from PRESIDENT's weekly YouTube and radio address :
After the worst recession since the Great Depression, our economy is growing again, and we’ve gained almost 2 million private sector jobs over the last 13 months. But I also know that a lot of folks aren’t feeling as positive as some of those statistics might suggest. It’s still too hard to find a job. And even if you have a job, chances are you’re having a tougher time paying the rising costs of everything from groceries to gas. In some places, gas is now more than $4 a gallon, meaning that you could be paying upwards of $50 or $60 to fill up your tank.
Of course, while rising gas prices mean real pain for our families at the pump, they also mean bigger profits for oil companies. This week, the largest oil companies announced that they’d made more than $25 billion in the first few months of 2011 – up about 30 percent from last year.
Now, I don’t have a problem with any company or industry being rewarded for their success. The incentive of healthy profits is what fuels entrepreneurialism and helps drives our economy forward. But I do have a problem with the unwarranted taxpayer subsidies we’ve been handing out to oil and gas companies – to the tune of $4 billion a year. When oil companies are making huge profits and you’re struggling at the pump, and we’re scouring the federal budget for spending we can afford to do without, these tax giveaways aren’t right. They aren’t smart. And we need to end them.
That’s why, earlier this week, I renewed my call to Congress to stop subsidizing the oil and gas industries. Understand, I’m not opposed to producing oil. I believe that if we’re serious about meeting our energy challenge, we need to operate on all cylinders, and that means pursuing a broad range of energy policies, including safe and responsible oil production here at home. In fact, last year, America’s oil production reached its highest level since 2003.
But I also believe that instead of subsidizing yesterday’s energy, we should invest in tomorrow’s – and that’s what we’ve been doing. Already, we’ve seen how the investments we’re making in clean energy can lead to new jobs and new businesses. I’ve seen some of them myself – small businesses that are making the most of solar and wind power, and energy-efficient technologies; big companies that are making fuel-efficient cars and trucks part of their vehicle fleets. And to promote these kinds of vehicles, we implemented historic new fuel-economy standards, which could save you as much as $3,000 at the pump.
Now, I know that in this tough fiscal environment, it’s tempting for some in Washington to want to cut our investments in clean energy. And I absolutely agree that the only way we’ll be able to afford the things we need is if we cut the things we don’t, and live within our means. But I refuse to cut things like clean energy that will help America win the future by growing our economy and creating good-paying jobs; that will help make America more secure; and that will help clean up our planet in the process. An investment in clean energy today is an investment in a better tomorrow. And I think that’s an investment worth making. . .
www.whitehouse.gov/
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Will the Obamas travel to Great Britain this year? Yes -- next month (news posted at Obama Food-o-rama blog)
The President and Mrs. Obama travel to London for a state visit with the bridegroom's mother, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, on Tuesday, May 24 through Thursday May 26. They will be staying at Buckingham Palace during the visit.
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2011/04/white-house-congratulates-royal-couple.html
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2011/04/white-house-congratulates-royal-couple.html
A Wedding Sermon for a New Married Couple (including a prayer they wrote together)
"Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire."
So said St Catherine of Siena whose festival day this is. Marriage is intended to be a way in which man and woman help each other to become what God meant each one to be, their deepest and truest selves.
Many people are fearful for the future of today’s world but the message of the celebrations in this country and far beyond its shores is the right one – this is a joyful day! It is good that people in every continent are able to share in these celebrations because this is, as every wedding day should be, a day of hope.
In a sense every wedding is a royal wedding with the bride and groom as king and queen of creation, making a new life together so that life can flow through them into the future.
William and Catherine, you have chosen to be married in the sight of a generous God who so loved the world that he gave himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ.
In the Spirit of this generous God, husband and wife are to give themselves to each other.
The spiritual life grows as love finds its centre beyond ourselves. Faithful and committed relationships offer a door into the mystery of spiritual life in which we discover this: the more we give of self, the richer we become in soul; the more we go beyond ourselves in love, the more we become our true selves and our spiritual beauty is more fully revealed. In marriage we are seeking to bring one another into fuller life.
It is of course very hard to wean ourselves away from self-centredness. People can dream of such a thing but that hope should not be fulfilled without a solemn decision that, whatever the difficulties, we are committed to the way of generous love.
You have both made your decision today – “I will” – and by making this new relationship, you have aligned yourselves with what we believe is the way in which life is spiritually evolving, and which will lead to a creative future for the human race.
We stand looking forward to a century which is full of promise and full of peril. Human beings are confronting the question of how to use wisely the power that has been given to us through the discoveries of the last century. We shall not be converted to the promise of the future by more knowledge, but rather by an increase of loving wisdom and reverence, for life, for the earth and for one another.
Marriage should transform, as husband and wife make one another their work of art. It is possible to transform so long as we do not harbour ambitions to reform our partner. There must be no coercion if the Spirit is to flow; each must give the other space and freedom. Chaucer, the London poet, sums it up in a pithy phrase:
"Whan maistrie [mastery] comth, the God of Love anon,
Beteth his wynges, and farewell, he is gon."
As the reality of God has faded from so many lives in the West, there has been a corresponding inflation of expectations that personal relations alone will supply meaning and happiness in life. This is to load our partner with too great a burden. We are all incomplete: we all need the love which is secure, rather than oppressive. We need mutual forgiveness in order to thrive.
As we move towards our partner in love, following the example of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is quickened within us and can increasingly fill our lives with light. This leads on to a family life which offers the best conditions in which the next generation can receive and exchange those gifts which can overcome fear and division and incubate the coming world of the Spirit, whose fruits are love and joy and peace.
I pray that all of us present and the many millions watching this ceremony and sharing in your joy today will do everything in their power to support and uphold you in your new life. I pray that God will bless you in the way of life you have chosen. That way which is expressed in the prayer that you have composed together in preparation for this day:
God our Father, we thank you for our families; for the love that we share and for the joy of our marriage.
In the busyness of each day keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life and help us to be generous with our time and love and energy. Strengthened by our union help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Posted at BISHOP of LONDON's website (Richard Chartres) --
www.london.anglican.org/SermonList
So said St Catherine of Siena whose festival day this is. Marriage is intended to be a way in which man and woman help each other to become what God meant each one to be, their deepest and truest selves.
Many people are fearful for the future of today’s world but the message of the celebrations in this country and far beyond its shores is the right one – this is a joyful day! It is good that people in every continent are able to share in these celebrations because this is, as every wedding day should be, a day of hope.
In a sense every wedding is a royal wedding with the bride and groom as king and queen of creation, making a new life together so that life can flow through them into the future.
William and Catherine, you have chosen to be married in the sight of a generous God who so loved the world that he gave himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ.
In the Spirit of this generous God, husband and wife are to give themselves to each other.
The spiritual life grows as love finds its centre beyond ourselves. Faithful and committed relationships offer a door into the mystery of spiritual life in which we discover this: the more we give of self, the richer we become in soul; the more we go beyond ourselves in love, the more we become our true selves and our spiritual beauty is more fully revealed. In marriage we are seeking to bring one another into fuller life.
It is of course very hard to wean ourselves away from self-centredness. People can dream of such a thing but that hope should not be fulfilled without a solemn decision that, whatever the difficulties, we are committed to the way of generous love.
You have both made your decision today – “I will” – and by making this new relationship, you have aligned yourselves with what we believe is the way in which life is spiritually evolving, and which will lead to a creative future for the human race.
We stand looking forward to a century which is full of promise and full of peril. Human beings are confronting the question of how to use wisely the power that has been given to us through the discoveries of the last century. We shall not be converted to the promise of the future by more knowledge, but rather by an increase of loving wisdom and reverence, for life, for the earth and for one another.
Marriage should transform, as husband and wife make one another their work of art. It is possible to transform so long as we do not harbour ambitions to reform our partner. There must be no coercion if the Spirit is to flow; each must give the other space and freedom. Chaucer, the London poet, sums it up in a pithy phrase:
"Whan maistrie [mastery] comth, the God of Love anon,
Beteth his wynges, and farewell, he is gon."
As the reality of God has faded from so many lives in the West, there has been a corresponding inflation of expectations that personal relations alone will supply meaning and happiness in life. This is to load our partner with too great a burden. We are all incomplete: we all need the love which is secure, rather than oppressive. We need mutual forgiveness in order to thrive.
As we move towards our partner in love, following the example of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is quickened within us and can increasingly fill our lives with light. This leads on to a family life which offers the best conditions in which the next generation can receive and exchange those gifts which can overcome fear and division and incubate the coming world of the Spirit, whose fruits are love and joy and peace.
I pray that all of us present and the many millions watching this ceremony and sharing in your joy today will do everything in their power to support and uphold you in your new life. I pray that God will bless you in the way of life you have chosen. That way which is expressed in the prayer that you have composed together in preparation for this day:
God our Father, we thank you for our families; for the love that we share and for the joy of our marriage.
In the busyness of each day keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life and help us to be generous with our time and love and energy. Strengthened by our union help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Posted at BISHOP of LONDON's website (Richard Chartres) --
www.london.anglican.org/SermonList
Who was the previous "Duke of Cambridge"?
This royal title was announced on April 29 as the wedding is underway (bestowed by William Wales' grandmother = Elizabeth II). Here's info from BBC
The last Duke of Cambridge, like Prince William, married a commoner for love. Prince George, known as the 2nd Duke of Cambridge, was born in 1819. He was a grandson of George III and the only son of Prince Adolphus Frederick, the 1st Duke of Cambridge.
The last Duke of Cambridge, like Prince William, married a commoner for love. Prince George, known as the 2nd Duke of Cambridge, was born in 1819. He was a grandson of George III and the only son of Prince Adolphus Frederick, the 1st Duke of Cambridge.
Are the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge and families really that religious (Discussion CHAT comment & reply)?
from WASHINGTONPOST -com forum
What God Hath Joined Together...
A lot of religious references in the Westminster Abbey ceremony -- are the Prince and his bride particularly religious people?
