from WHITE HOUSE dot-gov
Saturday, December 1st, on World AIDS Day, we will come together as a global community to stand with people affected by HIV/AIDS, to remember those we have lost, and to renew our commitment to ending the pandemic once and for all. We have made great strides in combating this disease, and an AIDS-free generation is within sight. Here in the United States we are implementing a National HIV/AIDS Strategy and concentrating our efforts in communities where HIV rates are highest, including among gay men, Latinos, and African Americans. We are investing in comprehensive HIV prevention and care, including through the Affordable Care Act, to prevent infection and ensure that all people living with HIV have access to life-extending treatment. Testing for HIV remains a top priority, and thanks to ongoing scientific advancements, finding out your HIV status has never been easier and treatment is more effective than ever.
Today, I am pleased my Administration will make public new data that demonstrates we are on track to meet the ambitious treatment and prevention targets I announced on World AIDS Day a year ago. As of today, we are treating over 5 million people with lifesaving medicines for AIDS, up from 1.7 million in 2008, and, as I pledged last year, we are on track to treat 6 million people by the end of 2013. This year, we have also reached over 700,000 HIV-positive pregnant women with antiretroviral drugs that will prevent them from passing the virus to their children. As we meet these new targets, we are joined by a growing number of countries and the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, who share our commitment to doing more so that more may live. As we continue this important work with our partners around the world and here at home, let us remember the lives we have lost to AIDS, celebrate the progress we have made, and, together, recommit to ourselves to achieving our shared vision of an AIDS-free generation.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/11/29/statement-president-observance-world-aids-day
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Birthday of C.S. Lewis (Nov. 29, 1898) - professor, theologian, apologist
from Writer's Almanac (American Public Media: Garrison Keillor):
It's the birthday of novelist and theologian C.S. Lewis, born Clive Staples Lewis in Belfast, Ireland (1898). He grew up going to church, but he was more interested in mythology, and after his mother died when he was a boy, he became even less convinced that God existed. By the time he was a young teenager, he was a committed atheist. He received a scholarship to Oxford, and although he did not like England and though English accents sounded strange, he loved it there and ended up teaching there for nearly 30 years.
At Oxford, he met another faculty member, J.R.R. Tolkien. Lewis said: "At my first coming into the world I had been (implicitly) warned never to trust a Papist, and at my first coming into the English Faculty (explicitly) never to trust a philologist. Tolkien was both." But they became close friends, and it was Tolkien who helped convince Lewis to give up his atheism and embrace Christianity. Lewis described himself as "the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England," but he went on to write books that are now considered classics of Christian apologetics, including The Screwtape Letters (1942) and Mere Christianity (1952). He is best known for his fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia, which begins with The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (1950).
It's the birthday of novelist and theologian C.S. Lewis, born Clive Staples Lewis in Belfast, Ireland (1898). He grew up going to church, but he was more interested in mythology, and after his mother died when he was a boy, he became even less convinced that God existed. By the time he was a young teenager, he was a committed atheist. He received a scholarship to Oxford, and although he did not like England and though English accents sounded strange, he loved it there and ended up teaching there for nearly 30 years.
At Oxford, he met another faculty member, J.R.R. Tolkien. Lewis said: "At my first coming into the world I had been (implicitly) warned never to trust a Papist, and at my first coming into the English Faculty (explicitly) never to trust a philologist. Tolkien was both." But they became close friends, and it was Tolkien who helped convince Lewis to give up his atheism and embrace Christianity. Lewis described himself as "the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England," but he went on to write books that are now considered classics of Christian apologetics, including The Screwtape Letters (1942) and Mere Christianity (1952). He is best known for his fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia, which begins with The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (1950).
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Birthday of James Agee (American writer - journalist)
from Writer's Almanac (American Public Media: Garrison Keillor):
November 27 is the birthday of writer James Agee, born in Knoxville, Tennessee (1909). He is best remembered for his autobiographical novel, A Death in the Family (1957), and his account of Southern sharecroppers during the Dust Bowl, Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (1941). But during his life, he was best known as a film critic. He worked for Time and then for The Nation. The poet W.H. Auden declared that Agee's weekly film column in The Nation was "the most remarkable regular event in American journalism today." He is also known as the screenwriter who adapted for Director John Huston The African Queen (famous feature film with Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn).
November 27 is the birthday of writer James Agee, born in Knoxville, Tennessee (1909). He is best remembered for his autobiographical novel, A Death in the Family (1957), and his account of Southern sharecroppers during the Dust Bowl, Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (1941). But during his life, he was best known as a film critic. He worked for Time and then for The Nation. The poet W.H. Auden declared that Agee's weekly film column in The Nation was "the most remarkable regular event in American journalism today." He is also known as the screenwriter who adapted for Director John Huston The African Queen (famous feature film with Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn).
Monday, November 26, 2012
On this date in 1922: Cartoonist Charles Schulz born in Minneapolis
from Writer's Almanac (American Public Media: Garrison Keillor):
Today (Nov. 26) is the birthday of cartoonist Charles Schulz, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (1922). His parents left school after third grade, and his father was a barber who supported the family on 35 cent haircuts. Every Sunday, Schulz and his father read the "funny pages" together, and the boy hoped to become a cartoonist someday. But he had a tough time in school -- he felt picked on by teachers and other students. He was smart enough to skip ahead a couple of grades, but that only made it worse. He wished someone would recognize his artistic talent, but his cartoons weren't even accepted by the high school yearbook.
After high school, he was drafted into the Army; his mother died of cancer a couple of days before he left. When he came home, he moved in with his father in the apartment above the barbershop. He got a job teaching at Art Instruction, a correspondence course for cartooning that he had taken as a high schooler. There he fell in love with a red-haired woman named Donna Mae Johnson, who worked in the accounting department. They dated for a while, but when he asked her to marry him, she turned him down and soon after married someone else. Schulz was devastated, and remained bitter about it for the rest of his life. He said: "I can think of no more emotionally damaging loss than to be turned down by someone whom you love very much. A person who not only turns you down, but almost immediately will marry the victor. What a bitter blow that is."
Schulz started publishing a cartoon strip called L'il Folks in the local paper, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, but they dropped it after a couple of years. Schulz sent some of his favorite L'il Folks cartoons to the United Features Syndicate, and in 1950, the first Peanuts strip appeared in nine national newspapers, including The New York Times and The Boston Globe. The first strip introduced Charlie Brown, and Snoopy made an appearance two days later. The rest of the Peanuts characters were added slowly over the years: Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, Pig Pen, Peppermint Patty, and many more. Throughout the years, the object of Charlie Brown's unrequited love is known simply as The Little Red-Haired Girl.
Peanuts was eventually syndicated in more than 2,500 newspapers worldwide, and there were more than 300 million Peanuts books sold, as well as 40 TV specials, four movies, and a Broadway play.
Charles Schulz said: "My whole life has been one of rejection. Women. Dogs. Comic strips."
Today (Nov. 26) is the birthday of cartoonist Charles Schulz, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (1922). His parents left school after third grade, and his father was a barber who supported the family on 35 cent haircuts. Every Sunday, Schulz and his father read the "funny pages" together, and the boy hoped to become a cartoonist someday. But he had a tough time in school -- he felt picked on by teachers and other students. He was smart enough to skip ahead a couple of grades, but that only made it worse. He wished someone would recognize his artistic talent, but his cartoons weren't even accepted by the high school yearbook.
