From Where I Sit

I came across this website, and I thought I'd pass it on since they give instructions on assembling simple kits for relief to Haiti school children and dispossessed families, as well as instructions for getting them there. In this season of giving, I think it is one way in which we can take the spirit of giving to a higher level. What We Do: Stories at International Relief & Development

Modernized poverty appears when the intensity of market dependence reaches a certain threshold. Subjectively, it is the experience of frustrating affluence which occurs in persons mutilated by their overwhelming reliance on the riches of industrial productivity. Simply, it deprives those affected by it of their freedom and power to act autonomously, to live creatively; it confines them to survival through being plugged into market relations. And precisely because this new impotence is so deeply experienced, it is with difficulty expressed. - IVAN ILLICH http://www.primitivism.com/needs-illich.htm I find this to be so very true. This is a philosopher guy who died 8 years ago, but boy don't his words ring true today. It's beyond this 'taking your coffeemaker and electric switch for granted". It speaks to a level in which we are, as he states, mutilated by the over-reliance on all this stuff. It is an interesting thing to think about, even in a context in which I d

I received this email today. I thought I'd post it here, because these are the questions I ask myself (and would love to ask others) every day: After The 8 Years of the Bush/Cheney Disaster, Now You Get Mad? You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a president. You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed energy company officials to dictate energy policy and push us to invade Iraq. You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got ousted. You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed. You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us. You didn’t get mad when we spent over 800 billion (and counting) on said illegal war. You didn’t get mad when Bush borrowed more money from foreign sources than the previous 42 Presidents combined. You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars in cash just disappeared in Iraq. You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people. Y

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It's the morning after. I feel despondent and angry (but not surprised). Early this morning I received a survey from a website I subscribe to ( Bold Progressives ), who wanted to capture my thoughts about last night's debacle. So rather than reinvent the wheel, my answers below are a clear enough expression of what I feel today. Q: What do you think the Progressive Movement should do next? A: I don't know that there is much we can do, really. How can a bunch of losers like us, who don't have the time to go around rallying troops, canvassing people--we all have jobs and not all that much free time, like the Reds do--nor the money to throw at commercials that spout lies all over the place, accomplish? It's the same old story: the rich will always prevail. The paradox here though is how so many "common folks," those who really don't fall under the category of "rich" or even "well-off," have also been suckered into believi

(From The Georgia Bulletin , October 14, 2010). As the midterm election approaches, many Catholics are trying to figure out how to reconcile their beliefs with the current political climate and candidates in Georgia and nationally. To do that, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops calls on Catholics to become familiar again with principles of Catholic social teaching as they prepare to cast ballots in less than a week. In their 2007 guiding document, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship , the U.S. bishops said, “ Responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation. This obligation is rooted in our baptismal commitment to follow Jesus Christ and to bear Christian witness in all we do .” The USCCB presents seven themes from Catholic teaching that are a framework and reference point when reviewing political candidates and legislation. These themes include: The right to life and the dignity of the human person; Call to family

excerpt from longer article found here A common approach by powerful establishment forces in reaction to organizations like the Green Party of Georgia has been one form or other of disparaging dismissal. An insightful and prolific academician has ripped to shreds such typical dismissiveness. "Silencing scientific discourse...by equating it with political and religious extremism or apostasy is dishonest. If we are to have a real, critical discussion about global warming and the consequences then we must get past the claims of the conservative punditocracy." This same 'good neighbor' notes of Cynthia McKinney's 2008 Presidential race that it "focuses on economic injustice and increased opportunity for the poor. A McKinney White House would invest in poor communities to equalize access to education, housing, and justice. The government would guarantee gainful employment to all who want it. “No family should remain mired below the po

How long can you expect to live? We developed the Longevity Game to give you a peek into your future by identifying the factors that can lead to a healthier, more productive life. At Northwestern Mutual, we know a thing or two about longevity because we’ve been tracking statistics that impact life since 1857. And that wealth of knowledge helped us shape the Longevity Game. Through the game, we hope to give you insight into your daily lifestyle—plus tips on how you can make some positive changes. Read more: The Longevity Game: Intro - Northwestern Mutual This was a fun little game. According to it, in spite of smoking, I am "meant" to be 86. Whereas another friend, my same age, whom shan't be named, is only "meant" to live to be 66. And that's just from plugging in what I know of her into the game! I found this site through a sociologist' study on death page, and it's funny what thinking about death can do to a person: Abram Rosenblatt et al .

