Barberton Mum Fest #22

Barberton is southwest of Akron, and does not consider itself a suburb. In the center of town there is a lake, and a park. The town puts on a festival the last weekend in September. They make good use of the water.

This is an extra-ordinary mellow gathering. The crowd is diverse in ages. The festival is clean, easy to get to, easy to park, and no need for security. Events, and exhibits are spread out but easy to navigate; just walk a circular path.

An axe is going after a bullseye.

Canoe jousting in Lake Anna, Barberton O.

flowers carved from watermelons, with an assembly placed and carved into a magical teapot, and smaller sundries

several varieties of chrysanthemums planted as a color maze

sandcastle and mums

Chippewa Lake water ski team
When skiers are pulled by a speedboat, a series of small waves hits the shores of the round lake.

load up for sale

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time B

For those who use the new lectionary, we have some interesting readings for Sunday. The Old Testament reading is from the Books of Moses. Josue was jealous for Moses' sake. Two men, Eldad and Medad, were prophesying. This did not trouble Moses. The Gospel reading has Marcus quoting Jesus, "And whosoever shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me; it were better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck, and he were cast into the sea."* If the homilist was willing, he could be very anti-clerical. The church police would be very offended (scandalised).

The Epistle reading is from the first of the Catholic Epistles, James, the book Luther could not tolerate.

1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl in your miseries, which shall come upon you. 2 Your riches are corrupted: and your garments are motheaten. 3 Your gold and silver is cankered: and the rust of them shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up to yourselves wrath against the last days. 4 Behold the hire of the labourers, who have reaped down your fields, which by fraud has been kept back by you, crieth: and the cry of them hath entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. 5 You have feasted upon earth: and in riotousness you have nourished your hearts, in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and put to death the Just One, and he resisted you not.

The fourth verse, i have written on one of my tool boxes. It has been retouched whenever the marker ink wears off. It has been there almost twenty years. There are four sins that cry out to heaven for divine justice (murder, sodomy, defrauding labour, cruelty to widows and orphans). The Jacobean verse is not in isolation, when Moses the Lawgiver spoke for God, he also did say, "But thou shalt pay him the price of his labour the same day, before the going down of the sun, because he is poor, and with it maintaineth his life: lest he cry against thee to the Lord, and it be reputed to thee for a sin."

I have always understood Jesus to be the Friend of labour:

Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.—Matthew xi. 28-30

There are several such passages in the Bible. The words of the prophets were not enjoyed by all. Jesus was a trouble maker in the eyes of the Pharisees. Some rich, and powerful people go to church. Do they hear these words? Would they quote these words on the campaign trail? You know not in the boardroom.

Whoever is the lector in church that reads these words, read them loud, clear, slow enough, and with feeling, so they will be heard by the congregation. Some listeners may be agitated, they will be like the proverbial "nervous whore in church". And if anyone contradicts these words moments after, pray the congregation notices the discrepancy.
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*That was the Douay-Rheims version. In the US, currently the NAB is read, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea." The Latin has 'scandalizaverit' (tempt to evil; cause to stumble).

nota bene: About bishops and other Catholic Republicans: party platforms are propaganda documents to satisfy noisy, pushy people in the party. The public does not read these, and they are not binding. Previous action by parties and politicians are a real guide to future action.  Did the Republican party say in their 2000 platform, "We will steal this election, start expensive and unnecessary wars based on lies, increase national debt, and make the rich richer, and the poor poorer, and do everything we can to hold on to and gain power"?

The propagandist that came up with "intrinsic evil" versus "prudential judgments" is a casuistic prevaricator. We know what you mean by the first, and it has become the status quo, and it is a false political issue to divert us from other issues. It is tangentially a political issue. It makes for much noise, motivates some people, is a good fraud to pull on people and to see nothing change.  The second one says, sinisterly, cynically, perversely, banefully, "Yes we know what is right, you know what is right, but if you say something else is right (and we know it is wrong), and do what is wrong, we will not interfere." It would be so nice if Republican bishops were to read the Bible and the doctors instead of shilling for the moneyed establishment. Make you a prudential judgment, when you weigh such words from such men.

