JOHN KERRY MAKES THE CASE FOR MISSILE STRIKES

Slippery slope: "The bottom line, as Kerry outlined in his speech, is that the White House believes inaction, after conclusively determining that Bashar al-Assad’s regime is behind the Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack in Damascus, would open the possibility of other countries or groups concluding that they could use such weapons in the future without fear of retribution."

National security: (There is no alternative): “Make no mistake, in an increasingly complicated world of sectarian and religious extremist violence, what we choose to do or not do matters in real ways to our own security. Some site the risk of doing things. But we need to ask, ‘What is the risk of doing nothing?’,” Kerry said.

WMD!: “Our high confidence assessment is the strongest position that the U.S. Intelligence Community can take short of confirmation,” the government said in the brief.

The plan: The White House is reportedly considering limited air strikes on military targets as retaliation for the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons. Senior administration officials also repeated that the administration is not aiming to achieve a regime change in Syria.

Syria's chemical arsenal is less of a threat to the US than the arsenals of other despots around the world. Saddam gassed the Kurds, but we didn't launch the Iraq war for that reason.

Kerry makes much of the children who were killed by gas, but what of children killed in drone attacks?  We're to weep over pictures of children killed by gas, but we never see the pictures of children blown apart by drone missiles. The airstrikes will almost certainly cause collateral damage (the ultimate euphemism for dead and wounded people!), which will include children and other innocents.   I weep for all the children.

What if Assad continues his defiance after we flex our muscles with the limited airstrikes? What do we do next?

I'm not buying Kerry's argument. I've heard it all before when we have undertaken deadly, misbegotten military adventures.  Obama and Kerry have pretty well boxed themselves in with their chest-thumping and red line on Assad's use of gas, but I hope and pray the president will have the courage and humility to turn away from inflicting more violence on the Syrian people, who are already suffering.  

Quotes above from Talking Points Memo.

GOLF VOCABULARY LESSON

A schoolteacher was taking her first golf lesson.

When she got to the green, she asked the instructor, "Please tell me:  Is the word spelled p-u-t or p-u-t-t?"

"P-u-t-t is correct," he replied. "Put means to place a thing where you want it.  Putt means merely a vain attempt to do the same thing."


Cheers,

Paul (A.)

GRANDCHILDREN

                                             There were four.

                                         And then there were six.

Sometimes I wish the children were not growing up so quickly, that they were still the ages in the pictures. But life goes on, and I like where all six grandchildren are at the present time, too.

VIDEO UPDATE ON THE SPREADING BAYOU CORNE SINKHOLE

Read the story here:

A colossal sinkhole that opened up overnight in August 2012 in the rural Louisiana town of Assumption Parish has continued to expand at a staggering rate, devouring with it land and trees as documented in a new video that was uploaded on Tuesday.

The three-minute YouTube video was posted to an account run by the Assumption Parish Police Jury. The video shows about a dozen trees on the outside of a berm in the sinkhole suddenly swallowed in less than a minute. Six seconds into the video, the trees slowly begin to sink. At 41 seconds, their tops are no longer visible above the bubbling water.

Does anyone know or, if so, will they say how much more the sinkhole will continue to expand?

The Assumption Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness has said that the sinkhole doesn't pose a danger to other homes in the area.

I wonder.  If I lived in one of the homes in the area, I doubt I'd be as confidant as the Assumption Parish official.  Not that I mean to imply that the parish leaders are hiding information, for I think they do the best they can with what they know.  Still, I worry about what they don't know.

UPDATE: An article in Mother Jones details the history of the sinkhole from the beginning to the situation in the area of the collapse in early August.

O GRACIOUS LIGHT

The moon in daylight

Hymn: O Gracious Light
Phos hilaron

O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises,
O God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
 and to be glorified through all the worlds.

I DID THIS

If you try to find out, on the internet, how many steps the Duomo of Florence has, you will see numbers that vary from 414 to 463. So, it’s up to you to find out the real answer! In this video, this guy climbs (and counts) the stairs, recounts a good history of the Duomo (with only one little error – can you spot it?), and shows us the view from above!

I climbed the steps when I was in my 60s.  Yes, I did.  As the teenagers were running up the steps, I ascended slowly, with an occasional stop to rest, the rest stops coming closer together the higher I climbed.  It was hard, but I persevered, and the view from the top was magnificent and very much worth the difficult climb.

From Tuscany Arts. 

UPDATE: My one disappointment was at the half-way point entry into the cathedral.  Due to restoration work, I was not able to see the closer view of the beautiful "Last Judgment" fresco in the dome by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari, because the paintings were covered by drapery. 

BATHING BEAUTIES IN THE 1920s

THE CLIMATE NAME CHANGE

This Is Probably The Funniest, Most Effective Way To Deal With People Who Ignore Science Facts Ever

There are members of Congress [and governors] who don't understand or accept basic science concepts. This hilarious video is dedicated to them.

Where's our boy Bobby Jindal?  Surely his name is next on the list.

From Upworthy.