10.13.10 - 11:59 AM The Eternal Life Of A Happy (If Lethal) Meal Artist and photographer Sally Davies bought a McDonald's burger and fries on April 26. She left it on a table, uncovered, for six months. Through a New York City summer. After 180 days, it looked exactly the same - no mold, no bugs, no decomposition - except for a slight "acrylic sheen." We report. You decide if you want to eat this stuff. --Abby Zimet I tell ya, I sure as hell don't!

Every day in history is important and interesting: Child labor in October, 1910 - Atlanta Today in History | Examiner.com

So I've finally decided to “put my money where my mouth is...” I have embarked in the great adventure that is to join this confraternity of women (and men!) working together for a common cause, summarized in the three terms that define the Order of the Sisters of Providence's charism : Love , Mercy , and Justice . After spending a good part of this past week-end in the company of the Sisters of Providence and other initiates, at Saint Mary of the Woods, Indiana, I have come out invigorated to work towards hopefully making a positive contribution to humankind (or at least to my immediate cohorts) in the pursuit of those ideals. The road is long and most likely covered with obstacles and deterrents of many kinds—all worthy endeavors are that way—but I hope I can channel a good part of my energies in the right direction, instead of just floundering around, becoming angry and frustrated at the world's injustices, at people's folly, at the impossibility to effect the chan

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Monica D Hayden's Birthday Wish | Causes Birthday Wish Help me raise money for this important charity that I support. "Eating Animals," by Jonathan Safran Foer, or "Food, Inc." the movie, should give you some background as to why this cause is so important. Thanks in advance!

Profile of 2010 Providence Candidate-Associates - Providence Associates news 2010 - News - Providence Associates - Sisters of Providence And I'm one!

(excerpt from a longer piece on JustMeans ) GETTING AN OVERVIEW Long ago and far away, I hosted a TV show, bursting with fun though brief of tenure, called "From All Sides." I wanted to develop the polarity necessary for informed choice, instead of to further dualistic fatuousness that at most amused and at worst alienated and confused viewers. . This idea--letting real parties in interest that really oppose each other take their best shots--is still an excellent one. The concept of the jury--which evidence supports as a 'best-practice' method for determining truth and falsehood--rests on this tenet of understanding through oppositional presentation. And this represents a huge failing of the internet, at least if one, on the basis of simple searches, is attempting to retrieve the head-butting essential to the parsing of controversy. Therefore, the initial point of this story is, first, to illustrate a few default portals for the information,

The Atlanta International Action Center urges you to attend a protest/press conference TUESDAY, SEPT. 28 at NOON at the Richard Russell Building, 75 Spring St, 30303 - downtown at the corner of Spring and MLK, 2 blocks from the 5 Points MARTA station. Please bring signs and banners demanding : ** Stop the repression against anti-war and international solidarity activists. ** Im mediately return all confiscated materials: computers, cell phones, papers, documents, etc. ** End the grand jury proceedings against anti-war activists. And if you are unable to come, please call the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder at 202-353-1555 or write an email to: AskDOJ@usdoj.gov .expressing your opposition. For national updates, go to www.iacenter.org PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION ON. It might seem strange to blog about something after the fact, but the issue is a fundamental one, and illustrates the perils of standing up for what you believe in, especially if it clashes

The rains finally came yesterday. About time for Fall to finally show its face around here...! Temps have decreased into the 70s, which is where we need to be right now. Nights are getting longer, daytime starts later, skies appear grayer. This is my kind of weather--the kind one can stay indoors without feeling any guilt. Fall colors, the anticipation of the Holidays! Smells of home cooking in the air: cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, hot apple cider! Apple pie, spice cookies, hot chocolate and caramel corn. Pumpkins all over the place, trick-or-treaters at your door. And then, the smell of pine trees in the house; the family gatherings, the Christmas lights; the yule logs, the gift exchanges... This is definitely my most favorite time of the year! This season I vow to let go of all my resentments, all my peeves, all my ill-will. I'm tired of feeling beaten down. I'll be tolerant of the nasty political ads on TV (November elections coming up--ugh!). I'll let go of my pes

