Here's a link to a good post on "FairTrade" Coffee.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Friday, March 7, 2008
Rachel's Blog
I found out about Rachel by surfing with the "Next Blog" button. (Look up a few inches....) She was adopted from China by parents named Kim and Tim, who started the "Waiting For Rachel" blog a LONG time before they ever laid eyes on Rachel.
Here they are at the adoption agency in China, the first time they get to see their daughter.
If you want an emotional experience, start at the beginning and click the "newer post" button at the bottom of each day's entry. You don't have to read it all to tell what's going on, just click as fast as you care to click. Look at the pictures. By the time they get to Asia to adopt this kid, you're wishing so many happy things for this family and for this child.....
Why am I posting this?
Kim and Tim have done a great job with the site.
I wish I could've done something like this for my soon-to-be-Aggie.
And some people I'll never meet have given a child a wonderful new start in a wonderful place. Rachel has a good chance at a prosperous, fulfilling life where she can go in any direction she chooses to aim herself. There are millions and millions of kids in China who will have a severely limited existence, and many will never be loved the way Rachel is obviously loved.
The single biggest factor in whether you are rich or poor, healthy or malnourished, educated or uneducated? Where you were born.
We all think we've hit triples, but we were born on third base.
Rachel, put something on my comment field in about 15 years.
Thomas Sowell and NAFTA
Please stand for the reading from The Gospel According To Saint Thomas....
Economist Thomas Sowell, the smartest man in the world now that Milton Friedman is dead, believes that NAFTA is not the problem with The Rust Belt.
Therefore, the government should not re-negotiate NAFTA, but leave it as is. The man has spoken.
Thus endeth the reading from The Gospel According To Saint Thomas.
You may be seated.
Economist Thomas Sowell, the smartest man in the world now that Milton Friedman is dead, believes that NAFTA is not the problem with The Rust Belt.
Therefore, the government should not re-negotiate NAFTA, but leave it as is. The man has spoken.
Thus endeth the reading from The Gospel According To Saint Thomas.
You may be seated.
Iowahawk, Bob Evans Restaurant, Hillary Clinton
From England's Telegraph.Co.Uk..........
During a campaign stop at the Bob Evans restaurant in Rio Grande, Ohio, Mrs Clinton shook hands with kitchen staff and then stood behind the counter to pose for pictures.
"I am just going to take a few orders here," she smiled, adding: "In case this other endeavour doesn't work out I can come back to Bob Evans."
Iowahawk has taken Hillary's comment to the extreme.....The "Mr. Hsu" references in his post are to notorious Democratic party fundraiser Norman Hsu, who is now an Involuntary Guest of The State of California. Folsom prison, I think.
During a campaign stop at the Bob Evans restaurant in Rio Grande, Ohio, Mrs Clinton shook hands with kitchen staff and then stood behind the counter to pose for pictures.
"I am just going to take a few orders here," she smiled, adding: "In case this other endeavour doesn't work out I can come back to Bob Evans."
Iowahawk has taken Hillary's comment to the extreme.....The "Mr. Hsu" references in his post are to notorious Democratic party fundraiser Norman Hsu, who is now an Involuntary Guest of The State of California. Folsom prison, I think.
Mr. Iowahawk has outdone himself this time. My sides hurt from laughing.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Barack Obama In Mississippi
Let me make this clear....John McCain is my Homeboy. But I want a choice in November between McCain and Obama....just in case McCain gets sick.
And I didn't follow any of the Ann Coulter advice about voting for Hillary so McCain could have a weaker opponent.
I really don't have a dog in that fight.
But still, my own Homeboy Mississippians have their primary on March 11th.
Here's a link to the Mississippians for Obama website. With merchandise customized for any hometown I might want to clai
m....Never really lived in Yazoo City, but the ancestral roots run through there. And the name sounds cool.
When you think about how much the world has changed, it is truly amazing.
Today's Letters From Barack Obama and John McCain
Back in October, I signed up online to support every presidential candidate that I could tolerate.
