poetry in a time of war<a href="http://www.ambiguous.org/archive.php3/2003/Feb/13#robin2003213.1">ambiguous</a> in a way it makes sense, it fits, that poetry would emerge in the mainstream again just as the country is rattling with a controversial war.59LinksdanielFri, March 14, 2003publishis it friday already?how did that happen? only a couple links today. i need to code or something. 58MinutiadanielFri, March 14, 2003publish<a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,5470-605770,00.html">times online</a> bush sr warning over unilateral action 58LinksdanielFri, March 14, 2003publish<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2849439.stm">bbc news - americas - man in doghouse for stepson abuse</a> 57LinksdanielFri, March 14, 2003publishrebel music<img src="images/ch920311.gif"> <img src="images/ch9203112.gif"> 56MusicdanielThu, March 13, 2003publishfundamentalismfrom <a href="http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,12084,899641,00.html">guardian book review -- pedants and partisans -- Terry Eagleton</a><blockquote>The word "fundamentalism" was first used in the early years of the last century by anti-liberal US Christians, who singled out seven supposed fundamentals of their faith...It began life as a proud self-description. The first of the seven fundamentals was a belief in the literal truth of the Bible; and this is probably the best definition of fundamentalism there is. It is basically a textual affair. Fundamentalists are those who believe that our linguistic currency is trustworthy only if it is backed by the gold standard of the Word of Words. They see God as copperfastening human meaning. Fundamentalism means sticking strictly to the script, which in turn means being deeply fearful of the improvised, ambiguous or indeterminate. Fundamentalists, however, fail to realise that the phrase "sacred text" is self-contradictory. Since writing is meaning that can be handled by anybody, any time, it is always profane and promiscuous. Meaning that has been written down is bound to be unhygienic. Words that could only ever mean one thing would not be words. Fundamentalism is the paranoid condition of those who do not see that roughness is not a defect of human existence, but what makes it work.</blockquote>Don't really resonate with the rest of this article, but this bit was good. (via <a href="http://dalekeiger.com/archives/cat_lifes_rich_pageant.html">dale keiger</a>) 55ElsewheredanielThu, March 13, 2003publish<a href="http://www.kokogiak.com/amazon/default.asp">amazon light</a> someone tell me if there is a US version of this beauty? 53LinksdanielThu, March 13, 2003publish<a href="http://www.kungfugrippe.com/previously/002135.php">kung fu grippe - so many intros skipped</a> 52LinksdanielThu, March 13, 2003publishthe dialogI wasn't going to post this today, but what the hey. Gotta at least prove to myself that I can still write. <blockquote>Angie was just leaving. She opened the door of Rodger's apartment to a rush of hallway air released from its stagnant existence to the world outside the open porch sliding-glass door. Like any night, it was a toss-up between stepping off said porch for a quick and permanent introduction to the concrete 13 floors below and said front door. She shouted goodbye to Rodger, still high and half-comatose on the bedroom floor and let the door slam shut behind her. She was shocked by the steel elevator-button plate, just like every time. Since she was high, the electricity kind of felt good going through her hand and up to her elbow. Angie imagined the blue icicle then shooting across to the wall opposite, her body simply a conduit to the eternal living thing; this energy that never seems to just stay with her, it always must go on, moving on to the starving kids in South America, the children that pick the poppies that then fuel her existence. The elevator door opened. Angie entered and hit P like she had a thousand times before. With an uncharacteristic lurch, the lift began descending. For about 2 seconds. Then it stopped, with yet another uncharacteristic fit of violence. Angie, our hero, high as a kite, then had about another 10 seconds to figure out what to do. The normal thing would be to hit the red button. Whatever the red button does, surely this was the time to hit it. But in 10 seconds, heroes can't think of this sort of thing. Heroes, thanks to special cinemagraphic techniques now employed in Hollywood, have full minutes to jump up, spin around, and kick the teeth out of the bad guy. Or, in this case, get stuck in an elevator and hit the red button. Hit the red button. The elevator then began shaking. Left to right, then back to the left. Up a little. Then a pause. You know those fast elevators they have exclusively in New York City? Yeah. Multiply that by your favorite large interval. When you are enclosed in a free falling container, you float. It really is quite literally NASA training. The problem is this plane doesn't gradually regain altitude.</blockquote>51FictiondanielThu, March 13, 2003publishDjindjicI'm sure you have all heard about this; but you maybe don't know what to think about it's consequences in the region. All I can say right now is it is really bad. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/03/12/serbia.djindjic.reaction/index.html">Serbs shocked by Djindjic killing</a> <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/03/12/serbia.djindjic.amanpour/index.html">Courageous reformer knew risks</a> <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/03/12/djindjic.profile.ap/index.html">Djindjic key in Milosevic's fall</a> <a href="http://www.cnn.com/interactive/profiles/djindjic/frameset.exclude.html">Djindjic - career highlights</a> <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/03/12/djindjic.defiant/index.html">Serb PM defiant after previous 'attempt'</a> <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/03/12/yugo.timeline.reut/index.html">Assassinations in former Yugoslavia</a> <a href="http://www.npr.org/dmg/dmg.php?prgCode=ATC&showDate=12-Mar-2003&segNum=10&mediaPref=RM">NPR analysis (RA)</a> 50BalkansdanielThu, March 13, 2003publish<a href="http://www.npr.org/dmg/dmg.php?prgCode=ATC&showDate=12-Mar-2003&segNum=8&mediaPref=RM">'Dub Side' Covers Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side' (RA)</a> 49LinksdanielThu, March 13, 2003publishPaul Ford on NPR<a href="http://www.npr.org/dmg/dmg.php?prgCode=ATC&showDate=12-Mar-2003&segNum=5&mediaPref=RM">npr : commentary: a religious conversion (RA)</a> holy shit! <a href="http://www.ftrain.com">Ftrain</a>'s Paul Ford on NPR yesterday! 48LinksdanielThu, March 13, 2003publishTheyBlinked feedbackDan, I must have received this email in error. Here it is for you: <blockquote>Dear <a href="http://www.theyblinked.com/blog/2003_03_09_theyblinked_archive.html#90605009">TheyBlinked</a>, I disagree with you, and I wish to respectfully write you at this juncture to express that contention in as clarion a fashion as circumstance may allow at this critical continuance. I shall enumerate my variances presently as they come to my mind and/or enter my assiduities. Number one: You do not speak no English. How are we to accept, appreciate, apprehend, be aware, catch, catch on, cognize, conceive, deduce, dig, discern, distinguish, explain, fathom, figure out, find out, follow, get, grasp, identify with, infer, interpret, ken, know, kumtux, learn, make out, master, note, penetrate, perceive, possess, read, realize, recognize, register, savvy, see, seize, sense, sympathize, take in, take meaning, or tolerate what you are trying to add, affirm, allege, announce, answer, assert, break silence, claim, communicate, conjecture, convey, declare, deliver, disclose, divulge, do, estimate, express, flap, gab, give voice, guess, imagine, imply, jaw, judge, lip, maintain, make known, mention, opine, orate, perform, pronounce, put forth, rap, read, recite, rehearse, relate, remark, render, repeat, reply, report, respond, reveal, rumor, speak, spiel, state, suggest, tell, utter, verbalize, voice, or yak when you use multiples of words that we don't understand. Two words buddy: speaka English. Comprenday? Number too: You write --and we can only assume, as one's blog is always a perfect, complete, and accurate picture of the blogger, live-- under a guise of false intelligence. This "thinking" thing that you constantly refer to? What rubbish! You have simply been brainwashed by those people that try to subvert The True And Infallable Good Word Of God Almighty Who Just On A Side Note Is Waiting In The Wings To Kick Your Unholy Ass At Any Moment. Put aside this foolish idea of thinking and please simply link and rehash <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com">Christianity Today</a> articles. If you must talk about this "postmodern" thing, please