Spooky

“Some say Rove has 'an October surprise' coming that will change everything (even if it doesn't come until November).” ~NPR story

Recycling Bibles

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Nadine Friedrichs <blf@frontiernet.net>
Date: Oct 30, 2006 6:58 PM
Subject: Recycling bibles
To: Undisclosed-Recipient

Good News We are back in the mission project of Recycling the Gospel only on a smaller scale – just bibles!

 

Orphan Grain Train has informed us that they need 5000 bibles to ship to India.  Fantastic!!!! Get out the bibles you are not using, check your church for unused bibles, buy a bible or two (or a case) of new bibles as your families special India mission project, ask your organizations if they would purchase new bibles (and have them sent direct to Charter Oak).

 

NIV seems to be the preferred version if ordering new, but we will accept all versions – King James, Living Bible, God's Word, Beck, Revised, whatever, and all sizes– but must be in good usable condition with cover & pages intact.

 

We will sort and pack the bibles in St. John's Educational Building basement here in Charter Oak and get them to OGT.  Many of our faithful recyclers have been asking what they can send and our faithful workers miss the fellowship of packing day so this is exciting news! Ever since the last ship container left for Nigeria we have been praying that God would show us what the next project should be – and here it is!!! (The 7 containers sent to Nigeria contained a total of 95 tons of religious materials with a bible count of 24,800)  It is amazing that when one door closes another opens – we just must be watchful that we see the open door.

 

Remember we can only use bibles – no other religious materials.  Thanks!

 

Bless you!

Don & Nadine Friedrichs

 

Bring or send bibles to –

The Friedrichs Family

865 First St.  Box 34

Charter Oak, IA 51439-0034

 

712-678-3720

BLF@frontiernet.net

 

--
__________________________________
http://ted.mallory.googlepages.com/home.html

"The gospel is meant to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." ~Garrison Keillor

Happy Halloween

Pumpkin Killer

My girls like the guts. You draw it, I'll carve it.
Happy Halloween- don't be SCARED to vote NEXT Tuesday.

WC FIELDS

WC Fields - "Hell, I never vote for anybody, I always vote against."

__________________________________
http://ted.mallory.googlepages.com/home.html

"The gospel is meant to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." ~Garrison Keillor

Kick 'em OUT!

I love this button. I got it at a flea market toward the end of this past summer.

Someone asked me last night, "What's your advice for older voters this late in the game."
I was tempted to quote my dear old Dad's maxim "make it emphatic, vote all Democratic," but instead I settled for something that will work even better this year-
"When in doubt, throw 'em out."

Fairly balanced, sometimes, sorta

Fairly balanced, sometimes, sorta
Charter Oak-Ute NEWSpaper - Schleswig Leader, Thursday, October 26, 2006 -Page 3

A reader from Ute pointed out to me that a couple of weeks ago, when writing about how many things are observed in October, I omitted two important ones; Domestic Violence Month and Respect for Life Month. I’d apologize for the omission, except that as the reader noted in their letter to me, neither of these things are “much good for joke fodder.”

There’s never any reason to harm your spouse, children or any other family members or cohabitants. Wrong is wrong and domestic violence is wrong.

Respect for life is always a good thing. The problem is semantics and how insanely passionate some people get about life. One person may think that respecting life should include opposing war and the death penalty. Someone else may be vehemently opposed to abortion and euthanasia, but can’t for the life of them, can’t see how I can that first person can be possibly defend their positions. A third person may include all life, not just humans, so they’re opposed to butchering any animals or stepping on bugs or even cruelty to plant life. Pretty soon all three of these people are so angry with each other that they just about want to kill each other.

So there you have it, these are not things that are easy to joke about.

Well, wait..let’s at least try: Mutt: “Hey Jeff, how many times a week do you hit your wife?” Jeff: “Why you $X%&! Who told you I hit my wife? I’ll KILL ‘em! Ya hear me?! Tell me or I’ll kill you too!”

Okay, you’re right. Neither of those things are all that funny.

The point was that here we think that it’s fire-safety month or some people get bent out of shape because they hear that it’s Hispanic Heritage month and really it’s everybody and their brother’s cause-du-jour month. Or actually “du mois” or maybe “de la semaine,” but I don’t know because I don’t speak French.

Call it satire, call it trying to come up with an idea every week and looking to the calendar for inspiration.

And by the way, it’s that way every month. Mark your calendars now for “Waiting For the Barbarians Day” November 4, “Marooned Without a Compass Day” November 6, and the ever popular, “Start Your Own Country Day” November 22.

But thank you, you know who you are, for your letter. It’s always good to know that someone, somewhere is actually reading. Unless you want to send hate mail, then you can keep it to yourself, I’m very sensitive.

No, seriously- whether you agree with me, or disagree with me you should always write a letter to the editor. If you disagree with me, they your opinion will be heard, if you appreciate anything I write, then the publishers will have concrete evidence that might persuade them to keep me around.

I’d just as well take this opportunity to remind you that The views expressed here are not necessarily those of this newspaper, the publishers, Enterprise Publishing, the other staff members, or any of the subscribers.

