preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.

Bless us with patience – and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be “fixed” anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.

Bless us with humility – open to understanding that our own needs must always be balanced with those of the world.

Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance – replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that in our diversity, we are stronger.

Bless us with compassion and generosity – remembering that every religion’s God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community, whether across town or across the world.

And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of President of the United States.

Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him with Lincoln’s reconciling leadership style, President Kennedy’s ability to enlist our best efforts, and Dr. King’s dream of a nation for ALL the people.

Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain in these times.

Give him stirring words, for we will need to be inspired and motivated to make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.

Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own words that under his leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States.

Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that experience of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are still its victims.

Give him the strength to find family time and privacy, and help him remember that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters’ childhoods.

And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and we’re asking FAR too much of this one. We know the risk he and his wife are taking for all of us, and we implore you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand – that he might do the work we have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity and peace.

AMEN.

Inaugural Opening Ceremonies

2009-01-19T08:14:00.003-06:00

We didn't go to the Inauguration "opening ceremonies" at the Lincoln Memorial yesterday. It was a hectic, full day, so we decided to watch on TV. Much to my surprise and annoyance, We were unable to find, on any of the "major" or less major networks, any close coverage of the speakers and musicians that performed. Julia found it on the computer and we listened on NPR. The computer showed still frames rather than video while the NPR broadcast was in "real time". I enjoyed the festivites but was troubled that the "rights" to the musical and speaking portions had been sold to an unnamed network. Someone said it was HBO. I had read that Obama was planning an "open" presidency, that would use the internet and media to reach the people and be transparent. Selling the rights to the opening ceremonies does not bode well. But at least we found it on the computer. And evey American has one of those, right?

Slumdogs and Miserables

2009-01-19T07:58:00.003-06:00

Had the opportunity to see the movie Slumdog Millionaire and a staging of the musical Les Miserables. I highly recommend both. It's interesting to see two features that deal with people in poverty and hopelessness threaded together with love and revenge. Both looking at social justice from different angles, in different cultures. The muscial was brilliant and performed in a small theater, so we sat very close.

Slumdog Millionaire is at times almost ovewhelming. Showing the poverty that is almost surreal, exept it is real, in India. Matched against the prosperity of contemporary India. How can anyone ever geto out of the slums? Unlike in Les Miserables, revolution does not seem an option. Leaving through "working", as a thug or a prostitute is one "way" out. Sort of. The main character in Slumdog finds a way out by a means I would have never imagined. But is he really "out"? Please see this movie.

The Inauguration: Sweet Rewards

2009-01-18T07:13:00.003-06:00

Last night Julia and I went to a dessert party at the home of one of her friends. As the title of this post suggests, it was a celbration of a new President after 8 years of..............(insert word(s)here, there are so many).

The hostess and her sisters and mother had made some incredible desserts. I'm pretty sure I won't need to eat for several days, although I will still require coffee (mug at my side as I wrie).

A huge table was filled with desserts. All had cute names such as:

Pie we can believe in (a cherry pie that was sensational)

Yes we candy

The audacity of meringue

Dreams from my poppy (lemmon poppyseed cake)

Secretary of State balls (truffles)

Great Expectations (All American apple pie)

The mutt (marble cheesecake: black, white and loved all over; my personal faovrite)

Caribou Barbie: Half-baked Alaska, White Russian filling; a Tina Feyvorite (this dessert included the baked Alaska mounded up with a Barbie figure stuck in the top, wearing silly Sara Palin type glasses. Someone had taken the time to "style" the hair as Palin used to wear hers. The baked Alaska ended up looking like a Ball dress)

Sour Grapes: Republicans, Fox, Rush Limbaugh--the whole bunch.

The Mavericks: got whipped. Very bitter. Feel like shooting a mousse.

At this party, some people WERE wearing tuxedos. All I had were my Dockers and a large Obama button, so I didn't feel out of place.

At one point, the crowd "trapped" me against the enourmous spread of desserts for what seemed like an eternity. I was forced to eat more dessert. The horror.

Inaugural Fantasy

2009-01-17T15:04:00.003-06:00

I started into thinking up an Inaugural fantasy this afternoon.

I'm in the crowd, waiting for the big moment. There's a delay. Obama has not appeared at the podium to take The Oath. Suddenly, a voice booms over the speakers: "Is there a veterinarian in the crowd?" I wriggle my way to the fence. A Capitol police officer asks for my veterinary license. I show him, he nods and two tall guys wearing sunglasses and little plastic thingies in their ears ease me into a black car. We race off towards the Capitol. I'm ushered into a quiet room, past numerous guards and paintings of pompous old men. In the room are the Obama's. The girls are in tears. Mrs Obama is wringing her hands. Mr Obama has a concerned look on his face, trying to reason with his girls. "Kids, I've GOT to go out there, I'm sorry, but I'm going to become the president! I promise that we will take Ralphie to the vet as SOON as I'm done out there". The secret service guy says "Um, Mr Almost President, we've found a veterinarian." The whole family looks at me. Ralphie the Standard Poodle puppy looks at me. I take a quick history. Just some puppy diarrhea. I tell them not to worry and how to treat the diarrhea. Ralphie licks my hand. He's fine. The Almost President shakes mine and says "Follow me". I walk out the door behind him and am ushered into a chair. I look out onto the Mall below and see millions and millions of people who really care. Who love life. And I DO feel hopeful.

Inaugural Strategies

2009-01-17T14:34:00.004-06:00

Saturday, 17 January. 4pm

Some of Julia's friends have came over for lunch. Everyone was so excited and discussing strategies for how to get to the Inauguration, where to stand, how close can you get, will there be enough PortaPotties, etc. Do we take the bus to the bridge and walk? One bus goes over the bridge from VA, where I'm stayinng. Do we take that? What if we walked the entire way?

I remember talking with a white woman a couple years ago who was in DC for the March on Washington in 1963, when she was 12. She described her strong memory of seeing family after family, almost all black, walking to the Memorial. She noted they were all dressed as if for church, in their finest clothes. She noted that they were beautiful to her. It was as if she was watching a dream.

I don't know how this Inauguration compares to that March. Maybe there's not real similarity. So I have an image of crowds of people, black and white and all shades in between, walking together to the Inauguration.

It's supposed to be cold and snow on Inauguration Day. We may have to stand a long time. Someone worries that there might be a terrorist attack. We discuss how to survive in a stampeding crowd. A moment of worry creeps in. Then back to planning. Talking about all the good this new person might nurture. And all the challenges he (and we) face. It's fun. Exciting.

Inaugural Express

2009-01-17T14:30:00.002-06:00

To the Inauguration

Friday, 16 January, 2009

Noon. Dane County Airport. Folks are gathering for our flight to DC. It is obvious from overhearing their conversations that they are all going to the Inauguration. It is also obvious that they all have tickets and I don’t. A brief moment of envy creeps in. I get up and walk over to an older black couple and strike up a conversation. They are from Rockford, IL. The man worked with Obama doing community work. They know him. They show me on the map of the crowd where they will sit.. They have tickets for seats. They are directly in front of the podium where Obama will be sworn in. She shows me how they will get there, what subway they will take. They are so happy. I look at the map more carefully and see where I will stand. In the gray area, far away. But I’ll be there. I get goose bumps.

A bit later, several people ask if I will take a group photo. They all cluster together. Black and white, smiling, filled with hopes, dreams and fears. Most of the other people who have tickets worked on Obama’s campaign. One person I talked with said he ‘just got lucky”. Yet another young man said he worked in Representative Tammy Baldwin’s office.

The boarding call for the “Inaugural Express” rings out. We all file into the plane. The pilot accomplishes a smooth takeoff. Then turns fof the engines and we float to DC.

Three Hours

2009-01-08T07:38:00.002-06:00

I heard this morning that Israel paused it's "war" in Gaza for three hours to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. Wow, that's compassionate.

Meanwhile, doctors gathered in Egypt are not being allowed to cross into Gaza. Then someone fired four rockets from Lebanon into norther Israel. Wow, that's helpful.

Sounds like hell on earth.

The Rug

2009-01-08T07:31:00.003-06:00

As most people know, the four surviving presidents met at the White House yesterday. I listened to a report on NPR which dubbed the meeting as "historic". Then they had a couple of the presidents comment on the meeting. The rug in the oval office came up. Apparently, the new president is allowed to put in his own rug. W's rug was made by his wife Laura. The story noted that the Bush rug will go into storage since it is "government property". ? Then a quote from Bill Clinton about his rug: " I REALLY liked that rug", he said. I wondered exactly why since I have a somewhat sordid imagination. Was Monica listening?

Gaza Invasion

2009-01-04T16:14:00.003-06:00

Regarding the international response to the Gaza invasion, this quote came to me:

"How can you not all be on fire?"

--Susan B. Anthony to a group of apathetic younger women.

History repeats. Over and over and over. I'm dizzy again. Maybe it's my heart.

Party to Murder

2008-12-30T19:54:00.001-06:00

by Chris Hedges
Published on Tuesday, December 30, 2008 by TruthDig.com

Can anyone who is following the Israeli air attacks on Gaza-the buildings blown to rubble, the children killed on their way to school, the long rows of mutilated corpses, the wailing mothers and wives, the crowds of terrified Palestinians not knowing where to flee, the hospitals so overburdened and out of supplies they cannot treat the wounded, and our studied, callous indifference to this widespread human suffering-wonder why we are hated?

Our self-righteous celebration of ourselves and our supposed virtue is as false as that of Israel. We have become monsters, militarized bullies, heartless and savage. We are a party to human slaughter, a flagrant war crime, and do nothing. We forget that the innocents who suffer and die in Gaza are a reflection of ourselves, of how we might have been should fate and time and geography have made the circumstances of our birth different. We forget that we are all absurd and vulnerable creatures. We all have the capacity to fear and hate and love. "Expose thyself to what wretches feel," King Lear said, entering the mud and straw hovel of Poor Tom, "and show the heavens more just."

Privilege and power, especially military power, is a dangerous narcotic. Violence destroys those who bear the brunt of its force, but also those who try to use it to become gods. Over 350 Palestinians have been killed, many of them civilians, and over 1,000 have been wounded since the air attacks began on Saturday. Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister, said Israel is engaged in a "war to the bitter end" against Hamas in Gaza. A war? Israel uses sophisticated attack jets and naval vessels to bomb densely crowded refugee camps and slums, to attack a population that has no air force, no air defense, no navy, no heavy weapons, no artillery units, no mechanized armor, no command and control, no army, and calls it a war. It is not a war. It is murder.

The U.N. special rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, former Princeton University law professor Richard Falk, has labeled what Israel is doing to the 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza "a crime against humanity." Falk, who is Jewish, has condemned the collective punishment of the Palestinians in Gaza as "a flagrant and massive violation of international humanitarian law as laid down in Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention." He has asked for "the International Criminal Court to investigate the situation, and determine whether the Israeli civilian leaders and military commanders responsible for the Gaza siege should be indicted and prosecuted for violations of international criminal law."

Falk's unflinching honesty has enraged Israel. He was banned from entering the country on Dec. 14 during his attempt to visit Gaza and the West Bank.

"After being denied entry I was put in a holding room with about 20 others experiencing entry problems," he said. "At this point I was treated not as a U.N. representative, but as some sort of security threat, subjected to an inch-by-inch body search, and the most meticulous luggage inspection I have ever witnessed. I was separated from my two U.N. companions, who were allowed to enter Israel. At this point I was taken to the airport detention facility a mile or so away, required to put all my bags and cell phone in a room, taken to a locked, tiny room that had five other detainees, smelled of urine and filth, and was an unwelcome invitation to claustrophobia. I spent the next 15 hours so confined, which amounted to a cram course on the miseries of prison life, including dirty sheets, inedible food, and either lights that were too bright or darkness controlled from the guard office."

The foreign press has been, like Falk, barred by Israel from entering Gaza to report on the destruction.

Israel's stated aim of halting homemade rockets fired from Gaza into Israel remains unfulfilled. Gaza militants have fired more than 100 rockets and mortars into Israel, killing four people and wounding nearly two dozen more, since Israel unleashed its air assault. Israel has threatened to launch a ground assault and has called up 6,500 army reservists. It has massed tanks on the Gaza border and declared the area a closed military zone.

The rocket attacks by Hamas are, as Falk points out, also criminal violations of international law. But as Falk notes, "... such Palestinian behavior does not legalize Israel's imposition of a collective punishment of a life- and health-threatening character on the people of Gaza, and should not distract the U.N. or international society from discharging their fundamental moral and legal duty to render protection to the Palestinian people." Read rest of this excellent article here.

Yesterday in Meeting

2008-12-29T21:28:00.000-06:00

Yesterday in Meeting
at Wellesley
feeling so tired
and sad.

Reciting the serenity prayer.
Saw my hands reaching up to the ceiling.
Maybe a dream?
Reaching towards the angels.
Something or maybe someone was coming down to meet them.

Something refreshing
But I didn’t get a clear look.

Because a man stood up right then and started talking about what peace means.
After he had finished, the hands were gone.
I don’t blame him.

But now.
More sad.
More glad.

Is this what people call Spiritual Work?

12-28-08

Sortie after Sortie

2008-12-29T20:53:00.004-06:00

Sitting at our gate in the Cleveland Airport.
Just after Christmas

CNN showing Israel bombers making “sortie” after “sortie”. (I find that word, sortie, rather nauseating, makes a bombing run sound like…..going for a bike ride, visiting the farmer's market, or something equally innocent).

How about a murder run? Stukas over Poland. The terror. The British and Americans over Dresden during the Second World War. Flying sortie after sortie after sortie. The sorcerer’s apprentice of firestorms and death. Endless..

Then cut to Israeli tanks roaring into Gaza.

Blitzkrieg. Lebensraum. (wow, lebensraum is even in my spell checker!)
Everything old is new again.

The news voiceovers a scene of a house demolished saying “the Israeli army is destroying houses as they go”. Casually. Like the Patriots demolished the Bears yesterday with a strong ground game of football.

Over 300 dead, the voice says.
But they never show the dead.
On either "side".
All lined up.
Or all blown up.
The pieces, both humans and.....
The fragments of bombs and rockets made in the USA.

The announcer calmly mentions that a refugee camp has been “overrun” but she doesn’t say where. Or exactly what “overrun” means. She does look serious behind the makeup. I’ll give her credit for that. Cut to commercial for exercise videos. Oh, and a plug for good old Oprah. Overrun. Sortie. Numbing words.

I voiced my anger and horror.
An old man overheard.
Looked at me.
Said grimly, “It’s a tough time”.
Pulled his hat down over his ears, and walked away.

They’re human, my friend says. Yes, I agree.
It's not just Jews against the Palestinians. Good guys vs bad guys.
But I want to vomit.

Another friend opined: “I lost family in the camps. If we don’t defend ourselves, they will kill us all”.

My head is dizzy.

I’m flying west, now, enjoying my inflight beverage as I write this, above the clouds, into the sunset bloody red.

Goodbye to all that.
Until I turn on my television and let some of the world leak into my privileged life.

12-29-08

Cleveland Airport

2008-12-29T19:00:00.000-06:00

Pretty exciting.

Sipping a diet Pepsi while Julia wanders around the airport
Stretching her legs.

I hear the voice of a Friend who is also a friend.
The whole family is flying back to Madison after THEIR holidays, too.

So we hopped on our plane and off we went.
Home.

Word for the Day

2008-12-27T09:48:00.003-06:00

Learned a new word today. "Meaniac". Prominent meaniacs include George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Elmer Fudd, Wily Coyote, Chris Matthews, Lord Voldemort, Pat Buchanon, Darth Vader, Genghis Khan, Mrs Williams (my 5th grade teacher) and Ty Cobb. To name a few. History is overflowing with meaniacs. Is there a a reason for having meaniacs? Why do they exist? Is there an "antidote" to meaniacs?

