Samantha Pierce

I've been reading To Hell or Barbados: The ethnic cleansing of Ireland by Sean O'Callaghan since I got it for Christmas. The book details Oliver Cromwell 's campaign against the Irish during the English Civil War. It also explores the fate of the Irish who were shipped to the Americas, often to live out their lives as little more than slaves. Having learned a bit about Oliver Cromwell it was easy to see why upon the restoration of the monarchy Cromwell's body was dug up, having died and been succeeded as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth (a position which sounds suspiciously like a king from the descriptions I've read) by his son before then, to be hanged in chains and then beheaded with his head displayed on a pole outside Westminster Hall. But back to O'Callaghan's book. One of the first passages that really stuck out for me in the book was the following: "In all the parliamentary army numbered 20,000 men. They were all trained soldiers, well eq...

Apparently at some point while I was out frolicking in the sunshine President Obama decided it was finally time to let the world see his birth certificate. Well good for you sir. I haven't seen it myself and I'm not going to go looking for it never having been interested in the birther business. Nonetheless, why do I feel like I do when I have to talk my toddler into wearing her coat in the winter?

Before the whole thing is over and everyone goes back to being unaware I thought I'd share my take away message for autism awareness month and life in general. Don't ever let anyone ever tell you that there is little or no hope.

Today I am thankful for/that: Sunshine. It's amazing how much that great big ball of exploding gas way out there in space can affect one's mood. Green. Especially the green of grass just coming to life after a long winter. Grubbing in the dirt. I'd probably starve if I had to actually make a living as a farmer but it's nice to poke around in the garden. What are you thankful for?

I've been reading Life in a Medieval Village by Frances Gies and Joseph Gies. Apparently back then villagers had to pay their lord a fee for living in the village and farm on the lord's land. A reasonable enough arrangement. But if you moved away from the village you had to pay the lord a yearly fee for doing so. That just rubs my modern sensibilities the wrong way. Not long after reading that historical tidbit I read the following and thought, the more things change the more they stay the same: What Happens When Cars Use Less Gas? Drivers of electric cars may have left the gas pump behind, but there's one expense they may not be able to shake: paying to maintain the roads. After years of urging residents to buy fuel-efficient cars and giving them tax breaks to do it, Washington state lawmakers are considering a measure to charge them a $100 annual fee — what would be the nation's first electric car fee. State lawmakers grappling with a $5 billion deficit are fac...

Today I am thankful for: Light, in every sense and meaning of the word. Grace. Mercy. Forgiveness. Redemption. The unending, uncompromising, unconditional, all encompassing love that made it all possible.

Today I am thankful for/that: The Solid Rock My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. Refrain: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand. When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace; In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil. His oath, His covenant, His blood Support me in the whelming flood; When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh, may I then in Him be found; Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne. My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; ’Midst all the hell I feel within, On His completed work I lean. I trust His righteous character His council, promise, and His power; His honor and H...

I suppose this is just another form of "if it bleeds it leads" but doing an investigative series on autism and not talking to any autistic individuals or autistic self advocacy groups? Meh. PBS NewsHour Special "Autism Today" Leaves Out Key Stakeholders, Relies on Old Stereotypes Early promotional material from PBS show that while MacNeil interviewed many parents, physicians and educators for the series, no organizations run by Autistic adults themselves were consulted or approached. In fact, no information exists as to whether or not Mr. MacNeil interviewed any Autistic people during his reporting about the autism spectrum. There is no way around the fact that you can not have serious or informative discourse about autism if you don't have autistic individuals seated at the table as equal partners. Hat tip to Sullivan at LBRB .

Finally getting to some spring cleaning and updating on the blog now that Blogger has made it easy for me to do what I want to do with having to fiddle with too much html code. I'm liking the upgrades.

Beijing police halt unapproved church service . I take a certain amount of pleasure in the knowledge that despite all of the machinations of the Chinese government there is still a thriving christian community in China. The NPR story on this, China Cracks Down On Christians At Outdoor Service , reports the following: As the worshippers prayed, a policeman appeared in the distance, speaking into his walkie-talkie. I asked the young man whether it would be worth it getting arrested for this, "As long as they don't hang any other labels on me," he replied. "If they say I was detained for my faith, it would be worth it. But if they say there are other political factors, that would be far from the truth." *** The young man spoke up in prayer. "Our brothers and sisters have been detained," he said, but he went on to thank God for this place to worship. All the while, the net of security was slowly closing in. As the service ended, the inevitable happe...

