![]() |
||
| REVEREND
MICHAEL HEATH'S WEB PAGE
----- a place for folks who are
sometimes confused and overwhelmed by the events reported in the media, unsure about their religious and political beliefs, but, who don't buy into the simplistic explanations offered by popular conservatism. The Web Page is a place to analyze and offer opinions about important and complex issues as well as to poke fun at the Rush Limbaugh mentality. It's for those who like to laugh, question authority, and, unlike the religious right, think sex is great. It's a quirky place to keep up with important and off beat stories. Hi.
My name is Michael Heath and I'm 59 years old. I am an ordained
minister and a state licensed and nationally People
say I don't talk or act like a
minister and yet they also say they love my sermons and
the articles I write as The
topics vary. Although I am trained in theology and psychology,
I love
politics, television and movies, sex in *** *** *** |
|
5 15 2008 Videos and Notes from Rev. Heath on Bridge Street Now Available This is so cool ! Now you can view or download podcasts of my It's All Relational segments on Bridge Street for the last twelve months: 1) go to : www.9wsyr.com , 2) locate the search boxes locatd just below the Channel 9 Banner 3) from the drop down menu located to the left of the page select "search video" 4) from the search box located to right of the drop down menu type in "Michael Heath" 5) click "Go" or go to : http://www.9wsyr.com/search/videosearch.aspx?search=michael+heath Outlines and comments from Rev. Heath's regular mental health segment, "It's All Relational", seen on 9 WSYR's show, Bridge Street, (airing Monday through Friday at 10:00 on the ABC) can now be seen here at this website but please be patient. We are up loading back segment as rapidly as we can. Later, Michael ********************************************* 5 9 2008 When Worlds Collide: Role Conflicts between Mom and Wife Mother’s Day is certainly a time for flowers and cards and kind words of appreciation but it is also an excellent opportunity to address a common difficulty found in many marriages: the conflicting roles of mother and wife. If we really want to honor moms we need to better understand the difficult obstacles women face when they try to coordinate the complex and sometimes contradictory roles of mother and wife. Women have been acculturated to tolerate and not complain about unreasonable or even impossible challenges. The simple limits of time and energy plus the conflicting demands of these divergent jobs (e.g. having to clean up after Tommy throws up or checking Suzy’s homework and also being in the mood to be a hot seductress in the bedroom) can create marital squabbles which are confusing and difficult to sort out. Here are some tips to help families better understand and more successfully deal with these these conflicts. -- Express your awareness of the difficulty of her job and appreciation for what she does: Moms generally don’t mind sacrificing but it is no fun to be unappreciated or taken for granted. Many of the things moms do on a daily basis require special effort and forgoing things they would like to do. Sometimes families become so accustomed to this extra effort that they take it for granted and forget to say thanks. -- Re-Assess your Expectations: There are only twenty-four hours in the day. Many young couple’s beliefs are unrealistic about how much can be to juggled in a family. Women, as well as men, often expect too much from mom, i.e. they think she can do more than is realistic. Moms are expected to be a combination of June Cleaver, Nancy Pelosi and Angelina Jolie. No matter how much a person tries, no one can do it all. There is simply not enough time or energy. Having realistic expectations help couples pare their must-do lists to more reasonable levels. -- Communicate and Negotiate: It is not fair to automatically assume Mom will do all the sacrificing and doing without. It is important to realize that each couple is free to make decisions which are right for them. There is no one or right way. It is all negotiable. Sometimes things you want to do with your partner will have to wait because of the kids. At other times a couple’s needs will take precedence over the kids. And at other times individual needs must come first. Whatever the decision, the process of open discussion increases the odds of making good choices that wear well. -- Learn to Prioritize and Sequence: Managing conflicting obligations is just like being at the bakery. Your obligations need to take a number, get in line and wait their turn. Figuring out what is most important and what needs to be done first helps other jobs to fall into place. With planning and a calender, familial, marital and individual needs can be addressed — but not all at the same time. Although its frustrating to wait, remembering that your number will eventually come up helps us to cope. Learning to wait your turn becomes easier with practice. While many believe that good families just work naturally, the fact is the natural state is conflict. The more couples realize that it takes hard work to coordinate the multiple roles involved in family life, the better chance they have to successfully coordinate them. The Rev. Michael Heath, LMHC, Fellow AAPC , prepared these remarks for Bridge Street -- May 9,2008 ********************************* 3 /16/2008 Jeremiah Wright, Barack
Obama The media
bombshell over
Barack Obama’s minister, Jeremiah Wright, It is
important to know that the
UCC goes back to Plymouth rock,
As a white
psychotherapist, I
think the Wright videos are When Perhaps Obama
can show us a
third way: neither emotionally Talking about
race relations
is difficult but we must not shoot the Rev. Michael
Heath
************************************************ Chicago
Illinois, Friday, August 6, 2007:
The
Chicago Cubs announced that
Fayetteville NY
resident Michael Heath is a semi-finalist in the Chicago Cubs Ultimate 7th Inning Stretch Contest. Heath auditioned by singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” at Wrigley field on July 27th. He now will compete online via his audition video at the Chicago Cubs baseball web site www.cubs.com on Friday, August 10th. There, fans will be asked to choose their favorite video from five semi-finalists shown that day. The
7th Inning Stretch is a
Wrigley Field
tradition started by legendary announcer Harry Carray during which a celebrity leads the crowd in singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”. This year the Cubs are holding a competition to find the Ultimate Fan whose first place prize will be to lead the singing during the 7th Inning Stretch at a Cubs game in September. Shown
above, Heath, 58, celebrates his
successful audition at a popular sports bar across the street from Wrigley Field. Rev. Heath, an Illinois native and lifelong Cubs fan, is a licensed psychotherapist (http://hoome.twcny.rr.com/michaelheath), United Church of Christ minister and social commentator (www.dreamscape.com/mheath)who has lived in the Syracuse area since 1976 and now resides with his wife Monica in Fayetteville.This is the message received by Rev. Heath notifying him of his selection as a semi finalist: Congratulations!
