We the people

Christmas time is past. Thank goodness. Now we can get back to being nice to each other. Does anyone else think that Xmas has become a misery? Money, blather, and triumphalism ruining the arrival of a Messiah who abhored all of the above?

Anyway, I was listening to a little Pete Seeger today as a palate cleanser, and that got me thinking.

Unionism is quite dead, but the ideas of solidarity, and brotherhood/sisterhood live on, or do they?

I was reading in Harpers about black power and the civil rights movement. They are dead too, but why is all that gone?

We the people. Most of us scraping by. We want health insurance, we want more family time, we want better communities. And the best community I was with this holiday season was at a pagan party. So there you go. A close second was the party at my church where we celebrated Las Posadas. We were having a pseudo spanish/hispanic party when real immigrants/hispanics showed up. They shared their carols and songs with us. Showed us how to have real fun with a pinata, woke up what would have been, otherwise, a boring, white, old people's party. It was unexpected, and it was bonding, and it was fun! One million words on immigration and on the "meaning of Christmas" were best expressed by pagans giving gifts and enjoying being a community, and spanish speaking members of our community invading our xmas celebration.

Yet, we too often drift to things to make us happy. I do it myself. When, we the people. We the non-judgemental, easy going, party happy, fun-loving people just need to open our hearts to others, instead of walling ourselves up with fear, greed, and things.

Jesus says "Take all that you have, and give it to the poor". Not just to help them, but to knock down the walls between the two.

The Gospel of Thomas has Jesus saying "The first shall be last, and the last shall be first until we all become one!" There, is the kingdom of God. Here, and now. We can have it, they just don't sell it anywhere.

Here endeth the lesson. Happy New Year!!!!!

Christmas Music

What's your favorite?

I'm torn between a couple of songs...Wachet Auf (Wake, oh Wake!) as an Advent carol that I adore. Also, The Linden Tree Carol is excellent. Then there's The Cherry Tree Carol which is probably my absolute favorite (AKA When Joseph went a walking).

The Cherry Tree Carol is an American carol, oddly enough, and it is about Mary asking Joseph to gather cherries, wherupon Joseph says "Let the Father of the Baby" gather cherries for you. Then Jesus speaks out of Mary's womb commanding the trees to bow down.

Mary does not rebuke Joseph, but simply rejoices in the miracle, and draws his attention to it "Oh, look now Joseph, I have cherries at command".

Then I've heard two different endings. One just repeats the opening phrase (When Joseph was an old man, he married virgin Mary...etc)

another has Joseph breaking down, and asking forgiveness of God.

I go back and forth between which I like better.

What are your favorites, and why? I would love to hear about them.

The Peace on Christmas

Those who claim a "war on Christmas" are wrong, no matter who they speak for. All sides have lost. Peace rules!

You see I believe:

My God is large enough to embrace Pagans, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Athiests.
He appears to each as they can find him.
My God celebrates the Solstice, the Yule, Ramadan, Hannukah, Yom Kippur.
My God speaks through the bible, the torah, the Koran, Dr. Seuss, Yeats, Kipling, Stephen King, Rumi, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gnostic Gospels, through my children.
How dare you say that Christ is the son of a God who can only hold one religion.
Christ is who I follow to discover the truth of the beauty of God.
"My House has many rooms!" says God.
Jesus says "I am the way, the truth and the light". What a great play on words "I am" is the name of God, and "I am" being a call to find your own way, and "I am" being a call to follow his way.
My God is the God of contradiction.
My God sent his son to die for life. My Goddess takes care of the Earth. My God is in all people. My God rules over the dogs and comforts them. He is with my rat, even though my rat is 10 years gone.
She is the start of all creation. He is creativity, reminding me that all things are beautiful.

Merry Christmas! Wolcum Yule! Happy Solstice! Happy Channukah! Praise be to Allah! Praise be to Darwin, Einstein, Freud, Skinner and Sacks! Alleluia brother and sisters! Love all, hate none, fear no evil for God is good!

