Uncategorized Archives - Page 23 of 1305

U.S. Bishops’ “Special Message” on Immigration

The priority of the Lord is for those who are most vulnerable: the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the stranger (Zechariah 7:10).

I noticed that “as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) gathered for their Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, the bishops issued a Special Message addressing their concern for the evolving situation impacting immigrants in the United States. It marked the first time in twelve years that the USCCB invoked this particularly urgent way of speaking as a body of bishops.”

I understand that this is a very big deal. “The last one issued in 2013 was in response to the federal government’s contraceptive mandate.| Specifically, their position was that the Obama Administration mandate violated the First Amendment freedoms of religious organizations and others. While I disagreed, I would have to acknowledge that their position was consistent with their stated theology.

So is their immigration position, which passed 216 to 5 with three abstentions. This was covered in the New York Times.

The statement

In part:

“As pastors, we, the bishops of the United States, are bound to our people by ties of communion and compassion in Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are

-disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement

– saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants

-concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care.

-troubled by threats against the sanctity of houses of worship and the special nature of hospitals and schools.

– grieved when we meet parents who fear being detained when taking their children to school, and when we try to console family members who have already been separated from their loved ones.

“Despite obstacles and prejudices, generations of immigrants have made enormous contributions to the well-being of our nation. We as Catholic bishops love our country and pray for its peace and prosperity. For this very reason, we feel compelled, in this environment, to raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity.”

It’s followed by Biblical citations supporting their view.

Moral counterweight

From Axios in October: A diverse coalition of moderate and progressive Christians has opted to jump off the pulpit and challenge the regime around immigration, civil rights, and poverty.

The big picture: Moderate faith leaders are escorting immigrants to court hearings, blasting “rapid response” text alerts on sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and leading vigils to try to prevent protest clashes.

They pray with ICE agents and National Guard troops to try to ease tension while also giving “know your rights” workshops to immigrants.

The intrigue: From the pulpit, they frame their actions as a moral stand outlined by Jesus in the Gospels to help “the stranger” and “the least of these,” as they call on their members to speak out.

“We don’t just pray for peace. We bring peace,” the Rev. Brendan Busse, pastor of Dolores Mission Catholic Church in Los Angeles, tells Axios.

Evangelicals

While many evangelicals are taking an opposing view, lots of them also support the immigrant. In June, “on World Refugee Day, scores of evangelical pastors and ministry leaders from across the State of California are speaking up on the contentious topic of immigration. After weeks of unrest over increased immigration enforcement in the state that is home to more immigrants than any other, evangelical leaders are affirming a ‘California Evangelical Statement on Refugees & Immigration.’

“As evangelical Christians in California, our perspective on immigration is grounded in the authority of Scripture. While immigration is a political issue, we see it first as a biblical one—deeply connected to the mission of the Church both locally and globally. We affirm the need to clearly express the biblical principles that guide our views, so that immigrants—many of whom are fellow members of the same Body of Christ and all of whom are our neighbors (Luke 10:27)—know we stand with them.”

News

11/7: USCIS announced that it is complying with the district court order in ASAP v. USCIS on 10/30/25 and has paused the issuance of Annual Asylum Fee (AAF) notices. Applicants may disregard previously issued AAF notices while the stay is in place. USCIS will not refund previously paid AAFs.

Racial Profiling Is ICE’s New Norm. Activists Are Mobilizing in Response.

Hamilton: “We get the job done.”

Immigration Man – Graham Nash

My mom’s bells

Jean Nate

I was talking to my sisters recently about my mom’s bells, our mom’s porcelain bells. She used to collect these souvenir items, which were easy to come by. It was great because when traveling for the SBDC in the 1990s, I would get one from Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, or wherever the ASBDC annual meeting took place.

My sisters gave me some context of the whole thing. My father returned from a trip somewhere and brought her a bell. Knowing her, she would have said, “Oh, that’s very nice.” So he would get her another bell and another. Suddenly, she had a collection of them.

This went on for several years until one day, I heard that she didn’t want those “dust collectors” anymore, and I thought, “Oh, what a bummer.”

The more accurate story was that she was dusting them. The bells resided on this semi-wall between the dining room and the living room of their house in Charlotte, NC. She got up on a step ladder or a stoop, fell, and hurt herself. That was the end of her collecting the bells. I did not know the why of the story until recently.

It makes me wonder if she ever really wanted that collection of bells or if she saw that it gave my father, me, and maybe others joy at getting her something that she didn’t have. It saddened me to think that perhaps she never really wanted the bells. Once she experienced physical pain as a direct result of having them, that was that.

