Yanni called-he wants his hair back

What's with the hair? Terror detainee Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri is pictured here. Washington Post articleby Carrie Johnson details the change in court status of terrorist Ali Saleh Kahlah who is accused of conspiracy in planning terroristic acts on Americans. Saleh Kahlah is not accused of " visual hair terror inflicted on others" though, as many may assume, but the grooming police, I suspect, will be on the scene soon. It may be concluded that Yanni would be proud of him for his tresses.

chips in cars: no, these don't go with salsa, they track milage

Apparently PA is nearing the stage of Oregon, Mass. and others as Gov. Rendell wants to tax people per mile, not per gallon. This requires cars to have chips put in them. This also means anyone who shelled out money to save money and the environment with a fuel efficient vehicle gets the shaft. It seems that taxes will create the opposite of what they intend. The state needs the money they thrive on more than they want to "save the planet" (conserve resources) and encourage responsibility. They will always find a way to pick pockets. So will fuel efficient car sales go down? Of course. Why not buy the car with power and performance--the gas hog. It's too expensive not to. But what about the big brother watching thing? Creepy.

In hobbit fashion

My buddy Doug Jackson, a facebook friend, pointed out that giving away presents on your birthday was something hobbits do. All month I've been giving away things as a new way of celebrating life. If you'd like to celebrate with me, please join in. (All Feb) Go to emergingpa.blogspot.com for details and pictures.

two weird dreams

I've always had vivid and powerful dreams. Lately, this is no exception. Within 10 days I had two dreams where someone who had died came back and spoke to me. If I was the creepy and conspiratorial type, I could take this as an ominous sign, but I think it may rather represent spiritual transition for me.

Because dreams carry so much symbolism for me, it seems they help me to circumvent the over thinking I may tend to do in waking life, by showing me something that represents something I will understand later upon reflection and prayer. In waking life I can tend to end up in circular reasoning, and more questions than resolution, or direction.

Sam I & Sam II

I Samuel and II Samuel were one book, but split into two parts to fit on to two scrolls and not be so bulky. What is the centerpiece of the story? It can be found at the chiastic literary center of the work. Curiously, it's not about the reign of King David, or some part of his conquest, it's about the fact that power corrupts. It's a cautionary message. It's possible the book was written by the prophet Nathan showing that God is the true hero of the book. And also that monarchy, and human power, in general, are dangerously seductive.

Yes. In times like these, it gives one pause.

My fascination with micro-blogging, micro-"fame", and how the playing field gets leveled 140 slots at a time

I've been sucked into the mirco-world of Twitter. I admit it. I really dig micro-blogging. With 140 characters, and a social network working for a person, even the pen is not mightier than the Tweet. That's because the Tweet is instant and potent. News travels fast, and may contain links with video, or loads of extra info. and news. Also-and here's the BIG one. It's free.

For me, it's not about becoming well-known, it's about disseminating very helpful information that makes life better, that changes lives. Or, that brightens someone's day. To me, that's "micro-fame" if Twitter is involved.

@mashable has nearly 100,000 followers, and the influence there shut down a part of yahoo recently, and sold out a company's line of shirts, with just a few characters. The shirt said, "Eat, Sleep, Tweet."

who's shrinking my clothes?

Is there is a gnome somewhere that's been shrinking all my clothing? I'm encountering some unfortunate dressing experiences in the mornings, much like the one you see here.

ecoNOmy

I have to say, I have never felt more grim about where things are headed, or what kind of future my kids will have, than I do now. Even after Sept 11. I worried. But not like now.

Spending this much money for banks, when it didn't work before, and the government intrusion, (health care like the DMV, and all the pork, and the loads of $ the country doesn't have.) I really am starting to think my children will not be better off than I have been. I grew up poor, but with hard work I put myself through school, and we've managed to be okay. I don't know if those types of things can happen on this current course. I find I am sobered more often in spirit, and my thoughts wander as I kept wondering. It's not just me.

I start to go to humor when these types of things happen, because worry won't solve anything. The tension needs to break. What's a 'stimulus package' anyway...? "Well, As Michael Scott would say...that's what 'he said'." Or "a stimulus package is what Chris Brown wanted to give Rihanna just before he bit her, because she said, 'I have a headache'."

Yes, it's a coping mechanism. I have to learn to trust my divine Father. I do, in general. And each day, in these times, I'll get more chances.

new eyes to see...new blog

I started a new blog at wordpress (LifeAsPrayer.wordpress.com) to cover ideas in my book project and take them from the book into regular life. I didn't think I'd need a new blog for that, but it seems right. I think I might merge the emergingPA blog there at some point.

At emergingPA.blogspot.com I'm giving out freebies all month in Feb, b/c of my birthday. I'm sharing the love. It feels nice.

From current reading (assigned)

You, the great homesickness
we could never shake off,
You, the forest that always surrounds us,
You, the song we sang in every silence,
You dark net threading through us.

(Rilke's Book of Hours: Love Poems to God, NY: Riverhead, 1996, p. 70)

Candy

Okay, I have to admit, not eating these is hard.

It's like they're looking right at me.