June 24, 2007
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SUNDAY GOOD NEWS
I don’t usually follow Pope news but this week he surprised me with a set of Ten Commandments for driving, part of a larger document for the Vatican’s Office for Migrants and Itinerant People called “Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road.” In it, people are urged to pray behind the wheel, refrain from road rage, to drive with a moral sense, and to help accident victims. Noting that 1.2 million people die each year on the roads, it’s intended for bishops conferences around the world urging them to set up chapels along highways and have “periodic celebration of liturgies” at major road hubs, truck stops and restaurants. You can imagine what David Letterman type folks will do with this, but actually it gives me a warm spot in my heart to think of his Popeness taking the time to swing his weight in a way that may or may not keep that next jerk from tailgating me. Here are those 10:
1 – You shall not kill.
2 – The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
3 – Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
4 – Be charitable and help your neighbour in need, especially victims of accidents.
5 – Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
6 – Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
7 – Support the families of accident victims.
8 – Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
9 – On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
10 – Feel responsible towards others.
To see the whole document click here.
Deep Thought: It’s funny how two simple words, “I promise,” will stall people for a while.
Today I am grateful for: Rain in proportion
Guess the Movie: “Blast off: one-eight-oh. Two hundred: Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Two ten: U.S. Government certified. Two twenty: lunar trajectory, junk of the month club, sirloin steak. Two thirty: Grade A poison. Absolute dynamite. Eighty-nine percent pure junk. Best I’ve ever seen. If the rest is like this, you’ll be dealing on this load for two years.” Answer: The French Connection, 1971. Winner: misyapa
Michael Moore’s ‘Sicko’ Leaves Top Democrats Ill at Ease
by Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar
WASHINGTON – With the release of Michael Moore’s “Sicko,” a movie once again is adding sizzle to an issue that’s a high priority for liberal politicians – this time comprehensive health insurance for all. But unlike Al Gore’s film on global warming, which helped rally support on an equally controversial problem, “Sicko” is creating an awkward situation for the leading Democratic presidential candidates. (Rest of article here.)
Comments (36)
If Sicko is leaving Democrats troubled – they should stop running. The only solution to health care in the US is, as Moore suggests, to copy the best health care system in the world, which is France. OK, even copying Canada or the UK would be a massive improvement, but why not embrace the system proven to be the best that still costs 70% less?
Oh my gosh we just watched this movie! I think it is The French Connection.
Yes indeedy – The French Connection!
Ok, I have not seen it but I know what we have is lop sided for sure.
I forgot to mention… I need to live by those rules. I get really bad road rage. Have you seen Sicko yet?
The French Connection – with “the least responsible movie chase scene ever filmed” (no police notification, no closed streets for the famous “under the el” chase), is a perfect film for this post…
ryc: yes, both, and a few more good parts but only about 3 years worth, really. Couldn’t have done “the starving actor” thing. I’ve got other things to starve with…
Anything that can get us talking about the health care crises is good. It’s so out-of-control. We pay for our own and it’s going higher and higher.
I love these! Now if only people would follow these.
Hope all is well in your world!
Right now America is very dog eat dog, every man for himself. All the conservative radio and TV people have no empathy for anyone who needs help. I hope a new Democratic president will turn things around. The money wasted fighting wars could be used for health care.
Too funny…rules for the road…..guess it sure couldn’t hurt!! When I was in Costa Rica the driver of our van pulled over to pray before he started up a mountain road known for fatalities…I was praying too before we got to the top, they drive crazy over there!!
If there’s anywhere when we need a little divine intervention – it’s on the road. Even in Portland, eh? How ’bout that funky-weather Sunday, eh? Whew.
RYC: It’s felt a little “wintery” lately. Brrrr. I had to haul out my winter socks this past weekend.
I’m a weather wimp.
I wonder if next the Pope will start putting out Hallmark cards or something. Do we really need him to tell us common sense stuff such as to be nice and not let people drive drunk? Kind of undignified of him.
(but I don’t watch Letterman–just suspicious of empire building.)
i heard about the ten commandments of driving on a radio station. the talk hosts said that it was ironic that they created that considering they already have enough other serious issues and problems that should have/had been taken care of first. also for commandment 5, “cars shall not be an expression of your power and domination…”, but i heard that the same pope is riding or driving in a luxury car…
Driving in Chicago since I was 14 (oops, did I say that?), I know too well the importance of driving safe. I haven’t had any serious accidents, but I have looked away at just the wrong moment a couple of times. It’s something how quick the traffic ahead can change without warning. Sure, some will be sarcastic about the Pope’s message, but if it doesn’t need to be said, why are there so many needless accidents? I think it’s a message worth advocating, and if it takes the Pope to bring attention to it, then so be it. Careless drivers kill people! Of course they don’t mean to, but that doesn’t help the victim any. Thanks for sharing this. And rtopc, of course he rides in a luxury car. Duh… he’s the Pope!
Slow down, pay attention, and drive save everybody.
Oh, and thanks for stopping by.
LOL Not to sound like a Catholic basher, but I hope the parishoners of the largest local Catholic church read these and Dubuque Street can cease resmbling the Indy 500 on Saturday Evenings and Sunday mornings!
Well… the health care system IS broken… like the rest of the systems in this country of dysfunction.
hmmm…now if he can only reform his own policy with priests. I did see Sicko it was prolific in its message…
Sweltering yet?
RYC: Me, too. I love that perfect moment between too hot and too cool. If the weather stayed between 60 and 80 all the time, I would be soooooo happy. Costco has some AWESOME portable AC units. They are about $4000, though. But, if I remember correctly, they can cool an 800 sq ft area. I wish I had a basement.
sorry for the negative messages up there
we are hard looking who will be next president…
How’d you make it through the 4th? Keeping cool?
RYC: Sounds wonderful. A quiet day alone is a good celebration, in my book. Yeah, it’s getting hot. The Weather Channel says one temperature at PDX, so I always add at least 5 degrees to that because of our location. Today at PDX = 88 degrees. Today at CN’s house: 93 degrees.
Just stopping by to say hello. Hope your weekend was good!
Keep cool, sweetie! It’s going to be a scorcher. Live in the mall.
Keep cool today. It’s going to be a scorcher. I hope you find a little refuge from the heat.
We had one of those goodies, too (with casement windows). We ended up getting pieces of 2 x 4 and weather stripping. Worked pretty good. The other thing that helped was a bamboo blind on that window to keep the heat off the window and the (subsequently) the AC unit. I’m thankful I have a handy-spouse.
Too funny, the road rules. I think I’m a bit uncomfortable with the idea of people engaged in prayer behind the wheel, however. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen people close their eyes when they pray.
Thanks for your blessings. I’ve had a significant healthcare experience, and I’m trying to make some sense of it, but it may take a while.
Have you seen Sicko, yet? It will never make it to Mt Shasta, so I’ll have to figure I’ll see it in Redding. Not anytime soon, however.
RYC: I guess that’s the same with anything that we can get obsessional about.
Interesting list from the Pope. I guess there are more important things, but it’s still a good idea to speak out on such matters.
No mosquitos! Breeze takes care of many things.
How about Sir Mister Pope–today’s paper said the Catholic Church is the ONLY true church–all the rest are faulty. . .
thank God I’ve gotten old enough to figure that Good Orderly Direction doesn’t fit in anybody’s BOX OF TRICKS.
ryc: thanx for the words on my blog……. i guess i will keep blogging along…………..
Fear that little help will be had for health care in our country, I think too many biggies want things to stay the way they are – - – it is too profitable for them to let things change. At least that is the way it appears to me.
I had not heard about the pope’s rules of the road. It’s about time.