The emails before and after each debate have made for an interesting study in spin-doctoring.
Here's Barack Obama's take on yesterday's defeats in Texas, Ohio, and Rhode Island.
Notice that he never mentions The Clintons by name.
Notice how he's already moving on to John McCain, who is mentioned by name.
The reality is that The Clintons didn't blow it out with enough delegates to change anything.
And BTW, if the Democrats don't pick a nominee soon, they're going to have a Florida/Michigan mess AND a superdelegate mess.
Looking at the remaining states....the Democrats are going to have a Florida/Michigan mess AND a superdelegate mess.
Here's the Obama campaign:
(Update from McCain campaign follows)
Allen --
We may not know the final outcome of today's voting until morning, but the results so far make one thing clear.
When the dust settles from today's contests, we will maintain our substantial lead in delegates. And thanks to millions of people standing for change, we will keep adding delegates and capture the Democratic nomination.
We knew from the day we began this journey that the road would be long. And we knew what we were up against.
We knew that the closer we got to the change we seek, the more we'd see of the politics we're trying to end -- the attacks and distortions that try to distract us from the issues that matter to people's lives, the stunts and the tactics that ask us to fear instead of hope.
But this time -- this year -- it will not work. The challenges are too great. The stakes are too high.
Americans need real change.
In the coming weeks, we will begin a great debate about the future of this country with a man who has served it bravely and loves it dearly. And we will offer two very different visions of the America we see in the twenty-first century.
John McCain has already dismissed our call for change as eloquent but empty.
But he should know that it's a call that did not begin with my words. It's the resounding call from every corner of this country, from first-time voters and lifelong cynics, from Democrats and Republicans alike.
And together you and I are going to grow this movement to deliver that change in November.
Thank you,
Barack
I'll add McCain's nomination victory email to this post as soon as I get it. McCain is a little older, likes to sleep later. I'll probably see it around 9:00.
Addition from almost midnight....I didn't get McCain's email until 10:30 a.m. John likes to sleep a little later, etc etc. He also doesn't have the massive online support that Obama enjoys, and he thinks that I have money.
Dear Supporter,
Last night, we did it. We won the Republican nomination. It was a long, up and down journey, but we stuck together, spoke honestly to the American people, and our steadfast determination has paid off. You have my thanks and undying gratitude for your unwavering support.
As we come to the end of our party's primary contest, we begin what will certainly be a spirited and hard-fought campaign against the Democratic nominee. In November, Americans will have a clear choice to make. And I intend to fight as hard as I can to make it very clear that I am the candidate with the experience and leadership to serve as our commander in chief from day one.
My friends, I write to you today because I know we have a great challenge ahead of us. This campaign will be more expensive than any other in our history and I ask you today to support my campaign by making a generous contribution of $50, $100, $250, $500 or $1,000.
As president, I intend to reduce the size of the federal government, reduce your tax burden and win the war against Islamic extremists. My Democratic opponents will increase the size of the federal government, raise your taxes and withdraw our troops from the front lines based on an arbitrary timeline.
I have said before that this election will be about big things, not small things. And as president, I will make the hard but necessary decisions to lead our country in solving our greatest challenges. Today, we must unite as we face either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama in November. I ask that you join me today and make a financial commitment to help our campaign replenish our resources.
I thank you for your support and look forward to the campaign that lies ahead of us.
Sincerely,
John McCain
Ok, notice that McCain says he will face either The Clintons or Obama. And that his people can already "unite".
If McCain's lucky, the Dems will have a brokered convention due to Superdelegates, Michigan, and Florida. Saint Albert, The Goracle of Music City, will have to come in as the wise old man to straighten out everyone. This could make their chaotic 1968 Chicago convention look like a Japanese Tea Ceremony.
I bet John McCain hasn't been this happy since he saw Viet Nam in a rear view mirror.
Here's what the Obama people sent out around 3:30.....They're wearing me out.