stick to the authority on the subject, <a href="http://www.leonardsweet.com">Leonard Sweet</a>. Do not listen to those on the edge, they are dangerous, and I fear that you may be influenced, and, *gasp*, influencing, this marginal population. I have also never heard of most of these supposed philosophers you reference in your posts. Please stop quoting the heathen unsaved. Holy ears should hear no such things. Finally: Please stop this anti-war rhetoric. President Bush is a Godly Man who hears from the Almighty every evening during his Quiet Time that we are to crush Saddam Insane and usher in the New Jerusalem. The sooner we get rid of Arab domination of the middle east the sooner the Lord Jesus can Come Back to his Holy City and We Saved People can finally literally look down our noses at the heathen as we fly through the air and are deposited in the Holy Temple to enjoy Lively Praise and Worship music in Eternal Worship of the Lord. <a href="http://www.npr.org/dmg/dmg.php?prgCode=ATC&showDate=12-Mar-2003&segNum=15&NPRMediaPref=RM">Everyone knows this</a>. Stop being silly. Besides, Saddam blew up the World Trade Center, right? Eye for an eye and all that. Read your Old Testament. I hope you receive these words with the most upmost respect with which I wrote them. I desire to communicate with you in a manner that builds mutually constructive feedback and brings about the growth of the Kingdom of which we both seem to desire. With just a few adjustments, I feel that your blog may someday become a force for eternal good. Praise be to God. Blog on. All that stuff, Name Respectfully Withheld</blockquote>47ElsewheredanielThu, March 13, 2003publish<a href="http://mp3.washingtonpost.com/bands/cinema8.shtml">mp3.washingtonpost.com - cinema8</a> very decent rock from DC 46LinksdanielThu, March 13, 2003publish<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2003/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/03/12/discovering.bratislava.ap/">cnn.com - slovakia: bratislava's charm offensive</a> terrible title, great article (thanks Scott) 44LinksdanielThu, March 13, 2003publishlast night 2Last night was yet another interesting night of music and friendship. St. Elmo's is a standard coffee joint, and save our respective constituencies, this seemed like it was going to be your standard coffee-shop gig (the type I'd sworn off 4.5 years ago). There was some mix-up between <a href="http://exitclov.com/">Exit Clov</a> and the shop management, and thus there was no PA system. I was bummed for the sisters, since they have very soft (albeit very beautiful) voices. You could see they were pretty bummed about the whole thing...I would be too if I hadn't already experienced this type of thing 100 times before. One thing you can say about playing live music, it is hardly ever the same thing twice. <img src="files/2003/03/hsu.jpg" /> They played a shortened, acoustic set, a small croud of attentive ears grasping every note. <img src="files/2003/03/d1.jpg" /> I, of course, "Don't need no electricity!" With my big ol' Guild acoustic and my voice, I filled up the little room pretty well. <img src="files/2003/03/d2.jpg" /> My set changed little: set 1: American Dream Town, Numb Us, Just Say Yes, The Future That Was, Lukewarm, Gospel Song, Closed for the Year. set 2: Hallelujah, American Dream Town, The Future That Was (abridged). I just realized I forgot about Really Need a Chorus. <img src="files/2003/03/jake1.jpg" /> <a href="http://mp3.washingtonpost.com/bands/jake_stephens.shtml">Jake Stephens</a> also performed, and also played mouth harp on some of my tunes. The guy to the right in this picture was one of the casual coffee-shop patrons who moseyed over and sat through my whole set. He had this look that said that he either got-and-appreciated all my satire (see lyric samples from yesterday's post) or got-it-and-thought-I-was-a-smartass. Either way it was good to be heard. :) <img src="files/2003/03/jake2.jpg" /> The cul thing about gigs like this is, because everything got f'd up beforehand, you don't really care about your set so much, and are free to laugh, comment, screw up, and just be yourself. I think it makes for a better experience. <img src="files/2003/03/d3.jpg" /> Of course I read some stories. We ended up hanging out with Jake, getting kicked out of the joint after they closed, and hanging out and talking outside for a while (the weather is so nice! yeah spring!). Tons of thanks again to Exit Clov for inviting me; to another <a href="http://mikeholden.com/">Mike</a> for coming out; to Ken and Lynn; and to the handful of strangers who listened. 43MusicdanielThu, March 13, 2003publish<a href="http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993488">new scientist</a> The world's first brain prosthesis - an artificial hippocampus - is about to be tested in California.42LinksdanielWed, March 12, 2003publishlast nightThe show was ok last night--the Zebra is a very swanky lounge in Georgetown, and somehow Americana music with lyrics like <blockquote>don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful</blockquote> <blockquote>there are those with social success that they call being blessed</blockquote> and <blockquote>a house in the 'burbs and a bitchin SUV is how I'm never gonna wind up (<a href="http://www.jadetree.com/mp3/New_End_Orig-Lukewarm.mp3">mp3</a>)</blockquote> just didn't seem to resonate. Dunno why?! Yeah, especially <blockquote>short fat men in khakis jerk off</blockquote> with the short guy in khakis. Maybe tonight will go off better. Millions of thanks to John for the opp...his very clean set of delay-heavy (I quote myself: "We love delay") and intrincate tunes meshed a tad bit more with the ambient electronica house music that played before and after our set. He even managed two Buckley covers. I wrote a little, by hand (don't know how Chuck does it, but it's ok), during John's set. This is really sad: I haven't written (fiction) since last summer. Last night I wrote 1/2 of a (very short) bit I started thinking about at Greenbelt last year. I was going to write it there for a session they had for writers. Never happened. Really never happened. It is crazy, pathetic, and mostly sad that I just now got around to writing it. Anyway, I very well may read it tonight in-between some songs. I'll post it tomorrow just for something to do. The rest of the highlights from last night: Thanks Mike for making it out for my set. Always better to play for 1-4 than none. The guys bathroom smelled really nice. They had an appropriately swanky plug-in smelly thing in there. Played two covers, both by Jews. I'm all about ethnic diversity. Oh yeah. Funny bit: I mentioned that Lukewarm was a "punk song by a Jewish guy" which got a bit of a rise out of a (Jewish?) woman who was (actually!) listening. I had to explain that there is a lyric in the second verse that required that context. Forgot my set list, so I had to make it up from memory. Here's how it ended up: Numb Us, Just Say Yes, Really Need a Chorus, Gospel Song, Lukewarm, The Future That Was (totally was not going to play that song, but played it spot on w/o lyrics anyway--woohoo!), Closed for the Year, American Dream Town. Of course there were stories in-between songs too. Way more of the same, with even more earnest feelings, tonight! C u there!41MusicdanielWed, March 12, 2003publish<a href="http://www.zonezero.com/exposiciones/fotografos/fontcuberta2/dali/state.html">salvador dali</a>, photographer. my fav, tho, is the shot of him on the intro page. 40LinksdanielWed, March 12, 2003publish<a href="http://www.chbooks.com/index.shtml">coach house books</a> 39LinksdanielWed, March 12, 2003publish<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/09/opinion/09CART.html">just war -- or a just war?