Guess Who's Back?

Julie's Back

Huzzah!

3 AM Debate Response

I figure if I post now I can beat Cliff.

I watched the debate tonight, and I have to say the winners were the audience. They asked some great questions. In all honesty I think tonight did more to motivate the base to get out and vote. I don't think many undecideds were swayed by tonight. I personally though John Kerry was fantastic tonight. He was not afraid of being liberal. Of caring for the poor and less fortunate. I was afraid Pres. Bush was going to pull a Yosemite Sam at any moment and fly off the handle bar with both guns blazing...kind of scary.

But overall I think tonight may end up being a draw amongst the undecideds, but I think both sides really motivated their bases.

Love/Hate

I love the fall, but I hate that all the trains and busses sound like TB wards.

Dreams

I normally do not remember my dreams, but the one I had last night was intersting. Not only was it a very narrative dream, but it continued after I dozed off after hitting the snooze alaram...twice.

It was a very simple dream (almost the begining part of a movie):

I get off an airplane in the middle of the Czech Republic. I get my back pack back from the customs and everythis is gone. It is empty except for what looked like one of 2 books I own (either The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara or Spiritual Direction and Meditation by Thomas Merton). So, I wader around this town and and find a store to get clothing and stuff, but I have to steal a t-shirt and underware because I have no money. I meet an ex-pat girl (UK or US not sure...she never spoke), but I followed her out of the store and down a country road. She goes into a house, but I don't follow. A truck arrives and I hitch a ride to Prague. In the truck I meet a guy who becomes my traveling companion.

Once in Prague we wander looking for a place to crash. We have no money, so hostels are out. We meet an old couple who invite us to stay with them. We follow them to their white stucco house and have a meal together. I don't remember the specifics of any of the conversations, but they were quite cordial.

Then woke up. I actually hope this dream continues. It was quite pleasent.

Church Blog

In this crazy po-mo world of our, I am pleased to announce a new blog added to the places to wander. It is a new church...The Church of Jesus Christ, Reconciler.

We are a band of troubadors and hoodlams who are seeking to mend the broken body of Christ. We are all makes and models. Hights and widths. Lovers of the Gospel. Please wander over and see what is going on. Sermons and reflections will be posted by the pastors. Maybe, soon, community members will be posting stuff as well.

Peace

Explain Yo'self

(At Home before work)
Sorry that the below post is so long. I just heard an awesome cover of it last night and wanted to post it before I forgot.

Ya see, last night was a grand time. I went to the Double Door. oh my god played...awesome show. They played new songs and stuff. Their new songs are very very good, but the main event of the night was Mike Watt, yes, Mike Watt formerly of the Minutemen. Last night he was with the Secondmen. Let me say. If you ever get a chance go see him.

Nothing like 2 organ, bass, drum trios in a night!

(Continved: Now at Work)

The point is, The Secondmen coverd the Dylan song below. It is one of my favorites.

Oh yeah, Billy now has a Mohawk that is bleach blonde...very cool.

It's alright Ma (I'm only bleeding)
by Bob Dylan
1965 Warner Bros. Inc
Renewed 1993 Special Rider Music

Darkness at the break of noon

Shadows even the silver spoon

The handmade blade, the child's balloon

Eclipses both the sun and moon

To understand you know too soon

There is no sense in trying.



Pointed threats, they bluff with scorn

Suicide remarks are torn

From the fool's gold mouthpiece

The hollow horn plays wasted words

Proves to warn

That he not busy being born

Is busy dying.



Temptation's page flies out the door

You follow, find yourself at war

Watch waterfalls of pity roar

You feel to moan but unlike before

You discover

That you'd just be

One more person crying.



So don't fear if you hear

A foreign sound to your ear

It's alright, Ma, I'm only sighing.



As some warn victory, some downfall

Private reasons great or small

Can be seen in the eyes of those that call

To make all that should be killed to crawl

While others say don't hate nothing at all

Except hatred.



Continue reading here

New Links

I have just added my 2 favorite goths to my places to wander.

Welcome Kate and Larry.

