Monday, September 29, 2008

Charge!

Here comes the army of pundits, experts and doomsdayers to tell the public why this bail out is necessary. Why it will hurt them if they don't swallow this, yes, bitter pill.

Maybe we know that, person in suit with books behind you, and yet, we still said no. Your polls and questionnaires will not help you now.

Rollcall

How they voted on the Bailout bill HERE.

Indiana (Yes is for it, No is against it.)

Name: Party: District: Vote
Hill (D) (D-09) No
Ellsworth (D) (D-08) Yes
Carson (D) (D-07) No
Pence (R) (D-06) No
Burton (R) (D-05) No
Buyer (R) (D-04) No
Souder (R) (D-03) Yes
Donnelly (D) (D-02) Yes
Visclosky (D) (D-01) No

Baron Hill is my rep. and so I say good job! Now, he'd better keep up the No's as Paulson is hardly done and he can always print the money if he wants. Wanker.

Kentucky

Chandler (D) (D-06) No
Rogers (R) (D-05) Yes
Davis (R) (D-04) No
Yarmuth (D) (D-03) No
Lewis (R) (D-02) Yes
Whitfield (R) (D-01) No

Gridlock never looked so lovely. Despite it being a White house initiative,Republicans scattered and despite a Democrat majority in the House, (all the Dems needed to win was to just all vote yes, as Pelosi asked) they bucked.
The pundits are dumbfounded. No time for polls so they could look smart.

That's not to say I don't think this is an extremely important financial moment and worthy of attention. But the bail out is nonsense and the markets will correct. We shall have to bite the bullet. But Jesus is still Sovereign and Empire may not be the best option fellow citizen.

Note that the spending on next years military budget went UP, not down or even just flatlined but...up. Yea, crisis my asses. Oh, by the way, you also sent 25 billion to subsidize the automakers too. Some people never learn.

I don't care if my 401-K totally evaporates. Maybe my employement will dry up. But If we can roll back this empire, I'm for it. One battle at a time. My offspring deserve a better solution than a quick fix without any debate just so I can keep drinking starbucks and playing XBox in the suburbs.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

An Army of ONE.

Pfc. Michael Barnes had a spiritual awakening while in Iraq.

"I have been trying to justify being a soldier and finding a way to do so while still being a Christian, because that is what I wanted to do since I was a kid," Barnes wrote in his request for conscientious objector status in December 2006.

"But I can no longer justify spending my short time in this world participating in or supporting war. ... I must try to save souls, not help take them. I fear not for my life, but for my soul."

The Army disagreed of course and denied his request for conscientious objector status. But "A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Army to grant conscientious objector status and an honorable discharge to Pfc. Michael Barnes, a Fort Richardson-based paratrooper who said he experienced a religious awakening in Iraq two years ago that left him opposed to war in any form."

Praise the Lord!

"In a 16-page ruling, the judge noted evidence of how Barnes' faith grew stronger after he arrived in Iraq in September 2006. Soldiers in his unit testified that he became increasingly withdrawn, devoting much of his spare time to reading the Bible."

He will be mocked, called a coward and resented. Not only by war mongers but home town folk and probably church goers. But the courage of this young man is exceptional and a testimony to Empire Christians.

You can stand up. You can look evil in the face and say no more, wherever your find yourself immersed in it, and we all are. I am motivated! Thank you Michael Barnes!

"Married with two children, Barnes previously worked as a counselor to troubled youths in Oregon and Washington. In his request for conscientious objector status, he said he would like to return to similar work as a civilian."

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

US Army to deploy against...you.

It didn't misspeak or misspell.
For the first time ever, US Army units are to be deployed into the US under the NorthCom Theater for a PERMANENT base of operations..
Like most things these days. This won't generate much of any excitement or angst. Your either for the terrorists or against them and who could possibly be against the US having a unit dedicated to "helping" you and I fellow citizen recover from floods, chemical attacks and civil unrest. You might have been tempted to think that the Fire Department, Public utilities workers, City workers, State workers, Police, Sheriffs, SWAT, State troopers, National Guard, FEMA, Homeland security, FBI, and the hordes of support mechanisms at their disposal (and already paid for by you) would be adequate. But you'd be wrong. We are not safe here in NorthCom.

