Studs Terkel Dies At 96

From the Chicago Tribune:

The author-radio host-actor-activist and Chicago symbol has died. "My epitaph? My epitaph will be 'Curiosity did not kill this cat,'" he once said.
....

"Studs Terkel was part of a great Chicago literary tradition that stretched from Theodore Dreiser to Richard Wright to Nelson Algren to Mike Royko," Mayor Richard M. Daley said Friday. "In his many books, Studs captured the eloquence of the common men and women whose hard work and strong values built the America we enjoy today. He was also an excellent interviewer, and his WFMT radio show was an important part of Chicago's cultural landscape for more than 40 years."

When Terkel's wife of 60 years, Ida, died in 1999, he said:

"It's hard. It's very hard," he said the day she died. "She was seven days older than me, and I would always joke that I married an older woman. That's the thing: Who's gonna laugh at my jokes? At those jokes I've told a million times? That's the thing ... ... Who's gonna be there to laugh?"

Studs and Ida are together again. Prayers and sympathy to his son, Dan and to all those who knew him and loved him and to all who admired him from afar, through his books, through his TV show, and through his radio show.


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Mittens - Not To Be Believed

But nevertheless, we must believe it.

From The Caucus at the New York Times:

“John McCain! Not Hussein!”

So goes the latest popular chant on the campaign trail with Gov. Sarah Palin, demonstrated at a morning rally in central Florida.
....

After the rally in Florida ended, two of the people leading the chant explained why they did so.

“Because it rhymes,” said Shirley Mitten, 64, a volunteer at a pregnancy center and a resident of Brooksville, Fla.

She said she does not know if Mr. Obama is a Muslim. “He says he’s not, but we have no way of knowing,” Ms. Mitten said.

Mr. Mitten said, “I guess Obama was named after Saddam Hussein,”

Lovely people, the Mittens. Palin brings out the best in her audiences. Please don't vote with Mittens.

UPDATE: Promoted from the comments as too good to be hidden:

Blogger Ruth Hull Chatlien said...

Yes, of course, Obama was named after Saddam Hussein. Just like Joe Biden and Joe Lieberman were named after Joseph Stalin and John McCain was named after John Dillinger.

The ignorance of some people is frightening.

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Feast Of All Saints

"All Saints" by Fra Angelico

CARMINA GADELICA

The holy Apostles’ guarding,
The gentle martyrs’ guarding,
The nine angels’ guarding,
Be cherishing me, be aiding me.

The quiet Brigit’s guarding,
The gentle Mary’s guarding,
The warrior Michael’s guarding,
Be shielding me, be aiding me.

The God the elements’ guarding,
The loving Christ’s guarding,
The Holy Spirit’s guarding,
Be cherishing me, be aiding me.

Readings:

Eucharistic:
Psalm 149;
Ecclesiasticus 44:1-10,13-14; Revelation 7:2-4,9-17; Matthew 5:1-12

Daily Office:
AM: Psalm 111, 112; 2 Esdras 2:42-47; Hebrews 11:32-10:2
PM: Psalm 148, 150; Wisdom 5:1-5, 14-16; Revelation 21:1-4, 22-22:

PRAYERS

O Almighty God, who have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those indescribable joys which you have prepared for those who truly love you: through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

UPDATE: Thanks to Lapin, here's a link to the entire painting, of which the picture in the post is only a part.

Image from Wiki

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Pray For Roseann (Being Peace)

Good Morning Mimi,

I've just received word from Roseann, and she is in the hospital, and will have both kidneys removed on Monday. She did not give me a time, but I suspect it will be early.

She's asking for prayers.

Pass this on to MP and the rest of the blog world. The more praying for her the better her recovery will be.

Blessings,

Suzanne

Almighty God our heavenly Father, graciously comfort your servant Roseann in her suffering, and bless the means made use of for her cure. Fill her heart with confidence that, though at times she may be afraid, she yet may put her trust in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


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Please Pray For Congo

From Reuters:

The U.N. Security Council must send more peacekeepers to eastern Congo and increase pressure on the Rwandan and Congolese governments if another humanitarian catastrophe in Africa is to be avoided.

Recent fighting has sent tens of thousands of civilians running for their lives in North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where aid workers say two years of violence has forced nearly 1 million people from their homes despite the end of country's broader 1998-2003 war.
....

...U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the violence is creating a humanitarian crisis of "catastrophic dimensions" and announced he was sending senior envoys to Rwanda and Congo.

With the 15-nation council divided over who is to blame, the only thing it has done is issue two non-binding statements condemning renegade Tutsi General Laurent Nkunda, whose rebels are poised to take the North Kivu capital Goma, and calling for an end to the violence.
....

It is time for council members to set aside their differences and save some lives, analysts say.

"Number one, what we need is continued pressure both on the warring factions and on the governments of Congo and Rwanda to ensure that they do not support each others' enemies -- and there is clear evidence that that is happening," said Anneke Van Woudenberg, an Africa specialist at Human Rights Watch.

"The council has been reluctant to publicly criticize either the Kabila or the Kagame governments for doing so, and it is high time that it became much more vocal about that."

In private, numerous council diplomats do not hesitate to accuse Rwanda of supporting Nkunda's CNDP rebels. But the council's public record does not reflect that view.

Georgianne Nienabur, who wrote the flattering article about me at the Huffington Post, asked that I call for prayers for the tragic situation in Congo.

Morning,

You may or may not be aware of the crisis today in Congo.... I worked in Africa before coming here. I have friends there.
....

Put out a plea to pray for Goma....Just get people to pray for the Democratic Republic of Congo.

GN

I'm ashamed to say that I was aware, but not aware enough. Please join me to pray for peace in Goma and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
[Book of Common Prayer, p. 815]


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"What Halloween Means To Me"

Matthew Fontaine (Hmmm - Fontaine - where have I heard that name before?) writes about Halloween at the Episcopal Café. Matthew goes all out for Halloween, trying to scare the living daylights out of both children and adults. However, I especially like the final paragraph of the piece, in which he turns serious.


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Rmj's Halloween Tree

Don't miss this, folks. It's a thing of beauty.

All I'll add is, "Wait until Christmas!"


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Congratulations To Erika And Her Beloved!

Erika and her beloved partner tied the knot in a civil partnership in Merrie Olde England. Erika, may you and your beloved have many blessed and happy years together.

I offer you the Priestly Blessing:

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

From a humble member of the priesthood of all believers.


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Happy Halloween From Lawrence Welk...

And the Lennon Sisters!

"An' a one, an' a two, an' a three..."



Runs away....


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Happy Halloween!

From Doug,


And from Doug,


And from Doug again.