Planting party in Conyers, GA! What a great thing to be a part of; sustainable community agriculture. And the sort of volunteering experience that seems more like a holiday. My parents out that way purchase stuff from them all the time - everything from goat cheese logs to shitaake mushroom spore-treated logs, to a large variety of vegetables, baked goods - you can even buy your own herd of African Pygmy Goats from these folks! Mysteriously enough, they don't seem to have a website, but they can be followed on twitter: @ doublebeefarm I just wanted to give everyone an update about the Planting Party Sunday. It is still on rain or shine. We plan to start as early as your can make it. I will be working from dawn till done…. We are going to transplant, plant garlic and even seed some beds. We do need all the help we can get. It only takes about 20 minuets to transplant a flat but we got 20 flats + 45lbs of garlic, onions and lots of seeds. Our addres

Recently encountered this, which has given me pause. http://www.justmeans.com/A-Renewable-Energy-Teaching-Moment/31523.html Now, from what I understand about it, and from other sources I've seen, the DU issue splits along two lines: 1) those who have data, belief, testimonial, & anecdotal evidence that DU is toxic, pervasive, and a scourge on the planet. These maintain that those who use it in bullets (read: America) are callous, thoughtless criminals who will bear the responsibility of destroying a large swath of life over coming generations. 2) those who have data, belief, testimonial & anecdotal evidence that DU is "no big deal", no more harmful or radioactive than what your driveway contains and puts out on any given day. Now, for some background data, A primer on the issues at hand, as derived from this particular source: http://www.justmeans.com/editorials?action=readeditorial&p=30551 "Of course, when citizens here can consider the harsh realities

(excerpt from longer post to be found at Just Means , by Jim Hickey) INTRODUCTION Burke County, Georgia is Old South country. 'Dixie' predominates at the top, but for most folks, eliminating slavish conditions and having some sort of decent life remains the primary priority. In coming posts about nuclear prospects, one of my focuses will be on communities like Waynesboro and Shell Bluff, Burke County towns which directly abut both the reactors currently at Plant Vogtle and those projected for completion in the next decade. Today, however, we'll be creating a replica of the nuclear electricity business model. From the perspective of the Federal Government , the utility industry , and quasi-public suppliers of power , the future simply glows with the necessity of radioactive power generation. This certainty, which flies in the face of both the focus on renewable energy that citizens favor and what our historical experience with this technology has

I've been following "Epic: A Journey through Church history," as part of a Bible study course at my parish. Quite an eye-opener I must say. I'm learning about the difficult and painful path our Church fathers had to follow in order to keep the Church alive; how much it was asked of them for the sake of the Church and their faith; the unspeakable torments they had to endure in those early days. I can't help but wonder what drives a human being to inflict such torture on another--what deviant minds can fashion such horrific modes of punishment (is it the Devil at work there perhaps?)? Would I be that brave and strong to endure all that our martyrs and saints endured for their faith? I try to put myself in that situation and cannot help but come up short of those expectations. No; I know for a fact that I would not have been strong enough to withstand such tortures; I probably would've given in; renounced my faith, done whatever it took to save my hide (or th

(From The Didache : The Lord's Teachings through the 12 Apostles to the Nations ): “Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies. Love those who hate you, and you shall not have an enemy. If someone takes away your cloak, give him also your coat. If someone takes from you what is yours, ask it not back, for indeed you are not able... Give to every one that asks you, and ask it not back... Be not a liar, since a lie leads the way to theft; neither money-loving , nor vainglorious , for out of all these thefts are engendered. “You shall not exalt yourself (Luke 18:14), nor give over-confidence to your soul... Be not a stretcher forth of the hands to receive and a drawer of them back to give... You shall not hesitate to give, nor murmur when you give. You shall not turn away from him that is in want, but you shall share all things with your brother, and shall not say that they are your own. Concerning False Prophets : “[a] Let every apostle that comes to you be received as

As a good Catholic, I go to Mass every Sunday; as a mediocre Catholic, I hardly pay attention to the Homily of the day or if I do, the lesson of the day stays with me for about five seconds. Yesterday however, it was different. I guess I have to say I was the happy recipient of what some may call an "epiphany." For many weeks, months, even years, I've been feeling despondent about the quality of humankind, particularly when it comes to the prevalence of selfishness and greed; this despondency has been marked by a sense of impotence, frustration and at times rage, which is usually directed at the current political scene. As I've struggled with these feelings in my mind and in my heart, I've been wondering why I should care so much, why should I worry about things I have no control over, and why NOW? But yesterday's lesson was perhaps the answer I've been searching for; the balm that may have soothed my aching soul for good. And the lesson ( Luke 10:25-37