Call Their Bluff

In order to get our government's out-of-control deficit under control, we can do one of the following: we can cut spending; we can raise taxes; or we can do a little of both.
President Obama wanted to raise taxes. That would have slowed down the economy but would have reduced the national debt.
The Republican majority wanted to cut spending. That would have hurt every government program and expenditure, including unemployment benefits and the war, but it would reduce the debt.
Cutting some taxes and reducing some spending would slow down the economy some and hurt government programs a bit, but it would probably have gone farthest in reducing the debt.
But the President and the Republicans have come up with an option which does nothing to reduce the deficit. The compromise that they have agreed upon will extend tax breaks for two years AND continue unemployment benefits. It neither raises taxes NOR reduces spending. It is the worst option imaginable. It is the status quo. The deficit will only get worse under this plan.
Why did Obama strike this deal? Because the Republicans, from what I've heard, were going to block any tax cut if they did not get a tax cut for the top earners in this country. Well, let them. That would mean that we would reduce the deficit, and if there was any backlash, they would take the blame. They were voted in to reduce taxes and ended up raising them? That would be political suicide. They are bluffing, and the President should have called their bluff.
Congress, however, still has a chance to call their bluff by voting it down.

Infomercial for Gold

I tuned into Glenn Beck today. He outlined for his audience a 16-day scenario for the devaluing of the dollar. This being supposedly the result of a leftist conspiracy to destroy our economy and establish a new world order. At one point, the dollar loses 10% of its value. It is pointed out at the same time that gold increases in value by 200%.
Even before the analysis is complete the show goes immediately to a commercial for Goldline International, telling people to buy gold. Other commercials for gold follow, of course, including one hosted by G. Gordon Liddy, the most trustworthy felon in the U.S., who did 4 1/2 years for masterminding the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in 1972.
Glenn Beck's program is an informercial for gold. His website does a fair job of selling it too. If you are reading this, please don't buy into it. His whole pitch is geared toward making a profit off of you. If this is obvious to you, congratulations. If it is not, wake up, someone is making a fool out of you.

From Mere Christianity

Just read this tonight and it makes sense. I'm taking this from C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, Book II: What Christians Believe, Chapter 4: The Perfect Penitent. Keep in mind that Lewis wrote this at a time when it was common to refer to humanity as "Man" and "Mankind." Here he asks "what was the sort of 'hole' that man had gotten himself into?" He answers (Lewis, not Mankind):

"He had tried to set up on his own, to behave as if he belonged to himself. In other words, fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms. Laying down your arms, surrendering, saying you are sorry, realising that you have been on the wrong track and getting ready to start life over again from the ground floor - this movement full speed astern - is what Christianity calls repentence. Now repentence is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means killing part of yourself, undergoing a kind of death. In fact, it needs a good man to repent. And here comes the catch. Only a bad person needs to repent: only a good person can repent perfectly. The worse you are the more you need it and the less you can do it. The only person who could do it perfectly would be a perfect person - and he would not need to."

Christians believe that Jesus was that perfect person.

Three days late, I fear, for those of us Catholics who voted this Tuesday, to consider. But, I just discovered this article, and decided to post it for the next election cycle:
http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=12531

No taxes? Not according to Stockman.

For those who say that we need to keep taxes low, let me ask you: how are we going to pay for the war? Both of them? How are we going to keep our children (and yes, every single child in this country is our child) educated, healthy and housed? How are we going to ensure that the Social Security that you and I have paid into all of our lives will be there for us?

We are going to have to not only cut spending, but raise taxes in order to balance the budget. Some say that will slow down the economy and is no was to go. But that just strikes me as a pitch for big business to hold on to as much money as possible. David Stockman, Ronald Reagan's budget director, said recently that "If we cut spending and raise taxes, it may slow down the economy even more, but that's, unfortunately, the choice that we face."

Stockman, in a recent NPR interview, said some enlightening things about the current economic crisis, and how both the Democratic and Republican parties are not facing up to the hard choices that we are going to have to make. He criticized the Republican Party's Contract with America, calling it "half right on some things, and...half baked on a lot of others." Specifically, the Contract calls for cuts in non-defense spending of up to 100 billion dollars, and Stockton points out that the deficit is 1.5 trillion and growing. In his estimation, "it's pretty obvious you can't get the job done." He also thinks that Obama is being disingenuous by saying that he will propose no new taxes on the middle class, or anyone who earns under $250,000.00. When asked if we are going to need to raise taxes on the middle class, this former budget director for one of the most conservative administrations in the 20th century answered: "Sure, absolutely. He should tell them, we're going to raise all your taxes because that's the only way we can support all these programs that I want to keep."

