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+ updated at 1:00pm EST on Wednesday, January 22, 2014

+ Thanks to my friend Ralph Clingan I just discovered a fascinating website and Facebook site:  http://connectiontocreative.com/ | http://connectiontocreative.com/daily-affirmation/ | https://www.facebook.com/connectiontocreative

I suggest you go through the 167 photos on the Facebook site.

+ Democracy Now! offers an excerpt from a new documentary being featured at the Sundance Festival. Go to "Alive Inside: How the Magic of Music Proves Therapeutic for Patients With Alzheimer’s and Dementia." Here is a portion of the report:
Could a pair of headphones change the lives of millions of Americans suffering from Alzheimers and dementia? "Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory," a new documentary at the Sundance Film Festival, follows a social worker named Dan Cohen who has launched a campaign to bring iPods and music therapy to nursing homes. One of the central characters he works with is a 90-something Alzheimer’s patient named Henry Dryer, who was featured in a video posted online that went viral in 2012, with nearly 10 million views. The clip begins with video of Dryer looking largely unresponsive to the outside world. Then he was given a pair of headphones to listen to Cab Calloway, his favorite artist. The music energizes him, awakens him and helps bring back old memories. We play clips from the film and speak with Cohen about his project, "Music & Memory," which he hopes to expand around the world. We are also joined by Michael Rossato-Bennett, the film’s director and producer.

+ January is Poverty Awareness Month.  Spirituality and Practice offers information, inspiration and illumination with daily posts. It is not too late to get informed, inspired and illuminated. | See the list. 

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+ Democracy Now! offers "The Costs of War: 10 Years After Iraq Invasion, New Study Tallies the Massive Human, Financial Toll"

On the 10th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, we look at a massive new report by a team of 30 economists, anthropologists, political scientists, legal experts and physicians about the Iraq ... Read More or Watch Video →

+ TruthOut offers “US Climate Bomb is Ticking: What the Gas Industry Doesn't Want You to Know” by Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers. Excerpt: “We spoke with experts - Cornell engineering professor Dr. Anthony Ingraffea and biologist and author Dr. Sandra Steingraber - to explore what the newest studies show and to bust common myths about gas shale hydraulic fracking. The path out of this situation is a combination of promoting sound science, ending the extraction economy and employing direct action to weaken the stranglehold of industry on the political process. It is time to end the "all of the above" energy strategy which ensures going over the climate tipping point and instead commit to a carbon-free, nuclear-free energy economy.” | Read the article

+ TruthOut offers “Will Capitalism Destroy Civilization?” by Noam Chomsky. Excerpt: “Dewey called for workers to be 'masters of their own industrial fate' and for all institutions to be brought under public control, including the means of production, exchange, publicity, transportation and communication. Short of this, Dewey argued, politics will remain ‘the shadow cast on society by big business.’

 

"The truncated democracy that Dewey condemned has been left in tatters in recent years. Now control of government is narrowly concentrated at the peak of the income scale, while the large majority 'down below' has been virtually disenfranchised. The current political-economic system is a form of plutocracy, diverging sharply from democracy, if by that concept we mean political arrangements in which policy is significantly influenced by the public will.

 

"There have been serious debates over the years about whether capitalism is compatible with democracy. If we keep to really existing capitalist democracy – RECD for short – the question is effectively answered: They are radically incompatible. 

 

"It seems to me unlikely that civilization can survive RECD and the sharply attenuated democracy that goes along with it. But could functioning democracy make a difference?” | Read the article

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+ Democracy Now! offers "The Bipartisan Nuclear Bailout" by Amy Goodman. Excerpt: "This is mind-boggling, on the first anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, with the chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission warning that lessons from Fukushima have not been implemented in this country. Nevertheless, Democrats and Republicans agree on one thing: They’re going to force nuclear power on the public, despite the astronomically high risks, both financial and environmental."

MY COMMENT: We will never get money completely out of politics but right now this rule by the elite is leading us to ruin, We can find ways to solve our energy problems which do not endanger us but the politicians now in power are not on board for sanity. Let us pray for sanity. Prayer includes action.

