History of the Popes

Anyone Catholic or otherwise interested in the history of the Church, I highly recommend reading “A History of the Popes” (originally published as “Keepers of the Keys” in 1982) by Sir Nicolas Cheetham, an English classics scholar and diplomat, educated at Christ Church – Oxford.

Sir Cheetham (1910-2002) had a successful career as a British diplomat - first to NATO, then as British Ambassador to Hungary (1961-1963) and Mexico (1968-1972). He was the grandson of a British Parliament Member (House of Commons), and the son of a British diplomat and ambassador's daughter (Russian Empire's last ambassador to Italy). He is also the author of a number of books about history (Mexico, New Spain, Greece).

Sir Cheetham’s “History of the Popes” is a slow read as straight history, but an excellent resource book to learn the history of the Roman Catholic Church.

New Catholic Leader: Pope Francis

The new pope, calling himself Pope Francis, is the son of Italian immigrants to Argentina where he was born and became a Jesuit priest.  Promoted by two very conservative popes, it is no surprise that this pope is also very conservative.  Described as living humbly unlike most cardinals, he is known for cooperating with previous military juntas and dictators, but then clashing with President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner - Argentina's first freely-elected female leader. 

Taking the name ‘Francis’ does not necessarily mean anything. This pope may have chosen the name after another Italian - Francis of Assisi, a non-ordained friar, or maybe after a Frenchman - Francis Xavier, founder of his order, the Society of Jesus, aka Jesuits.  Both men, one from early 1200's and the other from the 1500's, had shunned family wealth to “walk the talk” - becoming missionaries for Christianity and the Roman Catholic Church. 

The current crop of cardinals might see in Pope Francis a financial savior with the missionary zeal to convert billions of Asians, perhaps thinking where the money is going to come from in the future.  After all is said and done, the Church as an institution requires a lot of money to survive and all things lead to Rome.

Catholic Birth Control Ban - Do the Math

There are financial reasons why the Roman Catholic Church has continued its stance on birth control (BC) - just do the math to understand.  Is the Vatican's position rational?  I'll let you figure that out.

In 2 generations, Catholic families went from an average of 8 kids who had an average of 5 kids, to my generation with an average of 2 kids. The average total adults in a Catholic family donating to the church dropped from 50 [2+8+(8*5)] to 17 [2+5+(5*2)] after the pill arrived in 1964.  The impact of family members who have left the church because of BC ban magnifies the results.  

My parents had 6 kids & 16 grandkids, but only 4 out of the total of 22 are practicing Catholics.  Using $100 as today's average monthly donation of Catholic adults, the lost revenue annually from just one family is $21,600 (18 x $1200) or $216,000 in a decade if nothing changes. 

The Church's financial experts would look at this impact in the USA of:
1 million families   = $216,000,000,000 = $216 Billion
10 million families = $2,160,000,000,000 = $2.16 Trillion

$2.16 TRILLION is a heckuva lot of money!!

Unfortunately, at the same time families were having fewer kids & therefore higher disposable income, which could have translated into increased donations, the Vatican then doubled down on the BC ban causing those fewer kids to turn away from the church as adults.

Add financial settlements from decades of child sex abuse, which are the tip of this iceberg, and you begin to understand why the Roman Catholic Church faces grave financial troubles today.  To "bring Catholics back to the Church" would require the Pope, the Curia in the Vatican and all the Cardinals, as well as bishops and priests, to completely lift the ban on birth control... and increase the number of available parish priests by taking back those who left to marry.

Religious Poppycock

I keep thinking... maybe the earth slipped on its axis from all the hot air being broadcast 24/7. So many people, so little time to brainwash them into believing black is the new white and the wee little folks are 10 feet tall. Charles Dickens and C. S. Lewis would be having a field day about now what with dour pots calling kettles black and rich rotund Men in Black crying out about being victims. Don Marquis would have Archy telling Mehitabel, "Your kittens are YOUR problem... we cockroaches don't have too many little roaches." And, yes Alice, there really are talking rabbits who wear clothes & check time with a pocket watch.

Dickens, Lewis & Marquis would quickly realize Catholic bishops' crying "foul" over insuring birth control at affiliated universities and hospitals is a Giant Red Herring. Catholic cardinals as well as bishops are using "religious liberty" to drive a mack truck through so they won't have to report child sex abuse to secular authority... nor pay over $700 million in judgments that are on appeal. Don't take my word for it, take Cardinal Egan's word for his belief now, retracting his apology 10 years ago, that the Church has no obligation to report abuse cases.

The bishops are reasserting that Canon Law rules, not governments, to get Congress to overturn the Supreme Court's unanimous decision in United States vs. Lee, 455 U.S. 252 (1982).

Justice Burger, writing for a unimous Supreme Court: "Congress and the courts have been sensitive to the needs flowing from the Free Exercise Clause, but every person cannot be shielded from all the burdens incident to exercising every aspect of the right to practice religious beliefs. When followers of a particular sect enter into commercial activity as a matter of choice, the limits they accept on their own conduct as a matter of conscience and faith are not to be superimposed on the statutory schemes which are binding on others in that activity. Granting an exemption from social security taxes to an employer operates to impose the employer's religious faith on the employees."

This isn't new stuff - these folks mean business!  A year ago in March, the "Rights of Conscience Act" Bills were filed in the House & Senate (H.R.1179 and S.1467) and referred to Subcommittees on Health.  The Catholic bishops are now spending $50 million on public relations using code words like "freedom of religion" and "religious liberty" ... with help from their long-time frienemies.