TELL PRESIDENT OBAMA: DON'T BOMB SYRIA

The petition reads:

"President Obama:  With civilians being butchered and refugees suffering immensely, it is horrifying to watch the brutal civil war in Syria unfold. But U.S. military intervention is far more likely to make matters worse, not better. The U.S. should not bomb Syria. The best thing we can do is commit to holding war criminals accountable, expand humanitarian aid for refugees, and maintain constant diplomatic pressure for a negotiated end to the conflict."

Sign the petition here.

The administration sees the use of chemical weapons in Syria as a threat to our national security. Certainly, the Syrian people suffer, but I don't understand the threat to the United States. What good purpose would be served by sending missiles that inflict more suffering and death on people who are already suffering and dying?

Instead of sending in missiles that kill and cause more misery, why not spend the money to help refugees, over 1 million of whom are children, many alone without their parents? Help the Syrians who fled to Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt who are in desperate need. The last thing Syria needs is more violence.

Donate to UNICEF here. 

50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON FOR JOBS AND FREEDOM

From Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech:

"But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone."

 A movement for justice grounded in intentional non-violence, the determination to meet physical force with soul force, creates a moral authority of great power that can never be equaled by violence or threats of violence.

 Almighty God, by the hand of Moses your servant you led your people out of slavery, and made them free at last: Grant that your Church, following the example of your prophet Martin Luther King, may resist oppression in the name of your love, and may secure for all your children the blessed liberty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Atlanta, GA (July 16, 2013). The King Center and the 50th Anniversary Coalition are calling on people and organizations across America to help culminate the 50th anniversary of The March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech with “Let Freedom Ring” bell-ringing events at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on August 28th, a half-century to the minute after Dr. King delivered his historic address. In other nations, there will be bell-ringing ceremonies at 3:00 p.m. in their respective time zones.

Collect from Holy Women, Holy Men.

YES, I DO

 

Don't blame me. Blame Doug.

A GOOD DAY IN CHURCH

Stained glass at St John's Episcopal Church, Thibodaux LA

Today was a good worship day for me at St John's.  For a change I was early, and I had the opportunity to sit quietly for a spell before listening to the Prelude, Beethoven's "Sonatina in G Major", performed beautifully by our music director on the piano.  Therein lies a lesson that rushing in at the last minute, or worse, following the procession down the aisle, is not the best way to arrive for a service.  The liturgy was done well and properly; the sermon was interesting and enlightening; and the musical choices were very much to my taste.

Still, good days for me have less to do with the service itself - the preacher, the music, who is present, than with an attitude of heart open to praising and thanking God.  Some mornings, my attention to prayer is limited, for distractions abound, and my mind wanders everywhere but to the meaning of the words in the prayers and hymns.  This morning, I slipped easily into prayer and remained attentive longer.  Grace, all is grace, but I expect not rushing into the service at the last minute plays a part.  As I've already said, there's a lesson here.  Still, what is also true:

The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

After the service, our visiting priest did a show and tell about our fly spoon and said how rare it is to find such a spoon among the altar vessels.  He explained that in the olden days before air-conditioning, when windows in the church were open, insects flew in, and flies were attracted to the wine.  If a fly or other insect flew into the chalice and couldn't make its way out, the fly spoon was used for removal.  Below is a picture of St John's fly spoon.

Fly spoon

The spoon is silver, not gold, and is not tarnished as it appears in the photo.  The refection in the bowl of the spoon is of the stained glass window above the altar depicting St John the Evangelist, our patron saint.  The reflection on the cross may be the same.

I knew the purpose of the spoon, because I served eight years with the wonderful women in the Altar Guild.  Though I tried my best, I was not well-suited to preparing the altar, for I am not a detail person.  The priests I served under were understanding, and my fellow members were kind, but I suspect they sometimes despaired of me ever getting it right.  In truth, I never did. 

NOTE TO SELF

 

Before buying clothing you think you will need for an upcoming trip, first look in your closet.

SOCIAL ATTITUDE TEST

My results on the Social Attitude Test:

Political Values

Radicalism    94
Socialism    87.5
Tenderness    56.25

These scores indicate that you are a progressive; this is the political profile one might associate with a university professor. It appears that you are skeptical towards religion, and have a pragmatic attitude towards humanity in general.

Your attitudes towards economics appear communist, and combined with your social attitudes this creates the picture of someone who would generally be described as left-wing.

To round out the picture you appear to be, political preference aside, an egalitarian with many strong opinions.

This concludes our analysis; we hope you found your results accurate, useful, and interesting.

I am a communist and skeptical about religion. Who knew? My thought is if you consider yourself a person of faith, which I do, you'd damn well better be skeptical about religion. I confess I thought I would score higher in tenderness.  Nearly everyone I know who took the test has the characteristics of a university professor.

Some questions were difficult to answer or not what I thought good questions, so I hit the middle button on those, which may have skewed my score.  The choices number five, from strongly disagree to strongly agree.

There you have it.

THWART THAT NOISY CELL PHONE USER!

After a tiring day, a commuter settled down in his seat and closed his eyes.

