God is watching us. . . from a distance

I wasn't going to do an entry on the tsunami. What can I say? It is so terribly sad. I have been stirred into blogging action by three of my regular reads today.

First, this morning I read Keith Olbermann's thoughts on the tsunami and the fact that there were warnings that could have been made, but weren't because of the tourists.

Then later on in the day I read Scott Bateman's comic on Bush's hypocrisy in this situation. The part that gets me is the line, "Meanwhile, the administration is spending two- to three-times that amount on Bush's inauguration."

Finally, I read Cap'n Pete's wise entry on the irony of America not being hit by such a large disaster.

I am going to donate money, and I hope you will, too, to some of the fine organizations working to help the victims. Just a few of them are:

World Vision
American Friends Service Committee
Doctors without Borders

You can see a much larger list of helping agencies at Network for Good.

I just got a rebate for contacts in the mail yesterday, and am going to donate that money to World Vision. It seems only right.

(edited, because I can)

missions, church and state

my pic of St. Francisco de Asis chapel, Ranchos de Taos, NM.


I heard a story on "Morning Edition" last week and was very intrigued. I know that missions are some of my favorite historic buildings to visit. There are a whole lot of them in San Antonio, and all over New Mexico. I never thought of it being a problem/conflict for the state to keep this buildings operable and open to the public. I am amazed that people still attend these aged churches, but I mainly appreciate them for their historic/artistic/architectural value. Sometimes I will be quite moved by some art in an old chapel, but I was also quite disturbed by a stone at the mission we visited near Chimayo. Right by the preacher's office and small chapel, it reads something like "in memory of the aborted babies". It was probably phrased more gently than that, but I was very disturbed by it.

Anyway, the conflict they are having in California is over the division of church and state. Should the state fund restoration for historically relevant missions still operating as churches? Is it the state's responsibility? I am normally an advocate for the separation of church and state, but am on the fence on this issue. These missions cannot survive without the state's help. And yet, I wouldn't want my taxes benefitting an ultra-conservative church. I also would hate to have to visit the T-Mobile Santa Rita mission. Not that one would ever exist, but you get my drift.

Listen to the story and see what you think.

NPR : Church and State Debate Threatens Calif. Mission Repair

Happy Chrismahanukwanzukah to youooo!

This toon by Mikhaela is grrrrrrrreat.

Mikhaela's "Queer Holiday Moment #412"

and yes, I am trying to do more than post great comix here, but I haven't really been struck by any big news item lately. I've been keeping posted on the Ohio situation by Bloggermann (Keith Olbermann's blog). I try to keep up with Iraq, but we are so f*cked over there. It just pisses me off. I'll be celebrating Christmas with my family at home, while my cousin, who was with us last Christmas, is over in Iraq. It just doesn't feel right to me. At all.

So yeah, I'll try to keep posting here, but if you want regular reads from me, try my other blog. I post there pretty much every day.

Merry Chrithmath!

Too bad Santa's budget can't cover it

Today's La cucaracha cartoon

my ruminations on U. S. history, sparked by the Alien and Sedition Act

Geof Stone is guest-blogging on Lessig's blog this week. I was just able to read his latest entry on The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. It is quite enlightening.

I vaguely remember covering this in my AP U. S. History class junior year, but I should admit I have a very selective memory as far as early U. S. History goes. I'm very vague on details until after the Civil War. I could tell you about Molly Bucket and Abigail Adams, but the men? Eh. I know Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty, or give me death!”, and that is mainly because I wrote a report on him in grade school. I wrote a report on Thomas Jefferson in high school, so I remember that he brought ice cream back to the States, spent a lot of time in France, and had illegitimate children with a slave. What is typically considered “American history” just doesn't interest me. Now, the Triangle shirtwaist factory fire, Margaret Sanger, Sacagawea, and other people and events on the fringe of U. S. History - they interest me.

Anyway, I was glad to read more about the Alien and Sedition Acts and the way the politicians used it, attempting to silence dissent from other political parties. Very interesting.

another reason to stay far from Fox News

Some people will do anything for money.

Retiring U.S. Sen. Zell Miller joining Fox News

Mother Jones on UNICEF's latest report

This is so disturbing:

India -- with roughly 20 percent of the world’s children -- has more than half of all children without access to adequate sanitation (roughly 273 million out of an estimated 500 million), as well as 147 million without adequate shelter, 77 million without access to safe water, 85 million who can’t access health care and 33 million who have never attended school.

MoJo Blog: The Kids Aren't Alright

are we what we hate?

I think I understand this article, or at least what it is attempting to say. It makes the statement that for all our anti-consumerism rhetoric, we are still a highly consumer culture. The main thesis of the article:

In fact, the critique of mass society has been one of the most powerful forces driving consumerism for more than 40 years.

I have yet to see Fight Club, so can't comment much on the analysis, but I have seen American Beauty. I look back on that film with a bad taste in my mouth. What do I remember fondly about it? Annette Bening's acting. That's about it. I do like the statement:

What american beauty illustrates, with extraordinary clarity, is that rebelling against mass society is not the same thing as rebelling against consumer society.

Yeah. Go read more.

This Magazine: The Rebel Sell

a reporter was behind the Rumsfeld stumper

I have become an avid reader of Keith Olbermann's blog. I watched "Countdown" for the first time on Monday and the busy graphics just about drove me crazy, but I like his style and dedication to stories. I just found this post where he reports that a reporter came up with the question on armed vehicles (and their lack of protection):

In an e-mail to an unidentified colleague at the newspaper, Edward Lee Pitts — traveling with a Tennessee National Guard Unit — said that when a scheduling delay permitted him to attend Rumsfeld’s visit with 2,300 troops, he learned that only soldiers could quiz the Secretary. “So,” Pitts writes, “I brought two of them along with me as my escorts. Before hand we worked on questions to ask Rumsfeld about the appalling lack of armor their vehicles going into combat have.”

The rest of the entry is recommended reading.

Reporter behind Rumsfeld grilling (Keith Olbermann)

I have a new favorite quote

from A.Word.A.Day:

"When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?" -Eleanor Roosevelt, diplomat and writer (1884-1962)

Retratos

I have to wait until 2006 to catch this exhibit, but you might not have to. "Retratos" is a show of Latin-American portraits, most of which have not been available for viewing in the states before now. The exhibit started at El Museo Del Barrio and will be going to other spots in the nation before ending at the San Antonio Museum of Art in the spring of 2006.

Go here to see the future stops on the tour and read more about it.

NY Times - The Lesson for Today Is in Spanish

How things work in Texas

See if you can follow this article by Molly Ivins. It's all about money and lack of justice, the Texas way.

WorkingForChange-How things work in Texas

Only on the internet . . .

. . . would you be able to find the complete out-of-print work of "Sisters" by Lynne Cheney. I can't read past the first few paragraphs (because the writing is so terribly bad) but I wanted to share it with you anyway.

Lynne Cheney's "Sisters"