WEDDING

OUR SON IS GETTING MARRIED ON SATURDAY. WILL BE OUT FOR A WHILE. OH HAPPY DAYS.

PEEVER LAW #66

THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH MEDICINE WHEELS IN THE WORLD.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Next to music, beer was best.”
Carson McCullers, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

PEEVER LAW #43

DRINKING IS AN OXYMORON. THE MORE YOU DRINK, THE BIGGER THE MORON GETS.

Betraying Progressives, DNC Platform Backs Fracking, TPP, and Israel Occupation

Betraying Progressives, DNC Platform Backs Fracking, TPP, and Israel Occupation


SAME OLD SHIT FROM THE SAME OLD PEOPLE. I'LL NOT BE VOTING FOR HILLARY WITH THIS PLATFORM.

BENEDICTION

I'd like to be able to say I am going to step forward and help everyone who is suffering and in pain and lonely and hungry and without home but I can't be sure I can live up to that promise even if I want to because I am scared and busy and old and just one and I don't know how to begin or end or even what to do in the middle which are all pathetic excuses allowing me to live comfortably and not be troubled.

SUNDAY MORNING HYMN: Gimme Shelter | Playing For Change

SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER: OLD STORIES BECOME NEW SONGS

We love to tell the old, old story.
We love to sing the old, old song
    of your saving deeds of mercy and
                                            freedom and
                                             healing and
                                               newness.

We know about Exodus freedom
   and dancing tambourines.

We know about land and huge clusters of grapes.

We know about rivers of water and
              rivers of oil.

We know about the strangeness that
       the blind see,
       the lame walk,
       the lepers are cleansed,
       the dead are raised,
       the poor rejoice.

We know. Give us courage to
             trust what we know and to
             obey what we hope.

We know that the old, old story---in our telling---becomes
      a new, dangerous, transforming song. And so we sing!

Prayers for a Privileged People,  Walter Brueggeman

SUNDAY MORNING SERMON

It's been 16 years since I almost bit the bullet, passed on, crossed over, croaked, bought the farm, kicked the bucket. We joke about it, until it stares us in the face. Death, that is. Then it's not so funny. You come face to face with being here one minute, gone the next. I sometimes wonder how things would have been had I died. You eventually come to a painful realization that things would have gone on without you. The most you can muster up is, you hope you would be remembered. Your only shot at immortality...being remembered. The question becomes, remembered for what?

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.”  

  Edward Abbey, The Journey Home: Some Words in Defense of the American West

Standing on Backs of Global Poor, Filthy Rich Getting Even Filthier

Standing on Backs of Global Poor, Filthy Rich Getting Even Filthier



AND SO THE WORLD LUMBERS ON UNDER THE CAPITALIST BANNER.

Sanders as Veep? New Poll Suggests He Might Be Clinton's Best Pick

Sanders as Veep? New Poll Suggests He Might Be Clinton's Best Pick



NOT LIKELY TO HAPPEN. 

Post-Orlando Senate Rejects Gun Control, Calls for More Spying Instead

Post-Orlando Senate Rejects Gun Control, Calls for More Spying Instead



McCain always takes advantage of these tragedies to put forward his old man, poor me I was a war prisoner, agenda. Hopefully he will lose his job in November. He's way overdue to be retired into obscurity.

PEEVER LAW #95

THE MORE CEO'S AND NRA MEMBERS THAT SHOW UP FOR A MEETING, THE MORE LIKELY IT'S A REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.

TOM, LET'S DESTROY THE LOWER AND MIDDLE CLASSES, COTTON

TOM COTTON, JUNIOR SENATOR FROM ARKANSAS, IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE GOP HAS TURNED INTO: A GROUP OF NEGATIVE, RETROGRESSIVE, RIGHT-WING, GUN LOVING, WAR LOVING, CORPORATE MOUTHPIECES. THE PEOPLE IN ARKANSAS HAVE NO IDEA HOW HE IS GOING TO DESTROY THEM. HE IS HIGHLY EDUCATED, BEING A HARVARD LAW SCHOOL GRADUATE. HE JOINED THE MILITARY SO HE COULD PUT THAT ON THE TOP OF HIS RESUME'. IT GOES TO SHOW YOU: THE HIGHLY EDUCATED CAN FOOL THE UNEDUCATED, ALMOST A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME. COTTON PRODUCTION IS DOWN IN ARKANSAS. UNFORTUNATELY, WE GOT A SORRY REPLACEMENT.

GUN WHORES

THE SENATE DOES IT AGAIN. THEY BOW DOWN TO THE NRA. THEY WOULD SOONER WATCH PEOPLE DIE THAN CROSS THEIR GUN CRAZED, RIGHT-WING FANATIC BUDDIES. WHAT A PITIFUL BUNCH OF NRA GUN WHORES.

