POTUS

Al Gore

Originally uploaded by Sam Felder.

Book Review: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Source: www.sparknotes.com 

The main theme of The Jungle is the evil of capitalism. Every event, especially in the first twenty-seven chapters of the book, is chosen deliberately to portray a particular failure of capitalism, which is, in Sinclair’s view, inhuman, destructive, unjust, brutal, and violent. The slow annihilation of Jurgis’s immigrant family at the hands of a cruel and prejudiced economic and social system demonstrates the effect of capitalism on the working class as a whole. As the immigrants, who initially possess an idealistic faith in the American Dream of hard work leading to material success, are slowly used up, tortured, and destroyed, the novel relentlessly illustrates that capitalism is to blame for their plight and emphasizes that the characters’ individual stories are the stories of millions of people. The Jungle is not a thematically nuanced or complicated novel: capitalism is simply portrayed as a total evil, from its greedy destruction of children to its cynical willingness to sell diseased meat to an unsuspecting public. Sinclair opts not to explore the psychology of capitalism; instead, he simply presents a long litany of the ugly effects of capitalism on the world.

Greek Orthodox Church in Cyprus

Originally uploaded by noble4.

Source: wikipedia.com

The Eastern Catholic Churches are autonomous particular Churches in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope of Rome. Distinct from the Latin Rite or Western Church, these Churches worship according to Eastern Christian liturgical rites. Traditionally these Churches were located in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and India but are now also found in many parts of the world.

Travel: Inn at Stony Creek Bed and Breakfast in Warwick, NY

Enjoy the charm of a beautifully restored Civil War home built in 1840 and later added on to in 1860.  The inviting rooms are yours to use at your leisure – to meet other guests, read a novel or just curl up by the fireplace with a complementary cup of hot tea.  You’re sure to enjoy the large front porch and may even want to take a nap in a rocker or in the rope hammock overlooking the hay field.

   Each room has a private bath and sitting area, four poster or sleigh beds (all queen size) and are decorated with antiques and period furnishings. Amenities include television, telephone, high speed internet access and VCRs in every room.  While enjoying these amenities our rooms still retain the old world charm and solitude preferred by guests.  Breakfast is skillfully prepared and served at individual tables in our sunny dining room or on the deck overlooking the meadow (weather permitting). 

Stony Creek Inn is set on 9 acres and is far enough from the village center to provide a peaceful country setting, yet close enough to be a short car or bike ride away.  Stony Creek is adjacent to a 40 acre Audubon Preserve and a 200 acre Horse Riding club. The facility is available for small parties and weddings.

For more information and reservations: http://www.innstonycreek.com/index.htm

Black Eyed Susan

Originally uploaded by Hexhead.

Vermont flowers are the best. The growing season is so short in Vermont. All the more reason to appreciate the flowers in spring, summer and fall.

Our Lady of Mt Carmel in Ridgewood, NJ

I moved to Ridgewood, New Jersey in the middle of fifth grade and went to the Catholic school, Our Lady of Mount Carmel. I remember the nuns there. Order: Sisters of Charity. I remember Sister Madonna, Sister Margaret Roderick, Sister Francis deSales and Sister Josepha, the Principal. I had good penmanship so sometimes I got to hand address envelopes for the sisters. I remember my friends at Mt Carmel. Of course we have all gone our separate ways but I have had a recent connection with one of them and it brought back memories. Some who went to Mt Carmel have registered on classmates.com.

I also remember some of the priests at the Church, Monsignor Kelley, Father Hamel, Father Quinn and Father Costello. I was married at the church (not the old one in the picture) but the new church built by the early sixties. Another memory…when we were in high school we sometimes went to the shore for the day. If it was on Sunday morning we would stop for Mass somewhere down at the shore before we hit the beach. We were pretty good Catholic kids, weren’t we?

Baby Pic of the Day and Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle

Originally uploaded by hadisonick.

There’s two things I know for sure.
She was sent here from heaven,
and she’s daddy’s little girl.
As I drop to my knees by her bed at night,
she talks to Jesus, and I close my eyes.
And I thank God for all of the joy in
my life, But most of all, for…Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer.
Stickin’ little white flowers all up in her hair.
“Walk beside the pony
daddy, it’s my first ride.”
“I know the cake looks funny,
daddy, but I sure tried.”
Oh, with all that I’ve done wrong,
I must have done something right
To deserve a hug every morning,
And butterfly kisses at night.

Originally uploaded by liamr.

Afghanistan: Poppies and Opium

Afghanistan’s opium harvest is set to increase by nearly 60 percent this year due to a massive jump in cultivation in the insurgency-hit south, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says.   

            UNODC’s Annual Opium Survey found the area used for opium cultivation had reached a record 165,000 ha in 2006 compared with 104,000 in 2005. Afghanistan produces more than 90 percent of the world’s opium, which mostly ends up in the heroin markets of western Europe and Russia.