It's amazing how one can recognize those capacities immediately.

I had much the same experience. I had no idea of her identity as I watched Bergman, alone, walking toward us but it was as if she"owned" that beach. In fact her identity was almost incidental once I realizes who she was. Reminded me of a New Yorker article by someone observing her walking down 5th Avenue. Wish I could find it.

When both Meryl Streep and I were younger than we are now, I had a job in New York. Since I had to commute in every day, I sometimes made a point of staying after work for a cultural event. I especially enjoyed Shakespeare in the Park. I saw Meryl Streep there, live, at a time when no one had ever heard of her. She played the French princess wooed by King Henry V. She had just a few brief scenes in the play, but Streep owned those scenes and Henry and the entire audience. I knew then we would see more of her.

Thank you so much for your observation. When I am thinking on a subject so immense and complex it is so easy to just focus on the pinpoint at the edge of the galaxy. The failures of "science" have lately been attracting my attention. I also have been fascinated and terrified how readily a large population can be persuaded to believe what their eyes and ears tell them is false. On the face of it, it seems emotions have betrayed them. But I believe it is because in this era we believe we must choose between emotion and linear logic and thereby are forced to abandon one or the other. Do you think that could be the seminal "wrong turn" we often take? The metaphors of family have been one, if not the, tool for incorporating the emotional aspect of cognition into our systems of logic. There is much more to say on that. Gratefully George Lakhoff has just published an Op ed that covers much of this territory: saving readers from my tortured syntax His language is of course superb. http://www.truthout.org/obama-tea-parties-and-battle-our-brains57089

You say:
At some level I am relieved to see skepticism, even from the creationists, flat-earthers, birthers, warming deniers and all.

I welcome skepticism that recognizes how difficult it is to establish what is true and what is fully believable. (What is truth!) Unfortunately some of the skepticism of those who deny the at-least-partial truths of science is more like denial, rejection of what it does not suit them to believe. They do not apply skepticism to their own belief and its sources.

Addendum: I was perhaps a bit harsh on Rep. Noel. Though I disagree that it is a conspiracy, global warming will control size of the world population.

It was a beautiful snow this time and the birds are enchanting. I spent most of the day just watching it all.

My house cleaner from Costa Rica had never seen snow and took her children to Ohio to play with their cousins. After the drive back in snow most of the way she said she was glad to see it but thinks once is enough.

Hi Lorraine,

Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your
snow pictures. I miss the cardinals
so much and the excitement of snow.
We only get rain almost all of Dec
and Jan.

This is beautiful. The reflections brought together in one place, and that amazing story/image of the guy sleeping barefoot in a manger.

Yes. There is no reform.. Yes he would lead us into a spiritually suffocating life of pragmatism" and stinginess in gold and love.

We reach for the stars when we use all of the resources we have. The Obama administration has only used one resource to help with the healthcare overhaul. They have decided to reach deep into your pockets and mine and pull out every last cent. They haven't bothered to reform the insurance or pharmaceutical industries. The Congress of this great country has chosen to ignore the majority of the population and pass this budget busting bill. If there is a space ship big enough, let's send this current congress on a long trip to the stars.

Hello Robert. So good to hear, though just knowing you and your folks are there is uplifting.

It is Joanne Steele singing Universal Soldier. It is from her album Homeplace.

I really hold moneyed enablers of war more responsible. I am reminded of the Inca youth who were plied with worship as "chosen ones." promised eternal paradise, then murdered. Not that much different from the youth of today, ours and theirs.

The "pro-life" people want their tax money preempted from women's health care on the basis of conscience. The same principle should certainly apply to war.

Blessings on your mission to Columbus..

Thanks, Lorraine, for your thoughtful post which reminds us of what this day originally celebrated: the end of war! Too bad we've lost that vision. Even the peace movement has bought into the glorification of soldiering.

Thanks also for the link to my all-time favorite song. Is that Joan King singing "Universal Soldier"?

I just returned from a weekend with the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee. While soldiers give their bodies as weapons of war, others give their money in the form of taxes, and that's not the way we put an end to war either. If we want peace, we're going to have to stop paying for war. Check out www.nwtrcc.org.

Thanks again. I'll be in Columbus next weekend for the School of Americas Watch events to close down the place where militarism is taught to soldiers of other countries.

Thanks so much Alma! This is such good informative commentary from one who knows.

Communication is the engine that operates a democracy, and I think our nation’s communication between opposing sides became worse after the Fairness Doctrine was repealed. The Fairness Doctrine was passed in the late ‘40s and then repealed by the Reagan administration. The Doctrine required all broadcast stations to air opposing viewpoints. Supporters of its revocation said it violated the freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment.
Now that commercial communication is not required to be balanced, citizens can tune in to the station/network that sings their song. For example, a conservative can listen only to stations or talking heads that give conservative viewpoints or a progressive can listen only to progressive viewpoints. Making this situation worse, the stations, networks or talking heads play on the fears of their listeners. Playing on fears gives more listeners/viewers and, thus, more money. Having staff rub menthol salve under Glen Beck’s eyes to make him tear up as he utters his conservative words is one example of how artificial these programs have become.
Maybe the general public will eventually grind down to a truth, but the process is much longer and uglier now without the sharing of balanced information required in the Fairness Doctrine.

Thank you! And thank you for the weblog.
The miraculous working of life. on this planet.

Lorraine

Lorraine,

Thanks for the link! One note: I'm an American living in Rome.

Fr. Philip, OP

We will be passing through Shasta County this weekend on our way to a triathlon
at Mt. Shasta.

Hi Lorraine, I love your site and
will visit it every morning. I love
reading about your thoughts and
memories. It's funny how our
childhoods have things in common.
My grandma had a big JFG spit can
and a "toothbrush" she made from
a small twig. I also love the
picture of Sweet Alex. What a funny
boy. It was so wonderful to see his
transformation during my visit almost
2 years ago. Take care. You are in
my thoughts alot and I hope you are
feeling well these days.