You
have been selected as a __._,_.___ 4 11 07 Understanding
the Imus
Slurs: The Psychology of Bigotry Much of
the media storm over
Don Imus’ “nappy headed hos” comment
Anger and
fear are the basis
of racial and misogynist humor. The Imus
problem is not
simply about one big mouthed shock Perhaps
the moral of the
Imus story is a sober lesson about Rev.
Heath is a licensed psychotherapist, an ordained UCC minister ******************************************************* 4 10 07 Hi again, Its been a while and it seems like Spring willl never come to Upstate NY. If you haven't yet seen the Discovery Channel's 11 part Planet Earth series, give it a try. If at all possible in High Definition with an 1080p monitor . It is simply staggering ! I feel like a little kid who has come to a strange land. Our planet is truly amzing. Monica and I travel alot and I always felt I had seen alot this planet has to offer but watching this show I realize I have only experienced a tiny spec of te majesty of God's creation. To see and learn about the many wonderful and unusual creatures in such incredible color and detail is memorable. To realize that we who dwell on the earth share our planet with so many other species remiinds me that we are all apart of the huge circle of life. This show is an inspires one's sense of the holy and is truly awesome. Michael *********************************************************** 12 20 06 Merry Christmas and Here's to a better New Year! Michael 10 25 06 The Scandal that No One Cared about: The Military Commissions Act of 2006 and the Destruction of American Values I’m suffering from outrage fatigue. The toll of the Bush administration on my moral sensibilities has been enormous. There are only so many times a person can get worked up over the bad news of government misdeeds and incompetence. The list is so long: the secret energy meetings with Cheney, Hussein’s WMD, the whole Iraq war mess, Abu Ghraib, the Katrina response or lack thereof, the NSA wire tapping and the water boarding of captives, to name just a few. And now, perhaps worst of all, the Military Commissions Act of 2006. Although this law would eliminate the great writ of our constitution, the writ of habeas corpus, few seem to care. I suppose mental overload and exhaustion accounts for the general indifference and why the protests to the new legislation have been so few in number and low in intensity. That said, like a football coach once said to me late in a game, “I don’t care how tired you feel, you have to go out there and hit ‘em hard.” Just because the bill is a done deal doesn’t mean we should stop talking. Just because this law is likely to be ruled unconstitutional is no reason to be silent. While I can understand the weariness of the average Democrat, I’m ashamed of the way some Democratic legislators, having checked their focus group numbers, went along with Republicans and voted for the bill. Tired or not, here are some things that must be understood about this horrible law: This bill gives the president the sole power, through military commissions, to determine an prisoner’s status and thus if s/he will have a chance to defend him/herself. If it is legal, s/he isprotected through regular Geneva convention rules. If a person is found to be of unlawful status however, s/he may be locked up indefinitely without being told why and without counsel or any process to challenge the ruling or prove his/her innocence. In other words, the very heart of our nation’s unique gift to civilization and jurisprudence has been ripped out. Denying habeas corpus means that all civil rights are obliterated for the suspect. And one more thing... this law applies to American citizens as well as foreigners. The full implications of this law are difficult to comprehend because they are so antithetical to the values Americans have cherished since the beginning of our country. To call this act Kafka-esque is not an exaggeration. A military commission controlled by the president declares the status of a prisoner. There is no oversight or review of these decisions. Once a person is determined to have unlawful combatant status, (that is not a uniformed member of a national army), there is no way for that determination to be challenged. The person is not allowed to see evidence against him/her or, have meaningful legal representation to dispute the charges. This latest and most egregious assault on our liberties has eliminated the cornerstone of our Bill of Rights and the legal protections due process guaranteed to every American citizen. Lawyer and Constitutional scholar, Jonathan Turley called the bill’s passage a shameful thing that revoked over two hundred years of American values. Despite all the rhetoric to paint those who care about civil liberties as weak on national security, we know that terrorism can be fought effectively without discarding the constitution or abandoning our core values. While the Bush administration has responded to the terrorist threat by expanding his presidential powers, voters can stem this tide in November and send a clear message to Congress to obey our Constitution and reign in the executive branch. We must learn to deal with our anxiety over terrorism without stooping to the level of terrorists. We must not panic. We must trust in the genius of our constitutional system and believe that, especially in dangerous times, its structure and due process is the true source of our nations strength and greatness. Later, Michael ******************************************************* 8 16 06 A couple more things. Keith Olbermann did a good job Monday (8 14 06) on Countdown, demonstrating how the Bush administration has diverted media attention away from negative news stories by issuing bogus terror allerts the day after the damaging news stories broke. He reviewed 11 instances, beginning from 2002, and each alert turned out to be baseless or founded on information which was years old. Let's not manipulate public fear for political gain or anything. Also, Seymour
Hersh’s article in the New Yorker
is very disturbing. Even
though Rice and all the generals (except from the Air Force) are Hersh has
been writing for a long time about Bush’s desire to Peace, Michael ______________________________________________________ 8 15 06 Back from a litle vacation and am in love with Chicago, again. If you haven't walked in Millenium park, experienced the "Cloud" or taken a water taxi to see the best skyline in the world give it a try. Also visited Toronto where we saw Spam a Lot. What hoot. Enjoy the rest of the summer. Later, Michael ___________________________________________________________ 5 17 06 Three cheers Her comments came in the wake
of reports that Republicans will introduce failuresin scandals, manyof the party faithful are so desperate they are willing to try anything to avoid massivecongressional losses in the fall. The worry is that conservative voters may simply stayhome and not vote on election day. With Bush approval ratings falling below thirty percent, Rove has to deal with voters who not only have lost confidence in thepresident but who also blame Republicans country’s serious problems. Playing on fears about
homosexuality was a tactic which
was used successfully While Rove’s strategy is a powerful
tactic, it is not invincible. Attitudes
toward
Defeating the Republican ploy
will not be easy. It will require
courage and The 2006 elections are more
than an opportunity Later, Michael --------------------------------------------------------------------------4 19 06 Check out the National Geographic documentary on the Gospel of Judas. Truth is is always a matter of what one beleives . More Later, Michael ******************************************************** 3 /21/06 Let' get the bad news out of the way first: --We are at the third anniversary of the Iraq war. The war which according to Rumsmfeld and Cheney said was supposed to last, at most, "six months" has now lasted 3 years. The war which was not supposed to cost taxpayers a dime (since it would be paid for by Iraqi oil) has cost almost 300 billion dollars and over 2300 American lives. The war whose people were to have greeted us as liberators but who 8 out of 10 want us to leave is bogged down in a civil war between Sunni and Shiite factions. -- The Democrats, except for Russ Feingold and a few others, still do not have a spine and flounder to take on Bush with a specific counter plan on anything. Shame on Hilary for trying to hide by Congresswoman McClusky to avoid reporters who wanted to ask her how she felt about censuring the president. Some good is out there, too : --Poll after poll shows that Americans have had it with Bush, the war and GOP -- for now anyway, who knows about in the next elections. --It is clear that Republicans are beginning to back away from the president. --Prominent Republicans have opposed the prez on the domestic spying, the Iraq war and the Dubai port security deal. --Even the hand picked loyalist audience who are allowed to attend the presidents speeches are daring to askg tough questions. This is great because Bush is terrible when he goes extemp. The latest amazing Bush response was that he denied that he ever linked Saddam Hussein and 9/11. What ?? Who was that, his evil twin who gave the State of the Union Speech in 2003? As Keith Oberman said on Countdown, "Who does he F--'ing think he is kidding ! Oh ... Kevin Phillips has a great new book out : American Theocracy. He talks about the danger of being emeshed with those who see terrorism and the Iraq war as literal signs of the immenent Apocalypse. oh oooooh. Anyway, life is good and Spring is here ! Later, Michael *********************************************** 1/4/06 Happy New Year ! In reviewing 2005 I came across several things that kept me sane and happy in what was a very difficult year : Television and Books. Not just any TV: -- Comedy Central - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart -- Classic 30's movies of Turner Classic Movies (TCM), -- HBO series, especially Rome. -- The History Channel - Rome: Engineering an Empires and Banned from the Bible. -- Public Television, especially Nova's The Elegant Universe and The American Experience on Newton, Einstein and Kinsey. Three books were outstanding: Jimmy Carter's Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis Bart Ehrman's Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why and Ray Kurzweil's The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology I'll have more on these later, Cheers, Michael ********************************************** 12/12/05 If you have Christmas shopping to do, I have some great ideas. The History Channel has two dvd's that are knock outs: -- Banned from the Bible @ 29.99 and --Rome: Engineering an Empire also @ 29,99. For readers: -- Ray Kurzweil's The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology @ 19.77 through Amazon.com is mind boggling. --Bart Ehrman's Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the the Bible and Why @ 16.47 also through Amazon.com. is a great deconstruction of fundamentalist or "bible based" theology. Banned from the Bible reviews eight extra canonical books which were popular at the time of the early church but were deemed, not only, not the "holy word of God" but dangerous for the faithful and suppressed. What is interesting is that these books were well known to writers of the New Testament but were later deemed unfit for Christians. Bart Ehrman's book Misquoting Jesus is good redaction scholarship done in a readable form . The transformation of his personal beliefs is as interesting as his biblical scholarship. He changed from a fundamentalist Christian who was certain about his beliefs and understanding of the Bible into one who realized much of the original texts are simply to vague to be understood with precision. He came to realize that many of the basic notions of conservative Christianity were simply later