Tuesday Open Thread

The Thieves Roar Like Fish In The Sand

There are demons
in the endless wood.
No one believes in them
but they are there
to sizzle like poisoned water
in the heart.

Twigs crack in the wind.
We fumble the tools,
our tongues stutter.

Light is a danger.
With it we see only
to the edge of it.

Now the owl speaks out.
Snow falls regardless and slow.

Time and making in time are made.
Lying together in the morning,
caught by expectations,
caught by snow flickering
on glass without edges,
we see only faceless grey light.
Once without a name ever so,
the wild unmade stars alive
in our upturned faces

From ZEN ENCOUNTERS with LONELELINESS by Terrance Keenan.

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Are we children ... or are we adults?

We are not shackled, we are not under martial law, we can still congregate and discuss, and yet we choose to do nothing. We accept bullshit in our workplaces, in our community, and in our government, and simply choose quick and easy methods to express our frustration rather than adopt an actual approach. We are a nation of Children waiting for some parent to tell us when its time for the Big Moment, while in other more brutally oppressed societies people show more courage and engagement in their collective citizenry than America does in even a small fraction. We don't have an excuse, we just have laziness and perhaps an unwillingness to give up the shiny baubles of Capitalism for our own Dignity.

Somehow something, sometimes a voice within ourselves, always seems to hold us back.

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In A BEING DARKLY WISE, Pete Andersen reflects upon the passage of time :

He was beginning to keep the calendar in the same way he kept time; by thee character of the days, not their sequence. There were wet days; cold days; days with light and heat; days with an empty aching bell after a fresh dip in the lake; days where fear seeped down out the mountains and enveloped the group like a heavy cloud cover; days where even the itchy, gritty, hungry, grimy reality that surrounded them paled against the aimpact of a staggering beauty beyond anything he'd dared to imagine.

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Yet we keep wish'n and hopin' for better times.

[video:https://youtu.be/4YrfLnlrquo?t=6]

On this ruby Tuesday, when you some of us might be regretting the loss someone we loved but could never keep because they were constantly seeking some new thing to fill their lives, a new experience, place, feeling or love :

She would never say where she came from
Yesterday don't matter if it's gone
While the sun is bright
Or in the darkest night
No one knows
She comes and goes

Goodbye, ruby tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I'm gonna miss you...

Don't question why she needs to be so free
Shell tell you it's the only way to be
She just can't be chained
To a life where nothings gained
And nothings lost
At such a cost

There's no time to lose, I heard her say
Catch your dreams before they slip away
Dying all the time
Lose your dreams
And you will lose your mind.
Aint life unkind?

Goodbye, ruby tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I'm gonna miss you...

Songwriters: KEITH RICHARDS, MICK JAGGER

Yes,once again, today is the day we know as Tuesday!

If you are trying to learn Japanese then this day of the week in Japanese is Kayōbi.

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January 23, 2018 is the 23rd day of the year 2018 in the Gregorian calendar.

There are 342 days remaining until the end of the year.

1368 In a coronation ceremony, Zhu Yuanzhang ascends to the throne of China as the Hongwu Emperor, initiating Ming Dynasty rule over China that would last for three centuries.

1689 Saco, in southwestern Maine is attacked by Abenaki Indians. Nine settlers are killed in the fighting.

1849 Elizabeth Blackwell is granted a medical degree from Geneva College in New York, becoming the first female to be officially recognized as a physician in U.S. history.

1862 Agoston Haraszthy, 1st vintner in Sonoma Valley, California imports 10,000 grape vine cuttings

1870 Declaring he did not care whether or not it was the rebellious band of Indians he had been searching for, Colonel Eugene Baker orders his men to attack a sleeping camp of peaceful Blackfeet along the Marias River in northern Montana.

1916: Browning, Montana, saw the temperature plummet 100 degrees in 24 hours on January 23-24, from a relatively mild 44 to a bone-chilling 56 degrees below zero.

1922 The first injection of Insulin ( called isletin originally ) on Leonard Thompson, a 14-year-old diabetic who lay dying at the Toronto General Hospital on January 11th 1922 caused a severe allergic reaction. For the next 12 days the biochemist James Collip worked to improve and purify the ox-pancreas extract and on the second injection bought the boy out of his coma and was a complete success.

1933 The 20th Amendment to the US Constitution Is Ratified which establishes the beginning and ending of the terms of the elected federal officials.

1944 Nazi resistance fighter and Catholic trade union activist Nikolaus Gross is hanged at Plotzensee Prison in Berlin, Germany, after having been arrested in connection with the failed plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. He would be beatified by Pope John Paul II, "“If we do not risk our life today, how do we then want one day to justify ourselves before God and our people?”

