Or at least "alt-right" in their value. These are odd times.
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Families, Freedom, Country, and God are Bad Now, I See
Or at least "alt-right" in their value. These are odd times.
Needlehooks
I occasionally come across quotations that snag my attention like a needle-hook to yarn. I may or may not agree with the writer's perspective, but the quotation represents something that stirs my thinking and, sometimes, imagination. From time to time, I'll share them and their source, but caveat emptor.
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Unpopular Thoughts
 |
| Yes, that's Trebek. He's doing his Mick Jagger impersonation. See what I mean? |
I prefer German to Italian opera.
An observation for small businesses: When your sign says that you open at 8:30am, that means you're open and ready for business at 8:30am. That's not the time you arrive for work. At 8:30am, the door should be open, the lights on, and the cash register ready with change.
Traffic circles cause bad drivers to self-identify.
Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." is not a great 4th of July song; it's about an American bitter in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Seriously, look at the lyrics sometime. It's actually grim and horrible. Celebrate "America the Beautiful" instead. The third verse addresses our imperfections in a way that is hopeful and true.
I still find Alex Trebek obtuse.
On this day in 1947, Larry Doby became the American League's first African-American player. https://t.co/Y4EwsPhRi0 pic.twitter.com/ikmFjQqpcg— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) July 5, 2017
They Certainly Aren't Well in Connecticut
Connecticut has passed a law protecting colleges against lawsuits alleging that they failed to provide students with a valuable education in exchange for their hefty tuition charges...
But instead of doing something to make sure that colleges do provide value for money, the State of Connecticut has apparently concluded that the only way to protect college revenues from pesky lawsuits is to make it illegal for consumers to sue them on those grounds. Another sign that things are not well in American higher ed.
I think people are figuring out that a lifetime of six-figure debt in return for a X Studies degree that guarantees an appointment to barista school is not a good deal.
Now that the institutions can't be held responsible for their misleading advertising and poor performance, it'll just get worse.
But instead of doing something to make sure that colleges do provide value for money, the State of Connecticut has apparently concluded that the only way to protect college revenues from pesky lawsuits is to make it illegal for consumers to sue them on those grounds. Another sign that things are not well in American higher ed.
I think people are figuring out that a lifetime of six-figure debt in return for a X Studies degree that guarantees an appointment to barista school is not a good deal.
Now that the institutions can't be held responsible for their misleading advertising and poor performance, it'll just get worse.
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
From the Preface to "Leaves of Grass"
The Americans of all nations at any time upon the earth, have probably the fullest poetical nature. The United States themselves are essentially the greatest poem. In the history of the earth hitherto the largest and most stirring appear tame and orderly to their ampler largeness and stir. Here at last is something in the doings of man that corresponds with the broadcast doings of the day and night. Here is not merely a nation but a teeming nation of nations. Here is action untied from strings necessarily blind to particulars and details magnificently moving in vast masses. Here is the hospitality which forever indicates heroes. . . . Here are the roughs and beards and space and ruggedness and nonchalance that the soul loves. Here the performance disdaining the trivial unapproached in the tremendous audacity of its crowds and groupings and the push of its perspective spreads with crampless and flowing breadth and showers its proflic and splendid extravagance. One sees it must indeed own the riches of the summer and winter, and need never be bankrupt while corn grows from the ground or the orchards drop apples or the bays contain fish or men beget children upon women.
Other states indicate themselves in their deputies . . . but the genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges or churches or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors . . . but always most in the common people. Their manners, speech, dress, friendship—the freshness and candor of their physiognomy—the picturesque looseness of their carriage … their deathless attachment to freedom—their aversion to anything indecorous or soft or mean—the practical acknowledgment of the citizens of one state by the citizens of all other states—the fierceness of their roused resentment—their curiosity and welcome of novelty—their self-esteem and wonderful sympathy—their susceptibility to a slight—the air they have of persons who never knew how it felt to stand in the presence of superiors—the fluency of their speech—their delight in music, the sure symptom of manly tenderness and native elegance of soul . . . their good temper and open handedness—the terrible significance of their elections—the President’s taking off his hat to them, not they to him—these too are unrhymed poetry. It awaits the gigantic and generous treatment worthy of it. - Walt Whitman, 1855
Other states indicate themselves in their deputies . . . but the genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges or churches or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors . . . but always most in the common people. Their manners, speech, dress, friendship—the freshness and candor of their physiognomy—the picturesque looseness of their carriage … their deathless attachment to freedom—their aversion to anything indecorous or soft or mean—the practical acknowledgment of the citizens of one state by the citizens of all other states—the fierceness of their roused resentment—their curiosity and welcome of novelty—their self-esteem and wonderful sympathy—their susceptibility to a slight—the air they have of persons who never knew how it felt to stand in the presence of superiors—the fluency of their speech—their delight in music, the sure symptom of manly tenderness and native elegance of soul . . . their good temper and open handedness—the terrible significance of their elections—the President’s taking off his hat to them, not they to him—these too are unrhymed poetry. It awaits the gigantic and generous treatment worthy of it. - Walt Whitman, 1855
The Most Fourth of July Story. Ever.
