I was unfazed by the ad until the end–I expected it to be a commercial promoting outdoor fun and that at the end the kids would forget about their phones and go swimming or play with bears.  Instead, Comcast tells us the kids are right and that we shouldn't rough it!  Phew.  I'm glad we're teaching our youth that it's (a) okay to hate the outdoors and stay inside all day long, all summer long (b) okay to be a total brat to your counselor and stomp around like you own the world and (c) okay for elementary-aged kids to be completely dependent on TV, internet, and cell phones.  Hooray for educational media!

In related news, we're moving and our Comcast gets shut off in two weeks.  So you can suck it, Fort Wayne "basic cable" that includes nothing but network channels, 3 home-shopping channels, CMT, and 8,000 24-hour Christian networks.  Although I've thoroughly enjoyed my encounters with DIAMONIQUE and the other highlights of Jewelry Television.  Especially when my workplace then acquired TWO clients on the same day named Diamonique.  Seriously.

However, the Obama campaign has said that Obama and his running mate will travel the swing states before the convention and Indiana is a swing state this election.

• Remember the Toledo kid (Sammy Villegas) who the FBI busted for pointshaving?  In a shocking (!!!) turn of events, the FBI is now saying that it was related to the football pointshaving scandal from last season!  (heavy sarcasm alert for you analog types)   So...  how deep does this mire go at Toledo?
• Former Johnnie and Dookie Roshown McLeod, last seen fumbling a ball out of bounds in the 98 regional finals in St. Pete, is back on the radar as a new assistant for Tom Crean at Indiana (yes, we're aware he got a little run in the NiBbA).  Too bad he can't suit up for the new $24M man. 
• Former UNC big man Alex Stepheson will transfer to USC and will attempt to get a waiver from the NCAA (similar to what Tyler Smith did last year at Tennessee) so that he can play this season for the Trojans.  His father is suffering from an undisclosed illness. 
• Get ready to see a LOT of Stephen Curry this year (not a bad thing).  The Preseason NIT will feature Curry's Davidson squad in addition to other NCAA teams Purdue, Oklahoma, Cornell, Georgia, Mississippi Valley St., and Arizona.   We like the Boilers vs. Curry in the finals.
• So Ty Lawson ends up with 26 hours of community service (working on his crossover?) and the city of Chapel Hill still has its celebrated point guard in light of his "drinking while driving" arrest back in the spring.  Something doesn't seem too right about that. 
• The NCAA denied Pitt forward Mike Cook's request for an extra year of eligibility.  He played in eleven games last season before suffering a knee injury, and according to the NCAA rules, a player is only eligible for a redshirt season if he played in less than 30% of his team's games.  Pittsburgh played 37 games last year - Cook played in 11.  That's 29.7%, so what's the problem?  The problem is that the NCAA qualifies ALL postseason games as ONE game, which means, by their fuzziest of math, Cook played in 11 of 32 games, or 34.3%.  Ridiculous.  Did you guys know that Kansas won its title in only one game last March/April?

Here are some samples of our latest EP session, Cassie, a 2009 senior at Carroll High School.  Enjoy!

It's about time.

And then there's this from the DNC. I'm grateful for Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church and author of The Purpose Driven Life.

That Saddleback conference was something. I don't think I would have known just how flippant and removed McCain is from economic issues until I saw it. But I guess, according to McCain's economic advisor, Phil Gramm who shows up in the video as well, that just makes me another whiner.

Newstalk 1430, WXNT-AM, Indiana's Election Headquarters, has learned senior officials from Barack Obama's presidential campaign team may be on their way to Indianapolis for a "major event" this Saturday.  That same day, Obama is expected to make his first public appearance with his yet to be announced vice-presidential running mate.

Ken Whitehouse, a 20-year Democratic operative and former campaign official for Al Gore, writes in his NashvillePost.com blog today, "Sources in Denver, the site of next week's Democratic National Convention, say that individuals responsible for Obama's major public appearances have been pulled out of the city and are heading east towards Indiana."

