What Can Mend The Broken Heart of the World?

This is certainly a time of tumult in the Muslim faith, as this article in the Daily Beast describes a recent Saturday afternoon prayer session "invaded" by women in one of the most popular mosques in Washington, D.C. to make the point that women should be allowed into mosques to pray along with men. The women "activists" or "invaders" were almost arrested.

The Muslim-Christian Summit organized with officials of the Muslim faith is meeting this week at the Washington National Cathedral. Wonder if these Muslim clerics could explain in plain English for us all, please, why they exclude women from equality in religion and social life.

Today's Sunday Forum at the Washington National Cathedral with Suheil Salman Dawani the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem, of the Holy Land, of Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon filled us in on the Christian side of the Holy Land and is available to hear and to purchase on DVD from the Cathedral website, www.nationalcathedral.org.

The Rt. Rev. Suheil Salman Dawani  
photo:Washington National Cathedral

The Bishop of Jerusalem has launched a number of non-profits, such as hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, twelve schools with 7,000 students and summer camps abroad with different faiths.

The Christian community centered in Jerusalem goes back to the days of the Pentecost,  the church's birthday, although the number of Christians in the Holy Land has actually decreased significantly to a current number less than 1% of the population. Many Christians raised as such moved abroad for higher education and did not return. At the same time, Muslims in the Holy Land attend Anglican schools in significant numbers for a solid education and to learn good values.

The Very Rev. Sam Lloyd asked how America can be helpful and supportive and engage with Christians in the Holy Land? Here are three suggested ways to get involved:

1) advocate for the peace process

2) support American Friends of Jerusalem and 

3) Episcopal Relief & Development (www.er-d.org)

Cathedral Dean Sam Lloyd emphasized later in his sermon the future depends on peace between Christians and Muslims. We need to seek good in each other. He says reconciliation is a one-on-one personal business. He cited the mothers he met in the Holy Land who wanted to work for peace so the tragedies met by their sons in battle wouldn't happen again. 

____________________________________________________________

The Christian-Muslim Summit

March 1–3, 2010
Washington National Cathedral hosts a summit of Christian and Muslim faith leaders March 1–3, 2010, culminating in a public dialogue the evening of Wednesday, March 3, at 7 pm, in the Cathedral nave.
[Please see the National Cathedral website to] RSVP for the public dialogue now »
This is the first of four interfaith dialogues on reconciliation planned with the following four principals:

• Ayatollah Dr. Seyed Mostafa Mohaghegh Damad, professor of law and chairman, Department of Islamic Studies, the Academy of Sciences of Iran; representing the Shi’a Muslim tradition
• Professor Ahmad El Tayeb, president of Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt; representing the Sunni Muslim tradition
• His Eminence Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, Vatican
• The Right Reverend John Bryson Chane, Episcopal bishop of Washington

____________________________________________________________

Is There A Secret To Women's Happiness?

Rodin, The Kiss

What can a man say to a woman, any woman, to make her feel happier?

The point is to maximize dreamy phrases. Go ahead and dare to be a dreamboat. Women will love you for it.

1) "You're beautiful" - They want to know they are at least beautiful to you, but then it's best to go further with what exactly makes them look so. Perhaps that's what he's whispering in her ear, above, but he's likely said it already lots of times.
2) "You're the best" - Of course, no one wants to be second best at anything, even if it is stretching the truth at times.
3) Notice a girl's moods. Comfort her if she's sad, and ask what's wrong if she's angry.
4) Please a girl at every opportunity. Tell girls you will do what they want to do and go along with them to please them, but don't cling. Offer action, but don't force a girl to do something she doesn't want to do.
5) "You know a lot" - For lots of women, it's their life's favorite hobby to learn a lot, so it's nice to be complimented for knowledge. After all, it doesn't subtract from a man's warehouse of knowledge.
6) "You're smart" - Be sincere, and think of an example. The easiest way is to acknowledge it when you hear and recognize it. Who wouldn't feel stronger with this sort of compliment?
7) Be ultra-communicative. Tease and flirt at every opportunity in a friendly way. Occasionally leave text or phone messages so your target doesn't forget about you. Return any message from a girl, no matter how vague (it's a gift of your attention she might not expect or feel appropriate to command). Err on the side of over-communicating if you're not sure. The other side can't always guess what you think.
8) Be confident. Remember to talk to her and answer her questions and make her feel equal to you and better about herself from all the attention she is getting from you. Never, ever, take giving her attention to an extreme and stalk a girl - it's a no-no, and alarming to any girl.
9) Be nice to her friends. She will judge you with them and them with you. She will consider your attitudes to her friends and family a sign of your social smoothness.
10) Be careful what you promise. Girls usually remember promises (it's a big deal, as in, wow, he promised) and will turn it against you if you forget. For example, don't say you'll call if you have no intention of doing so.
11) "You'll do well" - what a relief to hear, almost like hearing an astrology reading. Fun and loving to give a woman the benefit of the doubt. Don't be surprised if they giggle, but continue to reassure women with this dreamy phrase anyway.
12) "You cook well" - never, ever, I repeat, ever, tell a woman anything other than that she cooks well. Be very subtle with criticism as a general rule. All women want to think they cook well. It is as important as being clean and beautiful. It's not as if they think they are perfect, but they all want to believe they are better than average in the cooking department.
13) "Raising a woman's standard of living raises everyone's standard of living." Anyone believe for a second this is not true? This phrase reassures women and makes women feel more important.
14) Don't cheat. Don't be surprised she drops you if you cheat; expect it.

These are open secrets not just to the arts of seduction and how to seduce a woman, but how to get along better with women in general - all the women in your life. They are useful professionally as well as personally; common sense knows it, experience proves it.

Sorry, it's a bit late to wish you Happy Valentine's Day.  I was busy then.  I hope Happy Valentine's Month suffices.

How and Why To Pray: The Fire Within Us Is The Spirit

The Very Reverend Sam Lloyd gave the most recent Sunday Forum at the Washington National Cathedral as a talk about prayer and our spiritual lives. A dvd is available here to purchase at the National Cathedral website. His talk is all about being a Christian with the power of prayer, living a spiritual life and maintaining a life of prayer.