The episcopal scrupulosity about clerical misbehaviour is not as stringent. "And whosoever shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me; it were better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck, and he were cast into the sea."
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postscriptum:  There is at least one internet petition calling for the resignation of such a bishop:

Petitioning President, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
This petition will be delivered to:
His Eminence Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan President, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops     Most Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz Vice President, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops     Rebecca Summers Dir. of Communications - Diocese KCSJ
Bishop Robert Finn Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph, MO     Bishop R. Daniel Conlon Chairman, USCCB Committee on Child Protection    
Bishop Robert Finn: Resign as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph, MO.

by Jeff Weis
Kansas City, MO

Bishop Robert Finn is head of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. He is also the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic cleric to be convicted in a decades-long child sexual abuse scandal.

In September of 2012, a judge found Bishop Finn guilty on one misdemeanor charge after he failed to report a priest who had taken or possessed hundreds of pornographic pictures of young girls. Even though Finn was found guilty in a court of law, he remains the Bishop of the Kansas City – St. Joseph Diocese. Now, many members of our community feel he is unfit to lead and should resign. He is currently the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic cleric to be convicted in a decades-long child sexual abuse scandal.

This isn’t a new problem. Only three years ago, Bishop Finn settled lawsuits with 47 plaintiffs in sexual abuse cases for $10 million and agreed to a long list of preventive measures, among them to immediately report anyone suspected of being a pedophile to law enforcement authorities.

I’m from Kansas City, MO - born and raised Catholic in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. As a Catholic, I believe in forgiveness. But I also believe that forgiveness and change can exist together and that’s why I feel it’s necessary for Bishop Finn to immediately resign. The spiritual, emotional, and moral pain that this issue has caused to Finn’s fellow clergymen, diocesan employees, volunteers, parishioners and faithful must begin to come to an end.

Begin the healing by resigning.

The chant that failed

 double face palm

Last night, David Letterman showed a part of the following clip: click here. This was on the internet the morning (Wednesday) it was broadcast on cable television. It made internet sites, and chatters there on commented; and some with sharp eyes.

As the tape says, it was outside Dayton, Ohio (Vandalia). There are several interesting things to catch.  Mittens is wearing a red jacket, he doesn't do that often. There is some lettering, Daytona. If i were to guess, the jacket is probably related to a car race in Florida. Good God, the man had the best education (in expensive privileged schools that anyone could afford); and he can not tell the difference between western Ohio, and the Atlantic shore of Florida. His Ohio senator, Portman is wearing a Cincinnati Reds jacket. The other fellow, might be the masculine senator from Kentucky.

Now look at Mittens' verbal behavior. Normally, when referring to a man by a personal pronoun, one chooses the masculine gender (he, him). Listen to Mittens, he objectifies his partner. Ryan becomes an 'it'. The camera does not pan the crowd, because it is not big enough to be more than a huddle. Willard tries to appropriate the chant, so that it is him they are cheering for. He, and it fails.

Here's the big thing: Romney is such a jerk, that he is jealous of the attention Ryan was getting from the crowd. Romney is a self-entitled character. Typical sociopathic ass behaviour from a 'CEO'. He cannot share attention, credit, adulation with anyone. Pity anyone who had, or has to work for this prick. The crowd did not follow..mumble...mumble.

Joe Scarborough hated President Clinton when he was a congressman.He was one of Gingrich's lieutenants. He left Congress (5 September 2001) after a dead intern was found in his office on 20 July 2001. Since April 2003, he has been on MSNBC (considered a liberal cable station). The main part of the clip is the face palm. Letterman stopped at that point. But the funny stuff was thereafter. A Southern Baptist Republican trying to remember a Catholic prayer as his party's nominees have lost. His co-host, Mika Brzezinski, both feels his discomfort, and needles him. Ed Rendell (former Democratic governor Penn.) is grinning, and the other two guys look uncomfortable. No, a botched Hail Mary is not going to save Romney. I need to go to the store and get more popcorn.

Projected Presidential Electoral Map 2012

Democratic  379  Barack Obama

Republican  159 Willard Romney

It has been coming into focus. Barack Obama has held a steady lead in the presidential race. The Republican campaign has continued to flail. The disadvantage the Republicans have is they have no one credible; but still they hold well over 40% allegiance. That is truly remarkable. 