After high school, he was drafted into the Army; his mother died of cancer a couple of days before he left. When he came home, he moved in with his father in the apartment above the barbershop. He got a job teaching at Art Instruction, a correspondence course for cartooning that he had taken as a high schooler. There he fell in love with a red-haired woman named Donna Mae Johnson, who worked in the accounting department. They dated for a while, but when he asked her to marry him, she turned him down and soon after married someone else. Schulz was devastated, and remained bitter about it for the rest of his life. He said: "I can think of no more emotionally damaging loss than to be turned down by someone whom you love very much. A person who not only turns you down, but almost immediately will marry the victor. What a bitter blow that is."
Schulz started publishing a cartoon strip called L'il Folks in the local paper, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, but they dropped it after a couple of years. Schulz sent some of his favorite L'il Folks cartoons to the United Features Syndicate, and in 1950, the first Peanuts strip appeared in nine national newspapers, including The New York Times and The Boston Globe. The first strip introduced Charlie Brown, and Snoopy made an appearance two days later. The rest of the Peanuts characters were added slowly over the years: Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, Pig Pen, Peppermint Patty, and many more. Throughout the years, the object of Charlie Brown's unrequited love is known simply as The Little Red-Haired Girl.
Peanuts was eventually syndicated in more than 2,500 newspapers worldwide, and there were more than 300 million Peanuts books sold, as well as 40 TV specials, four movies, and a Broadway play.
Charles Schulz said: "My whole life has been one of rejection. Women. Dogs. Comic strips."
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Nov. 21, 1620 : date of Mayflower Compact : precedent for American CONSTITUTION
from Christianity dot-org educational posting:
The idea of a written contract between the people and their government came from a tiny band of 50 Christians called Pilgrims that sailed to America in the Mayflower in l620. The Pilgrims believed many of the Church of England's traditions were not Biblical. Since both King James and the state church persecuted many critics as criminals, the Pilgrims became Separatists and fled first to Holland, then to America. They planned to land in Virginia, where they had a charter from the King to govern them, but Atlantic storms carried them far north to Cape Cod. Since their charter was not valid in that region, they needed a new government.
And so on this day, November 21, l620, the Pilgrims drew up and signed the Mayflower Compact (which is actually dated the 11th of November because Britain was still using the Julian calendar) . It said: "For the glorie of God and advancement of ye Christian faith, we do... ...covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politick...to enact,... and frame... just and equal laws...for the general good of the Colonie, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience."
Several of the men aboard did not sign. Did they believe the document was illegal?
The compact was modeled after the church covenant that the Pilgrims had drafted and signed in l607 when they had first separated from the English Church and fled to Holland. For the next fifty years, the Mayflower compact served the Pilgrims well, and it became an important precedent for the idea of a written American Constitution at the Convention of l787.
http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1601-1700/original-mayflower-compact-11630072.html
The idea of a written contract between the people and their government came from a tiny band of 50 Christians called Pilgrims that sailed to America in the Mayflower in l620. The Pilgrims believed many of the Church of England's traditions were not Biblical. Since both King James and the state church persecuted many critics as criminals, the Pilgrims became Separatists and fled first to Holland, then to America. They planned to land in Virginia, where they had a charter from the King to govern them, but Atlantic storms carried them far north to Cape Cod. Since their charter was not valid in that region, they needed a new government.
And so on this day, November 21, l620, the Pilgrims drew up and signed the Mayflower Compact (which is actually dated the 11th of November because Britain was still using the Julian calendar) . It said: "For the glorie of God and advancement of ye Christian faith, we do... ...covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politick...to enact,... and frame... just and equal laws...for the general good of the Colonie, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience."
Several of the men aboard did not sign. Did they believe the document was illegal?
The compact was modeled after the church covenant that the Pilgrims had drafted and signed in l607 when they had first separated from the English Church and fled to Holland. For the next fifty years, the Mayflower compact served the Pilgrims well, and it became an important precedent for the idea of a written American Constitution at the Convention of l787.
http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1601-1700/original-mayflower-compact-11630072.html
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Birthday (48th) of TV - Film actor Garret Dillahunt - b. in
from IMDb -- Biography section
Biography
Born Nov. 24, 1964 in Castro City, California, Garret grew up in Washington State, and attended the University of Washington where he studied journalism. He received his MFA degree from New York University's Graduate Acting Program. He has appeared on and off-Broadway and in theaters around the country before he began pursuing film and television roles. Most notable roles have been in TERMINATOR: Sarah Connor Chronicles and RAISING HOPE (2010 - current on FOX TV).
He has two brothers: Brett, a teacher; and Eric, deceased.
He has been huge fan of Cormac McCarthy since college; Garret claims to have auditioned for parts in every adaptation of McCarthy's novels that have been made. He said he read seven times for the part of Llewyn Moss in No Country for Old Men (2007), but was ultimately cast in the smaller part of Deputy Wendell.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0226813/bio
Biography
Born Nov. 24, 1964 in Castro City, California, Garret grew up in Washington State, and attended the University of Washington where he studied journalism. He received his MFA degree from New York University's Graduate Acting Program. He has appeared on and off-Broadway and in theaters around the country before he began pursuing film and television roles. Most notable roles have been in TERMINATOR: Sarah Connor Chronicles and RAISING HOPE (2010 - current on FOX TV).
He has two brothers: Brett, a teacher; and Eric, deceased.
He has been huge fan of Cormac McCarthy since college; Garret claims to have auditioned for parts in every adaptation of McCarthy's novels that have been made. He said he read seven times for the part of Llewyn Moss in No Country for Old Men (2007), but was ultimately cast in the smaller part of Deputy Wendell.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0226813/bio
Friday, November 23, 2012
Thanksgiving Proclamation (President's 2012 official statement)
www.whitehouse.gov/ Proclamations
On Thanksgiving Day, Americans everywhere gather with family and friends to recount the joys and blessings of the past year. This day is a time to take stock of the fortune we have known and the kindnesses we have shared, grateful for the God-given bounty that enriches our lives. As many pause to lend a hand to those in need, we are also reminded of the indelible spirit of compassion and mutual responsibility that has distinguished our Nation since its earliest days.
Many Thanksgivings have offered opportunities to celebrate community during times of hardship. When the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony gave thanks for a bountiful harvest nearly four centuries ago, they enjoyed the fruits of their labor with the Wampanoag tribe -- a people who had shared vital knowledge of the land in the difficult months before. When President George Washington marked our democracy's first Thanksgiving, he prayed to our Creator for peace, union, and plenty through the trials that would surely come. And when our Nation was torn by bitterness and civil war, President Abraham Lincoln reminded us that we were, at heart, one Nation, sharing a bond as Americans that could bend but would not break. Those expressions of unity still echo today, whether in the contributions that generations of Native Americans have made to our country, the Union our forebears fought so hard to preserve, or the providence that draws our families together this season.
As we reflect on our proud heritage, let us also give thanks to those who honor it by giving back. This Thanksgiving, thousands of our men and women in uniform will sit down for a meal far from their loved ones and the comforts of home. We honor their service and sacrifice. We also show our appreciation to Americans who are serving in their communities, ensuring their neighbors have a hot meal and a place to stay. Their actions reflect our age-old belief that we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers, and they affirm once more that we are a people who draw our deepest strength not from might or wealth, but from our bonds to each other.
On Thanksgiving Day, individuals from all walks of life come together to celebrate this most American tradition, grateful for the blessings of family, community, and country. Let us spend this day by lifting up those we love, mindful of the grace bestowed upon us by God and by all who have made our lives richer with their presence.
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 Thursday, November 22, 2012, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage the people of the United States to join together -- whether in our homes, places of worship, community centers, or any place of fellowship for friends and neighbors -- and give thanks for all we have received in the past year, express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own, and share our bounty with others.
