"The Fog" -- poem by Carl Sandburg

featured in the "Wahoo Gazette" - - David Letterman's e-newsletter for THE_LATE_SHOW (CBS entertainment-variety show): April 28th – Great Poetry Reading Day – go ahead and read it aloud. FOG BY CARL SANDBURG The fog comes On little cat feet. It sits looking Over harbor and city On silent hunches And then moves on. http://www.cbs.com/shows/late_show/wahoo_gazette/1002397/

What do President Obama in 2014 and President Eisenhower in 1960 have in common? -- Honor noted by Pres. Benino Aquino III

from WHITE HOUSE office of the press secretary -- transcript excerpt from April 28, 2014: Tonight, I have the distinct pleasure to confer the highest rank, that of Raja, or Grand Collar, on you, Mr. President, for your leadership and policies that assisted the Philippines in times of natural disaster; for helping uphold stability and peace by means of the rule of law in Southeast Asia; and for working with us to fundamentally raise the defense capacity of our country. The first of your predecessors to receive this distinction was venerable Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1960. Let us now -- may this conferment symbolize our nation’s esteem for the American people and may serve as a reminder of the mutual desire to always be partners based on the highest principles of liberty, democracy, and progress. Mr. President, our discussions today highlighted the ongoing dialogue and cooperation between our two countries as we adapt and respond to the changing circumstances and the paramount challenges of the 21st century. The world has come to realize that stability is a necessary foundation of progress and prosperity for all our peoples. Alliances are deepened not only through our shared history, but also through mutual confidence and respect, which is constantly refreshed to give new relevance and purpose to our positive, longstanding relations. We are bound by the quest to turn our shared principles of democracy, human rights and freedom into an inclusive reality not just for our respective peoples, but for all nations. Mr. President, I’ve always taken to heart that in an increasingly complex world, it is incumbent upon all of us to be part of the solution and not of the problem. From the very first meeting we had in New York in 2010 to this night, you and I -- and the members of our respective administrations -- have worked together as partners and friends, finding ways to promote common understanding and to develop meaningful solutions for a great number of our era’s dilemmas. Whether in strengthening our trade relations, security alliances and people-to-people engagements, or encouraging more nations to commit to the Open Government Partnership -- an area where the Philippines continue to innovate -- we continue to challenge ourselves to answer the pressing questions of these times: By what means can peace be sustained? Through what instruments can poverty and the effects of climate change and calamity be addressed? And to whose benefit will our mutual and collective undertakings redound? The answer, of course, lies in the maintenance and deepening of the alliance we share, whether in building a Southeast Asia that champions the rule of law, or in advancing the belief that the most certain way to prosperity is to actively seek a harmonious relationship with all nations. Mr. President, through this brief visit of yours, I am confident that you have witnessed firsthand how such values, our shared beliefs and principles, can transform a society as it has ours. . . http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/04/28/remarks-president-obama-and-president-aquino-iii-philippines-state-dinne

The March of the Living (Monday, April 29, 2014) -- from Auschwitz to Birkenau

reporting for PBS Newshour dot-org article by Justin Scuiletti (correspondent): In Poland Monday (April 29, 2014), thousands of students, among many others, marched between Auschwitz and Birkenau in memory of the millions killed during the Holocaust. The walk is part of the March of the Living, an annual program that brings youths from all around the world to the notorious death camp in Poland “to study the history of the Holocaust and to examine the roots of prejudice, intolerance and hate.” The march between the two parts of Nazi Germany’s notorious death complex occurs every year on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Since the first event in 1988, the March of the Living organizers say more than 150,000 youths have walked the path. Monday’s walk, however, also marked another somber anniversary: 70 years since the destruction of the Hungarian Jewry. Starting in April 1944, the Nazi regime began rounding up Hungarian Jews with the help of Hungarian collaborators: Beginning in April of 1944 (often during Pesach), Nazi Germany, with the help of its local Hungarian collaborators, began rounding up the Jews of Hungary, from the smallest villages, to the capital of Budapest, where one quarter of the population was Jewish. The first deportations of Hungarian Jews began on April 29, 1944, with the first transport arriving in Auschwitz-Birkenau on May 2, 1944. The last transport arrived on July 11, 1944. According to the United States Holocaust Memorial museum, 1.1 million Jews were killed at Auschwitz-Birkenau. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/thousands-march-auschwitz-birkenau-honor-killed-holocaust/

Lawsuit brought by UCC Denomination re: North Carolina Law forbiddng Clergy First Amendment Rights and Free Exercise of Religion

Details distributed via online "Alert" -- UCC dot-org : Today (Monday, April 28, 2014), the General Synod of the United Church of Christ filed a lawsuit against Officials in the State of North Carolina, arguing that the state's marriage laws violate the First Amendment rights of clergy and the principle of "free exercise of religion." In what is believed to the first-ever lawsuit by a national Christian denomination challenging a state's marriage laws, the United Church of Christ hosted a press conference this morning at one of its local North Carolina churches shortly after filing the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Charlotte, N.C. The State of North Carolina makes it a misdemeanor crime for clergy to officiate a marriage ceremony without determining whether the couple involved has a valid marriage license from the State. For those United Church of Christ clergy interested in conducting a religious marriage ceremony for same-gender couples, these clergy could be subjected to up to 120 days of jail and/or probation and community service if found guilty, since North Carolina marriage laws define and regulate marriage as being between only a man and a woman. As lead plaintiff in this lawsuit, the United Church of Christ asserts that these laws are unconstitutional and violate a minister's First Amendment rights. Amendment One and other marriage laws in North Carolina are the only laws in the country that not only limit a domestic legal union to a covenant between a man and woman, but also make it a Class 1 misdemeanor for a minister to perform a marriage ceremony for a couple that hasn't obtained a license. The UCC believes that this prohibition and penalties also apply to a minister performing a religious ceremony not intended to result in a legal marriage. This limitation on rights of ministers and others is in conflict with the UCC General Synod's "Equal Marriage Rights for All" resolution adopted in 2005. This resolution affirms "equal marriage rights for couples regardless of gender and declares that government should not interfere with couples regardless of gender who choose to marry and share fully and equally in the rights, responsibilities and commitment of legally recognized marriage."