+ Democracy Now! offers "Michael Klare: GOP Promises of Lower Gas Costs Belied By Dwindling Supply of World’s Oil" which is available in video form or transcript.  Excerpt: "Since the beginning of the year, the average of price of a gallon of regular gasoline has jumped 16 percent to more than $3.80. Earlier this week, President Obama partially blamed his Republican rivals, saying one reason for the increase is rumors of war with Iran. Meanwhile, Republican candidates have used the spike in gas prices to attack President Obama’s rejection of the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline and his stance on expanded domestic oil drilling. Our guest, Michael Klare, says oil prices are destined to remain high for a long time to come because most of the remaining oil on the planet is no longer easily accessible. Klare’s latest book is The Race for What’s Left: The Global Scramble for the World’s Last Resources."
 
MY COMMENT: Even if these Republicans are right and the planet does have more oil than previously believed, what about the crisis of climate change due to soaring carbon emissions? Experts tell us that climate change has potentially disastrous consequences including dwinding food supplies.  It also really bothers me that those living now are using so much of the oil of the planet and not saving it for future generations.  We need to conserve far more than we are conserving now and we need to develop alternative energy sources far more rapidly than we are now.  We need to rebuild our railroads here in the USA and increase all forms of transportation other than oil powered automobiles.  I know I would use far less oil if I could depend on trains and buses here in the Albany-Buffalo corridor. 

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+ Here is some powerful political analysis dealing with the New Hampshire primary, the concerns of  the Occupy and Tea Party movements, the appeal of Libertarian Ron Paul and more >  http://www.democracynow.org/2012/1/11/rivals_attacks_on_romneys_corporate_record

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+ updated at 2:37pm EST on Wednesday, February 2

+ I appreciate this post -- http://www.evolvingchristianfaith.net/2010/12/trinitarian-calling-unity-in-and.html -- and made a comment.  More recently, this blogger offered "Introducing Slavoj Zizek."  I made a comment not published yet.

+ a RETWEET: For the last week, Democracy Now! has covered the protests in #Egypt closely. View all of our reports in our archive: http://ow.ly/3P0O1

+ Spirituality and Practice is offering a course on InterSpiritual Meditation.  It began Sunday.  Not to late to sign up.  I wrote the following on the Introductions and Intentions pages:

I believe we must work on creating a new faith for a new earth. The planet needs a new narrative, a compelling story we can all hear and enjoy and sing and dance to the beat. It has begun. Actually it began a long time ago. But we still have a long way to go.

A course like this which brings together people from different wisdom traditions is essential. I wouldn't miss it, even though it overlaps with the other S&P course I'm taking.

Sign Up!

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+ updated at 3:15pm EST on Wednesday, January 20, 2011

+ I am taking another internet course offered by Spirituality and Practice: Practicing Spirituality with Brother David Steindl-Rast.  It is inspiring and illuminating.  It's now in Day 10 of 40 but the lessons are relatively short.  You can catch up.  You can join in on the marvellous sharing in the forum at any time.  You don't have to go back to the beginning.  The cost is $29.95 and worth every penny.  You would be helping to support the best website in the universe.

+ Democracy Now! offers an interview on the recent events in Tunisia. Blurb: "We speak with journalist Anthony Shadid, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, who is in Beirut where the government collapsed last week. Tunisia has 'electrified people across the Arab world,' Shadid says, 'mainly for that prospect of change, that change can actually occur in a lot of countries that seem almost ossified at this point."

+ The Spirituality and Practice Newsletter is always a good read. The current one is definitely a good read. It begins with the following Teaching Story: "There is a story about Achaan Cha, a famous meditation master in Northeast Thailand. He was accused by someone of having a lot of hatred. Achaan Cha replied, "That may be so, but I don't make any use of it." An answer like this comes from a deep understanding of one's own nature. It is a rare person who will not allow himself defiled thought, speech, or action." — from Be an Island by Ayya Khema

Read the rest of the newsletter.

