BACK TO FIREFOX FROM CHROME

Tonight I switched browsers from Google Chrome back to Firefox. When I first downloaded Google Chrome, it was fast and easy to use. But recently it slowed down, and suddenly I was not able to view videos at all. I could see them on Internet Explorer, and now I can play them on Firefox.

I spent most of the day trying to fix the problem, even to uninstalling and reinstalling Chrome, and then decided I'd had enough. We shall see how it goes with Firefox. I was never really that dissatisfied with it, but I'd heard how great Google Chrome was, which it was for a while, but I want my videos.

LACED UP

You may recall that on several occasions I asked for prayers for my daughter who is looking for a job. She is a teacher, but she has not worked for a number of years and has had no luck finding a teaching job, but she is open to other positions. She's interviewed for several jobs in other fields, but the employers want a person with experience, and all of her experience is in teaching and in baby-sitting and selling snoballs when she was a teen-ager.

Anyway, Alison's found work as an extra in movie and TV films on a number of occasions. On her first job, an older woman who's worked as an extra for a good while, gave my daughter pointers on how to perform well so that she would be called for other jobs. Basically, the advice is, "Pay attention!" Don't be focused on your phone or other device, because when the boss calls, she/he expects a prompt response. As you can imagine, the extras do a lot of sitting around waiting, but Alison says she's met some interesting people, and she enjoys talking to them.

It's amazing how much filming is done in the New Orleans area. Alison has worked in several episodes of the TV series "Treme" and on a string of movies. She doesn't earn a great deal of money, about $100 a day or a little more, but a little money coming in is better than none, and she enjoys herself on the sets. She was a vagrant in her last film, and she will be a poor vendor in the next movie, which is "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter". It's a period movie (Surprise!), and all the women must wear lace-up corsets, even the poor vendor.

Before Alison went to be fitted for her costume, a friend she met through her time on the sets told her what would happen. The women must strip down to their panties and line up bare-breasted. She had to brace herself against the wall while the dresser laced her up tightly in the corset and then free her breasts from the contraption. I thought of the scene in "Gone With the Wind", in which Mammy pulls on the laces of Scarlett's corset to get her waist back to 17" after she gives birth to Bonnie Blue - without success, as we all know. Daughter said she didn't get near 17" or even 21", which was Scarlett's measurement after Mammy's efforts. She also wondered why a poor vendor had to be laced up in a corset.

Grandpère and I nearly died laughing as Alison gave us the account of her fitting, so I was quite pleased when she gave me permission to retell the story at Wounded Bird. On my side of the family we will do almost anything for a good story.

Image from Wikipedia.

Note: The corset pictured is not back-laced, but I could not find a picture that I could use of a back-laced corset.

WAKEFIELD DIOCESE IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND REJECTS ANGLICAN COVENANT

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2011

Wakefield diocese rejects Anglican Covenant

Press Release from Modern Church, Inclusive Church and the No Anglican Covenant Coalition


First English diocesan vote rejects Anglican Covenant

Modern Church, Inclusive Church and the No Anglican Covenant Coalition are pleased with the result of the first diocesan vote on the proposed Anglican Covenant.

Both clergy and laity (the latter overwhelmingly) rejected the Covenant at the Wakefield Diocesan Synod meeting on Saturday 12th March.

While recognising the need to avoid the bitter controversies of recent years, we are glad that this Synod does not believe the Covenant is the way to do it.

We believe we should retain the traditional Anglican openness in which provinces govern themselves and disagreements are resolved by openly debating the issues free from threats of sanctions or schism.

The proposed Anglican Covenant offers instead a process for suppressing disagreements by establishing a central authority, with power to pass judgements and penalise dissident provinces by excluding them from international structures.

We trust that other Church of England Dioceses will have the courage to follow Wakefield’s example.

Further information:
Rev Giles Goddard, 07762 373674, www.inclusivechurch2.net
Rev Jonathan Clatworthy, 0151 7276291, www.modernchurch.org.uk
Rev Lesley Fellows, 01844 239268, www.noanglicancovenant.org

"A LITANY FOR JAPAN"

O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth,
Have mercy upon us.

O God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy upon us.

O God the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the faithful,
Have mercy upon us.

O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God,
Have mercy upon us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us and for the people of Japan.

