An outing

Scarlet globe mallows at Gran Quivira

Yes, dear reader, we took advantage of a federal holiday for another day trip in New Mexico. This time is was a visit to the Salinas Pueblo Missions.

These are the ruins (now part of a national monument - see link above) of Franciscan missions built by the pueblo peoples who lived near natural salt beds (Las Salinas).

We went to see two of them today, at Quarai and Gran Quivira. We did not visit Abó.

Window in the church at Quarai

Bill takes in the view at Gran Quivira

The BB in the apse of the church at Quarai

More later.

--the BB

Rest in peace, Paul Conrad

How I enjoyed his political cartoons over the decades.

How little has changed since he drew the one above in 1999.

Rest in peace and rise in glory. And give my regards to Molly Ivins!

h/t to Digby

--the BB

Working my way back into writing

T's wife, Lady L., had not seen her husband for weeks. [H]er father-in-law, spoke words of encouragement but his pale gray eyes were so like his son's that L. only thought about T. all the more.

Hardly great prose but my heart really goes out to L. She married someone whose ambition turns him into a somewhat nasty piece of work. Worse, he might have been a decent enough guy if his sister's ambition were not the true driving force (think of a Lady Macbeth only a sister instead of a wife). L. bears the brunt of it as her husband rides of to ostensible glory and actual disaster. She cannot even turn to her own side of the family. Her father has just been killed, her sister is hostage to the family of another claimant to the throne, and her brother fights on behalf of yet another claimant.

Even I do not know for certain what will become of her.

Then again, I finally have picked up the threads of the tale (and it was one tangled skein, let me tell you).

--the BB

A word to the drug-addled gasbag

h/t to The Dependable Renegade

--the BB

Heaert thread - 08/29/2010

I ask your prayers for my sister Shirley. Our Little Sister writes:

Saw Shirley at home later today. The blocked arteries are the bypasses she had four years ago. One is 30%, one 100% (blocked) and the other is clear. Dr. told them three years ago when she had a stent put in that they are working on developing a larger stent and that is what she needs. Still is not available. He changed her meds a bit and took her off her multivitamin.

Sister Ellie asked our prayers on Friday:

Please pray and/or think good thoughts for my little great-nephew, James ..., who was born late Tuesday night and baptized just yesterday. He is undergoing open-heart surgery this morning at 10:00 (Eastern time, USA) at the University of Virginia Medical School Hospital. He will die within a month's time without the surgery.

Also pray for his young mother, Jane (my niece), and her husband, Chris, as well as Sam and Susan (my brother and his wife.) As if the baby's illness weren't enough, Susan just got back suspicious mammogram results. She has already been through a bout of breast cancer so this is very worrying.

Thank you all more than I can say. Blessings to all.
Ellie

She had this update yesterday:

Little James came through his eight hour heart surgery but is now on a ventilator as he can't breathe on his own. The word is that he will stay on it another two days and then they will try to wean him off.

Thank you all for your concern and good thoughts and prayers.

Ongoing prayers for Kirstin, battling cancer, and for Joel and Margaret dealing with his myasthenia gravis, for David's friend Rosemary in her final journey.

For the people of Pakistan suffering from floods.

For the trapped Chilean miners and those who work to rescue them.

For those threatened by the eruption of Mount Sinabung in Indonesia.

For those who lack food this day or shelter this night.

For families torn apart by strife.

For mass systemic metanoia so the denizens of this planet may cope with the ever-nearing consequences of climate change.

Κυριε ελεησον
Χριστε ελεησον
Κυριε ελεησον

--the BB

Heraldry tonight

After days of working on family trees and spreadsheets, I have a pretty good idea who the remaining leaders of the Northern Alliance are and where they and their troops are located. This means I can describe a few more scenes.

Next: the Eastern Alliance and the Southern Alliance.

Meanwhile, tonight I sketched the arms of the original eleven houses allied around the Northern Plain. The banners and the tunics of the rulers do get described from time to time in the tale and sometimes the head of an aristocratic house is nicknamed by his/her arms. The Silver Stallion, for instance, refers throughout to one of the cousins claiming the throne.

That I am no professional artist becomes evident when my fox passant looks more like a depressed rat with a fluffy tail. Ah well, at least I can visualize the arms easily now (in my mind's eye, that is).


Yes, all this means I really am gearing up to write again and I am pleased about it.

Looking at all it takes to recount this civil war in a single principate I shuddered this afternoon to contemplate the Great War of 1291 waiting for me several volumes ahead. That tale was told in quick strokes and a mere hundred pages back in the early 70s but it will take two entire books to narrate properly now that the world is fleshed out and I know so much more about history, setting, and characters than I did then. It is the richness of the characters that intrigues me; otherwise there would be little pleasure in writing (nor, I suspect, for others in the reading).

--the BB

It would be an act of charity

It would be an act of charity to articulate a fourth option on the Mosquemania that is sweeping the country. Here are the three I see.

1. Certain sincere individuals are woefully ignorant. They are ignorant concerning Islam, al Quran, and Sufism; concerning the United States Constitution; concerning geography; concerning history; concerning the proper respective roles of the federal, state, and local governments; and concerning reality in general. They are to be pitied.

2. Other individuals are unreconstructed bigots who cannot see beyond their fears and hatred. They may also fall into the first category or they may, conceivably, even know better, but their desire to defend their imagined status leads them to harbor, and currently spew, the most toxic fear and venom. The first step in casting out a demon is naming it, so let's all admit they're bigots and stop listening to their poison.

