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Thursday, April 29, 2004
Poverty USA -- Catholic Campaign for Human Development -- A hand up, not a hand out.
How does the US government define poverty? If a family of four earns less than $18,392 than you kick into that category (and if not then you are not legally in poverty). There are about 35,000,000 Americans who qualify as being under the poverty level. Check out the link above for one analysis of how far that amount goes in America.
How does the US government define poverty? If a family of four earns less than $18,392 than you kick into that category (and if not then you are not legally in poverty). There are about 35,000,000 Americans who qualify as being under the poverty level. Check out the link above for one analysis of how far that amount goes in America.
posted by Dennis # 10:00 AM
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Bradley Infotainment- Welcome
I attended a screening of a local film maker's "conspiracy" drama tonight at the Lancaster Library. It is titled, "The Proof." Stewart Bradley without a budget and with the help of friends and family put together a 94 minute dramatic presentation termed by Bradley as "infotainment." It was a vehicle for an anti-Bush documentary which attempts to put together the prevalent conspiracy theories in the context of a "campy" action thriller (Michael Mooresque). The main plot is that a bit of video has been clandestinely transmitted via internet and recorded by several people on CD which reveals VP Cheney's complicity in the 9/11 event for the purposes of promoting self-interest (aka Oil profit). However, the film covers the gamut from the government rigging the Trade Towers so they will fall straight down to the Kennedy assassination to Andrew Jackson as hero for opposing a Federal Bank (ask the victims of the Panic of 1836/7 about that one).
Stewart, who is a mild-mannered, balding, tattooed, working class activist (can we say "working class"), introduced the film by saying that his motivation for making the documentary into a drama was so it would be more accessible to those who needed to hear the message who were not likely to watch a documentary. I assume he is identifying a pro-Bush crowd.
Of course, few of that persuasion are likely to attend an advertised Green Party film event at a public library, so it is more likely that this film is for the consumption of "believers" and "seekers" and is likely to have little impact on those it is supposedly directed towards. Why?
For one thing, conspiracy theories are by nature articles of faith. If there were incontrovertible proof they would not likely be relegated to theories of conspiracy. Also, if a film maker wants to truely reach a conservative primarily Republican Lancaster County (read Evangelical-types) constituency, then a film that unnecessarily peppers the film with curse words to include the F*** word is likely either out of touch with its wider community or actually in the (Green) believer entertainment business.
What struck me tonight is that the film was sponsored by the Lancaster Peace and Justice Coalition (& Green Party). Also, Bradley's printed program introduction is signed off "Peace, Truth, and Justice".
Yet, in the film the "hero," Steve Kangas, played by the author's brother, Sean Bradley (owner presumably of a Karate school in Lancaster), is in fact a karate expert who uses his skills to subdue the bad guys at the end.
Here is the problem. We don't need fantastic and fanciful conspiracy theories to see that hurting and killing people to fix problems isn't the solution. This isn't a new proposal and certainly not news to a rare region in the US where peace, pacificism and an old tradition of Quaker, Mennonite and Brethren activism is found (increasingly with some effort). One might reread (or read for the first time) from a large literature, for example, Walter Wink's series (try Engaging the Powers). Wink among others credibly states the case that violence (though necessary at times) doesn't work ultimately but is a Medusa.
Hypothetically, if America swore to not retaliate violently or support violence (which would have nearly eliminated all acts covered under the documented conspiracies), then there would be no Iraq or Afghanistan because there would have been no 9/11 because we would not be supporting a violent solution in Palestine.
OK, that is unrealistic. Are you saying that conspiracy theorists are realistic? Or that supporting the Green Party is likely to do more good than supporting unconditionally non-violent resistance? At least, with the latter you can have some assurance that your partner in peace won't kill you!
Anyway, our fearless hero in the film has the same opinion that produces the violent excesses of our current government, namely, that it is legal to harm and kill if you are harming or killing the "Bad" guy. Of course, you see the problem, YOU are never the bad guy.
This reminds me of the general Holocaust film genre. For example, Spielberg's "Schindler's List". This film (and much or all of its genre) implies that it was wrong for the Nazis to kill Jews because..... well because Jews are "Good" guys (sweet non-resistant hard-working cultured folk like we wish we were). If the Nazis were annililating bad bad guys (say Iraqis or Afghanis that are not with the program) then its OK. So as long as we can keep the Jews in the "Good" guy category the film works. But, Europe didn't hate Jews because they were Good guys. An effective film would help the viewer understand how broadly across Europe Jews as a people were deeply mistrusted and hated and then lead the viewer to the conclusion that regardless of your feelings or commitments or judgements toward a person or persons, it is ALWAYS wrong to harm them!!!