Milky Way

2008-12-27T09:35:00.003-06:00

Walking back to the house last night, the Milky Way stretched from horizon to horizon. I slept well that night, knowing we are not alone. And knowing I'm an insignificant part of the universe. Kind of takes the pressure off, really.

Boxing Day: The Truth

2008-12-26T11:29:00.004-06:00

A comment on an earlier blog of mine by world famous blogger, Ms Ether, got me wondering just what the heck Boxing Day actually celebrated. I just didn't know if it had to do with boxing gloves or with making boxes or boxcars or what. So this is a quick sketch of what I've learned.

Stolen from Wikipedia with a grain of salt:

"Boxing Day is a public holiday in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong and countries in the Commonwealth of Nations with a mainly Christian population. In South Africa, this public holiday is now known as the Day of Goodwill. It is based on the tradition of giving gifts to the less fortunate members of society. Contemporary Boxing Day in many countries is now a "shopping holiday" associated with after-Christmas sales.

This day is historically England's name for St. Stephen's Day. Saint Stephen was the first Christian martyr, being stoned to death in Jerusalem around A.D. 34-35. St. Stephen's Day is usually celebrated on December 26, which is a public holiday in some countries or areas in Europe (UK, Germany, Alsace, northern part of Lorraine, Catalonia) and around the world with predominantly Christian populations. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, St Stephen's Day is celebrated on the 27th of December, although in Greece the Greek Boxing Day (Synaxis Theotokou, Σύναξις Θεοτόκου) is also celebrated as a public holiday on the 26th of December and is not related to the English version.[citation needed]

In Ireland the Bank Holidays Act 1871 established the feast day of St. Stephen's Day as a non-moveable public holiday on December the 26th, although since partition the name "Boxing Day" is used by the authorities in Northern Ireland and it has become a moveable public holiday in que with the rest of the UK. The Banking and Financial Dealings Act of 1971 established "Boxing Day" as a public holiday in Scotland. In the Australian state of South Australia, December the 26th is a public holiday known as Proclamation Day.

It is usually celebrated on the 26th of December, the day after Christmas Day[1][2]; however, unlike St. Stephen's Day, Boxing Day is not always on the 26th of December, its associated public holiday can be moved to the next weekday if the 26th of December is a Saturday or Sunday. The movement of Boxing Day varies between countries."

I have to wonder what St Stephen would have thought about folks going shopping in his honor. Perhaps they are buying Pet Rocks? It's good to know he was the first Christian martyr. I have been curious about this for a long time. When and where did the first martyrdom occur? Were Christians the first to have martyrs? Or did they coopt this idea, too? But in all seriousness, I will have to look into this....

Red Pines

2008-12-25T10:11:00.003-06:00

I could hear the fog blowing through the trees as my head hit the pillow. Air full of water rippling the red pines. Creaking and whistling, the trees have much to say. Planted years ago to become telephone poles. A plan that never worked. Trees that were raised to carry wires an voices from countless humans, sing to me goodnight.

A life that is new

2008-12-24T18:16:00.001-06:00

Noises in the fog today. Men’s voices booming through the trees while fixing the power lines. A boy’s laughter as he hits me with a snowball. My son on the phone, far away and moving farther away. Chopping of ice on the steps. Breath shoots from my mouth joining the fog, making it denser. Everything’s changing. Constantly. The pace of change slows in the dense fog. With a long wintry sigh, I lay down for a nap in a bed and a life that is new to me.

Fog

2008-12-24T14:51:00.003-06:00

Cozy living room in New Hampshire. The kids are playing with my camera. A cardboard tube from Christmas wrapping paper becomes, in rapid succession, a juggler's pole, a sword and a gun. It's foggy outside and I'm contemplating a walk to the other house.

I tried to call my son because I was missing him, seeing all this kid energy. I reach his mom, who says he'll call me later from Phoenix, where I don't think it ever gets foggy.

Dark Prayer

2008-12-24T14:41:00.002-06:00

by Robert C. Koehler

The water churned and pushed against the ice with a dark seriousness that reminded me of prayer.

Subzero Chicago night at the edge of the year, the edge of change, the edge of what's bearable. I stood on an old breakwater, a long, crumbling construction of concrete and steel that jutted into Lake Michigan — just stood, feeling the wind scrape my face. Whatever thoughts came to me were honest ones. Or maybe I just needed to grieve.

"Courage grows strong at the wound."

Someone said this to me earlier this year and I felt a rush of reverence as I contemplated wounds and war, a wrecked economy, a wasted planet, hope, illusion, the holidays, the human condition. My niece just got married; the same day, a friend was mugged in the alley behind her house. The dark water undulated beyond the ice, gurgling, whispering. Dear God . . .

I don't pray easily. At least not for the big stuff. But there I was, praying, it seemed, against the tide. Dear God, let us find the courage to endure whatever is to come and the wisdom to pull together around the worst of it. Europe, shattered after World War II, finally understood this. Grant us transformation at the point of our wounds and the vision of a future beyond them. Grant us a president who believes in something beyond the military-industrial consensus that surrounds him and would own him. Grant us sanity and the courage to face our worst fears. Grant us peace.

"Peace activists in Pakistan and India are attempting desperately to be heard above the din raised by warmongers . . . in the wake of the Mumbai carnage. Jingoism is in the air — be it from so-called nationalists (posing as analysts on television) advocating a nuclear attack for the defense of their country, or the man on the street. Be they from Pakistan or India, they speak of war with great abandon as if it is child's play."

These are the words of Zubeida Mustafa, writing for The Women's International Perspective (published a few days ago on Common Dreams). They scratch at the collective unreason of our age, the unyielding obstinacy at which I felt my dark prayer hurling itself. It's so much easier simply to be angry. How do we get beyond our national — our global — impasse over what empowerment means?

We live in a world in which no word is more feared than "disarmament" — and the logic of that fear brooks no compromise. There seems to be an unbroken line of logic that runs from personal sidearms to nuclear weapons. My prayer as the year ends is that a few more stalwarts see the greater logic of laying down both their weapons and the fear that makes doing so unthinkable.

Since I was out, I decided to walk on this raw night to the Barbara Tree. That's what I call it — the tree I had specially planted by the Chicago Park District some years ago to honor my late wife, who died of cancer in 1998. Originally the tree was a linden, but that one died in its second summer, during a drought. Eventually another tree was planted on the spot; a cherry, I think. It's still, at any rate, "her" — leaning, just like the other one did, irreverently off square.

Death is the ultimate fear and the ultimate enemy, but when Barbara died I learned that death wasn't the enemy at all — rather, it was something like the waves and the darkness, unknowable and beckoning and maybe no more than a doorway. What does this awareness change? I don't know, but if I hated death, my grief could have no dimension, no restorative power, and would be as trite and hellish as regret.

As I thought about Mustafa's observations about nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, and the carnage in Mumbai, I found myself groping along the seam of the horror for the wrong turn toward revenge and a desire to hurt back, consequences be damned. "They speak of war with great abandon as if it is child's play."

The turn is political: the instant promised land of victory. This real estate always appears attainable at a bargain rate, even in the nuclear era that mocks the very idea of victory. The face I see at the juncture of this wrong turn is that of our own Departing Fool, whose greatest (known) crime, in my view, was steering the United States down the path of revenge after 9/11. But he didn't do it alone.

Dear God, let George Bush be the last of his line, the 20th century's smirking bookend. Let his successor be a true leader, whose agenda transcends the interests that surround him. Courage grows strong at the wound. Let us move as a planet to a unity greater than the blood cult of nationalism.

I stroked the cold bark of the Barbara Tree one last time, then turned, struck out across the snow toward the lights of the city and the life waiting for me there.
© 2008 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

Trees

2008-12-24T10:57:00.002-06:00

Went for a short drive through the New Hampshire countryside. A bit gray and rainy. I was astonished by the tree damage from the ice storm two weeks ago. Looked like some of those old photos of the woods near the front lines in World War One. Limbs split off everywhere. Mailboxes along the road have small, hand-written signs saying "power out". Back to lunch. We have power from the propane generator. So we are lucky.

Coffee

2008-12-24T08:07:00.004-06:00

Waking up in New Hampshire. Kids awake. Nice Christmas tree which is great because I didn't get one this year, being out of town and all. Light saber duels in the living room. I sit in the corner, cup of good coffee in my hand, except when I'm typing. It's gray and raining on the snow. Looks like a day to be inside. Don't mind the snow and cold. Rain on top of snow seems so................distasteful. Well, maybe yucky is a better word.

Off to New Hampshire!

2008-12-22T20:35:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow morning it's off to New Hampshire to spend Christmas with Julia's family at their lovely house in NH. Then its back to Boston for a day, then back to Madison. Should be fun.

Letter Czar

2008-12-15T09:11:00.004-06:00

This last month, since the wonderful, historic election of Barack Obama, it's become quite common to write and publish letters to the President-elect. Letters advising him on what he should do on various matters from human rights to the environment to food production. I've read some of these letters. They are generally compassionate, well-reasoned and informative. Lots of good ideas.

But............does Mr Obama read the letters? I mean, there's a lot of them and he's pretty busy naming his cabinet and all, picking a dog, etc. Does he have time to read them all? What happens to them?

I've been imagining a "Letter Czar" who's job as part of the "transition team" it is to read all the letters and hand Mr Obama a digest of the letters. Maybe. I think it would be excellent if he did at LEAST get a digest. I am growing uneasy as I read about his choices for cabinet. Very conservative. Change? Hmmmm. I'm not optimistic. Hope? Keeping Robert Gates on as Defense Secretary? I am left shaking my head. Yes, it's a historic occasion. I'm happy about this. But how much are people willing to give up to get out of this "economic downturn"? Maybe those pesky unions? If only those unions weren't so demanding about workers rights, pensions and health insurance, we wouldn't have to do these bailouts. Yes, I hope there's a letter czar and Mr Obama is getting the message.

Otherwise, they're just like letters to Santa.

Shoe Bomber?

2008-12-15T08:59:00.003-06:00

Gosh. An angry Iraqi reporter threw his shoes at George W. Bush, as Bush took his last tour of Iraq. The nerve! Throwing your SHOES at "The Leader of the Free World". As a Quaker, I've been wondering: was this a violent act? Certainly, Iraqi's have the right to be angry with Bush. His invasion of Iraq has caused the deaths of over 1.2 million Iraqi's. How many US soldiers? Over 5,000 now? Destruction of "insurgent strongholds". Sending drones to kill. Using rendition and the cozy walls of Guantanamo to hold humans for YEARS without a trial. So throwing shoes certainly pales by comparison. But a violent act? Would it be a violent act if the reporter had stood up and called "W" a "gravy sucking pig"? Most Iraqi's interviewed about the shoe throwing agreed with the action.

Bush is a man who likes killing. He's right up there with the Churchill's, the Stalins and the Hitlers. From his days as Governor of Texas, leading the nation in executions, to his wars, wiretaps and big bucks for his friends, the man likes to kill and dominate. He is evil. There IS that of God inhim, but he's chosen to listen to another part of his soul.

Throwing shoes? Today I feel like W deserved it. Maybe he should be pelted with the shoes of all his victims. Sorry Mr Gandhi. Sorry Mr Woolman. If that makes me a "bad Quaker", so be it.

Burning Questions

2008-12-02T15:32:00.006-06:00

Several burning questions have arisen lately, mostly at the dinner table. Thought I'd share these with my six regular, loyal readers for amusement, if nothing else.

1) Do men and women still have boy and girl "cooties" respectively? OR have their "cooties" grown up in some way?

2) Is the "poop deck" of an old time sailing vessel called that because of it's location at the stern of the ship or because that's where the sailors, um, poop into the ocean? This came up over dinner lsat night because Poodledoc, Jr had just finished up his sailing ship for his 8th grade Colonial Project. I've been sent pretty convincing evidence that it's called a poop deck because of location but I still remember reading IN A CHILDREN'S BOOK that it had to do with bodily functions. There was even a drawing. Yikes!

3) Sauron's eye (shown above, twice). Can we tell what kind of creature he is by examining "the lidless eye" depicted in the Lord of the Ring films? I'm still mulling this over, but this bad guy has a vertical slit pupil, so that pretty much rules out human. No surprise there. So......some creatures that have vertical pupils include cats, vipers, and Republicans, to name just a few.

4) And sticking with the Lord of the Rings theme, what happened to Gollum's eyes? Tolkien fanatics know that Gollum started his life as a fairly normal, hobbit-like creature, with presumably fairly human eyes. Then, he gets this Ring and something happens. His eyes become apparently larger. He becomes photophobic (hides from the sun), develops excellent night vision so he can find Orcs to eat in the depths of the Misty Mountains. Still working on these last two.

5) And, as long as we are on the topic of fantasy eyes, and drifting over to the fine literary classics in the Harry Potter series, how would Mad Eye Moody's eye Magical Eye work? What would we see if we looked inside? (I've examined a lot of eyes, but never a magical one. There's still time, though.)

Tagged. Again.

2008-12-01T20:12:00.002-06:00

Ok, so here's a meme for me to do on the first cold night here in the north. Courtesy of my friend, Luminiferous Ether.

1. Five names you go by:
a) Chuck (or Charles if I'm in trouble with mom or it's a telemarketer)
b) Doc or Doctor Schobert (professional namings)
c) Bark! (feed me, walk me, pet me)
d) Dad, Daddy,, etc
e) Other personal nicknames

2) Three things you are wearing right now:
a) Crane Foundation T shirt
b) a wristwatch
c) a smile

3) Two things you want very badly at the moment:
a) a chocolate milkshake
b) 24 straight hours of sleep

Three people who will probably fill this out:
a)Enriched Geranium
b)Julia
c)my mom

Two things you did last night:
a) watched old Monty Python episodes with Poodledoc, Jr
b) made some bread

Two things you ate today:
a) Julia's famous squash black bean chili
b) waffles

Two people you just talked to on the phone:
a) Rebecca
b) Barack Obama (asking me to be First Veterinarian)

Two things you are going to do tomorrow:
a)develop a perpetual motion machine
b) look at eyeballs under a microscope

Two longest car rides:
a) from Matagulpa to Managua, Nicaragua after spending the night tossing my cookies
b) from San Francisco to Reno after tossing my eggrolls

Two of your favorite beverages:
a) chocolate milkshakes
b)eggnog

A clip from my favorite movie? So many to choose from I'm going to wimp out on this one.......sorry.

Farmer in Chief

2008-11-23T20:45:00.005-06:00

By MICHAEL POLLAN
Published: October 9, 2008
New York Times

Dear President Obama,

It may surprise you to learn that among the issues that will occupy much of your time in the coming years is one you barely mentioned during the campaign: food. Food policy is not something American presidents have had to give much thought to, at least since the Nixon administration — the last time high food prices presented a serious political peril. Since then, federal policies to promote maximum production of the commodity crops (corn, soybeans, wheat and rice) from which most of our supermarket foods are derived have succeeded impressively in keeping prices low and food more or less off the national political agenda. But with a suddenness that has taken us all by surprise, the era of cheap and abundant food appears to be drawing to a close. What this means is that you, like so many other leaders through history, will find yourself confronting the fact — so easy to overlook these past few years — that the health of a nation’s food system is a critical issue of national security. Food is about to demand your attention.

Complicating matters is the fact that the price and abundance of food are not the only problems we face; if they were, you could simply follow Nixon’s example, appoint a latter-day Earl Butz as your secretary of agriculture and instruct him or her to do whatever it takes to boost production. But there are reasons to think that the old approach won’t work this time around; for one thing, it depends on cheap energy that we can no longer count on. For another, expanding production of industrial agriculture today would require you to sacrifice important values on which you did campaign. Which brings me to the deeper reason you will need not simply to address food prices but to make the reform of the entire food system one of the highest priorities of your administration: unless you do, you will not be able to make significant progress on the health care crisis, energy independence or climate change. Unlike food, these are issues you did campaign on — but as you try to address them you will quickly discover that the way we currently grow, process and eat food in America goes to the heart of all three problems and will have to change if we hope to solve them. Let me explain.