The Pope of "exquisite openness" and the Pope of "the family"

from April 27 coverage article by Jim Yardley in New York Times dot-com: Many people also came from John Paul’s native Poland, where he is a hero for his fight against Communism. “It’s a very special day for every Pole, in particular for young people for whom John Paul II meant a new history, for our country and for Europe, as well,” said Lucasz Novak, 38, who came from northeastern Poland on a seven-day tour of holy sites in Italy. “For Poland, it’s a holy moment,” he said from St. Peter’s Square, as he used his smartphone to listen to a live broadcast of the celebration on Vatican Radio’s Polish channel. “For Catholics all over the world, it’s a holy moment. We could not not be here.” For Francis, who has emerged as a major global figure after only a year as pope, the canonization ceremony offered a stage to underscore his broad agenda of trying to bring together different Catholic factions as he prepares for two major meetings in which prelates are expected to address some of the most contentious social issues facing the church. In the days before the ceremony, however, Vatican officials had sought to dispel the political subtext of the event — that the two former popes are icons to different constituencies within the church, and that by canonizing them together, Francis was making a political statement as well as a religious one. John XXIII is a hero to many liberal Catholics for his Second Vatican Council of the early 1960s, which sought to open the church to the modern era. John Paul II is a hero to many conservative Catholics — not only for his anti-Communist heroism and personal charisma, but also because of his resistance to liberalizing elements of the church. By pairing their canonizations, Francis sought to de-emphasize their differences, many analysts said, in the service of trying to reconcile divisions within the church and finding consensus as he prepared for the meetings, known as synods, centered on the theme of family. In his homily, Francis described John XXIII as the pope of “exquisite openness,” while he called John Paul II “the pope of the family.” He said that both themes were especially relevant as the church had embarked on a “two-year journey toward the synod.”

When is the 108th Blossomtime "Grand Floral Parade"?

Saturday, May 3, 2014__________ /// 1 p.m. ______________// begins at St. Joseph, MI and continues across the Bicentennial Bridge to Benton Harbor, MI. It includes 120 units of bands, floats, antique tractors and cars, unicycle teams, equestrian units, and the famed Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Motorcycle Drill Team.

New Post-Donation Care recommendations (April 26)

You have just given an important and generous gift of your blood to someone in need, a gift that only you can give. Drink more liquids than usual and maintain a high fluid intake during the next three days; avoid consuming alcohol until you have eaten; leave the arm bandage on for at least two hours; resume normal activities in half an hour if you feel well; do not perform strenuous activities or engage in critical work where safety requires your maximum abilities; if you should develop any infectious illness within the next two days, West Nile Symptoms in the next 14 days; or if you should develop hepatitis within six months, please contact us.

Vital Statistics

Height: 5 ' 9 " Weight: 162 pounds Temperature 98.0 Fahrenheit Pulse: 83 / minute Hct (Hemiglobin): 44 Blood Pressure: 126 / 80.

"Shakespeare must be singled out. . ." -- Happy Birthday review and tribute

from Christian Science Monitor article by Gloria Godale (April 24, 2014 online): Shakespeare is so much a part of our culture today, and his influence so widespread, that even those who do not read his works are touched by his talent in the very language we use, “which still bears the marks of his genius,” points out James Bednarz, an English professor at Long Island University in New York. His works – the 38 plays (although scholars still debate the final count), as well as 154 sonnets – have been translated into more than 80 languages. They’re included in the curriculums of more than 65 percent of the planet’s schools, reaching some 64 million schoolchildren globally. Theater audiences know that Shakespeare is worth encountering. Each year in America, his works are produced at a rate easily triple the one for any other playwright, according to American Theatre magazine. Curtain Call in Stamford, Conn., is one of the small US ensembles producing a Shakespeare work this year. The troupe will mount “Twelfth Night” in a town park this summer. “Shakespeare is not really meant to be read,” sonnets aside, says Lou Ursone, Curtain Call’s executive director. “The plays were written for a mass audience, and they were done on the fly and were meant to entertain – not to become somber literature to be studied and forced down students’ throats.” To answer the question of why Shakespeare is important today, it helps to realize this was not always so, says Maggie Vinter, an assistant professor of English at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Many of the earliest references that Shakespeare’s contemporaries made to his work were negative, she says. “People like Robert Greene and Ben Jonson claimed that he stole from others, that he wrote too fast and that his plots were ridiculous,” she adds via e-mail. The cult of the Bard as it exists today took off in the 18th century, Professor Vinter notes, as much to help promote the careers of famous actors as for the virtues of his work. “So, there are good reasons to be suspicious of the claim that Shakespeare is ageless,” she says. American pioneers traveled in covered wagons with only two books, the Bible and collected works by Shakespeare. Thomas Jefferson once said, "Shakespeare must be singled out by one who wishes to learn the full powers of the English language." Love him or hate him, Shakespeare is now inescapable. Understanding Shakespeare enriches the lives of some and oppresses the experience of others – but knowing his work is essential in the way that knowing the Bible is, says Richard Finkelstein, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va. “Politicians, artists, military men and women, captains of industry, all borrow words from these texts to make arguments that further their causes,” he says via e-mail. Shakespeare was the first “psychiatrist,” says Carole Lieberman, herself a psychiatrist in Beverly Hills, Calif. She adds via e-mail, “His plays still reverberate with psychological conundrums that people experience today – from unrequited love to betrayal to suicide.”____ http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/2014/0424/Why-there-s-still-much-ado-about-Shakespeare-450-years-later-video

