Eye of the Storm

Tags

American History, Barack Obama, Benjamin Franklin, bible, bonsai, Crafts, crochet, Election 2008, Father's Day, founding fathers, fundamentalism, Gardening, gay rights, immigration, Iowa, Iraq, Jewish Messianics, John McCain, Media, Military, Muslims, Myanmar, PTSD, religion, Veterans

Rene Magritte did this exceptional painting in 1928, oil on canvas. It is called the “False Mirror.” It is found at MoMA. I am going to need some pondering time on this I think.

Well a dark and dreary morning and it’s been a pretty constant shower since. But this has been that kind of spring it seems with only a few nice days in all. The Contrarian was hoping to do some more planting of peas and beans but alas that option is out, and neither of us feels like shopping in the rain. Tomorrow doesn’t look a lot better, but we shall go in any event.

It’s delightful to be in a sparkling home again. It lifts my spirits a good deal all by itself. I shall soon have to think about starting the painting. We have everything ready to go, so I really cannot delay. I’m planning on essentially repainting the entire house mostly by the end of the fall. Dinner is awaiting a warm up in the oven. I did a Tex-Mex dish of black beans, ground round, onions, chipolte sauce, tomato sauce, jalapenos, and pepper jack cheese all to be ladled over corn chips with sour cream, salsa and avocado. No fresh cilantro or I’d make more homemade salsa as well.

I don’t know much about this Digg button. If you hit it, it takes you to my post on Digg but I think you must register to diggit or post a comment, so I don’t know if it’s worth it. I guess I’m obsessive or something. I sometimes feel I’m spending a lot of time to no effect. I seem to have reasonable visits, but few comments any more, so maybe I have substantially over estimated my own value, LOL. But i realize how time consuming it is just to read things, commenting takes even more time and I know that most days, I can do little more than 5 or 6 myself.  I recall that blog advisers suggest that you cannot have a very accurate understanding of how well you are doing until a good year has gone by, and I’m only three months into it. I need patience and in some things, I have very little.

