NRU mish mash

There just might be something for everyone in this news round up.

These are tagged for idealism:
I am not sure I understand how these folks are going to work it out financially -- but I admire the motivation they describe for *giving away* their restaurant.  In a world where many children are not going into the family business if it is in the farming or service sector, I guess this is as good a solution for solidifying your legacy as any other.  I don't have time to read all the press on this -- maybe these other articles explain how the Snyder's think this work out for them financially.

Also, I was interested in the fact that no one mentioned one of my favorite movies *ever*: The Spitfire Grill.  It is all about passing a restaurant down ... with a contest.  So, though I applaud the sentiment and motivation, it is not as novel as the article might make it out to be.  Perhaps the author of the article is 12.  It happens.

I love this story about a philanthropist in Washington DC... the best part is the "mother standard" - you have to read to the end to get it.  I wish all people would feel the need to give something ... even a little. And thank you, sir, for the pandas at the Zoo! I love that place.

Much has been said about the progressive perspective of the new pope, and I have *demurely* disagreed.  Laugh now because you know I have never demurely done anything.  Actually, I have just said that I think we need to see what comes with the pretty phrases.  Something, by the way, I said we should do with Obama as well. 

The power is always in the action... and if the action is aimed at power, then we can start to talk about progressiveness, change, etc.  And, today's we have news about the new cardinals and the decision-making policies he wants to bring back to the Vatican. 

"He does not want to make changes by himself, like a monarch," Polti said. "He wants to create an atmosphere like in Vatican Council Two where the bishops discuss and then together in a common way they take their decision."

That, my friends, is change I can believe in.  I was especially taken with his admonition to the new cardinals that this was not a gift or award being bestowed, but a commitment, a larger responsibility to his flock.  Now I will be praying that 1) haters like this stay to the margins and 2) those whose power is being threatened do not conspire to get rid of Francis.

These are tagged for perspective:
This story gets more and more complicated (some might argue nuanced) as the "facts" of the case trickle out.  That is to say, as the legal machine marches forward, and these stories replace the emotional pieces on the loss of the deceased, it becomes less straight-forward.  Thus, perspective gives shape and adds layers.  It is no less a devastating and senseless loss of a vibrant young woman ... but in the rush to outrage, the lives of two other potentially just as vibrant young women were dangled for retribution.  As I follow this story, I am interested in how the prosecutor adds in charges ... less than murder.  It seems like it is one way, we don't often see or understand, that the scales try to balance justice with vengeance.

I am reading a crazy book about "forced sacrifice" and I wonder how it applies to the legal system -- frenzy turns people who did stupid things into murderers or murderers into justified homicidal crazies.  Ah ... the need for perspective and balance is so quickly displaced by righteous outrage on all sides.  I am no less guilty of thinking about these cases from only one side -- but it is not often we are provided enough information to calculate balance into our own reasoning.

So, this one should probably be in the education round up, but I was more interested in how they explained the way people approach "sliding scale" (here called indexed tuition) -- that is how it opened the field to so many more than "financial aid" did.  I guess pride, powerful motivator to do better/well, can also be what holds people back.  Glad these schools have figured out strategies for leveling the field a little.

This is also lemon/lemonade material:
I was tickled to see that folks at LAX realized they could solve their invasive plant species problem by helping the folks at LA Zoo feed some giraffes.  Sometimes, people do think outside of the box -- and work together!!

This one is tagged for outrage:
I heard the story on NPR first thing (but I can't find the audio, so here's the AP piece via NYTimes) and then got around to this article.  I am still in awe of the fact that someone has to explain why legislating hate might not be the right thing -- or constitutional.  Although as the piece accurately points out, it wouldn't be the first time folks in our country used laws to institutionalize hate/marginalization/discrimination. 

I guess these legislators (and those in the other states who also want this kind of law) just enjoy being the butt of Jon Stewart jokes.  If you can claim you are defending one group's right to discriminate against another group, it is not clear what you think is *right* or what you learned in church.

I am also left wondering if any other bible proscriptions matter to the legislators... you know like, will they not serve adulterers, murderers or those who do not honor their fathers -- or who take the Lord's name in vain?  Imagine if all the people who said OMG or Jesus Christ! out of turn couldn't buy any cookies at the bakery.  What if you accidentally sold a cake to a couple of homosexuals and then found out about it later... would you go to hell? Could you sue those folks for defrauding you?! Yeah ... it is that ridiculous. Ridiculous. I suggest those supposedly god-loving/fearing/obeying folks take their indignant rage down to a homeless shelter and give out some baked goods.

Just one more thing (remember I did tag this one OUTRAGE), what gives haters the right to call their hate in the name of the Lord?  What if the rest of us Christians (and Muslims, Buddhists, etc...) called our legislators and told them to stop calling out GOD when they were hating?  Wouldn't the law need to support my freedom of religion, too? Remember that one other rule Jesus handed out before he gave his life for your sins: do unto others... yeah, just like that.