</a> by Jimmy Carter, 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner 38LinksdanielWed, March 12, 2003publish<a href="http://www.toad.com/gnu/">john gilmore's home page</a> 37LinksdanielTue, March 11, 2003publishanniversary cardWhat does a web installation artist do for his 5-year wedding anniversary? He makes a web-based, multimedia "card" of course. Nothing too glamorous, no Flash or anything, just the usual stuff. Miriam wanted me to put it on the web...guess she liked it. :) Another disclaimer today: Even though I've spent the last couple days smashing it all down from its very-high-bandwidth original version for this compressed-and-optimized version, it is still going to use some serious bandwidth. Tourists and first-timers to this space will probably underappreciate the inside jokes, and this would be a waste of both of our bandwidths. Those who do know us, or would like to know more about us, please proceed. <a href="http://www.danielsjourney.com/5years/1.htm">5 Years</a> ... In other news--shows tonight and tomorrow night. Busy boy. Hope to see you. I will be playing my heart out. Right out onto the floor at your feet. 36MinutiadanielTue, March 11, 2003publish<blockquote>of course the people don't want war. that is understood. but, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a 'democracy', or a 'fascist dictatorship', or a 'parliament', or a 'communist dictatorship'. voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. that is easy. all you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. it works the same in any country</blockquote> -- Hermann Goering, during his Nuremberg war crimes trial via <a href="http://www.sotto.org/2003/02/28/000509">sotto</a> 35QuotabledanielTue, March 11, 2003publish<a href="http://www.blognewsnetwork.com/members/0000001/2003/03/11.html">adam curry's weblog</a> remember when schoolyard pranks consisted of a 'kick me' sign and scotch tape?34LinksdanielTue, March 11, 2003publish<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/10/business/10SHOP.html">the man who would buy everything, everywhere</a> "Together," he wrote on the site, "we might amass a profile of the single greatest shopper in the history of mankind."33LinksdanielMon, March 10, 2003publish<a href="http://www.voanews.com/Bosnian/webcasts.cfm">voanews.com bosnian webcasts</a> <a href="http://www.voanews.com/real/voa/europe/bosn/bosn2230v.ram">this one (Real Video)</a> features Miriam's bosnian teacher's daughter (the anchor). via Miriam (of course--she's watching it right now...I'm clueless). 32LinksdanielMon, March 10, 2003publishFairness Part IIWell, this has been a long time coming. I started a series called "Fairness" with <a href="http://www.danielsjourney.com/index.php?file=blog_2002_12_15.xml&id=67">this blog post</a>. <a href="http://qahal.blogspot.com/">Chris Woody</a> replied to that post, and a fairly (yuk yuk) thorough discussion ensued. I have been meaning to post it for some time, and I'm finally tying up these loose ends. I may yet continue my ideas on how we see values (like fairness) and issues (like with authority), interpreted in different ways...but for now this thread should do it. Here are couple pertinant links as well, before we get started: <a href="http://www.winterspeak.com/#90135118">the project of the conservative throughout the ages is the search for a higher moral justification for selfishness</a> <a href="http://ftrain.com/luckyducky.html">ftrain.com - lucky ducky pergative</a> <a href="http://www.salon.com/comics/boll/2002/12/19/boll/index.html">luck ducky cartoon</a> Please only continue if you are honestly interested in this topic of social welfare, the poor, government's role, etc. This is a really long one, and it will take a little bit to download, and take up a lot of my bandwidth allocation. Here's my main bit for those lazy or still deciding to read further: <blockquote>What I find most confusing and troubling is that [conservatives] want to disband a proactive part of the government performing a moral good--providing for the poor--and give that moral imperitive back to individuals, but you want to create federal legislation to prohibit a moral bad [(abortion)], instead of allowing that moral decision to the individual...Don't get it.</blockquote> From: Chris Woody To: spam@danielsjourney.com Sent: Saturday, December 28, 2002 Subject: Reply to fairness I appreciate your point of view and if I am not mistaken you have decided to go to the extreme polar opposite to make a point, but in that I think the truth is lost. It always is when you go from extreme to extreme. The truth is many succeed because they work hard and may succeed because they "hit the lottery of life", by the same token not all failures are their because of hard luck. Even in your version of the story, your 2.0 student had an illegitimate child. Would you consider that bad luck or bad choice? Here in Georgia we have the Hope scholarship, poor students get great educations, if they want them. I volunteered in a homeless mission for about a year and I could tell you after a 2 minute conversation who was going to get off the streets and who was going to be back week after week and at the end of 6 months want an extension of services. People have to want better conditions for themselves. If they are happy with what they are given, then that is all they will ever get. The welfare system is failing because their is no incentive to get off it and no punishment for abusers. In Wisconsin the state gave a grant to a couple women to purchase a small apartment building and take in 20 or so female welfare recipients. The women were to follow house rules (basically they had to not break the law and go to weekly group meetings) and get a job. At the end of the 3-6 month program all the women had steady jobs and came off welfare. 1 year later and something like 90% were still off welfare. Some of these women were 3rd generation welfare recipients. I am all for helping those in need, the problem is it is not the Governments job, (it is the Church's, but they are to busy building 100 million dollar buildings to bother with taking care of people) and even if it was, they are failing miserably. I guess the reason I am writing is to try and move you to the middle. Help people but lets find a way that works and doesn't bread quitters and failures. I grew up very poor, and after I got out of the Marines I couldn't find anything that paid enough. I had my car repoed, lived on friends floors, and ate tuna like it was cool. One thing that I learned from that experience is that my choices, not my luck put me there. That was 5 years ago almost to the day. Today Lynn and I own a business, a home, 2 cars and I have an incredible paying job that I enjoy. But it took 5 years of sacrifice learning how to be a sales person to have the skills necessary to sell at a level that pays this well. It took a year of getting paid squat running a gym to learn what would be necessary to run our gym today. My brother gradated from the University of Wisconsin after 5 years of schooling with little to no college loans. My parents give him little help. He was able to do this because he served in the Army for 2 years (over seas), and when he got out joined the National Guard. The Army paid half, the Guard picked up a little, and grants and loans took care of the rest. Notice most was taken care of by the Army and Guard, he busted his ass to get what he got. That is one thing that is great about this country, if you are willing to work and take a few risks, you can get what you want. Your story should have ended like this: Mary got her degree, learned that hard work pays dividends. She has worked her way out of poverty and now her child goes to college and has a 4.0 GPA because he doesn't have to worry because fortunately he had the time to do study, since he was not required to hold down a job, his generous parents providing for both his education and living expenses throughout his college years. The middle class white girl graduated with honors, got on the fast track towards the top but never made it past middle management because she did not know how to set goals and work hard to achieve them. <a href="http://qahal.blogspot.com/2002_06_23_qahal_archive.html#78239592">Further reading</a>. <hr> From: spam@danielsjourney.com Sent: Sunday, December 29, 2002 To: Chris Woody Subject: Re: Reply to fairness I'm going to continue the fairness piece with a couple follow ups that might clarify my position; but the fact is that I'm not in the middle, I am on the "extreme left" as it is defined in this country, at least (in Europe the "right" is the equiv. of our "left" and to be "left" means to be a fascist!). If there were a socialist democrat party in the US I would probably join it (assuming it wasn't corrupted). It's interesting you claim this social resposibility to be the church's and then say that the church has dropped the ball all in the same breath. Who is to pick up the ball then? (Maybe the Mosques?) Anyway, the point is, welfare is not socialism, not even close. My follow up pieces are actually just going to talk about how different people take fairness to mean different things. Most people consider having things they worked hard to earn taken away from them as unfair. I think Jesus rather clearly turned all of that on its head. Daniel Miller www.danielsjourney.com <hr> From: Chris Woody To: danielsjourney-spam Sent: Sunday, December 29, 2002 Subject: RE: Reply to fairness I think I was not clear on my point. People make choices and those choices have ramifications on their lives for years to come. I am not saying that we aren't to help others, what I am saying is that the government has failed miserably. Instead of throwing good money after bad, maybe we should find some kind of alternative. One that breaks a cycle of poverty and creates a new one of hope. In the beginning of the welfare