Thanks!

As we celebrate the white man's invasion of "America". Let us give thanks. So come one, come all. Thanks Sunday is extended: Post all week, please limit to ten (the normal limit of three is also lifted) the things that you are most thankful for this year.

My favorites:

1. Thanks and love to all those who have hated and argued with me over the past year. Especially those who loathe the socialist road to freedom and love.

2. My Family and friends

3. Borat

4. Brit-Coms

5. Peace that surpasseth all understanding.

6. My lovely, six acres of land, lovingly thieved from the indians around 150 or so years ago.

7. My pets that teach me what it means to be a loving, forgiving being by waking me up at 3am.

8. Opera Quad Cities, The Genesius Guild, Prenzie Players

9. Unitarian Universalists everywhere.

10. Gorillas

Of course, one should be thankful for all things. Extreme thankfulness brings one joy, and shows, quickly, what little money should really mean in this world.

Praise Be, Peace, Shalom, Enjoy the Turkey!

Minorities, John Deere, and $$$

An interesting article in the NY times. Concerns a local co. you may know. Check it out!

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/11/business/11watts.html?hp&ex=1163307600&en=99ea41a020e94379&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Peace.

Today I remember those who died for peace: Jesus, Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr., numerous members of workers', and socialist movements. The anonymous who die every day in factories and mines, not just our soldiers but the soldiers of the "enemy", many also poor and anonymous. Does Haliburton give $1. to the family of those who died so that they could have obscene profits? What about Exxon?

Let us pray for the day when we free ourselves from the tyranny of riches, and the folly of justified violence. When thankfulness and forgiveness will reign. And all life is equally sacred.

Real Terror

Suppose terrorists killed 35000 people a year.

Think about what a blow that would be to this country. Thousands of innocents dead every year. Maybe 10 X that many hurt. Many paralyzed, or losing a limb. What rights would we give up then?

Suppose the war in Iraq cost 35000 lives a year. We'd be approaching, what, 150000 deaths? What support would there be in this country for that? And what if many of them were children? Pregnant women?

We have a ban on Euthanasia.

Yet, the automobile does what the above cannot, and we sit, and we do nothing. 35000 dead. There were two pile ups on the I 74 bridge. Thank God, no one was hurt.

Hey, here's a test...who do you know who died in a terrorist attack, or in a war, or was hurt in either. Now...who do you know who died in a car accident or was hurt in one.

Given today's technology, our car addiction is a crime. Wrecking thousands of lives and costing the economy billions. Given the computing power that can be brought to bear, we should be able to have a personal, public, computerized, safe transportation system. But we absolutely refuse to put our money or give up our "freedom" to suport such a thing. We are like a primitive tribe. Sacrificing to the Gods for our self involved desires.

Would you be a Christian if it meant giving up your car?

Look, and I'm not even getting into the environmental damage.

We can go there too.

What do you think? Defend your transportation choice to the mother of a dead child.

Investigative Reporting?

QCTimes says that it was the Progressive Clergy, the Dispatch says it is Churches United, and goes further, printing contact information for Churches United.

Knowing both of these groups, it sounds to me, from who is quoted in the article, that it is the Progressive Clergy. This would be a fairly sizeable gaffe for the Dispatch as it is front page and includes, then, wrong contact information.

The second thing I notice in the Dispatch is the WiMAX article. It seems that BHC has sold its EBS to QCO. Given your and my property tax dollars support BHC, I would be interested in more 411.

We are told the FCC approved the sale of BHC's EBS to QCO. Yet, such a partnership, yea, near monopoly that this will create should have had a lot of public oversight. How will this affect the digital divide? Are there other options for using the EBS? How does this not give MDPC a great advantage in the delivery of content, phone service, video service and music service, without hardly any investment in infrastructure. DSL will allow the MDPC to be a phone service provider over public infrastructure. All for, what, under $100,000 a year? That, and it doesn't seem that anyone in the community will benefit from this partnership. Except the pocketbooks of those at MDPC who have just hit the jackpot.