There has been much talk about swing states. It is questionable how many swing states there are, and which ones are they. In some perspectives they are the states that voted for Obama in 2008, and the Republicans are covetous of to flip. In some of those scenarios, Indiana is expected to be a 'gimme' for the Republicans and not an effort. The averaged polls suggest all those 'swing states' to not. Missouri was the closest state in 2008. McCain won, and a recount was possible (though not requested). McCain was from Arizona, and still popular there. Arizona is lacking that impetus this time. Continual momentum (and accurate, undenied voting) could 'swing' Arizona, and Missouri to the Democracy.

We know that the Republican party throughout the United States has been achieving a reduction of the one man-one vote principle. New laws, and new gerrymanders, have been created to make a Democratic outcome less likely. How much will that hinder democracy is still to be seen, this time and in the future. This cheat and steal policy in elections is what is so thoroughly disgusting, and therefore, the Republican party cannot be considered a democratic party.

Demographics are pulling away from Republicans.Now their propagandists are poo-pooing polls, yet they take polls and see the same numbers. Of course, they do not want to depress their turnout; and of course they do not want that momentum to accelerate; but also they want a cover for shenanigans.
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postscriptum 2 November 2012: In a very short time, election day will be past. The above map needs to be changed. The first Obama-Romney debate remarkably improved Romney's standing. Romney's performance surprised the president, who just shut down. An aggressive, pushy, and thoroughly dishonest presentation by Romney was extra-ordinarily effective. Only now, has Obama recovered. The only other polling factor that might explain a portion of Romney's ascent is a change from 'registered voter' to 'likely voter' model. The above map, for now, would have Indiana, Missouri, and Arizona painted red. North Carolina, and Florida would be the weakest blue. Ohio could be red only through co-ordinated tampering! Ohio's Secretary of State, Jon Husted is thoroughly dishonest. Republicans follow the stalinist razor:  "Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything."

Mother Teresa

 Mother Teresa

Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu

 1910-1997

Yesterday in the rain, the new President of Albania, other dignitaries, and St. E Premte Albanian Orthodox Church led the ceremony dedicating the Albanian cultural garden, and a bronze statue of Mother Teresa. The statue is on Cleveland's Martin Luther King Blvd, formerly Liberty. It is before the city's greenhouse, and is the first garden nearest the lake and the freeway.

The large statue is the work of Kreshnik Xhiku. Xhiku has previously created an equestrian statue of Skanderbeg [previously the most famous Albanian], in Skopje Macedonia, and Rochester Hills Michigan.
 
Cleveland Albanians are not many, and are not of the same composition as those in the old country. Christianity is a minority religion amongst the Albanians in Europe. Many Albanians live outside the borders of  the Albanian state. They are a majority in Kosovo, and the minority in Macedonia.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta was born in the Macedonian capital, Skopje, in the last years of the Ottoman Turkish sultanate.The name 'Gonxha' means rosebud/little flower. In the picture flowers, mostly roses, are visible. They were placed there during the ceremony.

Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love. — Mother Teresa
By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus. — Mother Teresa

Catholicism is incompatible with Romney/Ryan Republicanism

Pope Leo XIII issued the encyclical Aeterni Patris in 1879, in which he promotes, to the point of instituting, the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas as the official theology and philosophy of the Church. In it he quotes Pope Innocent VI 1362†, “His teaching above that of others, the canonical writings alone excepted, enjoys such a precision of language, an order of matters, a truth of conclusions, that those who hold to it are never found swerving from the path of truth, and he who dare assail it will always be suspected of error”.

Gordon Gekko is the protagonist in the film Wall Street. He is a composite character of several financiers, Ivan Boesky foremost. Gekko makes the statement, “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures, the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge, has marked the upward surge of mankind and greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the U.S.A”.

Pope Benedict issued the encyclical Caritas in Veritate in 2009. He wrote, “Once profit becomes the exclusive goal, if it is produced by improper means and without the common good as its ultimate end, it risks destroying wealth and creating poverty”. His Secretary of State and Camerlengo (Chamberlain), Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, a few days later addressed the Italian senators. Bertone countered the film, when he said, “Greed market has substituted free market”.