and unemployment systems in this country, those receiving it gave back to it. i.e.. when my grandfather was on it, he and several other men built my home town's swimming pool. They got taken care of and the city got something out of it. Many of those men learned a trade while building the pool and they all had a sense of accomplishment when finished. As for the Church dropping the ball and who should pick it up...You and I. It seems we both believe this or we would not update our blogs or write columns or debate our sides. But it is one thing to rage against the machine, it is another to do something about it. Maybe we need a bit more organization, working together for what we believe, instead of just against what we disagree with. As for welfare being socialism or not. It is completely. But so is Christianity. It the truest form of both, all are taken care of by all, those with more help those with less. But if you take from those who have more without their permission you are forcing your Christianity and Socialism on others. Christ didn't do that, he told the rich rulers to give to the poor, but the choice ultimately rested on them. As for the Mosques picking up the ball, yes they have. In fact Ramadan looks a lot like Isaiah 58: 6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. So maybe we need to take a note from them. Considering they worship the same God as us (the God of Abraham). If, as Paul put it, we are to provoke the Jews to jealously, maybe we are to provoke them as well. Until our next Church service, Chris <hr> From: spam@danielsjourney.com Sent: Tuesday, December 31, 2002 To: Chris Woody Subject: Re: Reply to fairness<blockquote>People make choices and those choices have ramifications on their lives for years to come</blockquote>...and generations to come<blockquote>who should pick it up...You and I. It seems we both believe this or we would not update our blogs or write columns or debate our sides. But it is one thing to rage against the machine, it is another to do something about it. Maybe we need a bit more organization</blockquote>...you mean like a/the church? ;)<blockquote>As for welfare being socialism or not. It is completely. But so is Christianity.</blockquote>...and this is where we disagree. welfare is absolutely not socialism and that was the point of my post. a specific group of people following the Way as described in the book of Acts did operate under a social commune paradigm where all money was shared. i do believe that within these small value-based groups, such a socialistic system can work. it does not work for nations, as i believe the great communist experiment of the 20th centurty has proven. but something like<blockquote>if you take from those who have more without their permission you are forcing your Christianity and Socialism on others</blockquote>is the kind of paradigm of fairness that i wish to address with my blog posts (even the second of which i haven't penned yet, but this dialog is helping...btw do you mind if i anonymously quote you).<blockquote>Christ didn't do that, he told the rich rulers to give to the poor, but the choice ultimately rested on them</blockquote>This is true, but Christ wasn't in the social governing business, he was in the individuals business, as am I; and when I say "give all your money to the poor" people shout "not fair!" ha ha. "i earned it" "they are lazy." Curious: do you support legislation that would make abortion illegal in the USA? I find it interesting that Christians are willing to legislate a moral issue they feel strongly about--abortion--but fight to the bone anything that would help provide for the poor. IMHO they twist the bible to prove their own opinions/desires. I believe that the civil government is here to provide for the continuity of the society which it governs. Abortion, while a poor choice IMHO, does not contribute to the breakdown of society (psychological and spiritual effects on the mother, yes, but no direct sociological effect). The increased corruption in our economic and political systems is directly contributing to the breakdown of our society, and eventually there will be either revolution or anarchy, the result being a radically new controlling structure, and -and here's where i sound like a conservative all of a sudden (but it's just a circular continuum)- the demise of one of the most beautifully and brilliantly conceived governmental systems in history. Bottom line: faith aside, we need a system that concerns itself with the welfare of ALL of its citizens. At some point (actually pretty early on, historically, towards the beginning of the 19th century I would say), our leaders -with some notable exceptions- stopped being wealthy idealists and simply became wealthy (and worried about keeping that wealth). Daniel Miller www.danielsjourney.com <hr> From: Chris Woody To: spam Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2003 Subject: RE: Reply to fairness<blockquote><blockquote>People make choices and those choices have ramifications on their lives for years to come</blockquote>...and generations to come</blockquote>Thank you.<blockquote><blockquote>who should pick it up...You and I. It seems we both believe this or we would not update our blogs or write columns or debate our sides. But it is one thing to rage against the machine, it is another to do something about it. Maybe we need a bit more organization</blockquote>...you mean like a/the church? ;)</blockquote>Isn't that what this is? Our conversing back and forth. Interesting that most of the New Testament is nothing more than letters from Church leaders to others. Wonder what Timothy said in reply to Paul. Like it or not your "Installations" at the Gravatt's house was Church, and your reading, performing, and displaying your art at the local coffee house is evangelism. Church is now a four letter word because of the idiots running the show. They made a monster out of a beautiful thing, but that does not mean that we should then change the name of what we do to detach ourselves from them. When I speak of organization I do not mean USMC, button down, chain of command, organization. I like the model of the Internet better. Millions of interconnected computers (people) sharing thoughts, ideas, fears, loves and faith. But to make that work there is required, routers (moderators such as you and I) to direct the computers to what they are looking for, Network Administrators to maintain and build the network (people who bring people together to have conversations), you get the picture. I have marveled over the last 3 years on how God has seamed to strategically move some of us though-out the US, and soon the world. Doesn't it seem that the "Global Church" that Denise talks about is happening? Did we plan it? No, but it is happening and there is some loose organization going on. Your link is on Gravatt's page, which leads me to your writings, which leads me to write you, which leads to our conversation, which leads to the shaping of our minds. Two more computers come on line in our WAN. The things I talk about when I mention organization: planning an "installation" around your visiting Florida when you return from <a href="#here" name="here" onclick="javascript:alert('I never responded to this, but we are NOT on a missionary trip to Sarajevo!');">your missionary trip to Sariavo</a>. Me and Lynn going to Boston to see CPM play and spend time with Aaron and Calvin seeing how much they have learned on their journey from when Lynn was one of their youth leaders and here more about India. Introducing you to my friends and vise versa, growing the network. Kinda like Amway, Jesus told 12 people, they told twelve people, lol.<blockquote>welfare is absolutely not socialism</blockquote>Then why is it called social security? Communism failed not because it is a bad idea but because it is a bad idea when not partnered with the faith and love of the early Church. The more responsibility you give a government to provide your security, the more you become a slave to that government! I do not want the government taking care of the poor because the government is a non thinking machine that follows rules and regulations instead of common sense and emotion. Besides, if I did not have the government taking so much of the money I earn I could give more of it to those who I, the earner of the money, believe need it. The wall between Church and state does not allow the government to sponsor children through World Vision, or give to a missionary friend of mine in Miami reaching out to gang-bangers, or help a coffee house in Stone Mountain, GA that gives kids a safe place to be (cause in their case, home is not). Point is if you can't trust an organization with the money you give it, then how can you justify giving it. Again, I am not against welfare, I am against taxation being used to support welfare. The government has become the Church to the poor. When the Anti-Christ comes into power they probably won't even feel it, they are already slaves to the machine!