Anyone else a little baffled, today?

I made the list!

Wow, after over a month of trying, I made the QC Online blog list. Happy days! I am proud to welcome all visitors to the home of off the wall and dead serious thought. I believe the two go together. Well, I am quite surprised, and will have to get moving and get more posts up.

A brief intro:

I am socialist, in that I believe a society rises and falls together. Poor and rich are all Americans. Everyone helps to make this land great. Except, perhaps, GW, but that's another issue.

I am a Christian, in that I follow the teachings of Christ. I believe in his social vision, and most of my moral philosophy arises from my long and continuing Christian roots. I believe in radical thankfullness, and radical forgiveness. I also believe in working on myself as much, if not more so, than preaching to others.

I am a hippie in that I go barefoot as often as possible, believe in peace, love my tiny farm, sing, unschool my kids, and have been known to have long hair, listen to folk music, and wear tie dyes.

Welcome, friends, all are friends here, and all are welcome!

Freedom Opera

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/arts/AP-Germany-Opera-Islam.html

This shows where "sensitivity" leads to censorship. I am all for being sensitive, BUT freedom of speech wins. It is nice to see this debated in Germany. It is nice to see an opera staging choice debated in any nation. Hopefully, someday, the US will catch on to making opera current.

Even if pushing the envelope may wind up offending, the pushing is not wrong. It is needed by open and free societies.

Discuss.

Socialist Christian Hippie

Freedom Opera

This shows where "sensitivity" leads to censorship. I am all for being sensitive, BUT freedom of speech wins. It is nice to see this debated in Germany. It is nice to see an opera staging choice debated in any nation. Hopefully, someday, the US will catch on to making opera current.

Even if pushing the envelope may wind up offending, the pushing is not wrong. It is needed by open and free societies.

Discuss.

Socialist Christian Hippie

Greedy for truth

We are all greedy for truth. I, myself, am often selfish and greedy for truth. We often want to better ourselves, and the value of our truth by putting it on others. I do this all the time.

So, as part of being thankful, and embracing radical thankfulness, I am going to work on building truth by looking outside of myself for it.

What do you think truth is?

What is the paradise you seek?

Thank you for your input.

I will not respond until most of the responses are done.

A couple of brief caveats: I understand many people believe truth begins and ends with a savior, prophet or book. I am looking beyond that to what about that prophet, savior or book is attractive to you. What stirs your heart when you desire the truth of Wicca, or Islam, or Jehovah.

For me, the idea of radical thankfulness, pacifism, and egalitarianism leads to less violence, less envy, less jealousy and a strong sense of community that allows each person to find their place and to feel a part of something larger and joyous.

(anyway, that's as far as I go. But that's what I'm looking for. What would heaven on Earth look like? What does Allah want of his servants? What world would the goddess love to see? What would the world look like if you made it in your dreams?)

Take time, expand on it, leave multiple responses.

The Socialist Christian UU Hippie

Resonse to the Pres, and those who fear

I am infinitely. INFINITELY more in danger of dying in my car than from islamic terrorism.
Also, I never, ever claimed that Bush didn't protect us on 9/11. I don't blame anyone for 9/11. It is an outgrowth of years of miserable cold war foreign policy, and our greed for oil.
Continued miserable foreign policy and greed for oil will not solve the problem.
The President takes an oath to "defend the constitution of the United States". Not me. Not you. Not the guy down the block. The oath says "defend the constitution of the United States".
On that part of his oath. The main part of the oath. He has FAILED.
As to MY privacy. I give away my information to those I please. If I leave my computer unprotected and Joe Blow tracks my computer, that's my problem (and soon his when I sue him). However, the government cannot track my computer unless I give my permission OR a court finds enough evidence otherwise to grant a warrant. Thus, we are protected.
As a socialist, I am concerned that I am monitored. As someone who has been with people who use drugs recreationally, home school, or violate our dumb medical licensing laws (God bless them, I have a healthy child because people will violate the law), or who non-violently protest, or who violate various code statues in an attempt to have a green lifestyle, or who are naturists, or who occasionally violate the hunting laws, or who don't want their livestock tracked by the FDA, or who don't vaccinate, and on and on.
Or people who discuss these things, such as the dream day when the socialist revolution will overturn this capitalist oligarchy.
I would hate to wake up without the constitution's protection, in a foreign country, under torture because of something I said. It chills free speech, free expression, free association, free press, for heaven's sake.
If you don't believe it, talk to the New York Times, go in a Mosque, talk to someone who is black, or latino. I have friends who can't go places in this country because of their race. TODAY. And they are scared, because the government will walk all over their rights!