Stockman gives credence to the practical wisdom of reducing spending and raising taxes in order to get the government back in balance. We're going to have to bite the bullet. Stop talking about reducing taxes or making the Bush era tax cuts permanent. And by the way, all of you who consider yourselves patriotic Americans, raising taxes is a patriotic act. If you aren't willing to have your taxes raised in order to pay for the war, that is unpatriotic.

Petronella.mov

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.mov

Alice's Mayflower Mansion.mov

Why is Spelling and Punctuation so Important?

Recently, two gaffs by Guilford County Department of Transportation employees made regional, if not national news, and made us look like idiots. A road crew painted "SHCOOL" instead of "SCHOOL" on the newly paved road leading to Southern Guilford High School. Also, a few weeks earlier, the word "Guilford" was misspelled on a detour sign at Wendover Avenue near I-40, to "Guiliford." This made local news; WGHP covered it on both their television broadcast and their website. But a friend of mine told me that it was also reported as far as her new hometown of Downington, PA.

This seems to be following a national trend. A writer, Jeff Deck, took his friend, Benjamin D. Herson, on a trek across the nation to find typographic errors on street signs and to correct the mistakes if possible. The adventure is chronicled in the book "The Great Typo Hunt." Apostrophe "s"s where there should be plural "s"s, misspellings, and poor grammar line the streets and shops of America.

So, what's the big deal? Why is the spelling of "SCHOOL" and GUILFORD" important? Who cares about apostrophe "s"s anyway, you might be thinking. There are more important things to worry about. Everybody knows what is meant, right?

The point is that in no other English speaking country could I imagine that such a gaff would take place. It would be considered idiocy, precisely because it is such a small deal. If it is considered a part of a person's basic education to know the rules of the language that the person speaks, then anyone, under any circumstances, should not have a problem with using English properly. This is why employers ask if you have a high school education when you apply for a job, to make sure that the basics are covered. Frankly, to misspell "SCHOOL" directly outside of a school is not just plainly stupid, but is emblematic of the quality of education that we give our children in America.

American culture left behind much from European culture that it did not consider of practical necessity. We are a pragmatic people, and if there is no practical use for something, then we tend to ignore it, or to not waste time on it. This, taken to an extreme, can cause us to view rules such as avoidance of dangling participles to be of no consequence. In the "real world," we think, such things do not cost me money, do not get in the way of performing a task, and are therefore considered unimportant. "Who Cares?" may as well replace "E Pluribus Unum" as our national motto.

We commit the sin of ignorance combined with arrogance, acting like we rule the world while advertising by our actions that we are slipshod, careless, and don't take the time to be thorough in any endeavor that we undertake. We signal that we can easily have the wool pulled over our eyes, and in fact this has happened to many Americans, who did not take the time to read the contracts that they signed, or to understand the systems that run our society or the companies in which we invest. While poor grammar is in itself a small thing, it is an example of the sloth that has led us into the mess in which we find ourselves today.

America, stop being stupid!

Obama Cancels Offshore Oil Lease Sales in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico

More good news, in my opinion:
Obama Cancels Offshore Oil Lease Sales in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
I know that this shuts down potential sites for energy resources, but look at the larger picture. We really don't know how to handle offshore drilling safely, and spills such as the Deep Sea Horizon are unacceptable as business as usual. And we will need to move to cleaner energy sources sooner than later.

Looks like they capped it!

Well, it would be wrong of me to not mention a success - no matter how long awaited - in dealing with the oil spill. But, as you can see, a temporary measure to stop the oil from spewing out of the ocean floor into the Gulf of Mexico seems to have actually worked. Good!

Recording my music

I've been trying for the past month or so to record my music and sell it online. Earl Brackett (whom in a previous life was known to me as "Chip") turned me on to the site www.broadjam.com. Here composers, performers, and arrangers - all independent - post their music for review by fellow Broadjam members and sometimes place their music for sale. There are also opportunities to submit individual tracks for placement in television shows, movies, video games, in-flight DVDs, you name it. So, I got a Broadjam membership.

I've recorded three pieces so far, and posted them on my page. Two of them I have entered into licensing contests. It typically costs about $15.00 to enter a piece into a contest, so I have only done this twice. I got good reviews for my music. It remains to be seen if mine will be selected out of the thousands that must be entered into these contests.

I have listed all three of my selections for sale. It costs 99 cents to download, and I get 80 cents per sale. I will see that money quarterly, assuming that I make at least $20.00 in sales and I request it once a quarter. So far, one person has downloaded my music.

