News, Entertainment, Enlightenment
Tonight’s meal was fish and chips with the fish being cod and battered in Chef Bill’s special covering. The chips were of two types — the traditional and delicious fried potato circlets, and plotskis which are a grated potato pancake and, in this case, covered with shredded, melted cheddar cheese.
The meal began with cantaloupe gazpacho. The wine was a simple Pinot gris.
Richard Matheson, one of the most influential writers of the last century, died June 23 at the age of 87. He was a graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism. In the name of courageous journalism we present this tribute:
Matheson, by the way, also gave us that Trilogy of Terror episode where the little voodoo doll chases around Karen Black, and, of course, zombies with his short story I Am Legend adopted to the big screen numerous times under several names.
“IRS officials have, of course, confessed that they
inappropriately targeted conservative groups — especially those with
‘tea party’ or ‘patriot’ in their names — for extra scrutiny when they
sought non-profit status. Allegations of abuse or harassment have since
broadened to include groups conducting grassroots projects to ‘make
America a better place to live,’ to promote classes about the U.S.
Constitution or to raise support for Israel.
“However, it now appears the IRS also challenged some individuals
and religious groups that, while defending key elements of their faith
traditions, have criticized projects dear to the current White House,
such as health-care reform, abortion rights and same-sex marriage.”
Terry Mattingly, director, Washington Journalism Center; weekly column, May 22
Let’s begin this week with a simple statement of fact. America’s
Catholic bishops started pressing for adequate health-care coverage for
all of our nation’s people decades before the current administration
took office. In the Christian tradition, basic medical care is a matter
of social justice and human dignity. Even now, even with the financial
and structural flaws that critics believe undermine the 2010 Affordable
Care Act, the bishops continue to share the goal of real health-care
reform and affordable medical care for all Americans.
But health care has now morphed into a religious liberty issue
provoked entirely – and needlessly — by the current White House.
Despite a few small concessions under pressure, the administration
refuses to withdraw or reasonably modify a Health and Human Services
(HHS) contraceptive mandate that violates the moral and religious
convictions of many individuals, private employers and religiously
affiliated and inspired organizations.
Coupled with the White House’s refusal to uphold the 1996 Defense of
Marriage Act, and its astonishing disregard for the unique nature of
religious freedom displayed by its arguments in a 9-0 defeat in the 2012
Hosanna-Tabor Supreme Court decision, the HHS mandate can only
be understood as a form of coercion. Access to inexpensive
contraception is a problem nowhere in the United States. The mandate is
thus an ideological statement; the imposition of a preferential option
for infertility. And if millions of Americans disagree with it on
principle – too bad.
The fraud at the heart of our nation’s “reproductive rights”
vocabulary runs very deep and very high. In his April 26 remarks to the
Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the president never once used
the word “abortion,” despite the ongoing Kermit Gosnell trial in
Philadelphia and despite Planned Parenthood’s massive role in the
abortion industry.
Likewise, as Anthony Esolen recently noted so well,
NARAL Pro-Choice America’s public statement on the conviction of
abortionist Gosnell was a masterpiece of corrupt and misleading
language. Gosnell was found guilty of murdering three infants, but no such mention was made anywhere in the NARAL Pro-Choice America statement.
None of this is finally surprising. Christians concerned for the
rights of unborn children, as well as for their mothers, have dealt with
bias in the media and dishonesty from the nation’s abortion syndicate
for 40 years. But there’s a special lesson in our current situation.
Anyone who thinks that our country’s neuralgic sexuality issues can
somehow be worked out respectfully in the public square in the years
ahead, without a parallel and vigorous defense of religious freedom, had
better think again.
As Mollie Hemingway, Stephen Krason and Wayne Laugesen
have all pointed out, the current IRS scandal – involving IRS targeting
of “conservative” organizations – also has a religious dimension.
Selective IRS pressure on religious individuals and organizations has
drawn very little media attention. Nor should we expect any, any time
soon, for reasons Hemingway
outlines for the Intercollegiate Review. But the latest IRS ugliness is
a hint of the treatment disfavored religious groups may face in the
future, if we sleep through the national discussion of religious liberty
now.
The day when Americans could take the Founders’ understanding of religious freedom as a given is over. We need to wake up.
American Catholics are called to observe a second annual
“Fortnight for Freedom” through July 4. For information, see
the website of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Hat tip Cathy Craddock
Tonight’s meal by Chef Bill Sr. was grilled chicken and shrimp with sides of grilled green and yellow bell peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes, and baked fresh carrots. All had been marinated in a teriyaki-honey sauce.
The starch was homemade knishes provided by a neighbor. Thank you, Mrs. Ziv, they were delicious.
In lieu of dessert was a tray of blue Gouda acquired by Chef Bill as a Father’s Day present –thank you Robert– that was partaken with the Muscat de Patras, the sweet Grecian wine that had been sipped throughout the evening.
