The song has been posted

For those of you looking for Fr. Tim's song, it's on the Parish Website. Since I don't "BURN"*, you'll need to figure out how to get there all on your own. I'm confident in you guys. ;-)

For those wondering -- I'm still alive. I blog lots of stuff in my head as I see it happen; maybe there will be time this weekend to blog with the keyboard.

*BURN = Blog under real name.

Superfly

Those old enough to remember that movie will recall the theme some that began:

Fred is dead. That's what I said.

Just checked CNN and had that song jump back from the 1970's into my head, as I read that Fred Thompson had dropped out of the race.

Wonder what Huckabee's SC numbers would have been if Thompson weren't in the race last week? There's still a couple good horse races going on.

Sanford on Colbert: Here's the Video

Click here if the embed doesn't work.

Sanford on Colbert

Update: Video is here.

Our governor, described by Colbert as a boring manila envelope glued to a beige wall, was just interviewed by Colbert for a new segment: "Better Know a Governor."

I'll watch for the transcript. Highlights from what I can recall:

Last meal of BBQ? He'll choose mustard-based. (He wasn't asked to identify Maurice's or Melvin's, thank goodness.)

Colbert: In 2005, Time Magazine named you one of America's 5 most boring governors. ... Talk to us about the Mark Sanford nobody knows.
Sanford: [Begins talking about taking his sons out for walks in the woods.]
Colbert interrupts: Tell us about the Mark Sanford nobody cares about.

As part of a discussion of the Confederate flag, Colbert appears to state that the flag doesn't really symbolize slavery (at least not to him), since there aren't any pictures of slaves on it. Sanford tries to explain that symbols can carry meaning without always fully picturing the thing symbolized. That sets up and continued this conversation.

Colbert: There aren't any pictures of slaves on the flag, are there?
Sanford (begins): A crucifix doesn't have Jesus on it...
Colbert: Mine does. That's the difference between Catholics and you. That and the Pope. Also, Protestants are heretics.

I'll fix the quotes once they are available online. Comments with links to transcripts welcome.

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Time actually named Sanford one of the three worst governors in the US. Right up there with Taft of Ohio and Blanco of Louisiana.

Slow News Day, Slow Moving People

I listened to NPR longer than usual this AM, hearing what other people were saying about the upcoming Democratic primary here in SC. Good for you if you went to any of the rallies -- we opted to hibernate.

I had a leisurely breakfast of good-for-you waffles, followed by watching an episode of Homicide on cable. I learned (during interminably long commercial breaks) that there are many, many reasons why I might need a lawyer, and it's good thing that there are so many firms interested in looking out for my* best interests (*unless I happen to live in Florida, for which most of them seemed to exclude claimants.)

We had a great time last evening with the Jane Austen PBS viewing society. It was an excuse all the incentive I needed to get the silver tea service polished and set out the antique china. We had tea, strawberries on angel food cake with whipped cream and double chocolate muffins. I even wore a floral frock for the occasion. Given the chill outside, the rest of the guests dressed sensibly in jeans and fleece.

Izzy is grading for a bit, what he's done between naps this weekend. He's not contagious anymore (so don't worry if you were one of the Austenites), but his body is taking its own sweet time recovering from this cold. He's keeping the Barry White voice for a while (doubtless for my benefit), using it to sing silly songs to the cat.

I found a few minutes to surf the blogosphere and create a new post now that we've finished the laundry, vacuumed, put away all the silver, china and table linens, and I've completed updates on the church's web page based on things folks have emailed to me. Maybe that last item counts as "service" for the encouraged "MLK Day of Service." I just know I appreciated having nothing to do outside of the house this morning and afternoon.

Back to work tomorrow for a five day stretch (I'm teaching disaster preparedness on Friday AND Saturday.)

I'll head off soon to Bible Study, when I will also return the pyx I borrowed yesterday to bring home Holy Communion to Izzy. We had the rite of Communion for the sick, something we've done several other times when taking Communion to ill parishioners. It's a very moving thing to set up a TV tray, green fabric, and candle, a missal and a pyx and prepare to present Jesus to someone you love.

Fred & Mike & Jim

No, not a list of my brothers, tho it's not far off.

Fred Thompson, Mike Huckabee and Jim Cantore.

