Are Midshipmen a Threat to the President?

The Washington Times is reporting that graduating Naval midshipmen are being required to leave their swords at home during the 2009 graduation ceremonies, which will feature President Obama as a speaker.  Normally a part of the full ceremonial dress, the swords, along with "anything else 'that might be considered a weapon or a threat by screeners"" will not be allowed during Friday's graduation ceremonies. 

This, coupled with the recently leaked DHS  document declaring (Those who go about) rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, are antagonistic toward the new presidential administration and its perceived stance on a range of issues, including immigration and citizenship... and restrictions on firearms ownership and  groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion as right wing extremists, is very worrying.  If the President of the United States can no longer trust its graduates from the Naval Academy, either he is paranoid, or we are in a very sad state of affairs. 

Sunday Snippets

Here is today's Sunday Snippets, brought to you via This, That and the Other Thing.

This week, I gave the Old Faithful award to Lifeisgreat--she deserves it. She is the lone reader and poster that is keeping this blog hanging on by a thread of loyalty and hope! I discovered (again) that I am basil, and that I have a poor memory! ;) We had a Fred Astaire Double Header, watching him in Say it with Firecrackers, and watching he and Cyd Charisse dance to Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal.

I discovered, oddly, that I am a member of "Generation Jones"--the forgotten folks born between 1954-1965.  We are the generation that pines for an identity, purpose and a remedy to the cynicism born of watching our country fall apart.   

This week's Outrageous Watch saw Helen Thomas berate White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs for trying to control media access to the President.

On a more specifically Catholic note, I talked about the virtue of Simplicity, our virtue for the month of July, and the theology of Theosis (union with God) via a book review.

4th of July--the signing of the Declaration of Independence

Happy 4th, everyone!

A New Generation

I've literally just discovered that I am a member of a fairly new (to me, anyway) generational designation--Generation "Jones". Apparently, those of us born between 1954 and 1965 are neither Baby Boomers nor Gen-X-ers. We are "Jones-ers." The term was coined by cultural historian Jonathon Pontell. Pontell says that the name refers, in part, to the anonymity of the Jones Generation, sandwiched between the Boomers and the X-ers and forgotten by demographers.

"Jonesing," Pontell says, also refers to pining or craving. Our generation has always pined for the idealism and free-spiritedness of the Boomers' formative years. Instead, we watched color footage from the war in Vietnam after dinner every night from our earliest childhood. As we came of age, and began to become politically aware, we watched our president resign on national television. Inflation soared and competition for jobs became fierce. The great promise of the post-war years which in some ways fed the idealism of the 60's, crumbled. We are now the sandwich generation, feeling the brunt of company layoffs and too young to retire.

The good news is that we are now in leadership positions around the globe. I pray that those "Jonesers" who are now governing the free world (eg., Barack Obama, b. 1961 and Felipe Calderon, president of Canada, b. 1962) remember those of us who are struggling and pining here in the trenches.

7 Quick Takes Friday

1) This weekend, the Gettysburg Civil War Re-enactment is being held on my street. Since they rotate the locations around the area, this only happens every so often. The last time this occurred, was the very weekend we moved here. (Seven years ago...I think.)

2) Boom!
This morning we heard a noise and assumed it was cannon fire which we often hear in the summer, especially when the Civil War is being re-enacted on our street!

Turns out, it was a nearby breaker. So, we were without electricity (which in our case also means without water. ) We decided it was a good day to eat breakfast out.

3) Re: #2: my dream would be to have a solar generator.

4) Lifeisgreat is having an Eat 5 Fruits and Veggies a day Challenge. Think about trying to meet the recommended number of servings of fruits and vegetables in your diet.

5) Summer time is a great time to buy your fruits and veggies locally. Help stimulate your local economy. Use this link to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture to find a Farmer's Market in your area!

6) Never put on mascara before chopping onions.

7) I'm developing a new appreciation for Michael Jackson's talents. As with so many performers, (the Beatles come to mind) Jackson had an amazing array of God-given talents that were sadly exploited by others (including his own father) and overtaken by excessive celebrity and drug abuse.

There is something truly magical that surrounds raw, unexploited talent. I honestly think that fame on the level the Beatles, Elvis and Mr. Jackson endured goes a long way to put out that fire forever.