– April 29, 2011 10:24 AM asked at this website
http://live.washingtonpost.com/royal-wedding-planning-sarah-haywood.html?hpid=z2
A.Sarah Haywood :
I believe that they are. Obviously, the groom's grandmother is the head of the Church of England and one day he will be the head of the Church of England. I believe she is a Christian as well, and they wrote their own prayers - the one that talked about being thankful for their families.
What God Hath Joined Together...
A lot of religious references in the Westminster Abbey ceremony -- are the Prince and his bride particularly religious people?
– April 29, 2011 10:24 AM asked at this website
http://live.washingtonpost.com/royal-wedding-planning-sarah-haywood.html?hpid=z2
A.Sarah Haywood :
I believe that they are. Obviously, the groom's grandmother is the head of the Church of England and one day he will be the head of the Church of England. I believe she is a Christian as well, and they wrote their own prayers - the one that talked about being thankful for their families.
American Idol "bottom three" -- is the "Time to Sweat Out" who goes home "real"?
TV Discussion chat (sponsored each Friday at Washingtonpost online)
Are the final three who are held out as "next to go home" really the bottom three vote-getters? It seemed odd that when the three were shown at 8:55 p.m. thursday on FOX American Idol that maybe they were just put out there due to some sort of "shuffling" for audience and TV viewer squirming? Since the sorted voted results are never released to press scrutiny, doesn't Ryan Seacrest's remark about ("in random order") seem a bit weird or surreal? Thanks for your point of view on this hyped season and the maybe not-so-predictable outcomes of those voted off the show.
– April 29, 2011 11:08 AM submitted by TJ -- Niles, Michigan trs5678 @ att.net
A.Lisa de Moraes :
Not at all....you can decide which question that answer goes with, I'm just answering in random order...They clearly mixed it up this week because even they are bored iwth seeing the same people in the Bottom 3 week after week: Haley, Jacob and whoever gets booted. I liked that we were left with Scotty and Casey on stage and frankly don't care whether it did or did not mean Scotty got the second fewest votes (though I'm guessing he did not). I just wanted to see Scotty sweat, just once during this show -- and they made my wish come true...for which I am grateful..
http://live.washingtonpost.com/lisa-de-moraes-110429.html
Are the final three who are held out as "next to go home" really the bottom three vote-getters? It seemed odd that when the three were shown at 8:55 p.m. thursday on FOX American Idol that maybe they were just put out there due to some sort of "shuffling" for audience and TV viewer squirming? Since the sorted voted results are never released to press scrutiny, doesn't Ryan Seacrest's remark about ("in random order") seem a bit weird or surreal? Thanks for your point of view on this hyped season and the maybe not-so-predictable outcomes of those voted off the show.
– April 29, 2011 11:08 AM submitted by TJ -- Niles, Michigan trs5678 @ att.net
A.Lisa de Moraes :
Not at all....you can decide which question that answer goes with, I'm just answering in random order...They clearly mixed it up this week because even they are bored iwth seeing the same people in the Bottom 3 week after week: Haley, Jacob and whoever gets booted. I liked that we were left with Scotty and Casey on stage and frankly don't care whether it did or did not mean Scotty got the second fewest votes (though I'm guessing he did not). I just wanted to see Scotty sweat, just once during this show -- and they made my wish come true...for which I am grateful..
http://live.washingtonpost.com/lisa-de-moraes-110429.html
Decision: Shuttle ENDEAVOUR will not proceed with launch (12:31 p.m. Friday 4/29/2011)
as received by NEWS e-mail from www.washingtonpost.com/
Breaking News Alert: NASA calls off launch of space shuttle Endeavour
April 29, 2011 12:31:24 PM
----------------------------------------
NASA has called off Friday’s launch of space shuttle Endeavour because of a technical problem.
EDIT (4 p.m. Eastern) this notice from another of the media cyber-universe :
It's been delayed 48 hours -- www.washingtonpost.com/
Breaking News Alert: NASA calls off launch of space shuttle Endeavour
April 29, 2011 12:31:24 PM
----------------------------------------
NASA has called off Friday’s launch of space shuttle Endeavour because of a technical problem.
EDIT (4 p.m. Eastern) this notice from another of the media cyber-universe :
It's been delayed 48 hours -- www.washingtonpost.com/
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Will Endeavour launch April 29 or not? -- Storm may interfere (late news on Thursday April 28)
from NASA dot-gov posting:
Storm Possiblity Delays RSS Retract
Thu, 28 Apr 2011 05:38:38 PM EDT
In anticipation of a storm that is predicted to pass over NASA Kennedy Space Center this evening, technicians at Launch Pad 39A will delay the opening of the rotating service structure (RSS) away from space shuttle Endeavour until approximately 8:30 p.m. EDT. Teams currently have begun support work that normally occurs following the RSS move, which allows the countdown to continue as planned to support Friday's 3:47 p.m. launch.
Storm Possiblity Delays RSS Retract
Thu, 28 Apr 2011 05:38:38 PM EDT
In anticipation of a storm that is predicted to pass over NASA Kennedy Space Center this evening, technicians at Launch Pad 39A will delay the opening of the rotating service structure (RSS) away from space shuttle Endeavour until approximately 8:30 p.m. EDT. Teams currently have begun support work that normally occurs following the RSS move, which allows the countdown to continue as planned to support Friday's 3:47 p.m. launch.
Archbishop Rowan Williams asks questions : Couple who will marry answer this way (Rite of Marriage)
from BBC World News story (transcript):
Here is the full Solemnization of Marriage conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Archbishop to Prince William: William Arthur Philip Louis, wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together according to God's law in the holy estate of matrimony?
Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?
He answers: I will.
Archbishop to Catherine: Catherine Elizabeth, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together according to God's law in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?
She answers: I will.
The Archbishop continues: Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?
The Archbishop receives Catherine from her father's hand. Taking Catherine's right hand, Prince William says after the Archbishop: I, William Arthur Philip Louis, take thee, Catherine Elizabeth to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.
They loose hands. Catherine, taking Prince William by his right hand, says after the Archbishop: I, Catherine Elizabeth, take thee, William Arthur Philip Louis, to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.
They loose hands. The Archbishop blesses the ring: Bless, O Lord, this ring, and grant that he who gives it and she who shall wear it may remain faithful to each other, and abide in thy peace and favour, and live together in love until their lives' end. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prince William takes the ring and places it upon the fourth finger of Catherine's left hand. Prince William says after the Archbishop: With this ring I thee wed; with my body I thee honour; and all my worldly goods with thee I share: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
The congregation remains standing as the couple kneels. The Archbishop says: Let us pray.
O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, giver of all spiritual grace, the author of everlasting life: send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy name; that, living faithfully together, they may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, whereof this ring given and received is a token and pledge; and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Archbishop joins their right hands together and says: Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder.
The Archbishop addresses the congregation: Forasmuch as William and Catherine have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be man and wife together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
The Archbishop blesses the couple: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you; and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen.
Here is the full Solemnization of Marriage conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Archbishop to Prince William: William Arthur Philip Louis, wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together according to God's law in the holy estate of matrimony?
Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?
He answers: I will.
Archbishop to Catherine: Catherine Elizabeth, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together according to God's law in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?
She answers: I will.
The Archbishop continues: Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?
The Archbishop receives Catherine from her father's hand. Taking Catherine's right hand, Prince William says after the Archbishop: I, William Arthur Philip Louis, take thee, Catherine Elizabeth to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.
They loose hands. Catherine, taking Prince William by his right hand, says after the Archbishop: I, Catherine Elizabeth, take thee, William Arthur Philip Louis, to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.
They loose hands. The Archbishop blesses the ring: Bless, O Lord, this ring, and grant that he who gives it and she who shall wear it may remain faithful to each other, and abide in thy peace and favour, and live together in love until their lives' end. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prince William takes the ring and places it upon the fourth finger of Catherine's left hand. Prince William says after the Archbishop: With this ring I thee wed; with my body I thee honour; and all my worldly goods with thee I share: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
The congregation remains standing as the couple kneels. The Archbishop says: Let us pray.
O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, giver of all spiritual grace, the author of everlasting life: send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy name; that, living faithfully together, they may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, whereof this ring given and received is a token and pledge; and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Archbishop joins their right hands together and says: Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder.
The Archbishop addresses the congregation: Forasmuch as William and Catherine have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be man and wife together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
The Archbishop blesses the couple: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you; and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen.
Happy Birthday -- Harper Lee turns 85 (today April 28, 2011)
from Writer's Almanac (Garrison Keillor list serv: Minnesota Public Radio)
Today is the birthday of the woman whose one and only novel begins ordinarily enough: 'When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.' The rest of the book, To Kill a Mockingbird (1960), is concerned with the events leading up to Jem's broken arm. Nelle Harper Lee (1926) was born in Monroeville, Alabama, and she was named after her grandmother Ellen -- 'Nelle' is 'Ellen' spelled backward. She was a tomboy, and her father was a lawyer, and so they shared some similarities with her characters, Scout and Atticus Finch. Her mother rarely left the house, because she suffered from mental illness, and young Nelle befriended -- and often defended -- fellow kindergartener and next-door neighbor Truman Persons. They didn't have much in common apart from family problems and a love of reading, but they became best friends.
At first Nelle thought she might follow in her father's footsteps, and so she entered law school. But after the first year, she realized she wanted to be a writer, 'the Jane Austen of south Alabama,' as she put it. She moved to New York in 1949, when she was 23, and renewed her acquaintance with Truman Persons, who now went by the name Truman Capote. She also made friends with a Broadway composer and his wife, who eventually offered to support her for a year so that she could devote her time to writing. Three years later, she had finished her novel. The opening line of the Washington Post review read, 'A hundred pounds of sermons on tolerance, or an equal measure of invective deploring the lack of it, will weigh far less in the scale of enlightenment than a mere 18 ounces of new fiction bearing the title To Kill a Mockingbird.'
