Song of the Week: "The Crane Wife, Pt 1"

You really should cue up your playlist to hear The Crane Wife Pt 1, Pt 2, and then Pt 3.

This song is based on a Japanese folktale.

There is a Higher Justice

From our friends at democracynow.org:

"An explosive congressional report has revealed new details about the Bush administration’s torture program on foreign prisoners. According to the Senate Intelligence Committee, military and intelligence officials began developing the torture program in December 2001, well before any high-level al-Qaeda suspects had been caught. Bush administration officials have long maintained the so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques” were authorized only after standard questioning failed to yield intelligence. The report also shows the torture program was developed well before it received legal approval in the 2002 Justice Department memos declassified last week. The report singles out top Bush administration officials for the torture of US prisoners, saying they “solicited information on how to use aggressive techniques” and “redefined the law to create the appearance of their legality.”

"The report also documents the role of the military psychologists James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen in developing the torture program. A memo written by Jessen in 2002 proposes creating what he calls an “exploitation facility” where prisoners would be subjected to a number of prescribed abuses, including physical violence, sleep deprivation and waterboarding. Some of the techniques were based on torture used on American captives during the Korean War. Jessen proposed making the facility off-limits to outside observers, including the Red Cross. Soon after the memo, the suspected al-Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah was sent to a CIA prison, where he was subjected to intense torture. Zubaydah’s attorneys have long contended the Justice Department memos were written in part to retroactively authorize the techniques used against him.

"Several Army officials raised objections as the torture techniques were developed and taught. And in a development that traces back to the White House’s drive for invading Iraq, one Army major complained the interrogations were being compromised by an insistence on establishing a “link between al-Qaeda and Iraq.”

"In a statement, Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Carl Levin said the new evidence provides a direct line from top Bush officials to abuses at prisons such as Abu Ghraib. Levin said, “Senior officials sought out information on, were aware of training in, and authorized the use of abusive interrogation techniques…[They] bear significant responsibility for creating the legal and operational framework for the abuses.” Levin went on to call on Attorney General Eric Holder to establish a high-level commission to investigate high-level Bush officials.

"The report’s release came hours after President Obama reversed course on ruling out the prosecution of Bush administration officials who wrote the legal memos authorizing torture. The White House had previously said it opposes any legal action against both the officials who provided legal cover for torture and the CIA interrogators who carried it out. But on Tuesday, Obama said now he won’t preclude legal action against the memos’ authors."

Well....

My biggest beef with the Bush administration is that they held people in prison for years without a proper trial "for our safety", and tortured some.

Justice will come. If not now, later.

Song of the Week: "Baby, It's You"

Maybe you've heard this song. Maybe you've heard the Shirelles sing it, or perhaps the Beatles. But Burt Bacharach's classic "Baby, It's You" was only an idea of something amazing, until Smith took it and gave it soul. The dynamic shifts between the steady groove and the soul explosion, the organ swells, and Gayle McCormick's belting voice make this song one of the best pieces of music you may have yet to hear. So sit back and enjoy a lip-sync'ing performance of a song that sold a million singles in three months.

[ben blood, don't watch this. you'll ruin your ultimate soul dinner i'm cooking up]

Save a Couple Lives - Right Now

Some people will be dying soon. They're going to be dying because they believe that their country should have independence from the country that overrules them. They protested peacefully, and now they have the death sentence.

Do your part. Visit this link, and petition for their lives:

http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5380/t/5114/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=598

Even if you are opposed to Tibetan independence, petition for their lives. Do it right now.

Someday Never Comes

"Well, I'm here to tell you now, each and every mother's son, you better learn it fast, you better learn it young, cuz someday never comes." - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Another Birthday. I feel like I've been 22 for 3 years. Finally, I'm 23.

I listened to this Creedence song tonight. It's good to be reminded that I can't just wait for epiphanies, but that I need to seek and find out; It's good to be reminded that I can't wait for my life to begin, but that I need to make that happen.

