HA, HA, HA

Paul Begala at The Daily Beast:

I first met Rick Perry in 1985. He was a Democratic freshman state rep, straight off the ranch in Haskell, Texas. He wore his jeans so tight, and, umm, adjusted himself so often that my fellow young legislative aides and I used to call him Crotch. Even among state representatives, even among Texas Aggies (graduates of this cute remedial school we have in Texas), Perry stood out for his modest intellectual gifts. Hell, he got a C in animal breeding. I have goats who got an A in that subject. But lack of brains has never been a hindrance in politics.

Rick Perry threw his hair in the ring on Saturday. His entrance into the GOP presidential field can be a game changer. Perry can raise money as well as Mitt. He can rally the base as well as Michele Bachmann, and he will say or do anything—annnnnnnyyyyyyything—to win. And in today’s Republican Party, if you want to be the nominee you have to be willing to do some really crazy s--t.
....

When you’re more open to secession than Jefferson Davis was a century and a half ago, well, you've gone pretty far.'

Why am I laughing? The mocking humor of progressive elitists only serves to energize our conservative opponents. We must learn to take the pose of sobersides, look grim, never ridicule their senseless commentary, never make a joke at their expense. THEN, perhaps we'd take the wind out of their sails. Come on! We can do it!

Photo from Wikipedia.

PLEASE PRAY FOR JORI AND HIS FAMILY

O God, whose beloved Son took little children into his arms to bless them: Give us grace, we beseech you, to entrust this child Jori to your never-failing care and love, and bring us all to your heavenly kingdom; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding: Deal graciously with Jesslyn and all who love Jori in their grief. Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Help us in the community of Thibodaux, we pray, in the midst of things we cannot understand, to believe and trust in your everlasting love, in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection to life everlasting. Amen.

The story of Jori's tragic death is here.

Prayers (slightly edited) from the The Book of Common Prayer.

Further details on the murder at NOLA.com. Warning: Horrific reading.

I ♥ WARREN BUFFETT

Buffett in a New York Times opinion column:

OUR leaders have asked for “shared sacrifice.” But when they did the asking, they spared me. I checked with my mega-rich friends to learn what pain they were expecting. They, too, were left untouched.

While the poor and middle class fight for us in Afghanistan, and while most Americans struggle to make ends meet, we mega-rich continue to get our extraordinary tax breaks. Some of us are investment managers who earn billions from our daily labors but are allowed to classify our income as “carried interest,” thereby getting a bargain 15 percent tax rate. Others own stock index futures for 10 minutes and have 60 percent of their gain taxed at 15 percent, as if they’d been long-term investors.

These and other blessings are showered upon us by legislators in Washington who feel compelled to protect us, much as if we were spotted owls or some other endangered species. It’s nice to have friends in high places.
....

I have worked with investors for 60 years and I have yet to see anyone — not even when capital gains rates were 39.9 percent in 1976-77 — shy away from a sensible investment because of the tax rate on the potential gain. People invest to make money, and potential taxes have never scared them off. And to those who argue that higher rates hurt job creation, I would note that a net of nearly 40 million jobs were added between 1980 and 2000. You know what’s happened since then: lower tax rates and far lower job creation.

Read Buffett's entire splendid opinion piece. Will Congress pay attention? Will the Tea Party folks realize they are getting screwed? I'm not optimistic.

H/T to Padre Mickey on Facebook.

PLEASE PRAY FOR FRANK AND FOR HIS FAMILY

From David@Montreal:

dearest Giants:
we've just had the call from Carol
my sweet, sweet cousin Frank Davies passed to the other side at 4 a.m. British Columbia time this morning.

at the time Carol and two of their three daughters were with my cherished cousin.
in her call Carol specifically asked me to thank all of you beloved Giants- to tell you, you couldn't possibly have any idea what a comfort and strength it has been throughout this long struggle, knowing so many of you were upholding them both in love and prayer.
likewise, every time i spoke with Frank over the course of these last years, he cited your prayers and those of dear Mam, as the only reason he'd been given so much time since the first diagnosis. more than one of the nurses in the Vancouver hospital heard about the 'incredible Giants' he had praying for him. (My emphasis)

talking with Mam, who is Frank's Godmother, she in typically celtic fashion recalled all of those who would be waiting for him, the other side of death- each of them memorable beings- the original giants in my life, growing up in a Welsh family here in Montreal.

so i'd commend dear Carol, their daughters Krysta, Kelly and Kerri, and their families to your prayers..

thank-you again my beloved Giants. i truly wish you could have known dear Frank, he was one of the sweetest, most positive of men who had such a appetite for Life.

love always- always Love

David@Montreal

Book of Common Prayer

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Frank. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.

May his soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.

Almighty God, Father of mercies and giver of comfort: Deal graciously, we pray, with all who mourn; that, casting all their care on you, they may know the consolation of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

My friends and prayer partners, we've prayed for Frank and Carol for quite some time, and you see from the portion of David's note which is in bold type that our prayers count for a great deal for those for whom we pray.

David, thank you for letting us know what our prayers meant to Frank and Carol and those who love them, even as we continue to pray.

A TRAGIC START TO THE WEEK

From the Daily Comet:

The "devil" came to Thibodaux Sunday, Jesslyn Lirette said, and he did so in the form of the man she was with for 10 years. The devil, she said, took her "angel" away.

Jeremiah Wright, 30, Lirette's live-in boyfriend and the father of their child, 7-year-old Jori Lirette, is accused of killing the boy and dumping his dismembered body outside the West Seventh Street home the three shared.

Jori loved his father more than anything, Lirette said.

"He still killed him," she said. "He killed my baby."

I'm sick at heart and hardly have words for this story. If you read the entire article, it seems there were so many signs along the way that the family needed help, and had someone or some agency intervened, the tragedy may have been prevented.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

UPDATE: A further update from the Daily Comet, with more unspeakably gruesome details on the killing.

FEAST DAY OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN

Assumption of the Virgin - El Greco - 1577 - Art Institute of Chicago

Luke 1:46-55

Mary’s Song of Praise

And Mary* said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

In her beautiful prayer of praise to God, The Magnificat, Mary says, "All generations will call me blessed." I carried my habit of honoring the mother of Jesus over from the years spent in the Roman Catholic Church, but I have been pleasantly surprised by the number of my fellow Episcopalians who give honor to Mary. The Roman Catholic Church, celebrates the bodily Assumption of Mary into heaven on August 15.

I love the story of the wedding at Cana. When Mary tells Jesus that the hosts of the wedding feast have run out of wine, he says to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not come." Mary seems to ignore his words and tells the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Jesus, of course, makes more wine for the feast. I find this glimpse into the intimate relationship between Jesus and his mother so very touching. And wouldn't we all do well to heed the final spoken words of Mary in the Bible? "Do whatever he tells you."

The El Greco Assumption is magnificent, so powerful, full of movement, emotion, and glorious color. Although he lived and painted in the 16th and 17 centuries, his painting seems of another age, very much ahead of its time.

PRAYER

O God, who have taken to yourself the blessed Virgin Mary, mother of your incarnate Son: Grant that we, who have been redeemed by his blood, may share with her the glory of your eternal kingdom; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

READINGS:

Isaiah 61:10-11
Psalm 34 or 34:1-9
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 1:46-55

Reposted from four years ago. (Four years! Can it really have been that long ago?)

Image from Wikipedia.

YOUR DAUGHTER IS PREGNANT

A mother took her daughter to the doctor and asked him to give her an examination to determine the cause of the daughter's swollen abdomen.

It only took the doctor about 2 seconds to say, "Gimme a break, lady! Your daughter is pregnant!"

The mother turn red with fury, and she argued with the doctor that *her* daughter was a good girl, and would *never* compromise her reputation by having sex with a boy.

The doctor faced the window and silently watched the horizon. The mother became enraged and screamed, "Quit looking out the window! Aren't you paying attention to me?"

"Yes, of course I am paying attention, ma'am. It's just that the last time this happened, a star appeared in the east, and three wise men came. I was hoping they'd show up again, and help me figure out who got your daughter pregnant!"

Don't blame me. Blame Doug.

STORY OF THE DAY - CURIOSITY

Can I count on you to be there, no
matter what? she said & I said no & she
said what kind of friend are you? & I
said the kind who won't lie to you any
time you want & I think she kept me
around as a curiosity after that

From StoryPeople.

SAVE THE CHILDREN IN THE US! - UN REPORT ON CHILD WELFARE

From the United Nations report: An overview of child well-being in rich countries (PDF).

A comprehensive assessment of the lives
and well-being of children and adolescents
in the economically advanced nations

Click on the image for the enlarged view.

There we are at the bottom of the list in overall welfare of children, not quite last but next to last. Shameful isn't it?

I'm not especially fond of perusing charts, graphs, or statistics, but I found the report easy to understand.

MICHELE BACHMANN...'I AM NOT ANYONE'S JUDGE'

Damn! You could have fooled me, Michele.

H/T to Leonardo at Eruptions at the Foot of the Volcano.