Facebook Can Be Fun!

Now that I've made a little headway toward understanding how it works, I find that Facebook can be fun. Many of my smart, witty friends are there exchanging brilliant, pithy repartee. It only takes a minute or two to dazzle a whole host of people, if you're brilliant and full of pith.

Somehow, when I say something like, "I am going to bed", or "I'm going to take a shower and wash my hair," my friends on Facebook transform the simple statements about the minutiae of my life into dazzling conversation-starters. I am not kidding. This is not snark. It's not me. It's my smart friends.

I tried Twitter, but I was in and out in a matter of a couple of hours. It's not for me now, but I never say never, because you never know, right?

Al Franken Won! (It's About Time!)

From the Huffington Post:

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that Democrat Al Franken be certified as the winner of the state's long-running Senate race.

The high court rejected a legal challenge from Republican Norm Coleman, whose options for regaining the Senate seat are dwindling.

Justices said Franken is entitled to the election certificate he needs to assume office. With Franken and the usual backing of two independents, Democrats will have a big enough majority to overcome Republican filibusters.

Coleman hasn't ruled out seeking federal court intervention.

All Right! Democrats, in the Senate, and I'm looking at you, Blue Dogs, we won. Now begin to act like it. Be strong. Be brave. Do the right thing.

Note to Coleman: Give it up, Norm. You lost.

Words To Keep In Mind...

as we watch to see if deeds follow the words.

Obama at the White House Reception to Recognize LGBT Pride and Stonewall 40th:

And I know that many in this room don't believe that progress has come fast enough, and I understand that. It's not for me to tell you to be patient, any more than it was for others to counsel patience to African Americans who were petitioning for equal rights a half century ago.

But I say this: We have made progress and we will make more. And I want you to know that I expect and hope to be judged not by words, not by promises I've made, but by the promises that my administration keeps. And by the time you receive -- (applause.) We've been in office six months now. I suspect that by the time this administration is over, I think you guys will have pretty good feelings about the Obama administration. (Applause.)
....

And finally, I want to say a word about "don't ask, don't tell." As I said before -- I'll say it again -- I believe "don't ask, don't tell" doesn't contribute to our national security. (Applause.) In fact, I believe preventing patriotic Americans from serving their country weakens our national security. (Applause.)

Now, my administration is already working with the Pentagon and members of the House and the Senate on how we'll go about ending this policy, which will require an act of Congress.

Why an act of Congress? Harry Truman ended segregation in the military by executive order with a stroke of his pen. There's back and forth about whether Obama can end DADT by executive order, but according to Rep. Rush Holt, at TPM:

In the meantime, the President could issue an executive order announcing a study of the current policy. During that time, there could be a moratorium on any investigations or prosecutions of LGBT soldiers.

Yes, indeed! Just do it, Mr President!

I wonder if Obama simply does not want to take full responsibility for the action. He may have a point in wanting the Congress to stand with him, but what if they won't?

Thanks to David@Montreal for sending me the text of Obama's speech.

I'll probably have more to say about other promises that the president made in the speech that we must keep in mind.

No Surprise Here

This won't come as the slightest surprise to those versed in health care policy issues. But I fear it's only barely permeated the health care reform debate in the country, certainly in Washington. And that's this: the opposition to a so-called 'public option' comes almost entirely from insurance companies who have developed monopolies or near monopolies in particular geographic areas. And they don't want competition.

Note, I'm not saying more competition. I'm saying any competition at all. As Zack Roth explains in this new piece 94% of the health care insurance market is now under monopoly or near-monopoly conditions -- the official term of art is 'highly concentrated'. In other words, there's no mystery why insurance costs keep going up even as the suck quotient rises precipitously. Because in most areas there's little or no actual competition.

Read the rest by Josh Marshall at TPM.

The shenanigans of operators at the health insurance companies are enough to make you sick.

State employees in Louisiana have a public option for health insurance. Our secondary insurer, after Medicare, is the state, thus Grandpère and I are covered entirely by public options, and we are pleased with our coverage.

Saintly Ramblings - 25 Years A Priest

SR with his mother and father on the big day.

Some clergy celebrate their 25th anniversary with a special service or a parish party. That's not for me. Today is a marker on the journey, and gives a certain sense of satisfaction that I've made it this far, but I don't intend to wave flags or inflate balloons.

25 years ago today I first put on a clerical collar. These days I hardly ever wear it. "O tempora o mores!"

And he can't remember where he washed his clothes when he was in seminary.

Wish him another 25 years at his blog.

I've seen him, you know, and he hasn't changed a bit, but for his mane, which is a tad less luxuriant these days.

From Roseann

When In Doubt, Sing: Prayer in Daily Life by Jane Redmont. This book is so spirit renewing!

I'm riding the health roller coaster again. Had some tests done and should get the results today. Hopefully I won't have to go back to the hospital. I'm having a hard time keeping my chin up right now. Gary has gone back to work which is great. I miss him so much though. Poor baby me, can't stand to be away from him for 8 hours. LOL It is probably really good for him though to be away from me and around healthy people.

Leave a word at Give Peace a Chance, Please.

Update on Roseann:

From Sue:

Mimi,

Roseann is being admitted to the hospital this afternoon. I'll keep you posted. She must have her laptop with her, because she told me she'd send me a room number when she could.

Sue

Lest We Forget Too Soon

From the Guardian:

faces of the dead and detained

We want to put a face to each of those hundreds - possibly thousands - killed or arrested since the Iranian election.

Have a look at their website.

Remember and pray for the safety and release of the detained and for the families of the dead.

And Did You Know...?

From a reader.

Obama Family Chooses A Church

From Time:

For the past five months, White House aides and friends of the Obamas have been quietly visiting local churches and vetting the sermons of prospective first ministers in a search for a new — and uncontroversial — church home. Obama has even sampled a few himself, attending services at 19th Street Baptist on the weekend before his inauguration and celebrating Easter at St. John's Episcopal Church.

Now, in an unexpected move, Obama has told White House aides that instead of joining a congregation in Washington, D.C., he will follow in George W. Bush's footsteps and make his primary place of worship Evergreen Chapel, the nondenominational church at Camp David.

A number of factors drove the decision — financial, political, personal — but chief among them was the desire to worship without being on display. Obama was reportedly taken aback by the circus stirred up by his visit to 19th Street Baptist in January.
....

Each week, regardless of whether the President is on-site, Evergreen Chapel holds nondenominational Christian services open to the nearly 400 military personnel and staff at Camp David, as well as their families. A music director from nearby Hood College coordinates adult and children's choirs (Clinton sang occasionally with the choir when he visited). In December, the kids in the congregation put on a Christmas pageant and the chapel holds a candlelight service on Christmas Eve.

A wise decision, I believe. Had he chosen a DC church, he would have created a media circus each time he attended, and he and his family would have had no privacy in their worship.

Camp David's current chaplain, Lieut. Carey Cash, leads the services at Evergreen. If the White House had custom-ordered a pastor to be the polar opposite of Jeremiah Wright, they could not have come as close as Cash. (As it is, the White House had no hand in selecting Cash. The Navy rotates chaplains through Camp David every three years; Cash began his tour this past January.) The 38-year-old Memphis native is a graduate of the Citadel and the great-nephew of Johnny Cash. He served a tour as chaplain with a Marine battalion in Iraq and baptized nearly 60 Marines during that time. Cash earned his theology degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth — and, yes, that means Obama's new pastor is a Southern Baptist.

Johnny Cash's great-nephew? I don't know about you, but I find that exciting, inveterate celebrity-watcher that I am. Kinship counts, you know.

Let's all hope that Obama doesn't make a habit of following in George W. Bush's footsteps.

H/T to Nicholas Knisely at The Lead at the Episcopal Café.

UPDATE: Paul the BB posted this link from a diary at Daily Kos concerning Lt. Carey Cash in the comments. I don't much like his ideas about evangelization.

UPDATE 2: "Not so fast", says Nicholas Knisely at The Lead, with a link to the Christian Science Monitor:

“The President and First Family continue to look for a church home. They have enjoyed worshipping at Camp David and several other congregations over the months, and will choose a church at the time that is best for their family,” Deputy White House Press Secretary Jennifer Psaki said in a statement.

"Complaint from a Voter :>)"

Words fail me.

I think I'll just go pick some chips off the Doritos tree in the backyard to go with the stiff drink I think I need right now.

Word! - from Doug.

UPDATE: A reminder from Erp.