Viaticum

Madison, Tel Aviv, London...St Louis

2011-08-09T20:08:00.000-05:00

Distributism: a Primer for Orthodox Christians | In Communion

2010-11-29T13:23:00.000-06:00

Distributism: a Primer for Orthodox Christians

by David Holden

above: The multiplication of loaves and fishes.

All of Orthodoxy honors St. Nikodemos of Athos for providing us with the Philokalia. Less well known is his Exomologetarion: A Manual of Confession. First published in 1794, it contains the following story:

A king once happened to confess to a farmer, who was discreetly a Spiritual Father, and after having confessed his sins, said to the Spiritual Father, “I don’t have anything else to say to you.” “How so, O king?” said the Spiritual Father. “How? Have we finished the confession? No. You have said the sins of Alexis (stating the king’s first name), say now the sins of the king.” That wise Spiritual Father wanted to show by these words that every ruler and head, foreign or domestic, must not only confess as an individual or be examined by a Spiritual Father as a common person, but in addition to the sins he committed as a person, he must also confess those things he could have done as a ruler unto the good of his people but did not do, and as many bad things as happened to his subjects on his account which he did not correct, for which he will have to give an exact account to God.

This story illustrates the Orthodox Christian attitude regarding the relationship between faith and life in the world. When Orthodox people are in positions of authority and power, they are expected to follow Christ in those positions just as they follow Him in their private lives.

But what does that mean? The task of people in positions of authority is not to create a “Christian state” or “Christian corporation” or “Christian theater.” Only people can be Christian. Christ came to make people partakers of the divine nature, not institutions, agencies or businesses. The task is to do all that is possible to create an environment that will help people to see Christ, seek Christ, and find Christ.

To be more particular: How then do we bring the domains of commerce and finance under the lordship of Christ? We know the fundamental principles of Orthodox ethics that pertain to economics: that the material world was created good and beautiful and that it is appropriate to have and to pray for “the abundance of the fruits of the earth;” that poverty is an evil, not a virtue – a plight to be eased, not to be worsened; that indebtedness is not good; that living simply is; that the love of money has been and can easily be a root for all kinds of evil; that God commands us to seek justice and right relationships at all times and with all people; that charging interest is morally questionable, and certainly wrong when it is charged to people merely seeking the necessities of life; that it is about as easy for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven as it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. We Orthodox know all these principles, or at least we have heard them and know that we ought to practice them. The particular question here is, How do we create an environment that embodies those principles? Knowing that we Orthodox, like all the rest of the human race, are fallen creatures, prone to all kinds of sins both voluntary and involuntary, and knowing that all organizations and institutions magnify and entrench our sins, what kind of economic structures might restrain our sinfulness and encourage justice?

For more: http://www.incommunion.org/2010/11/24/distributism-a-primer-for-orthodox-christians/

Climate Change and Catholic Social Teaching

2010-11-18T17:26:00.000-06:00

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING AND CLIMATE CHANGE

The Church’s social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society

and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of our society. Modern Catholic

social teaching has been articulated through a tradition of papal, conciliar, and

episcopal documents. The depth and richness of this tradition can be understood best

through a direct reading of these documents. But in brief, the U.S. Conference of

Catholic Bishops (USCCB) outlines Seven Key Themes of Catholic Social Teaching

(http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/projects/socialteaching/excerpt.shtml):

- Life and Dignity of the Human Person

- Call to Family, Community, and Participation

- Rights and Responsibilities

- Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

- The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers

- Solidarity

- Care for God’s Creation

Each of these commitments is an important dimension of Catholic Social Teaching

and together they are dynamically related to one another and therefore should not be

seen or applied in isolation from one another:

more: catholicclimatecovenant.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Climate-Change-and-Catholic-Social-Teaching.pdf

CNS STORY: Pope, church leaders call for guaranteed health care for all people

2010-11-18T16:20:00.000-06:00

Pope, church leaders call for guaranteed health care for all people

(CNS/Paul Haring)

By Sarah Delaney
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI and other church leaders said it was the moral responsibility of nations to guarantee access to health care for all of their citizens, regardless of social and economic status or their ability to pay.

Access to adequate medical attention, the pope said in a written message Nov. 18, was one of the "inalienable rights" of man.

The pope's message was read by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, to participants at the 25th International Conference of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry at the Vatican Nov. 18-19.

The theme of this year's meeting was "Caritas in Veritate - toward an equitable and human health care."CNS STORY: Pope, church leaders call for guaranteed health care for all people

Saint Luke The Physician Anglican Church: Our new Celtic Cross at night.

2010-11-15T11:08:00.001-06:00

Saint Luke The Physician Anglican Church: Our new Celtic Cross at night.

Please check out this new blog by a friend of mine. After a long journey of faith, this parish is now part of ACNA. If you are in East TX--stop by and say hi for me.

Catholic Church to welcome 50 Anglican clergy - Telegraph

2010-11-13T15:23:00.002-06:00

Catholic Church to welcome 50 Anglican clergy - Telegraph

The Catholic Church will announce this week that 50 Anglican clergy are defecting to Rome following the Church of England's moves to introduce women bishops.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales Photo: DAVID ROSE

By Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent9:00PM GMT 13 Nov 2010

Comments

Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, will reveal on Friday the Vatican's plans to welcome the departing priests - including five bishops - who are expected to be received into the Catholic Church early in the new year.

Hundreds of Anglican churchgoers will join them in the Ordinariate - a structure introduced by Pope Benedict XVI to provide refuge for those diaffected with the Church of England.

The number of worshippers who leave the Church is predicted to double as the new arrangement finally begins to take shape

6 insights from the life of Dorothy Day

2010-11-13T09:03:00.001-06:00

<p>6 Insights from the Life of Dorothy Day from Province of Saint Joseph on Vimeo.</p>

Peace,

Mike Baldwin

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Blacks4Barack MORE NEWS

2010-11-01T08:53:00.001-05:00

NEW !
The 244 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
of PRESIDENT OBAMA

ETHICS
• Ordered the White House and all federal agencies to respect the Freedom of Information Act and overturned Bush-era limits on accessibility of federal documents (2009)
• Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible (2009)
• Placed limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House (2009)
• Placed limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration (2009)
• Signed a measure strengthening registration and reporting requirements for lobbyists (2009)
• Ordered that lobbyists must be removed from and are no longer permitted to serve on federal and White House advisory panels and boards (2009) * Note: After saying he would not hire lobbyists, a few have been hired in the Administration
• Companies and individuals who are delinquent on their taxes or owe back taxes are no longer allowed to bid for federal contracts (2009)
• Initiated the “e-Rulemaking Initiative” (in cooperation with Cornell University) to allow for online public “notice and comment” of federal laws and initiatives (2010)
• Issued the “Open Gov Directive” ordering all Cabinet departments to promote transparency and citizen participation in their policies (2010)
• Signed extensions on banning lobbyists from serving on agency boards (2010)
• Developed the “Don Not Pay List” with data on contractors and recipients of federal funds who are deemed to be ineligible because of fraud and abuse (2010)

GOVERNANCE
• The White House website now provides information on all economic stimulus projects and spending, along with an unprecedented amount of information on our government (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era practice of circumventing established FDA rules for political reasons (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era practice of having White House staff rewrite the findings of scientific and environmental regulations and reports when they disagreed with the results (2009)
• Limited the salaries of senior White House aides (salaries cut to $100,000) (2009)
• Has urged Congress to adopt “Pay-Go” (whereby each dollar of spending is offset by a dollar in cuts or revenues, which was used in the `90s but abandoned in the `00s) (2010)
• Has been holding open meetings with Republican leaders, although they complain of a lack of access and information (2010)
• Signed the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act (2010) * Note: To curb wasteful spending
• Tasked federal agencies to develop plans for disposing of unneeded real estate and then to eliminate unnecessary or non-economical lands, properties, etc. (2010)

NATIONAL SECURITY
• Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane (which wasn’t even used in Iraq/Afghanistan) and other outdated weapons systems (2009)
• Announced his intention to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay (2009) * Note: The closure has been delayed due to massive opposition but it remains on the agenda.
• Stated his interest in housing terrorists at a new federal “super max” facility in the US (2009) * Note: this has been delayed in the face of massive opposition but it remains on the agenda
• Cut the expensive Reagan era missile defense program, saving $1.4 billion in 2010 (2009)
• Cancelled plans to station anti-ballistic missile systems in Poland and the Czech Republic (2009)
• Replacing long-range, expensive missile systems with more efficient smaller systems (2009)
• Increased US Navy patrols off the Somali coast in response to pirating (2009)
• Established a new cyber security office and appointed a cyber security czar (2009)
• Ordered the first nation-wide comprehensive cyber threat assessment (2009)
• Instituted a new Nuclear Posture Review, revising US nuclear deterrence policy to encourage more nations to join the 1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (2010) * Note: Components of the policy include: a pledge to stop nuclear testing; a pledge to not build a new generation of nucs; identifying nuclear terrorism, rather than a launch from another nuclear state, as the major threat; a pledge to not use nucs on a non-nuclear state in a conventional conflict; etc.
• Executive orders to block payment, transfers, exports, etc… of individuals and organizations support the regimes of North Korea, Iran, Somali pirates, and other foreign threats (2010)
• Presidential Memoranda to extend certain provisions of The Trading with Enemies Act which was to expire in September 2010 (2010) * Note: This includes freezing assets and banning trade that benefits the Cuban regime; however further efforts at normalizing travel to Cuba are supported
• Signed bill for southwest border security and increased funds and agents on the Mexican border (2010)
• Signed the Comprehensive Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act to deal with foreign regimes like Iran and North Korea (2010)

IRAQ & AFGHANISTAN
• Began the phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq (2009); continuing the withdrawal (2010)
• Changed the US military command in the Afghan conflict (2009)
• Tasked the Pentagon to reorganize US policy in Afghanistan; the new policy includes 30,000 additional troops deployed, priority training of Afghan forces, developing agriculture and infrastructure, limiting aerial bombing, etc. (2009)
• Ordered the Pentagon to send additional helicopters to assist US Marine units and Special Forces in Afghanistan (2009)
• Increased unmanned drone strikes on Taliban and al-Qaeda targets in Afghanistan (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era “stop-loss” policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date (2009)

MILITARY & VETERANS
• Ordered the Pentagon to cover expenses of families of fallen soldiers if they wish to be on site when the body arrives back in the US (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era “blackout” imposed on media coverage of the return of fallen US soldiers (2009) * Note: The media is now permitted to cover the story pending adherence to respectful rules and with the approval of the fallen soldier’s family
• Ended the Bush-era “black out” policy on media coverage of war casualties (2009) * Note: Full information is now released for the first time in the War on Terror
• Ordered better body armor to be procured for US troops (2009)
• Funding new Mine Resistant Ambush Vehicles (2009) * Note: The old Hummers were very vulnerable to roadside explosives and an alarming percentage of our soldiers lost in Iraq were on account of IEDs
• Working to increase pay and benefits for military personnel (2009)
• Improving housing for military personnel (2009)
• Initiating a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses (2009)
• Ordered that conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other neglected military hospitals be improved (2009)
• Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military to a post-Cold War, modern fighting force (2009) * Note: Bush announced in 2001 his intention to do this but backed off the reforms after 9/11, which include: new procurement policies; increasing the size of Special Ops units; deploying new technologies; creating new cyber security units; etc.
• Ended the Bush-era practice of awarding “no-bid” defense contracts (2009)
• Improving benefits for veterans as well as VA staffing, information systems, etc. (2009)
• Authorized construction of additional health centers to care for veterans (2009)
• Suspended the Bush-era decision to purchase a fleet of Marine One helicopters from suppliers in favor of American made helicopters (2009)
• Ordered a review of the existing “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military (2010)
• New GI Bill for returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan (2009)
• Signed bill providing assistance for caregivers of veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan (2010) * Note: The omnibus bill does the following: Training, funding, and counseling for caregivers; promoting pilot childcare programs for women vets under treatment at the VA; independent oversight to prevent abuse; readjustment counseling for National Guard and reservist units; etc.
• Eliminated co-payments for veterans who are catastrophically disabled (2010)
• Fulfilled campaign promise to have combat troops (90,000) out of Iraq by August 31, 2010 (2010)
• Established a new interagency task force to assist veterans owning small businesses (2010) * Note: The efforts include promoting federal contract opportunities, improve access to loans and capital, mentor assistance programs, etc.
• Signed The Families of Fallen Heroes Act, which covers the moving costs of immediate family members of those lost in service (military, intelligence, and security personnel) (2010)

FOREIGN POLICY
• Closed the Bush-era “secret detention” facilities in Eastern Europe (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era policy allowing “enhanced interrogation” (torture); the US is again in compliance with Geneva Convention standards (2009) * Note: Obama has permitted some controversial interrogation techniques to continue
• Restarted international nuclear non-proliferation talks and reestablished international nuclear inspection protocols (2009) * Note: Bush withdrew from non-proliferation talks and dismantled the inspection infrastructure
• Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic (2009) * Note: These were suspended under Bush
• Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions (2009) * Note: These were suspended under Bush
• Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office (2009)
• Banned the export of cluster bombs (2009)
• Overturned Bush-era plans to increase the US nuclear arsenal (2009)
• Authorized the Navy SEALS operation that freed by force the US shipping captain held by Somali pirates (2009)
• Restored the US commitment to the UN population fund for family planning; overturned the ban on providing funds internationally for family planning (2009) * Note: The family planning efforts were suspended under Bush
• Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return “home” to visit families (2009)
• Extended an offer of engagement (free from sanctions and penalties) to Iran through December 31, 2009 (Iran did not accept the offer) (2009)
• Sent envoys to the Middle East and other parts of the world, reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy (2009)
• Authorized discussions with North Korea and the private mission by former president, Bill Clinton, to secure the release of two Americans held in prisons (2009)
• Authorized discussions with Myanmar and the mission by Senator Jim Web to secure the release of an American held captive (2009)
• Renewed loan guarantees for Israel (2009)
• Signed the USIFTA trade agreement with/for Israel (2009)
• Authorized a $550m advance for Israel (six months prior to the scheduled date) in order to accommodate Israeli’s economic and financial needs (2009)
• Continued agreements with Israel for cultural exchanges, immigration, etc. (2009)
• Spoke on Arab television, spoke at an Egyptian university, and met with Arab leaders in an effort to change the tone of US-Arab relations (2009)
• Ordered the US to finally pay its dues to the United Nations (2009)
• Attended the Summit of America’s meeting in Trinidad and Tobago (2010)
• Dispatched several envoys and initiated talks with numerous nations (2010)
• Signed a nuclear limitation treaty with Russia (2010) * Note: The agreement calls for both countries to reduce their nucs by one-third (1,500) and launch systems by half (800)
• Hosted nuclear non-proliferation summit for several nations (2010)
• Executive Order to establish support offices in the State Department to assist the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan (2010)
• Presidential Memoranda to continue drug interdiction support with Columbia (2010)

ECONOMY
• Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants…) (2009) * Note: Bush was the first president since Herbert Hoover to not make infrastructure a priority
• Authorized the US auto industry rescue plan and two GMAC rescue packages (2009)
• Authorized the housing rescue plan and new FHA residential housing guarantees (2009)
• Authorized a $789 billion economic stimulus plan (2009) * Note: 1/3 in tax cuts for working-class families; 1/3 to states for infrastructure projects; 1/3 to states to prevent the layoff of police officers, teachers, etc. at risk of losing their jobs because of state budget shortfalls
• Instituted a new rule allowing the public to meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (in as quickly as one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying (2009)
• Authorized a continuation of the US financial and banking rescue plans initiated at the end of the Bush administration and authorized TARP funds to buy “toxic assets” from failing financial institutions (2009)
• Authorized the “Cash for Clunkers” program that stimulated auto sales and removed old, inefficient, polluting cars from the road (2009)
• Convened a “jobs summit” to bring experts together to develop ideas for creating jobs (2009)
• Ordered the FDIC to beef up deposit insurance (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era policy of protecting credit card companies (2009) * Note: In place of the old policy, new consumer protections were instituted and the industry’s predatory practices were banned
• Authorized the federal government to make more loans available to small businesses and ordered lower rates for federal loans to small businesses (2009)
• Placed a 35% tariff on Chinese tires and a few other products such as pipes after China was found to be illegally “dumping” exports below cost (2009) * Note: Clinton, Bush I, and Reagan all refused to “get tough” on China’s predatory trade practices; Bush II refused four times during his presidency
• In November 2009, Obama extended unemployment benefits for one million workers
and expanded coverage for some existing homeowners who are buying again (2009)
• Called on Congress to deliver a “Jobs bill” (2010)
• Credit card companies are prohibited from raising rates without advance notification or arbitrarily if customers are paying bills on time (2010)
• Signed a bill to extend unemployment benefits set to expire (2010)
• Signed historic Wall Street reform bill (2010) * Note: Designed to reregulate and end abusive practices and promote consumer protections
• Signed the HIRE Act to stimulate the economic recovery (2010) * Note: The bill includes: tax cuts for small businesses who hire someone unemployed for at least two months; small businesses can write off their investments in equipment this year; etc.
• National Export Initiative established to enhance federal support (technical assistance, training, trade missions, etc.) and coordination efforts to help US businesses export products and services (2010)
• Initiatives to promote a “Wireless Broadband Revolution” (2010) * Note: Among other things, broadband is finally being considered as necessary infrastructure, with efforts to expand use, access, and spectrum…
• Expanded agricultural credit to farmers during current economic crisis (2010)
• Signed bill - US Manufacturing Enhancement Act (2010)
• Signed bill - Single Family Housing Mortgage Insurance (2010)