concoctions of the early church and were not apart of original biblical texts. As he described it, he went from being a "hard core evangelical to a happy agnostic." Ray Kurzweil the Singularity is Near sounds like science fiction but is not. He talks about the advent of nanobots, i.e., molecular sized computer chips which will be introduced to our brain to create a biological- computer hybrid. The result is to increase our knowledge by the power of a 20 billion and eradicate disease as we know it. His estimate for this singularly defining event is 20 years from now ! Finally, Rome: Engineering an Empire is just terrific for anyone who likes ancient Rome and is interested in the history of technology. I loved it. Happy Holidays ! Michael ***************************************** 11/22/05 Happy Thanksgiving ! With all the craziness in the world, it is good to take time to reflect and put things in perspective. Make lists of things you are greatful for. Here is a quick list ( not counting my wife, family or friends) of mine. -- Jack Murthra's speech -- Senator John McCain for condemning Bush's exemption for torture. -- the voters of Dover Pennsylvania -- President Jimmy Carter and his new book Our Endangered Values. -- and for when I can't take it any more ... the Turner Classic Movies channel and HBO's series Rome . later, Michael *********************************************** 8 15 05 I know it has been rough for many since the November election but we have to get it together. Shame on NARAL for putting together such a sloppy and in accurate add. It was embarassing. We have to accept the fact that we lost the election and the winning side will be doing things we won't like. Anticipating difficult political changes does not justify our side stooping down to the swift boat ad level. We have to accept the world will go on spinning even if Roe v Wade is overturned. We have to look ahead to the next elections and stop the encroachment of the religious right. Shifting gears, the finale of Six Feet Under airs next Sudnay at 9:00 on HBO. I'll have more to say about that later and I hope you see it. I think the issues raised over the years are worth reflecting on. Six Feet Under has not been consistent or even in quality over the five seasons but it has been the only game in town for those who are willing to engage an intelligent dialog about issues connected with the taboo topic of death. I didn't love any of the characters but I will miss the series. Later, ************************************************* 5 3 05 I can't believe it. The end must be near. Have you heard Laura Bush's comments at the National Corespondents Dinner ? She was very funny but more amzaing, completely human. The formerly uptight, goody- two- shoes librarian came off as a "desperate housewife" who wasn't getting any because "Mr. Excitement" was asleep by nine oclock. She also went on to say that she, Lynne Chaney, Condi Rice and Karen Hughes went to the Chippendale's show. The real topper was when she told how George had grown as a rancher from when he tried to milk a horse... a male horse. Can you believe it? The most conservative first lady ever killing with a d--- joke. Mayabe there is hope for change . What is even more fun is to listen to the religious right nuts gasp their shocked denunciations. Later... 2 19 05 - Back from Jamaica, well rested and ready to rejoin the struggle against theocracy again. An item which is funny but angering is the fake White House journalist who in addition to his right wing bias turns out to be a gay prostitue who perhaps is "dating " someone in the Bush White House. Notice how the networks have barely touched this story. If this had been Clinton, in stead of Bush, there would have been hearings and calls for impeachment . Why are the Democrats such cowards ? Come on Howard, make some noise ! Later .... Michael ************************************************& 12 5 04 Pardon me while the steam comes out of my ears. What is up with NPR ? As a United Church of Christ minister and
a long and
loyal listener to At first I thought the report was going
to chastise the
networks If this were an isolated incident I
wouldn’t be so
concerned For people who do not bow down to the
extremist ideology Rev. Michael Heath Rev. Heath is a certified
psychotherapist, ordained minister
in 11 1 04 -- Hello again. Back from Paris, well rested and ready for a new adminstration. With just a day to go before the most important election of our generation, I feel good. Although neither Kerry or Bush has a significant lead in the polls,I believe Kerry will win. Over the week end his numbers have edged up. The New York Time’s story about the lost weapons from Al Caca and the “I’m still here “ video from Osama Bin Laden have further weakened Bush’s support. By contrast undecided voters are increasing. My hunch is that these are soft Bush supporters who have lost confidence in him. I believe the anti war sentiment along with invigorated college voting and new registrants will put the Dems over the top. John Zogby told Jon Stewart on Thursday’s The Daily Show that he thought Kerry would win. That is a remarkable statement given most pollsters say it’s too close to call. He cited historical trends that the undecideds tend to break for the challenger and no president has won an election with under 50% support. Bush’s numbers are stuck at 47-48%. Further even repulicans like William Crystal have said he does not think the final tally will be that close. There are more of us than them. If we vote we win. Remember this election is all about turnout. I know we are motivated and will turn out. If we get 57%, despite all the Republican efforts to throw out registrations and supress voting and disallow democratic ballots - it won’t matter – Kerry will still win. This has been a draining campaign. The stakes are high so above all : VOTE !!!!!!!!!! later, Michael ******************************************** 6 27 04 -- Hello again. A lot has been going on and Summer has returned to upstate NewYork. The Reagan passing was merciful.I never liked the guy politically but I found him very hard to dislike personally. I grew up ten miles from his hometown in Dixon, Illinois. I have visited his home there. I liked him with Errol Flynn in Santa Fe Trail (Michael Curtiz, 1940). What is amazing is that next to GW Bush Reagan appears almost moderate. As the presidential campaign slogs along I am glad that John Kerry has not peaked too soon. He seems to be an expert at that, (vbg) Later ... 