Should any pope be canonized as a saint? (Part of PBS - program "Religion & Ethics")

from an April 25, 2014 Show topic : Q: Should any pope be canonized? KEVIN ECKSTROM (Religion News Service): Well, it’s a good question. In the first thousand years of the church, about 80, 85 popes were made saints. In the next 900 years, just three. So now, seven of the last ten dead popes are in process of being made saints in some degree or another. And so there’s this renewed push now to make popes into saints, and that’s not always how it was done in the church. KIM LAWTON: Some people say saints are supposed to be models for real people, and so who can a pope model for except for another pope? http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2014/04/25/april-25-2014-canonization-of-pope-john-paul-ii-and-john-xxiii/22918/

Healthy Kids Day (April 26, 2014) -- afternoon at Niles-Buchanan YMCA

from Home Page (www.nb-ymca.org/ ) HEALTHY KIDS DAY 2014 This Saturday, April 26, 2014 • 1:00-4:00 p.m.! Free Community event. Everyone Welcome! Every April we help parents take on summer by taking steps to ensure that their kids stay physically and intellectually active. With summer just around the corner, there is no better time than now to begin developing a healthy routine that helps kids be healthier and sharper for when the next school year begins. Healthy Kids Day is a FREE event open to all in the community. We are planning great fun for the entire family! Healthy and delicious snacks, fun games and activities, Zumba, Kids Dance, Fit Kids, Summer My Way Camp information, Kids Night Out information, Giveaways, Inflatable Bounce house, Face painting and more!

450th Birthday of William Shakespeare -- activities in Stratford - upon - Avon -- April 26 - 27

from Shakespeares-Birthday dot-org dot- UK: 23 April 2014 will mark the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth and on the weekend of 26/27 April, Stratford-upon-Avon will be leading the world in celebrating and paying tribute to Britain’s most famous playwright and poet. Many thousands of visitors from around the globe are expected in Stratford-upon-Avon for the bumper weekend of family fun, which will include plenty of pageantry, pomp and performance. Crowds will be lining the streets of this Elizabethan market town to see actors, foreign diplomats and civic dignitaries lead the 1,000-strong grand Birthday Procession from 10:30am on Saturday 26 April. They will be followed by a lively community pageant, street entertainers and the Stratford Morris Men. Local people and visitors can join in too and walk with the pageant through the town to lay flowers on Shakespeare’s grave in the Holy Trinity Church. A splendid marquee in the Theatre Gardens will host the traditional Shakespeare Birthday Luncheon attended by eminent speakers and distinguished guests What’s more, throughout the day, the Shakespeare Birthplace trust and Royal Shakespeare Company are planning a full day of entertainment with something for everyone. There’ll be music, street entertainers, story telling, acting, stage combat and theatre make-up activities, tours of the Shakespeare houses, children’s parties, sonnet readings – and also the chance to spot the occasional famous actor.

Did Jesus Marry? -- premise of humorous Top Ten List by David Letterman (CBS Late Night Host - standup Comedian)

from Wahoo Gazette.com / TOP TEN: THINGS OVERHEARD AT JESUS' WEDDING - an ancient document analyzed by scientists, historians, and theologians suggests that Jesus was married. 10. "On His Wedding Day You'd Think He'd Shave" 9. "I Didn't Know Jesus Was So Religious" 8. "Look Out -- Here Comes The Lepers" 7. "Who Invited Judas?" 6. "Should've Used The Temple In Salt Lake City" 5. "You Think She'll Convert?" 4. "Great -- Another Day To Celebrate Jesus" 3. "This Wine Tastes Watery" 2. "Look -- Regis Is Here" 1. "I Give It A Month" http://www.cbs.com/shows/late_show/wahoo_gazette/1002358/

Lincoln and his family-- Program on Poetry, Writings (Lerna, IL Lincoln Log Cabin State Site) - April 26

April 26,2014 TIME: 2:00 p.m. in the Visitor Center Auditorium -- Abraham Lincoln and His Fascinating Family, presented by Dan Guillory (Professor Emeritus, Millikin University, Decatur, IL). In celebration of National Poetry Month, Professor Dan Guillory, author of nine books, including three on Lincoln, will present a program of poems, notes, and stories about the sixteenth president and his very interesting family on April 26, 2014 at 2:00 PM in the Visitor Center Auditorium at Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, Lerna, IL. Like all American families, the Lincolns experienced their share of tragedy and triumph. The program will focus on the following themes: Lincoln’s sense of humor, his love of Ann Rutledge and Mary Todd Lincoln, his four sons (especially Willie and Tad), and the aftermath of his assassination. Professor Guillory is the author of The Lincoln Poems (published in 2008 selected for the National Bicentennial Celebration of Lincoln’s birthday in 2009), People and Places in the Land of Lincoln (published in 2010), and HousePoems (his latest book, published in 2013). He has spoken at libraries, historical sites, colleges, and other venues throughout the state of Illinois. He is Professor Emeritus of English at Millikin University in Decatur. He and his wife Leslie reside in Shelby County. as NOTED in Abraham Lincoln Online dot-org and http://www.lincolnlogcabin.org/14events.html