SUMMER SOLSTICE

THE SUMMER SOLSTICE. LONGEST DAY. AND FULL MOON. SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN. IT MIGHT JUST AS WELL BE GOOD. (TOO LATE FOR ME, HOWEVER. I HIT A DEER THIS  MORNING).

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won't either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could.”
Louise Erdrich, The Painted Drum

PEEVER LAW #82

LISTENING IS A SKILL THAT FEW PEOPLE POSSESS.

Shattering the Moral Compass

Shattering the Moral Compass



I WOULD PUT A GOOD PORTION OF THE BLAME FOR GUN VIOLENCE ON THE NRA. LUNATIC FANATICS. 

PEEVER LAW #93

I PEEVE, THEREFORE I AM.

TAKE IT FROM AN OLD, CANTANKEROUS MAN

• TRUMP WON'T LAST.
• ORLANDO, CHICAGO, BLACKSBURG, NEWTOWN, AURORA. WE WILL NOT LET EVIL PREVAIL. WE NEED FEWER GUNS AND MORE SENSE.
• THE YOUNG ARE OUR FUTURE. WE HAD OUR CHANCE. NOW IT'S THEIRS.
• IF SOME JACKASS IS YELLING AT THE WAITRESS, YOU CAN BET HE DOES THE SAME WITH HIS WIFE.
• DON'T LOOK TOO HARD FOR GOD. HE'S SITTING RIGHT THERE AT THE END OF YOUR NOSE.
• IF YOU NEED TO CARRY A GUN TO FEEL SAFE, YOU ARE ON THE WRONG PATH.
• THE FANCIER THE CAR, THE SMALLER THE PENIS.
• DON'T BOTHER ME WITH ALL THE NONSENSE PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT. I AIN'T INTERESTED.
• THE BIGGEST DECISION I WANT TO MAKE AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE IS WHETHER TO GO GOLFING OR FISHING.
• THINGS AREN'T ALL THAT BAD. THEN AGAIN, THEY AREN'T ALL THAT GOOD.

PEEVER LAW #106

BEING AFRAID OF HOW OTHERS LEAD THEIR LIVES IS A SIGN OF WEAK CHARACTER. SPENDING MORE TIME COMPLAINING ABOUT GAYS, MUSLIMS, ANTI-CHOICE, WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP ROLES, BLACKS, NATIVE AMERICANS, PEOPLE TAKING YOUR GUNS, AND LESS TIME ON EXAMINING YOURSELF AND YOUR REGRESSIVE, DEHUMANIZING BELIEFS TO MAKE YOURSELF FEEL BETTER, IS PROGRESSIVELY UNSAFE AND AN INSULT TO DEMOCRACY.

Proving Revolution Has Roots, Vast Majority of Dems Back Major Sanders Role

Proving Revolution Has Roots, Vast Majority of Dems Back Major Sanders Role

RIGHT-WING REPUBLICAN PLATFORM-EDUCATION

IT'S A FALLACY TO BELIEVE THAT KIDS NEED 12-16 YEARS OF EDUCATION. THREE MONTHS WILL DO.

BENEDICTION

The news is that God's wind is blowing.
           It may be a breeze that
               cools and comforts.
           It may be a gust that
               summons you to notice.
           It my be a storm that blows you where you have
               never been before.

Whatever the wind is in you life,
               pay attention to it...
                          and the blessings of God,
                          Father, Son, and Spirit,
                                 will abide with you always. Amen

SUNDAY MORNING HYMN: Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa - "A Sunday Kind Of Love"

SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER-GIVER OF ALL GOOD GIFTS

You are the God who feeds and nourishes.
You are the God who assures that we have more than enough,
  and we do not doubt that
  you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Even in such an assurance, however,
   we scramble for more food,
   After we have filled all our baskets
               with manna,
   we seek a surplus---
       enough education to plan ahead,
       enough power to protect our supply,
       enough oil to assure that protection.

And in the midst of that
        comes your word,
      that we share bread and feed the hungry,
         even to t he least and so to you.
We mostly keep our bread for ourselves,
                                                our neighbors,
                                                and our friends.

It does not occur to us often,
        to feel our enemies,
        to share your bounty with
                    those who threaten us.

We do not often remember to break vicious cycles
      of hostility
           by free bread,
           by free water,
           by free wine,
           by free milk.
Until we remember that you are the giver of all good gifts,
                                                 ours to enjoy,
                                                  ours to share.

Stir us by your spirit beyond fearful accumulation
         toward outrageous generosity,
      that giving bread to others
              makes for peace,
      that giving drink to others
               makes for justice,
      that giving and sharing opens the world
               and assures abundance for all.

We pray this even as we ponder the gift of your Son,
    whom we ingest as bread and wine,
         and tasting, find ourselves
               forgiven and renewed.
    Feed us till we want no more!

Prayers for a Privileged People, Walter Brueggemann

Bernie Sanders Calls Meeting at His Home in Vermont Sunday to Discuss Campaign’s Future

Bernie Sanders Calls Meeting at His Home in Vermont Sunday to Discuss Campaign’s Future



Should be interesting.

