Dr Pepper to deliver on its free-soda promise

Beginning Sunday at 12:01 a.m., coupons for a free 20-ounce soda will be available for 24 hours on Dr Pepper's Web site. They'll be honored until Feb. 28.

The Northern Agrarian: From the GW Patriot Blog: Everyone is Wrong About Gay Marriage

On the Transition Town Movement

Premature triumphalism (original)

John Michael Greer, The Archdruid Report

2 responses:
Premature triumphalism in Transition Town movement?

Carl Etnier, Vermont Commons blog

John Michael Greer wonders whether the Transition Town Movement is engaging in "premature triumphalism." As a part of the initiating group in Transition Town Montpelier, which on Tuesday received official recognition from the international transition folks, I doubt it.

We're happy if people even notice what we're up to.

Responding to Greer’s thoughts on ‘Premature triumphalism’ (original)

Rob Hopkins, Transition Culture

With Transition, many people encounter the model, the tools, the Network, and enter what we might call ‘Super Exuberance Mode’, where they feel they have found the One Thing That Will Save Us. Over time, this then calms down, and they become more realistic and grounded, but although that early stage is a powerful experience for many, it also has its inherent dangers.

Transition Towns

Ron Paul Answers your Questions, Part 2 (via LRC blog)

Dr. Fleming, To Bail or Bail Out, That is the Question

Julianne was back, but not for long...

My mother said, "Sight pollution," after she saw a clip of the following.

Julianne Hough and Cody Linley Dancing with the stars - salsa

Cody & Julianne week 9


DWTS-S07-Semifinal-CODY LINLEY & JULIANNE HOUGH - Paso doble

Cody & Julianne week 9 part 2


DWTS Cody Linley & Julianne Hough Week 9 Dance 1
DWTS Cody Linley & Julianne Hough Week 9 Dance 2
Julianne Hough and Cody Linley Dancing with the stars Paso Doble

DWTS-S07-Semifinal-The Results- JULIANNE HOUGH - My Hallelujah Song



Julianne Hough performing My Hallelujah Song (DWTS)

DWTS - Julianne sings and Kristie & Mark dance

Cody Linley & Julianne Hough On "Good Morning America"


Cody & Julianne Booted Off DWTS

Jimmy Kimmel with the 9th loser


Jimmy Kimmel with Julianne Hough & Cody Linley

Julianne Hough & Cody Linley on Jimmy Kimmel live after being booted off DWTS

Too bad for Julianne, but I didn't want to see Cody Linley win either.

ET with DWTS - 11-17-08


Julianne Hough-that song in my head (live on Jimmy kimmel)


Julianne Hough "My Hallelujah Song" on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Julianne Hough on ABC Kimmel Live Sing "My Hallelujah Song"
Jimmy Kimmel with DWTS Singer Julianne Hough

Miley Cyrus Interview with Julianne Hough on Red Carpet CMA

Wk8 - Julianne & Derek Hough


Julianne and Derek Hough Perform on "Dancing with the Stars"


Derek and Julianne Hough Great Balls Of Fire

DWTS-S07-DEREK & JULIANNE - Jive

Twitch: New Trailer for biopic ‘Ip Man’!

Cardinal Points to "Essential" Lay Vocation

Cautions Against 2 Temptations in Living Faith

VATICAN CITY, NOV. 18, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The lay vocation in the Church is not a series of functions for the non-ordained, but rather an encounter with Christ that transcends all other human activities, says the patriarch of Venice.

Cardinal Angelo Scola said this when he addressed the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, which was dedicated to a consideration of John Paul II's apostolic exhortation "Christifideles Laici," some 20 years after its publication.

"The Church cannot be defined in the abstract, but must be based on two focuses: in relation to Christ and his mission, and in relation to the world, to which she is constantly sent," the cardinal said, according to a L'Osservatore Romano report of his address. "The risk of thinking that the Church is an independent reality must be overcome."