<blockquote>Curious: do you support legislation that would make abortion illegal in the USA?</blockquote>I do, only because I support legislation that makes murder illegal. If we looked at a embryo as a baby and not a mass of cells we would not be having any debate in this country. Do you support legislation that would oppose me from sticking a pair of scissors in any child walking down the streets head and then vacuuming out it's brains? Why do we care if Priests molest kids? Is there a window of age where a child has value and it is not ok to harm, but outside of that window it is open season? Hell, why punish the women in TX that drowned her 5 kids? If she would have made the choice years earlier it would have been fine, her only crime is timing. But aside from thinking it should be illegal to take human life early on, I also oppose putting animals to sleep, and the euthanasia of the old. Follow me on this for a moment. Once you start taking the value of life away you do "contribute to the breakdown of society". Solomon reasoned that no one knows if the spirit of animal goes to heaven or into the ground, but we allow for the destroying of animals out of convenience. Dog pissess on the carpet kill it, grandma is in the home and doesn't know who we are anymore (and pisses on the carpet) kill her, I was ready for sex, but don't want to throw MY life away, kill the rapidly dividing mass of cells. We have taken the value of life away from both ends, soon it will unravel like a old sweater. The two greatest assets we have, hope in the future and wisdom from the past, are destroyed for the convince of the now. It is sad. You said that the abortion only effects the sprit and psyche of the women who had the abortion, considering our society is made up of people, the more spiritually and psychologically injured people we have the weaker our society becomes! Now just because I think it is right to outlaw abortion, I will not protest, lobby or bomb abortion clinics, instead I will present my beliefs to those who come across my path and hopefully change their mindset. I think I read about a guy doing that once. A Jes-something or another. <a href="#here2" name="here2" onclick="javascript:alert('this was a seperate document not included here');">I have attached a doc</a>, that I would like you to take a look at. Keep in mind that it is a working draft, but the general idea is there. If you not tired my ramblings give this the once over and let me know what you think, but more importantly if you would consider being involved. I'll explain in our next service. This is what I mean when I talk about organization, Chris <blockquote>A Democrat says "A large portion of your money belongs to the government, and that money is to help the people who have less than you through the helpful hand of the system." A Republican says "A smaller portion of your money belongs to the government, and that money is to help the people who have less than you by letting people help themselves." A Christian says "All of your money belongs to God, and that money is to help those who He says to and in the manner He directs." The reason the Democrats and Republicans fight is not because they both do not want to help their fellow man, but because they do not trust the people to help the people. Their faith is in a machine not in a loving God who rules the heavens and earth. They are men of position that wish to direct the course of time, when they can not even direct the course of their lives. The Christian is the only one who has the right idea, but only when he chooses to be a Christian and not a Republican or Democrat. </blockquote> <hr> From: spam [mailto:spam@danielsjourney.com] Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2003 To: Chris Woody Subject: Re: Reply to fairness I'll give the doc a look see soon. In the meantime here are my first thoughts in response.<blockquote>A Democrat says "A large portion of your money belongs to the government, and that money is to help the people who have less than you through the helpful hand of the system." A Republican says "A smaller portion of your money belongs to the government, and that money is to help the people who have less than you by letting people help themselves." A Christian says "All of your money belongs to God, and that money is to help those who He says to and in the manner He directs."</blockquote>While I only think the last one is even true in theory, none are true in reality/practicality.<blockquote>Then why is it called social security? Communism failed not because it is a bad idea but because it is a bad idea when not partnered with the faith and love of the early Church. The more responsibility you give a government to provide your security, the more you become a slave to that government! I do not want the government taking care of the poor because the government is a non thinking machine that follows rules and regulations instead of common sense and emotion.</blockquote>1: Just because something has the word "social" in it doesn't mean it's socialism! 2: The actual idea of communism is absolutely not "partnered with the faith and love of the early Church", you couldn't partner it. Still, this is akin to saying we would have world peace if we were all "partnered with the faith and love of the early Church" ...great, but highly impractical. 3: "the more you become a slave to that government" ...only if it is a tyrannical government. If there is a collective trust in the leadership to govern, be it monies, armies, whatever, then there is a productive social agreement. 4: "I do not want the government taking care of the poor because the government is a non thinking machine that follows rules and regulations instead of common sense and emotion."... I'm going to spend more time on that one...I've been thinking about this exchange...I think we both agree in our mistrust for the church and our government as a whole; however I have a great trust for most of the people in both institutions as well. I also believe that both institutions are helping people, despite of themselves, because of those good people who make them up. Of course there is also a mess of people in civil, church, and even family government (and even self--we just call that one "selfish") who are in it to use and advance the system, the institution, and themselves within that institution. They give it a bad name. But the fact is that there are a ton of people in all these institutions that just want to help people. I believe in their ability to transform at least small portions of those institutions. To say that welfare is given unjustly and so we should disband welfare and allow people to fend for themselves and/or allow private organizations take care of the poor is like saying our foreign policy is to go to war so we should disband the diplomacy/foreign service and allow countries to fend for themselves. (Now I see why so many conservatives make this jump so easily!) Part of the reason for my faith in the people in these institutions is that I know so many of them. My wife works for the State Department. I have met a lot of her co-workers--most all of them as idealistic, peace-loving people as she and I. I also see a lot of mothers, and other people not-of-privilege, who would not survive without welfare. I hear stories from people against welfare about people taking advantage of the system, but I never actually hear these stories first hand. In Bowling For Columbine, Mike Myers covers a shooting in Flint Michigan. The state was "getting people off welfare" by busing them from their homes in the cities and ghettos to affluent suburban malls where they worked two or three jobs at minimum wage. A boy shot a girl in elementary school. He had found the gun at his uncle's house, where he was staying because his mother had to leave so early in the morning to make it to work many miles away, as part of the work program, that she did could not be with her son before (or after) school. His fault? Her fault? Because of pressure by anti-welfare people (let's not call them activists or lobbists), the state government took that single mother away from her child 15 hours a day. The economic issues involved here are MUCH more complicated than just "this is America, anybody can make it." It is easy for us (even immigrants), with our social mobility, no personal experience of poverty, money, education, class status (and social structures within that class--even in broken middle class families no one has to worry about not having anyone to turn to at all), and race (American Indians and African Americans are the only two races trans-generationally