although practical politics is something i’ve stayed away from for a few years after a decade and half of serious engagement at the national and state level. one can’t help be be engaged by the current exploits. its interesting to see how things are beginning to take shape…and i’m impressed by this guy from the keystone state. particularly i like how he walked through his win yesterday. thanking his helpmate…thanking his God…and sharing the story of the “why” of his effort. grateful for his willingness to engage. wonder what the race will look like when it gets to ohio?
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the hands of freedom
joplin: before & after
…because we’re one country, and when one part of the country gets affected, whether it’s a tornado in Joplin or a hurricane that affects the Eastern Seaboard, then we come together as one country and we make sure that everybody gets the help that they need. President Obama while touring NJ 9/4.
found it interesting yesterday that POTUS mentioned Joplin. Good to have it mentioned albeit briefly. In our fast-paced media culture the destruction on May 22nd seems all so long ago, yet the need remains great as that area moves slowly in to a rebuilding mode.
Just one of the reasons i’m joining 10 other individuals from around the US and participating in the Present: Hope Bike tour. I need your help to make my goal of raising $5,000. Please click on the button to the left and read more information and make a donation. Your fully tax deductible gift goes 100% to Convoy of Hope to leverage their leadership on the ground in Joplin and Tuscaloosa. Donate now.
Thot this video from Ignite Church Joplin put things in perspective.
POTUS PHOTOG
while working on putting lights on the CHRISTmas tree I had pulled up the netflix menu and saw this new title DOCUMENTARY: “The President’s Photographer: Fifty Years Inside the Oval Office”. Though its been a few years…i hit play and…wow…an impressive story.
Many years ago i actually aspired to seek employement doing this very thing. I documented President Reagan’s visit to our community in ’83 and spent a long day with another amazing “shooter”, Michael Evans. Though Pete Souza wasn’t on that trip, I did meet and work with him later as well as with David Valdez (P GBush) Steven Purcell (VP Quayle), Susan Biddle (P Reagan), Bill Fitzpatrick (P Reagan).
Its well worth the watch. You get a whole different perspective on how our “republican experiment” works from the inside. Eric Draper (P GWBush) offers an amazing view of what it was like on 9/11. And one video clip showing a conversation with Nixon and his photog…very revealing. So…over the holidays if you get a chance, check it out.
Little Town of Bethlehem-Review
Little Town of Bethlehem is a new an inspiring true story of three men in a land gripped by fear, hatred, and division. These men expected to be enemies, instead strive together to end what they call the “cycle of violence”.
The videography is excellent. The story telling is engaging and I think helpful for those of us who are far removed from the realities of this ancient struggle. I believe the intentions of the film makers are genuine and true. I struggle with what seems like a moral equivalence between the victims of terror and the perpetrators of terror. For us outside that region it is very hard to understand because these tensions run deep.
I believe there are two very different things happening here: the struggle of Jews to survive terror and the struggle of Arabs who are mostly being held captive by the intransigence of Arabs states.
I’m not convinced either that its simply a “tit for tat” or a “cycle”. There is a difference between acts of terror (a suicide bomber or a missile attack) and the response to that terror (destroying a bomb-making factory or eliminating a missile launcher).
Given my concerns, I still think this video is an excellent and useful resource to shine a light on what is happening and to raise awareness and to begin a thoughtful discussion, particularly as it encourages a “non-violent” solution. There are some great resources on their website to help.
waiting for superman
there’s a great quote from this movie…”when you see a great teacher…you are seeing a work of art.” i’ll admit i’m married to a teacher and i may have a bais, but i know the heart of my bride melinda and she indeed is a work of art.(so glad she received the 2010 teacher of the year and you can read about her amazing program here). but there is a larger crisis that we are in the midst of and this movie, coming out this fall may help to spread some much need conversation.
i talk to many parents and so many of them feel trapped in trying to provide a good education for their children. and i know the issues here in the rural area not as difficult as those in the metro centers, yet the whole system is a mess. I was shocked by this statistic…
26% of this year’s graduates will not graduate with a regular diploma in 4 years. Dropouts from the class of 2008 will cost the state of Ohio $9.8 billion in lost wages over their lifetime.
there’s a lot here even this week i sat with one mom who just doesn’t know where to turn. her child, who has some learning disabilities and has gotten pulled into the court system because of a episode at school just shrugged her shoulders and said it just her lot in life. for her and her family she says the american dream has disappeared. waiting for superman looks like a great start to public discourse. visit their website and make your pledge to see the movie. follow them on twitter , check them out on facebook too so you can keep informed. edmund burke said awhile ago…All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men (and women ) do nothing. well…what something can you do?
check this out