Well I hope you don't have any plans to protest (read civil unrest) anything in the future. I do of course and so I guess I should learn how to survive a good tasering.

"The 1st BCT’s soldiers also will learn how to use “the first ever nonlethal package that the Army has fielded,” 1st BCT commander Col. Roger Cloutier said, referring to crowd and traffic control equipment and nonlethal weapons designed to subdue unruly or dangerous individuals without killing them."


Now I've given up living by the sword but never forget that "dangerous" is whatever they decide it to be. The bright side is we get to learn how to carry the new centurions gear that extra mile.

That is how police States and Empires roll in. Banners and flags and proud parents waving to the troops that will kill their fellow citizens, for the good of course. Sanctioned, as always with a warm benediction from a Pastor. Go team!

If your still reading, PLEASE check out this blog, Return Good for Evil.
PHE-NOM-MENAL!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

A sojourners creed

I belong to Christ. My time and my life are His. He directs the moments and the activity of my days. He is the counselor whose wisdom I follow. He is the model for how I live, and the audience I seek to please. He has called me to worship Him. He has gifted me to serve Him. I belong to Christ, and I will live for Him today and forever.

FREEDOM

My debt is paid.

Thanks to all who cared, visited, laughed and prayed.

The crypt is opened.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Tim Keller quote

“Ultimate reality is a community of persons who know and love one another. That is what the universe, God, history, and life is all about. If you favor money, power, and accomplishment over human relationships, you will dash youself on on the rocks of reality. When Jesus said you must lose yourself in service to find yourself (Mark 8:35), he was recounting what the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have been doing throughout eternity. You will, then, never get a sense of self by standing still, as it were, and making everything revolve around your needs and interests. Unless you are willing to experience the loss of options and the individual limitations that come from being in committed relationships, you will remain out of touch with your own nature and the nature of things.”

- Tim Keller, The Reason for God.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

The science of uncertainty

If you've noticed some interestingly colorful sunsets during August, it might have been due to this, the Kasitochi volcano in the Aleutian Island erupted over a million tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2) into the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

According to the author of this blog, Anthony Watts, it is the lack of sunspots (we are in a low cycle) among other things that contributes to the overall cooling of temperatures worldwide NOT CO2 emissions from humans. But like most things, the CO2 cause is now political, rather than scientific.

Take for instance this article about a German power plant that came up with a emissions free coal burning plant. What did they get for their efforts? Angst. Even the company admitted that is was a "temporary solution that buys us the time we need to develop a sustainable energy system in the future". But that still wasn't enough. Sure, there still making a profit somewhere but how else will the innovations be paid for? Taxes? On an already declining European population?

Unless we all perish, tomorrow, I don't think the political wing of the global warming issue will ever be happy and will cease scientific research all together in favor of propaganda, if they haven't already. Like this babel style nonsense.

Hence, my interest in someone whose looking into the earth cooling and having nothing to do with CO2. Its all about how you 'communicate uncertainty'.

Everyone lives by faith, everyone. We all have to assume certain things to be true with out empirically proving each true for ourselves. All that differs is the object of that faith.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Hashem; the name...and assorted links...

Odd. The Vatican gives orders to excise the name from worship. The article here: Barring Yahweh

Ike. The Water apocalypse theme continues...

"Whenever any form of government becomes destructive ... " wrote Thomas Jefferson, "it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government.... ". In a recent poll, one in five agreed that states have the right to peacefully secede from the Union. (LA Times)

In the meantime, you now "I'm counting the days, till freedom calls my name, counting the days, till the gods break these chains...(Courtesy Soul Asylum)


"

Sunday, September 7, 2008

A wonderful series.

From the blog, On the margins.

Christian Anarchism Introduction (part 1)

Christian Anarchism Non-resistance (part 2)

Christian Anarchism Ellul's point of view (part 3)

Christian Anarchism Is it possible? (part 4)

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Counter-imperial

My friend Jason Barr nails it here. Jason quotes this on his website,“[Christian] scholars have taken the dynamite of the church, have wrapped it up in nice phraseology, placed it in an hermetic container and sat on the lid. It is about time to blow the lid off.” — Peter Maurin

Well, he's doing just that.

Check out his Musings on Paul which echoes alot of what you'd hear in 900 pages of N.T Wright (New Testament scholar and all around bad hombre). What a bargain! 1 page for his 900+. Rush now as operators are standing by! Come on already! Click the link!

"Paul’s evangelism cannot be understood in terms of a traveling preacher who offered people a new religious experience, one superior to the religous understandings they had previously possessed. Rather, he should be seen as a kind of traveling ambassador (a term he actually uses to describe himself) for a new king-in-waiting, establishing colonies of people loyal to this new king, ordering their lives and practices according to the story and symbols of this new king, rather than to the imperial Roman story that formed the dominant religious, as well as political, mythos of the time. Paul called his converts to order their minds according to the truth of the story of Christ, not of Caesar’s. This can only be construed as deeply subversive and counter-imperial. The fact that Paul ended up in prison, executed under the reign of the “god” Nero is a sign that he did his duty for the new king quite properly."

Business as usual.

I had to chuckle at the idea that the elections this year were all about mavericks. Fred Thompson telling the RNC delegates, big donors and hierarchy elite last night that McCain and Palin take on the mysterious, unnamed (I guess only Alaskan) elite was too much. Reminded me of the cellular commercial where the big shot executive tells his underling how he loves sticking it to the man!

...But, you ARE the man replies the puzzled underling.

Same goes for Obama and Biden. Policy wise, they are no different from your run of the mill Democrat, except they lack any substantial anti-war rhetoric. Doesn;t surprise me really. Can they get elected with it intact and flowing?

Just goes to show how easily the revolutions of today are already gobbled up by the major entertainment industries and sold back to us as cool innovations. Make sure you get your t-shirt telling us all you were there! Woo-hoo.
Drink your Kool-aid, watch the lovely models and shut up.

This report, if true doesn't bode well.

While Gov. Palin is introduced to what really matters, the eternal war lobbies. She's already got her flag! True, she's lovely and smart and capable. All of them are. I do not pretend to know their souls and assume them each and all to be accomplished adults. But me thinks she's also a product of the gospel of rapture theology so prelevant in America and quite easily hijacked by many to effect the results they want while Christians gaze at clouds and check off prophetic crossword puzzles.

Sure, I care about an African-American or a Female being elected to high office and thats wonderful, really. But I guess I care more about my two sons, of draft age in 5-6 years, and where they will be asked to bleed out for as Empire struggles to hold onto her grasp.

Dual citizenship never had more perks. I don't want to use it but it's always on the table of my mind. Let the reader with ears to hear, do so.

What is not 'business as usual' is my second son Brandon. He turned 12 today.

Happy Birthday Brandon! I love you. While the empire does all in its power to attract and compromise you, here I stand, your dad and servant, I can do no other.

Dead Sea Scrolls on the internet

Scientists using American space technology have started a huge project to digitally photograph the Dead Sea Scrolls and post it on the Internet for all to see, Israeli authorities said Wednesday.

The best news team ever, strikes again.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

No Ruler. (Part 2)

Reject, resist, organize, work, oppose, and directly confront.

These are the unifying goals of the RNC Welcoming Committee and at their root, admirable. I surfed their FAQ section and found references to the Anarchist FAQ online here. Which, to my understanding hopes to see libertarian Socialism replace any and all systems of government.

Instead of "central planning," which many people associate with the word "socialism," These anarchists advocate free association and co-operation between individuals, workplaces and communities and so oppose "state" socialism. But there remains the collective ownership of production and the means of production. At least that is my present and far to brief summary.

However, this still seems like an upside hierarchy to me, even if from the ground up and if run by humans, prone to corruption. Not that anyone of these adherents would disagree. They might and counterclaim that their system still provides for the best and least destructive correction, being local, tribal, decentralized and by free association.

Self-management, All would agree but especially for anarchists, is essential to ensure freedom within the organisations so needed for any decent human existence.

And there is the rub. While I agree with a lot of what I read and continue to read among anarchists the essential point for me lies in the sinfulness of men. We seek to rule over the other. 'Archist', in a sense, that is make primary ourselves. We cannot remove that bent in our system even if we remove all the tools and positions of government. Ours is a self management problem.

As a Christian anarchist, I seek to make none Archy but God, God revealed in Jesus. Anything that attempts to fulfill that role must be confronted. Beginning primarily with myself.

The hope is not in deconstructing any system for anarchy's sake but for the Lord. The key ingredient in that struggle being the proclamation of the gospel through non-violent means. Precisely through non-violent means. A radical, self giving discipleship.

Which is why I must reject the anarchists of the welcoming party. While I may or may not agree with their assessment, I ultimately cannot join them. But nor must I then default to some political party, or the lesser of 2, 4, or 8 evils.

The commitment to the way overrides in all and that way is still one of direct confrontation with all archy's, all powers that set themselves up. But the righteousness of the way lays not even in being non-violent but in depending upon God in all things. A dependence on what He has, is and will do as I put myself into what some would declare as harms way.

I'll continue to try and expand upon this idea but one final comment for now.

Consider the protest in St. Paul itself. A few disrupted for many, a protest. Lets grant for the sake of argument that the free association of these people was noble and fair and just. It was reduced to violence by those within their own ranks. The noble aims of the organizing itself failed to protect from the few who made themselves an authority by breaking things and inviting violence in response. Would any society created by men do any better? Could guarantee against reaction and overreaction by parties within and those opposed? Did those who failed to heed the main groups warnings, against their own anarchist standards, set themselves up as their own authorities and ruin what was a collective ideal?

James 4:2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

An-Archos; No Ruler

Since I've used the word anarchy here, specifically Christian Anarchist, something needs to be said concerning the demonstrations outside the RNC convention in St. Paul, Minnesota and the so-called anarchists there and how I view them.

First, what exactly IS happening there? I direct your attention to a few links.

This reporter claims to have been embedded with the trouble making "group" all day. Most were an assortment of pacifists, anti-war protesters and left-wing activists who were peacefully protesting and demonstrating which is well within their right to do. When a handful of "kids" began to knock over newspaper stands and sidewalk garbage cans (That's showing the MAN!), most in the main group stopped to pick up the mess and tell them to knock it off. Predictably, they didn't.

"On one street, a few people threw down caltrops to block traffic. One kid who looked under 20 years old jumped on top of a cop car that broke through the pedestrian barrier. Another two smashed windows of a Macy’s, First National Bank, and unoccupied cop car. However, this was the work of maybe five or so people in the breakaway protest group." - MOLLY PRIESMEYER, Minnesota Independent.

Fine, says you, but this media outlet has an agenda. Ok...

WKBT is reporting that an Associated Press photographer as well as Amy Goodman of Democracy Now fame were swept up in the police crackdown that netted over 250 arrests. They and many others were subsequently released. "St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman says the vast majority of people who marched did so peacefully. He says it's unfortunate that, quote, "those voices were somewhat muted by the criminal activities of a handful of folks." (emphasis mine)

Apparently the Connecticut Delegation came under "attack" as only Fox news could put it, while exiting a bus.

Of the groups listed as being present, only the "Funk the War" group and the "Food Not Bombs" group seems to have been the troublesome ones, and this is exactly the group the reporter above was embedded in. They were also allegedly connected to the "RNC welcoming committee" which was the focus of the police raids prior to the convention. She claims there were about 60 or so of them (compared to FOX News's 200), and of them, only a handful that were unaffiliated and claiming to be anarchists.

So, we are talking of 5-10 people along one route in a crowd of 10,000. There actions however seemed to have caused the large police force to react, and some would say overreact, and begin to forcefully clear the streets which netted many peaceful and innocent people. Many of these people are being released albeit on a case-by-case basis. They threw the net and decided to catch what they could and sort later. Lets face it, lots of people attend these things to see just what might happen, myself included. I'll refrain from commenting on the police presence, perimeter and response for now.

My concern at the moment are these anarchist/anti-authoritarian "welcoming committee" people and who are they since they have the label of anarchist?

Well, according to their website they have 6 points of unity. This is the cached version of the page in case someone pulls the site down. Here they are...
1. A rejection of Capitalism, Imperialism, and the State;
2. Resist the commodification of our shared and living Earth;
3. Organize on the principles of decentralization, autonomy, sustainability, and mutual aid;
4. Work to end all relationships of domination and subjugation, including but not limited to those rooted in patriarchy, race, class, and homophobia;
5. Oppose the police and prison-industrial complex, and maintain solidarity with all targets of state repression;
6. Directly confront systems of oppression, and respect the need for a diversity of tactics.

Having established some (by no means all encompassing) sense of the on the ground situation, I'll next take on those 6 points and more importantly what isn't in any of them.

Chrome

So I downloaded Google's new browser, Chrome and I'm taking it for a spin. Very nice. Sleek. Streamlined and fast. I really like that if a tab or window freezes up it doesn't freeze up the browser. Each tab has it's own task manager.

Download was fast and so was the import of files from the explorer browser.

So far so good. I like.

Trying out the incognito browsing feature...

Wow, I accidentally closed a tab while viewing a web page I hadn't been to before. When I immediately opened a new tab, it had a history of all the pages I had recently visited with small previews of each page, a history search engine and a listing of recently bookmarked and closed sites. All very easy to navigate and with no cluttering. Maybe FireFox and others have this feature, I don't know. I never tried them.

Sweet.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Geraldo vs. Gustav

This page has 4 live streaming videos of local coverage of Gustav for those that, like me, can only take so much of the national media outlets coverage. Sending all of them "Straight to Angola" might be the first step in saving the area from "monsterous", "explosive", and other wildly hyperbolic phrases. Good gravy.

I actually saw close ups of puddles forming at some point late last night. PUDDLES!

That's not to say there is not severe and widespread damage but puddles? Really?
Link via Suds & Soliloquies.

Labor day

This is one of the first Labor days that I can recall actually being off. And so, in an effort to be still be productive, I've been pouring over Ellul's Money & Power. The book is insightful and the following excerpt not only seems appropiate but has me reeling...(From page 38 in the chapter titled wealth in the Old Testament.)

After Abraham's victory over Chedarlaomer, who had plundered Sodom and Gomorrah, all this wealth is in Abraham’s hands. The king of Sodom gives it to him.

"The king of Sodom said to Abram: 'Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself" (Gen. 14:21). Abraham answered the king of Sodom:
"I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, maker of heaven and earth,
that I would not take a thread or a sandal-thong or anything that is yours,
lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing but
what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went
with me; let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share'" (Gen. 14:22-24).

In Abraham's refusal, we see first his concern not to depend on man for wealth. The way he formulates his refusal shows that he is not acting for merely political reasons, as we too easily conclude; he does not refuse because he is afraid this gift will ally him with the king of Sodom, but because of the Lord. Because the Lord is master of heaven and earth, Abraham can accept nothing from anyone else. To receive wealth from someone else is to deny God's lordship. To try to make money by whatever means possible, to give it first place in one's affections, to extract it from work or from war, is not to recognize this lordship, which cannot be simply a comforting word but it must be an attested reality.