She came to Capote's aid once again in 1960, when he went to Kansas to investigate the murders of a small-town family of four. His flamboyant demeanor didn't endear him to the locals, and she was the first to gain their trust. She took volumes of notes on the community, the crime, and the killers, and turned them all over to Truman, but although he dedicated In Cold Blood (1966) to her, he denied her significant contribution to the book.
Lee gave her last interview in 1964, saying that she never expected the success of her novel, and that she was having trouble writing her second. She lives a quiet, private life divided between New York and Monroeville.
Today is the birthday of the woman whose one and only novel begins ordinarily enough: 'When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.' The rest of the book, To Kill a Mockingbird (1960), is concerned with the events leading up to Jem's broken arm. Nelle Harper Lee (1926) was born in Monroeville, Alabama, and she was named after her grandmother Ellen -- 'Nelle' is 'Ellen' spelled backward. She was a tomboy, and her father was a lawyer, and so they shared some similarities with her characters, Scout and Atticus Finch. Her mother rarely left the house, because she suffered from mental illness, and young Nelle befriended -- and often defended -- fellow kindergartener and next-door neighbor Truman Persons. They didn't have much in common apart from family problems and a love of reading, but they became best friends.
At first Nelle thought she might follow in her father's footsteps, and so she entered law school. But after the first year, she realized she wanted to be a writer, 'the Jane Austen of south Alabama,' as she put it. She moved to New York in 1949, when she was 23, and renewed her acquaintance with Truman Persons, who now went by the name Truman Capote. She also made friends with a Broadway composer and his wife, who eventually offered to support her for a year so that she could devote her time to writing. Three years later, she had finished her novel. The opening line of the Washington Post review read, 'A hundred pounds of sermons on tolerance, or an equal measure of invective deploring the lack of it, will weigh far less in the scale of enlightenment than a mere 18 ounces of new fiction bearing the title To Kill a Mockingbird.'
She came to Capote's aid once again in 1960, when he went to Kansas to investigate the murders of a small-town family of four. His flamboyant demeanor didn't endear him to the locals, and she was the first to gain their trust. She took volumes of notes on the community, the crime, and the killers, and turned them all over to Truman, but although he dedicated In Cold Blood (1966) to her, he denied her significant contribution to the book.
Lee gave her last interview in 1964, saying that she never expected the success of her novel, and that she was having trouble writing her second. She lives a quiet, private life divided between New York and Monroeville.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Shuttle Endeavour (Captain Mark Kelly) -- launch to be witnessed Friday April 29 by many
www.washingtonpost.com/ coverage of White House announcement (Monday April 25)
Obama to attend launch of shuttle Endeavour
By Perry Bacon Jr.
President Obama will attend the final scheduled launch of the space shuttle Endeavour at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral on April 29.
The shuttle’s six-person crew is led by Mark Kelly, the husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), who was wounded in a mass shooting in Tucson in January. Giffords is likely to attend the launch as well, according to the Orlando Sentinel, which first reported the news about Obama’s trip.
Obama’s trip will come as the U.S. government is ending its shuttle program this year as part of budget cuts. Endeavour is making its last flight to the International Space Station; the shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to launch on June 28 for the program’s final mission.
Obama to attend launch of shuttle Endeavour
By Perry Bacon Jr.
President Obama will attend the final scheduled launch of the space shuttle Endeavour at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral on April 29.
The shuttle’s six-person crew is led by Mark Kelly, the husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), who was wounded in a mass shooting in Tucson in January. Giffords is likely to attend the launch as well, according to the Orlando Sentinel, which first reported the news about Obama’s trip.
Obama’s trip will come as the U.S. government is ending its shuttle program this year as part of budget cuts. Endeavour is making its last flight to the International Space Station; the shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to launch on June 28 for the program’s final mission.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
At Jerusalem Holy site (Church of Holy Sepulchre) -- Estimated 10,000 worship at Rite of Holy Fire (April 24)
from Jerusalem Post story (www.jpost.com/ )
The ceremony is the holiest event for the Orthodox Christian sects, as evident in the heavy presence of Greek, Russian, Armenian, Coptic and Syrian Christians, with some Catholics also visible in the crowd.
As the anticipant believers – many of whom had been in the complex since the early morning – waited behind police barriers keeping the groups apart and the pathways free for the clergymen, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theofilos III, accompanied by a senior Armenian priest, exited the Edicule, a small structure within the church marking Jesus’s grave, with burning candles.
These were used to light three more candles borne by young men – one who sprinted to light the candle of a senior clergyman, and the other two, who touched the candles outstretched by the believers, whistling and yelling their enthusiasm as bells began to toll and the air became thick with smoke.
Burning candles will also be flown out to Orthodox communities throughout the world.
The faithful believe that it is through divine intervention that the first flame comes to life – much like Jesus did at the same spot a day after his crucifixion, marked by Saturday’s midnight Easter Mass.
“This was fantastic,” beamed Sambart, a physician from Armenia, who was one of the young men ensuring ahead of the ceremony that the Armenians received the meters of church space that were their due. It is his fourth time in Jerusalem for the ceremony.
“Everyone must see it,” he said. “I feel stronger.”
Other people swiftly passed a hand through the fire burning on their multi-wicked candles, then wiped their faces and heads. “I feel clean, pure, like I was just born,” another man from Russia said.
To Andrew, a member of a group of Russian Orthodox Christians from Belarus who was attending the Holy Fire for the first time, “the fire represents that life prevails over death,” and “the ceremony shows the unity of the Orthodox Church.”
Tensions between different Greek and Armenian Orthodox Christians have in the past climaxed in fights within the church, which is run by a status- quo committee composed of members of those churches as well as Roman Catholics.
Copts, Assyrians and Ethiopians Orthodox also bear certain rights to the building, which contains various chambers built, destroyed and rebuilt since the fourth century, when the site was destined a church.
But on Sunday, the peace was well kept between the laymen of these groups, although there was the inevitable vying for a better view of the ceremonial action. Policemen heavily deployed throughout the church, carrying small fireextinguishers on their backs, ensured that none of the enthused pilgrims went beyond their destined limits, and the entire ceremony was broadcast live throughout the world.
The ceremony is the holiest event for the Orthodox Christian sects, as evident in the heavy presence of Greek, Russian, Armenian, Coptic and Syrian Christians, with some Catholics also visible in the crowd.
As the anticipant believers – many of whom had been in the complex since the early morning – waited behind police barriers keeping the groups apart and the pathways free for the clergymen, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theofilos III, accompanied by a senior Armenian priest, exited the Edicule, a small structure within the church marking Jesus’s grave, with burning candles.
These were used to light three more candles borne by young men – one who sprinted to light the candle of a senior clergyman, and the other two, who touched the candles outstretched by the believers, whistling and yelling their enthusiasm as bells began to toll and the air became thick with smoke.
Burning candles will also be flown out to Orthodox communities throughout the world.
The faithful believe that it is through divine intervention that the first flame comes to life – much like Jesus did at the same spot a day after his crucifixion, marked by Saturday’s midnight Easter Mass.
“This was fantastic,” beamed Sambart, a physician from Armenia, who was one of the young men ensuring ahead of the ceremony that the Armenians received the meters of church space that were their due. It is his fourth time in Jerusalem for the ceremony.
“Everyone must see it,” he said. “I feel stronger.”
Other people swiftly passed a hand through the fire burning on their multi-wicked candles, then wiped their faces and heads. “I feel clean, pure, like I was just born,” another man from Russia said.
To Andrew, a member of a group of Russian Orthodox Christians from Belarus who was attending the Holy Fire for the first time, “the fire represents that life prevails over death,” and “the ceremony shows the unity of the Orthodox Church.”
Tensions between different Greek and Armenian Orthodox Christians have in the past climaxed in fights within the church, which is run by a status- quo committee composed of members of those churches as well as Roman Catholics.
Copts, Assyrians and Ethiopians Orthodox also bear certain rights to the building, which contains various chambers built, destroyed and rebuilt since the fourth century, when the site was destined a church.
But on Sunday, the peace was well kept between the laymen of these groups, although there was the inevitable vying for a better view of the ceremonial action. Policemen heavily deployed throughout the church, carrying small fireextinguishers on their backs, ensured that none of the enthused pilgrims went beyond their destined limits, and the entire ceremony was broadcast live throughout the world.
Civil War Anniversary -- 150 years ago -- Proclamation by President Barack Obama
Presidential Proclamation section of WWW.whitehouse.GOV/
On April 12, 1861, artillery guns boomed across Charleston Harbor in an attack on Fort Sumter. These were the first shots of a civil war that would stretch across 4 years of tremendous sacrifice, with over 3 million Americans serving in battles whose names reach across our history. The meaning of freedom and the very soul of our Nation were contested in the hills of Gettysburg and the roads of Antietam, the fields of Manassas and the woods of the Wilderness. When the terrible and costly struggle was over, a new meaning was conferred on our country's name -- the United States of America. We might be tested, but whatever our fate might be, it would be as one Nation.
The Civil War was a conflict characterized by legendary acts of bravery in the face of unprecedented carnage. Those who lived in these times -- from the resolute African American soldier volunteering his life for the liberation of his fellow man to the determined President secure in the rightness of his cause -- brought a new birth of freedom to a country still mending its divisions.
On this milestone in American history, we remember the great cost of the unity and liberty we now enjoy, causes for which so many have laid down their lives. Though America would struggle to extend equal rights to all our citizens and carry out the letter of our laws after the war, the sacrifices of soldiers, sailors, Marines, abolitionists, and countless other Americans would bring a renewed significance to the liberties established by our Founders. When the guns fell silent and the fate of our Nation was secured, blue and gray would unite under one flag and the institution of slavery would be forever abolished from our land.
As a result of the sacrifice of millions, we would extend the promise and freedom enshrined in our Constitution to all Americans. Through the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, we would prohibit slavery and indentured servitude, establish equal protection under the law, and extend the right to vote to former slaves. We would reach for a more perfect Union together as Americans, bound by the collective threads of history and our common hopes for the future.