3. A third category are the demagogues who manipulate ignorance, fear, and hatred to achieve their political ends. This would include Pam Geller who started this whole thing, Newt Gingrich and the others who rile the masses over NOTHING in order to distract from real issues, tear down the current administration, mobilize voters, and raise money. They are detestable and are nothing but manipulative hypocrites. They should be denounced at every opportunity.

So, if you have some more categories for people allegedly or actually freaking over a Muslim community center that is not even in sight of Ground Zero, please share them.

I suppose there is an adjunct category of Democrats who wet their pants every time the right wing suggests they might be communists, fascists, socialists, Muslims, weak on defense, anti-American, or any other category that makes the Baby Jesus cry. We need some leaders on all sides to stand up and say, "This is bullshit. Now get back to work." I am pleased that several Republicans have called BS on this. Kudos to them.

Faux News, of course, falls in category 3. The mainstream media need to calm the temperature on this by not falling for the machinations of the manipulators. And they need to call out bigotry. There is nothing more un-American than saying no mosques should be built in this nation. It is nothing but ignorance, bigotry, or demagoguery.

While the nations roils in this crap the corporations continue to work behind the scenes to hang on to their power and extend it when possible. Whether we start combat operations or "end" combat operations, KBR makes out like a bandit. There is nothing in so-called health care reform to keep insurance premiums from rising. Google and Verizon are working very hard to undermine net neutrality and wrest power from the people and put it into the hands of the corporations. Corporations may now spend unlimited money to influence elections thanks to the Roberts Court. The employment situation sucks and is getting suckier while corporations still make profits (this is what we call a "jobless recovery"). Companies are hanging on to their capital (for what? executive bonuses?) instead of investing it in hiring. People who are willing to listen to science instead of reject it are well aware we are heading into a global crisis with climate change, which means more extreme weather and its sequelae: floods, heat waves, drought, rising ocean levels, crop failures, increased competition for scarce resources, and the movement of populations and wars that always attend these. Yet we lag horribly in shifting our economy and investment strategies toward renewable energy and more responsible ways of living together and commuting. One fifth of Pakistan is under water. There are immense crop losses and loss of life in Russian from the heat wave and fires. Haiti has still not recovered from the earthquake.

And we get riled up over a community center in a neighborhood that is already full of various houses of worship and establishments of sleaze. There is nothing sacred about the street on which the center was to be built.

I predict the United States will fall through stupidity. I don't know when but no empire has lasted forever. I do not wish this, but it is increasingly difficult to believe otherwise.

--the BB

It was not do-nothing mode

The weekend was not really super busy and I did spend lots of time sitting around. Nonetheless, I made progress on several fronts.

Dinner in Corrales on Friday. As I wrote to a friend through whom I got the wine:

The menu (a tribute to late summer):
Goat cheese with strips of roasted and peeled Big Jim green chiles from B's yard, olive oil, salt, pepper - all spread on crackers. The chiles are usually fairly mild but these had kick.
Freshly-picked figs that K. brought (her neighbor's tree hangs over into her yard) halved and served with little strips of prosciutto.
Ripe very intensely red tomatoes from B's yard, sliced with olive oil, chiffonade of Thai basil, salt and pepper.
Grilled chicken that has been marinated in lemon juice for a couple hours, then brushed with olive oil and Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. So simple and so good.
Grilled eggplant slices brushed with olive oil.
Grilled corn on the cob.
Peach cobbler that I had made with Red Haven peaches from my tree, picked when they were literally starting to fall from the branch.

The wine was a St Peter's Church Reserve Zinfandel. Nice big wine. I did feel stuffed like a turkey after all that food.

Saturday I had an eye exam and purchased a new pair of glasses. Slight changes in one eye, nothing huge. I think my brain has adjusted to the change already. Since it is not hugely different from the last prescription this means I now have a spare pair of glasses.

I also did a bit of retail therapy, paid the chap who got a new motor for my downstairs A/C unit, hung out with the local Italians for a couple of hours, and did a load of laundry.

Sunday saw three more loads of laundry, I ran the dishwasher twice (yes, I had let dishes pile up), cleaned the kitchen, baked the last peach cobbler of the season and took most of it next door for the neighbors (tacky, but I had a little), and worked on updating my cast of characters and their alliances (previous post). The day before I studied Italian in a phrase book and Sunday evening I watched a bit of Italian TV online.

Should I win the lottery in any substantial amount I will hire someone to clean my house, you can be sure of that. Don't we all have these fantasies?

I would not mind a nice uneventful week.

--the BB

Trying to keep track

Vinat, Jugdal, Tjunar, Evnat, and Heggel are all allies of Jarnor. How can you doubt it when you can see rulers of all five regions linked by marriage in the chart above? Heggel, however, has been co-opted by the party of the Princess Vinat is also related by marriage to Ocnathal and Ocnathal is linked by family ties not only with the Northern Alliance but also with the neutral border territory of Uhli and the County of Orgl, the latter being firmly in the Eastern Alliance. It is truly a civil war, with siblings and cousins fighting on opposite sides. The personal conflicts are many.

I try to keep track of forty towns and cities (feudal territories) in the principate and who is currently where as armies move about the land.

And so I use complex spread sheets (sorted and filtered and color-coded) with formulas to track how old the players are (and if they are still alive). I use genealogy software with over 1800 fictional characters stored therein. I keep referring to my maps and timelines. What is the phase of the moon? Which stars shine above?

Because if I don't, readers will. LOL.

This is really rambling commentary to note that I have done work on family trees this weekend. I also wrote a scene for the next-to-last book in the series. Almost a year may have passed since I was last in full swing but I feel as though I am, indeed, about to plunge in once more.

