We just received a couple of Christmas gifts from our friends in Lake Oswego.  One of them was a hand made ornament, a chicken sewn out of a red and white floral patterned cloth.  On Hawaii, chickens are everywhere, especially on Kawaii where there are no natural predators for the wild chickens.  The Hawaiians do not think of them as food.

A Brit named Cooke explored the Pacific islands three times and on his third lap he was killed by natives on a Hawaiian island.  I think that was in 1799.  He was trying to kidnap the king, who was clueless.  Empire builders like to start by kidnapping the king.  I just finished reading Sapiens by Harari and he speaks of the progress of empires around the world.  The Aztecs and then the Incas were enslaved by small bands of Europeans who landed and said "We come in peace.  Take us to your ruler."  They were taken to the rulers and promptly captured them, stole their wealth and enslaved their people.  If we are to take any lessons from this, it might be to immediately slaughter any godlike strangers that show up asking for our leaders.

Originally posted by bill_sheehan at Sunday Sermonette: Putting the Christ Back In Christmas( Read more...Collapse )

It's not an infectious disease, its' a cultural phenomenon.  Here on Kauai the decorations are everywhere.  There are blow up santas at every commercial destination, and lit trees in the windows of homes, and bright lights on signs and rooflines.  Island television is full of Christmas music and men wearing santa hats.  There are Christian churches scattered over the island--the missionaries have been quite successful.  The biggest Catholic church has a giant crucifix framed by palm trees.    There are just a few alternatives--a couple of Buddhist temples and an LDS church in Kapa'a that was established in 1933.  (According to some folks from SLC that we met, there's a "Mormon pipeline" by which a great many Hawaiian recruits end up settled in Utah.  I wonder how long it takes them to realize their mistake.)  The music in grocery stores is Hawaiian-style Christmas songs---to the tune of "I wish every day was Christmas because then peace and love would fill the world", and one about the grinch, and other songs unfamiliar to my ears.  I want to know why it has to be Christmas to be peaceful and loving.

He was 68 years old. He died in hospice of melanoma, which was discovered last year in his brain. He never recognized the skin lesion. He was one of my original paddling buddies here in Portland, a retired engineer and a budding Buddhist. He loved his wife and their home by the Washougal river, where he could watch osprey and otters. His hospice bed was at home, turned so that he could see the river flowing by. He was headstrong and didn't enjoy dysfunctional group dynamics, hence was apt to simply leave behind river groups he didn't feel like dealing with. He softened after his diagnosis. I wish his wife and family well in this difficult time. Holidays for them will forevermore bring up the memory of he who they lost on this day. His name was Dick Sisson. A candle burns for him here, and his memory is held with love and respect.

I think this is terrific. It's a song called "Dead dead dead" from the makers of South Park. The children's voices singing are so Christmassy. =-] Be careful, it can get stuck in your head. Dark humor aside, it does remind me to live in the moment.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/26/2455293.htm
Lots of Christains are mighty miffed, but once again I find myself agreeing with this man's criticisms of imperialist powers today, and with his hopes for the future of humanity.
( direct quotes from the ABC articleCollapse )

This morning they declared Multnomah County (the one I'm in, includes most of Portland) to be a federal disaster area. The news report was filled with city officials griping about how the snow had already cost the city $800,000 when the city budget was already strained. I think "disaster" is just a way for local governments to beg more money from the fed.
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In case you can't figure out what I need, I need books! Always.

Thanks.