This, of course, is much more radical than the Green Party or the Leftist radio station (advertised by a disheveled gent at the end of tonight's film) or a conspiracy filmist (is that a word?).
Why is Bush and Cheney or whoever, chasing oil? Because America is drunk. America is drunk on consumption, on oil, on SUVs, on $17,000 lawn tractors (see this week's TIME mag) and on food. When I stepped into the parking lot of the library after the film, lined up was a sporty Lincoln, and a couple SUVs (presumably film viewers), a couple obese patrons waddled across the lot.... AND America is drunk on pride on war on violence....
Thanks, Mr. Bradley, but you missed the point. It is the conspiracy of Americans needing to dominate the planet to feed our addictions to consume. It is the conspiracy to convince us each day that the myth of redemptive violence is not a myth. You missed both of these.
I attended a screening of a local film maker's "conspiracy" drama tonight at the Lancaster Library. It is titled, "The Proof." Stewart Bradley without a budget and with the help of friends and family put together a 94 minute dramatic presentation termed by Bradley as "infotainment." It was a vehicle for an anti-Bush documentary which attempts to put together the prevalent conspiracy theories in the context of a "campy" action thriller (Michael Mooresque). The main plot is that a bit of video has been clandestinely transmitted via internet and recorded by several people on CD which reveals VP Cheney's complicity in the 9/11 event for the purposes of promoting self-interest (aka Oil profit). However, the film covers the gamut from the government rigging the Trade Towers so they will fall straight down to the Kennedy assassination to Andrew Jackson as hero for opposing a Federal Bank (ask the victims of the Panic of 1836/7 about that one).
Stewart, who is a mild-mannered, balding, tattooed, working class activist (can we say "working class"), introduced the film by saying that his motivation for making the documentary into a drama was so it would be more accessible to those who needed to hear the message who were not likely to watch a documentary. I assume he is identifying a pro-Bush crowd.
Of course, few of that persuasion are likely to attend an advertised Green Party film event at a public library, so it is more likely that this film is for the consumption of "believers" and "seekers" and is likely to have little impact on those it is supposedly directed towards. Why?
For one thing, conspiracy theories are by nature articles of faith. If there were incontrovertible proof they would not likely be relegated to theories of conspiracy. Also, if a film maker wants to truely reach a conservative primarily Republican Lancaster County (read Evangelical-types) constituency, then a film that unnecessarily peppers the film with curse words to include the F*** word is likely either out of touch with its wider community or actually in the (Green) believer entertainment business.
What struck me tonight is that the film was sponsored by the Lancaster Peace and Justice Coalition (& Green Party). Also, Bradley's printed program introduction is signed off "Peace, Truth, and Justice".
Yet, in the film the "hero," Steve Kangas, played by the author's brother, Sean Bradley (owner presumably of a Karate school in Lancaster), is in fact a karate expert who uses his skills to subdue the bad guys at the end.
Here is the problem. We don't need fantastic and fanciful conspiracy theories to see that hurting and killing people to fix problems isn't the solution. This isn't a new proposal and certainly not news to a rare region in the US where peace, pacificism and an old tradition of Quaker, Mennonite and Brethren activism is found (increasingly with some effort). One might reread (or read for the first time) from a large literature, for example, Walter Wink's series (try Engaging the Powers). Wink among others credibly states the case that violence (though necessary at times) doesn't work ultimately but is a Medusa.
Hypothetically, if America swore to not retaliate violently or support violence (which would have nearly eliminated all acts covered under the documented conspiracies), then there would be no Iraq or Afghanistan because there would have been no 9/11 because we would not be supporting a violent solution in Palestine.
OK, that is unrealistic. Are you saying that conspiracy theorists are realistic? Or that supporting the Green Party is likely to do more good than supporting unconditionally non-violent resistance? At least, with the latter you can have some assurance that your partner in peace won't kill you!
Anyway, our fearless hero in the film has the same opinion that produces the violent excesses of our current government, namely, that it is legal to harm and kill if you are harming or killing the "Bad" guy. Of course, you see the problem, YOU are never the bad guy.