--the BB

Visualisation of Activity in Afghanistan using the Wikileaks data

So, how is that Afghanistan thing going for you?

We do learn things from leaked information. Here is a visualization of hostile activity from 2002 to 2009. Click on it. Watch it. Think about it. (It IS a graphic; it is not "graphic," in case you were worried. Just a colored map.)

Visualisation of Activity in Afghanistan using the Wikileaks data at Vimeo.



--the BB

No one pays attention to this. How odd.

Borrowed in its entirety from Jed Lewison at Daily Kos:

According to a new AP poll, about three times more people oppose the war in Afghanistan than think President Obama is a Muslim.

But that's not big news, is it?

Now if one were of a suspicious mind, and I am, one might think that the close ties between those who own the media and the military-industrial complex could have something to do with this. Nah, that's crazy talk.

--the BB

Franklin Graham is a douchenozzle

A disgrace to his father's legacy.

[Disclosure: I was excited to meet Billy Graham when I was a youngster and got his autograph. I served as a volunteer in the office and a counselor for his crusade in Fresno, California, when I was sixteen. For all the ways I came to differ with Billy Graham in theology and approach, I have always respected him for his sincerity and financial transparency. His son is an asshat.]

--the BB

The people rise up (and sing)

The Republican Mess

A video by clammyc.

--the BB

Keep storming heaven

The headline is from Kirstin's latest post at her blog, Barefoot and Laughing. I commend her recent posts to you. Excerpts:

As for entering the process while I’m dealing with cancer: I have a mental image of a tightrope, but I’m not falling off. It’s not fraught with any actual danger. I won’t lose my balance. This is where I walk now. The message I got on Thursday carries me:

You could die. Affirm your life.

I have cancer. I am human. I am me. I will be me, as long as I have breath.

Keep storming heaven for me. Keep letting me know it. Know that your love helps carry me.

Because she has had difficulty sleeping, I offer this prayer from the BCP (edited):

O heavenly Father, you give your children sleep for the refreshing of soul and body: Grant Kirstin this gift, we pray; keep her in that perfect peace which you have promised to those whose minds are fixed on you; and give her such a sense of your presence, that in the hours of silence she may enjoy the blessed assurance of your love; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

--the BB

Heart thread - 08/18/2010

For those who have been praying for young Declan, I have sad news. The Acting Director sent this note today:

With sad heart I share with you that Declan ... passed away at 2:20 EDT this morning.
For those who followed his journey know he fought a valiant fight until the very end.
...
May our hearts and prayers continue for the family at this time.

At Declan's Journey we read this from his mother:

Our sweet son has gone home to Heaven

By Declan's Mommy | Published: August 18, 2010

We are heartbroken but know Declan is at peace and his body is whole again.

Thank you for all your heartfelt prayers and words of encouragement. You all helped to make a living nightmare more bearable.

Let us pray.

O God, whose beloved Son took children into his arms and blessed them: Give us grace to entrust Declan, to your never-failing care and love, and bring us all to your heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding, deal graciously with the Carmical family in their grief. Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

--the BB

Peach harvest 2010 - round two

I picked all the peaches on the Red Haven peach tree Friday morning while the refrigerator repair man was here. Last night I finally blanched and peeled them all. Tonight I made the cobbler above for work tomorrow and a smaller one for myself (and dessert on Friday with friends).

The third peach tree, a younger Elberta peach than the one that ripened first, has about half a dozen peaches that look almost ripe so the final harvest may be all fresh eating and no baking.

It has been a gratifying year for my fruit trees.

Wopila, Ina Maka, Ate Wi.

--the BB

Peaches blanched

They still have not made their way into a pie or cobbler (or both) but they are now all peeled and sliced.

--the BB

May your ancestors curse you

And your name be forgotten, 陳欣陳玟珮陳玟珮琦.

This goes for you too, 佳張張張張燕張張張張張.


--the BB

Somaliland Elects New President ! - updated

This post brought some bitter denunciations. Except for one duplication, I have posted them. I do not blog from work so there was nothing I could do about it all day.

The protests assert that the original claim is not true, that All Voices is not a reputable source of information, that we should research before posting, and it was thus a very irresponsible post. There were comments on my character but that does not matter. What matters is that we not share falsehoods. Strong opinions are fine; falsehoods are not.

I want to thank Essi and Faisel A. for their constructive comments. They are appreciated. Yusuf wants me to hang myself and I am disinclined to follow his advice. The updated version of this post will be shared with my FB friends.

This evening I reviewed articles on Somaliland's new president and saw nothing even hinting that he might be gay. I have no access to demonstrative evidence in either direction but I accept the criticism that what I posted may well not be true and I have no interest in slandering the president nor causing him or the people of Somaliland problems. I was not trying to be sensational, merely sharing what I thought was good news. I have no interest in the personal lives of any heads of state.

So, let us turn toward the substantive issues:

The people and leaders of Somaliland are to be congratulated.

Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo, the victor of recent elections in the breakaway republic of Somaliland, was sworn in as president on Tuesday, achieving a transfer of power between political rivals that is rare in Africa.

Only three states on the African mainland – Benin, Senegal and Zambia – have seen incumbent presidents stand down after being defeated in elections. Unrecognised internationally as a separate state, Somaliland has developed its own democratic traditions without outside pressure.

The circumstances of the handover, which saw Dahir Rayale Kahin bow out as president after being defeated in elections deemed by international observers to have been largely free and fair, are all the more remarkable for their contrast with neighbouring Somalia.

