Monday, January 25, 2010

COFFEE BREAK 129

+ updated at 10:10pm EST, Monday, January 25, 2010

+ The Supreme Court and Congress has for decades been allowing big multinational corporations to have more and more influence over our politics.  Last week the Court voted by a 5-4 vote to allow any corporation to spend as much money as they want to influence elections.  All restrictions lifted. 

Democracy Now! offers an interview with Jamin Raskin which presents a scathing critique of this decision.

LATE ADDITION: An even more scathing response is offered by Adam McKay in his blog at The Huffington Post.

+ Media Matters offers "Can the media's climate change deniers ignore the latest temperature record?" It begins: "This January, major meteorological organizations throughout the world -- including NASA -- released reports showing that the past decade, 2000-2009, was the warmest on record. The reports undermine the right-wing media's numerous claims that recent snow and cold weather shows that climate change does not exist or has slowed over the past 10 years."

+ You can now download a five-module course, "Globalization We Can Grasp," with plenty of information and practical ideas for dealing with this oppressive domination system hurting so many citizens of planet Earth.  The course was developed by the North American Working Group for Covenanting for Justice of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC). 

+ Spirituality and Practice offers a film review of Last Chance Harvey.  Excerpts:
  • It takes some of us many years to discover our true song, to take a risk on love, or to free ourselves from prisons of our own making.
  • Last Chance Harvey is a life-affirming romantic drama that reminds us that it is never to late to turn our lives around. The trick is that it usually takes a leap of faith into the dark which can be very frightening. Dustin Hoffman conveys Harvey's awkwardness as he finds himself reaching out to a complete stranger for sympathy and a little human kindness. She responds to his pain, and they spend a long time together after Kate convinces him to attend his daughter's wedding reception. She joins him and provides moral support as he expresses his love for Susan. What is endearing about the intimacy that develops between these two middle-agers is their convivial conversation. In the end, it serves them both very well.
We saw this movie recently as I finally allowed it to reach the top of my NetFlix queue. I particularly appreciated the tenderness and vulnerability and humility of the Harvey character as played by Dustin Hoffmann.  I went through a few tissues as a wonderful romance developed and as family healing took place during the wedding of Harvey's daughter.  The review got the tears flowing again. 

Two Friars and a Fool offers "Shooting People for Jesus". Excerpt: "I shouldn't be surprised, but this stuff just hits me like a kick to the ribs. It sends me spinning off into depression to realize how many people calling themselves Christians are full of violence and proud of it. We are never going to be satisfied that Christ has been crucified enough. We keep putting him up there over and over and it is disgusting."

+ Viola Larson's post, "Where are we at? What about Jesus Christ?" continues to attract comments including several by me.  We are dealing with orthodoxy which I see as a dynamic process and not static content.  One of the brothers thinks it is pretty irresponsible of me to part from the tenets of fourth century and sixteenth century orthodoxy.  And, of course, Viola Larson has said before that I am not a Christian since I don't believe in Jesus in the same way she does.  If she had her way, I would be kicked out of the Presbyterian Church.  Thankfully, my Presbytery and most Presbyteries don't have such a narrow lens.

+ Heavy rain today along with plenty of melting snow will definitely create flooding in some places around here.  It is quite warm for January today. Soon, possibly by midnight tonight, the forecasters say that it will be very cold again and we will get more snow but there is no major storm predicted at this time.

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