Getting Away

I know my blogging has been light of late, but unfortunately that may be a trend that continues for the next few weeks. I will however, try to show some signs of life as the opportunity presents itself.

I'm getting away this weekend, away from the pressing pace of proposals and progress that frequently threaten to overwhelm me. Although it won't be the solitude I need, the weekend trek to a Boy Scout canoe base camp in the company of my son's troop will serve as a sufficient respite from office politics and personalities. Summer camping by the river will be hot, muggy and buggy I'm sure. But the mental image of being on the water, hearing its gentle slap against the side of the craft … man, I need that. I grew up taking annual vacations to the lake. Those years, those memories are so long ago.

I remember the first time I got in a canoe without an adult. I'm not sure exactly how old I was, but I remember it well. I was paddling from the fore, with my cousin manning the aft. Somewhere between the dock and the small island several hundred yards out from shore, I noticed it was getting much harder to move the craft. At that moment, my cousin announced, "I have the paddle in the perfect steering position." At which point I uttered some teenage expletive about him needing to paddle the boat. Still, the thrill and the peace of being out on the water - I cannot begin to tell you how much I miss that, how much I need that.

It'll be back to the grind on Monday. But between now and then, perhaps there will be a slice of heaven.

Spirit Stays Silent

The last few weeks have been insanely busy, and therefore finding time and energy to sit down and write has been rather difficult. Between pressing proposals, the kickoff of a major project (with another on the way), all the while working feverishly at home to finish my bonus room before carpet shows up tomorrow, I'm just plain wiped out. I have competing dreams at night; I'm either lost in a maze of proposal paperwork and project requirements, or I'm painting painting painting. In real life, I'm down to the second coat on a couple of doors, and polyurethane on one handrail. The only thing about finishing a room yourself, when you have a personality like mine, is that you know exactly where all the mistakes are, and where all the flaws that others might miss lurk silently, taunting. Others might not see them, but because I made them, I know there are there and that they are out to get me. It makes it tough to enjoy the fruit of a job pretty well done.

So what's happened lately? Well, the Bulls blew it. As good as they may have been in the regular season, when the game is on the line in the playoffs, they clearly lack a "closer," someone who knows how to withstand the rallies, keep the team focused, and deny the opposition the comeback. LeBron is that type of player, despite his lack of previous playoff success. The Bulls need that one component that never gets the deer-in-the-headlights look.

I guess the other thing that caught my interest was the announcement that NASA is giving up on the Mars Rover known as Spirit. I wrote about Spirit here. Designed for a 3-month mission, Spirit lasted more than 6 years before going silent for the past year. With such a record of overachievement, it's easy to humanize the rovers, especially when they serve as a window to a frontier we cannot yet see with our own eyes or touch with our own feet. It's a sad ending:

Shortly after midnight, NASA sent one last plea to the silent rover Spirit, mired in a sand trap on the surface of Mars.

Please phone home.

With that, the space agency ended its efforts Wednesday to contact the workhorse robot geologist, which has been unresponsive for more than a year. Rather than spend time and money hanging onto faint hope, mission managers decided to turn their focus on Spirit's healthy twin Opportunity and prepare for the upcoming launch of the next Mars mega-rover.

The pursuit of knowledge will go forward, and Opportunity continues to roll. Well done, Spirit, and thanks.

It is My Honor to Remember

"I have no illusions about what little I can add now to the silent testimony of those who gave their lives willingly for their country. Words are even more feeble on this Memorial Day, for the sight before us is that of a strong and good nation that stands in silence and remembers those who were loved and who, in return, loved their countrymen enough to die for them.

Yet, we must try to honor them — not for their sakes alone, but for our own. And if words cannot repay the debt we owe these men, surely with our actions we must strive to keep faith with them and with the vision that led them to battle and to final sacrifice."

Remarks at Memorial Day Ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, May 31, 1982
-- President Ronald Reagan

Covenant Stone

This Sunday marks the final worship service for Chase Valley Church. For the next two months, the parking lot on Sunday mornings will be empty, the building dark. Come August, Cove Church@Chase will launch on the 28 acres bequeathed to it by the former ministry.

Despite my best attempts to put on a happy face, I find myself grieving, and looking to Sunday with not a little dread. Obviously not the right frame of heart for approach worship, but nevertheless, the emotion is real.

Several years ago, we as a church body entered a season called 40 Days of Purpose, during which we were encouraged as leaders and as a body to commit ourselves to prayer, small groups and ministry with the goal of "Crossing Jordan." The idea of "Crossing Jordan" was in part founded on the passage in Joshua 4:1-9. During a leadership retreat just prior to this time, a number of us leaders were invited to select from a pile of large, smooth riverbed stones. These stones, one per leader, were to be kept for a period of time until one day, we as a church crossed over into the next phase of our ministry (likely the next tier of numerical and spiritual growth). In that appointed time, we would return with the stones to set up an altar, a memorial, as a testimony to the work of the Lord in our midst, to the furtherance of His Kingdom in the hearts of our community, our city, and beyond. Sadly, seven years later, that stone still sits on a shelf in my garage. And by far most of those leaders who carried those covenant stones are gone.

I keep that stone, in the hopes that perhaps someday, the opportunity will come to lay down that rock as a marker to what Chase Valley was, and what Cove Church will be. But it also serves to remind me of just how easy it is to make choices that keep us wandering in the desert. That stone, and the covenant I made, takes on greater meaning for me each time I question whether it is time for us to look for a new church home. For while so many of my fellow laborers have walked away from that covenant (and despite how that might sound, I don't judge them for it), I as yet do not feel able to give up on the potential that is before us. That stone, that covenant, it anchors me. And I am grateful for it.

As Sunday approaches, I know my heart is broken. But I serve a Lord who knows how to mend a broken heart and make it new. It is that hope, that promise, on which I will stand.

Dim Bulbs

We interrupt this blog to bring you a somewhat uncharacteristic hissy fit. While it has raised my ire from time to time over the last couple of years, the entire movement to ban the traditional incandescent light bulb continues apace as we approach the time of its permanent dissolution. Pushed by a Democratic Congress and signed by a Republican president in 2007, this silly idea that we have to have energy efficient light bulbs in our homes to save the planet illuminates to me that our policy makers are a bunch of dim bulbs.

Those little swirly compact fluorescents cost too much, are toxic if they break, and generally do a poor job of lighting up a room. Light from the "energy inefficient" traditional bulbs (the horror!) is far easier on the eyes and has served us well for decades upon decades. Now of course, there is a trend toward LED-based lights, a technology far better suited for blinky lights on computers and gadgets than for room illumination. Yes, LED flashlights and camping lamps aren't too bad, but if you've ever been nearly blinded by blue LED headlights while driving down a dark road, then you know why I'm not a fan.

But industry, trying to figure out how to adhere to silly government over-regulation of your bedside lamp, has come up with an LED light bulb to replace "energy guzzling" (roll eyes here) traditional light bulbs. But here's the catch: at the moment, a single one of these bulbs costs a freakin' $50!! 50 bucks! For a light bulb! From the article (emphasis mine):

Two leading makers of lighting products are showcasing LED bulbs that are bright enough to replace energy-guzzling 100-watt light bulbs set to disappear from stores in January.

Their demonstrations at the LightFair trade show in Philadelphia this week mean that brighter LED bulbs will likely go on sale next year, but after a government ban takes effect.

The new bulbs will also be expensive — about $50 each — so the development may not prevent consumers from hoarding traditional bulbs.

Ya think? Count me among those who are officially going into the hoarding business. Traditional light bulbs are getting harder to find, and the price is going up. Nevertheless, I'll be taking inventory of the types of bulbs I need around the house, and will be making periodic purchases to push out the date of transition as far as possible.