This reminds me of the general Holocaust film genre. For example, Spielberg's "Schindler's List". This film (and much or all of its genre) implies that it was wrong for the Nazis to kill Jews because..... well because Jews are "Good" guys (sweet non-resistant hard-working cultured folk like we wish we were). If the Nazis were annililating bad bad guys (say Iraqis or Afghanis that are not with the program) then its OK. So as long as we can keep the Jews in the "Good" guy category the film works. But, Europe didn't hate Jews because they were Good guys. An effective film would help the viewer understand how broadly across Europe Jews as a people were deeply mistrusted and hated and then lead the viewer to the conclusion that regardless of your feelings or commitments or judgements toward a person or persons, it is ALWAYS wrong to harm them!!!
This, of course, is much more radical than the Green Party or the Leftist radio station (advertised by a disheveled gent at the end of tonight's film) or a conspiracy filmist (is that a word?).
Why is Bush and Cheney or whoever, chasing oil? Because America is drunk. America is drunk on consumption, on oil, on SUVs, on $17,000 lawn tractors (see this week's TIME mag) and on food. When I stepped into the parking lot of the library after the film, lined up was a sporty Lincoln, and a couple SUVs (presumably film viewers), a couple obese patrons waddled across the lot.... AND America is drunk on pride on war on violence....
Thanks, Mr. Bradley, but you missed the point. It is the conspiracy of Americans needing to dominate the planet to feed our addictions to consume. It is the conspiracy to convince us each day that the myth of redemptive violence is not a myth. You missed both of these.
posted by Dennis # 10:09 PM
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
TaxACT : FREE tax software & online taxes, IRS efile tax filing & tax calculators
After an hour on the phone with TaxCut, I learned that the error in my tax returns is not due to TaxAct.com whose software I used for 2001 and 2002 but with TaxCut. Their program failed to exclude Foreign Earned Income from the Additional Child Tax form 8812 and so the fat refund has diminished to ZERO. Just as well, I paid no federal tax.
The TaxCut.com fellow was very courtesy and spent nearly 45 minutes sorting the issue (most of which I was on hold) and concluded with some ambiguity that it was a problem with their program. However, that humility did not extend to a refund for the program that now has by now required me to do my taxes manually and file a total of 3 1040X amendment forms to rectify their error.
Did someway say "service economy?" ...not at TaxCut.com
After an hour on the phone with TaxCut, I learned that the error in my tax returns is not due to TaxAct.com whose software I used for 2001 and 2002 but with TaxCut. Their program failed to exclude Foreign Earned Income from the Additional Child Tax form 8812 and so the fat refund has diminished to ZERO. Just as well, I paid no federal tax.
The TaxCut.com fellow was very courtesy and spent nearly 45 minutes sorting the issue (most of which I was on hold) and concluded with some ambiguity that it was a problem with their program. However, that humility did not extend to a refund for the program that now has by now required me to do my taxes manually and file a total of 3 1040X amendment forms to rectify their error.
Did someway say "service economy?" ...not at TaxCut.com
posted by Dennis # 4:32 PM
Sunday, April 25, 2004
Where's My Refund?
Tax Return time has passed. We were surprised to learn that though for the 10 years or so we have owed no US federal tax, we were eligible for a refund. This is due to the additional child tax credit. I then discovered that we didn't claim it for 2002 and possibly for 2001. This all adds up to a substantial refund of taxes we never paid.
It was brought to my attention that this is an example of Republican policies that favor the "poor." I am not convinced of that yet although I am listening. If we had earned the money inside the US we would not have been eligible, interesting enough, but because we had to fill out the 2555 (Foreign Earned Income) then the child tax credit was calculated using Pub 672 rather than the 1040 worksheet. With the worksheet we qualify for nothing and with 972 we could take nearly the full amount.
Well then let's go back and talk about healthcare provision. It is true that in PA (and elsewhere) if you make less than $37,700, a family of 4 without health insurance for their children can insure their children through the Federal program for no cost to the family called the Children's Health Insurance Program. This appears to be a very good coverage for children.
On the other hand, what is the parent to do....without insurance... a bit piecemeal... for the "most powerful nation in history"...
To insure my family of 4 could cost $12,000.00 a year. There is the new program called a Health Savings Plan. This is a high deductible insurance ($3500.00) whereby you may exclude from taxation up to the deductible amount paid in the plan. However, this insurance can cost over $5000.00 per year plus you must pay the first $3500. So, if a family has $3500 dollars of expenses, their bill for the year is at least $8500.00. After the $3500 is spent some percentage of the following expenses must still be paid by the subscriber.