After cars, the food system uses more fossil fuel than any other sector of the economy — 19 percent. And while the experts disagree about the exact amount, the way we feed ourselves contributes more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere than anything else we do — as much as 37 percent, according to one study. Whenever farmers clear land for crops and till the soil, large quantities of carbon are released into the air. But the 20th-century industrialization of agriculture has increased the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by the food system by an order of magnitude; chemical fertilizers (made from natural gas), pesticides (made from petroleum), farm machinery, modern food processing and packaging and transportation have together transformed a system that in 1940 produced 2.3 calories of food energy for every calorie of fossil-fuel energy it used into one that now takes 10 calories of fossil-fuel energy to produce a single calorie of modern supermarket food. Put another way, when we eat from the industrial-food system, we are eating oil and spewing greenhouse gases. This state of affairs appears all the more absurd when you recall that every calorie we eat is ultimately the product of photosynthesis — a process based on making food energy from sunshine. There is hope and possibility in that simple fact.

In addition to the problems of climate change and America’s oil addiction, you have spoken at length on the campaign trail of the health care crisis. Spending on health care has risen from 5 percent of national income in 1960 to 16 percent today, putting a significant drag on the economy. The goal of ensuring the health of all Americans depends on getting those costs under control. There are several reasons health care has gotten so expensive, but one of the biggest, and perhaps most tractable, is the cost to the system of preventable chronic diseases. Four of the top 10 killers in America today are chronic diseases linked to diet: heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and cancer. It is no coincidence that in the years national spending on health care went from 5 percent to 16 percent of national income, spending on food has fallen by a comparable amount — from 18 percent of household income to less than 10 percent. While the surfeit of cheap calories that the U.S. food system has produced since the late 1970s may have taken food prices off the political agenda, this has come at a steep cost to public health. You cannot expect to reform the health care system, much less expand coverage, without confronting the public-health catastrophe that is the modern American diet.

The impact of the American food system on the rest of the world will have implications for your foreign and trade policies as well. In the past several months more than 30 nations have experienced food riots, and so far one government has fallen. Should high grain prices persist and shortages develop, you can expect to see the pendulum shift decisively away from free trade, at least in food. Nations that opened their markets to the global flood of cheap grain (under pressure from previous administrations as well as the World Bank and the I.M.F.) lost so many farmers that they now find their ability to feed their own populations hinges on decisions made in Washington (like your predecessor’s precipitous embrace of biofuels) and on Wall Street. They will now rush to rebuild their own agricultural sectors and then seek to protect them by erecting trade barriers. Expect to hear the phrases “food sovereignty” and “food security” on the lips of every foreign leader you meet. Not only the Doha round, but the whole cause of free trade in agriculture is probably dead, the casualty of a cheap food policy that a scant two years ago seemed like a boon for everyone. It is one of the larger paradoxes of our time that the very same food policies that have contributed to overnutrition in the first world are now contributing to undernutrition in the third. But it turns out that too much food can be nearly as big a problem as too little — a lesson we should keep in mind as we set about designing a new approach to food policy. Read the rest here.

The Last Harvest of the Year

2008-11-23T09:34:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, on a frigid afternoon, our cooperative garden group harvested our carrots. It's been a cold autumn, so the soil was already frozen, and the carrots in turn were frozen. A bit of an unpleasant surprise, but the carrots still tasted sweet. Guess they won't keep as long.

The garlic, already in the ground, was covered with straw mulch to sleep through the winter.

We had a meeting to "de-brief" on the past growing season. What went well, what didn't go so well. It was a great, bountiful year. There was a palpable sense of our little community. I've been part of this group for a half dozen years or so, and this felt very close and rich.

Then, a feast as people gathered around the woodstove. And finally, off into the dark night. See you next year!

Entertaining

2008-11-19T07:13:00.002-06:00

This blog game was posted by my friend Luminiferous Ether. See what YOU come up with!

The Book Grab Game
Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence in my comments. Post the rules on your own blog, if you wish to continue the fun.

Mine came out of....well, maybe you can guess the book:

"It has been a time of peace?"

It's not over....

2008-11-18T20:58:00.003-06:00

As my six loyal readers may recall, I was shocked that my parakeet,
Bob, "came out" as a McCain supporter just prior to election day. Well, I figured, he's got a brain the size of a pea and it IS a free coutnry (well, sort of). It's been two weeks since the election and Bob has continued to spew what I intermpret to be pro-McCain rhetoric. A friend thought I was making this up. But that's not my style. To prove myself right, I printed out a photo of the former POW and taped it on the wall near Bob's cage. For the next hour or two, he was over as close as he could get to the photo, crooning and chirping. So....I may be living with the next head of the RNC. Wow. I'd personally enjoy seeing Joe Lieberman taking orders from a parakeet.

Inaugaration Tickets Wanted

2008-11-17T18:15:00.004-06:00

About two days after Obama won, I woke up and felt strongly that I wanted to be at the inaugaration, the swearing-in. I couldn't shake this visceral pull. I will be out in DC at the appropriate time, visiting my fiancee, so that's halfway there, right? Right?

The answer is maybe.

I heard that 240,000 tickets are going to be given out to Congress People. I heard that my Congressional Rep will get a bunch. So, I did like many others and called her office. They took my name. They said they didn't know how many tickets they would even get, nor how they were going to distribute them. A lottery was suggested. So they took down my name and how many tickets I would like.

So tonight I heard on NPR that even though the tickets are being given away, the scalpers are ready. One price was as high as 40 grand. Another scalper said $500 to $1700. A bargain. Senator Dianne Feinstein is introducing legislation to make scalping inaugaration tickets a Federal Crime.

And there's all the talk about the lack of hotel rooms in DC for the Big Day. Area residents are doing creative things to cater to the multitudes like renting tent space in their backyards, renting out their condos for $3,000 a night. I can't plunk down $1500 for a ticket. I can't plunk down much.

I started wondering if it was ok to pray to God for tickets?? I decided no, that wouldn't be ok. I mean, I don't pray to God for things like a BMW, so why should this be different? (OK, I admit I DID pray to God for the Cubs to win the Worlds Series this year, but apparently God is a Phillies fan.)

So, I'm just going to be open and see what happens. I feel so much desire to be there, even if it's cold and packed (which it will be). A huge moment in my life. I have the images of assasination seared into my brain: JFK, MLK, RFK and on and on. Death after death after death. This feels like a birth and I want to be in attendance.

Then I had this dream. And in the dream, God was offering me two tickets: one was to Game 7 of a Cubs World Series game. The other to Obama's inaugaration....before I could make a choice, I woke up! OH no! Stay tuned!

Dog Intelligence

2008-11-08T14:16:00.005-06:00

A recent comment left by Mr Ether to an earlier post claimed that Corgis were more intellignet than Standard Poodles! A bit rankled by this, I Googled "dog intelligence" for the correct information. This site Dog Intelligence Site ranks dogs according to different levels of understanding commands. 79 breeds are listed. The top ten, according to this site are, in order:

1: Border Collie
2: Poodle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3: German Shepherd
4: Golden Retriever
5: Doberman
6: Sheltie
7: Labrador
8: Papillon
9: Rottweiler
10: Australian Cattle Dog

According to the site, these dogs are "able to understand new commands in less than 5 repetitions" and "respond to a first command 95% of the time". Well that describes my Standard Poodle. NOT! But he is working on a Masters Degree in Science.

As for the Corgi, according to this site, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi comes in at #11. Not bad, but not quite good enough to get into a GOOD obedience school!

The least intelligent dog is the Afghan Hound, which barely beat out the Shih Tzu for the bottom of the doggie IQ barrel.

Presidential Dogs

2008-11-08T10:18:00.003-06:00

As I wrote the previous post, speculating on an appropriate dog for Mr Obama, I wondered which other presidents had owned dogs, and what breeds. So, here goes:

W: "Spot", an English Springer Spaniel.

Clinton: "Buddy", a chocolate Lab, shown in the photo above. Sadly, Buddy was hit by a car. One wonders where the Secret Service was on that incident? And.....do presidential dogs get Secret Service protection at all? (maybe they have to walk the dog.....?)

George HW Bush: "Millie", an English Springer Spaniel.

Reagan: "Lucky", and English Springer Spaniel and "Rex", a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Carter: "Grits", an unspecified breed given to him by his daughter's teacher. Later given away....

Ford: "Liberty", a Golden Retriever.

Nixon: Well, "Checkers" the Cocker Spaniel, of course. But Nixon had several other dogs: "Vicky" the poodle, "Pash", a terrier and an Irish Setter.

LBJ: Four beagles, a white collie and a mutt.

JFK: "Charlie", a Welsh Terrier owned by daughter Caroline, a bunch of mutts, and a German Shepherd.

Eisenhower: "Heide", a Weimaraner

Truman: "Feller", a Cocker Spaniel and "Mike" and Irish Setter

FDR: He and Eleanor owned a host of dogs. a German Shepherd, Scottish Terrier, Gread Dane, a Mastiff, an Old English Sheepdog named "Tiny", and several other pooches.

Hoover: 9 dogs.

TR: "Pete", a Bull Terrier.

James Buchanon: "Lara", a Newfoundland.

James Monroe: a Spaniel

Jefferson: 2 Briards

The First Poodle?

2008-11-08T07:49:00.004-06:00

As most every one knows, Barack Obama promised his two daughters that if elected, he would get them a dog. As most every parent knows, once you let the, ahem, cat out of the bag, it's hard to be a "flip-flopper". This morning I heard that one of his daughters is....allergic to dogs! I briefly worried that this might be the first campaign promise that Mr Obama breaks. However, I have a suggestion for the president-elect, which could get him out of some family hot water! (and no, I'm not trying for the position of "First Veterinarian") My suggestion is a simple one: get a Standard Poodle! Great for people with allergies! And, the smartest dog out there, so perhaps the dog can help with the economic crisis or orchestrate a US troop withdrawal from the Middle East. Imagine it: The First Poodle!

Mr Obama did state yesterday that: "Of course I'd like to get a shelter dog, but that might not work out" given the allergy situation. So, Mr Obama, a Standard Poodle may be just the thing for you and your family. As every parent knows, getting one's child to clean their room or do their homework is MUCH more difficult than foreign policy. Therefore, getting the "right" dog could really help maintain domestic tranquility. So best of luck, Mr President.

Election Night

2008-11-05T15:36:00.004-06:00

WOW!

I watched Obama speak last night, along with millions. All over the world. There was this tangible vibration. Emotions bubbling up. Remembering the King assasination. Forty years seems like a long time. It was hugely scary to me, at age 12, to see this violence. But right now, there's a man, on a stage and it's awesome. I didn't think I'd ever see this happen. Nor did I think the Berlin wall would ever come down. As a colleague put it, this is a "historical day". I am soaking up the moment before I move on with my next forty years.
(click on the photo to make it larger, although it will never be large enough)

The dog says it's time to go.

2008-11-03T14:08:00.002-06:00

November and it’s still so warm
says my dog.
Is it a zephyr, he asked?
I said I didn’t know
as we started on our evening walk.

On the sidewalk, along the lake, warm wind
but somehow a chill
blew into my body
raising goose bumps.
A warm chill.
Not scary.
Beckoning me and my dog
down to the shore
amongst the tall trees.
Cradling and wrapping me in fingers and blankets unseen.

I ask questions into the breath wind.
God, I’m worried, anxious and scared.
Tell me, God, who will win the election?
A feeling fills me
with more warmth
and certainty.
God is saying
there is a plan.
I might not see it or understand.
But God has a plan.

Even if the “bad guy” gets elected?
Are you kidding me?
Are you messing with me, God?

I have a plan, said God.
Not a voice.
Instead, a shimmering, rolling heat down my nerves
branching out to tickle every cell, every chromosome, gene and nucleotide.
Stunned and curious,
I plunk my self down on a bench by the river mouth
And soak it up.
After a time
And some tears
The goose bumps leave me.
The dog says it’s time to go.
So we head home.

McCain Collects Another Big Endorsement: Bob the Parakeet

2008-10-30T18:12:00.004-06:00

Today, Republican presidential candidate John McCain picked up the eager endorsement of Bob the Parakeet. McCain, speaking at a rally outside of suburban Scaramento, spoke movingly about Bob's life circumstances: "Under Barack Obama's plan, Bob's cage size would be reduced, his food would be taxed and if he wanted to start up a small business, he'd be penalized. My plan would give Bob 5000 pounds of birdseed per year. He can start a family. Send his kids to college. He can fulfill the American dream".

Bob, reached for comment in the living room of his fashionable, East side Madison apartment chirped long and loud about the virtues of Mr McCain. It was clear that in some way, Bob was actually hearing the McCain message.

Vice presidential candidate, Sara Palin, commented: "I love birds, especially at Thanksgiving. heehee!". Pundits regarded this as just the latest in a series of major gaffes in the often troubled and confused McCain campaign. "Thanks to this stupid comment by Palin," said Republican Senator Norm Coleman, "we've lost the parakeet vote".

Protestors have gathered on the lawn of Bob the Parakeet's apartment. One local resident, Mr Ether, carrying a sign that read "Birdbrains for McCain" commented that "the only way Bob the parakeet can spread the wealth around is on the newspaper lining the bottom of his cage!" Bob could not be reached for comment.

The Road: Quaker Peace Testimony to Conscientious Objector

2008-10-30T12:00:00.004-06:00

This past First Day, I had the joy of "leading" a group of 7 Quaker high school teens in the first part of a journey to understand the Quaker Peaace Testimony and move towards building a file in support of conscientious objector status. It was a lively group (brownies and cupcakes always help). We read the early phrasing of the Peace Testimony from the 1600's. We talked about it a bit. One teen said that it bothered him that Quakers are often quite good at talking the talk, but not WALKING the talk when it comes to the Peace Testimony. Others talked about the fighting that goes on in their high schools. The fights are almost "entertainment" for some. One teen shared how her principal declared a "Patriotism Week" which included "patriotic" music piped over the PA system and other events. Her dad went in and talked with the prinicipal about his objections to this "Week". The teens were very moved by this action of someone walking the talk. I asked about what a "Peace Week" might look like. Several ideas were tossed around. At the end, a couple of the teens voiced interest in getting to the part of this "journey" where we start building the file. We will get there, but building a foundation is key. As always, I come away from my experience as "leader" feeling led into some new wisdom that the teens offer. It's a blessing.

"God looks after drunks, little children and the United States of America."

2008-10-29T13:07:00.002-06:00

John McCain in the Echo Chamber
by Gore Vidal
Published on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 by TruthDig.com

October proved to be the cruelest month, for that was the time that Sen. McCain, he of the round, blank, Little Orphan Annie eyes, chose to try out a number of weird lies about Barack Obama ostensibly in the interest of a Republican Party long overdue for burial.

It is a wonder that any viewer survived his furious October onslaught whose craziest lie was that Obama wished to become president in order to tax the poor in the interest of a Democratic Party in place, as he put it in his best 1936 voice, to spend and spend because that's what Democrats always do. This was pretty feeble lying, even in such an age as ours. But it was the only thing that had stuck with him from those halcyon years when Gov. Alfred M. Landon was the candidate of the Grand Old Party, which in those days was dedicated to erasing every policy of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whose electoral success was due to, they thought, Harry Hopkins' chilling mantra, "we shall ... spend and spend and elect and elect." Arguably, the ignorant McCains of this world have no idea what any of this actually signifies; Hopkins' comment is a serious one, and serious matters seldom break through to cliché-ridden minds.

Although I am no fan of the television of my native land, I thought that an election featuring two historic novelties—the first credible female candidate for president and the first black nominee—would be great historic television, yet I should have been suspicious whenever I looked at McCain's malicious little face, plainly bent on great mischief. Whenever Obama made a sensible point, McCain was ready to trump it with a gorgeous lie.