Willard Romney made a fortune as a venture vulture capitalist on Wall Street. Paul Ryan, the disciple of Ayn Rand, believes as she did, taxing the rich for the common good, and societal altruism is wrong. The economic and political difference between Romney, Ryan, Rand, and the fictional Gekko and his real antecedents is nothing. Rand was an atheistic materialist.

Book is opened to pages reading Summa Theologica, Summa Philosophica

St. Mary Seminary, Cleveland

It is to be remembered that the words: avarice, covetousness and greed are equivalent.  St. Thomas writes on that deadly sin in Summa Theologica II-II. Question 118. The vices opposed to liberality, and in the first place, of covetousness

...

I answer that, in whatever things good consists in a due measure, evil must of necessity ensue through excess or deficiency of that measure. Now in all things that are for an end, the good consists in a certain measure: since whatever is directed to an end must needs be commensurate with the end, as, for instance, medicine is commensurate with health, as the Philosopher observes (Polit. i, 6). External goods come under the head of things useful for an end, as stated above (117, 3; I-II, 02, 1). Hence it must needs be that man's good in their respect consists in a certain measure, in other words, that man seeks, according to a certain measure, to have external riches, in so far as they are necessary for him to live in keeping with his condition of life. Wherefore it will be a sin for him to exceed this measure, by wishing to acquire or keep them immoderately. This is what is meant by covetousness, which is defined as "immoderate love of possessing." It is therefore evident that covetousness is a sin.
...
Reply to Objection 2. Covetousness may signify immoderation about external things in two ways. First, so as to regard immediately the acquisition and keeping of such things, when, to wit, a man acquires or keeps them more than is due. On this way it is a sin directly against one's neighbor, since one man cannot over-abound in external riches, without another man lacking them, for temporal goods cannot be possessed by many at the same time. Secondly, it may signify immoderation in the internal affection which a man has for riches when, for instance, a man loves them, desires them, or delights in them, immoderately. On this way by covetousness a man sins against himself, because it causes disorder in his affections, though not in his body as do the sins of the flesh.

As a consequence, however, it is a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, inasmuch as man contemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things.
...

It is geting better

The ship of Mitt is sinking, and the rats are jumping off. The video of Romney speaking to his own entitled class of robber barons has become public. Willard has committed a number of self inflicted wounds. This one was not. When looking at the video, Romney is the farthest away, then his audience, then waiters. The camera is sitting on the bar. As in the cliché mystery novel, it is the butler, or here his substitute the barman, the handler of bottles and drinks. Remember, Willard is as Mormon as they come; unlike gwbjr, he does not have to pretend sobriety; but he is trying to satisfy the extreme end of the 1%, and they are not going to be denied top shelf booze, or anything else. And no one noticed, because if the servants are quiet, and diligent to the masters' desires, they are invisible. Those waiters, bartenders, serving wenches, and the galley staff are of the "47%".

Mittens was just retelling the fantasy fiction his ilk likes to hear. He was saying, in part, that half of the country is below "us". Well, it is more like 90%+, but you can't even steal an election in this country by publicly insulting 90% of the population; so he had to invent a number under 50%, and a false 47%/53% line has been repeated in Republican propaganda for sometime now.

But, it is the nonchalant contempt he feels about plebians and the proletariat that comes through. Romney, or as he has become Rmoney, and R$ in shorthand, is a contemptible jerk. Many people have known this for years. In 2008, and in 2012, the other candidates for the Republican nomination could not stand him, but because he is now "their boy" they must; because the loyalty to the party is greater than that to the country, and certainly to the masses.

Now, i know that facts, logic, morals and consistency does not change the opponent to your side. The Republican party is a criminal conspiracy. Its members are fascists, idiots, crack pots, racists, the avaricious and rapacious, liars, and cheats living in cloud cuckoo land. I also know, that all parts of the definition extremely upsets them, and i will not hear any of them concede any point [even if it is filmed]; but when their own leader shows contempt for them, then it is enough for some of them to turn away from him, and his party.