As the train rolled out of the station, the young woman sitting next to him pulled out her cell phone and started talking in a loud voice:

"Hi sweetheart. It's Sue. I'm on the train."

"Yes, I know it's the six thirty and not the four thirty, but I had a long meeting."

"No, honey, not with that Kevin from the accounting office. It was with the boss."

"No sweetheart, you're the only one in my life."

"Yes, I'm sure, cross my heart!"

Fifteen minutes later, she was still talking loudly.

When the man sitting next to her had enough, he leaned over and said into the phone, "Sue, hang up the phone and come back to bed."

Sue doesn't use her cell phone in public any longer.

Don't blame me.  Blame Ann.

STORY OF THE DAY

St John's Cemetery, Thibodaux, Louisiana

My favorite way home is past the cemetery since it's 
about the only place in the whole town where people 
keep their opinions to themselves

From StoryPeople.

A PREACHER AND A LAWN MOWER

A preacher was making his rounds on a bicycle when he came upon a little boy trying to sell a lawn mower.

"How much do you want for the mower?" asked the preacher.

"I just want enough money to go out and buy me a bicycle," said the little boy. After a moment of consideration, the preacher asked, "Will you take my bike in trade for it?"

The little boy asked if he could try it out first, and, after riding the bike around a little while, said, "Mister, you've got yourself a deal."

The preacher took the mower and began to crank it. He pulled on the rope a few times with no response from the mower.

The preacher called the little boy over and said, "I can't get this mower to start." The little boy said, "That's because you have to cuss at it to get it started."

The preacher said, "I can't cuss. It's been so long since I became a Christian that I don't even remember how to cuss."

The little boy looked at him happily and said, "You just keep pulling on that rope. It'll come back to ya."

Don't blame me.  Blame Doug.

STILL THE STUPID PARTY

A significant chunk of Louisiana Republicans evidently believe that President Barack Obama is to blame for the poor response to the hurricane that ravaged their state more than three years before he took office.
....

Twenty-eight percent said they think former President George W. Bush, who was in office at the time, was more responsible for the poor federal response while 29 percent said Obama, who was still a freshman U.S. Senator when the storm battered the Gulf Coast in 2005, was more responsible. Nearly half of Louisiana Republicans — 44 percent — said they aren't sure who to blame.

Republicans in Louisiana have not heeded Governor Jindal's advice to stop being the stupid party.  The poll results demonstrate a classic example of Louisiana Republicans' disregard for facts. Everything is Obama's fault.  Facts, dates, history, none of that matters. Unfortunately, it's not just Republicans in Louisiana who live in the unreality bubble.

People here and throughout the country cannot accept the fact that Obama is president, because he is black and because he is a Democrat, thus the birthers who blather endlessly about the invalidity of the president's birth certificate. Racism plays a large part in the disdain for Obama, but, if you observe the commentary about Hillary Clinton from certain quarters, you see it's not entirely about racism.

Indeed, Jindal himself has not followed his own good advice advice.  He spent $800,000 of state money trying to pass his program to eliminate state income taxes an impose a sales tax to replace the revenue which was wildly unpopular and went nowhere in the legislature.

The next debacle was the administration's attempt to fund private schools by using public school money, which prompted a lawsuit that cost the state who knows what amount of our tax money to defend the suit.  In the end, the Louisiana Supreme Court decided that the use of public school funds violated the Louisiana constitution, so Jindal had to scramble to find money that was already committed to pay tuition in private schools for low income families and return money to public schools.

And now the latest in the state's privatization of health care.

A private company that took over management of state behavioral health programs last year has not complied with contract terms, a state audit released Monday found.

The $354 million two-year contract with Magellan Health Services allows the state Department of Health and Hospitals to impose sanctions, but none have been, the Louisiana legislative auditor wrote.

The company doesn't pay claims in a timely manner.  A friend who is a psychologist told me that before he read the article, he know the company would be either Magellan or another company known for not paying claims on time.  Kathy Kleibert, head of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals says:

The program has been successful, she said, by allowing DHH to expand access to care for more people and provide better service. It allowed DHH to increase the number of providers from 800 to 1,700.

All well and good, but if the providers don't get paid, they will not continue to provide services.  Duh. 

I'm sorry for us, the citizens of Louisiana, that Jindal and his cohorts have failed us in so many areas of governance, which leads me to the governor's latest poll numbers from Public Policy Polling.  Only 28% of voters in Louisiana approve of Bobby Jindal's performance, while 59% disapprove.  Three years ago Jindal's approval rating was at 58%, with 34% of voters disapproving of his performance.  The governor's numbers are sinking like a stone.

UPDATE: For more on Jindal's polling numbers see CenLamar. 

BLUE MOON, FULL MOON

In the clouds

In the clear

Blue moon, full moon, red moon, green moon
Tonight we see the bright light
Of the rare moon of many names.
Go out, scout, and tout with a shout
The blue, full, sturgeon, red, corn, grain moon.

My pictures are not the greatest, but they are my pictures.

Here's what it's all about.