Quick Prayers

Hi Gang,

Ms. M is a sweet older lady that I work with from time to time. She retired not long after I started here, but she comes back when we need the help of a temp. Well, all weekend her grandson, M., had had a fever and headaches and backaches. Yesterday they went to the ER because they were getting so bad. Turns out M. has viral menengitis. They found this out on his 14th birthday. Please keep Ms. M and M. and his mother in your prayers.

Thanks

Pre-Work Post

The report came back. No WMDs. Intent, but no plan. Intent means nothing really. Especially with no means. I hope he will apologize for this. Especially to the 1,000+ families directly effected. And to the people of Iraq. Don't try to spin that you didn't say that. Now that our credibility has been shot, how can we get help when there is an imenant threat?

Morning...no coffee yet, sentences hard.

As Only He Can Do

Dr. Cornel West is a regular contribitor to The Tavis Smiley Show on NPR.

They were talking about race and religion, and how it seems the adage of high noon on Sunday being the most segregated time in America is becoming less and less true. But that led to the mention of maybe this may not always be best because some of the multi racial mega churches loose the essence of the gospel. Dr. West closed with the following statement (slightly paraphrased since I took it straight from the radio, but upon multiple playbacks I think I have it):

I'd rather have segregated churches with a genuine gospel being preached, than a multi-racial church where the blood of the cross is turned into kool-aid.

Wow.

Here is a link of the show...you need to scroll down to the story called Roll of Black Churches and the White Hose Race.

___________________

After re-reading this post and Tripp's comment I realized that I have taken the quote a bit out of context, for which I apologize. In my haste to get the quote online I did something that drives me nuts, posted a quote without adequate context.

While the comments are hard to swallow, I think that is because there may be a grain of truth. The quote was preceeded by a discusion of how some churches loose focus of the gospel and spend all their time worrying about growth. By focusing on growth instead of the gospel a disservice is being committed.

Please understand that Dr. West was not saying churches should be segregated...not at all. Rather that it is better that a church be true to the gospel and not the ledger book.

I know that is still unclear, please listen to the story linked above...it is really good.

Nick of Time?

flood
Originally uploaded by CelticWander.

It is hard to believe that 2 days ago we drove past this stadium, in Roanoke, VA,on a Sunny Sunday Morning.

Back in Town

This past weekend was verry fun. Mae and I traveled with Cliff and Anna and baby Sofie to the beautiful land of Lynchburg, VA, for the enhichment of dear Tripp and Trish. It was a grand time. Many hours on the roady, but, alas all was safe and wonderous. Here are some pictures, via Mark.

BANNED

Apparently the RNC sent out a mailing to voters in West Virginia telling them that we liberals are planning on banning the Bible.

This is one of the most offensive, repugnant tactics I have seen this entire election cycle.

I am speechless as this act.

So, I am going to just remind us all that GOD IS NOT A REPUBLICAN...OR A DEMOCRAT

The following is the text of a letter by Sojourners.

These leaders of the Religious Right mistakenly claim that God has taken a side in this election, and that Christians should only vote for George W. Bush.

We believe that claims of divine appointment for the President, uncritical affirmation of his policies, and assertions that all Christians must vote for his re-election constitute bad theology and dangerous religion.

We believe that sincere Christians and other people of faith can choose to vote for President Bush or Senator Kerry - for reasons deeply rooted in their faith.

We believe all candidates should be examined by measuring their policies against the complete range of Christian ethics and values.

We will measure the candidates by whether they enhance human life, human dignity, and human rights; whether they strengthen family life and protect children; whether they promote racial reconciliation and support gender equality; whether they serve peace and social justice; and whether they advance the common good rather than only individual, national, and special interests.

We are not single-issue voters.

We believe that poverty - caring for the poor and vulnerable - is a religious issue. Do the candidates' budget and tax policies reward the rich or show compassion for poor families? Do their foreign policies include fair trade and debt cancellation for the poorest countries? (Matthew 25:35-40, Isaiah 10:1-2)

We believe that the environment - caring for God's earth - is a religious issue. Do the candidates' policies protect the creation or serve corporate interests that damage it? (Genesis 2:15, Psalm 24:1)

We believe that war - and our call to be peacemakers - is a religious issue. Do the candidates' policies pursue "wars of choice" or respect international law and cooperation in responding to real global threats? (Matthew 5:9)