When Obama said that only a small percentage of the middle class would suffer from income tax during his administration, McCain would start gabbling the 1936 Republican mantra that this actually meant that he would spend and spend and spend in order to spread the money around, a mild joke he has told for the benefit of a plumber who is looking forward to fiscal good fortune and so feared the tax man, using language very like that of long-dead socialists to reveal Obama's sinister games.

Advice to Obama: No civilized asides are permitted in McCain Land, where every half-understood word comes from the shadowy bosses of a diabolic Democratic Party, eager to steal the money of the poor in order to benefit, perversely, the even poorer.

So October (my natal month) was no joy for me, as the degradation of our democratic process was being McCainized. McCain is a prisoner of the past. Later, in due course he gave us the old address book treatment: names from Obama's past, each belonging to a potential terrorist. Even from the corpse of the Republican Party, which Abraham Lincoln left somewhat hastily in the 19th century, this was an unusually sickening display.

Happily, physicists assure us that there is no action without reaction.

There were still a few bright glimmers of something larger than a mere candidate of the Republican Party, but Mr. McCain seems to be in the terminal throes of a self-love that causes him to regard himself as a great American hero. From time to time, he likes to shout at us, "I have fought in many, many wars," and, "I have won many of them," but he has, so far, never told us which were the ones that he has actually won, since every war that he has graced with his samurai presence seems to have been thoroughly lost by the United States. Consistency is all-important to the born loser as well as to the committed liar.

So what little fame he has rests on the fact that he was taken a prisoner of war by the Vietnamese—hardly a recommendation for the leadership of the "free world"—and thus aware of the meagerness of his own curriculum vitae, for his vice presidential choice he then turned radically, in the age of the awakening to power of women, to an Alaskan politician; a giggly Piltdown princess out of pre-history.

Her qualification? She has once been mayor (or was it "mare"?) of an Alaskan village and later governor of what had been known as "Seward's Icebox," named for Lincoln's secretary of state, William Seward, who had over the misgivings of many bought all that ice from Russia.

One does get the impression that the senator from Arizona is living in a sort of echo chamber of nonsensical phrases, notions and unreality.

To further add insult to injury, as it were, he describes himself as a "maverick," which one critic in the audience assures him he is not, anyway, like the great Maury Maverick, a New Deal congressman from Texas who was so dedicated to freedom that he allowed his cattle to roam unbranded, freely on the range—a tribute to a time when Texans were freer than now in the post-Bush era.

The critic in the audience said that he was no maverick in the usual sense on the ground that he was simply a sidekick. That just about sums it up: Sidekick to the only president we have ever had who lacked any interest in governance.

As we are going through a religious phase in this greatest of all great nations, I am reminded of Chancellor Bismarck's remark about us Americans in the 19th century when he said: "God looks after drunks, little children and the United States of America."
Amen.

Copyright © 2008 Truthdig, L.L.C.

How is the chicken cooked?

2008-10-29T13:01:00.002-06:00

"I look at these people and can't quite believe that they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they simply laymen who want a lot of attention? To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. "Can I interest you in the chicken?" she asks. "Or would you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it? To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked."

- Author David Sedaris, on undecided voters

Every Day, in Every Way, I'm Getting Better, and Better

2008-10-26T19:19:00.004-06:00

It's been a couple of weeks. Some hard weeks. Yes, that's right. The mighty Chicago Cubs blew it. AGAIN. The leading offense in the National League. The second best won-loss record in the Major Leagues. Great hitters up and down the lineup. Great pitching. Great manager. It had been 100 years since there last World Series Championship. Cub fans were hopeful. Even I allowed myself a smile, however grim, at the thought of a Cub championship. So.....the first game arrived. Cubs versus the Dodgers. At Wrigley. Cub pitcher Ryan Dempster walks 8 guys. (hasn't walked that many all YEAR!) Cubs lose. Oh well, we've got Zambrano pitching tomorrow night, no problem. Tomorrow night comes. Cubs commit five (5) errors. One by each of the four infielders and one by the bat boy, I guess. Cubs lose. I felt myself sinking farther and farther down. The Cubs lost the third game. It was all hazy to me. I can't recall anything that happened. I just remember they lost and that was that.

So now I'm watching the Phillies. Tears in my eyes. Maybe the time has come to take a break from being a Cub fan. I tried being a White Sox fan, briefly, in high school. It just didn't feel....right. Well, spring training is only fourt months away. So maybe next year......

My dog is laughing at me.

Windy Day at the Farm

2008-10-26T19:06:00.003-06:00

Poodledoc,Jr, Ms Ether and I went out to Zephyr farm, where we cooperatively grow organic vegetables with a dozen or so other really nice people.

Today we gathered in the squash. Butternuts, acorns and delicata (not sure of the spelling on that one). Poodledoc, Jr and his friend Seth were busy loading bin after bin of squash into the big white pickup. The seed garlic was tucked away for planting in a couple weeks. A few of the carrots were forked up. There was a sweet smell of the carrot mixed with the sweat smell of the wonderful soil out here at the farm, just south of Stoughton, WI.

The wind was gusting up to 40 plus miles per hour. But the sun was shining. We filled the car with various goods and drove slowly home. All that extra weight. Very satisfying to drive slow and enjoy it. A great day.

Lefties for Obama, Round Two

2008-10-16T21:00:00.001-05:00

Published on Thursday, October 16, 2008 by CommonDreams.org
by Ira Chernus

I've written a lot of columns for Commondreams over the years. But I don't recall any that got as much response as a piece I posted recently urging lefties to support Obama. Many of the responses were heartfelt outbursts of emotion; some of them were surprisingly angry, even venomous, attacks. Hey, I thought we lefties were supposed to be the tolerant ones.

But some of the responses were quite thoughtful, and they call for a response in kind.

Most of the thoughtful writers offered a list of ways the Democrats were quite similar to the Republicans, and they challenged me to give some specific issues on which Dems are demonstrably better than the GOP. Fair enough. So here are just a few highlights. To name all the meaningful differences would take far too long for one column.

Let's start with the big economic picture. Noted economist Larry Bartels has run the numbers for the past sixty years and here's what he found: "Real incomes of middle-class families have grown twice as fast under Democrats as they have under Republicans, while the real incomes of working-poor families have grown six times as fast under Democrats as they have under Republicans."

There's no mystery about it. Republican economic policy aims, above all, to protect the interests of the very rich. They make nearly all their money from investments. Inflation is their greatest enemy, because it eats up the profits they expect from their investment. So Republicans regularly throw the economy into recession. Lots of people lose their jobs, which means wages go down, which means inflation stays low.

That's why we had major recessions during the first Reagan administration, the George H.W. Bush administration, and the current Bush administration. Republicans are happy to see the middle class and the poor suffer, as long as they damp down inflation to protect the rich.

On top of that, of course, the GOP gives massive tax cuts to the rich, much larger than the Democrats. That runs up budget deficits. With government having to borrow huge sums, there's more competition for investment capital, so interest rates go up. Working people have to pay more on their mortgages and credit cards, but the rich get better returns on their investments.

Labor unions give huge sums to the Democrats because they understand these significant differences between the economic policies of the two parties. In return, of course, Dems are much more likely to support legislation that protects the rights (and the safety) of workers and helps unions build their strength. Republicans have a long record of supporting laws that gut labor's efforts to organize.

Perhaps the biggest single group of workers who are consistently pro-Democratic is not a union but a professional organization: the National Education Association. Teachers know that Republicans pursue all sorts of strategies for de-funding and weakening public schools. Democrats consistently support public education, which in effect means the right of poor children to get as good an education as the rich. Read rest of article here.

Boston Eye Conference

2008-10-16T20:34:00.005-05:00

(cut away view of an eye showing the globe partially filled with tumor. It's not sushi)
I'm out in Boston with my Vet School lab at the ACVO (American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologist) annual meeting. There have been lots of interesting talks. I myself presented a poster, sort of like high school science fair stuff, except we don't get blue ribbons or best in show. My poster concerned feline eyelid tumors. I stood by my poster for an hour or so, and talked to lots of interesting people about my work.

Then tonight we went out for sushi. I had never tried eel before. But I have now. The hair provided an interesting sensation as it slid down my throat. The flavor was wonderful, too. Eels have eyes, as well, but they didn't appear on this particular dish.

Where Have all the Protest Singers Gone?

2008-10-12T18:35:00.003-05:00

by Tony Hicks

One would think the time is ripe for an explosion of protest music.

We're witnessing what pundits are calling a historic presidential race at a time when even the party holding the Oval Office admits that a big dose of change is needed. We've been at war on two fronts for years with no end in sight, while there's less than a month to go in the election. The economy appears to be in free fall. The race is close, and the rhetoric is heating up fast as each side lobs verbal grenades at each other almost daily.

So where are all the protest songs, calling for one brand of change over the other?

Protest music is rare from conservative artists, but even the liberals songwriters seem to be sitting this one out.

"People are overwhelmed by the corruption of our government," says Paul Kantner, a founding member of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship, who just released a new Starship record, "Jefferson's Tree of Liberty. "They don't think their vote counts "... people don't have enough faith."

In other words, even if we have two new candidates promising change from an outgoing and unpopular administration, it might just be that musicians aren't feeling they can make a difference, especially after the outpouring of activism in 2004.

That was the year John Kerry had the support of Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews, among other big-name artists, performing on the "Vote for Change" tour. Linda Ronstandt was grabbing headlines for speaking out in the face of open hostility at many of her shows. It was the year that gave us songs like Ani DiFranco's "Animal," the Beastie Boys' "It Takes Time to Build," and the Roots' "Why (What's Goin' On?)," among others.

Even two years later, just in time for midterm Congressional elections, there was still an echo of the outrage, most notably in Neil Young's "Living With War" record and his passionate summer tour with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

Some of the stalwarts are still around, such as Bruce Springsteen, doing benefits for Barack Obama. And bands that are almost always political, like Bad Religion, are still addressing the issues. Punk singer-songwriter Ted Leo just wrote and recorded a four-song EP after witnessing the treatment of protesters at the Republican convention, the timing of which made it only available on his Web site. And people like John Legend and Billy Joel have also appeared at events.

But all in all, the desperation that was apparent among artists willing to sing protest songs four years ago is largely absent at this year's political crunch time.

"There's baggage to becoming a protest singer," says Chris Walla, guitarist for Death Cab For Cutie and an admitted political junkie, whose band has played Obama rallies. "Because of the media portrayal of the protests, nobody wants to be associated with it. I don't think it would work with our audience all that well."

Plus, Walla says, there's a strong perception that, unlike Kerry in 2004, Obama doesn't need the help. And there's no George W. Bush in the race to focus on.

"When your candidate is a rock star on his own, why does he need Death Cab for Cutie?" Walla says. "What Obama needs is 'Rednecks for Obama.'"

Nathan Berg, a professor of economics and sociology at the University of Texas at Dallas, is the singer for the Halliburtons, one of the few bands out there continuously making political music.

"It's noticeably more quiet regarding the musical discourse this year," he says. "I think there are those of us who thought 2004 was important and thought things would change. It's hard to see strong rebuttal for pessimism."

Berg speculates that Kerry's loss deflated musicians. They're getting change one way or another this year, which de-focuses years of targeting President George W. Bush.

"My band played at Dealey Plaza on the anniversary of the Iraq war, but I'm feeling my time is better spent speaking as an economist and social scientist," says Berg, whose band has toured Ireland and Germany. "There's actually much more of an anti-Bush and anti-war scene in Europe." There's also some low-level recorded activism, coming at a lower profile from groups like metal band Testament and bluegrass group the Del McCoury Band, an indication of big names laying low this year. McCoury's new record is called "Moneyland."

Kanter says that with each passing year, technological distractions and a corporate media unwilling to take chances make it more difficult for musicians to make a difference.

"People are overwhelmed by modern times," he says. "There's an overflow of information and they become confused. In the '60s we thought we could change the world - and we did change some of it," he says. "People today don't have that hope."

Copyright © 2008 - Contra Costa Times

A Year Later, Creation Museum Claiming Big Crowds

2008-10-10T17:37:00.001-05:00

Published on Friday, October 10, 2008 by Associated Press
by Dylan T. Lovan

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The museum exhibits are taken from the Old Testament, but the special effects are pure Hollywood: a state-of-the-art planetarium, animatronics and a massive model of Noah's Ark, all intended to explain the origins of the universe from a biblical viewpoint.

This Thursday, July 6, 2006 file photo shows an exhibit depicting two archeologists coming to very different conclusions while unearthing the same skeleton, is part of what will become the Creation Museum, near Petersburg, Ky.,(sorry, folks, all I could find was this picture of Noah's ark, shown above). The Creation Museum, which teaches life's beginnings through a literal interpretation of the Bible, has become an unexpectedly strong draw for visitors. More than a half million people, organizers claim, have toured the Kentucky attraction since its May 2007 opening. The Creation Museum, which teaches life's beginnings through a literal interpretation of the Bible, is claiming attendance figures that would make it an unexpectedly strong draw less than a year and a half after it debuted. opening, museum officials said.

For creationists -- Christians who believe the Bible's first chapter of Genesis is the literal telling of the universe's start -- the museum is a godsend (is this a play on words, or what?). Many have returned with family and friends, some from faraway states (like farther than Wisconsin, like, has Sara Palin been there?) arguing it's one of the few with a Christian worldview.

Many scientists say they fear damaging effects on science education when young people tour the museum and fail to square its lessons with what they're learning in school. One display shows humans coexisting with dinosaurs -- despite the two species being separated by 65 million years in most science texts.

"We're depressed, I think," said Dan Phelps, head of the Kentucky Paleontology Society, who toured the museum shortly after its opening. "There's been such a push in recent years to improve science education, but stuff like this still hangs around."

Phelps said he fears some teachers, shying away from the origins controversy, may choose to omit mentioning evolution studies in the classroom.

State education officials said they have seen no sign of students challenging science teachers in their classrooms based on conclusions drawn from visits to the Creation Museum.

"It's not been a huge issue. In fact it's almost a nonissue for public schools," said Lisa Gross, a spokeswoman for the Kentucky Department of Education. "Teachers have been dealing with these things long before the Creation Museum came into being."

The Creation Museum doesn't draw nearly as many visitors as the nation's top science museums, which boast larger facilities and government funding. The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington attracted 5.8 million visitors in 2006; the Children's Museum in Indianapolis brought in 1.2 million that year, according to a list compiled by Forbes magazine.

But for its size and budget -- it took $27 million in private donations to build -- the museum has been an overwhelming success, founder Ken Ham said.

The museum in rural northern Kentucky, a 30-minute drive south of Cincinnati, has drawn more than 550,000 visitors in 15 1/2 months, by its own count.

Regular visitors pay $20 for admission, but about 10 percent were admitted for free over the last 15 months, museum officials said. Ham said it draws families, home-schooled children, Christian school groups and even many skeptics. (hey, I'm going next time I'm in Kentucky!!!)

Inside, evolution is replaced with the Old Testament stories of Adam and Eve as the first humans and Noah rescuing the human race from a worldwide flood.

Ham feels the sleek presentation puts it on par with well-funded science museums. Patrick Marsh, who helped create exhibits at Universal Studios in Orlando, was brought in as the museum's director of design.

"We made a decision quite a few years ago, that we wanted to do it first-class ... as good as you would see at museums or Disney World or Universal Studios," Ham said. "It's become an attraction in its own right, regardless of the message that we have here."

One visitor, Bill Michaletz, drove his family from Wisconsin in May. (Isn't there already a Noah's Ark in the Dells?)

"I do believe in creation, that God created it all," said Michaletz, who has five children. "I'm appreciative that there is a place to go for ourselves and our kids, to look at that view." (And, I'm told Bill believes the moon is made of green cheese and, oh yes, the earth is flat....).