Vote Obama!

Simple post today. Please contact Senator Barak Obama and urge him to run for President. His views, record and charisma could take the democrats back to the promised land! Dan Hynes may be backing him for various political reasons, but a continued drive by voters to "draft" him will give us the best shot to get him into the campaign. Run Barak Run!

Beauty and Truth

Here is something that I wrote responding to the question of evil on the Unitarian Universalist listserv that I belong to. I thought that this might be a good place for it. It represents my main philosophy:

Actually...truth and beauty exist, where evil does not.
Truth is the solid state, what is known, the past, simplicity, hard to say...impossible to reach...one is always on the way to truth.
Beauty is "truth in action". Change, novelty, variety, experience, the moment...now.
Evil is simply a misinterpretation of truth and beauty. Believing one knows "truth" causes two things to happen:
1. You then need to enforce truth regardless of consequences.2. Beauty ceases to exist. If truth becomes static and known, then beauty ceases to concern you. You race towards truth.
Truth sits in the middle of a many faceted jewel. There are so many facets, and infinite number of lifetimes would be required to view it from all of them. One wanders through this jewel, seeing glimpses. As one gets closer the light of truth grows, until it becomes blinding. Yet, the path is still before you. You still have not seen it all. Yet, the blinding light makes you feel as if you've seen it all. But as you get closer it is easier to make a mistake, see truth in entirely the wrong way. Go wandering on a dead end.
Christ solves this problem in an interesting way. He say "This is Truth. I am the way. Follow me!" Yet...he understands we cannot...will not go. So then he says FORGIVE we are all on this path and we all make mistakes, so forgive each other. Hold to what is beautiful in life. Forget about truth. I am truth. The way is truth. Don't worry about truth. Worry about each other.
This is beauty. Beauty main be painful, dark, sad...and yet without pain there is no joy. Without anger, no reconciliation. Without losing, no winning. Dynamic truth. Wonderful.

The Socialist Christian Hippie

Muslims Welcome!

I extend a hearty welcome and extend the hand of peace to all Muslims in the Quad City Area. There are many people here who are happy you are with us in our community. If it weren't for Islam the western world would be very deprived, and would have never crawled out of the dark ages.

Peace.

9/11 remember, but no change...really

It's time to remember 9/11 and mourn the horrific leadership of this country since then.

I was against the war in Afghanistan, as well as the war in Iraq, and I still am.

On 9/11 the world turned strange for a little while. My day started with the Today show, and then cartoons for my daughter. Until my mother called saying that something had hit the World Trade center. Then it was back to the Today show for the worst few minutes of reporting ever. Katie was in deep denial. Even after the 2nd plane hit, she went on babling about a "navigational error".

I was screaming for the Pres. to ground all flights right then. The instant after the second plane hit. Billions of dollars for defense, and we didn't have an Air Force ready to protect us.

Anyway...we had a midwife appointment that morning for my 2nd child.

Then I watched as fighters criss crossed over our small metropolitan area. The overreaction had begun.

But, aside from increased governmental paranoia, and a feeling that my world is shrinking as our civil rights have eroded significantly, my life, personally, was untouched. Thankfully.