I say that not only so you don’t assume that any of them condone any of what I write here, let alone share any of my opinions, but uh, well, uh...nope, that’s pretty much why I told you that.
My mother worries that maybe I should apologize to gubernatorial candidate Jim Nussle for the cartoon that I drew of him and Congressman Steve King weeks ago comparing them to NAZIs for proposing that America declare one official language. I’m sure he’s a nice enough guy, from everything I’ve read and seen, he’s more reasonable than Steve King, I have nothing personal against Nussle, I certainly hope his feelings weren’t hurt- but I still think that it’s an unnecessary, discriminatory, nationalistic, jingoistic policy and those are the kind of policies that NAZIs came up with in Germany, also he looked funny. That’s the point of a political cartoon, to make a point and be funny.

Besides, Nuissle is the Congressman for the First District, over by Des Moines, so I hardly imagine that he saw that cartoon. Combined, the Charter Oak-Ute NEWSpaper and the Schleswig Leader have a readership just over 2,000 and we’re in the Fifth District. There’s probably just as slim a chance that Steve King has seen my columns or cartoons either, even though he is our Fifth District Congressman, but you know what? He’s put his foot in his mouth enough and basically made a nest that he has to sit in as a wing-nut, so I don’t feel too sorry for him.

My wife considered the body of work of cartoons since this summer and suggested to me that I may be a little biased. “Where are the cartoons criticizing the Democrats?” she asked.
Who’s in power? Hard to make fun of people for doing stupid things when they aren’t in a position to do anything...

Ha ha, okay, okay, you’re right, that was a pretty good line, though, right? No? You were saying, “yeah, and I bet you have some great ocean front property to sell us in Arizona too?” You got me, I’m biased. In fact, I’m worry that if the Democrats gain control of the House and Senate next month it will be like baseball in October without the Yankees- there won’t be anyone to be mad at.

Be that as it may, I promise to TRY to be an equal-opportunity offender, if the opportunity should ever arise. Let’s just wait and burn that bridge when we come to it, shall we.
Now, I’d like to tell you why I think that you should vote for Democrat Joyce Shulte to represent the Fifth District in Congress...

Shoot! Dang, drat! Look at this? People are going to keep saying that Democrats only criticize the opposition without- (sorry ran out of room).

Siqueiros

Siqueiros is one of my favorite painters. Mexican muralist, surrealist, socialist, thick impasto, textures, powerfully expressive... I'll let some of his work speak for itself.


Workers against fascism
Zapata, the people's hero-

Zapata again

I SO had the idea for this cartoon like 2 weeks ago, but I thought it would be too hard to do justice to Charles Schultz, so I gave up on it.
See if I do THAT again!

Oh Great Pumpkin, where ARE you!!??

This is all I'm saying. I'm not opposed to all Republicans or all their ideas. Heck, I'm a Missouri Synod Lutheran who chose to and enjoys living in rural Western Iowa. Some of my best friends are (or once were) Republicans, my sainted Irish mother was once a registered Republican. Bush, Cheney and Carl Rove aren't genuine, traditional Republicans. Who hasn't figured that out yet?I know, cartoonists had the very same criticism of Clinton's supposed job creation. But the point is, less unemployment does not mean that the economy is better. Ask a former Ford employee. Wal Mart hires you for 37 hours a week so they don't have to offer you benefits or pay you overtime, but you're too busy (or tired) to go out and look for a better job. Enjoy your tax cuts!

A couple for a Monday

Sad, but true.

Exciting, but will he turn into another Mario Cuomo? A great star to hang our hopes on, who never steps up and fulfills our hopes?

I was going to stop posting other people's cartoons and only run my own, but these two are just too cool. "Ol Blind Patriotism" the bottle of booze says. Like that reader who is so bent out of shape by me criticizing Congressman King- I swear some people just can't see what's wrong with politicians so long as they're the right party.

I think that this Bennett of the Christian Science Monitor is one of my favorite cartoonists. I haven't figured out yet what computer program he must use, but I swear he draws everything on the computer instead of using paper first and then scanning it in and embelishing it. He's amazing, every cartoon is such a beautiful work of art. Of course, the point he makes is excellent too- the tiny piece of gum is labeled "wages." See his point?

And here is some free campaign advertising. Consider it an internet "yard sign."

Need to know what to get me for Christmas? Consult my Froogle List

A team of Stanford University Psychchiatrists' survey suggests that naywhere from 6 to 14% of computer users are addicted to the web. Check out my newest website on Multiply.
I'm pathetic. It's almost as bad as coffee.

exposing and opposing arbitrary power by speaking and writing truth

Ted, here is a little comment about your column this week.

----------
From:
Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 12:50:27 -0500
To: <mpress@longlines.com>
Subject: Mallory column

What exactly is that column suppose to be? Opinion, editorial, news article ? The column in the Oct. 19th

Paper was totally out of line. If it is an opinion column it should be named as such if it is the views of your paper, I am sure you will lose a lot of subscribers, republicans and democrats a like.

A republican with self respect,

At least one reader was very offended by my column that ran Oct 19 that skewered Fifth District Congressman Steve King. I never enjoy having people angry with me or disliking me, so in the tradition of so many American politicians, I’d like to offer a non apologetic apology: I’m sorry if anyone was offended that I so severely criticized Congressman King, but I’m also sorry to have to tell you, that I’m not sorry for criticizing him.