Yalla!

Today I am thankful for/that: Two steps forward. Jesus saves. God is still alive despite various attempts by mankind to declare him dead. The community of Christians around the world even in those places where there aren't supposed to be any Christians and especially in those places where being a Christian will cost you your freedom and your life. What are you thankful for?

This sounds like the scare over thimerosal all over again. Parents, and others, insisted (and some still do) that the preservative used in some vaccines caused autism. And we all know how that debacle turned out (years of effort and money looking for a link all the while subjecting children to some pretty uncomfortable and often dangerous "treatments"). Now here again we have parents and their supporters asserting that the big bad scary chemicals are messing up their kids, researchers saying that umm no the evidence doesn't suggest any such thing, and government regulators ready to appease. F.D.A. Panel to Consider Warnings for Artificial Food Colorings Renee Shutters, a mother of two from Jamestown, N.Y., said in a telephone interview on Tuesday that two years ago, her son Trenton, then 5, was having serious behavioral problems at school until she eliminated artificial food colorings from his diet. “I know for sure I found the root cause of this one because you can tu...

Today I am thankful for/that: In Christ Alone In Christ alone my hope is found He is my light, my strength, my song This Cornerstone, this solid ground Firm through the fiercest drought and storm What heights of love, what depths of peace When fears are stilled, when strivings cease My Comforter, my All in All Here in the love of Christ I stand In Christ alone, who took on flesh Fullness of God in helpless babe This gift of love and righteousness Scorned by the ones He came to save 'Til on that cross as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied For every sin on Him was laid Here in the death of Christ I live There in the ground His body lay Light of the world by darkness slain Then bursting forth in glorious Day Up from the grave He rose again And as He stands in victory Sin's curse has lost its grip on me For I am His and He is mine Bought with the precious blood of Christ No guilt of life, no fear in death This is the power of Christ in me From ...

Today I am thankful for/that: This is actually going up on the blog on a Thursday. The prayers of righteous men and women. The green shoots I saw growing out of the ground yesterday. Teething only lasts a little while and then they eagerly await loosing their first tooth. What are you thankful for?

Yes I know it's not Thursday but still, I'm thankful for/that: "I'm hungry." So says Bubba J at the dinner table. "Gum" and "gym." So wrote Bubba J after eating some gum at the gym. One day at a time. What are you thankful for?

Today I am thankful for/that: It Is Well With My Soul When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul. Refrain: It is well, with my soul, It is well, with my soul, It is well, it is well, with my soul. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live: If Jordan above me shall roll, No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life, Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul. But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait, The sky, not the grave, is our goal; Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord...

For my part I think the debate should be about keeping as many teachers in their classrooms as possible given budgetary constraints. Strange I know but I've always been a bit of an odd duck. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcDnKQul_c8

Watching the budget protests by teachers in Wisconsin over the last week I have to say I am not at all impressed. It seems like a really simple thing to me, your state is broke and looking to save some money. Government officials looking at the education budget. I would if I were in their shoes. No one wants to lose teachers or classroom staff so you propose cutting teacher pay and ask teachers to contribute more for their benefits. Seems like a good deal to me. Teachers get to keep their jobs, unlike so many others in this country who have no jobs, they get to keep some good benefits, unlike so many others in this country who have little or no benefits, and kids get presumably qualified professionals teaching them in the classroom. I am at a loss to see how forcing a situation where teachers have to be fired is good for teachers or students. Now on to the situation in New York state. I've been getting emails about a planned rally to take place in Albany in March to demand that t...

Today I am thankful for/that: Because He Lives God sent His son, they called Him Jesus He came to love, heal, and forgive. He lived and died to buy my pardon, An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, All fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living just because He lives. How sweet to hold a newborn baby, And feel the pride and joy he gives. But greater still the calm assurance, This child can face uncertain days because He lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, All fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living just because He lives. And then one day I'll cross the river, I'll fight life's final war with pain. And then as death gives way to victory, I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, All fear is gone! Be...