TAXES
• Negotiated a deal with Swiss banks to permit the US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who outsource American jobs (2009) * Note: The new policy promotes in-sourcing investments to brings jobs back to the US
• Signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which provides small tax cuts for 95% of “working families” (2009) * Note: The tax cuts were not as big as was suggested during the 2008 campaign
• Convened an advisory board that is looking into simplifying the tax code (2009)
• Ordered the closing of offshore tax safe havens (for individual and business tax evaders) (2009)
• Reduced taxes for some small businesses to stimulate the economic recovery (2009)
• Extended the Home Buyers Credit for first-time home buyers (2009)
• Proposed doubling the child tax credit (2010)
• Called for the repeal of the capital gains tax for small businesses (2010)
• Proposed rolling back the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans (2010) * Note: This would be for families earning over $250,000/year and would return their tax rates to the 1990’s level

BUDGETING
• Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut federal spending (2009)
• Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify wasteful spending and practices (2009)
• Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient (2009)
• Overturned the Bush-era practice of not listing certain federal programs in the federal budget (2009) (2010) * Note: Bush did this (so did Reagan) in an effort to hide programs and make the budget look smaller; such “off budget” items are now included in the annual budget
• Full appropriations for war are now included in the budget (2009) (2010) * Note: Bush did not list many of the appropriations for Iraq, Afghanistan, and War on Terror
• Funds for emergency appropriations are now included in the budget (2009) (2010)
• Proposed a three-year freeze on federal discretionary spending beginning in 2011 (2010)
• Is in the process of cutting 120 federal programs identified as either wasteful or unnecessary (2010)
• Established a bipartisan commission on fiscal responsibility, staffed by House and Senate members and private citizens, tasked with submitting proposals to balance the budget (2010) * Note: In the face of Republican opposition, the powers of the commission were watered down
• Established a bipartisan commission on the future of Social Security, tasked with submitting proposals to preserve and strengthen Social Security (2010) * Note: In the face of Republican opposition, the powers of the commission were watered down
• Cut $20 billion from federal budget and has pledged to cut at least this much every year (2010)
• Ultimately decided to cancel planned new presidential helicopter fleet and stick with marine One (2010)
• Freezing all discretionary spending for next three years, except on national security (2010)
• Presidential Memoranda to freeze discretionary awards, bonuses, etc. for federal political appointees (2010)
• Beginning to use “Pay-As-You-Go” (Pay-Go) to offset budget expenditures with budget cuts or revenue enhancements (2010)

HEALTHCARE
• Removed Bush era restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research (2009)
• Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research (2009)
• Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children (2009)
• Established an independent commission to make recommendations on slowing the costs of Medicare (2009)
• Reversed some of the Bush-era restrictions that prevented Medicare from negotiating with pharmaceutical firms for cheaper drugs, allowing government to again competitively bid (2009) * Note: Obama had promised to lift all restrictions but, while he did negotiate with drug companies for them to lower their costs the deal only lifted some restrictions
• Expanding government vaccination programs (2009)
• Issued new disease prevention guidelines and priorities for the CDC (2009)
• Authorized the FDA to finally begin regulating tobacco (2009)
• Tasked federal labs to prioritize research on and deployment of H1N1 vaccines (2009)
• Asked multiple congressional committees to bring forward a healthcare reform bill; held dozens of public hearings and town halls on the issue (2009) (2010)
• Established a new council on National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health to be chaired by Surgeon General and charged with promoting healthy lifestyles and integrative healthcare (2010)
• When accusations to the contrary arose, an Executive Order was signed to reaffirm that federal funds are not to be used for abortion services (2010)
• Historic healthcare reform bill signed - $940 billion over 10 years (2010) * Note: 32 million additional Americans will receive healthcare coverage and costs will be lowered for most Americans, but many of the goals are phased in over four years
Components of the bill
- Prevents insurance companies from denying coverage to individuals/family members with pre-existing health conditions; a temporary plan is being developed to cover high-risk individuals with pre-existing conditions until the full reforms go into effect in 2014
- Prevents insurance companies from placing lifetime limits on benefits
- Bans “rescission” so insurance companies can’t cancel coverage if individuals keep their policies current or if they become ill
- An individual’s out-of-pocket healthcare expenses are capped
- Closes the “donut hole” (Part D) for Medicare prescription drug coverage (under Bush, Medicare helped pay for drugs up to $2,600 and above $4,550, but individuals had to pay 100% of the costs in between these amounts); now Medicare helps cover costs irrespective of the amount – seniors will now pay only 25% of drug costs up to $4,550 and only 5% of drug costs above that amount
- In 2010, an emergency provision will offer seniors a $250 rebate on the costs incurred within the “donut hole”
- Individuals living at or below the poverty line were eligible for healthcare under Medicaid, but by 2014 individuals/families living slightly above (making up to $14,404/$29,327) the poverty line will also be eligible for benefits
- Individuals/families making less than $43,320/$88,200 per year will qualify for government subsidies to help purchase health insurance
- All individuals must have health insurance or face a government fine; all large (over 50 employees) employers must offer health insurance to employees or pay a fine
- Small businesses can get a tax credit if they offer health care
- There are hardship exemptions if individuals can’t afford health insurance
- Families can keep their children in college on their plans through age 26
- Promotes health insurance “exchanges” so consumers can buy “wholesale”
- Creates consumer assistance offices to help consumers file complaints or appeal decisions from insurance companies; beginning in 2011, insurance companies can no longer make excessive rate hikes without justification and approval, and those doing so may be barred from participating in new health insurance exchanges
Funding sources:
- Large employers (over 50 workers) that don’t offer health benefits will be charged a $2,000/worker fee; if the employer offers coverage but employees instead purchase federally subsidized insurance the fee is $3,000/worker receiving federal subsidies or $750/worker (whichever is lower)
- Annual fees on pharmaceutical companies ($27 billion), health insurance companies ($60 billion), and medical device-makers ($20 billion)
- Annual penalties on individuals who do not have health insurance (up to a maximum of $695/person)
- Increase in the Medicare payroll tax from 1.45% to 2.35% for individuals making $200,000+ and families making $250,000+
- 3.8% tax on unearned income for millionaires
- Insurance companies will be subject to a tax on each high-end insurance plan (so-called “Cadillac” plans) they offer
Miscellaneous:
- Illegal immigrants are not eligible for insurance or subsidies
- By Executive Order, such federal funding can’t be used for abortion
- The federal government will assist states by covering all of the increased expenses of expanding Medicaid coverage (90% of costs after 2020)

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
• Removed a ruling that now allows individual states to enact automotive fuel efficiency standards above federal standards (2009)
• Offered attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles (2009)
• Overturned Bush-era rule that weakened the Endangered Species Act (2009)
• Announced plans to purchase fuel efficient American-made fleet for the federal government (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions (2009)
• Signed a measure requiring energy producing plants to begin producing 15% of their energy from renewable sources (2009)
• Announced that the federal government would reengage in the long-delayed effort to clean up “Superfund” toxic waste sites (2009)
• Announced the long-term development of a national energy grid with renewable sources and cleaner, efficient energy production (2009) * Note: Much of Obama’s energy reform was killed by Senate Republicans
• Proposed a new refuge for wild mustangs (2009)
• Cancelled several Bush-era mountain-top removal and mining permits (2009)
• Reengaged in international treaties and agreements to protect the Antarctic (2009)
* Note: Bush had withdrawn from such efforts
• Asked Congress for an energy reform and “cap and trade” bill (2009) * Note: The Congress failed to pass such a bill
• Developing plan to lease US coastal waters for wind and water-current energy production (2009)
• Overturned Bush-era policies that allowed uranium mining near national parks such as the Grand Canyon (2009)
• Expanded the Petrified Forest National Park (2009)
• Signed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act that protects millions of acres of scenic, historic, and recreational lands and trails (2009)
• Requiring that government buildings and facilities be retrofitted to save energy costs (2009) * Note: These green retrofits are moving very slowly
• Authorized studies in several western states to determine how to support large-scale solar installations (2009)
• Attended the Copenhagen talks and, after the talks were stalled, negotiated an international (voluntary) agreement on reducing carbon emissions and raising funds to assist developing nations in offsetting carbon emissions (2009)
• Banned importation of pythons in response to a growing population of pythons damaging the Florida Everglades (2009)
• Committing the federal government to increasing research and use of renewable, clean energy sources such as wind, biomass, etc. (2009)
• Executive orders establishing a federal initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all federal operations (2009) (2010)
• Called for exploring the possibility of additional off-shore oil drilling in the Gulf, Atlantic, and off Alaska (but not in ANWR) (2010)
• Agreed to consider increases in nuclear energy production and requested a study on the feasibility of nuclear power plant construction (2010) * Note: Nearly all energy initiatives were defeated by Republican opposition in Congress
• Increased investment in clean energy projects (2010)
• Executive Order to develop a new strategy for and commitment to ocean and lake resources, and for scientific research on water quality (2010)

RIGHTS
• Instituted enforcements for equal pay for women (Lilly Ledbetter Bill) (2009)
• Appointed Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina, to the Supreme Court (2009)
• Held the first Seder in White House (2009)
• Appointed a diverse Cabinet and diverse White House staff (2009)
• Spoke at the annual dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights organization (2009)
• Signed the first major piece of federal gay rights legislation that includes acts of violence against gays under the list of federal hate crimes (2009)
• Reversed the Bush-era practice of politicizing Justice Department investigations and prosecutions against political opponents (2009)
• Pushing for some of the 9/11 perpetrators to be tried in federal court (2009) * Note: The process has moved at a snail’s pace and, in the face of opposition, Obama has remained quiet
• Signed an extension of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Bill to provide federal research and support for treating the disease (2009)
• Allowed the State Department of offer same-sex benefits for employees (2009)
• Proposed that the Pentagon repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy; placed a “freeze” on current efforts to remove alleged homosexuals from the military (2009)
• After eight years of neglect, the Justice Department and EEOC are again enforcing employment discrimination laws (2009)
• Convened the White House Tribal Nations Conference, inviting representatives from 564 federally-recognized Indian tribes (2009)
• Provided increased school projects for Indian lands and increased funds for the Indian Health Service (2009)
• Signed an Executive Order mandating that his Cabinet develop plans to work with and consult Indian tribes on issues impacting Indian lands (2009)
• Commissioned a study to develop alternatives to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (2010)
• Called for federal agencies to look into recognizing gay partnerships in terms of benefits (2010)
• Signed an Executive Order for the President’s Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (2010)
• Increased funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (2010)
• Signed Executive Order to promote the federal government as a “model employer” when it comes to hiring the disabled (2010) * Note: This includes new efforts to increase the recruitment, hiring, and training for the disabled
• Programs to assist Spanish speakers with the US Census (2010)
• Elena Kagen appointed to Supreme Court (2010)
• Tasked all federal agencies to develop new strategies to address HIV/AIDS (2010)
• After organizing studies on the topic in 2009, tasked the Pentagon to eliminate “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (2010)
• Signed Fair Sentencing Act (2010) * Note: The Administration continues to deescalate marijuana interdiction and raids; increased dramatically the amount of cocaine one must possess to be sentenced to jail; eliminated mandatory sentencing for first-time drug abusers and simple possession

EDUCATION
• Authorized construction funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access in K-12 public schools (2009)
• Increased funding for school construction (2009)
• Increased funding available for student loans (2009)
• Expanded the national youth service program (2009)
• Streamlined the federal student loan process to save $87 billion over the next 10 years (2009)
• Changed the rule to allow students struggling to make college loan payments to refinance their loans (2009)
• Beginning discussions with Congress for education reform (2009) * Note: Much of Obama’s education reform has been sidelined by opposition in Congress
• Initiated a “Race to the Top” competitive federal grant program for states who develop innovative policies (2009)
• Instituted a “judgment review” allowing families with student loans to petition to have their current financial status determine the loan rather than the previous year’s finances (2009)
• Launched “Educate to Innovate,” a public/private partnership making $236 million available for science, mathematics, and technology education programs (2009)
• Proposed capping the maximum amount students must pay on student loans (as percentage of their income) (2010)
• Proposed reducing student loan obligations for individuals going to work in community and public service jobs (2010)
• The federal government will offer direct student loans, cutting out the cost of private banks (“middle man”) who increase the costs in order to make a profit (2010)
• Increased investment in technologies for schools/education (2010)

DISASTER RESPONSE
• Ordered a review of hurricane and natural disaster preparedness (2009)
• FEMA once again reports directly to the president (2009) * Note: Bush removed FEMA (prior to the Hurricane Katrina disaster) from this status
• Demonstrated an immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters (2009)
• Ordered that funds be released and red tape be streamlined for the ongoing Hurricane Katrina recovery effort in the Gulf Coast (2009)
• Timely and massive relief effort in response to the January 2010 earthquake and ensuing humanitarian crisis (2010)
Components of the response:
- The FBI’s National Center for Disaster Fraud was tasked to look into possible fraud with organizations soliciting funds for relief
- Announced the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund
- Established an emergency Haiti Task Force in the State Department
- Established a website with information, resources, and a posting of a “person finder” online to help families and friends to locate loved ones
- Joint aid and relief planning with the U.K.
- Sponsored a resolution in the UN Security Council for additional security and police forces in Haiti
- Dispatched the US Navy floating hospital (USNS Comfort) and, within 5 days, 9 naval and relief ships, 5 Coast Guard cutters, 8 Coast Guard aircraft, and 12,000 US military personnel
- Initial dispatch of several ships and cargo planes full of humanitarian aid and supplies, 6 search/rescue teams (500 personnel), and 265 Department of Health & Human Services personnel for emergency medical and aid support
- Established a mobile US air traffic control center at the destroyed airport in Port-au-Prince
• After the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a freeze was placed on new deep water projects (2010)
• Executive Order to establish new security measures to minimize accidental release of bio and chemical agents; new strategies for public health and bioterrorism response (2010)
• Established a national commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon spill to examine facts and report a plan of action; new efforts to prevent offshore spills (2010)
• After a slow start in responding to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the White House is promoting a long-term plan to reconstruct the damaged Gulf and negotiated with BP the establishment of a multi-billion dollar trust fund for victims of the spill (2010)
• Extended national flood insurance program for those in need during current economic crisis (2010)

OTHER INITIATIVES
• New federal funding for science and research labs (2009)
• Signed national service legislation; expanded national youth service program (2009)
• Increasing opportunities in AmeriCorps program (2009)
• Instituted a new focus on mortgage fraud (2009)
• Ordered the DEA to stop raids on medical marijuana usage (2009)
• Ordered a review of existing “mandatory minimum” prison sentencing (2009)
• Signed an order to limit airport tarmac delays and the time passengers had to sit in the plane/on the tarmac during delays (2009)
• Restored the EPA to “Cabinet level” status (2009) * Note: Bush removed the EPA from this status
• Beginning discussions with Congress for comprehensive immigration reform (2010)
* Note: Much of Obama’s immigration reform had been stalled by opposition in Congress
• Commissioned expert panels and reports from NASA; announced a new direction for human space flight that involves funding a new heavy lift-launcher and jettisoning the Ares 1 program; boosting NASA’s budget by $1 billion in 2011 (2010)
• Ordered a ban on text-messaging for all commercial truck and bus drivers (2010)
• Signed bill – FAA Air Transportaiton Modernizatin and Safety Improvement Act (2010)

P.S. IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING…
• The Obamas paid for the renovations of the private living quarters in the White House with their own money rather than using the funds provided to all new first families (2009)
• The Obamas reused many Christmas ornaments from previous White House trees rather than buy new ones (2009)
• The Obamas used LED energy-saving lights on White House Christmas tree (2009)
• Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize; donated the award money for the prize to several charities (2009)
• Planted a garden for the White House’s vegetables and flowers (2009)
• Installed a swing set/playground for the Obama daughters and children of White House employees (2009)
• Held over 150 public town halls, press conferences, interviews, etc. in first year in office (2009) * Note: Official numbers are not available on such things, but this seems to be a new record high
• Less than 30 days of vacation in first year in office (2009) * Note: Official numbers are not readily available on such things, but this seems to be a new record low
...And A FAMILY MAN !
B4B NOTE: Special Thanks to Robert P. Watson, Ph. D., Professor of American Studies, Lynn University who compiled this list and writes " Like all presidents, Barack Obama has made mistakes. But, as a presidential historian, I have been struck by claims being put forward by Obama’s many critics and the news media that he has accomplished little when, in fact, his presidency is easily one of the most active in history." And Thanks to our friend Sherry Lou Meeks.
Thank You Mr. President !
Print It...Pass It On...
SHARE THE FACTS !
B4B Home Page

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In case you forgot or weren't paying attention.

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Rally for Sanity at the Arch in STL

2010-10-30T11:20:00.001-05:00

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

A birthday invitation!

2010-10-12T12:00:00.001-05:00

Hey there,

My birthday's coming up and to celebrate, I created a Birthday Wish where my friends and family can help me raise money for a cause that I care about.

It is difficult to find housing for formerly incarcerated men and women. Many landlords and most government housing programs exclude those who have been incarcerated. Project COPE has twice as many requests for housing as they have housing units. Other services are also needed to reintegrate the 5,000 formerly incarcerated individuals who annually return to Saint Louis.

"...I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you ....sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the Holy One will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'"

So please check out my Birthday Wish, spread the word, and make a donation if you can.

Thanks so much! I'm so lucky to have such awesome friends.