Ten members of the Armed Forces
from OBAMA FOOD-o-RAMA blog (Google Blogger):
The President loves pie, and the big finish to the dinner was six kinds of pie: Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Cherry, Banana Cream, Apple, and Huckleberry. The White House pastry chefs also created a special cake in honor of the Oregon State University Men's Basketball team (coached by the President's brother-in-law), which featured white frosting, little marzipan basketballs, and their team insignia.
On Thursday morning (Nov. 22), in keeping with a Thanksgiving tradition, President Obama called ten members of the Armed Forces deployed in support of the war in Afghanistan. "The President thanked each of them for their service and sacrifice and wished them and their families a Happy Thanksgiving,” the White House said. He called two service members in the Army, two in the Air Force, two in the Coast Guard, two in the Marine Corps, and two in the Navy.
During their visit, the Oregon State University Beavers, clad in orange dress sweat suits, had a tour of the White House, shot hoops on the basketball court, and met with President Obama in the Oval Office. They joined the First Family for a visit to a D.C. - area Food Bank on Wednesday afternoon, too.
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2012/11/president-obama-celebrates-thanksgiving.html
The President loves pie, and the big finish to the dinner was six kinds of pie: Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Cherry, Banana Cream, Apple, and Huckleberry. The White House pastry chefs also created a special cake in honor of the Oregon State University Men's Basketball team (coached by the President's brother-in-law), which featured white frosting, little marzipan basketballs, and their team insignia.
On Thursday morning (Nov. 22), in keeping with a Thanksgiving tradition, President Obama called ten members of the Armed Forces deployed in support of the war in Afghanistan. "The President thanked each of them for their service and sacrifice and wished them and their families a Happy Thanksgiving,” the White House said. He called two service members in the Army, two in the Air Force, two in the Coast Guard, two in the Marine Corps, and two in the Navy.
During their visit, the Oregon State University Beavers, clad in orange dress sweat suits, had a tour of the White House, shot hoops on the basketball court, and met with President Obama in the Oval Office. They joined the First Family for a visit to a D.C. - area Food Bank on Wednesday afternoon, too.
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2012/11/president-obama-celebrates-thanksgiving.html
"National Day of Listening" (NPR's StoryCorps)
November 23, 2012
ASK GREAT QUESTIONS. SHARE GREAT STORIES.
The National Day of Listening is a day to honor a loved one through listening. It's the least expensive but most meaningful gift you can give this holiday season. You can choose to record a story with anyone you know. This year, StoryCorps has chosen to feature the stories of veterans, active duty military, and their families.
http://nationaldayoflistening.org/
ASK GREAT QUESTIONS. SHARE GREAT STORIES.
The National Day of Listening is a day to honor a loved one through listening. It's the least expensive but most meaningful gift you can give this holiday season. You can choose to record a story with anyone you know. This year, StoryCorps has chosen to feature the stories of veterans, active duty military, and their families.
http://nationaldayoflistening.org/
A day for small business (Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012)
from American Express online FAQ:
Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is a day
dedicated to supporting small businesses nationwide. Last year,
over one hundred million people* came together to Shop Small® in
their communities on Small Business Saturday®.
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/Shop-Small/
Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is a day
dedicated to supporting small businesses nationwide. Last year,
over one hundred million people* came together to Shop Small® in
their communities on Small Business Saturday®.
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/Shop-Small/
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
La Jolla, California: time for sightings of the Romney family (Nov. 21, 2012)
posted at VIBE dot-com -- reposting of Reddit and TMZ news of the GOP Nominee and wife :
After losing to President Obama in the election earlier this month, his former political opponent Mitt Romney has kept in the shadows of defeat.
The former Republican nominee was spotted at La Jolla, California gas station Monday (Nov. 19, 2012) pumping gas, looking rather disheveled. TMZ reports that he and his wife were on a movie date, catching the Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 and grabbed some pizza afterwards.
The flick of Romney at the tank was snapped up by Reddit user mkb95, who wrote "Mitt Romney at my local gas station. He looks tired and washed up."
He even got to interact with the former presidential candidate. "I talked to him for a good three minutes while he was filling his tank," the photographer added. "I guess he's moving to one of his houses in the town I live in, La Jolla."
Things aren't entirely bad for Romney. He gets to wallow in his losses as the owner of a $12 million mansion in California.
The former Republican nominee was spotted at La Jolla, California gas station Monday (Nov. 19, 2012) pumping gas, looking rather disheveled. TMZ reports that he and his wife were on a movie date, catching the Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 and grabbed some pizza afterwards.
The flick of Romney at the tank was snapped up by Reddit user mkb95, who wrote "Mitt Romney at my local gas station. He looks tired and washed up."
He even got to interact with the former presidential candidate. "I talked to him for a good three minutes while he was filling his tank," the photographer added. "I guess he's moving to one of his houses in the town I live in, La Jolla."
Things aren't entirely bad for Romney. He gets to wallow in his losses as the owner of a $12 million mansion in California.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
World Day of Prayer and Action for Children (2012 theme) - endorsement posted Nov. 20, 2012
Announcement at Archbishop of Canterbury (Rowan Williams) web presence:
The World Day of Action Prayer and Action for Children held every year on 20th November is promoted by a NGO coalition including UNICEF, Religions for Peace, and Save the Children.
The Archbishop of Canterbury's full statement is below:
"On this World Day of Prayer and Action for Children we remember the 51 million invisible children who do not have birth certificates. Birth registration is a hidden problem, which most people in the UK take for granted, but for those without a birth certificate life can be very hard. Unable to prove their citizenship unregistered children are often denied access to health and education. Nor can they be full and active members of their societies; unable to stand for election, own property, legally marry or drive a car, or obtain a passport.
Churches and other faith groups are well placed within remote and marginalisedcommunities to raise awareness of the importance of birth registration and to collaborate with governments, the UN and other agencies in order to promote innovative community based responses to registration. This is desperately needed in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 63% of births remain unregistered.
This year’s theme for prayer and action is ‘violence against children’. Last month I was in Papua New Guinea; a country which continues to experience significant levels of violence against children and vulnerable adults. For the estimated 30% of the population who remained unregistered there is limited access to justice. Unregistered children are also significantly more vulnerable to other forms of violence such as trafficking and child labour.
I urge us all, in churches and other faith communities around the world, to unite in this World Day of Prayer and Action for the recognition, protection and flourishing of all our children."
Monday, November 19, 2012
Historic Vote on Women -- Episcopal Bishop (Church of England) - Nov. 20, 2012
article for International Herald Tribune / NY TIMES online by Alan Cowell (London, England):
Two decades after it supported the introduction of women as priests, the Church of England began three days of deliberations on Monday that will include a critical vote on the ordination of women as bishops — a notion that still splits its members into rival camps.
Two decades after it supported the introduction of women as priests, the Church of England began three days of deliberations on Monday that will include a critical vote on the ordination of women as bishops — a notion that still splits its members into rival camps.
The church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, a Protestant denomination that is deeply divided on issues of gender and sexuality. The church’s 470-member National Assembly is to vote on Tuesday on the question of ordaining women as bishops; to be approved, all three houses of the synod — the church’s bishops, clergy and laity — must vote in favor by a two-thirds majority.
The bishops and clerics are regarded as likely to endorse a compromise that would allow ordination of women as bishops but permit traditionalist parishes to reject their authority. But the outcome of the vote among lay members is far less assured, according to British analysts.
Almost all of the 44 Church of England bishoprics have indicated support for the measure.
Women currently account for one-third of the Anglican clergy and around half of those now in training to become priests. But the question of women as bishops stirs passionate debate among Anglicans, especially in Africa, where one-quarter of the world’s Anglicans live and where social attitudes tend to be more conservative than in the West. The church’s attitude toward same-sex marriage and homosexuality stirs similar controversy.