The cardinal went on to affirm that the "lay dimension" is essential for the Church.

The lay faithful are called "within each particular Church, to live their specific lay nature, facing the historical circumstances and situations in which they are protagonists," he said.

And in that regard, it is necessary to "overcome the temptations" that contradict this dimension of the Church, but which are very present today, the cardinal contended.

The first temptation consists in enclosing the faith within believing communities, which "does away with the popular dimension of the initial Christian experience," Cardinal Scola suggested. This temptation "is ever greater in areas where publicly living the faith and ecclesial membership is increasingly difficult."

The second temptation, he continued, consists in reducing the Christian faith "to a civil religion or mere ethical cement," an ever greater temptation in Western society "in which civil life is rather exhausted."

"The Church lives her characteristic lay dimension with the simple courage of being the People of God moving through history, the whole of history, giving witness to the beauty of the integral event of Jesus Christ, which in the form of communion, opens eternal salvation to us, giving us 100-fold as a pledge here on earth," the cardinal affirmed.

In this connection, he added that it is necessary to overcome a "theology of the laity" understood only as a "juridical demarcation of the laity's functions within the Church."

"The appropriate way to understand the lay dimension of the Church," Cardinal Scola stated, "is that of an encounter with Christ which transcends all realms of human existence."

Patrick Deneen: Thinking Critically About Critical Thinking

In reaction to Prop. 8?

I wouldn't be surprised, but it could just be typical Hollylwood agitprop. What's does Ronald D. Moore have to do with this 'development'?

AICN: By Admiral Cain’s Treadmill!! Next Month’s Webisodes To Reveal Shocking BATTLESTAR GALACTICA Secrets!!

NLM: Fr. Thompson Receives the Dominican "Sacrae Theologiae Magister"

Check out the photos! (Better than mine, naturally!) More.

TrekMovie: New Star Trek Trailer Online + Official Site Revamped [UPDATE: new TV Spot + Foreign Versions]

Trailer @ Apple. Stuff @ IGN.

I have to admit--the HQ trailer is much better than the LQ versions filmed by zealous fans in the theater, and it did its work, to a point. It just underscores the point that many are making--updated special F/X are not enough to make the Star Trek a hit with the devoted fans--the most important question is whether the characters are what they are supposed to be like (or as the fans imagine them to be). The questions about faithfulness to canon and so on may be less important in comparison, but are serious enough for those fans that their ultimate judgment will take the answers into account. I still side with the naysayers, some of whose comments can be found here and elsewhere.

Bankers Shake Down Congress and the G-20

By MICHAEL HUDSON

B16: On Investing Our Talents

On Investing Our Talents

"The Mistaken Attitude Is That of Fear"

VATICAN CITY, NOV. 16, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is the address Benedict XVI delivered today before reciting the Angelus together with the crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square.

* * *

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

The Word of God this Sunday -- the penultimate of the liturgical year -- invites us to be vigilant and active, in awaiting the return of the Lord Jesus at the end of time. The Gospel passage tells the parable of the talents, reported by St. Matthew (25:14-30). The "talent" was an ancient Roman coin of great value and precisely on account of the popularity of this parable it has become synonymous with personal gifts, which everyone is called to develop.

In reality, the text speaks of "a man who, going abroad, called his servants and handed over his goods to them" (Matthew 25:14). The man in the parable represents Christ himself, the servants are his disciples and the talents are the gifts that Jesus gives them. For this reason such gifts, apart from natural qualities, represent the riches that the Lord Jesus has left us as a legacy, so that we bear fruit with them: his Word, deposited in the holy Gospel; baptism, which renews us in the Holy Spirit; prayer -- the "Our Father" -- that we address to God as sons united in the Son; his forgiveness, which he commanded to be brought to all; the sacrament of his immolated Body and his Blood that he poured out. In a word: the Kingdom of God, which is Christ himself, present and living among us.