Allen --
Our projections show the most likely outcome of yesterday's elections will be that Hillary Clinton gained 187 delegates, and we gained 183.
That's a net gain of 4 delegates out of more than 370 delegates available from all the states that voted.
For comparison, that's less than half our net gain of 9 delegates from the District of Columbia alone. It's also less than our net gain of 8 from Nebraska, or 12 from Washington State. And it's considerably less than our net gain of 33 delegates from Georgia.
The task for the Clinton campaign yesterday was clear. In order to have a plausible path to the nomination, they needed to score huge delegate victories and cut into our lead.
They failed.
It's clear, though, that Senator Clinton wants to continue an increasingly desperate, increasingly negative -- and increasingly expensive -- campaign to tear us down.
That's her decision. But it's not stopping John McCain, who clinched the Republican nomination last night, from going on the offensive. He's already made news attacking Barack, and that will only become more frequent in the coming days.
Right now, it's essential for every single supporter of Barack Obama to step up and help fight this two-front battle. In the face of attacks from Hillary Clinton and John McCain, we need to be ready to take them on.
Will you make an online donation of $25 right now?
All that work to gain 4 delegates. Just out of curiosity....How much email do you get if you send one of these people some money?????
The emails before and after each debate have made for an interesting study in spin-doctoring.
Here's Barack Obama's take on yesterday's defeats in Texas, Ohio, and Rhode Island.
Notice that he never mentions The Clintons by name.
Notice how he's already moving on to John McCain, who is mentioned by name.
The reality is that The Clintons didn't blow it out with enough delegates to change anything.
And BTW, if the Democrats don't pick a nominee soon, they're going to have a Florida/Michigan mess AND a superdelegate mess.
Looking at the remaining states....the Democrats are going to have a Florida/Michigan mess AND a superdelegate mess.
Here's the Obama campaign:
(Update from McCain campaign follows)
Allen --
We may not know the final outcome of today's voting until morning, but the results so far make one thing clear.
When the dust settles from today's contests, we will maintain our substantial lead in delegates. And thanks to millions of people standing for change, we will keep adding delegates and capture the Democratic nomination.
We knew from the day we began this journey that the road would be long. And we knew what we were up against.
We knew that the closer we got to the change we seek, the more we'd see of the politics we're trying to end -- the attacks and distortions that try to distract us from the issues that matter to people's lives, the stunts and the tactics that ask us to fear instead of hope.
But this time -- this year -- it will not work. The challenges are too great. The stakes are too high.
Americans need real change.
In the coming weeks, we will begin a great debate about the future of this country with a man who has served it bravely and loves it dearly. And we will offer two very different visions of the America we see in the twenty-first century.
John McCain has already dismissed our call for change as eloquent but empty.
But he should know that it's a call that did not begin with my words. It's the resounding call from every corner of this country, from first-time voters and lifelong cynics, from Democrats and Republicans alike.
And together you and I are going to grow this movement to deliver that change in November.
Thank you,
Barack
I'll add McCain's nomination victory email to this post as soon as I get it. McCain is a little older, likes to sleep later. I'll probably see it around 9:00.
Addition from almost midnight....I didn't get McCain's email until 10:30 a.m. John likes to sleep a little later, etc etc. He also doesn't have the massive online support that Obama enjoys, and he thinks that I have money.
Dear Supporter,
Last night, we did it. We won the Republican nomination. It was a long, up and down journey, but we stuck together, spoke honestly to the American people, and our steadfast determination has paid off. You have my thanks and undying gratitude for your unwavering support.
As we come to the end of our party's primary contest, we begin what will certainly be a spirited and hard-fought campaign against the Democratic nominee. In November, Americans will have a clear choice to make. And I intend to fight as hard as I can to make it very clear that I am the candidate with the experience and leadership to serve as our commander in chief from day one.
My friends, I write to you today because I know we have a great challenge ahead of us. This campaign will be more expensive than any other in our history and I ask you today to support my campaign by making a generous contribution of $50, $100, $250, $500 or $1,000.