The vote this week will test the authority of both the Most Rev. Rowan Williams, the departing archbishop of Canterbury, and his successor, Justin Welby, the bishop of Durham. Archbishop Williams is set to retire at the end of this year from the post, the most senior in the church. Both he and Bishop Welby have said they will vote in favor of the compromise.
In an open letter published in the newspaper The Independent on Monday, more than 1,000 church members urged the synod to accept women as bishops. “Just as the churches have repented of our historic anti-Semitism and endorsement of slavery, so we believe that we must now show clearly that we no longer believe women to be inferior to men,” the letter said.
If the synod approves the measure, the first female bishops could be appointed in 2014.
Detroit founder of "The Empowerment Plan" for homeless wins JFK New Frontier Award
from Michigan LIVE! website -- www.mlive.com/
Veronika Scott, who founded the non-profit The Empowerment Plan, which makes coats that convert into sleeping bags made for and by Detroit’s homeless women, is being given the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award Monday evening (Nov. 19, 2012).
Veronika Scott, who founded the non-profit The Empowerment Plan, which makes coats that convert into sleeping bags made for and by Detroit’s homeless women, is being given the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award Monday evening (Nov. 19, 2012).
Two years ago, when Scott was a student at the College for Creative Studies, she began working on a class assignment that asked students to design something that would help fill a need. Scott designed a winter coat that doubled as a sleeping bag, aimed at helping Detroit’s homeless population to stay warm during the area’s frigid winters.
Her tireless research into the need of the local homeless population and refinement of her own product prototypes has since turned a simple class assignment into The Empowerment Plan, now a growing non-profit enterprise helps to employ the people it serves.
Scott has converted an abandoned warehouse into a production facility, and has garnered donated materials from companies such as General Motors and Carhartt. One of her employees was able to use the work to rise up from a homeless shelter and find her own apartment. The hope is that others will also able to do so soon.
The John F. Kennedy New Frontier Awards were created by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and Harvard University’s Institute of Politics to honor Americans under 40 years of age who are making an impact in their local communities through public service. “Veronika Scott turned a class project into an engine of opportunity and hope for the citizens of Detroit. They both are inspiring examples of my father’s belief that every person can make a difference,” Caroline Kennedy, President of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and Chair of the Senior Advisory Committee for Harvard’s Institute of Politics, and daughter of the late president, said in a release.
Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on this date (1863)
from The Writer's Almanac (American Public Media: Garrison Keillor):
November 19 was the day in 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln got up in front of about 15,000 people seated at a new national cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and delivered the Gettysburg Address.
It was a foggy, cold morning. Lincoln arrived about 10 a.m. Around noon, the sun came out as the crowds gathered on a hill overlooking the battlefield. A military band played, a local preacher offered a long prayer, and the headlining orator, Edward Everett, spoke for more than two hours. At that time, a two-hour speech was quite normal. Everett described the Battle of Gettysburg in great detail, and he brought the audience to tears more than once.
When Everett was finished, Lincoln got up and pulled his speech from his coat pocket. It consisted of 10 sentences, a total of 272 words. Lincoln did not mention any of the specifics of the war or any of the details of the battle of Gettysburg. He did not mention the North or the South. He did not mention slavery. Instead, he explained, in ordinary language, that our nation was founded on the idea that all men are created equal, and that we must continue to fight for that principle, in honor of those who have died fighting for it.
Unfortunately for Lincoln, the audience was distracted by a photographer setting up his camera, and by the time Lincoln had finished his speech and sat down the audience didn't even realize he had spoken. Lincoln was disappointed in his performance, but the next day Edward Everett told the president, "I wish that I could flatter myself that I had come as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes." The speech was reprinted in newspapers around the country, and it went on to become one of the most important speeches in American history.
The Gettysburg Address begins:
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
November 19 was the day in 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln got up in front of about 15,000 people seated at a new national cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and delivered the Gettysburg Address.
It was a foggy, cold morning. Lincoln arrived about 10 a.m. Around noon, the sun came out as the crowds gathered on a hill overlooking the battlefield. A military band played, a local preacher offered a long prayer, and the headlining orator, Edward Everett, spoke for more than two hours. At that time, a two-hour speech was quite normal. Everett described the Battle of Gettysburg in great detail, and he brought the audience to tears more than once.
When Everett was finished, Lincoln got up and pulled his speech from his coat pocket. It consisted of 10 sentences, a total of 272 words. Lincoln did not mention any of the specifics of the war or any of the details of the battle of Gettysburg. He did not mention the North or the South. He did not mention slavery. Instead, he explained, in ordinary language, that our nation was founded on the idea that all men are created equal, and that we must continue to fight for that principle, in honor of those who have died fighting for it.
Unfortunately for Lincoln, the audience was distracted by a photographer setting up his camera, and by the time Lincoln had finished his speech and sat down the audience didn't even realize he had spoken. Lincoln was disappointed in his performance, but the next day Edward Everett told the president, "I wish that I could flatter myself that I had come as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes." The speech was reprinted in newspapers around the country, and it went on to become one of the most important speeches in American history.
The Gettysburg Address begins:
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Romney's apology to donors - "I'm sorry. . .It was close. . ."
from LEADERSHIP dot-ng posting (Nov. 15 -- web domain from Nigeria) -- conference call as source of Romney's self-understanding:
The candidate of the Republicans in the just-concluded presidential election in the United States, Mr. Mitt Romney, said on a conference call with donors yesterday that President Obama won the 2012 presidential campaign because of "gifts" given by the administration to black, Hispanic and young voters.
"The President’s campaign focused on giving targeted groups a big gift, so he made a big effort on small things. Those small things, by the way, add up to trillions of dollars.” Romney said.
Romney said moves like the president's healthcare reform legislation and a decision to suspend deportations of certain illegal immigrants who came to the country as children proved "highly motivational" on Election Day. Romney also said he had "gotten beat up pretty bad" on issues including his immigration stance and personal wealth.
“I am very sorry that we didn’t win,” Romney told the donors. “I know that you expected to win. We expected to win. It was very close, but close doesn’t count in this business.”
Born on this date 111 years ago (Nov. 17, 1901): George Gallup
from The Writer's Almanac (American Public Media: Garrison Keillor):
Nov. 17, 2012 is the birthday of American statistician George Gallup (1901), born in Jefferson, Iowa. He was a pioneer in scientific polling techniques, and his name became a household word synonymous with the opinion poll.
Gallup enrolled in the University of Iowa in 1918, played football and became the editor of the Daily Iowan. While editor in the early 1920s, he conducted what is widely considered the first poll in human history. He took a survey to find the prettiest girl on the campus. The winner was Ophelia Smith, whom Gallup later married.
From 1929 to 1931, he headed the Drake University School of Journalism, left to teach at Northwestern University and conduct newspaper research in the Chicago area, and in 1935 set up the American Institute of Public Opinion at Princeton University. While teaching and doing research, Gallup found that small samples of the populace could predict general attitudes. He gained recognition for accurately predicting Franklin Roosevelt's victory over Alf Landon in 1936.
Gallup's biggest blunder, the prediction that Thomas Dewey would defeat Harry Truman in 1948, was a minor stumbling block. At one time, nearly 200 newspapers published his reports. At the height of his career, Gallup spoke out against the practice of exit polling in elections and advocated election reforms still being discussed today. Gallup died of a heart attack in 1984 at his summer home in Switzerland.
Nov. 17, 2012 is the birthday of American statistician George Gallup (1901), born in Jefferson, Iowa. He was a pioneer in scientific polling techniques, and his name became a household word synonymous with the opinion poll.
Gallup enrolled in the University of Iowa in 1918, played football and became the editor of the Daily Iowan. While editor in the early 1920s, he conducted what is widely considered the first poll in human history. He took a survey to find the prettiest girl on the campus. The winner was Ophelia Smith, whom Gallup later married.