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1948 Huston's "Treasure of Sierra Madre" starring Humphrey Bogart opens

1950 Israeli Knesset resolves Jerusalem is capital of Israel

1957 Toy company Wham-O produces first Frisbees

1958 The United Auto Workers (UAW) were prepared to vote on a new profit-sharing plan. This particular proposal was made by Walter P. Reuther. If this new profit-sharing plan were to take affect, workers would receive 25% of any profits over 10 percent above what companies make (net capital before taxes).

1961 Supreme Court rules cities & states have right to censor films

1964 The Poll Tax became illegal in all US states it had been a potent prerequisite, and sometimes outright barrier, to voting in national elections, and used as a blunt tool for barring poverty-stricken African-Americans and whites from participating in the electoral process.

1965 The Searchers' "Love Potion Number 9" peaks at #3

1965 Boston Celtic center Bill Russell misses all 14 shots in loss to Philadelphia Warriors led by Wilt Chamberlain

1968 The U.S. ship Pueblo is seized by North Korean naval vessels and charged with spying and violating North Korean territorial waters, the ship is a US intelligence gathering ship

1973 Richard Nixon appears on national television to announce "peace with honour" in Vietnam.

1977 The Alex Haley book "Roots" is turned into a TV Mini Series of 8 episodes and the first episode is shown on 23rd and the last episode shown on January 30th. The mini series made history when it won 9 Emmys, a Golden Globe, and a Peabody Award.

1978 Sweden becomes the first nation in the world to ban aerosol sprays, believed to be damaging to earth's ozone.

1986 The first ten musicians are inducted into Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame

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[Video:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EjIPMJmV64g]

[video:https://vimeo.com/3896151]

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[video:https://youtu.be/vYbjEp5kZko?t=6]

[video:https://youtu.be/UIGoqv8zlRE?t=17]

[video:https://vimeo.com/118633823]

[video:https://vimeo.com/45052672]

2001 Five protesters set themselves on fire by pouring gasoline on themselves and setting light to themselves in Tiananmen Square recorded by CNN camera men ( Tapes are confiscated ) and Police with fire-extinguishers quickly put out the flames. The chinese media used the protesters as examples to discredit the practice of Falun Gong which is frowned on by the Chinese government. Falun Gong has denied any involvement in the incident.

2012 Felicity Aston became the first woman to complete a solo crossing of Antarctica after skiing for 1,084 miles over 59 days. The thirty-three year old celebrated the accomplishment by herself as the weather did not permit a plane to safely collect her from the Hercules Inlet right away.

2014 Morocco's parliament unanimously voted to change a controversial law that had spurred protests. The law had allowed rapists of underage girls the ability to avoid punishment by marrying the victims.

Whew, what a day it's been!

Political progressives too often ignore or ridicule spiritual progressives ... foolishly failing to join hands with them in common struggle to bring about the world we both hope for. Tuesday's open thread will humbly attempt to bring these two pieces of the puzzle together, spiced with a touch of poetry and song.

A religious man is a person who holds God and man in one thought at one time, at all times, who suffers harm done to others, whose greatest passion is compassion, whose greatest strength is love and defiance of despair.”

— Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

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A fifth person has claimed sanctuary in North Carolina. Oscar Canales, a father of three and a business owner, took sanctuary in Congregational United Church of Christ on Thursday. He was ordered to leave the country by Jan. 18, 2018, according to Triad City Beat

“This is a loving, strong, and brave family determined to stay together,” said Rev. Julie Peeples, senior pastor at Congregational United Chuch of Christ. “… When I consider the biblical imperatives to love our neighbor and welcome the sojourners, along with the pledge of allegiance, which speaks of ‘liberty and justice for all,’ I don't know how anyone can be in favor of splitting up this wonderful family. They must be allowed to stay here in their own home, together.”

As Immigrants Claim Sanctuary Around North Carolina, One Church Steps Up, Again

I sometimes turn away when I drive up to a man or woman holding a cardboard sign by a street corner. I look down and to the right (their face is usually up and to the left.) I pretend to be looking for something. Anything but eye contact.

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Why is it that normal, rational, informed, intelligent people have such a hard time getting their head around homelessness?

It’s not easy to forgive when you have been blatantly wronged, but that’s what California filmmaker A.J. Ali did after he went for a walk and was attacked by police. Ali created a new documentary, Walking While Black: L.O.V.E. is the Answer, as a faithful effort to reconcile his painful
experience.

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After Police Harassment, Filmmaker's New Documentary Calls for Love

The path to change is based on an essential understanding of the underpinnings of our fears. Change is scary. In my case it required patiently addressing a wide variety of strong, negative beliefs: I would not be empathetic enough to help others, no one would be interested in my help, and so on.

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Change in the Face of Fear

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mhagle's picture

Political progressives too often ignore or ridicule spiritual progressives ... foolishly failing to join hands with them in common struggle to bring about the world we both hope for. Tuesday's open thread will humbly attempt to bring these two pieces of the puzzle together, spiced with a touch of poetry and song.

Thank you for taking on this topic. The world needs a miracle, but it comes not in the traditional sense. It is the simple daily actions of choosing to act out of love, rather than fear. In conversation, choosing compassion and understanding over the need to be "right." Letting generosity flow out of our inner most self, where it lives at least remotely in all of us.

These things live in good religion (very hard to find these days), but religion is not required and in present society most often a hindrance. Yet there are those, like Rev. Barber of Moral Mondays who are definitely part of the miracle in action.

Most useful IMO are the simple efforts made moment by moment to look for the light. Then move in the light. That's where the miracle lives.

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

phillybluesfan's picture

We should be actively celebrating moral Mondays from coast to coast ... and border to border.

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Few are guilty, but all are responsible.”
― Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets

Interesting spread of ideas. Reminds me of this one by Charles Mingus...

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phillybluesfan's picture

@QMS I have never listened to his words ... 'til now thanks.

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Few are guilty, but all are responsible.”
― Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets

Arrow's picture

Thanks for the OT.
I don't have anything right now except...
Have a great day all.

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I want a Pony!

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

@dkmich Thanks for beautiful read and listen!

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Big Al's picture

2nd time this week I've had to reevaluate things after reading input here.

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phillybluesfan's picture

@Big Al "In a traditional democracy, the liberal class functions as a safety valve. It makes piecemeal and incremental reform possible. It offers hope for change and proposes gradual steps toward greater equality. It endows the state and the mechanisms of power with virtue. It also serves as an attack dog that discredits radical social movements, making the liberal class a useful component within the power elite."

Hedges' summary explanation and criticism of corporate power and his source of inspiration in the Catholic Worker movement and Christian Anarchism. The latter helps us glean the outlines of what Hedges considers to be the solution to the economic and social problems that plague us.

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Few are guilty, but all are responsible.”
― Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets

and history keeps repeating, when "does we learn"? Hey! Remember the days when your fave artist got on the TV machine and totally killed it? Todd was my god 'cause he rocked Mike Douglas. Today it is harpO, Ellen, etc., the archetypes persist but the message has changed. Thank you for this beautiful essay.

Utopia - Love Is The Answer (Mike Douglas Show 7-80)

LOL! Utopia rocks Hollywood set. LOVE

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phillybluesfan's picture

@mhagle We should be celebrating Moral Mondays, in the streets, from coast to coast and border to border.

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Few are guilty, but all are responsible.”
― Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets

phillybluesfan's picture

@Big Al "In a traditional democracy, the liberal class functions as a safety valve. It makes piecemeal and incremental reform possible. It offers hope for change and proposes gradual steps toward greater equality. It endows the state and the mechanisms of power with virtue. It also serves as an attack dog that discredits radical social movements, making the liberal class a useful component within the power elite."

Hedges' summary explanation and criticism of corporate power and his source of inspiration in the Catholic Worker movement and Christian Anarchism. The latter helps us glean the outlines of what Hedges considers to be the solution to the economic and social problems that plague us.

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Few are guilty, but all are responsible.”
― Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets

enhydra lutris's picture

is is philly bluesfan or phillyblues fan? I'm on a tablet in a stste park campground, so I can't stay and say too much. Political and spiritual lefties should very much work together more and more often. Fully agreed and full stop.

Try to consider that there may be issues and impediments on both sides. Two oversimplified quickies. If we "partner", why must the secularists join, follow and obey? Also too, If the work project starts at 9, why is it absolutely mandatory that I show up 8 for the blessing and prayer meeting? And why is it me who is being petty if I won't and not them being petty for insisting that I do? Why must I drop and sacrifice all my principles? Nobody decreed that in order to work on the elimination of polio all participants were required to renounce their religious and spiritual beliefs.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

phillybluesfan's picture

@enhydra lutris I am a long time folkie who, during fifteen years in Philly before moving to Louisville, slowly became a blues fan

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Few are guilty, but all are responsible.”
― Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets

phillybluesfan's picture

@enhydra lutris @enhydra lutris I recall the days when I belonged to a monthly (The) Nation (magazine) discussion group. It disappointed me to hear the faith community, left or right or otherwise, spoken of as if they/we belonged to the flat earth society and burned witches at the stake. I witnessed the mirror side of this when an Episcopal parish chose to discontinue this blog because some members of the parish objected to what they saw as partisan political content. Unfortunately, those unnamed complainants maneuvered behind the scenes to squelch the blog rather than actively participate in what could have been an experience in healing dialog.

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Few are guilty, but all are responsible.”
― Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets