Recipes and Essays

Torture by USA

Torture by USA

Mary points to the petition of moveon.org to push for a full, open investigation of the US tortures in Iraq. Do it now. Zero in Dublin expresses what so many are feeling. He points to the Washington Post article today by Philip Kennicott. I do 

Rich and Famous

Rich and Famous

Saturday I went to a photo exhibit here in Houston. If you get a chance to see the touring photography exhibit, “Ricas y Famosas,” (Rich and Famous) I think you will flip out. By Daniela Rossell, the pictures are an ethnographic review of the Mexico’s 

Church and Internet

Church and Internet

Jim McDonnel from London writes that the next meeting of the European Christian Internet Conference will be held in Bethlen Kata Diaconical Centre, hosted by the Transylvania Reformed Church. Date is May 22 – 28 in Cluj, Romania. More info is available by contacting the 

Mel Gibson and Melodrama

Mel Gibson and Melodrama

Having previously seen only 20 minutes of the Gibson film and become bored with it, I finally, saw the entire, 2-DVD,Gibson film about the Christ. It is remarkably like Latin American telenovelas in its use of melodrama and exagerrated character types. I think the deft 

Mashed-up

Mashed-up

David Bowie is hoping to promote his career by jumping on the mashed-up music bandwagon. He announced a contest, inviting mashers to go at it and mix his music. A transparent self-promotion attempt, this nevertheless can help move forward the discussion about so-called piracy of 

I’m in meetings in Netherlands

I’m in meetings in Netherlands

I’m in meetings in Netherlands all day and into the night, so no blogging time. I will point out that during the meeting I ran into a forceful social justice/service program, Caritas in the UK and Wales. When it comes to social justice and action, 

Latinos/as and same sex marriage

Latinos/as and same sex marriage

There is a lot of legal maneuvering going on in Massachusetts by people opposed to same sex marriage, but it looks like May 17, 2004 will see marriage licenses issued for same sex couples. Hurrah. Lalo Alcaraz has an insightful cartoon about this. Ad�n

Dance, Poetry, Digital Art

Dance, Poetry, Digital Art

Last night I attended a performance of contemporary dance at the University of Houston’s Moores Opera House. The Sandra Organ Dance Company presented one dance that collaborated with musicians and digital artists. The Moores School of Music Contemporary Ensemble played a stunning piece, “Infinite Heartbeat,” 

Make War for Peace????

Make War for Peace????

Last night the PBS NewsHour explored the growing use of civilian contract employees for combat in Iraq. Privatization of military forces is a growing profit industry that currently “operates in about 50 different conflict zones,” according to Peter Singer of the Brookings Institution. The report 

Fun and Sinister?

Fun and Sinister?

How do we distinguish and make choices as we live through “wheat and chaff” situations all the time? Degree zero blogs about the Nina Simone protest song, “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free” as it is used to sell Coca