—Mike

Check it out

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Our moral code is out of date

2010-09-16T12:26:00.001-05:00

via cnn.com

Comments please.

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Jon Stewart on the 14th Amendment

2010-08-06T08:27:00.001-05:00

<table style='font:11px arial; color:#333; background-color:#f5f5f5' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='360' height='353'><tbody><tr style='background-color:#e5e5e5' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;'>The Daily Show With Jon Stewart</td><td style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; text-align:right; font-weight:bold;'>Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c</td></tr><tr style='height:14px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;' colspan='2'Born in the U.S.A.www.thedailyshow.com</td></tr><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'></td></tr><tr style='height:18px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><table style='margin:0px; text-align:center' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='100%' height='100%'><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'>Daily Show Full Episodes</td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'>Political Humor</td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'>Tea Party</td></tr></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Some slogans I have found for the Marriage Equality counter protest in Clayton, MO today vote for one.

2010-08-05T14:37:00.001-05:00

Download now or preview on posterous

The Mo re.pdf (11 KB)

What do you think? Vote for one.

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

See what's blooming now, in Mary Ann's Little House Garden

2010-07-21T23:06:00.001-05:00

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Come to our Garden Party. See what’s blooming: More Little House Garden photos

2010-07-02T10:26:00.001-05:00

Please plan to attend our Little House Garden Party honoring Mary Ann McGivern, SL, creator of the Little House Garden and Orchard. She maintained the garden and orchard at Little House for 30 years (offering meditations to Saint Louis on her gardening experiences on her KWMU broadcast) before leaving it to others to care for. The St. Louis Place Neighborhood has benefitted both aesthetically and gastronomically from the sumptuous array of flowers and fruits.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

2-6 p.m.

1538-40 North 17^th street

17^th and Mullanphy

Saint Louis, MO 63106

Light refreshments will be served. Donations accepted for Little House and The Downtown Teens.

Rsvp: mbroute66@charter.net

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Roundtable article from Little House: Mary Ann's Garden

2010-06-14T14:10:00.001-05:00

A little tongue-in-cheek to the editor of the Roundtable. Enjoy!

I once again have the pleasure of writing "from Little House" article. In the past, I have been told my posts need to be edited due to length. This time, I thought I would use few words and add pictures. Since every picture is worth a thousand words.

To see the "reclaimed" Little House Garden and orchard in full, living, color, please attend our Garden Party on July 10, or stop by and stroll through any time at your leisure. We will be honoring Mary Ann McGivern, who started gardening this spot around thirty years ago. We will be raising funds for Little House and for the Downtown Teens. Send an email to mbroute66@charter.net or tekachildress@gmail.com for more information.

Peace,

Mike Baldwin

See and download the full gallery on posterous

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Vermiculture and vermicomposting. Worm ranchers, I have questions.

2010-05-20T12:27:00.001-05:00

Any other worm ranchers out there?

I recently notified the world that I purchased a pound (about 1,000) red wigglers to deal with my kitchen composting. I received them last week via USPS and put them to “bed” in some shredded newspaper in their little bin.

I have since added about 3 pounds of kitchen waste and watched as they efficiently gobble it up and leave behind castings in the bottom tray. However, I also notice that not all of the castings fall through to the bottom tray so I have some questions.

My questions are: How do I get the castings to the bottom tray for use as plant fertilizer? I can’t very well pick through all of the worms and shake out the castings. Is it harmful for the worms to live in their own castings? Am I feeding them enough or too much? What about the odor? I was told that the odor would be minimal and be “earthy”. The odor from our bin is the smell of rotting vegetables. Would it be OK for me to put my bin outside on my porch as long as it is in the shade? And, finally, what about worm tea?

There is conflicting information on the internet about worm tea. Some describe the watery material that apparently appears in the bin as a “tea” produced by the worms. They tell you to collect it and pour it into your potted plants or garden as a liquid fertilizer. Others say it is just condensation from an overly humid worm bin and has no value. Others actually say it is a form of leachate akin to what one would find in a garbage dump and that it might actually be full of harmful, or at least not beneficial, anaerobic bacteria. Some say true worm tea is made from the dehydrated castings, steeped briefly in water, to reinvigorate the beneficial bacteria; and that it is a potent fertilizer and soil enhancement.

What say you?

Peace,

Mike Baldwin

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

To Copyright or Trademark?

2010-05-20T11:16:00.001-05:00

That is the question. I have filed an “intent to use” the Term: Justie to describe those who identify as being social justice oriented people. My applications are pending with the Trademark and Copyright offices.

I give credit for the idea to Megan Heeney, who mis-typed the title of a Facebook Event for Justice and Peace Shares. When I read the word Justie, I thought, that makes being social justice conscious person—a trend. In similar manner, one who enjoys good food might be called a Foodie.

We’ll see if the term catches on. What do you think?

Peace,

Justie, Mike Baldwin

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Nurse's Appreciation Week

2010-05-06T23:47:00.001-05:00

My daughter graduated with a BSN over a year ago. She loves her job despite it's trials. I am thankful for and proud of the many nurses I know--especially Whitney.
From Facebook:  Being a NURSE means you carry immense responsibility & very little authority. You step into people's lives and make a difference. Some bless you, others curse you. You see people at their worst & best. You see life begin & end. You see people's capacity for love, courage, & endurance. IT'S NURSES APPRECIATION WEEK. REPOST IF YOU ARE A NURSE. LOVE A NURSE OR APPRECIATE A NURSE. Thanks to all the nurses out there

Peace,
Mike

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

The Downtown Teens need summer projects. Here's how you can help: (RT)

2010-05-05T13:13:00.001-05:00

Hi friends of the Downtown Teens,

Thanks to your generosity from my last email, we were able to keep the Teens working through the end of this month with subsidies from several of you. Now I am looking for home improvement projects for the DownTown Teens for the Summer.

During the Spring we worked on the orchard next door, weeding, moving rocks and removing stumps and volunteer honeysuckle, etc. We also did a little painting and built a compost station and miscellaneous other small projects. Our big season is coming up. Once school is out, we make the program available three days a week. With a crew of 5 plus one or two adults, we can tackle a variety of projects or we can lend a helping hand to work with you on your project.

Please consider hiring the Teens for your next project. In the past, we have built fences, done landscaping and gardening, built decks, painted indoors and out, hung drywall, “gut” demolitions (and more refined disassembly), small repairs and rough carpentry. Now would be a good time for us to weatherproof your fence or deck. It is recommended after the one year, that pressure treated lumber be treated with a wood preservative and stain to extend its life. Ideally, we are looking for projects that can be completed in 1-3 days.

If a neighbor or friend mentions a project, mention the Teens. If you want to help out on some of our projects, let me know. As in the past, we will no doubt perform maintenance and improvement for people of limited income, so if you can send us a financial boost at this time, it will be gratefully acknowledged and carefully used to subsidize those projects.

We are still pursuing the nonprofit, 501(c)3 status, but for now, checks can be sent Mike Baldwin or Teka Childress at the address below. Or you can use PayPal to mbroute66@charter.net. To discuss or schedule a project, please give either of us a call. Thanks.

Peace,

Mike Baldwin & Teka Childress

314-974-7432, 314-974-2552

1538-A N. 17th Street

Saint Louis, MO 63106

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

My year without a car: the electric bike

2010-04-28T12:35:00.001-05:00

As many of you know, I purchased an electric assist bicycle about a month ago. For those unfamiliar with the concept, the bicycles are known as electric bikes, e-bikes, electric assist, and hybrids. The premise is that by adding a small electric motor with chain drive, or internal hub drive, one can either gain assistance with pedaling (up-hill or against the wind, or when you are tired) or a completely pedal free ride.

For me, it was the natural evolution of my quest to become car independent. I bought a gas-powered scooter about a year and a half ago from Craig’s list. This moped could travel about 100 miles on a gallon of gas. I still have my 1972 Schwinn 3-speed, Collegiate and had planned on using it for shorter trips. Once I bought the scooter, I never rode the Schwinn again. This presented a problem for me. Though 100 miles/gallon of gas is great and significantly reduced my carbon footprint, it did not give me any exercise.

In addition to no exercise, a moped is colder to ride in the winter, than a bicycle. You know the adage: “the one who chops wood, heats themselves twice”. Well with no exertion, and a significant wind-chill, scooting around town was too cold. Plus, I was getting out of shape—not good for a man in his 50’s with a recent heart attack.

I was intrigued by the idea of purchasing an electric scooter that also had a pedaling option. But, the ones I saw were bulky, and heavy. The pedaling was an afterthought to qualify the vehicle for the Federal Bicycle regulation. It was not intended to be pedaled, except perhaps very short distances when the battery was discharged. But that got me thinking: is there an electric bicycle that is first a bicycle, and second had an electric motor? Yes, Virginia, there is! In fact, a quick Google check found me perusing hundreds of sites extolling the electric-assist bicycle.

After reading several reviews, and comparing prices on hundreds of models, I settled on the model I currently own: a Currie Technologies Via Lento. It seemed the best fit for a guy like me. First, my budget was under $1000 (a number of models start at $1400 and above). I was also looking for one I could easily mount and dismount, with the sling-back pedaling posture. I wasn’t looking for a mountain bike or racing model. I was looking for a bike under sixty pounds so I could easily lift it to a Metro bus bike rack, and take it with me on the MetroLink. This last item was extremely important for me to be able to augment my radius of travel due to the relatively short battery life of about 12-15 miles per charge (depending on weight of rider and amount of pedaling).

Next installment: Purchase, assembly and first impressions.

Peace,

Mike Baldwin

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Drink intentionally this St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-15T18:18:00.001-05:00

For better or worse, drinking is a part of Catholic culture, particularly around Saint Patrick's Day when everyone is suddenly Irish.

Regular readers know that I am very interested in food and in particular food systems--how food gets from the fields to our plates, in other words. Particularly since writing Greener Pastures for U.S. Catholic magazine, I have tried to support local farmers by shopping at farmers markets whenever possible.

But until this weekend, I never thought about my drinking habits in this context. At Chicago's FamilyFarmed EXPO on Saturday, I learned that drinking locally also means supporting local farmers.

By getting to know your local brewer or distiller, you can also get to know where their raw ingredients come from. Often the barley, wheat, and other ingredients come from not far away. Illinois even has some good wines, I learned.

Adam Seger, the creator of Hum (a botanic spirit that tastes amazing with Goose Island's Matilda, for those of you in Chicago), said that buying locally often means supporting local wine stores as well. Seger, who works at a restaurant and knows how many bottles are recycled (hopefully) or thrown out every night, is also asking his bars to return the bottles for reuse, just like bars do with Goose Island kegs, making the process more environmentally friendly. This can only happen on a local scale though.

One key is that people find out what they can get locally and ask for it by name. We could call it "drinking intentionally"--as if that were possible on St. Patty's Day weekend, or any weekend really, in a city like Chicago.

For most young people, alcohol is a means to an end: drunkenness. Take a quote from This American Life on Penn State, named the No. 1 party school: A student said that he wishes there was a "drunk button" so that he could achieve that goal without having to choke down Natty Light. I can't throw any stones, but that's just sad.

I imagine that vast majority of green-clothed young adults in Chicago were drinking green-dyed Miller Lite, and not even in Guinness, last weekend. I am part Irish (that part grows this time of year), and I will enjoy a Smithwick's (my favorite beer) with my corned beef and cabbage (I give up my Lenten fast from meat just for the feast day) on Wednesday.

But most of the time, you'll find me enjoying a good, local beer and at least trying to drink intentionally. Thankfully in Chicago I have plenty of options (Goose Island, Piece, Three Floyds, Two Brothers, Half Acre, Revolution, Metropolis, and Bells).

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lorika/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

via uscatholic.org

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Fish Fry reviews: St. Gabriel's in South City

2010-03-15T12:50:00.001-05:00

α α α α Four Mackerels

My fellow Mackerel Snappers,

As you know, each year I attend three of the same fish frydays. They are: Sta. Cecilia’s, St. Gabriel’s, and St. Pius’. This past week we ventured out to the south city to visit St. Gabe’s. We were not disappointed. Now, I know I complained about Sta. Cecilia’s long line however, St. Gabe’s line was long as well. The difference was the efficiency of getting you through the line. And, of course, the free beer while waiting, helped with the mood. I was told by a parishioner that they had been averaging over 1000 servings of fish dinners each Fryday of Lent thus far. I don’t know how that compares to Sta. Cecilia’s, but that’s a lot of people to get through the door and fed. I noticed too, that like Sta. Cecilia’s, St. Gabe’s has “branded” their fish fry and are selling t-shirts. If I were re-branding Sta. Cecilia’s, I would print a t-shirt that said: “I survived the long line at the “original Mexican Fish Fry””. St. Gabe’s just says: “Fish Fry/St. Gabe’s”. The message is simple and to the point. Just like the meal.

As you can see from my photos, the meal was ample and of good value at $8/person including the free beer. It tasted great. I had the catfish, slaw and pastas. Each item is home made. I sampled two desserts since Teka is on a weight loss diet. Everything was delicious. It is served on school “china” (though, complimentary drinks are served in Styrofoam cups). And, the cafeteria is not a dungeon. All of that adds up to four solid mackerels.

Still missing from any Southside fish fries: hot sauce. I am not sure why they don’t get it, but Cholula goes with everything and especially with fish!

Keep up the great work, St. Gabe’s. See you next year. On to St. Pius.

Peace,

Mike Baldwin

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Glenn Beck, Respected Lunatic and Spiritual Guide to the Thing That Used to Be Conservatism

2010-03-15T12:21:00.001-05:00

...urges Catholic apostasy. Glenn Beck, a man who a disturbing number of Catholics actually take seriously, is now telling his followers that if their Church teaches about social or economic justice, it is preaching both Nazism and Communism and the members of said Church should abandon it. No. Really: read more at Mark Shea's Catholic and Enjoying it.

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Fish Fry reviews: Sta. Cecilia's

2010-03-11T13:36:00.001-06:00

ααα and a shrimp ≈ three and a half Mackerels

My kindred mackerel snappers,

I apologize profusely. In the Lenten tradition, mea culpa. It just occurred to me, on the eve of another Friday night Fish Fry, that I had not yet posted my review from last week. I know you are waiting every week for this review so you can choose your next fish fry. It may have been due to exhaustion and overeating, that I neglected my responsibility to my two readers. Exhaustion from standing in line for so long (nearly 2 hours) and, overeating (well, that’s obvious).

Since I first discovered Sta. Cecilia’s “original Mexican fish Fry”(the new marketing brand they added this year) three years ago, I have always rated it very highly. They have great food. My favorite: the Chili Relleno. They have a festive atmosphere that includes dancing and mariachi. They have beer available in-line. They gave out samples of their fried shrimp this year to those waiting in line, as well. They have a friendly and energetic crew. They have it all, except for “sustainable” tableware. They continue to use Styrofoam and plastic and throw everything in the trash. In the past, the ethnic atmosphere and great menu made up a point for the one lost due to Styrofoam. This year, however, my fellow diners agree, that the Styrofoam could not be overcome by atmosphere alone, especially since much of the atmosphere was absorbed waiting nearly two hours in line. In fact, I had planned to attend “another” Mexican fish fry—Our Lady of Guadalupe (which I had heard was very good and had a shorter line), but was talked into going to Sta. Cecilia’s by a friend who ditched us once she saw the line.

So, this year I am awarding the Sta. Cecilia’s fish fry three and a half mackerels. I hope they will be motivated to make the line shorter and to use sustainable tableware in the future.

I think more ethnic parishes could follow the lead of sta. Cecilia’s by serving ethnic foods and providing a little entertainment. For instance those parishes which still have a high percentage of Irish—fish and chips and some music and dance. Ethnically Asian parishes could really wow us with some exotic foods and cultural symbols. Just sayin’

Peace,

Mike Baldwin

My grading system:

·         Food quality and selection

·         Value

·         Sustainable practices

·         Atmosphere

·
Extra points for things like ethnic food and/or entertainment or Free Beer in long lines (hint)…

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Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Fish Fry reviews: Saint Elizabeth Mother of John the Baptist

2010-02-27T20:52:00.001-06:00

αααα (four mackerels)

My Fellow Mackerel Snappers,

For my first Fish Fry in Saint Louis in 2010, I went to Saint Elizabeth Mother of John the Baptist, 4330 Shreve Ave. Due to a recommendation by Delores, who said it was “hoppin’” .

The big surprise was that Chef Calvin and the crew from L’École Culinaire, did the cooking. The offering was an herb crusted salmon with sides of greens, corn on the cob and mac and cheese. The salmon was beautiful and perfectly cooked. The sides were a paired nicely. The portion was ample, but not sinful. J By far the most expertly prepared food of any fish fry. I topped my dinner with a piece of sinfully delicious chocolate layer cake. I understand they have a different menu each week. Be sure to check this one out. Worth the trouble finding your way to the back door.

They seemed to do a pretty steady take-out business using recycled cardboard containers (not Styrofoam). Eat-in was served on school cafeteria “china”. The only drawback was the cafeteria is like a nicely painted dungeon. My advice: more outdoor signage to find the rear entrance and spruce up the space to look more like a restaurant. Some curtains would be nice, for instance. I know that most inner city parishes use the basement of the church or school as the cafeteria, but they can still be more cozy with a little effort. The best part of the ambience was being seated with a Cecilia, a beautiful, cheerful child and her parents, who attend the parish. They were so friendly!

Unfortunately, the Pastor, Jeff Vomund was not available to give greetings.

