Rahm’s retirement sets off wild Chicago scramble [Click] I wouldn’t put a lot of stock in this article because it is from politio.com, which favors “Democrats in Disarray” story lines, but it is interesting. What do you think, Bill?
Speaking from a mile outside the city limits, the headline is certainly accurate. The article is pushing Bill Daley's chances. It could well be right, but in something this wide-open, it could be wrong. And it barely mentions Lightfoot, who has been endorsed by the Sun-Times and who was emailing me for months before Emanuel announced he would not be running for re-election. I suppose my best guess at the moment is that the two finalists will be Daley and Lightfoot, but you have no more reason to trust my guess than that of the article's author.
And for something different, howsabout this? The Best Combs a Presidential Candidate Could Use to Eat a Salad [Click] Related stories in the sidebar include “The Untold Stories of the Hairbrush,” “The Dreadful Inconvenience of Salad,” and “The Sad Ballad of Salad.”
Please pardon me for weighing in on something that is none of my direct personal concern, but I am aghast that the meetings of both the Vatican and the Southern Baptist Conference dealing with clerical sex abuse have adjourned without actually doing anything to speak of. I cannot help but be reminded of Voltaire's quip in Candide that the English from time to time execute an admiral to encourage the others.
Wow. For the first time in a long time I feel a sensation of gratitude for the fact that the Episcopal Church tends to be rather particular about rules and regulations. There is no way they would leave something so essential undone. In fact, fully 20 years ago was taking care of these issues. I know, because our bishop was on the national committee that would convene in event of sexual misconduct by a bishop. Moreover, way back then, every person who was going to teach Sunday School or meet one to one with anyone in a church building had to take two workshops about sexual misconduct, one being on the topic of misconduct regarding children and the other on misconduct regarding adults. I took the workshops and found them worthwhile and well presented.
BTW, the Methodists have a reasonably good approach to misconduct. We'll see if they can take a reasonably good approach to remaining a denomination as they are currently having their national, annual meeting and what's at stake is whether the national church can hold together congregations that welcome LBGTQ clergy and those who refuse. I know good, loving, open-hearted members who fear a split is imminent. Watch for news in the coming week.
For the sake of self-preservation, I had some hope. I gather that they have both been hemorrhaging followers for some time. Granted that the Vatican hasn't burnt anyone at the stake in quite some time, shouldn't they have a rocky islet or something similar where self-reflection would not be interrupted? Ditto the Baptists? And that should have been "Southern Baptist Convention."
I thought Francis showed considerable promise as Pope, and am severely disappointed in the way things have gone on his shift. But it is very difficult to control large bureaucracies. I remember reading the biography of a Japanese parliamentarian, the longest serving parliamentarian anywhere--more the seventy years, I believe. He was elected to the very first Japanese parliament, and was returned in every election until he was unable to rise from his bed. He was a minister in one government/administration and swore he would never do it again. He said you take a ministerial position thinking you are going to do all sorts of great things, but as soon as you mention doing something different people start lining up to tell you why it can't be done. After that he became a perpetual gadfly, and claimed credit for bringing down (I think) three governments. Quite a fellow.
i haven't seen anything about this in connection with the Southern Baptist Convention and I don't know what you expected, but unless Falwell made more changes than I would deem possible the Convention can do no more than urge and admonish. Governance lies strictly with the individual congregations.
The first article's comparison of the Southern Baptist Convention to the Vatican is so far off-base it might almost bring the whole thing into question. Whether a database would help is not clear. One of the biggest parts of the problem is that things don't get reported. And if they don't get reported, they won't be in the database.
Words to live by from Neil Gaiman in his online video masterclass:
The process of writing is Wile E Coyote running along off a cliff . He's fine until he looks down. So, as a writer, part of your job is not to stop and look down and go, "There's nothing underneath me!"
Several of my fellow students found that as much a revelation as I did.
It definitely applies to art creation, Alan. As for writing, Gerald G "Jerry" May once told me that if you are a writer, you have no excuse for not writing 15 minutes per day. You have to make and guard the space for writing. If you are dry, you can stop after 15 minutes. But just as often, something flows and you suddenly realise that an hour or two has flown by.
Rahm’s retirement sets off wild Chicago scramble [Click] I wouldn’t put a lot of stock in this article because it is from politio.com, which favors “Democrats in Disarray” story lines, but it is interesting. What do you think, Bill?
ReplyDeleteSpeaking from a mile outside the city limits, the headline is certainly accurate. The article is pushing Bill Daley's chances. It could well be right, but in something this wide-open, it could be wrong. And it barely mentions Lightfoot, who has been endorsed by the Sun-Times and who was emailing me for months before Emanuel announced he would not be running for re-election. I suppose my best guess at the moment is that the two finalists will be Daley and Lightfoot, but you have no more reason to trust my guess than that of the article's author.