(A rerun from last year. It's worth it, I think.)
So, an Army veteran sees a bald eagle tangled in a rope and hanging upside down from a tree. He calls the various authorities to see if they will use their very expensive, tax-funded equipment to save the bird's life. Naturally, as this would have meant some modicum of intelligence, civic devotion, and moxie, the tax-funded authorities said "No".
Thus, left to his own devices and ready to trust his own judgment and ability, he did the only thing that he could. He shot away the branches and the rope with his rifle, freeing the eagle and getting it to a veterinary clinic.
Sharp-Shooting Army Veteran Saves Bald Eagle Stuck Up A Tree
So, the 4th of July lessons involved are:
1. Good intentions do not move public employees to action.
2. Taxed revenue is largely wasted.
3. Own a rifle and know how to use it well.
4. There is no time in the great history of our republic that bureaucrats have not stood in the way of common sense and compassionate aid.
5. Direct action is always the best.
Or, as the eagle's savior said, "Fourth of July, you know, that’s our bird. I can’t let it sit there.”
So, an Army veteran sees a bald eagle tangled in a rope and hanging upside down from a tree. He calls the various authorities to see if they will use their very expensive, tax-funded equipment to save the bird's life. Naturally, as this would have meant some modicum of intelligence, civic devotion, and moxie, the tax-funded authorities said "No".
Thus, left to his own devices and ready to trust his own judgment and ability, he did the only thing that he could. He shot away the branches and the rope with his rifle, freeing the eagle and getting it to a veterinary clinic.
Sharp-Shooting Army Veteran Saves Bald Eagle Stuck Up A Tree
So, the 4th of July lessons involved are:
1. Good intentions do not move public employees to action.
2. Taxed revenue is largely wasted.
3. Own a rifle and know how to use it well.
4. There is no time in the great history of our republic that bureaucrats have not stood in the way of common sense and compassionate aid.
5. Direct action is always the best.
Or, as the eagle's savior said, "Fourth of July, you know, that’s our bird. I can’t let it sit there.”
Monday, July 3, 2017
Within a Generation, the Anglican Church in North America Will Have More Members Than The Episcopal Church [of the US]
From the linked article:
Some stray observations by an ordained nobody:
Suing parishes for their property caused a number of TEC dioceses to spend a lot of their money. Most of these lawsuits were won by TEC, as is noted in the article, but what the dioceses were left with were parishes with inadequate membership, attendance, or giving to maintain a viable ministry. Many of these parishes were subsequently closed and sold, usually at a reduced price. The money for the lawsuits has never really been recovered, either.
It also caused the membership of the ACNA to re-think the role of property in the practice of ministry. If a congregation has a standard membership size, but does not have to carry the cost of a building, its utilities, insurance, lawn care, and snow removal, suddenly there is a whole lot of money available for ministry. Even if they decide to build or buy a church, it's done as an extension of their ministry. In other words, ministry comes before the building in the ACNA; it is often the opposite in TEC. Through the years, my main responsibility as the clergy leader of a parish has been to ensure that we have the wherewithal to repair and maintain the property. For some of my colleagues, that becomes fatiguing.
I'm going out on a limb here, this is based on the work I did with parishes ten to fifteen years ago, but I think the original controversy was not so much about sexuality and related liturgical practices as it was being regarded as a [to use a contemporary term] "deplorable" if one did not toe the official TEC line regarding these social issues. The thing is, not everyone evolves in the same manner and according to a strict timeline established by a diocesan bishop's personal social consciousness.
During this period, I worked for some bishops who believed the motto of TEC should be "Everyone will have the same thoughts at the same time; Everyone will use the same words." They were disdainful of clergy and laity who evidenced even the slightest hesitation in conforming their thoughts and words to the bishops' expectations. It was ugly and unbecoming. Unfortunately, and they will never have the personal awareness to admit it, membership was lost due to their intolerance and phobia of those with whom they disagreed.
