let us pray* for those who are hungry:

Matthew 14:13-21

I'm sure most of you have heard by now about last week's shooting rampage at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. It's amazing how quickly these things recede into the background, though. Unless they're unusually horrific, like the shootings at Virginia Tech last year, we tend to simply forget about them before too long.

In any case, you're probably familiar with the broad outlines. A troubled loner with a long list of personal issues - alcoholism, perhaps some mental illness, relationship troubles, job loss - finally snaps at takes his rage out on the nearest convenient target. In the case of David Adkisson, that happened to be Tennessee Valley UUC.

Adkisson's wrath was fueled by his ex-wife's connection to the congregation, but also, it must be said, by an abiding hatred of liberals, whom he held to blame for many of the losses in his life. It was particularly disturbing to hear that Adkisson's reading list included a number of right-wing shock jocks whose routines included so-called jokes about killing liberals. Whatever your political position may be, I hope that we can all agree that that kind of hate has no place in our national conversation.

I confess that when I first heard this story, there was a sickening moment of realization that it could happen here just as easily as anywhere else.

No, really. See it for yourself:

These are pictures of the girls getting groomed--Maggie on the left, Zanzibar before she was clipped--she is bathed and dried--just awaiting Diana's magic touch.  

I had a lovely day yesterday at the Cheers and Jeers/dkos meetup in Boston.  We met juslikagrzly and her husband--who I was lobbying to get over here--he is Presbyterian Minister.  They are super people--I wish they lived closer to us, but they are in Madison and will get in touch with PD and Mrs. PD--you will LOVE them.  Brillig, her husband Mik and their daughter Ali, Debbie in Maine, Bill in Portland Maine, Common Sense Mainer, DtheO, Eddie in Maine, Ed Tracey, Independent Man and his wife, Irish Patti, sobermom, knichols and her husband, all met in the brownstone of our incredible host, tnichlsn (who I am mad for--shat a sweetheart!)  I am running out of superlatives....what can I say?  We love us! Tnichlsn put on a yummy spread--we did "do it yourself" shish ka bobs, salads, desserts from Debbie in Maine and Mrs. Independentman, cheese from
Wisconsin, guacamole from brillig---nothing was wanting!  I was excited to get to see what a brownstone looked like inside--I have walked by so many of them and wondered!  tnichlsn's is comfortable, welcoming and has really neat architectural details, and beautifully decorated. They even have a patio out back!  

I am going to the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen fair today--it is an incredible event in its 75th year.  The League was created by a progressive Republican governor as a program like the CCC during the depression to help artists.  All artists are juried--this is NOT a crafts fair where you find any bargains or things made of plastic mesh with needle point done on it!  So, I am off--but please, grab something to eat and drink--feel free to stretch out on my deck--coffee is always on!

I must have hit a nerve by asking whether the new Progressive Revival site lived up to its name. That question has drawn a lot of criticism, some - but not all of which - is directed at me personally, rather than at the substance of the issue.

Kassandra’s diary inspired me to look at the figs outside my window.  The figs I can reach from the ground are still not quite ripe.  It will be awhile longer before we are gathering any – and I think a ladder is going to be a necessary item for the task.

All two hundred patches of this year’s quilt were signed at Netroots Nation in Austin.  Loggersbrat kept them organized and made sure they came back to me (with help from rosel).

Friday--August 1st....arghhhhh, it's going way too fast!  I have a very kissy poodle standing in front of me, demanding my full attention.  Zanzibar is sprawled out next to me.  Maggie laid back down, with a deep sigh...

Work was pretty busy today.  They are preparing for a 3 day--everything in the store will be on sale.  They take some stuff out and bring tons of things in--some bought especially for the sale.  We are beginning to put sale tags on things, doing a first cut in price.  oh--I work for fun at a women's clothing and jewelery store.  I get a great discount on all of the  clothes I would buy anyway.  I realize most people don't go out and get another job just for fun...must be my upbringing--we are happy when we work by gum! I have worked since I was 12.  

I will be heading to Boston for a dkos/Cheers and Jeers meet-up, juslikagrzly  and her husband are visiting Bean town, so I will get to meet them and some more of the New England crew tomorrow.  I need to make some peanut butter cookies to take--I promised Common Sense Mainer I would.  They are really, really good---if I may say so myself. tnichlsn will be our host.

So what are you up to?  Any plans for the weekend or this evening?  Whatcha eating and drinking? So grab a libation and some pie--pull up a seat--chat for a bit!

Posted by PD - Gmail's all ferhoodle, Poli!

If you haven't been reading Hullabaloo this week, both Digby and dday have been tracking one of those sotto voce Republican tactics, attempting to smear Obama with the most disgusting racial stereotypes they could dredge up.

Or as our national press says so politely, Report Credits Drop in Illegal Immigrants to Enforcement:

A report released yesterday by a Washington think tank that advocates stricter limits on immigration says the number of illegal immigrants in the country appears to have declined significantly over the past year, at least partly because of the chilling effect of stepped-up enforcement.

The study by the Center for Immigration Studies based its findings on census data that indicate that the number of less-educated, working-age Hispanic immigrants, defined as 18-to-40-year-olds with a high school diploma or less, has dropped by more than 10 percent, or about 830,000 people, since last August.

...

"The evidence is consistent with the idea that at least initially, more robust enforcement caused the number of illegal immigrants to decline significantly," said Steven A. Camarota, one of the study's authors. "Some people seem to think illegals are so permanently anchored in the United States that there is no possibility of them leaving. . . . This suggests they're not correct. Some significant share might respond to changing incentives and leave."

The Obama Senate record of accomplishments
Whatever one may think of his politics, to say that Obama is all show and no substance reveals either a painful ignorance or a shameful dishonesty.  Go to this link and take a look.  He's accomplished a heck of a lot -- he's tried to accomplish a heck of a lot more!  In a nutshell (packaged for the wingnuts):  Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 570 bills in the 109th and 110th Congress; Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 15 bills that have become LAW since he joined the Senate in 2005; and Senator Obama has   introduced amendments to 50 bills, of which 16 were adopted by the Senate.