The site for ranting and reporting by John Masters
This is for those posts that we wish to feature here at Deep Sand. It implies that these are a bit extra special.
Each day brings even more astonishment at how low some people can go to make a buck or get their 15 minutes of fame. Certain Christianists seem hell-bent on creating a contrived “war on Christmas” where none exists all for the sake of either raising money, or making a name for themselves. And in the end, I fear it may destroy a wonderful and important time of the year.
Read moreMany years ago, when I lived here in Tampa the first time, I attended the Gay Men’s Chorus Christmas Concert at the Tampa Theater. The ceiling there is painted blue and has tiny lights in it simulating a night sky. I hadn’t noticed that until the Chorus sang this song and my eyes were drawn upward as I enjoyed the music and saw this amazing sight overhead. I think this has been my favorite carol ever since.
Read moreYou will be thrilled to know that Florida now has a member of Congress who supports forced child marriages. Incoming House Foreign Affairs chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) defeated a bill Thursday evening that would have committed the United States to combating forced child marriages abroad, by invoking concerns about the legislation’s cost and that funds could be used to promote abortion.
Read moreAs you probably know, Elizabeth Edwards, estranged wife of former presidential candidate John Edwards, lost her six year battle with cancer today. My understanding is that she was home. Only yesterday they reported that no additional treatments would help, and talked like she had weeks to live. I guess it was worse than expected. I wish the best for her family during a difficult time, and this country lost a bright light.
Read moreWell, you knew it would be just a matter of time. I think I want one of each. My personal favorite, the one about the Freedom Pat. I can see some Congressman startting to use that to justify TSA.
Read moreFinally people seem to be waking to the ridiculousness of the TSA’s “security theater” at the airport gates, just not before Micheal Chertoff, former head of Homeland Security, got to sock away a nice retirement package from selling us taxpayers the bogus x-ray machines. Don’t want to go through those, then get yourself a rub down from a TSA agent, but I’ve found a way to get through the rub down pretty fast.
Read moreAs I picked up my rental car here at Dulles Airport Monday morning, Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, was on C-Span Radio trying to defend TSA’s ridiculous and overly intrusive pat downs and use of the prono-x-ray machines. I noticed she kept talking about people who opt out of the backscatter machines can get a “same-gender” pat down. She kept saying “same-gender” over and over.
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There’s not much of a silver lining in a foreclosure, but some foreclosed homeowners can take a little stab of enjoyment from this story on TBO.com. The DAL Group, LLC of Plantation, FL, has defaulted on it’s $15 million loan from Bank of America. DAL Group is owned by Attorney David J. Stern, and is one of the many foreclosure mills operating here in Florida.
Read moreAs you head out to vote tomorrow (if you haven’t already, I’d suggest watching this. It’s about remembering which party took a record surplus and turned it into a record deficit, which party thinks the rich need tax cuts, and that big corporations don’t have enough freedom to pollute and send us contaminated food. Remembering which party wants to end Social Security, and which party started a needless war in Iraq, and which party was in power when Wall Street was given a no-strings-attached bailout.
Read moretwo Sunday’s ago, I was teaching my Sunday School class (as I’ve done a number of times), and took a few minutes at the end of the class to deliver the following statement. I have been amazed at the outpouring of concern and support, and a number of them are willing to attend the Council meeting with me in November. I will reintroduce the resolution leaving out the section about trying reasonably to deal only with other organizations with similar statements. The council members previously used this as their primary objection.
Read moreOn October 18, 2010, members of Dallas’ Turtle Creek Chorale joined singers from over 30 area religious institutions and students from Southern Methodist University in a performance titled, A Night For Peace. WIth just three rehearsals to prepare, the 300+ “Partners In Harmony” massed chorus offered a full-length concert, which concluded with Bach’s DONA NOBIS PACEM (Grant Us Peace) from his Mass in B Minor. All stories are real. Featured speakers are current members of the Turtle Creek Chorale.
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