oppressed, or oppressed without equal restitution...and what races most need government support now?...exactly...this is what I mean by "...and generations to come")...it is easy for us to point the finger at just about anything. The fact is that even with our "wealth redistribution" (not that I would really consider it that) of government assistance for the poor, the gap between classes continues to widen, people continue to die from exposure and hunger IN THIS COUNTRY of all places. The government had to take over the job of feeding the hungry because our civil institutions (churches) and individuals (the wealthy) dropped the ball a long time ago. You think that if we just throw the ball back into their arms they'll carry it this time? While greed and consumption decay them even further? There are two postures: start your own something, hold it to the highest standards, (still one would have to admit that his/her one project could not stop the tide, that welfare is still necessary (although hopefully someday, through organic growth of such projects, not))........or, join the institution, holding onto the same values, the same ideals, and do your part to transform that thing back to what it is supposed to be. I have given up on the church. I think our society can function without any institutional churches and still thrive spiritually. I am not so "optimistic" when it comes to government (or I'd be an anarchist).<blockquote><blockquote>Curious: do you support legislation that would make abortion illegal in the USA?</blockquote>I do, only because I support legislation that makes murder illegal</blockquote>Yes I've heard this argument ~1000000 times before. But this is an argument for a government that governs individual morality, which I was saying is not the government's job; murder is illegal because if we were allowed to kill each other our society would slowly collapse into a tribal, militaristic anarchy (of course being a pacifist I would be long since dead before that point, having not taken up any arms to defend myself). What I find most confusing and troubling is that you (collective you) want to disband a proactive part of the government performing a moral good--providing for the poor--and give that moral imperitive back to individuals, but you want to create federal legislation to prohibit a moral bad, instead of allowing that moral decision to the individual. Don't get it. Daniel Miller www.danielsjourney.com <hr> From: Chris Woody To: spam Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2003 Subject: RE: Reply to fairness My brother and you share much of the same thinking when it comes to the government and it's role, what I love about the conversations I have with the two of you is your passion and the fact that we can talk about such subjects and still remain civil. I am quite enjoying this. And please know that some of what I say is tongue in cheek. Since we never really met in the past, some of my humor may be lost in writing. Lynn says I write like I talk, but if you never had a conversation with me, you would might mistake my quips for insults or that I am just being an ass.<blockquote>While I only think the last one is even true in theory, none are true in reality/practicality.</blockquote>That bit I wrote when I sent my brother money when he needed it. As I said our political views are quite different, I wanted to show the similarities (the Republican/Democrat part) in our thought and over all desire to help others and then explain that my political views had no bearing on my financial choices. He didn't ask for the money, Lynn and I just felt impressed to give it to him. You say none are true in reality/practicality, I say (not meant to be a proud statement) take a look at our (Lynn's and my) 2001 tax return. Believe me, we (you and I) share the same passion for the poor and needy. Where we disagree is in how to fix it. I do NOT advocate the demise of the US welfare system, but it needs to be fixed. (Read my doc.) I am not naive enough to believe that I can fix it over night, or ever. "The poor will be with you always" But if something is not done soon the cycle will never be broken. What if we used the systems the rich use to get richer to fill in that class gap? Social security gains about 3% a year (1% under the average growth of inflation) but the stock market (including the recent down turn and the Great Depression) average over 10%, 2 1/2 times inflation. But only the rich evil Republicans think we should privatetize and actually make money on our retirement investment... If a poor family goes on "Section 8" they can only rent a house, they can not rent with an option to buy, they can not use it as a mortgage payment. The landlord gets paid, gets an asset paid for by you and I, and the poor family gets nowhere. Why not let them use it to pay or mortgage or at least use it in a rent to own option so they would have a down payment in place? Jessie Jackson said that one of the reason blacks are still poor is because they rent houses and buy cars. You owned a house...did you loose any money on it when you sold it? Did you get more back in taxes when you claimed the interest on your home or when you were renting? This is my point, we are chasing bad money with good, and there are more below the poverty level now than ever.<blockquote>Just because something has the word "social" in it doesn't mean it's socialism!</blockquote>This is a tongue and cheek thing...<blockquote>The actual idea of communism is absolutely not "partnered with the faith and love of the early Church"</blockquote>Never said it was. I said it was a good idea and would work IF partnered with the faith and love of the early Church.<blockquote>What I find most confusing and troubling is that you (collective you) want to disband a proactive part of the government performing a moral good--providing for the poor--and give that moral imperitive back to individuals, but you want to create federal legislation to prohibit a moral bad, instead of allowing that moral decision to the individual.</blockquote>Please do not group me in with conservative right-wing thinkers this is simplifying my views and rather insulting. If you have read anything I have posted on my sight you would see how I am not in the "you" collectively. You don't know enough about me to say this. In the political arena I consider myself a Libertarian, but I will break ranks when my faith comes in conflict with my political party. I don't want to change the world, just the part I come in contact with. My love goes out to all of God's creation, and not in the kumebya way, but in a practical logical way. The poor, the animals, the Earth, the persecuted, etc. If I did not disagree with abortion, wouldn't that conflict with all that I hold dear. You did not address euthanasia of animals or the old. Why? Doesn't this show that I have a deeper love and respect for life than just political rhetoric? Is there not a conflict in defending the poor, who have a voice and not defending those who do not. But I do not raise a stink about abortion, because I don't think we should govern morality. You can't, you can valiantly present you point of view and hope and pray. If the clowns that protest spent more time praying and befriending those around them (actually befriending them with no ulterior motive) we would see change. A little background: As I said I have an incredible paying job and Lynn owns her own business, but it wasn't always so. I was technically homeless for quite sometime. Staying on people's floors and sharing a 2 bedroom apt. with 4 guys (slept on the floor then too). So I know what it means to be lean. Last year together Lynn and I grossed $110,000.00 and carried no debt other than the mortgage and cars, so I know what it is like to be fat. This year our business has wiped out all our savings, we racked up $70,000 in debit to get it started, and until I started this job I have now, we didn't have any income. (The employer I had couldn't pay me) We have had our lights shut off, came days from being evicted at our business, are behind on almost all our bills. So I know what it means to have faith. I am not some rich white suburbanite (actually we live in an all black neighborhood) touting my "anyone can do it " mantra, instead I am just going to make as much money as I can and help as many people do what I did. Screw the Tithe, I want to keep 10% and give away 90%. Does that sound right wing to you?<blockquote>There are two postures: start your own something, hold it to the highest standards, (still one would have to admit that his/her one project could not stop the tide, that welfare is still necessary (although hopefully someday, through organic growth of such projects, not))........or, join the institution, holding onto the same values, the same ideals, and do your part to transform that thing back to what it is supposed to be.