Help the Poor, Buy Lingerie

When world coffee prices tanked and the Colombian government began to crack down on the growing of illegal drugs, the Colombian government decided to try a program to help rural Colombians make the transition financially.

I did find one statement in the article interesting:
"Colombia produces 70 percent of the world's cocaine and most of the heroine sold in the United States."
Didn't the 13th Amendment take care of this problem?

From One Drunken Sailor...

Sen. John McCain, a former Navy pilot, is denouncing President Bush and Congress for their profligate spending habits.
If a loyal Republican such as McCain is beginning to question the wisdom of the current federal fiscal policy there may be trouble brewing leading up to next years elections.

From the "How Stupid Do They Think We Are?" File

The Texas populist, Jim Hightower notes the current trend with companies to shrink the size of their packaging to give the consumer less for the same price. He gives several examples, but the best would have to be the swimming pool supply company that offers this hot deal: "Buy 1st Item at Double Normal Price... Get 2nd Identical Item Absolutely FREE!"

Jingle All the Way

Have you ever seen the movie "Jingle All the Way" starring Sinbad and the Governator? It's about the insanity of holiday shopping. After having seen this I can imagine the chaos in this story.
I only have one question for the folks who were shopping at this Wal-Mart.
What the hell is wrong with you people?

From THE Windy City

Is there no justice in Great Falls anymore?

Are You Ready for Christmas?

For many, Thanksgiving kicks off another season of "here we go again" - fending off the annual bombardment from advertisers and the temptation to measure Christmas in terms of presents. It's a month-long struggle to get all of our holiday work done and somehow keep Christ in Christmas, also. You know the routine: the Friday after Thanksgiving, the secular Christmas season officially begins. Of course, Christmas decorations have been up for a week or so, Christmas displays in stores have been twinkling for a month by now, and some ornaments and other decorations have been sitting on the shelves since before Labor Day. Forget the Twelve Days of Christmas; today it's the Twenty (or so) Days of Christmas, beginning with the Friday after Thanksgiving.
That's how the commercial Christmas season goes. Frankly, it poses a problem for those who want to observe the seasons of Advent and Christmas in a spiritual manner. How do we truly prepare in a spiritual rather than a material sense for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ? By observing the Advent season and keeping our preparations for the coming of Christ in balance: between the sacred and secular, modern culture and Christ.

So what is Advent?

Advent is the season four weeks before Christmas in which we prepare for the coming of Christ. The name comes from the Latin word adventus, which means "coming." The season proclaims Christ's anticipated coming again in the fullness of time, as well as the coming of Christ as the infant Savior whose birth we celebrate at Christmas. Because the season emphasizes Christ's comings and not merely his birth, it is not enough to use the season merely as a preparation for Christmas. Instead, the time is appropriate for preparation for the Second Coming of Christ and the inward soul searching that should mark that preparation.
This is traditionally the time of year for reflection, a time to look back at another year of life-experience and how we dealt with it; a time to measure our progress and a time of resolve. In the life of the Church it is also a time of "new beginnings." The Season of Advent ushers in the new liturgical year and our affirmation of God made flesh. We now begin the cycle anew. The Sundays in Advent focus on the Second Coming of Christ, John the Baptist's message of Christ's coming, and the events just before Jesus' birth.
Advent is really a lot like Lent. Both are roughly month-long seasons of preparation for a joyful holiday. But there is one crucial difference between Lent and Advent: Christmas doesn’t have Passion Week preceding it. The penitential observances of Advent have always had a festive character to them. The idea is to contain your excitement before Christmas and to use that energy in preparing for Christ's coming. So people took on these penances joyfully, something that only a Christian could do. Taking time to pause in the holiday celebrations to acknowledge their sins and to clean house spiritually, overjoyed that Christ came to us, but aware of our unworthiness to receive him.
We can still capture this uniquely Christian attitude of joyful penance. During these Advent weeks bring out our Lenten alms boxes and add coins to them before a meatless Friday meal. Put the poor on your gift list: books and toys for children while the entire family could save up for something bigger, an overcoat perhaps, to give to a member of the community less fortunate than ourselves.

Schilling: Bring on the Yanks

It is finally official.
The Red Sox have signed Curt Schilling to a three year deal.
Now the BoSox have a formidable pitching staff with Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling & Derek Lowe as their possible 1 - 2 - 3 pitchers.
Not only do the Red Sox gain an outstanding pitcher they also have one who has beaten the d@&$ Yankees in the playoffs.
With a strong pitching staff and if the rest of the team can repeat their performances from last year with their bats 2004 might actually be "The Year."
Now if Theo will work on the middle relievers things will really start to look good.
Go Sox!