We are the United States of America -- we have been tested, we have repaired our Union, and we have emerged stronger. As we respond to the critical challenges of our time, let us do so as adherents to the enduring values of our founding and stakeholders in the promise of a shared tomorrow.
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 12, 2011, as the first day of the Civil War Sesquicentennial. I call upon all Americans to observe this Sesquicentennial with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor the legacy of freedom and unity that the Civil War bestowed upon our Nation.
On April 12, 1861, artillery guns boomed across Charleston Harbor in an attack on Fort Sumter. These were the first shots of a civil war that would stretch across 4 years of tremendous sacrifice, with over 3 million Americans serving in battles whose names reach across our history. The meaning of freedom and the very soul of our Nation were contested in the hills of Gettysburg and the roads of Antietam, the fields of Manassas and the woods of the Wilderness. When the terrible and costly struggle was over, a new meaning was conferred on our country's name -- the United States of America. We might be tested, but whatever our fate might be, it would be as one Nation.
The Civil War was a conflict characterized by legendary acts of bravery in the face of unprecedented carnage. Those who lived in these times -- from the resolute African American soldier volunteering his life for the liberation of his fellow man to the determined President secure in the rightness of his cause -- brought a new birth of freedom to a country still mending its divisions.
On this milestone in American history, we remember the great cost of the unity and liberty we now enjoy, causes for which so many have laid down their lives. Though America would struggle to extend equal rights to all our citizens and carry out the letter of our laws after the war, the sacrifices of soldiers, sailors, Marines, abolitionists, and countless other Americans would bring a renewed significance to the liberties established by our Founders. When the guns fell silent and the fate of our Nation was secured, blue and gray would unite under one flag and the institution of slavery would be forever abolished from our land.
As a result of the sacrifice of millions, we would extend the promise and freedom enshrined in our Constitution to all Americans. Through the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, we would prohibit slavery and indentured servitude, establish equal protection under the law, and extend the right to vote to former slaves. We would reach for a more perfect Union together as Americans, bound by the collective threads of history and our common hopes for the future.
We are the United States of America -- we have been tested, we have repaired our Union, and we have emerged stronger. As we respond to the critical challenges of our time, let us do so as adherents to the enduring values of our founding and stakeholders in the promise of a shared tomorrow.
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 12, 2011, as the first day of the Civil War Sesquicentennial. I call upon all Americans to observe this Sesquicentennial with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor the legacy of freedom and unity that the Civil War bestowed upon our Nation.
211 years ago (1800) -- establishment of Library of Congress -- Writer's Almanac daily entry
from Listserv sent by Garrison Keillor, Minnesota Public Radio dot-org/
On April 24 in 1800, the Library of Congress was established. In a bill that provided for the transfer of the nation's capital from Philadelphia to Washington, Congress included a provision for a reference library containing 'such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress -- and for putting up a suitable apartment for containing them therein ...' The library was housed in the Capitol building, until British troops burned and pillaged it in 1814. Thomas Jefferson offered as a replacement his own personal library: nearly 6,500 books, the result of 50 years' worth of 'putting by everything which related to America, and indeed whatever was rare and valuable in every science.'
First opened to the public in 1897, the Library of Congress is now the largest library in the world. It houses more than 144 million items, including 33 million catalogued books in 460 languages; more than 63 million manuscripts; the largest rare book collection in North America; and the world's largest collection of films, legal materials, maps, sheet music, and sound recordings.
On April 24 in 1800, the Library of Congress was established. In a bill that provided for the transfer of the nation's capital from Philadelphia to Washington, Congress included a provision for a reference library containing 'such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress -- and for putting up a suitable apartment for containing them therein ...' The library was housed in the Capitol building, until British troops burned and pillaged it in 1814. Thomas Jefferson offered as a replacement his own personal library: nearly 6,500 books, the result of 50 years' worth of 'putting by everything which related to America, and indeed whatever was rare and valuable in every science.'
First opened to the public in 1897, the Library of Congress is now the largest library in the world. It houses more than 144 million items, including 33 million catalogued books in 460 languages; more than 63 million manuscripts; the largest rare book collection in North America; and the world's largest collection of films, legal materials, maps, sheet music, and sound recordings.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Today is the anniversary of Shakespeare's birthday/death (mini-biography)
from the WRITER's ALMANAC (Garrison Keillor listserv -- Minnesota Public Radio)
Today is traditionally held to be the birthday of William Shakespeare, who was baptized on April 26, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. He left behind no personal papers; so much of what we know, or think we know, about him comes to us from public and court documents, with a fair measure of inference and speculation. We do know that his father John was a glove maker and alderman, and his mother, Mary Arden, was a landed heiress. William's extensive knowledge of Latin and Greek likely came from his education at the well-respected local grammar school. That was the extent of his formal education, which has led to hundreds of years of conspiracy theories disputing the authorship of his plays, since many found it unbelievable that he could have written so knowledgeably about history, politics, royalty, and foreign lands on a grammar school education. Various figures, such as Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, the 17th Earl of Oxford, and even Queen Elizabeth I, have been put forward as possible -- though unproven -- ghost writers.
We know that he married the older -- and pregnant -- Anne Hathaway when he was 18 and she was 26, and she gave birth to a daughter, Judith, six months later. Twins Hamnet and Judith followed two years after that, and son Hamnet died at age 11. It's speculated that his son's death hit Shakespeare hard, because he began to write Hamlet soon afterward.
He moved to London around 1588 -- possibly to escape deer-poaching charges in Stratford -- and began a career as an actor and a playwright. By 1594, he was also managing partner of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, a popular London theater troupe. He was popular in his lifetime, but his popularity didn't rise to the level that George Bernard Shaw referred to as 'bardolatry' until the 19th century.
In 1611, he retired to Stratford and made out his will, leaving to his wife, Anne, his 'second-best bed.' He died on or around his birthday in 1616, and was buried in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Stratford, leaving a last verse behind as his epitaph: 'Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbeare / to dig the dust enclosed here. / Blessed be the man who spares these stones, / and cursed be he who moves my bones.'
Though biographical details may be sketchy, his literary legacy is certain. He wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and a couple of epic narrative poems. He created some of the most unforgettable characters ever written for the stage, and shifted effortlessly between formal court language and coarse vernacular. The Oxford English Dictionary credits him with coining 3,000 new words, and has contributed more phrases and sayings to the English language than any other individual.
Today is traditionally held to be the birthday of William Shakespeare, who was baptized on April 26, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. He left behind no personal papers; so much of what we know, or think we know, about him comes to us from public and court documents, with a fair measure of inference and speculation. We do know that his father John was a glove maker and alderman, and his mother, Mary Arden, was a landed heiress. William's extensive knowledge of Latin and Greek likely came from his education at the well-respected local grammar school. That was the extent of his formal education, which has led to hundreds of years of conspiracy theories disputing the authorship of his plays, since many found it unbelievable that he could have written so knowledgeably about history, politics, royalty, and foreign lands on a grammar school education. Various figures, such as Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, the 17th Earl of Oxford, and even Queen Elizabeth I, have been put forward as possible -- though unproven -- ghost writers.
We know that he married the older -- and pregnant -- Anne Hathaway when he was 18 and she was 26, and she gave birth to a daughter, Judith, six months later. Twins Hamnet and Judith followed two years after that, and son Hamnet died at age 11. It's speculated that his son's death hit Shakespeare hard, because he began to write Hamlet soon afterward.
He moved to London around 1588 -- possibly to escape deer-poaching charges in Stratford -- and began a career as an actor and a playwright. By 1594, he was also managing partner of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, a popular London theater troupe. He was popular in his lifetime, but his popularity didn't rise to the level that George Bernard Shaw referred to as 'bardolatry' until the 19th century.
In 1611, he retired to Stratford and made out his will, leaving to his wife, Anne, his 'second-best bed.' He died on or around his birthday in 1616, and was buried in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Stratford, leaving a last verse behind as his epitaph: 'Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbeare / to dig the dust enclosed here. / Blessed be the man who spares these stones, / and cursed be he who moves my bones.'
Though biographical details may be sketchy, his literary legacy is certain. He wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and a couple of epic narrative poems. He created some of the most unforgettable characters ever written for the stage, and shifted effortlessly between formal court language and coarse vernacular. The Oxford English Dictionary credits him with coining 3,000 new words, and has contributed more phrases and sayings to the English language than any other individual.
Islamic Center (Dearborn, Michigan) wins round against Qur'an burning pastor Terry Jones of FL
posted at M-Live dot-com (article coverage of Detroit area event on April 22, 2011):
A Florida pastor's planned demonstration outside a Michigan mosque was scuttled Friday after a jury determined the protest would constitute a breach of the peace and he was briefly jailed for refusing to pay what authorities called a "peace bond."
The Rev. Terry Jones, whose past rhetoric against Muslims has inflamed anti-Western sentiment in Afghanistan, said he refused to pay the $1 bond because to do so would violate his freedom of speech. He later paid it and was released.
Jones had planned a demonstration Friday evening outside the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit that is home to one of the largest Muslim communities in the nation. An estimated 30,000 people in Dearborn, about a third of the city's population, trace their roots to the Middle East.
Prosecutors worried the protest would lead to violence and asked Dearborn District Judge Mark Somers to intervene. Somers conducted a one-day jury trial to determine whether Jones would pose a threat to peace. They did, and Somers then ordered Jones and an associate to post the bond to ostensibly cover the costs of police protection.
While largely symbolic, the bond also came with conditions that included a prohibition on Jones from going to the mosque or the adjacent property for three years.
Somers said he spoke to the jury after they reached their verdict and they told him they were concerned with the "time, place and manner and not the content of the speech."
But Robert Sedler, a constitutional law professor at Wayne State University, called the entire proceedings unconstitutional. He said the U.S. Supreme Court has found that it's the job of the police to protect speakers at such events and said it is unconstitutional to require protesters to post a bond for police protection.