Fred Astaire Double Header

Today we have a Fred Astaire Double Header. In addition to the Say it with Firecrackers vid, I'm also posting this Smooth Criminal video starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse; Smooth Criminal, of course, being the song from Michael Jackson's 1987 Bad album.

As someone on YouTube suggested, perhaps Michael and Fred are working out new moves together now.

Fred Astaire Says it with Firecrackers

In honor of the first anniversary of Fred Astaire Fridays, I am replaying my first Fred Astaire video: Say it with Firecrackers.

Happy 4th everyone!

Simplicity--the virtue for July

The traditional virtue for July is simplicity. During the time when the summer heat is building, simplicity begins to look more and more attractive. In many hot climates, people return home from work during the hottest part of the day and rest before completing the day's labors. July brings with it the need to step back and declutter from the busyness of life.

Our present economic downturn (and if Bin-Laden has his way, our permanent economic downturn) has forced many of us to rethink our level of consumption. Some of us are finding the addictive level of purchasing and using difficult to overcome.

But this may be just the time when we are called to simplify our lives. As we age, as our children age, stuff accumulates. Gone (for now at any rate) are the days where things were saved because people needed them and knew they would use them. Now, we save things, perhaps as a left over habit from our Depression-era parents or grandparents, with no real idea that we will ever use these things again.

Too, many of the products purchased by us in the last 30 years were not even made to last beyond a few years of use. Planned obsolescence is a deliberate business strategy used to force us to continue to purchase an item that perhaps could, or at one time did, last through many decades of use.

If there is a plus to today's economy, it is one of simplicity. Many of us have things we will never again use. There are many more, though, who, because of their own economic situation, have a real need for things that they can not obtain. Part of simplification for us could be to gather together the things that we no longer need and give them away via Freecycle, The Purple Heart, or other charities.

Another aspect of simplicity is one of inner quiet. Various monastic practices of prayer, fasting and a general rule of life are something that many who do not live in monasteries are discovering. Making time for the important things in life, like connecting with God, other people, and ourselves, is one benefit of a life's rule. It disciplines us to focus on the things that matter in life--and chasing after things that don't last (beauty, pleasure, possessions) is left behind in.

This YouTube clip is the U.S. trailer for Into Great Silence--a movie that shows the daily life in The Grande Chartreuse Monastery in the French Alps first hand. There is no sound track other than the sounds of the monks; their chanting and their living.

White House controls "town hall" meetings

Helen Thomas, veteran White House reporter, calls the Obama White House on its so-called "town meetings" which are pre-selected and controlled by the White House.

"I'm amazed at you people who talk about openness." Go, Helen.

What Spice Are You?

You Are Basil

You are quite popular and loved by post people. You have a mild temperament, but your style is definitely distinctive. You are sweet, attractive, and you often smell good.

What Spice Are You?

Theosis: The True Purpose of Human Life

Theosis The True Purpose of Human Life by Archemandrite George

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is short (86 pages) but powerful. In it, Archimandrite George of the Monastery of St. Gregorios on Mount Athos outlines the process of theosis--union with God through His uncreated Grace. This union, George states, is the true nature and purpose of humankind and the reason why nothing else satisfies the longings of the heart.

Since God is both "essence" and "energies", Jesus' incarnation in the womb of Mary made it possible for us to approach the Trinity through Him--the pure "essence" of God alone being too powerful for us to approach on our own. God's "energies", His uncreated Grace, is what makes it possible for us to be in union with Him.

If the purpose of Christianity (and of life) were merely to make us "moral" people, any of the number of good moral philosophers would have sufficed. Indeed, George states that over focusing on morality in Christianity is one of the main causes for its rejection today.

Instead, Christ's purpose in His birth, death, and resurrection, was to heal the breach that occurred when Adam and Eve turned away from perfect communion with God in the Garden of Eden and shut the door on man's union with God.

In Jesus, "God became man so that man could become a god (i.e. divine)." (St. Anthanasios of Alexandria 295-373 A.D.) Archimandrite George explains that man can never become God Himself. Instead, our purpose is to become like a lamp, illuminated by God, and shining with His light as a lamp is illuminated by electricity.

This book explains in clear and precise detail what Theosis is, how to get there and what it is that gets in our way.

It is available in its complete form on Scribd and also available for download at the Orthodox Christian Information Center.

This is well worth reading for all those who feel the call to something more!


View all my reviews.

The Old Faithful Award

Today I have designed my first blog award--The Old Faithful Award.