But, yet, there must be millions of us. Millions of people with lives that weren't that shaken, but for a week, or so, we will be convinced that they were.

In a way, our government took the deaths of 3000 innocents, and now has turned that into nearly 150,000 more. ...and untold into the future we go. Throwing the tantrum of war. Hurting ourselves, hurting others, and not helping the pain to go away. Nursing it. Living off the pain. Making money from it. Neglecting ourselves.

Peace, Peace, Peace!

The Socialist Christian Hippie

Almost Sunday

It's not Sunday, yet, but this has been such a depressing week that I think I will start Sunday early.

So, I will thank the Crocodile Hunter, My Friends at Opera Quad Cities, and the staff at my local pizza place, who prepared a great dinner for me tonight.

I encourage all to add three more things to the list.


The sky,
The land,
The farm sits
Waiting for me.
With its endless variation.
Each second, an inspiration.
Each inspiration an infinity of ideas.
A few shining ones I pick lazily
Floating on its ocean.
As time's beach waits
For me.
Like the farm.
The sky.

I am constantly amazed

The Chief Illiniwek problem plays on and on and on.

What is stunning is the general lack of knowledge of history that people show.

1: It seems that many people believe that there is an Illini "tribe" in existence. Not true.

2: People think that white people do not still benefit from the Indian lands we stole. We do...quite a bit. We owe them untold billions. Why untold? We decided not to keep records on how much we owe them. Every American pretty much lives on what was Indian land. I have been to South Dakota many times, and people are still making lots of $$ in the Black Hills. An area that the Indians would like back. An area that the indians in the area held as holy. Imagine if someone came into the vatican and painted an image of four shieks onto the Sistine Chapel. That's what we did in the Black Hills with Mt. Rushmore

3. White people are the dominant race in America, and in the world. China has not taken over yet. White people, white Christians if we want to be more specific, have plundered the riches of more people the world over than any other race of men. The riches of Asia, Africa, Jews, Muslims...name me another group, and white Europeans have stolen from them, raped them, killed them, and made off with their land, gold, silver, oil rights, and on and on.

Then, we go, "Why are they mad at us?"

Well, Jesus says..."Love your enemies". And I try. I fail, but I try.

God says that you shouldn't have any Idols before God.

We lost that battle ages ago. How many mainline churches have services that occur during NFL games? How sneaky that all these services get out at or right before noon on Sunday.

Hmmmmm.

You know, whilst we're on history, we worship Christ on Sunday because the emporer Constantine saw the image of the cross in the Sun? He thought he'd honor them both in one go.

So, get out there and read. If you are confused as to why we have to get rid of the chief, don't hide your head in ignorance. Read our history. Read about Indians ("On the Rez" is a good book about modern indians).

If we're in a war you don't understand, and you want to vote with a clear conscience, ask a historian about America's involvement with foreign countries in the 1980s.

It is enlightening.

Blessings upon you!

Keep barefootin' it! It isn't that cold yet!

SCHQC

On Freedom

We are not free in this country. We are less free every day. With more cameras, and phones, and cars, and soon rfid tags tracking our every purchase and movement. The government has now shown it has no problem monitoring this extensive data of the mundanities of our lives. Look at WHBF deciding what words we can hear. Look at the schools? What are they best at teaching? How to give in and suck up to a police state. It works! Most of the population is fearful, even of their own bodies. We beg corporations to improve our lives, whilst losing the knowledge every person used to have as to how to build things, and grow their own food. We have become babies of the corporations, and we beg for more.
Well, now the corporations have taken over. So we pay to wear their signs on our bodies. We let them control the government for fear that, if we didn't, they would take their jobs and go...where, exactly, I've never figured out. They've already taken all the jobs they could and found people to work them for less $$.
We live in a corporate facist state.

We live in fear of our bodies, and their interaction with the world around us. We are told all nudity is sexual and gross. Even going barefoot is banned as much as possible, and frowned upon otherwise. Pregnancy is controlled by doctors. Oddly, mostly male doctors have taken over pregnancy, and women are told that it is a horrible thing to give birth. People are ashamed of not having the "perfect" body. We put on clothes when we go to the beach!