"What basis did the state have for arguing that they would breach the peace?" Sedler said. "It's a matter of First Amendment requirement: The government can't stop a speaker from speaking because of danger from a hostile crowd."
The state law allowing a judge to require a bond "for preservation of public peace" originally dates to 1846. As recently as 1999, the state Court of Appeals upheld it as constitutional in a case involving feuding neighbors who sought peace bonds against each other.
A burning of the Quran in March at Jones' church in Gainesville, Fla., led to a series of violent protests in Afghanistan that killed more than a dozen people. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said fears that Jones could incite violent counter-protests led them to court.
"These proceedings were solely about public safety. This was never about prohibiting free speech or fearing rioting but about a situation that could potentially place the public in danger in Dearborn," Worthy said.
A Florida pastor's planned demonstration outside a Michigan mosque was scuttled Friday after a jury determined the protest would constitute a breach of the peace and he was briefly jailed for refusing to pay what authorities called a "peace bond."
The Rev. Terry Jones, whose past rhetoric against Muslims has inflamed anti-Western sentiment in Afghanistan, said he refused to pay the $1 bond because to do so would violate his freedom of speech. He later paid it and was released.
Jones had planned a demonstration Friday evening outside the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit that is home to one of the largest Muslim communities in the nation. An estimated 30,000 people in Dearborn, about a third of the city's population, trace their roots to the Middle East.
Prosecutors worried the protest would lead to violence and asked Dearborn District Judge Mark Somers to intervene. Somers conducted a one-day jury trial to determine whether Jones would pose a threat to peace. They did, and Somers then ordered Jones and an associate to post the bond to ostensibly cover the costs of police protection.
While largely symbolic, the bond also came with conditions that included a prohibition on Jones from going to the mosque or the adjacent property for three years.
Somers said he spoke to the jury after they reached their verdict and they told him they were concerned with the "time, place and manner and not the content of the speech."
But Robert Sedler, a constitutional law professor at Wayne State University, called the entire proceedings unconstitutional. He said the U.S. Supreme Court has found that it's the job of the police to protect speakers at such events and said it is unconstitutional to require protesters to post a bond for police protection.
"What basis did the state have for arguing that they would breach the peace?" Sedler said. "It's a matter of First Amendment requirement: The government can't stop a speaker from speaking because of danger from a hostile crowd."
The state law allowing a judge to require a bond "for preservation of public peace" originally dates to 1846. As recently as 1999, the state Court of Appeals upheld it as constitutional in a case involving feuding neighbors who sought peace bonds against each other.
A burning of the Quran in March at Jones' church in Gainesville, Fla., led to a series of violent protests in Afghanistan that killed more than a dozen people. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said fears that Jones could incite violent counter-protests led them to court.
"These proceedings were solely about public safety. This was never about prohibiting free speech or fearing rioting but about a situation that could potentially place the public in danger in Dearborn," Worthy said.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Storms, hail, and security slow Holy Land pilgrims carrying the cross on Good Friday
online version of VANCOUVER Sun Newspaper -- story posted Friday April 22
Thousands of Christian pilgrims braved storms, hail and heavy security in Jerusalem’s Old City to pray along the route tradition holds Jesus took to his crucifixion on Good Friday.
As part of the Good Friday ceremonies, the faithful descend onto the Old City to walk the Via Dolorosa, or Way of Suffering, the route tradition says Jesus carried the cross on which he was to be crucified by the Romans.
Latin Patriarch Fuad Twal, the Catholic Church’s representative in the Holy Land, led an early morning procession, beginning at the Monastery of Flagellation, where Jesus was beaten, mocked and crowned with thorns.
Later in the morning, other denominations walked the same route that follows the narrow often climbing street and the 14 stations of the cross along its way, including where Jesus met his mother, fell several times, was helped in carrying the cross, and met the lamenting women of Jerusalem. The procession ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built over the sites where Christians believe Christ was crucified and buried.
However, heavy Israeli security — with police setting up road blocks and metal barriers — prevented many from reaching the sacred shrine. "We were late and now all the ways into the church are blocked off," said Degratias Shumbusho, a 54-year-old Catholic pilgrim from Tanzania. "It is the first time I’ve been here and maybe the last as I won’t be able to afford it again," he said.
"Seeing the Church is what brought me here. It’s the backbone of Christianity. Maybe we will get in tomorrow," he said, the disappointment evident on his face.
Israeli forces routinely limit the number of worshippers allowed into the church over the Easter weekend, fearing crowd control issues in the flashpoint Holy City.
Others, who made it in, hailed the spiritual experience. "This is the best day of my life," said Milan Ivanovitch, 45, from Belgrade, who was carrying a large wooden cross and a Serbian flag. "I came here with my cross to sanctify it. And I took the cross to Golgotha," he said hugging it in joy.
As bells tolled across the city, black-robed priests and nuns mingled with pilgrims and tourists, many of them in brightly coloured baseball caps following guides carrying umbrellas of the same colour. This year pilgrims had to contend with heavy rains, but said they would not be deterred.
"As Christians, we don’t allow the cold wet weather to cool our ardour or dampen our enthusiasm," said Victor Jack, a Briton, who is chairman of the nearby Garden Tomb, also known as Gordon’s Calvary after the name of the British officer who discovered it in 1894. Jack said it was the coldest Easter he had seen in 21 years working there. Others said the rains added to their experience. "It started raining just as we walked through the gates, and my first image was of heaven weeping," said Elizabeth, an American in her 20s who was sitting under a canopy overlooking Golgotha, the site where Jesus was crucified.
Each year, thousands of Christians flock to tread the route that is based on a devotional walk first laid out by the Roman Catholic Church’s Franciscan order in the 14th century.
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Christian+pilgrims+brave+stormy+Good+Friday+Jerusalem/4660452/story.html#ixzz1KFgeqjr0
Thousands of Christian pilgrims braved storms, hail and heavy security in Jerusalem’s Old City to pray along the route tradition holds Jesus took to his crucifixion on Good Friday.
As part of the Good Friday ceremonies, the faithful descend onto the Old City to walk the Via Dolorosa, or Way of Suffering, the route tradition says Jesus carried the cross on which he was to be crucified by the Romans.
Latin Patriarch Fuad Twal, the Catholic Church’s representative in the Holy Land, led an early morning procession, beginning at the Monastery of Flagellation, where Jesus was beaten, mocked and crowned with thorns.
Later in the morning, other denominations walked the same route that follows the narrow often climbing street and the 14 stations of the cross along its way, including where Jesus met his mother, fell several times, was helped in carrying the cross, and met the lamenting women of Jerusalem. The procession ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built over the sites where Christians believe Christ was crucified and buried.
However, heavy Israeli security — with police setting up road blocks and metal barriers — prevented many from reaching the sacred shrine. "We were late and now all the ways into the church are blocked off," said Degratias Shumbusho, a 54-year-old Catholic pilgrim from Tanzania. "It is the first time I’ve been here and maybe the last as I won’t be able to afford it again," he said.
"Seeing the Church is what brought me here. It’s the backbone of Christianity. Maybe we will get in tomorrow," he said, the disappointment evident on his face.
Israeli forces routinely limit the number of worshippers allowed into the church over the Easter weekend, fearing crowd control issues in the flashpoint Holy City.
Others, who made it in, hailed the spiritual experience. "This is the best day of my life," said Milan Ivanovitch, 45, from Belgrade, who was carrying a large wooden cross and a Serbian flag. "I came here with my cross to sanctify it. And I took the cross to Golgotha," he said hugging it in joy.
As bells tolled across the city, black-robed priests and nuns mingled with pilgrims and tourists, many of them in brightly coloured baseball caps following guides carrying umbrellas of the same colour. This year pilgrims had to contend with heavy rains, but said they would not be deterred.
"As Christians, we don’t allow the cold wet weather to cool our ardour or dampen our enthusiasm," said Victor Jack, a Briton, who is chairman of the nearby Garden Tomb, also known as Gordon’s Calvary after the name of the British officer who discovered it in 1894. Jack said it was the coldest Easter he had seen in 21 years working there. Others said the rains added to their experience. "It started raining just as we walked through the gates, and my first image was of heaven weeping," said Elizabeth, an American in her 20s who was sitting under a canopy overlooking Golgotha, the site where Jesus was crucified.
Each year, thousands of Christians flock to tread the route that is based on a devotional walk first laid out by the Roman Catholic Church’s Franciscan order in the 14th century.
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Christian+pilgrims+brave+stormy+Good+Friday+Jerusalem/4660452/story.html#ixzz1KFgeqjr0
Pray for reconciliation among the peoples of the Holy Land (Good Friday letter)
from coverage at jpost dot-com (Jerusalem Post) April 22, 2011
Heads of churches in Jerusalem have urged Christians “to pray for reconciliation among people in the Holy Land, where the deteriorating situation makes peace and justice seem further away than ever before,” in a Thursday message ahead of Easter Sunday.
Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal; Greek-Melkite-Catholic Patriarch Archbishop Joseph-Jules Zerey; Maronite Patriarchal Exarch Archbishop Paul Sayyah; Syrian Catholic Patriarchal Exarch Bishop Pierre Malki; Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarch Fr. Rafael Minassian and Holy Land Custodian Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, are among the signatories on the letter cited by Catholic News Agency.
The message notes the joy of the upcoming Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but adds that “when we in Jerusalem, the city of redemption, see the suffering of our Christian brothers and sisters in Egypt, Iraq and elsewhere in our region our joy becomes more solemn.”
This year’s Easter will also be joyous to Christians since it will be celebrated on the same day by Orthodox, Protestant and Catholic believers, a rather rare occurrence given that Western churches calculate the date using a Gregorian calendar, while the Orthodox church uses the older Julian calendar.
The Holy Fire Ceremony, to take place in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem’s Old City, will be attended by many thousands of Orthodox Christians who will pass on a flame borne by Greek Orthodox and Armenian clergymen exiting the place of Jesus’s tomb within the church.