</blockquote>Agree 100%. READ the DOC.!!!<blockquote>I'm going to spend more time on that one...I've been thinking about this exchange...I think we both agree in our mistrust for the church and our government as a whole; however I have a great trust for most of the people in both institutions as well. I also believe that both institutions are helping people, despite of themselves, because of those good people who make them up. Of course there is also a mess of people in civil, church, and even family government (and even self--we just call that one "selfish") who are in it to use and advance the system, the institution, and themselves within that institution. They give it a bad name. But the fact is that there are a ton of people in all these institutions that just want to help people. I believe in their ability to transform at least small portions of those institutions.</blockquote>Agree, and my duty as an American and a Christian is to try and help fix those short comings and encourage those who are busting there ass. I don't fault the people, just the machine that they are part of. One last thing... I do not mind you quoting anything from this, but if at all possible I ask 2 things. 1) you post this dialogue in its entirety for others to reference. I want for readers to be able to decide what I mean by reading my thoughts in there entirety not basing their opinion on a sound byte. 2) you add a link to my sight to the posting of this exchange. I am not sure you have read anything I have written, here or in the General Discussion of <a href="http://www.boomspeed.com/thefuture84/interview.html">Scott's interview</a>. Some of my thoughts here are fragments of what I have written before. I kinda feel that you have misunderstood my beliefs a few times for this reason and I don't want that to trickle down to you readers. Maybe I am taking the whole "you collectively" thing too personal, but I do not want others to think that I believe something that I do not. Chris <hr> endnote: Chris and I cleared things up in a couple more emails that I, for some unknown reason, do not have anymore. We realized we agreed on more than we disagreed on and left it at that. Just wanted to clear that up, based on the tone of the last couple sentences there.31CommentdanielMon, March 10, 2003publishLessig is our hero<blockquote>...we have never had a time where fewer interests controlled more of the creative process. Does this make sense for creators? Before the Internet, this didn't matter much &#45;&#45; what could you do? You were a couch potato. Now, millions now are in the position to be creators and distributors of content.</blockquote><a href="http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/000859">read the whole talk!</a> 30QuotabledanielMon, March 10, 2003publish<a href="http://www.textism.com/index.php?id=690">textism</a> <blockquote>here in the land of cheese-eating surrender monkeys (last week the chirac government issued mandatory t-shirts carrying the slogan "anti-american, pomo, multiculti and mocking your fat ass")...</blockquote> 29LinksdanielSun, March 09, 2003publish<a href="http://www.worldofends.com/">world of ends</a> by doc and david w. 28LinksdanielSun, March 09, 2003publish<a href="http://www.corante.com/bottomline/articles/20020621-875.shtml">is blogging a fad?</a> a: no. 27LinksdanielSun, March 09, 2003publish<a href="http://www.metamodel.com/article.php?story=20030115211223271">metamodel.com</a> - <blockquote>what are the differences between a vocabulary, a taxonomy, a thesaurus, an ontology, and a meta-model?</blockquote> 26LinksdanielSun, March 09, 2003publishfixing RSSfrom now on i'll ref my images with ful URL for those reading in RSS. sorry 'bout that...maybe i'll write a script to do it for me...hmmm... 25DesignDanielSun, March 09, 2003publish<a href="http://www.church-poverty.org.uk/lent.htm">lent</a> minimum wage challenge 24LinksdanielSun, March 09, 2003publish<a href="http://www.dashes.com/anil/index.php?archives/005349.php">oprah opps</a> anil with more great ideas about cultural distribution. while i don't like reading on a handheld, the chance to start discussing a section of a book on the fly while you read it is quite nice. 23LinksdanielSun, March 09, 2003publish<a href="http://www.28mm.org/">2 8 m m . o r g</a> 22LinksdanielSun, March 09, 2003publishre: BosniaHere are some notes I took at a recent area studies class regarding Bosnia, specifically it's government, Dayton, and keeping the peace: <blockquote>Dayton has left Bosnia ungovernable as written.</blockquote>There are 13 prime ministers in BiH. International soldiers, once 400,000, currently 20,000, planned decrease to 10,000.<blockquote>The principle of conflict-of-interest hasn't been well established in Bosnia.</blockquote>I can add that that is the case is most of the eastern block. ... I also take little notes and write questions to myself during such times. For example: Time stood still clock broke at 1 exactly but the sec. hand kept moving ? How do I, as a civilian, culturally, teach people, communicate: -peace vs. fear -humanity vs. nationality ... <blockquote>There is tremendous multi-ethnic cooperation in organized crime.</blockquote>21BalkansDanielSat, March 08, 2003publishsweatshop electronics<a href="http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/10.11/hotzone.html">wired 10.11: the hot zone</a> I mentioned a Wired article about how electronics are made at the expense of human rights in China. Well, here it is. 20ElsewheredanielSat, March 08, 2003publishfor those using RSSrepeat of information on upcoming shows: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 at the Zebra Lounge. Opening for the prolific John Athayde of Rotoscope. 8:30 PM - 11:00 PM All Ages 3238 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington, DC 202.237.2202 Wednesday, March 12, 2003 St. Elmo's in Alexandria VA. With the amazing Exit Clov. 8-10.19MusicdanielSat, March 08, 2003publish<a href="http://www.longpauses.com/blog.htm">long pauses</a> 18LinksdanielSat, March 08, 2003publishon an anniversary, the generosity of strangersFor our anniversary yesterday, Miriam and I went to Bethesda, Maryland (via Metro--much easier than driving) for dinner and an indie movie (why one of the best indie theaters is in Bethesda is beyond me). Dinner was at Jaleo, a spanish place. They serve all kinds of Tapas, which are appetizer-sized dishes--perfect for Miriam and I, who normally split an entree at an american restaurant. The waitress said "3 to 4 a person." We did 4 between us and that was perfect. After dinner we went to <a href="http://www.xandocosi.com/index_main.htm">Cosi</a>, a kinda Starbucks-imitator, except they serve alcohol at night. We were just going to grab a blackberry steamer and an espresso, didn't expect much, but by choosing to sit at the very small bar, we stumbled upon a secret spot in Bethesda First, you need to understand Bethesda is pretty much all rich snobs. The reason the indi theater is there? So those people can feel like they're being "intellectual." But the vibe is inescapable, the strip is totally fake-town, and the whole thing reeks of Boca. So when we met a handful of unusually pleasant characters hanging at Cosi, we were indeed surprised. Top-left (on the left, didn't catch the woman's name, but asked her permission {only one of all these people} to use the shot): Daniel, a musician (a drummer) and photographer. He was getting lit on gin and tonics and enthusiastically asked about my camera. I shot this one while showing him the flip-towards-you-lens action of my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000635UX/ref=pd_sbs_p_1/103-8557930-2747830?v=glance&s=photo">Nikon</a>. My "<a href="http://www.danielsjourney.com/index.php?file=2002_09_08_new_archive.xml&id=81375923">business card</a>" was also making the rounds at that point. Already the most famous card in Arlington, now it has found its way into some MD hands as well. Middle-left: Ryan, our host for the evening. A musician, also a drummer, spent some minutes talking with us, finding out about Bosnia, talking about the truly poor in this world, about workers in Cambodia. We told him about <a href="http://vagabonding.com/">vagabonding.com</a>. <a onclick="javascript:alert('comped us our drinks and');" onmouseover="document.body.style.cursor = 'hand';" onmouseout="document.body.style.cursor = 'auto';">He</a> told us to give his tip to the orphans in Bosnia. Struggling musician, giving his money to Bosnian kids. Yeah. Bottom-left: Paul, also a musician (see any trends here?). He actually works at the movie theater we were going to. He was pretty quiet beforehand, nursing his Sierra-Nevada. But as we left to go the movies he goes, "Where are you going to the movies?" I