We all have the right to redress our government for grievances, we all have the right to free speech and free press. I’m constantly encouraging readers to submit their own writing, letters, comments, opinions or otherwise for publication. Many of King’s positions, actions, attitudes, and especially things he’s said have grieved me and embarrassed me. I’m sorry if my being offended by him offends any of you. I’m sorry if more people aren’t grieved, embarrassed or offended by King, I think that that either means that they aren’t paying much attention or that they don’t care. I’m also sorry if King hasn’t grieved or embarrassed everyone in our district, because that means he’ll probably get reelected. It’s just a really sorry situation all around.

In 1935, Andrew Hamilton told a New York court that New York Weekly Journal publisher Peter Zenger should not be locked up for criticizing Colonial Governor William Cosby because freedom of the press “is not of small nor private concern nor is it the cause of a poor printer, nor of New York alone. No, it may affect every Freeman to deny the liberty of both exposing and opposing arbitrary power by speaking and writing truth.”

I’ve always thought that this was something noble to aspire to; exposing and opposing arbitrary power by speaking and writing truth. Granted, I may look at the facts and interpret the “truth” differently than someone else. That should make you think, maybe even rile you up, but it doesn’t have to raise your blood pressure too much or cause you to cancel your subscription.

One should just assume that any newspaper column is an opinion piece and that the opinions are those of the columnist, not of the paper itself or anyone else. Even sports columns, food columns, and humor columns. I wanted to be an editorial cartoonist since I was in sixth grade. That’s probably part of why, when I attended Concordia Teacher’s College, a Church school, I majored in History and Art. You can guess what some of my great passions are; American history and politics, faith and theology, and helping people understand things. If I can do these things with a little humor, all the better.

What’s wonderful about this column is that by promising to talk about “sex, politics, and religion…not necessarily in that order” I’m free to write about political issues, religious issues, and silly or funny things without being restricted to writing in only one of these categories.

I can’t help it if Steve King is a drip who embarrasses me. I suppose that you can’t help it if I’m an over-opinionated left-winger who offends you. I’m sorry that that’s the way things go.

Sorry.

District 5 can make a difference

(Okay, 25 from the time I post this, but only 19 from when it's published in the NEWSpaper!)

District 5 can make a difference
Page 3 Charter Oak-Ute NEWSpaper & Schleswig Leader- Thursday, October 19, 2006

I can’t believe how many yard signs there are for political candidates. But it’s puzzling why there are so few yard signs for Democrats. Maybe it’s because Iowa’s Fifth District is so staunchly Republican. It’s a little fishy to me that in such a “Red State,” all of the Republican candidates have used blue ink.

It could be because the Democrats are notoriously less organized. A progressive friend told me that it was because “Lefties” have too much good taste to clutter-up their yards with advertising.

It could be that the Republican National Committee has truckloads of more money to spend on state and local races than the Dems.

Nah, lets face it, Western Iowa is about as red as congressional districts get. Political Junkies know that Steve King’s is just about the safest seat in the House of Representatives this election.
Which is too bad, because if there was a list of the nuttiest House Republicans, King would be near the top.

A friend of mine who is a Democrat, told me that he’d met King and found him warm, friendly and personable. Maybe so, but even a dog can shake hands. There are pitbull owners who think their dogs are good with kids.

A dear Republican friend of mine was pleased that he won the nomination because he isn’t from a major city, instead he’s “one of us,” a rural, regular guy. But the rural Iowans I know are wise and kind and use common sense.

He brought out props he had made to argue on the House floor for an electric fence that he designed for our border with Mexico. He even volunteered his family to help build it. He compared imigrants to cattle.

Helen Thomas was a respected member of the White House Press Corps. She’s been a reporter covering every President since Nixon. She happens to be of Lebbanese decent. When terrorist al Zarqawi said that he wasn’t afraid to face the death penalty because as a Muslim, e expected to receive 72 virgins in Heaven. King commented that Zarqawi was probably headed for Hell (fair enough, except for what he said next). Then King said that the 72 virgins would probably all look like Helen Thomas.

If I had my way, that would have gotten King kicked out as fast as Foley.
King has called Joeseph McCarthy a “great American hero.” The leader of the ‘red-scare’ witch hunts of the 1950’s, a hero? How many people had their lives ruined by his insinuation and slander? No one has violated American’s First Amendment rights more until the current Bush administration’s un warrented wire-taps. A hero? What does that mean King would like to do or that he’s already allowed? McCarthy and “McCarthyism” are a dark page in history, not a hero.
King was the chief sponsor of the English language only law (which by the way Republican Gubinatorial candidate Jim Nussle supported). Please. America has always been a melting pot. English is already the language of commerce and economic success by default, the only reason to make it the “official” language is to exclude people or to discriminate against them. That would be like making Christianity the official religion of the United States, or making “White” the official race.

I’m sure he’d like that. He opposed extending the 1965 Voting Rights Act. He doesn’t think that peace and civil rights activism is “consistent with American values.” A letter that he wrote against extending the Voting Rights Act turned out to have been “ghost written” by a leader of an anti-immigration group.

