November 2013 - OE - lists.wedgeblade.net

Fwd: Black Friday
by wangzhimu2031＠aol.com 02 Dec '13

02 Dec '13

A bonus to the Saipan Tribune normal biweekly column. Black Friday I came to Shenyang Aerospace University in 2011 after I lecturedon developmental economics to Chinese and third world students, eliciting aninvitation to teach. Most of theforeigners were from Africa where I went in the early 80s until I picked upmalaria in Ijede by Lagos lagoon in Nigeria, cutting short a scheduled trainingevent that was to proceed to Zambia, and then a prolonged stopover at a networkof development projects in Kenya. Halfway into the semester, the university wanted me to teachmore econometrics. Having perused allthe algebraic equations students did not need to learn but are forced to studyand memorize because academics and the expensive textbooks say so, while the practicingeconomists do not even bother, I wanted to quit the gig. However, the school needed students to learn how to speakEnglish. Most had sat through an average of 10 years ofEnglish training but were unable to speak. Having dug deeply in the pedagogy of language learning at the ruralvillage and urban ghetto level, I took on the challenge confident that I mightknow a thing or two on methods. Now, I have Chinese students in the economics departmentmajoring in finance as well as marketing, with some in tourism, which requiresthem to learn how to draft ad copies for print and broadcast. I do not teach any formal economic subjects,but I do use as a context the current situation of a new China that has turnedto domestic consumption to fuel and balance its robust export-oriented economy. Just for the sake of talking, I run an exercise with my classon what they would save if they found the price of an item of interest at thelocal department store lower by 50 percent than previous offering; say, aprevious bag at ¥100, now selling for ¥50. Students then come up with reasons and the students usually repeatphrases picked up from textbooks like "supply and demand","opportunity cost", "comparative advantage", and"incentives". The point is to get the students talking in English, and theshow-offs generally do. I then push theminto the "practical and realistic" realm, and they temper their ideasa bit, but seldom does anyone raise the fundamental question of whether a"savings" in fact occurs. Close to the tail end of the class, I then make mypontifical pronouncements. If in thesupply-and-demand scale, a consumer needs the item but deferred previously frompurchase due to other priorities, or had wanted the item but thought it to betoo expensive, or has the money and thinks the bargain is a good deal, the consumerstill pays 50 RMB that s/he would not normally spend. So, in the transaction, there is no suchthing as a "savings". Theconsumer spends, s/he pays for an item! That's when we segue into the word of advertising andmarketing where the object is make someone feel they either suck if they do notpurchase an item, or if they do, made to feel inadequate when they purchase thebargain item rather than the "real" thing. In either case, advertising makes you feelunfulfilled until you "shop till you drop!" We recently witnessed where this ethos leads to; it islamentable. In Honolulu, rental ofstorage places is a growth industry. Notonly do folks haul their full garbage disposal bins once a week to the curb,they also rent places to store items they seldom or no longer use but are habituallyaccustomed to hoard. In many suburbanneighborhoods, the garage is turned into an extra room, usually a storageplace, which is no big deal in tropical Hawai'i where the car can stay parkedoutside all year (unless the home owners' association says it is a "no-no")but in temperate zone, that congests city streets badly. Consumerism being a stated policy in China since 2008, andgetting double downbeat in 2012, the admonition to be perpetual shoppers hasgone off the charts. That's how"black Friday" got into our students' vocabulary. It is a term coined not too long ago by U.S.merchants and it symbolizes the influence of American promotions and marketingpractices in China's economy. Black firstreferred to the pandemonium in traffic that happened the first day of Christmasshopping on the Friday after Thursday's Thanksgiving Day, once a solemnreligious tradition. It has sinceslipped from the Parson's guidance to the directors of many Chambers ofCommerce. In some shops, it is thebeginning of their annual raison d'etrewhere merchandizing is profitable until shortly after New Year's day. Bleak "black" became the desired "black"in accounting where an investment finally makes profit. Black Friday sales' events in some departmentstores do not even wait for the sunrise. They stay open while the turkey is being deboned, and a mad rush occursshortly thereafter. Since we in the United States have exported the lifestyle ofperpetual debt and easy credit access to be emulated by the rest of the world,allowing financial institutions and stock market gyrations to determine thedance steps of our lives, Black Friday is globally making the rounds 24-hoursthis day. Fellow Americans dance to themusic with gusto. I am staying home. Jaime Vergara pinoypanda2031(a)aol.com yesterday, appreciate; tomorrow, anticipate; today. participate. In all, celebrate!