One of the pieces is "For the Gulf", a unique piece for hammered dulcimer with lots of 9th and 11th chords, which I dedicated to the Gulf of Mexico. It's a tranquil piece, which explores the beauty of the Gulf, from the waves that play on top of the water to its majestic depths. It's not about the current polluting of the Gulf waters, but a tribute to its beauty. It's gotten good reviews.

You can find my music at www.broadjam.com/lmkirwan. Enjoy, and please take the music with you if you like!

Here's a news item about the first attempted 24 hour flight of a solar powered plane, taking place as of this writing:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100707/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_switzerland_solar_adventure

Critical thought or emotional manipulation?

There is in our current culture a lack of knowledge on how to reflect critically, or even how to think critically, which has had a deleterious effect on our society, especially politically. In a talk given at the Music Personnel Conference 45 of the Association of Music Personnel in Public Radio, Lorna Ozman revealed how emotional appeals are more successful than intellectual appeals in persuading people, and are being used more often in everything from public radio fundraisers to political speeches. Short term memory resides in the left side of the brain, where logic takes place. Long term memory resides in the right side of the brain, where emotions are. If someone wants to say something that is memorable, they should appeal to the emotions of the listeners. Messages nowadays are less about facts and figures and more about the emotional reasons to take action.

Also, attention spans are shrinking. Sound bites have shrunk from 45 seconds in 1968 to 8 seconds today, according to Ozman. This is distressing. We are forgetting how to think critically, and instead are being emotionally manipulated by members the media, and are reacting emotionally when it comes time to make our most important decisions - what to buy, who to buy from, what policies to support, who to vote for.

Ever wonder why so many of us bought SUVs in the 90s? These were gas guzzling behemoths; it wasn't a smart buy, and with the average American family not exceeding 5 people, it wasn't a necessary buy. But advertisements for these vehicles appealed to our emotions. A bride ignores worried phone messages from her mother as she drives through the backwoods to the voice of the announcer saying, "Get away from it all in our new Isuzu Rodeo SUV." "It's never too late to have a happy childhood," says the announcer as a child in a mud puddle grows up to run his V6 Isuzu Rodeo through the mud. Neato! I'll buy one. Forget environmental concerns and my wallet. I want a Fun-mobile with a powerful engine. And when the price of a tank of gas rose to $3.00, you couldn't give those things away.

It's our own fault that they take this approach. We failed to watch news programs that were informative and challenging, and instead tuned into fluff and entertainment. In the end, the advertisers and the politicians gave us what they knew we wanted. We need to teach ourselves how to reflect critically, and then, by engaging in critical reflection, make it a part of our society again.

Case In Point: Unemployed Need Not Apply

Follow this link: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Outofwork-job-applicants-told-cnnm-3498252371.html?x=0. It is exactly the opposite of the Social Justice teachings that I posted before.

Seven Major Themes of Catholic Social Teaching

(This is particularly for my Catholic friends who might find this surprising!):

1) Life and Dignity of the Human Person - human life is sacred, and the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society.

2) Family, Community, and the Common Good - Being social beings, the ways in which we organize ourselves - economically politically, etc - affects not only isolated individuals but all of those in the network of human life. Participation in society is both a right and a duty. Seek the common good, especially for the poor and vulnerable.

3) Rights and Responsibilities - Every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Therefore, certain duties and responsibilities are held collectively by the community, and should promote human dignity and flourishing.

4) Option for the Poor and Vulnerable - here things might get surprising! We are to put, as a society, the needs of the poor and vulnerable first (Mt 25:31-46). How many of us put ourselves first, saying that people are poor because they deserve it, and therefore I shouldn't have to bail them out?

5) Solidarity - All human beings are linked in a web of life that is more fundamental than national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are to pursue justice and peace based on our essential similarity as beings created in the Image of God.

6) Work and Participation - all people have the right to participate in the economic, political and cultural life of society. Human dignity requires that all people be assured a minimal level of participation in society. When we work, we don't just work; it is a form of continuing participate in God's creation. The dignity of such work requires that a person has a right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization of joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.

7) Care for God's Creation - we do not really own God's creation; we are stewards of it. The goods of the Earth are intended for the benefit of all.

Congressman Assaults Student on Washington Sidewalk

Could BP have plugged the oil gusher sooner?

This is the second attempt by BP to cap the oil leak at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. The first attempt to put a cap on it didn't work because ice crystals formed in the line that was going to collect the oil and take it up to a tanker on the surface. The ice crystals clogged the line, so no oil could get up to the tanker, so it was a failure.