If these sources are correct, it could be an indication that Senator Evan Bayh will be Obama's choice for running mate.  Bayh, who served as Indiana's Governor from 1989-1987 and has served in the US Senate since 1999, has been widely reported on Obama's "short list" along with Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) and Governor Tim Kaine (D-VA).  Biden yesterday remarked to reporters that he was "not the man" to be named Obama's vice-presidential pick.  Coincidentally, Obama is staying the night in Richmond as Kaine's guest this evening.  Rumors have Obama's announcement coming as early as tomorrow morning via text message to his supporters.

As far as the rumors of a possible Obama stop in Indianapolis, tied in with the possible announcement of Bayh as his running mate, WXNT-AM's Abdul Hakim-Shabazz has received denials from sources in the state's Democratic Party and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.  Jonathan Swain, spokesperson for Obama's campaign in Indiana, says of the rumored visit, "that's news to me."

More on this developing story throughout the day and tomorrow with Abdul in the Morning on Newstalk 1430, WXNT-AM, Indiana's Election Headquarters.

Obama 43 McCain +5 Florida Rasmussen McCain 48,

Obama 46 McCain +2 National Gallup Tracking Obama 45,

McCain 43 Obama +2 National Rasmussen Tracking Obama 47,

McCain 46 Obama +1 Indiana SurveyUSA McCain 50,

Obama 44 McCain +6 National LA Times/Bloomberg Obama 45,

McCain 43 Obama +2 National Reuters/Zogby Obama 41,

McCain 46 McCain +5 National Reuters/Zogby Obama 39,

McCain 44,

Nader 2,

Barr 3 McCain +5 Arizona Arizona State McCain 40,

Obama 30 McCain +10 Missouri PPP (D) McCain 50,

Obama 40 McCain +10 National Battleground Obama 46,

McCain 47 McCain +1 Iowa Univ. of Iowa Obama 50,

McCain 43 Obama +7 ]]> http://wedeclare.wordpress.com/?p=263 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:46:26 +0000 wedeclare http://wedeclare.wordpress.com/?p=263 Here’s an interesting article; but this graph says it all:

It’s been long understood by anybody who thinks, that poverty and hunger in lands of plenty is solely a political problem…ungoverned government literally robs and kills.

Well, I struggle to think of any serious civilization problem that doesn’t share the same root.

Ultimately, of course, the disease of ungoverned government is a social/moral problem.  Citizens are always to blame for their government.  Whether by numb voting or lack of resistance to oppression, we get what we tolerate, and too much tolerance has become our personal problem.

While we’re told we must tolerate more and more…who’s to blame when we, like sheep, just do it?

We're to blame, that's who.

Unless we destroy the monsters we've created (the "Federal Reserve" and the unconstitutional monstrosities we call "government") and replace them with truly governed government, then we'll meet the fate of all fools.

That's not good.

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he was the 23rd president of the U.S.A., serving from March 4, 1889 - March 3, 1893 as such, & as a politician for the Republican Party
he was one of the presidents who were elected by the electoral college, but not the popular vote 

he was also known as "Little Ben" sometimes, as well as the "centennial president" cuz' of the 100 years passed since the first U.S.A. President, George Washington had been inaugurated, at the time of Benjamin Harrison's inauguration

he was born in Ohio, & passed away in Indiana, he was a lawyer, a Presbyterian, reporter (for the Indiana Supreme Court), a brevetted brigadier general, a (Republican) (Indiana) senator, & who knows what other things

The most disappointing results for Obama is probably in Indiana, where SurveyUSA has John McCain pulling into a 6-point lead after having trailed by a single point last month. Why so disappointing? Because Obama has been investing heavily in Indiana while McCain has not.

It will drive a man to drinking huh!

O mês de Agosto foi de recuperação de Mccain. Mas agora, a candidatura de Obama vai ter bons momentos. Esta semana vai anunciar o nome de VP, e na próxima decorrerá a Convenção de Denver, que se espera um grande espectáculo mediático. E certamente daqui a duas semanas, Obama terá uma superioridade considerável nas sondagens. Depois virá a Convenção Republicana, e veremos como se estabelece a candidatura republicana. E partir daí, começa a campanha a sério para Novembro. E já sem margem para falhas.

Dear Morgan:
Connie and I wanted to thank you for your nice article on her horrible plight with the Perry Township School Board. The fight is continuing — and we are getting help to fight it!

It’s whole new world out there with the internet and blogs — and I’m convinced it’s caring, responsible bloggers like youself that will change the world…for the better!