Peace,

Mike Baldwin, mackerel snapper

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Fish Fry reviews: Saint Elizabeth Mother of John the Baptist

2010-02-27T20:44:00.001-06:00

αααα (four mackerels)

My Fellow Mackerel Snappers,

For my first Fish Fry in Saint Louis in 2010, I went to Saint Elizabeth Mother of John the Baptist, 4330 Shreve Ave. Due to a recommendation by Delores, who said it was “hoppin’” .

The big surprise was that Chef Calvin and the crew from L’École Culinaire, did the cooking. The offering was an herb crusted salmon with sides of greens, corn on the cob and mac and cheese. The salmon was beautiful and perfectly cooked. The sides were a paired nicely. The portion was ample, but not sinful. J By far the most expertly prepared food of any fish fry. I topped my dinner with a piece of sinfully delicious chocolate layer cake. I understand they have a different menu each week. Be sure to check this one out. Worth the trouble finding your way to the back door.

They seemed to do a pretty steady take-out business using recycled cardboard containers (not Styrofoam). Eat-in was served on school cafeteria “china”. The only drawback was the cafeteria is like a nicely painted dungeon. My advice: more outdoor signage to find the rear entrance and spruce up the space to look more like a restaurant. Some curtains would be nice, for instance. I know that most inner city parishes use the basement of the church or school as the cafeteria, but they can still be more cozy with a little effort. The best part of the ambience was being seated with a Cecilia, a beautiful, cheerful child and her parents, who attend the parish. They were so friendly!

Unfortunately, the Pastor, Jeff Vomund was not available to give greetings.

Peace,

Mike Baldwin, mackerel snapper

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

From CNN U.S. Intriguing people for February 26, 2010

2010-02-26T12:56:00.001-06:00

Michael Denson: "Walking the last mile with death row inmates, Michael Denson lives in a state where 87 percent of the residents support the death penalty." So begins Michelle Bearden's remarkable portrait of Denson at the uscatholic.org Web site. The Frisco, Texas, rancher founded the Catholic Death Row Ministry two decades ago, and today he finds himself spending less time with his cattle and more hours with inmates at maximum-security prisons. He told Bearden, "The general attitude is 'Let's kill them, and let's kill them as quick as we can.' I don't judge others for holding that opinion, but it doesn't work for me." Bearden reports that Denson's mother frequently wrote letters to inmates who needed pen pals. When he was 8, he asked his mother to write a letter -- on his behalf -- to convicted murderer Gary Gilmore, who killed two men in Utah and who was later executed. "Then the FBI called my mom and told her that her young son wrote this letter to Gilmore, saying he wanted the inmate to meet his dad when he went to heaven," Denson said. "My dad died when I was 5, and since it seemed certain that this man was going to die, too, I was hoping he'd look for my dad." In addition to the visits, Denson writes his own letters to prisoners and has witnessed four executions at the request of inmates or family members, according to Bearden. He is often asked how he would feel if someone murdered his child. "I would pray that God would give me the grace to forgive," Denson told Bearden. "No matter what, I still believe that only he has the right to take a life." U.S. Catholic: Walking the last mile with death row inmates

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Fish Fry reviews: Redemptorist in KCMO

2010-02-26T09:46:00.001-06:00

It’s Friday in Lent. That means Fish Fries! This year, departing from tradition, we attended a fish fry in Kansas City, MO. It just happened that the first Friday of Lent, that’s where we were. I was anxious to take in the all-you-can-eat shrimp at Redemptorist Parish. It was as good as I remember. The shrimp was perfect. The sides were great--even the home made pizza. But, not wanting to take up too much room, I stuck to two subsequent servings of shrimp only.

I remember going here in my youth. The Ancient Order of Hibernians puts on the “fry”, which is really a boil. They provided ample servings of shrimp, boiled potatoes, green beans, corn on the cob and pizza on your first run through the line, for $12 per person. If you wanted the all-you-can-eat version, it was only $3 more and worth it.

The judging by our esteemed panel: myself, my spouse, my daughter, her boyfriend, two friends and their daughters gave the over-all grade of 4 starfish. Great food. Great value (quantity/quality v. price). Great ambience in the Bishop Sullivan Banquet Room. Drawbacks: Styrofoam and disposable utensils. They could have earned a bonus with a little Gaelic dance or music.

This week: St. Elizabeth Mother of John the Baptist. 4330 Shreve, Saint Louis, MO. Chef Calvin and students from L’École Culinaire will be serving up some great food. This will be our first review of the “fry” at this parish. So, stay tuned.

Peace,

Mike Baldwin

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Seven Reasons Why You Should Go to Confession During Lent - Canterbury Tales by Taylor Marshall

2010-02-23T12:04:00.001-06:00

Seven Reasons Why You Should Go to Confession During Lent
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 by Taylor Marshall | E-mail this post

1. Priestly absolution is an awesome gift that Jesus gave us.
Jesus gave us this Sacrament and wants us to enjoy His grace through it. He told His first priests, the Apostles:

Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins are forgiven (John 20:22).
Christ gave us this sacrament of grace and forgiveness because He loves us. It is a divine gift of mercy and love - not merely an obligation.
2. You are a sinner.
We are a sinners and we need to examine the sinful patterns of our hearts and have a priest give us absolution, counsel, and penance.

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 Jn 1:8).
We are often not honest with our hearts and it takes an objective "physician of souls," to help diagnose us spiritually. ...

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

20+-mind-blowing-social-media-statistics-revisitedhttp: //econsultancy.com/blog

2010-02-02T15:04:00.001-06:00

Posted 29 January 2010 10:07am by Jake Hird with 15 comments

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It’s around six months since I last threw out some truly mindboggling pieces of data surrounding social media. So, what’s happened between then and now?

I try to put as much information as I can into Econsultancy’s Social Media Statistics, which is part of our Stats Compendium (a truly awesome resource) but I find it’s always interesting to go back and review the old against the new.

So, I’ve collected as much as I can from my previous insane snippets of data and benchmarked it against the here and now, alongside rooting out some new stuff for you to mull over.

If six months ago, it wasn’t a compelling case to consider social media in the marketing mix, then this hopefully might change your mind...

Facebook claims that 50% of active users log into the site each day. This would mean at least 175m users every 24 hours… A considerable increase from the previous 120m.

Twitter now has 75m user accounts, but only around 15m are active users on a regular basis. It’s still a fair increase from the estimated 6-10m global users from a few months ago.

LinkedIn has over 50m members worldwide. This means an increase of around 1m members month-on-month since July/August last year.

Facebook currently has in excess of 350 million active users on global basis. Six months ago, this was 250m… meaning around a 40% increase of users in less than half a year.

Flickr now hosts more than 4bn images. A massive jump from the previous 3.6bn I wrote about.

More than 35m Facebook users update their status each day. This is 5m more than towards the end of July, 2009.

Wikipedia currently has in excess of 14m articles, meaning that it’s 85,000 contributors have written nearly a million new posts in six months.

Photo uploads to Facebook have increased by more than 100%. Currently, there are around 2.5bn uploads to the site each month – this was around a billion last time I covered this.

There are more than 70 translations available on Facebook. Last time around, this was only 50.

Back in 2009, the average user had 120 friends within Facebook. This is now around 130.

Mobile is even bigger than before for Facebook, with more than 65m users accessing the site through mobile-based devices. In six months, this is over 100% increase. (Previously 30m). As before, it’s no secret that users who access Facebook through mobile devices are almost 50% more active than those who don’t.

Okay, so now some new stuff that’s worth considering when looking at social media marketing that I’ve not included in previous posts:

There are more than 3.5bn pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, etc.) shared each week on Facebook.

There are now 11m LinkedIn users across Europe.

Towards the end of last year, the average number of tweets per day was over 27.3 million.

The average number of tweets per hour was around 1.3m.

More than 700,000 local businesses have active Pages on Facebook.

Purpose-built Facebook pages have created more than 5.3bn fans.

15% of bloggers spend 10 or more hours each week blogging, according to Technorati's new State of the Blogosphere.

At the current rate, Twitter will process almost 10bn tweets in a single year.

About 70% of Facebook users are outside the USA.

India is currently the fastest-growing country to use LinkedIn, with around 3m total users.

More than 250 Facebook applications have over a million combined users each month.

70% of bloggers are organically talking about brands on their blog.

38% of bloggers post brand or product reviews.

More than 80,000 websites have implemented Facebook Connect since December 2008 and more than 60m Facebook users engage with it across these external sites each month.

Impressive stuff, but as always, take these stats with a pinch of salt. As before, no single piece of information can be used to base an online strategy upon, or be used as a forecast as to the direction a specific social media channel may take in the future - you need to fully understand your marketing and business objectives before launching off into this apparently vast space.

[Image source: thekeithhall, via Flickr. Various rights reserved]

Learn more...

For more kick-ass statistics, check out Econsultancy's Social Media Statistics Compendium. If you want to build a business case for social media, we've got that too, along with RFP guidelines to help you deal with outsourcing. There's also some top-notch data in our recent Social Media and Online PR Report and we also run our renowned Online PR & Social Media and Online Reputation Management training courses on a regular basis to help you get to grips with this complex channel.

Jake Hird is a Senior Research Analyst for Econsultancy. Follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn or see what he's keeping an eye on via Retaggr.

via ow.ly

Get their compendium if you are a social media addict.

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Downtown Teens Need your $$$ help blog letter

2010-02-01T12:06:00.001-06:00

Dear Friends and Supporters of the Downtown Teens,

I have hesitated to send this email asking for funds for 2010, in light of the crisis in Haiti. I am sure you are all doing as much as you can to help the people of Haiti. However, we (Teka and I) are revving up the Downtown Teens for 2010 and plan to accomplish as much, if not more as previous years. To do so, we will need your help. As you can see from the report and addendum below, we had a great year in 2009—thanks mainly to a single, one-time gift of $10,000.

We are currently planning and budgeting for 2010. Please consider giving a one-time financial gift now or a monthly gift for 2010 so that we can make decisions for the coming year. Currently, Downtown Teens does not have 501c3 tax exempt status, however any checks received prior to January 31, 2010 can be credited to last year and you can receive a tax letter from PIDC. Due to my disgust with the “too big to fail” Bank bail-out, we closed our business account at Bank of America and have temporarily moved the Downtown Teens funds to a separate, but personal account at Saint Louis Community Credit Union, who do not have provision for business accounts. Thus, checks need to be made to either Teka or me. Soon, we will open a new business account for the Teens in a local, community bank or credit union that offers business accounts, once we have received our charter and tax exempt status. Then we will be able to issue tax letters for any donations after January 31, from the Downtown Teens.

Here is the summary from the past 4 years:

Stats are compiled for the 4 years of the program, beginning in 2006 to the end of 2009. Most values are rounded to the nearest $100.

FY 2006

42 Weeks

FY 2007

42 Weeks

FY 2008

42 Weeks

FY 2009

42 Weeks

PIDC jobs

$         10,800.00

$           9,400.00

$         15,600.00

$           4,700.00

Other jobs

$         11,700.00

$         16,500.00

$         13,200.00

$         29,000.00

Total $

$         22,500.00

$         25,900.00

$         29,800.00

$         33,700.00

Payroll

11,250.00

12,600.00

14,800.00

15,400.00

Avg # of weekly (P)articipants

10

9

8

8

Avg pay/P

$            1125.00

$            1400.00

$            1850.00

$            1925.00

Total Adult Mentor hours

710

720

690

700

Tools and Equipment

$1,400.00

$600.00

$800.00

$300.00

Customer Invoices

$         10,600.00

$         11,100.00

$         12,200.00

$         16,200.00

% of total

47%

43%

41%

48%

Write-off Bad debt

4700.00

Donors

$

$           3,100.00

$           4,000.00

$         10,000.00

Mike/Teka Subsidy/ Donation

$         13,300.00

$         12,300.00

$         14,400.00

$         12,500.00

Addendum to the Downtown Teen report:

2009 was a different year for the Teens. The slow economy led to several of our former teen graduates to being unemployed and not in school full-time. Coupled with a health issue I encountered in late 2008, I decided to offer temporary jobs to 4 of our graduates at $10.71/hour- $12.75/hour, less taxes. These graduates of our program ranged in age from 19-27. They were a big help on the jobs by both modeling proper behavior and skills, as well as providing some additional strength where I was lacking due to my health, which by the way is back to pre-heart attack condition! They were able to give some direction to the younger teens on the job and during our shared meals at the end of each day.

Of those four graduates, three found jobs during the course of the year as of 11/30/09. In addition, the fourth, Walter, just informed me today that he will be starting work at Dierbergs.

Since these employees were not part of the “educational” component of the Downtown Teens, they did not qualify for tax-free stipends. Instead, we paid them a living wage This tremendously added to the expenses of this year but seemed worth it.

Four of them worked for twelve hours a week for 8 weeks, three of them worked for 19 weeks, two of them worked for 27 weeks and one of them worked for 32 weeks—in exchange for rent and utilities.

I primarily employed them initially on PIDC projects—which never got reimbursed by PIDC after Teka and I left the Board, for a loss of $10,000 and on Little House Projects, which we paid out-of-pocket.

The total payroll and/or other payments:



$3072 weeks 1-8

$3168 weeks 9-19

$1536 weeks 20-27

$480    weeks 28-32

$8256 weeks 1-32

I have no idea how other graduates will fare into the coming year of 2010 or whether we will be able to manage to employ any of our graduates in 2010 with the extra burden of expense and bookkeeping. We will wait and see.

Please send donations by Mail: 1538-A N. 17^th Street, Saint Louis, MO 63106. Paypal: mbroute66@charter.net

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

More Local Banks Embrace Growing Grassroots Effort

2010-01-29T09:13:00.001-06:00

By Shawn J. Soper, News Editor
Originally published January 29, 2010

BERLIN – With public sentiment growing against the so-called “mega-bank” financial institutions across the country, a growing movement calling for a return to the traditional values community banks offer is gaining momentum.

Large corporate banks, often chastised for their impersonal service and perceived attitude of indifference to their customers, have taken a hit as the current recession drags on, creating a groundswell of support for a return to traditional Main Street banking values. Last year, the federal government doled out billions in relief to the major corporate banks whose shaky lending practices and top-heavy corporate structures have largely been blamed for the current fiscal crisis.

Now, a significant grassroots effort to “Move Your Money,” encouraging Americans to deposit their money in stable neighborhood banks, is gaining momentum everyday as citizens are heeding the advice and closing accounts at large banks and moving their deposits to smaller institutions.

Even the federal government, which was so quick to dole out billions in bailout money to the handful or so of the top banking institutions in the country, is beginning to recognize the distinction between Wall Street and Main Street. Just last week, the House approved a crucial exemption in a regulatory reform bill, which essentially recognizes the difference between the large corporate banks and their smaller community brethren, and the Senate is expected to approve the measure.

While the mega-banks are faced with increased scrutiny and an insistence by the federal government to return to sound lending practices, the small community banks, such as the Bank of Ocean City, Calvin B. Taylor Bank, the Bank of Delmarva, Farmer’s Bank of Willards and several others in the area, have been doing it all along. As a result, more and more people are getting on the “Move Your Money” bandwagon.

“This has turned into a real grassroots effort and it’s starting to gain some momentum,” said Bank of Ocean City Executive Vice President Reid Tingle this week. “Local money is deposited and reinvested right in the community. We’re not in the business of selling off loans. The money deposited here is reinvested here.”

Taylor Bank President Ray Thompson said this week there has been some sentiment for breaking up the big corporate banks blamed in large part for the current financial crisis, and at the same time, the smaller community banks are gaining in popularity and political clout.

“There has been this movement in Congress to disassemble the mega-banks,” he said. “I really feel some of the largest banks should be disassembled. At the same time, there has been a grassroots movement to ‘move your money.’ A bunch of folks are getting together to urge citizens to get back to the traditional, more stable Main Street banks.”

As a result, the movement to go back to smaller community-based institutions is gaining momentum, largely because the faces and names behind the desks are familiar to the customers.

“The community banks are locally owned and operated,” said Thompson. “The management and the boards of directors are from right here in the community and they understand the needs of the community.”

Tingle agreed, saying the community-based banks, like his Bank of Ocean City, for example, have developed relationships with their clients over the years in sharp contrast to the cold, impersonal mega-banks.

“Most community banks serve a tighter geographic area and they know their customers’ names and faces,” he said. “It’s more about personalized service. We know who we are lending to. We know the borrower and they know us. This area is extremely fortunate to have several strong community banks.”

Traditionally, deposits made in smaller community banks are reinvested in the neighborhoods from whence they came, creating a symbiotic relationship of sorts between depositors and borrowers. The community banks serve as a middleman to ensure money deposited in the community is returned to the community.

“We have a vested interest for our customers to be successful,” said Tingle. “When the customer succeeds and does better, the whole community does better.”

Thompson agreed, saying loans to small businesses and private citizens in the community are fueled by the deposits of their neighbors and the people who support them.

“Community banks extract deposits from the local market and lend it right back into the community,” he said. “It’s all based on sound banking practices. We’re not writing exotic loans and we’re verifying income and verifying the borrowers have the ability to repay the loans. There is substantially less risk because we know our borrowers.”

For Bank of Ocean City and Taylor Bank and several others in the area, those same sound banking practices have been adhered to for over a century in the local community, and the current financial crisis has triggered a return to that.

“They’re talking about getting back to fundamentals, but the smaller community banks have never left them,” said Thompson. “We’re doing what we’ve always done – verifying income and verifying collateral to ensure the borrowers have the ability to repay the loan.”

Thompson said a return to the traditional practices of the smaller community banks offers an opportunity to turn the financial crisis around.