King has called Union organizers “economic weapons of mass destruction.” Yet he called the torture of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Grab little more than fraternity hazing. Excuse me? If college kids do with broomsticks what was done to those prisoners, they should be locked up too.
King claimed that Washington D.C. was more dangerous to civilians that Iraq. He was one of only 11 lawmakers to vote AGAINST emergency relief funds for Hurricane Katrina victims.

A major backer of Steve King’s campaign, through his “Americans for a Republican Majority PAC is indicted former House Majority Leader, Tom Delay.

Last year at this time the Des Moines Register asked us (District 5 voters) in an editorial to “Spare us more embarrassment: Replace King.”

The Chidren’s Defense Fund gave King a zero on their scorecard that ranks lawmakers on how well they try to protect kids. The AARP also gave him an “F: for failing the middle class with his voes on taxews, small business, and family issues.

Surely we can do better. Replacing King could be the best thing Iowa Republicans could do for their party, even if it does help give Democrats a majority in the House of Representatives. If you can’t bring yourself to vote for Joyce Schulte on Nov. 7, then please consider writing in the name of some sane, smart, stable, Republican other than Steve King.

Democrats, take back the house. Republicans, please, take back your self respect.
__________________________________________________________________
Ted Mallory lives in Charter Oak and teaches at Boyer Valley Schools in Dunlap. ‘Ted’s Column’ has appeared weekly in the Charter Oak-Ute NEWSpaper since 2002. The feature’s motto is: ‘Sex, Politics, and Religion...Not necessarily in that order.’ Okay, so there’s no sex. There’s usually at least as much humor as politics or religion.

NPR : Former Bush Assistant: Republicans Deceive Christians

NPR : Former Bush Assistant: Republicans Deceive Christians

Interviews

Former Bush Assistant: Republicans Deceive Christians

Morning Edition, October 19, 2006 · David Kuo was President Bush's special assistant in the Office of Faith Based Initiatives. Kuo's new book about why he left his job criticizes the administration for taking unfair advantage of conservative Christian voters. Linda Wertheimer talks to Kuo about why he concluded that President Bush and the Republican Party have deceived conservative Christians.

______________________________________________

Anytime fellow brothers and sisters... anytime you want to wake up a realize that our faith has been hijacked- Remember Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed? Did you know that he's caught up in the Abermoff/Tom Delay scandal? Using "Faith/Values issues" to get Texas voters to oppose gambling so that Louisiana/Texas border Indian Reservationcasinoss could make more money- meanwhile stealing money from those same Indians?

Just because someone SAYS they're "born-again" doesn't mean that they're REALLY disciples of Machiavellii, rather than Jesus. Just because someone says they're opposed to abortion or gay marriage doesn't mean they're always 100% right, correct, or the least bit honest or obedient to God in ANY other area.

Verse and Voice

American preachers have a task more difficult, perhaps, than those faced by us under South Africa's apartheid, or Christians under Communism. We had obvious evils to engage; you have to unwrap your culture from years of red, white and blue myth. You have to expose, and confront, the great disconnect between the kindness, compassion and caring of most American people, and the ruthless way American power is experienced, directly and indirectly, by the poor of the earth. You have to help good people see how they have let their institutions do their sinning for them. This is not easy among people who really believe that their country does nothing but good, but it is necessary, not only for their future, but for us all.

- Peter Storey, former president of the Methodist Church of South Africa

Red Maples

On one of her "nature walks" with my daughter, my mom (who is an artist) was telling her about how she liked to collect leaves and preserve them by pressing them in books.

So one day on a walk with me, Ellen reported, "Granma says that God gave us leaves and they can last forever if we take good care of them."

a pair of pear pictures

The Great Reformer

Here is a portrait of Martin Luther that I made in PhotoShop. I Painted one of him in acrylic a few years ago as a going away present for a retiring pastor, but as far as I could tell, no one was all that excited about it. I wanted to make something new for Clergy Appreciation Month (October) but I just haven't got much time. So, I made a composite out of two historical paintings and a snapshot of Wartburg castle in Eisenach, Germany that I found on the web. One of the things that's always bothered me about Luther portraits are how stoic and stern he's portrayed. I think it's a German thing. But in his writings, a much more warm, kind, jovial, passionate and at times even smart-assed Luther is revealed. To achieve this, I used PhotoShop to help his face and eyes smile some. Then I tried to put a little sparkle in his eyes. I think I gave him at least slightly more paternal, approachable look than the way he's usually seen. Happy Reformation Day (Oct 31).

Here are the pictures I used to create the composite.


And here is the painting I did a couple of years ago:

U.S. Iraq Deaths Set for Record High

U.S. Iraq Deaths Set for Record High
Associated Press- Two marines were killed by insurgents in Anbar Province on Sunday, the American military command said, and three American soldiers died a day earlier in a bombing in southern Baghdad, bringing the total number of American troop deaths in Iraq this month to at least 53, an extraordinarily high midmonth tally.

At the current rate of American deaths—more than 3.5 a day—October is on track to be the third deadliest month of the entire Iraq war for American forces, according to Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, an independent Web site that tracks war-related casualties.