© 2008 Associated Press

McCain and the Meltdown

2008-10-10T11:57:00.001-05:00

Published on Friday, October 10, 2008 by The Nation
by Ari Berman

The parallels between the collapse of the savings and loan industry in the late 1980s and the Wall Street meltdown of today are unmistakable. Few pieces explain the roots of the S&L debacle--and its relevance today--better than legendary investigative reporter Robert Sherrill's breathtaking 1990 exposé in The Nation, "S&Ls, Big Banks and Other Triumphs of Capitalism."

The section on jailed Lincoln Savings & Loan magnate Charles Keating is particularly memorable. "If any one hustler was the living symbol of the underlying rot of the savings and loan industry as created by Congress and Reagan's biography in the 1980s, it was Charles Keating," Sherrill writes.
A constant in both crises is John McCain. McCain and four other senators (dubbed the Keating Five) intervened to protect Keating from banking regulators. McCain was later rebuked by the Senate Ethics Committee for "poor judgment" and embarrassed by the $112,000 in campaign contributions, trips and gifts he had accepted from Keating. Cindy McCain and her father were also partners with Keating in a shopping mall development in Arizona. In his autobiography, McCain called the Keating episode "the worst mistake of my life."

McCain eventually became a born-again crusader for campaign-finance reform. But he continued to surround himself with corporate lobbyists and push for greater deregulation of the finance industry, missing the greatest lesson from Sherrill's story: "thievery is what unregulated capitalism is all about."

Sherrill's pathbreaking reporting sheds light on all that was wrong with the deregulatory politics back then--as well as on what has fed our current financial crisis. It's worth a second read: "S&Ls, Big Banks and Other Triumphs of Capitalism," from the November 19, 1990, issue.

Copyright © 2008 The Nation

Lefties for Obama

2008-10-07T21:06:00.002-05:00

by Ira Chernus
Published on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 by CommonDreams.org

If you have decided to vote for a third party candidate for president, or not to vote at all, because you can't stand voting for the "lesser of two evils," this message is for you. Though I'm supporting Obama and the Democrats, I understand and respect your choice.

You may be taking a lot of criticism for standing on your principles. I know how the criticism can hurt. I took the same kind of heat eight years ago as a Ralph Nader supporter in a razor-thin election. I've never regretted that choice. I felt totally comfortable with it in 2000, partly because the outcome was a foregone conclusion in my home state. My vote would not make any difference one way or another.

This year is very different, because in my state the Obama - McCain race is much too close to call. If that's true in your state too -- or if there is any chance Obama might not win your state -- please consider carefully the other big difference between 2000 and 2008. Back then, I failed to imagine how much damage eight years of Republican rule would do. Now, the thought of another eight or even four years of the same seems intolerable.

Imagining what the Supreme Court might look like four years from now under a President McCain makes the thought even worse than intolerable. And if a President McCain were to die in office . . . Well, golly gee, sometimes the good old English language just doesn't got the words to express the horror.

When the greater of two evils gets bad enough, the lesser is so much less that it really is the better choice. So I am out there working for Obama and the Democrats. I won't scold you or look down on you for taking the opposite course. But I'd like you to consider changing your mind.

No, Obama is not the kind of crusader for progressive causes that you and I would like to see lead this country. But he has a different view than you or I might have about how government works. In his years as a community organizer, he learned that you should never expect government officials to initiate change. That's not their job. This is a democracy, and they are elected to do the will of the people, to bend whichever way the political wind blows.

Obama really means it when he says, in effect: "Making change is your job. I want you to pressure me. If you put a lot of pressure on me, I'm willing to bend to your will. But the conservatives are always out there putting pressure on me from the other side. You have to create a political wind strong enough to blow the opposition away and blow your elected leaders to the left."

With Democrats in power in Congress and the White House, the doors of power will be open at least a little bit to progressives. We won't get all, or even most, of what we want. But there will be people in Washington willing to listen to our views. Some of them will be in pretty high places. And they'll know that our movement will get attention -- even in the Oval Office -- if it's massive, well-organized, and highly visible.

McCain and Palin aren't going to move an inch to the left no matter how powerful the political winds are. They'll claim that their victory gives them a mandate for right-wing intransigence. And if they win, the disappointment may take all the wind out of the progressives' sails. After eight years of fighting Bush, who will have the energy left for another four years of the same? A McCain victory might convince a lot of people, across the political board, that we are just fated (or doomed) to have Republican presidents forever.

I'm especially concerned about the huge numbers of young people supporting Obama, thousands of them working full time on his campaign and learning invaluable political skills. If he loses, most of them may be so dispirited that they'll give up on politics altogether for a long time, perhaps forever. If he wins and then doesn't produce the change they want, they may turn their energy and skills to the left, as so many did in the '60s.

And it's pretty predictable that a President Obama would not produce nearly as much change as most of his young supporters want. He has chosen to be a compromiser. He understands how much power conservatives have these days. A president who wants to get anything done must have a working relationship with those conservatives, or else they'll simply block everything.

So he has taken all sorts of moderate stands to let conservatives know that he doesn't plan to shut them out. The alternative is to stand on principle and paralyze the government, insuring there won't be any progressive change at all.

The few changes the Dems would bring may not seem very significant to you. But they could mean a great deal for those who have no voice and no power at all.

Here at home, there are millions of poor people who depend on government programs for their basic needs; Democrats will respond to some of those needs, while Republicans will ignore them and blame the poor for their own suffering. There are nearly 50 million without health insurance; Democrats are at least moving toward covering all the children and most of the adults among them. The number of unemployed grows daily; Obama's talk about giving them jobs, by rebuilding the infrastructure and creating alternative energy technology, won't all be translated into action, but some of it will.

On the other side of the world, people in Iraq are suffering daily under a U.S. occupation that Obama would significantly reduce and perhaps eventually end completely. Around the world there are government leaders eager to talk with the President of the United States, talks that Obama would have but McCain would reject. Then there are all the non-human species who are at risk every day from the Republicans' callous disregard for the environment. Democrats won't save all of them, but they will give many species a better chance to survive.

The voiceless depend on us to speak up for them -- not just on Election Day but every day after that. We have to keep pushing relentlessly to the left. We have to recognize that in politics no one wins all the time. But even a small victory on one issue can make a huge difference for a lot of people, most of them people we will never see. Yet all our pushing for victories will do little good unless Obama and the Democrats win.

Ira Chernus is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder and author of Monsters To Destroy: The Neoconservative War on Terror and Sin. chernus@colorado.edu

In the name of love.....

2008-09-25T14:29:00.000-05:00

It's extraordinary to me that the United States can find $700 billion to save Wall Street and the entire G8 can't find $25 billion dollars to saved 25,000 children who die every day from preventable diseases.

- Bono, rock star and anti-poverty activist. (Source: The American Prospect blog)

Madison's Olbrich Gardens in the Mist...

2008-09-22T16:58:00.005-05:00

Madison has a garden called Olbrich Gardens, on the east side, where most of the good stuff in town can be found. They have a tropical dome, which is great in dead of winter. I'd never really spent much time in the rest of Olbrich Gardens, which is this rather intricate, lush maze of flowers, brick walkways and shrubs and stuff, all leading to the Thai Pavilion, although the paths can lead you where ever you want, I suppose. It was a Saturday afternoon, with a pause in the steady rain. Drops fell now and then. Very humid and "close" as we (Nancy Poodledoc, Poodledoc,Jr, and my fiancee Julia)wound our way through what felt like a jungle.

A smart film about stupid people

2008-09-21T18:07:00.005-05:00

Ok. I stole the title to this little post. But this movie was one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. It reminds me of Fargo, another Coen brothers movie, where someone's stupid plan goes very, very wrong through the work of.......fate? Anyhow, this movie is a good spy farce mixed in with a variety of hilarious and strange sexual twistings and turnings. Throw in some extremely dark humor, a health club, a plastic surgeon, George Clooney, some other more accomplished actors, and some very clever, very amusing scenes happen. It's enjoyable to watch them unfold. Almost as much fun as writing this vague "review". But, if you want something that's a notch up from Get Smart in terms of cleverness, but just as dumb. See this movie. Get popcorn. Laugh out loud. You won't be the only one in the theater laughing.

An Exciting Week for Cub Fans

2008-09-18T17:27:00.007-05:00

Well, the giant sucking sound from Chicago seems to have stopped. The Cubs came out of their doldrums in style. Carlos Zambrano, rested his "heavy arm" last week and then pitched a no-hitter Monday night. The next day, Cub's pitcher Ted Lilly almost had a no-hitter of his own, allowing one hit. Then the Cubs lost to the hapless Brewers. I tuned in todays game and the Cubs were down 6 to 2 in the ninth so I figured they were about to lose. Tuning in later, the Cubs had scored 4 runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie, then won the game in the 12th. So this Cub fan will sleep well tonight......

A Poem from Last Week's Meeting for Worship

2008-09-18T17:27:00.003-05:00

As I sat down in worship last First Day, I felt tired. Had lots of weight on my shoulders. I realized, or God halped me to see, that I was, once again, struggling with control issues. So I started listing all the things I DON'T control. Endless list. Then I opened my Wendell Berry poetry book randomly, as I've been doing for the past month. After I read the poem below, I felt clear and light. I almost laughed out loud in Meeting for Worship. I caught myself, but as I thought about it later, it didn't seem like God would mind. In fact God would love it if I laughed.

So, the poem:

The Clear Days

The dogs of inecision
Cross and cross the field of vision.

A cloud, a buzzing fly
distract the lover's eye.

Until the heart has found
its native piece of ground.

The day withholds its light,
The eye must stray unlit.

The ground's the body's bride,
Who will not be denied.

Not until all is given
Comes the thought of heaven.

When the minds's an empty room
The clear days come.

Wendell Berry

Giant Sucking Sound From Chicago

2008-09-06T10:54:00.004-05:00

I woke up early this morning. There was a rushing wind. I staggered out into the yard to see what was happening. The brisk wind was going south. Towards Chicago. Towards....Wrigley field. I heard a giant sucking sound. It dawned on me, as the sun rose, that it was the Cubs. Sucking. In September. As of last night, the losers of 6 in a row. Starting to fade. As always. Their ace pitcher, Carlos Zambrano (pictured above) has what's known as a "heavy arm". Guess that means it's tired. I went back to bed.

I'm a Cub fan in limbo. Neither going up to baseball heaven (the World Series) with the Cubs, or going down into baseball hell (losing to the Yankees). Just the giant sucking sound. God is clearly not a Cubs fan. Some would call that sacreligious to say such a thing. Some would argue that God doesn't even LIKE baseball. But, I think not because many Cub fans pray. But there's no answer. No World Series. Just that sucking sound every fall. Perhaps the Cubs are a cross I'll just have bear for the rest of my life. Excuse me while I wallow in self-pity.

Sarah Palin and My Mom

2008-09-04T17:12:00.003-05:00

My mom, Nancy Poodledoc, sent me this article today and wanted me to spread it around. She thinks the choice of Sarah Palin was "dreadful". Couldn't agree with you more, Mom! Perhaps you can wash her mouth out with soap when she fibs!? (that could use up a lot of soap!) Anyway, mom, I'm just kidding about the soap....

So this is what my mom sent:

Yesterday was John McCain's 72nd birthday. If elected, he'd be the oldest president ever inaugurated. And after months of slamming Barack Obama for "inexperience," here's who John McCain has chosen to be one heartbeat away from the presidency: a right-wing religious conservative with no foreign policy experience, who until recently was mayor of a town of 9,000 people.

Huh?

Who is Sarah Palin? Here's some basic background:

She was elected Alaska's governor a little over a year and a half ago. Her previous office was mayor of Wasilla, a small town outside Anchorage. She has no foreign policy experience.1

Palin is strongly anti-choice, opposing abortion even in the case of rape or incest.2

She supported right-wing extremist Pat Buchanan for president in 2000. 3
Palin thinks creationism should be taught in public schools.4

She's doesn't think humans are the cause of climate change.5

She's solidly in line with John McCain's "Big Oil first" energy policy. She's pushed hard for more oil drilling and says renewables won't be ready for years. She also sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered species—she was worried it would interfere with more oil drilling in Alaska.6 How closely did John McCain vet this choice? He met Sarah Palin once at a meeting. They spoke a second time, last Sunday, when he called her about being vice-president. Then he offered her the position.7

This is information the American people need to see. Please take a moment to forward this email to your friends and family.

Sources:

1. "Sarah Palin," Wikipedia, Accessed August 29, 2008

2. "McCain Selects Anti-Choice Sarah Palin as Running Mate," NARAL Pro-Choice America, August 29, 2008

3. "Sarah Palin, Buchananite," The Nation, August 29, 2008

4. "'Creation science' enters the race," Anchorage Daily News, October 27, 2006

5. "Palin buys climate denial PR spin—ignores science," Huffington Post, August 29, 2008

6. "McCain VP Pick Completes Shift to Bush Energy Policy," Sierra Club, August 29, 2008

"Choice of Palin Promises Failed Energy Policies of the Past," League of Conservation Voters, August 29, 2008

"Protecting polar bears gets in way of drilling for oil, says governor," The Times of London, May 23, 2008

7 "McCain met Palin once before yesterday," MSNBC, August 29, 2008

Federal Government Involved In Raids On Protesters

2008-09-01T16:38:00.003-05:00

Published on Monday, September 1, 2008 by Salon.com
by Glenn Greenwald

As the police attacks on protesters in Minnesota continue -- see this video of the police swarming a bus transporting members of Earth Justice, seizing the bus and leaving the group members stranded on the side of the highway -- it appears increasingly clear that it is the Federal Government that is directing this intimidation campaign. Minnesota Public Radio reported yesterday that "the searches were led by the Ramsey County Sheriff's office. Deputies coordinated searches with the Minneapolis and St. Paul police departments and the Federal Bureau of Investigation."

Today's Star Tribune added that the raids were specifically "aided by informants planted in protest groups." Back in May, Marcy Wheeler presciently noted that the Minneapolis Joint Terrorist Task Force -- an inter-agency group of federal, state and local law enforcement led by the FBI -- was actively recruiting Minneapolis residents to serve as plants, to infiltrate "vegan groups" and other left-wing activist groups and report back to the Task Force about what they were doing. There seems to be little doubt that it was this domestic spying by the Federal Government that led to the excessive and truly despicable home assaults by the police yesterday.

So here we have a massive assault led by Federal Government law enforcement agencies on left-wing dissidents and protesters who have committed no acts of violence or illegality whatsoever, preceded by months-long espionage efforts to track what they do. And as extraordinary as that conduct is, more extraordinary is the fact that they have received virtually no attention from the national media and little outcry from anyone. And it's not difficult to see why. As the recent "overhaul" of the 30-year-old FISA law illustrated -- preceded by the endless expansion of surveillance state powers, justified first by the War on Drugs and then the War on Terror -- we've essentially decided that we want our Government to spy on us without limits. There is literally no police power that the state can exercise that will cause much protest from the political and media class and, therefore, from the citizenry.

Beyond that, there is a widespread sense that the targets of these raids deserve what they get, even if nothing they've done is remotely illegal. We love to proclaim how much we cherish our "freedoms" in the abstract, but we despise those who actually exercise them. The Constitution, right in the very First Amendment, protects free speech and free assembly precisely because those liberties are central to a healthy republic -- but we've decided that anyone who would actually express truly dissident views or do anything other than sit meekly and quietly in their homes are dirty trouble-makers up to no good, and it's therefore probably for the best if our Government keeps them in check, spies on them, even gets a little rough with them. Read rest of article here.

One Afternoon: A Whole Lot of Tomatoes!