Also, I strongly doubt that there are that many members of TEC. If that figure is based on parish rosters, it would be safe to trim it by 50%.
The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is planting one new church a week, Archbishop Foley Beach told delegates to the triennial gathering of some 1400 Anglicans, at Wheaton College, in the heartland of America's Bible belt. The ACNA also officially received The Anglican Diocese of South Carolina as the newest diocese with some 9,000 members – the largest of 31 dioceses in the orthodox Anglican body.This seems to counter the perspectives of Episcopal Church leaders who have presented a variety of theories as to why TEC's membership is now more selective.
Some stray observations by an ordained nobody:
Suing parishes for their property caused a number of TEC dioceses to spend a lot of their money. Most of these lawsuits were won by TEC, as is noted in the article, but what the dioceses were left with were parishes with inadequate membership, attendance, or giving to maintain a viable ministry. Many of these parishes were subsequently closed and sold, usually at a reduced price. The money for the lawsuits has never really been recovered, either.
It also caused the membership of the ACNA to re-think the role of property in the practice of ministry. If a congregation has a standard membership size, but does not have to carry the cost of a building, its utilities, insurance, lawn care, and snow removal, suddenly there is a whole lot of money available for ministry. Even if they decide to build or buy a church, it's done as an extension of their ministry. In other words, ministry comes before the building in the ACNA; it is often the opposite in TEC. Through the years, my main responsibility as the clergy leader of a parish has been to ensure that we have the wherewithal to repair and maintain the property. For some of my colleagues, that becomes fatiguing.
I'm going out on a limb here, this is based on the work I did with parishes ten to fifteen years ago, but I think the original controversy was not so much about sexuality and related liturgical practices as it was being regarded as a [to use a contemporary term] "deplorable" if one did not toe the official TEC line regarding these social issues. The thing is, not everyone evolves in the same manner and according to a strict timeline established by a diocesan bishop's personal social consciousness.
During this period, I worked for some bishops who believed the motto of TEC should be "Everyone will have the same thoughts at the same time; Everyone will use the same words." They were disdainful of clergy and laity who evidenced even the slightest hesitation in conforming their thoughts and words to the bishops' expectations. It was ugly and unbecoming. Unfortunately, and they will never have the personal awareness to admit it, membership was lost due to their intolerance and phobia of those with whom they disagreed.
Also, I strongly doubt that there are that many members of TEC. If that figure is based on parish rosters, it would be safe to trim it by 50%.
Jersey Surfers Don't Care as There's a Lousy Break on That Beach
Jersey voters, the proles who aren't permitted on their own beaches, may feel differently, however.
Chris Christie Enjoying a Public Beach During a Government Shutdown Is What Politicians Do:
It shouldn't surprise you when politicians show their true nature.
By the way, can an economic basket case like New Jersey actually afford both this
just for their governor?
It may be time for a little of this kind of thinking on the part of the proles, eh?
Chris Christie Enjoying a Public Beach During a Government Shutdown Is What Politicians Do:
It shouldn't surprise you when politicians show their true nature.
By the way, can an economic basket case like New Jersey actually afford both this
and this
just for their governor?
It may be time for a little of this kind of thinking on the part of the proles, eh?
Since It's the 150th Anniversary of the Dominion of Canada, We Should Know of the Kanaka
Not to mention the exiled Canadians who mostly built what's now Sydney, Australia.
Hawaiian-Canadians and ‘Buffalo’ Canadians: The hidden history of confederation
Hawaiian-Canadians and ‘Buffalo’ Canadians: The hidden history of confederation
The Facebook Guy is Trying to be Hazel Motes
FACEBOOK AS CHURCH
If you don't know Motes, go here. He founded the Church Without God. "Where the blind don't see, the lame don't walk, and what's dead stays that way."
This is Actual News
House panel votes to split Air Force, create new U.S. Space Corps
While the press is, as usual these days, busy reporting on itself, this rather major decision was made. Some politicians were caught off guard, too, as they haven't had the chance to organize the graft possible with this new boondoggle.
I hope there's a uniform contest.
While the press is, as usual these days, busy reporting on itself, this rather major decision was made. Some politicians were caught off guard, too, as they haven't had the chance to organize the graft possible with this new boondoggle.
I hope there's a uniform contest.
Sunday, July 2, 2017
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