3 27 04 Hang on to your hats ! The Clarke expose is going to burst the Bush juggernaut and help us to get past the trauma of 9/11 by looking at the facts. It will be rough though. When its over we all will have had valuable lessons in both civics and political propaganda. ----- Michael 1 21 04 A belated Happy New Year ! I want to apologize for those who view this page with Internet Explorer. Recently and for some unknow reason the page, which is composed on Netscape Composer, looks different ( messed up ) when viewed with IE. I'm trying to fix this but if anyone has a clue as to why this could happen please write at : mheath@dreamscape.com Thanks Michael 11 23 03 Remembering JFK 40 Years After It has been 40 years since President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas Texas but the TV images of that unthinkable ordeal are as vivid as ever. I hope you take time to look at the various articles and shows which are available. Two, in particular, stood out for me. Peter Jennings narrated ABC's : The Kennedy Assassination - Beyond Conspiracy. I must admit that, prior to viewing the report, I was one of these who thought Kennedy was killed by a conspiracy and that two guns were involved in the shooting. Having watched the show, I now believe that there was no conspiracy and that Lee Harvey Oswald acted along. The other program was an A& E biography of President Kennedy. As I watched , I was struck by how fortunate we were to have JFK during the Cuban missile crisis. His calm but determined "quarantine" both protected American shores and prevented a nuclear world war. His middle path was measured and resisted his general's advise to retaliate with military attacks or invasions. Although, of late, he has been criticized for his sexual addiction, John Kennedy was not insecure about his manhood. He was a real military hero as well as a man of brilliant intellect. He did not have to huff and puff to show he was strong. I shudder to think what could have happened if George W. Bush was president then. Can you envision W. squaring off with Nikita Khrushchev ? Given the tension of that moment, can you imagine the impact a "bring it on" comment could have had on world peace? It gives me chills. Let us remember and give thanks for John F. Kennedy and his great leadership. Later .... Michael **************************************** 10 20 03 The Cubs aren't in the World Series this year and it is still to painful to talk about it but ..... they season was quite a ride. I can't wait 'til next year. Later .... Michael *************************************** 7/12/03 Bush Employs a
“Faith
Based” Recently, when asked why he used false
reports about Mr. Thielmann’s allegation is not an
isolated one. At first, public reaction to these reports
was so Apparently as long as we are told that war
will make us
safer Ironically, like his predecessors Nixon and
Clinton, Bush is
getting into trouble for not being able to admit that he made a
mistake.
Everyone, including the great ones, make mistakes. If the president
would
simply admit that he exaggerated and let his personal beliefs color
intelligence analysis, much of the controversy would end. President Bush’s responses thus far,
however, have been
quite different. He has blamed the media
for creating a feeding frenzy. He has denied that the CIA told him the reports he cited were false. Since the intelligence scandal broke, the
president has changed his tune. Until recently, Bush
has claimed defiantly that Bush’s obstinacy is a sad and great failing
on his part. While
many are grateful to President Bush for his strong leadership during Later, Michael
******************************************************
5/5/03 -- What a day. Have you heard some of the stories that came out today ? Each is more bizarre than the other. - Bill Bennett exposed with serious gambling addiction. The self declared czar of public morality and pomposity is reported in the latest edition of Newsweek as having multi million dollar gambling losses including a 380 thousand dollars lost in one weekend at Atlantic City. - It was revealed by Molly Ivans that Vice President Dick Chaney's and Donald Rumsfeld's choice for a major leadershipposition in post- war Baghdad, Ahmed Chalabi, was convincted, in absentia, for millions of dollars worth of bank fraud in Jourdan. - Worst, the EPA has admitted that the Bush administration rates older people as less valuable when conducting cost benefit analyses for things like air quality and pollutiion control estimates. In other words losing a few older people counts less than losing younger folks in its calculus. For example, if you are over 70 your life is considered 16% less valuable than some one under 70. I can't imagine who came up with these 1984 style calculations but suffice it to say that the only "people" Bush seems to value are the unborn fetuses. On the bright side ... the Cubs are in first place. Later, Michael 3/ 6/03 PNAC, NOT IMMINENT THREAT, Have you ever heard of the “Project for the New PNAC started in the mid 90's when a group of I know all of this sounds just like another wild While it is disturbing to learn that our It seems reasonable for Congress to conduct Later ------ ******************************************** 2 26 03 -- My heart is very sad. In their infinite wisdom - er
stupidity - the Veterans committtee of Baseball's Hall of Fame
voted and Ron Santo came up short. I don't know what they
were thinking.