We believe that truth-telling is a religious issue. Do the candidates tell the truth in justifying war and in other foreign and domestic policies? (John 8:32)

We believe that human rights - respecting the image of God in every person - is a religious issue. How do the candidates propose to change the attitudes and policies that led to the abuse and torture of Iraqi prisoners? (Genesis 1:27)

We believe that our response to terrorism is a religious issue. Do the candidates adopt the dangerous language of righteous empire in the war on terrorism and confuse the roles of God, church, and nation? Do the candidates see evil only in our enemies but never in our own policies? (Matthew 6:33, Proverbs 8:12-13 )

We believe that a consistent ethic of human life is a religious issue. Do the candidates' positions on abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia, weapons of mass destruction, HIV/AIDS-and other pandemics-and genocide around the world obey the biblical injunction to choose life? (Deuteronomy 30:19)

We also admonish both parties and candidates to avoid the exploitation of religion or our congregations for partisan political purposes.

By signing this statement, we call Christians and other people of faith to a more thoughtful involvement in this election, rather than claiming God's endorsement of any candidate.

This is the meaning of responsible Christian citizenship.

Sunday

Sunday
Originally uploaded by CelticWander.

My Mom did the Hair for this Production of Sunday in the Park With George in Springfield, IL. She makes me proud. I will be going down this weekend to see the show.

What Kerry Will Do
A short list
(Forgive the formatting problems, I wrote this in Word and the transfer went a little wonky)

A response to Cliff’s recent blog:
1.Cut middle class taxes:

- $4000 College tuition tax credit

- Tax credit for small businesses

- Allow vuenrable workers to buy into the congressional health plan

- tax credit on $5000 of child care expences

2. Raise the minumim wage
3. Reverse Bush’s overtime rules
4. Extend and Improve unemployment insurance
5. Rollback Bush’s tax cuts on those making over $200,000
6. Cut corporate welfare
7. Create a medicare plane that does not have a doughnut hole
8. Lower prestcription costs by:
   
- Allowing HHS to negotiate prices

- Allow reimportation of drugs

9. Safeguard us by dealing with known WMDs in the former Soviet Union
10. Global ban on production of nuclear weapons
11. Create a true Directory of National Intelligence
12. Work at creating foreign policy that works to deter creation of radical terror groups

That is just a short list. More information can be found at johnkerry.com

While we are at it…here is a site that has Bush’s latest flip-flops.
Here are a couple of my favorites:
1. Social Security Surplus

BUSH PLEDGES NOT TO TOUCH SOCIAL SECURITY SURPLUS... "We're going to keep the promise of Social Security and keep the government from raiding the Social Security surplus." [President Bush, 3/3/01]

...BUSH SPENDS SOCIAL SECURITY SURPLUS The New York Times reported that "the president's new budget uses Social Security surpluses to pay for other programs every year through 2013, ultimately diverting more than $1.4 trillion in Social Security funds to other purposes." [The New York Times, 2/6/02]

2. North Korea

BUSH WILL NOT OFFER NUCLEAR NORTH KOREA INCENTIVES TO DISARM... "We developed a bold approach under which, if the North addressed our long-standing concerns, the United States was prepared to take important steps that would have significantly improved the lives of the North Korean people. Now that North Korea's covert nuclear weapons program has come to light, we are unable to pursue this approach." [President's Statement, 11/15/02]

...BUSH ADMINISTRATION OFFERS NORTH KOREA INCENTIVES TO DISARM"Well, we will work to take steps to ease their political and economic isolation. So there would be -- what you would see would be some provisional or temporary proposals that would only lead to lasting benefit after North Korea dismantles its nuclear programs. So there would be some provisional or temporary efforts of that nature." [White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, 6/23/04]

3. OPEC

BUSH PROMISES TO FORCE OPEC TO LOWER PRICES... "What I think the president ought to do [when gas prices spike] is he ought to get on the phone with the OPEC cartel and say we expect you to open your spigots...And the president of the United States must jawbone OPEC members to lower the price." [President Bush, 1/26/00]

...BUSH REFUSES TO LOBBY OPEC LEADERS With gas prices soaring in the United States at the beginning of 2004, the Miami Herald reported the president refused to "personally lobby oil cartel leaders to change their minds." [Miami Herald, 4/1/04]