On Barry Goldwater

Much is being said lately about Barry Goldwater. His granddaughter CC released a movie on HBO called "Mr. Conservative; Goldwater on Goldwater." Watergater John Dean put out a book he started with Goldwater called "Conservative without Conscience," criticizing the excesses of the "neo-conservatives" of the current Bush administration. Many Republicans, feeling betrayed by Bush and the current Congressional majority's abuses are re-registering as "Goldwater Democrats" (sort of like when "Reagan Democrats" became Republicans). Still other Republicans feel like the current power holders have abandoned Goldwater's ways. Prairie Home Companion host, Garrison Keillor wrote in his 2004 book "Homegrown Democrat," that the current Democratic party is more like the Republican party of his youth (1940's-early 60's). Humorist Al Frankin has been voicing similar feelings, that Democrats, not G.W.Bush-Republicans are the party of traditional American (dare we say "family") values.

Growing up in Arizona, I came to see Goldwater, our senior Senator for most of my life as sort of a patron saint. When the shrimp hit the fan with Watergate, he went to Nixon and told him to step down. Goldwater was P.O.ed that Nixon had been lying to him. When we got a wing-nut governor in the late '80's, he was highly critical of the corrupt, religious speaking, flag waving freak show that had hijacked his party. Now mind you, I disagree on his stand on states-rights in opposition to civil rights, especially integrating schools and of course there was the idea he had about using "strategic" nukes in Vietnam. Nobody's perfect. But time and time again, I find myself agreeing with him on SO MANY things that I USED to be able to find common ground on with my Republican friends- things like deficit reduction, government reform and streamlining. I think that if he were still alive today he wouldn't have much good to say about President Bush Junior, Speaker Haster, or former Majority Leader DeLay. As a matter of fact, I think he'd be pissed about how we got into Iraq and he'd probably take current Arizona Senator John McCain out behind the woodshed for a lashing a few times for what a whimp and a hypocrite he's been for not standing up to the Bill Frists, Carl Roves, and Dick Cheneys of this world.

Anyway. In honor of one of my favorite Republicans (Lincoln, Roosevelt, Ike, Clarence Hoffman, and Mom), here are some wise words from the old man of the desert:

"I am a conservative Republican," Barry Goldwater wrote in a 1994 Washington Post essay, "but I believe in democracy and the separation of church and state. The conservative movement is founded on the simple tenet that people have the right to live life as they please as long as they don't hurt anyone else in the process."

When Sandra Day O'Connor was nominated to the Supreme Court in 1981, some Religious Right leaders suspected she might be too moderate on abortion and other social concerns. Moral Majority founder Jerry Falwell told the news media that "every good Christian should be concerned." Replied Goldwater, "Every good Christian should line up and kick Jerry Falwell's ass."

"I don't have any respect for the Religious Right. There is no place in this country for practicing religion in politics. That goes for Falwell, Robertson and all the rest of these political preachers. They are a detriment to the country."

"Being a conservative in America traditionally has meant that one holds a deep, abiding respect for the Constitution. We conservatives believe sincerely in the integrity of the Constitution. We treasure the freedoms that document protects. . .

"You don't have to be straight to be in the military; you just have to be able to shoot straight."

"on religious issues there can be little or no compromise. There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being. But like any powerful weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both. I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in "A," "B," "C," and "D." Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of 'conservatism.'" -- From the Congressional Record, September 16, 1981

Andrew Sullivan | The Daily Dish: Goldwater Democrats?

Andrew Sullivan | The Daily Dish: Goldwater Democrats?

"Well, we've had Reagan Democrats. And we've had Goldwater Republicans. Why not a new version: Goldwater Democrats? By Goldwater Democrats, I mean old-style libertarian conservatives who actually believe in fiscal responsibility, small government, prudent foreign policy and live-and-let-live social policy. After being told we are completely unwelcome among Republicans, should we shift to the Dems?

I have never thought of myself as a Democrat or left-liberal in any way. And there are plenty of people among Democrats I do not agree with at all. But it's getting to the point that the illiberal, authoritarian big government Christianism of the GOP makes me completely supportive of backing the Democrats this time around. My one reservation is, of course, spending. But at this point, could they be worse than the GOP? No Congress has been worse on spending than the current crew since FDR! The war? Again, at this point, we desperately need some check on an administration utterly without prudence or a capacity for self-correction."

Friday the 13??!!!!

The Desparado by Gustave Courbet

"Courbet, under the weight of the night"

OR...
You could choose, instead to be:

pro·gres·sive
Pronunciation: pr&-'gre-siv
Function: adjective
1 a : of, relating to, or characterized by progress b : making use of or interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities c : of, relating to, or constituting an educational theory marked by emphasis on the individual child, informality of classroom procedure, and encouragement of self-expression
2 : of, relating to, or characterized by progression
3 : moving forward or onward : ADVANCING

Why? Becasuse if you were,
dem·o·crat·ic
Pronunciation: "de-m&-'kra-tik
Function: adjective
1 : of, relating to, or favoring democracy
2 often capitalized : of or relating to one of the two major political parties in the United States evolving in the early 19th century from the anti-federalists and the Democratic-Republican party and associated in modern times with policies of broad social reform and internationalism
3 : relating to, appealing to, or available to the broad masses of the people <democratic art>
4 : favoring social equality : not snobbish

Then you would care about PEOPLE, not corporations and money.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:17-19

Don't know much about history...