Walk MS Society (May 3, 2014) -- one-mile and 2.5 mile courses at IUSB, South Bend, IN

from MS Society online web site -- Saturday, May 3, 2014 Location: Indiana University South Bend, located at 1700 Mishawaka Avenue, South Bend, IN 46615. Event Time: Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. and Walk steps off at 9:00 a.m. Route Length: Walk MS: Michiana features a one-mile and a 2.5-mile course, both with rest stops along the way. While both routes are fully accessible, walking is optional. Join us for the fellowship and fun! Event Contact: Jennifer Liddell | jennifer.liddell@nmss.org or (317) 870-2501 Volunteer Contact: Tricia Bishop | tricia.bishop@nmss.org or (317) 870-2501 Walk MS connects people living with MS and those who care about them. It is an experience unlike any other - a day to come together, to celebrate the progress we've made and to show the power of our connections. When you participate in Walk MS, the funds you raise give hope to the more than 7,500 Hoosiers living with MS throughout the state. The dollars raised support life-changing programs and cutting-edge research. Every connection counts.

Immigration Law -- local presentatiton by Pax Christi of Niles, MI

from NILESLibrary dot-com: Monday, April 21, 2014 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Rotunda of District Library, Niles, M 49120 Pax Christi of Southwestern Michigan, a peace and justice group, is sponsoring an update on the reform of national immigration law. Attorney Joseph Hughes, immigration lawyer, will be speaking to the issues of immigration and the current proposals before congress to reform immigration law. Join us at the Niles District Library on the evening of Monday, April 21 at 6:30 p.m. for current information and positions on immigration reform. All are welcome.

Community Easter Sunrise Service -- "Bringing to Life" -- YouTube w/ Dale Ryan ("The Work of the People")

When we come to the end of our resources, we aren't as resourceless as we thought. The story is not over, God insists on having the last word…and he is bringing life. Dale Ryan on God and resurrection. http://www.theworkofthepeople.com/bringing-to-life [Buchanan First United Methodist (Rob McPherson) & Buchanan First Presbyterian (Marilyn Schlimgen) - 7 a.m. Union Service]

Sat. April 19 performance of "St. Matthew Passion" (J.S. Bach) -- Berrien Springs, MI -- tickets are free

The Department of Music presents a fully-staged performance of J.S. Bach’s masterpiece, The Passion According to Matthew. Blending amazing music, probing words sung in English, and a modern staging allows for a fresh and deeply spiritual encounter with this well-known story. Produced jointly by Charles Reid, Stephen Zork and Claudio Gonzales, this performance is directed by our coordinator of vocal studies, Charles Reid, conducted by our director of choral activities, Stephen Zork, and features an all student cast of soloists, the University Singers, and the Andrews University Symphony Orchestra. Director Charles Reid remarks, “Out of the past twenty years of my international singing career, one of the genuine highlights was singing in the chorus in a Brooklyn Academy of Music production, led by acclaimed director, Jonathan Miller, of this very work. I simply cannot forget the profound impact it had on the audience and the performers. Peter Sellars, and others have also explored this approach, and it has always been a spark in the back of my mind that I hoped I could revisit someday. This is the day. I hope you will join us for this spectacular journey and come expecting to be impacted in an entirely new way.” The Passion According to Matthew http://howard.andrews.edu/#event31166 April 19, 2014 7:00 P.M. -- No Tickets Required at Howard Performing Arts Center, Campus of Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI -- southwest Michigan private college campus

Hop into Healthy, Swing into Shape (2014 Egg Roll Event) -- April 21, 2014

For further details go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/eastereggroll -- 136 Years of Fun On Monday, April 21st, 2014, the First Family will host the 136th annual White House Easter Egg Roll. This year’s theme is “Hop into Healthy, Swing into Shape,” and more than 30,000 people will assemble on the South Lawn to join in the fun. The event will feature live music, sports courts, cooking stations, storytelling and, of course, Easter egg rolling. In addition to all of the fun, the day’s activities will encourage children to lead healthy, active lives in support of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative.

April 26 Blood Drive -- Niles-Buchanan YMCA

Save the day. Donate blood. The South Bend ( IN ) Medical Foundation will set up blood drives throughout the year. It’s a great way to save the lives of others and only takes minutes of your time. Mark one of the following dates on your calendar and give the gift of life! Saturday, April 26th 12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m. Contact Website -- www.givebloodnow.com/

Can you answer historical riddles to locate Easter Eggs? -- Best Hunting Location (CNN rating)

www.cnn.com/ Feature story at online website: The Easter Egg Hunt (Provins, France) This French Easter egg hunt takes place in the historic town of Provins, in the shadow of its spectacular castle. About 7,500 chocolate eggs are hidden throughout the town. Participants must answer a series of historical riddles to find the chocolate eggs, which are then doled out by locals in medieval dress. The Easter Egg Hunt, Provins Tourist office, Chemin de Villecran; April 20-21, 2014; 2-5 p.m. http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/17/travel/easter-egg-hunts/index.html?hpt=hp_bn10

At 9:02 a.m. on Anniversary of April 19, 1995 bombing of Murrah Federal Building, Oklahoma City

from OK City news media: Our state will pause to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever on the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing this weekend. Oklahomans will never forget the day 19 years ago, April 19, 1995. Before the anniversary is marked Saturday, volunteers are preparing their own tribute Friday, April 18, 2014. Oklahoma Christian University students and staff are posting 168 Oklahoma and U.S. flags on the school’s front lawn. The “Ralph and Maxine Harvey Field of Flags” is a dual tribute to those affected by the bombing of the Murrah federal building 19 years ago and to those in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Oklahoma Christian is also one of the only sites in the world to have Survivor Trees grown from seeds from the Survivor Tree at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. Family, friends and fellow Oklahomans will gather at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum downtown to mark the 19th remembrance ceremony. There will be 168 seconds of silence to remember those lost in the bombing at 9:02 a.m. Friends and family will read the names of those lost and Governor Mary Fallin will also be part of the anniversary.

Late April observances -- Dates for 2014

from Religious Calendar -- Center for Spiritual and Ethical Formation online -- April 23, 2014 Saint George's Day (Christianity) This day commemorates Saint George, one of the most prominent military saints. As patron saint of England, Greece, Russia, Ethiopia, Palestine and Portugal (among others), Saint George's Day is observed throughout the world and in different fashions, including flying Saint George's Cross Flag and participating in parades. April 27, 2014 (begins at sundown) Yom HaSho'ah, Holocaust Remembrance Day (Judaism) Commencing in 1953, Yom HaSho'ah is a remembrance day for the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. Many Jewish communities hold solemn ceremonies on this day. In Israel, Yom HaSho'ah is a national memorial day, where a state ceremony is held, flags are flown at half staff, and those who have perished are recognized with a moment of silence.

Holy Friday -- the Orthodox observation of Friday in Holy Week

from "Religious Calendar" - Center for Spiritual and Ethical Formation online - April 18, 2014 Holy Friday (Orthodox Christianity) Holy Friday commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion. In the Orthodox tradition, special services are held that revisit removing the Body of Christ from the Cross and entombing him. Occasionally, pilgrimages are made to Jerusalem, and processions are held that follow the route that Jesus took to his crucifixion.

Snow -- mid-April 2014

Local Weather Conditions (Michigan Live dot-com): Hour-by-Hour™ Weather - NILES 8 p.m. Eastern Time Zone Snow Flurries 34° http://www.mlive.com/weather/index.ssf?niles-mi

White House Easter Prayer Breakfast (Monday 14 April 2014) -- Obama Food-o-Rama

from April 11, 2014 posting on Google Blogger Mr. Obama will host his annual Easter Prayer breakfast on Monday, April 14th, the White House also announced on Friday. He is expected to be joined by religious leaders from across the nation. http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2014/04/president-obama-to-host-white-house.html

44 year ago on this date in History -- Apollo 13 explosion

as noted in NY TIMES dot-com e-notification of headlines: On April 13, 1970, Apollo 13, four-fifths of the way to the moon, was crippled when a tank containing liquid oxygen burst. (The astronauts managed to return safely.)

Further safety measures for 2014 Boston Marathon final two miles to finish line area

from ABC News coverage (April 12, 2014): Boston officials have announced improved public safety measures for the final two miles of the 2014 Boston Marathon on April 21, a year after two explosions near the finish line killed three people and wounded more than 260 others. Mayor Martin Walsh and Police Commissioner William Evans on Saturday (April 12, 2014) said more uniform and undercover officers will be deployed along the marathon's Boston route. Authorities also have installed more than 100 cameras along the Boston portion, together with 50 observation points that will help monitor the crowd. Thirteen ambulances will be deployed, together with 140 emergency medical service workers on foot patrol, bicycles, utility vehicles and in medical tents. Officials urge spectators to leave backpacks, strollers and other large items at home. http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/boston-announces-marathon-public-safety-measures-23305131

On Easter 1939 (April 9) -- one woman's songs helped lead to a post-racist America

OPINION piece for McGlatchey News Service: It was 75 years ago that Marian Anderson gave her famous outdoor performance at the Lincoln Memorial. The concert, known today as the "Freedom Concert," occurred on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1939. It was a moment of great symbolic importance for racial progress in the United States. Marian Anderson, born in Philadelphia in 1897, was a child prodigy as a vocalist. She trained at an early age with the legendary Italian voice teacher Giuseppe Boghetti. Anderson so impressed Boghetti that he allowed her to sing in the New York Philharmonic when she was still a teenager. He also took Anderson to Europe to sing, where her reputation only grew larger. By 1936, Anderson was so well known that President Franklin Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt invited Anderson to sing at the White House. It was Eleanor Roosevelt who played a major role for Anderson three years later in the Freedom Concert. That landmark day all began when Anderson's manager, Sol Hurok, and Howard University sought to arrange a concert for her at Constitution Hall in Washington. However, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the organization that owned the venue, refused to permit it. The hall did not allow black artists to perform and also had segregated seating arrangements. Constitution Hall was Jim Crow Hall. Eleanor Roosevelt, an ambivalent member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, denounced the organization and resigned publicly. She then worked to help arrange Anderson's concert at the Lincoln Memorial. She wanted the event to draw attention to racism as a national issue. The concert became a major statement against racial prejudice. Some 300 prominent individuals signed up as sponsors for the event. Actress Katherine Hepburn, unable to attend, famously sent a telegram announcing her support and sponsorship. Justices from the U.S. Supreme Court attended the performance, as did members of Congress. Secretary of Interior Harold L. Ickes granted permission for the concert. He also introduced Anderson, saying: "In this great auditorium under the sky, all of us are free. When God gave us this wonderful outdoors and the sun, the moon and the stars, he made no distinction of race, or creed, or color." The concert drew an unprecedented 75,000 people, half of which were African-American. The crowd was so large it almost encircled the reflecting pool. With Eleanor Roosevelt's intervention, NBC radio decided to broadcast the performance so millions more could hear it. Anderson began the concert with a stirring rendition of "America." She sang "Ave Maria," among other numbers. And she closed with "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen." OPINION : A landmark Easter concert 75 ago" by Brian Gilmore