A central part of being a Christian, he says, is to say prayers and to have a pattern of prayer. This lecture tells how to pray and why prayer is awesome and desirable.

Dean Sam Lloyd tells of his own personal journey to a life of faith and prayer, and tells us how we, too, can improve our own spiritual lives. In his very gifted, warm and intelligent way, as a supremely educated and experienced preacher, everything he says inspires in this special talk.

He talks about how he experienced the Copernican revolution of what prayer is and what God is. He tells how he learned that we are not the center; the earth is not the center, according to Copernicus, but that light is the center of the universe and is where energy comes from. God is trying to connect with us. The Bible, he says, is God's quest for us. The heart of the Christian life, he says, is learning how to pay attention to a God who is coming to us, if we open ourselves up.

Psalm 139

1	O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2	Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising;          thou understandest my thought afar off.

...

23  Search me, O God, and know my heart:          try me, and know my thoughts: 24  and see if there be any wicked way in me,          and lead me in the way everlasting.     King James Version.

All along, God has known us and is always there. He quotes from Isaiah 43:1 Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. God is always with us. He also recited by heart a beautiful old hymn, "I sought the Lord...always thou lovest me." In C.S. Lewis' autobiography Surprised by Joy, he says, the God we have been trying to reach has been trying even harder to reach us. St. Augustine also says prayer begins in our finding a space and openness to hear and notice and receive the God who has always been seeking us out. Prayer at its heart is profoundly receptive and passive. And it leads to great energy, passion and commitment, but it begins by our receiving God. Dean Sam Lloyd's second point is about the spiritual life and what we do with our lives. At the heart of our life is this desire for more. This restlessness is "at the heart of the human phenomenon." It drives people to do good and evil, and is the fire within. He refers to Ronald Rolheiser in The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality about the fire within. It is a fire for goodness, love, longing and connection that drives us beyond ourselves. We should aim for a spiritual life that honors that fire within us. This idea goes back to the Greeks, Hebrews and St. Paul; the fire within us is the spirit of God trying to be in us. The spirit and energy and fire propels us. To long for God is to experience God. The fire within us is the life of the spirit within us. We are all in God as fish are in water. The third major point in this talk is about how it isn't easy to maintain the life of prayer in today's busy world. He believes life is meant to be lived from a divine center. As Thomas Kelly says,  there is a "divine abyss within us all." Thomas Merton said there is a true self and a partial self. People in the West think they are who they think they are, instead of knowing they are deeper. The true self is deeper than who we think we are. The idea is to create a pattern of spaciousness to allow enough quiet for God to be heard. He is immersed in the world and in our lives and speaks to us. The spiritual life is about learning to listen, says Dean Sam Lloyd.  He advised us to take ten minutes a day to be still and learn to create an open space to listen to this Deeper Spirit. We can read scriptures if it helps to open our hearts. As St. John said in John 15:3, "I am the vine and you are the branches" for we are all one with Jesus. Prayer can help us think and feel new things, and help us learn how to listen. We can ask for God's help for anything we want, confess our sins, and be honest. By taking the time to be still, prayer is about being present in the moment, and the goal is to create a life that is attentive to God.  Dean Sam Lloyd suggests a goal for Lent is to have a deeper prayer life. Most of the Sunday Forum talks are available linked here to buy on dvd and are well-worth watching. This writing is not in any way sanctioned or approved of by the National Cathedral. The writer is grateful to the National Cathedral for the opportunity to write and learn about these modern issues at the intersection of faith and public life. Please give generously to the Washington National Cathedral.

Most Find Airline Seats Narrow Enough

TIME Magazine

Many of us are wider than the seventeen inches allowed by airlines per customer. It shouldn't surprise anyone to hear complaints. While I don't include myself amongst those with a need for two seats, I can see how boxed-in airlines make passengers feel.

When I heard about a passenger recently denied a seat on a Southwest flight because he supposedly needed two, I felt for him. Airlines, along with other forms of public transportation, have not successfully solved the challenge. Seventeen inches per seat is a little narrow now when most people have hip sizes over forty inches.  The reality is we're not all as fit and trim as airlines expect.

If airlines act unexpectedly, the public learns fast. No one wants to waste good money. For instance, I will likely not buy an extra seat for a baby in the future because after an airline overbooked I had to give up the paid-for space. Now this is more like it! Plenty of room to change a baby from the look of it.

edesedoret.com

Thanks for visiting. Please leave comments if airlines have acted unexpectedly to you, not that I can do A to Z about it, but who will know unless you say something?

Political and Social Attitudes in the United States and Canada

Political writer James Fallows, on Marty Moss-Coane's show, Radio Times, said today Republicans and Democrats have become almost completely separated by ideology and aren't communicating with each other. The Republican obstructionist policy could be turned around, he says, by televising the upcoming "Bipartisan Summit on Health Care" this month with President Obama.

Petesearch

America and Canada are already regional generally according to an American and a Canadian in two recent articles.  Petesearch, the blog of Pete Warden, describes seven distinct American regions with data from 210 million Facebook profiles:

• Stayathomia: People in this Northeast region, stretching from New York to Minnesota, form very tight geographic connections, with most friends living in neighboring cities.
• Dixie: A fairly intuitive “Old South” grouping, with Atlanta as the network’s hub. 
• Greater Texas: Places like Missouri, Louisiana, and Arkansas are connected more to this Dallas-centric group than the South.
• Nomadic West: In this huge region, even small towns are strongly connected to distant big cities.
• Mormonia: A slice of tightly-knit Utah and Eastern Idaho towns inside, but isolated from, the Nomadic West.
• Socalistan: LA is king here, linked to almost everywhere in California and Nevada—and many exterior cities, too. Outside the big cities though, Californians form very tight clusters.
• Pacifica: This Seattle-centric area has surprisingly few connections outside of Washington.

Canada, too, has different regions and serial entrepreneur Jennifer McNeill describes them in an excerpt of this article in Toronto's Globe and Mail:

"Is it different selling to Canadians than Americans?

 

It is. It is even different selling to geographies inside Canada. In the Maritimes, you sell based on relationship. In Toronto, it is strictly business - delivery, price - and Calgary is very much about who you know, and those relationships. As you get to the West Coast, it is a matter of how much patience you have. They're like snails, very slow, a very different mind.