You may know that it is not difficult to spend $3500. This past Christmas, my daughter was in the hospital for 36 hours for a breathing problem (no special treatment required) and the bill approached $6000.
I was speaking with someone about the system and they said, "Yeah, these people take a job and opt not to buy insurance because they are feeling healthy at the time and want to keep the cash.. and then a problem strikes them and they whine." The example he gave was a young nurse who opted in Lancaster for a nursing position which is called "temp nurse". The nurse is on call at odd hours and holidays and receives good hourly wages but must seek their own benefits. When I set down with the fellow and figured out how much the nurse was earning it came out to $80,000.00 a year. Yes, if you make that much you can afford a first-rate health plan. But if you are one of America's average wage earners that doesn't work out.
Last week, my wife's foot doctor, sent a bill for $55. My wife called and said that the initial fee included a 2 week and 2 month return visit. The doctor said, "Well, yes, but we spent extra time with you since you were still having problems." My wife assumed that that is what a follow up visit is for; to determine if treatment is working. The length of the visit was typical, unless a followup is just, "Oh, good, have a nice day."
Then the doctor looked at our record and she said, Oh, I forgot you are "self-pay." I was thinking you had coverage. Ok, we won't bill that.
When we lived under the East European health system, we called that "medical mafia."
And that is what we seem to have to live with in our "free market" medical system. Government protected but not government regulated.....
Tax Return time has passed. We were surprised to learn that though for the 10 years or so we have owed no US federal tax, we were eligible for a refund. This is due to the additional child tax credit. I then discovered that we didn't claim it for 2002 and possibly for 2001. This all adds up to a substantial refund of taxes we never paid.
It was brought to my attention that this is an example of Republican policies that favor the "poor." I am not convinced of that yet although I am listening. If we had earned the money inside the US we would not have been eligible, interesting enough, but because we had to fill out the 2555 (Foreign Earned Income) then the child tax credit was calculated using Pub 672 rather than the 1040 worksheet. With the worksheet we qualify for nothing and with 972 we could take nearly the full amount.
Well then let's go back and talk about healthcare provision. It is true that in PA (and elsewhere) if you make less than $37,700, a family of 4 without health insurance for their children can insure their children through the Federal program for no cost to the family called the Children's Health Insurance Program. This appears to be a very good coverage for children.
On the other hand, what is the parent to do....without insurance... a bit piecemeal... for the "most powerful nation in history"...
To insure my family of 4 could cost $12,000.00 a year. There is the new program called a Health Savings Plan. This is a high deductible insurance ($3500.00) whereby you may exclude from taxation up to the deductible amount paid in the plan. However, this insurance can cost over $5000.00 per year plus you must pay the first $3500. So, if a family has $3500 dollars of expenses, their bill for the year is at least $8500.00. After the $3500 is spent some percentage of the following expenses must still be paid by the subscriber.
You may know that it is not difficult to spend $3500. This past Christmas, my daughter was in the hospital for 36 hours for a breathing problem (no special treatment required) and the bill approached $6000.
I was speaking with someone about the system and they said, "Yeah, these people take a job and opt not to buy insurance because they are feeling healthy at the time and want to keep the cash.. and then a problem strikes them and they whine." The example he gave was a young nurse who opted in Lancaster for a nursing position which is called "temp nurse". The nurse is on call at odd hours and holidays and receives good hourly wages but must seek their own benefits. When I set down with the fellow and figured out how much the nurse was earning it came out to $80,000.00 a year. Yes, if you make that much you can afford a first-rate health plan. But if you are one of America's average wage earners that doesn't work out.
Last week, my wife's foot doctor, sent a bill for $55. My wife called and said that the initial fee included a 2 week and 2 month return visit. The doctor said, "Well, yes, but we spent extra time with you since you were still having problems." My wife assumed that that is what a follow up visit is for; to determine if treatment is working. The length of the visit was typical, unless a followup is just, "Oh, good, have a nice day."
Then the doctor looked at our record and she said, Oh, I forgot you are "self-pay." I was thinking you had coverage. Ok, we won't bill that.
When we lived under the East European health system, we called that "medical mafia."
