It Forces Human Interaction The common response among many believers is that God commands us “to be a good steward” of our wealth, which is the Christian way of saying “I don’t want to give away any of my time, energy, or resources to people who are just going to flush it away.” Thus, the accumulation of wealth is quickly adapted as a form of spiritual virtue, highly esteemed among American believers and attributed as a sign of God’s favor. But giving directly to the poor forces us to actually interact with humankind, with the people God wants us to … Continue reading Helping The Poor – Reason 5

On December 5th, The Diversity Chronicle posted a blog with the clever title ‘Pope Francis Condemns Racism and declares that “All Religions Are True” At Historic Third Vatican Council’ . People quickly spread the piece via social media, and many—especially Evangelical Christians—attacked the Pope. The fact that the article was a spoof and not true should serve as a reminder to always research and verify sources, but even more alarming was that so many Christians were seemingly waiting for a reason to blast Pope Francis. It was as if people wanted an opportunity to turn on the Pope, and this … Continue reading ‘Evangelicals and Catholicism…

Amazon spokesperson Mary Osako, meanwhile, told Businessweek that “our employees have made it clear that they prefer a direct connection with Amazon.” “This direct connection is the most effective way to understand and respond to the wants and needs of our employees. Amazon’s culture and business model are based on rapid innovation, flexibility and open lines of direct communication between managers and associates.” SOURCE: Amazon Workers Vote Against Forming Union | TIME.com. Lets face it unions today have a pretty bad reputation with many of us. In the past they have tended to make an enemy of the people who … Continue reading A Direct Connection…

ZURICH (Reuters) – Two more Swiss banks said they would work with U.S. officials in a crackdown on wealthy Americans evading taxes through hidden offshore accounts, a trickle that could rise to about one third of the country’s private banks. SOURCE: Two more Swiss banks join U.S. tax deal: Fidelity. It sure would be nice if we could get the rich to somehow pay their fair share of taxes.  Swiss banks prosper because they help them hide money to avoid taxes. As the article says still less than one-third of them have joined this new procedure.  I think those that are … Continue reading To Avoid Taxes…..

“If we can just let other people alone and let them do their own fighting. When you get into trouble 5,000 miles away from home, you’ve got to have been looking for it” – Will Rogers, 9 February 1932 The world is a much smaller place now than it was in 1932 when Will spoke these words. The first multiple channel trans-Atlantic cable would not be laid for almost 25 years and communications satellites where also decades away. 1932 was just the beginning of our addiction to the automobile so it would be again decades before we became dependent on … Continue reading Let Them Do Their Own Fighting….

I have stated often on the blog that I have spent much of my life asking myself “What do I want to do when I grow up?” It just seems that I never really found my own personal unique way to put my mark on the world.  This question popped up yet again while I was sitting on my throne a while ago and suddenly the most obvious answer flooded my senses. I was meant to be an editor!! This calling should have been obvious to me before now. I can’t believe I have lived this long without fully realizing it.   … Continue reading When I Grow Up….

  You are what you do, not what you say… Continue reading Actions Speak….

Fine dining at Michelin-starred restaurants around the world can come at a price. But what you get for those high price tags (which can often be accompanied by sticker shock) are outstanding dining experiences that can take you to a castle in Switzerland or to an underwater culinary experience in the Maldives. From Japan to Europe to the Big Apple, luxe dining menus are often designed tasting courses paired with wines, which substantially adds to the consumer’s bottom line. SOURCE:  10 most expensive restaurants in the world. I guess there are people, especially the 1%er who don’t mind plunking down … Continue reading 10 most expensive restaurants in the world

  Are you a builder of walls or windmills? Continue reading Winds Of Change….

“Went down last night to a world’s championship wrestling match. Us movie actors are advised to go there by our producers so we can learn how to act. It was a fine show, everybody enjoyed it, but wrestling managements are overlooking an extra big revenue, for folks would pay even more to see them rehearse with each other before the match.” – Will Rogers, 25 July 1935 This quote brought back a very distant memory for me. I can recall with I was about ten years old watching my grandmother yelling at the very small TV screen in their living … Continue reading Rehearsing…

The one thing these old boys with a big navy are scared of, and that’s submarines. They are always claiming they are inhuman and not a civilized mode of warfare. It would be rather interesting to see published the names of weapons that are considered a pleasure to be shot by.    – Will Rogers, 30 April 1935 Of course submarines have been replaced by drones as being not civilized mode of warfare today.  At least that is what those who have been shot by drones say. Will was just not much of a fan of our war machine. I … Continue reading A Pleasure To Be Shot By….

