I should probably change

the title of this blog since I am obviously not dallying daily. But what the heck, since I'm the only one reading (and writing) I will just continue to carry on. Besides I don't know how to change the name and I don't have enough interest to learn. Someday I'd like to take a class on blogging. (Thinking out loud -- Why don't I call Danny Callahan and see if he would be interested in teaching one.)

I'm writing today because I couldn't think of anything else to do. It's a pretty rotten day outside, windy,overcast and about 35 degrees. Wish I had a good book to read, thought about ordering the new book by Chris Hedges. It's about the Christian right and their leading us toward a fascist state. Sounds pretty far out, but when you look at them with a critical eye it seems ver plausible. I think Hedges is one of the most insightful thinkers of our time. I read his book "War is a Force that gives us meaning" and it really says a lot about us as a nation. I have a hard time expressing how strongly I feel that our country is becoming , if it is not already, the greatest threat to peace in the world.

I'm starting a Lenten Bible study at church next Sunday. There will be the same small group if 5 or 6 that usually attend. Trying something new, I will start by passing around one or two articles I will cut out of the Oregonian (or maybe even the Times-Journal) and try to initiate a discussion of the theological or moral issues that are touched upon in the stories, hoping the class (not me) will be able to identify and discuss them. Hopefully, each following week one of the others will be asked to bring one or tow articles from the newspaper and they will be the focus of the conversation. I'm looking forward to seeing how it works out. I'll let me know!!

Enough for now

I was going to sign off but I just went back and looked over what I had written and saw something I want to say more about, the idea that our country is becoming , if it is not already, the greatest threat to peace in the world. I am often reminded of the old bumpersticker America, Love it or Leave it. It still pisses me off, why should I have to move to some strange place because I don't "love" this one. I just spent a couple of days in the town I grew up in. It's nothing like the town I grew up in because the population has probably tripled, the industries that dominated when I lived there are non-existent, having been repleaced by a lot of different stuff. I can walk and drive all over town and never see anyone I know. Yet, despite all that I still have a warm feeling in my heart for the place. I don't love it, I don't really want to live there again but I'm glad it's there and it has a place in my heart.
That's kind of the way I feel about this country, the United States. I'm not at all happy with the way it is but it is still the place I grew up in and it has a place in my heart.
One of the things I think about is maybe it's time we get past the idea of nation states. At one point in history nations may have been a political solution to provide safety and identity to disparate and desparate groups and tribes. But I am coming to believe that nation states are now a threat to bringing peace into the world. When self-interest always overwhelms communal interest, the powerless will always suffer.

Enough for now, I will write more on this in future posts.

In the meantime, go out and do something (anything!) to stop this god damn war!

If it's February 3rd

It means I haven't posted on here for 13 days. In this case I can't say that tie flew while I was having fun, I wasn't. I have had a lingering cold or flu (or whatever it is) for all of those 13 days. I swear I don't recall ever feeling so lousy for so long but then Patti says I say that everytime I get a cold. Suficise it to say I'm not yet over it completely but at least I can now get a pretty good night's sleep.

Molly Ivins died a couple of days ago. Those of you who never heard her or read her books missed one of the smartest and funniestwomen of our time. One of the eulogies that were wrttien about her called her "an acerbic satirist in the vein of Mark Twain." Nobody could describe George Bush as perfectly as she could. I will miss her wit and the style she brought to politics.

I've been watching the Democratic National Committee Annual Meeting on CSPN the last couple of days (It beats the hell out of watching a bunch of talking heads talking endlessly about the Super Bowl Game between the Colts and the Bears coming up tomorrow (finally). (BTW, I've pretty well burned out on both Pro Football and Pro Basketball, I'll stick the the pro's that don't get paid, the college games.)
Back to the DNC meeting, I've heard the speeches of 4 of the 8 declared '08 Pres. candidates . My opinions of any of them has not been changed. I can't see any possility that I would vote for a Repub over any one of the Dems. John Edwards is still my favorite. Barrack Obama was probably the best speaker at this event. He talks a lot in image and vision, which may well get him a long way but I like the way Edwards uses a language about issues that I can relate to.

I'm home alone today (I decided not to go to the BB game in Helix so Patti rode with Carol MacInnes) so I may come back and add some more to this later.

Just got a call from Patti. She reports that the Boy's lost by 3 points but that Russell had a good game. It's too bad they lost but it's a little relief for Patti and I that they will be ending the season a little sooner now. It has been a disappointing season for them, they really expected to compete for first in the League but it just didn't happen. Russell, though, really had a successful season and got lots of good experience. He began the season as a starter on the JV team and, though he suited up for varsity games didn't play too much in the first few games. After a few games he was still playing JV but was also getting increasing minutes in the varsity games. Then he graduated for a few games where he was just playing few minutes in the jv games and in all four quarters of the varsity. About 5 games ago he started in place of the senior he had been relieving and he has been a starter every since. He has been averaging about 8-10 points per game since he has been starting but once , against Arlington, he was high point scorer for the game with 14 points. Next year they are expecting big things from him and I have an idea he will deliver. Now Baseball starts in about two weeks.

Well, I was going to write about the Dems in congress and this "Non-binding Resolution against the war" they are probably going to pass. But I think that's going to have to wait. In the meantime --

It's time to bring and end to Bush's god damn war!

Peace be with you!