Sunday Morning Coming Down

One of the bigger issues related to asymmetric population growth is migration.  Political unrest, war, natural disasters, lack of opportunity, environmental degradation, discrimination and poverty can send folks looking for a better life elsewhere.  And meanwhile it is also clear that some folks like things the way they are or are stuck and have difficulty going where they might be needed. Europe has experienced migration of peoples from Northern Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. North America has experienced migration from the Caribbean, Central, and South America. It is clear that a lot off this migration is for economic and political reasons and there has been push back because change is difficult for some if not many people.  Brexit and other forms of Nationalism have sprung up all over the world and as of this moment new strategies must be developed to maintain freedom.

There is going to be a service auction at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Miami sometime soon.  A while ago I bought a sermon title for a few bucks hoping that the minister would use the title for a sermon.  $50 got me the rights to 1Corinthians 13:13.  Look the verse up if you care. Today, I thought about song titles that might make good sermon titles: 1) Don't Stop Believing 2) Hello In There 3) Hallelujah 4) God Is Great, Beer Is Good, People Are Crazy 5) Sunday Morning Coming Down 6) Mercedes Benz 7) A Matter Of Trust 8) We Are Family 9) Need You Now 10)Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore 11) We Got To Get Out of This Place

Paul and Ann Ehrlich wrote the "Population Bomb" in 1968.   It forecast that agricultural production would not be able to keep up with a rapidly growing worldwide explosion in population.  As part of the "baby boom" and starting college in 1969 this was one of the issues that for better or worse colored my view of things locally and on a global scale.  It was required reading for an ecology class I took at the University of Miami in 1971. Fifty years later the effects of population growth are everywhere while the prediction of world wide famine has been wrong.  Famine exists, but it is more the result of political breakdowns rather than a shortage of food. Yemen being a good example. Africa is still growing rapidly compared to the rest of the world.  Europe isn't growing and in some countries natural birth rate does not reach replacement levels. North America isn't growing as fast as Asia, Latin America, or world wide growth rate of 1.2%. I remember th...

The moon and stars hang out in bars just talkin' I still love that picture of us walkin' Just like that ol' house we thought was haunted Summer's end came faster than we wanted   Come on home Come on home No you don't have to Be alone Come on home Come on home You don’t have to Be alone Just come on home     John Prine and Roger Cook wrote these lyrics and the song is a real good one.   The song is about age creeping up in my mind.

As an almost life long Unitarian Universalist I watched yesterday's funeral for POTUS 41.  I was struck by what a big production it was.  Obviously, this was a result of having more than a little amount of time to prepare for former President Bush's passing.  It was high church, military, political, and family.  More a real celebration of a life than a grief stricken, heart wrenching good bye. There have now been two "state funerals", the other being for Senator John McCain of Arizona recently. I guess they both needed to be a little bit larger than life.  It's been a while since John Adams and John Quincy Adams were around. Theologically, I'm not concerned about the reports of who spoke or didn't speak The Apostle's Creed.  What the last five presidents and their wives did or didn't do will be judged on the celestial level if at all. Personally, I doubt anyone would like to be on camera while at a church service. My Church is my family and...

Could you get them to agree except to disagree?

While working at the Miami Herald in 1971 I came across a bunch of obituaries that had already been written for famous folks.  The type had already been set and was ready to be put in the paper.  The current Pope, several former presidents, sports celebrities, and a few of Miami's more infamous characters were just waiting their turn to be part of the newspaper when their time came. Last night/early morning I woke to hear about the death of George H.W. Bush on MSNBC, POTUS #41.  Aged 94, after the passing of his wife, Barbara, and at least one other health scare that kept him hospitalized for thirteen days. The Saturday Morning Miami Herald had no notice of #41's death in any version including the "dynamic" electronic version.  The Herald relayed the news via an AP story which they posted on Facebook.  I guess even the "morgue" was dead last night. The "news" business has changed for sure.  As I watched a shortened version of his life on the ...