Sunday, April 22, 2007
Monday, March 05, 2007
Barack Obama Speaks to the Joshua Generation
Hey there! Long time no see!
I was checking out this MeFi thread (the original post really kind of looks like an attempted hit piece on Barack Obama [OMG some of his white ancestors owned slaves!!!]) and one of the later responses linked to Obama's speech from Selma today. I couldn't help being struck by this passage:
Oddly, that's only the second time I've ever seen the term "Joshua generation" -- the first was earlier today, when I was perusing Michelle Goldberg's Kingdom Coming (see also)
The Joshua Generation (or, Generation Joshua) is, in radical evangelical Christian circles, that generation which will (they hope) be the first to inherit a theocratic United States (much like, in the Bible's Old Testament, Joshua was the first leader of the Israelites to enter the Promised Land. Moses [the current generation of adults] never did make it into Canaan.)
I'll admit, I'm not entirely comfortable with Democratic politicians using the language of right-wing Dominionist theocrats. If you can imagine. But if Obama can co-opt evangelicals' language to promote economic equality (and convince them it's WJWD, I'll go along for the ride.
I was checking out this MeFi thread (the original post really kind of looks like an attempted hit piece on Barack Obama [OMG some of his white ancestors owned slaves!!!]) and one of the later responses linked to Obama's speech from Selma today. I couldn't help being struck by this passage:
Moses told the Joshua generation; don't forget where you came from. I worry sometimes, that the Joshua generation in its success forgets where it came from.
Oddly, that's only the second time I've ever seen the term "Joshua generation" -- the first was earlier today, when I was perusing Michelle Goldberg's Kingdom Coming (see also)
The Joshua Generation (or, Generation Joshua) is, in radical evangelical Christian circles, that generation which will (they hope) be the first to inherit a theocratic United States (much like, in the Bible's Old Testament, Joshua was the first leader of the Israelites to enter the Promised Land. Moses [the current generation of adults] never did make it into Canaan.)
I'll admit, I'm not entirely comfortable with Democratic politicians using the language of right-wing Dominionist theocrats. If you can imagine. But if Obama can co-opt evangelicals' language to promote economic equality (and convince them it's WJWD, I'll go along for the ride.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
And in local news...
cbs2.com - Police Discover Stabbing Victim In Mar Vista
(CBS) MAR VISTA, Calif. A boy's body was found inside a car in Mar Vista early Wednesday morning. According to police, he was fatally stabbed in what appeared to be a gang-related killing.
Officers found 19-year-old Jaime Julio Padilla inside a car at Braddock Drive and Slauson Avenue at 8:15 p.m. yesterday, said Officer Marta Garcia of the Los Angeles Police Department's Media Relations Section. He had been stabbed numerous times, she said.
Police were called to the scene by someone reporting a car fire, said Officer Jason Lee. Although the car was not on fire when they arrived, it appeared that someone had tried to torch it, Lee said.
"It appears the suspects may have tried to set the car on fire to cover the homicide but were unsuccessful," Lee said.
Three youths who looked like gang members were seen running from the car, said Officer Jason Lee, adding that the stabbing appears to have been gang-related.
(CBS) MAR VISTA, Calif. A boy's body was found inside a car in Mar Vista early Wednesday morning. According to police, he was fatally stabbed in what appeared to be a gang-related killing.
Officers found 19-year-old Jaime Julio Padilla inside a car at Braddock Drive and Slauson Avenue at 8:15 p.m. yesterday, said Officer Marta Garcia of the Los Angeles Police Department's Media Relations Section. He had been stabbed numerous times, she said.
Police were called to the scene by someone reporting a car fire, said Officer Jason Lee. Although the car was not on fire when they arrived, it appeared that someone had tried to torch it, Lee said.
"It appears the suspects may have tried to set the car on fire to cover the homicide but were unsuccessful," Lee said.