The ceremony, held on the Saturday before Easter, was in the past a source of tension between the different Christian sects.
A police spokesman on Thursday noted that in past years, the peace between the different Christian sects was kept, and expressed the hope that Saturday’s events would bear no surprises. All police involved in securing the church, he added, will be carrying personal fire extinguishers as a precaution, least a fire break out.
A status quo is tightly maintained over the church – believed to be the location of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, burial and resurrection – by representatives of the Roman Catholic, Armenian and Greek Orthodox churches.
The ceremony will be broadcast live around the world, and giant screens in the Old City will provide believers the opportunity to see it from nearby. The fire will be later taken to Easter ceremonies around the world.
The Tourism Ministry anticipated some 100,000 tourists – Jewish and Christian – for the Easter and Pessah week. Police will be heavily deployed around the church and the Old City to maintain order.
Heads of churches in Jerusalem have urged Christians “to pray for reconciliation among people in the Holy Land, where the deteriorating situation makes peace and justice seem further away than ever before,” in a Thursday message ahead of Easter Sunday.
Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal; Greek-Melkite-Catholic Patriarch Archbishop Joseph-Jules Zerey; Maronite Patriarchal Exarch Archbishop Paul Sayyah; Syrian Catholic Patriarchal Exarch Bishop Pierre Malki; Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarch Fr. Rafael Minassian and Holy Land Custodian Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, are among the signatories on the letter cited by Catholic News Agency.
The message notes the joy of the upcoming Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but adds that “when we in Jerusalem, the city of redemption, see the suffering of our Christian brothers and sisters in Egypt, Iraq and elsewhere in our region our joy becomes more solemn.”
This year’s Easter will also be joyous to Christians since it will be celebrated on the same day by Orthodox, Protestant and Catholic believers, a rather rare occurrence given that Western churches calculate the date using a Gregorian calendar, while the Orthodox church uses the older Julian calendar.
The Holy Fire Ceremony, to take place in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem’s Old City, will be attended by many thousands of Orthodox Christians who will pass on a flame borne by Greek Orthodox and Armenian clergymen exiting the place of Jesus’s tomb within the church.
The ceremony, held on the Saturday before Easter, was in the past a source of tension between the different Christian sects.
A police spokesman on Thursday noted that in past years, the peace between the different Christian sects was kept, and expressed the hope that Saturday’s events would bear no surprises. All police involved in securing the church, he added, will be carrying personal fire extinguishers as a precaution, least a fire break out.
A status quo is tightly maintained over the church – believed to be the location of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, burial and resurrection – by representatives of the Roman Catholic, Armenian and Greek Orthodox churches.
The ceremony will be broadcast live around the world, and giant screens in the Old City will provide believers the opportunity to see it from nearby. The fire will be later taken to Easter ceremonies around the world.
The Tourism Ministry anticipated some 100,000 tourists – Jewish and Christian – for the Easter and Pessah week. Police will be heavily deployed around the church and the Old City to maintain order.
Today is Earth Day (41st Anniversary of original day) -- Writer's Almanac capsule "history"
from Garrison Keillor daily listserv description/definition of the Environmental Movement largest secular holiday - day of action =
Today is Earth Day. It was first observed in 1970, but its roots go back to the 1962 publication of Rachel Carson's landmark book exposing the effects of pesticides and other chemical pollution on the environment. Troubled by the lack of attention pollution was receiving on the national stage, Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson began going on speaking tours, trying to educate people and politicians about environmental issues. And while the public was concerned, the politicians didn't pay much attention.
During the late 1960s, Senator Nelson had the idea to harness the energy and methods of the student protests against the Vietnam War to organize a grassroots conservation movement. At a press conference in 1969, he announced plans for a nationwide demonstration, to take place the following spring. It was a gamble that paid off, and the public's response was enthusiastic. Gladwin Hill wrote in The New York Times: 'Rising concern about the environmental crisis is sweeping the nation's campuses with an intensity that may be on its way to eclipsing student discontent over the war in Vietnam.' Twenty million people nationwide participated in the first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970, and the government finally took notice, forming the Environmental Protection Agency and passing the Clean Air, the Clean Water, and the Endangered Species Acts.
In 1990, on the 20th anniversary, organizer Denis Hayes took Earth Day to the international arena, and coordinated events in 141 countries worldwide, boosting the awareness and practice of recycling. The year 2000 marked the first time the event was coordinated on the Internet, and the message was the need for clean energy to counteract climate change.
According to the Earth Day Network, Earth Day is celebrated by a billion people, making it the world's largest secular holiday.
Today is Earth Day. It was first observed in 1970, but its roots go back to the 1962 publication of Rachel Carson's landmark book exposing the effects of pesticides and other chemical pollution on the environment. Troubled by the lack of attention pollution was receiving on the national stage, Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson began going on speaking tours, trying to educate people and politicians about environmental issues. And while the public was concerned, the politicians didn't pay much attention.
During the late 1960s, Senator Nelson had the idea to harness the energy and methods of the student protests against the Vietnam War to organize a grassroots conservation movement. At a press conference in 1969, he announced plans for a nationwide demonstration, to take place the following spring. It was a gamble that paid off, and the public's response was enthusiastic. Gladwin Hill wrote in The New York Times: 'Rising concern about the environmental crisis is sweeping the nation's campuses with an intensity that may be on its way to eclipsing student discontent over the war in Vietnam.' Twenty million people nationwide participated in the first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970, and the government finally took notice, forming the Environmental Protection Agency and passing the Clean Air, the Clean Water, and the Endangered Species Acts.
In 1990, on the 20th anniversary, organizer Denis Hayes took Earth Day to the international arena, and coordinated events in 141 countries worldwide, boosting the awareness and practice of recycling. The year 2000 marked the first time the event was coordinated on the Internet, and the message was the need for clean energy to counteract climate change.
According to the Earth Day Network, Earth Day is celebrated by a billion people, making it the world's largest secular holiday.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Media-Fast Week (April 18 - 24): voluntary "switch off the TV" week (So We Might See dot-org)
Yes, I am signed up --
2011 Media Fast: Screen-Free Week
How can you hear the voice of God with the TV on so loud?
Americans spend 8.5 hours a day absorbing media from TV, computers, phones, and video games. Children ages 8-18 watch 4.5 hours of television a day, seeing more than 25,000 commercial messages before they even start school.
This year, April 18-24, the interfaith So We Might See Coalition is organizing a week-long Media Fast: Screen-Free Week to celebrate activities that reconnect us with nature, art, reading, and the world around us.
Pledge to hold a Media Fast within your own family, class, neighborhood, house of worship, or other organization. Do a complete Media Fast ... or just turn off the TV after school ... limit videogames ... it's up to you.
2011 Media Fast: Screen-Free Week
How can you hear the voice of God with the TV on so loud?
Americans spend 8.5 hours a day absorbing media from TV, computers, phones, and video games. Children ages 8-18 watch 4.5 hours of television a day, seeing more than 25,000 commercial messages before they even start school.
This year, April 18-24, the interfaith So We Might See Coalition is organizing a week-long Media Fast: Screen-Free Week to celebrate activities that reconnect us with nature, art, reading, and the world around us.
Pledge to hold a Media Fast within your own family, class, neighborhood, house of worship, or other organization. Do a complete Media Fast ... or just turn off the TV after school ... limit videogames ... it's up to you.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Message on Passover (Monday evening Seder at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC) -- from Pres. & Mrs. Obama
posted at Obama Food-o-rama -- (Google Blog)
President Obama will host a Seder at the White House on Monday, April 18, the first night of Passover. In a holiday greeting for Passover from the First Family, the President wished Jews around the globe Chag Sameach, and noted that "we continue to pray for peace between Israel and her neighbors, while reaffirming our enduring commitment to Israel's security."
The President has held a number of working dinners and lunches to discuss the Middle East peace process; most recently, on April 5th, he welcomed Israeli President Shimon Peres to the White House for a private working lunch. Monday's Seder is the President's third at the White House and guests are expected to include family friends and White House staff and their family members.
The President's Passover message:
My family and I send our warmest wishes to all those celebrating the sacred festival of Passover.
On Monday evening, Jewish families and their friends in America, Israel, and around the world will gather around the Seder table and retell the story of the Exodus, one of the most powerful stories of suffering and redemption in history. The story of Passover - which recalls the passage of the children of Israel from bondage and repression to freedom and liberty - inspires hope that those oppressed and enslaved can become free. The Seder, with its rich traditions and rituals, instructs each generation to remember its past, while appreciating the beauty of freedom and the responsibility it entails.
This year, that ancient instruction is reflected in the daily headlines as we see modern stories of social transformation and liberation unfolding in the Middle East and North Africa. Against the backdrop of change, we continue to pray for peace between Israel and her neighbors, while reaffirming our enduring commitment to Israel's security.
As Jewish families gather for this joyous celebration of freedom, let us all be thankful for the gifts that have been bestowed upon us, and let us work to alleviate the suffering, poverty, injustice, and hunger of those who are not yet free. Chag Sameach.
President Obama will host a Seder at the White House on Monday, April 18, the first night of Passover. In a holiday greeting for Passover from the First Family, the President wished Jews around the globe Chag Sameach, and noted that "we continue to pray for peace between Israel and her neighbors, while reaffirming our enduring commitment to Israel's security."
The President has held a number of working dinners and lunches to discuss the Middle East peace process; most recently, on April 5th, he welcomed Israeli President Shimon Peres to the White House for a private working lunch. Monday's Seder is the President's third at the White House and guests are expected to include family friends and White House staff and their family members.
The President's Passover message:
My family and I send our warmest wishes to all those celebrating the sacred festival of Passover.
On Monday evening, Jewish families and their friends in America, Israel, and around the world will gather around the Seder table and retell the story of the Exodus, one of the most powerful stories of suffering and redemption in history. The story of Passover - which recalls the passage of the children of Israel from bondage and repression to freedom and liberty - inspires hope that those oppressed and enslaved can become free. The Seder, with its rich traditions and rituals, instructs each generation to remember its past, while appreciating the beauty of freedom and the responsibility it entails.
