Two recently completed projects: Searching Within, by Doris Anne Bridgehouse, and The Sense of Form in Literature and Language, by Michael and Marianne Shapiro.

I finally managed to import all my other, scattered, blogs. It was fun looking at our crosscountry trip, listed under “You Drive, I’ll Shoot.”

I’ve come across a number of references to people who refer to themselves or others as “Unitarian Universalists” lately, and I wonder how much thought they’ve given that label.

Although Unitarian and Universalist churches created a common association back in 1961, there are such significant differences between the two groups that 48 years of togetherness have not served to create a blend.

As the Reverend Scott Axford recently noted in a letter to the Providence Journal:

“The 1961 consolidation of the Universalists and Unitarians produced an association, not a denomination — with local member congregations free to practice their faith as their consciences dictate.

“We continue to be Trinitarian Christians…. None of this has changed since our founding downtown, in 1821, to proclaim God’s eventual universal salvation (i.e., of all people) in Jesus Christ.”

That doesn’t sound very much like the Unitarian church, which with the name “Unitarian” would, on its face, seem to reject the Trinity. It also doesn’t sound very much like the Unitarian church that counts among its members freethinkers, humanists, agnostics, and atheists. Or the Unitarian church that in the midst of a warm discussion about “God talk.”

Unitarian Universalist? I don’t think so. But I’m just saying.

The Rhode Island legislature, in its latest moneygrubbing bid to suck up every dime that isn’t nailed, glued and welded down, has passed a bill requiring Internet companies including Amazon to collect, report and pay sales tax in Rhode Island. This is true even though Amazon has no offices in Rhode Island. The reason given for this misguided and unconstitutional legislation is that Rhode Island has decided that Amazon’s affiliates are de facto offices in the state.

As a result, Amazon has closed all Rhode Island affiliate accounts. Including yours. (Go ahead. I’ll just wait here while you check your account.) You will no longer receive any commissions for the sale of books from your website.

Most Amazon affiliates are small businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals who are trying to create multiple small streams of income. And why are they trying to do that? Because many of them cannot find work in the area, have no unemployment benefits, and are trying to cobble together a living.

While the official unemployment rate is over 10% in Rhode Island, that official rate does not include those whose unemployment benefits have run out, who are struggling along in part-time positions without benefits, and those who have just plain given up trying to find work in this benighted state. Some of the more entrepreneurial among these have worked hard to start online businesses, many of which provide income from affiliate programs from companies that include Amazon. For not a few Rhode Islanders, those affiliate programs provided a financial safety net.

And now the Rhode Island legislature has effectively taken away even that.

This is just another in a long string of anti-business moves made by our shortsighted state government. It seems our legislators won’t rest easy until every last business has shut its doors.

There is one thing you might do. If you agree that this legislation was a very bad idea, please find out if your state legislators voted in favor of it and let them know how you feel. Even better: stop voting for these chuckleheads! Throw them out of office and replace them with intelligent people who aren’t beholden to Rhode Island’s usual suspects.

Atlas is shrugging, folks.

Digital giclee on canvas
22″x17″
$500
Completed 7.5.2009

The Minnesota Senate race is finally settled, and former Saturday Night Live comedian Al Franken has been declared the winner.

At a press conference outside his home in Minneapolis, I was more than a bit surprised when Franken, known for his sharply clever comedy writing, said:

“So even though Franni and I are thrilled and honored by the faith that Minnesotans have placed in me, I’m also humbled,” he said, “not just by the closeness of this election, but also by the enormity of the responsibilities that come with this office.”

Oh! The enormity!

Surely not?

Contrary to common use, “enormity” isn’t really about size at all. It may sound as though it means “enormousness,” but in careful usage it does not.

“Enormity” actually means outrageousness or extreme wickedness. (I’m pretty sure that the dictionary meaning doesn’t encompass the New England usage of “wicked:” “Being Senator is a wicked cool job!”)

So, let’s see. Does the new Senator mean:

“…the extreme wickedness of the responsibilities that come with this office?”

or perhaps

“…the outrageousness of the responsibilities that come with this office?”

I certainly hope it is not the former. That would be such a disappointment, although certainly not to, say, Rush Limbaugh. The second choice might apply if Senator Franken uses his maiden speech on the Senate floor to try out some new, blue stand-up material.

Oh! The enormity!

As soon as I heard the breaking news yesterday afteroon that pop giant Michael Jackson had died in Los Angeles, I began to wonder how soon it would be before the rumors and conspiracy theories started to circulate

I only had to wait until early this morning, when I received an email from my son. Now, he was writing about his expectation that these tales would soon surface. But I began to wonder whether this thought was already common. What was in the air?

So I just Googled “Michaek Jackson fake death” and Google returned 321,000 (!) results.

Let’s just let that sink in for a moment.

Less than 18 hours after Michael Jackson’s death was announced, hundreds of thousands of people already believe that he’s still alive somewhere. (Hanging out at the 7/211 with Elvis, perhaps?)

There are news reports about it, blog entries, and even polls: Do you think Michael Jackson is really dead?”

So far, a lot of these stories are on spoof news sites, but it’s already popped up on the New York Daily News, Los Angeles Times, MTV and Rolling Stone websites.

RIP, Michael Jackson? Not bloody likely.

“Hope,” a digital giclee, has been selected for the current show at The Gallery at Second Stage Studios.

It honors the many women I know who have survived breast cancer, and one, my best friend Nancy, who did not. I support breast cancer research (I took part in an Avon 3-Day Walk a few years ago) and wanted to add my support to the Breast Health Center at Women and Infants for all the wonderful work they do. I will be donating all of my share of the sales price of $60 to this cause.

The artists’ reception will be held on Sunday, April 5, from 1-4p. see you there!

O! mighty harbinger of treasured Spring

Which from the Olde Towne ventures bravely forth

And carries in its hold each needful thing

From winter’s icebound warehouse in the north.

We wait until the day is near half done

To see the journey start, the great door rise

And streams of light as from a midnight sun

Presage the moving giant’s glowing eyes.

At last! We hear the engine’s mighty boom.

The door goes up! Our faith, an ember small

And precious in the season of our gloom,

Is burning now. Then comes the mighty call:

“Make way! We leave for the City of Palms!”

And we are soothed by training season balms.