From 1929 to 1931, he headed the Drake University School of Journalism, left to teach at Northwestern University and conduct newspaper research in the Chicago area, and in 1935 set up the American Institute of Public Opinion at Princeton University. While teaching and doing research, Gallup found that small samples of the populace could predict general attitudes. He gained recognition for accurately predicting Franklin Roosevelt's victory over Alf Landon in 1936.
Gallup's biggest blunder, the prediction that Thomas Dewey would defeat Harry Truman in 1948, was a minor stumbling block. At one time, nearly 200 newspapers published his reports. At the height of his career, Gallup spoke out against the practice of exit polling in elections and advocated election reforms still being discussed today. Gallup died of a heart attack in 1984 at his summer home in Switzerland.
President Obama -- Asian three-nation tour (Nov. 18 - 20) - East Asia summit conference at end
from CBS News REPORT (Posted early Sunday Nov. 18, 2012) -- www.cbsnews.com/
To kick off the four-day tour, he arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday afternoon, local time (a little after 3 a.m. ET Sunday morning), and one of his first stops was to visit ailing King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who turns 85 next month and is in the hospital. He was accompanied by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who greeted the king by saying, "Hello again. It's so good to see you again. And my husband sends you his very best regards."
Before exchanging gifts, the king and Mr. Obama spoke briefly, to which the president responded, "Elections in the United States are very long but it's very gratifying to know people still have confidence in me. I thought it was very important that my first trip after the elections was to Thailand, which is such a great ally."
The president later headed to the Government House there with Clinton. The president was greeted by Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the two leaders walked down a red carpet, flanked by dozens of Thai soldiers dressed in various military uniforms representing the different branches of the Thai military. Clinton, the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand and about 20 dignitaries stood behind Mr. Obama and Shinawatra.
Mr. Obama and Shinawatra held a press conference before attending an official dinner.
The visit to Thailand will "underscore our strong alliance and shared priorities and regional issues," according to Clinton's office. Monday, the president and Clinton will then travel to Rangoon, Myanmar, for a meeting with the Burmese president, and will finish in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the East Asia Summit.
Mr. Obama will become the first sitting U.S. president to visit Myanmar - the former pariah state also called Burma - as well as Cambodia. His visit to Myanmar is controversial; it has been criticized by human rights activists who have said that the country should prove it has truly moved on from its years of brutal military rule before it deserves a presidential visit.
The president said in his Bangkok press conference today that his visit to Myanmar "isn't an endorsement of the Burmese government" but simply "an acknowledgment there's a process underway" towards democracy that "nobody forsaw." Saturday, deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes, told reporters the president will initiate "dialogue with the Burmese government about the need to reduce their relationship with North Korea."
"We see that as an issue where they've been moving in a positive direction," Rhodes said. "We'd like to reinforce that action and, again, see Burma break its military ties with the North Koreans."
A visit to Asia - Mr. Obama's fourth during as many years in the White House - is personal for the Hawaii-born first "Pacific president." It also stands to send a message that the president's making good on his promise to turn U.S. attention to the region, something Rhodes noted earlier this week: "Continuing to fill in our pivot to Asia will be a critical part of this president's second term," he said, "and ultimately his foreign policy legacy."
To kick off the four-day tour, he arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday afternoon, local time (a little after 3 a.m. ET Sunday morning), and one of his first stops was to visit ailing King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who turns 85 next month and is in the hospital. He was accompanied by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who greeted the king by saying, "Hello again. It's so good to see you again. And my husband sends you his very best regards."
Before exchanging gifts, the king and Mr. Obama spoke briefly, to which the president responded, "Elections in the United States are very long but it's very gratifying to know people still have confidence in me. I thought it was very important that my first trip after the elections was to Thailand, which is such a great ally."
The president later headed to the Government House there with Clinton. The president was greeted by Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the two leaders walked down a red carpet, flanked by dozens of Thai soldiers dressed in various military uniforms representing the different branches of the Thai military. Clinton, the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand and about 20 dignitaries stood behind Mr. Obama and Shinawatra.
Mr. Obama and Shinawatra held a press conference before attending an official dinner.
The visit to Thailand will "underscore our strong alliance and shared priorities and regional issues," according to Clinton's office. Monday, the president and Clinton will then travel to Rangoon, Myanmar, for a meeting with the Burmese president, and will finish in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the East Asia Summit.
Mr. Obama will become the first sitting U.S. president to visit Myanmar - the former pariah state also called Burma - as well as Cambodia. His visit to Myanmar is controversial; it has been criticized by human rights activists who have said that the country should prove it has truly moved on from its years of brutal military rule before it deserves a presidential visit.
The president said in his Bangkok press conference today that his visit to Myanmar "isn't an endorsement of the Burmese government" but simply "an acknowledgment there's a process underway" towards democracy that "nobody forsaw." Saturday, deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes, told reporters the president will initiate "dialogue with the Burmese government about the need to reduce their relationship with North Korea."
"We see that as an issue where they've been moving in a positive direction," Rhodes said. "We'd like to reinforce that action and, again, see Burma break its military ties with the North Koreans."
A visit to Asia - Mr. Obama's fourth during as many years in the White House - is personal for the Hawaii-born first "Pacific president." It also stands to send a message that the president's making good on his promise to turn U.S. attention to the region, something Rhodes noted earlier this week: "Continuing to fill in our pivot to Asia will be a critical part of this president's second term," he said, "and ultimately his foreign policy legacy."
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Director of "Life of Pi" feature film on "Faith" / "Search for God" (Ang Lee)
from Deborah Potter's interview as posted at "Religion & Ethics Newsweekly" (Nov. 16, 2012):
On the surface, it’s an adventure story about a boy who survives a shipwreck in a lifeboat, alone, except for a man-eating tiger. But at a deeper level, “Life of Pi” explores the meaning and endurance of faith—an unusual theme for a Hollywood movie that critics have called “dazzling” and “magical.” For director Ang Lee, the experience of translating the best-selling novel to the screen required a leap of faith.
ANG LEE (Director, Life of Pi): It is a journey, as a test of the strength of our faith, of how firm we believe in it. I think that has to be the number one thing I took from the experience.
DEBORAH POTTER: In some ways, the story of young Piscine Patel, known as Pi, defies belief from the start. The son of a zoo-keeper, the boy is raised Hindu but also practices Christianity and Islam, to the disappointment of his father. . .
_________________________________________________________________________________
POTTER: So is a film about a man’s search for God aimed at helping audiences find God?
ANG LEE: You know, you cannot tell somebody a story, or show them a movie, for them to believe in God. It wouldn’t be that easy. You have to go through suffer and pain, you have to be in awe. You have to go through tests to believe in God, or not believe in God in some cases.
DAVID MAGEE: To my mind it doesn’t say you have to believe in God, it doesn’t say you shouldn’t believe in God. It says have faith in the stories that take you through your experience with life and if they take you to God, they take you to God, and if they take you in other directions, that’s fine, but listen to the stories.
POTTER: And as Pi himself says in telling his story, “You’ll decide for yourself what to believe.”
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/november-16-2012/life-of-pi/13854/
On the surface, it’s an adventure story about a boy who survives a shipwreck in a lifeboat, alone, except for a man-eating tiger. But at a deeper level, “Life of Pi” explores the meaning and endurance of faith—an unusual theme for a Hollywood movie that critics have called “dazzling” and “magical.” For director Ang Lee, the experience of translating the best-selling novel to the screen required a leap of faith.
ANG LEE (Director, Life of Pi): It is a journey, as a test of the strength of our faith, of how firm we believe in it. I think that has to be the number one thing I took from the experience.
