****************************************************************************

Dow drops 313 points after election, anticipating the Fiscal Cliff | Washington Times Communities

I think this is more evidence that looking at our lives solely through the economic lens is part of the problem. Yesterday I heard a businessman blame the fall in the Dow on MISTER Obama. I didn’t confront him but was very surprised that he blamed the President for winning. Sigh. I also am discouraged that so many people no longer respect this office for its own sake.

***************************************************************************

If there’s anyone angrier than a liberal who has just lost, it’s a liberal who has just won | The Daily Caller

I link this as an example of the noise that fills up the Internet. Jim Treacher has to reach deep to find his angry liberal (that’s why I clicked on it…. I am more aware of reactionary anger than liberal anger, but there is high emotion on both sides). He is fortunate that the actor he quotes gives him more fodder in his own comment section. This strikes me as stirring up something out of nothing. Certainly I didn’t learn anything at this link, except to add the Daily Caller to my list of conservative sites to keep an eye on. Oops. Just checked. It’s already there.

****************************************************************************

In China, Unwelcome at the Party – NYTimes.com

Lastly a link unrelated to the election. The writer of this article is putting himself in danger as he goads the authorities with his actions and this article. I only hope his high national visibility might protect. As usual I find myself hoping, but not optimistic.

I learned my lesson. I held my nose and voted for Obama. I guess I’m glad he won but I still believe that Tom Wolfe has it partly right when he describes the government as being like a train on tracks with the parties on either side screaming at it to change its direction, but it just keeps on pretty much in the same way.

He says presidents are pretty inconsequential except for their war powers.

Not sure if I totally agree with that. It is complex, that is for for sure.

I’m relieved that the “take no prisoners” approach the Republicans seem to have been pursuing at least failed at the Presidential level.

I think intransigence leads to worse government. Not that I think people should surrender their values.  I just think that governing is important and to declare that the most important thing about government is to immediately began working against a second term for the elected president seems to me to be wrong-headed if not cynical. Glad it didn’t work.

Also glad to see Pete Hoekstra not get elected. I believe that he did damage in the house. I think he is an old style Republican unlike Huizenga (who also got relected as our local Congressional Rep) and Dykstra (the current mayor of Holland). Old style Republicans seem very reductive. They play on the Tea Party. I have tweeted back and forth with Huizenga. He seems very convinced about his ideas. But I don’t get the “take no prisoners” thing from him or Dykstra.

Anyway, glad this is all over.

FWIW here are two bulletin articles I submitted yesterday. They relate to some of my musings on my blog. Haven’t heard from the boss whether she will publish them as is or wants changes. One is for this week and one for next.

Possible Music note for Sunday:

Why sing psalms? A psalm is a song. The Oxford English Dictionary defines “psalm” this way: “ Any of the sacred songs contained in the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament and Hebrew Scriptures.”

The Performance Notes section in the Hymnal 1982: Service Music volume says

“Biblical song has been part of the Christian liturgy from very early times. Continuing a tradition familiar from Jewish worship, the sing of psalms and biblical canticles became a regular feature both of the Eucharist and of the daily office.”

Today we begin singing psalms in our worship using one of nine Simplified Anglican Chants found in the Hymnal 1982 at S 408- S 416.  Concerning how to sing chant setting the Performance Notes mentioned above says:

“When singing Anglican chant settings of canticles and psalms, particular care should be taken to make sure that the rhythm, sense, and mood of the words govern the tempo dynamics, and style of the singing.”

“Good chanting is good singing. Chant is a musical medium for the clear and expressive singing of liturgical texts. Word accents create the rhythm in chant … if singers read the text in an expressive but not exaggerated manner, and then sing the words to the chant with the same rhythmic flow, they will discover how chant can unify the Christian community’s singing of liturgical texts.”

This means we sing the psalms very much the way we have been reading them together, unhurried and carefully, realizing the meaning of what we are saying together.  Chanting has been described has heightened prayer. By singing, we take our words one step further away from their ordinary use and deepen their meaning  as we pray them.

Steve Jenkins, Music Director