Is it just me, or does it seem like BP is only interested in collecting oil from that well? I mean, if ice crystals formed and plugged up the drain, that would have stopped the oil, wouldn't it? If so, and if your aim was to stop the oil, then it would have worked! But they couldn't transport the oil up into their ship, so it was a failure.

If someone knows more about this than I do, please feel free to correct me here.

I am finding myself a little reluctant to blog lately. I am trying to find work, to create music, and to build an audience. Saying the wrong thing on my weblog could alienate me from someone, close a door that I need open. I think this is why so many people do not talk about politics, religion, or anything controversial.

But I started this blog to stir things up, to get you thinking, to shake you up a bit. When that happens, your first response may be to proclaim strongly your own basic beliefs which the stated opinion contradicts, if not outright ignores. But then, as you hear yourself speak your beliefs out loud to someone else, you might get the sense that you haven't thought out your presumptions well enough. You may redefine and correct yourself, or maybe abandon your old presuppositions for newer ones that make better sense.

The Loyola Institute for Ministry taught Thomas Groome's critical reflection method, which is basically what I'm writing about here. I guess that this is my calling, to try to engage you in a reflection of what we hold dear, and it would be great to make a living doing that. Critical reflection is too important in our lives to neglect. We need to check ourselves once in a while to make sure we are going in the right direction, or to check whether or not we need to take a detour.

How to Clean Up the Oil Spill? Y'all tell me what you think of this.

This just might work. http://www.wimp.com/solutionoil/

A disturbing set of images of the Gulf of Mexico from Mashable.com:
http://mashable.com/2010/05/21/oil-spill-pictures/

Drilling Off the Carolina Coast? Don't Let It Happen!

In a slap in the face to environmentalists who supported them, President Obama proposed new drilling off the U.S. Coast about a month and a half ago, and North Carolina Gov. Perdue says they're going to drill off the coast of N.C. and there's little point in protesting it. After seeing what can happen with offshore drilling (and we haven't seen the worst of the Gulf oil spill yet), we can't not protest. We can't let them drill off the coast of North Carolina.

Think I'm being alarmist or out of touch with our energy needs? Too often we tend to think that everything will be alright with a risky situation as long as nothing bad happens. Well, that means that we will continue to take chances until something bad happens, and then it will be too late.

Well, something very bad has happened out in the Gulf of Mexico near the Louisiana/Florida coastline. We all know about what is destined to be the biggest environmental catastrophe in U.S. history (did we really need to outdo the Exxon Valdez oil spill?). At this writing, oceanographers predict oil plumes miles long will get caught up in the loop current that goes around the Florida Peninsula, and that it will damage the 221 foot long Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, one of the longest coral reefs in the world, and may travel as far as Cape Canaveral on the eastern side.

In spite of attempts to contain, disburse, and collect the oil, it is too late to stop this spill. But there's a spill waiting to happen on the coast of the Carolinas, and the only sure way to stop it is to prevent a well being drilled there in the first place. You may think that this is an extreme measure, but if so, do you really think that we can trust the skill and the knowledge of the oil companies after so many tankers run ashore and so many spills in the ocean? How many spills are acceptable to us? Carolinians, would you accept a spill along the North Carolina Outer Banks as being perfectly acceptable? An oil spill on some of the best beaches along the Eastern Seaboard? An oil spill at Nags Head? Kitty Hawk? Cape Hatteras? Duck?! Duck, N.C., one of the last undeveloped and unsullied beaches of the North Carolina Outer Banks. It would be just our luck that, if an oil spill did occur along the Outer Banks, it would happen in Duck, N.C.!

No, this is unacceptable! We won't have it! We don't need it! It's time to use clean and green sources of energy. Diesel drivers, did you know that your engines can run on vegetable oil right now? See http://www.biofuels.coop/general-information/faq//. Why drill for oil off the Carolina Coast when some of the best winds to power a turbine can be found off of Kitty Hawk! Why drive if it's close enough to walk? Human beings lived without gasoline-powered engines for millennia, and while no one wants to go back to the 11th Century, we can learn to live simpler lives.

Now, here's Gov. Bev Perdue's address and email:

Office of the Governor

Constituent Services Office
116 West Jones Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27603
Phone: (800) 662-7952 or (919) 733-2391
Fax: (919) 733-2120

governor.office@nc.gov

Write her and tell her that we do not want drilling off the coast of North Carolina. Also, her web address is http://www.governor.state.nc.us/forms/contact.aspx where you can write her the same message.

And don't forget the News and Observer:

http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/