Ron I can't believe how shallow the Veterans Committee was. Shame on them. The only thing bad you could say about was that he had the misfortuen to play for the the Chicago Cubs - by far the worst major league baseball team of the 2nd half of the 20th century. When Ron played, however, they were exciting. He and the other Hall of Famers : Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Ferguson Jenkins were great just not great enough. At one point of the 1969 All Star game, every player on the field for the national league was a Cub. That majical year taught me a lot about life, sucess, and disappointment. In mid August of '69 they were in first place by 9 games. For reasons that still torment me, they lost 28 of their remaining 32 ballgames. In stead of winning the National League pennant or a a World Series they finished 2nd, 8 games back of the Mets. To some folks if you don't win in major league sports you're a loser. But not to me. Ron Santo is a winner to everyone who knows him and who enjoys the game of baseball. He is and always will be enshrined in my personal the Hall of Fame and in the hearts of all Cubs fans. I guess that is what really counts. We don't need Cooperstown to tell us what we already know. Ron, you are a Hall of Famer and don't let anyone tell you other wise. Later ... _______________________________________________________ 2 25 03 – Sorry its been so long. I’m just back from Negril Jamaica and the experience has restored my emotional equilibrium. -- Bush's belligerence continues to be the topic which bugs me the most. It is so hard to accept that I live in a country which elected him president. ( Oh .... wait a minute we didn’t elect him president. Gore got a 1/2 a million more votes.) He is so isolated . He doesn’t understand why the rest of the world sees him, not Saddam Hussein, as the biggest threat to peace. My hope is that we, as a nation, will stand up to this man and reject his war plans. I witnessed a great president, Lyndon Johnson, go down over a bad war and I think it is clear to everyone that W is no LBJ. There is still time. Anyway, there are some very positive signs: Bush’s popularity numbers are dropping. Pro Peace turnouts through out the world and here at home have been outstanding, and even Time Magazine’s cover this week lampooned Bush in an Uncle Sam costume, asking, “Do you want this war ? Our job is clear. We need to speak up, protest, write our representatives and say NO to Bush’s war. – Oh oh ... before I forget. This is really big. As a treat I bought the entire X-File series on DVD. Monica and I are watching it episode by episode to finally figure out the alien myth plot ( as well as to just enjoy David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson ) . Anyway, one of the extras you get on the DVDs is the deleted scenes from the pilot. When we checked them out they were really interesting. One scene revealed that Scully had a boyfriend. In it she went to his office to tell him she had to go to Oregon to check out an X File. In the 2nd deleted scene, when Muldur calls Scully late at night, she is in bed with her boyfriend, Ethan Minette, who was played by Tim Ransom. All of this got me to wonder how much better the series would have been if they had kept him. For five years we watched a sexless Scully. The only time she ever came close to passion was with Eddy Blunt ( who she thought was Mulder). Oh well, what might have been ! – As we move into March, the Syracuse University basketball team is playing very well. This is a very young team but I think there will be some real excitement come tournament time in the Big East and the NCAA’s. – Spring training has begun and it is the most wonderful time
for Cub fans. We have hope. We have a new and great manager in
Dusty Baker and we have some great players. Maybe Kerry Wood will
win twenty this year and Mark Prior will shine. Sammy is back and
all is well. Let's hope the kids, Patterson, Hill and Choi will come
into
their own. To complete the picture Moises just has to have a better
year
than last year's injury ridden one. Being a Cub fan for 45 years – Finally, tomorrow the Hall of Fame Veterans' Committee will vote and God willing, Ron Santo will be elected in to the Hall of Fame. I look forward to being there in Cooperstown in July to see him receive this long over due recognition. Later .... ____________________________________________________ 12 18 02 – Lott’s in the news . He’s gone. The only question is whether he can swallow the humiliation of being deposed as the Republican leader in the senate and go back to being just a plain old racist senator from the South or if he will leave congress the way Newt did before him. - Cardinal (above the) Law is gone as Archbishop of Boston and
his next stop may be jail. What is amazing is that he is still a
cardinal. It makes one wonder: What does a Cardinal have to do to
- We still are not at war and public opposition to going to war is growing. It is not too late to stop this President’s insanity. -I was sad to hear Al Gore say he wasn’t running for prez in 2004, but maybe it is for the best. It is ironic too because he was so funny on SNL. Some folks just can’t grab public popularity no matter what. The guy won the popular vote by over a million votes and yet people see him as a loser. Maybe it is John Kerry’s turn. As for Lieberman, I think he should convert – to being a Republican. Later ... 10 26 02- Just before I prepared this I heard the terrible
news
about Senator Paul Wellstone. He was a great man. He had clear vision
and
was not ashamed of his liberal and peace loving point 10 25 02 - It has been a while. September was a
terrific month that I took off for the most part spending two wonderful
weeks in Paris and having more fun than a person should be allowed
to Since returning I have been flustered and not clear about what
to write . Iraq is the issue but deciding how to approach it was very
difficult for me. I couldn’t believe that the “debate” regarding the
war powers resolution was rushed through before the break for
elections. I was so horrified at the Democrats’ lack of backbone
and courage that I was speechless. I was ashamed an my own
Senators, Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer for bending over for the
prez. I can not explain what the democrats are
thinking. I’m serious. I think that congress made a
horrible mistake and the Democrats could have stopped it
. There was no imminent threat and everybody On a lighter note, Monarch of the Glenn is back, (Direct TV channel 264 Wednesday’s at 8:00 pm and it is wonderful. If you haven’t caught this BBC import you are really missing great TV. ...Later, Michael 8 29 02 Labor day is also soon upon us and as long as we are doing a review of the year, I wanted to talk about another issue besides terrorism: Corporate Criminality In addition to terrorism, the other great shock of the past
twelve For a long time people have believed, to quote from Al
Capp’s Corporate capitalism can be reformed without ruining our Later ... ******************************************** 7/25/02 Oops -- I need to make a correction. NPR's All Things Considered reported tonight