What freedoms America once had, and were once held as dear, or at least as tolerable, have been erased. We have zero tolerance policies on everything, because we let fear rule. Not until we accept fear, accept terrorism, or, as Christians everywhere should understand, accept death will we be able to live our lives fully. Until then, we live in a fascist state. Be that state only our fear filled minds.

Railroading

Well, my visit to the Iowa State Fair wasn't totally fruitless. I won the railroading gift package! My son will be very happy.

Trains are something that we need a lot more of. Get traffic off the dang interstate. Clear the streets of cars. What would be more awesome than a light rail system connecting the Quad Cities. What would be better than a train from the Quad Cities to Chicago. We'd get there faster than driving.

Yet, even though the interstate system and the airport system in this country are supported with billions upon billions of tax dollars. In the case of automobile transport, it also kills thousands, and costs billions upon billions of private money to support it.

Amtrak wants a couple billion, and "WHOA! WHAT TAX SUCKING LOSERS!"

Look around you. The tax sucking losers are the oil companies, the car companies, and the airliners dumping their pension plans on the taxpayer.

2004 revisited

An article in the New York Times reports that irregularities have been found in ballots for the 2004 election in Ohio. A judge should issue a ruling in a couple of days on whether the ballots may be kept from being destroyed.

Here is a link to the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/31/washington/31ohio.html?hp&ex=1157083200&en=2c27830c9886f1c1&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Many of us on the left have called for an investigation, only to be called all sorts of names. Well...proof is in the pudding. Many "obvious" problems have been found before (such as misleading flyers, and problems with machine availability at Urban voting precincts). Now there is evidence that ballots were tampered with.

Rise up, people, reclaim your own country, for heaven's sake. How criminal do the Republicans have to be?

(Did you know: Elections in the US does not meet or exceed the international standards that we impose on nations like Sudan and Iraq?)

The Lillies of the Field

Barb Ickes talks about bums, and many bloggers respond in a strange way. Then there is a letter in the Quad City times about Obama's trip to Africa/personal responsibility, and they respond in the same, odd way.

"Why don't they get off their lazy b*tts and get a job"

First of all, being a bum isn't easy, or everyone would be doing it. Of course, working is like being a bum, nowadays, just steadier pay. What is sitting in front of a computer and putting ideas on paper. Work? If some rich guy is paying you for it...yeah. If you are begging for money yourself (being an entrepeneur)...yeah. Being an entrepeneur is just begging on a different level. Listen to Paul Harvey, for Pete's sake, he says stuff on the radio that he gleans from someone else's newspaper or from a wire service reporter, and he states the most lowest common denominator commentary that one can find, and then tells you to buy a bed from the guy who gives him a buck or two.

Let's make this easy... Almost NO ONE in this society creates wealth. It is a very few who have stolen enough wealth that enslaves the rest of us.

The most honest work is government work. In that, the government is controlled by the people (or we could control it, if we behaved the way owners should) and therefore government work is working for yourself. Taxes become money you pay yourself. And if you do your government job well, you benefit yourself.

Being a greeter at Wal Mart is not a real job. It's you trying to make the guy (Sam Walton and his heirs) look nice so you can scam a few $$ off him. Writing for Time Magazine, isn't a job. If you are so smart, start your own magazine, but then you have to beg people to buy it.

Let's put it this way...Bums are honest. They beg for money. A guy standing on a street corner in a clown outfit with a sign (happens, ironically enough, usually close to where the "honest" bums are) is only doing it for the money that he can spend on dope, booze, property taxes...whatever. He's getting less than the bum, because he can't afford the overhead.

What does the chamber of commerce do? Beg rich people to bring their jobs to our area. Why don't the people of the chamber of commerce create wealth, instead of begging for it from rich corporations?