I got home from the grocery store, picking up juices and soups for Izzy, who has been a bit under the weather for the past 36 hours or so. I turned on the Weather Channel, and saw Jim Cantore, always a harbinger of meteorological crisis/disaster. Given the snow forecast for the upstate of SC tomorrow, I'm wondering how the turnout of the seriously conservative Republican electorate will be affected. I think Fred Thompson and Mike Huckabee are counting on those upstate voters.

Ought to be interesting. I'll bet little, if anything, will keep the "Paulists" home.

My 2nd favorite team

So, we watched the Duke game tonight. I hate, hate, hate when they wear the black shoes -- they play terribly. Their feet are too heavy to move quickly and efficiently. They are just clunky.

Late in the 2nd half, the boys in dark blue managed to come back to life, play despite the shoes, and win over Florida state, 70-59.

After that, I worked on the Bulletin and watched some DVDs with Izzy. (Thanks to the Mice for the loan of 3rd Rock.) At the end of an episode of All Creatures Great and Small, we turned off the DVD player and ESPN came back up, with Georgia Tech only two points (!) behind UNC.

Me: Go Jackets, Go Jackets, it's your birthday....
Izzy: Her favorite team? Duke. Her second favorite team? Whoever is playing Carolina.

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Update at 11:15 -- the heels escaped with another win (83-82). Crud. Tyler Hansbrough sure bleeds a lot.

Wintry Mix

We've had a bit of "wintry mix" falling here at the House of Chez Casa. Thought I'd share a rare sight on the Yahoo Weather page:



I stopped at the grocery story on the way home from work -- not thinking about the few impending ice droplets. Other were certainly preparing. The milk and bread sections were nearly bare -- folks had even scarfed up most of the low-carb bread.



We'll be fine in the AM, but Regional folks will be scarce at the statewide meeting tomorrow.

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Update: Dogwood got real snow! And then he got Mrs Dell, who owns proper winter attire, to pose in it.

Political Verbiage

Coming home tonight, I heard Mark Levine, a conservative radio host new to our local airways, scream that John McCain was running as General Patton and the Mike Huckabee was running as the Second Coming. Last week, Levine called these guys a war-monger and a false prophet (should be obvious which is which...) The more Levine and others like him go on about these guys, the more I think I might vote for one of them.

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The caller from the Huckabee campaign asked yesterday what it would take for me to lean more towards her guy than towards McCain. I told her that all Huckabee needed was more international experience. She sounded a bit deflated, but actually agreed with me when I told her that Pakistan has me spooked, and when I said that I'm now looking most at foreign policies and experience in selecting a commander in chief.

I've realized the social policies, as nice as they sound in these speeches and debates, are all subject to congressional gridlock. I'm unlikely to vote for anyone for president based on promises of legislation. Just doesn't look like bi-partisan collaboration is gonna happen anytime soon.

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We're watching the Las Vegas Debate whilst Izzy does grades (and super pokes a bit) and I type the bulletin. I think I just heard Barak Obama refer to appliances as "low hanging fruit." Gotta pay closer attention.

Guess what? Edwards is a Southerner! Son of a mill worker. Hunter. Gun owner. Who'd a thunk it?

Baptism

Heard in this morning's homily, as one reason for Christ's baptism

He was washed, because we were not clean.

Sunday Night Notes

1. From a blog comment elsewhere:

Ash Wednesday falls before Valentine's day this year. Therefore, giving up
chocolate truffles for Lent is not a good idea.

That writer seems pretty sure she's getting truffles. I want to make it clear that I have personally never given up jewelry for Lent...

2. From the Fox Sport South commentary team covering the Duke UVA game (Devils 87, Cavs 65, sorry Dogwood):

It seems to be that when this Duke team is playing at home, their shooters manage to get a lot of points, but when they are on the road, only their scorers seem to score.

Anyone out there wanna translate for me?

Thanks for calling; Don't leave a message

This from a local news story about the police in a little burg near here (one that has had a couple of recent murders, as well as on on-going meth problem.)

Gaston Police Department disbanded

Jan 9, 2008 10:10 PM EST
When we [WIS TV] called Gaston Police Chief Woddy Crider, we got a voicemail message saying, "This is Chief Crider, Gaston Police Department. Do not leave any messages. As of right now, council has disbanded the police department."

The article goes on to say that the entire police force has been laid off, due to lack of money to pay them. The town is under investigation for mismanagement of funds recently for travel and entertainment, maybe more? I particularly liked this bit of the article:

WIS News 10's Stewart Moore asked Chief Crider, "How does it make you feel to see that they're spending that type of money on personal endeavors and can't afford to pay the people protecting them?"