“We were not part of the financial crisis that erupted a couple of years ago and peaked in 2008,” he said. “We weren’t part of the problem then, but we can part of the solution now.”

For example, a common practice in the resort area is for local community banks to loan seasonal businesses start-up capital to get going again after closing up for the winter. The loans are based on solid track records of the borrowers and their ability to repay them as the season develops. The banks know their borrowers and are confident in their ability to repay the loans based on a proven track record, a partnership nearly impossible with corporate mega-banks.

“You deposit your money with us and we lend it to your neighbors who own and operate the businesses you frequent,” said Thompson. “The mega-banks don’t make loans to restaurants and seasonal businesses. Imagine what that would do to Ocean City.”

Thompson said the federal bailout of several mega-banks in the last year or so soured many customers struggling with their own personal finances, contributing to the movement to return to traditional community banks that did not receive or seek the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds.

“The Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department made those big banks take the money,” he said. “The local community banks were never part of that, nor did they need to be. Taylor Bank never lined up at the TARP window and we never felt the need to do so.”

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via mdcoastdispatch.com

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Ahh Family Estrangement and Family Reunions

2010-01-28T14:52:00.001-06:00

Twenty-five years ago, my mother, Bette, passed away. A year later our sister died, as well. A couple of years later, our father, Arthur, also passed. Soon thereafter, our family and extended family went many directions. Unfortunately, years and miles have made for estrangement between some of us.

In a few weeks my family will gather in Kansas City to commemorate our parents and our sister. I took up the challenge of contacting all of my siblings and extended family. After an exhaustive search, I was able to find possible contact information for the last two “missing” members of our family: my youngest niece and my little brother, both of whom heretofore, have not been heard from in twenty-plus years. I attempted to reach each of them by phone. I left messages and then waited. Happily, I only waited a day to hear from our niece. I had not heard from her in about 20 years. Then, yesterday, I heard from my little brother after nearly twenty two years. My joy was complete! I was able to invite both of them to join the rest of the family for the Mass and “reunion” gathering. My niece said she would be there with her husband of several years. The jury is still out on whether our brother will join us.

I wrote the other family members: “Isn't it cool that mom, is still bringing the family together, as she always did in life? After 25 years and over many thousands of miles--literally. From Hawaii to San Diego, to Kansas City, To Saint Louis, to Arkansas and Indiana,--all the way to Rome. Nearly halfway around the world. Through 10 time zones!”

Peace,

Mike Baldwin#end

314-974-7432

1538-A N. 17th Street

Saint Louis, MO 63106

Follow me on Twitter

LinkedIN

From: mlbaldwin@charter.net [mailto:mlbaldwin@charter.net]
Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2010 2:57 PM
To: 'Posterous (mlbaldwin)'
Subject: Fog in the Lou

Peace,

Mike Baldwin

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

PSC staff say AmerenUE's Pure Power misleads customers about green energy - WDAF

2010-01-19T14:08:00.001-06:00

PSC staff say AmerenUE's Pure Power misleads customers about green energy

By Associated Press

11:37 AM CST, January 19, 2010

ST. LOUIS (AP) — AmerenUE's Pure Power program is under scrutiny by the Missouri Public Service Commission.
Regulators say the utility's customers don't know what they're getting when they agree to pay extra to support renewable energy development.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Tuesday that PSC staff are concerned that many of the 6,000 AmerenUE customers who are paying an extra monthly fee don't know how little of it actually supports green energy.
PSC says that less than half is spent on renewable energy certificates. The rest goes to a San Francisco-based administrator's marketing, administration or profits.
The group says that at least 75 percent of the renewable energy certificates will be purchased from wind projects and at least half will be in Missouri and Illinois.

via fox4kc.com

Are you a Pure Power subscriber? What do you think?

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Foreign oil dependence breeds terrorism

2010-01-19T13:07:00.001-06:00

via globe-democrat.com

"Operation Free arrives at Washington University in St. Louis for a discussion on America's dependence on foreign oil."

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Rich Nations Call for Haiti Debt Relief

2010-01-19T09:38:00.001-06:00

PARIS Broadening the relief effort, the Paris Club of international creditors issued an appeal Tuesday for nations owed money by Haiti to cancel the debts to help reconstruction after the devastating earthquake a week ago.

A statement from the informal grouping, which meets each month in Paris and is composed of major industrialized countries, came as international agencies pressed for the provision of greater security to protect the distribution of aid in Haiti and the supply route leading from the neighboring Dominican Republic.

The Paris Club said that last July its members canceled all their claims on Haiti, at that time totaling $214 million.

Considering the financing needs that Haiti will face in reconstructing the country, Paris Club creditors call upon other bilateral creditors also to urgently provide full debt cancellation to Haiti, the statement said.

The response from creditors was not clear. The Paris Club said that Haitis public external debt, before factoring in relief offered to very poor countries, totaled $1.885 billion at the end of September 2008. The appeal came as relief efforts in Haiti were still stymied by bottlenecks and security fears.

The United Nations Security Council is expected to agree on Tuesday to send an additional 3,500 soldiers and police officers to Haiti, a move requested by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to protect the distribution of emergency supplies and to ensure public order if post-earthquake frustrations boil over.

Thousands of American troops are being deployed in Haiti, but they are expected to concentrate on humanitarian aid, not security, said Alain Le Roy, the head of United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Aid experts say they view Haiti as a challenging environment in which to operate: even before the earthquake, a United Nations peacekeeping force was deployed there.

Greg Barrow, a spokesman for the World Food Program, said the agency an arm of the United Nations wanted a formal system in place to ensure security arrangements for the distribution of food from four hubs in Port-au-Prince, the capital, and 40 more such focal points around Haiti.

He said diesel fuel was being shipped in from neighboring Dominican Republic by road and the convoys required a security escort.

Because of the lack of security in Port-au-Prince, he said, we had to scale back some distributions, not because we werent able to reach the people but because we didnt have security.

But, he said in a telephone interview, security was not the primary obstacle to the distribution of aid.

The primary issue is the catastrophic damage to the infrastructure from ports to roads to bridges that affects the ability of all relief agencies to stream aid to survivors of the earthquake.

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via nytimes.com

It's time to do this.

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Catholic relief agencies. Please be generous.

2010-01-17T00:12:00.001-06:00

Fog in the Lou

Peace,

Mike Baldwin

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

1959 Bel Air vs. 2009 Malibu crash test

2010-01-15T16:56:00.001-06:00

</object>

Peace,

Mike Baldwin

314-974-7432

1538-A N. 17th Street

Saint Louis, MO 63106

Follow me on Twitter

LinkedIN

From: Posterous (mlbaldwin) [mailto:post@mlbaldwin.posterous.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 12:56 PM
To: mlbaldwin@charter.net
Subject: Posterous | Re: Catholic relief agencies. Please be generous.

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Professional Bigot Pat Robertson Does It Again - Ta-Nehisi Coates

2010-01-13T15:42:00.001-06:00

Professional Bigot Pat Robertson Does It Again

13 Jan 2010 03:03 pm

Here's Pat Robertson equating an attempt by slaves to claim their freedom with "a pact with the devil:"

"Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it," he said on Christian Broadcasting Network's "The 700 Club." "They were under the heal [heel] of the French. You know, Napoleon the third, or whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, we will serve you if you will get us free from the French. True story. And so, the devil said, okay it's a deal."
The next time your wondering why there are so few black Republicans, consider the fact this unreconstructed Confederate was not long ago one of their greatest crusaders. Consider that he is equating the resistance of slavery, with a rejection of Christ. And there's an African-American right next to him, nodding in agreement.
Fuck Pat Robertson. Fuck the "Christian" Broadcasting Network. And fuck any black person who'd nod reverently while a white supremacist slanders our founding fathers. She should be ashamed of herself.

via ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com

Speechless!

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Catholic relief agencies. Please be generous.

2010-01-13T12:56:00.001-06:00

The following international aid agencies are working with partner agencies and local religious leaders in Haiti and are accepting donations for victims of the Jan. 12 earthquake.
• Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops’ international relief and development agency, is accepting donations by phone at 1-800-736-3467; online at www.crs.org;
or by mail to CRS, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090.
• The Salesians are accepting donations by phone at 1-914-633-8344; online at www.salesianmissions.org;
or by mail to Salesian Disaster Relief, Salesian Missions, P.O. Box 30, New Rochelle, NY 10802-0030.
• The Archdiocese of Miami, which has a large Haitian population, has set up a place to donate via its website,www.newmiamiarch.org
.
• Caritas Internationalis is accepting donations for Haiti at www.caritas.org
.
• Food for the Poor is also accepting donations at www.foodforthepoor.org
.
Peace,
Mike

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Texting Relief Funds only takes a moment: Haiti Earthquake Relief: How You Can Help:

2010-01-13T10:28:00.001-06:00

An earthquake centered near the impoverished Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince caused the collapse of several buildings and an unknown number of fatalities Tuesday. The quake measured 7.0 on the Richter scale and at least 1.8 million people live within the area where the earthquake had its highest intensity.

President Obama said on Tuesday that his "thoughts and prayers" were with the people of Haiti. "We are closely monitoring the situation and we stand ready to assist the people of Haiti," Obama said in a statement. The Obama administration said that the State Department, USAID and the U.S. military were working to coordinate an assessment of the situation and any possible assistance.

Huffington Post Impact is working to collect a comprehensive list of links and ways to get involved in relief efforts, detailed below.

NOTE: We will continually be updating this page. The best way for you to help right now is to give through one of the organizations below.

•The American Red Cross is pledging an initial $200,000 to assist communities impacted by this earthquake. They expect to provide immediate needs for food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support. They are accepting donations through their International Response Fund.

•UNICEF has issued a statement that "Children are always the most vulnerable population in any natural disaster, and UNICEF is there for them." UNICEF requests donations for relief for children in Haiti via their Haiti Earthquake Fund. You can also call 1-800-4UNICEF.

•Donate through Wyclef Jean's foundation, Yele Haiti. Text "Yele" to 501501 and $5 will be charged to your phone bill and given to relief projects through the organization.

•Operation USA is appealing for donations of funds from the public and corporate donations in bulk of health care materials, water purification supplies and food supplements which it will ship to the region from its base in the Port of Los Angeles. Donate online at www.opusa.org, by phone at 1-800-678-7255 or, by check made out to Operation USA, 3617 Hayden Ave, Suite A, Culver City, CA 90232.

Story continues below

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•Ben Stiller's Stillerstrong campaign will be temporarily diverting all donations to support the Haiti relief effort.

•Partners In Health reports its Port-au-Prince clinical director , Louise Ivers, has appealed for assistance: "Port-au-Prince is devastated, lot of deaths. SOS. SOS... Temporary field hospital by us at UNDP needs supplies, pain meds, bandages. Please help us." Donate to their Haiti earthquake fund.

•Mercy Corps is sending a team of emergency responders to assess damage, and seek to fulfill immediate needs of quake survivors. The agency aided families after earthquakes in Peru in 2007, China and Pakistan in 2008, and Indonesia last year. Donate online, call 1-888-256-1900 or send checks to Mercy Corps Haiti Earthquake Fund; Dept NR; PO Box 2669; Portland, OR 97208.

•Direct Relief is committing up to $1 million in aid for the response and is coordinating with its other in-country partners and colleague organizations. Their partners in Haiti include Partners in Health, St. Damien Children's Hospital, and the Visitation Hospital, which are particularly active in emergency response. Donate to Direct Relief online.

•Oxfam is rushing in teams from around the region to respond to the situation to provide clean water, shelter, sanitation and help people recover. Donate to Oxfam America online.

•The Baptist Haiti Mission is operating an 82-bed hospital that is "overflowing with injured." Donate online to BHM and 100% of your donation will go to the relief effort.

•International Medical Corps is assembling a team of first responders and resources to provide lifesaving medical care and other emergency services to survivors of the earthquake. Donate online.

via huffingtonpost.com

The world is so much smaller with the advent of social media. Show your care and concern in just seconds, by texting relief funds to the various organizations who have set up such text lines. Then, spend a moment in prayer/meditation/thought for those most directly impacted by this natural disaster.

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

My year without a car. #30 Bus stop 14&Cass

2010-01-11T17:22:00.001-06:00

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

A great bunch of people made for a great party!

2010-01-10T03:51:00.001-06:00

Thanks to all who came to Little Christmas at Little House. Pictures to follow in a few days on Facebook.
Peace,
Mike
Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Listen up Catholics: Pope Benedict on Climate Change 2010 - just a casual Google Search

2010-01-08T11:08:00.001-06:00

News results for pope benedict on climate change 2010

BBC News Pope Benedict appeals for peace in 2010‎ - 6 days ago

Pope Benedict XVI used his traditional New Year address on Friday to call on ... in Copenhagen to try to secure a global deal to tackle climate change, ...
Deutsche Welle - 426 related articles »

Pope Benedict appeals for peace in 2010 | World | Deutsche Welle ...

Jan 1, 2010 ... Pope Benedict XVI used his traditional New Year address on Friday to ... to acknowledge their historical responsibility for climate change. ...
www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5075843,00.html - Cached -

Message for the celebration of the World Day of Peace 2010

Dec 8, 2009 ... Twenty years ago, Pope John Paul II devoted his Message for the World Day of ... before the problems associated with such realities as climate change, ..... [2] Benedict XVI, Message for the 2008 World Day of Peace, 7. ...
www.vatican.va/.../benedict.../hf_ben-xvi_mes_20091208_xliii-world-day-peace_en.html - Cached -

Pope to make climate action a moral obligation - Europe, World ...

For the Pope to take his climate-change message to the high-profile UN platform ... A Whitehall source said last night: "Benedict is the spiritual head of 19 per ... Saturday, 2 January 2010 at 06:15 am (UTC). Thank you for your news . ...
www.independent.co.uk › News › World › Europe - Cached -

The Associated Press: Pope calls for action on climate change

Dec 15, 2009 ... VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI called for urgent action to protect the environment, saying Tuesday that climate change and natural ...
www.google.com/.../ALeqM5iv7joqzVERKtLHhTEcibT9YLAlZwD9CJNIHO1 -

Pope: Creation vs. evolution an 'absurdity' - The Vatican- msnbc.com

Jul 25, 2007 ... Pope Benedict XVI said the debate raging in some countries — particularly the ... 2010's top budget destinations ... Last April, the Vatican sponsored a scientific conference on climate change to underscore the role that ...
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19956961/ - Cached - Similar -

Pope urges climate change action - The Irish Times - Fri, Jan 01, 2010

Jan 1, 2010 ... Pope Benedict used his traditional New Year address today to call on people to change their lifestyles to save the planet, ...
www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/.../2010/0101/breaking15.htm - Ireland - Cached -

Anti Pollution Revolution Campaign™: Pope Benedict XVI: "Think ...

Jan 4, 2010 ... Pope Benedict XVI has recently called for green action and has ... for 2010 · Scientists & CIA Collaborate Over Climate Change · Pope ...
antipollutionrevolutioncampaign.blogspot.com/2010/.../pope-benedict-xvi-think-globally-act.html - Cached -

Full Text of Pope Benedict XVI's Message for the 2010 World Day of ...

Dec 8, 2009 ... We can no longer do without a real change of outlook which will result in new .... Pope Benedict Meets Irish Bishops About Abuse Scandal ...
www.radiovaticana.org/EN1/Articolo.asp?c=342292 - Cached -

BBC News - Pope Benedict XVI appeals for peace in 2010

Jan 1, 2010 ... Pope Benedict XVI calls for peace and the protection of children as he celebrates a Mass to ... Kenyans leave climate change in God's hands. ...
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8437105.stm - Cached -

Pope Benedict XVI urges pilgrims to fight climate change and ...

Jul 17, 2008 ... Digital Publisher of the Year | Tuesday 05 January 2010 | Australia feed ... Pope Benedict XVI urges pilgrims to fight climate change and ...
www.telegraph.co.uk/.../Pope-Benedict-XVI-urges-pilgrims-to-fight-climate-change-and-reject-consumerism.html -

via google.com

Now how orthodox do you feel? You may agree when the Pope decries abortion, same-sex marriage, condoms, contraception.... But, what if he makes stewardship of creation a hallmark of his World Day of Peace message?

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

How to help the homeless in the cold - CNN.com

2010-01-08T10:37:00.001-06:00

How to help the homeless in the cold

By Jim Kavanagh, CNN

January 8, 2010 9:13 a.m. EST

Homeless people line up outside a shelter in Atlanta, Georgia, as unusually cold weather came in this week.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

If someone is in need, call social services hot line or 911, experts say
Agencies have the necessary training and resources, they say
Gift of blanket or coat could keep someone from seeking long-term help
Respect people's right to refuse help, advocate says

(CNN) -- The weather has turned dangerously cold in much of the country, putting homeless people at high risk of injury or even death. If you encounter someone and want to help, what should you do?

The specific answer depends on the circumstances, but those who work with the homeless every day agree you generally should leave social services to the professionals.

"Most communities have some kind of crisis hot line, or the local United Way will have a 211 line," said Brian O'Malley, executive director of the Homeless Services Coalition of Greater Kansas City, in Missouri. In some cities, including New York, the hot line number is 311.

Your hot line call will prompt a local homeless services agency to dispatch outreach workers to help the person in need, said O'Malley and his counterparts in New York and Charlotte, North Carolina.