I have readily admitted here that I am no snob about television. My wife and I usually watch a couple of hours of our favorite programs nightly. That is just how I relax  and let my brain cools down at the end of many days. We have a digital video recorder that records our favorite shows so we can watch them whenever we want. With the DVR I can speed through three minutes of commercials in about four seconds so I usually only get a very fleeting glimpse of all those advertisements. I have also recently discovered streaming video which is … Continue reading Viagra and the American Male…

 Who Are We to Judge the Poor? Americans are horrible savers. On average, we save less than 5% of all our earned income. Despite this, we routinely think of the poor as people who deserve their lowly status. “They squander their money away on drugs, alcohol, and bad habits!” is a common excuse for not giving anything directly to the poor. The truth is, we probably aren’t that much better with our resources. While we complain about the habits of the homeless, we go to the movies, buy new clothes, watch Netflix, eat junk food, and squander our income. The … Continue reading Helping The Poor – Reason 3

I see where it was 50 years ago this week that President Johnson declared “war on poverty”.  This resulted in many social justice issues being addressed. Among them were:  Social Security Act 1965 (Created Medicare and Medicaid) – July 19, 1965 Food Stamp Act of 1964- August 31, 1964 The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 which created the Community Action Program, Job Corps and Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), centerpiece of the “war on poverty” – August 20, 1964 Elementary and Secondary Education Act – April 11, 1965 By today’s standard, which are pretty low indeed, it was remarkable … Continue reading War On Poverty… Solved…

Things are finally starting to thaw out here in the Midwest. The temperature actually got into the 20s yesterday and is supposed to break freezing today. But there is still much ice to contend with. As a matter of fact we now have a new lawn ornament in our front yard as a result of the ice. Here is the story behind that. Our neighbor from across the road knows that ice and I are a treacherous combination so she usually get our mail for us during these conditions. She is seventy-six years old but refuses to admit it. She … Continue reading The Big Thaw….

Cooking is one of my passions. I have always enjoyed it since I started cooking for my dad, brother and me at the age of ten years. Mom decided to look for greener pastures, which she found, and left us on our own.  I didn’t really know much about cooking so I learned as I went. Dad, growing up on a pig farm, knew how to make a pretty wicked pork chop and he learned how to make milk gravy on toast in the army during WWII. The soldiers called it “shit on the shingle” back then. (Like always I … Continue reading Its Own Real Estate….

The funny thing about Michael Galinsky’s photographs of malls, taken during a road trip across the U.S. in the winter of 1989, is not the feathered and hair-sprayed hair, the pleated and pegged jeans, the high-tops and acid wash, the puffy chests in too-small or over-sized tank tops. It’s not the whiff of Mrs. Field’s cookies, Orange Julius, and Chick-fil-A waffle fries. It’s not the fluorescent lights and pained efforts to bring the outdoors in: rubber plants, umbrellas hovering in food courts, faux snow fluffed, not falling, over Christmas scenes. That dusty, dim glow. The funny thing is, looking at … Continue reading Flashback to the Timeless Malls of the 1980s…

“No man has had a happier life than I have led; a happier life in every way.” -President Theodore Roosevelt On the 95th anniversary of your death, here is to you Teddy. You took on the 1% of your day and busted all the trusts that had taken over the country. You brought some sanity back to the capitalist system. If only we could clone you today…. Continue reading Here Is To You Teddy…

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ This map shows just how far down this cold weather goes today.  We are at -14 right now with a wind chill of -40! Our neighbors across the road power went down yesterday and it is still out but ours was OK, thank the Lord. They moved in with family in town. The lady next to them also lost power; she will be our guest for the next few days until sanity returns.. These are the rare times when it is dangerous for us senior citizens to be living in the countryside. I hope all my other neighbors are … Continue reading COLD!!!!!

I don’t pretend to know Shane Claiborne on a personal level but he is one of my heroes in life because he lives his faith instead of just saying the words. I have been inspired and encouraged by all of this books. I embrace more of his beliefs than almost anyone I can think of. When I came across his “14 hopes for 2014” I found a some more to add to my list. Here they are: SQUASH NEGATIVITY.  I commit to shut down murmuring and cynicism and gossip and slander and all forms of passive aggression (even on the … Continue reading New Years Resolutions I Share With Shane….

It is uncomfortable for us to welcome different people in our lives. We have to not only deal with learning new things, new ideas, and new patterns of behavior but we also have to deal with our own fears, insecurities, and prejudices. That is why is so much easier to justify distancing ourselves from other people under pretence that they are just “bad.” Our “God Box” Is Shaped According to the People Who Make Us Feel Good When life gets messy, hard, or lonely we tend to go through “religious change.” When our original religious views and “God box” no … Continue reading Using The God Box to Keep People Out

I don’t know about where you are at but we are getting ready for a wallapoluzza here in Indiana.  Snow and -15 degree temps following!!  I am hunkering down with my posts-to-write list and a few picture puzzles. Now if my electricity and internet connection don’t go out I am ready. BTW… The title above is the State song. Here is hoping that it is better where you are. Continue reading Back Home Again In Indiana…

Happy New Year 2014 Lets get the baby started and pray for the best. Continue reading Happy New Years!!!

To all my nonbelieving, sort-of-believing, and used-to-be-believing friends: I feel like I should begin with a confession. I am sorry that so often the biggest obstacle to God has been Christians. Christians who have had so much to say with our mouths and so little to show with our lives. I am sorry that so often we have forgotten the Christ of our Christianity. SOURCE:  What if Jesus Meant All That Stuff? – Red Letter Christians. Just a quick note to all my Christian friends out there and even the ones who are not, I impeach you to click on … Continue reading A Good Way To Finish Off the Year…

    Continue reading It’s About Time….