And that is what we seem to have to live with in our "free market" medical system. Government protected but not government regulated.....
posted by Dennis # 8:51 PM
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
National Day of Prayer: Prayer for the Nation 2004
I have recently coined a phrase "W-dacked," pronounced "double U dacked" with the last syllable rhyming with quacked. This comes from the call number of the Lancaster County Christian radio station WDAC. Many local evangelicals have this station playing most or all the day long either at home and work or in their cars.
The station has a very broad range and has been on the air for many years. I recall hearing this station in my home as a child though we lived 50 miles from Lancaster city.
The programming is the standard evangelical programming that is likely available anywhere today in America. The line-up includes the Focus on the Family francise of material and others such as Swindoll, MacArthur, Kennedy, Burkett (now deceased), and generally supports a pro-Republican Christian Right political agenda.
I speak of a church being "W-dacked" when it increasingly takes on the views and values of this mainline American evangelical view. My complaint is that this view tends to be uncritically pro-American, pro-Republican, and its gospel tends to place at its center the teaching of "stewardship," which is where I came up with the other phrase, "burketization" of the church. This refers to the centrality of financial teaching like that of Larry Burkett in defining what "gospel" means.
(Did I mention that the largest single group of listeners to WDAC by denomination are Mennonites at 27.8% - See WDAC program book. Must I remind you of their historic position regarding military service and glorification of the military?)
Stewardship and patriotism may be an honorable pair in building a nation but it is questionable as the centerpiece of a universal message of good news.
Today, on the way home I turned on WDAC. It was 2:51, and an advertisement was playing asking listeners to join in for the National Day of Prayer. See link above.
You may go to the link and read the whole prayer listeners are supposed to recite but I will focus on two egregioius W-dackations!!
"Lord, bless our military as it advances freedom’s cause around the world"
and then
"We place our trust in You, O Lord, believing that Your hand will sustain America. Let no shadows obscure the pathways which we should tread."
If you cannot see a problem with this kind of prayer, then I rest my case. Of course, having Oliver North as the National Day of Prayer poster child doesn't scream, "Good News!" either.
I have recently coined a phrase "W-dacked," pronounced "double U dacked" with the last syllable rhyming with quacked. This comes from the call number of the Lancaster County Christian radio station WDAC. Many local evangelicals have this station playing most or all the day long either at home and work or in their cars.
The station has a very broad range and has been on the air for many years. I recall hearing this station in my home as a child though we lived 50 miles from Lancaster city.
The programming is the standard evangelical programming that is likely available anywhere today in America. The line-up includes the Focus on the Family francise of material and others such as Swindoll, MacArthur, Kennedy, Burkett (now deceased), and generally supports a pro-Republican Christian Right political agenda.
I speak of a church being "W-dacked" when it increasingly takes on the views and values of this mainline American evangelical view. My complaint is that this view tends to be uncritically pro-American, pro-Republican, and its gospel tends to place at its center the teaching of "stewardship," which is where I came up with the other phrase, "burketization" of the church. This refers to the centrality of financial teaching like that of Larry Burkett in defining what "gospel" means.
(Did I mention that the largest single group of listeners to WDAC by denomination are Mennonites at 27.8% - See WDAC program book. Must I remind you of their historic position regarding military service and glorification of the military?)
Stewardship and patriotism may be an honorable pair in building a nation but it is questionable as the centerpiece of a universal message of good news.
Today, on the way home I turned on WDAC. It was 2:51, and an advertisement was playing asking listeners to join in for the National Day of Prayer. See link above.
You may go to the link and read the whole prayer listeners are supposed to recite but I will focus on two egregioius W-dackations!!
"Lord, bless our military as it advances freedom’s cause around the world"
and then
"We place our trust in You, O Lord, believing that Your hand will sustain America. Let no shadows obscure the pathways which we should tread."
If you cannot see a problem with this kind of prayer, then I rest my case. Of course, having Oliver North as the National Day of Prayer poster child doesn't scream, "Good News!" either.
posted by Dennis # 3:31 PM
Monday, April 12, 2004
Just like Dennis
Easter, yesterday, was a bit drizzly. We didn't manage a get-together with the larger family but will try on May 2. On the way home from church, we attempted some lunch at Willow Valley but had forgotten that on Sundays there is only smorgasbord (glutton-athon) so we reluctantly headed home to an impromptu lunch and afternoon of watching a video, Silver Chair (from the C.S. Lewis series Narnia Tales). It was a fine event for a rainy Easter and the children tolerated it and even enjoyed it on occassion. I managed with them the first 2 hours and left the final hour for Sheri to watch alone this morning before returning it to the Lancaster library today.