--Financial Times

AFP shares this:

Many voters and politicians have voiced hope that the smooth transfer of power would once again prove their democratic credentials and strengthen their territory's case for international recognition.

Some Western countries argue Somaliland deserves to become a fully-fledged country and thus gain access to more aid but the African Union is wary of setting a precedent they fear could spur secessions across the continent.

Challenges facing Somaliland are described in the VOA article on the successful democratic transition.

Somaliland Press describes the swearing in of the new cabinet.

All of this is a cause of rejoicing.

It would be nice if folks noticed that I concluded with a prayer for the peace and good leadership of the land. We wish its people well and that is the bottom line as this space is dedicated, in part, to international understanding and cooperation. The larger point is that democratic elections were successfully held and a fledgling nation that has yet to receive global recognition is making progress.

In this space, however, references to individuals as being gay or lesbian is not considered pejorative in any sense, nor insulting. So this was hardly meant to demean anyone. To quote the motto of the Order of the Garter: "honi soit qui mal y pense."

The Newly Elected President Of Somaliland ,Mr Ahmed Mohamud Silanyo has never shied away from, nor made an issue of, his sexual orientation. He has been with his partner for 27 years and they have three adopted children. The newly-elected president of Somaliland, Ahmed Mohamud Silanyo, vowed Friday to campaign "vigorously" for international recognition of his breakaway republic in the Horn of Africa."During my tenure as president I will vigorously fight for the recognition of Somaliland. The world must recognise our democracy," he said and Mr Silanyo also said that he would maintain close links with Ethiopia and called on Somalia to sort out its problems. Mr Silanyo From 1946 to 1957, he attended the secondary schools in the towns of Sheekh and Amud in northwestern Somalia. He passed the advanced level GCE examinations in London, England, from 1958 to 1960. He then attended college at the University of Manchester, and earned an Honors Bachelor's Degree in Economics (1960-63). He completed his Master's Degree in Economics from the University of Manchester in 1966. Somaliland is a state located in the Horn of Africa. It is regarded internationally as being an autonomous region of Somalia Although no sovereign state has recognised the independence of Somaliland, Since 1991 it has been governed by a secessionist administration .The breakaway republic, which declared its independence on May 18, 1991,remains unrecognised by any state or international organisation.
--AllVoices
[Note: I cannot attest for the truth of anything in this quoted paragraph.]

The Wikipedia article on Somaliland may be found here.


May his land be kept in peace, may he be safe and blessing blessed in providing good leadership.

h/t to Lindy and Jane pointing this out on Facebook

--the BB

Two tax plans

Chart from Ezra Klein at the Washington Post.

There is much more analysis that should be done and is done. But while it makes almost no difference to me at my bracket whether the Bush tax cuts are extended, it makes a great deal to our economy.


Benefiting the wealthy at the expense of the overall economic well-being.... How might we describe that? Oh yes, class warfare, a war that has been steadily waged against the middle class by the wealthy for as long human history has records.

What a lovely swath of deficit vanishes if the Bush tax cuts lapse. So if you are going to posture about the deficit (I am looking at you congressional Republicans), you will undoubtedly let them lapse without a squawk. But if your real interest is the happiness of your wealthy overlords and not the health of the American economy, you will try to preserve them.

Oh. I guess we already know the answer, don't we?

--the BB

May your ancestors curse you

Yes, you: 奕玲張奕玲張奕玲張. May you be forgotten from the earth.

Spammers will be denounced and cursed.

--the BB

Heart thread - 08/13/2010

Today we focus our prayers on Kirstin who asks for our prayers.

...[T]here are some increases in tumor activity, but the amount is questionable. This means two things: we're not really clear about whether the treatment is working, and I have a week to not know whether I have a whole new regimen (high-dose Interleukin-2, with its own set of side effects) to get used to.

How am I? Short of panicky. Oddly, both worried and trusting. Preparing; I can feel myself gearing up, both for change and for news I don't want.

Pray, of course. Be here. Love me in whatever ways you think of; I need that right now.

Sent from home before returning to work.
--the BB

Plotting to destroy America

We are a nation of blithering idiots.

Or maybe there is truth to the sinister plot, they just have the details garbled. The terrorists have secretly birthed idjits in Texas and raised them up to run for office. A truly nefarious plan to destroy the United States and one with way too high a possibility of succeeding.

The more I think about it....

--the BB

May your ancestors curse you

Yes, I'm looking at you,

信陳定

I am tired of Chinese spam. As the ancient Romans might say, "I ad malam rem."

--the BB

NSFW

Most words fail me. [The obscenities will come through. After all, the topic is a vast obscenity.]

What is it with 2010? Is this? "THE YEAR OF TRYING TO OUT-BIGOT ALL THE OTHER ASSHOLES"?

Granted, I have never had any use for the American Family Association, a bunch of christianist fear mongers raising lots of money off the anxieties of people they regularly stir up. Whatever position they take on anything, the odds are excellent that I will hold the opposite, as I have no use for heterosexist dominionists.

But really, folks, the levels of ignorance, fear, intolerance, hatred - and let's call it by its name - bigotry that has risen like a gigantic shitstorm over the proposed building of an Islamic center in New York leaves one whomperjawed.

Folks who gain power or make money on other people's fears have entered some dark pact and conjured up a dark, mindless, slavering being that threatens to take over the land. Sweet church-going people are being led to fall down before the beast (whose name is IGNORANCE and BIGOTRY, let the reader understand).

I'm gonna name it: it's fucking satanic.

Get a grip, people! If you know that little about another major religion of the world you need to shut up and educate yourself.



