Non-Prophet

World Social Forum

Do a search on one of the news sites for the World Social Forum. There are a lot of interesting issues being discussed regarding the needs of people who are out of the mainstream. It's an interesting discussion.

news.yahoo.com:

BELEM, Brazil – Some 100,000 activists of all stripes converged on this steamy Amazon city Tuesday, opening the World Social Forum with a rambunctious march to the beat of samba drums. An afternoon jungle downpour could not drown the spirits of those who came from all corners of the globe to participate: Socialists, environmentalists, anarchists, Indians, communists and even a fellow dressed as a pirate. The massive meeting — coming amid the worst global economic crisis in decades — was held for the first time in the Amazon region, an especially poignant fact for attendees. "During a financial crisis, the environment is the first thing to be pushed off the agenda of most governments," said Andrew Riplinger, 22, of Chicago. "I think having the social forum here in Belem, surrounded by the rain forest — it's keeping environmentalism on the table."

Umami

Sweet, sour, salty, bitter and... umami. That's right, it is one of the 5 basic tastes. I still can't exactly put my finger on it. It feels like it must be flavor volume.

Wikipedia.org:

Umami is one of the five basic tastes sensed by specialized receptor cells present on the human tongue. The same taste is also known as xiānwèi (literally "Fresh Flavor") in Chinese cooking.
Umami is a Japanese word meaning savory, a "deliciousness" factor deriving specifically from detection of the natural amino acid, glutamic acid, or glutamates common in meats, cheese, broth, stock, and other protein-heavy foods.

Mike Jones on New Life Church

It seems like neither Ted Haggard nor New Life Church are going to come away from this one unscathed. Ted is upset with NLC, Jones is upset with NLC, Ted is once again making Ted look bad and NLC apparently gave someone a large sum of money in a deal that included a gag order. At this point, what is left that could still shock?

Reading Minds

Eeee gads! My most precious secrets are in danger of embarrassing the hell out of me!

(Thanks Lore!)

Watch CBS Videos Online

More Alegations Regarding Ted Haggard

Well the HBO special that is about to air just got more interesting, as did Haggard's upcoming appearances on Larry King and Oprah. The big questions I have are:

- Is the kid involved with Haggard -- who was paid off by New Life Church -- the same boy that was allegedly involved in a relationship with twentyfourseven Director Christopher Beard? Beard was fired shortly after the Haggard scandal broke, allegedly for being caught having sex with a male intern at the church. If so, this boy was involved with both the senior pastor and a youth pastor.

- Did Haggard have an ongoing relationship with Christopher Beard?

- Did Haggard profess to the HBO film crew that his relationship with Mike Jones was the only gay relationship he has ever participated in?

From NLC list email:

Dear New Life Family,

In the days ahead, there will be new press reports of allegations made by a man who knew Ted Haggard through his involvement with New Life Church. This man has decided to speak to the media about his alleged relationship with Mr. Haggard. Since these allegations were first brought to our attention, New Life Church leadership has reached out to him with compassion by providing him with pastoral care, professional counseling, and financial assistance. We did this with the hope that he would experience healing and move forward with purpose in his life.

At that time, he and church leaders agreed that publishing his allegations or our church's assistance to him would not be in his best interest. This decision was made not as an attempt to conceal wrongdoings, but to protect him from those who would seek to exploit him. His actions now suggest that he has changed his mind.

A few weeks ago, when the news of the upcoming documentary about Mr. Haggard surfaced, this man informed me that he was considering telling the media the details of his relationship with Mr. Haggard. He was obviously upset about the reported content of the documentary and wished to tell his story.

After Mr. Haggard's fall, we received reports of a number of incidents of inappropriate behavior. In each case, we have tried our very best to do the right thing, including disciplinary action when appropriate. Our concern has been and continues to be for every person affected. We renew our invitation today for anyone who believes he or she has been hurt to please come forward.

Our current elder team and all of our overseers have been aware of these allegations and have given us wise, prayerful counsel every step of the way. I regret that we have to revisit the unpleasant issues of the past, but I am convinced we are on the path of healing and great days are ahead for all of us. Thanks so much for your continued prayers and support.

Love,

Pastor Brady

Cortical Homunculus

We're all hands, eyes, lips and tongues. Dig it.

wikipedia:

A cortical homunculus is a physical representation of the primary motor cortex, i.e., the portion of the human brain directly responsible for the movement and exchange of sense and motor information (namely touch: sensitivity, cold, heat, pain etc.) of the rest of the body. The resulting image is a grotesquely disfigured human with disproportionately huge hands, lips, and face in comparison to the rest of the body. Because of the fine motor skills and sense nerves found in these particular parts of the body they are represented as being larger on the homunculus. A part of the body with fewer sensory and/or motor connections to the brain is represented to appear smaller.