House To Vote On Transportation Fee Hikes — The House Transportation Committee completed a series of public hearings on Senate Bill 1, a multi-year, comprehensive transportation funding plan, reports state Rep. Jim Cox (R-129). The committee received testimony from various stakeholders and industry representatives, including Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Barry Schoch, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale and representatives from public transportation systems, construction and engineering interests, agriculture, trucking, rail freight and others.
Senate Bill 1 aims to raise an additional $2.5 billion a year for transportation funding, with an additional $11 billion overall over five years, by proposing to:
–Remove the cap on the Oil Company Franchise Tax, which is charged at the wholesale level, over a period of five years.
–Reduce the State Liquid Fuels Tax over a period of four years.
— Make vehicle registrations valid for two years instead of one and increasing the net cost by $32.
— Make driver’s licenses valid for six years instead of four and increasing the net cost by $6.25.
The House Transportation Committee expects to vote on the bill this week.
Pennsylvania has some of the oldest transportation infrastructure in the country, Cox said. The governor’s Transportation Funding Advisory Commission has identified the need for an additional $3.5 billion annually to support maintenance and repair of the state’s roads and bridges, as well as public transportation systems.
You know Jim, ending the prevailing wage requirements might just cut the cost of those infrastructure improvements to the point where we don’t need these burdensome fee hikes.
Just sayin’.
Picnic With The Patriots — The Delaware County Patriots had its 3rd Annual Picnic in the Park, today, June 23 at Pavilion 17 in Ridley Creek State Park. The company was great, the conversation interesting, and the food delicious.Noir Newspaper Thriller Set In Philly — Delco resident J.M. Roman has crafted a nitty-gritty, politically incorrect thriller set circa 1970 in Philadelphia involving a crazed killer working for the city’s largest newspaper — which it should be noted is delivered in the afternoon.
We are reading it now.
“Ink in His Blood” can be purchased at amazon.com, bn.com and buybooksontheweb.com
Paula Deen Racism — Paula Deen, the 66-year-old daughter of the South, has been fired by the Food Network because she revealed in a lawsuit deposition that she used the word “nigger” in occasional conversation with black employees long ago and once after she was held up by gunpoint while working as a bank teller in southwest Georgia in the 1980s.
She and her brother are accused of racial and sexual harassment and are being sued for $1.2 million in federal court by Lisa Jackson, who managed their restaurant Uncle Bubba’s Seafood and Oyster House.
Ms. Jackson is also upset that Ms. Deen once broached the idea of hiring only black waiters for her brother’s wedding.
What would Martin Luther King Jr. say? It would be something along the lines of forgive people their stupidity, don’t shake people down, don’t try to ruin anyone’s life, and if you don’t like working for someone, don’t.
Don’t forget what the difference is between the black experience in this country and that of the Italian/Jewish/Irish/Slavs, namely government. While the latter groups faced bigotry and prejudice, they were not subject on any wide scale to demeaning laws as to where they could go to bathroom, where they could sit on the bus and, they especially did not have to take their lives in their hands if they tried to vote.
And, really, maybe one should refrain from firing anyone on the basis of a leaked deposition before the trial.
Philly Biz Journal Takes PPA Website Honors — The Philadelphia Business Journal won top honors in this year’s Philadelphia Press Association contest.
Awards were presented tonight, June 21, at the Bala Golf Club on Belmont Avenue.
Taking second place was the Jewish Exponent. BillLawrenceOnline took third and South Philly Review received honorable mention.
Jim Vanore won first place for website feature writing with “Whose Abusing Children Now” regarding the Penn State Scandal. Chris Freind writing for BillLawrenceOnline took second place for “Why Mitt Romney” while Bill Lawrence writing for the same website took third with “Shots From Sandy”.
For website news writing, Amanda Snyder of South Philly Review took first place for “Domestic Dispute”. Pattie Price writing for BillLawrenceOnline took second for “He Allegedly”; Bill Lawrence took third for “DNC Head Gets Heckled At Synagogue Rally”and Hillel Zaremba writing for BillLawrenceOnline took third for Pennsylvania “HRC’s CAIR Connection.”
The Grand Award for Public Service went to John George of the Philadelphia Business Journal for “Labor Pains” which documented the impact of the closing of the large number of maternity wards in the region.
A complete list of winners can be found here.
Politicians And Primal(ary) Fear — Bill Shuster coming from the most Republican district in Pennsylvania, voted YEA to the bankrupting 2008 Farm Bill but changed his tune this year due to a serious primary challenge from a competent opponent says activist Bob Guzzardi
He submits for your enlightenment the evidence:
“‘Primary’ is the only word incumbents hear,” said Guzzardi and he urged all who cared to support Shuster’s 9th District primary opponent, Art Halvorson
He praised HeritageAction and specifically Mike Henry and Kurt Brown for changing Shuster’s stance regarding agricultural crony capitalism.
He also praised Donna Ellingsen and Jamie Cox who visited Congressman Joe Pitts in the 16th District who had voted NAY in 2008 but appeared to be waffling this time. Guzzardi says Pitts’ district had become “less conservative” and his vote was in question. He did the right thing in the end, though.