IN THE BLOOMIN' GARDEN - FLOWER POTS ON THE FENCE

Portulaca or Purslane

Portulaca or Purslane

Ivy

Portulaca or Purslane

All credit for the work involved in planting and upkeep of the garden goes to Grandpère, who is a gifted gardener and a very hard worker.  The idea for flower pots on the fence may have been mine, but I can't say for sure.

STORY OF THE DAY

I'm ready to be inspired, she said & I said that's not 
quite how it works, so instead we sat in the garden, 
breathing & watching the bees until she smiled quietly 
& said, I forget it's that simple.

From StoryPeople.

TIMELY

 

Don't blame me. Blame Doug.

SHUT IT DOWN!

BATON ROUGE, La. - U.S. Sen. David Vitter told a packed town hall meeting Thursday that he will support a federal government shutdown this fall rather than agree to pay for President Barack Obama's health care law.

"I'm going to fight like the dickens. I'm going to vote to repeal, to delay, to defund," the Republican senator said.

Vitter said he won't vote for legislation to continue paying for U.S. government services beyond Sept. 30 if it contains money for the health care law's implementation.

In the midst of cries of, "Shut it down!" you have to wonder if the people at the town meeting think at all about consequences. 

He [Robert Ordeneaux] and several others in the audience said they'd be willing to temporarily lose their government benefits through Social Security, Medicare and other programs listed by Vitter that would stop issuing checks in a shutdown.

Well, yes they do.  Temporarily?  For how long?  The folks who are so willing to sacrifice had better prepare for the long haul.  Who knows when the Republican clown show in Congress will get around to funding the federal government once again in this age of deadlock? 

Senator Vitter's support of a government shutdown is despicably reckless and irresponsible, and he'd be very foolish to believe his supporters will not flood his office with phone calls demanding their checks.  Vitter draws the line at the suggestion by his supporters to impeach President Obama, because he says it could backfire.  If  Republicans succeed in shutting down the government, Vitter will soon know the meaning of backfire in spades, for the voters will not blame Obama and the Democrats.  When Social Security payments don't arrive, and Medicare stops paying the bills, the blame will go squarely where it belongs - on reckless and irresponsible Republicans who would rather destroy the country than not have their way.

The Health Insurance Marketplace, part of the Affordable Care Act, is due to begin taking applications on October 1, 2013, and the Republicans are fearful that the marketplaces may actually work and citizens will see the benefits, so they want to stop it in its tracks.

Open enrollment starts October 1, 2013. Plans and prices will be available then. Coverage starts as soon as January 1, 2014. 

Republicans are afraid, very afraid.

On a side note, Vitter says he supports Rep. Bill Cassidy (R) in the Senate race against Sen. Mary Landrieu (D), but the Tea Party folks don't much like Cassidy because he's too liberal (Ha ha).  Rob Maness is their boy.  Maness says Cassidy is just another Mary.  Landrieu is a right-leaning Democrat, so since Bill Cassidy is comparatively sane, but still quite conservative, Maness is probably not far off in his comparison.  I will support Landrieu, though I don't always agree with her policies and votes, because any Democrat in the Senate is better than a Republican.  To see two Republicans mix it up in the primary will do my heart good.

HILDEGARD VON BINGEN - "O TU SUAVISSIMA VIRGA" - SEQUENTIA

When I listen to Sequentia's incredibly beautiful performance of Hildegard von Bingen's exquisite music, I imagine I'm hearing Hildegard herself singing.  Their project to record all of her music, which began in 1982, is now complete.

TEXAS LEGISLATURE GERRYMANDERED - I AM SHOCKED

It’s amazing the kind of honesty that will come out when someone, or something, is forced to defend themselves in court against harsh accusations.  And that’s exactly what we’re seeing with the State of Texas defending its new strict voting laws against the Department of Justice’s accusations that they’re targeting minorities.

You see, Republicans in the state of Texas are trying to keep the Department of Justice from overseeing their new voting laws by claiming that yes, the GOP gerrymandering within the state in 2011 did seek to disenfranchise Democrats. However, they’re claiming it did so only along partisan party lines—not racial.  They freely admit their redistricting plans were meant to weaken the voting power of a political party, they just insist those redistricting maps had nothing to do with race.  So that’s evidence that their strict new voting laws can’t possibly be about keeping minorities from voting—just Democrats.

Read the rest of the article at Forward Progressives of the chicanery revealed under oath in the court testimony by the attorneys representing the State of Texas, when they have sworn to tell the truth.  Of course, we are a post-racial society, so the gerrymandering can't possibly be about race.

Justice John Roberts, are you paying attention?  I expect not, or if you are, you excuse yourself from your responsibility in the farcical decision that the heart of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 had to be ripped out, because everything is hunky dory out and about in the land of the free with regard to voting rights.  Things may be bad, but they're not as bad as the 1960s.

Oh my, do I miss Molly Ivins.  "You can't make this stuff up." That's as far as I can go, but Molly would have hit one out of the ballpark with the story.  But wait!  Molly speaks from the grave.

When I linked on Facebook to the article on the Texas defense of its gerrymandered districts, that they admit are for the purpose of weakening the power of the Democratic Party in the state, a Facebook friend posted the link above to the website with Molly Ivins quotes.  More than one of the quotes were apropos to the situation.