In the U.S., there are different geographies but they all buy the same...based on price and value and they have to believe there is some credibility to the company. They have to perceive value." 

Clearly, in America and Canada, political differences and friendly relationships are dividing the land invisibly. They always have, but let's hope modern communications improve the situation.

Interview With Orhan Pamuk: Excerpts On Writing

Since I have just written a little novel, I found myself interested in a fascinating wide-ranging interview in The Hindu newspaper, unabridged online entitled "Writing and writing is my happiness". Nirmala Lakshman interviewed Orhan Pamuk, Winner of the 2006 Nobel Price for Literature, and author of such books as My Name is Red, Snow, The Black Book, and The Museum of Innocence.

Orhan Pamuk The Hindu

Here are excerpts about writing:

In Museum of Innocence, he looks at the spirit of the nation through love "where all these issues of love in a society where sex outside of marriage is problematical, and there is the taboo of virginity...Even in the Turkey of the 1970s, among the so-called upper class bourgeoisie the space for the lovers to meet, to talk, to develop, to explore their love is limited." It's a place where lovers "test and try to understand each other through a language that they develop sometimes, which is very sophisticated, through looks, silences and little punishments, double meaning, and gestures."

"The particularities, the uniqueness of any culture is interesting in a novel but novels are more interesting if they go deep into the culture and deeply into the universal, the eternal and what is common to all human hearts."..."all human beings are the same everywhere in some sense, but the cultures are different, so they behave differently."

Concerning Turkey: "Dissent and the strength of individual, dignified voices are also growing, you cannot stop it." ..."Don't forget that Turkey was never a colony."

"My first motivation is really to write a good Proustian, Nabokovian, Borgesian, whatever you like to call it, beautiful novel rather than think about the politics."

"I'm not saying there is truth in everything but it is the novel’s job to understand points of view. A novelist's job is not to find political or diplomatic solutions to conflicting desires and pressures....I just want to see the arena of politics through the participant's point of view, not necessarily agreeing with any of them.... But my job as a novelist is to make him convincing and try to see the world through his point of view.

"I write slowly, I plan my books. It took me 11 years to develop – I explore – plan the details and write The Museum of Innocence. I’m a slow worker, a hard worker. As such a novel can never come to you like ‘this.’ It's a step-by-step, painstaking organisation, taking notes, preparing scenes, it never comes to you in one light. So a novel develops -- of course I plan ahead – but it also develops as you write it. New ideas come, you read books, you talk to people, you revise, you talk to your friends. It's an immense labour which I love."

"Writing and writing and writing, that's my only happiness."

"But I know, I travel, and I see that now there is a strong, local demanding bourgeoisie, the elite. Their private lives can only be expressed in literature and that will be done and that will be interesting for the world."

"Also in these countries, especially in China, I have seen so much demand for international recognition. They feel very frustrated because people say that because of China, prices are going up, or because of India we have pollution, that kind of thing. They want their voices to be heard. It's inevitable, and they are taking over the art of the novel. Everyone is writing novels, so the world will not be saying, as the litterateurs of the French would say, ‘they are imitating.’ That’s over. Some English fancy person writing an experimental novel and we non-westerners trying to understand and writing that in our culture, that will be over! An interesting subject is the new cultural patterns that are emerging in non-western societies. I understand the recognition of my work all over the world in that context. I am aware of the fact that we are all getting to be more interesting."

..."living in a country with political and economic problems doesn't mean that you have to write cheap and journalistic fiction."

"The greatest living writer in the world is Garcia Marquez. If you're asking me for my favourite novelists ever, there are four: Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Thomas Mann, and Marcel Proust."

"I think the world is moving towards the humanity of the non-western world and that will obviously be more visible...Middle-class lives in China, in India, in places like Korea, in nations that were neglected, not represented, and then their literature, their voices, their murmurs and all of middle-class life, the private life of the nations that were suppressed will definitely be visible." -and women, let's hope...the private lives of non-western nations will be more visible in future."

He is well able to promote his own book with the words: "there is a beauty, a lyricism, and poetry in this book [The Museum of Innocence] which I think has not been lost in the translation."

A delightful, optimistic interview of an important world class novelist to read linked here.
Orhan Pamuk's page here at amazon.com.

With grateful appreciation to thehindu.com.

Here's A Nutty Women's Issue

thelinguist.com

In Taiwan skimpily clad ladies, in small numbers, sell betel nuts.  Feminists affirm the habit degrades women. Health officials say the nut causes oral cancer. Local officials call the 'betel nut culture'  "low-class and vulgar" and environmentalists complain the cash-crop is over-planted and causes soil erosion.

Despite these assertions, it looks like the secret is out.  "T-Life" - a magazine distributed free to train riders - listed betel nut beauties as one of the top five attractions of the Hsinchu, Taiwan area. A spokesperson at Hsinchu station asserts: "Personally, I think it's inappropriate," to tout betel nut beauties. "We should respect different cultures and different points of view, but I wouldn't encourage visitors to see betel nut girls."

Now we all can see them in some extraordinary photos. More information is here in a radio interview script at thelinguist.com.

Google Introduces New Sites at Street View Gallery

San Diego Wild Animal Park

New Parks, Beaches and Ski Areas at Updated 

Google Street Views

Google has created more awe-inspiring photographic views. This time, in the United States, Google Street Views have expanded with many new zoos, stadiums and theme parks. In the United Kingdom, a special guide is available to view National Trust sites.


Just introduced in time for the Olympics, for example, are splendidly detailed views of Alpine skiing slopes at Whistler, among many other views of new world sites for you to enjoy, uncensored and free of charge. 

Open Secrets of Mathematics

Stephen Strogatz of Cornell University wrote another mathematics article in today's New York Times, which I want to support with this post. Maybe reading it will shine off and improve my grasp of mathematics. Since the article's written by an expert, it can't hurt. Professor Strogatz got twenty-one pages of comments on last week's article. Here's a link to today's article called Rock Groups.