50 dollars, for a light bulb? This is the cost of over-regulation. Too save a few cents on the dollar of "energy inefficiency," we're going to have to shell out budget-busting dollars for an "innovation" that hasn't even been perfected yet. Forgive the invective, but this is stupid. And let's not even get into the energy required to mass produce complicated and unproven bulbs.

But, unless the "lights come on" in the halls of government, this is the future being imposed upon us. And in case you missed it, I take a rather dim view of the whole business.

McDonalds and the Future of Fast Food Service

Last week I was having a conversation with some colleagues about the future of application development in a cloud-computing enterprise model (yes, I really have conversations like these - not that I fully understand it all), when one of these colleagues noted that fast food restaurants across the country were utilizing centralized call centers to handle remote drive thru communication. At the forefront of this "innovation" is McDonald's. And what do you know, after a quick trip down the Google highway, I found out that this has been in place for at least 5 years. Basically, when you pull up to the drive thru at McDonald's, you can no longer assume that the person you are speaking to is inside the building. More likely, they are in some cubicle in some facility hundreds of miles away.

I admit, it is hard to fathom that the person I'm talking to at the drive thru squawk box in not inside the restaurant. It's just outside my frame of reference. But of course, I don't know if the McDonalds in my area utilize call centers. But if the model is successful, no doubt they will be someday soon. They just better hope the power, phone and internet lines never go dark. But that hardly ever happens, right?

McDonald's isn't done innovating (and reducing its store workforce footprint). In Europe, the company is introducing self-service kiosks (touchscreens and swipe card readers) into its stores. How this works for people paying cash, I'm not sure. I imagine they'll set up a "cash only" line or something. Nevertheless, there will be fewer cashiers because you will be able to walk up to the counter, punch in your own order, and swipe your credit card. It is only a matter of time before this kind of "customer service" crosses the pond and transforms our American fast food service. Because if it works for McDonald's, you know the competition will follow suit.

In terms of the cost of doing business, the increasing use of self-service touch screens and call centers may very well be better for the bottom line. But if you are a teenager looking for employment, chances are there will be fewer and fewer food service opportunities, at least in the fast food market. Unless, of course, you just want to cook or take out the trash. Jobs requiring people skills, or jobs offering the opportunity to develop said skills, will become few and far between.

This reality aside, I have to confess that I'm not entirely opposed to the transformation. When I travel, I far prefer being able to largely check myself in for my flights using self-service kiosks. And let's face it, isn't this really just an extension of the bank ATM model?

One thing is certain, however. The further away we get from doing business with people face-to-face, the less 'real' they may become to us. Socially, what is the cost of convenience? Stunted growth? Isolation? The inability to discern reality from technology?

Life is looking more and more like the Matrix all the time. But I'll adjust - as long as they get my order right.

Running of the Bulls?

Baseball is my game, and as far as sports are concerned, my first love. Football follows at a distant second. Now and then, I enjoy watching a basketball game, but despite the fact that I even played a little junior varsity ball (and not very well), it doesn't rank high on my TV priority list these days.

This wasn't always the case though. Being the Chicago-boy that I am, I followed the Bulls pretty closely throughout the 90's. The two three-peats, the 72-10 regular season (1995-1996), and the casts that included (in no particular order) Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr, BJ Armstrong, Luc Longley, John Paxson, and Dennis Rodman - all somehow melded together under coach Phil Jackson. Those were fun years to watch.

Since the breakup of the Bulls dynasty in 1998, however, I simply lost interest in the NBA. Something happened as the next generation took the court, and I'm not sure I can explain it. The game as it was played in the era of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, David Robinson, Jordan, Pippen, Malone, Stockton, Olajuwon, and others is just not the same as the game today.

Now the Bulls are back in the Eastern Conference finals, the first time they've made it this far since the end of the dynasty. I may have to take a peek, if only out of curiosity, to see if this incarnation of the Bulls can continue their run to the NBA finals. On a side note, despite my respect for Phil Jackson, I was rather pleased to see the Lakers get swept out of the playoffs by the Mavericks.

Still, I find myself nostalgic for the old days. Days when I could plop down in front of the tube, and take in the spectacle of the pre-game introduction, knowing that good basketball was just moments away:


Now THAT was a team. We'll see if these new guys can make a claim of their own, and bring another championship back to Chicago.

An Editorial I Actually Agree With

I don't often agree with the editorials in the Huntsville Times, but the one in today's paper has my full-throated support:

Thank you, North Alabama.

Countless acts of selflessness and volunteerism have allowed us all to begin recovering from the April 27 tornadoes. It was our community at its best: Neighbor helping neighbor, churches organizing relief, and all of us doing what we can, from obeying the curfew to giving time or supplies.

It's been said throughout the process that our response will define us.

We have risen to the challenge and set a new bar for how our entire region can pull together in the face of so much damage and suffering.

I add my voice to those expressing thanks. Read the whole thing.

Forcing Political Disclosure as Condition for Federal Bidding?

Of late, I have intentionally avoided posting much about politics, primarily because of the fatigue it seems to generate with every attempt to generate outrageous outrage. But there is a story in the Wall Street Journal today that may warrant a little attention. Normally, I wouldn't want to preemptively overreact to something that hasn't happened yet, but I find this concerning enough to comment:

President Obama has officially kicked off his 2012 re-election campaign, and don't Republicans know it. The president is expected any day now to sign an executive order that routs 70 years of efforts to get politics out of official federal business.

Under the order, all companies (and their officers) would be required to list their political donations as a condition to bidding for government contracts.

On the surface, that doesn't sound so bad, does it? Isn't disclosure a good thing for someone going after taxpayer dollars? Political contributions are protected by the First Amendment, although highly regulated. Shouldn't contractors who received funding from the federal government disclose any contributions that might shed light on any special treatment or earmarks they receive? Right now, the way this disclosure usually happens is through FEC regulations that require elected officials to disclose the contributions they receive. Now, however, the President is proposing an Executive Order that makes this disclosure a condition of the bid for contracts. Which in turn, gives the Government the inherent authority - or at least opportunity - to steer contracts away from companies based on the politics of their officers, as opposed to just assessing the organization's ability to fulfill the terms of the contract through the competitive bidding process. On the flip side, the Government could "reward" companies that contribute to the "right" party. Steering contracts based on political favors is an icky business, and when caught often results in scandal, if not prosecution. So, again, why not protect the taxpayer by requiring disclosure? Well, in this case, the presumptive EO doesn't apply to everybody who receives Government funding:

The draft order, which came out last month, would require federal bidders to supply a complete list of all political contributions made by the company, its political action committee, and its senior executives—going back two full years. (Richard Nixon would be impressed.) More astounding, the order requires the list to include donations made to third-party political groups—disclosure that is not currently required by law, and that is, as a result, surely unconstitutional.

Ever audacious, the White House is spinning this as "reform," claiming taxpayers deserve to know how federal dollars being paid to contractors are being spent in campaigns. This might hold (a drop of) water if the executive order also required all the (liberal) entities that get billions in taxpayer dollars via federal grants and funding—unions, environmental groups, Planned Parenthood—to disclose also. It doesn't.

Ah, and therein lies the rub. If you can ask "Why not require contractors to disclose their political contributions before receiving contract awards?" then you should also be asking, "Why not require unions, environmental groups, arts groups, Planned Parenthood and a host of other organizations that receive Government funding to disclose their political contributions?" The proposed Executive Order isn't reform - it is targeted to discourage businesses from contributing at all, or at least, make it easier to identify "favorites" based on politics instead of capability. If you want true reform, apply it to everybody, push it through the legislative process instead of EO regulation, and see if it can stand up in court.

It has taken decades to create a federal contracting system based on "best prices, best value, best quality," Ms. [Susan] Collins says, and the effect of the Obama order is to again have "politics play a role in determining who gets contracts." Companies may choose not to bid, which will reduce competition and raise government costs. And the order puts "thousands of civil servants" who oversee contracting "in an impossible situation."