So, now polling numbers are further decreasing because of these remarks, and they are more damaging than the two conventions, his foreign tour, and his asinine and treasonous comments about the dead consulate staff, and the US government. Only Fox propaganda, the party chairman, the oxycontin mouthfoamer, and a few other reprobates are backing him on this and making easily disproved inventions; but their mendacity is never ending, and they believe their audience are gulls.

See, what he said is perfectly acceptable in his socio-economic circle, and his political party; but it is only to be shared with the initiates. Romney doubly knows this as a Mormon, you don't tell this to the gentiles.

Well, other Republican candidates are finding their wells being salted. It is fine if your running for senator in Mississippi, Utah, Wyoming, or Texas; no matter who runs for either party, the Democrat will lose, and the Republican will win. Hell, in the Repuke wave of 2010, the diaper wearing whoremonger David Vitter breezed through Louisiana; but Linda McMahon (who used the same 47% bullshit figure last time) is running in Connecticut, and that duplicitous, nude magazine model Scott Brown is running in Massachusetts. They are not the only scurrying rodents. Thompson in Wisconsin, and Heller who replaced the adulterer Ensign in Nevada are wanting distance from Romney, as is Lingle in Hawaii (no one was expecting her to win). The Senate will remain with a Democratic majority, and probably an increase.

The House: i am seeing stupid commercials slamming Democrats as employees of Pelosi. First, she isn't running the House; the weepy, orange, smoky Boehner is; second, people have forgotten who she is; third, she isn't a character easy to demonise except by rabid Republicans. The Republicans have some congressmen that should be in mental institutions (Joe Walsh, Steve King, Alan West, Michele Bachmann), and through redistricting, and their inherent insanity might go down in deserved defeat in a Democratic year. Perhaps Cantor will go too. We don't know yet. With irregularities in vote counting, electoral fraud, and suppression, some of the Republican losses may be stemmed.

Right now, the Republicans are floundering, and flailing. Since this is a reciprocal relation, the Democracy is advancing. This will continue for some time. Grab your sarsaparilla and cookies, the show still has an act, or two left.

library frog has Cadillac eyes

Almost everything interesting in Akron is on Market Street, or an intersecting block away. October 2007 Summit County Library on West Market, West Hill/Highland Square, Akron got its frog. It was created by P.R. Miller, an artist, who uses scrap.

Her eyes are hubcaps from a 1948 Caddie.
gratuitously, more frogs [Cleveland]
[Akron]  Kiki Smith. cast glass frogs. 1999. Toledo

some signage

Cuyahoga RiverEast Market Street, Akron, O., home of Goodyear

Jennings Freeway

Any formation of language into script has an artistic aspect. Writing is drawing. Labeling has some sort of style, even merely functional, utilitarian. Some is good, and some is not. Graffiti is also in this category, though those i have not presented here.

He is proving it

"I'm not concerned about the very poor." —Mitt Romney (January 2012)

Romney speaking at a $50,000 a plate meeting in the house of Marc Leder's Boca Raton, Florida 17 May 2012.

Who is the divisive figure engaged in class warfare?

Romney and Ruin

Közlemény

Real good news soon for Saint Emeric and the rest of the Catholics of Cleveland (and really the entire country) expected to be announced soon.
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postscriptum 15 October 2012: Expect the delayed announcement from the Cleveland chancery/bishop this Thursday, 18 October. Part of the announcement will be noon Sunday 4 November.

2012 chalking

Cleveland Art Museum front yard

I left a link, three items ago, to an entry on last year's chalk weekend. I did not plan on this one, but the drawings are good. In centuries past, street artists chalked pictures before Italian churches. They were called 'I Madonnari'. Other street artists did the same in other lands. Its popularity returned to Italy in the 1970s. It has been popular in California about the Spanish mission churches beginning in 1987. Soon thereafter the Californian idea came to Cleveland.

I took these paintings early this evening. I wanted to come after the drawings were finished, and the crowds gone. The chalking was done yesterday, and the day before. The Art Museum is closed on Mondays. To-morrow heavy rain is forecast. Trying to find a parking space is difficult in University Circle. It is almost to the point, that one needs to live on campus to get there. Other people came to look, and foto the drawings too. Some were travelling through on bicycle.