"The first rule of holes: when you're in one, stop digging."

"It's like, duh. Just when you thought there wasn't a dime's worth of difference between the two parties, the Republicans go and prove you're wrong."

"It is possible to read the history of this country as one long struggle to extend the liberties established in our Constitution to everyone in America."

Then the discussion wandered off to considering how many citizens today know the meaning of gerrymander.  I remember learning the word in my elementary school civics class.  I even remembered the name Elridge Gerry, after whom the practice was named, and another friend from Gerry's home town of Marblehead, Massachusetts, pointed out that the name was pronounced with a hard "G".  My teachers did not use the hard "G", but I'm grateful to them that I know the meaning of gerrymander.

BEAR

A bear walks into a bar and says, "Give me a bourbon and  . . . . . . . . .
. . . . .  coke."

The bartender asks, "What's with the huge pause?"

The bear says, "I've had them all my life."


Cheers,

Paul (A.)



Image from Wikipedia.

STORY OF THE DAY - SAVE THE WORLD

Of course I want to save the world, she said, but I was
hoping to do it from the comfort of my regular life.

From StoryPeople.

JOHNNY CASH - "A BOY NAMED SUE"

"My name is Sue. How do you do?"

I heard the song on my way home, and now it's my earworm.  

FEAST OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN

Grotto in honor of Mary on Bayou Lafourche in Thibodaux, Louisiana

O God, who have taken to yourself the blessed Virgin Mary, mother of your incarnate Son: Grant that we, who have been redeemed by his blood, may share with her the glory of your eternal kingdom; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Luke 1:46-55

 And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
   and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
   and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
   from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
   he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
   and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
   and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
   in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
   to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

The Magnificat is one of my favorite prayers.  The words glorify God and remind us that the Kingdom of God turns the power structures of the kingdoms of this world upside down.

In today's Morning Prayer at The Daily Office, the Gospel reading for the feast day is the account in John of the wedding at Cana at which Jesus and Mary are both present.  During the course of the celebration, the wine runs out, and Mary tells Jesus, expecting that he will remedy the situation.  Jesus, though he is reluctant and impatient, honors the request of his mother after Mary tells the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”   He turns water into wine, the finest of wine, 

The instructions to the servants are Mary's final words in the Scriptures, words which all Christians might do well to live by, to do as Jesus tells us to do.  In her words, Mary directs attention to Jesus, and we honor Mary best when we remember that she always points to Jesus. 

BAYOU CORNE - THE COMMUNITY SWALLOWED BY A SINKHOLE.

About once a month, the residents of Bayou Corne, Louisiana, meet at the Assumption Parish library in the early evening to talk about the hole in their lives. "It was just like going through cancer all over again," says one. "You fight and you fight and you fight and you think, 'Doggone it, I've beaten this thing,' and then it's back." Another spent last Thanksgiving at a 24-hour washateria because she and her disabled husband had nowhere else to go. As the box of tissues circulates, a third woman confesses that after 20 years of sobriety she recently testified at a public meeting under the influence.

"The God of my understanding says, 'As you sow, so shall you reap,'" says Kenny Simoneaux, a balding man in a Harley-Davidson T-shirt. He has instructed his grandchildren to lock up the ammunition. "I'm so goddamn mad I could kill somebody."

But the support group isn't for addiction, PTSD, or cancer, though all of these maladies are present. The hole in their lives is a literal one. One night in August 2012, after months of unexplained seismic activity and mysterious bubbling on the bayou, a sinkhole opened up on a plot of land leased by the petrochemical company Texas Brine, forcing an immediate evacuation of Bayou Corne's 350 residents—an exodus that still has no end in sight. Last week, Louisiana filed a lawsuit against the company and the principal landowner, Occidental Chemical Corporation, for damages stemming from the cavern collapse.

The article by Tim Murphy at Mother Jones is excellent, one of the best of the accounts I've read of the events that led up to the sinkhole collapse, its increase in size, and the consequences that followed for the people who live or once lived in the area.  Since south Louisiana sits upon many hollowed-out salt caverns, which are often used to store natural gas and oil, with some of the oil containing radioactive materials, the question is not if, but when a similar disaster will happen.

Lax regulation and lack of oversight of the dangerous operations of oil and gas and chemical companies here in Louisiana contribute to the number of disasters.  When will we have had enough of the disasters to pass more rigorous safety regulations and provide timely inspections and stiffer penalties for companies who break safety rules?  When will we have had enough to get serious here in Louisiana about research and development in clean energy sources and provision of tax incentives for businesses that provide clean energy and for factories that manufacture equipment for use in supplying clean energy?  

I'm not holding my breath.

 

UNWANTED LINKS BANISHED

If I accomplish nothing else today, I succeeded in removing unwanted links from my blog description.  I don't know if the outside world could see the links, but I could, and I found them annoying.  After an online inquiry and reading several complicated suggestions for removing the links and trying a few without success, I found the solution was right there on my blog.  A big thank you to whoever provided the fix - presumably some kind person at Blogger.