Of course, this will impact Democrat office holders as well, especially those in districts that are home to contractors, and will undoubtedly hurt their campaigns as well. Here's another interesting point that I take from the WSJ article: The reason the administration is pursuing this through Executive Order is that even when the Democrats controlled Congress, they couldn't push the Disclose Act through (which would have had a similar effect as the proposed EO). Why is the administration intent on going around Congress to interfere with the contracting and acquisition processes?

I'll leave that to you to figure out.

Soarin'

On the way to school this morning, my boys asked if we could listen to one of the Disney park soundtracks. I acquiesced, and soon found myself completely lost in the track from Soarin'. How often I wish to fly above it all, to escape the surly bonds of earth, to clear my head and my vision. Today, if only for four minutes, I was able to soar and still keep my eyes on the road. I can't really explain it to you, other than to say the music fits the experience. A momentary respite, but a good one nonetheless.

Soarin\' Theme Music MP3 Download

When the Lights Came Back On

One week after a history-making outbreak of severe thunderstorms and tornados wreaked havoc throughout the south, the lights finally came on Tuesday for most of the northern counties of Alabama. The cable networks, including the Weather Channel, focused (albeit deservedly) on Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, so in more ways than one North Alabama was left in the dark. Officials are still assessing damage, and the death toll count for our state finally appears to be slowing (236, but with scores still listed as missing). Total loss of life across the south is at least 330. Forty-one of Alabama's 67 counties have been declared disaster areas.

My family was fortunate. Whereas there is devastation in abundance within a mile or two in any direction, we fared pretty well. While many had their lives and homes uprooted with every toppled tree, we only had to deal with the relative inconvenience of a 6+ day power outage. While we had to navigate roads strewn with snapped power lines, dodging these and other obstacles while in search of supplies, others are picking over piles of rubble in search of their memories. We try to do our part, helping neighbors as we can, patching a roof to prevent further water damage (that was fun), checking in on family and cleaning up debris. But at the end of the day, you come home to lanterns, cold water showers and peanut-butter sandwiches. And we never were so thankful for the simple blessings.

It was surreal. The night sky was never so full of stars. And we adjusted, more so as the days wore on. We slept well, being governed not by clocks and alarms, but by the rising and setting sun. Our connection to the outside world was through a radio whose batteries lasted far longer than we expected. We heard about Osama bin Laden, but honestly that news felt anti-climactic and out of place. It's a different world in the dark, I guess. There was a certain relief in being detached from the outside world. We were surviving just fine, and managed to keep the perspective of just how fortunate we were.

You'd think that we would be overjoyed when the lights came back on, and we were. It meant hot showers, and a return to "normalcy." Yet I found the experience once again, surreal. We had connected with something, during our days in the dark. Was it simplicity? Was it real community, the kind that doesn't involve monitors and networks and electrons? I don't know. But whatever that something was, I fear that it will be lost as our lives return to what they were before the storms. I know it seems heedless and unappreciative given the suffering around us, but I think I will miss some of what we found this past week. The simplicity, the community, the surviving. We truly live very privileged lives, full of ease and convenience. For a few days, maybe we got a taste of what we're actually missing, even to our detriment.

But enough navel gazing. There are those still in real need, suffering real loss, and work to be done to help, in whatever ways we can. May the recovery come speedily.

And on the 7th day ...

The utility company saith, "Let there be lights!" And as the power coursed through electrical veins, a cry of relief broke out from those who had been without.

When I uploaded the post below last Wednesday, little did I know just how hard nature would kick us. It apparently was the second deadliest tornado outbreak in U.S. history, and our state took the brunt. I see no need to post a bunch of links, but if you peruse al.com (the Huntsville version), you can find picture and video galleries to satisfy whatever interest you may have in the storms that hit our community. Just know that while the Weather Channel and the big news networks have deservedly focused on Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, the northern counties got hit just as hard, including an EF-4 that slammed an area just to the northwest of Huntsville. Here on the northeast side, we are still waiting for the official designation of the storms that uprooted trees, damaged homes and left power lines strewn all over the roads within a few mile radius of my house. There are areas of devastation all across the northern counties, including a Boy Scout camp my son frequents.

Still, I remain amazed at how fortunate and blessed we are, as we have only had to suffer the relatively minor inconvenience of no power and no hot water for over 6 days. Far too many have had their lives turned upside down with loss of home and loved ones.

The power may be back on for now, but the reminders will be with us for a while. A very long while. But the recovery has begun.

Another Weather Adventure

Sometimes, it seems like we have a "kick-me" sign taped to our proverbial backs:


As bad as it has been around here in a while. And it won't be over until later tonight.

Easter Praise

Admittedly, Carrie Underwood is not my usual cup of tea. Yet as I watched the video below through teary eyes, I could not help but notice the crowd coming to its feet during the final chorus of this most powerful hymn. People rise with some perhaps not even knowing why. It seems that wherever and whenever it is sung, if it is sung well, an atmosphere of worship breaks out. The hymn has a deep resonance with me, for a variety of personal reasons. On this magnificent Easter morning, I pray that we may all stand in awe of the Lord our God: How Great Thou Art!



(h/t): Gus Marvinson

A Day of Joy

I have been trying all day to put together the words to best express what's in my heart, and remarkably, I find myself unable to turn the phrase. I have some thoughts, but they are for my son, and my son alone.

So I'll let the pictures below speak for themselves. On this Palm Sunday, my oldest son, of his own accord and at a time of his own choosing, made a public profession of faith and was baptized. While he has seemingly carried an inner light and understanding regarding the Truth for several years, a few months ago he made his decision, to my great joy. And I am, indeed, rejoicing!







"I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth." (3 John 1:4)

"… and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and fully of glory, …" (1 Peter 1:8)

The Coming Reboot

In recent years, movies and television have been filled with quite a number of "reboots." A reboot goes beyond the typical "remake" of a classic movie or show. Instead, the reboot is a complete refresh on a franchise or a character or a storyline. ABC's "V" is a reboot of the campy '80s miniseries. Smallville was a reboot of the Superman franchise. How many versions of Batman have hit the big screen? My favorite reboot, however, was the reinvigoration of the Star Trek franchise at the hands of J.J. Abrams.

I was an ardent fan of the original Star Trek series (TOS) and its movies. When Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) came out, I was a slow adopter, only buying in when the Borg entered the storyline. With the TNG universe, we got DS9 and Voyager, which I also enjoyed. Paramount tried yet another series (Enterprise), but cancelled it when it finally started to get interesting. But note that all of these series existed within the same universe, as it were.

Abrams reboot of the franchise with 2009's Star Trek, while tapping the same characters as TOS, changed the dynamics of the story by the application of a difference perspective, almost a counterfactual exercise: "what if" these characters had developed differently due to different life experiences? I remember being quite skeptical about this new look, not sure I'd like the suggested changes to the Star Trek "canon." To my surprise, the movie is by far my favorite of them all (with a place of honor still reserved for The Wrath of Khan). Abrams succeeded, despite the pained efforts to explain the changes and maintain continuity with TOS. Star Trek (2009) is a reboot - same people, but with different perspectives, different relationships, and an unwritten future. And now for the segue….

The same people, with different perspectives, different relationships and an unwritten future. This is the state of the church I've called home for the last 17 years. By June of this year, Chase Valley Church will cease to exist, its current membership and properties becoming a satellite of Cove Church. I won't go into all the reasons for this, but suffice it to say that the merger is in the best interests of continuing ministry in our particular location. I've struggled for an appropriate analogy or metaphor to describe this moment, and for now I'm going with the reboot - same people, different perspectives, different relationships and an unwritten future.

From our early days in storefront facilities, to the construction of our building on 28 acres of land, to dynamic statistical and spiritual growth, to a dramatic diaspora and decline, only a handful of us are left who span the relatively short life of the church. We have seen many people come, and many people go. We have witnessed the transformative work of God in our midst, touching and changing the lives of many. We have also suffered through pain, scandal, and the turmoil of disunity. These are experiences we will forever carry with us, with memories that deserve to be treasured and stories that need to be told and retold, and hard lessons to remember. It is a fortunate thing that eternity is forever, so that who we are (or were) will perhaps be remembered in the Light of the things that truly matter.

But we are still here. We are the same people, viewing almost 20 years of ministry in the rear view mirror, faced with envisioning the church with a different perspective, developing a new and different set of relationships both to the institutional parent church and to individuals under whose authority we will now serve. For some, this change will be too difficult to take, and they will probably leave. But there will be many who will, although perhaps with some trepidation, step into this new world and embrace the opportunity of an unwritten future. Because in the end, it is not about institutions, territory and control. I have asked myself frequently whether I'm up for the reboot. I will admit to a certain sadness over our state, and I confess I'm grieving over the potential loss of who we are (or were). But then again, some of that sense of "self" left with those that walked out the door years ago. But here I catch myself, remembering that it's about furthering the Kingdom of God where we are and where we can. Our identity is not found in Chase Valley, nor will it be found in Cove. Our identity is in Jesus Christ. To take any other perspective would be detrimental to us and to our ministry.

As I said, there are stories to tell, and perhaps over the next few months, I'll share some of those, if appropriate. Until then, I'll choose to look forward toward that unwritten future in the life of our church, knowing that in a very real sense, the future has already been written by He who stands both inside and outside of time. The raging waters of change will undoubtedly be choppy, but with faith, they are navigable. This reboot of our church can be a good thing, and reinvigorating to our purpose as followers of Christ. That is my hope, anyway, and my prayer.

Finally, A Serious Budget Proposal?

It is no secret to those who know me that I lean very much to the conservative side of the political aisle. I have not hidden that fact on this blog, although I do try to keep my political commentary in the realm of the respectful. Last July, I lambasted Congress for their decision not to produce a budget for FY11. I viewed that failure, which has led to today's threat of a government shutdown (which may very well affect me), as a derelication of their Constitutional duty. For years, for whatever reason, the political class has lacked the courage to seriously engage the looming financial crisis facing this nation in the form of unfunded liabilities. The mounting debt and the increasing deficit is a true disaster waiting to happen. And contrary to statements that have been made in the past year or so by the current administration, I do not believe you can "spend" yourself into prosperity. Sound investments, fiscal discipline, and sensible budgeting based on reasonable projected revenues - these are some of the components of good financial planning, be you individual, business or government.

Paul Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, has released the GOP budget plan for FY12 (again, something the Democrats couldn't bring themselves to do last year when they controlled the House). According to his opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, this proposal will cut $6.2 trillion in spending from the President's budget over 10 years, and in that same period will reduce the deficit by $4.4 trillion. Read the article for a hint at how this will be accomplished (I'd like to read the plan myself before trying to expound on it in any serious way).

Look, I don't know whether this is the right plan, and I don't have the expertise to judge its merit on the fine print details. What I do know is that in a debt and deficit crisis of this magnitude, we can't argue over billions - we have to argue over TRILLIONS. And this is the first serious budget proposal that attempts to address the problem in the proper context. That is, everything is on the table for discussion - in particular entitlements that we simply cannot afford, unless we dramatically raise taxes and thereby endanger an already fragile economy. Predictably, the former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has already fired off the first "Republicans are mean" salvo. And don't get me started about her use (or misuse) of Scripture, as she quotes it in the video, as justification for Government action. Expect to hear more of it though, in the days ahead.

Below is an interesting video, featuring Paul Ryan. Obviously, it's a sales pitch, but it is not a bad one. If nothing else, the budget he's putting on the table represents - finally - a serious attempt to address a serious problem. It remains to be seen whether the rest of the political class (both parties) in Washington is willing to engage this on a serious level. Color me skeptical.

Fools aren't always those who rush in

In 1711, the English writer Alexander Pope saw published his poetic Essay on Criticism, a long but often delicious piece of commentary on the nature of criticism - and critics - and the value (and failings) thereof. It has been far too many years since I engaged in any form of literary analysis, and even if I had the time, the practice would find my skills and intellect woefully inadequate to the task. Pope's essay is likely unknown to many, as the study of classical literature has fallen to elective status (at best) in our curriculums. Nevertheless, you are likely familiar with its most quotable phrases:

"A little Learning is a dang'rous Thing/Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring:"

"Whoever thinks a faultless piece to see/Thinks what ne'er was, nor is, nor e'er shall be."

"To err is Humane; to Forgive, Divine." (often quoted as "To err is human …")

"All seems Infected that th'Infected spy/As all looks yellow to the Jaundic'd Eye."

"For Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread."

Another quote I like:

"True ease in writing comes from art, not chance/As those move easiest who have learned to dance"

"For Fools rush in …." Three hundred years later the phrase remains lodged in our cultural lexicon. And apart from its proper context, the common meaning and usage seems to generally convey the idea that insufficiently intelligent people, lacking wisdom, rush into situations without taking measure, counting the cost, or otherwise appreciating the sanctity or value of the circumstance or moment. The antithesis, of course, is that the wise measure their words, analyze the situation, and move (if necessary) with care as opposed to haste. In Pope's day, I wonder if the term "fool" was more descriptive of those lacking in specific judgment or expertise, as opposed to intelligence, which in the context of the act of criticism, and of the critic as a vocation, seems to make sense. (After all, many "critics" are far from experts in the matters and people they criticize).

Nevertheless, I find myself wondering today if the maxim (apart from context) is always true. For instance, in the New Testament, you have the rich young ruler who walks away from Jesus, the countless in the crowd who despite seeing the wonders and hearing the teaching of the Christ, turned away. Contrast this with the parables of the Kingdom of God, as reflected in the metaphors of a field with hidden treasure and the pearl of great price. Or the children who rushed to Jesus, or the impulse of the woman who poured out a jar of perfume upon Jesus' feet. Food for thought, I guess.

In my own journey through this life, I find in myself that tendency to overanalyze a moment, to overlook the simplicity of a simple truth, to introduce complexity that needlessly complicates the matter. Sometimes, there are benefits to the examination. Yet many times, there is a cost as well, most often measured in the loss of joy in the moment, and of course, time.

Self-control (and the wisdom it can beget) is a virtue worth pursuing. But control that results in a fist clenched so tightly upon one's spirit (or that of another) squeezes out what joy there is to be found in this life. Who is the fool who forsakes joy in exchange for a control that doesn't even exist?

Perhaps it is not always the fool that rushes in, but rather the one who fails to grasp the value of the moment and the opportunity therein, and dawdles away the time, choosing to fabricate complexity where simple truth would and does suffice.

Friendly Confines

Today is Opening Day, and while the Cubs don't actually get to start playing until tomorrow, I find myself thinking back to my favorite major league baseball memory, September 1, 2003.

For my birthday, my wife had given me two tickets to the Labor Day showdown between the Cubs and the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. As a life-long Cub fan, this was to be my first trip to the Friendly Confines.

The forecast was gloomy, and on the drive from the hotel just south of the city to the Howard parking deck on the north side (where we would get on the L for the ride down to the ballpark), we dealt with a steady rain. While it seemed that the chances for a rainout were pretty high, nothing was going to stop us from at least walking through that venerable old stadium and gazing out at the field and the ivy.

The game was scheduled to start at 1:20, but as luck would have it, the tarp remained on the field for almost 4 hours. We were fortunate, though, as our seats were high enough down the right field line as to have some shelter under the upper deck. We sat next to plenty of friendly Cardinal fans (they do exist!), and just had a delightful time. In fact, those 4 hours seemed to pass by fairly quickly. Cheers would erupt from everywhere each time the rain let up, followed by the groans when the skies opened up anew. Still, the feeling was so electric, the fans locked in their seats or taking cover under the stands, you just knew that before the day was over, there would be baseball. And sometime after 5:30, the call came over the PA - the game would be played. Mark Prior then took the mound.