Toilet Water

When I was growing up, the go-to present for our mom was JEAN NATÉ. “The perfume was first launched back in 1935 for the Jean Nate Company, which was later bought by Revlon. This timeless classic possesses citrus, floral, and spicy notes, such as lavender, jasmine, rose, carnation, lily of the valley, cedar, tonka bean, musk, and sandalwood.” But it’s described here as Eau de Toilette.

It was often a bust when I tried to go off script in gift giving. In 1981, I bought her an LP, Joe Jackson’s Jumpin’ Jive, based on my understanding that she liked some of the original Louis Jordan and Cab Calloway songs. She was a tactful woman, but it was pretty evident that she did not particularly enjoy my selection. I went back to the bells.

My mom, Gertrude Elizabeth (Trudy) Green, nee Williams, would have been 98 today.

Sunday Stealing is Working Through It

the most pleasure

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves!

Jackie K. at Working Through It found 20 questions on Quora that can “tell you the most about a person.” By using the 10 best, we’re going to learn more about you.

What 10 Questions Can Tell You the Most about a Person

1. If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

An indoor house cat. What a life!

2. Are you generous?

I think so – generous with my time and, to the degree I can afford it, with my treasure.

3. Of the following, which consistently gives you the most pleasure: a) music, b) money, c) books, d) science, e) spirituality, f) food and wine, g) movies?

In order, music (please don’t tell me you are surprised), spirituality, movies, books, money, food and wine, and science.

4. Describe your dancing ability.

Minimal.

I have a worst enemy?

5. What do you think your worst enemy really thinks of you?

I have no idea who that could be. That said, he is self-absorbed, with his mind filled with obscure and useless information.

6. Can you tell when someone is lying to you?

Sometimes. It depends on the nature of the lie versus the likelihood that it could be true.

7. Describe how it feels to fall in love.

“It’s like trying to explain to a stranger ’bout rock and roll.” In other words, I have no idea.

8. In deadly peril, what three people would you want in a foxhole with you?

I talked with two of them on the telephone this week for more than 90 minutes each. The other is an OLD friend.

9. What is your greatest weakness?

I don’t know if it’s a weakness. But my late buddy Dustbury (Charles Hill) described both of us as magpies, always looking for the next shiny object. This is why I have a low tolerance for doing anything for too long. Some people can binge-watch television programs, but I cannot. I was working on a blog post, but it was taking too long, so I wrote another post, then this one; I’ll get back to the first one eventually.

10. If you were to live out the rest of your life as your favorite fictional character, which would you choose?

Columbo. “Just one more thing.”

Work Song – The Paul Butterfield Blues Band

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

Original Album Series

WEA

I came across and subsequently bought several online CD collections titled Original Album Series, which included five music discs by a specific artist. The artists were generally those who had performed on the WEA (Warner/Elektra/Atlantic) labels; the packages were put out in conjunction with Rhino Records.

The first one I bought was The Doobie Brothers. The package included Toulouse Street, The Captain and Me, What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits, Stampede, and Taking It to the Streets, the first five albums before they put out the Best of the Doobies.

Cotton Mouth

Jesus Is Just Alright With Me

The next artist was Roberta Flack, with First Take, Quiet Fire, Killing Me Softly, Feel Like Making Love, and Blue Lights in the Basement. It skips over her fourth album, Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, which I get, but it also left out her second album, the great Chapter Two.

Go Up Moses

Why Don’t You Move In With Me

The Linda Ronstadt collection contains the five albums following her last Capitol record: Heart Like A Wheel: Prisoner In Disguise, Hasten Down the Wind, Simple Dreams, Living in the USA, and Mad Love. The package also excludes her first Asylum album, Don’t Cry Now.

I Never Will Marry

Someone To Lay Down Beside Me

Mac Rebennack

Dr. John’s albums were Gris Gris, Babylon, The Sun Moon and Herbs, Dr. John’s Gumbo, and the relative hit In The Right Place

Iko Iko

Right Place Wrong Time

The Randy Newman collection includes the first eponymous album, 12 Songs, Sail Away, Good Old Boys, and his breakthrough album, Little Criminals.

Louisiana 1927

Mama Told Me Not To Come

His first five albums represent Warren Zevon: his eponymous first one, Excitable Boy, Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School, Stand in the Fire, and The Envoy.

Lawyers, Guns, and Money

The Envoy

The Bonnie Raitt list includes Street Lights, Home Plate, Sweet Forgiveness, The Glow, and Green Light. However, it does not include my favorite early album, Give It Up.

Angel From Montgomery

Runaway

The maligned “Pre-Fab Four”

As I’ve mentioned, The Monkees are a bit of an outlier in these collections. I never owned any Monkees albums except for a Greatest Hits album that someone gave me. This has the Monkees, More of the Monkees, Headquarters, Pisces Aquarius Capricorn and Jones Ltd., and the Birds, the Bees, and the Monkees.

