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My SFnal Day Carrie Fisher died this morning. I was 18 when she burst indelibly into my eyes as Princess Leia in Stars Wars. She was not-yet 21.

For dinner tonight I had breen. It's a Narn food I learned about on Babylon 5. G'Kar tells us it is one of those universal mysteries, for every known sentient race has a food just like it. On Earth we call it "swedish meatballs."

As the photo might suggest, I saw Rogue One. That's the tub of popcorn I'm holding. In the end it is a satisfying film, much more satisfying than the last film in the Stars Wars franchise, The Force Awakens. But it takes a while to get there. In fact, midway through the film the litany against fear from Dune entered my mind:

Probably not the best thing to have going through my mind while watching a Star Wars film.

But in the end Rogue One was a satisfying film, with the final word pronounced by Princess Leia herself — hope. Ah, to be 18 again. May Carrie Fisher rest in peace.

It was a nice way to finish the day, even if I didn't finish my popcorn. But that will be very good tomorrow.


"SFnal" means "science fictional," from the abbreviation commonly used by readers of science fiction, "SF."
Posted by Pastor Zip at 2:35:00 AM 0 comments Labels: Film, Me, Picture, Requiescat in pace


The Election

I posted the following earlier today at ALPB Forum Online in response to comments on the topic "Election followup." Pastor Zip

I picked up reading long before starting Kindergarten in 1964.

One of my books (which I probably read a couple of hundred times) was a child's biography of President Kennedy, which in addition to lots of pictures told of his ancestry and childhood, schooling, service on PT 109, Congressional and Senate campaigns as a Democrat (running against the Republican Henry Cabot Lodge), marriage to Jackie and their children (who were about my age), and his election as our first Catholic President. I don't recall whether it included his assassination, but I certainly read his story many, many times remembering that and his funeral on TV. Whether it was part of the book or not, I knew at age 4 that his story ended in tragedy.

Even then I knew my parents were not Democrats. They had not supported JFK in '60 and would not have supported him in '64. And these were not unusual perspectives in the West San Fernando Valley of the 1960s. But they taught their young boy to respect the President of the United States and admire his accomplishments and good qualities. Even if you didn't agree with him. Even if you worked to oppose something he wanted to do.

And as I've seen and heard reactions these last few days to the election here, and on the news, and on my Facebook feed, I've thought about that book a lot. Thankfully.

Posted by Pastor Zip at 6:25:00 PM 1 comments Labels: ALPB Forum Online, Elections, growing up, Me, Public Witness


Of Course I Voted I walked into the polling room at Neighborhood House about quarter to four. The three booths were occupied and, after I checked in, I was told to have seat with a few others folks already there before they called my name. Not a long line by any means, but I had to wait a few minutes before I voted -- and I don't recall waiting that long in this precinct before. I was about the 160th voter, which pretty much fits with recent national elections.

I didn't turn on the TV until 11 pm and quickly noticed (even before I saw any numbers) how 4 of the 5 networks were quite subdued. The next few hours are going to be interesting.
Posted by Pastor Zip at 12:31:00 AM 0 comments Labels: Elections, Me, Peoria, Picture, Public Witness


Advertising Algorithms: Still Not Ready 


The End of a Long Day

It was quarter-to-five Thursday morning when I walked into a largely empty, but awakening, Stockholm-Arlanda Airport to begin the return journey home to Peoria from 2 weeks in Sweden. Some 22 hours later I exited my third jetliner of the day into a largely empty, going-to-sleep, Peoria International Airport as the voice of Hilary Clinton giving her historic acceptance speech eminated from the monitors still tuned to CNN. My mind immediately went back in time...

Posted by Pastor Zip at 2:35:00 PM 0 comments Labels: Elections, Me, Peoria, Picture, Video


The Declaration

Written 240 years ago, the Declaration of Independence is more than stirring words. The Bill of Rights Institute notes,

We read it still today not only to recall the nation's founding. For in a presidential election year it is particularly worth re-reading to see how well the nation continues to live by the principles by which she was established. Reposted from last year, 5 years ago, and 7 years ago this day on Pastor Zip's Blog, and 9 years ago on my other blog.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America 

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences: Labels: America, Holidays, Law, Picture, Whig blog


Sing, My Tongue, the Glorious Battle A Good Friday hymn that continues to grow on me is the ancient Latin hymn Pange lingua, parts of which appear as two different hymns in the Lutheran Book of Worship: Praise the Savior, Now and Ever, an English translation of the Swedish translation (Upp, min tunga, which I learned in the Vadstena Abbey Church through the Society of St. Birgitta) of the Latin, and Sing, My Tongue, in a translation credited in the LBW to "John Mason Neale, alt." Our friend "alt." has apparently worked considerably on Father Neale's original translation, beginning with Fr. Percy Dearmer over 100 years ago.

The original Latin hymn is by the 6th-century Latin poet (and Bishop of Portiers) Venantius Fortunatus. Here's an English translation of the full hymn (we sing five stanzas in LBW, immediately after the Cross is brought in procession to the front of the Church), by Dearmer and Neale:

Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle,
Sing the ending of the fray;
Now above the cross, the trophy,
Sound the loud triumphant lay:
Tell how Christ the world’s Redeemer,
As a victim won the day.

He, our maker, deeply grieving
That the first made Adam fell,
When he ate the fruit forbidden
Whose reward was death and hell,
Marked e’en then this tree the ruin
Of the first tree to dispel.

Tell how, when at length the fullness,
Of th’appointed time was come,
Christ, the Word, was born of woman,
Left for us His heavenly home;
Showed us human life made perfect,
Shone as light amid the gloom.

Lo! He lies an Infant weeping,
Where the narrow manger stands,
While the mother-maid His members
Wraps in mean and lowly bands,
And the swaddling clothes is winding
Round His helpless feet and hands.

Thus, with thirty years accomplished,
Went He forth from Nazareth,
Destined, dedicated, willing,
Wrought His work, and met His death.
Like a lamb He humbly yielded
On the cross His dying breath.

There the nails and spears He suffers,
Vinegar, and gall, and reed;
From His sacred body piercèd
Blood and water both proceed;
Precious flood, which all creation
From the stain of sin hath freed.

Faithful cross, thou sign of triumph,
Now for us the noblest tree,
None in foliage, none in blossom,
None in fruit thy peer may be;
Symbol of the world’s redemption,
For the weight that hung on thee!

Thou alone wast counted worthy
This world’s ransom to sustain,
That a shipwrecked race forever
Might a port of refuge gain,
With the sacred blood anointed
Of the Lamb of sinners slain.

To the Trinity be glory
Everlasting, as is meet:
Equal to the Father, equal
To the Son, and Paraclete:
God the Three in One, whose praises
All created things repeat.

Posted by Pastor Zip at 4:18:00 PM 0 comments Labels: Church Fathers, Holidays, Hymns, Liturgy, Picture, Swedish Church, Zion


Primary Election Day 2016 It was about 3:30 in the afternoon when I showed up at my polling place and, lo and behold, there was a line of people! That's not very common in this precinct. Then it turned out two of the seven were at the wrong precinct. On the other hand, one was a first-time voter. A couple more people came in while I was voting.

As is my custom, I asked how many voters had showed up so far. "Fifty-seven," replied the election judge doing the count. Not bad for a primary election in this precinct, I thought. Then again, this is the first time I have voted in a presidential primary where the nomination in both parites was still up for grabs. As Mr. Franklin said, "A republic, if you can keep it."

57? Hmm, that number's gonna pop up again this week!
Posted by Pastor Zip at 5:43:00 PM 1 comments Labels: Elections, Me, Picture, Public Witness
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