I'm telling you guys, I've had this vibe that G.W.Bush is channelling the spirit of Kaiser Willy II- remember how he totally disregarded all of the carefully crafted diplomacy that Otto Von Bismark had spent years on because he was pretty much a 10 year old absolutist boy in an adult body? Yeah, I know, I know, I'm just some stupid flaming liberal who doesn't have any good reason not to like Bush II. Whatever, I guess I just like having my presidents smarter than I am.

Dear Leaders

By Molly Ivins

AUSTIN, Texas—Nobody else seems to be asking the obvious question about Susan B. Ralston, former administrative assistant to Jack Abramoff and, until last week, assistant to Karl Rove. She got hired by Rove at $64,700 after the 2004 election and then received a raise to $122,000. Why? I've never gotten a 100 percent raise. Did you? Is this common?

I know next to nothing about North Korea, but I know how to find out. People who do know the weird country have been worrying about it in print for six years now. (See articles in The New York Review of Books.) Eric Alterman picked this bit up in "The Book on Bush": "The tone of [Colin] Powell's tenure was set early in the administration, when he announced that he planned 'to pick up where the Clinton administration had left off' in trying to secure the peace between North and South Korea, while negotiating with the North to prevent its acquisition of nuclear weaponry. The president not only repudiated his secretary of state in public, announcing, 'We're not certain as to whether or not they're keeping all terms of all agreements,' he did so during a joint appearance with South Korean President (and Nobel laureate for peace for his own efforts with the North) Kim Dae-Jung, thereby humiliating his honored guest, as well.

"A day later, Powell backpedaled. 'The president forcefully made the point that we are undertaking a full review of our relationship with North Korea,' Powell said. 'There was some suggestion that imminent negotiations are about to begin—that is not the case.' "

This was pre-9/11, when Bush's entire foreign policy consisted in not doing whatever Clinton had done, and vice versa. Also from "The Book on Bush": "As former Ambassadors Morton Abramowitz and James Laney warned at the moment of Bush's carelessly worded 'Axis of Evil' address, 'Besides putting another knife in the diminishing South Korean president,' the speech would likely cause 'dangerous escalatory consequences, (including) ... renewed tensions on the peninsula and continued export of missiles to the Mideast.' ... North Korea called the Bush bluff, and the result, notes (Washington Post) columnist Richard Cohen, was 'a stumble, a fumble, an error compounded by a blooper ... as appalling a display of diplomacy as anyone has seen since a shooting in Sarajevo turned into World War I.' "

Remember Bush's diplomatic interview with Bob Woodward in which he said, "I loathe Kim Jong Il!" Waving his finger, he added, "I've got a visceral reaction to this guy because he is starving his people." Bush also said he wanted to "topple him" and called him a "pygmy." How old were you when you learned not to antagonize and infuriate the local crazy bully?

Always a top diplomat. But I warn you, when Bush makes reference of this, as in "my gut tells me," we are in big trouble. By any measure, North Korea continued to be more dangerous than Iraq.

I don't see how this mess can be blamed on anyone but Bush, but I notice that a few Republicans have dragged out the shade of Bill Clinton because he tried to deal with North Korea. I would have thought there wasn't much water left in that bogeyman, but I guess he is the straw man for all seasons among Republicans. Why doesn't someone on Fox News ask him about it?

Meanwhile, our fiendishly clever president has dragged his daddy's old family consigliore, James Baker, out of retirement to think of something to do about Iraq. A three-part partition is mentioned. History Professor Juan Cole on his blog explains why that's a disaster, but I suspect that's where the poor Iraqis end up anyway, followed by war with Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

To find out more about Molly Ivins and see works by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Copyright 2006, Creators Syndicate Inc.  

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"The gospel is meant to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." ~Garrison Keillor

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/10/12/5139/9897

Thu Oct 12, 2006 at 02:13:09 AM PDT

A new book charges the Bush Administration cynically manipulated social conservatives for political profit. But unlike past accusations, these come from an insider. Tempting Faith is written by David Kuo, former Special Assistant to President George W. Bush and Deputy Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. The book is reported to chronicle Kuo's growing frustration and eventual realization that the Republican Party in general and the Bush White House specifically were shamelessly using Evangelical Christians to advance a secular political agenda with little or no connection to the concerns of the religious right.

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"The gospel is meant to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." ~Garrison Keillor

Rural Schools should be more prepared

Rural Schools should be more prepared
Page 3 Charter Oak-Ute NEWSpaper & Schleswig Leader- Thursday, October 12, 2006

The Congressman Foley instant-messenger sex with teenage pages and the apparent House cover-up eclipsed Bob Woodward’s new book, “State of Denial,” that scrutinized the Bush Administration’s handling of the war in Iraq. Before that, Woodward’s book overshadowed the National Intelligence Estimate that revealed many of the problems that those policies wrought.

No doubt by the time you’re reading this column, yet another story will be dominating the headlines. That’s the problem with writing for a weekly newspaper, the news cycle is 24/7 so there’s no way to know what will be relevant if you’re writing for October 12, but writing on October 5th.