Jesus says: See the lillies of the field? They neither toil nor spin, and yet...the Lord cares for them. Why worry aobut yourself? Don't you believe that God will care for you?

I am a bum...and proud of it. Hopefully, someday, I'll have enough faith to get off my lazy b*tt and trust in the Lord.

The lessons of Conan

It is time to reveal the truth. Though I am a Socialist CHRISTIAN hippie, there is a small part of my heart that still belongs to Crom.

There are pages upon pages written about being a Christian, but not many, if any, pages devoted to what we can learn from "Coanna the Barbarian"

One: What are the best things in life?

To Kill your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

(That is, if you are a barbarian, or follow a morality similar to that of the current president. As a Christian Hippie whilst I enjoy the premise for an action adventure film, be sure, my life is Not based on this)

What really makes Vulsa Doom grieve?

Killing his snake.

Thou shalt not kill (especially Mr. Doom's large snake)

Where does Crom live?

In his mountain. Where he is waiting for the riddle of steel.

Jesus has no such test, though if you've found the answer to the riddle of steel, he might like to hear it. Or not. Hard to tell. One of Jehova's many mysteries.

What does the God of the four winds think?

He laughs at Crom.

Jesus would laugh at Crom. He's a pretty funny guy, sitting in his mountain.

We should remember always, that God is in all things. Even in films written by Oliver Stone.

"Crucify him on the tree of Woe"

Speaking of that, with all this rain, it seems the tree of woe came down on my back fence. I must go and tend to it with the "Insurance Adjuster" from the ninth level of hell.

Sunday Thanks

Again, I encourage any and all visitors to leave three (and only three) things they are thankful for.

For me: Bare feet, Rain Barrels, and the staff at Comer Children's Hospital.

A Poem this Sunday:

Stars above, so far away
What do you have to teach today?
How small I am
How large you are
Yet both so tiny from afar

Together we light up the night
In different ways
Both great and slight.

Accross the sky
I see a dance
And think about the slightest chance
That I will join you
Quicker than thought
And understand what God hath wrought.

The Socialist Christian Hippie

I'm Back

The hippie has been hangin' at the IA state fair, and up in Chicago. I'm back, and the Quads are in need of me again.

What made Rock Island ever think that tearing down Schneider's, a church, and a quaint apartment complex and replacing them with suburban boxes of garbage was a good idea? Now, we're going to try tearing out houses and putting in a (third) hardware store. It will go well with the (third) auto parts store in the neighborhood that will sit on Memorial Heights former location.

Now, shock of shocks, Panera Bread may NOT be coming. If only ACE would follow suit.

My farm has been doing pretty good. Soon we'll have tons o' spaghetti sauce. It's a fun thing to do with all the tomatoes we've been hauling in.

Death to the Japaneese beetles!

Can't wait to see "Snakes on a Plane"

Keep to the left!

Check it out!

The Sounds of the Socialist Christian Hippie. Check out my music page!

http://www.myspace.com/shimmeringimages

4 downloadable traks. Mellow art. Pic of the Hippie! My alter ego's name and bio.

That Socialist Christian Hippie feeling

Many people ask me, so...what is it that you have to be a socialist, Christian Hippie?

One: It's Catchy! Say it three times as fast as you please. Now run outside barefoot run onto the neighbors lawn, and lay down on the dewy grass. Smile. Think about all it means to be there. How your neighbor has such a beautiful lawn, how the sky is fun to watch, and how thankful you are for everybody being who they are. So much so that you desire to share the wealth of the world with them. That's that catchy socialist Christian Hippie, showing me the way.

Two: It is most important! Zero equals One. That is not the truth, but it is as close as we can get.

Three: Christian, because, after much searching (I've seen it all man) I found that most of my morality was Christian in origin. Jesus was the original hippie dude. He was cool, collected, thankful, slacker, open to beauty, and loved his fellow man. He was a dude we should all desire to emulate. Science and philosophy are excellent, and so is Jesus. Open your mind to all three. I do.

