November 8, 2011Oh boy! Did I ever need this laugh!
Berlusconi Steps Down; Will Run National Restaurant Association
‘A Dream Job for Me,’ Says Italian PM
In July, the press learned that Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL), a Tea Party freshman in Congress, owed $117,000 in unpaid child support to his ex-wife. Walsh, despite earning a hefty salary as a member of Congress, has continued to refuse to pay his ex-wife to support his children. Now, it appears, an influential Christian right lobbying group is lending some support to the deadbeat congressman.What a role model! What an example to us all! Joe Walsh receives the "True Blue" award for supporting 'the family'. One wonders what his own family, his children think about his true blueness.
The Sun-Times reports that the Family Research Council, a social conservative advocacy nonprofit headed by CNN pundit Tony Perkins, has awarded Walsh a 100 percent rating as a “True Blue” member of Congress. The FRC said it gave the honor to Walsh because of his “unwavering support of the family”
As our Mission Statement declares, "Family Research Council champions marriage and family as the foundation of civilization, the seedbed of virtue, and the wellspring of society."What were the folks at the FRC thinking to choose Joe Walsh as an model of 'unwavering support of the family', when he doesn't support his own family?
There’s a big difference between the left and the right in such matters, one that I don’t fully understand, although I’m trying. Here’s how it goes: if a liberal politician is caught behaving badly — enriching himself while preaching the need to help the poor, or just in general showing himself less than admirable by having an affair, visiting call girls, whatever — his career is over.Does any group give an award for the Hypocrite of the Year? No? Well, I'll take it upon myself to designate Joe Walsh as my Hypocrite of the Year for having the chutzpah to accept the award. Shame on you, Joe. Take care of your own family before you interfere in the family lives of the rest of us.
But if a conservative politician who preaches stern traditional morality is caught engaging in actions that are at odds with what he preaches — buying sex, taking wide stances in restrooms, or, in this case, stiffing his family even while preaching family values — he may well ride right through the scandal.
There was a haunted house on the outskirts of town which was avoided by all the townsfolk: The ghost which 'lived' there was feared by all.I know, I know. Halloween is past and gone, and if Paul (A.) wasn't a bit under the weather, I'd ask him to leave the stage. Perhaps, my posting his past sell-by date and corny joke will cheer him up and make him feel better. He is such a hero. His lovely wife Catherine said:
An enterprising journalist decided to get the scoop of the day by photographing the fearsome phantom. When he entered the house, armed with only his trusty camera, the ghost descended upon him, moaning piteously, clanking chains, and generally being hauntingly obnoxious. The reporter interrupted the moaning and said, "Hold on a minute! I mean you no harm. I just want your photograph for the newspaper. You'll be a sensation!"
The ghost was quite happy at this chance to make the headlines and posed for a number of ghostly shots.
The happy journalist rushed back to his darkroom and began developing the photos. Unfortunately, however, they all turned out to be black and underexposed.
So what's the moral of the story?
The spirit was willing but the flash was weak.
Cheers,
Paul (A.)
Paul(A.)'s lovely wife has been completely swamped with grading papers for the last few days, so Paul (A.) has arisen from his sickbed to make me dinner Friday, breakfast Saturday, and breakfast and dinner today. I may finish the grading in time to go to school tomorrow. God Bless Paul (A.)!
Waxing gibbous moonA repost which I use from time to time when the gibbous moon shines in the night sky.
The words themselves a poem
Turning full moon soon
The synod met on Saturday the 5th and the motion was rejected.I agree. The vote to reject the covenant is fabulous news.
That makes the number of Dioceses in the Church of England split evenly:
Lichfield and Durham have voted for the Covenant.
Wakefield and Edmundsbury & Ipswich have voted Against.
This is fabulous news. I heard one Church of England bishop say recently that although he had reservations about the Covenant, he couldn’t speak against it because he had sworn an oath of obedience to Rowan Williams. It really does need to be the lay people and the clergy who stop this mad document. Well done Bishop Peter Selby, and well done to the members of Eds&Ips synod.
I heard one Church of England bishop say recently that although he had reservations about the Covenant, he couldn’t speak against it because he had sworn an oath of obedience to Rowan Williams.????!!!
As a bishop who has taken an oath of canonical obedience in all things lawful and honest, I have to say I think it’s bizarre to think this commits me to blind obedience to any notion the Archibishop (sic) may adopt. I think it is a higher and more positive form of obedience to be more honest, and had some of my colleagues had the spine to advise him earlier about their real feelings about some of the drawbacks in this particular scheme it would have been an act of loyalty, not disloyalty. In none of my dealings with him (which are not amazingly extensive) have I ever seen anything that implies he would want anything less than honest critical friendship.And we all say, 'Amen!'. Of course, as former colonials, what we say may not count. Still, I commend Bishop Alan, and I only wish a greater number of bishops in the Church of England had his courage.