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"Journey Reflection" Novemberr 2013 Top-viewed Blogs
by Lynda Cock 30 Nov '13

30 Nov '13

Dear colleagues, Following are the top-viewed blog posts during November <blocked::http://rejourney.blogspot.com/2013/11/journey-reflection-blog-revi ew-november.html> 2013. As always, thank you for your quote suggestions, comments, and forwarding blog posts (even this e-mail). Happy Thanksgiving weekend, Lynda and John >Blog: "Journey Reflection" at 4 links ... Google: <http://www.rejourney.blogspot.com/> www.reJourney.blogspot.com Google Plus: <https://plus.google.com/u/0/114307312715975337692/posts> Journey Reflection/Google Plus Facebook: <https://www.facebook.com/transcribebooks> https://www.facebook.com/transcribebooks Twitter: <https://twitter.com/transcribebooks> https://twitter.com/transcribebooks >Web Page: <http://www.transcribebooks.com/> www.transcribebooks.com >Books: <https://www.amazon.com/author/johnpcock> https://www.amazon.com/author/johnpcock

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Re: [Oe List ...] OE Digest, Vol 20, Issue 18
by David Flowers 29 Nov '13

29 Nov '13

Here's the chart I put together during a research period when I was asking the question - "What servant-leadership lessons might Robert Greenleaf have gleaned from the fictional character, Brother Leo, in The Journey to the East." Greenleaf attributes some inspiration for his thinking and writing on Servant Leadership to Brother Leo (HH). Personally, I think there is a treasure trove of deep, reflective, leadership learning opportunities in many artistic expressions, in this case, fictional writing. Artistry so often reflects a Human creatures driven- ness to Care - an important distinction for any leader - in contradiction to leadership models sourced in attaining economic or political advantage. On Wed, Nov 27, 2013 at 12:39 PM, <oe-request(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote: > Send OE mailing list submissions to > oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > oe-request(a)lists.wedgeblade.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > oe-owner(a)lists.wedgeblade.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of OE digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Salmon: Question (William Salmon) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 20:03:09 -0600 > From: "William Salmon" <wsalmon(a)cox.net> > To: <OE(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> > Subject: [Oe List ...] Salmon: Question > Message-ID: <931F74A59A12480CAF7FFEF45C5D8D92@hp> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" > > Who was the kind soul to do a recent chart of, "The Journey To The > East." I have a vague recollection, but want to be certain. Finally, the 11 > or 12 page chart surfaced and I hung it together and gave it a first > reading. This is a wonderful overview of the book and gives a > paragraph-by-paragraph report. > I'm looking forward to giving it more reflective time. > Inner Peace, > Bill Salmon >

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Re: [Oe List ...] OE Digest, Vol 20, Issue 18
by David Flowers 29 Nov '13

29 Nov '13

Hey Bill! I put a chart out recently. What's up my friend? dwgflowers(a)gmail.com On Nov 27, 2013 12:39 PM, <oe-request(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote: > Send OE mailing list submissions to > oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > oe-request(a)lists.wedgeblade.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > oe-owner(a)lists.wedgeblade.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of OE digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Salmon: Question (William Salmon) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 20:03:09 -0600 > From: "William Salmon" <wsalmon(a)cox.net> > To: <OE(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> > Subject: [Oe List ...] Salmon: Question > Message-ID: <931F74A59A12480CAF7FFEF45C5D8D92@hp> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" > > Who was the kind soul to do a recent chart of, "The Journey To The > East." I have a vague recollection, but want to be certain. Finally, the 11 > or 12 page chart surfaced and I hung it together and gave it a first > reading. This is a wonderful overview of the book and gives a > paragraph-by-paragraph report. > I'm looking forward to giving it more reflective time. > Inner Peace, > Bill Salmon >

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Thanksgiving
by Mary Kurian D'Souza 28 Nov '13

28 Nov '13

Greetings for thanksgiving. I am particularly grateful to the community that equipped me to to think and be different and move beyond the confines of conditioned thinking. The very best to everyone of you, Mary

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11/28/13, Spong: A Thirty-Day Lecture Tour of Europe
by Ellie Stock 28 Nov '13

28 Nov '13

HOMEPAGE MY PROFILE ESSAY ARCHIVE MESSAGE BOARDS CALENDAR A Thirty-Day Lecture Tour of Europe It was probably the most exciting and fulfilling book tour of my entire career. Over a period of thirty days, I journeyed through Europe delivering sixteen public lectures in Spain, Italy, England and Scotland. We also touched Switzerland and Wales. In Wales we spent the night and met with Peter Francis, the warden of the Gladstone Library in Hawarden. This is where an event called the John A. T. Robinson-John Shelby Spong Lectureship on “Frontier Theology” had just concluded its third annual weekend conference. It was, said the Warden, a sold out success. Bishop Gene Robinson had been its leader. The public print media across the continent seemed to express great interest in the content of this lecture tour, as we had national coverage in Spain and Italy and local coverage in many additional places. Radio also seemed interested and we did one thirty-minute Spanish radio interview on a nationwide station. Probably the highlight of the media’s attention was a back page feature with a three column picture in “El Mundo,” Spain’s largest and most respected daily newspaper, under the headline: “El Obispo de los Gays,” or “The Bishop for the Gays!” The interest of the European media in our presence was piqued primarily by two things: First, I was a bishop, a title that still commands respect, especially in Spain and Italy, but this bishop was addressing biblical and theological themes not from the point of view of traditional assumptions and official church teaching, but from the point of view of contemporary biblical and theological scholarship. Critical biblical teaching simply has not yet permeated either of these two countries, so it was all quite new to them. Second, I was a bishop who was quite up front in my support of gay rights and same sex marriage. Those ideas are well established in Italy and especially in Spain, where same sex marriage has been legal for some time, but in both countries, its supportive voices have been from the secular, not the religious world and certainly not from a recognized religious leader. No bishop in either Spain or Italy has addressed either of these subjects publicly. Even the presence of my wife, Christine, in both countries created curiosity. “The Bishop’s Wife” is not a known category in the vocabulary of either Spain or Italy! We had discovered this last year in Spain when I held a press conference to respond to questions from a number of reporters. When this press conference was over, I stepped down from the stage and rather routinely kissed my wife. I do that frequently and it did not occur to me that this act might be startling to anyone. The stories in the Spanish papers the next day, however, were headlined “Bishop Kisses Wife.” A day later that was a story in the papers across Latin America! Since there are no bishops with wives there, a bishop kissing a wife was unique. In both Spain and Italy, the Roman Catholic Church is the only Christian expression of any significance known in the land. So if people abandon Roman Catholicism, as indeed many of them have, they have also abandoned Christianity in particular and organized religion in general. Both Spain and Italy would be classified today as secular societies, but secular societies with an overlay of obvious Catholic history, culture and symbols. If people in both countries are asked what their religion is, they will almost universally claim a Catholic identity, but that identity does not express itself in attending church services. One Spanish Catholic priest in Madrid told me, “No one attends Mass today but a few old women.” I gave two of my lectures in Spain at the University of Madrid and one of my lectures in Italy at the University of Bergamo. Both of these settings were memorable. In the course of my career, I have lectured at over 400 universities, colleges and theological schools around the world, but never have I been so warmly and so effusively welcomed by a university and its faculty as I was in Madrid. The lectures there were translated for me by the professor of Slavic languages on the faculty of the university and attended by a number of faculty and administrative leaders. An elegant luncheon, held in our honor, concluded the day. Dessert at that luncheon consisted of a slice of Spanish melon, which may have been the most delicious piece of fruit I have ever tasted. At this university, I had the pleasure of having private conversations with some of the professors. The sense that I received from them was that Spain was living in a time of deep spiritual hunger and that there is no sense that this hunger could or ever would be addressed by the Catholic Church as presently constituted. That institutional, religious system, as currently practiced in Spain, is not a viable option for them for a number of reasons. First, the Roman Catholic Church is still closely identified with the Franco dictatorship, which this Church backed, along with most of Spain’s wealthy families and all of Spain’s right wing politicians. Second, the Catholic Church of Spain expresses constant negativity toward modern knowledge in general and scientific knowledge in particular. Third, this church is associated primarily with hostility toward the aspirations of women and with negativity toward birth control, family planning and abortion under all circumstances. Finally, this church still exhibits a tremendous, almost visceral, negativity towards homosexual people. What this means is that the Catholic Church in Spain is simply endured, not welcomed, in the secular society of that nation. One of the faculty members said to me that the University of Madrid simply would not think of inviting a Catholic bishop to lecture there. When I asked why, he responded, “We do not think any of them have anything to say that we want to hear.” I wonder if the hierarchy of this church has any idea about how irrelevant the church has become in this land where they have always dominated religiously. That reality, however, does not change the fact that if Christianity is to be revived in Spain, it must be revived by the Catholic Church! There is no alternative. It is quite impossible to start a new ecclesiastical structure here. For the Catholic Church to move in a new direction would require the support of at least one bishop and a large body of priests. It would have to have the hierarchy’s toleration, if not its blessing, As long as this Church persecutes and removes its most creative thinkers, as surely has happened under the papacies