Urgent: Solutions Needed for America and Canada

Looking at a wonderland of snow outside near Princeton, New Jersey, today, all is calm and quiet. The Washington National Cathedral had a fine service which I saw online this morning. In words to the audience, Cathedral Leaders were constantly mindful of the snow and grateful to those who did show up. Amidst all of this peaceful loveliness are those who look around at Canada and the United States and find fault. 

Two websites  have  recently listed in great detail the shortcomings of America and Canada. Citizens will criticize their own countries; just get them started, and the results are astounding to behold. Perhaps listing them is helpful to contain the issues, rather as meterologists summarize weather and archivists survey inventory. The point surely is, we need solutions and fast.

Orville Schell, a China scholar and former UC Berkeley Dean, now at the Asia Society in New York City, has assembled a list of strong and weak features of America.

Orville Schell - orvilleschell.com

America's strengths:

1) biotech

2) technology

3) civil society

4) American philanthropy

5) the American military

6) small-town life

7) the arts, both high-culture and pop

America's weaknesses:

1) public education "driven into the ground" from budget cuts

2) national energy system grid update needed

3) court system "struggling"

4) national park system "teetering above the abyss"

5) federal and state governments - "busted", essentially

6) interstate highway and water system updates needed

7) transportation updates of planes and trains essential

8) finance "system overhaul needed"

9) media over-commercialized, except the internet

10) overweight population

11) basic manufacturing "headed to China" or oblivion

12) American cities - "hollow and broken"

13) prison system - "pits of hopelessness"
14) global warming

Alas, my precious international readers, many of these, including climate change (#14) are common not only to America but to countries around the world.

Meanwhile, Canadians in Facebook blame politicians, especially Stephen Harper, the Canadian Prime Minister, on breaking promises of all kinds, especially to cut taxes. He has also been taken to task on foreign policy, business policies, healthcare issues and job creation. All of these are issues with which the average citizen has little if any expertise or inside knowledge to referee. Canadians are free to criticize anyway, unfairly or not, but when will their issues be addressed?

Stephen Harper, Canadian Prime Minister - wikimedia

Many deep, long-standing problems in Canada are being blamed on the current Prime Minister, but Harper is also taking heat for proroguing Parliament and his criticism of a judiciary of "left-wing ideologues." For more, read this Facebook page: Canadians United Against Stephen Harper.

At the very least, as Americans and Canadians, we can console ourselves that all countries can find fault with themselves if given the opportunity. Listing disparate, incomparable issues can help put them in perspective; concrete form can organize them into a discrete space. What ultimately matters is whether we can find and implement solutions before we get more problems to solve.

Heavy Internet Use: Brain Sharpener or Mental Illness?

Does heavy internet use lead to depression or do the depressed, whom this study calls "mentally ill" tend to overuse the internet?

Perhaps depression happens if one focuses too long on almost anything, but to call it "mental illness" isn't fair, and goes too far, to my mind. Following that line of thought, doing the same of anything repeatedly for hours and hours could lead to depression and "mental illness." Blaming the internet is misplaced and notably unhelpful.

Surfing the internet with a high-speed connection is a thought-intensive activity. Competing studies confirm that brain function in the elderly improves through surfing the internet according to this UCLA study...

I would bet in favor of the internet, that surfing sharpens the brain functions, not just of the elderly, but of all.

Are you skeptical the internet affects brain function at all? Does it depress or help? Please leave your comments.

Stephen Strogatz: Mathematics From An Adult Perspective--NYTimes

An excellent opportunity to brush up on mathematics begins today in the Opinionator blog in The New York Times.


Stephen Strogatz, a Mathematics Professor at Cornell University, promises to write about "the elements of mathematics, from pre-school in today's article to grad school...from an adult perspective" in upcoming articles.

They're "not intended to be remedial." He wants to show "what math is all about and why it's so enthralling to those who get it." Read it here.

Tom Periello at Sunday Forum in Washington National Cathedral

"All it takes for evil to persist is for good people to do nothing." Tom Periello 


The Very Rev. Samuel Lloyd III

 An interesting conversation (linked here) at the Sunday Forum happened at the Washington National Cathedral today. The Very Reverend Samuel T. Lloyd III discussed issues at the intersection of faith and political life with Rep. Tom Periello, a first-term Congressman from Virginia.

The Hon. Tom Periello (D) Virginia

Rep. Periello believes the House of Representatives has been transformed within the last year, since it came into power in a recession; wars in Iraq and Afghanistan loom from afar; healthcare and climate change are controversial topics. He agreed there are frustrations with the limitations in law-making in the context of human potential and flaws.

What's right is not always the easy thing to do, he said. He stressed the need for housing and banking reform and job creation to get the economy moving again. He also looks at the historical aspect, and what best can be done with his time. He wonders at what citizens one hundred years from now will look back on and if they will be aghast not enough was done in terms of justice and society.

Political Strategy  Abroad

Rep. Periello said he is interested in reducing human suffering in general with a "deeds over words" approach. His role in Sierra Leone was to offer a window of hope and try to make a positive impact with his experience. In Liberia, the challenge was to change the power balance from armed groups to the people as a whole, which he described in great detail in this linked webcast. He was involved in a showdown that forced out the dictator, Charles Taylor, out of Liberia, and removed him and the other leaders peacefully.

He thinks the intensity of human suffering, of women and children, in conflict zones tears apart nations. In nations in conflict, while outside forces help with medicine and food, and with the military, few are looking at the political structure that underlies the reality and how it can be improved. He also discussed the Darfur problem, where the issue isn't fully resolved. [Please watch the webcast for more detail.] He is very interested in social justice, and has looked at political and military strategy in Afghanistan.

Political Strategy at Home

Dean Lloyd and Rep. Periello discussed the culture of the common good and how it is the antidote to the culture we have now of immediate gratification. America needs a new strategy for competing. He is hoping the next two years will see an increase in direct lending, and an improved infrastructure in America. He remarked that despite the bipartisan nature of the government,  it is important to put right and wrong ahead of right and left. He also finds it important to look at the long-term horizon. He says that Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi starts Congress each day with a prayer.

Rep. Periello talked about the power of interest and lobby groups to advertise. They are far more powerful than party bosses, he says. The power of these groups makes politicians pull back and become more risk averse. He called the recent Supreme Court decision "shocking" as it overturned a law from six years ago. He says the short-term return on a lobby dollar is far greater than the return on a research and development (r&d) dollar, and deplored the Supreme Court decision as it disincentivizes research. With the new law, companies can finance the status quo in direct threat to capitalism.