There were few copies of masters. There was one American Gothic, and a take off; two Screams, a Modigliani. The most common subjects were current cable television cartoon characters.

Several chalk drawings were of wildlife. There was more a few lions.
I thought this the most enjoyable. Our long neck friend has as many cervical vertebræ as we [typical mammalian 7], but he has more surface area.
A few connected with the city. Supra is one of the 'Guardians of Traffic' on the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge.
I was going to post this on 12 December, Mary as Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas. Another chalk drawing was a Pieta.
A mother was walking by with her daughter. They stop before this one, and she recites to the child:

Rub-a-dub-dub,
Three men in a tub,
And who do you think they be?
The butcher, the baker,
The candlestick maker,
And all of them going to sea.

The Cleveland Art Museum has an Armour Court, with a mounted Knight. He is taking Ruben's Portrait of Isabella Brant.

West Side Market

West Side Market in background, 'sculpture' in foreground by electric transit station (2011)

The West Side Market building in Cleveland is one hundred years old. From 1840 to 1912 the market was across the street. For the first few years that was Ohio City. It is a long yellow brick neo-Byzantine hall, with one great barrel vault, and an impressive clock tower. Along the back end, and most of the side away from Lorain avenue there are formerly outdoor vegetable stalls. It is now celebrating a centenary. It has become popular for tourists, not for the architecture, but for the concept. It has had effective public relations advertising.

In the front up high center there is an eagle statue with twin cornucopias, this theme is repeated elsewhere.
and a head of beef in the back with greenery

This face reads 10.10, the other three faces have different opinions.

some merchants add decorations to their stalls

Next to the outside doors are Walter Sinz's stone carvings of tasty animals, fruits, and vegetables.

On tiles there is a painted sign directing people to the 'euphemism' in the basement. That sign was there when Franklin Roosevelt was president, and probably before he was president.
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postscriptum: 1 February 2013. Sometime before 2 a.m. 30 January, an electrical fire began in the stand immediately adjacent to the one decorated with the steer head (pictured above). The resulting smoke damage has closed the market till complete cleanup of smoke damage, et cetera is approved. The local television stations have made it a central point, that the upcoming 'Super Bowl' weekend would have been a profitable Friday and Saturday.

youtube promises cake

At university, i used to say that the world reached its high point in the 13th century. I was reading through the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of the 1910s-30s, and at breakfast with an history graduate student, i remarked at the quality of the writing, and compared it to the rubbish that was written at the time. The next table sat a 'journalism' student, and while i was talking his face was getting angrier and more disturbed. I didn't know him, and didn't pay much attention. He exploded at me.

A few years ago i read an article about the acceptance and use of new technologies. There was clumsy jargon in it. I forget the term, perhaps "early adapters". I am not. They had graphs of curves. There is a line of 50% acceptance, i come well after that. For some things, i don't ever come around (astroturf, mobile telephones, facebook).

Recently, i have looked at youtube for music and films. Somewhere, i became acquainted with video web loggers, 'vloggers'. I have become enthusiastic by one, and even her community. There is a laudatory level of affection for Natalie Tran. She is the most popular vlogger in Australia, and since she is an anglophone, her audience is wider. She just passed her sixth year of filming, talking, creating.

The videos allow comments. Her latest one, in two days, had well over six thousand comments. One can start reading the latest group by page, and go backward, and fall backward. They come in that fast at the beginning. Say there is about seven on a page. You can only go back so far, and give up. You notice the comments repeat very soon. Some people should not bother to comment.

She has made nearly three hundred videos (mostly a minute and an half to five minutes). She has had gaps of several months where she did not make any. People have gone back to the beginning to view all of them, and these people leave good comments.

The tendency for most videos are to have many comments that are idiotic, or vulgarly disgusting, and individuals end up arguing about other issues completely divorced from the video. But, with 'communitychannel' (Natalie's user name) it is an appreciative audience. They cry for her to make more videos. Two and an half years into her oeuvre the pattern was set. She invented porno music/comment time, where cheesy/sleazy music is played over stills of people's comments, which she answers. Jokes, including rude comments, and gentle taunting on both sides are apparent, and a call and response patter is engaged. Some where she becomes "Our Nat".