This year, that ancient instruction is reflected in the daily headlines as we see modern stories of social transformation and liberation unfolding in the Middle East and North Africa. Against the backdrop of change, we continue to pray for peace between Israel and her neighbors, while reaffirming our enduring commitment to Israel's security.
As Jewish families gather for this joyous celebration of freedom, let us all be thankful for the gifts that have been bestowed upon us, and let us work to alleviate the suffering, poverty, injustice, and hunger of those who are not yet free. Chag Sameach.
Niles District Library "Friends of the Library" Book Sale April 14, 2011
The Niles, Michigan LIBRARY hosted a "Friends" event in its basement book sale area today: $200 was the profit for the more than 2,000 books sold to many, many customers. This is in coordination with the annual National Library Week activities. For information about the Niles group go to:
http://www.nileslibrary.com/
http://www.nileslibrary.com/
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Yes, the National Parks & Memorials did remain open Saturday
from NEWS posted at Obama Food-o-rama (Google Blog)
After a brief speech late on Friday night announcing that the government would remain "open for business" thanks to a budget deal that averted a federal shutdown, President Obama proved his point today with an "unscheduled" drop-in to the Lincoln Memorial, where he shook hands with thrilled tourists (above).
“Hi everybody. I just wanted to say, real quick, that because Congress was able to settle its differences, that's why this place is open today and everybody’s able to enjoy their visit," President Obama said to the crowd gathered at the top of the monument, in front of the seated stone statue of President Abraham Lincoln.
The President arrived at the monument to one of his own personal heroes shortly after 2:35 PM, casually attired in gray chinos and a black zip-up jacket. He bounded up the steps, surrounded by his Secret Service detail. Saturday was a busy day on the Washington, DC tourist calendar: The annual Cherry Blossom Festival Parade was held, as was the annual Spring Garden Tour at the White House.
The President could just as easily have mingled with the hundreds of tourists who were at that very moment romping around on the South Lawn, but his visit to the Lincoln Memorial twinned nicely with his speech last night; he noted then that the Washington Monument, and National Parks across the US, would remain open, thanks to the budget deal.
After a brief speech late on Friday night announcing that the government would remain "open for business" thanks to a budget deal that averted a federal shutdown, President Obama proved his point today with an "unscheduled" drop-in to the Lincoln Memorial, where he shook hands with thrilled tourists (above).
“Hi everybody. I just wanted to say, real quick, that because Congress was able to settle its differences, that's why this place is open today and everybody’s able to enjoy their visit," President Obama said to the crowd gathered at the top of the monument, in front of the seated stone statue of President Abraham Lincoln.
The President arrived at the monument to one of his own personal heroes shortly after 2:35 PM, casually attired in gray chinos and a black zip-up jacket. He bounded up the steps, surrounded by his Secret Service detail. Saturday was a busy day on the Washington, DC tourist calendar: The annual Cherry Blossom Festival Parade was held, as was the annual Spring Garden Tour at the White House.
The President could just as easily have mingled with the hundreds of tourists who were at that very moment romping around on the South Lawn, but his visit to the Lincoln Memorial twinned nicely with his speech last night; he noted then that the Washington Monument, and National Parks across the US, would remain open, thanks to the budget deal.
A network news blog terms the weekend "showdown" the NEW NORMAL
from the NOTE (ABCNews dot-com list serv blog) by Michael Falcone and Amy Walter =
The House and Senate passed temporary resolutions to keep the government funded after midnight last night when it was scheduled to run out. A full agreement will need to be drafted and passed by Congress next week. The short-term "bridge," as House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, described it last night, includes the first $2 billion in cuts.
"I would expect the final vote on this to occur mid-next week," Boehner said. "This has been a long discussion and a long fight, but we fought to keep government spending down because it really will, in fact, help create a better environment for job creators in our country."
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said in a speech on the Senate floor last night, "This is historic, what we've done."
BOTTOM LINE: It was messy. It was unnecessarily dramatic. But, it ended without monuments being shuttered or troops waiting for a paycheck. And, in the end, everyone gets to claim victory. Democrats get to say that they cut spending while also protecting women's reproductive rights. Republicans can crow that they forced President Obama and Sen. Harry Reid to make deeper cuts than Democrats wanted to make.
Welcome to the "new normal" of bipartisanship.
The House and Senate passed temporary resolutions to keep the government funded after midnight last night when it was scheduled to run out. A full agreement will need to be drafted and passed by Congress next week. The short-term "bridge," as House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, described it last night, includes the first $2 billion in cuts.
"I would expect the final vote on this to occur mid-next week," Boehner said. "This has been a long discussion and a long fight, but we fought to keep government spending down because it really will, in fact, help create a better environment for job creators in our country."
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said in a speech on the Senate floor last night, "This is historic, what we've done."
BOTTOM LINE: It was messy. It was unnecessarily dramatic. But, it ended without monuments being shuttered or troops waiting for a paycheck. And, in the end, everyone gets to claim victory. Democrats get to say that they cut spending while also protecting women's reproductive rights. Republicans can crow that they forced President Obama and Sen. Harry Reid to make deeper cuts than Democrats wanted to make.
Welcome to the "new normal" of bipartisanship.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Government shutdown averted (11 p.m. before Midnight deadline) -- Wash. Post summation
from Paul Kane and other contributors main story (www.washingtonpost.com/ )
With an agreement, Congress seemed to have resolved a battle that had been brewing since last fall’s elections. As the shutdown ticked closer, it had transfixed and partially paralyzed a vast federal bureaucracy.
If the government had closed, it would have meant closures at national parks and federal agencies, a halt to trash pickup in the District, and furloughs for more than 800,000 governments workers. Just preparing for that had slowed federal business to a crawl in the last week.
Now, officials said, museums should re-open in the morning, and government workers should come to work as scheduled. Washington should continue as if nothing happened.
This budget fight involved just a tiny fraction of the $1 trillion-plus that Congress doles out every year. But the timing was more important than the numbers. This was the first battle since Republicans took the House of Representatives, promising to pare back government spending and deficits. So Republicans — led by Boehner, in his first intense engagement as a leader — were determined to stand their ground in their first fight.
Democrats, on the other hand, still hold the Senate and the White House. In the Senate, Democratic leaders were determined not to be outmaneuvered by Republicans. And in the White House, President Obama seemed interested in cementing his role as a calm mediator, a CEO.
And none of them wanted to be the first to blink. That might have set a damaging precedent for future fights with higher stakes, over the decision to raise the national debt limit, and to pass a 2012 budget.
Their brinksmanship lasted even into Friday, the last day before a shutdown that would likely have damaged both parties’ political fortunes.
Democrats used the day to repeatedly bash the other side for refusing to budge on an issue tied to abortion.
“The House leadership, with the speaker, have a very clear choice to make, and they don’t have much time to make that choice,” Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said in an afternoon news conference. “They can keep their word and significantly cut the federal deficit, or they can shut down the American government over women’s access to health care. If that sounds ridiculous, that’s because it is ridiculous.”
On the Republican side, Boehner emerged repeatedly to reiterate the same message: there was no deal yet. “Most of the policy issues have been dealt with,” Boehner said Friday afternoon. “The big fight is over the spending.”
With an agreement, Congress seemed to have resolved a battle that had been brewing since last fall’s elections. As the shutdown ticked closer, it had transfixed and partially paralyzed a vast federal bureaucracy.
If the government had closed, it would have meant closures at national parks and federal agencies, a halt to trash pickup in the District, and furloughs for more than 800,000 governments workers. Just preparing for that had slowed federal business to a crawl in the last week.
Now, officials said, museums should re-open in the morning, and government workers should come to work as scheduled. Washington should continue as if nothing happened.
This budget fight involved just a tiny fraction of the $1 trillion-plus that Congress doles out every year. But the timing was more important than the numbers. This was the first battle since Republicans took the House of Representatives, promising to pare back government spending and deficits. So Republicans — led by Boehner, in his first intense engagement as a leader — were determined to stand their ground in their first fight.
Democrats, on the other hand, still hold the Senate and the White House. In the Senate, Democratic leaders were determined not to be outmaneuvered by Republicans. And in the White House, President Obama seemed interested in cementing his role as a calm mediator, a CEO.
And none of them wanted to be the first to blink. That might have set a damaging precedent for future fights with higher stakes, over the decision to raise the national debt limit, and to pass a 2012 budget.
Their brinksmanship lasted even into Friday, the last day before a shutdown that would likely have damaged both parties’ political fortunes.
Democrats used the day to repeatedly bash the other side for refusing to budge on an issue tied to abortion.
“The House leadership, with the speaker, have a very clear choice to make, and they don’t have much time to make that choice,” Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said in an afternoon news conference. “They can keep their word and significantly cut the federal deficit, or they can shut down the American government over women’s access to health care. If that sounds ridiculous, that’s because it is ridiculous.”
On the Republican side, Boehner emerged repeatedly to reiterate the same message: there was no deal yet. “Most of the policy issues have been dealt with,” Boehner said Friday afternoon. “The big fight is over the spending.”
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Space Shuttle Endeavour -- delayed take-off and Space Station rendezvous
from NASA mission update --
NASA Retargets Space Shuttle Endeavour's Launch for April 29
Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:08:41 AM EDT
Following discussions among the International Space Station partners on Sunday, NASA has targeted the launch of space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 mission for 3:47 p.m. EDT on Friday, April 29. The delay removes a scheduling conflict with a Russian Progress supply vehicle scheduled to launch April 27 and arrive at the station April 29.
NASA managers will hold a Flight Readiness Review on Tuesday, April 19, to assess the team's readiness to support launch. An official launch date will be selected at the conclusion of the meeting.