said, "Right here around the corner." He goes, "Did you already pay?" I said, "Yeah." He started getting up out of his seat and goes, "I work there. I'll get you your money back." He was already getting out of his seat! He was going to walk over there! I told him we'd already got the tickets for free, from the last time we were there (a while ago) (the AC didn't work and they gave us free passes). So we went to see <a href="http://www.wellspring.com/russianark/home.html">Russian Ark</a>. Film buffs, for you a definite must-see. I mentioned it here on the blog when I found out about it, and finally I had the opp to see it! Very multi-layered, symbolic, and as I told the guys at Cosi afterward, it is like the meanings are there, you know they are there, but they are just out of reach. I would love to have a few college classes where we watched and discussed the film. Miriam hated it at first, but as we discussed it with Ryan and Paul at Cosi afterwards, she began to appreciate it much more. It is that kind of movie. As you can tell, we went back to the bar at Cosi afterward. Very cool meeting all these true seekers. Some shots at the theater. When I then saw them on the computer, I realized the cool thing is that feet are in focus while the rest of the body is a blur. Might have to experiment with these types of shots more in the future.17MinutiadanielSat, March 08, 2003publish<a href="http://www.mindgutter.com/allExhibits.asp">[mind g u t t e r]</a> 16LinksdanielSat, March 08, 2003publish<a href="http://www.danacountryman.com/coolandstrange/comp.html">cool and strange music magazine compilation</a> 15LinksdanielSat, March 08, 2003publish<a href="http://www.4ad.com/frameset.html">4ad records</a> 14LinksdanielSat, March 08, 2003publish<a href="http://www.deadcandance.com/">dead can dance</a> for you youngins, this is like the original sigor ros 13LinksdanielSat, March 08, 2003publishanniversary<img src="http://www.danielsjourney.com/images/miriam_metro1i.jpg"> i've been married to this amazing, beautiful, smart, funny, spontaneous, brave woman for five years today. here's to another lifetime together... 12MinutiadanielFri, March 07, 2003publish<a href="http://www.redscreen.net/photolog/">red/photolog</a> 11LinksdanielFri, March 07, 2003publish<a href="http://lightningfield.com/">lightningfield.com | photo weblog</a> 10LinksdanielFri, March 07, 2003publish<a href="http://www.earstudio.com/projects/P_subpage/listening_middle.html">listening post</a> 9LinksdanielFri, March 07, 2003publish<a href="http://www.antipixel.com/blog/index.shtml">antipixel | blog</a> 8LinksdanielFri, March 07, 2003publish<a href="http://a.lifeuncommon.org/">a life uncommon</a> 7LinksdanielFri, March 07, 2003publish<a href="http://www.receiver.vodafone.com/07/index.html">receiver</a> 5LinksdanielFri, March 07, 2003publish<a href="http://nextexit.com/index.shtml">dana atchley | next exit | digital storytelling</a> 4LinksdanielFri, March 07, 2003publish<a href="http://1000journals.com/">1000journals</a> 3LinksdanielFri, March 07, 2003publish<a href="http://www.receiver.vodafone.com/07/articles/index05.html">receiver - gifts from strangers, left in public, guided by satellites - Derek M. Powazek</a> 2LinksdanielFri, March 07, 2003publishsteal this songLately this space has been a little too much of my own and not enough of others' stories, and definately not enough meaning. I'll let you judge for yourself on beauty. So let me start again, again, with this little bit of old-timey religion for you. Athiests and fundamentalists, go away. <img src="http://www.danielsjourney.com/images/calvincrop.gif" alt="" align="left">Sometimes you archive because your current homepage data is approaching 100K, other times you archive because you just had a really messed up few days and you just want to put it all behind you. And on said blog, which was fast becoming but now definately is both your life's yardstick--your personal history--and your shrink all in one, little things like archiving a few days of blah can start to mean a lot. So on days like this, what was a design flaw in SWM is actually a nice thing. Let's just put all that on the shelf and start with a new piece of paper. Throw that notebook on the pile, grab a new one, maybe a different color this time. From now on we archive based on our manic-depressive cycles. Ha ha. Just kidding. I think. Lately this space has been a little too much of my own and not enough of others' stories, and definately not enough meaning. I'll let you judge for yourself on beauty. So let me start again, again, with this little bit of old-timey religion for you. Athiests and fundamentalists, go away. <center>.....</center> First, the praise and worship portion of our service. Now you might say to me, "But pastor Dan, praise and worship music sucks!" And I would say back to you, "Yes, it is true, most, if not all praise and worship music sucks. But, dear flock, it is not the idea of doing quote-unquote praise and worship," and at this point I would make the little quote signs with my first two fingers as I said "praise and worship," "with music that is in error. Oh no! I have even heard, my dear faithful, that <a href="http://www.delirious.org.uk/">Delirious</a>, 'that worship band,' is quite popular with the kids these days. It is not that--it is that this music reeks of dishonesty, as if some repetitive words and a catchy pop melody should reduce us to a slobbering mess of repentant tears and then to the super-duper happy-healed-victorous consumer (Christian stuff only, of course) we were always supposed to be--all in the span of one 3.5 minute song (with an extra 5 minutes of repeated choruses, of course)." That is what I would say. So now we will praise the Lord with the newest supa-supa-lo-fi tune from The Daniel Wayne Miller Worship Project, <a href="http://www.christianpornmachine.com/media/TheDWMAmericanaProj-gospel_song.mp3">Gospel Song (1.9M mp3)</a> <a href="gospelsong.txt">lyrics</a>. Now for prayer, we have invited <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00006IT5W/qid%3D1046961277/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/103-8557930-2747830">Rabbi Joplin</a>. He's going to lead us in a prayer for <a href="http://www.christianpornmachine.com/media/Josh_Joplin_Group--12-The_Future_That_Was-Clip.mp3">The Future That Was (384K mp3)</a> <a href="http://www.danielsjourney.com/index.php?file=blog_2003_03_03.xml&id=2">lyrics</a>. Finally, as it should be in every service, we finish with the sermon. Here I invite the "other" "pastor Dan" (and oh we all chuckle to ourselves that "our church" has two, yes two, isn't that funny?) to the podium (isn't it a nice podium, so big and modern-looking?). He's prepared <a href="http://www.theyblinked.com/blog/2003_03_02_theyblinked_archive.html#90213538">some</a> <a href="http://www.theyblinked.com/blog/2003_03_02_theyblinked_archive.html#90177840">words</a> for Lent, yesterday being the first day of this season:<blockquote>...i like Lent--more than Advent at least. Lent is a season of dark destinies in battle; of something more that all the while inhabits the play of surfaces. Lent walks with a cadence that is undoubtedly human: that fully invested way of the bloody human that inhabits the awakened self-immolation that is wholeheartedness... that gnawing expanse that is the stuff of whispered tales and quiet resolve... the stuff of identity, passion and hope in the wake of the domination that makes one's journey forever a multi-generational affair... the passing on of ways that will inhabit the fingers of a people yet to be...</blockquote><blockquote>...for those who have forgotten, here is the situation: we emerge from unknowing with no sense of an identity prior to our vaginal entry into this experience of carbon-based life in space and time. tacitly self-referential we become ever more nuanced as we make and are made in the intersubjective tangle that is all that we can be until we are enfolded into the unknowing of death with no sense for an identity beyond the silver cord's severance. we are always already within this tale inscribed in the flesh of our being. it is only here that we are able to tell stories of what was before and what will come after. only here that we speak of what the self-referential now and the you/non-you dichotomy mean. the now is the space for meaning. mean something today.</blockquote><center>.....</center> And with that, I decide to skip the roudy reprise by the band and let us all quietly stream out from this place. May we all be more resolved to do just that. I am, and for at least this cycle of life, however long it shall be, you will see me sink deeper into the artistry, further into meaning and farther away from saying how exactly it is supposed to be, at least on this public street corner.1MusicdanielThu, March 06, 2003publish