A case in point: the Guardian article that you refer to. Suzanne Goldenberg got ahold of me via my email because I had posted a response to a “filmspotters” forum entry calling for support of Connie. Of course I found the forum entry by “googling” Connie’s name several times a day. I was so touched by this anonymous gentleman named “gateway” trying to help us — I just HAD to thank him. Then pow — The Guardian picked my response — and then then the world gets a great story!

I have picked up maybe a hundred blog entries using google and other search engines. Almost all blogs are overwhelmingly positive to Connie — and see the situation as it is: censorship of books and the high school newspaper, horrible treatment of a dedicated teacher — and absolutely no intention of compromising or doing the right thing given overwhelmingly mitigating circumstances. One blogger said it’s “a board gone mad.”

Since Connie’s draconian and unprecedented 18-month suspension without pay or subsidized benefits (like our health insurance) — the board has a new president and three new members. They are now not arguing viciously in public anymore or threatening to sue each other. They are talking “let’s move on.” They want “kumbaya.”

Well think again. I attended the last August 11 meeting and was extremely offended by the new president’s uncalled for sarcastic remark about the Freedom Writers Diary. As the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Dr. Debra Barnes was informing the board of the new teacher’s language book selection for the upcoming year, Steve Maple, the new president chided in with: “well is the Freedom Writers Diary going to be included in all that, Dr. Barnes?” Dr. Barnes responded with a quick and embarrassed, “no.” Immediately you heard loud groans from the residents attending the board meeting. My face was as red as the silk shirt I was wearing — but a little voice said to me, “restraint of tongue and pen,” and I didn’t stand up to protest (I’m glad I didn’t).

So I guess what I’m saying, Morgan, is that you will hear more from Connie, because the new president and new board still doesn’t understand the world-wide outrage over Connie’s harsh suspension. And since we have 18 months to talk about it — guess what?: we will! More articles will appear in more national and international publications, I guarantee it. The longer the controversy goes the better it is for teachers like my wife. Somewhere, someone has to make boards around the US realize: if you do this to a teacher, this is what could happen. Your board becomes a poster child, a microcosm for all that is wrong in education — and the world will laugh at you.

The only problem with that is, guess what, the board has been receiving hundreds of emails from around the world. But, well, the board just doesn’t care.

Thanks again for your great take on Connie’s situation. I would enjoy trading conversation with you again soon.

Thank you
Tom Heermann, better known now as “Connie’s husband”

If any of you readers want to jump into the fray - then please do so. You have my permission to feature yesterday's article as well as Tom's reply on your site. We need to stop this insanity. Thanks.

It has been a few weeks now since the Indy Star article. Our locally Gannett owned paper ran a front page METRO section article about my church, Lockerbie Central United Methodist.

It looks like the blogosphere picked up on it.

Well, one guy did.

The blogger--a journalist, law student, and presbyterian--had a lengthy response to Bobby King's article about us. Posting on Get Religion.org, he wrote the [Indy Star article] "left me pondering whether this story was more about a growing social center and movement or place of entertainment than it was about a struggling church, as its traditionally defined."

So I guess Ill try and answer him here.

LCUMC is a "growing social center and movement." It is also a place of entertainment for the arts. And we are also a struggling church.

A church with great hope for the future but a church that struggles with both finances and with what it means to follow Jesus in the 21st century. We are mostly a church full of people who want to follow Jesus but who detest the Religious Right and want a church more vibrant and relavant than what most mainline denominations have become.

The blogger continues:

The one thing I kept looking for in the story was an explanation for the church’s views on the direction of the United Methodist denomination nationally or some sort of determination of the church’s theological baseline. Of course since the congregation lacks a pastor and by definition attempts to avoid religious and political labels, that basis is difficult to establish, but there are certain basic things that can be asked about.

Since the church doesn't really have "view on the direction of the United Methodist denomination," I will give my take. I am a life long United Methodist, went to a Methodist college, Millsaps, before transferring, to Earlham, and some of my most important mentors are United Methodist clergy. I love and have great hope for the United Methodists. I also hope that Lockerbie Central will continue to be a strong contributor to the United Methodist conversation.