"I really rather not answer that," says Chief Crider. "I don't think it can be on TV."

Y'all be careful out there.

Winners and Losers and making change

Izzy and I arrived home later this evening from the high school basketball games, in time to see pundits trying to figure out why they still didn't know who had won the Democratic Primary in New Hampshire. I really like politics, so it was nice to be able to see when the "call" was made, and hear several of the speeches.

And speaking of hard-fought battles, both the boys and the girls round ball teams played their hearts out tonight. When I arrived at the game, Izzy was cheering just as hard as some of the folks who we've now been watching cheer on their winning and losing candidates. The girls got a great basket in the last 5 seconds to win by two; the boys missed a 1.3-seconds-to-go-shot and lost by two. It was great to see such pure effort and energy.

Great line from a speech or debate the other day from Mrs. Clinton: "I've been making change for the past 35 years." I think that folks who've spent 35 years making change (at the WalMart or Quik Stop?) might be Edwards voters. Might wanna change the line?

I last made change professionally in 1981--at my last Wendy's job. I guess I won't be running for president, but I also can't be accused of being a flip-flopper.

We've got our own version of March Madness coming up in this state over the next couple of weeks. I'm tempted to vote for the first person who points out that you can't spend all your time promising to make change, while calling anyone who had ever "changed" a "flip-flopper."

Let's see what the SC buzzword will be. "Promise"? "Hope"? "My own voice"? "Comeback"? "Momentum"? Are we ready for "Electability"?

Good News for the Upstate

The Christian Exodus folks may have found a new promised land.

From the local news station's story (from AP):

ANDERSON, SC (AP) -Christian Exodus leader Cory Burnell says his group's expansion to Idaho does not mean it is leaving Anderson.

Burnell says the organization's new development in Gem County, Idaho, is a branch of a continually growing group of conservative Christians who want to return to a limited form of government.

Burnell says the group's mission and direction in South Carolina have not changed. The organization plans to move families into Anderson County to influence local elections, then spread throughout South Carolina.

Burnell says about 15 families have moved to South Carolina as part of his organization, but Burnell has not moved here.

I have always loved the fact that the people who want to change the world by changing SC haven't bothered to move to SC.

From their Fall 2007 newsletter (emphasis mine):

Several Christian Exodus members realize that due to commitments to extended family or other reasons, they will not be moving to South Carolina.

They believe in the Christian Exodus philosophy of accelerating the return to self government by Biblical principles through planned migration, local representative government, and the interposition of the lesser magistrate. They withhold blind allegiance to human government as a supreme power, and recognize its proper function as a servant of the people- to protect and preserve their God given civil rights.

Idaho is recognized as a place where individual freedoms are still somewhat respected, and where one might raise up their children in the way they should go, rather than in the way that government indoctrination centers would lead them. Idaho is perhaps the most home-school friendly place in America. No government notification is required, nor any reporting of curriculum or progress in schooling.

As a recommended area of settlement, Gem County strikes a balance in the state between a rural area with economical real estate prices, and yet it is within commuting distance to the metropolitan areas of Boise and Nampa.

If you are interested in settling in Idaho, you may contact the local host-home coordinator...

What other reasons could there be for not moving to SC? How did members "realize" this? Also, for those not as familiar with the lingo, government indoctrination centers are public schools. CE families want do as they please without any accountability for their children's education. Sounds like a great idea -- no government interference with your children's education, but I've seen this work badly in some families we knew in Texas. I imagine that these weren't isolated incidents.

In any case, I cannot imagine that these folks will make a bigger change in Idaho than they did here, which is pretty much nil.

From John 17:15-18

I do not ask that You take them out of the world but that You keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As You sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world.

We're still alive

We're back from the beach, where we had no internet access most of the week, unless we drove up to a sandwich store. Izzy went up several times to upload grades and comments, and I accompanied him twice. Otherwise, I got my news from the TV, had almost no contact with work people, and read quite a bit of a book.

Oh, and watched lots of coverage of the Iowa Caucases, me for fun and Izzy as a tolerant spouse.

Happy & Warm Couple
Originally uploaded by Dogwood Dell

Here we are just before our champagne New Year's toast on the beach. Thanks to Dogwood for the shot, and to both of the Dell's Gashwin for the bday cake. (I actually had some Thursday when I had a blood sugar serious low -- much tastier than OJ -- yummers!)

We're back, laundry is finishing, and I'm hoping the meds for the head cold allow me to sing in the AM.