Anniversaries of two wars… and the beat goes on
|
The last few days have marked two significant anniversaries. Continue Reading
A “Fortnight for Freedom” and the tyranny of belief
|
At the exact same time as the disastrous sectarian (religious) war in Syria and Iraq, another religious inspired event, an essentially covert religious “war” of its own, is being marketed in the United States. It began on June 21, Summer Solstice, and runs through July 4: a fortnight involving an annual natural phenomena, a national holiday and a religious initiative. It is quite a marketing package. Continue Reading
St. Jean Baptiste Day June 24: Adding to a conversation about heritage and culture
|
In Minneapolis, this Tuesday, June 24, the Canada Consul-General is hosting a celebration of St-Jean Baptiste, sponsored by Alliance Francaise de Minneapolis. The flier is here: La St-Jean Baptiste la Fete Nationale du Quebec. All are welcome, at a very moderate cost. Unfortunately, I’ll be out of state at the time of Fete de la St-Jean Baptiste. Otherwise, no question I’d be there. It will be a festive event. Continue Reading
Back to Iraq: The propaganda mill begins to churn…again
|
Pre-note: three interesting links at the end of this post.
First Comment from Kathy M, June 18:
To your point of questioning what our media tells us…You may have heard that the religious leader of Shia Muslims was fomenting violence. This article is considerably nuanced…complexity we Americans tend to overlook.
More comments at end of this post. Continue Reading
Swiftboating Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, an opportunity to change the narrative on war
|
The week just completed marked the 70th anniversary of D-Day (June 6) but the June 4, 2014, USA TODAY someone left in the McDonalds in Wahpeton ND, marks the true nature of “news” this past week. Indeed, the newspaper carried a long article on D-Day on page three; but the front page lead story was: “Bergdahl under new scrutiny”. A safe assumption: anyone who follows “news” knows who “Bergdahl” is, at least as portrayed in the media. Continue Reading
Thoughts on the VA hospital system
|
My family is chock-full of military veterans, including myself, thus the word “VA” is a readily recognized acronym. Continue Reading
Memorial Day and disabled survivors of war
|
About three weeks ago, my wife and I stopped downstairs after 9:30 Mass at Basilica for our usual coffee and conversation. Continue Reading
The new Saints… and the real ones
|
Two recent Popes were officially declared as Saints on April 27. Here is the flier which we Catholics could pick up yesterday at Mass, probably at all churches: Sts Jn XXIII and JP II001. Continue Reading
Gun rights and craziness around the country
|
PRE-NOTE: I had completed the entirety of the below post on April 16, but decided to hold off publishing till after Easter. Recent events, particularly in the Nevada ranch situation, make this a timely post. The overnight Just Above Sunset has a good summary on the current state of affairs. Continue Reading
Campaign finance and the meaning of Mary Burke
|
Yesterday, the United States Supreme Court gave even more political power to Big Wealth. My in-box was full of talk about what this means for the country. Since I’d be described, correctly, as “leaning Left”, you can guess where my chatter comes from. I often rely on Alan at Just Above Sunset to summarize what the Big People (the pundit class) are saying about what National Stuff means. So, if you’re interested, here’s his overnight post on McCutcheon and what people are saying it means. Continue Reading