But something tragic happened recently that we shouldn’t take for granted or become calloused to. Nor should we let it be lost in the media feeding-frenzy of political intrigue and personal indiscretion.

Kids were killed. Kids were killed all over the country. Not in big cities, but out here, “ out in the country.”

An October 4 story on National Public Radio (NPR) reported” Violent crime is far less common in rural areas than in cities. Rural people are four times less likely to be victims of violent crime. Yet all three school shootings in the past week occurred in rural places.”

There was a similar rash of shootings after the Columbine shootings in 1999. Virtually all of the shootings in the 90’s occurred in small cities and rural towns.

It doesn’t make sense that the safest places to live could be the most dangerous place to go to school. We feel somewhat insulated.

Schools in small towns make easier targets.

Urban schools have tighter security and more experience working with violent and troubled teens.

In rural areal guns are more easily accessible than in cities, although they’re less likely to be used in a crime. But rural kids are far more likely to be able to get a hold of a weapon easily.
In a smaller community, if a student lives on the social fringes, they have a harder time finding a place to fit in.

We’d like to think that it’s a good thing to live somewhere where everyone either knows you or knows someone who knows you, but that also means that if you’re teased or ridiculed, it’s harder to hide and it’s harder to reinvent yourself.

After the Columbine shootings, the vast majority of students identified with the victims, but a small percentage identified with the shooters because they not only got even with the bullies and the mean teachers, they also got famous.

In the years since Columbine many schools have worked hard to crack down on harassment and bullying. Districts have drafted policies and implemented programs to prevent sexual harassment, hazing and initiations of underclassmen, and discrimination based on race, religion and sexual preference.

It still may not be enough. School hallways, locker rooms, buses and classrooms are still places where it’s accepted behavior to “talk trash,” and “rip on each other.”
But it’s also not enough to work at being pro-active. Schools have to craft, review, train for and implement serious emergency management plans.

One teacher in a one-room school 80 miles from the nearest sheriff’s station suggested to an NPR reporter that they should equip schools with sirens, so that when a catastrophic event occurs, parents and neighbors will know about it for miles around.
Schools in Brown, Rock and Holt counties in North Central Nebraska were in low-down last week after a local newspaper received an anonymous call from someone who said there would be a shooting at one of the schools.

What exactly is “lock-down?” I’m a teacher and I don’t know. I’ve heard of large city schools where all of the classroom door can be closed and locked at once in case of an emergency. Sort of like battening down the hatches on a ship.

We’re told where to take kids in a tornado and for a fire drill. We know who our team leaders are for cleaning up blood, vomit, and bodily fluids. We’re trained in first aid. But what if someone was in the library with a shotgun?

Maybe my district has such a plan and I’m the one who’s negligent for not knowing it, but as a parent I’d want every teacher to know it backwards and forwards.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools suggests a framework of the four phases of crisis planning: prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

They held training sessions this April in Colorado and this May in Pennsylvania, but they only had room for 125 school administrators and personnel.
I believe that our states should offer this kind of training for as many teachers, administrators, and school-board members as possible.

I may sound paranoid or alarmist to some, but I believe that every school board should develop an emergency and crisis management plan and make sure that teachers, staff members and students are a helluva lot more familiar with it than they are with the school mission statement or fight song. Lives may depend on it.

I heard Tucker Carlson on TV saying how he and most of his Republican collegues actually distain the religious-right. Are Christians ever going to figure out that big-business, super-rich, and ultra-right-wingers have been using and abusing their sincere (if sometimes misguided) passions? When are they going to figure out that Jesus cares about a lot of other moral issues, not just gay marriage and abortion? Like lying, hypocracy, corruption, embezzlement, poverty and pre-emptive war, social injustice, bigotry, hate, pride, anger, gluttony, lust, etc. etc.

Can you HANDLE the truth?

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you odd.

- Flannery O'Connor

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"The gospel is meant to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." ~Garrison Keillor

The price of children

Usually this blog is mostly politics, but when I got this email forward from my sister-in-law today, I decided I had to post it. The Price of Children This is just too good not to pass on to all. Something absolutely positive for a change. I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice. The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition. But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into: * $8,896.66 a year, * $741.38 a month, or * $171.08 a week. * That's a mere $24.24 a day! * Just over a dollar an hour. Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be "rich." Actually, it is just the opposite. What do you get for your $160,140? * Naming rights. First, middle, and last! * Glimpses of God every day. * Giggles under the covers every night. * More love than your heart can hold. * Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs. * Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies. * A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate. * A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites * Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day. For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to: * finger-paint, * carve pumpkins, * play hide-and-seek, * catch lightning bugs, and * never stop believing in Santa Claus. You have an excuse to: * keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh, * watching Saturday morning cartoons, * going to Disney movies, and * wishing on stars. * You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day. For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for: * retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof, * taking the training wheels off a bike, * removing a splinter, * filling a wading pool, * coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless. You get a front row seat to history to witness the: * first step, * first word, * first bra, * first date, and * first time behind the wheel. You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits. So....one day they will like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price! Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren!

The problem with my party...

Just so you don't think I pick on ONLY Republicans. Where are the Dems? What are our plans?