Last Train To Clarksville and its antiwar message

The previously mentioned The Young Rascals, who became The Rascals: The Young Rascals, Collections, Groovin’, Once Upon a Dream, and Freedom Suite, their first five excluding their greatest hits album.

Love Is A Beautiful Thing

Other collections include those from the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Donny Hathaway, The Cars, Foreigner, Bread, The Pogues, Ratt, Molly Hatchet, Alice Cooper, Roxy Music, Stone Temple Pilots, Yes, America, and the Pretenders, and probably others. They cost between 15 and 30 dollars each.

The one downside to them is that the album covers have the original LP text, so reading the liner notes without aid is hard.

My two cents: the demise of the penny

Market 32/Price Chopper will double the pennies’ value on November 16

The demise of the penny piqued my interest. Coincidentally or not, Bennett Kleinman at Word Smarts posted, on the very day that the penny ceased to be minted in the US, Why do we ‘give our two cents’? “A dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to, but giving your two cents can still go a long way. Let’s look at the potential origins of this monetary idiom.”

“The truth is, there’s no clear origin story, but there are a number of possible examples. One relates to the Bible, specifically the Widow’s Offering, a parable that appears in the Books of Mark and Luke. In the story, a poor widow places two small coins into an offering box, which Jesus finds to be more meaningful than any of the vast sums donated by wealthier folks…

“The phrase also may come from the Twopenny Post, an early 19th-century British mail service. In 1801, Parliament passed a law increasing the cost of letter delivery from a single pence to two pence. So, if you wanted to send a letter expressing your thoughts to someone, you’d have to pony up two pence — or give your two cents.”

Nostalgia

The Boston Globe (paywall likely) noted: “First produced in 1793, pennies have been a living link to an earlier era in American history — the one in which one cent meant something — and so their end provoked a certain amount of numismatic nostalgia.”

That’s true for me. When I was a kid, I used to collect pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and half dollars. I knew about the mints in Philadelphia (P) (generally unmarked in the day) from Denver (D), and even San Francisco (S). To this day, if I see a wheat penny (1909-1958), I throw it into my Mickey Mouse bank that I’ve had for decades.

And surely, I bought penny candies from Ellis’ store on Mygatt Street in Binghamton, NY, in the 1960s, especially red licorice.

Globe: “In recent years, though, the story of the penny’s persistence has never really been about pennies. It’s been about government dysfunction: how America continued to make a zombie coin that nobody wanted or needed anymore, and which cost taxpayers more than it was worth…. Even as other countries made the rational choice to discontinue their low-value coins as inflation ate away their worth, the United States continued spending four cents to make one-cent coins, up until [November 12].”

What’s the plan?

The problem, unsurprisingly, is that there was no plan for what comes next. The regime “did not lay any of the groundwork needed for banks and retail businesses to handle the transition in an orderly way… Only now, with penny shortages reported across the country, is the Treasury Department “considering issuing guidance to help businesses navigate the transition, including how to round cash transactions and handle payments without one-cent coins, according to people familiar with the plans.”

Politico: ” Trade groups representing retailers, grocers, restaurants, and gas stations are urging Congress to pass legislation establishing a national standard for rounding cash transactions to the nearest nickel. Without such a policy, businesses are worried about potential class-action lawsuits under state consumer protection laws that could argue rounding shortchanges customers. Industry groups say a federal standard would create consistency and protect businesses from legal risk.”

People, and they are legion, who say that “nobody” uses cash anymore haven’t seen the eyes of retailers light up when offered cash, a function of how much they have to pay to accept credit cards, something I recall from my retail days. That’s why many of them offer discounts for greenbacks.

USA Today reported on November 13(!): “Already, some convenience stores, supermarkets and retailers, including Kroger and Home Depot, have had locations dealing with penny shortages.”

Double your money!

WTEN: Market 32 and Price Chopper are offering customers a chance to double the value of their spare change on November 16. That Sunday, grocery stores will host a Double Exchange Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., where anyone can bring in their spare pennies and trade them in for double their value.

“When shoppers come in with a minimum of 50 cents and a maximum of $100 in pennies, an employee will count the change and match it with a gift card reward on the spot worth twice the amount the person came in with.”

Syracuse.com adds: “Double Exchange Day will take place at all 129 Price Chopper and Market 32 locations… The stores are located in six states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.

“A representative confirmed that the deal will not be available at Tops Friendly Markets, despite Tops and Price Chopper merging in 2021 to become Northeast Grocery, Inc.”