Montana Bloggers Bash 2003

In those days a decree went out from Craig at mtpolitics.net that the whole of the Montana blogging world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Judy was governor of Montana. So all went to be enrolled, each from his or her own town. To where the rabble has yet to decide.

Craig has proposed a Montana Bloggers Bash. This gathering of YAMB will be an ideal time to get together and finally place names to faces.

So far the cities that have been proposed are:
Billings
Bozeman
Great Falls
Lewistown

It seems that the majority so far are leaning towards attending in Billings.

Gubernatorial candidate Brian Schweitzer has made an offer to be the keynote speaker.

This is starting to look like one heck of a shebang. So let's get this kite flying!

Be Careful When Asking for a Refund

If you aren't happy with the service you have received please feel free to speak to our Complaints Department.

Are You Bow Lingual?

The Japanese knack for inventing useless and/or unwanted innovations has created a new toy. The Bow Lingual is "a 'dog emotion translator' which can reveal what canines are thinking."
Having owned a few dogs in my time I never found that I needed an emotion translator to live with them.
I consider myself to be a rather average pet owner and it seems to me that the way to read their emotions is to just let them run the house and they will be happy.

Nonprofits Write Wish Lists

Sharie Clawson has a nifty article in the Billings Outpost about the Christmas wish lists of some local nonprofits.
As I perused the list I couldn't help but notice that there were a couple of worthwhile charities missing from the wish list.

The Billings Food Bank - 2112 4th Ave N - 259-2856
Montana Rescue Mission - 2822 Minnesota Ave - 259-3800
St Vincent dePaul - 2610 Montana Ave - 248-1411
Women and Family Shelter - 2520 1st Ave N - 259-3105

I pray that all of us will remember to keep the less fortunate in our prayers and on our to-do lists this holiday season.

Bedrock of Canadian Nationalism

The October 31, 2003 entry from Canadian historian Jack Granatstein reads:

"Anti-Americanism has been and, to a substantial degree, remains Canada's state religion, the very bedrock of Canadian nationalism."

I don't want to hurt his feelings but I doubt if there is even a significant minority in the U.S. who cares.

Oh, If Only We Still Used the Pillory and Stocks...

After reading this story about two morons from Washington state who spun "doughnuts" on the fragile surface of a geyser in Yellowstone Park last October my first reaction was to wish for a return of the use of stocks. The idiots are being charged with damaging the Lone Star Geyser area and more than likely will be sentenced to no more than a fine.
Personally, I think that a more appropriate punishment would be to have them placed in stocks during the summer tourist season and require every tourist to come up behind them and kick them in the backside.
Then again it might end up giving them (more) brain damage.

Poppy Must be Proud

When a Presidential brother keeps his name in the news for all the wrong reasons it makes me wonder why Poppy and Barbara don't lock him in the basement so he can't embarrass the family anymore.
Our only President's younger brother Neil has struck again. The first billion dollar embarrassment to his family was in the 1980's, when as a director of the Denver based Silverado Savings & Loan, he approved many unsecured and questionable loans to business partners that ended up costing the U.S. taxpayers about $1 billion.
Obviously not having learned his lesson the first time around little Neil has managed to besmirch the family name once again.
As a consultant for Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, coincidentally a company owned by the son of Chinese President Jiang Zemin, little Neil collected $2 million in stock over five years. Never mind that he had absolutely no experience with semi-conductors and minimal business experience that would justify any company in this field to invest either money or confidence in him.
Could the Grace Corporation have been trying to buy influence with the Bush administration? As distasteful as this theory is it must be considered.
Then to top it off, during the horndog's divorce proceedings, his testimony reveals sex romps with several women he had never met before while on trips to Thailand and Hong Kong.

Wild turkeys turn up in NYC

I thought the only Wild Turkey in New York City was found in a bottle.

With an Apology to Mr. Dickens

Happy Thanksgiving and may God bless us everyone!

And You Thought Wal-Mart Was Bad...

Just when you thought that corporate disdain for their workers had reached a low point, a new low is reached.

One for the "You've Got to be Kiddin' Me" file

This is one of those sad stories that is dripping with irony.

The Ugly American

After President Bush's state visit to England, Queen Elizabeth is furious about the damage to the royal gardens at Buckingham Palace by the President's boys. You would have thought the Skull and Bones Club had held a frat party on the Palace grounds by the sounds of it.

