JOE BIDEN: "THEY TALK..."

 

The Republicans running for president and vice-president talk trash and lies, and from what I see of Republican politicians all around the country, there are few who are willing to stand up to Tea Party politics and call them for the trash and lies that they are.  The concept of the common good, that we are all in these tough times together and that we should bear each other's burdens and help those who are most in need is lost in the noise of cries for a balanced budget - a budget that will be balanced on the backs of those who have the least and not by those who are rich in the world's goods.

At least once or twice a week people I know whine to me about undeserving freeloaders who get food stamps and SSI checks.  No doubt there are cheaters amongst them, but what kind of high living can you do on food stamps and SSI checks?  I think of the rich, like the Republican candidate for president, who pays an average of 14% tax on his vast yearly income, while mid-income people pay a higher percentage.  I think of the banks and financial institutions bailed out by the feds that, in turn, gave millions in salaries and bonuses to their top people, and the cheaters for food stamps and SSI checks seem like very small potatoes.  Sure, stop the cheaters, but let's set our priorities aright and get the rich guys and the corporations off the dole first.

And why was the Romney tax returns story allowed to die?  What about his 2009 tax returns?  2009 was the year of the amnesty when people with secret bank accounts in Switzerland had to own the accounts before their names were revealed to the IRS, whereupon they may have been subject to criminal prosecution for tax avoidance.  Did Romney take the amnesty?  He made public two years of tax returns, 2010 and 2011, but he asked Ryan for five years of tax returns.  What is Romney hiding? 

H/T to the goddess at First Draft and others for the picture.

MEDITATION ON JOB BY MARTHE

"Job's Torment" by William Blake

for my friends of faith who may not be reading my favorite church blog ... on occasion I write a little meditation based on the assigned texts for the week that my friends in Boston use (composed of things this amateur sees when reading, thinking about what it all might mean) ... and by the way, it makes the most sense if you read the texts noted ... a little thinking of a day ...

peace be and be

Marthe

Proper 22 Meditation

Job 1:1, 2:1-10, Heb. 1:1-4, 2:5-12, Mark 10:2-16

Ah, Job, no doubt of his integrity 
while certain of his blessings, fresh with vows 
of faithfulness and works of charity, 
flush with the love of his generous God! 
His obedience stood up to the loss 
of goods and servants and even offspring, 
no sin of the lips, no curse did he toss 
into his well of naked suffering. 
To love and to be loved with one’s whole self, 
a yearning children know and adults hide, 
shroud in rules, dusty scrolls on a shelf, 
to veil hearts hardened in the to and fro 
of risk and error wandering, contracts 
masquerading as the holy union 
of created partners drawn to compacts 
of unconditional love responding, 
receiving, rejoicing in its one Source. 
Naked as Job, innocent as children, 
a trust no mortal sunders in the course 
of jealousy or trial -- one true gift: 
      for a soul once bound to God, no divorce.

(Marthe G. Walsh)

Posted with the gracious permission of Marthe.

Image from Wikipedia.

ANDREW FINALLY PERFORMS FOR US

Andrew tuning up

As I've said earlier, our visitors from Connecticut were three, Ginnie, Hugh, and their son Andrew.  Grandpère and I were in Hugh and Ginnie's wedding 50 years ago.  We all left Mobile, Alabama, and, after a few years, we lost track of each other for a long time.  Several years ago, I searched for them on the internet, and, after reaching several dead ends, I found them.  Since then, we've stayed in touch and visited back and forth between Louisiana and Connecticut several times.

Each time we've gone north to Connecticut, or our friends have come south to Louisiana, we've wanted to hear Andrew sing and play one of his instruments, but time passed, busyness intervened, and we never did.  Andrew is a folk musician, specializing in Irish folk music.  He had with him his Irish bouzouki, which you see in the photos.

Andrew playing and singing

Finally, in the last minutes of their visit, it happened.  Andrew entertained us with a private performance.  He played three tunes for us before his dad said they had to get on the road.

 An instrumental version of "Madame Maxwell" by Turlough O'Connor

"The Lakes of Pontchartrain", a traditional song which was a surprise and delight to us.  I have Paul Brady's version in my music collection.

And last, but not least, "Beeswing" by Richard Thompson

What a treat!  Andrew plays and sings quite well, and I'm so pleased we had the privilege of hearing him.  He performs at pubs and halls in his area in the Northeast.  He is a member of the  Shamrock Traditional Irish Music Society and, on occasion, writes about Irish folk music concerts for the Newtown Bee.  As you see, Andrew is wearing his Catskills Irish Arts Week t-shirt.  You can catch glimpses of Andrew playing with a group of musicians in the Catskills in this video at YouTube at the 3:15, 5:59, and 9:38 minute marks.  I wish we'd been able to record Andrew's performance, but since we didn't, I'll settle for words.

UPDATE: I meant to say that Andrew's Irish bouzouki has a lovely, sweet tone.

STORY OF THE DAY - BIG PLANS

Your job is to focus on my personal happiness, she 
said, & I've got big plans, so break time is over.

MITT ROMNEY: "JUST TRUST ME"

 

So many questions...no answers except, "Trust me". Mitt, you know what? I don't trust you. You've changed your policies so many times, and you stray so far from the truth in your statements about policies you once embraced, even in the very recent past, during this very election, that I can't keep up. Are your pants on fire, yet?

Image from Americans Against the Tea Party.

UN AUTRE HENRI LE CHAT

Thanks to Charley F-B for the reminder.

A QUESTION FOR YOU

If you choose an answer to this question at random, what is the chance you will be correct?

(a)     25%
(b)     50%
(c)     60%
(d)     25%

Discussion here: 

Cheers, Paul (A.)

PLEASE PRAY FOR MALALA

Malala Yousafzai is the beautiful 14 year old girl who was shot in the head by the Taliban because of her efforts advocating on behalf of education for girls in Pakistan.

After Friday Prayer, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf visited Ms. Yousafzai’s family at a heavily guarded military hospital in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, where doctors were considering whether to send her abroad for treatment.

“The next 48 hours will be critical,” Mr. Ashraf told reporters. Extremists targeted Ms. Yousafzai, who was shot in the head while riding in a school bus on Tuesday in Mingora, because, he said, “they were scared of the power of her vision.”

“She is the true face of Pakistan,” he added.

....

The army is directing efforts to save Ms. Yousafzai, who is on a ventilator. Government officials have estimated her chances of survival at 50 to 70 percent.

O Lord of the people, heal Malala's injury, remove her pain and cure it.  You who can cure, grant such a cure that no illness remains.  (Islamic prayer with edit)

Image from Wikipedia.

FOR YOU, ROMNEY AND RYAN

 

R&R (Romney & Ryan), I don't know whether you are country music fans or not, but the video below is for you. You may want to take a lesson from our man Johnny. Nevermind the black clothing. No one cares what you wear. We care that you don't care about the people in Johnny's song.

CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER

The two love birds, IT and BP, are celebrating four joyful years of marriage today.  I wish them many blessed and happy times together.

I hope that many more gay and lesbian couples will celebrate anniversaries of their marriages before too very long.