This is the treasure that Jesus has entrusted to his friends, at the end of his brief life on earth. Today's parable considers the interior attitude with which this gift is accepted and valued. The mistaken attitude is that of fear: The servant who fears his master and fears his return, hides the coin in the ground and it does not produce any fruit. This happens, for example, to those who, having received baptism, Communion, and confirmation bury such gifts beneath prejudices, a false image of God that paralyzes faith and works, so as to betray the Lord's expectations.

But the parable puts greater emphasis on the good fruits born by the disciples who, happy at the gift received, did not hide it with fear and jealously, but made it fruitful, sharing it, participating in it. Indeed, what Christ gives us is multiplied when we give it away! It is a treasure that is made to be spent, invested, shared with all, as the Apostle Paul, that great administrator of Jesus' talents, has taught us.

The Gospel teaching, which the liturgy offers us today, has even entered into the historical and social sphere, promoting an active mentality among Christian populations. But the central message regards the spirit of responsibility with which the Kingdom of God is to be accepted: responsibility toward God and toward humanity. This attitude is perfectly incarnated in the heart of the Virgin Mary who, receiving the most precious of gifts, Jesus himself, offered him to the world with great love. Let us ask her to help us to be "good and faithful servants," so that one day we can take part "in the joy of our Lord."

[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]

[After praying the Angelus, the Holy Father greeted the crowds in several languages. In English, he said:]

I extend warm greetings to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today's Angelus. May your time in Rome be filled with divine blessings of joy and peace. On this third Sunday of November, we remember in a special way all those who have died as a result of traffic accidents. We pray for their eternal rest and for the consolation of their families who grieve their loss. Dear brothers and sisters, I implore everyone - drivers, passengers and pedestrians - to heed carefully the words of Saint Paul in the Liturgy of the Word today: "stay sober and alert". Our behavior on the roads should be characterized by responsibility, consideration and a respect for others. May the Virgin Mary lead us safely along streets and highways throughout the world.

© Copyright 2008 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana

The Biggest Movies of 2009

according to the Times.

Is Winona Ryder enough to make me watch the Star Trek movie? Probably not. What is of interest? Not much-- Nottingham, Wolverine, Public Enemies, and Terminator Salvation. Will Quentin Tarantino's be forced to trim down Inglourious Basterds?

Ron Paul Answers your Questions, Part 1 (via LRC blog)

Q: It was mentioned you were in favor of getting rid of the Department of Education. Is this true, and if so, how do you feel this would benefit the country?

A: I do believe in eliminating the Department of Education.

First, the Constitution does not authorize the Department of Education, and the founders never envisioned the federal government dictating those education policies.

Second, it is a huge bureaucracy that squanders our money. We send billions of dollars to Washington and get back less than we sent. The money would be much better off left in states and local communities rather than being squandered in Washington.

Finally, I think that the smallest level of government possible best performs education. Teachers, parents, and local community leaders should be making decisions about exactly how our children should be taught, not Washington bureaucrats. The Department of Education has given us No Child Left Behind, massive unfunded mandates, indoctrination, and in come cases, forced medication of our children with psychotropic drugs. We should get rid of all of that and get those choices back in the hands of the people.

IGN: "Through the Eyes of Bryan Singer" Featurette

for Valkyrie...

Saturday at St. Albert's

by Ann Torrini

Today is the Feast Day of St. Albert the Great, and the patronal feast day for St. Albert's Priory. Fr. Augustine Thompson, who teaches at UVa, celebrated a Missa Cantata in the Dominican rite, Brother Boniface led the schola, which sounded quite good.

A shot of the schola (their backs)--I was sitting all the way in the back of the chapel, alas. I wish I could have gotten better photos... and if I had more memory on the camera I would have recorded more of the chants as well.


Some photos of the Mass:




There was a photographer there, and one of the brothers was recording the Mass and ceremony on video. Fr. Augustine told me the video and photos will be posted at the province's website. The link should be posted at NLM once it becomes available.