On Healthcare Reform

Dean Lloyd and Rep. Periello discussed the moral imperatives of the health care debate and how we should find the most efficient way to deal with differences because we are all in this together. Rep. Periello held over 100 hours of town hall meetings last summer. He found citizens who wanted to be heard and he wanted them to have time to have their say.

One problem with health insurance now is that hospitals have business models with plans to make more on those with private health insurance than on those without, who are on Medicaid and use emergency rooms.

Issues in healthcare to resolve, he says, are:

1) private insurers have anti-competitive monopoly protections

2) cost control incentives are off

3) the issue of medical loss ratios

4) the under-insured shift cost burdens to the insured

We are interdependent because we are all in this together, Rep. Periello says, and we need to find the best way to deal with the reform of healthcare finance.

When Rep. Periello was asked whom he most admired in history he talked about William Wilberforce, a leading abolitionist in the British Parliament, and Bobby Kennedy, like him, a Roman Catholic lawyer interested in social education.

What Sustains the Freedom of the Republic?

The Very Rev. Samuel Lloyd III

If you're interested in human rights, you might want to watch the latest Sunday Forum, a lively 45-minute interview recorded and linked here at the Washington National Cathedral last Sunday, January 24, 2010. The Very Reverend Samuel T. Lloyd III spoke to Os Guinness about "A World Safe for Diversity: Living with our Deepest Differences in an Age of Exploding Pluralism" and was asked about his insight on the church and the civility in China.

Dr. Guinness has challenged his friends at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences that a "harmonious society" with "diversity" (and coercion) is "not good enough."

Os Guinness

Guinness says China needs:

1) integrity for each faith

2) diversity of all faiths

3) liberty for each faith, and

4) harmony of the public order.

He says that there are now twice as many Christians in China as there are party members. It's the fastest growth in the Christian church in 2000 years, although some fall away.

Guinness has written many books on "what America is about" in the words of The Very Rev. Sam Lloyd.

Dean Lloyd is concerned the infighting in the country appears to be getting worse and wonders what can be done?

Guinness offered several ideas:

1)"We have to know how to live with our differences"

2) "E pluribus unum" Latin for "out of many, one" (author unknown) is a motto on American coins and what Guinness calls "America's greatest achievement."

3) Guinness says there has been an explosion of pluralism although America has long been one of the most diverse countries in the world, and has increased diversity in its population after the Second World War and in the 1960s.

Guinness says that there has been a rise in the notion of the separation of church and state. Civility has broken down, now that almost anything is up for litigation.

But he says that:

1) strong leadership is essential, and

2) we need to articulate the vision of a civil public square.

"Civility" is a tough republican virtue and a prime democratic necessity, Guinness says. Every faith is free to enter and engage in public life. Freedom of conscience is key. Religious liberty happens when the rights of the smallest communities and religions are respected. Respect for freedom of conscience must be educated in children until it becomes a matter of the heart.

Guinness thinks civic education should be taught to know what it is to be American - the "unum" in "e pluribus unum".

Guinness says it's better to be tolerant than intolerant, but says that tolerance can be condescending, from the strong to the weak, and says the higher value is "free exercise" to have faith. Madison changed the word "tolerance" to "free exercise" in the Virginia Declaration to stress the values of freedoms of all kinds.

Dean Lloyd asked what effect civility has on polarization?

Guinness replied that there is currently an escalation of extremism and says the danger is "it's a deficit of democracy." He claims extremism mounts until an innocent victim is scapegoated and hopes it doesn't happen in this country.

With civility, Guinness says everyone has the right to their opinion. In the historical context, the First Amendment shifted the discourse from coercion to persuasion.He says the framers of the Constitution were realistic, but that the dark side could bring down the American Republic in the next 50 years. The falling off of ideals which will bring freedom, if abandoned, will bring destruction.

He referred to Machiavelli's golden triangle of freedom: freedom requires virtue, virtue requires faith and faith requires freedom.

Guinness thinks Americans are consumed by the near future, in comparison to the Chinese who take the view of thousands of years. He says, the important question that must be asked is: "What sustains the freedom of the Republic?"

Dean Lloyd asked Guinness about the international scene, and how can Americans approach other nations with this idea of civility?

Guinness replied that freedom of conscience is the key to living with our differences. He says that human rights efforts parallel this effort to live with civility. [We know from my earlier post that President Obama's Administration has elevated internet freedom as one of the freedoms associated with human rights around the world.]

Guinness says that the civil public square is a framework in which people are free to be different but know how to negotiate these differences civilly and persuasively, not violently.

Guinness was questioned from the audience: how can one teach civility? Guinness replied that it should be taught to children at the earliest ages, and parents and leaders must be good examples of civility. He thinks there should be "double transmission": the old teaching the young, and those who have been here longer should teach civics lessons to new immigrants.

Guinness was also questioned, is the U.S. a nation in decline in its sustaining values, and what other countries have the most civility? Guinness thinks that of all the countries in the world, America has the greatest capacity for renewal. It can be turned around with understanding of "first principles". He cites De Tocqueville, a French writer in the 1700s who said that "in a revolution, as in a novel, the most difficult part to invent is the end". He says that some issues now being dealt with are in repudiation of the framers of the Constitution. He says "sustainable freedom" should be discussed more. How we live with our differences must be done right or the consequences will be with our children.

Os Guinness, D.Phil., is a Fellow at the East-West Institute in Washington, D.C. ." His latest book is "The Case for Civility and Why the Future Depends on it." Guinness, who is a descendant of the Guinness Irish beer brewers, calls himself "an unashamed follower of Christ" and believes Christians should be in the vanguard leading forward. His grandfather was a physician in China where his mother was also a surgeon. He says he compared Camus, Sartre and Russell on one side to Pascal, Dostoevsky, G.K. Chesterton and C.S. Lewis and decided the Christian faith must be true. He came to faith in the 1960s and also studied Hinduism in India with a guru. He quotes George Whitefield: "I am never better than when I am on the full stretch for God" as this conversation echoes.