Some videos she speaks on observational humour. In others she acts as two, or three, or four characters that interact with each other on screen. She is good enough, that it takes three or four videos to figure out, that it is just her. She continuously promises a new video in four (or so) days.

She says, "Hi" and waves, she says "sorry" a lot, yeah no, but anyway, chortle. And in January 2009 began the lamington controversy. Lamingtons are called coconut bars in Cleveland. Lamingtons are small cakes covered in chocolate (sometimes jam) and then with coconut flakes. It is approaching four years, and no lamingtons. Well actually she showed us some she made [that was the third of four consecutive videos she mentions the ambrosia], and said the camera was off.

She makes confessions occasionally, and one feels like they know the girl. To know Natalie is to love Natalie. She made two with statements demanding that Australians respect that she is an Aussie, and she is. She has encountered anti-Asian prejudice, and it irks her. One video is genius. It is better than professional satire.
Miley Cyrus/ Hannah Montana had a hit song in Australia, 'The hoedown throwdown'. Natalie sings, and dances, it better and she does it in a full body monkey costume. Saturday Night Live does not have the consistent quality Natalie does.
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postscriptum 22 October 2012: Our Natalie is darling and sharp. September 18 she released a video, a good one. It is hard to find a bad one. She leaves a note, "...new vid in 5 days...". The "new vid" came October 16 and was 24 seconds long, "Brad Pitt CHANEL Parody". October 21, Saturday Night Live does three parodies of the same subject. Natalie was better!

yearly events

We have a yearly calendar. Certain events come again. Near the shores of Ohio's Lake Erie, over the last few years we have particular regular re-occurring events, and celebrations; just as elsewhere. They have their devotees and visitors. Photographing the one, is much like fotographing the next; but they are entertaining, just as the blooming of flowers, and the falling of leaves, and then snow.

exempli gratia:
Chalk Fest at Cleveland Art Museum
Woolybear Sunday
and many church festivals and processions 1, 2, 3

Obdurate officials of the ordinariate

Ten parishes in the Cleveland Latin-rite diocese that were unjustly forced not to meet have now been operating with official episcopal acknowledgment. An eleventh one has been impeded by the overbearing ordinary. A twelfth has been denied a real explanation of their status.

In Kansas City a bishop has been convicted and put on probation for his role in a pedophilia coverup. Robert Finn, a politically active bishop, has spent over a million dollars of diocesan money trying to avoid that conviction. He is a public disgrace. He still is bishop and continues to operate as before. Now, many other bishops could be convicted on similar charges if government wanted to exercise vigilance. Of course, those who agree with his politics and church polity will vigorously defend such criminal bishops, and bash those that do not.

Bishops have been removed from office throughout history. But the hierarchy loathes to have one of their number to be driven from office, or removed. In Finn's case a life of private prayer and penance would be appropriate.

Now, in Cleveland, we have Richard Lennon. Lennon would not pass scrutiny. Fortunately for him, he is not going to be investigated. Records and evidence will remain secreted. He was transferred from Boston, which he and his sponsor, Bernard Law, left in shambles. Although his office in Boston was considered temporary, Boston was more prestigious than Cleveland. The management of the entire local press will not allow a censure or investigation in Cleveland. The national, and international press are far more interested. There has been "pervasive commingling of accounts" where monies from the sale of parish properties, and supposedly dedicated funds fall into general funds, which in turn can be used for anything.

The people who have their parishes back, are only interested in their parishes now. Two groups of local faithful that made up Endangered Catholics, and Code Purple are spent and involved in their parishes, and personal lives. Local government is filled with Catholics not willing to chance their positions at the ballot box, and social circles.

Now we have parishes trying to rebuild. By accident and by purpose, no parish received the same pastor they had had. Lennon did not want that sort of continuity. Lennon wants these parishes run by these new men alone. Now, some parishes were lucky and got men whom like their communities. This was seen at the Homecoming Masses in which there was a great celebratory presence, and the intentions and words of praise the priest had for the parishioners whom fought for their parishes. In others, the contrary absence of celebration and admiration for the people, coupled with praise and concern for Lennon was also indicative, but adversely so. At St. John the Baptist in Akron, many parishioners made it known that they do not care for the administrator appointed, for he had worked for the parish's closure. St. James Lakewood also received a lennonist.