I don't remember all of the play by play, although I do remember a hit down the left field line by Ramon Martinez that scored Moises Alou and broke a close game wide open. Remember, this was back in the days when Mark Prior was a phenom, and Sammy Sosa was still in good graces and not yet implicated by the steroids scandal. Prior was on fire, and successfully shut down Albert Pujols for most of the game. I watched Sammy do his trademark run to the right field bleachers. Whatever your feelings are about night games at Wrigley, make no mistake - in person, Wrigley is simply stunning under the lights. By the end of the game, that beautiful old scoreboard displayed the final score of 7-0, and the W flag was raised on high.

In the end, we spent over 7 hours on hallowed ground, ate two meals, and witnessed some great baseball. And to top it off, by the end of the 5-game series that started on that Labor Day, the Cubs had moved ahead of the Cardinals in the standings and within a half game of the division leading Astros. The Cubs would go on to win the division, and come within 5 outs of the NL pennant before the inevitable collapse to the Florida Marlins in the 2003 NLCS.

Still, it is Opening Day, so I'll at least attempt not to dwell on the negative. Because that gloriously rainy day shines brightly in my memory. Cubs-Cardinals, Cubs win, 7 hours at Wrigley … almost heaven on earth. What a great day that was. Yes, I can feel it now: It's time for baseball.

A Rite of Spring

Life has more or less returned to normal in my house, now that the adventures of the adversely afflicted appendix have more or less come to an end. While I still occasionally get twinges of pain in my side (a sign of trying to return too quickly to the previous routine), these are but nuisances that haven't yet kept me from trying to fulfill my responsibilities to the weekly chaos that is our calendar. As many parents well know, the impact of such after school activities such as sports, scouts, piano, and karate frequently wreaks havoc upon a family, at least in the sense that family meals are all but impossible, and conversation is often reduced to "How was your day? Great, gotta go, see you later tonight."

One of these contributors to our schedule is an annual rite of spring - the return of little league baseball. Three nights a week, plus some Saturdays, I am out at the ball field with my son as his team works to get ready for the upcoming season. During the day, I sometimes groan inwardly about having to get home, get the kid fed and out to the ball field for an hour and a half or more of practice. But that all seems to change when I actually get to the park.

Baseball, as far as sports go, is my one true love. I grew up playing it, watching it, and dreaming about it. While I was never really good enough to excel at the game, those deficiencies did nothing to hinder the joy of being on the field, terrified and yet hopeful that the ball would get hit to me so that I could make a play. I stopped playing after the 6th or 7th grade, and when I entertained trying out for the high school team as a sophomore, I realized that I would never be able to catch up to what they were pitching. I would later settle for playing softball through college and the working years before the boys came along. It's been 10 years since I played for a team.

Now I watch my son play. And not unlike the movie Field of Dreams, at times something magical seems to happen when I step inside the gate to the field, to stand inside the dugout to watch the 8 year olds practice. Suddenly, I'm no longer worried about the day or how tired I am. Instead, I watch with both terror and hope at each fly ball that heads toward my son, simultaneously wondering if he will catch it or get smashed in the face. I will him in my mind's eye to get in front of each grounder, with the glove on the ground to scoop up the ball and get it to first on time. My muscles twitch instinctively, as if I was the one on the field trying to make the play. I watch as he takes his swings at the plate, longing myself to hold a bat in my hands and do the same. And I fill with pride, at the end of each practice, when my son complains that practice is over "too soon," and that he wants to stay on the field and play some more. That's the joy I feel, even standing in the dugout, unable (at least for a few more weeks) to volunteer my time to help the coaches. Am I living vicariously? Perhaps a little. But I don't care.

Just to be out there between the lines, running the bases, smothering a liner with an outreached glove, making the play - that is the field of my dreams. I do love this game.

Wizard Spam

Email spam is one of the many banes of our modern existence. In simpler days, we might have been inundated with USPS-delivered junk mail or telemarketing calls that while irritating, are relatively benign. Much more, we had the ability to simply hang-up, throw junk in the garbage and move on with life. Email spam, however, opened the door to enterprises of much more malicious intent, whether it be the introduction of viruses, identity theft, not to mention preying upon the unsuspecting with promises of, well, certain augmentations, cheap software, cheap pharmaceuticals and watches. Information technology, in particular many internet service providers, are keeping up with such trends with ever improving filters that keep such junk from getting to our inboxes. Every now and then, stuff slips through, but on the whole we are spared from much of the worst.

Yesterday, however, our IT director sent out a warning against the latest spam trap. The text of this indeed gives one pause, insofar as those of us who work as government contractors are sensitive to communication that purports to come from government sources:

Hello,

This message is to inform you that your email address was recently discovered to be sending spam emails to government computer systems. In order to prevent your email account from being deactivated we need to you to verify that you are in fact the owner. Please visit this site to verify that it is an active email address and not a part of spamming activities.

Your prompt compliance with this notice is appreciated. No action will result in your email address being disabled.

Obviously, there are lots of red flags in the text above that would tip a smart user off that this is a phishing expedition. Anytime you receive an email that says "please visit this site" to correct some grievous banking or identity issue with an account you may or may not have, you should avoid it. The link will not take you where you think it will. Further, basic common sense would have you think of how such people (say a bank) would actually contact you - most likely via phone or USPS mail. At any rate, the great thing about this particular example is not the body of the email, but rather WHO sent it:

Thank you,

H.J Granger, CPWP, CHP
Compliance Manager
HSWW Government Services

Innocuous, right? Just some other big government agency you've never heard of trying to get you to verify that you have a legitimate email address? Not this time. Because unless our beloved Hermione Jean (H.J.) Granger of Harry Potter lore truly serves in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (HSWW) Government Services division of the Ministry of Wizard Spam, I think we can safely delete such an email. Besides, Hermione, as the brightest witch of her age, can certainly do better than chasing wizard spammers. Although, she does like following the rules.

I haven't figured out what CPWP represents, but one can infer that CHP stands for something-Harry-Potter. Nevertheless, I had a great laugh last night, the kind of laugh that only a Potter fan (geek) can appreciate.

A Quick Recap Before Moving On

Over the last few days, I have debated whether I should write this post, trying to determine the value of revisiting the obviously personal events of the last two weeks. While I am certainly prone to speak my mind (and put words to paper as it were), I still value a certain level of personal privacy. Additionally, while I certainly do not want to over-dramatize my health scare, at the same time I would be remiss if I tried to minimalize its seriousness and severity. I am skeptical that there is much therapeutic value to retelling the story, although I must acknowledge the presence of some deep seated emotions that I'm still processing. In the end, I've decided to press through, if only to free up my mind to re-engage with outward-oriented topics.

My wife and I had been planning an anniversary getaway aboard the Disney Dream, a new cruise ship that would take us to the Bahamas the first week of March. My folks would come to watch the boys while we enjoyed some long overdue alone time together. It was not to be. Four days before departure, I came home from work with some discomfort in my gut. At the time, I figured it was simply some sort of a stomach bug or intestinal distress. Hours later though, what was discomfort crossed the boundary into substantial pain. Having had a friend recently go through emergency gall bladder surgery, I somewhat grudgingly decided that a trip to the ER was necessary. The attendants were nice, and the care was adequate. After an ultrasound and a number of other tests, the gall bladder, kidneys and whatever else they checked all came back negative, so they sent me home. Turns out, they missed something.

I ended up sleeping all day the next day. The discomfort did not decrease, nor did the pain. In fact, by evening, the pain became excruciating. I usually have a fairly high pain quotient - I may grunt a little bit, and my face may not hide how I feel, but in this case it was all I could do not to cry out - and I probably did. The epicenter of my agony had localized, and we made the call shortly before midnight to head back to the ER.

We found the same crew at the ER as we'd had the night before. Not only did they remember me, but I think it stands as my all-time minimum wait at the ER. In fact, after signing in, I never saw the waiting room again. They gave me some painkiller, and eventually wheeled me up for a CT scan. I remember very little after that, and what happened was related to me after the fact.

In short, sometime between ER visits, my appendix ruptured. The ultrasound didn't catch it. Even the CT scan was initially inconclusive until reviewed by the on-call surgeon. That surgeon put me at the front of the line, ahead of all the planned surgeries for the next day. The CT scan occurred around 2:30 am, with results by 3:30. I was on my way to surgery shortly after 5 am. According to the surgeon, who I saw every morning for the next 5 days, he not only had to remove my tattered appendix, but he had to clean up half a liter of gangrenous infection that had spilled out into my gut. While I do wonder if he was just trying to scare me into strict obedience to his recovery orders, he took pains to remind me every day of just how bad it was. I can only take his word for it.

I won't dwell much on the in-hospital stay. The first few days were very rough, but got better with each passing day. The care I received was more than adequate (lets face it, while not everybody has the same bedside matter, I have little to complain about regarding the care I received). I came home one week to the day of my first trip to the ER.

Recovery has been slow but steady. I'm still not up to full strength, and I get winded easily. I have not spent much time dwelling on all the negatives, though I do have to fight off those thoughts more frequently than I would like. My younger son seemed to absorb it all okay, but my oldest did struggle more than he originally let on. As I shared with him, (and thus counseled myself), the worst did NOT happen, God is always, always in control, and that while it's okay to be scared and even to cry, we can rejoice in the mercy, grace and healing that the Lord is providing even now.

I can only imagine if my appendix had ruptured while we were on the boat. But it didn't. My parents were already in route, and their timely arrival provided much relief to my wife. My in-laws were also nearby, ready to assist. We had trip insurance, so we didn't lose the money we paid for the cruise. So aside from the fact that I ended up burning a ton of vacation time for a decidedly non-vacation break, it is not an understatement to suggest that if this was going to happen, I am incredibly blessed to have had it happen when and where it did.

This is not to suggest that I'm clear of some of the more negative emotions. I'm still dealing with the after effects of fear and shock, as well as a bit of associated anger and bitterness. I regret deeply the scare I gave my family and my kids. I hate knowing that I'm heading back to work soon without desperately needed R&R. And my enthusiasm for returning to work is undoubtedly muted. I won't go so far as to say that this is one of those life-changing, perspective-altering events that precipitates some sort of intellectual or emotional crisis. But something is different. Maybe it'll pass once I get back to routine. We'll just have to see. In the end, I am well and getting better with each passing day. It is a far better thing to look forward, to be sure. And look forward, I will.

From Rupture to Recovery, With Love

Life took an unexpected turn last week, with an untimely adventure filled with pain, emergency room visits, and the eventual rupture and removal of my appendix. I'll be back soon with my usual witty and insightful repartee, but now is a time for resting and healing.

Thanks to all of you for your prayers and well wishes!

Toomer's Corner: A Rivalry Poisoned

The rivalry between the University of Alabama and Auburn University has a colorful and storied history that goes beyond what happens on the field of play. Indeed, within days of moving to the state my sophomore year in high school, it was impressed upon me that I had to choose sides. I tried to remain indifferent for a while, but at one point, in a spirit of playfulness designed to poke the ire of a dear friend of mine (and fellow clarinetist - you know who you are), I aligned myself to Auburn and really, never looked back.

I've seen the best the rivalry has to offer, and until recently, thought I had seen the worst. People take their football passionately down here, and anyone who follows the college sports world knows that the Auburn-Alabama rivalry can get pretty intense. Most of the time, it's all talk and bluster and bravado. But this past season, it took a dark turn, based in part on Auburn's successful run to the BCS National Championship trophy.

Toomer's Corner has long been the site of many Auburn celebrations, with cherished trees that are lovingly rolled with toilet paper following an Auburn victory. For many Auburn fans, Toomer's Corner is sacred ground. And despite the fact that repeated rolling and hosing down of toilet paper in itself takes a toll on the trees, the spot remains a precious treasure in the hearts of Auburn men and women. We do care about the trees.

And now those trees are going to die.

They are going to die, because according to reports, a man claiming to be a devoted Alabama fan called into a local radio show to announce that he had dumped lethal doses of a herbicide called Spike 80DF at the base of the trees. Yesterday, Auburn University confirmed that after soil testing, the man's claim was true.

The famous live oaks at Auburn University's Toom­er's Corner have been given a lethal dose of herbicide and probably can't be saved, university officials said Wednesday.

The soil around the ap­proximately 130-year-old trees, an icon of the univer­sity, registered up to 65 times the normal dose of the herbicide Spike 80DF, Au­burn spokesman Mike Clardy said. Auburn city po­lice are investigating and faculty and grounds crews are trying to rescue the fragile trees but say it's unlikely. …

Auburn officials sampled the soil around the oaks Jan. 28, a day after a University of Alabama fan identifying himself "Al in Dadeville" called in to Paul Finebaum's syndicated radio show and claimed he had poisoned the trees the weekend after the Nov. 26 Iron Bowl game.

"It was kind of hard to take it seriously, and then as he went on it started sounding more serious," Finebaum said. "And now that we've played it back, there's no doubt that he was absolutely serious."

Apparently so. Today, police announced the arrest of a 62-year old man, who describes himself as a former Texas state trooper, on a Class C felony.

Without question, this rivalry has taken a terrible turn. Numerous Alabama fans are themselves aghast at this act of vandalism, which goes far beyond the ordinary pranks that crop up from time to time. I confess to being worried that some similarly destructive individual might seek to retaliate.

What's done is done. Auburn will move on, and I'm certain that in one form or another the Toomer's Corner tradition will remain intact. The rivalry will survive, but make no mistake - the poison seeping through the roots of those beloved trees is also seeping through the hearts of fans on both sides. Unless, and until, people start to put things in proper perspective, the bitter poison will continue to ruin this rivalry. And that's a shame.

Seriously?

A few days ago, in a post about the recent unrest in the Middle East, I wrote:

Are we on the verge of a broader Middle East war, perhaps within the next year or two? Or will the alarm and unrest pass? The winds seem ominous to me, but again, I'm not sufficiently educated or even armed with enough facts to speculate.

Tonight, as I read reports of Iranian ships seeking passage through the Suez Canal en route to Syria, reports that the new foreign minister of Jordan (which has a peace treaty with Israel) calling Israel an "enemy and terrorist state," and reports of continued unrest in Egypt, Libya, Bahrain and Yemen … I can't help but to think that the timeline to the next Israeli war is much shorter than we think. And then I read this:

The U.S. informed Arab governments Friday that it will support a U.N. Security Council statement reaffirming that the 15-nation body "does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity," a move aimed at avoiding the prospect of having to veto a stronger Palestinian resolution calling the settlements illegal.

Seriously? This is the response from our government? To join an anti-Israel bias in the U.N. condemning their right to build settlements within their own recognized territory? Here is Israel, being visibly hemmed in on all sides, with open hostilities a real possibility, and we're going to pile on by rebuking our ally for building apartments?

This article does go on to imply that this is just a "diplomatic ploy" to keep from having to issue a rare Security Council veto. Perhaps I'm being too naïve to expect us to take a honorable, principled position - but condemning an ally simply to make ourselves "look better" to the Arab world is nothing short of an act of fear. I'm not buying the spin that we need to do this to be perceived as an "honest broker." I'm not suggesting we blindly support the internal policies of our allies, necessarily. But when the lone representative democracy in the region is facing a truly existential threat, you would think that the only major superpower in the world would have the moral courage to stand up in support. At a minimum. A strong statement of support would do more to stabilize the situation than playing shell games with U.N. resolutions.

Israel is running short on friends these days. I used to think the U.S. was one of them. Now I'm not so sure.