I digress. Let’s get on with the news:

~~~&&&~~~&&&~~~

Sandi’s Crochet Blog has a cute little purse and the pattern to make  from rainbow yarn. That’s what I call it anyway. It’s yarn with about four colors so you get this really neat self-striping. I’ve sent you to the main page and you can access the pattern from there.

While California and Massachusetts have moved into modern times on the issue of homosexuality, and New York we hear, promises to honor legal gay marriages, Oklahoma seems intent on taking us backwards into bigotry. Alternet informs us that xenophobia is alive and well in that state as right-wingers continue to force legislation through an apparently willing state legislature. It is not just anti-gay legislation either, but anti-Muslim, anti-immigration, and even backs students carrying guns. Things have gone off track as Republicans have their way and timid Dems sit and watch. Thankfully middle of the road Christian leadership is refusing to obey the extreme anti-immigration laws. Read it and weep friends.

Benjamin Franklin might best be described spiritually, as a seeker. He flirted with polytheism, deism and others over his life time. American Revolution Blog has an impressive report on this man, one of our favorite founding fathers. He was complex and opinionated and thoroughly brilliant. Drop by and learn more about the singularly talented man.

I am old enough to remember the Mickey Mouse Show when it was original with Annette and Bobby and all the rest. But I don’t remember the ditty about proverbs. Britannica Blog has a fun little post on how true parables actually are. I think you might get a kick out of it.

Of course I have told you this before, but I can understand if you were not quite sure it was believable. You see, fundamentalism comes in all relgiious flavors. And Judaism is no exception. It seems that some Jewish messianic types in Israel recently got caught burning a whole lot of New Testaments. Blue Girl Red State has the story. So you see, crazy wingnut religious types are not just the province of Muslims and Christians. The Jews have their own nut cases to contend with. Perhaps the same can be said of Buddhists and Hindus as well, but I have yet to see any evidence. Enlighten me if you can.

Catholic Anarchy has a fine review of Danial Berrigan’s latest book, The Kings and Their Gods: The Pathology of Power. Berrigan’s real talent is in drawing comparisons between biblical stories and today’s world. The review seems quite positive. I’ve seen this book mentioned a few times now, have not sought it myself, though I may, but I would urge you to take a look at the review and decide whether you think its worth your money. I think it well may be.

Sally’s Gardening Tips has a downloadable book for those who love bonsai and always fail at it. I’m told that that is part of the business of trying to grow them. I have seen some of  the most exquisite plantings imaginable and I would very much love to do them. I might just try this download myself though undoubtedly it will take ages for me. Read the post and decide whether you wish to enter the beautiful world of bonsai.

Ezra Klein reports that 111 countries have signed on to ban the use of cluster bombs. The Vatican too pushes the ban. The US?  Not so much. As Klein points out, at a time when our foreign policy is in shambles, and our reputation abroad reeks, wouldn’t this be a good time to get on board with issues that are humane and have the support of most civilized countries? Oh and Obama is on record favoring their ban, Hillary, unfortunately not.

Kevin Miskell is running for the US House seat held by Republican Latham in the 4th district in Iowa. Iowa Independent has a interview with him. Stop by and learn a bit about this candidate if you will be voting in this district’s election. Miskell is up against other Democrats for the right to oppose Latham of course.

Sunni/Shi’ite relations appear no better today than they have been, though there was hope a couple of months ago that Sunnis would return to the government they have been boycotting. This step has been vital to US policy, but insiders suggest that such a reconncilation  will not do nearly as much as it is claimed in terms of national reconciliation needs. The Political Animal has the story for you in full.

Well it isn’t as if we didn’t already know. We got lousy journalism in the run up to the war in Iraq. Everybody knows it, the “journalists” for the most part try to deny it, but we know it. CNN’s Jessica Yellin tells all to Michael Calderone. Yellin worked at ABC during the critical time and said media execs made it clear that journalists should not f**k with the WH in this time of “high patriotism.” Since news is owned by the Entertainment industry now, do you THINK WE DIDN”T ALREADY KNOW THAT? I just love the hypocrisy of these dolts. A much more detailed report on the subject can be found at Glenn Greenwald’s blog, at the Salon.

Myanmar continues to reject a vast amount of the aid being offered to it for relief from the cyclone that hit there weeks ago. The loss of life due to the intransigence of the government is simply obscene. The ruling Junta suggested it’s people could stand on their own, which means they are doing fine, and the people be damned. When do crimes against a people become so heinous that the world community responds? I have no clue, but it doesn’t seem we have reached a level of outrage sufficient yet. Pity, I did weeks ago.

While I respect the horrific experiences of John McCain as a POW during the Vietnam war, I’ve grown increasingly tired of his use of that status to avoid discussion of issues. “I was otherwise engaged in another country if you remember,” he points out time and time again. American Prospect has an article on the subject, exploring the idea of when too much is well, too much. See what you think. I think the campaign is using the POW think exquisitely to their advantage, all the while letting McCain claim he is above that sort of thing.

The Art of the Possible gets into the fray over who Obama will pick for his VEEP. Lots of talk these days on Jim Webb, and of course, once that idea really gains steam, then others explain why it’s a bad idea. Enjoy all the speculation if you must, I’ll kindly sit it out and wait until Mr. Obama makes it official. I’m sure it will be someone I can get behind.

Big Brown, latest media love object and best bet in a long time to win a triple crown, has been mostly silent in these last days or weeks or minutes before his scheduled Belmont appearance. He’s what’s known in the trade as a silent athlete. Read more if you dare.

It’s thoroughly disgusting when VA officials play down the seriousness of PTSD, calling it an overblown problem. The fact is, according to Pentagon sources, its a huge problem and growing. PTSDis not something one gets over with a “little counseling” or some job training. It is not of course equally devastating for all returning vets. For many it is, however, a lifelong disability. It is as some realize, a “war wound” no different than any other observable physical injury. Think Progress has the story.

Tip Junkie has more ideas and more tutorials for Father’s day gifts. Slip over and run through another lengthy list. Many I think are things kids can do with supervision to make Dad that special gift on his special day.

Urantian Sojourn pokes fun at McCain’s continuing refusal to come on board the Webb New GI Bill wagon, preferring his own watered down version. Resorting to the bible to prove McCain’s position is simply ludicrous is NOT FAIR Urantia person! LOL. Enjoy this one folks, it’s a logical traipse through the mixed up mind of old Mac. It’s the first post called Paying the GI Jackson.

The Macster gave a foreign policy speech on March 26. A lot has been written about it, mostly about the nuclear aspects of it, and how well, 20th century his thinking still is. However Blackadder over at Vox Nova is clearly disturbed that McCain has visions of kicking Russia out of the G8 group. Many many people are getting quite frightened of Mac’s sabre rattling. I am one of them. You should be too.

~~~&&&~~~&&&~~~

“It’s so much easier to suggest solutions when you don’t know too much about the problem.”  Malcolm Forbes

“What this country needs is more free speech worth listening to.” Hansell B. Duckett

“It is better for civilization to be going down the drain than to be coming up it.”  Henry Allen

~~~&&&~~~&&&~~~

Puns you say?

Doctors tell us there are over seven million people who are overweight. These, of course, are only round figures.

There were two ships. One had red paint, one had blue paint. They collided. At last report, the survivors were marooned.

Where do you find giant snails? On the ends of giant’s fingers.

Why is Saudi Arabia free of mental illness? There are nomad people there.

A guy walks into the psychiatrist’s office wearing only Glad Wrap shorts. The shrink says, “Well, I can clearly see you’re nuts.”

Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused his dentist’s Novocain during root canal work? He wanted to transcend dental medication.

I get enough exercise just by pushing my luck.

I was having dinner with Garry Kasporov(world chess champion) and on the table was a checkered tablecloth. It took him 2 hours to pass me the salt.

~~~&&&~~~&&&~~~

In his new book, former Bush press secretary Scott McClellan says he was left out in the dark. You know what, Scott? Us too. But you were standing next to the light switch. – Will Durst

New York Governor David Patterson has announced that the state will begin to back same-sex marriages from elsewhere. Rudy Giuliani immediately countered with the argument that marriage should be between a man and a woman, and then another woman, and then the other woman.— Janice Hough, Palo Alto, Calif.