But, it is very clear that the United Methodist and mainline protestant churches are dying. Walk into almost any United Methodist church and you will notice the complete lack of young people. Last year at annual conference, I was the only lay leader under 30 (I am now 31.) The annual conference represents hundreds of churches.

As for our little church, I am excited and a little worried. What makes me excited about our church is that we don't shy away from controversial issuess--like war and poverty.

So, the blogger continues. He wishes Bobby King had talked about three main questions facing the church.

(1) Are the biblical accounts of the resurrection of Jesus accurate? Did this event really happen?

This is a tough question as each gospel account of the resurrection is different. If the writers of Mark, Luke, Mathew, and John, don't match up in their accounts of the resurrection, how can we 2000 years after the life of Jesus know if these accounts are "accurate"?

I can't speak for the whole church, but I believe that the Resurrection is true. We do celebrate Easter. We might not be sure on all the details or if the Resurrection is best understood as a metaphor or a political statement or as "accurate" history, but I do believe that truth can't be killed. Jesus' dream of a world of justice, compassion, and disciplehship was not murdered by [the roman] empire or its religious establishment collaborators.

(2) Is salvation found through Jesus Christ, alone? Was Jesus being literal when he said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6)?

I definitely believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I feel that only God knows who is truly saved. OR perhaps, If God, being of compassion and love, saves everyone.

What I struggle with is if Jesus is the "way" then shouldn't we follow all of Jesus' teachings, especially the really hard ones. Like loving your neighbor, loving your enemy, healing the wounded, reaching out to outcasts, being in community with outcasts, living a life not consumed with materialism. Before we talk about salvation, shouldn't we get these other details right first?

(3) Is sex outside of the Sacrament of Marriage a sin?

There is no doubt that a healthy marriage is ideal in any society.

I might say that sex outside of a committed, healthy relationship is a sin. But war is also a sin. But that has not stopped our Christian presidents. And last time I checked, war--you know that whole do not kill thing--is pretty high up there on the list of sins.

Plus, I don't ever really remembering Jesus talking about gay marriage or pre-maritial sex. I do remember Jesus talking about peacemaking and standing up for those who have been victimized by purity codes.

Anne is a retired budget analyst for the federal government. She says the first time she saw Barack at the 2004 convention, she thought, "This is Everyman. He is Kansan and he is Kenyan; he is African and he is Anglo-American; he is common sense and he is eloquence; he is dynamic and he is down to earth." Anne is an active volunteer for the campaign, as well as for a local animal protection group. She hosts a weekly local radio program named Art and Review, in which she reads to the blind. Anne strongly believes in the protection of our civil liberties. She will attend with a friend and fellow campaign supporter. 

The ad shows McCain saying, "I don't believe we're headed into a recession." But McCain said that in January, and he also acknowledged at the time that the American economy was in "a rough patch."

The ad then shows McCain saying in April, "[T]here's been great progress economically." But the quote is lifted from a much longer response; McCain went on to say that the "progress" made during Bush's tenure still wouldn't console American families who are facing "tremendous economic challenges."

The third quote from McCain, "[W]e have had a pretty good prosperous time, with low unemployment," also comes from January. In his full response, McCain went on to say "things are tough right now."

 

Watch it:

More details to follow.

Two nights ago, a friend (and Iraq War veteran) was walking down the sidewalk wearing an Obama 2008 shirt when a man, eating dinner with his wife looked up and said, “So, you’re a communist?”

That same night, a person in the bar shared this story with my friend: “I was wearing an Obama shirt in here the other night and three guys surrounded me and started harassing me about the shirt. Realizing I was outnumbered, I asked them what they would like me to do. They made me turn my shirt inside-out.”

Another recent evening, I was driving my mom’s car, which has an Obama bumper sticker on it. As I was using a drive-thru ATM, a truck pulled up behind me and began chanting Obama’s name out his window, but not in a good way. More like a tone that invoked the ghosts of the KKK. I didn’t look back, I just pulled away and acted like I didn’t hear them.

And then there’s this zinger, brought to light by an acquaintance: “I hope every racist person in America comes out and votes against Obama.”

Indiana is an interesting place.

Lots more analysis here. So yeah, I guess I won't be donning the "Fuck Cars" t-shirt I picked up this afternoon in Bloomington until I get back to California. Thanks, Bri!