2008-08-31T21:14:00.006-05:00

This afternoon was spent canning tomatoes from the Zephyr Cooperative organic farm in Ms Ether's fine kitchen. I'm a member, as is she. The tomatoes have just started to gush into ripeness. So we picked a bushel or so, messed up Ms Ether's kitchen, and came away with about 30 pints of lovely sauce. It's a lot of work, but feels good at the end of the day. While the tomatoes were cooking, there was time to talk politics, religion and gossip with Ms AND Mr Ether. Their two daughters would occasionally appear and contribute tidbits of wisdom. I love learning to can. It puts away good food for dark winter nights. It is a fun social time. And, it connects me with my grandmother, who canned and froze every fruit or vegetable she could get her hands on. It feels like money in the bank. Only better.

The Want of Peace

2008-08-31T20:59:00.003-05:00

Today in Meeting, I was quite upset about the SWAT team raids in St Paul, and wondered where Spirit takes us, perhaps especially when the experience of Spirit, at that time, is unpleasant. When ugly and horrible things happen like devastating hurricanes, genocide and the SWAT team raids, is this what God wants? Is this Spirit moving? I rose and shared, then sat down in pain and rather dazed. After a few minutes had passed, I opened my book of Wendell Berry poems to this:

The Want of Peace

All goes back to the earth,
and so I do not desire
pride of excess or power,
but the contenments made
by men who have hd little:
the fisherman's silence
receiving the river's grace,
the gardener's musing on rows.

I lack the peace of simple things.
I am never wholly in place.
I find no peace or grace.
We sell the world to buy fire,
our way lighted by burning men,
and that has bent my mind
and made me think of darkness
and wish for the dumb life of roots.

Go Towards the Motion

2008-08-30T13:40:00.005-05:00

Bayard Rustin (above, click to make it bigger, it's worth it!) was a major figure in the Civil Rights movement. Although most everyone gives Dr King credit for the 1963 March on Washington, it was Rustin who did the lions share of the organizing. A black, gay, Quaker activist, Rustin left his mark on so many progressive movements. He argued. He struggled with his peers, and with his own demons. Made the mistakes we humans make. But he MOVED while he argued, struggled and took some harsh criticism.

As I look at the upcoming presidential campaign, I think of Rustin. I wonder what he'd be thinking and saying and doing. Would he chastise Obama for not being perfect and distance himself? I think not. What Rustin said once has stuck with me. Referring to progressive activism, he said "Got TOWARDS the motion" if you want progressive change to occur. Move. So my thought would be that he'd have some strong, eloquent criticisms, but he'd move TOWARDS Obama and engage rather than pout and go write a book or something. Becuase THAT is where the motion currently lives. Instead of going on TV to attack, like so many cowards do.

I've been noticing lots of talk about Obama on a wide variety of progressive blogs. Lots of stuff that usually comes out saying somethin like "I don't like everything he's saying, but I'll vote for him...I guess. Sigh" These long conversations keep happening. People spend too much time listening to the pundits, reading their favorite progressive blogs, patting themselves on the back, and criticizimg Obama for not being perfect. Which of course he's not! So who's out there, knocking on doors, phone banking, in places like Mauston or Reedsburg in more rural, conservative Wisconsin? Or are people sitting at home, watching the tube and doing nothing? I have been doing too much nothing. Rustin's challenge to me and to all of us is to "move towaqrds the motion". Which means to engage, to raise the energy, to make change. Real change. Speeches don't make change. They aren't change. The good speeches move people in deep places, put them in touch with their desires...for change from the horrible course we've been traveling as a country.

Like the Gatorade commerials that ask " Is IT in you?" Change IS IN YOU! Change is in me. It's moving towards the motion of life. To choose McCain is to choose death. There's not much motion in the McCain campaign. So I'm challenging myself-----and everyone who calls themselves liberal or progressive OR conservative, to move towards the motion and do more than waste energy in intellectual vaudeville.

Move towards the motion.

Children of Katrina Still Bear the Scars

2008-08-24T19:50:00.002-05:00

by Leonard Pitts, Jr.
Published on Sunday, August 24, 2008 by the Miami Herald (Florida)

You cannot watch Laura Belsey’s movie without ruminating upon the myriad ways we fail our young.

There are many wrenching scenes in Katrina’s Children but arguably the most wrenching is not the girl crying because the hurricane left her so fearful of water she can no longer swim, or the boys touring the wreckage that once was home, or the children recalling how corpses floated by, writhing with maggots, bursting open. No, the most wrenching scene comes when Tyronieshia tries to read.

She pauses before the sign warning of penalties for bringing firearms onto the elementary school campus — yes, they need a ”no guns” sign at an elementary school — but she can’t read it. She struggles to do so, but it’s no use. She can’t decipher ”carrying,” can’t figure out “firearms.”

Everyone failed her.

Ten years old and she was already well on the way to illiteracy and the life of don’t have and can’t get that usually comes with it. And you realize, here is a child who was failed by her school, failed by her community, failed by her family. Then, three years ago this week, the storm came and she was failed by everything else.

Katrina’s Children is not coming soon to a theater near you. It can, however, be purchased online (www.katrinaschildren.com). A portion of the proceeds go to help children’s programs in New Orleans.

See it if you can. It will claw at your heart.

There is no footage of the hurricane in it, no shots of rooftop rescues or chaos at the Superdome. There is no narration, no talking heads, virtually no adults whatsoever. Instead, there are the children, drawing pictures of the day their city drowned, telling how it feels to leave or lose everything you’ve ever known, walking you through the debris and the detritus, weeping, and wondering why it happened. They are white and black and one Vietnamese girl, children of various economic strata, some precocious and verbal, some so ill-spoken, so isolated from the mainstream, that their English requires subtitles.

All of them indelibly scarred.

”It was interesting when we screened the film for some of the parents and the kids,” says Belsey, the 42-year-old New York filmmaker who directed Katrina’s Children. “The parents were really moved. They had no idea the kids were thinking those thoughts. It just goes to show that if you take the time and pay attention and if you’re quiet enough . . . you hear things.”

But when are we that quiet?

We cry out at as the famous for nothing live their train wreck lives or the ballplayer runs for daylight or the TV news tells us about this week’s missing coed, but we fail to hear the quiet, painful sound of Tyronieshia trying to read.

Then a mammoth storm swallows an American city whole. And some of us cry out that liberals should not send help to a red state, or that God allowed the storm because New Orleans is too tolerant of homosexuals, or that this tragedy proves certain people are lazy and welfare-dependent. But we fail to hear Erica, who is 10, weeping because she saw babies die in the convention center’s heat and stench.

We forget that children are in the room sometimes. We push our agendas and assign our blame and impose our narratives and forget that they are right there, taking it in. Yet, if some of them were failed by schools, community and family, all were failed by the Army Corps of Engineers, the mayor, the governor, the emergency management director and the president. And don’t think they don’t know.

Maybe you take that as the cue to circle your wagons of race or politics. Well, Erica, who saw babies die, sees an imperative beyond that. She drew a picture, a mosaic of faces in rainbow colors, combining into a single image. A single destiny. With a little one’s gift for clarifying and purifying that which stymies and stupefies adults, she calls her drawing All In One.

And the prophet was right. A little child shall lead them.

Labyrinth

2008-08-24T15:15:00.001-05:00

Sunset in the labyrinth.
The crack between worlds
some say.
When day shifts to night.
Dew is forming
and floats to my nose
with the spirits
and the questions
God urges me on
with you just ahead.
We dance our questions
God reminds me (again)
that my wound is my gift.
(will I EVER get this!)
And I see my Dad walking along the periphery
keeping pace and still smoking, I see.
But not entering the labyrinth.
God tells me he’s sent me angels
at various times during my life.
They only help
If you believe, says God.

At the center, a figure carved in stone.
Jesus. Mother Mary. Buddha. Muhammad.
It doesn’t matter.
The figure looks off balance.
I feel an urge to straighten it so it won’t fall over.
But I can’t reach out.
It’s scary somehow.
To see imperfection in something we want to believe
is perfect.

8-24-08

Sparkly Raincoat

2008-08-24T14:35:00.002-05:00

Snorkeling down
into the river.
Something yellow,
like a sparkly raincoat
sinking towards the muddy bottom.
I wanted it in my hands.
Very much.
Trying to dive
I couldn’t hold my breath any longer.
Choking.
I rose to the surface.

Later in the day
after a rest
I went back to look for it.
But the river was empty.
She said the tide is out,
the water will be back.

I doubt it,
I said.
And walked off the bridge.
Not planning to return.

8-24-08

The Fast Track to Slow Food

2008-08-22T19:20:00.002-05:00

by Kerry Trueman
Published on Friday, August 22, 2008 by The Huffington Post

Look, I hate the military-industrial complex as much as the next hemp-seed snacking, kombucha-brewing, raw-milk swigging real food revolutionary. After all, they're the ones who saturated our soil with their surplus nitrogen in the wake of World War II, reversing generations of careful land stewardship in the name of moving forward. They declared corn King, and turned our supermarkets into minefields littered with fat, salt and sugar bombs. Our blown-up kids? Just collateral damage in the eternal battle to boost Big Food's bottom line.

But a funny thing happened on the way to Agribiz ascendancy; the same military-industrial complex that locked us into this fuel-ish food chain also gave us the key to free ourselves--the Internet. Presumably, the Department of Defense didn't develop this technology in order to empower citizen activists, but isn't it nice to finally have an unintended consequence we can cheer about? Unlike, say, cross-contamination from genetically modified crops, or E. coli-tainted produce, or fertilizer-fed algae blooms or--oh, nevermind.

The Internet has proved to be extremely fertile ground for the good food movement, nurturing a virtual community of sustainably minded farmers, foodies, and activists. Websites championing the agrarian agenda are sprouting up everywhere, like Roundup-resistant super weeds, ready to take on the unsustainable status quo. Rest of article here.

My Dad and the Duke

2008-08-22T14:56:00.003-05:00

Listening to the Duke
on my IPod the other day
my dad came to mind.

I imagined him dancing to Duke
and his orchestra.
Mabye at the Aragon in Chicago.
Possible steamy,
much like today.

I see my dad dancing
smiling and laughing
as his young body
shook and glided through the haze
of cigarette smoke and humid Chicago.

That’s in my mind.
But I recall seeing my dad dance.
just once.
At my brother’s wedding.
I’d always thought he was
very clumsy
and not an athlete.
Usually sitting around
and smoking himself towards the emphysema that killed him
twenty years later.

But that nigtht
he danced with my mom.
They were recently divorced.
But they still made quite a couple.
My mom had a look of surprise on her face.
My dad a look of joy and confidence
I’d never seen before.

As Duke himself used to say: “If it feels good,
it is good.

8-22-08

Legos

2008-08-22T14:49:00.003-05:00

When I was in a dark place
and scared
and God wasn’t’ there
for me.
I’d play Legos with my son, age 5.

We’d build and build and talk and mutter.
I constructed huge walls and castles.
I felt safe.
Or I imagined I was safe.
Almost as good.

My son said suddenly, “Daddy are you worried?”
Safe for the moment behind the Legos
I said “No”.

8-22-08

My Army Toothbrush

2008-08-21T17:54:00.003-05:00

This afternoon I took a break to get a soda out of the machine and noticed the new students, Veterinary Class of 2012 getting oriented. There were table after table representing various Vet Student groups: Large Animal Club, Equine Club, Ethics Club, Gay and Lesbian Support Organziation. On they went. Around the corner, sitting all by his lonesome was a man in uniform, representing the Army. I went over to talk with him. As I approached, I spied several traveling Army toothbrushes. I took a couple. My tax dollars, I thought. The building manager was standing there talking to the recruiter. I made a joke: "Are you going to sign up, Tom?" He laughed and said he'd already been in the Navy and besides he was too old. "But you're not", said the Army man, pointing a beefy finger at me. "And", he went on, "I can get you a $65,000 bonus just for signing up." I asked him if I'd have to go to Iraq. He averted his eyes and said "Maybe". I don't like the idea of the Army recruiting in my Vet School. It worries me. A little later, as a joke, I told my story in the lab to my boss. I told him the Army guy had offered me all this money and laughingly asked him what HE might offer! He said something like "I'll offer you an ad in the paper for someone to replace you for less money than that!", he said with a laugh. (at least I think he was laughing!)

Maybe I shouldn't be so quick to put down the Army Veterinary Corp.

After all, it has a long history and.....a veterinary education is really expensive these days. The average vet student graduates with a debt of over $80,000. But Army veterinarians do go to Iraq. And they do get killed. And it's a tragedy and a waste, like this ridiculous and cruel war. And the cruel ruses the Army uses to get it's cannon fodder.

I went back to the young student at the Ethics Club table and asked her how she felt, ethically, about having the recruiter here. She said she had her views and he had his. But she wouldn't say what her views were. And the silence about the war goes on. I'm planning a letter to the Dean about my feelings. Will anything happen? I doubt it. The Army will still come. People will still go. People will stay silent. People will still die. Support the troops. And with my Army toothbrush, I can make war (and prevail) in the ongoing battle against my dental enemies. They hate us for our clean, white smiles.

And yes, Army veterinarians do go to Iraq, and the tragedy continues.....and I honestly mean no disrespect to this man or the people who loved him, but the lies continue to be believed. And people continue to die. You don't need the excuse of a war to go vaccinate a country's cattle.

U.S. Army veterinarian killed in action
Lt. Col. Holland the first Veterinary Corps casualty of Iraqi Freedom

Marines, soldiers, sailors, airmen, and civilians gathered May 24 at Camp Liberty in Baghdad for a memorial service honoring Lt. Col. Daniel E. Holland. The U.S. Army veterinarian, along with three other soldiers and a civilian interpreter, died May 18 of injuries sustained that day when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee during combat operations in Baghdad.

Lieutenant Colonel Holland, 43, was serving on a Civil Affairs humanitarian mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom while assigned to the 352nd Civil Affairs Command, based out of Fort Bragg, N.C. He is the only member of the Veterinary Corps to die in a combat setting in recent years.

Brigadier General Michael Cates, chief of the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps, said, "Truly outstanding as a soldier, leader, Christian, husband, father, colleague, and friend, Daniel epitomized all Army values and was one of our finest Army Veterinary Corps officers. He believed strongly in what he did and (in what) our military veterinary personnel have been doing and are continuing to do, and dangerous assignments did not sway him from his duty.
"Daniel has set an extraordinary example in Iraq, just as he has done everywhere he has been, for all of us to follow."

The mission that ultimately took Lt. Col. Holland's life was one he considered vital to the future of Iraq, according to Lt. Col. William Woods, his commander. His mission was to evaluate Iraqi sites relative to public health, veterinary medicine, animal health, and agriculture. Lieutenant Colonel Woods said, "He died trying to help Iraqi farmers with their livestock."

Lieutenant Colonel Holland grew up in a military family and once described his commissioning in the Army as a dream come true. "Where else could a person swim with dolphins, jump out of airplanes, and help people in faraway countries take better care of their animals?" he asked. (umm, I could think of some other places.....)

Commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps Program, he received his DVM degree in 1988 from Oklahoma State University and entered active duty as a Veterinary Corps officer.

Grace

2008-08-18T15:46:00.003-05:00

In Meeting for Worship yesterday, I opened my Wendell Berry book to this poem.

It's introduced as being "for Gurney Norman,quoting him". Not sure who Gurney Norman might be, but here it is...

The woods is shining this morning.
Red, gold and green, the leaves
lie on the ground, or fall,
or hang full of light in the air still.
Perfect in its rise and in its fall, it takes
the place it has been coming to forever.
It has not hastened here, or lagged.
See how surely it has sought itslf,
its roots passing lordly through the earh.
See how without confusion it is
all that it is, and how flawless
its grace is. Runing or walking, the way
is the same. be still. Be still.
"He moves your bones, and the way is clear."

John McCain's Illegiitimate son revealed

2008-08-11T22:05:00.004-05:00

Enterprising reporter that I am, I've dredged up some shcoking information about John McCain's past. I hate to break it to you folks, but he's not what he has trouble pretending to be. To some, this may seem unblievable. To others it's a perverted blend of fact and fiction. But isn't that what politics is all about?