UPDATE: Now I have a an unwanted panel with links that pops up on my left sidebar, and the unwanted links are back.

UPDATE 2: The unwanted links came from a program called WebCake, which I uninstalled.  I have no idea how the program was installed on my computer.   

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY JUSTIN WELBY IN GUATEMALA

Archbishop Justin Welby

Our friend Leonardo Ricardo was present when Archbishop Welby presided at the celebration of the Eucharist in Santiago Cathedral in Guatemala City on August 11, 2013.  Len posted a report on the event with pictures and his notes on the archbishop's sermon at his blog, "Eruptions at the Foot of the Volcano," here and here.

Archbishop Welby and Archbishop Armando Guerra Soria of Guatemala are seated in chairs by Leonardo from his series of furniture art creations.  In the picture on the left only a small part of one of the chairs can be seen.

The text of Justin's sermon, Reconciliation is our 'Gift to the World', is posted at the archbishop's website.  The words of the sermon give me hope.  As they say in Guatemala, "Vamos a ver."

Photo by Elizabeth Bell.

UPDATE: Below is a photo, also by Elizabeth Bell, of Leonardo's splendid chairs.  The chairs, with their gorgeous colors, are beautiful - true works of art.

Archbishop Armando Guerra Soria

Archbishop Armando Guerra Soria

Archbishop Armando Guerra Soria

GORGEOUS 0PEN-AIR CATHEDRAL

Aspen Alley Wyoming?

“Standing on the bare ground,--my head bathed by the blithe air and uplifted into infinite space,--all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eyeball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or parcel of God.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nature and Selected Essays

From Love and Social Justice.

PSYCHIATRIST VS BARTENDER

Ever since I was a child, I've always had a fear of someone under my bed at night. So I went to a shrink and told him:

'I've got problems. Every time I go to bed I think there's somebody under it. I'm scared. I think I'm going crazy.'

'Just put yourself in my hands for one year,' said the shrink. 'Come talk to me three times a week and we should be able to get rid of those fears.'

'How much do you charge?'

'Eighty dollars per visit,' replied the doctor.

'I'll sleep on it,' I said.

Six months later the doctor met me on the street. 'Why didn't you come to see me about those fears you were having?' he asked.

'Well, Eighty bucks a visit three times a week for a year is an awful lot of money! A bartender cured me for $10. I was so happy to have saved all that money that I went and bought me a new pickup!'

'Is that so!' With a bit of an attitude he said, 'and how, may I ask, did a bartender cure you?'

'He told me to cut the legs off the bed! Ain't nobody under there now!'

(Thanks to Doug.)

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY VISITS GUATEMALA - WILL SIT IN LEONARDO'S CHAIR

Anglican-Episcopalians in Central America are preparing to receive one of the references of unity of the Anglican Communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who will be in Guatemala City from August 10-12.

From a news story by Susana Barrera for ALC.

The visit was announced by Bishop Martín Barahona of the Anglican Episcopal Church of El Salvador, who expressed his great satisfaction with the archbishop’s pilgrimage and his decision to travel around the world to get to know the life of other missions.

The stunning bar, lamp and tables are the work of my good friend and artist Leonardo Ricardo.  You may wonder why I picture Leonardo's furniture art on a post announcing a visit to Guatemala by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.  Here's why:

The Archbishop of Canterbury is arriving in Guatemala this weekend.  He will officiate along with Presiding Bishop Armando at Santiago Cathedral on Sunday morning.  They will be sitting on two original Leonardo Ricardo thrones (don´t you love it?). The Cathedral has borrowed two of my elaborately painted oversized arm chairs for the occassion.  Hopefully there will be photos.  I will be attending the ABC´s special visit/mass with Elizabeth Bell....

There you have it.  The two archbishops will be seated in over-sized armchairs created by Leonardo.  The armchairs will be thrones for a day.  Leonardo, I love it!  I don't have a picture of the chairs, but I'm quite certain there will be photos after the service.

"CLOUD OF WITNESSES" - UPSTAIRS LOUNGE FIRE

Fr Bill Richardson

From Walking With Integrity:

On June 22nd, Integrity New Orleans held a memorial service at St. George's Episcopal Church in that city, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of a fire at the UpStairs Lounge, a gay bar in the French Quarter which also served as the home of the local Metropolitan Community Church, a protestant denomination founded specifically to minister to the LGBT community.

Thirty-two people were killed in the fire, three of whom were never identified. The bar was located on the second floor.  
....

Especially remembered at the service, celebrated by the Rev. Richard Easterling, was the Rev. William P. "Bill" Richardson.  Richardson, who was rector of St. George's from 1953-1976, held a similar service the in the days after the fire, in defiance of his own bishop (the Right Rev. Iveson Noland) and other clergy who refused to permit their churches to be used or provide any other pastoral response.

Another fine article in remembrance of the UpStairs Lounge Fire. 

THE HEAD AND THE HEART - "RIVERS AND ROADS"

Thanks to my favorite economist.

"FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE"

IT'S NOT THE GUNS - PART 8

Authorities in Louisiana don’t know how a 5-year-old boy managed to shoot a 3-year-old boy, but they are pretty sure that people taking care of the children are lying about the incident.

According to The News Star, Monroe Police Sgt. Mark Johnson said officers responded to reports that a 3-year-old had been shot by a 5-year-old playing with a gun after 1 p.m. on Thursday [Aug. 1].

“We think there may be more going on than we’ve been told,” Johnson explained. “This is a serious situation. Some people may have given us untruthful statements.”

One day later:

 A child shot at a Dixie Avenue residence in Monroe died Friday after being taken off life support.

According to Sgt. Mark Johnson, the child, whose name was not released, was declared dead around 1:30 p.m. Friday [Aug. 2] at St. Francis Medical Center.

Around 1 p.m. Thursday, police responded to 201 Dixie Avenue in relation to the shooting of a 3-year-old child.

An investigation revealed the child was shot by a 5-year-old and the 3-year-old’s mother rushed him to the hospital.

Part of the what the NRA says is true.  It is the guns, but it's also ignorant, reckless, irresponsible  people who own guns.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

How does a well regulated militia come to include people who leave loaded guns around accessible to toddlers and children?  Where is the regulation?  Who is responsible for the killings?  How long will we allow such senseless deaths to continue?

"SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK"

"Silver Linings Playbook" is one of the craziest, funniest, and, at the same time, one of the most intelligent and touching movies I've seen in a long time. All the way through the film, I rooted for the characters, as one or more of them skirt the edge in imminent danger of going over and having to go to prison or into a mental health facility. Although I wanted them to succeed in spite of the odds against them, in their out-of-control moments, I wondered if a couple of them truly were too dangerous to be loose on the streets.  The mental health challenges included bipolar disorder, sex addiction, and OCD. 

The suspense as to whether the characters in the film would continue to roam free kept me on the edge of my seat till the very end. The poignant thread which weaves through the story, of the wounded helping the wounded to heal, moved me greatly.

The movie was nominated for and won many awards, including  the Academy Award for Best Actress to Jennifer Lawrence for her excellent performance as Tiffany.  Bradley Cooper, as Pat, skillfully navigates his way through the bipolar character's rapid personality changes, and Robert De Niro shines in his portrayal of Pat's obsessive-compulsive disordered father.   Pat's mother Dolores (Jacki Weaver), the loving and compassionate enabler to the eccentric family members, plays her role often wide-eyed, shocked, and stricken by the mayhem around her.  All the characters endeared themselves to me in their own wonderful ways.  I applaud all involved in making the marvelous film.

HOW TO DESTROY A COMMUNITY - ALGIERS POINT

 

As you see on the map, Algiers Point is the pink area, a charming, historic community on the West Bank of the Mississippi River.  The Central Business District is labeled, but the French Quarter is not.  The small green square directly across from Algiers Point is Jackson Square, the heart of the Quarter.  You see how convenient the Canal Street ferry is for pedestrians who live or stay in Algiers Point to reach the Quarter and the CBD, where there are also a good many popular restaurants.  The famous St Charles streetcar, which transports riders to the Garden District or for a lovely ride on oak-lined St Charles Avenue is easily reached on foot from the ferry landing.

But no.  Plan a ferry schedule that stops running at 7:00 on weekdays and 8:15 on weekends, the very time when people are having dinner, followed by a drink or a visit to one of the many small clubs in or near the Quarter to listen to music.  If tourists don't follow weekends and want to enjoy themselves every day and evening, well just stay elsewhere.

This is New Orleans!  The reduced hours of ferry operation are idiotic to the point that I want to scream, cry, or bang my head, or all three.  What are you thinking, leaders and planners?  Are you thinking?  

Algiers Point business owners, dependent on visitors keen to get out of downtown New Orleans tourist spots and explore the unique neighborhood across the Mississippi River, say reduced Canal Street ferry hours are proving disastrous for their bottom lines.

“It’s been terrible for business,” said Linda Bullard, manager of the Dry Dock Café, a popular watering hole just steps from the ferry station.

Bullard said the bar-restaurant has seen a reduction in business of between 30 and 40 percent since the Louisiana Department of Transportation clipped the late-night schedule a month ago.
....

The Algiers Point ferry service, which used to run until midnight, now ends at 8:15 p.m. on the weekends and before 7 p.m. the rest of the week.
....

The small Algiers Point bed-and-breakfast industry also has taken a hit in the aftermath of the schedule slash.

“There’s been an absolute turndown in business,” said Kevin Herridge, owner of the House of the Rising Sun Bed and Breakfast on Pelican Avenue.
....

The ripple effect has extended to local artisans who rely on the Algiers Point bed-and-breakfast industry.

What have we here?  A good many businesses on Algiers point, small businesses, which all politicians tout as great job creators, will quite likely be destroyed.

Bars

Cafés

Bed and Breakfast establishments

Artisan shops

Moving picture theater

Landlords

Who cares, but the business owners and their patrons, who will now be former patrons?