Jillian Rayfield reports at TPM:

Bryan Fischer, the "Director of Issues Analysis" for the American Family Association, wrote a blog post yesterday on the AFA's site arguing that the United States should have "no more mosques, period."

"This is for one simple reason," he writes. "Each Islamic mosque is dedicated to the overthrow of the American government."

How's this little tidbit?

If a mosque was willing to publicly renounce the Koran and its 109 verses that call for the death of infidels, renounce Allah and his messenger Mohammed, publicly condemn Osama bin Laden, Hamas, and Abdelbaset al Megrahi (the Lockerbie bomber), maybe then they could be allowed to build their buildings. But then they wouldn't be Muslims at that point, now would they?

What if a church had to renounce the Bible and all the verses that call for the death of infidels, renounced G-d and his son Jesus, condemned the crusades of every era and their leaders (including all the religiously motivated Christian terrorists of our day) before being granted building permits? Hmm?

Am I hearing crickets now?

People like this are why Anne Rice felt she couldn't follow Christ without renouncing Christianity.

This is not something that arose spontaneously.

The Times report, however, descends into a kind of "liberal" media known-nothingism when it comes to how this became a controversy, suggesting that " a combination of arguable naïveté, public-relations missteps and a national political climate in which perhaps no preparation could have headed off controversy." This is a remarkable formula that manages to place the blame everywhere except where it belongs -- on a right-wing smear machine that went into overdrive in an effort to portray Rauf and Khan as terrorist sympathizers, an experience no one outside of contemporary partisan politics could have possibly been prepared for. The conservative media lied about the location of the project, they lied about Rauf's background, they lied about the project's funding, they lied about when the project would be built, and they lied about Rauf's political beliefs. And it would have been one thing if it had just been a small group of people lying, but they had an entire cable news station to lie for them, and politicians who were willing to amplify their smears. This controversy isn't about the "political climate." It's the fruit of a conscious, deliberate, and sustained effort. [Crooks and Liars]

Digby comments:

Normally I would think we could ride out this latest wave of nativism and racism, but there are two factors that make it more dangerous than usual. The first, of course, is the economy which looks like it's not going to recover smartly thus giving this impulse more oxygen than it might otherwise have. The second is that the right wing demagogues have an entire industry now devoted to creating and nurturing these wedge issues for political and financial gain. The culture warriors have just shifted their strategy away from "family values" to their other stand-by, "stop the boogeyman." It's all part of the same throwback tapestry, but different times require difference emphasis. We're officially in the "the foreigners and blacks are ruining everything" portion of the show.

At least one cretin on the right have suggested building a gay bar next to the center to freak out the Muslims. It is to laugh.

If you look at this picture, and you’re not too stupid to breathe (sorry, wingnuts!), you should immediately see two things that make this whole “let’s put a gay bar by the Cordoba House and see liberal heads explode!” wishful thinking look even stupider than it is on its surface: 1) There are three gay bars within .1 mile of the Cordoba House and 2) They are all as close or closer to the Cordoba House than the WTC is. [Amanda Marcotte at Pandagon]

Furthermore, you might want to check out what Maha has to share with us:

Someone here had said that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the main guy behind the Cordoba House Islamic center, is a Sufi. This is a detail I have yet to see in a news story, but I can confirm it is true. He is the imam of a Sufi mosque in lower Manhattan, about ten blocks north of the proposed Cordoba House site.

Thus, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is not connected to the Muslim Brotherhood. I can say this because there is no way the Muslim Brotherhood, or al Qaeda, or the Taliban, or any other organization dedicated to enforcing dogmatic Sunni Islam would have anything to do with a Sufi. In fact, Sufis in the Middle East have suffered terribly from attacks by Sunni terrorists.

[snip]

Sufism is mystical Islam. Dogmatists don’t get mysticism. This is true of the dogmatists of all religions. It is often the case that mystics from different traditions understand each other better than the dogmatists of the same tradition.

The idea that all Muslims are somehow part of the same conspiracy is absurd enough, but to put Sufis in the same boat as jihadist is just plain ignorance.

The endless stream of deliberate lies and misinformation filtered through blind passion makes one feel that an immense pustule has been burst and we are drowning in a flood of sanguinopurulent hatred. [Yes, I've been waiting for decades to use the word "sanguinopurulent" in a sentence.]

And before you denounce the small minority of hate mongers in Islam you really should look to your own house and denounce the hate mongers in Christianity. I mean, really. Way overdue.

Jesus weeps.

--the BB

The growth of unemployment

Not for the faint of heart.



--the BB

Sometimes I just feel overdue for a rant

Robert Gibbs is an asswipe.

You may quote me on that.

As the Rude Pundit put it:

So, let's get this straight, Bobby G. We on the left warned your boss and the Democrats that every time you reached out your hands to the Republicans, those fuckers would just gnaw on 'em. But you kept on with the effort of bipartisanship, watering down bills and watering 'em down. Anyone with a lick of sense knew that the GOP was just setting you up: force 'em to compromise and then make sure that what gets passed does just a scintilla of what could have been done. On bill after bill these mad negotiations occurred, and now you're accusing us of not living in reality?

The White House Press Secretary decided to kick the "professional left." Well, let me tell you something, Bobby boy, there are a lot of us, unprofessional but progressive, who knew from the get go that Obama was not a progressive, so we didn't expect miracles day after day, believe me. But, and I really want you to pay attention to this, treating us like shit is not winning you friends.

Sure, you've accomplished a lot. But it would take very little effort to accomplish a lot more. Recess appointments. Just saying. Close Gitmo. End DADT; it doesn't take another study, it requires an executive order.