I noticed that Fr. Moreau of the Institute was there for most of the liturgy -- I assume he left before it was finished because of pastoral duties. I didn't recognize him sitting in the choir stall at first; what caught my attention was his biretta's distinctive blue tuft, which is proper to the Institute.

After the Mass Fr. Augustine was conferred with the honor of Master of Sacred Theology. He then gave a lecture, which was quite pleasant and not at all boring, though it may have gone over the heads of some of the laity in attendance.


I especially liked what he said about monastic theology being rooted in living as a Christian, personal sanctity, unlike modern 'academic' theology. Fr. Augustine also mentioned the importance of the liturgy and how it should be central to both Christian spirituality and to theology.

Being at St. Albert's today reminded me that there are some places here in California where a Catholic can find some temporary refuge--visiting Sacramento with Sarge should be interesting.

At lunch I met some self-proclaimed "Dominican groupies," two women who were members of Dominican parishes. They were at the table, along with Br. B, our friend (Prof.) DP, and myself. It was a nice conversation--it would be great to have more of those. (In case you are wondering Sarge, they were rather tall.)

Related links:
St. Albert the Great
Salve Regina

Sung Si Kyung 연연 Full Version(그들이 사는 세상OST)


From Song Hye Gyo's latest drama... 그들이 사는 세상


K-Drama - 'The World They Live In' Press Conference

I should be attending this tomorrow morning. I hope I remember my camera.

Edit. The original post at NLM has been deleted. Here is my post of what happened.

The ST trailer did play at some theaters (not all) showing Quantum of Solace--as you might expect, some fans did bring a camcorder with them. I saw one of those uploaded clips. Yes, my opinion of the movie has not improved. Is it a reboot? A reimagining? (A "reintroduction" according to Roberto Orci and JJ Abrams.) Does it take place in the privileged timeline? An alternate timeline/universe? An alternate timeline/universe which becomes the privileged timeline/universe? (Does Pike die in the movie? What other subtle changes result due to the villain Nero's influence?) Is it realistic for the characters to have had the development when their lives have been altered so much? Was Kirk always the bad boy looking for a purpose in life? Or was he more of a nerd at Starfleet Academy as fans have stated, basing their opinion on 'canon'?

Kirk was older in TOS, and that is the character we have come to know... the ladies' man, cunning, brave, a rule-breaker (or bender) in the pursuit of what is right. Chris Pine's Kirk seems too young (barely out of the Academy?) with 'teen angst' issues--it does not seem he would make a good leader of men, one who inspires loyalty and devotion from his crew. The trailer is not edited in such a way to provide a different view of him.

Does everything get set 'right' at the end of the movie? I doubt that this is the case. We will have to wait for the movie to be released, the fans to react, and Abrams to react to them before we get an idea of what he and his collaborators were thinking when they started this project. Has JJ Abrams's talent been exaggerated up to this point? I thought Felicity and Alias were overrated, and the jury is still out on Lost (though perhaps one can distinguish between his contribution and that of others on each of these). I still haven't seen Cloverfield, and M:I 3 was ok as an action movie, but still more of a Tom Cruise vanity mirror.

Edit. If you can't wait for the official web release (which should be on Monday), you can find the trailer at TrekMovie.

Andrew Cusack: Russia Turns a Cinematic Page in History

official website
trailers for Admiral Kolchak @ Twitch
wiki
The Siberian White Army 1918-1923
Russia Blog: Kolchak (The Admiral) Reviewed

Related: Sluga Gosudarev

AP: Prince Charles turns 60 waiting for throne

LONDON, NOVEMBER 13: (EMBARGOED UNTIL 00:01 FRIDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2008) Prince Charles, Prince of Wales poses for an official portrait to mark his 60th birthday, photo taken on November 13, 2008 in London, England.

official website of the British Monarchy

"Today Won't Come Again", Hayley Westenra and Jonathan Ansell - Festival of Remembrance 2008


Jonathan Ansell and Hayley Westenra singing Today Won't Come Again at the Festival ...
Hayley Westenra & Jonathan Ansell - Today Won't Come Again
Jonathan Ansell and Hayley Westenra Here's To the Heroes

Hayley Westenra - Amazing Grace


Hayley Westenra sings Amazing Grace

Wow. Going a bit too far?