"We've been doing this work for a very long time, and what we tell people is it is better to donate funds and resources to organizations that are in the business of helping homeless people and have professionals on their staff who know how to do this," said Stephan Russo, executive director of Goddard Riverside Community Center, the lead homeless services agency in Manhattan.

via cnn.com

Or, come to Little Christmas at Little House and bring a hat, gloves, or blankets for the Winter outreach.
"If you see someone who needs a coat and you have a coat, offer it to them. I don't have a problem with that," O'Malley said. "If the person is reluctant, lay the coat on the ground and leave."

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Democrats Circle the Wagons as Health Talks Restart

2010-01-06T10:47:00.001-06:00

By JANET ADAMY

WASHINGTON -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, responding to Republican criticism of closed-door meetings on health-care legislation, said Tuesday that she would strive for transparency as Democrats kicked off their final push for a bill.

The head of cable network C-SPAN, which shows government proceedings, wrote a letter to Ms. Pelosi and other congressional leaders saying they should allow cameras at the discussions. That echoed a point Republicans have often made during the health-care debate, charging that Democrats were making too many decisions in private discussions.

View Full Image

Associated Press
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), shown Tuesday at a Capitol Hill news conference, signaled she might be willing to drop the public option from final health legislation to get a version that could pass the Senate.

President Barack Obama met with top House and Senate Democrats late Tuesday and urged them to move quickly in blending the health-care bills passed by each chamber late last year, a Senate aide said. White House staff plan to meet as soon as Wednesday with House and Senate staff to begin hashing out key differences, and House leaders plan to return to the White House Wednesday.

Ms. Pelosi on Tuesday signaled she may be willing to give up on a public health-insurance plan in the final bill. The provision was part of the House bill but doesn't have the support to pass the Senate.

The two versions have some major differences but share key goals, including the aim of providing coverage to about 30 million uninsured people.

Democrats hope to have a unified bill for Mr. Obama to sign before his State of the Union address in late January or February.

To speed up the process, Mr. Obama and top Democrats agreed Tuesday to eschew a formal conference committee and merge the bills in a series of private meetings between the White House and congressional Democrats, a House Democratic aide said. They plan to use the more moderate Senate version as the vehicle for the final bill, allow the House to amend it, and send that bill to the Senate for a final vote.

Republicans said that breaks Mr. Obama's promise during the presidential campaign to televise sessions where the bill was being assembled.

"The American people are tired of backroom deals and big government spending," said Rep. Mike Pence, chairman of the House Republican Conference. "They have a right to know how Democrats plan to pass this government takeover of health care."

In a letter to congressional leaders, C-SPAN Chief Executive Brian Lamb urged both chambers to allow C-SPAN cameras inside the talks, noting that the legislation "will affect the lives of every single American." The letter, dated Dec. 30, surfaced Tuesday.

Top House Democrats deflected the request, saying the process has been highly transparent, with the House holding more than 100 public hearings. They pledged to make the final stages visible in part via the Internet.

It is unusual for C-SPAN, a nonpartisan, nonprofit company created by the cable industry, to weigh in on an issue that has been the subject of sharp partisan differences. C-SPAN noted on its Web site that its letter on health care was consistent with its advocacy throughout its 30-year history for greater public access to Washington events.

It is common practice in Congress for lawmakers to hash out the details of bills in private, even in cases where public conference committee meetings are held.

On Wednesday, House leaders plan to dive into a list of about two dozen disparities between the House and Senate bills. Among the most contentious are new taxes to pay for the bill, insurance coverage for abortion and the extent of subsidies to help lower earners buy health insurance. House leaders want a robust conference process to ensure the bill doesn't tilt too far toward the Senate's version, despite the White House's calls to move quickly.

The public plan, one of the most divisive aspects of the House legislation, appears unlikely to end up in any final bill. Ms. Pelosi said she was focused on ensuring the bill holds private insurers accountable and expands access to insurance. "There are other ways to do that" besides the public option, she said.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.), one of Ms. Pelosi's top lieutenants, said House leaders will expect concessions from Senate Democrats if the public option is dropped. He raised as one possibility repealing the antitrust exemption for insurance companies, a provision that is in the House bill but not the Senate's.

Mr. Obama, who has largely stayed out of the details until now, is expected to play an active role in determining what is in the final bill, White House officials said. In his meeting Tuesday with Democratic leaders including Ms. Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who participated by phone, the president said he wants to strengthen the Senate bill's provisions to make insurance more affordable, the House aide said.
—Martin Vaughan and Laura Meckler contributed to this article.
Write to Janet Adamy at janet.adamy@wsj.com
Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page A4

via online.wsj.com

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Consider Becoming a Board Member of Project COPE

2010-01-06T08:51:00.001-06:00

Welcome to Project COPE

Each year, 5,000 people leave prison for St. Louis —
most with no job, no housing and no future. What happens to them next?

For nearly 25 years, Project COPE has been helping newly released men and women: matching them with teams of volunteers from Christian, Jewish or Muslim congregations in year-long partnerships; and providing transitional housing, both in St. Louis and St. Charles counties. Our low recidivism rate shows that offering practical and emotional support can help people make productive new lives.

via projcope.org

Contact me if you are interested.

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Why N.T. Wright is Wrong About Social Media - Julie Clawson - God's Politics Blog

2010-01-05T14:43:00.001-06:00

Why N.T. Wright is Wrong About Social Media
by Julie Clawson 01-05-2010

The Out of Ur blog recently posted a video of N.T. Wright going off on the dangers of social media. He warns that blogging and the like will stand in the way of real communication with others and he calls the popularity of social media “cultural masturbation.” Now it’s nothing new to hear some voice or other going off on modern technology, putting their own particular “it’s the end of the world as we know it” spin on the matter. And on many issues I truly love and respect N.T. Wright, so I was disappointed to hear someone so knowledgeable about history and faith jump on the “caution people about the perceived dangers of the Internet” bandwagon. Admitting the irony that his video was posted on a blog to be discussed on blogs, Facebook, and Twitter, let me just rant for a moment about why I am tired of this discussion.

Let’s just get it out of the way: The warning that Wright and others give is that social media takes people away from actual face-to-face interaction. If we spend too much time blogging and tweeting, we will reduce our time spent with huggable (Wright’s term) people. The problem is – that just isn’t true. A recent Pew Study busted that myth. It reported that, yes, about 6% of the population are isolated and asocial, but that is a number that has stayed steady since 1985 – before the widespread advent of the Internet. The study also found that people who spend time on the Internet are actually far more likely to go out and be with real live people than those who don’t use the Internet. The point – social media actually builds community, even of the huggable people sort. Not only that, but that community is actually more diverse than the communities of those who don’t use social media.

Now I admit, there is the temptation online to not present one’s true self to the world. I think using the Internet for role-playing and gaming is one thing (come on, you can freaking FLY in Second Life!), but aside from people who are already social deviants, I see most people being themselves online. For example, I recently decided to alter my blogroll to a list of people’s names. Aside from group blogs and the occasional anonymous blog, most people are known these days by their true identity and not just their blog name. That wasn’t the case when I first started blogging or interacting online. Back then, most people hid behind cute avatars and handles. Most of the blogs I read, especially those by women, were anonymous, but over the years people have moved towards being themselves by using their real name. Same thing with e-mail addresses. It used to be that everyone had some personal descriptor/alter ego as their e-mail – like JesusGirl98 or SurfrBoy123. And yes, my first email address was EponineJMG@aol.com (ah, the musical obsessed highschool girl demographic). I still cringe a bit when I sign into a site I’ve been on for a long time (like The Ooze) and have my user name be some variation of MaraJade. Back then, I assumed that the internet wasn’t real community and that I could hide behind my username, but I’ve come to realize that I have to be true to myself. And that involves using my real name and only writing the things I am not afraid to own up to.

via blog.sojo.net

So Pew Research shows Social Media builds social ties? Imagine.

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Population of the 20 Largest U.S. Cities, 1900–2005 — Infoplease.com

2010-01-04T21:07:00.001-06:00

United States > U.S. Cities

Population of the 20 Largest U.S. Cities, 1900–2005

The table below lists the largest 20 cities in the United States based on population for select years between 1900 to 2005.

1900 1920 1940

Rank Place Population Place Population Place Population

1. New York, N.Y. 3,437,202 New York, N.Y. 5,620,048 New York, N.Y. 7,454,995

2. Chicago, Ill. 1,698,575 Chicago, Ill. 2,701,705 Chicago, Ill. 3,396,808

3. Philadelphia, Pa. 1,293,697 Philadelphia, Pa. 1,823,779 Philadelphia, Pa. 1,931,334

4. St. Louis, Mo. 575,238 Detroit, Mich. 993,078 Detroit, Mich. 1,623,452

5. Boston, Mass. 560,892 Cleveland, Ohio 796,841 Los Angeles, Calif. 1,504,277

6. Baltimore, Md. 508,957 St. Louis, Mo. 772,897 Cleveland, Ohio 878,336

7. Cleveland, Ohio 381,768 Boston, Mass. 748,060 Baltimore, Md. 859,100

8. Buffalo, N.Y. 352,387 Baltimore, Md. 733,826 St. Louis, Mo. 816,048

9. San Francisco, Calif. 342,782 Pittsburgh, Pa. 588,343 Boston, Mass. 770,816

10. Cincinnati, Ohio 325,902 Los Angeles, Calif. 576,673 Pittsburgh, Pa. 671,659

11. Pittsburgh, Pa. 321,616 Buffalo, N.Y. 506,775 Washington, DC 663,091

12. New Orleans, La. 287,104 San Francisco, Calif. 506,676 San Francisco, Calif. 634,536

13. Detroit, Mich. 285,704 Milwaukee, Wis. 457,147 Milwaukee, Wis. 587,472

14. Milwaukee, Wis. 285,315 Washington, DC 437,571 Buffalo, N.Y. 575,901

15. Washington, DC 278,718 Newark, N.J. 414,524 New Orleans, La. 494,537

16. Newark, N.J. 246,070 Cincinnati, Ohio 401,247 Minneapolis, Minn. 492,370

17. Jersey City, N.J. 206,433 New Orleans, La. 387,219 Cincinnati, Ohio 455,610

18. Louisville, Ky. 204,731 Minneapolis, Minn. 380,582 Newark, N.J. 429,760

19. Minneapolis, Minn. 202,718 Kansas City, Mo. 324,410 Kansas City, Mo. 399,178

20. Providence, R.I. 175,597 Seattle, Wash. 315,312 Indianapolis, Ind. 386,972

1960 1980 2005¹

Rank Place Population Place Population Place Population

1. New York, N.Y. 7,781,984 New York, N.Y. 7,071,639 New York, N.Y. 8,143,197

2. Chicago, Ill. 3,550,404 Chicago, Ill. 3,005,072 Los Angeles, Calif. 3,844,829

3. Los Angeles, Calif. 2,479,015 Los Angeles, Calif. 2,966,850 Chicago, Ill. 2,842,518

4. Philadelphia, Pa. 2,002,512 Philadelphia, Pa. 1,688,210 Houston, Tex. 2,016,582

5. Detroit, Mich. 1,670,144 Houston, Tex, 1,595,138 Philadelphia, Pa. 1,463,281

6. Baltimore, Md. 939,024 Detroit, Mich. 1,203,339 Phoenix, Ariz. 1,461,575

7. Houston, Tex. 938,219 Dallas, Tex. 904,078 San Antonio, Tex. 1,256,509

8. Cleveland, Ohio 876,050 San Diego, Calif. 875,538 San Diego, Calif. 1,255,540

9. Washington, DC 763,956 Phoenix, Ariz. 789,704 Dallas, Tex. 1,213,825

10. St. Louis, Mo. 750,026 Baltimore, Md. 786,775 San Jose, Calif. 912,332

11. Milwaukee, Wis. 741,324 San Antonio, Tex. 785,880 Detroit, Mich. 886,671

12. San Francisco, Calif. 740,316 Indianapolis, Ind. 700,807 Indianapolis, Ind. 784,118

13. Boston, Mass. 697,197 San Francisco, Calif. 678,974 Jacksonville, Fla. 782,623

14. Dallas, Tex. 679,684 Memphis, Tenn. 646,356 San Francisco, Calif. 739,426

15. New Orleans, La. 627,525 Washington, DC 638,333 Columbus, Ohio 730,657

16. Pittsburgh, Pa. 604,332 Milwaukee, Wis. 636,212 Austin, Tex. 690,252

17. San Antonio, Tex. 587,718 San Jose, Calif. 629,442 Memphis, Tenn. 672,277

18. San Diego, Calif. 573,224 Cleveland, Ohio 573,822 Baltimore, Md. 635,815

19. Seattle, Wash. 557,087 Columbus, Ohio 564,871 Fort Worth, Tex. 624,067

20. Buffalo, N.Y. 532,759 Boston, Mass. 562,994 Charlotte, N.C. 610,949

1. Populations for 1900–1980 are Census figures. 2005 figures are population estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau. For 2000 Census figures, see Top 50 Cities in the U.S. by Population and Rank, 1990, 2000, and 2005.

Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Top 50 Cities in the U.S. by Population and Rank U.S. Cities Metropolitan Areas with Population of 5,000,000 or More

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U.S. Population by Region, 1990–2006 - United States > U.S. Statistics > Population

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via infoplease.com

Notice how STL drops out of the top 20 btwn 1960 and 1980. The trend is reversing, but how far can we get?

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Saint Louis was #4 largest city in 1910 #52 in 2000 Thanks @tlwriter

2010-01-04T20:54:00.001-06:00

Table 14. Population of the 100 Largest Urban Places: 1910

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census

Internet Release date: June 15, 1998

-------------------------------------------------------------

     |                         |          |       | Density

     |                         |          |   Land| (average

     |                         |          |   area| popula-

     |                         |          |   (sq.| tion per

Rank | Place                   |Population| miles)|sq. mile)

-------------------------------------------------------------

   1   New York city, NY *...... 4,766,883   286.8    16,621

   2   Chicago city, IL......... 2,185,283   185.1    11,806

   3   Philadelphia city, PA.... 1,549,008   130.2    11,897

   4   St. Louis city, MO.......   687,029    61.4    11,189

   5   Boston city, MA..........   670,585    41.1    16,316

   6   Cleveland city, OH.......   560,663    45.6    12,295

   7   Baltimore city, MD.......   558,485    30.1    18,554

   8   Pittsburgh city, PA *....   533,905    41.4    12,896

   9   Detroit city, MI.........   465,766    40.8    11,416

10   Buffalo city, NY.........   423,715    38.7    10,949

11   San Francisco city, CA...   416,912    46.5     8,966

12   Milwaukee city, WI.......   373,857    22.8   16,397

13   Cincinnati city, OH......   363,591    49.8     7,301

14   Newark city, NJ..........   347,469    23.2    14,977

15   New Orleans city, LA.....   339,075   196.0     1,730

16   Washington city, DC......   331,069    60.0     5,518

17   Los Angeles city, CA.....   319,198    99.2     3,218

18   Minneapolis city, MN.....   301,408    50.1     6,016

19   Jersey City city, NJ.....   267,779    13.0    20,598

20   Kansas City city, MO.....   248,381    58.5     4,246

Note to my Kansas City fans: Kansas City was 20 in 1910 and is #42 in 2000.

Peace,

Mike Baldwin

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Link to Invitation from Evite

2010-01-02T23:44:00.001-06:00
Event: Little Christmas at Little House
All Tweeps and FB friends invited.
Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

[Causes] Remembering Vic Chesnutt by Hammering Health Insurers

2010-01-02T18:39:00.001-06:00

As we start 2010, let’s take a moment to remember the latest victim of the US profits-before-healthcare mantra. This time we lost someone fairly high profile, who died on Christmas day while $70,000 in debt to an Athens, Georgia hospital that had placed a lien on his house. He was supposed to be insured. Then we’ll add a bit of needed levity courtesy of a former self-described insurance industry ‘spokesjerk’ – you can actually tell him where to go.

Vic Chesnutt, a folk-rocker with low-level quadriplegia due to a car accident at age 18 (his arms were partially functional, allowing him to play the guitar), died of an apparently deliberate overdose. He was 45. Chesnutt got his big break when Michael Stipe of R.E.M. discovered him and produced his first two albums. In 1996 the tribute album Sweet Relief II featured covers of his songs performed by none other than Madonna, Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage, Indigo Girls, and more. Ironically, it was precisely because Chesnutt chose to be a productive member of society, cutting 16 albums and inspiring thousands, that he was prevented from acquiring comprehensive health insurance.

He chose to fight his disability, and found a way to play guitar with only two working fingers. Because he could now earn some income, the government did not consider him to be disabled, meaning he was not eligible for Medicare. No other options were available to him either, because Vic was uninsurable in the individual market. Darn quadriplegic. His only group insurance came during his stint with Capitol Records. After that he opted for $500-a-month COBRA. When that ran out, the only coverage he could get was hospitalization insurance. Sometimes this coverage includes all hospital costs but not physician services and medications, other times it only covers room and board.

Unsurprisingly, Chesnutt was an outspoken critic of US healthcare. Still, he had no idea what to expect after two needed surgeries. Despite his insurance paying $100,000, he was sent bills for $35,000, then $50,000, then $70,000. For what, he wasn’t sure. He was a musician, not a healthcare expert. Still, he made payments until he couldn’t afford to anymore, at which point the hospital demanded payment in full. Then it filed suit against him, putting a lien on his house. The sheriff came by and tacked the notice on his door.

His Canadian bandmates couldn’t comprehend how his situation was possible in a civilized country. As he said in November, "They do feel for me, but it's something that blows their minds; there's nowhere else in the world that I'd be facing the situation I'm in right now. They cannot understand what kind of society would inflict that on their population. It's terrifying." Worse, he knew he needed more surgeries. “It seems absurd they can charge this much,” he said. “I could die tomorrow because of other operations I need that I can't afford. I could die any day now, but I don't want to pay them another nickel."