Update 2/17: Iranian Ships Cancel Trip Through Suez.

Cagney: The Fighting 69th

My all time favorite movie - and the one that inspired my hobby to collect all movies starring James Cagney - is The Fighting 69th. Cagney plays Jerry Plunkett, a punk with a tough-guy act and cowardly soul who ultimately redeems himself through a final act of valor on a WWI battlefield. Among the cast are such stalwarts as Pat O'Brien (as Father Duffy), Alan Hale (the father of the actor many of us watched on Gilligan's Island), Frank McHugh, and Dennis Morgan (Christmas in Connecticut) as Lt. Ames. I treated myself this afternoon to watching this old favorite.

The movie as a whole pays tribute to the 69th Infantry Regiment, and in particular to Father Francis Patrick Duffy. Duffy Square, the northern half of Times Square, is named after him. The poet Joyce Kilmer was a sergeant in the 69th, and died on the battlefield in 1918. The movie includes a spoken excerpt of his poem "Rouge Bouquet," written to commemorate the loss of 21 soldiers of the 69th. So while the movie is a fictionalized account that centers around Cagney's character, many of the periphery events are factual.

I was first introduced to this movie in a high school history class. I'm not sure why it captured me and birthed a fascination with Cagney. A couple of years ago, I even went so far to buy online a piece of movie memorabilia from this film, an authenticated still photo of the scene where Cagney and Hale first face off as Cagney receives his uniform (below).


I think part of what drives my love of this movie is my appreciation for the roles Cagney and O'Brien play. Cagney's Plunkett is a malcontent who has major problems with authority, who despite his bravado finds himself making a huge mistake, resulting in the deaths of several of his comrades. Later, while on a recon mission, Plunkett panics and tries to run away, crying out and giving away their position to the enemy. After a court martial that results in an execution order, a major battle ensues that gives him a final chance for faith, courage and redemption, all of which he takes. O'Brien's Father Duffy, however, really captures my attention. The scripture he quotes and the prayers he utters all throughout the movie, although delivered in typical 1940's movie stiffness, nevertheless ring authentic and true. Duffy goes after Plunkett as he would the lost sheep, leaving the other 99 for the sake of the one gone so far astray. Nobody is beyond hope, despite all appearance and evidence to the contrary.

The movie ends with O'Brien reciting a prayer, as faces of the fallen march by. I cannot find the scene online, and don't have my system setup to capture it myself at the moment. Nevertheless, the words are powerful, and are a fitting end to both the movie and this post:

Oh Heavenly Father,
Here I beseech you the prayer of this America's lost generation.
They loved life too, O Lord,
It was as sweet to them as to the living of today.
They accepted privation, wounds, and death,
That an ideal might live.
Don't let it be forgotten, Father.
Amid turmoil and angry passions,
When all worthwhile things seem swept away,
Let the tired eyes of a troubled world rise up,
And see the shining citadel of which these young lives
Form the imperishable stones, America.
A citadel of peace. Peace forevermore.
This I beg of you,
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

A Different Paradigm

Quite obviously, the big news of the day is the surprise resignation of Egypt's president-for-life, Hosni Mubarak. I say surprise, because just yesterday he gave a defiant speech declaring his intent to stay in power until elections are held in September. While the details are still fluid, it appears that between the predictable outrage of the crowds in Tahrir Square and understandable misgivings of the top brass in Egypt's military, Mubarak's hand was forced, and now the military is in control. There appears to be a fair amount of jubilation over this outcome, despite the fact that turning over power to a council of military leaders in itself apparently represents a violation of Egypt's existing constitution. Moreover, there seems to be some sentiment that this event, which by some accounts could be argued as a non-violent military coup, is somehow a great victory for freedom and democracy. What a strange notion that a military takeover of a government can be viewed as a victory for democracy.

Egypt (like its regional neighbor Turkey) has a military that historically is a strong player in national politics, most notably beginning with the 1952 Revolution in which the military overthrew the British-backed monarchy. In a fascinating article about the role of Egypt's military in the current crisis, Ellis Goldberg writes:

The Egyptian political system under Mubarak is the direct descendant of the republic established in the wake of the 1952 military coup that brought Gamal Abdel Nasser and the Free Officers to power. Nasser and the officers abolished Egypt's limited parliamentary monarchy and ousted an entire generation of civilian political and judicial figures from public life. They created their own republic stocked with loyal military figures. Their one experiment with technocratic governance, allowing Egyptian legal experts to write a new basic document, was a failure. The experts' draft had provisions for a strong parliament and limited presidency, which the officers deemed too liberal. They literally threw it into the wastebasket and started over, writing a constitution that placed immense power in the hands of the president.

Such an arrangement would prove to work out well for the military, as every Egyptian president since 1953 has been an army officer. For two generations, the military was able, through the president, to funnel most of the country's resources toward national security, arming for a series of ultimately disastrous wars with Israel. These defeats, combined with the government's neglect of the economy, nearly drove the country to bankruptcy. Popular revolt erupted between 1975 and 1977 over the government's economic policies. To regain control, the military turned its attention away from war and toward development. It gradually withdrew from direct control over politics, ceding power to domestic security forces and the other powerful backer of Egypt's ruling party -- small groups of civilian businessmen who benefited from their privileged access to government sales and purchases to expand their own fortunes.

Now, of course, the military has stepped back into direct control. While it certainly can be argued that this move at least brings temporary stability and limits the potential of terrible bloodshed in the near term, claiming that this is a victory for democracy as we understand it is a bridge too far. It would be highly unusual for a military coup, bloodless or not, to lead to a true representative democracy that would in any way diminish the role of the military. This may be a good thing for regional stability, with a nation that is vital to U.S. national interests, but that does not in turn mean freedom for the people. Read the whole thing, but as Goldberg concludes (emphasis mine):

The Mubarak regime as it has existed for the last decade -- an increasingly corrupt and incompetent government that has conferred immense economic advantages on a handful of politically connected businessmen -- has been shattered. A more open political system and a responsive government that ensures its own safety by trimming back the power and privileges of the military could still emerge. And the army may step in as a transitional power and recognize that, as much as it might like to, it cannot return to complete control. The Egyptian military is far more professional and educated than it was in the 1950s, so many officers may recognize the benefits of a democracy. More likely, however, is the culmination of the slow-motion coup and the return of the somewhat austere military authoritarianism of decades past.

Contrast this now with the model of the U.S. civilian-military relationship. By no means am I an expert in any of this, but it is clear that our paradigm for this relationship is far removed from the model typical in several Middle East nations. With the foundation of civilian control of the military, we are accustomed to a grand "bargain" that, while not without tension, has maintained a unique equilibrium between the people, the civilian government and the military. In a post on Powerline earlier this morning, before news broke about Mubarak, Mac Owens summarized his new book, U.S. Civil-Military Relations After 9/11: Renegotiating the Civil-Military Bargain. Owens writes:

The United States has been fortunate in that its military has successfully defended the Republic on the battlefield while avoiding threats to civilian control, the most extreme and dangerous forms of which are coup d'état and praetorianism. But tensions have always existed and are manifestations of the fact that from the time of the Revolution to the present day, civil-military relations in America essentially have constituted a bargain among three parties: the American people, the government, and the military as an institution.

The goal of this bargain is to allocate prerogatives and responsibilities between the civilian leadership on the one hand and the military on the other. From time to time throughout U.S. history, certain circumstances--political, strategic, social, technological, etc.--have changed to such a degree that the terms of the existing civil-military bargain become obsolete. The resulting disequilibrium and tension have led the parties to renegotiate the bargain in order to restore balance in the civil-military equation.

He goes on at length from there, asking some fascinating questions that he addresses in the book. It's lengthy, but a good read that makes me wonder if I should buy the book sometime. In the end, I find it worthy of reflection, if not essential to our understanding, of just how fortunate we are to not have the civil-military relationship so prevalent in places like Egypt. Military rule is authoritarian, and cannot by definition be democratic - yet to survive, a democratic form of government depends on military strength, with appropriate roles and responsibilities, checks and balances. For all of our flaws, we truly have a remarkable system.

