ANOTHER ANTI-GAY REPUBlICAN...

From TPM:

An Indiana state Representative, who recently voted for a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage, has been accused of using Craigslist to offer an 18-year old male $80 for "a couple hours of your time tonight" plus a tip "for a really good time."

The Indianapolis Star obtained e-mails sent from Rep. Phillip Hinkle's (R) publicly listed personal address, responding to a Craigslist posting by Kameryn Gibson that said "I need a sugga daddy." Gibson told the Star that the post was in the "Casual Encounters" section under m4m, or men for men. He used his sister Megan's e-mail address -- and she later sent the e-mails to the Star.

"Cannot be a long time sugar daddy," says the e-mail response from what is allegedly Hinkle's address, "but can for tonight. Would you be interested in keeping me company for a while tonight?"

"I am an in shape married professional, 5'8", fit 170 lbs, and love getting and staying naked," the e-mail says.

They never learn. Is there a list of anti-gay politicians and activists who have been caught being gay? If such a list exists, it is long, even if it covers just the last few years.

THE ANGEL OF THE NORTH...and me

The Angel of the North is a contemporary sculpture designed by Antony Gormley, which is located in Gateshead, England.

It is a steel sculpture of an angel, standing 20 metres (66 ft) tall, with wings measuring 54 metres (177 ft) across.[1] The wings themselves are not planar, but are angled 3.5º forward, which Gormley used to create "a sense of embrace".

It stands on a hill on the southern edge of Low Fell, overlooking the A1 and A167 roads into Tyneside, and the East Coast Main Line rail route, south of the site of Team Colliery.

The huge sculpture is impressive with its placement on a hill, which gives it even more height and visibility. Not all the English agreed with the original idea, nor do all like the finished product, but, to many, the Angel is now an icon of the North of England.

The proportions of the Angel, with the apparent lightness of the wingspread, which is more than twice the height of the tough steel structure, lend the sculpture an appearance of both grace and sturdiness which I admire.

Up close, the enormous size of the Angel is quite apparent, with just the lower leg dwarfing me.

I'm still there - the incredible shrinking woman.

 

A back view of the Angel from the motorway layby.

The picture and quote at head of the post are from Wikipedia.

UPDATE: Mrs MadPriest took the two photos of me near the statue. I thank MadPriest and Mrs MadPriest for their welcome and kindness to me during my stay in the Newcastle area, although it must have been inconvenient to have me hanging about in the days immediately preceding their house move. I offered to help pack boxes, but I wasn't allowed. At least, I had my own place to stay, so I was not underfoot ALL the time. On the very afternoon of the day they moved, MadPriest took time out to take me to the train station.

THE 'GOOD NEWS' - TURN OR BURN

From the church's Facebook page.

H/T to Jim Burroway at Box Turtle Bulletin.

FEAST DAY OF FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE

Nevertheless I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterwards you will receive me with honour.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.

Psalm 73:23-26

PRAYER

Life-giving God, who alone have power over life and death, over health and sickness: Give power, wisdom, and gentleness to those who follow the lead of your servant Florence Nightingale, that they, bearing with them your presence, may not only heal but bless, and shine as lanterns of hope in the darkest hours of pain and fear; through Jesus Christ, the healer of body and soul, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Tobias Haller, who blogs at In a Godward Direction, wrote the lovely icon pictured above.

James Kiefer writes at the Lectionary:

The commemoration of Florence Nightingale is controversial. On the one hand, she doubted or denied many of the central articles of the Creed. On the other hand, she believed in God and devoted her life to His service as she understood it.

I'd say more than good enough. Thanks be to God for the life and service of Florence Nightingale.

DID YOU EVER NOTICE...

Not before now. I never did.

Don't blame me. Blame Doug for destroying your innocence.

REMEMBERING KIRSTIN - PART ONE

The first segment of Kirstin Paisley's memorial service, put together by Sean McConnell, is now available online at vimeo.

Kirstin passed away after a long battle with melanoma. She touched the lives of many with her courage, honesty, faith and compassion. Kirstin blogged at Barefoot and Laughing.

UPDATE: I just now had time to watch Part One in its entirety. The service is powerful, indeed.

STORY OF THE DAY - ROUGHAGE

I used to eat popcorn for every meal, she
told me once. It made me feel like I was
in the movies & my life would turn out
happy in the end. Did it work? I said. I
don't know, she said, but I like to think
the roughage counts for something.

From StoryPeople.

A SAMPLING OF SCULPTURES IN THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London is one of my favorite museums in all the world. My hotel was within walking distance, and I visited three times and wondered around until my feet wore out. The galleries in the V&A are manageable and not vast like those of other large museums. And, wonder of wonders, taking pictures is allowed!

Jason - 16th century - Italy - Unknown artist

Virgin and Child - Girolamo Campagna - ca. 1578

(Note: Thanks to Lapin who identified the Apollo and Zephyr statues, shown below, and the Madonna and child, shown above for me.)

Apollo & Zephyr - Pietro Francavilla - 1577

Cupid Kindling the Torch of Hymen - George Rennie - 1831

Peasant Woman Nursing a Baby - Aimé-Jules Dalou - 1873

Crouching Youth - Winifred Turner - ca. 1934

Albert Einstein - Jacob Epstein - 1933

Cupid and Psyche - Auguste Rodin - ca. 1908

I'll post more pictures from the V&A later. One day when I'd decided to revisit the museum, it was raining, but, since I was only a block and a half away from the South Kensington Underground Station, I walked through the tunnel there, at the end of which you arrive inside the museum, not soaking wet.

Picture of the building from Wikipedia.

MADPRIEST'S BACK!

Of Course I Could Be Wrong... is rockin' and rollin' again. You can pop right over there to welcome MadPriest back. He's open for business.

THE COBB AT LYME REGIS - MERYL STREEP AND ME

Meryl Streep, or what? Or what, I think. If I'd removed my glasses? Still, or what. Don't blame me. Blame Cathy. It was her idea and her sweater draped over my head. In the first picture, I was smiling, and that would not do. For this picture, I had a hard time keeping a straight face. The picture of me is dreadful. Will I do anything for a laugh? Well, almost anything.

I'll write more about Lyme Regis and its resonances for me later. My photos are not that good, so I'll look for better pics on the web. Suffice it to say that when Grandpère and I traveled to England the first time in 1982, we wanted to go to Lyme Regis, but we never made it there. I've been wanting to go ever since, and thanks to Cathy, I made it there this year.

Image of movie poster from Wikipedia.