Mellow out, kick off your shoes. Share the love. Show your peace! We take all kinds here. I am just your host.

The Socialist Christian Hippie of the Quad Cities

Germany, Germany, Over Everyone

I am a pacifist. Just like many of the Germans were in Davenport. Before they were run out. Nevertheless, they get the last laugh. Germania now welcomes people to Gaines St. An Aryan statue in front of one of the most "diverse" parts of the city.

$45000 can buy a lot of house a few blocks up that hill. It could also buy a lot of food and heat for winter for those up there. I also wonder how the gateway handles flooding. Will it float?

Then there's the great, shrinking FIGGE. Now bring us some art for Figge, Now bring us some art for FIGGE, now bring us some art for Figge, and bring it right here!

We won't go until we get some,
We won't go until we get some...

Well, you get the idea.

By the way, I saw a City of Davenport vehicle at the Iowa State Fair. We'd better cancel the next council meeting.

Thanks for Sunday

On Sunday, we will give thanks. Please give thanks for 3 and only 3 things. Also, since it is Sunday, we'll give the vitrol a rest, and always say something positive. Today...a poem!

O God,
Welcome me home.
Just as I am.
Warts and all

Let there be no shoes in heaven.
Let us sit in joy together.
Let me sit by my enemy,
Shake their hand,
And watch the Earth turn.
As we make plans for a new world.
A new form.

A place free from fear.
A place of celebration.
A place to rest before trying again.

We will decree that all may partake of the bounty together.
We will decree that all may sing and take part in the choir.
We will decree that large women may reign
And dwell where they please.
What a world that shall be.

All praise, and peace, and thanks to all

The Socialist Christian Hippie

Welcome to the Quad City Home of Peace and Love

Love and Support to you! May this missive find you blessed!

Yes, I am the socialist, Christian Hippie of the Quad Cities, and welcome to this blessed land. I am here to fight for truth, equal justice, liberal religious thought, self sustainable environmentalism, and the occasional whacked out, freaky, good time. All are welcome in my house.

So what's on tap for today?

CEASE FIRE

No, not the Davenport city council. The UN hasn't figured out their problem yet. Rather, I am speaking of Israel and Hezbollah, and Lebanon. Those who are fighting over a glorious land, about the size of Rock Island County. Imagine a bunch of Port Byron seperatists, launching a bunch of missiles at Aledo. Then you've got the picture. Actually, you've got a good idea. But...we're all for peace here, and that, my friends, is what we have.

Cease Fire!

As of ohhh, midnight Monday, all fighting is to cease. The Bekaa valley will sound as quiet as Downtown Davenport on a Tuesday night. The UN will run an army into this area, the size of Rock Island County, and assume control. No more missiles, tanks, or harsh words to be flung furthermore.

Do I believe that? No.

What is the Socialist Christian Hippie's take?

Well, peace is welcome, brother. Yet, what the Israeli army cannot stop, the UN will? The UN will give cover...unwittingly...for a Hezbollah rest, recovery and re-arm fun time. They will also give political cover to Lebanon. Yet, sooner or later, the Hezbollah will launch a missile and some poor farmer, down Aledo way, will get his/her head removed and then we're in BIG MESS land. Now you'll have Hezbollah, Israel, the UN, in a three-way. With poor hippies in the middle.

Easiest way to stop the real problem: GW picking up a stupid phone and calling Omert and telling him to KNOCK IT OFF, or NO MORE BOMBS, PLANES, or Patriot Defense systems. BTW, where are the Patriot batteries that we heard so much about 10 years ago? Where are they? Not a peep. Is that cause THEY DON'T WORK? Billions of dollars wasted on a stupid "anti-missile" system, and some 15 years after their glorious debut in GW I (gulf War one) they are MIA.

Stay tuned to this space for more fun reading, and I'll tell you more about me in the next few daily (hopefully) collumns!

Peace Brothers and Sisters
The Socialist Christian Hippie of the Quad Cities