Chesnutt was admittedly a tortured genius – he attempted suicide 3-4 times through his 20’s. But depressed though he was, he soldiered on for his love of music, until US healthcare put him over the edge. Friend and filmmaker Jem Cohen put it in perspective: “Vic's death, just so you all know, did not come at the end of some cliché downward spiral. He was battling deep depression but also at the peak of his powers, and with the help of friends and family he was in the middle of a desperate search for help. The system failed to provide it." RIP, Vic, I’m sorry US healthcare failed you.

At least one of the industry’s ‘spokesjerks’ admits it. This fun video features Andy Cobb, former Blue Cross Blue Shield pitchman, telling you the truth about the US health insurance industry. Because of that, he’s obviously fired. So tell him where he should work his spokesjerk powers next. Thanks to Change.org Martin for reminding me of this enduring skewerfest.

Photo Bertrand / CC BY 2.0

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

[Causes] Scrooge Award Goes to Goldman Sachs Subsidiary

2010-01-02T00:39:00.001-06:00

'Tis the season for lambasting companies that choose profit over relieving this country's housing crisis. This time around, the Scrooge Award goes to Goldman Sachs, whose loan collection subsidiary Litton Loan Servicing blocks attempts to modify loans while its parent company doles out massive bonuses to company executives.

According to ABC News, "With the exception of maybe AIG, no firm has come to symbolize Main Street's disgust with Wall Street practices more than Goldman. In a move that caused a global backlash, Goldman has said it expects to set aside more than $20 billion for bonuses and other forms of employee compensation and benefits at the end of the year."

Looks like a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past is in order. Goldman Sachs was a major beneficiary of the taxpayer bailout TARP. While they've paid back the $10 billion we loaned them in this agreement, they've apparently turned a blind eye to the importance of social capital, choosing growth at the narrow bottom line and top-level incentive over the creation of sustainable communities.

Meanwhile, Litton makes it harder for families to keep their homes. "Loan servicers [like Litton] make their money on late fees, so there is a perverse incentive for them not to work out solutions," said Julia Gordon, senior policy counsel at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Responsible Lending. "Meanwhile, there is zero incentive for them to help a family stay in their home." To date, Litton has assisted in the modification of only 12 percent of qualified client home loans. This is the worst variety of stinginess.

This holiday season, let's send a message to Goldman Sachs and other Scrooges who profit from an unhealthy and broken housing system: no more.

Image from Yahoo!

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T20:15:00.001-06:00

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

New edition of the Roundtable from Karen House: Distributism Putting a Human Face on the Economy

2009-12-31T16:27:00.001-06:00

via karenhousecw.org

I've been reading this while home "sick". Good issue on a pertinent topic.

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

John Mackey and the limits of “conscious capitalism” | Grist

2009-12-31T16:16:00.001-06:00

John Mackey: will the unfettered market bring him down? Photo: JOEM500, via FlickrUnder pressure from a variety of shareholders, Whole Foods founder John Mackey has surrendered his position on his company’s board of directors. He will continue serving as CEO, but will no longer be able to vote on board-level decisions.

Just before the announcement, The New Yorker ran a long and entertaining profile of Mackey by Nick Paumgarten. The two events—the publication of the New Yorker piece, quickly followed by Mackey’s board resignation—may not be coincidental. in recent years, buffeted by self-generated controversy, Mackey has sought to exert careful control over his media image. He makes a game effort with Paumagarten. “I no longer drink alcohol around journalists,” Mackey tells him. He adds: “I am not going to talk about my sex life,” even though Paumagarten had not asked.

Despite those undoubtedly wise precautions, Mackey emerges from Paumgarten’s gentle piece as a bit of a nut.

We see him engaging in new-age babble, declaring “I am self-actualizing myself” and subjecting himself to something called “the Course.” We find him behaving like a jerk, alienating underlings (“executive-retreat volleyball games had to be scrapped, owing to Mackey’s intensity and his ill-disguised scorn for less capable teammates”) and sending fellow executives into grumpy exile. Mostly, we find him justifying his Randian faith in hyper-capitalism, as zealous as a Christian’s belief in the Resurrection.

In green circles, the money shot is probably the bit about climate change—it turns out the founder of the iconic “certified organic supermarket” is a bit of a denier (don’t tell Paumgarten’s colleague Michael Specter). Paumgarten writes:

One of the books on the list was “Heaven and Earth: Global Warming-the Missing Science,” a skeptical take on climate change. Mackey told me that he agrees with the book’s assertion that, as he put it, “no scientific consensus exists” regarding the causes of climate change; he added, with a candor you could call bold or reckless, that it would be a pity to allow “hysteria about global warming” to cause us “to raise taxes and increase regulation, and in turn lower our standard of living and lead to an increase in poverty.” One would imagine that, on this score, many of his customers, to say nothing of most climate scientists, might disagree. He also said, “Historically, prosperity tends to correlate to warmer temperatures.”

In one deft paragraph, Paumgarten skewers Mackey’s unfortunate recent foray into healthcare punditry, as well as his long-time hostility to labor unions:

It sometimes sounds as if he believed that, if every company had him at the helm, there would be no need for unions or health-care reform, and that therefore every company should have someone like him, and that therefore there should be no unions or health-care reform. In other words, because he runs a business a certain way, others will, can, and should, and so the safeguards that have evolved over the generations to protect against human venality—against, say, greedy, bullying bosses—are no longer necessary. The logic is as sound as the presumption is preposterous.

I think this captures the quintessence of Mackeyism: an earnest faith, backed up by his own personal virtue, that unfettered capitalism paves the way to social utopia.

No doubt, Mackey himself is a benevolent corporate chief. The market values Whole Foods at $4 billion, yet the total value of Mackey’s Whole Foods shares is just $31 million. Nearly all founders of corporate empires manage to grab a much larger share of the loot than that. His annual salary as CEO: $1. And he has imposed a kind of austerity on his fellow execs: “No one at the company can have a salary more than nineteen times what the average team member makes,” Paumgarten reports. “On average, an S. & P. 500 C.E.O. makes three hundred and nineteen times what a production worker does.” And for Whole Foods employees, “The health and retirement benefits are relatively generous.”

Yet those policies are driven not so much by the market as by Mackey’s own personal beliefs—and the market could soon crush them. Mackey is losing control of the company. He has already ceded the right to vote on the company’s strategy by dropping his board position. Meanwhile,other, less loftily idealistic capitalists are moving in. As CEO, he’s the functionary of a corporate board he no longer dominates—one bound by law to serve not Mackey’s ideals, but rather to maximize shareholder profit. Writes Paumgarten:

Last fall, as the recession deepened, Whole Foods’ sales, and its stock, suffered badly, and the company was forced to raise capital. Leonard Green & Partners, a private-equity firm, bought seventeen per cent of the business, and got two seats on the board. Yucaipa, a firm run by the grocery billionaire and Democratic Party donor Ron Burkle, bought a seven-per-cent stake and has been looking over Mackey’s shoulder.

Thus while Mackey the capitalist ideologue does his best to take care of his workers, the capitalist sharks are circling. “We’re trying to do good. And we’re trying to make money,” Mackey tells Paumgarten. “The more money we make, the more good we can do.”

But the investors now taking control of Whole Foods are likely more interested in the money than in the good. When profits falter, the “power of conscious capitalism” (the subtitle of Mackey’s book) succumbs to the power of unfettered capitalism. If I were a Whole Foods “team member,” I’d be seriously considering starting a union to protect wages and benefits. And as a backup plan, I’d be agitating for universal healthcare.

via grist.org

"But the investors now taking control of Whole Foods are likely more interested in the money than in the good. When profits falter, the “power of conscious capitalism” (the subtitle of Mackey’s book) succumbs to the power of unfettered capitalism. If I were a Whole Foods “team member,” I’d be seriously considering starting a union to protect wages and benefits. And as a backup plan, I’d be agitating for universal healthcare."

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Rick Warren's Saddleback Church Asks For Urgent $900,000

2009-12-31T09:06:00.001-06:00

LAKE FOREST, Calif. — Evangelical pastor Rick Warren appealed to parishioners at his Orange County megachurch Wednesday to help fill a $900,000 deficit by the first of the year.

Warren made the appeal in a letter posted on the Saddleback Church Web site. It begins "Dear Saddleback Family, THIS IS AN URGENT LETTER."

"With 10 percent of our church family out of work due to the recession, our expenses in caring for our community in 2009 rose dramatically while our income stagnated," the letter reads.

Still, Warren said the church managed to stay within its budget, but "the bottom dropped out" when Christmas donations dropped. "On the last weekend of 2009, our total offerings were less than half of what we normally receive – leaving us $900,000 in the red for the year," the letter reads.

via huffingtonpost.com

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Snowy day. Wrong turn.

2009-12-30T11:35:00.001-06:00

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

European view: BBC News - Gaza marchers on hunger strike in Egypt

2009-12-29T12:32:00.001-06:00

Riot police have penned marchers in outside the UN mission in Cairo

Protesters trying to march into Gaza a year after an Israeli offensive are on hunger strike after Egypt blocked them from crossing the border.

Hundreds of people in Cairo have been prevented from getting close to the border with Gaza.

A group who got as far as the Sinai port of El Arish have been detained by the Egyptian police.

A separate convoy of vans delivering medical supplies is stuck in the Jordanian port town of Aqaba.

At least 38 people of various nationalities were picked up by Egyptian security services in El Arish and held in their hotel rooms, AFP news agency reported.

'Whatever it takes'

In Cairo hundreds of activists are camped outside the United Nations mission in Cairo trying to get them to pressure the Egyptians to let them cross the border with the Gaza Strip.

The marchers have gone on hunger strike and want the UN to help them

"I've never done this before, I don't know how my body will react, but I'll do whatever it takes," 85-year-old Hedy Epstein told AFP.

The American activist is a Holocaust survivor, the agency reported.

Meanwhile a convoy of vans carrying supplies which travelled all the way from London to Jordan has been told by Egyptian officials it must go all the way back to Syria to get into Egypt.

The "Viva Palestina" convoy, led by British MP George Galloway, has been blocked from getting on a ferry from Aqaba to the Egyptian town of Nuweiba where it planned to continue by road to the Rafah border crossing.

But now the convoy faces a potentially budget-draining journey back through Jordan to the Syrian port of Latakia, followed by several ferries to El Arish.

'Sensitive situation'

Earlier in December, Egypt rejected a request to allow activists to march across the border into the Gaza Strip to mark the anniversary of last year's conflict.

The Egyptian foreign ministry said the march could not be allowed because of the "sensitive situation" in Gaza.

Over 1,000 activists from 42 countries had signed up to join "the Gaza freedom march" to mark the anniversary of the Israeli military incursion into Gaza last year.

Palestinians and human rights groups say more than 1,400 Gazans were killed in the 22-day conflict that ended in January, but Israel puts the figure at 1,166.

Thirteen Israelis, including three civilians, were killed.

Gaza is under a tight Israeli and Egyptian blockade, tightened since Hamas took over the strip in 2007.

Most medicines are allowed into the territory, but their transfer can be slowed by Israeli and Palestinian bureaucracy, and the entry of medical equipment and other supplies is limited.

The World Health Organization says that at the end of November 2009, 125 of 480 essential drugs were at "zero level", meaning there was less than one month's stock left.

Israel says the military operation was - and the continuing blockade is - targeted at Hamas, not Gaza's civilians.

The Islamist movement has controlled Gaza since June 2007, and has launched thousands of rockets and mortars into Israel in recent years.

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Another point of view: Al Jazeera English - GAZA: ONE YEAR ON - 'Israel resembles a failed state'

2009-12-29T12:31:00.001-06:00

via english.aljazeera.net

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Activists Blocked From Planned March to Support Gaza

2009-12-29T12:30:00.001-06:00

Filed at 2:10 p.m. ET

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CAIRO (Reuters) - About 80 foreign supporters of Palestinians protested outside the French Embassy in Cairo on Monday after Egypt refused to let them to march to Gaza, witnesses said.

Some 1,400 activists from 43 countries had gathered in Cairo on Sunday to mark the first anniversary of the Israeli offensive on Hamas-ruled Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to hold talks in Cairo on Tuesday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

The activists, several hundred of whom were from France, had asked Egypt for permission to cross into Gaza but the Interior Ministry said the march was illegal and a threat to national security.

On Sunday, about 80 activists staged a protest outside the French Embassy, surrounded by a heavy police presence. Such demonstrations are rare in Egypt but no violence broke out and no arrests were made, witnesses said.

About 30 activists managed to make their way on Sunday by public transport to Arish in northern Sinai, where they were now under house arrest, said Yvonne Ridley, a member of the Gaza Freedom March.

Eight more reached Rafah, on the border, but were later returned to Arish, Egyptian security officials said.

The activists said in a statement they were protesting against the economic blockade of the Gaza Strip and the December 2008-January 2009 Israeli military operation against Gaza in which Amnesty International said 1,400 Palestinians were killed.

"The international coalition had intended to take part in a non-violent demonstration with 50,000 Palestinians to commemorate Israel's Cast Lead operation and protest the ongoing blockade," the statement said.

Egyptian security said the Rafah border would open on January 3 for three days to allow Palestinian students, patients and those having residency visas to pass into Egypt.

Egypt also said it will allow a food and supplies convoy led by independent British Member of Parliament George Galloway to pass into Gaza, but only if lands by sea at Arish and passes through Rafah.

The convoy has been docked in the Jordanian port of Aqaba since Thursday awaiting approval from Egypt to enter via Nuweiba on the Red Sea. Egypt allowed similar convoys to enter Gaza in March and July.

Egypt has hosted talks with different Palestinian political groups to end internal disputes, mainly between the Palestinian Authority which controls the West Bank and the Islamist group Hamas which controls the Gaza Strip.

Egypt and Germany have also been mediating a possible exchange of prisoners by Hamas and Israel. (Reporting by Yusri Mohamed; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

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via nytimes.com

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Kathy Kelly: Gaza Freedom March Members Gain a Small Taste of the Palestinian Experience

2009-12-29T12:29:00.001-06:00

Gaza Freedom March participants, numbering 1,360 people from 42 countries, have assembled in Cairo, Egypt, where they plan to break the Israeli imposed siege on Gaza by delivering humanitarian relief supplies, on December 31st. After passing through the Rafah border crossing which divides Egypt and Gaza, they aim to join 50,000 Palestinians in a march across the Gaza Strip, ending at the Erez border crossing which leads into Israel.

But, the Egyptian government has dispersed peaceable assemblies that the marchers organized, in Cairo, and detained activists in multiple locations. Egyptian authorities previously issued permits for public actions, but have now revoked all permits and refused permission for any members of the Gaza Freedom March to even approach the border between Egypt and Gaza. Yesterday, they broke up a gathering of people who were commemorating the 1,409 Palestinians who were killed by the Israeli military's "Operation Cast Lead" assault that began last year, December 27th, and continued for 22 days.

"We're saddened that the Egyptian authorities have blocked our participants' freedom of movement and interfered with a peaceful commemoration of the dead," said Medea Benjamin of CODEPINK, one of the March's organizers.

Benjamin added that the Gaza Freedom March participants are continuing to urge the Egyptian government to allow them to proceed to Gaza. They visited the Arab League asking for support, various foreign embassies and the Presidential Palace to deliver an appeal to President Mubarak. They are calling their supporters around the world to contact Egyptian embassies and urge them to free the marchers and allow them to proceed to Gaza.

Gaza Freedom March coordinators and participants are weighing alternative plans while continuing to call for assistance from various Embassies. Three hundred French delegation members have camped overnight at the French Embassy in Cairo and are still maintaining their presence despite being encircled by three rows of Egyptian riot police. The U.S. delegation has been unable to approach the U.S. Embassy, which was cordoned off and surrounded by police immediately after U.S. delegation members arrived in Cairo.

Hedy Epstein, an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor, from St. Louis, MO, has begun a hunger strike, in Cairo, and intends to continue her fast until the Egyptians decide to open the border.

"Despite the massive interferences, the marchers have not been deterred and will continue to advocate for the people of Gaza," writes Josh Brollier, a member of the Free Gaza March and co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence. "Though these setbacks have been frustrating to the delegates who came to show solidarity with Palestinians, they are just a small taste of the Palestinian experience and can scarcely compare to the daily hardships imposed on the people of Gaza by the devastating Israeli siege and illegal occupation."

Books By Kathy Kelly

via huffingtonpost.com

Call your Congress persons and the POTUS and Hillary Clinton and demand the border be opened.

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

My drink in solidarity with the #Gaza Freedom March hunger strike.

2009-12-28T10:49:00.001-06:00

Peace,
Mike

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

For something lighter: JibJab.com Year in Review 2009

2009-12-28T09:52:00.001-06:00

<div style='background-color:#e9e9e9; width: 425px;'><div style='text-align:center; width:435px; margin-top:6px;'>Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!</div></div>

Peace,

Mike Baldwin

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Hunger strike commences for the #Gaza freedom March RT

2009-12-28T09:10:00.001-06:00

Our #STL Friends are on a Hunger strike: in Egypt awaiting opportunity to go to Gaza. Pray for and fast with Hedy, J’Ann and Sandra.

In solidarity with them, I have joined their hunger strike and hope you will too. We must raise public awareness of this humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Below is the most recent press release from Code Pink. Please go to their website for updates as this action progresses--and pass the word!

French Delegates Take Over the Boulevard in Front of French Embassy in Cairo

What: A contingent of several hundred French activists takes over the boulevard in front of the French embassy, demanding buses to go to Rafah
When: Sunday, December 28, late evening. A group of French activists from the solidarity group EuroPalestine take over Mourad Street, the boulevard in front of the French Embassy in Cairo, next to the Four Seasons Hotel. They occupied the street with tents for 4 hours, stopping traffic, demanding buses to take them to the Gaza strip, forcing the French Ambassador to come and negotiate on their behalf.
The French solidarity group Europalestine, part of the Gaza Freedom March, a group of 1,400 activists from 42 countries, congregated in Cairo after the Egyptian government barred their entry to the Gaza strip. The international coalition had intended to take part in a non-violent demonstration with 50,000 Palestinians to commemorate Israel’s Cast Lead operation and protest the ongoing blockade. When Egypt refused to give them permission to board buses for the Rafah crossing, the French group, over 300 strong, sprung into action, occupying Avenue Charles de Gaulle—Mourad Street—in front of the French Embassy and demanding that their ambassador take action.
Dozens of armored police transport vehicles line the far side of the boulevard. Hundreds of riot cops with Plexiglas shields are blocking the French activists in. Red water cannons sit on the other side of the street. The French activists are talking with the riot police, asking them about their professions and their children. There are on-going negotiations, but they insist that they will not leave until they have buses that will take them to Rafah. According to Olivia Zemor, the coordinator of the French group, “we are waiting for the buses, we are staying in front of the French embassy, even if it’s not comfortable, it’s much more comfortable than Gaza.” The Gaza Freedom March coordinators have put out a call to action for all to join them in front of the French Embassy.

Peace,

Mike Baldwin

Posted via email from michaelbaldwin

Leading Iran cleric condemns Ashura deaths - Yahoo! News

2009-12-27T21:33:00.001-06:00

TEHRAN (Reuters) – An opposition leader criticized Iran's hardline rulers on Monday for killing innocent people during a religious festival, a reformist website reported.

Police said five people died in Tehran when pro-reform protesters fought security forces on Sunday, the most violent clashes since a contested June 12 presidential vote sparked political turmoil across Iran.

"What has happened to this religious system that it orders the killing of innocent people during the holy day of Ashura?," moderate cleric Mehdi Karoubi, who came fourth in the election, said in a statement, the Jaras website reported.

"Why is such a holy day not respected by the rulers?"

Opposition websites said police opened fire on protesters in central Tehran. Eight people were killed in the capital and other Iranian cities when tens of thousands of opposition backers took to the streets, they said.

The deaths were the first in street protests since the immediate aftermath of the disputed June election.

Among the dead was opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi's nephew, whose death was described as a "martyrdom" by a Mousavi ally. State TV said "unknown assailants" killed Ali Habibi Mousavi Khamene.

Police said investigations were under way into the suspicious deaths and more than 300 protesters had been arrested in Tehran.

Jaras said police shot and killed four protesters in central Tehran and that unrest had spread to other parts of Iran, including the holy city of Qom, Shiraz, Isfahan, Najafabad, Mashhad and Babol.

The reports could not be independently verified because foreign media are banned from covering protests.

The White House condemned the "unjust suppression" of civilians by the Iranian government and said the United States was on the side of protesters.

UNREST ACROSS IRAN

The killings showed that the confrontation between the opposition and the clerical establishment had entered a volatile phase, in which the security forces appeared determined to stamp out the pro-reform movement.

The disputed re-election of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has plunged Iran into its biggest internal crisis since the 1979 Islamic revolution, exposing deepening divisions in its ruling elite and setting off a wave of protests that the opposition says left over 70 people dead.

Officials say the death toll was half that number.

The post-election turmoil has also made Iranian officials unable to resolve a dispute over Iran's nuclear program, which the West fears is a cover to build bombs. Iran denies this.

Authorities had strongly warned the opposition to avoid using the two-day Shi'ite Muslim Tasoua and Ashura festival over the weekend to revive protests against the clerical establishment.

This year's Ashura coincided with the seventh day of mourning for leading dissident cleric Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, who died a week ago at the age of 87 in Qom.

A spiritual patron of Mousavi's movement, he was a fierce critic of the hardline clerical establishment.

(Editing by Jon Boyle)

via news.yahoo.com

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Facebook | Anniversary of the Gaza War

2009-12-27T13:48:00.001-06:00

Anniversary of the Gaza War
The seige still continues!

Host:
Instead of War

Type:
Causes - Rally

Network:
Global

Date:
Sunday, December 27, 2009

Time:
7:00pm - 8:00pm

Location:
Corner of Grand and Lindell

City/Town:
Saint Louis, MO

Description

On Dec. 27th last year, Israel began their military offensive, Operation Cast Lead, on the people of Gaza. During their three week war on the occupied Gaza Strip, Israel killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, injured more than 5,000, and destroyed 4,000 buildings causing an estimated $2 billion in damage to civilian infrastructure.
The war continues in Israel's illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip, denying 1.5 million civilians their right to food, clean water, electricity, and other necessities of life. Since the end of the three week military offensive in January, Israel has allowed only 41 truckloads of construction materials into the Gaza Strip. Thousands of truckloads of reconstruction materials are needed to rebuild the tens of thousands of homes, businesses, schools, mosques and other buildings destroyed and damaged during the war. As a result, thousands of Gaza residents are still living in tents, and the Strip’s economy remains in ruins.
Meanwhile, the United States is scheduled to provide Israel with $30 billion of weapons at taxpayer expense over the coming decade. At a time when millions of people in the US are being turned out of their homes due to foreclosures, why are we giving Israel billions of dollars to destroy Palestinian homes?
As we vigil, three St. Louisians are on their way to Gaza for the Gaza Freedom March, (ahttp://www.gazafreedommarch.) Most recent news has indicated that officials are going to refuse to allow the thousands of activists march.
Please join us as we stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza!

via facebook.com

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Elie Wiesel: Go with Us to Gaza! An Appeal to the Nobel Peace Laureate

2009-12-27T00:52:00.001-06:00

Elie Wiesel: Go with Us to Gaza! An Appeal to the Nobel Peace Laureate

December 5th, 2009 Posted by Mark Chmiel



In his 1986 address upon receiving the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize, Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel pointed out that, during the Holocaust, “the world did know and remained silent. And that is why I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant.”

Yet, on one of the great issues of our time, the Israel-Palestine conflict, Mr. Wiesel has not abided by the moral maxims he championed in the above address. For example, in the second volume of his memoirs, he admitted, “Indeed, I can say in good faith that I have not remained indifferent to any cause involving the defense of human rights. But, you may ask, what have I done to alleviate the plight of the Palestinians? And here I must confess: I have not done enough….In spite of considerable pressure, I have refused to take a public stand in the Israeli-Arab conflict. I have said it before: since I do not live in Israel, it would be irresponsible for me to do so.”

In recent years, we the undersigned have traveled to the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories—the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip—and have seen for ourselves the disturbing, heart-breaking, and outrageous effects of Israel’s domination and aggression against the Palestinian people, aided and abetted by the U.S. government and armaments corporations. December and January mark the one-year anniversary of Israel’s attack, which is described by the Goldstone Report of the United Nations as “a deliberately disproportionate attack designed to punish, humiliate and terrorize a civilian population.”

In the spirit of Mr. Wiesel’s call to interference, three people from the Metro area –Hedy Epstein, a Holocaust survivor; Sandra Mansour, a Palestinian activist; and J’Ann Allen, a grandmother and wife of a retired military officer—will leave for Gaza on December 26^th to join over a thousand people from approximately 40 countries on the Gaza Freedom March [http://www.gazafreedommarch.org/]. Along with 50,000 Palestinians in Gaza, they will march to call attention to the ever-worsening humanitarian crisis there.

Hedy, Sandra, and J’Ann call on Mr. Wiesel to join them and bear witness to the suffering, humiliation, and torment caused by Israel’s indiscriminate violence:

Let us go, Mr. Wiesel, and listen to the lamentations of Palestinian parents who have lost their children, and the children who are now orphans;

Let us go, and stand amid the desolate ruins everywhere the eye can see—of destroyed homes, hospitals, clinics, factories, mosques, and schools;

Let us go, and interview a few of the tens of thousands of still homeless men, women, and children;

Let us go, and listen to the doctors’ heart-rending accounts of the misery and maiming inflicted on civilians by the munitions of the Israel Defense Forces;

Let us go, and walk with the farmers among their destroyed fields, greenhouses, and groves;

Let us go, Mr. Wiesel, and make eye contact with the Gazans who daily battle hunger and daily fight despair due to Israel’s inhumane siege.

Let us refuse neutrality. Let us not be silent.

May more of us be willing to turn the following words of Mr. Wiesel into concrete deeds of solidarity and witness: “When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant.”

Seeing is believing,

J’Ann Allen, Center for Theology and Social Analysis; adjunct instructor, Forest Park Community College

Anna Baltzer, Jewish American human rights advocate; author of Witness in Palestine

Barakat Barakat, SLU undergraduate

Sharifa Barakat, SLU alum, 2009

Mark Chmiel, Center for Theology and Social Analysis; adjunct professor, Saint Louis University

Hedy Epstein, Holocaust survivor; author of Remembering Is Not Enough; SLU alum

Daanish Faruqi, Graduate student, Washington University

Dianne Lee, Center for Theology and Social Analysis; professor, Forest Park Community College

Sandra Mansour, Georgetown University, Graduate School alum

Kelly McBride, Graduate student, American University at Cairo; SLU alum, 2006

Matthew Miller, Graduate student, Washington University

Angie O’Gorman, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Immigration Law Department; adjunct professor, Saint Louis University

Nima Sheth, SLU medical student; SLU alum, 2008

Magan Wiles, MFA student, University of Tennessee; SLU alum, 2004

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via bookofmev.com

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More on the St. Louis, MO Gaza Freedom Marchers.

2009-12-27T00:46:00.001-06:00

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Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Why I raised the last question. Head of Catholic Charities resigns - STLtoday.com

2009-12-26T23:15:00.001-06:00

Head of Catholic Charities resigns

By Tim Townsend

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

12/24/2009

The president of Catholic Charities resigned last week — the second of the organization's leaders to quit within the last year and the latest in an exodus of officials to leave the nonprofit since the fall of 2008.
The St. Louis Archdiocese did not announce publicly that Monsignor Mark Ullrich had resigned Dec. 15, but archdiocesan spokeswoman Elizabeth Westhoff confirmed the move Wednesday, and provided a statement from St. Louis Archbishop Robert Carlson.
Carlson said Ullrich "submitted his resignation to me with the request to return to parish work full time."
Ullrich did not return a call to his residence at the Cathedral Basilica seeking comment. The 57-year-old priest had replaced Catholic Charities' previous president, Thomas Mulhearn, in March. At the time Ullrich was the nonprofit's spiritual director. Ullrich also served as Catholic Charities' associate director in the 1980s.

via stltoday.com

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Time for grassroots Catholic Charitable Org? Where Most Needed: St. Louis Bishop Reins in Catholic Charities

2009-12-26T23:12:00.001-06:00

St. Louis Bishop Reins in Catholic Charities

A takeover of the charity's development office by the archdiocese leads to resignation of the board chair and at least three other board members.

The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that acting St. Louis bishop Robert Herman has taken over the fund raising for the local Catholic Charities organization ("Bishop Robert Hermann locks horns with Catholic Charities officials," Tim Townsend, November 4, 2008). As a result, development director Dan Shasserre, board chair Kelley O'Malley and three other board members have resigned.

The paper reported that the memo outlining the change referred to an impasse between the charity board and the two previous bishops, Justin Rigali (now archbishop of Philadelphia) and Raymond Burke (now prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura in Rome). The memo suggested that board members who were not comfortable with the reorganization should resign.

James Gunn, one of the former board members was blunt about his reaction to the change, saying that the archdiocese officials "want to be able to solicit people for their own purposes," adding, "The social ministry of the church is not nearly as important to them as their far-right conservative Catholic agenda."

It is not surprising that the article discussing the reorganization in the local Catholic newspaper, the St. Louis Review, didn't mention the board resignations ("Efforts with Catholic Charities aimed at improving stewardship," Joseph Kenny, November 8, 2008.) .

We have previously reported that Archbishop Burke sought to implement a highly centralized accounting system for Catholic parishes ("St. Louis Archdiocese to Centralize Parish Accounting," January 13, 2007). The reorganization of Catholic Charities fund raising appears to be consistent with an overall policy of greater centralization and concern that everyone presenting themselves as Catholics present a single view.

But what puzzles me is whether this is something that is happening only in St. Louis, or whether it is just that the St. Louis Post Dispatch has been more willing to give prominence to stories relating to the local archdiocese.

St. Louis has been a frequent location of Catholic controversy over the past few years:

The ongoing excommunication of member of the lay board of St. Stanislaus Kostka church who have refused a demand from the archdiocese to turn over control of the church property ("Two more St. Stan's members excommunicated," Tim Townsend, October 11, 2008).

Criticism by former Archbishop Burke of an appearance by Sheryl Crowe at a 2007 fund raising event for the Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center. Ms. Crowe is an outspoken advocate of choice and campaigned for a Missouri constitutional amendment to promote stem-cell research. (YouTube video of Archbishop Burke's statement).

Criticism by former Archbishop Burke of statements by St. Louis University basketball coach Rick Majerus in favor of choice and of stem cell research (Archbishop Burke addresses Catholic identity, St. Louis Review, February 8, 2008).

So much so that Archbishop Burke made a point of countering claims that he was kicked upstairs with his Vatican appointment in an interview with the Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire (the same interview in which he described the Democratic party as the "party of death" for its positions on—you guessed it—choice and stem cell research.)

via wheremostneeded.org

Still wondering if there is any interest in starting a new, separate from centralized archdiocesan control, Catholic charitable organization. Anyone?

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

Sisters savor benefit of 'mindful eating' - STLtoday.com

2009-12-26T22:56:00.001-06:00

Sisters savor benefit of 'mindful eating'

From left, sisters Elisa Ryan, Lois Castillon, and Mary Lapping hold apples during opening prayerful meditation at the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help headquarters in Kirkwood.

By Georgina Gustin

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

12/25/2009

KIRKWOOD -- Most meditation is silent. A solitary act of turning inward. But sometimes, it's communal — and comes with a little crunch.
At the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help headquarters, about 90 people kicked off the Christmas season — a time of cookie trays, fruitcake and eggnog — with a prayer of sorts.

The group of lay people and sisters gathered in a room, each holding an apple slice. They were asked to focus on the slice as they listened to an essay read aloud on "mindful eating," written by a venerated Buddhist monk. Then, they were told to take a bite. They were encouraged to savor the moment. Slowly.

And the crunching of crisp apples broke through the quiet.

Great thoughts for the Holiday binge eating frenzy. Slow down, savor, reflect.

Posted via web from michaelbaldwin

	1900		1920		1940
Rank	Place	Population	Place	Population	Place	Population
1.	New York, N.Y.	3,437,202	New York, N.Y.	5,620,048	New York, N.Y.	7,454,995
2.	Chicago, Ill.	1,698,575	Chicago, Ill.	2,701,705	Chicago, Ill.	3,396,808
3.	Philadelphia, Pa.	1,293,697	Philadelphia, Pa.	1,823,779	Philadelphia, Pa.	1,931,334
4.	St. Louis, Mo.	575,238	Detroit, Mich.	993,078	Detroit, Mich.	1,623,452
5.	Boston, Mass.	560,892	Cleveland, Ohio	796,841	Los Angeles, Calif.	1,504,277
6.	Baltimore, Md.	508,957	St. Louis, Mo.	772,897	Cleveland, Ohio	878,336
7.	Cleveland, Ohio	381,768	Boston, Mass.	748,060	Baltimore, Md.	859,100
8.	Buffalo, N.Y.	352,387	Baltimore, Md.	733,826	St. Louis, Mo.	816,048
9.	San Francisco, Calif.	342,782	Pittsburgh, Pa.	588,343	Boston, Mass.	770,816
10.	Cincinnati, Ohio	325,902	Los Angeles, Calif.	576,673	Pittsburgh, Pa.	671,659
11.	Pittsburgh, Pa.	321,616	Buffalo, N.Y.	506,775	Washington, DC	663,091
12.	New Orleans, La.	287,104	San Francisco, Calif.	506,676	San Francisco, Calif.	634,536
13.	Detroit, Mich.	285,704	Milwaukee, Wis.	457,147	Milwaukee, Wis.	587,472
14.	Milwaukee, Wis.	285,315	Washington, DC	437,571	Buffalo, N.Y.	575,901
15.	Washington, DC	278,718	Newark, N.J.	414,524	New Orleans, La.	494,537
16.	Newark, N.J.	246,070	Cincinnati, Ohio	401,247	Minneapolis, Minn.	492,370
17.	Jersey City, N.J.	206,433	New Orleans, La.	387,219	Cincinnati, Ohio	455,610
18.	Louisville, Ky.	204,731	Minneapolis, Minn.	380,582	Newark, N.J.	429,760
19.	Minneapolis, Minn.	202,718	Kansas City, Mo.	324,410	Kansas City, Mo.	399,178
20.	Providence, R.I.	175,597	Seattle, Wash.	315,312	Indianapolis, Ind.	386,972

Date:	Sunday, December 27, 2009
Time:	7:00pm - 8:00pm
Location:	Corner of Grand and Lindell
City/Town:	Saint Louis, MO

Viaticum

Madison, Tel Aviv, London...St Louis

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