Lennon has avoided coming to the Homecoming Masses. He is making a point of coming to the parish to 'install' the pastor. Of course, these Masses will be attended not only by a fraction of those coming to the Homecoming, but also a fraction of an average Mass, even though the pastor will encourage the Christians to come. While St. Mary Akron had their Homecoming, Lennon installed the pastor at St. Mary Bedford.

One priest who said good things at his first re-assignment said troubling words at his second. A second newspaper journalist shared some of those words with the public, a first reporter judiciously did not. The Amish are a forgiving, and pacifist people; but as circumstances were, they do not have to see Charles Roberts. To counsel people to forgive an unrepentant Lennon, is the same as counseling a battered woman to stay with her man. Lennon is just like a wife beater, and will continue to abuse.

Many people thought Richard Milhous Lennon could not stay after the parish debacle, and the low morale of his priests. He has had these unusual 'meetings' with groups of priests. Yeah, they know he is vindictive, and a mental case, and very few have shown any courage before in speaking. Why would they feel free to speak now, especially when after six years they certainly know him? Has there been a public disclosure of the outcomes of those meetings?

Lennon has had at least three emissaries come to town to ask him to remove himself, he has not. Lennon has been to Rome several times and has been advised and scolded, and told of his problems. Unlike Martino of Scranton, he did not take a hint. Such bishops have pushed away an altogether too numerous a number of individuals from the faith, and therefore their families, and generations yet to be born. To keep the faith is, at times, a very trying task. Jesus promised us [Matthew xi. 30] His yoke was sweet, and His burden light. We have been assigned a pharisaic faro whose yoke is harsh, and burden heavy.

I had always thought at least some of the Cleveland parish appeals were going to be successful. I was certain most, if not all would have been successful after the Allentown decisions. But we never did find out how many were in play. There was at least one occasion when Lennon's departure would have had a good cover story (his operation). I have heard many people say that they can not see him continuing as bishop in Cleveland. I can.
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postscriptum 6 pm 21 April 2015: Finn has resigned as bishop. [click] and {click}

Critical point

In graphing certain mathematical functions on a Cartesian plane there are points on a curve that are critical points. At those points the slope of the curve change, at the point itself the derivative is zero; nothing happens, but immediately after that point the rate of change increases or decreases.

In the years to come historians shall look back at the presidential race of 2012 and ponder the moment when Willard Romney lost it. Was it the speeches of the two Clintons (C. Eastwood, William Jefferson C.)?, or the ridiculously, stupid, self-satisfied, and vulgar statement on the Libyan consulate attack? No, those were only the points where horse lengths were increasing. The Republicans lost at the assembling of their field, and ideology. I remember Secretariat running the Triple Crown. The Belmont Stakes was the third race, and the longest. Secretariat so outpaced the crowd he could no longer run to increase the separation. He won by 31 lengths.


Now, it has been noted that while Barack Obama has tried to be friendly with Republicans [to no avail], he has been a Democratic candidate little interested in promoting other Democratic candidates. The demographics of the United States suggest only future Democratic success. For Republicans [as they are] to win they must gin the system. Since scrupulosity is not something they suffer from, ginning the system they excel at.

But now, with Romney's incredible lack of judgment and finesse, there is an opportunity for a greater Democratic win. The Republicans have held the Supreme Court for close to sixty years, and under gwbjr they held, for a time, everything; they thought they might gain both houses of Congress. A co-ordinated, strong push can give control of both Houses to the Democracy.

2day is R U OK? Day

Is your spouse OK?

Is your child OK?

Is your brother, sister, parent, dear relative OK?

Is your work comrade OK?

Is your classmate OK?

Is your neighbour OK?

Is that lonely person you sometimes see OK?

Are you OK?

Has someone had this conversation with you? Is there someone who needs to have some time to talk to a caring ear? We are our brother's keeper.

Nature Realm Akron Metropark

Sassafras albidum, red cupped stem with blue fruit

prairie grass grows on the roof of the visitor center

bird feeders are outside an observation room

red osier dogwood with berries

Franklinia alatamaha, is extinct in the wild (one river valley in Georgia)