of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, no bishop or priest will dare to step into the role of theological leadership. I do not believe that such a revival of interest in Christianity in Spain is likely, though it is obvious to me that present everywhere is a deep spiritual hunger for a faith that is relevant, open and willing to engage the world in a new way. The address I gave at the University of Bergamo in Italy followed the usual European academic model. The visiting lecturer is advertised publicly and anyone who wishes to speak in opposition to the visiting lecturer is invited to sign up to do so. My announced topic was “The Doctrine of God: Why Theism is no Longer a Viable Option for 21st Century Believers.” Five people signed up to counter my presentation. Two hours were allotted for this debate. My translator was a young woman who taught high school English. I was to speak for about fifty minutes. Those scholars who had signed up to speak in opposition were to speak in order and to be limited to twenty minutes each. No one seemed to recognize that a lecture or response, which had to be translated, inevitably took longer. I was to be given a chance to respond to each presenter as soon as he had completed his remarks. My lecture, with translation, lasted an hour and twenty minutes. The first responder also went well beyond his assigned limit of twenty minutes. Something had to give. Since this format of challenging an established thinker is the way young scholars build their national reputations, it was decided that none of the prepared responses could be eliminated. This was, after all, their opportunity to take on a visiting American, so they eliminated instead my responses to each of them. It was an interesting tactic. Almost all of those who had asked to speak were religious conservatives. The visiting American had obviously rattled the cages of the hierarchy. So I heard an Italian defense of the depravity of human nature. I heard about the necessity of defining God as a being, clearly understood in supernatural theistic terms. I heard about the necessity for this deity not only to judge, but also to determine truth. I heard traditional church doctrines, such as original sin, atonement, incarnation and the Holy Trinity, being defended in classical 13th century forms. I heard the claim that Christianity alone is the one “true faith” and that prayer served to bring the God above the sky into direct contact with the problems of the world, both personal and cultural. Responding individually would have been impossible anyway since these responders and I did not share the same presuppositions and the examination of our basic theological assumptions would not have been possible in the time allotted. After I had absorbed the torrent of words from these young scholars for over two hours, I responded very briefly that I did not come to Italy to convert anyone, but only to start a conversation about why Christianity was dying in Italy and about what a new Christian future might look like in that land. Clearly I had been successful in doing that and I was quite content with that achievement. There were other events on this trip that cannot be chronicled here. I shall return to these in subsequent columns. I now simply file the fact that this lecture tour validated my personal experience that underneath the deadness of traditional church life in Europe, there is still a passion, an interest and an excitement about how Christianity might look if it were able to be separated from traditional forms of church life. I found in both Spain and Italy secular societies that are not anti-God, but anti antiquated understandings of God. I found a readiness to move on justice issues for women and homosexual persons. I returned excited about the future, yes, even in lands once regarded as lost to the Christian Church forever. ~John Shelby Spong Read the essay online here. Question & Answer Jackie and Bruce Davey from Medina, Ohio, write: Question: It was a pleasure to hear and meet you at Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland last November. We always enjoy your talks and books. It is exciting and such a relief to hear from a biblical scholar that the thoughts we have mulled over for many years – about God and the life of Jesus and what it all means for the world – are not totally crazy – or subversive! A small but growing study group, meeting in our home, enjoys discussing your books among others. So – thank you for sharing your knowledge! We know it has not been an easy road for you. The question: Is there a “Progressive Christianity” study Bible available that would help us search Scripture and give historical background? Answer: Dear Jackie and Bruce, ProgressiveChristianity.org the organization that publishes my weekly column has begun the task of providing Church School material for children. They also monitor other resources that might be available for use in congregations. You might want to check in with them. There is, however, no such thing as a “Progressive Christianity Study Bible.” Only fundamentalists, who are not progressive Christians, think that way. The Bible is a collection of 66 books (plus the Apocrypha) written over a period of about 1,000 years, between approximately 2,000-3,000 years ago, by a wide variety of different authors living under a wide variety of differing historical circumstances. No single volume could embrace that diversity. My 2011 book, Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World was written to provide a single sweeping source to introduce the various books of the Bible to a study audience. That book will come as close to what you are seeking as I could recommend. I have just learned that Harper/Collins has now issued this book in paperback, which will make it more available and less expensive as a resource for group study. I have also been both amazed and pleased to discover how many small churches across the United States, where resources and money are in short supply, use this weekly column and/or the Question and Answer feature as the basis for their adult class every Sunday morning. The discussions engendered, I’m told, are quite energizing. I think single book discussion groups are an incredible way to bring new ideas to a local congregation. So, I commend these few ideas to you. My best, John Shelby Spong Announcements Bishop Spong and his wife Christine, as well as the publishers, ProgressiveChristianity.org, offer our sincere gratitude to our subscribers! Thank you for your support and your interest. May this thanksgiving season be full of love, laughter and delight! THANK YOU!