Coptic Fragment (. . .Jesus' wife. . .) -- Dr. Karen King of Harvard Univ. translation and provenance

from Publicity Posting (Harvard dot-edu): After nearly 18 months of controversy and accusations of forgery, a fragment of parchment labeled by Divinity School Professor Karen L. King as the “Gospel of Jesus’s Wife” has now been dated to approximately the eighth century, according to an article published on Thursday (April 10, 2014) in the Harvard Theological Review. The fragment, which is only a few inches in length, contains several words in Coptic, an ancient language of Egyptian Christians, that translate to, “Jesus said to them, my wife.” The next line reads, “She will be able to be my disciple,” according to King’s translation. King said that she obtained the piece from an anonymous donor in 2011 and originally believed that the fragment was torn from the middle of a larger papyrus dating back the fourth century. The donor, who, King said, still wishes to remain anonymous, said that he or she does not know the origin of the artifact, but bought the piece along with other papyri many years before contacting King. When she presented her finding in Rome a year later, King said that many critics, including the Vatican and other academics, claimed the artifact was a forgery. Though the fragment turned out to be nearly 400 years younger than King first predicted, she said that the current dating estimate of the piece at 741 C.E. still places it within the ancient world. She added that she has never claimed that the piece proves that Jesus had a wife, but rather that it indicates that early Christian thinkers or writers were discussing the role of women in Christianity. "The main topic of the fragment is to affirm that women who are mothers and wives can be disciples of Jesus—a topic that was hotly debated in early Christianity as celibate virginity increasingly became highly valued," King said in a statement Thursday. Some scholars still question the authenticity of the piece even after MIT and Columbia University dated the papyrus to be from around the eighth century, and an investigation of the ink by Macquarie University revealed that there are no clear signs of forgery in the handwriting. Leo Depuydt, an Egyptologist at Brown University, published an article in the Harvard Theological Review alongside King’s piece critiquing her analysis of the piece. Depuydt pointed to grammatical mistakes in the artifact that he said would not have likely been made by a native writer of Coptic. He also noted similarities between King’s artifact and the writing of the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas, which might indicate that the fragment is part of a copy of the Gospel of Thomas.

Friday's apology from Pope Francis -- statement at Vatican (April 11, 2014)

from Religious News Service coverage -- NCR online -- National Catholic Reporter -- In his strongest personal remarks yet on the clergy sex abuse scandal, Pope Francis on Friday asked forgiveness "for the damage" abusive priests have inflicted on children and pledged that the Catholic church "will not take one step backward" in efforts to address the crisis. "I feel compelled to personally take on all the evil that some priests -- quite a few in number, though not compared to the total number -- and to ask for forgiveness for the damage they have done by sexually abusing children," Francis said. "The church is aware of this damage," he said. "It is personal and moral damage, but carried out by men of the church. And we do not want to take one step backward in dealing with this problem and the sanctions that must be imposed. On the contrary, I believe that we have to be very firm. Because you cannot take chances with children!" The pope's remarks were in an unscripted addition to a speech he was giving to the International Catholic Child Bureau, a French Catholic network that works to promote the rights of children. His comments were seen as a further effort to counter the criticism he has received for not addressing the clerical abuse crisis as quickly and aggressively as he has other issues. http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/pope-apologizes-clerical-sex-abuse-promises-tough-sanctions

Honor Former PRISONERS OF WAR -- national day (April 9, 2014) -- White House Proclamaton

from White House Press Office (April 8, 2014): A PROCLAMATION Since the earliest days of our Republic, the brave men and women of our Armed Forces have answered the call to serve. They have put their lives on the line for our Nation, and many have sacrificed their own freedom to safeguard ours. On National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, we honor those who stood up, took an oath, put on the uniform, and faced immeasurable challenges far from home. These patriots often suffered physical and mental torture during captivity. Many endured starvation and isolation, not knowing when or if they would make it safely back to our shores. Families experienced days, months, and sometimes years of uncertainty, but they showed remarkable strength that mirrored the grit of their loved ones through long stretches of imprisonment. These warriors rendered the highest service any American can offer our country -- they fought and sacrificed so that we might live in peace, security, and prosperity. Today, we are solemnly reminded of our responsibility to care for those who have borne these burdens for us. We recommit to honoring that sacred obligation -- to serving our former prisoners of war, our veterans, and their families as well as they have served us. With unyielding pride and unending gratitude, let us fulfill our promises to the courageous heroes of generations past, to this generation of veterans, and to all who will follow. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 9, 2014, as National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day. I call upon all Americans to observe this day of remembrance by honoring all American prisoners of war, our service members, and our veterans, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/04/08/presidential-proclamation-national-former-prisoner-war-recognition-day-2

Passover (April 14 week) Seder Table at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., D.C. -- Obama Food-o-rama posting

http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/ -- Wed. April 9, 2014 -- Washington, DC - The Jewish celebration of Passover begins on Monday, April 14th, and President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are expected to welcome family and friends for a large seder at some point during the week, as they have annually since 2009. For the closed-press presidential celebrations, the White House chefs create a menu of traditional favorites from beloved recipes offered by the Obamas' guests, who include family friends, advisors, and aides. Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses adds some of his own treats, too: In 2012 and 2013, Yosses made Apricot Sponge Cake; his recipe for the simple jelly-roll style cake is reprinted below. An embroidery on a classic Jewish recipe, Yosses' cake uses matzoh cake meal, potato starch, egg whites, dried apricots, sugar, roasted hazelnuts, orange and apricot juices, and spices. The apricots must be soaked overnight, so there is pre-prep time required. A 17” x 12” jelly roll pan, a food processor or a blender, and parchment paper are needed. The Obama Pesach menus in past years have included chicken soup with matzoh balls, braised beef brisket, potato kugel, carrot soufflé, and matzoh chocolate cake, as well as piles of matzoh, hard boiled eggs, bitter herbs and charoset. Kosher wine is poured, and the seder is typically served buffet style in the Old Family Dining Room. Mr. Obama and his guests have each year used the Maxwell House Haggadah for the re-telling of the story of the Jewish journey from slavery to freedom. http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2014/04/from-president-obamas-seder-table-white.html