As president, I intend to reduce the size of the federal government, reduce your tax burden and win the war against Islamic extremists. My Democratic opponents will increase the size of the federal government, raise your taxes and withdraw our troops from the front lines based on an arbitrary timeline.
I have said before that this election will be about big things, not small things. And as president, I will make the hard but necessary decisions to lead our country in solving our greatest challenges. Today, we must unite as we face either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama in November. I ask that you join me today and make a financial commitment to help our campaign replenish our resources.
I thank you for your support and look forward to the campaign that lies ahead of us.
Sincerely,
John McCain
Ok, notice that McCain says he will face either The Clintons or Obama. And that his people can already "unite".
If McCain's lucky, the Dems will have a brokered convention due to Superdelegates, Michigan, and Florida. Saint Albert, The Goracle of Music City, will have to come in as the wise old man to straighten out everyone. This could make their chaotic 1968 Chicago convention look like a Japanese Tea Ceremony.
I bet John McCain hasn't been this happy since he saw Viet Nam in a rear view mirror.
Here's what the Obama people sent out around 3:30.....They're wearing me out.
Allen --
Our projections show the most likely outcome of yesterday's elections will be that Hillary Clinton gained 187 delegates, and we gained 183.
That's a net gain of 4 delegates out of more than 370 delegates available from all the states that voted.
For comparison, that's less than half our net gain of 9 delegates from the District of Columbia alone. It's also less than our net gain of 8 from Nebraska, or 12 from Washington State. And it's considerably less than our net gain of 33 delegates from Georgia.
The task for the Clinton campaign yesterday was clear. In order to have a plausible path to the nomination, they needed to score huge delegate victories and cut into our lead.
They failed.
It's clear, though, that Senator Clinton wants to continue an increasingly desperate, increasingly negative -- and increasingly expensive -- campaign to tear us down.
That's her decision. But it's not stopping John McCain, who clinched the Republican nomination last night, from going on the offensive. He's already made news attacking Barack, and that will only become more frequent in the coming days.
Right now, it's essential for every single supporter of Barack Obama to step up and help fight this two-front battle. In the face of attacks from Hillary Clinton and John McCain, we need to be ready to take them on.
Will you make an online donation of $25 right now?
All that work to gain 4 delegates. Just out of curiosity....How much email do you get if you send one of these people some money?????
Sunday, March 2, 2008
The Progressive Baptist, R.I.P.
My friend J.C., over at The Progressive Baptist, has decided to become an Episcopalian. The Progressive Baptist website is now inactive.This bombshell has been enough to throw my "Spiritual Advisors" blogroll (lower, and to the right) into a state of upheaval. I need someone to act as a firm counter-balance to all the other spiritual flamethrowers included in that category. There's one guy named Stylos that I like, mostly because he's a good writer, has a sense of history, and allows all sorts of opposing views to be posted on his site. Rare for a Baptist minister. BigDaddyWeave is really close to J.C. politically and theologically, and he interned with Congressman and civil rights hero John Lewis. But he's only 24. Plus, BDWeave thinks I'm "off my rocker" for considering Marcus Borg a mainstream protestant.
This has gotten me thinking about Baptists and politics. You could make the case that the Baptist emphasis on Priesthood of The Believer, Autonomy of The Local Church, and our distrust of hierarchy combine to make Baptists the most Libertarian Christian denomination. (I mean this in the traditional Baptist sense, not in the current Religious Right/Washington lobbyist/Richard Land sense....)
Enough about my problems. J.C. is the one with problems. When J.C. goes over to the Episcopalians, he's going to be the most conservative person in the room ! ! ! It's going to make him nuts ! ! !
So what should The Progressive Baptist call his new blog? The Reactionary Anglican? The Right Wing Episcopalian? The Conservative Lite Catholic?
Please advise....
R.I.P. logo from Metal Archives
Update from 3-2-08....You can view The Formerly Progressive Baptist's, soon to be Typical Episcopalian's response to these questions by clicking here.
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