SC priest: No communion for Obama supporters

By MEG KINNARD, Associated Press Writer Meg Kinnard, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 39 mins ago

COLUMBIA, S.C. – A South Carolina Roman Catholic priest has told his parishioners that they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because the Democratic president-elect supports abortion, and supporting him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil."

The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said in a letter distributed Sunday to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion before doing penance for their vote.

"Our nation has chosen for its chief executive the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for president," Newman wrote, referring to Obama by his full name, including his middle name of Hussein.

"Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exists constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ's Church and under the judgment of divine law. Persons in this condition should not receive Holy Communion until and unless they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance, lest they eat and drink their own condemnation."

During the 2008 presidential campaign, many bishops spoke out on abortion more boldly than four years earlier, telling Catholic politicians and voters that the issue should be the most important consideration in setting policy and deciding which candidate to back. A few church leaders said parishioners risked their immortal soul by voting for candidates who support abortion rights.

But bishops differ on whether Catholic lawmakers — and voters — should refrain from receiving Communion if they diverge from church teaching on abortion. Each bishop sets policy in his own diocese. In their annual fall meeting, the nation's Catholic bishops vowed Tuesday to forcefully confront the Obama administration over its support for abortion rights.

According to national exit polls, 54 percent of Catholics chose Obama, who is Protestant. In South Carolina, which McCain carried, voters in Greenville County — traditionally seen as among the state's most conservative areas — went 61 percent for the Republican, and 37 percent for Obama.

"It was not an attempt to make a partisan point," Newman said in a telephone interview Thursday. "In fact, in this election, for the sake of argument, if the Republican candidate had been pro-abortion, and the Democratic candidate had been pro-life, everything that I wrote would have been exactly the same."

Conservative Catholics criticized Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry in 2004 for supporting abortion rights, with a few Catholic bishops saying Kerry should refrain from receiving Holy Communion because his views were contrary to church teachings.

Sister Mary Ann Walsh, spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said she had not heard of other churches taking this position in reaction to Obama's win. A Boston-based group that supports Catholic Democrats questioned the move, saying it was too extreme.

"Father Newman is off base," said Steve Krueger, national director of Catholic Democrats. "He is acting beyond the authority of a parish priest to say what he did. ... Unfortunately, he is doing so in a manner that will be of great cost to those parishioners who did vote for Sens. Obama and Biden. There will be a spiritual cost to them for his words."

A man who has attended St. Mary's for 18 years said he welcomed Newman's message and anticipated it would inspire further discussion at the church.

"I don't understand anyone who would call themselves a Christian, let alone a Catholic, and could vote for someone who's a pro-abortion candidate," said Ted Kelly, 64, who volunteers his time as lector for the church. "You're talking about the murder of innocent beings."

___

On the Net:

St. Mary's Catholic Church: http://www.stmarysgvl.org/

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: http://www.usccb.org/

Is this report accurate? I haven't checked the church's website yet; Fr. Newman has a good reputation but is this warning really appropriate? It doesn't seem to match the nuanced position put forth by Cardinal Ratzinger in his memo to Cardinal McCarick--it seems unlikely that the parishioners would have voted for Obama precisely because he is permissive regarding abortion. Even if one were to give such a warning only once Obama took office and if he took measures to threaten the lives of the unborn, can voters who did not consider the probability of this happening to be significant be held to account? (E.g. those Catholics who believed that Obama would not help bring about the passing of FOCA or do much to change the status quo?)