Certainly, there are growing periods that we wait through, but that's not what I mean. I can't just wait for "someday".

Anyhow, have nothing much to say on the turn of my year. Perhaps there'll be more tomorrow.

Song of the Week: "Music, Music, Music"

I know, it's just a photo with a song, but the song is worth it. Going old school with Teresa Brewer. Love this one.

Sorrow and Love Flow Mingled Down

"The Breath of Adonai YHWH is upon Me
Because YHWH has anointed Me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
To proclaim the jubilee of YHWH
And the day of vengeance of our Elohim;
To comfort all who mourn,
To grant those who mourn in Zion
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of YHWH, that He may be glorified."

It's the words Jesus quoted right before He started healing people and preaching.

It's from Isaiah 61. I changed the "lord"s and "god"s to the actual names that were used. And I changed "Spirit" to "Breath", because it's the same Hebrew word, and it makes it ring a little different.

When they translated the Bible to English they changed all of the YHWH's, El Shaddai's, Elohim's, and Adonai's to "God" and "Lord". David wrote in his psalms about "calling on the Name of YHWH" and what we get in our Bibles is "calling on the Name of the Lord", which doesn't do it justice. They changed this out of reverence to His name. Surely we should revere it, but we shouldn't ignore and forget it.

"God" comes from a German word sounding something like "goth", from what I can tell, meaning "to invoke". I don't really like it.

"Lord" has it's place if you've decided to be submissive to Him.

"Adonai" means "Lord", but it's normally used with "YHWH" close by.

"Elohim" is the plural form of "God", alluding to the Trinity, I believe.

"El Shaddai" means "God Almighty". But it's better than that. "Shaddai" has "Shad" in the root word, which means "Breast". So the name doesn't just capture His Power, but His motherly, tender, nurturing care.

"YHWH" is the holiest name, and was seldom spoken by the ancient Hebrews. It's the most personal one. In the creation account of the world Moses used "Elohim", but when He gets in the dirt and makes man and woman Moses uses "YHWH". It's the "I AM that I AM".

I'm not too into Easter - from the German fertility goddess Eostre (fertility? think rabbits and eggs) - but I am into Passover and the Passion. I suppose it doesn't matter too much what we call it. But it is nice to clarify.

Happy Easter. Do take time to think what it's about, whether you follow Jesus or not. It'll be worth your while, I promise.

Run, God, Run

I've heard that the word "run" has more definitions than any other English word. Perhaps second on the list is "god". "God" can be a person, a force, a pretty poetic concept, me, you, us when we're together, an orgasm, ultimate reality, illusion, everything, nothing. The definitions get wacky and they tend to contradict each other. But we continue to use the word as though we all mean the same thing.

I dislike using the word. What if I called you "Person"? "Hey, Person! How ya been?"

The Bible presents an alternative. The god of the Bible has names - Elohim, Yahweh, El Shaddai, Adonai, Jehovah-Jirah, Emmanuel, Jesus Christ, Shiloh, Rose of Sharon, Bright and Morning Star, Ancient of Days. The god of the Bible has role-filling names - Saviour, Deliverer, Healer, Redeemer, Judge, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father, Creator.

And here we are, calling Him "god", ignoring His beauty, forgetting who He is.

Chimes and Sunshine

I'm down in Arizona. I arrived last night after a drive from Spokane to Seattle and a 3 hour flight. The sun is shining and it's warm. I'm glad for this, because I'm sick and I want to eat some ice cream. The warm weather should speed up my recovery.

I'm heading to the Chihuly Garden here in Phoenix area. A week ago I was at the Glass Museum in Tacoma, so it's only fitting.

This morning I've been reading a book on writing while listening to Tchaikovsky and Wilco. I'm glad to be down here.

Now I'm off to shower and tame my crazy hair.

Song of the Week: "Children"

I was quite happy to find this live performance. I love this song. Definitely song of the week. Ye Olde Delta Spirit: