Rose-Colored Glasses Look Awful on You

I find the constant complaining about raising the level of civility in the USA's public discourse to be both sanctimonious and unrealistic.

We aren't talking about a debate - these aren't issues of public spending, works projects, military readiness, budgetary priorities.  The Right Wing has declared a "culture war," a nationalistic jihad, against us.  They threaten our livelihoods . . . and our lives.  There is no live and let live, here;  we "let live" - insist on respecting an inherently abhorrent worldview -  and they will kill us.  The rhetoric on their side is of murder, not public priorities. 

I know it's difficult to realize that tolerance and acceptance of differing views cannot work sometimes, but we have to come to grips with the fact that allowing some types of "expression" is destructive, and, whether we are willing to sacrifice ourselves or not, we have no right to abdicate our responsibility to protect others.  Civil debate doesn't apply when someone's trying to kill you, and only the profoundly naive can possibly believe that the ultra-neo-cons have any intention of honoring the sanctity of our lives when/if they get the power.  The Tea Partiers, and, indeed, the public face of the entire conservative political establishment, have become terrorists, murderers, and traitors, brandishing weapons and openly bragging of their intent to undo our current system of government.  Time to forget raising the level of public debate and start treating them as the treasonous criminals they are, if you care for the future of this nation and this world.

Call him MR. Williams

I will - can - no longer accept that Rowan Williams has, or ever had, a vocation to the priesthood, let alone the episcopacy. 

After pretty much everyone else in the civilized world has condemned the murder of David Kato, and even the famous American homophobes who financed the murderous regime have tried to distance themselves and pretend they are innocent, including Scott Lively (though all the sea shall not wash their dainty hands clean), even the hate-filled-orthodox names on the blogs are displaying a chagrined silence on the issue (dishonesty, thy name is "orthodite"), Rowan Williams finally . . . finally! . . . has issued one of his famous, finger-wagging missives called, laughingly, a "condemnation" in which he chooses to make an outright lie one of the centerpieces:

" Such violence has been consistently condemned by the Anglican Communion worldwide."

LIAR!!!



Well . . . It Was Bound to Happen

It ain't Rigoletto, I can tell you that!

Prayers

The subject of the death of a feline friend is one hard for me to think about, let alone broach, right now.  I've had two major scares with Katzie, and still feel a bit of obsessive concern.

However, Kelvin has lost a beloved friend, Tilly and we must offer support.

I would also offer and ask prayers for the repose of David Kato, murdered in Uganda for daring to reject the hatred and shaming of LGBT's in his country, targeted for murder by a Ugandan publication because he wouldn't lie, either about himself or God.

Prayers for the soul of Rowan Williams, allegedly an ordained minister of God, who has failed to make any condemnation of this shameful murder whilst pandering to the same mentality that brought it, all to guarantee his vision of what church politics should be.

Prayers for the quick and obscure retirement of the same Williams, and his replacement by a cleric who is more concerned with God and human welfare than with church politics and personal advancement.

Prayers for the W. G. family, staying with us this week, who come to wait for a child by induced labor which will either be stillborn or die quickly in order to save the mother's life.

Prayers for this whole murderous, heartless, blind wandering mess of DNA called humanity, who are so close, yet choose to stand afar off.

Good News

The weekend passed with no episodes of coughing, and, indeed, for it to be so cold, Katzie is very active.

We're at goal for the bills, thanks to a very generous gift from someone locally.

Thank and bless you all!

Cautiously Optimistic

Dr. Carrie ran a scope Thursday, to see if it might be polyps in the throat causing the coughing.  No polyps, but . . . swollen tonsils and a raw throat. 

Now, Katzie is on prednisone (sic) and an antibiotic.  Yesterday, there were no coughing fits.  We're watching this weekend to see how it goes, and, if the coughing is gone through meds, the ekg takes on less urgency. 

At this point, the bill stands at $392.10 and we have $150, which is a huge help in itself.

Thank you, and keep praying that this "gets" it.

Katzie Update

Sorry.  I'm not being derelict, just don't have any info.

Unlike the urinary tract problem, which was immediately identifiable, this is still a bit of a mystery.  Two different tests have definitively ruled out heart worms.  There's no evidence of a hairball, and his g.i. tract is basically cleaned out.  So, it's tests, right now. 

Shock, Grief, Anger, Confusion - Another Shamefaced Begging Session

Katzie was vomiting, hacking, gagging.  Naturally, the assumption was a hairball lodged in the g.i. tract, so x-rays, a battery of tests, enemas, laxatone, - all which I thought I could handle, but at $300, it's wiped out everything, and still more is needed. 

Katzie may, as it turns out, not have a bad hairball, but, according to x-ray, a bad heart.  I watched my mother die of congestive heart failure, so, I am in shock, terror, and absolute blackness of mind and heart.

I'm so angry at God, so angry at myself, confused because, there is still a lightness in my heart that says I'm not alone, because all of you showed me that, but a heavy, immediate, meaty feel of despair because my circumstances say, "You are alone, and there's no one out there."  God has given me so much, yet still, I need (want?) more.  I have a life I feel - so often, still - that I want God to simply switch off and end the pain.  All this brings me to a numbness - a sleepless, numbness, I might add, so forgive the wandering - punctuated by cold, soul-killing fear. 

I cannot ask you for help again, but I must, and the one thing I'm good at is pushing through to do what I cannot, even if it kills me a little bit each time. 

Please, if you will, if you can, help.  If not, pray - pray and maybe God will listen to you as He hasn't me.  Maybe, He only hears prayers made for others outside our personal circle, and my solitariness and insanity/autism/whatever has meant there are few praying. 

I'm getting maudlin and bitter at the same time.  I'll stop.

It does save time

Good Morning, Comrades!

It is another beautiful morning in the Glorious People's Tea-Party Republic of Southwest Georgia, and the colorful peasants of Albany go gaily forth to gather their daily harvest of despair.



This picture is in color.



It Would Be Pointless Here

At Bp. Andrus' blog, we find a quote about the Tunisian situation:


The Tunisian protests were galvanized by the action of one young man, Mohamed Bouazizi, who immolated himself to bring attention to the despair of many like him, who suffer from joblessness, despite high levels of education. Such an act can have great power, and can apparently move people into a “strong ties” sort of behavior, beyond the expected bounds of what friends might do for one another.

Not a joke, I actually considered public self-immolation as protest, several times in the past 4-5 months.

Seriously.

Not joking.

Hoping to get some attention for someone, even if I don't benefit.

Yet, my resolve is knocked out from under me by a recurring vision:

Afterward, there'd be shock, then some speechifying.  The liberal wing would wring it's hands, organize benefits making huge money for the coordinators and a handful of pennies to be sent somewhere overseas to benefit none of the people whose plight I was trying to draw attention to here in our own nation, completely ignoring the issues of societal reform I'd hope to point up.

Republicans would say that it wouldn't have happened if the Democrats had just made the rich richer.

Democrats would say that it's awful, just awful, and if you don't want to see more of it, re-elect a Democratic congress.

Conservative pundits would say "He was a lone nut!  This country's great - if we can get rid of fags and liberals!  Buy my book about it!"

Liberal pundits would say, "He's indicative of what we have to do to help those less fortunate by re-electing a Democratic congress.  Buy my book about it!"

Sarah Palin would laugh at the idea of someone "emolliamating" himself, and wish she'd been there with marshmallows, only to later say that, of course, she hadn't meant that it was funny or to be "immolated" by others, and it's so cruel people would keep looking at what she actually says and does and my protest was a direct liberal attack on her.

Obama would give Republicans whatever they wanted and then apologize for my "selfish and arrogantly self-righteous act."

Anyone who doesn't get money or screen time from it, ignores it and it's forgotten in a week.

And I'm dead serious about all the above.

We'll help someone we know, and a few - very valuable few - will help strangers, but we have to be honest about what kind of people we Americans are, in the main.

More Mary, Saxe-Coburg aka Windsor and a Royal Tear-jerker

For those who haven't seen it, The Lost Prince is a visually-stunning miniseries about John, the epileptic child of George V and Mary, who was hidden away most of his life, as was done with "different" children at that time.  He died at 14. 

I had forgotten this miniseries, strangely.  I guess because it was out at the time that I was going through some of my roughest problems. 

Mary, here, was played by Miranda Richardson



Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Harry Potter's own Rita Skeeter.

 George V by Tom Hollander. 

Bill Nighy played King George's Private Secretary, Lord Stamfordham.  Amusingly, Michael Gambon, who played George VI's father, George V, plays George V's father, King Edward VII. 




As The King's Speech showed, George bore a marked resemblance to his father in later life

Queen Alexandra is played by Bibi Andersson, of The Seventh Seal fame.  A standout was young Rollo Weeks as "Georgie," John's affectionate and compassionate older brother who, after an . . . interesting, but largely well-thought-of life as Duke of Kent, died in WWII in aerial combat.

It's a film about a family, not about royals.  It's told from the reference of a boy who was hidden away, perhaps developmentally disabled, and he sees family.  It is a family: 

Cousin Willy

Rockin' the helmet, Wilhelm

Cousin Nicky:

Nicholas II and George V challenging "Which is which?" after having been shuffled .

Cousin Alexei, Nicky's boy, and Cousins Olga, Tatiana, Marie, and Anastasia:

No jokes here - Alexei Nikolaivich in the final days - looking way too much like a child I've come to think of as my own son

Nicholas, Alexei, and OTMA (pet name, which the Grand Duchesses signed with, for Olga,Tatiana,Marie,Anastasia)

All show up.  Not as powerful political figures, but as family.

I confess to a soft spot for the last, helpless, useless and hapless Romanovs.  I deplore their elevation as "martyrs" to advance an ecclesial/political agenda.  They were people, and, if you look at the photos, they were so often embracing, smiling, laughing - all extremely unusual for a royal family at any time.  One of my favorite photos show Nicholas and Alexei, sitting rather inelegantly on a curb, father and son, enjoying each others' company, sunning at the beach;  Alexei is barefoot.

I guess I always was grieved that they could not have simply been the simple, loving, ordinary (and mostly-German!) family they were.  It was tragedy, all around. 

The Lost Prince shows simply a family - large and powerful, but human.  Mary and George are so painfully ill-at-ease with self-expression, so driven by propriety, but also such loving people at heart, and this comes through beautifully with Miranda Richardson and Tom Hollander.  The scene in which George is told of the Romanovs' execution/murder, conveys a man torn by grief, frustration over his inability to save them (German-born Tsarina Alexandra was rejected for asylum by a government at war with Germany), and trying very hard to maintain a capable, cool, rigid exterior. 

The love is conveyed understatedly, in a scene in which "Johnny" insists on doing a trumpet recital for his family - in the middle of war preparations. 

No unloving father would sat back down with Lloyd-George at the door, and note the suppressed pride on Mary's face, Georgie's anxiety at the reaction his brother will receive (thats future Edward VIII - a right snot - over Georgie's right shoulder), and the heartfelt weeping from Grandmother Alexandra as she remember the husband she loved, the family they've been. 

Ultimately, the grandeur, the pomp, the power, mean little.  It's the family behind it that mean something.  There's even a charming scene in which "Cousin Willy" charms and is charmed by young Johnny, who, Wilhelm realizes, sees just a family member, not the feared, disliked Kaiser.

Oh, and one more thing.  We've heard the real King's Speech.

Here's his mother and father.

For Cathy and Mimi

Who said
"I reckon Liz was a bit of a dish in her youth." 
on my post about Elizabeth and Mary and their definite resemblance;  I leave it to you.  I think she was rather pretty.

As I mentioned at Mimi's, I've got a set of encyclopedias from 1959.  Here is the photo I spoke of from the coronation, used as the "official portrait" in the 1959 World Book:

Just for giggles, here's the photo used for Prince Charles in the same entry:

Elizabeth and Phillip at the 1953 coronation:

This was before the brake between Phillip's brain and his mouth failed, I think.

Before QEII, there was Princess Elizabeth, or "Lilibet."  This is one of my favorite WWII images, and shows the attitude and action of George VI's family during the war.  Princess Elizabeth, a subaltern, mechanic and truck driver in the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service, changing a tire.

And Lilibet (can't help it . . . I feel an affection for a lady who so closely resembles my mother's side of the family) and Margaret -

with Grandmother Mary:

[I specifically chose this photo for Grandmere Mimi - as she mentioned, royal portraiture was serious business, and, though rather cold and regal in her projected image, I'm finding that Mary of Teck was a loving wife (George V took no mistresses), mother, and grandmother.  I am, in fact, now ashamed of my ignorant view of the lady, gleaned from so many unfair accounts.  This photo particularly moves me, because - given the strong resemblance to my mother's family -  if you look closely at the left side of Mary's mouth, it's quirked up in a familiar way that, with my mother and her sisters, indicated they were having a great time with whoever they were with.  For ladies born in the time of formal portraiture, that's an open-mouthed belly laugh.]

And with their mother, Elizabeth:

A Curiously Well-Thought-Out Thought from Mark

as posted at In a Godward Direction

One of the things that I've noticed - with shock - that I've not seen any comment on is the position of ABC.




The absolute deal-breaker from the start on this "global church" dealio was the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Pope, though bishop of Rome, is not always Italian, thus can contribute to a unified global church - there have been Spaniards, Germans, French, a Pole, etc.



The Archbishop of Canterbury is, and through the process of becoming Archbishop of Canterbury, must always be a citizen of the UK. At best, he/she can never be drawn from the viewpoint or practice of any other province, at worst, it's a backdoor attempt to establish a different sort of British Empire.



Anglicanism cannot be a unified global church, because its "First Among Equals" cannot represent a global position.

THEY MURDERED SIX PEOPLE, INCLUDING A 9 YEAR OLD GIRL

Sorry, folks, I just read about this. 

I'm too horrified to even give my usual "I told you this would happen." 

The murder, in cold blood, of six people is dreadful, but, I fear, only the beginning.

They are murderous, dangerous, ruthless, soulless and conscienceless.

What?  These  pictures?  Oh, that doesn't mean anything.  It's not like I'm saying Palin, or Beck, or McCain are directly responsible for the murder of a judge and a child.  Really! 

It's just pictures on a website.  Doesn't mean anything.



Ragnarok'n'roll

Ice storms, today.  Power was out for close to 8 hours. 


Hockey was bad enough, but Canada, please keep the weather.

Definitely a Windsor

I tend to compare actors to those they play, in historical films, and, as I had only seen portraits of the younger Queen Mary (wife of George V), I wanted to see Claire Bloom and compare her to an older portrait. 

Michael Gambon as George V and Claire Bloom as Queen Mary

The actual George and Mary (earlier than events of the King's Speech)

Mary, circa 1930's

Now, here's what got me, if it hasn't gotten you already.

No question to my mind who her granddaughter is:

Just take a look at the two.

A bit softened by Elizabeth Bowles-Lyons from the hardness of Mary's face, but the same features "jollified,"  as it were.

Would We Know Him, if His Blood Were Green?

Now, Nick Knisely and Entangled States is just waaay above my head.  They's powerful smart about that there scientific-machine stuff. 

I got all excited when I saw there was a thread entitled Christ of the Klingons!  That was a fairly safe thread for even my brain.  However, I noted that Kahless was the Klingon Christ, and there was no response and the brainiacs moved on.  

Granted, I don't have a doctorate nor have I been ordained, but I did have a thought which no one else bothered to challenge and pursue, which was triggered by this quote from the original article:

"'Who's going to redeem the Klingons? And they're very much in need of redemption, as we know from various Star Trek series,' Collins quips. 'God the Son, being infinite as he is, could take on the Klingon nature, human nature—you know, a Klingon version of Jesus.… So the traditional formula, which is the standard orthodoxy, is actually very compatible with the multiverse idea.'"

There's a basic problem right there. 

While I applaud Collins' open-mindedness to the possibility of other lifeforms and the Christ-nature's descent among them, he errs in assuming that Klingons have not been redeemed.  Naturally, I'm not crazy enough (or at least, the kind of crazy it takes) to believe Klingons are real, but it does raise an interesting point in our - what? - soteriocentrism? - that assumes that salvation looks to same to everyone.  To extend the fictional metaphor:  Why would salvation for Klingons involve peace, in the way we envision it?  Klingons are, by basic genetic makeup, violent and aggressive.  Kahless, however, taught Klingons the concepts of honor, open-dealing with an enemy, equity in revenge - these things brought a nobility and cohesiveness to a blood-soaked world.  They don't look like Jesus' teachings, obviously, but they bring the true nobility of the Klingon character, in it's native differences, to the surface.  It ennobles the Klingon race. 

So, in real-world terms, if we can accept the idea of a different face for Christ in other worlds, why can we not accept the idea of a different face for Christ in different faiths, lands, ethnic and racial groupings?  Why do we think that all races, all ethnicities, would have to reach "salvation" in the same pattern?  Isn't it possible that God created all of us different, quite aware of what He was doing and not just to "handicap" us in the soteriological game?  Isn't it possible that, say, to a part of the world in which subsuming self to group, family, nation is accepted as the standard way of life in order to allow warring clans and provinces to live and prosper, that salvation might - just might - take a form of a search for universal enlightenment and ego-obliteration through the discipline and self-willed practice of meditation?  Isn't it possible that, in a desert environment in which the absolute authority of one leader and submission of the person to the survival needs of the tribe determine life and death, salvation might take the form of submission to a strict law of behaviors and devotion to God through those laws?

The question is not "Does it look like Jesus?" but does it evolve, or devolve, the nature of the humans involved, or, given the human ability to corrupt and misuse the best teachings, does it have the capacity and/or intention of evolving the humans involved?

Prayers, Please

For the family of B.

They have suffered several losses over the past year - the grief drove B. to take his own life last week. 

This is why I can't -- the misery and sorrow for those left behind.  My own pain is not such that it overwhelms that, so I cannot fathom the pain he was feeling, and can only grieve that I never saw or knew what to do for it, or how I can hold this marvelous and gracious family - including B's young son -  and comfort them. 

There is a collection being taken up to defray costs for this unexpected funeral, and any overage will be given to a fund for the care and future needs of B.'s son, but I also want to protect the family's privacy.  I will have contact info, if you desire it, for giving.
My God, my God . . .

Pffffft . . .

Okay, so I contacted the Autism Center here and asked about the possibility of finding someone to officially diagnose me as either autistic or not.  The Center sent back some info and a questionnaire, which would help my regular doctor to take concerns about referring me to a specialist seriously.

The questionnaire test scale set 34 and above as indicating the probability of autism/Asperger's - I scored 43. 

Now, to get a referral and transportation, and . . . oh, wait, that's right!  Since I don't have any health insurance now, I don't need to worrry about it!!  I can't pay anyway!!!!!  Yay.  Thanks for all your tireless, selfless, spineless accommodating President Obamalamadingdong.  The public should never be given an option in a representative form of government. 

So, this again, and don't complain, 'cause it cheers me up, and nobody gives a shit anyway.

Dave Barry, I Love You

Dave Barry has a great take on 2010 in Review (though I disagree about December - $250,000/year might as well be a billion for most Americans [who don't get paid exorbitantly for their writing]). 

It begins:

"Let’s put things into perspective: 2010 was not the worst year ever. There have been MUCH worse years. For example, toward the end of the Cretaceous Period, the Earth was struck by an asteroid that wiped out 75 percent of all the species on the planet. Can we honestly say that we had a worse year than those species did? Yes we can, because they were not exposed to Jersey Shore."

Now it must be noted:  A great deal of it is in a "Libertarian" perspective - i. e., the perspective of someone who has more money than they deserve, is completely out of touch with what ordinary, real-life people have to do to survive, and thus concludes that "My lack of problems - or at least other peoples' problems -  means nobody else has any problems - at least nobody important - and I shouldn't have to pay for anyone else anyway, since I make all my money myself and all those people that buy the stuff that makes me money don't deserve anything from me!"  I do hope this isn't Dave's actual view, but, if it is, we all have to take our time growing up.

Yes,  2010 was the worst year we've had.  However, I don't have Mr. Barry's outlook on the future, so I'd qualify it:

Yes, 2010 was the worst year we've had . . . so far.