The MIH website is on an undisclosed internet server for review and content test. I need the photographer to come and do a shoot at MIH for the site and I need content from MIH. Once that is in place I will put it up on the main site and configure the discussion forum software and guestbook...
Leonard Burgentine contacted Mom this past weekend and then John Burkentine called me today. I will plan to connect these two with me in a visit this week if it works. Leonard is the grandson of Thomas Burkentine (died 1898) and John is the great grandson of the same. I am the great great grandson of Albert Burkentine, the brother of the Thomas mentioned above. Interestingly, the old homestead property of this Thomas will go to auction on May 8.
Easter, yesterday, was a bit drizzly. We didn't manage a get-together with the larger family but will try on May 2. On the way home from church, we attempted some lunch at Willow Valley but had forgotten that on Sundays there is only smorgasbord (glutton-athon) so we reluctantly headed home to an impromptu lunch and afternoon of watching a video, Silver Chair (from the C.S. Lewis series Narnia Tales). It was a fine event for a rainy Easter and the children tolerated it and even enjoyed it on occassion. I managed with them the first 2 hours and left the final hour for Sheri to watch alone this morning before returning it to the Lancaster library today.
The MIH website is on an undisclosed internet server for review and content test. I need the photographer to come and do a shoot at MIH for the site and I need content from MIH. Once that is in place I will put it up on the main site and configure the discussion forum software and guestbook...
Leonard Burgentine contacted Mom this past weekend and then John Burkentine called me today. I will plan to connect these two with me in a visit this week if it works. Leonard is the grandson of Thomas Burkentine (died 1898) and John is the great grandson of the same. I am the great great grandson of Albert Burkentine, the brother of the Thomas mentioned above. Interestingly, the old homestead property of this Thomas will go to auction on May 8.
posted by Dennis # 8:56 PM
Saturday, April 10, 2004
LCC | An International Christian University in Klaipeda, Lithuania
I finished preparing (spade edging) all the flower beds and trees, sidewalks and then filling around them with bark mulch today. Lovely! I wasn't sure if I would be able to use 4.5 cubic yards of mulch but after some days I only was left with two wheelbarrow loads.
The weather is superb, cool and sunny. Flowers (daffodils particularly) are blooming afresh. A baby bunny darted from in front of the old reel mower I use. Oh yeah, today was the first day to mow the yard (I did do a bit of the front yard on Thursday last).
The news is no fun. The sound of "See I told you so..." looms loud from the firmament (radio waves?).
On another note, I was second reader for a bachelor thesis paper from LCC (Ramonda B). I enjoyed it thoroughly and hope she pursues that concentration after undergraduate work.
Did I mention that Friday was Grandparents Day at Colin's school. The place was packed out. My Dad and Mom drove the 47 miles to be with him after a lunch of sandwiches.
Happy Easter!
I finished preparing (spade edging) all the flower beds and trees, sidewalks and then filling around them with bark mulch today. Lovely! I wasn't sure if I would be able to use 4.5 cubic yards of mulch but after some days I only was left with two wheelbarrow loads.
The weather is superb, cool and sunny. Flowers (daffodils particularly) are blooming afresh. A baby bunny darted from in front of the old reel mower I use. Oh yeah, today was the first day to mow the yard (I did do a bit of the front yard on Thursday last).
The news is no fun. The sound of "See I told you so..." looms loud from the firmament (radio waves?).
On another note, I was second reader for a bachelor thesis paper from LCC (Ramonda B). I enjoyed it thoroughly and hope she pursues that concentration after undergraduate work.
Did I mention that Friday was Grandparents Day at Colin's school. The place was packed out. My Dad and Mom drove the 47 miles to be with him after a lunch of sandwiches.
Happy Easter!
posted by Dennis # 9:47 PM
Friday, April 09, 2004
This is a rather interesting if unfairly provocative photo of our president from the American Leftist
posted by Dennis # 10:27 AM
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
Always Low Wages, Sojourners Magazine/February 2004: "Wal-Mart expects to reap $1 billion in sales of 'Christian' merchandise in 2003, only the doorstep of a much larger market. Evidently, Christians are shopping at Wal-Mart. But what are we buying, when a dollar saved in the store is another dollar squeezed from the life of 'one of the least of these?'