Hear our prayers, O Christ our God.
Arise, O Christ, and help us.

For all who have died in the earthquake and tsunami striking Japan that they may be given entrance into the land of light and joy, in the fellowship of all your saints,
Arise, O Christ, and help us.

For all who grieve the death of family, friends, and fellow citizens that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come,
Arise, O Christ, and help us.

For all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit that they may be comforted, healed, and given courage and hope,
Arise, O Christ, and help us.

For all aid workers, that they may be filled with strength, generosity, and compassion,
Arise, O Christ, and help us.

For the wisdom, resources, and technological skill that a nuclear disaster might be averted,
Arise, O Christ, and help us.

For eyes to see that you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and linked our lives one to another that we may never forget our common life depends on each other’s toil and that we will always work for the common good,
Arise, O Christ, and help us.

Gracious God, the comfort of all who sorrow, the strength of all who suffer: Let the cry of those in misery and need come to you, that they may find your mercy present with them in all their afflictions; and give us, we pray, the strength to serve them for the sake of him who suffered for us, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From Interrupting the Silence.

H/T to Nicholas Knisely at The Lead.

R. I. P. SHERMAN WASHINGTON

From NOLA.com:

Sherman Washington Jr., the leader of the Zion Harmonizers and the godfather of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival’s Gospel Tent, died early Monday at his home in Boutte after a long illness. He was 85.

What Ellis Marsalis is to jazz, Mr. Washington was to gospel. For three decades, he hosted a Sunday morning gospel show on WYLD-AM that served as the gospel community’s town hall. He led the Zion Harmonizers, New Orleans’ longest-running gospel vocal group, since the 1940s. The Harmonizers appeared at the very first Jazz Fest, staged in 1970 in what is now Armstrong Park.

After the festival moved to the Fair Grounds in 1972, he oversaw the growth of the Gospel Tent, building it into a cornerstone of the festival’s roots-music presentation. The tent introduced a music largely unknown outside the African-American churches where it was born to a much broader audience.

Until deteriorating health finally slowed him down in recent years, he administered the Gospel Tent with a steadfast integrity and intimate knowledge of the music, musicians and singers. Given that many acts consist of large choirs, the tent features more performers than any other stage at the festival.
....

"Gospel, even after jazz and blues came down to the front of the bus, was still in the back of the bus," said Jazz Fest producer/director Quint Davis. "To a large extent, Sherman’s work through the Gospel Tent has helped bring gospel music to the front of the bus. An enormous debt is owed to him by the festival, and the whole gospel world."

And here they are: The Zion Harmonizers.



Back in the 1970s when the Jazz Fest was smaller and more intimate, and when the music was all New Orleans or Louisiana, we went as a family. You know that was a long time ago. I spent a good part of my day in the Gospel tent jivin' with one excellent performer or group after another. My family could hardly pry me out of my chair to join them for at least part of the day. Sherman Washington did a great job organizing the Gospel tent year after year.

I hear the music in the Gospel tent is still very good, but as the Jazz Fest grew and grew, and the large crowds came, we stopped going, but I still have the fondest of memories for the early days.

The Lord hears Sherman Washington's prayers now. Pray for us, Sherman.

THE ROYAL WEDDING IN STITCHES

 

The happy couple

From the Daily Mail:

If you’re needled about not being invited to the royal wedding, don’t despair – for now you can knit yourself there.

Among the wealth of tea towels, printed plates and specially forged coins, this unusual souvenir kit has emerged, featuring knitting patterns for ten ‘characters’ from William and Kate’s nuptials.

These include the bride and groom, the Queen and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. And, of course, the corgis.

 

The minister

 

The rest of them, including the corgis

Knit Your Own Royal Wedding costs £9.99. To order a copy for £8.99 (p&p free) call 0845 155 0720 or see Ivy Press.

I want exclusive rights to the pictures from those of you who decide to take up the project, okay?

Thanks to Ann for the link.

PLEASE PRAY FOR JCF'S FRIEND CATHY

From JCF:

I'm back again, to ask for more prayers for my friend Cath. I've heard from her sister, and she's not doing at well at all. :-(

O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayers, and grant to your servant Cathy the help of your power, that her sickness may be turned into health, and our sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

GOD AND HUSBANDS

When creating husbands, God promised women that good and ideal husbands would be found in all corners of the world.