Harding's Presidency Didn't Go So Well Either

Hey, we like Coach Crean.  Seems like a nice fella who can coach a little basketball.  Had a superb March run at an urban Catholic school a few years ago with a wiry guard named Dwyane Wade, as we recall.  Of course that run in 2003 was followed by only one NCAA win in the next five years, which was subsequently followed by Crean taking the Indiana job and watching as pretty much everyone who could play basketball in Bloomington exited stage left (regards to Kyle Taber, we're sure he's quite talented - after all he does shoot 78% from the floor). 

In full panic mode, the IU brass today approved a 10-year, $24 million contract for Tom Crean to coach their beloved Hoosiers.  This comes on the heels of national championship coach Bill Self recently signing a 10-year, $30 million deal with Kansas.  Now we know that over ten years, a $6 million dollar difference is a lot of money, but we still have trouble seeing Tom Crean anywhere near the same coaching stratosphere as Bill Self (see comparison table below).  This appears to have every mark of an administration that is desperately seeking stability (which they'll probably get) without any clue as to how good (and how fast) Crean can will make Indiana. 

But hey, they'll have peace of mind about the recruiting violations, right? 

More:  Crean's contract, for your reading pleasure. 

His time away from the Oval Office included the month leading up to 9/11, when there were signs Osama bin Laden was planning to attack America, and the time Hurricane Katrina destroyed the city of New Orleans.

Sen. John McCain takes weekends off and limits his campaign events to one a day. He made an exception for the religious forum on Saturday at Saddleback Church in Southern California.

I think he made a big mistake. When he was invited last spring to attend a discussion of the role of faith in his life with Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, at Messiah College in Pennsylvania, McCain didn't bother to show up. Now I know why.

It occurs to me that John McCain is as intellectually shallow as our current president. When asked what his Christian faith means to him, his answer was a one-liner. "It means I'm saved and forgiven." Great scholars have wrestled with the meaning of faith for centuries. McCain then retold a story we've all heard a hundred times about a guard in Vietnam drawing a cross in the sand.

Asked about his greatest moral failure, he cited his first marriage, which ended in divorce. While saying it was his greatest moral failing, he offered nothing in the way of explanation. Why not?

Throughout the evening, McCain chose to recite portions of his stump speech as answers to the questions he was being asked. Why? He has lived 71 years. Surely he has some thoughts on what it all means that go beyond canned answers culled from the same speech he delivers every day.

He was asked "if evil exists." His response was to repeat for the umpteenth time that Osama bin Laden is a bad man and he will pursue him to "the gates of hell." That was it.

He was asked to define rich. After trying to dodge the question -- his wife is worth a reported $100 million -- he finally said he thought an income of $5 million was rich.

One after another, McCain's answers were shallow, simplistic, and trite. He showed the same intellectual curiosity that George Bush has -- virtually none.

Where are John McCain's writings exploring the vexing moral issues of our time? Where are his position papers setting forth his careful consideration of foreign policy, the welfare state, education, America's moral responsibility in the world, etc., etc., etc.?

John McCain graduated 894th in a class of 899 at the Naval Academy at Annapolis. His father and grandfather were four star admirals in the Navy. Some have suggested that might have played a role in McCain being admitted. His academic record was awful. And it shows over and over again whenever McCain is called upon to think on his feet.

He no longer allows reporters unfettered access to him aboard the "Straight Talk Express" for a reason. He simply makes too many mistakes. Unless he's reciting talking points or reading from notes or a TelePrompTer, John McCain is lost. He can drop bon mots at a bowling alley or diner -- short glib responses that get a chuckle, but beyond that McCain gets in over his head very quickly.

I am sick and tired of the president of the United States embarrassing me. The world we live in is too complex to entrust it to someone else whose idea of intellectual curiosity and grasp of foreign policy issues is to tell us he can look into Vladimir Putin's eyes and see into his soul.

George Bush's record as a student, military man, businessman and leader of the free world is one of constant failure. And the part that troubles me most is he seems content with himself.

He will leave office with the country $10 trillion in debt, fighting two wars, our international reputation in shambles, our government cloaked in secrecy and suspicion that his entire presidency has been a litany of broken laws and promises, our citizens' faith in our own country ripped to shreds. Yet Bush goes bumbling along, grinning and spewing moronic one-liners, as though nobody understands what a colossal failure he has been.