Thank You Bernie

Thank You Bernie

THINGS I DISLIKE ABOUT THE VILLAGE

1. Our leadership has not been very good. I attribute that to all the ex-military people. They have no leadership skills outside of the military. They are not use to democracy, the military being the least democratic organization that you could possibly find. They do not listen and like to do things in secret. On a scale of 1-10, one being time for a revolution, ten being I must be living in heaven, we are a 2. That's up from a one.
2. I don't like all the rich people, although I suppose we, my wife and I, are thought of as belonging to that social strata. We have a lot of spoiled, right-wing Republicans. Not that I have anything against Republicans. But Trump is the best you can do? These folks buy fancy cars like I buy king size candy bars. And not cheap one's. Furniture, landscaping, fancy dinners. Everyone is trying to keep up with the guy next door. Luckily, the lot next to us is empty. I would prefer living next to people who think about the same struggles that I do, so I don't feel so all alone. The Village does not fill that bill.
3. We are not a culturally diverse group of old people. Anyone from other countries are seriously Americanized and talk better English than I do. Color is mainly white. No need for snow. We got all the white we need.
4. For a guy from the North country, Arkansas is hard to get used to. Life is different in the South. You could get up a regiment to start the Civil War over in half an hour. The confederate flag is sacred. The pace is slow. Not just slow, but really slow. If you hire someone, you are lucky to get them to the house, much less do the work you pay them for. I've been stiffed 2-3 times. That doesn't happen much when you have union workers. You can call the union. Out here, it's each man for himself. And most aim to cheat you. Now it's not fair to say everyone is out to take you. I would estimate it at about 8 out of 10.
5. The POA says prices for homes inside the Village are a good deal. I don't believe that. I think the prices are atrocious. You have to remember where we are. Which is basically in the middle of nowhere. Draw a 30 mile radius around the Village and figure the average cost of homes. It would be probably no more than $30-40 thousand. And that's probably a  high estimate. Real estate taxes would be $3-4 hundred. If you took it at face value, you would be insane to invest so much in the midst of so little. I have stupid syndrome.

What Happens Next? People's Summit to Fortify Sanders' Political Revolution

What Happens Next? People's Summit to Fortify Sanders' Political Revolution



I'M ALL IN.

THE PAST

WE ALL GOT ONE. A PAST, THAT IS. YOU HAVE TO MAKE OF IT WHAT YOU WILL. IT'S NOT SO MUCH WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED. IT'S HOW YOU LET THE PAST CONTROL YOU NOW. IN MOST OF OUR LIVES, DARK SHADOWS LINGER RIGHT ALONGSIDE OUR HAPPINESS. THE QUESTION BECOMES: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH ALL THOSE THINGS THAT HAUNT YOU? OFTEN THE ANSWER BECOMES: WHAT IS THE PAST GOING TO DO WITH YOU?

THINGS I LIKE ABOUT THE VILLAGE

Things I like about the Village:
1. If you are a golfer, you can't beat it. Some really nice courses. At reasonable prices. If you are not a golfer, either start, or move. Your money is going to increasingly go for golf.
2. Restaurants are ok. Eating at a clubhouse, I don't need fancy. We're eating there cause we didn't feel like cooking. I don't need a $50-60 dollar meal on a whim. I need something good for $30 dollars or so. For a couple.
3. It's quiet. Unnervingly quiet. No trains. No sirens. No loud music. Only military planes, who, by the way, fly too low. The older you get, the less noise you need. You've pretty much heard it all.
4. There are plenty of things to do, if you like people. Clubs of every sort. I don't get involved with many. Personally, I don't trust clubs.
5. There's a lot of scenic beauty. inside and outside the Village. If I were 15 years younger, I'd buy a camper. You could go 25 weeks a year for 5 years within a 100 mile radius and never hit the same spot. Some of these old people still do that. If something goes wrong, what have they got to lose.  I, as it works out, am not one of them. I'm in love with the indoors.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything.”

Joseph Stalin

BOYCOTT THE ELECTION

IT LOOKS LIKE THIS YEARS ELECTION IS COMING DOWN TO TRUMP AND HILLARY. MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THAT WE SHOULD ALL BOYCOTT. ANYONE VOTING FOR TRUMP IS CLUELESS. AND ANYONE VOTING FOR HILLARY IS VOTING FOR THE SAME OLD THING. I SAY WE NOT VOTE FOR ANYONE. LET THE BOYCOTT BEGIN TODAY. REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS STANDING TOGETHER SAYING THAT WE WILL NOT VOTE FOR ANYONE THAT WILL DO US HARM. LET THIS BE THE BEGINNING OF A NONVIOLENT REVOLUTION. A REVOLUTION AGAINST A GOVERNMENT THAT DOES NOT REPRESENT US. THE LOWEST TURNOUT IN A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, EVER.
BOYCOTT THE ELECTION