I am giving this award to the person who is, by far, my most faithful reader and commenter--Lifeisgreat!! She is a great friend and reads and comments on almost everything I post. I am very blessed to have her in my life.

Stop by her blogs , What I Learned Today and Inspired Words and post a comment.

Oh, by the way, Lifeisgreat, you can copy this graphic and post it on your blog if you want.

Congratulations!

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Here are today's Sunday Snippets--a concept originated by RAnn at This That and the Other Thing.

My most Catholic post this week has been the post about today's readings, Healing in Midlife. Scripture is an endless source of inspiration no matter how old one becomes or how many times one has heard these readings read at Mass.

Other posts this week include my exploration of Steampunk, a fascinating design concept based on Victorian technology, a book review, on Haven Kimmel's The Solice of Leaving Early, my Quick Takes Friday on Thursday this week, and today's post lamenting the rise of the uninformed public and death of real news on television, something that Edward R. Murrow prophetically spoke about in 1958.

An Uninformed Public and the Death of News

I don't have television, and, yes, sometimes I miss it. But over the weekend, I was at my sister's and got to witness first hand, the obsessive chasing after celebrity that now passes for news in this country. At the death of Michael Jackson, himself a literal victim of this country's unhealthy self-obsession through voyeurism, all other news virtually disappeared.

Suddenly, the protests against the regime in Iran mean nothing. Suddenly, the bills that are currently being debated in our congress do not exist. This, ladies and gentlemen, is how our elected officials are able to pass legislation under our very noses--our media are too busy covering the death of one entertainer to the exclusion of all other news! You would think that World War III had broken out to look at the level of coverage that Michael Jackson's death has warranted.

Thirty years ago, the assassination of a U.S. president warranted such news coverage. Now, the untimely death of a celebrity means all other news is pushed aside.

Our so-called "news organizations" are nothing but purveyors of advertisements to a gullible public. Money and power are all that motivate the media now. We are being spoon fed addictive drivel in lieu of actual news.

We should not be surprised when changes occur "behind the scenes" in our country and our government when we are distracted by the very media who are supposed to be keeping watch.

Healing in Midlife

Today's Mass readings are about healing. Wisdom 1:13-15,2:23-24 tells us that God takes no pleasure in the extinction of the living and that death was brought into the world by the devil's envy. The first reading from Wisdom also reminds us that the world’s created things have health in them. God created the world, and it was good. Our world is something to be rejoiced in and enjoyed.

The second reading today reminds us of the importance of balance. Saint Paul tells the Corinthians, (2 Corinthians 8:7,9,13-15)

(it) does not mean that to give relief to others you ought to make things difficult for yourselves: it is a question of balancing what happens to be your surplus now against their present need, and one day they may have something to spare that will supply your own need.

This is surprising to some who believe that God calls us to give until our giving renders us unable to give at all. But, clearly, the Lord calls us to rejoice in the life He has given us.

God does not want us to be empty and broken, but to be whole and filled with His love. In today's Gospel, (Mark 5:21-43) Jesus heals the woman with the hemorrhage and raises the synagogue official's daughter from the dead.

Jesus calls us to new life in Him. This is especially pertinent to those of us in midlife. It is a time of life when we are being pressed on every side, and like Christ, can sometimes feel the life ebbing out of us. But God reminds us, through Saint Paul, not to give to the point where functioning becomes difficult for ourselves, but instead, to maintain a sense of balance, and turn to Him for healing, through the church, and through the world's created things that have been given to us on this earth.

Like the woman with the hemorrhage (very likely a woman in midlife) we need to reach out to Christ, even in the midst of a crowded mind and a crowded life, and trust that He will know that we, as individuals, are there and have touched Him. And like the official's daughter, He will raise us to new life.

Note: The image above is from the catacombs and is one of the oldest images of Jesus. It depicts the story from today's Gospel of the woman with the hemorrhage being cured by Christ.

Book Review

The Solace of Leaving Early by Haven Kimmel

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
A summary of this book would not begin to approach what it is like to read it. The plot line has some pretty serious elements in it that are never the central focus, but instead, a peripheral washing of color and pattern in the characters' lives. The plot twists are at once, expected, and surprising, and, nothing in the book is put there by accident.

The central theme seems to be one of unexpected redemption that is not fairy tale perfection, but a piecing together of the disparate elements in people's lives and doing the best with what one has been given.






View all my reviews.