DEBORAH POTTER: In some ways, the story of young Piscine Patel, known as Pi, defies belief from the start. The son of a zoo-keeper, the boy is raised Hindu but also practices Christianity and Islam, to the disappointment of his father. . .
_________________________________________________________________________________
POTTER: So is a film about a man’s search for God aimed at helping audiences find God?
ANG LEE: You know, you cannot tell somebody a story, or show them a movie, for them to believe in God. It wouldn’t be that easy. You have to go through suffer and pain, you have to be in awe. You have to go through tests to believe in God, or not believe in God in some cases.
DAVID MAGEE: To my mind it doesn’t say you have to believe in God, it doesn’t say you shouldn’t believe in God. It says have faith in the stories that take you through your experience with life and if they take you to God, they take you to God, and if they take you in other directions, that’s fine, but listen to the stories.
POTTER: And as Pi himself says in telling his story, “You’ll decide for yourself what to believe.”
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/november-16-2012/life-of-pi/13854/
David H. Petraeus, his wife Holly, two grown children: military family under probing light
from BLOGS - NY Times.com/
David H. Petraeus and his wife, Holly, and their two grown children had “long been viewed by military families as an inspiration, a model for making a marriage work despite the separation and hardship of long deployments overseas,” write Scott Shane and Sheryl Gay Stolberg in an article about the rise and fall of Gen. Petraeus, who resigned as director of the Central Intelligence Agency on Friday (Nov. 9, 2012) after admitting to an extramarital affair.
The article concluded with a comment from Jacey Eckhart, the spouse editor for the Web site military.com, who said the fact that the Petraeuses had been married for so long, and survived so many separations, was a source of inspiration to younger military couples:
Military duty in particular — but also other professions that require people to travel a lot or work away from home for long periods of time — can put serious strains on marriages and family life. Cellphones, email and Skype allow more connection among family members and loved ones, but are no substitute for being there.
http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/12/when-a-spouse-is-posted-abroad/
David H. Petraeus and his wife, Holly, and their two grown children had “long been viewed by military families as an inspiration, a model for making a marriage work despite the separation and hardship of long deployments overseas,” write Scott Shane and Sheryl Gay Stolberg in an article about the rise and fall of Gen. Petraeus, who resigned as director of the Central Intelligence Agency on Friday (Nov. 9, 2012) after admitting to an extramarital affair.
The article concluded with a comment from Jacey Eckhart, the spouse editor for the Web site military.com, who said the fact that the Petraeuses had been married for so long, and survived so many separations, was a source of inspiration to younger military couples:
The sense was they had a strong marriage, that this was a functioning relationship, that they had good kids. It’s one of those relationships that you look up to: if they can do it, we can do it. This is what success looks like. So this is shocking. This is what it looks like when a hero falls.On the At War blog, Rebekah Sanderlin has posted a poignant account of her years as an Army wife. She points out that while there is a wealth of advice on how to deal with separation and the single-parent household, “post-deployment reintegration barely merits a mention in most of these resources, and usually then only with a throwaway sentence that admonishes us to “give it time” and to “expect difficulty.””
Military duty in particular — but also other professions that require people to travel a lot or work away from home for long periods of time — can put serious strains on marriages and family life. Cellphones, email and Skype allow more connection among family members and loved ones, but are no substitute for being there.
http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/12/when-a-spouse-is-posted-abroad/
Born on this day (Nov. 17) in 1942
from his Internet Movie DataBase biography:
Martin Scorsese was born on November 17, 1942, in New York City, and was raised in the neighborhood of Little Italy, which later provided the inspiration for several of his films. Scorsese earned a B.S. degree in film communications in 1964, followed by an M.A. in the same field in 1966 at New York University's School of Film. During this time, he made numerous prize-winning short films including The Big Shave (1968), and directed his first feature film, _Who's That Knocking at My Door (1967)_.
He served as assistant director and an editor of the documentary Woodstock (1970) and won critical and popular acclaim for Mean Streets (1973), which first paired him with actor and frequent collaborator Robert De Niro. In 1976, Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976), also starring De Niro, was awarded the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and he followed that film with New York, New York (1977) and The Last Waltz (1978). Scorsese directed De Niro to an Oscar-winning performance as boxer Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull (1980), which received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, and is hailed as one of the masterpieces of modern cinema. Scorsese went on to direct The Color of Money (1986), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Goodfellas (1990), Cape Fear (1991), The Age of Innocence (1993), Casino (1995), and Kundun (1997), among other films. Commissioned by the British Film Institute to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of cinema, Scorsese completed the four-hour documentary, A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995) (TV), co-directed by Michael Henry Wilson.
His long-cherished project, Gangs of New York (2002), earned numerous critical honors, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Director; the Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator (2004) won five Academy Awards, in addition to the Golden Globe and BAFTA awards for Best Picture. Scorsese won his first Academy Award for Best Director for The Departed (2006), which was also honored with the Director's Guild of America, Golden Globe, New York Film Critics, National Board of Review and Critic's Choice awards for Best Director, in addition to four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Scorsese's documentary of the Rolling Stones in concert, Shine a Light (2008), followed, with the successful thriller Shutter Island (2010) two years later. Scorsese received his seventh Academy Award nomination for Best Director, as well as a Golden Globe win, for Hugo (2011), which went on to win five Academy Awards.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000217/bio
Martin Scorsese was born on November 17, 1942, in New York City, and was raised in the neighborhood of Little Italy, which later provided the inspiration for several of his films. Scorsese earned a B.S. degree in film communications in 1964, followed by an M.A. in the same field in 1966 at New York University's School of Film. During this time, he made numerous prize-winning short films including The Big Shave (1968), and directed his first feature film, _Who's That Knocking at My Door (1967)_.
He served as assistant director and an editor of the documentary Woodstock (1970) and won critical and popular acclaim for Mean Streets (1973), which first paired him with actor and frequent collaborator Robert De Niro. In 1976, Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976), also starring De Niro, was awarded the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and he followed that film with New York, New York (1977) and The Last Waltz (1978). Scorsese directed De Niro to an Oscar-winning performance as boxer Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull (1980), which received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, and is hailed as one of the masterpieces of modern cinema. Scorsese went on to direct The Color of Money (1986), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Goodfellas (1990), Cape Fear (1991), The Age of Innocence (1993), Casino (1995), and Kundun (1997), among other films. Commissioned by the British Film Institute to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of cinema, Scorsese completed the four-hour documentary, A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995) (TV), co-directed by Michael Henry Wilson.
His long-cherished project, Gangs of New York (2002), earned numerous critical honors, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Director; the Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator (2004) won five Academy Awards, in addition to the Golden Globe and BAFTA awards for Best Picture. Scorsese won his first Academy Award for Best Director for The Departed (2006), which was also honored with the Director's Guild of America, Golden Globe, New York Film Critics, National Board of Review and Critic's Choice awards for Best Director, in addition to four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Scorsese's documentary of the Rolling Stones in concert, Shine a Light (2008), followed, with the successful thriller Shutter Island (2010) two years later. Scorsese received his seventh Academy Award nomination for Best Director, as well as a Golden Globe win, for Hugo (2011), which went on to win five Academy Awards.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000217/bio
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Ambassador to Vatican (Miguel H. Diaz) -- resigns to take teaching post in OH
from RNS (Religious News Service) -- story bylined from Vatican City:
The U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Miguel H. Diaz, paid his farewell visit to Pope Benedict XVI Catholic theologian Miguel Diaz served as the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.
An embassy spokesman said Diaz had ended his term after three years as Washington's top diplomat to the Vatican. He had been sworn in on Aug. 21, 2009.
Back in the U.S., he will take up a teaching position at the University of Dayton in Ohio, a Catholic college, though an official announcement has not been made yet.