Hand-knitted scarves sought by "Old South" Church, Boston for 2014 Marathon

from UCC dot-org (Monday April 7 posting): Written by Emily Schappacher From California to Maine – and even all the way from France, England and Germany – members and friends of the United Church of Christ sent hand-knitted scarves by the thousands to the steps of Boston's Old South Church UCC. From this outpouring of support, Old South Church has nearly 5,500 scarves to distribute to runners of this year's Boston Marathon during its Blessing of the Athletes services on April 20, 2014. Each scarf, knitted on behalf of the Marathon Scarf Project, will wrap runners in love, hope and prayers on the first anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing, a day when love, hope and prayers will most certainly be needed. "Originally, we had hoped for a few hundred," said the Rev. Nancy Taylor, senior minister of Old South Church UCC. "This project has engendered an extraordinary abundance of friendships, good will, healing, and delight in each other and each other's creations. And, not least, knitters are talkers. As needles clip and scarves lengthen, they share their lives, their stories, their fears and hopes. Out of terror: beauty." Posts on Old South Church's social media sites indicate that scarves were shipped from nearly every state in the U.S. Other denominations, including the Episcopal Church, the United Methodists and the American Baptists, participated as well. The number of scarves arriving at Old South Church grew rapidly every day – 75 scarves on March 14, 700 on March 27, 1,263 on March 31, 3,206 on April 3, to a grand total of 5,357 on Saturday, April 5, the project's soft deadline. Taylor still expects more scarves will arrive in the coming days of April. Members of Old South Church and the Boston community were touched beyond words when a group of firefighters from Burlington, Mass., hand delivered scarves to the church on April 3 after attending memorial services for fellow firefighters Michael Kennedy and Edward Walsh, Jr., who were killed fighting a fire in Boston's Back Bay area on March 26. "They were in Boston grieving the deaths of their brothers. But before they left, they dropped off marathon scarves, still wearing their uniforms…words fail us," a post on Old South Church's Facebook page read. Countless UCC churches participated in this initiative, inspired by the Synod Scarf Project, which encouraged UCC members to send handmade rainbow-colored scarves to General Synod 2013 in Long Beach, Calif., as a stand against the bullying of LGBT youth. McFarland UCC in McFarland, Wis., UCC Stoughton, in Stoughton, Mass., Barrington Congregational Church UCC in Barrington, R.I., Immanuel UCC in Wright City, Mo., and First Congregational Church of Salem, in Salem, N.H., were just a few of the churches to contribute scarves to the cause. Twelve people from St. Anthony Park UCC in St. Paul, Minnesota, knitted and sent 20 scarves to Old South Church. Led by children of the congregation wearing the scarves, the church conducted a blessing of the scarves on Sunday, March 30, during which they offered prayers of comfort and hope, wrapped in the promises of Easter, to the work of Old South Church and to the world. "Until I read about the scarf project, I did not know of Old South's proximity to the finish line, nor was I aware of its rich tradition of blessing the runners," said Lynne Krehbiel-Breneman, member of St. Anthony Park UCC who coordinated her church's participation. "Being part of that ministry and offering our congregation a tangible way to connect, in love, with sadness and hope, particularly this anniversary year and on Easter, spoke to me. To give hope and to bring healing seemed important." The Marathon Scarf Project is one of several ways Old South Church will recognize the bombing's first anniversary. On April 8, the church conducted a memorial installation of the blue and gold banners that overlooked the marathon's finish line the day of the bombing, as well as the peace cranes that were delivered to Old South Church from Newtown (Conn.) Congregational Church in the bombing's aftermath. These items will be displayed until April 22. On April 15, the church will hold a service of Remembrance and Hope with music, prayers, readings and reflection. http://www.ucc.org/news/Boston-Marathon-Scarf-Project-04072014.html?utm_source=kyp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=kyp040814 Each scarf will be presented to a runner at Old South Church's annual Blessing of the Athletes during two services on Sunday, April 20, the day before the marathon, which also falls on Easter Sunday. "Who knew that with skeins of wool and a lot of needles you could literally knit the world together?" Taylor said. "I didn't. But I am now a believer. I have come to believe in the power of wool and knitters."

To sing in praise of "Lazarus Saturday" -- April 12 this year -- Orthodox Wiki lyrics

Hymns Troparion (Tone 1) By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your passion, You did confirm the universal Resurrection, O Christ God! Like the children with the palms of victory, We cry out to You, O Vanquisher of death; Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord! Kontakion (Tone 2) Christ the Joy, the Truth and the Light of all, The Life of the World and the Resurrection Has appeared in His goodness to those on earth. He has become the Image of our Resurrection, Granting divine forgiveness to all! Lazarus Saturday is a paschal celebration. The liturgy of Lazarus Saturday glorifies Christ as the Resurrection and the Life who, by raising Lazarus, has confirmed the universal resurrection of mankind, even before his own suffering and death. This liturgy is the only time in the Church year that the resurrectional service of Sunday is celebrated on another day. As such, one does not kneel during time of the consecration of the Holy gifts. Lazarus Saturday was once among the few great baptismal days in the ecclesiastical year. At the Divine Liturgy of Lazarus Saturday the baptismal verse from Galatians: As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27) replaces the Thrice-Holy Hymn. ORTHODOX WIKI (main article)

Be Kind to the Earth -- Recycle, Reduce, Reuse -- Electronics and other material (April 19, 2014) - Niles MI Library parking lot