I fear to the depth of my being that John McCain is just like him.

I get really excited when people surprise me (like when my husband took me to my favorite small town of all time: Nashville, Indiana for a Jeff Bates concert) and I love to surprise other people.  I think that surprises are a big part of enjoying life to the fullest because sometimes things are appreciated much more when they are unexpected.  They don't have to be expensive or planned down to every last detail; sometimes surprising people can be as small as thanking them or telling them they are appreciated.

I have learned in the recent past that surprising people with your maturity can go a long way.  Being there for someone when you have no real obligation or helping with something that you could have easily avoided speaks volumes about your character and makes other people feel loved and important.  This, to me, is the best gift you can give and really helps you realize that you can make a difference.  Giving thoughtful gifts that have no price tag are the ones that are remembered later.  Also, we are so used to rushing around and getting wrapped up in our own dramatic lives that we forget to tell people how much they mean to us. 

I remembered an old friend today that I haven't spoken to in a couple of years and decided to call her to tell her I wanted to see how things were going since I last saw her.  She was so surprised that I took the time to call her and said that my phone call "made her week."  I didn't realize that this small gesture could make such a big difference :)  Now I'm glad I called.

...Because surprises often lead to reasons to celebrate later!

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2.                        I have found a spy among us and he is the Christian Jason Clark.  This falls short of the antichrist trial of the church of satan against me and my book.  I m the writer film maker and loyalist to the antichrist.  The true writer of the Antichrist Bible.  I

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4.                        Revelation: An Image-Rich Ancient Book of Comfort at Jason Clark

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 Emerging Church & Nationalism « (e)mergent Voyageurs

Don't think FloJo designed these.  Very original, Nebraska.

 For more on Liberace and the University of Indiana please go to http://www.liberace.org/

 The Valley has gone to the cartoon dogs

EWWWWU!  All of the charm of the goofy Milwaukee Brewers "MB baseball glove" logo without Robin Yount.  Hey!  Eastern Washington!  You made top 20 list!  Oh, this list.  Nevermind.

  Nothing too fancy, boys

 Smurfs, rappers, and UNC.  Excellence.

. 

These cupcakes brethe fire!

Zippity Doo Da

Last Wednesday, we started outside of Chicago and drove around Chicago, parking downtown and eating at Au Bon Pain.  I got to experience the "el trains" going by overhead - the full Chicago experience.  We drove through Illinois, Indiana, and most of Ohio on turnpikes (read: toll roads with commercial businesses at the rest stops).  We spent the night in Mentor, OH, outside of Cleveland and had dinner at TGI Friday's (where my travel buddy had never been).  We had a few drinks back at the hotel, and well, we got pretty drunk.  I was fine the next day but my travel buddy had a massive hangover and wasn't much into our tour of the Christmas Story House.  I picked up a decoder pin for myself and one for my sister, so we can send each other secret messages such as "be sure to drink your ovaltine!"

We drove on to Pittsburgh.  I checked into my new apartment, dropped off the cats, and we drove back to the suburbs to go to Target in rush hour traffic.  I managed to curse out a guy cutting in line, but instead of saying the F-word, I said Frak - like a hundred times.  I rolled up my window, looked at my travel buddy and asked, "I said Frak, didn't I?"  and we both laughed.

Last Friday, travel buddy and I went to the Matress Factory (an instilation art museum), took the Duquesne Incline, and ate dinner at Church Brew Works - a former Catholic church that is now a brew pub.  e had a great time.

Last Saturday, my travel buddy left to go back to Seattle, and I went grocery shopping at the local Mediterranean deli and the closest Giant Eagle.

Senator Lugar recently had this to say on the matter,

"It is unlikely that aggression against our NATO allies will occur with aircraft and tanks and troops...A nation could achieve the same and worse effects simply by turning off the taps - people freeze, industry stops."

Now that doesn't sound very nice does it?  How are we supposed to have Cold War II if the Russians don't play nice and give us the oil and natural gas we've got to have to keep the taps on?  Hearing this from a senior Republican puts all of McCain's saber rattling against Russia and that 'we are all Georgians' into a dangerous context.  Stand down, Senator McCain!