NATIONAL DAY OF RENEWAL AND RECONCILIATION

I'm excited to see things starting off to so many trumpets and so much fanfare. Good for us. It is going to take a lot to turn around our foreign policy, economy, deteriorated civil rights and our dependence on foreign oil. For today at least, let's groove on some of that hope. whitehouse.gov:

NATIONAL DAY OF RENEWAL AND RECONCILIATION, 2009

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

As I take the sacred oath of the highest office in the land, I am humbled by the responsibility placed upon my shoulders, renewed by the courage and decency of the American people, and fortified by my faith in an awesome God.

We are in the midst of a season of trial. Our Nation is being tested, and our people know great uncertainty. Yet the story of America is one of renewal in the face of adversity, reconciliation in a time of discord, and we know that there is a purpose for everything under heaven.

On this Inauguration Day, we are reminded that we are heirs to over two centuries of American democracy, and that this legacy is not simply a birthright -- it is a glorious burden. Now it falls to us to come together as a people to carry it forward once more.

So in the words of President Abraham Lincoln, let us remember that: "The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 20, 2009, a National Day of Renewal and Reconciliation, and call upon all of our citizens to serve one another and the common purpose of remaking this Nation for our new century.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

Ice On The Avenue

This new West Side festival showcasing ice sculptures has to go down as the absolute worst event in the long history of Old Colorado City. It was absolutely horrible. When you think of ice sculptures you're swept away to a world of elegant swans and frosty motifs, with the pressing lessons of impermanence always hovering. We saw none of that. There was a beer tent and a half dozen blocks of ice that contained advertising signs within. I did not see a "sculpture" that was not an advertisement. On top of that, they were all lame. I love Territory Days, the car show and everything else my little town puts on, but this even set a new low water mark for West Side events.

The Ends Justify The Means

International Herald Tribune:

"There is legitimate debate about many of these decisions, but there can be little debate about the results," Bush said, according to a text of the address released by the White House. "America has gone more than seven years without another terrorist attack on our soil."

Haggard HBO Documentary

This just in from the senior pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs. Brady Boyd replaced the disgraced Ted Haggard. Haggard is back, in a big way, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him start another church here in Colorado Springs inside of the next year. Look at his rebuilt website here.

via email:

Dear New Life family,
In the next few weeks, you may hear and read a great deal of media reports concerning an upcoming HBO documentary featuring Ted and Gayle Haggard. The documentary chronicles their life in Arizona and their return to Colorado Springs. In the documentary, Ted and Gayle express their hurt and disappointment in the way they were treated by New Life.

In the past month, I have had two lengthy meetings with both Ted and Gayle, hoping to bring some healing and perspective to the hurt they experienced and the hurt that New Life experienced. I believe we have made progress, and I am hopeful the relationships that were so badly damaged can be redeemed and restored.

I was not here in November 2006, but I do know the men and women who were called upon to make very critical decisions for Ted and Gayle and for New Life after the scandal. While it is easy now for some people to look in the rear view mirror and see decisions that could have been made differently, very few of us understand the enormous pressure these wonderful people were facing. I know for certain that the motives behind every decision was pure and the decisions were made after much prayer.

Desiring only to be gracious and generous, the overseers, trustees, elders and pastoral team of New Life committed over $300,000 to the Haggard family that included 13 months of salary for Ted and Gayle, a pickup truck, extensive counseling, health insurance for the entire family, moving expenses, and care for Jonathan Haggard, their special needs son.

Not only were they generous with finances, they placed Ted under the care of some of the most trusted pastors of our generation for restoration.

The generosity and concern for the Haggard family and the New Life family is to be commended and I am very grateful that God established these leaders for such a critical time in our church's history.

I also believe that New Life is one of the most forgiving congregations I have ever met. Our recent history is one of tragedy, but also of tremendous forgiveness and grace. You have always chosen love over hate and forgiveness over bitterness. This is one of the many reasons I am proud of you and love you so dearly.

I hope this helps you with perspective should you choose to watch the HBO documentary. Please continue to pray for Ted and Gayle and their family and for the leaders of New Life.

Love,

Brady Boyd
Senior Pastor
New Life Church
Colorado Springs