that Sorry. Later 7/24/02 Wow ! Two Great trips in the last month. Went to Celebrated my sweethearts birthday in Toronto and Later, ***************************************** 7/2/02 It's been a while but three things are on my mind as
Monica and I I never thought that George W and I would ever have anything in common but we do. Both of us had unremarkable endoscopic examinations last week and it was no big deal. I am talking about this to everyone I know because if you have a family history of colon cancer or are 50 or over, you need to get one. There was disappointment in Dallas after the Bishops
conference closed. The issue of Bishop malfeasance was not
even talked about. Last Friday, 6/28, was Bill Maher's, Politically Incorrect, last show on ABC. I am really going to miss him and his show. I think I learned more from his guests than on any other program except maybe Nightline. He will be back. In the mean time - stay suspicious. Later.... 5/14/02 For those who wanted to see some of the photos from the http://www.journale.com/withoutsanctuary/intro_body_main.html
Michael 5/12 /02 Here is a moment from the lighter side. Recently Dawn Wells, Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island, was at Wrigley Field in Chicago to sing " Take me out to the ballgame" for the 7th inning stretch. She was being interviewed by Skip Caray, ( Harry Caray's grandson ) the play by play man for Cubs TV. Skip is a good announcer and but very conservative and republican. During the interview he casually asks what brings Dawn, who lives in Los Angeles, to Chicago. She replies that she is in town to star in the Vagina Monologues and invites Skip and his partner, Joe Carter, to come out and see the play. His reaction was priceless. To his credit he was able to gather himself later in the interview and remind folks to go out and see Dawn in the play. He was actually able to say the word vagina . Oh to have seen Harry do that interview..... Michael 4/27/02 Living Wage Opponents Lose Cool, Resort to Name Calling Have you heard about this? The Syracuse Chamber of Commerce has lost its cool. In an effort to sway its membership against the upcoming Common Council vote on the Living Wage proposal, it has sent out a nasty e-mail. The letter mocked the economic justice ideal of a living wage and called it a socialist scheme driven by a national union conspiracy. Ironically, responses coming from several prominent members were not exactly what the chamber expected. Some were outraged and have sent back their own e-mails. Personally, I think their reactions are encouraging. In an age where negative ads have become the standard by which American politics is practiced, it is refreshing to see people say, “enough, already”. One of the members wrote back a response saying that, while he hadn’t made up his mind on the actual issue, he was so disgusted by the “inflammatory rhetoric” that he had decided to take down the Chamber of Commerce logo from his business site and give up his membership. Another, who was also uncertain about his opinion on the issue, stated that the “florid diatribe” caused to rethink his position. Understanding that major change is an occasion for anxiety the tone of the debate needs to improve. This e-mail is not the first time opponents of the living wage have been less than respectful toward its proponents. Several weeks ago the Post Standard ran an editorial which was also offensive and condescending towards supporters of the plan. It categorized them as “lilies of the field” do gooders. A living wage plan is not a panacea. It won’t fix everything and there will be problems, but that is true any time things change. Opposing a bold step simply because it will involve transitional problems exposes small mindedness. What Syracuse needs is a great vision. A living wage is something that is worth taking a chance on as we, as citizens, pursue the great vision of improving the living conditions and level of economic justice in our community. Later... Michael 3/24/02 I hate to go on and on about the Catholic scandal but, as you have seen, new reports come every day and will likely continue for some time. To hear Barbara Bradley's report in toto you can go to www.npr.com/morningedition . In other news Monica and I made new arrangements to go back to Paris for a couple weeks. This feels weird since the last time we were going to go was 9/11. Have a meaningful Holy Week and a Happy Easter. Later, Michael 2/27/02 A personal word about my commentary. I have some reluctance in posting this essay for fear that it will be misunderstood or misinterpreted. Therefore I wish to make an explanatory comment . I have assisted my own denomination in conducting disciplinary hearings for ministers who were guilty of sexual misconduct. I have worked among the horrified members of devastated churches. I have counseled the victims. I do not see pedophilia as a Catholic problem. It is an illness that infects all religion. I have no desire to bash the Roman Catholic Church and take no joy in my criticism. Nonetheless, I believe it is time for people to speak up and keep speaking until this problem is vanquished from the Church . My only goal is to increase thought and discussion about this difficult subject. Michael 1/31/02 Hello again. I want to mention a terrific writer that you may not have heard of - Jack Miles. His first book, God - An Autobiography , won a Pulitzer prize and his second book, Christ - A Crisis in the Life of God represents some of the best and most original theology I have read in 30 years. Jack says he is not a theologian. He says he is a literary critic and a textual analyst but it works for me . The zinger in Christ is his take on the old theological notion of justification. He turns it on its head. Traditionally, humanity has needed to be justified, the debt of human sin needs to be paid, before mankind could receive eternal life. Miles shows that it is not humanity but God who needed to make restitution for "his " crimes against humanity. Having demonstrated the God of the Old Testament was narcissistic and given to fits of overactive rage, (e.g. condemning Adam and Even to death for one violation ; the mass slaughter of the Egyptians et. al.) he paints the image of remorseful God who through Christ suffers and gives up his life to make make up for his past brutality . He then offers himself as divine food, in the sacrament of Communion, to restore the immortality given to humanity at creation. This is such an obvious conclusion yet Christian theology has avoided saying it for two Millennia. I am struck by this having worked with many abused children and adults. Kids always blame themselves for the outrageous treatment they have received. Christianity has always blamed the child ( humanity) for the outrageous evil in the world and called it deserved punishment. It takes a lot of emotional healing for one to be able to confront one's abuser and move on. Perhaps Christianity can heal and move beyond much of its self negativity and self hatred. Later ... Michael _______________________________________________ 12/31 /01 HAPPY NEW YEAR !