Another Inch, Another Lost Day

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man ... a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is … Winter in Alabama ....

Once again, North Alabama is a blanket of white wintery wonder. While heavier in some places, the inch plus that fell nearby last night hit the road, melted, and froze. An inch of snow on the grass, a quarter inch of pocked ice on the driveway and neighborhood roads. Schools that were only to be delayed this morning have closed due to numerous accidents across the county this morning. With the temperature not expected to get close to freezing until late in the day, once again the powers that be have closed roads and are recommending we all stay home.

I learned to drive in the frozen wastelands of North Dakota, and it is tempting to think that with a little extra time, I could find my way into work this morning. However, after taking a running slide down the driveway, and coupling that with the fact that I have telecommuting privileges, I suppose it is best to stay clear of less experienced drivers and trouble spots.

So I'll make some coffee, throw a log in the fireplace, and get back to work on my research assignment while stealing glances out the window at the world of white.

And through that window, looking back at me across space and time, I just know that Rod Serling is waxing poetic.

Sing it Proudly, Sing it Right

While I am no longer a rabid fan of the NFL, I do pay attention during the playoffs, and usually watch at least part of the Super Bowl. Much to my distress, I watched tonight as yet another recording artist found a way to mangle the singing of the Star Spangled Banner. Some years, the arrangements are designed to draw attention to the artist. Other years, whether out of nervousness or plain lack of preparation, they trip over the lyrics. I don't want to be too harsh here, but I really wonder if we're raising a generation that can't be bothered to learn the words and music to our precious national songlist.

Browsing around tonight, I found that there many people expressing their frustration at tonight's rendition, and nearly all of them pointed back to the 1991's Super Bowl XXV as the best they ever heard. In 1991, of course, the Gulf War had just started, so there was something extra in the air. Nevertheless, the performance by Whitney Houston is simply powerful. She doesn't perform the anthem, she sings it. As I view it, she's not drawing attention to herself, but rather she leads the crowd in a large group revival.

The point is, the Star Spangled Banner is an American treasure, and should be treated as such. Sing it proudly, sing it triumphantly. And above all, sing it right.


(h/t): Everybody.

Preclearance: A Perpetual Punitory Practice?

In the recent November election, the people of the State of Alabama chose to put a Republican majority in the state legislature for the first time in 136 years. On top of that, we elected Republicans to Governor, Lt. Governor and a majority of other state offices. Needless to say, after generations of Democratic leadership, changes are to be expected.

One of these initiatives involved the passage of a new law in December designed to break the hold of two powerful unions - the Alabama Education Association (AEA) and the Alabama State Employees Association (ASEA). Prior to December, public employees were permitted to contribute directly to these unions through payroll deductions, very much a conflict of interest given the role these organizations play in the political life of the state. However, the argument either for or against this legislation is not the topic at hand.

According to the Associated Press, this new law has to be approved by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) before it can be put into effect. The reason? The 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Arising out of the civil rights conflicts across the nation - and most famously in the South - the Voting Rights Act followed closely after the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The primary intent, according to the text of the Act (Section 2), is to ensure:

SEC. 2. No voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure shall be imposed or applied by any State or political subdivision to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color.

Again, as a reinforcement of the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, there is really little here to argue, nor would I presume to do so. There is another section however that is much more punitive and controversial, and becomes more so after 45 years and counting:

SEC. 5. Whenever a State or political subdivision with respect to which the prohibitions set forth in section 4(a) are in effect shall enact or seek to administer any voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure with respect to voting different from that in force or effect on November 1, 1964, such State or subdivision may institute an action in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for a declaratory judgment that such qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure does not have the purpose and will not have the effect of denying or abridging the right to vote on account of race or color, and unless and until the court enters such judgment no person shall be denied the right to vote for failure to comply with such qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure: Provided, That such qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure may be enforced without such proceeding if the qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure has been submitted by the chief legal officer or other appropriate official of such State or subdivision to the Attorney General and the Attorney General has not interposed an objection within sixty days after such submission, except that neither the Attorney General's failure to object nor a declaratory judgment entered under this section shall bar a subsequent action to enjoin enforcement of such qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure. Any action under this section shall be heard and determined by a court of three judges in accordance with the provisions of section 2284 of title 28 of the United States Code and any appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court.

In practice, this is known as the Preclearance Requirement. Basically, the passage of any state law that intersects ever so slightly (even changing a polling place from one location to another) requires approval from the federal government. But note, this requirement doesn't apply to all states. Instead, it applies only to what is called the "covered jurisdiction." That covered jurisdiction is illustrated in the map below (click for larger version):


Arguments have been made that this is an infringement on state's rights. Likewise, arguments have been made that the only way to enforce the Act was to impose Preclearance on those jurisdictions guilty of prior abuse or neglect of the 15th Amendment. After 46 years, has the culture of these states changed enough that the scarlet letter can be removed? Or are past infringements completely unforgivable, such that the towns, cities and states must forever get permission to pass laws that have no bearing or application at the federal level? For now, the punitory practice continues.

According to the Alabama Attorney General, submitting such laws for review per the Preclearance requirement is routine. After 46 years, that's not surprising. What is surprising is the continued acquiescence after so much time. All it would take would be a politicized DOJ to arbitrarily block state legislation from being enforced. And only some states at that. Clearly, not all states have sovereignty.

But I suppose there is nothing to worry about. The DOJ would never allow itself to become politicized, playing favorites or selectively enforcing some laws and not others, right?

Red Moon Uprising?

I haven't been in the mood of late to delve too deeply back into the world of politics, and in a way I am loathe to do so now. I still keep up with the news of course. I could expound on my thoughts about the litigation working its way through the courts on the healthcare law, or on the economy, the budget deficit and whether the new leadership in the House can actually accomplish anything. But as it is, bigger events are happening on the world stage, and we here in the U.S. may finally be starting to take notice. Maybe.

I read with interest a few weeks ago about the uprising in Tunisia, which resulted in the overthrow of the government and ongoing instability there. The government of Lebanon came under full control of Hezbollah. Rockets continue to rain down on Israel from Hamas. The big news this past week has been filled with an uprising in Egypt, which seems likely to end the 30-year reign of Hosni Mubarak.

And today, the King of Jordan, perhaps trying to get ahead of a possible uprising in his own country, preemptively dismissed his entire government and set about trying to form a new one.

Egypt and Jordan are by far the most alarming developments. These two countries are the only ones in that part of the world that have diplomatic relations with Israel. In Egypt, if the Muslim Brotherhood organization gains control of the government, peace between Egypt and Israel may not last. Jordan, which like Egypt also shares a border with Israel, is important because if it were to fall, Israel would have adversaries literally on every side. Furthermore, Jordan borders Iraq and provides supply lines to the American forces still in country.

I'm not smart enough to comment on these developments authoritatively, and from what I see and read, I'm not sure anyone really is. It is too difficult to know what is really happening on the ground. Most governments, including our own, are mostly just issuing public statements of concern that carry little weight. We can hope that the State Department and the White House are actively working behind the scenes diplomatically, but I imagine there is concern about our ability to be effective in the face of an uprising that does not view the U.S. with friendly eyes. One lesson seems clear: Autocracies (even friendly ones) are rarely stable for more than a generation or two, and they are usually replaced by new autocracies after a violent revolution or rebellion.

Are we on the verge of a broader Middle East war, perhaps within the next year or two? Or will the alarm and unrest pass? The winds seem ominous to me, but again, I'm not sufficiently educated or even armed with enough facts to speculate.

One thing seems certain: major change is coming to the region, and may already be underway. How we respond and how it affects us remains to be seen.