A Peaceful 200th Birthday To You, Abe

With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.

(Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address)

I pray that Lincoln found rest and peace in death as he seldom found it in his life.

Wingnuttery

If you like, you can read the entire editorial-length drivel in the The Washington Times, which suggests that if we allow our medical records to be digitized, the US will turn into Hitler's Germany, but it was the excellent commentary by Gavin at Sadly, No! that caught my attention.

What we learn today from the Washington Times is that medical records must not be digitized as the Obama plan proposes, but can only exist in paper form because YOU KNOW WHO LIKED EFFICIENCY HITLER THAT’S WHO. And certainly, such naïve, Godwin-unaware amuse-gueules of instaHitler are in the category of always-funny. I personally like to laugh at things that are funny, and would imagine that other people feel the same.

But it’s also the case that these tantrums represent something different to the wingnut mind than to the clinically normal one. To the wingnut mind, or according to the wingnut assessment of what would shock and upset liberals (a nearly identical consideration), the notion of the totalitarian dictator naturally refers to Barack Obama, and to a chain of previous images of Obama-as-cult-leader, Obama-as-false-prophet, Obama-as-Manchurian-Candidate, as usurper, as dictator, as “chosen one,” as false Christ. “Imagine,” the editorial is saying, “If Obama could access our medical records. What would stop him from euthanizing the weak, the so-called ‘unfit,’ or the ‘politically incorrect?’”

It’s not that wingnuts literally believe such things (or care what happens to the weak). They don’t really believe anything in the ordinary sense of the term, but rather make instrumental, conditional use of certain kinds of beliefs, much in the way that other kinds of people make use of thrill sports or porn.

Read it all. It's worth taking the time.

H/T to Michael F. at First Draft for the picture for the ages and the link to Gavin.

I should rename my blog "Stealing From First Draft".

Happy 200th Birthday, Chuck D.!

Shamelessly stolen from Jude at First Draft.

For Er...Margaret

You know who you are.

From ASBO Jesus.

Louisiana Congressman Takes "Leap Of Faith"

From the Times-Picayune:

U.S. Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao, R-New Orleans, said Wednesday he is likely to vote for the economic stimulus bill when it comes to a vote, probably today or Friday, even if he is the only Republican member of the House to do so.

"I'm voting along what my conscience dictates and the needs of the 2nd Congressional District dictate, even if I were to be the only member of the GOP to vote for the stimulus package," he said.

"Even though it is going to be a humongous bill, even though we will be in debt for years, I believe that more likely than not, I will vote for it because the 2nd Congressional District needs a stimulus package."

Yes! Rep. Cao, the first Vietnamese-American to serve in the House of Representatives, will make the stimulus bill bipartisan. Credit and respect due, Rep. Cao.

It would, the former Jesuit seminarian said, be a "leap of faith, but that's what I have been doing most of my life."

"A lot of the provisions in the bill will be good for the district, because we need almost everything," he said. "You name it, we need it."

Gov. Jindal, see. That's how to do it. When the folks in your territory need help, you break with your your party and take "a leap of faith". But no, you're careful of your image as a true-blue Republican, and you would not have been chosen to rebut President Obama's State of the Union speech (I laugh as I type this), had you shown any signs of being a renegade Republican.

Of course, Rep Cao represents a heavily Democratic-leaning district. Enough folks were sick to death of William "Dollar Bill" Jefferson, of $90,000 in the freezer fame, who will likely be indicted, that they voted for a Republican, rather than have Jefferson shame the citizens of Louisiana any longer.

What pleasure and satisfaction this news gives me. Imagine! The lone Republican vote in favor of the stimulus package in the House is from Louisiana.

UPDATE: Cao caved in to Republican pressure. The US House of representatives passed the stimulus bill with NO Republican votes, 246-183. Now he'll have to face the music back in New Orleans. I guess the Republicans are scarier than the folks back home. Shame on me for taking Cao's word that he would follow his conscience.

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2009 when...

1. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 3.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.

10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )

12 You're reading this and nodding and laughing.

13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.

14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list.

AND NOW YOU ARE LAUGHING at yourself.

Thanks to Ann.

Oof! The Loosiana Guv'na Again

From the Baton Rouge Business Report:

Gov. Bobby Jindal will get another prominent GOP role later this month when he delivers the national Republican response to President Barack Obama's first speech to Congress. Obama plans to speak to a joint session of the House and Senate on Feb. 24 about the problems facing the nation. The speech will be similar to a State of the Union address. Jindal will give the Republican response in a nationally televised address from Baton Rouge immediately after Obama's speech, U.S. House and Senate Republican leaders announced Wednesday.