Preachers and Sunday school teachers need to be asking Christians more about what our dollars support, and in Wal-Mart's case, who's paying for consumer 'savings.' A favorite preacher of mine says, 'If you want to know what people care about, look in their checkbook' (or Visa statement, as the case may be). Our purchases ought to reflect deeper values than just 'always low prices.' Christians have asked Wal-Mart for cleaner magazine and CD content. Perhaps it's time to demand cleaner corporate character as well. "
from Where would Jesus shop? Not Wal-Mart by Brian Bolton
Preachers and Sunday school teachers need to be asking Christians more about what our dollars support, and in Wal-Mart's case, who's paying for consumer 'savings.' A favorite preacher of mine says, 'If you want to know what people care about, look in their checkbook' (or Visa statement, as the case may be). Our purchases ought to reflect deeper values than just 'always low prices.' Christians have asked Wal-Mart for cleaner magazine and CD content. Perhaps it's time to demand cleaner corporate character as well. "
from Where would Jesus shop? Not Wal-Mart by Brian Bolton
posted by Dennis # 8:15 PM
Benjamin Franklin 1738 to his father:: "I think vital religion has always suffered when orthodoxy is more regarded than virtue. The scriptures assure me that at the last day we shall not be examined on what we thought but what we did."
Today I met with David Shenk at Kreiders for breakfast. Active as usual. You should give him a call and let him tell you about his 2 weeks in Iran recently. I am proposing a website for David. What do you think? Should the world have a chance to read his materials, hear his messages and interact with him? I think so.....
Today I met with David Shenk at Kreiders for breakfast. Active as usual. You should give him a call and let him tell you about his 2 weeks in Iran recently. I am proposing a website for David. What do you think? Should the world have a chance to read his materials, hear his messages and interact with him? I think so.....
posted by Dennis # 4:19 PM
Tuesday, April 06, 2004
See The Federal Pie Chart and Another pie chart
You can judge for yourself but it seems excessive that 47% of a federal tax dollar will go to fund past and present military expenses. In a nation that claims to be the freeist and wealthiest and smartest and most powerful, we have 40,000,000 working people without health care and a whole lot who do have health care benefit support which is so meager that the beneficiaries do not use the system because of what it doesn't cover. Not to mention......
I was reminded Palm Sunday, while reading the Passion accounts in the gospels, that Jesus intentionally chose his path to the cross. He consistently chose the Sabbath to heal non-emergency health cases when they could easily have been healed the day before or after. After all, the Jews were trying to honor the rather ambigious laws given them by Moses. What exactly does "keep the Sabbath holy" mean? It seems reasonable to say a holy day is a day set aside for something special so don't do the menial, the daily or what you could do on any other day. But Jesus's good news is that everyday is a day to do the right thing even if confronting the world with it (non violently) means that your friends will misunderstand, your family will misunderstand, the upstanding citizens will think you foolish and even God will forsake you and let you die with nothing more than the satisfaction that you were true to your conscience.
Today, Christians not only go along with the present "world" order (to use Paul's term) but are a primary enabler of that worldly approach to power.
That 47% of your federal dollar (not counting Social Security) goes to a global military presence because Christians believe in the power of military might and have embraced the myth of redemptive violence (the givers rather than the receivers of the violence).
Even though there are ways to legally not participate in that taxation, I personally know of NO ONE (not even among my own "peace" church) who have made a single effort to participate (in non-participation). One reason in my observation is because of the "burketization" of the church. I coined this term to reflect the affect of the evangelical teaching of "Stewardship" epitomized in the ministry of the late Larry Burkett (Christian Financial Concepts). I would say his teaching is excellent. The point is the evangelical church in America is so wanting to have the central core of the gospel to be about stewardship (aka harmony between evangelical hope of a happy after-life with a commitment to here-and-now financial well-being) rather than the cross (personal sacrifice, suffering for the well-being of the global community here-and-now and in the future)
How does one legally avoid supporting that tax-supported myth. See one person's overview of this approach at -- How To Resist the Federal Income Tax Through the "Don't Owe Nothin'" Method
Of course, there are plenty, of personally devastating sacrifices one could make if one should actually want to follow the example of Christ...but then I don't really know (m)any of those kind of disciples either.