Now to the heart of the matter. Mr McCain's son from a previous affair (not the current one) is....Draco Malfoy!

Mr McCain grew up, not as a McCain but as a Dursley, as this startling photo reveals, McCain is not his real name. In fact, he grew up with the Dursleys, and was called Dudley.

McCain makes a lot out of his POW experiences, all that harsh interrogation and stuff. It has come to my attention that Severus Snape, former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was busy putting McCain under the Imperious curse.

It's a forbidden curse, but those Republicans will stop at nothing. The Imperious curse allows the perosn who casts it to control the actions of important people. McCain is obviously under this curse: hundred years of war, no chld develpment plans, doesn't even know where Africa is on the map. I could go on, but I would quicly bore even the most loyal of my readers. All I can say is beware! John McCain, fact or fiction.

Seasons

2008-08-11T20:35:00.006-05:00

This weekend the temperature dropped to 50 one night and it's only August. A reminder that fall is coming soon. Poodledoc, Jr is unhappy when I use the S word. He wants summer to go on forever. I always did when I was a kid.
But now, I'm in a different season both in the present sense and in my life. Yesterday, I froze 6quarts each of yellow and green beans. I cooked down a huge pot of just picked tomatoes, just picked onions and green peppers into a tasty pasta sauce. I froze another 6quarts of that concoction, but not before having Poodledoc, Jr smell a just opened, just picked sweet green pepper. Newborn.

All on top of the pesto from the previous weekend. Wow! I'm running out of room in my freezer compartment. Oh no! I need to save room for coffee, at least...

As to the season of my life? It ain't spring. Maybe feels like late summer. I'm uncertain about he season of my life. Something to contemplate before the ragweed pollen rises up like a beast to disturb my nasal passages. But for now, it's harvest time. Eating the wealth of the land which bonds me to the soil that many people refer to as "dirt".

A Poem for Quaker Meeting-8/10/08

2008-08-11T20:06:00.003-05:00

Often, when I go into Quaker Meeting for Worship, I'll bring a book, something of spiritual importance to me. Something I feel can teach me something. But mostly a book that will help me move into a space where I am open to God. Or at least closer to that place. Usually, I just open the book randomly and read the passage or poem or verse that opens before my eyes. Today I took a book of Wendell Berry poems, and opened to the following, which fit just fine.....

To the Unseeable Animal

Being, whose flesh dissolves
at our glance, knower
of the secret sums and measures,
you are always here,
dwelling in the oldest sycamores,
visiting the faithful springs
when they are dark annd the foxes have crept to their edges.
I have come upon pools
in streams, places overgrown
with the woods' shadow,
where I knew you had rested,
watching the little fish
hang still in the flow;
as I approached they seemed
particles of your clear mind
disappearing among the rocks.
I have walked deep in the woods
in the early morning, sure
that while I slept
your gaze passed over me.
That we do not know you
is your perfection
and our hope. The darkness
keeps us near you.

McCain the Antichrist?

2008-08-09T17:09:00.002-05:00

by Robert Dreyfuss
Published on Friday, August 8, 2008 by The Nation

Wow, I never realized the Antichrist was likely to be a Romanian. What canst thou say?

Biblical scholars in Colorado Springs have uncovered startling evidence that Senator John McCain may be the Antichrist. Their conclusions, while highly controversial, may have a dramatic impact on the 2008 elections, since many Bible-believing Christians have already expressed doubts about McCain’s fealty to Christianity.

The analysis was conducted by the respected True Bible Society, and it will be published next month in the End Times Journal.

The analysis was especially ironic, given that it came out just one day after McCain was accused of subtly hinting that Barack Obama could be the Antichrist. McCain ran a commercial depicting Obama as “The One,” giving rise to charges that he was sending a subliminal messages to anti-Obama Christians.

“What started us looking at this issue is the fact that Senator McCain has declared his intention to maintain US forces in Iraq for a hundred years,” said David Jenkins, a leading Biblical scholar. “That means that McCain wants to control Babylon for at least a century.” According to many scholars of the Book of Revelation, the Antichrist will try to rebuild the ancient city of Babylon in order to use it as a springboard for an international effort at world domination. Ultimately, the Antichrist will marshal forces from Babylon to spark a showdown with Christian and Jewish-led forces in the battle of Armageddon.

“We believe that the End Times is near, based on the pattern of wars, earthquakes. and other strange phenomena we’ve been witnessing since the start of the New Millennium,” said Jenkins. “Given that it may be imminent, the person who controls Babylon must be the Antichrist.” Until 2003, many Christians believed that Saddam Hussein might be the Antichrist, since he started excavations to restore Babylon in the mid 1970s. But Hussein’s death meant that the Antichrist is someone else. Since Obama wants to get out of Iraq, he can’t be the Antichrist either, concluded Jenkins.

Jenkins said his teams suspicions were further heightened when genealogical research showed that McCain’s great-grandfather was actually not John McCain, but John Mihai. Mihai is an ancient Romanian name, and according to Bible-believing Christians, the Antichrist is likely to be a Romanian. “What clinched it for us was that the name Mihai means ‘who is like the Lord,’” said Jenkins. “As far as we’re concerned, that was enough. It means that McCain might easily pretend to be the Redeemer.”

McCain’s geniality and folksiness are consistent with his being the Antichrist, Jenkins said. “Many people think that the Antichrist will be a evil-seeming leader, but in fact the Bible tells us that he will be charming.”
So far the McCain campaign has refused to comment on Jenkins’ study.

Robert Dreyfuss, a Nation contributing editor, is an investigative journalist in Alexandria, Virginia, specializing in politics and national security. He is the author of Devil’s Game: How the United States Helped Unleash Fundamentalist Islam and is a frequent contributor to Rolling Stone, The American Prospect, and Mother Jones.

Copyright © 2008 The Nation

Post-Apocolyptic Summer Reading, Part 2

2008-08-08T20:30:00.005-05:00

I Am Legend
by Robert Matheson

I saw the movie first. The one starring Will Smith as Robert Neville, the last human alive in Manhattan (and perhaps the earth) after a synthesized cancer curing virus mutates and starts killing everyone. Well, almost everyone. The movie was ok, Will Smith is energetic and entertaining, there's a dog, and some zombie creatures that somehow survived the epidemic. Oh, and some really well done computer graphic work. It could have been a good movie. Maybe a great movie. They waited to bring God into the flick until the last 20 minutes. I won't say what exactly happens since I'm sure at least 4 of my 10 loyal readers will rush out to rent the movie. Plus, after I read the book, Will Smith just isn't introspective enough to play Neville. So, let's get back to the BOOK, which bears little resemblance to the movie.....

The book was penned in the 50's and bears almost no resemblance to the movie. Once again, a virus has killed off just about everyone, turning most people into vampires. Takes place in LA, there is a dog, briefly. There is a woman in the book, too, but she plays to the stereotype of the "designing woman", which I found more than a little annoying. But it plays out in the book fairly well. Oh, the zombies in the movie are actually vampires in the book. So Robert Neville spends his days running around Santa Monica driving stakes through vampires hearts. We ALL know they only come out at night, right? And he uses standard gear for warding off vampires such as mirrors, necklaces of garlic, crosses, etc. I liked the part where he wonders if a cross would ward off an Islamic vampire. (guess I'll check Wikepedia). I've asked Poodledoc, Jr this question, since he's quite an authority on vampires. He just laughs at me! Anyway, back to the book. It's way darker than the movie. Matheson has his character spend more time in hopeless moods, introspecting and also drinking heavily. The vampires are much scarier than the zombies from the movie. And in the book, Neville even offers up a prayer or two, although he doesn't seem to have much faith that any God will be there to hear. I will say that the book had some really excellent suspense writing, which I enjoyed. But as far as post-apocolyptic fiction, I wouldn't rate it very high. Creepy? Yes. Suspenseful? Yes, in places. My feeling is that both the book and the movie fail to to answer the question: Where is God?

Post-Apocolyptic Summer Reading, Part !

2008-08-08T17:39:00.004-05:00

The Road
by Cormac McCarthy

I'd always wanted to read a book by Cormac McCarthy. Not sure why. So I chose this one for my summer reading list. I found this book to be well written and a great read, especially if you are feeling a bit too....cheerful.
It tells the story of a father and son, walking along a road across an America in the throes of a nuclear winter. Little is said about the initial catastrophe. It's the results, the dregs of the horror McCarthy shows us here. And the dregs of horror are almost beyond words. Still, he uses his words to take us along with the father and son as they walk towards the coast hoping to find...........something.

It's perpetual winter. Snow falls often, quickly covered with ash. The sun does still rise on this tragedy, but it's a lighter shade of gray than the night, which is colder and darker. As I read this, I was hopeful that they'd reach the sea and there'd be this group of healthy folks, waiting to receive them, living in some sort of a dome city, still getting their mail on time. But as I read, my hopes sagged with theirs. There's not much food around, when you can't grow it. Most people have resorted to cannabilism. They are starving. At every town, they have to cautiously poke through old stores and houses, looted long ago, looking for a scrap of food, a useful tool or something they can use to keep warm. Or some fuel.

The ironic "highlight" to me is the moment they uncover a "fallout shelter" as we used to call them in my town back in the 60's. Forcing the lock, they descend into a world reminiscent of the magic cave in Aladdin. Clothes, fuel and a huge stock of canned goods. Peaches, pears, tomatoes, okrah (yuck on the last one!) After all the lack of color, the dark gray, I can imagine the colors. I can almost taste the canned peaches as the joice runs down my chin. I guess the irony for me is that when I was young, we were all instructed to build these structures and stock them in case the Russians attacked us. In this book, the shelter never gets used by it's creators. It serves only to 'save' the father and son who wonder if their existence is worse than death. Well, I guess I'd better get canning. All those tomatoes I'm about to "put up" should see me through even the harshest nuclear winter, dontcha think?

Adventures in Darkness

2008-08-04T12:08:00.001-05:00

Walking along the gravel road
Uphill
And hot
Came to a canyon
It blinked dark
The sky turned low and I was sliding
Down
Tumbling
Towards the black
Small rocks scraped
My hands
My legs
To the edge now
Wobbling vertigo
Peering down
And in.

Inky
Black
So devoid of light that it sucked the air out of my lungs.
I cried out to God
Where are you, dammit!
A strange prayer
But I felt such anger
At the deity
Who is supposed to protect me.

That’s when I saw them
In the distance of space
That I called the canyon

Stars
By the millions
And finally
I saw God.

Eldering is NOT Scolding

2008-08-03T10:24:00.004-05:00

I'm struggling with the term "Eldering" as it is used in the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). In other religions, it can mean the older, more experienced people in the spiritual group sharing their wisdom. I think some of that certainly goes on here in the Quaker world. Truly, some people's words carry more weight than other in our Meeting. Hence the somewhat humorous (to me at least) "weighty Quaker". But I'm not sure exactly what it means.

I feel there are things it is NOT. It is not scolding individuals or the Meeting as a gathered body. It is not attempting to speak FOR the Quaker Meeting. It is NOT confronting individuals who are attempting to connect with God in their own way.

But there are certain rules of conduct in Quaker Meetings. And of course, these rules can and do vary from person to person. For example, I have trouble and feel uneasy with someone singing out of the silence. That may sound strange to some, but that's me. I'll own that unease as mine. I try to be open. Am I going to scold the person and tell them I don't like this, or am I going to try to be open to God's message in the song. If the some members of the group begin to sing along, do I rise and berate the group about this? If I did, I would not call that eldering. I would call that scolding. Clearly their are modes of conduct that need to be spoke to such as conversation in Meeting for Worship. Who does that and how it is done are tough questions for me.

My sense, at this place in my life, subject to change and learning is that eldering has nothing to do with the chronological age of the eldering person. It may have more to do with the SPIRITUAl age of the person. For instance, I was in a workshop a few years ago and the leader had along a young man to elder the gathering. To keep things spiritually grounded, as she put it. I was skeptical at the time. He's so young, I thought. How can he possibly elder? Plus, he has his eyes closed for pete's sake! Several days into the workshop, I had lots of feelings come up. Some were angry feelings. I didn't speak them. After the days gathering had ended, he crossed the circle and told me he sensed I had a lot of stuff inside, struggling to get out. And I felt safe enough to finally let them come gushing out. He had his physical eyes closed, but his spiritual eyes open.

So, my understaning is that eldering seems to work best, in the Quaker sense, when the elder is connected to God. Grounded in the Spirt of God. I'm not saying that's the way it is or the way it should be. I'm saying that's my understanding and that the eldering comes to the listener as a message from God. Perhaps.

I do know one thing for sure. Eldering is NOT scolding.

Camping: A Quaker Meeting?

2008-08-03T08:41:00.004-05:00

We had a great time camping up in the lower Chequemagan National Forest, the lower area, near Medford, Wisconsin. We camped on North Twin Lake. The first couple nights were pretty quiet, with the exception of some folks enjoying fireworks. Otherwise, I liked the quiet. One night we heard a group of coyotes talking to each other. Another day, we heard the call of a loon, until someone started up their chain saw. I liked the quiet while it was thee. There was space to notice things. As in my Quaker Meeting, entering a quiet space and hearing the voice of God. This was a Quaker Meeting of sorts. And God spoke through loons and coyotes and, unfortunately, deer flies! But it was a fragile quiet. Since the National Forest land bordered on private land, sadly, there was noise at various times that blotted out that voice. Maybe it's hard to hear God on an ATV, hurling along the dirt trails. But who knows, maybe that works for someone. Not me. But even with the noise, it was a special time.

Cubs are the best.....for now!

2008-07-18T18:32:00.004-05:00

So. The Cubs are about to start the second half of the season. This is often a trying time for Cub fans. In my life experience, two Cub situations seem to occur a this point in the season. One is that they are hopelessly mired in last place or darn close. So who cares.

The other scenario is similar to this year. That is, the Cubs do GREAT during the first half of the season. For example, this year they and the Los Angeles Angels are tied for the BEST record in major league baseball. So far. Many Cub fans have seen the collapse before. 1969. The Cubs were leading the New York Mets by 10 games in August and end up losing that lead. (that got blamed on a black cat) Meanwhile, the Mets go on to win the World Series that year. So Cub fans everywhere are cringing. At this precise moment, they know that the second half of the season is starting in about 15 minutes. They know what happened in 2003 when the Cubs were 6 outs away from going to the World Series. The image below is etched in every Cub fans mind. A fan interfered with a foul ball that could've been caught. Darn! The other team that night, the Florida Marlins went on to win the World Series. Cub fans were in agony. The particular fan who interfered was forced to join the Federal Witness Protection program.

This year, we have a new manager who likes to kick his cap when things don't go his way. The umpires don't seem impressed in this photo. But 75% of baseball is theater and the umpires get to play villain some of the time.

For Cub fans, it often comes down to numbers:
1908=last time Cubs won a World Series.
1945=last time Cubs were IN a World Series.
1869=Cubs choke and lose to the Mets. The Mets????!!!!
2003=Steve Bartman interferes with certain out. Cubs choke. (Bur really, the choke can't all be blamed on Mr Bartman. Well, maybe a lot of it. haha)
2008=????????????????????

But it would be really nice to see the Cubs win a World Series this year in beautiful Wrigley Field. So, I still have hope.

Sigh!

Saying farewell to friends.........

2008-07-17T17:50:00.001-05:00

As I boarded my plane at DC's National Airport, two close friends were there to see me off! I didn't know he was that tall!

How many platypuses?

2008-07-16T22:25:00.003-05:00

How many platypuses are in this picture?

(click on picture to make it large enough to count)

The answer will be revealed in an uupcoming platypus post. In the meantime, loyal readers, go for it..........