Three youths who looked like gang members were seen running from the car, said Officer Jason Lee, adding that the stabbing appears to have been gang-related.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Monday, September 11, 2006
Modernize LAX Shops - Los Angeles Times
Modernize LAX Shops - Los Angeles Times
Modernize LAX Shops
City has a chance to run the airport like a business and not a patronage dispenser.
September 11, 2006
FOR SCORES OF MILLIONS OF VISITORS every year, Los Angeles International Airport is their first impression of the city and the region. Luckily, they're not coming there for the concessions. The shopping at LAX is as bland as L.A.'s is glamorous.
That could soon change — but only if city officials are willing to buck their own system. Contracts for 51 storefronts (of more than 200) at LAX are once again up for review by the Airport Commission, which is expected to make its decisions sometime next year.
The signing of multimillion-dollar deals to run duty-free shops, restaurants and other businesses at the city-owned airport has for at least two decades been the source of some of L.A.'s worst political scandals. Under Mayor Tom Bradley, airport commissioners solicited campaign funds from contractors, and some political insiders collected millions on contracts without actually managing any concessions. Mayor James Hahn was also dogged by allegations of pay-to-play shenanigans involving airport contracts.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa had to give back thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from employees of a Florida company seeking an airport concession. It remains to be seen whether Villaraigosa is willing to cross his union support, which favors maintaining the status quo at the airport because new contractors might not hire union workers.
LAX's concessions are characterized by generic national chains, cookie-cutter storefronts and inflated prices. It's little wonder that in 2005, 21 airports surpassed it in sales per departing passenger at their retail facilities. This matters to taxpayers because a quarter of the revenue for the city agency that runs Los Angeles' four airports comes from concessions.
The Airport Commission, whose seven members are appointed by the mayor, deferred a decision last week. At issue is whether to continue awarding concessions to companies that then lease the shops, or to lease the spaces individually. Or the city could hire developers to essentially build and lease malls in the airport, an approach that has been successful in cities such as Pittsburgh. Then maybe LAX could have shopping as interesting as the city it serves.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Monday, September 04, 2006
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Shiny!
Now that I've got an official-type Web 2.0 logo, I'm ready to sell this blog. $40 million ought to be about right.
via the Web 2.0 Logo Creator
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Christmas in August: Lieberman, McKinney Lose
It's been so long - I have completely forgotten how to react when things go right.
All right, world -- what's the catch?!?
Oh, right. Carry on, then.
With 95 percent of the precincts reporting, Lamont led Lieberman 52 percent to 48 percent, according to The Associated Press.
---
Also on Tuesday night, Georgia Rep. Cynthia McKinney lost in a runoff to Democratic challenger Hank Johnson.
All right, world -- what's the catch?!?
Sen. Joseph Lieberman conceded to anti-war cable executive Ned Lamont in the Democratic primary for the Connecticut Senate nomination Tuesday night but vowed to run as an "independent Democrat" this fall
Oh, right. Carry on, then.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Prohibido Entrar
The LA Times reports: Two miles of beach were closed Tuesday because of a spill in Culver City that released 20,000 to 30,000 gallons of sewage into Ballona Creek. (©Bryan Chan / LAT - August 8, 2006)
Friday, July 28, 2006
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Four Years + One Week
While you weren't looking, this blog passed its fourth anniversary.
Pay no attention to that seven month gap between posts (7/13/02-2/20/03). I was resting up.
(blogging is hard.)
Pay no attention to that seven month gap between posts (7/13/02-2/20/03). I was resting up.
(blogging is hard.)
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Tales of Wikipedia, Part One: The Jewish Autonomous Oblast
The Jewish Autonomous Oblast is a small district in the Russian Far East, on the border with China, which was created by Stalin in the late 1920s as an alternative Zionist state.
via Wikipedia's "Random article"
via Wikipedia's "Random article"
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
4th of July
Hey, baby - it's the Fourth of July!
(Mexican kids, are, of course, shooting fireworks below at my apartment too!)
(Mexican kids, are, of course, shooting fireworks below at my apartment too!)