Diaz was a theologian at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn., and Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minn., before being chosen to represent the Obama administration at the Vatican.
Born in Havana, Cuba, he was the first Hispanic U.S. ambassador to the Holy See. He is also a board member of the Catholic Theological Society of America and former president of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States.
Despite the conflict between U.S. Catholic bishops and the Obama administration over a new mandate for employers to provide birth control coverage to their employees, Diaz steered clear of controversies during his tenure, focusing instead on themes such as interfaith dialogue and the fight against human trafficking.
The U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Miguel H. Diaz, paid his farewell visit to Pope Benedict XVI Catholic theologian Miguel Diaz served as the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.
An embassy spokesman said Diaz had ended his term after three years as Washington's top diplomat to the Vatican. He had been sworn in on Aug. 21, 2009.
Back in the U.S., he will take up a teaching position at the University of Dayton in Ohio, a Catholic college, though an official announcement has not been made yet.
Diaz was a theologian at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn., and Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minn., before being chosen to represent the Obama administration at the Vatican.
Born in Havana, Cuba, he was the first Hispanic U.S. ambassador to the Holy See. He is also a board member of the Catholic Theological Society of America and former president of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States.
Despite the conflict between U.S. Catholic bishops and the Obama administration over a new mandate for employers to provide birth control coverage to their employees, Diaz steered clear of controversies during his tenure, focusing instead on themes such as interfaith dialogue and the fight against human trafficking.
Election Day Communion (Nov. 6 -- web program - idea)
www.electiondaycommunion.org/
[If you are] . . .tired of politics dividing the Church, help us get the word out. Talk with your congregation about holding a communion service on Election Day. Share Election Day Communion with your friends on Facebook.
Then on Tuesday, November 6, let’s come together in our respective churches, regardless of party, political affiliation, or denomination. Let’s all share this sacred act of communion together, reaffirming our allegiance to Christ.
As Election Day approaches, we’ll make available some free resources you can use to spread the word and plan your service.
But, at the end of the day, it’s simply communion. The Lord’s Supper. The Holy Eucharist. It’s the bread, the cup, and the body of believers gathered in the presence of Christ and each other.
And that’s all that matters.
[If you are] . . .tired of politics dividing the Church, help us get the word out. Talk with your congregation about holding a communion service on Election Day. Share Election Day Communion with your friends on Facebook.
Then on Tuesday, November 6, let’s come together in our respective churches, regardless of party, political affiliation, or denomination. Let’s all share this sacred act of communion together, reaffirming our allegiance to Christ.
As Election Day approaches, we’ll make available some free resources you can use to spread the word and plan your service.
But, at the end of the day, it’s simply communion. The Lord’s Supper. The Holy Eucharist. It’s the bread, the cup, and the body of believers gathered in the presence of Christ and each other.
And that’s all that matters.
Obama's Kind words for his rival (GOP Nominee) - Nov. 6 - Noon from Chicago, IL
from USA TODAY online article:
Here's what Obama said during a brief stop at an Obama For America office on Chicago's South Side this morning:
"I also want to say to Gov. Romney, congratulations on a spirited campaign," Obama said. "I know that his supporters are just as engaged and just as enthusiastic and working just as hard today. We feel confident we've got the votes to win, that it's going to depend ultimately on whether those votes turn out. And so I would encourage everybody on all sides just to make sure that you exercise this precious right that you have that people fought so hard for, for us to have.
"I'm looking forward to the results. And I expect that we'll have a good night. But no matter what happens, I just want to say how much I appreciate everybody who has supported me, everybody who has worked so hard on my behalf. And again, I want to congratulate Gov. Romney and his team for a hard-fought race as well."
http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2012/11/06/obama-romney-ran-spirited-campaign/1686339/
Here's what Obama said during a brief stop at an Obama For America office on Chicago's South Side this morning:
"I also want to say to Gov. Romney, congratulations on a spirited campaign," Obama said. "I know that his supporters are just as engaged and just as enthusiastic and working just as hard today. We feel confident we've got the votes to win, that it's going to depend ultimately on whether those votes turn out. And so I would encourage everybody on all sides just to make sure that you exercise this precious right that you have that people fought so hard for, for us to have.
"I'm looking forward to the results. And I expect that we'll have a good night. But no matter what happens, I just want to say how much I appreciate everybody who has supported me, everybody who has worked so hard on my behalf. And again, I want to congratulate Gov. Romney and his team for a hard-fought race as well."
http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2012/11/06/obama-romney-ran-spirited-campaign/1686339/
Since 1845 -- the First Tuesday of November
from Old Farmer's Almanac listserv (e-newsletter):
November 6—Election Day (U.S.)By an act of Congress in 1845, the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November was designated Election Day. This year, as Americans elect their next president, we thought we’d share this interesting fact about the title of “President”:
It seems impossible to think of our chief executive as anything but “the President,” but in 1789 John Adams had other ideas. After George Washington was unanimously elected to be the nation’s first leader, Congress had to decide on his title. When “The President of the United States” was suggested, Vice President–Elect John Adams disagreed, saying that the title was not dignified enough—after all, he argued, even fire companies and cricket clubs had presidents. Instead, he believed that the leader of the United States needed a grander title, and humbly suggested “His Most Benign Highness.” His peers, including George Washington himself, no doubt thought that Adams’s grandiose suggestion was too reminiscent of the titles of English royalty, and insisted on the more down-to-earth “The President of the United States of America."
almanac.ypl.com/
November 6—Election Day (U.S.)By an act of Congress in 1845, the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November was designated Election Day. This year, as Americans elect their next president, we thought we’d share this interesting fact about the title of “President”:
It seems impossible to think of our chief executive as anything but “the President,” but in 1789 John Adams had other ideas. After George Washington was unanimously elected to be the nation’s first leader, Congress had to decide on his title. When “The President of the United States” was suggested, Vice President–Elect John Adams disagreed, saying that the title was not dignified enough—after all, he argued, even fire companies and cricket clubs had presidents. Instead, he believed that the leader of the United States needed a grander title, and humbly suggested “His Most Benign Highness.” His peers, including George Washington himself, no doubt thought that Adams’s grandiose suggestion was too reminiscent of the titles of English royalty, and insisted on the more down-to-earth “The President of the United States of America."
almanac.ypl.com/
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Anniversary -- 500 years since Sistine Chapel completion (Vatican - November 2012)
from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly (PBS program - WGBH )
At the Vatican on Wednesday (November 1), Pope Benedict XVI held a special service to mark the 500th anniversary of the Sistine Chapel. The ceiling, dedicated in 1512, took Michelangelo four years to paint. Now, five million people visit annually. Benedict said when the chapel is seen during prayer, “everything lives, everything resonates.”
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/headlines/pope-mark%E2%80%99s-500th-anniversary-of-sistine-chapel/13696/
Pope Benedict XVI Mark’s 500th Anniversary of Sistine Chapel
At the Vatican on Wednesday (November 1), Pope Benedict XVI held a special service to mark the 500th anniversary of the Sistine Chapel. The ceiling, dedicated in 1512, took Michelangelo four years to paint. Now, five million people visit annually. Benedict said when the chapel is seen during prayer, “everything lives, everything resonates.”http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/headlines/pope-mark%E2%80%99s-500th-anniversary-of-sistine-chapel/13696/
Election of New Pope (Coptic Church of Egypt): Reuters Nov. 4, 2012
Press coverage in NY TIMES online (Nov. 4):
Egypt’s Coptic Church Names New Pope
Egypt's Coptic Orthodox church chose a new pope, Bishop Tawadros, in a sumptuous service on Sunday that Christians hope will lead them through an Islamist-dominated landscape and protect what is the Middle East's biggest Christian community.