Only minor damage to space shuttle Endeavour's external fuel tank foam was identified during detailed inspections Saturday by technicians and engineers on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Evaluations indicate there was no damage to the spacecraft. Teams were assessing any possible damage from severe storms that hit Kennedy on Wednesday and Thursday.
Today, workers at the pad will continue closeouts in Endeavour's aft section and will load hydrazine into the shuttle's hydraulic power unit.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/rss_feed_above_snip_collection_archive_1.html
NASA Retargets Space Shuttle Endeavour's Launch for April 29
Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:08:41 AM EDT
Following discussions among the International Space Station partners on Sunday, NASA has targeted the launch of space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 mission for 3:47 p.m. EDT on Friday, April 29. The delay removes a scheduling conflict with a Russian Progress supply vehicle scheduled to launch April 27 and arrive at the station April 29.
NASA managers will hold a Flight Readiness Review on Tuesday, April 19, to assess the team's readiness to support launch. An official launch date will be selected at the conclusion of the meeting.
Only minor damage to space shuttle Endeavour's external fuel tank foam was identified during detailed inspections Saturday by technicians and engineers on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Evaluations indicate there was no damage to the spacecraft. Teams were assessing any possible damage from severe storms that hit Kennedy on Wednesday and Thursday.
Today, workers at the pad will continue closeouts in Endeavour's aft section and will load hydrazine into the shuttle's hydraulic power unit.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/rss_feed_above_snip_collection_archive_1.html
On this date in 1789 - invaluable member of Lewis & Clark Expedition that opened the American West
from Writer's Almanac (Garrison Keillor) - Today (April 6) is the birthday of the Shoshone woman Sacajawea, born in Idaho (sometime around 1789). She was kidnapped at age 10 by the Hidatsa tribe, sold into slavery, and bought by a French-Canadian trapper who made her one of his two wives. When Lewis and Clark hired the trapper to guide them to the Pacific, Sacajawea -- a teenager with her two-month-old baby on her back -- was part of the package. She was the only woman to accompany the permanent party to the Pacific Ocean and back.
Officially she acted as interpreter, since she could speak half a dozen Indian languages. But she also knew which plants were edible, and she saved the explorers' records when their boat overturned. In his notes, William Clark pointed out that tribes were inclined to believe that their party was friendly when they saw Sacajawea because a war party would never travel with a woman, especially one with a baby.
When the trip was over, Sacajawea received nothing. Her trapper husband got $500.33 and 320 acres of land. She died on December 22, 1812, of a 'putrid fever,' according to Clark's records. She was 23. Eight months later, Clark legally adopted her two children -- the boy who had been a baby on the expedition, Jean Baptiste, and an infant daughter, Lisette.
Officially she acted as interpreter, since she could speak half a dozen Indian languages. But she also knew which plants were edible, and she saved the explorers' records when their boat overturned. In his notes, William Clark pointed out that tribes were inclined to believe that their party was friendly when they saw Sacajawea because a war party would never travel with a woman, especially one with a baby.
When the trip was over, Sacajawea received nothing. Her trapper husband got $500.33 and 320 acres of land. She died on December 22, 1812, of a 'putrid fever,' according to Clark's records. She was 23. Eight months later, Clark legally adopted her two children -- the boy who had been a baby on the expedition, Jean Baptiste, and an infant daughter, Lisette.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Blog entry from Blue II (Butler University mascot) -- Butler dot-edu
INTERVIEWER: please describe your experience at the NCAA Final Four (April 2010). Were you at all nervous about being surrounded by 70,000 screaming fans?
BB2: My experience at the NCAA Final Four was incredible. That’s the best way that I can explain. There really are not words that exist that allow me to really describe the magnitude of that experience. It made me the most popular dog in America and it made Butler a household name. While Coach Stevens and the men’s basketball team were the focus of the Final Four, I like to think I played the role of best supporting actor. It was the best experience of my life so far and I certainly hope to do it again someday.
I wasn’t nervous to be in front of 70,000 fans. I think that was evident to anyone that was there or whom was watching at home. I live for this sort of thing after all. However, I will say that I did feed of the energy that was in Lucas Oil Stadium during those two games. There was so much positive directed toward Butler…the kind that makes your hair (or fur) stand up on end. I felt it as soon as we would enter the stadium each day…it swelled my broad chest with pride, perched my ears forward, heightened my tail-end, and gave me a strut that would make George Jefferson blush.
I will say that tend to carry and internalize the collective hopes and energy of the Butler nation. That may sound weird, but I’m a perceptive dog and I know what’s up. I knew what was at stake in Lucas Oil Stadium and I also knew what it meant when my pal Gordon Hayward’s shot didn’t go in at the buzzer. I, like the Butler faithful, was crushed. My dad tried to get a rise out of me moments after the championship game. Usually I’m the one doing the consoling, but this time I could sense the pain, anguish, sorrow and disappointment that saturated the heart. I was stone cold. I wanted that championship. I wanted to be top dawg. After sleeping that night I awoke that Tuesday morning still wishing that the outcome would have been different. I continued to contemplate on it. I even went to the pep rally at Hinkle Fieldhouse later that day. By the time I went to sleep that evening, I realized that I was top dawg after all. The score didn’t matter, Butler has already proved its worth. I’d still like to have that trophy, don’t get me wrong, but I think we may have taken home so much more. There’s never been a better time to be a Butler Bulldog, let alone THE Butler Bulldog.
http://go.butler.edu/blogs/blue2/
BB2: My experience at the NCAA Final Four was incredible. That’s the best way that I can explain. There really are not words that exist that allow me to really describe the magnitude of that experience. It made me the most popular dog in America and it made Butler a household name. While Coach Stevens and the men’s basketball team were the focus of the Final Four, I like to think I played the role of best supporting actor. It was the best experience of my life so far and I certainly hope to do it again someday.
I wasn’t nervous to be in front of 70,000 fans. I think that was evident to anyone that was there or whom was watching at home. I live for this sort of thing after all. However, I will say that I did feed of the energy that was in Lucas Oil Stadium during those two games. There was so much positive directed toward Butler…the kind that makes your hair (or fur) stand up on end. I felt it as soon as we would enter the stadium each day…it swelled my broad chest with pride, perched my ears forward, heightened my tail-end, and gave me a strut that would make George Jefferson blush.
I will say that tend to carry and internalize the collective hopes and energy of the Butler nation. That may sound weird, but I’m a perceptive dog and I know what’s up. I knew what was at stake in Lucas Oil Stadium and I also knew what it meant when my pal Gordon Hayward’s shot didn’t go in at the buzzer. I, like the Butler faithful, was crushed. My dad tried to get a rise out of me moments after the championship game. Usually I’m the one doing the consoling, but this time I could sense the pain, anguish, sorrow and disappointment that saturated the heart. I was stone cold. I wanted that championship. I wanted to be top dawg. After sleeping that night I awoke that Tuesday morning still wishing that the outcome would have been different. I continued to contemplate on it. I even went to the pep rally at Hinkle Fieldhouse later that day. By the time I went to sleep that evening, I realized that I was top dawg after all. The score didn’t matter, Butler has already proved its worth. I’d still like to have that trophy, don’t get me wrong, but I think we may have taken home so much more. There’s never been a better time to be a Butler Bulldog, let alone THE Butler Bulldog.
http://go.butler.edu/blogs/blue2/
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Today is the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen (b. 1806)!
Today (April 2) is the birthday of Danish author and poet Hans Christian Andersen (books by this author), born in 1805 in the town of Odense. He went to work at a young age, supporting himself first as a weaver's apprentice, then a tailor's. At 14, he moved to Copenhagen, hoping to become an actor, and began writing when a theater colleague called him a poet. He published his first story, The Ghost at Palnatoke's Grave, in 1822. He eventually went to college, but he was a mediocre student.
He considered himself a novelist and playwright, and he wrote travelogues, beginning with the conventional framework of description and documentary account but building something unique with his inclusion of musings on larger themes like the role of the author and the nature of fiction. But it's for his three collections of fairy tales that he is best known. Since he never mastered writing in the formal Danish style in school, he wrote in the everyday language of the common Danish people, and he refused to talk down to children or shelter them from the dark and scary. Later translators cut out some of the scarier parts and gave the tales happy endings, and so we often think of them as lighthearted and innocent, but that was not really the case. His fairy tales inspired Charles Dickens, who became his friend, and also Oscar Wilde.
His personal life was a succession of unrequited longings for women, including the singer Jenny Lind, and occasionally men. He never married, but was well aware of how beloved he was by the world's children. Not long before his death, he was conferring with the composer of his funeral march, and told him, 'Most of the people who walk after me will be children, so make the beat keep time with little steps.'
In Andersen's honor, his birthday was declared International Children's Book Day, a day to promote children's literature and foster a love of reading in the world's youth.
from Writer's Almanac (Garrison Keillor posted "calendar" of author/literature/cultural influence anniversaries)
He considered himself a novelist and playwright, and he wrote travelogues, beginning with the conventional framework of description and documentary account but building something unique with his inclusion of musings on larger themes like the role of the author and the nature of fiction. But it's for his three collections of fairy tales that he is best known. Since he never mastered writing in the formal Danish style in school, he wrote in the everyday language of the common Danish people, and he refused to talk down to children or shelter them from the dark and scary. Later translators cut out some of the scarier parts and gave the tales happy endings, and so we often think of them as lighthearted and innocent, but that was not really the case. His fairy tales inspired Charles Dickens, who became his friend, and also Oscar Wilde.
His personal life was a succession of unrequited longings for women, including the singer Jenny Lind, and occasionally men. He never married, but was well aware of how beloved he was by the world's children. Not long before his death, he was conferring with the composer of his funeral march, and told him, 'Most of the people who walk after me will be children, so make the beat keep time with little steps.'
In Andersen's honor, his birthday was declared International Children's Book Day, a day to promote children's literature and foster a love of reading in the world's youth.
from Writer's Almanac (Garrison Keillor posted "calendar" of author/literature/cultural influence anniversaries)
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