An old blog is back. Run for your lives.
war on ISIS: world-wide whac-a-mole again
Soundtrack in my head: Rain Parade, "This Can't Be Today" Photo credit: Kungfuman [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)] So it seems we can't leave Iraq alone. Now it's a war on ISIS--the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria which now refers itself to as simply the "Islamic State." The U.S. government just doesn't seem to know … Continue reading war on ISIS: world-wide whac-a-mole again
another home birth in the co-op house
Soundtrack in my head: Cloud Cult, "You'll Be Bright" kmorizephoto / Pixabay For the second time in three years,we have been blessed by a home birth in the co-op house. Yesterday around 6 p.m. we gained a new member in room five. It's a boy! I have lived in my current co-op house for six … Continue reading another home birth in the co-op house
upcoming tests for democracy in september
Soundtrack in my head: Holly Beth Vincent, "For What It's Worth (Stop Hey What's That Sound)" It turns out that this month of September will have several critical tests for democracy coming up. The U.S. Senate will be voting on a constitutional amendment to overturning Citizens United most likely sometime this week. For the first … Continue reading upcoming tests for democracy in september
madison moving day madness magnifies mucked-up mid-town milieu
Soundtrack in my head: The Primitives, "Really Stupid" hpgruesen / Pixabay During the month of August, and particularly August 14-16, U-Haul and other trucking rental companies unleash thousands of trucks on the streets of Madison, Wisconsin--driven by people without licenses to be truck drivers. Yes, it's Madison Moving Day. Does chaos result? Yes and no. … Continue reading madison moving day madness magnifies mucked-up mid-town milieu
i am no longer a Baha’i. i defy religious labels
Soundtrack in my head: The Plimsouls, "A Million Miles Away" AmnaS / Pixabay It's clear to me that I am no longer a follower of the Bahá'í Faith. Nor do I subscribe to any other religious labels either. I'm not sure if I was ever fully comfortable calling myself a Bahá'í in the first place. … Continue reading i am no longer a Baha’i. i defy religious labels
mid 1960s cheese pop. admit it…you love it
Soundtrack in my head: Petula Clark, "I Know A Place" Somewhere between the TV themes to "Leave It To Beaver" and "S.W.A.T.," pop music evolved in interesting directions but a lot of this interesting pop history has been widely forgotten. When people think of the 1960s, they think of beach and surf music, the Beatles, … Continue reading mid 1960s cheese pop. admit it…you love it
joe strummer sang about this border crisis hypocrisy 30 years ago
Soundtrack in my head: The Clash, "Straight To Hell" The image of Americans protesting against busloads of refugee children represents a new low in American hatred of the "other." To them, it matters little that these children are refugees and desperately fleeing for their lives. They are "illegals" that don't belong here--regardless of their needs, … Continue reading joe strummer sang about this border crisis hypocrisy 30 years ago
your boss’s religious exemption and you
Soundtrack in my head: The Flaming Lips, "Shine On Sweet Jesus" The US Supreme Court's decision in Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby has opened the floodgates for supposedly secular companies to claim a "religious exemption" from rights that employees and potential employees would otherwise enjoy. Suddenly, a new reality is emerging that when a company owner's … Continue reading your boss’s religious exemption and you
stunning storms still sweeping southern wisconsin with wild, wet, windy weather
Soundtrack in my head: The Flaming Lips, "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Pt. 1" The repetitive nature of the storms still sweeping southern Wisconsin just beg for alliteration. This has been a freaky summer. Ever since the EF2 and EF3 tornadoes came through a couple weeks ago, wild wet, windy weather has repeatedly barrelled through … Continue reading stunning storms still sweeping southern wisconsin with wild, wet, windy weather