Oh, and transparency. We count that promise not unfulfilled but broken.

Btw, I know Obama does not believe in gay marriage. He's said so from the beginning. I don't expect him to change. But he can STFU about saying he believes in equality, because it is patently clear that he does not. "Fierce advocate" my queer ass. There is zero credibility there.

It might be a good idea for the White House to consider working with the left, since we share more goals with the White House than the Republicans do. Or do we? Actions do speak louder than words and it is clear that Obama desperately wants to work across the aisle but has little interest in working with progressives. When he had public opinion with him he still would not fight for public option.

I will continue to support progressive Democrats. And the Obama team ain't getting a single penny out of me. The reasons should be obvious.

Perhaps it is time for Mr. Gibbs to spend more time with his family.

Glenn Greenwald summarizes it nicely.

--the BB

Heart thread - 08/10/2010

Tonight's prayer call comes from that most loving northern prayer warrior, David:

Prayers begged for Rosemary please. In the past I've written how this is Rosemary's second round with cancer; how she is one of the fiestiest friends I've ever seen face this challenge. Well according to my sister Jenny, who is primary caregiver when David, Rosemary's husband has to be in Ottawa during the week for his job, the days are very few and numbered before our little Armenian-Canadian is to move into paliative care. David and Rosemary have two sons, not even yet adult, who are primary reason for all that Rosemary has undergone to beat this. I ask your prayers for Rosemary my little Armenian nightengale, for the grace of a good and peaceful passing, for her husband Dave and their two boys.
I'd also ask prayers for my baby sister Jenny who a week before Rosemary's latest turn burried her father-in-law.

Begging again, prayers for Kirsten please as you might remember is also in a second round fight with cancer and is undergoing a really aggressive experimental course of treatment in California.

Prayers for M. & J. most particularly that they be held close in that 'Love beyond our wildest imagining' to quote Mam's favorite Giant.

Prayers please for two cherished sisters who are undergoing a series of major transitions in their lives which are not only impacting on their professional careers but on the location where they live. For one of these sisters in particular there has been real pain, struggle and a lot of letting-go.

Prayers for the people of Pakistan. Yet again the developed world is being invited to change compassionately, to open itself to radical transformation, but once again I'm deeply concerned that the west will be too busy making war and gorging itself to realize there is no 'us' and 'them', and that we are all diminished by these unnecessary deaths in Pakistan.

For the people of Afghanistan; here the list of need and horror is too long for this medium.

And the good news; Mam was cleared by her surgeon this afternoon. Though she is left with a limit of flexibility in her left index finger, the whole team were really amazed at her remarkable recovery, having regained a lot more mobility in her left arm and wrist than they expected. Another night staying with my sister Joanne and her husband, and then the plan is for Mam and Charlie her rescue corgi to go home tomorrow. I'm planning to go out Thursday to spend the day with her and so see what might need to be done. On the phone just now as we celebrated this good news, Mam specifically asked me to thank my 'Giants', and then she used my cousin Frank's words- exactly- 'you tell them they make all the difference.' That's you folks- beloved all.

She also specifically sent her love along to one particular Giant and his spouse who it has been her great joy to uphold in prayer daily for almost four years now. 'Tell him, through-out all this he was never forgotten, and send him my love.' You know who you are.

Rosemary and her family, Kirsten, Jenny, two cherished sisters in transit, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and thanks- joyous, heartfelt thanks for Mams recovery.

Thank-you beloved Giants, I love you all.

love always- always Love

David@Montreal

Mimi always shares these promptly but while she is off infiltrating the British Isles I want to invite all our friends to join in holding these folks in our hearts.

The congregation of San Gabriel is going to move - again - at the end of this month. From their founding they have been a pilgrim people. Pray for a smooth move and for the Spirit to sustain hearts and spirits (and bodies). They will be next to a micro-brewery, so perhaps the spirits are already covered.

For Mimi, Cathy, and Jonathan in their adventures.

--the BB

Praying the headlines

From Google News:

More than 700 die in landslides in China

CNN - ‎42 minutes ago‎

By the CNN Wire Staff Beijing, China (CNN) -- The death toll from mudslides in northwestern China rose to 702, state-run media reported Tuesday.

Moscow mayor cuts meetings due to heat, smog

RIA Novosti - ‎45 minutes ago‎

MOSCOW, August 10 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov has urged members of the city government to cut back on meetings and discuss important matters over the telephone because of the scorching heat and acrid smog in the Russian capital.

More rains add to Pakistan's flooding misery

CNN - ‎26 minutes ago‎

By the CNN Wire Staff Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Some 14 million people have been affected by the torrential rains and flooding that have left more than a thousand dead in Pakistan, a spokesman for the national disaster authority told CNN Tuesday.

UN: Civilian Casualties Rising Sharply in Afghanistan

Voice of America - ‎1 hour ago‎

Photo: AP The United Nations says civilian casualties are on the rise in Afghanistan, with insurgents increasingly responsible for harming Afghans.

--the BB

Were you even aware?

The US media seem to be ignoring this or giving it minimal notice.

The flooding just keeps getting worse and worse. On Saturday, the UN estimated that 4 million people were affected by the flooding in Pakistan. By Sunday they revised that estimate to 6 million people. Today, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that over 13 million people are affected.

It is no wonder that a UN officials are saying this is bigger than the 2004 tsunami. In fact, that would make it bigger than the combined number of people affected by the Tsunami, Haiti earthquake and 2005 Kashmir eartquake...combined.

That's from the UN Dispatch.

Can we let this sink in?

Thirteen million.

Let us pray.



Flood affectees evacuating in Dera Ismail Khan. PHOTO: EXPRESS

h/t to LaughingPlanet where you can read more and find channels to help.

The UN is also launching an appeal.

--the BB

I wonder

Will I live to see the American corporatocracy turned back to a democracy?

Frankly, I doubt it. I want to believe that what I have witnessed in my lifetime is not the death of constitutional democracy but I fear that I have.

And we have "conservative" policies to thank for it. Worship at the altar of business, deregulate, screw the working public, convince everyone government is evil and incompetent (and prove it when you are in power)... this is where it leads.

Sigh.

Blogger is run by Google. May I just say, fuck Google and Verizon. They have no right to tell the FCC what it can or cannot do.

Hey, FCC! Grow a set and tell the telecoms what they may and may not do. That's your job, in the interest of the public.

--the BB

No, it's not a rat's nest

I always marvel at how much dark brown there still is in my hair, though every buzzing shows more white. Tonight it seemed to have a lot of reddish blond. On my head, it all looks silver to me.

Yep, haircut night. I was getting a bit shaggy. Also watered the yard and researched where in ABQ I could find someone to repair my refrigerator. Its fan has gone to be with Jesus.

Dang, this is as mundane as a Facebook posting. I must do better.

[But I really have not felt inspired to post, ponder, or rant lately.]

Though I will not allow them to post, there will be at least three Chinese spam comments on this post by midnight tomorrow. They multiply like rabbits. Wait for them.

--the BB

La cosecha

This evening I chased the sparrows out of the peach tree (they sneak in under the netting then get caught in it) and harvested Elberta peaches, Thompson seedless grapes, and Santa Rosa plums. There are some peaches still left on the Elberta. I left the ones the birds have started so they can finish them. The Red Haven peaches look lovely but are hard as rocks right now.

So here is the bulk of the 2010 harvest. I can testify that they taste good.

--the BB

32 military suicides in just one month

Bob Herbert had some choice words to utter yesterday:

As if there is not enough that has gone tragically wrong in this era of endless warfare, the military is facing an epidemic of suicides. In the year that ended Sept. 30, 2009, 160 active duty soldiers took their own lives — a record for the Army. The Marines set their own tragic record in 2009 with 52 suicides. And this past June, another record was set — 32 military suicides in just one month.

War is a meat grinder for service members and their families. It grinds people up without mercy, killing them and inflicting the worst kinds of wounds imaginable, physical and psychological. The Pentagon is trying to cope with the surge in suicides, but it is holding a bad hand: the desperate shortage of troops has forced military officials to lower the bar for enlistment, thus letting in people whose drug and alcohol abuse or other behavioral problems would previously have kept them out. And the multiple deployments (four, five and six tours in the war zones) have jacked up stress levels to the point where many just can’t take it.

The G.I.’s have fought valiantly in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thousands have died and many, many more have suffered. But the wars have been conducted as if their leaders had been reading from a lunatic’s manual. This is not Germany or Japan or the old Soviet Union that we’re fighting. But after nearly a decade, neither war has been won and there is no prospect of winning.

Go, read the whole thing here.

--the BB

Remind me again which party is supposed to represent fiscal responsibility?

Iraq war reconstruction funds graphically illustrated.

h/t to Digby

--the BB

Domesticity

I ran myself ragged cooking this weekend. Another Sunday dinner (I've been on a roll). Tonight's guests insisted on a photo of me with the peach pie. First pie I have made in about forty years. The crust is made with Crisco shortening the way my mother made it (recipe from Fanny Farmer Cook Book). The peaches were picked from my Elberta peach tree this morning.

This was one labor-intensive meal. I had to drop the peaches in boiling water, then ice water, then peel them. I had to cut off the area the birds had attacked (on about a third of them).

Well that was dessert (except I had H-D vanilla bean ice cream and peach sherbet in the freezer to serve with the pie - sort of a peaches and cream theme, but I forgot them).

For antipasto we had salame, slices of fresh mozzarella, shreds of string cheese, crackers, sesame bread sticks, pickled giardiniera, olives, and (non-Italian) salted peanuts. We started with Italian grapefruit soda over ice to stay hydrated on a summer day.

The main course was lasagne with garlic bread and salad. I assembled it all yesterday. Homemade egg noodles, of course, as playing with my pasta attachment is the source of my weekend meal inspiration.

There was a story to the noodles though. Harris' Law: "Nothing Is Ever Easy." I measured out the flour and made a well in it. Fortunately I did not try cracking the eggs into the well as I usually do. Grabbed some eggs from the fridge that I thought had a use-by date of July 2010. Hmm, probably July 2009. When I cracked them open they were half dry, having shrunk away from the shell. Tossed those.

So I got the other eggs in the fridge, the ones from hens raised by a friend at church. Made the dough and it just fell apart when I tried to run it through the rollers - not as dough usually pulls apart on the first few runs. Way too dry a dough. The were not supermarket size "large" eggs, presupposed by my recipe. Scrapped that batch of dough.

To the supermarket for fresh LARGE eggs. This time the egg and flour dough behaved as it ought. So I made the long broad noodles. Then I cooked them in boiling salted water, cooled them in ice water, dried them with a towel, and layered them in the pan with sauce and cheeses.

Harris' Law strikes again but without consequences. I thought I had bought more ricotta cheese. I am still certain I did. But I could not find it yesterday. Anyway, what I had worked.