Tech Support that You Will Love

Dell computers has stopped using tech support centers from India because of complaints about thick accents that customers had a hard time understanding. Now Dell will utilize tech support centers in Texas, Idaho and Tennessee. At least the techies in Texas and Tennessee won't have thick accents.

People Were Misled

Once again Natalie Maines, lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, voices her opinion about the war in Iraq. Last March the Dixie Chicks were excoriated for exercising their constitutional right of free speech by voicing their displeasure of President Bush.
In her latest remarks Ms. Maines feels that the American people were misled by their leaders but takes no pleasure in how the war has become a stalemate. Her comment "I would have liked to have been proven wrong" says more about her character than the gaggle of critics who took such delight in name calling and beating the Dixie Chicks over the head and shoulders, many times in a sophomoric manner, for exercising their constitutional right of free speech.
When you continue to voice your opinions after having been the subject of a boycott you should be applauded for standing up for your ideals and not attacked because your ideals diverge from the "majority."

All You Need is Love

As the godfather of an adopted child and a cousin of several more I have always been appreciative of the gift of adoption. This Gazette article about adoptive families briefly touches upon the gifts of joy and love that those families are blessed to receive.
Having several adopted children in my family has taught all of us that it is easy to love children that may not be related to you by blood. Although the bond of blood is strong the bond of love is even stronger.
One of my daily prayers is one of thanksgiving for the gift of adoption.
If more scared, expectant mothers were to choose this option rather than abortion I am confident that the gift of adoption would go a long way towards abolishing requests for abortions.

Writing a Résumé

Everyone who has searched for employment knows that one of the first things that you must do is write your résumé. Your résumé, if written properly, might be the one thing that catches a potential employer’s eye. Conversely, if it is written poorly you may be passed over for another candidate who has a résumé that catches that employer’s eye.
As I wrote my own résumé, touting my triumphs and downplaying my failures, I couldn't help but think about my spiritual résumé. What will it look like and how will it be received when I stand before the Lord at my time of judgment. Will he look favorably upon me with what I have done in the time he has given me? Does it show that I have helped my fellow man or only helped myself while I have been here? Have I lived up to my profession promises of living a Gospel life or have I failed? Have I failed because of circumstances that I was unable to overcome or because of my own obstinacy? These are questions that we should not have to wait to discern. These are questions that we should think and pray about everyday. “Am I serving my fellow man?” “Am I fulfilling my profession promises?” “ Have I forgiven my brother?”
As we all know too well the path that we travel in this life may seem easy at times, difficult at others but never one that we will not conquer as long as we carry in our hearts our faith in God and the courage to share the truths of that faith with those around us.

The Magical Fruit

The Northarvest Bean Growers Association has launched an advertising campaign to improve the image of the lowly dried bean. The Northarvest Bean Growers Association, a cooperative of dry bean growers in North Dakota and Minnesota, have launched the "Beaning of America" tour.
The goal of the nationwide tour is to "emphasize the taste, varieties and health benefits of beans...and promote the belief...that beans may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, heart disease and birth defects."
Using slogans such as "Live to be an old fart" and "Who cut the cholesterol?" while a bumper sticker reads, "Toot if you like beans" may not do much to improve the low brow sensibilities that some may have about beans they will certainly get attention. But I guess that's what advertising is all about.
Like Mae West used to say, "I don't care what they say about me in the newspapers as long as they spell my name right."

Political Compass

Here is a site that claims it will help you to find your political compass.
The author feels that simple "right" and "left" labels are no longer relevant in today's political discourse. To find out what your political leaning may be you are asked a series of questions that cover several economic and social issues that we face today.
The site says that "the idea was developed by a political journalist with a university counselling background, assisted by a professor of social history."
After taking the test you may discover that you may be more "liberal" or "conservative" than you thought you were.

Bushenfreude

Daniel Gross of Slate.com wrote an interesting piece on how, in a small way, the Bush tax cuts might be backfiring on him.
With the increase in disposable income being realized by wealthy liberals some are using it to finance the campaigns and causes of President Bush's opponents.