ARIZONA REPRESENTATIVE GRIJALVA SPEAKS TO AMY GOODMAN

"Politics in Arizona Have Become Fueled by Hate...Driven by Anger": Rep. Raúl Grijalva on Shooting of Giffords. Go to http://www.democracynow.org/2011/1/10/politics_in_arizona_have_become_fueled

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+ updated at 11:04am EST on Wednesday, December 8, 2010

+ TruthDig offers "Happy as a Hangman" by Chris Hedges.  Chris is always provocative.  Here he challenges us to stop being complicit with America;s m,any crimes.  Being innocent now means we are guilty.

+ Democracy Now! offers "Abandoning "Net Neutrality," FCC Chair Backs Two-Tiered Internet Fees." Blurb: "The Federal Communications Commission is being accused of abandoning "net neutrality" rules that would ensure a free and open internet. On Wednesday, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski unveiled proposals that would allow internet service providers to charge higher fees for faster access to online content. We speak to Josh Silver, co-founder of the media reform group Free Press." Listen, Watch, or Read the Transcript.

Will this be another victory for the Plutocrats?

+ "Remembering John Lennon" will be aired on The Diane Rehm Show from WAMU and NPR. Blurb: "On the thirtieth anniversary of John Lennon's death, a look at why the music of the former Beatle still stirs the imagination of millions around the world. The political and musical legacy of John Lennon." Listen at 11 am Eastern or anytime you want to on the internet.

+ Spirituality and Practice offers an excerpt from Bead One, Pray Too: A Guide to Making and Using Prayer Beads by Kimberly Winston.

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+ updated at 4:14pm ESDT on Wednesday, May 5 (cinquo de mayo)

+ The Abundancetrek Blog is coming back to life (hopefully!) with a new series of posts (hopefully!).  Go to Joyful Wandering -- 1. 

+ IT'S UNSEASONABLY HOT. Once again the temperature along the Erie Canal has soared above 80 degrees F.  This is the Sixth day this year that we have seen the temperature rise above 80 and it's early May. The overall record of the past several decades shows global warming is well underway and this year's weather is underscoring this trend.

4:17pm UPDATE: Very chilly weather is coming our way for the next few days.  So, I guess the Global Warming Deniers around here can gloat again ... as they did this winter when we had several very cold spells.  I suppose that if you want to be in denial, you can always find the evidence you are looking for.

+ Two segments of Democracy Now! focus on the huge and dangerous power of the oil industry and particularly BP:
BP Oil Spill Highlights Poor Safety Record, the Worst of Any Oil Company in America
AND
BP Funnels Millions into Lobbying to Influence Regulation and Re-Brand Image

+ Democracy Now! offers Phoenix Suns to Protest Arizona Anti-Immigrant Law. "Opposition continues to grow against Arizona’s anti-immigrant law, which allows police officers to stop and interrogate anyone they suspect is an undocumented immigrant. On Tuesday, city councils in the Arizona towns of Flagstaff and Tuscon both passed measures to sue the state over the new law. Meanwhile in California, the Oakland City Council unanimously voted to boycott Arizona. The National Basketball Association’s Phoenix Suns have announced their players will wear jerseys showing their team name as 'Los Suns' in a playoff game tonight to protest to the new law. Today is also the Mexican holiday of cinquo de mayo. On Tuesday, Phoenix Suns point guard and NBA All-Star Steve Nash spoke out against the law in an interview with ESPN. Steve Nash: 'I’m against it. I think this is a bill that really damages our civil liberties. I think that it opens up the potential for racial profiling and racism, and I think that it’s a bad precedent to set for our young people, and represents our state poorly in the eyes of the nation and the world. I think we have a lot of great attributes here and I think it’s something we can do without and hopefully it will change a lot in the coming weeks.'"

+ Democracy Now! reports the following very troubling news: BP: Spill Could Be 10 Times Current Estimate. "The oil giant BP has privately conceded the size of its oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico could be ten times greater than current estimates. The New York Times reports a senior BP executive told a closed-door Congressional briefing that a ruptured oil well could be spewing as many 60,000 barrels of oil a day. The expanding oil slick meanwhile has hit the shores of Louisiana’s Chandeleur islands, a wildlife refuge 60 miles from New Orleans."