A good many hospitality workers with jobs in the French Quarter or the Central Business District will likely have to move, because they will have difficulty getting home after work, thus renters will lose their tenants.

Algiers residents spoke Monday night about their frustrations with the Canal Street ferry’s reduced hours and concerns about what they described as the high cost of commuting across the river under a takeover plan proposed by the Regional Transit System.
....

Under RTA’s plan pedestrians who now ride the ferries for free would pay a base fare of $2 each way or $75 for a monthly pass. That’s a significant cost for many who use the boats daily, residents said.
....

Throughout the discussion, residents called for a cheaper option for those who regularly use the ferry, possibly funded by increasing the cost for tourists and other infrequent riders. A number of other suggestions, including selling advertising and naming rights on the boats, also cropped up during the discussion.

Even as prohibitive fares may be levied on pedestrians who use the ferry, gas-guzzling vehicles spewing carbon monoxide into our already polluted air will ride free of tolls over the Crescent City Connection bridges.  People who don't own cars and workers in the French Quarter and CBD, who may own cars, but who would have difficulty finding free parking places, will have to pay for parking or ride the bus.

“I find it more than a little ironic that those who can afford a car can now cross the river for free, but those who can’t are now going to pay $4 a day,” Michelle Moltz said.  

Indeed.

NOTE: Because of the curves in the Mississippi River, the West Bank is sometimes to the east and south of New Orleans, so it is then the West Bank in name only.

JESUS AND MO

 

From Jesus and Mo.

RICK PERRY IN NEW ORLEANS (LOUISIANA)

Rick Perry: “Now there are many other states that embrace those conservative values, the approach that we’ve taken over the years. I’m in one today – in Florida.  Look at South Carolina; you look at Florida.”

From the audience: “We’re in Louisiana!”

Rick Perry: "I know; I said that.  I'm in one of those states that reflect those today - in Louisiana.  Yes, I got that."

Run, Rick, run.  Oooh, I hope Perry runs. He will not be the candidate unless the death wish in the GOP is far stronger than even I can imagine, but it will be such fun if Perry runs. The video is priceless. Graceful recovery - NOT.

H/T to Daily Kos and a Facebook friend.

THANK YOU, FEEDLY

Feedly, my new reader, which replaces Google Reader, now lists the blogs I follow in alphabetical order, an arrangement I have wanted from the beginning. I didn't change any settings, but today I had my wish.  Previously, I couldn't figure out the rhyme or reason for the arrangement of the list, and I often had to search for a while to find a particular blog. Thank you, Feedly.

So far, I've adjusted well to the new reader.  Feedly pays close attention to feedback from users, and they are trying hard to provide a useful and satisfying service.

GAYS CONFESSING

 

Yes.

Read David's post at nakedpastor.

SLEEPLESS AND SUNRISE IN THIBODAUX

 

Wondering how today will go with no sleep last night. The picture shows a less than spectacular sunrise, a view I don't often see, for I'm not an early riser.  Since I wasn't sleeping, I got up from bed before sunrise and hoped for a beautiful sight.  Still, it's a good thing the sun rose, yes?

No major problems, just vague digestive distress, enough to keep me awake.  And, of course, when one tosses and turns, the mind tends to race, which is not conducive to sleep.  A vicious cycle.  I don't often have insomnia.  Sometimes I don't get enough hours of sleep, but hardly ever no sleep at all.  I should be counting my blessings, yes?

Y'all have a good day.

UPDATE: I slept well last night.

ELEPHANT REVIVAL - "ANCIENT SEA"

Listening to the music of Elephant Revival always makes me smile. All the musicians in the group are so very talented.

WATCHED "THE LIFE OF PI" - FINALLY

Last night, after first receiving a damaged DVD of "The Life of Pi" from Netflix which was unplayable and had to be sent back (frustrating, indeed!), I finally watched and thoroughly enjoyed the film on a replacement DVD.  I cancelled my membership to Netflix's mailing program because this is the second time I've received a damaged DVD. I joined the streaming program, and I'll watch movies online and see how that works.  I gather that Netflix would like to be rid of the mailing program, thus, I assume, the reason for the missing quality control.  

Though I prefer to watch movies on TV, and there is apparently a way to connect to a television set, both our TVs are old, and I doubt they are equipped to make the connection. The other night, I watched an episode of a TV series on my computer, and it was fine, as I have a sizable screen.  I could watch on my laptop in a more comfortable chair, but the sound system is poor. For the next viewing, I'll carry in a footstool from another room in the house, which will give me more comfort watching on my computer.

About the movie, "The Life of Pi" won four major Academy Awards: Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, and Best Score, all well-deserved.  The story is enchanting, and the combination of visual beauty and splendid music made for wonderfully fulfilling sensuous experience.  I'm surprised none of the actors won the top award, for nearly all were excellent in their roles.  The performance of Tabu, in her role as Pi's mother, was especially beautiful.  The only actor who was not believable to me was Rafe Spall, who played the novelist, Yann Martel, to whom Pi tells his story. Of course, in a sense, the selection for Best Director Award acknowledges indirectly the excellence of the performances.  I award the movie five stars, my top score.