DeleteIs it time for a betting pool? Thanks, Bill.
DeleteAnd for something different, howsabout this? The Best Combs a Presidential Candidate Could Use to Eat a Salad [Click] Related stories in the sidebar include “The Untold Stories of the Hairbrush,” “The Dreadful Inconvenience of Salad,” and “The Sad Ballad of Salad.”
ReplyDeleteAnd here’s a music story for the morning; I haven’t listened to any of the songs yet, but mean to. Rhiannon Giddens: ‘I see this album as part of a movement to reclaim black female history’ [Click]
ReplyDeleteRobert Reich: 'You're fired!' America has already terminated Trump [Click]
ReplyDeleteThe title alone makes my day! Thanks, Alan.
DeletePlease pardon me for weighing in on something that is none of my direct personal concern, but I am aghast that the meetings of both the Vatican and the Southern Baptist Conference dealing with clerical sex abuse have adjourned without actually doing anything to speak of. I cannot help but be reminded of Voltaire's quip in Candide that the English from time to time execute an admiral to encourage the others.
ReplyDeleteOh, c'mon, Alan. You didn't actually expect either of them to *do* anything, did you?
DeleteWow. For the first time in a long time I feel a sensation of gratitude for the fact that the Episcopal Church tends to be rather particular about rules and regulations. There is no way they would leave something so essential undone. In fact, fully 20 years ago was taking care of these issues. I know, because our bishop was on the national committee that would convene in event of sexual misconduct by a bishop. Moreover, way back then, every person who was going to teach Sunday School or meet one to one with anyone in a church building had to take two workshops about sexual misconduct, one being on the topic of misconduct regarding children and the other on misconduct regarding adults. I took the workshops and found them worthwhile and well presented.
DeleteBTW, the Methodists have a reasonably good approach to misconduct. We'll see if they can take a reasonably good approach to remaining a denomination as they are currently having their national, annual meeting and what's at stake is whether the national church can hold together congregations that welcome LBGTQ clergy and those who refuse. I know good, loving, open-hearted members who fear a split is imminent. Watch for news in the coming week.
DeleteFor the sake of self-preservation, I had some hope. I gather that they have both been hemorrhaging followers for some time. Granted that the Vatican hasn't burnt anyone at the stake in quite some time, shouldn't they have a rocky islet or something similar where self-reflection would not be interrupted? Ditto the Baptists? And that should have been "Southern Baptist Convention."
ReplyDeleteI thought Francis showed considerable promise as Pope, and am severely disappointed in the way things have gone on his shift. But it is very difficult to control large bureaucracies. I remember reading the biography of a Japanese parliamentarian, the longest serving parliamentarian anywhere--more the seventy years, I believe. He was elected to the very first Japanese parliament, and was returned in every election until he was unable to rise from his bed. He was a minister in one government/administration and swore he would never do it again. He said you take a ministerial position thinking you are going to do all sorts of great things, but as soon as you mention doing something different people start lining up to tell you why it can't be done. After that he became a perpetual gadfly, and claimed credit for bringing down (I think) three governments. Quite a fellow.
Deletei haven't seen anything about this in connection with the Southern Baptist Convention and I don't know what you expected, but unless Falwell made more changes than I would deem possible the Convention can do no more than urge and admonish. Governance lies strictly with the individual congregations.
DeleteHere’s one news report, Bill [Click] and here’s another. [Click]
ReplyDeleteHere’s Jimmy Carter in 2016 on a closely related topic. [Click]
The first article's comparison of the Southern Baptist Convention to the Vatican is so far off-base it might almost bring the whole thing into question. Whether a database would help is not clear. One of the biggest parts of the problem is that things don't get reported. And if they don't get reported, they won't be in the database.
DeleteAlthough just having a convenient place to look things up might help. Certainly couldn't hurt.
DeleteWords to live by from Neil Gaiman in his online video masterclass:
ReplyDeleteThe process of writing is Wile E Coyote running along off a cliff . He's fine until he looks down. So, as a writer, part of your job is not to stop and look down and go, "There's nothing underneath me!"
Several of my fellow students found that as much a revelation as I did.
Hmmmmm.... that might also apply to my current artistic adventures.
DeleteIt definitely applies to art creation, Alan. As for writing, Gerald G "Jerry" May once told me that if you are a writer, you have no excuse for not writing 15 minutes per day. You have to make and guard the space for writing. If you are dry, you can stop after 15 minutes. But just as often, something flows and you suddenly realise that an hour or two has flown by.
DeleteI learned something wonderful this weekend, which I will get to tell you about in April.
ReplyDelete