Trading One Evil for Another

First of all let me set the record straight. If every telemarketer were to disappear I would not lose any sleep over it.
Since the federal do-not-call list went into effect in October every telemarketing company has been wearing sackcloth and covering themselves in ashes to lament the demise of their industry.
While the public has been less than sympathetic to the plight of telemarketers many technology market experts have made predictions that email spammers will increase their volume of traffic to fill the gap.
Well the experts may have been correct, as those fargin' bastages have found another way to be a pain in the derriere. Not only are spammers increasing the volume of their traffic they have also invaded cell phone text messaging and web logs by clogging the comment sections of blogs.
Why can't these leeches realize that the American public, to paraphrase Greta Garbo, just wants to be left alone?

Don't Cry for Me GOP

I am really having a hard time feeling sorry for the six of 168 judges that have been rejected by the Senate.
While President Clinton was in office GOP Senators were successful in blocking over 60 Clinton nominees.
The Democrats have approved over 96% of President Bush's nominees and have had to endure the President claiming that the Senate action "is inconsistent with the Senate's constitutional responsibility and is just plain wrong."
This is where I am forced to disagree with the President. The U.S. Constitution (Article II, Section 2) says that the President "shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate...shall appoint...Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States."
If the President were to review Article II, Section 2 he will see that the "constitutional responsibility" of the Senate is not to rubberstamp his nominees but to advise him and then give their consent.

The Franciscan Way of Life...

The Franciscan way of life is a harmonious complex, which at the center is the Triune God and love of all creatures. Poverty is a part of it, but it must be put in its proper place. For Francis the deepest poverty, is that of being identified with minority. It thrives in the humble recognition that all that is god in humankind comes from God, belongs to him and should be returned to him in thanksgiving.
Poverty is an essential element of Franciscan life. As Franciscans, we are called to live a life in which material goods should matter little. As Franciscans, we are called to a life that rises above the din of the world of commerce, commercialism and consumerism. It is not easy to do, as we are all children of the world of mass media and global communications.
How well we live our ideal of poverty will in some measure serve as a call and a challenge to others to do the same. It is a way for us by our personal example to continue the invitation of Jesus: "come follow me."(Mt 19:21)
Our call to live a life of poverty is not meant as the be all and end all. In fact it provides the framework by which we are called to a life of Gospel Service. For when Jesus issued the invitation to the rich young man to "come follow me" he was echoing an invitation he had already given to his apostles and disciples to "follow me and I will make you become fishers of men."(Mk 1:17)
At the heart of our lives as followers of Francis - indeed as prophets of love and servants of reconciliation - is a life of prayer. Just as Francis models for us a gospel life of poverty and a gospel life of service so also he models for us a life of prayer.
Without a doubt a true sense of prayer and life of prayer is at the core of our lives as Franciscans. When prayer weakens we weaken. When we stop praying we soon stop believing. Prayer is our life link to the Heart of Christ. We must never underestimate that, nor take it for granted.
If we consciously root our lifestyle, our prayer life and all our service commissions within the framework of this spirituality, our way of life will be attractive to those who wish to follow in the footsteps of Francis. But, the example of our way of life will not be sufficient if we do not clearly extend the invitation to others to join in our life, in our prayer, and in our service.
Our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, said it best: "The authenticity of my faith in Jesus Christ must be evidenced in action, in solidarity with and in service to others."

Am I a Chameleon?

Consider this quote from the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen:

"If St Francis had been sent to a Siberian labor camp, or to a leper colony, or to a Wall Street brokerage firm, would he be any less a St Francis? But how many mortals there are in the world who are one kind of character in need, another kind of character in plenty, who grumble amidst the uncomfortable, and who become possessed by possessions. St. Francis remains the same in all circumstances; the non-St Francis types, like a chameleon, take on the color of the leaf on which they rest."

When I first read this I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out if I was a “chameleon” or a “St. Francis type.” Too many times I have seen myself as a chameleon and not the St. Francis type that I want to be.
Although more times than I wish to admit I have found myself as the chameleon, I do find some comfort in the fact that since becoming a member of the Secular Franciscan Order I am beginning to find myself taking on the role of a St Francis type more and more.
I want to thank my fraternity for helping me in that regard.
How do you perceive yourself?

A New Debtor's Prison

Whenever I read about programs such as this I am always reminded of the old practice of using debtor's prisons.
Even though I don't agree that this is a revocation of anyone's rights. The opportunity to hunt and fish should be considered a privilege not a right. If these were a right then landowners would have no say as to whether or not anyone should or should not be allowed on their property.
The problem that I have with these programs is the practice of revoking occupational licenses to fulfill the program requirements. If you lose your ability to earn a living then how are you going to repay your child support obligation?