I want to tell you about a great time I had today with some old vinyl record albums . I somehow got on to a Beatles thing and was looking over my CDs. I realized that I hadn't replaced all of my records and so I went to Amazon.com to order the missing ones. I found Rubber Soul and Sgt. Pepper but was amazed to discover that one of my favorites, The Beatles "Yesterday " and Today, was not available on CD ! So I decided to dig out the original, circa 1965-66, and see if I could copy it onto a cassette tape. (From there I could transfer it to a computer and put it on my own CD.) To my amazement and surprise, everything worked beautifully. It was remarkable to play records for the first time in over thirty years and have them sound fantastic. (I haven't used my old Dennon turntable in over twenty five years.) What also occurred to me was that all the pains I took cleaning and storing my albums, caring for the cartridge etc. really paid off. It was amazing to listen to songs I grew up on as a young teen. Wow, the songs Dr. Robert, Day Tripper and the like brought back so many memories and feelings. My appetite whetted, I got out their first album, Meet the Beatles, Beatles 2nd, and Beatles Something New Something New. It was a terrific afternoon and a great way to finish up the year. On a more serious note, just a few thoughts to close out 2001. This has been a tough year. Our political system was rocked by voter fraud in Florida, a Supreme Court decision that will disgrace the judicial branch of government forever, and the selection of a President who lost the election. Our economy took a serious nose dive and to complete the tri-fecta, on September 11th, 19 Muslim terrorists attacked America. This was the worst carnage our nation has experienced on her own shores since the Civil War. And yet, not everything was bad news. --Senator James Jeffords proved that one
man's vote could still make a difference and he took the courageous
step to disassociate from the Republican Party and give the Democrats
control in the Senate. As we look to the new year, the thing that concerns me most is that we stay alert. I don't mean high alert as in suspicious or nervous but as in careful and critical in our assessing the stuff our politicians tell us. I am worried that, out of fear, we will accede to authority rather than to exercise our responsibility as citizens to think and express our opinions in sincere debate. It is important that we not use slogans such as "united we stand" as an excuse to become drones or sheep. And it is very important that we not confuse honest dissent with disloyalty. We need to continue to call into
question
the hypocrisy and inconsistency of the Bush administration which,
on the one hand, in the name of fighting terrorism, detains and
suspends the the liberties of thousands without explanation.
Unbelievably, on the other hand, it refuses to allow law enforcement
officials to have access to the federal gun purchase data base for fear
it would upset the NRA. A final thought. We need to be aware of our hysterical tendencies. In the midst of the war against terrorism a small Massachusetts bio-tech firm published results from a revolutionary experiment in organ synthesis/replication. Unfortunately, the term cloning was used and a truly important story was totally misunderstood. The president and congressional and religious leaders all condemned the project. In fact they did not take the time to actually study the reports nor did they have a clue as to its real significance. In case you missed this, the cloning experiment demonstrated a revolutionary medical breakthrough for organ replacement. This approach totally leap frogged over the whole embryonic stem cell dilemma. By hollowing out an ovum and inserting a patient's DNA, it is believed that, eventually, a technique will be developed to grow organs or tissue to replace diseased ones. The point that is missed is that the protoplasm is not an embryo or fetus. It is not a fertilized egg and it could never become a "human life." By the way, a related and accepted technology has already been "cloning " organs for over ten years. In fact, synthetic skin ( which is an organ) was used to help burn victims from the World Trade Center disaster. I am not worried that the religious right will ever be able to stop this amazing medical advancement. I am stunned by how stupid our leaders are and how unprofessional the media has been in not making these critical distinctions. Oh well, time to get ready to party. A Macanudo and some fine cognac await. Cheers, Michael **************************************************** 12/20/01 - Happy Holidays and New Year to Everyone! I hope to get a year in review comment in soon. Michael 11/15/01- Hello again. I have been in a fog since my last posting.
The big hit, besides the Grey Goose martinis, was the Lion King and it was too incredible for words. The opening number is by far the most amazing and innovative and moving spectacle I have ever seen. No wonder the wait for tickets in New York is so long. Toronto however is just as magnificent, about half the price and not too long a wait for tickets. Do what you gotta do but see it as soon as you can. Legislative Alert !!! Write, E-mail , and or call your congressperson and tell them how you feel about the Republican economic stimulus package. You will simply not believe this abomination of corporate welfare. Here are some facts to think over. The Gop wants to give back all the corporate taxes paid since 1985 -- 140 billion. this money can be used to relocate operations in foreign countries - and here is the beauty part - be put into tax shelters to avoid paying further taxes. Michael Moore has called this the most obscene proposal ever to have come to the house floor. By comparison, 1.4 billion is proposed for unemployment insurance for the folks who lost their jobs following 9/11. Ten dollars for business to o | |