And then he made the earth round.

Don't blame me. Blame that rascal Paul (A.)

DR JOHN NAMED TO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME

From NOLA.com:

New Orleans musician Dr. John has been named to the 2011 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He is joined by Neil Diamond, the Alice Cooper Band, Darlene Love and singer-songwriter Tom Waits.
....

Dr. John, born Malcolm Rebennack, spoke with Rolling Stone about his "surprise" at being inducted.

"I was very surprised. I couldn't imagine who could possibly be in this year, but I was thinking it would be Alice Cooper and I figured Joe Tex and Darlene Love deserved it too. I really didn't know who it would be. Thinking of myself, just the way things go, I figured I wouldn't get in. I was very surprised. It's very gratifying."

Other New Orleanians in the Hall of Fame include Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew, Allen Toussaint, Mahalia Jackson, Professor Longhair, Jelly Roll Morton, Lloyd Price and drummer Earl Palmer.

Wonderful video! Ain't it great to watch Dr John singing and to see his hands as he plays at the same time? His fingering on the piano keys is amazing.

THE COVENANT AS ALBATROSS

A statue of the Ancient Mariner, with the albatross around his neck, at Watchet, Somerset. The statue was unveiled in September 2003 as a tribute to Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Andrew Gerns at The Lead posted the letter of Archbishop Rowan Williams to the Primates of the Anglican Communion.

The letter begins nicely in the spirit of the season of Lent, as the archbishop expresses his hope that we draw nearer to "the reality of Christs's love". Then he moves on to remind the Primates and the rest of us of Christians throughout the world who suffer from real and costly persecution for their faith, in such places as Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Sudan, and Jerusalem. (Real persecution, as opposed to faux persecution, to which certain Christians in the US and England continue to lay claim, even as they go about the practice of their faith unimpeded and unthreatened.)

The Archbishop then names the places in the world which have experienced large-scale natural disasters, such as Christchurch, New Zealand, Haiti, Pakistan, and Japan and commends to our attention those who suffer and those who aid the suffering, reminding us that churches in the Anglican community are a healing presence.

These events also remind us of the importance of our worldwide fellowship. Whatever the wounds in that fellowship – and they are still deep in many ways – there should be no doubt of the willingness of all in our Communion to stand together in prayer and solidarity when confronted by attacks on the gospel and its witnesses, or by human suffering and loss.

How very good and true thus far.

The unanimous judgement of those who were present was that the Meeting should not see itself as a ‘supreme court’, with canonical powers, but that it should nevertheless be profoundly and regularly concerned with looking for ways of securing unity and building relationships of trust.

Still good that the Primates do not view the Primates' Meeting as the 'supreme court'of the Anglican Communion. Nor do many of the rest of us view the gathering of the Primates as the 'supreme' authority in the Communion, although there are those in our midst who would like to see such authority vested in the Primates' Meeting.

And then:

But it is also important to recognise that the Primates made no change to their existing commitments to both the Covenant process and the moratoria requests. The purpose of the Dublin meeting was, as I have said, not to offer fresh solutions but to clarify what we believed about our shared purpose and identity as a Primates’ Meeting. I think that this clarity was achieved, and achieved in an atmosphere of very demanding and searching conversation, which intensified our sense of commitment to each other and the Communion.

In the letter, the Archbishop takes the high road until he addresses the moratoria and Anglican Covenant. Then he descends to a "putting facts on the ground" strategy. Is it possible that the commitment to the moratoria requests as stated by the Archbishop was not unanimous amongst the Primates? And his words on the Covanant suggest an attempt to convince us all that the Anglican Covenant is all but a fait accompli, when the commitment to the Covenant process should not be mistaken for a commitment to the Anglican Covenant itself, for that commitment is yet to be determined. We already know that a good many of the Primates who were not present at the meeting have stated that they will not adopt the Covenant.

Archbishop Rowan continues to make the adoption of the Covenant the defining issue of his term as Primus inter Pares of the Anglican Communion, which I believe is a great mistake. I see the Covenant as the Archbishop of Canterbury's albatross which he hung around his own neck and the tale of which, in one form or another, he will continue to tell time and time again.