4. Iraq Funding

BUSH SPOKESMAN DENIES NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THE REST OF 2004... "We do not anticipate requesting supplemental funding for '04" [White House Budget Director Joshua Bolton, 2/2/04]

...BUSH REQUESTS ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR IRAQ FOR 2004 "I am requesting that Congress establish a $25 billion contingency reserve fund for the coming fiscal year to meet all commitments to our troops." [President Bush, Statement by President, 5/5/04]

5. Condoleeza Rice Testimony

BUSH SPOKESMAN SAYS RICE WON'T TESTIFY AS 'A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE'... "Again, this is not her personal preference; this goes back to a matter of principle. There is a separation of powers issue involved here. Historically, White House staffers do not testify before legislative bodies. So it's a matter of principle, not a matter of preference." [White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, 3/9/04]

...BUSH ORDERS RICE TO TESTIFY: "Today I have informed the Commission on Terrorist Attacks Against the United States that my National Security Advisor, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, will provide public testimony." [President Bush, 3/30/04]

61. Department of Homeland Security

BUSH OPPOSES THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY..."So, creating a Cabinet office doesn't solve the problem. You still will have agencies within the federal government that have to be coordinated. So the answer is that creating a Cabinet post doesn't solve anything." [White House spokesman Ari Fleischer, 3/19/02]

...BUSH SUPPORTS THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY "So tonight, I ask the Congress to join me in creating a single, permanent department with an overriding and urgent mission: securing the homeland of America and protecting the American people." [President Bush, Address to the Nation, 6/6/02]

1001

The U.S. Body count has surpassed the 1000 mark.

The last count I saw was 350+ people murdered in Russia.

The Iraqi body count is 11,000+ .

My Peace Prayer

In the name of The Father, and The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

Father, Creator
See you children crying
How many times have there been
Mothers weeping over their lost children
How many times have there been
Fathers cursing your name
How many times have there been
Brothers and Sisters burying their kin

Father, Creator
Let your grace be felt
Let your peace be felt
Let your hand be felt

Christ the Redeemer
You came and saw our flawed world
You came and felt our flawed world
You came and were murdered by our flawed world
You came and conquered death and defeated our flawed world

Christ the Redeemer
Through your power may we conquer the grief
Through your power may we conquer the sorrow
Through your power may we conquer earthly death
And know heaven's grace

Holy Spirit the Guide
You who touched the tongues of the Apostles
You who built the Church on earth
You who touch our lives each day
You who lead us through the wilderness

Holy Spirit the Guide
Guide us now
Lead us now
Touch our tongues that we
May speak your word
Fill us with the words of peace
Fill us with the words of comfort
Fill us with compassion
Fill us with grace

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Be with us, sinners, now and forever

Amen

Share the love

I will just say this...click here and scroll to the 3rd picture...look in the back yard.

'nuff said

Florida

Hey Gang,

Lets send good thoughts and prayers to Florida. 2.5 million people have been ordered to evacuate. Frances is looking to be the biggest storm in ages.

jt

Pot meet Kettle

From Factcheck.org:

And Richard Cheney himself, who is now Vice President but who then was Secretary of Defense, also proposed canceling the Apache helicopter program five years after Kerry did. As Cheney told the House Armed Services Committee on Aug. 13, 1989:

Cheney: The Army, as I indicated in my earlier testimony, recommended to me that we keep a robust Apache helicopter program going forward, AH-64; . . . I forced the Army to make choices. I said, "You can't have all three. We don't have the money for all three." So I recommended that we cancel the AH-64 program two years out. That would save $1.6 billion in procurement and $200 million in spares over the next five years.

Two years later Cheney's Pentagon budget also proposed elimination of further production of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle as well. It was among 81 Pentagon programs targeted for termination, including the F-14 and F-16 aircraft. "Cheney decided the military already has enough of these weapons," the Boston Globe reported at the time.

Does that make Cheney an opponent of "weapons vital to winning the war on terror?" Of course not. But by the Bush campaign's logic, Cheney himself would be vulnerable to just such a charge, and so would Bush's father, who was president at the time.

So, Cheney voted against the same things he accuses Kerry of voting agains...during the same time period.