I figure taking the Catholic Bishops' argument to its ultimate conclusion means spending $2 billion/year to Catholic affiliated universities and hospitals could be viewed as a violation of the Establishment Clause.  Then Bishops can tell their Catholic faithful to pay those costs out of their own pockets so they needn't worry about abiding by federal law.  Hummm... pitting Catholics against Catholics??

Song of Pill Power

The Pill has given women power over their lives since 1964, when my dear Catholic mother said, "If men could have babies, the Pope would make the pill a sacrament distributed at Mass."  Thanks to the Pill, women have been priming the pumps of our economy since then.  Thanks to Juanita Jean's "Thank you, Miss Loretta. You tell Doo & Rick Santorum How the Cow Ate the Cabbage for Loretta Lynn's song about The PILL.  Love that woman's music... she tells it like it is!! (See video on right.)

Jennifer Hudson Tribute to Whitney Houston

Jennifer Hudson showed what a true diva really is when she sang "I'll Always Love You" at the Grammy Awards in tribute to Whitney Houston.  Jennifer herself sets a high standard for celebrity icons.  Bless her heart!  (See video at right).

British Cuties: Sophia Grace & Rosie

British cuties, Sophia Grace & Rosie, have become regulars on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.  Sophia Grace (8) belts out pop songs by music superstars like she grew up with them from infancy.  Her cousin, Rosie (5), serves as her "hype girl" - as Nicki Manij said, giving her confidence.  She hardly needs any more confidence as you can see in the video.  Enjoy!!

Presidential Election Year - Game On!

Animated Cartoons by Ann Telnaes of The Washington Post
I'll probably sit in purgatory until the Milky Way disappears for this, but...
I just couldn't resist considering men can't have babies....

Some Seriously Silly Stuff

Like a toddler having a melt down, our nation really needs a "time out" for Some Serious Silly Stuff.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On was created by comedian, Jenny Slate, after she was dropped by Saturday Night Live for dropping the F-bomb on a SNL show. With help from her fiance, film-maker Dean Fleischer-Camp, Jenny created Marcel the Shell using things around the house and her comedic little-boy voice. Marcel the Shell went viral on the Internet and a STAR was born!

Marcel the Shell is now a celebrity with his very own picture book and iPhone/iPad app, too:
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On: Things About Me

Watch Marcel do his 'thing' in the videos at right & relax with Some Seriously Silly Stuff.

Nebraska: Water, Cattle, Manufacturing and Tourism

Nebraska's Sandhills have a unique beauty all their own.  Expansive grasslands as far as the eye can see growing under beautiful enormous skyscapes.  Most travelers totally miss it when crossing our country, thinking the entire state of Nebraska is but a wasteland!  

Loup River
in Sandhills
of Nebraska

Almost all of Nebraska covers the Ogallala Aquifer, which provides filtered pure water to man and beast alike, inviting migratory birds and other wildlife to feast there as well.  The Ogallala Aquifer is replenished by snow and rainfall, and due to depth and acres covered, Nebraska accounts for about 67% of the volume of the Aquifer's groundwater (Texas and Kansas account for 10% each).  The total water storage is about equal to that of Lake Huron, providing irrigation from the High Plains to almost 14 million acres in Nebraska (46%), Texas (30%) and Kansas (10%).  For more information: Water Encyclopedia

Irrigation from the Ogallala Aquifer certainly helps Nebraska produce great grain crops and the Sandhills grasslands produce some of the world's best beef.  According to the Nebraska Beef Council, Nebraska's economic engine is fueled by beef cattle raised throughout the state - $6.5 billion cattle sales impacted its economy by $12.1 billion in 2009.  

Sandhills
Traffic Jam

The top 3 beef producing counties in the entire U.S. are in Nebraska - Cherry, Custer & Holt Counties.  Nearly 5 million head of cattle are marketed in a state with only 1.8 million residents (2010 Census).  The Nebraska Beef Council claims Nebraska produces more cattle per resident than all other states, including Texas and California. 

Choice cuts of beef can be ordered directly from Nebraska ranchers, which they deliver to any place so long as it is located in the United States.

Nebraska's work ethic has driven growth of manufacturing as well.  The list of Nebraska manufacturers is quite surprising; for example, Loup Valley Machinery & Mfg's molded waterproof electrical connectors made in Burwell - gateway to the Sandhills.  As of October, 2011, Nebraska's jobless rate is only 4.2%;(2nd only to North Dakota's 3.5% jobless rate, thanks to an oil boom). Why go to China when it can be made in Nebraska.

See some of the wild, wild West at Nebraska's Big Rodeo smack in the middle of ranch country.  Take your family to see the "real deal" - buckin' broncos, calf roping, barrel racing, and bull riding complete with clowns narrowly escaping those horns!  Chow down on Nebraska's choice steaks at the local Legion Club or enjoy some fine cuisine at the Sandhills Grill. Drive around the area and enjoy!

Nebraska's Big Rodeo is in Burwell, which is only a 3-hour scenic drive out of Lincoln, Nebraska's capital, along the Loup Rivers Scenic Byway.  But don't take my word for it - go see all of Nebraska's Scenic Byways - or take a virtual tour with the video at right (best view is full screen).

The NEBRASKAland Magazine is a treasure trove of interesting history and events held in Nebraska, including wildlife photos.  You will also find wonderful photos and descriptions of the Sandhills' landscape and its plant and animal life on Kody Unstad's website: The Nebraska Sandhills