Guinness Brewery celebrated its 250th anniversary last year and has a proud history of philanthropy, helping the poor and homeless.

[I listened to this conversation three times - my apologies for any inaccuracies in this unsolicited post. You are encouraged to watch the talk.]

Human Rights Freedoms: Expression, Assembly, Association & the Press

China is accusing America of promoting "information imperialism" in this HuffPost article.

Let's just clarify a definition of imperialism: "The imposition of a foreign viewpoint or civilization on a people" [dictionary.reference.com] and "a policy of extending your rule over foreign countries [wordnetweb.com]."

Western countries have long-standing values of freedom of expression, assembly, association and the press. They believe all people are born with these rights, as John Kerry says here. I think China need not worry that Secretary Clinton is advocating a takeover or domination of China, but is merely asserting the idea of human rights in all its forms as central to American foreign policy.

The point China misses is contained in the word "free" - as in free flow of information. For some reason, Chinese people do not consider each other sufficiently responsible to access social networks and improve without barriers their sum of knowledge and such on the internet, but they are responsible enough to work, drive cars and buy houses.

How much sense does that make? Not a lot.

Laws have to be passed in China to expand basic human rights for all. They should pass laws to promote the truth of their country's history and encourage transparency of economic competition.

My point is that cleaning up the internet can go too far. If Chinese can't get information freely on the internet about previous uprisings and can't organize themselves as easily as they would with Facebook, then Beijing authorities should fear their own people, because they, the leaders, have not served well. Perhaps the Chinese should review and criticize their human rights ideologies.

Not only China, but also Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam are considered by the U.S. State Dept. to be countries without free flow of information.

These countries should not close down opportunities. They should not isolate, discriminate and persecute their citizens. The ideas of their good citizens can be shared on the internet if freedom of expression is accepted universally as a human right.

Social media brings people together, opens competitive international commerce and gives confidence to investors and business owners. These countries should open themselves up. They should be fair and respectful of individuals. Their citizens should be active, prosperous, engaged participants in the world community.

Internet Freedom: A New Human Right

Alec Ross,  pictured below, was on NPR this morning in this segment. He's been recruited to  be an  a Senior Advisor for Innovation, to modernize the State Department's branches with up-to-date technologies, to endorse modern technology as a platform for innovation and to network with other countries to track criminals.

Alec Ross flickr.com

The federal government thinks companies like Google--and the 30+ other companies that have been hacked--shouldn't have to worry about cyber attacks. (That'll be the day!) The reason is, President Obama's Administration believes the ability to operate with confidence in cyberspace is essential to innovation and prosperity and as a means to improve general welfare around the globe. Internet freedom as a concept draws in other concepts of freedom.

President Obama elevated internet freedom to a basic human right in his speech at the Shanghai Town Hall, and Secretary Clinton made a major foreign policy address today on the same topic. Clinton said in her speech "those who disrupt the free flow of information pose a major threat."

Hillary Clinton

Did you know that 31% of internet users are forced to use censored sites? The United States Government wants an explanation. Internet freedom is a global issue now that Google has decided it will not continue to censor its Chinese sites. Extreme examples of censorship abound in a country-by-country examination around the world. The State Department advocates the use of tools of digital diplomacy. We can each become a "Global Citizen."

News of so-called honor killings in the Middle East of women accused of using social media sites shocked my sixteen-year-old daughter and myself as I drove her to school this morning. Women and other human beings around the world have a right to an uncensored internet. (One has to be skeptical the beings (probably men) who would do these beatings and killings count as humans). We in the West tend to take freedom on the internet as a given, as a huge repository of the world's knowledge.

The American government approves and encourages the use of Google, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter and the internet in general to spread information. Alec Ross is also interested in promoting the use of radio communications to aid overseas fighting and cell phones to aid law enforcement.

The State Department (here with a video of Clinton's speech at the Newseum) is planning to offer tools and resources on its website to encourage free use of the internet.

LAMP For Haiti

LAMP for Haiti is a wonderful contribution option for those who would love to help the people of Haiti. Donations are accepted on the website.

Over 80% of donations go directly to pay for medical care; the remainder is for administrative costs.

 The medical clinic on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince is headed by amazing physicians, friends of my friends who have jumped to fill current emergency needs.

The clinic in Cite Soleil, Haiti (pictured above) provides free medical care and works to safeguard the human rights of the residents.

Whoopi Goldberg: Pat Robertson is Wrong

As someone who considers myself spiritual, when famous so-called Christians say incendiary opinions and pass them off as facts, I get embarrassed and ashamed.

One has to wonder whether Pat Robertson's heart is in the right place. His recently televised views on Haiti sound nothing short of insane. How can anyone say as a fact an entire country, in this case Haiti "made a pact with the devil" and is cursed? Saddens me he professes to hold a Christian view. Christian myself, I don't agree with him. What he says goes against much of Christian teaching. Many have lost those they loved and everything in Haiti and will have to work hard to rebuild their lives.

Haiti presents a grave, humanitarian disaster, and it just seems to me that effort, compassion and care are the appropriate reactions to take as they recover.

As Whoopi Goldberg said today on "The View": Pat Robertson is wrong! And here is an article by a Christian man who agrees with us.

Beautiful Photographs of Canada in a Slideshow

"With much of Canada in winter's grip, it's time again to share your photographs of snow-draped landscapes, foggy harbours, ice fields and winter play." globeandmail.com

Please sit back and watch these! If you love to look at scenery and landscape photos, you'll enjoy this slideshow of photographs of Canada from The Globe and Mail. Rarely, if ever, have this many beautiful photos of Canada been available together at the same place. These beautiful scenes expand, have titles to explain, and can make a slideshow for your computer. May they collect summer photos as well. Thanks Globe and Mail!!!

Ecuador: A Short Summary

Differentiating Facts:

1. Called "Republic of the Equator": a mega-diverse country. One of only two countries in South America (with Chile) not to border Brazil; Columbia is north, Peru is east and south, and Pacific Ocean is west. Also includes the Galapagos Islands.

2. Capital City: Quito, called "Light of America" and "Face of God" - Old Downtown is one of the first Unesco World Heritage Sites. City: Guayaquil.

3. Public education mandatory, free ages 5-14. Only 10% go to high school. 61 universities. Fewer than 1% of faculty have doctorates.

Historical & Geographical facts:

1. Exists from 3,500 B.C. Pop: 13,625,000. Spanish language: 65% Mestizo, 25% AmerIndian. National Holiday: August 19 (1809).

2. Three main geographic regions: 1) the coast 2)"the highlands" 3) "the east" and Galápagos Islands.

3. Had a long-lasting border dispute with Peru resolved in 1942 with unity against Axis Powers in WWII. Domestic military interventions in 1960s.

Economic Facts:

1. Recent constitution approved by referendum 2008. Multilateral approaches taken to international issues. $U.S. Dollar.

2. Water insufficient. 686 cases of malaria/100,000 people.

3. Natural resources, oil, gold, fish, shrimp, timber. Rich agriculture. Panama Hats.

General Facts:

1. Aver. Life expectancy: 70. Popular sports: capoeira, bullfighting, rock climbing.

2. Networks of national highways and intercity buses (not many trains).

3. Aguardiante: "fire-water" sugar-cane based spirit. Drinkable yogurt often consumed with pan de yucca, a light bread filled with cheese and eaten warm.

Yemen (al-Yaman): A Short Summary

Differentiating Facts:

1. Republic: headed by President Saleh, with Vice President, Prime Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister. Still largely a tribal society. Kidnappings 1990s - present. Since 2004, Civil War between Yemeni forces and Shiite rebels, also 2009 South Yemen separatism.

2. Many population shifts in long history. Kidnappings of tourists. Ocean piracy. Rapes of refugees. Violence against women. High birth rate (average 6 babies per mother). Fastest growing country in Arabia. 46% pop. less than 15 yrs. of age. Malarial mosquitoes. Lack of vaccinations.

3. Censorship practiced. Freedom of speech, press and religion are restricted.

Historical & Geographical Facts:

1. Arabian Peninsula country in southwest Asia. 20 governates and 1 municipality. Notable cities --Capital: Sana (also sp. Sana'a & Sanaa). Shibam: "Manhattan of the Desert."

2. Pop. 23 mil. 53% Sunni, 47% Shi'a. Four Main Regions: west coastal plains, western highlands, eastern highlands, Rub Al Khali (desert) in the east. Over 200 islands, many volcanic.

3. Est. Nov. 1, 1918. Independent judiciary practices Muslim Sharia law. Britain withdrew from Aden with closure of Suez Canal in 1967. Before 1990 existed as 2 entities.

Economic Facts:

1. Currency: Rials. Long operations trading spices, timber, textiles. Strategic location on Bab el Mandeb-strait linking the Red Sea & the Gulf of Aden is one of the world's most active shipping lanes with a high risk of piracy.

2. China and Soviet Union have provided economic assistance since mid-50s. 40% Unemployment (2007). Dwindling natural resources (e.g. oil, water). Fear of economic collapse by 2017. Monetary reform programs with World Bank and IMF.

3. Neighboring Saudi Arabia has built new border control measures. Good relations with Somalia and Djibouti.

General facts:

1.  99% Muslim. Only 1% pop. non-Muslim.

2. Arabic language is used. Compulsory school attendance not enforced.

3. Khat, an evergreen shrub, chewed by men and women is deeply rooted in culture for its caffeine-like effect.

A Politeness Test For the Smart and Polite Commenter

I guess it would make me happier if online commenters would stop and think before they send in a comment and take a politeness check. I'm not referring to comments on this site, but in general on the internet:

1.Would you be embarrassed to hear your comment repeated to a live audience, perhaps on television, at school or church, or at your funeral?
2. Would you likely get permission, encouragement and approval to send it from your grandparents, your parents, your children, bosses or significant others?
3. Is every word included and spelled perfectly?
4. Is the grammar perfect?
5. Are the sentences complete?
6. Did you even know the opposite sex usually find graphic anatomical references silly and primitive and ignore them? Same with expletives?
7. Put the comment in perspective. Will the comment show knowledge on the part of the sender or ask a legitimate question, or does the commenter just trash aspects, and sometimes even the writer, of the article because of the freedom to do so?
8. Why does the commenter want to hurt the writer with thoughtless comments? Imagine receiving the comment - how would it make you feel?
9. If the commenter isn't sure if a comment might hurt anyone, why not set it aside and read it again later, before sending it?
10. Can a commenter have the humility to admit to a possible mistake and not send a comment labored on and usually typed in haste, if it might not be appropriate?

If a comment doesn't pass with 'yes' to all the above, maybe it's better to delete it and not send it. Truth is important but some comments aren't. They can, at their worst, be toxic, useless and in Rumsfeld's words "notably unhelpful".

Since their inceptions, I have admired the achievements of sites like HuffPost and Daily Beast for fresh news. Professionals in many fields now have the opportunity to air their stories in online forums. Previously, they didn't have the chance and their views were aggregated together in sound bites and commoditized by the more mainstream journalistic venues.

These are people who know what they are writing about, feel strongly enough to write an article, and are literate enough to write an article for all to see. They can be royalty, experts and scientists at heights of lifelong careers giving away the fruits of their knowledge for free. I think of this as a good thing, much as I still like investigative journalism.

The down side to these and other sites to me are the Comment sections after an article I like. Eyes stray on them, whether one consciously intends to; it often can't be helped. It hurts me to think how laceratingly bone-crushing some negative comments must be for the experts who have spent the time to write for free and whose generous intentions were to impart first hand knowledge. Those comments can bite even other commenters who have added an innocent comment only to find it pounced on and flamed.

bridal.aruba.com

The world used to be kinder and softer, when extreme criticism wasn't as close and aggressive a neighbor as it has become in the online world. True, reading news isn't the same as to have a satisfying fireside flaming-hot dinner with candles. Some would disagree even with that and say reading news can be preferable, no doubt.

My point is that when some disagree online, whether they intend to or not, they abuse innocent writers and readers, often graphically, in an impolite way. In gratitude, they throw away in public disgust the fresh fruit of their most revered hosts and hostesses. Impolite comments can drive out good commenters who stop reading them, and everyone can lose  by missing out on reading full ranges of ideas. Home-made comments are the verbal equivalents of roadside bombs or bomb missiles, and avoided in some sites, especially if the first ones turn off viewers.

Impolite commenters  must not realize how powerful, potentially harmful and dangerous they are. Their statements will likely be seen by the author of the article. Commenters aren't generally vetted on the internet, but their gender, if not their age, often can be guessed, by their command of the language, choice of words and grammar usage.

Make sure your comments are responsible uses of your freedom and power. Know that your comments can cause others to perhaps form negative opinions of you. Hostile comments intended to provoke tend to be useless and hurtful.

V. Van Gogh, Parable of the Good Samaritan

The Golden Rule from the Bible (Matt.#22:39) should apply to commenters: Do unto others as you would have done unto you. I'm all for the truth and free speech. It's a worthwhile skill to combine them and help others with a gentle touch.

International Health Care Comparisons in a Table

Table of international health care costs per year and average life expectancy 

newser.com

Inspirational Music at Washington National Cathedral

This morning the National Cathedral had another wonderful service of worship replete with  ceremony, teachings and music in the mainline Christian tradition.

The ever-changing panoply of clergy and choirs and the formal vestments and decorations in splendid array are delightful to see at any time. Again, it's a great service to the country the National Cathedral has done. It has opened up its services on the internet for all to see, at any time of day and whatever our health.

I love the formality of the service and selections of my favorite old music. Many have been church favorites for hundreds of years, but sadly aren't played often nowadays. This is where to hear them.

These are my favorites from today (permissions are on the Cathedral site):

Hark! the herald angels sing, by Mendelssohn
Angels we have heard on high, Gloria
Holy, holy, holy, A Community Mass
Fairest Lord Jesus, by St. Elizabeth
Alelluia! Sing to Jesus, by Hyfrydol

Personal note: I've had a fever (103 F) for a week.

Watch Services Online at the Washington National Cathedral

I found myself applauding at home at 11:38 p.m. Christmas Eve listening to Scott Dettra playing the familiar organ classic, Carillon de Westminster by Louis Vierne (1870–1937). It'll be available very soon at the Washington National Cathedral website. It was a  most satisfying end to the three pre-Christmas services I've seen online. There are also services Christmas Day, including one televised nationally.

It's possible to view videos of recent years of entire worship services online, with closeups, and watch fabulous sermons given by the very gifted Dean Samuel Lloyd, surely the most inspirational and solid theologian in the country, in my view. His sermon texts are well-worth reading and can also be read online. Services of worship are available at the National Cathedral archives in the content-rich website, nationalcathedral.org.

Scott Dettra is undoubtedly one of the finest organists in the country, and always a delight to hear. His youthful energy and mature skill combine to create beautiful performances of the best organ music. He's a great asset and attraction of the Cathedral.  Watch his performance up close of that complicated, challenging Carillon music, at the very end of the two services on Dec. 24, 2009.

Be sure to enhance your enjoyment of the holidays by taking a look at the services at the National Cathedral online or in person, and donate generously tax-free to this non-profit.

Bin Laden Escaped: Chaos & Confusion in Afghanistan Recounted

It seems the federal government blew its chance in 2002 to stop Osama Bin Laden from escaping American forces in Afghanistan and building up Al Qaeda into the considerably more formidable force it is now. American intelligence now says, "we haven’t a clue where he is" at least according to Peter Bergen, author of "The Osama bin Laden I know: An Oral History of Al Qaeda's Leader" in his excellent interview today on NPR.  In The New Republic, "The Battle for Tora Bora" is an article about Peter Bergen's book, excerpted here to highlight a few points. Here's how the battle in 2002 went down:

•  American forces are "haunted by the moment on December 10 [2002] when bin Laden may have been less than 2,000 meters away."
• “For the most important mission to date in the global war on terror,” Dalton Fury wrote, “our nation was relying on a fractious bunch of AK-47-toting lawless bandits and tribal thugs who were not bound by any recognized rules of warfare.” 
• Brig.Gen.Mattis, commander of Marines in the Afghan theater, reportedly asked to send his men into Tora Bora, but his request was turned down...There were more journalists--about 100...around Tora Bora than there were Western soldiers." 
• "Between December 4 and 7 [2002] alone, U.S. bombers dropped 700,000 pounds of ordnance on the mountains...But bin Laden was not dead. A subsequent account on an Al Qaeda website offered an explanation of how he saved himself: Bin Laden had dreamed about a scorpion descending into one of the trenches that his men had dug, so he evacuated his trench. A day or so later, it was destroyed by a bomb." 
• "Osama bin Laden, who slipped into Pakistan, largely disappeared from U.S. radar, and slowly began rebuilding his organization."

Fast-forward to December 2009, and for the project of containing Al Qaeda and capturing Osama bin Laden: "with contractors included, a total of 522,230 personnel are engaged in the overall U.S. war effort from the Middle East to Afghanistan, according to a report released this week by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), using data from September 2009." NPR.org. That number doesn't include supportive family and businesses back in America.

Magnificent Magnificat Sunday at the National Cathedral

National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.
Photo: cooschv.org

Today, the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. held a Service of Worship for the Fourth Sunday of Advent despite inclement conditions. It was an achievement all by itself because of unfavorable weather conditions.

The music was a successful effort to give cheer, vibrancy and immediacy to the Christmas season. The service and sermon by the Very Rev. Samuel T. Lloyd III were wonderfully restorative and welcome to viewers across the country and around the world -- no pressure to him, the Rev. Canon Carol Wade and all intended. I was grateful to be able to view it online again.

Please give generously to the National Cathedral as they minister to those among us most in need of assistance.

There was a fine performance of J. S. Bach's Fugue on the Magnificat at the end of the service. The entire service can be accessed at the National Cathedral site online at nationalcathedral.org.

Here's a recording of Bach's Magnificat with choir (well-recommended for in-car listening) from Amsterdam. Ton Koopman leads the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Soloists:



Try here if the audio doesn't match the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo1x-62WmrI

 Please let me know of any more magnificent recordings of the Magnificat.

Required Reading: U.S. Immigration Reform

Excellent points in Anis Shivani's article in the Huffington Post. Just wish it were a bit more toned down. Perhaps given the topic, that would be impossible.