Neighborly Redemption

I found this story to be quite interesting and uplifting. This story of the girl next door is reminiscent of a O. Henry narrative as Keith Olberman reports.

Billionaire takes on Bush

Now that the Democratic Party has found their own "Daddy Warbucks" with deep pockets and who is willing to poor his money into the Democratic war chest with the express purpose of defeating President Bush next November, I find the irony of Republicans crying foul to be quite humorous.
From the party which gave us CREEP and other Nixonian abuses that gave birth to campaign finance reform in the first place now acting the part of the wounded party just strikes me as too rich.
Maybe the Republicans and Democrats will begin to look at real campaign finance reform because of this but I doubt that the robber barons will go that far.

Thanks for Protecting Our Freedom's...But Don't Inconvenience Me

Today is a day in which everyone is asked to take a few moments to say thank you to all of the men and women who have served their country in her armed forces.
Having spent several years driving submarines in the service of my country I am always gratified when I see my fellow citizens taking time to thank those who have served their country. Personally I always stop to thank the real hero's and heroines of our military, those who never returned or if they did they were either draped with a flag or tried to heal a broken body and soul.
With the abolition of the draft today's armed forces are more dependent than ever on National Guardsmen and reservists to fulfill the missions asked of todays services.
In light of that I am filled with disgust with the treatment that some of our reservists and guardsmen are receiving at the hands of a few employers. With military reservists filing complaints because of unfair and in some cases illegal actions by a few ignorant or amoral employers I can only hope that the continued prosecutions of these miscreants will lead to better treatment for the rest of our servicemen and women who have yet to come back.
I pray that all of them will be able to return to their families soon and be allowed to live the American Dream for which they are sacrificing so much to protect.
May God bless them and their families in the coming holiday season.

The One With the Most Toys Win

I guess if you want the ultimate toy
the worlds first two man recreational submarine would be it.
As a former submariner myself I can vouch that the novelty soon wears off and after a half dozen voyages there will probably be a "For Sale" sign propped on the windshield.

Keeping Score

After reading the latest entry from mtpolitics.net I thought that I would also ante up my total number of local bloggers met. Right now my total stands at two.
I had met Michael Erickson at my former place of work but I was able to finally spend a little time speaking with him today after performing my civic duty.
I have also met Ed Kemmick but it was before his blogging career began so I am not sure if that one counts. Ed happened to be the reporter who interviewed my Dad and I briefly spoke to him at the time.
I do have a feeling that I will run into mtpolitics.net in the near future. While I am a parishioner at St Bernard's and he attends St Pius I wonder if he knows my folks who also attend St Pius?

My Civic Duty

Today I braved the elements and trudged through the snow to my local polling place.
After time ran out and I put down my pencil I handed my exam back to the election judges.
I hope I passed.

The Crusaders

This is quite an interesting article about Catholic Conservatives and how they are working to influence policy makers in Washington. Despite outward appearances of a conservative monolith making policy in the halls of power, conservatives are still quite fractious. It seems that one side feels that the others are not conservative enough while the other side feels the others are too conservative.
The article also lists several people well known in conservative circles who have been baptized into the Catholic faith. Hudson Deal, a former Baptist minister who converted to Catholicism and now is the editor of Crisis magazine feels that "evangelicals like a little edge on their message, while Catholics also want to hear the issues of moral decline addressed, but in a more compassionate way." I am sure there are many evangelicals who would take umbrage with that statement.
Probably more telling about how conservatives and Catholics are viewed by the powers that be is this statement by Robert George and how religious leaders were courted by John Kennedy and George W. Bush. "In 1960, John Kennedy went from Washington down to Texas to assure Protestant preachers that he would not obey the pope. In 2001, George Bush came from Texas up to Washington to assure . . . Catholic bishops that he would."
Could this be a sign of a shift of influence to Catholic thinkers and policy makers?

He Said, He Said...

This story from Oliver County, ND has the makings of a small town sheriff who has become a law unto himself. When your local sheriff is involved in an accident and may also be the cause of it you have to wonder what's going on when the accident scene is cleaned up within an hour and no one seems to know who ordered it done.

The Next Utopia?

It looks as though the Libertarians are still looking at Montana as a possible site for their Free State Project. Granite County is on the short list of alternatives to New Hampshire. With the reliance that sparsely populated rural counties have on federal funds to operate and deliver services to their residents I am curious how the Libertarian platform would work in such an environment.

Yeah, Baby!

If Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld is unsure of his missing 'mojo', maybe he never had it.