Sunset Flag

Here's an experiment dedicated to my home state of Arizona, using 4 or 5 layers in PhotoShop

Johnathan Livingston

Here's my demo for an assignment that I gave my Computer Graphics class in PhotoShop that involves using layers, masking, and text effects.

More to this month than just Trick-or-Treats

More to this month than just Trick-or-Treats
Page 3 Charter Oak-Ute NEWSpaper & Schleswig Leader- Thursday, October 5, 2006

Welcome to October. You may be aware that this is “Hispanic Heritage Month.” Around here, there are plenty of people who know it as National Pork Producers’ Month. There are also those (usually in the Volunteer Fire Department) who will be working to promote Fire Prevention Week, October 8-15.

But I bet that you were not aware that this is also Billiard Awareness Month. If you weren’t, be sure to be aware of billiards. I’d hate for you to get knocked in the head by one.
Someone, somewhere decided that this should also be “Celebrate Sun Dried Tomatoes Month.” Probably someone in the sun-dried tomato industry. No doubt in California or Italy or somewhere where they can dry their tomatoes in the sun in October with no fear of frost, rain, or falling leaves.

It’s Church Safety and Security Month, so talk to your congregation’s trusty trustees about making sure your church is safe and secure.

So you say you get frustrated by the whole “Hispanic Heritage Month?” You don’t mean to be racist or to resent recent immigrants, but you don’t understand the need to focus on one ethnic group? Not to worry, for all you “Traditional American” (AKA white) native-born Iowans can enjoy “German-American Heritage Month.” Listen to “Polka Party” and grill some brats and enjoy being from Western Iowa, or wherever.

Did you realize that this is also international Strategic Planning Month? No? Neither did the White House.

My Librarian and English/Language Arts teacher friends want you to know that this is National Book Month. Why not read one?

It’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A subject close to many people’s heart. Get it? Breast...Heart? Yeah, you’re right, it isn’t really something to joke about.
I love that it’s also National Chili Month. I’d make a pot, but let’s face it, it’s pretty much “guy food” and I live with four females. I guess I’m hoping that my Farmer-in-Law makes some, his chili is great.

It’s National Communicate With Your Kids Month, not that that’s actually possible. But just remember, you didn’t HAVE to buy them that cell-phone and you can disconnect the internet or TV satellite hook up any time you want to.
October is National Dental Hygiene Month. And what better finale than all those caramel apples and Halloween candy!

Sad to say it’s also National Depression Education & Awareness Month. (Get it?) You’re right, that was a pretty sad attempt at humor.
Why hasn’t anyone told us before now that this is National Ergonomics Month? Well, now that you know, why not get comfortable and think about redesigning your living room?
It’s National “Gain The Inside Advantage” Month. If you’d only known, maybe you would’ve already.

What else? Pajama Month, National Popcorn Poppin’ Month, and Roller Skating Month. I’d like to see some people celebrate all three of these at once.

Just to warn you, this is National Sarcastics Awareness Month. Seriously, it is, I’m not making this up, and I’m not being sarcastic.

If like me, you’re not a professional plumber, you probably didn’t know that this is Toilet Tank Repair Month. Have fun with that one. (note sarcasm).
YES! It’s finally Positive Attitude Month! It’s “Right Brainers Rule! Month.” See, I knew this because I’m a right-brainer. Oh, did I mention that it’s also Self-Promotion Month?

Believe it or not, this is Spinach Lovers Month. That’s gotta be difficult after last month!
This is the LAST week to register to vote in 2006 US general elections in November.
Tomorrow is the last day of Mental Illness Awareness Week. Crazy!

It’s National Carry A Tune Week. Wish I could.

Here’s some irony, you’re reading a newspaper right now, and it happens to be National Newspaper Week. Good going, you know how to celebrate that one.

It’s not just National 4-H Week, it’s also Squirrel Appreciation Week which, coincidentally is the SAME week as National Chestnut Week!

Did you miss October 1st? “International Day of Older Persons.”
Or did you farmers all celebrate this past Tuesday with your livestock? It was World Farm Animals Day.

Hang on to your hats, today is Mad Hatter Day.

Oh, remember how it’s German-American Heritage Month? Well, TODAY, October 6 is also National German-American Day.

I hope that made you grin because it is World Smile Day.
Sure, next Monday is Leif Erickson Day and Columbus Day. But I’m going to celebrate “National Kick Butt Day.”

Just so you’ll be aware, National Bring Your Teddy Bear To Work & School Day will be October 11. If your teacher or boss gives you a hard time, don’t fret, the very next day, October 12 will be “International Moment of Frustration Scream Day.”

Hypocracy

Foley was the Republican co-chairman of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children’s Caucus, a group whose announced purpose included fighting against "online child sexual exploitation."

President Bush hailed Foley and his colleagues as a "SWAT team for kids" only two months ago—at a time when Foley’s conduct was widely known within the top leadership of the House Republicans.

I'm sorry, but pre-emptive war, oil, Political Action Committees, money laundering, don't forget torture, and now- of course pedaphilia and covering it up for months so that you can try to keep a seat... these are not family values.

1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Salt and Light

13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Unfortunately, in my experience, Republicans aren't always most self-reflective people around.