You can judge for yourself but it seems excessive that 47% of a federal tax dollar will go to fund past and present military expenses. In a nation that claims to be the freeist and wealthiest and smartest and most powerful, we have 40,000,000 working people without health care and a whole lot who do have health care benefit support which is so meager that the beneficiaries do not use the system because of what it doesn't cover. Not to mention......
I was reminded Palm Sunday, while reading the Passion accounts in the gospels, that Jesus intentionally chose his path to the cross. He consistently chose the Sabbath to heal non-emergency health cases when they could easily have been healed the day before or after. After all, the Jews were trying to honor the rather ambigious laws given them by Moses. What exactly does "keep the Sabbath holy" mean? It seems reasonable to say a holy day is a day set aside for something special so don't do the menial, the daily or what you could do on any other day. But Jesus's good news is that everyday is a day to do the right thing even if confronting the world with it (non violently) means that your friends will misunderstand, your family will misunderstand, the upstanding citizens will think you foolish and even God will forsake you and let you die with nothing more than the satisfaction that you were true to your conscience.
Today, Christians not only go along with the present "world" order (to use Paul's term) but are a primary enabler of that worldly approach to power.
That 47% of your federal dollar (not counting Social Security) goes to a global military presence because Christians believe in the power of military might and have embraced the myth of redemptive violence (the givers rather than the receivers of the violence).
Even though there are ways to legally not participate in that taxation, I personally know of NO ONE (not even among my own "peace" church) who have made a single effort to participate (in non-participation). One reason in my observation is because of the "burketization" of the church. I coined this term to reflect the affect of the evangelical teaching of "Stewardship" epitomized in the ministry of the late Larry Burkett (Christian Financial Concepts). I would say his teaching is excellent. The point is the evangelical church in America is so wanting to have the central core of the gospel to be about stewardship (aka harmony between evangelical hope of a happy after-life with a commitment to here-and-now financial well-being) rather than the cross (personal sacrifice, suffering for the well-being of the global community here-and-now and in the future)
How does one legally avoid supporting that tax-supported myth. See one person's overview of this approach at -- How To Resist the Federal Income Tax Through the "Don't Owe Nothin'" Method
Of course, there are plenty, of personally devastating sacrifices one could make if one should actually want to follow the example of Christ...but then I don't really know (m)any of those kind of disciples either.
posted by Dennis # 6:55 PM
+++++ Submarine Channel
Should I mention that I was up to 3am with a very painful stomach ache? Well, I was but a thorough purification of the digestive system seemed to fix that. Perhaps it was those 3 slices of Rapa Scrapple
Should I mention that I was up to 3am with a very painful stomach ache? Well, I was but a thorough purification of the digestive system seemed to fix that. Perhaps it was those 3 slices of Rapa Scrapple
posted by Dennis # 7:33 AM
Monday, April 05, 2004
Deep Sites
Great page of links here. Go explore!
I met with Ray and Dan to go over the MIH website layout in the morning. Then I headed to MD to help my brother do some forest cleanup at his home. I managed to work an icecream in at the Artic Circle and stop in at the Lancaster Library on the way home.
Great page of links here. Go explore!
I met with Ray and Dan to go over the MIH website layout in the morning. Then I headed to MD to help my brother do some forest cleanup at his home. I managed to work an icecream in at the Artic Circle and stop in at the Lancaster Library on the way home.
posted by Dennis # 8:40 PM
Friday, April 02, 2004
Family History at JustLikeDennis.com
I am continuing work on setting up the structure for the new webpages of Millersville International House.
I want a javascript navigation strip which I have but I want to anchor it to a table rather than let it "float" as the position may vary from browser type to type. Any help out there?
I picked up my repaired desktop on Thursday morning. It is up and working the way it should have from the start last August. Sound card was the problem. I am now able to download and edit my digital video after all this time.
For April Fool's day, Sheri surprised us with a cake which was actually meatloaf "iced" with mashed potatoes and our drinks were actually glasses of jello.
I am continuing work on setting up the structure for the new webpages of Millersville International House.
I want a javascript navigation strip which I have but I want to anchor it to a table rather than let it "float" as the position may vary from browser type to type. Any help out there?
I picked up my repaired desktop on Thursday morning. It is up and working the way it should have from the start last August. Sound card was the problem. I am now able to download and edit my digital video after all this time.
For April Fool's day, Sheri surprised us with a cake which was actually meatloaf "iced" with mashed potatoes and our drinks were actually glasses of jello.
posted by Dennis # 8:06 AM