"I'm looking forward to hearing President Obama's address and I'm honored to be delivering the Republican response after him. Here in Louisiana, we have first-hand experience with reforming government and cutting taxes to stimulate our economy in uncertain times,” Jindal said in a statement. “This is a terrific opportunity to talk about our great state to the nation."

This star is rising too fast. I've heard Jindal speak, and he's no silver-tonged orator. Perhaps they'll prep him well, and he'll be all right. He speaks too quickly and tends to rattle off facts and figures at a fast clip until most listeners shut down. I suppose he'll be scripted, but still, I can't envision him as a match for Obama. Inspirational he is not.

I read in the paper this morning that Jindal is "concerned" about the stimulus bill. I hope that he's "concerned" about the folks here in Louisiana who are losing their houses and their jobs, and the gaping hole in the state budget. He just can't seem to keep his mind on matters on the home front. But, hey! He's a national star.

"French Without Tears"

Je te souhait du temps...

Prends le temps de penser, c'est la source de pouvoir.

Prends le temps de jouer, c'est la secret de la jeunesse.

Prends le temps de lire, c'est le source du savoir.

Prends le temps d'aimer et d'etre aimé c'est une grace de Dieu.

Prends le temps de te faire des amis, c'est la voie du bonheur.

Prends le temps de rire, c'est la musique de l'ame.

Prends le temps de donner, c'est le role de l'adulte.

Prends le temps de travailler, c'est le prix du succès.

Prends le temps de prier, c'est la force de l'homme.

Here it is in English, but not in bold type. It's lovelier in French.

I wish you the gift of Time...

Take time to think, it’s the source of power.

Take time to play, it’s the secret of youth.

Take time to read, it’s the source of knowledge.

Take time to love and be loved, It’s a gift from God.

Take time to make friends, It’s the way to happiness.

Take time to laugh, It’s the soul’s music.

Take time to give, It’s the grown-up thing to do

Take time to work, It’s the price of success.

Take time to pray, It’s personal strength It’s the strength of humanity.

From Bishop Alan's Blog via Ann

UPDATE: Translation correction of the final line from Bishop Alan.

Pray For Roseann

From Roseann at Give Peace A Chance:

Just the way it is.

I really don't like my life right now. I do not make a good invalid. I am cranky, sad, bored, numb, angry, calm, sedate, patient, anxiety-ridden, happy, annoyed and all in the space of maybe 5 minutes.

It is just a tight rope and I am walking it the best I can. Getting the call that they saw something on the mammogram they didn't like just about did it. I did not handle this news with one iota of grace. I talked to 4 family/friends and got the advice to pray and meditate. Sorry but right now I am too busy being royally pissed off at the creator. Smite me o mighty smiter! And I swear to God if another person tells me the God won't give me more than I can handle, I will just never speak to them again. Seriously, lay off telling me to rely on God and pray, okay? The thing is God and I get along just fine. I'm just slouching towards Bethlehem and I do that imperfectly. I have moments when I feel as close as you can and moments when I am just not there with it at all.

I wish I was brave. I wish I was fearless. I wish I was well.

Roseann is on dialysis, waiting for a kidney donor, because her kidneys were diseased and had to be removed. I think Roseann is quite brave. She kept her courage and sense of humor throughout a long period of of illness, and now to have a suspicious spot in a mammogram is just too much. That's what our prayer community is for, to pray for and offer support to our friends through difficult times. Let's get going for Roseann.

Get Your Bras!

Artful Bras Project

Members of Quilters of South Carolina have created one-of-a-kind bras for Breast Cancer Awareness. The exhibit consists of forty-nine original works of art which are unique, entertaining, humorous, and beautiful to make the public aware of breast cancer, to memorialize those lost to the disease, and to honor survivors.



This exhibit will tour SC until Oct '09 at which time individual Artfull Bras will be auctioned and the proceeds donated to the Best Chance Network, a program to provide care and treatment of uninsured women across the state who are diagnosed with breast and ovarian cancer.



The bras come prepared for display on their own hangers and are available for exhibit across the state of South Carolina. The exhibit is available until October of 2009. If you are interested in delighting and inspiring your organization membership, contact Sandra Baker, president of QSC at Sandra25@bellsouth.net






The titles of the bras and the names of their creators are listed below:

Mardi Gras (Let the Good Times Roll) - Wilma Black

Tickled Pink , My Sister's Sense of Humor - Linda Vandiver

Lily Padded - Liz Florom

Look at Them Melons - Bev Buchanan

Click the link above to see the rest of the bras. They are wonderful and witty. Also, click on each picture to get the details in the large view.

Thanks to Ann for sending me the link.