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Salmon: Question
by William Salmon 26 Nov '13

26 Nov '13

Who was the kind soul to do a recent chart of, "The Journey To The East." I have a vague recollection, but want to be certain. Finally, the 11 or 12 page chart surfaced and I hung it together and gave it a first reading. This is a wonderful overview of the book and gives a paragraph-by-paragraph report. I'm looking forward to giving it more reflective time. Inner Peace, Bill Salmon

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Realistic Living's 60th journal in 30 years!
by Ken Fisher 26 Nov '13

26 Nov '13

Colleagues, On behalf of the 500+ subscribers and myself, heartiest congratulations and gratitude to Gene, Joyce and Alan for the production and delivery of the 60th issue of the RL Journal on Ethics and Religion. Since leaving the Order Ecumenical thirty years ago, this journal, also thirty years old, has ever been my guide for spiritual grounding. Ken "An issue of Realistic Living is like the breath of the Holy Spirit on paper." Richard Clarke, Salem, Indiana Realistic Living: A Journal on Ethics and Religion is published twice a year, July and November, and mailed to over 500 friends and contributors. Each 16-20 page 8 1/2" X 11" issue contains reflections, essays, book reviews, movie reviews, and sometimes poetry on current ethical issues and on topics of Christian resurgence, including dialogue with other religious expressions. With this journal we are attempting to fill a gap in religious and ethical publishing—more secular than the religious press, more religious than the secular press. We are concerned to illuminate time-tested wisdoms in contemporary metaphors and stories. Our November 2013 journal will be our sixtieth issue. http://www.realisticliving.org/index.htm

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Fwd: Religion? Next Christianity??
by Ken Fisher 26 Nov '13

26 Nov '13

Begin forwarded message: From: Gene Marshall <jgmarshall(a)cableone.net> Date: November 26, 2013 10:25:17 AM EST To: Gene Marshall <jgmarshall(a)cableone.net> Subject: Religion? Next Christianity?? Dear Friends, I have selected you for this mailing because of our conversations and relationships having to do with creating a Next Christian Practice that works for many people who want to live realistically in this century. To this end I have been writing books that seem to me crucial background for supporting this possibility. My last two books, still awaiting publication, are of special importance to me. I want to share with you our new web side, and especially a video of a talk I gave at a workshop on the Philosophy of Truth, Consciousness, Wonder, and Religion. This well-made video (thank you Maryellen Greulich) was made of the first talk of a workshop I conducted in Bloomington, Indiana. You can access it by going to our website – http://www.RealisticLiving.org – and then click Videos and then scroll down to the next to last video. Clicking this video box starts a 36-minute talk. This talk was part of a 9am to 4pm workshop in which I led talks and exercises on the topics of my recent Book: The Enigma of Consciosness: A Philosophy of Profound Humanness and Religion. This book is still in process of being published, but drafts of its chapters are up on our website for feedback purposes: http://www.RealisticLiving.org/PDF/Enigma/ All these chapters have been updated in the last month. You are welcome to download any of the draft chapters of this book and make feedback on them. I hope to see a final draft published in 2014. Also, I have finished an even more recent book: The Love and History and the Future of Christianity: Toward a Manifesto for a Next Christianity While Enigma is a general philosophy of religion, this book is more directly on the topic of a Next Christian Practice. You can also download advanced drafts of chapters of this book: http://www.RealisticLiving.org/PDF/History/ I am inviting you not only to read portions of these writings and provide feedback for their improvement, I am inviting you to long-term conversation about these topics and assistance in figuring out how hundreds of leaders can be inspired to put into history a strong example of a Next Christian practice. Grace and Peace (transformative happenings and boundless equanimity), Gene

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Thanksgiving Thursday Nov. 28 in the Saipan Tribune
by wangzhimu2031＠aol.com 25 Nov '13

25 Nov '13

Thanksgiving Not pumpkin nor turkey; it is thanksgiving, dude! The Puritan's celebration was one ofgratitude. What was ritualized was theaffirmation of life, one's own and the neighbors, of bountiful harvest, weatheringnature's harshness, and asserting the general trustworthiness ofexistence. The ritual is religious. When a community establishes a practice that solidifies into a traditiongoing beyond the limits of a generation, it becomes a reflexive act that invitessubsequent generations to act out the prescribe moves before asking thequestion of "what for", or "why". The doing does not require a consciousknowing. Thus, we have the turkey and the pumpkin without requiring anexplication of meaning. Jiu Yi Ba, an October18 historical ritual is observed here in Dong Bei. On that day, at 9:00 a.m., sirens in Shenyangblares for five minutes to remind everyone what a duplicitous race the Japaneseare after what they did in 1931. On thisday, the Made in Japan railroad station in Mukden (Shenyang's previous name) wasmysteriously attacked, giving militaristic Japan the excuse to take over theregion. A ritual of hate is in place. China does not have a xiexie day save today's commercial Thanksgiving, a shopping recycling of leftoverorders from western markets. Oh, thehype is there, but the sense of gratitude is missing. "Thank You" and "I amsorry" are not phrases of social grace in casual discourse. When uttered, they merely maintain one's face(mianzi), and retain good relations (guanxi) to those perceived to be one'ssuperior. In my experience, "I am sorry" precedes theapology for "having poor English", preempting any possible comments onlanguage usage, somewhat akin to the lady of the house who prepares a sumptuousmeal and begins by saying, "I am sorry, we do not have enoughfood!" The gesture protects onefrom untoward remarks! Like everything else in life, the external situation neverdetermines one's internal stance. Gratitude is an existential resolve decided in spite of the delight andmisery of normal life. In an old bookfrom the Levant, it was the wail on whether one can sing the songs of Zion"by the rivers of Babylon" that the prophets responded to with a resounding"Yes". Spirit warriors at the beginning of the current era squeezedthe juice out of an ignominious crucifixion to declare that death holds nodominion! We've messed up variousaspects of that central message through the years, but our use of the Gregoriancalendar bears witness to the tenacity of that singular demonstration of graciousgratitude carried from the story of the baby in the manger to the hills ofGolgotha! That life still elicits loud Hosannas in many quarters! Yolanda (Haiyan ofthe international winds) tested our resolve big time in our personal response todisaster. Some friends noted the absenceof a "bleeding heart" tone in our literary reflections, even as bodybags left untended raised accusations of neglect and incompetence, general andspecific. I used the word "disconnect"as my term away from the traditional but emotive relief and aid methods ofresponding to the effects of Mother Nature's belching. I lived in the Piedmont in the late 70s when tobaccocompanies tried to dissuade the medical community and the public from thenotion that there is a link between tobacco smoking and lung cancer. I find the same attitude when connection ismade by activists from increased incidences of strong quakes and fierce winds (typhoonsand tornadoes) to climate change. Society'sdata bank of knowledge latches on to measures of objectivity from thepositivist school of thought of a previous century that demands irrefutableconnections, discards the wisdom of intuition, and ignores the lessons ofexperience. Earthquakes used to happen in Manchuria once every fiftyyears. We've had six in the last threeyears. Climate change is not indispute. Whether humans' use of fossilfuel contributing to it is. It finallydoes not matter. It is the internalresolve that counts. Indeed, how can one sing the songs of Zion from the riversof Babylon? An older tall boy in my 6thgrade class at SVES, transferred mid-year from an outer island, glared down onme one day after being called for disturbing others in class, and said,"Consider yourself lucky that you are a teacher." He had a look on his face that showed anunmistakable threat with sinister delight. Echoes of that resonate in the murder of 24-year old teacher Colleen Ritzerby her 14-year old student Phillip Chism. We open and close our spoken English class with apedagogical hear-repeat ritual: "Thisis the day we have. We can live thisday, or throw it away. This is the daywe have." Students forcefully "loudout" the lines with gusto! Itappears that the Pea Eye boxer Pacman (Congressman Pacquiao) over the weekendminded his punch in Macau as well. Samar-Leyte got a lift on the thankful spirit on this one. The preschool ritual out of Chicago's Westside where theabove came from ends with a declarative: "So let us live!" I do the same under my breath with grace andgratitude. Then I go one-step furtherwith the folks at Hanukkah - rededicate my covenant with life! So, to the turkey, thanks!

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