For the sauce I sauteed a large onion and some minced garlic in olive oil. To that I added three cans each of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce (OK, here I was not using tomatoes out of my yard; had to cut myself slack at some point). I had a package of hot Italian sausage and a package of ground beef (no added hormones or antibiotics). I squeezed the sausage out of its casings and using the meat grinder attachment I reground these together, partly to blend them and mostly to help them break up when browning. I browned these and added them to the tomato sauce along with basil and ground fennel and anise seeds. I love a hint of licorice in my tomato sauces, something I learned from "Mama" Lipscomb on Christmas Eve, Paris 1967. Her people were from Naples. All of that was before the noodles were made as the sauce needed to simmer for something like four hours.

Noodles, sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, repeat. Grated parmigiana on top. Damn. The result was spectacular if I say so myself. It was a roasting pan full, so it will serve as dinner on Wednesday at Bill's house when we visit with friends from Los Angeles who are in New Mexico this week.

A nice Montepulciano DOCG to go with it all. And good friends to share it.

I am doing this for multiple reasons: I love cooking but hate doing it for myself so this allows me to cook; I enjoy the satisfaction of doing things from scratch (it feels honest and you know what's in it); this motivates me to clean my kitchen and the downstairs in general and maintain a semi-civilized atmosphere in my digs; and it allows me to do something nice for friends.

So the kitchen, dining room, living room, and entry all got vacuumed today. The kitchen was mopped. I have run the dishwasher twice and it is almost ready to run again. The stovetop was cleaned and the counters all sanitized. I practiced making pie dough (and obviously need more work at that). I harvested peaches from my tree. (Next: a plum tart.) I planned and executed an elaborate meal. Immense feeling of satisfaction tonight.

Amid all this I managed to wash, dry, and hang up a load of shirts; have dinner with friends last night; and attend church this morning.

Tired. Very tired. And dehydrated. But happy.

I hope y'all had a good weekend. Healing vibes to all who need them tonight!

--the BB

The Senate is clearly broken

You may be getting down on the Senate because they couldn't manage to hold a vote Thursday on that jobs bill that Republicans are filibustering. But they did manage to double the penalty for marijuana brownies.
--TPM

I wish somebody could fix it.

--the BB

Planning Sunday dinner

There is no question that I am on a roll when it comes to my new pasta attachment for the Kitchen Aid. Two weeks ago I made noodles for myself and dined on them for days. Last Sunday dinner had thicker egg noodles (the kind I remember Grandma Iva making) with my first ever roasted chicken. I've been shopping after work yesterday and today for Sunday dinner this weekend.

Yep, pasta again. Lasagne from scratch to be made tomorrow, along with the sauce. Sunday morning before church I will bake a peach pie (I have not made pie in something like 40 years). Of course the crust will be from scratch and the peaches from my tree! The harvest begins. Sunday afternoon I will bake the lasagne.

There will be antipasto: olives, salami, giardiniera mix, grissini (breadsticks).

Then lasagne with garlic bread and salad.

Then peach pie a la mode (OK, I bought the Häagen-Dazs).

Sparkling fruit juices from Italy and what I hope will be a nice Italian wine are at the ready.

After all, why spend seven weeks studying Italian if you're not going to have some Italian food? I will probably put Puccini on the CD player too, and some Vivaldi.

Those who read this blog may get the impression that I cook a lot. Lately that has been more true but I have really cooked very little since my ex and I separated. Just can't be bothered cooking for myself. You don't want to know what dinner is most evenings but cheese and crackers is one favorite. Rarely more elaborate than that, though I occasionally microwave taquitos. This shift toward entertaining and cooking more is HUGE. And a good thing as I do love to cook. Inviting folks provides motivation (and once downstairs is uncluttered I entertain several times before I devolve into chaos again).

Yeah, there are chores to be done as well but I am stoked over the weekend. And so glad it is here at last.

Shabbat shalom, y'all!

--the BB

Arrivederci, scuola

Cross-posted from Facebook:

Last Italian class this evening. Sad to see it end. But we did have a party: mini-crostini with salmon pâté, grissini, delicious cannoli from an Italian bakery, Italian sparkling fruit juices, etc.

--the BB

Small stuff

No big news on my end. I cooked Sunday dinner, roasting a chicken for the first time in my life. I have always left that to others. It came out cooked but juicy. Put the dinner guest to work cranking the homemade egg noodles. Three sides of vegetables. A mushroom and cream sauce over the noodles and chicken. Blueberry crisp and ice cream for desert. Not a virtuous meal but a full-on Sunday dinner.

Friday night we plowed through the rain to catch Madama Butterfly at the Santa Fe Opera. Good singing, good acting, good production. It was lovely and very moving. Nice twist at the end. (No change in plot but a wordless twist that I shan't reveal. Very powerful.)

I put on excerpts of Butterfly last night while studying Italian grammar. Tonight we have another quiz and get to see the second half of an Italian film (with Italian subtitles to help us).

Lots of thundershowers lately so the earth is getting rain here in the desert / high grasslands.

This was just so y'all didn't think I'd dropped off the edge of the earth.

Please read Margaret's post this morning. Let us keep the prayers for her and Joel and Juan Manuel going.

Joel was grumpy, grumpy grumpy last night. He also suffered a small panic attack --and he still cannot breathe or speak very well nor swallow at all.... he continues in ICU --although they FINALLY got him out of respiratory ICU and in to neuro ICU which is where he needed to be because myasthenia gravis is a disease that prevents the brain from speaking to the nerves.... and without the nerves the muscles don't work.... and without the nerves and the muscles one does not breathe or swallow or speak....

So, I am hoping that grumpy means improvement.... because,

in truth, as far as speaking and swallowing go --I'm not seeing any improvement at all...

--the BB