The Garlic Awakens

2008-07-16T22:05:00.004-05:00

We planted the garlic last November. It "slept" all winter. With the thaw it "woke up" like so much does in Spring. Lst night we had a work party at Zephyr organic cooperative farm, on land owned by John, Robin and Sue. There were ten people, three dogs, and five million mosquitos, but a lot of work got done. (How DO those weeds grow so fast!) Poodledoc, Jr worked hard, side-dressing sweet corn and thinning it out sweet. People worked with concentration, sometimes alone with the plants and the soil. Other folks moved in and out of conversation. The sun was just getting ready to set when John came running up with six garlic plants that had just been born from the soil. It was exciting to see that the garlic was ready; the cloves/bulbs were huge. Then Eric came up with some newborn redskin potatoes. It is satisfying to see, at some level of the soul, the food coming out of the ground after the hard work that many people put in to make this happen. It's like a miracle.

And the dogs enjoyed themselves, too, as far as I could tell. Duke at some dirt. He said it was good.

The Boxcar Children

2008-07-16T09:34:00.006-05:00

A recent post by Luminiferous Ether reminded me of this series of books. I really enjoyed reading the first couple books back in grade school. I thought it would be cool to run away and live in a boxcar, especially when my parents would do mean things like make me clean my room, or wash the dishes! Plus, I lived by a busy railroad, so boxcars were readily available. The first book was published in 1942, with 19 written by the original author. More of the series were published by other authors, but always credited to the original author. I stole the summary of the first book for your enjoyment:

The first book tells the story of four children: Henry James Alden, 14; Jessie Alden, 12; Violet Alden, 10; Benny Alden, 4(and 6 in books not by Gertrude Chandler Warner); and their dog Watch. Upon the death of their mother and father, their grandfather assumes custody of the children, but they run away because they believe him to be cruel. Finding an abandoned boxcar, they start a new life of independence. A man named Dr. Moore, who lives in a nearby city, hires Henry to do jobs around his home, such as mowing the lawn and organizing his garage. With the help of Henry's income and living off the land, the children are able to take care of themselves until Violet becomes ill and they must go to Dr. Moore for assistance.

Earlier in the novel, Dr. Moore has read in the newspaper that a man named James Alden was offering a $5,000 reward for anyone who can locate his four lost grandchildren. When Violet is taken ill, Dr. Moore finally contacts James Alden, who arrives just after the children bring in Violet for treatment. Not wanting to frighten the children into running away again, their grandfather referred to himself as Mr. Henry (Henry being his middle name). Not knowing that the man was their "cruel" grandfather, the children warm to his kindness and are surprised but delighted when Dr. Moore reveals to them that he is their grandfather. After moving in with their grandfather, Mr. Alden moves the boxcar to his backyard for their enjoyment.
Aww, shucks!

Platypus Poems

2008-07-14T22:42:00.006-05:00

A momth or so ago our ocular pathology laboratory received two eyes from the platypus submitted by one our esteemed collaborators. It was interesting (at least to me). What kind of eyes does a platypus have? Can they see well? I knew they were mammals (I think) but were able to lay eggs. I learned that they are found only in Australia, are endangered and lactate. So, for my loyal readers, all 6 of them, I want to embark on a strange journey to share what I learn about the platypus. I'm finding politics boring and it's the All Star break in baseball so the Cubs are resting, Poodledoc, Jr is busy making art. So thought I'd start off with some poetry and see where it takes me....

The Platypus

I like the duck-billed platypus
Because it is anomalous.
I like the way it raises its family
Partly birdly, partly mammaly.
I like its independent attitude.
Let no one call it a duck-billed platitude.

by Ogden Nash

Platypus

The first Ornithorhynchus
Confused early thinkers.
They said, 'Oh good lord,
It's an obvious fraud!

Someone has stuck
The front end of a duck
(With the skill of a weaver)
To part of a beaver.

It's no less fake
Than the mermaids they make
From a fish and an ape-
A rediculous jape!

We now know it's real
Though i can't help but feel
That from tail tip to muzzle,
It is still a puzzle.

by R Strahan

(Copied from "The Incomplete Book of Australian Mammals")

McCain 'elated' at Green Party announcement

2008-07-13T17:53:00.004-05:00

(AP)-Helena, MT. During a town hall style meeting, in Wheeler, a Helena, MT suburb, presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain said today that he was "elated" at the announcement by former Georgia congresswoman Cynthia McKinney that she would campaign as the Green Party's candidate for president. McCain, obviously pleased, told the crowd of cheering admirers that "she can do for us in 2008 what Nader did for us in 2000 and help us win a close election. Heck, we won't even NEED to steal Florida!!!!"
A McCain political stratagist, Reggie McCloud, told this reporter that "we were actually worried a couple years ago that the Green Party might start planning immediately following the 2004 Bush win and build a viable third party that might actually hurt us." Luckily, he added "they tend to do things at the last minute based on ego instead of practicality in the Green Party, so all they'll really do is hurt the Dems which will make my job a heck of a lot easier".
McKinney's campaign manager, Arnold Mcwannabe, called this talk "a bunch of twaddle". "The Republicans stole that election and they stole 2004, so we need to run to keep America honest since the Democrats have shown no willingness to make change". When asked if McKinney would consider a vice presidential spot with Obama, Mr Mcwannabe called this "a bunch of twaddle". Dr Arnold Schwebble, a professor of political science at Georgetown University feels that "this will hurt the Democrats as disaffected voters will go for the Greens, leaving the country in the grips of the Republicans." Our country "will continue to suffer" for the Green Party's "foolishness". As my mom would say, time will tell.

Of course, some people feel there is no difference between the Democrats and Republicans so what does it matter if they vote for McKinney and the Greens? "They're ALL a bunch of crooks", said Bill Richards, of Madison, WI, who told me he was planning to write in his dog, Misty, since at least Misty "didn't lie to him all the time."

Quaker Wedding

2008-07-06T20:18:00.004-05:00

The good news: I asked my friend J to marry me and she said YES! I'm very happy about this wonderful development in my life!!!!! We are planning to have a Quaker wedding. No date has been set. Contrary to popular belief, my poodle will NOT be the ring bearer. I think he's planning on making deviled eggs.

FGC: Needles for Peace

2008-07-02T21:41:00.001-05:00

I went to a talk the other night at the Gathering. A woman, a healer, was talking about her experiences doing healing with acupuncture at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on returning vets from Iraq and Afghanistan. She also does acupuncture work on the nurses and doctors at that hospital. Healing the healers She told some amazing stories. Stories about soldiers with PTSD, loosening, releasing the pain from their experiences. Her point was that she was working to keep the violence and pain that these soldiers carried from spreading out into the community, into abuse, into drug addictions, incarceration and suicide. She is acting on a leading, which is word that we Quakers use to label a “directive” from God that the individual explores. It’s a spiritual path. She talked about that leading. She calls her work “peace work”. I agree. She is bringing peace. She is calming a storm. I was deeply moved.

However, a question keeps nagging at me. I feel embarrassed in a way, like I should let this question slip into some void where awkward questions too often end up. The question is: Does this work enable the war machine? Does it support the horror in the Middle East? She is “seeing God in everyone” and acting on that. So why am I bothered by it? Can’t I just say she is doing wonders and making a terrible situation less terrible? This is my struggle on this. If I can pluck up the courage, I’d like to talk with her. We shall see.

FGC: Taking it personally

2008-07-02T21:39:00.001-05:00

I went to hear Reverend James Lawson the other night. The Reverend talked extensively about his work in the Civil Rights movement. He has had many amazing experience, some of which he shared

He talked for well over an hour and a half I thought of leaving, but felt like I owed him that much, to listen to him. So I did. The problem was that he energized the crowd, at first. Then he kept talking and the energy in the crowd sagged.

A big point he made repeatedly was that racism was still very much alive, even in the North. This was not news to me, sadly.

What bothered me that when he would tell his stories of ongoing racism to the 99.5% white crowd, he kept saying not to “take it personllay”, as if he didn’t want to offend. This, too me, made his talk very hollow. I think we all neeed totak it personally. Not to sit around and wallow in “white guilt” but to look at our own racism and take steps to make a difference.

FGC: Point of perspective.

2008-07-02T21:34:00.001-05:00

In my workshop today, the facilitator asked us to meditate on the difference between “Scared Awful” and “Sacred Awe-Full”. I’ve thought about this before, but not in exactly this way. I have no particular words of wisdom, but thought I’d share. Guess it all depends on your perspective. Or does it? Both exist in one’s soul at the same time and there’s a usually a choice but sometimes there isn’t.. At that point, the person might find themselves in severe depression. Scared Awful. Biochemistry or difficult life events may “take the wheel” of choice away for a short time. Or a long time. I’ve spent significant amounts of time in these two places. Scared Awful. Sacred Awe-Full. Yin. Yang. Light. Dark.

The History of the Ukulele

2008-07-01T21:23:00.002-05:00

The story of the ukulele actually began in Portugal. In the summer of 1870, a boat arrived in Honolulu Harbor with 410 immigrants from the Portuguese island of Madeira. Upon arrival, one of the passengers, Joao Fernandez, began entertaining by standers by playing a 4-string Portuguese instrument called a braguinha. In short order, the islanders became enchanted with the little instrument and promptly renamed it---ukulele. Pronounced oo-koo-le-le (and still to this day, pronounced this way in Hawaii), the name was Hawaiian for “jumping flea,” which is exactly how the islander described the effect of a player’s finger “jumping around the fret board.

Manual Nunez, another Madeiran, played a major role in transforming the braguinha into the modern day ukulele. Some of his refinements included replacing the steel strings with gut strings and altering the tuning slightly to allow for easier chord formation. Along with some of the other great Hawaiian ukulele makers, Dias, and later, Santo, Kumalae and Kamaka, he discovered that the local koa tree produced a wood that was exceptionally light and resonant for uke manufacturing.

Hawaiian royalty also played a big part in the popularizing of the ukulele. King David Kalakaua, Queen Emma and the future Queen Liliuokalani (who later wrote the famous Hawaiian song “ Aloha Oe”) were all great ukulele admirers.

In 1915, Hawaii invested $100, 000 in their Pavilion at the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, and thousands of Americans heard the ukulele for the first time. In 1916, the Victor Record Company sold more Hawaiian records than any other style of music. U.S. guitar makers, sensing a new market, jumped in with their own uke designs. Companies like Martin, Gibson and National Resonator are three companies whose early ukes have become quite collectible. The ‘20’s saw the emergence of two of the great uke players: both Roy Smeck and Cliff Edwards (Ukulele Ike) were considered “pop stars” of their time. Because of their efforts, much of the sheet music in the “20’s and ‘30’s featured ukulele chord diagrams.

Thanks to Arthur Godfrey, more waves of ukulele popularity occurred in the ‘40s- and in the ‘50’s, as a result of the sale of millions of low-cost plastic ukuleles designed by Mario Maccaferri.

Now there are only a handful of ukulele manufacturerers (Kamak is one of the few remaining Hawaiian makers). However, like you, there are still many avid ukulele fans. The annual Ukulele Festival in Hawaii continues to introduce new crops of children and teens to the joys of the uke. Japan, Canada and England are big uke markets and in the mainland U.S., cities like Los Angeles can boast as many as three active ukulele clubs.

---author unknown

FGC Ukelele

2008-06-29T13:19:00.003-05:00

Poodledoc, jr and our friend Muir arrived here at FGC yesterday. We were grumpy (well, Muir wasn't). It had been a two day car ride through Chicago road construction. We got here, and lots of folks were tired. Lots of frazzled Quakers. Finally getting a chance to sit down (and do Poodledoc, Jr's 3 metric tons of dirty laundry). Trying to avoid going to the FGC Bookstore. Ha! That won't last.

Poodledoc, jr is taking a ukelele workshop and really enjoying. After his fir session this morning, he'd learned two songs. He's working on "Stairway to Heaven". He's thinking of buying one for the trip home. That should be fun.

But, all kidding aside, the much maligned ukelele has a serious history. But maybe I'll save that for another post. My laundry is almost done!

Off to FGC!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-06-25T21:36:00.005-05:00

No, we don't have an ice hockey team.

No, we don't make oats or dress like the Quaker Oats guy. Plus, we dont' all look so....jolly.

But we do try to take stands for social justice in many areas.....

Friday morning it's off to pick up Poodledoc, Jr from Camp Itchybottom up north. Then it's off to Johnstown, PA for the week long Friends General Conference Gathering. It's an annual event that brings together Quakers from all over. It's a week of fun, workshops, worship, seeing old friends, and making new ones. I'm taking a workshop entitled "Courage for the Dark Nights and Deserts". The description reads in part: "Faith journeys include periods of fear, dryness, reproof, and doubt. Courage and understanding help. This workshop is designed to build up both our collective courage and our Quaker understanding". Who knows what will happen?

Congress Votes to “do absolutely nothing”

2008-06-24T18:05:00.001-05:00

In what some see as a surprise move, The U.S. House of Representatives passed House Bill 666 which stipulates, in part, that Congress will “do absolutely nothing” for the rest of President George W. Bush’s term. The bill passed by a resounding 356 to 1 vote, the lone “neigh” vote was cast by Sparky, a former draft horse representing western Nebraska. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) told a packed press conference that the way to fight the Bush administration’s possible wrongdoings “is not by impeachment, which is, frankly, a lot of hard work, but by simply doing nothing!” One reporter asked Pelosi if maybe Congress had already been doing nothing for the last 7.5 years of the Bush Administration. Pelosi, visibly angered shouted at the questioner, “This IS taking action! We are ACTIVELY doing absolutely nothing! No longer will we sit by passively while the Bush Administration perpetrates high crimes and misdemeanors. The people want change----well that’s a change!”

The bill, which has options for extensions, is expected to pass the Senate easily. Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) was quoted saying the “only worry is whether the President will sign this bill”.

McCain, reached for comment in his headquarters somewhere in Wyoming felt this was good for the country. “If Congress does nothing”, he stated, “it saves the American taxpayer lots of money to use for gas, which will solve our energy problems.”

Obama stated that when he was a street organizer in Chicago, “doing nothing was NOT an option”. Speaking to a roaring crowd of supporters at Yankee Stadium in New York, he said “this is the change we need. We need for Congress to take the bull by the horns and ACTIVELY do nothing! No more passively doing nothing while this country loses its moral compass. I say to you today, this IS the kind of change we need in this country and if elected, you will see this change through my administration!”

Reaction was swift across the heartland. One politically active teacher in Madison, Wisconsin commented to this reporter that “I’m moving to Newfoundland”. Her husband added “It sucks”.

So, what does the future hold for Congress? Apparently, not much. In the words of Ralph Nader: “Congress is irrelevant and in addition, they’re not very nice to me!”

Happy Solstice!

2008-06-21T07:50:00.003-05:00

Happy Solstice everyone!

For me, this is a day where I celebrate change in my life and pnder the changes to come. A time to meditate on where I've been and where I think I might be headed. What does solstice mean to you?

It all opened up

2008-06-21T07:44:00.002-05:00

Camped in a clearing
for over a year.
Maybe more.
The nightly ritual campfire was blazing.
That particular night
I stoked it higher than usual.
Maybe because I’d felt eyes watching me all day.
Scarier at night.
That’s when the voices started in
oozing from the many wounds in my soul.
Crying out at once.
Some kind of terror.
Throbbing heart
with blood pumping.

A single voice sounded out from the cacophony
And clearly said: jump in the fire.
The tone of this voice
was different.
I trusted it, although even today I don’t know why.
And I jumped right on in.
Surprisingly,
the flames felt cool.
The coolness burned away my clothes,
My flesh, my bones.
Still no pain. No more fear.

I became smoke,
soaring.
Into the Milky Way, mingling with stars.
More darkness for a time,
I felt myself tumbling through the sky.

Heading east
into the sunrise
where the Light
pierced me,
an x ray into my soul.

I squinted into the light and warmth of the sun
and it all opened up.

5-26-08