Community members, businesses and residents from surrounding communities are encouraged to recycle their unwanted electronic items at The Niles District Library. The event will be located at the 620 E Main St. Niles, MI 49120 on Saturday, April 19 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.____________________ Green Earth Electronics Recycling will be operating the event. Accepted items include computers, laptops, smart phones, monitors, TVs, telephones, cameras, DVD players, cords/cables, printers, toner cartridges, cell phones, refrigerators, air conditioners, appliances and any other electronic items or items with a cord. A hazardous waste fee will be collected for CRT monitors ($5) and tube TVs ($10). Efficiency UNITED will be offering rebate incentives to customers of a participating utility provider (Indiana Michigan Power, South Haven Public Works, Dowagiac Electric) when they recycle a working refrigerator, freezer, dehumidifier, or room AC ($30 rebate for working refrigerators and freezers/$15 rebate for working dehumidifiers and room AC units).____________________ An Efficiency UNITED representative will at the event collecting customer information and rebates will be mailed after information is submitted and processed. All other items are recycled free of charge. All hard drives are wiped to Department of Defense specifications or shredded. All businesses are encouraged to preregister by emailing pickup@greenearth1.com or calling Green Earth Electronics, headquartered in St. Joseph, is a company whose focus is to keep unwanted electronics out of the landfill by using the best practices in information destruction and recycling. They are a registered as a recycler with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Their services include corporate and institutional pickups as well as community drop-off events. For more information please visit www.GreenEarth1.com or email pickup@GreenEarth1.com. To contact Niles District Library visit www.nileslibrary.com or call (269) 683-0075. CONTACT: Green Earth Electronics Recycling, 269-326-1232

Fundraiser for local hunger and homelessness (Berrien County: Buchanan area, Michigan)

from local church online posting of recent spring 2014 fundraising details: ___________________ E M P T Y B O W L S _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ SOUP AND CHILI SUPPER AND POTTERY SALE FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2014 4-7 P.M. BUCHANAN MIDDLE SCHOOL 610 W. 4th Street, Buchanan Michigan TICKET donation is $5.00 ADULT $3.00 CHILDREN MIDDLE SCHOOL OR YOUNGER___________________________ All profits will be donated to Redbud Area Ministries’ Food Pantry to Help Fight Hunger!

Nelson Mandela's Impact on Peacemaking and Statecraft -- S. African Ambassador to USA -- April 8, 2014 at 4 - 5:30 p.m.

from ND events -- 20th Annual Hesburgh Lecture in Ethics and Public Policy: "Relic of the Past or Template for the Future? Nelson Mandela's Impact on Peace-Making and Statecraft in the 21st Century," featuring Ebrahim Rasool, South Africa's Ambassador to the United States Where: Hesburgh Center for International Studies, Univ. of Notre Dame Campus Cost: Free and open to the public See: http://kroc.nd.edu/news-events/events/2014/04/08/1625 20th Annual Hesburgh Lecture in Ethics & Public Policy featuring Ebrahim Rasool, South Africa's Ambassador to the United States.

In memory of the 1,000,000 lives lost in Rwandan genocide -- Memorial Mass 5:15 p.m. April 7, 2014

The Notre Dame Campus Ministry is sponsoring a genocide memorial mass at Sacred Heart Basilica on the University of Notre Dame campus on Monday April 7. There will also be a commemoration "Kwibulaka20" at 2:30 p.m. on April 26, featuring activist and author Edouard Kayihura. He will share his survivor testimony at McKenna Hall.

Discussion about Bach's "St. Matthew's Passion" (round-table) - Andrews University Dept. of Music - April 6, 3 p.m.

Host is Andrews University (Seventh-Day Adventist related) of Berrien Spring, Michigan USA Department -- event is free and it precedes the April 18 and 19, 2014 performances at Howard Performing Arts Center also on Campus. The mid-afternoon event will take place in the Buller Hall Student Lounge; the classical piece tells the story of the suffering and death of Christ according to the Gospel of St. Matthew (New Testament). For further information call (269) - 605-3438. Also available is Concert details at howard.andrews.edu/ Both concerts on the Good Friday and Holy Saturday weekend are free and open to the public; ticket reservations are not required.

100th Anniversary of Charlie Chaplin's THE_LITTLE_TRAMP - local art theatre free showing for History of Cinema

CHARLIE CHAPLIN: 100th Anniversary of THE LITTLE TRAMP Free Viewings of Silent Classics (Three Oaks, Michigan - Berrien County) 04/04/ 2014 Saturday 12:00 - 3:00 pm 12:00 p.m. KID AUTO RACES AT VENICE 11 min., Feb. 1914; 1:00 p.m. THE ROUNDERS 16 min, Sept 1914; 2:00 p.m. HIS MUSICAL CAREER 16 min., Nov. 1914; 3:00 p.m. DOUGH & DYNAMITE 33 min., Oct. 1914. Vickers Theatre 6 North Elm Street Three Oaks, MI 49128 269-756-49128 www.vickerstheatre.com

April is "Donate Life" -- Organ Donation organization

National Donate Life Month 2014 National Donate Life Month (NDLM) was instituted by Donate Life America (telephone = 804.377.3580) and its partnering organizations in 2003. Celebrated in April each year, NDLM features an entire month of local, regional, and national activities to help encourage Americans to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and to celebrate those that have saved lives through the gift of donation. For the 2014 National Donate Life Month artwork, the Donate Life America team was inspired by springtime and the symbol of a flying kite. Spring is a season of new life that calls to mind the many men, women and children whose lives have been saved or healed by organ, eye and tissue donation. Likewise, the kite is an image that appeals to all ages, genders and nationalities and is often associated with hope and celebration. http://donatelife.net/april2014/