Many Christians in Egypt, who make up about a tenth of the population of 83 million, are worried about political gains made by Islamists since Hosni Mubarak was ousted last year. They have long complained of discrimination in Muslim-majority Egypt.
In a ritual steeped in tradition and filled with prayer, chants and incense at Abbasiya cathedral in Cairo, the names of three candidates chosen in an earlier vote were placed in a wax-sealed bowl before a blindfolded boy picked out one name.
Copts believe this long-established process ensured worldly influences did not determine the successor to Pope Shenouda III, who led the church for four decades until his death in March at the age of 88.
"Pope Tawadros II is the 118th (leader of the church), blessed congratulations to you," said interim Pope Bakhomious, dressed in gold-embroidered robes, who has temporarily been in the post since Shenouda's death.
As he held the name aloft, the congregation in the packed cathedral applauded. The formal ceremony to install Bishop Tawadros as the pope will take place on November 18, a priest said.
The new pope, bishop of a region in the Nile Delta north of Cairo who clerics said turned 61 on Sunday, had trained as a pharmacist before joining the priesthood.
Church experts said he had strong communication skills and had called for peaceful co-existence in Egyptian society.
"I am so happy. I have had dealings with Bishop Tawadros before and he is a very wise and calm man," said 20-year-old Marina Nabil, speaking amid applause in the cathedral.
The other two candidates were Bishop Rafael, a 54-year-old who qualified as a doctor before entering the priesthood, and Father Rafael Afamena, a 70-year-old monk who studied law before taking on holy orders.
In a ballot last week the candidates were whittled down to a choice of three. Voters included leading members of the church, public figures and a handful of representatives of the Ethiopian Church, which has historic links to the church in Egypt.
Echoing the worries of many of Egypt's Copts, shopkeeper Michael George said before the service: "Christians fear the Islamists' rule especially because their presence is encouraging radicals to act freely."
Since Mubarak was ousted, there have been several attacks on churches by radical Islamists. Those incidents have fuelled longstanding complaints that Christians are sidelined in the workplace and in law. They point to rules that make it harder to obtain official permission to build a church than a mosque.
The Muslim Brotherhood, the mainstream Islamist movement from which President Mohamed Mursi emerged to win power via free elections, has sworn to guard the rights of Christians in the overwhelmingly majority Sunni Muslim nation.
The Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party congratulated the church. The party chief, Saad al-Katatni, said on his Facebook page that he was "optimistic about fruitful cooperation with (the pope) as spiritual leader of Coptic brethren."
Egypt’s Coptic Church Names New Pope
Egypt's Coptic Orthodox church chose a new pope, Bishop Tawadros, in a sumptuous service on Sunday that Christians hope will lead them through an Islamist-dominated landscape and protect what is the Middle East's biggest Christian community.
Many Christians in Egypt, who make up about a tenth of the population of 83 million, are worried about political gains made by Islamists since Hosni Mubarak was ousted last year. They have long complained of discrimination in Muslim-majority Egypt.
In a ritual steeped in tradition and filled with prayer, chants and incense at Abbasiya cathedral in Cairo, the names of three candidates chosen in an earlier vote were placed in a wax-sealed bowl before a blindfolded boy picked out one name.
Copts believe this long-established process ensured worldly influences did not determine the successor to Pope Shenouda III, who led the church for four decades until his death in March at the age of 88.
"Pope Tawadros II is the 118th (leader of the church), blessed congratulations to you," said interim Pope Bakhomious, dressed in gold-embroidered robes, who has temporarily been in the post since Shenouda's death.
As he held the name aloft, the congregation in the packed cathedral applauded. The formal ceremony to install Bishop Tawadros as the pope will take place on November 18, a priest said.
The new pope, bishop of a region in the Nile Delta north of Cairo who clerics said turned 61 on Sunday, had trained as a pharmacist before joining the priesthood.
Church experts said he had strong communication skills and had called for peaceful co-existence in Egyptian society.
"I am so happy. I have had dealings with Bishop Tawadros before and he is a very wise and calm man," said 20-year-old Marina Nabil, speaking amid applause in the cathedral.
The other two candidates were Bishop Rafael, a 54-year-old who qualified as a doctor before entering the priesthood, and Father Rafael Afamena, a 70-year-old monk who studied law before taking on holy orders.
In a ballot last week the candidates were whittled down to a choice of three. Voters included leading members of the church, public figures and a handful of representatives of the Ethiopian Church, which has historic links to the church in Egypt.
Echoing the worries of many of Egypt's Copts, shopkeeper Michael George said before the service: "Christians fear the Islamists' rule especially because their presence is encouraging radicals to act freely."
Since Mubarak was ousted, there have been several attacks on churches by radical Islamists. Those incidents have fuelled longstanding complaints that Christians are sidelined in the workplace and in law. They point to rules that make it harder to obtain official permission to build a church than a mosque.
The Muslim Brotherhood, the mainstream Islamist movement from which President Mohamed Mursi emerged to win power via free elections, has sworn to guard the rights of Christians in the overwhelmingly majority Sunni Muslim nation.
The Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party congratulated the church. The party chief, Saad al-Katatni, said on his Facebook page that he was "optimistic about fruitful cooperation with (the pope) as spiritual leader of Coptic brethren."
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Nov. 10 Concert, 4 p.m. -- The Promissory Notes (Dulcimer group) - Niles Library
In the Niles (Michigan) Library Gallery - Rotunda:
The Dulcimer group from Elkhart, Indiana was formed in 1998 and has played at many area festivals and venues. Come enjoy the N. Indiana musicians and learn more about the instrument and history of the wonderful folk music.
The Dulcimer group from Elkhart, Indiana was formed in 1998 and has played at many area festivals and venues. Come enjoy the N. Indiana musicians and learn more about the instrument and history of the wonderful folk music.
Longest Weekend of the Year (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2012)
Turn back your clocks from 2 a.m. Sunday Nov. 4 to 1 a.m. in order to "gain back" the hour of Daylight Savings Time that we lost last spring.
This makes the first weekend of November -- 49 hours long.
Will all of your devices and computers do the same? Do you have old-tech watches and house clocks that require such maintenance and correction? Will you deliberately also change your home Smoke Alarm batteries?
Thanks for Comments -- God bless you!
This makes the first weekend of November -- 49 hours long.
Will all of your devices and computers do the same? Do you have old-tech watches and house clocks that require such maintenance and correction? Will you deliberately also change your home Smoke Alarm batteries?
Thanks for Comments -- God bless you!
Friday, November 2, 2012
Million Muppet March -- more information about unofficial status of PBS or Henson Company employees
www.politico.com/
The Million Muppet March kicks off Saturday (Nov. 3, 2012) at Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
“This is a fun event, we’re not trying to make it a political thing,” Michael Bellavia, one of the event’s organizers, told POLITICO. “We wanted to show that this is something that has a broad base of support.”
The Million Muppet March kicks off Saturday (Nov. 3, 2012) at Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
“This is a fun event, we’re not trying to make it a political thing,” Michael Bellavia, one of the event’s organizers, told POLITICO. “We wanted to show that this is something that has a broad base of support.”
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Lecture on Constitution and Pursuit of Happiness: Akhil Reed Amar (Nov. 3, 2012)
Potenziani Constitutional Law Lecture by Professor Akhil Amar
-
Location: McCartan Courtroom
Akhil Reed Amar is Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University, where he teaches constitutional law at both Yale College and Yale Law School.
http://law.nd.edu/events/calendar/events-page/
Notre Dame School of Law -- the lecturer's most recent book is America's Unwritten Constitution (2012)
http://law.nd.edu/events/calendar/events-page/
Notre Dame School of Law -- the lecturer's most recent book is America's Unwritten Constitution (2012)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)